Few decades in rock music evoke such nostalgia as the 70s. The 70s in rock music have some of the best songs ever released, including these three. All out in 1974, these rock songs are so good that it’s likely that every 70s kid can still sing them from memory today.
“I Shot The Sheriff” by Eric Clapton
Before Eric Clapton released “I Shot The Sheriff”, it was first released by Bob Marley, who wrote the song. But it’s Clapton’s version that is the most well-known. A multi-platinum hit for Clapton, “I Shot The Sheriff” was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
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Marley had the idea to write the song about a young man in Jamaica who is falsely accused. Clapton later admits he didn’t want to do the song because he was afraid he would not do it as well as Marley. Fortunately, Marley heartily approved of Clapton’s version.
“I Shot The Sheriff” says, “All around in my home town / They’re trying to track me down / They say they want to bring me in guilty / For the killing of a deputy / For the life of a deputy / But I say / I shot the sheriff, but I swear it was in self-defense / I shot the sheriff, and they say it is a capital offense.”
“Tell Me Something Good” by Rufus
The band Rufus includes “Tell Me Something Good” on their sophomore Rags To Rufus record. The song is written by Stevie Wonder. Wonder allowed Rufus to record the song because he was a fan of the group’s lead singer, Chaka Khan.
“Tell Me Something Good” remains one of the most memorable hits of the 70s. The song says, “You ain’t got no kind of feeling inside I got something that’ll sure enough set your stuff on fire / You refuse to put anything before your pride, yeah / Well, what I go will knock all your pride aside / Tell me something good, yeah / Tell me that you love me, yeah / Tell me something good / Tell me that you like it, yeah.“
“Tell Me Something Good” was a hit on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the R&B chart.
“Rock Me Gently” by Andy Kim
“Rock Me Gently” was written by Andy Kim, who included the song on his 1973 self-titled record. Out as a single one year later, “Rock Me Gently” is Kim’s first No. 1 single in five years. It is also the final one of his career.
An uptempo tune, “Rock Me Gently” says, “Touching you, so warm and tender / Lord, I feel such a sweet surrender / Beautiful is the dream that makes you mine. Mm, rock me gently, rock me slowly / Take it easy, don’t you know / That I have never been loved like this before.”
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