Joan Baez - hello in there cover, 1975

 

"I delivered to a Baptist old people’s home where we’d have to go room-to-room... and some of the patients would kind of pretend that you were a grandchild or nephew that had come to visit, instead of the guy delivering papers. That always stuck in my head."

Jethro Tull - requiem, 1975

"The album's title refers to the use of a minstrel's gallery in the great hall of castles or manor houses, inspired by a balcony in the recording space which is shown in a photo of the band on the back cover of the original LP. The minstrel analogy is used thematically in the lyrics of the title track and "Baker St. Muse". "Cold Wind to Valhalla" is based on elements of Norse mythology, such as the afterlife hall of Valhalla mentioned in the song's title and lyrics."

Barclay James Harvest - one night, 1975

"Time Honoured Ghosts is an album of transition. The period heralded a trio of albums that followed from Everyone Is Everybody Else, often placing as one of the top ranked in fans polls and the rawer live sound immortalised on Barclay James Harvest Live"

America - daisy jane, 1975

"There was no such person as Daisy Jane and I had never even been to Memphis"

Camel - flight of the snow goose, 1975

"Because it’s based on a novel, then it’s obvious that The Snow Goose tells a story and is a complete saga. As one would suspect, then, there is a flow that goes from happy and sweet on “Rhayader goes to Town” and “Snow Goose” to more melancholy and sullen on “Rhayader Alone,” while being dark and almost evil at times on “Dunkirk” and “Epitaph,” as the saga reaches its climax. All of these feelings are portrayed expertly with some of the better musical performances and composition I’ve ever heard from a rock band. Camel feels distinctly more advanced and smart compared to their very talented peers because of their intelligent use of character themes in the music. Arguably, this record is similar to a suite or a “symphony” of sorts in its arrangement and presentation."

America - sister golden hair, 1975

"There was no actual Sister Gold Hair." The lyrics were largely inspired by the works of Jackson Browne. Beckley commented, "[Jackson Browne] has a knack, an ability to put words to music, that is much more like the L.A. approach to just genuine observation as opposed to simplifying it down to its bare essentials... I find Jackson can depress me a little bit, but only through his honesty; and it was that style of his which led to a song of mine, 'Sister Golden Hair', which is probably the more L.A. of my lyrics." Beckley adds that "Sister Golden Hair" "was one of the first times I used 'ain't' in a song, but I wasn't making an effort to. I was just putting myself in that frame of mind and I got those kind of lyrics out of it."

Camel - the snow goose, 1975

"When in the early seventies progressive rock really started to rise on the wings of its most successful advocates, among which were Genesis, Yes, Pink Floyd, and Emerson Lake & Palmer, it was only natural for other, new bands to try to make a name for themselves in the wake of their big time contemporaries. One of those bands, formed in 1972 in Surrey in England, had released two albums by 1974, which hadn't attracted a lot of attention. Not giving up, they sat down to create their third album and it was this album that propelled them into international fame. The band was Camel and the album was The Snow Goose."

Camel - fritha, 1975

“Sanctuary” (1:05) and “Fritha” (1:19) are songs that I consider as bridges that connect to title track “The Snow Goose” (3:12) which contains guitar solo augmented with long sustain organ in the vein of Jan Akermann of Focus."

Bee Gees - nights on broadway, 1975

"Nights on Broadway" is a song by the Bee Gees from the Main Course album released in 1975. The second single released from the album, it immediately followed their number-one hit "Jive Talkin'". This track was credited to Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb."

Genesis - it live from the shrine auditorium united states, 1975

"Among the 'Holy Grail' items for Genesis fans, and rumoured to be one of the only professional recordings made on the band's final tour with Peter Gabriel, Genesis’ show at the Shrine Auditorium in L.A. in January 1975 remains an extraordinary listen."

Barclay James Harvest - hymn for the children, 1975

"'Hymn For The Children' is my favourite BJH track. Musically, it's very much Folk Rock - with a slow, gentle guitar picking riff carrying it along, with the band playing unobtrusively in the background - the percussion is subtly noticeable: almost like a Salvation Army style tambourine in the background. The spiritual theme is obvious from the title; but it's not specifically religious: it's song about the spirituality of humanity and nature"

David Bowie - velvet goldmine, 1975

"Musically, "Velvet Goldmine" is a glam rock number that contains a bouncy piano part and backing vocals similar to Hunky Dory (1971), while also anticipating the cabaret feel Bowie soon experimented with on Aladdin Sane. Author Peter Doggett described it as a combination of Gene Vincent's 1950s rock'n'roll and the "electric thrust" of Marc Bolan."

Barclay James Harvest - titles, 1975

"For review purposes the history of the band is quite a complex one with a number of different re-incarnations. The original line-up featured John Lees on lead guitar, Les Holroyd on bass guitar, Stuart "Woolly" Wolstenholme on keyboards and Mel Pritchard on drums. Wolstenholme dipped in and out of the band at various times and after the River of Dreams album of 1997 the band officially split, going in two different directions. At that point two separate bands emerged - Barclay James Harvest through the Eyes of John Lees (which featured John Lees and Woolly Wolstenholme at various times) and eventually was re-named John Lees' Barclay James Harvest and Barclay James Harvest featuring Les Holroyd which featured Les Holroyd and Mel Pritchard until his death. Both these new bands are still in existence and touring. Meanwhile Wolstenholme also had his own band Maestoso which was in existence until his death in 2010."

Pulsar - apaisement, 1975

"One of the best debut's to come out of any band; and a virtually unknown band!! Pollen's certainly the most experimental to come out of Pulsar's discography. Super spacey, rocking in some parts (when needed), eerily beautiful, emotional vocals (many will have to grow accustomed to his strong French voice), but the strongest aspect of this album is the hypnotic effect. Pulsar drags you into their hauntingly beautiful world with its slow, powerful beat. Though repetitive after some time, it never grows tiresome."

The Shadows - god only knows cover, 1975

"The song's musical sophistication is demonstrated by its three contrapuntal vocal parts and weak tonal center (competing between the keys of E and A)."

Camel - sanctuary, 1975

"Absolutely beautiful is the best way to describe The Snow Goose. It’s about a lonely disfigured man (Philip) who buys an abandoned lighthouse among the salt marshes of Essex, a wild but beautiful landscape. It’s here that Philip provides a sanctuary for birds who seek shelter during the winter months."

Pink Floyd - wish you were here, 1975

"It was ironic that my father became well known as a family psychiatrist, when, in the meantime, he had nothing to do with his own family"

Camel - la princesse perdue, 1975

"La Princesse Perdue is one of the most nostalgic beautiful pieces of music Camel have ever written. A must for all enthusiasts of progressive music."

Steve Harley And Cockney Rebel - make me smile come up and see me, 1975

"It was sad to read over the weekend of the death of Steve Harley"

Neil Young - hitchhiker, 1975

"Hitchhiker" dates from 1975, from the sessions for Zuma. The song chronicles various life changes and drug experiences of Young's life up until that point. Young jokes in a contemporary interview that "if it was a TV show, it would be called The Drug Chronicles, T.M.I.", or too much information. Young memorably recalls performing the new song for Bob Dylan and hearing his reaction in Special Deluxe: "One night, Dylan came by and I played him a couple of new songs, "Hitchhiker" and "Cortez the Killer." When he heard "Hitchhiker," a confessional about the progressive history of drugs I had taken through my life, he told me, 'That's honest.' That moment still crosses my mind. It makes me laugh every time I think of it because Bob's humor is so wry. I think it was his way of saying kindly that the song was not very inventive as far as creating a story goes, just that I was following a history and not making up anything new. It's still funny to me, at any rate, the way he put it." Young would revise the song and add a new verse during the sessions. He explains in Waging Heavy Peace: "We hit a groove and recorded "Love and War" and "Peaceful Valley Boulevard," two songs written in Hawaii, and an older song called "Hitchhiker" that I hadn't cut yet. The previous night I had added a couple of new verses and changed some words to make it more relevant to me now, and it was "a good 'un," as Ben used to say. I did that song on Old Black through some amps Daniel had set up, and it sounded rockin'!" An acoustic take of the song from August 1976 would later be released in 2017 on Hitchhiker."