Post by bobbo428 on Feb 3, 2014 23:07:29 GMT -5
40 SOMEBODY'S WATCHING YOU-LITTLE SISTER
Mellow funk with elements of Sly & the Family Stones' "Family Affair"--percolating slow burner
39 PRECIOUS, PRECIOUS-JACKIE MOORE
1968-sounding Memphis R&B/Northern soul mix--her only top 40 hit
38 TEARS OF A CLOWN-SMOKEY ROBINSON/MIRACLES
1967-sounding tune--shelved by Motown for 3 years--it was ironic, then that this classic slice of bliss hit #1!
37 1900 YESTERDAY-LIZ DAMON'S ORIENT EXPRESS
Lush MOR song I recall from soft rock station that winter
36 PUSH AND PULL-RUFUS THOMAS
Standard good-timey R&B song--a 1968 sound again--or is it 1967?
35 GET UP, GET INVOLVED, GET INTO IT-JAMES BROWN
Another standard good-timey funk song, though I can see how somgs such as this would influence rap and hip-hop later on.
34 GAMES-REDEYE
Had a Crosby/Stills/Nash sound, especially Graham Nash--as well as Buffalo Springfield--cool keyboard riff
33 LET YOUR LOVE GO-BREAD
Suggestive, pushy song--sounded like a 1969 tune
32 DOMINO-VAN MORRISON
Classic rock favorite I enjoyed--when I was a kid, I thought it was called "Storm Comin' On"!
31 AMOS MOSES-JERRY REED
Swamp rock novelty tune--like Jim Stafford, mixed country and rock
30 ONE MAN BAND-THREE DOG NIGHT
Organ-drenched good-timey rock--lyrically a bit pushy--generic AOR
29 RIVER DEEP, MOUNTAIN HIGH-SUPREMES/FOUR TOPS
Great song--my favorite version of this timeless classic!
28 IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND-GORDON LIGHTFOOT
A sincere, folk-tinged tune--a woman I currently like said she liked this when she was a kid.
27 PAY TO THE PIPER-CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD (NO, NOT OL' BLUE EYES)
Generic good-timey tune in the mold of "Soul Man"--lyrically pushy, though--like the lyrics of songs 30 and 33.
26 AMAZING GRACE-JUDY COLLINS
The biggest a cappella hit until the late 1980s ("Kiss Me Goodbye," by the Nylons, 1987)--Collins' version of "Amazing Grace" was simply and poignant.. This 1971 version (as well as the instrumental version a year and a half later) was popular against a basckdrop of the Vietnam era.
25 WATCHING SCOTTY GROW-BOBBY GOLDSBORO
Likable tune I recall hearing right after school one rainy January day that year
24 DOES ANYBODY REALLY KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS-CHICAGO
This great song made me think of early winter coming on--the sound of the brass always perked me up when I was experiencing the midwinter doldrums that year.
23 FOR THE GOOD TIMES-RAY PRICE
The last time I had heard this melancholy, regretful tune was right around the time he died, in mid-December. It was one of the saddest songs in the countdown--as sad as Sammi smith's soon-to-be popular "Help Me Make It Through the Night" and Johnny Cash's "Sunday Morning Coming Down," a recent top-50 hit. All three were written by Kris Kristofferson.
22 I REALLY DON'T WANT TO KNOW-ELVIS
Soul-sounding country pop tune
21 STONED LOVE-SUPREMES
Possibly my favorite in the countdown--stirring, uplifting, and appropriate for Christmastime, around the time this excellent tune peaked. Unfortunately, this song was edited, twice!
20 WE GOTTA GET YOU A WOMNA-RUNT
Another of my favorites, it had an early spring vibe and might have made the top 10 if it had charted two months later.
19 REMEMBER ME-DIANA ROSS
Excellent song of yearning--made me think of the adrenaline-inducing trip to New York City I'd go on with my father and my sister two weeks later.
18 MR. BOJANGLES-NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND
Melancholy tune about a down-and-out manI enjoyed Casey mentioning the unusual variety of instruments that this band played.
17 BORN TO WANDER-RARE EARTH
woodwind intro, funky backbeat--subtle wah-wah made for fun listening
16 IMMIGRANT SONG-LED ZEPPELIN
FM rock staple--reminded me of a midwinter maelstrom. The tune was well layered, though Robert Plant's vocals were a bit strident.
15 I THINK I LOVE YOU-PARTRIDGE FAMILY
Excellent slice of bubblegum pop--reminded me of my sister singing it back then
14 LOVE THE ONE YOU'RE WITH-STEPHEN STILLS
Excellent instrumental and vocal hooks, though the lyrical matter was dubious.
AT40 SPECIAL--WE CAN WORK IT OUT-BEATLES
Casey said that this Beatles classic was #1 five years ago--ironically, the Beatles in real time had the #1 hit five DECADES ago this week!
AT40 SPECIAL NO. 2: THEME FROM A SUMMER PLACE-PERCY FAITH
This song was one of my earliest memories, though it was actually popular before my birth.
13 IT'S IMPOSSIBLE-PERRY COMO
Well-sung pop standard
12 BLACK MAGIC WOMAN-SANTANA
Big FM rock favorite--well-written and performed--their biggest hit of the '70s
11 IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN-GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS
Brooding, frank, and nervous ballad--the textured sound made it stand out--also had a subtle rhythm but also a gospel-like melody.
10 STONEY END-BARBRA STREISAND
When I was a kid, I thought this irresistible tune was called "Tobyhanna Stony Henge," the first word referring to a small town in Pennsylvania.
9 ONE BAD APPLE-OSMONDS
Excellent bubblegum tune aimed squarely at girls my age at the time!
8 YOUR SONG-ELTON JOHN
sincere pop rocker has aged well!
7 I HEAR YOU KNOCKING-DAVE EDMUNDS
Cover of 1950s Gale Storm hit was fun to listen to.
6 GROOVE ME-KING FLOYD
Standard R&B fare, I thought this was a woman singing.
5 ROSE GARDEN-LYNN ANDERSON
Good country crossover tune, it was a song I heard many times that cold winter.
4 ONE LESS BELL TO ANSWER-FIFTH DIMENSION
Sincere, poignant Bacharach/David tune that I enjoyed
3 LONELY DAYS-BEE GEES
Haunting, well-written tune that reminded me of the rainy day in New York City I'd experience two weeks later
2 MY SWEET LORD-GEORGE HARRISON
Classic tune and the first solo Beatle hit to reach pole position
1 KNOCK THREE TIMES-DAWN
Fun song that was a hoot to listen to
AT30 SPECIAL NO. 3: WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW-SHIRELLES
Maudlin--i like some later versions better.
Mellow funk with elements of Sly & the Family Stones' "Family Affair"--percolating slow burner
39 PRECIOUS, PRECIOUS-JACKIE MOORE
1968-sounding Memphis R&B/Northern soul mix--her only top 40 hit
38 TEARS OF A CLOWN-SMOKEY ROBINSON/MIRACLES
1967-sounding tune--shelved by Motown for 3 years--it was ironic, then that this classic slice of bliss hit #1!
37 1900 YESTERDAY-LIZ DAMON'S ORIENT EXPRESS
Lush MOR song I recall from soft rock station that winter
36 PUSH AND PULL-RUFUS THOMAS
Standard good-timey R&B song--a 1968 sound again--or is it 1967?
35 GET UP, GET INVOLVED, GET INTO IT-JAMES BROWN
Another standard good-timey funk song, though I can see how somgs such as this would influence rap and hip-hop later on.
34 GAMES-REDEYE
Had a Crosby/Stills/Nash sound, especially Graham Nash--as well as Buffalo Springfield--cool keyboard riff
33 LET YOUR LOVE GO-BREAD
Suggestive, pushy song--sounded like a 1969 tune
32 DOMINO-VAN MORRISON
Classic rock favorite I enjoyed--when I was a kid, I thought it was called "Storm Comin' On"!
31 AMOS MOSES-JERRY REED
Swamp rock novelty tune--like Jim Stafford, mixed country and rock
30 ONE MAN BAND-THREE DOG NIGHT
Organ-drenched good-timey rock--lyrically a bit pushy--generic AOR
29 RIVER DEEP, MOUNTAIN HIGH-SUPREMES/FOUR TOPS
Great song--my favorite version of this timeless classic!
28 IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND-GORDON LIGHTFOOT
A sincere, folk-tinged tune--a woman I currently like said she liked this when she was a kid.
27 PAY TO THE PIPER-CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD (NO, NOT OL' BLUE EYES)
Generic good-timey tune in the mold of "Soul Man"--lyrically pushy, though--like the lyrics of songs 30 and 33.
26 AMAZING GRACE-JUDY COLLINS
The biggest a cappella hit until the late 1980s ("Kiss Me Goodbye," by the Nylons, 1987)--Collins' version of "Amazing Grace" was simply and poignant.. This 1971 version (as well as the instrumental version a year and a half later) was popular against a basckdrop of the Vietnam era.
25 WATCHING SCOTTY GROW-BOBBY GOLDSBORO
Likable tune I recall hearing right after school one rainy January day that year
24 DOES ANYBODY REALLY KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS-CHICAGO
This great song made me think of early winter coming on--the sound of the brass always perked me up when I was experiencing the midwinter doldrums that year.
23 FOR THE GOOD TIMES-RAY PRICE
The last time I had heard this melancholy, regretful tune was right around the time he died, in mid-December. It was one of the saddest songs in the countdown--as sad as Sammi smith's soon-to-be popular "Help Me Make It Through the Night" and Johnny Cash's "Sunday Morning Coming Down," a recent top-50 hit. All three were written by Kris Kristofferson.
22 I REALLY DON'T WANT TO KNOW-ELVIS
Soul-sounding country pop tune
21 STONED LOVE-SUPREMES
Possibly my favorite in the countdown--stirring, uplifting, and appropriate for Christmastime, around the time this excellent tune peaked. Unfortunately, this song was edited, twice!
20 WE GOTTA GET YOU A WOMNA-RUNT
Another of my favorites, it had an early spring vibe and might have made the top 10 if it had charted two months later.
19 REMEMBER ME-DIANA ROSS
Excellent song of yearning--made me think of the adrenaline-inducing trip to New York City I'd go on with my father and my sister two weeks later.
18 MR. BOJANGLES-NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND
Melancholy tune about a down-and-out manI enjoyed Casey mentioning the unusual variety of instruments that this band played.
17 BORN TO WANDER-RARE EARTH
woodwind intro, funky backbeat--subtle wah-wah made for fun listening
16 IMMIGRANT SONG-LED ZEPPELIN
FM rock staple--reminded me of a midwinter maelstrom. The tune was well layered, though Robert Plant's vocals were a bit strident.
15 I THINK I LOVE YOU-PARTRIDGE FAMILY
Excellent slice of bubblegum pop--reminded me of my sister singing it back then
14 LOVE THE ONE YOU'RE WITH-STEPHEN STILLS
Excellent instrumental and vocal hooks, though the lyrical matter was dubious.
AT40 SPECIAL--WE CAN WORK IT OUT-BEATLES
Casey said that this Beatles classic was #1 five years ago--ironically, the Beatles in real time had the #1 hit five DECADES ago this week!
AT40 SPECIAL NO. 2: THEME FROM A SUMMER PLACE-PERCY FAITH
This song was one of my earliest memories, though it was actually popular before my birth.
13 IT'S IMPOSSIBLE-PERRY COMO
Well-sung pop standard
12 BLACK MAGIC WOMAN-SANTANA
Big FM rock favorite--well-written and performed--their biggest hit of the '70s
11 IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN-GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS
Brooding, frank, and nervous ballad--the textured sound made it stand out--also had a subtle rhythm but also a gospel-like melody.
10 STONEY END-BARBRA STREISAND
When I was a kid, I thought this irresistible tune was called "Tobyhanna Stony Henge," the first word referring to a small town in Pennsylvania.
9 ONE BAD APPLE-OSMONDS
Excellent bubblegum tune aimed squarely at girls my age at the time!
8 YOUR SONG-ELTON JOHN
sincere pop rocker has aged well!
7 I HEAR YOU KNOCKING-DAVE EDMUNDS
Cover of 1950s Gale Storm hit was fun to listen to.
6 GROOVE ME-KING FLOYD
Standard R&B fare, I thought this was a woman singing.
5 ROSE GARDEN-LYNN ANDERSON
Good country crossover tune, it was a song I heard many times that cold winter.
4 ONE LESS BELL TO ANSWER-FIFTH DIMENSION
Sincere, poignant Bacharach/David tune that I enjoyed
3 LONELY DAYS-BEE GEES
Haunting, well-written tune that reminded me of the rainy day in New York City I'd experience two weeks later
2 MY SWEET LORD-GEORGE HARRISON
Classic tune and the first solo Beatle hit to reach pole position
1 KNOCK THREE TIMES-DAWN
Fun song that was a hoot to listen to
AT30 SPECIAL NO. 3: WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW-SHIRELLES
Maudlin--i like some later versions better.