DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL

It took an album to make me realize that the best singles or at least, the most interesting ones, so far this year have been by women.

Despite some of my colleagues’ flights of fancy, I don’t think Anne Murray or Helen Reddy are all that talented, or even bearable. “Ruby Red Dress” is a seventh-rate take-off on the “Delta Dawn” idea in the first place, and Anne Murray’s “A Love Song” — which is at an advantage because Murray can sing, and Reddy can’t — is plain pablum. Pure button push.

On the other hand, there is “Raised on Robbery,” which is the best hookerrock song ever made. And Gladys Knight’s “Imagination,” which is enough to make you think that Barry Goldberg is probably going to weather exposure to Bob Dylan and the subsequent hype much more comfortably than Doug Sahm.

Aretha and Diana are back, too, with songs worthy of their inestimable talents. “Until You Come Back To Me” is not as magical as “Angel,” which was vastly underrated — perhaps Franklin’s most moving recording — while “Last Time I Saw Him” picks up where Ross left off with “Touch Me in the Morning.” Sure, this stuff is' slick, and pop, not rock, but it moves, and it is about something human. Enough bulldozers, already.

Even Linda Ronstadt, whose critical estimation - has always had more to do with the size of the bra she doesn’t wear than her voice, has a good song in “Love Has No Pride,” the Asylum theme song. (Dylan didn’t sign a contract? Really, David.) Bette Midler, who has also been off my list of favorites — how dare she squander her talent that way? — sounds

better with “In the Mood” on the radio than she ever will on my stereo.

But if you felt like going out on a limb for a singer this month, the best bet would be the single from the Toni Brown album, whatever it eventually is. I can hear at least four possibilities, not counting “The Devil and Willie Mahoney,” which could do for Toni what “The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia” did for Vicki Lawrence, perish the thought. The album has all the best moves by the Carpenters, Murray, even the wretched Reddy jdown pat, buf done by a singer with a good voice and, uh... intelligence. I’m not guaranteeing a hit, you understand, but I can’t think of any reasons why^not.

Last, but certainly not least, there is the immortal “Mockingbird,” another Elektra/Asylum ode, * featuring those two upper-class turtle doves, James and Carly. Now, it seems clear to me that Carly is blowing it — who is she going to use for support next time, Warren Beatty? She really could do as well on her own. Well, if her star goes into retrograde, or whatever, she can always recall her remarkable reworking of this classic: “Hear me now and understand/

He’s gonna find some piece of mind/ And if that piece of mind won’t stay/ I’m gonna find myself a better way/ And if that better way ain’t so/ I’ll ride with the tide and go with the flow.”1 You’d think the son of a university president (or whatever he is) and the daughter of a major American publisher, recording for a label which owns rock’s greatest living poet (or whatever he is, or whoever owns whom) could spell a simple little word like “peace” right, wouldn’t you? But, see, that’s this one’s vain gimmick: is it a joke or is it serious? Is “piece” a duel I got news, kids: even if it’s serious, it’s a joke. Also a-good record, goddamnit.

THIRD GEAR H.

“Raised on Robbery,” Joni Mitchell (69; it’s not going to hit, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t great); “Midnight Special, ” Clarence Carter (33 on the soul chart, a real outside shot, but a good one); “Both Ends Against the Middle,” Jackie Moore (40 on the soul list; can any record that has people calling me about it on the phone be all bad?); “Mighty Love,” by the mighty Spinners (82 with a bullet, first week; ’nuff said).

IICMB MAR H.

“Sexy Mama,” The Moments (51, bullet); “Homely Girl,” The Chi Lites (68 with a bullet, soul chart; they don’t miss); “Quick Fast In A Hurry,” New York City (23 on the soul chart, should cross over soon); JJRock and Roll Hoochie Koo,” Rick Derringer (the song is due,This is the best version, it’s no. 94 this week, and certainly the best new white record).

•H FIRST MAR

“Boogie Down,” Eddie Kendricks (great dance record, but if you dance in your car, you have accidents; too long and uneventful to just listen to); “Trying to Hold On to My Woman,” Lamont Dozier (64; if he’d just shut up and let the band play...); “There Won’t Be Anymore,” Charlie Rich (87 with a bullet, first week; but it’s too good to be true — three hits in a row after none for ten years? Only in the movies, kid.)

.H REERSE

“You’re So Unique,” Billy Preston (57 with a bullet; uniqueness is not necessarily a positive attribute); “Seasons in the Sun,” Terry Jacks (72 with a bullet; Rod McKuen wrote this song. To say any more would be superfluous!) “W.O.L.D.,” Harry Chapin (Harry, keep the change).