PAST 10s: A Top 10 Time Machine – Music of the 70s, 80s and More
- Folgen
- 327
- Erscheint
- wöchentlich
- Letzte Folge
- 13. Nov. 2026
Über den Podcast
70s and 80s Music Fans! It’s PAST TENS: A Top 10 Time Machine! The podcast that looks back at a past list of top 10 hits and breaks down the winners, losers and WTF moments. With Michael ”Milt” Wolfe and David Yas ([email protected])Lots of fun revisiting the music of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and beyond.The best 80s songs of all time. The best 70s songs of all time. The best cover songs. The best TV themes. The best movie soundtracks. The best cowbell songs. The worst songs of all time. The best mashups of all time. The best rock of the 70s and 80s. The best hip-hop of the 70s and 80s. And you will hear more than you new about artists like:Michael JacksonPrinceMadonnaDaryl Hall & John OatesGeorge MichaelBilly JoelLionel RichiePhil CollinsJohn Couger MellencampElton JohnKool & The GangKenny RogersHuey Lewis & The NewsWhitney HoustonStevie WonderDiana RossDuran DuranJourneySheena EastonPointer SistersChicagoRick SpringfieldRod StewartBon JoviOlivia Newton-JohnBruce SpringsteenStarshipPaul...
Folgen 327
Top Films of 1982: Rocky Ruled, Pink Floyd Crooned & Luke Could Use a Hand
Fire up the frozen pizza and pass the popcorn. It’s MOVIE TIME on Past Tens, and Dave’s brother Adam is back with Dave and Milt to count down the top 10 movies at the box office in November 1982. How stacked …
Shownotes
Fire up the frozen pizza and pass the popcorn. It’s MOVIE TIME on Past Tens, and Dave’s brother Adam is back with Dave and Milt to count down the top 10 movies at the box office in November 1982. How stacked was this lineup? Rocky III has Mr. T, Hulk Hogan and “Eye of the Tiger,” and it’s sitting there at NUMBER TEN.
Michael Palin and Maggie Smith get a little help from George Harrison in The Missionary, and Peter O’Toole swashbuckles his way through My Favorite Year. Then there’s National Lampoon’s Class Reunion, which managed a zero on Rotten Tomatoes and still gave us something to talk about. For starters, what’s Anthony Kiedis’s dad doing here? From there, Pink Floyd bums everybody out, Darth Vader delivers some difficult family news, and Creepshow gives us five ways to lose sleep.
Louis Gossett Jr. whips Richard Gere into shape, E.T. phones home and makes us cry, and First Blood takes the top spot with a Rambo who’s got a lot more on his mind than blowing stuff up. Along the way, we swap movie titles, argue over the best twist endings, and ponder a question the Academy has been ducking for decades. Who had the better name, Clubber Lang or Thunderlips?
Chapters
00:48 Adam’s Back for Movie Time
02:28 A Trip Down the Frozen Pizza Aisle
03:55 You’ve Got Mail (and a Movie Trailer)
06:54 Back to the Box Office of November ’82
11:45 #10 Rocky III and the Eye of the Tiger
26:08 Clubber Lang, Thunderlips and the Name Game
31:14 #9 The Missionary Gets a Little Help From George Harrison
37:59 Our Favorite Movies Set Across the Pond
39:33 #8 My Favorite Year
40:30 Peter O’Toole Meets Live Television
41:14 A Brief Detour Into Swashbuckling
41:55 Tomatometer and Oscar Talk
42:43 The Mel Brooks Connection
44:56 Let’s Swap Some Movie Titles
46:35 The Best Movies About TV
48:42 #7 Class Reunion Gets Roasted
50:36 What Happened to National Lampoon?
54:26 The Best Movies About Getting the Gang Back Together
55:50 #6 Pink Floyd Puts Up The Wall
01:03:02 The Best Movies With a Color in the Title
01:03:51 #5 The Empire Strikes Back (and Luke Could Use a Hand)
01:14:29 The Greatest Movie Twists, Spoilers and All
01:18:01 The Empire Swaps Titles
01:20:36 #4 Creepshow Serves Up Five Scares
01:25:04 From Comic Book to Creepshow
01:25:47 Jake Crashes the Party
01:27:55 What’s the Best Movie Told in Vignettes?
01:30:36 #3 An Officer and a Gentleman Lifts Us Up
01:39:58 Is It a Chick Flick? The Verdict Is In
01:45:14 #2 E.T. Phones Home and We Reach for the Tissues
01:55:21 Friendly Aliens vs. Aliens That Want to Eat You
01:58:06 #1 First Blood and the Rambo We Met in ’82
02:03:14 Stallone Favorites and Final Scores
02:05:18 Turn On Your HeartlightThe Hits of ‘75 — Low Riders, Lyin’ Eyes & Bad Feelings
Dave and Milt return to the time machine (with Milt battling a cold he likely gifted an entire Florida golf trip) and time-travel to the Billboard Top 10 for the week ending November 15, 1975. After quick …
Shownotes
Dave and Milt return to the time machine (with Milt battling a cold he likely gifted an entire Florida golf trip) and time-travel to the Billboard Top 10 for the week ending November 15, 1975. After quick cultural check-ins—mutiny inspiring The Hunt for Red October, Rudy’s real-life cameo, the Edmund Fitzgerald sinking, Travis Barker’s birth, and the #1 movie Let’s Do It Again—they count down: War “Low Rider,” Captain & Tennille’s aggressively horny “The Way I Want to Touch You,” Morris Albert’s instantly-classic-then-instantly-reviled “Feelings,” Natalie Cole’s debut “This Will Be,” KC & the Sunshine Band’s “That’s the Way (I Like It)” (parentheses litigated), Linda Ronstadt’s “Heat Wave” (with Andrew Gold on nearly everything), Jefferson Starship’s “Miracles,” The Four Seasons’ comeback “Who Loves You,” Eagles “Lyin’ Eyes,” and Elton John’s “Island Girl” (surprise: prostitution plot). Winner: “Lyin’ Eyes.” Feelings gets booted for James Taylor’s “Mexico,” while Milt swaps out Jefferson Starship for John Fogerty’s “Rockin’ All Over the World,” plus a Dead-or-Alive lightning round and gratuitous Kojak/Space Jam/Biz Markie detours.
Topics
01:05 Yacht Rock Recap
04:04 Sick Trip and Politics
06:54 Time Machine to 1975
07:28 Week in History Rundown
12:29 Movies TV and Birthdays
14:29 Chart Setup and Aging Jokes
15:17 Number 10 Low Rider
23:19 Number 9 Captain and Tennille
31:49 Number 8 Feelings Roast
36:47 Sappy Song Roast
37:38 Pop Culture Song Jokes
40:10 Natalie Cole Breakthrough
43:02 Aretha Grammy Twist
45:58 KC Disco Standard
48:32 Parentheses Debate
51:12 Space Jam Cover Chaos
54:53 Dead or Alive Quiz
01:02:20 Linda Ronstadt Heat Wave
01:03:45 Andrew Gold and Aftertalk
01:07:00 Lip Balm Addiction Debate
01:07:30 Miracles Deep Dive
01:10:17 Devil Runs Hell Logic
01:11:38 Four Seasons Comeback
01:15:11 Kojak Goes Musical
01:17:54 Eagles Lyin Eyes Breakdown
01:25:22 Elton John Island Girl
01:31:05 Recap And Categories
01:33:34 Song Substitutions
01:40:49 Wrap Up And Plugs
Top 10 Yacht Rock Songs
Host Dave welcomes fill-in cohost (his brother Adam) for a “Top 10 yacht rock songs” countdown, joking about absent cohost Milt and defining yacht rock’s breezy, jazzy, meticulously crafted sound (and noting …
Shownotes
Host Dave welcomes fill-in cohost (his brother Adam) for a “Top 10 yacht rock songs” countdown, joking about absent cohost Milt and defining yacht rock’s breezy, jazzy, meticulously crafted sound (and noting the term was coined in the mid-2000s). They cite the Bill Simmons-produced HBO documentary, discuss why Hall & Oates and the Eagles don’t qualify, and reference yacht rock’s themes of wistful narrators, duets, and even “outlaw” lyrics delivered softly. The countdown reveals: #10 “I’d Really Love to See You Tonight” (England Dan & John Ford Coley), #9 “Whenever I Call You Friend” (Kenny Loggins & Stevie Nicks), tied #8/7 “Ride Like the Wind” (Christopher Cross) and “Africa” (Toto), #6 “Rosanna” (Toto), #5 “Lido Shuffle” (Boz Scaggs), #4 “Summer Breeze” (Seals & Crofts), #3 “I Keep Forgetting” (Michael McDonald), #2 “What a Fool Believes” (Doobie Brothers), and #1 “Peg” (Steely Dan).
Topics
01:32 Big Galloop Banter
03:19 Yacht Rock Countdown Rules
04:23 What Counts as Yacht Rock
08:21 Yacht Rock Vibes Explained
08:58 Countdown Begins Number 10
14:55 Number 9 Loggins Nicks
20:44 Number 8 Ride Like Wind
27:47 Number 7 Africa Revival
34:19 Number 6 Rosanna Deep Dive
39:55 Number 5 Lido Shuffle
44:56 Summer Breeze Debate
47:45 Yacht Rock Origins Talk
50:28 Number Three McDonald
52:34 Regulate Sampling Tangent
54:46 Number Two Doobies
58:19 Patrick Stewart Mixup
01:00:51 Also Rans Rundown
01:08:43 Sailing Hot Take
01:16:38 Number One Peg
01:18:20 Rocket 88 Detour
01:24:28 Wrap Up And Plugs
Freedom Rock 3: Turn It Up Even More, Man
Dave and Milt welcome special guest Professor David Gallant to the Time Machine for a Part 3 (of 4) revisit of the overplayed ’80s Freedom Rock mail-order compilation. They “count” through songs including Derek …
Shownotes
Dave and Milt welcome special guest Professor David Gallant to the Time Machine for a Part 3 (of 4) revisit of the overplayed ’80s Freedom Rock mail-order compilation. They “count” through songs including Derek and the Dominos’ “Layla” (Pattie Boyd lore, Goodfellas body-count trivia, and a 4-van rating), the Moody Blues’ “The Story in Your Eyes,” Five Man Electrical Band’s protest anthem “Signs,” Jonathan Edwards’ “Sunshine,” the O’Jays’ “Love Train,” Cream’s “White Room,” the Guess Who’s “No Time,” Judy Collins’ “Both Sides Now,” a Seals & Crofts deep cut, and Zager & Evans’ “In the Year 2525,” which Gallant passionately defends. Along the way they run a Grammy Hall of Fame quiz, trade Boston/Canadian tangents, and Gallant fights gallantly in the Freedom Rock van showdown.
Topics
01:00 Past Tense Returns
01:48 Meet The Professor
04:25 Freedom Rock Setup
07:58 Rules Van Ratings
09:57 Layla Deep Dive
24:10 Moody Blues Pick
34:17 Signs Rebellion Anthem
42:17 Mandela Effect Detour
43:36 Sunshine Next Track
44:20 Brotherly Boston Memories
45:12 Puritan Preacher Detour
46:51 Sunshine Protest Origins
50:08 Freedom Rock Ratings
53:38 Love Train Breakdown
59:33 Grammy Hall Quiz
01:14:28 White Room Deep Dive
01:21:41 Time Warp Math
01:22:22 White Room Van Score
01:25:12 Guess Who Deep Cut
01:27:45 Rock Hall Snub Talk
01:30:41 No Time Van Ruling
01:32:40 Both Sides Now Debate
01:36:43 Judy Collins Van Shock
01:38:34 Seals and Crofts Tangent
01:45:58 2525 Love It or Hate It
01:55:11 Rules Fight Final Score
01:58:48 Wrap Up And Call In
The Hits of 1999: Yo Quiero Latin Beats!
Dave (coughing through the cold open) and chartmeister Michael “Milt” Wolfe take Past 10s back to the week ending Oct. 2, 1999, detouring through Adam Yas singing the national anthem at a Patriots game …
Shownotes
Dave (coughing through the cold open) and chartmeister Michael “Milt” Wolfe take Past 10s back to the week ending Oct. 2, 1999, detouring through Adam Yas singing the national anthem at a Patriots game, listener mail about forgotten “best claps” songs, and why Polish jokes exist. They set the scene with Freaks and Geeks premiering, Double Jeopardy topping the box office, and ER ruling TV, then dive into a late-’90s Latin crossover-heavy countdown.
Topics
00:57 Dave’s Cold Struggles
02:29 Patriots Anthem Moment
04:26 Dream Gig Debate
06:55 Listener Mail Catchup
10:17 Back to October 1999
12:12 1999 Pop Culture Setup
19:51 Countdown Begins Marc Anthony
28:55 Scar Tissue and Hot Ones
38:43 Hot Ones Meltdowns
39:50 Simpsons Chili Peppers Bit
40:57 Scar Tissue Debate
41:52 All Star Overplayed
45:37 Shrek Effect Explained
50:30 Sugar Ray Origins
52:16 Shrinky Dinks Nostalgia
58:29 Christina Breakout Era
01:04:33 Ariana Grande Impressions
01:08:42 90s Lyrics Playdate Quiz
01:20:29 Enrique Bailamos Story
01:24:23 Bailamos Pronunciation Debate
01:25:18 Enrique Goes Final
01:27:15 Mambo No 5 Origins
01:30:53 Lawsuits And Backlash
01:32:40 Bob The Builder Parody
01:36:20 Smooth Mega Hit Breakdown
01:42:13 Ricky Martin Forgotten Ballad
01:46:31 TLC Unpretty Message
01:53:44 Recap And Musical Wrong
02:01:36 Shania Swap And Farewell
The Top 10 Hand-Clap Songs
Dave and Milt record a special episode focused on ranking the best hand-clap songs, defining picks as songs where clapping is a crucial, compelling element that makes listeners want to clap along (not just a …
Shownotes
Dave and Milt record a special episode focused on ranking the best hand-clap songs, defining picks as songs where clapping is a crucial, compelling element that makes listeners want to clap along (not just a brief moment). You know, clapping. … Why are we overexplaining this? Sorry. … They discuss postponing recording due to Milt attending a Yankees playoff game, announce that Dave’s brother Adam Yas will sing the national anthem on the field before Sunday’s Patriots game (with related family coincidences), and note Milt’s AI-assisted birthday song for Dave (appended to the episode). Using combined rankings from over 50 candidates plus listener suggestions, they count down the top 10.
Topics
00:33 Show Intro and Hosts
01:11 Yankee Game Detour
02:18 Patriots Anthem News
04:13 How It Happened
06:26 Birthday AI Tribute
07:55 Defining Clap Songs
11:21 Rules and Listener Mail
13:19 Countdown Begins 10
18:05 Hey Ya Debate
23:33 Beatles Clap Moment
27:55 Queen Crowd Clap
34:41 Boston Rock Clap
37:14 Top Five Tease
38:00 Power Pop Clap Debate
39:41 Fitzpatrick Jets Tangent
41:06 NFL Halftime Panel Rant
42:16 Cutting Cable for Football
43:08 Jack And Diane Claps
45:24 Tastee Freez Food Spiral
48:51 Top Three Car Wash
52:11 Number Two SOB Party
54:58 Ampersands And Hoagies
55:57 Also Rans Rapid Fire
01:04:01 We Will Rock You Miss
01:06:40 Number One Cars Claps
01:08:53 Clapping Music Minimalism
01:10:12 Friendship Clap Game
01:11:20 Wrap Up And Plugs
The Hits of 1984 (Not 1983!)
Dave and Milt revisit the rock chart for the week ending Oct. 6, 1984—after initially and repeatedly calling it 1983 and later admitting the error. After banter about ice cream habits, a contrived Willy Wonka …
Shownotes
Dave and Milt revisit the rock chart for the week ending Oct. 6, 1984—after initially and repeatedly calling it 1983 and later admitting the error. After banter about ice cream habits, a contrived Willy Wonka competition show, and brief history/pop-culture notes (Richard Noble’s 633 mph “Thrust 2” land-speed record, Carl Yastrzemski’s final at-bat, Lech Wałęsa’s Nobel Prize, The Big Chill, and AfterMASH), they count down the rock Top 10: Krokus “Midnite Maniac,” Billy Idol “Flesh for Fantasy,” Survivor “I Can’t Hold Back,” Honeymoon Suite “New Girl Now,” U2 “Pride (In the Name of Love),” Lindsey Buckingham “Go Insane,” Bruce Springsteen “Cover Me,” David Bowie “Blue Jean,” The Fixx “Are We Ourselves,” and John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band “On the Dark Side.” They discuss trivia (Miami Vice placement, Bowie’s Jazzin’ for Blue Jean film, Bono lyric correction, Springsteen dance remix), play a “blue/blues” quiz, pick U2 as winner, and swap out Survivor and Buckingham for Twisted Sister “I Wanna Rock” and KISS “Heaven’s on Fire,” then plug social channels and a future “Freedom Rock” episode invite.
Topics
01:29 Ice Cream Confessions
04:33 Willy Wonka Game Show
06:08 Time Machine Setup
07:45 Week in History Bits
15:52 Countdown Begins Krokus
23:06 Chart Year Mixup
25:07 Billy Idol Deep Dive
33:45 Survivor and Mall Cop
39:47 Honeymoon Suite Arrives
42:02 Honeymoon Suite Breakthrough
42:43 Miami Vice Hit Boost
44:19 MTV Metal One Hit Era
45:51 U2 Pride Origins
50:08 MLK Lyrics And Facts
55:23 Jazz Cover Misfire
57:13 Lindsey Buckingham Synth Turn
01:02:45 SNL Whats Up With That
01:09:35 Springsteen Cover Me Story
01:13:40 Dance Remix Madness
01:16:41 Bowie Blue Jean Deep Dive
01:19:54 Jazzin For Blue Jean Film
01:24:07 Bowie Grammy Shock
01:25:10 Bowie Calls Out MTV
01:25:32 Blue Songs Quiz Begins
01:27:02 Rapid Fire Blue Hits
01:31:25 Neil Diamond Blue Stumpers
01:33:26 Fixx Chart Trivia
01:37:43 Jim Fixx Dark Humor
01:39:38 On the Dark Side Story
01:48:07 Recap and Winner Pick
01:51:06 Substitution Twisted Sister
01:55:27 KISS: Heaven’s on Fire
The 1970's Freedom Rock Part 2: Turn it Up Again, Man!
Dave and Milt revisit the famously corny-but-great Freedom Rock compilation, tackling side two track by track while rating each song’s “Freedom Rock” authenticity in a Cheech-and-Chong-style “vans” scale of 1-5 …
Shownotes
Dave and Milt revisit the famously corny-but-great Freedom Rock compilation, tackling side two track by track while rating each song’s “Freedom Rock” authenticity in a Cheech-and-Chong-style “vans” scale of 1-5 via ChatGPT. They banter about pet allergies, the ad’s cultural afterlife, and whether Freedom Rock could’ve become a movement like yacht rock. Also, Dave makes a simply miraculous run “guessing the vans.” Song SPOILERS below.
Topics
00:49 Show Intro And Hosts
01:28 Finley The Dog Talk
02:17 What Is Freedom Rock
04:55 Side Two Setup
06:12 Track 1 Feelin Alright
15:45 Track 2 Going Up Country
24:50 Track 3 Reach Out Darkness
30:50 Track 4 Horse No Name
37:48 Track 5 Free Bird Begins
45:55 Encore Banter
46:43 Free Bird Rating
48:23 Ramblin Man Deep Dive
54:10 Guess Who Nostalgia
57:58 Comedy Sketch Detour
01:02:27 Elton Friends Review
01:09:05 Jesus Pop Hit
01:18:12 Black And White Finale
1979’s Top Albums: Get Off The Wall!
Dave and Milt slip into their glowing white socks and travel back to September 22, 1979—when albums mattered, packaging was an art form and apparently everybody owned a synthesizer. [EPISODE SPOILERS IN LIST OF …
Shownotes
Dave and Milt slip into their glowing white socks and travel back to September 22, 1979—when albums mattered, packaging was an art form and apparently everybody owned a synthesizer. [EPISODE SPOILERS IN LIST OF TOPICS BELOW. In case you care. … You probably don’t. Sigh.] Before entering the time machine, the guys wade into the Macklemore–Robert Kraft controversy, debating free speech, private venues, “Free Palestine,” antisemitism and whether anybody emerges from the whole mess looking particularly good.Then it’s on to the week’s Top 10 albums: Robin Williams unleashes his manic mind, The Cars avoid the sophomore slump, Earth, Wind & Fire decline to release “September” in September, and The Commodores prove there was more to them than Lionel Richie. Michael Jackson steps Off the Wall, Chic battles the disco backlash, Supertramp serves breakfast, Bob Dylan finds Jesus, The Knack discovers that overnight success has an expiration date, and Led Zeppelin delivers one final studio album—with six covers, a paper bag and a surprising amount of synthesizer. Plus: the Winner of the Week, two substitutions and the continuing criminal exclusion of the B-52’s from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Topics
00:00 Cold open: Lunch in Libya, glowing socks and compulsory Knack listening
01:00 Welcome—and Milt’s controversial decision to wear a tie
04:00 Macklemore, Robert Kraft and the Ed Sheeran tour controversy
08:00 Free speech, private venues and the right to say—or refuse to host—something
12:00 Does shutting down speech help the cause or create a martyr?
15:00 Why has “Free Palestine” captured so much attention from young Americans?
19:00 The time machine lands on September 22, 1979
21:00 No. 10: Robin Williams — Reality… What a Concept
33:00 No. 9: The Cars — Candy-O
42:00 No. 8: Earth, Wind & Fire — I Am
49:00 No. 7: The Commodores — Midnight Magic
54:00 No. 6: Michael Jackson — Off the Wall
1:10:00 No. 5: Chic — Risqué
1:21:00 No. 4: Supertramp — Breakfast in America
1:31:00 No. 3: Bob Dylan — Slow Train Coming
1:39:00 No. 2: The Knack — Get the Knack
1:46:00 No. 1: Led Zeppelin — In Through the Out Door
1:58:00 The complete Top 10 recap2:00:00 Winner of the Week: Who else?2:01:00 Milt’s substitution: Talking Heads — Fear of Music
2:04:00 Dave’s substitution: The B-52’s — The B-52’s
2:08:00 Spotify frustrations, contact information and one final bowl of NyQuilThe Simply Irresistible Hits of 1988
Dave and Milt fire up the time machine to revisit Billboard’s Top 10 for the week ending September 10, 1988, amid banter about insomnia, last week’s “Freedom Rock” episode (and Finley the wonderdog), and some …
Shownotes
Dave and Milt fire up the time machine to revisit Billboard’s Top 10 for the week ending September 10, 1988, amid banter about insomnia, last week’s “Freedom Rock” episode (and Finley the wonderdog), and some period trivia (Hurricane Gilbert, Jerry Lewis’s telethon, Kevin Bacon marrying Kyra Sedgwick, and Elm Street 4 topping the box office). They debate Kenny Loggins’ Caddyshack II soundtrack hit, declare fatigue with “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” praise New Edition’s Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis upgrade, and note Taylor Dayne’s ballad getting blocked at #3. “Fast Car” is lauded as the week’s enduring masterpiece, while Van Halen’s Sammy-era “When It’s Love” gets torched. George Michael’s “Monkey” sparks a primate-song quiz, Huey’s “Perfect World” gets a reappraisal, Robert Palmer’s “Simply Irresistible” earns affectionate mockery, and Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine” closes the countdown. Winners/substitutions: Dave picks “Monkey,” Milt picks “Fast Car,” they boot “When It’s Love” for Rod Stewart’s “Forever Young,” and swap out “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” for “Parents Just Don’t Understand.”
Topics
01:19 Insomnia and Sleep Hacks
03:18 Freedom Rock Recap
05:26 Back to Regular Pod
05:57 Time Travel to 1988
07:14 This Week in History
10:31 Movies and TV Talk
14:48 Countdown Begins Number 10
15:30 Kenny Loggins Caddyshack II
22:10 Bobby McFerrin Overplayed
30:39 New Edition Jam and Lewis
37:05 Touchdown Dance Story
38:13 New Edition Hall Debate
40:21 Taylor Dayne Deep Dive
43:51 Tig Notaro Taylor Tale
49:01 Fast Car Breakdown
55:06 Tufts Alumni Trivia
57:47 Van Halen Love Ballad
01:05:08 George Michael Monkey
01:11:33 Primate Songs Quiz
01:16:57 Perfect World Deep Dive
01:20:49 Huey Memories and No Apologies
01:23:26 Perfect World Movie Detour
01:24:36 Simply Irresistible Breakdown
01:27:52 Prince Song and Estate Talk
01:31:46 Sweet Child O Mine Analysis
01:37:44 Ticket Tales and Live Shows
01:41:20 Recap and Winner Debate
01:45:39 Substitutions Forever Young
01:49:13 Fresh Prince Surprise Pick
Turn It Up, Man! 1987’s Freedom Rock!
Dave and Milt record in person at Casa Wolfe for a special Past 10s episode that ditches the usual Billboard Top 10 format to start a “Freedom Rock” breakdown, inspired by the endlessly replayed 1987 TV ad …
Shownotes
Dave and Milt record in person at Casa Wolfe for a special Past 10s episode that ditches the usual Billboard Top 10 format to start a “Freedom Rock” breakdown, inspired by the endlessly replayed 1987 TV ad. They explain the compilation’s formats (four LPs, three cassettes, or two CDs; 40 songs) and begin covering the first 10 tracks in order, rating each with ChatGPT’s absurd “Freedom Rock score” of 1–5 vans, plus … Footloose! Seinfeld! Vans! Vomiting! Let’s go!
Topics
00:42 Podcast Setup at Casa Wolfe
02:36 Freedom Rock Ad Flashback
03:14 Compilation CD Culture
08:07 Freedom Rock Breakdown Plan
09:51 Track 1 Turn Turn Turn
12:44 Finley the Dog Arrives
15:48 Track 2 Change the World
21:17 Track 3 Locomotive Breath
27:07 Track 4 Old Dixie Down
33:31 Track 5 War Protest Anthem
40:03 Mic in Dog Bowl
41:32 Santana Black Magic Woman
47:02 Nilsson Jump Into Fire
55:06 Smoke on Water Story
01:00:06 Vomit Van Memories
01:04:04 United We Stand Roast
01:07:59 One Tin Soldier Billy Jack
01:15:06 Wrap Up Guest Invite
The Touchy-Feely Tunes of 1973
Dave and Milt riff on Taco Bell shtick, Dolly Parton’s legacy, a listener spat sparked by Professor David Gallant’s harsh Rock Hall takes, and Dave’s front-row Squeeze concert (plus a grim Adam Ant review). The …
Shownotes
Dave and Milt riff on Taco Bell shtick, Dolly Parton’s legacy, a listener spat sparked by Professor David Gallant’s harsh Rock Hall takes, and Dave’s front-row Squeeze concert (plus a grim Adam Ant review). The time machine lands on the Billboard Top 10 for August 18, 1973, with context on Nixon’s first televised Watergate address, DJ Kool Herc’s early hip-hop party, a Soap Box Derby cheating scandal, and the blaxploitation film Coffy. They run through the Top 10—pick winners (Croce and McCartney), do a touch/feel-themed playdate quiz, and swap out songs for Led Zeppelin’s Over the Hills and Far Away and Joe Walsh’s Rocky Mountain Way.
Topics
01:08 Crunchwrap Shtick
02:15 Dolly Parton Tribute
06:03 Squeeze Concert Recap
10:57 Machiner Grievances
14:06 Time Travel Setup 1973
15:18 Week in History 1973
20:59 No 10 Chicago
26:00 No 9 Uneasy Rider
34:34 No 8 Delta Dawn
40:56 Gilbert O'Sullivan Deep Cut
42:38 Get Down Meaning Debate
44:18 Finley Couch Rules
45:07 Ali Photo Surprise
46:50 Bad Bad Leroy Brown
51:37 Croce Tragedy Legacy
56:30 Let's Get It On Origins
01:02:28 Gaye Lawsuit Drama
01:06:14 Morning After Movie Hit
01:13:18 Brady Bunch Detour
01:15:37 Brother Louie Context
01:18:42 Louis Flashback Bit
01:19:58 Brother Louie Origins
01:22:29 Live And Let Die Deep Dive
01:27:10 Bond Movie Scene Clip
01:31:13 Diana Ross Number One
01:36:04 Touchy Feely Play Date
01:41:29 Recap And Awards
01:44:18 Substitution Picks
01:52:52 Wrap Up And Plugs
The ‘80s: Our Listeners Punch the HOF Ballot
Dave and Milt reveal the listeners’ survey-driven top 10 forgotten ’80s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-worthy artists, noting the oddly neat result that—like the ’70s episode—about 10 acts clear a “put them in” …
Shownotes
Dave and Milt reveal the listeners’ survey-driven top 10 forgotten ’80s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-worthy artists, noting the oddly neat result that—like the ’70s episode—about 10 acts clear a “put them in” majority threshold.
The B-52s brought the beehives, The camp, the kitsch, the fun,
But was weirdness enough when all was said and done?Steve Winwood had that golden voice, From Traffic to MTV,
“Higher Love” was cool but twice-inducted? Must he be?Then Mötley Crüe came crashing in, With hairspray, booze and flame,
They filled arenas, scared your mom—But does excess equal fame?Tracy Chapman, quiet and fierce, Had songs that cut straight through,
“Fast Car” somehow never gets old- is her résumé enough for you?Toto had chops to spare, “Africa,” “Rosanna,” too,
The session-player super-team—Though critics often said, “Not you.”Eric B. & Rakim changed how rappers rap, Rakim rewrote the rules,
Their influence towers over their charts—Does innovation trump record sales and pools?Rick Springfield was Jesse’s jealous friend, A heartthrob with a hook,
He had more hits than some recall— But does the Hall give soap stars a look?The Smiths inspired gloomy souls With Morrissey and Marr,
Influential? Undeniably. But four albums—does that get you far?Bryan Adams rocked the summer nights, With raspy, fist-pump flair,
A mountain full of radio hits— Is that true rarefied air?DEVO wore the flowerpots, And warned that we devolve,
Can they whip the Hall of Fame? A mystery to solve.Don Henley left the Eagles’ nest and did some solo stuff;
“Boys of Summer,” “Dirty Laundry” Hmmm - is it enough?
Sonic Youth made guitars sound Like power tools from Mars,
Alt-rock owes them plenty—But are they truly stars?Huey Lewis & The News had heart, and hooks galore,
In the 80s they were everywhere—can they knock down the door?Scorpions rocked us like a hurricane, And whistled winds of change,
Would seeing them enshrined be juuust a little strange?The Bangles walked like Egyptians and harmonies were their ace,
More than just an ’80s novelty—Though longevity hurts their case.Robert Palmer dressed impeccably, And made addiction chic,
Soul, rock, funk and Power Station—But too brief and sleek?Kenny Loggins owned the cinema: “Footloose,” “Danger Zone,”
But solo Hall credentials? That’s harder to condone.INXS had Hutchence, And Kick was wall-to-wall,
A global band with sex and hooks—Is it now time for the Hall?Tears for Fears ruled everybody’s world, With brains behind the sheen,
Big songs, ambitious albums—But is their catalog pristine?And finally there’s Sting, all tantric cool, With jazz where rock had been,
The Police already punched his ticket— Can Gordo punch it again?Topics
01:29 Survey SAYS…
04:09 The Final Countdown
04:30 Starting With A Bang(le)
07:43 INXS INdaHOF? … not yet
10:35 Be Originals. Be Standouts. B-52s.
14:24 Toto Rides the Yacht
18:25 This Was Supposed to be the Summer of Bryan!
23:37 Show Steve Some Higher Love
25:36 Frampton: Show Him the Way
26:28 Loggins. He’s All Right…
29:09 Did I Say Messina?
30:14 Building the Perfect Henley Debate
32:50 Huey Wants A New Plug
35:30 Also Ran Rundown
37:06 Are You Smiths or Are You Out?
38:53 The Sting of #1
Snubbed? Which ’70s Acts Belong in the Rock Hall?
Dave and Milt reveal results from a listener poll rating which ’70s artists deserve Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, after briefly sharing comments on last week’s 1983 substitution episode (including an Ally …
Shownotes
Dave and Milt reveal results from a listener poll rating which ’70s artists deserve Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, after briefly sharing comments on last week’s 1983 substitution episode (including an Ally McBeal/Robert Downey Jr. “Every Breath You Take” clip). Using a 1–5 scoring system, they count down the top 10 Hall “snubs” and also-rans.
Topics
00:37 Sticks Snack Debate
02:15 Survey Results Setup
02:43 Listener Comments Roundup
10:59 How The Voting Worked
13:54 Countdown Begins Barry White
17:07 Number Nine The Monkees
21:47 Number Eight America
24:44 Number Seven Supertramp
26:59 Supertramp Debate
28:42 Chic Snub Explained
31:24 Top Five Gap
31:53 Meat Loaf Case
35:57 Styx Surprise Pick
40:25 Boston No Brainer
43:36 Commodores Momentum
47:25 Near Miss Rankings
49:17 Diana Ross Number One
52:37 Wrap Up And Next Decade
Re-Doing the Top 10 of July 1983
Dave and Milt introduce an episode built around listener survey results rewriting the Billboard Top 10 for July 30, 1983, after voters overwhelmingly chose to boot Sergio Mendes’ “Never Gonna Let You Go.” They …
Shownotes
Dave and Milt introduce an episode built around listener survey results rewriting the Billboard Top 10 for July 30, 1983, after voters overwhelmingly chose to boot Sergio Mendes’ “Never Gonna Let You Go.” They preview covering survey comments next week, plug pod617.com, and detour into Dave interviewing Battle of the Network Stars captain Greg Evigan on a Beatles podcast. The listener-created countdown replaces the original Top 10 with your choices, with anecdotes about ads, lyrics, MTV videos, and chart history. They pick winners, kick out “Saved by Zero” and “I’m Still Standing,” and shout out near-misses like Jackson Browne’s “Lawyers in Love.”
Topics
02:00 Getting Older Hangovers
04:43 Battle Network Stars Clip
08:55 Survey Top 10 Setup
10:12 Songs Voted Off
13:08 Listener Countdown Begins
13:36 Saved by Zero Deep Dive
27:07 Promises Promises Facts
34:40 Faithfully Breakdown
41:07 Prince Clears Purple Rain
41:49 Tambourine Jealousy Story
42:10 Bryan Adams Writes Heaven
42:41 Earnestness Debate Faithfully
44:51 Steve Perry Sopranos Holdout
49:46 Cuts Like a Knife Breakdown
52:37 Na Nas And Video Trivia
54:32 Billy Joel Stiletto Connection
56:37 Cheers Coach And Brady Bits
58:34 R E M Radio Free Europe
01:05:04 Hall Of Fame Top Five
01:05:46 Elton Im Still Standing
01:13:56 Def Leppard Rock Of Ages
01:22:00 Def Leppard Live Hits
01:22:37 Mellencamp Concert Talk
01:23:14 Sharp Dressed Man
01:25:04 Eliminator Sound Shift
01:28:24 Iconic Cars Debate
01:30:31 Weezy Top Mashup
01:32:56 White Wedding Origins
01:36:14 Punk Roots Doc
01:40:51 Prince Wins Vote
01:43:05 1999 Chart History
01:45:26 Shared Vocals Breakdown
01:47:29 New Master Remix
01:50:08 Recap And Winners
01:52:26 Kickouts And Near Misses
01:56:29 Ferryman Deep Cut
02:03:19 Wrap Up And Plugs
Top TV of '83: Boobs on the Tube
Dave and Milt detour from Billboard to TV, counting down the top 10 shows for a week in July 1983 while arguing about pie, cheesecake calories, and why Five Guys “small” fries aren’t small. They plug a survey …
Shownotes
Dave and Milt detour from Billboard to TV, counting down the top 10 shows for a week in July 1983 while arguing about pie, cheesecake calories, and why Five Guys “small” fries aren’t small. They plug a survey to rewrite the July ’83 Hot 100 top 10 using songs that never made the real top 10 (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GFG7SWG)
The TV list includes Simon & Simon, The A-Team, Hill Street Blues, Newhart, Cagney & Lacey, 60 Minutes, The Jeffersons, Trapper John, M.D., Hart to Hart, and the #1 “show” being ABC’s movie presentation of Dr. No. A theme-song playdate adds Dynasty, 9 to 5, That’s Incredible, Archie Bunker’s Place, Gloria, Falcon Crest, Magnum P.I., The Fall Guy, and Real People, plus spoofs from SNL, Family Guy, and Mad TV.
HELP US RE-DO THE TOP 10 FOR JULY 30, 1983. TAKE THE SURVEY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GFG7SWG
Topics
01:00 Is Cheesecake Pie?
03:07 Listener Survey Instructions (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GFG7SWG)
06:52 Top TV Shows Setup
33:05 Veronica Hamel Shoutout
33:37 Newhart Theme and Finale
36:29 Bob Newhart Timeless Comedy
42:07 Cagney and Lacey Breakdown
43:56 Promos Parodies and Emmys
50:16 Play Date Theme Quiz
59:29 Real People Flashback
01:03:03 60 Minutes Legacy
01:03:51 Journalism Trust Crisis
01:04:53 Andy Rooney Near Miss
01:05:57 SNL 60 Minutes Spoof
01:07:50 Morley Safer Bits
01:09:04 The Jeffersons Spotlight
01:13:14 Names That Disappeared
01:14:37 Trapper John MD Talk
01:19:51 Hart to Hart Recap
01:24:29 TV Then vs Now
01:26:34 Dr No Tops Ratings
01:30:38 Wrap Up and Plugs
Hits of ‘83: Can You Say Mama Sa Mama Coosa?
Dave and Milt celebrate seven years of Past 10s the only way they know how: by embarrassing themselves with old stories, reading listener shout-outs, and convincing everyone to fill out another substitution …
Shownotes
Dave and Milt celebrate seven years of Past 10s the only way they know how: by embarrassing themselves with old stories, reading listener shout-outs, and convincing everyone to fill out another substitution poll (vote here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GFG7SWG) for an upcoming listener-driven episode. Then it's into the Past Tens time machine for the Billboard Top 10 from the week ending July 30, 1983—a summer that gave us the Pine Tar Game, the debut of Friday Night Videos, National Lampoon's Vacation ruling the box office, and one of the strongest countdowns of the decade.
Along the way, the guys move into Madness' "Our House," marvel at the Prince fingerprints all over Stevie Nicks' "Stand Back," salute Donna Summer's comeback, and take a deep dive into Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"—including the history behind that famous "mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-sa" lyric. They revisit the surreal world of Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams," untangle the title confusion surrounding Duran Duran's "Is There Something I Should Know?", and explain why Sergio Mendes' "Never Gonna Let You Go" may secretly be one of the most ridiculously complicated pop songs ever to crack the Top 10. They also relive the Flashdance phenomenon, explore the real-life inspiration behind Eddy Grant's "Electric Avenue," and debate whether The Police's "Every Breath You Take" is one of the greatest pop songs ever—or simply the most misunderstood stalker anthem in music history.
As always, there are plenty of detours, including Boston's chart dominance, a restroom-attendant story you won't see coming, an Eddie Murphy tangent, a round of ridiculous song questions, and another installment of the increasingly absurd Play Date Quiz. In the end, Dave crowns Duran Duran the champion of the week, while Milt gives the nod to Michael Jackson, wrapping up another trip through one of pop music's greatest summers.
THE SURVEY: Help us re-write this top 10 with songs that were on the charts this week in 1983 but never hit the top 10! CLICK HERE: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GFG7SWG
Topics
00:38 Podcast Anniversary
03:49 Listener Shoutouts
10:00 Substitution Survey Returns
12:01 Time Travel to 1983
13:08 Week in History Context
20:59 No 10 Our House
30:29 No 9 Stand Back
38:21 South Park Mocks Stevie
40:54 Donna Summer Reinvents
42:42 Restroom Attendant Story
47:04 Boston Chart Kings
49:22 MJ Favorite Debate
52:04 Wanna Be Startin Deep Dive
59:23 Eurythmics Sweet Dreams
01:05:58 Duran Duran Title Confusion
01:11:18 Play Date Quiz Begins
01:13:47 Absurd Song Questions
01:17:44 Lightning Round Finish
01:18:56 Never Gonna Let You Go
01:20:38 Complexity Explained
01:24:56 Flashdance What a Feeling
01:29:09 Eddie Murphy Detour
01:31:31 Electric Avenue Origins
01:37:46 Every Breath You Take
01:41:24 Police Band Tensions
01:44:51 Recap Winner and Wrap
‘86 Flicks: Ferris! Ripley! Rodney! Goose?
If you thought we were done talking about 1976… think again. Dave and Milt kick things off by emptying the mailbag from our "all substitutions" listener episode, reading your comments, handing out a few …
Shownotes
If you thought we were done talking about 1976… think again. Dave and Milt kick things off by emptying the mailbag from our "all substitutions" listener episode, reading your comments, handing out a few well-deserved shout-outs, and revealing the song listeners were most eager to kick to the curb: "Misty Blue." That officially closes the book on one of our favorite summer experiments.
Then it's off to the movies as the guys head back to July 1986 and count down the biggest box office hits lighting up America's theaters. Along the way they break down budgets, box office grosses, taglines, Rotten Tomatoes scores, Siskel & Ebert reviews, and—because we can't help ourselves—the Seven Degrees of Kevin Bacon connection for every film.
As always, the conversation goes well beyond the numbers. Dave and Milt debate which movies have aged like fine wine (and which haven't), make passionate cases for the underrated Running Scared and Ruthless People, revisit Top Gun's massive cultural impact—including Quentin Tarantino's infamous interpretation of the movie—and test each other with a fun 1986 movie tagline trivia game.
It's another nostalgia-filled trip back to the summer of '86, packed with laughs, rabbit holes, and enough movie memories to make you want to hit the last Blockbuster on the planet, wherever it is.
Topics
00:31 Nicole Kidman Movie Ritual
02:08 Scary Movies and Listener Shoutout
03:32 1976 Survey Feedback
11:47 Wrapping the 1976 Marathon
13:17 July 1986 Movie Countdown Begins
14:54 Number 10 Great Mouse Detective
20:53 Number 9 About Last Night
29:22 Number 8 Ferris Bueller Day Off
37:22 Ferris Bueller Debate
38:19 Ebert Regret Reviews
39:16 Kevin Bacon Detour
40:11 Legal Eagles Trailer
41:20 Legal Eagles Verdict
44:51 Bowfinger Side Argument
46:07 Running Scared Breakdown
47:54 Running Scared Bits
53:51 Tagline Trivia Game
01:00:29 Aliens Deep Dive
01:05:18 Siskel Ebert On Aliens
01:07:54 Top Gun Tease
01:08:27 Top Gun Breakdown
01:11:09 Ratings and Soundtrack
01:13:31 Tarantino Top Gun Theory
01:16:24 Sequel Gap Trivia
01:18:40 Back to School Rewind
01:26:55 Ruthless People Rediscovered
01:33:35 Karate Kid Part II Debate
01:40:03 Wrap Up and Next Pods
‘76 Hits: Our Listeners Re-Write the Top 10
ave and Milt revisit the week ending July 10, 1976, letting listeners vote on a replacement Billboard Top 10 drawn from 25 Hot 100 songs that never reached the top 10. They count down the survey results …
Shownotes
ave and Milt revisit the week ending July 10, 1976, letting listeners vote on a replacement Billboard Top 10 drawn from 25 Hot 100 songs that never reached the top 10. They count down the survey results including the majesty of Steely Dan; the funk of Parliament; the whimsy of ABBA; and a poppy Queen. Once and for all, what were the Doobies doing dancing with Rerun on TV? Why is Milt talking about his hot buns? Did Billie Joe and Bobbie Sue get away with it or die in a hail of bullets? WHAT WILL BE THE NEW #1? Click, listen and also hear Milt’s raggedy rap about friendship.
Topics
02:22 Listener Vote Explained
05:30 Back To July 1976
06:30 Number 10 Kid Charlemagne
17:19 Number 9 Give Up The Funk
26:00 Number 8 Mamma Mia
34:32 Number 7 Take The Money Run
36:31 Bonnie and Clyde Lyrics
37:27 Joker Mashup Demo
38:51 Greatest Hits Rant
39:33 Run DMC Sampling
41:10 AI Guy Trailer
43:25 Office and Hot Buns
46:15 Frampton Live Phenomenon
49:42 High Fidelity and Simpsons
53:17 Queen Best Friend
59:40 Friend Songs Quiz
01:06:46 Fleetwood Mac Say You Love Me
01:11:39 Canadian Cover and Licensing
01:13:04 Countdown Shock Setup
01:14:14 Doobie Brothers Pivot
01:18:41 Whats Happening Clip
01:24:34 Crazy On You Breakdown
01:27:43 Classic Rock Radio Stats
01:33:47 Boys Back In Town
01:40:16 Top Ten Recap
01:41:29 Winners And Referee
01:43:27 Substitution Picks
01:51:41 Wrap And Socials
Rock Bottom! Lowest Hits of ‘76
Dave and Milt announce a listener survey to vote on a new “substitution” Top 10 for the July 10, 1976 chart as part of their bicentennial-week trilogy, sharing shout-outs (including a Spotify playlist by Jason …
Shownotes
Dave and Milt announce a listener survey to vote on a new “substitution” Top 10 for the July 10, 1976 chart as part of their bicentennial-week trilogy, sharing shout-outs (including a Spotify playlist by Jason Hedman) and an email from Richard Holmes in Hawaii. For this episode they instead count up the Billboard Hot 100 “bottom 10” (positions 91–100) for that week, discussing each track’s background: Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr.’s “I Hope We Get to Love in Time,” John Handy’s jazz crossover “Hard Work,” Eagles-adjacent Fool’s Gold “Rain Oh Rain,” The Outlaws’ CB-themed “Breaker, Breaker,” Donna Valery’s “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” The Isley Brothers’ “Who Loves You Better,” Bill Cosby’s Barry White parody “Yes, Yes, Yes,” DJ Rogers’ “Say You Love Me,” Michel Polnareff’s film theme “Lipstick,” and Henry Gross’s dog tribute “Shannon,” tying it to Casey Kasem’s infamous “Snuggles” outtake.
SURVEY! HELP US RE-DO THE TOP 10 FOR THIS WEEK IN 1976
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/S2C3GRM
Topics
00:55 Listener Survey Trilogy
03:51 Shoutouts and Hawaii Email
06:47 Bottom 10 Concept Setup
10:12 No 91 McCoo and Davis
19:34 No 92 John Handy Funk Jazz
25:54 No 93 Fool's Gold Eagles Vibes
31:22 No 94 Outlaws CB Craze
38:49 No 95 Dana Valery Cover
41:36 Whats My Line Clip
44:04 Donna Valerie Debrief
44:42 Isley Brothers At 96
47:03 Lyrics Guessing Game
48:29 Cosby Parody Unease
53:17 DJ Rogers Soul Ballad
57:27 Lipstick Movie Theme
01:04:16 Shannon And Snuggles
01:12:23 Recap And Farewell
The Hits of 1976: USA! USA!
This week on Past Tens, we celebrate America's 200th birthday the only way we know how—by firing up the musical time machine and heading back to the Billboard Top 10 for Bicentennial week, ending July 10, 1976 …
Shownotes
This week on Past Tens, we celebrate America's 200th birthday the only way we know how—by firing up the musical time machine and heading back to the Billboard Top 10 for Bicentennial week, ending July 10, 1976. But first, there are pressing matters to address. Why has Burger King effectively been outlawed in Milt's house? Did Thelma the bird finally convince her babies to leave the nest? And perhaps most importantly, was Milt secretly replaced by AI on last week's episode? Listener feedback pours in, and we tackle it all.
Then we unveil something brand new for the show: our first-ever Listener Substitution Survey. We've picked 25 songs that made the charts but never cracked the Top 10, and we're turning the decision over to you. Vote for your favorites, and in two weeks we'll count down an all-listener-selected Top 10.
Once we're back in July of '76, it's a packed week. We revisit the daring Entebbe rescue, note the birth of Fred Savage, remember The Omen terrifying moviegoers, and somehow discover that the Miss Universe Pageant was America's favorite TV show.
The countdown itself is loaded with stories. We talk about Hall & Oates finally breaking through with "Sara Smile," the wonderfully confusing album cover that had everyone doing a double take, Gary Wright's "Love Is Alive," Dorothy Moore's "Misty Blue," the Brothers Johnson's arrival, and Captain & Tennille at the height of their powers. Along the way we uncover gems like Joe Pesci recording a Beatles cover, Andrea True's unlikely path from adult films to disco stardom, Quincy Jones' fingerprints all over the charts, and the bass line connection to "Billie Jean."
We also review Questlove's terrific new Earth, Wind & Fire documentary, argue about spoken-word intros, answer songs, and musical ripoffs, laugh over some truly questionable 1970s comedy, and, after all is said and done, crown Hall & Oates' "Sara Smile" as the clear winner of the week. We finish by giving this chart our official rating—solidly in Bee Gees territory—and remind everyone to cast their vote in the Listener Substitution Survey before next week's results are locked in.
VOTE FOR OUR UPCOMING ALL-SUBSTITUTION EPISODE (What songs SHOULD have made the top 10 this week?): https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/S2C3GRM
Topics
00:50 Fast Food Banter
02:55 Thelma Bird Update
04:32 Last Week Pod Fallout
06:35 Listener Mail Highlights
09:41 Listener Substitution Survey
12:29 Bicentennial Week Setup
14:30 1976 News And Pop Culture
20:49 Concert Tragedy Detour
23:29 Top 10 Begins Beatles At 10
33:32 Hall And Oates Breakthrough
36:40 Androgynous Album Cover
39:07 Why Sarah Smile Works
41:00 Gary Wright Rediscovered
42:11 Love Is Alive Backstory
47:37 Dorothy Moore Misty Blue
51:35 Paul McCartney Diss Track
56:37 Linda on the B Side
59:17 Questlove Rock Doc Review
01:08:34 Andrea True Disco Scandal
01:15:39 Captain and Tennille Remake
01:17:58 Answer Songs and Ripoffs
01:19:32 Captain and Tennille TV
01:20:56 Corny Hat Comedy
01:22:59 Shop Around Revisit
01:23:31 Brothers Johnson Breakout
01:25:26 Quincy Jones Connections
01:27:46 Billie Jean Bass Reveal
01:31:20 Kiss and Say Goodbye
01:34:48 Spoken Word Intros
01:39:05 Afternoon Delight Scandal
01:43:30 Pop Culture Karaoke Clips
01:48:12 Recap and Winner
01:52:06 Ratings and Farewell
The Most Underrated 70s Tunes
Things take a turn for the cosmic. Thanks to a special introduction from our old pal George Clooney, we learn that Elon Musk has apparently purchased Past Tens, folded it into SpaceX, and blasted Dave and Milt …
Shownotes
Things take a turn for the cosmic. Thanks to a special introduction from our old pal George Clooney, we learn that Elon Musk has apparently purchased Past Tens, folded it into SpaceX, and blasted Dave and Milt into separate pods orbiting somewhere above Earth. Fortunately, we were able to transmit this episode back to civilization before running out of Tang.
The mission? Count down our picks for the most underrated songs of the 1970s.
Now, whenever you do a list like this, you've got to define your terms. Milt comes out firing with a whole taxonomy of underratedness. Some songs were overshadowed by bigger hits. Some were unfairly dismissed by critics. Others were forgotten despite being huge at the time. And a few are simply masterpieces that never got the attention they deserved.
Milt's list includes Bruce Springsteen's epic New York City Serenade, Player's silky smooth Baby Come Back, Joe Tex's forgotten smash I Gotcha, Sniff 'n' the Tears' Driver's Seat, and Stevie Wonder's breathtaking As.
As for Dave, he took a different route. He championed the Bay City Rollers' terrific cover of I Only Want to Be with You, Aerosmith's bluesy rocker Chip Away at the Stone, the criminally overlooked studio version of the Jackson 5's Going Back to Indiana, Devo's wonderfully weird Uncontrollable Urge—complete with a story involving Mark Mothersbaugh and John Lennon—and Dr. Hook's Sylvia's Mother, penned by none other than Shel Silverstein.
Along the way, listener Al Nadel checks in with some underrated gems of his own, and we spend a little time wondering whether NASA, SpaceX, Matt Damon, or literally anybody is coming to rescue us.
So grab your headphones, fire up the oxygen generator, and join us for a journey through some of the most overlooked songs of the decade that gave us disco, punk, yacht rock, and bell-bottoms.
Topics
00:00 – George Clooney Cold Open From Orbit
02:02 – Establishing the Rules of "Underrated"
02:50 – Our Number Five Picks
06:32 – Number Four Selections
10:57 – The Forgotten Hit Category
12:41 – Listener Al Nadel's Picks
14:43 – Jackson 5 Deep Cut Spotlight
16:51 – Songs That Should Have Been Bigger
18:30 – Devo's New Wave Masterpiece
20:49 – The Number One Showdown
24:18 – Final Transmission From Space
Hits of ‘86: Nu Shooz, Sad Songs, Bad Proms
Dave and Milt hop into the Past 10s time machine and travel back to the Billboard Top 10 for the week ending June 14, 1986. But before they even hit the charts, they celebrate the emotional madness of the …
Shownotes
Dave and Milt hop into the Past 10s time machine and travel back to the Billboard Top 10 for the week ending June 14, 1986. But before they even hit the charts, they celebrate the emotional madness of the Knicks’ incredible Finals comeback, debate why sports are better when you suffer and celebrate with others, and give some love to the loyal Past 10s listeners.
Once the time machine lands in 1986, Dave and Milt set the scene: the nation is still processing the Challenger disaster report, a roller coaster called Mindbender makes terrifying headlines, Diego Maradona’s infamous “Hand of God” moment is just days away, and future stars Shia LaBeouf and the Olsen twins are entering the world. Meanwhile, Back to School rules the box office and The... ahem... Cosby Show sits atop television.
The countdown kicks off with Level 42’s “Something About You,” a song that instantly becomes a contender for the crown. The discussion of Mike + The Mechanics’ “All I Need Is a Miracle” turns into a deep dive on Mike Rutherford’s post-Genesis success, Paul Carrack’s unforgettable voice, and the age-old question: Is this actually a miracle of a song? The answer depends on which host you ask. The debate somehow spirals into a passionate rant about Miracle Whip, because this is Past Tense.
Howard Jones’ “No One Is to Blame” brings up Phil Collins’ production magic and embarrassing high-school dance memories, while George Michael’s beautiful “A Different Corner” launches a wildly entertaining George-themed riddle contest and a rapid-fire celebration of famous Georges from throughout pop culture.
Whitney Houston’s “The Greatest Love of All” creates a debate about the George Benson original and inspires a trip to the world of Randy Watson and Sexual Chocolate from Coming to America. The crew then tackles The Jets’ “Crush on You,” Billy Ocean’s “There’ll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)” — which receives one of Dave’s classic passionate critiques — and Nu Shooz’ “I Can’t Wait,” including the fascinating story of how a remix transformed a little-known demo into a massive dance hit.
A quick detour into celebrity Knicks fans leads into Madonna’s haunting “Live to Tell,” a discussion of Christopher Walken and the dark movie At Close Range, before the chart reaches the #1 song: Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald’s “On My Own.”
Throughout the episode, intern Jason provides fresh ears, song grades, and a younger perspective, including his own Substitution pick. When the final votes are tallied, Dave and Jason crown Level 42’s “Something About You” as the champion of the week, while Milt goes with Madonna’s “Live to Tell.” The Substitution songs also spark debate, with Dave bringing in Art of Noise’s “Peter Gunn” and Jason adding Simple Minds’ “All the Things She Said.”
Throw in cold-open jokes, music snobbery, random tangents, nostalgia, and a little Miracle Whip controversy, and you have another unforgettable ride in the Past Tense time machine.
Topics
00:18 Knicks Finals Chaos
04:30 Shared Experience Talk
06:56 Listener Shoutouts
08:11 Time Machine Setup
09:53 June 1986 Context
16:12 Birthdays Movies TV
20:24 Top 10 Begins Level 42
30:48 Mike Plus Mechanics
33:59 Mike Rutherford Reboot
35:16 Carrack Live Memory Lane
36:57 Miracle Song Debate
40:34 Miracle Whip Rant
41:44 Intern Jason Rates The Track
43:20 HoJo, PhilCo
49:18 Prom Night Stories
52:01 George Michael Deep Cut
58:17 Famous Georges Riddle Game
01:07:09 George Trivia Mashup
01:11:27 Whitney Song Debate
01:16:54 Randy Watson Parody
01:21:01 Jets Family Hit
01:29:11 Billy Ocean Rant
01:35:38 Nu Shooz Club Remix
01:39:24 Demo Breakdown
01:40:05 New Shoes Backstory
01:41:05 Song Ratings Debate
01:41:48 Knicks Celeb Tangent
01:44:19 Madonna Live to Tell
01:47:53 Walken Movie Talk
01:52:21 Number One On My Own
01:56:52 Recap and Birthdays
01:58:24 Winner and Substitution
02:06:15 Interns Song Swap
02:08:36 Wrap Up and Farewell
The Greatest SCREAMS in Rock History
This week on Past Tens, Dave and Milt welcome a fresh face to the show: new intern Jason, a Tulane University student possibly as obsessed with music as the Past Tens bozos. Jason talks about catching A$AP …
Shownotes
This week on Past Tens, Dave and Milt welcome a fresh face to the show: new intern Jason, a Tulane University student possibly as obsessed with music as the Past Tens bozos. Jason talks about catching A$AP Rocky's "Don't Be Dumb" Tour at TD Garden, surviving the madness of Jazz Fest, and introduces Dave and Milt to the wonderfully bizarre world of YouTube legend Nardwuar.
Meanwhile, Dave finally crosses a major movie off the bucket list, sharing his thoughts after watching 2001: A Space Odyssey for the very first time. Verdict? Beautiful to look at... but maybe HAL could've picked up the pace a little.
Then it's time for the main event:
THE GREATEST SCREAMS IN ROCK HISTORYFrom primal soul howls to arena-rock shrieks, the guys count down the ten most unforgettable screams ever put on tape. SPOILER ALERT… Here’s the list below.
…
🙂
;)
3 …
2 …
1 …
…
#10 Little Richard — Good Golly, Miss Molly
#9 Wilson Pickett — Land of 1000 Dances
#8 Aerosmith — Dream On
#7 James Brown — Get Up Offa That Thing
#6 Guns N' Roses — Welcome to the Jungle (yes, THAT 17-second scream)
#5 Led Zeppelin — Immigrant Song
#4 The Beatles — Can't Buy Me Love
#3 The Beatles — Revolution
T-#1 The Who — Won't Get Fooled Again
T-#1 Joe Cocker — With a Little Help From My FriendsAlong the way, the guys debate what actually qualifies as a great scream, pay tribute to rock's greatest vocal acrobats, and rip through a stack of worthy also-rans.
As if that wasn't enough, they squeeze in a quick three-round snake draft of the greatest vocalists of all time, with names like Freddie Mercury, Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Sting, Chris Martin, and Carole King coming off the board. Hayley Williams gets some well-deserved love, too.
It's loud. It's ridiculous. It's exactly the kind of thing that happens when you put three music nerds in a room and ask, "Yeah, but who had the BEST scream?"
Chapter Markers00:20 — Meet the New Intern
03:13 — Jason's Concert Stories
06:18 — Dave Finally Watches 2001
11:20 — Ground Rules for Great Screams
14:25 — #10 Little Richard
18:35 — #9 Wilson Pickett
22:33 — #8 Aerosmith
27:54 — #7 James Brown
32:44 — #6 Guns N' Roses
37:17 — Mini Vocalist Draft Setup
39:21 — Snake Draft Begins
39:35 — Round One Picks
41:52 — Round Two Shakeup
46:00 — Final Pick Debate
48:40 — Back to the Countdown
51:36 — Beatles Scream Spotlight
54:55 — Revolution, Sellouts & Rock Arguments
59:32 — Also-Rans Rapid Fire
1:09:33 — The Tied #1 Revealed
1:14:58 — Wrap-Up & PlugsThe Hits of 1970
Dave and Milt crank up the Time Machine and head back to the week ending May 30, 1970, but not before detouring through spam-text “pig slaughtering” scams, listener banter, and a recap of Stephen Colbert’s …
Shownotes
Dave and Milt crank up the Time Machine and head back to the week ending May 30, 1970, but not before detouring through spam-text “pig slaughtering” scams, listener banter, and a recap of Stephen Colbert’s farewell show, complete with Jack White, Eminem, and a fire-marshal joke that somehow made perfect sense. Meanwhile, Milt delivers a major life update: Thelma the bird has likely become a mother, making him a proud and slightly obsessed bird granddad.
Once the charts arrive, it’s a heavyweight showdown. The guys rave about classics like “Let It Be,” “Vehicle,” “The Letter,” “Up Around the Bend,” “Cecilia,” and “American Woman,” while taking a considerably dimmer view of “Which Way You Goin’ Billy?,” “Love on a Two-Way Street,” and “Everything Is Beautiful.” Along the way they uncover a Jay-Z sample connection, debate the mystery of Cecilia vs. Celia, call an old 800 number, wander into cheesesteak territory, and somehow find room for Claudia Schiffer, the Butthole Surfers, and The Lego Movie.
The episode also features a Beatles lyric quiz (A-to-Y edition), spirited arguments over Beatles minutiae, and a pair of chart substitutions as Sly & the Family Stone’s “I Want to Take You Higher” and Mountain’s “Mississippi Queen” earn honorary spots in the lineup. In the end, “Cecilia” and “Let It Be” emerge as the week’s champions, and the chart earns a final grade of “Bee Gees Plus”—which, in highly scientific Past Tens terms, is pretty darn good.
Topics
00:53 Wrong Number Scam Texts
03:38 Nicknames and Listener Banter
04:22 Colbert Finale Recap
07:47 Time Machine to May 1970
09:35 Bird Granddad and News
16:02 #10 – Let It Be Deep Dive
28:48 #9 – Vehicle and Horn-Rock Greatness
38:38 #8 – Tyrone Davis Soul Stop
41:59 Soul Vibes Warning
42:39 #7 – Joe Cocker’s The Letter
45:35 Mad Dogs & Englishmen Grit
47:47 Beatles A-to-Y Quiz
56:34 Trippy Beatles Debate
58:35 Poppy Family Deep Cut
01:02:20 Seasons in the Sun Tangent
01:05:33 #6 – CCR’s Up Around the Bend
01:12:03 Calling the Old 800 Number
01:15:11 #5 – Simon & Garfunkel’s Cecilia
01:18:33 Celia vs. Cecilia Mystery
01:20:17 Cheesesteak Saint Debate
01:21:11 Legendary Cheesesteak Duel
01:21:58 #3 Countdown Begins
01:25:26 Jay-Z Sample Surprise
01:27:14 Moments Name Change Story
01:30:38 #2 Countdown Spot
01:31:32 American Woman Origin Story
01:33:50 Dreams and Claudia Schiffer
01:37:10 Butthole Surfers Detour
01:40:20 #1 Song Revealed
01:42:06 Everything Is Beautiful Roast Session
01:44:27 Lego Movie Comparison
01:45:59 Top 10 Recap
01:47:32 Winner of the Week
01:49:38 Righting a Musical Wrong
01:56:32 Past Tens Grade Debate
02:00:57 Sign-Off and PlugsThe Top 10 Late-Night Hosts
Dave and Milt hit record for a special edition of Past 10s marking the end of an era: the final episode of Stephen Colbert’s Late Show. But instead of hopping into the Billboard Hot 100 time machine, the boys …
Shownotes
Dave and Milt hit record for a special edition of Past 10s marking the end of an era: the final episode of Stephen Colbert’s Late Show. But instead of hopping into the Billboard Hot 100 time machine, the boys pivot to late-night television, counting down their Top 10 Gen X-era talk-show hosts — complete with favorite moments, grudges, nostalgia, and the occasional completely unnecessary tangent. Along the way: Michael speed-runs a Chinese-food dinner before airtime, Dave delivers another riveting update on the bird building a nest outside Milt’s house, and the guys take a crack at the famously weird “Colbert Questionnaire,” revealing opinions on smells, mottos, Journey songs, the afterlife, and apparently Die Hard.
The countdown itself becomes a love letter to late-night TV history, featuring Bill Maher at #10, Samantha Bee at #9, John Oliver at #8, Jimmy Fallon at #7, Conan O'Brien at #6, Jimmy Kimmel at #5, and the King himself, Johnny Carson, landing at #4. Then things get controversial: Jon Stewart and Colbert tie for #2, before the ultimate crown goes to gap-toothed genius David Letterman at #1.
Naturally, there are arguments over the near-misses and “also-rans,” including Jay Leno narrowly missing the Top 10 at #11, plus shout-outs to James Corden, Craig Ferguson, Seth Meyers, Chelsea Handler, Arsenio Hall, Dennis Miller, Joan Rivers, and Larry King. By the end, the guys are emotionally preparing for Colbert’s finale, reflecting on what late-night TV used to mean when everybody actually watched the same thing at the same time — and wondering whether anybody under 30 even knows who Carson is.
Topics
00:00 Cold Open Live Audience
00:59 Knicks Night Chinese Food02:44 Bird Nest Update
03:54 Tonight Colbert Finale
06:29 Top 10 Setup Rules08:39 Number 10 Bill Maher
15:52 Number 9 Samantha Bee
21:17 Number 8 John Oliver
28:27 Number 7 Jimmy Fallon
37:00 Number 6 Conan OBrien
44:53 Colbert Questionnaire Game
46:31 Rapid Fire Favorites
49:08 Afterlife and Die Hard
50:44 Smells and Memories
52:43 Journey Pick and Life Motto
54:24 Kimmel at Number Five
01:00:09 Carson at Number Four
01:06:06 Jon Stewart Tie for Two
01:12:57 Colbert Legacy and Farewell
01:18:25 Also Rans Countdown
01:22:40 Letterman Takes Number One
01:29:09 Wrap Up and Sign OffThe Rock of 1989: Doctor, There’s A Great White in My Heartbreaker
Dave and Milt fire up the Top 10 Time Machine and head straight for the week ending May 20, 1989 — but this time they ditch the Hot 100 in favor of the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, because apparently Aqua …
Shownotes
Dave and Milt fire up the Top 10 Time Machine and head straight for the week ending May 20, 1989 — but this time they ditch the Hot 100 in favor of the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, because apparently Aqua Net, guitar riffs, and sleeveless denim vests deserved their own economy. Along the way, they revisit a bizarrely packed week in history featuring Gorbachev’s visit to China, the disappearance of Costa Rica’s golden toad, the death of Gilda Radner, and the cultural majesty of See No Evil, Hear No Evil and the Jessica McClure “Baby Jessica” TV movie nobody asked for but everybody watched anyway.
The chart itself is pure late-’80s rock-radio chaos: Saraya crashes in at #10, Richard Marx somehow counts as “rock,” The Outfield keeps “Voices of Babylon” alive long after civilization moved on, and Queen storms in with “I Want It All” while Freddie Mercury quietly battled the illness the public still didn’t know about. Great White shows up with their hit cover and sparks a surprisingly dark detour into the Jack Russell saga and the horrifying Station nightclub fire story.
Elsewhere, Dave and Milt debate whether a bologna bagel is cuisine or a cry for help, obsess over backyard bird nests, argue guitar solos, and somehow spend actual airtime discussing “cricket knickers.” There’s also a Play Date quiz built around songs featuring “once” and “twice,” because this podcast remains the only show brave enough to pivot from Tom Petty to adverb trivia without warning.
The second half of the countdown brings arena-rock comfort food from The Doobie Brothers, The Cult’s swaggering “Fire Woman,” Stevie Nicks’ “Rooms on Fire,” and John Cougar Mellencamp’s “Pop Singer,” which launches a rant about the music industry, authenticity, and probably at least one guy in a blazer named Chip. At #1, Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down” becomes the centerpiece for stories about songwriting, arson, stubbornness, and why Sam Smith accidentally wandered into the conversation.
Naturally, there are substitutions, sidebars, forgotten MTV memories, Living Colour and XTC love, and approximately 19 moments where the show completely leaves the rails before somehow steering itself back to the countdown. In other words: exactly the kind of episode you’d expect from two middle-aged men willingly spending two hours inside the cultural fever dream that was spring 1989.
Topics00:00 The Coldest of Opens
01:04 Bird Nest Obsession
03:37 Guitar Solo Feedback
05:36 Bologna Bagel Debate
06:05 Time Machine to 1989
07:05 Hey Day Memories
08:14 Week in History 1989
17:41 Back to the Charts
17:54 Number 10 Saraya
23:42 Saraya Name Confusion
26:13 Number 9 Richard Marx
32:26 Snickers and Snacks
33:54 Number 8 The Outfield
37:33 Outfield Albums and Legacy
38:13 Cricket Knickers Comedy
40:12 Voices of Babylon Verdict
40:41 Queen I Want It All
41:06 Freddie’s Hidden Illness
41:45 Song Breakdown and Charts
48:14 Great White Cover Hit
49:32 Jack Russell Chaos Backstory
53:31 Station Nightclub Tragedy
59:55 Play Date Once and Twice Quiz
01:06:24 Doobie Brothers Comeback
01:09:52 New Doobies and Nostalgia
01:14:43 The Cult Fire Woman
01:16:13 Fire Woman Breakdown
01:17:32 Cult Legacy And Grunge
01:19:26 Rooms On Fire Story
01:21:42 Stevie Vocal Quirks
01:24:40 Pop Singer Industry Rant
01:28:21 ChatGPT Pop List Game
01:31:05 I Wont Back Down Origins
01:33:28 Petty Songwriting And Arson
01:35:58 Sam Smith Similarity
01:39:27 Chart Recap And Picks
01:42:12 Substitution XTC And Living Colour
01:52:23 Wrap Up And Sign Off
The Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time
Dave and Milt plug into one of rock nerd-dom’s favorite barstool arguments: Rolling Stone’s freshly dropped list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Solos Ever. Naturally, they treat it less like gospel and more like a …
Shownotes
Dave and Milt plug into one of rock nerd-dom’s favorite barstool arguments: Rolling Stone’s freshly dropped list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Solos Ever. Naturally, they treat it less like gospel and more like a karaoke machine somebody spilled beer on. Using the list as a launching pad, the boys unveil their own rankings, judging solos not by how many fingers caught fire, but by the stuff that actually matters — memorability, emotional punch, whether the solo lifts the song into another zip code, and whether it makes you involuntarily air-guitar while driving a Honda Civic through Dedham.
Before the countdown, they detour into the baffling world of the new Michael Jackson biopic, debating what the filmmakers left out, why critics and audiences seem to be watching completely different movies, and whether the smarter move would’ve been focusing tightly on the Quincy Jones years instead of trying to cram an entire galaxy into one film. There’s also a shoutout to fill-in co-host Deirdre, plus Dave proudly announces that son Griffin has officially been accepted to Temple Medical School — proving at least one member of the family made responsible life choices.
Then the amps crank up. Their combined Top 10 rips through The Cars’ “Just What I Needed,” AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long,” Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Skynyrd’s “Free Bird,” Van Halen’s “Eruption,” Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” Eddie Van Halen’s face-melting cameo on “Beat It,” and the Eagles’ “Hotel California.” But when the smoke clears, the #1 slot ends in a dead heat between Prince casually humiliating every mortal guitarist during “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” at the Rock Hall ceremony and The Knack’s gloriously unhinged “My Sharona” solo — because apparently subtlety was not invited to this episode.
Topics
00:59 Star Wars banter
01:28 Michael biopic debate
06:25 Shoutouts and announcements
08:14 Rolling Stone solos list
11:12 Ranking criteria and format
14:38 Number 10 The Cars
19:31 Number 9 AC DC
23:34 Number 8 Queen
26:48 Jazz Fest tangent
28:45 Number 7 Free Bird
33:15 Number 6 Eruption
38:46 Play date misquotes quiz
45:15 Myth Quotes Wrapup
47:03 Stairway Solo Debate
52:02 Beat It Eddie Story
56:17 Hotel California Duel
01:01:28 Tie Twist And Also Rans
01:02:08 Runner Ups Rapid Fire
01:16:27 Prince Hall Of Fame Solo
01:21:12 My Sharona Takes Top Spot
01:28:12 Final Thoughts And Signoff
The Hits – and the Glitz – of 1979
Milt’s off living his best life at Jazz Fest, so Dave taps in Deirdre McCarthy as guest co-pilot, and—folks—we fire up the time machine to May 5, 1979. It’s Laverne & Shirley on TV, Alien in theaters, The …
Shownotes
Milt’s off living his best life at Jazz Fest, so Dave taps in Deirdre McCarthy as guest co-pilot, and—folks—we fire up the time machine to May 5, 1979. It’s Laverne & Shirley on TV, Alien in theaters, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy on nightstands, and questionable taste on the Billboard charts.
We run the Top 10 gauntlet: Sister Sledge (“He’s the Greatest Dancer”), Cher (“Take Me Home”), Wings (“Goodnight Tonight”), Chic (“I Want Your Love”), Village People (“In the Navy”), Suzi Quatro & Chris Norman (“Stumblin’ In”), Amii Stewart (“Knock on Wood”), Frank Mills (the baffling “Music Box Dancer”), Blondie (“Heart of Glass”), and Peaches & Herb (“Reunited”). Deirdre does not suffer fools—or B-sides—lightly.
Dave connects the dots (yes, “Greatest Dancer” → Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It), dives into Cher lore, detours through Happy Days for Leather Tuscadero trivia, and throws in a military-themed Playdate Quiz because… of course he does.
Final rulings: Deirdre crowns “Heart of Glass,” Dave rides with “Stumblin’ In.” Both agree “Music Box Dancer” gets launched into the sun, along with a Wings deep cut, replaced by Good Times Roll and Dave’s deeply personal Superman nostalgia pick. Overall grade: generous C-minus.
Plus plugs for Face-to-Face Pro and the usual “call us, maybe” contact spiel.
Timestamps (because we’re professionals):
Topics
00:41 Meet Deirdre McCarthy
03:07 Face to Face Pro Plug
03:37 AI and Communication Edge
04:59 Time Machine to 1979
06:07 Setting the 1979 Scene
07:02 Movies and Nostalgia
11:22 Books and True Crime
13:02 Top 10 Begins (No. 10)
13:56 Sister Sledge Sample Talk
18:18 Cher Disco Era (No. 9)
20:31 Cher Deep Dive Trivia
29:13 Wings Mystery Hit (No. 8)
31:20 Spinal Tap and Beatles Talk
35:49 Chic Returns (No. 7)
39:09 Village People (No. 6)
43:05 Military Play Date Quiz
48:02 Club Song Memories
48:44 Metallica to Marley (sure, why not)
50:50 Billy Joel and Civil War (again, sure)
53:19 “Stumblin’ In” at Five
54:25 Leather Tuscadero Detour
01:03:46 “Knock on Wood” Disco Peak
01:09:34 The Music Box Dancer Crisis
01:13:16 “Heart of Glass” Debate
01:23:21 “Reunited” Slow Dance Story
01:27:38 Winners, Losers, and Substitutions
01:37:18 Wrap-Up and Farewell
The Hits of ‘87, UK Style
Dave and Milt open with banter about expensive VIP options, coffee vs. tea, and then discuss the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class heavy with British performers (Phil Collins solo, Billy Idol, Oasis, Iron …
Shownotes
Dave and Milt open with banter about expensive VIP options, coffee vs. tea, and then discuss the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class heavy with British performers (Phil Collins solo, Billy Idol, Oasis, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Sade), plus Wu-Tang Clan and Luther Vandross, and hip-hop influence picks like Queen Latifah and MC Lyte. Inspired by the Brit-heavy class, they switch the podcast format to the UK singles chart for week ending 18 April 1987, counting down: “Living in a Box” by Living in a Box, Fine Young Cannibals’ cover of Buzzcocks’ “Ever Fallen in Love,” U2’s “With or Without You,” Terence Trent D’Arby’s “If You Let Me Stay,” Mel and Kim’s “Respectable” (with Mel’s illness and death noted), Janet Jackson’s “Let’s Wait Awhile” (plus an AI cover discussion), Judy Boucher’s “Can’t Be With You Tonight” (Lovers Rock), Club Nouveau’s “Lean on Me,” Madonna’s “La Isla Bonita” (and her British-accent phase), and charity supergroup Ferry Aid’s “Let It Be” for the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster. They name “With or Without You” best, swap out songs for Whitesnake and Bon Jovi, grade the week as mediocre, and note Milt may miss next week due to Jazz Fest in New Orleans.
Topics
00:52 Cold Open British Bits
01:39 Podcast Intro And Coffee Talk
03:32 Hall Of Fame Brits Takeover
08:28 Time Machine To UK 1987
10:45 Number 10 Living In A Box
16:18 Band Name Song Name Tangent
25:08 Number 9 Fine Young Cannibals Cover
34:00 Number 8 U2 With Or Without You
35:57 Bono’s Balancing Act
37:27 With or Without You in TV
38:30 U2 Concert War Stories
41:43 Terrence Trent D’Arby Hype
45:30 Name Change and Fallout
48:10 Mel and Kim UK Pop Factory
52:43 Long Distance Defecation
01:00:06 Janet Jackson and AI Cover
01:08:38 Lovers Rock One Hit Wonder
01:14:00 Lean On Me Remake
01:15:53 Tyson and Don King Story
01:19:48 La Isla Bonita Breakdown
01:23:17 Madonna British Accent Clip
01:26:31 Ferry Aid Let It Be Explained
01:33:28 Charity Singles Then and Now
01:35:53 Top 10 Recap Beatles Voices
01:37:35 Winners and Substitutions
01:46:00 Time Machine Verdict and Wrap
Hier stehen die neuesten 40 von 327 Folgen. Ältere Folgen findest du im Feed des Podcasts.
Ähnliche Podcasts
Mehr Musik-Podcasts
Ist das dein Podcast?
Bestätige es mit einem Eintrag in deinem Feed: Du bekommst hier einen Code, trägst ihn als podcast:txt in den Kanal deines Feeds ein, und wir prüfen ihn. Danach steht dein Podcast als „verifiziert“ bei SoundNode.