Number Two Hits, 1972-1975

Extra big poll this time. On first glance "Use Me" is the best here, though I do love "Kodachrome" too.

Dueling Banjos

Also just learned from Wikipedia that "Burning Love" was held out of #1 by "My Ding a Ling" which means that for one week in 1972, Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley held down the top two slots. I find that hilarious for some reason.

10cc, easy.

10cc

Elvis Presley - Burning Love
Bill Withers - Use Me
Paul Simon - Kodachrome
Paul McCartney & Wings - Live and Let Die

Voting for "Burning Love", but plenty of others I like:
Allmans
10CC
Three Degrees
Barry White
Stylistics
Moody Blues
McCartney, Paul Simon (2) Gladys, Hollies, Withers, Both Michael & J5, Joe Tex, Ronstadt

Either Bill Withers or Joe Tex. Impossible to choose.

And that 10cc song has grown on me, even if I thought it was Paul McCartney for a couple of decades. I also thought the voice in the middle was saying "Be poised and quiet."

I love that creepy Gilbert O'Sullivan song.

Tons of great stuff here and most of the rest is at least very good. Since I've already thrown "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" votes in several polls, going with "Kodachrome" on lifelong fondness, though "Use Me" is probably better and "When Will I See You Again" and "Too Late To Turn Back Now" are just wonderfully produced recordings, lush and warm and tender.

On the "should have been #1" front nothing stands out. Lots of great songs but none that feel like they were popular enough. I guess the one that surprises me most is "Nights in White Satin" and perhaps, the one that should have hit the top most is "Dueling Banjos".

Lots of great songs here (and surprised that "Burning Love" made it all the way to #2), but "I'm Not in Love" is, to me, easily one of the greatest songs ever. So I'll pick that.

Dancing Machine v You're the First, the Last, My Everything v Kodachrome

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

One of these:

Three Degrees - When Will I See You Again
Elton John - Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
The Stylistics - You Make Me Feel Brand New
The Carpenters - Yesterday Once More
Paul Simon - Kodachrome
Elton John - Daniel

Leaning toward Daniel, actually. I love the way it sounds (production I guess?).

1. "Hurting Each Other," 2. "Jazzman," 3. "Too Late to Turn Back Now," 4. "Ramblin' Man"

voted Kodachrome for nostalgic reasons

nostalgic for the song, or the film?

That's like a meta-vote--isn't "Kodachrome" all about the mechanical creation of false nostalgia? (Not doubting your own nostalgia, just noticed the circularity.)

You know, I'm not sure how much it's about nostalgia. It's got that early rock and roll guitar lick in it, but I'm not sure it sounds retro otherwise.

This is a tough list. One of these for me on first glance, but I'm going to check a few that aren't ringing a bell.

Eagles - Lyin' Eyes
Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
The Allman Brothers Band - Ramblin' Man
Gilbert O'Sullivan - Clair
Elvis Presley - Burning Love
Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose - Too Late to Turn Back Now
The Carpenters - Hurting Each Other

And yeah, the repeating "Mama, don't take that Kodachrome away" vamp, too.

"Kodachrome" is still I think my favorite of Paul Simon's smash hits. Maybe "Graceland" or "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover". Vote for "Use Me", though.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Surprised to see Burning Love get so many votes. No surprise, of course, to see 10cc walk it.

"Burning Love" is archetypal Elvis.

"Use Me," great song, but I saw it in a Cialis commercial a while back and now I can't unsee that

Back when I was at university, I used "Burning Love" each morning to wake up the homeless guy living on our sofa. That or "Moody Blue".