Is there any song that possibly captures the 70’s better than “Rock the Boat” by the Hues Corporation (what an awful name for a band, by the way) back in 1974?  It’s infectious disco beat and catchy lyrics took it to Number 1 in July of that year, and it seems to have become a radio staple ever since. Here’s more on the song from Wikipedia:

“Rock the Boat” is a song by American trio The Hues Corporation, written by Wally Holmes. “Rock the Boat” was first featured on their 1973 debut studio album Freedom for the Stallion (a different edit version, which was the single, later appeared on certain editions of the band’s 1974 second album Rockin’ Soul). It was released as the third single from the album in early 1974, to follow up Stallion’s title song, which had peaked at number sixty-three on the Hot 100, and “Miracle Maker (Sweet Soul Shaker)” which did not chart.

Initially, “Rock the Boat” appeared as though it would also flop, as months went by without any radio airplay or sales activity. Not until the song became a disco favorite in New York did Top 40 radio finally pick up on the song, leading the record to finally enter the Hot 100 and zip up the chart to number one the week of July 6, 1974, in only its seventh week on the chart (and fourth week in the Top 40)

Fans of the Netflix TV show “Derry Girls” will no doubt remember it being played during a wedding reception in season two, during which an elaborate “boat rowing” dance routine is performed to the song. (You have to see it to believe it.) Anyway, here is an original video of the song back in ’74, complete with a rather psychedelic TV approach/