What show are you listening to right now?

[woolebull]

Also finished up AT 11/21/87. The fall of 1987 was when I really got into AT again (it was off the air in my area from 1983-86...another reason I think I love Ingram so much since "Satellite" was on for most of its run around here). I could go on about the many songs I loved, and still love, from this show but two songs over the years have become favorites of mine that would have floored 14 year old me. "Don't Make Me Wait For Love" by Kenny G and Lenny Williams is one of those and in my mind is just a solid song. One thing I didn't know: I didn't realize Lenny was the lead singer of Tower of Power. Which means in 1987 we got to hear two different parts of Power on AT: Lenny with Kenny, and the horn section on "Doin' It All For My Baby". The other song I liked then, but man it just gets better each time I hear it: "Skeletons" by Stevie. Here is a fact that I am sure no one has thought about and probably doesn't care about lol: "Skeletons" is the second song in 1987 to use the word "ill" as a verb for "dumb" or "wack", along with Run DMC "You Be Illin". And of course, Casey would have to say the word multiple times while the Beastie Boys were on the top 40 in 1987 or when "License To Ill" was the number one album and Casey named it off.

Final note: I don't know what genre you would call it, but Swing Out Sister begins a time of jazzy pop that stretched for many years with "Breakout". SOS is without a doubt one of my favorite groups of all time, and I get hyped any time I can hear "Breakout" on a top 40. Just an amazing song.

[dukelightning]

I agree on SOS. I did know that about Lenny Williams thanks to Casey. Great for him to get back on AT40 like that. And I should have known about the other Lenny on "Justify My Love" for the same reason. Casey or Shadoe must have mentioned Lenny Kravitz writing and/or producing it in a show so I must have forgotten. Could it be that I have not heard the show(s) that either said that? Uh no!

Because I am at a pivotal moment in listening to these shows. I have heard almost every AT40 and CT40 that Casey and Shadoe ever hosted including their guest hosts. You just heard that 1987 show woolebull. I started listening to the Premiere shows in 2010 and I think it was by 2016 that I finished hearing all the shows in the 18 year series including guest hosted shows. So I am hearing all those shows nowadays for at least the second time. The 11/22/75 show that I heard the other day was one of the first rebroadcasted shows I heard back in 2010 as a matter of fact.

It's the shows after 8/6/88 that I have been dealing with these last several years. And excluding year end shows which I will hear later on, I am down to the last shows from each year through the end of Casey’s run on AT40.

I am near the end of that run now with the 11/22/03 show. Casey tells about hip hop dances with Chingys "Holidae In" about the Chicken Head. Don't hear that on the throwback station as I do his previous hit "Right Thurr".

It was 2 and a half years earlier that "What it Feels like for a Girl" moved 16 spots. The biggest mover since then also up 16 this week is "The Voice Within". Neither not only failed to hit #1 but the top 10. Madonna stopped at 15 and Christina stalled at 12. Christina has another hit that I prefer in this show. In fact both her and Madonna are part of duets and they are back to bac..."Me Against the Music" and "Can't Nobody Hold us down", with Britney and Lil Kim.

Third hit titled "So Far Away" in AT40 history and my favorite is the Staind hit spending its 15th week at #1 on the rock chart. Followed by another great one "Into You" that I also hear on the R&B throwback station. A couple other great songs with that or similar title by ARS(1977) and Ari(2016).

[OnWithTheCountdown]

Nov 22, 2024 9:20:41 GMT -5 woolebull said:

Finished up the Top 40 Satellite Survey from 11/16/85. Many of you know how much I love "Survey", and that has everything to do with Dan Ingram. So I listen to one of those shows every time I can. However, from time to time there are guest DJ's so I was excited that I got to hear radio legend Jim Kerr take over. Let me emphasize, "was". Unfortunately, Kerr and the show just didn't mix. His style didn't jive with the quick, up tempo style that Dan brought to the show. And if you have ever wondered if Melvin, the computer who was "heard" frequently on the show, had a jingle for every single number from 40 to 1, wonder no more. Kerr used a number jingle for every single position. Every one. Never have heard any show do anything like that.

The bright side? "Satellite" will sometimes throw surprises on its chart and this week was no exception: "Lay Your Hands On Me" by the Thompson Twins was number 2, with Glenn Frey at #1, which made it a fun show to listen to, poor Jim Kerr aside.

There's three shows (all current) that I know of that uses number jingles for every slot: iHeart Country Top 30 with Bobby Bones, and two Christian countdown shows from Amped Productions: Weekend 22, and Weekend Top 20 Countdown.

Love fall 1985 - my 45 collection started growing quite a bit back then. 😁

dukelightning - that's my favorite Staind song, "So Far Away". Great tidbits in the 2003 show. Feeling like I need to throw one in there soon. Lots of great pop music back then.

[dukelightning]

Yes lots of great pop music in 2003. Now it's time to finish up a year in the 90s. The CT40 from 11/25/95 gets my ire because of one of my pet peeves. And that is editing a debut song. A cardinal rule should be never to edit a debut but they did for the highest one "Tell Me". When you hear the line 'sweetheart, now it's time to let you know' 30 seconds into the song, you know a 2 minute song is being played. That line actually IS 2 minutes into the song which I found out while playing it on YouTube immediately afterward! Btw, I went to YouTube for a third of the songs in the 11/22/75 show which also edited the highest debut hit by the Ohio Players.

Casey told how in 1982 Melissa Etheridge got all the way to the finals of the Fame TV show auditions. Lost out because the producers wanted an R&B singer and so chose Janet Jackson. I think I know her! She is coming up later!

Lisa Loeb first started writing "Do you Sleep" 6 years earlier. Said it was about a personal experience that she does not want to talk about. Good song.

Mistake alert. Casey said the Gin Blossoms were from Tempe, AZ, home of the Phoenix Cardinals. But they were renamed the Arizona Cardinals in 1994. "Til I Hesr it from You" made it to #3. Forgot they ever got that high on the chart.

Story at #1 was that Mariah was the second artist to hit #1 in every year of the 90s. Madonna was the first and each were gunning for their next #1. A promo let me know that "You'll See" was the biggest mover at 14 the previous week while "One Sweet Day" was the biggest mover at that position this week. They were back to back thus week too. But of course only Mariah will notch another year hitting #1 in the 90s though 1996 will be her last until 2005. Madonna had her last #1 hit earlier in 1995.

[dukelightning]

The first half of the 11/27/99 show guest hosted by Ed McMann this morning. He tells how Dave Grohl thought the Foo Fighters sound had become too modern. He preferred the pre-synthesizer sound and could not create it in their studio. So he built his own in his house that was circa 1978. The result was "Learn to fly" which I like.

A feature from the early 90s was brought back to some degree. Casey had a concert update that he would do at the end of a segment. This time Ed did it in the middle of one and after mentioning where Billy Joel was playing, played "We didn't start the fire".

He said that Celine Dion would be going on a 3 year vacation after her New Years Eve concert due to a cancer scare she and her husband had. It ended up being 2 years since her next hit came in March 2002.

Here's a factoid. During the third of a century that Casey was AT40/CT40 host, 8 hits were titled "Angel". There were only 2 hits whose first or only word was 'angels' and both are in this show. "Angels Would Fall", possibly my favorite Melissa Etheridge song and Robbie Williams' "Angels" which was covered by Jessica Simpson in 2004. Hearing her first hit "I'm going to Love You Forever" right now. Good song.

[woolebull]

Love these late 1999 shows, especially the songs you mentioned in "Angel" and IGTLYF...powerful songs! Was/Am big Robbie Williams fan right here.

I just finished the 11/22/86 show...and it is interesting. I mentioned that my area did not have AT from fall 1983 to around this time in 1986. This was the first show I remember hearing when it came back on in the area. To the point that when "Amanda" was done at #2, I did verbatim every word Casey said between "Amanda" and the intro to "Human". This show is awesome for many reasons, but here is my favorite:

Starting the show at #40 was Timbuk 3 and "The Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades". I don't know what song I would use to describe to aliens what one song defined American culture in the 80's, but this song would be on the short list. That song, which I like but never truly loved, has been stuck in my head for 38 years. To the point that I have always thought about $50,000 as being a goal of mine to achieve financial wealth lol. So after hearing the song, I looked up what $50,000 in 86 would equate to in 2024. The answer: roughly $144,000! Which not only would buy a lot of beer but also some Pappy Van Winkle bourbon (if you know, you know. If not look it up). Which means the $3700 dollar lynx coat Oran Juice Jones took away from his woman as he contemplated going Rambo in "The Rain" would now be worth $10,656.54. I guess, uh to use another 1986 song not on the countdown..."Money's Too Tight To Mention"!

Currently on 11/22/96 and I am noticing something fascinating about the Dees show, which I will share when I am done. But it is blowing my mind!

[woolebull]

Nov 22, 2024 18:24:09 GMT -5 dukelightning said:

Yes lots of great pop music in 2003. Now it's time to finish up a year in the 90s. The CT40 from 11/25/95 gets my ire because of one of my pet peeves. And that is editing a debut song. A cardinal rule should be never to edit a debut but they did for the highest one "Tell Me". When you hear the line 'sweetheart, now it's time to let you know' 30 seconds into the song, you know a 2 minute song is being played.

Not only should "Tell Me" be played in its entirety, it should have been played in place of every other song on the countdown, including extras and Request and Dedications. That's how amazing that song is, IMO.

[dukelightning]

I totally concur with your statement about "Tell Me" woolebull! I am trying to wrap my arms around another of your statements about having a song in your head for 38 years! But it's always mind blowing when you take a dollar figure from 40, 50, 60 years ago and adjust for inflation. Good point! As was your comment about 80s culture. In that 1999 AT40 I finished up, Ed McMann touched on culture in a Savage Gsrden story that told how they could not stand Americans eating habits. Quipped that all the food was so greasy and dominated by things that they could not eat as vegetarians. Never been off of this continent but I'm sure doing so would be quite a experience seeing the eating habits around the world.

Also in that 1999 show was a pair of songs touching on the same topic. Kid Rock sings this line in "Cowboy". 'Where real women equipped with scripts and fake breasts'. Also mentions Tijuana, California and the west coast. Then there's the Peppers "Scar Tissue" from their CALIFORNIFICATION CD and the line about a push up bra. Looks like 2 songs about the same topic, maybe the first 2 in AT40/CT40 history? But both are not about a Cali gal despite the album title. It's a Kentucky girl the Peppers are singing about!

Final comment about that show. It was a rare 2 extra show. Second was one "You Make Me Wanna" after Ed mentioned all the acting that Usher had recently done or was about to do. Came right after Will Smith's hit ironically. Those 2 men might have done more acting as any male recording artists in the then 30 year history of AT40/CT40. Not counting John Travolta btw!

So woolebull heard the 11/22/86 AT40. The next show is this week's 80s show and I am listening to it. That 38 years in your head song had Casey saying it seemed like a positive song at first glance. But it was actually about someone being blind to all the discord around them. And here's what Casey said after playing "You Be Illin"...woolebull's favorite "Skeletons" in the countdown exactly a year later...'if that ain't a winner, grits ain't groceries, eggs ain't poultry and Mona Lisa was a man' to borrow a line from an old rock song. Commentary Casey was emerging that hit its peak in 1988!

[dukelightning]

1988 is the last number or word in that last post and it is the year for this show before the football games and dinner. This is the only time in the Thanksgiving sequence that the weekend extends into December. So my first show this year from that month is the WT40 from 12/3/88. After an Information Society sure shot, the first song is a long one clocking at 5 minutes. "Thanks for my Child" had Dees saying it was an answer song to last year's "Dear Mr. Jesus". 'Remember that one?' He said that in jest as there is no such song. Then played "The Way You Love Me" which was edited to just over 3 minutes causing me to hear the 5 minute version on YouTube afterward.

That edit was nothing when compared to the #1 song in the top 5 in the UK recap. "Need You Tonight" was the only song in that top 5 I knew. Of course this is a year after it was a hit in the US. Played the first verse and the message "My Gosh, the songs are short in the UK!'

A couple songs I did not remember. "Yeah Yeah Yeah" at 28 was appropriate since Judson Spence sang 'December' in the first verse. And at 26 was Ivan Neville with 'Not Just Another Girl". Did not remember that Aaron Neville had a son who had a hit either! Ivan sounded more like Huey Lewis than his dad. Rick informed that Billy Preston played keyboards on it that I did not know either. Of course it was a year earlier that another early to mid 70s star Lenny Williams of Tower of Power sang on Kenny G's hit. His instrumental "Silhouette" is in this show.

[woolebull]

Nov 28, 2024 9:57:39 GMT -5 dukelightning said:

"Thanks for my Child" had Dees saying it was an answer song to last year's "Dear Mr. Jesus". 'Remember that one?' He said that in jest as there is no such song.

A couple songs I did not remember. "Yeah Yeah Yeah" at 28 was appropriate since Judson Spence sang 'December' in the first verse. And at 26 was Ivan Neville with 'Not Just Another Girl".

Rick is actually spot on with "Child". Powersource would get to I think #60 or so around Xmas of 1987 with "Dear Mr. Jesus" and "Child" was a response song to it. There was a huge uproar about "Child" partly in response to "Jesus" and the sensitive nature of both songs.

As for Spence and Neville, loved both of those songs! Wild Ivan would at that point be tied with his dad for the same number of top 40 hits up to that point.

[dukelightning]

Ah Dees fooled me there! Thanks woolebull. He is always making stuff up with his wittiness that I thought he had made that up about Jesus too.

[woolebull]

Nov 28, 2024 18:36:48 GMT -5 dukelightning said:

Ah Dees fooled me there! Thanks woolebull. He is always making stuff up with his wittiness that I thought he had made that up about Jesus too.

Ha no worries! You never are sure if Dees is legit or doing Dees things. One thing I didn't know: "Child" hit WT40. I always thought it pulled a Rob Base or '89 Metallica (ie have a single hit AT and not WT).

As for Judson Spence, he reminded me of someone who a year later would hit the top 40: Kevin Paige. Not really by voice but through music. Both from Tennessee with that Delta sound that combined pop sensibilities. Going to listen to "Yeah" right now!

EDIT: Jist listened to it...stick with the Paige comparison (especially "Beale Street" Paige that has been a big influence on Memphis music after his cup of coffee in the top 40). But throw in Robbie Nevil as well. Just a solid solid song!

[dukelightning]

Robbie Nevil had my favorite #1 or #2 hit in this week's Premiere shows as I posted. Now it's another Shadoe show which leaves me with just a couple more to hear for the first time excluding the year end shows. By listening to this show after the Dees show, I almost pulled off something that I wonder if it is even possible. The 2 hits that comprise the only ones for a 2 hit wonder were nearly the last song on one show and the first song on the next show with both shows being from the same week of the year. That WT40 had Will to Power at #1 and this 12/8/90 AT40 had them debuting at 39 with their second hit "I'm not in Love".

Another unique situation occurred when back to back 5th singles from albums were played. "And so it Goes" is the 5th from STORM FRONT was followed by "Hang in Long Enough" which is the 5th from ...BUT SERIOUSLY. Funny thing is that while Goes was the slowest of Joel's 5 releases, Enough was the fastest of Collins' 5 releases. And my favorite of those 5 as except for "Against All Odds" and "Separate Lives", his AC hits don't do much for me.

After playing Nelson which has twin brothers, Soho was next in the countdown. And they are just the second group with twin sisters to make the 40. The Shangri-Las were the first and Shadoe played a clip of their #1 hit "Leader of the Pack".

Shadoe likes to play medleys and this show had one of all the top 10 hits produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. There were 2 more in the countdown that would add to their total which is 19 out of their 25 top 40 hits. Janet accounts for 11 of those. Thought Jimmy and Terry produced all her hits but "Black Cat" was co-produced by Janet.

[dukelightning]

11 years to the day after Casey ended the show with a song having the line 'let's get physical' in it, he starts the 12/12/92 CT40 with a song having the line 'let's get sexual' in it. In both cases, the title of those songs is just the last word of those lines. This Goddess hit is also the third in AT/CT40 history to name the sitting president when she sings 'George and Barbara'(Bush). First 2 were "Fish Ain't Bitin"(Nixon) and "Russians"(Reagan).

This is also a show where despite promoting the year end countdown several times in this last regular show of the year, Casey never makes any reference to Christmas. Not sure what happened in 1989, 90 or 91. But in AT40 1.0, not counting 1971 or 73 when Christmas specials were aired, 1982 was the only year when no reference to Christmas was made in the last regular show of the year. Maybe having an AC show in 1992 had something to do with that.

Casey did a tribute to Otis Redding on the 25 year anniversary of his and 4 members of the Bar-Kays dying in a plane crash. "Sittin on the Dock of the Bay" was recorded just 3 days earlier.

Dropping to #3 after spending his last ever week at #2 is Bobby Brown. It means this is the week that Casey could have said that he had tied the CCR record for most #2 hits without ever hitting #1. As "Good Enough" was his 5th #2 hit. I don't remember Casey or a guest host ever mentioning that which is kind of bizarre seeing as Casey mentioned several times during AT40 1.0 that CCR record. Also in the countdown are TLC who hit #2 with 3 hits without hitting #1. So that 2 artists in the countdown with 8 #2 hits and no #1 hits between them.

[dukelightning]

Been listening to Casey’s and Shadoe's 80s shows for over 10 years be it AT40 or CT40. Now I am listening to my last such show for the first time. Ironically neither one is doing it. The CT40 from 12/9/89 is guest hosted by Mark Elliott who has the distinction of having the longest hosting span of any AT40/CT40 guest host at 16 years. In his opening, 2 artists that are at the opposite end of the spectrum musically were mentioned. Mark said the long-awaited comeback hit by Quinck Jones was one of the 2 debuts while in the top 3 recap, Milli Vanilli was #1.

So this in addition to being my last regular show of the 80s that I am hearing doubles as my Q tribute show. However, this version of "I'll be good to You" is not as good as the Brothers Johnson original which he produced. The other debut is one of my favorite power ballads. But they cutoff "I Remember You" before the cold ending. At least the equally great power ballad "Love Song" was played to its cold ending.

Here's yet another 1989 hit that was re-released or remixed. Mark said that "Don't make me over" was released 3 times.

"Back to Life" is a great song that is almost the oldest one played on the R&B oldies station. When they came on the air 3 years ago, "Rapper's Delight" was the oldest followed by "Rumours" and "Walk this way" from 1986. A few other late 80s hit were in their rotation. But now Life and "It Takes Two" are the only 80s hits they play. Btw, the song whose title could have also been "It takes two" is in the show. Maybe my favorite in it..."Two to make it right".

Anyway you can see how playlists are changing.