Search - Various Artists :: Billboard Top Hits: 1979

Those Were The Days!!

D. Hawkins | Denver, CO United States | 02/02/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ah, 1979. It was the last year that disco ruled the pop charts, new wave began its rise, rap had its first Top 40 hit ("Rapper's Delight"), and every newscast began with a countdown of the number of days hostages had been held in Iran. As a 9 year old, I heard these songs everywhere, from "My Sharona" played round the clock on the radio, to "Sad Eyes" and "Just When I Needed You Most" played during slow skate at the local roller rink. I saw most of these songs lip synced to on "Solid Gold" (remember that show?), where Dionne Warwick's hair got shorter every week. I thought Charlie Daniels was one bad dude when he was talking about the Devil coming down south, where I lived at the time! Who knew then that "Y.M.C.A." would become the most played song in the history of the universe? And though I've listened to it for 25 years without tiring of it, I still don't have the foggiest clue what Debbie Harry is singing on "Heart of Glass?!" Needless to say, this CD sums up one year better than just about any other Billboard collection to date. Memories usually don't come this cheap!!! As we said in 1979, "Na Noo, Na Noo.""

DISCO, COUNTRY AND BEAUTIFUL BALLADS

Pieter | Johannesburg | 09/06/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This excellent compilation contains four massive disco smashes, one stunning piece of power pop, three soulful ballads and one great country story song. The heavy presence of disco is to be expected since this dance style still rules the charts in 1979. I Will Survive and Y.M.C.A. became ageless club anthems, Ring My Bell is famous for its atmospheric syndrum effects and Heart Of Glass crossed the boundaries between new wave and disco in a big way. Escape (The Pina Colada Song) was a novelty hit and it still irritates me, but Just When I Needed You Most, Sad Eyes and Fire are great emotional ballads that have stood the test of time very well. The Devil Went Down To Georgia is still an amusing country song with some superb instrumental breaks. Nine great songs out of ten tracks make this one of the better Billboard compilations, reflecting all of the relevant styles that made 1979 such a great year for music."

A great mix of hits from 1979

Ei | Seekonk, Massachusetts | 07/24/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was 10 years old in 1979, and I remember listening to a lot of these songs on the radio, especially "Escape"(Pina Colada Song). It was one of my favorite songs back then.
This greatly eclectic mix of genres will bring back some great memories of a year that spurned some great music.
Disco was fading, but Blondie got her hooks into it with "Heart of Glass", which starts this disc off right.
"My Sharona", the one hit wonder of The Knack is on here, along with a few 70's party standards for fast dances, "I will survive", "YMCA", and "Ring my bell".
The slower songs are sad love songs: "Just when I needed you most" and "Sad Eyes".
This is fun album to have on and sing along with(karoake here i come...)in the car, or at home in the background at a party.
I've actually recognized it being played at clubs, between bands.
I am highly recommending this for 70's music fans! It's one of the greatest if not the best compliation album I've heard for that decade.Eileen Famiglietti"