The year 1975 saw the end of the Vietnam War, Wheel Of Fortune‘s debut, and the release of great music. Everybody, from Bob Dylan to Elton John, was taking on the charts. If you were in high school during this time, you definitely remember these three hits.
“Why Can’t We Be Friends?” by War
This song is all about accepting people regardless of where they come from or what they look like. Fun fact: This song was actually played in outer space for a project between the Soviet Union and the U.S.
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Harold Brown of War told Songfacts: “I like exemplary people around me. I don’t judge you by your name, your color, or your money. I judge you by whether or not you’re an exemplary person. Because if I know you’re an exemplary person, and I want you to move this equipment from here to there, or you’re building a house or you’re shining shoes or stuff, then I know you’re gonna do it the best you know how…”
“The Hustle” by Van McCoy
As is the case with many dance songs, the “Hustle” was inspired by an actual dance from New York City. The rhythm of the song was modeled after the original, even though the song inspired new dances to come about.
Charles Kipps, a friend of McCoy’s, explained in The Billboard Book Of Number One Rhythm & Blues Hits: “The hustle I saw was a Latin hustle. When ‘The Hustle’ came out and it was much more soaring strings and pop and piccolo and all that stuff, people started doing a different kind of hustle spontaneously—which was more like a ballroom dance…”
“Love Will Keep Us Together” by Captain & Tennille
“Love Will Keep Us Together” sounds relationship-ity, but for the songwriters that wrote it, this tune was about partnership. Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield, the writers, had been working on music together since high school. One of them decided to move to California, and so they wrote this song about how love was going to keep them close, even with a physical distance between them.
Photo by: Fin Costello/Redferns
More The List
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CIRCA 1963: Rock and roll singer Elvis Presley strums his guitar in a movie still in circa 1963. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
Steely Dan, 1976. Walter Becker en Donald Fagan. Albums Aja, Pretzel Logic, Royal Scam. Singers, songwriters, composers. -
Beatle John Lennon (1940 – 1980) and his Japanese girlfriend Yoko Ono with Beatle Paul McCartney (right), at the premiere of the new Beatles film 'Yellow Submarine' at the London Pavilion, 18th July 1968. John and Paul hold apples, the symbol of their newly formed company, Apple Corps. Thousands of Beatle fans brought traffic to a standstill in Piccadilly Circus as they waited to see the group arrive at the premiere. (Photo by Larry Ellis/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) -
Carly Simon (MANDATORY CREDIT Michael Uhll/Redferns) Carly Simon performing at Billy Joel's 'Back to the Ranch' music festival at the Deep Hollow Ranch in Montauk, New York on August 9, 1991. The concert was a benefit for the Nature Conservancy. (Photo by Michael Uhll/Redferns) -
UNITED KINGDOM – MARCH 29: DOMINION THEATRE Photo of Dolly PARTON (Photo by Pete Still/Redferns) -
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images -
Group shot of English rock and roll band The Rolling Stones posed in 1968. Clockwise from top left: Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Brian Jones (1942-1969), Mick jagger and Keith Richards. (Photo by Mark Hayward Archive/Redferns)
