Ten Great Songs From One Great Week
The songs the radio played this week in history

September 17-23, 1978

Camp David Accords - A state of war had existed between Egypt and the State of Israel since the establishment of Israel in 1948. In the first three Arab-Israeli wars, Israel decisively defeated Egypt. As a result of the 1967 war, Israel occupied Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, the 23,500-square-mile peninsula that links Africa with Asia. When Anwar el-Sadat became Egyptian president in 1970, he found himself leader of an economically troubled nation that could ill afford to continue its endless crusade against Israel. He wanted to make peace and thereby achieve stability and recovery of the Sinai, but after Israel's stunning victory in the 1967 war it was unlikely that Israel's peace terms would be favorable to Egypt. So Sadat conceived of a daring plan to attack Israel again, which, even if unsuccessful, might convince the Israelis that peace with Egypt was necessary.

In 1972, Sadat expelled 20,000 Soviet advisers from Egypt and opened new diplomatic channels with Washington, which, as Israel's key ally, would be an essential mediator in any future peace talks. Then, on October 6, 1973, Egyptian and Syrian forces launched a joint attack against Israel. It was Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year for Jews, and Israeli forces were taken entirely by surprise. It took more than a week for Israel to beat back the impressive Arab advances. A U.S. airlift of arms aided Israel's cause, but President Richard Nixon delayed the emergency military aid for seven days as a tacit signal of U.S. sympathy for Egypt. In November, an Egyptian-Israeli cease-fire was secured by the United States.

Although Egypt had again suffered military defeat against its Jewish neighbor, the initial Egyptian successes greatly enhanced Sadat's prestige in the Middle East and provided him with an opportunity to seek peace. In 1974, the first of two Egyptian-Israeli disengagement agreements providing for the return of portions of the Sinai to Egypt were signed, and in 1975 Sadat traveled to the United States to discuss his peace efforts and seek American aid and investment.

When talks with Israel stalled, Sadat made a dramatic journey to Jerusalem in November 1977 and spoke before the Israeli Knesset (Parliament). In September 1978, President Jimmy Carter invited Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Begin to the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland, where dual peace accords were hammered out under the direction of Carter. Signed on September 17, the historic agreements provided for complete Israeli evacuation from the Sinai, laid the groundwork for the signing of a final peace agreement, and outlined a broader framework for achieving peace in the Middle East.

Sadat and Begin received the Nobel Peace Prize, and on March 29, 1979, a permanent peace agreement was signed that closely resembled the Camp David Accords. The treaty ended the state of war between the two countries and provided for the establishment of full diplomatic and commercial relations.

Although Sadat was greatly praised in the West, he was widely condemned in the Arab world. In 1979, Egypt was expelled from the Arab League, and internal opposition to his policies led to domestic crises. On October 6, 1981, Sadat was assassinated by Muslim extremists in Cairo while viewing a military parade commemorating the Yom Kippur War. Despite Sadat's death, the peace process continued under Egypt's new president, Hosni Mubarak. In 1982, Israel fulfilled the 1979 peace treaty by returning the last segment of the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt. Egyptian-Israeli peace continues today.

Music Charts:

#1 Single -- "Boogie Oogie Oogie" by A Taste of Honey
#1 Album -- "Don't Look Back" by Boston

Other Events:

1630 – The city of Boston, Massachusetts is founded.
1787 – The United States Constitution is signed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1814 – Francis Scott Key finishes his poem "Defence of Fort McHenry", later to be the lyrics of "The Star-Spangled Banner".
1862 – Gen. McClellan halts the northward drive of Gen. Lee's Confederate army in the single-day Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest day in American history.
1920 – The American Professional Football Association (later renamed National Football League) is organized in Canton, Ohio.
1976 – The first Space Shuttle, Enterprise, is unveiled by NASA.
1983 – Vanessa Williams becomes the first black Miss America.
2011 – Occupy Wall Street movement begins in Zucotti Park, New York City.

Sharing The Night Together -- Dr. Hook



When told by a club owner that they needed a name to put on a poster in the window of his establishment, Original member George Cummings made a sign: "Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show: Tonic for the Soul". The "Hook" name was inspired by Sawyer's eyepatch and a reference to "Captain Hook" of the Peter Pan fairy tale, though, humorously, because Captain Hook was neither a doctor or wore an eyepatch. The "medicine show" and "doctor" (referring to the shows common in the 19th century) were intended as tongue-in-cheek warning against drug abuse. Ray Sawyer lost an eye in a near-fatal car crash in Oregon in 1967, and has worn an eyepatch ever since.

Lights -- Journey



Even though this is about San Francisco, it was written in Los Angeles, where the band had relocated. Steve Perry explained in an interview with Joe Benson of Arrow 93.1 FM: "I had the song written in Los Angeles almost completely except for the bridge and it was written about Los Angeles. It was 'when the lights go down in the city and the sun shines on LA.' I didn't like the way it sounded at the time. And so I just had it sitting back in the corner. Then life changed my plans once again, and I was now facing joining Journey. I love San Francisco, the bay and the whole thing. 'The bay' fit so nice, 'When the lights go down in the city and the sun shines on the bay.' It was one of those early morning going across the bridge things when the sun was coming up and the lights were going down. It was perfect."

Ready To Take A Chance Again -- Barry Manilow



Barry Manilow agreed to sing the romantic theme song to the comedy thriller Foul Play, which starred Chevy Chase and Goldie Hawn. The film was a huge hit, and so was the song, in which a man who has been a recluse for part of his life is ready to take a chance at love again. The song was nominated that year for the "Best Original Song" Oscar. Manilow's "Copacabana (At The Copa)" was also used in the movie. This marked the zenith of Manilow's charting career. By early the next year, Manilow recorded his final top 10 hit and his style of soft-rock was being replaced by other, more aggressive music.

Josie -- Steely Dan



This song tells the story of a very popular girl who's the desire of all the young men in a blue-collar neighborhood. She creates quite a stir any time she returns. Their sixth LP, the jazz-influenced Aja, received the Grammy award for "Engineer - Best Engineered Recording - Non-Classical", shot into the Top Five in the U.S. charts within three weeks of release, and was one of the first American LPs to be certified 'platinum' for sales of over 1 million albums. The album cemented the duo's reputation as songwriters, as well as their reputation for studio perfectionism. The story of the making of the album was later documented in an episode of the popular TV and DVD series, Classic Albums. The album features such jazz and fusion luminaries as guitarists Larry Carlton and Lee Ritenour; bassist Chuck Rainey; saxophonists Wayne Shorter, Pete Christlieb, and Tom Scott; drummers Steve Gadd and Bernard Purdie; ex-Miles Davis pianist/vibraphonist Victor Feldman and Grammy award-winning producer/arranger Michael Omartian on piano.

Paradise By The Dashboard Light -- Meat Loaf



This song is about a teenage boy trying to convince a girl to have sex with him in a car. Sex would be the "Paradise" for him, but she holds out until he says he loves her and will stay with her forever. Overcome by passion, he does, and honors his word to spend the rest of his life with her even though he can't stand her. The woman's voice on the record is Ellen Foley, but she was replaced on tour with Karla DeVito. Their performances were sexually charged, but it was an act, as Meat Loaf was happily married. Foley has been in various movies, including Fatal Attraction, Married To The Mob, and Cocktail. She was also on the TV show Night Court until she was replaced by Markie Post.

Just What I Needed -- The Cars



This established The Cars as one of New Wave's leading hitmakers and helped get them a deal with Elektra Records. Lead vocals were by bass player Ben Orr, but it was written by lead singer/guitarist Ric Ocasek. Orr died of Pancreatic cancer in 2000. Ocasek wrote this in a basement at a commune in Newton, Massachusetts where he lived. The 2-track demo recorded by the band became the most-requested song by a local band in the history of WBCN, a popular rock station in Boston and this was the group's first single.

Right Down The Line -- Gerry Rafferty



This was the follow up to Rafferty's hit "Baker Street" from the same album. It's one of his more conventional songs, about how his woman stuck with him. As an original member of Stealer's Wheel, Rafferty wrote and sang the hit "Stuck In The Middle With You," which was revitalized 20 years later when it was featured in the movie "Reservoir Dogs." This song was the second single from his hugely successful City to City LP.

Reminiscing -- Little River Band



"Reminiscing" was written by Graeham Goble and It remains LRB's biggest hit stateside. The song is about a couple reminiscing about their past, recalling favorite songs and memories. The Little River Band is the first Australian rock group to see commercial success in the US, generating 25 million records sold and scoring 13 American Top 40 hits. Over years, frequent personnel changes took hold of the band. However, three founding members, Beeb Birtles, Glenn Shorrock, and Graeham Goble, went on to perform reunion concerts. But because they lost the rights to the name Little River Band, they appeared under the name Birtles Shorrock Goble.

An Everlasting Love -- Andy Gibb



From 1976-1979, no musical act in the world were as big as the Bee Gees. Songs written by Barry Gibb were all over the charts, often hitting #1 with ease. So it was no surprise that as the youngest brother of the Gibb family, success would come equally as easy to Andy. And it did. His first 6 singles hit the top 10 (three at #1) and he became a huge star in his own. The only way to fall would be self-inflicted. Sadly, that's what happened and by the time he was 30, Andy Gibb was dead from myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle - brought on from years of cocaine abuse. At the time of his death, he and his brothers were working on a comeback for Andy, as he had cleaned himself up and was ready to live again.

Three Time A Lady -- The Commodores



This song was written by Commodores lead singer Lionel Richie, who explained in a 1979 interview with Blues and Soul magazine: "I wrote it back in 1978 and it was a very personal meaning to me. I attended the wedding anniversary of my parents and my father made a speech about how much he loved my mother and appreciated the way she had stood beside him for 37 years. It was beautiful and I started to think about my own life and how my wife stands by me, how she does so many things without being asked or thanked. So, I wrote 'Three Times A Lady' as a dedication to my wife and my mother." This was a breakthrough song for the Commodores and for Lionel Richie as a songwriter. It crossed over to Pop, Easy Listening and even Country formats, setting the stage for further Commodores hits and Richie's massive solo success.

BONUS TRACK

Macho Man -- Village People



The group was the creation of Jacques Morali, a French musical composer. He had written a few dance tunes when he was given a demo tape recorded by singer/actor Victor Willis. Morali approached Willis and told him, "I had a dream that you sang lead on my album and it went very, very big". Willis agreed to sing on the first album, Village People. The band's name refers to New York City's Greenwich Village, at the time known for its large gay population. Morali and Belolo decided to create a group of stereotypes based on the gay men of Greenwich Village, who often dressed in fantasy attire. "Macho Man" brought them mainstream attention, and their 1978 recording "Y.M.C.A." became one of the most popular hits of the 1970s. After all these years, the Village People still perform their act in front of large audiences, including the American Music Festival in Virginia Beach, Virginia and Yankee Stadium, in New York.