1974- THE 100 GREATEST SONGS. Today: #100-1. Concludes with this post.

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1974

THE 100 GREATEST SONGS

MCMLXXIV

It was in 1974 that Richard Nixon became the first American President forced to resign following the Watergate Scandal. Gerald Ford replaced and then pardoned his predecessor. An almost complete hominid skeleton over 3 million years old known as Lucy was discovered in Ethiopia. West Germany won the FIFA World Cup. Muhammad Ali defeated George Foreman in ‘The Rumble In The Jungle’. Stephen King published his first novel: “Carrie”. Cinemagoers made box office hits of films like ‘The Godfather Part II’, ‘The Sting’ and ‘The Towering Inferno’. TV audiences enjoyed the new series “Happy Days”.

 

 Here are 100 songs representing the best of the music released during that year.  Twelve months that saw ABBA win the Eurovision Song Contest with “Waterloo” and the first Disco records top the charts.

Listen to all the songs on the Spotify playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1VeaFovwQ7eDZEXHytU4L4?si=292765a8ddf04464

 

1

 

NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE

Gloria Gaynor

 

Gloria Gaynor’s remake of The Jackson 5’s 1971 #2 hit song “Never Can Say Goodbye” was injected with a disco beat. Her cover was one of the genre’s earliest hit singles. The song was the first #1 on Billboard’s new Disco Chart. Gaynor would soon be crowned the Queen of Disco thanks to this and follow-up singles like “Honey Bee” and “I Will Survive”.

2

 

DON’T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON ME

Elton John

 

“Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” is one of the enduring signature songs in Elton John’s songbook. Originally included on the piano player’s ‘Caribou’ album, the single peaked at #2 in the USA and topped the Canadian chart. In 1991 Elton re-recorded the song as a live duet version with George Michael which proved to be even more successful, reaching #1 in America, Britain, Europe and Canada.

3

 

ANGIE BABY

Helen Reddy

 

Born in Melbourne, Helen Reddy was one of the first Australians to become a global superstar. “Angie Baby” was written by Alan O’Day. In America, the song topped the Pop and Adult Contemporary charts. The single made the Top 5 in the UK and Canada.  

4

 

WATERLOO

ABBA

 

When ABBA arrived in Birmingham for the Eurovision Song Contest, the group was not a favourite. Olivia Newton-John was expected to win with the UK entry “Long Live Love”. ABBA emerged the victor, providing the first of 7 wins for Sweden in the Contest. “Waterloo” not only was a watershed for Eurovision, but had a profound impact on the Swedish music industry and beyond. ABBA went on to become one of the world’s all-time best selling recording acts.

5

 

KILLER QUEEN

Queen

 

This was the major breakout hit for the English group Queen. Penned by lead singer Freddie Mercury, “Killer Queen” reached #2 in Britain, #12 in America and charted in Canada, Europe and Australia. One year later, Queen would return with its classic album ‘A Night At The Opera’ and the monumental “Bohemian Rhapsody”.

 

6

 

FEEL LIKE MAKIN’ LOVE

Roberta Flack

 

Roberta Flack was one of the most lauded performers at this time. She had already achieved 2 US #1 singles (“Killing Me Softly With His Song” and “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”) before the cruisy “Feel Like Makin’ Love” reached the top.

 

7

 

DARK LADY

Cher

 

After breaking away from ex-husband Sonny Bono, Cher’s solo career really took off. She scored a trifecta of US #1s in the early 1970s, with “Dark Lady” becoming her third chart-topper, following “Gypsies, Tramps And Thieves” and “Half-Breed”. Cher continued re-inventing herself and achieving more hit singles across subsequent decades, including “If I Could Turn Back Time” and “Believe”.

8

 

YOU’RE THE FIRST, THE LAST, MY EVERYTHING

Barry White

 

Barry White did much to lay the groundwork before disco boomed, infusing lush strings and a driving beat to his tracks such as this gem. The single peaked at #2 in America and topped the UK chart.

9

 

TIME IN A BOTTLE

Jim Croce

 

Singer/ songwriter Jim Croce was about to become a father and, as his tour was nearing its end, he was looking forward to going home to spend more time with his family. Tragically, this was not to be. He and four others were killed when a plane he was on crashed. This song was released posthumously, which only added to its poignancy.

 

10

 

LADY MARMALADE

LaBelle

 

Easily the sassiest track of the year 1974, this song’s chorus was made up of French lyrics asking: “do you want to sleep with me tonight?”. This- the original version-  was one of the first disco songs to reach #1.

 

 

11 ALL IN LOVE IS FAIR Barbra Streisand

12 DOCTOR’S ORDERS Carol Douglas

13 HONEY HONEY ABBA

14 BOOGIE ON REGGAE WOMAN Stevie Wonder

15 UNTIL YOU COME BACK TO ME

(THAT’S WHAT I’M GONNA DO) Aretha Franklin

16 HANG ON IN THERE BABY Johnny Bristol

17 ROCK YOUR BABY George McCrae

18 SUGAR BABY LOVE The Rubettes

19 LOVE’S THEME Love Unlimited Orchestra

20 BEACH BABY First Class

 

21 ROCK THE BOAT Hues Corporation

22 GONNA SING YOU MY LOVESONG ABBA

23 ANNIE’S SONG John Denver

24 YOU HAVEN’T DONE NOTHIN’ Stevie Wonder

25 CAT’S IN THE CRADLE Harry Chapin

26 YOU ARE EVERYTHING

 Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye

27 BONAPARTE’S RETREAT Glen Campbell

28 #9 DREAM John Lennon

29 SOMETHING SO RIGHT Barbra Streisand

30 HASTA MANANA ABBA

 

31 CREEPIN’ Stevie Wonder

32 LONG LIVE LOVE Olivia Newton-John

33 AUTOBAHN Kraftwerk   

34 WATCH OUT ABBA

35 HEAVEN IS 10 ZILLION LIGHT YEARS AWAY

Stevie Wonder

36 LONGFELLOW SERENADE Neil Diamond

37 WHEN WILL I SEE YOU AGAIN The Three Degrees

38 MIDNIGHT AT THE OASIS Maria Muldaur

39 KING KONG SONG ABBA

40 LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS Elton John

 

41 STOP, LOOK, LISTEN (TO YOUR HEART)

 Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye

42 DANCE (WHILE THE MUSIC STILL GOES ON) ABBA

43 BEING AT WAR WITH EACH OTHER

 Barbra Streisand

44 T.S.O.P. MFSB & The Three Degrees

45 GONNA MAKE YOU A STAR David Essex

46 MY MISTAKE (WAS TO LOVE YOU)

Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye

47 THEN CAME YOU

Dionne Warwick & The Spinners

48 CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF YOUR LOVE, BABE

Barry White

49 THE BEST THING YOU’VE EVER DONE

Barbra Streisand

50 YOU MAKE ME FEEL BRAND NEW

The Stylistics

 

51 RIKKI DON’T LOSE THAT NUMBER Steely Dan

52 DEVIL GATE DRIVE Suzi Quatro

53 SLIPSTREAM Sherbet   

54 MY MAMA SAID ABBA

55 SATISFACTION GUARANTEED

      (OR TAKE YOUR LOVE BACK)

Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes

56 HOLLYWOOD SWINGING Kool & The Gang

57 MACHINE GUN Commodores   

58 HOOKED ON A FEELING Blue Swede

59 SHIPS IN THE NIGHT Vicki Lawrence

    60 BEST OF MY LOVE Eagles

 

61 (I LOVE YOU) I HONESTLY LOVE YOU

 Olivia Newton-John   

    62 TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD

Rufus & Chaka Khan

63 FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY The O’Jays

64 MAGIC Pilot

65 THE AIR THAT I BREATHE The Hollies

66 YOU’RE SIXTEEN (YOU’RE BEAUTIFIL

AND YOU’RE MINE) Ringo Starr

    67 IF YOU LOVE ME (LET ME KNOW)

Olivia Newton-John   

68 THE BITCH IS BACK Elton John

69 THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN Lulu

70 EVIE (Part 1,2 & 3) Stevie Wright

 

71 NOTHING FROM NOTHING Billy Preston

72 TICKING Elton John

73 REBEL REBEL David Bowie

74 OH VERY YOUNG Cat Stevens

75 DOWN DOWN Status Quo

   76 SI Gigliola Cinquetti

     77 SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDERS John Denver

    78 DO IT (‘TIL YOU’RE SATISFIED) B.T. Express 

79 I SHOT THE SHERIFF Eric Clapton

80 GEE BABY Peter Shelley

 

81 YOU’RE MY WORLD Daryl Braithwaite

     82 PINKY Elton John

83 SUZY-HANG-AROUND ABBA

84 WHERE ARE ALL MY FRIENDS

 Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes

    85 ROCK AND ROLL HEAVEN The Righteous Brothers

86 GRIMSBY Elton John

87 THE NIGHT CHICAGO DIED Paper Lace

88 MOCKINGBIRD Carly Simon & James Taylor

89 SUNDOWN Gordon Lightfoot

90 CAN’T STOP MYSELF FROM LOVING YOU

William Shakespeare

 

91 KUNG FU FIGHTING Carl Douglas

92 Y VIVA ESPANA Sylvia Vrethammar

93 FAREWELL AUNTY JACK Grahame Bond

94 BILLY DON’T BE A HERO Paper Lace

95 SEASONS IN THE SUN Terry Jacks

96 THE WILD ONE Suzi Quatro

 97 SHE Charles Aznavour

98 THE HOSTAGE Donna Summer

99 MIGHTY MIGHTY Earth, Wind & Fire

100 THE ENTERTAINER Marvin Hamlisch