Fifty Years of Music • November, 1971

1971 has been often critiqued as the best year in rock 'n' roll. If you've been following my Fifty Years of Music series this year, it's hard to argue with that statement, and this month is one of those monster months in music history that delivered iconic albums and songs. 

I spent more time listening than writing this past week which made me think that for rock 'n' roll fans in 2021, we probably would have died and gone to heaven with these caliber of songs spread over a current year must less 30 days.

So let's get right to it with this impressive group of albums released in November, 1971 just in time for the holiday shopping season with our boys still fighting in Vietnam. 

Playlist of 129 Songs from Albums Released 11/71

1. Nilsson Schmilsson, Harry Nilsson (Entire Album)
2. Madman Across The Water, Elton John (Entire Album)
3. Led Zeppelin IV, Led Zeppelin (Entire Album)
4. Year of Sunday, Seals and Crofts (Entire Album)
5. Gonna Take A Miracle, Laura Nyro (Entire Album)
6. The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys, Traffic (Entire Album)
7. Fragile, Yes
8. Anticipation, Carly Simon
9. Nursery Cryme, Genesis
10. Quiet Fire, Roberta Flack
11. A Nod Is Good As A Wink... To A Blind Horse, Faces
12. Sunfighter, Paul Kanter and Grace Slick
13. I Wrote A Simple Song, Billy Preston
14. Aerie, John Denver
15. Bonnie Raitt, Bonnie Raitt
16. Farther Along, The Byrds
17. Asylum Choir II, Leon Russell and Marc Benno
18. 'Nuff Said, Ike and Tina Turner
19. Deuce, Rory Gallagher
20. Pictures At An Exhibition, Emerson, Lake and Palmer
21. There's A Riot Goin' On, Sly and the Family Stone
22. Liv, Livingston Taylor
23. The Inner Mounting Flame, Mahavishnu Orchestra
24. Good and Dusty, The Youngbloods
25. Flowers of Evil, Mountain

Fifty Years of Music • Live at Massey Hall 1971

Photo Source @ThatNightAtMasseyHall

Neil Young's Live at Massey Hall 1971 is my favorite live album of all-time.

@ Amazon

It was recorded January 19, 1971 and circulated for years as a bootleg before Neil officially released it March 13, 2007. Now I'm a couple months late in getting this post out, but it's timely because Mr. Young has a wonderful surprise for his fans and a birthday present for me coming up on March 26th.

On that date, he is going to release Young Shakespeare, a live concert album recorded just three days after Massey Hall on January 22, 1971 at the Shakespeare Theater in Stratford, Connecticut.

What makes Young Shakespeare special unlike the Massey Hall performance is that the Shakespeare Theater concert was filmed (although from what I've seen so far on YouTube, it looks like a ten year old was behind the camera). 

I'm planning on presenting the Young Shakespeare concert in my March 29th post as my readers and I can just take in this new release in our continuing journey through the past together. Being only three days apart we can compare to see if Young Shakespeare rivals Live at Massey Hall 1971. Here is what Neil has said on the subject.

Coming March 26th

“[Producer] John Hanlon and I both feel Shakespeare is superior to our beloved Massey Hall,” Young wrote last year on the Neil Young Archives. “A more calm performance, without the celebratory atmosphere of Massey Hall, captured live on 16mm film. Young Shakespeare is a very special event. To my fans, I say this is the best ever. Young Shakespeare is the performance of that era. Personal and emotional, for me, it defines that time.” Rolling Stone, Andy Greene, 2/12/21

Okay Neil we trust you all the way, but for the moment we're going to take in your famous Massey Hall performance and a little shout out to your best bud and producer, David Briggs.

According to Young, "This is the album that should have come out between After the Gold Rush and Harvest...David Briggs, my producer, was adamant that this should be the record, but I was very excited about the takes we got on Harvest, and wanted Harvest out. David disagreed. As I listen to this today, I can see why." Wikipedia

Enjoy my friends, this one's very special. 

stay well and mask-up.