This is fun, via genericus. Wow, a lot of classic music happened the year I was born. The kind of stuff you put in the boom box for the beach in summer nowadays: Early Beatles, Motown R&B, etc. Plus both “House of the Rising Sun” and “Surfin’ Bird”! Woo! I’m sure I like a couple of the Al Hirt tunes because my parents had a few of his records when I was a little kid that I enjoyed, like “Honey in the Horn”.
Go to http://www.musicoutfitters.com and put your birth year into the search thingy. The first link is likely the top 100 songs of that year. Cut and paste that list here. Bold the ones you actually like. Understand that the word “like” in this case means, in the very least, “wouldn’t immediately change the radio station from.” Pick a favorite. Underline that favorite.
1. I Want To Hold Your Hand, The Beatles
2. She Loves You, The Beatles
3. Where Did Our Love Go, Supremes
4. Oh, Pretty Woman, Roy Orbison
5. I Get Around, Beach Boys
6. Everybody Loves Somebody, Dean Martin
7. My Guy, Mary Wells
8. People, Barbara Streissand
9. Last Kiss, J. Frank Wilson and The Cavaliers
10. Hello, Dolly!, Louis Armstrong
11. We’ll Sing In The Sunshine, Gale Garnett
12. Java, Al Hirt
13. A Hard Day’s Night, The Beatles
14. Love Me Do, The Beatles
15. Do Wah Diddy Diddy, Manfred Mann
16. Under The Boardwalk, Drifters
17. Dancing In The Street, Martha and The Vandellas
18. Little Children, Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas
19. Love Me With All Your Heart, Ray Charles Singers
20. Please Please Me, The Beatles
21. Chapel Of Love, Dixie Cups
22. Suspicion, Terry Stafford
23. Glad All Over, Dave Clark Five
24. Rag Doll, Four Seasons
25. Dawn (Go Away), Four Seasons
26. Bread And Butter, Newbeats
27. It Hurts To Be In Love, Gene Pitney
28. Dead Man’s Curve, Jan and Dean
29. Come A Little Bit Closer, Jay and The Americans
30. A World Without Love, Peter and Gordon
31. Have I The Right?, Honeycombs
32. Don’t Let The Rain Come Down (Crooked Little Man), Serendipity Singers
33. Baby Love, Supremes
34. Let It Be Me, Betty Everett and Jerry Butler
35. Wishin’ And Hopin’, Dusty Springfield
36. You Don’t Own Me, Lesley Gore
37. Walk On By, Dionne Warwick
38. The House Of The Rising Sun, Animals
39. G.T.O., Ronny and The Daytona
40. Twist And Shout, The Beatles
41. Memphis, Johnny Rivers
42. White On White, Danny Williams
43. Hey Little Cobra, Rip Chords
44. The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss), Betty Everett
45. Bits And Pieces, Dave Clark Five
46. My Boy Lollipop, Millie Small
47. Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Major Lance
48. The Little Old Lady, Jan and Dean
49. Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying, Gerry and The Pacemakers
50. A Summer Song, Chad and Jeremy
51. The Girl From Ipanema, Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto
52. Can’t Buy Me Love, The Beatles
53. Remember (Walkin’ In The Sand), Shangri-Las
54. C’mon And Swim, Bobby Freeman
55. Do You Want To Know A Secret, The Beatles
56. Keep On Pushing, Impressions
57. Baby I Need Your Loving, Four Tops
58. Navy Blue, Diane Renay
59. Diane, Bachelors
60. Out Of Limits, Marketts
61. Little Honda, Hondells
62. See The Funny Little Clown, Bobby Goldsboro
63. Because, Dave Clark Five
64. (Just Like) Romeo And Juliet, Reflections
65. For You, Rick Nelson
66. Today, New Christy Minstrels
67. Can’t You See That She’s Mine, Dave Clark Five
68. Leader Of The Pack, Shangri-Las
69. Funny, Joe Hinton
70. The Way You Do The Things You Do, Temptations
71. Anyone Who Had A Heart, Dionne Warwick
72. I Love You More And More Every Day, Al Martino
73. It’s Over, Roy Orbison
74. Ronnie, Four Seasons
75. Surfin’ Bird, Trashmen
76. What Kind Of Fool (Do You Think I Am), Tams
77. The Door Is Still Open To My Heart, Dean Martin
78. You Really Got Me, Kinks
79. The Shelter Of Your Arms, Sammy Davis Jr.
80. I’m So Proud, Impressions
81. Money, Kingsmen
82. Haunted Houses, Gene Simmons
83. Dang Me, Roger Miller
84. Do You Love Me, Dave Clark Five
85. (You Don’t Know) How Glad I Am, Nancy Wilson
86. I Wanna Love Him So Bad, Jelly Beans
87. Don’t Throw Your Love Away, Searchers
88. Hi-heel Sneakers, Tommy Tucker
89. How Do You Do It, Gerry and The Pacemakers
90. Walk, Don’t Run ’64
91. Cotton Candy, Al Hirt
92. Shangri-La, Robert Maxwell, His Harp and Orchestra
93. Chug-a-lug, Roger Miller
94. Steal Away, Jimmy Hughes
95. Louie Louie, The Kingsmen
96. A Fool Never Learns, Andy Williams
97. Bad To Me, Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas
98. There! I’ve Said It Again, Bobby Vinton
99. I Saw Her Standing There, The Beatles
100. Needles And Pins, Searchers
Im going to do this but I warn that I was born in 1975. No good can come of this.
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hahaha
I imagine most of the good music in 1975 was in the BOTTOM 100 of commercial successful crap. Like the crazy progrock Nick likes, or Richard & Linda Thompson.
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You have the best year from any of these that I’ve read so far.
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or perhaps I need glasses?
You don’t appear to have underlined a favorite.
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Re: or perhaps I need glasses?
There wasn’t really one that stood out as a fave, I guess.
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omg 1976
My birth year appears to be home to Peter Frampton. Both hits.
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Re: omg 1976
You and I share the joy of being bicentennial.
1976 was a BY FAR THE WORST YEAR for music. Some highlights include:
1. Silly Love Songs, Paul McCartney and Wings
5. Play That Funky Music, Wild Cherry
12. Afternoon Delight, Starland Vocal Band
22. You Sexy Thing, Hot Chocolate
28. Right Back Where We Started From, Maxine Nightingale
29. Theme From “S.W.A.T”, Rhythm Heritage
35. Only Sixteen, Dr. Hook
56. Fooled Around And Fell In Love, Elvin Bishop
64. Saturday Night, Bay City Rollers
72. I’m Easy, Keith Carradine
75. Let Her In, John Travolta
94. Junk Food Junkie, Larry Groce
97. Disco Duck, Rick Dees
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*shudder*
That’s all kinds of ugly…
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Re: *shudder*
Those were the REALLY BAD ONES…
I left out Elton John and Kiki Dee.
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Nope
My housemate wins for worst year.
Check out 1971.
gag, AND puke.
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Thanks for covering this for me. I didn’t have the patience. 9 Beatles songs, though. We’re fab.
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1. Silly Love Songs, Paul McCartney and
Wings
2. Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, Elton John and Kiki Dee
3. Disco Lady, Johnnie Taylor
4. December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night), Four Seasons
5. Play That Funky Music, Wild Cherry
6. Kiss And Say Goodbye, Manhattans
7. Love Machine (Part 1), The Miracles
8. 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover, Paul Simon
9. Love Is Alive, Gary Wright
10. A Fifth Of Beethoven, Walter Murphy and The Big Apple Band
11. Sara Smile, Daryl Hall and John Oates
12. Afternoon Delight, Starland Vocal Band
13. I Write The Songs, Barry Manilow
14. Fly, Robin, Fly, Silver Convention
15. Love Hangover, Diana Ross
16. Get Close, Seals and Crofts
17. More, More, More, Andrea True Connection
18. Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen
19. Misty Blue, Dorothy Moore
20. Boogie Fever, Sylvers
21. I’d Really Love To See You Tonight, England Dan and John Ford Coley
22. You Sexy Thing, Hot Chocolate
23. Love Hurts, Nazareth
24. Get Up And Boogie, Silver Convention
25. Take It To The Limit, Eagles
26. (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty, K.C. and The Sunshine Band
27. Sweet Love, Commodores
28. Right Back Where We Started From, Maxine Nightingale
29. Theme From “S.W.A.T”, Rhythm Heritage
30. Love Rollercoaster, Ohio Players
31. You Should Be Dancing, Bee Gees
32. You’ll Never Find Antoher Love Like Mine, Lou Rawls
33. Golden Years, David Bowie
34. Moonlight Feels Right, Starbuck
35. Only Sixteen, Dr. Hook
36. Let Your Love Flow, Bellamy Brothers
37. Dreamweaver, Gary Wright
38. Turn The Beat Around, Vicki Sue Robinson
39. Lonely Night (Angel Face), The Captain and Tennille
40. All By Myself, Eric Carmen
41. Love To Love You Baby, Donna Summer
42. Deep Purple, Donny and Marie Osmond
43. Theme From “Mahogany”, Diana Ross
44. Sweet Thing, Rufus
45. That’s The Way I Like It, K.C. and The Sunshine Band
46. A Little Bit More, Dr. Hook
47. Shannon, Henry Gross
48. If You Leave Me Now, Chicago
49. Lowdown, Boz Scaggs
50. Show Me The Way, Peter Frampton
51. Dream On, Aerosmith
52. I Love Music (Pt. 1), O’Jays
53. Say You Love Me, Fleetwood Mac
54. Times Of Your Life, Paul Anka
55. Devil Woman, Cliff Richard
56. Fooled Around And Fell In Love, Elvin Bishop
57. Convoy, C.W. McCall
58. Welcome Back, John Sebastian
59. Sing A Song, Earth, Wind and Fire
60. Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel, Tavares
61. I’ll Be Good To You, Brothers Johnson
63. Shop Around, The Captain and Tennille
64. Saturday Night, Bay City Rollers
65. Island Girl, Elton John
66. Let’s Do It Again, Staple Singers
67. Let ‘Em In, Paul McCartney and Wings
68. Baby Face, Wing and A Prayer Fife and Drum Corps
69. This Masquerade, George Benson
70. Evil Woman, Electric Light Orchestra
71. Wham Bam, Silver
72. I’m Easy, Keith Carradine
73. Wake Up Everybody (Pt. 1), Harold Melvin and The Bluenotes
74. Summer, War
75. Let Her In, John Travolta
76. Fox On The Run, Sweet
77. Rhiannon, Fleetwood Mac
78. Got To Get You Into My Life, Beatles
79. Fanny (Be Tender With My Love), Bee Gees
80. Getaway, Earth, Wind and Fire
81. She’s Gone, Daryl Hall and John Oates
82. Rock And Roll Music, Beach Boys
82. Still The One, Orleans
83. You’re My Best Friend, Queen
84. With Your Love, Jefferson Starship
85. Slow Ride, Foghat
86. Who’d She Coo, Ohio Players
88. Walk Away From Love, David Ruffin
89. Baby, I Love Your Way, Peter Frampton
90. Young Hearts Sun Free, Candi Staton
91. Breaking Up’s Hard To Do, Neil Sedaka
92. Money Honey, Bay City Rollers
93. Tear The Roof Off The Sucker, Parliament
94. Junk Food Junkie, Larry Groce
95. Tryin’ To Get The Feeling Again, Barry Manilow
96. Rock And Roll All Nite, Kiss
97. Disco Duck, Rick Dees
97. The Boys Are Back In Town, Thin Lizzy
98. Take The Money And Run, Steve Miller Band
99. Squeeze Box, The Who
100. Country Boy (You Got Your Feet In L.A.), Glen Campbell
I didn’t bold a lot of the songs I don’t know too well, even if overall I like the artist. And I loved that fucking Rick Dees record when I was a wee lad.
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Not going to even bother posting the list
I am a youngin’ – I was born in 1990. You get the Beatles, I get Phil Collins, Michael Bolton, and Paula Abdul.
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Re: Not going to even bother posting the list
Ouch, 1990. Sorry about the Roxette. It’s funny looking at the list how much was just 80s leftover bands like Billy Idol, B52s et.
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At least I’ve got Marvin Gaye at #20
1977 offers THE HURTING MUSIC.
The top five include Rod Stewart, Andy Gibb and Barbara Streisand. Bad sign born under, perhaps.
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Re: At least I’ve got Marvin Gaye at #20
I think still wins for being born in 1990. Holy crap that was a terrible year for music. As Nick points out, if you look up supposedly classic years like 1968-69 you find that the Top 100 was full of emetic stuff.
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Re: At least I’ve got Marvin Gaye at #20
Still mine was the year that brought ‘Hotel California’, ‘Blinded By The Light’, ‘Muskrat Love’, ‘Nobody Does it Better’, ‘Looks Like We Made It’, ‘Don’t Stop’ and several Steve Miller Band hits to the world.
1990, while really horrible, manages to leave its dirty business behind.
I’m pretty sure the only saving grace is ‘Barracuda’ and ‘I Wish’.
I must say, you’ve got some good stuff.
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