American Top 40 1977 July 23rd

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:

The man with more chart records than anyone else in history is at number 36 with "Way Down" and since no one is surprised to hear that man is Elvis Presley, Casey reveals who holds second place (trailing by 43 hits).

"Ariel" (at number 33) by Dean Friedman, fell of the chart 2 weeks ago and has since made a comeback. It is a "boy meets then loses girl" song but because of editing, this version seems more like a speed-date. When I saw Friedman on Dick Clark's "American Bandstand" (in the summer of '77) he played a second song titled "Woman Of Mine" from the same album. As a RocketMan Extra, I've included the original-length "Ariel" and the never-before torrented "Woman Of Mine" (not even Friedman could find a copy to download before now).

Fleetwood Mac has back-to-back hits with "Dreams" at number 32 next door to "Don't Stop" at number 31.

Not to be outdone, songs about telephones have changed their numbers. "Telephone Line" by the Electric Light Orchestra moves up four (to number 29) eliminating its long distance from "Telephone Man" by Meri Wilson which climbs two (to number 28).

In the year since Billboard started its disco chart, only one male singer has been able to hit number one on the pop, soul, and disco charts with the same song. That song is in this countdown.

Casey gives a Special Report on drummer Hal Blaine, who has played on 50 number one hits, over 150 top ten hits, and 7 Grammy winning Records-of-the-Year.

A listener asks which family act has hit the top 40 the most so far in the 70's. Casey says a group of brothers & a brother and sister are tied at 18 hits apiece.

40: (Remember the Days of) The Old School Yard - Cat Stevens
39: Slide - Slave
38: Black Betty - Ram Jam
37: On And On - Stephen Bishop
36: Way Down - Elvis Presley
35: Smoke From A Distant Fire - The Sanford-Townsend Band
34: How Much Love - Leo Sayer
33: Ariel - Dean Friedman
32: Dreams - Fleetwood Mac
31: Don't Stop - Fleetwood Mac
30: The Killing Of Georgie - Rod Stewart
29: Telephone Line - Electric Light Orchestra
28: Telephone Man - Meri Wilson
27: Give A Little Bit - Supertramp
26: Handy Man - James Taylor
25: Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love) - Waylon Jennings
24: Just A Song Before I Go - Crosby, Stills & Nash
23: Barracuda - Heart
22: High School Dance - The Sylvers
21: It's Sad To Belong - England Dan & John Ford Coley
20: Got To Give It Up Part 1 - Marvin Gaye
19: Gonna Fly Now (Theme from "Rocky") - Bill Conti
18: You're My World - Helen Reddy
17: Easy - The Commodores
16: You Made Me Believe In Magic - The Bay City Rollers
15: Jet Airliner - The Steve Miller Band
14: Knowing Me, Knowing You - ABBA
13: You And Me - Alice Cooper
12: Whatcha Gonna Do - Pablo Cruise
11: (Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher And Higher - Rita Coolidge
10: Best Of My Love - The Emotions
9: Do You Wanna Make Love - Peter McCann
8: Margaritaville - Jimmy Buffett
7: Undercover Angel - Alan O'Day
6: Angel In Your Arms - Hot
5: My Heart Belongs To Me - Barbra Streisand
4: I'm In You - Peter Frampton
3: Da Do Ron Ron - Shaun Cassidy
2: I Just Want To Be Your Everything - Andy Gibb
1: Looks Like We Made It - Barry Manilow