The Top 100 Adult Songs of the 70's*: #30-21

Thirty songs remain in The Top 100 Adult Songs of the 70's*.  As we get closer to #1, enjoy!

#30:

"Shadows In The Moonlight"

Anne Murray
1979

Anne Murray has three big hits in this segment.  One of Anne's earliest performances was singing "Ave Maria" at her high school graduation in 1962.  Murray moved "Shadows In The Moonlight" into the Adult Top 5 fairly quickly, and she scored three weeks at #1.  After being taking over by "Lead Me On", though, it didn't drop like a rock.  On the contrary, "Shadows In The Moonlight" spent three weeks at #2, and posted ten total weeks in the Top 5.  It also competed against "Love Is The Answer", "You're Only Lonely", "She Believes In Me", and "Morning Dance".

 

#29:

"It's Impossible"

Perry Como

1970

 

Perry Como recorded with RCA Victor Records exclusively after signing with them in 1943.  Another of the "Easy Listening" hits early in the decade, this great one from Como spent four weeks at #1, another two at #2, and eight total weeks in the Adult Top 5.  It had competition from "We've Only Just Begun" and "Watching Scotty Grow".

 

#28:

"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"

Roberta Flack

1972

 

Here's a song that did not become popular until it was featured in the movie Play Misty for Me more than a year after its release.  This great song from Roberta Flack spent five weeks at #1, but only one other week in the Top 5.  Also, the only other top song out at the same time on the Adult chart was "Vincent".

 

 

#27:

"Looks Like We Made It"

Barry Manilow
1977

Richard Kerr co-wrote Barry Manilow's first hit "Mandy", and he returned to write the music for this one.  Here's one of the most durable songs of the decade.  Not only did it top the Adult chart for four weeks--it logged a staggering seven weeks at #3, and thirteen total weeks in the Top 5.  "Looks Like We Made It" took over from "Hello Stranger", and also competed with "It's Sad To Belong" and "My Heart Belongs To Me". 

#26:

"Watching Scotty Grow"

Bobby Goldsboro
1971

Mac Davis wrote The #26 Adult Song*; Bobby Goldsboro became familiar with it when the two met at a party.  Goldsboro marched to #1 for seven weeks, but he only spent one other week in the Top 5.  It competed against Perry Como's "It's Impossible" and the 5th Dimension's "One Less Bell To Answer".

 

 

 

 

 

 

#25:

"I'll Never Fall In Love Again"

Dionne Warwick
1970

 

Here's one of the first big Adult hits of the decade, and another in our list written by Richard Kerr and Will Jennings.  It jumped to #1 for three weeks, and also spent two weeks at #2 and eight in the Top 5, going against classics like "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" (the final #1 of the 60's) and "Bridge Over Troubled Water".

 

#24:

"I Just Fall In Love Again"

Anne Murray
1979

In 2007, Canada Post recognized Anne Murray with her own postage stamp; Anne is one of only four artists with this distinction.  This smash spent four weeks at #1 and four weeks at #2 against "Lotta Love" and Poco's "Crazy Love". 

#23:

"(What A) Wonderful World"

Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel & James Taylor
1978

This superstar trio combined for a great remake in 1978, achieving #1 on the Adult chart for five weeks.  They faced top songs like "We'll Never Have To Say Goodbye Again", "Just The Way You Are", and "Can't Smile Without You".  Only problem is:  the song only posted two other weeks in the Top 5 for a total of seven, severely getting in the way of a high ranking.

 

 

 

 

#22:

"Right Down The Line"

Gerry Rafferty

1978

 

Although Rafferty's "Baker Street" was a much bigger song overall, this was his biggest hit among Adults.  "Right Down The Line" spent four non-consecutive weeks at #1, posted three other weeks at #2, and nine weeks in the Adult Top 5.  It did all this while competing against top songs such as "Fool (If You Think It's Over)", "Time Passages", and "Love Is In The Air".

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

#21:

"Broken Hearted Me"

Anne Murray
1979

"Broken Hearted Me" rose to #1 for five weeks, and also hung on to #2 for an impressive four weeks.  All told, the song spent ten weeks in the Adult Top 5, going against songs such as "You're Only Lonely", "Send One Your Love", and "Where Were You When I Was Falling In Love".


Be sure to join us tomorrow on Inside The Rock Era for #20-11*!