Forgotten Hits

The Best Of The Rest, Part 2 ...

Summer's Greatest Hits,

1971 - 1980

This wraps up our Summer Countdowns, taking us all the way from 1955 - 1980.

The Top Ten Hits shown for the years 1971 - 1980 were calculated by each record's chart performance during the months of June, July and August of these years.

(You will find countdowns for all of the OTHER Summer Hits elsewhere on this web page.)

THE NATIONAL CHARTS

1971:

1. IT'S TOO LATE - Carole King

2. You've Got A Friend - James Taylor

3. Indian Reservation - The Raiders

4. Mr. Big Stuff - Jean Knight

5. How Can You Mend A Broken Heart? - The Bee Gees

6. Rainy Days And Monday - The Carpenters

7. Want Ads - Honey Cone

8. Brown Sugar - The Rolling Stones

9. I Feel The Earth Move - Carole King

10. Treat Her Like A Lady - Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose

1972:

1. ALONE AGAIN, NATURALLY - Gilbert O'Sullivan

2. If Loving You Is Wrong, I Don't Want To Be Right - Luther Ingram

3. Brandy - Looking Glass

4. Daddy, Don't You Walk So Fast - Wayne Newton

5. Too Late To Turn Back Now - Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose

6. Lean On Me - Bill Withers

7. The Candy Man - Sammy Davis, Jr.

8. I'll Take You There - The Staple Singers

9. Outta-Space - Billy Preston

10. Oh Girl - The Chi-Lites

1973:

1. BAD, BAD LEROY BROWN - Jim Croce

2 . Will It Go Round In Circles - Billy Preston

3. The Morning After - Maureen McGovern

4. My Love - Paul McCartney and Wings

5. Kodachrome - Paul Simon

6. Give Me Love - George Harrison

7. Playground In My Mind - Clint Holmes

8. Live And Let Die - Paul McCartney and Wings

9. Pillow Talk - Sylvia

10. Brother Louie - Stories

1974:

1. BILLY, DON'T BE A HERO - Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods

2. Sundown - Gordon Lightfoot

3. Rock Your Baby - George McCrae

4. The Night Chicago Died - Paper Lace

5. You Make Me Feel Brand New - The Stylistics

6. Feel Like Makin' Love - Roberta Flack

7. Annie's Song - John Denver

8. Rock The Boat - The Hues Corporation

9. Tell Me Something Good - Rufus

10. Band On The Run - Paul McCartney and Wings

1975:

1. LOVE WILL KEEP US TOGETHER - The Captain and Tennille

2. One Of These Nights - The Eagles

3. Please Mr. Please - Olivia Newton-John

4. Jive Talkin' - The Bee Gees

5. The Hustle - Van McCoy

6. Listen To What The Man Said - Paul McCartney and Wings

7. When Will I Be Loved - Linda Ronstadt

8. Sister Golden Hair - America

9. Someone Saved My Life Tonight - Elton John

10. I'm Not Lisa - Jessi Colter

1976:

1. SILLY LOVE SONGS - Paul McCartney and Wings

2. Kiss And Say Goodbye - The Manhattans

3. Afternoon Delight - The Starland Vocal Band

4. Don't Go Breakin' My Heart - Elton John and Kiki Dee

5. Get Up And Boogie - The Silver Convention

6. Misty Blue - Dorothy Moore

7. Love Is Alive - Gary Wright

8. You Should Be Dancing - The Bee Gees

9. Shop Around - The Captain and Tennille

10. Let 'em In - Paul McCartney and Wings

1977:

1. I JUST WANT TO BE YOUR EVERYTHING - Andy Gibb

2. I'm In You - Peter Frampton

3. Undercover Angel - Alan O'Day

4. Looks Like We Made It - Barry Manilow

5. Got To Give It Up - Marvin Gaye

6. Best Of My Love - The Emotions

7. Dreams - Fleetwood Mac

8. Da Doo Ron Ron - Shaun Cassidy

9. Gonna Fly Now - Bill Conti

10. Higher And Higher - Rita Coolidge

1978:

1. SHADOW DANCING - Andy Gibb

2. Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty

3. Miss You - The Rolling Stones

4. Grease - Frankie Valli

5. Three Times A Lady - The Commodores

6. Take A Chance On Me - ABBA

7. You're The One That I Want - John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John

8. Last Dance - Donna Summer

9. It's A Heartache - Bonnie Tyler

10. Too Much, Too Little, Too Late - Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams

1979:

1. RING MY BELL - Anita Ward

2. Bad Girls - Donna Summer

3. Hot Stuff - Donna Summer

4. Good Times - Chic

5. We Are Family - Sister Sledge

6. Makin' It - David Naughton

7. My Sharona - The Knack

8. Just When I Needed You Most - Randy VanWarmer

9. The Main Event / Fight - Barbra Streisand

10. Love You Inside Out - The Bee Gees

1980:

1. IT'S STILL ROCK AND ROLL TO ME - Billy Joel

2. Coming Up - Paul McCartney

3. Little Jeannie - Elton John

4. Magic - Olivia Newton-John

5. Funkytown - Lipps, Inc.

6. The Rose - Bette Midler

7. Sailing - Christopher Cross

8. The Biggest Part Of Me - Ambrosia

9. Steal Away - Robbie Dupree

10. Take Your Time - The SOS Band

Kudos to Andy Gibb ... he is the ONLY artist to top the Summer Chart TWICE during the '70's, first in 1977 with "I Just Want To Be Your Everything" and then again a year later with "Shadow Dancing".  Meanwhile, his brothers didn't do too badly either ... the OTHER Brothers Gibb scored Top Ten Summer Singles with "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart" in 1971, "Jive Talkin'" in 1975, "You Should Be Dancing" in 1976 and "Love You Inside Out" in 1979.  In addition to writing and producing Andy's hits, they also had a hand in Frankie Valli's big comeback record "Grease".

In 1979, Donna Summer finished second and third with "Bad Girls" and "Hot Stuff" respectively ... she also made The Top Ten Chart in 1978 with "Last Dance".

But while Disco may have dominated the charts from 1975 - 1979, by 1980 it was "still rock and roll" that won out ... as Billy Joel scored the biggest hit of the summer with "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me".

The Chicagoland Charts

1971:

1. IT'S TOO LATE - Carole King

2. Never Ending Song Of Love - Delaney and Bonnie

3. Don't Pull Your Love - Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds

4. You've Got A Friend - James Taylor

5. How Can You Mend A Broken Heart? - The Bee Gees

6. Draggin' The Line - Tommy James

7. Rainy Days And Mondays - The Carpenters

8. Want Ads - Honey Cone

9. Smiling Faces Sometimes - Undisputed Truth

10. Riders On The Storm - The Doors

1972:

1. ALONE AGAIN, NATURALLY - Gilbert O'Sullivan

2. Brandy - Looking Glass

3. Song Sung Blue - Neil Diamond

4. Lean On Me - Bill Withers

5. Nice To Be With You - Gallery

6. Too Late To Turn Back Now - Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose

7. The Candy Man - Sammy Davis, Jr.

8. Outta Space - Billy Preston

9. Long Cool Woman - The Hollies

10. Tumbling Dice - The Rolling Stones

1973:

1. MY LOVE - Paul McCartney and Wings

2. The Morning After - Maureen McGovern

3. Kodachrome - Paul Simon

4. Brother Louie - Stories

5. Monster Mash - Bobby "Boris" Pickett

6. Pillow Talk - Sylvia

7. Yesterday Once More - The Carpenters

8. Get Down - Gilbert O'Sullivan

9. Give Me Love - George Harrison

10. Touch Me In the Morning - Diana Ross

1974:

1. BAND ON THE RUN - Paul McCartney and Wings

2. Sundown - Gordon Lightfoot

3. Rock The Boat - The Hues Corporation

4. Billy, Don't Be A Hero - Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods

5. Annie's Song - John Denver

6. The Night Chicago Died - Paper Lace

7. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me - Elton John

8. Rock Your Baby - George McCrae

9. The Air That I Breathe - The Hollies

10. Waterloo - ABBA

1975:

1. LOVE WILL KEEP US TOGETHER - The Captain and Tennille

2. Listen To What The Man Said - Paul McCartney and Wings

3. Wildfire - Michael Murphey

4. Sister Golden Hair - America

5. Magic - Pilot

6. Jive Talkin' - The Bee Gees

7. Someone Saved My Life Tonight - Elton John

8. The Hustle - Van McCoy

9. Killer Queen - Queen

10. I'm Not In Love - 10cc

1976:

1. SILLY LOVE SONGS - Paul McCartney and Wings

2. Afternoon Delight - The Starland Vocal Band

3. Shop Around - The Captain and Tennille

4. Got To Get You Into My Life - The Beatles

5. Rock And Roll Music - The Beach Boys

6. The Boys Are Back In Town - Thin Lizzy

7. Crazy On You - Heart

8. Get Closer - Seals and Crofts

9. Don't Go Breakin' My Heart - Elton John and Kiki Dee

10. Love Hangover - Diana Ross

1977:

1. UNDERCOVER ANGEL - Alan O'Day

2. Da Doo Ron Ron - Shaun Cassidy

3. I Just Wanna Be Your Everything - Andy Gibb

4. You Made Me Believe In Magic - The Bay City Rollers

5. I'm In You - Peter Frampton

6. Lonely Boy - Andrew Gold

7. Looks Like We Made It - Barry Manilow

8. Do You Wanna Make Love - Peter McCann

9. Feels Like The First Time - Foreigner

10. I'm Your Boogie Man - KC and the Sunshine Band

1978:

1. YOU'RE THE ONE THAT I WANT - John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John

2. Shadow Dancing - Andy Gibb

3. King Tut - Steve Martin

4. Miss You - The Rolling Stones

5. Too Much, Too Little, Too Late - Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams

6. Last Dance - Donna Summer

7. Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty

8. Grease - Frankie Valli

9. With A Little Luck - Paul McCartney and Wings

10. It's A Heartache - Bonnie Tyler

1979:

1. HOT STUFF - Donna Summer

2. I Want You To Want Me - Cheap Trick

3. Makin' It - David Naughton

4. Ring My Bell - Anita Ward

5. Bad Girls - Donna Summer

6. Reunited - Peaches and Herb

7. Heart Of Glass - Blondie

8. The Logical Song - Supertramp

9. Shake Your Body - The Jacksons

10. My Sharona - The Knack

1980:

1. COMING UP - Paul McCartney

2. It's Still Rock And Roll To Me - Billy Joel

3. The Rose - Bette Midler

4. Lost In Love - Air Supply

5. Funky Town - Lipps, Inc.

6. Gimme Some Lovin' - The Blues Brothers

7. Misunderstanding - Genesis

8. Magic - Olivia Newton-John

9. Steal Away - Robbie Dupree

10. Brass In Pocket - The Pretenders

Ironically, WLS published a special TOP TEN HITS OF SUMMER, 1980 List as part of their September 6th Survey ... and "Coming Up" by Paul McCartney didn't even make the list!

It showed Billy Joel's "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me" in the top spot, followed by "Lost In Love", "The Rose", "Steal Away" and "Misunderstanding" ... all o fwhich made OUR Top Ten Countdown as well.

The biggest difference, of course, is that we actually tabulated the points earned by these tracks during the months of June, July and August of 1980. 

How WLS chose to overlook "Coming Up"'s performance is beyond me ... it was #1 for FOUR WEEKS in June and July. Other #1 Records included "Lost In Love" (#1 for 3 weeks), "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me" (also #1 for 4 weeks) and "Magic", which would eventually spend FIVE weeks on top of the WLS MusicRadio 89 Survey, carrying through to the end of September.

On their Year-End Survey, they ranked "Lost In Love" as the biggest record of the year, followed by Billy Joel's "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me".  On THIS chart, "Coming Up" by Paul McCartney finished at #30 ... behind 22 songs that never made it to #1 ... I guess topping the charts for four weeks didn't count for much that year!

In his book "Chicago Top 40 Charts, 1980 - 1990", Ron Smith put "Coming Up" at #6 for 1980.  His chart is ALSO based on total points accumulated throughout the course of the year and, because OUR chart only concerns itself with the Summer Months of June, July and August, Ron's year-end rankings are noticeably different.  For example, "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me" finishes ahead of "Coming Up" on Ron's year-end chart at #5 ... but WLS' choice for Biggest Single Of The Year, "Lost In Love" by Air Supply, comes in at #9.

Chicago was clearly a Paul McCartney town ... while Elton John is probably widely considered the biggest artist of the '70's, you sure couldn't prove it by looking at our Summer Charts!  McCartney topped the chart in 1973, 1974. 1976 and 1980 with his monster hits "My Love", "Band On The Run", "Silly Love Songs" and "Coming Up" ... and he finished second in 1975 with "Listen To What The Man Said".  ("With A Little Luck" also made The Top Ten in 1978, finishing at #9 for the summer!)

Chicago's love of novelty hits also extended into the '70's ... witness "Monster Mash" and "King Tut" finishing in The Top Ten for 1973 and 1978 respectively.