The rest.
20 - “Maybe,” Thom Pace
Idaho singer Pace had his one shining moment with this theme to the The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams, a 1974 film and subsequent TV series about a fugitive-turned-mountain man. The song is a faux-Bread blandwich about living free and loving nature. The low energy of the piece renders the singer’s name ironic.
19 - “Theme from The Deer Hunter,” The Shadows
The Cliff Richard backers-turned-instrumental institution scored their final Top Ten with a version of “Cavatina,” a classical guitar piece written by Stanley Myers that was used as a main theme in the 1978 Robert De Niro/Christopher Walken Oscar winner about Vietnam and Russian roulette. This version isn’t much to my ears. It might be nice to hear someone else give it a go.
18 - “Go West,” The Village People
The cotstumed disco purveyors scored their third Brit hit with this call to head for warmer and more tolerant climes. It actually seems restrained compared to the Pet Shop Boys’ 1994 cover, but still, one of the cornerstones of their catalogue.
17 - “We are Family,” Sister Sledge
The Sledges’ enduring anthem. Never fails to move me. And I’m proud that Canada came through with the #1 it deserved.
16 - “Cavatina,” John Williams
Here’s the original 1970 recorded version by an Australian who isn’t the guy who composes all of Steven Spielberg’s scores. This one is definitely better. Good ambient music for relaxation. Not sure how it works for a film built around gambling with guns, though.
15 - “H.A.P.P.Y. Radio,” Edwin Starr
Nine years after railing against “War,” Starr picked up two more Top Tens, the second being this effervescent soul-pop jam about a fictional radio station that just plays music that inspires joy. It won me over as a hypothetical listener.
14 - “Who Were You With in the Moonlight,” Dollar
The duo’s second hit was this slick pop tune about jealousy. On the OMYAM exchange, it’s valued at 40 cents.
13 - “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now,” McFadden and Whitehead
Gene and John’s disco perennial was biggest here, reaching #5. Irrepressible positivity funk.
12 - “Living on the Front Line,” Eddy Grant
The first hit for the Guyana-born Brit was this anti-war reggae jam. Great groove, conscious lyric, good good stuff.
11 - “Sunday Girl,” Blondie
Debbie Harry and co.’s second #1 was this snappy rocker about a lonely dreamer of a lady. She sings the second half in French, and you immediately want to become bilingual. For my money, no female pop singer has done sexy better.
10 - “Dance Away,” Roxy Music
Roxy’s fifth Top Ten was this slick, sophisticated number about boogieing the blues away. This is where they started to morph into the ultimate prom band for cool kids.
9 - “C’mon Everybody,” The Sex Pistols
The band’s seventh and final Top Ten, and their second Sid Vicious-sung Eddie Cochran cover. It’s kind of poignant to hear the recently deceased Vicious sing about more innocently rebellious youthful pleasures than the ones that led to his demise.
8 - “Boogie Wonderland,” Earth Wind and Fire and The Emotions
The fantastic funk summit between the masters and the fabulous vocal trio. Wherever this place is, I wanna go.
7 - “The Lone Ranger,” Quantum Jump
Three years after its initial release, this proto-synthpop number made the Top Ten with the help of airplay by popular DJ Kenny Everett. The song caused some controversy with its hint of a sexual relationship between the cowboy hero and his Native American companion Tonto, but hey, it gets lonely on the range. The band didn’t do much after this, but keyboardist Rupert Hine would be a prolific producer to the stars for the next two decades.
6 - “Light My Fire/137 Disco Heaven,” Amii Stewart
Washingtonian Stewart followed up her smash cover of Eddie Floyd’s “Knock on Wood” with a medley comprised of the Doors’ 1967 classic and a song whose lyrics mainly consist of the title phrase. The kind of thing that worked at Studio 54, incorporating a hit from the club goers’ youths with the modern sound. If cocaine was a movie, Stewart’s two biggest hits would be centrepieces of the soundtrack.
5 - “Night Owl,” Gerry Rafferty
The second of the Scot’s two English Top Fives was this pop-rocker about futilely searching for comfort in bars and nightclubs. It sucks that this wasn’t a single in North America, because it’s a terrific companion piece to “Baker Street.”
4 - “Ring My Bell,” Anita Ward
Memphian Ward only had one hit, but it was this Triple Crown-winning disco come-on. It’s kind of annoying when used in Walmart commercials, but out of that context, it still holds up.
3 - “Silly Games,” Janet Kay
Willesden’s Janet Kay Bogle had her one big success with this reggae ballad that helped define the genre known as “lovers’ rock.” I find her voice annoying on this. It would seem more suited for someone with a lower, more sultry voice, but that could be just personal preference.
2 - “Up the Junction,” Squeeze
The clever New Wavers followed up their #2 “Cool for Cats” by getting there again with this story song about a guy who meets a girl, falls in love, and has a child. Then he becomes resentful and spends all his time drinking and gambling, and his lover and daughter move out, leaving him lonely and regretful. It’s a tale told briskly and wittily to a very infectiousmelody. One of the great pop songs of all time, period.
1 - “Are ‘Friends’ Electric,” Tubeway Army
Before his solo success, New Wave pioneer Gary Numan fronted this band, who had one huge hit with this synthpop/rock mix about having androids for companions. This was apparently inspired by the book that the movie Blade Runner was based on. Shockingly, I’ve never seen it. But if it’s as awesome as this song, I really should.
Back again soon. You can check the Facebook page for when, and look at that, I’m tweeting again. Both are @MrBGlovehead. Thanks for reading.
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