10 Greatest Songs of 1979

by Julian Spivey

​10. Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen
Freddie Mercury’s tribute to Elvis Presley and his style of rock & roll only took him a reported five-to-10 minutes to write and it became the group’s first No. 1 in America, though it may not be as iconic these days as “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions” among others. It’s a nice bit of throwback rockabilly that’s easy to sing along with.  

​9. My Life by Billy Joel
After being released in late 1978, Billy Joel’s “My Life” peaked on the Billboard singles chart at No. 3 in early 1979. The song about seeking independence from others and setting out on your own and part of the song is about stand-up comedian Richard Lewis when Joel sings: “closed the shop, sold the house, bought a ticket to the west coast, now he gives them a stand-up routine in L.A.”

​8. Oliver’s Army by Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello’s “Oliver’s Army” is such an U.K. song. It was inspired by the troubles facing Northern Ireland in the ‘70s. Costello stated: “I made my first trip to Belfast in 1978 and saw mere boys walking around in battle dress with automatic weapons. The song was based on the premise ‘they always get a working class boy to do the killing.’” The Oliver of the title was British republican Oliver Cromwell and the song also takes on other imperialist conflicts around the world. The genius of “Oliver’s Army” is it’s an acidic tongued protest song done in a very approachable poppy sound.   

​7. Red Bandana by Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard’s 1979 single “Red Bandana” wasn’t one of his biggest hits. It topped the country chart at no. 4 and Haggard had around 40 No. 1s, but it’s one of the best country road songs of its era about the life of a touring musician and trying to hold onto a relationship while doing so. The narrator knows his love is maturing and should be “somebody’s wife somewhere” and he can’t quite grow up and give her everything she needs. It’s romantic in its portrait of love that’s not heading in the same direction. 

​6. Whiskey River by Willie Nelson
“Whiskey River” has become one of Willie Nelson’s signature tunes as the song that’s usually led-off his live shows for 40 years. The live version, released as a single in 1979, is more up-tempo and rocking than the original version of the song that he released on his 1973 album Shotgun Willie. The ’73 version was much more similar in sound to the original ballad written and released by Johnny Bush. The live version is definitely the more fun and definitive version of the song. 

​5. Even the Losers by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
“Even the Losers” was one of the best tracks on Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers’ breakthrough 1979 album Damn the Torpedoes even though it was never released as a single. Even though it wasn’t a single in the U.S. it would become a staple of Petty’s and included on his “Greatest Hits” compilations.  “Even the Losers” is a song for the everyman; about how everybody can get lucky sometimes and have the night of their life with a woman out of their league. 

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​4. The Gambler by Kenny Rogers
Potentially a bit overplayed on country radio formats by today, “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers is still one of the greatest story songs ever written – with Don Schlitz writing the first of many great country classics (he also co-wrote “When You Say Nothing at All” and “Forever & Ever, Amen.” “The Gambler” tells the story of a young man and an old gambler sharing a train ride one night and the gambler giving the man his secret to life advice before fading off to his death. The song had been recorded previously by Bobby Bare and Johnny Cash, but it was Rogers’ telling of the great story that sent it to No. 1 on the country charts and top 20 crossover status in the pop world. 

​3. The Devil Went Down to Georgia by Charlie Daniels Band
Speaking of great story songs that became crossover smashes, the Charlie Daniels Band’s iconic “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” was released in 1979 and topped the country charts while topping out at No. 3 on the pop charts. The group’s biggest recording has gone on the legendary status and to this day continues to enjoy crossover radio play on both classic country and classic rock formats. “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” tells the story of the Devil trying to steal a young man’s soul via a fiddle contest and being upset in the competition – although for 40 years now there’s been a raging debate over which fiddle solo was actually the better of the two. 

2. London Calling by The Clash
“London Calling” from The Clash’s 1979 album of the same name was a track that showed The Clash could do what we now refer to as classic rock just as great as they could do punk music. It’s quite disappointing actually that you don’t really hear this track – the group’s all-time best in my opinion – on classic rock format radio stations, but you will hear later hits like “Should I Stay or Should I Go.” “London Calling” is a politically charged, guitar-driven song written by Joe Strummer and Mick Jones about their concerns with the world at the time. Forty years later it’s a song that continues to be relevant in so many ways, even in ways maybe unintended by the group at the time. 

​1. Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits
“Sultans of Swing” was first released on the Dire Straits self-titled debut album in 1978 but didn’t find much success until it was re-released in America and the U.K. in 1979 when it would reach No. 4 on the Billboard chart. The guitar-driven song tells the story of a little band knocking around clubs of London and not always getting the best reception from those in attendance. The song drew inspiration from a jazz band Dire Straits songwriter and frontman Mark Knopfler saw in a club that went by the name Sultans of Swing and found the grandiose name of the group mixed with the surroundings they played in amusing. The true highlight of “Sultans of Swings” is its two guitar solos by Knopfler that, in my opinion, are the greatest guitar solos of all-time.