Last year we celebrated the 50th anniversary of some classic rock tunes. In case you missed it, the following playlist appeared on the SERENDIPITY website.
1973 Edition, by Rich Paschall
It is time for another 50-year music reunion and we are going to “Stir It Up.” You won’t have to hop the “Midnight Train to Georgia.” Just get on the “Love Train” to the SERENDIPITY Rock and Roll dance hall, museum, and General Store. As always, it’s “The Long Train Runnin’.” If you are asking “Will It Go Round in Circles?” don’t worry. It will stop right at the front entrance so just “Keep On Truckin,” but avoid the “Dead Skunk” in the middle of the road.
“Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown” will be the security at the door. “Brother Louie” will be there along with “That Lady.” “My Maria” is bringing “The Cisco Kid.” “Me and Mrs. Jones” will be at the concession stand and you can count on “Little Willy” to be at the coat check. Marilyn, “Daniel” and “Gypsy Man” are the ushers. Garry will be “Reelin In The Years” as our friendly Master of Ceremonies.
There will be no “Hocus Pocus” this year as we Focus on the hits. “Do You Wanna Dance?” OK, maybe “Your Mamma Don’t Dance” but you can “Get Down” and do the “Crocodile Rock.” We understand even “Frankenstein” will make an appearance. Of course, he will be doing the “Monster Mash.” Those with “The Rockin Pneumonia and the Boogie Woodie Flu” will be required to wear a mask to today’s event.
Now it is time for my personal Top 20 from 1973. I know I am going to make “The Cover Of The Rolling Stone” with this list.
20. Do You Wanna Dance, Bette Midler. The Divine Miss M scored twice in ’73. Her other hit was “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.”
19. Killing Me Softly with His Song, Roberta Flack. The song was a cover of a 1972 version by Lori Lieberman that did not chart. Oddly enough, they are almost identical.
18. Rocky Mountain High, John Denver. No one loved a move to Colorado more than singer-songwriter John Denver. This became an official state song.
17. Daniel, Elton John. The song was written by John and Bernie Taupin. It received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance – Male.
16. Midnight Train to Georgia, Gladys Knight & the Pips. It was written as the Midnight Plane to Houston. Cissy Houston recorded it as Midnite Train to Georgia, which was released in 1973. Gladys Knight & the Pips covered it later in the year.
“Every sha-la-la-la
Every whoa-ooh-whoa
Still shines.” – The Carpenters
15. Smoke on the Water, Deep Purple. The lyrics of the international hit were based on a true event of the fire at Montreux Casino. The band saw the smoke on Lake Geneva, Switzerland.
14. Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown, Jim Croce. It was the biggest hit of Croce’s lifetime. He had other posthumous hits. He was only 30 when he died in a plane crash.
13. Your Mama Don’t Dance, Loggins and Messina. Written by Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina, this tune is said to be about the generation gap.
12. Superfly, Curtis Mayfield. The song was written by Mayfield for the soundtrack of a movie by the same name.
11. Love Train, The O’Jays. “People all over the world, Join hands, Start a love train, love train.” It was an era when we thought our music could change the world.
“Every shing-a-ling-a-ling
That they’re startin’ to sing
So fine.” – Yesterday Once More, The Carpenters, 1973.
10. We’re An American Band, Grand Funk Railroad. This was written and sung by the band’s drummer. The tune was autobiographical in nature. It was the band’s first number 1 hit.
09. Stuck In The Middle With You, Stealers Wheel. The song was written by Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan with Rafferty singing lead. A few years later Rafferty would have a solo hit with “Baker Street.”
08. Reelin’ in the Years, Steely Dan. Written by the lead singer Donald Fagen and guitarist Walter Becker. It was the second single released from the debut album.
07. Ramblin’ Man, The Allman Brothers Band. Songwriter and a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band, Dickey Betts sang the lead vocals for the country rock hit.
06. You Are the Sunshine of My Life, Stevie Wonder. Stevie wrote and produced the song. That’s him on lead vocals, background vocals, piano, and drums.
05. Feelin’ Stronger Every Day, Chicago. Written by James Pankow and Peter Cetera, it is said to be about Cetera’s marriage falling apart. He was beginning to feel stronger every day. Cetera sang lead.
04. Diamond Girl, Seals & Crofts. Singers-songwriters Jim Seals and Dash Crofts had a hit the previous year with Summer Breeze.
03. Let’s Get It On, Marvin Gaye. Singer, songwriter, and producer Marvin Gaye turned up the funk for this one. This made him somewhat of a sex symbol and some songs that followed added to that legacy. You can find some YouTube videos of this song where Marvin was playing to the crowd and working up a sweat.
02. You’re So Vain, Carly Simon. The debate rages on. Just who was singer-songwriter Carly talking about in the lyrics of this song? It seems she may have been talking about three different men.
01. Crocodile Rock, Elton John. I could not hear this one enough at the time it came out. Click the title for the radio version or sing along with Elton on the concert version below:
To hear any of the top ten, click on the song title. To hear all of them, click on our 1973 Golden Oldies playlist HERE.
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