I give marks out of 10 to every song - based on whatever criteria you like, here’s your opportunity to say what you’d have given more than 6 to from 1976. Tick as many as you like.
Loading ...And use the comments to discuss the year as a whole, if you like.
Written by Tom on Wednesday, May 21st, 2008 | 504 views |
The UK's 1000+ Number One Hits since 1952, reviewed, in order, irregularly, for as long as I can bear to keep doing it. A history of pop in the shape of a chart.
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Tom invented Freaky Trigger on a bus journey in the mid-90s. Typically, it took him 5 years to do anything about it. He also runs a marketing blog - blackbeardblog.com - and writes about pop music for whoever wants it.
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Ben on May 21st, 2008
I think ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ is just about the only Sir Elton song I can bear to listen to.
Less than 50% voting for Chicago surprises me… I’d have had that down as a surefire Poptimist fave.
FT's DJ Punctum on May 22nd, 2008
Not really “pop”, I don’t think.
Despite the generalised direness of the year I still found six entries worth 6 or more (”December ‘63″ is a borderline 5) which is two more than I found in 1971 so I’ve no idea what, if anything, that proves.
David Belbin on May 22nd, 2008
I only found five, but I’ve always had trouble with ‘Fernando’, not my kind of Abba song. And I had to vote for Chicago. I played an mp3 of this after the discussion below and it’s turned into a bit of an earworm. I half hated it at the time, having once been a big fan of the far more respectable ‘25 or 6 to 4′, the meaning of whose title I only discovered in the comments box here…
FT's DJ Punctum on May 22nd, 2008
I prefer “Wishing You Were Here,” which was not a hit in the UK, though I suspect this has a lot to do with the Beach Boys’ backing vocals.
Plus one of my favourite singles ever is “Hold Me Now” by DJ Kaos (1996) which takes “Hard To Say I’m Sorry” into a new dimension.
Billy Smart on May 22nd, 2008
I found 8, which may show that I’m a comparatively easy man to entertain.
It most assuredly was NOT me who voted for Barrie or Mathis, though.
mike on May 22nd, 2008
I polled 7 out of the 16, all of which turn out to be in the top 8. My only dissent from the consensus: Fernando.
FT's Drucius on May 22nd, 2008
I managed 4. None of the Abba songs made the cut.
FT's Doctor Mod on May 22nd, 2008
I managed four. All of the ABBA made the cut, which may show that I wasn’t crazy about most of the recording artists of the 70s.
Also Elton & Kiki; but, no slight to Kiki, I will forever wish that it had been Elton & Dusty, as originally planned.
FT's Lena on May 27th, 2008
I wanted to mention some songs from this year that I don’t think have been mentioned yet…some of which are still radio regulars:
“More Than A Feeling” by Boston
“The Boys Are Back in Town” by Thin Lizzy
“More, More, More” by Andrea True Connection
“Tear The Roof Off the Sucker (Give Up The Funk)” by Parliament
“Play That Funky Music” by Wild Cherry
“The Rubberband Man” by The Spinners
“Lowdown” by Boz Scaggs
“Cherry Bomb” by The Runaways
“Dazz” by Brick
“The Things We Do For Love” by 10cc
At the time I am sure I heard at least half of these, The Runaways, Brick and Parliament being the only ones that were beyond ‘regular’ radio in Canada.
Linda B on June 1st, 2008
I’m not at all surprised that Dancing Queen is at number one, it was the anthem of all us ’sweet young things’ in the seventies along with Elton & Kiki. Real Thing,Tina Charles and Pussycat all remind me of going to the Moonraker Nightclub in Preston in my hayday.I’m surprised they haven’t had more votes. As for Chicago, what a tear jerker! Some of these songs are still played quite often on radio here in Aus’.
DJ Punctum on June 1st, 2008
Just to add to and reinforce the missus’ excellent list above, here’s the NME critics’ Top 20 singles of the year list:
1. The Boys Are Back In Town - Thin Lizzy
2. Live At The Marquee (E.P.) - Eddie & The Hot Rods
3. Anarchy In The U.K. - Sex Pistols
4. Don’t Fear The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
5. So It Goes - Nick Lowe
6. Police And Thieves - Junior Murvin
7. Young Hearts Run Free - Candi Staton
8. Love And Affection - Joan Armatrading
9. I’ll Be Good To You - Brothers Johnson
10. Couldn’t Get It Right - Climax Blues Band
11. War In A Babylon - Max Romeo
12. Take The Money And Run - Steve Miller Band
13. Hurricane - Bob Dylan
14. Lowdown - Boz Scaggs
15. Let’s Stick Together - Bryan Ferry
16. Little Johnny Jewel - Television
17. I Want More - Can
18. Shake Some Action - Flamin’ Groovies
19. Roast Fish And Cornbread - Lee Perry
20. Boogie On The Street - Lew Lewis
Billy Smart on June 1st, 2008
A lot of great singles in that poll.
I’ve never heard ‘Boogie On The Streets’, though I’ve always thought that - for that title alone - it must be the definitive 1976 pub rock Stiff Records record.
Billy Smart on July 10th, 2008
ABBA 18%? 609 voters? I suspect that you may have been spammed!
The phantom NME Chart number ones of 1976; Glass Of Champagne, Silly Love Songs, Young Hearts Run Free. All of which are ace.
FT's Tom on July 10th, 2008
No, when we reset the FT back end the other week every individual vote somehow got counted as a separate voter. I will ask Alan if there’s anything that can be done about it.
FT's admin on July 10th, 2008
no idea how this happened - something askew in the poll counting. there are really 139 voters (and ~650 ticks). will try to rectify that…
DJ Punctum on July 11th, 2008
Luxembourg-only number ones: Glass Of Champagne, Rodrigo, Convoy, Love Really Hurts Without You, Love Me Like I Love You, Convoy GB, S-S-S-Single Bed, Silver Star, My Resistance Is Low, Silly Love Songs, Young Hearts Run Free, A Little Bit More, Jeans On, In Zaire, Let ‘Em In, Can’t Get By Without You, You Make Me Feel Like Dancing, Somebody To Love.