The year 1975 was quite a long time ago. While the biggest hits of that year have been far from lost to time, a few lesser hits and deep cuts have been forgotten by mainstream audiences today. I’d like to change that. The following somewhat forgotten rock songs from 1975 deserve to be remembered, in my opinion. Let’s take a look!
“At Seventeen” by Janis Ian
This classic from Janis Ian does not make it to classic rock radio as much as it should. “At Seventeen” was released in July 1975 and became an almost immediate soft rock hit, making it all the way to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. This song was also a Grammy winner. Ian wrote “At Seventeen” about the experience of being a social outcast in high school, and even youngins’ today could relate to it. I know I certainly do. It’s a timeless anthem of adolescent rebellion.
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“However Much I Booze” by The Who
The Who has countless hits under their belt that are still in classic rock radio rotation today. However, the band does have a few deep cuts that just don’t get as much love as they deserve. One such song is “However Much I Booze”, released in October 1975 from the album The Who By Numbers. Pete Townshend said that he wrote the song in a single night after making the decision to get sober. Roger Daltrey didn’t want to sing it, considering the personal subject matter. They rarely whip this one out at live shows anymore, and it’s a shame.
“Someone Saved My Life Tonight” by Elton John
How about a little bit of Elton John? This heartbreaking soft rock gem from 1975 is another excellent example of Bernie Taupin’s songwriting prowess. I don’t think this soft rock single gets much love nowadays, and it’s a shame. It’s one of the finest rock songs to come out of 1975, and audiences at the time loved it, considering it made it all the way to No. 4 on the Hot 100 chart. It’s one of the most vulnerable rock songs John ever recorded, as it references his attempted suicide in 1968.
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