Song: No Sugar Tonight (1970) Artist: The Guess Who Album: American Woman Writer: Randy Bachman No Sugar Tonight was released as a B-side for the Guess Who’s single, American Woman, perhaps their best-known song. The single hit number one on the week of May 9, 1970, becoming their biggest hit. Originally, however, No Sugar Tonight was … Read more
Song: La Grange (1973) Artist: ZZ Top Album: Tres Hombres What’s the most covered ZZ Top song? La Grange. What ZZ Top Song is most often played on the radio? La Grange. Released in 1973 on the album, Tres Hombres, the song also has the most interesting history, although it was not originally a big hit, … Read more
Song: Soulshine (1994) Artist: Allman Brothers Band Album: Where It All Begins Soulshine is actually the song I think about when I think of the Allman Brothers Band. But, not even the songwriter himself, Warren Haynes, who joined the band in 1989 after they reunited, originally thought of it as an Allman Brothers song. When … Read more
“Everyone is helpful, everyone is kind, On the road to Shambala…” Since its release in 1973, Three Dog Night’s ‘Road To Shambala’ has stood as one of the most uplifting anthems in rock history. But while the melody is unforgettable, the lyrics leave many listeners wondering: What is a Shambala? From ancient Tibetan legends to … Read more
If you’ve had the line ‘Want some whiskey in your water? Sugar in your tea?’ playing on a loop in your head but couldn’t quite place the artist, you aren’t alone. That’s exactly why we’re here at the Lyric Detective desk. While those famous opening words launched a #1 hit for Three Dog Night in 1970, the song’s true … Read more
Song: Maggie May (1971) Artist: Rod Stewart Album: Every Picture Tells a Story (Mercury) Maggie May was Rod Stewart’s first big number one hit. Ironically, it was the B-side of the song he thought would be his breakthrough, Reason to Believe, a cover of a folk song by Tim Hardin, today a true classic in … Read more
Long before Bananarama got a hold of it, in 1970, the song Venus became the first of only two songs out of Holland (the Netherlands) to rise to the top of the American chart. Not to be confused with the Frankie Avalon song of the same name, Venus was recorded by the band Shocking Blue, led … Read more