Hi everyone, thanks for your votes on the 1960’s, we are now onto the 1970’s region. This was the heart of the classic rock and disco eras. You can vote @stewdrew on twitter #bestsong ever or on the sports stew with drew facebook page. As always I greatly appreciate your support and have a great weekend everyone!!!
#1. Debby Boone- You Light Up My Life (1977)
The number one hit (in terms of length on the Billboard Hot 100) was Debby Boone’s You light up my life which was released in August of 1977. Debby Boone is the daughter of folk singer Pat Boone. The song in my opinion was the epitome of the optimistic times of the 70’s. Where as the late 60’s had music that was very political and controversial this list in the 1970’s is going to have many beautiful melodic tunes as this Debby Boone’s classic was in the summer of 1977.
#16. Barbra Streisand- The Way We Were (1974)
This hit from the movie The Way We Were which also starred Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford spent three weeks at number one in the winter of 1974. The entire album was a rising hit but no hit on the movie’s album was as big of the number one single from it’s female lead. The Way we were was Streisand’s first number one single in the US.
#8. Three Dog Night- Joy To The World (1971)
Jeremiah was a bullfrog, he was a good friend of mine might be one of the most awesome intros to any song in the history of music. The song which has been described by members of the Three Dog Night as a kids song has been celebrated by people of all ages. As the theme of many of these songs this early 70’s pop rock jam has got a very positive vibe to it!!
#9. Chic- Le Freak- (1978)
Ready for the disco!! This song may be more regarded as an R & B hit but I think a jam that came out in the heart of the disco era could be clumped into the disco genre. Le Freak by Chic is one of those songs that once you hear it you must get on the dance floor and, awe freak out!!! Like the hit by Three Dog Night and many other’s on this countdown Le Freak is just a positively fun tune!!
4. Andy Gibb- Shadow Dancing (1978)
The kings of disco will appear later in this bracket. Here is a jam by Andy Gibb (famously of the Beegees) that would spend 7 weeks at number one on the billboard Hot 100. Brother Barry Gibb would help produce this song and Andy Gibb’s album but this 1978 hit was on Andy Gibb’s solo album. Let’s keep up the positive theme of disco a little bit more, “shadow dancin yeah!!!”
#13. Rod Stewart- Maggie May (1971)
Rod Stewart is a rock legend who has had many hits that spanned over the 1970’s and 1980’s. Maggie May was one of his biggest hits ever topping the Billboard Hot 100 for 5 weeks in 1971. Maggie May is a song about a relationship a young boy had with an older woman and he later would reveal the song was written about his first sexual encounter. I just think it’s a great song!!
#5. Gilbert O’Sullivan- Alone Again (Naturally) (1972)
Spending six weeks at number in one in the summer of 1972 the smashing soft rock hit was the first number one single in the US by Irish-American singer Gilbert O’Sullivan. On a side note what is a more common Irish last name than O’Sullivan. I used to go to a bar in Mesa Arizona called RT O’Sullivans. Anyone who is in their 30 catches my drift, moving onto the 12 seed… Naturally!!!
#12. Wings- Silly Love Songs (1976)
I may be teeing up a 12-5 upset here but I think Gilbert O’Sullivan’s naturally is going to hold up better than you think in this matchup. However, Paul McCartney’s second project was one of the biggest music groups to span the music sing across the 1970’s. The build up at the end of the verse to the chorus on this song you cannot beat, “cause here I go agaaaain!!”
#6. Roberta Flack- First Time I ever Saw Your Face (1972)
Awesome fact about one of the most underrated singers of all time (Roberta Flack should be revered in the same breath as Tina Turner and Aretha Franklin but she is overlooked in my opinion). Flack would win the grammy for record of the year in back to back years, for this smashing hit in 1972 and for “killing me softly with his song (popularly redone by the Fugges Lauryn Hill in 1995)” the very next year (spoiler alert Killing Me Softly is also in this bracket).
#11. The Emotions- The Best of My Love (1977)
Going back to the disco of the late 1970’s is another fun diddy by the Emotions. You can hear this song being retried poorly every Saturday night at your local karaoke. But how can not have a smile on your face when you hear this disco classic the Emotions. Happy emojis everywhere!!!
#3. Rod Stewart- Tonight’s The Night (Gonna Be Alright) (1976)
Rod Stewart is back again as his second big hit of the 1970’s (which spent 8 weeks at number 1) in the fall of 1976 would take America by the storm. This song makes me just want to put my lighter in the air a shed a tear. It eptiomized the shear optimism of the 1970’s. “Cause tonight it is gonna be alright”!!
#14. Donna Summer- Bad Girls (1979)
1979 was a year that was taken over by just a few songs and Donna Summer’s Bad Girls was one of those hits (spending five weeks at number one in the Billboard Hot 100). This song was about one of Donna Summer’s friends being offended by a police officer who though she was a lady of the night (or the appropriate word known as a prostitute).
#7. The Knack- My Sharona (1979)
My Sharona by the Knack was one of the pioneer song of what was called new wave rock which would take over the music scene in the 1980’s. Lead singer Doug Fieger wrote to song about his girlfriend at the time Sharona Alperin. Hence the theme my Sharona!! My Sharona was one of the biggest hits of the late 1970’s and one of my personal favorite songs of the entire decade, it is just catchy beyond words.
#10. Roberta Flack- Killing Me Softly (1973)
You already knew if you read above this song was going to make the bracket you just didn’t know where. Killing me Softly would spend 5 weeks at number one in 1973 and as mentioned above won the grammy for best record in 1973. This song is just an absolute classic and even the great Lauryn Hill cannot top the beautiful voice of Roberta Flack on this track.
#2. BeeGees- Saturday Night Fever (1978)
Gibb, Gibb, Gibb, anyone who has ever heard a disco song has heard this jam from the kings of disco (as I call them) that took the music scene by storm in the summer of 1978 (spending 8 weeks at number one in the billboard hot 100). We all remember John Travolta dancing in up with Uma Thurman in Be Cool and Pulp Fiction. But the beginning of the legend of dancing moves of Johnny T came in this 1978 movie that took America by storm. What took America by Storm even more was the Beegees hit, yes starpoint at will my friends!
#15. Captain & Tennille- Love Will Keep Us Together (1975)
If you need to go and jump in a mud pile because of me putting out 16 songs that are so fun and happy well then go for it (good luck if you live in Las Vegas finding some mud). This hit by Captain & Tennille is so happy go lucky that there is no other song that we could possibly wrap up this bracket with. Yes the saying is lame and cheesy but true, Love Will Keep Us Together!!!