Happy Bicentennial, everybody! 1976 was a great time to be nine years old. There were fireworks year-round, and a genius at the popsicle family came up with this tasty (and highly patriotic) treat:
I think I ate at least one Bomb Pop per day in 1976. I also bought a shitload of 45s, because there was some amazing music on the pop charts. Was it my imagination, or did every song seem to have the word “boogie” in the title in 1976?
Billboard Top 5: May 22,1976
#5:
Silver Convention: “Get Up And Boogie” (Sylvester Levay/Stephan Prager)
From the album Silver Convention
Midland International Records, 1975
THAT’S RIGHT!!
#4:
The Sylvers: “Boogie Fever”
From the album Showcase
Capitol Records, 1975
The Sylvers were perhaps the ultimate family group: there were nine (count ’em!) brothers and sisters in the band, all born within an eleven year span. “Boogie Fever” went to #1 on May 15, 1976, and the band followed up that success with the Top 5 single “Hot Line” later that year. I can vividly recall The Sylvers performing “Hot Line” on a live TV special that aired the night before the Oakland-Minnesota Super Bowl in January of 1977. Wait…let me look…
Damn, I love you, YouTube!
#3:
Elvin Bishop: “Fooled Around And Fell In Boogie” (Elvin Bishop/Phil Aaberg)
From the album Struttin’ My Stuff
Capricorn Records, 1975
Fooled Around And Fell In Love
Elvin Bishop was a member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and a fantastic guitarist in his own right, but he is perhaps best remembered for “Fooled Around And Fell In Love.” That’s not Elvis on vocals, though– that’s Mickey Thomas, who of course would go on to join Jefferson Starship and eventually teach all of us about Marconi and his playing of the mamba. 29 years later, and I still have no idea what the hell that means…
#2:
Diana Ross: “Boogie Hangover [7″ Version)” (Marilyn McLeod/Pam Sawyer)
Original version from the album Diana Ross
Motown Records, 1976
I’m not much of a dancer, and my wife knows this all too well. I’m especially horrible at slow-dancing, so I was more than a little worried about the first dance at our wedding. All of my fears melted away, though, when she suggested that we take the floor to Diana Ross’ “Love Hangover.” We only had to slow-dance for a few moments during the song’s simmering intro, and then the entire wedding party joined us for a glorious disco explosion. My wife may have won $40,000 on Jeopardy!, but it’s in little moments like this where her true genius shines through…
“What is the best wedding dance ever, Alex.”
#1:
Paul McCartney & Wings: “Silly Love Boogie” (Paul & Linda McCartney)
From the album Wings At The Speed Of Sound
Capitol Records, 1976
I stumbled upon Wings Over America on Palladia while channel-surfing this morning. I worship Sir Paul, but for some reason I’ve never actually seen the film. What’s wrong with that? I’d like to know– ’cause here I go again, down to the record store to buy Wings Over America on blu-ray. The new remaster is amazing, and the band’s performance is flawless.
“Silly Love Songs” will always hold a special place in my heart, as the 45 was the first piece of McCartney music that I ever purchased on my own. Even in 1976, I knew a stone groove when I heard it. Every bass player on Earth wishes that they could bottle the bass sound on this track.
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Bonus Tracks!
The first rule of The Analog Kid blog is that if you write about a song on the Analog Kid blog, you share the song on the Analog Kid blog.
The Sylvers: “Hot Line” (Freddie Perren/Keni St. Lewis)
From the album Something Special
Capitol Records, 1976
Jefferson Starship: “Layin’ It On The Line” (Mickey Thomas/Craig Chaquico)
From the album Nuclear Furniture
Grunt Records, 1984
Starship: “We Built This City” (Bernie Taupin/Martin Page/Dennis Lambert/Peter Wolf)
From the album Knee Deep In The Hoopla
Grunt Records, 1985
Diana Ross: “Love Hangover” (Marilyn McLeod/Pam Sawyer)
From the album Diana Ross
Records, 1976
![Wings Over America [Disc 2]](https://analogkidblog.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/wings-over-america-disc-2.png)
Paul McCartney & Wings: “Silly Love Songs” (Paul & Linda McCartney)
From the album Wings Over America
Capitol Records, 1977
The Analog Kid 
She won on Jeopardy? Baby? Whoa.