American Top 40 1983 September 3rd

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:


"Hold Me 'Til The Morning Comes" by Paul Anka is at number 40. I swear I always thought that song was by Chicago!

A listener asks, "How many theme songs from daytime television soap operas have hit the Top 40?" Casey rules that only one soap-opera song has ever hit the Top 40, and in turn tells the story of the first athlete in the history of the Olympics to get a perfect score of 10. I have included "Nadia's Theme" as an In-Show RocketMan Extra.

SophieFee pointed out she might also include "Quentin's Theme" from "Dark Shadows" which reached #13 in the summer of 1969. "Dark Shadows" was a soap opera about immortal vampires, and interestingly enough, she claims she couldn't care less about such things.

"Big Log" by Robert Plant is this week's highest debut, coming in at number 34. Plant is the former lead singer of one of the biggest rock groups of all time, the British band Led Zeppelin.

Casey says the term "Rock 'n' Roll" was first heard in a 1934 hit, and plays a little bit of it before he introduces "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" (at number 31 this week) by the Electric Light Orchestra. Be sure to pick up the torrent for "RocketMan_Extras_1983_09_03" (it is an audio aid you will need before ELO orientation begins in Chuckit Hall with Mr. D. Moralize next week).

The Summer of the Police: "Every Breath You Take" falls from its number 2 position this week as "King Of Pain" moves its way up (and the universe stayed in balance). Casey informs us the Police broke a record held for 17 years by the Beatles; the fastest sell out of a concert at Shea Stadium. Sting later said playing there was "like playing the top of Mount Everest."

This is the 61st consecutive week in the Hot 100 for Laura Branigan (buoyed by the wave from her first three songs). The third, "How Am I Supposed To Live Without You," is at number 23.

Another listener asks, "How many social protest songs have hit number one?" Casey says it is a tricky question, and the AT40 staff is not in full agreement, except for the three songs he cites. One member of our 2015 graduating class pointed out the song "People Got to Be Free" by The Rascals spent five weeks at #1 in August/September of 1968 and it was a much better song than any of the three Casey mentioned.

I explained to him that being argumentative and oppositional is not good. It is better to be agreeable and likable. If people like you, they will help you in your time of need. I told him being polite is more important than being right, and being agreeable is worth more than all the money in the world. Then I had him shot.

"Total Eclipse Of The Heart" was at number 15 this week in September, 1983, and nobody knew Bonnie Tyler was singing the word "powder-keg" until the internet was invented decades later. Every time I asked a 1983 person if they knew what she was singing, they said they were just wondering the same thing. There was a big dark area of ignorance in the midsection of the United States of America, and I consider myself lucky to have made it this far.

"David Bowie is the oldest fresh face in rock," claimed the 1983 issue of Time magazine that bore his picture on the cover. Bowie is at number 12 this week with "China Girl." As another In-Show RocketMan Extra I have included a video of an earlier Bowie. This composition, "Oh You Pretty Things" has a chord structure that rivals "King Of Pain" (but only if you turn the record player up to 78 rpms - thanks to YouTube uploader lelliesandremains).

This is the first week for Michael Jackson's "Human Nature" in the Top 10 and also the first time in chart history anyone managed five Top 10's from one album. "Human Nature" was written by Michael "Manic" Sembello (he's holding number two, but he really wants to go number one). So as a final In-Show RocketManExtra (it's at the bottom of the box . . . please don't dig through the cereal to get to it?) you can hear super-producer Quincy Jones recount how the song found its home on "Thriller" (album of the astronauts).

40: Hold Me 'Til The Morning Comes - Paul Anka
39: Burning Down The House - Talking Heads
38: Tonight I Celebrate My Love - Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack
37: Rock Of Ages - Def Leppard
36: You're Driving Me Out Of My Mind - Little River Band
35: Tell Her No - Juice Newton
34: Big Log - Robert Plant
33: Lady Love Me - George Benson
32: Kiss The Bride - Elton John
31: Rock 'n' Roll Is King - ELO
30: Don't You Get So Mad - Jeffrey Osborne
29: Is There Something I Should Know - Duran Duran
28: After The Fall - Journey
LDD: Killing Me Softly With His Song - Roberta Flack
27: Hot Girls In Love - Loverboy
26: Dead Giveaway - Shalamar
25: King Of Pain - Police
24: True - Spandau Ballet
23: How Am I Supposed To Live Without You - Laura Branigan
22: Far From Over - Frank Stallone
21: Promises, Promises - Naked Eyes
20: Human Touch - Rick Springfield
19: Take Me To Heart - Quarterflash
18: Making Love Out Of Nothing At All - Air Supply
17: (She's) Sexy + 17 - Stray Cats
16: Stand Back - Stevie Nicks
15: Total Eclipse Of The Heart - Bonnie Tyler
LDD: Hello Again - Neil Diamond
14: Lawyers In Love - Jackson Browne
13: Don't Cry - Asia
12: China Girl - David Bowie
11: (Keep Feeling) Fascination - Human League
10: Human Nature - Michael Jackson
9: I'll Tumble 4 Ya - Culture Club
8: It's A Mistake - Men At Work
7: Tell Her About It - Billy Joel
6: The Safety Dance - Men Without Hats
5: She Works Hard For The Money - Donna Summer
4: Puttin' On The Ritz - Taco
3: Every Breath You Take - Police
2: Maniac - Michael Sembello
1: Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) - Eurythmics