The Hits – and the Glitz – of 1979

The Hits – and the Glitz – of 1979

Author: david@pod617.com May 1, 2026 Duration: 1:39:30
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

For anyone who’s ever argued about a one-hit wonder or wondered what exactly made a chart-topper tick, there’s PAST 10s: A Top 10 Time Machine-Music of the 70s, 80s and More. Hosts Michael “Milt” Wolfe and David Yas don’t just play the hits; they dig into the actual top ten lists from decades past, serving up a blend of nostalgia and fresh commentary. Each episode is a deep dive into a specific chart, breaking down not just the winners but the curious also-rans and genuine oddities that shared the space. You’ll hear them analyze everything from the undeniable classics to those “how did that get there?” moments, all with a sense of camaraderie and genuine curiosity. While the core of the podcast revolves around the music of the 1970s and 1980s, they happily venture into the 90s and other eras, applying the same formula to themed lists like the greatest cover songs, iconic TV themes, and memorable movie soundtracks. It’s less a lecture and more like eavesdropping on a great conversation between two knowledgeable friends who love to unpack the stories behind the songs. The result is a consistently engaging listen that might make you revisit your old playlists with a new appreciation. Tune in for a weekly dose of musical archaeology that’s as much about the cultural context as it is about the melody.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

PAST 10s: A Top 10 Time Machine - Music of the 70s, 80s and More
Podcast Episodes
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Hits of '82: The Fire & The Fever [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Duration: 1:45:25
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…
The Hits of 1977: Casey Kasem, Eat Your Heart Out [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:04:30
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Duration: 1:04:40
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Hits of 1984: Here Comes the Rock Again [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:57:17
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,…
Fame? Fame! Ranking 80s & 90s Stars for the Rock Hall [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:32:57
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…