Author Topic: Casey Kasem American Top 40  (Read 1543644 times)

RGMike

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #975 on: February 08, 2009, 08:29:37 PM »
Ooh, a favorite of mine at #19: Helen Reddy's "Somewhere in the Night."  Barry Manilow would do slightly better 3 years later, changing the lyric slightly (from "music to magic to end" to "music to my gentle wind") and aiming squarely for payoff notes.

I don't recall the lyric change -- I'll have to dig out the Manilow version (I'll assume you've got a typo there: Helen's was "music too magic to end"). But if Barry has a "gentle wind" problem, he should try Bean-O.

Well, I listened to my double-vinyl Barry Manilow's Greatest Hits earlier, and dude, you totally mondegreened that "gentle wind" thing.
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Wayback

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #976 on: February 12, 2009, 09:21:58 PM »
This weekend (2/14-15) Casey70's visits Feb 18, 1978.  Playlist:
http://www.957kjrfm.com/pages/events.html?feed=111843&article=4192995

Gazoo

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #977 on: February 14, 2009, 07:07:11 AM »
BOS to War's last visit to the Top 40, my beloved "Galaxy" at #39 (its peak position, alas).

Before that we had Tom Petty, also at his peak position with "Breakdown" at #40.
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Gazoo

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #978 on: February 14, 2009, 07:49:19 AM »
Eww, back-to-back WOS votes to two snoozy covers: Art Garfunkel, James Taylor and Paul Simon's predictable take on "Wonderful World" (a song I hate in any incarnation), and Rita Coolidge's sleepwalk through "The Way You Do the Things You Do."  Also a WOS to Heatwave's "Always and Forever"; much as I love their disco songs, here they just sound like they're missing notes.
“The choir of children sing their song.  They've practiced all year long.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.”

Gazoo

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #979 on: February 14, 2009, 07:58:12 AM »
How did the "Yacht Rock" folks not think to incorporate a Little River Band plot?  VHM to "Happy Anniversary."
“The choir of children sing their song.  They've practiced all year long.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.”

Gazoo

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #980 on: February 14, 2009, 08:01:48 AM »
OMGWTFLOL of the week: Meco, "Theme From 'Close Encounters'"!
“The choir of children sing their song.  They've practiced all year long.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.”

Gazoo

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #981 on: February 14, 2009, 09:30:44 AM »
WOS4 (!): Canadian Dan Hill gives America the bad "Touch."
“The choir of children sing their song.  They've practiced all year long.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.”

RGMike

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #982 on: February 14, 2009, 10:41:50 AM »
WOS4 (!): Canadian Dan Hill gives America the bad "Touch."

Your honesty's too much!  Someone did a dance cover of that in the late '90s, no idea who.
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RGMike

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #983 on: February 14, 2009, 11:02:12 AM »
Also a WOS to Heatwave's "Always and Forever"; much as I love their disco songs, here they just sound like they're missing notes.

Wow, you've just dissed one of the most beloved ballads of the last 35 years. It even got a mention on KFOG the other morning when they were discussing love songs.

I'm looking forward to the Meco and John Williams versions of "CEOTTK" (I forgot Williams' got as high as #13!), ConFunkShun's "Ffun", and "Urine My Heart". And I love love LOVE the fact that the BeeGees stayed at #10 for 4 weeks with "How Deep Is Your Love" -- even tho' it was on its way down -- because Sat Nite Fever-mania gave it a second wind at radio.
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SFGuy

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #984 on: February 14, 2009, 04:39:37 PM »
I didn't mention this last week but XM's version was Feb of 1974 and on the chart was the worst Top 40 song in Casey's era: Gordon Sinclair's spoken record of The Americans (A Canadian's Opinion). He is the oldest person to hit the top 40 ever (not posthumously) but still a very boring record.

Gazoo

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #985 on: February 14, 2009, 06:38:20 PM »
Also a WOS to Heatwave's "Always and Forever"; much as I love their disco songs, here they just sound like they're missing notes.

Wow, you've just dissed one of the most beloved ballads of the last 35 years.

Surely you know by now that public consensus rarely influences my more strident opinions.  ;)
“The choir of children sing their song.  They've practiced all year long.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.”

RGMike

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #986 on: February 14, 2009, 10:20:22 PM »
I didn't mention this last week but XM's version was Feb of 1974 and on the chart was the worst Top 40 song in Casey's era: Gordon Sinclair's spoken record of The Americans (A Canadian's Opinion). He is the oldest person to hit the top 40 ever (not posthumously) but still a very boring record.

and of course there were two version of "Americans" in the Top 40 at the same time (Byron MacGregor had the bigger hit, reaching #4; Sinclair only made it to 24). It's the only "cover battle" I know of involving a spoken-word composition.
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Gazoo

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #987 on: February 15, 2009, 09:36:26 AM »
Casey's '80s hit this week in February 1986.  Two songs I hadn't heard since then: Aretha's "Another Night" (not very memorable, though she throws in a few "yes ah ram"s) and Charlie Sexton's enjoyable "Beat's So Lonely" (shockingly, sez Casey, this was the first hit by a teen solo act since Stacey Lattisaw).
“The choir of children sing their song.  They've practiced all year long.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.”

Gazoo

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #988 on: February 15, 2009, 10:04:28 AM »
One of this week's extras is the video/Euro version of "Rock Me Amadeus" (that is, the one with sung German verses instead of the timeline recitation).  I enjoyed both versions equally at the time (and I LOVED this song when it came out).
“The choir of children sing their song.  They've practiced all year long.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.”

Gazoo

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #989 on: February 15, 2009, 10:12:18 AM »
Best Flashback of Set to another one I haven't heard since 1986, I don't think: Jellybean (avec Madonna), "Sidewalk Talk."
“The choir of children sing their song.  They've practiced all year long.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.”