The first classic rock album I ever bought was The Steve Miller Band’s Greatest Hits. The Joker was my favorite track on that album. Angie is one of, perhaps the best, song by the Stones. And Over the Hills and Far Away ranks as No.2 on my favorite Led Zeppelin songs of all time. So 1973 was a good year in terms of music for my taste. Not so much in terms of quantity, but definitely quality.
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.
10 Great Songs that were released in 1973
Seasons In The Sun – Terry Jacks
Rock On – David Essex
Stuck in the Middle with You – Stealers Wheel
Stir it Up – Bob Marley and the Wailer
Let It Ride – Bachman-Turner Overdrive
Money – Pink Floyd
Rocky Mountain Way – Joe Walsh
Superstition – Stevie Wonder
Killing Me Softly With His Song – Roberta Flack
The Ocean – Led Zeppelin
10 Truly Awesome Songs that were released in 1973
Freebird – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Drift Away – Dobie Gray
Angie – The Rolling Stones
The Ballroom Blitz – The Sweet
Dream On – Aerosmith
D’yer Mak’er – Led Zeppelin
The Joker – Steve Miller Band
Piano Man – Billy Joel
Over the Hills and Far Away – Led Zeppelin
Candle in the Wind – Elton John
Daniel – Elton John
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Elton John
Tuesday’s Gone – Lynyrd Skynyrd
You can listen to a playlist of these great songs on YouTube here.
Here is the complete list…
| Awesome – 1 | Freebird | – | Lynyrd Skynyrd |
| Awesome – 1 | Angie | – | The Rolling Stones |
| Awesome – 1 | The Ballroom Blitz | – | The Sweet |
| Awesome – 1 | Dream On | – | Aerosmith |
| Awesome – 1 | D’yer Mak’er | – | Led Zeppelin |
| Awesome – 1 | The Joker | – | Steve Miller Band |
| Awesome – 1 | Piano Man | – | Billy Joel |
| Awesome – 1 | Over the Hills and Far Away | – | Led Zeppelin |
| Awesome – 1 | Drift Away | – | Dobie Gray |
| Awesome – 1 | Tuesday’s Gone | – | Lynyrd Skynyrd |
| Awesome – 11 | Candle in the Wind | – | Elton John |
| Awesome – 11 | Daniel | – | Elton John |
| Awesome – 11 | Goodbye Yellow Brick Road | – | Elton John |
| Great – 14 | Seasons In The Sun | – | Terry Jacks |
| Great – 14 | Rock On | – | David Essex |
| Great – 14 | Stuck in the Middle with You | – | Stealers Wheel |
| Great – 14 | Stir it Up | – | Bob Marley and the Wailers |
| Great – 18 | We’re An American Band | – | Grand Funk Railroad |
| Great – 18 | Let It Ride | – | Bachman-Turner Overdrive |
| Great – 18 | Money | – | Pink Floyd |
| Great – 18 | Rocky Mountain Way | – | Joe Walsh |
| Great – 18 | Superstition | – | Stevie Wonder |
| Great – 18 | Killing Me Softly With His Song | – | Roberta Flack |
| Great – 18 | The Ocean | – | Led Zeppelin |
| Solid – 25 | Desperado | – | Eagles |
| Solid – 25 | La Grange | – | ZZ Top |
| Solid – 25 | Come and Get Your Love | – | Redbone |
| Solid – 25 | No Quarter | – | Led Zeppelin |
| Solid – 25 | Reelin’ in the Years | – | Steely Dan |
| Solid – 25 | Smoke on the Water | – | Deep Purple |
| Solid – 25 | No More Mr Nice Guy | – | Alice Cooper |
| Solid – 25 | China Grove | – | The Doobie Brothers |
| Solid – 25 | Live and Let Die | – | Wings |
| Solid – 25 | Long Train Runnin’ | – | The Doobie Brothers |
| Solid – 25 | Ramblin’ Man | – | Allman Brothers Band |
| Solid – 25 | This Flight Tonight | – | Nazareth |
| Solid – 25 | Turn On Your Receiver | – | Nazareth |
| Solid – 38 | Follow Your Daughter Home | – | The Guess Who |
| Solid – 38 | Dancing Days | – | Led Zeppelin |
| Solid – 38 | Tequila Sunrise | – | Eagles |
| Solid – 38 | Razamanaz | – | Nazareth |
| Not Bad – 42 | Get Up, Stand Up | – | Bob Marley and the Wailers |
| Not Bad – 42 | I Shot the Sheriff | – | Bob Marley and the Wailers |
| Not Bad – 42 | Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker) | – | Rolling Stones |
| Not Bad – 42 | Top of the World | – | The Carpenters |
| Not Bad – 42 | Your Mama Don’t Dance | – | Kenny Loggins & Jim Messina |
| Not Bad – 42 | Frankenstein | – | Edgar Winter Group |
| Not Bad – 42 | Hello, Hooray | – | Alice Cooper |
| Not Bad – 42 | Higher Ground | – | Stevie Wonder |
| Not Bad – 42 | I’m Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band) | – | The Moody Blues |
| Not Bad – 42 | The Jean Genie | – | David Bowie |
| Not Bad – 42 | Let’s Get It On | – | Marvin Gaye |
| Not Bad – 42 | Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting | – | Elton John |
| Not Bad – 42 | You Are the Sunshine of My Life | – | Stevie Wonder |
| Not Bad – 42 | Keep Yourself Alive | – | Queen |
| Not Bad – 42 | You’re Sixteen You’re Beautiful (And You’re Mine) | – | Ringo Starr |
| Not Bad – 42 | Bennie And The Jets | – | Elton John |
| Not Bad – 42 | Broken Down Angel | – | Nazareth |
| Not Bad – 42 | Bad Bad Boy | – | Nazareth |
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