FIFTY YEARS AGO we were humming along to the hits of 1976. Some have magnificently stood the test of time; others have not. Join us on Memory Lane as we review them on their golden anniversaries.

Elton John and Kiki Dee hogged the number one spot with Don’t Go Breaking My Heart for most of the summer – which gives us a chance to check out some of the good number two singles of mid-1976.

Today we take a look at Young Hearts Run Free by Candi Staton. It’s a solid disco beat with excellent vocals from Staton, but there’s a catch – the sentiment of the song is pure country. From the start of that introduction, you assume it’s going to be a celebration of young love, and in some ways it is. But that celebration is seen from the point of view of an older woman who has not found happiness in married or quasi married heterosexual relationships. She warns the younger generation not only to be free but to stay free and not to get trapped in a cycle of abuse. Staton married six times. She knew what she was singing about.

Staton was originally a gospel singer who grew up into soul. She had two big hits: Young Hearts and You Got the Love. Although she continued recording and performing, it was Young Hearts which gave her a song which featured in several “best” lists. Have a listen to Young Hearts and it will stay with you half the week – but don’t stop there. There’s so much more of Candi Staton to check out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wddgskIRVeg 

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