Here’s another retro music list, dear friends! Now I must confess that the 70s are my favourite decade of music. I was only born in 1973, but I’m glad I got a bit of a glimpse into this very special decade – so cheerful, so crazy, so much fun, with music and colours and flowers everywhere! The 80s did seem to be a bit – sobering in comparison… And what great pop music was produced in the 70s that can take us right back into time even more than 40 years later! So here are my personal favourites…
10 – Sweet: Ballroom Blitz (1973)
Those typically 70s crazy long-haired guys in their glittering suits sure could produce an irresistible rhythm that makes you wanna dance… Sadly, bassist Steve died very recently – but the music of this sweet band will live on forever!
9 – Daniel Boone: Beautiful Sunday (1972)
One of those wonderful 70s feelgood songs – a hymn to a simple, beautiful Sunday, the birds are singing, you’re meeting your girl in the park, what more could you want in life? We REALLY have to get back into this good old 1970s spirit…
8 – Leo Sayer: Long Tall Glasses (1974)
Leo Sayer, the British boy wonder of the 70s, doing his probably best song ever here – a completely timeless catchy tune! It was the first song I ever recorded from radio on to cassette, and I must have heard it thousands of times…
7 – Edison Lighthouse: Love Grows Where My Rosemary Grows (1970)
One of the grooviest songs from the grooviest ever music era – around 1970… The enormously versatile Tony Burrows, who with various bands did stuff as crazy as “Gimme Dat Ding”, is at his best here singing his hymn to Rosemary who’s got no money and talks kinda funny and people say she’s crazy…
6 – Rod Stewart: You’re In My Heart (1977)
Millions of love songs have been written through the millennia, but this one’s my favourite of them all. This unique combination of romantic and down-to-earth, sung by one of the most unique (and sexy) voices ever – this is Rod Stewart’s all-time masterpiece.
5 – Queen: We Will Rock You (1977)
Queen were THE glam rock band of the 1970s, with their extravagant appearance and their fantastic sound; and this is their probably most iconic piece, stirring and irresistible with Freddie’s great voice and Brian May’s fabulous guitar riff. When I was at high school (which was 10 years on), it used to be the only thing that brightened up our PE lessons during the warming-up!
4 – David Dundas: Jeans On (1976)
Another irresistible feelgood song about boy meeting girl and having some weekend fun with her – in the 70s, the simple things in life were simply appreciated like they should be! The cool rhythm and feel will make you want to pull your old blue jeans on and go out, too…
3 – Boney M: Hooray! Hooray! It’s a Holi-holiday (1979)
Boney M, one of the biggest hit bands of the late 70s, simply were THE band of my early childhood – they were everywhere, on TV and radio, even on the bus that took us pre-school kids on our first trips! And their songs enthused kids and grown-ups equally, because they conveyed that happy, cheerful spirit that kids have got and that grown-ups should get back into their lives…
2 – Village People: YMCA (1978)
A song that’s survived the years like very few others – not only because of the lovely rhythm and singalong melody, but also because of the lasting message defying homophobia and racism. Sing along, do your exercise to it, and celebrate diversity!
1 – Mungo Jerry: In the Summertime (1970)
It’s difficult to decide which was THE most iconic song of the 1970s, with such a huge number of great songs to choose from, but I finally chose Mungo Jerry. It doesn’t get more cheerful than in this happy-go-lucky tune about partying, loving everybody and doing what we please – and just look at those whiskers, too! It’s a great shame this unique band never had another hit like this.
So this is my personal choice – though you can’t argue about taste, of course… Do you love the seventies, too, dear friends? Which are your favourite music memories?
Roberta Franklin 