Music to My Years: 1972
Welcome to Music to My Years. A new weekly feature here on my blog.
Welcome to the second week of Music to My Years. This week we are going back to 1972. The year I turned one and the year one of my sisters was born. There is only 15 months between us and, growing up, we were very close. It was lovely to have a close friend and playmate and I look back on it and remember how lucky I was.
The music in this year was fantastic and it hasn’t been an easy choice. As a result, I thought I would share some honourable mentions! These are:
- Paul Simon – Mother and Child Reunion
- Little Jimmy Osmond – Long-haired Lover from Liverpool
- Jackie Wilson – I Get the Sweetest Feeling
- Johnny Nash – I Can See Clearly Now
- Gilbert O’Sullivan – Alone Again Naturally
- Michael Jackson – Rockin’ Robin
- Dr Hook – Sylvia’s Mother
- Slade – Mama Weer All Crazee Now (no, these are not typos!)
- Rod Stewart – You Wear It Well
- Alice Cooper – School’s Out
- Roxy Music – Virginia Plain
As I am now a radio presenter on Radio Ninesprings, and I will be sharing my Top 10 all week and sharing 1 track from the list each day, Monday to Friday, on my show from 3pm.
So, from the year I was born taking me right up to 2021, I am going to be sharing my top 10 chart songs from the year in question.
Table of Contents
10. Morning Has Broken by Cat Stevens
I loved singing this hymn at school but this version of Morning Has Broken by Cat Stevens takes it to a whole new level for me. It made the song even more enjoyable – and used to bring tears to my eyes when I was a kid. I can remember hearing some of Cat Steven’s songs used in Mr Magorium’s Magical Emporium years later and, as a result, I got his greatest hits. I still think there is a special quality in his voice.
9. Horse With No Name by America
This song was always on my radar but it never became prominent in my life until the early years of my relationship with Ross. I can remember playing it on the way home to Wokingham – just after Grace and I moved in with him – and Grace singing along to the song in the back of the car. It is amazing how a song can sometimes just bring back one particular memory.
8. Children of the Revolution by T Rex
Another song from T Rex. The first was in my 1971 chart. This is one which was around but will now always remind me of the opening scenes of the film Moulin Rouge! I love it as it is such a huge number. Brilliantly done.
7. Burning Love by Elvis Presley
My favourite memory of this song is the fact that it is the closing song to Lilo and Stitch. A film which meant a heck of a lot in the early years of Ross and I with Grace – and has even more meaning now we have Rex. Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.
It is amazing what you find when you are looking on YouTube. I LOVE this version with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
6. Layla by Derek and The Dominoes
The guitar riff alone in this song deserves to be in my top ten! A classic track.
Layla was based on a book by a 12th-century Persian poet called Nizami about a man who is in love with an unobtainable woman and Eric Clapton wrote the song about George Harrison’s wife, Pattie. She left George Harrison and they began living together in 1974 and married in 1979. Surprisingly, Eric Clapton and George Harrison remained good friends, with George playing at their wedding along with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.
5. Crazy Horses by The Osmonds
I can remember thinking REALLY?! This is The Osmonds?! when I heard this one. It is infectious, a bit mad and very well arranged!
Topical before it’s time, the song is apparently about Air Pollution – “Crazy Horses” represents automobiles – “horsepower” – that creates pollution in the skies from the exhaust. However, it was banned in South Africa because “horses” is a slang term for heroin!
4. Without You By Nilsson
Originals are generally the best! Many people have covered this song but I don’t think anyone else has matched the feeling in their voice like Nilsson has. A beautiful song.
3. Rocket Man by Elton John
Had it not been for the top two, this song would have definitely made it to number one any other time. It is one of my two favourite Elton John songs and is the second track of his to make Music to My Years (he was my number one in 1971). This is a heart-rending story of someone having to go away from their family for work – or, at least, that is how I interpret it! I have discovered this video on YouTube which also offers an interpretation.
2. American Pie by Don Mclean
The first of Don McLean’s songs on this week’s list. I can remember loving this song the very first time I heard it and it now evokes memories of playing Rock Band on the Playstation with Grace and Ross! I can also remember discovering the album in my parent’s collection and putting it on very regularly when they were out!
1. Vincent by Don Mclean
This song began a bit of an obsession with the life of Vincent Van Gogh for me. Beautifully written and heart-breaking at the end when he sings of Vincent taking his own life. I would cry every time when I used to listen to it as a kid.
After listening to this, I can remember getting books of Van Gogh’s work, watching a TV film about his life with Gaugin on television and, years later, I was lucky enough to make it to see his work at the Van Gogh museum in Holland. A very emotional experience for me.
I am also a big Doctor Who fan so you can probably imagine my delight when one of the Matt Smith episodes featured Vincent Van Gogh. I was in tears at the end of the episode. (In case you hadn’t guessed by now, I am a very emotional person!).
Find my playlist over on Spotify.
