Fireball's Fantastic 500 -- Late 1970s, Part I

[Pastor Fireball]

Once again, real life got in the way yesterday... and no, this had nothing to do with unclogging a toilet of all of the busted NCAA brackets courtesy of UMBC.

It's finally time to start up the countdown of my favorite songs from 1975-79. This half of the decade will feature 81 songs, one song fewer than the first half of the decade. Altogether, the 1970s occupies nearly one-third of my entire Top 500.

Enough procrastination. Let's get this thing going.

#81. I'm Not in Love, 10cc (1975)

How's this for a start? Blame Eyegor for this being in my Top 500. Don't you forget it. Even better, you're getting the full six-minute version of this song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rgepWg4rzw

#80. Wasted Days and Wasted Nights, Freddy Fender (1975)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUVgkXVDkBA

#79. Bluer Than Blue, Michael Johnson (1978)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3DflasfM3Q

#78. Half the Way, Crystal Gayle (1979)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qNduYgwM3s

#77. Lonely Night (Angel Face), Captain & Tennille (1976)

Forget "Love Will Keep Us Together". This is the only Captain & Tennille song that I need in my life. Strike that: This is the only Captain & Tennille song that I can tolerate. (Is that a possible hint to what you might see in the Fecal 50 at the end of the year?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzD6E9-jTWA

#76. Let's Do It Again, the Staple Singers (1975)

The Staples family is back with their third entry on the Top 500. Indeed, they were doing it again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIS4P8xbPtg

#75. Where Were You When I Was Falling in Love, Lobo (1979)

Yes, Lobo had a song that wasn't called "I'd Love You to Want Me" or "Me and You and a Dog Named Boo". In fact, this ended up being a decent-sized hit among all of the disco that clogged up the charts at the time. It got up to #23 on the Hot 100 and topped the AC chart.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6OhXa4aPjU

#74. Lonely Boy, Andrew Gold (1976)

Purely happenstance that two "Lonely" songs come up in the same post.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kbgjmmr5vw

#73. Old Days, Chicago (1975)

It was a long time coming, but we finally see Chicago pop up on my list.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRTMWzVoT_U

#72. Peg, Steely Dan (1977)
Boney Hall of Fame: #100

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI7NDDQLvbo

71. This Masquerade, George Benson (1976)

Leon Russell wrote this eight-minute classic. Russell's recording of it was the B-side to his Top 20 hit "Tight Rope". Benson's cover was a Top 10 hit and a Grammy winner for Record of the Year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-ibK5L2a4I

More to come on Friday... hopefully on time.