18 songs from 50 years ago that you should play again

Some twenty years ago, NPR quoted Washington Post music critic Tim Page, who said that “without a doubt,” the worst year in music was 1974.

Well, twenty years on, you can quote that well-worn phrase that such statements are a matter of opinion. Anybody who listens to music avidly or casually can name a year before or after that one as either the worst or the best, whether you consider the albums, singles, concerts, or anything else related to popular music.

Yet, taking a look at the singles released and the serious airplay then, or streaming today, you can find a load of crap that works (and still does) and quite a few gems that either do or should get more exposure to this day. Here are 18 of those good ones that should keep on playing, no matter what.

Songs turning 50 that are as amazing today as they were in 1974

Steely Dan - “Rikki Don't Lose That Number”

This one came from Steely Dan’s third albumPretzel Logic, which presented their fully-formed sound and was one of their two best. The single itself was Steely Dan’s most successful, reaching number 4 back then, a true musical gem with the band’s usually cryptical lyrics.

Eric Clapton - “I Shot the Sheriff”

Bob Marley, who wrote this one, had more success with some other of his songs, but in many ways, this version by Eric Clapton not only brought the master guitarist to the limelight but made a wider audience aware of Marley. A version that truly matches the original.

Pilot - “Magic”

With this catchy pop-rock tune and its excellent harmonies, Scottish band Pilot became a true example of a one-hit wonder, never matching the success of this one, but in many ways, became the precursor of British pop. 

David Bowie - “Rebel Rebel”

This, one of Bowie’s best single songs, came at the height of glam rock, as Bowie himself was wrapping up his Ziggy Stardust alter-ego, ready to move elsewhere. That incessant, brilliant guitar riff was played by Bowie himself, just another example of his musical genius.

Labelle - “Lady Marmalade”

To this day, there isn’t a music lover that doesn’t have that "voulez-vous…" refrain from this song etched in their minds, making this perfectly constructed funk thing a true dance phenomenon, then, and probably even now.

Sparks - “This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us”

This one is considered one of the pinnacles of glam rock, but you can easily qualify it as art or theater (as in theater play) rock, something that the Mael brothers have a heavy (or light) hand in creating. It was one of their first hits and still ranks as one of their best, fifty years on.

Bob Marley - “No Woman, No Cry”

There is a studio version of this, one of Marley’s biggest hits, but it is the live version of the song that (rightfully) made it big, showcasing not only the legend’s impeccable songwriting but how great The Wailers were as a band.

 The Steve Miller Band - “The Joker”

Starting out as one of the spearheads of psych rock, with this song and the album it came from, Miller became one of the key figures that dominated what at the time was called FM Radio. Not many psych-rock elements here, just some great pop-rock that still sounds great.

Elton John - “Bennie and the Jets” 

Forget all that musical cotton candy and outrageous stage costumes Elton came up with in his illustrious career. In 1974, he was still coming up with some musical gems, and this one is certainly among them, as is the album it came from.

Aretha Franklin - “Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)”

From early on in her career, Aretha Franklin was named the queen of soul, and this song is just one of a million examples of why she pours every ounce of emotion into her incredible vocals, as she did on every single occasion.

First Class - “Beach Baby”

This is another case of one-hit wonders, with audiences these days probably knowing the song, but the name of the band surely escaping them. Yes, they do their best to recall the Beach Boys’ early sound, but they do it so well here.

Joni Mitchell - “Help Me”

This is where Mitchell fully sheds her folk roots and turns her musical interests somewhere else, incorporating elements from other musical genres with the ease of a musical genius, making this one of her most successful singles.

John Lennon & Elton John - “Whatever Gets You Through the Night”

Lennon certainly had musical ups and downs in his solo career, but here, with the help of Elton (himself at his peak), he comes with yet another pop gem that he could come up with so easily. No wonder this one equally easily hit the charts.

Todd Rundgren - “Hello It’s Me” 

Rundgren is considered one of the musical chameleons that can switch from genre to genre, sometimes within a single song. Still, he was at his best when he stuck to creating pop-rock perfection, as this song is.

Jim Croce - “Time in a Bottle”

At a time when the singer-songwriter genre was at its height, the late Jim Croce was by many considered as the epitome of the genre. This, his biggest and some say best song, shows why that was the case.

Paul McCartney & Wings - “Band on the Run” 

Many critics and fans will point to this song and the album of the same name it came from as possibly the best in McCartney’s solo career, with this absolute rock music classic giving them ample proof for that.

Golden Earring - “Radar Love” 

Maybe this Dutch band isn’t a household name anymore elsewhere, but they are still the legends in their native Netherlands. This, their take on The Rolling Stones sound was hit everywhere at the time, and for all the good reasons.

Maria Muldaur - “Midnight At The Oasis” 

Considered risqué at the time for its sexually-toned lyrics, this song made it big at the time, with some critics getting tired of it these days. Yet its perfectly set arrangement and Muldaur’s not-so-ordinary vocals can still perk up the listener’s ears.

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