12-13-80

[BROWNJB1]

On the American Top 40 show from December 13, 1980, the song, (Just Like) Starting Over by John Lennon was played twice on that show. First, when the show was recorded just days about JL's murder, and then when Casey did his tribute to JL after his murder. Was that the only time in AT40's history that the same song was played twice in the show, where the song wasn't featured among the top 3 songs from the previous week?, and played back to back?

[dougray2]

There were 2 different versions of AT40 on 12/13/80. The first version (which XM played during the marathon in August) was recorded before John Lennon's death and Casey just introduced the song at #4. After John's death, a second AT40 show was rushed to radio stations. On that show, Casey had a moving tribute to John just before playing his song "Starting Over." I don't know whether anything like this has happened before. When Elvis died in August 77, his hit song "Way Down" fell out of the top 40 and re-entered 2 weeks later. On 8/27/77, Casey played a live version of "Suspicious Minds" as a tribute to Elvis.

[pandy]

I believe one disc (4B backed with 1A) was rush shipped to radio stations to replace the original disc. It also included a cover letter. I did have the origial box set with 5LPs and the cover sheet.

[Shannon Lynn]

pandy said:

I believe one disc (4B backed with 1A) was rush shipped to radio stations to replace the original disc. It also included a cover letter. I did have the origial box set with 5LPs and the cover sheet.

That is correct and ironically, there were program changes in both Side 1A and 4B...how convenient since the discs are packaged that way. 1A originally had a listener question about posthumous acts hitting #1. This was on the original 1A and removed on the replacement disc. The other more notable change was the added Lennon tribute on side 4B of the replacement disc.

[at40petebattistini]

With this program's anniversary approaching (and based on an inquiry I received today), here is some additional insight.

If I understand how the situation was handled, the 12-13-80 show was recorded and duplicated as usual, then shipped on Saturday, December 6. Stations would've started receiving the show (at the earliest) on the following Monday, the day Lennon died. On Tuesday, December 9, a rushed recording session was followed by an urgent duplication and shipping effort to update the posthumous acts question and Casey's intro and outcue on Lennon's record.

There are two pieces of correspondence from Tom Rounds (the show's executive producer) that went to AT40 subscribers -- one dated Monday, December 8 and the second dated Tuesday, December 9. The December 8 memo was mailed separately and the December 9 memo accompanied a replacement LP. (Unless I've forgotten someone mentioning this to me, I know of no one else that has the December 8 letter.) If I'm involved with a book about AT40 in the 80s, I hope both of these end up getting published.

I hope this provides additional insight to a very unusual AT40 program.

[freakyflybry]

And this'll be the show that airs on XM tomorrow.

I wonder if it'll be the original version (which was aired during the marathon), or the tribute version.

[coldcardinal]

It appears to be the original version (judging by the trivia question at #37).

Too bad. I've never heard his Lennon tribute.

[Matt Cameron]

I was working all day today, but we have XM Radio at work, so I switched it over to the 80's channel. I was really disappointed to hear the posthumous hits question in the first hour, the telltale sign that the original tribute-less show was airing. I've got the tribute show on CD and it's my favorite AT40. Casey's finest moment at the mic in my opinion.

[Shannon Lynn]

coldcardinal said:

It appears to be the original version (judging by the trivia question at #37).

Too bad. I've never heard his Lennon tribute.

If you'll go to www.charismusicgroup.com and sit on the home page to let the background load, you can hear the full Lennon tribute segment.

[Matt Cameron]

Thanks for doing that, Shannon! Now everyone can hear what is truly one of the finest moments in radio history. I remember hearing this when I was 12 years old. I didn't even though that much about John Lennon or the Beatles at the time, but it made me cry like a baby. Especially when I saw the effect it had on my parents and older siblings.

[coldcardinal]

Wow, thank you Shannon! I've been waiting a while to hear that.

That was stunning. Absolutely worth the hype.

[vto66]

I just listened to Casey's John Lennon tribute today. What a difference between that and his original intro to "Starting Over" (where Casey sounded so excited about the fact that John Lennon had another big hit on this hands). Very, very touching indeed.

[shadster]

I dont hear anything. I goto the site but no audio pops up.

[dougray2]

Shadster, the same thing happened when I first went there, then I hit refresh and it came on. Try refreshing and see if that works. Thanks Shannon, that was one of Casey's best moments ever on radio.

[shadster]

Still no go for me. I've tried from IE and Mozilla firefox. Mozilla just sits there and says READ www.charismusicgroup.com IE does nothing but load the page. I'd prolly need a link to it in order ascertain what plugin or whatever i need.