Every Friday, I’m publishing my top ten songs from a single year and this week it’s the turn of 1971.
For previous top ten tunes, please click on the year: 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Opening day at the Walt Disney World Theme Park
In 1971, a stairway crush at the Rangers vs Celtic football match left 66 dead, several bombs were exploded around the UK by the Angry Brigade– a left-wing revolutionary group, Qatar gains independence from the UK, the death toll in The Troubles in Northern Ireland reaches 100 with the death of 14yr-old Annette McGavigan who got caught in crossfire between British soldiers and the IRA, the first CAT scan took place at Wimbledon hospital, the House of Commons voted to join the EEC (European Economic Community), the UK became the sixth nation to successfully launch a satellite into orbit, the world’s first domestic violence shelter opens in West London, 15 people are killed and 17 are injured in a bomb attack in Belfast, border battles between India and Pakistan erupt into full-blown war, The Walt Disney World Theme Park opens, the United Arab Emirates is established, Jim Morrison is found dead in a bathtub in Paris, Apollo 14 lands on the moon and a Clockwork Orange, Dirty Harry, Fiddler on the Roof, Shaft, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Get Carter, Walkabout and Diamonds Are Forever are all released.
Only 5 years left and then we’re done, gang! I’m going to miss doing these. Another week of music from the past, another week of legendary tunes. Here’s my favourites from 1971, in no particular order.
1. Move On Up by Curtis Mayfield
2. I Feel the Earth Move by Carole King
3. Spanish Harlem by Aretha Franklin
4. Let’s Stay Together by Al Green
5. Rainy Days and Mondays by the Carpenters
6. Maggie May by Rod Stewart
7. What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye
8. Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves by Cher
9. I’m Still Waiting by Diana Ross
10. Proud Mary by Ike and Tina Turner
Carole King or Curtis Mayfield? Carole or Curtis? Imma gonna go for Curtis. You know the score, tell me your favourite this week below in the comments. Cheers!
See you next week for a review of 2018 (including a top ten tunes from 2018). Top Ten Tunes from 1972 will be published the following week on 4th January. Happy Christmas y’all!
Easy choice Rod Stewart, that was the year we got married 💜
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Aah. Lots of happy memories for you in 1971 then.
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Yes indeed 💜💝
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Rod Stewart for sure! Can’t believe we are almost done! I look forward to this each week!
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It’s such a lovely song. I’m so going to miss doing these. I’m going to do some other music posts after this that you may or may not be interested in. It makes me very happy that you’ve enjoyed these Top Ten Tunes though. Ooh and thank you for my Christmas card! I loved it 😁
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🙂
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i knew my birth year was fabulous & this top-ten just adds to it. Keep on keepin’on!
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Yay excellent 👍🏻
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Diamonds are Forever was my favourite Bond film for decades. This was around the time I started to get a little bored with pop music and this is one of the reasons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSNSTerj2Kc from the same year. It was only when I looked up the lyrics just now that I realised I have spent the best part of 50 years mishearing the word ‘bird’. I always thought they were singing to a baby called Don.
Spanish Harlem is my favourite from this list.
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Spanish Harlem is a fantastic song. Oh gawd, I can see why with that song things looked like they were going down hill musically!
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There were many like it, but that’s the one that sticks in my mind all these decades later.
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Has to be Al Green – such a classic song!
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Absolutely love it. And Al was beautiful 😍
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Some great tunes there!!!!
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Another great year, isn’t it?
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Totally!
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Has to be Rod for me too! I’ve bought tickets for his tour next year for my mam and dad as a surprise for Christmas. What a year it was for films by the way!!
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Fantastic year for film. Your lucky mum & dad! Rod will be awesome. Can’t believe he’s still going haha!
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I know he’s a legend!
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