One-hit wonders were in high supply in the 1970s, and many of the biggest solitary hits of the era are still go-tos for listeners today. Some songs, though, have been forgotten by most mainstream music enjoyers, including those who were around to hear them for the first time in the 70s. Many of those one-hit wonders deserve more love, because they’re honestly some of the best the 1970s had to offer. Let’s take a look at a few such songs that deserve some recognition, shall we?
Videos by American Songwriter
“Sunshine” by Jonathan Edwards (1971)
Jonathan Edwards did not get enough love as a folk singer-songwriter. His only claim to fame was the very of-the-era country folk tune “Sunshine” from 1971. That song peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and it remains his only song to make it to the coveted chart.
“It was just at the time of the Vietnam War and Nixon,” said Edwards of the song’s success. “It was looking bad out there. That song meant a lot to a lot of people during that time—especially me.”
Thankfully, Edwards appears to still be making music, as his last album Right Where I Am was released in 2021.
“Precious And Few” by Climax (1971)
This soft rock jam from 1971 was quite the hit that year for the band Climax. “Precious And Few” peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 that year and remains the outfit’s most well-known song. For some reason, the band just couldn’t break through to the top again, and “Precious And Few” remained their only major hit. It wasn’t for lack of trying or talent, though. Climax didn’t have the best marketing or management, and their label at the time wasn’t particularly helpful when they released follow-ups. One can only imagine what could have been.
“Rock Your Baby” by George McCrae (1974)
If you loved disco or soul in the mid-1970s, this song will definitely ring a bell, even if you’ve forgotten the singer or song’s title. “Rock Your Baby” by George McCrae was released in 1974 and was a fast hit on the charts. In fact, it was one of the earliest disco recordings to gain some ground on the charts. The song peaked at No. 1 on the Hot 100, but McCrae would never enjoy as massive of an international hit again.
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