If you’re a baby boomer, I must say, I’m pretty jealous of all the fantastic classic rock music you got to enjoy in 1974. It was an excellent year for rock and all of its moving parts and evolutions. And I bet if you were there to hear these four songs drop in 1974, you still know them by heart today. Let’s get a little nostalgic!
“Black Water” by The Doobie Brothers from ‘What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits’
How about a little bit of classic roots rock to get your energy up? “Black Water” by The Doobie Brothers was one of the group’s first No. 1 hits. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart and did similarly well in Canada and Australia. The song was written during a trip to New Orleans, and you can really hear the influence.
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“When I got down there [New Orleans] it was everything I had hoped it would be,” said songwriter Patrick Simmons in a now-lost interview with Goldmine Mag. “The way of life and vibe really connected with me and the roots of my music.”
“Jet” by Paul McCartney and Wings from ‘Band On The Run’
Paul McCartney and Wings dropped “Jet” in 1974, and it was a lightning-fast hit on the charts. The first single from their album Band On The Run, “Jet” peaked at No. 7 on the Hot 100 and UK Singles charts. It’s a fine little glam rock tune that really set the vibe for the entire album.
“Hooked On A Feeling” by Blue Swede from ‘Hooked On A Feeling’
There isn’t a baby boomer alive who can hold back from singing along to those “ooga chaka” chants. “Hooked On A Feeling” by Blue Swede is actually a pop-rock cover of a 1968 song by B. J. Thomas, but Blue Swede really turned it into a hit on the charts. This memorable song peaked at No. 1 on the Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100 charts.
“Everyday” by Slade from ‘Old New Borrowed And Blue’
Slade had a glam rock smash hit on their hands with “Everyday”. This entry on our list of classic rock songs that every baby boomer alive still remembers from 1974 peaked at No. 3 on the UK Singles chart. It didn’t quite make it to the US charts, but it has since gained a lot more international love in retrospect.
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