Songs Casey Never Played, 4/17/76

By Wm. on May 9, 2026

It’s not often I get a chance to connect three songs in a SCNP post, so I feel compelled to seize that opportunity. But first: last time out, we ended on a novelty note–why not start with one here?

98. The Heyettes, “The Fonz Song”
Yes, Happy Days was culturally ascendant at the moment–Pratt and McClain’s theme song is at #56 and on the way up–and yet… This is absolutely dreadful, from stem to stern. No clue about the provenance of the Heyettes, and it’s really okay I found precious little about them in my five minutes of internet research. Of course the producer couldn’t be bothered to locate a male vocalist who might remotely sound like Henry Winkler (though maybe that reduced the likelihood of a lawsuit). And wouldn’t you know there’s actually an entire album’s worth of this crud? It would spend four more weeks on the Hot 100, reaching as high as #91. Sit on it, gals.

93. Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr., “I Hope We Get to Love in Time”
The title track from their first album after breaking away from the 5th Dimension. Pleasant enough, but it’s got nothing on “You Don’t Have to Be a Star” or “Your Love,” the LP’s subsequent single releases. Only would get one spot higher.

Well, well, look who’s next…

88. The 5th Dimension, “Love Hangover”
Florence LaRue recruited replacements for Marilyn and Billy upon their departure, naturally. It appears this is a single-only release–our friend Wikipedia reports no accompanying album. But news of its existence apparently panicked the suits at Motown into rush-releasing Diana Ross’s version. They had both debuted on the Hot 100 two weeks prior to this, and it was no contest: Ross is already at #41 on this chart, and I would be making mental note of its jumps to 29 and 10 over the following two weeks listening to AT40. The 5th Dimension would go to #80 on 4/24 before disappearing for good.

I don’t believe this version of “Love Hangover” was a victim of Ross’s success–it’s simply not nearly as electrifying. That’s not to say there wasn’t a song that lost out in this kerfuffle, though…

74. Diana Ross, “I Thought It Took a Little Time (But Today I Fell in Love)”
I’m guessing there was immediate remorse over choosing this midtempo ballad instead of “Love Hangover” as the followup to “Do You Know Where You’re Going To.” This had landed on the Hot 100 at #59 on 3/20 and climbed to #49 the following week. However, it managed just a two-notch climb as “Hangover” debuted on 4/3 and immediately tumbled to this spot, where it’s spending its second week. It definitely feels like in another timeline this would have had more juice–reminds me a little of “Touch Me in the Morning,”among other past Ross performances. Motown would pass over it for a re-release after “Hangover”‘s run, favoring “One Love in My Lifetime” instead.

The things you discover from YouTube comments: it’s likely clear by now to longtime readers that I’ve never really done a deep dive on hip-hop/rap, but one can’t help learn on YT that “I Thought It Took a Little Time” was prominently sampled a few years ago in the 21 Savage & Metro Boomin Top 10 hit “Runnin.”

52. David Ruffin, “Heavy Love”
A fine tune with a very nice vocal from Ruffin. Its problem is that it sounds too much like “Walk Away from Love,” his previous single from a few months earlier. I suspect that’s what kept it from Casey-land. Also a song that topped out at #47.

51. Richard Cocciante, “When Love Has Gone Away”
French-Italian singer-songwriter (Riccardo is his actual first name) who experienced decent chart success in Italy in the 70s and 80s. This was his one attempt to break into the American market. I tend to prefer much less screaming than what’s on display here, but I can’t deny Cocciante’s passion and think I can get this might resonate emotionally with some folks. I also won’t deny that I’m pretty surprised it climbed to #41, boxed out on the 5/1 chart by a pretty lame Paul Anka piece, “Anytime.”

(By the way, the Ruffin and Cocciante songs are the only ones in positions 41-62 on this chart not to make the Top 40.)