Tag Archives: Decades

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Song of the Day #4,814: ‘It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll (But I Like It)’ – The Rolling Stones

Another legendary act to release an album in 1974, The Rolling Stones dropped their 12th studio album, It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll. While this album has a relatively low profile in their discography, apart from its title song, it did mark a turning point for the band.

For starters, it was the first Stones album produced by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. After working with producer Jimmy Miller on a stretch of albums widely considered their best, the duo felt they were ready to take the reins. They would produce or co-produce every subsequent Stones release.

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Song of the Day #4,813: ‘Boogie On Reggae Woman’ – Stevie Wonder

1974 was a great year for releases by musical legends, as my previous six Decades posts have shown. Imagine getting albums from Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, Randy Newman and David Bowie all in the same year. Now add Stevie Wonder to that mix, and know I still have eight more posts to go. What a time that must have been for music fans!

Wonder’s 1974 release was Fulfillingness’ First Finale, his 17th studio album. This one won the Best Album Grammy the following year, one of three times Wonder won that award (he won all three in a four-year span, becoming the only artist in history to win Best Album for three consecutive releases).

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Song of the Day #4,812: ‘September Gurls’ – Big Star

Diving back into my Decades series, and specifically the year 1974, brings me to Radio City, the sophomore album by American power pop band Big Star.

This album was one of only three released by the pioneering act, who recorded between 1972 and 1978 before breaking up. Their work was hugely influential on the alternative movement, with R.E.M. and The Replacements among their biggest fans.

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Song of the Day #4,809: ‘Going, Going, Gone’ – Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan’s 1974 Planet Waves was released between the album widely considered his worst (1973’s Dylan) and one widely considered his best (1975’s Blood on the Tracks).

Planet Waves definitely falls closer to the Blood on the Tracks side of that continuum, even if it doesn’t come close to the heights of that classic. Its songs are thoughtful meditations on love and death with rich backing music provided by The Band, and it fits nicely just below the top tier of Dylan albums.

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Song of the Day #4,808: ‘Rednecks’ – Randy Newman

The best 1974 album I’ve written about so far, Randy Newman’s Good Old Boys was his fourth studio album and the follow-up to 1972’s brilliant Sail Away.

Good Old Boys started as a concept album about the Deep South, following a character named Johnny Cutler. Newman eventually broadened the focus to the South in general, though bits of Johnny’s story show up throughout the tracklist.

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