In August of 1972, I boarded an aeroplane for the very first time. I was bound for the Fiji Islands via New York City, Los Angeles and Honolulu. It was the start of a year away from home - teaching under the auspices of Voluntary Service Overseas on what is probably the remotest of all the Fiji Islands - Rotuma.
So my recollections of the year's singles relate mostly to the first eight months of that year though I must say that over the weekends on Rotuma, I often listened to an hour or two of Radio Fiji which included music programmes. I was not entirely cut off.
As I previously did for 1969, 1970 and 1971, here are three of my favourite singles from 1972:-
Don McLean - "Vincent":-
Derek and the Dominoes - "Layla":-
Roberta Flack - "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face":-
I liked Roberta Flack. I remember Derek and the dominoes. Never heard of Don McLean
ReplyDeleteI am surprised about that. Never heard of his most famous song..."American Pie"? You should seek it out on YouTube.
DeleteI HATE that song with a fiery passion!
DeleteOh, you're trying to take over the "Bruce on the Loose" time slot. I know how you guys work. Will it be long before we hear your mellifluous tones say "It's Neil with Appeal"!
ReplyDelete(Delivered in a broad North Dakotan drawl...)
Delete"Whaaaay! It's a chilly November morn here in The Steel City on 95 FM and this is Neil Steel takin' you through to eleven a.m with some cool sounds to help get you through your day. All righty with no more ado it's 'One More Fool' by The Bruce Taylor Band..."
P.S. This is a real band and a real song that can be found with a quick internet search.
Amazing! And I'd never heard of him which is equally amazing since I have a very good friend (Timmer) who's lived in Colorado for decades and now I have a granddaughter who's also lived there for years and neither one of them ever mentioned the long-haired Bruce to me.
DeleteRoberta Flack was a wonderful singer, unique in my opinion. She is now 85 but according to her wikipedia entry can no longer sing.
ReplyDeleteLayla I am very familiar with, but with Don McLean's Vincent neither the man nor the song ring a bell.
What a different world 1972 was from today, a mere 50 years later.
Of course "Vincent" is addressed to Vincent Van Gogh. Roberta Flack was in possession of a very precious musical instrument - her voice. She sings that song as though entranced.
DeleteI'm sure others will enjoy these as you did, but not me. Vincent I can sit through if I don't pay much attention, but not the others.
ReplyDeleteTaste is a personal thing.
DeleteOoh yes, Layla. Good choice.
ReplyDeleteI tried to give you consolation when your old man had let you down...
DeleteVincent is about Van Gogh and an absolute classic. Layla is about falling in love with a best friends wife and the Roberta Flack song is incredible and been covered several times. Good choices.
ReplyDeleteI am pleased that you approve of my choices Dave. I reckon you were nine years old in 1972! Did you have scabs on your knees?
DeleteThree of my favourites. Some good parties dancing to Layla in my time.
ReplyDeleteJeez! That is a fast song to dance to! I bet Paul couldn't keep up with you!
DeleteA great time in music.
ReplyDeleteYou are not wrong Travel.
DeleteGorgeous tunes, all.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed them Bob.
Delete"Layla" is of course a rock classic. And I do love it, as well as Roberta's "First Time Ever..."
ReplyDeleteIn that clip, it is as if Roberta Flack is enchanted - by the song and the wondrous nature of her own voice.
DeleteI remember those songs, Neil, all great choices. 1972 was the year I graduated from college - I remember we sang the Carly Simon song "Anticipation" at our senior program. I get tears thinking about it! We were so eager to get out in the world when really those were "the good old days"!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean Ellen. Those were the days you should have been consciously savouring the most - not looking forward to better days ahead.
DeleteWow, you picked one of my favorites with Don McLean's Vincent. In fact, there are several very deep tracks on that (American Pie) album that I've never heard over the airwaves. I'm thinking "Sister Fatima" and "The Grave".
ReplyDeleteWasn't that the long way around to Fiji? Perhaps the Cold War and the large country obstacle to your east forced you to go west.
On the globe, Fiji is just about opposite London so as the crow flies it would not make much difference which way you flew. I have not heard the two Don McLean songs you mentioned.
DeleteDon McLean - "American Pie" and "Vincent" were two of my favourites at the time and Roberta Flack's "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" is a classic. Don't remember "Layla" or Derek and the Dominoes - just played it to remind me, but it's not my type of music - it comes over as totally tuneless! The other two are excellent choices YP. Listening to "Vincent " as I type this.
ReplyDeleteDerek and the Dominoes were actually Eric Clapton and his band at that time.
DeleteI like "Layla" though it goes on a bit too long. The Roberta Flack track is terrific, but I've always found "Vincent" too sentimental. I think I'd include Arlo Guthrie's "City of New Orleans" among my faves from this year, along with Elton's "Rocket Man" and some others.
ReplyDeleteYes! Rocketman :)
DeleteWE would all make different choices I am sure.
DeleteDon McLean's Vincent was a favourite, although I preferred American Pie, but some UK radio stations would never play it in its entirety being longer than the usual 3 minute single.
ReplyDeleteI used to be able to sing and play "American Pie". In fact Kelley Swindall covered it last Friday evening.
DeleteLayla
ReplyDeleteMemories of cider, house parties, head banging and patoutli oil
By my calculations you would have been ten years old at the time! Cider and house parties? You were an early starter.
DeleteI remember all these. I was living in Hamburg at the time.
ReplyDeleteI remember that you were/are pretty fluent in German.
Delete