Available On
Best Of the
Doobies
---
What Are
The Doobies'
Favorite
Doobie
Tracks?
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| BLACK WATER, THE DOOBIE BROTHERS (1975): This one always makes me
think of a hot summer day, with the smell of flowers in the air. The Doobies did
a lot of great songs, but the feel of this one always grabs me. It begins like a hazy summer day and gets gradually funkier. I
always find myself shifting the stereo balance and smiling at the
background vocals which sound funny without their lead
counterparts. Audio Clip
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Available On Best Of the Doobies --- What Are The Doobies' Favorite Doobie Tracks? |
 Available On Behind The Music ---- Show Me An Awesome Harry LIVE CD |
CAT'S IN THE CRADLE, Harry Chapin (1975): I've seen
this one show up on numerous "Worst 1970s Songs" lists, and I have no idea why.
How many songs succeed in capturing, in just a few minutes,
emotions like the ones found in this tune? Right from the start
dad is just too damn busy for his son, but the son manages to
keep hope alive that perhaps one day...and at 10, the kid again
reaches out for a hand that's on its way out the door...and then
college days, and what the kid has learned is to
brush off his dad's request to sit for awhile. Just give me the
car keys, please, old man. And years later, the retired old man
gets the answer he could have predicted: I'd love to see you,
dad--if I could just find the time. Maybe this song hits too
close to home for too many people, and ridiculing it is how they
deal with that fact. Sad, sad song. I'd be interested to hear
someone's thoughts on this song, especially if the sadness
contained therein can be easily related to. Audio Clip
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| SOMEBODY TO LOVE, Queen (1977): God, it seems like
Freddie Mercury's been gone for eons now, doesn't it? What an
amazing presence he was, what a voice, what a guy! Queen did a
number of songs I've really enjoyed, but somehow this one, which
wasn't close to being their biggest hit, seems to capture Freddie
at his theatrical best. A song of great passion--and not a little
sadness--which never fails to make me realize how much Freddie is missed. What do you think of first when you hear the name "Freddie Mercury"? Audio Clip
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 Available On Greatest Hits --- What's An Essential Queen CD? |
 Available On Suddenly '70s --- What's a Great CD Of Hits From '76? |
PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC, Wild Cherry (1976): Was there a catchier,
more danceable song in the entire decade? Well, 30- and
40-somethings, throw yourself a big 70's bash, spin this record
right at the start, and watch how the bodies get up and boogie.
How long since you were dancin' or singin' or movin' to the
groovin'--let alone all at once? Hey! What's stopping ya?!? Never
mind who's watching! I just saw lead singer Rob Parissi sing this song on PBS, wearing a suit. I kept trying to squint and picture him in those 70s threads...
Audio Clip
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| LOVE ROLLERCOASTER, The Ohio Players (1976): OK,
somewhere in these pages I said the image of Billy Preston on
Saturday Night Live was the 70's. I might have to
back off from that a little! I came across a picture of these
guys, and I doubt you could beat the wizardy, bell-bottomy, mega
- wega - afroiness of these guys in full regalia. One hairdo
looks a bit like a scoop of ice cream; another is large,
perfectly round, and just all-around grand; still another is
straightened and plastered down. The tune is funky, catchy, and
supercharged with an infectious spontaneity, and the best moment
is when someone blurts out "say what?" Great, great
record! Audio Clip
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 Available On Pure Disco --- What's a Mega-Funky 1970s CD? |
 Available On Pickin' Up The Pieces --- How Can I Recreate the Atmosphere of 1975? |
PICK UP THE PIECES, Average White Band (1975): One of
the decade's coolest instrumentals, this one made #1 in February
of '75. Listen to it several times, each time focusing on just
one instrument. Then, let all the parts melt together in your
head and marvel at how it all blends into a stew of delight.
Awesome rhythm-guitar line, cool brass, and scarcely a lyric to
be found. Not a bad recipe... Audio Clip
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| THE NIGHT CHICAGO DIED, Paper Lace (1974): A smash
from the summer of 1974, which evokes memories of things like the
neighbor guy {let's call him Mr. Wylie} gardening in plaid shorts and dark socks. {In my case this song takes place in the heat of the summer DAY, in the land near The Nation's Capital.} In this
tune, Al Capone is up to something rotten, and someone's mawma
(well, that's how it sounds) is crying, and, well...I don't think
much about what it's all about -- I mostly remember
playing with Legos and Wacky Packs {Big Muc! L'Oggs Panty Hose! Top Slob! Blast Blew Ribbon Beer! Ah, the memories...}. And of course I remember singing along with "da na na na na na na na na na na na na na naah nah NAH na na na
na." Audio Clip
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 Available On Super Hits Of the 70s --- What's The BEST CD Of 1970s Hits? |
 Available On Tapestry --- What's a GREAT Greatest Hits CD? |
IT'S TOO LATE/I FEEL THE EARTH
MOVE, Carole King
(1971): One of the coolest things about the music
of the early 1970's was this lady. Years before she had been a
successful songwriter, and I don't know when she decided to start
singing her own songs, but it was the right
decision. These two tunes are really polar opposites: The first
speaks of knowing a relationship is over, kaput...the second is
about the wonderful feeling of being around someone whom you
absolutely adore. It also reminds me of a great scene during
which it's playing in Terms of
Endearment ... Former astronaut Jack Nicholson is
so preoccupied with a gorgeous guest leaving his party that he
dumps the garbage about eighteen inches from the big metal
can. Audio Clip
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| STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU,
Stealers Wheel
(1973): This extremely catchy tune features Gerry
Rafferty (later of Baker
Street fame) on lead vocal. It also includes one
of the most difficult bass lines to get out of your head. What's
this one about? He sings of a "self-made man" whose friends come
crawling to him for money, and it sounds like he himself is
weighing whether to keep sleeping on the floor or ask the guy for
some bread. Audio Clip
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 Available On Pure 70s --- What's a Cool CD Of 1973 Hits? |
 Available On Greatest Hits --- Take Me Back To 1976! | DECEMBER, 1963 (OH! WHAT A NIGHT!), The Four Seasons (1976): One of my favorite songs of the decade, even though Frankie Valli doesn't show up until the middle eight. Built around a super-infectious piano line. This one always makes me remember being 8 years old, and the constant string of pop songs that were the background to my waking hours. Also, don't miss (same band/same era) the cool Who Loves You--but only in the full version (i.e., the one including the instrumental in the middle). Audio Clip
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| Y.M.C.A., The Village People (1979): This one has really come back in recent years (or did it ever really go away?)...I've heard it at dance clubs, ball games, rollerskating ... and why not? Surely one of the most fun songs of the 1970's, and one of the catchiest, this one brings along with it a tradition of acting out the title letters. Remember these guys? Let's see: an indian, a policeman, a construction worker, a cowboy... who am I leaving out? Also from the band: Macho Man and In The Navy -- which is your favorite? Can we safely call this band "CAMP"? Audio Clip
|  Available On Billboard Top Hits --- What's a CD I Can Dance All Night To? |
 Available On Best Of The 70's --- What's a Great Collection Of Don's Songs? | AMERICAN PIE, Don McLean (1972): All about the death of Buddy Holly and also several other events in rock history, this one mostly makes me remember being a little boy and hearing it and having no idea what it was all about, but liking it a lot. A great, energetic tune. (Another thought I have on every listening is: Boy, he musta been outta breath after all that !) It might make as many people stop what they're doing and sing along as any song from the decade. I always do. I kinda miss this sort of epic song... Audio Clip
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| WITH A LITTLE LUCK, Wings (1978): No, the Wings and Ex-Beatle Paul weren't another Fab Four, but they did a LOT of good, catchy songs. This is one of them, and one I most remember as having been played during my 5th-grade play in Trumbull, Connecticut. There was something we were supposed to be doing (standing perfectly still?), or not doing (giggling?), during the heartbeat section in the middle of the tune. Many times I've kept in mind the line about making this whole damn thing work out. Comes in handy when working on term papers, sorting out the budget, or trying desperately to solve household plumbing issues. Also not to be missed: Silly Love Songs, with a bass line for the ages. Audio Clip
|  Available On Wingspan: Hits & History --- What's Paul's Best Solo CD? |
 Available On Soul Hits Of the '70s --- What Was On the Radio In 1970? | GIVE ME JUST A LITTLE MORE TIME, The Chairmen Of the Board (1970): One-hit wonder time again, and a song in which the pained vocal performance works perfectly. Probably this guy is kidding himself that things are going to improve, but that voice, full of emotion, lets us know how much he wishes they would, and also how down he'll be if things don't get better. Anyone ever been in this position before? Yeah, I know. One of the coolest songs from the early 70's! Audio Clip
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| WILDFIRE, Michael Martin Murphey (1975): What were you up to in June, 1975 when this one hit it big? I was rejoicing that the school year was over, and that I now could get down to serious business, like building flying - Lego - ships and building-block theaters with labyrinthine backstage areas. I can't hear this song without thinking about the older sister of my friend, a girl of 13 who loved horses and who was going through a brutal adolescence, complete with dental headgear and savage acne. This song takes me right back to the heart of childhood, to those warm Virginia days full of adventure and brutal emotions. A lovely tune, full of loss and sadness and life generally. I wonder what that friend and his sister are up to now, so so many years later... Audio Clip
|  Available On Super Hits Of the 70s --- What Other Cool Tunes Has Michael Recorded? |
 Available On Billboard Top Rock 'n' Roll Hits --- My Vote For the Best Grand Funk Album Is... | THE LOCO-MOTION, Grand Funk Railroad (1974): I wasn't shocked outta my socks by this one, partly because I had never heard the original one before this appeared, and partly because there were limits to the fidelity the little round yellow radio would put out. A very cool rendition, and one that makes me think how hollow so many other remakes are these days. Why not have a remake committee, and let them decide which things can be remade and which not? If you can't add something distinctive to the original recording, you don't get to release the record. Did Anyone Else live near the corner of Blackburn & Crescent Heights in Los Angeles in 1973-4? Or go to Hancock Park Elementary in those years? Audio Clip
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| TIME PASSAGES, Al Stewart (1978): Al Stewart has a distinctive voice and a neat style, doesn't he? I like the combination of his Scottish-ness and his folkiness. This song is a favorite of mine, one that nicely captures the fleeting nature of time and the eeriness of memory. Does it mean anything different to any of you? Write me and explain. Dan Fogelberg's later "Same Old Lang Syne" affects me in similar way. Audio Clip
|  Available On Time Passages --- What's An Awesome Al Stewart CD? |
 Available On Chicago IX: Greatest Hits --- What's An Essential Chicago Album? | 25 OR 6 TO 4, Chicago (1970): This one supposedly arose after someone stoned said something wacky after looking at the clock early in the morning. Well, however it came about, it's quite a tune, full of energy, a fine vocal performance, and a cool brass arrangement. Chicago did not get better with age. The horns worked really well back then, before stuff got too sappy. As for this particular song, imagine if all episodes of 4AM stonedness were so productive! I really enjoy Chicago's early stuff the best, when it was funkier and brassy-er. No, wait...do I mean "brassiere"? Audio Clip
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| THE WAY WE WERE, Barbra Streisand (1974): One of my favorite ballads of the era. I've always thought misty watercolor expressed the nature of memories perfectly. And can it be that things were all so simple then, back in the decade this page looks at nostalgically?
Well, not in my life, anyway! What about you? Whenever I think of the movie -- which is mercifully seldom -- I can never get past thinking of Barbra's ridiculous poodly haircut. Audio Clip
|  Available On Greatest Hits --- What's a Great Barbra CD? |
 Available On Love Songs --- My Vote For Elton's Best CD is... | SOMEONE SAVED MY LIFE TONIGHT, Elton John (1975): No one in the decade did more songs I love than this guy {well, OK, no one except Paul's Wings}. Elton's tunes from the 1970's run the gamut from the high-spirited Philadelphia Freedom to the ridiculous - but - nonetheless - catchy Island Girl to the hymnlike Border Song to the had - enough - of - you - all Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. This song, which hit it big in the summer of 1975, has a wonderfully eerie quality about it. The lamenting vocal and sparse instrumentation create in the listener a very real sense of emotional anguish. Few songs suck you so deeply into their world. When you hear the name Elton John, what's the first image that pops into your head? Shoes? Glasses? Audio Clip
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| RAINY DAYS AND MONDAYS, The Carpenters (1971): Karen Carpenter is my all-time favorite female pop singer, and with her brother Richard she created some of the most memorable pop songs of the era. Any one of them can take me right back to the joyful time when it was all over the radio, and this one is no exception. It's a great song to listen to when you are feeling fed up and would like to give up. Or maybe even if you just hate Mondays or rain (or both). I like rain personally, by the way. And I love the sound of Karen Carpenter. Her voice remains a great & happy memory in what was a difficult decade for me. Audio Clip
|  Available On Love Songs --- The Best Carpenters Album Is... |
 Available On Soul Hits Of the 70s | THE BERTHA BUTT BOOGIE, The Jimmy Castor Bunch (1975): This one still makes my brother and I grin, even after all these years. It made number 16 on the charts, but try getting a 70's station to play it for you these days! If you don't know it, I'm not sure I can describe it to you, but once you hear bump-bump-bubba-dump, I bet you'll never truly get it out of your head. A great example of where humor and spontaneity can lead when you write and play music. Three cheers for Betty, Bella, and Bathsheba! Audio Clip
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| RIGHT BACK WHERE WE STARTED FROM, Maxine Nightingale (1976): When I hear this, I'm always right back at the bottom of Homeric Court in McLean, Virginia. And there's always a frisbee or football game going on, and it's quite humid and smells strongly of peat moss. Do songs do that to you, too? Do they bring you back to a very specific location, and only to that one place? This is a great pop song, full of energy, and yet what is it really saying? It sounds like things aren't what they were when the relationship began, and the lady wants to recapture some of that magic. Does she feel like the bedroom is where that magic might be regained? Is she too convinced of the idea that she can put the smile back on his face after she's hurt him with the things she said? A great 1970's pop song. What does it remind you of? Frisbees and footballs? Walking down the street with feathered hair and a comb in your back pocket? Audio Clip
|  Available On Super Hits Of the '70s |
 Available On Greatest Hits 1970 | BAND OF GOLD, Freda Payne (1970): This is sad and somewhat enigmatic to me. The girl got married and left behind a mother who may've been her shelter, but who seems also to have not been too particular about whom she went to bed with. Then, after the girl gets married, it seems like whatever the girl's illusions about marriage were, they didn't come to pass. She holds the symbol of his commitment, but sees no signs of it otherwise. But is the guy actually gone, or is he still present but distant emotionally and physically? This is a great record, and when the soaring chorus contrasts with the sadness of the message within it I sing along happily while feeling a strange sensation at what's being said. Audio Clip
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| SEASONS IN THE SUN, Terry Jacks (1974): This one is difficult to even write about, since it's another single that not only contains its own sadness but also brings me back to a very certain place and time that seems to lie right at the heart of my childhood memories. Very clearly, then, do I see the back bedroom of my grandparents' apartment in Los Angeles, California, and feel the sights and sounds and smells surround me: grandmother's sewing machine, the view out the 3rd story window, the automatic card - shuffler, the smell of rosettes. And also the world outside that apartment in 1973 and 1974: Hancock Park Elementary School, George the mailman, all the flowers in the Park LaBrea grounds, the apartment my mother and brother and I moved into, The Doctor Seuss Sleep Record. Now tell me what this tune reminds you of. Is it as emotionally loaded for you? Or was it just another hit record? Audio Clip
|  Available On Entertainment Weekly: 1974 |
 Available On Boston | MORE THAN A FEELING, Boston (1976): A song about how a song reminded the singer of something that happened. And the memory stinks -- since it reminds him of a girlfriend leaving him -- but I think he still loves the song, and not necessarily just for the bittersweetness of it. Now, if you're still with me, this song reminds me of times that were often difficult, but nowadays I crank it up everytime it comes on and still marvel at how fresh a record it is, with its catchy riff, high lead vocals, and crisp production. And I hardly think at all about the tough times in which I first heard it. The entire first Boston album remains brilliant. (Need I tell you that the room in which my brother and I often listened to this had a blacklight in it? And a quadraphonic stereo? And Alfred E. Newman's face staring out at you from the latest MAD issue?) Audio Clip
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| BEACH BABY, First Class (1974): In this song the singer remembers the ponytails and cheap sneakers (amazingly, I just bought some for $19.99; I didn't know cheap sneakers existed at this point!) from his high school days in the fifties. A fun pop tune, which I'm nearly certain appeared on K-Tel's (remember K-Tel?!?) Right On hits collection (Original Hits! Original
Stars!). Somehow the song reminds me of this fact: If you watch reruns of Happy Days nowadays {you must really be bored}, you are remembering in 2004 how we remembered the fifties in the seventies. Some memories are simpler than that, though, like thinking back to sun and sand and surf when you were eighteen and the whole world lay before you, full of possibilities. Does this song bring to mind your favorite suntan lotion? Audio Clip
|  Available On Hard-To- Find 45s |
 Available On Billboard Top Hits 1975 | LOVE WILL KEEP US TOGETHER, The Captain & Tennille (1975): I can't really tell you how I've gone this far on a 1970's music page without writing about this song! It almost seems to define "1970's Pop Music" for me. It has an irresistible energy to it, which as I think about it goes right along with the singer's plea to her beau to not be lured away by the owner of the next pretty face he sees. To anyone who has forgotten what a big deal these two performers were for a short while -- well, they got to sing at The White House, didn't they! And who remembers when they appeared on Wonderama? For that matter, who remembers Wonderama? Important Captain & Tennille images: Toni's hair! Daryl's Hat! That synthesizer! Audio Clip
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| ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY), Gilbert O'Sullivan (1972): This very sad song was an enormous hit, spending 6 weeks at #1 in the summer of 1972. I don't know what you were up to that summer, but I was dying to start kindergarten and no doubt driving my mom crazy talking about it. The singer in this tune has been stood up at the altar, an event which leads him to think of jumping from a nearby tower. He doesn't, but he does begin philosophizing about aloneness and broken hearts and he wonders what can be done about either of those things. A very likeable record, despite the downbeat subject matter. I think people related to the song's sense of futility, and probably have always found it uplifting in a sense, since if someone else is singing to us about loneliness, we aren't as alone as we might've imagined. By the way, mom made cupcakes for my birthday, which also happened to be my first day of kindergarten. Audio Clip
|  Available On Billboard Top Hits 1972 |
 Available On Billboard Top Soft-Rock Hits --- Some Little- Known Gems By The 4 Seasons Are On This CD |
MY EYES ADORED YOU, Frankie Valli (1975): This
big hit from March '75 is a great mix of one of my all-time
favorite voices and a song that must lead just about everyone to
think about the first time they felt their heart beat for
another. How many of
you remember carrying books for someone or pretending you
were married to the boy or girl whom you couldn't stop thinking
of in sixth or seventh grade? It's a sweet song, and also a song
of looking back on what might have been. Most of us I'm sure
aren't married to the person we couldn't stop thinking of when 11
or 12, but it's sure interesting to think of where they might be
now, and what it would be like if we had married
them. Audio Clip |
| ***GO TO PAGE TWO! {29 MORE SONGS!} ABBA! THE BEE GEES! THE JACKSON 5! AND TONS MORE!*** |
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David R. Lee |
