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

Wow what a great thread and what a year 1971 was for album releases.There’s a good documentary series on Apple TV covering the music and events of 1971 ‘The Year Music Changed Everything ‘.


My four penneth

The debut release by one of my favourite artists the late great John Prine,
I was just twelve when this was released and it wasn’t until 1972 I started to buy my own albums.My older brother was into Led Zep, Prog Rock and Bowie, so very few American artists were rarely heard in our house.It wasn’t until many years later when Springsteen produced his album ‘The Missing Years’ that I really discovered JP and his wonderful lyrics sometimes sad sometimes humorous.so many great songs to choose from on this album but as I’ve already put a few on other threads I’ll go for one made famous by Bonnie Raitt but covered by many others. ‘Angel from Montgomery.’

James Taylor the title track from Mudslide Slim and The Blue Horizon, I’ve always loved
JT voice and i remember someone at school carrying a copy of this album around, I’d not heard it but of course knew the single ‘You’ve got a friend’ which was to be killed by many, years later on karaoke machines.When you see J T now as an older statesman it’s hard to believe he was strung out on heroin when he made this record.

Another of my favourite bands released their debut album this year containing one of my favourite songs ‘Willin’
To me Lowell George was a very underrated performer, great slide guitarist, song writer
and vocalist and the rest of the band weren’t too shabby either.Id just started work in 1976 when one of the older guys who just been to see the Warner Bros tour of Little Feat, The Doobie Brothers and Tower of Power, recommended them and I’ve been a fan ever since.

I can’t remember when I first heard Leonard Cohen but I’m pretty sure it was before the other artists on my list and it would’ve been the song’ Suzanne’. I’ve always been in to
melancholic singer song writers and laughing Len is probably the king.Oddly the current Mrs Mcd who hates most of my ‘depressing ‘ music is such a fan she chose one if his songs for our wedding!
It wasn’t this one ‘Famous Blue Raincoat’ which LC would wear in later years in his live shows.
 
Ok lets go here is my take on 1971 from an OZ perspective.

Kudos to anyone outside OZ if you have heard them before as these bands while touring overseas including the UK and the US in some cases both were only around for a short time in the main but clearly left their mark.

Country and Progressive rock was starting to take off in OZ as well as is reflected in one of these tracks.

Golden Miles - Healing Force ( only single they ever released )

I'll Be Gone - Spectrum ( debut single )

Gonna See My Baby Tonight - The La De Da's - still love the outro today as much as I did 54 years ago.

Eagle Rock - Daddy Cool ( debut single and stayed 10 weeks at number one )
 
My knowledge of early 70s music is pretty limited so I'm looking forward to hearing what others put forward.
With this in mind, I'm going to fill out the list with two songs that come from albums already mentioned.

I always think of songs by The Doors in two camps. The long form songs such as "Riders on the Storm" and the title track from L.A. Woman are great examples. In these tracks, the instrumentals weave magnificent patterns that are equal parts rock and jazz. The other type of song is the quick two or three-minute pop/rock song - "Break on Through", "Love Me Two Times" and "Peace Frog" for example. One of their best in this shorter category is from this year: ""Love Her Madly" has a catchy refrain, a superb Vox continental break by Ray Manzarek and equally good guitar from the song's writer, Robby Krieger.

And of course, we have to have "Stairway to Heaven" - not because it's a classic but because it's just the type of long track that I love. Starts slowly with acoustic and recorder, picks up pace , has an explosive guitar solo, goes through a tempo change and ends superbly.

"Love Her Madly" - The Doors

"Stairway to Heaven" - Led Zeppelin
 
Sadds initial list of albums in his excellent write up is so comprehensive it's hard not to just pick tracks from one of those.

I'll start with something that was pretty cool but unbeknown to most of us also started to signal some of the horrors that were to come by the mid 70s.

It's not disco yet, but it's getting there!

Theme from Shaft - Isaac Hayes
 
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mancity111 said:
Because there was a "little bit" of decent music that came out in 1971 including Fogs favorite and certainly in my top ten as well from the UK and the US I am going to usher in some Australian Pub Rock amongst other genres some that were making some waves at the time.

Included is a song that inspired Captain Fantastic and the Brown to compose one of their stalwarts ( which I have little time for mind you ) and while I can hand on heart say I am not a fan of EJ in the main by a long shot I have to admit he did keep an eye of some depth in what was going on around and blend it into what made him very successful in his inventive years.

Some of these tracks only the likes of Bill Walker will have heard of on this forum I would suggest albeit the likes of TS and Fog ( apologies to others I have missed out ) do spread their interest beyond I have noticed , so if you haven't heard of any of them give them a couple of listens they are not everyone's cup of tea but given how little support the industry in Australia was receiving when it came to RC's outside a little TV exposure when radio was saturated with from music made in US and the UK these bands had to pull above their weight to even get on stage and show their wares.
Click to expand...
Good post mate. Do you want to nominate anything for the playlist?

Edit - doh, just seen your post!
 
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threespires said:
Sadds initial list of albums in his excellent write up is so comprehensive it's hard not to just pick tracks from one of those.

I'll start with something that was pretty cool but unbeknown to most of us also started to signal some of the horrors that were to come by the mid 70s.

It's not disco yet, but it's getting there!

Theme from Shaft - Isaac Hayes
Click to expand...
A great choice. A particular favourite of mine. Memorable theme and one of those songs that transports me back in time.
 
Mancitydoogle said:
Wow what a great thread and what a year 1971 was for album releases.There’s a good documentary series on Apple TV covering the music and events of 1971 ‘The Year Music Changed Everything ‘.


My four penneth

The debut release by one of my favourite artists the late great John Prine,
I was just twelve when this was released and it wasn’t until 1972 I started to buy my own albums.My older brother was into Led Zep, Prog Rock and Bowie, so very few American artists were rarely heard in our house.It wasn’t until many years later when Springsteen produced his album ‘The Missing Years’ that I really discovered JP and his wonderful lyrics sometimes sad sometimes humorous.so many great songs to choose from on this album but as I’ve already put a few on other threads I’ll go for one made famous by Bonnie Raitt but covered by many others. ‘Angel from Montgomery.’

James Taylor the title track from Mudslide Slim and The Blue Horizon, I’ve always loved
JT voice and i remember someone at school carrying a copy of this album around, I’d not heard it but of course knew the single ‘You’ve got a friend’ which was to be killed by many, years later on karaoke machines.When you see J T now as an older statesman it’s hard to believe he was strung out on heroin when he made this record.

Another of my favourite bands released their debut album this year containing one of my favourite songs ‘Willin’
To me Lowell George was a very underrated performer, great slide guitarist, song writer
and vocalist and the rest of the band weren’t too shabby either.Id just started work in 1976 when one of the older guys who just been to see the Warner Bros tour of Little Feat, The Doobie Brothers and Tower of Power, recommended them and I’ve been a fan ever since.

I can’t remember when I first heard Leonard Cohen but I’m pretty sure it was before the other artists on my list and it would’ve been the song’ Suzanne’. I’ve always been in to
melancholic singer song writers and laughing Len is probably the king.Oddly the current Mrs Mcd who hates most of my ‘depressing ‘ music is such a fan she chose one if his songs for our wedding!
It wasn’t this one ‘Famous Blue Raincoat’ which LC would wear in later years in his live shows.
Click to expand...
cracking post and choices mate.
 
RobMCFC said:
My knowledge of early 70s music is pretty limited so I'm looking forward to hearing what others put forward.
With this in mind, I'm going to fill out the list with two songs that come from albums already mentioned.

I always think of songs by The Doors in two camps. The long form songs such as "Riders on the Storm" and the title track from L.A. Woman are great examples. In these tracks, the instrumentals weave magnificent patterns that are equal parts rock and jazz. The other type of song is the quick two or three-minute pop/rock song - "Break on Through", "Love Me Two Times" and "Peace Frog" for example. One of their best in this shorter category is from this year: ""Love Her Madly" has a catchy refrain, a superb Vox continental break by Ray Manzarek and equally good guitar from the song's writer, Robby Krieger.

And of course, we have to have "Stairway to Heaven" - not because it's a classic but because it's just the type of long track that I love. Starts slowly with acoustic and recorder, picks up pace , has an explosive guitar solo, goes through a tempo change and ends superbly.

"Love Her Madly" - The Doors

"Stairway to Heaven" - Led Zeppelin
Click to expand...
Glad someone picked Stairway.

Some will feel it is overplayed, especially our US FM radio listener's, where it had a good spell as the most requested / played track.

Yeah, the lyrics are a bit twee but of their time. The opening though is iconic (that word again). The way it builds is legendary and the guitar solo and drum interaction towards the end is one of the great musical moments in rock. The solo is commonly high on the list of greatest guitar solos.

Quite simply this track is possibly the definition of classic rock and has to be there for playlist credibility, if one cares about such things. It is the most famous song on the best album of the year (as voted by many).

Probably not in my Top 10 favourite Zep tracks BTW.
 
threespires said:
Sadds initial list of albums in his excellent write up is so comprehensive it's hard not to just pick tracks from one of those.

I'll start with something that was pretty cool but unbeknown to most of us also started to signal some of the horrors that were to come by the mid 70s.

It's not disco yet, but it's getting there!

Theme from Shaft - Isaac Hayes
Click to expand...
Its brilliant. In 72 I went to the States/Canada for two months to stay with relatives. That was an eye opener and a story for another day. Anyway, one set lived in Detroit and they used to take us 'down town' a lot to sample the local 'vibe' (eek). I remember velvet suits seemed to be quite popular and this (Shaft) blasted out of doorways along with the smell of certain substances. As a naive and innocent white boy it was quite the experience.
 
OB1 said:
Glad someone picked Stairway.

Some will feel it is overplayed, especially our US FM radio listener's, where it had a good spell as the most requested / played track.

Yeah, the lyrics are a bit twee but of their time. The opening though is iconic (that word again). The way it builds is legendary and the guitar solo and drum interaction towards the end is one of the great musical moments in rock. The solo is commonly high on the list of greatest guitar solos.

Quite simply this track is possibly the definition of classic rock and has to be there for playlist credibility, if one cares about such things. It is the most famous song on the best album of the year (as voted by many).

Probably not in my Top 10 favourite Zep tracks BTW.
Click to expand...
I bloody loved it for years and years. Can't listen with any pleasure anymore - strange.
 
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Reactions: OB1
OB1 said:
Glad someone picked Stairway.

Some will feel it is overplayed, especially our US FM radio listener's, where it had a good spell as the most requested / played track.
Click to expand...
It is what it is, no complaints here and glad someone played the card.

OB1 said:
Yeah, the lyrics are a bit twee but of their time. The opening though is iconic (that word again). The way it builds is legendary and the guitar solo and drum interaction towards the end is one of the great musical moments in rock. The solo is commonly high on the list of greatest guitar solos.
Click to expand...
As it is and should be. It can't be overstated how important the drums are to the guitar solo as you rightfully point out.

OB1 said:
Quite simply this track is possibly the definition of classic rock and has to be there for playlist credibility, if one cares about such things. It is the most famous song on the best album of the year (as voted by many).

Probably not in my Top 10 favourite Zep tracks BTW.
Click to expand...

It's somewhere in mine, but I have another off this album that we'll be Going To soon enough before all this is done, but I'm all for track list spacing too. ;-)
 
threespires said:
Sadds initial list of albums in his excellent write up is so comprehensive it's hard not to just pick tracks from one of those.

I'll start with something that was pretty cool but unbeknown to most of us also started to signal some of the horrors that were to come by the mid 70s.

It's not disco yet, but it's getting there!

Theme from Shaft - Isaac Hayes
Click to expand...
Listened to last night in contemplating, but had a wait on it. Glad you snagged this as it is one of the iconic Stax songs, and Academy Award for Best Original Song can't be wrong in this case. With that win, Isaac Hayes became the first African American to win an Oscar in a non-acting category.
 
Black&White&BlueMoon Town said:
Listened to last night in contemplating, but had a wait on it. Glad you snagged this as it is one of the iconic Stax songs, and Academy Award for Best Original Song can't be wrong in this case. With that win, Isaac Hayes became the first African American to win an Oscar in a non-acting category.
Click to expand...

Surely it's got to give Voodoo Child SR a run for it's money as the iconic use of a wah in popular music?

The sight of Hayes conducting his band(s) when they played this live is one of the more joyful things you can see in music.

And at the risk of lowering the tone, if you want to hear the whitest, most middle class version of this song it is physically possible to create then try the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain's version. Not sure the degree to which they've ever made it to your side of the pond?
 
threespires said:
And at the risk of lowering the tone, if you want to hear the whitest, most middle class version of this song it is physically possible to create then try the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain's version. Not sure the degree to which they've ever made it to your side of the pond?
Click to expand...
I can only speak for myself, but until Google just brought the YT Cambridge folk festival 2007 performance to me, I was unaware something like this existed. I think the audience reaction says it all, so this was a good laugh and I think you've accurately described the hue.
 
threespires said:
And at the risk of lowering the tone, if you want to hear the whitest, most middle class version of this song it is physically possible to create then try the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain's version. Not sure the degree to which they've ever made it to your side of the pond?
Click to expand...
Do you want them on the playlist? Is their version 1971?
;-)
 
@Saddleworth2
Brilliant write up and I love this playlist.
I know every song and had the bulk of the albums that you have mentioned.

I haven’t really partaken in this thread up to now.
There are so many music threads, I think I just became overwhelmed and ignored most of them.

Am I getting this right? The idea is for us to nominate four songs each to add to the list?
 
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