Super Hits of the '70s: Have a Nice Day, Vol. 7

Super Hits Of The 70's: Have A Nice Day (Series)

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 4, 1990)
• Original Release Date: July 1990
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rhino / Wea
• ASIN: B0000032RH
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #13,159 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #42 in	Music > Pop > Compilations > Oldies
  #48 in	Music > Miscellaneous > Compilations > Decades > 1970-1979
  #51 in	Music > Pop > By Decade > 1970s

• This is item 7 in The Super Hits of the '70s: Have a Nice Day Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars My surprise favorite of the series, May 30, 2000

By	Jeff Pearlman (Lakeland, FL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Volume 7 had, for me, more pleasant surprises than any of the other discs in this series. I'm pleased to say I was too young to notice when some of these songs first came out. Or not pleased, because I'm sure I would have liked flat-out rockers "Hallelujah" and "White Lies, Blue Eyes" from the start. But they don't quite match the spooky-swampy "Witch Queen Of New Orleans" by Redbone, better known for "Come And Get Your Love" (on Vol. 12). Along with Lee Michaels' "Do You Know What I Mean" and Jonathan Edwards' "Sunshine", there's a punchy consistency to this disc the others seem to lack. Even though it missed the top 40, Giorgio (Moroder)'s "Son Of My Father" is an interesting preview of the sound he would eventually perfect with Donna Summer. "Precious And Few" is a true lost classic, and I am one of those four people you were wondering about who enjoy "One Tin Soldier." The lady singing on that song is a goddess, wherever she is today. Ironically, my least favorite song is the only #1 on the CD, Melanie's irritating "Brand New Key." How does she know my key will fit her roller skates? It just doesn't make sense...

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another great installment of the Have a Nice Day series, July 27, 2006

By	Casey Scott - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Bridging the years 1971 and 1972, Vol. 7 of Rhino's Have a Nice Day series once again compiles a number of obscure and unheard hits of the 70s. A few misses here, but the hits are better.

The hot: Lee Michaels' "Do You Know What I Mean" almost becomes irritating because of that terrible organ in the background, but his goofy lyrics kept me listening. Before KOTTER, Sweathog was a band that created a cool rock hit with "Hallelujah". This one doesn't get much radio play these days, but it's a pretty cool rocker. It's pure 1971, and that's why Coven's "One Tin Soldier" is so gosh darn good. There's a reason it kept shooting back up the charts every year! That reason was probably BILLY JACK and its constant re-releases by Tom Laughlin, but it's still a great peace anthem. Jonathan Edwards' "Sunshine" was recently in ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF BURGUNDY, and is a great folk rock tune in the tradition of Richie Havens. Bullet's "White Lies, Blue Eyes" is simply awesome!! It sounds like something that Journey or Styx would have done in the late 70s, early 80s, but as it hit in 1972, it's that much cooler. Redbone's "Witch Queen of New Orleans" isn't as good as their later "Come and Get Your Love", but it's got some great creepy vocals. Pre-dating the disco craze, Apollo 100's "Joy" epitomizes the 70s. When else could you create a dance hit with Beethoven's "Ode to Joy"? Walter Murphy would attempt the same, with more succesful results, with "A Fifth of Beethoven" in 1975, but in '72, "Joy" was the ultimate. "Softly Whispering I Love You" is a real trip! Opening with a boys choir and erupting into a Richard Harris sound-a-like singing wretchedly pining lyrics, one has to wonder if the producers of this record were intending a tongue-in-cheek spoof of this brand of music. Add electric guitar and a rock beat to this, and you've got an incredible relic no one would dare play on oldies stations today. Giorgio's "Son of My Father" has progressive-sounding keyboards (Giorgio, aka Giorgio Moroder, would perfect this sound by the disco era), and not much else, but is a fun listen. Sounds nothing like 1972, except maybe for the phasing.

The not so hot: Poor Melanie. "Brand New Key" is kinda cute, but despite hitting #1, it was more harmful to her career than anything else. Listen to her album LAY DOWN, with an incredible mix of songs and consistenly strong vocals, and then listen to this bubblegum sexual innuendo monstrosity. There is no real comparison. It's cute but not essential. Today's Soft Rock stations play Beverly Bremmer's "Don't Say You Don't Remember" a lot these days, but it's practically the dictionary definition of lame. It sounds more like Donny Osmond like its main inspiration, The Carpenters, and that's a whole different level of cheesiness. Why all the love for Climax's "Precious and Few"? An over-produced piece of fluff sounding like The Partridge Family meets The Brooklyn Bridge, but with none of the kitsch value. It was probably a great make-out hit then, but it doesn't hold up today.

In summary, a very good selection of early 70s hits well worth picking up!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Some Weak Spots, But Some Gems, Too, February 27, 2004

By	Steve Vrana (Aurora, NE) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

You have to keep reminding yourself that the function of Rhino's Have a Nice Day series is not to present the biggest hits of the decade. If it were, you'd have to include songs like "Maggie May," "American Pie" and "Family Affair," all No. 1 hits in 1971-72 (the period covered by vol. 7). Instead, what Rhino offers is some of the more obscure songs along with a few recognizable hits to give the listener a more accurate picture of the decade.

Admittedly, they sometimes go to the extreme. For example, "Son of My Father" didn't even dent the Top 40. [Who the heck is Giorgio?!!] But it's nice to have Lee Michael's classic "Do You Know What I Mean." And what teenage boy didn't have a crush on Melanie? Her childlike vocals on the million-seller "Brand New Key" still gives me a rush. [Note: This is the only No. 1 song on vol. 7.] In addition it's nice to hear Redbone's earlier hit "Witch Queen of New Orleans." [See? They weren't a one-hit wonder!] Although more than half of these artists hit the Top 40 only once: Sweathog's "Hallelujah" and Coven's "One Tin Soldier" among them. But like I said, all this does is give the listener a broader perspective of the musical tastes (good and bad) of the Seventies. If you were a teenager during this period, many of this songs will bring back fond memories. Enjoy in moderation.