Allen Reviews 70s Pop Music
As you may and/or may not know, my parents' 30th Anniversary Party is coming up on August 4 and they've asked me to prepare the music. To prepare, we purchased many a CD, including an excellent (as always) Rhino boxed set of 70s pop called Have a Nice Decade: The 70s Pop Culture Box. I started going through the music of the correct period (72-77, between when they met and married, also, conveniently, when they went to college plus a year of exceptionally good music where they got married). My thoughts on the songs are as follows
School's Out-Alice Cooper:Have I mentioned that I (and Bob Dylan) think Alice Cooper is an underrated songwriter? Well he is, and nothing proves that he can show angst like the "we can't even think of a word that rhymes!" line.
Popcorn-Hot Butter: Two and a half minutes of somebody diddling around with a Moog synthesizer. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I kind of like it! Wait, the guy naming himself "hot butter" is camp and not kitsch right? (difference: camp is done in bad taste knowing it's in bad taste, kitsch is done in bad taste but oblivious to its condition)
Joy-Apollo 100: Bach on synth? Wasn't that Switched on Bach by Walter Carlos done a few years before?
I am Woman-Helen Reddy: Oh, this is that song Mom references! Great song, I especially like that she asserts God is a woman.
A Horse With No Name-America: It's a good song, but haven't we heard it enough?
I'll Take you There-The Staple Singers: Political reference? Never noticed that before...
Everybody Plays the Fool-The Main Ingredient: So that's who Cuba Gooding Sr. is...and OH! OVERPRODUCED
I Gotcha-Joe Tex: Not gonna lie, more than slightly creepy. That woman should never have promised to date him after dumping her boyfriend.
I'll be Around-Spinners: Happy Happy Happy WAIT NO it's SAD! Nice use of contrast
Lean on Me-Bill Withers: It's a pop song! It's a hymn! No! I don't know what to think of it even if everybody does insist on playing it on the piano!
Day By Day-Godspell: I'd probably like this more if I were more comfortable with religion
Alone Again (Naturally)-Gilbert O'Sullivan: Once again overproduced. Oh, and you should blame your parents since they named you "Gilbert"
Precious and Few-Climax: Sure it's overproduced, but it climaxes! Wait, that's the name of the band!
Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)-Looking Glass: I can't believe I have never heard this song before. It's great! Excellent story, nice simple music, it's begging for a cover!
Dancing in the Moonlight-King Harvest: overproduced crap.
Nice To Be With You-Gallery: More overproduced crap.
The Candy Man-Sammy Davis Jr.: I think the fact that this made #1 says something terrible about our society
Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast-Wayne Newton: I've never listened to Wayne Newton before and never will again. It's like it's saccharine but it's about a child of divorce. Gaahh..why toy with our heartstrings for a hit? At least this ONLY made #4
Hot Rod Lincoln-Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen: Better songs like this existed in the 50s.
Rock and Roll Part 2-Gary Glitter: Trust me, you've heard this song. It's the one that goes "hey" repeated numerous times and played at sporting events. I thought it was crap--until I heard the good version. It's layered thickly with tribal drums and reverb that you can't hear through stadium speakers, has much more of a primal feel. The liner notes lightly compare it to "Tusk", after a few listens (to each) I concur. But you have to listen really REALLY close.
The Cover of Rolling Stone-Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show: Written by Shel Silverstein, who also penned Johnny Cash's "Boy Named Sue", they appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone with the label "What's Their Names Make the Cover" (all taken from the liner note,s which were abridged.
You're So Vain-Carly Simon: Pure pop gold. Excellent writing, NOT overproduced (okay, not very much), precise soulful performance, intricately layered arrangement. Truly one of the greats of pop music. Okay, so the strings are a little much, but I do like Jagger's backup vocals.
Me and Mrs. Jones-Billy Paul: Yeah, I've heard OF this song a lot, but how did it escape me so long.
Freddie's Dead (Theme from Superfly)-Curtis Mayfield: sweet bass, classic 70s soul, and great lyrics
The Morning After-Maureen McGovern: Oh please, kill me now.
That Lady (Part 1)-The Isley Brothers: pure, unfiltered cool
I'm Gonna Love you A Little More Baby-Barry White: Who else could have done this song?
Love's Theme-Love Unlimited Orchestra: more overblown, loopy strings? What were they smoking back then? OH yeah, a lot. And they were high on life.
Jungle Boogie-Kool & The Gang: Upon careful listening, it prooves much better than at first. Actually, a pretty complex song. Careful listening is rewarded with the discovery of lots of fun bass tricks.
Tell Her She's Lovely-El Chicano: There's nothing to say about this. It's textbook pop and by textbook I mean boring.
Stuck In the Middle With You-Stealer's Wheel: All I'm going to say is that it bothers me that everybody says Zimmy did this one. He didn't. Never did. Just because the vocals sound like his doesn't mean he sang it. And everybody goes "no, I"m sure Bob Dylan did this song." Well he didn't. I want to end this myth right now.
Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree-Dawn featuring Tony Orlando: This is so bad I can't express it in words
Smokin' in the Boy's Room-Brownsville Station: Seeing the misplaced apostrophe in the title gives me a new (and never before had) appreciation for this song.
Frankenstein-Edgar Winter Group: If you have a talking dictionary and look up either "arena rock" or "cliche" or both it'll probably start playing this song
Dueling Banjos-Eric Weissberg: If you've seen Deliverance and gone canoeing in Arkansas (or the appalacians where the movie actually took place) this song is just creepy.
School's Out-Alice Cooper:Have I mentioned that I (and Bob Dylan) think Alice Cooper is an underrated songwriter? Well he is, and nothing proves that he can show angst like the "we can't even think of a word that rhymes!" line.
Popcorn-Hot Butter: Two and a half minutes of somebody diddling around with a Moog synthesizer. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I kind of like it! Wait, the guy naming himself "hot butter" is camp and not kitsch right? (difference: camp is done in bad taste knowing it's in bad taste, kitsch is done in bad taste but oblivious to its condition)
Joy-Apollo 100: Bach on synth? Wasn't that Switched on Bach by Walter Carlos done a few years before?
I am Woman-Helen Reddy: Oh, this is that song Mom references! Great song, I especially like that she asserts God is a woman.
A Horse With No Name-America: It's a good song, but haven't we heard it enough?
I'll Take you There-The Staple Singers: Political reference? Never noticed that before...
Everybody Plays the Fool-The Main Ingredient: So that's who Cuba Gooding Sr. is...and OH! OVERPRODUCED
I Gotcha-Joe Tex: Not gonna lie, more than slightly creepy. That woman should never have promised to date him after dumping her boyfriend.
I'll be Around-Spinners: Happy Happy Happy WAIT NO it's SAD! Nice use of contrast
Lean on Me-Bill Withers: It's a pop song! It's a hymn! No! I don't know what to think of it even if everybody does insist on playing it on the piano!
Day By Day-Godspell: I'd probably like this more if I were more comfortable with religion
Alone Again (Naturally)-Gilbert O'Sullivan: Once again overproduced. Oh, and you should blame your parents since they named you "Gilbert"
Precious and Few-Climax: Sure it's overproduced, but it climaxes! Wait, that's the name of the band!
Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)-Looking Glass: I can't believe I have never heard this song before. It's great! Excellent story, nice simple music, it's begging for a cover!
Dancing in the Moonlight-King Harvest: overproduced crap.
Nice To Be With You-Gallery: More overproduced crap.
The Candy Man-Sammy Davis Jr.: I think the fact that this made #1 says something terrible about our society
Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast-Wayne Newton: I've never listened to Wayne Newton before and never will again. It's like it's saccharine but it's about a child of divorce. Gaahh..why toy with our heartstrings for a hit? At least this ONLY made #4
Hot Rod Lincoln-Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen: Better songs like this existed in the 50s.
Rock and Roll Part 2-Gary Glitter: Trust me, you've heard this song. It's the one that goes "hey" repeated numerous times and played at sporting events. I thought it was crap--until I heard the good version. It's layered thickly with tribal drums and reverb that you can't hear through stadium speakers, has much more of a primal feel. The liner notes lightly compare it to "Tusk", after a few listens (to each) I concur. But you have to listen really REALLY close.
The Cover of Rolling Stone-Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show: Written by Shel Silverstein, who also penned Johnny Cash's "Boy Named Sue", they appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone with the label "What's Their Names Make the Cover" (all taken from the liner note,s which were abridged.
You're So Vain-Carly Simon: Pure pop gold. Excellent writing, NOT overproduced (okay, not very much), precise soulful performance, intricately layered arrangement. Truly one of the greats of pop music. Okay, so the strings are a little much, but I do like Jagger's backup vocals.
Me and Mrs. Jones-Billy Paul: Yeah, I've heard OF this song a lot, but how did it escape me so long.
Freddie's Dead (Theme from Superfly)-Curtis Mayfield: sweet bass, classic 70s soul, and great lyrics
The Morning After-Maureen McGovern: Oh please, kill me now.
That Lady (Part 1)-The Isley Brothers: pure, unfiltered cool
I'm Gonna Love you A Little More Baby-Barry White: Who else could have done this song?
Love's Theme-Love Unlimited Orchestra: more overblown, loopy strings? What were they smoking back then? OH yeah, a lot. And they were high on life.
Jungle Boogie-Kool & The Gang: Upon careful listening, it prooves much better than at first. Actually, a pretty complex song. Careful listening is rewarded with the discovery of lots of fun bass tricks.
Tell Her She's Lovely-El Chicano: There's nothing to say about this. It's textbook pop and by textbook I mean boring.
Stuck In the Middle With You-Stealer's Wheel: All I'm going to say is that it bothers me that everybody says Zimmy did this one. He didn't. Never did. Just because the vocals sound like his doesn't mean he sang it. And everybody goes "no, I"m sure Bob Dylan did this song." Well he didn't. I want to end this myth right now.
Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree-Dawn featuring Tony Orlando: This is so bad I can't express it in words
Smokin' in the Boy's Room-Brownsville Station: Seeing the misplaced apostrophe in the title gives me a new (and never before had) appreciation for this song.
Frankenstein-Edgar Winter Group: If you have a talking dictionary and look up either "arena rock" or "cliche" or both it'll probably start playing this song
Dueling Banjos-Eric Weissberg: If you've seen Deliverance and gone canoeing in Arkansas (or the appalacians where the movie actually took place) this song is just creepy.