1971 was 50 years ago...

1971 was 50 years ago...

Hard to believe, but it's true.

What are your favorite albums, songs, and memories from that year?
What immediately pops out?

Was the music as good as it was in '68, '69 and '70?

'71 Plymouth Barracuda:


'Imagine', John Lennon, take 10:

 

Don't know. My folks graduated high school that year.

 

For me 71 was probably even better
Sticky fingers
Who's next
Led Zep iv
Bowie Hunky Dory
Joni Mitchell Blue
Tull Aqualung
Doors LA Woman
Marvin Gaye What's Going On
Pink Floyd Meddle

And many many more
An incredible series of albums

 

My Goal's Beyond

Studio album by
John McLaughlin

June 1971 release. Love this album.

 

Sticky Fingers

Studio album by
the Rolling Stones

Stones Hall Of Fame. Incredible dark and at times murky goodness.

 

I recently read a book on the music of that year “Never a Dull Moment” by David Hepworth. Maybe I should take it out again.

For some reason I remember watching the New Year’s Eve countdown with Guy Lombardo and when 1971 appeared on the tv screen, my 82 year old grandmother silently mouthed “1971” with a look of amazement on her face.

 

Bob Dylan, with George Harrison, at the Concert For Bangladesh:

 

JENNINGS: 50th anniversary of a great year in music
It was a great year to be 15 going on 16. (Party!)

 

The OP's first post is exactly my life. Beatles, John Lennon with "Imagine and Happy Xmas" , my parents love affair with automobiles, and my subsequent forays into Mopars 5 years later. 71 Plymouth GTX, 70,73 Dodge Charger's. That green was my GTX's color, all stock # matching, build sheet original brochures, 440 six pack....Why did I sell it around 1997? Idiot! Take care, John M.

 

American Pie, The Jackson 5, Flip Wilson...

 

I turn 50 next week, I'm well aware

 

Marvin Gaye "What's Goin' On".

'Nuff said!

 

The year I started listening to rock music. I had no idea that music changed with the times though.

 

Almost as strong as the strongest year, 1973.

 

Nov. 1971
Olivia's debut album.






It's a wonderful album.
check out this version of The Band's "In A Station"





Best song from Olivia Newton John's "If Not for You"

 

GREAT year.

 

One of the greatest years in rock history. Some fantastic albums came out in 1971.

I started kindergarten that year, and I was into the Jackson Five then (and still like them even now). Music wasn't priority number one for my six-year-old self (don't ask me what was - I don't remember).

I didn't hear Who's Next, Sticky Fingers, or Imagine until much later.

 

Ugh. Please don't remind me. '71 is my birth year, so I turn the big 50 this year!

 

I have more albums from 1971 than any year other than 1970. Soul was king -- There's a Riot Going On, What's Going On, Maggot Brain, Givin' It Back, Curtis/Live!, The Stylistics, Pieces Of a Man, Still Bill, The Baby Huey Story, Where I'm Coming From, Harlem River Drive...
I turned 8 that year and wasn't buying albums, but I was buying singles, and that's my first hand memories of the music of 1971.
a lot of my favorite rock albums came out that year, but I wouldn't hear them for at least two years or more, when I started buying albums and reading music magazines
Allman Bros at Fillmore East
Love It To Death and Killer
Brain Capers
Master Of Reality
Split
Tago Mago
Teenage Head
Jack Johnson and Live Evil
Nation Time
Fly
Electric Warrior
Hunky Dory
Woyaya
Santana (third)
Dust
Mwandishi
Never Never Land
Thembi

 

You’re darn tootin’. And how about Cat Stevens ‘Teaser and the Firecat’, King Crimson ‘Islands’, Lennon ‘Imagine’, Van der Graaf Generator ‘Pawn Hearts’, Family ‘Fearless’, Deep Purple ‘Fireball’, Yes ‘Fragile’, Elton John ‘Madman Across The Water’, Genesis ‘Nursery Cryme’, Carole King ‘Tapestry’, Tull’s ‘Life’s A Long Song’ EP, Caravan ‘In The Land Of Grey And Pink’ etc etc etc? It was so good a year I could easily confine myself to playing music from none other for a month and not get bored. Staggering.

 

My Stones desert island disc. A near-perfect summation of all their influences. Great songwriting & a high level of professionalism in the performance & recording. All killer, no filler!

 

At the moment 1971 was the last year I didn't exist on this planet so I'm a little short on memories. But since then I've found Sticky Fingers, High Time, Hunky Dory, Who's Next, L.A. Woman, Islands, Long Player, A Nod Is As Good As a Wink, Teenage Head, Electric Warrior, In Search of Space, Tago Mago, Skull and Roses, Fairyport, Fillmore East – June 1971, Live-Evil, In the Land of Grey and Pink, Love It To Death, Killer, Lost in the Ozone, Pearl, Master of Reality, The North Star Grassman and the Ravens, Nursery Cryme, Look At Yourself, Pawn Hearts, Aqualung, Imagine, Please to See the King, Ten Man Mop, Curtis/Live!, IV, Deuce, Brain Capers, The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys and Rockin' the Fillmore to be pretty good albums. 1971 was one hell of a year in music!

 

1971 is pretty stunning for music. I wouldn’t be surprised if I have more from ‘71 than any other year.