DBT #417 50 Year Anniversary of 1976 Music Vol II

 

Welcome to Volume II of the 50 Year Anniversary of 1976 Music (or at least music in my library).  If you haven't read or listened to Volume I, I do highly recommend it because I don't plan on repeating myself; and I might refer back to it.  I do have to answer my sister-in-law's comment that she didn't recognize much of it.  First, she is three years younger and these three years were MY high school days, so definitely meant more to me from a musical perspective.  Second, I am not always choosing the hit song off of the record because many times a different cut meant more to me.  Finally, I curated out close to 40 records I own that meant less to me, like an Olivia Newton John record.  Nothing from the '76 record that inspired me much except a cover of "Long and Winding Road".  It just felt right that all of the other 50 songs I choose meant more to me.  Here are the songs we'll be adding to the YouTube Playlist that was started during Volume I.  (btw every song will have a Discogs link for the album so you can add it to your want list.)

1) Can't Go Back - Steve Goodman

I believe my wife Lori had "Words We Can Dance To" as we became a couple.  Yep fellas I got a woman with great tastes in music. Yes she was seven years older than me, so it did blend eras in music a bit too.  I always figured Steve wrote this song for us:

Now in this great big world of trouble
Sometimes there must be a little joy
And when the woman wants the good, good lovin'
She will separate the men from the boys
And men you know it's the same for us
All around the world
Once you've been in love with the
Good, good woman, it sure is hard to go
Back to girls

2) Riversong - Mark Henley

This song it the title track from "Riversong" and my buddy (and supplier) Fritz at the Golden Ring Folklore Center told me for some reason this was a hot commodity in Japan, and he had sold a few copies for over $100 through the mail.  Still to this day, there are only three for sale on Discogs, starting at $100.  Mark was good friends with the "Bluer than Blue" Michael Johnson. 

3) Give the Fiddler a Dram - Robin & Linda Williams

Too funny, as I went to post this I noted I added a song from this "self-titled" record to my 1975 50th Anniversary list Vol. 3 so I dug further.  Checking the album sleeve and vinyl, and there was no year listed anywhere, so I went into Discogs' edit history, and there it was:

So you're going to get it twice, it's too late; and it's too much of a fun story for me.  Another reason that I knew something was fishy was that last year I added "Battle of Sugar Creek" to YouTube to be able to share it in my 50th Anniversary.  So guess who needed to add a second because I picked a different song this year.  Ha.  This makes the third audio video that I needed to add to YouTube for our playlist.  Yes the real life fiddler in the song is the infamous late Peter Ostroushko.

4) Shine a Light - Jennifer Warnes

In her "Self-Titled" fourth album, a top number one hit "Right Time of the Night" was right there for me to pick; but you know any song Jennifer sings is such sweet music, and come on this is a Mick Jaegger/Keith Richards song.  Plus I love this fan video!  Of course, now I've have the Stones'1972 "Exile on Main St" on my want list.

5) Let 'Em In - Paul McCartney & Wings

Ok while I have the song from a greatest hit cd, the "Wings at the Speed of Sound" was the Wings fifth album.  The first volume had George so it feels right to have one Paul's pop hit from the record.  The other was "Silly Love Songs"

6) I Gotta Get Drunk - Willie Nelson

Wille made the first volume from his Columbia released "Trouble Maker" album, but RCA snuck in a release "Willie Nelson Live" also out in 1976.

7) The Corrugated Lady - The Red Clay Ramblers

The Ramblers made volume one backing up Debby McClatchy and here we pick a fun song off a great album, "Twisted Laurel"

8) This Masquerade - George Benson

Here's a pop hit from a jazz legend, who I really have five of his albums, and "Breezin" has the title cut and "Lady" as great songs too.  The song was written by Leon Russell that Leon released in 1972 on "Carney." (yep I have that one too... ha.)

9) The Red Plum - The Ozark Mountain Daredevils

I picked up "Men From Earth" in 2022, and this song caught my wife in the car to say, "Well that's an unique song" and she's right!

10) In Tall Buildings - John Hartford

This song I think we were introduced to by the Lost Nation String Band, and I always got a chuckle out of it since my first accountant job was with an old manufacturing company called Mirro working on the 7th floor of a really old building.  John's song is on the "No Body Knows What You Do" that I picked up in 2022.

11) Mozambique - Bob Dylan

Recently I put a Monday Morning four song study on "One More Cup of Coffee" from "Desire", and there are so many great songs.  I picked Mozambique because it felt right in the playlist.  My first goal is really something I want to listen to over and over.  Considering this album followed "Blood on the Tracks" one of the best album ever, way to go Dylan.

12) The Julia Bell Swain - John Hartford

John had two albums released in 1976, both on Flying Fish? This song is on "Mark Twang" and I could not pass on this song since the Julia Bell Swain is dry docked near LaCrosse as they tried to restore it.

13) Come the Dawn - Jim Weatherly

Somehow I ended up with Jim's "Pictures & Rhymes" in my library in 2022, and as I put this playlist together I really started to appreciate his writing and song styling.  He's the famous writer of the "Midnight Train to Georgia".  Yes now I have more of his albums on my want list.

14) Ol' Ben Lucas - Kinky Friedman

I guess by his third album, "Lasso from El Passo" you would expect that the label would be good with Ol Ben and his mucous.  Loved the kids choir with him.

15) Lido Shuffle - Boz Scaggs

Boy I so enjoyed revisiting "Silk Degrees".  While his previous 1974 "Slow Dancer" is one of my all time favorite albums, Silk Degrees is packed full of great songs, "Jump Street" "Lowdown" and "What Can I Say"... what can I say, I imported the whole album to the digital library.

16) Rivers of Babylon - Give One Heart - Linda Ronstadt

Ok I've had "Hasten Down The Wind" pre-dating when I started my Discogs library; but I really didn't have a great grasp on the music in it besides the hit song "That'll Be the Day".  Importing it for this project was a labor of love, and I really almost shared "Lo Siento Mi Vida" a song she wrote that was part in Spanish (pretty sure it will show up in a future playlist). I decided to smash together the two songs that started the B Side, because Rivers of Babylon is awesome, but only 52 seconds.  I think "Give One Heart" is kind of appropriate to smash together because I believe Linda picked this raggae beat song to follow Babylon.

17) This Time - Marianne Faithful

I bought a couple of Marianne records this year as I was trying to listen to Mick Jaggar's girlfriend.  "Dreamin' My Dreams" is more of a country record and truly I enjoyed it.

18) Another Rainy Day in New York City - Chicago

Yes I own a few Chicago records, they were such a tight brass band though not always my go to music.  I think the record that I did buy and cherish was their 1976 release "Chicago X" likely because of all their pop hits.  I did learn and have forgotten how to play "Colour My World" on the acoustic guitar; maybe I should go back again and try it again.

19) Hollywood Hopeful - Loudon Wainwright III

Loudon's "T-Shirt" ended up to being a record he disowned according to Wikipedia.  It's fun but probably not his best.

20) I'm Easy - Keith Carradine

Ok volume one had David Soul from Starsky & Hutch, and now we have the Kung Fu fighter.  Keith's debut rookie record was "I'm Easy"  He did sign with Asylum and released two albums which I have both.  The first comment on this video said "Prettiest Love Song, Ever ...", now that's high praise.

21) Living With the Shades Pulled Down - Merle Haggard

Merle's "It's All In the Movies" was added from the purchase of Michael Tyler's collection.  It was record club version that was even sealed yet.  It's a good album that is best when he gets into country swing mode, and here's a great story of Merle with a red light performer.

22) She Is Always Seventeen - Harry Chapin

Harry's "Greatest Stories - Live" is my only real opportunity to enjoy a concert from the master storyteller, but for this post let's focus on the three studio songs he released new for the record.  I loved them all, what a treat for a double album.  Hey I picked this one since the Epstein stuff has been in the news.

23) Still The One - Orleans

Orleans wasn't a truly one hit wonder, but this was their hit on "Waking and Dreaming"

24) One Piece At A Time - Johnny Cash

Boy I always thought this song was much older than 1976 release "One Piece At A Time" but surprise, it was; and I bought it in 2024.

25) Rock and Roll Never Forgets - Bob Seeger and the Silver Bullets

Wow "Night Moves" was such an awesome record, and definitely has a Springsteen style of singing and story songwriting.  I figured this song would make a great closer to the playlist, and remind you I did sometimes rock out in my youth.

So we made it the end.  I'm both sad and want to go back and make a second; but not this year.  I'll just savor this one.  Of course I normally put this on shuffle in the car, but here you can stream the songs at YouTube without too many interruptions here. (51 because of the Linda smash up) Remember the playlist starts with Volume I Edition 414.

I'm thinking if you are hooked into the journey back to the 70's you might enjoy the 50th anniversary post for 1975 and 1974.  Here are all the links.

Next steps:

- Stop over to the Review page to my other most spinned and loved albums.

- Browse the rest of the blogs by stopping at this "Theme Page."

- Enjoy Tune Tuesday which brings you one song from a past blog post.

- See what other post have been most popular recently with our Stats Page.

- Find out who in the world thinks he has the authority to write this blog in the About.

- Let me answer why you won't find the playlists on Spotify here.

- Finally, the Mission page explains why there is no advertising cluttering the page.

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