the 70s

My 100 favourite songs of the 70's. It goes artist, song title, year of release and peak billboard chart position, if any.

1. Al Green
Lets Stay Together (1971, #1)

"I wouldn't put Al Green top of my list but he certainly was a great artist. At his best up there with Otis Redding. I saw him live a few times when the opening bars to "So Tired of Being Alone" would send shivers down the spine. I once had the pleasure of cooking him a burger (True I promise you!)."--Duncan Reid, The Boys

"The absolute pinnacle of seventies soul."--Paul Melancon

2. The Buzzcocks
Ever Fallen In Love? (1978, didnt chart)

"By far the best Buzzcocks song and a contender for number 2 on my list also."--Duncan Reid

"i love the buzzcocks, but i actually like pete shelley's solo stuff better (ie homosapien, but he actually had lots of better songs than that). this isn't my favorite buzzcocks track, but a good one nonetheless. where the hell is pete shelley now???"--Pea Hicks, Optiganally Yours

3. The Clash
White Man In Hammersmith Palais (1978, #32 UK)

4. Joni Mitchell
All I Want (1971, album track)

"'all I really really want our love to do is to bring out the best in me and in you&' *sigh* Joni Rocks." --Gerlinda Grimes, Weaklazyliar

5. The Jackson 5
I Want You Back (1970, #1)

6. The Only Ones
Another Girl, Another Planet (1979, #57 UK)

7. Blondie
One Way Or Another (1979, #24)

"Better than Denis Denis and all the rest? (I don't think so). My wife once had to pretend to be Debbie Harry at a gig in Canterbury to divert the fans so that DH could escape from the back of the venue. Was the resemblance why I married her?"--Duncan Reid

8. Nick Drake
Been Smoking Too Long (1971?, album track)

9. The Adverts
Gary Gilmores Eyes (1977, #18 UK)

10. John Lennon
Instant Karma (1970, #3)

"Has to be a smattering of Fabs in here and this was a great track. What about "Maybe I'm amazed" and "Another Day" by Macca?"--Duncan Reid

11. Ike & Tina Turner
Proud Mary (1971, #4)

12. Carole King
Its Too Late (1971, #1)

13. X Ray Spex
Oh Bondage Up Yours! (1977, didnt chart)

14. Joni Mitchell
This Flight Tonight (1971, album track)

15. The Clash
London Calling (1979, #11 UK)

16. Elvis Costello
Olivers Army (1979, didnt chart)

"this is one of the first songs i remember being on mtv, and i just was amazed that this totally nerdy looking guy could a: call himself elvis and b: be a rock star on mtv!! i seriously thought it was a joke that i just hadn't been let in on."--Pea Hicks

"The sword over my head when I write songs. I can never manage to be so effortless at obscure references as he manages in this song. And let's not forget that he lost out to A Taste of Honey (as in "Boogie Oogie Oogie") for Best New Artist at the Grammys. Should I ever win a Grammy my acceptance speech will not be televised, I'm sure."--Paul Melancon

17. Melanie
Brand New Key (1971, #1)

18. Plastic Bertrand
Ca Plane Pour Moi (1978, #8 UK)

"now this song ROCKS! i like the telex version too, but not as much as the original."--Pea Hicks

19. Squeeze
Goodbye Girl (1978/1979, didnt chart)

"i seem to remember there were 2 different versions of this song- one done mostly with synths, and another more standard rock-band version... is that right? or maybe they just did it rock-band style when they played live...? in any event, i always much preferred the synthy version. this was one of the only songs i ever learned to play on my ukulele. this one, anarchy in the uk(ulele), and a couple others..."--Pea Hicks

20. Serge Gainsbourg
Je TAime...Moi Non Plus (1970, didnt chart)

"Great character. Appeared on a French TV show with us and Talking Heads. He and David Byrne were examples of how to be out of it in totally different ways."--Duncan Reid

21. Elvis Costello
Alison (1977, didnt chart)

"I am sure many would agree that this is not Mr. Costello's best song--however, if you've had your heart broken, ingloriously, by a woman named "Alison" well, brother, it is quite a tonic and I take a little pleasure in knowing that she and I think about the same thing when we hear this song."--Robi, at work

22. The Cure
Boys Dont Cry (1979, didnt chart)

"this is one of those songs that i remember liking, but then when the cure became more well-known and sold-out, i thought it sounded like every other pop hit they did from the late 80s to early 90s, and i stopped liking it."--Pea Hicks

"It seems INCONCEIVABLE to me that The Cure had a song out in the 70s, along with ABBA and John Lennon. Weird. They dont seem that old at all." --Gerlinda Grimes

23. ABBA
Waterloo (1974, #6)

"abba is one of those bands that i think most people remember hating but then when they hear the songs again they're just so perfect, in terms of pop music, that you can't deny there greatness. this song is an example of that..."--Pea Hicks

"There are only good things to say about ABBA."--Linda Smith

24. The Clash
Hateful (1979, album track)

25. Talking Heads
Pulled Up (1977, didnt chart)

"A truly original approach to the problem of making interesting pop music. Still fresh after all these years."--Linda Smith

26. Joni Mitchell
Raised On Robbery (1973, didnt chart)

27. Rufus featuring Chaka Khan
Tell Me Something Good (1974, #3)

28. Sex Pistols
Anarchy In The UK (1976, #38 UK)

"The record that started it. What a great sound."--Duncan Reid

29. Blondie
Contact In Red Square (1977, b-side)

30. The B-52s
Rock Lobster (1979, didnt chart?)

"i remember learning the farfisa riffs from this and always wanting to do this tune in a cover band... i actually was in a few cover bands over the years, but never got around to doing this tune..."--Pea Hicks

31. The Ramones
Sheenas A Punk Rocker (1977, #22 UK)

" If you have to chose one Ramones track this is it. Classic."--Duncan Reid

32. Jilted John
Jilted John (1978, #4 UK)

"All the punk you need. First re-heard it in a student bedroom in Paris in 1993 and being small and young and playground bound came rushing back."--Alex from Baxendale

33. Elvis Costello
Crawling To The USA (1978, unreleased)

34. Carole King
So Far Away (1971, #14)

35. Blondie
Picture This (1978, didnt chart)

36. Sly and the Family Stone
Thank You (Falettin Me Be Mice Elf Agin) (1970, #1)

"I'm glad Sly is here, and this song is a good pointer to how angry he was becoming, even though it was still relatively uplifting. But I would have gone with something from "There's a Riot Goin' On" or even "Fresh" (which is a nice document of a man losing his grip)."--Paul Melancon

37. Squeeze
Up The Junction (1979, didnt chart)

"i remember not liking this song when i first heard it, but it grew on me. i also seem to remember this was really good in concert. another perfectly written pop song, though maybe the lyrics a just a bit too clever or literary or something.....???"--Pea Hicks

38. Bruce Springsteen
Born To Run (1975, #23)

"i absolutely LOVE the frankie goes to hollywood version of this song! totally kicks ass over the original in my opinion. i heard it took springsteen like 5 years or something to write this song- and it shows... i mean, it's just SOOO indulgent. phil spector should have produced this one..."--Pea Hicks

"Makes me want to get on the Jersey Turnpicke and go to NYC."--Linda Smith

39. Suzi Quatro
Can The Can (1974, ?)

40. The Carpenters
Rainy Days and Mondays (1971, ?)

"Not quite as good as "Close to You" which also benefits from being written by the great Burt Bacharach. Brilliant Song."--Duncan Reid

41. Marvin Gaye
Whats Goin On (1971, #2)

42. The Clash
Guns Of Brixton (1979, album track)

"See #81."--Duncan Reid

43. The Jackson 5
The Love You Save (1970, #1)

44. Charlie Rich
Feel Like Going Home (1973?, b-side?)

45. Gil Scott-Heron
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (1971, ?)

"I think, the foundation for all rap music to be built on. Gil Scott-Heron is everything modern day positive rappers strive to be.."--Jeff Hayward, Brantford, Ontario

46. Stevie Wonder
Superstition (1972, #1)

"For one thing, anyone whose intro to Stevie Wonder was I Just Called To Say I Love You or Part Time Lover should be locked in a closet with this song playing over and over again until their ass begins to move involuntarily. Second, it never ceases to amaze me how this song blurs genre lines so effortlessly while we have so many artists today trying really hard to be watered-down versions of the Run DMC-Aerosmith pairing. They should all be forced to listen to this over and over on their tour buses wherever they go. One of the best records of ANY decade."--Charles Christiansen, Boston, MA

47. Lene Lovich
Lucky Number (1979, didnt chart)

"i actually liked "new toy" better, but that's because i'm a big thomas dolby fan, and he wrote and produced that one... still, i like lucky number as well... i remember the video on mtv, and i remember thinking that lene lovich and toni basil were sisters or something..."--Pea Hicks

48. Magazine
Shot By Both Sides (1978, #41 UK)

49. Talking Heads
Life During Wartime (1979, didnt chart)

50. The Kinks
Lola (1970, #9)

51. Joni Mitchell
Free Man In Paris (1974, didnt chart)

"Made me a Joni Mitchell fan."--Linda Smith

52. Stevie Wonder
Sir Duke (1977, #1)

53. Elvis Costello
I Dont Want To Go To Chelsea (1978, didnt chart)

54. Fleetwood Mac
Landslide (1975, ?)

55. T Rex
Jeepster (1971, ?)

"The best record of all time. The one I would take to my Desert Island. Somewhere out there is a picture of Marc Bolan giving me a pecker on the cheek. Anybody got it?"--Duncan Reid

56. Boomtown Rats
I Dont Like Mondays (1979, ?)

"The song and the album that made me weird. I hadn't heard Elvis Costello or Split Enz yet, I was still listening to Top 40. And an Atlanta station started playing this song, I bought the album, and was doomed to obscure pop for the rest of my life."--Paul Melancon

"the true story that this song is based on happened just a few miles from my house!!"--Pea Hicks

57. Blondie
Eat To The Beat (1979, album track)

58. Sweet
Little Willy (1973, #3)

59. David Bowie
Oh! You Pretty Things (1971, album track)

"What a great album Hunky Dory is. What a load of crap he made latter on."--Duncan Reid

60. Sex Pistols
God Save The Queen (1977, #2 UK)

"Probably the Pistols' best track."--Duncan Reid

61. Joni Mitchell
Big Yellow Taxi (1970/1974, #24)

62. George McCrae
Rock Your Baby (1974, #1)

63. Rod Stewart
Maggie May (1971, #1)

64. Black Sabbath
Iron Man (1971)

"i remember as a kid being caught up in the whole "devil music scare" of the early 80s and thinking i was committing some sort of sin everytime this came on mtv and i actually WATCHED it!! that was actually the live ozzy clip- not the original sabbath version... i just remember thinking he was the devil incarnate!!"--Pea Hicks

"I LOOOOOVE Black Sabbath PD (pre-Dio). We once went to a toy store with a cassette copy of We Sold Our Soul For Rock And Roll Volume One and stuck it in a Teddy Ruxpin. Parents, especially in the South, don't really like when toys start singing that Satan's comin' 'round the bend. Trust me on this one."--Charles Christiansen, Boston, MA

65. Looking Glass
Brandy (Youre A Fine Girl) (1972, #1)

"I will play this song on a jukebox any chance I get. I can't convince the Million Box to cover it. High seventies cheese."--Paul Melancon

66. The Cure
Jumping Someone Elses Train (1979, didnt chart)

67. David Bowie
Starman (1972, didnt chart)

68. Kleenex
Krimi (1978, didnt chart)

69. X Ray Spex
I Am A Cliche (1977, b-side)

70. Melanie
Look What They Done To My Song, Ma (1971, b-side?)

"i never liked this song, but if i HAVE to listen to it, i prefer claudine longet's version. i pretty much prefer claudine longet's version of ANY song though!!"--Pea Hicks

71. Queen
Killer Queen (1974, #12)

72. Van McCoy & the Soul City Symphony
The Hustle (1975, #1)

"this is the 2nd song that i remember being my "favorite song." the first was "copacabana." anyway, since it was mostly an instrumental, i never knew what it was called when i was a kid, so i used to call it "the marble song" for some reason. my mom would listen to the radio all day, and i'd sit right next to the radio waiting for this one to come on. i even remember calling up the radio station and requesting "the marble song!!""--Pea Hicks

"Such lightness of touch, soaring strings, you can just seeee those hand routines when you hear the flute first come in. Sadly the advent of Top of the Pops2 means I also tend to hear Steve Wright in the back of my mind saying 'and look at that guy at the back, with the funny hair'. Peerless."--Alex from Baxendale

73. The Clash
Julies Been Working For The Drug Squad (1978, album track?)

74. The Buzzcocks
Orgasm Addict (1977, didnt chart)

"one of my fave buzzcocks tracks..."--Pea Hicks

75. John Prine
Come Back To Us Barbara Lewis Hare Krishna Beauregard (1975, album track)

76. The Carpenters
Superstar (1971, #2)

"I should probably be embarassed by this, but I actually heard the Sonic Youth cover of this song before I ever heard the original, and I still put the Sonic Youth version on ever mix I possibly can. I love all the static and noise they add to the song. But Karen Carpenter is the poster girl for AM Gold. The holy triumverate of AM soft rock to me is this song, Time Passages by Al Stewart, and Amie by Pure Prairie League. Ah sweet bliss."--Charles Christiansen, Boston, MA

77. Lou Reed, Perfect Day (1973, ?)

"i really don't like this song... not even the duran duran version!! i just sounds so insincere to me."--Pea Hicks

78. The Adverts
Bored Teenagers (1977, didnt chart)

79. Blondie
Heart of Glass (1979, #1)

"i remember this song mainly as the favorite song of my best friend's older sister. i remember thinking there was something really explicitely sexual about those "ooh ooh woah's" that i probably wasn't supposed to be listening to...."--Pea Hicks

80. Loudon Wainwright III
Dead Skunk (1973, #16)

81. The Boys
First Time (1977?, #78 UK)

"81? 39 places behind "The Guns of Brixton"? (The man's deaf!)"--Duncan Reid, The Boys

82. Patti Smith
Redondo Beach (1975, album track)

"A song about lesbians that one could actually like! Patti was/is a godsend in so many ways..."--Linda Smith

83. ABBA
SOS (1975, #15)

"i like the erasure version better... heck i even like the men without hats version better!! another great, perfect track from abba. much better than "take a chance on me.""--Pea Hicks

84. Stevie Wonder
Signed Sealed Delivered Im Yours (1970, #3)

85. Velvet Underground
Rock & Roll (1970, didnt chart)

86. The Raincoats
Fairytale In The Supermarket (1979, didnt chart)

"The reason I finally bought the guitar I'd been thinking about for years."--Linda Smith

87. The Jackson 5
ABC (1970, #1)

"i liked this song better when it was called "candy girl" by new edition!"--Pea Hicks

88. Wadsworth Mansion
Sweet Mary (1971, #7)

89. The Partridge Family
I Think I Love You (1970, #1)

90. Cat Stevens
If You Want To Sing Out Sing Out (1971, unreleased)

"Why are you reading this list???? Go fucking see Harold & Maude. Right now, you idiot!"--Gerlinda Grimes

91. The Emotions
Best of my Love (1977, #1)

92. Talking Heads
I Zimbra (1979, album track?)

"A paragon of non-sanctimonious "world music" and funky as hell. Looks like Missy Elliot nicked it on her new album, and at the end of the 'get ur freak on' video."--Alex from Baxendale

93. Cher
Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves (1971, #1)

94. Alice Cooper
Eighteen (1971, #21)

"School's Out etc. Alice was a good un."--Duncan Reid

95. ABBA
Dancing Queen (1976, #1)

"this is probably my favorite abba song. it doesn't get much better than this. everything's perfect- the song, the arrangement, the performance, etc. i'm glad these abba songs were pop hits first, and only later became more associated with musical-theater, because i'd probably really hate them if they were originally songs from musicals!"--Pea Hicks

96. The Avengers
We Are The One (1977, didnt chart)

97. Elvis Costello
Watching The Detectives (1978, didnt chart)

98. Michael Jackson
Ben (1972, #1)

"i just remember being really creeped out by this song when i was a kid, because it was about a kid and his rat, right? or am i remembering it wrong?????"--Pea Hicks

99. Sweet
Teenage Rampage (1974, #2 UK)

100. Stealers Wheel
Stuck In The Middle With You (1973, #6)