If you’re an aspiring musician and need a bit of inspiration from the past, the following rock songs from 1974 might just teach you a thing or two about producing a hit. Let’s take a look!
Videos by American Songwriter
“Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd
“Sweet Home Alabama” is one of the most, if not the most, memorable Southern rock songs of all time. Released in June 1974, this song has quite a bit to teach modern-day musicians about writing a catchy hit. And, if anything, this song is proof that you don’t have to be 100% authentic to write about something specific in terms of lyrics. The songwriters of “Sweet Home Alabama” (Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington, and Ed King) were not from Alabama at all.
“Killer Queen” by Queen
This iconic glam rock tune from Queen was released in October 1974. Queen’s music can teach quite a bit to today’s rock musicians, but this specific song is a great lesson in the power of harmonies. If you find yourself unable to give your song some oomph, why not record four-part harmonies and a multitracked guitar solo? It’s worth a shot!
“Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” by Steely Dan
Steely Dan, or rather, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, were notorious for being very picky and perfection-oriented in their recorded works. Some would say they were difficult to work with. But, honestly, that sense of not settling for less than perfection is what leads to some amazing music. “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” didn’t hit No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart because Steely Dan settled or gave up control. It’s catchy and beautifully produced, entirely because of the creative instincts of its songwriters.
“Band On The Run” by Paul McCartney and Wings
Who out there is better to take a songwriting lesson from than Paul McCartney? “Band On The Run” was one of the biggest rock songs of 1974, and it all comes down to two things. To start, McCartney is a next-level songwriter who found inspiration in working with his wife and fellow Wings member, Linda McCartney. And the whole of the song is the sum of its parts, made as amazing as it is today by the collaborative nature of Wings as a band. If you’re not making music with people you trust creatively, you’ll hit a wall eventually.
Photo by David Redfern/Redferns
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