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It's time for this week's 70s trip, and this week I'm back to 1975, the year The Price Is Right doubled its time to an hour-long show... Average White Band - " Pick Up The Pieces " from the album AWB (1974) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 Songwriters: Roger Ball, Malcolm Duncan, Alan Garrie, Robbie McIntosh, Onnie McIntyre, Hamish Stuart The self-proclaimed funky Caucasians from Scotland didn't need words or a gimmick to send this song to #1. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

Today's "hump-day" 70s flashback goes back to 1974, the year German electro-rock pioneers Kraftwerk release their classic album Autobahn ... Al Wilson - " Show And Tell " from the album Show And Tell (1973) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 Songwriter: Jerry Fuller Although Wilson had the hit with this emotive mid-tempo wonder, I grew up listening to the Johnny Mathis version that my mother adored. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

It's humpday Seventies madness, and this week I've got seven more nuggets from 1973, the year Art Garfunkel releases his first solo album after the break-up with partner Paul Simon called Angel Clare ... Dawn featuring Tony Orlando - " Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree " from the album Tuneweaving (1973) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 Songwriters: L. Russel Brown, Irwin Levine Although this song has been used to welcome many a veteran home from service, the actual lyrics described a convict coming back from prison. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

It's hump day 70s party time, and this week I'm serving up seven more nuggets from 1972, the year that Thomas Eagleton drops off the ticket for vice-presidential ticket after revelations of mental health issues, to be replaced by Kennedy clan member R. Sargent Shriver... The Moody Blues - " Nights In White Satin " from the album Days Of Future Passed (1967) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #2 Songwriter: Justin Hayward This sweeping orchestral masterpiece took five years to go to the top of the American charts. It was remade in 1995 by the guy behind the new-age act Enigma. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

Hey guys, it's hump day 70s time, and this week I'm back to 1971, the year Walt Disney World opened in Orlando.... James Taylor - " You've Got A Friend " from the album Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon (1971) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 Songwriter: Carole King If the religion of rock and roll had a "Lord's Prayer" hymn, this would be it. King's words with Taylor's voice is simply transcendent. Tears every time. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

It's hump-day 70s madness time, with seven more nuggets from 1970, the year Janis Joplin died from a heroin overdose in a hotel room. Simon & Garfunkel - " Bridge Over Troubled Water " from the album Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 Songwriter: Paul Simon The third verse, beginning with "sail on silvergirl" was an homage to Paul's wife Peggy Harper. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

It's hump-day 70s party time, and this week I've got seven more nuggets from 1979, the year tens of thousands of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgendered and allies march on Washington for civil rights... Rod Stewart - " Do Ya Think I'm Sexy " from the album Blondes Have More Fun (1978) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 Songwriters: Carmine Appice, Rod Stewart Believe it or not, this randy disco number is a forefather of the like of "We Are The World"; the royalties from this #1 single went to UNICEF. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

It's humpday 70's time, with seven more nuggets from 1978, the year the New York Yankees overcame a fourteen-game deficit to go on to beat the Red Sox in the playoffs to move on to the World Series... Andy Gibb - " (Love Is) Thicker Than Water " from the album Flowing Rivers (1977) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 Songwriters: Andy and Barry Gibb The second of Andy's three #1 hits out of the gate in the U.S., this surprisingly nuanced soft-disco track featured the Eagles' Joe Walsh on guitar. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

It's Hump Day 70s party-time, and this week I've got seven more nuggets from 1977, the year Voyager 1 is launched. Mary MacGregor - " Torn Between Two Lovers " from the album Torn Between Two Lovers (1976) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1  Songwriters: Phil Jarrell, Peter Yarrow Peter Yarrow of  folk-rock trio Peter, Paul & Mary co-wrote and co-produced this tale of complicated love and recruited a different Mary to sing it. A Lee Remick/George Peppard TV movie followed. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

Hey gang, it's time to go back to the 70s, and this week I've got seven more nuggets from 1976, the year tobacco ads are banned in Australia's TV and radio airwaves... Johnnie Taylor - " Disco Lady " from the album Eargasm (1976) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 Songwriters: Don Davis, Harvey Scales, Al Vance After a decade of a moderately successful career singing classic soul, Taylor "dirtied" up his music a little, and in the process scored both the first "platinum" single (given for selling over a million copies) and the first #1 pop hit with "Disco" in its name. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

It's time to head back to the 70s again, and this week I've got seven more nuggets from 1975, the year Manson stooge "Squeaky" Fromme attempts to assassinate President Gerald Ford. Tony Orlando & Dawn - " He Don't Love You (Like I Love You) " from the album He Don't Love You (Like I Love You) (1975) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 Songwriters: Jerry Butler, Calvin Carter, Curtis Mayfield The popular trio that had their own TV show for awhile remade and retitled this top-ten hit from soul star Jerry Butler. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

It's throwback Thursday 70s time again, and this week I've got seven more nuggets from 1974, the year a bomb on board destroyed a TWA airplane flying from Athens to Rome, killing all 88 people aboard. Arab extremists were later linked to the tragedy. Andy Kim - " Rock Me Gently " from the album Andy Kim (1974) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 Songwriter: Andy Kim You couldn't be blamed for thinking this big hit for the Canadian lite-pop singer was a proto-disco foray of Neil Diamond, but Andy was already a vet in the biz, having a few top-40 hits in the 60s and penning the Archies hit "Sugar Sugar"... (Click below to see the rest of the post)

It's back to the 70s after a two week break, and this week I'm serving up seven more nuggets from 1973, the year an amusement park in the Isle Of Man off of England caught fire from kids smoking, killing 50 people.... Jim Croce - " Time In A Bottle " from the album You Don't Mess Around With Jim (1972) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 Songwriter: Jim Croce Another of those songs that immediately put a tear in my eye, no doubt helped by the tragic end to the singer's life in a plane crash. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

It's throwback Thursday 70s time, and this week I'm back to 1972, the year Missouri senator Thomas Eagleton dropped off the ticket for vice-president after revelations of mental illness history surfaced. Gilbert O'Sullivan - " Alone Again (Naturally) " from the album Himself (1972) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 Songwriter: Gilbert O'Sullivan It's inconceivable in another era that this song that begin with a contemplation of suicide would top the pop charts for six week, but O'Sullivan had a way with serenading the ears with a pleasant aural backdrop for his pre-emo moping. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

It's throwback Thursday 70s style time, and this week I'm serving up seven more nuggets from 1971, the year Jim Morrison died in a bathtub in Paris... Jean Knight - " Mr. Big Stuff " from the album Mr. Big Stuff (1971) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #2 Songwriters: Joe Broussard, Carol Washington, Ralph Williams The sassy soul singer from the Big Crescent had something to say to those guys too big for their own britches. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

It's throwback Thursday 70s-style time, and this week i'mback to 1970, the year Casey Kasem's American Top 40 syndicated radio show starts in July. (I've included highlights links to buy anything on MP3 or CD)... Three Dog Night - " Mama Told Me (Not To Come) " from the album It Ain't Easy (1970) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 Songwriter: Randy Newman The very first #1 song on Kasem's show was this cover of a Randy Newman song by the biggest hitmaking band of the early 70s. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

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". (Click below to see the rest of the post)

It's throwback Thursday time, and this week I'm going back to 1978, the year the World Cup was played in Argentina, with the home team winning the trophy.... Frankie Valli - " Grease " from the album Grease (Original Soundtrack) (1978) and Frankie Valli Is The Word (1978) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 Songwriter: Barry Gibb Peter Frampton plays guitar on this disco-fied opening to the blockbuster movie. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

It's throwback Thursday time, and in this week's 70s trip I go back to 1977, the year the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Philly 76ers for the NBA title. Andy Gibb - " I Just Want To Be Your Everything " from the album Flowing Rivers (1977) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 Songwriter: Barry Gibb The Bee Gees' little brother recorded his first hit in Bermuda, backed by Joe Walsh from the Eagles on guitar. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

It's throwback Thursday 70's style, and this week I've got seven more nuggets from 1976, the year the Boston Celtics beat the Phoenix Suns in triple overtime at the NBA finals.... Ohio Players - " Love Rollercoaster " from the album Honey (1975) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 Songwriters: Willie Beck, Leroy Bonner, Marshall Jones, Ralph Middlebrook, Marvin Pierce, Clarence Stachell, Jimmy Williams As a kid I was terrified by the urban legend that a woman was killed in the recording of this single and her screams can be heard on it. Even Casey Kasem had brought it up in his weekend radio show. This was like voodoo to me. Of course, it's totally not true. (Click below to see the rest of the post)