Posted on 01/14/2018 7:57:12 PM PST by the OlLine Rebel
OK, FREEPERS, LET'S START THIS CONTEST FOR THE GREATEST SONG OF THE '70S.
The baseline for the contest is the top 7 hits of each year of the '70s, as compiled by BILLBOARD. This is not based on personal preferences, biases, prejudices, or counter-culture fringe-element reactivity.
The rules in general will be to vote for everything shown.
NO equivocating, ties, or omissions. Votes will ONLY be counted if the "ballot" is COMPLETE.
*ROUND 1*
We begin by taking the #7 songs of each year and paring them from 10 songs to 4 (to set up brackets of 64 for the rest of the contest).
1970 "I'll Be There" The Jackson 5
1971 "Go Away Little Girl" Donny Osmond
1972 "Lean on Me" Bill Withers
1973 "Crocodile Rock" Elton John
1974 "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" MFSB
1975 "Fame" David Bowie
1976 "Love Machine" The Miracles
1977 "Don't Leave Me This Way" Thelma Houston
1978 "Baby Come Back" Player
1979 "Hot Stuff" Donna Summer
Oh, I completely get it. They were “chart toppers”. Played on both AM and FM Top 40 stations, I suppose. Pop stuff never did much for me either.
By the mid 70s, I was a teen playing guitar, so I was into much heavier/hard rock stuff.
Best to worst:
1972 “Lean on Me” Bill Withers
1974 “TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)” MFSB
1978 “Baby Come Back” Player
1979 “Hot Stuff” Donna Summer
1975 “Fame” David Bowie
1977 “Don’t Leave Me This Way” Thelma Houston
1973 “Crocodile Rock” Elton John
1976 “Love Machine” The Miracles
1970 “I’ll Be There” The Jackson 5
1971 “Go Away Little Girl” Donny Osmond
1. "Fame" David Bowie
2. "Baby Come Back" Player
3. "Crocodile Rock" Elton John
4. "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" MFSB
5. "Lean on Me" Bill Withers
6. "Hot Stuff" Donna Summer
7. "Don't Leave Me This Way" Thelma Houston
8. "I'll Be There" The Jackson 5
9. "Love Machine" The Miracles
10. "Go Away Little Girl" Donny Osmond
Thanks for stressing this. There are a few songs on this list that I wouldn't listen to even at gunpoint. LOL.
I hate that song! Sounds horrible, never mind the stupidity in the “story”! I mean, he really sounds like he’s making fun of a song with the poor singing dramatics - but it’s serious!
I didn’t remember Donna Summer doing a version - I was devastated to find that out! But at least in disco arrangement it’s much more palatable, and she sings better.
Thank you for trying to bring some others into it!
I’m very eclectic and love music in general, but indeed some songs irritate me.
I’m grieving right now because it looks like “Lean on Me” is sweeping this list! Hate the whiny, depressed arrangement with mealy-mouthed singing on a song that’s supposed to be a bit upbeat about friends. Geesh.
MUCH prefer the awesome and happy ‘80s version!
LOL. For the most part, the 70s were an awful decade for pop music. Classic rock ruled the radio back then.
Sorry, no personal additions! All based on Billboard Hot 100.
Must be a country lover, eh?
(I like it too. Unfortunately they didn’t pop into the 100 too much then. Have to wait for the Urban Cowboy boom.)
1- 1979 “Hot Stuff” Donna Summer
2- 1977 “Don’t Leave Me This Way” Thelma Houston
3- 1971 “Go Away Little Girl” Donny Osmond
4- 1975 “Fame” David Bowie
5- 1974 “TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)” MFSB
6- 1972 “Lean on Me” Bill Withers
7- 1970 “I’ll Be There” The Jackson 5
8- 1976 “Love Machine” The Miracles
9- 1978 “Baby Come Back” Player
10- 1973 “Crocodile Rock” Elton John
Disco sucks!
Scary to think all of these “kids” are now in their late 50s/early 60s.
Whatever!
I never even heard of that stupid vandalism until late in the ‘90s. I should’ve been about 10 and my sister was a disco queen, and we had news on alot (and I read USNews/Time some too).
Somehow I think again the haters turned an unimportant minor blip into some groundswell of ruining disco. Bah.
Cool!
Lean on Me
I’ll Be There
Crocodile Rock
Love Machine
Baby Come Back
Don’t Leave Me This Way
Hot Stuff
TSOP
Go Away Little Girl
Cool!
Lean on Me
I’ll Be There
Crocodile Rock
Love Machine
Baby Come Back
Don’t Leave Me This Way
Hot Stuff
TSOP
Go Away Little Girl
1970 “I’ll Be There” The Jackson 5
1974 “TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)” MFSB
1976 “Love Machine” The Miracles
1973 “Crocodile Rock” Elton John
1977 “Don’t Leave Me This Way” Thelma Houston
1979 “Hot Stuff” Donna Summer
1972 “Lean on Me” Bill Withers
1975 “Fame” David Bowie
1971 “Go Away Little Girl” Donny Osmond
1978 “Baby Come Back” Player
“I never knew Lennon was a part of that song! Crazy...”
He’s doing the back up vocals.
Looks like a pagan ritual.
(And it was, without knowing so).
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