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penpusherI Am Woman – Helen Reddy: Billie Jean King, Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem, Bella Abzug and millions more took this song to heart. It includes the most controversial lyric of the day (“but I’m still an embryo/with a long, long way to go”). However, it’s the issue of Equal Rights for women that made this the anthem of every Ms. On the planet (“I am strong/I am invincible”). One of the few “60’s style issue” leftover tunes, it proved that pop music could still flex its social change muscle.
Touch Me In The Morning – Diana Ross: Almost, but not quite cancelling out Helen Reddy’s message of strength, this is a codependent ballad of a singer who wants their lover to spend one more night before the inevitable (“we’ve seen how love can grow/now let’s see how it dies”). It’s definitely trying to be sweet and comforting, but isn’t it, ultimately, cloying?
Mother And Child Reunion – Paul Simon: “No I would not/give you false hope/on this strange/and mournful day/but the mother and child reunion/is only a motion away.” Simon references both the Bible and The Beatles here in this parallel parable to the Easter story.
The World Is A Circle – Diana Lee, Bobby Van and the Chorus of “Lost Horizon”: In the tradition of such great musical numbers as “Ya Gotta Have Heart,” “High Hopes” and “Theme From Laverne & Shirley,” this tune shows the audience that our group of underdogs, though down are not out (“and just because/you think you’re small/that doesn’t mean/that you’re small at all”). Yes, children living in Shangri-La can have their bad days, too.
If – Bread: Another wished-for romance, this song made the end of the world sound appealing (“then one by one/the stars would all go out/then you and I/would simply fly away”).
Knock Three Times – Tony Orlando and Dawn: In those long forgotten days of yore, you knew your neighbors. At least you weren’t afraid to meet them (“if you look out/your window tonight/pulling the string/with the note/that’s attached to my heart/read how many times I saw you/how in my silence I adored you”). That’s a stalker by today’s standards.
I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony) – The Hillside Singers: This was a classic commercial, parodied dozens of times. The product was “The Real Thing,” Coca-Cola. Just like Jackie DeShannon’s anthem, heard on Commercials, this song also taps into the ‘Brotherhood of Man’ concept. However, it really was selling a product (the lyric heard in the commercial: “I’d like to buy/the world a Coke”).
Vincent – Don McLean: The artist Van Gogh is the unmistakable subject of this song, filled with images of both his art and his life (“starry, starry night/paint your palette blue and gray…”). It’s a kindly revisionist’s history though. Everything was being romanticized at this time.
Song From M*A*S*H – Al DeLory: The movie/television theme turned Jazz Fusion instrumental, it takes the message of the music (“Suicide Is Painless”) and dumps it for a happier tempo, just as Herb Alpert did with “A Taste Of Honey.”
Time In A Bottle – Jim Croce: “If I could save time in a bottle/the first thing that I’d like to do/is to save every day/’til eternity passes away/just to spend them with you.” Is this the philosophy of a normal, well-adjusted person? Or are we swimming in the waters of codependency again? Even the dearest of lovers need some time apart. “Eternity” just doesn’t provide that.
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life – Stevie Wonder: Another ‘soft rock classic,’ the Harlem Boys and Girls choir serenaded the songwriter with his own composition at the 1999 Kennedy Center Honors (“you are the apple/of my eye/forever you’ll stay/in my heart”). It’s sentimental, without being sickeningly so, which is why it is still heard on radios all over the world.
Love Her Madly – The Doors: Almost robotic in its execution, Jim Morrison stays fully in control here, and that’s the joke (“all your love is gone/so sing a lonely song/of a deep blue dream/seven horses seem/to be on the mark”). The swinging organ and tack piano made it sound like the backup band was “The Groovy Ghoulies.” Now, that would have been ‘mad.’
A Horse With No Name – America: Who could have foreseen that the “Personal Odyssey” would become a lifestyle for so many Americans (“After two days in the desert sun/my skin began to turn red/after three days in the desert fun/I was looking at a riverbed”). The early 70’s focused on Ecology, as we looked to save the earth from the people who were destroying it: namely, us.
Old Fashioned Love Song – Three Dog Night: Don’t be confused. This isn’t a love song; it’s a song about love songs (“you swear you’ve heard it before/as it slowly rambles on/no need in bringing ‘em back/’cause they’re never really gone”). Typically though, we only get the essence of the feelings, not the substance. We are avoiding, during this era.
Clair – Gilbert O’Sullivan: Clair is a little girl, and, by today’s cynical standards, we would probably consider the singer a pedophile (“the moment I met you I swear/I felt as if something somewhere/had happened to me/which I couldn’t see”). That’s a sad statement. Still, though, there is a romantic element between these two, the doting babysitter and the child. It’s clear they care for each other, though what isn’t clear is their relationship (the singer isn’t Clair’s parent, since you cannot baby sit your own daughter -- “I don’t care what people say/to me you’re more than a child”). But, if you can remove your gray-colored glasses, you’ll find an exceptionally sweet song to end Part I.
Touch Me In The Morning – Diana Ross: Almost, but not quite cancelling out Helen Reddy’s message of strength, this is a codependent ballad of a singer who wants their lover to spend one more night before the inevitable (“we’ve seen how love can grow/now let’s see how it dies”). It’s definitely trying to be sweet and comforting, but isn’t it, ultimately, cloying?
Mother And Child Reunion – Paul Simon: “No I would not/give you false hope/on this strange/and mournful day/but the mother and child reunion/is only a motion away.” Simon references both the Bible and The Beatles here in this parallel parable to the Easter story.
The World Is A Circle – Diana Lee, Bobby Van and the Chorus of “Lost Horizon”: In the tradition of such great musical numbers as “Ya Gotta Have Heart,” “High Hopes” and “Theme From Laverne & Shirley,” this tune shows the audience that our group of underdogs, though down are not out (“and just because/you think you’re small/that doesn’t mean/that you’re small at all”). Yes, children living in Shangri-La can have their bad days, too.
If – Bread: Another wished-for romance, this song made the end of the world sound appealing (“then one by one/the stars would all go out/then you and I/would simply fly away”).
Knock Three Times – Tony Orlando and Dawn: In those long forgotten days of yore, you knew your neighbors. At least you weren’t afraid to meet them (“if you look out/your window tonight/pulling the string/with the note/that’s attached to my heart/read how many times I saw you/how in my silence I adored you”). That’s a stalker by today’s standards.
I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony) – The Hillside Singers: This was a classic commercial, parodied dozens of times. The product was “The Real Thing,” Coca-Cola. Just like Jackie DeShannon’s anthem, heard on Commercials, this song also taps into the ‘Brotherhood of Man’ concept. However, it really was selling a product (the lyric heard in the commercial: “I’d like to buy/the world a Coke”).
Vincent – Don McLean: The artist Van Gogh is the unmistakable subject of this song, filled with images of both his art and his life (“starry, starry night/paint your palette blue and gray…”). It’s a kindly revisionist’s history though. Everything was being romanticized at this time.
Song From M*A*S*H – Al DeLory: The movie/television theme turned Jazz Fusion instrumental, it takes the message of the music (“Suicide Is Painless”) and dumps it for a happier tempo, just as Herb Alpert did with “A Taste Of Honey.”
Time In A Bottle – Jim Croce: “If I could save time in a bottle/the first thing that I’d like to do/is to save every day/’til eternity passes away/just to spend them with you.” Is this the philosophy of a normal, well-adjusted person? Or are we swimming in the waters of codependency again? Even the dearest of lovers need some time apart. “Eternity” just doesn’t provide that.
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life – Stevie Wonder: Another ‘soft rock classic,’ the Harlem Boys and Girls choir serenaded the songwriter with his own composition at the 1999 Kennedy Center Honors (“you are the apple/of my eye/forever you’ll stay/in my heart”). It’s sentimental, without being sickeningly so, which is why it is still heard on radios all over the world.
Love Her Madly – The Doors: Almost robotic in its execution, Jim Morrison stays fully in control here, and that’s the joke (“all your love is gone/so sing a lonely song/of a deep blue dream/seven horses seem/to be on the mark”). The swinging organ and tack piano made it sound like the backup band was “The Groovy Ghoulies.” Now, that would have been ‘mad.’
A Horse With No Name – America: Who could have foreseen that the “Personal Odyssey” would become a lifestyle for so many Americans (“After two days in the desert sun/my skin began to turn red/after three days in the desert fun/I was looking at a riverbed”). The early 70’s focused on Ecology, as we looked to save the earth from the people who were destroying it: namely, us.
Old Fashioned Love Song – Three Dog Night: Don’t be confused. This isn’t a love song; it’s a song about love songs (“you swear you’ve heard it before/as it slowly rambles on/no need in bringing ‘em back/’cause they’re never really gone”). Typically though, we only get the essence of the feelings, not the substance. We are avoiding, during this era.
Clair – Gilbert O’Sullivan: Clair is a little girl, and, by today’s cynical standards, we would probably consider the singer a pedophile (“the moment I met you I swear/I felt as if something somewhere/had happened to me/which I couldn’t see”). That’s a sad statement. Still, though, there is a romantic element between these two, the doting babysitter and the child. It’s clear they care for each other, though what isn’t clear is their relationship (the singer isn’t Clair’s parent, since you cannot baby sit your own daughter -- “I don’t care what people say/to me you’re more than a child”). But, if you can remove your gray-colored glasses, you’ll find an exceptionally sweet song to end Part I.