# Best #1 single of the year retrospective: 1975 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 28, 2014, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1975/699780 "2014-09-28T15:50:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1975/699780/41 "2014-09-29T00:09:24Z")
I just now noticed Freddie Fender on there. How the heck did he end up on the pop chart? He was a fabulous country singer but seems very out of place in pop music. That “Teardrop” is a real country tearjerker, and Freddie has a lovely voice, but ?? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1975/699780/42 "2014-09-29T00:20:15Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > I just now noticed Freddie Fender on there. How the heck did he end up on the pop chart? He was a fabulous country singer but seems very out of place in pop music. That “Teardrop” is a real country tearjerker, and Freddie has a lovely voice, but ?? Hey, don’t forget about “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights!” ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1975/699780/43 "2014-09-29T00:35:51Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Judging by the #1 singles, it sure did. > > But then I remember that **Born to run** came out that year. Only made it to #3, though. The album hit #3. The single “Born to Run” missed the Top 20, peaking at #23. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1975/699780/44 "2014-09-29T02:10:31Z")
Well, that’s one wide-ranging assortment of acts and tracks, even if indeed a bit heavy on the mellowed-out country/folk/pop-rockers. A relief from the horrors of '74 with a decent showing of at least respectable recordings - “Fire”, “You’re No Good”, “Black Water”, “Lady Marmalade”, “Another Somebody Done…etc”, “One of These Nights”, “Rhinestone Cowboy”, “Fame”, “Calypso”. And I actually like both KC & the Sunshine Band’s showings here. I might actually vote for one after having sat out '74 in despair. OTOH we have now encountered Manilow on the top of the chart. That’s a sign of the start of our expiation for the excesses of the previous ten years. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1975/699780/45 "2014-09-29T02:52:15Z")
I will say that I’ve been shocked that all the crappy Elton John songs have made it to #1 and none of the good ones. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1975/699780/46 "2014-09-29T03:13:56Z")
Went with KC “That’s the Way I Like It”. Too many I like here, I knew that Pos David Bowie would come out ahead, always hated this guy. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1975/699780/47 "2014-09-29T03:27:28Z")
Ah, we’re verging into disco territory now with songs like “Hustle” and stuff by KC and the Sunshine Band… I voted for the Doobie Brother’s “Black Water” because I love the acoustic guitar and the fiddle in it, but I could have just as easily voted for “Fame” or “One Of These Nights” (which has that really echo-ey guitar sound that I’m quite fond of). ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1975/699780/48 "2014-09-29T04:40:52Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > In terms of decent music, albums that year offered a lot more. In addition to _Born to Run_, there was Dylan’s _Blood on the Tracks_, Zeppelin’s _Physical Graffti_, and Pink Floyd’s _Wish You Were Here_. I want to vote for “Tangled Up In Blue” and “Born to Run,” rather than the songs listed in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1975/699780/49 "2014-09-29T07:21:20Z")
> [@Baal\_Houtham](#): > > I want to vote for “Tangled Up In Blue” and “Born to Run,” rather than the songs listed in the OP. Too bad both those songs didn’t come anywhere near number one. [“Tangled Up in Blue” barely scraped into the Top 40 and peaked at #31](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangled_Up_in_Blue) while, as mentioned previously, “Born to Run” only made it to #23. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1975/699780/50 "2014-09-29T08:30:07Z")
I went for “Sister Golden Hair”, followed closely by “Black Water” and “Calypso”. All songs I genuinely like. ---
**Author:** ![Art\_Rock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/art_rock/32/525_2.png) [@Art\_Rock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Art_Rock)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1975/699780/51 "2014-09-29T08:31:09Z")
Eagles - _One of these nights_. I also like _Sister golden hair_, _Calypso_ and\* Best of my love\* very much. About a dozen others here are on the MP3 USB stick for the car. ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1975/699780/52 "2014-09-29T10:14:23Z")
Now that’s an easy one: **David Bowie** - _Fame_. Was it his first #1 hit single in the US then? ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1975/699780/53 "2014-09-29T12:58:05Z")
Tough list, because I like so many of these songs! By 1975, I had decided to marry Barry Manilow when I grew up (and the offer still stands, Barry), but I have to admit I can’t listen to most of his music anymore. It came down to “The Hustle” and “Bad Blood”, and I had to give it to Van McCoy. I’ve liked that song from 1975 till the present so it gets the vote. Now “Bad Blood” was always a good song, but I never really really appreciated it until years later when I saw that episode of That 70’s Show where Eric goes to work with his mom. Kitty is a nurse and on that day, one of her favorite patients dies. She is stoic, and on the ride home in the car, Eric is trying to talk to her about it when “Bad Blood” comes on the radio. Kitty, who isn’t ready to get in touch with her emotions right then, turns up the radio and sings along, and when the chorus comes, she cues Eric and he jumps right in. That scene was just so hilarious and sad. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1975/699780/54 "2014-09-29T13:39:45Z")
I’m torn between “You’re No Good” and “One of These Nights.” The list as a whole is an apotheosis of mid-1970s overly soft rock. There was a reason why disco and New Wave came along shortly. (I’m not a fan of disco, but mid-1970s soft rock makes even disco look good by comparison. At least it had some life to it.) The song that _ought_ to be there is “Born to Run,” as **Qadgop** noted. It is about 10x as good as any song on that list, and I’ve yet to get tired of it, even though it’s still in heavy rotation on classic rock stations, nearly 40 years later. ETA: I see Bowie’s “Fame” has pulled away from the pack in the voting. I’d vote for most Bowie songs against anything on this list, but I’ve never liked “Fame.” ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1975/699780/55 "2014-09-29T13:50:13Z")
I voted for Minnie Riperton. Because I could. Because it’s 1975. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1975/699780/56 "2014-09-29T14:37:32Z")
> [@OneCentStamp](#): > > I voted for Minnie Riperton. Because I could. Because it’s 1975. One hell of a voice. ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1975/699780/57 "2014-09-29T15:07:00Z")
Bob Crewe who co-wrote (with Kenny Nolan) both My Eyes Adored You and Lady Marmalade died just a couple of weeks ago. He also co-wrote a ton of other hits for The Four Seasons. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1975/699780/58 "2014-09-29T15:32:49Z")
Trivia bit:: two consecutive #1 songs that year were written by the same songwriting team. Frankie Valli’s “My Eyes Adored You” and Labelle’s “Lady Marmalade” were both written by Kenny Nolan and Bob Crewe. Kenny had one hit of his own: “I Like Dreaming.” Crewe died very, very recently. I like a LOT of the 1975 songs and hate just as many. The ones I like a lot: Ohio Players:’ Fire" Earth Wind & Fire’s “Shining Star” Eagles’ “Best of My Love” America’s “Sister Golden Hair” John Denver’s two-sided hit “I’m Sorry/Calypso” Doobie Brothers’ “Black Water” Linda Ronstadt’s “You’re No Good” It was tough to choose among them,. but I finally went with the Ohio Players. Their album covers were the tiebreaker- any male my age will understand! ---
**Author:** ![Eddie\_F](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/22d042/32.png) [@Eddie\_F](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eddie_F)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1975/699780/59 "2014-09-29T15:42:21Z")
I just looked at 1976’s offerings, and they make '75 (and '74, for that matter) look positively stellar by comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Gordon\_Urquhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@Gordon\_Urquhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_Urquhart)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1975/699780/60 "2014-09-29T16:06:46Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > One hell of a voice. A five-octave range – it’s amazing what she does emotionally in the higher registers most people can’t dream of reaching. Minnie Riperton was the mother of former SNL cast member Maya Rudolph, for those unaware, and wrote the song for her daughter; Riperton passed away from breast cancer at the age of 31 in 1979. Re: the poll; I went with _Lady Marmalade_ – it’s as close to timeless as any song can be. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1975/699780.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1975/699780.md?page=4)