"From the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of Alaska, you hear the nation's top hits every week at this time on American Top 40. My name's Casey Kasem, and the countdown doesn't stop until we get to number one."

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:

This week's biggest mover (from 22 to 12) was last week's biggest mover (from 32 to 22) as well. "Get Down Tonight" by KC & The Sunshine Band would slow down a bit the following week by jumping only 9 positions instead of 10. As a RocketMan Extra, I'm including a cover by a group called, Shriekback.

Now I told you that to tell you this: I had the privilege of seeing this super-group earlier in the year, and highly recommend you do so as well, if you get the chance. I was accompanied by another member of the RocketMan Institute for the Appreciation of Musical History, SophieFee. She has volunteered to substitute-announce this week while Amy recuperates from a computer virus (I can't tell you any more than that because of HIPAA). SophieFee will be anxious to hear if anyone left positive comments, so I'm asking you all to play nice (but the last time they heard the sound of her laughter, six nightingales got out of the business, her wit is so sharp, you could shave with it, and roses have fistfights to see who can smell like her).

Also, "RocketMan_Extras_1975_08_16" is the name of another file I am sharing. It consists of five videos (in MP4 format, play with VLC). Four are of "KC and the Sunshine Band" and one is of the Grateful Dead.

Casey points out that one man who debuted on the Hot 100 last week first hit the chart in 1943, and so now holds the record for longest stretch of chart hitting activity (32 years, beating out both Bing Crosby and Perry Como).

"The Hustle" by Van McCoy & the Soul City Symphony drops from number 11 to number 34. It was a former number one song and was well played at its peak. I think that's why, when you get hustled, you say, "Well played."

A song about Mohammad Ali debuts at number 33 by Johnny Wakeland & the Conchasa Band. Casey says Ali holds the longest span of years between the time he first won the Heavyweight Boxing Championship of the World, and the time he regained it (11 years - if there's a record involved, you'll know it here first). The song calls Ali the "Black Superman" so I wonder if Superman is the "White Mohammad Ali." I could still take him out with some green Kryptonite!

The song "Dynomite" (by Bazooka at number 29) was inspired by the TV show, "Good Times" and the theme song from a TV show, The Rockford Files by Mike Post, is at number 10.

"Could It Be Magic" (at number 19) by Barry Manilow borrows chord progressions from Frédéric Chopin's Prelude in C Minor. I have included a recording of that piece performed by Maurizio Pollini and introduced by the ever hard-working SophieFee (I asked her what it is she does here at the RocketMan Consortium and she told me, "When someone minds their own business properly, it is a full-time job.")(?) Meanwhile, in a parallel universe, Chopin has just finished an Etude titled "Copa Cabana" which is French for "I am stuck on Bandstand without Band-Aids."

In 1964, the Beatles hit the chart twice with different versions of the same song ("She Loves You"); one in English, and one in German. But Casey says those two versions were never on the chart at the same time, and then declares (for the first time in chart history) Billboard's Top 100 for this week in August of '75 contains two versions of the same song in different languages by the same recording act. While the Spanish version "Por Amor Viviremos" debuts at number 86, its former number one English counterpart, "Love Will Keep Us Together" (by The Captain & Tennille),  reverses direction and moves from last week's spot (number 17) to number 13 this week. Guest Announcer SophieFee plays the Spanish language version as a RocketMan Extra.

Casey says Elton John became the highest paid artist in the recording industry just a few months prior when he signed a contract for $8,000,000. Then he reports Stevie Wonder bumped Elton into second place only a week earlier by signing a deal for $13,000,000. If you thought he was introducing Stevie, Stevie is not in this countdown, but Elton John's "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" is at number four.

40: Solitare - The Carpenters
39: Look At Me, I'm In Love - The Moments
38: Love Being Your Fool - Travis Womack
37: Two Fine People - Cat Stevens
36: Daisy Jane - America
35: I Believe There's Nothing Stronger Than Our Love - Paul Anka & Odia Coates
34: The Hustle - Van McCoy & the Soul City Symphony
33: Mohammad Ali (The Black Superman) - Johnny Wakeland & the Conchasa Band
32: 'Til The World Ends - Three Dog Night
31: Tush - ZZ Top
30: Fame - David Bowie
29: Dynomite - Bazooka
28: Rendezvous - The Husdon Brothers
27: That's When The Music Takes Me - Neil Sedaka
26: Help Me Rhonda - Johnny Rivers
25: Third-Rate Romance - Amazing Rhythm Aces
24: Ballroom Blitz - Sweet
23: Just A Little Bit Of You - Michael Jackson
22: That's The Way Of The World - Earth, Wind & Fire
21: Feel Like Making Love - Bad Company
20: Wasted Days, Wasted Nights - Freddie Fender
19: Could It Be Magic - Barry Manilow
18: Holding Onto Yesterday - Ambrosia
17: Listen To What The Man Said - Wings
16: At Seventeen - Janis Ian
15: Fight The Power - Isley Brothers
14: Morning Beautiful - Tony Orlando & Dawn
13: Love Will Keep Us Together - The Captain & Tennille
12: Get Down Tonight - KC & The Sunshine Band
11: I'm Not In Love - 10CC
10: Rockford Files - Mike Post
9: Midnight Blue - Melissa Manchester
8: How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You - James Taylor
7: Why Can't We Be Friends - War
6: Rhinestone Cowboy - Glen Campbell
5: Falling In Love Again - Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds
4: Someone Saved My Life Tonight - Elton John
3: Please Mr. Please - Olivia Newton-John
2: One Of These Nights - Eagles
1: Jive Talkin' - Bee Gees