1970 was a remarkable year for rock albums. Badfinger released their U.S. debut album, Magic Christian Music, while Simon & Garfunkel released Bridge Over Troubled Water, their final studio album. Chicago Transit Authority dropped the final two words in the band name and released Chicago (retroactively known as Chicago II), while The Guess Who’s American Woman became their final album to feature co-founding guitarist Randy Bachman.

Elton John released his eponymous debut album, while Free’s Fire and Water became their most successful album. Neil Young took a break from CSNY to release After The Gold Rush, and Derek & The Dominos released Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, their sole studio album.

Finally, George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass, his first solo work after the break-up of The Beatles, shot to #1 in over a dozen countries and became the most successful album ever released by an ex-Beatle.

There were a lot of other groundbreaking album releases in 1970: Van Morrison’s Moondance, James Taylor’s Sweet Baby James, The Beatles’ Let It Be, The Kinks’ Lola Versus Powerman and The Moneygoround, Part One, Cat Stevens’ Tea For The Tillerman, Led Zeppelin’s Led Zeppelin III, CCR’s Cosmo’s Factory, Rod Stewart’s Gasoline Alley, Traffic’s John Barleycorn Must Die, and many more.

Yeah, I could have played songs from some of those albums, too, but this medley was already over 37 minutes long so I had to apply the brakes!

Memories … That’s What We’re All About

Play buttons are on the left … Volume sliders are on the right

1970 Albums

Elton John – Chicago
Guess Who – Derek & The Dominos
Free – Badfinger – George Harrison
Simon & Garfunkel – Neil Young