Category 1970s

“You’ve Got a Friend” (Carole King/James Taylor)

You've Got a Friend, James Taylor

If you’re of a certain age, today’s classic song of the day means something special to you. The song is “You’ve Got a Friend” and it was written by songwriter extraordinaire Carole King and recorded both by herself and by her friend James Taylor. Unlike many of Carole King’s tunes, Carole wrote both the words and the music for “You’ve…

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“Everything is Beautiful” (Ray Stevens)

Everything is Beautiful, Ray Stevens

By the early ’70s, country singer/songwriter Ray Stevens had made a name for himself with a succession of pretty funny novelty songs, including “Ahab the Arab,” “Harry the Hairy Ape,” and “Gitarzan.” That’s why so many listeners were surprised when he released today’s classic song of the day, “Everything is Beautiful,” which is about as far from a funny novelty…

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“Rings” (Cymarron)

Rings, Cymarron

Yesterday’s classic song of the day, Noel Paul Stookey’s “Wedding Song (There is Love),” was written for a friend’s wedding, and that’s also the case with today’s classic song of the day. This one is a song you might remember, even though you probably haven’t heard it for awhile. The song is “Rings,” a one-hit wonder for a band called…

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“These Days” (Jackson Browne)

For Everyman, Jackson Browne

“These Days” is today’s classic song of the day. Written by singer/songwriter Jackson Browne, it was a standout track on Mr. Browne’s 1973 album, For Everyman. It’s a terrific song. Jackson Browne wrote “These Days” in 1965, when he was just 16 years old. It’s a song about loss and regret that grows more poignant with the passing of years:…

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