Rock Evolution – The History of Rock & Roll - 1984 - (page 198)

[OB1]

Another album that we have already has had a track from that has two more stone cold classics is “Sticky Fingers”.

If I had to choose just one of those, it would be another riff monster “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking”. One of the highlights of this number is Mick Taylor’s Santnaesque guitar work towards the end. Simply sublime. No offence to Ronnie but what a shame it was that MT left the Stones.

 

[OB1]

For a change of pace, there is Nilsson: “Without You”. A song I wasn’t fond of at the time, as I really preferred up tempo songs but one I have come to appreciate over the years. It was a huge hit so it now has a nostalgic element but it is a beautiful song.

 

[OB1]

One I don’t remember from the time but I have to recommend is Janis Joplin: “Mercedes Benz”. A short sweet number. Very Hollywood, I guess. But I’m about the end up with a drive full of Merc’s. Wife, daughter and me! All at least 10 years old I hasten to add, so not being flash!

 

[Saddleworth2]

Another album that we have already has had a track from that has two more stone cold classics is “Sticky Fingers”.

If I had to choose just one of those, it would be another riff monster “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking”. One of the highlights of this number is Mick Taylor’s Santnaesque guitar work towards the end. Simply sublime. No offence to Ronnie but what a shame it was that MT left the Stones.

I know what you mean but lets face it, Ronnie Wood was born to be a Stone.

 

[OB1]

I know what you mean but lets face it, Ronnie Wood was born to be a Stone.

Yeah, he was. And he does a great job but it was really good to see Mick T play a few numbers with them when he guested on their last but one tour (was it). I do recall Ronnie, pulling out all the stops on a solo after Mick had done one.

 

[mancity2012_eamo]

I know what you mean but lets face it, Ronnie Wood was born to be a Stone.

He was Stoned!

 

[OB1]

Dipping into the pop charts and I need to add a bit more Glam:

Slade: “Coz I love you”. Another of the songs that made an early impression on me as I began to take an interest in music. This is where, I think, Slade started to take off in a big way. It’s typically catchy, stumpy, and misspelt but slightly unusually features bassist Jim Lea’s violin skills.

Sweet: “Coco” Another band having an early hit. Sweet’s musical development is interesting and (spoiler alert) I will mention it in a future year but bear in mind this sweet confection that grabbed my lug holes back in 1971 is being performed by a band that really just wanted to rock.

As a victim of T.Rextasy, I have to mention “Hot Love” and “Get it On”. Both great pop with a rocky edge that were big hits. Get it On was their only major hit in the U.S., where it had to be retitled “Bang a Gong” because the original title was deemed a reference to sex! Anyway, sing-a-long: “Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na.”

 

[Saddleworth2]

Yeah, he was. And he does a great job but it was really good to see Mick T play a few numbers with them when he guested on their last but one tour (was it). I do recall Ronnie, pulling out all the stops on a solo after Mick had done one.

I saw them in Edinburgh on their last tour and they were genuinely brilliant. I am used to seeing my heroes play as aged citizens Yes, Bruce, The Who..... But The Stones were streets ahead for energy and performance.

 

[OB1]

I have loads more songs, both singles and album tracks, I could recommend.

 

[OB1]

I saw them in Edinburgh on their last tour and they were genuinely brilliant. I am used to seeing my heroes play as aged citizens Yes, Bruce, The Who..... But The Stones were streets ahead for energy and performance.

I saw them on the last tour at Hyde Park and they were fantastic.

I should have been going to see Bruce at the Co-op next Saturday but the FA Cup Final has trumped that. I hope I don’t regret the decision. Did see him last year and he was so good. For me, Bruce, The Stones and The Foo Fighters are the best live acts on the circuit.

 

[OB1]

Guilty pleasure (as they call it) time.

This I’m afraid was the sound of summer 1971: Middle of the Road: “Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep”. Insidiously catchy.

 

[Saddleworth2]

Dipping into the pop charts and I need to add a bit more Glam:

Slade: “Coz I love you”. Another of the songs that made an early impression on me as I began to take an interest in music. This is where, I think, Slade started to take off in a big way. It’s typically catchy, stumpy, and misspelt but slightly unusually features bassist Jim Lea’s violin skills.

Sweet: “Coco” Another band having an early hit. Sweet’s musical development is interesting and (spoiler alert) I will mention it in a future year but bear in mind this sweet confection that grabbed my lug holes back in 1971 is being performed by a band that really just wanted to rock.

As a victim of T.Rextasy, I have to mention “Hot Love” and “Get it On”. Both great pop with a rocky edge that were big hits. Get it On was their only major hit in the U.S., where it had to be retitled “Bang a Gong” because the original title was deemed a reference to sex! Anyway, sing-a-long: “Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na.”

I hated Slade with a passion back in the day which has softened a little. There were weekly discos and Slade seemed to attract (how do I put this nicely) the crazee element which frequently ended up in a ruckus and some poor unfortunate being tossed in the harbour. Bad luck if they hadn’t read the tide tables.

 

[Saddleworth2]

Guilty pleasure (as they call it) time.

This I’m afraid was the sound of summer 1971: Middle of the Road: “Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep”. Insidiously catchy.

Horrific. C’mon mate.

 

[Really_here]

Guilty pleasure (as they call it) time.

This I’m afraid was the sound of summer 1971: Middle of the Road: “Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep”. Insidiously catchy.

I remember Tammi Lynn's "I'm gonna run away from you" very well. Seemed to be playing constantly along with "Hey Girl don't bother me" by the Tams

 

[Saddleworth2]

I'm going to nominate a Free song 'My Brother Jake' written by Paul Rodgers and Andy Fraser. I especially like Rodgers vocal performance on this and the song has a nice melancholic melody. Andy Fraser stated that he wrote it in dedication to a friend of his but had titled the song My Brother Jake because it sounded better than My Friend Horace.
Which is fair.

My Brother Jake - Free

 

[Saddleworth2]

I remember Tammi Lynn's "I'm gonna run away from you" very well. Seemed to be playing constantly along with "Hey Girl don't bother me" by the Tams

I'll take that as a nomination for the playlist mate and include it.

 

[threespires]

One I don’t remember from the time but I have to recommend is Janis Joplin: “Mercedes Benz”. A short sweet number. Very Hollywood, I guess. But I’m about the end up with a drive full of Merc’s. Wife, daughter and me! All at least 10 years old I hasten to add, so not being flash!

Bugger, beat me to it though I was going to nominate Me and Bobby McGee which was a much bigger (and imo better) song I think, Mercedes Benz wasn't a hit which is probably why no one remembers it from the time. Often we decry use of songs in adverts but in fairness the ads using Cry Baby and Mercedes Benz have probably introduced more than a few young people to Joplin so maybe not a bad thing after all.

 

[threespires]

For a change of pace, there is Nilsson: “Without You”. A song I wasn’t fond of at the time, as I really preferred up tempo songs but one I have come to appreciate over the years. It was a huge hit so it now has a nostalgic element but it is a beautiful song.

One of my earlier musical memories that one. For the verses I prefer the Badfinger original but then they bugger up the chorus. Less said about the Carey histrionics the better.

 

[Black&White&BlueMoon Town]

For my 4th and "last" submission, I will formally put forward the folk/Celtic folk song as a youngster I would skip over on this classic album to not interrupt the flow of louder rock music I was into at the time.

How foolish I was. I think this might be my favourite song from the album now, or at least the one I always go to as the one I appreciate over time of its brilliance and how it gives me chills now in listening to it all coming together, both vocally and musically.

Like "Going to California", this was a rare song that John Bonham did not feature on. Whereas John Paul Jones played mandolin on GTC, apparently Jimmy Page did on this song. Bring in guest vocalist Sandy Denny of Fairport Convention to help Robert Plant tell the story of the lyrics inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings novel, and what we have (to me) is one of Led Zeppelin's most underappreciated songs. Plant played the role of the narrator and Denny represented the town crier. This is the ONLY song Led Zeppelin recorded in the studio with a guest musician.

The sweet spot for me hits at 4:30 in with the "Bring It Back..." repeated lines that reaches its peak with the "Bring It, Bring It, Bring It". That is where this track stands the test of time for me.

"The Battle of Evermore" - Led Zeppelin

 

[Really_here]

I'll take that as a nomination for the playlist mate and include it.

One more to nominate then, Maggie May/Reason to Believe - this is the song that establised Rod Stewart as a solo artist and I know the lyrics whenever I hear it. Maggie May was actually the B side. I had a Rod Stewart phase around then, I was 14 in 1971 and had the long feathered hair scrunched and spiky on top and a couple of Stewart tartan scarves. My old man was mortified by my hair, remember him saying a few times "Have you seen his bloody hair Jean?" to my mum.