Longer/Movin' On Up (1979) 2/18/20

Note: Two songs were highlighted this day. Here's the original post:

Time for another "Great Song of the '70s" that didn't quite make it to #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 because the competition for the top spot was just too fierce.

"Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen, "Another Brick in the Wall" by Pink Floyd, and "Longer" by Dan Fogelberg were all in contention for the top spot as the '70s came to a close, and well into 1980.

Queen got to #1 first...with Fogelberg at #2. Then Pink Floyd jumped over Fogelberg to #1 But Dan had the last laugh. Sort of.

Over on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart, "Longer" grabbed the #1 slot away from Teri DeSario and KC ("Yes, I'm Ready"). In Canada, it peaked at #6.

All that chart jockeying aside, "Longer" is a beautiful, but simple song that came to Fogelberg one night as he was stargazing in Maui. He said he felt as if "the song was drifting around the universe, saw me and decided I would give it a good home."

That's Lovely, but he also said, "Longer" was the song that "put me on the elevators."

Sorry, Dan. "Longer" is far nicer than any Muzak cut. :-)

The second post followed the news that Ja'Net Dubois had passed away earlier in the day:

Today, Ja'Net DuBois passed away at the age of 74.

You most likely remember her as Willona, the next door neighbor to the Evans family on the TV series "Good Times." (The show also starred John Amos, Esther Rolle, Janet Jackson and Jimmy "J.J." Walker.)

But she was also responsible for co-writing (with Jeff Barry) and singing one of the "Greatest TV Themes" of the '70s...and (arguably) of all time! (Backed by a 35-member gospel choir, no less!)

Oddly enough, she never appeared on "The Jeffersons," but her presence was certainly felt before every episode began!The song never charted, but there's not a single person of a certain age who can't sing along, or at least quote some of the lyrics.

In honor of Ja'Net DuBois, here's "Movin' on Up!"