https://exchange.prx.org/p/629952
We're keepin' this one close to 1970, starting off with three tunes from 1969 and then alternating between 1970 and 1971 for the rest of the show, including three live tracks that were only available as bootlegs at the time, but have since been given official releases.
Artist: Chicago
Title: Introduction
Source: CD: The Chicago Transit Authority
Writer(s): Terry Kath
Label: Rhino (original label: Columbia)
Year: 1969
When living in Germany in 1969 I bought a copy of an album called Underground in a local record store. The album itself was on purple vinyl that glowed under a black light and featured a variety of artists that had recently released albums in the US on the Columbia label (since the name Columbia was trademarked by EMI in Europe and the UK, US albums from the American Columbia label were released on the CBS label instead). The opening track of the album was appropriately called Introduction and was also the opening track of the first Chicago (Transit Authority) album. Written by guitarist Terry Kath, the piece effectively showcases the strengths of the band, both as an extremely tight ensemble and as individual soloists, with no one member dominating the song.
Artist: Creedence Clearwater Revival
Title: Fortunate Son
Source: LP: Willy And The Poor Boys
Writer(s): John Fogerty
Label: Fantasy
Year: 1969
John Fogerty says it only took him 20 minutes to write what has become one of the iconic antiwar songs of the late 1960s. But Fortunate Son is not so much a condemnation of war as it is an indictment of the political elite who send the less fortunate off to die in wars without any risk to themselves. In addition to being a major hit single upon its release in late 1969 (peaking at #3 as half of a double-A sided single), Fortunate Son has made several "best of" lists over the years, including Rolling Stone magazine's all-time top 100. Additionally, in 2014 the song was added to the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Artist: Rory Gallagher
Title: Can't Believe It's True
Source: British import CD: Spirit Of Joy (originally released on LP: Rory Gallagher)
Writer(s): Rory Gallagher
Label: Polydor (original label: Atco)
Year: 1971
In addition to his obvious prowess on guitar, Rory Gallagher was an accomplished saxophonist (although he largely abandoned the instrument in the mid-1970s). Excellent examples of both his guitar and saxophone work can be found on Can't Believe It's True, the final and longest track on Gallagher's first solo album, recorded in 1971. Accompanying Gallagher on the album were drummer Wilgar Campbell and bass guitarist Gerry McAvoy. Gallagher had set up practice sessions with Campbell and McAvoy, as well as former Jimi Hendrix Experience members Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding following the breakup of his original band, Taste, but ultimately decided to form a power trio with the two Belfast natives for his solo debut.
Artist: Wishbone Ash
Title: Phoenix
Source: CD: Wishbone Ash
Writer(s): Upton/Turner/Turner/Powell
Label: MCA (original label: Decca)
Year: 1970
The first Wishbone Ash album was characterized by the dual lead guitar work of Andy Powell and Ted Turner. This is particularly notable on the album's showcase piece, the ten and a half minute long Phoenix. Unfortunately, the lack of a powerful lead vocalist kept Wishbone Ash from becoming a first-tier band.
Artist: Black Sabbath
Title: Orchid/Lord Of This World
Source: CD: Master Of Reality
Writer(s): Iommi/Osbourne/Butler/Ward
Label: Warner Brothers
Year: 1971
Black Sabbath continued their winning streak with their third LP, Master Of Reality, in 1971. The album marked the first time that guitarist Tony Iommi deliberately detuned his guitar a step and a half on songs like Lord Of This World in order to ease the pressure on the fingertips of his left hand, which had been damaged in a factory accident years earlier. Bassist Geezer Butler followed step. The result was what Iommi called a "bigger, heavier sound" that helped establish Black Sabbath as the kings of heavy metal in the early 1970s.
Artist: Doors
Title: Moonlight Drive-including Horse Latitudes (live version)
Source: 45 RPM single B side
Writer(s): The Doors
Label: Elektra
Year: Vocal tracks recorded 1970, new instrumental tracks added 1983.
In 1983 Elektra Records compiled a "new" live Doors album made up of performances recorded from 1967 to 1970 called Alive, She Cried. The final track on the album was a 1970 version of Moonlight Drive that incorporates Jim Morrison's poem Horse Latitudes, which had preceded Moonlight Drive on the 1967 studio LP Strange Days. The only source I could find for track information states that Morrison's vocal was from a 1970 live performance, with instrumental overdubs added later.
Artist: Allman Brothers Band
Title: Done Somebody Wrong
Source: CD: Eat A Peach (bonus track)
Writer(s): Kirkland/James
Label: Mercury
Year: 1971
As a general rule, live albums by rock bands are made up mostly of tunes that the group had previously released on studio albums. The Allman Brothers Band, however, took a different path for their 1971 double LP At Fillmore East. Of the seven tracks spread across four album sides, only the last two had previously appeared on the band's two studio efforts. The first four tunes, in fact, were blues covers such as Done Somebody Wrong, a tune generally attributed to Elmore James, who recorded the song in 1960. James, however, had actually rearranged a song that Eddie Kirkland had released in 1959 called I Must Have Done Somebody Wrong. Kirkland had given James permission to record the song, but only if Kirkland was credited as the songwriter, however James's name appeared on the 1960 single as the sole songwriter. When the Allman Brothers Band performed the song at the Fillmore East they introduced it as "an old Elmore James" tune. They gave another live performance of the tune for the final Fillmore East concert on June 27, 1971, that was released as a bonus disc accompanying the CD version of the album Eat A Peach in 2006. This time the song was credited to Clarence L. Lewis, Elmore James and Morris Levy, demonstrating how difficult it is to track down the origins of blues standards.
Artist: Grand Funk Railroad
Title: In Need (live)
Source: CD: Closer To Home (bonus track)
Writer(s): Mark Farner
Label: Capitol
Year: 1969
Grand Funk Railroad may well be the loudest band in rock history. It certainly was the loudest band I have ever heard in concert. This live recording of In Need, a song that originally appeared on the band's second LP, is included as a bonus track on their third studio LP, Closer To Home. Turn your speakers up to eleven to get the full effect.
Artist: Rod Stewart and Faces
Title: (I Know) I'm Losing You
Source: 45 RPM single (promo copy)
Writer(s): Whitfield/Holland/Grant
Label: Mercury
Year: 1971
In addition to his role as lead vocalist for the Faces (formerly the Small Faces), singer Rod Stewart had a solo career going at the same time. This made for some awkward situations, since Stewart's solo work appeared on the Mercury label, while the Faces were under contract to Warner Brothers. For one thing, none of the band members received credit on any of Stewart's albums, including Every Picture Tells A Story, which was in essence a Faces album in all but name. Still, it is not entirely clear if the entire band was present for the recording of (I Know) I'm Losing You, a Motown classic originally recorded by the Temptations, although the label on the single clearly states that the song was by Rod Stewart and Faces.
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