The Simply Irresistible Hits of 1988

The Simply Irresistible Hits of 1988

Author: David Yas & Michael ”Milt” Wolfe September 11, 2026 Duration: 1:56:05
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  

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: 50

PAST 10s: A Top 10 Time Machine - Music of the 70s, 80s and More
Podcast Episodes
Rock Bottom! Lowest Hits of ‘76 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:55
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) an…
The Hits of 1976: USA! USA! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:55:36
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…
The Most Underrated 70s Tunes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:27
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 separ…
Hits of ‘86: Nu Shooz, Sad Songs, Bad Proms [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:11:53
Dave and Milt hop into the Past 10s time machine and travel back to the Billboard Top 10 for the week ending June 14, 1986. But before they even hit the charts, they celebrate the emotional madness of the Knicks’ incredi…
The Greatest SCREAMS in Rock History [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:15
This week on Past Tens, Dave and Milt welcome a fresh face to the show: new intern Jason, a Tulane University student possibly as obsessed with music as the Past Tens bozos. Jason talks about catching A$AP Rocky's "Don't…
The Hits of 1970 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:02:32
Dave and Milt crank up the Time Machine and head back to the week ending May 30, 1970, but not before detouring through spam-text “pig slaughtering” scams, listener banter, and a recap of Stephen Colbert’s farewell show,…
The Top 10 Late-Night Hosts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:49
Dave and Milt hit record for a special edition of Past 10s marking the end of an era: the final episode of Stephen Colbert’s Late Show. But instead of hopping into the Billboard Hot 100 time machine, the boys pivot to la…
The Rock of 1989: Doctor, There’s A Great White in My Heartbreaker [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:54:05
Dave and Milt fire up the Top 10 Time Machine and head straight for the week ending May 20, 1989 — but this time they ditch the Hot 100 in favor of the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, because apparently Aqua Net, guitar…
The Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:58
Dave and Milt plug into one of rock nerd-dom’s favorite barstool arguments: Rolling Stone’s freshly dropped list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Solos Ever. Naturally, they treat it less like gospel and more like a karaoke ma…
The Hits – and the Glitz – of 1979 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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 Gu…