Songs of 1971 That Should Have Been Bigger Hits

Here is another in my series of minor US hit songs that I think deserve a second look.

Stoney and Meatloaf - What You See Is What You Get
John Rowles - Cheryl Moana Marie
Michael Nesmith - Silver Moon
Davy Jones - Rainy Jane
The Mob - Give It to Me
Billie Sans - Solo
Ballin' Jack - Super Highway
Lally Scott - Chirpy Chirpy, Cheep Cheep
Cochise - Love's Made a Fool of You
Los Pop Tops - Mammy Blue
Salvage - Hot Pants
Don Nix - Olena
The Messengers - That's the Way a Woman Is
Joey Scarbury - Mixed Up Guy

Category:

Music

Tags:

• 1971
• Top
• 100
• 40
• Whitburn
• Bubblers
• Stoney
• and
• Meatloaf
• John
• Rowles
• Michael
• Nesmith
• Davy
• Jones
• The
• Mob
• Billie
• Sans
• Ballin'
• Jack
• Lally
• Scott
• Cochise
• Los
• Pop
• Tops
• Salvage
• Don
• Nix
• Messengers
• Joey
• Scarbury
• Cheryl
• Moana
• Marie
• Meat
• Loaf

[mpcgomocs]

I know Billy Sans. He just retired from a job with the state of Tennessee. He's rather laid back and bowls in a few leagues a weeks. I got to talking to him about music and he started telling me about all his songs.

[nccvball]

@mpcgomocs

SWEET !!! Thanks for the heads up on Billy.

[macprohawaii]

"Cheryl Moana Marie" was a big hit in Hawaii - in 1970! I guess the mainland caught on to this a little later. I believe it peaked at around #69 on Billboard.

I expected "Rainy Jane" to be a bigger hit in the summer of 1971... never happened. Still a good pop song.

The Mob had a hit in Hawaii called "I Dig Everything About You".

Middle of the Road's "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" was big in Hawaii. Like it best of all versions.

[nccvball]

@macprohawaii

John Rowles was very popular in Hawaii. I think he was signed to Don Ho's management. There was an article in a New Zealand newspaper a couple of years ago where he was interviewed.

Davy Jones still sings "Rainy Jane" in his recent concerts. It is a tune that should have done better.

Yep, that was the other song from The Mob that hit the Hot 100. There was more of the jazzy funk during that era than I realized.

MOR's is the mostly widely known version.

[alfredhitchcock8]

With this mysterious artist, anything's a possibility. 'Solo' certainly sounds better than 'Bicycle Morning'. Thanks for that. I've masses of obscure hit nominees but one that takes the cake is Ronnie Milsap's only top 20 hit in New Zealand, called 'The Cat was a Junkie', and reached # 18 in 1973. His well-known music in America is unknown here, but I can't find anything on his obscure hit. It's a great little ballad about the dangers of doing drugs, naturally. I'd love to hear it again.

[nccvball]

@alfredhitchcock8

I just did a little research and it appears that one song was written by Weinstein and Stroll, a couple of musicians that worked at American Studios, a recording studio in Memphis. It appears to be a bit of a collector's item and very popular in Japan.

[pdrummer123]

I know Ballin' Jack...... Tim McFarland was my uncle... RIP Tim!

[lundehund44]

Hot Pants SUCKS.

[vootie99]

silver moon was a hit on my turntable... and you can hear a clip of it playing in the background of the 1971 Stacy Keach movie Fat City...

[bearkini]

wonderful collection of songs that should have been hits- i wanted to comment on the SALVAGE track written by Paul Vance- yes paul wrote songs that Ron Dante sang but not everything Paul wrote Ron sang- to my ear that is not his voice- i have over 40 singles that Ron recorded under different labels, names as well as his own- pre and post archies/cufflinks period so i know what he sounds like-i dont know who is singing lead or background- hope you find out- keep up the good work!!

[doglips1958]

I nominate Where Evil Grows by the Poppy Family

[twonaqtr]

Don Nix's Olena sounds like Leon Russell's music from the time.

[rlpete2]

Ballingjack DEFINITElY should have been superstars. When I saw them open for Grand Funk, they were down to a quartet, but still put on such a show that Grand Funk had to let the crowd cool down for over an hour before they dared to come out. That was what held them back; they were too good to get gigs opening for the stars.

[MrRotcehzepol]

I also remember Billy Sans (Sanchez). If I remember correctly, Bicycle Morning was a #1 hit in Australia. Billy got a couple of trips over there to go sing the song. Turns out that a lot of the country were bicycle riders.

[timmhg]

Nice video. I forgot all all songs, well, I was only 4 years old when I used to listen these songs. My uncles had many LP's and 45RPM's.