December 11, 1976 Part One

December 1976. I think this was the Christmas I got a Six Million Dollar Man action figure. Good times.

40 - "Whispering/Cherchez la Femme/C'est si Bon," Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band
39 - "I Like Dreamin'," Kenny Nolan
38 - "This Song," George Harrison
37 - "If You Leave Me Now," Chicago
36 - "Don't Take Away the Music," Tavares
35 - "Enjoy Yourself," The Jacksons
34 - "Saturday Night," Earth Wind and Fire
33 - "Do You Feel Like We Do," Peter Frampton
32 - "Shake Your Rump to the Funk," The Bar-Kays
31 - "Jeans On," David Dundas

A lot of disco/funk in this first quarter. Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band blended disco with 40s era swing on this track, which opens by name-checking record executive and future ex-Mr. Mariah Carey Tommy Mottola. Later, two members would continue blending old and new dance music with Kid Creole and the Coconuts. Tavares are here with a seemingly reasonable plea, and to further their argument, the singer borrows a popular insurance slogan and proclaims "It's my piece of the rock." The Jacksons returned with a new name, a new label. and a lineup change (younger brother Randy "Not the Idol Guy" Jackson replaced Jermaine, who stayed at Motown after marrying Berry Gordy's daughter), but "Enjoy Yourself" is fun, positive pop that sounds like the same old Jackson boys. I wasn't familiar with this Earth Wind and Fire track, but while it didn't stand out, they're a group that's always worth a listen. I didn't know the Bar-Kays song either, but I must admit, my posterior did oscillate a little while listening to this one.

Three MOR hits here. Kenny Nolan wrote the legendary ode to street prostitution in New Orleans "Lady Marmalade," so I guess I can forgive him for this snoozer. You may remember that I consider "If You Leave Me Now" to be an affront to taste from its appearance on out last visit to '76, so no need to elaborate. And David Dundas, who was apparently a British Lord by birth, had his only hit with this mildly uptempo repurposed blue jeans ad (for a brand called Brutus). I think I remember it from back in the day.

The other two songs here are by artists who, although pretty different, were both considered "rock stars" George Harrison wrote "This Song," to vent his frustrations after losing a lawsuit accusing him of infringing on the copyright of the 60s hit "He's So Fine" with "My Sweet Lord. He makes several references to the dispute in the lyrics, including insisting "My expert says it's okay." And Peter Frampton's "Do You Feel Like We Do" returns from the last '76 list, but this time, Casey played the version without the talk-box. What's the point?

30 - "Lost Without Your Love," Bread
29 - "I Wish," Stevie Wonder
28 - "It's a Long Way There," The Little River Band
27 - "The Best Disco in Town," The Ritchie Family
26 - "Somebody to Love," Queen
25 - "Just to Be Close to You, "The Commodores
24 - "Hello Old Friend," Eric Clapton
23 - "Disco Duck," Rick Dees and His Cast of Idiots
22 - "Car Wash," Rose Royce
21 - "Livin' Thing," Electric Light Orchestra

We've got three repeaters here: The Ritchie Family's exercise in disco recycling, The Commodores getting a little grittier than usual, and Rick Dees & Co. with that dancefloor novelty extraordinaire, which does not repeat as an Uneasy Rider winner.

Two MOR stars are present. Bread reunited after three years apart to score one more Top Ten. It isn't much, even for them. And I had thought that the Little River Band hadn't hit the Top 40 in the US until 1977's "Help is on Its Way," but apparently, I was wrong. And this first hit almost...rocks. That wouldn't last.

Two major funk classics are in this group. Stevie Wonder's artistic independence reached its commercial peak with the Songs in the Key of Life album, and this was the first single, a propulsive reminiscence of his childhood. From the opening bassline to those horn blasts, just top to bottom awesomeness. And Rose Royce had their first and biggest hit with the title song to a movie starring Richard Pryor and George Carlin. Solid disco-funk that inspired an unecessary Christina Aguilera cover from the unnecessary movie Shark Tale.

We close this half with three diverse examples of "Rock" as it was defined in 1976. Queen would just miss the top ten with this big, almost operatic ballad of lovelorniness (yeah, I make up words. Why not?) that remains an anthem for the unattached everywhere. Eric Clapton is here with an unmemorable slice of the kind of MOR mush that made up the bulk of the songs that he got on pop radio for a 20-year period. And ELO make one of their rarer-than expected appearances in this enterprise with one of their biggest hits, one that I was surprised to learn just know has been interpreted as anti-abortion. Well, the lyrics do contain the word "conceived," so...maybe? I don't know, I just think its about the ups and downs of romance, like most other pop songs. And that's OK.

Tomorrow: a lot of repeaters from seven weeks ago, and a certain pair of "animal lovers" show up to claim what's rightfully theirs