DBT #309 1974 50th Anniversary (2nd 25)
For those of who had a great time with my first 25 records and songs from 1974 in DBT #308, it didn't take me long to start adding to the mix with songs that meant the world to me and a lot of other people. My biggest concern was if I was going to have 50 records in the collection that meant something to me, and not just greatest hit vinyls. Right 1974 had no cassettes, 8 tracks, or CD's, these were all vinyl which can slow me down creating my playlist. First I find them in Discogs, then I need to import a song, and too many times I can't stop at one for the playlist. Well I had 95 vinyls released in 1974, so I felt pretty good that I could ignore some that really might have be given to me when I took over a few collections, or really never meant much to me, like Brian Ferry, Foghat, and Rick Wakeman. If I didn't make this clear in the first 25, these songs are in no order of importance and some were bought back when I was an impressionable teenager and some were bought to fill out my love for an artist later in life.
26) Angel from Montgomery - Bonnie Raitt
Let's be clear that I have watched most of the 1971 The Year that Music Changed Everything, but I wonder how many people would be covering Angel from Montgomery 50 years later if Bonnie Raitt hadn't decided to add the song to Streetlights. John must have made so much royalties off of her cover.
27) Border Town - The Souther-Hilman-Furay Band
David Geffen put together a singer songwriter band comprised of:
The Souther–Hillman–Furay Band (SHF) was a country rock supergroup led by singer-songwriters Richie Furay (Buffalo Springfield, Poco), Chris Hillman (The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Manassas, and later Desert Rose Band), and JD Souther (Longbranch Pennywhistle, noted songwriter for Linda Ronstadt and Eagles). The band recorded two albums during the mid-1970s before breaking up due to disagreements and personality conflicts between the members.
Meanwhile, while I've been working on these blog post J.D. Souther passed away at 78; and oh my I loved his music and collected a bunch of his records. I promise to put 12 songs together for a playlist, but for now I have a 55 song playlist that I'm listening to:
Border Town was always my favorite cut on their 1st record.
28) A Patch & A Painkiller - Cowboy
My love for the Allman Brothers had me buying all the Capricorn label artists. Cowboy had recorded one of my all time favorite songs with Duane Allman, "Please Be With Me" but that was released in 1971 on "5'll Getcha Ten" I have that one on my wishlist.
29) Love Song To Me - Johnny Winter
Yes, he had two records released in 1974 and I just picked this one up. This was too fun of a country stomp song not to include.
30) I Feel a Song In My Heat - Gladys Night and the Pips
This album cover was so beat up when I inherited it from a bin of records found in a warehouse somewhere in Illinois by a friend, I almost threw it away; but inside the record was in decent shape. This was the hit off the record; nice.
31) If I Can't be in Austin - Chip Taylor
The writer of "Wild Thing" struggled to make an impact with his Americana music until later in life when I re-discovered him; so I bought this old one. It's a nice record, no hits but all nice music including this fun song with a bop bop a diddle it chorus.
32) Easy Street - The Edgar Winter Group
Oh my this was such a pop rock vinyl, yes I think I stopped buying Edgar after this record. His earlier stuff was so much better. Here's a taste of the record that I thought was likely the best sultry track.
33) 29 Years From Texas - Seals and Crofts
"Unborn Child" did go platinum, but the best of the duo was probably past already for me, and I never bought any more of them after this record too. This song has a Darrel Crofts all written over it, though they each take a verse to lead on singing about their home state roots.
34) 24 Hours at a Time - The Marshall Tucker Band
Right another classic Capricorn artist, and on their second album they were hitting their country jazz jam style.
35) Gimme Three Steps - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Just think if I had stopped at 25 songs without recognizing 1974 was the first year this band put out an album, and then lived wildly for only another three years. So many great hits on this album and no I'm not going to put "Free Bird" into my playlist. A cool thing later in life my sister-in-law lived in the same complex as Billy Powell and was invited to his funeral which was attended by so many rockstars.
36) Give Me Strength - Eric Clapton
Sure the 461 Ocean Boulevard album I would consider my most favorite, and Please Be With Me mentioned in song number 28 is on the record, I have always loved dobro lead "Give Me Strength."
37) Black Waters - The Doobie Brothers
Ok I loved this record, but I need to share the hit everyone knows because It's AWESOME!
38) This Old Guitar - John Denver
Who could not love John back then? The hippy with a high voice just kept putting out great music; and Back Home Again was another stud 8th studio release for someone who just released his greatest hits. My cut to choose harkens back to trying to learn it on a guitar; but I could never sing in his range. Here's the dorky looking hippy, but you got to love him. Yes I play with the same kind of finger picks.
39) Bermuda Triangle - Fleetwood Mac
Boy this was interesting to reading about this "Heroes are Hard To Find". It was the last record with Bob Welch, so here's the song I always liked off the record. For some reason, I kind of remember seeing this live on TV in 1974 so while the studio version is more concise and cool this video is pretty legendary.
40) The Bruiser - Tim Weisberg
While I don't think I'll buy more of this flute genius (I have three already) because my tastes has shifted much much more to lyrics, here's a fun song co-written with Jimmy Krueger who lived in my hometown of Manitowoc. It is still very good music.
41) Carefree Highway - Gordon Lightfoot
Of course a good folkie like me has the Sundown record in the library, I choose the other mega hit on the record, but the whole album is a great listen yet today.
42) I Wanna Learn a Love Song - Harry Chapin
Yep I probably own everything Harry has put out, and no you are not going to get "Cats in the Cradle" I always have loved his love stories the best.
43) Love to Lose Again - Melanie
My wife was the bigger Melanie fan, but this was a very good record and it's hit.
44) Daddy's Wine is Fine - Jerry LaCroix
Part of the Edgar Winter's White Trash, I always loved Jerry's vocals. This is a hidden gem released in 1974; here's the whole record but I should have it starting at my favorite song. (The playlist doesn't have that ability so strap in or skip ahead)
45) Rednecks - Randy Newman
Here's Randy singing about the future MAGA racists on his classic "Good Ole Boys"
46) Peach County Jamboree - Grinderswitch
Another Capricorn artist with some great southern rock picking, and 1974 "Honest to Goodness" was their first record. (I should probably watch for their other releases, but when it comes to this kind of music my library is pretty full.)
47) Steel Bridge - Susan and Richard Thomas
Not sure how I ended up with this Milwaukee folk duo in the library, but this song is classic to me and it's really holding it's value since only 101 Discogs users have the record and 69 want it.
48) Rocky Mountain Breakdown - Poco
Boy I have a lot of Poco in my library but "Seven" was their first record without Richard Furay. (see track 27) Love their harmonies and another great song postcard to make a trip to Colorado.
49) Sugar - Stanley Turrentine
Yes I have some classic jazz records in my collection, and while I wanted to add George Benson's "Take Five" from his Bad Benson I have the record on loan to my son in the Twin Cities. So here's Sugar off of what I find was a greatest hit record "The Baddest Turrentine" released in 1974.
50) Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone) - Tanya Tucker
Ok I definitely bought this later in life, and I guess she was fifteen at the time? Great David Alan Coe cover, it deserves to be in my top 50 songs because as our blog motto goes; "Good Music has NO Expiration Date"
Alright here's your One Click YouTube playlist, and it includes now all 50 songs.
Next steps:
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