The Captain & Tennille: Hits Kept them Together

I look back on the “music videos” of the 1970’s and it’s hard not to laugh. Some of it is the rear-view mirror shame of watching again stuff we all thought was cool at the time—and now know to be hopelessly lame. We actually LIKED that?

Not so with the Captain & Tennille.

We knew they were pathetic even back then.

That said, we still endured them on the radio—and there is no doubt that this dynamic duo had a huge fan base. We’d never admit that we were part of that crowd, but more than a few of us may still have a Captain & Tennille LP in our collections. (Just look next to your Barry Manilow and John Denver albums)

It was on this date in 1975 that “Love Will Keep Us Together” began its climb up the charts to become the first big hit for the Captain & Tennille.

Here’s a video of them performing…or should I say lip-synching this song on American Bandstand:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOjQrh_J4jY

Back in the 70’s, the divorce rates were starting to grow exponentially and the so-called “sexual revolution” was prevalent, so a tune about actually staying together was a bit of a musical speed bump. It was, however, a catchy tune and the lyrics struck a chord within America that enabled the song to go all the way to #1, the first of 2 top hits. They became the most successful husband and wife duo since Sonny & Cher (love DIDN’T keep them together as you know)

Toni Tennille and Daryl Dragon were not actually married when this song came out, but they eventually took their own advice and made their vows later that year. Over three decades later, the marriage (if not their career) is still going strong.

I just hope that The Captain has lost that damn hat.

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