What possessed me to pick up Super Hit’s of the 70’s: Have a Nice Day in the first place will forever be a mystery. All I know is I was walking back across the store from the bathroom and suddenly I was standing in front of the music various artists section pawing through them. Taking into account that the music section at no time intersects my trip from bathroom to warehouse, this is stunning. But there I was. I felt money burning in my pocket and my fingers gravitated toward Volume 14. "Kung Fu Fighting!" I remember that song. "Jackie Blue?" Oh yea, "Jackie Blue!" "I’m Not in Love." I liked that song. "Wildfire?" The "Wildfire?" The girl, the horse, the ice storm? I have to have this.

The track list:

"Kung Fu Fighting" – Carl Douglas
"Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You" - Sugarloaf/Jerry Corbette
"Emma" – Hot Chocolate
"Chevy Van" – Sammy Johns
"So You Are a Star" – Hudson Brothers
"Up In a Puff Of Smoke" – Polly Brown
"Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance)" – Leo Sayer
"Jackie Blue" – Ozark Mountain Daredevils
"How Long" – Ace
"Wildfire" – Michael Murphy (THE "WildFire." The girl, the horse, the ice storm. Oh yea, and the Michael Murphy.)
"Magic" – Pilot
"I’m Not In Love" – 10cc

If you recognize any of all of these songs, you may be rushing out to a Borders near you to purchase this CD now (unless you already own it.) By and large these are the best songs to come off the radio between December ‘74 and July ’75. I enjoyed the songs I recognized as much as I expected to and I rediscovered songs I had forgotten I liked. Hey, I was 5 when these songs were hits. My brother and sister used to goad me into dancing to "Kung Fu Fighting," and into singing "Wildfire." (Maybe I should say "howling" instead of "singing.") I didn’t get "Chevy Van," but I remember liking it, and "How Long," and "Magic," and "I’m Not in Love."

I have no problem with the musical selections on this CD. In fact, it beats the heck out of the Britney/Backstreet Mafia.

The liner notes, I have a problem with. For the most part the notes just supply a little background. Until we get to "So You Are a Star." I quote from the notes. "The Hudson Brothers’ ‘So You Are a Star,’ which climbed to #21 in the fall of 1974, was a ringer for a Paul McCartney ballad. Actually, it was a weak imitation of a McCartney record back then, but a pretty fair approximation of what a McCartney record would sound like 10 years later, when the ex-Beatle was running low on inspiration." First of all, this doesn’t sound like McCartney of any period. I’ve listen to McCartney’s entire catalogue and I used to co-write a column for Good Day Sunshine magazine on Beatle solo work. This is a ringer alright, but for John Lennon. (The song starts with a very Strawberry Fields mellotron. That was John and John alone.) Huge, vast, massive difference to the intelligent listener. The 10cc song is a dead ringer for Paul’s mid 70’s ballads. And it’s a better song. Second, why is the writer using a one hit wonder to take pot shots at Paul McCartney? Does he think it bothers McCartney that he doesn't like him? Get a grip, man! I’m sure Paul is as impressed by his disdain as by my advocacy (can you say "Darkmistress who?") Third, the mid 80’s for Paul McCartney were about bad marketing decisions, not bad song writing. Pipes of Peace, Tug of War, Press to Play. But I digress.

Anyway, for light entertainment, this album is priceless. The liner notes should, however, be taken with roughly a half a shaker of salt.


Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Exercising