Top Songs of 1971 – A retrospective

A fifty-year retro-spective of the year 1971 in music.

This ranking reflects my personal tastes and your mileage may vary. Enjoy.

1 LAYLA – Derek & The Dominos
2 MAGGIE MAY – Rod Stewart
3 SUPERSTAR – Carpenters
4 WON’T GET FOOLED AGAIN – The Who
5 WHAT IS LIFE – George Harrison
6 JUST MY IMAGINATION (Running Away With Me) – The Temptations
7 RIDERS ON THE STORM – The Doors
8 YOUR SONG – Elton John
9 IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND – Gordon Lightfoot
10 RAINY DAYS AND MONDAYS – Carpenters
11 WHAT’S GOING ON – Marvin Gaye
12 MERCY, MERCY ME (THE ECOLOGY) – Marvin Gaye
13 HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THE RAIN – Creedence Clearwater Revival
14 THEME FROM SHAFT – Isaac Hayes
15 SO FAR AWAY – Carole King
16 MY SWEET LORD – George Harrison
17 TAKE ME HOME, COUNTRY ROADS – John Denver
18 BEGINNINGS – Chicago
19 MR. BIG STUFF – Jean Knight
20 THAT’S THE WAY I’VE ALWAYS HEARD IT SHOULD BE – Carly Simon
21 BEHIND BLUE EYES – The Who
22 HERE COMES THAT RAINY DAY FEELING AGAIN – The Fortunes
23 (THEME FROM) LOVE STORY – Henry Mancini and His Orchestra
24 CAROLINA IN MY MIND – James Taylor
25 BLACK MAGIC WOMAN – Santana
26 BELL BOTTOM BLUES – Derek & The Dominos
27 IMMIGRANT SONG – Led Zeppelin
28 IT’S TOO LATE – Carole King
29 SOONER OR LATER – The Grass Roots
30 JOY TO THE WORLD – Three Dog Night
31 TALKING IN YOUR SLEEP – Gordon Lightfoot
32 WEDDING SONG (THERE IS LOVE) – Paul Stookey
33 YOUR MOVE / I’VE SEEN ALL GOOD PEOPLE – Yes
34 THE STORY IN YOUR EYES – The Moody Blues
35 FOR ALL WE KNOW – Carpenters
36 BROWN SUGAR – The Rolling Stones
37 OYE COMO VA – Santana
38 YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND – James Taylor
39 LOVE HER MADLY – The Doors
40 GYPSYS, TRAMPS & THIEVES – Cher
41 IF YOU REALLY LOVE ME – Stevie Wonder
42 AIN’T NO SUNSHINE – Bill Withers
43 HAVE YOU SEEN HER – The Chi-Lites
44 REASON TO BELIEVE – Rod Stewart
45 THIN LINE BETWEEN LOVE & HATE – The Persuaders
46 I’D LOVE TO CHANGE THE WORLD – Ten Years After
47 LOVE THE ONE YOU’RE WITH – Stephen Stills
48 ROSE GARDEN – Lynn Anderson
49 K-JEE – The Nite-Liters
50 DOMINO – Van Morrison
51 ONE TOKE OVER THE LINE – Brewer & Shipley
52 HEAVY MAKES YOU HAPPY (Sha-Na-Boom Boom) – The Staple Singers
53 I FEEL THE EARTH MOVE – Carole King
54 THE GREEN GRASS STARTS TO GROW – Dionne Warwick
55 ALL DAY MUSIC – War
56 ONE FINE MORNING – Lighthouse
57 SURRENDER – Diana Ross
58 JEEPSTER – T. Rex
59 NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE – Jackson 5
60 DON’T PULL YOUR LOVE – Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds
61 COUNTRY ROAD – James Taylor
62 BLUE MONEY – Van Morrison
63 BIRDS OF A FEATHER – The Raiders
64 THAT’S THE WAY A WOMAN IS – Messengers
65 WILD NIGHT – Van Morrison
66 LUCKY MAN – Emerson, Lake & Palmer
67 STAY AWHILE – The Bells
68 PROUD MARY – Ike & Tina Turner
69 GOT TO BE THERE – Michael Jackson
70 PUT YOUR HAND IN THE HAND – Ocean
71 WE CAN WORK IT OUT – Stevie Wonder
72 RESPECT YOURSELF – The Staple Sisters
73 MAYBE TOMORROW – Jackson 5
74 WE ARE NEIGHBORS – The Chi-Lites
75 MIGHTY CLOUDS OF JOY – B.J. Thomas
76 NICKEL SONG – The New Seekers featuring Eve Graham
77 EVERYBODY’S EVERYTHING – Santana
78 INDIAN RESERVATION (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian) – The Raiders
79 IT’S A CRYIN’ SHAME – Gayle McCormick
80 WILD HORSES – The Rolling Stones
81 DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN – Lee Michaels
82 FAMILY AFFAIR – Sly & The Family Stone
83 TEMPTATION EYES – The Grass Roots
84 I’VE FOUND SOMEONE OF MY OWN – The Free Movement
85 LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY – James Taylor
86 SWEET CITY WOMAN – Stampeders
87 OLENA – Don Nix
88 TIRED OF BEING ALONE – Al Green
89 KNOCK THREE TIMES – Dawn featuring Tony Orlando
90 RESURRECTION SHUFFLE – Tom Jones
91 COAL MINER’S DAUGHTER – Loretta Lynn
92 LIGHT SINGS – The 5th Dimension
93 SING HIGH – SING LOW – Anne Murray
94 THEY CAN’T TAKE AWAY OUR MUSIC – Eric Burdon and War
95 COOL AID – Paul Humphrey & His Cool Aid Chemists
96 WHEN YOU’RE HOT, YOU’RE HOT – Jerry Reed
97 HOT LOVE – T. Rex
98 STOP, LOOK, LISTEN (TO YOUR HEART) – The Stylistics
99 ONE TIN SOLDIER, THE LEGEND OF BILLY JACK – Coven
100 PEACE TRAIN – Cat Stevens