PAST 10s: A Top 10 Time Machine - Music of the 70s, 80s and More

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 NyQuil

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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