This was a deep year, but a weak one. I’m actually not a huge Floyd fan, but in 1979 they were the cream of the crop with three of the five best songs (at least, according to my tastes). This was the year that Sony released the first Walkman. Remember those?
The “awesome” rankings here would be in the lower tier of awesome in other years. Again, lots of disco influence. At one point, disco songs made up eight of Billboard’s Top 10 songs. And I didn’t realize just how huge Donna Summer was, but she was pumping out the No.1 hits. I’m not a fan of that style, but I have to respect what she did to music and popular culture at that time.
In late August, My Sharona hit No.1 on the Billboard chart and it was the first time in a year that neither a disco song nor a ballad (slow song) was No.1. Rock ‘n roll broke through once again. This was also the first year that rap started to emerge, though it would be some years before it would become widespread.
Unlike most rankings, I won’t be simply tossing these up in a numerical order. Because I know better than anybody that on some days, some songs kick more ass than other songs. A song that is ranked 14th today could very well rank 1st tomorrow, if it suddenly comes on the radio during the perfect moment. So I’ll group them:
Awesome
Great
Solid
Not Bad
…with inter-group splitting.
First, videos of the best of the best from this year…
16 Great Songs from 1979
Beautiful Child – Fleetwood Mac
Underrated, beautiful tune
Breakfast In America – Supertramp
I love this song, and have from the outset. Again, this one reminds me of shifts as a stockboy at Zellers in Stratford. It often played over the loudspeaker. I’m very disappointed to have to use this video, rather than the actual Supertramp version. But Roger Hodgson and the band have been disputing songs for decades now, and any official version of the song on YouTube will just get pulled down shortly after I post. So here is Hodgson’s concert version, which he will leave up. His voice still holds up well and the version is actually pretty good.
Highway To Hell – AC/DC
Let’s Go – The Cars
My Sharona – The Knack
Tusk – Fleetwood Mac
I Got You – Split Enz
Take The Long Way Home – Supertramp
For the same reasons noted above, here is the non-Supertramp version of this great song. I love how each of Hodgson’s songs on YouTube make it very clear (in the title) that he wrote and composed them. True greatness gets credit via their legend. But some greats would rather not leave it to chance.
Music Box Dancer – Frank Mills
Okay, completely off the rails here. This is the opposite of rock n’roll. But try to stop this song once it’s been going for 10 seconds. You can’t. You’ll want to hear more. And by the time you’ve heard enough, it’s either done or practically done. Also – Frank Mills is Canadian.
Hey You – Pink Floyd
All My Love – Led Zeppelin
Chiquitita – ABBA
Heartache Tonight – Eagles
My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue) – Neil Young
Babe – Styx
Fool In The Rain – Led Zeppelin
5 Truly Awesome Songs from 1979
Another Brick In The Wall (part II) – Pink Floyd
Comfortably Numb – Pink Floyd
Say Hello – April Wine
Mother – Pink Floyd
Don’t Bring Me Down – Electric Light Orchestra
The above great tunes are on a YouTube playlist that you can find here
Here is the full list of my favorites from 1979…
| Awesome – 1 | Another Brick In The Wall (part II) | – | Pink Floyd |
| Awesome – 1 | Comfortably Numb | – | Pink Floyd |
| Awesome – 1 | Say Hello | – | April Wine |
| Awesome – 4 | Mother | – | Pink Floyd |
| Awesome – 4 | Don’t Bring Me Down | – | Electric Light Orchestra |
| Great – 6 | Breakfast In America | – | Supertramp |
| Great – 6 | Highway To Hell | – | AC/DC |
| Great – 6 | Let’s Go | – | The Cars |
| Great – 6 | My Sharona | – | The Knack |
| Great – 6 | Tusk | – | Fleetwood Mac |
| Great – 6 | I Got You | – | Split Enz |
| Great – 6 | Take The Long Way Home | – | Supertramp |
| Great – 13 | Music Box Dancer | – | Frank Mills |
| Great – 13 | Hey You | – | Pink Floyd |
| Great – 13 | All My Love | – | Led Zeppelin |
| Great – 13 | Chiquitita | – | ABBA |
| Great – 13 | Heartache Tonight | – | Eagles |
| Great – 13 | My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue) | – | Neil Young |
| Great – 13 | Babe | – | Styx |
| Great – 13 | Fool In The Rain | – | Led Zeppelin |
| Solid – 21 | Video Killed The Radio Star | – | Buggles |
| Solid – 21 | I Have A Dream | – | ABBA |
| Solid – 21 | Message In A Bottle | – | The Police |
| Solid – 21 | Escape (The Pina Colada Song) | – | Rupert Holmes |
| Solid – 21 | The Logical Song | – | Supertramp |
| Solid – 26 | Train In Vain | – | The Clash |
| Solid – 26 | Bad Case of Loving You | – | Robert Palmer |
| Solid – 26 | Crazy Little Thing Called Love | – | Queen |
| Solid – 26 | Goodbye Stranger | – | Supertramp |
| Solid – 26 | In The Evening | – | Led Zeppelin |
| Solid – 26 | London Calling | – | The Clash |
| Solid – 26 | Refugee | – | Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers |
| Solid – 26 | Dance The Night Away | – | Van Halen |
| Solid – 26 | Walking On The Moon | – | The Police |
| Solid – 26 | Cleveland Rocks | – | Ian Hunter |
| Solid – 26 | Money | – | The Flying Lizards |
| Solid – 26 | Fire | – | Pointer Sisters |
| Solid – 26 | Renegade | – | Styx |
| Solid – 26 | September | – | Earth, Wind & Fire |
| Not Bad – 40 | Every 1’s a Winner | – | Hot Chocolate |
| Not Bad – 40 | Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground) | – | The Jackson 5 |
| Not Bad – 40 | Stumblin’ In | – | Chris Norman & Suzi Quatro |
| Not Bad – 40 | Reunited | – | Peaches & Herb |
| Not Bad – 40 | I Fought the Law | – | The Clash |
| Not Bad – 40 | Cars | – | Gary Numan |
| Not Bad – 40 | Don’t Do Me Like That | – | Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers |
| Not Bad – 40 | Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) | – | ABBA |
| Not Bad – 40 | I Can’t Tell You Why | – | Eagles |
| Not Bad – 40 | Rock With You | – | Michael Jackson |
| Not Bad – 40 | Rock Lobster | – | The B-52’s |
| Not Bad – 40 | I’m Gonna Crawl | – | Led Zeppelin |
| Not Bad – 40 | Is She Really Going Out With Him? | – | Joe Jackson |
| Not Bad – 40 | Like a Lover, Like a Song | – | April Wine |
| Not Bad – 54 | Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough | – | Michael Jackson |
| Not Bad – 54 | Hot Stuff | – | Donna Summer |
| Not Bad – 54 | In The Navy | – | The Village People |
| Not Bad – 54 | Making Plans For Nigel | – | XTC |
| Not Bad – 54 | Voulez-Vous | – | ABBA |
| Not Bad – 54 | Wonderful Christmastime | – | Paul McCartney |
| Not Bad – 54 | Here Comes My Girl | – | Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers |
| Not Bad – 54 | I Don’t Like Mondays | – | The Boomtown Rats |
| Not Bad – 54 | I Was Made For Lovin’ You | – | Kiss |
| Not Bad – 54 | In the City | – | Eagles |
| Not Bad – 54 | Joe’s Garage | – | Frank Zappa |
| Not Bad – 54 | Lay It On The Line | – | Triumph |
| Not Bad – 54 | The Long Run | – | Eagles |
| Not Bad – 54 | Sara | – | Fleetwood Mac |
| Not Bad – 54 | Tragedy | – | Bee Gees |
| Not Bad – 54 | Shine a Little Love | – | Electric Light Orchestra |
| Not Bad – 54 | Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’ | – | Journey |
| Not Bad – 54 | Dreaming | – | Blondie |
| Not Bad – 54 | Does Your Mother Know | – | ABBA |
| Not Bad – 54 | We Don’t Talk Anymore | – | Cliff Richard |
| Not Bad – 54 | Heartbreaker | – | Pat Benatar |
| Not Bad – 54 | Born to be Alive | – | Patrick Hernandez |
| Not Bad – 54 | We Are Family | – | Sister Sledge |
| Not Bad – 54 | Working My Way Back To You | – | The Spinners |
| Not Bad – 54 | You Don’t Bring Me Flowers Anymore | – | Barbara Streisand and Neil Diamond |
| Not Bad – 54 | You Can’t Change That | – | Raydio |
Dobber's Take 
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