Regarding singles that I listened to in 1971, I have distilled my favourites and arrived at these three songs. For me they represent that special year in my life when I was in the sixth form at school, fell in love with red-haired Pamela and found myself in a rock and roll band with four other East Yorkshire lads. I was the singer, the frontman and I felt very comfortable in that role. Though I say it myself, I was bloody good at it and things might have worked out very differently had I not chosen to become a volunteer teacher with Voluntary Service Overseas - rather like the American Peace Corps....
Carole King - "It's Too Late":-
Buffy Sainte-Marie - "Soldier Blue":-
The Who - "Won't Get Fooled Again":-
The Who song would be a brilliant anti Brexit Labour Party song. Not that I think they would be brave enough to say it.
ReplyDeleteI wish Labour would come out strong and proud and say Brexit was a bad mistake but this might alienate thousands of traditional supporters who voted for the disaster.
DeleteThey should say it anyway; people need to hear the truth.
DeleteThe only one of these I listened to was Buffy St Marie who was born in Saskatchewan in the Regina vicinity. She lived about 120 km from our place but had left the country long before she became famous.
ReplyDeleteShe is the reason I first visited Sheffield - to see her in concert at The City Hall in 1971.
DeleteI'm really enjoying your weekly look back episodes.
ReplyDeleteThanks for not knocking my choices and just going along with them Karen
DeleteI don't like Buffy St Marie. I do like Carole King, my sister in law was a bigger fan and had her albums, while I was happy enough to hear her on the radio. The Who boys are quite athletic leaping around like that. I don't recall much of what they sang, perhaps they didn't get a lot of airplay here.
ReplyDeleteFunny that. At one time The Who were one of the biggest and bestselling rock bands in the world.
DeleteI only know the Carol King song. It's ok.
ReplyDeleteCarole with an "e" - damned by faint praise.
DeleteI was three years old in 1971 and had limited choice as to what music was played in our flat. My Dad was still very much a Beatles fan then, and there were also many German pop songs ("Schlager") on the radio. Both my parents loved French chansons; Jaques Brel and Gilbert Becaud were most popular with them.
ReplyDelete"Schlager!".... There's no need to swear Meike!
DeleteIt's amazing how songs can take you straight back to a particular moment.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's amazing that these songs are more than half a century old now.
DeleteOf the three, the most evocative is The Who. I must have been in my last year at Art College, and I liked my music big and loud.
ReplyDeleteBig and loud like some of your art.
DeleteI am familiar with all three but sorry to say am not keen on any of them.
ReplyDelete1971 was not a good year for pop music for me, although I did like Rod Stewart's Maggie May.
Yes that was good one too JayCee.
DeleteMy daughter is named Maggie because of that song!
DeleteIt's a good name. I hope your daughter likes it too.
DeleteI remember these songs the first-time round! Thaks for the memory.
ReplyDeleteGlad you recall them with some affection Carol.
DeleteI loved Tapestry. That album meant so much to me. And I always like Buffy Saint Marie too. Did you know that she and her husband and their little baby spent a season or so on Sesame Street? This was when Hank and May were little and I loved seeing her on the show.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Who- they never did a darn thing for me. I do not know why.
My late brother Paul was heavily into traditional folk music - especially Irish so his record collection reflected that but amongst them all was one that was very different and that was "Tapestry".
DeleteThe way you feel about music is the way I feel about books. I like music and it can bring back memories but my true love is books. I remember in high school when I read "To Kill A Mockingbird" I was blown away. We got the book on a Tuesday I think and on Friday I was taking it home with me when some boys grabbed my book and wouldn't let me take it home to read it. I didn't have the heart to tell them I had already finished the book.
ReplyDeleteOh...I can feel just the same about books Nurse Pixie.
DeleteGrowing up without a television, I consider myself pretty well versed in music but I have never heard that middle song, Soldier Blue nor the singer. Perhaps they never made it across the pond. However there was no fork in the road for me. I never have been a singer and you certainly wouldn't want to hear me sing karaoke.
ReplyDeleteBuffy Sainte-Marie is of native American descent - born and raised in Canada. You should Google her and check her out.
DeleteCarole King's Tapestry album is probably my favourite album of all time. I played that album daily in 1979, (my last year of high school.) My favourite song from it is, 'You've Got a Friend.' To this day, I get an injection of endorphins when that song comes on the radio. You should try to get your band back together..."It's not too late."
ReplyDeleteYes... it's too late baby, though we really did try to make it.
DeleteThat Carole King album ("Tapestry") is an amazing record.
ReplyDeleteEvery track is great. I doubt that she ever reached such heights gain.
Delete