7 of the 70s: 5/29/14 (1974)

It's throwback thursday time 70s style, and this week I'm back to 1974, the year the first all-female team climbed to the top of Mount Everest...

Gordon Lightfoot - "Sundown"
from the album Sundown (1974)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 
Songwriter: Gordon Lightfoot

According to Gordon, the song was about former girlfriend Cathy Smith, who would go on to go to jail for assisting in the overdose of John Belushi in 1982.

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Jim Stafford - "Spiders And Snakes"
from the album Jim Stafford (1974)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #3
Songwriters: David Bellamy, Jim Stafford

The suave southern comedian would go on to charm the hearts of America as one of the hosts of That's Incredible...

Olivia Newton-John - "Let Me Be There"
from the album Let Me Be There (1973)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #6
Songwriter: John Rostill

ONJ nabbed a Grammy for best female country vocalist for this singalong classic.

Mac Davis - "One Hell Of A Woman"
from the album Stop And Smell The Roses (1974)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #11
Songwriters: Mac Davis, Mark James

 Even though the single spent seven months on the pop chart, I'm sure the reason it didn't reach the top-10 was the use of the then-naughty word "hell" in the title. However four months later Elton John used his clout to get his "Bitch Is Back" into that caste.

Gregg Allman - "Midnight Rider"
from the album Laid Back (1973)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #19
Songwriter: Gregg Allman

The song originally appeared on his namesake band's second album Idlewild South four years before, but didn't make the pop charts until Gregg re-recorded the classic for his first solo album.

Souther, Hillman, Furay Band - "Fallin' In Love"
from the album The Souther Hillman Furay Band (1974)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #27
Songwriter: Richie Furay

The country-rock supergroup with former members of the Byrds and Buffalo Springfield along with songwriter Souther, their biggest hit together during their brief time was this likeable yet by-the-numbers rocker.

Eagles - "Already Gone"
from the album On The Border (1974)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #32
Songwriters: Robert Strandlund, Jack Tempchin

Back before the band became the rock behemoth they were in the late 70s, they showed off their impeccable harmonizing with this barnburner from their third album.

I'll be back with eight more from 1984 later...