11.1 THE 70s PART 1

In this section, we will see what musical trends began that decade.

First, click here to download Worksheet 11:

HIS:ROCK WORKSHEET 11.pdf Download HIS:ROCK WORKSHEET 11.pdf

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Overview:

The Beatles break up in 1970, and all 4 members continue on with successful solo careers. Within a year's time, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison of the Doors all die of drug overdoses. They were each 27 years old, and were dubbed the "27 club." 

If the 50s was the "big bang" of R&R, and the 60s was the "renaissance," then the 70s was a time of expansion. New styles and hybrids emerged. In the early part of that decade, these trends emerged: (1) the singer-songwriter, (2) soft rock, (3) continuation of British rock, and (4) reggae music.

The Singer-Songwriter

When you think about it, Buddy Holly was the model singer-songwriter of the 50s. The Beatles were the ultimate singer-songwriters of the 60s. The 70s began with an explosion of the performer who sang his/her own songs. We will now look at several successful singer-songwriters.

John Denver

John Denver grew up in a military family, and thus traveled a lot. In the late 60s, he began performing in various folk groups. In the early 70s, he began a very successful solo career, selling millions of singles and albums, with many awards. He recorded and performed primarily with an acoustic guitar and sang about his joy in nature, his disdain for city life, his enthusiasm for music, and his relationship trials.

For our journal, here is perhaps his signature song, "Take Me Home, Country Roads," sometimes referred to as "Country Roads." The song was so popular, it became the state song of West Virginia.

JOURNAL:

101. TAKE ME HOME, COUNTRY ROADS - JOHN DENVER (LYRICS ON SCREEN) Links to an external site.

Take a listen: John Denver had many hits, and this song has a philosophical theme to it, that many listeners found endearing. This has become one of my favorite songs:

SWEET SURRENDER - JOHN DENVER Links to an external site.

Carole King

Do you remember Carole King from our lesson on the Brill Building? She was basically behind the scenes as a songwriter for others, but emerged in the 70s as a star, doing her own songs. Her album Tapestry became one of the best selling albums of all time, selling 25 million copies!

From that album, and for your music journal (lyrics on screen).

JOURNAL:

102. IT'S TOO LATE - CAROLE KING Links to an external site.

Simon And Garfunkel

Do you remember Simon And Garfunkel from the folk-rock days ("Sounds Of Silence")? Our next entry, the gospel sounding "Bridge over Troubled Water" was composed by Paul Simon very quickly, so much so that he asked himself: "Where did that come from? It doesn't seem like me." Some of the greatest songs did come quickly to some artists. Paul McCartney and Brian Wilson both actually woke up with songs seemingly already written. This classic went to #1, and stayed on the charts 300 weeks (most of the 70s)!

JOURNAL (lyrics on screen):

103. BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER - SIMON AND GARFUNKEL Links to an external site.

Here is Paul Simon, talking about how that song came to be:

HOW BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER CAME TO BE WRITTEN Links to an external site.

Gordon Lightfoot

Many artists during this time came from Canada: Neil Young, Anne Murray, The Guess Who, Joni Mitchell, and Gordon Lightfoot. Gordon Lightfoot is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music. He is credited with helping to define the folk-pop sound of the 1960s and 1970s. Bob Dylan said "Lightfoot has been a mentor for a long time. I think he probably still is to this day. I can’t think of any Gordon Lightfoot song I don’t like. Every time I hear a song of his, I wish it would last forever.” "Cotton Jenny" is about a poor loving couple in the South. Lyrics:

JOURNAL:

104. COTTON JENNY - GORDON LIGHTFOOT Links to an external site.

Soft-rock

The singer-songwriter phase, which was often characterized by a sense of quiet intimacy, was matched in that atmosphere by soft-rock artists. Perhaps the premier group in that field was The Carpenters, a brother and sister act. Richard Carpenter was a gifted arranger and keyboardist, while Karen possessed one of the warmest voices in all of pop music. She was also a fine drummer. Their 14 year career produced 10 albums, and many hit single hits. Let's listen to one of their hits. "We've Only Just Begun" was an early hit, and became a common song played at many weddings.

JOURNAL:

105. WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN - THE CARPENTERS Links to an external site.

Nilsson (Harry Nilsson) was a songwriter who had his songs recorded by the Monkees and Three Dog Night. He also had a Beatles connection: John Lennon helped launch his career when he referred to Harry as his "favorite American group." A tenor with a ​3 ¹⁄₂ octave range, Nilsson recorded his own background vocals as well, and was one of the few major pop-rock recording artists of his era and others to achieve significant commercial success without ever performing major public concerts or undertaking regular tours. "Without You" won the Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal in 1973. It became a huge hit, climbing to #1 US in February 1972 and staying there for four weeks.

As for Nilsson, he didn't handle success well. Alcoholism ran in his family, and the fame and fortune from "Without You" triggered him to drink. He went into a downward spiral, and his career and health never recovered. Nilsson died of heart failure in 1994 at age 52.

Watch this short trailer about Nilsson:

WHO IS HARRY NILSSON? Links to an external site.

JOURNAL:

106. WITHOUT YOU - NILSSON Links to an external site.

Nilsson had some funny, quirky songs. Listen to this one. Good for a smile! "Now let me get this straight..."

COCONUT - NILSSON Links to an external site.

Reggae Music

Reggae music originated in the country of Jamaica, a Caribbean island south of Cuba:

Before reggae, in the '50s, there was calypso music, the "folk music" of the Caribbean. That gave way to ska, an upbeat music with emphasis on the upbeats. Reggae music evolved in the late '60s, and soon was exported throughout the world. Characteristics of this music include an emphasis on the bass guitar, played with low overtones, and both the drummer and bassist de-emphasizing the "one," or first beat of the measure. Focusing on the middle of the measure created a rhythm that was described as "one drop."

The first reggae hit in the United States was "Israelites," by Desmond Dekker & the Aces.

JOURNAL:

107. ISRAELITES - DESMOND DEKKER & THE ACES. Links to an external site.

The biggest reggae artist ever, was unquestionably, Bob Marley.

Watch this short biography:

BOB MARLEY BIOGRAPHY Links to an external site.

One of his many hits was "One Love." In this video, you will see another well known artist!

JOURNAL:

108. ONE LOVE - BOB MARLEY Links to an external site.

In this section, we looked at singer-songwriters, soft rock, and reggae music.

In the next section, we will look at other trends in 1970s music.