A trip through the 1970s, one hit song at a time!

Big Yellow Taxi - Joni Mitchell, etc. (1970) 2/26/22

Feb 25, 20222 min read

Big Yellow Taxi - Joni Mitchell, etc. (1970) 2/26/22

Lot's of links today! Check 'em out! below! When singer/songwriter extraordinaire Joni Mitchell took her first trip to Hawaii, circa...

Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits (1979) 2/25/22

Michael Cook

Feb 24, 20222 min read

Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits (1979) 2/25/22

Have you ever noticed that today's "Great Song of 1979," "Sultans of Swing" by Dire Straits is a blues/rock tune that's not even close to...

How Much I Feel -Ambrosia (1978) 2/24/22

Michael Cook

Feb 23, 20221 min read

How Much I Feel -Ambrosia (1978) 2/24/22

With today's "Great Song of 1978," the question arises: Just how strong is your marriage? Ambrosia's "How Much I Feel" is about man who...

Swingtown - Steve Miller Band (1978) 2/23/22

Michael Cook

Feb 22, 20222 min read

Swingtown - Steve Miller Band (1978) 2/23/22

There are two good reasons why Steve Miller calls today's "Great Song of the '70s" a "studio production number:" #1: He used a newfangled...

Michael Cook

Feb 21, 20222 min read

Squeeze Box - The Who (1977) 2/22/22

Imagine, if you will, this scenario: a video starring a famous rock band, surrounded by 100 topless women playing accordions. Or maybe...

Michael Cook

Feb 20, 20223 min read

At Seventeen - Janis Ian (1975) 2/21/22

In many ways, Janis Ian was a normal teenager--sensitive, introspective, and filled with insecurities about her looks, her future, and...

Can't Get It Out of My Head - ELO (1974) 2/20/22

Michael Cook

Feb 19, 20221 min read

Can't Get It Out of My Head - ELO (1974) 2/20/22

Sometimes a songwriter needs a little motivation to get the creative juices flowing. According to ELO's Jeff Lynne, in the early days of...

My Maria - B.W. Stevenson (1973) 2/19/22

Michael Cook

Feb 18, 20221 min read

My Maria - B.W. Stevenson (1973) 2/19/22

In 1973, B.W. Stevenson released a song written by Daniel Moore called "Shambala." Just two weeks later, Three Dog Night released THEIR...

Ventura Highway - America (1972) 2/18/22

Michael Cook

Feb 17, 20222 min read

Ventura Highway - America (1972) 2/18/22

Today's "Great Song of 1972" is autobiographical. Sort of. When Dewey Bunnell of the group America was a child, his father was in the Air...

I Am, I Said - Neil Diamond (1971) 2/17/22

Michael Cook

Feb 16, 20222 min read

I Am, I Said - Neil Diamond (1971) 2/17/22

Neil Diamond was having an existential crisis. He had just done a screen test for the role of comedian Lenny Bruce in an upcoming...

Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand) - Diana Ross (1970) 2/16/22

Michael Cook

Feb 15, 20221 min read

Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand) - Diana Ross (1970) 2/16/22

Most everyone (of a certain age) knows that after spending the '60s fronting The Supremes, Diana Ross went solo. But do you remember the...

The Groove Line - Heatwave (1978) 2/15/21

Michael Cook

Feb 14, 20221 min read

The Groove Line - Heatwave (1978) 2/15/21

Heatwave was an interesting group. It's safe to say they were the only disco/funk/jazz group featuring musicians from Dayton, Ohio, the...

Send One Your Love - Stevie Wonder (1979) 2/14/22

Michael Cook

Feb 13, 20221 min read

Send One Your Love - Stevie Wonder (1979) 2/14/22

Happy Valentine's Day! Today's "Great Song of the '70s, was tailor-made for the holiday by Stevie Wonder! In November of 1979, he...

What a Difference You've Made in My Life - Amy Grant/Ronnie Milsap/B.J. Thomas 1977-78 2/13/22

Michael Cook

Feb 12, 20221 min read

What a Difference You've Made in My Life - Amy Grant/Ronnie Milsap/B.J. Thomas 1977-78 2/13/22

Allow me to get personal. Today, my daughter Heather turns 50. It's quite a milestone, and one that makes me--and most likely her--feel...

She's Not There - Santana (1977) 2/12/22

Michael Cook

Feb 12, 20221 min read

She's Not There - Santana (1977) 2/12/22

The first big hit for 2019 Rock & Roll Hall-of-Fame inductees, The Zombies, was their debut single "She's Not There:" a "Great Song of...

This One's for You - Barry Manilow (1976) 2/11/22

Michael Cook

Feb 11, 20221 min read

This One's for You - Barry Manilow (1976) 2/11/22

The story behind today's "Great Song of the '70s" is heart-warming to say the least. At first listen, Barry Manilow's 1976 hit "This...

Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance) - Leo Sayer (1975) 2/10/22

Michael Cook

Feb 9, 20221 min read

Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance) - Leo Sayer (1975) 2/10/22

Today's featured artist, Leo Sayer, burst onto the scene in 1973, scoring several hits in a row---but only in The United Kingdom and...

You're My First, My Last, My Everything - Barry White (1974) 2/9/22

Michael Cook

Feb 9, 20222 min read

You're My First, My Last, My Everything - Barry White (1974) 2/9/22

One of the most popular artists of the '70s--especially with the ladies--was Barry White. His voice, his style, his songs were all...

I'm Just a Singer in a Rock & Roll Band - Moody Blues (1973) 2/8/22

Michael Cook

Feb 8, 20222 min read

I'm Just a Singer in a Rock & Roll Band - Moody Blues (1973) 2/8/22

From 1973 through 1978, the Moody Blues did something very few bands have ever done successfully: they took a break. No, they didn't...

I Wanna Be with You - Raspberries (1972) 2/7/22

Michael Cook

Feb 6, 20222 min read

I Wanna Be with You - Raspberries (1972) 2/7/22

Okay, '70s music fans... If I asked you to name the biggest hit by "The Raspberries," you might remember their "Great Song of '72:" "Go...

Great Songs of the '70s!

With Mike Cook

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