Baby boomers in 1974 were all about country rock, and that’s not very surprising. It was basically the genre of the year. Countless country rock and Southern rock songs crossed over to the pop charts. Let’s take a look at just a few nostalgic country rock gems from 1974 that baby boomers everywhere likely still remember.
“Best Of My Love” by Eagles from ‘On The Border’
Eagles really cornered the market on country rock in the mid-1970s. “Best Of My Love” is just one of many killer hits in the genre that came straight from the legendary band. “Best Of My Love” was the group’s very first No. 1 hit song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and it also made it to the top of the Easy Listening chart. According to JD Souther, the song was inspired by a Fred Neil record.
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“I Can Help” by Billy Swan from ‘I Can Help’
Billy Swan took elements of rockabilly and classic country and dished out this big hit in 1974. “I Can Help” remains Swan’s most commercially successful song. It was a No. 1 hit across the board, topping the US country and pop charts.
“Sweet Surrender” by John Denver from ‘An Evening With John Denver’
This song leans more toward country than rock. But, like most of John Denver’s music, there’s a bit of rock flavor in “Sweet Surrender” that makes it more than worthy of a spot on our list. This lovely tune about self-exploration and nature (not unlike “Take Me Home, Country Roads”) was a No. 13 hit on the Hot 100. It also topped the Adult Contemporary chart and reached No. 7 on the Hot Country Singles chart.
“James Dean” by Eagles from ‘On The Border’
Eagles make it to our list of songs that baby boomers love again with another country rock cut from On The Border, out in 1974. A little more rockabilly than country, this gem was written about the actor James Dean and his abrupt death. Bernie Leadon’s guitar solo is on another level. And I’m surprised that this song only made it to No. 77 on the Hot 100 chart.
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NEW YORK – CIRCA 1963: Motown singer Mary Wells poses for a portrait circa 1963 in New York City, New York. (Photo by James Kriegsmann/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
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LOS ANGELES – AUGUST 19: English rock and blues guitarist, singer and songwriter Eric Clapton at the Alvarado Street market in downtown Los Angeles before Blind Faith's concert at the LA Forum on August 19, 1969, Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Icon and Image/Getty Images) -
Singer-songwriter John Prine performs at Symphony Hall on April 26, 1974 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Tom Hill/Getty Images) -
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