Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Music Column – The Breakfast Show with William Price King and Sally Cronin – Chart Hits 1974 Part Two – Elton John, The Hues, The Hollies, Billy Joel.

Each week William and I will select two top hits from the charts in the US and UK starting with 1960 for two weeks followed by 1961 etc..through to 1985. We will also include some of the notable events in those years for the up and coming stars who were centre stage at the time.

Welcome to our show and we are excited to share decades of music with you in 2021. Here is my second selection of top 1974 hits which I hope you will enjoy. William.

News Event: June 15th “Back Home Again” 8th studio album by John Denver is released (Billboard Album of the Year 1975)

Elton John – Don’t let the sun go down on me

“Don’t let the sun go down on me” was written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin. An international hit, it peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached #16 on the UK Singles Chart. Elton recorded a later version of this song with George Michael and they performed it together for the first time at “Live Aid in Wembley Stadium” in July 1985. This version reached #1 in the UK, the US, and Canada.

News Event: August 16th Ramones concert debut (NYC’s CBGBs)

The Hues Corporation – Rock the boat

“Rock the boat” became a disco favorite in New York City in the Spring of 1974. Then it was picked up by radio and quickly hit the charts, climbing up to #1 in seven weeks. It made the top ten in Britain, Canada, and throughout Europe. It is considered to be the first disco song to make it to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

News Event: November 18th “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” by English progressive rock band Genesis is released, their last to feature original frontman Peter Gabriel

Now time for my second top chart picks from 1974 and I hope you will enjoy my selection

The Hollies – The Air That I Breathe

“The Air That I Breathe” is a ballad written by Albert Hammond and Mike Hazlewood, initially recorded by Albert Hammond on his 1972 album It Never Rains in Southern California. This song was a major hit for The Hollies in early 1974, reaching number two in the UK Singles Chart. In mid 1974, it reached number six in the United States on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number three on the Adult Contemporary chart.

News Event: December 31st Lindsey Buckingham & Stevie Nicks join Fleetwood Mac

Billy Joel – Piano Man

“Piano Man” is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel. His first single in North America, it was included on Joel’s 1973 album of the same name and later released as a single on November 2, 1973.  “Piano Man” peaked at #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in April 1974. In 2015, the Library of Congress selected “Piano Man” for preservation in the National Recording Registry for its “cultural, historic, or artistic significance. Billy Joel 

Additional sources: On This Day – Music – Hits of the 70s: Playback FM – Wikipedia

Your Hosts for The Breakfast Show

William Price King is an American jazz singer, crooner, and composer.

His interest in music began at an early age when he studied piano and clarinet in high school. At Morehouse College in Atlanta where he grew up, he sang in the Glee Club and studied classical music. After graduation he went off to the Yale School of Music where he earned a Masters degree. From there he journeyed to New York where he created a jazz trio ‘Au Naturel’ which performed in some of the hottest venues in Manhattan including gigs on Broadway and the famous ‘Rainbow Room.’ These gigs opened doors for performances in Montreal and a European tour.

While touring Europe he met a lovely French lady, Jeanne Maïstre, who, a year later became his wife. King left the group ‘Au Naturel’ and settled in the south of France where he started a new life on the French Riviera, opening his own music school – the “Price King Ecole Internationale de Chant.” He has had the pleasure over the years of seeing many of his students excel as singers on a professional level, and some going on to become national celebrities. He continues to coach young singers today, in his spare time.

Blog– IMPROVISATION – William Price King on Tumblr – Buy William’s music: William Price King iTunes – Facebook – William Price King – Twitter – @wpkofficial
Regular Venue – Cave Wilson

Sally Cronin is an author, blogger and broadcaster who enjoyed four years as part of the team on Onda Cero International’s English speaking morning show in Marbella and then for two years as a presenter on Expressfm the local radio station in Portsmouth. She co-presented two ‘Drive Time’ shows a week with Adrian Knight, hosted the live Thursday Afternoon Show and The Sunday Morning Show guests including musicians and authors. Following this she became Station Director for a local internet television station for two years, producing and presenting the daily news segment, outside broadcasts and co-presenting the Adrian and Sally chat show live on Friday evenings.

She and her husband David have now returned to Ireland where they live on the Wexford Coast where she blogs and continues to write books.

Books :Amazon US – And: Amazon UK – More reviews: Goodreads – blog: Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Twitter: @sgc58 – Facebook: Sally Cronin – LinkedIn: Sally Cronin

Next week 1975 Part One. We hope you will tune in.. as always we love to hear from you.. thanks William and Sally.