Musical echos of 1972
What sticks, what lasts, what was overlooked and monuments
1972 was the last year that I was in close touch with popular music. I was in my final year of grad school, married with child and working three jobs. So, although I no longer heard music at parties, I had a few hours a week to listen to AM radio while commuting and on the weekends, I was a DJ. WKVT, 1490 on the AM dial, CBS news for Brattleboro and the Connecticut Valley hired me as weekend night shift announcer on its middle-of-the-road station. My mission was to gradually slow the tempo so that my audience would fall asleep still tuned for the morning shows.
As a result, more music from that year seems to have stuck in my ears than might be fully justifiable on the basis of the the quality. Other music still comes up in the Apple favorites playlist. And there is music from that year that I didn't discover until later, plus music that later turned out to be quite influential.
The forgettable music that stuck
A Horse with No Name, America
Brandy, Looking Glass
I Can See Clearly Now, Johnny Nash
If You Don't Know Me by Now, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
It Never Rains in Southern California, Albert Hammond
School's Out, Alice Cooper
Summer Breeze, Seals & Croft
Enduring music of quality
Aime, Pure Prairie League
All the Young Dudes, Mott the Hopple
Angry Eyes, Logins & Messina
Ball and Chain, Janet Joplin
Bird on the Wire, Rita Coolidge
Boogie Woogie Buglar Boy, Bette Midler
Do it Again, Steely Dan
Do You Want to Dance, Bette Midler
Don't Let Me be Lonely Tonight, James Taylor
Down on Me, Janice Joplin
Garden Party, Rick Nelson
Good Hearted Woman, Merle Haggard
Heart of Gold, Neil Young
Honky Cat, Elton John
Jesus is Just Alright, Doobie Brothers
Killing Me Softly, Roberta Flack
Lean on Me, Bill Withers
Listen to the Music, Doobie Brothers
Love Has no Pride, Bonnie Raitt
Mountain Jam, Allman Brothers
Old Man, Neil Young
Only You Know and I Know, Bonny and Delaney
Operator, Jim Croce
Papa Was a Rolling Stone, Temptations
Piece of My Heart, Janet Joplin
Reelin' in the Years, Steely Dan
Return to Forever, Chick Corea
Rocket Man, Elton John
Suavecito, Malo
Summertime, Janet Joplin
Sweet Hitchhiker, Credence Clearwater Revival
Taxi, Harry Chapin
The City of New Orleans, Arlo Guthrie
Tightrope, Leon Russell
Time in a Bottle, Jim Croce
Tumbling Dice, The Stones
Will it Go Round in Circles, Billy Preston
You Don't Mess Around with Jim, Jim Croce
You Turn Me on, I'm a Radio, Joni Mitchell
You're So Vain, Carly Simon
Your Mama Don't Dance, Logins & Messina
Later discovered music
Doctor, My Eyes, Jackson Brown
I'll Play the Blues for You, Albert King
Jackie Wilson Said, Van Morrison
Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, Paul Simon
Mother and Child Reunion, Paul Simon
Pancho & Lefty, Townes Van Zandt
Rock Me on the Water, Jackson Brown
Rock Me on the Water, Linda Rondstadt
So Begins the Task, Stephen Stills
Landmark music
Will the Circle be Unbroken, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Ziggy Stardust, David Bowie