For a lot of kids growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, nothing said Saturday better than Casey Kasem's voice on the radio counting down the week's hits from the Billboard Top 100.
This Independence Day weekend, American Top 40 celebrates 45 years of playing the hits. So for Throwback Thursday, let's take a look at some of the songs on that inaugural broadcast—many of which are today's classics.
Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" came in at No. 26. Released the previous month, the Motown classic continued to rise, topping out at the No. 3 spot that August. Listen to it (and hits from throughout his career) on The Definitive Collection.
Nearly neck and neck were "The Wonder of You" by Elvis Presley, at No. 9, and "The Long and Winding Road" by the Beatles, at No. 8. This turned out to be the last time these rock icons simultaneously had songs in the Top 10. The King's chart toppers are compiled in Elvis 30 #1 Hits, and the Fab Four's come together on Beatles 1.
On its quick climb to the top, "Close to You" by the Carpenters paused at No. 7. Richard Carpenter's arrangement of "(They Long to Be) Close to You" (written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David) landed at No. 1 later that month. Hear this and more from the brother-sister duo on The Singles, 1969-1973.
And the No. 1 song in the nation was… "Mama Told Me Not to Come" by Three Dog Night, which knocked the Jackson 5's "The Love You Save" down to No. 2. The Jackson 5 was in its prime, with its two previous singles, "I Want You Back" and "ABC," and its subsequent single, "I'll Be There," all going to No. 1. Listen to them in order on Number Ones, and find more hits in the eponymous Three Dog Night, part of the 20th century masters series.
Besides the music, there was Casey Kasem, of course—back week after week with interesting stories, that voice and his spine-tingling signoff: "Keep your feet on the ground, and keep reaching for the stars."
Add a comment to: #TBT: American Top 40 Debuts in 1970