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The 100 greatest songs of 1971 #1 “When the Levee Breaks” Led Zeppelin (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter timschochet
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timschochet
Footballguy
27. The Staple Singers “Respect Yourself” (from Be Altitude: Respect Yourself)
https://youtu.be/k3nm3Znihj0
By 1971 the Staple Singers had been established for years as a gospel/pop group with some minor hits, prominent at Civil Rights and NAACP marches. Then suddenly in 1971 they broke through to national huge success, like so many other groups at that time on the Stax/Volt label, first with this masterful song and then with 1972’s “I’ll Take You There” which is equally great or even better.
“Respect Yourself” features Papa Staples and he’s fine, but as always it’s the presence of Mavis who provides the song’s greatest moments even in this instance mostly as backup: she was truly one of the greatest vocalists of the era.
https://youtu.be/k3nm3Znihj0
By 1971 the Staple Singers had been established for years as a gospel/pop group with some minor hits, prominent at Civil Rights and NAACP marches. Then suddenly in 1971 they broke through to national huge success, like so many other groups at that time on the Stax/Volt label, first with this masterful song and then with 1972’s “I’ll Take You There” which is equally great or even better.
“Respect Yourself” features Papa Staples and he’s fine, but as always it’s the presence of Mavis who provides the song’s greatest moments even in this instance mostly as backup: she was truly one of the greatest vocalists of the era.
zamboni
Footballguy
rockaction
Footballguy
Carly sure rued relationships, eh? Sounds like she was not lucky in love. Lotta liberation theory swirling around in there.
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
While there is also an acoustic, what I noticed most is Mick Ronsons electric guitar. One of the best tones around.
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
When Mavis swoops in with "you curse around womenfolk and you don't even know their name; and you're dumb enough to think that'll make you a big ol' man", I can see her with one hand on her hip and the other pointing a finger straight at me, shaking her head - and I just want to curl up in a ball of regret for everything I've ever done wrong.
I love Pops' vocals on this one. He's riding the groove, knowing that he's right, and is at peace.
According to Mavis, Bob Dylan tried really hard to date her. In the interview I heard, she kind of danced around whether anything happened.
BTW, Mavis still puts out records every few years, usually produced by hotshots like Jeff Tweedy. They are well worth checking out.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
Yep. That dirty, gritty tone that Ronson employed on those Bowie records in the early 70's was so bad ###.
Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
Such a great tune. It didn't make Bilboard's top-100 that year and only made it to #30 on the R&B top-100 because it was released late in October. I figured I had a chance that you would slip and I would have it for my list of leftovers.
Good catch Tim.
timschochet
Footballguy
26. Janis Joplin “Me and Bobby McGee (from Pearl)
https://youtu.be/WXV_QjenbDw
Kris Kristofferson’s “Bobby McGee” was an excellent country song, but Janis Joplin immortalized it by making it her epitaph.
Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose, nothing, don’t mean nothin’ hon’ if it ain’t free
When Janis sings those words, (especially when she belts out the last part), it’s chilling to think she died only a few weeks later, before the song and album was released. Her talent, voice, and personality was distinctive and magnificent, and we will never hear it’s like again.
https://youtu.be/WXV_QjenbDw
Kris Kristofferson’s “Bobby McGee” was an excellent country song, but Janis Joplin immortalized it by making it her epitaph.
Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose, nothing, don’t mean nothin’ hon’ if it ain’t free
When Janis sings those words, (especially when she belts out the last part), it’s chilling to think she died only a few weeks later, before the song and album was released. Her talent, voice, and personality was distinctive and magnificent, and we will never hear it’s like again.
Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
Janis Joplin the cool raspy twisted tangled Texan.
Mr. Mojo
Footballguy
FairWarning
Footballguy
timschochet
Footballguy
25. David Bowie “Changes” (from Hunky Dory)
https://youtu.be/pl3vxEudif8
This song barely makes it into to the 1971 countdown since the album was released in December; the single wasn’t released until 1972. “Changes” became sort of an anthem for Bowie over the years due to his chameleon like presentation. I also read on Wiki that this song was the last one he ever performed live; fun fact.
Anyhow I’m no musician but I really appreciate the complexity of this tune, how the verses seem slow but the chorus seems speeded up, how the melody seems to go every which way yet still be so pop and accessible. It’s pretty brilliant.
Of course, there are two more songs from this same album that are even MORE brilliant...
https://youtu.be/pl3vxEudif8
This song barely makes it into to the 1971 countdown since the album was released in December; the single wasn’t released until 1972. “Changes” became sort of an anthem for Bowie over the years due to his chameleon like presentation. I also read on Wiki that this song was the last one he ever performed live; fun fact.
Anyhow I’m no musician but I really appreciate the complexity of this tune, how the verses seem slow but the chorus seems speeded up, how the melody seems to go every which way yet still be so pop and accessible. It’s pretty brilliant.
Of course, there are two more songs from this same album that are even MORE brilliant...
wikkidpissah
Footballguy
i'd like to think that '71 was just deep enough to legitimately force janis & bowie to the fringes of the top 25. but i just know there's an ol' fashioned loved song or six to come for to make my head explode......
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Happy birthday 79th birthday to Bob Dylan
timschochet
Footballguy
24. Don McLean “American Pie” (from American Pie)
https://youtu.be/7yHTpGog0IY
Going on close to 50 years this song still apparently annoys the hell out of Bob Dylan. In 2017 he commented “what kind of jester writes songs like A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall, Masters of War, or Its Alright Ma?”
Putting that aside, it’s a classic, great song that attempts to tell the history of popular music from the death of Buddy Holly (the day the music died) to Altamont ten years later: a fairly ambitious goal that doesn’t quite succeed.
https://youtu.be/7yHTpGog0IY
Going on close to 50 years this song still apparently annoys the hell out of Bob Dylan. In 2017 he commented “what kind of jester writes songs like A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall, Masters of War, or Its Alright Ma?”
Putting that aside, it’s a classic, great song that attempts to tell the history of popular music from the death of Buddy Holly (the day the music died) to Altamont ten years later: a fairly ambitious goal that doesn’t quite succeed.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
This was inn the billboard top 100 for 201 weeks.timschochet said:
Although he did later explain many of the lyrics after auctioning off the notes in the mid-90s, I liked this 1991 response to “what’s the meaning of American Pie?”
It means never having to work again.
In crass commercial success terms, he’s probably never had a year in which he received less than $300K in royalties from this song. Most years it’s been well over $500K. (the old-timers royalty deal was calculated differently; I don’t understand the nuisances, but he and other songwriters from that era had sweetheart deal compared to later practices.) For commercials - he sold the song rights to Chevrolet twice - the one-off netted him 2M+.
150 million in lifetime earnings. Considering he only had one other hit (the aforementioned Vincent), pretty decent work if you can get it.)
To me this is more of a 1972 song; it hit number one in January and continued to get play all year. It lost all four categories it was nominated for at the 1973 Grammys. But obviously fits Timmay’s criteria of being released in 1971.
Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
Music has a birth when its released but doesn't die the second the calendar changes from December 31 to January 1st.
I'm making a list of left overs from 71 and my criteria will have an arbitrary cut-off date where it will dip a few months back into 1970 because I agree with the point you make about a song being tied to a specific year.
Tim is knocking songs off my list every day so I have to adjust to get to 100 songs.
timschochet
Footballguy
23. Jethro Tull “Aqualung” (from Aqualung)
https://youtu.be/B0jMPI_pUec
It’s based solely on anecdote, but my feeling is that this is a song that has always had a sharp divide between men and women. Most guys I know love it; they love the opening guitar chords, the acoustic middle section, everything about it. They love to turn it up loudly and sing along. Most women I know hate it. They find the lyrics disgusting “snot running down his nose- so gross!”- the changes pretentious and annoying, and generally fail to see the attraction. Anyhow that’s been my experience.
But hey, I’m a guy, so I’m all in.
https://youtu.be/B0jMPI_pUec
It’s based solely on anecdote, but my feeling is that this is a song that has always had a sharp divide between men and women. Most guys I know love it; they love the opening guitar chords, the acoustic middle section, everything about it. They love to turn it up loudly and sing along. Most women I know hate it. They find the lyrics disgusting “snot running down his nose- so gross!”- the changes pretentious and annoying, and generally fail to see the attraction. Anyhow that’s been my experience.
But hey, I’m a guy, so I’m all in.
wikkidpissah
Footballguy
As a musical theater buff, right off i appreciated how Side A of the Aqualung album sets em up and Side B knocks em down so much better than most rock operas or whatever. The characterizations in this and Cross-eyed Mary are as vivid as Dickens (tho based on contemporary photos Anderson's wife took) and more concise and make the later songs which ask who God and man are in the face of conditions theyve allowed to exist really stand out. I was really hopeful for the form after this, but...
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
Aqualung is awesome, and I always thought it was kind of funny that Jethro Tull's most famous song was one that didn't have any flute (which is a signature instrument in practically all of their other songs). Kansas' Carry On Wayward Son is similar in that regard as that has no violin, which is featured heavily in almost all of their other songs, yet is arguably their most famous song (or 2nd most famous, if one wants to argue that Dust in the Wind has surpassed it).
HellToupee
Footballguy
Arguably the most hated song from the 70s for kids growing up during the punk/new wave era. Definitely top 3-5
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
Yeah, those punk fans always hated songs with actual melodies, and played by musicians who could actually play their instruments well.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
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otb_lifer
Footballguy
not for this one
(and "X-Eyed Mary" would make my top 5 for '71). there were much more pretentious noodlers than Tull ... hell, Ian had a legit rebel/D.I.Y. "ZERO EFFS TO GIVE" approach to the biz - cool guy, played it on his terms - "Thick As A Brick" was a total piss take on "prog", some 4 years prior to the punks.
case can be made for "My God" as proto Goth, and "Wind Up" is punk seedling 101.
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Binky The Doormat
Footballguy
Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
Tull was really fun, an amazing showman if you ever got the privilege to see him live.
My fav flute tune by Tull is from the same album.
Jethro Tull ~ The Whistler
wikkidpissah
Footballguy
nor mine. i'd say the original target was Eagles and the basic mellow & overproduced happy rock. mostly punk happened because we were old enough to gripe but not to have anything of our own.The Man was a real presence in music then. i wasnt one, but punk was "just us" - not even the glams allowed in
but i could see Tull as a target later because of the blatant showmanship. i mean, if you dont buy the act, you're reeeeally gonna hate the way Ian Anderson offers it up
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HellToupee
Footballguy
Binky The Doormat
Footballguy
exact same for me.
punk hit for us because the future did look pretty bleak for building a life as good as our parents gave us
Always thought Locomitive Breath was a far superior song. Still like Aqualung, just not my favorite Tull song.
zamboni
Footballguy
I’d like to think that all genders can agree on the greatness of Martin Barre’s solo. At least that’s what we were telling ourselves at the Gas ‘n Sip.
Binky The Doormat
Footballguy
stairway and freebird both had their time when they weren't shunned but yeah on both for me ...
if had a nickel for every senior prom with the "stairway" theme ...well we would have a lot of money
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
FairWarning
Footballguy
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Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
I'd rephrase that as blatant album 'production' attempting to recreate Aqualung but not the true showmanship of what he did in concert.
Rattle and Hum
Footballguy
Now following to see the OP pull out 22 better songs from his... tape deck.
HellToupee
Footballguy
Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
At the time I rejected basically everything my contemporaries slavishly woofed down. I love 'Dark Side' but truly despised Pink Floyd's 'The Wall' which was my senior theme song.
I later recanted on Led Zeppelin after distancing myself from the high school peer pressure but still hate 'The Wall' with a festering passion.
zamboni
Footballguy
Binky The Doormat
Footballguy
My college sophomore year, my roommate like to stack Pink Floyd albums and play them when we went to sleep. I grew to not really wanting to hear them very much.
I still like Pink Floyd, but find that I rarely play them ...and that was over 40 years ago.
timschochet
Footballguy
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