The first AT40 show, reissued. -- American Top 40: The Countdown of the Century

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Date Posted: 19:47:36 04/14/02 Sun
Author: Nelson J. Gomez
Subject: The first AT40 show, reissued.
In reply to: Pete Battistini 's message, "Casey's Unusual Vote Reminder" on 05:54:26 04/13/02 Sat

>It's my estimation that only a few visitors to this
>web site would know of Casey Kasem's out-of-character
>vote reminder from long ago.
>
>In April 1972, as a result of a new law allowing
>18-year-olds the right to vote in a national election
>for the first time, Casey used AT40 to promote voter
>registration. "....if you don't like the way things
>are, register and vote." He encouraged 18, 19 and
>20-year-old listeners, once or twice during each
>program and in between records in the countdown, to
>exercise their newly established right. History
>reminds us that, at the time, we were at war in Viet
>Nam and Richard Nixon was up for re-election. I
>believe that may be the only time, outside of Casey's
>storytelling, that AT40 steered into political waters.
>
>OK, back to the countdown and, in that AT40 frame of
>mind, a reminder (30 years later!) to vote in this
>site's AT40 "special" poll, if you have not already.
>It looks like we're voting right now for the best of
>the best.
>
>And as a side note, a program that once was considered
>a special (broadcast date 7/5/75) is not really looked
>at that way now. And it's very likely that you've
>got it in your collection too. But because it's a
>"regular chart," it is not viewed as a special ranking
>of songs, artists, time period, etc. But the rerun
>of the first AT40 program was one of my favorites, and
>likely one I've listened to more than any other. And
>I believe it is worth noting.

You're right about the 7/5/75 show, Pete. The first AT40 program is one of the shows I enjoy the most, and I find myself playing it very often lately, more often than other specials or regular shows.

Some of us are lucky to have obtained a copy of the special edition of that first AT40 show, made by the AMFM Radio Networks when AT40 was reborn in 1998. The one I got has Casey's autograph and the list of songs in the back of the plastic box. The only thing I don't understand is why they cut short the instrumental theme song at the end of every hour for this special edition.

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