3 Songs From 1971 That Single-Handedly Shaped Classic Rock

Music always struggles to transition from one decade to the next. There is always a period when a genre retains the structure of what’s current, alongside a crop of talent trying to break free of that framework. The result is interesting to dissect in hindsight. Take 1971, for example. Rock was steadily dropping the high-gloss ’60s production in favor of something breezier. The California rock scene came into play in a big way, moving almost everyone to think free-spirited thoughts. Below, revisit three rock songs from 1971 that completely changed the genre.

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[RELATED: 3 Classic Rock Bands Who Had Huge Hits in the 1960s, and Then Disappeared]

“Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” (The Rolling Stones)

“Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” wasn’t chosen as a single for the Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers. Nevertheless, it was just as influential. This driving, road-ready track holds everything the ’70s had in store for rock fans. It left the ’60s psychedelia behind for something more befitting the raw, honest, lax vibe of the following decade.

Moreover, this hit saw each member of the Stones operating at their best. The guitars are loose but impressively melodic, Mick Jagger’s vocals are as powerful as ever, and the beat is instantly catchy. This song didn’t give the Stones a hit single, but it made a strong impression on the genre as a whole.

“Going to California” (Led Zeppelin)

Though rockers heard the call of the West Coast in the ’60s, it was the ’70s that put California rock into full swing. For most of the “British Invasion”, English rockers had a love affair with American blues, most commonly associated with the East Coast and the South. By 1971, they were setting their sights on The Golden State.

This migration is evident in Led Zeppelin’s “Going to California.” In this song, the band sings about broken hearts and new starts. Going to California with an achin’ in my heart / Someone told me there’s a girl out there / With love in her eyes and flowers in her hair, the lyrics read.

Though this song doesn’t explicitly speak to rock’s move out West, the fact that they chose the subject matter in the first place says plenty.

“Tiny Dancer” (Elton John)

“Tiny Dancer” would earn single status in 1972, but it was first gifted to Elton John fans in the fall of 1971. And it was a gift, in the truest sense of the word. Few songs from the early ’70s have been as enduring as this one. “Tiny Dancer” encapsulates the free-spirited ’70s. John and lyricist Bernie Taupin attempted to paint a vignette of a woman who isn’t easily described. This theme would become increasingly commonplace as the ’70s rolled on.

In addition to laying the groundwork for lyricism in the decade, “Tiny Dancer” fosters a communal spirit. It’s impossible to be in a group of people and not sing along to this song, even today. That sense of bringing people together was, seemingly, a popular concept in the ’70s.

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