Listening to 80 years of Billboard: Part 4: 1970s

[cnoocy]

“Something in the wind just learned my name
And it’s telling me that things are not the same”
The 1970s

The 70s are a great illustration of the fact that what you hear on the radio from past decades isn’t necessarily what was popular back then. Though there's plenty of songs in here with lots of radio play.

"Spirit in the Sky" is what happens when a Jewish songwriter with very little knowledge of Christianity writes a gospel song. Theologically, it is significantly unsound. “Ariel” is ridiculous in another direction, as a description of a one-night stand in the mid-1970s.

I love “Ramblin’ Man” primarily because of the Lore Sjöberg comic where it is rewritten to be sung by a Shambling Mound from Dungeons & Dragons.

“Things We Do For Love” is one of the first songs I can remember hearing on the radio, which would have been as a four-year-old on the way home from pre-kindergarten. I remember trying to make the rhyme work by replacing “your eyes” with “Orion” which I guess tells you something about what kind of four-year-old I was. I also have early memories of “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” “City Of New Orleans,” “When Will I Be Loved,” “You’re No Good,” and “You’re In My Heart,” but those memories come from inside the house and include my parents’ KLH turntable.

"More, More, More" has the hook from Len's "Steal My Sunshine" in its bridge.

Some verse or intro highlights: "Feelin' Stronger Every Day," "Top Of The World," "Whenever I Call You Friend,” and “A Little More Love.”

"Mama Told Me (Not to Come)" by Three Dog Night: #11 in 1970
"Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum: #22 in 1970
"Lay Down" by Melanie with the Edwin Hawkins: #23 in 1970
"I Want You Back" by Jackson 5: #28 in 1970
"Love Grows" by Edison Lighthouse: #40 in 1970
"In the Summertime" by Mungo Jerry: #53 in 1970
"Take Me Home, Country Roads" by John Denver: #8 in 1971 *
"City Of New Orleans" by Arlo Guthrie: #45 in 1972 *
"Black and White" by Three Dog Night: #63 in 1972
"Feelin' Stronger Every Day" by Chicago: #54 in 1973
"Kodachrome" by Paul Simon: #74 in 1973
"Ramblin' Man" by Allman Brothers: #79 in 1973
"Hooked On A Feeling" by Blue Swede: #20 in 1974
"Top Of The World" by Carpenters: #39 in 1974
"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" by Elton John: #72 in 1974
"When Will I Be Loved" by Linda Ronstadt: #47 in 1975 *
"You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt: #50 in 1975 *
"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" by Elton John & Kiki Dee: #2 in 1976
"Play That Funky Music" by Wild Cherry: #5 in 1976
"More, More, More" by Andrea True Connection: #17 in 1976
"Let Your Love Flow" by Bellamy Brothers: #36 in 1976 *
"Don't Leave Me This Way" by Thelma Houston: #7 in 1977
"Things We Do For Love" by 10cc: #44 in 1977
"Ariel" by Dean Friedman: #69 in 1977
"If I Can't Have You" by Yvonne Elliman: #19 in 1978
"You're in My Heart" by Rod Stewart: #37 in 1978
"Whenever I Call You Friend" by Kenny Loggins & Stevie Nicks: #83 in 1978
"Sweet Talking Woman" by Electric Light Orchestra: #86 in 1978
"Tragedy" by Bee Gees: #16 in 1979
"A Little More Love" by Olivia Newton-John: #17 in 1979 *
"Lead Me On" by Maxine Nightingale: #24 in 1979
"Lady" by Little River Band: #42 in 1979
"Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" by Michael Jackson: #91 in 1979

Comments

[yomikoma]

*Pours one out for that KLH turntable, destroyed by movers as I left college senior year*

[yomikoma]

Also, a number of these (Black & White, Sweet Talking Woman, Love Grows, Tragedy, Lady...) are songs I got into during my college vinyl-buying days, so it's cool to see them hit you through this route.

[cnoocy]

To be fair, I've always really liked Black & White.

[yomikoma]

I'm listening to Ariel and WHAT THE HELL IS THIS

[cnoocy]

That came on for the first time as I was walking home along the bikepath and I had to stop midway through and listen again from the top.

[cnoocy]

Are you gradually working your way through the playlists?

[yomikoma]

Yes, I put them on in the background when I'm fun-coding.