Today in Music History

1937 - Born on this Day - Herb Alpert, trumpet, vocals, (1968 US No.1 & UK No.3 single 'This Guy's In Love With You'). Formed A&M Records with Jerry Moss, at first operating from his garage at home.

1958 - Chuck Berry's rock 'n' roll classic 'Johnny B. Goode' single was released. It entered the Hot 100 six weeks later and peaked at #8. The song's original lyrics referred to Johnny as a "colored boy", but Berry later acknowledged that he changed it to "country boy" to ensure radio play.

1976 - The Brotherhood Of Man were at #1 on the UK singles chart with the winning song of the Eurovision Song Contest 1976, 'Save Your Kisses For Me.' The group's first of three UK No.1's.

1984 - Kenny Loggins started a three week run at #1 on the Hot 100 with 'Footloose', the theme from the film with the same name, a #6 hit in the UK.

2007 - A new world record for the longest non-stop concert was set by hundreds of musicians in Japan. The performance began on the evening of 23 March in the city of Omi, with musicians aged between six and 96 taking turns with over 2,000 tunes being performed over 182 hours. Organisers praised the musicians, one of whom carried on despite a major earthquake during her piano piece. The previous world record was set in Canada in 2001 with 181 hours.

Original vs Remake #10

Well we have reached the 10th edition of this little show, and we will mark it with a Pop vs country remake of recent vintage.

A song written by Diane Warren for the 1998 movie "Armageddon" and help get Aerosmith their first #1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 (after 28 years of record making).

"I Dont Want To Miss A Thing" debuted at the Top of the Billboard Hot 100 September 5th and remained in place for 4 consecutive weeks.  A #4 in the UK it was their highest charting song on that Top 100.

In late 1998 country singer Mark Chestnutt released his version of this song from the album of the same title.  In February of 1999 he topped the Billboard Hot Country singles chart for 2 weeks and #17 on the Hot 100.

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 70s - March 26th 2011

AT40 The 70s this week from March 25th 1978

The Top Ten Singles

10 - Thunder Island - Jay Ferguson

9  -  If I Can't Have You - Yvonne Elliman

8  -  Sometimes When We Touch - Dan Hill

7  -  I Go Crazy - Paul Davis

6  -  (Love is) Thicker Than Water - Andy Gibb

5  -  Can't Smile Without You - Barry Manilow

4  -  Lay Down Sally - Eric Clapton

3  -  Emotion - Samantha Sang

2  -  Stayin' Alive - Bee Gees

1  -  Night Fever - Bee Gees

(2nd of 8 consecutive weeks at #1)

The Top Ten Albums

10 - Point of Know Return - Kansas

9  -  The Grand Illusion - Styx

8  -  News of the World - Queen

7  -  Weekend in L.A. - George Benson

6  -  Even Now - Barry Manilow

5  -  Aja - Steely Dan

4  -  Running on Empty - Jackson Browne

3  -  Slowhand - Eric Clapton

2  -  The Stranger - Billy Joel

1  -  Saturday Night Fever - Soundtrack

(10th of 24 consecutive weeks at #1)

The bestselling movie soundtrack of all time, until 1992 when it was surpassed by the "The Bodyguard".

The album won the Grammy for Album of the Year for 1978, it contains 5 singles that hit the Billboard Hot 100.   Four of those singles would top the Hot 100 and only one of those was not credited to the Bee Gees, "If I Can't Have You" by Yvonne Elliman.   However, the Bee Gees wrote the song and sing backup vocals on the recording.

There are other #1 singles on the album including "A Fifth of Beethoven", "Jive Talkin" and  "You Should Be Dancing" they were all previously released and hit the top in 1976.

Also on the soundtrack was "More Than a Woman" written and performed by the Bee Gees but not released as a single US. The album also included a version by the soul group Tavares

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 80s - March 26th 2011

This week AT40 the 80s is from March 24th 1984

The Top Ten Singles

10 - Got a Hold on Me - Christine McVie

9  -  Adult Education - Hall and Oates

8  -  Automatic - The Pointer Sisters

7  -  99 LuftBalloons - Nena

6  -  I Want a New Drug - Huey Lewis & The News

5  -  Here Comes the Rain Again - Eurythmics

4  -  Footloose - Kenny Loggins

3  -  Girls Just Want to Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper

2  -  Somebody's Watching Me - Rockwell

1  -  Jump - Van Halen

(5th of 5 weeks at #1)

The Top 10 Albums

10 - An Innocent Man - Billy Joel

9  -  Touch - Eurythmics

8  -  Synchronicity - The Police

7  -  Learning To Crawl - The Pretenders

6  -  Sports - Huey Lewis & The News

5  -  Footloose - Kenny Loggins

4  -  Can't Slow Down - Lionel Richie

3  -  Colour By Numbers - Culture Club

2  -  1984 - Van Halen

1  -  Thriller - Michael Jackson

(33rd of 37 non consecutive weeks at #1)

The winner of 8 Grammy Awards in 1984 including Album of the Year.

Certified 29 times Platinum in 2009, having sold over 29 million copies since its release November of 1982.

The first album to have 7 top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and was the only album to be the best selling album of 2 consecutive years (1983-1984) in the US.  The album also reached #1 in the UK (8 weeks), Japan and Australia.

Your Classic Country Video of the Week

Tom T Hall spent 1 week at the top of the Billboard Country chart in January of 1973.

#1 Song of the Week

This week our #1 hit is "The Flame" from July of 1988 and its the only #1 hit for the band from Rockford Illinois, Cheap Trick.   After years of having nothing on the charts this single from their "Lap of Luxury" album marked, as Billboard magazine called it, a return to glory for the 70s rockers.
Spending 2 weeks at #1 this was not a song the group wanted to record but after some delay they turned out a power ballad to relaunch a career.

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 70s - March 19th 2011

This week AT40 the 70s is March 15th 1975

The Top 10 Singles

10 - Don't Call Us, We'll Call You - Sugarloaf
9  -  Can't Get it Out of My Head - ELO
8  -  Express - B.T. Express
7  -  Lonely People - America
6  -  Lady - Styx
5  -  Lovin' You - Minnie Riperton
4  -  Have You Never Been Mellow - Olivia Newton-John
3  -  Lady Marmalade - Marmalade
2  -  My Eyes Adored You - Frankie Valli
1  -  Black Water - The Doobie Brothers
(1 week at #1)


The Top Ten Albums

10 - AWB - AWB (Average White Band)
9  -  For the Earth Below - Robin Trower
8  -  Nightbirds - Patti Labelle
7  -  Heart Like a Wheel - Linda Rondstadt
6  -  Perfect Angel - Minnie Riperton
5  -  What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits - The Doobie Brothers
4  -  Phoebe Snow - Phoebe Snow
3  -  Physical Graffiti - Led Zeppelin
2  -  Blood on the Tracks - Bob Dylan
1  -  Have You Never Been Mellow - Olivia Newton-John
(1 week at #1)

The second consecutive #1 album by the songbird from Australia who also topped the Hot Country Albums list with this and 2 previous albums. She had recently topped the charts with her smash "I Honestly Love You"  and also from this album she had the #3 pop and #1 country hit
"Please Mr. Please".

Today in Music

1970 - Eddie Holman received a gold record for the single, Hey There Lonely Girl. This song was originally a hit for Ruby and the Romantics under the title, Hey There Lonely Boy in the 1960s. Holman has been an ordained Baptist minister since the early 1980s while continuing to sing and perform.

The Billboard Top Ten Country Songs & Albums 03/19/2011

The Top Ten Singles

10 - From a Table Away - Sunny Sweeney

9  -  This - Darius Rucker

8 -   Colder Weather - Zac Brown Band

7 -   Hello World - Lady Antebellum

6 -   Back to December - Taylor Swift

5 -   Who Are You When I'm Not Looking - Blake Shelton

4 -   Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not - Thompson Square

3 -   Let Me Down Easy - Billy Currington

2 -   This is Country Music - Brad Paisley

The Top Ten Albums

10 - Hemingway's Whiskey - Kenny Chesney

9  - The Band Perry - The Band Perry

8  - Thompson Square - Thompson Square

7  - Nothing Like This - Rascal Flatts

6  - Spring Break 3 - Its A Show - Luke Bryan (debut)

5  - You Get What You Give - Zac Brown Band

4  - Speak Now - Taylor Swift

3  - Need You Now - Lady Antebellum

2  - My Kinda Party - Jason Aldean

1  - Town Line (EP) - Aaron Lewis (debut)

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 80s - March 12th 2011

AT 40 the 80s this week March 14th 1987

The Top Ten Singles

10 - Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now - Starship
9 -  You Got it All - The Jets
8 -  Big Time - Peter Gabriel
7 -  Respect Yourself - Bruce Willis
6 -  Mandolin Rain - Bruce Hornsby
5 -  Lean On Me - Club Nouveau
4 -  Livin' on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
3 -  Let's Wait  Awhile - Janet Jackson
2 -  Somewhere Out There - James Ingram and Linda Rondstadt
1 -  Jacob's Ladder - Huey Lewis & The News
(1 week at #1)



The Top Ten Albums

10 - Fore! - Huey Lewis and the News
9 -  The Final Countdown - Europe
8 -  Night Songs - Cinderalla
7 -  Graceland - Paul Simon
6 -  Georgia Satellites - The Georgia Satellites
5 -  Contral - Janet Jackson
4 -  Invisible Touch - Genesis
3 -  The Way it is - Bruce Hornsby &  The Range
2 -  Slippery When Wet - Bon Jovi
1 -  Licensed To Ill - The Beastie Boys
(2nd of 7 consecutive weeks at #1)

Selling over 9 million copies with was Columbia Records fastest selling debut record.  This big seller contained on top ten hit and that was "(You Gotta)Fight for Your Right (To Party)" which went to #7 for one week in March 1987.

Remembering 15 Forgotten Hot 100 No. 1s - Chart Beat | Billboard.com

Remembering 15 Forgotten Hot 100 No. 1s - Chart Beat | Billboard.com

Original vs Remake #9

Todays fight is between a classic original and its very successful remake 10 years later.

Cum on Feel the Noize by Slade

The original peaked at #2 on the UK Top 40 in 1973

Cum on Feel the Noize by Quiet Riot

The LA based metal group reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1983 with their version.

Song and Record of the Year for 1967

Here is the winner of the 1968 Grammy for the Song and Record of the Year- Up UP and Away by The 5th Dimension.

The song reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Your Classic Country Video of the Week

From April 1989 when it topped the Billboard Hot Country Chart for 1 week.

Top of The Pops

This week our Top of the Pops is from this week in 1986.


5 - Secret Lovers - Atlantic Starr
On the way to a peak of #3 from their Gold record "As The Band Turns"


4 - These Dreams - Heart
On the way to being the Wilson sisters first #1 song on the Hot 100


3 - How Will I Know - Whitney Houston
Former #1 hit that spent 2 weeks at the top


2 - Sara - Starship
Heading to the top and becoming the 2nd #1 single for the newly renamed Starship, previously known as Jefferson Starship and before that Jefferson Airplane.


1 - Kyrie - Mr. Mister
In its 2nd of 2 weeks at #1, this was the second #1 for the group after "Broken Wings" hit the top in December of 1985.

Original vs Remake #8 (New York Groove)

Today the song is a little obscure but a good one. 
 "New York Groove".

A #9 hit in the UK in 1975 by the group Hello.

Then the remake by Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley on his solo album in 1978.

Ace hit #13 on the Billboard Hot 100

Casey Kasem AT40 The 70s - March 6th 2010

AT40 The 70s this week March 6th 1976

The Top Ten Singles

10 - You Sexy Thing - Hot Chocolate
9 - Love Hurts - Nazareth
8 - 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover - Paul Simon
7 - Lonely Night - Captain & Tennille
6 - Dream Weaver - Gary Wright
5 - Take it to the Limit - The Eagles
4 - The Theme from 'S.W.A.T.' - Rhythm Heritage
3 - December 1963 (Oh What a Night) - The Four Seasons
2 - All By Myself - Eric Carmen
1 - Love Machine - The Miracles
(1 week at #1)



The Top Ten Albums

10 - History (America's Greatest Hits) - America
9 - Gratitude - Earth,Wind and Fire
8 - Thoroughbred - Carole King
7 - Rufus featuring Chaka Khan - Rufus
6 - Still Crazy After All These Years - Paul Simon
5 - Fleetwood Mac - Fleetwood Mac
4 - Their Greatest Hits Vol I - The Eagles
3 - Station To Station - David Bowie
2 - Frampton Comes Alive - Peter Frampton
1 - Desire - Bob Dylan
(5th of 5 Consecutive Weeks at #1)

Casey Kasem AT40 The 80s - March 6th 2010

AT40 The 80s this week March 7th 1981

The Top Ten Singles

10 - Hello Again - Neil Diamond

9 - The Winner Takes it All - ABBA

8 - Giving It Up For Your Love - Delbert McClinton

7 - Crying - Don McLean

6 - Celebration - Kool & The Gang

5 - The Best of Times - Styx

4 - Keep On Loving You - REO Speedwagon

3 - Woman - John Lennon

2 - 9 to 5 - Dolly Parton

1 - I Love a Rainy Night - Eddie Rabbitt

(2nd of 2 weeks at #1)



The Top Ten Albums

10 - Celebrate - Kool & The Gang

9 - Back in Black - AC/DC

8 - Greatest Hits - Kenny Rogers

7 - Autoamerican - Blondie

6 - Crimes of Passion - Pat Benatar

5 - Zenyatta Mondatta - The Police

4 - Paradise Theater - Styx

3 - The Jazz Singer - Neil Diamond

2 - Double Fantasy - John Lennon

1 - Hi Infidelity - REO Speedwagon

(3rd of 15 non consecutive weeks #1)

#1 Song of The Week

Today in 1966 - Lou Christie was striking gold for his hit "Lightnin’ Strikes". Christie was born Lugee Sacco and joined a group called The Classics before making his first recording in 1960. In 1961, he recorded under the name Lugee & The Lions until changing to Lou Christie for a string of hits beginning in 1963.

"Lightnin' Strikes" spent one week at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in Feb of 1966.