Fifty years ago this week Gram Parsons died in Room 8 of the Joshua Tree Inn in California, filled with morphine, barbiturates and alcohol, at the age of only 26.
There was no escaping this song in the summer of ’77, though I was far more interested in the Pistols and the Clash than chart-topping disco tunes.
I don’t know how I forgot this one when I was trawling through the songs of my childhood. It wasn’t a big hit but back in 1974 it seemed to be everywhere.
I don’t know how you can make a song sound this funky with little more than a bunch of drums from Africa and Asia. But dammit, Nina Simone can. And she did.
On a steamy summer’s day, who doesn’t enjoy a bit of soca music? Well I do, but I’ll admit I don’t know much about it beyond what seems to have become the Notting Hill Carnival’s signature tune, Arrow’s infectious singalong tune Hot Hot Hot.
This song has been covered numerous times by a who’s who of soul singers. This is the original – the first of two versions by bluesman Latimore – from 1974.
Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers performing their biggest hit single, the instrumental Egyptian Reggae, on Dutch TV in 1978.
This summer song brought Tony Burrows, the Zelig of Seventies pop, his sixth hit single – all with different bands.
The Angelic Upstarts, led by shaven-headed Mensi, flew the flag for back-to-basics punk from the North East – and for socialism and kicked off the much misunderstood Oi! movement.
The Zeros are another of the long-forgotten punk bands from the Class of ’77. This was on the fairly terrible Streets compilation on Beggars Banquet that year.
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