Newspaper Page Text
November 9, 2022
Reporter
Page 7A
JUST THE WAY IT IS by Sloan Oliver
Getting non-political with 1971 music
T he last several
months we’ve
been swamped
with everything
political. Life shouldn’t
revolve around politics, so
let’s digress.
We all remem
ber the music
from our youth.
When we hear a
certain song, we’re
instantly taken
back to another
era - hope
fully a time
of good
memories.
Fortunately, the music of
my youth (mid 60s to late
70s) produced the absolute
best music in Rock history.
Much of that era’s music
is still played on the radio,
played on-stage by current
musicians, and is popular
with today’s youth. If you’ve
read my articles for any
length of time, you know
that I like historical anni
versaries. This year (2022)
marks the 50th anniversary
of some great Rock music
- Take It Easy (the Eagles),
Lean on Me (Bill Withers),
Steely Dan’s debut album
- Can’t Buy a Thrill, and
Eat a Peach album by the
Allman Brothers Band
are some of the music
from 1972. As remarkable
as 1972 was for music, it
wasn’t Rock’n’Roll’s best
year. I contend that 1971
was the single best year
for Rock music. Here’s my
proof.
JANUARY - 1971
started with former Beatle,
George Harrison’s album
“All Things Must Pass” at #1
on the charts. It remained
there until mid-February.
Notable January albums
included: Chicago released
their 3rd album; Canned
Heat released Hooker
in Heat - one of the best
Blues albums ever; ZZ Top
released their debut album
(sadly guitarist Dusty Hill
died in 2021); and iconic
vocalist Janis Joplin’s final
album - Pearl was released.
Joplin died the previous
October from a drug OD.
FEBRUARY - Three Dog
Night released “Joy to the
World” as a single. It be
came the #1 song of 1971.
Carly Simon had her debut
album; Yes released its 3rd
album - The Yes Album;
and Earth, Wind and Fire
released their debut album.
February’s biggest release
was Carol King’s Tapes
try - won the Grammy
for Album of the Year, and
has become one of Rock’s
favorite albums.
MARCH - Jethro Tull’s
famous Aqualung album
with the title song track;
and the Allman Brothers
Band recorded one of
Rock’s best live albums -
Live at Fillmore East (it was
released in July).
APRIL - The Doors
released L.A. Woman,
their last album before Jim
Morrison died; The Rolling
Stones released Sticky
Fingers, perhaps their best
album and one of Rock’s
all-time great recordings;
the Doobie Brothers and
Thin Lizzy had debut al
bums; and the James Gang
Thirds album was released
(featuring “Walk Away”).
MAY - Jazz fusion
group, Weather
Report had their
“ debut album; Rod
Stewart’s album -
Every Picture Tells a
Story (with “Maggie
May”); Marvin
K P Gaye’s #1 album
_ W hat’s Going
On; and Paul
McCartney’s second album
- Ram.
JUNE - Emerson, Lake
and Palmer released
Tarkus; Rare Earth re
leased One World; and
Joni Mitchell released her
album Blue - in 2020, Roll
ing Stone voted Blue #3 of
Rocks all-time best albums.
JULY - The Moody Blues
put out their seventh album
- Every Good Boy De
serves Favour; Deep Purple
released their fifth album
- Fireball; Isaac Hayes’
soundtrack to the movie
Shaft came out; and Black
Sabbath released Master of
Reality.
AUGUST - The Beach
Boys released Surf’s Up;
The Who released their
fifth album - Who’s Next,
a fantastic album and
one Rock’s best (featuring
“Won’t Get Fooled Again”).
SEPTEMBER-Three
Dog Night released their
7th album - Harmony
featuring Just an Old Fash
ion Love Song; the James
Gang released their second
album of the year - James
Gang Live in Concert;
Steve Miller Band, and
Santana released albums.
However, September’s
biggest release was Imagine
by John Lennon. “Imagine”
is one of the most played
songs ever written.
OCTOBER - REO Speed
Wagon had their debut
album; Cat Steven’s fifth
album - Teaser and the
Firecat; and Pink Floyd’s
sixth album - Meddle.
October’s most enduring
album was Don McLean’s
American Pie. The title
song was inspired by the
1959 deaths (plane crash)
of Buddy Holly, Ritchie
Valens, and the Big Bobber
with the iconic line - “the
day the music died.” In
2001, “American Pie” was
voted #5 in a poll of 20th
century songs.
NOVEMBER - started
with Billy Joel’s first album
- Cold Spring Harbor; El
ton John released Madman
Across the Water featur
ing hits Tiny Dancer and
Levon; Genesis released
their third album Nursery
Cryme as Phil Collins
debuted with the group;
Yes released their second
album of the year - Fragile
with Rick Wakeman on
keyboard; Traffic released
their fifth album - the
Low Spark of High Heeled
Boys; Humble Pie (with
Peter Frampton) had a
live album - Rockin’ the
Fillmore; and Carly Simon’s
second album - Antici
pation. The album of the
month (and the year) was
Led Zeppelin IV, one of
hard rocks’ all-time best al
bums, and best-sellers, that
features one of Rock’s most
loved and played songs -
Stairway to Heaven. I’m not
a big Zeppelin fan but I rec
ognize their contribution to
the genre, and realize they
have millions of fans.
DECEMBER - Electric
Light Orchestra had their
debut album; Paul McCa
rtney and Wings released
their first album; America
had their debut album -
America; and just making
it into 1971 was George
Harrison’s - The Con
cert for Bangladesh that
featured talent such as Bob
Dylan, Ringo Starr, Eric
Clapton, and the members
of Badfinger. That album
became a marker for rock
concert fund raisers for
worthy causes.
OTHER BANDS that
released albums in 1971
Medicare
Annual Enrollment
October 15th - December 7th
Now is the time to review your plan
benefits and make changes.
As an independent agent, contracted
with most Medicare plans, I can help you
compare your options and answer your
Medicare questions.
See what’s new in 2023
and find the plan that is best for you!
Terry Martin
Bolingbroke, GA
Independent Agent
Specializing in
Medicare Plans
478-318-8581
tatmartin40@yahoo.com
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we
provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact
Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.
estate Farm
Tommy Johnston
Serving our community since 201-7!
Car Insurance
Home Insurance
Life Insurance
Commercial Insurance,
& So Much More!
i
' (478) 992-9945
281 Tift College Drive
Forsyth, GA 31029
Mon - Fri 9am lo 5pm
After Hours by Appointment
included The Carpenters,
Mountain, Uriah Heep,
Steppenwolf, Ten Years
After, Fleetwood Mac,
Frank Zappa, John Den
ver, Badfinger, Gordon
Lightfoot, Commander
Cody and His Lost Planet
Airmen, and David Bowie.
Also, the Grateful Dead;
Elvis; Chuck Berry; James
Brown; Aretha Franklin;
Ray Charles; Roy Orbison;
Blood, Sweat & Tears; Van
Morrison; Sly & the Family
Stone; and the Byrds were
going strong. Queen played
their first gig in 1971, and
both Steely Dan and the
Eagles formed that year.
Additionally, Motown
featured recordings by
such groups as Smokey
Robinson & The Miracles,
The Temptations, The
Supremes, and The Four
Tops. Sadly, in 1971, the
music world lost Jim Mor
rison, Louis Armstrong,
and Duane Allman.
BOTTOM LINE, in
1971, the music gods came
together and some of
Rocks all-time best bands
were either in their prime,
making their debuts, or
had just formed. Fifty years
later, we’re still listening to
much of that music. To put
1971 in perspective, who
thinks that in year 2072,
well be listening to much
music from year 2022?
FINAL THOUGHT:
There was so much great
music in 1971, my apol
ogies if I missed some
recordings.
Sloan Oliver of Bolingbroke
is a retired Army office who
writes each week in the Re
porter. Email him atsloanoli-
ver@earthlink.com.
Know Your Options
Medicare • Affordable Healthcare
Deborah Stokelin
GEL Health Advisors
678-492-4913
OPEN ENROLLMENT
DEADLINES
Medicare: December 7
ACA Deadline: January 15
APPLY NOW!
¥
A „
■'SOH'mSIOE-
REA .TORS
564 N. Lee Street • Forsyth, GA 31029 • 478-994-1118
We’re Not Just Your Realtor We’re Also Your Neighbor
WWW.SOUTHSIDEREALTORS.COM
ALL CHRISTMAS DECOR
50%
OFF
MKC3T3 TTEUFT SUITE
293 TIFT COLLEGE DRIVE • FORSYTH, GA 31029
HOURS: WEDNESDAY - MONDAY 11:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.
Owens Insurance
Agency
1 6 East Johnson St.
Forsyth, GA31029
AUTO • HOME • LIFE
LONG-TERM CARE
DISABILITY
Rick Owens
(478) 994-1515
(478) 742-7966
rick.owens@countryfinancial.com
Large enough to serve
you, small enough to
know you
(478) 992-8326
24-Hour
Emergency Service
donnyspropanegas.com
To advertise your business,
call Seth Berkebile at 478-718-8302,
or e-mail her at ads@mymcr.net.
WWW.TOMMYJOHNSTON.COM
Plangford
All erg Y,LLC
WINNING THE FIGHT AGAINST
3 AAGJjVIA
Get back to doing what you love with an individualized
treatment plan from Langford Allergy. We help adult and
pediatric patients find relief from breathing, skin, and
immunologic conditions, as well as allergies like:
Nasal
6 Eye
(yP\}
Food
Skin
0.
A
Hay
Fever
Insect
DELIVERING PATIENT-CENTERED CARE
AT 4 LOCATIONS IN MIDDLE GEORGIA
Macon • Warner Robins • Forsyth • Milledgeville
LangfordAllergy.com | 478.787.4728
OF THE
BEST
2021
(The cTelcgraiil]
ft
Voted Best
Allergist 6 Years
in a Row