The countdown continues!
#25 - Spirit In The Sky - Norman Greenbaum (1970)
Another track that has never been off the radio - and used in countless movies, television shows and commercials. Great track!
#24 - Let's Stay Together - Al Green (1972)
Another one you still hear every day ... if not several times a day ... The Reverend had a BIG, timeless hit with this one!
#23 - The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Robert Flack (1972)
From the Clint Eastwood movie "Play Misty For Me", this has to be one of the SLOWEST songs ever recorded. (Today's challenge is to see if you can make it all the way to the end without falling asleep!)
#22 - How Deep Is Your Love - The Bee Gees (1977)
More Gibb music, this time from "Saturday Night Fever". And we're not done yet ... you'll find three more tracks written by Barry Gibb before we hit the top of the heap. (For those of you keeping score, that makes NINE tracks out of 70 in all ... an incredible 13% of the countdown!)
#21 - Do Ya Think I'm Sexy? - Rod Stewart (1979)
Rod The Mod again ... this time HE'S the one trying to cash in on the disco craze. I've never felt that this one fit him well.
#20 - Tie A Yellow Ribbon 'Round The Ole Oak Tree - Tony Orlando and Dawn (1973)
One of those songs that helped define the '70's ... originally about a man coming home from prison, it soon became the theme song for all the war vets coming home from Viet Nam ... and you saw yellow ribbons tied around trees from coast to coast.
#19 - Stayin' Alive - The Bee Gees (1978)
Although "Night Fever" ended up being the bigger hit, it was THIS track that defined the movie ... and the whole disco movement. (Is it even possible NOT to "walk the walk" when this track comes on?) Not only fun to dance and listen to, but it also helps save lives ... reportedly in you simply follow the beat of "Stayin' Alive" while performing CPR, it's the best rhythm possible to revive a patient!
#18 - Kiss You All Over - Exile (1978)
Exile had a big career on the country charts ... but it was this #1 POP Hit that launched their careers.
#17 - My Sharona - The Knack (1979)
Another one of those defining tracks (and still one of my favorites.) It's impossible not to feel good when this song comes on.
#16 - Afternoon Delight - The Starland Vocal Band (1976)
Yes, it's become the butt of many a joke over the years ... but there is NO denying that this track had STAR(land) POWER when it was first released back in '76. (Most of these folks were members of John Denver's old band.)
#15 - Venus - Shocking Blue (1970)
Part of what was dubbed at the time as "The Dutch Revolution", here's another track that has never left our public consciousness. (And doesn't it make you want to shave your legs every time you hear it???)
#14 - My Sweet Lord - George Harrison (1970)
The first #1 Beatles Solo Hit belongs to The Quiet Beatle ... George topped the charts with this one as 1970 turned into 1971 ... and it comes from one of the very best post-Beatles solo albums ever, "All Things Must Pass".
#13 - Knock Three Times - Tony Orlando and Dawn (1971)
"Candida" came first ... and radio would have you believe it was a huge, huge hit ... but on this chart compiling EVERY record to reach the Cash Box Charts in the 1970's, ranking the points each record actually earned at the time, "Candida" comes in at #242 in the total scheme of things. Still Tony O and Dawn enjoyed quite a successful run on the pop charts ... and in the television ratings ... for a good chunk of the decade.
#12 - I Think I Love You - The Partridge Family (1970)
Based on the real-life family group The Cowsills, lead singer (and teen idol heart-throb) David Cassidy ... and his real-life step-mom Shirley Jones ... also enjoyed MASSIVE chart success thanks to the cross-over appeal of their weekly television series.
#11 - Alone Again (Naturally) - Gilbert O'Sullivan (1972)
This song was COMPLETELY out of left field when it first appeared in the Summer of '72 ... and it's still a pretty clever piece of work ... but Gilbert faded from view rather quickly after this one, despite writing some very catchy and memorable tunes post-"Alone Again".
Tomorrow we'll wrap things up with THE TOP 10 SONGS OF THE '70'S ... right here in Forgotten Hits!
