Take their previous #1 hit “Kiss On My List”, add some rock guitar riffs and handclaps and you”ve got the Daryl Hall and John Oates song the topped the American charts this week in 1981. “Private Eyes” continued the duo’s run of hits that didn’t slow down until the mid 80s. They remain the most successful Pop Music duo of all time 16 Top 10 hits of which 5 went all the way to #1. You’ll get a chuckle from this gimmicky video produced during the infancy of MTV.

Popularity: 2% [?]

!975 was a banner year for Elton John. Musically, it began with the #1 non-album hits “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” and “Philadelphia Freedom.” Then came the #4 song “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” – the only single release from Elton’s “Captain Fantastic and The Brown Dirt Cowboy” album. By year’s end, a new album sporting the play on words title “Rock of the Westies” was issued. The first hit from it was in it’s second of three weeks at #1 this week in 1975. Enjoy this live performance of Elton John playing and singing “Island Girl.”

Popularity: 2% [?]

Between 1970 and 1975, Chicago sent ten songs into the Top 10. Two of them reached #3 – “Saturday in the Park” (1972) and “Just You ‘N Me: (1973). It wasn’t until 1976 that the Windy City group finally reached the top of the heap and it was a ballad that took them there. Written and sung by Peter Cetera, “If You Leave Me Now” (1976) would spend two weeks at #1, sell over one million copies and win two Grammy Awards. Enjoy this live TV performance and marvel over Peter’s hair while you watch.

Popularity: 2% [?]

By 1968, David Ruffin had been ejected from the Temptations and replaced by Dennis Edwards who was under contract with Motown Records as a solo performer. With Edwards aboard, the “Tempts” hit new heights reaching the Top 10 nine more times. Three of those went all the way to Number 1 – “Just My Imagination” (1971), “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” (1972) and the smash that gave Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, Otis Williams and Edwards solo spots to give maximum exposures to five of the greatest voices of all time “I Can’t Get Next To You” (1969). Hearing is believing with this great video clip taped during the song’s two-week run at Number 1 during October 1969.

Popularity: 2% [?]

After a respectable hit-making career that began in 1959 and leveled off in 1963, Neil Sedaka was able to default to his first love of song writing which sustained him for the rest of the 60s and half of the 70s. But surprise, surprise! Neil forged a fast friendship with one of his biggest fans Elton John who signed Sedaka to his newly formed Rocket Records label. Thus began the comeback no one – especially Neil – could have ever predicted with hits like “Laughter in the Rain”, a torchy ballad remake of Sedaka’s 1962 #1 “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do”, the original version of “Love Will Keep Us Together” which became a massive hit for the Captain and Tennille as well as Neil’s biggest chart hit to date “Bad Blood” featuring backing vocals by Elton himself. Enjoy this live performance video from “The Midnight Special” archives of Neil performing “Bad Blood” which was enjoying the second week of a three week run at the top of the American charts.

Popularity: 1% [?]

We all knew Michael Jackson was amazingly talented. It just wasn’t until this lead off song from “Off The Wall” began to slowly but surely win over radio programmers, deejays and fans alike that the world began to fathom the depth of Michael Jackson potenial. Give points to his producer Quincy Jones for bringing it out of him in a recording studio. Although the video for “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” is primitive by today’s standards, it catches MJ transitioning from bubblegum pop-soul star to an entertainment force to be reckoned with.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Two major music acts came from Steubenville, Ohio. One was Dean Martin. The other was the band Wild Cherry. Dino’s career was decidedly more notable given his music, movie and TV successes. However, Wild Cherry accomplished a fete that even Dean Martin could never have pulled off when they hit #1 on both the Pop and Soul charts. Here’s a fun video of Helen Reddy introducing Wild Cherry’s live on-stage “Midnight Special” TV performance of “Play That Funky Music” then in it’s third week as America’s # 1 song. Keep an eye on the horn section whose choreography nearly steals the thunder from the main act.

Popularity: 1% [?]

After taking his 1969 remake of the Ronettes “Baby, I Love You” into America’s Top 10 and hitting #1 as the co-writer of the Archie’s “Sugar Sugar”, Canada’s Andy’s Kim began what became the long slowdown to an eventual career halt on the music charts. In 1974 and without a recording deal, Andy spent his last penny to finance a recording session which produced what would become his biggest hit song ever, the #1 smash “Rock Me Gently”. As a side note, I’ve had the privilege as the host of some of Andy’s live concert appearances to getting to share time with him. Not only is he a wonderfully gifted entertainer and musician, Andy Kim is one of the kindest, most thoughtful and accessible people I’ve had the good fortune to meet. Please enjoy this video flashback of Andy performing “Rock Me Gently”.

Popularity: 2% [?]

1970’s “Reach Out And Touch Somebody’s Hand” resonated only as a soft launch for Diana Ross’ post-Supremes solo launch barely making the Top 20. The follow-up was the game changer. Her overhauled remake of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” almost didn’t get released because Motown honcho Berry Gordy hated the arrangment and wanted it changed. The song’s writers and producers Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson said no go. Eventually, radio forced Motown to release a single edit of the over 6 minute album version. Even the boss isn’t right all of the time.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Even though he’d scored Top 10 hits as a Yardbird (For Your Love), as a member of both Cream (Sunshine of Your Love & White Room) and Derek & The Dominos (Layla), Eric Clapton didn’t accomplish the same feat as a solo act until his cover of Jamaican music legend Bob Marley’s “I Shot The Sheriff shot to the top of the American music charts on September 14, 1974. Enjoy this “live’ 1977 performance

Popularity: 1% [?]