{"id":5006,"date":"2021-12-26T20:20:07","date_gmt":"2021-12-26T20:20:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mediaofthings.co.uk\/?p=5006"},"modified":"2021-12-26T20:25:19","modified_gmt":"2021-12-26T20:25:19","slug":"sounds-on-sunday-50-years-ago-14","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mediaofthings.co.uk\/index.php\/2021\/12\/26\/sounds-on-sunday-50-years-ago-14\/","title":{"rendered":"Sounds on Sunday: 50 years ago\/14"},"content":{"rendered":"

FIFTY 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 second half of 1971 brought better number one singles than the first half. In late July, T.Rex scored their second number one of the year, with the Bolan classic \u201cGet It On\u201d. It\u2019s a catchy tune, with a catchy hook: \u201cget it on\u201d had echoes of the free love of the sixties. The lyrics made no sense, so they could mean whatever you wanted them to \u2013 though, even being generous, they are at least a bit pervy.<\/p>\n

The song brought together ordinary jobbing musicians who were on their way to being famous. The saxophone solos were played by Ian McDonald of King Crimson; some of the piano parts were played by Rick Wakeman; and this Top of the Pops performance saw Bolan\u2019s mate Elton John drop in to mime the piano part.\u00a0 Bolan was still experimenting with glam rock \u2013 and more than a little influenced by Mick Jagger (that strut! the pout!). You couldn\u2019t make it up.<\/p>\n