Top 10 Helen Reddy Songs

Photo: Francesco Scavullo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Our Top 10 Helen Reddy songs list looks back at the career of one of pop culture’s most gifted song interpreters and female vocalists. Most of Helen Reddy’s recordings were brilliant cover versions of songs written by others. However, her biggest hit, “I Am Woman,” was self-penned. It was a song that helped fuel her career and turned heads instantly. Helen Reddy would become one of the most successful and loved female vocalists of all time. She had tremendous success between 1972 and 1975. During that peak period, she earned three number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. She also had six Top 10 Hits on the Billboard Hot 100. While her success was clearly defined on a mass cultural level by her Top 10 hits, she was primarily known as an Adult Contemporary artist. A fact proven by her success on the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts, where she celebrated eight number one singles.

Helen Reddy released her first album in 1971, entitled Helen Reddy. Her platinum-selling album, career-breaking I Am Woman, followed in 1972. From that point on, Helen Reddy would release sixteen more studio albums and thirty-one singles. She would constantly sell out concerts wherever she performed. Sadly, Helen Reddy passed away in September 2020.

Our Top 10 Helen Reddy songs list is a loving tribute to one of our favorite artists. Most of the songs on this list, with a few exceptions, were massive hits for the legendary artists

# 10 -The Last Blues Song

We open this loving tribute to our favorite Helen Reddy songs with this little-known gem, “The Last Blues Song.” Of course, any Helen Reddy fans know this one as it was the closing song on her legendary I Am Woman album. Nonetheless, the song was never released as a single, so it’s one of those deep album tracks that the general public who never bought the album is unaware of. This is Helen Reddy as loose as she could be. She is having fun on this one. It’s a throwback song to the 20s with a New Orleans Dixieland feel. Lyrically, it was a perfect song to close the album with. Just listen to her sing that chorus with such cabaret soul.

# 9 – Keep On Singing

Continuing with our top 10 Helen Reddy songs list, we turn to one of her great sing-along songs. The early 1970s were a time when pop songs were filled with mini-stories, often dramatically over-the-top or at least full of plenty of sentiment. Helen Reddy’s “Keep On Singing” was released in 1973. The song was issued as the lead single from her 1974 album entitled Love Song For Jeffrey. The song was a top twenty hit for Helen Reddy, peaking at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also hit number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart. Interestingly, the b side of the single “Keep On Singing,” was a great cover of Billy Joel’s song “Your My Home,” which appeared on his Piano Man album. It stands as one of Billy Joel’s most underrated songs. Helen Reddy knew very well how to pick great songs to cover. She made a career of it.

# 8 – Ain’t No Way to Treat a Lady

HELEN REDDY No Way to Treat a Lady UK LP 1975

Here we have another gem of a Helen Reddy song which also happened to be a big hit. This one is all class. Helen Reddy’s “Ain’t No Way to Treat a Lady” was released as a single in 1975. It was issued on Helen Reddy’s album entitled No Way to Treat a Lady. The song broke the Billboard Top 10 peaking at number 8. It would also become Helen Reddy’s last top 10 single on the Billboard Hot 100 of her career. Just like so many of her other Top 10 Hit songs, the track “Ain’t No Way to Treat a Lady” also hit number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart. The song was written and originally recorded by Harriet Schock,

# 7 – I Don’t Know How to Love Him

Helen Reddy’s recording of “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” stands as the song that played a pivotal role in launching Helen Reddy’s successful recording career. “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” became Helen Reddy’s first charting single, breaking the Billboard Top 20. It helped her secure a recording contract, which led to the release of her first album, also entitled I Don’t Know How to Love Him. The song had been originally released on the soundtrack to the 1971 motion picture Jesus Christ Superstar. Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote the song.

# 6 – Delta Dawn

Continuing with our top 10 Helen Reddy songs list, we turn to Helen Reddy’s second number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100. “Delta Dawn” served as the lead single from Helen Reddy’s 1973 album Long Hard Climb. The song was also a top-10 hit for country artist Tanya Tucker in 1972. “Delta Dawn” was written by Larry Collins and Alex Harvey.

# 5 – You And Me Against The World

Breaking into the second half of our top 10 Helen Reddy songs list, we present the beautiful Helen Reddy recording “You And Me Against The World.” This wonderful song, written by Paul Williams, was released on the album Love Song For Jeffrey. Helen Reddy’s phrasing on this one clearly shines. Like all the great singers who could turn a phrase, as Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, or Karen Carpenter, Helen Reddy connects with the listener beautifully on this heartwarming track. It’s the ultimate version of one of the most endearing songs ever written.

# 4 – Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)

Helen Reddy - I Am Woman & Long Hard Climb [SACD Hybrid Multi-channel]

This was one of those catchy songs you heard on the radio in the early 1970s that you could not stop singing once you heard it. Helen Reddy’s “Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)” was released on the album Long Hard Climb. Listen to the band on this one. It’s a top-notch production, and Helen Reddy’s vocal is outstanding as usual.

The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, making it Helen Reddy’s second straight top 10 single on the chart. “Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)” also hit number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart, making it Helen Reddy’s second number one in a row on that chart. Linda Laurie wrote the song.

# 3 – Peaceful

As we wind down this top 10 Helen Reddy songs list, we present one of our favorite Helen Reddy songs of all time. The grand piece “Peaceful” was the opening track on Helen Reddy’s 1972 album I Am Woman. I played this one on the album over and over again. It’s just one of those magical songs with a verse that transcends into a chorus that’s so uplifting and spiritual, you can’t help but feel good when you listen to it. Kenny Rankin wrote the song.

# 2 – Angie Baby

Helen Reddy Free And Easy 1974 UK vinyl LP E-ST11348

Helen Reddy’s creepy song “Angie Baby” was a massive hit in 1974. It was one of those songs that had such a memorable melody and hook that you could not deny it radio airplay. As a thirteen-year-old in 1974, I loved the song. I just had no idea what it was really about, though I did see a pretty scary yet incredible story in it. How literally one interprets the lyrics is up to the individual. To this day, people still wonder what was really going on in the song. Nonetheless, there was no denying the song’s popularity as it hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974. I never get tired of listening to this one. The song’s production deserved a Grammy Award, and so did Helen Reddy’s vocal.

# 1 – I Am Woman

We close out our top 10 Helen Reddy songs list with her most popular song. Helen Reddy’s “I Am Woman” was the song that turned the singer into a household name. It was her first number one hit, as it peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972. It quickly became a song loved and celebrated by those involved in the women’s liberation movement in the 1970s. For many, it still does. Helen Reddy and Ray Burton wrote the song.

This article is dedicated to my father, John Kachejian. He was a huge Helen Reddy fan. I first started listening to his Helen Reddy records on the living room turntable in the early 1970s. My father worked at the Copacabana in the 1950s. He had great taste in music because he had seen the best working at the Copa. He meant the world to me, and I miss him dearly. Whenever I hear Helen Reddy songs, I think of him. Miss you, Dad. One day I will see you at the track again……

Brian Kachejian