The Top 150 Hits of… 1975
There’s a lot to love in here. Almost everyone who made the
70’s what it was makes an appearance. Plus you get the song that is so much the
epitome of 70’s cheese, that became such a lasting cliché of uncool, that MC
Hammer used it in a Pepsi commercial in 1991 (#4).
There were a couple of places where the B-sides necessitated
point adjustments, for those who are into hearing about such things. If both
sides of a single became hits, it was Billboard’s policy from Nov. 29 1969-199?
to total the airplay and sales from both songs to determine the single’s place
on the Hot 100. “I’m Sorry” by John Denver was listed by itself for its first 8
weeks, which included its sole week at #1. On the 9th week it was
switched to the B-side and “Calypso/I’m Sorry” remained at #2 for 4 weeks.
There’s another resource, however. Cash Box magazine still listed A and B sides
separately. According to Cash Box, “Calypso” peaked at #26 and was on the chart
for 9 weeks, not enough of a hit to warrant its placement on this year-end list
but certainly enough to artificially boost the performance of “I’m Sorry.” So
for the 10 weeks it was listed as a double-sided single, I subtracted 2 points
per week, a total of 20 points, and it ended up at #6 rather than #3.
Similarly, “Junior’s Farm” by Paul McCartney and Wings
debuted on its own, became “Junior’s Farm/Sally G” in its 6th week, and
then just “Sally G” in its 13th. Cash Box has “Sally G” peaking at
#49 and not even making the top 100 until the last 2 weeks of the chart run of
“Junior’s Farm.” So it had less of an impact but still some. I subtracted 1
point per each of the 7 weeks it was a double-sided single, which places
“Junior’s Farm” alone at #66.
And because I have the references to make it easy to
research, the top 10 songs on the 1975 Country chart are on the bottom.
1.
Rhinestone Cowboy – Glen Campbell 304
2.
Philadelphia Freedom – Elton John 295.5
3.
Love Will Keep Us Together – Captain &
Tennille 272.5
4.
Feelings – Morris Albert 265
5.
One of These Nights – The Eagles 256
6.
I’m Sorry – John Denver 275 – 20 = 255
7.
Before the Next Teardrop Falls – Freddy Fender
251
8.
Lovin’ You – Minnie Riperton 239
9.
My Eyes Adored You – Frankie Valli 237.5
10. Laughter
in the Rain – Neil Sedaka 237.5
11. Fame
– David Bowie 232.5
12. Kung
Fu Fighting – Carl Douglas 229.5
13. Jive
Talkin’ – The Bee Gees 223
14. Ballroom
Blitz – Sweet 222.5
15. Black
Water – The Doobie Brothers 222
16. Boogie
On Reggae Woman – Stevie Wonder 222
17. (Hey
Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song – B.J. Thomas 221
18. The
Hustle – Van McCoy & the Soul City Symphony 220.5
19. Shining
Star – Earth, Wind & Fire 219
20. Lady
Marmalade – Labelle 217
21. Best
of My Love – The Eagles 215
22. Island
Girl – Elton John 214
23. Sky
High – Jigsaw 213
24. Pick
Up the Pieces – Average White Band 210
25. At
Seventeen – Janis Ian 209
26. Who
Loves You – The Four Seasons 207.5
27. Angie
Baby – Helen Reddy 206
28. Please
Mr. Please – Olivia Newton-John 206
29. Miracles
– Jefferson Starship 206
30. Thank
God I’m a Country Boy – John Denver 204
31. Fallin’
in Love – Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds 204
32. When
Will I Be Loved – Linda Ronstadt 203
33. You’re
the First, the Last, My Everything – Barry White 203
34. Love
Won’t Let Me Wait – Major Harris 202
35. Cat’s
in the Cradle – Harry Chapin 199
36. Listen
to What the Man Said – Wings 198
37. I’m
Not in Love – 10cc 198
38. When
Will I See You Again – The Three Degrees 197.5
39. Have
You Never Been Mellow – Olivia Newton-John 196
40. He
Don’t Love You (Like I Love You) – Tony Orlando & Dawn 194
41. Fight
the Power (Part 1) – The Isley Brothers 194
42. They
Just Can’t Stop It the (Games People Play) – Spinners 190
43. Lucy
in the Sky with Diamonds – Elton John 187
44. The
Way I Want to Touch You – Captain & Tennille 187
45. Fire
– Ohio Players 186
46. Sister
Golden Hair – America 186
47. Wildfire
– Michael Murphy 186
48. Please
Mr. Postman – The Carpenters 185
49. Jackie
Blue – Ozark Mountain Storytellers 184.5
50. Why
Can’t We Be Friends – War 184
51. I’m
Not Lisa – Jessi Colter 184
52. Lyin’
Eyes – The Eagles 182
53. Mandy
– Barry Manilow 181
54. Bad
Blood – Neil Sedaka 180
55. Wasted
Days and Wasted Nights – Freddy Fender 177
56. Magic
– Pilot 176
57. Express
– B.T. Express 175
58. Could
It Be Magic – Barry Manilow 173
59. How
Long – Ace 173
60. Chevy
Van – Sammy Johns 171
61. Some
Kind of Wonderful – Grand Funk 171
62. You’re
No Good – Linda Ronstadt 169
63. Nights
on Broadway – The Bee Gees 167
64. Midnight
Blue – Melissa Manchester 165
65. Poetry
Man – Phoebe Snow 164.5
66. Junior’s
Farm – Paul McCartney & Wings 170 – 7 = 163
67. Walking
in Rhythm – The Blackbyrds 163
68. How
Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) – James Taylor 162
69. Lonely
People – America 162
70. Someone
Saved My Life Tonight – Elton John 162
71. Bad
Time – Grand Funk 161
72. No
No Song – Ringo Starr 161
73. This
Will Be – Natalie Cole 161
74. Get
Down Tonight – KC & the Sunshine Band 158
75. Dance
With Me – Orleans 156
76. Low
Rider – War 155
77. Sha-La-La
(Make Me Happy) – Al Green 154
78. Only
Yesterday – The Carpenters 149
79. You
Are So Beautiful – Joe Cocker 148
80. Lady
– Styx 146.5
81. One
Man Woman/One Woman Man – Paul Anka with Odia Coates 146
82. I
Don’t Like to Sleep Alone – Paul Anka with Odia Coates 146
83. Heat
Wave – Linda Ronstadt 146
84. Don’t
Call Us, We’ll Call You – Sugarloaf/Jerry Corbetta 145.5
85. It
Only Takes a Minute – Tavares 142
86. The
Way We Were/Try to Remember – Gladys Knight & the Pips 141
87. Feel
Like Makin’ Love – Bad Company 141
88. Cut
the Cake – Average White Band 141
89. Dynomite
– Part I – Bazuka 140.5
90. Morning
Side of the Mountain – Donny & Marie Osmond 140
91. Ain’t
No Way to Treat a Lady – Helen Reddy 136.5
92. Doctor’s
Orders – Carol Douglas 136
93. Run
Joey Run – David Geddes 135
94. Brazil
– The Ritchie Family 135
95. Get
Down, Get Down (Get On the Floor) – Joe Simon 134.5
96. Never
Can Say Goodbye – Gloria Gaynor 134
97. Only
You – Ringo Starr 134
98. That’s
the Way of the World – Earth, Wind & Fire 133
99. Only
Women – Alice Cooper 131
100.
Swearin’ to God – Frankie Valli 130
101.
Can’t Get It Out of My Head – Electric Light Orchestra
128
102.
Old Days – Chicago 127
103.
Do It Any Way You Wanna – Peoples Choice 126
104.
Supernatural Thing – Part 1 – Ben E. King 125
105.
Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance) – Leo Sayer 125
106.
You Got the Love – Rufus feat. Chaka Khan 124
107.
Killer Queen – Queen 123
108.
The Rockford Files – Mike Post 122.5
109.
Emma – Hot Chocolate 120
110.
I Only Have Eyes for You – Art Garfunkel 120
111.
Rockin’ Chair – Gwen McCrae 118
112.
Get Dancin’ – Disco Tex & the Sex-o-Lettes
116
113.
Lady Blue – Leon Russell 114.5
114.
Bungle in the Jungle – Jethro Tull 114
115.
Shoeshine Boy – Eddie Kendricks 110.5
116.
#9 Dream – John Lennon 110
117.
Misty – Ray Stevens 107.5
118.
Rocky – Austin Roberts 107
119.
Third Rate Romance – Amazing Rhythm Aces 105
120.
I’m on Fire – The Dwight Twilley Band 102
121.
Mr. Jaws – Dickie Goodman 102
122.
What Am I Gonna Do with You – Barry White 102
123.
Nightingale – Carole King 101
124.
Once You Get Started – Rufus feat. Chaka Khan
101
125.
Bad Luck (Part 1) – Harold Melvin & the Blue
Notes 101
126.
Shame, Shame, Shame – Shirley & Company
100.5
127.
Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain – Willie Nelson 100
128.
I Feel a Song (In My Heart) – Gladys Knight
& the Pips 99.5
129.
Sad Sweet Dreamer – Sweet Sensation 99
130.
I Want’a Do Something Freaky to You – Leon
Haywood 99
131.
Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me) – The Doobie
Brothers 98
132.
L-O-V-E (Love) – Al Green 98
133.
Eighteen with a Bullet – Pete Wingfield 98
134.
Look in My Eyes Pretty Woman – Tony Orlando
& Dawn 97
135.
I’m a Woman – Maria Muldaur 96
136.
It’s a Miracle – Barry Manilow 96
137.
(I Believe) There’s Nothing Stronger Than Our
Love – Paul Anka with Odia Coates 96
138.
Ride ‘Em Cowboy – Paul Davis 96
139.
What a Diff’rence a Day Makes – Esther Phillips
95
140.
Black Superman - “Muhammad Ali” – Johnny Wakelin
& the Kinshasa Band 94.5
141.
I’ll Play for You – Seals & Crofts 94
142.
Promised Land – Elvis Presley 91
143.
Holdin’ On to Yesterday – Ambrosia 91
144.
S.O.S. – Abba 90.5
145.
Something Better to Do – Olivia Newton-John 88
146.
The Last Farewell – Roger Whittaker 86.5
147.
Must of Got Lost – J. Geils Band 86
148.
Sweet Surrender – John Denver 86
149.
How Long (Betcha’ Got a Chick on the Side) – The
Pointer Sisters 86
150.
I Am Love (Parts I & II) – The Jackson 5 85
Country
1.
Rhinestone Cowboy – Glen Campbell 271.5
2.
Love in the Afternoon – Gene Watson 239
3.
Reconsider Me – Narvel Felts 237
4.
It’s Time to Pay the Fiddler – Cal Smith 229
5.
I’m Sorry – John Denver 229
6.
Feelins’ – Loretta Lynn & Conway Twitty 228
7.
Lizzie and the Rainman – Tanya Tucker 223
8.
Rocky – Dickey Lee 219
9.
Blue Eyes Cryin’ in the Rain – Willie Nelson 218
10. I
Can’t Help It (If I’m Still in Love with You) – Linda Ronstadt 215
