Need to add some fresh classic rock songs to your playlist? Personally, I still listen to the following four classic rock songs from 1973, specifically. From glam rock to classic rock to prog, these four tracks can’t be beat. Let’s dive in!
“Hocus Pocus” by Focus
This progressive rock classic comes straight from the Dutch outfit Focus, and it was quite a big hit in the Netherlands when it first dropped in 1971. The original version of this song didn’t really chart outside of the band’s native country. However, after one killer live performance in 1972, the song became a big hit in the UK. By 1973, “Hocus Pocus” had finally been released in the US and Canada, and it became a huge hit in both countries.
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“Live And Let Die” by Wings
I couldn’t not include at least one Paul McCartney song on this list of classic rock songs from 1973. “Live And Let Die” is still such a banger today, and it’s one of my favorite Wings classics from the early 1970s. You might feel the same way.
“Smoke On The Water” by Deep Purple
There’s no way I was leaving the hard rock heavy metal classic “Smoke On The Water” by Deep Purple off of this list. It doesn’t get more classic than this! Released in May 1973, “Smoke On The Water” quickly climbed the charts and became one of the biggest rock songs of the year. This gem has aged so well, and it has since become the band’s signature song, with Ritchie Blackmore’s work hailed as one of the greatest guitar riffs to ever exist. I’d have to agree with that.
“Little Willy” by The Sweet
This glam rock classic technically saw the light of day way back in May 1972. However, it took until January 1973 for this song to make it to the United States. And it was a fast hit outside of the UK, too. “Little Willy” by The Sweet is one of the most classic rock songs of 1973, and despite getting quite a bit of flak from critics at the time, it was a hefty commercial success for the British glam rock outfit. In fact, glitter rock bands that followed in The Sweet’s footsteps likely sought inspiration from this very song.
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