Musical Dice -- Top Songs Of 1978

     Welcome to the music section of my Musical Dice website! For you music trivia enthusiasts, and those who love to learn about the stories behind the music, you've come to the right place! I love sharing my knowledge of music trivia, so that's why I created this section.

     One of the main things that got me interested in music trivia was when I listened to American Top 40 with Casey Kasem (rest in peace, my good man), where he'd often tell interesting stories and facts about the songs and the artists behind the songs.

     My favorite feature of American Top 40 was when it was a special countdown of the top (usually 100) songs of the year. This article is about the top 100 songs of 1978.



Top Songs Of 1978

POS

TITLE

ARTIST

PEAK

COMMENTS

HM

Right Down The Line

Gerrt Rafferty

12

HM

Beast Of Burden

The Rolling Stones

8

HM

Got To Get You Into My Life

Earth, Wind & Fire

9

Originally recorded by the Beatles in 1966. Reacged #7 for them in 1976. Written by Paul McCartney, who said that the song is a reference to marijuana.

HM

We'll Never Have To Say Goodbye Again

England Dan & John Ford Coley

9

HM

Alive Again

Chicago

14

First hit Chicago had after the tragic death of their guitarist Terry Kath on January 23, 1978.

100

Deacon Blues

Steely Dan

19

99

Hollywood Nights

Bob Seger

12

98

We're All Alone

Rita Coolidge

7

Written and originally recorded by Boz Scaggs.

97

The Name Of The Game

ABBA

12

96

Ebony Eyes

Bob Welch

14

Sometimes mistaken for a Steve Nukker Band song!

95

I Can't Stand The Rain

Eruption

18

94

Turn To Stone

E.L.O.

13

93

Don't Look Back

Boston

4

92

Flashlight

Parliament

16

#1 R & B for 3 weeks. Sold over a million copies.

91

Native New Yorker

Odyssey

21

90

It's So Easy

Linda Ronstadt

5

Originally recorded by Buddy Holly.

89

You Can't Turn Me Off (In The Middle Of Turning Me On)

High Inergy

12

88

I Love The Nightlife (Disco Round)

Alicia Bridges

5

Also made the top 100 songs of 1979.

87

Life's Been Good

Joe Walsh

12

86

Sweet Talkin' Woman

E.L.O.

17

85

Get Off

Foxy

9

84

Fool (If You Think It's Over)

Chris Rea

12

83

Whenever I Call You Friend

Kenny Loggins feat. Stevie Nicks

5

Listed as a Kenny Loggins solo hit.

82

Running On Empty

Jackson Browne

11

Recorded live

81

Bluer Than Blue

Michael Johnson

12

80

Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood

Santa Esmerelda

15

Originally a #15 hot for the Animals in 1965

79

Falling

LeBlanc & Carr

13

78

Sentimental Lady

Bob Welch

8

Bob Welch is a former member of Fleetwood Mac. This song features three members of Fleetwood Mac--Mick Fleetwood on drums, Lindsey Buckingham on guitar, and Christine McVie on backup vocals.

77

Serpentine Fire

Earth, Wind & Fire

13

#1 R & B for 7 weeks

76

You And I

Rick James

13

Rick James' first top 40 pop hit, and the one that got the highest on the pop charts. #1 R & B.

75

Always And Forever

Heatwave

18

Sold over a million copies.

74

Copacabana (At The Copa)

Barry Manilow

8

Also featured in the movie "Foul Play"

73

Every Kinda People

Robert Palmer

16

Robert Palmer's first hit.

72

Because The Night

The Patti Smith Group

13

Written by Bruce Springsteen, and later a hit for the 10,000 Maniacs (#11 in 1994).

71

Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue

Crystal Gayle

2(3)

Also made the top 100 songs of 1977

70

What's Your Name

Lynyrd Skynyrd

13

This was a hit after severak nenbers of Lynyrd Skynyrd were killed in a plane crash in 1977.

69

Summer Nights

Olivia Newton-John/John Travolta

5

From the movie "Grease"

68

Hey Deanie

Shaun Cassidy

7

Written by Eric Carmen

67

Baby Hold On

Eddie Money

11

Eddie Money's first hit

66

Count On Me

Jefferson Starship

8

Whitney Houston and Cece Winans also had a #8 hit called "Count On Me" (not the same song) in 1996.

65

Reminiscing

The Little River Band

3

The instrumental parts of this song were featured as the theme of the "Family Film Festival" hosted by Tom Hatten.

64

Shame

Evelyn "Champaign" King

9

63

You Needed Me

Anne Murray

1(1)

62

Peg

Steely Dan

11

Featuring Michael McDonald on backup vocals

61

Blue Bayou

Linda Ronstadt

3

Originally a hit for Roy Orbison (#29 in 1963)

60

Here You Come Again

Dolly Parton

3

59

You Belong To Me

Carly Simon

6

Written By Michael McDonald

58

This Time I'm In It For Love

Player

10

57

(Every Time I Turn Around) Back In Love Again

L.T.D.

4

56

Come Sail Away

Styx

8

55

On Broadway

George Benson

7

Recorded live. Originally was a hit for the Drifters in 1963 (#9)

54

Disco Inferno

The Trammps

11

Featured in the movie "Saturday Night Fever," but the song was initially released prior to the movie.

53

My Angel Baby

Toby Beau

13

52

Still The Same

Bob Seger

4

51

Imaginary Lover

The Atlanta Rhythm Section

7

50

Thunder Island

Jay Ferguson

9

49

The Groove Line

Heatwave

7

48

Slip-Slidin' Away

Paul Simon

5

47

Goodbye Girl

David Gates

15

Title track from the movie starring Richard Dreyfus

46

Love Is In The Air

John Paul Young

7

This was used in Kay Jewelers commercials.

45

An Everlasting Love

Andy Gibb

5

Written by the Bee-Gees (Andy's older brothers). This was the first hit Andy had that failed to reach #1 (his first three hits all reached #1).

44

Love Will Find A Way

Pablo Cruise

6

43

Our Love

Natalie Cole

10

42

Used Ta Be My Girl

The O'Jays

4

41

Short People

Randy Newman

2(3)

Listed as a novelty song. Note: Randy Newman is six-foot-two.

40

Magnet And Steel

Walter Egan

8

Backup vocals by Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham

39

Dust In The Wind

Kansas

6

38

The Closer I Get To You

Roberta Flack/Donny Hathaway

2(2)

37

You're In My Heart (The Final Acclaim)

Rod Stewart

4

36

Hot Blooded

Foreigner

3

Later sampled in Tone Loc's rap song "Funky Cold Medina"

35

Hopelessly Devoted To You

Olivia Newton-John

3

From the movie "Grease"

34

Last Dance

Donna Summer

3

From the movie "Thank God It's Friday"

33

Sometimes When We Touch

Dan Hill

3

32

Take A Chance On Me

ABBA

3

The rhythm and the title were inspired by a jog the songwriter took!

31

Jack And Jill

Raydio

8

In another Raydio top ten hit ("A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do)") referenced the Jack And Jill nursery rhyme.

30

Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad

Meat Loaf

11

29

Dance With Me

Peter Brown feat. Betty Wright

8

28

Too Much Too Little Too Late

Johnny Mathis/Deniece Williams

1(1)

At the time, Johnny Mathis set the record for the longest span between #1 hits (his previous #1 hit, "Chances Are" was from 21 years earlier).

27

Can't Smile Without You

Barry Manilow

3

26

Baker Street

Gerry Rafferty

2(6)

25

We Are The Champions

Queen

4

The B-side is "We Will Rock You." The single sold over 2 million copies.

24

It's A Heartache

Bonnie Tyler

3

Bonnie Tyler's first hit

23

Love Is Like Oxygen

The Sweet

8

22

Hot Child In The City

Nick Gilder

1(1)

At the time, this song took the longest time on the chart to reach #1 (got there in its 21st week--a record that has since been broken).

21

Feels So Good

Chuck Mangione

4

20

Dance Dance Dance (Yowsah Yowsah Yowsah)

Chic

6

19

If I Can't Have You

Yvonne Elliman

1(1)

From the movie "Saturday Night Fever." Written, produced, and originally recorded by the Bee-Gees

18

With A Little Luck

Wings

1(2)

17

Just The Way You Are

Billy Joel

3

Billy Joel wrote this song for his then-wife Elizabeth. It took persuading from Linda Ronstadt and Phoebe Snow for Billy to include this on his album.

16

Miss You

The Rolling Stones

1(1)

The Rolling Stones were harshly criticized for songs like this one for being "too commercial."

15

Lay Down Sally

Eric Clapton

3

14

Emotion

Samantha Sang

3

Written by the Bee-Gees. This would later be a hit for Destiny's Child (#10 in 2001).

13

You're The One That I Want

Olivia Newton-John/John Travolta

1(1)

From the movie "Grease"

12

I Go Crazy

Paul Davis

7

Spent a then-record-breaking 40 weeks on the chart, breaking Johnny Mathis' record of 39 weeks with "Wonderful! Wonderful!" (a record later tied by "The Twist" by Chubby Checker).

11

Grease

Frankie Valli

1(2)

Title song from the movie "Grease." Written by the Bee-Gees

10

Three Times A Lady

The Commodores

1(2)

Written by Lionel Richie, as if he was his father, dedicating a song to his mother.

9

Boogie Oogie Oogie

A Taste Of Honey

1(3)

Written out of frustration at the fact that the group couldn't get the attendees to their shows to dance to their songs.

8

(Love Is) Thicker Than Water

Andy Gibb

1(2)

Written and produced by the Bee-Gees

7

Baby Come Back

Player

1(3)

6

How Deep Is Your Love

The Bee-Gees

1(3)

From the movie "Saturday Night Fever." Written and produced by the Bee-Gees. Spent 26 weeks in the top 40, longer than any other song in the 70's.

5

Kiss You All Over

Exile

1(4)

4

Stayin' Alive

The Bee-Gees

1(4)

From the movie "Saturday Night Fever." Written and produced by the Bee-Gees.

3

You Light Up My Life

Debby Boone

1(10)

The biggest hit of the 70's. Also made the 1977 top 100 songs of the year.

2

Night Fever

The Bee-Gees

1(8)

From the movie "Saturday Night Fever." Written and produced by the Bee-Gees.

1

Shadow Dancing

Andy Gibb

1(7)

Written and produced by the Bee-Gees. Andy Gibb, for two years in a row, had the top song of the year (the top song of 1977 was "I Just Want To Be Your Everything" by Andy Gibb), the only one to achieve this feat, and Andy was only 20 years old at the time!