Top 10 Best Hit Songs of 1974

Sorry if I got particularly venomous on my previous list, folks. It’s not like 1974 was a particularly bad year on the whole. Like I said though, where this year went bad it went truly awful. Would I call this the worst year of all time? No. I’ve covered far, far worse years than this before. This doesn’t even match up to years like 2001 or 1962 in terms of terrible music.

The main reason for that is because, while this year went pretty bad at its worst, it was also pretty awesome at its best. The good songs didn’t all just come from one-off acts that would never achieve that same success ever again. We’d also be seeing some established or newer artists that would go on to be big hits of their time. And we’d even be seeing some newer trends that would take off this year and blossom into some of the songs we’d be seeing in later years of the ‘70s. But enough background! Let’s jump right into the good stuff, starting with our honorable mentions.

American Tune (Paul Simon) [--; 35; 3 weeks]

Paul Simon is one of the few artists I know that can perform a white-guy-with-acoustic-guitar song and not sound like a bro. That’s because when he sings about heartache and pain, he sounds sincere. This isn’t a song offering to lift someone up and assure them that they’ll take care of them; this is soul-crushing reality slowly engulfing you.

Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe (Barry White) [--; 1; 9 weeks]

Dear God, this man’s voice! It’s like a manly nightingale gently serenading you! This particular song is a lot like ‘Hooked On a Feeling’, in that it’s about how great it is to be in love. Of course, where that song was graceful and romantic, this one is smooth and rich like a fresh jar of Skippy. And where most spoken-word segments in songs like this are ridiculous and shatter the atmosphere, Barry White’s only adds to it. Latimore, take some notes; this is how you do it.

Let Your Hair Down (The Temptations) [--; 27; 4 weeks]

A surprising number of ‘60s acts managed to keep afloat this year. This wasn’t the best of them, but it is still an awesome demonstration that the Temptations were able to adapt well to the changes to music brought about in the ‘70s. The song has a very funky sound, what with the more prominent horns section and the group’s much looser vocal performances.

Let It Ride (Bachman-Turner Overdrive) [--; 23; 9 weeks]

I guess you could consider this exhibit ‘B’ in my defense of Canadian music. Bachman-Turner Overdrive had a few hits this year, but this was their best by far. With a smooth bass line, some rocking drums and perfectly blended harmonies carrying this song, it is a masterwork of ‘70s rock.

Piano Man (Billy Joel) [--; 25; 4 weeks]

Oh, like this song needs an introduction. It would’ve made the list if it had charted higher or longer. This is a great example of Billy Joel telling a story through song. All the minute details that went into the lyrics for this song do an excellent job painting the scene that he’s setting. It might not have been a big hit, but it’s definitely earned its place as Billy Joel’s most iconic song.

Now that’s taken care of, I broke all the rules but I must let the show go on. We’re counting down…

…THE TOP 10 BEST HIT SONGS OF 1974!

#10.

How familiar is everyone with the Eurovision Song Contest? Well, too bad; I’m talking about it anyway. It’s the longest-running annual international TV song competition, generally held between countries that are members of the European Broadcasting Union since 1956. And in 1973’s Eurovision contest, one of the most successful, but also controversial, songs to appear came from Spain.

#10. Eres tú (Mocedades) [62; 9; 11 weeks]

This is Mocedades, a Spanish singing group from the Basque Country. They were originally formed in 1967 as Las Hermanas Uranga based on the three Uranga sisters that made up the group. Eventually their brothers and friends were added and they became Voces y guitarras, taking much of their inspiration from folk and spiritual music, as well as the Beatles. After a year of performing around their hometown, they sent a demo cassette to producer Juan Carlos Calderón, who took an interest in the group and named them Mocedades. They didn’t see much success outside of their home country, but they managed one hit with the song they used to represent Spain at the 1973 Eurovision contest.

“Eres tú” translates from Spanish to mean “you are”, with the narrator describing someone she views as many things, from a summer morning to a guitar in the night. It relies a lot on similes, though I feel like its simplicity works to its benefit. The song relies more on the vocals than on the words themselves, and the vocals present a beautiful delivery, especially on the harmonies.

That’s not to say the music doesn’t also support the song. The primarily guitar-driven melody serves as a nice framework for the rest of the song. And the brass and string instruments accent various segments in the song nicely, swelling certain moments to sound grander than they would otherwise sound normally.

Mocedades were charged with plagiarizing with this song, specifically with it being a rewrite of the Yugoslavia song from the 1966 Eurovision. Looking back, I do hear the similarities, but even if it was stealing, Mocedades made the song their own. The original song, ‘Brez Besed’ was a generic ballad that could have been sung by anyone, where ‘Eres tú’ was a group performance that had better production and vocals. It’s a solid tune, like a smile, like a poem, like a guitar in the night.

#9.

Considering Dionne Warwick’s second to Aretha Franklin as most charted female vocalist, it seems to make sense to compare the two. They’re both female African American singers that started out in the early ‘60s, and both of them saw scattered success over the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. However, the artist that Warwick’s style reminds me of the most is Diana Ross. The two of them tend to sing softer ballads that contrast more from Aretha Franklin’s much louder, more boisterous songs. Of course, I’m not sure either Aretha Franklin or Diana Ross would release a song like this:

#9. Then Came You (Dionne Warwick & the Spinners) [47; 1; 15 weeks]

The ‘70s were a pretty rough time for Dionne Warwick. With the shift to Warner Bros. Records, she saw the departure of long time collaborators Burt Bacharach and Hal David, who helped pen her earlier work. This was the only hit she managed at this label, and even its success could largely be attributed to the rising prominence of the Spinners. But is it any good?

Well, let’s start by looking at the instrumentation and production. The song is primarily driven by keyboard, with drums and synthesizers accenting it at various points. It’s a pretty basic setup, but it creates a very warm atmosphere, which is what the song needs. A lot of soul tracks tended to be soft and slow, whereas this one is mid-tempo and has more energy to it. 

That brings us to the lyrics and subject matter. The song talks about how the singers are in love with each other. They never knew love until they met that special someone, presumably each other. And it feels bubbly and happy, which is how a love song should feel. I believe that the singers have genuinely discovered love for the first time and feel like it’s the greatest thing they’ve ever experienced. It also helps that this is Dionne Warwick’s best vocal performance.

Neither act would fully achieve the same success again. Dionne Warwick revitalized her career by switching to Arista Records at the end of the ‘70s, and managed another #1 hit, but you can’t say her work after this song was her best. As for the Spinners, they managed scattered success through to the beginning of the ‘80s, but they would never top the charts again. Even so, this song plays to both acts’ strengths well and was a breath of fresh air in an otherwise dull, forgettable year.

#8.

As it turns out, it wasn’t just the acts of the ‘60s that bled over into this year. Some artists even adapted the styles of the ‘60s too, like this:

#8. Beach Baby (The First Class) [94; 4; 11 weeks]

The First Class was a British pop group consisting of singer-songwriter John Carter and singers Tony Burrows and Chas Mills. Carter also contributed to hit songs from Brenda Lee, Herman’s Hermits and the Ivy Leauge. Tony Burrows performed lead vocals for a number of one-hit wonders’ songs, specifically ‘Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)’ by Edison Lighthouse, ‘My Baby Loves Lovin’’ by White Plains, ‘Gimme Dat Ding’ by the Pipkins and ‘United We Stand’ by the Brotherhood of Man. This wasn’t even the only time these two men collaborated, as Burrows also sang lead vocals on the Carter-penned Flower Pot Men song ‘Let’s Go to San Francisco’.

This particular song sees them trying out the upbeat, surfer-craze type song that was characteristic of the Beach Boys. Apparently, this craze was barely still going but wouldn’t last much longer after this. I think they did a nice job with it. The song does quite a bit with the theme of the song, painting surprising detail about this teen romance, from ruining the girl’s dress with soda pop to the ring the girl said she’d wear.

If there’s one thing that kind of drags the song down for me, it’s the last minute of the song. Up until that point it’s fine, with strong music and good lyrics. However, that last portion just sees them repeating the phrase ‘beach baby’ endlessly, and it feels kind of lazy. I know I haven’t made a good case to state otherwise, but I try not to harp on songs for the use of repetition. I just wish they’d added in a bridge or another verse or something there instead.

Besides that though, I like this song. For those that would argue that they were basically just trying to copy the style of the Beach Boys, I just have to say, “Yeah. And?” The Beach Boys themselves had already started dropping off in quality by this point, so it’s not like we were getting any good music from them at the time. I’ll take the one-hit wonder successfully emulating their style over the fading genuine article, thanks.

#7.

With how the political climate has been looking lately, it feels kind of fitting that I pull out a song like this next one. I say this because, if there were any song that properly reflected people’s opinions of the current U.S. president, this would probably be it.

#7. You Haven’t Done Nothin’ (Stevie Wonder) [--; 1; 14 weeks]

The ‘70s were incredibly kind to Stevie Wonder. Not only was this a commercially successful period for him, it also saw him exercising a lot more control over his output and creating high quality material as a result. I feel like this is one of his less known songs from this period, which is a shame because it is glorious.

It’s worth noting that this is a political song. Specifically, it’s a very angry statement directed at then US president Richard Nixon, released two days before he resigned no less. And it feels like an angry song; the lyrics are very scathing, criticizing the president’s claims to making change, and even accusing him of spreading lies to pacify the American public.  

It’s interesting that the message of the song should be this angry because the music is this energetic, funky sound that contrasts with that greatly. It features a thick Hohner clavinet, keyboard horns, hi-hats, a crash cymbal and an early appearance of the drum machine, all played by Stevie Wonder himself. A smooth electric bass line courtesy of Reggie McBride accents all that, and the cherry on top is the fantastic background vocals provided by the Jackson 5.

If I had one minor nitpick, it’s that the song sounds uncomfortably similar to Stevie Wonder’s other big hit from this period, ‘Superstition’. They’re even in the same key signature and everything. The song probably would’ve placed higher on this list if not for that. Otherwise, it’s a deliciously funky tune from one of the greatest artists of the ‘70s at his peak.

#6.

You know what group seems to seriously get underrepresented in pop music? Native Americans. Seriously, outside of Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas and Kid Cudi I can’t really think of that many that have had hits. So I guess it’s nice to know that in 1974 we’d be seeing them, not just represented, but represented by a really good band.

#6. Come and Get Your Love (Redbone) [4; 5; 18 weeks]

So, normally I’d start off by describing a bit of background regarding the song to set up for talking about its separate parts. However, I’m not really sure there’s a lot to this song in terms of its background. It’s just a simple pop rock song. I think that’s what I like about it though: it’s simplicity. It doesn’t try to be anything more than what it is.

There are two things about this song that placed it on the list. The first is the electric sitar that’s interspersed throughout the song. Those sitar licks are what make this song stand out; they’re a unique element that you don’t see in a lot of songs, even back then. The other element that works in this song’s favor is the chorus. I usually don’t like it when a song builds its entire chorus around a single line, but “Come and get your love” pretty much says all that’s needed. The song’s just a happy, upbeat love song that doesn’t require much thought going into it.

I guess something else to note about this song is that it appeared on the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1’ album. So it’s kind of a counterbalance to the album also having Blue Swede’s terrible cover of ‘Hooked On a Feeling’. Having this song play at the beginning of the film was the right move honestly; it did a much better job setting the tone for the film than the song meant to represent the film did.

I feel like I’m really struggling to talk about most of these songs. Still, I’m halfway through the list. I can do this…

#5.

I think part of the reason people view this year as the worst of the ‘70s was because this was the year that saw the introduction of disco music into the mainstream. I can kind of understand why people hate the genre, but I disagree with it being a bad thing, on the whole anyway. It added some much-needed energy to the pop charts, which were bogged down with endless adult contemporary pieces and disposable garbage. As it happens, we had a number of funk and disco songs chart this year, and this was probably the best of them.

#5. Jungle Boogie (Kool & the Gang) [12; 4; 16 weeks]

I realize this isn’t really a disco song technically and is more funk, but it came out around the time that disco was starting to take off in the mainstream, so I’m counting it. This might not have been the song that started the disco trend, but it’s the one everyone remembers best from its early years, and for good reason.

On a basic level, there really isn’t a lot to this song. The music is funky, sure, but besides that the song would be no different from any other funk or disco song of the time. All except for one thing: the spoken word segments that pepper the song. Those brief snippets of guttural vocals really push the song over the top, both in ridiculousness and in energy. Without those, there’s really no other point to the song.

That’s not to say the rest of the song isn’t good on top of that. The guitar breaks accented by the horns help to break up the song’s monotony and the lyrics, while nonsensical, mean that the song isn’t just a featureless instrumental track. Each of the separate parts of the song come together to create a complete whole, and taking out any of them would render the rest of the song meaningless.

I think it’s fitting that this was the song that put Kool & the Gang on the map. Most of their songs up to this year didn’t have ‘Jungle Boogie’s iconic element that made the group stand out. And unlike most ‘70s funk acts, they actually managed to survive the death of disco and persist into the ‘80s. All of that is thanks to this one song.

#4.

When it comes to Elton John’s music, most people tend to avoid his popular singles. That’s not to say his popular songs are bad; people just don’t seem to gravitate towards them as much as his less popular material. Of course, there is one song of his that even those people seem to enjoy:

#4. Bennie and the Jets (Elton John) [9; 1; 16 weeks]

I admit I didn’t get this song at first. It’s this ridiculous, slow-paced song with lyrics that don’t seem to be about anything. Even Elton John’s singing, which I normally like, just sounds off-kilter and hokey here. But after a few more listens, I started getting a better idea about what people liked about it.

First off, let’s look at those lyrics, shall we? The song describes a fictional band that the narrator is a fan of. Though it does so in a way that also kind of makes fun of their style and especially their fashion. This song was apparently written as a satire of the greed and glitz of the early ‘70s music scene. This can be heard in the walls of sound and electric boots the band in the song sports.

That brings us to the production and composition. ‘Bennie and the Jets’ has been described as one of the oddest songs Elton John has ever recorded. Gus Dungeon, the song’s producer, decided to give the song a “live from Playhouse Theatre” sound, adding in reverb effects, applause, whistles and audience sounds from John’s previous concerts, plus a loop from Isle of Wight, the live Jimi Hendrix album, making the recording sound like a live concert performance. In addition, Elton John rarely places the song exactly like the recording, often changing the sound in various ways. The piano solo, for example, has been played in many variations, from extending it to improvising it.

I still wouldn’t call this my favorite Elton John song; he’s had better. I don’t think he’s had a song as interesting as this one though. We need more hit songs taking chances and satirizing the bland, samey-sounding trends of the time and doing so well.

#3.

I’ve spoken before of how I’m a fan of ‘70s rock music. My love for Queen should be more than enough proof of that. Still though, I haven’t really had the chance to talk about a different style of ‘70s rock, particularly around this time frame. This style also took influence from country music and blues and is viewed by many as an important contribution to the development of rock music that’s been minimized in its history. I am, of course, speaking of Southern rock.

#3. Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd) [--; 8; 11 weeks]

I realize this will probably be a bit of a controversial choice, saying I actually like one of the most prideful, defiant Southern songs in a time when people are rioting and being assaulted on the premise of their race or who they voted for, but I’m going to stand by it. I’m not saying I stand by all the discrimination that had become associated with the South at the time, but I feel like it can be just as bad to lump everyone on one side of a debate into this one specific caricature or stereotype of their group, regardless of their opinions or beliefs. So a song like this that’s not just proud but openly defiant of the stereotypes associated with the South is something I can respect.

Speaking of which, let’s focus on the lyrics. This song was specifically written as a response to two Neil Young songs: ‘Southern Man’ and ‘Alabama’. They’re pretty much the same song, both about the prejudice that had come to be associated with the South at this time, what with the passing of the Civil Rights Act and the general unrest related to racism and its dismantling. ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ firmly states that not all Southerners are like that. It reaffirms that Southerners are Americans too and they have more to their culture.

Of course, what really wins me over with this song is the production and instrumentation. It’s primarily driven by guitar, with the piano serving to accent various segments. And despite the pride in the lyrics, the song has a very laid back feel that makes it seem warm and inviting. The song’s not just celebrating Southern pride; it’s welcoming the listener to celebrate as well.

I just appreciate that Lynyrd Skynyrd decided to stand up and write something this defiant of how people viewed the South. And I’m not even a Southerner myself. If this isn’t enough to justify my placement of this song on this list in your eyes, then I’ll at least close with this: at least it’s better than what Kid Rock did with the song. Ugh…Moving along.

#2.

It turns out the Beach Boys weren’t the only ‘60s act that had lost its edge by 1974. There were also the Beatles, who, after splitting up, were now pursuing solo careers to varying degrees of success and quality. It’s a shame that I have to put it that way because with how lacking in memorable songs this year was, the general public could’ve really used some Beatles music to keep things fresh. Fortunately, there was one band that was willing to deliver when the Beatles themselves were unable to.

#2. Overnight Sensation (Hit Record) (The Raspberries) [--; 18; 6 weeks]

Am I the only one that thinks it’s kind of funny that a British act was trying to be like an American act while an American act was trying to be like a British act this year? Okay, the Raspberries weren’t only taking inspiration from the Beatles, but other British Invasion era acts as well, like the Who, the Hollies and Small Faces. That influence is certainly noticeable on this track, and I only see this as a good thing.

The lyrics talk about how the narrator wants to hear a song he wrote and put together on the radio, not for the fame or for the money or the attention, but just to hear it on the radio. This isn’t exactly a humble sentiment, but it is an interesting one. As a creative person myself, I understand the desire to hear or see something you put a part of yourself into put out publically and have it get some form of recognition. So, in a way, this song kind of speaks to me.

That leaves the instrumentation and production. I said that the band took inspiration from the British Invasion acts from the ‘60s, but the sound of this song is still recognizably ‘70s-ish. It’s a sign that the band had evolved from their earlier work, which didn’t seem to give them much of an identity outside of just being a throwback band. I especially love the harmonies during the “overnight sensation” line at the end of the chorus, and during the outro; they’re just beautiful and make me think of a precursor to the harmonies Queen would become famous for during the ‘70s.

I think ‘Overnight Sensation’ is the Raspberries’ best song, and a seriously underrated one too. It’s a shame it was the band’s last hit song. Although, while the band wouldn’t have another hit, they would still serve as pioneers to the power pop style, which took off after they disbanded. In a way, I guess they were an overnight sensation, if by “overnight” you mean “here and then gone all in the span of one night”, or five years I suppose.

#1.

If I’m being perfectly honest folks, I had a lot of trouble writing this list. Most of these songs were pretty tricky for me to write about, especially the ones by acts who only had a handful of hits. I bring this up because, out of all the songs I put on this list, this next one might be the one that gave me the most trouble to write about. I was still able to find information about the other songs that appeared on this list on Wikipedia, Allmusic or Songfacts, but I could find pretty much nothing on this next song, which is a shame because it is a true gem. So without further ado, I present the Righteous Brothers.

#1. Give It to the People (The Righteous Brothers) [--; 20; 4 weeks]

1974 was a pretty significant year for the Righteous Brothers. This was six years after the duo initially split up and started doing their own things. This year the pair reunited and weeks later released their big comeback single ‘Rock and Roll Heaven’, an ode to deceased rock singers that successfully reestablished the Righteous Brothers’ position in the spotlight. I thought that song was okay, but I think ‘Give It to the People’ might top even that.

Let’s start by talking about the lyrics. The song starts by seeming to reflect on a man’s introduction to music, but over the course of the song, becomes more about the narrator’s love of performing. Having been in my fair share of performance groups in the past, I can safely say I connect with this. I’m familiar with the excitement of performing before an audience, the thrill one feels as the curtain rises and the joy it brings to hear thunderous applause after each song.

What really wins me over, however, is the way they sing it. They perform the song with all the passion and intensity of people who genuinely love music and love singing it. When most people think of the Righteous Brothers, the one they actually remember is Bill Medley, but taking the main melody for this song is the late Bobby Hatfield, and folks, his presentation here is amazing. It’s a clear demonstration that they are a duo and not just Bill Medley running the show.

This song barely qualified for this list. I’m so glad it did though because, while not the Righteous Brothers’ best song, it was still a welcome change in an otherwise mostly unmemorable year. Despite this, both the album and this song seem to have vanished from the public consciousness. That is a crime and a shame, and I implore all of my readers to rectify this. If you can find this song, listen to it. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. ‘Give It to the People’ by the Righteous Brothers: my choice for the best hit song of 1974.