Childhood Soundtracks - 1976 Vol. 1

[KittyKat - RIP Luciano]

Another year, another 40 songs that were a big part of my life. This was the bicentennial year and there was no better place (or more annoying) to be than Washington DC. I spent part of this year in DC and the other living in Fez, Morocco with my dad. Because we were far away, a lot of the music memories I have are from the 8-track tapes that my dad brought with us that I listened to all the time.

Here's the first part of the list:
40. "Let Your Love Flow"- The Bellamy Brothers - This song just made you feel good. It seemed to always be on the radio.

39. "Boogie Fever" - The Sylvers - One of my first albums. I really loved this family and their HUGE afros.

38. "Baretta's Theme ('Keep Your Eye On The Sparrow')" - Rhythm Heritage - Kind of an inside joke in my family. My dad would jokingly sing the first part of this before I went to sleep, “Don’t go to bed with no price on your head…”

37. Nadia's Theme (The Young And The Restless)" - Barry De Vorzon & Perry Botkin, Jr. – Could a lilting piano and string driven instrumental make it into the Billboard top 10 these days? I don’t think so. During the Summer Olympics this permeated the airwaves.

36. The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" - Gordon Lightfoot – I love story songs like this one. Sad but so well done. Love Gordon’s voice on this one.

35. "Lost Without Your Love" - Bread – One of the few Bread songs that I like. This band was played a lot by my parents at the time.

34. "I'd Really Love To See You Tonight" - England Dan & John Ford Coley - My mom was a fan of this album.

33. “Car Wash” – Rose Royce – You heard this song everywhere in my neighborhood. Still great to listen to today.

32. "Year Of The Cat" - Al Stewart – I thought this song was really cool when I was young. I totally didn’t get the lyrics at all.

31. "Still The One" – Orleans – Do you remember when ABC started using this as their TV network theme? This song was everywhere in 1976.

[Dawn]

1976 was a great year!

40. "Let Your Love Flow"- The Bellamy Brothers
I've always liked this - great blend of country and pop/rock.

39. "Boogie Fever" - The Sylvers
Another favorite - I have an old tape from when I was about 8 or 9 with this song playing in the background.

38. "Baretta's Theme ('Keep Your Eye On The Sparrow')" - Rhythm Heritage
Love Rhythm Heritage - have a few of their LPs. This is a good one.

37. Nadia's Theme (The Young And The Restless)" - Barry De Vorzon & Perry Botkin, Jr.
Beautiful song, almost haunting. Love it.

36. The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" - Gordon Lightfoot
One of Gordon's best. Remember this well from back in the day.

35. "Lost Without Your Love" - Bread
Excellent - always liked this.

34. "I'd Really Love To See You Tonight" - England Dan & John Ford Coley
This has always been a favorite of mine. Brings back a lot of memories of that summer.

33. “Car Wash” – Rose Royce
Very cool! I have the 45 of this also.

32. "Year Of The Cat" - Al Stewart
Another good one! I liked it a lot back then, but I've grown to love it even more in recent years.

31. "Still The One" – Orleans
I remember that about ABC! This band didn't have many hits, but the ones they had were all great.

[kathyb]

Let Your Love Flow--Good song. My friends made up our own lyrics to this song, but I won't go into 'em here. ;D

Boogie Fever--Lotsa memories associated with this song. Very enjoyable!

Baretta's Theme--Pretty good. I always liked the show too.

Nadia's Theme--Never cared for it much. Still used today as the theme for The Young and The Restless, is it not?

The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald--I always hated this song. Long and boring.

Lost Without Your Love--A fave of mine by Bread.

I'd Really Love to See You Tonight--I've always liked this one.

Car Wash--Had this 45. Just watched the movie again a month or so ago on AMC or some station. Brought back a lot of memories.

Year of the Cat--Don't like this one at all. Can't stand Al Stewart's voice.

Still the One--Great tune. Love it!

[H2IZCOOL]

Hey Kitty! More good memories here.

40. "Let Your Love Flow"- The Bellamy Brothers - I don't remember there being thatmuch country influence in pop music in the mid 70s, but this one certainly was that. Good tune.

39. "Boogie Fever" - The Sylvers - In genral, I don't care for this type of song, but I have to admit that this was catchy.

38. "Baretta's Theme ('Keep Your Eye On The Sparrow')" - Rhythm Heritage - Until you posted, Kitty, I hadn't thought of this song in years. Pretty good song.

37. Nadia's Theme (The Young And The Restless)" - Barry De Vorzon & Perry Botkin, Jr. – I have a special affection for this song as my wife and I walked down the aisle to it in Dec. 1976. I have the 45, and it must be from an earkly pressing, because Botkin's name is not even on it.
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36. The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" - Gordon Lightfoot – Depressing, but a great song.

35. "Lost Without Your Love" - Bread – I like most of Bread's music. David Gates tends to go under-appreciated. This is a great song.

34. "I'd Really Love To See You Tonight" - England Dan & John Ford Coley - Liked it a lot at the time, but not so much now.

33. “Car Wash” – Rose Royce – Eh. Not a fave of mine.

32. "Year Of The Cat" - Al Stewart – Love it! All time top 250! The instrumental interlude is what does it for me.

31. "Still The One" – Orleans – Good song. Orleans is one of pop music's oddities. Three top 20 songs - but over a four year period and basically nothing else during that period.

[Ken]

Hi Kitty - There was some excellent music in '76

40. Still a really big fave - and couldn't agree more about it being a great "feel good" tune. Love the acoustic guitars.

39. Remember hearing this alot back then - a great and very catchy song.

38. I watched the show quite a bit at the time and re - discovered the theme a few years ago when I bought on of those Tee Vee tune collections of TV theme songs.

37.Pretty tune.

36. Very haunting melody and sad but there's just something about that guitar riff in the song that pulls you in.

35.Nice tune and the only one I don't remember hearing in the 70's. I did pick up the 45 in the 80's.

34. Among my 70's soft rock faves.

33.Have it on a ktel album - Music Machine - and played it so many times -love it , It's been awhile since I've seen the movie.

32. My cousin and I listened to this over and over. My #1 fave from '76.

31. I remember my brother buying the 45 and blasting the song in our basement rec - room . I also remember ABC televison using it that fall in their TV ad's.

[55dodger]

Good list of songs today

Let Your Love Flow - Great country crossover hit
Boogie Fever - It was a good song, but like a lot of disco era songs, tended to be overplayed
Barretta's Theme - TV theme songs were all over the radio in the 70s. This was a pretty good one.
Nadia's Theme - Another TV theme, may have been overplayed, but loved the, as you say, the haunting piano.
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - Probably my favorite Gordon Lightfoot song. There is a tribute to the men of the Edmund Fitzgerald at Whitefish Point in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Worth checking out if you're ever up there.
Lost without Your Love - Good song
I'd Really Love to See You Tonight - A lot of good soft rock seemed to slip through all the disco stuff of the time. This was a good one.
Car Wash - Song was ok, movie was really funny
Year of the Cat - One of favorites for the year.
Still the One - Got the vinyl this hit came from. It's a great album.

[KittyKat - RIP Luciano]

H2IZCOOL said:

37. Nadia's Theme (The Young And The Restless)" - Barry De Vorzon & Perry Botkin, Jr. – I have a special affection for this song as my wife and I walked down the aisle to it in Dec. 1976. I have the 45, and it must be from an earkly pressing, because Botkin's name is not even on it.

It's your wedding song? That's so sweet.

[KittyKat - RIP Luciano]

55dodger said:

The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - Probably my favorite Gordon Lightfoot song. There is a tribute to the men of the Edmund Fitzgerald at Whitefish Point in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Worth checking out if you're ever up there.

I didn't know it was in Michigan. I always thought it was somewhere in Canada.

[SAT-I need more room!!]

1976 was a great year, but these aren't my faves. Hope the lists get better!

40. Cool song, country legends.
39. You saw my ranking on the INSANE list. Annoys me.
38. Eh.
37. No, don't like it.
36. Good one from Gordon.
35. Have this, but don't know it!
34. A classic lite rock song!
33. Not big on it.
32. Pretty good!
31. I sure do! Loved this song growing up. I'd imagine people singing it for me.