It’s been nearly six months since my last installment of the Decades series, wherein I feature notable albums from the years 1970 through 2009.
So far I’ve covered the first six years of each of those decades, so I’m more than halfway there. Over the next few weeks, I’ll set my sights on the year 1976.
As usual, I’ll count down my own favorite albums from the year before turning to ones I don’t know well or at all.
Glyn Johns is one of three behind-the-scenes talents inducted into the 2012 class of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (the first was Tom Dowd, covered earlier this week).
The English Johns has worked with some of the most famous artists of all time, including the Mount Rushmore of British rock acts: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, and The Kinks. Sub in Led Zeppelin for one of those if you’d like.
He also put his stamp on the work of legendary American artists such as Bob Dylan, The Band, and the Eagles.
Top Ten Songs of the Summer
#7 – Eagles – ‘One of These Nights’ (1975)
The title track of the Eagles’ fourth studio album, ‘One of These Nights’ was the band’s second #1 hit and their only song to appear on the Song of the Summer charts.
This isn’t my very favorite Eagles song, but it’s definitely a great one. Written by Don Henley and Glenn Frey, and sung with sexy soulfulness by Henley, the song was a stylistic departure from the band’s country-rock roots, even finding room for a dash of disco.
Continuing my look at the albums of 1975…
One of These Nights was the Eagles’ fourth studio album and their first to top the Billboard albums chart. It went quadruple platinum, giving the band the breakthrough hit they’d been circling for several years. A year later, their first greatest hits collection was released and went on to become the best-selling album ever in the United States (its 38 million in sales tops even Michael Jackson’s Thriller).
One of These Nights is a true bridge album for the Eagles. In addition to marking the moment they became mega-stars, it was also the final album featuring founding member Bernie Leadon, who left the band over disagreements about its musical direction.
In 1973, the Eagles followed up their mega-successful self-titled debut (released a year earlier) with a concept album inspired by the Old West. Featuring a cover image of the band members in cowboy gear, Desperado must have seemed ripe for ridicule.
But with songwriters Don Henley and Glenn Frey taking center stage, penning eight of the album’s 11 tracks, the songs were just too good to dismiss. While the album failed to sell early on, it eventually reached double platinum status and is considered a seminal album in the country rock genre.
Meet Me In Montauk 