___________________________________
Hey, folks. Happy Independence Day!😜
The following selection, recently amended with the addition of a couple of live performances, was originally published in June 2012 as the page doc’s 60s and 70s summer picks #1. The page features primarily songs that I associate with summer, regardless of song title and content. Most of the songs are from the 1970s, particularly 1970 -1976, a period which includes my age 12 to 18 years, and I believe most were released as singles in a summer month. Many of these take me back to summer vacations at the beach, where they became intimately woven into those wonderful days and nights. These songs, and many others like them, combined to form the soundtracks of my summers. I’m still working on the sequel.😊
Open up your heart
And let the lovin’ start
Pipeline (Brian Carman and Bob Spickard) — The Chantays, 1962 (#4)
The tune, originally called “Liberty’s Whip,” was renamed after the band members saw a surfing movie showing scenes of the Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii.[1] The tune, fitting in with the popular surfing craze of the time, swiftly rose up the Billboard Pop charts, reaching #4, and becoming a classic hit of its time. The tune is notable for using Alberti bass chords.
.
Don’t Worry Baby (Brian Wilson, Roger Christian)
Beach Boys — from the 1964 album Shut Down Volume 2. It was also released on 11 May 1964 as the B-side of “I Get Around,” which became the first #1 single by the Beach Boys. “Don’t Worry Baby” reached #24.
.
Surfer Girl (Brian Wilson)
Beach Boys — b/w “Little Deuce Coupe” (Capitol 5009), released 22 July 1963, #7 Hot 100 — from the 1963 LP Surfer Girl
.
Ball of Fire (Tommy James, Mike Vale, Bruce Sudano, Woody Wilson*) – Tommy James & the Shondells, Roulette single R-7060, b/w “Makin’ Good Time,” released September 1969
.
________________________
Tighter, Tighter (Tommy James)
Alive N Kickin’ — Released in May 1970, the single peaked at #7 on the Hot 100 and remained on the chart for 16 weeks (throughout the summer). It sold more than a million copies, and was certified gold by the R.I.A.A.
.
O-o-h Child (Stan Vincent)
The Five Stairsteps — “O-o-h Child” was originally released in February 1970 on the single Buddah BDA 165, as the B-side of “Dear Prudence.” In May 1970 it was reissued under the same catalog number, b/w “Who Do You Belong To”
“O-o-h Child” was by far the most successful single on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart by the Five Stairsteps, reaching #8. It also peaked at #14 on the R&B singles chart, and became the 11th (chronologically) of 15 top forty R&B hits by the Stairsteps from 1966 to 1980.
.
(below) live TV studio performance for The Barbara McNair Show, Season 2, Episode 27; airdate: 4 April 1971
.
Wishing You Were Here (Peter Cetera)
Chicago — originally released on the album Chicago VII in March 1974 — In October 1974, it was issued on the single Columbia 3-10049, b/w “Life Saver”(Billboard singles chart success: #11, Hot 100; #1, Easy Listening). The promo single edition of Columbia 3-10049 has the long version on the B-side.
album and long single version (2002 remaster)
.
Rock Your Baby (Harry Wayne Casey, Richard Finch)
George McCrae — issued 4 April 1974 on T.K. Records 1004, b/w “Rock Your Baby (Part 2)” — #1 Hot 100 (2 weeks: 13-20 July 1974), #1 R&B (2 weeks: 6-13 July 1974)
Now let your lovin’ flow
Real sweet and slow
.
(below) extended version, remastered
.
Feel Like Makin’ Love (Eugene McDaniels)
Roberta Flack — released 10 June 1974; #1 hit on Billboard’s Hot 100 (1 week: 10 August 1974), #1 R&B (5 weeks: 3-31 August 1974), and Easy Listening (2 weeks) charts
.
Rock the Boat (Waldo “Wally” Holmes)
The Hues Corporation — originally issued on the 1973 album Freedom For the Stallion, RCA Victor APL1-0323; shorter edit issued in February 1974 on the single RCA Victor APBO-0232, b/w “All Goin’ Down Together” — The single initially flopped but began to get airplay months later after becoming a disco and club favorite. It caught fire and climbed all the way to #1. “Rock the Boat” topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart the week of July 6, 1947, also reaching #1 in Canada and New Zealand and #6 in the UK.
.
Summer (Allen, Brown, Dickerson, Jordan, Miller, Oskar, Scott)
War — # 7 Hot 100, #4 R&B single in 1976; the following is a longer album version
.
Shannon (Henry Gross)
Henry Gross – 1976
.
I’m Still in Love with You (Al Green, Willie Mitchell, Al Jackson)
Al Green — issued on the single Hi 45-2216, b/w “Old Time Lovin'” — chart success: #1 R&B, two weeks in August 1972; #3 Hot 100 — It also became the title track of Al Green’s fifth album, released in October 1972
.
I’m Not in Love (Eric Stewart, Graham Gouldman)
10cc — A 6 minute version was released in March 1975 on the album The Original Soundtrack. The single, edited down to under 4 minutes, was released on 23 May 1975.
Chart positions: UK #1, 2 weeks; US #2, 3 weeks: July 26, August 2, and August 9 issues. Three different songs took the number one spot during its three weeks at #2: “The Hustle” (Van McCoy), “One of These Nights” (The Eagles), and “Jive Talkin'” (The Bee Gees).
modified 1975 video, lengthened to encompass the 6+ minutes of the album track
.
different, shorter 1975 video, its length corresponding to that of the single
.
Hang On In There Baby (Johnny Bristol)
Johnny Bristol — issued in June 1974 on MGM Records M 14715, b/w “Take Care Of You For Me” (Bristol) — chart success: #8 Hot 100, #2 R&B (US), and #3 UK pop
.
When Will I See You Again (Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff)
The Three Degrees — recorded in 1973, featuring an arrangement by Bobby Martin, and orignally released on the 1973 album The Three Degrees
In the UK, it was released as a single in June 1974, which topped the UK pop chart in August that year. The US single, Philadelphia International ZS8 3550, was issued on 4 September 1974, b/w “Year of Decision” (Gamble & Huff).
U.S. single chart peaks, Autumn 1974:
#1 — Adult Contemporary
#2 — Hot 100 (pop)
#2 — Disco
#4 — R&B
________________________
.
(below) BBC Top of the Pops Christmas Special, 1974
.
.
live TV studio performance for the show
.
live performance for the Seaside Special, Episode 2.3, 3 July 1976, at Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England
__________________________
* Some R-7060 labels include Paul Naumann as co-songwriter (as “P. Naumann”).