Vanessa's #1 Song Stories on Casey Kasem's Show - ATM

[Daniel]

Some of you may recall that "A Thousand Miles" spent a total of 9 non-consecutive weeks at #1 on American Top 20 (Adult Contemporary version) with Casey Kasem.

I used to transcribe the stories Casey Kasem read on the countdown when the song was #1 on the official board for both the Top 40 and AC shows.  Unfortunately I never saved the links for AT40, but as a service to fans, I am reprinting my original posts from the AC countdown below.

Daniel

[Daniel]

AT20 Broadcast of November 23-24, 2002


COMMENTARY ON "A THOUSAND MILES" ON AMERICAN TOP 20 (AC Version):

...After spending a week at number one, Phil Collins drops to number two with "Can't Stop Loving You." And that means we're up to the number one song in the USA, brought to you by Toys 'R' Us.

It's by a singer and songwriter who's logged many thousands of miles over the past year. She says it's stressful, but all she needs for that stress to go away is some hot water and some soap. She's been praised as one of the best of the new generation of young female singer/songwriters. She loves what she does, but she also says it takes a lot out of her--especially those long weeks spent on the road.
She says, she's working very hard on finding ways of calming the stress that she feels. What she's found that works is quote, "taking time to talk to friends, listening to music, and painting." But the quickest fix after a stressful day, is to take a nice, long hot bath. And she says all it would take to make her tour a dream tour is easy: just install a tub on her touring bus, and she'll be relaxed all the time.

This week, this singer who dreams of lazing away her time sitting in her bubble bath as the bus racks up the miles, also has a very hot song--a song that this week, bubbles back to the top.

* Drumroll *

The number one song in the USA on American Top 20 for a nineth week is "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton.

* Plays song *

There it is, the number one song in the USA on American Top 20 for a nineth non-consecutive week: "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton.

And there you have 'em, the 20 most popular songs on this week's national AC chart based on official airplay data provided by Mediabase 24/7, as reported to Radio & Records, the industry's number one newspaper. American Top 20 is produced in Hollywood...

[Daniel]

AT20 broadcast of November 16-17, 2002:

No story - Vanessa was #2

[Daniel]

AT20 broadcast of November 9-10, 2002:

Here is what was said last weekend (November 9 - 10, 2002) on American Top 20 (AC Version) when the #1 song (for the 8th consecutive week) was introduced: "A Thousand Miles."

Note: Ed McMahon substituted for Casey Kasem this weekend.

COMMENTARY ON "A THOUSAND MILES" ON AMERICAN TOP 20 (AC Version):

...At number two again this week, that's Faith Hill with "Cry." And that means we're up to the number one song in the USA, brought to you by Toys 'R' Us.

It's from the album titled "Be Not Nobody," a title the singer and songwriter says works because it's grammatically incorrect. As any English teacher will tell you, it's called a double negative--two negatives in a row that cancel each other out. But as this young star says, she has no problem with that because it works.

She says the title came to her in a dream. She could have corrected it, turning it into the grammatically correct "Be Somebody," but that doesn't have the edge of "Be Not Nobody." She says as far as she is concerned, quote, "sometimes when things are not correct, they make so much more sense." And so "Be Not Nobody" is the title she's sticking with.

And this week that double negative has a single positive: the song that once again is the biggest hit in the land.

* Drumroll *

The number one song in the USA on American Top 20 for the eighth week in a row is "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton.

* Plays song *

There it is, the number one song in the USA on American Top 20 for the eighth consecutive week: "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton.

And there you have 'em, the 20 most popular songs on this week's national AC chart based on official airplay data provided by Mediabase 24/7, as reported to Radio & Records, the industry's number one newspaper. American Top 20 is produced in Hollywood...

[Daniel]

Broadcast of November 2-3, 2002:

COMMENTARY ON "A THOUSAND MILES" ON AMERICAN TOP 20 (AC Version):

...Remaining at number two this week, that's Faith Hill with "Cry." And that means we're up to the number one song in the USA, brought to you by Toys 'R' Us.

It's by a former ballet dancer who keeps in shape with an exercise that would probably horrify her ballet teachers. This singer and songwriter spent a large part of her life studying ballet, including three years at the School of American Ballet in New York City. As a dancer, she was taught to be careful with her knees and her ankles. Her exercises included a maximum of stretching, and a minimum of high-impact. But now that this dancer has become a singer, she's reversed that. Her exercise of choice these days is jogging. Now jogging is about as high impact as it gets. Pounding along the pavement is tough on the joints, but this musician says she loves it. Quote, "it's an exercise I can do in every city I'm in... I go for 45 minutes if I can." Though she also hasn't given up on dancing, which she tries to do now and then. She says, quote, "it's very meditative. I get a lot of thinking done while dancing."

This week, this former ballerina who jogs is enjoying a long run at the top of the chart.

* Drumroll *

The number one song in the USA on American Top 20 for the seventh week in a row is "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton.

* Plays song *

There it is, the number one song in the USA on American Top 20 for the seventh straight week: "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton.

And there you have 'em, the 20 most popular songs on this week's national AC chart based on official airplay data provided by Mediabase 24/7, as reported to Radio & Records, the industry's number one newspaper. American Top 20 is produced in Hollywood...


Daniel

[Daniel]

Broadcast of October 26-27, 2002:

Here is what was said last weekend on American Top 20 (AC Version) when the #1 song (for the 6th consecutive week) was introduced: "A Thousand Miles."

By the way, on American Top 40, "Ordinary Day" was #9 , up one notch from last week (see the Official Weekend Countdown recap thread at http://www.vanessacarlton.com/bboard/forumname/1146263_flat.html).

The stories used on both countdowns when introducing the songs are virtually identical.

COMMENTARY ON "ORDINARY DAY" ON AMERICAN TOP 40:

...From her three-million selling CD "Let Go," that's Avril Lavigne with "Complicated." This week the song slips from number seven to number ten. I'm Casey Kasem.

Well now, we're up to the song, "Ordinary Day." It's by a singer who was having a lot of health problems until she discovered there was one food group she should not be eating. It's something that singer Vanessa Carlton shares with an estimated 30 to 50 million Americans. What's more, as many as 75% of all African-Americans and native Americans have this digestive problem, and so do 90% of all Asian-Americans. What is it? It's an inability to properly digest dairy products--what's known properly as lactose intolerance. It comes from the shortage in the body of the enzyme called lactase, which helps break down dairy products. The result is a bad case of indigestion that varies a lot from person to person.

Vanessa says that for a long time, she had no idea that she was lactose intolerant, but when she was finally diagnosed, it made a big difference in her life. She has a lot more energy now; eating better makes her feel better. She says, quote, "I eat healthier now. I pay more attention to what I eat. I eat a lot more vegetables," unquote.

This week, the singer who won't be doing "Got Milk?" commercials rises a notch to number nine on American Top 40. Here's Vanessa Carlton with "Ordinary Day."

* Plays song *

COMMENTARY ON "A THOUSAND MILES" ON AMERICAN TOP 20 (AC Version):

...Faith Hill, climbing from number three to number two this week with "Cry." And that means we're up to the number one song in the USA, brought to you by Toys 'R' Us.

It's by a singer who was having a lot of health problems until she discovered there was one food group she should not be eating. It's something that this singer shares with an estimated 30 to 50 million Americans. What's more, as many as 75% of all African-Americans and native Americans have this digestive problem, and so do 90% of all Asian-Americans. What is it? It's an inability to properly digest dairy products--what's known properly as lactose intolerance. It comes from the shortage in the body of the enzyme called lactase, which helps break down dairy products. The result is a bad case of indigestion that varies a lot from person to person.

This week's number one artist says that for a long time, she had no idea that she was lactose intolerant, but when she was finally diagnosed, it made a big difference in her life. She has a lot more energy now, and eating better makes her feel better. Quote, "I eat healthier now. I pay more attention to what I eat. I eat a lot more vegetables."

This week, the singer with a healthier lifestyle has a healthy hit on her hands.

* Drumroll *

The number one song in the USA on American Top 20 for the sixth week in a row is "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton.

* Plays song *

There it is, the number one song in the USA on American Top 20 for the sixth consecutive week: "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton.

And there you have 'em, the 20 most popular songs on this week's national AC chart based on official airplay data provided by Mediabase 24/7, as reported to Radio & Records, the industry's number one newspaper. American Top 20 is produced in Hollywood...

[Daniel]

Broadcast of October 19-20, 2002:

Here is what was said last weekend on American Top 20 (AC Version) when the #1 song (for the 5th consecutive week) was introduced: "A Thousand Miles." By the way, on American Top 40, "Ordinary Day" was #10 for the second week in a row (see the Official Weekend Countdown recap thread at http://www.vanessacarlton.com/bboard/forumname/1146263_flat.html).


...Rising back up from number three to number two, that's "Superman (It's Not Easy)" by Five For Fighting.

And that means we're up to the number one song in the USA, brought to you by Toys 'R' Us. It's by a singer and songwriter who says her favorite book of all time is about a nerdy schoolgirl who discovers she has amazing powers.

The book is called 'Matilda,' and it's by the British author named Raold Dahl, the author who gave us books like 'James And The Giant Peach,' and who helped create 'Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory.' But he also is well-known for 'Matilda.' Matilda is a five-and-a-half year old who's a whiz at double-digit multiplication and reading Charles Dickens. Her classmates all regard her as a "brainy nerd" (*chuckles*) and the fact that she's the teacher's pet doesn't help either. To make things even more complicated, her parents are completely clueless, and her school's principal Mrs. Trunchbull is a former hammer-throwing champion with little love for children.

Life is messy for Matilda, until she discovers that her brain power includes some secret powers--powers that enable her to create a plot that makes Matilda a hero at her school and a hero to generations of children who have read about her adventures.

And that includes the singer who this week still ranks 'Matilda' as her favorite book of all time... a singer who this week, has a best-seller of her own... a song that once again, is the biggest hit in the land.

*Drumroll*

The number one song in the USA on American Top 20 for the fifth week in a row is "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton.

*Plays song*

There it is, the number one song in the USA on American Top 20 for the fifth consecutive week: "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton.

And there you have 'em, the 20 most popular songs on this week's national AC chart based on official airplay data provided by Mediabase 24/7, as reported to Radio & Records, the industry's number one newspaper. American Top 20 is produced in Hollywood...

[Daniel]

AT20 broadcast of October 12-13, 2002:

Ok, techinically it wasn't Casey Kasem. Ed McMahon filled in for Casey Kasem this weekend.

Here is what was said last weekend on American Top 20 (AC Version) when the #1 song (for the 4th consecutive week) was introduced: "A Thousand Miles." By the way, on American Top 40, "Ordinary Day" breaks into the top 10 at #10, up 1 notch from last week (see the Official Weekend Countdown recap thread at http://www.vanessacarlton.com/bboard/forumname/1120987_flat.html).


...Hanging in at number two for the fourth week in a row, that's Darryl Hall and John Oates with their former number one, "Do It For Love."

And that means we're up to the number one song in the USA, brought to you by Toys 'R' Us. It's by a musician who says that when she gets sad and lonely, there's just one thing to do: she makes a special phone call. This singer says that, despite the many, many things she's given to do when she's on the road, it can still be a very solitary place. There are people all around her pushing her and pulling her this way and that, but at the end of the day, there's just her, by herself.

The words she uses to describe the way she often feels are 'lonely' and 'sad.' But she also says, she knows that if she wants to smile and to feel an immediate connection, all she has to do is pick up the phone, and I quote, "all I have to do is talk to my dog over the phone. That snaps me back to reality," unquote. Her dog is her best friend--one being who's always there to give her love... even if she's a thousand miles away.

*Drumroll*

The number one song in the USA on American Top 20 for the fourth week in a row is "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton.

*Plays song*

There it is, the number one song in the USA on American Top 20 for the fourth consecutive week: "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton.

And there you have 'em, the 20 most popular songs on this week's national AC chart based on official airplay data provided by Mediabase 24/7, as reported to Radio & Records, the industry's number one newspaper. American Top 20 is produced in Hollywood...

[Daniel]

AT20 broadcast of October 5-6, 2002:

Here is what Casey Kasem said last week on American Top 20 (AC Version) when he introduced the #1 song (3rd consecutive week) on that countdown--"A Thousand Miles." By the way, on American Top 40 for "Ordinary Day," which was at #11, up 2 notches from last week (see the Official Weekend Countdown recap thread at http://www.vanessacarlton.com/bboard/forumname/1095443_flat.html).



...Remaining at number two again this week, Darryl Hall and John Oates with "Do It For Love."

And that means we're up to the number one song in the USA, brought to you by Toys 'R' Us. It's the first hit from the album, Be Not Nobody--a title that's about putting yourself back together, after you fall apart.

It's something that this album's singer-songwriter wrote about from personal experience. You see, before she decided on music, she was working hard to be a ballet dancer... but she said ballet was much harder than expected. Quote, "I wasn't strong enough to deal with it." She says she went through a pretty intense meltdown thanks to the time she spent studying ballet; it really tore her apart. Quote, "I had to go through a lot at dance school... I lost a lot of who I was. I fell apart, and it was really hard. You feel completely alone like no one cares. Writing this record let me recapture who I am. It's summed up in the title," unquote. The title... Be Not Nobody... an album that hasn't just helped this newcomer find herself; it helped her find her way to the top of the chart!

*Drumroll*

The number one song in the USA on American Top 20 for the third week in a row is "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton.

*Plays song*

There it is, the number one song in the USA on American Top 20 for the third consecutive week: "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton.

And there you have 'em, the 20 most popular songs on this week's national AC chart based on official airplay data provided by Mediabase 24/7, as reported to Radio & Records, the industry's number one newspaper. American Top 20 is produced in Hollywood...

[Daniel]

AT20 broadcast of September 28-29, 2002:

Here is what Casey Kasem said last week on American Top 20 (AC Version) when he introduced the #1 song on that countdown--"A Thousand Miles." Incidentally, this exact same story was used on American Top 40 for "Ordinary Day," which was at #13 for the second week in a row.

...That's Darren Hall and John Oates with "Do It For Love." This week the song remains at number two.

And that means we're up to the number one song in the USA, brought to you by Toys 'R' Us. It's by a musician who says her biggest problem was the amount she spends in what she calls 'a scary place.'

This singer and songwriter says going to this place is what she does to find inspiration for her songs. It's a way a lot of artists work. Many speak about going into what's almost a trance-like state to get in touch with their inner voice. And when it works well, it can be good--she'll write a song. But there's also a downside; quote, "I spend a lot of time alone in my head. That can be a very scary place to be," unquote.

She says, sometimes it's so scary she has to find ways of getting out of her head. She says, "When I have too much time on my hands and spend too much time in my head, I start to drive myself crazy. You have no idea of what's going on inside," unquote.

This week, one of those journeys deep inside this woman's head has taken this singer on a musical journey all the way to the top of the chart.

*Drumroll*

The number one song in the USA on American Top 20 for the second week in a row is "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton.

*Plays song*

There it is, the number one song in the USA on American Top 20 for the second week in a row: "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton.

And there you have 'em, the 20 most popular songs on this week's national AC chart based on official airplay data provided by Mediabase 24/7, as reported to Radio & Records, the industry's number one newspaper. American Top 20 is produced in Hollywood...

[Daniel]

AT20 broadcast of September 21-22, 2002:

Here is the transcript of what Casey Kasem said:

...that's Darryl Hall and John Oates with their former number one, "Do It For Love." This week the song falls from number one to number two.

And that means we're up to the brand new number one song in the USA, brought to you by Toys 'R' Us. It's by a woman who says she was traumatized by her years as a ballerina. She says, quote, "Music healed me."

This singer says that throughout much of her life, her aim... her direction... had been to become a ballerina--and not a ballerina who danced for the fun of it; her object was to become a star. She followed the path that she believed would lead to stardom. As a young girl, she moved from her home in Pennsylvania to New York City to attend a professional children's school--an experience she says was just like being in the TV show "Fame." Then, she enrolled in the School of American Ballet... and what she did was to dance... and dance... and dance... until one day she realized, she didn't want to dance anymore! It had become too much.

She says by age 17, quote, "Ballet ate me up and spit me out." She said she was so damaged by the hundreds of hours of rehearsals, the obsession with her body and her weight, the need to be absolutely perfect, that she had to leave to save her sanity. She says that five years after she quit, she's only beginning to deal with it. Quote, "Only now can I talk about it." And she says that what saved her was writing songs. Music healed her by giving her a place to go... to express her feelings... feelings, like the ones in the song that this week, becomes her first number one hit on the AC chart.

*Drumroll*

The brand new number one song in the USA on American Top 20 is "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton.

*Plays song*

There it is, the brand new number one song in the USA on American Top 20. "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton.

And there you have 'em, the 20 most popular songs on this week's national AC chart based on official airplay data provided by Mediabase 24/7, as reported to Radio & Records, the industry's number one newspaper. American Top 20 is produced in Hollywood...

[Daniel]

Links to the original posts on the official board:

November 23-24, 2002:
http://www.vanessacarlton.com/bboard/forumname/1202765_flat.html

November 16-17, 2002:
* No transcript - song was not at #1 *

November 9-10, 2002:
http://www.vanessacarlton.com/bboard/forumname/1186177_flat.html

November 2-3, 2002:
http://www.vanessacarlton.com/bboard/forumname/1175950_flat.html

October 26-27, 2002:
http://www.vanessacarlton.com/bboard/forumname/1168460_flat.html

October 19-20, 2002:
http://www.vanessacarlton.com/bboard/forumname/1152292_flat.html

October 12-13, 2002:
http://www.vanessacarlton.com/bboard/forumname/1125375_flat.html

October 5-6, 2002:
http://www.vanessacarlton.com/bboard/forumname/1097681_flat.html

September 28-29, 2002:
http://www.vanessacarlton.com/bboard/forumname/1081910_flat.html

September 21-22, 2002:
http://www.vanessacarlton.com/bboard/forumname/1056401_flat.html