Somewhere between the bold new rock sounds of the 60s and the heavier rock sounds in the 80s came some amazing rock songs in the 70s. These three rock hits all came out in 1976. Decades old, they are so good, almost every 70s kid could still sing along, word for word, to them today.
“Disco Lady” by Johnnie Taylor
“Disco Lady” is one of the biggest hits of Johnnie Taylor’s career. Written by Harvey Scales, Albert Vance, and Don Davis, “Disco Lady” appears on Taylor’s Eargasm record.
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A pop and R&B hit, “Disco Lady” says, “Shake it up, shake it down / Move it in, move it ’round, disco lady / Move it in, move it out / Move it in and about, disco lady.”
“Disco Lady” is Taylor’s final No. 1 hit.
“If You Leave Me Now” by Chicago
Chicago released several heartbreaking songs, including “Hard Habit To Break”, “Look Away”, and others. But the pleading in Chicago’s “If You Leave Me Now” is tangible. On their Chicago X record, band member Peter Cetera is the sole writer of the song.
“If You Leave Me Now” says, “If you leave me now / You’ll take away the biggest part of me / Oh no, baby, please don’t go / And if you leave me now / You’ll take away the very heart of me / Oh, no, baby, please don’t go / Oh, girl, I just want you to stay.“
Seven years after their debut single came out, “If You Leave Me Now” is their first platinum single. It also became their biggest hit at the time. Numerous other artists have put their own spin on “If You Leave Me Now” in the years since it was released, including The Isley Brothers, Suzy Bogguss, Boyz II Men, and more.
“You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” by Leo Sayer
Anyone from almost any decade can likely still sing along to “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing”. Out by Leo Sayer on his Endless Flight album, Sayer wrote “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” with Vini Poncia.
“You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” says, “You make me feel like dancing / I’m gonna dance the night away / You make me feel like dancing / I’m gonna dance the night away / You make feel like dancing / I feel like dancing / Dancing, dance the night away / I feel like dancing, dancing.”
The only Grammy Award Sayer ever received was for “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing”. The song is Sayer’s first No. 1 single in the United States.
Photo by David Redfern/Redferns