Casey Kasem American Top 40

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Some eccentric action on this chart

A-ha, Casey just explained: this week they recalibrated their chart formula.

Indeed, the actual chart that week has no numbers in the "Last Week" column; just a legend reading "See Page One story this week". I recall being astounded that the obviously hitbound "Kodachrome" fell backwards -- a "WTF?" moment before that meme existed! And actually, my Billboard Chart book has the "corrected" version, not the one you're hearing; maybe I'll post it later when I have time. (For example, Gilbert O's "OOTQ" was really #93!)

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I'd forgotten that Edward Bear's "Close Your Eyes" is that rare follow-up hit that's actually a sequel, lyrically. Rather nice and overlooked (it only got as high as 37).

And overlooked is an understatement, in re: "Let's Pretend". Gawd I love this record, mondegreens and all ("I couldn't bear to eat and take you home"? That can't be right).

Jon & Ernest's "Superfly Meets Shaft", exec-produced by (of course) Dickie Goodman is amateurish but fun, and it's followed by a trio of sugary-sweet tunes (and I mean that in the nicest way possible): Lobo's "It Sure Took a Long Long Time", Barbara Fairchild's adorable "Teddy Bear Song", and Perry Como putting a fine old-school veneer on Don McLean's "And I Love You So" -- the RCA A&R guy who brought that to Como deserved some sort of award (or at least a bonus).

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Fun Chart Fact of the Week: as 3DN enter the halls of Shambala at #34 (and they'll really be at #19 when the corrected chart is issued), BW Stevenson's version is peaking at #66. His radio payback would come a few months later.

Gilbert O's leap back into the 40 really WAS out of the question, per the corrected chart:

1. My Love – Wings
2. Frankenstein – EWG
3. Pillow talk – Sylvia
4. Daniel – EJ
5. Playground In My Mind – Clint Holmes
6. I’m Gonna Love You… -- Barry White
7. Tie a Yellow Ribbon – Dawn
8. You Are The Sunshine of My Life – Stevie W
9. Hocus Pocus – Focus
10.  Long Train Running – Doobies
11.  Right Place Wrong Time – Dr John
12.  Drift Away – Dobie Gray
13.  Give Me Love – George Harrison
14.  Will It Go Round – Billy Preston
15.  One of a Kind Love Affair – Spinners
16.  Wildflower – Skylark
17.  Kodachrome – Paul Simon
18.  Stuck in the Middle – Stealer’s Wheel
19.  Shambala – 3DN
20.  I’m Doing Fine – NYC
21.  Steamroller Blues – Elvis
22.  Reeling in the Years – Steely Dan
23.  Night/Lights/GA – Vicki Lawrence
24.  Little Willy – Sweet
25.  Right Thing to Do – Carly Simon
26.  Bad Bad Leroy Brown – Jim Croce
27.  Thinking of You – L&M
28.  Leaving Me – Independents
29.  Funky Worm – Ohio Players
30.  Natural High – Bloodstone
31.  No More Mr Nice Guy – Alice Cooper
32.  Cisco Kid – War
33.  And I Love You So – Perry Como
34.  Give it to Me – Geils
35.  Daddy Could Swear – Gladys/Pips
36.  You’ll Never Get To Heaven – Stylistics
37.  Teddy Bear Song – Barbara Fairchild
38.  Behind Closed Doors – Charlie Rich
39.  Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy – Bette Midler
40.  Let’s Pretend -- Raspberries

So we missed out on hearing Gladys, Bette, Charlie Rich, Bloodstone and the Sylistics thanks to the screw-up.

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BOS the fab Philly-sounding soul of the Independents (tho' they were from Chicago) on "Leaving Me", their only Top 40 hit, tho' the follow-up ("Baby I've Been Missing You") was one of those peaked-at-#41 heartbreakers.

I remember HATING "Daisy a Day" at the time; Jud Strunk was a latter-period cast member on Laugh-In who didn't strike me as being very interesting or talented. But the song seems sweet and well-constructed now, if slight.

And here's Granny, overstaying her welcome on "Funky Worm" -- like 9 cans of shavin' powdah!

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Macca's at #1 reminding us that "my glove does it good" -- must be one of those Accu-Jac gloves.

[Tinka Cat]

..."Let's Pretend". Gawd I love this record,..

Jon & Ernest's "Superfly Meets Shaft", exec-produced by (of course) Dickie Goodman is amateurish but fun...

yes, the Raspberries!  This is a good one.  But I was scratching my head at Superfly Meets Shaft.  Sounds like they did it in one take, and these guys cannot convince us they are NOT reading.  Heehee.

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..."Let's Pretend". Gawd I love this record,..

Jon & Ernest's "Superfly Meets Shaft", exec-produced by (of course) Dickie Goodman is amateurish but fun...

yes, the Raspberries!  This is a good one.  But I was scratching my head at Superfly Meets Shaft.  Sounds like they did it in one take, and these guys cannot convince us they are NOT reading.  Heehee.

It's the only "black" cut-in record that I know of, so it's especially sad that it's so cheap-sounding.  And regarding your comment about NYC's "I'm Doin' Fine Now": It was indeed written and produced by Thom Bell who did all the Spinners' stuff. Not sure if it's one they turned down and so he went off and did a side project, or what. (To this day there are people who think is *is* the Spinners.)  I'll go to my grave loving that song yet insisting it needs another verse.

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This week Casey goes back to June 19th, 1976.

http://www.whnn.com/goout.asp?u=http://www.whnn.com/Article.asp?id=583277&spid=

Not a lot of obscure "oh wow" tunes, but we do get to hear Eric Carmen 2 weeks in a row. Rhythm Heritage's "SWAT" follow-up, "Baretta's Theme", and Brass Construction's "Movin'" are the closest to genuine haven't-heard-this-since-'76 rarities here. We also get Cyndi Grecco with the "L&S" theme and the Trammps fabulous "Where the Happy People Go" -- I'd forgotten that actually spent time in the 40.

[Tinka Cat]

I was glued to my AM Top 40 station during this period, so nearly all these songs are familiar to me, and prob every one, just like Mike said in prev post.  Brass Construction's Movin' might be worth seeking out, and the Baretta theme was good to hear again.     One of my older brother was a big Thin Lizzy fan, and turned me onto them, so I esp enjoyed Boys Are Back In Town climbing the charts this summer.    I'll give them BOS for toughening up the AT40. WOS - John Travolta, not even close.  Fine, John, Let Her In, but you gotta stay in the sound proof chamber.  ay-yi-yi.... John Sebastian' Welcome Back is schmaltzy, but the sentiment is very noble: a guy who wanted desperately to leave his hometown  ("Welcome to Brooklyn, Fourth Largest City In America"), but listens to his higher calling and returns to help people.  Gabe Kotter is George Bailey with a Jew-'fro and 'stache, and sans angel. Nice segment by Casey b/w numbers 17 and 16 on Claudine Clark, one of the "disappearing acts" Casey profiled on a 1975 show.  She had one hit (Party Lights) in 1962, took her earnings and started a specialized school in Philly which taught creative arts and "black awareness."  Casey read a letter from her, where she thanked Casey for the mention on the disappearing acts show.  She said the school eventually went bankrupt, but she kept teaching in her basement, hoping to give kids a chance to love and be loved, and to become good productive citizens.  She said it's important to have a choice.  She's like a real-life Kotter...

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WOS - John Travolta, not even close.  Fine, John, Let Her In, but you gotta stay in the sound proof chamber.  ay-yi-yi....

I have a "Disco One-Hit-Wonders" CD I got for like 2 bucks on Amazon; bought it for a couple of lost gems like "El Bimbo" by Bimbo Jet, William DeVaughn's "Be Thankful..." and NYC's "I'm Doin' Fine". But for some ungodly reason they included the Travolta tune.  Slow dance?

Casey's excited, and it *is* historic, to have the Beatles and the Beach Boys in the 40 together for the first time since the '60s.  He gushes that Macca is singing lead with 2 diff bands in the same week, but ignores the fact that George Martin was back-to-back with himself, producing America's "Today's the Day" at 30 and the Fabs' "GTGYIML" at 29.

BOS1 the Trammps, what seems to be a looooooong version of "Where the Happy People Go".

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BOS2 Eric Carmen's lovely "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again", followed by BOS3, Marvin's underrated "I Want You". And a VHM to Brass Construction.

Meanwhile, I'm watching the Giants/A's game, and these "Please please PLEASE come back to Mexico! We don't have the flu anymore! REALLY! HONEST!" commercials are creepy.

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First it was Starbuck getting a backseat BJ at #18, now the Starland Vocal Band have noontime nookie at #9 in everyone's favorite HFH, "Afternoon Delight" -- followed by an actual porn star with "More More More"! Ah, the '70s...

Speaking of HFHs, I will never understand the hate for "Shannon". Dead dog + Beach Boy harmonies = What's not to love?  VHM just because.

[Gazoo]

Speaking of HFHs, I will never understand the hate for "Shannon". Dead dog + Beach Boy harmonies = What's not to love? 

That would be the "dead dog."

This has been another episode of "Simple Answers to Simple Questions."   

[Gazoo]

Casey's '80s take us to this week in 1984.  A lot of great memories for me: "Breakin' (There's No Stoppin' Us)," "Don't Walk Away," "No Way Out," "Run Runaway," "Doctor Doctor."  And one OMGWTF: Van Stephenson's "Modern Day Delilah," with the sublimely ridiculous line "She'll love you like a lion, then leave you like a lamb."  Are lambs notoriously flaky?

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Van Stephenson's "Modern Day Delilah," with the sublimely ridiculous line "She'll love you like a lion, then leave you like a lamb."  Are lambs notoriously flaky?

Maybe he means she'll love you for the entire month of March?