My Favorite Songs of 1974

The year of my birth! Not the greatest in terms of my taste in music. The worst year for music in the last 50 years? Possibly…but still plenty of gems, including a ‘hidden’ one…

Everyone’s favorite “missing my son” song, Cats In The Cradle was out this year. Ditto for one of my favorites in Black Water. Canadian legend Gordon Lightfoot also came out with Sundown, and who doesn’t love Sundown?

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 very best from that year…

12 Solid Tunes from 1974

Already Gone  – Eagles

Can’t Get It Out Of My Head  – Electric Light Orchestra

My circle of friends in high school liked classic rock and new rock. ELO was never on any of their playlists. But I really liked this song and Strange Magic, so I bought their greatest hits and enjoyed the entire CD.

Rock Me Gently  – Andy Kim

I’m On Fire For You, Baby – April Wine

Ain’t Too Proud To Beg  – The Rolling Stones

Bad Company  – Bad Company

Clap For The Wolfman  – The Guess Who

Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me  – Elton John

Dreamer  – Supertramp

It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll – The Rolling Stones

Waterloo  – ABBA

Another Saturday Night – Cat Stevens

6 Great Songs from 1974

Can’t Get Enough  – Bad Company

You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet  – Bachman-Turner Overdrive

You Are So Beautiful  – Joe Cocker

The Loco Motion  – Grand Funk

Best Of My Love  – Eagles

Takin’ Care of Business – Bachman-Turner Overdrive

6 Truly Awesome Songs from 1974

Sunshine – Nazareth

One of the best songs you never heard of. When I first heard this gem it quickly made it into the ‘obsessive’ rotation, where I overplay a tune for a few months. This was back in high school. Over the years I had actually forgotten this one, until recently re-discovered.

Black Water  – The Doobie Brothers

Cat’s In The Cradle  – Harry Chapin

Sundown  – Gordon Lightfoot

Sweet Home Alabama  – Lynyrd Skynyrd

The Air That I Breathe  – The Hollies

I put together a handy YouTube playlist of the best songs from 1974 here.

Here were the best from 1974, the complete list:

Awesome – 1	Black Water	–	The Doobie Brothers
Awesome – 1	Cat’s In The Cradle	–	Harry Chapin
Awesome – 1	Sundown	–	Gordon Lightfoot
Awesome – 1	Sweet Home Alabama	–	Lynyrd Skynyrd
Awesome – 1	The Air That I Breathe	–	The Hollies
Awesome – 6	Sunshine	–	Nazareth
Great – 7	Can’t Get Enough	–	Bad Company
Great – 7	You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet	–	Bachman-Turner Overdrive
Great – 7	You Are So Beautiful	–	Joe Cocker
Great – 10	The Loco Motion	–	Grand Funk
Great – 10	Best Of My Love	–	Eagles
Great – 10	Takin’ Care of Business	–	Bachman-Turner Overdrive
Solid – 13	Already Gone	–	Eagles
Solid – 13	Can’t Get It Out Of My Head	–	Electric Light Orchestra
Solid – 13	Rock Me Gently	–	Andy Kim
Solid – 13	I’m On Fire For You, Baby	–	April Wine
Solid – 17	Ain’t Too Proud To Beg	–	The Rolling Stones
Solid – 17	Bad Company	–	Bad Company
Solid – 17	Clap For The Wolfman	–	The Guess Who
Solid – 17	Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me	–	Elton John
Solid – 17	Dreamer	–	Supertramp
Solid – 17	It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll	–	The Rolling Stones
Solid – 17	Waterloo	–	ABBA
Solid – 17	Another Saturday Night	–	Cat Stevens
Not Bad – 25	Bloody Well Right	–	Supertramp
Not Bad – 25	Carefree Highway	–	Gordon Lightfoot
Not Bad – 25	Rebel Rebel	–	David Bowie
Not Bad – 25	I Shot The Sheriff	–	Eric Clapton
Not Bad – 25	Walk On	–	Neil Young
Not Bad – 25	Whatever Gets You Thru The Night	–	John Lennon
Not Bad – 31	Hide In Your Shell	–	Supertramp
Not Bad – 31	Killer Queen	–	Queen
Not Bad – 31	Laughter In The Rain	–	Neil Sedaka
Not Bad – 31	Let It Grow	–	Eric Clapton
Not Bad – 31	Rikki Don’t Lose That Number	–	Steely Dan
Not Bad – 31	Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo	–	Rick Derringer
Not Bad – 31	Same Old Song And Dance	–	Aerosmith
Not Bad – 31	Dancin’ Fool	–	The Guess Who
Not Bad – 31	School	–	Supertramp
Not Bad – 31	Annie’s Song	–	John Denver
Not Bad – 31	Musta Got Lost	–	J. Geils Band
Not Bad – 31	Shanghai’d In Shanghai	–	Nazareth

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