Best Songs of 1971
For these year-end lists, I like to undertake the seemingly impossibly task of creating an hours-long mix. The order you see below represents that effort, which you can listen to via Spotify and Apple Music. Sadly all 100 tracks aren't available, but you get the general idea. Track notes to come eventually or maybe never.
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Changes
David Bowie
Hunky Dory
RCA
via TK library:Notes
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Can You Get to That
Funkadelic
Maggot Brain
Westbound
via TK library:Notes
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Sweetback’s Theme
Melvin Van Peebles
Sweetback’s Theme 7"
Stax
via TK library:Notes
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The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
Gil Scott-Heron
Pieces of a Man
Flying Dutchman
via TK library:Notes
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Right Off
Miles Davis
Jack Johnson
Columbia
via TK library:Notes
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Moment of Truth
Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire
Warner Bros.
via TK library:Notes
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Can’t Stand It
James Brown
Hot Pants
Polydor
via TK library:Notes
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Love the One You’re With
The Isley Brothers
Givin’ It Back
T-Neck
via TK library:Notes
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Southern Man
Merry Clayton
Merry Clayton
Ode
via TK library:Notes
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He Called Me Baby
Candi Staton
Stand By Your Man
Fame
via TK library:Notes
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I’ll Be Faithful
Dusty Springfield
Dusty in Memphis Deluxe
EMI
via TK library:Recorded in 1971 but previously unreleased
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Rock Me on the Water
Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt
Capitol
via TK library:Notes
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Helpless
Buffy Sainte-Marie
She Used to Wanna Be a Ballerina
Vanguard
via TK library:Notes
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I Don’t Want to Talk About It
Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse
Reprise
via TK library:Notes
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Word Game
Stephen Stills
Stephen Stills 2
Atlantic
via TK library:Notes
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Laughing
David Crosby
If I Could Only Remember My Name
Atlantic
via TK library:Notes
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I Used to Be a King
Graham Nash
Songs for Beginners
Atlantic
via TK library:Notes
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Stay With Me
Faces
A Nod Is as Good as a Wink… to a Blind Horse…
Warner Bros.
via TK library:Notes
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Rock ’N’ Roll Stew
Traffic
The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys
Island
via TK library:Notes
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Everything’s Coming Our Way
Santana
Santana III
Columbia
via TK library:Notes
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I Just Want to Celebrate
Rare Earth
One World
Rare Earth
via TK library:Notes
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Hard Times
Baby Huey & The Baby Sitters
The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend
Curtom
via TK library:Notes
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Smiling Faces Sometimes
The Undisputed Truth
The Undisputed Truth
Gordy
via TK library:Notes
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Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)
The Temptations
Sky’s the Limit
Motown
via TK library:Notes
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I Love What You Do to Me
Ike and Tina Turner
’Nuff Said
United Artists
via TK library:Notes
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Medicated Goo
PP Arnold
The Turning Tide
Kundalini Music
via TK library:“Lost” 1971 album issued by Kundalini Music in 2017
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Mr. Big Stuff
Jean Knight
Mr. Big Stuff
Stax
via TK library:Notes
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Clean Up Woman
Betty Wright
Clean Up Woman 7"
Alston
via TK library:Notes
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Tired of Being Alone
Al Green
Gets Next to You
Hi
via TK library:Notes
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Hijackin’ Love
Johnnie Taylor
Hijackin’ Love 7"
Stax
via TK library:Notes
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She’s a Lady
Tom Jones
Tom Jones Sings She’s a Lady
Parrot
via TK library:Notes
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Yo-Yo
The Osmonds
Phase III
MGM
via TK library:Notes
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Want Ads
Honey Cone
Sweet Replies
Hot Wax
via TK library:Notes
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Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get
The Dramatics
Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get
Volt
via TK library:Notes
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Have You Seen Her
The Chi-Lites
(For God’s Sake) Give More Power to the People
Brunswick
via TK library:Notes
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Strawberry Letter 23
Shuggie Otis
Freedom Flight
Epic
via the Tevin Campbell cover library:Notes
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Angel
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Cry of Love
MCA
via TK library:Notes
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Won’t Get Fooled Again
The Who
Who’s Next
MCA
via TK library:Notes
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Baby Blue
Badfinger
Straight Up
Parlophone
via TK library:Notes
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It Don’t Come Easy
Ringo Starr
It Don’t Come Easy 7"
Parlophone
via TK library:Notes
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Eat at Home
Paul & Linda McCartney
Ram
Apple
via TK library:Notes
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20th Century Man
The Kinks
Muswell Hillbillies
RCA
via TK library:Notes
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Do You Know What I Mean
Lee Michaels
5th
A&M
via TK library:Notes
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Be My Lover
Alice Cooper
Killer
Warner Bros.
via TK library:Notes
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Jump Into the Fire
Harry Nilsson
Nilsson Schmilsson
RCA
via TK library:Notes
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Bang a Gong (Get It On)
T. Rex
Electric Warrior
Reprise
via TK library:Notes
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Brown Sugar
The Rolling Stones
Sticky Fingers
Rolling Stones
via TK library:Notes
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Love Is Gone
Clover
Fourty-Niner
Fantasy
via TK library:Notes
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California Women
Hoyt Axton
Joy to the World
Capitol
via TK library:Notes
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Voodoo Village
Tony Joe White
Tony Joe White
Warner Bros.
via TK library:Notes
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Fire and Brimstone
Link Wray
Link Wray
Polydor
via TK library:Notes
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Tulsa Turnaround
Kenny Rogers & The First Edition
Transition
Reprise
via TK library:Notes
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Walking Blues
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Raitt
Warner Bros.
via TK library:Notes
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Something on Your Mind
Karen Dalton
In My Own Time
Paramount
via TK library:Notes
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We Got to Have Peace
Curtis Mayfield
Roots
Curtom
via TK library:Notes
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Theme From Shaft
Isaac Hayes
Shaft
Enterprise
via TK library:Notes
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Wild Night
Van Morrison
Tupelo Honey
Warner Bros.
via the John Mellencamp cover library:Notes
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Stranger in a Strange Land
Leon Russell
Leon Russell and the Shelter People
Shelter
via TK library:Notes
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Madman Across the Water
Elton John
Madman Across the Water
UNI
via TK library:Notes
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To Whom It May Concern
Rodriguez
Coming From Reality
Sussex
via TK library:Note
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It’s Too Late
Carole King
Tapestry
Epic
via TK library:Notes
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Brand New Key
Melanie
Gather Me
Buddah
via TK library:Notes
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Me and Bobby McGee
Janis Joplin
Pearl
Columbia
via TK library:Notes
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Yesterday’s Wine
Willie Nelson
Yesterday’s Wine
Columbia
via TK library:Notes
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Man in Black
Johnny Cash
Man in Black
Columbia
via TK library:Notes
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Take Me Home, Country Roads
John Denver
Poems, Prayers & Promises
RCA
via TK library:Notes
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A Horse With No Name
America
America
Warner Bros.
via TK library:Notes
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Angel From Montgomery
John Prine
John Prine
Atlantic
via TK library:Notes
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I Shall Be Released
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits Vol. II
Columbia
via TK library:Notes
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Find Yourself Sometime
Rick Hayward
Rick Hayward
Blue Horizon
via TK library:Notes
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Oh Louisiana
Chuck Berry
San Francisco Dues
Chess
via TK library:Notes
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Life Is a Carnival
The Band
Cahoots
Capitol
via TK library:Notes
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Crazy Arms, Crazy Eyes
Brave Belt
Brave Belt
Reprise
via TK library:Notes
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Love Has Brought Me Around
James Taylor
Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon
Warner Bros.
via TK library:Notes
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Bitterblue
Cat Stevens
Teaser and the Firecat
A&M
via TK library:Notes
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Every Picture Tells a Story
Rod Stewart
Every Picture Tells a Story
Mercury
via TK library:Notes
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In the Summertime
Mungo Jerry
Electronically Tested
Dawn
via TK library:Notes
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All Day Music
War
All Day Music
United Artists
via TK library:Notes
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What’s Going On
Marvin Gaye
What’s Going On
Tamla
via TK library:Notes
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Family Affair
Sly and the Family Stone
There’s a Riot Goin’ On
Epic
via my dad library:Notes
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Never Can Say Goodbye
The Jackson 5
Maybe Tomorrow
Motown
via TK library:Notes
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If I Were Your Woman
Gladys Knight & The Pips
If I Were Your Woman
Soul
via TK library:Notes
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Thin Line Between Love and Hate
The Persuaders
Thin Line Between Love and Hate 7"
Atlantic
via TK library:Notes
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A Song for You
Donny Hathaway
Donny Hathaway
ATCO
via TK library:Notes
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River
Joni Mitchell
Blue
Reprise
via TK library:Notes
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She’s Got a Way
Billy Joel
Cold Spring Harbor
Family
via TK library:Notes
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Omega Day
Bill Fay
Time of the Last Persecution
Deram
via TK library:Notes
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Motel Blues
Loudon Wainwright III
Album II
Atlantic
via the Big Star cover library:Notes
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Loves in the Answer
Ray Stinnett
A Fire Somewhere
Light in the Attic
via TK library:“Lost” 1971 album issued by Light in the Attic in 2012
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Here Comes the Sun
Richie Havens
Alarm Clock
Stormy Forest
via TK library:Notes
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Imagine
John Lennon
Imagine
Apple
via TK library:Notes
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Famous Blue Raincoat
Leonard Cohen
Songs of Love and Hate
Columbia
via TK library:Notes
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Fearless
Pink Floyd
Meddle
EMI
via TK library:Notes
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Whiskey Woman
Flamin’ Groovies
Teenage Head
Kama Sutra
via TK library:Notes
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When the Levee Breaks
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin IV
Atlantic
via my dad library:Notes
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Do Yourself a Favor
Stevie Wonder
Where I’m Coming From
Tamla
via TK library:Notes
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Fire and Rain
Bobby Womack
Communication
Capitol
via TK library:Notes
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Ain’t No Sunshine
Bill Withers
Just As I Am
Columbia
via my dad library:Notes
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Let the Good Things Come
John Martyn
Bless the Weather
Island
via TK library:Notes
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Riders on the Storm
The Doors
Riders on the Storm 7"
Elektra
via my dad library:Notes