THE 200 ESSENTIAL SONGS OF THE 1970s. This update: #130- 121. Continues next weekend.

THE 200 MOST ESSENTIAL SONGS OF THE 1970s It was the decade of glam, disco, funk, Philly Soul, heavy metal, the singer/songwriter, punk and new wave. Here are the 200 songs that mattered most during the Seventies, in terms of influence, impact and success. To be eligible, the song needed to be released- as a single or on an album- during the years 1970-1979.
130	LOVE IS THE DRUG Roxy Music [1975] Roxy Music fused art rock with funk on "Love Is The Drug"; marking a radical shift that would be the source for inspiration that others would turn to. The single peaked at #2 in Britain and helped break the band in the USA.
129	HOLLYWOOD NIGHTS Bob Seger [1978] 'Stranger In Town' was the follow-up to Bob Seger's 'Night Moves' album. The latter saw him shape his sound. Seger refined his approach on the former. The single "Hollywood Nights" is a defining example of the West Coast rock sound that so dominated American pop during the Seventies.
128	POOR POOR PITIFUL ME Linda Ronstadt [1977] Linda Ronstadt was a key influence on 2 levels. Firstly, she was arguably the most capable female interpreter in the rock genre during the 1970s and early 80s. She recorded competent remakes of songs from the likes of The Eagles, Motown, Roy Orbison and The Rolling Stones. Secondly, Ronstadt was the era's best female rocker. "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" was a cover of a Warren Zevon song. In later decades, she would demonstrate versatility that would result in jazz, country, Mexican/ Spanish albums.
127	TINY DANCER Elton John [1971] "Tiny Dancer" has grown in stature since its inclusion on 'Madman Across The Water' in 1971. A new audience succumbed to its charms while watching the film 'Almost Famous'. The song's sweeping feel, Bernie Taupin's apt lyrics and Elton John's musicianship come together to create a poetic snapshot of life on the road.
126	GET IT ON (BANG A GONG) T-Rex [1971] In the early 1970s, Marc Bolan became one of rock's leading frontmen. His group T-Rex helped launch glam rock. "Get It On" soon became its anthem. The single not only reached #1 in the UK but cracked the American Top 10.
125	MAGIC MAN Heart [1975] Heart injected a female perspective on rock music when few women existed, let alone on guitar. "Magic Man' has a seductive vocal from Ann Wilson, torn between her mother's warnings and the draw of a man. Her sister Nancy powers the song on guitar. The riffs, the plot and the group's overall execution made this perfect for 70s rock radio.
124	COLD AS ICE Foreigner [1977] Foreigner dropped "Cold As Ice" before turning to power ballads in the 1980s. This early hit sounds deceptively basic, but is layered with keyboards, harmonies and guitar. Mick Jones blasts riffs out on the latter. Lou Gramm delivers an energetic lead vocal.
123	RUNNING ON EMPTY Jackson Browne [1977] The title track from Jackson Browne's 'Running On Empty' is another track that helped define the West Coast sound of American rock music during the 1970s.
122	25 OR 6 TO 4 Chicago [1970] Taking over from where Blood, Sweat & Tears left off, Chicago fused jazz and brass with pop and rock. "25 Or 6 To 4" is the best example from the group's catalogue. By the end of the decade Chicago had started venturing into syrupy ballad territory.
121	D'YER MAK'ER Led Zeppelin [1973] Led Zeppelin added a touch of reggae into their musical stew to create another standout from the legendary band's playbook. The track was included on the 'House Of the Holy' album.