A History of Pop Music – Albums 1978

Featured Album:

Meatloaf – Bat Out of Hell

This is a series of articles looking at albums from 1960 to whatever year we end up in.

I will select a featured album for each year and the link for the whole album, Plus list the songs on it.

As before, it is not just about the songs and tunes, it is very much about memories, and good ones, I hope.

Not everyone will like my choices of course, and you may remember some from each particular year that you feel should have been included, so do please post a link to the song.

In the summer of 1978, I met my soon to be wife who sadly passed away nearly a year ago now.  Basically, I grew up.  No longer just getting hammered down the pub every night unless on army exercises or doing some tour somewhere in the world. I had done just over 4 years in the Army, it was time now to take some responsibility.  Took me another year but I got my first stripe.  Carol came to the passing out parade which followed 6 weeks of being “beasted” on what is called a Cadre to teach you how to be an NCO.  I think that was one of the proudest moments of my life as I marched off and joined my soon to be mother of our first child and later wife of 40 years.  I was 22, I managed to get to Sergeant within the next 5 years.

If you look at the top 10 sellers for 1978 below, almost all of them could easily be the featured album. I feel a bit guilty for not picking ELO.  I shall try to rectify this by linking their 1978 concert at Wembley here ELO 1978 Concert.  You only get an album like Bat Out of Hell once.  It belongs with many peoples album collection along with “Rumours”, “Bridge Over Troubled Waters”, “Brothers in Arms” and ELO with “Out of the Blue”.  How many times have we purchased these in various formats!

Track listing

All tracks are written by Jim Steinman.

Side one
No. Title Length
1. Bat Out of Hell 9:48
2. You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night) 5:04
3. “Heaven Can Wait” 4:38
4. “All Revved Up with No Place to Go” 4:19

 

Side two
No. Title Length
5. Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad 5:23
6. Paradise by the Dashboard Light

·         I. “Paradise”

·         II. “Let Me Sleep on It”

·         III. “Praying for the End of Time”

8:28
7. “For Crying Out Loud” 8:45
Total length: 46:25

Personnel

Band

I think credit where credit is due, so the whole band at the time is below:

More writings on this album here: Bat Out of Hell

So, on we go with 1978:

The Top 10 Albums with a You Tube hyperlink on the title:

Top Tip: Right-click and open in new tab

Top Albums of 1978
   1 Original Soundtrack Saturday Night Fever
   2 Original Soundtrack Grease
   3 Abba The Album
   4 Boney M Nightflight To Venus
   5 Nat ‘King’ Cole 20 Golden Greats
   6 Fleetwood Mac Rumours
   7 Electric Light Orchestra Out Of The Blue
   8 Buddy Holly & The Crickets 20 Golden Greats
   9 Don Williams Images
   10 Kate Bush The Kick Inside

OK I admit to a bit of musical licence in that this was released in 1977, but sales hit the roof in 78.

Bat Out of Hell is the 1977 debut album by American rock singer Meatloaf and composer Jim Steinman. The album was developed from a musical, Neverland, a futuristic rock version of Peter Pan, which Steinman wrote for a workshop in 1974. The album was recorded during 1975–1976 at various studios, including Bearsville Studios, Woodstock, NY, produced by Todd Rundgren, and released in October 1977 by Cleveland International/Epic Records.  Its musical style is influenced by Steinman’s appreciation of Richard Wagner, Phil Spector, Bruce Springsteen and The Who.

Bat Out of Hell is one of the best-selling albums of all time, having sold over 43 million copies worldwide. As of June 2019, it has spent 522 weeks in the UK Albums Chart, the second longest chart run by a studio album.

Overall, this top 10 from 1978 is rather excellent. Rumours still in the top 10.  ELO, one of the best bands ever.  Can never go wrong with Buddy Holly of course.  Another of my favourite bands from the time is Boney M and I played Nightflight to Venus all the time.  I also bought the Don Williams album and of course Grease!  That was the first movie my wife and I saw together at the local flea pit. The next film was of course Saturday Night Fever, and the album was constantly on my record player.  I have always been a big lover of the Bee Gees.  The only album in the above top 10 I did not have was the Kate Bush one, always thought she was a bit weird, but quite liked her music.

Some of my favourite other albums not in the top 10 are below:  Enjoy.

Willie Nelson – Stardust Album – I just like Willie and will never knowingly miss an opportunity for the double-entendre.  Includes his version of “Unchained Melody” which is so nice.  “Georgia on my Mind” and several covers sung in his inimitable style.

The Jam –  All Mod Cons – I know we have fans on here.  This is now nearly 43 years old!

The Rolling Stones – Some Girls – First song, “Miss You”, how good is that.

Blondie – Parallel Lines – Just full of classics.

Dave Edmunds – Tracks On Wax – I always looked forward top a new album from hime, pure Rock ‘n’ Roll.  Always cheers me up.

Gerry Rafferty – City to City – Includes “Baker Street”.  Cannot say how good the tracks on this are.  Awesome.

The Police – Outlandos D’amour – “So Lonely”, “Roxanne” and Can’t Stand Losing You”

Status Quo – If You Can’t Stand The Heat,, – I do like a bit of Quo.

Not too many others for this year, as Bat Out of Hell and the top 9 out of the top ten were all regulars on my record deck and tape machine.

Scoring:

As you know I like to review your “tunes” that you post.

*Note. Anyone scoring a Morrissey (lowest score possible) will be reported and blocked.

Hat tips to:

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/ratings/8-all-music-highest-rated/1979/1  these give the top 100 selling charts for each year

http://www.everyhit.com/chart1.html   these give the top 10 songs for each year

https://www.youtube.com/  you know them.

Next Time: 1979.  Some pretty awesome albums!

Featured image: “Meatloaf Bat Out of Hell Album Puzzle” by McCoyCreations is licensed under CC BY 2.0
 

© Phil the ex test manager 2021