Yes, it's been a while since I updated this. There have been some major happenings in the Gloveheadverse that have caused this delay. Good happenings, I can assure you. But now, at last, I shall pick up my excavation in 1975.
Feb. 1, 1975
38 - "Ding Dong, Ding Dong," George Harrison
This song was released at the end of 1974, and its lyrical refrain of "Ring out the old, ring in the new" gave it a natural New Year's Eve feel. George was having throat problems at the time he recorded the vocal for this, and you can hear it. Still, decent song.
40 - "Happy People," The Temptations
The Temps are backed by The Commodores on this buoyant slab of joyful funk noise that was co-written by Lionel Richie. It will improve your mood, guaranteed.
March 1, 1975
34 - "I've Been This Way Before," Neil Diamond
Your basic Neil ballad about being positive and determined and stuff. He sings it well enough, but personally, I'm more intrigued by the B-side, something called "Reggae Strut."
37 - "I Get Lifted," George McCrae
The only other pop Top 40 for the man who topped the chart the year before with "Rock Your Baby" was this hard-grooving sex-funk jam. This has to have been sampled by hip-hop artists dozens of times. I can't recall any examples, but come on, this one's just asking for it.
May 10, 1975
31 - "Rainy Day People," Gordon Lightfoot
Ol' Gordie had another hit with this folk-popper about loyal, considerate souls that are good to have in your life. Warm, familiar, nice.
July 12, 1975
26 - "Every Time You Touch Me (I Get High)," Charlie Rich
The Silver Fox's final pop Top 40 was this sultry country-soul ballad about the intoxication physical contact with the right partner can cause. The depth of his attraction is palpable. A terrific chart curtain call.
28 - "Slippery When Wet," The Commodores
The second pop hit for the pride of Tuskeegee, Alabama, was this funk jam about making sure you treat your lady right to prevent her from stepping out on you. Not quire "Brick House," but still good.
31- "It's All Down to Goodnight Vienna," Ringo Starr
One of Ringo's last Top 40s was this rocker with odd lyrics about Arabs dancing through Zion and butchers with needles. It was written by John Lennon, who also played piano and did the "1-2-3-4" count-in. That explains a lot, except what Vienna has to do with anything.
32 - "Disco Queen," Hot Chocolate
The British group's second American hit was this slick dance-funk stomper about a lady who isn't all that interested in the men who gather round her when she/s on the floor, becaues "music is her lover." I'm not sure if there's a name for that particular orientation, but who am I to judge?
34 - "Mornin' Beautiful," Tony Orlando and Dawn
Tony O. and co. picked up another hit with this peppy sapfest about waking up next to the one you love. Okay, as romantic cheese goes.
35 - "Spirit of the Boogie," Kool and The Gang
Their fourth Top 40 single feels vocals and lyrics that are quite similar to those of "Jungle Boogie." But that's okay, because "for the boogie, there is no beginning, and there is no end." So there's nothing else to do but ride the rhythm.
38 - "Just a Little Bit of You," Michael Jackson
MJ's final solo Top 40 for Motown was this disco tune on which he declares that his woman's love is his health care plan. Seriously, he says that he no longer contracts colds or flu since he's found her. Not sure this is a replacement for universal access to medical attention, but good song nonetheless. Also, this is where he starts to sound less like "little Michael," and more like the guy who would conquer the world a few years later.
40 - "Sweet Emotion," Aerosmith
The Top 40 breakthrough for these Boston rockers was this bluesy grinder on which Steven Tyler sings about women gyrating their backsides, doing the "backstage boogie," and the "rabbit test" which used to be the way to determine whether or not a woman was pregnant. Pretty much a comprehensive introduction to what the band is about musically and lyrically.
Oct. 18, 1975
25 - "You," George Harrison
More from George. This is a Motown-styled declaration of love that he originally wrote five years earlier for Ronnie Spector. His voice had recovered quite a bit by this time, and he sounds very happy about it.
28 - "Born to Run," Bruce Springsteen
After two highly-acclaimed but low-selling albums, this New Jersey singer-songwriter was given an extensive budget for his third in the hopes that it would facilitate a commercial breakthrough. The title track to the album was this mini-epic about a "scared and lonely rider" looking to escape to something better with his beloved "Wendy" by his side. The production has a Phil Spectorish "Wall of Sound," feel, and Bruce's vocals convey the appropriate desperation. An instant attention-grabber which, although it would only hit #23, would provide much of the momentum that would lead to the famous week where he was on the covers of both Time and Newsweek. Brilliant, classic, superlative.
30 - "Rockin' All Over the World," John Fogerty
Fogerty's first solo hit under his own name was this raw, simple rocker about, well, rockin'. Not a lot of effort expended, but still cool.
34 - "Sweet Sticky Thing," The Ohio Players
Hailing from Dayton (whose college basketball team just missed the Final Four this weekend), the Players picked up another hit with this funk ballad about a lady they want for their own. Sweet indeed, and it does remain in the mind, so I guess sticky applies too.
35 - "There Goes Another Love Song," The Outlaws
From Tampa, these southern rockers picked up the first of their two Top 40s with this number about how hearing certain songs can comfort a person when their away from a loved one. I think that's it. Nice, but not much more.
39 - "Just Too Many People," Melissa Manchester
This MOR star picked up her second hit with this song about relationship problems or something. Sorry, it's not interesting enough for me to care.
40 - "The Agony and the Ecstasy," Smokey Robinson
Smokey's third solo Top 40 was this ballad about the ups and downs on the journey to romance. Smooth, sexy, Smokey
Jan. 10, 1976
33- "Hurricane," Bob Dylan
One of Dylan's most famous 70s songs is this eight-minute-plus (broken up into two parts on the 45) protest song that tells the tale of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, a professional middleweight boxer who was convicted for the murders of three people during a robbery at a Paterson, New Jersey bar in 1966. In the song, Dylan affirms his belief in the claims of Carter and his supporters that Carter was innocent, and that his conviction was the result of racism and false testimony. Dylan's anger at this injustice is palpable, and the jagged, anguished squeals of Scarlet Rivera's violin further punctuate the expression of rage at a corrupt system. The song helped Carter become a cause celebre, and nine years later, Carter's conviction would be permanently overturned. He then moved to Toronto, and has since been active in helping other wrongfully convicted people prove their innocence.
35 - "Let's Live Together," The Road Apples
This Massachussetts band were horseshit. Wait, no, they were just named after horseshit. But their one major hit was this nice little pop-soul love song. They really did undervalue themselves.
Feb. 14, 1976
17 - "Grow Some Funk of Your Own/I Feel Like a Bullet (In the Gun of Robert Ford)," Elton John
A double-sided single featuring two tracks from Sir Elton's Rock of the Westies LP. The former song is a rocker about being thwarted in an attempt to pick up a Mexican lady by her rather large boyfriend. The latter is a ballad on which lyricist Bernie Taupin compares his behaviour during his first marriage to that of the man who assassinated Jesse James by shooting him from behind. Suffice it to say, he's not happy with himself. Although these days, when people hear the name "Robert Ford," they think of a different man, one that no wants to see anywhere near a gun.
June 5, 1976
16 - "Love in the Shadows," Neil Sedaka
The Neilster's penultimate solo Top 40 was this disco number about having secret trysts with a lover in alleys and dark hallways. A big ol' lump of 70s cheese that sounds like it should soundtrack a big production number from a bad variety show, with lots of dancers and a big elaborate set. Pretty much everything the Juul Haalmeyer Dancers sent up on SCTV.
28 - "Young Blood," Bad Company
The fifth Top 40 for these Brit rockers was a cover of a bluesy strut about admiring the charms of a passing lady that was originally a hit for The Coasters in 1957. Okay, but both the original and a version I've heard by The Beatles are better.
29 - "Rock and Roll Love Letter," The Bay City Rollers
The third American hit by these Scots heartthrobs was a catchy pop rocker about rockin' and bein' in love and stuff. Although it has to be clarified that they're singing "Gonna keep on rock and rollin' till my genes explode." If you picture a different spelling, it has a whole 'nother meaning. Although maybe that was intentional.
35 - "Crazy On You," Heart
The first Top 40 for this Seattle band was this rocker on which Ann Wilson declares her intention to seek refuge from the stress and strife of the outside world by making mad passionate love to her partner of choice. I envy the person who got to provide her such comfort at the time. She was pretty damn hot back in '76.
36 - "Love Really Hurts Without You," Billy Ocean
Eight years before his big 80s run, Ocean scored his first American hit with this peppy tune that sounds a lot like 60s Motown. It's just really well done, and I prefer it greatly to all of his "Mutt" Lange-produced stuff.
37 - "Union Man," The Cate Brothers
The only hit for Arkansas siblings Earl and Ernie Cate was this disco-funk number about the hardships and rewards of working in a unionized place of employment. North American political forces haven't been kind to the labour movement in the 38 years since this song came out, and myself, I think that's a shame. I could go on, but you don't come here for politics, you come to hear my opinions about the music. And in this case...meh.
38 - "It's Over," Boz Scaggs
The man with one of rock's alltime coolest names scored his first Top 40 with some smooth breakup soul. Okay, but his next few hits were bigger for a reason.
40 - "Still Crazy After All These Years," Paul Simon
Although it only got this high on the pop charts, this title track from Simon's third released solo album is one of his most familiar numbers. It's a wistful rumination on negotiating through the world as one ages. This is a topic he has revisited numerous times since, but he's rarely done it better.
Sept 25, 1976
35 - "Superstar," Paul Davis
The second of this forgotten pop star's eight Top 40s was this somewhat cheesy MOR tribute to some of the hitmakers of the day. It namedrops Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Linda Ronstadt (of whom he sings "Girl, you're looking thinner than you used to be") and Joni Mitchell. Somehow I think those mentions were what got it most of its airplay.
36 - "Sunrise," Eric Carmen
If you've been paying attention to this space for any length of time, you've probably noticed that I have little but disdain for Mr. Carmen's post-Raspberries output. But you know what? This song has a very upbeat, Beach Boys-y feel to it, and I daresay I actually enjoy it. So that's one, EC. It still doesn't nearly make up for "All By Myself."
In Part Four: the rest of this decade's untold stories.
