Last week (click here if you missed it), I presented numbers 75 to 51in my countdown of the Billboard charting singles of 1976. This is part of a month long celebration of the songs from this year that I am doing with online blogging buddies Herc (of Herc's Hideaway) and Mark (of 1976-1985: My Favorite Decade).
Today, we will continue going through my favorites of the year with a countdown of numbers 50 to 26.
50. Sorry Seems To Be the Hardest Word - Elton John (11/13/76, 14, 6)
49. Love In the Shadows - Neil Sedaka (4/10/76, 11, 16)
48. Shop Around - Captain & Tennille (5/1/76, 16, 4)
47. Magic Man - Heart (7/17/76, 23, 9)
46. Freebird - Lynyrd Skynyrd (12/4/76, 8, 38)
I always sing along with Elton on the song at number 50. Neil made his comeback to the charts thanks to the hit at number 49, while Captain and Tennille who were clearly fans of his delivered some good dating advice at number 48. Heart returns to the countdown with another big hit from their debut album (which I reviewed last month), while number 46 by the southern rockers of Lynyrd Skynyrd are represented with an album-rock classic at number 46.
45. Young Hearts Run Free - Candi Staton (5/29/76, 16, 20)
44. Fooled Around and Fell In Love - Elvin Bishop (3/6/76, 17, 3)
43. You Make Me Feel Like Dancing - Leo Sayer (10/23/76, 21, 1)
42. The Boys Are Back in Town - Thin Lizzy (5/15/76, 17, 12)
41. More Than a Feeling - Boston (9/18/76, 19, 5)
Candi Staton was another one hit wonder of the early disco days. Elvin Bishop spins an infectious pop spell at number 44. How could you not dance when listening to Leo at number 43. Thin Lizzy's rocker at number 42 is one of my favorites ever from the band, while number 41 was the opening track of the powerful self-titled debut album from Boston.
40. Disco Duck - Rick Dees & His Cast of Idiots (8/14/76, 25, 1)
39. She's Gone - Hall and Oates (7/24/76, 20, 7)
38. Strange Magic - Electric Light Orchestra (3/13/76, 14, 14)
37. Fly Like an Eagle - Steve Miller Band (12/18/76, 20, 2)
36. Muskrat Love - Captain & Tennille (9/25/76, 20, 4)
Yes, I admit that I owned the 45 of the song at number 40; I remain today still a disco fanatic. Hall and Oates return to the countdown with another radio classic. The song at number 38 was just shy of the time when I got into Electric Light Orchestra, so this one became a favorite a little later on in time. We have a pair of music animals at our number 37 and 36 spots (and three animals in this batch if you count Dees' duck at number 40).
35. You Are the Woman - Firefall (8/21/76, 22, 9)
34. Nights Are Forever Without You - England Dan & John Ford Coley (10/9/76, 16, 10)
33. More More More - Andrea True Connection (3/13/76, 25, 4)
32. Lorelei - Styx (2/14/76, 14, 27, 14, 27)
31. The Rubberband Man - the Spinners (9/11/76, 21, 2)
Firefall had a number of pop-rock hits in the 70's, but this one at number 35 is my favorite from them. The duo of Dan and Coley had a powerful year, and the song at number 34 is the first of two by them that made my countdown. Andrea True's signature dance tune clocks in at number 33, while Styx delivers a favorite rocker at number 32. Rounding out this batch, I owned the 45 of the song I put at number 31 (it was just a fun, funky number from the Spinners).
30. Take The Money and Run - Steve Miller Band (5/8/76, 16, 11)
29. Silly Love Songs - Paul McCartney & Wings (4/10/76, 19, 1)
28. Love So Right - Bee Gees (9/18/76, 23, 3)
27. Love Really Hurts Without You - Billy Ocean (4/3/76, 11, 22)
26. A Fifth of Beethoven - Walter Murphy & the Big Apple Band (5/29/76, 28, 1)
Steve Miller scores his second entry in the countdown and on this section at number 30. Sure, many find Sir Paul's song at number 29 to be fluff and silly, but that's kind of the point. What's wrong with that? The Bee Gees land their first, but hardly their last, on my countdown with the song at number 28 (everyone should not be surprised as I have always been a huge fan of the brothers Gibb). Billy Ocean may have had his biggest hits in the 80's, but how can we forget his hit from 1976. I certainly can't. Finally, a disco classic that takes a new spin on an old classical classic drops in at number 26 - a song I'd become a big fan of thanks to the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack a few years later.
The countdown concludes next week with my favorites at number 25 to 1. Stay tuned.
4 comments:
"Silly Love Songs' fluff? Heresy! It's in my top 10.
I said many might call it fluff, Mark, but not me. I look forward to seeing your list in the next week or so.
We're up to 31 common songs!
And together, we have mentioned 261 songs from 1975-1977 on our lists. Can't wait to see if you're Top 25 brings any new tunes to that mix.
Crack my Top 40 on Wednesday and finsh up with Top 20 on Friday.
Then waiting for next week when you wrap up your list and Mark hopefully begins his.
SPOILER ALERT: I may or may not have ranked "Silly Love Songs" as high as Mark (I guess we'll have to see) did but I ranked it 26 spots higher than you. Love that song.
Is it too soon to be begin discussing which year we can do next?
I am up for doing another year later in the year. This was fun. I would like to do perhaps 81 or 86 since those also have big anniversari s this year.
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