# Hits and other songs you maybe should know...but don't **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 11, 2008, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hits-and-other-songs-you-maybe-should-know-but-dont/463084 "2008-09-11T11:24:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hits-and-other-songs-you-maybe-should-know-but-dont/463084/41 "2008-09-12T11:27:46Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > I am shocked at how many people do not know Float On. It was huge in NY. Well, amongst my peoples. “Hi, I’m Larry, and I’m a Libra.Mmmmm…Take my hand…”🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hits-and-other-songs-you-maybe-should-know-but-dont/463084/42 "2008-09-12T11:32:33Z")
[QUOTE=Hamilton Joe Frank and Reynolds (what the hell kind of name for a band is that?)] You say you’re gonna leave Gonna take that big white bird Gonna fly right out of here without a single word [/QUOTE] When I was a little kid, I often heard this song on the Classic Hits station that my dad used to play. I always assumed that he was literally singing about a big white bird (I pictured a huge parrot) that the singer and the object of the song kept as a pet, and which the singer’s unrequited love interest was literally taking with her when she moved out of his house. ---
**Author:** ![Suse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Suse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suse)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hits-and-other-songs-you-maybe-should-know-but-dont/463084/43 "2008-09-12T13:20:28Z")
> [@Ichbin\_Dubist](#): > > This website has charts for the radio station that was the soundtrack to my childhood, more or less, WABC in New York City. > > Just looking at their listings of the 100 songs of the year, there are quite a few highly placed sons that ring no bells at all (these are all from the top 30): > “One Less Bell to Answer”…The Fifth Dimension > “Don’t Pull Your Love”…Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds > “Black and White”…Three Dog Night > “Playground In My Mind”…Clint Holmes > “Fallin’ In Love”…Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds > “Lonely Night (Angel Face)”…The Captain and Tennille > “Float On” …The Floaters I know all of these and I still remember the words. My excuse is having older sisters. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hits-and-other-songs-you-maybe-should-know-but-dont/463084/44 "2008-09-12T22:45:18Z")
In 1974, I got my first “portable cassette recorder.” By “portable” I mean it was about the size of two standard bricks, weighed nearly as much, and recorded about as well. I know this because in 1974, I tried taping the entirety of the “Big 89 Countdown” on WLS which, IIRC, would always culminate with the #1 song at midnight, ringing in the New Year. Somehow, those fine recordings have been lost. My advanced recording technique involved positioning the condenser mic near the speaker of a Zenith “home stereo” all-in-one unit. Anyhoo, looking at the WABC entry for 1974… #88-Hello It’s Me/Todd Rundgren. Gee, I’d have thought that was earlier than '74 but ok. If that’s #88, it musta been a **helluva** year for music! Uh, what’s this? #62-Kung Fu Fighting/Carl Douglas?! #53-Spiders and Snakes/Jim Stafford?! #16-You’re Having My Baby/Paul Anka?!\* #9-The Streak?! Atheist dopers could make an excellent argument from this. And btw I found on another site info that said “Hello It’s Me” hit #5 in Nov of 1973, so I checked WABC’s listings for that 1973: it only ranked at #76. Behind Pillow Talk/Sylvia @ #33, Delta Dawn @ #26, and yes—Tie A Yellow Ribbon @ #2. Only “Killing Me Softly With His Song” was able to avert a complete tragedy. \*When people are a little too TMI with PDA etc., others say, “Get a room!” With regard to this song, I say, “Get a hospital!” ---
**Author:** ![Merhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Merhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merhouse)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hits-and-other-songs-you-maybe-should-know-but-dont/463084/45 "2008-09-12T23:13:12Z")
[quote=“JohnBckWLD, post:9, topic:463084”] With few exceptions, that collection does itself proud by bringing forward the best of the worst of the 70s pop era. There’s probably not a track on it that wasn’t played to death on AM pop radio. I dunno if Rhino had subsequent re-releases of the collection, but the original SHotS: HAND lists the highest Billboard Pop Chart position for each song on the back of the CD cases. In my opinion, it’s a great car-wreck collection. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and forces the listener to see how much punishemnt they can endure prior to clicking the next |\>\> track button. Some of the stinkiest turds: [[ul][li]R. Dean Taylor “Indiana Wants Me”[/li][li]Edison Lighthouse “Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)”[/li][li]Bobby Sherman “Julie, Do Ya Love Me”[/li][li]The Poppy Family “Which Way You Goin’ Billy”[/li][li]Melanie “Brand New Key”[/li][li]Wayne Newton “Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast”[/li][li]Edward Bear “Last Song”[/li][li]Mac Davis “Baby Don’t Get Hooked on Me”[/li][li]Clint Holmes “Playground in My Mind”[/li][li]Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods “Billy, Don’t Be a Hero”[/li][li]Paper Lace “The Night Chicago Died”[/li][li]Terry Jacks “Seasons in the Sun”[/li][li]Austin Roberts “Rocky”[/li][li]Sammy Johns “Chevy Van”[/li][li]David Geddes “Run Joey Run”[/li][li]Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds “Fallin’ in Love”[/li][li]Michael Martin Murphey “Wildfire”[/li][li]Henry Gross “Shannon”[/li][li]Burton Cummings “Stand Tall”[/li][li]C.W. McCall “Convoy”[/li][li]Mary MacGregor “Torn Between Two Lovers”[/li][li]Andrew Gold “Lonely Boy’”[/li][li]Kenny Nolan “I Like Dreamin’”[/li][li]Alan O’Day “Undercover Angel”[/li][li]David Soul “Don’t Give Up on Us”[/ul]](http://rateyourmusic.com/list/JohnBuckWLD/have_a_nice_day__the_kids_of_today_should_defend_themselves_against_the_seventies)[/li][/QUOTE] I like way too many of these songs. Add in really enjoying many of the other songs mentioned in this thread, and I now have something to contribute to the Doper Confessions thread. :o It’s good being old. Now get offa my lawn. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2008, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hits-and-other-songs-you-maybe-should-know-but-dont/463084/46 "2008-09-13T10:39:42Z")
> [@DfrntBreign](#): > > Another song I’ve never been able to find is one a friend was obsessed with. He’d crank it up and sing along any time it came on, but never found a copy to buy (very small town). The hook (and I think title) was the line “Back when my hair was short” and was by a band called Gunhill Road (I have tried to find it and this keeps coming up without sound files so I’m not sure if it’s the same song or not.) Just posted this link a couple of days ago in a different thread: [Back When My Hair was Short](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx5V0JhouA4&feature=related) by Gunhill Road. This was their only U.S. top 40 hit, and it peaked at #40. I remember Kasey Kasem on American Top 40 saying that was like landing on the moon and then being unable to get the door open. ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2008, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hits-and-other-songs-you-maybe-should-know-but-dont/463084/47 "2008-09-13T14:34:52Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Every time I do the wayback here on the board, I am shocked at how shallowly R&B penetrated into the mainstream. “Float On” was indeed a huge hit in 1977, in the top 5 for weeks and weeks, and I don’t know how it escaped me, as the rest of WABC’s hits from a that time are pretty familiar: 1. I Just Want to Be Your Everything - Andy Gibb 2. (Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher - Rita Coolidge 3. Float On - The Floaters 4. Best of My Love - The Emotions 5. Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band - Meco 6. Don’t Stop - Fleetwood Mac 7. Handy Man - James Taylor 8. Strawberry Letter #23 - The Brothers Johnson 9. Keep It Comin’ Love - KC & the Sunshine Band 10. Easy - The Commodores 11. Telephone Line - The Electric Light Orchestra 12. Star Wars (Main Title) - The London Symphony Orchestra 13. I Feel Love - Donna Summer – 14. Barracuda - Heart I can only guess that as a 11-year-old suburban white kid my use for slow jams was limited. I will maintain that I wasn’t partially responsible for putting _two_ versions of the _Star Wars_ theme on the charts – I didn’t buy 'em, though I guess I was the demographic. I didn; tbuy any of these 45s, actually, but 3 of these songs have claimed turf on my iPod: “Telephone Line,” “Strawberry Letter #23” and, oddly, the Rita Coolidge. ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2008, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hits-and-other-songs-you-maybe-should-know-but-dont/463084/48 "2008-09-13T14:50:20Z")
On the other hand, August 6, 1974 : 1. Annie’s Song - John Denver _3 weeks #1_ 2. The Night Chicago Died - Paper Lace 3. Rock Your Baby - George McCrae 4. Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me - Elton John 5. Sideshow - Blue Magic 6. Feel Like Makin’ Love - Roberta Flack 7. Rock the Boat - The Hues Corporation 8. The Air That I Breathe - The Hollies 9. Waterloo - ABBA 10. Rock and Roll Heaven - The Righteous Brothers 11. Rikki Don’t Lose That Number - Steely Dan 12. Tell Me Something Good - Rufus 13. (You’re) Having My Baby - Paul Anka 14. Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe - Barry White 15. Please Come to Boston - Dave Loggins 16. Takin’ Care of Business - Bachman-Turner Overdrive A chart topped by the unbearable John Denver, and that includes unconquerable monuments to Seventies cheese as “Please Come to Boston” and “Having My Baby.” But: “Rock Your Baby”! “Rock the Boat”! Rufus! Barry White! Possibly the weirdest ABBA song! Steely Dan! And no obscurities! I must have been listening to the radio a lot at this point. ---
**Author:** ![DfrntBreign](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@DfrntBreign](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DfrntBreign)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2008, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hits-and-other-songs-you-maybe-should-know-but-dont/463084/49 "2008-09-13T17:31:54Z")
> [@whitetho](#): > > Just posted this link a couple of days ago in a different thread: [Back When My Hair was Short](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx5V0JhouA4&feature=related) by Gunhill Road. This was their only U.S. top 40 hit, and it peaked at #40. I remember Kasey Kasem on American Top 40 saying that was like landing on the moon and then being unable to get the door open. Yes, that’s it! Thank you for posting the link. Took me back a few years, that did. I can’t believe it never occured to me to look on youtube. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Enerjee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@Enerjee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enerjee)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hits-and-other-songs-you-maybe-should-know-but-dont/463084/50 "2010-08-15T20:08:12Z")
> [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > Anyone know what song these lyrics are from? > “Morning glory, this is a true love story. Someone came along, stole away the night, that’s all right. No more sorrow. Ain’t gonna worry bout tomorrow, da da da der der da der da” I was looking for this too and came acroos this forum whilst searching ! Anyway, I’ve found it - it’s called: “Morning Glory” by Mac Gayden. Just to explain how I came across it, I heard it on an old recording of a radio show in 1976 and I was referring to a line the presenter said after this track. In order to explain to someone where the quote was I needed to identify the song just before he said it. Here’s the directions to what I’m talking about: [http://www.e-guestbooks.com/cgi-bin/e-guestbooks/guestbook.cgi?action=view&user=radioeric](http://www.e-guestbooks.com/cgi-bin/e-guestbooks/guestbook.cgi?action=view&user=radioeric) \*\*Regarding the post below from Monday 21st June about the quote, “Big Boss Hot Sauce” - as I stated on my previous post I first heard Mike Baker (Denny Tewson) on Beacon Radio 303 in 1976 and on the opening show on the station, which he presented (12th April 1976) he actually said after a record, “I play that for the Big Boss with the hot sauce this morning”. You can hear it by going to: _[http://www.beacon303-memories.co.uk/](http://www.beacon303-memories.co.uk/) Go to jingles and programmes and click on First Programme-Mike Baker, then click on the forward arrow to hear the second hour and he says it after the first track “Morning Glory” by Mac Gayden._ ---
**Author:** ![Enerjee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@Enerjee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enerjee)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hits-and-other-songs-you-maybe-should-know-but-dont/463084/51 "2010-08-19T18:45:26Z")
I realised after I posted the above reply that Ivan Astikov was banned from this forum a few weeks ago ! Nevermind. Whatever he’s done wrong, I hope he at least gets the reply to the question he asked on 11th September 2008. ---
**Author:** ![Enerjee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@Enerjee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enerjee)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hits-and-other-songs-you-maybe-should-know-but-dont/463084/52 "2010-10-02T19:35:54Z")
> [@Enerjee](#): > > Regarding the post below from Monday 21st June about the quote, “Big Boss Hot Sauce” - as I stated on my previous post I first heard Mike Baker (Denny Tewson) on Beacon Radio 303 in 1976 and on the opening show on the station, which he presented (12th April 1976) he actually said after a record, “I play that for the Big Boss with the hot sauce this morning”. > > \*\*You can hear it by going to: _[http://www.beacon303-memories.co.uk/](http://www.beacon303-memories.co.uk/) Go to jingles and programmes and click on First Programme-Mike Baker, then click on the forward arrow to hear the second hour and he says it after the first track “Morning Glory” by Mac Gayden._ Unfortunately, the said programme has just been removed from the Beacon 303 website to make room for jingles. I’m sure it’ll be put back up sometime in the near future though. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2010, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hits-and-other-songs-you-maybe-should-know-but-dont/463084/53 "2010-10-02T23:09:03Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > Julie Do Ya Love Me/Bobby Sherman > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsMONykezJM](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsMONykezJM) People have sung that to me before (my name is Julie) but that’s the first time I’ve actually heard it otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Enerjee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@Enerjee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enerjee)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hits-and-other-songs-you-maybe-should-know-but-dont/463084/54 "2013-12-30T21:59:20Z")
> [@Enerjee](#): > > Unfortunately, the said programme has just been removed from the Beacon 303 website to make room for jingles. I’m sure it’ll be put back up sometime in the near future though. So yeah, the audio of Mike Baker referring to “the big boss with the hot sauce” is back up on the Beacon Radio Memories website. Go to: \*\*[http://www.beacon-radio-memories.co.uk](http://www.beacon-radio-memories.co.uk) \*\* then click on “jingles, ads and programmes”, then scroll down to “Beacon Programmes” and click on “Beacon’s first programme Pt2” and the audio is at the 6 minute mark. Unfortunately, Mike Baker died a week ago on 23rd December 2013. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hits-and-other-songs-you-maybe-should-know-but-dont/463084.md?page=2)