DAILY DIRT: The top albums of the ’70s were a marvelous collection of talent and sound

Daily Dirt for Monday, March 31, 2025

Rod the Mod anchors our listing, and yes, I know, that is not a surprise to many … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,244 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Today we wind up our look at the top albums of the 1970s, unveiling our No. 1 pick.

As you peruse my top five and feel another of this top five should be No. 1 I would likely have little argument. These are five well-conceived and highly popular albums. Let’s break ’em down:

5. “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” Simon and Garfunkel (1970)

Kay tracks: “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “The Boxer”

Comment: At the time of its release, this album became the best-selling LP in history (eventually reaching 25 million in sales), but what many forget it was the fifth and final studio album for Simon and Garfunkel. The album topped the charts  in more than 10 countries and received six Grammy Awards.

4. “Tapestry,” Carole King (1971)

Kay tracks: “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” “So Far Away”

Comment: Arguably no other artist this decade was able to capture both the heartbreak and excitement of love in the fashion King did, and all of it on one album. It was so popular that it spent 15 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 200 and remained on the charts for a well-deserved six years.

3. “Around The World With Three Dog Night,” Three Dog Night (1973)

Kay tracks: “Joy To The World,” “Black and White”

Comment: There were few — if any — groups bigger than Three Dog Night in the early portion of the ’70s. This album serves as sort of a time capsule for the marvelous talents of Danny Hutton, Chuck Negron and Cory Wells. The live renditions of many of their hits possess an added air of excitement. 

2. “Born To Run,” Bruce Springsteen (1975)

Kay tracks: “Born To Run,” “Thunder Road”

Comment: This album’s epic soundscapes formally established The Boss as a global icon. Springsteen’s impact was so huge he became the first rock star to appear simultaneously on the covers of Time and Newsweek magazines in late October 1975. And deservedly so.

1. “Every Picture Tells A Story,” Rod Stewart (1971)

Key tracks: “Maggie May,” “Reason To Believe”

Comment: This album not only elevated Rod the Mod to superstar status, but showcased his ability to incorporate both heartbreak and humor into his lyrics and overall style. I was heading west on U.S. 30 just outside of Mansfield, Ohio, the first time I heard “Maggie May” on the radio. It was lifechanging. This album has been characterized as both authentic and unpolished, perfectly capturing what the 1970s’ rock landscape was all about.

Close, but not quite: “Exile On Main Street,” Rolling Stones; “Off The Wall,” Michael Jackson; “Sticky Fingers,” Rolling Stones; “Night At The Opera,” Queen; “Saturday Night Fever,” various artists. 

2. Did you know (Part 319)

That starting back in Tudor times (1485-1603), the “groom of the stool” handled all of the English king’s toilet-related needs. Whenever the monarch had to evacuate his bowels, the groom would accompany him to the toilet — a bowl of water and towel in tow. While the job might sound (literally) crappy, it was a powerful position. Because of the intimacy involved, it was common for the groom of the stool to become one of the king’s closest confidantes. The role wasn’t abolished until 1901.

That in the 19th century, most cities did not have municipal sewer systems. Instead, people relied on outhouses and privies. These, however, were not bottomless pits — they had to be routinely emptied. The person responsible for this unpleasant task was the “night soil man”. Named because he usually worked under the cover of darkness, the night soil man emptied privies with long-handled buckets and loaded them onto carts, taking the fertilizer to local farms. (But, more often, dumped it into the nearest waterway.)

That a snollygoster is another word for a clever and often unscrupulous person. I think we all know a snollygoster or two.

That the average price of a 16-ounce bag of potato chips last month was $6.50. That same bag of chips cost an average of $5.05 four years ago. That’s a 29 percent increase.

That 42 percent of consumers say they are buying fewer snacks because of high prices, according to an NIQ survey. NIQ is a global marketing research firm headquartered in Chicago.

3. Here’s part 2 of what the ages would now be for of some of the celebrities we have lost in recent years if they were still alive today:

• Dale Earnhardt Sr. would be 74.
• Luke Perry would be 58
• Martin Luther King Jr. would  be 96.
• Andre the Giant would be 78.
• Sam Cooke would be 94.
• Elvis Presley would be 90.
• Robin Williams would be 74.
• Johnny Cash would be 93.
• Randy “Macho Man” Savage would be 72.
• James Earl Jones would be 94.

Steve Thought O’ The Day — I really enjoy Abby Labar on the MLB Network’s “Quick Pitch” nightly recap show. She seems much more relaxed and informed than in her rookie season of 2024.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. Was there ever a doubt who Steve’s top album pick would be?