4 Albums That Prove 1972 Was the Year of the Singer-Songwriter

The singer-songwriter movement started to make major inroads in the late 60s. By 1972, this genre was peaking, with a number of soon-to-be legendary albums. Some of the most revered tunesmiths in history all uncorked incredible records in this particular calendar year.

Videos by American Songwriter

We actually could have gone much deeper than four albums for this list and still would have been unearthing classics. But these four represent the genre at its very best.

‘Harvest’ by Neil Young

Neil Young just seemed to be getting better with each album that he released in the early 70s. To his credit, each LP seemed to create a specific musical mood separate from what he’d done before. Harvest represented his most accessible record to date. The melodies were warm, while the musical backing, provided by more of an all-star cast than Young was used to including, served to focus everything on Young’s mesmerizing words. “Old Man” and “Heart Of Gold” put Young all over the radio for the first time. Deeper cuts like “The Needle And The Damage Done” became legendary as well.

‘Jackson Browne’ by Jackson Browne

Jackson Browne briefly thought he was going to ditch the music business in the early 70s when it seemed his songwriting was taking him nowhere. Then, he considered cutting one album and then defiantly calling it quits. Obviously, he stuck it out. But if the self-titled debut had been all he left us, he still would have been considered singer-songwriter royalty. “Doctor My Eyes” gave him an unlikely hit single right off the bat. But, like most Browne records, you find the heart of this LP in songs like “Jamaica Say You Will” and “Song For Adam” that tackle life’s biggest heartbreaks with rare candor and beauty.

‘Paul Simon’ by Paul Simon

It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a contingent that thought Paul Simon’s career would crater without Art Garfunkel. Simon silenced those contrarian voices with his 1972 self-titled record. He had already started pushing musical boundaries at the end of his stint with Garfunkel. This album continued that exploration with thrilling results. Hits “Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard” and “Mother And Child Reunion” found him grabbing sounds from all over the place and combining them brilliantly with his playful wordplay. Hushed meditations like “Run That Body Down” and “Peace Like A River” also hit home.

‘Sail Away’ by Randy Newman

The title track was the first thing people heard when they spun Sail Away, and it immediately set this artist apart. A stirring melody and a refrain promising redemptive travel lead you in one direction. Then you listen to the verse and realize that he’s portraying the sales pitch of a slave trader. That sums up much of the album’s MO, as Newman delivers the caustic messages of songs like “Political Science” and “God’s Song (That’s Why I Love Mankind)” in sweet, playful melodies. Occasionally, downcast music matches the dire sentiment (as on “Old Man”). No matter his strategy, Randy Newman triumphed with his willingness to tackle topics no one else would touch on this masterpiece.

Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images