This is the oldest chart I have. I came across it in an usual way. In the spring of 1982, I took a course on speed reading, and the textbook, Skimming and Scanning, contained this chart. It featured only the Top 20, unfortunately, but it was still insightful about what songs were popular two and a half years before I started my own Top 40 lists.
20. CALLING DR. LOVE, Kiss 19. THE THINGS WE DO FOR LOVE, 10cc 18. RICH GIRL, Daryl Hall & John Oates 17. EVERGREEN (LOVE THEME FROM "A STAR IS BORN"), Barbra Streisand 16. YOUR LOVE, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. 15. I'M YOUR BOOGIE MAN, KC & The Sunshine Band 14. CAN'T STOP DANCIN', The Captain & Tennille 13. LIDO SHUFFLE, Boz Scaggs 12. COULDN'T GET IT RIGHT, Climax Blues Band 11. I WANNA GET NEXT TO YOU, Rose Royce
10. TRYING TO LOVE TWO, William Bell 9. SIR DUKE, Stevie Wonder 8. RIGHT TIME OF THE NIGHT, Jennifer Warnes 7. SO INTO YOU, Atlanta Rhythm Section 6. DON'T GIVE UP ON US, David Soul 5. I'VE GOT LOVE ON MY MIND, Natalie Cole 4. WHEN I NEED LOVE, Leo Sayer 3. DON'T LEAVE ME THIS WAY, Thelma Houston 2. HOTEL CALIFORNIA, The Eagles 1. SOUTHERN NIGHTS, Glen Campbell
In 1977, my brother (who had just turned 12) was deeply into Kiss. He had their Alive II album. I enjoyed the makeup and costumes and comic book identities of the band members (my favorite was Ace "Space Ace" Frehley, natch, while my brother's favorite was Peter "Catman" Criss).
But my favorite songs of that time would probably have been "Southern Nights," "Hotel California," "Sir Duke," and "Rich Girl." I loved songs with catchy lyrics and guitar licks.
Since then, I've come to identify and/or appreciate "Lido Shuffle" and "Couldn't Get It Right" as the most memorable songs on the list.
I'm shocked at how FEW songs I know here. Also shocked that Glen Campbell was # 1. I always knew Rhinestone Cowboy was a smash and he'd had other Pop/country hits but DANG. (must research this phenom!)
FOR THE RECORD, these are the songs I recognize by title:
18. RICH GIRL, Daryl Hall & John Oates 17. EVERGREEN (LOVE THEME FROM "A STAR IS BORN"), Barbra Streisand 15. I'M YOUR BOOGIE MAN, KC & The Sunshine Band 8. RIGHT TIME OF THE NIGHT, Jennifer Warnes 6. DON'T GIVE UP ON US, David Soul 3. DON'T LEAVE ME THIS WAY, Thelma Houston 2. HOTEL CALIFORNIA, The Eagles 1. SOUTHERN NIGHTS, Glen Campbell
If forced at gunpoint to chose a fave from the ones I do know, i'm giving it to:
I guess this isn't so surprising. In 77 I would have been heavily into AM country, which kept The Eagles in heavy rotation as well as this Jennifer Warnes song when it was new. Those other songs I would have heard later on. There was next to NO chance of me hearing metal then (or later, as it has never been a favorite of mine), and soul music only entered my orbit when I discovered it on my own.
I'm shocked at how FEW songs I know here. Also shocked that Glen Campbell was # 1. I always knew Rhinestone Cowboy was a smash and he'd had other Pop/country hits but DANG. (must research this phenom!)
Glen Campbell was a huge star from the time I was very young until right about this time. His role in the original "True Grit" made him a hunky, appealing film star, and his country-pop hits such as "Wichita Lineman" and "Rhinestone Cowboy" kept him on the airwaves and in our lives. I remember he was a particular favorite of my aunt.
"Southern Nights," interestingly, was written by Allen Toussaint. His version is available on YouTube, and it sounds quite different.
"Lido Shuffle" was one of those songs I had heard on the radio since forever but never knew what it was called. The lyrics are hard to understand. I probably thought it was called "One More for the Road."
Among these songs, the only one I don't remember is "Trying to Love Two." I'm listening to it now, and it still does not sound familiar. No surprise. It's mildly pleasant, but neither the music nor the adult themes would have registered with 13-year-old me.
This is a smidge before my radio time, but I think I know most or all of them. Have to check on a few with semi-generic titles, see if I'm remembering the right ones.
These are the ones I had to check. 16. YOUR LOVE, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. I dunno, doesn't have a distinct sound. Maybe I've heard it, maybe not.
14. CAN'T STOP DANCIN', The Captain & Tennille This one has a distinct sound -- one that I don't recall and don't really wanna. Miss Tenille has a manic delivery that's offputting.
1. SOUTHERN NIGHTS, Glen Campbell Oh hell yes I know this! I suspect a lot of people do, even if the title draws a blank. Good-time banjo.
The killers. 11. I WANNA GET NEXT TO YOU, Rose Royce Too bad Car Wash overshadows this. Excellent slow jam.
7. SO INTO YOU, Atlanta Rhythm Section Aw yeah.
All in all, a pretty good list. Other than 14, there's none I dislike. Many are radio staples, and at least four are classics.
Miss Tenille has a manic delivery that's offputting.
LOL
She also had really creepy eyes.
True story: she was one of the members of the "fascist chorus" on Pink Floyd's "The Wall" album. IIRC, another member was Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys.
I'm old enough to remember their breakthrough hit, "Love Will Keep Us Together" (1975), which was written by Neil Sedaka, and even paid homage to him near the end ("Sedaka is back"). They had a few other memorable hits, including "Muskrat Love" and "Shop Around." They were so popular, they even had their own TV variety show at one point.
"Can't Stop Dancin'" is a piece of fluff that I'm sure I enjoyed at the time, but it's not a standout hit of theirs.
Toni Tennille (born 1940) was close to my mother's age, so whenever I watched her perform, such as in this video, it always seemed kind of odd--like watching your parents take over the music you loved and making it "safe" and "acceptable." I much preferred the younger crowd, like 10cc and the Eagles, who had that edgy, teen-aged spirit, even though those guys were in their late 20s and 30s by 1977.
Yep, these songs were my grad school years. If you went to the one dance club in W. Lafayette, IN, this is what you got. Easy, you could do the same dance to all of them, maybe put your hands in the air when one of the black artist songs was playing and maybe let a foot leave the ground to be really daring. Depressing.
Googled COULDN'T GET IT RIGHT, Climax Blues Band --> I Love You, Climax Blues Band --> comments section, some German --> German's youtube --> Lucinda Williams "The Baby Dance"--> "The Baby Dance" wiki
I bet it was a very different Top 20 list in Zambia where that event occurred though.
I'm also saddened by how few songs I know from this list (including the no. 1).
If I had to pick a favourite on it, it would probably be "Don't Leave Me This Way". I was just listening to a cover of it the other day and thinking about what a great, catch pop song it was.
21. LUCILLE, Kenny Rogers 22. LONELY BOY, Andrew Gold 23. ANGEL IN YOUR ARMS, Hot 24. HELLO STRANGER, Yvonne Elliman 25. FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME, Foreigner 26. DANCING MAN, Q 27. DANCING QUEEN, ABBA 28. AIN'T GONNA BUMP NO MORE, Joe Tex 29. GOT TO GIVE IT UP PT. 1, Marvin Gaye 30. HEARD IT IN A LOVE SONG, Marshall Tucker Band
31. SOMETIMES, Facts Of Life 32. WHODUNIT, Tavares 33. UPTOWN FESTIVAL, Shalamar 34. CARRY ON WAYWARD SON, Kansas 35. CHERRY BABY, Starz 36. DREAMS, Fleetwood Mac 37. OLD FASHIONED BOY (YOU'RE THE ONE), Stallion 38. CINDERELLA, Firefall 39. MY SWEET LADY, John Denver 40. MAYBE I'M AMAZED, Wings
21. LUCILLE, Kenny Rogers 22. LONELY BOY, Andrew Gold 23. ANGEL IN YOUR ARMS, Hot 25. FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME, Foreigner 27. DANCING QUEEN, ABBA 30. HEARD IT IN A LOVE SONG, Marshall Tucker Band
34. CARRY ON WAYWARD SON, Kansas 36. DREAMS, Fleetwood Mac 38. CINDERELLA, Firefall
Ones I have no memory of:
24. HELLO STRANGER, Yvonne Elliman 28. AIN'T GONNA BUMP NO MORE, Joe Tex 31. SOMETIMES, Facts Of Life 32. WHODUNIT, Tavares 35. CHERRY BABY, Starz 37. OLD FASHIONED BOY (YOU'RE THE ONE), Stallion
Previous Thread
