The Top 40 Time Machine (pilot) Audio Park

This is a pilot from CORE 2026

In cooperation with Sound Century Academy, the University of Colorado and The Harry Tuft Collection. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

You're tuned to the Top 40 Time Machine. Hello all, and welcome to the Top 40 Time Machine. Who am I, you ask? Well, I'm the keeper of the keys to the Time Machine and all things trivial. What is the Top 40 Time Machine, you might ask? Well, I might tell you that the Top 40 Time Machine is a device that I designed with the help of several of my friends, and some spare parts from old George's garage that takes us back into that magical era of Top 40 Radio. With the help of the Time Machine, I can actually go back and play you songs the way that you remember hearing them on the radio. No, I don't mean how you heard it on AM radio coming out of your little transistor, but rather the way the artists intended you to hear them when they left the studio. If you are paying close attention, you might notice that some of these songs sound considerably different than the CDs you have at home. Or you might not notice any difference at all. Either way, it's still good music. Coming up later in the show, we'll listen to some songs that came out differently on 45s, we'll visit the technical corner, and we'll check out some songs that were bammed. But for now, let's give the old Time Machine a spin and see where she takes it. I have my Synthetic Studio Audience here to tell me what year we've landed the Time Machine in. So, Synthetic Studio Audience, where are we?

SPEAKER_07 1:20

1967.

SPEAKER_00 1:21

Hmm, 1967. There are lots of good songs I can play from this year. Let's kick things off with the Beatles in Penny Lane. Pay close attention to the end of this one, folks.

SPEAKER_05 1:31

Penny Lane, there is a barber showing photographs of every head he's had the pleasure to know. And all the people that come and go. The little children having him behind his back. And the banker never wears a mask in the pouring rain. Very strange. Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes. I sit and meanwhile back in Penny Lane, there is a fireman with an hourglass. And in his pocket is a portrait of the queen. He likes to keep his fire engine clean. It's a clean machine is in my ears and in my eyes. More of fish and fingers pies in summer. Behind the shelter in the middle of the roundabout. And though she feels as if she's in a place. Penny lane, the barber shaves another customer. We see the banker sitting waiting for a tremor. Then the fireman rushes in From a pouring rain. Very strange. Penny lane is in my ears and in my eyes. Beneath the blue suburban skies I said I'm meanwhile. Any late is in my ears and in my eyes.

SPEAKER_00 4:27

That was the Beatles with Penny Lane on the top 40 time machine. Did you catch those extra few horn notes on the end? Apparently the trumpet player didn't know the song was over. Well, you won't find those on your CD at home, ladies and gentlemen. That's because that version was only issued to radio stations in the United States. You know, from my vantage point, sitting here entombed in the secret vault that contains the top 40 time machine, I can see into the future, and I can see into the past. For example, when Penny Lane became number one, it bumped the Supremes out of the number one spot with their hit, Love Is Here and Now You're Gone, in March of 1967.

SPEAKER_03 5:20

And oh my God and now we're gone.

SPEAKER_00 7:34

Oh my God, my boy, the Supremes could do no wrong in 1966 and 1967. That was one of their many number one hits. Love is here and now you're gone. Now let's roll that time machine forward a couple of weeks. Past when Penny Lane was number one, to when the Turtles took over the top spot with their song about an imaginary lover. Happy Together.

SPEAKER_06 8:10

Imagine me and you. I do. I think about you day and night. It's only right to think about the girl you love and hold her tight. So happy together. If I should call you up, invest a dime, and you'd say you belong to me. So lose my mind. Imagine how the world could be so very fine, so happy together.

SPEAKER_07 8:42

I can't say we love and nobody but you for all my life. When you're with me, baby, the skies will be blue for all my life.

SPEAKER_06 9:00

You and me, no matter how they toss the dice, it had to be the only one for me is you and you for me. So happy together.

SPEAKER_07 9:14

I can't see loving nobody but you for all my life.

SPEAKER_06 9:22

When you're with me, babe, the skies will be blue for all my life. Me and you, and you and me, no matter how they toss the dice, it had to be the only one for me is you, and you for me, so happy together, and you and me, no matter how they tossed the dice, it had to be the only one for me is you, and you for me, so happy together, so happy together how is the weather?

SPEAKER_07 10:27

So happy together, we're happy to get The Turtles on the Top 40 Time Machine with Happy Together.

SPEAKER_00 10:57

Did you notice the first line of the song said, Imagine me and you? I know I did. Personally, if it was me, I think I'd want to get to know somebody first before I decide if I want to spend the rest of my life with them. Moving right along and looking further into the future, I noticed that the next number one song is by Frank and Nancy Sinatra called Something Stupid. Oh yes. You don't really want me to play that, do you? Oh, come on. It was a number one song in 1967 for six weeks. But I'll skip it for now. But rest assured, one of these days, it will get played. Looking further into the future past when something stupid was number one, I see that the Supremes had the number one song again with the happening. But since we already played the Supremes, let's continue through time a couple more weeks until the young rascals had a great number one hit with Grooven.

SPEAKER_04 12:01

On a Sunday afternoon, couldn't get away too soon. I can't imagine anything that's better. The world is ours whenever we too. In a place I like to be instead of moving, down a crowded avenue. Anything we like to do. On a Sunday afternoon. Couldn't get away too soon. We're gonna talk and laugh a time. I feel it coming closer day by day. I feel we had to see you and me endlessly on a Sunday afternoon. Couldn't get away too soon.

SPEAKER_00 14:10

Groovy was a pretty big word back in 1967, and there were the young rascals with grooving on the top 40 time machine. Coming up after a bit of shameless promotion, we'll listen to some songs that came out differently on 45s here on the Top 40 Time Machine.

SPEAKER_09 14:30

Hi, Gene, where the monkeys? Did you tell him about the TV show yet, Mike? No, man.

SPEAKER_08 14:34

I was gonna sneak it in. You gotta be very subtle about these things. You're gonna tell them that we'll be on NBC TV starting September 12th at 7 30 p.m. in colors. What's more fun than a barrel full of monkeys? Gosh a Rooney, Mike! I don't know. What is more fun than a barrel full of monkeys?

SPEAKER_09 14:50

A train full of monkeys. Dig. KHJ's charted the last train to Clarksville, and they're gonna take hundreds of lucky listeners on a trip September the 11th. Yeah, it's gonna be a blast. The KHJ happening to wrap up the summer of 66.

SPEAKER_01 15:02

And us monkeys want to meet you at the station in Clarksville. Yeah, each of us will give away a color TV set. So enter now. All you do is send a postcard to Monkey Trip, box thirty eight one three oh Hollywood. Starting Tuesday morning, the bus jocks draw a winner every hour, and each winner gets to bring a friend.

SPEAKER_09 15:17

Mail your card in and ride with the monkeys on the last train to Clarksville.