#AtoZChallenge 1970's Billboard Hits - O is for...


Today the #AtoZChallenge  brings us to the letter O. These three songs were the top ‘O’ songs according to the Billboard Hot 100 Year-End lists.


But first, if you haven’t had the opportunity to vote in the current battle of the bands, I’d like to encourage you to do so. You can find the battle HERE. Voting ends Thursday, April 20 @ 6pm EST.

Okay… moving on to today’s songs:


1971 - One Bad Apple - The Osmonds

"One Bad Apple" was a number-one hit single released by The Osmonds on November 14, 1970. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on January 2, 1971. It hit the top of the chart on February 13, 1971 and stayed there for five weeks. It also reached number six on the R&B chart. Billboard ranked it as the No. 4 song for 1971.

The song was written by George Jackson, who originally had the Jackson 5 in mind when he wrote it. The Osmonds' version coincidentally sounded like the Jackson 5 to the point many mistook the Osmonds for the Jacksons on the song when first hearing it. According to Donny Osmond, Michael Jackson later told him that the Jackson 5 almost recorded this song first, but chose to record "ABC" instead.

"One Bad Apple" was also used as the theme to The Osmonds cartoon show on ABC-TV.





1974 - One Hell Of A Woman - Mac Davis

"One Hell of a Woman" is a 1974 song by the American singer-songwriter Mac Davis. The song was written by Davis and Mark James. Released as a single from his album of the same name the song became Davis' second Top 20 hit on the U.S. pop chart, where it peaked at #11 in the fall of 1974. The song remained in the Top 40 for ten weeks. It spent a total of 28 weeks on the national charts, 10 weeks longer than did his number-one hit, "Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me." Unusually for Davis, the song did not chart on the American country charts.





1975 - One Of These Nights - Eagles

"One of These Nights" is a song written by Don Henley and Glenn Frey and recorded by the American rock band Eagles. The title track from their One of These Nights album, the song became their second single to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart after "Best of My Love" and also helped propel the album to number one. The single version was shortened from the album version of the song, removing most of the song's intro and most of its fade-out, as well. Henley is lead vocalist on the verses, while Randy Meisner sings high harmony (not lead) on the refrain. The song features a guitar solo by Don Felder that is "composed of blues-based licks and sustained string bends using an unusually meaty distortion tone."

The song was a conscious attempt by the band to write something different from a country-rock and ballad-type song. Don Henley said: "We like to be a nice little country-rock band from Los Angeles ... about half the time." He added: "We wanted to get away from the ballad syndrome with "One of These Nights." With Don Felder in the band now, we can really rock." Frey said that they "wanted 'One of These Nights' to have a lot of teeth, a lot of bite—a nasty track with pretty vocals."

I apologize if the following video is blocked in your country. I sorted through several pages on youtube trying to find one that was unrestricted, but came up empty handed.

For Canadian Viewers - Here is an alternate video (Thank you Debbie Doglady!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry_jCQ5fMLw






Be sure to follow the 2017 AtoZ Challenge playlist for all of the songs featured in this years challenge.




Did you listen to any of these tunes in the 70's?  Would you like to know more about these artists in future posts? Let me know in the comments.

What does tomorrow bring?
Tomorrow brings us the letter 'P'. 
Any guesses as to which Billboard Hits from the 70s will be showcased?






Comments

  1. The Osmonds and The Jacksons were a taste I never acquired, but they sure were popular! That Mac Davis song sounds vaguely familiar. The Eagles had some great tunes. Found an alternate video for others in Canada:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry_jCQ5fMLw

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Debbie!

      I was having such a difficult time finding something that would work for everyone. I've updated my post to include the alternate as well a a link back to your page :)

      ~Mary

      Delete
  2. Hi Mary. I just spotted you're a cancer survivor. Me too. I've been clean for nearly 20 years (after being told by my surgeon he didn't think I'd make a year!) How are you doing? Have a great week. O is for Ongoing Opportunites as you Build a Better Blog ~ #atozchallenge

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for asking, Shirley!

      I am now almost 2 1/2 yrs cancer free. We caught it in it's very early stages and everything was removed with one surgery. 20 years is a huge success story! That is so awesome.

      Thank you for stopping by!

      ~Mary

      Delete
  3. Numerous times have I belted out One Bad Apple and One of These Nights. Loved the Osmonds when I was little. The Eagles were an awesome band. And thanks Debbie for the link as I can't see the video in New Zealand.

    Suzy at Someday Somewhere - Open Doors

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    Replies
    1. I loved the Eagles. They had some really great songs. It made me quite sad when Glen Frey passed last year.

      ~Mary

      Delete
  4. "One Hell of a woman"-me likes. I feel like singers were so humble in the earlier days hearing their song on the radio perhaps in a convertible with their hair blowing in the wind.
    O is for Oates

    http://theglobaldig.blogspot.com/2017/04/o-is-for-oates-joyce-carol-oates.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh it must be a real thrill to hear your song on the radio for the first time. Almost as nice as seeing your name in lights on the marquee outside.

      ~Mary

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  5. Ooh, I do love me some Eagles. I never heard 'One Bad Apple'. Cute!

    http://darlamsands.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Watch out! That One Bad Apple tune might get stuck in your head. I know it got stuck in mine for a day or two.

      ~Mary

      Delete
  6. Oh man...I remember the Osmond hit and those jumpsuits! The 70's was just so bad for fashion! I was never a Mac Davis fan. I couldn't play the Eagles song but I know it well.

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    1. When I first saw the Osmond video, I thought they were trying to mimic Elvis with the jumpsuits. Later, I watched an interview with Donny Osmond where he stated that they had the same tailor as Elvis. I'm guessing that's how the jumpsuits came to look similar.

      Thanks, Birgit, for stopping in to show your support.

      ~Mary

      Delete
  7. WE WANT THE BEE GEES!
    BRING BACK THE BEE GEES!

    NO BEE GEES -- NO PEACE!
    NO BEE GEES -- NO PEACE!

    (I'm busy at work today, obviously.)

    ~ D-FensDogG
    Check out my new blog @
    (Link:] Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Stephen Darlin'

      The Bee Gees didn't have any 'O' hits. Sadly, you're going to have to wait until 'S' and hopefully little bro Andy will soothe your desire.

      I'm surprised you didn't have anything to say about Mac Davis.

      ~Mary

      Delete
    2. MMQE, I've never given a whole lotta thought to ol' Mac. He was a bit too White Bread Country for me. I got soul, Sistah! I even gotta "Basketball Jones"!

      (Now I have to go to the Urban Dictionary site and find out what that means.)

      ~ D-FensDogG
      Check out my new blog @
      (Link:] Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...

      Delete
    3. That phrase.... I don't think it means what you think it means!

      White Bread Country.. now that's a term I may need to look up.

      ~M

      Delete
  8. U have already heard how I feel about Osmands never heard the Mac Davis song so that leaves ne on songs on this weeks list and I do have it on a Greatest hit by them but there are other Eagles I like better
    Roger

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    1. Hey Roger,

      So you hadn't heard the Mac Davis song before. What did you think of it?

      ~Mary

      Delete
  9. Eagles has always been a favorite of mine... I played this one twice... hehehehe~ Great job girlfriend!!! Hope you stop by me too... if you have giveaways or reviews Post them on my linky and anyone else that wants too! ALL IS WELCOME! :) ROCK ON SISTA!!!! hugs

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Marie!

      I have really enjoyed the Eagles through the years. Thanks for stopping by!

      ~Mary

      Delete
  10. O is for OSMONDS! I am a totally old woman that loved Donny and the Osmonds from the git go and still do! Saw Donny and Marie a few yrs back for a Christmas concert in Nashville. And the Eagles....amazing group. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. I can't say that I've met Donny or Marie, but I did get one of the other Osmond brother's autograph many many years ago. Loved the Eagles.

      ~Mary

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  11. After listening to the Mac Davis song I remembered it--didn't know of it from the title. Gosh, hadn't heard that one in 40 years I guess.

    "One of These Nights" is such a great song with so many memories attached for me. Never tire of that one.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Lee

      I could listen to the entire Eagles catalog over and over. It's great road trip music.

      ~Mary

      Delete
  12. Mary,

    "One Bad Apple" great fun song. Donnie Osmond was on DWTS Monday night singing a song from Mulan. Mac Davis is one of those 70s artists I often forget about but I do remember watching his TV program. He had some good some songs, like today's feature. Maybe I need to get one of his albums to keep his mewsic fresh in my mind. :) The Eagles...oh I love them! "One of These Nights" great, great song! Girl, you're pulling out all the stops with your theme revealing some lost treasures from the decade. Thanks!

    Art Sketching Through the Alphabet “O” (Owl)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Cathy!

      I do aim high, with the hopes that everyone enjoys and has a good time here.

      Thanks for stopping by!

      ~Mary

      Delete
  13. I am way too young too remember any of these songs lol.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Youngsters... smh. Have you ever heard any of them at all? Music is timeless and should be enjoyed through all the decades.

      ~Mary

      Delete
  14. Good ones here! The story on "One Bad Apple" reminded me of the joke on the first Cheech and Chong album, "Now back to our movie, 'The Jackson 5 Story' starring The Osmond Brothers!"

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    Replies
    1. HaHa! I hadn't heard that before, but it's hilarious!

      Thanks, John!

      ~Mary

      Delete
  15. I am not crazy about any of these songs. I am not the biggest Eagles fan although I love some of their songs to death, among them, Hotel California.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. eh, well.. you win some, you lose some. Not everyone will like everything I post all the time. :)

      ~Mary

      Delete
  16. If you think about it - there were quite a few musical groups in the 70's that wore the jumpsuits and had dance routines. I think it was just the style and trend for the time.

    ~Mary

    ReplyDelete

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