FlinterFile: Paul Davidson- Midnight Rider

The Allman Brothers Band released the song Midnight Rider in 1971.

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Song of the day: The Eagles- Hotel California

This classic song comes from a historic album and is probably the best known song by the Eagles.

FlinterFile: ABBA- Dancing Queen

Some songs don’t need an introduction anymore, and I think this is one of them.

FlinterFile: 10CC- I’m Mandy, Fly Me

In the seventies, National Airlines had an advertisement campaign with slogans like ‘I’m Laura/Jo/Cheryl. Fly me”.

FlinterFile: The Hollies- Daddy Don’t Mind

The Hollies released two albums in 1976, of which the second, Russian Roulette, featured this song.

FlinterFile: Firefall- You Are The Woman

What if your debut single becomes your biggest hit?

FlinterFile: Pratt & McClain- Happy Days

The TV-series Happy Days started in 1974.

FlinterFile: Golden Earring- Bombay

The Golden Earring released the single Bombay in 1976.

FlinterFile: Chicago- Another Rainy Day In New York City

The band Chicago released their album Chicago X in 1976.

FlinterFile: Heart- Magic Man

The sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson, who formed Heart, released their first top 10 hit in 1976.

FlinterFile: Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band- Night Moves

Inspired by the movie American Graffiti, Bob Seger wrote his story.

FlinterFile: David Soul- Don’t Give Up On Us

David Soul was a singer, but he wasn’t very successful in the early seventies. Because the success didn’t come, he became an actor, playing Hutch in Starsky & Hutch.

FlinterFile: Aretha Franklin- Look Into Your Heart

In 1976, the movie Sparkle was released. Irene Cara starred in the movie, in which music played an important role.

FlinterFile: Boz Scaggs- Lido Shuffle

In 1976, Boz Scaggs recorded a variation on Fats Domino. He had been busy for some time with a shuffle, which was sung by Fats Domino, The Fat Man.

FlinterFile: Elton John & Kiki Dee- Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

In 1976, Elton John and Kiki Dee recorded a duet. They both loved the duets on the Motown label, but at the time, there hadn’t been one for some time, so they made one themselves.

FlinterFile: The Ritchie Family- The Best Disco In Town

In 1976, soul changed into disco. Ritchie Rome, a producer, was helping the Philadelphia music scene to change to disco.

FlinterFile: Vicki Sue Robinson- Turn The Beat Around

In 1976, Vicki Sue Robinson released her only hit. Before recording the song, she performed on Broadway. She started in Hair, and later she performed in Jesus Christ Superstar. She also sung background vocals in Fame and sung for several commercials. This song was her only real hit, a disco song which was written by two keyboard session players. In the song, the music that is played is described, and the title, Turn The Beat Around, means to play a drum pattern again.  Gloria Gaynor later covered the song. The original charted at number 10 in the US. Enjoy

Vicki Sue Robinson- Turn The Beat Around

FlinterFile: Starland Vocal Band- Afternoon Delight

In 1976, the Starland Vocal Band had its only hit. The band, made up from two couples, namely Margot Chapman and Jon Carroll, together with Taffy and Bill Danoff. The last two had already released some albums, and sang back-up vocals on Take Me Home Country Roads from John Denver. The song is said to be named after a appetizer menu in Washington DC, but can also be interpreted in a sexual way. The songwriting was not easy: it took six months to write the song. The result was a number 1 hit in the US, number 18 in the UK. After the hit, they released no other songs. Enjoy

Starland Vocal Band- Afternoon Delight

Song of the day: Thelma Houston- Don’t Leave Me This Way

In 1976, Thelma Houston released a cover of Don’t Leave Me This Way. The original song was recorded in 1975 by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes as an album track. However, it did reach the charts in the US, number 3 on the disco chart. Motown had thought of Diana Ross covering the song, but eventually gave it to Thelma Houston. It made it to number 1 in the US soul, club and normal chart. In the UK, it made it to number 13. In the eighties, the Communards also recorded the song, reaching number 1 in the UK. Enjoy

Thelma Houston- Don’t Leave Me This Way

Song of the day: Gordon Lightfoot- The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald

In 1976, Gordon Lightfoot released his song “the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”. He wrote this song after reading an article in Newsweek about the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald in 1975. At first he was afraid of inaccuracies, but his producer told him to tell a story and not worry about the details. This gave some mistakes, but that didn’t matter: in Canada, the song became a number 1 hit and in the US (billboard) number 2. Enjoy

Gordon Lightfoot- The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald

Song of the day: Blue Oyster Cult- Don’t Fear The Reaper

The rock band Blue Öyster Cult is a rock band which is a little forgotten… they had a big hit in 1976, written and sung by the guitarist of the band. The music is built around the guitar riff and the text was about love and death (which is inevitable, that’s the idea). Main idea: don’t fear death, since we all will die in the end… These things combined in the song made it go to number 12 in the US and number 16 in the UK. Enjoy

Blue Öyster Cult- (Don’t Fear) The Reaper

Song of the day: Wild Cherry- Play That Funky Music

Disco at its best in the seventies! Of course it’s a funk song (note the title) and a good one too! Billboard put it on number 73 of the best songs ever, which is not bad for a dancing record. It was recorded in 1975 by the band Wild Cherry, when it was written by member Rob Parissi (the singer of the band). Guitarist was Bryan Bassett, and they invited four horn players to play the horns in the song! It would peak at number one in the US, and it would sell over 2 and a half million records in the US alone! It would make number 7 in the UK. Later, Vanilla Ice took the song, recorded it and paid Rob Parissi a half million dollars since he had forgotten to note him as the writer of the song. The B-side of that single, by the way, was Ice Ice Baby, which was also accused of copyright infringement, this time by Queen and David Bowie. Enjoy

Wild Cherry- Play That Funky Music

Song of the day: Boney M.- Sunny

This song has made a long journey before ending up with Boney M. It was written in 1966 by Bobby Hebb, when his brother was stabbed to death and president Kennedy was murdered, both happening in 1963 in 48 hours. He then wrote the song. It took some time to release it, but 3 years later it was released and it made him go on tour with the Beatles. In 1976 he updated the song to a disco version. In that same year Boney M. came with a cover of the original version, which was on their debute album. It followed the hit Daddy Cool, and this song became a hit, too. The song has been recorded by many other artists, like Frank Sinatra, Cher, Ella Fitzgerald, The Four Seasons, The Four Tops and many others. Enjoy the Boney M version:

Boney M.- Sunny

Song of the day: Hall & Oates- Rich Girl

Another seventies song today! And this is a special song: it was the first of six number one hits in the Billboard Hot 100. It was released in 1976 and is about a spoiled rich girl (as you probably know if you listen to the song). I think it’s a very nice song and I would like you to enjoy

Hall & Oates- Rich Girl

Song of the day: Thin Lizzy- The Boys Are Back In Town

Here are some old rockers for you! They come especially for you from the seventies, only to play a song for you! But remember, it’s a very good song, so that is a good cause! But what else is there to say than just listen to it? So enjoy

Thin Lizzy- The Boys Are Back In Town

Song of the day: Chicago- If You Leave Me Now

A little tenderness in the History of Music. 1976 saw the light of Chicago shining, with a number one hit in the USA, as the record states. I wouldn’t dare to leave them, since they state what will happen. And we don’t want that, do we? Enjoy

Chicago- If You Leave Me Now

Song of the day: John Miles- Music

In 1976, John Miles wrote the biggest hit he would ever have. The song was written in Leeds, where John wanted to kill some time. In less than half an hour he came up with this song, or as he thought then, the basics of several songs.