Memory in Top 40 Music

Following her death in August 2018, we explore the groundbreaking career of Aretha Franklin.  In this, the second of two special Memory in Top 40 Music episodes dedicated to the Queen of Soul, we look back at Aretha Franklin’s Top 40 chart success, and we pick things up in 1971.  Plus, in our Memory Jogger feature, we recall members of the Jefferson Airplane, the Angels and the Funk Brothers, as well as Roy Clark and a man who engineered many of the Beatles’ historic recordings. Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/user/03x07at8b9z62qxhm2e39m4cf/playlist/1kXxdi4J38fvbvogj7q3bd?si=Q9XFN82eQLmeFX-2OVfBGw email: Memory@SpokenJoe.com

Following her death in August 2018, we explore the groundbreaking career of Aretha Franklin.  In this, the first of two special Memory in Top 40 Music episodes dedicated to the Queen of Soul, we look back at Aretha Franklin’s Top 40 chart success through 1970.  In our Memory Jogger feature, we recall members of the Bay City Rollers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Jive Five and The Funk Brothers, as well as Tab Hunter, among others. Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/user/03x07at8b9z62qxhm2e39m4cf/playlist/5HCPQjzSuDgeMxXVxSQF1m email: Memory@SpokenJoe.com

The Bicentennial of the United States was one of the greatest days of coast-to-coast celebration in the history of the USA.  Join us in this episode of Memory in Top 40 Music as we tell the story of the Bicentennial celebration and review the songs at the top of the chart from July 4, 1976. Spotify Playlist:  https://open.spotify.com/user/03x07at8b9z62qxhm2e39m4cf/playlist/3KeimDQyQ9vVqvEvAbHVKB?si=AEEqmnUOSMuyUzIzwYxztg email: Memory@SpokenJoe.com

The 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom was designed to encourage America’s leaders to take the steps necessary to ensure the civil and economic rights of African Americans. It also gave us the “I Have a Dream” speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, words which remain significant to this day. Join us in this episode of Memory in Top 40 Music as we tell the story of that historic March on Washington and review the songs at the top of the chart from August 28, 1963. Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/user/03x07at8b9z62qxhm2e39m4cf/playlist/13nvkouivaL1w7P9FDMei0?si=jfeWOd-jQ46CJQ38196x4A email: Memory@SpokenJoe.com

For 13 days, the USA and Soviet Union engaged in a tense and terrifying stare down over the presence of nuclear-armed missiles just 90 miles from the United States. That standoff was the Cuban Missile Crisis. In this episode of Memory in Top 40 Music we look back at the top of the chart from October 28, 1962, the day the crisis came to an end. In our Memory Jogger feature, we remember the late Bill Burkette, Craig Mack, Nokie Edwards and Kenny O’Dell. Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/user/03x07at8b9z62qxhm2e39m4cf/playlist/1LEWfiPzuLxKUxqLhJucmk?si=TCkvgz94QL2No9JkPpWmuQ email: Memory@SpokenJoe.com

Motown Records went as far in defining the sound of the 1960’s as any other label; probably more than most. And in this episode of Memory in Top 40 Music, we look back at the top of the chart for the week of September 4, 1961, when the first Motown record to hit the Number 1 spot on the pop charts entered the Hot 100. In our Memory Jogger feature, we remember the late Dennis Edwards, Craig MacGregor, Barbara Ann Alston and Vic Damone. Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/user/03x07at8b9z62qxhm2e39m4cf/playlist/7HXzCOWQRSgb1sdcAH1WbZ?si=XflrusRmRcGV6GNtebsfvA email: Memory@SpokenJoe.com

Music has become a large part of the Olympics experience. In this special episode of Memory in Top 40 Music, we remember the songs associated with the Olympics which made the pop charts. In our Memory Jogger features, we remember the late Edwin Hawkins, Dolores O’Riordan and Hugh Masekela, as well as talk about some of the songs from the Olympics which did not make the charts. Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/user/03x07at8b9z62qxhm2e39m4cf/playlist/7zaEyxtPVTYRBKx8sqcyAf?si=-hP_7yJyTJuYUqb1SMQAlg email: Memory@SpokenJoe.com

On February 3, 1959, a plane crash took the lives of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper). This episode of Memory in Top 40 Music goes back to that day, now known as “The Day The Music Died”, to tell the story of that event which shook the first rock and roll generation and to review the songs at the top of the chart. In our Memory Jogger feature, we look back at Don McLean’s big hit “American Pie” which was a song about that fateful day. https://open.spotify.com/user/03x07at8b9z62qxhm2e39m4cf/playlist/00uWRcf8f8qARNc4k3UDq7 email: Memory@SpokenJoe.com

John Lennon once said, "If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it 'Chuck Berry'.” As that quote indicates, Chuck Berry was one of the most influential artists in the history of rock and roll. In this episode of Memory in Top 40 Music, we go back to May 6, 1957, when Chuck Berry made his Top 10 debut on the pop charts. Plus, in our Memory Jogger feature, we pay tribute to the two chart-topping country music singers who died on September 8, 2017: Don Williams and Troy Gentry. We also remember the four recording artists who were lost within days of each other in November 2017. https://open.spotify.com/user/03x07at8b9z62qxhm2e39m4cf/playlist/5gL2NvYeqxchWUdypB3hgX email: Memory@SpokenJoe.com

Following his death in October 2017, we explore the 40+ year rock and roll career of Tom Petty. In this episode of Memory in Top 40 Music, we focus primarily on Tom Petty’s Top 40 chart success. In our Memory Jogger features, we remember the late Fats Domino and salute the Traveling Wilburys. Also included are get well wishes to legendary DJ Harry Harrison. https://open.spotify.com/user/03x07at8b9z62qxhm2e39m4cf/playlist/3QwVTKdbP6AbPx3HVZhPrC email: Memory@SpokenJoe.com

The fuel behind this thing called rock and roll really ignited when a certain hip swivelin’ country boy from Tupelo, Mississippi appeared on the scene. In this episode of Memory in Top 40 Music, we go back to March 31, 1956, when the King made his first appearance in the Top 10.

There’s something magical about how music conjures up old memories. Music brings us back to happy times and sad times. To our childhood, our parents, our first kiss, our loves, our children, our old friends. The right song can bring us to a specific place, a precise hour, a time of year. Memory in Top 40 Music brings back some of those memories by reviewing the top of the charts from days gone by, through the eyes of history.