1977 - "Peg" - Steely Dan

"Heeeeeyyyyyy, it will come back to you".

That was the lyric I grew up singing to myself.

Years later, I found out I'd been wrong. Despite this gaffe, the jazz and funk fusion of "Peg" by Steely Dan remains one of the catchiest tunes ever conceived. 

The track sounds like an ode to 70s music. There's a funky bass. Guitar solos weave in and out. And the ubiquitous Michael McDonald sings backup vocals, always a treat.

The cynical lyrics aside, this one's been always about the music. That infectious groove.

Other favourites from 1977: 

"Barracuda" – Heart

"Dreams" – Fleetwood Mac

"Mainstreet" – Bob Seger

1976 - "Year of the Cat" - Al Stewart

1976 was probably the first year I really started paying attention to music on the radio. Ever since I first heard this as a 7-year-old in the back of my parents' station wagon, I've adored this song with the cryptic title. 

It's a poem. It's a movie. It's the sound of nostalgia. The vocals are almost narrated and delivered with elegance. And the music, the magical music flows.  "Year of the Cat" by Al Stewart is one of the most moving singles ever released. It gives me all the feels.

I've never been a big fan of love songs. At least not the sappy, cliché-riddled ones, those which inevitably included the word 'love' in the title.

The lyrics paint a few literal images, notably the epic "She comes out of the sun in a silk dress running like a watercolor in the rain", but mostly the story being told has an elusive feel to it... 

Musically beautiful, lyrically poetic and masterfully produced. There's the iconic solo trinity: the intro piano solo. Later, a guitar solo. And a sax solo as a wrap. 

Clocking in at over six minutes it may seem long, but I've always found it's over far too soon. That's the sign of a great tune, so much that this classic easily falls in my top 10 of all time.

Al Stewart compares songwriting to cinema: "I want to show you a movie when I’m playing a song." Here's to us all to finding that hidden door in the blue-tiled walls of a market stall.

Other favourites from 1976:

"You Should Be Dancing" - Bee Gees 
Frantic dance floor filler with great bass and guitar.

"Blitzkrieg Bop" – Ramones 
Raw and raucous and ground zero for punk. 

"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" – Gordon Lightfoot
An eloquent delivery of a tragic story.

1975 - "SOS" - ABBA

Sometimes the most popular songs are also the best ones. "SOS" by ABBA is pure, unadulterated ear candy.

A twirling synth replaces the mournful piano in the verses before getting swept aside by an euphoric runaway chorus. A big, fat chorus highlighted by uplifting harmonies and shimmering acoustic guitar.

"SOS" is also one of the most dramatic examples of the 'sad verse, happy chorus' formula perfected by alternative artists in the 1980s. Musically, it's a pop masterpiece.

Other favourites from 1975: 

"Lyin' Eyes" – Eagles
Another song that Dad loved with crazy good harmonies.

"Rhinestone Cowboy" – Glen Campbell
One of the few country tunes I ever liked.

"Jive Talkin" – Bee Gees
A smoking bass line that gave birth to disco

1974 - "Sundown" - Gordon Lightfoot

In the mid-70s Dad would play vinyl from the Eagles, Bob Seger and Gordon Lightfoot on the hi-fi during stormy Saturday afternoons before Hockey Night in Canada. I wasn't buying music yet and had no choice but to enjoy or endure what my parents served up. This is a rare example of one of Dad's favourites that also became one of mine. 

While the melody in "Sundown" is so bright and catchy, the contrasting ominous lyrics wonder whether his partner has been cheating. The chorus is especially hypnotic, and the highlight when the harmony kicks in. Great sparing use of electric guitar. 

The tune can be equally enjoyed playing in the background or cranked.

Other favourites from 1974: 

"Dreamer" – Supertramp
Layers of organ and swirling guitar puts you in trance. 

"Machine Gun" – Commodores
Instrumental funky jam that's groovy as hell.

1973 - "Dream On" - Aerosmith

In the early 80s, I spent my allowance on the essentials of the era: arcade video games and K-Tel compilation records. The latter were ideal for exploring a diverse range of music genres, from classic rock to new wave, even country. One such disk was Pure Rock, a tribute to the 70s. The lead track "Dust In the Wind" by Kansas and Cheap Trick's "Dream Police" were once fave tunes. But it's that side one second song, a poignant power ballad, that stuck out then, and stays with me now. 

Little did I realize that "Dream On" was Aerosmith's debut single. 

Those simple yet profound lyrics make "Dream On" by Aerosmith an eternal classic.

And there's something about the progressive intensity that's incredibly appealing. Other obvious highlights include Steven Tyler's insane vocal range and Joe Perry's effortless chord changes.

1973 Honourable Mentions:

"The Ballroom Blitz" – Sweet
An infectious glam rock classic guaranteed to fill the dance floor.

"Bad Bad Leroy Brown" – Jim Croce 
A fun, melodic number immortalizing King Kong and junkyard dogs.