Author Topic: Casey Kasem American Top 40  (Read 1534539 times)

Gazoo

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #285 on: August 02, 2008, 09:16:40 PM »
It's gonna sound weird to say this, but I find it really weird to hear the Doors on a Top 40 countdown.  Same with the Beatles - something in my head forces certain acts to exist in a frame separate from the Top 40.  "Riders on the Storm" are the big movers in this countdown, up 13 to 23 this week.

ETA: Somehow it didn't enter my head that Jim had died earlier this month - hence Casey's understated "the late Jim Morrison."
« Last Edit: August 02, 2008, 09:20:14 PM by Gazoo »
“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 #286 on: August 02, 2008, 09:41:50 PM »
I like how CCR pronounce "Sweet Hitch-hiker" as "Sweditch-a Hikah."
“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 #287 on: August 02, 2008, 10:14:28 PM »
Casey teases whatever's #9 or #8 as "the most unusual song of the year."  I love that I have no idea where he's going with this.
“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 #288 on: August 02, 2008, 10:19:55 PM »
This weekend (8/2-3) Casey's 70's show is from Aug 7, 1971
Ah yes, memories of summer camp.  The playlist:
http://www.whnn.com/goout.asp?u=http://images.radcity.net/5874/2914212.pdf

Wonderful, wonderful!
Tuned in @ #26, shocked that the J5 could debut at 30 with "Maybe Tomorrow," move to 24 this week - but stall at #20 after 4 #1s and a #2.  I love this song, dunno why others didn't.

I just arrived home in time to hear "MT", one of my very fave J-5 tunes and I completely agree -- I was baffled and heartbroken when it didn't go all the way.

And I also mondegreened "Sweet Hitch-hiker" at the time, tho' I heard it as "Willie the Hiker". I like yours better, ya, you betcha.
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RGMike

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #289 on: August 02, 2008, 10:22:31 PM »
Casey teases whatever's #9 or #8 as "the most unusual song of the year."  I love that I have no idea where he's going with this.

We're an hour apart here -- I'm hearing the KFRC pm replay -- but OMFG you're about to hear Tom Clay!
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RGMike

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #290 on: August 02, 2008, 10:23:51 PM »
BTW, sorry I missed the Condoleeza Bros. & Sister Rice. Treat her like a ladle -- spoon with her!

Chart trivia: this was the week Dylan's "Watching the River Flow" peaked at #41!
You spin me right 'round, baby, right 'round

Gazoo

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #291 on: August 02, 2008, 10:28:03 PM »
Casey teases whatever's #9 or #8 as "the most unusual song of the year."  I love that I have no idea where he's going with this.

We're an hour apart here -- I'm hearing the KFRC pm replay -- but OMFG you're about to hear Tom Clay!
Yup.  The "What the World Needs Now/Abraham, Martin & John" medley is unusual - but the most so of the year?  Still, glad I heard it in its entirety.  A very foreign world to me.
“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 #292 on: August 02, 2008, 10:39:08 PM »
Casey teases whatever's #9 or #8 as "the most unusual song of the year."  I love that I have no idea where he's going with this.

We're an hour apart here -- I'm hearing the KFRC pm replay -- but OMFG you're about to hear Tom Clay!
Yup.  The "What the World Needs Now/Abraham, Martin & John" medley is unusual - but the most so of the year?

You mean compared to all the other hits with assassination clips in them?  ;)

Of course, "Desiderata" wouldn't chart for another few months. The Clay single was a love-it-or-hate-it proposition.  I'd like to think it was heartfelt -- Clay was a DJ on WCBS-FM for a while in 1970 (before they were Oldies) and he was a rather emotional guy. I remember being shocked one night to hear him going on about how "cute" he thought Richard Harris was (!). But many thought the record was a tasteless cash-in that in any case didn't need to be heard every 2-1/2 hours on Top 40 radio.
You spin me right 'round, baby, right 'round

Gazoo

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #293 on: August 02, 2008, 10:57:14 PM »
Yup.  The "What the World Needs Now/Abraham, Martin & John" medley is unusual - but the most so of the year?

You mean compared to all the other hits with assassination clips in them?  ;)
I was thinking - albeit a year off - of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guard.

The Clay tune was interesting to hear, especially the opening "What does _____ mean?" queries, but no, I wouldn't want a steady radio diet of it.
“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 #294 on: August 02, 2008, 11:00:00 PM »
Cimarron's "Rings", another shoulda-been-bigger one, is still just lovely. The country cover by Tompall & the Glaser Bros would chart around the same time -- only they had Merle Haggard on their stereo, as I recall... and "Mario" I think became "Billy Joe".
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RGMike

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #295 on: August 02, 2008, 11:05:28 PM »
A Flashback-of-the-Week contender: Delaney & Bonnie's "Never-Ending Song Of Love".

BTW, in light of the Clay discussion, note the number of socially-conscious songs in the 40 -- next up is one of my faves: "Bring the Boys Home". Tell 'em 'bout it!
You spin me right 'round, baby, right 'round

RGMike

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #296 on: August 02, 2008, 11:31:59 PM »
The Clay tune was interesting to hear, especially the opening "What does _____ mean?" queries...

Wow. Casey played the entire 6-1/2 minute looooong version of the Clay thing -- a shorter version was serviced to radio and was heard more often than not back then. I hadn't heard it in many years (even tho' I own it, on one of those "Hard-to-Find Motown" comps -- it was released on MoWest) and I must say it's an impressive piece of montagery, if that's a word. Bookending it with the kids was a nice touch. 
You spin me right 'round, baby, right 'round

Wayback

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #297 on: August 07, 2008, 10:07:03 AM »
This weekend (8/9-10) Casey's 70's visits Aug 4, 1973:
http://www.whnn.com/goout.asp?u=http://images.radcity.net/5874/2937548.pdf

Gazoo

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #298 on: August 09, 2008, 07:10:06 AM »
This weekend (8/9-10) Casey's 70's visits Aug 4, 1973:
http://www.whnn.com/goout.asp?u=http://images.radcity.net/5874/2937548.pdf
I woke up at 10 EST, so I tuned in to the Chico, CA, countdown - and they were doing last week's 1971 set.

Fucking Chico stoners.  Ah well, nothing in positions #40-#27 from '73 is new to me, though I would have enjoyed hearing the Foster Sylvers and Gladys Knight/Pips tunes.
“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 #299 on: August 09, 2008, 07:26:43 AM »
This weekend (8/9-10) Casey's 70's visits Aug 4, 1973:
http://www.whnn.com/goout.asp?u=http://images.radcity.net/5874/2937548.pdf
Casey goes slangy at #23, referring to the close buddies of Bloodstone as "six stone bloods."
“The choir of children sing their song.  They've practiced all year long.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.”