"These are the most popular songs in America from Sleepy Creek, West Virginia, to Sleepy Hollow, California; from Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, to Sleeper, Missouri. At number 18, here is The Dream Academy with, 'Life In A Northern Town'."


American Top 40 with Casey Kasem aired on radio from July 4, 1970 until August 6, 1988. This recording is a rebroadcast from internet radio.

In this countdown:

There is a song by a woman whose first hit 25 years prior came out in two different versions, on two different labels, and both versions debuted on the hot 100 in the same week. Casey explains.

Casey lists the acts which have had the most top 40 hits without ever hitting number 1. The prize-winning act has its 20th top 40 song in this countdown.

Right before the song "Tarzan Boy" (by Baltimora, at number 25) Casey tells how real-life Tarzan Johnny Weissmuller once got kidnapped by real Cuban Guerrillas and got free because, well, he was Tarzan.

In the history of the chart, only three Austrian acts have ever made the top 40. The first was Lolita with her song "Sailor, Your Home is the Sea" in 1960. The other two are in this countdown: The band called Opus at number 38 with their song, "Live Is Life" and Falco at number 7 with "Rock Me Amadeus."

A listener wants to know if any act has been able to hit the top 10 in the 50's, the 60's, the 70's, and the 80's. Casey says not the top 10, but five men have been able to hit the top 40 in all four decades and gives the details.

40: West End Girls - Pet Shop Boys
39: I Think It's Love - Jermaine Jackson
38: Live Is Life - Opus
37: That's What Friends Are For - Dionne Warwick
36: I'm Not The One - The Cars
LDD: If Ever You're In My Arms Again - Peabo Bryson
35: I Can't Wait - Stevie Nicks
34: Goodbye Is Forever - Arcadia
33: Calling America - Electric Light Orchestra
32: Addicted To Love - Robert Palmer
31: No Easy Way Out - Robert Tepper
30: Night Moves - Marilyn Martin
29: Tender Love - Force MD's
LDD: Wake Me Up Before You Gogo - Wham
28: Day By Day - The Hooters
27: A Love Bazaar - Sheila E
26: Stages - ZZ Top
25: Tarzan Boy - Baltimora
24: Another Night - Aretha Franklin
23: How To Be A Millionaire - ABC
22: Russians - Sting
21: When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going - Billy Ocean
20: Beat's So Lonely - Charlie Sexton
19: Manic Monday - The Bangles
18: Life In A Northern Town - The Dream Academy
17: Living In America - James Brown
16: Let's Go All The Way - Sly Fox
15: Kiss - Prince & The Revolution
14: Sanctify Yourself - Simple Minds
13: Sweetest Taboo - Sade
12: This Could Be The Night - Loverboy
11: What You Need - INXS
10: Nikita - Elton John
9: King For A Day - The Thompson Twins
8: Silent Running - Mike & The Mechanics
7: Rock Me Amadeus - Falco
6: R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A. - John Cougar Mellencamp
5: How Will I Know - Whitney Houston
4: Secret Lovers - Atlantic Starr
LDD: Morning Has Broken - Cat Stevens
3: Kyrie - Mister Mister
2: These Dreams - Heart
1: Sara - Starship