“I Love You for All Seasons” was a soulful ballad written by Sheila Young and performed by the D.C. soul trio, The Fuzz. Released in December 1970, the song reached number 10 on the US R&B chart and number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1971.
The heartfelt tune reached deep into your soul thanks to the beautiful voice of the trio of ladies that made up The Fuzz. And even though they didn’t produce any more hits, they sure made this one count.
"Rapper’s Delight" by Sugarhill Gang
Sugarhill Gang might have been the band that created "Rapper's Delight," but the mastermind that made it happen and go big was their talented producer Sylvia Robinson. "Rapper's Delight" is more than just an extremely good piece of music; it was rap music's debut into the mainstream, all the way from the hard 1970s streets of New York's Bronx borough.
One night in 1978, the famous disco band Chic was performing with The Clash and Blondie in a New York venue when, all of a sudden and completely spontaneously, rapper Fab Five Freddy and his friends got on stage with Chic and started freestyling. And so, the hit tune came along and stayed for good.
"Feelings" by Morris Albert
Some song titles have hidden meanings, secret stories, and inside jokes. But this hit by Morris Albert is as straightforward as they come. "Feelings" is exactly about that - feelings. Sad feelings, to be more exact. Brazilian-born Albert took creative liberty and improvised on an already existing song written by Loulou Gasté, a known French composer. And despite the fact that Albert faced a lot of copyright lawsuits, his version of the song was a huge hit in 1975.
The very sad lyrics and soft tune turned "Feelings" into one of the most emotional ballads of the 1970s and has been covered by countless artists through the years. From the great Nina Simone to the legendary Ella Fitzgerald and even Julio Iglesias, the song definitely had its time in the spotlight.
"Play That Funky Music" by Wild Cherry
It is fair to say that there's not one person in this world who hasn't danced to this tune. But the funk legend Wild Cherry wasn't always at the top of the charts. Before they came out with the awesome "Play That Funky Music" in 1976, they couldn't even book a single gig!
Funnily enough, the legendary song came about when the band was playing at a club to an audience that was somewhat disappointed and unresponsive. Someone suddenly shouted, "play that funky music white boy!". The frontman, Rob Parissi, got the line stuck in his head, and the rest, as they say, is history.
"American Pie" by Don McLean
Don McLean may have had other singles that had their fair share of success, but none ever came close to the epic "American Pie." This song has been covered by countless artists, including Madonna, and it is simply one of those beautiful, timeless songs that will stay a favorite forever. Everybody knows "American Pie," and everybody gets a strong nostalgic feeling every time they hear it.
Released in 1971, this epic tune became a symbol of the counterculture hippie movement of the '60s and '70s. It didn't matter that it was over eight minutes long; people still managed to learn every single word by heart. And they still remember.