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The 100 Greatest Songs of 1976 #1. Foreplay/Long Time (1 Viewer)

89. Gordon Lightfoot “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” (from Summertime Dream)


I’d have to say that by 1976 Gordon Lightfoot’s best songs were behind him. But then there is this epic tune, not quite as long as “Canadian Railroad Trilogy” but still up there- it takes a long damn time for this boat to sink. Still a classic though.
A few months ago, a guy up here ran a huge multi-week poll on the app formerly known as twitter, to find Canada's Greatest Song. He started with something like 300 songs and matched them H2H each day. Winner moved on. The final came down to 2 Lightfoot songs. This one, and my favorite If You Could Read My Mind. This one won. (The final 16 was dominated by Neil Young, The Hip and Lightfoot, for what it's worth)
I like it (don’t love it) but it’s not even the best Canadian song of 1976.
Neil didn't release any albums that year aside from his thing with the Stills-Young Band... 🤔

Oh gosh, you've got an Anne Murray song way up high, don't you?
Knowing Tim's mentioning of this artist in the past, I think I have a pretty good idea of the song.
 
89. Gordon Lightfoot “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” (from Summertime Dream)


I’d have to say that by 1976 Gordon Lightfoot’s best songs were behind him. But then there is this epic tune, not quite as long as “Canadian Railroad Trilogy” but still up there- it takes a long damn time for this boat to sink. Still a classic though.
A few months ago, a guy up here ran a huge multi-week poll on the app formerly known as twitter, to find Canada's Greatest Song. He started with something like 300 songs and matched them H2H each day. Winner moved on. The final came down to 2 Lightfoot songs. This one, and my favorite If You Could Read My Mind. This one won. (The final 16 was dominated by Neil Young, The Hip and Lightfoot, for what it's worth)
I like it (don’t love it) but it’s not even the best Canadian song of 1976.
Neil didn't release any albums that year aside from his thing with the Stills-Young Band... 🤔

Oh gosh, you've got an Anne Murray song way up high, don't you?
Knowing Tim's mentioning of this artist in the past, I think I have a pretty good idea of the song.
Disco Duck?
 
89. Gordon Lightfoot “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” (from Summertime Dream)


I’d have to say that by 1976 Gordon Lightfoot’s best songs were behind him. But then there is this epic tune, not quite as long as “Canadian Railroad Trilogy” but still up there- it takes a long damn time for this boat to sink. Still a classic though.
A few months ago, a guy up here ran a huge multi-week poll on the app formerly known as twitter, to find Canada's Greatest Song. He started with something like 300 songs and matched them H2H each day. Winner moved on. The final came down to 2 Lightfoot songs. This one, and my favorite If You Could Read My Mind. This one won. (The final 16 was dominated by Neil Young, The Hip and Lightfoot, for what it's worth)
I like it (don’t love it) but it’s not even the best Canadian song of 1976.
Neil didn't release any albums that year aside from his thing with the Stills-Young Band... 🤔

Oh gosh, you've got an Anne Murray song way up high, don't you?
Knowing Tim's mentioning of this artist in the past, I think I have a pretty good idea of the song.
Disco Duck?
If Rick Dees was Canadian, then absolutely.
 
89. Gordon Lightfoot “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” (from Summertime Dream)


I’d have to say that by 1976 Gordon Lightfoot’s best songs were behind him. But then there is this epic tune, not quite as long as “Canadian Railroad Trilogy” but still up there- it takes a long damn time for this boat to sink. Still a classic though.
A few months ago, a guy up here ran a huge multi-week poll on the app formerly known as twitter, to find Canada's Greatest Song. He started with something like 300 songs and matched them H2H each day. Winner moved on. The final came down to 2 Lightfoot songs. This one, and my favorite If You Could Read My Mind. This one won. (The final 16 was dominated by Neil Young, The Hip and Lightfoot, for what it's worth)
I like it (don’t love it) but it’s not even the best Canadian song of 1976.
Neil didn't release any albums that year aside from his thing with the Stills-Young Band... 🤔

Oh gosh, you've got an Anne Murray song way up high, don't you?
Probably, off her notable 2112 album.
 
This year is full of some pretty huge albums and songs. Many of them I've heard waaaayyy too many times to want to hear again. Which makes sense since they're all 48 years old.

But there are many legit awesome songs and albums too. I fear Tim may already be short of spots for everything deserving.
 
88. England Dan & John Ford Coley “I’d Really Love To See You Tonight” (from Nights Are Forever)


England Dan Seals was the brother of John Seals of Seals & Croft, and this certainly sounds like a typical song by that group. Mid-70s soft rock (yacht rock? Maybe.) ; sure it’s bland, but it’s also very sweet stuff. The wind is blowing the stars around…
 
88. England Dan & John Ford Coley “I’d Really Love To See You Tonight” (from Nights Are Forever)


England Dan Seals was the brother of John Seals of Seals & Croft, and this certainly sounds like a typical song by that group. Mid-70s soft rock (yacht rock? Maybe.) ; sure it’s bland, but it’s also very sweet stuff. The wind is blowing the stars around…
Until very recently, I always thought the lyric was “I’m not talking about the limit” as opposed to the actual “I’m not talking about moving in.”
 
88. England Dan & John Ford Coley “I’d Really Love To See You Tonight” (from Nights Are Forever)


England Dan Seals was the brother of John Seals of Seals & Croft, and this certainly sounds like a typical song by that group. Mid-70s soft rock (yacht rock? Maybe.) ; sure it’s bland, but it’s also very sweet stuff. The wind is blowing the stars around…
Until very recently, I always thought the lyric was “I’m not talking about the limit” as opposed to the actual “I’m not talking about moving in.”
Similarly, For a long while I had thought it was "I'm not talking about millennium." Made absolutely no sense.
 
88. England Dan & John Ford Coley “I’d Really Love To See You Tonight” (from Nights Are Forever)


England Dan Seals was the brother of John Seals of Seals & Croft, and this certainly sounds like a typical song by that group. Mid-70s soft rock (yacht rock? Maybe.) ; sure it’s bland, but it’s also very sweet stuff. The wind is blowing the stars around…
A. His brother was JIM Seals and the band was Seals and CROFTS.

B. We learned in El Camino that this is one of Todd from Breaking Bad’s favorite songs.
 
88. England Dan & John Ford Coley “I’d Really Love To See You Tonight” (from Nights Are Forever)


England Dan Seals was the brother of John Seals of Seals & Croft, and this certainly sounds like a typical song by that group. Mid-70s soft rock (yacht rock? Maybe.) ; sure it’s bland, but it’s also very sweet stuff. The wind is blowing the stars around…
Until very recently, I always thought the lyric was “I’m not talking about the limit” as opposed to the actual “I’m not talking about moving in.”
Close to my experience. I thought they were singing “talking about the living” or “talking about the limits.”
 
88. England Dan & John Ford Coley “I’d Really Love To See You Tonight” (from Nights Are Forever)


England Dan Seals was the brother of John Seals of Seals & Croft, and this certainly sounds like a typical song by that group. Mid-70s soft rock (yacht rock? Maybe.) ; sure it’s bland, but it’s also very sweet stuff. The wind is blowing the stars around…
A. His brother was JIM Seals and the band was Seals and CROFTS.

B. We learned in El Camino that this is one of Todd from Breaking Bad’s favorite songs.
1. Thanks.
2. Forget about Todd. Jesse Plemon’s just kills in that role.
 
87. Billy Joel “New York State of Mind” (from Turnstiles)

Joel was trying to compose a classic jazz standard here, something that Sinatra or Bennett would sing (actually I think Bennett did sing it eventually) and he succeeded pretty well IMO. This is a fine, memorable tune. Perhaps his best performance of it, at least the one that most sticks out in my mind, was at the concert for 9/11.
 
89. Gordon Lightfoot “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” (from Summertime Dream)


I’d have to say that by 1976 Gordon Lightfoot’s best songs were behind him. But then there is this epic tune, not quite as long as “Canadian Railroad Trilogy” but still up there- it takes a long damn time for this boat to sink. Still a classic though.
A few months ago, a guy up here ran a huge multi-week poll on the app formerly known as twitter, to find Canada's Greatest Song. He started with something like 300 songs and matched them H2H each day. Winner moved on. The final came down to 2 Lightfoot songs. This one, and my favorite If You Could Read My Mind. This one won. (The final 16 was dominated by Neil Young, The Hip and Lightfoot, for what it's worth)
What no Summer of '69? Seasons In The Sun? We're Here For A Good Time?
 
86. Starland Vocal Band “Afternoon Delight” (from Starland Vocal Band)


Absolutely love this video. These guys look like they came straight out of the Lawrence Welk Show, or one of those older 24 hour Christian networks, except they’re singing about sex. But it’s just so happy. The nerdy lead singer is Bill Danoff who also wrote “Take Me Home, Country Roads” for John Denver. Guy knows how to pen a catchy melody for sure.
This is one of the cheesiest hit songs ever and I adore it.
 
86. Starland Vocal Band “Afternoon Delight” (from Starland Vocal Band)


Absolutely love this video. These guys look like they came straight out of the Lawrence Welk Show, or one of those older 24 hour Christian networks, except they’re singing about sex. But it’s just so happy. The nerdy lead singer is Bill Danoff who also wrote “Take Me Home, Country Roads” for John Denver. Guy knows how to pen a catchy melody for sure.
This is one of the cheesiest hit songs ever and I adore it.
This song's existence was justified when it was used in Anchorman. Before that, no.
 
86. Starland Vocal Band “Afternoon Delight” (from Starland Vocal Band)


Absolutely love this video. These guys look like they came straight out of the Lawrence Welk Show, or one of those older 24 hour Christian networks, except they’re singing about sex. But it’s just so happy. The nerdy lead singer is Bill Danoff who also wrote “Take Me Home, Country Roads” for John Denver. Guy knows how to pen a catchy melody for sure.
This is one of the cheesiest hit songs ever and I adore it.
This song's existence was justified when it was used in Anchorman. Before that, no.
I was thinking Good Will Hunting.
 
enjoying the thread timbo - '76 was my HS senior year and overall - it was a gigantically ****ty year for popular radio music. Especially compared to the earlier 70s. Album stuff/college radio was still excellent though.

but, all this stuff certainly brings back fond memories - and I typically like or at least better tolerate some of the cornier stuff these days.
 
86. Starland Vocal Band “Afternoon Delight” (from Starland Vocal Band)


Absolutely love this video. These guys look like they came straight out of the Lawrence Welk Show, or one of those older 24 hour Christian networks, except they’re singing about sex. But it’s just so happy. The nerdy lead singer is Bill Danoff who also wrote “Take Me Home, Country Roads” for John Denver. Guy knows how to pen a catchy melody for sure.
This is one of the cheesiest hit songs ever and I adore it.
One of the worst songs of all time.
 
86. Starland Vocal Band “Afternoon Delight” (from Starland Vocal Band)


Absolutely love this video. These guys look like they came straight out of the Lawrence Welk Show, or one of those older 24 hour Christian networks, except they’re singing about sex. But it’s just so happy. The nerdy lead singer is Bill Danoff who also wrote “Take Me Home, Country Roads” for John Denver. Guy knows how to pen a catchy melody for sure.
This is one of the cheesiest hit songs ever and I adore it.
One of the worst songs of all time.
Started out this morning feeling so polite
I always though a fish could not be caught who wouldn't bite
But you've got some bait a waitin' and I think I might try nibbling
A little afternoon delight

Those lyrics are shear genius.
 
86. Starland Vocal Band “Afternoon Delight” (from Starland Vocal Band)


Absolutely love this video. These guys look like they came straight out of the Lawrence Welk Show, or one of those older 24 hour Christian networks, except they’re singing about sex. But it’s just so happy. The nerdy lead singer is Bill Danoff who also wrote “Take Me Home, Country Roads” for John Denver. Guy knows how to pen a catchy melody for sure.
This is one of the cheesiest hit songs ever and I adore it.
One of the worst songs of all time.
Started out this morning feeling so polite
I always though a fish could not be caught who wouldn't bite
But you've got some bait a waitin' and I think I might try nibbling
A little afternoon delight

Those lyrics are shear genius.
And you know you want to sing along.
 
86. Starland Vocal Band “Afternoon Delight” (from Starland Vocal Band)


Absolutely love this video. These guys look like they came straight out of the Lawrence Welk Show, or one of those older 24 hour Christian networks, except they’re singing about sex. But it’s just so happy. The nerdy lead singer is Bill Danoff who also wrote “Take Me Home, Country Roads” for John Denver. Guy knows how to pen a catchy melody for sure.
This is one of the cheesiest hit songs ever and I adore it.
One of the worst songs of all time.
Started out this morning feeling so polite
I always though a fish could not be caught who wouldn't bite
But you've got some bait a waitin' and I think I might try nibbling
A little afternoon delight

Those lyrics are shear genius.
And you know you want to sing along.
:fishing:
 
86. Starland Vocal Band “Afternoon Delight” (from Starland Vocal Band)


Absolutely love this video. These guys look like they came straight out of the Lawrence Welk Show, or one of those older 24 hour Christian networks, except they’re singing about sex. But it’s just so happy. The nerdy lead singer is Bill Danoff who also wrote “Take Me Home, Country Roads” for John Denver. Guy knows how to pen a catchy melody for sure.
This is one of the cheesiest hit songs ever and I adore it.
One of the worst songs of all time.
Started out this morning feeling so polite
I always though a fish could not be caught who wouldn't bite
But you've got some bait a waitin' and I think I might try nibbling
A little afternoon delight

Those lyrics are shear genius.
And you know you want to sing along.
I have to admit that I hated it from the first hearing. And that hasn't changed.
 
85. Vickie Sue Robinson “Turn The Beat Around” (from Never Gonna Let You Go)


This would be a fairly standard disco song of the era, IMO, except for two elements that take it completely to another level. The first is the use of percussion which is unusual- a Latin beat which attracted Gloria Estefan to cover the tune around 20 years later. The second is Robinson’s singing style: she offers jazz like vocals which stretch the melody. Her performance of the second verse in particular, in which she basically doubles the tempo, is simply amazing. I could have ranked this a lot higher (probably should have) but this is a pretty damn tough list.
 
88. England Dan & John Ford Coley “I’d Really Love To See You Tonight” (from Nights Are Forever)


England Dan Seals was the brother of John Seals of Seals & Croft, and this certainly sounds like a typical song by that group. Mid-70s soft rock (yacht rock? Maybe.) ; sure it’s bland, but it’s also very sweet stuff. The wind is blowing the stars around…
Until very recently, I always thought the lyric was “I’m not talking about the limit” as opposed to the actual “I’m not talking about moving in.”

What? That’s what he’s saying? My word.
 
86. Starland Vocal Band “Afternoon Delight” (from Starland Vocal Band)


Absolutely love this video. These guys look like they came straight out of the Lawrence Welk Show, or one of those older 24 hour Christian networks, except they’re singing about sex. But it’s just so happy. The nerdy lead singer is Bill Danoff who also wrote “Take Me Home, Country Roads” for John Denver. Guy knows how to pen a catchy melody for sure.
This is one of the cheesiest hit songs ever and I adore it.
One of the worst songs of all time.
Not everything can be “The Piano has been drinking”.
 
87. Billy Joel “New York State of Mind” (from Turnstiles)

Joel was trying to compose a classic jazz standard here, something that Sinatra or Bennett would sing (actually I think Bennett did sing it eventually) and he succeeded pretty well IMO. This is a fine, memorable tune. Perhaps his best performance of it, at least the one that most sticks out in my mind, was at the concert for 9/11.

The second one that would be way higher on my list. (Wreck of the Edmund....)
 
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87. Billy Joel “New York State of Mind” (from Turnstiles)

Joel was trying to compose a classic jazz standard here, something that Sinatra or Bennett would sing (actually I think Bennett did sing it eventually) and he succeeded pretty well IMO. This is a fine, memorable tune. Perhaps his best performance of it, at least the one that most sticks out in my mind, was at the concert for 9/11.

The second one that would be way higher on my list. (Wreck of the Edmund....)
You were two in 1976? That's Billy Joel's target audience.
 
85. Vickie Sue Robinson “Turn The Beat Around” (from Never Gonna Let You Go)


This would be a fairly standard disco song of the era, IMO, except for two elements that take it completely to another level. The first is the use of percussion which is unusual- a Latin beat which attracted Gloria Estefan to cover the tune around 20 years later. The second is Robinson’s singing style: she offers jazz like vocals which stretch the melody. Her performance of the second verse in particular, in which she basically doubles the tempo, is simply amazing. I could have ranked this a lot higher (probably should have) but this is a pretty damn tough list.
Good song!
 
85. Vickie Sue Robinson “Turn The Beat Around” (from Never Gonna Let You Go)


This would be a fairly standard disco song of the era, IMO, except for two elements that take it completely to another level. The first is the use of percussion which is unusual- a Latin beat which attracted Gloria Estefan to cover the tune around 20 years later. The second is Robinson’s singing style: she offers jazz like vocals which stretch the melody. Her performance of the second verse in particular, in which she basically doubles the tempo, is simply amazing. I could have ranked this a lot higher (probably should have) but this is a pretty damn tough list.
Good song!
A nice recovery from the previous entry (and Tom Waits).
 
84. Wings “Silly Love Songs” (from Wings At the Speed of Sound)


For a long time this was probably my least favorite of the solo Paul McCartney hits (other than his terrible Christmas tune, and his collaborations with Stevie and Michael Jackson.) But over the years it’s grown on me. I still find the lyrics pretty trite but it’s actually, IMO, a superb soft rock song of the era.
 
84. Wings “Silly Love Songs” (from Wings At the Speed of Sound)


For a long time this was probably my least favorite of the solo Paul McCartney hits (other than his terrible Christmas tune, and his collaborations with Stevie and Michael Jackson.) But over the years it’s grown on me. I still find the lyrics pretty trite but it’s actually, IMO, a superb soft rock song of the era.
Paul's bass work here is killer - makes the song IMO.
 
84. Wings “Silly Love Songs” (from Wings At the Speed of Sound)


For a long time this was probably my least favorite of the solo Paul McCartney hits (other than his terrible Christmas tune, and his collaborations with Stevie and Michael Jackson.) But over the years it’s grown on me. I still find the lyrics pretty trite but it’s actually, IMO, a superb soft rock song of the era.
Also worth noting that by his own admission, Paul wrote this with John Lennon in mind in their long ongoing battle, responding to John's criticism of Paul's penchant for much less dark themes.
 
84. Wings “Silly Love Songs” (from Wings At the Speed of Sound)


For a long time this was probably my least favorite of the solo Paul McCartney hits (other than his terrible Christmas tune, and his collaborations with Stevie and Michael Jackson.) But over the years it’s grown on me. I still find the lyrics pretty trite but it’s actually, IMO, a superb soft rock song of the era.
The lyrics are not trite at all. They are taking the piss out of the snobby music critics (including, as Zamboni said, John Lennon) who said his post-Beatles songs weren't "serious" enough. Paul was trolling, before it was called that.

The music and arrangement are top-notch, as was usually the case with Paul before the mid-80s.
 
83. Tom Waits “Tom Traubert’s Blues (Four Sheets to the Wind in Copenhagen)” (from Small Change)


I know you guys are all excited to see another Tom Waits tune! But this is one of his most famous, the sad tale of an alcoholic (okay his songs have a bit of a common theme) who wants to “Waltz Matilda” one last time…

This song has been covered by a ton of artists, most famously by Rod Stewart. But the original is the classic and best.
 
82. Warren Zevon “Mohammad’s Radio” (from Warren Zevon)

Zevon’s debut is not simply one of the best albums of 1976, it’s one of the best albums I’ve ever heard in my life. It was difficult for me to pick and choose which songs to include on this list; they’re almost all great. This one is a gorgeous piano ballad.
 
82. Warren Zevon “Mohammad’s Radio” (from Warren Zevon)

Zevon’s debut is not simply one of the best albums of 1976, it’s one of the best albums I’ve ever heard in my life. It was difficult for me to pick and choose which songs to include on this list; they’re almost all great. This one is a gorgeous piano ballad.
Warren Zevon ranked only one spot higher than Tom Waits.....interesting.
 
81. KC & The Sunshine Band “I’m Your Boogie Man” (from Part 3)


Not gonna lie: I really didn’t think much of these guys when they were big (I didn’t think much of disco period) but they actually were quite talented. They’ve got skills. This tune, even more than the last one I selected from them, has a driving beat and is really outstanding.
 
81. KC & The Sunshine Band “I’m Your Boogie Man” (from Part 3)


Not gonna lie: I really didn’t think much of these guys when they were big (I didn’t think much of disco period) but they actually were quite talented. They’ve got skills. This tune, even more than the last one I selected from them, has a driving beat and is really outstanding.
No, you were right.
 
83. Tom Waits “Tom Traubert’s Blues (Four Sheets to the Wind in Copenhagen)” (from Small Change)


I know you guys are all excited to see another Tom Waits tune! But this is one of his most famous, the sad tale of an alcoholic (okay his songs have a bit of a common theme) who wants to “Waltz Matilda” one last time…

This song has been covered by a ton of artists, most famously by Rod Stewart. But the original is the classic and best.
Are we going get one of these every 10 songs?
 
83. Tom Waits “Tom Traubert’s Blues (Four Sheets to the Wind in Copenhagen)” (from Small Change)


I know you guys are all excited to see another Tom Waits tune! But this is one of his most famous, the sad tale of an alcoholic (okay his songs have a bit of a common theme) who wants to “Waltz Matilda” one last time…

This song has been covered by a ton of artists, most famously by Rod Stewart. But the original is the classic and best.
Are we going get one of these every 10 songs?
You might. It’s a damn good album.
 
83. Tom Waits “Tom Traubert’s Blues (Four Sheets to the Wind in Copenhagen)” (from Small Change)


I know you guys are all excited to see another Tom Waits tune! But this is one of his most famous, the sad tale of an alcoholic (okay his songs have a bit of a common theme) who wants to “Waltz Matilda” one last time…

This song has been covered by a ton of artists, most famously by Rod Stewart. But the original is the classic and best.
Are we going get one of these every 10 songs?
Not saying he's not talented, but I don't think I'll ever *get* Waits. Rawlf the Dog, however, I can get behind.
 
83. Tom Waits “Tom Traubert’s Blues (Four Sheets to the Wind in Copenhagen)” (from Small Change)


I know you guys are all excited to see another Tom Waits tune! But this is one of his most famous, the sad tale of an alcoholic (okay his songs have a bit of a common theme) who wants to “Waltz Matilda” one last time…

This song has been covered by a ton of artists, most famously by Rod Stewart. But the original is the classic and best.
Are we going get one of these every 10 songs?
Not saying he's not talented, but I don't think I'll ever *get* Waits. Rawlf the Dog, however, I can get behind.
Next up, Tim's 100 best pieces of art:

 
80. The Modern Lovers “Roadrunner” (from The Modern Lovers)


OK a bit of housekeeping first. This song was actually recorded in 1972. There were bootleg copies of it and it was played a few times on some Boston rock stations at midnight, but you couldn’t buy it. Then in 1976 the band finally put out an album including “Roadrunner”; that’s why it’s eligible for this list.

The Modern Lovers obviously were influenced by the usual subjects: the Velvet Underground, MC5, Iggy Pop, The New York Dolls, etc. I love it all. Great album, great song.
 
80. The Modern Lovers “Roadrunner” (from The Modern Lovers)


OK a bit of housekeeping first. This song was actually recorded in 1972. There were bootleg copies of it and it was played a few times on some Boston rock stations at midnight, but you couldn’t buy it. Then in 1976 the band finally put out an album including “Roadrunner”; that’s why it’s eligible for this list.

The Modern Lovers obviously were influenced by the usual subjects: the Velvet Underground, MC5, Iggy Pop, The New York Dolls, etc. I love it all. Great album, great song.
A band that should have been much bigger - kind of a shame that Jonathan Richman never found nearly the same fame and fortune that his fellow band members David Robinson (Cars co-founder) and Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads) did.
 

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