Tuesday, July 15, 2025

1975 Deep Dive: Top 25 Songs

      Setting aside Captain and Tennille, and KC and the Sunshine Band, 1975 was a solid year for songs. It was difficult getting down to 25. I couldn't even include some singles that I had bought the 45, like "Lorelei", "Island Girl", and "Sara Smile". Other songs that didn't make the cut include, "Strange Magic", "Crazy on You", "Fame", "Miracles", "Take Me in Your Arms", "Sister Golden Hair", and "Hair of the Dog". Maybe I should have compiled a Top 40. I could start doing long distance dedications. 

25. IN MY TIME OF DYING - LED ZEPPELIN

     Not gonna lie. This is a great song, but it's on the list because of that Robert Plant part at the end.

24. IT'S A LONG WAY TO THE TOP - AC/DC

     This is where the AC/DC template was created. Classic.

23. BAD SNEAKERS - STEELY DAN

     Michael McDonald's backing vocals are exquisite. Top tier yacht rock. 

22. FLY BY NIGHT - RUSH

     Geddy Lee hated singing this, but it's a fan favorite.

21. BEAUTIFUL LOSER - BOB SEGER

     Beautiful song, beautiful chorus, beautiful.

20. NO MORE, NO MORE - AEROSMITH

     "Blood stains the ivories of my daddy's baby grand. I ain't seen the daylight since I started this band"

19. ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY - IAN HUNTER

     What a vocal delivery. "I'm a-hummin' and a-strummin" all over God's world".

18. ROCK AND ROLL ALL NITE - KISS

     This is an amazing live track. I dare you not to sing along to the chorus. 

17. GOOD LOVIN' GONE BAD - BAD COMPANY

     One of the all-time great guitar riffs. R.I.P. Mick Ralphs.

16. MAN ON THE SILVER MOUNTAIN - RAINBOW

     Dio and Blackmore. Enough said. 

15. SLOW RIDE - FOGHAT

     Fool For the City probably should have made my album list. LOVE this song!

14. BORN TO RUN - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

     "Someday girl, I don't know when, we're gonna get to that place where we really want to go and we'll walk in the sun".

13. CORTEZ THE KILLER - NEIL YOUNG AND CRAZY HORSE

     "He came dancing across the water with his galleons and guns". 

12. EVIL WOMAN - ELO

     Jeff Lynne is a genius songwriter. Never gets the credit he deserves. 

11. LONGING FOR FIRE - SCORPIONS

     This was the most exciting discovery of the deep dive. Who knew...Scorpions in 1975. 

10. SOMEONE SAVED MY LIFE TONIGHT - ELTON JOHN

     Greatest piano ballad ever. 

9. HARRY'S HOUSE / CENTERPIECE - JONI MITCHELL

     Magnificent combination of storytelling and composition. 

8. VENUS AND MARS / ROCK SHOW - PAUL MCCARTNEY AND WINGS

     Only McCartney could have written the transition between these songs. Seamlessly magical. 

7. BLUE LETTER - FLEETWOOD MAC

     I know they have a lot of hits, but how is this not the biggest? 

6. YOUNG AMERICANS - DAVID BOWIE

     I'm not a big fan of the album, but this song is fantastic. 

5. WISH YOU WERE HERE - PINK FLOYD

     My favorite Pink Floyd song. Gilmour is a legend.

4. BLACK FRIDAY - STEELY DAN

     Probably my favorite Donald Fagen lyrics. 

3. KASHMIR - LED ZEPPELIN

     Most other years this would be #1. It's the best Zeppelin song on their best album. 

2. BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY - QUEEN

     The most improbably brilliant rock composition ever. It blew my 11 year old mind. 

1. THUNDER ROAD - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

     What else can I say about this song? It's literally perfect. Peace.



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