In which you help me to compile the greatest Sunny 70s AM Radio Playlist The World Has Ever Known.

May 12, 2009 3:47 PM

In which you help me to compile the greatest Sunny 70s AM Radio Playlist The World Has Ever Known.

It's an ongoing pet project of mine that I revisit every time the weather gets all nice and summery out. As it is now. So to give you some context...

I have labored (lovingly) to create the world's greatest and most exhaustive playlist of 1970s AM radio classics that have that "summer" sound, or at least ones that sound like summer to me. For instance, I always thought the Doobies' "Black Water" was a summertime jam, but Wiki tells me it was a late winter release in the year it was released.

Good examples from my POV would be songs like:

Seals & Croft "Summer Breeze" ("Diamond Girl" fits too)
Ozark Mtn Daredevils "Jackie Blue"
Firefall "Strange Way"
Chicago "Wishing You Were Here"

And so on.

Thus far I have 5.8 hours of tracks. 91 of them.

You can see what Ive got already here...

http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/506/itunes1.jpg

(anyone know how to extract just the relevant playlist txt out of iTunes?)


So what say ye gents?
Comb that chest hair, rev up yer custom van, splash on some Hai Karate and lets do this thang....

posted by Senor Cardgage to media & arts (55 comments total)

How can you have left off "Afternoon Delight"? When I think of AM 70's summertime music, that's the first thing that comes to mind.
posted by adipocere at 3:57 PM on May 12 [1 favorite has favorites]

Too many bad associations with it being an easy punchline in like a million comedies in the 90s.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 3:58 PM on May 12

Beach Baby by The First Class
posted by jgirl at 4:05 PM on May 12

Do they have to be craptacular (e.g., "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" by Rupert Holmes)? Or can they actually be awesome (e.g., "I Want You to Want Me" by Cheap Trick)?
posted by scody at 4:07 PM on May 12

Scody: depends. Im a huge Cheap Trick fan but they wouldnt quite work here I think.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 4:07 PM on May 12

I came to post Afternoon Delight, but then, I'm from DC.
posted by OmieWise at 4:11 PM on May 12

"Low Rider" by War
"Fox on the Run" by Sweet
posted by amyms at 4:15 PM on May 12

* Yeah, bingo on Seals & Crofts. Definite summer sound.
* I'm thinking along the lines of Bread and Crosby/Stills/Nash/Young.
* Paul McCartney "Listen To What The Man Said" got popular around May or June 1975 and I have a summer association with that one.
* Andrew Gold "Lonely Boy" was a summer 1978 hit if I remember correctly.
* I'd nominate England Dan "Love Is The Answer" and John Stewart "Gold" as those were big summer 1979 hits.
posted by crapmatic at 4:19 PM on May 12

"Make Your Own Kind of Music" by Mama Cass
posted by NoraCharles at 4:20 PM on May 12

Uh, scratch John Stewart "Gold" -- thinking about this further I think I was hearing that in December 1978.
posted by crapmatic at 4:21 PM on May 12

Bill Withers - Lovely Day
Stealers Wheel - Stuck In the Middle With You
Desmond Dekker - The Israelites
posted by fire&wings at 4:26 PM on May 12

Consult Rhino's Have a Nice Decade: The '70s Pop Culture Box; the Wikipedia page has a track listing. Or see Rhino's Have a Nice Day series for full-on '70s cheese.
posted by kirkaracha at 4:29 PM on May 12

K, I found a way to get the txt of the song titles I currently have in the collection.
Couldnt get the artists out too, but alot of these are self-evident...


The Air That I Breathe
Alone Again (Naturally)
Beginnings
Bennie And The Jets
Better Love Next Time
Billy Don’t Be A Hero
Black Water
Chevy Van
Could It Be I’m Falling In Love
Couldn’t Get It Right
Dancing In The Moonlight
Day After Day
Diamond Girl
Don’t Fight It w/Steve Perry
Everlasting Love
Fooled Around And Fell In Love
Fox On The Run
Get Used to It
Gold
Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves
Half Breed
Hello It’s Me
Hitchin’ a Ride
How Much I Feel
I Can Feel Your Heartbeat
I Can’t Tell You Why
I Just Want To Be Your Everything
I Keep Forgettin
I’d Really Love To See You Tonight
I’m Not In Love
I’m Not Lisa
If
If You Leave Me Now
Indian Reservation
It Never Rains In Southern Cal
It’s Magic
Jackie Blue
Jo Jo
Kiss You All Over
Lead Me On
Let Your Love Flow
Love Is Alive
Magic
Makin’ It
Midnight At The Oasis
Miracles
Misunderstanding
Mockingbird
Moonlight Feels Right
The Most Beautiful Girl
Mr Blue Sky
One Of These Nights
Please Come To Boston
Portable radio
Reunited
Ride Captain Ride
Rocket Man
Saturday in the Park
Saturday Night
Serpentine Fire
Sexy Eyes
Shadow Dancing
Shannon
Sharing the Night Together
Sister Golden Hair
A Soapbox Opera
Spill the Wine
Stomp
Strange Way
Stumbling In
Summer (The First Time)
Sweet Thing
The Tears of a Clown
That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll
They Just Can’t Stop It (The Games People Play)
Too Late To Turn Back Now
Treat Her Like A Lady
Undercover Angel
Ventura Highway
Wait For Me
We Just Disagree
We May Never Pass This Way (Ag
What a Fool Believes
Whenever I call you friend
Year of the Cat
Yes, I’m Ready
You Are The Woman
You Cant Change That
You Make Me Feel Brand New
You Should Be Dancing
25 or 6 to 4
posted by Senor Cardgage at 4:31 PM on May 12 [2 favorites has favorites]

Paul Westerberg covered a song called "Sunshine (Go Away Today)" ages ago...A little googling tells me the original was by Jonathan Edwards. Paul's appeared on a Friends Soundtrack.

Now, reading the lyrics makes me wonder if it's a lousy suggestion. Opening line is "Sunshine go away today, I don't feel much like dancing" BUT...it's such a summery song, and feels happy despite some of the lyrical content. Plus, I think it's a wicked, wicked piece of pop. So, yeah, Sunshine, preferably the Westerberg cover.
posted by Richat at 4:47 PM on May 12

Sunny Days by Lighthouse
Ricki Don't Lose That Number by Steely Dan
posted by rocket88 at 4:57 PM on May 12 [1 favorite has favorites]

Oh and it's not 70's without something from Court and Spark...'Help Me' or 'Free Man in Paris'.
posted by rocket88 at 5:00 PM on May 12

Thank you for the playlist I never knew I needed!

I'd personally add some Classics IV (Stormy! Spooky!). They're not strictly 70s, but to my not-having-lived-through-the-70s ears they have that "Summer Breeze" sound.

Do they have to be craptacular?

Oh my word YES. Emphasis on the 'tacular.
posted by AV at 5:23 PM on May 12

Rubberband Man by the Spinners
posted by MegoSteve at 5:27 PM on May 12

Your list is quite awesome. I would also add:

You and Me, by Alice Cooper (yes!)
I've Got a Name; Bad, Bad Leroy Brown, or You Don't Mess With Jim by Jim Croce (Time in a Bottle is too much of a downer)
Sailing, by Christopher Cross
In the Summertime, by Mungo Jerry
Our House and/or Southern Cross, CSN

Close out the evening with:

Miracles, by Jefferson Airplane (Pretty please! With sugar on it!)

Damn, dude, I don't know what the occasion is, but I'm heading to your place.
posted by jquinby at 5:28 PM on May 12

I see you have 'Rocket Man', but every time I hear 'Philadelphia Freedom', I literally well up for the 70's.
posted by repoman at 5:29 PM on May 12

Marcella -- Beach Boys
In the Summertime -- Mungo Jerry
Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) -- Edison Lighthouse
Montego Bay -- Bobby Bloom
Na Na Hey Hey -- Steam
Tracy -- Cufflinks
Woodstock -- CSNY
Yellow River -- Christie

If you go to Wikipedia and search on "xxxx in music", where xxxx is a year, you'll get a breakdown of what went on musically that year, including a list of the hit singles. Scroll through those to nudge your memories.
posted by joaquim at 5:34 PM on May 12 [1 favorite has favorites]

almost forgot: Couldn't Get it Right, by Climax Blues Band
posted by jquinby at 5:36 PM on May 12

"Heartbeat - It's A Lovebeat" - The DeFranco Family
"Thunder Island" - Jay Ferguson
"Shakedown Cruise" - Jay Ferguson
"Summer Nights" - John Travolta/Olivia Newton-John (you MUST have at least something from Grease!)
"Right Down The Line" - Gerry Rafferty
"Hey Deanie" - Shaun Cassidy
"Hot Child In The City" - Nick Gilder
"Fire" - The Pointer Sisters
"We're All Alone" - Rita Coolidge (or Boz Scaggs)
"Philadelphia Freedom" - Elton John
posted by SisterHavana at 5:46 PM on May 12

Danny's Song - Loggins & Messina
posted by lemonwheel at 5:57 PM on May 12

Sorry, I can't help myself. Don't leave off:

Lookin' Out My Back Door, by CCR
Someone Saved My Life Tonight, by Elton John. Heavier subject matter, but what a great sound.
posted by jquinby at 6:03 PM on May 12

Don't Stop -- Fleetwood Mac
Shambala -- Three Dog Night (if late May counts as summer)
posted by gnomeloaf at 6:11 PM on May 12

Beautiful Sunday - Daniel Boone
Me and You & a Dog Named Boo - Lobo
posted by clarkstonian at 6:34 PM on May 12

You want to check out the "Come To The Sunshine" compilation, I think it's on Rhino and definitely available on Amazon. Don't have time for a link right now, sorry, but a search is easy.
posted by rhizome at 6:37 PM on May 12

Heh heh. This is awesome fun.

[Given that you have at least a few songs up there that clearly aren't from the '70s but the '60s, I'm assuming that you're looking for songs that fit the spirit of the '70s.]

There's an old early classic by the Zombies which is probably the best (at least it's my favorite) example of soaring super-happy pop out there. It's also a love song about the wonderful feeling of being reunited with a lover after getting out of prison. Also, it has great '70s-style vocal harmonies and a British-pop-song harpsichord. It's called “Care of Cell 44.”

I've also always liked The 5th Dimension's “Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In.” Great song—classic '70s.

And how could you forget that staple of '70s music, Terry Jacks' Seasons In The Sun?

Finally, that classic anthem which deals with one of the most important parts of summertime: The Raspberries' tremendous feel-good anthem “Go All The Way.” Yeah, that's a rockin' riff, but just hold on until they start crooning: this song has everything.
posted by koeselitz at 6:44 PM on May 12 [1 favorite has favorites]

I got one:
Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) - Looking Glass

If you can handle more America, Muskrat Love might work. (sorry, terrible video quality)

And what would summer be without the soul-searing angst of love gone bad: Love Hurts - Nazareth

(man, now I feel like making out with someone in the back of a Ford Maverick...)
posted by Bron at 7:12 PM on May 12 [1 favorite has favorites]

Cutting a few, every time I hit 'preview'...

Lido Shuffle - Boz Scaggs
Biggest Part Of Me - Ambrosia
Strawberry Letter #23 - Brothers Johnson
Float On - The Floaters
Peace Of Mind - Boston
Car Wash - Rose Royce
Coconut - Nilsson
Disco Inferno - Trammps
Rock With You - Michael Jackson
Hold The Line - Toto
Jet Airliner - Steve Miller Band
Southern Nights - Glen Campbell
Lotta Love - Nicolette Larson
Night Moves - Bob Seger
Marrakesh Express - Crosby Stills & Nash
My Maria - B.W. Stevenson
Peaceful Easy Feeling - Eagles
Smoke From A Distant Fire - Sanford Townsend Band
Still The One - Orleans
TSOP (The Sound Of Philadelphia - MFSB Featuring The Three Degrees
Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do - Aretha Franklin

Got a little carried away here...
posted by DandyRandy at 7:16 PM on May 12

I Saw the Light &
Hello It's Me - todd rundgren

Want Ads - Honey Cone
Clean Up Woman - Betty Wright

Panama Red - New Riders of the Purple Sage
posted by timsteil at 7:22 PM on May 12

Would management get cross if I offered to make the collection available thru rapidshare?
Or if I said you could PM me for such a thing?
posted by Senor Cardgage at 8:03 PM on May 12

Pablo Cruise - Love Will Find A Way or Whatcha Goin' Do on this list?

Just The Two of Us - George Benson
Steve Forbert - Romeo's Tune
Year of the Cat - Al Stewart
Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty
Don't Go Breakin' My heart - Elton John and Kiki Dee
The Night Chicago Died - Paper Lace
Reelin' In The Years - Steely Dan
Me And You and A Dog Named Boo - Lobo
Train They Call The City of New Orleans - Arlo Guthrie
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 8:05 PM on May 12

It's from 1981, but Sausalito Summernight by Diesel would fit in, I think.
posted by bink at 8:27 PM on May 12 [1 favorite has favorites]

Promises - Eric Clapton
Aimee - Pure Prairie League
Blue Bayou - Crystal Gayle
Boys Are Back In Town - Thin Lizzy
Sundown - Gordon Lightfoot
You Needed Me - Anne Murray
Funk No. 49 - James Gang
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 8:31 PM on May 12

Mother Child Reunion - Paul Simon
Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard - Paul Simon
The Mighty Quinn - Manfred Mann
I Can See Clearly Now - Johhny Nash
Blinded By the Light - Manfred Mann
Black Betty - Ram Jam
Sister Golden Hair Surprise - America
posted by telstar at 8:37 PM on May 12

Thanks so much yall.
Keep em comin.
Shit's about to get real up in my iTunes.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 8:51 PM on May 12

Well, thanks to the suggestions of this board, I now have an additional....

188 songs (thats 10 hours)

Eventually I will boil these down to the strongest.

But still, keep em coming.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 9:21 PM on May 12

Magic - Pilot [as in "ho, ho, ho, it's magic"]
Gimme Dat Ting - The Pipkins
I Believe In Music - Gallery
Popcorn - Apollo 100
Tell Me Something Good - Rufus
Love's Theme - Love Unlimited Orchestra
Mr. Jaws - Danny Goodman
Convoy - C. W. McCall
posted by chazlarson at 10:18 PM on May 12

Reminiscing - Little Feat
posted by carmicha at 10:35 PM on May 12

oops: make that

Reminiscing - Little River Band (also Cool Change)

Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty

Fantasy - Earth, Wind and Fire

Magnet and Steel - Walter Egan
posted by carmicha at 10:42 PM on May 12

Hooooooo baby. In no particular order, just from glancing through my iTunes:

Your Mama Don't Dance - Loggins and Messina
Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance) - Leo Sayer
Dance With Me - Orleans
Still the One - Orleans
If You Want to Get to Heaven - Ozark Mountain Daredevils
Maggie May - Rod Stewart
Echoes of Love - The Doobie Brothers
Ride Captain Ride - The Blues Image
Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond (ok, it's a 1969 release, but ... AM gold!)
Draggin' the Line - Tommy James
Rock and Roll Never Forgets - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band

...ok, ok, I'll stop. man, this is fun.

Also, it's on your list already, but Don't Fight It - Kenny Loggins f. Steve Perry is...well, a major guilty pleasure of mine. Then again, most Yacht Rock is a guilty pleasure of mine. (I see you have Portable Radio - Hall & Oates on there already too. Well played.)
posted by theoddball at 11:08 PM on May 12

oh, also, fertile tracklists to mine for inspiration -- Rhino put out a ~20 disc collection called "Super Hits of the 70s: Have a Nice Day". amazon link. Some great stuff (Baby It's You - Smith) and some... less great (Timothy - The Buoys).
posted by theoddball at 11:22 PM on May 12

Yall are rulin it.

THis thing is going to be MAMMOTH now.

I have discovered dozens of "new" (to me) tracks today.

Be sure to PM me if you want in on linkseseses.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 11:41 PM on May 12

I definitely want in on the links!!

Come and Get Your Love by Redbone
Delta Dawn by Tanya Tucker
Guitar Man by Bread
Let Your Love Flow by The Bellamy Brothers
All Right Now by Paul Freeman
Nights Are Forever Without You by England Dan and John Ford Coley
Back in the New York Groove by Ace Frehley
Country Roads by John Denver
Rhinestone Cowboy by Glen Campbell
Mama Told Me Not to Come by Three Dog Night
Garden Party by Ricky Nelson
Crocodile Rock by Elton John
Love Will Keep Us Together by Captain & Tennille
Pick Up the Pieces by Average White Band
Don't Go Breaking My Heart by Elton John & Kiki Dee
Silly Love Songs by Paul McCartney & Wings
Oh What a Night by the Four Seasons
Stumbling In by Suzi Quatro
Ain't Even Done with the Night by John Cougar Mellencamp (from 1980 but sounds so awesomely 70s to me)
posted by Majorita at 12:56 AM on May 13

Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison (from the 60s, but...)
Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers
American Pie - Don McLean
Born to Run & Thunder Road - Mister Springsteen
Somebody to Love - Queen
Crazy Love - Poco
Rock Lobster - The B-52s
posted by booth at 5:54 AM on May 13

Well, maybe my short list isn't so "sunny" or "FM" in some cases, but they defined my 70s summers.
posted by booth at 5:57 AM on May 13

You definitely need:
Wildfire - Michael Martin Murphey

And here are a few others I don't think were mentioned...
Spirit in the Sky - Norman Greenbaum
Have you Never Been Mellow - Olivia Newton John
Witchita Lineman - Glen Campbell
The No No Song - Ringo Starr
Shining Star - Earth Wind and Fire
You're No Good - Linda Ronstadt
Carry On Wayward Son - Kansas
Dream Weaver - Gary Wright
You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine - Lou Rawls
Kung Fu Fighting - Carl Douglas
Rock the Boat - The Hues Corporation
posted by FreezBoy at 5:58 AM on May 13

I must slightly disagree with amyms - to my ear, "Little Willie" and "Love Is Like Oxygen" are much more summery than "Fox on the Run" (all by Sweet, of course). (Or is it The Sweet?)

Also, "What is Hip?" by Tower of Power; add in "So Very Hard to Go" and "You're Still a Young Man" if you're up for the slower songs.

And finally, as MeFi's resident (and perhaps only) Styx fan, I must mention "Lady", "Lorelei", and "Light Up."
posted by kristi at 9:09 AM on May 13

...the hell? I can't believe we forgot this one:
Do You Know What I Mean? - Lee Michaels
(But I think it's on one of those compilations mentioned above).
posted by Bron at 10:49 AM on May 13

There's a thought that anyone who mentions an Ace Frehley song should be put down or at least tasered, and I say that as a 70's-era member of the Kiss Army... because who among us doesn't want to rock n' roll all night and party every day.

That aside, Everyone's a Winner, by Hot Chocolate.
posted by ambient2 at 12:06 PM on May 13

Nice collection so far, but how 'bout some 70's funk?
Play That Funky Music, by Wild Cherry
Love Machine, by The Miracles
posted by rocket88 at 1:41 PM on May 13

Not to derail, but ambient2, bite your tongue. I'm not ashamed to admit I attended Ace Frehley's New Year's Eve show at Crocodile Rock, a dive bar in Allentown, PA last year. Yes it was awful. How the mighty have fallen. (I saw KISS pretty recently at Jones Beach, NY. They still put on a great show.)
posted by Majorita at 2:48 AM on May 17

This thread rawks! Thanks for all the memories, everybody.
posted by telstar at 1:35 AM on May 28