Montego Bay (1970) 12/4/20

Today, I present an oddball choice...but it's so quirky and original, I think it deserves a “Great Song of the '70s” designation.

In 1970, a somewhat obscure artist named Bobby Bloom got together with well known songwriter/producer Jeff Barry* and came up with something unlike anything else on the radio at the time: “Montego Bay.”

The song itself is about a trip to the Montego Bay area of Jamaica, and features an offbeat rhythm using everything from steel drums and an electric tuba...to Bobby whistling the melody—when he wasn't singing it.

The whole thing was hard to explain, but when people heard it on the radio, they fell in love with it! In addition to reaching #8 on Billboard's Hot 100 and #5 on Canada's Top 40, the song was a hit all over the world, including #3 in the UK, #5 in South Africa, and #9 in Australia.

And just when you thought the song was almost over, and started to fade out...Bloom & Barry threw everyone a curve ball that took you from Jamaica back to the US. Oklahoma, to be exact.

I've often wondered if Bobby Bloom would have had more hits if he hadn't died from an accidental gunshot wound at the incredibly young at age 28 in 1974.

But he certainly left us with a “Great—and Quirky—Song of 1970.”

*(Trivia: Bobby had co-written songs like “Mony Mony” with Tommy James. Jeff Barry had co-written a number of “Great Songs of the '60s,” including “Da Doo Ron Ron,” “Do-Wah-Diddy,” “Be My Baby,” “Leader of the Pack,” and “Sugar Sugar.”)

“Montego Bay:”