How memorable was 1973 for albums whose music still resonates today?
That was the question posed in my Arts+Culture article on Sunday, January 15th. From Bob Marley to Little Feat, tell us! ”
We asked readers what their favorite albums of 1973 were, and we got a lot of responses. Among them was a response from his leader, his union his tribune, loyal online in Japan.
One of my favorites came from an irate music fan who chastised me for not including the 1973 release of Yes, Black Sabbath, and several other favorite albums of his. He begged me to apologize.
His letters appear below, along with other initial batches we received. They have been redacted for clarity and length.
Al Green and Bruce Springsteen!
Thanks for the inspiring list. It’s always interesting to see what kind of music drives the hearts and minds of passionate music lovers. Here’s a list of his five favorites from 1973. “Call me,” Al Green. “Mott”, Mott the Hoople. “Five and Dime” David Ackles. “The Wild, The Innocent, The E Street Shuffle” Bruce Springsteen.
By the way, I also found that 1973 didn’t have as many good releases as 1972.
Larry Bausch
Point Loma
Straight from Paway!
I have been reading your reviews for years and they are always helpful. It’s clear that you are a true music lover and supporter of local talent (eg my good friend and genre-crossing musical hero Gregory Page).
I’m a native San Diego and still live in Poway as an adult (Poway High School, ’77). I opened my first bank account when I was about 12 at his Fed home on the corner of Poway and Pomerado Roads. And I started buying a lot of records!
My top 5 for the year were (although there are many other nominations): ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’, Elton John (a double album and I liked the huge variety of styles). rice field). “Dark Side of the Moon” Pink Floyd. “There Goes Lymin Simon” Paul Simon. “Don’t shoot me, I’m just a piano player” Elton John. “Innervisions” Stevie Wonder.
Lauren Chin
paway
Shame on you!
Shame on you! Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Jethro Tull, Black Sabbath and Mike Oldfield all released great albums in ’73. “A Passion Play” wasn’t Tull’s best song, but it sounded great when it got high. There is no mention of profanity in any of these. Please consider sending an apology for your thoughtless omission.
Kevin Levesque
stuart, florida
“Desperado” by the Eagles!
Thanks for the great article on the 1973 album. I was 20 years old at the time and had a huge collection and a wide variety of albums. 1973 had many favorite albums, so I will introduce only one of them.
The Eagles’ “Desperado” is still one of my top 5 albums. It was very cool to be a concept his album about outlaws. As usual, the vocals were tight and the sound crisp and clean. I just sat back and thought it would be easy and comfortable to be taken away in an era of gunslingers and outlaws. It’s a true classic for me.
will be grateful to all Great work over the years covering all genres of music, I always look forward to your articles.
Brad Ackles
ocean side
Grateful Dead and the Stooges!
You have great options, some I’m not familiar with. I will definitely try backdoor. In 1973, I was in fourth grade at an Orthodox Jewish Yeshiva primary school and had not yet discovered the partridge family. So what I know after 1973 is what I learned in hindsight.
Adds the Grateful Dead Wake of the Flood album. The tune is good, but I thought it captured the evolution of bands writing more complex and layered songs, especially “Eyes of the World” and “Weather Report Suite.” Iggy Pop and The Stooges’ “Raw Power” deserves a mention, but it may not have always been a defining moment for them compared to their previous releases.
I leave it Thanks to decades of knowledgeable and discerning music reviews!
Dr. Abraham Robenstein
Rancho Mirage
“Absolutely epic year!”
It has been an absolutely epic year! I wasn’t even a teenager yet, but I was totally immersed in the radio (mostly AM) pop music scene at the time. It stands out like no other. It’s the creative peak of Elton John and Bernie Taupin. That’s their “sergeant”. pepper. “
I’m surprised you left out “Brothers and Sisters,” the Allman Brothers Band’s first album after the death of Duane Allman, and possibly the band’s best studio work. My brother and I used to deliver the San Diego Union in the morning, so I remember a lot of songs from that year.
Here are five of my favorite albums from 1973. “Dark Side of the Moon” Pink Floyd. “Innervision”, Stevie Wonder. “Countdown to Ecstasy”, Steely Dan. “Brothers and Sisters” The Allman Brothers Band
block spore
Yokohama, Japan
Alice Cooper dominates!
There was one incredible omission in your article on “1973 Magic”… the legendary Alice Cooper! The album is “Billion Dollar Babies”. Not only was it a huge platinum-selling album that year, but at this point the Alice Cooper Band were in their prime, terrorizing churches and scaring parents to death with their brand of concerts. One theatrical shock rock charmed the audience with a snake. A stage “battle” with a sword, a (simulated) bloody baby doll, and a switchblade.
This was Alice’s first tour to introduce the guillotine, and he was beheaded every night! ), breaking box office records and surpassing Led Zeppelin in concert halls like Madison Square Garden and the Philadelphia Spectrum. was the king of
Obvious omission, George! If you’ve never seen Alice in concert, he still tours and hosts spectacular theatrical concerts his events. check it out!
Maggie Tilger
Allied Gardens
Tom is waiting at the thrifty house!
I was a 22-year-old sociology student at SDSU in 1973, spending much of my Chula Vista Thrifty’s Drug store wages on rock albums. Oddly enough, one of his regular customers at the Liquor Store at the time was when Tom Waits was in town to visit his friends and relatives. At the time, he liked Miller High Life beer.
Among the albums you mentioned are The Who’s ‘Quadrophenia’, Stevie Wonder’s ‘Innervisions’, Steely Dan’s ‘Countdown to Ecstasy’, The Eagles’ ‘Desperado’, Paul Simon’s ‘There I have to say that “Goes Lymin’ Simon” was my favourite. favorite. Oh, and “The Captain and Me” by The Doobie Brothers.
I remember (and still listen to) some other songs from 1973. “Brothers and Sisters” The Allman Brothers Band. “On the Road”, Traffic. And “Time Fade Away” by Neil Young. Linda Ronstadt and Genesis also had some great releases, but I can’t remember the titles right now.
And if Joni Mitchell’s “Court and Spark” had come out a month earlier, that masterpiece would have certainly been cut. thank you I always enjoy reading insightful and interesting articles and interviews. I hope you are writing for a long time.
Mark McCool
Mission Hills
Stevie Wonder, Linda Ronstadt
Stevie Wonder, Innervisions”: The one album we agree on, and it won a Grammy!
Van Morrison, “Hard Nose The Highway”: I bought all of Van’s albums on CD and I love almost every track. This is one of my favorite him along with ‘Moondance’. And you haven’t even mentioned him!
Renaissance, “Ashes Are Burning”: I love all of their albums, but I think most fans appreciate this one the most. Annie Halsam’s voice takes a bit of getting used to, but her instrumental work is classic and the pinnacle of her rock. Yes, I approve of ignoring her ELP, but (including) Mahavishnu in her orchestra?!Sure you are kidding.
Jackson Browne, ‘For Everyman’: Maybe second only to 1974’s ‘Late for the Sky’, but each of his first five albums defined the early ’70s pop・It defines what made it the golden age of music.
Linda Ronstadt, ‘Don’t Cry Now’: The Greatest Singer of the Last 50 Years Has Never Created an Album to Match Her Talent … But From 1984 to ’86 (featuring) Nelson Riddle final arrangement. Including Bonnie Raitt, her greatest hits album Streetlights was released in 1974.
Your dislike of mainstream pop music leads to the exclusion of most female singers. Carole King (first five albums), Janis Ian (especially “Between the Lines”), Carly Simon (first two albums only), Laura Nyro (“The First Songs” only), Bette Midler (her first two albums only), and Wendy Waldman’s first three albums (released between 1973 and ’75).
Billy Joel, ‘Piano Man’: OK, Elton John sang a little better, but by 1973 Elton was in a long decline following his first three albums, and Bernie Taupin was a terrible lyricist. became home.
Dave Chamberlin
sacred place
Chick Corea, King Crimson
In 1973, I was a senior in high school. I have been playing guitar for several years and was particularly interested in rock guitar. But many of my favorite musicians were rock jazz musicians reaching out to his fans. I was less interested in the expression of a singer’s personality, and more interested in the possibilities of instrumental music.
Mahavishnu Orchestra “Birds of Fire”: For a rock fan like myself, the Mahavishnu Orchestra was like the gateway music to jazz. At the time, I was trying to play the electric guitar and almost gave up on John McLaughlin’s virtuosity. There was an unspoken dedication to Something, perhaps it was the music itself.
McLaughlin’s albums all thank a particular spiritual teacher (Sri Chinmoy), and McLaughlin appears on stage in an all-white outfit and gives a meditative pause before beginning another of his secular music. I was. The absence of singers meant that all sharing of the group’s personality was done through instruments in an abstract way.There was a certain geometric approach to novel songwriting.
Return to Forever, ‘Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy’: This was another jazz fusion album released in 1973, with Chick Corea on keyboards. He played with a loud, kinetic virtuosity that was compositionally superior to most of the rest of rock music. The band introduced new sounds to synthesizers and electric guitars, and skyrocketed solos.
King Crimson, “Lark’s Tongue of Aspic”: Robert Fripp presents a novel rock guitar form here. He leads the band with a very staccato pattern that goes up and down the guitar neck.
Frank Zappa, ‘The Grand Wazoo’: One of my all-time favorite Zappa albums, featuring Frank leading a large ensemble playing a silly long piece.
Chick Corea and Return to Forever, “Light as a Feather”: Thank you Chick for introducing saxophonist Joe Farrell and singer Flora Purim in an acoustic setting. Perfect for listening to beautiful melodies in a relaxed Latin Jazz style, and Flora’s exotic Portuguese-accented vocals.
Jim Menders
San Diego