Welcome to another Sun-Soaked episode of The Songs Of The Summer Series from friend and Contributing Author Ozmoe! This week: Remembering 1976…
As a reminder or for those just joining us, I categorize a summer song basically as the fun tune you’d like to do at karaoke with your friends. It’s hummable, singable, danceable, and probably some other kind of optimistic labels I can’t think of right now.
tnocs.com summer charts expert ozmoe
What Was the Song Of The Summer of 1976?
The United States turning 200 years old in 1976 was a big deal.
We knew that because there were plenty of tacky ways to celebrate.
For example, you could collect 50 different cans from 7 Up that when arranged properly would form the image of… any guesses?
On the other hand, American Top 40 produced a fascinating bicentennial special counting down every song that was number one in the United States each July 4th from 1937 through 1976. Ironically, that countdown announced that the number one song during America’s bicentennial was by a resident of Great Britain. (We’ll get to him and his hit in more detail soon.)
Yet, apart from that, the country’s music scene that summer was largely free of mentioning the big event. Americans were more interested in contemporary sounds – and for that year, that meant we’d hear some disco among the summer songs.
That’s not too surprising, given that our definition of a Summer Song often (but not always!) involves a tune that makes you move your feet. More specifically, it’s a record that makes you feel good while you sing or hum along with it.
And of course: it was most popular during June through August of a year.
Having noted the “Spirit of ‘76” outside the pop chart, here are my choices as Summer Song for The Bicentennial. Comment and rank your top three below, with “one” being your favorite. All are listed chronologically based on their Billboard Hot 100 peak.
• Paul McCartney and Wings: Silly Love Songs
A British subject ruled at number one during America’s Independence Day celebration. It’s still easy to see why. Written as a rejoinder to those who said he wasn’t rocking enough anymore, Paul proved he could do that while producing a catchy ballad in the process. Pretty clever, if you ask me. Warning: Avoid the truncated 3:28 edits some stations play that takes out some great moments like a riffing saxophone and Paul cooing to Linda, “How, can I tell, you about, my loved one?” and reduces this to, well, just another silly love song.
• The Silver Convention: Get Up and Boogie (That’s Right)
The seemingly one-hit wonder group Silver Convention nearly had another number one (after Fly Robin Fly in 1975) when singing even fewer words than in their preceding chart topper. Some anonymous male singers were responsible for yelling “That’s right!” before the start of each chorus. Or was in the start of each verse? Who knows? It was mindless, danceable fun if you were in the right mood. If not, it was a lot of what you disliked about disco.
• The Starland Vocal Band: Afternoon Delight
I don’t remember how old I was until I understood the hidden meanings of the lyrics here. I do remember how the harmonies sung by this quartet were pleasant and easy on the ears, along with the production itself. It’s easygoing, sunny and relaxing, a good combo for any summer song candidate. And it’s certainly the most romantic (or sexiest, if you prefer) hit produced by Milt Okun, who usually specialized in folk music acts like John Denver.
• The Brothers Johnson: I’ll Be Good to You
Bucking most of the trends of the time, this record managed to be both mellow and funky and became a hit. The lyrics stress a pledge to devotion, while the guitar riffs delightfully go off in many directions, which together wisely required listeners to pay close attention about everything going on. Producer Quincy Jones remade it into a hit 13 years later with Chaka Khan and Ray Charles, but the original sounds fresher and possesses a stronger groove to my ears.
• Andrea True Connection: More, More, More
Yes, Andrea did X-rated films. Knowing that can make this song appear either clever or coarse, based on your perspective. The real big selling point was its instrumental break. It sounded like a woodblock was being hit in an echo chamber while a keyboardist joined in, then a trumpeter doing his best Herb Alpert impersonation led it back to the final verse and chorus. It’s seductive in its own way, although that “May my heart you steal” line always seemed pretentious to me.
• Starbuck: Moonlight Feels Right
After hearing this bubbly concoction in the early part of 1976, an Alabama radio station programmer told members of the group Starbuck that Moonlight Feels Right sounded more like a spring hit. So, he held off playing it until April 1976, when it broke into the Hot 100. To me, it sounds summery, especially with that exotic if somewhat cheesy marimba solo and the line “Because Southern belles are hell at night.” (Does this North Carolinian agree? No comment.)
• Peter Frampton: Baby I Love Your Way
As Frampton Comes Alive topped the Billboard album chart off and on from April to October, its lead single, Baby I Love Your Way was in the top 40 from July 17 through September, peaking at 12 on Aug. 26. This lilting rock ballad did make the top 10 twice later, for Will to Power in 1988 and Big Mountain in 1994. While most tnocs voters loathed the former version, the failure of Will to Power and its label to get publisher’s permission to record the song got Frampton double the songwriting royalties for it. Baby, I love your way… of putting it to that group!
• KC and the Sunshine Band: (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty
This one didn’t become a chart topper the week after Labor Day. It entered the top 40 in late July and broke out big in August. To some, it’s another disco number with simplistic lyrics. To others… it’s just an invitation to hit the dance floor and let your body move to the groove. The band’s trademark horn section does put this among the genre’s efforts to my mind. There are many more songs that were more repetitious that the title of this one suggests.
Additionally, I’m fond of Young Hearts Run Free as a dark horse candidate. Candi Staton’s vocal stylings and a strong storyline made this one of the year’s best soul crossovers. Unfortunately, New York City’s powerful and influential WABC refused to add the song. It peaked nationally at only Number 20.
If you think that or any other contender should be considered as well, comment and discuss with your vote below.
And come back next week… for another year… and another summer song contest!
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1976 wasn’t just an important year for the bicentennial. It was also the year I debuted on planet earth. Born in March so while I was present for the summer I wasn’t concious of the latest chart happenings. Too busy sleeping, crying, guzzling milk and making an unholy stink in the diaper department to worry about anything else.
It does appear it was time to get funky though. Clear and easy winner for me in KC & The Sunshine Band followed by Brothers Johnson and then Andrea True Connection. Much as I love Paul this one doesn’t do anything for me.
In the land of your vanquished former masters things went weird this summer. It was apparently a long hot summer and seems to have fried a few brains.
Kicking off in June we had the truly abysmal JJ Barrie with No Charge. Sorry if you’re a fan but its schlock of the highest order as far as I’m concerned. That was washed away by the musical equivalent of a 2 litre bottle of extra strength homemade cider by The Wurzels with their novelty classic I’ve Got A Brand New Combine Harvester.
The ridiculous became the sublime with You To Me Are Everything by The Real Thing before taking a turn for the worse as Demis Roussos became briefly unfeasibly popular. Finally some sort of sense took hold as Elton & Kiki spent 6 weeks through late July and August at the top with Don’t Go Breaking My Heart. Song of the UK summer can only be The Wurzels though.
https://youtu.be/tb63PdPweDc
considering how many units you had to shift to have a #1 in the 70’s, a heckuva lot of people thought the Wurzels where funny enough to go out of their way and actually purchase a copy – despite that they could hear if regularly on Radio 1.
Elton & Kiki gets my vote.
If you’re asking me for my favorite song, The Brothers Johnson win hands down.
But Song of the Summer is different. And to me, this one is obvious:
Frampton wins by a landslide.
KC and the Sunshine Band in a distant second and Paul McCartney & Wings in third.
Oof. Another round that’s tougher than it should be.
My usual disclaimer: not ranked by favorites, but per rightfully earned SotS designation per the Rules:
1976:
Never placed faces to the Starland Vocal Band. These guys could have been in the “key party” scene in Ang Lee’s The Ice Storm. “Afternoon Delight” is amazing. I can’t believe it exists. “My motto’s always been,” reminds me of Jeff Goldblum’s cameo in Annie Hall: “I forgot my mantra.” But a proto-music video shouldn’t sway me. 1) “Silly Love Songs”: I also like “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”. “English Tea”, I think, is McCartney’s defense for a song like “Silly Love Songs”, as he admits that he’s “very twee, very me”. I like twee. 2) “Moonlight Feels Right”: Always liked this song. Straddles the line between time capsule and great song. 3) “Baby I Love Your Way”: Just because it’s in High Fidelity.
Ah, the summer right after I graduated from high school. Academically, I was number 101 in a class of 202. Yep, I’m pretty average.
Anyway, my song that summer was not “Baby I Love Your Way” but another Frampton song, the album version of “Do You Feel Like We Do.” The talk box was trippy, man. It tickled my inner Wayne long before Mike Myers invented the character.
Another song that should be in the running, though it didn’t come out until late August, is Boston’s “More Than A Feeling.” It was everywhere. And still is.
Ah, 1976. We were just talking tonight about watching the bicentennial parade on Main Street in McSherrystown, Pa., at my grandparents’. But I digress. Again, a good year. I’ll go with 3) More, More, More 2) Moonlight Feels Right and 1) Silly Love Songs, if we use the list provided. If I veer from that list, Seals and Crofts’ “Get Closer” would leap to the top, paradoxically knocking Wings to No. 4. Here’s my line of thinking: Nos. 3 and 2 are just too clearly summer songs, and Macca already had the No. 1 of 1976 with this hit, so it could afford to make room.
Another great post from the past, ozmoe.
My top three from your list.
“More, More, More”
“Shake, Shake, Shake”
“Moonlight Feels Right”
But my favorite song from the summer of ’76 was “Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel” from Tavares.
It peaked at #15 on the Billboard Top 100 but hit #1 on the Dance charts.
I believe I posted on Tom’s site that several years ago about approaching our school’s dance teacher about how the song can easily be matched to Polka dancing or square dancing. He said he would listen to it and give it a try.
A couple of days later, I got a message from him to be in the dance studio period three.
His students proceeded to perform a Virginia Wheel to “Heaven” and it was fantastic! The students had big smiles on their faces and those not dancing were clapping and stomping their feet in time to the music.
As long as I’m here, I will slyly keep disco alive and living.
For some reason, I cannot upvote even though I am logged in. But, a heartfelt YES to “Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel,” and I think we have to consider a couple of other R&B titans from the summer of ’76 as songs of the summer: “Kiss and Say Goodbye” and “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine.”
Guy K, I’ll look into the upvote issue for you. Does it happen all of the time?
Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel has always been one of my favorite songs that somehow failed to make the top 10. Its shimmering majesty has always impressed me as going beyond disco or dance or whatever you want to call it. Thanks for sharing this story, DanceFever!
Bonus “Afternoon Delight” link:
https://youtu.be/b1W5vwhLcsw
1976 was my age 12 summer and I had the radio on the entire season. You’ve definitely nailed the right candidates. I’d have to go with “Afternoon Delight” and “Moonlight Feels Right” as the top two summer songs. Give “More More More” the #3 spot. Now, these weren’t my FAVORITE songs of the summer of ’76 (though I do love the Starbuck song), but I think they best epitomized that season.
Your comment about WABC not adding the Candi Staton song was interesting, because in the summer of 1976, there were three much bigger hits than “Young Hearts Run Free” that the AM Top 40 giant also never played: “Takin’ It to the Streets,” “Take The Money and Run” and “If You Know What I Mean” (which is, for me, Neil Diamond’s greatest unremembered hit ever). All three of those songs peaked in the Billboard Top 12, but WABC never even gave them a week on the playlist.
I’d looked for a citation about that WABC thing, but was unable to find.
Ozmoe, do you have any more information about that?
mt, this tremendous and addictive website has every WABC playlist from 1960-1982.
Here is the link to their 1976 surveys:
WABC Weekly Surveys for 1976 (musicradio77.com)
Late to the party, but my top three are as follows (and all are sexy/sultry but in very different ways):
1. Moonlight Feels Right
2. Afternoon Delight
3. More, More, More
I’m late to the party, and I really don’t have strong feelings about that summer. I have ONE memory from that summer, and that was the bicentennial fireworks show at the middle school I’d attend in four tumultuous years.
None of these FEEL like summer songs to me, but they’re all GOOD songs. I agree with V-Dog below about “Do You Feel Like We Do”, but that’s only because we played the hell out of the album in college.
I’ll stick to the list: