By Frank “Smokin” Truatt
It’s time to reminisce about some of the great music that hit the charts 50 years ago this week. It is hard to believe that these songs have reached the half century mark as that much time is just about a lifetime ago. Most, if not all these songs are familiar to those who grew up in the 70’s, but also to those who grew up years later. The number one song of the week was from Barbra Streisand. It was the theme song from the movie “The Way we Were.”
It is actually a great way to start this look-back since the song is about life and the way it plays out based on decisions we have made or have been made for us. With that in mind, let’s continue our trip down memory lane with the song that was number one the week before, but had slipped to number two this week. That song was an instrumental called “Love’s Theme” from the Love Unlimited Orchestra. That group was the creation of Barry White, the maestro of 1970’s music. Ringo’s remake of a 1960’s song, “You’re Sixteen” was at number three, down from number one two weeks ago. All three songs are dedicated to love and why not as this is the week containing Valentine’s Day. The great Aretha Franklin was next with “Until You Come Back To Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do).” Jim Stafford brought us a chuckle with his “Spiders & Snakes,” and our country got praise from Canadian radio news director Byron MacGregor with the spoken word hit “Americans.” All the way from Australia, Olivia Newton-John had a country sounding hit called “Let Me Be There.” New Jersey band, Kool & The Gang had the funky “Jungle Boogie.” That song, their first on the charts, offered a different sound from their music of the 1980’s. Former Temptations co-founder, Eddie Kendricks was at number nine with “Boogie Down.” David Essex rounded out the top 10 with his unique song “Rock On.” David is an English singer-songwriter and actor and a major hit maker in the UK. This song was his only hit in America.
If some of these songs don’t appear to be fifty years old, don’t worry, I feel the same way about most of them. Great music will last, and this top 10 is a great testament to that. The fact that we still play a bunch of these songs today is absolutely amazing. It is truly all about “The Way We Were.”
