Blog Archives
FlinterFile: Billy Preston- Will It Go Round In Circles
In 1973, Billy Preston released on of his two number 1 hits he had in the US. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Pink Floyd- Money
Pink Floyd released their famous album Dark Side Of The Moon in 1973. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Alice Cooper- Halo Of Flies
In 1971, Alice Cooper and band released the album Killer. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: The Carpenters- Yesterday Once More
Due to a rock ‘n roll revival concert in 1971 and some other events, many older hits were popular again in 1973. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: The Sweet- Teenage Rampage
The Sweet wanted to move on from glamrock to hardrock in 1973. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Les Humphries Singers- Mama Loo
The disco sound of the Les Humphries Singers was quite popular in the early seventies. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Dennis Yost & The Classics IV- Rosanna
This band started off as a cover band, but had quite some success with their own songs, too. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Al Wilson- Show And Tell
Sometimes a song needs a cover to be a hit. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: The Beach Boys- California Saga
In 1973, the Beach Boys were in the Netherlands to record their album Holland. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Barry White- Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up
Barry White released his second album, Stone Gon’, in 1973. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: The Four Tops- So Deep Within You
The Moody Blues released their single Never Comes the Day in 1969. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Michael Jackson- Farewell My Summer Love
At Motown, they sometimes lose recordings. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Gary Glitter- I’m The Leader Of The Gang
Gary Glitter is one of those typical examples of glam rock. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Dan The Banjo Man- Dan The Banjo Man
From some songs, you can ask yourself how they ever became hits. This is such a song. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Quincy Jones- Chump Change
Quincy Jones has gained the most success as producer for Michael Jackson, but by that time he already had many records on his name. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: The Temptations- Plastic Man
The Temptations released a new album in 1973, with the name Masterpiece. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Isley Brothers- That Lady
In 1973, the Isley Brothers reworked an old song to a disco song. The song Who’s That Lady, from 1966, was a cha-cha/bossa nova song. Ernie Isley saw the song as finished, but his brother Roland did not think so: The tempo, melody and lyrics changed and Ernie his guitar work became more prominent. He learned to play the guitar by paying close attention to Jimi Hendrix. The song became a number 14 hit in the UK and number 6 in the US. Enjoy
The Isley Brothers- That Lady
Song of the day: Lynsey De Paul- Won’t Somebody Dance With Me
In 1973, Lynsey De Paul used her own experiences to write a song. When seeing her on the cover, you wouldn’t say she once was a lonely wallflower, waiting for somebody to ask her to dance with him, but once she was quite fat. However, after having an accident, she lost quite some weight and became the woman we all know. Her question (note there is no question mark!) became a hit in the UK, reaching number 14. Enjoy
Lynsey De Paul- Won’t Somebody Dance With Me
Song of the day: M.F.S.B.- T.S.O.P.
In 1973, Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, who owned a record label in Philadelphia, wrote a new theme song of the tv-show Soul Train, where quite some of their artists performed their songs. It was an instrumental hit, with vocals from the Three Degrees, who were just added to the label. When it was recorded, Gamble & Huff felt they had a hit. The owner of the tv-show, however, wanted it to be renamed, as Soul Train was his trademark. It was a big mistake: the song became a number 1 hit in the US. Enjoy
Song of the day: Roger Daltrey- Giving It All Away
In 1973, Roger Daltrey released his first solo single. Leo Sayer (who had not yet scored a hit) and David Courtney wrote the song. Leo Sayer later recorded the song for his own album. The first line of the song soon became a bit weird, as the Who had not paid money for the damage they caused in a hotel room. The song became Daltrey’s biggest solo hit in the UK, number 5. Enjoy
Roger Daltrey- Giving It All Away
Song of the day: The Hollies- The Day That Curly Billy Shot Down Crazy Sam McGee
In 1973, the Hollies recorded The Day That Curly Billy Shot Down Crazy Sam McGee for their album Hollies. The producer of the song was Alan Parsons, who is known from the Alan Parsons Project. In the song, a real Wild West scene is created, with a duel between Curly Billy and Crazy Sam McGee. In the UK it was number 24, in the Netherlands it even was number 1! Enjoy
The Hollies- The Day That Curly Billy Shot Down Crazy Sam McGee
Song of the day: Charlie Rich- The Most Beautiful Girl
In 1973, the song The Most Beautiful Girl was a number 1 hit in the US. The song was written by Bill Sherrill, Rory Michael Bourke and Norris Wilson. The last one sang Hey Mister in 1968, of which this song is a cover! Another part of the song is inspired by Mama McCluskie, which is another song by Wilson. Enjoy
Charlie Rich- The Most Beautiful Girl
Song of the day: Dawn featuring Tony Orlando- Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree
A seventies hit today, and a big one! Both in the UK and the US it was number one for four weeks, and for ten weeks in New Zealand! The content is real love: a prisoner which wants to know if his love will still love him after his sentence, asks his love to tie a yellow ribbon around the oak tree in front of their house, comes home and sees a hundred of those ribbons… It certainly made a yellow ribbon have a meaning in the seventies. Enjoy
Dawn featuring Tony Orlando- Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree
Song of the day: Steely Dan- Reeling In The Years
Steely Dan was a big band in the seventies, and they had a big hit in 1973. The song would peak on number 11 in the US, so quite a hit too. It was written by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, two of the members of Steely Dan. The song features a great guitar solo, one which was the favourite of Jimmy Page (Led Zep). Apart from the solo, the whole song is just great! Enjoy
Steely Dan- Reeling In The Years
Song of the day: The Carpenters- Top Of The World
In 1972, the Carpenters released their second number one hit. It was on their album A Song For You, but it did not immediately reach the charts: the song entered the next year! In the last part of 1973 it would top the US chart, and it would make number 5 in the UK. Karen Carpenter would later re-record the song, since she was not happy with the result it made. I am a big fan of the Carpenters, so enjoy
The Carpenters- Top Of The World
Song of the day: Chi Coltrane- Go Like Elijah
This artist had her first hit in 1972, with the song “Thunder and Lightening”. It would do number 17 in the US and made her first album very popular. However, in the Netherlands we know this song more, because it has been number one for several weeks! However, it would only be number 94 in the US, though it got lots of airplay in the world. And as I just read on her website, she will come with new material… Enjoy
Chi Coltrane- Go Like Elijah
Song of the day: The Three Degrees- Dirty Ol’ Man
A seventies song today, which could be seen as a pre-disco song. It came from Philadelphia, which had its own sound, just like Motown had its own sound. These things helped to create the disco, and this song is a good example of what helped it to develop. I’m not gonna talk about the content of the song, as it is too obvious to discuss. What was suprising to me, was that it never really hit any of the charts. Even in the US R&B chart it stuck to place 58. In the Netherlands, however, this was a real number one hit! (that might have to do with the performance they did on Toppop, which was the Dutch Top of the Pops. I tried to find the movie, but YouTube deleted the account of Toppop, because of a rightsissue…). I hope you enjoy
The Three Degrees- Dirty Ol’ Man
Song of the day: Steve Miller Band- The Joker
It’s a bit of a strange song, this one. In the seventies, it was a small hit, reaching number 18 as highest position in the Dutch charts. Then, later, in 1990, it was used in a commercial. And then it reached number one!!! However, it’s a very good song, so enjoy
The Steve Miller Band- The Joker
Song of the day: Carly Simon- You’re So Vain
Today we will continue our journey through time in 1973! We have a very ironic song on this day of love, which absolutely is NOT about love! (Sort of anti-movement here). And believe me, I would have loved to tell you about who this song is. But I don’t know. No-one knows. Everyone speculates, but Carly keeps her mouth shut. We can guess, but we can’t be sure. So therefore, enjoy
Carly Simon- You’re So Vain
P.S. The song was released in 1972, but it became a big hit in 1973. And enjoy your Valentine’s Day!
Song of the day: Slade- Merry Christmas Everybody
The day before Christmas, and that means: let’s put in the song that brought the most money this year to this band. And let’s face it: it’s a very good Christmas song. Something different than all those sweet songs. A bit of rock. Enjoy:
Slade- Merry Christmas Everybody
Song of the day: Albert Hammond- The Free Electric Band
In 1973 Albert Hammond released one of his biggest hits. Read the rest of this entry
The FlinterFiles 