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1974: A Tragically Boring Year

Writing Prompt #?: My favorite songs from the year I turned 16

Arthur Keith
7 min readJun 15, 2022
The Watergate Hotel, Washington, D.C., in 2020. Edgar Nunley on Unsplash

Well, hell.

I know that somewhere on Plethora of Pop, a writing prompt or challenge was publicized having to do with your favorite songs from the year you turned 16. But damn if I can find it. So I’ll just pretend I know what I’m doing.

I’ve wanted to participate in this writing prompt since it was first mentioned. That was weeks, if not months, ago. I’ve been busy!

Whenever I have a question I need an answer to or need a reference for, my first impulse is to go to a book. I was a very late adapter to Google.

Since I have no memory of yesterday, I needed lists! So I turned to one of my most reliable references: “The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits.” It has 727 pages of songs, and I needed 16 from 1974, the year I turned 16.

It became overwhelming.

Then it occurred to me. I was listening to it. My digital music library! I have songs categorized in many ways, including my favorites by year. So…

Doing my research, it looks like 1974 was a one-trick pony for the major news networks. The biggest thing that happened was Watergate and the resignation of Richard Nixon. I remember that occupying what seemed like most of…

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Arthur Keith
Arthur Keith

Written by Arthur Keith

My goal is to inform, educate, & entertain. Top writer in LGBTQ, Music, Climate Change. Directionally dyslexic with an excellent sense of direction.

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