Tag: ’70s soul

#1 Hot Soul Singles of 1976

Philadelphia International

Here are the #1 Hot Soul Singles of 1976. Curiously, the name of this category changed several times over the years. Rhythm and blues was the dominant designation through mid-1969.

Several songs hit #1 on the pop charts, designated as (pop)

Disco Lady – Johnnie Taylor, six weeks at #1 (pop)

Something He Can Feel– Aretha Franklin, four weeks at #1. I heard the En Vogue take first, then the QoS version in her box set

Dazz– Brick, 4 weeks at #1; here’s the disco mix

(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty – KC and the Sunshine Band, four weeks at #1 (pop)

Wake Up Everybody (Part 1) -Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, two weeks at #1

Sweet Thing – Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, two weeks at #1

Livin’ for the Weekend –  the O’Jays, two weeks at #1

You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine – Lou Rawls, two weeks at #1; also a #1 on the easy listening charts

Getaway – Earth, Wind & Fire, two weeks at #1. This is probably my favorite EW&F song. I especially love the triplets at the end. And for fun of it, the Funky Purrfection version

Play That Funky Music – Wild Cherry, two weeks at #1 (pop)

Just To Be Close To You – Commodores, two weeks at #1; version

Love Ballad – L.T.D., two weeks at #1

Car Wash – Rose Royce, two weeks at #1 (pop)

Sing A Song – Earth, Wind & Fire, two weeks at #1

One week at #1

Walk Away From Love – David Ruffin. A former Temptation

Turning Point – Tyrone Davis

Inseparable – Natalie Cole

Boogie Fever – Sylvers (pop)

Movin’ – Brass Construction

Love Hangover – Diana Ross (pop)

Kiss and Say Goodbye – Manhattans (pop)

I Want You – Marvin Gaye

Young Hearts Run Free – Candi Station

I’ll Be Good To You -The Brothers Johnson, produced by Quincy Jones. When Q put out his Back On The Block album in 1989, he covered this song with Ray Charles and Chaka Khan.

Sophisticated Lady (She’s A Different Lady) – Natalie Cole

Who’d She Coo? – Ohio Players

The Rubberband Man – Spinners. I have the album version of this song by Linda Creed and Thom Bell, as one does.

Message in Our Music – The O’Jays by Gamble and Huff.  Here’s the album version.

You Don’t Have To Be A Star (To Be In My Show) – Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr.  (pop)

Lydster: ’70s soul

There’s Love In Them There Hills

Obviously, I have failed my daughter. My wife, daughter, and I were visiting my mother-in-law’s communal residence. Curiously, in the background was, of all things, the Ohio Players’ Fire, a song I love. My daughter did not know this track.

On the ride home, she clarified that she isn’t familiar with many ’70s soul songs. She does know the Beatles, Motown, and other stuff from the ’60s, as well as Gladys Knight and the Pips on Arista Records. Reciprocally, she has taught me about 1990s/early 2000s soul, such as Aaliyah and Blaque.

I have all of the songs mentioned in some physical form

Some songs:

Fire – Ohio Players. I made a post in 2016 of other songs titled Fire.

Lady Marmalade –  LaBelle. This is the song that she had a vague understanding of because it had a line in French; did she learn it in high school class? The song was added to the National Recording Registry in 2021.

Tell Me Something Good – Rufus. My niece Rebecca sang this song in concert during a Chaka Khan medley that my daughter heard. The daughter may not know that Stevie Wonder penned it. Chaka Khan and I have the same birth month.

Strawberry Letter #23—the Brothers Johnson. Shuggie Otis wrote and performed the song; I have it on CD. Shuggie was the son of 1950s music legend Johnny Otis. This cover, produced by Quincy Jones, is iconic. I wrote about this song in 2015. Here’s the single, which is good, but the album cut is better.. 

Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) -Sly and the Family Stone. I love Sly, and there are a bunch of other songs she should know about.

STAX

Mr. Big Stuff – Jean Knight. A Stax Records hit

Respect Yourself – the Staple Singers, arguably my favorite Stax song from the 1970s,  though their I’ll Take You There is a worthy choice as well.

Thin Line Between Love and Hate -The Persuaders. The Pretenders covered this. 

Why Can’t We Live Together – Timmy Thomas. I have this on an LP. One of the longest intros on a single I’ve ever heard at over 90 seconds before the vocal. 

Getaway – Earth, Wind, and Fire. There’s a lot of EWF she should know.

There’s Love In Them There Hills – the Pointer Sisters. Play in the dark, as loud as you can; it’ll be clear why after the first 2:30. 

Social media & sharing icons powered by UltimatelySocial