The sixth volume of Rhino subsidiary Flashback Records' '70s Radio Hits series is focused on the fall of 1971 to the spring of 1972, presenting ten Top 20 songs that entered the charts in that period, seven of them gold records. Almost all of the artists are one- or two-hit wonders: "Suavecito" was the only singles chart entry by Malo, which featured Carlos Santana's brother Jorge Santana; the Top Ten, gold-selling "Jungle Fever" by Belgian studio group the Chakachas, which proves that Donna Summer's "Love to Love You Baby" was not the first orgasmic pop hit, was their only chart entry; and Gallery, Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen, and Mouth & MacNeal never scored second Top Ten hits after "Nice to Be with You," "Hot Rod Lincoln," and "How Do You Do?," respectively. Melanie had only two Top Ten pop hits, one of which was "Brand New Key," and the same thing was true of Betty Wright's "Clean Up Woman" and the Chi-Lites' "Oh Girl," though the latter two acts were more successful on the R&B charts. (Of course, the ringer on the collection is Aretha Franklin, whose "Rock Steady" was only one of many hits for this legendary star.) Thus, these songs are sometimes better known than the artists who recorded them. Those who were listening to AM Top 40 radio in 1971 and 1972 will remember them, and others may discover pop music that often has a novelty quality. ~ William Ruhlmann
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