In 1971 it was the year of Stairway. The year of Imagine. The year for American Pie. A lot of great classic rock songs came out (at the time, they were just called “rock” I’m sure).
Unlike most rankings, I won’t be simply tossing these up in a numerical order. Because I know better than anybody that on some days, some songs kick more ass than other songs. A song that is ranked 14th today could very well rank 1st tomorrow, if it suddenly comes on the radio during the perfect moment.
So I group them:
Awesome
Great
Solid
Not Bad
…with inter-group splitting.
Here are the best of the best songs from that year, with the full chart of my likable songs at the end.
9 Great Songs from 1971
Reason To Believe – Rod Stewart
Uncle Albert/ Admiral Halsey – Paul McCartney
Hey Tonight – Creedence Clearwater Revival
Signs – Five Man Electrical Band
Behind Blue Eyes – The Who
Fast Train – April Wine
Happy Xmas (War is Over) – John Lennon
Misty Mountain Hop – Led Zeppelin
Peace Train – Cat Stevens
10 Awesome Songs from 1971
Black Dog – Led Zeppelin
Won’t Get Fooled Again – The Who
I like this live version here, to get a feel for rock life in the early 70s…
Baba O’Reilly – The Who
When the Levee Breaks – Led Zeppelin
Stairway to Heaven – Led Zeppelin
Me And Bobby McGee – Janis Joplin
Imagine – John Lennon
Brown Sugar – The Rolling Stones
American Pie – Don McLean
Layla – Derek and the Dominos
I created a playlist of these great songs on YouTube here.
Here is the full list…
| Awesome – 1 | Stairway to Heaven | – | Led Zeppelin |
| Awesome – 1 | Me And Bobby McGee | – | Janis Joplin |
| Awesome – 1 | Imagine | – | John Lennon |
| Awesome – 1 | Brown Sugar | – | The Rolling Stones |
| Awesome – 1 | American Pie | – | Don McLean |
| Awesome – 1 | Layla | – | Derek and the Dominos |
| Awesome – 7 | Black Dog | – | Led Zeppelin |
| Awesome – 7 | Won’t Get Fooled Again | – | The Who |
| Awesome – 7 | Baba O’Reilly | – | The Who |
| Awesome – 7 | When the Levee Breaks | – | Led Zeppelin |
| Great – 11 | Reason To Believe | – | Rod Stewart |
| Great – 11 | Uncle Albert/ Admiral Halsey | – | Paul McCartney |
| Great – 11 | Hey Tonight | – | Creedence Clearwater Revival |
| Great – 11 | Signs | – | Five Man Electrical Band |
| Great – 11 | Behind Blue Eyes | – | The Who |
| Great – 11 | Fast Train | – | April Wine |
| Great – 11 | Happy Xmas (War is Over) | – | John Lennon |
| Great – 11 | Misty Mountain Hop | – | Led Zeppelin |
| Great – 11 | Peace Train | – | Cat Stevens |
| Solid – 20 | It Don’t Come Easy | – | Ringo Starr |
| Solid – 20 | Hang On To Your Life | – | The Guess Who |
| Solid – 20 | Going to California | – | Led Zeppelin |
| Solid – 20 | Wild World | – | Cat Stevens |
| Solid – 20 | Have You Ever Seen the Rain? | – | Creedence Clearwater Revival |
| Solid – 20 | Sweet Hitch-Hiker | – | Creedence Clearwater Revival |
| Solid – 20 | Take Me Home Country Roads | – | John Denver |
| Solid – 20 | Rock and Roll | – | Led Zeppelin |
| Solid – 20 | Oye Como Va | – | Santana |
| Solid – 20 | L.A. Woman | – | The Doors |
| Solid – 20 | Love Her Madly | – | The Doors |
| Solid – 20 | Riders on the Storm | – | The Doors |
| Solid – 20 | I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony) | – | The New Seekers |
| Solid – 20 | Wild Horses | – | The Rolling Stones |
| Solid – 20 | Sweet City Woman | – | The Stampeders |
| Solid – 20 | Joy to the World | – | Three Dog Night |
| Solid – 20 | Four Sticks | – | Led Zeppelin |
| Not Bad – 37 | Rain Dance | – | The Guess Who |
| Not Bad – 37 | Oh What a Feeling | – | Crowbar |
| Not Bad – 37 | Albert Flasher | – | The Guess Who |
| Not Bad – 37 | I’m Eighteen | – | Alice Cooper |
| Not Bad – 37 | Tiny Dancer | – | Elton John |
| Not Bad – 37 | Maggie May | – | Rod Stewart |
| Not Bad – 37 | Life is a Carnival | – | The Band |
| Not Bad – 37 | Bang A Gong (Get It On) | – | T.Rex |
| Not Bad – 37 | It’s Too Late | – | Carole King |
| Not Bad – 37 | I Feel the Earth Move | – | Carole King |
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
Dobber's Take 
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