The 70s had some memorable love songs, from every genre. Ballads were in the top ten on the music charts as frequently as dance hits. "Easy Listening" music was popular during the 70s because the times were easy breezy, full of sunshine, love and innocence. "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight" by England Dan and John Ford Coley is a soft rock gem from the duo's 1976 album Nights Are Forever. It peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and climbed to #21 on the Easy Listening chart. It exemplified the blithe spirit of the era.
Written by Nashville's Parker McGee, the song's lyrics have a simple request: after not seeing each other for years, let's get together tonight. Sometimes simplicity can have the most profound effect. With clean musicality, direct, sincere lyrics and a moderate tempo, this auditory confection is a perfect example of a 70s summer song. It brings to mind first dances, the smell of suntan lotion, drive-ins and sugary soda pop. One can see why it was used in the delightfully sweet series James at 15, which was an entertaining coming-of-age show starring Lance Kerwin. As "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight" signifies, there's something special about a summer night and there was something special about this decade.
You can learn more about John Ford Coley here:
About the Curator - Sonya Alexander
After graduating from UCLA, Sonya trained to be a talent agent. After realizing she belonged on the creative end, she started freelance writing, covering film festivals for Los Angeles local papers. She's written about film, video games, global affairs, wildlife conservation and, most recently, music. She specializes in classic rock, classic soul, blues, classic country, classical and world music and is tri-coastal, residing in Los Angeles, New York and New Orleans.
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