1- Alone Again (Naturally) – Gilbert O’Sullivan – His masterpiece of loneliness, suicide, heartbreak and the most devastating critique of god: “in my hour of need, why did he desert me?” The instrumental break, an acoustic guitar over a full orchestra, pulls you ever downwards, the flute that follows him the rest of the way will make you want to cry – A+
2 – The First Time Ever I Saw Your face – Roberta Flack – Deep and wide overwhelming pathos ballad – B+
3 – American Pie – Don McLean – The story of the world after Buddy but before the Sex Pistols – A
4 – Last Night (I Didn’t Get To Sleep At All)- 5th Dimension – MOR deep harmony pop and soul from a time and place, and maybe a naive vision, we can’t get back to – A
5 – You Wear It Well – Rod Stewart – I prefer it to “Maggie May”, an aching begging letter to an ex that ends in a wrecked declaration of love and a joke – A+
6 – Telegram Sam – T Rex – Perhaps the problem with what remains of rock and roll in 1972 is it has no sense of humor – A
7 – Too Late To Turn Back Now – Cornelius Brothers And Sister Rose – Hang around for the hook, which just kills it – A-
8 – Let’s Stay Together – Al Green – Timeless soul exploration of fidelity – A+
9 – Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl) – Looking Glass – Sounds like a more soulful Tony Orlando And Dawn – B+
10 – Rocket Man – Elton John – Didn’t make him a superstar…. though it sure didn’t hurt – A-
