As far as any possible extras for a "Top 50 of the 1970s," I'm going to do this a couple of ways.
First, two of them will be constant for both – one being the second to last No. 1 hit of the 1970s and the other a song that fits both scenarios:
Group 1
• "Babe" – Styx. (1979)
• "
Rhinestone Cowboy" – Glen Campbell. (1975)
• "
Behind Closed Doors" – Charlie Rich. (1973)
• "
Help Me Make It Through the Night" – Sammi Smith. (1971)
This first group, as you can see, includes three country songs, all three of which were pop hits; Glen Campbell's song, of course, was a massive crossover hit, while Charlie and Sammi both went No. 1 country and had excellent showings on AT40.
Since that show that shall not be named is not part of Premiere's rotation, the best way to acknowledge that program's decade-end special and how songs may have placed is to simply include the Nos. 1 and 2 songs from that special. "Behind Closed Doors" was No. 1, and "Help Me Make It Through the Night" was No. 2 from that special.
Alternates ... many, but keep in mind that ALL of these have significant AT40 histories:
*
1970: "
For The Good Times" - Ray Price; "
Snowbird" - Anne Murray.
*
1971: "
Rose Garden" - Lynn Anderson; "
Amos Moses" - Jerry Reed; "
Easy Loving" - Freddie Hart; "
Kiss An Angel Good Morning" - Charley Pride.
*
1972: "
The Happiest Girl In The Whole U.S.A." - Donna Fargo.
*
1973: "
Funny Face" - Donna Fargo; "
Teddy Bear Song" - Barbara Fairchild; "
Satin Sheets" - Jeanne Pruett; "
You've Never Been This Far Before" - Conway Twitty; "
The Most Beautiful Girl" - Charlie Rich; "
If We Make It Through December" - Merle Haggard.
*
1974: "
There Won't Be Anymore" - Charlie Rich; "
A Very Special Love Song" - Charlie Rich; "
If You Love Me Let Me Know" - Olivia Newton-John; "
Back Home Again" - John Denver.
*
1975: "
Before The Next Teardrop Falls" - Freddy Fender; "
Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain" - Willie Nelson.
*
1976: "
Convoy" - C. W. McCall; "
Good Hearted Woman" - Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson.
*
1977: "
Blue Bayou" - Linda Ronstadt; "
Southern Nights" - Glen Campbell; "
Lucille" - Kenny Rogers; "
Luckenback, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)" - Waylon Jennings; "
It Was Almost Like A Song" - Ronnie Milsap; "
Way Down" - Elvis Presley; "
Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" - Crystal Gayle; "
Here You Come Again" - Dolly Parton.
*
1979: "
The Gambler" - Kenny Rogers; "
Every Which Way But Loose" - Eddie Rabbitt; "
The Devil Went Down To Georgia" - Charlie Daniels Band.
Group 2 – The best of the rest ... much like the "Top 40 Hits of the 1980s ... So Far" special from 1987 that aired a few years ago, these are songs that "were close but just missed the top 50." Here are a number of possibilities ...
• "Babe" – Styx. (1979)
• "
Rhinestone Cowboy" – Glen Campbell. (1975)
And two more from either one of these years. Note that I tried to include all the songs that spent at least three weeks at No. 1, plus a couple of significant one- and two-weekers:
*
1970: "I Want You Back" – Jackson 5; "War" – Edwinn Starr.
*
1971: "Knock Three Times" – Tony Orlando and Dawn; "Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)" – Raiders; "Brand New Key" – Melanie.
*
1972: "The Candy Man" – Sammy Davis Jr. with the Mike Curb Congregation; "
Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me" – Mac Davis.
*
1973: "Killing Me Softly With His Song" – Roberta Flack; "Let's Get It On" – Marvin Gaye.
*
1974: "Seasons in the Sun" – Terry Jacks; "
The Streak" – Ray Stevens; "You're Having My Baby" – Paul Anka and Oadia Coates.
*
1975: "Fly, Robin, Fly" – Silver Connection; "That's the Way (I Like It)" – K.C. & the Sunshine Band.
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1976: "Disco Lady" – Johnnie Taylor; "Play That Funky Music" – Wild Cherry.
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1977: "You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show)" – Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr.; "Theme From 'A Star is Born' (Evergreen)" – Barbra Streisand.
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1978: "Three Times a Lady" – Commodores; "Boogie Oogie Oogie" – A Taste of Honey; "MacArthur Park" – Donna Summer.
*
1979: "Sad Eyes" – Robert John; "Heartache Tonight" – Eagles.
Group 3 – This next scenario pays tribute to rock stars of the 1970s who died during the 1970s:
• "Burning Love" – Elvis Presley. (Died in 1977.)
• "Me and Bobby McGee" – Janis Joplin. (Died in 1970; this was her posthumous hit.)
• "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" – Jim Croce. (Died in 1973; this was his only No. 1 hit of his lifetime.)
• "Riders of the Storm" – The Doors. (Refers to Jim Morrison's 1971 death.)
Alternate: either "Free Bird" or "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd. (Refers to the deaths of three band members in the 1977 plane crash.)
Group 4: Long-lived recording acts that were still recording into the 1970s (and beyond) – inspired by the "Top Acts of the 1950s" special
* "
You've Never Been This Far Before" – Conway Twitty (1973, ranked at No. 32 on the 50s special)
* "
Chantilly Lace" – Jerry Lee Lewis (1972, No. 26. This just missed the top 40 of the Hot 100, but stylistically is closest to his 1950s material).
• "My Ding-a-Ling" – Chuck Berry (1972, No. 14).
• "Garden Party" – Rick Nelson & the Stone Canyon Band (1972, No. 5).
• "You're Having My Baby" – Paul Anka and Oadia Coates (1974; Paul ranked No. 9).
* "Burning Love" – Elvis Presley (1972, where else but No. 1).
Honorable mentions to two other 50s acts that didn't make that survey ...
* "And I Love You So" – Perry Como (1973).
• "
My Woman, My Woman, My Wife" – Marty Robbins (1970, with his No. 42 pop hit).
Group 5: Disco hits that didn't make the top 50 but were significant hits ... and this one will be rather short (inspired by the Disco Hits special):
• "YMCA" – Villiage People (1979).
• "I Love the Nightlife (Disco Round)" – Alicia Bridges (1978).
• "A Fifth of Beethoven" – Walter Murphy & the Big Apple Band (1976).
• "Don't Leave Me This Way" – Thelma Houston (1977).
With the alternate ...
• "Rock the Boat" – Hues Corporation (1974, what Casey considers to be the first disco song to go No. 1).
Group 6, top songs by acts not represented in the top 50:
• "If You Leave Me Now" – Chicago (1976).
• "Superstition" – Stevie Wonder (1973).
• "Brown Sugar" – Rolling Stones (1971).
• "Midnight Train to Georgia" – Gladys Knight & the Pips (1973).
With three runners-up:
• "
Lyin' Eyes" – Eagles (1975).
• "Delta Dawn" – Helen Reddy (1973).
• "Let's Stay Together" – Al Green (1972).
Finally, the last scenario –
Group 7, top songs by ex-Beatles not in the top 50, and there'll be one from each:
• "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" – Paul and Linda McCartney (1971).
• "Photograph" – Ringo Starr (1973).
• "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" – George Harrison (1973).
• "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night" – John Lennon (1974).
Just so many extra possibilities ... not enough time to possibly narrow it to four, like Premiere would do if they indeed chose this special. I'll probably have a final answer in December, if this indeed is played.
Brian