3 Long Songs From the 1970s That Are So Good, They Could Have Been Longer

Long songs are not built for the don’t-bore-us-get-to-the-chorus crowd. Sure, concise pop hits have their place. The tight arrangements demand repeated plays for those left wanting more. But there is something to a pop music epic and how it challenges both patience and the time limits of a vinyl record.

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Many musicians in the 1970s attempted to bridge the gap between high and low art with lengthy song forms. And I think you’ll agree, these three long songs from the decade are so good they could have been even longer.

“Get Up I Feel Like Being A Sex Machine” by James Brown

When you land on a groove like this, you’re in no hurry to get out of it. Backed by The J.B.’s, featuring the thunderous bass of Bootsy Collins, James Brown directs his band to and from the bridge and back again. Hypnotic, sweaty, with improvised shout-outs, Brown keeps the machine moving for nearly 11 minutes. But it’s Bootsy’s older brother, Catfish, who keeps the track propelling forward with a persevering guitar riff. I’m tempted to litter this piece with stamina innuendos, but instead I’ll just enjoy the funk precision of “hardworking, Mr. Dynamite,” and his great band.

“In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed” by The Allman Brothers Band

Dickey Betts’s jazz-fusion instrumental appears on the Southern rock masterpiece, Idlewild South. And if you’re a guitarist, it’s a seven-minute masterclass taught by Betts and Duane Allman. Meanwhile, Tom Dowd’s production miraculously makes every instrument of the ensemble audible. Multiple drummers, two guitars, bass, and organ. If you need more, you can find a 13-minute live version recorded at the Fillmore East in 1971. Borrowing from jazz, the improvisation, as a form of on-the-fly composition, was essential to The Allman Brothers Band’s iconic live performance.

“Comfortably Numb” by Pink Floyd

Throughout his career, David Gilmour has understood that the audience can’t get enough of “Comfortably Numb”. The studio recording from The Wall already surpasses the six-minute mark. With Roger Waters’s disoriented verses setting up Gilmour’s heartbreaking chorus. All of it leading to multiple gorgeous guitar solos. If a better rock guitar solo has been recorded, I’ve yet to hear it. I just want this track to keep going. I want the guitar solo to keep going. And live, Gilmour fulfills what everyone at the concert wants: more.

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