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

Milt’s off living his best life at Jazz Fest, so Dave taps in Deirdre McCarthy as guest co-pilot, and—folks—we fire up the time machine to May 5, 1979. It’s Laverne & Shirley on TV, Alien in theaters, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy on nightstands, and questionable taste on the Billboard charts.
We run the Top 10 gauntlet: Sister Sledge (“He’s the Greatest Dancer”), Cher (“Take Me Home”), Wings (“Goodnight Tonight”), Chic (“I Want Your Love”), Village People (“In the Navy”), Suzi Quatro & Chris Norman (“Stumblin’ In”), Amii Stewart (“Knock on Wood”), Frank Mills (the baffling “Music Box Dancer”), Blondie (“Heart of Glass”), and Peaches & Herb (“Reunited”). Deirdre does not suffer fools—or B-sides—lightly.
Dave connects the dots (yes, “Greatest Dancer” → Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It), dives into Cher lore, detours through Happy Days for Leather Tuscadero trivia, and throws in a military-themed Playdate Quiz because… of course he does.
Final rulings: Deirdre crowns “Heart of Glass,” Dave rides with “Stumblin’ In.” Both agree “Music Box Dancer” gets launched into the sun, along with a Wings deep cut, replaced by Good Times Roll and Dave’s deeply personal Superman nostalgia pick. Overall grade: generous C-minus.
Plus plugs for Face-to-Face Pro and the usual “call us, maybe” contact spiel.
Timestamps (because we’re professionals): 
Topics 00:41 Meet Deirdre McCarthy 03:07 Face to Face Pro Plug 03:37 AI and Communication Edge 04:59 Time Machine to 1979 06:07 Setting the 1979 Scene 07:02 Movies and Nostalgia 11:22 Books and True Crime 13:02 Top 10 Begins (No. 10) 13:56 Sister Sledge Sample Talk 18:18 Cher Disco Era (No. 9) 20:31 Cher Deep Dive Trivia 29:13 Wings Mystery Hit (No. 8) 31:20 Spinal Tap and Beatles Talk 35:49 Chic Returns (No. 7) 39:09 Village People (No. 6) 43:05 Military Play Date Quiz 48:02 Club Song Memories 48:44 Metallica to Marley (sure, why not) 50:50 Billy Joel and Civil War (again, sure) 53:19 “Stumblin’ In” at Five 54:25 Leather Tuscadero Detour 01:03:46 “Knock on Wood” Disco Peak 01:09:34 The Music Box Dancer Crisis 01:13:16 “Heart of Glass” Debate 01:23:21 “Reunited” Slow Dance Story 01:27:38 Winners, Losers, and Substitutions 01:37:18 Wrap-Up and Farewell

Dave and Milt open with banter about expensive VIP options, coffee vs. tea, and then discuss the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class heavy with British performers (Phil Collins solo, Billy Idol, Oasis, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Sade), plus Wu-Tang Clan and Luther Vandross, and hip-hop influence picks like Queen Latifah and MC Lyte. Inspired by the Brit-heavy class, they switch the podcast format to the UK singles chart for week ending 18 April 1987, counting down: “Living in a Box” by Living in a Box, Fine Young Cannibals’ cover of Buzzcocks’ “Ever Fallen in Love,” U2’s “With or Without You,” Terence Trent D’Arby’s “If You Let Me Stay,” Mel and Kim’s “Respectable” (with Mel’s illness and death noted), Janet Jackson’s “Let’s Wait Awhile” (plus an AI cover discussion), Judy Boucher’s “Can’t Be With You Tonight” (Lovers Rock), Club Nouveau’s “Lean on Me,” Madonna’s “La Isla Bonita” (and her British-accent phase), and charity supergroup Ferry Aid’s “Let It Be” for the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster. They name “With or Without You” best, swap out songs for Whitesnake and Bon Jovi, grade the week as mediocre, and note Milt may miss next week due to Jazz Fest in New Orleans.
 
Topics
00:52 Cold Open British Bits
01:39 Podcast Intro And Coffee Talk
03:32 Hall Of Fame Brits Takeover
08:28 Time Machine To UK 1987
10:45 Number 10 Living In A Box
16:18 Band Name Song Name Tangent
25:08 Number 9 Fine Young Cannibals Cover
34:00 Number 8 U2 With Or Without You
35:57 Bono’s Balancing Act
37:27 With or Without You in TV
38:30 U2 Concert War Stories
41:43 Terrence Trent D’Arby Hype
45:30 Name Change and Fallout
48:10 Mel and Kim UK Pop Factory
52:43 Long Distance Defecation
01:00:06 Janet Jackson and AI Cover
01:08:38 Lovers Rock One Hit Wonder
01:14:00 Lean On Me Remake
01:15:53 Tyson and Don King Story
01:19:48 La Isla Bonita Breakdown
01:23:17 Madonna British Accent Clip
01:26:31 Ferry Aid Let It Be Explained
01:33:28 Charity Singles Then and Now
01:35:53 Top 10 Recap Beatles Voices
01:37:35 Winners and Substitutions
01:46:00 Time Machine Verdict and Wrap

Dave and Milt crack open a special Past Tens where the subject is none other than the human moonwalk, Michael Jackson—timed nicely with the looming biopic that’s about to remind everyone just how absurdly dominant this guy was. We’re talking voice, moves, mystique, and that little side project with Quincy Jones that somehow turned into the most unfair three-album heater in pop history. Ground rules: solo MJ only. Sorry, Jackson 5—you’ll always have “ABC,” but you’re sitting this one out.
From there, it’s ten categories and approximately 47 friendly arguments. “Most Well-Known Song” turns into a heavyweight bout—“Billie Jean” vs. “Thriller”—with no judges and plenty of yelling. “Where It Began” gives us the early runway (“Rockin’ Robin,” “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough”), while “Mountain Moment” is basically the peak of the peak (“Beat It,” complete with Eddie Van Halen shredding like he wandered in from another genre, and “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” doing…whatever that song does, which is everything).
We dig for “Deep Cuts” (including a sneaky collab with Lenny Kravitz and a Wiz-adjacent pull), hit the “Chill Moments” (cue gospel chills and emotional uppercuts), and try to pick “Best Lyrics” without just defaulting to that line from “Billie Jean” (we fail, sort of). “Most Overrated” gets spicy—brace yourself if you’re a “Human Nature” defender—before we hit live performances, covers (including a left-field Billie Eilish acoustic moment), and pop culture usage featuring the holy trinity: Weird Al Yankovic, Eddie Murphy, and The Simpsons doing what The Simpsons does.
It’s part appreciation, part chaos, part “how is one catalog this stacked?”—and yes, we know, it’s complicated. But for 90 minutes, we’re staying in our lane: the music, the moments, and the madness.
Topics (a.k.a. the roadmap before we inevitably go off-road)
00:00 Glove Salute Cold Open 
00:28 Welcome to Past Tens
01:21 Caffeine, Coffee, Gum, and questionable life choices
03:30 Biopic trailer hype meter: irresponsibly high
05:59 Rules, categories, and future disagreements
11:28 Most Known Song: “Billie Jean” vs. “Thriller” (fight)
17:52 Where It Began: baby steps to global takeover
23:58 Mountain Moment: peak MJ is somehow multiple peaks
33:17 Deep Cuts + The Wiz detour you didn’t ask for
39:42 Chill Moments: gospel, goosebumps, repeat
45:44 Halfway Quiz Tease (we promise it’s fun)
46:20 The Spock Song Premise (…just go with it)
47:43 MJ Titles Rapid Fire (hold onto your verbs)
49:49 Harder clues, deeper cuts, mild confusion
52:44 Best Lyric: “Billie Jean” does it again
58:15 “Billie Jean” lore + tangents we refuse to cut
01:01:27 Most Overrated: here come the angry emails
01:08:48 Best Live Performances: Motown 25 says hello
01:16:01 Best Covers: unexpected contenders
01:20:49 Pop Culture Moments: parodies, cameos, immortality
01:26:34 Wrap-up + Listener Mail (you keep us honest-ish)
 
 

Dave and Milt fire up the Top 10 Time Machine and land squarely in April 3, 1982—a week where the Falklands War is just getting started, Space Shuttle Columbia is touching down in the desert like it missed its exit, Michael Jordan is hitting that NCAA shot, and America is somehow supporting both Porky's and Chariots of Fire at the same time. A simpler, weirder time.
The boys break down a Top 10 that is equal parts iconic and “wait… really?”—from Key Largo (featuring a sidebar into Bertie Higgins’ unexpected second act as a political hype man), to Pac-Man Fever (because yes, we once made hit songs about video games and no one stopped us), to Rick Springfield doing Rick Springfield things—plus a completely unnecessary but deeply committed detour into French lyrics in pop music.
Elsewhere, the The J. Geils Band bring the camera clicks with “Freeze-Frame,” Vangelis makes jogging feel important with “Chariots of Fire,” and Olivia Newton-John sneaks in with a perfectly fine song riding the coattails of her other perfectly fine global takeover.
Then it gets serious: Stevie Wonder shows up with “That Girl,” the The Go-Go’s officially announce their arrival with “We Got the Beat” (your winner of the week, because of course), Journey slow-dance their way into prom history with “Open Arms” (plus a quick check-in on Mariah Carey absolutely oversinging it years later), and Joan Jett closes the whole thing out by grabbing rock ‘n roll by the collar and not asking permission.
Meanwhile, a listener drops a Long Distance Defecation™ on a serial grocery-store-aisle-blocker, set to Move It On Over by George Thorogood—because nothing says passive-aggressive rage like a blues-rock classic.
Final verdict: the chart earns a C (some heavy hitters, some absolute nonsense), “We Got the Beat” takes the crown, and the guys tease an upcoming all-substitutions episode—listener-voted, because democracy occasionally works.
⏱️ Timecodes (aka Organized Chaos)
00:00 Cold Open Chaos
00:25 Show Premise Introductions
00:53 Two Tired Hosts Banter
01:45 Bruce Lyric Debate
03:37 Callbacks and Listener Shoutouts
05:12 Time Machine Set to 1982
06:17 Week in History Rundown
14:05 Countdown Begins (#10)
14:52 “Key Largo” Breakdown
19:22 “Do the Donald” Detour (…yep)
23:22 “Pac-Man Fever” + Arcade Nostalgia
31:19 Donkey Kong, Copyright Theft, and Wreck-It Ralph
35:14 Rick Springfield Hour (Featuring French??)
48:14 “Freeze-Frame” Debate
57:01 “Chariots of Fire” Hits Different
01:01:34 Long Distance Defecation™
01:10:13 Olivia’s Victory Lap
01:15:15 Stevie Wonder Chart Oddities
01:22:35 Go-Go’s Breakthrough Moment
01:23:39 “We Got the Beat” Deep Dive (Winner)
01:30:56 “Open Arms” and Camp Slow Dances
01:34:29 Journey → Mariah Pipeline
01:39:04 Joan Jett Owns #1
01:46:22 Recap and Picks
01:49:18 Substitution Episode Tease
01:52:11 Ratings and Sign-Off
 

Dave and Milt are doing what they do best: arguing about music like it matters (because it does). This time, they’re counting down their favorite opening lines from 1970s songs — with Milt, naturally, gravitating toward lines that drop you immediately into a vibe, a scene, or a full-blown attitude problem.
They go back and forth like two guys at a bar who won’t let the other finish a sentence, firing off picks like “Life in the Fast Lane,” “Renegade,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” “He’s Misstra Know-It-All,” “Easy,” “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding,” “It’s Only Rock ’n Roll,” “I Shot the Sheriff,” “Kodachrome,” “Stayin’ Alive,” and “Thunder Road.”
Dave lands the plane with his #1 — “Dream On” — because of course he does. Meanwhile, Milt zigged where no one zagged, crowning “Rapper’s Delight” as his top dog, because subtlety is overrated.
Plus: a Playdate quiz fueled by listener suggestions, featuring killer openings like “Werewolves of London,” “Sir Duke,” and “Is She Really Going Out With Him?” — because nothing says “fun” like being put on the spot about lyrics you definitely thought you knew.
 
Topics
01:03 Listener Shoutout Joe
03:48 New Segment and Emails
04:47 Proud Dad: Adrian Sings
06:46 Countdown Setup Seventies Openers
07:30 How We Picked Lyrics
11:20 Number 10 Picks Eagles and Styx
19:48 Number 9 Picks The Who and Stevie
28:07 Number 8 Picks Billy Joel and Lionel
36:43 Pump It Up Meaning
38:03 Elvis Costello Lyrics
40:28 Podcast Banter Break
42:06 Elton John Epic Medley
47:07 Stones vs Critics
50:32 I Shot the Sheriff
54:00 Play Date Quiz
01:02:50 Joy to the World
01:05:36 Steely Dan Story
01:09:58 Kodachrome Kickoff
01:10:38 Nostalgia Parody Talk
01:12:20 April Fools Banter
01:13:12 Staying Alive Breakdown
01:16:28 Cheese Jokes And TikTok
01:19:10 Radar Love Rush
01:21:45 Black Dog Pure Rock
01:25:26 Forever In Blue Jeans
01:29:40 Thunder Road Scene Setting
01:35:00 Dream On Reflection
01:38:45 Rappers Delight Finale
01:42:47 Wrap Up And Listener Mail

Dave and Milt ride the Past 10s time machine to the week ending March 19, 1977, riffing on questionable water-park hygiene, a 44‑hour hijacking, FDA rules for “mixed nuts,” the Mary Tyler Moore finale giving birth to Three’s Company and Eight Is Enough, and the cultural moment of Annie Hall, M*A*S*H, Trinity, and Roots. They count down Billboard’s Top 10, spotlighting Fleetwood Mac’s first Top 10 hit “Go Your Own Way,” Thelma Houston’s Motown disco breakthrough “Don’t Leave Me This Way,” and Bob Seger’s “Night Moves” (plus its later video cameo and a “night cheese” riff). They groan through softer fare like David Soul, Mary McGregor, and Kenny Nolan, then debut a new listener segment, the “long distance defecation,” featuring Joe Mason’s Philly heartbreak and a Rolling Stones “Get Off My Cloud” dedication. 
 
Topics
00:23 Past Tens Intro
00:55 Big Arch Burger Debate
02:17 New Segment Tease
03:31 Arriving in 1977
04:29 Week in History Rundown
08:28 Mixed Nuts and Chex Mix
10:35 TV Birthdays and Annie Hall
14:27 Number 10 Fleetwood Mac
19:34 Demos Ads and Music Immortality
24:45 Number 9 Thelma Houston
31:07 ChatGPT Fail and Threads Talk
34:04 Number 8 David Soul
37:42 David Soul Aftermath
38:24 Cigarettes Then and Now
39:49 Torn Between Two Lovers
43:44 Meatballs Soundtrack Detour
46:35 Made for TV Movie Promo
48:15 I Like Dreaming Roast
51:42 Kenny Nolan Secret Hits
54:12 Long Distance Defecation
58:22 Get Off My Cloud Storytime
01:05:42 Dancing Queen Still Rules
01:11:42 Night Moves Deep Dive
01:20:05 Night Cheese and Copyright
01:22:22 Comedy Song Rights
01:23:43 Seeger Bar Challenge
01:27:13 Rich Girl Breakdown
01:30:10 Calling Oates Hotline
01:33:56 Grinch Girl Parody
01:35:17 Lake Street Dive Cover
01:37:08 Fly Like an Eagle Deep Dive
01:44:22 Evergreen At Number One
01:47:56 Winners And Substitutions
01:58:48 Time Machine Rating
02:02:55 Long Distance Dedication

Dave and Milt (the Chart Meister, not the Chart Master) celebrate what might be their 300th episode—give or take a few missed weeks and some lazy counting—by ditching the usual Billboard time-travel format and revisiting excerpts from their very first Past Tens episode from June 2019. They roast their early scripted, nervous energy, debate why certain catchphrases and categories stuck (Bad Remake, What the Fuck Were We Thinking, Never Heard Of It), and reminisce about recording in a Boston studio before switching to Zoom during COVID. Along the way they revisit early obsessions with Casey Kasem, grim “long distance dedication” letters, the terrifying TV movie Special Bulletin, awful and unnecessary covers, forgotten chart oddities, and beloved surprise discoveries like the Osmonds’ “Down by the Lazy River.” They close with a nostalgia debate, a fake monetization pitch, and promises of “300 more.”
 
Topics
02:00 Is This Episode 300? 
02:52 Origin Story Enemy Lines
03:49 Anniversary Format Explained
06:02 Podcast Bits And Signposts
07:13 Replaying Episode One Intro
09:04 Early Nerves And No Scripts
12:42 Influences Hit Parade Rewatchables
15:16 Chartmeister Origins
17:46 Casey Kasem Dedication Clip
22:20 Pop Culture Flashback Special Bulletin
27:59 Bad Remakes Return
31:50 Guns N Roses Covers
32:59 Madonna Cover Disaster
33:44 Early Podcast Tech Chaos
35:55 Worst Hits Hall of Shame
40:53 Never Heard Of Gems
44:46 Osmonds Lazy River Surprise
46:48 Variety Show Flashback
51:24 Wild Trivia and Song Stories
56:17 Happy Days Nostalgia Theory
01:02:59 Anniversary Wrap and Goodbye

Dave and Milt jump into the Billboard Rock Tracks chart for the week ending March 10, 1984. They set the scene with Splash, Dallas, and Ed Koch’s Mayor, then count down the rock top 10: Yes “Leave It,” Van Halen “Panama,” Eurythmics “Here Comes the Rain Again,” Pretenders “Middle of the Road,” John Lennon “Nobody Told Me,” 38 Special “Back Where You Belong,” Kenny Loggins “Footloose,” Manfred Mann’s Earth Band “Runner,” Christine McVie “Got a Hold on Me,” and Van Halen “Jump.” They debate best song (leaning “Panama”), run a “back” title lightning quiz, and do substitutions: Milt swaps out “Runner” for Genesis “It’s Gonna Get Better,” while Dave replaces 38 Special with Genesis “Illegal Alien,” noting its later embarrassment. 
 
Topics
00:00 Cold Open Chaos
00:22 Welcome To Past Tens
00:48 McDonalds CEO Big Arch
02:51 Listener Shoutouts
05:42 Susanna Hoffs Meetup
08:04 Time Jump To 1984
08:50 Rock Charts Explained
10:21 Spinal Tap And Oscars
13:27 This Week In 1984
16:16 Number 10 Yes Leave It
21:31 A Cappella Tangent
26:07 Number 9 Van Halen Panama
30:34 DLR Aging And Legacy
36:58 Number 8 Eurythmics
39:59 Crude Banter Reset
40:49 Here Comes the Rain Again
42:06 Depression and Meaning
43:04 Middle of the Road
45:05 Pretenders Backstory
51:19 Lennon Nobody Told Me
54:54 AI Hallucination Rant
56:43 Pluribus Turkish Cover
01:00:00 38 Special Back Where
01:05:54 Back Title Quiz
01:14:17 Footloose Hall Debate
01:18:01 Genre Wars and Prince
01:18:57 Kenny Loggins Case
01:20:30 Footloose Fame Burden
01:22:24 Runner Eighties Excess
01:26:55 Christine McVie Spotlight
01:32:20 Jump and Van Halen
01:37:18 Triple Jump Mashup
01:39:17 Winners and Recap
01:41:49 Substitution and Wilhelm
01:43:46 Genesis Deep Cuts
01:47:30 Illegal Alien Debate
01:52:50 Time Machine Verdict
01:54:51 Wrap Up and Farewell

Dave and Milt open with shout-outs to a five-star review from the mysterious “BeanieGirl6” and an email from listener Jack (now in Houston) defending Edward Bear and sharing trivia about Roberta Flack’s inspiration. They then rank the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 17 nominees by “worthiness,” focusing on their top 10 while also predicting who will be inducted, using athlete analogies and ChatGPT-generated sandwich comps. Their top 10 includes Iron Maiden (#10, their biggest disagreement), Joy Division/New Order, Billy Idol, Pink, Oasis, Wu-Tang Clan, Black Crowes, INXS, Phil Collins (solo), and Mariah Carey. They briefly discuss the seven left out—Jeff Buckley, New Edition, Melissa Etheridge, Lauryn Hill, Shakira, Luther Vandross, and Sade—debating genre boundaries and noting snubs like the B-52s, Coldplay, and Devo.
 
Topics
00:52 Listener Reviews Mailbag
05:28 Rock Hall Premise
08:08 Take Us to the Iron Maiden
16:19 Old Band, New Order
22:59 Idle Thoughts on Billy 
29:51 ‘P!nk,’ We Exclaim!
36:35 Water, Water Everywhere, but an Oasis?
42:05 Wu-Tang: Not Your Grandparents’ Clan
47:18 Back in Black Crowes
51:22 Peak Value And Sandwich Talk
53:55 Hey Hall, What You Need is INXS
01:00:34 Phil Collins: I Don’t Care Anymore. Or do I?
01:06:03 Also Rans Quick Hits
01:06:21 Jeff Buckley? Hallelujah! New Edition? WTF?
01:09:52 Melissa And Lauryn’s Mild Adventure
01:14:18 Shakira Don’t Lie; Luther Doesn’t Play, All the Marquis Love Sade
01:22:39 Hello, Diva! Mariah Carey
01:29:15 Wrap Up And Snubs. And Cheese.

Dave and the Chartmeister Michael “Milt” Wolfe review the Billboard Top 10 for the week ending March 10, 1973, after chatting about Milt’s trip to Savannah, snow in Massachusetts, and assorted pop-culture tangents. They cover period context including Dark Side of the Moon’s U.S. release, the “Great Michigan pizza funeral,” KISS’s first makeup show, and the death of Grateful Dead member Pigpen. The countdown includes Jermaine Jackson’s “Daddy’s Home,” John Denver’s “Rocky Mountain High,” Dr. Hook’s “Cover of the Rolling Stone,” Elton John’s “Crocodile Rock,” Deodato’s “Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001),” the O’Jays’ “Love Train,” the Spinners’ “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love,” Edward Bear’s “Last Song,” “Dueling Banjos,” and Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly.” They pick weekly winners, swap out songs for Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ in the Years” and the Moody Blues’ “I’m Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band),” run a train-themed riddle game, grade the week a B, and preview a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees episode.
 
Topics
00:26 Hosts Return And Updates
02:24 Savannah Vs Snow Talk
05:09 Time Machine To 1973
06:40 Week In History Highlights
10:59 Pop Culture Backdrop
15:06 Top 10 Begins Number 10
23:46 John Denver Rocky Mountain High
29:16 Dr Hook Cover Of Rolling Stone
37:39 Elton John Crocodile Rock
40:24 Silly Song Breakdown
41:34 Funky 2001 Theme
45:59 Walk On Music Talk
51:03 Love Train Origins
53:32 Love Train In Pop Culture
57:06 Train Riddle Playdate
01:10:39 Spinners Philly Soul
01:14:32 Paul Stanley Soul Covers
01:17:52 Kiss Makeup Debate
01:19:29 Edward Bear Deep Dive
01:23:55 Dueling Banjos Origins
01:32:45 Roberta Flack Breakdown
01:38:53 Recap and Awards
01:41:33 Substitutions and Swaps
01:50:55 Week Grade and Wrap
01:54:34 Next Week Tease