American Top 40: The 70s - October 12, 2013
This week's presentation - October 15, 1977
Dropped:
DON'T WORRY BABY - BJ THOMAS (39) - Great song! I actually prefer this to the original.
I WOULDN'T WANT TO BE LIKE YOU - ALAN PARSONS PROJECT (36) - I don't remember how this one goes, but as I recall, it was pretty good.
ANOTHER STAR - STEVIE WONDER (32) - See my comment for the Alan Parsons song.
FLOAT ON - THE FLOATERS (29) - This song was OK, but nothing exceptional. Had an unusually quick chart run for a #2 song.
40: SEND IN THE CLOWNS – JUDY COLLINS (debut) - Good song, though quite cheesy.
39: CAT SCRATCH FEVER – TED NUGENT (30) - Wow, what a contrast! After a slow, sappy song that you'd expect to hear while having your teeth drilled, here's a real rocker that was blasting from every teenager's bedroom back in 1977. This song is OK, but just a little too loud for me. Kind of surprised that it only got as high as #30, as it is a classic rock staple.
38: THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL – GEORGE BENSON (24) - This song was OK, but I preferred Whitney Houston's version from nine years later.
EXTRA: TAKE 5 – THE DAVE BRUBECK QUARTET
37: I JUST WANT TO MAKE LOVE TO YOU - FOGHAT (debut) - Another classic rock hit like "Cat Scratch Fever". I remember hearing this song quite a lot back in 1977 (since my Mom listened to rock stations, such as WLUP (The Loop). It was pretty good, but nothing exceptional.
36: BLUE BAYOU – LINDA RONSTADT (40) - Great song! One of my favorites by her. I suspect that Billy Joel was inspired by this song for the title track to his 1983 album "An Innocent Man".
35: BABY, WHAT A BIG SURPRISE - CHICAGO (debut) - It's okies, but definitely not my favorite by them.
34: WE JUST DISAGREE – DAVE MASON (38) - I used to really like this song, but not so much anymore. It just hasn't aged very well.
33: DO YOU WANNA GET FUNKY WITH ME – PETER BROWN (37) - This song was so/so. I didn't like it or hate it.
32: WE’RE ALL ALONE – RITA COOLIDGE (debut) - Great song! One of her best!
31: DUSIC - BRICK (35) - Meh, pretty much your typical late-70s roof-raising R&B that I'm not too fond of.
30: JUNGLE LOVE – THE STEVE MILLER BAND (23) - Good song - sounds like a good drinking song (as it sounds like they're saying "chug-a-lug"
29: SHE DID IT – ERIC CARMEN (33) - Good song, but I preferred his two 1976 hits.
28: WAY DOWN – ELVIS PRESLEY (27) - Good song, though I preferred a few others by him.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: SLIP SLIDIN' AWAY - PAUL SIMON - Great song, though not quite his best. I had no idea that the Oak Ridge Geezers were singing back-up on this.
27: I BELIEVE YOU – DOROTHY MOORE (28) - Great song! I prefer this over "Misty Blue".
26: HELP IS ON THE WAY – LITTLE RIVER BAND (31) - Good song. And - surprise, surprise - they didn't cut out the second verse!
25: STRAWBERRY LETTER 23 – THE BROTHERS JOHNSON (16) - Meh, this was OK, but I wasn't a huge fan of them in general.
24: HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE – THE BEE GEES (34) - Great song! Definitely one of their best!
23: DON’T STOP – FLEETWOOD MAC (15) - This song was OK, but quite overplayed.
22: JUST REMEMBER I LOVE YOU - FIREFALL (26) - Great song! One of their best!
21: SURFIN’ USA – LEIF GARRETT (25) - This was OK, but sounded sort of like something you'd hear on a Kidz Bop CD.
20: SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED – PETER FRAMPTON (21) - Good song - sounded a lot like the original.
EXTRA: MANDY – BARRY MANILOW - This song was OK, but kind of depressing, especially after hearing an urban legend associated with this song. This was played as the second Optional Extra.
19: HEAVEN ON THE 7TH FLOOR – PAUL NICHOLAS (22) - Great song! One I remember quite well.
18: TELEPHONE LINE – ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA (14) - Great song! One of their best!
17: BEST OF MY LOVE – THE EMOTIONS (6) - Great song! This song inspired one of Mariah Carey's biggest hits.
16: IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A SONG – RONNIE MILSAP (18) - Great song! One of his best songs - sounds like a song Barry Manilow would record.
15: THE KING IS GONE – RONNIE McDOWELL (17) - Great tribute to the late Elvis Presley.
14: IT’S ECSTACY WHEN YOU LAY DOWN NEXT TO ME – BARRY WHITE (19) - Meh, I think you all know how I feel about this kind of music.
13: DON’T IT MAKE MY BROWN EYES BLUE – CRYSTAL GAYLE (20) - Great song! One of her best!
12: ON AND ON – STEPHEN BISHOP (11) - Great song! Definitely one of his best!
11: SWAYIN’ TO THE MUSIC (SLOW DANCIN’) – JOHNNY RIVERS & THE CRICKETS (12) - This song was OK, but not quite his best. They cut out the second verse.
10: I JUST WANT TO BE YOUR EVERYTHING – ANDY GIBB (10) - Great song! This one indeed showed tenacity by spending sixteen weeks in the Top Ten. It was no surprise that this became the top song of the year. They edited this one as well.
9: I FEEL LOVE – DONNA SUMMER (13) - Meh, I didn't care for this one - pretty much "Love To Love You Baby Pt 2". I preferred her 1978-1980 songs.
EXTRA: BEN – MICHAEL JACKSON - No. Just no.
8: BRICK HOUSE – THE COMMODORES (9) - Not a fan of this one either. I hear it at just about every dance or wedding reception I attend.
7: COLD AS ICE - FOREIGNER (8) - Great song! I remember this one quite well.
6: BOOGIE NIGHTS – HEAT WAVE (7) - This is another song that seemed to have two parts - part 2 came the following year, with the title "The Groove Line".
5: STAR WARS TITLE THEME - MECO (1) - Good song, but I actually preferred the London Symphony Orchestra version.
4: THAT’S ROCK ‘N’ ROLL - SHAUN CASSIDY (5) - Great song! I remember hearing this song a lot back in the day.
3: NOBODY DOES IT BETTER – CARLY SIMON (4) - Great song! One of my favorites from her!
OPTIONAL EXTRA: FALLING - LEBLANC & CARR - Great song! Too bad it was their only hit.
2: KEEP IT COMIN’ LOVE – K.C. & THE SUNSHINE BAND (2) - I'm generally not a huge fan of them, but I've learned to like this song a lot better than I used to.
1: YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE – DEBBY BOONE (3) - Great song! Little did anyone know how long this song was going to spend on top!
Predictions for next week: I have a feeling that next week will be a twofer weekend, with shows at both ends of the spectrum. Possibly the October 17, 1970 show along with the October 20, 1979 show. If no twofer weekend, then I'll predict October 20, 1979 by itself.