Several years ago I noted that I ran daily (and I do mean daily) for several months beginning in June of '78 in an attempt to improve on my lackluster eighth grade performance on the school cross-country team. Improve I did, though I'm not sure it ever got much better than a seven-minute mile pace in a 5K race (and as it turned out, I peaked in ninth grade). It's been almost twenty years now since I felt like I could run any real distance--I sure do wish my knees would support multiple miles on the road these days.
That summer of '78 was music-filled in addition to exercise-filled, mostly focused on WKRQ, the FM Top 40 station in Cincy. As best I can recall, they didn't try to break any of the six songs below. Can you tell what these sub-#40 peakers have in common? Answer follows.
11o. Chilliwack, "Arms of Mary"
A very high percentage of my retro AT40 listening these days comes via CHNS in Halifax, NS. Most hours they'll stick in a song between segments by a Canadian act (gotta love CanCon requirements!) from the same period as the show they're rebroadcasting. And so in recent years I've acquired more than a passing familiarity with pieces from Chilliwack's 70s output such as "Fly at Night" and "Crazy Talk." "Arms of Mary" had been a big hit in various parts of the world for the British act Sutherland Brothers and Quiver in the spring of '76 but mustered only a #81 performance here in the U.S. Chilliwack would do somewhat better, emerging from Bubbling Under land to reach #67.
101. The Whispers, "(Let's Go) All the Way"
Founding Whisper Walter Scott passed away a month ago at the age of 81, leaving his twin brother Wallace as the last remaining original member of the group. At this point they had been charting on both the R&B and pop charts for eight years. The exceedingly smooth "(Let's G0) All the Way" made it to #10 Soul but got stuck here just outside the Hot 100, falling off after this week.
96. Louisiana's LeRoux, "New Orleans Ladies"
They would drop their home state from their name by the time the 80s rolled around (and there appears to be a debate among various websites as to whether the name is LeRoux or Le Roux). I don't ever recall hearing "New Orleans Ladies" before, and I'm finding it to be delightful. It had already peaked at #59 but would ascend again from here as high as #72 before briefly noodling around the 80s and dropping off.
93. Prism, "Flyin'"
Our second Vancouver entry today. In prepping this I learned that Jim Vallance, future songwriting partner of Bryan Adams, was briefly in Prism and continued to write the occasional tune for them after departing. (Vallance/Adams wrote Prism's Top 40 hit from 1982, "Don't Let Him Know.") It's on a quick flight up to #53.
I'm already wondering if I'll hear either "Arms of Mary" or "Flyin'" on CHNS Sunday morning when I tune in the 7/29/78 Premiere rebroadcast.
72. Teri DeSario, "Ain't Nothing Gonna Keep Me from You"
It's almost impossible for a random collection of songs from '78 not to include a Barry Gibb joint, and that proves to be the case here. Wikipedia proudly informs that the musicians on "Ain't Nothing Gonna Keep Me from You" are the same as those who played on "Shadow Dancing." Alas, DeSario wouldn't top the charts for seven weeks like Andy did; this understated-yet-insistent groove would only climb to #43.
53. Eddie Rabbitt, "You Don't Love Me Anymore"
Rabbitt had established himself as a force on the country charts by this point--"You Don't Love Me Anymore" was his seventh consecutive country top 10 tune and his second #1 there. Even if he didn't write it, it's a fine, fine song to which he gives full justice. Should've done better than peaking here.
Perhaps you've figured out by now that all the artists in this go-round of SCNP hadn't yet made a Top 40 appearance but would within four years, however briefly in some instances. There are a few other acts in slots #41-110 on this chart that meet that criterion--Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, the Oak Ridge Boys, Barbara Mandrell among them--but the best-known song here from a future Top 40 act has to be this one.
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