Post by Hervard on May 28, 2021 8:49:51 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 70s - May 29, 2021
This week's presentation - May 26, 1979
Droppers:
BLOW AWAY - GEORGE HARRISON (37) - This was Harrison's comeback hit, after two years being away from the chart. It only got as high as #16 on the Hot 100, but it climbed to #4 on the R&R chart. I guess more people bought Harrison's 1979 album, which was self-titled, than they did the single. It was a great song - one of my favorite of Harrison's solo hits.
MUSIC BOX DANCER - FRANK MILLS (34) - This song climbed all the way to #3 in its tenth week in the Top 40. After that, people seemed to suddenly get tired of the song, as this was when it started taking a free fall. It would fall out of the Top 40 completely the following week, a mere three weeks after peaking at #3. As for my opinion of the song, it was a great one - one of my favorite instrumentals of all time!
DON'T WRITE HER OFF - MCGUINN, CLARK & HILLMAN (33) - Of course, we all know that all three were members of the Byrds. I liked this song, even better than most songs by the Byrds.
I'VE GOT MY MIND MADE UP - INSTANT FUNK (31) - The only Top 40 hit by this Philly Soul band. I wasn't too crazy about the song, however - the "say what"s were kind of annoying.
LW#3: IN THE NAVY – THE VILLAGE PEOPLE
LW#2: HOT STUFF – DONNA SUMMER
LW#1: REUNITED – PEACHES AND HERB
40: DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY – VAN HALEN (debut) - I generally prefer the Van Hagar era, but this was one of my favorite songs of theirs before 1986 - in fact it's possible that it is my very favorite of their songs with David Lee Roth at the mic. This was one of my all-time faves from them in either era.
39: RING MY BELL – ANITA WARD (debut) - A disco one-hit wonder here, only this one was one of the bigger ones, since it went all the way to #1 in July. This was the song that kept Donna Summer from succeeding herself at #1, as it hit the top between "Hot Stuff" and "Bad Girls"
38: LITTLE BIT OF SOAP –BATHTIME EXPLOSION NIGEL OLSSON (40) - After three remakes of this classic by the Jarmels, this is the first cover of it to finally break into the Top 40. This was a great song - of Olsson's two Top 40 hits (both in 1979), I preferred this one.
37: I WANT YOUR LOVE - CHIC (16) - Of their four Top Ten hits, this one seems to be the most obscure. It is by far my favorite song from them (possibly because of the lack of overplay).
36: IT MUST BE LOVE – ALTON McCLAIN AND DESTINY (38) - This R&B trio was one of many faceless disco one-hit wonders of this era. The song was OK, but pretty much blends in with all the other R&B disco hits of the late-70s.
35: SATURDAY NIGHT, SUNDAY MORNING – THELMA HOUSTON (39) - She was a disco "two-hit wonder", as this was her second, more obscure Top 40 hit. It was pretty good, but I preferred her #1 "Don't Leave Me This Way".
LDD: BABY COME BACK - PLAYER - The dedication was quite moving. It was from a graduating high school class in Illinois to Liz, a foreign exchange student, who had visited the states from Guatemala several times and, just a few hours before this show was taped, they checked and found out that Liz was back in the states in time to attend their graduation, which was coming up the following Friday, so their dedication wish came true.
34: BOOGIE WONDERLAND – EARTH, WIND & FIRE w/THE EMOTIONS (debut) - A one-time team-up between these two acts. The song was OK, but I preferred most of EW+F's other material (and the only other song I've heard by the Emotions was "Best Of My Love" - yes, I preferred that one too).
ARCHIVES: DARK LADY - CHER - Her third of four #1 hits (and her last for almost exactly 25 more years) as a solo artist (compared to only one with her former husband Sonny Bono), and her last Top Ten until three weeks back, when she hit with "Take Me Home", which spent the past two weeks at #8 and was still on this week's chart. I liked both songs about the same, in different ways, of course, since they both sound very different from each other. Both are very good songs.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: HEART OF THE NIGHT - POCO - Interesting how they spread out all of their Top 40 hits over three decades (although "Nothin' To Hide" just barely, spending only one week in the Top 40 at the very beginning of the 1990s). That one, by the way, was my favorite of their four Top 40 hits, but this was my favorite of their two 1979 hits. It was a great one!
33: IF LOVING YOU IS WRONG, I DON’T WANT TO BE RIGHT – BARBRA MANDRELL (35) - Interesting country version of the Luther Ingram classic! Not sure which one I prefer. Kind of weird that this was Mandrell's only Top 40 hit - given how big a country star that she was, one would guess that she'd have more crossover success.
32: I WANT YOU TO WANT ME – CHEAP TRICK (debut) - Now here's one I remember quite well from the summer of 1979, as I heard it regularly on the jukebox at the beach house that I went to a lot that summer, plus WLS played it regularly. I liked this song a lot.
31: MINUTE BY MINUTE – THE DOOBIE BROTHERS (36) - The title track from their #1 album, which had topped the chart back in April/May. The Doobies had replaced themselves on the chart the previous week - this one would debuted as "What A Fool Believes" stepped off the chart. Of course, that was the song that I preferred of the two. This one was pretty good, but not one of my favorites from them.
30: MAKIN’ IT – DAVID NAUGHTON (32) - This one hit the Top Five on the Hot 100, but only reached #25 on the R&R chart. As for my opinion on this song, it was OK, but a little gimmicky. It did, however, make for an interesting LDD on an early 1980 show - from a girl, who had dreams of being a model, to her family, who pretty much bullied her about her endeavor. The LDD was pretty much a raspberry to them, which served them right, as she had indeed lived her dream.
29: KNOCK ON WOOD – AMII STEWART (21) - Like Anita Ward, she was a one-hit wonder, with her only hit making it all the way to the top. This song was OK, but it wasn't one of my favorites.
28: OLD TIME ROCK & ROLL – BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND (30) - I find it odd that this song didn't get above #28, considering all the recurrent airplay it gets. Not that I'm complaining, because I never really got into this song. One of my least favorites from him/them.
27: GET USED TO IT – ROGER VOUDOURIS (29) - Oddly enough, this Sacramento native predicted that he was going to be a huge success (I believe that story was told on the previous week's show), yet this was his sole Top 40 hit. It was a great song IMO.
26: SUCH A WOMAN - TYCOON (27) - Yet another one-hit wonder. This song was good, but nothing special.
25: TAKE ME HOME - CHER (8) - As stated earlier, this song was still on the chart, but was fading away quite fast - the song had been at its peak last week and the following week, fell out of the Top 40.
24: HONESTY – BILLY JOEL (26) - This song indeed hit a brick wall! After making a promising eleven-spot move the week before, it climbed only two more spots this week, held in place the following week, and then fell clean off the chart. I guess it was more or less an AC hit (where it hit the Top Ten). It was a good song, though definitely not his best.
23: AIN’T LOVE A BEACH – ROD STEWART (28) - Darned censors! Anyway, this was Rod's follow-up to one of his biggest hits ever, "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy". However, it was nowhere near as successful, as it ran out of gas before it even hit the Top 20. It was pretty good, but definitely far from being his best.
22: HOT NUMBER – FOXY (24) - Well, this isn't really a hot number to me, as I'm not into this type of music (but you already know that, right?)
ARCHIVES: SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDERS – JOHN DENVER - One I remember quite well, from listening to his music when I was a young'un. Although this was my favorite of his 1974 hits and I do like it, I preferred many others from him (especially his 1975 #1's).
OPTIONAL EXTRA: BAD GIRLS - DONNA SUMMER - As "Hot Stuff" was poised to take over the top, her follow-up was entering the Hot 100 at #55, but it didn't seem to steal any thunder from "Hot Stuff", as that song lasted a long time in the Top Ten. As stated earlier, she came close to succeeding herself at the top with this song, but Anita Ward wasn't having any of it. As for my opinion of the song, I preferred "Hot Stuff", but this song was good too.
21: SHE BELIEVES IN ME – KENNY ROGERS (23) - After a huge jump the week before, this song makes a more modest move this week. The song would peak at #5 for on AT40, but on the R&R chart, it managed to sneak in a week at #1. I remember this song quite well from '79 - one of my favorites that reminds me of the beach!
20: YOU TAKE MY BREATH AWAY – REX SMITH (25) - Another song that I heard a lot back in the summer of '79, and one that I often got confused with the Kenny Rogers song, since the beginning sounded the same (only this one had synth along with the piano). This song was from the TV movie Sooner Or Later, in which Rex himself was the star. I loved this song when it was on the charts and still love it today!
19: RENEGAGE – STYX (19) - I'm surprised that this song only got as high was #16, given all the airplay it received back in the day. It is also a classic rock staple. I liked it, but preferred "Blue Collar Man", from the same album, Pieces of Eight.
LDD: KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG – ROBERTA FLACK - One of three #1 songs from her and my favorite of the three by a fair margin.
18: ROCK ‘N’ ROLL FANTASY – BAD COMPANY (20) - This was their only gold single (yet it only got as high as #13 - not sure what the deal was there). Anyway, this was one of my personal faves from the summer of 1979 - I heard this one on the beach house jukebox on a regular basis.
17: CHUCK E’S IN LOVE – RICKIE LEE JONES (22) - Like the Kenny Rogers song, this song hit #1 on the R&R chart, but fell short on the Hot 100 (though it did peak a spot higher). The song wasn't bad, but definitely not one I'd want to hear all the time.
16: DEEPER THAN THE NIGHT – OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (18) - Her second of two hits from 1979. I personally preferred her other one, "A Little More Love", but this wasn't far behind at all, as it was also a great song!
15: DISCO NIGHTS – G.Q. (17) - This was the first of two hits (from the same year, no less) from this soul group from the Bronx. This was one of several songs sampled in Kon Kan's 1989 hit "I Beg Your Pardon". I seem to recall that I preferred their other hit, "I Do Love You", which charted later that summer.
14: HE’S THE GREATEST DANCER – SISTER SLEDGE (9) - Of course, everybody knows that Will Smith sampled this song for his big 1998 hit "Gettin' Jiggy Wit' It". I liked both songs about the same, although neither are anything exceptional, IMO.
13: HEART OF GLASS - BLONDIE (10) - This band has sort of an odd chart history - they either hit #1 or missed the Top 20 entirely with their eight hits. This was the first of four #1s. It was good, but I preferred "Call Me" and "Rapture". Interesting story about the "careless record thief".
12: THE LOGICAL SONG – SUPERTRAMP (14) - This British rock band formed in 1969 and had their very first Top Ten hit exactly ten years later. This was my favorite song in the world back in 1979. I liked most of their Breakfast In America album, which I finally bought in August of that year (remember - I was only seven and didn't have a ton of spending money).
ARCHIVES: HOOKED ON A FEELING – BLUE SWEDE - Now this is a song that should have been left as is, not turned into something that sounds like a cannibal ritual! No, give me BJ Thomas' original any day!
OPTIONAL EXTRA: DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW - ABBA - This was Abba's first charted single that featured Björn Ulvaeus on lead vocals instead of Agnetha Faltskog and Frida. It was a pretty good song, but it doesn't hold a candle to "Dancing Queen" or "The Winner Takes It All".
11: LOVE TAKES TIME - ORLEANS (12) - This was their last of three Top 40 hits, all of which made the Top 20. Actually, they were almost all Top Ten hits, but this one just barely fell short (the song did peak at #7 on the R&R chart, so it performed the hat trick there). This song, which sounds a cross between their other two hits, was my favorite of the three songs, although the others were great ones too. That said, it's too bad they didn't have anymore chart hits.
10: LOVE IS THE ANSWER – ENGLAND DAN & JOHN FORD COLEY (11) - Wow, two songs about love, from very different perspectives (and Rod Stewart's hit from earlier in the countdown is at the other end of the spectrum from this song. Anyway, this was the last of this duo's six Top 40 hits, four of them Top Tens, including this one, one of my favorites of the bunch. In fact, I don't think there were any songs that I didn't like (though I'd have to listen to "Gone Too Far" to be able to tell for sure, as that is the only song from them that I don't remember).
9: STUMBLIN’ IN – SUZY QUATRO & CHRIS NORMAN (4) - She starred on Happy Days as Leather Tuscadero, and he was lead singer of Smokie, of "Living Next Door To Alice" fame. They teamed up for this song, which was a good one, IMO.
8: JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST – RANDY VANWARMER (15) - The only Top 40 song from this man from Colorado who, sadly, passed away fourteen years ago. It was a really good song, but not one to listen to when feeling depressed, especially over a recent breakup.
7: SHAKE YOUR BODY (DOWN TO THE GROUND) – THE JACKSONS (7) - I generally preferred their earlier songs, but this is a song that I've actually found myself liking a little better than I had previously.
6: WE ARE FAMILY – SISTER SLEDGE (13) - Wow, with the way this song was climbing the chart, it had number one written all over it, but it was not to be - it had to settle for second best. Not sure which of their two Top Ten songs I prefer, although neither of them are exceptional, IMO.
5: GOODNIGHT TONIGHT - WINGS (5) - This was the last of their Top Ten hits from the 70s (they would have one more, which would end up becoming one of their biggest hits of all-time, a year later). This was a great song, but I preferred a few others, including said 1980 #1.
4: LOVE YOU INSIDE OUT – THE BEE GEES (6) - This one was said to have been artificially moved to the top, so as to keep their #1 streak alive. Whether or not that is true I have no idea, but nevertheless, this was a good song - my second favorite from Spirits Having Flown behind "Tragedy".
3: IN THE NAVY – THE VILLAGE PEOPLE (3) - As we all know, their biggest hit was one of my "No. Just no" songs (and sometimes it would get a rating even worse than that). This one, on the other hand, I actually really like. Probably because there wasn't a goofy, overdone dance to go along with it (they could have easily done that with the "They want you! They want you! They want you as a new recruit!" chant, but to my best of knowledge, that has not materialized - yet).
OPTIONAL EXTRA: IF I SAID YOU HAD A BEAUTIFUL BODY, WOULD YOU HOLD IT AGAINST ME - THE BELLAMY BROTHERS - Chiefly a country act, they did have two crossovers to Pop. Their first one, "Let Your Love Flow", of course, hit #1. This one, on the other hand, lasted only two weeks in the Top 40 (and was heard on AT40 only once, as the week the song debuted, the disco show replaced the regular countdown. This song was OK, but I preferred said #1.
2: HOT STUFF – DONNA SUMMER (2) - This song indeed lived up to its name! After its huge 20-3 move two weeks before, it seemed like a cinch to hit #1 the following week, but the #1 song was obviously quite strong and managed to hold it at bay for two more weeks. This was a good one - my second favorite of her many 1979 hits, behind "Heaven Knows".
1: REUNITED – PEACHES & HERB (1) - This was the song that was strong enough for preventing Donna Summer from shooting straight to the top. The song was by far this duo's biggest hit ever, spending the entire month of May at the top. It is also my favorite song from them - one of the best love songs of all time!
This week's presentation - May 26, 1979
Droppers:
BLOW AWAY - GEORGE HARRISON (37) - This was Harrison's comeback hit, after two years being away from the chart. It only got as high as #16 on the Hot 100, but it climbed to #4 on the R&R chart. I guess more people bought Harrison's 1979 album, which was self-titled, than they did the single. It was a great song - one of my favorite of Harrison's solo hits.
MUSIC BOX DANCER - FRANK MILLS (34) - This song climbed all the way to #3 in its tenth week in the Top 40. After that, people seemed to suddenly get tired of the song, as this was when it started taking a free fall. It would fall out of the Top 40 completely the following week, a mere three weeks after peaking at #3. As for my opinion of the song, it was a great one - one of my favorite instrumentals of all time!
DON'T WRITE HER OFF - MCGUINN, CLARK & HILLMAN (33) - Of course, we all know that all three were members of the Byrds. I liked this song, even better than most songs by the Byrds.
I'VE GOT MY MIND MADE UP - INSTANT FUNK (31) - The only Top 40 hit by this Philly Soul band. I wasn't too crazy about the song, however - the "say what"s were kind of annoying.
LW#3: IN THE NAVY – THE VILLAGE PEOPLE
LW#2: HOT STUFF – DONNA SUMMER
LW#1: REUNITED – PEACHES AND HERB
40: DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY – VAN HALEN (debut) - I generally prefer the Van Hagar era, but this was one of my favorite songs of theirs before 1986 - in fact it's possible that it is my very favorite of their songs with David Lee Roth at the mic. This was one of my all-time faves from them in either era.
39: RING MY BELL – ANITA WARD (debut) - A disco one-hit wonder here, only this one was one of the bigger ones, since it went all the way to #1 in July. This was the song that kept Donna Summer from succeeding herself at #1, as it hit the top between "Hot Stuff" and "Bad Girls"
38: LITTLE BIT OF SOAP –
37: I WANT YOUR LOVE - CHIC (16) - Of their four Top Ten hits, this one seems to be the most obscure. It is by far my favorite song from them (possibly because of the lack of overplay).
36: IT MUST BE LOVE – ALTON McCLAIN AND DESTINY (38) - This R&B trio was one of many faceless disco one-hit wonders of this era. The song was OK, but pretty much blends in with all the other R&B disco hits of the late-70s.
35: SATURDAY NIGHT, SUNDAY MORNING – THELMA HOUSTON (39) - She was a disco "two-hit wonder", as this was her second, more obscure Top 40 hit. It was pretty good, but I preferred her #1 "Don't Leave Me This Way".
LDD: BABY COME BACK - PLAYER - The dedication was quite moving. It was from a graduating high school class in Illinois to Liz, a foreign exchange student, who had visited the states from Guatemala several times and, just a few hours before this show was taped, they checked and found out that Liz was back in the states in time to attend their graduation, which was coming up the following Friday, so their dedication wish came true.
34: BOOGIE WONDERLAND – EARTH, WIND & FIRE w/THE EMOTIONS (debut) - A one-time team-up between these two acts. The song was OK, but I preferred most of EW+F's other material (and the only other song I've heard by the Emotions was "Best Of My Love" - yes, I preferred that one too).
ARCHIVES: DARK LADY - CHER - Her third of four #1 hits (and her last for almost exactly 25 more years) as a solo artist (compared to only one with her former husband Sonny Bono), and her last Top Ten until three weeks back, when she hit with "Take Me Home", which spent the past two weeks at #8 and was still on this week's chart. I liked both songs about the same, in different ways, of course, since they both sound very different from each other. Both are very good songs.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: HEART OF THE NIGHT - POCO - Interesting how they spread out all of their Top 40 hits over three decades (although "Nothin' To Hide" just barely, spending only one week in the Top 40 at the very beginning of the 1990s). That one, by the way, was my favorite of their four Top 40 hits, but this was my favorite of their two 1979 hits. It was a great one!
33: IF LOVING YOU IS WRONG, I DON’T WANT TO BE RIGHT – BARBRA MANDRELL (35) - Interesting country version of the Luther Ingram classic! Not sure which one I prefer. Kind of weird that this was Mandrell's only Top 40 hit - given how big a country star that she was, one would guess that she'd have more crossover success.
32: I WANT YOU TO WANT ME – CHEAP TRICK (debut) - Now here's one I remember quite well from the summer of 1979, as I heard it regularly on the jukebox at the beach house that I went to a lot that summer, plus WLS played it regularly. I liked this song a lot.
31: MINUTE BY MINUTE – THE DOOBIE BROTHERS (36) - The title track from their #1 album, which had topped the chart back in April/May. The Doobies had replaced themselves on the chart the previous week - this one would debuted as "What A Fool Believes" stepped off the chart. Of course, that was the song that I preferred of the two. This one was pretty good, but not one of my favorites from them.
30: MAKIN’ IT – DAVID NAUGHTON (32) - This one hit the Top Five on the Hot 100, but only reached #25 on the R&R chart. As for my opinion on this song, it was OK, but a little gimmicky. It did, however, make for an interesting LDD on an early 1980 show - from a girl, who had dreams of being a model, to her family, who pretty much bullied her about her endeavor. The LDD was pretty much a raspberry to them, which served them right, as she had indeed lived her dream.
29: KNOCK ON WOOD – AMII STEWART (21) - Like Anita Ward, she was a one-hit wonder, with her only hit making it all the way to the top. This song was OK, but it wasn't one of my favorites.
28: OLD TIME ROCK & ROLL – BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND (30) - I find it odd that this song didn't get above #28, considering all the recurrent airplay it gets. Not that I'm complaining, because I never really got into this song. One of my least favorites from him/them.
27: GET USED TO IT – ROGER VOUDOURIS (29) - Oddly enough, this Sacramento native predicted that he was going to be a huge success (I believe that story was told on the previous week's show), yet this was his sole Top 40 hit. It was a great song IMO.
26: SUCH A WOMAN - TYCOON (27) - Yet another one-hit wonder. This song was good, but nothing special.
25: TAKE ME HOME - CHER (8) - As stated earlier, this song was still on the chart, but was fading away quite fast - the song had been at its peak last week and the following week, fell out of the Top 40.
24: HONESTY – BILLY JOEL (26) - This song indeed hit a brick wall! After making a promising eleven-spot move the week before, it climbed only two more spots this week, held in place the following week, and then fell clean off the chart. I guess it was more or less an AC hit (where it hit the Top Ten). It was a good song, though definitely not his best.
23: AIN’T LOVE A BEACH – ROD STEWART (28) - Darned censors! Anyway, this was Rod's follow-up to one of his biggest hits ever, "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy". However, it was nowhere near as successful, as it ran out of gas before it even hit the Top 20. It was pretty good, but definitely far from being his best.
22: HOT NUMBER – FOXY (24) - Well, this isn't really a hot number to me, as I'm not into this type of music (but you already know that, right?)
ARCHIVES: SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDERS – JOHN DENVER - One I remember quite well, from listening to his music when I was a young'un. Although this was my favorite of his 1974 hits and I do like it, I preferred many others from him (especially his 1975 #1's).
OPTIONAL EXTRA: BAD GIRLS - DONNA SUMMER - As "Hot Stuff" was poised to take over the top, her follow-up was entering the Hot 100 at #55, but it didn't seem to steal any thunder from "Hot Stuff", as that song lasted a long time in the Top Ten. As stated earlier, she came close to succeeding herself at the top with this song, but Anita Ward wasn't having any of it. As for my opinion of the song, I preferred "Hot Stuff", but this song was good too.
21: SHE BELIEVES IN ME – KENNY ROGERS (23) - After a huge jump the week before, this song makes a more modest move this week. The song would peak at #5 for on AT40, but on the R&R chart, it managed to sneak in a week at #1. I remember this song quite well from '79 - one of my favorites that reminds me of the beach!
20: YOU TAKE MY BREATH AWAY – REX SMITH (25) - Another song that I heard a lot back in the summer of '79, and one that I often got confused with the Kenny Rogers song, since the beginning sounded the same (only this one had synth along with the piano). This song was from the TV movie Sooner Or Later, in which Rex himself was the star. I loved this song when it was on the charts and still love it today!
19: RENEGAGE – STYX (19) - I'm surprised that this song only got as high was #16, given all the airplay it received back in the day. It is also a classic rock staple. I liked it, but preferred "Blue Collar Man", from the same album, Pieces of Eight.
LDD: KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG – ROBERTA FLACK - One of three #1 songs from her and my favorite of the three by a fair margin.
18: ROCK ‘N’ ROLL FANTASY – BAD COMPANY (20) - This was their only gold single (yet it only got as high as #13 - not sure what the deal was there). Anyway, this was one of my personal faves from the summer of 1979 - I heard this one on the beach house jukebox on a regular basis.
17: CHUCK E’S IN LOVE – RICKIE LEE JONES (22) - Like the Kenny Rogers song, this song hit #1 on the R&R chart, but fell short on the Hot 100 (though it did peak a spot higher). The song wasn't bad, but definitely not one I'd want to hear all the time.
16: DEEPER THAN THE NIGHT – OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (18) - Her second of two hits from 1979. I personally preferred her other one, "A Little More Love", but this wasn't far behind at all, as it was also a great song!
15: DISCO NIGHTS – G.Q. (17) - This was the first of two hits (from the same year, no less) from this soul group from the Bronx. This was one of several songs sampled in Kon Kan's 1989 hit "I Beg Your Pardon". I seem to recall that I preferred their other hit, "I Do Love You", which charted later that summer.
14: HE’S THE GREATEST DANCER – SISTER SLEDGE (9) - Of course, everybody knows that Will Smith sampled this song for his big 1998 hit "Gettin' Jiggy Wit' It". I liked both songs about the same, although neither are anything exceptional, IMO.
13: HEART OF GLASS - BLONDIE (10) - This band has sort of an odd chart history - they either hit #1 or missed the Top 20 entirely with their eight hits. This was the first of four #1s. It was good, but I preferred "Call Me" and "Rapture". Interesting story about the "careless record thief".
12: THE LOGICAL SONG – SUPERTRAMP (14) - This British rock band formed in 1969 and had their very first Top Ten hit exactly ten years later. This was my favorite song in the world back in 1979. I liked most of their Breakfast In America album, which I finally bought in August of that year (remember - I was only seven and didn't have a ton of spending money).
ARCHIVES: HOOKED ON A FEELING – BLUE SWEDE - Now this is a song that should have been left as is, not turned into something that sounds like a cannibal ritual! No, give me BJ Thomas' original any day!
OPTIONAL EXTRA: DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW - ABBA - This was Abba's first charted single that featured Björn Ulvaeus on lead vocals instead of Agnetha Faltskog and Frida. It was a pretty good song, but it doesn't hold a candle to "Dancing Queen" or "The Winner Takes It All".
11: LOVE TAKES TIME - ORLEANS (12) - This was their last of three Top 40 hits, all of which made the Top 20. Actually, they were almost all Top Ten hits, but this one just barely fell short (the song did peak at #7 on the R&R chart, so it performed the hat trick there). This song, which sounds a cross between their other two hits, was my favorite of the three songs, although the others were great ones too. That said, it's too bad they didn't have anymore chart hits.
10: LOVE IS THE ANSWER – ENGLAND DAN & JOHN FORD COLEY (11) - Wow, two songs about love, from very different perspectives (and Rod Stewart's hit from earlier in the countdown is at the other end of the spectrum from this song. Anyway, this was the last of this duo's six Top 40 hits, four of them Top Tens, including this one, one of my favorites of the bunch. In fact, I don't think there were any songs that I didn't like (though I'd have to listen to "Gone Too Far" to be able to tell for sure, as that is the only song from them that I don't remember).
9: STUMBLIN’ IN – SUZY QUATRO & CHRIS NORMAN (4) - She starred on Happy Days as Leather Tuscadero, and he was lead singer of Smokie, of "Living Next Door To Alice" fame. They teamed up for this song, which was a good one, IMO.
8: JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST – RANDY VANWARMER (15) - The only Top 40 song from this man from Colorado who, sadly, passed away fourteen years ago. It was a really good song, but not one to listen to when feeling depressed, especially over a recent breakup.
7: SHAKE YOUR BODY (DOWN TO THE GROUND) – THE JACKSONS (7) - I generally preferred their earlier songs, but this is a song that I've actually found myself liking a little better than I had previously.
6: WE ARE FAMILY – SISTER SLEDGE (13) - Wow, with the way this song was climbing the chart, it had number one written all over it, but it was not to be - it had to settle for second best. Not sure which of their two Top Ten songs I prefer, although neither of them are exceptional, IMO.
5: GOODNIGHT TONIGHT - WINGS (5) - This was the last of their Top Ten hits from the 70s (they would have one more, which would end up becoming one of their biggest hits of all-time, a year later). This was a great song, but I preferred a few others, including said 1980 #1.
4: LOVE YOU INSIDE OUT – THE BEE GEES (6) - This one was said to have been artificially moved to the top, so as to keep their #1 streak alive. Whether or not that is true I have no idea, but nevertheless, this was a good song - my second favorite from Spirits Having Flown behind "Tragedy".
3: IN THE NAVY – THE VILLAGE PEOPLE (3) - As we all know, their biggest hit was one of my "No. Just no" songs (and sometimes it would get a rating even worse than that). This one, on the other hand, I actually really like. Probably because there wasn't a goofy, overdone dance to go along with it (they could have easily done that with the "They want you! They want you! They want you as a new recruit!" chant, but to my best of knowledge, that has not materialized - yet).
OPTIONAL EXTRA: IF I SAID YOU HAD A BEAUTIFUL BODY, WOULD YOU HOLD IT AGAINST ME - THE BELLAMY BROTHERS - Chiefly a country act, they did have two crossovers to Pop. Their first one, "Let Your Love Flow", of course, hit #1. This one, on the other hand, lasted only two weeks in the Top 40 (and was heard on AT40 only once, as the week the song debuted, the disco show replaced the regular countdown. This song was OK, but I preferred said #1.
2: HOT STUFF – DONNA SUMMER (2) - This song indeed lived up to its name! After its huge 20-3 move two weeks before, it seemed like a cinch to hit #1 the following week, but the #1 song was obviously quite strong and managed to hold it at bay for two more weeks. This was a good one - my second favorite of her many 1979 hits, behind "Heaven Knows".
1: REUNITED – PEACHES & HERB (1) - This was the song that was strong enough for preventing Donna Summer from shooting straight to the top. The song was by far this duo's biggest hit ever, spending the entire month of May at the top. It is also my favorite song from them - one of the best love songs of all time!