7 of the 70s: 7/3/14 (1979)

It's 70s throwback Thursday time, and this week I'm back to 1979, the year Los Angeles passes a gay and lesbian civil rights bill.

Donna Summer - "Bad Girls"
from the album Bad Girls (1979)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1
Songwriters: Joe Esposito, Eddie Hokenson, Bruce Sudano, Donna Summer

I WAS IN LOVE WITH THIS SONG AS A CHILD. Seriously. Love. I'd wish every weekend for this to come on the radio on the drive down the shore in my parents station wagon (as it inevitably did) without a clue to the subject matter, only to hear the "toot toot, ahhh, beep beep".

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The Village People - "In The Navy"
from the album Go West (1979)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #3
Songwriters: Henri Belolo, Jacques Morali, Victor Willis

Another disco song (and act) that totally went over my head as a kid, I just was so into the outfits. Ahhh, things never change.

Electric Light Orchestra - "Shine A Little Love"
from the album Discovery (1979)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #8
Songwriter: Jeff Lynne

You couldn't beat late-70s ELO for pure pop bombast, testing your speakers to their full capacity.

Night - "Hot Summer Nights"
from the album Night (1979)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #18
Songwriter: Walter Egan

British musicians living in L.A. came together for this lite-rock foray into the humid season. The bassline was cribbed for Eminem's hit "We Made You"...

Foxy - "Hot Number"
from the album Hot Numbers (1979)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #21
Songwriter: Ish Ledesma

Songwriter Ish Ledesma recaptured success in the 80s as a producer of acts like Oxo and Company B, the latter with his wife.

Alton McClain & Destiny - "It Must Be Love"
from the album It Must Be Love (1979)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #32
Songwriters: John Foolman, Judy Wieder

The Los Angeles trio had their moment in the sun with this club hit that recalls the Emotions.

Crusaders - "Street Life"
from the album Street Life (1979)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #36
Songwriters: Will Jennings, Joe Sample

The jazz fusion band lost the "jazz" and added singer Randy Crawford and voila a top-40 pop hit.

I'll be back later with eight more from 1989...