Casey's countdown on SiriusXM for this week in March 1973 started with many songs that did not go on to be big hits, but it sure ended with classics. Perhaps this was one of the peak weeks for R&B vocal soul...pre-disco, long before rap, but post-Motown sound. Check out these:
1 3 LOVE TRAIN –•– The O’Jays (Philadelphia International)-10 (1 week at #1)
2 1 KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG –•– Roberta Flack (Atlantic)
4 8 NEITHER ONE OF US (Wants To Be the First To Say Goodbye) –•– Gladys Knight and the Pips (Soul)
9 11 BREAK UP TO MAKE UP –•– The Stylistics (Avco)
10 14 AIN’T NO WOMAN (Like the One I Got) –•– The Four Tops (Dunhill)
13 16 CALL ME (Come Back Home) –•– Al Green (Hi)
14 7 COULD IT BE I’M FALLING IN LOVE –•– The Spinners (Atlantic)
22 25 MASTERPIECE –•– The Temptations (Gordy)
That certainly explains why an absolute classic rock standard peaked at #12 this week:
12 12 I’M JUST A SINGER (In a Rock and Roll Band) –•– The Moody Blues (Threshold)-8
Another recurring theme I'm picked up from the early 70s...how friendly it was to instrumentals. This week's top 10 had 2:
3 4 ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA (2001) –•– Deodato (CTI)
7 2 DUELING BANJOS –•– Deliverance (Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell) Warner Brothers
The last 20 years has not seen two top 10 instrumentals!
I don't know how unusual this was, but this week at least had no Beatles in the top 40...
Saturday, 24 March 2018
March 1973 -- obscure hits by big artists
This weekend on SiriusXM, Casey Kasem is counting down from 24 March 1973. Most interesting today is how many songs he's playing by very well-known artists that I have no memory of ever hearing, despite having listened to the radio since the mid-70's and having many of their greatest hits packages. Pulling the chart from here:
22 25 MASTERPIECE –•– The Temptations (Gordy)
25 19 DO YOU WANT TO DANCE –•– Bette Midler (Atlantic)
30 33 PEACEFUL –•– Helen Reddy (Capitol)
34 37 MASTER OF EYES (The Deepness Of Your Eyes) –•– Aretha Franklin (Atlantic)
37 34 GOOD MORNING HEARTACHE –•– Diana Ross (Motown)
Franklin's was a Grammy winner. Ross's was from "Lady Sings the Blues," so unlikely to be a big pop hit. Midler's I'd seen in the chart books and assumed, incorrectly, was an upbeat remake. The Temptation's song made the top 10, but it was unusually political for them. Reddy's is just bland in comparison to her uber-memorable "I am Woman" and "Delta Dawn."
22 25 MASTERPIECE –•– The Temptations (Gordy)
25 19 DO YOU WANT TO DANCE –•– Bette Midler (Atlantic)
30 33 PEACEFUL –•– Helen Reddy (Capitol)
34 37 MASTER OF EYES (The Deepness Of Your Eyes) –•– Aretha Franklin (Atlantic)
37 34 GOOD MORNING HEARTACHE –•– Diana Ross (Motown)
Franklin's was a Grammy winner. Ross's was from "Lady Sings the Blues," so unlikely to be a big pop hit. Midler's I'd seen in the chart books and assumed, incorrectly, was an upbeat remake. The Temptation's song made the top 10, but it was unusually political for them. Reddy's is just bland in comparison to her uber-memorable "I am Woman" and "Delta Dawn."
Tuesday, 20 March 2018
March 1982 -- totally uncool
This week's countdown on 80's on 8 was from March 20, 1982. If you listen to "80's" radio stations and map out what year the songs are from, let's just say that the first 3 years of the 80's are underrepresented. The British New Wave had barely begun, no Madonna, Whitney, Janet, George Michael, very early Big Hair metal. Very little of Prince, Michael Jackson,... Leaving John Cougar and Billy Joel among the few who had hits in 1980 and then are still played.
Plus, lots of country, adult contemporary, and just plain weird novelty records....and even some rock records that just sound dated. Two of them hit #1 back to back..."Centerfold" by J. Geils and then "I Love Rock and Roll" by Joan Jett. Steve Miller's Abracadabra fits that mold too, coming later in 1982.
You could almost hear the frustration in the DJ's as they made comments about how eclectic it all is going from an Oak Ridge Boys to the Police with a straight face, then onto Pac Man Fever, which kept the Police from hitting the top 10...as did Air Supply. A comedy record, a slow instrumental, a 50's tribute, and three other A/C songs in the top 20. Sir Cliff Richard making his last top 40 appearance.
But hey, I came of musical age in 1981, so this is still my music! How many of the below might you ever hear on an 80's station -- not very many...
1 3 I LOVE ROCK ‘N ROLL –•– Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (Boardwalk)-7 (1 week at #1) (1)
2 2 OPEN ARMS –•– Journey (Columbia)-10 (2)
3 1 CENTERFOLD –•– The J. Geils Band (EMI-America)-20 (1)
4 5 THAT GIRL –•– Stevie Wonder (Tamla)-10 (4)
5 6 SWEET DREAMS –•– Air Supply (Arista)-15 (5)
6 7 WE GOT THE BEAT –•– The Go-Go’s (I.R.S.)-8 (6)
7 17 MAKE A MOVE ON ME –•– Olivia Newton-John (MCA)-6 (7)
8 8 MIRROR, MIRROR –•– Diana Ross (RCA)-11 (8)
9 4 SHAKE IT UP –•– The Cars (Elektra)-18 (4)
10 12 PAC-MAN FEVER –•– Buckner and Garcia (Columbia)-11 (10)
11 11 SPIRITS IN THE MATERIAL WORLD –•– The Police (A&M)-10 (11)
12 14 BOBBIE SUE –•– The Oak Ridge Boys (MCA)-10 (12)
13 16 KEY LARGO –•– Bertie Higgins (Kat Family)-19 (13)
14 18 CHARIOTS OF FIRE – TITLES –•– Vangelis (Polydor)-15 (14)
15 9 LEADER OF THE BAND –•– Dan Fogelberg (Full Moon)-17 (9)
16 10 TAKE IT EASY ON ME –•– The Little River Band (Capitol)-16 (10)
17 19 SHOULD I DO IT –•– The Pointer Sisters (Planet)-9 (17)
18 29 FREEZE-FRAME –•– The J. Geils Band (EMI-America)-5 (18)
19 22 TAKE OFF –•– Bob and Doug McKenzie (Mercury)-8 (19)
20 21 TONIGHT I’M YOURS (Don’t Hurt Me) –•– Rod Stewart (Warner Brothers)-9 (20)
21 23 DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE –•– Huey Lewis and the News (Chrysalis)-7 (21)
22 30 (Oh) PRETTY WOMAN –•– Van Halen (Warner Brothers)-7 (22)
23 24 DADDY’S HOME –•– Cliff Richard (EMI-America)-10 (23)
24 36 DON’T TALK TO STRANGERS –•– Rick Springfield (RCA)-3 (24)
25 31 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN (Just Like the White Winged Dove) –•– Stevie Nicks (Modern)-5 (25)
26 28 ONE HUNDRED WAYS –•– Quincy Jones Featuring James Ingram (A&M)-14 (26)
27 27 WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE –•– Abba (Atlantic)-11 (27)
28 32 MY GUY –•– Sister Sledge (Coltillion)-8 (28)
29 13 THROUGH THE YEARS –•– Kenny Rogers (Liberty)-13 (13)
30 40 FIND ANOTHER FOOL –•– Quarterflash (Geffen)-6 (30)
31 35 JUKE BOX HERO –•– Foreigner (Atlantic)-6 (31)
32 37 ON THE WAY TO THE SKY –•– Neil Diamond (Columbia)-6 (32)
33 34 TELL ME TOMORROW (Part 1) –•– Smokey Robinson (Tamla)-10 (33)
34 38 867-5309/JENNY –•– Tommy Tutone (Columbia)-9 (34)
35 41 NOBODY SAID IT WAS EASY (Lookin’ For the Lights) –•– Le Roux (RCA)-6 (35)
36 47 ’65 LOVE AFFAIR –•– Paul Davis (Arista)-4 (36)
37 15 LOVE IN THE FIRST DEGREE –•– Alabama (RCA)-19 (15)
38 51 GOIN’ DOWN –•– Greg Guidry (Columbia)-6 (38)
39 39 DON’T LET HIM KNOW –•– Prism (Capitol)-8 (39)
40 42 JUST CAN’T WIN ‘EM ALL –•– Stevie Woods (Cotillion)-9 (40)
Plus, lots of country, adult contemporary, and just plain weird novelty records....and even some rock records that just sound dated. Two of them hit #1 back to back..."Centerfold" by J. Geils and then "I Love Rock and Roll" by Joan Jett. Steve Miller's Abracadabra fits that mold too, coming later in 1982.
You could almost hear the frustration in the DJ's as they made comments about how eclectic it all is going from an Oak Ridge Boys to the Police with a straight face, then onto Pac Man Fever, which kept the Police from hitting the top 10...as did Air Supply. A comedy record, a slow instrumental, a 50's tribute, and three other A/C songs in the top 20. Sir Cliff Richard making his last top 40 appearance.
But hey, I came of musical age in 1981, so this is still my music! How many of the below might you ever hear on an 80's station -- not very many...
1 3 I LOVE ROCK ‘N ROLL –•– Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (Boardwalk)-7 (1 week at #1) (1)
2 2 OPEN ARMS –•– Journey (Columbia)-10 (2)
3 1 CENTERFOLD –•– The J. Geils Band (EMI-America)-20 (1)
4 5 THAT GIRL –•– Stevie Wonder (Tamla)-10 (4)
5 6 SWEET DREAMS –•– Air Supply (Arista)-15 (5)
6 7 WE GOT THE BEAT –•– The Go-Go’s (I.R.S.)-8 (6)
7 17 MAKE A MOVE ON ME –•– Olivia Newton-John (MCA)-6 (7)
8 8 MIRROR, MIRROR –•– Diana Ross (RCA)-11 (8)
9 4 SHAKE IT UP –•– The Cars (Elektra)-18 (4)
10 12 PAC-MAN FEVER –•– Buckner and Garcia (Columbia)-11 (10)
11 11 SPIRITS IN THE MATERIAL WORLD –•– The Police (A&M)-10 (11)
12 14 BOBBIE SUE –•– The Oak Ridge Boys (MCA)-10 (12)
13 16 KEY LARGO –•– Bertie Higgins (Kat Family)-19 (13)
14 18 CHARIOTS OF FIRE – TITLES –•– Vangelis (Polydor)-15 (14)
15 9 LEADER OF THE BAND –•– Dan Fogelberg (Full Moon)-17 (9)
16 10 TAKE IT EASY ON ME –•– The Little River Band (Capitol)-16 (10)
17 19 SHOULD I DO IT –•– The Pointer Sisters (Planet)-9 (17)
18 29 FREEZE-FRAME –•– The J. Geils Band (EMI-America)-5 (18)
19 22 TAKE OFF –•– Bob and Doug McKenzie (Mercury)-8 (19)
20 21 TONIGHT I’M YOURS (Don’t Hurt Me) –•– Rod Stewart (Warner Brothers)-9 (20)
21 23 DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE –•– Huey Lewis and the News (Chrysalis)-7 (21)
22 30 (Oh) PRETTY WOMAN –•– Van Halen (Warner Brothers)-7 (22)
23 24 DADDY’S HOME –•– Cliff Richard (EMI-America)-10 (23)
24 36 DON’T TALK TO STRANGERS –•– Rick Springfield (RCA)-3 (24)
25 31 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN (Just Like the White Winged Dove) –•– Stevie Nicks (Modern)-5 (25)
26 28 ONE HUNDRED WAYS –•– Quincy Jones Featuring James Ingram (A&M)-14 (26)
27 27 WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE –•– Abba (Atlantic)-11 (27)
28 32 MY GUY –•– Sister Sledge (Coltillion)-8 (28)
29 13 THROUGH THE YEARS –•– Kenny Rogers (Liberty)-13 (13)
30 40 FIND ANOTHER FOOL –•– Quarterflash (Geffen)-6 (30)
31 35 JUKE BOX HERO –•– Foreigner (Atlantic)-6 (31)
32 37 ON THE WAY TO THE SKY –•– Neil Diamond (Columbia)-6 (32)
33 34 TELL ME TOMORROW (Part 1) –•– Smokey Robinson (Tamla)-10 (33)
34 38 867-5309/JENNY –•– Tommy Tutone (Columbia)-9 (34)
35 41 NOBODY SAID IT WAS EASY (Lookin’ For the Lights) –•– Le Roux (RCA)-6 (35)
36 47 ’65 LOVE AFFAIR –•– Paul Davis (Arista)-4 (36)
37 15 LOVE IN THE FIRST DEGREE –•– Alabama (RCA)-19 (15)
38 51 GOIN’ DOWN –•– Greg Guidry (Columbia)-6 (38)
39 39 DON’T LET HIM KNOW –•– Prism (Capitol)-8 (39)
40 42 JUST CAN’T WIN ‘EM ALL –•– Stevie Woods (Cotillion)-9 (40)
Thursday, 15 March 2018
Missing Persons -- Song Unknown
I often wish 80's on 8 on SiriusXM, having all the time in the world to play 80's songs, would add more variety. The main time I listen anymore is during the top 40 countdown from a year in the 80's, simply to hear various songs they don't ordinarily play. For 1980, this would include some songs I've never actually heard. BUt after that, I'm hard to stump.
Then they did it...Missing Persons came on the radio, not with Destination Unknown (which I've heard a few times) but their other just-missed-the-top-40 song "Words" from 1982. Utterly unfamiliar...words, melody, all of it. It was released before I had MTV, and that left Casey's countdown or my local radio playlists. "Words" missed both.
I wonder if they'll surprise me again this year...
Then they did it...Missing Persons came on the radio, not with Destination Unknown (which I've heard a few times) but their other just-missed-the-top-40 song "Words" from 1982. Utterly unfamiliar...words, melody, all of it. It was released before I had MTV, and that left Casey's countdown or my local radio playlists. "Words" missed both.
I wonder if they'll surprise me again this year...
Monday, 5 March 2018
March 1977 -- is that Elton John?
I've been listening to top radio consistently since the early 80's, and I'm not surprised to hear obscure early 70's songs for the first time. But songs from 1977? By Elton John? For whom I own multiple compilation albums? Or Elvis? Or the Bee Gees? But that's just what happened on Casey's countdown on 70's on 7 from this week in 1977...
7 songs I have no recollection of ever having heard before, including a song near the height of the Bee Gees' popularity, plus songs by other superstars:
14 16 BOOGIE CHILD –•– The Bee Gees (RSO)-8 (14)
26 30 CRACKERBOX PALACE –•– George Harrison (Dark Horse)-6 (26)
28 32 BITE YOUR LIP (Get Up and Dance) –•– Elton John (MCA / Rocket)-4 (28)
31 33 MOODY BLUE / SHE THINKS I STILL CARE –•– Elvis Presley (RCA)-11 (31)
And in the "What Casey Doesn't Know" category, is that Elvis (whom he introduced with the unusually descriptive Biggest Star in the World) would be dead within a year.
7 songs I have no recollection of ever having heard before, including a song near the height of the Bee Gees' popularity, plus songs by other superstars:
14 16 BOOGIE CHILD –•– The Bee Gees (RSO)-8 (14)
26 30 CRACKERBOX PALACE –•– George Harrison (Dark Horse)-6 (26)
28 32 BITE YOUR LIP (Get Up and Dance) –•– Elton John (MCA / Rocket)-4 (28)
31 33 MOODY BLUE / SHE THINKS I STILL CARE –•– Elvis Presley (RCA)-11 (31)
And in the "What Casey Doesn't Know" category, is that Elvis (whom he introduced with the unusually descriptive Biggest Star in the World) would be dead within a year.
Saturday, 3 March 2018
March 1983 -- the end of Country & A/C
Listening to the March 5, 1983 countdown on SiriusXM, the top 10 was just fascinating:
1 4 BILLIE JEAN –•– Michael Jackson (Epic)-7 (1 week at #1) (1)
2 2 SHAME ON THE MOON –•– Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band (Capitol)-12 (2)
3 3 STRAY CAT STRUT –•– The Stray Cats (EMI-America)-11 (3)
4 5 DO YOU REALLY WANT TO HURT ME –•– Culture Club (Virgin)-14 (4)
5 6 HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF –•– Duran Duran (Harvest)-11 (5)
6 1 BABY, COME TO ME –•– Patti Austin with James Ingram (Qwest)-25 (1)
7 7 YOU AND I –•– Eddie Rabbitt with Crystal Gayle (Elektra)-22 (7)
8 9 WE’VE GOT TONIGHT –•– Kenny Rogers & Sheena Easton (Liberty)-6 (8)
9 11 BACK ON THE CHAIN GANG –•– The Pretenders (Sire)-13 (9)
10 10 PASS THE DUTCHIE –•– Musical Youth (MCA)-13 (10)
11 14 YOU ARE –•– Lionel Richie (Motown)-8 (11)
12 16 ALL RIGHT –•– Christopher Cross (Warner Brothers)-7 (12)
The top 10 had two #1 country hits plus a de facto country hit by Bob Seger, the last top 10's by Eddie Rabbitt or Crystal Gayle. By the end of the year with "Islands in the Stream," country/pop was over. And since I added #12 by Christopher Cross, what was also over by the end of the year was "Yacht Rock" / Soft AC with Cross and Air Supply having their last top 10's, Barry Manilow already having done so. Neil Diamond sits at #35 for his very last week in the top 40....which the DJs should've noted, in my opinion...
The replacement? Look at those MTV juggernauts...Duran Duran, Culture Club with their first big hits, Stray Cats with their second. And at #1, the video MTV was shamed into playing, which paved the way for so many to follow.
1 4 BILLIE JEAN –•– Michael Jackson (Epic)-7 (1 week at #1) (1)
2 2 SHAME ON THE MOON –•– Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band (Capitol)-12 (2)
3 3 STRAY CAT STRUT –•– The Stray Cats (EMI-America)-11 (3)
4 5 DO YOU REALLY WANT TO HURT ME –•– Culture Club (Virgin)-14 (4)
5 6 HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF –•– Duran Duran (Harvest)-11 (5)
6 1 BABY, COME TO ME –•– Patti Austin with James Ingram (Qwest)-25 (1)
7 7 YOU AND I –•– Eddie Rabbitt with Crystal Gayle (Elektra)-22 (7)
8 9 WE’VE GOT TONIGHT –•– Kenny Rogers & Sheena Easton (Liberty)-6 (8)
9 11 BACK ON THE CHAIN GANG –•– The Pretenders (Sire)-13 (9)
10 10 PASS THE DUTCHIE –•– Musical Youth (MCA)-13 (10)
11 14 YOU ARE –•– Lionel Richie (Motown)-8 (11)
12 16 ALL RIGHT –•– Christopher Cross (Warner Brothers)-7 (12)
The top 10 had two #1 country hits plus a de facto country hit by Bob Seger, the last top 10's by Eddie Rabbitt or Crystal Gayle. By the end of the year with "Islands in the Stream," country/pop was over. And since I added #12 by Christopher Cross, what was also over by the end of the year was "Yacht Rock" / Soft AC with Cross and Air Supply having their last top 10's, Barry Manilow already having done so. Neil Diamond sits at #35 for his very last week in the top 40....which the DJs should've noted, in my opinion...
The replacement? Look at those MTV juggernauts...Duran Duran, Culture Club with their first big hits, Stray Cats with their second. And at #1, the video MTV was shamed into playing, which paved the way for so many to follow.
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