Today we continue our look at the songs of the 70’s, not the number one songs though but the other fantastic songs that made this decade the best for music. We move on to 1971 and the songs that did not make it to that covetted number one slot. Here are events that happened in the UK in 1971 to jog your memory.

 

1971

• 2 January – Ibrox disaster: a stairway crush at the Rangers vs. Celtic football match at Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow killed 66 and left many more injured.
• 20 January – The first ever postal workers’ strike took place, led by UPW General Secretary Tom Jackson, in an attempt to win a 19.5% pay rise.
• 4 February – Rolls-Royce went bankrupt and was nationalised.
• 15 February Decimalisation: Decimal Day: the UK and the Republic of Ireland both switched to decimal currency.
• 8 March – The postal workers’ strike ended after 47 days.
• 1 April – The United Kingdom lifted all restrictions on gold ownership. Since 1966 Britons were banned from holding more than four gold coins or from buying any new ones, unless they held a licence.
• 19 April – Unemployment reached a post-Second World War high of nearly 815,000.
• 27 April Eight members of the Welsh Language Society went on trial for destroying English language road signs in Wales.
• 8 May – Arsenal won the FA Cup final with a 2–1 win over Liverpool at Wembley Stadium. Eddie Kelly became the first substitute to score in an FA Cup final, and it was only the second time this century (and the fourth time ever) that an English team has completed the double of the Football League First Division and the FA Cup.
• 20 May – Chelsea F.C., last year’s FA Cup winners, won the European Cup Winners’ Cup with a 2–1 win over Real Madrid of Spain in Athens, Greece.
• 23 May – Jackie Stewart won the Monaco Grand Prix.
• 7 June – The children’s show Blue Peter buried a time capsule in the grounds of BBC Television Centre, due to be opened on the first episode of the year 2000.
• 14 June The first Hard Rock Cafe opened near Hyde Park Corner in London.
• • Upper Clyde Shipbuilders entered liquidation.
• 25–27 June – The first Reading Festival “of jazz and progressive music” took place..
• 30 July – Upper Clyde Shipbuilders workers began to take control of the shipyards in a work-in under the leadership of Jimmy Reid
• 6 August – Chay Blyth became the first person to sail around the world east to west against the prevailing winds.
• 14 August – The Who released their critically acclaimed album Who’s Next.
• 15 August – Showjumper Harvey Smith was stripped of his victory in the British Show Jumping Derby by judges for making a V sign.
• 21 September – The television music show The Old Grey Whistle Test was aired for the first time on BBC 2.
• 2 December – The Queen’s yearly allowance was increased from £475,000 to £980,000.
• 30 December – The seventh James Bond film – Diamonds Are Forever – was released with Sean Connery making his sixth appearance as Bond.
• Here is a link to the full article

Songs Of The 70’s – 1971 C – P

C.C.S. – Tap Turns On The Water 5

I have just had a look and seemingly C.C.S stood for Collective Consciousness Society and was led by blues guitarist Alexis Corner. You learn something new every day.

Cher – Gypsys Tramps and Thieves 4

Cher’s first chart success as a solo artist.

Tony Christie – I Did What I Did For Maria 2

Delfonics – La-La Means I Love You 19

Georgie Fame – Rosetta 11

Family – In My Own Time 4

Free – My Brother Jake 4

This was Free’s follow up to Alright Now their number 2 hit from the previous year. They followed these two hits with Little Bit Of Love and Wishing Well in 1972. They disbanded in 1973; lead singer Paul Rodgers went on to become the frontman of the band Bad Company

Al Green – Tired Of Being Alone 4

Tom Jones – She’s a Lady 13
Tom Jones – Till 2

Till was my mother’s favourite Tom Jones song so here is a video of Tom singing the song.

 

 

 

John Kongos – He’s Gonna Step On You Again 4
John Kongos – Tokoloshe Man 4

John Lennon – Power To The People 7

Tami Lynn – I’m Gonna Run Away From You 4

Paul McCartney – Another Day 2

Mixtures – The Pushbike Song 2

Move – Tonight 11

 

 

 

New Seekers – Never Ending Song Of Love 2

New World – Tom Tom Turnaround 6

Gilbert O’Sullivan – We Will 16

Partridge Family – I Think I Love You 18

Pioneers – Let Your Yeah Be Yeah 5

Songs Of The 70’s  R-W

Cliff Richard – Sing A Song Of Freedom 13

Diana Ross – Remember Me 7

Buffy Sainte-Marie – Soldier Blue 7

Labi Siffre – It Must Be Love 14

Slade – Get Down And Get With It 16

The first single to make the charts for Slade who went on to have six number 1 songs in the 70s.

 

 

 

Ringo Starr – It Don’t Come Easy 4

Rod Stewart – Reason To Believe 19

Supremes – Stoned Love 3
Supremes – Nathan Jones 5

Sweet – Co-Co 2

James Taylor – You’ve Got A Friend 4

R. Dean Taylor – Indiana Wants Me 2

Temptations – Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) 8

T.Rex – Jeepster 2

 

 

 

 

White Plains – When You Are A King 13

Who – Won’t Get Fooled Again 9

Stevie Wonder – We Can Work It Out 27

 

Well, that is our look at the forgotten songs of 1971, there were a few classics in there wasn’t there?

If you enjoyed this post on the songs of 1971, could you pop over to my facebook page and click the like button please. You will then be able to see when I add my latest posts. Thanks in advance. Music Of The 70s facebook page.

I am trying to build up a community of people who love this decade of music.

I want to get people together to share their memories of the music, their favourite artists and songs of the 70’s. We all have those memories and they come flooding back to you when you hear certain songs don’t they?

Frank

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

frank@musicofthe70s.co.uk