US & UK #1 Singles of 1974 Poll. Part 2. Pick Your Favourites

Part 2 of 3.

Pick as many as you want.

Links to parts 1 & 3.

US & UK #1 Singles of 1974 Poll. Part 1. Pick Your Favourites

US & UK #1 Singles of 1974 Poll. Part 3. Pick Your Favourites

 

Band On the Run
When Will I See you Again (bought the 45)
Rock Your Baby
Night Chicago Died (bought the 45)
Rock the Boat (won the LP in a contest)
Sundown
Loco-motion

 

She - Charles Aznavour - UK
The Loco-Motion - Grand Funk US
Billy, Don't Be A Hero - Bo Donaldson & the Heywoods US
Sundown - Gordon Lightfoot US
Annie's Song - John Denver UK & US
Feel Like Makin' Love - Roberta Flack US
The Night Chicago Died - Paper Lace US

 

Geez what a bunch of ****ty songs.

 

This one has a great bunch of pop songs and a bit of R&B/pop. I would add many of these to my 1974 listening experience!

 

I went with:

George McRae
Paul McCartney and Wings
John Denver
Barry White

 

Rock The Boat
Sundown

I Shot The Sherriff, that stupid drivel gets my vote for WORST single of the year.

 

Sundown - Gordon Lightfoot. The rest were just an awful assault on my ears. YMMV.

 

I have "TSOP," "She" (believe it or not - in the form of a US RCA release pressed by Capitol of all places, with their 360 interlocking serrations, small 3.3125" diameter label and other such attributes), "The Loco-Motion" (always preferred Grand Funk's to either the original by Little Eva or Kylie Minogue's subsequent cover), "Rock Your Baby," "Band On The Run," "When Will I See You Again," Bo Donaldson And The Heywoods' "Billy, Don't Be A Hero," "Sundown," "Kung Fu Fighting," "Rock The Boat," "Annie's Song," "Feel Like Makin' Love" (will take Ms. Flack's any day to the Bad Company number), "The Night Chicago Died" (Paper Lace's management wanted a tribute to the band in Chicago, and Mayor Daley turned them down as nuts), "(You're) Having My Baby," "I Shot The Sheriff," "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe" (again, Barry White over Bad Company any day), and "Rock Me Gently" from this list.

 

My mileage certainly does vary! However, I'm in total agreement with you over, Sundown; a great song, beautifully played and sung.

 

The Billy Don't Be A Hero, Brother Louie thing, with different artists having big hits in the US, is a bit weird to take in, but obviously worked rather well.

Bit disappointed than Ken Boothe's great cover of the Bread classic, isn't fairing better. It's got such a groove going, that Boy George, doesn't get close to it. Liked the B side, Drum Song, too.

George McCrae, The Three Degrees, and Barry White, are all classics, Annie's Song, simply beautiful, and Kung Fu Fighting, what helped made the UK charts such fun, or ***te, depending on your opinion!

 

I went with

Rock Your Baby - George McCrae
Band On The Run - Paul McCartney & Wings
Kung Fu Fighting - Carl Douglas
Annie's Song - John Denver
I Shot The Sheriff - Eric Clapton
Can't Get Enough Of Your Love - Barry White

Also, I'm glad (You're) Having My Baby is in last. That song is truly awful.

 

Though I could only find three worthy candidates in list #1, I picked 10 from this list.

 

Kung Fu Fighting only. I don't know if it's awful or awesome, but that's what makes it awesome. Plus it's a pop song about kung fu!

 

Yikes. One vote only: Band on the Run.

 

Of those selected; Ken Boothe. Clapton came second. Reggae was everywhere by 1974

 

The Loco-Motion - Grand Funk US
Love Me For A Reason - The Osmonds UK
Annie's Song - John Denver UK & US

Darryl

 

Scary.

 

Voted for more songs in this list than the other 1974 list.
Not surprised the great "Band On The Run" is leading.
And we get the correct "Billy Don't Be A Hero" in this round!!!!

 

Not if you are from the UK, and just like Brother Louie, the Paper Lace version, which I bought, came first.

Combining the UK and the US charts like this, shows up these anomalies, and makes for interesting reading - if you are a chart nerd! I clearly am.

 

Voted for 10.

I supposed "Band On the Run" is the best track, but the song I never seem to tire
of is "Rock the Boat".

 

I always assumed the 'inspiration' for this record came from the David Carradine Kung Fu TV series.

Or maybe from those Hi Karate aftershave adverts.

Carl Douglas had a follow-up hit in the UK with the atrocious Dance The Kung Fu.

 

Dance The Kung Fu, I'll tell you what to do. Yes, I remember it. Made the cardinal sin of not really having a melody. In comparison, Kung Fu Fighting, was stellar; very catchy, memorable, and had a great intro.

 

Since "Annie's Song" is on this poll, I'd thought I'd post this bit from Monty Python's Contractual Obligation Album.



Anyway, I voted for "The Loco-Motion", "Rock Your Baby", "Band on the Run", "Kung Fu Fighting", "I Shot the Sheriff" and "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe".

 

The relative failure of this single spared us Douglas trying to work Kung Fu into any other unsuspecting songs.

Though I think he did have another non-Kung Fu minor hit.