American Top 40 1974 February 2nd

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:

Donny Osmond is at #34 with "When I Fall In Love." Nat King Cole first sang this song in the movie "Istanbul" back in 1957, and Casey plays a bit of the Lettermen's 1961 Top 10 version as well.

Smokey Robinson's first Top 40 hit without The Miracles is at #33, "Baby Come Close."

A listener asks, "What was the first Beatles record ever to become #1 on any chart?" Out of 20 #1 hits, the first American #1 was "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" but that wasn't their first #1. Casey gives the answer with details.

Casey identifies an artist in the countdown who’s only Grammy wasn't for singing, songwriting, playing an instrument, producing, or anything musical, but for writing the year's best liner-notes on an album. Liner-notes are what we used to read out loud to put the dinosaurs to sleep. Casey reads these award winning liner-notes just in case there are any award winning dinosaurs left who can't get to sleep.

Another listener asks, "Which record in the Rock Era spent the most weeks on the chart while working its way to number one?" Casey says 2 records tie at 16 weeks each.

Al Stewart is at #4 with "Show And Tell." Casey tells how he once was a singing car-hop, but he got fired for singing too well.

40: Dark Lady - Cher
39: Top Of The World - Carpenters
38: Walk Like A Man - Grand Funk
37: Abra-Ca-Dabra - The DeFranco Family
36: Sexy Mama - The Moments
35: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John
34: When I Fall In Love - Donny Osmond
33: Baby Come Close - Smokey Robinson
32: Ruby Red Dress - Helen Reddy
31: Let Your Hair Down - The Temptations
30: Joy (Part #1) - Isaac Hayes
29: A Love Song - Anne Murray
28: Jim Dandy - Black Oak Arkansas
27: The Last Time I Saw Him - Diana Ross
26: The Americans - Gordon Sinclair
25: Midnight Rider - Greg Allman
24: Livin' For You - Al Green
23: I Love - Tom T. Hall
22: Heartbreaker - Rolling Stones
21: The Most Beautiful Girl - Charlie Rich
20: Helen Wheels - Paul McCartney
19: Boogie Down - Eddie Kendricks
18: Put Your Hands Together - The O'Jays
17: Rock On - David Essex
16: Me And Baby Brother - War
15: Never Never Gonna Give You Up - Barry White
14: Jungle Boogie - Kool & The Gang
13: Livin' For The City - Stevie Wonder
12: Time In A Bottle - Jim Croce
11: Smokin' In The Boy's Room - Brownsville Station
10: Spiders And Snakes - Jim Stafford
9: The Joker - Steve Miller Band
8: Until You Come Back To Me - Aretha Franklin
7: Let Me Be There - Olivia Newton-John
6: Got To Use My Imagination - Gladys Knight & The Pips
5: The Americans - Byron MacGregor (not played)
4: Show And Tell - Al Stewart
3: Love's Theme - Love Unlimited Orchestra
2: You're Sixteen - Ringo Starr
EXTRA: You Don't Mess Around With Jim - Jim Croce
1: The Way We Were - Barbra Streisand