4 Top Records From 1971 That Never Get Old, No Matter How Many Times I Listen

Over the course of my music-listening career, I have worn out countless songs to the point of personal disgust. What once was my favorite song, constantly on repeat, eventually became one of my least favorite as the “nausea” of “ad nauseam” began to take hold. But that moment has never seemed to come with these top records from 1971.

“It’s Too Late” by Carole King

Carole King’s sophomore release, Tapestry, was a massive success thanks to songs like “It’s Too Late” and this B-side’s reverse cut, “I Feel The Earth Move”. The album catapulted King, who had long been behind the scenes as a songwriter, into solo stardom. Even decades after its release—and countless listens later—I’ve never gotten tired of this song. Something about the slinky verses giving way to the emotional, wide-open chorus just never gets old.

“Grandma’s Hands” by Bill Withers

The older I get, the more precious I find the memories of my grandmothers to be. As a result, records like Bill Withers’ 1971 track, “Grandma’s Hands”, only mean more to me as more time passes. To be honest, I don’t think I know of any other song about maternal love that’s quite as groovy as Withers’ cut from his debut studio album, Just As I Am. If one exists, I have yet to find it.

“Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” by Paul and Linda McCartney

While he’s never explicitly said he utilizes this trick on purpose, Paul McCartney has struck gold with his technique of incorporating multiple musical ideas into one song. Take, for instance, the 1971 track “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey”, one of his many top records from his post-Beatles era. McCartney released this multi-song track with his wife, Linda McCartney. Despite the many criticisms Linda faced as a former Beatle’s new collaborator, they created a song that never gets old—maybe because there are two of them.

“L.A. Woman” by The Doors

L.A. Woman is definitely my favorite Doors album, but it’s also up there as one of my favorite albums of all time. Thus, it’s no surprise (to me, anyway) that “L.A. Woman” would make my list of timeless records from 1971. In fact, I’d argue that one of the best parts about this song that never gets old is singing along with Jim Morrison when he says “well, I just got into town about an hour ago.” Or, as it sounds like in his slurry vocal delivery, “well-uh bee-dah bah-da bee-da bah-da bow-er-uh gooo.”

Photo by Jim McCrary/Redferns