Don’s Top 10 From February 24, 1979
Back into time once again, this time to a time when disco simply was overwhelming the pop charts (& pop culture), Satuerday, February 24, 1979. These are the local top 10 singles.
- 10
"Shake Your Groove Thing" by Peaches & Herb
(#12 last week) Same Herb, new Peaches. The 60s soul duo returns. Herb had taken time from show biz to work as Washington D.C. police officer.
- 9
"Livin' It Up (Friday Night)" by Bell & James
(#13 last week) In the fall of 2011, LeRoy Bell (his uncle is the legendary producer Thom Bell) of this one-hit-wonder disco duo got a second chance at stardom, as a contestant on NBC's "The Voice".
- 8
"I Don't Know If It's Right" by Evelyn "Champagne" King
(#7 last week) Discovered singing in the washroom of the record company she worked at, King scored a second hit following "Shame" with this catchy soul gem.
- 7
"Fire" by The Pointer Sisters
(#6 last week) Another Bruce cover goes top 10, before Bruce ever does (on the singles chart). Wonder if it was giving Springsteen a complex.
- 6
"Tragedy" by The Bee Gees
(#22 last week) Biggest mover of the week. Second single from "Spirits Having Flown". Always been my favorite of all their disco hits.
- 5
"Le Freak" by Chic
(#4 last week) Producers/group leaders Nile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards were very underrated. Their Chic recording were very complex musically. Mr. Rodgers recently wrote his autobiography.
- 4
"Heaven Knows" by Donna Summer & Brooklyn Dreams
(#10 last week) Not Donna's biggest hit, but one of her best, in my opinion. And her collaboration with this Brooklyn group gave her something even more important: a husband, Bruce Sudano.
- 3
"YMCA" by The Village People
(#3 last week) If you want to see a very strange vieeo, youtube the Village People's appearance on a Bob Hope special from an aircraft carrier in New York Harbor. The navy men sit slackjawed, gaping at the spectacle. Talk about a culture clash! Hilarious.
- 2
"I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor
(#2 last week) Hard to imagine, but this started out as the "B" side of a song called "Substitute", first done by a South African band called Clout.
- 1
"Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" by Rod Stewart
(#1 last week; 2nd week at #1) Rod's had a lot of big hits, but, believe it or not, this was the biggest, in terms of singles sales. However, I think Rod played a heavy price, alienating his hardcore early fans.