All of the songs in the Billboard Top 5 for the week of August 23, 1975 actually reached #1 at some point. Four of the five also appeared in “Mr. Jaws,” Dickie Goodman’s classic novelty song. I’m not sure which achievement is more impressive…
Billboard Top 5: August 9, 1975
#5:
Glen Campbell: “Rhinestone Cowboy” (Larry Weiss)
From the album Rhinestone Cowboy
Capitol Records, 1975
My band often plays at a bar called The Barley House here in Dallas. The Barley has a great beer selection, good food, and a giant picture of Glen Campbell right next to the stage. Would it shock you to know that we learned “Rhinestone Cowboy” just so that we could pay homage to the homage of Glen at our Barley shows? I didn’t think so…
#4:
Bee Gees: “Jive Talkin'” (Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb)
From the album Main Course
R.S.O. Records, 1975
“Jive Talkin'” was the Bee Gees’ big comeback single. It had been four years since “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart” hit the Top 10, an eternity in ’70s pop music. To say that “Jive Talkin'” spawned an empire would not be an understatement, but I still think “Nights On Broadway” is a better song.
#3:
K.C. & The Sunshine Band: “Get Down Tonight” [7″ Version] (Casey/Finch)
T.K. Records, 1975
Sometime in the summer of 1975, I remember my mother taking me to a mall somewhere in the San Fernando Valley for an afternoon of fun. We had lunch at Kaplan’s Deli (I always had a hamburger), and then she took me into Licorice Pizza and told me to pick out one album. It must have been in July around my birthday, as albums were a luxury for a poor family like mine. An actual LP was a very special gift for me, and I knew I had to choose just the right one. After much deliberation, I finally settled on the self-titled album from K.C. & The Sunshine Band. I was only eight years old, but I can remember this day like it was yesterday. Thanks, Mom!
#2:
Eagles: “One Of These Nights” (Glenn Frey/Don Henley)
From the album One Of These Nights
Asylum Records, 1975
“One Of These Nights” had reached #1 three weeks earlier on August 2nd, and then it lost the top spot to “Jive Talkin'”the next week and fell to #3. “One Of These Nights” then moved back up to #2 on August 23rd, and I can tell you why the song had such staying power: it really is a perfectly-crafted pop song. That falsetto chorus still gets me every time.
#1:
Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds: “Fallin’ In Love” (Dan Hamilton/Ann Hamilton)
From the album Fallin’ In Love
Playboy Records, 1975
Like the Bee Gees, the trio of Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds hadn’t hit the Top 10 since 1971 (“Don’t Pull Your Love” reached #4 on July 24, 1971). Unlike the Bee Gees, Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds would never have another Top 10 hit.
Bizarre but true: Tommy Reynolds wasn’t even in the band when “Fallin’ In Love” went to #1. Reynolds had left the group in 1972 and was replaced by Alan Dennison, but the band decided to keep its original name.
More bizarre but true: “Fallin’ In Love” was released on Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Records label. I didn’t know that until today, and now I’m pretty sure I’ll never hear the song the same way again. Until today, I always heard a sweet love song with beautiful harmonies– now, I picture Hugh Hefner and Barbi Benton (another Playboy Records artist) doing bad things. Now if I can just get rid of the image of Hugh, I might end up liking this trade-off…
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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.
Bee Gees: “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart” (Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb)
From the album Trafalgar
Polydor Records, 1971
How Can You Mend A Broken Heart
Bee Gees: “Nights On Broadway” (Barry. Robin & Maurie Gibb)
From the album Main Course
R.S.O. Records, 1975
K.C. & The Sunshine Band: “Get Down Tonight” (Casey/Finch)
From the album K.C. & The Sunshine Band
T.K. Records, 1975
Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds: “Don’t Pull Your Love” (Dennis Lambert/Brian Potter)
From the album Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds
Dunhill Records, 1971
Dickie Goodman: “Mr. Jaws” (Dickie Goodman)
From the album Mr. Jaws And Other Fables
Cash Records, 1975
The Analog Kid 
That’s a lovely story about you and your mom.
Thanks! Mom always knew how important music was to me. We didn’t have a lot of money, but there was always a dollar or two here and there so that I could buy some 45s.
I have to agree with you about Nights on Broadway. Very strong song with great vocals and a terrific driving bass line.