Rock Radio Scrapbook

Airchecks: Pop-Tops

Pop-Top originator Joey Reynolds

Back in the early '70s, an innovative concept was born - jingles sung over the intro of the record that sounded like they were part of the record. Several major stations, including WKBW, WLS, KFRC, WRKO and WFIL, carried these little gems.

These "jingles" were called "Pop-Tops", and you can hear over 80 examples below. But first, former 'KB jock Don Berns tells Rock Radio Scrapbook the story behind "Pop-Tops"...

"Joey Reynolds had the idea and maybe did it first at the station in Philly that he programmed. Jeff Kaye took it one step further (of course). He went to Dallas and spent a week hanging out in clubs, looking for soundalikes for the popular artists of the day, whom he then brought into the PAMS (TM?) studio to record the first ones for KB. When they proved to be as successful as he had hoped he called in record promo guy/studio owner Jerry Meyers, plus the managers of all the local artists we played at KB (Weekend, The Road, John Culliton Mahoney, The Pincushions, Big Wheelie and The Hubcaps, Paula Milligan and dozens  more - we played a LOT of local artists) and asked them to get their bands  to participate, which was a no-brainer.

After the project took off, Jeff turned it over to me; I wrote, co-produced and/or sang on about 1/2 of the pop tops we did. Writing them was a group effort - as I remember. Jerry Meyers was quite good at getting what we needed from the artists."

And now, the Rock Radio Scrapbook Pop-Top Collection!

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (Old-Fashioned Love Song - Three Dog Night) NEW!

Hear it here.

(Contributor: Don Shuttleworth)

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (Baby I'm-A Want You - Bread) NEW!

Hear it here.

(Contributor: Don Shuttleworth)

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (I've Found Someone of My Own - Free Movement) NEW!

Hear it here.

(Contributor: Don Shuttleworth)

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves - Cher) NEW!

Hear it here.

(Note: Yes, that's Jack Armstrong on this one!)

(Contributor: Don Shuttleworth)

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (Whatcha See is Whatcha Get - Dramatics)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (Brand New Key - Melanie)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (Day After Day - Badfinger)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (Smiling Faces Sometimes - Undisputed Truth)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (She Gets Up)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (Son of My Father - Georgio)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep - Mac and Katie Kissoon)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (Wild Night - Van Morrison)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (You Are Everything - Stylistics)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (Do You Know What I Mean? - Lee Michaels)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (Let's Stay Together - Al Green)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (Precious and Few - Climax) NEW!

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (Without You - Nilsson) NEW!

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (In The Rain - Dramatics) NEW!

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (The Lion Sleeps Tonight - Robert John) NEW!

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard - Paul Simon) NEW!

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (Horse With No Name - America) NEW!

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (Precious and Few - Climax)  NEW!

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (Sylvia's Mother - Dr. Hook) NEW!

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (Willpower Weak, Temptation High - Bullet) NEW!

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (Rockin' Robin - Michael Jackson)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (Bad Bad Leroy Brown - Jim Croce)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (Heart of Gold - Neil Young)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (Brandy - Scott English)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (Mother and Child Reunion - Paul Simon)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (The Way of Love - Cher)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (Hot Rod Lincoln - Commander Cody)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1973

Description: Pop-Top (Right Place Wrong Time - Dr. John)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1973

Description: Pop-Top (I'm Doing Fine Now - New York City)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1973

Description: Pop-Top (The Free Electric Band - Albert Hammond) NEW!

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1973

Description: Pop-Top (It Sure Took a Long, Long Time - Lobo) NEW!

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1973

Description: Pop-Top (Drinking Wine Spo-Dee O'Dee - Jerry Lee Lewis)  NEW!

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1973

Description: Pop-Top (Diamond Girl - Seals and Crofts)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1973

Description: Pop-Top (Give Me Love - George Harrison)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1973

Description: Pop-Top (The Morning After - Maureen McGovern)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1973

Description: Pop-Top (Teenage Lament '74 - Alice Cooper)  NEW!

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1974

Description: Pop-Top (Seasons in the Sun - Terry Jacks)

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1967

Description: Pop-Top (The Letter - Box Tops) NEW!

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1970s

Description: Pop-Top (Love Is Strange - Artist Unknown) NEW!

Hear it here.

Station: WKBW Buffalo, N.Y.

Year: 1969

Description: Pop-Top (Sugar Sugar - Archies)

Hear it here.

Note: 'KB jock Don Berns sings bass on this Pop-Top.

Station: KRLA Los Angeles

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (Love Her Madly - Doors)

Hear it here.

Station: WLS Chicago

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (If - Bread)

Hear it here.

Station: WLS Chicago

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (Reach Out I'll Be There - Diana Ross)

Hear it here.

Station: WLS Chicago

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (Put Your Hand in the Hand - Ocean)

Hear it here.

Station: WLS Chicago

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (Sweet and Innocent - Donnie Osmond)

Hear it here.

Station: WLS Chicago

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (Never Can Say Goodbye - Jackson 5)

Hear it here.

Station: KGB San Diego

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (Me and You and a Dog Named Boo - Lobo)

Hear it here.

Station: WRIT Milwaukee

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (You've Got A Friend - James Taylor) NEW!

Hear it here.

Station: KFRC San Francisco

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (Indian Reservation - Raiders) NEW!

Hear it here.

Station: KFRC San Francisco

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (The Drum - Bobby Sherman)  NEW!

Hear it here.

Station: KFRC San Francisco

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (Treat Her Like A Lady - Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose)

Hear it here.

Station: CHAM Hamilton, Ont.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard - Paul Simon)

Hear it here.

Station: CHAM Hamilton, Ont.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (Baby Blue - Badfinger)

Hear it here.

Station: CHAM Hamilton, Ont.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (Jubilation - Paul Anka)

Hear it here.

Station: WGBF Evansville, Ill.

Year: 1976

Description: Pop-Top (Still the One - Orleans)

Hear it here.

Station: WICC Bridgeport, Ct.

Year: 1978

Description: Pop-Top (The Groove Line - Heatwave)

Hear it here.

Station: WICC Bridgeport, Ct.

Year: 1978

Description: Pop-Top (On Broadway - George Benson)

Hear it here.

Station: WICC Bridgeport, Ct.

Year: 1978

Description: Pop-Top (You Belong To Me - Carly Simon)

Hear it here.

Station: WPGC Washington, D.C.

Year: 1971

Description: Pop-Top (She's a Lady - Tom Jones)

Hear it here.

Station: WPGC Washington, D.C

Year: 1974

Description: Pop-Top (Life is a Rock - Reunion)

Hear it here.

Station: WPGC Washington, D.C.

Year: 1981

Description: Pop-Top (Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through - Jim Steinman)

Hear it here.

Station: WPGC Washington, D.C.

Year: 1978

Description: Pop-Top (Fire - Pointer Sisters)

Hear it here.

Station: WCAO Baltimore

Year: 1978

Description: Pop-Top (Fire - Pointer Sisters)

Hear it here.

(Note: These are the actual Pointer Sisters)

Station: WZYQ Frederick, Md.

Year: 1978

Description: Pop-Top (Fire - Pointer Sisters)

Hear it here.

Station: WZYQ Frederick, Md.

Year: 1978

Description: Pop-Top (Alive Again - Chicago)

Hear it here.

Station: WZYQ Frederick, Md.

Year: 1978

Description: Pop-Top (September - Earth, Wind and Fire)

Hear it here.

Station: KQID Alexandria, Va.

Year: 1978

Description: Pop-Top (The Last Train - David Gates)

Hear it here.

Station: KQID Alexandria, Va.

Year: 1978

Description: Pop-Top (Don't Want To Live Without It - Pablo Cruise)

Hear it here.

Station: WYRE Annapolis, Md.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (Clair - Gilbert O'Sullivan)

Hear it here.

Station: WYRE Annapolis, Md.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (Sunny Days - Lighthouse)

Hear it here.

Station: WYRE Annapolis, Md.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash)

Hear it here.

Station: WYRE Annapolis, Md.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (Dialogue - Chicago)

Hear it here.

(Note: This rare Pop-Top is at the end of the record)

Station: WYRE Annapolis, Md.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (Thunder and Lightning - Chi Coltrane)

Hear it here.

Station: WYRE Annapolis, Md.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (Crazy Horses - Osmonds)

Hear it here.

Station: WPRO Providence, R.I.

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (Last Night I Didn't Get To Sleep at All - Fifth Dimension)

Hear it here.

Station: AM 62 (location unknown)

Year: 1972

Description: Pop-Top (Everything I Own - Bread)

Hear it here.

Station: I-107 (location unknown)

Year: 1975

Description: Pop-Top (Feelings - Morris Albert)

Hear it here.

Station: WJET Erie, Pa.

Year: 1990

Description: Pop-Top (Cradle of Love - Billy Idol)

Hear it here.

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