From 1970, Doctor Tom by Freedom North (although I think the 45 just bills them as Freedom). The intro always reminds me of an elephant lumbering along. I suppose the style is not that far removed from Little Kind Words by Lighthouse either.
Amazing Blondel, Seascape: Also check out Lincolnshire Lullaby and Celestial Light, both from the 20-minute suite Fantasia Lindum, on the LP of the same name.
Ramatam, The Land / Rainy Sunday Evening: As I recall, the band were mostly hard rock sometimes with a '50s edge, so this song is atypical, but it's absolutely gorgeous.
My fave song by Turkish psych-folk-pop phenom Bulent Ortacgil: The whole album, Benimle Oynar Misin, is fantastic!
Wow! Synchronicity! Not only did I find myself looking at Fanny and saying "Who were they and what did I miss?" but I also posted a cut from Spartacus a little bit ago
Yeah, well your Spartacus post made me remember the awesome Triangle from their preceding album And Fanny were pretty great!
This is a great thread, because there were so many undiscovered groups and songs from the 70's that just didn't get the airplay or exposure for whatever reason. The bar was raised so high and the competition was ....as we know... simply incredible. You had the greats of the 1960's still very active and still some from the 1950's in the game as well. Just more seasoned and experienced. Young bands really had a mountain to climb and it really asked the most of an up and coming artist. Today, anyone with an idea is a computer youtube star, recording their own album from samples and pre created loops or other facsimiles right from their laptop or bedroom. With the dumbing down of the educated or culture ear, low quality sound files are the new acceptable standard with no end in sight. Personally, I am always finding so many lost gems from the 70's that it keeps my ears full. I prefer the more natural sounding recordings that were NOT manipulated by computers or techy software programs. Drum machines (which I personally despise) were not on the scene yet in any kind of significant way. I hold new music to the same standard laid down by the great musicians and songwriters of the past. It needs to be that good to bend my ear. It does happen. Back on topic, I often share Joplin's version of "Little Girl Blue" as the defining moment of her talents over "Piece of my Heart" or any of her other classic rock staples. I also turn people on to Joni's original and eerily haunting version of "Woodstock" over the sterile CSNY version. While these might not be lost classics to those here, most people haven't heard them.
Not sure if this song is obscure, but if you haven't heard this one it sure deserves a listen. The 70's at their best:
For a great, relatively obscure hard rock/metal song, how about Napoleon Bona Part I and II by Budgie?
Traffic - "Walking In The Wind." From their 1974 album When The Eagle Flies, which never got much love or attention. Nice song to hear on a Sunday morning. Great bass line, too.