Bracketology: 1976 Adult Contemporary singles, Champion

When it comes to this particular match-up, the in-your-face bombasticism of "I Write The Songs" loses to the laid-back smoothness of "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight" which has almost everything I look for in a soft rock tune: strings, a catchy bridge, soaring strings. What's it missing? Fender Rhodes and sax solo, but that chorus is the stuff and more than makes up for the lack of electric piano. The lyrics appealed to me as a ten-year old. I was too young and naïve to realize that it was a song about a booty call and thought about girls I'd really like to see that night.

This song debuted on the charts in June 1976, and was on the radio that entire summer. According to most sources, this was the duo's biggest hit. The song was nominated for Grammy for Best Pop Vocal by a Duo, Group or Chorus, losing out to Chicago's "If You Leave Me Now" (and understandably so). Nonetheless, I'm hooked from the piano intro and then the next 2½ minutes get better and better.