ut I've decided to go forward with this anyway.I've decided to offset with the inaugural class that I compiled a name for.That would be 1972, the year Sally was born.As with many of the age in the 1970's, this name is fairly rock-dominated.I compiled 56 songs from 1972, and from those, here is the top twenty.1.Heart Of Gold-Neil Young(From his album Harvest)This is my favorite Neil Young song, and the best song of 1972.I've always preferred Neil Young to other more lauded singer-songwriters like Dylan and Springsteen.Neil's voice is typical and his songs are excellent.Though I usually prefer his more uptempo songs, this is decidedly his best.Short and sweet, with James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt providing the harmony vocals at the end.2.Blue Sky-Allman Brothers Band(From their album Eat A Peach)Singer Dickey Betts starts out the 1st verse mentioning "Carolina" and the call just gets better from there.Sally gave me a difficult time about the guitar solo that encompasses the immense bulk of the song, but I believe it's just gorgeous, especially the region where Betts and Duane Allman are acting together before Duane gives way to Betts.This call is simply plain beautiful.3.Let's Stick Together-Al Green(From his album Let's Stick Together)For a few days there in the early Seventies, you couldn't beat Al Green for these types of songs.Green's vocal is silky smooth, and the operation of the set is top notch, especially the deep and drums.That rhythm is so seductive.The Reverend Green was on his back with this one.4.Stir It Up-Johnny Nash(From his album I Can See Clearly Now)This call was originally done by Bob Marley and the Wailers, and I know their reading of it, too.It's slower, and mellower.But I really love Nash's more upbeat adaptation of the song.Nash has a large voice, and puts it to just use on this one.I wish the horns on the course too.It's a smooth song.5.Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)Looking Glass(From their album Looking Glass)Some of the greatest songs are one-hit wonders, and this one qualifies.I still wonder about that lyric about Brandy's necklace being made of silver from Spain.I never knew Spain was famous for its silver.This song just sounds like it was recorded in the couch of a motel.It only has that lounge-band quality to it.But that's just fine.And the song wouldn't be almost as well with another vocalist.The singer's voice is only good for the song.6.30 Years In The Hole-Humble Pie(From their album Smokin')Steve Marriott had a great voice.I suppose he form of sounded like Rod Stewart, only with a little more edge.I'd never really scrutinized the lyrics to this one too closely, but man, there's a lot going on here.Coke, hash, marijuana, booze.These guys were obviously pretty wild.I remember hearing this game in high school and dropping in bed with the raucousness of it.I played it awhile back, and Katie asked what it was and said she liked it.As I've said before, Katie has a rocker's soul.7.You Break It Well-Rod Stewart(From his album Never A Dull Moment)Speaking of Rod, here he is.I ever put this song as function of the capital trilogy of similar-sounding songs he had at the number of the decade (the former two being "Maggie May" and "Every Picture Tells A Story").I'd have pledged that they were all on the same album, and not, in fact on three different albums.This one is probably my favourite of the three, even complete the more popular "Maggie May."I suppose it's the violin that does it.8.Tumbling Dice-The Rolling Stones(From their album Exile On Main Street)As I've said before, this is the only song on Exile that I actually like, but I wish it a lot.I know how it just doesn't let up.It only keeps building and release and moving.The vocals are excellent, especially the backing ones.Mick Taylor plays a mean slide guitar on this one, and, well, it just rocks.9.Dirty Work-Steely Dan(From their album Can't Buy A Thrill)Pretty much the only Steely Dan song I like where Donald Fagan isn't on the vocals.While Fagan is a great vocalist, he couldn't have done this song justice in the way David Palmer did.His voice just fits it.The organ playing on is pretty sweet, and you can't go amiss with those horns.10.Free Four-Pink Floyd(From their album Obscured By Clouds)For spec work, this isn't bad.Obscured By Clouds is the soundtrack for the film La Vallee.It's a French movie, and I've never seen it, but based on the fact that they also lent music to the unwatchable Zabriskie Point, I'm guessing it's a crappy art-house movie.The cheery sounding music is a sharp contrast to the lyric content ("You are the Saint of Death, and I am the dead man's son").It's a capital song though, and David Gilmour lets some nasty riffs and solos fly on this one.This was the final thing the guys recorded before embarking on Dark Face Of The Moon.11.Take It Easy-The Eagles(From their album Eagles)As Glenn Frey noted at the point where I saw them perform, this was the call that "started it all."It was their first one and the opening song on the album.Jackson Browne co-wrote it.I remember the almost notable piece of the call is the verse about "Standing on a nook in Winslow, Arizona."I recollect being pretty geeked to see Winslow from I-40 when we were riding through heading to L.A. even though we didn't get to stop, and was really geeked when my uncle sent me pictures from there before this week.They take a statue commemorating the blood of the call right there in town.That's pretty cool.I know the song.It isn't flashy or anything.It's just good.12.Summer Breeze-Seals and Crofts(From their album Summer Breeze)I think the highlight of the call for me is the introduction of the song (which also serves as the outro).It sounds kind of spooky.It's a large song, though I've never heard jasmine mentioned so often in a song in my life.Naturally, these days, when I learn this song, I go backwards to the movie Dazed and Confused, and the setting where Mitch and his girl (whose name escapes me) are making out on the blanket at sunrise.13.Free Ride-Edgar Winter Group(From their album They Just Get Out At Night)Another song with a Stupid And Lost connection.In fact, the year 1972 had four songs on my original list that appeared in the movie, and 3 of them are on this list.Dan Hartman (who would afterwards make a big solo hit with a favourite of mine, "I Can Dream About You") is on the song here, and he's great.I know the guitar playing on this one, which is either by Rick Derringer or Ronnie Montrose (they both act on the track).14.Lean On Me-Bill Withers(From his album Still Bill)Apparently Withers wrote this around his hometown in West Virginia after he'd moved to L.A. and missed where he grew up.Good thing.His homesickness inspired an incredible song.Withers' vocal is wonderful.He sounds so soulful and never ever strains or seems to maintain himself or energy it.Just a grand performance, and a great lyric.15.School's Out-Alice Cooper(From his album School's Out)I don't imagine there's a school-aged kid who doesn't like this one.It's one of the Coop's better tunes.This is the third song used in Dazed and Broken on the list, and it naturally is played at the end of the final day of school.How appropriate.16.All The Young Dudes-Mott the Hoople(From their album All The Young Dudes)It isn't too strong to say that this call was scripted by David Bowie.When I found that out, it was slow to see his work on the song.Even so, I still really wish it, and consider that the Hoople did a swell job on it, probably better than Bowie would get done.And that's good, because before the band accepted this song, they were offered "Suffragette City," which they declined.I'd say they made a right choice.17.Long Cool Woman (In A Dark Dress)The Hollies(From their album Distant Light)This song stands in complete contrast to lots of the Hollies' work, and for that, I wish it.I wasn't ever crazy about lots of their other stuff, though "The Air That I Breathe" is fairly good.This call is only great.The guitar playing is excellent, particularly the intro, and the song is only right.I incline to conceive of "Undercover Agent Man" by Johnny Rivers when I see this, and I don't know why.This isn't a spy song, but it scarce seems to sustain the like kind of intrigue going on in the lyrics.18.Listen To The Music-The Doobie Brothers(From their album Toulouse Street)When I was a kid, I liked the Michael McDonald-era Doobie songs better, probably because they were pretty ubiquitous on the radio during that time.As I've gotten older, I much favour the pre-McDonald song, and this one is likely the best.The guitar playing is the highlight.They're just pick it on the choruses.The vocal harmonies on the choruses are great too.Just a nice happy-sounding song.19.Smoke On The Water-Deep Purple(From their album Machine Head)This song has grown on me over time.I bow to the mighty riff that pretty much carries the song.I see most rock aficionados are conversant with the history behind the song, how some guy with a flare gun burned down the casino where Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Design were putting on a show."Smoke" has probably the most distinctive riff in stone and wrap this position of "Louie, Louie."Which goes to indicate that, sometimes, simple is best.20.Just Got Paid-ZZ Top(From their album Rio Grande Mud)I love Billy Gibbons' vocals on this one.Generally, I choose the songs that Gibbons sings on to the ones that feature Dusty Hill, meaning I generally like their seventies stuff much better than the eighties stuff.Gibbons also unleashes some nasty guitar on this one too.Anyway, that's that.I'm not certain which year we'll feature next but stay tuned, and thanks for reading.
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