The Great seventies countdown week three

The curtain slowly rises, but this time the host stays off stage, allowing the silence to build the drama before the a cappella first lines of the song shatters the silence and the week’s countdown begins.

280- Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen, #1 (1975); #2 (1992).  From the well-named lp A Night At The Opera- which like the following A Day At The Races was taken from a Marx Brothers movie.  Many 70s lists have this and Stairway To Heaven 1-2, but this is sufficient for me.  Holds up remarkably well, especially after watching that horrific William Shatner version.

279- T.S.O.P., M.F.S.B., 1974, #1.  This great instrumental, aka the Soul Train theme, was more fully The Sound Of Philadelphia by Mother Father Sister Brother.  And included the Three Degrees at the end with the “Let’s get it on/ it’s time to get down”.

278- So Fine, Electric Light Orchestra, 1976, unreleased.  Well, you knew I wouldn’t stay on the #1s forever.  The lead cut on the second side of A New World Record which got some play on AOR stations.

277- Albert Flasher, The Guess Who, 1971, #29.  Remember listening to this one riding the bus.  “It was a cold, snowy, rainy Afternoon and we were sitting there in high school, my school…”

1979, #41,

276- Good Times Roll, the Cars, 1979, #41.  The Cars first album, which we talked about last time, was full of great cuts.

275- Waterloo, ABBA, 1974, #6.  I actually got hearing this song after SOS, after it charted.  Bought the cassette at the late Smokey Montgomery's place.  What a character!

274- Come And Get Your Love, Redbone,  1974, #5.  Hail!  Hail!

273- Like A Hurricane, Neil Young, 1977, non-charting.  When he stays out of the political realm, Neil is simply the best.



272- Carry On Wayward Son, Kansas, 1977, #11.  A late friend of mine had this as his favorite song.  He was diabetic, blind, and saved, and knowing him made this song much more poignant.  For you, Mr. Woods.

271- You And Me, Alice Cooper, 1977, #9.  Suddenly, we all figured out Alice could SING, too.

270- That Lady, Isley Brothers,  1973, #6.  Another great guitar riff from Ernie Isley.

269- You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, 1974, #1.  Believe it or not, another song I only heard after it had charted.  For a few years between my sister getting married and my first clock radio (and BFF back then), my music diet must have just been the school bus.

268- Rock'n'roll Lullabye, BJ Thomas, 1972, #15.  A wistful song featuring the Blossoms (Darlene Love's outfit) and Duane Eddy on guitar.

267- Rainy Days And Mondays, the Carpenters, 1971, #2.  We'll be seeing a LOT of Karen and Richard on this list.

266- On And On, Stephen Bishop, 1977, #11.  One of my biggest "teenage angst" hits.  I practically had, "And I smile when I feel like dyin' " tattooed on my butt.

265- Take It To The Limit, Eagles, 1975, #4.  Hard to believe that this most popular of early Eagles hits never took #1.  It sure did around here.

264- You've Got A Friend, Carole King, unreleased, 1971.  You'll also be seeing more from Carole's incredible album Tapestry on this chart.  Another of my big early crushes.

263- American Girl, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, 1977, #109.  A classic from the band's debut album.  Too bad nobody knew them then.



262- I Never Cry, Alice Cooper, 1976, #12.  One of the most powerful choruses to a ballad of all time.

261- Evil Woman, Electric Light Orchestra, 1975, #10.  Sad to admit, but when this first came out, my stupid little kid ears heard "Blueberry Woman."  Yeah, I shake my head too.

The a cappella trail off of Evil Woman fades and the lights come up enough for the host to make his first appearance of the day.  He merely bows, presses a button on a remote that queues up one last video, and walks away.