1. "Layla" by Derek and the Dominos 
“Layla” by Derek & the Dominos is a perfect rock song. You have the iconic guitar intro by Eric Clapton to kick off the song. You have the iconic piano outro by Jim Gordon, which may be the single most beautiful piece of popular music ever. Everything about the playing on this seven-minute song is a masterpiece. The lyrics to “Layla,” written by Clapton and inspired by 12th-century poet Nizami Ganjavi’s narrative poem The Story of Layla and Majnun, are one of a few popular rock songs written about Pattie Boyd, the wife of Clapton’s friend George Harrison of The Beatles, whom Clapton had unrequited love for. The two would marry following Boyd’s divorce from Harrison. As for the beautiful piano part, it was credited to Gordon though many believe he took it from a piece he heard his then-girlfriend musician Rita Coolidge playing. The outro would memorably soundtrack the ending to Martin Scorsese’s gangster classic “Goodfellas.” Clapton would later perform an acoustic version of “Layla” on his “MTV Unplugged” appearance in 1992, which would become a hit and classic in its own right. 

2. "Changes" by David Bowie 
This list will be filled with multiple tracks off David Bowie’s iconic The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars concept album released in June of 1972, but Bowie’s highest ranking song on this list is “Changes” off his previous album Hunky Dory, which came out in late 1971 with the single coming in the first week of ’72. “Changes” is such an important song for me. My reading on it is about being different from others and how the world must come to accept that people aren’t all the same. I adore the line: “strange fascinations fascinate me.” Bowie certainly wasn’t afraid to be strange and he inspired many to accept they’re strange. 

3. "Tiny Dancer" by Elton John
Fair warning. Elton John is going to be all over this list. 1972 was a massive year for him. “Tiny Dancer” is the best of Elton’s 1972 “greatest hits” output, though it’s certainly grown in its legacy since its release. When released as a single in ’72 the song didn’t even crack the Top 40 on Billboard, but through years of radio play, live shows, and maybe the greatest music movie scene of all time in Cameron Crow’s “Almost Famous” the song has gotten to where Rolling Stone in its latest 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list has it ranked as the No. 47 greatest song ever. The lyrics, written by Elton’s career-long lyricist Bernie Taupin, were a mixture of his wife at the time Maxine Feibelman, and Taupin’s first trip to California where he noticed the women there contrasted greatly in overall spirit from the ones back home in England. 

4. "Pancho & Lefty" by Townes Van Zandt 
I was first introduced to Townes Van Zandt’s “Pancho & Lefty” via Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard’s terrific 1983 cover that became a No. 1 country hit. I love both versions of the song and the original by country-folk singer-songwriter Van Zandt deserves such a lofty spot on this list. The tale of a duo of outlaws broken apart by greed and betrayal is quintessentially country and Van Zandt did such a masterful job at crafting sympathy for both characters it became one of the greatest story songs ever written. 

5. "Rocket Man" by Elton John
Elton John’s second entry in the top five is “Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be a Long, Long Time,” off Honky Chateau. “Rocket Man,” a No. 6 Billboard hit, tells the mixed feelings an astronaut has about leaving his family behind on Earth to do his job – a space flight to Mars. There’s some debate about the inspiration Bernie Taupin had for the lyrics – possibly Ray Bradbury’s short story The Rocket Man, possibly David Bowie’s 1969 song “Space Oddity” (which Taupin has denied) or maybe just seeing a shooting star or airplane in the distant. Whatever the inspiration, Taupin’s words with Elton John’s beautiful piano playing led to a classic. 

6. "Take It Easy" by Eagles 
The Eagles and Jackson Browne both broke out with their debut albums in 1972 and the Eagles debut single “Take It Easy,” which would peak at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, was co-written by Eagles co-founder Glenn Frey with Browne. “Take It Easy,” a catchy road song about trying to outrun a number of lovers, would become one of the Eagles most famous hits and a part of many of Browne’s set lists too. Browne would cut the track for his sophomore release For Everyman in 1973. 

7. "Heart of Gold" by Neil Young
The biggest hit of Neil Young’s career, his only Billboard No. 1, “Heart of Gold” is quintessentially country-folk-rock with the singer-songwriter going a bit softer on his album Harvest. Young went quieter with an acoustic and harmonica sound after a back injury wouldn’t allow him to stand to play electric guitar for long periods of time. The song, inspired by Young’s newly growing love for actress Carrie Snodgrass, blew up and Young kind of had mixed feelings about it, writing in the liner notes of his 1977 compilation albums Decades: “This song put me in the middle of the road. Traveling there soon became a bore so I headed for the ditch. A rougher ride but I saw more interesting people there.” 

8. "Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels)" by Jim Croce
I’m sure many young people today wouldn’t understand the premise of Jim Croce’s “Operator (That’s Not the Way It Feels,” his No. 17 Billboard Hot 100 hit off You Don’t Mess Around with Jim, which sees a jilted, broken-hearted man calling up a phone operator just so he has someone to spill his guts to about the woman who left him for his friend. It’s a devastating vocal and lyric by Croce reportedly inspired by his time in the military when he’d see soldiers lining up by the phone at the base to see if the Dear John letters they had received from their significant others were true. 

9. "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder
The lead single off Stevie Wonder’s late 1972 epic Talking Book, “Superstition” would reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in January of 1973 and go on to have a place on Halloween playlists for the rest of eternity. The song, which talks about superstitions and their impact on people, would go on to win Wonder two Grammy Awards, including Best R&B Song in 1974. The Hohner Clavinet and Moog bass, both played by Wonder, would give the song its funkiness making listeners want to groove throughout its almost four-and-a-half-minute runtime. 

10. "Good Hearted Woman" by Waylon Jennings
In 1969 while staying at a motel in Fort Worth, Texas Waylon Jennings saw a newspaper ad promoting a Tina Turner concert as “a good-hearted woman loving two-timing men.” The phrase instantly stuck in Waylon’s mind, and he immediately went to his friend and fellow songwriter Willie Nelson wanting to write an entire song around the phrase. What came next is one of the all-time greatest country songs that appeared as the title track of Waylon’s 1972 album, which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard country chart. This version just featured Waylon on vocals. A probably more known duet version with Nelson that would appear on the collaborative concept album Wanted: The Outlaws! in 1975 would go to No. 1 on the country chart and become a minor crossover hit. 

11. "The City of New Orleans" by Arlo Guthrie
Arlo Guthrie’s somewhat of a folk music legend as the offspring of the greatest folk music legend Woody Guthrie. His only top-40 hit was his cover of Steve Goodman’s “The City of New Orleans,” off his 1972 album Hobo’s Lullaby. Guthrie’s version of the song went to No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100, a pretty lofty spot for a straight-up folk song in ’72. Goodman, who released his own version the year before on his self-titled debut album, talked Guthrie into listening to the song at a Chicago bar one night as Guthrie begrudgingly said sure if Goodman bought him a beer. 

12. "Sail Away" by Randy Newman
Randy Newman’s “Sail Away,” the opening track off his 1972 album of the same name, might be the heaviest song on this list, even if it sounds a bit fairy-tale and whimsical in accompaniment by a full orchestra. Newman, never one to shy away from controversial topics or get into the point of view of a bad guy in song, wrote “Sail Away” as a slave trader promising the American dream to an African. Critic Greil Marcus would say of the song: “[it’s] like a vision of heaven superimposed on hell,” in his 1975 book Mystery Train: Images of America in Rock ‘n’ Roll Music.  

13. "Walk on the Wild Side" by Lou Reed
Due to an out-of-date term to refer to African Americans (that was never appropriate), there’s been some talk about canceling Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side,” but that would take away one of the first popular songs to take on topics like transgender people and other things that were taboo at the time. Inspired by the people Reed met as part of Andy Warhol’s Factory scene in the ‘60s when he was a member of The Velvet Underground it’s a unique song about a specific scene frozen in time in a song. 

14. "Me & Julio Down By the Schoolyard" by Paul Simon
One of the most fun-sounding songs you’ll find on this list is Paul Simon’s “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” from his self-titled 1972 album. The song with its bouncy pop-rock sound tells the story of two young boys busted for breaking some kind of unmentioned law and the lengths gone to to get the kids out of trouble. I particularly love the lyric about “when the radical priest come to get me released/we was all on the cover of Newsweek” a probable reference to Priests Daniel and Philip Berrigan appearing on a TIME magazine cover in 1971 around the time Simon wrote the song. 

15. "You're So Vain" by Carly Simon
For much of my life, including into my thirties, I thought Carly Simon’s was just a catchy chorus on a pop hit. Then one day on a local oldies station I guess I finally really listened to the verses – a seething, biting takedown of an ex-lover (the identity of whom had been debated for years, but is likely Warren Beatty) that struck me with its specificity – it’s probably also the only song I’ve ever heard with the word “gavotte,” which I find cool as a writing nerd. The No. 1 hit would go on to be nominated for many Grammys including Song and Record of the Year both of which it would lose to Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly With His Song.” 

16. "Irma Jackson" by Merle Haggard 
Merle Haggard’s “Irma Jackson” is one of the most important country songs ever written and recorded, but unfortunately wasn’t released as a single so its impact was limited. The song is about interracial romance, which would’ve absolutely set the country music world on fire in 1972 if released to radio. Haggard wanted it to be a single, but Capitol Records feared it would hurt his image and career. 

17. "Ziggy Stardust" by David Bowie 
“Ziggy Stardust” is such an epic rocker that it’s hard to believe it wasn’t actually a single off David Bowie’s The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Ziggy, the character, is mentioned earlier on the album, but this track (the album’s third to last) is his character’s centerpiece as it tells of his shooting star fame and the jealousy his band has about his superstardom. It’s glam rock at its absolute best. 

18. "Peaceful Easy Feeling" by Eagles 
“Peaceful Easy Feeling,” the third single of the Eagles’ self-titled debut album, is one of the standard bearers of easy-sounding country rock. Written by Jack Tempchin, the song sees Glenn Frey on the lead vocal with terrific harmonizing vocals from Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner. It’s a simple love song that will make you long for a quiet desert night with the one you love. The song went to No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 in ’72. 

19. "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" by The Temptations
The Temptations’ final No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” came out in 1972 eight years after their initial No. 1 “My Girl” from 1964. The Motown stars brought more of a soulful funk sound (especially that almost four-minute instrumental intro) to this track of a family dealing with the lingering questions that come after the death of a deadbeat father. The Temptations version was actually the second of ’72. It was originally cut and released by another Motown act, The Undisputed Truth, but The Temptations cut would have the lasting impact. 

20. "Political Science" by Randy Newman
Randy Newman’s cheeky, satirical songwriting is one-of-a-kind. One of his first and best pieces of satire was “Political Science,” off 1972’s Sail Away, which takes on American culture and its place in the world with a bit of an “America First” position. The solution – “let’s drop the big one now.” It’s a perfect punchline to the song. 

21. "America" by Simon & Garfunkel
“America” by Simon & Garfunkel is the unusual case of a song being released as a single many years after its original album recording. In fact, by the time the single was released in 1972 the duo had been broken up nearly two years. “America,” a tale of a duo traveling the country looking for “America” in both the literal and figurative sense, was on the duo’s 1968 album Bookends, but released as a single when included on Simon & Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits in ’72. The song didn’t do much on the charts, but it has been remembered fondly ranking as the duo’s fourth-best song in a 2014 Rolling Stone reader’s poll.  

22. "Honky Cat" by Elton John
I find Elton John’s “Honky Cat,” the first track off his fifth studio album Honky Chateau, to be one of his most effortlessly fun recordings with its jazz-tinged boogie-woogie sound mixed with lyrics that could be country (if it were stripped down a bit it wouldn’t have been out of place on 1970’s Tumbleweed Connection). It would top out at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

23. "Use Me" by Bill Withers
“Use Me” certainly wasn’t Bill Withers’ biggest hit of 1972 – that would be his No. 1 smash “Lean On Me,” but I believe it was his best hit of the year. “Use Me” is funky and sexy as hell, especially Withers’ vocal. It’s a song about a man whose woman is so good at loving him that he frankly doesn’t give a damn if he’s merely being used for his body. “Use Me” would go to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

24. "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" by Elton John 
“Mona Lisas & Mad Hatters” is one of the most beautiful songs Elton John ever recorded and Bernie Taupin ever wrote, but because it was never released as a single, it’s not among the most known in his discography. I’ll call it Elton’s best deep cut. The song was on side two of Elton John’s 1972 album Honky Chateau but was introduced to me during his emotional performance of the tune during 2001’s “The Concert for New York” special meant as a tribute to members of the New York Police and Fire Departments in the wake of 9/11. 

25. "Old Man" by Neil Young
Neil Young’s “Old Man” is a little happier in its backstory than I ever realized. Young wrote the song for the caretaker of a ranch he bought in Northern California in 1970 comparing the caretaker’s life to his and how they both had similar needs. I always felt the song was a bit more plaintive like the narrator didn’t want to end up like the old man. “Old Man,” the second single off Young’s Harvest, went to No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 in ’72. 

26. "Reelin' in the Years" by Steely Dan
I knew I was getting older when I finally decided I liked a Steely Dan song. “Reelin’ in the Year,” a No. 11 Billboard Hot 100 hit off the band’s debut album Can’t Buy a Thrill, was the song that did it for me. How many young folks really dig jazz-rock anyway? I, of course, had heard the song many times before on oldies and classic rock format radio stations, but somehow the lyrics of the verses of a man just letting his ex have it verbally in a sarcastic manner passed me by until one day I just got it. I haven’t skipped past the track since.  

27. "You Don't Mess Around with Jim" by Jim Croce 
Jim Croce had proven himself to be something of a story song master in his short career and “You Don’t Mess Around with Jim,” his No. 8 hit in 1972 may have been his best. “You Don’t Mess Around with Jim” tells the tale of an underground pool hall and a hustler named “Big” Jim Walker with a reputation as something like a superhero. Nobody can stop “Big Jim,” until a pool player from south Alabama comes to town seeking some revenge. With a supremely catchy chorus and oozing fun, it’s just a delight to hear and sing along with. 

28. "Suffragette City" by David Bowie 
I hadn’t been aware of this fact when I initially ranked David Bowie’s “Suffragette City” and “Starman” off Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars at No. 28 and 29 on this list, but it turns out “Suffragette City” was actually the B-side to “Starman” when released as a single in 1972. Both songs were recorded in the same session on February 4, 1972. “Suffragette City” was originally offered to the group Mott the Hoople, but they declined and chose to record Bowie’s “All the Young Dudes,” which they would have a hit with, instead. “Suffragette City” certainly feels as if it came from outer space compared to the other records and songs being released during its time. 

29. "Starman" by David Bowie 
“Starman” seems like such an integral part of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, but it was actually a last-minute addition to the album. In fact, Bowie initially had a cover of Chuck Berry’s “Round and Round” in its place. “Starman” wound up being the lead single off the album and its performance on Britain’s “Top of the Pops” show really helped blast Bowie into the stratosphere of music stardom. The song sees the titular Ziggy Stardust giving the beings of Earth hope in the midst of a potential apocalypse through the radio. 

30. "Box No. 10" by Jim Croce
Every now and then I wonder what might have been had Jim Croce not died in a plane crash on September 20, 1973, so early in his career. He had written and recorded so many fantastic story songs in his short career there’s no telling what his turnout might have been. “Box No. 10” wasn’t a single off You Don’t Mess Around with Jim but it’s one of my favorite tracks off the album. It tells the story of a small-town Illinois kid who moves to the big city hoping to make it big as a recording artist and the struggles that follow. It’s devastating but honest. 

31. "Doctor My Eyes" by Jackson Browne
Jackson Browne’s self-titled debut album dropped in January of 1972 and its debut single “Doctor My Eyes” instantly signaled the arrival of a new singer-songwriter to pay attention to. It also showed that Browne, at just 24, was wiser than his ears with a track about seeing the evils of life and being concerned that he may never be happy again. It’s depressing stuff, but the music is a bit more uplifting, which probably helped the song peak at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, the second highest charting song of Browne’s career.  

32. "Carolyn" by Merle Haggard 
There’s a great chance “Carolyn” would probably make a list of my 20 favorite Merle Haggard songs, but it’s not one I see or hear talked about all that much. The song off Hag’s 1971 album Someday We’ll Look Back tells the tale of a man who seeks love elsewhere when he’s not feeling love from his wife Carolyn at home. It was written by one of Haggard’s mentors and friends Tommy Collins. The song was released as a single in late ’71 and topped the Billboard Country chart in January of 1972 staying at No. 1 for three weeks. 

33. "Crocodile Rock" by Elton John
Elton John’s ode to early rock & roll, pop culture and youthful independence “Crocodile Rock” would become his first career No. 1 Billboard hit in late 1972, as the first single off Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player. Elton John leaves his piano behind for a Farfisa giving the track a more electro-synthesizer sound that helped it skyrocket up the pop charts. Lyricist Bernie Taupin would later tell Esquire: “It was simply something fun at the time,” while also stating it’s not something he would listen to. 

34. "The Cover of the Rolling Stone" by Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show
Who would’ve thought poet Shel Silverstein would’ve written two of the 50 best songs of 1972? But here The Giving Tree and Where the Sidewalk Ends author sits with his first entry on the list “The Cover of the Rolling Stone,” which was recorded by Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show on their album Sloppy Seconds. The song satirizes success in the music industry and how sometimes the superficial stuff gets in the way of the actual music. It’s an infectiously fun song to sing. It also got Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show on the cover of the actual Rolling Stone magazine – albeit as a caricature – in 1973. 

35. "Tight Rope" by Leon Russell 
Leon Russell was criminally underrated as a solo artist – better known as a songwriter and musician - but he did have a no. 11 Billboard hit in 1972 with “Tight Rope” off his album Carney. The song is a metaphor comparing one’s life to a high-wire act at the circus. With a fantastic piano performance with a Ragtime feel to it the song really nails the entire circus feel both in its performance and lyrics. 

36. "Tumbling Dice" by The Rolling Stones
“Tumbling Dice,” the lead single off the Rolling Stones’ tenth studio album Exile on Main St., sees the rock band going back to its blues-rock roots with a bluesy, boogie rhythm on the song about a hedonistic gambler unable to remain faithful to any one woman. The song would top out at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.  ​

37. "Delta Dawn" by Tanya Tucker
It’s incredible but Tanya Tucker was just 13 years old when her recording of “Delta Dawn,” which had been released first by Bette Midler the previous year, became a top-10 country hit that’s lived on forever. Her age at the time of the recording/release is so surprising given the mature story of a past-her-prime woman who used to turn heads in her younger days and now curses the memory of a man who did her wrong.  

38. "The Needle & the Damage Done" by Neil Young
“The Needle and the Damage Done,” the third track on this list from Neil Young’s 1972 best-selling album Harvest, is one of the saddest and best (probably because of its sad honesty) anti-drug songs of all time. The track, which was recorded live in concert in early 1971, was about the effects heroin addiction had on musicians and friends Young knew, including Crazy Horse bandmate Danny Whitten, who would overdose less than a year after the release of Harvest. 

39. "If You Don't Know Me By Now" by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
“If You Don’t Know Me By Now” is one of the greatest R&B soul vocals of all time by Teddy Pendergrass, who was the lead vocalist for Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes at the time of the song’s recording and fantastic backing vocals from a group that included the song’s writers and producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. The Recording Industry Association of America would name the song as one of the “Songs of the Century” in 2001, which included 365 total songs.  

40. "It's Not Love (But It's Not Bad)" by Merle Haggard
Country music has always had some great and fun song titles and Merle Haggard’s 1972 country No. 1 hit “It’s Not Love (But It’s Not Bad)” is a quintessential country genre title. The only single of Hag’s album of the same name, ‘It’s Not Love’ was released at the very end of ’72 and tells of an affair with a woman who makes him feel better than his cold wife back home has in years. 

41. "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" by The Hollies 
Upon first listening to The Hollies’ “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress” you might mistake it for a Creedence Clearwater Revival song. CCR was clearly the inspiration for the track, co-written by Allan Clarke, Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway, with Clarke imitating CCR vocalist John Fogerty’s vocal style from “Green River” and other swamp rock hits by the band. The song would go to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it was kept out of the top spot by Gilbert O’Sullivan’s “Alone Again (Naturally).” 

42. "New York's Not My Home" by Jim Croce
Jim Croce’s breakthrough 1972 album You Don’t Mess Around with Jim is one of the greatest folk-rock albums of all time and vastly underrated in my opinion. This is the fourth track from that album to make this list and “Time in a Bottle” would’ve been a fifth, but it was released as a single one year later. “New York’s Not My Home” is a homesick tune about a man going to the big city hoping to make it to the big time and realizing that kind of life just ain’t for him. 

43. "Burning Love" by Elvis Presley
“Burning Love” would be Elvis Presley’s last big hit. The song, written by Dennis Linde, went to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 making it Elvis’s first Top-10 hit since 1969’s “Suspicious Minds.” It would be his final top-10 song before his untimely death in 1977. It was kept from the top spot by Chuck Berry’s ridiculous novelty track “My Ding-a-Ling,” but Berry probably deserved to finally one-up Presley for multiple reasons. It was nice to see some late-career fire out of Elvis. 

44. "Moonage Daydream" by David Bowie
The fourth and final song from David Bowie’s concept album Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars to appear on this list (the fifth Bowie song overall) is “Moonage Daydream.” The glam rock track is the one that first introduces the titular Stardust on the album, a bisexual alien rockstar who’s come to save the Earth from impending disaster. Mick Ronson’s guitar playing is a highlight of the track. 

45. "Someday Never Comes" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
“Someday Never Comes” was the final single (topping out at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100) for Creedence Clearwater Revival before they broke up before the year’s end. John Fogerty wrote the song as his marriage and band were falling apart and was inspired by his parents’ divorce when he was a child and being told “someday you’ll understand.” As an adult, he came to realize that’s someday that never comes.  

46. "Lean On Me" by Bill Withers
“Lean On Me,” which was a No. 1 hit in 1972 for three weeks, is likely Bill Withers’ most popular and best-known song, but it’s not even my favorite Withers song from ’72. It is, however, one helluva vocal for Withers that would stand the test of time and go on to win Best R&B Song at the Grammy Awards. Withers said his hometown of Slab Fork, Va. was the inspiration for the song when he missed his tight-knit community after moving to the big city of Los Angeles to pursue a music career. 

47. "Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues" by Danny O'Keefe
I was first introduced to “Good Time Charlie’s Got the Blues” through a cover by Dwight Yoakam, whom I confess to enjoying his version more because I think his vocal truly gets the sadness out of the lyric. But the song was written and originally released by Danny O’Keefe in 1972 and somehow the song, despite its plaintive tone, became a top-10 hit (O’Keefe’s only as an artist). It’s the tale of a down-on-his-luck man living a restless life in a rundown small town and being left by everybody he knows. 

48. "Lonely at the Top" by Randy Newman
Randy Newman wanted Frank Sinatra to record “Lonely at the Top” and goddamn it would’ve been the perfect song for Ol’ Blue Eyes to belt. But it was kind of a satire of Sinatra’s whole lifestyle, which didn’t fly for him, and he turned it down. Newman would record it himself for his critical breakthrough Sail Away and that’s probably for the best as he’s able to wring the appropriate amount of satire in his own vocal.  

49. "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" by The Looking Glass
“Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” might have been The Looking Glass’ only hit – though it was a massive one topping the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1972 – but it has lived on in musical history as one of the greatest one-hit wonders of all time and a regular on soft rock and oldies platform radio stations. The song, written by the group’s guitarist and co-vocalist Elliot Lurie, tells the tale of a seaport harbor town barmaid serving numerous flirty sailors daily but pining for one who left her to be with the sea long ago. 

50. "One's On the Way" by Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn, who we, unfortunately, lost this year, was one of the toughest ladies (if not the toughest) throughout the history of country music. She was also not afraid to take on a controversial subject. Her birth control ode “The Pill,” wouldn’t be released for another three years, but it wasn’t her first song to bring up the subject – that would be 1972’s “One’s On the Way,” with its lyric “the pill may change the world tomorrow/but meanwhile today/here in Topeka the flies are a-buzzing/the dog is a-barking and the floor needs a scrubbing/One needs a spanking and one needs a hugging Lord/One’s on the way.” It would be a No. 1 country hit, but surprisingly wasn’t written by Lynn (who penned much of her own work) but by Shel Silverstein, the writer who had already had a massive country hit writing Johnny Cash’s “A Boy Named Sue” and also penned the song at No. 33 on this very list. 

“All Too Well” by Taylor Swift for Song of the Year
Honestly, as a gigantic Swiftie, all of Taylor Swift’s 4 nominations are the ones I am the most excited about. However, the one I am the most excited about is her nomination for Best Song of the Year for “All Too Well.” “All Too Well” was already arguably Swift’s best song, originally released in 2012. Due to Swift’s very publicized quest to reclaim her work through re-recording her first six albums, she treated fans to the original 10-minute version of the song last year on the re-release of Red (Taylor’s Version). Thus, one of the best songs of all time became even better. With new haunting lyrics like “You kept me like a secret, but I kept you like an oath,” we were given more depth to an already brilliant song. With this nomination, Swift ties Lionel Richie and Paul McCartney for the most nominations in the category. Despite being one of the most decorated stars of all time, this is an award Swift has yet to win. There is stiff competition, but I would love to see Swift win. It would be one of the most deserving wins of all time. TG

“In These Silent Days” by Brandi Carlile for Album of the Year
I’m starting to sound like a broken record stumping for Brandi Carlile in the general field categories at the Grammy Awards. This is the third time in the last five years Carlile has had recordings in the general field and I love the reception and response she’s gotten for it. I’m thrilled that In These Silent Days, her seventh studio album, is nominated for Album of the Year, though I realize it’s a huge longshot with Adele, Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar and Harry Styles all nominated in the same category. Carlile has a much more likely chance at winning Best Americana Album for In These Silent Days, but even in that category she’s up against legends Bonnie Raitt and Robert Plant & Alison Krauss. JS

“Does He Love You” by Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton for Best Country Duo/Group Performance
My absolute favorite duet of all time: “Does He Love You” was re-visited last year on Reba’s latest album: Revived Remixed Revisited. This time, Reba was not joined by Linda Davis, but by the Queen of Country Music Dolly Parton. As a major fan of both of these artists, this was a dream come true. It did not disappoint. This new interpretation that made it feel more like a conversation between the wife and the jilted lover brought more depth. The listener feels like you are sitting in on these two women meeting and expressing their feelings to one another. Dolly’s sweet and beautiful voice mixed with Reba’s fierceness and power vocals makes this a song that should not be missed. It should be forever remembered as a Grammy-winning performance. TG

“Easy On Me” by Adele for Best Pop Solo Performance
You know any time Adele records anything she’s going to receive a pile of Grammy Award nominations. It’s just the way it goes and with a voice like hers, it’s always going to be worthy. Adele’s “Easy On Me” is nominated in both the general field categories of Record of the Year and Song of the Year and she may well be considered the front-runner to win both (though I personally would vote for other options in both categories). That is why I’ve chosen Best Pop Solo Performance for “Easy On Me” as one of my favorites. There are some other great options in this category as well – both Lizzo’s “About Damn Time” and Harry Styles’ “As It Was,” but for me this is the most obvious win for Adele come Grammy night. JS

“We Don’t Talk About Bruno” for Best Song Written for Visual Media
One of the biggest botched Oscar submissions in recent history was Disney not submitting “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” for Best Original Song. The submissions did have to be turned in before the film was released so the studio did not know this song was going to be a phenomenon. However, Lin-Manuel Miranda would have most definitely been an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar & Tony) winner right now if this song would have been submitted vs. their submission: “Dos Oruguitas.” That’s why it was so exciting to see “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” get into the equivalent category at the Grammys. This song was beloved by Disney fans of all ages and should go down in history as a Grammy-winning song. TG

“’Til You Can’t” by Cody Johnson for Best Country Song
I’m kind of disappointed in the Best Country Song category at the Grammy Awards this year. They always do a better job with nominees in this category than the more mainstream country music award and have done so once again this year. But I feel it could’ve been better. My favorite in the category this year is Cody Johnson’s “’Til You Can’t,” which broke the artist out of a more regional Texas Country Music scene into the mainstream with a No. 1 hit. The song about not putting off the important stuff until tomorrow was written by Matt Rogers and Ben Stennis, who would be honored if the song were to win. JS

“Hold My Hand” by Lady Gaga for Best Song Written for Visual Media
Lady Gaga is one of my favorite artists ever. I saw her in concert this past summer at Wrigley Field on her “Chromatica Ball Tour.” “Hold My Hand” was the last song on her set list. It gave me chills to see her perform this song. It is a song I am predicting to also be nominated this year at the Academy Awards and could even possibly win. Gaga’s powerhouse vocals and touching lyrics about staying together through it all give you goosebumps. It is definitely one of the top 10 songs of Gaga’s career thus far. I was very excited to see Gaga get this recognition. TG

“In His Arms” by Miranda Lambert for Best Country Solo Performance
I was dumbfounded last year when the collaborative album The Marfa Tapes between Miranda Lambert, Jack Ingram and Jon Randall – probably the best country album of 2021 – was mostly snubbed by the Grammys – though it was nominated for Best Country Album (which it should’ve won but lost to Chris Stapleton’s Starting Over). One of the best tracks on that album was “In His Arms,” which Lambert included with more instrumentation on her eighth solo studio album Palomino this year. It’s a beautiful song about longing to be with the one you love. JS

“Never Wanted To Be That Girl” for Best Country Duo/Group Performance - Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde
This year, if you are talking about the song nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance which is a duet between a wife and her husband’s mistress, you will have to be more specific. That is because “Never Wanted To Be That Girl” is nominated alongside Reba’s classic hit, “Does He Love You” that has been revisited this year. The main difference is that in “Never Wanted To Be That Girl,” the lover did not know he was married and in “Does He Love You,” she did know. Both are fantastic songs in their own right, and both would be a deserving Grammy-winning performance. One of my favorite lyrics from “NWTBTG” is “I thought I knew who I was, but it’s getting hard to tell.” We all end up in life in circumstances we would have never predicted and that are difficult. This lyric truly is touching and just a reflection of a well-written song that becomes even more effective with heartfelt performances from Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde. TS

“Broken Horses” by Brandi Carlile for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Solo Performance
I was surprised, but pleasantly so, when the Grammy nominations were revealed last week and I saw Brandi Carlile’s name in a couple of the rock music categories beside names like Ozzy Osbourne, Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Black Keys. However, “Broken Horses” – nominated for both Best Rock Song and Best Rock Solo Performance – is a rock song. It kicks ass. It’s just somewhat surprising to see Carlile, traditionally nominated in American Roots categories and last year had a song in the pop categories, alongside the “Prince of Darkness.” She may not even be a dark horse in these categories, and I hope she wins. JS

Elton John brought his Farewell Yellow Brick Road retirement tour to Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 20 for a terrific celebration of his more than a half-century of incredible pop music in an event that was streamed live across the world via Disney+.

Disney has yet to release the number of people who streamed the concert live on Sunday night but I’m sure that number is likely in the millions, even with the after 8 p.m. start time in Los Angeles meaning folks in the Eastern and Central time zones were tuning in after 11 or 10 p.m. Nearly 50,000 lucky concertgoers got to see the show in person at Dodger Stadium, the venue where Elton John performed one of his most famous American shows in 1975. It was Elton John’s 103rd show overall during his career in the Los Angeles area.

I’m so appreciative of Elton John and Disney coming together to stream this American farewell show as a lifelong fan of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame musician.

Elton John’s final American concert on Sunday night was filled with the musician’s greatest hits, some epic live performances, one or two deep cuts and multiple guests adding to the bigness of the evening.

Elton John began his show around 8:15 p.m. Pacific time (10:15 p.m. from my recliner at home) with “Bennie and the Jets,” his 1973 No. 1 hit off Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. The hits would come in half dozens from that point on with “Philadelphia Freedom” and “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues” following, before Elton’s performance of his very first single “Border Song,” off his 1970 self-titled debut album, which was memorably covered by the legendary Aretha Franklin, whom he dedicated the song too on Sunday night.

It was somewhat surprising how early in his set Elton John performed “Tiny Dancer” and “Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to be a Long, Long Time),” as my wife pointed out to me. But when you’re an artist with this many huge hits, you must pace them throughout your setlist. The most surprising performance of the evening to me came sandwiched between these potentially top-five greatest Elton John songs in the rarely performed “Have Mercy on the Criminal,” off his 1973 album Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player. I’m a big fan of Elton John, and I’m not sure I’d ever heard this song.

A couple of Elton John live standouts, that weren’t necessarily big hits, are “Take Me to the Pilot” and “Burn Down the Mission,” which were a lot of fun to see. These were sprinkled in midst a bunch of oldies and classic rock radio stalwarts like “Levon,” “Candle in the Wind” and “Crocodile Rock.”

If there was one song in his repertoire that I would’ve liked to have seen that he didn’t perform on Sunday night it would be “Honky Cat,” one of the singles off his 1972 album Honky Chateau. The most surprising song he didn’t perform in his final American concert was his 1973 No. 1 hit “Daniel.”

I would’ve liked to have heard these songs more so than the performances of “Sad Songs (Say So Much),” “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word” or “I’m Still Standing,” but that’s potentially just me, as the live crowd at Dodger Stadium seemed to be having fun with these performances.

One truly funny moment because this was being streamed on the sometimes too strict about being family friendly Disney+ was Elton's performance of "The Bitch is Back," in which he undoubtedly set an unbreakable record for most times the word "bitch" would ever be said or sung on the platform. 

Two of Elton John’s guests would appear toward the end of his set with Grammy-winner Brandi Carlile coming out to duet on “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” and Kiki Dee would join him for their 1976 No. 1 hit duet “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.” You could tell this was one of the greatest moments in Carlile’s life as she was beaming the entire performance and sounded as terrific as she always does. Dee’s vocal was a little bit rough.

Before the end of his set, Elton John would introduce the crowd to his career-long lyricist Bernie Taupin, the brilliant songwriter behind the words to all of Elton’s fantastic recordings. Elton would also introduce the crowd to his “reason for retiring” his family – husband David Furnish and their two sons Elijah and Zachary.

Elton John and his fantastic band guitarist Davey Johnstone, drummer Nigel Olsson, percussionists Ray Cooper and John Mahon, keyboardist Kim Bullard and bassist Matt Bissonette would end their set with a terrific rocking performance of “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting.”

Elton John would begin his encore, wearing a sparkling sequined bathrobe with the Los Angeles Dodgers’ LA logo emblazoned on it sort of the retirement version of the famous outfit he wore at the initial Dodger Stadium show in 1975, with a performance with Dua Lipa of their No. 7 Billboard Hot 100 hit “Cold Heart,” which went to No. 1 in Elton’s home country of the United Kingdom. The two sounded excellent together and it’s crazy to think Elton John at 75 years old and 52 years after his first top-10 hit could still be making hit pop records like this.

Elton John would end his final American encore with the classic one-two punch of “Your Song,” which was his first top-10 hit in 1970, my life-long personal favorite song of his. It was beautiful to see him perform it live one last time. He then finished with “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” which is, of course, the song he’s going to end his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour performing and it was amazing to see and then have him get up on a lift that rose him up above the stage and away, followed by him leisurely walking down a yellow brick road on the video screen above the stage.

This Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour for Elton John began more than four years ago in 2018 and once it’s wrapped with his final European leg of the tour next year will have included more than 300 dates. Of course, it was delayed for nearly two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic that shut down live music pretty much worldwide. The tour would have been wrapped by now without that delay.

I had the pleasure of seeing the tour live at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla. in February of 2019 – my one and only Elton John show – and it was everything I hoped it would be. The set that night was similar to what Elton John performed at Dodger Stadium on Sunday night.

Elton John has given us a lifetime of fantastic music and live performances and now I wish him well and happiness with his family in retirement.

by Tyler Glover
On August 28th, Taylor Swift became the first person to win Video of the Year at the MTV Video Music Awards three times. Upon her historic win, Swift announced to the world that she was about to put out a brand-new album called Midnights on October 21. Swifties and fans worldwide rejoiced. Her last two albums have been part of her re-recordings project to take back her masters: Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version).  Many believed that we would not get a completely brand new album until this project was completed but she shocked us all. Anticipation began to build. Swift is the most exciting artist to release albums these days because we don’t know until its release what genre it will even be. Swift began her career in country, transitioned to pop, and recently went an indie/alternative route. This reinvention process she undertakes within each era keeps us all intrigued and eager to see what is coming next. Last Friday when the clock struck midnight Midnights was released. Was it worth the hype?
 
Midnights is one of Swift’s best albums ever.
 
One of the main reasons for this is she has an awesome idea of what’s worked in her career. It is a return to electronic pop like Lover and 1989 but it is so much more than that. Midnights has the experimentation with new sounds like Red, the infectious pop energy of 1989, the revenge tracks of reputation, the heart of Lover, and the spectacular songwriting of folklore and evermore. What is even more incredible is that nothing is jarring in the album. Everything fully fits with the sleepless nights theme of Midnights.

When Swift began her career, her life was more on display for the public but upon the scandal with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian in 2016, she withdrew from the public. While healing, she found the love of her life, Joe Alwyn. However, they have decided to not speak publicly about their relationship. Where will this leave her in her songwriting when she was once known as the “girl who would write a song about her exes?” It turns out Swift still shares moments of her life in Midnights but in a more cryptic way than ever before.
 
Midnights follows themes Swift has sung about before: falling in love, protecting love, conflict with public perception, and revenge. She has a spectacular talent in making it all feel fresh and exciting regardless of this. She also does address self-loathing in a way she never has before with my personal favorite track, “Anti-Hero.” One of the ways music does heal us all is by learning even people who appear to have it all struggle the way we do. “Anti-Hero” shows Swift at her most vulnerable, highlighting some of her biggest insecurities.
 
The truth is there is not a single misfire in all 21 tracks (13 on the original album, 7 bonus songs, and the Target exclusive song). Every song is engaging and takes us on an incredible journey worth going on again and again. There is not one track to skip on Midnights. The highlights for me are “Anti-Hero,” a look at drowning at the noise while finding love in “Lavender Haze,” a discovery of a “Mastermind” who meticulously planned to snag her beau, the revenge fantasy of “Vigilante Shit,” and a song full of regretting an entire relationship in “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve.”