Summertime always carries an air of excited anticipation for long, sunshine-filled days, relaxation, and good times rolling into the evening hours, no matter what year it is. But there was something about the music of the summer of 1971 that made this particular season and year extra special.
Here are three soft rock songs that absolutely defined the summer for millions of Americans in 1971.
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“It’s Too Late” by Carole King
Carole King’s 1971 double A-side singles, “It’s Too Late” and “I Feel The Earth Move”, were dominating the charts in the summer of 1971. The soft rock sophomore release by the Laurel Canyon pianist and singer-songwriter remains a beloved staple in the 1970s musical canon. But when they first came out in April of that year? That was a memorable moment.
That memorable moment was commemorated in more ways than one, including a No. 1 chart position on the Billboard Hot 100 and a 1972 Grammy Award for Record of the Year for “It’s Too Late”.
“My Sweet Lord” by George Harrison
George Harrison released “My Sweet Lord” on his November 1970 triple album, All Things Must Pass, which means this feel-good tune had plenty of time to marinate on the charts by the time the following summer rolled around. The track hit its peak in January, but it remained a radio staple in the months to come. And how could it not?
With Harrison’s signature slide guitar and Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound production, “My Sweet Lord” was an instant classic, proving just how wrong Paul McCartney and John Lennon had been to stifle Harrison’s creativity the way they did when they were in The Beatles.
“Joy To The World” by Three Dog Night
Finally, “Joy To The World” by Three Dog Night, sometimes called “Jeremiah Was A Bullfrog”, after its opening line, peaked on the charts right around the start of summer on Memorial Day weekend of 1971. The soft rock song took off upon its spring release, earning a gold certification within two months of its debut. Even today, it’s one of Three Dog Night’s most well-known songs.
A quick shoutout to my elementary school bus driver, Miss Debbie, who regularly recounted her summer days as a youngin’ listening to “Joy To The World” by Three Dog Night to all the kids she was driving around. (We listened to Three Dog Night a lot on that bus, obviously.)
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