On That Note: Number 1’s - Album series (Part 1, 1961 & 1971)

[CyclonesFan4ever]

Some of my favorite songs from some of the hit albums of 1971.

Imagine by John Lennon is widely recognized as his signature song.
It's ranked #3 on the Rolling Stone list of 500 greatest songs of all time.
It's the title track of the album which was ranked #80 on the Rolling Stone list of 500 greatest albums of all time.

Maggie May by Rod Stewart was ranked #131 on the Rolling Stone list of 500 greatest songs of all time.
It's the #6 track of his album Every Picture Tells A Story which was ranked #172 on the Rolling Stone list of 500 greatest albums of all time.

In the same album, his cover version of (Find a) Reason to Believe was also a big hit.



Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me) is a song by American soul group The Temptations. The song once reached #1 on Billboard Hot 100 chart and was was ranked #389 on the Rolling Stone list of 500 greatest songs of all time. The song was on track #2 of their album Sky's the Limit.

"If" is a hit song by American soft rock band Bread. The song was on track #4 of their album Manna.

 

[CyclonesFan4ever]

More 1971 singles that hit top of performance charts.

(Where Do I Begin?) Love Story by Andy Williams from his album Love Story (track 1).

This song was originally used as the main theme of 1970 movie Love Story and won an Oscar for the best original score. Andy Williams eventually recorded the new lyrics and took the song to #9 on Billboard Hot 100 chart.



Me and You and A Dog Named Boo is the debut single by American musician Lobo (Roland Kent LaVoie). This song was the 2nd track of his debut studio album Introducing Lobo. The song climbed as high as #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was widely recognized as the second most successful song of Lobo behind "I'd Love You to Want Me".

This song is about two hippies and a dog taking a cross-country road trip in an old car that runs poorly. The protagonists of the song get mired in the Georgia clay, steal food from a farmer and work to pay it off, and end up living in Los Angeles, but the old car makes them want to hit the road again.



One Toke Over the Line is a song by American folk rock duo Brewer & Shipley. It was the first track in their third studio album Tarkio. The song reached #10 on Billboard Hot 100 chart.

This song is about drugs, especially marijuana. A "Toke" is a puff from a marijuana cigarette or pipe. Tom Shipley explained: "When we wrote 'One Toke Over the Line,' I think we were one toke over the line. I considered marijuana a sort of a sacrament... If you listen to the lyrics of that song, 'one toke' was just a metaphor. It's a song about excess. Too much of anything will probably kill you."



Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again performed by English harmony beat group The Fortunes. The song was the first track of their same-name studio album. This sad song is about the singer experiencing a rainy day feeling, with his tears falling like rain as if it were always a Monday, rather than a sunny Sunday spent with his girlfriend. The song reached #15 of Billboard Hot 100 chart.



Watching Scotty Grow is a song written by country music singer-songwriter Mac Davis and recorded by Bobby Goldsboro on his album We Gotta Start Lovin' (track #11). This touching song is about the joys of fatherhood. The singer will take a night at home listening to music with his young son over a trip to the nightclub. Scotty will only grow up once. The song reached #11 on Billboard Hot 100 chart.

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

Elton John - Madman Across the Water.

 

[CyclonesFan4ever]

Carly Simon is the self-titled debut album of the famous musician. She won the 1972 Grammy Award for the best new artist with this album.

The first track That's The Way I Always Heard It Should Be is the best song of the album.



Just As I Am is the debut studio album of Amirian soul musician Bill Withers. This album was ranked #304 on the Rolling Stone 500 greatest albums of all time.

The second track Ain't No Sunshine is the best song of the album, ranked #280 on the Rolling Stone 500 greatest songs of all time.



Ram is the second studio album by Paul and Linda McCartney.

Track 5 Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey is the first #1 hit song of Paul McCartney post Beatles era.



How Can You Mend a Broken Heart is a #1 hit song by Bee Gees featured in the first track of their album Trafalgar.

Nilsson Schmilsson is the seventh album by American singer Harry Nilsson which was ranked #281 on the Rolling Stone 500 greatest albums of all time.

Track 6 Without You (cover version of the Badfinger song) reach #1 on Billboard Hot 100 list.

 

[cyclones500]

“Bryter Layter “
Nick Drake
March 5, 1971

An example, sadly, of an artist whose work got more recognition after his death (and it didn’t happen immediately, either). His music became highly influential and critically praised. He didn’t release singles, and avoided live performances. Although the music on this album (and his other 2) could be lumped in with “soft rock” of the period, it transcends that. Lack of saturation in real-time may have helped the songs to remain fresher longer. Or it simply endured better on its own merit.

 

[cyhiphopp]

Welcome to another edition of On That Note. OTN is a weekly music post hosted alternately by @cyclones500, @CycloneRulzzz and yours truly.

As teased by cyclones500 on Sunday, this week we launch our annual albums-by-decade series.

For part 1, post your favorite LPs released in 1961 and/or 1971. (Those years only, NOT the entire decade.)

Include 3 or 4 sound clips. In addition to the tracks, we encourage you to expound on why the album is meaningful, including personal history of your relationship with the record and its music.

If you’re more singles-oriented, you may substitute top singles from either of those years.

Choices should focus on studio albums. Avoid greatest hits/live LPs/compilations. We’ll allow it, but it should be a definitive element of an artist’s body of work that isn’t otherwise available from studio output.

If someone posts an album on your list before you get to it, you still may reference it, but use different song clips.

There are dozens of best/favorite album lists on line. For a starting point this can be used:

https://www.besteveralbums.com/yearstats.php?y=1961

https://www.besteveralbums.com/yearstats.php?y=1971

(In subsequent weeks, we’ll do 81/91 and 01/11)

• Last week’s OTN: When We Get Married

My First Album Selected is from 1971:

Badfinger - Straight Up

Apple recording artists Badfinger were going to be the next Beatles. And they almost were. Pioneers of the 70s power pop genre they had their fair share of hits. But their story turned tragic. Their manager was a crook. And got them in such legal entanglements they could not record or appear live. So bad was it that Pete Hamm committed suicide in 1975 and in his note said that their manager "Stan Polley is a soulless bastard." Tom Evans also hanged himself in 1983.

Big Hit!


Big Hit #2!


My Favorite track on the LP


Another great great track!

I didn't know they were a big deal or what happened to prevent that. Crazy story. I knew a few of their songs, and they're great, but I didn't know the journey.

 

[cyhiphopp]

Welcome to another edition of On That Note. OTN is a weekly music post hosted alternately by @cyclones500, @CycloneRulzzz and yours truly.

As teased by cyclones500 on Sunday, this week we launch our annual albums-by-decade series.

For part 1, post your favorite LPs released in 1961 and/or 1971. (Those years only, NOT the entire decade.)

Include 3 or 4 sound clips. In addition to the tracks, we encourage you to expound on why the album is meaningful, including personal history of your relationship with the record and its music.

If you’re more singles-oriented, you may substitute top singles from either of those years.

Choices should focus on studio albums. Avoid greatest hits/live LPs/compilations. We’ll allow it, but it should be a definitive element of an artist’s body of work that isn’t otherwise available from studio output.

If someone posts an album on your list before you get to it, you still may reference it, but use different song clips.

There are dozens of best/favorite album lists on line. For a starting point this can be used:

https://www.besteveralbums.com/yearstats.php?y=1961

https://www.besteveralbums.com/yearstats.php?y=1971

(In subsequent weeks, we’ll do 81/91 and 01/11)

• Last week’s OTN: When We Get Married

My First Album Selected is from 1971:

Badfinger - Straight Up

Apple recording artists Badfinger were going to be the next Beatles. And they almost were. Pioneers of the 70s power pop genre they had their fair share of hits. But their story turned tragic. Their manager was a crook. And got them in such legal entanglements they could not record or appear live. So bad was it that Pete Hamm committed suicide in 1975 and in his note said that their manager "Stan Polley is a soulless bastard." Tom Evans also hanged himself in 1983.

Big Hit!


Big Hit #2!


My Favorite track on the LP


Another great great track!

Day After Day definitely has that Beatles feel to it. I can hear Paul singing it in my head honestly.

 

[MeanDean]

I didn't know they were a big deal or what happened to prevent that. Crazy story. I knew a few of their songs, and they're great, but I didn't know the journey.

The Story of Badfinger And Their Supposed To Be Success

Badfinger has one of the most tragic stories in rock ‘n roll. They were slated to be the next big thing but a series of bad luck and bad decisions led to one tragedy after another. The Next Beatles via JJCANE2/YouTube In the ’60s, they started out as The Iveys and the lineup included Pete […]

societyofrock.com

This is their first 45 on Apple when they were still The Iveys - I think it's pretty great, too.

 

[cyhiphopp]

Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV
Release Date: November 8, 1971

The first Zeppelin album I heard. After that I delved into the rest of their catalogue

Random CyHipHopp story.

My father in law was a teen during the height of Led Zeppelin's fame. His mother decided she wanted to get him a record for a birthday gift so she went into the record store. Picture a little older lady wondering into a late 60s/early 70s record store. Probably had a damn shawl on her head.
Anyway, she went up to the counter and asked the young man working there:
"Can you help me find the new Leo Zeppelini album?" Made it sound like an Italian guy named Leo was the front man for the band.
My father in law still loves telling that story and now I think Leo Zeppelini every time I hear a Led Zeppelin song.

 

[cyclones500]

Day After Day definitely has that Beatles feel to it. I can hear Paul singing it in my head honestly.

Definitely some McCartney influence. Not surprising -- Badfinger's breakthrough hit, "Come and Get It" (1969) was written by Paul, who also had recorded a demo version prior to Badfinger's recording (not released until "Anthology" series in 1990s) ... (Details are subject to verification by @MeanDean).

 

[MeanDean]

Elton John - Madman Across the Water.

For my money, his best album (after Yellow Brick Road)

 

[cycloner29]

The Doors last Album.... and title track is the last song on side one. Just some really cool music in my younger years.



Riders on the Storm




Love Her Madly

 

[cyhiphopp]

Yes - Fragile
Release Date: November 26, 1971

If you weren't trying to play "Stairway to Heaven" on a guitar you were trying to figure out at least the beginning of "Roundabout." My introduction to Steve Howe.

While you got the more popular Yes album from 1971, this one was released in February of 1971.

It doesn't have the same level of memorable hits like Roundabout, but it's a shining example of Yes' mastery of Prog Rock. This is a great album to zone out to with your big ass 70s stereo headphones on. Mind altering substances optional.

Most memorable for me is this three part epic:
Yes - I've Seen All Good People


Another great three part epic:
Yes - Starship Trooper

 

[cyhiphopp]

Considered one of the best albums of all time, a few specific tracks have always resonated with me from this classic.

What's Going On


Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)

 

[cyhiphopp]

Just As I Am is the debut studio album of Amirian soul musician Bill Withers. This album was ranked #304 on the Rolling Stone 500 greatest albums of all time.

The second track Ain't No Sunshine is the best song of the album, ranked #280 on the Rolling Stone 500 greatest songs of all time.

Ain't No Sunshine is definitely the best song on the album, but the rest of the album is magical as well. Such deep soul throughout.

One of my favotires:
Bill Withers - Grandma's Hands


Also, interestingly sampled in the song No Diggity by Blackstreet

Also a classic for me:

 

[BigTurk]

From 1961

Chuck Berry - New Jukebox Hits


One of my favorite underappreciated Chuck Berry songs:

Another 1971 album I like is from my favorite pop duo Carpenters.



Track 1. Rainy Days and Mondays

That Chuck Berry song is a new one for me. Thank you for sharing.

Karen Carpenters voice was pure magic. Yes, Carpenter songs were pretty cheesy but my god her voice!

 

[cyhiphopp]

Surprised no one posted this one yet. Released December 1971.

A song that came to define Bowie's entire career:

David Bowie - Changes


And one of my favorites which is an eclectic masterpiece:

David Bowie - Life on Mars


The rest is a great journey with Bowie through his creative process including:

 

[acoustimac]

1971 was one of the most definitive years in the history of rock and roll. On my favorites list are the following:
Janis Joplin - pearl
Carly Simon - Anticipation
Cat Stevens - Teaser and the Firecat
The Doors - LA Woman
John Lennon - Imagine
Jethro Tull - Aqualung
Rollin Stones - Sticky Fingers
Carole King - Tapestry
Allman Brothers - Live at Fillmore East
Marvyn Gaye - What’s Goin' On
Led Zeppelin - IV

All of these are part of my collection and deserve attention. But the top three on my list are Carole King, the Allman Brothers, and John Lennon.

 

[MeanDean]

Some more of my favorites from 1961

First became aware of this in the first (John Waters) Hairspray. Before they made it into a Broadway play. Then made that into another movie.

 

[cyclones500]

“Electric Warrior”
T. Rex
Sept. 24, 1971

Hasn’t been taken yet, so … I’m swoopin!… I found my path to the album by exposure to the tracks individually, over time. It’s an example of, “Oh, that song is on this album?!” “And THAT song is on it?!” And so on.

As good as the songs can sound 1 by 1, it’s multiplied when listening to the full unit.

I won’t even include The Big Hit (I think you know what it is).