Rock Evolution – The History of Rock & Roll - 1985 - (page 203)

[OB1]

Phew, finally finished the playlist! Highlights from the 2nd half:-

• "Funk #49" - James Gang - think we've had this on a playlist before. I remember saying that it sounds like it probably influenced "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins. Never heard of this band until "Ashes The Rain and I" was nominated for a playlist - the latter song sits on my "Blue Moon Best of" playlist.
• "Big Yellow Taxi" - Joni Mitchell - not sure I've heard this original, being familiar with the Counting Crows cover, but this is excellent. This and "Woodstock" on the same album - wow, fantastic. This has also gone on my "Blue Moon Best of" playlist - I love the raw sound of the acoustic guitar and Joni's singing.
• "Hurry on Sundown" by Hawkwind - also gone on the "Blue Moon best of"
• "Three Button Hand Me Down" - Faces - really enjoyed the organ on this
• and this - "Freedom Rider" - Traffic
• "If You Could Read My Mind" - Gordon Lightfoot - This sounds very familiar and it's a lovely song.

Overall, leaving quibbles about the running time aside, I think that this playlist makes a case for 1970 being a spectacular year in music.

See you don’t get Hurry on Sundown if you restrict song numbers. And it’s a little corker, the first song on Hawkwind’s debut and rather different from their usual latter fair.

 

[RobMCFC]

See you don’t get Hurry on Sundown if you restrict song numbers. And it’s a little corker, the first song on Hawkwind’s debut and rather different from their usual latter fair.

Yeah, yeah. As I was typing those out I knew you’d point that out. And to be fair, in that case, you are correct.

 

[OB1]

Yeah, yeah. As I was typing those out I knew you’d point that out. And to be fair, in that case, you are correct.

Open goal. Half the songs you highlighted were additional suggestions I made.

 

[Saddleworth2]

So, just to make my position clear.

I am not upset or angry etc.

However, I forewarned that my initial playlists would not be restricted to 10 songs and those playlists come as a package with my narratives, which will also break the word count.

My starter playlists do not feature every song referenced in my write-ups, nowhere near.

Whilst I like long playlists, to do justice to the years, I can make my own from my cd / iTunes collection. I have about 100 albums from each of the next two years I have written about. I only use Spotify for Blue Moon threads.

I’ll restrict song suggestions on other people’s years and additions to my initial playlists.

This is a really good discussion as it helps clarify what the thread should be about now we have a fair bit of experience of it. Fwiw, this is my twopence worth.
For me, the most important element of the thread is the historical narrative - the context of why artists/albums/songs/festivals are important to that year. Rob and I joked when we set this up that we could publish a book based on the content. The playlists would fall naturally out of that narrative.
The initial write ups are uniformly bloody brilliant at setting the scene but thereafter when we post a long list of songs daily without any context then I think that moves away from the initial intention and does little to develop the narrative of the year. What it does is produce a good but lengthy playlist but lets face it, any of us could access that on our preferred streaming site.

Using the Hawkwind track you and Rob were discussing as an example. I didn't know that it was from their debut or that it sounded different to their usual stuff or why you picked that over others - those facts are pearls. I would make it mandatory that anybody nominating a song or multiple songs does so with a short narrative as to why its being nominated, why its important and why it should be on the playlist. Maybe if we try that for a few 'years' and see if it enriches the thread and discussion we can collectively decide to increase the numbers again. Simply restricting the nominations to 4 each will certainly help with playlist management but it won't necessarily achieve that objective of developing that year's history without the associated narrative for each track.

Anyway, this whole discussion has given me some thoughts for 71 as some have said they skip the more familiar tracks - Oh shit.

 

[RobMCFC]

Anyway, this whole discussion has given me some thoughts for 71 as some have said they skip the more familiar tracks - Oh shit.

It is a difficult balance. I would say that we do want the iconic tracks that define a particular year, but then a lot of us have heard them hundreds of times, so would get little out of it. That's where the nice knowledge, like the Hawkwind track, come in.

A selection that includes of the two types of song when nominating is the obvious answer.

 

[GoatersLeftShin]

It's very difficult, particularly with some of the years we've had in the 60s and 70a to limit playlists to 10 songs. Iconic albums like Revolver, Pet Sounds, Sgt Pepper etc could easily fill half the playlist. These albums change music and in some ways it's hard to leave tracks out. Then again that's also part of the fun, if you think it's fun! :)

I Think it really highlights how, from 1965, for around 15-20 years music went through a massive change. The quality and quantity is something else. I hope we get to see it repeated in our lifetimes!

 

[OB1]

Some point good points gents.

I agree you can go and find a playlist of better known tracks etc from a streaming site or, in my case, for the seventies, make your own - I even have a cd of UK #1’s of the seventies (the good the bad and the ugly). But if you don’t put the “classics” in, you don’t reflect the year, IMO. However, I get for many they feel they are overplayed but I like to hear them mixed with lesser known gems. Puts me in a minority and this is a democracy…

I did feel a bit guilty posting lists without comment but I also think music can speak for itself as well. Plus almost everything I chose is in my collection, a few were songs I remember well that are commonly listed as best of. I didn’t make comments generally though because I am very busy with my current contract job, which does though give me time to play the lists while I work. Posting with a reason is a good idea, but many of mine came with the reasons noted above.

What should differentiate our list for other available ones is that our personalities and tastes will be part of it.

I know what is coming in 1971 i.e the music of the year and whatever S2 nominates to begin with, I will be nominating 4 (is it) classics, which 4 depends on what is in the initial playlist. The album of that year deserves at least four nominations and the second best at least three :)

 

[OB1]

It's very difficult, particularly with some of the years we've had in the 60s and 70a to limit playlists to 10 songs. Iconic albums like Revolver, Pet Sounds, Sgt Pepper etc could easily fill half the playlist. These albums change music and in some ways it's hard to leave tracks out. Then again that's also part of the fun, if you think it's fun! :)

I Think it really highlights how, from 1965, for around 15-20 years music went through a massive change. The quality and quantity is something else. I hope we get to see it repeated in our lifetimes!

You won’t get anything like the late 60’s through to the early 80’s again. Not a chance.

 

[RobMCFC]

I know what is coming in 1971 i.e the music of the year and whatever S2 nominates to begin with, I will be nominating 4 (is it) classics, which 4 depends on what is in the initial playlist. The album of that year deserves at least four nominations and the second best at least three :)

Yes, but you could say either:-
1. Stairway to Heaven" is the main track that everybody knows from this album, so here it is, or
2. Everybody knows "Stairway to Heaven" but I'm going to nominate the lesser-known "Going to California", which the late, great Johnnie Walker played as his last song before he quit Radio One to go to America in the 70s.

Either way, it showcases the album and leads people to it if necessary.

But we probably need "Stairway to Heaven" on the list :)

 

[threespires]

Yes, but you could say either:-
1. Stairway to Heaven" is the main track that everybody knows from this album, so here it is, or
2. Everybody knows "Stairway to Heaven" but I'm going to nominate the lesser-known "Going to California", which the late, great Johnnie Walker played as his last song before he quit Radio One to go to America in the 70s.

Either way, it showcases the album and leads people to it if necessary.

But we probably need "Stairway to Heaven" on the list :)

Do we? Is it not all a bit Tolkien meets middle class Yoga Retreat?

Suppose the Heart version isn't too bad



;-)))))))

 

[Saddleworth2]

Yes, but you could say either:-
1. Stairway to Heaven" is the main track that everybody knows from this album, so here it is, or
2. Everybody knows "Stairway to Heaven" but I'm going to nominate the lesser-known "Going to California", which the late, great Johnnie Walker played as his last song before he quit Radio One to go to America in the 70s.

Either way, it showcases the album and leads people to it if necessary.

But we probably need "Stairway to Heaven" on the list :)

nooooooooo.....

 

[OB1]

Yes, but you could say either:-
1. Stairway to Heaven" is the main track that everybody knows from this album, so here it is, or
2. Everybody knows "Stairway to Heaven" but I'm going to nominate the lesser-known "Going to California", which the late, great Johnnie Walker played as his last song before he quit Radio One to go to America in the 70s.

Either way, it showcases the album and leads people to it if necessary.

But we probably need "Stairway to Heaven" on the list :)

“Stairway” would be one of the four (or five…) but not my first, or second pick; however my opinion is that it is ultimately essential. However, I’ll save comments on why or about it until the new year.

 

[OB1]

nooooooooo.....

Yeeeeeeeesssss

 

[Saddleworth2]

Yeeeeeeeesssss

 

[Black&White&BlueMoon Town]

Anyway, this whole discussion has given me some thoughts for 71 as some have said they skip the more familiar tracks - Oh shit.

I will always make it a point to listen to the first 10 nominated...

...especially if that is all I have to listen to for a whole week on the playlist.

(but don't get cute!)

 

[Black&White&BlueMoon Town]

Yes, but you could say either:-
1. Stairway to Heaven" is the main track that everybody knows from this album, so here it is, or
2. Everybody knows "Stairway to Heaven" but I'm going to nominate the lesser-known "Going to California", which the late, great Johnnie Walker played as his last song before he quit Radio One to go to America in the 70s.

Either way, it showcases the album and leads people to it if necessary.

But we probably need "Stairway to Heaven" on the list :)

Hey, stop stealing my future material! (song, not event - obviously) ;-)

 

[OB1]

Another reason I like a longer playlist with all the obvious - often much played classics in - is that it is good to hear them next to their contemporaries. This gives them more context and may demonstrate to the cultured ear ;-) why they attained their classic status.

I am biased but I was struck by just how good the Zep III tracks sounded compared to their contemporaries.

 

[mrbelfry]

Another reason I like a longer playlist with all the obvious - often much played classics in - is that it is good to hear them next to their contemporaries. This gives them more context and may demonstrate to the cultured ear ;-) why they attained their classic status.

I am biased but I was struck by just how good the Zep III tracks sounded compared to their contemporaries.

I'll maybe make a headstart on your 1973 playlist #freebird

 

[GoatersLeftShin]

You won’t get anything like the late 60’s through to the early 80’s again. Not a chance.

I suspect you're right!

That said I think there's an argument that can be made for the New Romantics with the arrival of the cheap synths. Hip hop arrives around this time (from memory, give or take a couple of years). We also get the arrival of MTV and it's impact on music and maybe a couple of years later we start with the beginning of house music. I'm not saying these are as transformational as the 60s but are still major turning points.

I'll still prefer to make the case for the 60s and 70s being better mind :)

 

[RobMCFC]

Another reason I like a longer playlist with all the obvious - often much played classics in - is that it is good to hear them next to their contemporaries. This gives them more context and may demonstrate to the cultured ear ;-) why they attained their classic status.

I am biased but I was struck by just how good the Zep III tracks sounded compared to their contemporaries.

I’m looking forward to hearing how good classic rock sounds when it’s next to punk in the mid to late 70s