In 1977, I began my annual countdown of the top hits of the year. My New Year’s Eve Party was to place to be if you had a love of music, and were anxious to hear Don Swan’s pick for the #1 song of the year. The countdown had a thirteen-year run through 1990. Some of the greatest Rock hits I played:  Tonight’s The Night (Gonna’ Be Alright)-Rod Stewart;  Hotel California-Eagles;  Things We Do For Love-CC;  Three Times A Lady-Commodores;  It’s A Heartache-Bonnie Tyler;  Lifes Been Good-Joe Walsh;  Dust In The Wind–Kansas;  Too Much Heaven & Tragedy-Bee Gees;  We Are Family-Sister Sledge. (Favorites in bold & italics.)

MORE OF MY GREATEST POP/ROCK SONGS In Random Order:

I Am . . . I Said, Love On The Rocks, Sweet Caroline,  Girl You’ll Be A Woman Soon, Cracklin’ Rose–Neil Diamond;

Free Fallin’,  It’s Good To Be King,  Learning To Fly,  Into The Great Wide Open–Tom Petty;

Me And You And A Dog Named Boo,  I Want You To Want Me–Lobo;

Night Moves,  Still The Same (1978)–Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band;

Cheeseburger In Paradise,  Volcano,  Margaretville,  He Went To Paris–Jimmy Buffett;

Urgent,  Hot Blooded,  I Want To Know What Love Is, Waiting For A Girl Like You–Foreigner; 

Feeling Stronger Every Day,  If You Leave Me Now,  Hard To Say I’m Sorry–Chicago;

The Tide Is High,  Rapture–Blondie;

Rhiannon,  Gold Dust Woman,  The Chain,  Tusk–Fleetwood Mac;

Jack & Diane,  Little Pink Houses–John J. Mellencamp;

Sultans Of Swing,  Money For Nothing–Dire Straights; 

Californication,  Otherwise–Red Hot Chili Peppers;

Kodachrome–Graceland,  You Can Call Me Al- Paul Simon

Material Girl (1984)–Madonna;  We’re All Alone-Boz Skaggs

You Don’t Send Me Flowers Anymore–Barbara Streisand & Neil Diamond;

Killing Me Softly With His Song–Roberta Flack;  Touch Of Grey–Jerry Garcia;

Every Breath You Take–The Police;

What’s Love Got To Do With It–Tina Turner;

She Drives Me Crazy–Fine Young Cannabis;

Uneasy Rider-Charlie Daniels Band

Bullet With Butterfly Wings–Smashing Pumpkins;

The Boxer–Simon & Garfunkel;

Boys Of Summer,  Dirty Laundry–Don Henley;   

Angry Like The Wolf–Duran Duran;

Maneater-Hall & Oates;

I Love The Nightlife (1978)–Alica Bridges;

Losing My Religion–R.E.M.;  Drive–The Cars:

We Don’t Talk Anymore–Cliff Richard (1979); 

She Believes In Me–Kenny Rogers (1979);  Imaginary Lover–Atlanta Rhythm Section (1978);

Driver’s Seat–Sniff N’ The Tears;  Dreams–Van Halen;

Right Down The Line–Gerry Rafferty;  Tainted Love–Soft Cell;

I Go Crazy-Paul Davis (1977);

Land Of The Dragon–Wilson Pickett;  Do You Know What I Mean–Leon Michaels;

Hush–Deep Purple;  Sometimes When We Touch–Dan Hill & Gloria Gaynor;

I Can See For Miles,  I’m Free,  Pinball Wizard–The Who;      

Feel Like Making Love–Bad Company;  Unbreak My Heart–Toni Braxton;

One Sweet Day–Marvin Gaye & Boyz To Men;  You And Me–Alice Cooper;

Imagine,  Watching The Wheels–John Lennon;

You’ve Got A Friend–James Taylor;

Born To Run,  Badlands,  Dancing In The Dark,  Hungry Heart–Bruce Springsteen;

Nobody But Me–Human Bienz;  I Touch Myself–Divinyls;

Couldn’t Get It Right–Climax;  Morning Train–Sheena Easton;

I Like Dreaming–Kenny Nolan; Drift Away–Dobie Gray;  

Cool Changes–Little River Band;  Bette Davis Eyes–Kim Carnes;

I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll–Joan Jet & The Black Hearts;

Private Eyes–Daryl Hall & John Oates;  Funky Cold Medina–Tone Loc;

Every Time You Go Away–Paul Young;  

Steal Away–Robert Dupree; Monkey–George Michael;

Werewolves Of London–Warren Zevon;  I Will Survive–Gloria Gaynor;

We Don’t Talk Anymore–Cliff Richard (1979);  One Headlight–The Wallflowers; 

I’m Not In Love–Will To Power;  Don’t Stop Believin’ (1981)–Journey;

You Spin Me’Round (Like A Record) (1985)–Dead Or Alive;

Addicted To Love–Robert Palmer (1985);  The Safety Dance-Men Without Hats;

Everybody Wants To Rule The World (1985)–Tears For Fears;

Thriller–Michael Jackson (1982);  Jessie’s Girl–Rick Springfield (1981);

Take My Breath Away–Berlin;  With  A Little Luck–Wings (1978);

It’s A Heartache–Bonnie Tyler (1978);  On My Own-Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald;

We Don’t Talk Anymore–Cliff Richard (1979);  Higher Love–Steve Winwood;

I Just Fall In Love Again–Anne Murray (1979);   Rock Me Amadeus–Falco;

What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted (1983)–David Ruffin; 

Is She Really Going Out With Him–Joe Jackson (1979)

True Colors–Cyndi Lauper (1986):  Footloose–Kenny Loggins;

You Give Love A Bad Name–Bon Jovi (1986);

From A Distance–Bette Midler (1990);  Draggin’ The Line–Tommy James (1991);

 TOP ROCK: 

I Can’t Get No Satisfaction—   Start Me Up– Pretty Woman—  Rockin’ In The Free World-Whole Lotta’ Love–  Me And Bobbie McGee–  Rocket Man–  Smoke On The Water–   Sultans Of Swing–  Life’s Been Good To Me (So Far)–  Won’t Get Fooled Again–   Born To Run–   Long Cool Woman In a Black Dress–  Free Fallin’—  Great Balls Of Fire–   Whole Lotta’ Shaking–  You Really Got Me–  Eve Of Destruction–  For Your Love–  Go Now– Seventh Son–

Memphis—  Love Portion Number Nine–  Tell Her No–  She’s About A Mover–  All Of The Day and All Of the Night, Lola–Kinks;    Celebrate–-Three Dog Night;    A Whiter Of Pale–-Procol Harmen;    Hello I Love You–The Doors;    Show Me The Way–-Peter Framptom;    Born To Be Wild–-Steppenwolf;    Here Comes The Night–-Them;  You Shook Me All Night Long–-AC/DC.

TOP POP–LITE:

Heart  of Gold—  Dueling Banjos–  Little Green Apples–  Girl You’ll Be A Woman Soon–American Pie–  Imagine–  Photograph—  Something–  Little Darlin–  Wake Up Little Susie–  Teddy Bear–  By By Love–  You Send Me–  Bits And Pieces–  The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss)–  The Little Old Lady–  The Girl From Ipenama–  Leader Of The Pack–  Chug-A-Lug–  Hey Little Cobra–  My Boy Lollipop–  Um, Um, Um ,Um, Um, Um–  I Got You Babe–  Baby Don’t Go–   Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte–  I Know A Place–  The Name Game–  The Game Of Love–  What’s New Pussycat–  Mr. Tambourine Man–  Down In The Boondocks–  I Like It Like That–  It’s Not Unusual–  She’s About A Mover–  Ferry Cross The Mersey–  California Girls–  Goldfinger–  Baby The Rain Must Fall–  Everybody Loves Somebody–  People–  A Summer Song–  Navy Blue—  Where Did Our Love Go–  It Hurts To Be In Love–  Come A Little Bit Closer–  A World Without Love–  Baby Love–  Glad All Over–  Under The Boardwalk–  Don’t Let The Rain Come Down–  Dead Man’s Curve–  Little G.T.O.

TOP POP–LOVE:

Fools Rush In–  Young Love–  Love Letters In The Sand–  Love Letters Straight From Your Heart–  Take My Breath Away–  It’s Now Or Never–  Can’t Help Falling In Love–  Let’s Stay Together–  Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love–  Endless Love & Young Love–  Do You Want To Know A Secret–  Please Please Me—   She Loves You–  Because–   Anyone Who Had A Heart–  See The Funny Little Clown–  Yes I’m Ready–  Back In My Arms Again–  Baby I’m Yours–  Red Roses For A Blue Lady–  I’m Telling You Now–  Little Things–  I Go To Pieces–  What The World Needs Now Is Love–  Save Your Heart For Me–  My Guy–  Last Kiss–  Walk On By–  Little Children–  Rag Doll–  Dawn—  Love Me With All Your Heart–  Let It Be Me–  Baby Love–  I Honestly Love You.

                TOP POP–ROMANTIC:

We’ve Got Tonight—  I Will Always You—  You Light Up My Life—  Hawaii Wedding Song–  Are You Lonesome Tonight—  If—  Have I Told You Lately That I Love You–  Unchained Melody–  It’s Now Or Never–  Endless Love–  I Can’t Stop Loving You–  I Just Called To Say I Love You—  Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying–  The Door Is Still Open To My Heart–  All By Myself.

              TOP SOUL–R&B:

I’m Walking–  Let’s Get It On–  When Doves Cry–  Superstition—  Soul Man–  All Night Long–  Respect–  On Blueberry Hill–  I Can’t Help Myself–  Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag–  The “In” Crowd–  Shotgun–  Stop! In The Name Of Love–

Tracks Of My Tears–  Nowhere To Run–  Rubberband Man– Johnny B Goode–  Dancin’ In The Street—  Why Can’t We Be Friends—  Louie Louie–  Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love–  Caribbean Queen–Billy Preston

                                 

TOP COUNTRY–BLUEGRASS:

I Walk The Line–  Ring Of Fire–  Sunday Morning Coming Down–  Coal Miners Daughter–  The Gambler–  I Fall To pieces–  Stand By Your Man–  Crazy Arms–  Jolene–  Blues Eyes Crying In The Rain–   Mama’s Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys,  Always On My Mind–  Cold Cold Heart–  Hello Walls–

Friends In Low Places–  Take It Easy–  I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry—  Wichita Lineman–  On The Other Hand—  He Stopped Loving Her Today—  

500 Miles Away From Home–  Sixteen Tons–  Blue Moon Of Kentucky–  Rolling  In My Sweet Baby’s Arms–  John Henry–  Wabash Cannonball–  A White Sport Coat (And A Pink Carnation)–Marty Robbins;   Storms Of Life–Randy Travis;   

      TOP GOSPEL:

How Great Thou Art–  I’ll Fly Away–  This Old House–  Amazing Grace–  Just A Little Talk With Jesus–  Peace In The Valley– Rock-A-My Soul– Daddy Sang Bass–  Power In The Blood–  The Great Speckled Bird–  Turn Your Radio On–  Wings Of A Dove–  Put Your Hand In The Hand–  Precious Memories– Why Me Lord.

                                                    DISCO:

I Love The Nightlife–  Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood (Disco Beat)–  Disco Inferno–  Night Fever–  Dancing Queen–  Disco Lady–  Hot Stuff.

RAP:

Gangsters Paradise— Collio.

 

WORST SONGS:

Pineapple Princess–  Yum Yum Yummy–  The Clapping Song–  Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)–  Dandelion–  Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go–  Achy Breaky Heart–  Sussudio–  Tuttifrutti–  Kung Fu Fighting–  Karma Chameleon,  Cherry Pie.
               

A few songs I liked after 1992 when I began enjoying pop music less:   My Heart Will Go On–Celine Dion,  I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing–Aerosmith and You’ll Be In My Heart–Phil Collins. Then came Adele,  Someone Like You, one of the best voices full of conviction and soul to come in decades.  Talking To The Moon–Bruno Mars;  All Of Me–John Legend;  Waiting For The World to Change-John Meyer;  I’ll Stand By You-The Pretenders; A Thousand Years–Christina Perri. OK, maybe post-1992 pop music isn’t so bad.

“THIS IS DON SWAN IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, I HOPE YOU’VE ENJOYED THIS JOURNEY AND THAT MY SONGS BROUGHT YOU AS MANY GOOD MEMORIES AS THEY DID FOR ME (and speaking in my best radio voice to my fans on the Worldwide Web), “THANKS FOR LISTENING, AH, READING.”

(Playing) Well, That’s All Right Mama., That’s Alright For You, That’s Alright Mama Just Any Way You Do . . .   

There may be some errors in these listings, although I made a concerted effort for accuracy. Some repeats are possible with listings in one or more categories. Hopefully, most of your favorites are included, and I might have overlooked a couple of my own.

Can’t believe I forgot Someboby’s Baby (non-live version) By Jackson Browne. Although the YouTube video kina’ riuns it.

*Photo Credits: Courtesy artists record labels, commons & Rolling stone magazine.