Wow. 1979. What great memories for me. Reaching puberty and becoming interested in pop music really for the first time. I listened to LOTS of it that summer while shootin’ hoops (I’ve never been a particularly accomplished basketball player but playing basketball - or shootin’ hoops - was all the rage in the state of Washington that summer thanks to the [then-]SuperSonics’ N.B.A. title!). All of those songs were great but as I was going down the list trying to remember each one the one that I can’t stop humming is Raydio’s “You Can’t Change That”. My next choice would be Nicolette Larsen’s “Lotta Love” (actually, I think Neil Young wrote that song and, in fact, I think he did a version of it himself, although I don’t think I’ve ever heard it). One of the most poignant tunes I’ve ever heard. But the rest of the list is great, too - I hold nothing against anyone who picks any of the others.
I wanted to vote for Supertramp, because that song made so much sense to me when I was an angsty teenager.
I wanted to vote for Cheap Trick, because that song is great power pop and one of the great live recordings in rock history.
I even wanted to vote for Kenny Rogers, because it’s a great little story song.
But God damn it I voted for the Village People. It’s just impossible to listen to that song and not crack a smile and/or start doing the hand jive to the chorus, and in retrospect it’s pretty remarkable that what’s basically a gay pride anthem made it to #2 in 1979.
Voted for Earth Wind and Fire, also good were Raydio, Billy Joel, Dr. Hook, Jackson 5, Supertramp, Elton John, Peaches and Herb, and David Naughton.
Just glad I was not around during that era.
Shudders.
“Heaven Knows” easily finishes at the top of the world-famous Ponch8 Music Rating System. I’m surprised there are no other votes for it. I did consider the Pointer Sisters’ “Fire,” written by Bruce Springsteen.
Which Dionne Warwick song is supposed to be on this list? She did “I’ll Never Love This Way Again” and “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again,” but she never had a song called “I Never Want To Love This Way Again.”
Looks like 1979 musicians had a thing for shaking various body parts…
As far as I’m concerned, it’s a showdown between Y.M.C.A. and The Logical Song. In other words, irresistible goofy fun vs fine songwriting. Fun as it is, the former could get annoying on repeated listening so I pick the latter.
I Want You To Want Me is doing well which I find surprising. It’s not a bad song but it’s pretty forgettable. OK, the “Didn’t I, didn’t I, didn’t I see you cryin’” bit is nice but the rest of the song, not so much.
Any allegations that I have never heard most of these songs before and am typing them into the poll blanks as fast as I can so I can get the poll posted before someone posts to complain that there’s no poll are completely false.
