The Midnight Special

John Denver guest hosted Mama Cass, The Everly Brothers, The Isley Brothers, Harry Chapin, Linda Ronstadt, Argent and Helen Reddy. Among the musical highlights were Harry Chapin performing his hit "Taxi", Linda Ronstadt sang her popular ballad "Long Long Time", Helen Reddy sang "I Am Woman" and the Britsh group Argent performed their 1972 hit "Hold Tour Head High"

Helen Reddy (host) - ""I Am Woman,"" ""Peaceful"" & ""Come On John"" --Ed McMahon (walk-on cameo) - wishes the show sucess --Ike and Tina Turner Revue- ""I Can't Turn You Loose"" & ""With a Little Help from My Friends"" --George Carlin (comedian) - stand-up comedy monologue --Curtis Mayfield - ""Superfly"" --Don McLean - ""Dreidel"" & ""If We Try"" --Rare Earth - ""We're Gonna Have a Good Time"" & ""I Just Want to Celebrate"" --Kenny Rankin - ""Comin' Down"" --The Byrds - ""Mr. Tambourine Man"" & ""So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star"" --The Impressions - ""Preacher Man"" --Helen Reddy, Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions - ""Amen""

Johnny Rivers (host) - ""Blue Suede Shoes,"" ""Rockin' Pneumonia, Boogie Woogie Flu"" & ""Got My Mojo Workin'"" --The Ace Trucking Company (comedy troupe) - routines about an airplane flight; 2 old friends and a prayer meeting. --Albert Hammond - ""It Never Rains in Southern California"" and ""If You Gotta Break Another Heart"" --Merilee Rush - ""Start Again"" & ""Comfort and Please You"" --The Spinners - ""Could It Be I'm Falling in Love"" and ""I'll Be Around"" --Steely Dan - ""Do It Again"" and ""Reeling in the Years"" --Paul Williams (singer / songwriter) - ""Out in the Country"" and ""I Won't Last a Day Without You"" --Wolfman Jack - sings ""I Ain't Never Seen a White Man

Curtis Mayfield (host) - ""Future Shock,"" ""Back to the World"" & ""Right On for the Darkness"" --The Bee Gees - ""Lonely Days"" & ""Run to Me"" --Jim Croce - ""I've Got a Name"" & ""Bad Bad Leroy Brown"" --Gladys Knight & the Pips - ""Where Peaceful Waters Flow"" --Natural Four - ""Can This Be Real"" --Wilson Pickett - ""Get Me Back on Time Engine 9"" & ""Don't Knock My Love"" --Helen Reddy - ""Delta Dawn"" --Sly & the Family Stone - ""Everybody Is a Star"" --War - ""Gypsy man""

Wilson Pickett (host) - ""Land of 1000 Dances,"" ""Funky Broadway,"" ""Never My Love"" & ""In the Midnight Hour"" --Brian Auger's Oblivion Express - ""Whenever You're Ready"" & ""Listen Here"" --Canned Heat - ""Dust My Broom"" & ""Lookin' for My Rainbow"" --The Chi-Lites - ""Stoned Out of My Mind"" & Oh Girl"" --Curtis Mayfield - ""Freddie's Dead"" --Brenda Patterson - ""Dance with Me Henry"" --Spooky Tooth - ""Cotton Growing Man"" --B.W. Stevenson - ""My Maria"" & ""Don't Go to Mexico"

-Seals & Crofts (hosts) - ""Diamond Girl,"" ""Dust On My Saddle,"" ""We May Never Pass This Way Again,"" ""Ruby Jean and Billie Lee"" & ""Pop Goes the Weasel"" --Paul Butterfield's Better Days - ""New Walkin' Blues"" & ""Broke My Baby's Heart"" --Ramblin' Jack Elliot - ""Talkin' Fishing Blues"" --Arlo Guthrie - ""Gypsy Davy"" ""Bling Blang"" --Leo Kottke - ""Bean Time"" --T. Rex - ""Hot Love"" & ""Bang a Gong (Get It On)"" --Uriah Heep - ""Stealin'"" & ""Sweet Freedom""

Randy Newman (host) - ""Mama Told Me Not to Come,"" ""Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear,"" ""Political Science,"" ""Davy and the Fat Boy,"" ""I Think It's Going to Rain Today,"" ""Rolling,"" ""All His Love"" & ""Louisiana 1927"" --Ry Cooder - ""Ditty Wah Ditty"" --Dr. John - ""Let's Make a Better World,"" ""Desitively Bonnaroo,"" ""Mos' Scocious"" & ""Mama Don't Allow"" --Dr. John and Maria Muldaur - ""Three Dollar Bill"" --Maria Muldaur - ""Sweetheart,"" Lover Man"" & ""Squeeze Me"" --The Turtles - ""Happy Together,"" ""Feel Older Now,"" ""Let Me Make Love to You"" & ""You Showed Me""

Al Green (host) - ""Sweet Talk,"" ""Tired of Being Alone,"" ""Sha La La,"" ""Here I Am (Come and Take Me),"" ""I'm Still in Love with You"" & ""Love and Happiness."" --Al Green - medley: ""Funny How Time Slips Away,"" ""How Can You Mend a Broken Heart,"" ""For the Good Times"" and ""Let's Stay Together"" --Joe Cocker - ""Something"" & ""Delta Lady""

Jose Feliciano (host) - ""My Sweet Lord,"" ""Chico and the Man,"" ""T.S.O.P.,"" ""Golden Lady"" & ""Love's Theme"" --Jesse Colin - ""Morning Sun"" & ""Light Shine"" --Hot Tuna - ""Hamar Promenade,"" ""Day to Day Out the Window Blues"" & ""I See the Light"" --The Main Ingredient - ""Everybody Plays the Fool,"" ""Happiness Is Just Around the Bend"" & ""Just Don't Want to Be Lonely"" --Buffy Sainte-Marie - ""I Can't Take It No More"" & ""That's the Way You Fall in Love""

Helen Reddy (host) - ""I'll Be Your Audience,"" ""Bad Bad Leroy Brown"" (an animated film of the Jim Croce recording) ""Time"" & ""I Am Woman"" --Billy Braver (comedy segment) --The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - ""Dream,"" ""Bayou Jubilee,"" The Battle of New Orleans"" & ""Mother of Love"" --Phoebe Snow - ""I Don't Want the Night to End"" & ""Poetry Man"" --Paul Williams - ""Cried Like a Baby"" & ""Old Souls"" --Midnight Special salute to David Bowie --Hit of the Week:

Helen Reddy (host) - ""Raised on Rock,"" ""You and Me Against the World"" & ""I Am Woman"" --Helen Reddy and Isaac Hayes - ""Body Language,"" --Isaac Hayes - ""Feel Like Makin' Love,"" ""Come Live with Me"" & ""I Can't Turn Around"" --The Committee (comedy troupe) - perform 2 sketches. --Barry Manilow - ""Could It Be Magic?"" & ""I Want to Be Somebody's Baby"" --Midnight Special tribute to Chuck Berry

Helen Reddy (host) - ""Mrs. Robinson,"" ""Songs"" & ""Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady"" --Larry Beezer (comedy segment) --Keith Carradine - ""I'm Easy"" & ""Honey Won't You Let Me Be Your Friend"" --Keith Carradine and Helen Reddy - ""It Don't Worry me"" --The Crusaders - ""Creole"" & ""Soul Caravan"" --Janis Ian - ""In the Winter"" & ""Bayonne Blues"" --Roger Miller - ""All I Love Is You,"" ""The Day I Jumped from Uncle Harvey's Plane"" & ""Fraulein"" --Roger Miller & Helen Reddy - ""In the Summertime

The Spinners (hosts) - ""I've Got to Make It on My Own,"" ""The Rubberband Man,"" ""Could It Be I'm Falling in Love"" and ""I Don't Want to Lose You""/""One of a Kind Love Affair"" medley. --Electric Light Orchestra - ""Showdown"" --England Dan and John Ford Coley - ""I'd Really Love to See You Tonight,"" ""Showboat Gambler"" & ""Nights Are Forever without You"" --Dr. Hook - ""A Little Bit More,"" ""Rollin' in My Sweet Baby's Arms"" & ""Jungle to the Zoo"" (another source lists ""Only 16"" as the 2nd song) --Elton John and Kiki Dee - ""Don't Go Breakin' My Heart"" (probably a music video) --Junior Walker - ""What Does It Take?"" ""(I'm A) Road Runner,"" ""Shotgun"" & 'I'm So Glad"" --Midnight Special salute to Wolfman Jack (Wolfman Jack tells his own story: career as a DJ & clip from ""American Graffiti"")

Lesley Gore (host) - "It's My Party,Judy's Turn to Cry,I'd Like to Be,You Don't Own Me,"" and a medley of hits The Drifters - ""Up on the Roof"" & ""Save the Last Dance for Me"" --Danny and the Juniors - ""At the Hop""""Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay"" --Lloyd Price - ""Personality"" & ""Stagger Lee"" --Jimmie Rodgers - ""Kisses Sweeter Than Wine,"" ""Honey Comb"" & ""Oh Oh I'm Falling in Love Again"" --Del Shannon Runaway,,Hats off to Larry,Keep Searchin',The Shirelles - ""Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?"" & ""Soldier Boy"" --Johnny Tillotson - ""Poetry in Motion"" & a medley of hits (""Heartaches by the Number,"" ""Send Me the Pillow You Dream On,"" ""It Keep Right On A-Hurtin'"" and ""Talk Back Trembling Lips"") --Bobby Vee - ""The Night Has a Thousand Eyes,"" ""Come Back When You Grow Up,"" ""My Girl"" & ""Hey Girl"

George Carlin (host) - does a few comedy monologues --Glen Campbell - ""When Will I Be Loved,"" ""Rhinestone Cowboy"" & ""Gentle on My Mind"" --Rick Dees and His Cast of Idiots - ""Disco Duck"" --Lou Rawls - ""You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine,"" ""Groovy People"" & ""This Song Will Last Forever"" --Helen Reddy - ""Hold Me in Your Dreams Tonight,"" ""Mama"" & ""Get off Me Baby"" --Cliff Richard - ""Devil Woman"" --Midnight Special salute to Johnny Mathis

The Captain and Tennille (hosts) - ""Can't Stop Dancin',"" ""Come In from the Rain,"" ""54 Boogie Blues"" & ""Circles"" --Chaka Khan with the Captain & Tennille - ""Let the Good Times Roll"" --Little River Band - ""Help Is on the Way"" & ""It's a Long Way There"" --Lou Rawls - ""See You When I Get There"" & ""Spring Again"" --Rufus, featuring Chaka Khan - ""Everlasting Love"" --Neil Young (on film) - ""Like a Hurricane"" --Midnight Special salute to Janis Ian --Midnight Special ""Hit of the Week"" - David Bowie's ""Fame"

Guests: --The Average White Band - ""Star in the Ghetto"" --The Average White Band and Ben E. King - ""Keeping It to Myself"" --Joan Baez - ""Diamonds and Rust,"" ""Time Rag,"" ""Honest Lullaby"" & ""A Heartfelt Line or Two"" --The Brothers Johnson - ""Strawberry Letter 23"" --REO Speedwagon - ""Keep Pushin'"" & ""Ridin' the Storm Out"" --Midnight Special salute to Yes

Guests: --George Benson (host) - ""The Greatest Love of All"" & ""Nature Boy,"" --George Benson and Minnie Riperton - ""Misty"" --Minnie Riperton - ""Young Willin' and Able"" & ""Could It Be I'm Falling in Love?"" --Roy Ayers and George Benson - ""What's Going On"" --Bonnie Raitt - ""Three Time Loser"" & ""My Opening Farewell"" --Roger Daltrey - ""Say It Ain't So, Joe"" (music video) --Midnight Special salute to Lou Rawls George Benson, Roy Ayers, Herbie Hancock, Harvey Mason, Jean-Luc Ponty, John Klemmer and Phil Upchurch - ""Fever"" (performed at beginning of show) and ""Chameleon"" (performed at closing of show)

The Cars - ""Let's Go,"" ""Moving in Stereo,"" ""Candy-O,"" ""The Dangerous Type,"" Got a Lot on My Head"" & ""Nightspots"" --Suicide - ""Dream, Baby Dream"" and ""Ghost Rider"" --The Records - ""Starry Eyes,"" ""Teenarama,"" ""Affection Rejected,"" ""All Messed Up and Ready to Go"" Music Videos (Promotional clips): --M - ""Pop Muzik"" --Iggy Pop - ""Five Foot One"" & ""I'm Bored"" --Lene Lovich - ""Lucky Number"" & ""Say When""