Author Topic: Casey Kasem American Top 40  (Read 1385669 times)

Gazoo

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #330 on: August 23, 2008, 05:12:16 AM »
My reasons for tuning in start all the way back at #39 with, fortuitously enough, one I blogged about this week in tribute to Pervis Jackson, the Spinners' " 'They Just Can't Stop It' the (Games People Play)," which Casey calls by its subtitle.
“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 #331 on: August 23, 2008, 05:13:29 AM »
Austin Roberts' atrocious "Rocky"
"Rocky, I've never been loved before / Don't know if I can do it" - yikes.
“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 #332 on: August 23, 2008, 05:19:38 AM »
"Glass House" from the Tempts was left off their 2-disc GH comp I have.  I can hear why.

But a strong BOS candidate in New Birth's "Dream Merchant"; I've never heard the Jerry Butler original.
“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 #333 on: August 23, 2008, 05:46:20 AM »
I didn't know the Osmonds' "The Proud One" had initially been a Frankie Valli tune.
“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 #334 on: August 23, 2008, 06:20:01 AM »
Last week's Casey Countdown had a Johnny Rivers cover ("Slow Dancin'") and a cover of a Beach Boys tune (B.J. Thomas's take on "Don't Worry Baby").  Now the two great tastes taste ... well, half-decent together on JR's "Help Me Rhonda" cover.
“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 #335 on: August 23, 2008, 06:30:22 AM »
John Denver debuts impressively at #20 with "I'm Sorry."  My question, for those who were paying attention at the time: Was that purely on "I'm Sorry"'s sales and airplay, or was "Calypso"'s play being added in as well?  Two-sided hits always confuse me, especially since Billboard has changed its policy on them several times over the years.
“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 #336 on: August 23, 2008, 07:25:43 AM »
It's still amazing to me that there are people here who dislike "Why Can't We Be Friends?"  :P  It's the sound of a giant smiley face.
“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 #337 on: August 23, 2008, 07:39:12 AM »
Janis Ian's "At Seventeen" sounding quite nice this morning.  We recently ran a good Q&A with her, timed with the publication of her memoirs, Society's Child:

http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1830208,00.html
“The choir of children sing their song.  They've practiced all year long.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.”

Tinka Cat

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #338 on: August 23, 2008, 08:58:34 AM »
Casey just brought me back in time -- nothing new when listening to AT40, I know, but when he said how "two weeks ago this was at Number One, and now it's slipped down a bit to Number Six.  Here's the Bee Gees ... with 'Jive Talking,' " I can picture the exact time and place back in 1975 when this happened.  I was at the Monroe County Fair in Henrietta New York on a weekend afternoon.  It was sunny and I was walking around the midway and the rip-off games (yeah, NOW I know...), and the speakers around the fair were playing AT40.  He did his usual end of the countdown build up, and when he revealed that Jive Talking was Number One, I felt a pang of regret.  You see, I had just sold my 45 copy of JT to my friend John D. I think I gave him that for 50 cents and address book for some reason.  Now I felt like I blew it.

wow, what a trip back in time in my mind... LITERALLY .


ETA off topic:  last night, the woman doing color commentary for the men's platform diving in the Olympics said how one competitor had "literally fallen apart in the preliminary rounds."  Why can't NBC show that?

Yuck, get the skimmer out!
« Last Edit: August 23, 2008, 09:01:08 AM by Tinka_Cat »
~CPL593H~

Gazoo

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #339 on: August 23, 2008, 09:14:53 AM »
ETA off topic:  last night, the woman doing color commentary for the men's platform diving in the Olympics said how one competitor had "literally fallen apart in the preliminary rounds."  Why can't NBC show that?

Yuck, get the skimmer out!
OMFG!  I noticed that too, but didn't think to post it here.  Too funny!

Leprosy
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I'm not half the man I used to be
Oh, why did I get leprosy?
“The choir of children sing their song.  They've practiced all year long.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.  Ding dong.”

Tinka Cat

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #340 on: August 23, 2008, 09:21:21 AM »
ETA off topic:  last night, the woman doing color commentary for the men's platform diving in the Olympics said how one competitor had "literally fallen apart in the preliminary rounds."  Why can't NBC show that?

Yuck, get the skimmer out!
OMFG!  I noticed that too, but didn't think to post it here.  Too funny!

Leprosy
Every day I lose a part of me
I'm not half the man I used to be
Oh, why did I get leprosy?



Q: Why did they stop the Leprosy poker game?
A: Everyone threw their hands in.

Q: Why did they stop the Leprosy hockey game?
A: There was a face off in the corner.
 :-\
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RGMike

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #341 on: August 23, 2008, 11:22:21 AM »
I didn't know the Osmonds' "The Proud One" had initially been a Frankie Valli tune.

indeed, and one of their finer moments, IMHO. Valli's version is on Rhino's fab "In Season" Anthology, a 2-CD set that's all the FV&4S you'll ever need. I bought it after seeing Jersey Boys and was mighty glad I did.
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RGMike

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #342 on: August 23, 2008, 11:30:15 AM »
John Denver debuts impressively at #20 with "I'm Sorry."  My question, for those who were paying attention at the time: Was that purely on "I'm Sorry"'s sales and airplay, or was "Calypso"'s play being added in as well?  Two-sided hits always confuse me, especially since Billboard has changed its policy on them several times over the years.

Billboard didn't start listing it as a double-sided hit until October -- right after it had peaked at #1. It spent 5 weeks at #2, the last 4 of those it was shown as "Calypso/I'm Sorry" and it remained as such for the rest of its run.
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RGMike

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #343 on: August 23, 2008, 07:12:16 PM »
I don't think I've heard this Doobies tune "Sweet Maxine" (spending its one and only week in the Top 40) more than 2 or 3 times in the past 33 years. And this Austin Roberts thing really is an awful piece of songwriting. Blecch.

Another week, another Helen Reddy hit: "No Way To Treat a Lady", and she really is one of the most underrated singers of all time.
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RGMike

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Re: Casey Kasem American Top 40
« Reply #344 on: August 23, 2008, 08:15:54 PM »
And I surely haven't heard this song about Muhammad Ali ("Black Superman") since '75!  One of the most charming novelties ever to chart.

And from sublime to ridiculous: the dreaded Geddes with "Run Joey Run"!
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