Sounds of the 70's

 Continuing with my sorry little list-making fetish while I retain the enthusiasm for it, pop records got longer in the 1970's and Johnnie Walker's show can't accommodate as many records as Tony Blackburn's does.

That is easily programmed by having as much as is required of an extract from The Faust Tapes, the free-wheeling, avant-garde jam session released as a 12-inch LP by Virgin in Richard Branson's early days. It cost 49p, which is why it sold a few but I loved it. Then, at least, when my main ambition was to find the weirdest things I could. I was 13.

This is done in some haste and so might omit some essentials but if I never write the book, I might have the makings of an index or contents page.

The Tami Lynn is a 60's record but was a big Northern Soul hit in the 70's. The best of Elvis Costello didn't arrive until the early 80's and he can help fill up a decade that might be less easy to fill with undisputable masterpieces that are also personal favourites.

You Got a Friend should be Carole King but the drearier James Taylor represents what I liked at the time. I could fill the whole show with T. Rex and Bowie but they only get one record each before it becomes clear that Diana Ross was in the 60's show and, only now do I find out, apparently John Lennon was in The Beatles. But, as the government so devoutly demonstrate, you can't make a rule unless you immediately disregard it yourself.

At the last minute, X-Ray Spex had to make way when I remembered the anthem of the decade, All the Young Dudes, but we couldn't start with that because Keith's start to Tumbling Dice is even better than Marc's to Twentieth Century Boy.    

 

The Rolling Stones - Tumbling Dice 

Mott the Hoople - All the Young Dudes 

Al Green – I’m Still in Love with You 

Tami Lynn – I’m Gonna Run Away from You 

Bob Dylan – The Changing of the Guards 

Joni Mitchell – A Case of You 

Wizzard – Angel Fingers 

T. Rex – Get It On 

Diana Ross – I’m Still Waiting 

The Temptations – Just My Imagination 

Rod Stewart & the Faces – You Wear It Well 

Bryan Ferry – Carrickfergus 

The Clash – (White Man) in Hammersmith Palais 

The Sex Pistols – Anarchy in the U.K. 

The Pioneers – Let Your Yeah be Yeah 

Dave and Ansel Collins – Double Barrel 

Bob Marley & the Wailers – Waiting in Vain 

Led Zeppelin – Boogie with Stu 

Hawkwind – Silver Machine 

Faust – from The Faust Tapes 

Lindisfarne - Lady Eleanor

James Taylor – You Got a Friend 

Dawn – What Are You Doing Sunday? 

Hurricane Smith – Oh, Babe, What Would You Say 

Tavares – Heaven Must be Missing an Angel 

Yvonne Elliman – If I Can’t Have You 

John Lennon – Stand by Me 

The Sweet – Wig Wam Bam 

David Bowie – Wild is the Wind