# Best #1 single of the year retrospective: 1977 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 2, 2014, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1977/700170 "2014-10-02T10:33:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1977/700170/81 "2014-10-03T18:02:06Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > Mojo Nixon rocks! I have seen him live a few times. Look him up on YouTube; seriously fun stuff and IMHO musically underrated. I discovered Mojo Nixon back in 2002-2003 or so, when he abruptly became the afternoon DJ on KGB-FM in San Diego (my favorite station when I lived there, one of the original “album rock” FM stations that gradually transitioned to classic rock over the years, and birthplace of the San Diego Chicken). I don’t think he’s doing that anymore, but he’s just as awesome a DJ as he is a musician, and would frequently go on silly rants between sets with topics such as “The government already has the flying cars and they’re not giving them to us” and “Jeff Gordon is a robot designed by Yankees to bring down NASCAR from the inside”, and they’d occasionally let him play some of his own songs and other stuff that didn’t really fit the station format. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1977/700170/82 "2014-10-03T18:20:20Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Well, since I don’t listen to Dr. Demento or watch MTV I think the answer is self explanatory. Fair enough. I didn’t watch MTV either but “Elvis is Everywhere” got a lot of airplay on Muchmusic as well. The Dr. Dimento show was huge in the 80’s, it aired late Saturday nights here so we’d put it on at parties and laugh our drunk asses off. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1977/700170/83 "2014-10-03T18:27:46Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > I’m not sure a world where “You Light Up My Life” was the best song of the year is a world worth living in. Neither am I, and I lived thru the 70s. But after the musical stylings of the earlier years of that decade, mediocrity was a giant relief. Besides, look at the competition - _I’m Your Boogie Man_ and Barry fucking Manilow. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Except not the first part. Regards, Shodan ---
**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:** [October 3, 2014, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1977/700170/84 "2014-10-03T18:49:17Z")
[QUOTE=It’s Not Rocket Surgery!] I’m not sure a world where “You Light Up My Life” was the best song of the year is a world worth living in. [/QUOTE] > [@Shodan](#): > > Neither am I, and I lived thru the 70s. But after the musical stylings of the earlier years of that decade, mediocrity was a giant relief. > > Besides, look at the competition - _I’m Your Boogie Man_ and Barry fucking Manilow. > > It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Except not the first part. > > Regards, > Shodan I think referring to “You Light Up My Life” as mediocre is giving it far more praise than it deserves. The fact that this glurgy ballad which spent 10 weeks at the top of the charts in 1977 has only one vote in this poll gives me a slight feeling that there is at least some justice in the universe (not as much, however, if the song had been completely shut-out). While we’re on the subject of YLUML, has anybody noticed how little airplay this song has had since it fell off the charts? Not even oldies stations that will play any bit of recorded dreck that charted during the 70s will go near it. You would almost think there’s some sort media conspiracy afoot to convince people born after 1977 that this song doesn’t exist. (If such a conspiracy exists, I for one heartily endorse it. Who says conspiracies have to be for bad purposes?) ---
**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:** [October 3, 2014, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1977/700170/85 "2014-10-03T19:08:59Z")
Way overplayed? Definitely. Still a great song. **The Eagles** - _Hotel California_. The most 70s song of the 70s. ---
**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:** [October 3, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1977/700170/86 "2014-10-03T23:44:45Z")
“Hotel California” is to the Eagles as “Freebird” is to Skynyrd as “Stairway” is to Zeppelin, and it’s been played and played a billion times…but that doesn’t make it a bad song in and of itself. I voted for it as most of the rest of these songs are utter throwaways for the most part. Plus I despise most of disco so I had to go with a rock song. \m/ ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2014, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1977/700170/87 "2014-10-04T15:04:38Z")
My 12/13 year old self didn’t care for Hotel California. It was my least favorite song on the album (8 track, in my case). Of all the lists posted so far, this is the weakest to me. I wouldn’t be surprised if the #1 songs were worse during a lot of the eighties, though. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2014, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1977/700170/88 "2014-10-04T15:11:20Z")
I’ve become addicted to these polls. C’mon, it’s already past 10:00, so where the hell is the 1978 poll? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2014, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1977/700170/89 "2014-10-04T15:21:48Z")
Went with the Bee Gees **How Deep is Your Love**. Criminally underrated in my opinion. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2014, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1977/700170/90 "2014-10-04T16:16:40Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > I’ve become addicted to these polls. C’mon, it’s already past 10:00, so where the hell is the 1978 poll? 🙂 [Here it is.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736316) I work graveyard shift at the moment, so when these polls goes up depends on whether I’m working that night and what time I get home from work when I do. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2014, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1977/700170/91 "2014-10-04T16:21:45Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Went with the Bee Gees **How Deep is Your Love**. > > Criminally underrated in my opinion. > mmm Always adored that song, even when I was seven years old and thought they were singing “'cause we’re living in a world of **food** …” ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2014, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1977/700170/92 "2014-10-04T16:24:43Z")
Went with Fleetwood Mac. Am surprised that neither Gerry Rafferty nor Al Stewart is on the list. ☹ (Maybe next year?) ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2014, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1977/700170/93 "2014-10-04T16:32:11Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Went with Fleetwood Mac. Am surprised that neither Gerry Rafferty nor Al Stewart is on the list. ☹ (Maybe next year?) I’m afraid that Rafferty’s “Baker Street” only made #1 in Australia - it was a #2 in the US, with “Shadow Dancing” keeping it out of the top spot. Stewart never made #1 anywhere I’m aware of - “Time Passages” topped the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, but peaked at #7 on the Hot 100. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2014, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1977/700170/94 "2014-10-04T16:42:20Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I’m afraid that Rafferty’s “Baker Street” only made #1 in Australia - it was a #2 in the US, with “Shadow Dancing” keeping it out of the top spot. Stewart never made #1 anywhere I’m aware of - “Time Passages” topped the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, but peaked at #7 on the Hot 100. And “Year of the Cat”? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2014, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1977/700170/95 "2014-10-04T16:44:07Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > And “Year of the Cat”? 😕 #8, I’m afraid. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2014, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1977/700170/96 "2014-10-04T18:38:01Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > #8, I’m afraid. Huh. I just listened to that one and, gotta admit, never heard it. I was born in '75, so it’s not something I’d know from the era, though. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2014, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1977/700170/97 "2014-10-04T19:31:19Z")
I gotta admit too that I have a real fondness for “Dancing Queen.” It was at the top of the chart in September or early October of '76, the end of my summer in England. I remember hiking in Cornwall one evening in the rain and listening to it on the radio. A wonderful time in my life! :o ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2014, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1977/700170/98 "2014-10-04T19:36:42Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Huh. I just listened to that one and, gotta admit, never heard it. I was born in '75, so it’s not something I’d know from the era, though. Listen to the entire album, if you never have before. It’s really good! Does anyone remember **this show** , which was a big hit in Britain during the same period? The songs got a _lot_ of airplay while I was living in England. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef9ot4VVPYU) ---
**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:** [October 4, 2014, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1977/700170/99 "2014-10-04T23:40:38Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I’m afraid that Rafferty’s “Baker Street” only made #1 in Australia - it was a #2 in the US, with “Shadow Dancing” keeping it out of the top spot. “Shadow Dancing” kept “Baker Street” out for _six_ weeks in 1978 which is another reason why I hate that song! At least you don’t hear it anymore even on oldies stations. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1977/700170/100 "2014-10-06T00:48:54Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Went with the Bee Gees **How Deep is Your Love**. _Six inches!_ That was my reaction to it back in the 1970s. Haven’t had reason to change. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1977/700170.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1977/700170.md?page=6)