Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 70s

[Channel98]

KHJ in Los Angeles played The Candy Man only a few times in February 1972. General manager Dwight Case decided the song was not "cool" and didn't fit the top-40 format – even though he had no objection to Elvis Presley's Until It's Time For You To Go, the Carpenters' Hurting Each Other or the 5th Dimension's Together Let's Find Love. KHJ quit playing the song. Meanwhile, it went to number one nationally.

The Candy Man was written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley and first sung by Aubrey Woods as the owner of Bill's Candy Shop in the 1971 movie Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory.

 

[HecticArt]

Only Seven.

40 DE ALICE COOPER - SCHOOL’S OUT
23 32 DEREK & THE DOMINOS - LAYLA
14 20 ELTON JOHN - ROCKET MAN
09 04 CHI-LITES - OH GIRL
07 10 BILL WITHERS - LEAN ON ME
06 07 THE JIMMY CASTOR BUNCH - TROGLODYTE (Cave Man)
05 02 THE STAPLE SINGERS - I’LL TAKE YOU THERE

 

[hwkn]

The song I didn’t care for was the Bay City Rollers one.

 

[nysfboy328]

September 21, 1974:
40. America - Tin Man (NEW!)
39. Souther Hillman Furay Band - Fallin' in Love (NEW!)
38. James Brown - Papa Don't Take No Mess (NEW!)
37. Osmonds - Love Me for a Reason (NEW!)
36. Jim Stafford - Wildwood Weed
35. Fancy - Wild Thing
34. Billy Crash Craddock - Rub It In
33. Roberta Flack - Feel Like Makin' Love
32. The Miracles - Do It Baby
31. Paper Lace - The Night Chicago Died (↓17)*
30. Elton John - The Bitch is Back (NEW!)
29. Carole King - Jazzman (↑10)*
28. Charlie Rich - I Love My Friend
27. Ohio Players - Skin Tight
26. Mac Davis - Stop and Smell the Roses
25. Tony Orlando & Dawn - Steppin' Out (Gonna Boogie Tonight)
24. Rufus & Chaka Khan - Tell Me Something Good (↓17)*
23. Joni Mitchell - Free Man in Paris
22. The Tymes - You Little Trustmaker
21. Blue Swede - Never My Love
20. Bad Company - Can't Get Enough
19. Cheech & Chong - Earache My Eye
18. Stylistics - Let's Put It All Together
17. Helen Reddy - You and Me Against the World
16. Rolling Stones - It's Only Rock N Roll (But I Like It)
15. Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods - Who Do You Think You Are
14. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama
13. Donny Osmond & Marie Osmond - I'm Leaving It All Up to You
12. First Class - Beach Baby
11. Cat Stevens - Another Saturday Night
10. Johnny Bristol - Hang On in There Baby
9. Stevie Wonder - You Haven't Done Nothin'
8. The Guess Who - Clap for the Wolfman
7. Paul Anka & Odia Coates - (You're) Having My Baby
6. Dionne Warwick & Spinners - Then Came You
5. Eric Clapton - I Shot the Sheriff
4. Billy Preston - Nothing from Nothing
3. Olivia Newton-John - I Honestly Love You
2. Andy Kim - Rock Me Gently
1. Barry White - Can't Get Enough of Your Love Babe

 

[Channel98]

Owwoooooooo! Clap For The Wolfman is a tribute to disc jockey Wolfman Jack (real name: Robert Smith) and includes eight lines spoken by him.

Many people believe Wolfman Jack is also heard saying "From Stereo 92" in Sugarloaf's early 1975 hit Don't Call Us, We'll Call You. No, that was actually an impersonation by Ken Griffin, a DJ who worked at WBRY, WPOP, WDRC, KGOE, KGIL, KIIS, WRCQ, WMJQ and WWYZ. (but not all at the same time, of course).

 

[nysfboy328]

24 Good:
40. America - Tin Man (NEW!)
36. Jim Stafford - Wildwood Weed
33. Roberta Flack - Feel Like Makin' Love
31. Paper Lace - The Night Chicago Died (↓17)*
30. Elton John - The Bitch is Back (NEW!)
29. Carole King - Jazzman (↑10)*
25. Tony Orlando & Dawn - Steppin' Out (Gonna Boogie Tonight)
24. Rufus & Chaka Khan - Tell Me Something Good (↓17)*
20. Bad Company - Can't Get Enough
17. Helen Reddy - You and Me Against the World
14. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama
13. Donny Osmond & Marie Osmond - I'm Leaving It All Up to You
12. First Class - Beach Baby
11. Cat Stevens - Another Saturday Night
10. Johnny Bristol - Hang On in There Baby
9. Stevie Wonder - You Haven't Done Nothin'
8. The Guess Who - Clap for the Wolfman
7. Paul Anka & Odia Coates - (You're) Having My Baby
6. Dionne Warwick & Spinners - Then Came You
5. Eric Clapton - I Shot the Sheriff
4. Billy Preston - Nothing from Nothing
3. Olivia Newton-John - I Honestly Love You
2. Andy Kim - Rock Me Gently
1. Barry White - Can't Get Enough of Your Love Babe

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

10 good/ok for 1974:
36. Jim Stafford - Wildwood Weed
35. Fancy - Wild Thing
31. Paper Lace - The Night Chicago Died (↓17)*
30. Elton John - The Bitch is Back (NEW!)
23. Joni Mitchell - Free Man in Paris
16. Rolling Stones - It's Only Rock N Roll (But I Like It)
14. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama
8. The Guess Who - Clap for the Wolfman
3. Olivia Newton-John - I Honestly Love You
2. Andy Kim - Rock Me Gently

1 channel changers for 1974:
5. Eric Clapton - I Shot the Sheriff

 

[HecticArt]

About 11.

38. James Brown - Papa Don't Take No Mess (NEW!)
31. Paper Lace - The Night Chicago Died (↓17)*
30. Elton John - The Bitch is Back (NEW!)
24. Rufus & Chaka Khan - Tell Me Something Good (↓17)*
20. Bad Company - Can't Get Enough
19. Cheech & Chong - Earache My Eye
16. Rolling Stones - It's Only Rock N Roll (But I Like It)
9. Stevie Wonder - You Haven't Done Nothin' * +1Thanks Scotch.
5. Eric Clapton - I Shot the Sheriff
4. Billy Preston - Nothing from Nothing
1. Barry White - Can't Get Enough of Your Love Babe

 

[scotchandcigar]

17 for 74, with nostalgia picks

40. America - Tin Man (NEW!)
31. Paper Lace - The Night Chicago Died (↓17)*
30. Elton John - The Bitch is Back (NEW!)
29. Carole King - Jazzman (↑10)*
24. Rufus & Chaka Khan - Tell Me Something Good (↓17)*
23. Joni Mitchell - Free Man in Paris
20. Bad Company - Can't Get Enough
16. Rolling Stones - It's Only Rock N Roll (But I Like It)
14. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama
12. First Class - Beach Baby
11. Cat Stevens - Another Saturday Night
9. Stevie Wonder - You Haven't Done Nothin'
6. Dionne Warwick & Spinners - Then Came You
5. Eric Clapton - I Shot the Sheriff
4. Billy Preston - Nothing from Nothing
2. Andy Kim - Rock Me Gently
1. Barry White - Can't Get Enough of Your Love Babe

Notes:
36. Jim Stafford - Wildwood Weed - I would've liked this one, but I wasn't familiar with it. Guess my radio stations wouldn't play it.
24. Rufus & Chaka Khan - Tell Me Something Good (↓17)* - One of the funkiest songs ever on the pop charts.
9. Stevie Wonder - You Haven't Done Nothin' - but this one's even funkier.
6. Dionne Warwick & Spinners - Then Came You - waaaaat wahhhhhhhhhh.
4. Billy Preston - Nothing from Nothing - another funky tune.
2. Andy Kim - Rock Me Gently - Yet another artist that I had mistaken for Neil Diamond, along with the band Gallery. He's even copied the look

 

[Channel98]

Here in Los Angeles, Wildwood Weed was played on KRLA and "K100" KIQQ but not on KHJ. The melody is adapted from The Wildwood Flower, written by A.P. Carter, Joseph Webster and J. William Van Namee. The Wildwood Flower was first recorded by the Carter Family in 1928 – and the lyrics are almost identical to the lyrics of I'll Twine 'Mid The Ringlets, written in 1860 by Maud Irving and Joseph Philbrick Webster.

Don Bowman wrote and recorded Wildwood Weed in 1963 for his debut album Our Man In Trouble. which would reach #14 on Billboard's Hot Country Albums chart in April 1964. After Jim Stafford's version became a hit in 1974, Stafford was added to the credits as a co-writer – but why???

 

[hwkn]

39 for 74

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

39 for 74

When you say 39 or 1, you need to name the tune that is bad or good.

 

[HecticArt]

9. Stevie Wonder - You Haven't Done Nothin' - but this one's even funkier.

I didn't know that one by name so I didn't vote for it, but your description made me look it up.

FUNK yeah!
I'm bumping my list by one.

 

[Channel98]

Stevie Wonder's You Haven't Done Nothin' features background vocals by the Jackson 5. The Who vocalist Roger Daltrey recorded the song for his 2018 album As Long As I Have You. Pete Townshend plays electric guitar on the track. The background singers are John Hogg and the McCrary Sisters (Alfreda, Deborah, Beverly Ann and Regina).

 

[sadchild]

Good 6
20. Bad Company - Can't Get Enough
19. Cheech & Chong - Earache My Eye
16. Rolling Stones - It's Only Rock N Roll (But I Like It)
14. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama
11. Cat Stevens - Another Saturday Night
1. Barry White - Can't Get Enough of Your Love Babe

Okay 5
40. America - Tin Man
30. Elton John - The Bitch is Back
29. Carole King - Jazzman
5. Eric Clapton - I Shot the Sheriff
4. Billy Preston - Nothing from Nothing

Bad 1
6. Dionne Warwick & Spinners - Then Came You not a particularly bad song but does nothing for me

? 28

 

[hwkn]

#39 was the bad one.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

Today's AT40 is from 1979/07/07 but it is the special July 4th disco countdown.

 

[scotchandcigar]

Today's AT40 is from 1979/07/07 but it is the special July 4th disco countdown.

I'll be sure not to listen.

 

[Channel98]

I can hear someone asking, "What was the first disco song?" (I have a vivid imagination.) I say the first disco song is the Radiants' Choo Choo, released in March 1969. The Radiants, a Chicago quintet led by Maurice McAllister, released 15 singles, 1962-71, and had four R&B hits (Voice Your Choice, Ain't No Big Thing, Don't It Make You Feel Kind Of Bad, Hold On) but Choo Choo never charted. The drummer was Chess Records session musician Maurice White, who would co-found Earth Wind & Fire in 1970.

 

[HecticArt]