And so we take a look at the last show of the original American Top 40 hosted by Casey Kasem after a run of 18 years. Both pop and Casey himself continued after this, but this was indeed the end of an era. And here are the songs that accompanied this finale, with the uncovered ones from 40-11 in bold.
40 - "Foolish Beat," Debbie Gibson
39 - "Nite and Day," Al B. Sure!
38 - "Missed Opportunity," Daryl Hall and John Oates
37 - "One Good Woman," Peter Cetera
36 - "Saying Sorry (Don't Make it Right)," Denise Lopez
35 - "Here With Me," REO Speedwagon
34 - "It Would Take a Strong Stong Man," Rick Astley
33 - "Nobody's Fool," Kenny Loggins
32 - "Love Changes (Everything)," Climie Fisher
31 - "Another Part of Me," Michael Jackson
30 - "I Know You're Out There Somewhere," The Moody Blues
29 - "All Fired Up," Pat Benatar
28 - "Mercedes Boy," Pebbles
27 - "I'll Always Love You," Taylor Dayne
26 - "If it Isn't Love," New Edition
25 - "When it's Love," Van Halen
24 - "Perfect World," Huey Lewis and the News
23 - "The Flame," Cheap Trick
22 - "New Sensation,"INXS
21 - "Rag Doll," Aerosmith
20 - "Simply Irresistible," Robert Palmer
19 - "Rush Hour," Jane Wiedlin
18 - "Sweet Child o' Mine," Guns n' Roses
17 - "The Colour of Love," Billy Ocean
16 - "The Twist," The Fat Boys with Chubby Checker
15 - "Love Will Save the Day," Whitney Houston
14 - "Fast Car," Tracy Chapman
13 - "Parents Just Don't Understand," DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince
12 - "Just Got Paid," Johnny Kemp
11 - "Do You Love Me," The Contours
Nine newbies. That's pretty good. Let's chop 'em up.
We'll start with duos and groups Daryl and John had their next-to-last 80s hit with this midtempo soul number about two would-be lovers who just can't get together. Kind of bland. They were running out of steam. REO Speedwagon's last Top 40 to date was this meh power ballad about being destined to have someone. There were moments on this when Kevin Cronin's voice reminded me of "Weird Al" Yankovic's. I love Al, but when you're trying to do a serious love song, that's not good. And New Edition had their first hit with Johnny Gill with this Jam-Lewis production about admitting you're still in love with someone you claim not to be. Good song, good interplay between Ralph Tresvant and the others on the bridge, maybe their best hit overall.
Then we have four solo men. My buddy Peter Cetera had his last Top Five with this sapfest about how good his lady has made his life. I only wonder if the reverse is true. It probably is, but I'm just not a fan. Rick Astley followed up his first two singles, both uptempo #1s, with a ballad about how he just can't break up with a woman despite her being no good for (or to) him. It only went to #10, but it's a decent song, and Astley performs it well. He showed a little substance. Kenny Loggins' first soundtrack hit was "I'm Alright" from Caddyshack, so perhaps it's fitting that his last one came from Caddyshack II. It's an okay song, and not nearly as much as a comedown from its predecessor as the movie. Still, I could do without it. And Michael Jackson, who I believe is the only person on this chart who appeared on that first AT40 (he and his brothers were at #2 with "The Love You Save.") is here with a dance track on which he positions himself as the leader of a movement to make the world better, as he would do multiple times throughout his career. This is probably one of the better of those, and a very good song period. This was, however, the only American single from either Off The Wall, Thriller, or Bad not to make the Top Ten. Oh well, 17 out of 18 ain't bad.
We finish our look at the first thirty with two ladies. Queens singer Denise Lopez had her only major pop hit with this Latin freestyle track about not accepting apologies easily. Okay, as this stuff goes. And Pat Benatar had her last pop hit with this energetic rocker about learning from one's mistakes and seizing the day. Good for pumping oneself up. An underrated hit.
For the record, I'll give the Uneasy Rider to "The Twist."
Feel the Top Ten-sity!
10 - "Monkey," George Michael
"Do you love the monkey, or do you love me?" he asks. Well, "love," is a strong word, George, but gun to my head, I guess I'd take you over some random simian.
9 - "Pour Some Sugar on Me," Def Leppard
Not only was this one of their biggest hits, it may have influenced the future of technology. It sounds to me like Joe Elliot sang "Livin' like a lover with a red iPhone." Maybe Steve Jobs was inspired by the Leps. And maybe we'll be seeing Ashton Kutcher re-enact that moment on the big screen in a couple weeks.
8 - "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love," Chicago
But I could live perfectly well without this song, thanks.
7 - "I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That," Elton John
I didn't even know we were going on together!
6 - "1-2-3," Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine
"I'm just gonna keeep on counting till you are mine," she sings. Well, it's been 25 years, Gloria, and I'm still not yours. How high are you up to now?
5 - "Sign Your Name," Terence Trent D'Arby
A high water mark in 80s sex-soul. But I wonder if a doctor doing a heart operation has ever done anything like signing his name. I've heard of surgeons getting in trouble for cauterizing certain words and designs on organs, so maybe it's possible.
4 - "Make Me Lose Control," Eric Carmen
Listen to the songs he mentions in the lyrics, not this.
3 - "Hold On to the Nights," Richard Marx
I still think you're singing about boobs, Dirty Dick.
2 - "Hands to Heaven," Breathe
I pray that I'll never have to hear this again.
And on the top of the charts 25 years ago was...
1 - "Roll With It," Steve Winwood
Decent pop-soul from a classy vet. Not a classic, but I don't begrudge him the top spot.
The Larry Morgan ("NotCasey" had been retired forever) extras were "The Loco-Motion" by Kylie Minogue, "Domino Dancing" by The Pet Shop Boys, "I Don't Want Your Love" by Duran Duran, and "What I Am" by Edie Brickell and New Bohemians. The first of the LDDs was the #23 song, Cheap Trick's "The Flame," which Casey played on behalf of a young woman whose boyfriend was shipping out to Germany for the military. And for the other, a teenage boy from Florida dedicated Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes' "I've Had the Time of My Life" to the girls he met in Texas who inspired him to finish third in a national job skills competition. And no, Casey made no mention of the fact that it was his last show. Whether this had anything to do with his relationship with the company he was leaving, I'm not sure, but the only little clue was at the end, where instead of saying he'd be counting down the hits next week, he told listeners to watch his syndicated TV show, America's Top 10.
Okay, the 80s have been given their due. Next time, it's back to the 60s. Specifically, 1964.
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