Hello all... it's my turn to take on a year and I've chosen to go with our first foray back into the 70s.

I'm not hugely familiar with the 70s but this is the year that I was born so I was intrigued to see what I thought of the chart toppers of the time. Turns out there are some decent ones along the way and a few genuine 10/10s here, but before we get to them I'll be starting with the song that I've ranked 18th...

Oh this is an elite year for #1 singles and Lena Martell so I can't wait to see this unfold 🤩

One of the greatest years of all time - disco, pop, post-punk - looking forward to this!

I think this is the best year for number 1 singles so I'll be interested to see what order you've put them in.

I think 1979 counts as an honorary 80s year and certainly had an incredible variety at the top. I’m sure dandy* will take it one reveal at a time but I do hope a certain track comes last or there’ll be words!

Been looking forward to this given my lack of 70s familiarity.

18 | Lena Martell - One Day at a Time

Weeks at number one: 3

End of year position: 10

Rating: 2/10

So we kick things off with a song that sounds very much at odds with everything else that features in this list. Apparently Lena is from Glasgow, which I find very surprising as I'd always assumed that this was from the USA, it does after all have a typically religious and country theme that would be popular in the USA - but not only does it sound out of place in being from the UK, if it weren't for the fact I know I'm ranking songs from 1979 then I'd have sworn it was much older so I'd say it's also very much out of its time too. It is really very bizarre to think that this was #1 in the UK just 3 months before the beginning of the 1980s.

This is one of two songs that languish quite far behind the others for me and I've been debating which of two I find the worst, in the end this one takes it due to its lyrical themes. I've been an atheist for quite some time now so I just find it really difficult to get on board with the lyrical content on display here, it's all just so preachy and corny - it sounds like something that could easily pass for a parody in the "We like both types of music around here, country and western" section of the Blues Brothers film. I just can't get past it all so it perhaps inevitably ends up being the first song to fall.

Even more frustratingly, this was out at the same time as classics like Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough and Gimme Gimme Gimme that would have made far better and more representative #1s for the period.

Out of interest - was anyone around at the time this was out? I'd be really intrigued to know if there was a reason this became so popular in the UK that I'm not aware of, it really does feel very out of sync - kinda reminds me of how out of place The Millennium Prayer was when it was so successful in 1999.

ps I'm mentally preparing myself in case Julian now has to have words with me 🫣

11 hours ago, dandy* said:

ps I'm mentally preparing myself in case Julian now has to have words with me 🫣

Oh no I totally agree with Lena being last! I was shocked the first time I did a #1s listen through for 1979 as aside from being rubbish and pious it just sounds so out of place in the evolving musical landscape.

2 hours ago, Julian_ said:

Oh no I totally agree with Lena being last! I was shocked the first time I did a #1s listen through for 1979 as aside from being rubbish and pious it just sounds so out of place in the evolving musical landscape.

I have the same opinion on that. It sounds very dated compared to the other songs topping the charts in 1979.

I’ve never heard this, and judging by the review, I will keep it that way!

Very bizarre number 1, it's like a small, loud minority got really tired of all the musical innovation this year and wanted things back to basics and they managed to take over for a week. Awful song anyway and has no place amongst the other number 1s here.

Otherwise, this ranks as one of the very best years for number 1s in terms of classic songs so interested to see this.

I would certainly have put this in bottom place myself. I don't know who was buying it in such large amounts, it must have been people over 50 years old.

Glad everyone is on the same page so far! I do think there'll be at least one or two that people may not agree with me on in this list but we'll see...

...and Jester I really do think you need to listen to it!

17 | Dr Hook - When You're In Love With a Beautiful Woman

Weeks at number one: 3

End of year position: 5

Rating: 3/10

Well I said last time that I couldn't relate to a song with religious lyrics, well it's a similar story here with the song that knocked Lena off the top as I definitely can't relate to being in love with a beautiful woman. But I gather it's hard.

This is very much of its time and the lyrics really don't hold up today do they, maybe not quite as bad on the cringe scale as something like Rod Stewart's Da Ya Think I'm Sexy level but it's definitely second tier at best. Reading the lyrics just now, it reads like it is essentially a song about fragile male egos with a narrative along the lines of:

1. Wherever you go other men will be trying to steal her away from you.

2. You need to watch where her eyes are going because she's definitely on the look out for something better than you can offer.

3. You can't even trust her with your own friends because she will be so easily tempted.

4. Be permanently alert for all the lies she's bound to be telling you whilst she covers up her harlot ways.

Now I can accept that maybe there's a chance this was supposed to be a humorous song at the time maybe? And I do get that humour has evolved over the years and that it's not always quite fair to judge retrospectively, but sadly without any memories of the time to link this track back to I'm stuck with just finding it all a bit too cringy to ever be able to enjoy. I guess the groove to it is nice enough so that's a positive at least, but even that doesn't really compare to the production of most of the other tracks to come. This one prevented Crazy Little Thing Called Love from reaching the top so it's another case of denying a song which has definitely gone on to be a lot better remembered.

Unsurprisingly your rock bottom choice matches mine! Neither the Jesus love-in or country twang particularly appeal to me anyway, but indeed its biggest crime is being drearily old fashioned during a particularly forward-thinking period for music. I attended as many U.K. #1 SyncTube sessions as I could and this stood out like a sore thumb, it was like suddenly being transported back to the worst of the '50s. Maybe there was some kind of nostalgic comfort in it for some at the time... but no thanks!

No qualms about the position of that Dr. Hook track either, dull dull dull.

1 hour ago, dandy* said:

Glad everyone is on the same page so far! I do think there'll be at least one or two that people may not agree with me on in this list but we'll see...

...and Jester I really do think you need to listen to it!

Hmmm alright then I’ll give it a go and get back to you!

That Dr. Hook song is also not a big favourite of mine - I prefer Sexy Eyes from them.

Agree with this bottom two, both the clear weakest for me. One Day At A Time is such a dirge. Dr Hook has better songs I agree.

I think I would have put this second last as well. 'Sylvia's Mother' and 'A Little Bit More' are much better songs from Dr Hook. Both of them got to number 2 and would have been good chart toppers.