This Spirited 1977 No. 1, Written By Earth, Wind & Fire Members, Hit The Top 49 Years Ago Today

1977 was the year of legendary rock songs like the Eagles' "Hotel California" and Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams," but one song that held the top spot in September was an even more successful hit and sounds even more spirited today. "Best of My Love," as one of the most successful songs of the year, was the defining track of the Emotions, who formed in 1962 as an all-sister group and rose to their full peak of stardom in the '70s. Sisters Wanda, Sheila, and Jeanette Hutchinson were founding members, with Pamela Hutchinson, Theresa Davis, Adrianne Harris, and Crystal Wilson all joining the group in replacement and additional roles. Though success wasn't immediate for the band, they scored their first big hit in 1969 with "So I Can Love You," which entered the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and held a chart position for 10 weeks.

But it was another '70s soul band that laid the groundwork for the Emotions' signature hit and changed the trajectory of their career — Al McKay and Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire. White had known the Emotions since the '60s, even playing drums for them, before he signed them to Kalimba Productions. After a successful label debut in '76, the duo wrote and produced a new song called "Best of My Love," designed specifically for the Emotions. Soon after, the song took off to a degree that none of its architects could expect.

Released on May 3 of '77, "Best of My Love" arrived just in time for a stacked summer. Stevie Wonder's "Sir Duke," Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams," and Marvin Gaye's "Got to Give It Up" all held the top spot during the song's climb, but it first went to No. 1 on August 20, where it remained through September 10 — but it wasn't done. After a one-week hiatus, "Best of My Love" returned to the top spot for one more week, totaling five weeks at No. 1 and 23 in the top 100. It's almost instantly recognizable from its cheery opening horns and bright, summer like groove.

The song begins with a classic love song verse: "Doesn't take much to make me happy / And make me smile with glee / Never, never will I feel discouraged / 'Cause our love's no mystery" and soon continues into its simple, anthemic hook that no doubt carried the song to the top spot: "Whoa-whoa, you got the best of my love / Whoa-whoa, you got the best of my love." These universal lyrics, that carry on to the rest of the song, give "Best of My Love" a timelessness that keeps it an addicting listen today. The cascading lead vocals, paired with their background harmonies, are as spirited as ever upon every replay, and with the simultaneously funky and polished instrumental, "Best of My Love" is as surefire a hit as can be found.

After the historic run of "Best of My Love" in late August and early September, the Emotions would land another solid hit with "Don't Ask My Neighbors," which peaked at No. 44 in late October. The song is more of a slower soul track than the infectious top hit, but it still features the mesmerizing vocal talent of the Emotions, who had certainly hit their stride in full on the album "Rejoice," which both songs were featured on.

Notably, the Emotions' only other top 10 hit, and the final top 100 hit of their career, "Boogie Wonderland" in 1979, was in collaboration with Earth, Wind & Fire as well. "Best of My Love" has remained relevant today, both in its high streaming numbers (nearly 350 million on Spotify alone) as well as a recognizable sample on the 2023 hit "Lil Boo Thang" by Paul Russell. The sisters' spirited vocals, though not achieving the longevity of some of the other iconic girl groups of the era like the Supremes, still hold up just as strong today, and are worth a revisit — whether just the classic "Best of My Love," or the remainder of their quality catalog.