The Top 100 Adult Songs of the 70's*: #20-11

We hope you are enjoying The Top 100 Adult Songs of the 70's*--we're getting into the best of the decade.  So sit back and enjoy these ten! 

 

 

#20:

"Fool (If You Think It's Over)"

Chris Rea
1978

 

Newcomer Chris Rea took this song from the album Whatever Happened to Benny Santini? to the top.  "Fool (If You Think It's Over)" went to #1 for three weeks, fighting songs like "Three Times A Lady", "Love Is In The Air", and "Right Down The Line" for positioning.  "Fool (If You Think It's Over)" also placed at #2 for three weeks, and spent eight weeks in the Adult Top 5. 

#19:

"Snowbird"
Anne Murray

1970

 

Here we have one of the inaugural songs inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003.  "Snowbird" was also the first song ever by a Canadian female artist to sell over one million copies.  "Snowbird battled it out with the #2 and the #5 songs of the decade to earn six weeks at #1 in 1970.   "Snowbird" remained in the Adult Top 5 for nine weeks. 

 

#18:

"My Heart Belongs To Me"

Barbra Streisand

1977

 

This smash was among the songs considered for the movie soundtrack to A Star Is Born.  When it wasn't included in that project, Barbra Streisand put it on her album Streisand Superman.  Streisand's name has been synonymous with Adult music, and this #1 song of four weeks was one of her biggest of the decade.  It also spent five weeks at #2 and 11 inside the Top 5.  The competition was among the toughest of the decade--"It's Sad To Belong", "Nobody Does It Better", and Barry Manilow's "Looks Like We Made It".  That's three songs inside the Top 30 of the 70's competing for position with "My Heart Belongs To Me".

 

 

 

  

  

 

 

 

#17:

"Alone Again (Naturally)"

Gilbert O'Sullivan

1972

 

This all-time classic that sold over two million copies earned Grammy nominations for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.  It topped the Adult chart for six weeks, competing for attention against "Where Is The Love" and Neil Diamond's "Song Sung Blue", as well as "Baby, Don't Get Hooked On Me" from Mac Davis.  Gilbert O'Sullivan spent a total of eight weeks in the Top 5 with "Alone Again (Naturally)".

#16

"Nobody Does It Better"
Carly Simon
1977

Carly Simon scored a huge Adult hit with this theme from the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me.  It went straight to #1 for seven weeks, and did that over songs such as "How Deep Is Your Love", "My Heart Belongs To Me", "Blue Bayou", and "Just Remember I Love You".  The one downside:  it only spent one other week in the Top 5, so not great staying power.

  

 

 

#15:

"It's Sad To Belong"

England Dan & John Ford Coley

1977

 

Songwriter Randy Goodrum from Hot Springs, Arkansas should feel pretty proud.  Goodrum wrote three of the songs in this special--"Broken Hearted Me" for Anne Murray, "Bluer Than Blue" for Michael Johnson, and this one.  This duo scored some huge Adult hits in the decade, landing four in The Top 100*.  Dan & Coley raced to #1 with this smash, and remained there for five weeks.  It also spent four solid weeks at #2, and 11 in the Adult Top 5.  Other songs out at the same time included "My Heart Belongs To Me" and "Looks Like We Made It".

#14:

"It's Too Late"

Carole King
1971

We're getting into rarified air--this one won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year.  This all-around smash topped the chart for five weeks, spent eight weeks in the Top 3, and ten in the Top 5.  Other songs out at the same time included "Rainy Days And Mondays", "If" by Bread, "Me And You And A Dog Named Boo", and "If Not For You".

 

 

 

 

 

#13

"You're Only Lonely"

J.D. Souther

1979

 

Many outside the music business didn't know J.D. Souther until this smash song, when actually, he had numerous music ties.  When Souther moved to Los Angeles in the late 60's, he met Glenn Frey, and the two became roommates and musical collaborators.  Their neighbor downstairs was none other than Jackson Browne, and the three all worked together on several projects.  Souther also was Linda Ronstadt's boyfriend for several years.  This great song rose to #1 for five weeks against songs like "Broken Hearted Me", "Send One Your Love", and "Yes, I'm Ready".  J.D. Souther also stayed strong at #2 for five weeks to spend a total of 11 weeks in the Adult Top 5.

#12:

"Can't Smile Without You"
Barry Manilow
1978

We have one of the outstanding performers of the decade.  He had 16 AC hits in the decade, and incredibly, all but one went Top 10, with nine #1 songs in the Adult radio format.   This song entered the Top 5 in February, moved up gradually, and took over the #1 spot four weeks later.  It took over from "(What A) Wonderful World" by the superstar trio of Art Garfunkel, Paul Simon, and James Taylor, but one week later, surrendered the spot to England Dan & John Ford Coley's "We'll Never Have To Say Goodbye Again".  Then, amazingly, "Can't Smile Without You" stayed strong at #2 for six consecutive weeks, before heading back up to #1 again.

All in all, Barry Manilow chalked up two weeks at #1, eight at #2, and 12 weeks in the Top 5, behind only "Lead Me On", "How Deep Is Your Love", and Manilow's "Looks Like We Made It" for the most Top 5 weeks in the decade.  Besides the big Adult hits mentioned above, "Can't Smile Without You" also competed with "Just The Way You Are", "Feels So Good", and "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late", among the toughest competition of the 70's.

#11:

"Lead Me On"

Maxine Nightingale
1979

This super song was so strong it had three different turns at #1.  Add them all up and you get seven weeks at the top, with three more weeks at #2.  "Lead Me On" remained in the Adult Top 5 for a total of 14 weeks, tied with "How Deep Is Your Love" for the best in the decade.  Plus, it faced off against four other songs ranked in this Top 100*--"Shadows In The Moonlight", "She Believes In Me", "Morning Dance", and "Where Were You When I Was Falling In Love".


We have counted our way down just outside the Top 10 for the 70's*.  And we'll hear that tomorrow on Inside The Rock Era!