A History of Pop Music – Albums 1973

Featured Album:

This is a series of articles looking at albums from 1960 to whatever year we end up in.

I will select a featured album for each year and the link for the whole album, Plus list the songs on it.

As before, it is not just about the songs and tunes, it is very much about memories, and good ones, I hope.

Not everyone will like my choices of course, and you may remember some from each particular year that you feel should have been included, so do please post a link to the song.

Interesting events in the USA. I do not believe for one minute His Donaldness has given up. Let us see what happens leading up to the 20^th January. Brexit, well I think it could have been a lot worse, so lots to sort over the next few weeks, months, and years. Brexit Party now renamed the Reform Party. I still wish that every single anti-EU party would join under one banner, we shall hurry up and wait and see what happens though.

Lockdown is bound to be affecting many of us. It really has got to the stage where the cure is worse than the disease. Hang in there fellow Puffins, make regular visits to the GP site and vent your frustrations.

In 1973 I remember we joined the European Economic Community; at my young age I had no views on it. I do recall my dad moaning later that year about another new tax called VAT though. The cod wars with Iceland were always in the paper. I was just going to work as an Upholstery cutter each day, met my first few girlfriends, found one I really liked. 5 times a night was normal, not sure I manage that a year these days. Still, happy days.

Dark side of the Moon with its iconic album cover is another of those albums I bought in several formats. I still do not like a lot of the totally unnecessary non-music bits before some songs, but once you get over that, wow, so special. (If you play this, the first minute or so is just noise, after that, be prepared to be blown away).

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Roger Waters.

Side one
No.	Title	Music	Lead vocals	Length
1.	“Speak to Me“	Nick Mason	instrumental	1:13
2.	“Breathe” (listed as “Breathe in the Air” on the original LP label)	· Waters · Richard Wright · David Gilmour	Gilmour	2:43
3.	“On the Run“	· Waters · Gilmour	instrumental	3:36
4.	“Time” (containing “Breathe (Reprise)“)	· Waters · Gilmour · Wright · Mason	· Gilmour · Wright	6:53
5.	“The Great Gig in the Sky“	· Wright · Clare Torry	Torry	4:36
Total length:				19:27

Side two
No.	Title	Music	Lead vocals	Length
1.	“Money“	Waters	Gilmour	6:23
2.	“Us and Them“	· Waters · Wright	Gilmour	7:49
3.	“Any Colour You Like“	· Gilmour · Mason · Wright	instrumental	3:26
4.	“Brain Damage“	Waters	Waters	3:49
5.	“Eclipse“	Waters	Waters	2:03
Total length:				23:42

The Dark Side of the Moon is the eighth studio album by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 1 March 1973. Primarily developed during live performances, the band premiered an early version of the record several months before recording began. The record was conceived as an album that focused on the pressures faced by the band during their arduous lifestyle, and dealing with the apparent mental health problems suffered by former band member Syd Barrett, who departed the group in 1968. New material was recorded in two sessions in 1972 and 1973 at Abbey Road Studios in London.

Clare Torry was paid £30 for that magical piece on “The great Gig in the Sky”. Later she went to court, as she really was a co-writer of that. She won and received undisclosed sums of money, good for her.

With estimated sales of over 45 million copies, it is Pink Floyd’s most commercially successful album, and one of the best-selling albums worldwide.

More writings on this album here: Dark Side of the Moon

So, on we go with 1973:

The Top 10 Albums with a You Tube hyperlink on the title:

Top Tip: Right-click and open in new tab

Top Albums of 1973
1	Elton John	Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player
2	David Bowie	Aladdin Sane
3	Simon & Garfunkel	Simon And Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits
4	Peters & Lee	We Can Make It
5	The Beatles	The Beatles 1967-1970
6	Pink Floyd	Dark Side Of The Moon
7	Gilbert O’Sullivan	Back To Front
8	David Bowie	Hunky Dory
9	The Beatles	The Beatles 1962-1966
10	Perry Como	And I Love You So

Elton had the top seller, includes Daniel and Crocodile Rock. Bowie with not one, but two iconic albums. S&G with yet another album that most people had because it is superb, you will almost certainly know and can sing along to every track on this. I must confess to liking Peters and Lee, Welcome home. The Beatles of course, both a regular on my playlist. I will say I really enjoyed Gilbert O’Sullivan, still do. For those who enjoy a singer with an incredibly good voice, Perry Como, anyone got this as their Karaoke song?

Overall, this top 10 from 1973 is in my view the best line up for any single year ever. Only 1977 is going to come close to this for all 10 albums being as good.

In my view the best albums of the year were these top 10, however, some notably excellent albums are featured below as well.

Mott The Hoople – Mott – Includes All the way from Memphis and the Ballad of Mott the Hoople

Paul Simon – There Goes Rhymin’ Simon – I bought this in an American PX shop in West Germany in 1976. Utterly sublime.

Mike Oldfield – Tubular Bells – I think I played this one to death. Another of those albums that most people had in their collection!

Roxy Music – For Your Pleasure – Includes The Strand

Willie Nelson – Shotgun Willie – As you know I like a bit of Willie

Bruce Springsteen – The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle – I know we have some big Bruce fans on here.

Rick Wakeman – The Six Wives Of Henry VIII – If you like your prg rock, then this is probably the album you first bought.

Scoring:

As you know I like to review your “tunes” that you post.

*Note. Anyone scoring a Morrissey (lowest score possible) will be reported and blocked.

Hat tips to: