10 Underrated Hard Rock Songs Of The '70s
Tales of the Forbidden Riffs.
The '70s marked the true golden age for all things heavy. Once the stench of the hippie movement seemed to die out once and for all, a whole new slew of artists were coming to the forefront with loud guitars and even louder vocalists. Make no mistake, rock had developed an attitude after its initial birthing period.
That also meant that new genres were popping up left and right, from the beginnings of the punk movement to the early stages of prog to even metal rearing its ugly head. Once you factor in the recurring bands of old and the callback to the blues, you'll realize the amount of kickass that ended up falling by the wayside.
Coming from all walks of life, there have been many songs which haven't stood the test of time quite like the other heavyhitters of the scene, but deserve the same type of adulation all the same. In an era when most rock fans like to just cling to their favorite songs and albums for dear life, these songs show that it pays to venture outside of your comfort zone from time to time. So next time you think the '70s got a little bit stale, take a look at these and see what you've been sleeping on all these years.
10. The WASP - The Doors
LA Woman was the album that really reinvigorated the Doors in the minds of rock fans. After the '60s revolution couldn't make its way into the next decade, the return to their bluesy roots seemed like an interesting career move, until Jim Morrison died of heart failure shortly after its release. Even though this album is on pure blues mode, there was a little bit of that artsiness trailing back in.
Unlike something like Riders on the Storm or the title track, the WASP is one of the few leftovers that the group had been kicking around since their early days. Set to a swing feel, the original version of the song was known as Texas Radio, which was a poem that Jim Morrison would often recite live as the band noodled away in the background.
Compared to the original, this is the fully realized version of the tune, as Morrison talks about these pirate radio stations in a thick baritone that shows him settling into the Howlin Wolf like croon he had always admired. This also features some of the greatest lyrical fragments in the group's career, culminating in the idea of being stoned as having an immaculate sensation. Though LA Woman is viewed as the Doors' comeback album, this is one song you need to make sure doesn't get lost in the shuffle.