7 of the 70s: 5/15/14 (1972)...

Throwback Thursday returns with 7 more nuggets from 1972, the year that the island of Okinawa was returned to Japan after being occupied by Americans since the Second World War.

Johnny Nash - "I Can See Clearly Now"
from the album I Can See Clearly Now (1972)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1
Songwriter: Johnny Nash

The biggest non-Caribbean reggae artist of the 70s, Houston native Nash revived his career with this inspirational song.


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Jonathan Edwards - "Sunshine"
from the album Jonathan Edwards (1971)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #4
Songwriter: Jonathan Edwards

The title of this song belies its anti-war message from its Minnesotan songwriter.

Seals & Crofts - "Summer Breeze"
from the album Summer Breeze (1972)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #6
Songwriters: Dash Crofts, Jim Seals

One of the best road-trip songs just makes you want to sit on a hill somewhere miles away from civilization.

Love Unlimited - "Walkin' In The Rain With The One I Love"
from the album From A Girls Point Of View We Give To You...Love Unlimited (1972)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #14
Songwriter: Barry White

No matter the album title, this was Barry White's show, with his backing singers providing the voice for Barry's less bedroom-focused work like this.

War - "Slippin' Into Darkness"
from the album All Day Music (1971)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #16
Songwriters: Thomas Allen, Harold Brown, Morris Dickerson, Lonnie Jordan, Charles Miller, Lee Oskar, Howard Scott

Breaking free from Eric Burdon, the jazz fusion rock band proved themselves with this fly number.

Joe Cocker with the Chris Stanton Band - "Midnight Rider"
from the album Joe Cocker (1972)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #27
Songwriter: Gregg Allman

Not two years after its songwriter had a hit with the record, the gravelly voiced soul king from Britain took the song back to the chart.

Lighthouse - "Sunny Days"
from the album Sunny Days (1972)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #34
Songwriter: Skip Prokop

This Canadian power-pop band turned up the horns on this breezy end to our 70s trip...

I'll be back later with 8 more from 1982...