timschochet
Footballguy
“Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler)” should have made this list as well. Major oversight on my part.
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The 100 greatest songs of 1971 #1 “When the Levee Breaks” Led Zeppelin (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter timschochet
- Start date
Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
zamboni
Footballguy
AAABatteries
Footballguy
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
So a song released in 1971 shouldn’t qualify for a list of the top 100 songs of 1971? Makes sense.
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
squistion
Footballguy
At least you are consistent. You have personally attacked me for years in multiple forums and threads.
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timschochet
Footballguy
1. Led Zeppelin “When the Levee Breaks” (from Led Zeppelin IV)
https://youtu.be/fOEQTJV_3-w
Kudos to @ConstruxBoy for guessing this pick earlier today.
I rank “When The Levee Breaks” with “Kashmir” and “Whole Lotta Love” as this band’s best output. As most people know the song is a cover of an old Memphis Minnie blues standard, though that’s really only in terms of lyric and basic melody- the LZ version is its own production featuring a great hard rocking guitar and the best drumming ever in a rock and roll song (sorry Rush fans!) In fact it is John Bonham that makes this tune what it is: the number one song of 1971.
https://youtu.be/fOEQTJV_3-w
Kudos to @ConstruxBoy for guessing this pick earlier today.
I rank “When The Levee Breaks” with “Kashmir” and “Whole Lotta Love” as this band’s best output. As most people know the song is a cover of an old Memphis Minnie blues standard, though that’s really only in terms of lyric and basic melody- the LZ version is its own production featuring a great hard rocking guitar and the best drumming ever in a rock and roll song (sorry Rush fans!) In fact it is John Bonham that makes this tune what it is: the number one song of 1971.
timschochet
Footballguy
And that’s all, folks! The entire list can be found in the OP. I appreciate everyone who took the time to read this, and feel free to comment or criticize.
I had so much fun with this I might have to do it again, provided I can ever come up with another year with as many great songs as 1971...
I had so much fun with this I might have to do it again, provided I can ever come up with another year with as many great songs as 1971...
Anarchy99
Footballguy
Good job. I have but one question. What qualifies a song to be on a 1971 list? Released in 1971? Popular in 1971? Charted in 1971?
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timschochet
Footballguy
rockaction
Footballguy
Well, tim, I was so happy to see Marvin but then to see him miss out in service of "When The Levee Breaks," well, Levee is a good song, but...
Good list. Good game. Brought your A stuff.
Good list. Good game. Brought your A stuff.
timschochet
Footballguy
Thanks. My top 3, really my top 10 could be in any order. As much as I appreciate Marvin my first and last love is the blues.
zamboni
Footballguy
Agreed - thought you had a good top 10 going, but to top it off with Levee is a bit bizarre. But it’s your list and it’s all subjective...
Anarchy99
Footballguy
Was supposed to say charted. As a for instance, Joy to the World was the biggest individual song of 1971, but technically the album was released in 1970. But a different version of the song was released as a single in 1971. Would that be eligible (or did you not like it)?
timschochet
Footballguy
Someday I might have to make a list of greatest blues based songs (that aren’t actually by blues artists). I don’t know but I expect Levee might be right at the top...
timschochet
Footballguy
No actually I love it. You’ll notice I have “Never Been to Spain” on the list.
It wasn’t different enough is the answer. If it had been distinctly different I would have considered it and probably included it. But not in this case.
squistion
Footballguy
Then it should be entitled Tim's 100 Greatest Songs of 1971 not holding it out as the definitive list for that year from also a popular and critical standpoint.
rockaction
Footballguy
Don Quixote
Footballguy
Fun list to follow. Usually I can figure out through process of elimination, but I was honestly not sure what was going to round out as still some good songs out there that missed the Top 100 (such as Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors or Leonard Cohen’s Famous Blue Raincoat).
ETA: Lennon’s Jealous Guy another one that I was wondering if would show up.
ETA: Lennon’s Jealous Guy another one that I was wondering if would show up.
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ProstheticRGK
Footballguy
I had a lot of fun following this, tim. All the ribbing was meant in good fun. Appreciate the effort and time it took, and really appreciate the links to the youtube bersions.
rockaction
Footballguy
k4 just added this to our draft playlist in the Desert Island thread. Great song, IMO. I go back and forth on Cohen, but I generally just give him his genius and dig him as a songwriter.Don Quixote said:
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Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
I am going to continue the REST of 71 list and will try to make it to 100 songs.timschochet said:
I'll have Tim's list side-by-side to mine to compare but I will have special conditions to my allowing songs released from September of 1970 since they were still charting strong or just beginning to chart at the top of 1971. I also have one other tweak with Cat Stevens who released an album before September but it was included on the sound track to the movie Harold and Maude which also had two songs that Cat did not release on any album till the 80s when Harold and Maude found a cult following.
I'll try to get that started tomorrow.
northern exposure
Footballguy
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
When the Levee Breaks is awesome and a worthy number 1.
I didn't think we'd see it in this countdown, but Loud, Loud, Loud/ The Four Horsemen by Aphrodite's Child is a killer song that should have been.
Also, ECHOES!!!! The Pink Floyd classic is a glaring omission.
I didn't think we'd see it in this countdown, but Loud, Loud, Loud/ The Four Horsemen by Aphrodite's Child is a killer song that should have been.
Also, ECHOES!!!! The Pink Floyd classic is a glaring omission.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
And is there nothing by the Allman Brothers? Whipping Post and Statesboro Blues are major classics by them from 1971.
Note: I get that this was Tim's favorite songs list; I am just throwing some favorites of mine that didn't make it.
Note: I get that this was Tim's favorite songs list; I am just throwing some favorites of mine that didn't make it.
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krista4
Footballguy
Not I! Would love to take credit, and I did take some Leonard Cohen, but this one wasn't me. Maybe simey?
rockaction
Footballguy
No, it wasn't simey. But she did take Leonard Cohen. Her lyric was bawdy. You caught me at the perfect time because I was just looking at this thinking that it was wrong. The only thing I can thing of is that you took Live At The Isle Of Wight and that's what led me there to watch the rest of the show, whereupon this song came up in my feed.
timschochet
Footballguy
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
squistion
Footballguy
Yes, you did.
This list is incredibly arbitrary, songs are all from 1971, except those that aren't. There are no live versions, except those that are. Songs included because they have California in the name.
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ConstruxBoy
Kate's Daddy
I am Jim Carrey, completely whiffing on a massive high five with you, Jeff Daniels.timschochet said:
It is their best song. It's almost literally ground breaking. STH at 7 is still a bit of a puzzle. 4th maybe based on your list. But nice job with this list. Thanks Tim.
ConstruxBoy
Kate's Daddy
Even Marvin would have voted for Levee.rockaction said:
ConstruxBoy
Kate's Daddy
And honestly, ask any rock drummer for the best performance of their instrument that they have ever heard, and more than half of them would name this tune. Massive.
timschochet
Footballguy
squistion my friend,
1. None of the songs selected were live. Some of the video links were live performances , but that’s just for fun. The pick always refers to the original recording.
2. Every song listed was originally released in 1971, most on albums, a few on singles.
3. I didn’t include any songs because they had California in the name. It just so happens that two of the best songs of the year had California in the name, but that’s coincidence.
I hope that, despite your many concerns, you enjoyed the countdown. Peace.
![[scooter]](/data/avatars/m/22/22287.jpg?1659477690){kind=avatar}
[scooter]
Footballguy
It wasn't a blues "standard" -- it was incredibly obscure, actually. It was released on an a 78 RPM record in 1929, then went out of print and was virtually unknown for the next 35 years. Nobody else covered the song. Then, the original version was included on an obscure compilation album which was only released in the USA, but somehow a copy found its way to Birmingham, England, where it eventually ended up in the possession of Robert Plant.timschochet said:
Here is the original version
Here is an early version by Zep
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
northern exposure
Footballguy
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Good job @timschochet
If I agreed with all of your choices it wouldn’t be a Timmy thread. Felt like a progression; there were less ridiculously stooopid picks in the second half, the last quarter, the final ten. It was entertaining, which you owe no one, and I appreciate the distraction.
If I agreed with all of your choices it wouldn’t be a Timmy thread. Felt like a progression; there were less ridiculously stooopid picks in the second half, the last quarter, the final ten. It was entertaining, which you owe no one, and I appreciate the distraction.
Tau837
Footballguy
Yes, my list of notable omissions has these at the top:
- Echoes - Pink Floyd
- One of These Days - Pink Floyd
- Joy to the World - Three Dog Night
- She's Got a Way - Billy Joel
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timschochet
Footballguy
Thanks for the kind words from you and everyone.
1. You may be right about Pink Floyd. I’m not as familiar with their pre-Dark Side material as I should be and that’s on me.
2. Joy to the World, which I adore, is a 1970 song.
3. I strongly considered She’s Got a Way. But it’s from Cold Spring Harbor, and the version most people are familiar with is the live version from Songs from the Attic.
Tau837
Footballguy
The edited Joy to the World single was released in February 1971. I understood your criteria to be that the songs were released as either album or single in 1971.
I do like the Songs from the Attic version of She's Got a Way better. Great song, though.
Regardless, great thread.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
Yep, this thread was a fun read. Music threads are always the best. 
@Just Win Baby, as much as I love Pink Floyd, I am not keen on the original version of One of These Days. I think the later live versions done by the band in the late 80's and 1994 were far better.
@Just Win Baby, as much as I love Pink Floyd, I am not keen on the original version of One of These Days. I think the later live versions done by the band in the late 80's and 1994 were far better.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
I was also kinda surprised to see only one song from McCartny's RAM. That is loaded with really good songs, although many weren't ones that were hits or received heavy airplay on the radio, and this list was pretty mainstream, so I guess that explains it. Not a complaint, just an observation.
zamboni
Footballguy
I love the version at Pompeii (original Floyd version not the more recent Gilmour one)
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