October 1974 -- excellent music pushing others down the charts

I got to hear virtually the whole countdown today, and it was a very fun eclectic mix as usual -- early 70's folk and singer-songwriters are still performing well, lots of R&B classics, some funk, bits of country.

The bottom half had lots of songs you'll never hear on 70's-themed radio as they'll focus on the more popular songs by Steppenwolf, the Raspberries, Brownsville Station, Earth Wind and Fire, or Kool and the Gang.  With the last two, they were still getting established, and Casey would never have known they'd each have another 10 years of big hits.

The other big repeated theme was the revolving door of #1s in 1974 -- Preston had the 27th #1 of the year.  And not only did more one-week #1's keep coming in the next few weeks, they were falling from #1 further than any songs previously.  Next week Preston would be at #15, which is still the all-time record for plummet from #1!  Warwick, Wonder, and Lennon would all do the same -- get to #1 then plummet out of the top 10.  Then, just as suddenly it stopped.

The site I get the top 40's from has an explanation: 

Favorites:  Carefree Highway, When Will I see you Again, and the lone 5-star song, "I honestly love you"

1 2 NOTHING FROM NOTHING –•– Billy Preston (A&M)-15 (1 week at #1) (1)
2 3 THEN CAME YOU –•– Dionne Warwick and the Spinners (Atlantic)-13 (2)
3 5 YOU HAVEN’T DONE NOTHIN’ –•– Stevie Wonder (Tamla)-12 (3)
4 1 I HONESTLY LOVE YOU –•– Olivia Newton-John (MCA)-10 (1)
5 15 JAZZMAN –•– Carole King (Ode)-8 (5)
6 7 THE BITCH IS BACK –•– Elton John (MCA)-7 (6)
7 8 NEVER MY LOVE –•– Blue Swede (EMI)-9 (7)
8 10 CAN’T GET ENOUGH –•– Bad Company (Swan Song)-10 (8)
9 11 STEPPIN’ OUT (Gonna Boogie Tonight) –•– Tony Orlando and Dawn (Bell)-9 (9)
10 17 LOVE ME FOR A REASON –•– The Osmonds (MGM)-8 (10)

11 12 STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES –•– Mac Davis (Columbia)-9 (11)
12 14 YOU LITTLE TRUSTMAKER –•– The Tymes (RCA)-10 (12)
13 13 SKIN TIGHT –•– The Ohio Players (Mercury)-7 (13)
14 16 DO IT BABY –•– The Miracles (Tamla)-9 (14)
15 19 SWEET HOME ALABAMA –•– Lynyrd Skynyrd (MCA)-13 (9)
16 20 TIN MAN –•– America (Warner Brothers)-9 (16)
17 22 YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHING YET / FREE WHEELIN’ –•– Bachman-Turner Overdrive (Mercury)-5 (17)
18 24 WHATEVER GETS YOU THRU THE NIGHT –•– John Lennon with the Plastic Ono Nuclear Band (Apple)-4 (18)
19 23 BACK HOME AGAIN –•– John Denver (RCA)-5 (19)
20 26 GIVE IT TO THE PEOPLE –•– The Righteous Brothers (Haven)-7 (20)

21 25 LIFE IS A ROCK (But the Radio Rolled Me) –•– Reunion (RCA)-7 (21)
22 28 CAREFREE HIGHWAY –•– Gordon Lightfoot (Reprise)-7 (22)
23 9 EARACHE MY EYE (Featuring Alice Bowie) –•– Cheech and Chong (Ode)-11 (9)
24 30 DO IT (‘Til You’re Satisfied) –•– B.T. Express (Scepter)-4 (24)
25 6 ANOTHER SATURDAY NIGHT –•– Cat Stevens (A&M)-12 (6)
26 4 BEACH BABY –•– First Class (UK)-14 (4)
27 33 MY MELODY OF LOVE –•– Bobby Vinton (ABC)-5 (27)
28 34 THE NEED TO BE –•– Jim Weatherly (Buddah)-6 (28)
29 29 STRAIGHT SHOOTIN’ WOMAN –•– Steppenwolf (Mums)-7 (29)
30 36 OVERNIGHT SENSATION (Hit Record) –•– The Raspberries (Capitol)-6 (30)

31 31 KINGS OF THE PARTY –•– Brownsville Station (Big Tree)-8 (31)
32 38 EVERLASTING LOVE –•– Carl Carlton (Back Beat)-5 (32)
33 35 DEVOTION –•– Earth, Wind and Fire (Columbia)-4 (33)
34 40 HONEY HONEY –•– Abba (Atlantic)-6 (34)
35 18 CLAP FOR THE WOLFMAN –•– The Guess Who (RCA)-14 (6)
36 46 I’VE GOT THE MUSIC IN ME –•– The Kiki Dee Band (Rocket)-6 (36)
37 37 HIGHER PLANE –•– Kool and the Gang (De-Lite)-7 (37)
38 45 SECOND AVENUE –•– Garfunkel (Columbia)-5 (38)
39 48 LONGFELLOW SERENADE –•– Neil Diamond (Columbia)-3 (39)
40 72 WHEN WILL I SEE YOU AGAIN –•– The Three Degrees (Philadelphia International)-4 (40)