In the late 1970s, music was changing. As the decade was beginning to wind to a close, old sonic sensibilities were coming to an end and new ones were just starting to pop up. And here below, we wanted to dive into just that. We wanted to explore three tracks from back in the day that have since stood the test of time. These are three songs from the end of the 1970s that ring out today. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders from 1978 with melodies that still echo decades later.
“Werewolves Of London” by Warren Zevon from ‘Excitable Boy’ (1978)
If you ever wanted a good howl, this is your song. You can join in with Warren Zevon and sing about werewolves and Chinese food restaurant menus, and then when the chorus comes in, you can bend your head back, look up at the moon, and howl with your heart’s content. While this work is catchy and fun, the howl Zevon offers music fans has to be one of the reasons this track has lasted so long throughout history. It’s one part-melody, one part-amusement park ride.
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“Hot Child In The City” by Nick Gilder from ‘City Nights’ (1978)
If you’d never heard of this song before and you just put it on for the first time, what era would you think it came out in? Would you guess 1978? Would you guess 1982? In that way, it’s timeless. “Hot Child In The City” by Nick Gilder doesn’t need a certain release date to ground it. It’s one of those songs that displays the blending of styles and years together into one popular work. Not only that, but the offering will assuredly have you singing along with the chorus: “Hot child in the city!“
“My Angel Baby” by Toby Beau from ‘My Angel Baby’ (1978)
Some songs from the late 1970s shared something in common. They gave fans that big, swelling, lush vocal harmony many loved. The sound seemed to blow your hair back. It was like dozens of voices came in communion to fill a space entirely up with song. It was so powerful, it almost made you take a step back. For an example of this, look no further than “My Angel Baby” by Toby Beau. It’s like the singer is gliding on an oceanic wave of voices.
Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns