Not the greatest year for music in my taste, 1972 still had some pretty sweet tunes from the Eagles. It was also the year that one of the more underrated songs (in my books) in all of history came out.
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’ll group them:
Awesome
Great
Solid
Not Bad
…with inter-group splitting.
First, the videos of the best from that year…
10 Great Songs from 1972
Walk On The Wild Side – Lou Reed
You Could Have Been a Lady – April Wine
A Horse with No Name – America
All the Young Dudes – Mott the Hoople
Hold Your Head Up – Argent
Join Together – The Who
Bad Side of the Moon – April Wine
Heart of Gold – Neil Young
Old Man – Neil Young
Song Sung Blue – Neil Diamond
6 Truly Awesome Songs from 1972
Changes – Black Sabbath
Lean on Me – Bill Withers
Rocket Man – Elton John
I love this video and I think all musicians from 60s and 70s should do this if they don’t have videos made (and most of them don’t). Re-imagine your song and have an artist create a cartoon. Better than just throwing up a picture of your album on the official video (ahem Neil Young, Bill Withers, etc. above… Eagles below…).
Take It Easy – Eagles
Witchy Woman – Eagles
The Eagles are pretty tight with their songs. Or at least, whoever has the rights to this song. Best I could dig up that wouldn’t get taken down at some point was this live version.
The Cover of the Rolling Stone – Dr. Hook
One of the most underrated songs in history. Very fun, very catchy and very singable song. I’ve never heard it on the radio.
I created a Youtube playlist of the best from ’72 here.
Here is the complete list of my favorites from 1972:
| Awesome – 1 | Take It Easy | – | Eagles |
| Awesome – 1 | Witchy Woman | – | Eagles |
| Awesome – 1 | The Cover of the Rolling Stone | – | Dr. Hook |
| Awesome – 4 | Lean on Me | – | Bill Withers |
| Awesome – 4 | Rocket Man | – | Elton John |
| Awesome – 4 | Changes | – | Black Sabbath |
| Great -6 | Heart of Gold | – | Neil Young |
| Great -6 | Old Man | – | Neil Young |
| Great -6 | Song Sung Blue | – | Neil Diamond |
| Great -9 | You Could Have Been a Lady | – | April Wine |
| Great -9 | A Horse with No Name | – | America |
| Great -9 | All the Young Dudes | – | Mott the Hoople |
| Great -9 | Hold Your Head Up | – | Argent |
| Great -9 | Join Together | – | The Who |
| Great -9 | Bad Side of the Moon | – | April Wine |
| Great -9 | Walk On The Wild Side | – | Lou Reed |
| Solid -16 | Whiskey In The Jar | – | Thin Lizzy |
| Solid -16 | Do It Again | – | Steely Dan |
| Solid -16 | Listen to the Music | – | The Doobie Brothers |
| Solid -16 | Rock and Roll Part 1 + 2 | – | Gary Glitter |
| Solid -16 | Changes | – | David Bowie |
| Solid -16 | Conquistador | – | Procol Harum |
| Solid -16 | Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) | – | The Hollies |
| Solid -16 | School’s Out | – | Alice Cooper |
| Solid -16 | (Make Me Do) Anything You Want | – | A Foot in Coldwater |
| Not Bad -25 | The Lion Sleeps Tonight | – | Robert John |
| Not Bad -25 | Crocodile Rock | – | Elton John |
| Not Bad -25 | Mama Weer All Crazee Now | – | Slade |
| Not Bad -25 | Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard | – | Paul Simon |
| Not Bad -25 | Saturday In the Park | – | Chicago |
| Not Bad -25 | Superstition | – | Stevie Wonder |
| Not Bad -25 | Let’s Stay Together | – | Al Green |
| Not Bad -25 | Someday Never Comes | – | Creedence Clearwater Revival |
| Not Bad -25 | Tumbling Dice | – | The Rolling Stones |
| Not Bad -25 | Bad, Bad Leroy Brown | – | Jim Croce |
| Not Bad -25 | I Can See Clearly Now | – | Johnny Nash |
| Not Bad -25 | Drop Your Guns | – | April Wine |
| Not Bad -25 | Running Back to Saskatoon | – | The Guess Who |
| Not Bad -25 | Guns, Guns, Guns | – | The Guess Who |
| Not Bad -25 | You’re So Vain | – | Carly Simon |
| Not Bad -25 | Your Mama Don’t Dance | – | Loggins and Messina |
| Not Bad -25 | Jesus Is Just Alright | – | Doobie Brothers |
| Not Bad -25 | Honky Cat | – | Elton John |
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