American Top 40 1974

Whatever you were doing in 1974 and whoever you were doing it with (or to), these are the songs you were doing it to, presented by the host who played the hits from coast to coast , Casey Kasem!

Events that shaped the Rock world in 1974

Rock World Loses a "Mama": The rock world mourned on July 29, when "Mama" Cass Elliot, former member of the popular 1960's group The Mamas and the Papas, was found dead in a hotel room that morning. She was only 30. Recovering from drug abuse, Cass was putting her life back together and pursuing a solo career when fate stepped in in the most tragic way. When news media members discovered a partially eaten ham sandwich on the table next to her bed, rumors abounded that she died from choking on the sandwich. Autopsy results, however, revealed the cause of death as cardiac arrest.

Disco Rocks the Boat: The 1970's biggest dance craze in music, disco, officially started in 1974 with the number one hit "Rock the Boat" by the Hues Corporation. Disco, a hybrid of the "Philadelphia Sound," with elements of soul and funk, took the rock and pop world by storm, spawning disco night clubs, hit movies, and of course, many hit singles and albums over the remainder of the decade. Adults and teens alike of all backgrounds and all races learned to "shake their booties" to the disco beats, starting with "Rock the Boat."

Fickle Fans: The Billboard Hot 100 and its weekly Top 40 tell the story: more number ones than any other year, record drops from number one, two songs dropping out of the Top 40 from within the Top 10 on the same week (one set a record), "wild rides" up and down the charts. Rock and Pop music fans made '74 a most interesting year, as they appeared to change their favorite songs often. During the 52 weeks of the year, 36 different songs would become number one for the week. This, by far, was a record for the Rock era. With this phenomenon, only three weeks at number one was enough to make Barbra Streisand's The Way We Were the year's number one song. It gets even more interesting. Not counting Christmas songs, Billy Preston's Nothing From Nothing set a record for the biggest drop from number one after one week when it fell to number 15 on October 26. The following week, the song that replaced it at the top, Then Came You by Dionne Warwicke and the Spinners, tied the record by falling to number 15. Three other songs during the Autumn months fell from 1 to 12. And, although most number one hits gradually make their way down the charts after being number one before falling off the Hot 100, (usually 8 to 10 weeks) it was not unusual for number one hits to fall completely off the Hot 100 in less than a month! As some songs fell off fast, others resurged. More than once songs would start to drop from their peak positions only to rise again, as two songs fell out of the Top 40 and re-entered a few weeks later. The most bizarre of these was Bachman-Turner Overdrive's You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet. In what turned out to be a prophetic song title, this hit reached number one, then fell to number 12, then number 34. Then, in a most stunning comeback, jumped back up to number 8 for 2 weeks, before starting downward again! A remarkable feat! Music fans most likely found many tunes that they liked for so much chart movement to happen in one year. 1974 was a year for the ages!

'Fab Four' Still Fab: Although The Beatles broke up four years earlier, their popularity remained strong as separate acts. During a 17-month period from June, 1973, to November, 1974, each former member of the 'Fab Four' scored at least one number one hit during that span, with Paul McCartney (& Wings) and Ringo Starr each having two. It showed that their individual talents and their fan appeal never ended with the Beatles -- it had only begun!

All of the songs that hit the weekly Top 40 pop charts in 1974, according to Billboard Magazine.

[ ]--Original Date of Entry Into Top 40
( )--Peak Position on Chart

Time In A Bottle--Jim Croce [see 1973] (#1)
The Joker--Steve Miller Band [see 1973] (#1)
Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)--Helen Reddy [see 1973] (#3)
The Most Beautiful Girl--Charlie Rich [see 1973] (#1)
Show And Tell--Al Wilson [see 1973] (#1)
Smokin' In The Boys' Room--Brownsville Station [see 1973] (#3)
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road--Elton John [see 1973] (#2)
Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up--Barry White [see 1973] (#7)
Living For The City--Stevie Wonder [see 1973] (#8)
I've Got To Use My Imagination--Gladys Knight & The Pips [see 1973] (#4)
Top Of The World--Carpenters [see 1973] (#1)
Helen Wheels--Paul McCartney & Wings [see 1973] (#10)
Let Me Be There--Olivia Newton·John [see 1973] (#6)
Hello It's Me--Todd Rundgren [see 1973] (#5)
The Way We Were--Barbra Streisand [see 1973] (#1)
You're Sixteen--Ringo Starr [see 1973] (#1)
Love's Theme--Love Unlimited Orchestra [see 1973] (#1)
Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)--Aretha Franklin [see 1973] (#3)
Are You Lonesome Tonight / When I Fall In Love--Donny Osmond [see 1973] (#14)
Me And Baby Brother--War [see 1973] (#15)
If You're Ready Come Go With Me--Staple Singers [see 1973] (#9)
Rockin' Roll Baby--Stylistics [see 1973] (#14)
Just You 'N Me--Chicago [see 1973] (#4)
Livin' For You--Al Green [see 1973] (#19)
Mind Games--John Lennon [see 1973] (#18)
D'yer Mak'er--Led Zeppelin [see 1973] (#20)
The Love I Lost (Part 1)--Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes [see 1973] (#7)
My Music--Loggins & Messina [see 1973] (#16)
Sister Mary Elephant--Cheech & Chong [see 1973] (#24)
Spiders And Snakes--Jim Stafford [see 1973] (#3)
Walk Like A Man--Grand Funk [see 1973] (#19)
Photograph--Ringo Starr [see 1973] (#1)
Who's In The Strawberry Patch With Sally--Dawn [see 1973] (#27)
Come Get To This--Marvin Gaye [see 1973] (#21)
Space Race--Billy Preston [see 1973] (#4)
Painted Ladies--Ian Thomas [see 1973] (#34)
Jungle Boogie--Kool & The Gang [1/5] (#4)
I Got A Name--Jim Croce [see 1973] (#10)
American Tune--Paul Simon [1/5] (#35)
If We Make It Through December--Merle Haggard [1/5] (#28)
Rock On--David Essex [1/12] (#5)
Joy, Pt. I--Isaac Hayes [1/12] (#30)
Americans--Byron MacGregor [1/12] (#4)
Put Your Hands Together--O' Jays [1/12] (#10)
Let Your Hair Down--Temptations [1/12] (#27)
Midnight Rider--Gregg Allman [1/19] (#19)
I Love--Tom T. Hall [1/19] (#12)
A Love Song--Anne Murray [1/19] (#12)
Baby Come Close--Smokey Robinson [1/19] (#27)
Jim Dandy--Black Oak Arkansas [1/26] (#25)
Abra-Ca-Dabra--DeFranco Family [1/26] (#32)
Boogie Down--Eddie Kendricks [1/26] (#2)
Last Time I Saw Him--Diana Ross [1/26] (#14)
Americans--Gordon Sinclair [1/26] (#24)
Dark Lady--Cher [2/2] (#1)
Sexy Mama--Moments [2/2] (#17)
Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)--Rolling Stones [2/2] (#15)
I Shall Sing--Garfunkel [2/9] (#38)
Seasons In The Sun--Terry Jacks [2/9] (#1)
I Like To Live The Love--B.B. King [2/9] (#28)
Can This Be Real--Natural Four [2/9] (#31)
Come And Get Your Love--Redbone [2/9] (#5)
Sunshine On My Shoulders--John Denver [2/16] (#1)
My Sweet Lady--Cliff DeYoung [2/16] (#17)
Trying To Hold On To My Woman--Lamont Dozier [2/16] (#15)
Eres Tu (Touch The Wind)--Mocedades [2/16] (#9)
Mockingbird--Carly Simon & James Taylor [2/16] (#5)
Last Kiss--Wednesday [2/16] (#34)
Energy Crisis '74--Dickie Goodman [2/23] (#33)
Jet--Paul McCartney & Wings [2/23] (#7)
There Won't Be Anymore--Charlie Rich [2/23] (#18)
Mighty Love Pt. I--Spinners [2/23] (#20)
Hooked On A Feeling--Blue Swede [3/2] (#1)
Rock And Roll Hootchie Koo--Rick Derringer [3/2] (#23)
Bennie And The Jets--Elton John [3/2] (#1)
Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me--Gladys Knight & The Pips [3/9] (#3)
The Lord's Prayer--Sister Janet Mead [3/9] (#4)
A Very Special Love Song--Charlie Rich [3/9] (#11)
Star--Stealer's Wheel [3/9] (#29)
Lookin' For A Love--Bobby Womack [3/9] (#10)
W.O.L.D.--Harry Chapin [3/16] (#36)
I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song--Jim Croce [3/16] (#9)
T.S.O.P.--M.F.S.B. [3/16] (#1)
Just Don't Want To Be Lonely--Main Ingredient [3/16] (#10)
We're Getting Careless With Our Love--Johnny Taylor [3/16] (#34)
Let It Ride--Bachman-Turner Overdrive [3/23] (#23)
Tell Me A Lie--Sami Jo [3/23] (#21)
I've Got A Thing About You Baby / Take Good Care Of Her--Elvis Presley [3/23] (#39)
I'll Be The Other Woman--Soul Children [3/23] (#36)
Touch A Hand, Make A Friend--Staple Singers [3/23] (#23)
Oh My My--Ringo Starr [3/23] (#5)
The Loco-Motion--Grand Funk [3/30] (#1)
Dancing Machine--Jackson 5 [3/30] (#2)
Tubular Bells--Mike Oldfield [3/30] (#7)
Keep On Singing--Helen Reddy [3/30] (#15)
My Mistake (Was To Love You)--Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye [3/30] (#19)
Outside Woman--Bloodstone [4/6] (#34)
(I've Been) Searching So Long--Chicago [4/6] (#9)
Piano Man--Billy Joel [4/6] (#25)
The Payback (Part 1)--James Brown [4/13] (#26)
I'm A Train--Albert Hammond [4/13] (#31)
Midnight At The Oasis--Maria Muldaur [4/13] (#6)
You Make Me Feel Brand New--Stylistics [4/13] (#2)
The Show Must Go On--Three Dog Night [4/13] (#4)
Star Baby--Guess Who [4/20] (#39)
The Entertainer--Marvin Hamlisch [4/20] (#3)
Help Me--Joni Mitchell [4/20] (#7)
Thanks For Saving My Life--Billy Paul [4/20] (#37)
Oh Very Young--Cat Stevens [4/20] (#10)
I Won't Last A Day Without You--Carpenters [4/27] (#11)
Mighty, Mighty--Earth, Wind, & Fire [4/27] (#29)
The Streak--Ray Stevens [4/27] (#1)
Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing--Stevie Wonder [4/27] (#16)
I'm In Love--Aretha Franklin [5/4] (#19)
Band On The Run--Paul McCartney & Wings [5/4] (#1)
For The Love Of Money--O' Jays [5/4] (#9)
My Girl Bill--Jim Stafford [5/4] (#12)
Billy Don't Be A Hero--Bo Donaldson & The Haywoods [5/11] (#1)
Let's Get Married--Al Green [5/11] (#32)
Sundown--Gordon Lightfoot [5/11] (#1)
Standing At The End Of The Line--Lobo [5/11] (#37)
If You Love Me Let Me Know--Olivia Newton·John [5/11] (#5)
Be Thankful For What You Got--William DeVaughn [5/18] (#4)
Hollywood Swingin'--Kool & The Gang [5/18] (#6)
One Hell Of A Woman--Mac Davis [5/25] (#11)
Save The Last Dance For Me--DeFranco Family [5/25] (#18)
You Won't See Me--Anne Murray [5/25] (#8)
Daybreak--Nilsson [5/25] (#39)
Another Park, Another Sunday--Doobie Brothers [6/1] (#32)
Son Of Sagittarius--Eddie Kendricks [6/1] (#28)
On And On--Gladys Knight & The Pips [6/1] (#5)
Haven't Got Time For The Pain--Carly Simon [6/1] (#14)
Sideshow--Blue Magic [6/8] (#8)
Air That I Breathe--The Hollies [6/8] (#6)
No Charge--Melba Montgomery [6/8] (#39)
If You Wanna Get To Heaven--Ozark Mountain Daredevils [6/8] (#25)
I'm Coming Home--Spinners [6/8] (#18)
Rikki Don't Lose That Number--Steely Dan [6/8] (#4)
Train Of Thought--Cher [6/15] (#27)
Annie's Song--John Denver [6/15] (#1)'Rock The Boat' was the first Disco Song
Rock The Boat--Hues Corporation [6/15] (#1)
Rock Your Baby--George McCrae [6/15] (#1)
Rock And Roll Heaven--Righteous Brothers [6/15] (#3)
Waterloo--ABBA [6/22] (#6)
Already Gone--Eagles [6/22] (#32)
Radar Love--Golden Earring [6/22] (#13)
Workin' At The Car Wash Blues--Jim Croce [6/29] (#32)
Finally Got Myself Together (I'm A Changed Man)--The Impressions [6/29] (#17)
If You Talk In Your Sleep--Elvis Presley [6/29] (#17)
Machine Gun--Commodores [7/6] (#22)
Fish Ain't Bitin'--Lamont Dozier [7/6] (#26)
Feel Like Makin' Love--Roberta Flack [7/6] (#1)
Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me--Elton John [7/6] (#2)
This Heart--Gene Redding [7/6] (#24)
Keep On Smilin'--Wet Willie [7/6] (#10)
Call On Me--Chicago [7/13] (#6)
Please Come To Boston--David Loggins [7/13] (#5)
The Night Chicago Died--Paper Lace [7/13] (#1)
Tell Me Something Good--Rufus featuring Chaka Khan [7/13] (#3)
Sure As I'm Sittin' Here--Three Dog Night [7/13] (#16)
Ballero--War [7/13] (#33)
Hang On In There Baby--Johnny Bristol [7/20] (#8)
Shinin' On--Grand Funk Railroad [7/20] (#11)
Rock Me Gently--Andy Kim [7/20] (#1)
You And Me Against The World--Helen Reddy [7/20] (#9)
Wildwood Weed--Jim Stafford [7/20] (#7)
(You're) Having My Baby--Paul Anka [7/27] (#1)
Rub It In--Billy "Crash" Craddock [7/27] (#16)
I'm Leaving It All Up To You--Donny & Marie Osmond [7/27] (#4)
My Thang--James Brown [8/3] (#29)
I Shot The Sheriff--Eric Clapton [8/3] (#1)
Wild Thing--Fancy [8/3] (#14)
Kung Fu--Curtis Mayfield [8/3] (#40)
Nothing From Nothing--Billy Preston [8/3] (#1)
Then Came You--Dionne Warwick & The Spinners [8/3] (#1)
Clap For The Wolfman--Guess Who [8/10] (#6)
Happiness Is Just Around The Bend--Main Ingredient [8/10] (#35)
Can't Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe--Barry White [8/10] (#1)
River's Risin'--Edgar Winter Group [8/10] (#33)
Beach Baby--First Class [8/17] (#4)
It's Only Rock And Roll--Rolling Stones [8/17] (#16)
Time For Livin'--Sly & The Family Stone [8/17] (#32)
Let's Put It All Together--Stylistics [8/17] (#18)
You Haven't Done Nothing--Stevie Wonder [8/17] (#1)
Who Do You Think You Are--Bo Donaldson & The Haywoods [8/24] (#15)
Sweet Home Alabama--Lynard Skynard [8/24] (#8)
Free Man In Paris--Joni Mitchell [8/24] (#22)
I Honestly Love You--Olivia Newton·John [8/24] (#1)
I Love My Friend--Charlie Rich [8/24] (#24)
Another Saturday Night--Cat Stevens [8/24] (#6)
Don't Change Horses (In The Middle Of The Stream)--Tower Of Power [8/24] (#26)
Can't Get Enough--Bad Company [8/31] (#5)
Earache My Eye--Cheech & Chong (featuring Alice Bowie) [8/31] (#9)
Sugar Baby Love--Rubettes [8/31] (#37)
Never My Love--Blue Swede [9/7] (#7)
Stop And Smell The Roses--Mac Davis [9/7] (#9)
Steppin' Out (Gonna Boogie Tonight)--Tony Orlando & Dawn [9/7] (#7)
You Little Trustmaker--The Tymes [9/7] (#12)
Jazzman--Carole King [9/14] (#2)
Do It Baby--Miracles [9/14] (#13)
Skin Tight--Ohio Players [9/14] (#13)
Tin Man--America [9/21] (#4)
Papa Don't Take No Mess--James Brown [9/21] (#31)
The Bitch Is Back--Elton John [9/21] (#4)
Love Me For A Reason--Osmonds [9/21] (#10)
Fallin' In Love--Souther, Hillman, Furay Band [9/21] (#27)
Surfin' U.S.A.--Beach Boys [9/28] (#36)
Life Is A Rock (But The Radio Rolled Me)--Reunion [9/28] (#8)
One Day At A Time--Marilyn Sellars [9/28] (#37)
Do It ('Til You're Satisfied)--B.T. Express [10/5] (#2)
You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet--Bachman-Turner Overdrive [10/5] (#1)
Kings Of The Party--Brownsville Station [10/5] (#31)
Back Home Again--John Denver [10/5] (#5)
Whatever Gets You Through The Night--John Lennon [10/5] (#1)
Carefree Highway--Gordon Lightfoot [10/5] (#10)
Give It To The People--Righteous Brothers [10/5] (#20)
Straight Shootin' Woman--Steppenwolf [10/5] (#29)
Honey Honey--ABBA [10/12] (#27)
Everlasting Love--Carl Carlton [10/12] (#6)
Devotion--Earth, Wind, & Fire [10/12] (#33)
Higher Plane--Kool & The Gang [10/12] (#37)
Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)--Raspberries [10/12] (#18)
My Melody Of Love--Bobby Vinton [10/12] (#3)
The Need To Be--Jim Weatherly [10/12] (#11)
I've Got The Music In Me--Kiki Dee Band [10/19] (#12)
Longfellow Serenade--Neil Diamond [10/19] (#5)
Second Avenue--Garfunkel [10/19] (#34)
When Will I See You Again--Three Degrees [10/19] (#2)
Wishing You Were Here--Chicago [10/26] (#11)
Distant Lover--Marvin Gaye [10/26] (#28)
So You Are A Star--Hudson Brothers [10/26] (#21)
Rockin' Soul--Hues Corporation [10/26] (#18)
Love Don't Love Nobody (Pt. I)--Spinners [10/26] (#15)
I Can Help--Billy Swan [10/26] (#1)
People Gotta Move--Gino Vanelli [10/26] (#22)
Cat's In The Cradle--Harry Chapin [11/2] (#1)
Sha-La-La (Make Me Happy)--Al Green [11/2] (#7)
After The Gold Rush--Prelude [11/2] (#22)
Angie Baby--Helen Reddy [11/2] (#1)
You Got The Love--Rufus [11/2] (#11)
Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)--Three Dog Night [11/2] (#33)
Doraville--Atlanta Rhythm Section [11/9] (#35)
Kung Fu Fighting--Carl Douglas [11/9] (#1)
You Can Have Her--Sam Neely [11/9] (#34)
Fairytale--Pointer Sisters [11/9]