I admit it. I’m obsessed with the music of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s.

In addition to the successful songs on the albums from those three decades, there were also many hundreds, even thousands, of deep tracks buried there, just waiting to be unearthed and discovered (or re-discovered) today in 2024. I call them “lost classics,” although some are probably too obscure to qualify as classic. They’re just GREAT SONGS I firmly believe are worthy of your attention.

I’ve posted nearly 500 of these gems, a dozen at a time, in more than 40 different blog entries since I first started “Hack’s Back Pages” in 2015. This current batch (#42 if you’re counting) is comprised of infectious uptempo tunes that just might have you boppin’ around your living room before the day is through. That’s the goal, anyway…

Oh yes: I have a heads-up to all my readers. I keep a list of songs I come across that are potential candidates to make one of my “lost classics” playlists…but I’m always looking for suggestions. If you’ve got a favorite deep track that’s been forgotten or never discovered by most people, by all means, let me know. I’m eager to hear it and put it on the list of possibilities!

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“Let It Roll,” Little Feat, 1988

One of the most underrated bands of the 1970s despite a fiercely loyal following, Little Feat was led by guitarist/songwriter Lowell George until his death in 1979, after which the group disbanded, but band members Bill Payne, Paul Barrère, Kenny Gradney and Richie Heyward continued to occasionally perform together and separately under different names. In 1988, they joined forces with singer-songwriter Craig Fuller, former founder of Pure Prairie League, and resurrected the Little Feat brand with a superb comeback LP, “Let It Roll.” I saw them tour behind Don Henley that year, turning in a fine performance, and the rollicking title track was a definite standout.

“City to City,” Gerry Rafferty, 1978

Regular readers here will know I am a big Rafferty fan, from his early work with Stealers Wheel (“Stuck in the Middle With You”) to his largely ignored later work. Most impressive in his catalog is his 1978 #1 LP “City to City,” which included his two biggest hits, “Baker Street” and “Right Down the Line,” and a lesser single, “Home and Dry.” The Scot’s husky-smooth voice and memorable melodies have appealed to me ever since, although he had an aversion to performing live, which hurt his commercial momentum. The title song “City to City” sounds like it might be about touring, but the lyrics are instead about riding the rails, as the “goodnight train is gonna carry me home.” The music, too, chugs along like a locomotive.

“High on Emotion,” Chris DeBurgh, 1984

British-Irish singer/songwriter DeBurgh started out in the ’70s in the art-rock genre but moved to a more commercial pop style in the ’80s, finally making inroads on both the UK and US charts in the process. The ambitious “Don’t Pay the Ferryman” crashed the Top 40 here in 1982, and by 1986, he scored a #3 hit in the US with “The Lady in Red,” which went on to be an international #1 and used in multiple film soundtracks. In between those two commercial successes, he released the appealing “Man on the Line” LP in 1984, which included great tracks like “Moonlight and Vodka” and “Much More Than This.” He just missed the Top 40 with the album’s catchy single, “High on Emotion.”

“Outskirts,” Bob Welch, 1977

Welch had been lead guitarist and singer/songwriter for Fleetwood Mac in the 1971-1974 period, keeping the band afloat between the Peter Green years and the Buckingham/Nicks multiplatinum years. Welch left to form the hard rock power trio Paris, who produced two middling albums before disbanding in 1976. The songs Welch was writing for a third Paris LP instead became his solo debut, “French Kiss,” which reached an impressive #12 on US album charts in 1977, thanks to three hit singles (“Ebony Eyes,” “Hot Love, Cold World” and a remake of his Fleetwood Mac song “Sentimental Lady”). There are other tracks here that you should know more about, including “Outskirts.”

“SWLABR,” Cream, 1967

Most of the original songs on Cream’s albums were written by bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, with lyrics by performance poet Pete Brown, who was known for his cryptic, drug-fueled images and wordplay. “Sunshine Of Your Love,” “White Room” and “Politician” offer intriguing examples of their work, but one of the more unusual Bruce/Brown collaborations was entitled “SWLABR,” a track from their “Disraeli Gears” LP in 1967. The title is an acronym for “She Was Like A Bearded Rainbow,” and Brown said the song is about a scorned ex-girlfriend who was so jealous of his new lover that she defaced photos of her by adding a beard and moustache to them.

“Cynical Girl,” Marshall Crenshaw, 1982

With roots in classic soul and Buddy Holly rockabilly, Crenshaw emerged from Detroit in the late ’70s when he was selected to portray John Lennon in the musical “Beatlemania” on Broadway and then in a national touring company. When he made his solo debut with the “Marshall Crenshaw” album in 1982, he earned radio exposure with the irresistibly catchy “Someday, Someway.” His songs combined new wave with jangly pop that, to my ears, should’ve brought him far more commercial success than he ended up getting. “Cynical Girl,” another earworm from the first LP, inexplicably failed to make the charts as its second single. He had five albums in the ’80s that are all worth exploring.

“Everything’s Coming Our Way,” Santana, 1971

The hot new sensation of the lineup at Woodstock in 1969, Santana went on to chart at #4 for their debut LP, followed by “Abraxas” (1970), which topped the charts. For their “Santana III” album, which also peaked at #1, they continued their string of Top 40 hits as well, following “Black Magic Woman” and “One Como Va” with “Everybody’s Everything” and “No One To Depend On.” Buried near the end of Side Two was “Everything’s Coming Our Way,” one of very few Santana tracks credited to guitarist/leader Carlos Santana, and it’s a favorite of mine. The group would then shift gears in 1972 with personnel changes and a new jazz-fusion direction for a few years.

“Right Now,” Stephen Stills & Manassas, 1972

Nicknamed “Captain Manyhands” for his multiple talents as a songwriter, producer, instrumentalist and singer, Stills earned his reputation as a studio control freak during the recording of the 1972 double album by his band Manassas. The 20 songs, all written or co-written by Stills, showcased the superb musicianship of the players (Chris Hillman, Al Perkins, Joe Lala, Paul Harris, Dallas Taylor and Fuzzy Samuels) as they finessed their way through rock, country, bluegrass, Latino and blues styles. A highlight is the rock groove found on “Right Now,” with lyrics that examine his difficult relationship with Rita Coolidge, who’d been swept away by ex-bandmate Graham Nash.

“Pretty On the Inside,” Swimming Pool Qs, 1986

From the same Athens, Georgia scene that brought us The B-52s and R.E.M. came this lesser-known band, categorized as “new wave/jangle pop.” Led by the songwriting team of multi-instrumentalist Jeff Calder and guitarist Bob Elsey and the singing of Anne Richmond Boston, The Swimming Pool Qs scored a modest hit with “Rat Bait” in 1979, which earned them slots warming up tours for Devo and The Police. They struggled on for the next decade with personnel changes and new record labels, never really making much of a dent in the charts, but in 1986, I was exposed to their “Blue Tomorrow” album, which included the compelling tune “Pretty On the Inside.”

“Waning Moon,” Peter Himmelman, 1987

Minnesota-born Himmelman is a guitarist-singer-songwriter best known for his work creating scores for such TV shows as “Bones,” “Judging Amy” and “Men in Trees” and movies like “Pyrates,” “Ash Tuesday” and “A Slipped-Down Life” in the 1990s and 2000s. He also created a well-regarded series of children’s albums designed to help kids suffering medical stress. Prior to that, he was in the indie band Sussman Lawrence in the 1980s and had a modestly successful solo career, gaining radio exposure for rock songs like “The Woman With the Strength of 10,000 Men” and especially “Waning Moon” from his 1987 LP “Gematria.” I learned about Himmelman when he warmed up for Dave Mason at a show that year.

“Sneakin’ Sally Thru the Alley,” Robert Palmer, 1974

Widely known for 1980s hits like “Addicted to Love,” “I Didn’t Mean to Turn You On” and “Simply Irresistible,” stylish British singer Palmer got his start in 1974 with his underrated debut LP “Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley,” which established his penchant for combining genres like soul, funk, rock, reggae and blues. Much of the album was recorded in New Orleans with R&B funk band The Meters, who were leery at first of Palmer’s British roots until he started singing. Legendary New Orleans musician/producer Allen Toussaint wrote the infectious title track, which features an indelible bass line by George Porter Jr. and keyboards by Art Neville.

“Call Me, Tell Me,” Pure Prairie League, 1972

This popular country rock band was founded in 1970 in Ohio, with singer-songwriter-guitarists Craig Fuller and George Ed Powell leading the charge. Personnel changes between their first and second albums in 1972 hurt what little momentum they had, but Fuller’s iconic tune “Amie” picked up steam on college radio and finally became a hit in the spring of 1975. Meanwhile, the album it came from, “Bustin’ Out,” was one of the great unsung country rock albums of the ’70s, with songs like “Early Morning Riser,” “Falling In and Out of Love” and “Boulder Skies.” I’m partial to the album closer, “Call Me, Tell Me,” which features a spirited strings arrangement by (of all people) David Bowie’s then-guitarist, Mick Ronson.

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If you look at any given year in the classic rock era — say, 1974 — there’s a list of songs that dominated the Top 40 and became, in many people’s minds, representative of the music we were listening to in that particular year.

Fifty years ago, the ubiquitous hits were songs like Terry Jacks’s cringeworthy “Seasons in the Sun,” Ray Stevens’s silly (but timely) novelty tune “The Streak,” Grand Funk’s ho-hum remake of the 1961 hit “The Loco-Motion,” Barbra Streisand’s tearjerker movie ballad “The Way We Were” and MFSB’s early disco anthem “TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia).” I don’t know about you, but these were definitely not typical of the kind of music I was listening to in 1974.

Every year in the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s (and beyond), there were many dozens of songs that fall into a category I have called “lost classics” — tunes you loved but have forgotten about, or tracks you somehow never heard even though you might’ve owned the album where they’re found. My goal has been to periodically shine a bright light on these “diamonds in the rough” a dozen at a time. This week, I’ve chosen to focus on 13 neglected songs from 1974. They’re on a Spotify playlist at the end, so check them out. Hard to believe they’re a half-century old this year!

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“Star Baby,” The Guess Who, 1974

Ever since co-founder Randy Bachman left the group in 1970, The Guess Who had been dominated by the strong songwriting and singing of keyboardist Burton Cummings, who continued their string of Top 40 hits (“Hand Me Down World,” “Share the Land,” “Albert Flasher,” “Rain Dance”) and gold albums into the mid-’70s. In 1973, Cummings wrote “Star Baby” about one of the band’s roadies having an affair with singer Bonnie Bramlett. It has always irked me that the insipid “Clap For the Wolfman” became the hit single from their 1974 LP “Road Food” while the far superior “Star Baby” stalled at #39 on US pop charts (though it reached #9 in their native Canada). Such a great tune!

“Another Cruel Love,” The Marshall Tucker Band, 1974

Named after a blind piano tuner from Spartansburg, SC, The Marshall Tucker Band helped kick off the Southern rock genre with its eclectic mix of country, blues, jazz and rock on their debut LP in 1973. They made their name with extended tracks like “You Ain’t Foolin’ Me,” “Can’t You See,” “This Ol’ Cowboy,” “Take the Highway” and “24 Hours at a Time,” highlighted by Toy Caldwell’s superb guitar licks and the flute passages of Jerry Eubanks. One of my favorite MTB tunes, one of only a few to feature a vibrant horn section, is “Another Cruel Love,” an uptempo blues boogie that kicks off Side Two of their 1974 sophomore LP, “A New Life.”

“As The Raven Flies,” Dan Fogelberg, 1974

“Home Free,” Fogelberg’s 1972 debut LP, leaned heavily on a countrified approach and gained only limited notice, but by the 1974 follow-up, “Souvenirs,” things changed dramatically, thanks to the substantial contributions from guitarist Joe Walsh, who also served as producer. There are plenty of pleasant acoustic melodies (“Changing Horses,” “Souvenirs,” “Song From Half Mountain”) and some fine production numbers like “Part of the Plan” and “There’s a Place in the World For a Gambler,” but the big surprise for me was “As the Raven Flies,” which rocks as hard as anything in Fogelberg’s catalog. That’s Fogelberg and Walsh together on electric guitars throughout.

“Walk On,” Neil Young, 1974

Following the commercial success and appeal of “After the Gold Rush” and “Harvest,” Young shunned the spotlight and made two albums drenched in pessimism and melancholy. 1973’s “Tonight’s The Night” was such an abrupt about-face from “Harvest” that Young’s record company delayed its release for two years. In between, Young wrote and recorded “On the Beach,” which was similarly downcast and bleak in outlook. The somewhat catchy single “Walk On” flatlined at #69 on US charts, but it at least offered the pragmatic view that change is inevitable and we must accept it and move on. Young called the tune “my over-defensive reaction to criticisms of ‘Tonight’s the Night.'”

“Barrytown,” Steely Dan, 1974

Of the seven albums that made up Steely Dan’s initial career arc in the ’70s, “Pretzel Logic” is perhaps the one with the most commercial pop appeal. Its predecessor, “Countdown to Ecstasy,” saw the group stretching out on longer tracks with multiple instrumental solos, but this LP featured a dozen uncannily catchy three-minute songs carried by accessible melodies, quirky lyrics and Donald Fagen’s unmistakable voice. “Barrytown” had in fact been written years earlier, and was considered for their “Can’t Buy a Thrill” debut but was shelved instead. It was then resurrected during these 1974 sessions, and Poco/Eagles member Timothy B. Schmit adds dazzling harmonies on the bridge.

“Spirit,” The Doobie Brothers, 1974

The fourth LP by this San Jose-based band, “What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits,” continued the double-edged attack of rocker Tom Johnston and country picker Patrick Simmons each contributing quality tunes to the group effort. It was Simmons’s down-home “Black Water” that became The Doobies’ first #1 hit, but there are plenty of other great tracks to feast upon — “Tell Me What You Want,” “Eyes of Silver,” “Daughters of the Sea” and “Another Park, Another Sunday,” to name a few. When I saw the group perform in 2017, I was pleased that “Spirit,” a jaunty Johnston song I always liked, was among the surprises on the concert set list.

“Let It Grow,” Eric Clapton, 1974

During and after the “Layla” sessions in 1970, Clapton spiraled down into a heroin addiction that almost killed him, but he made it through to the other side with a newfound spirituality that informed much of his musical output throughout the 1970s, starting with the 1974 comeback LP “461 Ocean Boulevard.” Although his covers of Bob Marley’s “I Shot the Sheriff” and Johnny Otis’s “Willie and the Hand Jive” got most of the attention, the LP’s finest track, by far, is the Clapton original, “Let It Grow.” Some of the chord progressions resemble “Stairway to Heaven,” while the guitar/synthesizer mix positively shimmer behind Clapton’s earnest vocal delivery of lyrics that speak of hope and emotional growth.

“The Fan,” Little Feat, 1974

During sessions for Little Feat’s 1970 debut, founding members Lowell George and Billy Payne co-wrote a tune they called “Wait’ll the Shit Hits the Fan,” but the song’s 7/8 meter proved a bit too challenging, so they put it aside. Four years later, the band’s bigger lineup tried again, successfully recording it live in the studio as “The Fan” for their fourth LP, “Feats Don’t Fail Me Now.” It became a regular part of the band’s live set for most of the ’70s, sometimes involving lengthy instrumental solos and medleys with other tracks from the album. The dueling guitars of Paul Barrère and Lowell George are at their best on this exemplary song.

“Three and Nine,” Roxy Music, 1974

Always a critics darling, Roxy Music emerged from the British glam rock scene in 1972, broadening their approach with each successive album. By their fourth LP, “Country Life,” singer Bryan Ferry, guitarist Phil Manzanera and reed player Andy Mackay had honed an art-rock sensibility that dabbled in other esoteric styles and arrangements. Of particular note to me is “Three and Nine,” a more conventional tune that recalls the work of The Kinks’ Ray Davies. Ferry has noted that the song was inspired by a time in his youth when he often went to the movies, where the price of admission was three shillings and nine pence (hence “Three and Nine”).

“Get a Hold,” Loggins and Messina, 1974

When producer/musician Jim Messina agreed to man the boards on the 1971 debut LP of newcomer Kenny Loggins, he contributed so much that it was titled “Kenny Loggins With Jim Messina Sittin’ In,” and they went on to release six more albums as a duo before Loggins’ solo career finally commenced in 1977. For me, their high-water mark was the 1974 masterpiece “Mother Lode,” truly a treasure trove of fine songs and performances. One of the lesser-known gems is “Get a Hold,” a delightful Loggins tune carried by Messina’s understated lead guitar and the flute and sax work of multi-instrumentalists Jon Clarke and Al Garth.

“Hello Old Friend,” James Taylor, 1974

Taylor’s upbringing in North Carolina was the inspiration for “Carolina In My Mind,” a track from his overlooked 1969 debut LP that was re-recorded for his “Greatest Hits” album in 1976 and is one of his most cherished tunes today. He and his family also spent most of his childhood summers on Martha’s Vineyard off the coast of Cape Cod, and he ended up building a house there in 1972 where he and his then-wife Carly Simon settled down. Because he found touring grueling, he loved returning to the tranquility of the Vineyard, and he chose to write about that in “Hello Old Friend,” one of the standout tracks from his unassuming 1974 LP, “Walking Man.”

“People’s Parties/The Same Situation,” Joni Mitchell, 1974

Released in mid-January, “Court and Spark” turned out to be one of the crown jewels of 1974 album releases, and Mitchell’s biggest commercial success (along with the hugely popular successor, the live “Miles of Aisles”). Hit singles like “Help Me,” “Free Man in Paris” and “Raised on Robbery” ensured plenty of airplay, while the rest of the album tracks show off her evolving musical sophistication and continued mastery of perceptive lyric writing. “People’s Parties” segues naturally into “The Same Situation,” both of which beautifully depict scenes from LA music industry parties and the hollowness of superficial personal relationships that fail to last.

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