American Top 40 1984 September 8th

American Top 40 with Casey Kasem aired on radio from July 4, 1970 until August 6, 1988. This recording is a rebroadcast from internet radio.

In this countdown a listener asks, "How many Top 40 hits in the Rock Era have used melodies adapted from classical music?" Casey counts 12, and Liszts each one.

It reached number 30 for two weeks in November - December 1982 and now it is back. The Pointer Sisters (who are in re-runs) debut with their boomerang hit, "I'm So Excited" (at number 37 this year).

Casey plays part of a song that tells the story of a swagman who steals a jumbuck from a squatter and tries to escape police by hiding in a billabong. I couldn't say it if it wasn't true!

Another listener wants to know, "What black group has had the most Top 40 hits on the Pop Singles chart?" Casey says the Jacksons are in 3rd place with 23 hits, the Supremes hold second with 30 successful singles, but the Temptations are the big winners with 37 Top 40 hits. Only the Beatles have more Top 40 feathers in their caps.

Casey says Dan "Discotheque" Hartman had a Top 40 disco hit back in 1978, and plays some of it for us, before introducing Hartman's latest accomplishment, "I Can Dream About You" (at number 22).

Casey tells about an explosive so powerful, it promotes peace (right before introducing "Dynamite" at number 20 Jermaine Jackson).

Word in the street is "People Magazine" portrayed Bananarama as having a style so cute and sweet it makes the Go-Go's sound like Led Zeppelin. The response from the Bananaramians was they weren't refusing to have an image, they just didn't have one. Still no image for Bananarama and no response from Led Zeppelin either.

Comedic-superstar Milton Berle had a cameo in the music video of Ratt's first Top 40 triumph, "Round And Round" (at number 16 this week). Back when music videos got their own channel on cable TV, some musical acts were against hamming it up for the camera (although I can't think of any, probably because I can't find my pills), and just recorded themselves performing their songs. Others decided since they were performers anyway, their videos should be kind-of like mini-movies (Michael Jackson and David Bowie come to mind). This week I've included Ratt's video as an In-Show RocketMan Extra as they seem to do a little of both (and Milton Berle has to play two roles because we were all poor in 1984 and Ratt could only hire so many actors).

The first group to get four Top 10 hits from one album was Fleetwood Mac with "Go Your Own Way" "Dreams" "Don't Stop" and "You Make Loving Fun." The second group with four Top 10's did it with "Heart and Soul" "I Want a New Drug" "The Heart of Rock & Roll" and "If This Is It" (by Huey Lewis & The News, at number seven this week).

LW#1: What's Love Got To Do With It - Tina Turner
40: Bop 'Til You Drop - Rick Springfield
39: Are We Ourselves - Fixx
38: Only When You Leave - Spandau Ballet
37: I'm So Excited - The Pointer Sisters
36: Caribbean Queen - Billy Ocean
35: Sexy Girl - Glenn Frey
34: Go Insane - Lindsay Buckingham
33: There Goes My Baby - Donna Summer
32: Sad Songs (Say So Much) - Elton John
31: The Lucky One - Laura Brannigan
30: State Of Shock - Jackson 5
29: Right By Your Side - Eurythmics
28: Leave A Tender Moment Alone - Billy Joel
LDD: Looks Like We Made It - Barry Manilow
27: Lucky Star - Madonna
26: I Just Called To Say I Love You - Stevie Wonder
25: Torture - Jackson 5
24: Hard Habit To Break - Chicago
23: We're Not Gonna Take It Anymore - Twisted Sister
22: I Can Dream About You - Dan Hartman
21: When You Close Your Eyes - Night Ranger
20: Dynamite - Jermaine Jackson
19: All Of You - Julio Iglesias
18: Cruel Summer - Bananarama
17: Cover Me - Bruce Springsteen
16: Round And Round - Ratt
15: Rock Me Tonight - Billy Squier
14: If Ever You're In My Arms Again - Peabo Bryson
13: The Glamorous Life - Sheila E.
12: Lights Out - Peter Wolf
11: When Doves Cry - Prince
10: Drive - Cars
9: Sunglasses At Night - Corey Hart
8: The Warrior - Scandal w/ Patty Smyth
7: If This Is It - Huey Lewis & The News
6: Let's Go Crazy - Prince
5: Stuck On You - Lionel Richie
LDD: Out Here On My Own - Irene Cara
4: Ghostbusters - Ray Parker, Jr
3: She Bop - Cyndi Lauper
2: Missing You - John Waite
1: What's Love Got To Do With It - Tina Turner