{"id":3883,"date":"2021-01-10T17:00:37","date_gmt":"2021-01-10T17:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mediaofthings.co.uk\/?p=3883"},"modified":"2021-01-10T17:00:37","modified_gmt":"2021-01-10T17:00:37","slug":"sounds-on-sunday-50-years-ago-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mediaofthings.co.uk\/index.php\/2021\/01\/10\/sounds-on-sunday-50-years-ago-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Sounds on Sunday: 50 years ago\/1"},"content":{"rendered":"

50 YEARS AGO the Charts recorded the best selling \u201csingles\u201d of each week. Have the hits of 1971 stood the test of half a century of time slipping by since they were released? Sadly, in most cases the top selling singles have not: with only some exceptions the number one hits of 1971 are either not memorable \u2013 or memorable for the wrong reasons. Join us as we look back and ask ourselves: \u201cwhat were we thinking???\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n

The first number one record of 1971 is a case in point. Clive Dunn topped the first chart of the year with the novelty record Grandad<\/em>. Dear reader, we do have our limits and we shall spare you. Let us skip to a record that hit the number two spot in January 1971: Ride a White Swan<\/em> by T Rex.<\/p>\n

Listened to on its own, it seems quite slight \u2013 but this single track was, arguably, the birth of the glam rock style that was to dominate the decade.\u00a0 OK: there\u2019s no eye-liner, no glitter, no\u2026 well, \u201cglamour\u201d \u2013 yet.\u00a0 But there\u2019s a good amount of pouting, some quite long hair and, in this live recording, some early 70s dungarees.<\/p>\n

Harking back to the 60s, there\u2019s lyrics which require the listener to apply their imagination. According to Bolan, they arose after someone had spiked his drink with LSD. Still, there\u2019s a fine use of \u201cda di di di da\u201d in between some longer words. Looking forward to the 70s, there\u2019s the twangy guitar sound which became their trademark.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll hear more of Bolan and T Rex as we continue through the decade. In the meantime, here\u2019s a live recording from 1971 \u2013 by a band which didn\u2019t realise it had only six more years to make music together. Listen, and hear history being made.<\/p>\n