Tom Nichols
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radiofreetom.bsky.social
Tom Nichols
@radiofreetom.bsky.social
370K followers 450 following 25K posts
Staff writer at The Atlantic. Cat guy, democracy defender. Actor for a day on Succession, Jeopardy champ. New Englander and curmudgeon.
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radiofreetom.bsky.social
Tom Nichols @radiofreetom.bsky.social · 6d
"Pete Hegseth might consider adding another task to his many duties, one that would be of immense help to the nation and to the armed forces: He should shut up."

www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
Pete Hegseth Should Sit This One Out
By inserting himself into the situation in Minnesota, the secretary of defense is only making things worse.
www.theatlantic.com
radiofreetom.bsky.social
January 31, 2026 at 7:32 PM
radiofreetom.bsky.social
#AT40 Ugh. This is lame. Player had a far better song with "This Time I'm in It for Love"

Anyway, nice to catch up with all of you on a Saturday for a change!

(And a shout-out as always to @porpster.bsky.social for being the official AT40 archivist)
porpster.bsky.social Jezza Morgan ; @porpster.bsky.social · 7m
And #1 for the third week is Player - "Baby Come Back" - produced by Dennis Lambert & Brian Potter. #AT40

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_Co...
youtu.be/NmEyGiaqm7k?...
Player - Baby Come Back
YouTube video by PlayerVEVO
youtu.be
January 31, 2026 at 7:28 PM
Reposted by Tom Nichols
radiorodnee.bsky.social
Why, oh why, is #1 so often a stinker? Here's Player (whatever 🙄) with "Baby Come Back." (heavy sigh.) See ya, everyone. #AT40
January 31, 2026 at 7:26 PM
radiofreetom.bsky.social
#AT40 Hated this song in high school. But then, I pretty much hated everything Rod did after about 1972.
January 31, 2026 at 7:17 PM
Reposted by Tom Nichols
donmoyn.bsky.social
bsky.app/profile/nste...
January 31, 2026 at 7:14 PM
radiofreetom.bsky.social
#AT40 In fairness to this song - which I disliked as a teen - it has a bit more poignancy when you hear it after 40. (Simon was 37 when he wrote it)

Still don't *love* it, but appreciate the lyrics more.
January 31, 2026 at 7:13 PM
radiofreetom.bsky.social
I think this was supposed to be optimistic, but I knew that both of them would not make it in Manhattan, they would not stay friends, and that their lives would probably not turn out that great. I still kind of wince at the end of the movie - which is a *great* film and a perfect 70s time capsule.
billzuka.bsky.social Bill Zuka (Debuting This Week) @billzuka.bsky.social · 22m
How Deep Is Your Love - giving flashbacks to the Saturday Night Fever ending #AT40
January 31, 2026 at 7:12 PM
radiofreetom.bsky.social
I always sort of admired the Catholic Church for not putting Saturday Night Fever on its banned list, because the church noted that the movie shows the consequences of the shitty life the kids in the film were living.

We think of it as a disco flick, but it's a damn sad movie.
kayemes.bsky.social Kathy @kayemes.bsky.social · 24m
It is a grim movie and it has not improved with time. The dancing is amazing and Travolta is amazing but yikes.
January 31, 2026 at 7:09 PM
radiofreetom.bsky.social
For those who want to read where I said 1979 was "a a horrid stew of disco and wimp-rock hits"

www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
It Feels Like 1979 Again
But don’t be fooled: 2022 is its own beast.
www.theatlantic.com
January 31, 2026 at 7:08 PM
radiofreetom.bsky.social
I refuse to be bound by things I actually said and wrote
tomzoellner.bsky.social Tom Zoellner @tomzoellner.bsky.social · 27m
Antagonists like to slam @radiofreetom.bsky.social for decrying the fascist characteristics of Trump while refusing to call it such. But they should point out a worse hypocrisy: labeling 1970s music "a horrid stew of disco and wimp-rock hits" in The Atlantic while rocking out to #AT40 in private.
January 31, 2026 at 7:06 PM
radiofreetom.bsky.social
#AT40
1. This was a great slow dancing song for us teens
2. It's a good song.
3. Perfect for the ending of Saturday Night Fever, which was actually a very sad, melancholy movie
January 31, 2026 at 7:06 PM
radiofreetom.bsky.social
Given what bourbon's done to me, the least I can do is punch it back
therealmrbill.bsky.social TheRealMrBill @therealmrbill.bsky.social · 33m
Wow. You're full curmudgeon today! Movies, AT40....pretty soon you'll be attacking bourbon.
January 31, 2026 at 7:00 PM
radiofreetom.bsky.social
Supposedly, Frank Sinatra said "Reminiscing" was one of the most beautiful songs ever written
ehill1980.bsky.social ehill1980.bsky.social @ehill1980.bsky.social · 40m
In the 70s, Little River Band was a refuge from some really bad music.
January 31, 2026 at 6:56 PM
radiofreetom.bsky.social
#AT40 I'M LOOKING AT YOU @quinncy.bsky.social
January 31, 2026 at 6:55 PM
radiofreetom.bsky.social
#AT40 With all due respect to Dave and many others, this song was crap in 1978, and it's crap now. It's unlistenable, especially if you listen to the lyrics.
davesnothereman1.bsky.social Dave's Not Here, Man @davesnothereman1.bsky.social · 46m
OK...I admit that I like this sappy Dan Hill tune. #AT40
January 31, 2026 at 6:48 PM
Reposted by Tom Nichols
justodude.bsky.social
@radiofreetom.bsky.social well, the good news is that any time anyone whines at you about Ronald Reagan, you have a big pile of Noam Chomsky Epstein emails to post back at them
January 31, 2026 at 6:46 PM
radiofreetom.bsky.social
#AT40 I think I had a self-defense mechanism that caused mild deafness when stuff like this played. I only vaguely remember it.
January 31, 2026 at 6:45 PM
radiofreetom.bsky.social
#AT40 Dolly is beyond criticism. This song was...fine. And even at 17 I knew that you didn't mess with Dolly and you just left it on the radio if it was playing.
January 31, 2026 at 6:42 PM
radiofreetom.bsky.social
Great choice for a comms director
joestieb.bsky.social Joe Stieb @joestieb.bsky.social · 1h
Yeah that’s not really the story though but nice try
January 31, 2026 at 6:40 PM
Reposted by Tom Nichols
bodhitheedog.bsky.social
1978 is not a Boomer year. Gen Jones owns this.
January 31, 2026 at 6:35 PM
radiofreetom.bsky.social
#AT40 This is my yowza yowza yowza face
January 31, 2026 at 6:33 PM
radiofreetom.bsky.social
#AT40 Well, that was a good run of hits, but remember, it was still the craptacular 70s
January 31, 2026 at 6:26 PM
radiofreetom.bsky.social
#AT40 Everyone shush. This is a gorgeous song. (As was Diane Birch's cover.)
January 31, 2026 at 6:24 PM
Reposted by Tom Nichols
radiorodnee.bsky.social
Casey's BTO story is BS. Randy has since said he recorded this version as joke, and never intended it to be the released version. He was voted down by those around him. "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" repeating from 1974 on this '78 #AT40
January 31, 2026 at 6:21 PM
radiofreetom.bsky.social
#AT40 Oh, Casey. "BACKMAN" Turner?
January 31, 2026 at 6:21 PM