This Week's Review -- June 5, 1971

Of the ten new singles on this week's Billboard Hot 100, six reached into the Top 40 and two went Top 10. One of those songs even went all the way to the #1 position. Oddly, the four songs that missed the Top 40 were arguably deserving of a better shot. The chart-topper was a song by a noted singer/songwriter, but it was written by a different singer/songwriter. Gladys Knight shows why she's one of the era's great singers. Graham Nash writes what is essentially a "kiss off" to his chums. Freda Payne gives an impassioned plea for the return of "The Boys," while The Stylistics show up with their first Top 10 hit.

Over at Google Books, there is an archive of Billboard magazines, including the June 5, 1971 edition. The full Hot 100 list can be found on page 56. I continue to be amused at the stories in the Jukebox Programming section, if for no other reason than the way it gives a glimpse into the past. For instance, an article on page 34 talks about the fact that programmers have been reluctant about converting to a "two plays for a quarter" system because they're afraid of a customer backlash. Yeah, those were the days.

Freda Payne - "Bring The Boys Home"

(Debuted #66, Peaked #12, 13 Weeks on chart)



Interesting that this song pops up just after Memorial Day.

In 1971, the war in Vietnam was still raging without any apparent end in sight and people were still asking why there were Americans were halfway around the world doing a job that needed to be accomplished by somebody else. Though the peace movement wasn't as vociferous as it was just a few years before (not after four of them were shot to death at Kent State), the war weariness had set in and more people were wondering when the little "police action" was going to be handed over to the South Vietnamese for good. 

In that climate, Freda Payne recorded a song that addressed the issue. Rather than imploring the Powers That Be to simply end the war, she took a slightly different tactic: the song simply asked to get the soldiers out of harm's way. Actually, the three songwriters (including General Johnson) did that, but it was Payne's voice that was hitting the airwaves. Predictably, there was some controversy; Armed Forces Radio wouldn't play it, Payne was called names for taking a stance and some programmers simply set it aside. Despite the friction, the song peaked just short of the pop Top 10.      

41 years later, the location is different but the same question is being asked. They say that history will repeat itself to those who don't pay attention to its lessons...and the lessons of Vietnam didn't seem to get heeded. At least not by a new generation of Powers That Be who've sent another group of kids (many of whom weren't yet born when Saigon fell in 1975) into harm's way.

The Grass Roots - "Sooner Or Later"

(Debuted #77, Peaked #9, 11 Weeks on chart)



The Grass Roots sure knew how to make a catchy pop song. Since 1967, they had enjoyed a string of them and many shared similar hooks and elements. Basically, there was little chance you'd miss a Grass Roots hit because many of them featured a "sound" to them. Some call that predictable, but it was selling records and sounded great on the radio. With that kind of luck, there's no need to tinker with a successful thing.

"Sooner Or Later" generally followed the template and became the group's last Top 10 pop hit. It was written by Gary Zekley and Mitchell Bottler -- who also composed "I'd Wait a Million Years" for the group -- along with three others. While the band continued to make music that sounded great, the tastes of the public changed and the hits dried up. The Grass Roots have stayed together to the present, despite a revolving door of members and the death of lead singer Rob Grill. 

Neil Diamond - "Done Too Soon"

(Debuted #78, Peaked #65, 4 Weeks on chart)



Before "Life is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)," "It's the End of the World As We Know it" and "We Didn't Start the Fire," Here's a song whose lyrics consist largely of a list. The first half of the song is a list of people who died; some were recently deceased, and others had been gone for a long time. The last half of the song explains that all of then were "done too soon." Not necessarily "young," since Ho Chi Minh and H.G. Wells were pushing 80 when their time came, but "too soon" in the sense that many were still doing their thing when it happened.

With "Done Too Soon," there's a philosophical component that is often missing from pop music. The idea that life is a ride and that we all get one shot, and that it's up to us what to do while we're on it. While some listeners might be offended to hear a composition that lumps together such a collection of beloved figures and charlatans, it doesn't appear that Diamond is making any moral equivalence. He's simply saying that all were given a shot and did their part with the time they were given. They looked at the same sun and moon as the rest of us. That is part of the song's charm, in my opinion.

Graham Nash - "Chicago"

(Debuted #79, Peaked #35, 11 Weeks on chart)



Here's a novel idea for a protest song. When your fellow bandmates avoid something that you think is a good idea, write a hit song calling them out and force them to relive that decision every time you do the song in concert. That's exactly what Graham Nash did when he wrote "Chicago" after (according to legend) Stephen Still and Neil Young vetoed the idea of singing outside the courthouse where the "Chicago Eight" were being tried for their part in inciting riots during the 1968 Chicago Democrat National convention. 

The line about the "brother" who was "bound and gagged" referred to Bobby Seale, who was secured to a chair and eventually removed from the courtroom because of his outbursts in the courtroom. As for "Jack," that was a reference to Chicago mayor John Daley. Nash wanted to show his support for the accused by holding an impromptu concert, but after the idea was shot down, he wrote and recorded a song anyway. Releasing it under his own name, it made the Top 40 and was popular enough that it was occasionally dusted off when he and his buddies have performed in concert. That must be a pretty sharp pain that Stills (and Young when he sits in) feels when he harmonizes. 

James Taylor - "You've Got A Friend"

(Debuted #80, Peaked #1, 14 Weeks on chart)



How ironic is it when a noted singer/songwriter whose material is often deeply personal scores his biggest hit with another person's song? For James Taylor, that hit was Carole King's composition "You've Got a Friend," which became his only #1 pop single. I don't blame Taylor for recording it, though; King had been writing hits for more than ten years at the time and her LP Tapestry was the biggest-selling album of 1971. That album contained King's own version of the tune, but Taylor's success certainly helped sell a bunch of those, too.

"You've Got a Friend" is one of those songs that's familiar enough to listeners. There's little that I can add to what's already been written about it, and trying would be a disservice.

Gladys Knight and the Pips - "I Don't Want to Do Wrong"

(Debuted #91, Peaked #17, 11 Weeks on chart)



Recently, I mentioned elsewhere on the Web that Gladys Knight was probably "underrated" when it came to artists of the 1970s. I was quickly reminded that Knight's records sold in the millions, which would indicate that she was definitely popular, and a tag like that would be inaccurate. I responded by pointing out that Helen Reddy also sold millions of records, but nobody is holding her out (nor should they) as a standard-bearer of the era.  I never received a followup to that statement.

"I Don't Want to Do Wrong" is a perfect example of what I was referring to when I wrote that. Knight is in fine command of her own voice, and the Pips don't back her up on the recording as much as they hang on for the ride. This is all Gladys, and even Motown's famed Funk Brothers can only sit back and provide the track that she's heading down. 

That's kind of what I was getting at...Gladys Knight's name is rarely brought up with contemporaries like Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan or even Dionne Warwick, but she deserves to be in the conversation. That doesn't necessarily mean she was better, but she definitely earned a place at the table. When she was on the mark, she was one of the best of the era.

Mandrill - "Mandrill "

(Debuted #96, Peaked #94, 3 Weeks on chart)



Mandrill was a jam band in the same vein as Santana, but from a soul influence besides a Latin one. They also hailed from Brooklyn, New York rather than San Francisco. But listen to the groove the band lays down on this song and see if you hear a definite similarity between the two bands.

Mandrill is the group's name, as well as the title of their debut LP and the first song on that album. It's an instrumental that features a number of featured solos, even for the flute and vibraphone. It's rooted in Latin rhythm and R&B, but fuses other interests as well. It's an interesting concept.

Van Morrison - "Call Me Up In Dreamland"

(Debuted #98, Peaked #95, 2 Weeks on chart)



For a performer who's recorded a number of songs that his fans adore, Van Morrison hasn't seemed to have the hit pedigree to go along with it. Take "Call Me Up in Dreamland," for instance. The song is a fan favorite and occasional concert staple, yet it spent all of two weeks on the pop chart and peaked at #95.

One of his fans explained it to me once. His hypothesis was that Morrison's fans will gravitate toward his LPs, such as His Band and the Street Choir, the album that contained the song, rather than to be content merely with a single-length release. Of course, when I pointed out that the same record also contained "Domino" and "Blue Money," which were Top 40 hits on their own...and he wasn't so ready with an explanation.

"Call Me Up in Dreamland" is a bouncy tune that definitely deserved a better chance than the one it got.

The Stylistics - "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)"

(Debuted #99, Peaked #39, 9 Weeks on chart)



For many casual music fans, "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)" was the first time they got the chance to listen to the voice of Russell Thompkins, Jr. During the 1970s, they'd get the opportunity again. It was the first of ten straight Top 40 hits for The Stylistics, and part of a string of twelve Top 10 R&B singles.

Opening with a typically dreamy intro, Thompkin's voice takes command of the song rather quickly. The trademark strings are here, as are the sublime vocal harmonies and a mellow brass instrumental. While not their first single, it was the first track on their self-titled debut LP. In a sense, "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)" set the standard for the group's future hits. Fortunately, they (and producer Thom Bell) were up to the task.

The Supremes and the Four Tops - "You Gotta Have Love in Your Heart"

(Debuted #100, Peaked #55, 5 Weeks on chart)



Shortly after Diana Ross left The Supremes for a solo career and Jean Terrell replaced her, they recorded an album's worth of material with fellow Motown group The Four Tops. The result was called The Magnificent 7, whose success was enough to spawn a second collaborative LP. While the first album featuring the two groups relied heavy on Motown's past glory, the second (titled The Return of the Magnificent 7)  went largely with original compositions.

"You've Got to Have Love in Your Heart" was one of the songs from that second album. It mixes a little rock and soul with a little gospel influence. Toss in a fuzz box-affected guitar break and a piano during the jubilant fade-out, and you get an interesting mix. The public didn't agree (as the song peaked at #55), but the material on that album is ripe for rediscovery.

This Week's Review -- March 6, 1971

Twelve new singles made their debut on the Billboard Hot 100 this week (one of which was a two-sided hit), with only four songs eventually reaching the Top 40. However, three of those four went into the Top 10. The first solo hit by one of The Beatles is among the hits, while the other two Top 40 hits would be the only ones enjoyed by those artists. That said, the singles that missed the Top 40 also offer some variety: an instrumental by the Godfather of Soul, an adapted operatic aria that was a #1 adult contemporary hit, a souple of songs that were solid soul hits, a retro-sounding but "new" song, a song that referenced cocaine and another that brought up the environment.

There is a large archive of Billboard issues over at Google Books, including the March 6, 1971 edition. The full Hot 100 appears on page 60. At the time the issue came out, the industry was still expecting cartridge TV to become the next phase of TV enjoyment. It allowed people to be able to watch TV on their own schedule...or at least be able to watch something besides what was airing at that moment. An article on page 1 and a section beginning on page 26 explain the efforts going on behind the scenes.

Paul McCartney - "Another Day" b/w "Oh Woman Oh Why" (Not Available on iTunes)

(Debuted #55, Peaked #5, 12 Weeks on chart)



And here's the video for the B-side:



Paul McCartney's first solo single was actually a song he had originally written and demoed during The Beatles' 1969 sessions that produced the Let It Be LP. Once the group broke up, the song ended up finding its way onto a single (but not the Ram LP, although it eventually was included years later on a CD re-issue). It's another one of Macca's observational-type songs -- like "Eleanor Rigby" was -- which hit #5 in the U.S. and #2 in the U.K.

On "Another Day," a female voice is heard in the mix. That belongs to Linda McCartney, who is listed on the single as co-writer. While Paul assured fans and journalists that she had contributed to the song, it's undoubtedly his melody and critics often claimed she was listed to help circumvent certain legal issues that Apple was embroiled in at the time and assured that at least some of his songwriting royalties would come in through Linda. Paul would go as far as credit Linda as a duet partner with his next single, the #1 "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey."

The B-side, "Oh Woman, Oh Why" was a straight blues-based rocker that actually shows off McCartney's vocal range. Sadly, it is currently unavailable in a digital format, as is much of McCartney's solo material.

Engelbert Humperdinck - "When There's No You"

(Debuted #67, Peaked #45, 7 Weeks on chart)



Engelbert Humperdinck missed the pop Top 40 with "When There's No You," he took it to #1 on the adult contemporary chart. It was the second of his four chart-toppers there.

Written by Les Reed and Jackie Rae -- who also penned "The Last Waltz" and others for Humperdinck -- the song makes use of his tremendous range. That's because the chorus is adapted from the music of the opera I Pagliacci (here's a video of Luciano Pavarotti performing it), which is a very emotional piece to begin with.  He does a great job of keeping control of the swings from his regular singing voice to one that is more operatic and back again.

Jerry Butler - "If It's Real What I Feel" (Not Available on iTunes)

(Debuted #72, Peaked #69, 8 Weeks on chart)



"If it's Real What I Feel" is credited as a solo performance by Jerry Butler, but a quick listen to it reveals that he's singing a duet with a female singer. That voice belongs to Brenda Lee Eager, who would eventually get credited on several later singles including the #22 pop hit "Ain't Understanding Mellow." At the time, Eager was the featured voice in Butler's backup group on the road and was also singing as part of Rev. Jesse Jackson's Operation Breadbasket.

A standard soul duet that deserves a listen by anybody who digs the genre or wants to hear something from the period that should have been a bigger hit, "If it's Real What I Feel" was a poor performer on the Hot 100 but went into the R&B Top 10.

Sugarloaf - "Tongue In Cheek"

(Debuted #73, Peaked #55, 7 Weeks on chart)



After the success of "Green Eyed Lady," the Colorado-based band Sugarloaf recorded a followup LP called Spaceship Earth that was more in touch with the band's progressive roots than many casual fans would have expected. "Tongue in Cheek" reflected that focus, being more of a guitar-based tune than its previous hit. There is, however, the lengthy instrumental bridge with solos on the organ, piano and guitar.

As the closing track on the album, "Tongue in Cheek" clocked in at over seven minutes. The edited single version was much more radio-friendly, at just under four minutes.

Matthews' Southern Comfort - "Woodstock"

(Debuted #83, Peaked #23, 15 Weeks on chart)



Joni Mitchell wasn't actually in attendance at the Woodstock festival. She had been persuaded that a guest spot on The Dick Cavett Show would be a better career move for her. Instead, she used the description from her then-boyfriend Graham Nash (who was one of the performers there) to write a song about it. She recorded it for her 1970 LP Ladies of the Canyon, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young placed a version on the Woodstock documentary film, but the British group Matthews Southern Comfort took it to #1 in the U.K.

Matthews Southern Comfort was led by ex-Fairport Convention member Ian Mattews. Essentially, it was a solo effort built from Mattews' desire to explore American rhythms rather than the English folk leanings of his previous band. Eventually, Southern Comfort became their own unit, releasing three albums even after Matthews left them.

The Mixtures - "Pushbike Song"

(Debuted #84, Peaked #44, 11 Weeks on chart)



The Mixtures were an Australian group whose only hit in the U.S.might sound a lot like the Mungo Jerry hit "In the Summertime." Actually, the group had recorded a cover version of that song the previous year and took it to #1 for six weeks in their home country because a radio ban had made it nearly impossible for many U.K. acts to get airplay there. Their success with that song inspired them to record another song with a retro feel, and came up with "The Pushbike Song," another #1 single in their home country.

While the song sounds older due to being over 40 years old, the instrumentation gives it a skiffle-type sound that made it sound dated even in 1971. The band's hits dried up in Australia by the end of the year and they soldiered on through the rest of the decade despite a revolving membership. Ironically, Mungo Jerry covered it around 1990, perhaps because many fans assumed they'd done it as well.

Steppenwolf - "Snow Blind Friend"

(Debuted #85, Peaked #60, 7 Weeks on chart)



It's little wonder "Snow Blind Friend" failed to get much traction on the pop charts in 1971. The "snow" in the song is a reference to cocaine, and while it's an anti-drug song it dealt with the issue in a straightforward manner. That approach didn't play in Peoria at that time, and wasn't radio-friendly in much of the country as a result. 

Written by Hoyt Axton, who also wrote Steppenwolf's similarly-themed 1967 song  "The Pusher," "Snow Blind Friend" told of a man who was content to space out on the drug at his own leisure ("he bought a one-way ticket on an airline made of snow"). He's a problem child to his parents, lying face-down on a sidewalk and perhaps dead.

Axton's lyrics were given a country-ish feel by Steppenwolf but the subject matter was really sensitive. Maybe that's part of why he wrote the #1 smash "Joy to the World" (the Three Dog Night song) later that year. Perhaps he realized people wouldn't focus on the words if the lyrics were a little more vague.

Daddy Dewdrop - "Chick-A-Boom (Don't Ya Jes' Love It)"

(Debuted #87, Peaked #9, 16 Weeks on chart)

Daddy Dewdrop was a stage name for the musician and songwriter Dick Monda, who released several novelty records in addition to the "straight" material that appeared under his own name. He wrote "Chick-a-Boom" for the cartoon show Sabrina and the Groovy Goolies, which had ironically already run its last original episode once the song made the pop charts. It managed to stick around for a few years in reruns and allowed "Chick-a-Boom (Don't Ya Jes' Love it)" to become enmeshed in the memories of those kids who were exposed to it through Saturday morning viewings.

James Brown - "Spinning Wheel (Part 1)"

(Debuted #90, Peaked #90, 2 Weeks on chart)

Here's a rarity. While "Spinning Wheel" is credited to James Brown, the single was a live instrumental. Although Brown did chart an occasional song that didn't require his signature vocal style (and frequently took live cuts there as well), "Spinning Wheel" didn't chart on the R&B survey at all. 

Of course, the song is a version of the tune that Blood, Sweat & Tears hit with in 1969. That group's singer was David Clayton-Thomas, who wrote the song as well. He put his own unique vocal stamp on it, which might have been good enough for Brown to use as a between-the-songs intermission.

Ann Peebles - "I Pity The Fool" (Original Not Available on iTunes)

(Debuted #92, Peaked #85, 4 Weeks on chart)



Before Mr. T's character B.A. Barakas used it as a catch phrase in the 1980s, "I Pity the Fool" was a single by Ann Peebles in 1971. Even then, it wasn't an original, as Bobby Bland hit with the song in 1961.

Ann Peebles did a great Southern-fried rendition of the tune as part of Memphis-based Hi Records (also the home of Al Green). Although this was a remake of an earlier hit, Peebles was also a songwriter whose compositions included the phenomenal "I Can't Stand the Rain" and even "I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down," both of which were later hits for other artists.

The Bells - "Stay Awhile" (Original Not Available on iTunes)

(Debuted #99, Peaked #7, 14 Weeks on chart)



The Bells were a Montreal-based group who were somewhat successful in their home country but only manged one Top 40 pop hit in the U.S. That song, however, certainly caught plenty of attention. "Stay Awhile" was a duet between members Jackie Ralphs and Cliff Edwards, with Ralphs pulling off a whispered vocal in the beginning. Some fans feel the song has a sentimental quality, while other critics point out that the lyrics are little more than pillow talk.

Frank Mills, who later hit with "Music Box Dancer," was a member of The Bells but departed just before "Stay Awhile" was a smash. I haven't been able to determine whether that's him playing the soft piano arpeggios on the song.

Quicksilver Messenger Service - "What About Me"

(Debuted #100, Peaked #100, 2 Weeks on chart)



There was a very fertile music scene around San Francisco in the 1960s, and Quicksilver Messenger Service was a part of it. While they never reached the heights of contemporaries like The Jefferson Airplane or The Grateful Dead, they were still fairly influential in their own way, especially on the local scene.

"What About Me" was actually recorded during a period where the band was taking a working vacation in Hawaii, and the beauty of the land around them may have contributed to the lyrics. The politics of the time was potent enough and well-used for songs of the era, but the ecological angle in the song was a new wrinkle that isn't surprising today but quite radical at the time.

This Week's Review -- December 25, 1971

To my loyal readers, I wish you a happy and prosperous New Year. This year was an unusual case, as both January 1 and December 31 fell on Saturdays...so this is the 53rd and final weekly review of 2011. Believe it or not, I've already picked out the reviews I will be tackling over the next 12 months. That means I intend to keep them coming, so please keep checking back to see what I'm featuring.

There were ten singles debuting in this week's Billboard Hot 100. Three of those would go on to reach the Top 40 and one made it as high as the Top 10. The biggest hit was another smash from Three Dog Night that was written by the same person who'd just handed them their biggest hit single. Wilson Pickett reaches the Top 40 with a song that exemplified his style, and Led Zeppelin offer a unique start/stop rhythm to their song. The songs that missed the Top 40 come for some long-established artists such as Ray Charles, Rufus Thomas and the Bar-Kays, as well as early hits from Alice Cooper and The Ohio Players. A hidden gem from The Persuaders shows up, as well as a song that helped spread the "gospel" of Jesus Christ Superstar.

There is an archive of past Billboard issues over at Google Books, and the December 25, 1971 edition is among them. The full Hot 100 list can be found on page 58. An editorial article on page 3 has a few short words regarding the recently deceased David Sarnoff. In what may be one of the first mentions about him in the magazine, Billy Joel complains in an article on page 14 about how hard it is to find a good piano while touring. On page 28, the spokesmen for Admiral are announcing that their engineers have picked 8-track over cassette for which tape format to offer to consumers. The issue also contains a special section naming the top singers and songs of the year.

Led Zeppelin - "Black Dog"

(Debuted #67, Peaked #15, 12 Weeks on chart)



What do you call the LP that is led off by "Black Dog"? Many call it Led Zeppelin IV, but it has also been called Four Symbols, Runes, "Zoso," Untitled or "the fourth album." The album was issued without a name, so fans (and the band's record company) have had to use their own devices over the years when it comes to giving it a name. Whatever it's called, it's the band's best-known album and their biggest seller, and it's not solely due to the fact that "Stairway to Heaven" is included; it's a solid rock collection.

"Black Dog" is one of those songs where the title doesn't appear at all in the lyrics, but that is probably for the best, as the words are an expression of lustful desire. The idea for the song came from Muddy Waters' "Electric Mud," which inspired John Paul Jones to come up with a rolling bass part. As for the start-and-stop lyrics before Jimmy Page's guitar assaults that are probably the most memorable part of the tune, that inspiration was from Fleetwood Mac's 1969 song "Oh Well."

Wilson Pickett - "Fire And Water"

(Debuted #79, Peaked #24, 11 Weeks on chart)



Once again, I'm a sucker for Soul Train footage when it comes to picking out the video footage that accompanies these posts.

One of Wilson Pickett's talents was an innate ability to take songs from other genres and adapt them to his own style. In many cases, he chose material that many soul artists might not have dared to try. In case of "Fire and Water," he took a song that was originated by the English rock group Free and made it his own.

He had some help, of course...Dennis Coffey contributed the guitar and the Memphis Horns were there to add some of their own color to the song. A clavinet is also a major instrument in the mix, but it's Pickett's powerful voice that binds it all together. "Fire and Water" was the lead track on his Don't Knock My Love LP, the last one he recorded for Atlantic.

Three Dog Night - "Never Been To Spain"

(Debuted #81, Peaked #5, 12 Weeks on chart)



Three Dog Night was well-known for getting its hit material from top-notch songwriters. In the case of "Never Been to Spain," the writer was Hoyt Axton, who also penned their monster hit "Joy to the World" earlier in the year. The song mentioned seemingly random geographic references (Spain, England, Oklahoma, but "not Arizona," Las Vegas) played out as if it were the ramblings of a wayward drifter. At the same time, Cory Wells keeps raising the tenor of his voice. At the beginning of the song, he's singing in a whisper, but by the end of the song he's giving it all he has.

Ray Charles - "What Am I Living For"

(Debuted #87, Peaked #71, 7 Weeks on chart)



Once again, Ray Charles takes a song that was already familiar and gives it his own interpretation. "What Am I Living For" was written by Jay Harris and was a #1 R&B hit for Chuck Willis in 1958. It became a standard over the years, cut not only by soul artists like Chuck Jackson and Solomon Burke, but also by country artists Ernest Tubb and Conway Twitty. The country style is evident in Brother Ray's version, as it starts with the notes of a steel guitar.

That said, Charles' take on "What Am I Living For" was not sung as a country song. Country serves as one of his many influences, as he delivers the lines as only he knew how. 

Alice Cooper - "Under My Wheels"

(Debuted #88, Peaked #59, 8 Weeks on chart)



 At the time "Under My Wheels" was a hit, the name "Alice Cooper" was still associated with the band that performed it as much as the singer. In this entry, I'm referring to the band.

"Under My Wheels" was the song that led off the LP Killer, which was a collection that pointed toward Alice Cooper's future musical direction. Written by three of the members of the group (rhythm guitarist Michael Bruce, bass player Dennis Dunaway and keyboardist Bob Ezrin), it has become a concert staple over the years.

The Bar-Kays - "Son Of Shaft"

(Debuted #92, Peaked #53, 10 Weeks on chart)



Just as the movie Frankenstein was swiftly followed by The Bride of Frankenstein and The Son of Frankenstein in the wake of its success, it was little surprise to see "Son of Shaft" show up so soon after Isaac Hayes took his Shaft film score to #1 on both the singles and album charts.

Like the original and more familiar "Theme From Shaft," "Son of Shaft" features a lengthy instrumental part, a solid funk backbone and the retort "Shut your mouth" to prevent the utterance of a radio-unfriendly obscenity.

The video above comes from the the film Wattstax. That was a concert festival held in the summer of 1972, where various artists from the Stax family performed at the Los Angeles Coliseum. In order to get as many people as possible to attend, tickets were sold for one dollar.

The Persuaders - "Love Gonna Pack Up (And Walk Out)"

(Debuted #96, Peaked #64, 10 Weeks on chart)



The Persuaders' best songs have been remade into big hits, but "Love Gonna Pack Up" seems to have been overlooked by "Thin Line Between Love and Hate" and "Some Guys Have All the Luck." However, "Love Gonna Pack Up" is a song that deserved a wider audience than it eventually had.

Despite having a similar rhythm and topic that was used on "Thin Line Between Love and Hate," there is a tremendous groove that drives "Love Gonna Pack Up." A fuzz guitar punctuates the lyric's warnings that a relationship requires a lot of work and can fracture without both people giving it their all. Rather than a song about dealing with a split, it's a reminder that one can happen when regular care isn't taken to keep it alive. It deserves a listen if you've never heard it.

Rufus Thomas - "Do The Funky Penguin (Part 1)"

(Debuted #97, Peaked #44, 10 Weeks on chart)



After a long career performing soul and blues and drawing from his Vaudeville background to keep audiences entertained, Rufus Thomas was letting the funk take the wheel in many of his early 1970s songs. One of those tunes was "Do the Funky Penguin," and sequel of sorts to his 1969 hit "Do the Funky Chicken."

The guitar effects in the song that give it much of its bite come from Charles Pitts. As a longtime member of the Stax lineup, Thomas was able to get some of the tightest musicians in Memphis to play on his records, and it sounds like they had a great time laying it down in the studio.

The Ohio Players - "Pain (Part 1)"

(Debuted #99, Peaked #64, 8 Weeks on chart)



For many casual listeners, The Ohio Players' pre-Mercury recordings (aside from "Funky Worm," possibly) have been largely overlooked.  What is better remembered from the group, though...is their racy LP covers. Where their Mercury albums often looked like they were remainders from a Penthouse shoot, their Westbound LPs went with an S&M angle. That's not really surprising once you see that those LPs were called Pain, Pleasure and Ecstasy.

The first of those LPs was Pain, which marked a transition from the Southern-style hard-edged soul they were performing in the 1960s to a more experimental sound that incorporated jazz, blues and psychedelia. It wasn't yet the funky stuff that would fuel their biggest hits later in the decade, but they were finding their way to that point. The song "Pain" was an example of this, with its freeform horn solo and a guitar workout that goes off on their own jazzy tangents, as well as a flute that could have been right at home on a Herbie Mann track.

The Assembled Multitude - "Medley From Superstar (A Rock Opera)" (Not Available on iTunes)

(Debuted #100, Peaked #100, 1 Week on chart)

This was a second chance for "Medley From Superstar," after it managed to spend a single week at #95 back in February before dropping off the chart. Unfortunately, it would also spend only a single week on the chart before falling off for good.


The Assembled Multitude was an instrumental ensemble based in Philadelphia. Some of the members would go on to work in the various orchestras behind Thom Bell, Gamble & Huff and what would be called the "Philly Sound." With "Medley From Superstar," they performed an instrumental medley of songs from Jesus Christ Superstar, similar to what they did with Tommy. However, this time the result didn't climb its way very far up the chart; instead, Murray Head's performance of "Superstar" became the hit version (albeit on its third chart run).

This Week's Review -- September 18, 1971

There were eight new singles making their debut in the Billboard Hot 100 this week, with five that made their way into the Top 40. One of those even went to #1. The first five are sung by females, including a self-contained all-female band, a singer who once fronted Smith and another who was best known for singing with her husband. A group whose name reflected their interest in the Occult perform a song from which many have picked up a religious message. A group that had already racked up several hits perform a live version of a song that had already been a big hit four years before. Finally, there were three singles done from a male perspective, and all three have different styles: one is a pop-like tune, another a rock song and one an R&B tune about what happens after the woman threatens to leave.

Among the archive of past issues of Billboard magazine at Google Books is the September 18, 1971 edition. The full Hot 100 can be found on Page 66. A feature on Page 17 recounts the career of Dick James, a man whose publishing business included The Beatles and Elton John/Bernie Taupin as clients.

Fanny - "Charity Ball"

(Debuted #81, Peaked #40, 10 Weeks on chart)



Fanny was an all-female group -- self-contained, rather than relying on others to play the music --  that was among the first to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Led by sisters June and Jean Millington, they've been largely (and oddly) overlooked despite their historical significance. They weren't the first to record or get a major record label, but they predated The Runaways, who often get that credit.

"Charity Ball" was the lead track and title of the group's second LP, which was produced by Richard Perry. The song is a straight-ahead rocker that may have been quickly forgotten due to its short stay at the bottom of the Top 40. However, for two and a half minutes, it's a great piece of ear candy.

Coven - "One Tin Soldier (The Legend Of Billy Jack)" (Not Available on iTunes)

(Debuted #87, Peaked #26, 12 Weeks on chart)



"One Tin Soldier" is probably best known for its appearance in The Legend of Billy Jack, but it was originally an anti-war song written during the late 1960s and recorded by a Canadian group called The Original Caste, who had a minor hit with the song in 1970. Jinx Dawson sang it for the opening credits of the first Billy Jack film and the recording was credited to her band Coven.

During its run into the Top 40, there was some question about who held the rights to the song and it was pulled from airplay, which means it may have gotten higher than its #26 peak if fate hadn't intervened. The band rerecorded the song in 1973 (at the same time a second Billy Jack movie was being filmed) and returned to the Hot 100 with it.

Ironically, a band whose members were interested in witchcraft and Satanism (hence the name) made a song that has often been remembered for its religious imagery. However, the message of the song seems to serve as a warning that doing sin in the name of the Lord is still sin...and practitioners will still be judged for their actions. In any case, it's a relic of the early 1970s, a time where the nation was still reeling from Vietnam and a generational shift.

Cher - "Gypsys, Tramps And Thieves" 

(Debuted #88, Peaked #1, 16 Weeks on chart)



Cher's first #1 hit without Sonny was a "cycle tale," where the story is repeating itself at the end. A baby is born in a traveling show, where Mama has to dance and Dad (later Grandpa) sells snake oil. The girl ends up getting pregnant during her teens after listening to a sweet-talking Southern boy, and the cycle begins again.

"Gypsys, Tramps & Theives" began life as a song called "Gypsies, Tramps and White Trash" but producer Snuff Garrett told writer Bob Stone that he'd have a better time pitching it if he changed the title. There is some confusion over the spelling of the title (the original was "Gypsys..." but later releases have changed it to the more correct "Gypsies..."), and the success of the song led to a reissue of Cher's self-titled LP with the song's name (again, as "Gypsys...") to capitalize.

At the same time, Cher and husband Sonny began their TV variety show a month earlier. It would provide an outlet for the duo (together and separately) to get additional hits due to its popularity. It revived both their careers.

The 5th Dimension - "Never My Love"

(Debuted #89, Peaked #12, 10 Weeks on chart)



Recorded live and included on their LP The Fifth Dimension/Live!!, their rendition of "Never My Love" is a slowed-down, more adult version of a song that The Association took to #2 in 1967. The group missed the original's placement on the pop chart, but took it to #1 on the adult contemporary chart (their fourth chart-topper there).

While not as familiar as the version by The Association, its delivery by Marilyn McCoo can be seen as an expressive way to use her voice and give an inner power the original didn't have. Both songs were produced by Bones Howe, so there is little difference in the arrangement aside from its tempo.

Gayle McCormick - "It's A Cryin' Shame" (Not Available on iTunes)

(Debuted #90, Peaked #44, 12 Weeks on chart)



Actually, "It's a Cryin' Shame" this song missed the Top 40.

Once again, Music Mike takes care of most of Gayle McCormick's background during his introduction in the video above. In short, McCormick was the female lead for the group Smith, whose breathy vocal on "Baby, It's You" in 1969 was a lot more nuanced than in The Shirelles' hit version or the remake done by The Beatles.

McCormick's biggest of her three solo hits was a lot more upbeat musically. The lyrics are about a broken relationship, with little more than resignation that it's over. Yes, she thinks back about the times they shared together but there's no dramatic element to be had. She's ready to tuck his faded picture in a book somewhere, wish him good luck and keep walking on. That's pretty healthy.

The 8th Day - "You've Got To Crawl (Before You Walk)"

(Debuted #91, Peaked #28, 11 Weeks on chart)



From a song about cutting losses after a bad relationship, here's one about swallowing your pride and doing whatever is necessary to keep it together. In this case, though, the narrator knows he's been wrong.

The 8th Day was initially a studio creation by Holland/Dozier/Holland to prevent any loss of sales for 100 Proof (Aged in Soul)'s "Somebody's Been Sleeping." When that group's song "She's Not Just Another Woman" began attracting attention, the songwriting/producing trio simply issued the song on a record and credited it to "8th Day." For the followup single, they actually assembled a group to perform it.

"You've Got to Crawl Before You Walk" was the group's second Top 40 pop hit, and matched the earlier singles #3 peak on the R&B chart. Future releases by the group, however, were disappointing and they would split apart by 1973.

Springwell - "It's For You" (Not Available on iTunes)

(Debuted #97, Peaked #60, 10 Weeks on chart)



"It's For You" was the only Hot 100 listing for Springwell, a group from Detroit. It wasn't the first time for the song, though. Written by Lennon/McCartney, "It's For You" was a 1964 hit for Cilla Black, who took it to the Top 10 in the U.K. but peaked at #79 in the States. Three Dog Night also recorded a version of the song in 1969.

Springhill's rendition sounds like it came from a garage band, quite different from what Black had done with it. Though it surpassed the chart showing of her version in America, it didn't get enough of a chance to be memorable, even as it sounds like a 1971 relic in its sound and production style.



Nolan - "I Like What You Give" 

(Debuted #100, Peaked #98, 2 Weeks on chart )



This was the first of two different runs on the Hot 100 for "I Like What You Give." This time, it spent only two weeks on board and dropped after reaching #98. A month later, it would get another chance and went to #70.

At first listen, the song sounds like it came from a young Kenny Nolan. That's not correct, as it was Nolan Porter, who later hit under the name "N.F. Porter." A guitar-accented stroll, "I Like What You Give" is a breezy pop song that deserved its second chance. An instrumental bridge in the song starts off as if it's been influenced by the 1968 hit "Tighten Up" but then segues back into the main rhythm of the song. It features a nice drum part as well.

This Week's Review -- July 17, 1971

There were eleven new singles debuting on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, with several making a lasting impression. Seven went on to the Top 40, with four reaching the Top 10 and one going all the way to #1. That chart-topper would be a double-sided hit and the biggest hit of the entire year. Familiar names pop up like Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Who, groups who defined their own sound like Bread and Rare Earth are also represented. At the same time, there are also lesser-known names, like Audience and The Glass Bottle. Bill Withers makes his entrance, as Sonny James makes his exit (from the pop charts, at least).

Among the large archive of past Billboard magazines over at Google Books, the July 17, 1971 edition is available to read online. The full Hot 100 can be found on Page 52. Much of the magazine is a celebration of Johnny Mathis's 15th anniversary in the music business, but there are some reminders that life is precious and far too short for some. Page 3 reports the sad news of Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong's death, while Page 4 explains that Jim Morrison had died in Paris.

Creedence Clearwater Revival  - "Sweet Hitch-Hiker"

(Debuted #68, Peaked #6, 9 Weeks on chart)



I've heard stories about how people once were able to simply use their thumbs to get somewhere when they couldn't afford  a bus ticket. That seems like a different time and place, as you'd be hard-pressed to find any mention of a hitchhiker as "sweet" today.

Creedence Clearwater Revival's final Top 10 hit was written and recorded by John Fogerty, as were most of the band's hit singles up to that point. However, Tom Fogerty had just left the band because of a disagreement in the direction of the group, which led John Fogerty to suggest that the other band members Doug Clifford and Stu Cook share in the writing and vocal duties. The LP that resulted was Mardi Gras, which included "Sweet Hitch-Hiker" despite not getting released until 1972. The result was uneven, and CCR was soon broken up.

As for "Sweet Hitch-Hiker," it features many of the things you'd expect from Creedence. It's a high-adrenaline guitar rush that contains a manic vocal by John Fogerty.

Bread - "Mother Freedom"

(Debuted #75, Peaked #37, 9 Weeks on chart)



When I was a kid, I took part in youth group at the age of 13-14. One day, one of the adult leaders (chaperones, actually) discovered I had an ear for songs from the 1960s and 70s. Since she grew up during that time, she would talk with me about some of the material she listened to back then.  One day, she mentioned she had gone to see Bread in concert. I knew the group from the few songs they played on the local "variety" radio station ("Make it With You," "If" and ""Baby, I'm-a Want You") and assumed that was what they sounded like. When she then told me she actually walked out because they were too loud, I thought it was hilarious.

Later on, I discovered that the single releases were always David Gates songs, which leaned largely in favor of soft, poppy arrangements. James Griffin was also a songwriter in the group, and his material was a little less poppy and often much less soft. Unfortunately, his material was relegated to B-sides or remained as album tracks. As a result, many fans of the group's singles (and even future generations of listeners, like me) never really got a good idea of the band's sound from the radio alone.

"Mother Freedom" was yet another Gates-penned song, but it was more of an indicator of how the band could rock out when they had a chance. However, it stalled at #37, which led the record company to revert to the band's softer material for singles. That decision soon began to fracture the group over its musical direction.

The Who - "Won't Get Fooled Again"

(Debuted #76, Peaked #15, 13 Weeks on chart)



"Meet the new boss...Same as the old boss..."

Revolution was a topic bandied about quite frequently in the late 1960s and early 70s. With anti-war protests and the realization that a new generation was getting ready to take the steering wheel, some people were quite scared for future prospects. In the midst of that, The Who came up with this gem that seemed to be a reminder that things tend to go around in cycles.

One thing that was pretty new was the heavy reliance on the synthesizer in the song. In both an extended intro and a long solo midway through the song (on the LP version, that is), they lead to one might be one of the great screams in rock & roll as Roger Daltrey returns to sing the final verse. The single version cut the 8 and a half minutes down to a more radio-friendly three and a half minutes, but the song is better known in its extended format.

Rare Earth - "I Just Want To Celebrate"

(Debuted #79, Peaked #7, 13 Weeks on chart)



While there were other white acts signed to Motown before them, Rare Earth was the first to get a significant string of hits. They even managed to have their imprint named after them. Despite the fact that the songs sounded a lot alike, it was a sound that was working.

"I Just Want to Celebrate" was a song with a somewhat positive message. After the events of the previous 5-6 years, there were a lot of people who were happy to say they were still able to enjoy life. When the song went to #7, it was their third Top 10 pop hit and it seemed they would keep them coming. However, they never manged to get higher than #19 with any further singles. By 1976, they were no longer on Rare Earth records.

Buddy Miles (and the Freedom Express) - "Them Changes"

(Debuted #86, Peaked #84, 2 Weeks on chart)



"Them Changes" charted four separate times during the 1970s, and this was the third go-round on the Billboard Hot 100. This time, it fell short of its previous #81 peak from 1970, though its next run later in '71 would take it to #62.

Buddy Miles was still in his early twenties, but he had certainly been busy. Before going solo, he was a member of the Electric Flag and then part of Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsies. While playing in that band, he wrote "Them Changes" but it never manged to get in onto a record before Hendrix's manager fired him.

"Them Changes" is generally considered to be Buddy Miles' signature song, or at least the one most associated with him. Featuring an arrangement that is both a relic of the days of psychedelia and of Stax
era soul, it is a shame that more people didn't get to hear it. The song definitely had enough chances for it to happen.

Audience - "Indian Summer"

(Debuted #87, Peaked #74, 5 Weeks on chart)



When I was a kid growing up in Upstate New York, "Indian Summer" was the name given to what was often the last great week or two of temperate conditions around the early autumn when we got to go outside without wearing our jackets (at least, during the afternoons...mornings were still frosty). In any case, we enjoyed it, because anybody who's had to deal with winter in northern New York knows it was going to be several months before it ever got that good again. While I always associated that time with the late harvest season, I always assumed that the term came about due to the period when native tribes made their final arrangements before settling down for the winter. However, I've since learned that there are other definitions used for the term in other parts of the country, and not all are complimentary.

This rendition seems to be a memory of times gone by, similar to the images of the leaves changing that pops up in my mind when I hear the term. "Indian Summer" was the only hit on the Hot 100 for Audience, a British art-rock band. The song was produced by Gus Dudgeon, best known for his work with Elton John. Of course, that makes me wish Sir Elton could have given it his musical flourish. Soon after the song disappeared from the charts, the band split up.

Bill Withers - "Ain't No Sunshine"

(Debuted #88, Peaked #3, 16 Weeks on chart)



This was Bill Withers' first pop hit, but he wasn't exactly a fresh-faced youngster on the scene. He had served for nine years in the Navy and was moonlighting as a singer while working at an aircraft factory. In fact, when "Ain't No Sunshine" was a hit, he wasn't ready to give up his day job until he was sure his music career would last.

The lyrics express disappointment about being left alone, but the part most people remember is the repeated use of the words "I know" (I counted 26 times) in the third verse. Originally, Withers planed in filling in that part with more words, but his backup musicians convinced him to leave it the way it was. It was probably good advice, as I can't imagine "Ain't No Sunshine" without that part.

Beginning with a sparse arrangement, an orchestra kicks in with the second verse and provides a sufficiently melancholy mood. What's interesting is that the song is only about two minutes long. It somehow doesn't seem that short.

Steppenwolf - "Ride With Me"

(Debuted #90, Peaked #52, 8 Weeks on chart)



Steppenwolf seemed to like the image of the motorcycle in its songs. Their best known song is "Born to be Wild," and their music is identified with the film Easy Rider. With that, "Ride With Me" was probably a title that just jumped out when it was offered to the group. The song was written by singer Mars Bonfire, who had also written "Born to Be Wild."

The song was a cut on the band's then-forthcoming LP For Ladies Only, which would be the final recording by the band's "classic" lineup before the members began to leave. They have reunited several times since, but lead singer John Kay has been the only consistent member of the group over the past 40 years.

The Glass Bottle - "I Ain't Got Time Anymore"

(Debuted #94, Peaked #36, 13 Weeks on chart)



The Glass Bottle was a  band led by Gary Criss, but had been put together by Dickie Goodman, a man whose biggest success had come in comic "break-in" records. However, the group's biggest hit wasn't funny at all; in fact, it was a lamentation of heartbreak with a bitter outlook.

The group followed up its Top 40 hit with another single by the end of 1971. Unfortunately, no further hits followed and Criss was soon free to pursue a solo career as a disco singer later in the decade.

Rod Stewart - "Maggie May" b/w "Reason to Believe"

(Debuted #98, Peaked #1, 21 Weeks on chart)



Here's the YouTube video for the other side of the record (I'm not calling it the "B-side," and you can read why below):



For those who think the "cougar" phenomenon is a recent fad, here's an example from 40 years ago that it's not. It wasn't a new thing then, either, if you consider the film Summer of '42 that same year. Not only did Jennifer O'Neil's character stay lodged in the minds of several viewers for years afterward, "Maggie May" would become the biggest single for the year 1971.

The funny thing is that the song wasn't even considered to be a possible hit when it was released. "Reason To Believe" was listed all by itself for its first four weeks before "Maggie May" was even listed as the B-side. The next week, the songs were reversed. It wasn't long until it sprung upon the Top 40 and spent five weeks at #1. Its success was a surprise to everybody, since the subject was somewhat taboo and there wasn't really a melody to it. The name "Maggie May" never appears in the song (Stewart merely refers to her as "Maggie").

"Reason To Believe" was written by Tim Hardin and originally recorded by him in 1965. A song about looking beyond the obvious faults in a lover and seeing the beauty even when it isn't there at all, it has been recorded by scores of artists from a wide range of genres over the years, including The Carpenters, Bobby Darin, Bruce Springsteen and Johnny Cash.

Sonny James, the Southern Gentleman - "Bright Lights, Big City"

(Debuted #100, Peaked #91, 3 Weeks on chart)



This song refers to the time-tested topic of country folks in the big city and having to adjust to the change. And in 1971, country songs about life in the city weren't usually happy songs. Since James took it to the top of the country charts, it definitely fit the template.

Actually, "Bright Lights, Big City" predated James's version. It was originally written by bluesman Jimmy Reed in 1961, who took it to #3 on the R&B charts that year. It was also recorded by The Animals in 1965. While James was in the midst of a long career on the country side and enjoyed additional hits for years to come, the song would be his final run on the Hot 100.