July 1975 -- disco in earnest

I got to listen to most of Casey Kasem's replay of the top 40 from 19 July 1975.

We've come a long way from the adult-contemporary dominated 1972, or the R&B-dominated 1973, with the emergence of country-pop of Charlie Rich, Glen Campbell, and Freddie Fender, all of whom would have #1 pop hits.  Country flavored songs by Olivia Newton John and the Eagles were also doing very well.

Adult contemporary was hardly absent with the chart debut of Ambrosia, and bit hits by Melissa Manchester, James Taylor, Michael Martin Murphy, and the Captain and Tennille.  60's style rock was completely gone, with Aerosmith representing the edge of mid-late 70's classic rock that we still hear on such stations today.  Little did Casey know they'd go on to 20 years worth of hits, spurred on by MTV.

Elton John was on fire -- 17th top 40 hit in just 5 years.  Two Beatles were featured, including the 4th of ultimately 9 #1s by Paul McCartney.  

I'd never heard the song Michael Jackson song at #34.  Casey called him "little" :-)  The Commodores were still very new, having only had one instrumental hit before this one, their first vocal.  Again, hard to imagine Casey seeing Lionel Richie's domination of the mid-80's charts.

But the big story was disco -- a year after the first disco song was #1, two iconic disco records were in top 10 at the same time, both poised to hit #1.

Favorite: Country-crossover classic, "Rhinestone Cowboy" heading to #1.

1 3 LISTEN TO WHAT THE MAN SAID –•– Paul McCartney and Wings (Capitol)-8 (1 week at #1)
2 2 THE HUSTLE –•– Van McCoy and the Soul City Symphony (Avco)-14
3 10 I’M NOT IN LOVE –•– 10 c.c. (Mercury)-10
4 7 ONE OF THESE NIGHTS –•– The Eagles (Asylum)-8
5 6 PLEASE MR. PLEASE –•– Olivia Newton-John (MCA)-7
6 5 MAGIC –•– Pilot (EMI)-16
7 8 SWEARIN’ TO GOD –•– Frankie Valli (Private Stock)-10
8 1 LOVE WILL KEEP US TOGETHER –•– The Captain and Tennille (A&M)-14
9 22 JIVE TALKIN’ –•– The Bee Gees (RSO)-8
10 11 ROCKIN’ CHAIR –•– Gwen McCrae (Cat)-10

11 15 MIDNIGHT BLUE –•– Melissa Manchester (Arista)-11
12 13 THE WAY WE WERE / TRY TO REMEMBER (Medley) –•– Gladys Knight and the Pips (Buddah)-13
13 16 DYNOMITE (Part 1) –•– Bazuka (Tony Camillo’s) (A&M)-14
14 14 MISTY –•– Ray Stevens (Barnaby)-13
15 25 SOMEONE SAVED MY LIFE TONIGHT –•– Elton John (MCA)-3
16 17 WHY CAN’T WE BE FRIENDS –•– War (United Aritsts)-12
17 21 THE ROCKFORD FILES –•– Mike Post (MGM)-10
18 19 I’M ON FIRE –•– The Dwight Twilley Band (Shelter)-13
19 20 RHINESTONE COWBOY –•– Glen Campbell (Capitol)-8
20 43 HOW SWEET IT IS (To Be Loved By You) –•– James Taylor (Warner Brothers)-5

21 4 WILDFIRE –•– Michael Murphy (Epic)-17
22 26 EVERYTIME YOU TOUCH ME (I Get High) –•– Charlie Rich (Epic)-8
23 9 WHEN WILL I BE LOVED / IT DOESN’T MATTER ANYMORE –•– Linda Ronstadt (Capitol)-15
24 34 MORNIN’ BEAUTIFUL –•– Tony Orlando and Dawn (Elektra)-5
25 28 SLIPPERY WHEN WET –•– The Commodores (Motown)-11
26 12 LOVE WON’T LET ME WAIT –•– Major Harris (Atlantic)-17
27 18 I’M NOT LISA –•– Jessi Colter (Capitol)-16
28 32 DISCO QUEEN –•– Hot Chocolate (Big Tree)-8
29 27 HEY YOU –•– Bachman Turner Overdrive (Mercury)-10
30 36 FIGHT THE POWER (Part 1) –•– The Isley Brothers (T-Neck)-5

31 31 IT’S ALL DOWN TO GOODNIGHT VIENNA / OO-WEE –•– Ringo Starr (Apple)-6
32 39 AT SEVENTEEN –•– Janis Ian (Columbia)-6
33 57 FALLIN’ IN LOVE –•– Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds (Playboy)-5
34 38 JUST A LITTLE BIT OF YOU –•– Michael Jackson (Motown)-7
35 41 SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL –•– Lynyrd Skynyrd (MCA)-6
36 40 SWEET EMOTION –•– Aerosmith (Columbia)-6
37 45 HOLDIN’ ON TO YESTERDAY –•– Ambrosia (20th Century)-6
38 46 WASTED DAYS AND WASTED NIGHTS –•– Freddy Fender (ABC / Dot)-5
39 24 GET DOWN, GET DOWN (Get On the Floor) –•– Joe Simon (Spring)-16
40 51 COULD IT BE MAGIC –•– Barry Manilow (Arista)-4