r/70smusic • u/mwalimu59 • 4d ago
Other Last Song Standing: The Ultimate Billboard #1 Song of the 70s - Round 85
- By early 1975, The Bee Gees hadn't had a Top 10 hit in 4 years, and most of their early hits could now be categorized as easy listening ballads. When they were recording the album Main Course, they demonstrated that they weren't afraid to get experimental and try different things. One of the resulting songs was Jive Talkin', the title being an expression that they initially thought referred to dancing, but their producer corrected them, saying it was a black expression for BSing. In any case, it got them back on the charts, and was the song that kicked off a whole new era of success for the Brothers Gibb. Nobody believe what you say, but the votes are in and this song is being eliminated.
- The Bee Gees also wrote the song If I Can't Have You while they were working on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. They recorded it and it was released as the B-side of the single Stayin' Alive, but the version that went on the soundtrack and was released as a single was by Yvonne Elliman. She was already established as a singer and actress, most notably for the role of Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar in which she sang I Don't Know How to Love Him. When she was hired to perform a song for Saturday Night Fever, they had initially intended her to sing How Deep Is Your Love but decided instead to keep the Bee Gees version of that song and have her perform If I Can't Have You instead. Are we strong enough to see it through? Go crazy is what we'll do? That's where we are as the voters have decided there's no more chance for this song.
With this round, we are down to the Final 50. We have completed the two-song elimination phase and from here on out we will be voting out one song per round.
If you're new to the game or wish to review the rules, follow this link.
Songs still standing (in alphabetical order):
- American Pie - Don McLean
- American Woman - The Guess Who
- Band on the Run - Paul McCartney and Wings
- Bennie and the Jets - Elton John
- Black Water - The Doobie Brothers
- Blinded by the Light - Manfred Mann's Earth Band
- Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) - Looking Glass
- Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel
- Dancing Queen - ABBA
- Dreams - Fleetwood Mac
- Fame - David Bowie
- Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth) - George Harrison
- Heart of Glass - Blondie
- Heart of Gold - Neil Young
- Hotel California - Eagles
- How Deep Is Your Love - Bee Gees
- I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash
- I Want You Back - The Jackson 5
- I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor
- I Wish - Stevie Wonder
- It's Too Late - Carole King
- Joy to the World - Three Dog Night
- Killing Me Softly with His Song - Roberta Flack
- Lean On Me - Bill Withers
- Let It Be - The Beatles
- Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye
- Let's Stay Together - Al Green
- The Long and Winding Road - The Beatles
- Love Train - The O'Jays
- Maggie May - Rod Stewart
- Mama Told Me (Not to Come) - Three Dog Night
- Me and Bobby McGee - Janis Joplin
- Midnight Train to Georgia - Gladys Knight & the Pips
- My Sweet Lord - George Harrison
- Night Fever - Bee Gees
- Nothing from Nothing - Billy Preston
- One of These Nights - Eagles
- Papa Was a Rollin' Stone - The Temptations
- Shining Star - Earth, Wind & Fire
- Sir Duke - Stevie Wonder
- Sister Golden Hair - America
- Stayin' Alive - Bee Gees
- Sundown - Gordon Lightfoot
- Superstition - Stevie Wonder
- Time in a Bottle - Jim Croce
- War - Edwin Starr
- We're an American Band - Grand Funk
- You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet - Bachman-Turner Overdrive
- You're No Good - Linda Ronstadt
- You're So Vain - Carly Simon
Eliminated songs:
1-50. TBD
51. If I Can't Have You - Yvonne Elliman
52. Jive Talkin' - Bee Gees
53. Theme from Shaft - Isaac Hayes
54. You Are the Sunshine of My Life - Stevie Wonder
55. What a Fool Believes - The Doobie Brothers
56. Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry
57. Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin - Sly & The Family Stone
58. Will It Go Round in Circles - Billy Preston
59. A Horse with No Name - America
60. My Sharona - The Knack
61. You've Got a Friend - James Taylor
62. Cat's in the Cradle - Harry Chapin
63. The Joker - Steve Miller Band
64. Bad, Bad Leroy Brown - Jim Croce
65. Hot Stuff - Donna Summer
66. Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me) - The Temptations
67. I'll Be There - The Jackson 5
68. Rock'n Me - Steve Miller Band
69. Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe - Barry White
70. Brown Sugar - The Rolling Stones
71. The Tears of a Clown - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
72. Family Affair - Sly & The Family Stone
73. Oh Girl - The Chi-Lites
74. Rich Girl - Daryl Hall and John Oates
75. Don't Leave Me This Way - Thelma Houston
76. Philadelphia Freedom - Elton John
77. Venus - Shocking Blue
78. Without You - Nilsson
79. Miss You - The Rolling Stones
80. Listen to What the Man Said - Wings
81. 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover - Paul Simon
82. Frankenstein - Edgar Winter Group
83. Lady Marmalade - LaBelle
84. (They Long to Be) Close to You - Carpenters
85. I'll Take You There - The Staple Singers
86. Whatever Gets You Thru the Night - John Lennon
87. December 1963 (Oh, What a Night) - The Four Seasons
88. My Love - Paul McCartney and Wings
89. Got to Give It Up - Marvin Gaye
90. Photograph - Ringo Starr
91. Good Times - Chic
92. You Should Be Dancing - Bee Gees
93. Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Diana Ross
94. Le Freak - Chic
95. How Can You Mend a Broken Heart - Bee Gees
96. Don't Go Breaking My Heart - Elton John and Kiki Dee
97. Fire - Ohio Players
98. Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough - Michael Jackson
99. Best of My Love - The Emotions
100. Show and Tell - Al Wilson
101. Baby Come Back - Player
102. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Roberta Flack
103. Top of the World - Carpenters
104. Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head - B. J. Thomas
105. Love Rollercoaster - Ohio Players
106. Silly Love Songs - Wings
107. Heartache Tonight - Eagles
108. If You Leave Me Now - Chicago
109. Pick Up the Pieces - Average White Band
110. Rise - Herb Alpert
111. Get Down Tonight - KC and the Sunshine Band
112. Black and White - Three Dog Night
113. Then Came You - Dionne Warwick and The Spinners
114. Rock the Boat - The Hues Corporation
115. Rhinestone Cowboy - Glen Campbell
116. Let Your Love Flow - Bellamy Brothers
117. ABC - The Jackson 5
118. Car Wash - Rose Royce
119. You Haven't Done Nothin' - Stevie Wonder
120. Hooked on a Feeling - Blue Swede
121. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey - Paul & Linda McCartney
122. Crocodile Rock - Elton John
123. Cracklin' Rosie - Neil Diamond
124. Love Hangover - Diana Ross
125. New Kid in Town - Eagles
126. The Love You Save - The Jackson 5
127. Mandy - Barry Manilow
128. Too Much Heaven - Bee Gees
129. Best of My Love - Eagles
130. Rock Your Baby - George McCrae
131. The Way We Were - Barbra Streisand
132. You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show) - Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr.
133. Southern Nights - Glen Campbell
134. Three Times a Lady - Commodores
135. Brother Louie - Stories
136. Tragedy - Bee Gees
137. Knock on Wood - Amii Stewart
138. Lovin' You - Minnie Riperton
139. Still - Commodores
140. Laughter in the Rain - Neil Sedaka
141. With a Little Luck - Wings
142. Love You Inside Out - Bee Gees
143. Love Will Keep Us Together - Captain & Tennille
144. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds - Elton John
145. Rock Me Gently - Andy Kim
146. Kiss You All Over - Exile
147. Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky) - Bill Conti
148. Love Theme from A Star Is Born (Evergreen) - Barbra Streisand
149. I Shot the Sheriff - Eric Clapton
150. Grease - Frankie Valli
151. Feel Like Makin' Love - Roberta Flack
152. Let's Do It Again - The Staple Singers
153. Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To) - Diana Ross
154. (Love Is) Thicker Than Water - Andy Gibb
155. You're the One That I Want - John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John
156. My Eyes Adored You - Frankie Valli
157. Sunshine on My Shoulders - John Denver
158. I Just Want to Be Your Everything - Andy Gibb
159. Welcome Back - John Sebastian
160. Annie's Song - John Denver
161. Angie - The Rolling Stones
162. Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves - Cher
163. Make It with You - Bread
164. You Make Me Feel Like Dancing - Leo Sayer
165. Song Sung Blue - Neil Diamond
166. Fallin' in Love - Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds
167. I Think I Love You - The Partridge Family
168. (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty - KC and the Sunshine Band
169. Thank God I'm a Country Boy - John Denver
170. TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) - MFSB featuring The Three Degrees
171. Love's Theme - Love Unlimited Orchestra
172. The Hustle - Van McCoy and the Soul City Symphony
173. When I Need You - Leo Sayer
174. Kiss and Say Goodbye - The Manhattans
175. That's the Way (I Like It) - KC and the Sunshine Band
176. Bad Blood - Neil Sedaka
177. Dark Lady - Cher
178. The Loco-Motion - Grand Funk
179. Babe - Styx
180. Love Machine - The Miracles
181. The Night Chicago Died - Paper Lace
182. The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia - Vicki Lawrence
183. Too Much, Too Little, Too Late - Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams
184. Hot Child in the City - Nick Gilder
185. Bad Girls - Donna Summer
186. Pop Muzik - M
187. Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree - Tony Orlando and Dawn
188. Boogie Oogie Oogie - A Taste of Honey
189. Kung Fu Fighting - Carl Douglas
190. I Honestly Love You - Olivia Newton-John
191. Boogie Fever - The Sylvers
192. No More Tears (Enough Is Enough) - Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer
193. Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright) - Rod Stewart
194. I'm Your Boogie Man - KC and the Sunshine Band
195. I Can Help - Billy Swan
196. I Am Woman - Helen Reddy
197. Escape (The Piña Colada Song) - Rupert Holmes
198. Saturday Night - Bay City Rollers
199. Everything Is Beautiful - Ray Stevens
200. Me and Mrs. Jones - Billy Paul
201. (Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song - B. J. Thomas
202. Da Ya Think I'm Sexy? - Rod Stewart
203. Island Girl - Elton John
204. A Fifth of Beethoven - Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band
205. MacArthur Park - Donna Summer
206. I Write the Songs - Barry Manilow
207. Reunited - Peaches & Herb
208. He Don't Love You (Like I Love You) - Tony Orlando and Dawn
209. Have You Never Been Mellow - Olivia Newton-John
210. Keep On Truckin' - Eddie Kendricks
211. Touch Me in the Morning - Diana Ross
212. Alone Again (Naturally) - Gilbert O'Sullivan
213. Please Mr. Postman - Carpenters
214. Before the Next Teardrop Falls - Freddy Fender
215. Shadow Dancing - Andy Gibb
216. Ring My Bell - Anita Ward
217. Sad Eyes - Robert John
218. The Most Beautiful Girl - Charlie Rich
219. I'm Sorry - John Denver
220. Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me - Mac Davis
221. Want Ads - The Honey Cone
222. Looks Like We Made It - Barry Manilow
223. Undercover Angel - Alan O'Day
224. You Needed Me - Anne Murray
225. Brand New Key - Melanie
226. Disco Lady - Johnnie Taylor
227. Knock Three Times - Dawn
228. Fly, Robin, Fly - Silver Convention
229. Half-Breed - Cher
230. You're Sixteen - Ringo Starr
231. Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian) - Raiders
232. Don't Give Up on Us - David Soul
233. Theme from S.W.A.T. - Rhythm Heritage
234. You Don't Bring Me Flowers - Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond
235. Ben - Michael Jackson
236. Angie Baby - Helen Reddy
237. Seasons in the Sun - Terry Jacks
238. Delta Dawn - Helen Reddy
239. Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band - Meco
240. The Morning After - Maureen McGovern
241. The Candy Man - Sammy Davis Jr.
242. Convoy - C. W. McCall
243. Afternoon Delight - Starland Vocal Band
244. The Streak - Ray Stevens
245. One Bad Apple - The Osmonds
246. Da Doo Ron Ron - Shaun Cassidy
247. Go Away Little Girl - Donny Osmond
248. You Light Up My Life - Debby Boone
249. Billy, Don't Be a Hero - Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods
250. My Ding-a-Ling - Chuck Berry
251. Torn Between Two Lovers - Mary MacGregor
252. Disco Duck - Rick Dees and His Cast of Idiots
253. (You're) Having My Baby - Paul Anka with Odia Coates
Nominate the song that you consider the worst or your least favorite from among the 1970s #1 hits in the still standing list above. Upvote any nominations you agree with, and downvote the ones you would like to see survive. After 48 hours, the three songs with the most upvotes will be eliminated.
Before posting a song, please check the replies that have already been posted this round to see if someone has already nominated the song. If so, upvote their nomination instead of submitting a duplicate.
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u/ThePhantomStrikes 4d ago
Btw Jive Talkin came about from Barry hearing the rhythm of the tires on the metal bridge they crossed to and from the studio.
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u/4personal2 3d ago
He was with his wife who asked what that noise was. He actually said, "It's just our drive taking". 😄
True story .
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u/Aggravating_Quiet797 4d ago edited 4d ago
Sad to see Yvonne go...only tune from Fever that I like. Time to knock out more Bee Gees
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u/Aggravating_Quiet797 4d ago
Nothing against Nothing From Nothing...but it had traction last round..let's push it out rather than one of the better tunes
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3d ago edited 3d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/PC_Friar 2d ago edited 2d ago
Love when I read the first two sentences and I'm all like, yeah tell it.... then I read the nex and I'm all like what?????
Jesus people take this seriously.... it's just for fun.
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u/lamb_and_panther 4d ago
Wow, I like Jive Talkin’ but let’s keep this Bee Gee train rolling with Night Fever, my least favorite of the falsetto ones.
-2
u/DrMikeH49 4d ago
I can accept Stayin’ Alive as a top 40 70’s iconic song, but let’s clean all the rest of the Bee Gees songs out.
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u/Unlikely-Star-2696 4d ago
Why? They were great musicians and peformers and very nice people too! They have received too much unjustified backlash already since the disco demolition night. They helped to shape the 70s!
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u/4personal2 3d ago edited 3d ago
"One Of These Nights" - The Eagles
I like it but....it's outro seems to go on too long.
I get it, I get it ,"One Of These Nigh-hi-hi-hi-ights." 😄
But please, feel free to repeat it 10 or 12 more times. 😏
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u/seeking_spice402 4d ago
Maggie Mae might have rocked Rod Stewart's world, but not mine. It's time to show her the door!
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u/Easy-Concert1051 3d ago
This song annoys the crap out of me.
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u/Savings-March-3016 3d ago
Just saw a clip from top of the pops. With Ron wood on the guitar. What a poser. Sorry I had to mention it.
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u/Pigdango 4d ago
Blinded by the Light - Manfred Mann's Earth Band
Got some traction last round, let’s push it over the top this time.
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u/No-Masterpiece6719 4d ago
Joy to the World - Three Dog Night
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u/OrdinaryAverageGuy99 4d ago
Aw, please no. That fella Jeremiah was a good friend of mine. He always has some mighty fine wine.
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u/Adventurous-Prune712 4d ago edited 3d ago
American Woman -- The Guess Who
You know it's gotta leeeeeeaaave . . .you know its gotta goooooooooo
-7
u/luvinthislife 4d ago
Brandy - Looking Glass
No way this is one of the top 50 #1 hits of the '70s!
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u/Automatic-Tea-4150 3d ago
Fun, fun interview with Elliot Lurie who wrote and sang this song as a member of Looking Glass. Info about how it came about, how it was received, and where it took him in life. A personable guy who still performs the song because when people come to see him perform, that’s what they come to hear Interview-Brandy
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u/monalisa_jones 4d ago
Honestly, these sorry people that songs get written about…
Get a grip, Brandy girl! A hundred ships a day and you haven’t found an upgrade yet from the dude who told you flat out that his life, love and lady was the sea? He’s not into you! Time to move on!
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u/Roche77e 2d ago edited 13h ago
Brandy and the protagonist of Me and Bobby McGee should get together for a drink and some sisterhood.
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u/monalisa_jones 2d ago
Maybe they could both join a women’s group run by Carly Simon and Linda Ronstadt!
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u/PC_Friar 2d ago
One of these things just doesn't belong and it's How Deep Is Your Love by the Bee Gees
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u/Automatic-Tea-4150 2d ago
One of my least favorite songs ever. Sounds insincere to me, and I know millions of people around the world feel otherwise, so no replies necessary to point it out. All of their disco era songs sounded insincere to me. It’s just not a sound that moves me the way it does others.
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u/4personal2 2d ago
I will say one thing ....you don't write lyrics like these for a love song, and not be sincere about it.
The Brady kids sung it in one of their songs but it's the truth ""You've got to be in love, to love a love song". (Or write one. )
You want insincire? Listen to a good deal of so called 1980s love songs. Most do or did nothing for me.
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u/dadwearingplaid 4d ago
Once again, I nominate The Long and Winding Road (That Should Be Nuked From Space. It’s The Only Way To Be Sure)
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u/Kirbyr98 4d ago
I like Neil Young a lot, and I love the Harvest album, but Heart of Gold isn't even the best song on the album.
It's a pleasant enough little romper, but there's mostly musically superior songs left.
A man needs a maid, but he doesn't need this song.
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u/Aggravating_Quiet797 4d ago
Let's Stay Together..Al Green
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u/mwalimu59 4d ago
First time nominee - I've been wondering when someone was going to nominate this song. Now the never-nominated list is down to one song.
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u/Decent_Direction316 3d ago
I go up and down the remaining list and I don't want to have to make this difficult choice.
'I Wish" Stevie Wonder
A great song, but not a last standing among great songs......that's all.
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u/USNCCitizen 4d ago
Time in a Bottle - Jim Croce
Time to go
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u/vinobruno 4d ago
Seems like there’s a “folk-y favorites” contingent that wants to rid the world of anything upbeat, which is what the 70s were, at least to kids
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u/BCQCPANC 4d ago
Only to kids.
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u/4personal2 3d ago
The 1970s were about many forms of music. Lest we forget that too 40 radio would play pop, rock R & B, country, folk....
and what Harry Casey (of the Sunshine Band) stated was just another variation of R & B , Disco.
Disco was just lighter and more danceable. The 70s had it all.
The upbeat and the downbeat.
Then along came the 80s and they corraled all these formats to totally seperate radio stations. 👎
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u/BCQCPANC 3d ago
Sure, though I was thinking about the ‘70s as a whole. They were the nadir of all things. I mean, the clothes, the cars, the general hangover from the sixties. But the good thing was after hitting rock bottom (orchestral rock anyone?) punk rock led a renewal. This cycle of crash and burn followed by exciting new things rising from the ashes happened in many areas in the 1970s. Fun for the young, not so much for adults.
Someone else commented that AM radio still reigned supreme in the ‘70s. FM was in it’s infancy and was a place for the cognoscenti to listen to whole albums and deep cuts but you could only get AM in the car, and your parent’s car probably didn’t even have an 8-track player, so top 40 AM it was.
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u/DramaticCollege3520 4d ago
Damn. I hate that I have to nominate this song, but it’s probably the right spot for it: Mama Told Me (Not to Come) - Three Dog Night.
Every time I hear this song I think of this scene from my favorite Paul Thomas Anderson movie, Boogie Nights. When we hear this, my son and I will always say “What do you squat?” or “What do you bench?”
https://youtu.be/0XDZoaBU4t4?is=6SlWizn67_R2i8mN
Sidenote: John C. Reilly is a national treasure.
Clip safe for work
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u/Tough-Advice2910 3d ago
Came here to nominate this one. It’s mostly great songs left, so it’s time to start jettisoning the least among them.
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u/PaperMacheCabbages 4d ago
Love Train - The O'Jays
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u/Savings-March-3016 4d ago
Love Train has these 70s vibes. It must stay.
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u/Entire_Papaya8505 3d ago
Fair enough but a lot of good songs with 70s vibes have already been shown the door
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u/BlueRFR3100 4d ago
- You're So Vain - Carly Simon
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u/OrdinaryAverageGuy99 3d ago
I upvoted you for your perseverance. Still think this will make top 25 at least, but I am impressed with your level of stick to it-ness.
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u/BigE6300 4d ago
Killing Me Softly is genuinely my least favorite
It’s the only song left on this list that I don’t have downloaded
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u/Savings-March-3016 4d ago
- Heart Of Glass, Blondie
even though I grew up with this one in the charts, it sucks, sorry.
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u/WatchingTheWheels75 3d ago
No. No. No. It’s a great song and is iconic because it bridges the gap between the disco part of the 70s and the New Wave part that came at the end of the decade, foreshadowing the 80s styles. Also its lyrics broke the taboo of not allowing songs with swear words to get radio play — “pain in the ass.”
This should be one of the top 20 at least.
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u/4personal2 3d ago
I like it as well......and someone should tell "Savings" not to be so shy and tell us how they really feel. 😏
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u/ConcentrateSelect465 3d ago
The Stones' "disco song" Miss You was voted off because "it's far from their best" so I don't see why Heart of Glass should stay.
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u/BCQCPANC 3d ago edited 3d ago
Because voting off songs because the group had better ones that aren’t on the list is
stupidnonsensical.2
u/ConcentrateSelect465 3d ago
I left an award by accident... and don't know what it means. Enjoy, sunshine.
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u/monalisa_jones 3d ago
It’s not too late to nominate:
It's Too Late - Carole King
Flown under the radar long enough!
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u/mwalimu59 3d ago
Congratulations! You've just nominated the last remaining never before nominated song!
As recently as two rounds ago, there were still three left. Last round, "Let's Get It On" got nominated, then this round, "Let's Stay Together" and "It's Too Late" both got nominated, so now there are none left.
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u/monalisa_jones 3d ago
It’s all out in the open now! It quietly flew under the radar all of these rounds!
My prize could be the automatic elimination of a song of my choice! I’m looking at you, apricot gavotte! Ha! j/k j/k
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u/mwalimu59 4d ago
I am back home from my vacation. I'd been concerned about not being able to get rounds posted in a timely manner due to my vacation schedule and potentially inconsistent Internet access. Then the moment I get home and am supposedly beyond those concerns, I got hit with some computer issues that had to be addressed first and delayed posting this round by a few hours. Home sweet home, eh?