Billboard #1 Soul Songs Of 1977 Rankdown (COMPLETE)

[Soulsista]

SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED!

Soul Class Of 1977:
1. Soulsista
2. singingrulebritannia
3. wyckyd
4. Ivy Leegue™
5. ccarter1023
6. rowellfarm490
7. gonecountry
8. beyoncelover
9. Private Dancer
10. SHOOTER
11. mamooshka
12. Gonza'90
13. samo🦕
14. phieaglesfan712
15. BB🌕
16. #LisaRinna
17. aerodynamite
18. 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲
19. Mirago
20. DJDaveMick69
21. annoymous1
22. .indulgecountry
23. newpower

[Soulsista]

Today's extras are by this late singer from Arkansas. First, his final Top 10 hit. It peaked at #3 on the soul chart.

Love Is Better In The A.M. - Johnnie Taylor

---

The follow-up was his final Top 20 hit, peaking at #17 soul.

Your Love Is Rated X - Johnnie Taylor

[Soulsista]

Reveals will begin tomorrow!

Feel free to make some predictions in the meantime.

What songs do you think will make the top 5?

What songs do you think will make the bottom 5?

What song will have the highest SD? Lowest SD?

[Kelly's 10th Fan]

ah, I missed this! Tag me in the reveals though!

[Gonza'90]

What songs do you think will make the top 5?
Both Stevie songs, that's for sure. Also The Emotions and Marvin Gaye.

What songs do you think will make the bottom 5?
Float On and some of the lesser known songs.

What song will have the highest SD? Lowest SD?
Highest: The Commodores
Lowest: I Wish

[Private Dancer]

I believe The Emotions, I Wish, Got To Give It Up, Strawberry Letter 23 will make the top five.

^^Also, Float On is very well known

[Soulsista]

Reveals will begin in just a moment!

But first, a couple of extras. The breakthrough hit by the younger brother of The Bee Gees topped the charts in the US, Canada, Australia, Brazil, and Chile. It also crossed over to the soul chart, peaking at #19.

I Just Want To Be Your Everything - Andy Gibb

---

Next, the first charted single by this singer from Gary, Indiana. It peaked at #2 soul and #25 on the Hot 100, and also hit #1 in the UK. Co-produced by Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire.

Free - Deniece Williams

[Soulsista]

Welcome to the Billboard #1 Soul Songs Of 1977 Rankdown!

As a reminder, here are the 20 songs you were asked to rank:

Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet, Tender, Love) - The O'Jays
I Wish - Stevie Wonder
Don't Leave Me This Way - Thelma Houston
I've Got Love On My Mind - Natalie Cole
Tryin' To Love Two - William Bell
At Midnight (My Love Will Lift You Up) - Rufus feat. Chaka Khan
The Pride - The Isley Brothers
Got To Give It Up - Marvin Gaye
Whodunit - Tavares
Sir Duke - Stevie Wonder
Break It To Me Gently - Aretha Franklin
Best Of My Love - The Emotions
Easy - The Commodores
Slide - Slave
Strawberry Letter 23 - The Brothers Johnson
Float On - The Floaters
Keep It Comin' Love - K.C. & The Sunshine Band
It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me - Barry White
(Everytime I Turn Around) Back In Love Again - L.T.D.
Serpentine Fire - Earth, Wind & Fire


We kick off this rankdown with the song that has the 2nd lowest SD. Five people will get a perfect ranking, and only one person had this in their Top 10.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Soul Class Of '77}singingrulebritannia wyckyd Ivy Leegue™ ccarter1023 rowellfarm490 gonecountry beyoncelover Private Dancer SHOOTER mamooshka Gonza'90 samo🦕 phieaglesfan712 BB🌕 #LisaRinna aerodynamite 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 Mirago DJDaveMick69 annoymous1 .indulgecountry newpower Kelly's 10th Fan

[Soulsista]

20. Whodunit - Tavares

The lead single from their Love Storm album, "Whodunit" was the last of three soul #1s for the Tavares brothers. Also peaking inside the Top 25 on the Hot 100, it invokes several fictional detectives to help find a missing love interest, including Sherlock Holmes, Dirty Harry, and Kojak.

Four of the brothers are still with us. The oldest, Ralph, passed away in December 2021.


Stats
Chart Entry: March 26, 1977
Peak Date: May 21, 1977
Weeks At #1: 1
Weeks In Top 10: 7
Weeks On Chart: 17
Hot 100 Peak: #22

Points: 96
Average: 16.83
Standard Deviation: 2.933 (2nd lowest)

Private Dancer - 10

beyoncelover - 12
DJDaveMick69 - 12
newpower - 13
gonecountry - 14
mamooshka - 15

Soulsista - 16
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 16
rowellfarm490 - 17
samo🦕 - 17
Mirago - 17
annoymous1 - 17
singingrulebritannia - 18
Gonza'90 - 18
BB🌕 - 18
wyckyd - 19
SHOOTER - 19
#LisaRinna - 19
Ivy Leegue™ - 20
ccarter1023 - 20
phieaglesfan712 - 20
aerodynamite - 20
.indulgecountry - 20

Observing
Kelly's 10th Fan


Next: another song that was pretty much tanked, as there are sixteen bottom 5s. On the flip side, four of you will lose a Top 10.

[gonecountry]

What songs do you think will make the top 5?
Both Stevie songs. The Emotions and Marvin Gaye. Hopefully KC.

Not sure about the rest.

[SHOOTER]

This was a mess lol

[Soulsista]

19. Tryin' To Love Two - William Bell

Born in Memphis, William Bell was the first male soloist to sign with Stax Records, staying with them for over a decade before signing with Mercury. It was there that he recorded his biggest hit. In addition to topping the soul chart, "Tryin' To Love Two" was William's only single to reach the Top 40 on the Hot 100 and was a million seller.


Stats
Chart Entry: December 11, 1976
Peak Date: April 2, 1977
Weeks At #1: 1
Weeks In Top 10: 8
Weeks On Chart: 26
Hot 100 Peak: #10

Points: 127
Average: 15.48
Standard Deviation: 5.342 (5th highest)

wyckyd - 3
DJDaveMick69 - 4
.indulgecountry - 6
gonecountry - 9

Mirago - 11
ccarter1023 - 13
phieaglesfan712 - 14

beyoncelover - 16
newpower - 16
Gonza'90 - 17
BB🌕 - 17
#LisaRinna - 17
Private Dancer - 18
annoymous1 - 18
singingrulebritannia - 19
Ivy Leegue™ - 19
aerodynamite - 19
Soulsista - 20
rowellfarm490 - 20
SHOOTER - 20
mamooshka - 20
samo🦕 - 20
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 20

Observing
Kelly's 10th Fan


Two more Top 10s will be lost with the next reveal. Eleven others will rid themselves of a bottom 5.

[Soulsista]

18. Slide - Slave

One of the many funk bands out of Dayton, Ohio, Slave scored their biggest hit with their debut single "Slide". It topped the soul chart and was their only Top 40 hit on the Hot 100.


Stats
Chart Entry: May 21, 1977
Peak Date: July 30, 1977
Weeks At #1: 1
Weeks In Top 10: 10
Weeks On Chart: 20
Hot 100 Peak: #32

Points: 136
Average: 15.09
Standard Deviation: 3.103 (4th lowest)

Gonza'90 - 9
BB🌕 - 10

wyckyd - 11
Ivy Leegue™ - 11
aerodynamite - 12
singingrulebritannia - 13
rowellfarm490 - 14
beyoncelover - 14
SHOOTER - 14
Soulsista - 15
DJDaveMick69 - 15
.indulgecountry - 15

samo🦕 - 16
phieaglesfan712 - 16
Mirago - 16
annoymous1 - 16
Private Dancer - 17
mamooshka - 17
ccarter1023 - 18
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 19
newpower - 19
gonecountry - 20
#LisaRinna - 20

Observing
Kelly's 10th Fan


The next reveal has the 2nd highest SD. Ten more bottom 5s will say goodbye, along with seven Top 10s...including two #1s. 👀

[Soulsista]

17. Float On - The Floaters

Formed in Detroit, The Floaters consisted of brothers James and Paul Mitchell, Ralph Mitchell (unrelated to the former two), Charles Clark, and Larry Cunningham. Their breakthrough single, "Float On", was their biggest hit, topping the soul chart and peaking inside the Top 5 on the Hot 100. The verses combine astrological signs and video and phone dating, which were popular at the time. "Float On" was Billboard's top soul single for 1977, and was parodied in the Cheech & Chong song "Bloat On".

Two of the members are no longer with us. Larry passed away in 2019, and Paul passed away in December 2021.

Apologies to phieaglesfan712 and Mirago...


Stats
Chart Entry: June 25, 1977
Peak Date: August 13, 1977
Weeks At #1: 6
Weeks In Top 10: 13
Weeks On Chart: 20
Hot 100 Peak: #2

Points: 185
Average: 12.96
Standard Deviation: 6.321 (2nd highest)

phieaglesfan712 - 1
Mirago - 1
gonecountry - 4
annoymous1 - 4
Ivy Leegue™ - 7
SHOOTER - 7
Private Dancer - 8

wyckyd - 12
samo🦕 - 12
Soulsista - 14
DJDaveMick69 - 14
.indulgecountry - 14
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 15

rowellfarm490 - 16
singingrulebritannia - 17
ccarter1023 - 17
#LisaRinna - 18
aerodynamite - 18
mamooshka - 19
beyoncelover - 20
Gonza'90 - 20
BB🌕 - 20
newpower - 20

Observing
Kelly's 10th Fan


Five more Top 10s go down with the next reveal. Six others will shed a bottom 5.

[SHOOTER]

Just disrespectful!

[Soulsista]

16. Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet, Tender, Love) - The O'Jays

The follow-up to their #1 soul hit "Message In Our Music", "Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet, Tender, Love)" matched that success on the soul chart. It was the last single to feature vocals from Michael Powell, who passed away from cancer in 1977 at just the age of 35.

The song was later sampled in Big Pun's "I'm Not a Player".


Stats
Chart Entry: November 27, 1976
Peak Date: January 8, 1977
Weeks At #1: 1
Weeks In Top 10: 10
Weeks On Chart: 16
Hot 100 Peak: #72

Points: 187
Average: 12.87
Standard Deviation: 3.468 (6th lowest)

samo🦕 - 8
wyckyd - 9
ccarter1023 - 9
SHOOTER - 9
newpower - 9

singingrulebritannia - 11
Gonza'90 - 11
#LisaRinna - 11
.indulgecountry - 11
Ivy Leegue™ - 12
rowellfarm490 - 12
gonecountry - 12
Private Dancer - 12
BB🌕 - 12
Mirago - 12
aerodynamite - 14
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 14

beyoncelover - 17
Soulsista - 18
mamooshka - 18
phieaglesfan712 - 18
DJDaveMick69 - 18
annoymous1 - 19

Observing
Kelly's 10th Fan

[annoymous1]

Not float on at #17! deserved better.

[Soulsista]

The remaining 15 songs:

I Wish - Stevie Wonder
Don't Leave Me This Way - Thelma Houston
I've Got Love On My Mind - Natalie Cole
At Midnight (My Love Will Lift You Up) - Rufus feat. Chaka Khan
The Pride - The Isley Brothers
Got To Give It Up - Marvin Gaye
Sir Duke - Stevie Wonder
Break It To Me Gently - Aretha Franklin
Best Of My Love - The Emotions
Easy - The Commodores
Strawberry Letter 23 - The Brothers Johnson
Keep It Comin' Love - K.C. & The Sunshine Band
It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me - Barry White
(Everytime I Turn Around) Back In Love Again - L.T.D.
Serpentine Fire - Earth, Wind & Fire


Five more will be revealed tomorrow!

SPOILER: Click to show

{Soul Class Of '77}singingrulebritannia wyckyd Ivy Leegue™ ccarter1023 rowellfarm490 gonecountry beyoncelover Private Dancer SHOOTER mamooshka Gonza'90 samo🦕 phieaglesfan712 BB🌕 #LisaRinna aerodynamite 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 Mirago DJDaveMick69 annoymous1 .indulgecountry newpower Kelly's 10th Fan

[🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲]

So far so good. No complains here. 👌🏾

[Ivy Leegue™]

Perfect rankings on the first 2 but come on, y'all. I get that Float On is kinda corny, but it's a classic. Also, Slide was a family jam. Love that song!

[Private Dancer]

Float On deserved to still be in...

[jenglisbe]

Ugh I flopped on getting a list in. I was out of town several times the past few weeks and never finished my list.

I will be watching the reveals, though, and for whatever it's worth my top 5 in no order would have been:
Strawberry Letter 23
Sir Duke
Best Of My Love
Don't Leave Me This Way
I Wish

[beyoncelover]

20. Whodunit - Tavares: Aww sad to see this show up first. I didnj't know this beforehand but really liked this while listening to it for this list, hence it being my #12. It's a really fun song but I guess I can get how this didn't standout for most people.

19. Tryin' To Love Two - William Bell: Even though I ranked this at #16, I'm more okay with this showing up here. This is a nice, soulful and enjoyable song but it wasn't a standout to me on first listen. Interesting how this has the 5th highest SD.

18. Slide - Slave: Hmm now my #14 is lost. Well I'm glad none of my Top 10 showed up yet but hopefully my Bottom 4 can show up soon. Really fun song and I do really like the sound of this but I just liked other songs more.

17. Float On - The Floaters: Wow at the all over the place rankings and 2nd highest SD for this song. I wasn't expecting this song to be so polarizing. This is a nice song but it was just one that didn't really grab or move me while listening to it, so that's why it was my #20. Maybe it could grow on me with more listens. I can get how some people love this or had this as their #1.

16. Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet, Tender, Love) - The O'Jays: Kinda impressive with this making it to 16th with no rankings above 8th. This was another nice and enjoyable song but also another song that didn't really standout to me hence it being my #17.

Overall, I'm fine with these being the Bottom 5.

[Soulsista]

This extra is one of the signature songs by this band from Tuskegee, Alabama. It peaked at #4 on the soul chart and #5 on the Hot 100.

Brick House - The Commodores

[gonecountry]

Aug 15, 2022 15:12:50 GMT -5 Soulsista said:

This extra is one of the signature songs by this band from Tuskegee, Alabama. It peaked at #4 on the soul chart and #5 on the Hot 100.

Brick House - The Commodores

I'm not the hugest Commodores fan, but man if this was on the rankdown list, it would have ranked WAY UP.  This is quintessential 70's.  I don't know if this song would fly in the 2020's but damn this is a fun song.

The fact that, IMO, the ultimate Commodores song is not sung by Lionel Richie and instead by Walter "Clyde" Orange is not lost on me.  (Lady and Oh No would be #2 and 3)

[Soulsista]

Welcome back!

Leading off today's reveals is a song that has seven Top 10s, seven bottom 5s, and one perfect ranking.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Soul Class Of '77}singingrulebritannia wyckyd Ivy Leegue™ ccarter1023 rowellfarm490 gonecountry beyoncelover Private Dancer SHOOTER mamooshka Gonza'90 samo🦕 phieaglesfan712 BB🌕 #LisaRinna aerodynamite 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 Mirago DJDaveMick69 annoymous1 .indulgecountry newpower Kelly's 10th Fan jenglisbe

[Soulsista]

15. The Pride - The Isley Brothers

The lead single from their Go For Your Guns album, "The Pride" was the third soul charttopper for The Isley Brothers. The socially conscious song helped Go For Your Guns go double platinum.

Stats
Chart Entry: March 12, 1977
Peak Date: April 23, 1977
Weeks At #1: 1
Weeks In Top 10: 9
Weeks On Chart: 15
Hot 100 Peak: #63

Points: 188
Average: 12.83
Standard Deviation: 3.881 (9th lowest)

aerodynamite - 5
newpower - 6
BB🌕 - 8
Private Dancer - 9
singingrulebritannia - 10
beyoncelover - 10
Gonza'90 - 10

rowellfarm490 - 11
samo🦕 - 11
mamooshka - 12
#LisaRinna - 13
Mirago - 13
annoymous1 - 13
wyckyd - 14
ccarter1023 - 14
phieaglesfan712 - 15

SHOOTER - 16
.indulgecountry - 16
Soulsista - 17
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 17
Ivy Leegue™ - 18
gonecountry - 18
DJDaveMick69 - 19

Observing
Kelly's 10th Fan
jenglisbe


The next reveal will nine Top 10s go down, along with eight bottom 5s.

[Soulsista]

14. Break It To Me Gently - Aretha Franklin

"Break It To Me Gently" was the lead single from Lady Soul's Sweet Passion album. Written and produced by Carole Bayer Sager and Marvin Hamlisch, it was her final Hot 100 entry on the Atlantic label. Features Ray Parker Jr. on guitar.


Stats
Chart Entry: April 30, 1977
Peak Date: June 18, 1977
Weeks At #1: 1
Weeks In Top 10: 6
Weeks On Chart: 14
Hot 100 Peak: #85

Points: 190
Average: 12.74
Standard Deviation: 5.216 (6th highest)

.indulgecountry - 3
Gonza'90 - 6
Mirago - 6
newpower - 7
Ivy Leegue™ - 9
#LisaRinna - 9
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 9
ccarter1023 - 10
SHOOTER - 10

Private Dancer - 11
BB🌕 - 11
aerodynamite - 11
annoymous1 - 11
singingrulebritannia - 15
beyoncelover - 15

mamooshka - 16
rowellfarm490 - 18
Soulsista - 19
gonecountry - 19
samo🦕 - 19
phieaglesfan712 - 19
wyckyd - 20
DJDaveMick69 - 20

Observing
Kelly's 10th Fan
jenglisbe


We finally break the 200-point mark with a song that has eight Top 10s, five bottom 5s, and four perfect rankings.

[Private Dancer]

Break It To Me Gently is not a bad song, but it does not feel like Aretha either. I can see someone like Natalie Cole doing that song, but hey it became another #1 for her.

[Soulsista]

13. At Midnight (My Love Will Lift You Up) - Rufus feat. Chaka Khan

"At Midnight" was the third soul #1 for Rufus and Chaka, and helped Ask Rufus become the band's most successful album. It also peaked inside the Top 30 on the Hot 100.


Stats
Chart Entry: February 5, 1977
Peak Date: April 9, 1977
Weeks At #1: 2
Weeks In Top 10: 8
Weeks On Chart: 15
Hot 100 Peak: #30

Points: 211
Average: 11.83
Standard Deviation: 4.185 (10th lowest)

aerodynamite - 2
.indulgecountry - 5

Gonza'90 - 7
#LisaRinna - 7
annoymous1 - 8
samo🦕 - 9
Mirago - 9
gonecountry - 10

beyoncelover - 11
singingrulebritannia - 12
ccarter1023 - 12
Soulsista - 13
rowellfarm490 - 13
mamooshka - 13
BB🌕 - 13
Private Dancer - 14
newpower - 14
SHOOTER - 15

Ivy Leegue™ - 16
wyckyd - 17
phieaglesfan712 - 17
DJDaveMick69 - 17
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 18

Observing
Kelly's 10th Fan
jenglisbe


Nine more Top 10s will be lost with the next reveal. Six others will be shedding a bottom 5.