Afternoon Delight (1976) 8/22/20

“Afternoon Delight” was all over the airwaves in 1976. In fact, you could hardly turn on a radio without the Starland Vocal Band popping up within minutes. So much so, it bordered on overexposure. Almost.

On the charts, It was a #1 hit on the Top 40 in both the US and Canada—and it reached #5 & #6, respectively, on the matching Adult Contemporary Charts.

It was so big, it was nominated for three Grammy Awards, and won for “Best Vocal Arrangement.”

Were those vocal harmonies the reason the song was “Great,” or was it the lyrics? After all, group member Bill Danoff has always maintained he had a blast writing the suggestive wordplay. And in 2010, Billboard Magazine listed “Afternoon Delight” at #20 on their list of the “Sexiest Songs of All Time.”

And really, it was pretty blatant what they were singing about (which in 1976, was more than a little shocking). Of course, some people claimed they had no idea what it meant, especially the phrase: “...skyrockets in flight...” Umm...okay.

If there's still any doubt, watch the somewhat creepy video! ;-)

Unfortunately, The Starland Vocal Band turned out to be a one-hit wonder, but that one big hit, “Afternoon Delight:” was certainly a “Great Song of the '70s.”