For the Record: The 70s

Amy Lively

An audio documentary of 70s music. This podcast examines the intersection of a wide variety of musical genres -- pop, rock, country, country-pop, disco, punk, soul -- with the historic events and decisions that helped shape our modern world.

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67 episodes
Updated Friday
Explicit

Episodes67

Newest first

Aug 8, 2021 · 36 min
Ep. 5 - Anti-Nixon Songs of the 70s
Songwriters of the 70s took on Richard Nixon the best way they knew how: with their music. Blaming music for drug use, the Kent State shootings, Watergate, and getting a pardon for "any crimes he may have committed" were all issues that inspired artists such as Jefferson Airplane, CSNY, The Honey Drippers, Stevie Wonder, and David Bowie. This episode discusses how music reflected the dissatisfaction and outright anger with President Richard Nixon, even beyond his resignation in August 1974. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amy-lively/message
Aug 4, 2021 · 34 min
Ep. 4 - Music of the 70s (Sexual) Revolution
Did music help push the sexual revolution in the 1970s or was the music reflecting the changes in how society viewed sexuality? Music has always been used to sell sex but the message was delivered more directly in the 70s. The sexual revolution and music's role in it are explored using the music of Loretta Lynn, Led Zeppelin, The Archies (!), Marvin Gaye, Labelle, Donna Summer, and Patti Smith. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amy-lively/message
Apr 25, 2021 · 48 min
Ep. 30 - The Sweet Sound of 70s Bubblegum Music
Bubblegum music was as beloved by its fans as it was maligned by critics. The 70s saw bubblegum of the 60s, such as "Sugar Sugar" by The Archies, morph into adoration of teen idols such as David Cassidy, Donny Osmond, and The Bay City Rollers. Still, the bubblegum formula worked for other pop hits, too, like "Rock Me Gently." In this episode we makes the case that bubblegum music was as good as any pop music that was recorded and even though some of the bubblegum bands were fake, the music was not. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amy-lively/message
Mar 10, 2021 · 44 min
Ep. 29 - Every Little Thing is Gonna Be All Right: The Influence of 70s Reggae
Reggae may not have ever found a significant radio audience in America in the 70s, but its influence on pop and rock music is undeniable. This episode traces the beginning of reggae, borne out of the political strife of late-60s Jamaica, to the first real reggae hit in the U.S. by Blondie in 1981. Bob Marley was not all there was to reggae but he still stands as the most beloved artist of a genre that is both the product of music that came before it and the source of music that came after it. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amy-lively/message
Jan 23, 2021 · 47 min
Ep. 28 - Soundtracks of the 70s
Movie soundtracks got better in the 70s as the creation of soundtracks became more intentional. Rather than simply compiling songs for an album and calling it a soundtrack, producers hired artists to create music that offered commentary and enhanced our understanding of characters. Soundtracks ranging from "Super Fly" to "Saturday Night Fever" were as successful if not more so than the movies they supported. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amy-lively/message
Dec 10, 2020 · 46 min
Ep. 27 - That's Entertainment! TV Variety Shows of the 70s
The heyday of the TV variety show was, without a doubt, the 70s. It seemed as if every entertainer either had their own show or was on someone else's. While at the time they may have seemed a bit corny, they also seemed to be just what many Americans in the 70s were in the mood for in the wake of assassinations, Watergate, and the war in Vietnam. Looking back at the era, we can also see that these shows give us a glimpse into 70s culture, making them an important part of 70s history. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amy-lively/message
Nov 9, 2020 · 43 min
Ep. 26 - Starmen: Glam Rock of the 70s
T. Rex, Alice Cooper, David Bowie, and Roxy Music were at the heart of 70s glam rock. This episode examines how glam stretched the boundaries of gender, sexuality, and how rock music was defined. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amy-lively/message
Oct 4, 2020 · 44 min
Ep. 25 - The Hispanic Influence on 70s Popular Music
The Chicano Movement of the 60s and 70s and the growth of the Hispanic population in the U.S. influenced popular culture. Music was no exception. Artists ranging from Santana to Freddy Fender had successful careers in music in an era when Hispanic Americans sought more and better representation in the country's politics and culture. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amy-lively/message
Aug 29, 2020 · 41 min
Ep. 24 - Loud, Louder, Loudest: 70s Heavy Metal
Heavy metal was outright despised by many rock critics but was much loved by its fans. There is no question that heavy metal is noted for its loud, often aggressive sound and persistent accusations of satanic message followed many of the bands of the Seventies, especially Black Sabbath. Were they really devil worshipers or just creating a brand? Either way, there is little doubt that rebellion, escapism, fantasy fueled heavy metal's popularity. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amy-lively/message
Jul 28, 2020 · 54 min
Ep. 23 - Women of Country Music in the 70s
Why did more women sell country music and get more radio airtime in the 70s than today? Artists such as Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, and even Olivia Newton-John made country radio friendly music in the midst of the women's rights movement of the 70s. Many of these singers were also able to cross over to pop. The momentum for women in country did not continue. This episode explores the many reasons for country music welcoming women in the 70s before its evolution to "bro country" in the years that followed. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amy-lively/message
Jun 25, 2020 · 40 min
Ep. 22 - Power to the People: The Music of the Black Power Movement
The shift away from nonviolent civil disobedience to the Black Power Movement in the fight for African American civil rights was reflected in music. Soul music from bands such as the Chi-Lites and the O'Jays took on a more urgent edge, while artists like Isaac Hayes claimed space previously denied to African Americans. Songs like "Mighty Mighty" by Earth Wind and Fire helped proclaim the message that African Americans were not the antithesis of beauty but were the living embodiment of beautiful --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amy-lively/message
May 24, 2020 · 41 min
Ep. 21 - Rockin' the Vote: 70s Rock and Politics
The voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 with the 26th Amendment in 1971. Young voters were courted by the music industry, either as attempt to encourage them to register or to vote for specific candidates. This also, indirectly, led to the creation of the late-night music TV show, "Midnight Special," which gave fans a new opportunity to see popular singers. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amy-lively/message
Apr 25, 2020 · 44 min
Ep. 20 - I Hear a Symphony: 70s Progressive Rock
Few people were neutral about progressive rock in the 70s. Bands such as Emerson Lake and Palmer, Yes, and Pink Floyd pushed the debate over the authenticity of rock to the forefront with their classical music-inspired rock. This episode attempts to untangle the debate and shed some light on how the 70s created space for this innovative genre of music. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amy-lively/message
Mar 23, 2020 · 33 min
Ep. 19 - Mercy, Mercy, Me: 70s Songwriters and Mother Earth
Songwriters of the 70s were inspired to write not just about the environment, but the places that inspired them. The first Earth Day was on April 22, 1970. In honor of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, this episode looks at how the world around them served as motivation for songs from artists and bands such as Marvin Gaye, Joni Mitchell, John Denver, The Eagles, and yes, even The Clash. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amy-lively/message
Feb 25, 2020 · 37 min
Ep. 18 - Take This Job and Shove It: 70s Work and Music
The 70s was a tumultuous time for labor. In 1970, even postal workers went on strike. Music of the 70s reflected how workers felt about unions, jobs, and the struggle to get ahead. Not confined to one genre, rockers such as Bob Seger and Tom Petty, country artists such as Johnny Paycheck and Dolly Parton, and disco stars including the Bee Gees and Rose Royce all had hits about working in the 70s. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amy-lively/message
Dec 29, 2019 · 35 min
Ep. 16 - 70s Funk: Free Your Mind and Your Ass will Follow
Funk is one of the most recognizable music genres of the Seventies. It is not always easy to define but we know it when we hear it because it makes us want to get up and move. This episode explains how James Brown started the funk revolution, how bands like Sly and the Family Stone, Parliament/Funkadelic, and Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan ran with it, and how the politics of funk influenced its sound. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amy-lively/message
Nov 24, 2019 · 48 min
Ep. 15 - Why 11 Fans of The Who Died in Cincinnati in 1979
The decade between the disaster at Altamont in 1969 and the deaths of 11 fans of The Who at a concert in Cincinnati in 1979 saw a transition in rock and roll. Prior to the 1969 Rolling Stones tour, it was all but forbidden for artists to consider the business side of music of they wanted to be taken seriously as artists. This episode makes the case that festival seating was driven by the desire to profit from the fans and it was the music industry itself that was responsible for the tragedy in Cincinnati --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amy-lively/message
Oct 23, 2019 · 49 min
Ep. 14 - Waylon, Willie, and the Boys: 70s Outlaw Country
The Seventies was the perfect time for artists like Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, and Waylon Jennings. Progressive country was an outgrowth of the counterculture of the Sixties. While the country music establishment in Nashville was slow to accept the influence of the more progressive artists, they found their audience in a mix of hippies raised on rock and country fans looking for more authentic music. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amy-lively/message
Sep 25, 2019 · 35 min
Ep. 13 - Soul Train: Peace, Love, and Soul in the Seventies
From the dance line to the platform shoes to the stars on its stage, Soul Train was the first nationally syndicated show that was made by and for African Americans. This episode highlights some of the influential music performed on Soul Train from legends including The O'Jays, Aretha Franklin, Al Green, and James Brown, as well as discusses the importance of the show's very existence on a television landscape that was sorely lacking in African American representation. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amy-lively/message
Aug 28, 2019 · 33 min
Ep. 12 - The Birth of the 1979 No Nukes Concert
Former Beatle George Harrison helped create the blueprint for the benefit concert with the Concert for Bangladesh in 1971. Musicians such as Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne took the lessons from that benefit and helped create the No Nukes festival in September 1979. As the 40th anniversary of No Nukes approaches, this episode looks at the reasons for these benefits, the successes and challenges, and some of the iconic performances by rock legends including Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and Bruce Springsteen. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/amy-lively/message

For the Record: The 70s

Ep. 5 - Anti-Nixon Songs of the 70s

Ep. 4 - Music of the 70s (Sexual) Revolution

Ep. 30 - The Sweet Sound of 70s Bubblegum Music

Ep. 29 - Every Little Thing is Gonna Be All Right: The Influence of 70s Reggae

Ep. 28 - Soundtracks of the 70s

Ep. 27 - That's Entertainment! TV Variety Shows of the 70s

Ep. 26 - Starmen: Glam Rock of the 70s

Ep. 25 - The Hispanic Influence on 70s Popular Music

Ep. 24 - Loud, Louder, Loudest: 70s Heavy Metal

Ep. 23 - Women of Country Music in the 70s

Ep. 22 - Power to the People: The Music of the Black Power Movement

Ep. 21 - Rockin' the Vote: 70s Rock and Politics

Ep. 20 - I Hear a Symphony: 70s Progressive Rock

Ep. 19 - Mercy, Mercy, Me: 70s Songwriters and Mother Earth

Ep. 18 - Take This Job and Shove It: 70s Work and Music

Ep. 16 - 70s Funk: Free Your Mind and Your Ass will Follow

Ep. 15 - Why 11 Fans of The Who Died in Cincinnati in 1979

Ep. 14 - Waylon, Willie, and the Boys: 70s Outlaw Country

Ep. 13 - Soul Train: Peace, Love, and Soul in the Seventies

Ep. 12 - The Birth of the 1979 No Nukes Concert