Casey Kasem's American Top 40 - The 70s

HecticArt

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Oct 19, 2008
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I suppose that may be the side effect of my logic, but I was thinking more that musicians might be more interested less common music. Or maybe it's that musicians might be more likely to work harder to understand songs that the general public hasn't embraced.
 
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Aaron

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Right, I wouldn’t say that complex music correlates to “better music” but I’m thinking musicians might gravitate towards more complex music.

A guitar player might listen to some top 40 and think, not impressed, I can play better than these people, and then go listen to some Eric Johnson instead.

I do totally respect songwriters who can write hits. There’s a skill in that, writing catchy hooks and stuff that get airplay and make money.

What about wanna be musicians. I played guitar a lot for 3 years after college, and I could never get good! Couldn’t solo for nothing. I could just read tabs and play riffs and some chords. Also I can play Blackbird by the Beatles. About the best I could do.
 

scotchandcigar

All I wanted was some steak
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My musical upbringing consisted of playing classical, jazz, and standards in school bands; classical and jazz in private music lessons for clarinet and tenor sax; and listening to jazz, instrumental rock and fusion from my trumpet-playing brother. My dad played clarinet and was a fan of big band music, and my sister played concert organ. I played sax in a garage band, and we did jazz and instrumental rock.

Nowhere in there was pop music. My sister liked pop music, but she was much older than me, and I didn't hang-out with her. In fact, my brother exposed me to instrumental rock and fusion jazz at such an early age, that I actually started playing music on guitar, when I was in 3rd grade. I wanted to play electric guitar, but I had to start with acoustic guitar lessons. That didn't last, but that's where I learned to read music.

I heard pop music played on the radio, and in school. But at home, I was listening to Chicago, Blood Sweat & Tears, Maynard Ferguson, Chase, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Emerson Lake & Palmer, and Yes. That's why I don't really care much for pop music. Although over the years, it's become part of my life, so I appreciate it more now.
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Sherbert is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
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I was in band as a drummer in high school. I had accordion lessons for 1 season until the instructor made and indecent advance on my mother. I also sang in a choir and was asked to lip sync for a performance. I also had 6 years of piano lessons. Nothing I did in any of this inspired me to love music. That happened after my sister convinced me to listen to pop music on the radio. In my case, I clearly lack the creative musical gene. And until the mid-80s I did gravitate to pop music.
 
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nysfboy328

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February 12, 1972:
40. Donnie Elbert - I Can't Help Myself (NEW!)
39. Neil Young - Heart of Gold (NEW!)
38. Elton John - Levon
Special: Cry - Johnny Ray
37. 5th Dimension - Together Let's Find Love
36. Hillside Singers - I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing
35. Jerry Butler & Brenda Lee Eager - Ain't Understanding Mellow
34. Grand Funk - Footstompin' Music
33. Joe Cocker - Feelin' Alright
32. Jackson 5 - Sugar Daddy (↓16)*
31. New Seekers - I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing
30. Supremes - Floy Joy
29. Cher - The Way of Love (NEW!)
28. Bread - Everything I Own
27. Bobby Womack - That's The Way I Feel About Cha
26. Bee Gees - My World
25. T. Rex - Bang a Gong (Get It On)
24. Wilson Pickett - Fire and Water
23. Beverly Bremers - Don't Say You Don't Remember
22. Redbone - The Witch Queen of New Orleans
21. Charley Pride - Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'
20. Stylistics - You Are Everything
19. Joe Simon - Drowning in the Sea of Love
18. Dennis Coffey - Scorpio
17. Faces - Stay with Me
16. Carole King - Sweet Seasons (↑19)*
15. Led Zeppelin - Black Dog
14. Robert John - The Lion Sleeps Tonight
13. Carly Simon - Anticipation
12. Jonathan Edwards - Sunshine
11. Betty Wright - Clean Up Woman
10. Badfinger - Day After Day
9. Melanie - Brand New Key
8. Apollo 100 - Joy
7. Osmonds - Down By the Lazy River
6. Carpenters - Hurting Each Other
5. Three Dog Night - Never Been to Spain
4. Climax - Precious and Few
3. Nilsson - Without You
2. Don McLean - American Pie
1. Al Green - Let's Stay Together
 

nysfboy328

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23 Good:
39. Neil Young - Heart of Gold (NEW!)
32. Jackson 5 - Sugar Daddy (↓16)*
31. New Seekers - I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing
29. Cher - The Way of Love (NEW!)
28. Bread - Everything I Own
25. T. Rex - Bang a Gong (Get It On)
23. Beverly Bremers - Don't Say You Don't Remember
20. Stylistics - You Are Everything
19. Joe Simon - Drowning in the Sea of Love
14. Robert John - The Lion Sleeps Tonight
13. Carly Simon - Anticipation
12. Jonathan Edwards - Sunshine
11. Betty Wright - Clean Up Woman
10. Badfinger - Day After Day
9. Melanie - Brand New Key
8. Apollo 100 - Joy
7. Osmonds - Down By the Lazy River
6. Carpenters - Hurting Each Other
5. Three Dog Night - Never Been to Spain
4. Climax - Precious and Few
3. Nilsson - Without You
2. Don McLean - American Pie
1. Al Green - Let's Stay Together
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Sherbert is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
Oct 11, 2008
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10 good/ok for 1972:
39. Neil Young - Heart of Gold (NEW!)
38. Elton John - Levon
36. Hillside Singers - I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing
31. New Seekers - I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing
25. T. Rex - Bang a Gong (Get It On)
15. Led Zeppelin - Black Dog
14. Robert John - The Lion Sleeps Tonight
13. Carly Simon - Anticipation
9. Melanie - Brand New Key
2. Don McLean - American Pie
 

Channel98

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The background singers on Al Green's Let's Stay Together were not credited. They are Charles Chalmers and sisters Donna and Sandra Rhodes. Chalmers also arranged the strings on the Let's Stay Together album and was married to Sandra. The trio sang background on albums by Al Green, Boz Scaggs, Alicia Bridges, Ann Peebles, Wilson Pickett, Paul Anka, Dobie Gray, O.V. Wright, Z.Z. Hill, Candi Staton, Syl Johnson, Denise LaSalle and others. Donna and Sandra are the daughters of songwriter and fiddle player Perry "Dusty" Rhodes (1920-2005).

Here is a live performance – with no background singers – of Let's Stay Together:

 

sadchild

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Good 2
Okay 6
Bad 4
? 28

Good
15. Led Zeppelin - Black Dog
2. Don McLean - American Pie

Okay
38. Elton John - Levon
36. Hillside Singers - I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing I can only think of cola
31. New Seekers - I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing I can only think of cola
25. T. Rex - Bang a Gong (Get It On) prefer the Power Station remake
17. Faces - Stay with Me
13. Carly Simon - Anticipation I can only think of ketchup

Bad
39. Neil Young - Heart of Gold (NEW!) I know I know, classic song but to me boring and I don't like his voice in it
28. Bread - Everything I Own too pathetic
3. Nilsson - Without You too pathetic
1. Al Green - Let's Stay Together I'm supposed to think this is one of the best songs of all time but I just don't get into it, don't get into Tina's version either
 

scotchandcigar

All I wanted was some steak
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18. I don't know which "I'd Like to Teach" songs are the real one, but I'm counting both as 1 entry.

38. Elton John - Levon
36. Hillside Singers - I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing
34. Grand Funk - Footstompin' Music
33. Joe Cocker - Feelin' Alright
31. New Seekers - I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing
25. T. Rex - Bang a Gong (Get It On)
17. Faces - Stay with Me
16. Carole King - Sweet Seasons (↑19)*
15. Led Zeppelin - Black Dog
14. Robert John - The Lion Sleeps Tonight
13. Carly Simon - Anticipation
12. Jonathan Edwards - Sunshine
11. Betty Wright - Clean Up Woman
10. Badfinger - Day After Day
9. Melanie - Brand New Key
8. Apollo 100 - Joy
5. Three Dog Night - Never Been to Spain
2. Don McLean - American Pie
1. Al Green - Let's Stay Together
 

HecticArt

Administrator
Oct 19, 2008
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No. The accordion one I did not know about until I was an adult. I just know my lessons stopped abruptly. I don't think I was broken hearted about that at the time.
They may have been unrelated.

A kid's accordion, drum, or bagpipe lessons are likely to abruptly stop once parents realize what they have done.