4.

GOODNIGHT VIENNA - 4.5 Starrs - 1974

a worthy follow up to RINGO and cut in the same mold. It leads off and ends with a reprise of the title cut written by Lennon. There are no contributions by Paul and George but there is a great song from Elton John and one from Harry Neilson as well as a track by Allen Toussaint....it is a great album just a notch below RINGO. The Ringo penned songs are very good.
overall the album has a lot of Allen Toissaint flavor.
the cover of a depiction from the day the earth stood still surely fed into the 1976 controversy over the first Klaatu album.

5.

RINGO’S ROYOGRAVURE - 4 Starrs - 1976

This album did not get love from the critics but what did they know. This was the third rock album in a sort of trilogy. Done in the mold of the two previous it was also very good but suffered from a new producer who didn’t bring the bright glam vibrancy of the Steven Perry and Tom Scott team. This created a little bit of lackluster results particularly by comparison.
Still it is a good album. The first side is very very good 1-5 with the standouts being the stunning Pure Gold by Paul McCartney with Paul and Linda playing on the song. That song is followed by a fantastic Ringo song called Cryin.
Side 2 opens with Lennon serving up a nice rocker called Cooking in The Kitchen of Love. Incidentally Paul had a song on his 1976 album called Cook of the House ....it was the only song on that album that did not work.
George Harrison then offers a gem of a ballad.
the next song was written by Eric Clapton but it falls flat.
All in all a good album that missed Steven Perry who would have enhanced it into a cut above.

believe it or not George wasn’t happy with the production and outcome of his song which he could not appear on due to schedule issues and ended up suing Ringo to keep it off the album. It got settled out of court. The two of them later made light of it. Who knows the full story. The song is really great but George had a point.

don’t believe the lousy reviews on this album.

So far a solid outing in the 70s but the worst is yet to come.

6.

RINGO’S 4TH - 1.5 Starrs - 1977

lots of disco just dreadful and worthless.
the final song of 10 which was written by Ringo is the only decent song on the album. It is a good song. There had to be one.

7.

BAD BOY - 2 Starrs - 1978

another bad album although considerably better then the prior one. Of 10 songs 6 are stone cold bad.
only 3-4 songs good but one in my estimation was great and a return to glory!
Ringo does a version of one of my all time favorite songs and he does it very very well. Lipstick Traces on a Cigetette. I also like the Bryan Ferry version but my favorite is the one by Alex Chilton. It blows me away. But Ringo does also do a fantastic job on this great song.

btw the song was written by the great Allen Toussaint.
need I say more.

Apologize for the interruption of all things Ringo.

Last night for me............

BoDeans ---- "Still"
Todd Snider --- "Happy To Be Here"

Loved 'em both! (again!)

I’ve always like Bodeans.
great Americana band.
for those who never heard of them I think it is fair to say that if you like John Melloncamp you will like The Bodeans.

Ringo in the 70s now done and next up John Lennon.

JOHN LENNON ALBUMS IN THE 70s RATED IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER

1. PLASTIC ONO BAND - 5 Stars - 1970
desert disc album - perfect album - as good as it gets.
the song isolation is the Covid theme song.

2. IMAGINE - 5 Stars - 1971
Another unimaginably great album. Helter Skelter was one of the prototype punk songs and so is Gimmie Some Truth....How Do You Sleep is incredible but obviously can’t be included on a Beatles 1971 album.

SOME TIME IN NEW YORK CITY - 5 Stars - 1972
This is Lennon’s controversial album with Yoko Ono.
It does not have a Beatles sound except for the fact that the juxtaposition of John and Yoko songs which i found refreshing and interesting and Beatles like.

The overall sound is very Dirty Macish bluesy and even a little Rolling Stonesish. The backing band is an underground New York band called Elephants Memory. The saxophonist is Stan Bornstein and his work on the album is genius.
The songs are smash mouth and seering.
This might still be the most political electric album ever. It has the intensity and bravado; bluntness and poetry; combat rock of The Clash. This is a brave and honest album about racism and sexism and the legal system and class struggle and identity and the British Irish struggle in Ireland.

It is a powerful tour de force and like The Clash and the socially aware punk movement it relentlessly bombards the complacency of status quo in politics and music and demands change to systemic problems.
This was an opening salvo picked up by the later emerging bands like the clash and psychedelic furs and Elvis Costello and x.....this was an album 5 years ahead of its time.

Now for the songs:

1. Woman is the N****** Of The World - one of the most daring and bold anthems in rock history. As intrepid as Lenny Bruce it goes where no one went before without fear or compromise. John and Yoko ( as was Elvis Presley) were infatuated with Lenny Bruce and I am sure they had him in mind for this song. Lenny is mentioned in the final song on this album and the last song of Lennon’s 1970 album and of course there is a picture of Lenny Bruce on the cover of Sgt Peppers.
Naturally the use of the word which was used as a reference for slave backfired and thus stunted the productivity sought for the song and album but those not slaves to outside influences were not deterred. The power of the word within the scorching impassioned verse with the verve and passionate singing results in a manifesto to music unlike anything that came before. And the sax that floats in and out gives a really jazzy soulful air....masterpiece and powerful and one of John’s greatest songs and best singing.
once you have heard this song you will never forget it.
I can imagine a prime Billie Holiday singing this.

2. Sisters O Sister - this is a Yoko song. It is a very 60ish inclusive culture feminist song. The sound is very poppy and cut from the girl group and Lulu era and Yoko sings beautifully and sweetly. It has some rock and roll moments and you know by now that Elephants Memory is for real and you are in for a ride.

3. Attica State - John song sung by Yoko - anthem style sung with ferver.......makes you feel like you are at Woodstock. Very bluesy rock with great guitar work.
very good. Rousing.

4. Born in a Prison - Yoko song sung beautifully. Lyrically and musically it stands very comfortably with the Lennon songs. It musically upbeat which belies its bleak polemic 1984ish Birth- school - work death lifespan in a regimented cold society without freedom and individuality....it is another great great song.

5. the title song - John song - one his greatest rockers. More conventional about life and friends in New York City. Check out the reference to young Geraldo Rivera. I’m glad John never saw what happened to Jerry.....very catchy. Fantastic song.

side 2

1. Sunday Bloody Sunday - John’s song about the conflict in Ireland. Fantastic rocker. Strong and it pulsates. Yoko also sings. The song is a highlight.

2. Luck of the Irish - wry song of John about Irish discrimination. Good folky song.

3. John Sinclair - another John song . Very dylanesque....about former member of mc5 jailed for giant sentence for passing 2 joints to an undercover cop. This song has some of the greatest blues slide guitar you will ever hear.

4. Angela - Yoko song about Angela Davis. Good song.

5. We are All Water - Yoko rocker. Great surreal lyrics and imagery. Great song until the end where for the first time she gives in to impulse and does her Yoko little Richard screaming which I could do without.


So that’s the album. Savaged then and many people still agree.
it was a one off album. John just did 2 perfect “Beatles” albums in 1970 and 1971.
this album had a live feel to it and was co produced by Phil Spector adding a calamitous sound.
this is a time capsule into counterculture 1969-1972.
i love the consistent song to song feel to the album and the jaggedly rolling stonesish and bluesy and roxy feel to the songs.
it is compelling and I invite every Beatles person to play it with an open mind and live it because it is full of passion......And Turn It Up!

4. MIND GAMES - 4 Stars - 1973
Four Stars is an impressive album and there are some truly great songs for sure. But this album lacks the trademark edginess and intensity you get from great Lennon material......every song is good to great... no clunk at all....just that easy listening Lennon is a bit of a downer......still much better then most everything else so a very very fine album but not a great album.

5. WALLS AND BRIDGES - 5 Stars - 1974

A return to total excellence. It is a collection of songs and every one is tremendous. The self production by Lennon is phenomenal and the Lennon edge and clarity and purpose is back.
This is a wonderful album. Drama and a musical on a big stage.
It is less Beatlesish then 70-71 but no less sharp and strong and powerful.

6. ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC - 5 Stars - 1975

The review to some time in New York City is done.
I hope people will give it a fresh listen.

Final Tally of The Beatles in the 70s

5 Star albums - 13
4.5 Star albums - 6
4 Star albums - 5
others - 4

quite a chunk of great studio albums in one decade.

one day I will put together albums of The Beatles from solo tracks and singles and I expect most years to have double albums and a triple from 1970 as there were so many worthy songs.

MY TOP 21 ARTISTS WITH ISH ON THE BEATLES ISH SPECTRUM
in attempted alphabetical order

1. Badfinger
2. The Bangles
3. David Bowie
4. The Buzzcocks
5. Elvis Costello
6. ELO
7. The Jam
8. Elton John
9. Klaatu
10. Aimee Mann
11. Moody Blues
12. Queen
13. Emmit Rhodes
14. Squeeze
15. XTC
16. The Rasperries
17. The Monkees
18. Cheap Trick
19. Dave Clark 5
20. Simon and Garfunkle
21. Oasis