the rare 70's classics thread
mushymanrob
Posts: 17,992
Forum Member
✭✭
to compliment the rare 60's classics thread (http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=1267243) thought id start this one for the 70's.
the idea is to post youtube links to vids of tracks from the 1970's that were either minor hits, or non hits. please nothing from the top 20... lets discover what gems we either recomend or have missed!
heres my first nominations
todd rundgren 'i saw the light' .. a fantastic uplifting track that should have been huge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXq81-cGJr4
exuma 'damnfool' .... wow! how odd is this? i remember radio 1 roadshow at lunchtime playing it often back in '71. apparently this guy was quite a big star, both music and poetry..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB-8SAyCXbo
rare bird 'sympathy' from early 1970... strange they never had more hits.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myefukeCaak
the idea is to post youtube links to vids of tracks from the 1970's that were either minor hits, or non hits. please nothing from the top 20... lets discover what gems we either recomend or have missed!
heres my first nominations
todd rundgren 'i saw the light' .. a fantastic uplifting track that should have been huge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXq81-cGJr4
exuma 'damnfool' .... wow! how odd is this? i remember radio 1 roadshow at lunchtime playing it often back in '71. apparently this guy was quite a big star, both music and poetry..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB-8SAyCXbo
rare bird 'sympathy' from early 1970... strange they never had more hits.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myefukeCaak
0
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
Two acts from New York, and that's about the only thing in common between them I think.
Reparata (without The Delrons) - Shoes (1975)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYXX_QeRj-o
The Ramones - Rockaway Beach (1977-ish)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6siGKxcKol0
ha ha! youve pinched one of mine! what an odd song that one is too...
Anyway here are five Power-Pop tracks from the era:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C53QAuOoSgc
Badfinger - Baby Blue (1972)
Pete Ham was a songwriting genius 10 times that of what Chris Martin will ever be. The Badfinger story is truly the most heartbreaking tragic in Rock Music history.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNKSs1J38EA
Big Star - September Gurls (1974)
Forget "The Letter" this was the late Alex Chilton's greatest song. Sadly another act who never had "#1 hit records" that their music richly deserved.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s82ho7w9X6Q
The Raspberries - Overnight Sensation (Hit Record) (1974)
Sadly for music lovers Eric Carmen's "#1 big hit record everyone ought to own" was the tepid power ballad later murdered by Celion Dion "All By Myself".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsezr0qiFIc
Todd Rundgren - Hello It's Me (1973)
.... And you thought Lady GaGa was original, or at least a Bowie meets Madonna rip off merchant with killer tunes. Another great track from a maverick virtuoso songwriting producer who had previously worked with Badfinger and went on to produce this final act's most critically acclaimed album (1986's Skylarking) .....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLSkC4N1BIc
XTC - This Is Pop? (1978)
Swindon's finest ..... Andy Partridge; Colin Moulding; Dave Gregory we salute you. This track their third single which apparently made #78 in the UK Top 75 chart is better than anything the Kaiser chiefs will ever come up with. As we now know Pop as we used to know it is dead ... Firstly, poisoned by Pete Waterman and his ilk; and later murdered by Simon Cowell with help from his leprechaun friend Louis Walsh.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZK04CuXcz4&feature=related
Sensational Alex Harvey Band - Midnight Moses
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNwLxwZHMOw
Vinegar Joe - Honkey Woman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPED5-u_i88
Dr Feelgood - You Shouldn'T Call The Doctor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxgQzpWzrkU
Sha Na Na - Rock 'n Roll is Here to Stay
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BAImUIzyTU
MC5- Kick Out The Jams
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XhQRFO4M7A
Getting Closer - Wings
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G59EpuqmHs
A great rocker from the last incarnation of Wings barely got into the charts when released as a single from Back to the Egg.
Tomorrow - Wings
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFFAD04-v3Y
A charming rustic little song from Wings' first attempt, Wildlife, the song uses similar chords to Yesterday, hence the name.
Big Barn Bed - Paul McCartney & Wings
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6tKm9R3hoc
A good rocker originally from Paul's Ram album after the reprise of Ram On, it opened Red Rose Speedway.
Hold Me Tight/Lazy Dynamite/Hands of Love/Power Cut - Paul McCartney & Wings
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYxD3uIV6jE
A nice forgotten medley from the end of Red Rose Speedway.
Celluloid Heroes - the Kinks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp_QkUVZGPc
A fantastic poignant ode to Hollywood by the Kinks.
Sweet Lady Genevieve - the Kinks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqgNyYXTK4s
One of the few good songs from their Preservation albums, but this one really shines.
Catch Me Now I'm Falling - the Kinks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=be_BeqiDigo
The Kinks back to their hard rocking roots with this late-70s album track from Low Budget.
Wah-Wah - George Harrison
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd8K5juJ_1M
A nice rocking hate song from Harrison's All Things Must Pass, probably better known in America where the album was a bigger success. It acts as a hate song towards Paul who gave Harrison a 'wah-wah' his term for a headache.
Isn't it a Pity - George Harrison
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuStBNkvwhE
A long sprawling track from the same album in a similar vein to Hey Jude I think without the singalong.
It Don't Come Easy - George Harrison
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p5yzdCa2GE
The original version of It Don't Come Easy which was given to Ringo Starr, note the prominent 'Hare Krishnas'.
Une Nuit a Paris - 10CC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0puHKg_CjQ
A bizarre story from 10CC about a man on a trip about Paris, and his troubles, very Bohemian Rhapsody like but from a few years before.
God Gave Rock n Roll to You - Argent
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsG5V-o6uxY
Only reached No. 18 in the charts. :eek:
Sorry, if some of these are more well-known than I think.
Marvin Gaye - Right On
b-side to Ain't No Sunshine, rather great too!
Bill Withers - Harlem
Hit the charts in the 80's with One Night in Bangkok but his '76 album Say It Ain't So did better in France
Murray Head - Never Even Thought
One from the lead singer of the Shadow's unreleased album which he named after the aforementioned Murray Head song
Colin Blunstone - Photograph
Paul's 1970 self titled solo album is rather overlooked now
Paul McCartney - Junk
Mostly did session work with the likes of the Sex Pistols but also released his own stuff
Chris Spedding - Hurt By Love
French Disco king most famous for Supernature
Cerrone - Love In C Minor
English singer with Streisand type love songs but she is rather beautiful
Crystal Gayle - Talking in your sleep
Rather nice ditty about SF from this French folk singer
maxime le forestier - san francisco
And to finish some Jazz tracks
If - Waterfall
Chick Corea & the hymn of the seventh galaxy - After the Cosmic Rain
Charles Mingus - Hobo Ho
The Buoys - Timothy
A strange song dealing with a mining disaster and cannibalism - fairly topical!:eek:
The Jaggerz - The Rapper
Cool bubblegum tune.
Mountain - Mississippi Queen
Rock On!:D
Raspberries - Go All The Way
More Raspberries = more great power pop!:)
Say Goodbye To Hollywood - Ronnie Spector
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rD2OxjxaOw0
Strawberry Letter 23 - The Brothers Johnson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-ipH9Ws-zs
Every Time He Comes Around - Minnie Riperton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITqtp-3XudI
We're Still Friends - Donny Hathaway
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVyJkxyiKKk
Edgar Broughton Band - 'Hotel Room' - 1971
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9v2_F2rw-s
George Baker Selection - Nathalie (1971)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRHvjnS74Y4
Grand Funk Railroad -- Inside Looking Out -- 1970
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP1xvhlwkbk
Babe Ruth - The Mexican (1972)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYiDV743PzA
Donna Higtower - This world today is a mess (1972)
(UK issue on Decca FR13387)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPVDqIszdEo
Someone not best known for his singing......
Bernard Manning - 'Everybody's Fool' - 1974
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctnBotHv08w
This one was a hit but who remembers it? Apparently the singer did well on "Opportunity Knocks" with his cover of a song made famous by Gracie Fields
Gerry Monroe - Sally-Pride Of Our Alley
Recorded for Chapter One Records in 1970
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iB3qRxHMuJQ
More to follow
Status Quo - Gerdundula (1971)
Just prior to finding the “definitive Status Quo sound” that we all know and love (or perhaps loathe), the band were making some very “interesting” music, of which this real gem is a prime example.
The Stranglers - Get A Grip On Yourself (1977)
My favourite single of the entire seventies is “No More Heroes” and my favourite single of the entire eighties is “Golden Brown”, so it’s fairly obvious that I absolutely love this band. This track was their very first single.
Elvis Costello - Alison (1977)
This is my favourite track by the great Elvis Costello, but I thought it might be a little too well known for this thread. However, having just done some research, I discovered to my surprise that when it was released as a single it failed to chart, so perhaps it's not as well known as I thought it was.
lol.. youll get no argument from me on those points!
a decent version but i prefer the animals original (? , not sure whether they wrote it or not)
Written by Eric Burdon, Chas Chandler, Alan Lomax and John Lomax, so it does look like an Animals original, although who Alan and John Lomax are I've no idea.
Alan & John Lomax were the father and son archivists who travelled over (mainly the Southern) USA in the first half of the last century making field recordings of Folk, Blues and work songs for the Library of Congress. They spent a lot of time visiting the prisons and plantations, reckoning those would be the places with the richest and least adulterated repositories of songs. See also: Leadbelly, who was discovered by them..
If they appear as songwriters I'd guess it might be on songs on which there was no known writer so perhaps they took the credit.
Released in 1977, after their successful years. Still a class act.
Jimmy Castor Bunch - Hey Leroy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5sd_4k6fwM
Eddie Henderson - Prance On
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTdgBfOU0AQ
Foster Jackson Group - Feel The Spirit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6PvLgTM6Xw
Delegation - oh honey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbMzoSVKp1Q
Monk Higgins - One Man Band
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mqvomO7eO8
The Commodores - Assembly Line
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMMm7D-vfR8
Kool & the Gang - Dujii
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaLHQ6GtUbU
Manzel - Space Funk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LJKlY7E8OU
so whilst it could be an animals composition, they could have taken elements of early blues tracks suggested by the lomax's..
on my way to college in late 73, there was a track on the bus's radio which i only heard once and not very clearly at that... it was a little bit 'mouldy old dough' - ish, and the only lyric from the chorus was i believe "up on the wall" and "together we'll be" (i think).
any ideas?
Forget Jethro Tull, this 18 minute progfolk song is a masterpiece of simplicity.
Cat Stevens - Foreigner Suite
This seems as much influenced by Genesis as it is by Jean Michel Jarre or The Beatles.
Supertramp - Fool's Overture
Fairly obviously influenced by Pink Floyd here but good nonetheless.
Yes - Roundabout
Second in command after Pink Floyd for me.
King Crimson - Lark's Tongues In Aspic, Part 2
In 1980 he famously performed this song live on the steps of the Reichtag in West Berlin.
Barclay James Harvest - Berlin
And to end with, some hard rock bands with prog leanings.
Rush - A Farewell To Kings
Led Zeppelin - Achilles Last Stand
Ruphus - Love is my Light
Hawkwind - Uncle Sam's on Mars
That's actually one of my favourite Supertramp songs, its just so triumphant, after Lord is it Mine, and Take the Long Way Home.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuFSYMK87X8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1OpiG0aDy0
The Man Who Found God on the Moon by Mike McGear (Paul McCartney's brother)
Rob! Don't know the song (although I'm trying to detect it) just to let you know that you're missed by some on BJ. Well ... you're missed by the people with a functioning brain! Glad I can still see your posts elsewhere (here).
(Norma)
Was this a hit in the UK? I know it was in the US. Good tune:
Looking Glass - Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)