11.2 THE 70s PART 2

In this section, we will explore some more musical trends were in the 1970s. We will look at 3 more: jazz-rock, funk music, and British rock.

First, click here to download Worksheet 11, Part 2:

HIS:ROCK WORKSHEET 11 PART 2.pdf Download HIS:ROCK WORKSHEET 11 PART 2.pdf

Or copy and print here:

In the first section, we looked at 3 musical styles which began this decade: The singer-songwriter, soft rock, and reggae. 

Jazz-Rock

From the late 60s, more groups were incorporating horn sections in their groups. People in the jazz field became less critical, and more accepting, of rock music. Thus, a blending of the two was bound to happen. Although there were many groups that matched this description, two groups stood out: Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears.

Chicago. The group Chicago was first known as The Chicago Transit Authority. It has endured throughout the decades with many hits. The early version of the band had a rougher, "rock" percentage in the blend, while in later years, the band scored with many power ballads. Here is an example of the early Chicago. I always enjoyed this era of the band, especially because of the explosive singer and guitarist, Terry Kath. Watch this live video of the band, doing "Make Me Smile." Kath is the center of attention throughout, a live wire for sure.

MAKE ME SMILE - CHICAGO Links to an external site.

For our journal, here is the studio version.

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109. MAKE ME SMILE - CHICAGO Links to an external site.

Here is one of their later power ballads, written by bassist/singer Peter Cetera.

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110. YOU'RE THE INSPIRATION - CHICAGO Links to an external site.

Blood, Sweat & Tears. If Chicago had a little more "rock" in their recipe, Blood, Sweat & Tears perhaps had a little more "jazz" in theirs. Here is an early hit:

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111. SPINNING WHEEL - BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS Links to an external site.

FUNK MUSIC

With the emerging of jazz-rock groups, other horn section bands appeared, with more of a funk percentage in their makeup. We will look at three of them. The Ohio Players, Earth Wind & Fire, and Tower Of Power. All of these bands featured a recurring riff, a dominant bass line, and heavy syncopation, all derived from the music and influence of James Brown.

The Ohio Players were from Ohio (obviously!). They were a fun band, and I enjoyed playing their music in clubs at the time. I especially remember playing this one:

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112. FIRE - THE OHIO PLAYERS Links to an external site.

It's difficult to categorize Earth, Wind & Fire. Their songs were funky, soulful, and also sometimes thoughtful. One of my high school friends, Ronnie Laws, was in that band before he left to make a name for himself. "Shining Star" was a #1 song in 1975. The lyrics are printed here. Does this song remind you of another band we heard earlier? How about Sly & The Family Stone?

"Shining Star" lyrics:

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113. SHINING STAR - EARTH, WIND & FIRE Links to an external site.

Tower Of Power came from Oakland, CA, and was one of the most solid sounding of the funk groups. They are still currently active. On "What Is Hip," the combination of the the driving bass line, the syncopated drumming, and the super tight horn section, is still a model for musicians today.

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114. WHAT IS HIP - TOWER OF POWER Links to an external site.

British Rock

Since the British Invasion, Great Britain has never stopped giving us great rock music. Following is a sampling of major groups from there.

Led Zeppelin enjoys the reputation of being one of the most popular groups of all time. Four members: guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. Each member brought tremendous strengths to the group.

Led Zeppelin

The band was formed in 1968 after the Yardbirds split up. British guitarist, Jimmy Page played the lead guitar for the Yardbirds after Eric Clapton left the band (note the 3 great guitarists!) One story has it that the name of the band came from a comment made by Keith Moon of The Who, who once said the band would go down like a lead balloon (in others words, be a disaster). Led Zeppelin influenced all the heavy rock and heavy metal groups that followed.

One of the most requested (and played on FM radio) songs of all time, "Stairway To Heaven" remains a classic. Lyrics on screen.

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115. STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN - LED ZEPPELIN Links to an external site.

Ramble On. The band recorded this in New York while they were on tour. You know that tapping sound in the beginning that continues through the song? In addition to playing drums, it has been reported that John Bonham played steady pattern on a plastic garbage pail or a guitar case.

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116. RAMBLE ON - LED ZEPPELIN Links to an external site.

Queen. 

Queen was formed in London in 1970. Their best known work, the album A Night At The Opera, came out 5 years later, and has one of their most identifiable songs. "Bohemian Rhapsody," is a complex recording consisting of several sections: an intro, a ballad segment, an operatic passage, a hard rock part, and a reflective coda. The lead singer, Freddie Mercury, had a tremendous and powerful voice.

What is a coda? The final passage of a piece of music.

Guitarist Brian May said "He knew exactly what he was doing. It was Freddie's baby. We just helped him bring it to life. We realized we'd look odd trying to mime such a hugely complex thing on TV. It had to be presented in some other way."

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117. BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY - QUEEN Links to an external site.

Elton John

Elton John, one of the most successful purveyors of hit songs and records in the history of the music industry, has numerous distinctions. Without question he fits the classification of "singer/songwriter" like few others. He is the composer of virtually all his hit recorded songs. Collaborating with lyricist Bernie Taupin since 1967 on more than 30 albums, John has sold over 300 million records, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. When John Lennon met Elton John, he remarked that he believed the singer was going to be "the next big thing" (after the Beatles). Most people became aware of Elton John through his first big hit, "Your Song."

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118. YOUR SONG - ELTON JOHN Links to an external site.

Elton John had too many hits through the decades to mention them all. Here is one more, from his earlier days. In both songs that we are hearing, the arrangement is interesting in that several instruments are "held back" until later in the song. When they do come in, it is very effective. I recently heard this song on a TV commercial. Lyrics on screen.

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119. ROCKET MAN - ELTON JOHN Links to an external site.

In this section, we explored some more musical trends of the 1970s: jazz-rock, funk music, and British rock.