August 1979 -- Peak Donna Summer...and the beginning of the end

It took awhile, but I finally heard almost all of this chart.  Part of the "trouble" is that this is one of the dreaded 1979 countdowns which had been extended to 4 hours, making room for long distance dedications (2x), recaps of the #1 songs of the 70's (3x), and replaying the top 3 from the previous week.  No thanks!

Clearly this was one of the great weeks of peak disco and not far off peak Donna Summer.  Her previous #1 was still in the top 10, while her latest song was #1, both classics of the era.  At one point she had 2 of the top 3, which she repeated later in the year.

Adding to the disco are classics Boogie Wonderland, Ring My Bell, and Good times.  Elton John and Kiss both had distinctly disco-sounding records.

Other genres were on the move though -- country & country crossover were leading into a 3-year surge, yacht rock was doing very well, jazz crossover began a 3-year run (Spyrogyra), but perhaps biggest was new wave which looked to knock disco off its perch, which the Knack did 3 weeks from now becoming the #1 song of the year.

Casey mentioned that a stunning 13 artists were having their first hit, including the Knack.  The biggest and only multi-hit artist was Cheap Trick.

A couple strangely unheard songs for this late in the 70's -- the Peter Frampton song, Wings (as happens often!), and Kansas.

Top song -- Charlie Daniels Band!


1 1 BAD GIRLS –•– Donna Summer (Casablanca)-11 (4 weeks at #1) (1)
2 3 GOOD TIMES –•– Chic (Atlantic)-8 (2)
3 2 RING MY BELL –•– Anita Ward (Juana)-13 (1)
4 10 THE MAIN EVENT / FIGHT –•– Barbra Streisand (Columbia)-8 (4)
5 6 GOLD –•– John Stewart (RSO)-12 (5)
6 18 MY SHARONA –•– The Knack (Capitol)-7 (6)
7 5 MAKIN’ IT –•– David Naughton (RSO)-19 (5)
8 9 WHEN YOU’RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN –•– Dr. Hook (Capitol)-17 (8)
9 4 HOT STUFF –•– Donna Summer (Casablanca)-16 (1)
10 7 I WANT YOU TO WANT ME –•– Cheap Trick (Epic)-16 (7)

11 12 YOU CAN’T CHANGE THAT –•– Raydio (Arista)-15 (11)
12 16 MAMA CAN’T BUY YOU LOVE –•– Elton John (MCA)-9 (12)
13 15 I WAS MADE FOR LOVIN’ YOU –•– Kiss (Casablanca)-11 (13)
14 13 AIN’T NO STOPPIN’ US NOW –•– McFadden and Whitehead (Philadelphia International)-15 (13)
15 8 SHINE A LITTLE LOVE –•– Electric Light Orchestra (Jet)-12 (8)
16 23 SAD EYES –•– Robert John (EMI-America)-12 (16)
17 22 LEAD ME ON –•– Maxine Nightingale (Windsong)-11 (17)
18 11 BOOGIE WONDERLAND –•– Earth, Wind and Fire with the Emotions (ARC)-13 (6)
19 19 DO IT OR DIE –•– The Atlanta Rhythm Section (Polydor)-11 (19)
20 20 GETTING CLOSER –•– Wings (Columbia)-8 (20)

21 14 I CAN’T STAND IT NO MORE –•– Peter Frampton (A&M)-11 (14)
22 31 AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE –•– Earth, Wind and Fire (ARC)-5 (22)
23 24 PEOPLE OF THE SOUTH WIND –•– Kansas (Kirshner)-10 (23)
24 26 ONE WAY OR ANOTHER –•– Blondie (Chrysalis)-10 (24)
25 27 IS SHE REALLY GOING OUT WITH HIM –•– Joe Jackson (A&M)-9 (25)
26 33 THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA –•– The Charlie Daniels Band (Epic)-7 (26)
27 30 SUSPICIONS –•– Eddie Rabbitt (Elektra)-9 (27)
28 17 SHE BELIEVES IN ME –•– Kenny Rogers (United Artists)-15 (5)
29 35 I’LL NEVER LOVE THIS WAY AGAIN –•– Dionne Warwick (Arista)-7 (29)
30 21 DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW –•– Abba (Atlantic)-12 (19)

31 25 SHADOWS IN THE MOONLIGHT –•– Anne Murray (Capitol)-11 (25)
32 45 GOODBYE STRANGER –•– Supertramp (A&M)-5 (32)
33 44 LONESOME LOSER –•– Little River Band (Capitol)-3 (33)
34 36 MORNING DANCE –•– Spyro Gyra (Infinity)-8 (34)
35 37 LET’S GO –•– The Cars (Elektra)-6 (35)
36 39 HEAVEN MUST HAVE SENT YOU –•– Bonnie Pointer (Motown)-8 (36)
37 38 KISS IN THE DARK –•– Pink Lady (Elektra / Curb)-10 (37)
38 42 HIGHWAY SONG –•– Blackfoot (Atco)-7 (38)
39 43 HOT SUMMER NIGHTS –•– Night (Planet)-7 (39)
40 47 BORN TO BE ALIVE –•– Patrick Hernandez (Columbia)-7 (40)