I give each record reviewed on Popular a mark out of 10. This is a poll where you can indicate which ones you would have given 6 or more to - pick as many as you like, and discuss the year in general in the comments box if you want.
Loading ...My highest mark for 78 went to Kate Bush (10) - my lowest to the Brotherhood of Man (2).
Written by Tom on Friday, August 15th, 2008 | 443 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.
If you enjoy Popular please link to it or tell your friends about it. The more people we have commenting and sharing their views on these songs, the better.
Index of reviews and scores so far
Popular FAQ
Popular on Twitter
Tom invented Freaky Trigger on a bus journey in the mid-90s. Typically, it took him 5 years to do anything about it.
Site is © the contributors, 1999–2008
Site powered by Wordpress using many wonderful plugins.
Billy Smart on August 15th, 2008
The phantom number ones in the NME chart of 1978 were; Blondie ‘Denis’ (2 weeks) and Showaddywaddy ‘I Wonder Why’ (1 week).
FT's Conrad on August 15th, 2008
A really good (but not quite great) year for singles, not reflected in the No 1s of a year dominated (at least in terms of weeks at the top) by Grease and Boney M.
Still, any list that includes Wuthering Heights (a definite 10 for me), Uptown Top Ranking and Take A Chance can’t be all bad…
And I do have a soft spot for the Rats and Rod.
It’s surprising that one of the biggest acts of the year - ELO - never got higher than 6.
Some other faves from 78 (the first year I started buying singles)
- Clash “White Man in Hammersmith Palais”
- Jam “Down In A Tubestation”
- Rachel Sweet “B.A.B.Y” (well, partly beacuse I had a crush on her)
- Evelyn King “Shame”
- ELO “Blue Sky”
- Tonight “Drummer Man”
- Jacksons “Blame It On The Boogie”
- Elvis “…Chelsea”
- Blondie “Picture This”
- Sylvester “You Make Me Feel”
- Abba “Summer Night City”
FT's Tom on August 15th, 2008
Yeah, it’s one of those years where the sheer popularity of one or two things crowds diversity out on a list like this. I have a lot more time for Grease’s 16 weeks at the top than other 16-week runs I could mention, but even so it’s a more skewed picture than usual.
FT's Conrad on August 15th, 2008
Yes, there was no denying the phenomenon. I always quite liked You’re The One and Frankie Valli would have made for a deserving Number One.
SteveM on August 15th, 2008
8 ticks - personal best, but it’ll be surpassed soon enough…
Greg Fanoe on August 15th, 2008
I only ticked 4, I think this was a poor year for number ones. Then again, I only knew just over half of the songs, so maybe there’s some hidden gems.
“Night Fever” was the worst single from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. Unbelievable that it’s the only number one in the UK. (There were like 5 or 6 that hit the summit in the US).
o sobek! on August 16th, 2008
us #1s 1978
bee gees - how deep is yr love
player - baby come back
bee gees - stayin alive
andy gibb - love is thicker than water
bee gees - night fever
yvonne elliman - if i can’t have you
wings - with a little luck
johnny mathis and deniece williams - too much, too little, too late
john travolta and olivia newton john - you’re the one that i want
andy gibb - shadow dancing
rolling stones - miss you
commodores - 3 times a lady
frankie valli - grease
a taste of honey - boogie oogie oogie
exile - kiss you all over
nick gilder - hot child in the city
anne murray - you needed me
donna summer - macarthur park
barbra streisand and neil diamond - you don’t bring me flowers
chic - le freak
yikes, usually when i compare the two i prefer the american chart overall (note but i’m an american) but my fave individual #1 is at least half the time maybe more something that topped the brit chart but not the american one, and before i looked i might’ve guessed that would be the case again (esp w/ ‘uptown top ranking’ up there) but ye gods the american chart. the chic is the only thing i’d could put alongside althea&donna-abba-kate bush.
a logged out p^nk s lord sukråt wötsit on August 16th, 2008
oops i kn0bbed that up by only ticking what i would give ten to X(
will on August 16th, 2008
I only picked out five. Looking ahead, I should think that 1979’s figure will be at least double that.
Glancing down that list, 1978 was a rum old year for chart-toppers. The changes brought about by punk obviously hadn’t yet filtered through to the top of the charts.
FT's Lena on August 16th, 2008
OMG where to begin with the awesomeness of 1978? I voted for eight of the songs here, and of the US #1s I would happily vote for fourteen. SUCH a great year…
Other songs I remember from the time:
Cheap Trick - “Surrender”
Earth Wind & Fire - “September” & “Fantasy”
Electric Light Orchestra - “Mr. Blue Sky” (the whole version, from the album, can make me cry, also Hello Arcade Fire)
Walter Egan - “Magnet And Steel”
Olivia Newton-John - “A Little More Love”
Parliament - “Flash Light” (first synth bass in a song?)
Gerry Rafferty - “Baker Street” (I happen to like the sax and guitar) & “Right Down The Line”
Chris Rea - “Fool (If You Think It’s Over)”
Patti Smith - “Because The Night”
Talking Heads - “Take Me To The River”
Van Halen - “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love” & “Runnin’ With The Devil”
John Paul Young - “Love Is In The Air”
Warren Zevon - “Werewolves of London”
Not forgetting Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman” and “Shame” by Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King, or Cheryl Lynn’s “Got To Be Real” or Chic…
Also gloriously looming on the horizon - first singles from Adam and the Ants, Human League, Scritti Politti and I can’t forget Thomas Leer, Flying Lizards, The Rutles or Nick Lowe’s “I Love The Sound of Breaking Glass.” WHEW! The amazing thing is that 1979 is going to be even better (insert Westwood-type bomb here).
Billy Smart on August 16th, 2008
Here are the same charts for 1978 seen upside-down, ie the singles that only got to number 40 that year;
21 Jan Jam Jam Jam - The People’s Choice - 1 week
18 Feb Sweet Sweet Smile - The Carpenters - 1
15 Apr Hey Senorita - War - 1
23 Sep Where Did Our Love Go? - Manhatten Transfer - 1
25 Nov Homicide - 999 - 1
None of these have overcome their comparative neglect at the time to pass into popular memory.
o sobek! on August 17th, 2008
‘homicide’ has slightly (much moreso than ‘rat trap’ stateside at least i’d bet) vaguely vaguely sorta yes?
mike on August 17th, 2008
My top fifty non-chart-topping UK Top 40 hits of 1978:
1 Clash - (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais
2 Sylvester - You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)
3 Elvis Costello & The Attractions - (I Don’t Wanna Go To) Chelsea
4 Rose Royce - Love Don’t Live Here Anymore
5 Blue Oyster Cult - (Don’t Fear) The Reaper
6 Earth Wind & Fire - September
7 Electric Light Orchestra - Mr Blue Sky
8 Jam - Down In The Tube Station At Midnight
9 Buzzcocks - What Do I Get
10 Rose Royce - Wishing On A Star
11 Electric Light Orchestra - Sweet Talkin’ Woman
12 Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King - Shame
13 Chaka Khan - I’m Every Woman
14 Public Image Ltd - Public Image
15 Funkadelic - One Nation Under A Groove
16 Earth Wind & Fire - Got To Get You Into My Life
17 A Taste Of Honey - Boogie Oogie Oogie
18 Yvonne Elliman - If I Can’t Have You
19 Chic - Everybody Dance
20 Ian Dury & Blockheads - What A Waste
21 Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Radio Radio
22 Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t've)?
23 X-Ray Spex - The Day The World Turned Day-Glo
24 Undertones - Teenage Kicks
25 Jam - David Watts / A Bomb In Wardour Street
26 Bill Withers - Lovely Day
27 Earth Wind & Fire - Fantasy
28 Bee Gees - Stayin’ Alive
29 Blondie - Denis
30 Nick Lowe - I Love The Sound Of Breaking Glass
31 Sylvester - Dance (Disco Heat)
32 Crown Heights Affair - Galaxy Of Love
33 Plastic Bertrand - Ca Plane Pour Moi
34 Blondie - (I’m Always Touched By Your) Presence Dear
35 Jacksons - Blame It On The Boogie
36 X-Ray Spex - Germ Free Adolescence
37 Siouxsie & The Banshees - Hong Kong Garden
38 Rezillos - Top Of The Pops
39 Voyage - From East To West
40 Buzzcocks - Love You More
41 X-Ray Spex - Identity
42 Jilted John - Jilted John
43 Tavares - More Than A Woman
44 Herbie Hancock - I Thought It Was You
45 Alicia Bridges - I Love The Night Life (Disco Round)
46 Hi Tension - Hi Tension
47 Phil Hurtt - Giving It Back
48 Buzzcocks - Promises
49 Musique - In The Bush
50 Stargard - Theme From Which Way Is Up
A wonderful year for the singles charts… but the best was yet to come.
Billy Smart on August 17th, 2008
The NME critics’ poll for 1978 is mightily good, despite it’s odd omission of a number 50;
1. Ever Fallen in Love - The Buzzcocks
2. Public Image - Public Image
3. What a waste - Ian Dury
4. Miss You - Rolling Stones
5. Radio Radio - Elvis Costello
6. I Don’t want to go to Chelsea - Elvis Costello
7. Hong Kong Garden - Siouxsie & the Banshees
8. White man in Hammersmith Palais - The Clash
9. Shot Both sides - Magazine
10. Sign of the times - Bryan Ferry
11. Shame - Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King
12. Hit me with your rhythm stick - Ian Dury
13. Rising Free - Tom Robinson Band
14. Satisfaction - Devo
15. Ambition - Subway sect
16. Take me to the river - Talking Heads
17. It’s the new thing - The Fall
18. I love the sound of breaking glass - Nick Lowe
19. What do I get - The Buzzcocks
20. Germ free adolescents - X ray spex
21. I am the fly - Wire
22. Because the night - Patti Smith
23. Damaged goods - Gang of four
24. Mr know it all - Gregory Isaacs
25. Night People - Alan Toussaint
26. Mighty Real - Sylvester
27. Private plane - Thomas Leer
28. Where were you - The Mekons
29. Hard workin man - Captain Beefheart
30. Down at the doctors - Doctor Feelgood
31. Little way different - Errol Dunkley
32. Don’t come close - The Ramones
33. Dangerous woman - Tapper Zuki
34. Love don’t live here any more - Rose Royce
35. Surrender - Cheap trick
36. Dry up your tears - The bold one/Clint Eastwood
37. Stayin’ alive - Bee Gees
38. Badlands - Bruce Springsteen
39. Tommy gun - The Clash
40. Jilted John - Jilted John
41. Human fly - The cramps
42. Natty never get weary - Culture
43. Picture this - Blondie
44. Shank block bologna - Scritti Politti
45. Which way is up - Starguard
46. Statue of liberty - XTC
47. Tomorrow night - Shoes
48. News of the world - The Jam
49. D.I.Y. - Peter Gabriel
Melody Maker didn’t do a poll, but did declare ‘Shame’ as their single of the year.
Billy Smart on August 17th, 2008
Sounds also did a critics’ top ten that year;
1) Because the night: Patti Smith
2) Public image: Public Image
3) White man in hammersmith palais: Clash
4) Miss you: Rolling Stones
5) Hong kong garden: Siouxsie & the Banshees
6) Teenage kicks: Undertones
7) Down in the tube station at midnight: Jam
8) Shot by both sides: Magazine
9) Night fever: Bee Gees
10) Tommy gun: Clash
(never much cared for ‘Because the Night’, myself. Indeed, I’d rather listen to ‘Rat Trap’)
Billy Smart on August 17th, 2008
Record Mirror did a list that year, too;
1 Patti Smith Because of the Night
2 Jam Down In The Tube Station At Midnight
3 Magazine Shot By Both Sides
4 Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King Shame
5 Gerry Rafferty Baker Street
6 Steel Pulse Ku Klux Klan
7= The Normal TVOD/Warm Letherette
7= Boomtown Rats Rat Trap
9 Elvis Costello I Don’t Want To Go To Chelsea
10 Boney M Rivers Of Babylon
10= Dire Straights Sultans Of Swing
10= Billy Joel Just The Way You Are
wichita lineman on August 17th, 2008
And the German number ones…
Mull Of Kintyre - Wings
Smurf Song - Father Abraham
Rivers Of Babylon - Boney M
You’re The One That I Want - JT & ONJ
Dancing In The City - Marshall Hain
Rasputin - Boney M
Mexican Girl - Smokie
Substitute - Clout
You’re The Greatest Lover - Luv’
YMCA - Village People
Justice for Rasputin and Substitute rather outweighed by 17 weeks at the top for Rivers Of Babylon.
1978 no.1s in Holland…
If I Had Words - Scott Fitzgerald & Yvonne Keeley
Denis - Blondie
Stayin’ Alive - Bee Gees
Rivers Of Babylon - Boney M (9 weeks)
You’re The One That I Want (9 more, no escape…)
You’re The Greatest Lover - Luv’
Grease - Frankie Valli
Hopelessly Devoted To You - ONJ
Dreadlock Holiday - 10CC
Get Off - Foxy
Trojan Horse - Luv’
Paradise By The Dashboard Light - Meat Loaf
Norway went with
Darling - Baccara
It’s A Heartache - Bonnie Tyler (12 weeks)
Mil Etter Mil - Jahn Teigen
Rivers Of Babylon
YTOTIW (18 bleedin weeks)
Smurfesangen - Geir Borresen
o sobek! on August 18th, 2008
big ups to holland for that FOXY love
Erithian on August 18th, 2008
And big ups to Bonnie Tyler for the time she threw an egg at Noel Edmonds on Swap Shop for his fabourite misheard lyric: “It’s A Hard Egg”. Bonus points if she’d actually hit him. Her 70s singles rather more likeable and less overblown than one the bunny prevents me mentioning.
And Norway put Jahn Teigen at number one? Need I remind anybody what that song was famous for?
DJ Punctum on August 18th, 2008
You’ll never be so wrong. Not in a lifetime.
wichita lineman on August 18th, 2008
Lest we forget…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZJ75BLo0WE
But I do prefer their ‘68 entry, Stress by Odd Borre.
Mark G on August 18th, 2008
Um, don’t mind me, but is it true some people are voting not to give Kate Bush more than 6 out of ten? Althea and Donna also? Heck, I even gave that Abba one more than 6…
DJ Punctum on August 18th, 2008
Probably the same people who voted for MBC and Figaro.
wichita lineman on August 18th, 2008
Or those Grease fans… weirdos. Abba would only have got a 5 from me, tho. All a matter of taste, and relativity. What would people have given Summer Night City if it had kept their run going?
DJ Punctum on August 18th, 2008
I voted for both Grease-related entries so careful with the “weirdo” business there.
mike on August 18th, 2008
#13 - Bah, Patti Smith’s “Because The Night” got accidentally deleted from my list. It should have been at #5.
FT's Conrad on August 18th, 2008
Re 24, a definite 10.
And I don’t know how I missed Shot By Both Sides from my list. The best debut single since, oh, Wuthering Heights…
(actually I think they may have been released around the same time).
Doctormod on August 18th, 2008
Amazing, simply amazing.
This is the first time my votes have been so closely aligned with the majority.
This can only mean that the end is near for the 1970s!!
wichita lineman on August 18th, 2008
Conrad, it’s a 9 for me, close to perfection. But such a slow burner, it baffled me at the time; the giant dynamo took a while to lure me in. Snap for most of Abba’s ‘79 45s.
FT's alephnaughtpix on August 21st, 2008
“What would people have given Summer Night City if it had kept their run going?”
Summer Night City > Take a Chance on Me IMHO
Chris Brown on August 24th, 2008
Weirdly, the four I voted for have become the Top 4. Should I admit that? ‘Night Fever’ is only just a six, and even then possibly only because I was in the right mood when I voted.
This being my birth year, I can’t claim to have appreciated any of this at the time, but I can see there’s a lot of very good music that didn’t top the chart (some mentioned in other comments) as there always is. For reasons I can’t quite recall, I was discussing the parallel lists of UK and US chart-toppers on Usenet somewhere and boy did the US get the dirty end of the stick there, Chic aside. At least the UK Number Ones aren’t consistently awful, and even the bad ones are mostly well-known.
Oh and I may have asked this before, but is ‘Summer Night City’ one of those records that sounds massively better on disc than on the radio?
Billy Smart on September 2nd, 2008
NME Readers’ poll for 1978, ‘Best single’ category;
1. The Clash - White Man In Hammersmith Palais
2. PiL - Public Image
3. The Boomtown Rats - Rat Trap
4. The Jam - Down In The Tube Station At Midnight
5. Siouxsie & The Banshees - Hong Kong Garden
6. Magazine - Shot By Both Sides
7. The Rolling Stones - Miss You
8. Patti Smith - Because The Night
9. Jilted John - Jilted John
10. Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street
Billy Smart on September 2nd, 2008
Aha! Found out the missing single from the NME critics’ list;
In that all-important number 50 position, ‘Power’ by Lester Bowie. I bet that DJ Punctum knows it!
Billy Smart on September 3rd, 2008
Again, the Melody Maker readers’ poll for 1978 is following a different script to the NME one;
1. Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street
2. Blue Oyster Cult - Don’t Fear The Reaper
3. Genesis - Follow You Follow Me
4. The Rolling Stones - Miss You
5. Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights
6. Patti Smith - Because The Night
7. Thin Lizzy - Rosalie
8. Joe Walsh - Life’s Been Good
9. Black Sabbath - Never Say Die
10. ELO - Mr Blue Sky