Back in April, I offered my annual selections of the best 15 album of fifty years ago. Overall, 1975 was a pretty decent year for music, and I wanted to revisit that year one more time with a batch of long-forgotten tracks that made an impact on me. The dozen “lost classics” I’ve selected, culled exclusively from albums released in 1975, provide a healthy cross section of the kind of rock, blues, R&B, jazz and country music I was listening to at that time.

As with most of my lost classics, you might not be even remotely familiar with them…or you might have heard them once or twice back in the day but they’ve been under your radar ever since. By shining a light on them here, I hope to bring these quality 50-year-old songs to your attention. I recommend you punch in the Spotify playlist at the bottom and listen along as you read. I’m wagering you’ll find them worthy of your time.

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“Birmingham Blues,” The Charlie Daniels Band

Daniels is best known for his remarkable fiddle playing, but as his 25-album career clearly demonstrates, he was a solid singer and songwriter as well. He and his band deftly merged country, blues, rock and even jazz, sometimes cracking the Top 20 but mostly just turning out solidly dependable, modestly successful albums that kept them on the concert circuit for decades. Early on in their repertoire came the LP “Nightrider,” which includes the ferocious “Birmingham Blues,” easily my favorite song in their entire repertoire. It focuses on a Southern man who travels to L.A. in search of fame and fortune but ends up alone after his woman back home betrays him: “Sittin’ here in L.A., looking down at my shoes, /Drownin’ my troubles on small talk and blues, /Sittin’ here wonderin’ if I could have been born to lose, /I think movin’ is losin’, and now I can see I let a false-hearted woman make a fool outta me, /And now all I got left now is a bad case of Birmingham Blues…”

“There Will Be Love,” Jefferson Starship

When Jefferson Airplane founder Marty Balin rejoined his old colleagues in their new Jefferson Starship lineup for their “Red Octopus” album in 1975, he brought with him (to no one’s surprise) his predilection for love ballads to complement the counterculture concerns found in the songs by Paul Kantner and Grace Slick. The fact that Balin’s romantic approach dominates the proceedings was evident in the #1 chart success of “Miracles” as well as the big red heart in the album cover artwork. Hidden at the end of Side Two is “There Will Be Love,” another of Balin’s significant contributions, a power ballad co-written by Kantner and guitarist Craig Chaquico, and carried by those time-honored Airplane/Starship vocal harmonies.

“Dreaming From the Waist,” The Who

Following the phenomenal four-album run of “Tommy,” “Live at Leeds,” “Who’s Next” and “Quadrophenia,” The Who’s composer Pete Townshend was showing signs of burnout and exhaustion. The songs on “The Who By Numbers,” released in November 1975, “were written with me stoned out of my brain in my living room, crying my eyes out, detached from my own work and from the whole project… I felt empty.” He had just turned 30 and was troubled by whether he was getting too old to play rock and roll anymore. He also acknowledged he was drinking too much (the subject of “However Much I Booze”) and was challenged by his sexual urges, which he wrote about on “Dreaming From the Waist.” He said he didn’t like performing the song in concert, but the rest of the band really embraced the track.

“Before You Came,” Jesse Colin Young

Young is probably best known for the anthemic single “Get Together” he wrote and sang while with The Youngbloods in the 1960s. I was enamored of the solo albums he recorded in the mid-1970s — “Song For Juli,” “Light Shine” and “Songbird.” About the latter LP, Young said, “Really the heart of that album was a song called ‘Before You Came.’ I had visited the Black Hills of South Dakota and befriended some American Indians there and learned more about their plight and their sad history. After I returned to California, I was up on our ridge top overlooking Drakes Bay near San Francisco, and I saw a four-masted schooner anchored there. I thought I had all of a sudden stepped back in time, and that I was watching the first landing of white settlers. That’s where the idea for ‘Before You Came’ originated.” The music has a jazzy groove that’ll have you fully involved.

“Black Country Woman,” Led Zeppelin

As they were recording songs for their next LP in 1974, the members of Led Zeppelin found themselves with more material than would fit on a single LP, so they decided to make it a double by resurrecting several tracks they’d worked on but shelved during sessions for previous LPs. One of those, “Black Country Woman,” is an acoustic blues romp recorded in 1972 at Stargroves, the English manor owned by Mick Jagger. The microphones picked up the sound of an airplane flying overhead, which made producers reject the track, but Jimmy Page and Robert Plant liked it and left it in. I’m not a big fan of the “Physical Graffiti” album except for a handful of songs like “Kashmir,” “Night Flight,” “Ten Years Gone” and this fun diversion, which would’ve fit well on the largely acoustic “Led Zeppelin III.”

“Right,” David Bowie

The man who sold the world a hunky-dory image of himself as a space-age glam rocker named Ziggy Stardust made his first chameleon-like career change in 1975 with the release of “Young Americans,” his convincing “blue-eyed soul” LP. It proved to be remarkably authentic R&B music for a British rocker like Bowie, first on the marvelous title track and then on his iconic pairing with John Lennon on the #1 hit “Fame.” Forgotten underneath those two tunes were several other fine soul offerings, most notably “Right,” carried by prominent percussion and bass and the earworm repetition of the main lyric (“Taking it all the right way / Never no turning back”). Bowie famously said, “People forget what the sound of Man’s instinct is — it’s a drone, a mantra. And people say, ‘Why are so many things popular that just drone on and on?’ But that’s the point, really.”

“Rose Darling,” Steely Dan

The seven albums Steely Dan released during their initial 1972-1980 run had MAYBE five tracks that could be considered duds.  That’s five out of 63 songs — quite an impressive success ratio!  To my ears, everything else they wrote and recorded is simply awesome music.  On their 1975 masterpiece “Katy Lied,” they could’ve dispensed with the aptly titled “Throw Back the Little Ones,” but otherwise, flawless:  “Black Friday,” “Bad Sneakers,” “Daddy Don’t Live in New York City No More,” “Doctor Wu,” “Everyone’s Gone to the Movies,” “Your Gold Teeth II,” “Chain Lightning,” “Any World That I’m Welcome To.”  For this list, I’ve singled out the irresistible “Rose Darling,” which gives us the great Dean Parks on guitar and a young Michael McDonald making his first appearance with Steely Dan on vocal harmonies.  

“Carol,” Al Stewart

Combining folk-rock songs with tales of characters and events from history, Stewart released five LPs between 1967 and 1973 to little acclaim or sales, but once he hooked up with producer Alan Parsons on 1975’s “Modern Times” LP, his career took off, especially in the US, where “Year of The Cat” and “Time Passages” were Top Ten smashes in 1977-1978. “Modern Times” managed to reach #30 on US album charts even without a hit single, although the opening track “Carol” should’ve filled that bill. An infectious melody and some fine ensemble playing complement Stewart’s intriguing character study of a woman seeking to overcome her unsatisfying childhood: “I know your daddy said he’d talk to you, but he never really found the time, /And your TV mother with her cocktail eyes could never really reach your mind, /Oh Carol, I think it’s time for running for cover…”

“First Things First,” Stephen Stills

All four singer-songwriters in Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young enjoyed successful solo careers, which served to assuage the disappointment fans felt that the foursome couldn’t seem to stick together longer. Stills in particular was pretty prolific, with his Top Five “Love the One You’re With” single in 1970, two solo LPs and the remarkable Manassas double album in 1972. He was near completion of his third solo album in early 1974, but he put the project on hold for the legendary CSNY reunion tour that summer (I saw their three-hour set at Cleveland Stadium), where they each debuted several not-yet-released tracks. One of those was the Stills tune “First Things First,” which ended up appearing on “Stills” in 1975. It had been recorded in late 1973, with David Crosby and Graham Nash providing their trademark harmonies.

“Have a Good Time,” Paul Simon

Simon’s 1973 LP “There Goes Rhymin’ Simon” was a buoyant, rousing success with upbeat singles (“Kodachrome” and “Loves Me Like a Rock”) and tracks brimming with love and optimism. It came as quite a contrast, then, when his 1975 follow-up, “Still Crazy After All These Years,” was so downbeat and melancholy. Simon had just been through a divorce from his first wife, and several of the tunes reflected that difficult emotional upheaval. Even the #1 hit “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” with its catchy beat and whimsical lyrical approach, was still about a romantic breakup. The album’s lone moment of hope came on the languid deep track “Have a Good Time,” which urged listeners to set aside their troubles and enjoy life: “I don’t believe what I read in the papers, they’re just out to capture my dime, /I ain’t worrying and I ain’t scurrying, I’m having a good time, /Good time baby, good time, child…”

“Lighthouse,” James Taylor

There are so many great tunes on James Taylor’s many albums that it’s a challenge to choose which one to highlight. Since this playlist focuses on lost classics from 1975, I took a closer look at “Gorilla,” his album from that year, which featured his Top Five cover of Marvin Gaye’s “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” and “Mexico.” Every track on the LP is worthy of your attention, but I selected “Lighthouse,” which features a winning melody and the stunning harmonies of (who else?) David Crosby and Graham Nash. Lyrically, Taylor humanizes a lighthouse at the edge of the continent, whose job is to warn ships of the dangerous rocky coastline: “I’m a lonely lighthouse, not a ship out in the night, I’m watching the sea, /She’s come halfway round the world to see the light and to stay away from me, /There is a shipwreck lying at my feet, some weary refugee from the rolling deep, /Ah, could you lose it all and fall for me?…”

“Meeting Across the River,” Bruce Springsteen

On an album as high-profile and legendary as Springsteen’s “Born to Run,” it’s easy to forget there’s a deep track that sounds unlike the rest of the LP and yet absolutely belongs there. The pensive “Meeting Across the River” utilizes just piano, trumpet, light bass and Bruce’s plaintive voice to create what one critic called “a film noir jazz ambience.” The lyrics tell the story of two would-be gangsters (the narrator and Eddie), desperate for a big score, who have to travel to the other side of the Hudson River to close a shady deal that will reap them big bucks and make their girlfriends proud (“And when I walk through that door, I’m just gonna throw that money on the bed, /She’ll see this time I wasn’t just talking, /Then I’m gonna go out walking…”). We don’t learn if they were successful, but that’s almost beside the point. It’s about the calm before the storm, and the music nails the feeling that juxtaposes hope and dread.

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Regular readers know that unearthing long-forgotten classic rock songs is a favorite pastime here at Hack’s Back Pages. More than 40 times, I’ve devoted this blog to a dozen carefully chosen tracks from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s that you either never knew before or had let slip your mind in the years since they were released.

Recently, it was pointed out to me that songs from the ’90s should be considered classic rock as well because they’re roughly 30 years old now. I compiled my first batch of “lost classics from the ’90s” a few months ago, and now I’m offering another dozen for your listening pleasure. As always, there’s a Spotify playlist at the end so you can feast on these songs as you read about them.

There will be many more, I can assure you.

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“Mad About You,” Sting, 1991

In 1987, Sting’s father passed away, which affected the singer deeply, causing a writer’s block that lasted nearly three years. His subsequent LP, 1990’s “The Soul Cages,” ended up being a concept album of sorts, with most of the material alluding to his father’s life. “After I wrote ‘Why Should I Cry For You,’ the dam broke, and the rest of the songs just flowed out,” he said in 1991. “All This Time” was the record’s big hit, reaching #5 in the US, while the title track and the flamenco-tinged “Mad About You” were more popular in his native England.

“Sleeping Satellite,” Tasmin Archer, 1992

I remember being blown away the first time I heard this dramatic tune, and I’m kicking myself for having forgotten about it until recently. Tasmin Archer, a British-Jamaican singer-songwriter with a powerful voice, wrote this song in 1989 about the Moon missions and the regrettable fact that further significant exploration was severely curtailed in the years since. The song topped the charts in the UK and reached the Top Ten in several European countries and Canada but managed only #32 in the US. Critics gushed about her “low, evocative voice that’s both sultry and soulful.”

“My House,” Joe Jackson, 1991

I think Jackson is one of the most wildly talented musicians of the rock era, even if his commercial successes are relatively few and far between. Initial fame during the late ’70s (“Is She Really Going Out With Him?”) and early ’80s (“Steppin’ Out,” “Breaking Us in Two”) proved fleeting even as his albums remained intriguing and mostly engaging. “Blaze of Glory” in 1989 was criminally underrated, while 1991’s “Laughter and Lust” offered punchy rock tracks like “Goin’ Downtown” and “Stranger Than Fiction” and piano-centric ballads such as “The Other Me” and “My House.”

“Normal Town,” Better Than Ezra, 1996

Emerging from New Orleans in 1990, Better Than Ezra clicked in 1993 with their alt-rock sound on their “Deluxe” LP and two charting singles, “In the Blood” and “Good.” Singer-guitarist Kevin Griffin wrote most of their repertoire, including the quality material found on the 1996 album “Friction, Baby.” Most of that album rocked pretty hard, especially two more minor hit singles (“Desperately Wanting” and “King of New Orleans”) but several others worth mentioning offered a mellower vibe, including “WWOZ,” “Happy Endings” and “Normal Town.”

“Fall At Your Feet,” Crowded House, 1991

One of New Zealand/Australia’s best bands, Crowded House found considerable success in the US with its first two LPs and the singles “Don’t Dream It’s Over” and “Something So Strong,” both Top Ten hits here in the late ’80s. I found their third LP, “Woodface,” to be their best one yet, but it managed only #83 in the US, despite great Neil Finn songs like “Weather With You,” “It’s Only Natural,” “Chocolate Cake” and “Fall At Your Feet.” Crowded House continues to have strong appeal in the UK and Australia but only a modest following here.

“Build That Wall,” Aimee Mann, 1999

Originally from Richmond, Virginia, Mann formed the New Wave-ish group ‘Til Tuesday in Boston, and they released three strong LPs in the 1980s, including “Voices Carry” and “Welcome Home,” both Top 50 albums in the US. Mann embarked on a solo career in 1990, and by 1999, she was recruited by filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson to write songs for the soundtrack of his acclaimed film “Magnolia,” including such great tunes as “Save Me,” “You Do,” “Deathly” and particularly the soothing “Build That Wall,” co-written with Jon Brion.

“Passion Play (When All the Slaves are Free),” Joni Mitchell, 1991

“Night Ride Home,” Mitchell’s first album of the ’90s, has much in common with her confessional masterpieces of the ’70s but retains some of the angrier current-events focus of her ’80s LPs. Said Mitchell at the time, “The songs jump back and forth to form a sort of dialog between the present, my youth and the year zero in the Christian calendar.” One of the latter is “Passion Play,” a beautifully relentless piece that examines the Biblical ruling class and poses the bold question, “Now, you tell me, who’re you gonna get to do the dirty work when all the slaves are free?”

“Walk My Way,” Beth Nielsen Chapman, 1990

Ever since I first learned of her work on her 1990 self-titled debut LP, I’ve been a huge fan of both her singing and her songwriting. Even though her albums and singles have never made the mainstream charts, she has a Grammy for writing Faith Hill’s huge 1998 hit “This Kiss” and has written hits for other artists as well. Her own records have appeared on the Adult Contemporary charts multiple times, including “All I Have,” “In the Time It Takes,” “I Keep Coming Back to You,” “Sand and Water,” “Shake My Soul” and especially the melodious “Walk My Way.”

“I Wish I Were Blind,” Bruce Springsteen, 1992

After the 1987 LP “Tunnel of Love” and subsequent great-long tour supporting it, Springsteen chose to dissolve The E Street Band (temporarily, as it turned out) and try other musical approaches. The songs he wrote next were more generic pop than fans were accustomed to, and the “Human Touch” album was consequently not well received (in fact, its release was delayed nearly a year while he wrote “Lucky Town,” then released both albums simultaneously in 1992). Each album has only a couple of tracks that have stood the test of time. One is “I Wish I Were Blind,” about a man who is so heartbroken seeing his ex with someone else that he would rather lose his sense of sight.

“As Soon as the Tide Comes In,” Del Amitri, 1992

This Scottish alt-rock band did quite well on the charts in the UK with four 1990s albums charting in the Top Ten, and a dozen Top 40 singles. In the US, their success was more limited to three singles: “Kiss This Thing Goodbye,” “Always the Last to Know” and 1995’s “Roll to Me,” which peaked at #10. I recall being entranced when I heard “Kiss This Thing Goodbye” on MTV one day and ended up buying their next four LPs. From their “Change Everything” album, I found “As Soon as the Tide Comes In” to be appealing piano-based rock, with Justin Currie’s winning vocals.

“Every Mother’s Son,” The Pretenders, 1994

When Chrissie Hynde moved from Akron, Ohio, to London in the ’70s and formed The Pretenders, the group’s attitude and stage presence were always more punky than their music, which had a New Wave rock foundation. As time passed, Hynde’s songs became more melodic and accessible, and by 1994, their “Last of the Independents” LP included such mainstream tunes as “I’ll Stand By You” and a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young.” I think it’s an under-appreciated album, as evidenced by tracks like “Love Colors” and the comforting “Every Mother’s Son.”

“Florida Room,” Donald Fagen, 1993

After a magnificent run of albums in the 1970s, Donald Fagen and co-founder Walter Becker chose to put Steely Dan on hiatus for nearly 15 years. Fagen’s 1982 solo debut “The Night Fly” was a superb continuation of the Steely Dan sound, but he remained adverse to doing any live performing. In the early ’90s, he met Libby Titus, a seasoned songwriter who encouraged Fagen to return to the stage and to revive Steely Dan as a recording/touring entity. She and Fagen co-wrote “Florida Room,” a delightfully jazzy track from his second solo LP, 1993’s underplayed “Kamakiriad,” and the two ultimately married.

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