# Best of the Rest of the Top 40: 1979 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 12, 2015, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1979/712502 "2015-02-12T20:01:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **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 12, 2015, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1979/712502/1 "2015-02-12T20:01:03Z")
Time to close out the '70s. This poll takes us to #43 for our list of 25, and like last year’s chart, it has quite a few gems in it. 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) [1975](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748360) [1976](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748527) [1977](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748653) [1978](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748866) 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:** ![racepug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@racepug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racepug)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2015, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1979/712502/2 "2015-02-12T20:14:03Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2015, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1979/712502/3 "2015-02-12T20:14:30Z")
I can’t believe I voted for Supertramp. This list is really weak. ---
**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 12, 2015, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1979/712502/4 "2015-02-12T20:19:28Z")
I didn’t want to vote for the Village People. 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. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2015, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1979/712502/5 "2015-02-12T20:21:07Z")
Yep. In fact, it came on the radio of my rental car last weekend and sure enough, I had to sing along. With gestures. While driving. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2015, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1979/712502/6 "2015-02-12T20:43:59Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > 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. My name is Baron Greenback, and I endorse these words. 😃 ---
**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 12, 2015, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1979/712502/7 "2015-02-12T20:54:03Z")
> [@Critical1](#): > > I can’t believe I voted for Supertramp. This list is really weak. Preach it. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2015, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1979/712502/8 "2015-02-12T21:02:42Z")
Voted for the Y. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2015, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1979/712502/9 "2015-02-12T21:32:10Z")
Only the Cheap Trick and Supertramp songs were good. I went with Cheap Trick. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2015, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1979/712502/10 "2015-02-12T22:15:05Z")
At last - a list with _absolutely NO_ redeeming entries. I will say this for 1979 - it was the year I fled the Midwest for CA. The plane’s audio was NOT 100% disco (aka “dreck”). ---
**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 12, 2015, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1979/712502/11 "2015-02-12T23:02:28Z")
The reek is strong with this one. Supertramp. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2015, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1979/712502/12 "2015-02-12T23:58:11Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2015, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1979/712502/13 "2015-02-13T00:04:27Z")
My senior year in high school. I can’t vote for any of them. ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2015, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1979/712502/14 "2015-02-13T00:08:05Z")
Went with YMCA, but 1979 was not a total loss for music. In November Pink Floyd released _The Wall_, but you won’t see any songs like “Hey You”, “Comfortably Numb” or “Another Brick on the Wall” on any lists. ---
**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 13, 2015, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1979/712502/15 "2015-02-13T02:49:56Z")
“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.” ---
**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:** [February 14, 2015, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1979/712502/16 "2015-02-14T12:16:56Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > Went with YMCA, but 1979 was not a total loss for music. > > In November Pink Floyd released _The Wall_, but you won’t see any songs like “Hey You”, “Comfortably Numb” or “Another Brick on the Wall” on any lists. Actually, [ABitW](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736705) went to #1 in the US, so it was on the 1980 #1 poll. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2015, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1979/712502/17 "2015-02-14T16:33:30Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2015, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1979/712502/18 "2015-02-14T16:53:51Z")
The Jacksons’ song is “Shake Your **Body** ” not booty. We had already shaken our booty in '77 thanks to KC & the Sunshine Band. Also, it was the Jacksons, not Jackson 5. Second vote for Donna Summer. Such a great run of singles from her around that time. ---
**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 14, 2015, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1979/712502/19 "2015-02-14T16:55:39Z")
> [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](#): > > The Jacksons’ song is “Shake Your **Body** ” not booty. We had already shaken our booty in '77 thanks to KC & the Sunshine Band. I blame an overzealous intern. 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. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2015, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1979/712502/20 "2015-02-14T17:50:45Z")
Say what you will about this list, but it’s the only one to have _[Leather Tuscadero](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzi_Quatro)_ on it! Cheap Trick, easily. Every other song, including “The Logical Song”, sounds horribly dated. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1979/712502.md?page=2)