Songs of 197_ That Should Have Been Bigger Hits

[dukelightning]

I may have bitten off more than I can chew here but I just ran across a bunch of videos on youtube about songs being bigger hits. i.e. for 1975, it is titled Songs from 1975 That Should Have Been Bigger Hits.
I have listed every song that was listed for each year in the 70s. There are stories behind each song and/or artist. I have highlighted the most significant.
Pizzzza and edisonlite, how many of THESE songs do you know...lol. With a couple exceptions they all peaked in the bottom half of the HOT 100.

What You See is What You Get....Stoney & Meatloaf...Stoney would join Little Feat and that is the real Meatloaf
Cheryl Moana Marie....John Rowles
Silver Moon.....Michael Nesmith.....of the Monkees
Rainy Jane....Davey Jones...also of the Monkees
Give it to Me....The Mob.....blend of Chicago and BS&T with a horns section
Solo.....Billie Sans
Super Highway.....Ballin Jack
Chirpy Chirpy, Cheep Cheep....Lally Stott.....much bigger hit for Mac & Katie Kissoon in 1971
Love's Made a Fool for You....Cochise
Mammy Blue.....Pop Tops......Was a slightly bigger hit for Stories in 1973
Hot Pants....Salvage
Olean....Don Nix
That's the Way A Woman Is.............Messengers
Mixed Up Guy.....Joey Scarbury
Check Yourself........Italia Asphalt & Pavement Co.
My Soul's Got a Hole in it.....Howard Tate
See the Light....Flame....."I can't figure out why this group never found success"
Lady Love.......Klowns
Time to Get it Together.....Country Coalition
Tobacco Road.....Jamul
Alright in the City.....Dunn & McCashen...included Kenny Loggins
Morning Much Better.....Ten Wheel Drive
But for Love.....Jerry Naylor... took over for Buddy Holly after his death, with the Crickets
Big Leg Woman....Israel Tolbert
Mongoose...Elephant Memory
So Close...Jake Holmes
The Boys in the Band...Boys in the Band (not a misprint!)
We're All Playing in the Jam Band...Bert Sommer
Je T'Aime. Moi Non Plus....Birkin & Gainesburg...One of the most controversial songs of its time. The song is a duet of breathy dialogue between 2 lovers with Jane Birkin panting until the songs' climax. The song was so controversial in the UK that the label recalled the song while it was #2. A small independent label re=released it and it reached #1 in the UK.
So Many People....Chase
Butterfly.....Danyel Gerard
Summer Sun......Jamestown Massacre
Questions.....Bang
Simple Song of Freedom......Buckwheat
Deteriorate.....National Lamthingy....parody of Les Cranes's Desiderata created by National Lamthingy
One Way Sunday.....Mark & Almond
Roberta.......Bones
Lady Eleanor.....Lindisfarne
Number Wonderful.........Rock Flowers
You Are the one....Sugar Bears......lead vocals by Kim Carnes
Willpower Weak, Temptation Strong......Bullet
Amerikan Music......Steve Alaimo
A Man Sized Job......Denise LaSalle
Waking Up Alone....Paul Williams
Avenging Annie.....Andy Pratt
Vado Via....Drupe
Music Everywhere.....Tufano & Giammarese
Good Morning.....Michael Redway
Don't Burn Me....Paul Kelly
River Road...Uncle Dog
Big Time Operator....Keith Hampshire
I Know It's Funky But I Like it.....Ripple
We..........Chawn Phillips
Bongo Rock.....Incredible Bongo Band
The Message......Cymande
Tell Her She's Lovely.....El Chicano....nice blend of War & Santana
Hang Loose....Mandrill
This is Your Song.....Dan Goodman
She...Southcote
Try to Fall in Love....Cooker
captain Howdy.....Simon Stokes
Dreams are Ten a Penny.....First Class featuring Tony Burrows
The Lone Ranger.....Oscar Brown
I Hate Hate.....Razzy Bailey...wrote 7 #1 country songs
Rings.....Reuben Howell....hit for Cymarron in 1971
Yo-Yo Man....Rick Cunha
Remember the Rain.....21st Century....Jackson Five sound alike group..."it is criminal that it only reached #100"
Costafine Town.....Splinter.....backup vocal by George Harrison
For Your Love....Christopher Paul & Shawn
Pinball.....Brian Protheroe
Shoes......Reparata
Only You can....Fox
You Are a Song.....Batdorf & Rodney.....discovered by David Geffen & Clive Davis....Not listed is their other hit "Somewhere in the Night". On youtube was this comment, "This was not a hit because Helen Reddy's people threatened radio stations that if they played it, they would not give them any of her records."
My Little Lady.....Bloodstone
Top of the World......Canyon
Bye Bye baby.....US 1...Joey Levine, writer and producer was manager of Reunion and member of Ohio Express
What Time of Day....Billy Thunderkload & the Chieftones
We Been Singin Songs....Baron Stewart
BLT....Lee Oskar
Scotch on the Rocks.....Band of the Black Watch
Street Talk.....BC Generation
Makes You Blind.....Glitter Band.....Gary Glitter's backup band
The Homecoming....Hagood Hardy....sold over a million copies
Hard Work.....John Handy
Grasshopper.....Spin
Lady Bump....Penny McLean...member of Silver Convention
Lipstick....Michel Polnareff
Town & Country....Tom Scott
Wow....Andre Gagnon
Flight '76.....Walter Murphy
Can the Can.....Suzi Quatro....major musical act everywhere in the world except the US
You Wanna Make Love....Sun...take-off of the Bic lighter commercial
Don't Touch Me there....Tubes...label and producer change led to 80s success
I've been lovin You....Easy Street
Love Me Tonight.....Head East
Sherbet....Howzat
Heart on My Sleeve....Gallagher & Lyle...also done by Roxy Music
Help Wanted....Hudson Brothers...produced by Bernie Taupin
Stay the Night...Faragher Brothers....2 members later joined Cracker
You and Me....Liner...pre-dated the pop stylings of Christopher Cross
Aint Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore...Angel....used threatrics and makeup like Kiss
Arms of Mary....Chilliwack
Ca Plane Our Moi....Plastic Bertrand
Let's Live Together....Cazz
Long Hot Summer Nights....Wendy Williams....compared to Carole King & Laura Nyro
New York City......Zwol
Raise a Little Hell......Trooper...produced by Randy Bachman
Rumor at the Honky Tonk.....Spellbound
Substitute......Clout....all girl band
Take Me to Your Kaptin....Prism
When You Fall in love....Bob McGilpin
Call Out My name....Zwol
Can't Sleep.....Rockets...Mitch Ryder's backup band
Cuba.....Gibson Brothers
For Love....Pousetta-Dart Band
I Need You....Euclid Street Band.....Eric Carmen's backup band
Killer Cut....Charlie
I'll Know When I See Her....Cooper Brothers
Mirror Star....Fabulous poodles.....nice homage to 60s British music
Mistrusted Love.....Mistress....formed by Dave Walker of Fleetwood Mac
No Chance....Moon Martin
I'm Not Gonna Cry Anymore.....Nancy Brooks
No Time to Lose....Tarney Spencer Band....re-released after exposure on MYV in 1981
One Way Love .....Bandit
Since You've Been Gone....Cherie & Marie Currie....twin sisters, Cherie was in the Runaways, backup vocals by Toto

[dukelightning]

I forgot to write that the way they did this was for each year, they played a 30-45 second clip of each song. So if anyone is wondering how what these songs sounded like, go to youtube, let's say you want 1970 and type in 'songs of 1970 that should have been bigger hits'. You will get an 8-10 minute video that you can watch. There are stories about each song and/or artist as the clips plays.

[mkarns]

You Tube also has that series for each year of the 1980s as well.

Interestingly, of the songs you listed here, only one made the top 40 and only one was played on AT40, but they weren't the same song! "So Close" by Jake Holmes peaked at #49 but was heard on the countdown in December 1970 after a staffer made a mistake when writing down the chart. Three years later El Chicano's "Tell Her She's Lovely" got to #40, but Casey hosted a special Christmas countdown that week.

[bestmusicexpert]

Bongo Rock.....Incredible Bongo Band
The Message......Cymande
Raise a Little Hell......Trooper

3 favorites of mine! Loved Incredible Bongo Band!

2 they missed IMHO: Rhapsody In Blue by Deodato (#41) and Life & Breath by Climax (#52)

[pizzzzza]

May 13, 2011 21:46:53 GMT -5 dukelightning said:

I may have bitten off more than I can chew here but I just ran across a bunch of videos on youtube about songs being bigger hits. i.e. for 1975, it is titled Songs from 1975 That Should Have Been Bigger Hits.
I have listed every song that was listed for each year in the 70s. There are stories behind each song and/or artist. I have highlighted the most significant.
Pizzzza and edisonlite, how many of THESE songs do you know...lol. With a couple exceptions they all peaked in the bottom half of the HOT 100.

LOL - I know EVERY SONG because I HAD every song!

These 4 songs are on my Mp3 player TODAY!:

Howzat - Sherbet (LOVED - TREMENDOUSLY underrated and should have been TOP 10 in the states)
Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore - Angel (LOVED - reminded me of Aerosmith - this group SHOULD HAVE MADE IT)
Street Talk - Bob Crewe Generation (LOVED - I think the problem was the song was too long - the 45 rpm was over 6 minutes)
No Time To Lose - Tarney Spencer Band (LOVED - great rock tune)

Some of my other personal favorites from this group:

Lady Bump - Penny McLean (LOVED)
Lipstick - Michel Polnareff (LOVED)
Flight '76 (Flight of the bumble bee) - Walter Murphy
Rainy Jane - Davy Jones
Mongoose - Elephant's Memory (LOVED)
Summer Sun - Jamestown Massacre (LOVED)
Amerikan Music - Steve Alaimo (LOVED)
Tell Her She's Lovely - El Chicano
I'm A Yo-Yo Man - Rick Cunha (LOVED)
Hard Work - John Handy
Can The Can - Suzi Quatro (LOVED)
Love Me Tonite - Head East
Heart On My Sleeve - Gallagher & Lyle
Ca Plane Our Moi....Plastic Bertrand
Arms of Mary - Chilliwack
New York City......Zwol
Can't Sleep - Rockets (LOVED)
I 'm Not Gonna Cry Anymore - Nancy Brooks

[donwa001]

I own the 45 single for "This Is Your Song" - Don Goodwin (#86 in 1974). Always sorry that the song didn't reach AT40.

Another low charting song I bought not on this list: "Until Now" - Bobby Arvon (#72 in 1978). Really liked the vocals on this song.

[dukelightning]

pizzzza, I was waiting for your response. I thought you would say that you knew every record because I had not forgotten that you had bought every one. Gonna have to go back and listen to these videos to become more familiar with the songs you listed.

[pizzzzza]

May 14, 2011 11:11:15 GMT -5 dukelightning said:

pizzzza, I was waiting for your response. I thought you would say that you knew every record because I had not forgotten that you had bought every one. Gonna have to go back and listen to these videos to become more familiar with the songs you listed.

Deb, I didn't want to disappoint you ;D

My personal favorite out of that entire group would have to be Sherbet's "Howzat" - I never get tired of that song - look up the song on YouTube - I know that it was a HUGE hit down under.
(They went on to become the Sherbs - remember "I Have The Skill"?)

Also, never get tired of B.C.G....the song just seems to go on and on - kind of a disco-y 5th Dimension/Friends of Distinction sound, with more music and less words.

[dukelightning]

May 14, 2011 12:25:52 GMT -5 pizzzzza said:

May 14, 2011 11:11:15 GMT -5 dukelightning said:

pizzzza, I was waiting for your response. I thought you would say that you knew every record because I had not forgotten that you had bought every one. Gonna have to go back and listen to these videos to become more familiar with the songs you listed.

Deb, I didn't want to disappoint you ;D

My personal favorite out of that entire group would have to be Sherbet's "Howzat" - I never get tired of that song - look up the song on YouTube - I know that it was a HUGE hit down under.
(They went on to become the Sherbs - remember "I Have The Skill"?)

Also, never get tired of B.C.G....the song just seems to go on and on - kind of a disco-y 5th Dimension/Friends of Distinction sound, with more music and less words.

I think the info. about Sherbet mentioned their song hitting #1 in a big way down under.
For the record, these are the only songs I know on that list
Mammy Blue....the Stories version which while it was not on the list also missed the top 40
The Message....on Soul Train hits that made it happen album I had
Tell Her She's Lovely....at 40, the highest peaking song on the list
Raise a Little Hell.....know that one more than any other
No Time to Lose....from the first release
Since You've Been Gone....not to be confused with Since You Been Gone, a totally different song

[chrislc]

dukedeb as I believe you will remember, Tell Her She's Lovely got some airplay in Albany.

The Homecoming was a big Easy Listening hit. It's a beautiful song, and reminds me of Somewhere In Time. To think that Music Box Dancer was a far bigger hit than either is nauseating.

I don't remember what any of those other songs on the list sounded like, but I have heard of some of them.

[bestmusicexpert]

The Message....on Soul Train hits that made it happen album I had

WOW, you had that compilation too? My parents had the 8-track of that. Was the first exposure I got to Funk and Soul and I loved every second of that album...

[dukelightning]

May 14, 2011 15:07:59 GMT -5 bestmusicexpert said:

The Message....on Soul Train hits that made it happen album I had

WOW, you had that compilation too? My parents had the 8-track of that. Was the first exposure I got to Funk and Soul and I loved every second of that album...

Yep had that and I think the next such album...Soul Train Super Tracks. It was a few months ago that I found on the internet a list of the songs on those albums that I no longer have. In case yu don't have that album, bme, here is a list of them.
Rock Your Baby
Aint No Woman
Wonderful...Isaac Hayes
Future Shock...Curtis Mayfield
I'll be Around
I Miss You....Dells
I Like to Live the Love...B> B> King
I'll Take You There
I'll be the Other Woman...Soul Children
Good Things Don't Last Forever...Ecstasy, Passion & Pain
Funky Stuff
Midnight Night to Georgia
Sexy Mama....my fave of these
Finally Got Myself Together....Impressions
A Mother for My Children....Whispers
Can This be Real.....Natural Four
Goin Down Slow....Bobby Bland
Cheaper to Keep Her
Pillow Talk....maybe this is my fave...lol...Sylvia has hand in both fave songs
One Monkey Don't Stop no Show

[canat40fan]

May 14, 2011 10:55:21 GMT -5 donwa001 said:

I own the 45 single for "This Is Your Song" - Don Goodwin (#86 in 1974). Always sorry that the song didn't reach AT40...

I also had the 45 for that one....a great song by Don Goodwin.

[chrislc]

May 14, 2011 15:19:54 GMT -5 dukelightning said:

May 14, 2011 15:07:59 GMT -5 bestmusicexpert said:

The Message....on Soul Train hits that made it happen album I had

WOW, you had that compilation too? My parents had the 8-track of that. Was the first exposure I got to Funk and Soul and I loved every second of that album...

Yep had that and I think the next such album...Soul Train Super Tracks. It was a few months ago that I found on the internet a list of the songs on those albums that I no longer have. In case yu don't have that album, bme, here is a list of them.
Rock Your Baby
Aint No Woman
Wonderful...Isaac Hayes
Future Shock...Curtis Mayfield
I'll be Around
I Miss You....Dells
I Like to Live the Love...B> B> King
I'll Take You There
I'll be the Other Woman...Soul Children
Good Things Don't Last Forever...Ecstasy, Passion & Pain
Funky Stuff
Midnight Night to Georgia
Sexy Mama....my fave of these
Finally Got Myself Together....Impressions
A Mother for My Children....Whispers
Can This be Real.....Natural Four
Goin Down Slow....Bobby Bland
Cheaper to Keep Her
Pillow Talk....maybe this is my fave...lol...Sylvia has hand in both fave songs
One Monkey Don't Stop no Show

After last week's countdown, I spent most of this week with the song Pillow Talk going through my mind. What a terrific record. I remember hearing it sunny spring mornings on my way to Albany High School. It's funny how some songs bring back things like that.

[dukelightning]

chrisic, speaking of Albany, the 80s show airing now is right near the end of WTRY's run of airing AT40. WFLY would take over in June. I had stopped listening to WTRY in favor of WFLY, WGFM and WPYX already....all FM stations of course.