American Top 40 1984 August 4th

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:

Until this week, only one act in chart history (Michael Jackson) had ever managed to get more than four top 40 singles from one album. Now Billy Joel becomes the second with "Leave A Tender Moment Alone" (at number 39).

The first woman in chart history to have 50 or more top 40 hits is in this countdown as well, debuting with the song that earned her that title. Later, she is on Casey's list of contenders for "oldest woman to ever hit the top 10" but that title went to someone else in this countdown just a week earlier. The AT40 staff should have just left THAT statistic alone!

There is a song ("10-9-8" by Face To Face at number 38) with the lyrics, "I'm always counting down" (and something about never getting to number one), so I am making that my Long Distance Dedication to myself. I want to make sure that I know I understand me and what I am going through.

Four different listeners gang up to ask this question, "What song holds the record for making the biggest move within the top 40?" Mr. Casey says the song in question (by Elvis) moved from numbers 35 to 2 in the second week of November, 1960, but was first recorded more than 30 years earlier by several other artists.

Casey also tells us whatever happened to the band Exile. It seems that in the July 29th, 1978 file I shared last week (now available on 8 track, cassette, and open reel), my assistant Amy introduced their hit, "Kiss You All Over" (in the segment four extra) by saying, "It proved to be the band's only big chart hit." Well she should have said "big POP chart hit" because (according to Casey) members J.P. Pennington and Sonny LeMaire went on to write five songs that claimed the number one spot on the country chart, (3 for other artists, and 2 for their own band EXILE, AMY! Maybe you should lay off the DC juice a little earlier when you know tomorrow is a work day). So I offer my apologies to Exile and anyone who lost a bet because of the misinformation.

In the rock era there have been 10 acts whose names imply they are related when they really aren't. An example would be the Thompson Twins (at number 14 with "Doctor! Doctor!" - that's why Casey brings it up). Then, Casey spotlights the two acts with fake relationships that have had number one hits (but then doesn't list any of the others - and that is called a fake-out!

Finally, you will hear Casey say, "Now, as we get set to hear the number one song in the land, let's check out the number ones on Billboard's other charts. Number one on the country chart is, "Mama He's Crazy" by the Judds. And on the four other major Billboard charts, we have the same artist holding down all the top spots." If you would like a clue to his identity (because you hadn't thought of looking to see who is at number one this week), he is the artist who has had many fake relationships with his own name!

LW#2: Ghostbusters – Ray Parker Jr.
LW#1: When Doves Cry - Prince
40: When You Close Your Eyes - Night Ranger
39: Leave A Tender Moment Alone - Billy Joel
38: 10-9-8 - Face To Face
37: Dynamite - Jermaine Jackson
36: All Of You - Julio Iglesias & Diana Ross
35: The Reflex - Duran Duran
34: She Bop - Cyndi Lauper
33: The Warrior - Scandal featuring Patty Smyth
32: Turn To You - The Go-Go's
31: The Glamorous Life - Sheila E.
30: Alibis - Sergio Mendes
29: If This Is It - Huey Lewis & The News
28: Lights Out - Peter Wolf
27: Romancing The Stone - Eddy Grant
26: Rock Me Tonight - Billy Squier
25: Sexy Girl - Glenn Frey
LDD: Hello – Lionel Richie
24: She's Mine - Steve Perry
23: Missing You - John Waite
22: I'm Free (Heaven Helps the Man) - Kenny Loggins
21: Self Control - Laura Branigan
20: Magic - The Cars
19: Round And Round - Ratt
18: Almost Paradise…Love Theme From Footloose - Mike Reno and Ann Wilson
17: Sunglasses At Night - Corey Hart
16: Panama - Van Halen
15: If Ever You're In My Arms Again - Peabo Bryson
14: Doctor! Doctor! - Thompson Twins
13: Jump (For My Love) - The Pointer Sisters
12: Legs - ZZ Top
LDD: Looks Like We Made It – Barry Manilow
11: Eyes Without A Face - Billy Idol
10: I Can Dream About You - Dan Hartman
9: Breakin'…There's No Stopping Us - Ollie and Jerry
8: Stuck On You - Lionel Richie
7: Sad Songs (Say So Much) - Elton John
6: Infatuation - Rod Stewart
5: What's Love Got To Do With It - Tina Turner
4: Dancing In The Dark - Bruce Springsteen
3: State Of Shock - The Jacksons
2: Ghostbusters - Ray Parker, Jr.
1: When Doves Cry - Prince