I was a mere boy of 5 years when this artist scored her one and only number one smash: "You Light Up My Life". A song that stayed atop the Billboard Hot 100 for ten consecutive weeks and became the decade's most successful bestselling record. The daughter of 1950s superstar Pat Boone savored success with the song, winning that year's Grammy for Best New Artist and the Joseph Brooks composition winning the Oscar for Best Original Song for his 1977 film that he also wrote and directed. The film, which starred Grease's Didi Conn, had a soundtrack version recorded by the late Kvitka Cisyk that was lip-synched by Conn in the film. Boone's version may have been the most successful song of the 1970's, but it also became the most polarized and later scorned and despised. Boone herself admitted that she's been on the fence regarding the song and its success. It was also the subject of how massive success could lead to enormous failure as Brooks himself became the subject of accusations by many actresses who claimed he had raped them on a casting couch, As he awaited sentencing, Brooks committed suicide in 2011.
Behind this hit was Crystal Gayle's country/pop crossover hit: "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue". Loretta Lynn's sister would peak at number two with this song. Behind her was the Brothers Gibb a.k.a. The Bee Gees with their first release from the now iconic soundtrack "Saturday Night Fever": "How Deep Is Your Love" which would peak at number one at the very last week of 1977, knocking Boone's megasmash off the top. The superband Chicago would continue their hot streak with their ballad, "Baby, What a Big Surprise", which peaked at number 4. Finally, Linda Ronstadt took Roy Orbison's 1963 hit: "Blue Bayou" to number 3, weeks later.
Until next time.
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