# Best of the Rest of the Top 40: 1975 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 4, 2015, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1975/711828 "2015-02-04T19:02:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [February 4, 2015, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1975/711828/1 "2015-02-04T19:02:21Z")
Our survey now takes us to 1975, and man-oh-man was this a hard list to compile. This was a busy year for pop music, and I had to go all the way to #57 on the year-end chart to get our 25 picks for this year. What’s your favorite? Previous polls: [1956](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744629) [1957](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744819) [1958](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744978) [1959](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745151) [1960](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745331) [1961](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745525) [1962](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745733) [1963](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745956) [1964](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746118) [1965](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746342) [1966](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746498) [1967](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746735) [1968](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746932) [1969](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747152) [1970](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747345) [1971](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747517) [1972](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747737) [1973](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747976) [1974](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748145) Best #1 single polls: [1955-56](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=731649) [1957](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=731871) [1958](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732021) [1959](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732199)[1960](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732526) [1961](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732691) [1962](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732872) [1963](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733112) [1964](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733297) [1965](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733526) [1966](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733750) [1967](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733958) [1968](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734168) [1969](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734331) [1970](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734535) [1971](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734741) [1972](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735107) [1973](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735304) [1974](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735502) [1975](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735659) [1976](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735871) [1977](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736076) [1978](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736316) [1979](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736501) [1980](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736705) [1981](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736957) [1982](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737099) [1983](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737315) [1984](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737488) [1985](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737732) [1986](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737957) [1987](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738178) [1988](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738403) [1989](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738639) [1990](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738829) [1991](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739067) [1992](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739360) [1993](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739525) [1994](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739880) [1995](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740122) [1996](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740302) [1997](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740497) [1998](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740709) [1999](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740859) [2000](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741047) [2001](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741267) [2002](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741450) [2003](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741604) [2004](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741730) [2005](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741915) [2006](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742069) [2007](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742147) [2008](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742282) [2009](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742467) [2010](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742676) [2011](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742846) [2012](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=675664) [2013](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=710843) [2014](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743899) [1950s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743046) [1960s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743240) [1970s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743399) [1980s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743597) [1990s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743803) [2000s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743981) [2010s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744176) [All-time](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744358) ---
**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:** [February 4, 2015, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1975/711828/2 "2015-02-04T19:42:16Z")
One vote for the dead horse. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1975/711828/3 "2015-02-04T21:43:43Z")
How is Barry White not getting all the votes? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1975/711828/4 "2015-02-04T22:08:04Z")
10CC; I’ve always liked that song. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1975/711828/5 "2015-02-04T22:17:58Z")
I love “Ballroom Blitz” and “I’m Not in Love,” but finally chose “How Long” for Paul Carrack’s vocals. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1975/711828/6 "2015-02-05T02:05:28Z")
Ballroom Blitz, one of my all time favorite songs. Cannot be in a bad mood while it’s playing! ---
**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:** [February 5, 2015, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1975/711828/7 "2015-02-05T02:45:10Z")
“Why Can’t We Be Friends” got my vote, and I’m pretty surprised I’m the only one so far. It won a tight one over “Ballroom Blitz,” “Boogie On Reggae Woman,” and “I’m Not in Love” for supremacy in the world-famous **Ponch8 Music Rating System**. “Chevy Van” is dead-ass last, just behind “Feelings.” ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Prize](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d2c977/32.png) [@Sir\_Prize](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Prize)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1975/711828/8 "2015-02-05T03:13:35Z")
I read the first three entries and thought “1975 is a great year!” Then I read the rest of the list. Oh well… there were still some good ones mixed in. Voted for Janice Ian. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Prize](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d2c977/32.png) [@Sir\_Prize](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Prize)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1975/711828/9 "2015-02-05T03:17:44Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > “Chevy Van” is dead-ass last, just behind “Feelings.” I can’t argue with that but just thinking of “Feelings” makes me think of Eunice (Carole Burnett) on the Gong Show, which was gut wrenching (in a good way). ---
**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:** [February 5, 2015, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1975/711828/10 "2015-02-05T03:35:39Z")
There are easily a dozen songs on this list I have forgotten about and would love to hear again. I went with Ace - “How Long?” but that’s a tough call even. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1975/711828/11 "2015-02-05T03:46:21Z")
For those wanting the _ **exact** _ definition of “Musical Dreck”, this list has pretty muchan example of every major genre of the species. Janice Ian, bless her, took us back to 1964 for a moment. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1975/711828/12 "2015-02-05T09:02:03Z")
I voted for the Isley Brothers. Powerful song. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1975/711828/13 "2015-02-05T12:51:51Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > How is Barry White not getting all the votes? It’s my favourite too, of the few on this list that I know, but apparently we are in the minority. No runaway leader at this stage, either. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1975/711828/14 "2015-02-05T23:57:26Z")
So where to begin? I feel the Number 1 songs of 1975 were much stronger than the Best of the Rest. The best songs are most likely the 10cc and Ace, with singer Paul Carrack who also sang “Tempted” by Squeeze and “Living Years” and other songs with Mike and the Mechanics. Gave the list a listen, few songs I liked were “BallroomBlitz”, “Jackie Blue”, “Magic”, “Dynomite”, “Walking in Rhythm”, and “Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You”, mainly for the guitar riff. I already voted for Sugarloaf in the 1970 poll, and “Green Eyed Lady” is a better song. So it came down to “Jackie Blue” and “Dynomite”(just discovered through this list), and I chose the first one. So Ozark Mountain Daredevils, here is your vote. Used to think the vocalist(drummer) was a lady. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1975/711828/15 "2015-02-06T01:17:16Z")
I voted for 10cc. For that time the production was pretty special. At the time I’d have probably gone for _Ballroom Blitz_. I know Barry Manilow is not very fashionable, but I think _Could It Be Magic_ has stood the test of time. I’m a Brit and there’s quite a few I don’t know in the list. I’ll have to get round to You-tubing a lot of tracks in this series. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1975/711828/16 "2015-02-06T01:21:22Z")
I went back and forth between _I’m Not in Love_ and _Ballroom Blitz_, but ultimately went with the 10CC song. ---
**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:** [February 6, 2015, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1975/711828/17 "2015-02-06T02:53:27Z")
It’s funny how I never heard of “Dynomite” before seeing this list, but it sounds EXACTLY like I thought it would. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1975/711828/18 "2015-02-06T03:19:39Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > It’s funny how I never heard of “Dynomite” before seeing this list, but it sounds EXACTLY like I thought it would. Couldn’t resist you tubing that. A quality tune… proper 1975! Cheers mate! ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1975/711828/19 "2015-02-06T18:58:17Z")
I gotta go with Linda Ronstadt. Definitely one of her best songs.