Top 100 Singles Of The 70's - 40-36
#40-36We've made it into the top 40 and we have some exciting things in store for you, coming in with some hard ass disco dance, a little bit of rock, a little bit of light adult contemporary and a whole lot of great singles; so let's hit it...
#40 – Knock On Wood – Amii Stewart(Cropper/Floyd)
Ariola single #7736 US / Atlantic single #11214 UK
Chart Debut: US Pop 01/27/1979 #1/ UK 04/07/1979 #6
It’s almost hard to believe this song is a cover of an R&B semi classic as Amii’s version of “Knock On Wood” has taken on a complete life of its own. Reconfigured into a disco dance classic, the thumping bass line, disco bells and Stewart’s beyond belief voice has pushed this song through the decades. When going through the songs of the 70’s I knew this one would make the list but when I started listening to all the songs, I realized how good this song really was. I first discovered it on that Hot Nights City Nights K-Tel album I had when I was a kid. I loved it then and would replay it after listening to it. I still do that.
#39 – Brand New Key – Melanie(Melanie Safka)
Neighborhood single #4201 US / Buddha #2011 105 UK
Chart Debut: US Pop 10/30/1971 #1 / UK 01/01/1972 #4
Melanie was featured in our countdown a while back with her folky ode to the Woodstock generation “Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)”. Following that album, Melanie became increasingly frustrated with her record company and having to not only come up with a new album every six months but also not being able to control her own songs. So she created her own record company, a thing not usually done by women in the early 70’s and to prove she could do it all with her own ideas her first single was this mega-hit. Anyone who’s seen the film Boogie Nights should recall this classic as it is Roller Girl’s opus, “I’ve got a brand new pair of roller skates/ you’ve got a brand new key…” Of course the skates and key were only metaphors for sex but Melanie’s almost child like vocals made it able to digest to the masses and not only the hipsters. The lyrics through out the song are a testament of power and self awareness, “I ride my bike/ I roller skate/ don’t drive no car/ I don’t go too fast/ but I go pretty far/ for someone who don’t drive/ I’ve been all around the world/ some say I’ve done alright for a girl…” But even a globe trotting roller skater needs some loving and she insists, “I rode my bike past your window last night/ I roller skated past your house at daylight/ it almost seems like you’re avoiding me/ I’m okay alone/ but you’ve got something I need…” I know I’ve already said it but search for a Melanie compilation, I swear you’re going to love it.
#38 – Dancing Barefoot – Patti Smith Group(Patti Smith/ Ivan Kral)
Arista single #281 UK only
Released – July 1979 – Not charted
Why this song wasn’t released as a single in the US and why it didn’t score big in the UK I have no clue. It’s one of Patti’s most covered songs with the likes of U2 even doing it. The haunting melody and creative lyrics are what drives “Dancing Barefoot” to earn it a place as one of the best singles in the 70’s. I love Patti’s delivery and the chop up approach to lyric writing, “she is benediction/ she is addicted to thee/she is the root connection /she is connecting with he” before the melody changes up a bit, “here I go and I don’t know why/ I fell so ceaselessly/ could it be he’s taking over me?” and our chorus kicks in, “I’m dancing barefoot/ heading for a spin/ some strange music draws me in/ makes me come on like some heroine..” or is it heroin? I’ve never been quite sure and it doesn’t really matter, the meaning is still the same. The song changes into a great little repeat before fading out as Patti sings, “Oh God I fell for you/oh god I fell for you…” “Dancing Barefoot” is an excellent trip into love’s darker sides and should’ve been just as big if not bigger hit than “Because The Night” which came out a year prior to this.
#37 – Vengeance – Carly Simon(Carly Simon)
Elektra single #46051 US / #12362 UK
Chart Debut: US Pop 06/09/1979 #48
Not one of Carly’s biggest hits but one of my favorites that she ever performed. 1979’s album Spy was a sort of take on the novel A Spy In The House Of Love and Carly was out to do something different on it. Full of strange metaphors, newly founded rock vibes, and some ethereal instrumentation, the album wasn’t exactly embraced but when it comes to a rock song “Vengeance” is great. Not only do you get Tim Curry’s backing vocals playfully working with Carly, you also get attitude in spades and it’s all done in that classic Carly lyric way. “That’s dangerous driving baby/ the police man said/ I can smell the passion of another man on your breath/ I could lock you up/ for what I saw/ that’s Vengeance he said/ that’s the law…” Of course since this is Carly she isn’t really speaking of an actual police officer and speeding woman, rather it’s two lovers on a rampage to outdo each other. “Vengeance” is classic Carly that hardly ever gets put on a compilation. It’s really Carly at her sassiest and sexiest. There used to be several uploads at You Tube for a promo video for this song which had Carly performing on it on a soundstage but she wore this incredibly sexy dress and the wind blowing at her, it was pretty hot. But for some reason I can't find it anymore. Should I find it, I'll let you all know.
#36 – Hopelessly Devoted To You – Olivia Newton-John(John Farrar)
RSO single #903 US / #17 UK
Chart Debut: US Pop 07/08/1978 #3/ UK 11/04/1978 #2/
Country 08/28/1978 #20
Anyone who knows anything about me knows I’m a Livvie lover and it all really started with her role as Sandy Olsen in Grease. If I could’ve done it, there would be a lot more Olivia Newton-John songs on this list but I had to delete a few to put on all the great songs that other people were performing in the decade, so we have only three of Olivia’s magnificent singles on our countdown and “Hopelessly Devoted To You” is our very first. Prior to making Grease, Olivia had enjoyed quite a hit career chalking up #1 singles on both the pop and country charts. By late 1977, she had left most country behind and was a staple of Adult Contemporary songs the likes of “Sam” and “Have You Never Been Mellow”, and because of this she felt a bit of trepidation taking on the role of Sandy. Mainly because of the transformation she would be taking at the end of the movie. In a fairly smart move by the producers and record executives they opted to replace a song from the musical with an Olivia original. So “Hopelessly Devoted To You” was written for the movie by her main writer and producer John Farrar and it had all the elements of the singles she was releasing at the time. A countrified pop ballad Olivia sings the shizz out of this one and for the longest time I swore “devoted” was two words and not one. Hey, I was a kid and what the hell did I know of devotion? Anyway, the song scored huge of course and the movie opened scoring everyone huge success and ultimately not only changing Sandy Olsen by the end but our dear sweet AC darling Olivia as well.
and we made it through our first round of the top 40 in the the top 100 Singles Of The 70's.. have you been surprised yet? Have you been wetting your panties in anticipation for your favorite song to show up? Do you even give a rip? Tell me about it stud...
Labels: 70s, Amii Stewart, Carly Simon, Melanie, Olivia, Patti Smith Group, Retro songs
posted by swivek @ 8:50 AM
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