Max Picks …songs from 1978

1978

I remember this year well. The Dodgers repeated a World Series trip but also repeated losing to the Yankees.

Great song by The Who on their last album with Keith Moon. Keith was not in the best shape by this time but his drumming on this is still fantastic. The song is about real events that happened to Pete Townshend down to being passed out drunk at night and asking a policeman that knew Pete’s name, Who the F**k are you? You can still hear Daltrey sing the expletive on classic radio stations.

This one was always a favorite of mine of the Rolling Stones. Keith Richards wrote this, but a lot of the lyrics were improvised in the studio. While the band played, Jagger came in with different lines to fit the music.

This song is a good example of the Rolling Stones tapestry of guitars. Keith and Ron Wood weave their guitars in and out until the two guitars are almost indistinguishable from each other.

Warren Zevon was a very clever songwriter. He went were other songwriters don’t often go. This track was produced by Jackson Browne. The songwriters were LeRoy Marinell, Waddy Wachtel, and Warren Zevon. John McVie and Mick Fleetwood played on this song.

This song is one of the best pop singles of the 1970s. It was on the album City To City. This was Rafferty’s first release after the breakup of his former band Steeler’s Wheel. Gerry Rafferty had been unable to release any material due to disputes about the band’s remaining contractual recording obligations, and his friend’s Baker Street flat was a convenient place to stay as he tried to remove himself from his Stealers Wheel contracts. It was his second solo album, the first being Can I Have My Money Back? released in 1971.

The album and song were about life on the road in all its glory and squalor. To emphasize this notion even further, Jackson Browne literally recorded the album on the road, in hotel rooms, on buses, and, in the case of “Running On Empty,” on stage.

Unknown's avatar

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

32 thoughts on “Max Picks …songs from 1978”

  1. Some great choices. “Baker Street” is almost too pretty. Bob Marley and the Wailers released “Kaya” in 1978, with the title track, “Easy Skanking”, and “Is This Love?” among the great cuts and a major change from work like “Trenchtown Rock” or “Burning and Looting”. Willie Nelson moved way beyond being a country/outlaw singer with “Stardust”.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  3. Good picks. It was a varied but pretty great year for music. ‘Baker Street’ is well up on my personal top 10 for the decade & ‘Running on Empty’ wouldn’t be far off it. That would be a contender for my favorite live album actually, though it was recorded in various settings.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Funny…in 1981 I believe the Who and Stones are at it again…I just did 81 and both of them have great songs then also.
      I almost forgot Running on Empty…I never posted that song before…and I’ve only posted one Jackson Browne song which shocked me.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      3. also, could be wrong, but it seems like the first album done that way – live but not entirely concert recordings. Kind of a good way to make a spontaneous-sounding album without having it be a rehash of all previous songs or almost cliched with the crowd cheering and the ‘good night Tallahassee!’ type add-ons.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Yes…it reminds me of Bonnie and Delaney.. they made that album called Motel Shot…mostly in Motels.

        Like

  4. ‘Baker Street’ brings back great memories. I don’t know how I haven’t already got this song. My fav is ‘Werewolves of London’, but I enjoyed ‘Running on Empty’ as well back in my youth. Your selections do the year justice music-wise Max.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  5. Nice one! Especially The Stones & The Who.
    Over here, we were (OK, I was) big into our ‘new wave’ and proto-post-punk beginnings. (See how easy it is to make up a genre name? 😉 😀 ) Reggae was really starting to make an impression on me by this time too.
    Yeah – see, it’s The Seventies. The halcyon days of music!
    (Not that I’m biased or owt. ) 😀

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Of the decades…the 60s remain by favorite but yea I loved the 70s as well…the 80s…started the decline to me…as far as music that I liked.
      So I’ll take the 70s any day.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

      2. I just wrote up 1980….the one positive thing I say is “The Replacements” lol… But the early 80s were good…but it did start to sink around 84 to me.

        Liked by 2 people

  6. Who Are You is a classic track. It still sounds current even by todays standard. Like that breakdown of the synths swirling around where Pete loses his mind by repeating Who Are You and than the song lifts off …
    “I spit out like a sewer hole” What a great line….

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. Even as far back as Who’s Next. That synth in Won’t Get Fooled Again still sounds ahead of its time.
        Thank God Pete didn’t borrow the Doors electric organ. Just saying lol

        Liked by 1 person

      2. LOL…I totally agree. Pete took a huge chance with that synth…it could have sounded like one of those bad 80s synth sound now…but it doesnt.

        Liked by 1 person

    1. I couldn’t agree more…and in 81 there is more. CB…what is a Pouges song you really like? I’ve been listening to them since last weekend….I don’t know a lot by them.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      2. Lol it’s hard for you with a favorite… Yea man that Who clip is great. Like Deke said… that synth still sounds good… has not aged a bit

        Liked by 1 person

  9. I was heavily into disco, R&B and pop in the late 70s, reflected in my personal top 10 for 1978:

    1. Stayin’ Alive – Bee Gees
    2. Baker Street – Gerry Rafferty
    3. Night Fever – Bee Gees
    4. Miss You – Rolling Stones
    5. Because the Night – Patti Smith
    6. Kiss You All Over – Exile
    7. You Belong to Me – Carly Simon
    8. Shame – Evelyn “Champagne” King
    9. You Don’t Bring Me Flowers – Barbra Streisand & Neil Diamond
    10. Shadow Dancing – Andy Gibb

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment