Worst Top 40 Of The 1970s

[chrislc]

Purely subjective - but

Does anything even come close to March 1974? Yikes. Maybe 15 decent songs. And about 25 that wouldn't have made the Top 40 most of the decade.

[at40petebattistini]

Hey chris, can you be more specific?

[chrislc]

Mar 16, 2013 10:41:08 GMT -5 at40petebattistini said:

Hey chris, can you be more specific?

Well...

a friend of mine challenged me and asked me to compare with ANY countdown from 1970. I thought "1970? you must be kidding!".

But then I compare song by song and again of course it's all subjective. I figured it would be about 30-to-10 in favor of 1970. No contest.

I used random.org to choose a random countdown from 1970.

OKAY NOVEMBER 28, 1970

40: 74 W.O.L.D. – HARRY CHAPIN IS BETTER THAN DO IT - NEIL DIAMOND
39: 74 LET ME BE THERE – OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN IS BETTER THAN ONE MAN BAND - THREE DOG NIGHT
38: 74 I’LL HAVE TO SAY I LOVE YOU IN A SONG – JIM CROCE IS BETTER THAN I'M NOT MY BOTHER'S KEEPER - FLAMING EMBER
37: 74 JUST DON’T WANT TO BE LONELY – THE MAIN INGREDIENT IS BETTER THAN HEED THE CALL - KENNY ROGERS AND THE FIRST EDITION
36. 70 IT'S IMPOSSIBLE - PERRY COMO IS BETTER THAN WE’RE GETTING CARELESS WITH OUR LOVE – JOHNNIE TAYLOR
35: 70 ONLY LOVE CAN BREAK YOUR HEART - NEIL YOUNG IS BETTER THAN ENERGY CRISIS ’74 – DICKIE GOODMAN
34: 74 YOU’RE SIXTEEN - RINGO IS BETTER THAN CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU - TOM JONES
33: 70 KNOCK THREE TIMES - DAWN IS BETTER THAN LAST TIME I SAW HIM – DIANA ROSS - IN FACT THEY DON'T EVEN BELONG ON THE SAME PLANET
32: 70 SUPERBAD (Part 1 & Part 2)- JAMES BROWN IS BETTER THAN I LIKE TO LIVE THE LOVE – B.B. KING
31: 70 HE AIN'T HEAVY, HE'S MY BROTHER - NEIL DIAMOND IS BETTER THAN STAR – STEALERS WHEEL BUT ACTUALLY THEY BOTH SUCK
30: 74 LOOKIN’ FOR A LOVE – BOBBY WOMACK IS BETTER THAN CRY ME A RIVER - JOE Cocker
29: 70 GREEN EYED LADY - SUGARLOAF IS BETTER THAN A VERY SPECIAL LOVE SONG – CHARLIE RICH
28: 74 I LOVE – TOM T. HALL IS BETTER THAN SOMEBODY'S BEEN SLEEPING - 100 PROOF AGED IN SOUL BUT JEEZ THEY BOTH SUCK
27: 70 DOMINO - VAN MORRISON IS BETTER THAN PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER – THE O’JAYS
26: 74 ROCK & ROLL HOOCHIE KOO – RICK DERRINGER IS BETTER THAN LET'S WORK TOGETHER - CANNED HEAT
25: 74 TSOP - MFSB IS BETTER THAN IT DON'T MATTER TO ME - BREAD
24: 74 THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME – GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS IS BETTER THAN FOR THE GOOD TIMES - RAY PRICE BUT BOTH ARE GREAT
23: 70 YELLOW RIVER - CHRISTIE IS BETTER THAN THERE WON’T BE ANYMORE – CHARLIE RICH BUT NEITHER ARE GOOD
22: 70 BE MY BABY - ANDY KIM IS BETTER THAN A LOVE SONG – ANNE MURRAY WHICH IS A SNOOZEFEST
21: 70 AFTER MIDNIGHT - ERIC CLAPTON IS BETTER THAN MIGHTY LOVE, PT.1 - THE SPINNERS WHICH I LIKED THEN BUT IT SUCKS
20: 70 STONED LOVE - SUPREMES IS BETTER THAN THE LORD’S PRAYER – SISTER JANET MEAD BUT BOTH ARE GOOD
19: 74 UNTIL YOU COME BACK TO ME (THAT’S WHAT I’M GONNA DO) – ARETHA FRANKLIN IS BETTER THAN ENGINE ENGINE #9 - WILSON PICKETT NO CONTEST
18: 70 INDIANA WANTS ME - R DEAN TAYLOR IS BETTER THAN MY SWEET LADY – CLIFF DeYOUNG
17: 70 BLACK MAGIC WOMAN IS BETTER THAN SEXY MAMA – THE MOMENTS GIVE ME A BREAK
16: 70 DOES ANYBODY REALLY KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS – CHICAGO IS BETTER THAN TRYING TO HOLD ON TO MY WOMAN – LAMONT DOZIER WHO? WHAT?
15: 74 LOVE’S THEME – THE LOVE UNLIMITED ORCHESTRA IS BETTER THAN MONTEGO BAY - BOBBY BLOOM
14: 70 5-10-15-20-25-30 YEARS OF LOVE - PRESIDENTS IS BETTER THAN HOOKED ON A FEELING – BLUE SWEDE BUT THEN SO IS ALMOST ANYTHING
13: 74 COME AND GET YOUR LOVE - REDBONE IS BETTER THAN MY SWEET LORD - GEORGE HARRISON BET YOU DIN'T THINK I WOULD SAY THAT
12: 74 BENNIE & THE JETS – ELTON JOHN IS BETTER THAN SEE ME FEEL ME - THE WHO BUT I COULD DO WITHOUT EITHER
11: 74 ERES TU (TOUCH THE WIND) - MOCEDADES IS BETTER THAN YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY YOU LOVE ME - ELVIS PRESLEY ERES TU IS A GREAT SONG

SO FAR IT'S A TIE!

10. 70 SHARE THE LAND - GUESS WHO IS BETTER THAN JET – PAUL McCARTNEY & WINGS IN MY OPINION
9: 74 SPIDERS AND SNAKES – JIM STAFFORD IS BETTER THAN HEAVEN HELP US ALL - STEVIE WONDER YES STAFFORD OVER WONDER
8: 70 NO MATTER WHAT - BADFINGER IS BETTER THAN ROCK ON – DAVID ESSEX
7: 74 JUNGLE BOOGIE – KOOL & THE GANG IS BETTER THAN ONE LESS BELL TO ANSWER - FIFTH DIMENSION
6. 70 FIRE AND RAIN - JAMES TAYLOR IS BETTER THAN MOCKINGBIRD – CARLY SIMON & JAMES TAYLOR WHICH SUCKS
5. 74 THE WAY WE WERE - BARBRA STREISAND IS BETTER THAN WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN - CARPENTERS WOW TWO GREAT SONGS
4. 74 SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDER – JOHN DENVER IS BETTER THAN I'LL BE THERE - JACKSON FIVE UH OH YOUR MAGIC NUMBER IS 2
3. 70 GYPSY WOMAN - BRYAN HYLAND IS BETTER THAN DARK LADY - CHER BUT THEN WHAT ISN'T
2: 74 BOOGIE DOWN – EDDIE KENDRICKS IS BETTER THAN TEARS OF A CLOWN - SMOKEY ROBINSON & THE MIRACLES AND WOW YOU CLINCH A TIE
1. 74 SEASONS IN THE SUN – TERRY JACKS IS BETTER THAN I THINK I LOVE YOU - THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY

21 FOR 1974 AND 19 FOR 1970

So maybe I'm wrong? No that can't be!

[dukelightning]

Wow you picked 2 weeks with the most hated #1 songs of the 70s! Not only are Gladys & the Pips at the same position as Ray Price but Gladys' song is a cover of a Ray Price song. And briguy will love this, Ray Price's version of "You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me" (his title of it) was the #1 song on the first ACC show.

As for my opinion of all of that, well let's just my fave songs on both shows were not better than the song at the same position on the other chart. So yes very subjective.

[chrislc]

Mar 16, 2013 11:21:59 GMT -5 dukelightning said:

Wow you picked 2 weeks with the most hated #1 songs of the 70s! Not only are Gladys & the Pips at the same position as Ray Price but Gladys' song is a cover of a Ray Price song. And briguy will love this, Ray Price's version of "You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me" (his title of it) was the #1 song on the first ACC show.

LOL That's great. It was a lot of fun, and enlightening as well. I'd like to see others here do similar comparisons of random weeks.

[franky]

For me it would be close to you Chrislc, in January 1974. Lots and lots of boring songs during this month. Funny too because 1973 is one of my favorite years of music, and starting in April, I love the rest of 74. But this particular month is just empty for me. Just one of those things. Music is in the Ear of the Beholder. But In March 74, I love Sexy Mama, one of the best soul songs of all time.

[erik]

I completely disagree. I love any show from 1974!

...but that's just my opinion. Different people have different opinions.

[jcs72]

I actually like "Star" by Stealers Wheel (it blows "Stuck In The Middle With You" out of the water!) and "Rock And Roll, Hoochie Koo" by Rick Derringer!

[chrislc]

I'll have to listen to Star again. I might have been hasty on that one. I like Derringer. I did vote for him over Canned Heat and I think both are good. And I was probably too hard on Sexy Mama but I think part of that is it is just so obscure to me (as is Star). I don't remember ever hearing either of them until this show the past couple of years.

I do think that either of these surveys would lose big time to a Top 40 from Autumn 1976, for example, but who knows? A year from now I might change my mind about all of these songs! It's nice that we have the freedom and ability to reconsider these kinds of things.

[dukelightning]

^You didn't hear "Sexy Mama" on radio stations back in the day? I did. And it had to be either WTRY or WPTR or both because they were the only game in town back then. Yeah that might be my fave song on that show.

[bestmusicexpert]

Love 72 and 78. Not big on 71 & 77 oddly. 74 is alright though. Also love 79.

[pointpark04]

I like 1970 'cause it was the year I was born, and it's fun listening to those songs. I could take or leave 1971-1973. I like 1974-75, but LOVE 1976-1979.

[mrjukebox]

"Star" by Stealer's Wheel is a great song that deserved a better fate.

[chrislc]

Mar 16, 2013 17:55:22 GMT -5 dukelightning said:

^You didn't hear "Sexy Mama" on radio stations back in the day? I did. And it had to be either WTRY or WPTR or both because they were the only game in town back then. Yeah that might be my fave song on that show.

I don't remember ever hearing of that song until a couple of years ago. I listened to WTRY and Rock 99 back then so I might have missed them playing it on WPTR.

[countdownmike]

"Sexy Mama" certainly was a great song. Interesting production structure, too. Nothing else sounded like it at the time. I was reading Billboard a lot back then and always saw it listed on the Hot Soul Singles chart without hearing it. Finally when it reached AT40 I said, "Whoa!" and went out and bought it the next day. At the beginning you can hear the tape hiss or some background noise on the record. It didn't matter because it was such an interesting listen.