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Our Top 10 Michael Martin Murphey Songs list takes a look at a successful singer songwriter who started out in soft rock pop music but later shifted to country music. During his early years, Michael Martin Murphey would go by just the name Michael Murphey but would later change his name to Michael Martin Murphey when he crossed over into country music in the early 1980s. Most music fans who grew up in the 1970s will always remember Michael Murphey’s smash number one single entitled “Wildfire,” that dominated radio in 1975. During the course of his career, Michael Martin Murphey has released thirty four studio albums and forty six singles. Our Top 10 Michael Martin Murphey Songs list will present ten of his most successful and much loved songs.
# 10 – Geronimo’s Cadillac
The sounds of 70s soft rock opens up our top 10 Michael Martin Murphey songs list with the sensational song “Geronimo’s Cadillac.” The plot of the Native American Indian would become a popular topic in the early 1970s music. The song was released on the album entitled Geronimo’s Cadillac. It was the first single released from the album. It also stands as the first single release of Michael Martin Murphey’s career, who at the time was still going by the name Michael Murphy. The album Geronimo’s Cadillac was released in 1972. The song was a top 40 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 peaking at number thirty seven The song also was a hit on the Canadian Music charts peaking at number 30. On the Australian ARIA Music Sales Charts the song hit number ninety six.
# 9 – Don’t Count the Rainy Days
Continuing with our top 10 Michael Martin Murphey songs list we take a listen to the great song entitled “Don’t Count the Rainy Days.” The song was released on the album entitled The Heart Never Lies. The album was released in 1983. It was the first single released from the album. The song was a hit on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary Charts peaking at number sixteen. The song also was a hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs reaching all the way up to nine.
# 8 -Drunken Lady Of The Morning
In the number eight spot our top 10 Michael Martin Murphey songs list we present the song entitled “Drunken Lady Of The Morning.” This is one of those deep albums track that most people probably have never heard before unless you had the album. It’s a simple arrangement, just acoustic guitar and a vocal with a tapping foot keeping the beat. Just perfect. The song was released on the album entitled Cosmic Cowboy Souvenir. The album was released in 1973.
# 7 -Medicine Man
In the number seven position our top 10 Top 10 Michael Martin Murphey Songs songs list is the song entitled “Medicine Man.” The song was released on the album entitled Blue Sky – Night Thunder. The song opened uop side two of the album. It was never released as a single but it was easily one of the top tracks on the record.
# 6 -Renegade
Landing in the number six spot our top 10 Top 10 Michael Martin Murphey Songs songs list we present the song “Renegade.”The song was released on the album entitled Swans Against the Sun.The album was released in 1976. This was the album that followed up the classic Blue Sky – Night Thunder album that featured Wildfire. It was the first single released from the album. “Renegade,” is an upbeat tune that sounds almost like a Marshall Tucker Band song. It’s a great one. The song was a hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 peaking at number thirty nine.
# 5 – Mansion on the Hill
At the halfway point on our top 10 Top 10 Michael Martin Murphey Songs songs list is the legendary song “”Mansion on the Hill. This is not the same song as the Bruce Springsteen song. Michael Martin Murphey’s recording of “Mansion on the Hill,” was written by Hank Williams and Fred Rose who inspired the Springsteen song which was written four years after Michael Murphey recorded this song. The song was issued on the album entitled Swans Against the Sun. The album was released in 1976. It was the first single released from the album. The song was a hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs Charts peaking at number thirty six.
# 4 – A Long Line of Love
At the number four spot on our top 10 Top 10 Michael Martin Murphey Songs songs list we present the song “A Long Line of Love.” The song was released on the album entitled Americana. The album was released in 1987. It was the second single released from the album.The song also was massive hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs Charts reaching all the way up to number one. This was his second of his two number one singles on the US Country music charts. This beautiful family song was composed by Paul Overstreet and Thom Schuyler. It’s pretty easy to hear why this one was a number one.
# 3 – Carolina in the Pines
Moving along on our top 10 Top 10 Michael Martin Murphey Songs songs list we turn to the great loving song “Carolina in the Pines.” This beautiful song served as the follow up single to his massive number one single entitled “Wildfire.” The song was released on the album entitled Blue Sky – Night Thunder. On the US Billboard Adult Contemporary charts “Carolina in the Pines,” peaked at number four. The song was also hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 peaking at number twenty one. The song did well up North in Canada too peaking at number four on the Canadian music charts.
# 2 – What’s Forever For?
As we start to get to a close on our top 10 Top 10 Michael Martin Murphey Songs list we celebrate the song “What’s Forever For.” This wonderful song was first released by England Dan & John Ford Coley in 1979. However it was Michael Martin Murphey who had the massive hit single success with the song. “What’s Forever For,”was released on the album entitled Michael Martin Murphey. The album was released in 1982. It was the first single released from the album.
“What’s Forever For,” would go straight to number one on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs Charts. It would become Michael Martin Murphey’s first number one country single. However the song was also a big crossover hit. The song was also a top 20 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 peaking at number nineteen. On the US Billboard Adult Contemporary charts it peaked at number four. On the Australian ARIA Music Sales Charts the song hit number four.
# 1 – Wildfire
We close out our top 10 Top 10 Michael Martin Murphey Songs songs list with his most legendary song titled “Wildfire.” This was one of those classic songs from the 1970s that would become ingrained in pop culture for decades. It was often referred to on televisions talk shows including a long running gag on Late Night With Dave Letterman which eventually resulted in an appearance by Michael Murphey performing the song. The songs legendary story about a ghost horse has inspired many stories throughout the years. Over the years the songs has sold millions of records.
“Wildfire,” was released on the album entitled Blue Sky – Night Thunder. The album was released in 1975. It was the first single released from the album. “Wildfire,” would hit number one on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary charts in 1975. The song was also a huge hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 peaking at number three. The song also hit number one on the Canadian Music Charts.
Top 10 Michael Martin Murphey Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2021
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