Top 100 Singles Of The 70's - 65-61
Top 100 Singles Of The 70's#65-61
Well here we are once again, and this time around we have a whole new batch of not only great singles but some fairly new type of sounds as well - a few little doses of early electronic music, some new wave, some good old fashioned disco fun and a tale of moody rebellion, so let's get to the singles shall we?
#65 I Feel Love – Donna Summer(Pete Bellote/Donna Summer/Giorgio Moroder)
Casablanca single #884 US / GTO single #100
Chart Debut: US Pop 08/06/1977 #6 / UK 07/09/1977 #1
Germany’s Kraftwerk may have been one of the first bands to successfully begin using electronics in their music but it was Donna Summer’s 1977 single “I Feel Love” that brought it into the consciousness of the masses. A high-octane series of synthesized pulses provided by Giorgio Moroder and Donna Summer’s high octaves weaving in and out of the rhythm. The lyrics are pretty much inconsequential as Donna’s voice ends up becoming part of the actual fabric of the song so she could really just be singing from the phone book and the song would probably still work. “I Feel Love” also came in a 17-minute electronic love fest on 12” vinyl something only the likes of Miss D could’ve pulled off at the time. She may have been known as “The Queen Of Disco” but Donna Summer proved with this single and even more so as her career progressed that she wasn’t afraid to take chances and willing to push the envelope on both the dance floor and the music charts.
#64 – Another Brick In The Wall Part II – Pink Floyd(Roger Waters)
Columbia/CBS single #11187 US / Harvest single #5194 UK
Chart Debut: US Pop 01/19/1980 #1 / UK 12/01/1979 #1
Pink Floyd’s The Wall is probably one of the most famous albums in rock history. A psychedelic little bludgeon of a life full of angst and powerlessness, the single “Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)” may not be as crafty or eerie as “Comfortably Numb” but to me it works much better as a single. The bass line pushing us along as Roger Waters sings about the hypocrisy and power trips of the people in higher position. When the kids choir chimes in, “We don’t need no education/ we don’t need thought control…hey teacher, leave us kids alone…” it had every school age kid screeching in rebellion. Of course the song and album were much deeper than most people in the school age bracket could fathom, it was so sing songy it of course became a hit. Incidentally, “Another Brick In The Wall” is one of those songs that were released in late 1979 and though it’s highest chart position happened in early 1980, it still qualifies as a single from the 70’s.
#63 – Pop Muzik – M(M)
Sire single #49033 US / MCA single #413 UK
Chart Debut: US Pop 08/11/1979 #1 / UK 04/07/1979 #2
By 1979 a whole new breed of music was pulsating through the airwaves, using keyboards and electronics meshed with usually light and airy lyrics, the new wave was upon us. England, who was always three corners ahead of the music curb, had been embracing the likes of Elvis Costello and Blondie for a while but America was soon to get on the bandwagon. No other new wave song so blatantly told the story as “Pop Muzik”, the fun and frilly single from an entity known simply as M. The song fools you by beginning with some stringy arrangement making you believe you’re in for a ballad when only two seconds in a rush of jumpy keyboards and synths welcome you into a new world of pop muzik.
#62 – I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor(Fekaris/Perren)
Polydor single #14508 US / #2095017 UK
Chart Debut: US Pop 12/16/1978 #1/ UK 02/03/1979 #1
“I Will Survive” and so will this song, apparently. Originally released as a B-side to a single, some DJ liked this song better and began playing it on the radio. When it was obvious the single was speaking to the masses, Polydor quickly released it as an A-side and the song climbed fast and furious to #1. The universal story of having your ex show up at your doorstep just as you’re finally over them, and being strong enough to say, “just go on now/ walk out the door/just turn around now/ you’re not welcome anymore/weren’t you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye/ did you think I’d crumble?/did you think I’d lay down and die?…” still resonates in everyone’s consciousness. Of course the song refuses to die, since it hasn’t left the radio, compilations or the dance floor since its release in 1979.
#61 – Denis – Blondie(Neil Levanson)
Chrysalis single #2220 US / #2204 UK
Chart Debut: UK 02/18/1978 #2
The boys and girl of Blondie had their roots firmly entrenched in the music of the 60’s, the girl groups, the beach party music, all the themes were evident on the songs from the first two albums. For the second album Plastic Letters, Blondie decided to do a full on cover of one of their fav 60’s gems, taking Randy and The Rainbows bouncy “Denise” to a whole new level. Debbie put in French lyrics added the name “Denis” (pronounced denee) into the mass consciousness and ended up with a top 2 hit in the UK. The bouncy little hand claps and foot stomps are actually the band performing in the studio, there were no synthesized clappers in that studio in 1977, and the added bonus of Debbie singing in French for the second half of the 2 ½ minute song only adds to its allure. Chrysalis executives didn’t like her take on the French lyric and thought her full New York accent didn’t make it any better but producer Richard Gottehrer held strong and in the UK they ate it up. Blondie would have to wait awhile for their big US break, but those kids in UK were fast making Debbie and her boys stars. Incidentally, next to "Detroit 442" (also from Plastic Letters) this is my sister's favorite Blondie song - did I mention my sister's name is Denice?
and there we have our latest hot 100 singles of the 70's - According to Bradley; what will be in store for you on your next visit? Well I don't like to give out too many clues but let's just say we have some pretty interesting things coming up including a favorite of a certain Aussie bridal wannabe, some slurred little takes of action, a hottie and chest hairy younger sibling of the famous and some other famous siblings... see I give too much away in my clues....
posted by swivek @ 11:20 AM
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