I have become obsessed with 1975

1. Fame (David Bowie)
2. Born to Run (Bruce Springsteen)
3. Miracles (Jefferson Starship)
4. Ballroom Blitz (Sweet)
5. One of These Nights (Eagles)
6. Sweet Emotion (Aerosmith)
7. Young Americans (David Bowie)
8. I'm Not In Love (10cc)
9. Tush (ZZ Top)
10. Rock'n'Roll All Night (KISS)

Jean Plum - 'Look At The Boy'
Bob Dylan - 'You're A Big Girl Now'
Al Green - 'L-O-V-E Love'
ABBA - 'S.O.S.'
Diana Ross - 'Do You Know Where You're Going To? (Theme From Mahogany)'
Neil Young - 'Mellow My Mind'

Hrmm, Area's Crac! was from '75 too, wasn't it? Uhh, something from that! (I only have it on CDR; oh deary me)
I'm sure there's plenty more, but I'd better stop before I turn into a panda.

Golden Years - David Bowie (in 4 minutes he invents grind and renders most hip-hop exponents of that concept irrelevant. also blows the back-to-the-land movement out of the earth - it could have felt like a pre-industrial Christmas, but then this overtook "All Around My Hat" on the singles chart, a moment which I'd nominate as a forgotten tributary leading to punk, cf Marcello's comment about the reaction to Jim Reeves' 40 Golden Greats topping the album chart that autumn. the whole thing for me is inexorably bound up with Henry Williamson finally leaving North Devon, back to the south-east he once fled, waiting to die, waiting for his son Harry to be rendered a musical dinosaur. but ultimately "Golden Years" is the real "Anarchy In The UK", a song which unlike the Pistols' debut makes perfect sense in an age where nobody knows quite where they stand, or what to do about anything.)

Fox On The Run and Action - The Sweet (don't sleep on their post-ChinniChap work ... seems odd to us Brits that "Ballroom Blitz" could be considered a 1975 record!)

Girls - The Moments and the Whatnauts

Dolly My Love - The Moments

Philadelphia Freedom - Elton John Band arranged by Thom Bell (with "Are You Ready For Love?" about to become a hit 24 years late perhaps everyone will realise that Elton's previous Thom Bell collaboration is his one great, transcendent, triumphant single; the final key change is a distillation of euphoria, of the certain knowledge that you will soon represent the heart of an entirely new social class, as much as the Industrial Revolution merchants ever did. after this, he never really felt the need again, and just produced decades of crud; "Philadelphia Freedom" is as great as it is because in 1975 he still had a point to make.)

Hurt So Good - Susan Cadogan

Loving You - Minnie Riperton

Mamma Mia - Abba (squeezing in right at the end of the year)

Feel Like Makin' Love - Bad Company (I feel about this just as Gareth feels about "The Boys Are Back In Town"; I basically hate it, but I can't dismiss it at all, it compels on a strange archaeological level.)

take-your-pick to thread!

Sez 1975 to me most:
Do Ya? - Utopia

fleetwood mac "landslide"
earth wind & fire "shining star"
dolly parton "bargain store"
neil young "cortez the killer"
hall & oates "sara smile"

I heard this on a jukebox in a cowboy bar over the weekend. What exactly was it that them dang ol' truckers did that got them smokeys and bears after them anyway? Was it the Convoy itelf that was illegal? Were they driving too fast? C.W. ain't too specific on this point.

Let them truckers roll, 10-4.

rode my cheap sears bike
down to seven-11
bought them: one buck each

Neil Young - Tonight's the Night (my favourite album of his, though i'll need to give "On the Beach" a listen)

Earth, Wind and Fire - That's the Way of the World (both the single and the album; Marcello's writing drew my attention to this. I'd really be interested to see him do a full piece on EW&F)

Minnie Riperton - Lovin' You. I actually first took this in through its disconcerting use in Chris Morris' "Jam". It is added to by this strange association, to my mind. Very surprisingly, and like an oasis in something of a desert, after a night out and languishing in a pizza takeaway shop a few weeks ago, this record came on when others with me were waiting for their orders. It struck me personally as even more moving than ever before; but well, my girlfriend is overseas at the moment for a while, and I've been missing her. I would guess that songs like this (and another re-appropriated by Chris Morris, "Oh Lori" by Alessi) have been thought of as representative of the greater 'innocence' and heart of the 1970s, as opposed to how the 1980s turned out. It certainly is one of the very finest, most tearjerkingly romantic songs for me. Such gravity in its ascension to the sublime.

Brian Eno - Another Green World (a lovely record in every way)
Brian Eno - Discreet Music (some really good ambient Pachelbel, not quite as essential as AGW mind)

Roy Harper - HQ (one of the strongest of the great man's records... i'm glad to be seeing him live this September). Particularly "Forget Me Not", "Hallucinating Light" and the mournful passing of "When an Old Cricketer Leaves the Crease"... I take it you've heard this, Robin?

Van Dyke Parks - Clang of the Yankee Reaper (just as strong if not stronger than his previous records. This is perhaps the most tightly structured, and ebullient... even more so than "Discover America")

Paul McCartney/Wings - Listen to What the Man Said (a single I love... a fair % of "Venus & Mars" is very good as well)

Willie Nelson - Red Headed Stranger (a fine practioner of a style of music I have rarely got into)

Slapp Happy - Desperate Straights (at times a variable record, but much deliriously fine lunacy... "Hats" is wonderfully barking, while the title track cuts through to the bone with its sober ascension. It's a track I have in mind for the soundtrack to a film script of mine)

Neu! - Neu 75 (very influential album of two halves... the drifting ambience of the first I prefer, but the second is good in its powerful way)

& maybe MOST OF ALL:

Smokey Robinson - Quiet Storm (album and its title-track single; quite, quite majestic and profound in its delicate, ever cyclical embrace. Don't forget the rest of the album as well, it's for the most part absolutely top-notch utopian 70s soul)

Thanks for all that Tom.

Although it's become a cliche - 1975 really WAS the worst chart year - although amidst the floating stools of CW McCall, Telly Savalas, Roger Whittaker, 'Sailing', The Goodies, Jonathan King, Carl Malcolm et al here are some gems....

Linda Lewis - It's In His Kiss
Bee Gees - Jive Talkin'
SAHB - Delilah
10CC - I'm not in Love
Hamilton Bohannon - Disco Stomp
Sparks - Get In The Swing
Pete Wingfield - 18 with a Bullet
Chi-lites - Have You Seen Her?
Rubettes - Jukebox Jive
Rupie Edwards - Irie Feelings
Tymes - Miss Grace
Sweet Sensation - Sad Sweet Dreamer
Fox - Only You Can
Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel - Come Up And See Me (Make Me Smile)
Shirley and Co - Shame, Shame, Shame
Rubettes - I Can Do It
David Bowie - Young Americans
Bay City Rollers - Bye Bye Baby
Average White Band - Pick Up The Pieces
Labelle - Lady Marmalade
Susan Cadogan - Hurt So Good
Jackie Wilson - I Get The Sweetest Feeling
Tami Lynn - I'm Gonna Run Away From You
T-Rex - New York City
5000 Volts - I'm On Fire
Abba - SOS
Sparks - Looks Looks Looks
Roxy Music - Love is The Drug
Elton John - Island Girl
Hello - New York Groove
Slade - In For A Penny
Stretch - Why Did You Do It?
Fatback - Do The Bus Stop
Greg Lake - I Believe in Father Christmas
Sailor - Glass Of Champagne
Art Garfunkel - I Only Have Eyes For You

Towering above all these is, yes, "S.O.S."

But they didn't have a fucking hit single did they.

Actually I did f@ck up - one of my picks was from 1974. Who can name it? Here's a clue :

Opportunity Knocks > Number One Single > Factory Records

Neither did Neu!

(N - I don't get this!)

I've convinced myself the answer's Susan Cadogan (she was Dennis Bovell's cousin you know!) but I've absolutely no idea why!

They won opportunity knocks, then Sad Sweet Dreamer was a #1 in 1974, and mainman/lead singer Marcel King released the stupendous 'Reach For Love' on Factory in the mid 80's.

You're just mad at me cause I said Chelsea had no heart.

no '75 comp. wd be complete without something from The Hissing Of Summer Lawns

I have to concede that the general standard of the charts was quite bad in 1975 and it was obviously a good time to be into albums and other stuff.

More soul recommendations, please! And reggae.

N. - whereabouts could these be perused ?

Some suggestions for a good 1975 compilation, on 2 CDs, trying not to repeat songs already suggested:

CD1
20th Century Steel Band – Heaven and Hell is on Earth
Tina Turner – Whole Lotta Love
Curtis Mayfield – When Seasons Change
Patti Jo – Make Me Believe In You
Pleasure – Bouncy Lady
Camille Yarborough – Take Yo’ Praise
Van McCoy & the Soul City Symphony – The Hustle
Bob James – Take Me To The Mardi Gras
Funkadelic – No Head No Backstage Pass
The Fatback Band – Put Your Love In My Tender Care
Banbarra – Shack Up (parts 1 & 2)
Johnny Hammond – Shifting Gears
KC and the Sunshine Band – That’s The Way (I Like It)
Funk Factory – Rien ne va plus
The Isley Brothers – Fight The Power
The Stylistics – Can’t Give You Anything (But My Love)

CD2
Electric Light Orchestra – Fire On High
Rush – By-Tor and The Snow Dog
Fleetwood Mac – Rhiannon
Judy Collins – Send In The Clowns
Ellen McIllwaine – Higher Ground
Joni Mitchell – Don’t Interrupt The Sorrow
Janis Ian – At Seventeen
Bob Dylan – Tangled Up In Blue
Pilot – January
Allen Toussaint – Southern Nights
The Eagles – Journey Of The Sorceror
Vangelis (w/ Jon Anderson) – So Long Ago So Clear
10cc – Art For Art’s Sake (single edit)
Gene Clark – Some Misunderstanding
Rick Wakeman – Merlin The Magician
Elton John – Someone Saved My Life Tonight

Will work on reggae N, I'm not cross with you today!

AAaaarrgghghrh...

Jeff - ooh i'd forgotten about JA appearing on the 'Heaven & Hell' album...
'Merlin The Magician' - yeehaaaa WakeZORz roolz ya bass....those 'pot black theme tune' bits are grebtee

Obviously out of a respect for all the art and beauty created in 1975 we should stop posting at that precise point.

Hehehehehe.

Actually I was only 36 in 1999 Mark - I'm intellectually very advanced for my mental age.

Mumy says I'm a special child because I have special needs.

I managed to order a twofer CD off the internet (Everybody Knows/The Real Ellen McIllwaine I think) and was disappointed to find that it was rub a dub rub. It really sounded nothing like the track I'd heard in the club at all. Did she have periods of radical experimentation?

re: '74 blunder, substitute Lennon's "#9 Dream" for the Gene Clark

Don Covay: It's Better to Have and Don't Need (Than Need and Don't Have) (or was that 1974?)

anything from the Ananda Shankar and Friends LP, but especially "Dancing Drums"
Maceo & The Macks - "Cross The Tracks (You Better Come Back)"
The Walker Brothers - "No Regrets"

1. Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
2. Shine On You Crazy Diamond – Pink Floyd
3. Someone Saved My Life Tonight – Elton John
4. Une Nuit a Paris – 10cc
5. De Skulle Begrave En Konge Stor – Jan Eggum
6. Wounded Bird – Flying Norwegians
7. Curtains – Elton John
8. I’m Not In Love – 10cc
9. Still Crazy After All These Years – Paul Simon
10. One Summer Dream – Electric Light Orchestra
11. We All Fall In Love Sometimes – Elton John
12. A Soapbox Opera – Supertramp
13. Flying Junk – 10cc
14. Prophet’s Song – Queen
15. Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy – Elton John
16. Brand New Day – 10cc
17. Welcome To The Machine – Pink Floyd
18. Venus And Mars/Rock Show – Wings
19. Art For Art’s Sake – 10cc
20. Lady – Supertramp
21. January – Pilot
22. Blackmail – 10cc
23. Love In Song – Wings
24. Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth – Sparks
25. Life Is a Minestrone – 10cc
26. Kjære Halvbror – Jan Eggum
27. Thunder Road – Elton John
28. The Second Sitting For The Last Supper – 10cc
29. Fox On The Run – Sweet
30. Everyone’s Gone To The Movies – Steely Dan
31. Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover – Paul Simon
32. Blue Guitar – Justin Hayward & John Lodge
33. Death On Two Legs – Queen
34. Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
35. I’m On Fire – Dwight Twiley Band
36. Jungleland – Bruce Springsteen
37. Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me) – Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel
38. Tower Of Babel – Elton John
39. Writing – Elton John
40. True Life Hero – Klaatu
41. You – George Harrison
42. Born To Run – Bruce Springsteen
43. You’re My Best Friend – Queen
44. Titles – Barclay James Harvest
45. S.O.S. – ABBA
46. Have a Cigar – Pink Floyd
47. Good News – 10cc
48. How Does It Feel – Slade
49. Listen To What The Man Said – Wings
50. Evil Woman – Electric Light Orchestra

"Good Lovin' Gone Bad"/"Whiskey Bottle," Bad Company
"I'm On Fire," Dwight Twilley Band
"Let Me Lay My Funk On You," Poison (funk band, not the pop-metal guys, obviously)
"Games People Play," Spinners
"No More No More," Aerosmith
"Bohannon's Beat (Part 1)," Bohannon
"Free Man," South Shore Commission
"Any World That I'm Welcome To," Steely Dan
"Philadelphia Freedom," The Elton John Band
"Slippery When Wet," Commodores
"Disco Queen," Hot Chocolate
"I Don't Know Why," The Rolling Stones
"Johannesburg," Gil Scott-Heron/Brian Jackson/The Midnight Band

There are currently no plans to run a 1975 piece on Koons Really Does Think He's Michelangelo when I've finished with 1974.

Jeff W, nice call on Gene Clark - Some Misunderstanding!

I don't know if Dr. C is still around to hear this, but any year that has "Lady Marmalade" is by definition not a bad year.

1. Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)
2. Abba - S.O.S.
3. Al Green - L.O.V.E. (Love)
4. Hamilton Bohannon - Disco Stomp
5. Shirley & Company - Shame Shame Shame
6. Helen Reddy - Angie Baby
7. Elton John Band - Philadelphia Freedom
8. Kraftwerk - Autobahn
9. LaBelle - Lady Marmalade
10. David Bowie - Young Americans
11. Bee Gees - Jive Talkin'
12. Steely Dan - Do It Again
13. Sparks - Looks Looks Looks
14. Four Seasons - Who Loves You
15. David Bowie - Golden Years
16. Stretch - Why Did You Do It
17. Fox - Only You Can
18. Blackbyrds - Walking In Rhythm
19. Stevie Wonder - Boogie On Reggae Woman
20. Sweet - Fox On The Run
21. David Bowie - Fame
22. Hot Chocolate - You Sexy Thing
23. Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
24. Bob Marley & The Wailers - No Woman No Cry
25. Jigsaw - Sky High
26. Trammps - Hold Back The Night
27. Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - The Night
28. Abba - Mamma Mia
29. Greg Lake - I Believe In Father Christmas
30. Eagles - Lyin Eyes
31. Average White Band - Pick Up The Pieces
32. Three Degrees - Take Good Care Of Yourself
33. Andy Fairweather-Low - Wide Eyed And Legless
34. Roxy Music - Love Is The Drug
35. Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony - The Hustle
36. Wings - Listen To What The Man Said
37. Sparks - Something For The Girl With Everything
38. KC & The Sunshine Band - That's The Way (I Like It)
39. Sister Sledge - Mama Never Told Me
40. Minnie Riperton - Loving You
41. Pete Wingfield - Eighteen With A Bullet
42. Fatback Band - (Are You Ready) Do The Bus Stop
43. 10CC - I'm Not In Love
44. Susan Cadogan - Hurt So Good
45. Fox - Imagine Me Imagine You
46. Sailor - A Glass Of Champagne
47. 10CC - Life Is A Minestrone
48. T Rex - New York City
49. Steeleye Span - All Around My Hat
50. Peoples Choice - Do It Anyway You Wanna
51. Captain & Tennille - Love Will Keep Us Together
52. Glen Campbell - Rhinestone Cowboy
53. Eagles - One Of These Nights
54. KC & The Sunshine Band - Get Down Tonight
55. Ray Stevens - Misty
56. David Essex - Hold Me Close
57. Impressions - First Impressions
58. Tammy Wynette - Stand By Your Man
59. Sparks - Get In The Swing
60. Stylistics - Can't Give You Anything (But My Love)
61. Mike Batt - Summertime City
62. Chris Spedding - Motor Biking
63. Maxine Nightingale - Right Back Where We Started From
64. Rimshots - 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 (Blow Your Whistle)
65. Silver Convention - Fly Robin Fly

Great year, actually, when you pin it down to certain bit higs: "Listen to what the man said", "loving you", "the hustle", "hurt so good", "walking in rhythm", "who loves you", "shame shame shame", "i'm not in love", these make for sublime, luminosity. And among the best singles Slade recorded: "In For A Penny" and "How Does It Feel", if they were of this year, AFAIK.

I'm keenly awaiting Marcello's 1974 Koons thoughts on Alan Price and "Jarrow Song"... and indeed Slade ("Everyday" and "Far Far Away"?). Great efforts so far; surely this will end up considerably longer in word-count than other such yearly surveys.

Abba-- S.O.S.
Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes-- Bad Luck
Fleetwood Mac-- Monday Morning
Steve Harley-- Make Me Smile
Roxy Music-- Love Is the Drug
Maytals-- Time Tough
Diana Ross-- Theme from Mahogany
Al Green-- L-O-V-E (Love)
Donna Summer-- Love to Love You Baby
Parliament-- Give Up the Funk
Bee Gees-- Jive Talkin'
David Bowie-- Young Americans
Bruce Springsteen-- Born to Run
Earth, Wind & Fire-- Sing a Song
Blackbyrds-- Walking in Rhythm
KC & the Sunshine Band-- Get Down Tonight
Roman Stewart-- Natty Sing Hit Songs
Dwight Twilley Band-- I'm on Fire
Dr. Feelgood-- I Can Tell
Dictators-- (I Live for) Cars and Girls
Patti Smith-- Free Money
Pere Ubu-- Heart of Darkness
Bob Dylan-- You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome when You Go

Too bad you didn't live it. "Back In the Night" was what got pushed, the only song the Feelgood's ever got noticeable FM airplay on in the US.

Dictators-- (I Live for) Cars and Girls

I think all of 500 people knew about this, sadly. And more than half had promotional copies of "Go Girl Crazy." Did "Go Girl Craxy" even sell 200 copies, initially?

Pere Ubu-- Heart of Darkness

Practically speaking, did not exist, unfortunately.

-- Tom May (joycean_cha...), April 22nd, 2005.

Ah, bless :-)

The next entry in itself may well have the highest word-count of any individual entry yet (I'm still working on it), since next up are the Goodies, and thus a golden opportunity for me to expostulate at length about both British sitcom/sketch trends of the time and the pop cheese/avant-jazz interface, since Mike Gibbs, Dave MacRae, Chris Spedding etc. were all involved in the Goodies' records and I can blether on about Westbrook's Solid Gold Cadillac and other such contemporaneous delights.

Thought briefly of twinning it with the Wombles entry (which is already written and is also v. long) but no, I'll let it stand by itself. Up by Monday with any luck.

Going Down Slowly by the Pointer Sisters
Inside My Love by Minnie Riperton
Moonlight Lady by the Gabby Pahinui Hawaiian Band

are treats.

And Spirit by Fox too.

Leroy Hutson - "Lucky Fellow"
Status Quo - "Down Down"
Dick Fraser and Larry Morrow - "Come On Cavs"

Also everything listed here .

ronnie foster - cheshire cat

oh i have just realised you want tracks rather than lps. good man! in that case

ronnie foster - mystic brew

i wonder if alba liked doctor wu. i cant tell whether n would like steely dan or not

i feel there were many great tracks from 75 but not really so much the ones on the lists above. van mccoys the hustle is a good one

was that ananda shankar lp really 75? well i know it is because i just went to google.es to check. somehow i kinda thought it was earlier in my head