Haven’t done a post for this series in a minute, but I couldn’t think of a better song or artist to kick things back off. I’ve been in a very interesting space over the last few weeks in that I have been spending a great deal of time absorbing what I deem to be very well constructed songs. I love music production and will always invest the time in analyzing what’s going on production wise, but the DNA, lifeblood and foundation of music is the song. Too many people out here “producing” and not enough folks crafting great songs. Just like houses that you buy today: all the same, cheaply built en masse sans the pride of individual craftsmanship.

Todd Rundgren skillfully crafted this homage to singer-songrwriters Laura Nyro and Carole King and there are so many great lessons to be taken from here, and beyond that it’s simply just fantastic music from top to bottom.

I know, I know you don’t usually think A.M. Radio when you think of Joe Tex, but this classic from Joe was the #10 song in the country this week way back in 1972. Gotta love the early Soul Train performances and even though “I Gotcha” crossed over this is undoubtedly a Soul Classic from a honest to goodness Soul Man.

Tongue in cheek never sounded so good… a very big hit for Ms. Newton-John and this week in 1982 it continued it’s run at #1. The home video market explosion, exercise tape mania, made for the perfect storm for “Physical”.

My hat goes off to anyone who can put a lyric about frying eggs in any song and it actually work. I’m serious when I say that takes skill, but I would expect nothing less from the duo of Burt Bacharach and Hal David who originally penned this tune for Keely Smith. The 5th Dimension took this song to #2 on The Billboard Hot 100 in 1970.

As the line in the song goes “I was country when country wasn’t cool…” but actually if you take a peak at the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of December 24, 1977 Country Music was very cool. These two songs were at number 7 and 8 respectively. Suffice to say it has been a long time since a phenomenon like this has occurred.

This was the #1 song in the country 40 years ago. That’s a pretty hip AM station, but that’s a lot of the inspiration behind this series, a time before segmentation ruled the day. To illustrate that point even further Sly & The Family Stone shared the Top 10 that week with acts as varied as: Sonny & Cher, Three Dog Night, The Chi-Lites, The Jackson 5, Melanie, Isaac Hayes, Bread, Don McLean and David Cassidy.

I’m not sure if there is that much diversity in sound these days.

The very promising career of Jim Croce was cut short by a tragic plane crash September 20, 1973. After a decade of playing every type of gig imaginable and holding down an assortment of jobs, Jim’s career broke through nationally in 1972 with the release of two albums that year: You Don’t Mess Around With Jim and Life and Times. Our song today hit #1 in 1973 and has been a staple at radio, along with several other Jim Croce classics ever since.

BMI rates our AM in the A.M. song today at #25 in their Top 100 songs of the 20th Century. One of the most covered songs in Pop music, “Sunny” has been covered by everyone from Frank Sinatra to James Brown.