WLS Top Ten (and Debuts) for Week of May 11, 1974: 'Bennie and the Jets'

That's right, half a century ago.  If you remember these when they came out you're getting mighty old.

1.  THE STREAK-- Ray Stevens

2.  THE LOCO-MOTION--  Grand Funk

3.  THE ENTERTAINER (MUSIC FROM THE STING)--  Marvin Hamlisch

4.  COME AS YOU ARE--  Redbone

5.  T S O P (THE SOUND OF PHILADELPHIA)--  MSFB & The 3 Degrees

6.  BENNIE AND THE JETS--  Elton John

7.  DANCING MACHINE--  Jackson Five

8.  THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPPENED TO ME--  Gladys Knight & the Pips

9.  HOOKED ON A FEELING--  Blue Swede

10.  THE LORD'S PRAYER--  Sister Janet Mead

********************DEBUTS

14.  STAR BABY--  Guess Who

21.  BAND ON THE RUN--  Paul McCartney & Wings

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Hello Everyone, This Is Your Action Reporter."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"The Streak"

The Story Behind 'Hooked On a Feeling' by Blue Swede

Yep, one of my all time favorite songs with that "Ooga Chaka."  And, it was on the WLS Top Ten charts for a long time 50 years ago.  When I played it while deejaying, I had a special cut where the "Ooga Chaka" played three times over at the beginning.

From The American Songwriter  "The Story Behind the One-Hit Wonder "Hooked on a Feeling" by Blue Swede.

The song was a cover version of the 1968 hit by B.J. Thomas which was written by Mark James (who also wrote Elvis Presley's "Suspicious Minds").  That song peaked at number five in the Billboard Hot 100 that year.

The famous "ooga chaka ooga chaka" was the result of another cover of the song by English singer/songwriter Jonathan King who recorded it in 1971 and added it.  So, Blue Swede was doing the cover of a cover of the song.

King had been inspired to add it after listening to Johnny Preston's 1959 song "Running Bear."  Listen to it and you will see.

It was Blue Swede's first and only song to reach #1 in the U.S. where the song had the most success.  It remained on the Billboard charts for a remarkable 18 weeks.

Blue Swede only remained as a band from 1973 to 1975.

The song was featured on the movies ""Reservoir Dogs" in 1992 and 2014's "Guardians of the Galaxy."

Still Loving That Ooga Chaka.   --RoadChaka

WLS Top Ten Songs for Week of May 4, 1974: 'Tubular Bells'

1.   THE LOCO-MOTION--  Grand Funk

2.  COME AND GET YOUR LOVE--  Redbone

3.  THE ENTERTAINER (MUSIC FROM THE STING)--  Marvin Hamlisch

4.  THE STREAK--  Ray Stevens  (Was #21 previous week)

5.  BENNIE AND THE JETS--  Elton John

6.  THE LORD'S PRAYER--  Sister Margaret Mead

7.  HOOKED ON A FEELING--  Blue Swede

8.  I'LL HAVE TO SAY I LOVE YOU IN A SONG--  Jim Croce

9.  TUBULAR BELLS (THEME FROM THE EXORCIST)--  Mike Oldfield

10.  TSOP (THE SOUND OF PHILADELPHIA)--  MFSB & the 3 Degrees

*******************************

DEBUTS

16.  THE SHOW MUST GO ON--  Three Dog Night

17.  KEEP ON SINGING--  Helen Reddy

18.  DANCING MACHINE--  Jackson Five

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Lips As Sweet As Candy It's Taste Is On My Mind."  Answer below.  --RoadChaka.

"Hooked On a Feeling"

WLS Top Ten for Week of April 27, 1974: 'T S O P'

1.  BENNIE AND THE JETS--  Elton John  (Third week at Number 1.)

2.  THE LORD'S PRAYER--  Sister Janet Mead    (Imagine this song on a Top Ten today.)

3.  COME AND GET YOUR LOVE--  Redbone

4.  THE LOCO-MOTION--  Grand Funk

5.  HOOKED ON A FEELING--  Blue Swede

6.  TUBULAR BELLS--  Mike Oldfield

7.  ERES TU--  Mocedades

8.  SPIDERS AND SNAKES--  Jim Stafford

9.  T S O P (THE SOUND OF PHILADELPHIA)--  MFSB & The 3 Degrees

10.  I'D HAVE TO SAY I LOVE YOU IN A SONG--  Jim Croce

*******************************

DEBUTS

13.  THE ENTERTAINER (MUSIC FROM THE STING)--   Marvin Hamlisch

16.  LOOKING FOR A LOVE--  Bobby Womack

17.  OH MY MY--  Ringo Starr

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Well, I Know It's Kind Of Late.  I Hope I Didn't Wake You."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"I'd Have To Say I Love You In A Song"

WLS Top Ten for Week of April 20, 1974: 'Spiders and Snakes'

Just a mere fifty years ago.  WLS was that big AM wattage station out of Chicago.

1.  BENNIE AND THE JETS--  Elton John

2.  HOOKED ON A FEELING--  Blue Swede

3.  THE  LORD'S PRAYER--  Sister Margaret Mead (Imagine this song on a young people's playlist today.)

4.  SPIDERS AND SNAKES--  Jim Stafford

5.  TUBULAR BELLS (THEME FROM THE 'EXORCIST')--    Mike Oldfield

6.  ERES TU--  Mocedades

7.  THE LOCO-MOTION--  Grand Funk

8.  SEASONS IN THE SUN--  Terry Jacks

9.  MOCKINGBIRD--  Carly Simon & James Taylor

10.  JET--  Paul McCartney & Wings

***********************

DEBUTS

14.  BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME--  Gladys Knight & the Pips

15.  JUST DON'T WANT TO BE LONELY--  Main Ingredient

Name That Tune (from the above list):  "Everybody's Doing a Brand New Dance."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Loco-Motion"

WLS Top Ten for Week of March 30, 1974: 'Mockingbird'

 1.  HOOKED ON A FEELING-  Blue Swede

2.  LAST KISS--  Wednesday

3.  BENNIE AND THE JETS--  Elton John

4.  SEASONS IN THE SUN--  Terry Jacks

5.  THE LORD'S PRAYER--  Sister Janet Mead

6.  ROCK ON--  David Essex

7.  MOCKINGBIRD--  Carly Simon & James Taylor

8.  SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDERS--  John Denver

9.  LOVE SONG--  Anne Murray

10.  SPIDERS AND SNAKES--  Jim Stafford

**************************

DEBUTS

11.  JET--  Paul McCartney & Wings

15.  TUBULAR BELLS--  Mike Oldfield

YOU'RE SIXTEEN--  Ringo Starr

OH MY MY--  Ringo Starr

Name That Tune (from the above songs):   "If I Had A Day That I Could Give You."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Sunshine on My Shoulders"

WLS Top Ten and Debuts for Week of March 23, 1974: 'Last Kiss'

That's right, a cool half century ago.

1.  LAST KISS--  Wednesday

2.  HOOKED ON A FEELING--   Blue Swede

3.  SEASONS IN THE SUN--  Terry Jacks

4.  ROCK ON--  David Essex

5.  BENNIE AND THE JETS--  Elton John

6.  SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDER--  John Denver

7.  LOVE SONG--  Anne Murray

8.  MOCKINGBIRD--  James Taylor & Carly Simon

9.  THE LORD'S PRAYER--  Sister Janet Maad

10.  BOOGIE DOWN--  Eddie Kendricks

********************************

DEBUTS

13.  SPIDERS AND SNAKES--  Jim Stafford

ERES TU--  Mocedades

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Hey Kids, Shake It Loose Together."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Bennie and the Jets"

WLS Top Ten (and Debuts) for Week of March 16, 1974: 'Boogie Down'

That's right, fifty years ago, half a century.  Really.

1.  ROCK ON-- David Essex

2.  SEASONS IN THE SUN--  Terry Jacks

3.  LAST KISS--  Wednesday

4.  SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDERS--  John Denver

5.  LOVE SONG--  Anne Murray

6.  HOOKED ON A FEELING--  Blue Swede

7.  BOOGIE DOWN--  Eddie Kendricks

8.  THE WAY WE WERE--  Barbra Streisand

9.  DARK LADY--  Cher

10.  MOCKINGBIRD--  James Taylor & Carly Simon

*******************************

DEBUTS

12.  BENNY AND THE JETS--  Elton John

14.  JUNGLE BOOGIE--  Kool & the Gang

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Girl You Just Don't Realize What You Do To Me."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Hooked On a Feeling"

WLS Top Ten for Week of March 9, 1974: 'Boogie Down'

From the oldiesloon site.

These songs were Top Ten in Chicago fifty years ago according to WLS AM, 890.

1.  SEASONS IN THE SUN--  Terry Jacks  (fifth week at #1)

2.  ROCK ON--  David Essex

3.  DARK LADY--  Cher

4.  SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDERS--  John Denver

5.  LAST KISS--  Wednesday

6.  THE WAY WE WERE--  Barbra Streisand

7.  BOOGIE DOWN--  Eddie Kendricks

8.  LOVE SONG--  Anne Murray

9.  JIM DANDY--  Black Oak Arkansas

10.  HOOKED IN A FEELING--  Blue Swede

**************************

DEBUTS

12.  ENERGY CRISIS  '74--  Dickie Goodman

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Ooga-Chaka, ooga-ooga, Ooga-Chaka, ooga-ooga."  Answer below.  --RoadSwede

"Hooked on a Feeling"

WLS Top 20 for Week of March 2, 1974: 'Mockingbird'

That's right, 50 years ago this week.  Who's getting old?

WLS went from the Top 30 to the Top 20.

The number after the artist is how high the song got on the national Billboard chart.  * Means it was climbing the charts.

BUBBLING UNDER

*JET--  Paul McCartney & Wings  #7    

*SPIDERS AND SNAKES--  Jim Stafford  #3  Another strange one from Jim.  "My Girl, Bill."

*MOCKINGBIRD--  James Taylor & Carly Simon  #5   Originally done by Inezz and Charlie Foxx in 1963 when it got to #7.

*************************

*20.  HOOKED ON A FEELING--  Blue Swede  #1  Pop group from Sweden.  I love that "Oooga-Chacka" and when I deejayed would play that part several times before getting to the rest of the song.  Also liked in on the :Guardians."

19.  TEENAGE LAMENT '74--  Vincent Furnier  (but you might know him better as Alice Cooper).  #48   A good song but I never heard it before.  

18.  NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP--  Barry White  #7   As sexy as anyone can sing.  Move over Marvin.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Oooga Chacka, Oooga Chacka."  Answer below.  --RoadChacka

"Hooked On a Feeling"