Describe then vibe of 1973

I can only answer from the perspective of a 13-year-old girl.

Pop culture was pretty amazing.  A number of new artists had burst on the scene in '72 so we were getting new sounds, for instance the Eagles and Jackson Browne.  Country-rock and folk-rock were strong then.  Rock was also riding high.  The singer-songwriter era continued strong, Funk remained a factor as did Philly Soul, and Disco started to emerge but it didn't have a name yet.  The winds of musical change were in the air in 73 but no one knew where they would land yet.  TV was pretty amazing then as well - great sitcoms like All In The Family, Sanford and Son, Odd Couple, and Mary Tyler Moore were in full swing.  I can't speak to movies as I attended very few as a 13ish farm girl. 

Fashion wise, it was the last year for mini skirts being mainstream.  Midi skirts were about to emerge, but wouldn't take a foothold until '74ish.  Patchwork denim was hot and hip-huggers were still pretty popular in '73, though not for much longer.  Bell bottoms were everyone's choice then.  Short shorts for the summer were still fashionable.  Earthy fashions were also popular - even homemade looking stuff like macrame belts.  The most "hippie" fashions were starting to fade, though.

"Real world" atmosphere was mixed.  The struggles for women's equality and civil rights were playing out in the mainstream, with results.  The political landscape was marred with Watergate.  Sadly it was a very druggie time - also a time of high crime in cities (some drug related).  Crime-wise though, one thing not very big in the 70's was street gangs.  Overall, in 73 things weren't too bad.  But hard times were right around the corner...

I have to preface by saying that 1972 was the last year of the cultural 60s. Absolutely. There was no one reason that ended it. Not the landslide re-election of Nixon, not Watergate, not nothing. In late 1972 the 60s just petered out. Finally ran out of steam and fizzled. Thusly you would think that 1973 was the first year of the cultural 70s, but this is not the case. The cultural 70s (or "the cultural early 70s", somewhat different than the "cultural late 70s") had been running parallel to the cultural 60s in 1971 and 1972. (1970 was pure 60s). In 1973 there was really a sense of newness. the earthiness of 71 and 72 had given way fully to glam. (Though glam has been going strong in the UK since late 1970 when Marc Bolan first put glitter under his eyes). There was less of a 19721/1972 singer-songwriter feel (though they still were going strong) and more of a glam feel, an Alice Cooper feel (though he had been going strong since 1971), more of a Bowie feel (though he wouldn't get as big here in the US as people think he always was until 1975).

People were TOLD that the Vietnam War was over, but kind of knew it wasn't. That wouldn't happen until 1975. Watergate was big news and the Senate Watergate Committee's hearings were nationally televised daily. The now forgotten but then-despised Vice President of the United States, Spiro Agnew, was thrown out of office in late 73 for tax evasion and was replaced by Gerald Ford, who the hand of fate would later make President. In his time as VP, Spiro Agnew had given speeches condemning rock music and even named names. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Jefferson Airplane were among his targets. He was a goofball.

I remember my friend, a big Pink Floyd fan, calling me in early 1973 to tell me he had just bought their brand new album "Dark Side of the Moon". It went on to be a legendary album in years to come.

And, to mention fashion, because AG did...short shorts on men, often denim "cutoffs" as they were called, were a plain and common sight and nobody gave it a second thought. This would continue straight through the 1980s. Professional basketball players wore shorts that were microscopic by today's standards, and that is also what  gym shorts looked like in high school.

I can only answer from the perspective of a 13-year-old girl.

Pop culture was pretty amazing.  A number of new artists had burst on the scene in '72 so we were getting new sounds, for instance the Eagles and Jackson Browne.  Country-rock and folk-rock were strong then.  Rock was also riding high.  The singer-songwriter era continued strong, Funk remained a factor as did Philly Soul, and Disco started to emerge but it didn't have a name yet.  The winds of musical change were in the air in 73 but no one knew where they would land yet.  TV was pretty amazing then as well - great sitcoms like All In The Family, Sanford and Son, Odd Couple, and Mary Tyler Moore were in full swing.  I can't speak to movies as I attended very few as a 13ish farm girl. 

Fashion wise, it was the last year for mini skirts being mainstream.  Midi skirts were about to emerge, but wouldn't take a foothold until '74ish.  Patchwork denim was hot and hip-huggers were still pretty popular in '73, though not for much longer.  Bell bottoms were everyone's choice then.  Short shorts for the summer were still fashionable.  Earthy fashions were also popular - even homemade looking stuff like macrame belts.  The most "hippie" fashions were starting to fade, though.

"Real world" atmosphere was mixed.  The struggles for women's equality and civil rights were playing out in the mainstream, with results.  The political landscape was marred with Watergate.  Sadly it was a very druggie time - also a time of high crime in cities (some drug related).  Crime-wise though, one thing not very big in the 70's was street gangs.  Overall, in 73 things weren't too bad.  But hard times were right around the corner...


Were the dance clubs around back then?

Were the dance clubs around back then?


I assume you are referring to "discos"? The answer is yes and no. They were around (in limited capacity), but you (or almost anybody else) would never have known. It was a tiny, underground phenomenon in New York, pretty much exclusively the territory of African-Americans and gay men.

I have an article from the legendary "Crawdaddy" music magazine from 1975, just as disco as going mainstream, written by Mark Jacobson, which speaks to this:

"The New York disco scene from 1971 to about the middle of 1974 was a true underground society and art form. The gays, long locked away in their bars, sought situations where they could party a little more frantically. Black popular music suited their purpose, and that interested uptown blacks who were seeking to escape depressing neighborhoods. An odd and tenuous alliance between the two groups was formed and a whole secret culture born.

Most discos rocked in factory lofts or abandoned restaurants...most places established themselves as 'private' clubs that allowed only members, naturally making them more desirable. This was entertainment for the shadows; it was urban, rock hard and very primal."

SO---to answer your question. Unless you were one of a very small, underground group of gay men or African Americans in New York, then 1973 was blissfully disco free. To repeat, blissfully disco free.

AG and Voice already said most of what I was gonna say

Big movies that year. We all went to see the poseidon adventure early in the year, I loved it. The big summer film was James Bond "Live and let die" first film with Roger Moore and bond, and at the end of the year all the girls were raving about "The way we were" with Redford/Streisand.  (Personally I did not care for it much)

The music was great, the greatness carried over from the late 1960s. Led Zeppelin was hugely popular, so was Elton John, Pink Floyd's dark side of the moon. The song "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" was hugely popular even if it was overplayed.
Music started to change after 1973 with disco slowly making its way to the scene. Was definitely not a fan of disco, but I could live with some songs.

Everyday when we (students) came home from school, the Watergate hearings was on TV, I cant recall if this was early, middle or late 1973 or even early 1974.  My memory isnt what it used to be. :)

...A number of new artists had burst on the scene in '72 so we were getting new sounds, for instance the Eagles and Jackson Browne.  Country-rock and folk-rock were strong then.  Rock was also riding high.  The singer-songwriter era continued strong, Funk remained a factor as did Philly Soul, and Disco started to emerge but it didn't have a name yet.  The winds of musical change were in the air in 73 but no one knew where they would land yet... 



...In 1973 there was really a sense of newness. the earthiness of 71 and 72 had given way fully to glam...


I concur completely about Glam!  Its influence permeated the 1973 music scene in a huge way.


...The music was great, the greatness carried over from the late 1960s. Led Zeppelin was hugely popular, so was Elton John, Pink Floyd's dark side of the moon. The song "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" was hugely popular even if it was overplayed.
Music started to change after 1973 with disco slowly making its way to the scene...


Agreed!

One other thing, music-wise - for artists who liked showing up in the Top 40, it was a good year to be an ex-Beatle.  All four ex-Beatles got into the Top 40 in 1973 (although John Lennon may have felt his lone 1973 hit "Mind Games" under-performed based on what happened in 1974).  George and Ringo both had tremendous album releases, and Paul was back in the pink after huge successes with "My Love" and "Live and Let Die" (then his masterful late 1973 release "Band On The Run" would be a positive turning point for Paul and his band Wings).


Were the dance clubs around back then?


"Dance clubs" existed before my parents were born, in a generic sense (meaning places one could go out and dance).  However, regarding discos, I think Voice covered that pretty well.  Discos as we know them just weren't a big thing at that time. - at least not in the U.S.

Were the dance clubs around back then?
There was ballrooms back then, 'dance halls' for ballroom dancing. i.e. waltz, tango, etc.

"Dance clubs" existed before my parents were born, in a generic sense (meaning places one could go out and dance).  However, regarding discos, I think Voice covered that pretty well.  Discos as we know them just weren't a big thing at that time. - at least not in the U.S.
When did line dancing start to become popular?

When did line dancing start to become popular?


From my "flawed" recollection only, I'll say this was more of a mid-80's and later phenomenon.

One other thing, music-wise - for artists who liked showing up in the Top 40, it was a good year to be an ex-Beatle.  All four ex-Beatles got into the Top 40 in 1973 (although John Lennon may have felt his lone 1973 hit "Mind Games" under-performed based on what happened in 1974).  George and Ringo both had tremendous album releases, and Paul was back in the pink after huge successes with "My Love" and "Live and Let Die" (then his masterful late 1973 release "Band On The Run" would be a positive turning point for Paul and his band Wings).


This brings up something. I may be a minority of one, but, as big a Beatles fan as I was and am, once they broke up I NEVER had any wish for them to get back together. Not for one second. See what I mean? A MINORITY OF ONE! I was so enthralled with what they were all doing on their own. And it was so much, so fast and so furious. It was the era of the solo album and I  was in heaven with their solo work, especially during that early 70s heyday. To want he Beatles to be back together during that period seemed old fashioned. That's part of the vibe of 73 that isn't much remembered.

"Dance clubs" existed before my parents were born, in a generic sense (meaning places one could go out and dance).  However, regarding discos, I think Voice covered that pretty well.  Discos as we know them just weren't a big thing at that time. - at least not in the U.S.



There was ballrooms back then, 'dance halls' for ballroom dancing. i.e. waltz, tango, etc.


Correct. But knowing Howard as we do, we know he meant disco. He absolutely loves it and is very curious about what discos were like in their late 70s heyday. He asks about it repeatedly.

Correct. But knowing Howard as we do, we know he meant disco. He absolutely loves it and is very curious about what discos were like in their late 70s heyday. He asks about it repeatedly.
Apart from totally adoring the Bee Gees in all music forms they composed, regarding disco I fell asleep when I first saw"Saturday Night Fever" at the cinema on its first release (It was X rated too), and the disco I use to go to in my old home town has now been closed down.

Correct. But knowing Howard as we do, we know he meant disco. He absolutely loves it and is very curious about what discos were like in their late 70s heyday. He asks about it repeatedly.


Hey, what do you expect, I like the nostalgia.

I was in 4th grade at the beginning of the year. I had one of those childhood that are always joked about "I had to walk to school in 10 feet of snow up hill both ways." Ok, so there wasn't a hill but my sister & I clocked it using Google Maps a few years back and it was over a mile. I know today, most kids would not have to walk that far. Also, I lived the farthest away from the school so for the last 3 blocks or so on my way home, I was alone. Either it was my birthday or Christmas, I got a transistor radio (that looked like a flying saucer with a long chain on it).

https://i.etsystatic.com/5393703/r/il/6233d0/252617057/il_300x300.252617057.jpg

(Mine was white.)

That radio was my friend on that long walk to and from. I remember keeping it in my desk (the kind that was open) and playing with the chain during class.

Anyway, because of that, I was pretty much up on the top 40 of AM radio. I remember hearing a song that really touch me when I first heard it-even at that young age. It was song called Taxi by Harry Chapin. I remember the local radio station had a promotion where they were handing out 45s of that from a taxi.  What was really strange was that I didn't realize it would reflect on something that happened to me years later-when I was doing summer stock, I was dating a guy would was working on his pilot's license. ("She was going to be an actress and I was gonna learn to fly.") I still think about him when I hear the song. And then the next year, Harry Chapin came out with WOLD. I loved BOTH of those songs (and still do).

One of my favorite shows at the time was the Carol Burnett Show. My entire family watched it religiously. That year, Vicki Lawrence came out with her The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia. She sang it on the show and that was the first time I heard it. I was so excited when I started to hear it on that little radio. 

That was when we lived next door to a garage band. (I know I told this story many times.) They knew how to play one song and one song only-Smoke on the Water. 24/7 that is what we heard. (Well, it might not have been that much but it was A LOT.) And they were awful, too. To this day, I can't listen to song without cringing.

I remember when Spiro Agnew resigned. My teacher went around the room asking everyone who the vice president was. I don't recall if anyone got it right (the answer was no one at the moment). I remember my answer: Henry Kissinger.  What did I know? I was just a kid. lol.

I also remember when LBJ die. I remember a couple of guys on t.v. talking about him and how he surprised everyone when he said he wasn't going to run for reelection.




AG and Voice already said most of what I was gonna say

Big movies that year. We all went to see the poseidon adventure early in the year, I loved it. The big summer film was James Bond "Live and let die" first film with Roger Moore and bond, and at the end of the year all the girls were raving about "The way we were" with Redford/Streisand.  (Personally I did not care for it much)

The music was great, the greatness carried over from the late 1960s. Led Zeppelin was hugely popular, so was Elton John, Pink Floyd's dark side of the moon. The song "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" was hugely popular even if it was overplayed.
Music started to change after 1973 with disco slowly making its way to the scene. Was definitely not a fan of disco, but I could live with some songs.

Everyday when we (students) came home from school, the Watergate hearings was on TV, I cant recall if this was early, middle or late 1973 or even early 1974.  My memory isnt what it used to be. :)


That was my first Bond film and I saw that at the theatre.


Cat

I was in 4th grade at the beginning of the year. I had one of those childhood that are always joked about "I had to walk to school in 10 feet of snow up hill both ways." Ok, so there wasn't a hill but my sister & I clocked it using Google Maps a few years back and it was over a mile. I know today, most kids would not have to walk that far. Also, I lived the farthest away from the school so for the last 3 blocks or so on my way home, I was alone. Either it was my birthday or Christmas, I got a transistor radio (that looked like a flying saucer with a long chain on it).

https://i.etsystatic.com/5393703/r/il/6233d0/252617057/il_300x300.252617057.jpg

(Mine was white.)

That radio was my friend on that long walk to and from. I remember keeping it in my desk (the kind that was open) and playing with the chain during class.

Anyway, because of that, I was pretty much up on the top 40 of AM radio. I remember hearing a song that really touch me when I first heard it-even at that young age. It was song called Taxi by Harry Chapin. I remember the local radio station had a promotion where they were handing out 45s of that from a taxi.  What was really strange was that I didn't realize it would reflect on something that happened to me years later-when I was doing summer stock, I was dating a guy would was working on his pilot's license. ("She was going to be an actress and I was gonna learn to fly.") I still think about him when I hear the song. And then the next year, Harry Chapin came out with WOLD. I loved BOTH of those songs (and still do).

One of my favorite shows at the time was the Carol Burnett Show. My entire family watched it religiously. That year, Vicki Lawrence came out with her The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia. She sang it on the show and that was the first time I heard it. I was so excited when I started to hear it on that little radio. 

That was when we lived next door to a garage band. (I know I told this story many times.) They knew how to play one song and one song only-Smoke on the Water. 24/7 that is what we heard. (Well, it might not have been that much but it was A LOT.) And they were awful, too. To this day, I can't listen to song without cringing.

I remember when Spiro Agnew resigned. My teacher went around the room asking everyone who the vice president was. I don't recall if anyone got it right (the answer was no one at the moment). I remember my answer: Henry Kissinger.  What did I know? I was just a kid. lol.

I also remember when LBJ die. I remember a couple of guys on t.v. talking about him and how he surprised everyone when he said he wasn't going to run for reelection.

That was my first Bond film and I saw that at the theatre.

Cat


O0 Great memories!

That transistor radio is awesome!  My transistor radio, its design was so boring.  Plus I had to ditch it after moving to rural Michigan (its reception was next to zilch).  :-\\

Hey, what do you expect, I like the nostalgia.


O0 Nothing wrong with that - I think that's why most of us are on this forum.

One other thing about womens' fashion then.  For legs, the choices were pantyhose or knee socks.  (Little girls wore tights sometimes - which might also appear on "big girls" but only in the winter.)  It was uncommon then to see socks that didn't come up to the knee, except for those "designated for sports" styles.  (Perhaps not the case for little girls, though; don't remember.)  Of course in the summertime, depending on what else was being worn, bare legs might be appropriate.  With sandals or canvas shoes, of course.

That was when we lived next door to a garage band. (I know I told this story many times.) They knew how to play one song and one song only-Smoke on the Water. 24/7 that is what we heard. (Well, it might not have been that much but it was A LOT.) And they were awful, too. To this day, I can't listen to song without cringing.

Cat


The band/musician that only knows "Smoke On the Water", and plays it badly, is so prevalent it has become a trope. It was a running joke on the show "Two and a Half Men". The son Jake only knew that one song. It was kind of a tasteless show, but I thought it was funny when Jake (at first begrudgingly) befriended another kid who was a classical cellist, and he gets the kid to (at first begrudgingly) play "Smoke On The Water", and, by the end, they are both happily playing the song. It sounded horrible. It really is true, though. 1973 knew no end of high school bands and other amateur musicians who played that song badly.

One other thing about womens' fashion then.  For legs, the choices were pantyhose or knee socks.  (Little girls wore tights sometimes - which might also appear on "big girls" but only in the winter.)  It was uncommon then to see socks that didn't come up to the knee, except for those "designated for sports" styles.  (Perhaps not the case for little girls, though; don't remember.)  Of course in the summertime, depending on what else was being worn, bare legs might be appropriate.  With sandals or canvas shoes, of course.


I had forgotten about the knee socks. We also wore tights because we were in dance and had plenty of them. There were many times I would wear a leotard as a top and either pants or a skirt. The problem with that was when Nature called and I had to pretty much get totally undressed.


There were Earth Shoes (I have found ONE of my Earth Shoes-don't know what happened to its mate  :-\\ ), go-go boots, & platform shoes. I remember girls' & boys' sneakers The boys' sneakers were cool but the girls' were "sissy."

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/s4sbilder/media/image/c2/87/d6/32_308524323008_2_600x600.jpg

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/KiIAAOSwxZVdWGja/s-l300.jpg


These are exactly like the ones I am thinking of but they are close. I'm sure that all of us where were know will remember.


Cat

There were Earth Shoes (I have found ONE of my Earth Shoes-don't know what happened to its mate  :-\\ ), go-go boots, & platform shoes. I remember girls' & boys' sneakers The boys' sneakers were cool but the girls' were "sissy."

Cat


I remember Earth Shoes. I think the idea was that it was more biologically correct to wear shoes with the toe higher than the heel. They were "hip" and "organic" and all that, so I HAD to have them. They felt really awkward to wear, like one was always about to fall over backwards. And they were super dowdy looking. They were a fad that went the way of the pet rock.

I also had blue denim platform heel shoes in 1973/74. To those who weren't there, YES men wore platform shoes. They looked something like this pic I found online, except, remember, they were blue denim. Super cool!

https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/3rd-may-1973-a-man-wearing-platform-shoes-picture-id3424230?s=612x612

. Either it was my birthday or Christmas, I got a transistor radio (that looked like a flying saucer with a long chain on it).

https://i.etsystatic.com/5393703/r/il/6233d0/252617057/il_300x300.252617057.jpg



I don't remember those, but that does remind me of this one:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/Vintage_Panasonic_Green_Panapet_70_Ball%27n_Chain_Radio%2C_Model_R-70%2C_4-3-8_Inches_in_Diameter%2C_Made_in_Japan_%289791246653%29.jpg/738px-Vintage_Panasonic_Green_Panapet_70_Ball%27n_Chain_Radio%2C_Model_R-70%2C_4-3-8_Inches_in_Diameter%2C_Made_in_Japan_%289791246653%29.jpg

The Panasonic Panapet, an AM-only transistor radio that came out in the early 1970s.  They came in various colors.  The one my sister had was green, sort of like this one, although I swear it was a slightly lighter shade of green ... maybe because it faded in the harsh Hawaii sunlight?  It had a keychain because ... ???  Anyway, I got it as a hand-me-down when my sister bought a newer radio some years later.

Looking at it from a certain angle, it looks like a smiling face.  The knob on the left (the "right eye") controls the tuning, the other eye/knob is the on/off volume control.  It had a headphone jack, too.  I wonder if the indentation for the radio dial was the inspiration for the design of the Death Star.  It also reminds me of the EVA pods from 2001: a Space Odyssey.

I don't remember those, but that does remind me of this one:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/Vintage_Panasonic_Green_Panapet_70_Ball%27n_Chain_Radio%2C_Model_R-70%2C_4-3-8_Inches_in_Diameter%2C_Made_in_Japan_%289791246653%29.jpg/738px-Vintage_Panasonic_Green_Panapet_70_Ball%27n_Chain_Radio%2C_Model_R-70%2C_4-3-8_Inches_in_Diameter%2C_Made_in_Japan_%289791246653%29.jpg

The Panasonic Panapet, an AM-only transistor radio that came out in the early 1970s...


O0 That is cool!

I don't remember those, but that does remind me of this one:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/Vintage_Panasonic_Green_Panapet_70_Ball%27n_Chain_Radio%2C_Model_R-70%2C_4-3-8_Inches_in_Diameter%2C_Made_in_Japan_%289791246653%29.jpg/738px-Vintage_Panasonic_Green_Panapet_70_Ball%27n_Chain_Radio%2C_Model_R-70%2C_4-3-8_Inches_in_Diameter%2C_Made_in_Japan_%289791246653%29.jpg

The Panasonic Panapet, an AM-only transistor radio that came out in the early 1970s.  They came in various colors.  The one my sister had was green, sort of like this one, although I swear it was a slightly lighter shade of green ... maybe because it faded in the harsh Hawaii sunlight?  It had a keychain because ... ???  Anyway, I got it as a hand-me-down when my sister bought a newer radio some years later.

Looking at it from a certain angle, it looks like a smiling face.  The knob on the left (the "right eye") controls the tuning, the other eye/knob is the on/off volume control.  It had a headphone jack, too.  I wonder if the indentation for the radio dial was the inspiration for the design of the Death Star.  It also reminds me of the EVA pods from 2001: a Space Odyssey.


I have seen those.


Cat

Fashion wise, it was the last year for mini skirts being mainstream.  Midi skirts were about to emerge, but wouldn't take a foothold until '74ish.  Patchwork denim was hot and hip-huggers were still pretty popular in '73, though not for much longer.  Bell bottoms were everyone's choice then.  Short shorts for the summer were still fashionable.  Earthy fashions were also popular - even homemade looking stuff like macrame belts.  The most "hippie" fashions were starting to fade, though.


One garment I recall from '73 was a crushed velvet open vest.  The style was just like this:

https://i.etsystatic.com/9729988/r/il/e43f73/3656504713/il_570xN.3656504713_340n.jpg

Mine, though, was purple.  I wore that vest a lot over turtlenecks, but sometimes over a button up dog ear blouse.  A favorite!  :D

I was in 4th grade at the beginning of the year. I had one of those childhood that are always joked about "I had to walk to school in 10 feet of snow up hill both ways." Ok, so there wasn't a hill but my sister & I clocked it using Google Maps a few years back and it was over a mile. I know today, most kids would not have to walk that far. Also, I lived the farthest away from the school so for the last 3 blocks or so on my way home, I was alone. Either it was my birthday or Christmas, I got a transistor radio (that looked like a flying saucer with a long chain on it).

https://i.etsystatic.com/5393703/r/il/6233d0/252617057/il_300x300.252617057.jpg

(Mine was white.)

That radio was my friend on that long walk to and from. I remember keeping it in my desk (the kind that was open) and playing with the chain during class.

Anyway, because of that, I was pretty much up on the top 40 of AM radio. I remember hearing a song that really touch me when I first heard it-even at that young age. It was song called Taxi by Harry Chapin. I remember the local radio station had a promotion where they were handing out 45s of that from a taxi.  What was really strange was that I didn't realize it would reflect on something that happened to me years later-when I was doing summer stock, I was dating a guy would was working on his pilot's license. ("She was going to be an actress and I was gonna learn to fly.") I still think about him when I hear the song. And then the next year, Harry Chapin came out with WOLD. I loved BOTH of those songs (and still do).

One of my favorite shows at the time was the Carol Burnett Show. My entire family watched it religiously. That year, Vicki Lawrence came out with her The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia. She sang it on the show and that was the first time I heard it. I was so excited when I started to hear it on that little radio. 

That was when we lived next door to a garage band. (I know I told this story many times.) They knew how to play one song and one song only-Smoke on the Water. 24/7 that is what we heard. (Well, it might not have been that much but it was A LOT.) And they were awful, too. To this day, I can't listen to song without cringing.

I remember when Spiro Agnew resigned. My teacher went around the room asking everyone who the vice president was. I don't recall if anyone got it right (the answer was no one at the moment). I remember my answer: Henry Kissinger.  What did I know? I was just a kid. lol.

I also remember when LBJ die. I remember a couple of guys on t.v. talking about him and how he surprised everyone when he said he wasn't going to run for reelection.



That was my first Bond film and I saw that at the theatre.


Cat

Wasn't transistor radios square shaped back then? ???

One garment I recall from '73 was a crushed velvet open vest.  The style was just like this:

https://i.etsystatic.com/9729988/r/il/e43f73/3656504713/il_570xN.3656504713_340n.jpg

Mine, though, was purple.  I wore that vest a lot over turtlenecks, but sometimes over a button up dog ear blouse.  A favorite!  :D

That vest reminds me of those disco bands used to wear.

Here are a couple of issues of the music magazine "Zoo World" from 1973. "Zoo World" and "Rock" were two "folded over newspaper" music magazines in the style of Rolling Stone (which was also "folded over newspaper" in those days.) They were considered "lesser" than Rolling Stone, but they were great and I read them faithfully. I believe they came out bi-weekly (once every two weeks). They had specific dates on them (i.e "June 7, 1973") rather than just months. Wonderful magazines like this is how we got our music news in those pre-internet times.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51VB882Q5bL._SX373_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51fAO7CoK0L._SX218_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_FMwebp_.jpg

I remember Earth Shoes. I think the idea was that it was more biologically correct to wear shoes with the toe higher than the heel. They were "hip" and "organic" and all that, so I HAD to have them. They felt really awkward to wear, like one was always about to fall over backwards. And they were super dowdy looking. They were a fad that went the way of the pet rock.

I also had blue denim platform heel shoes in 1973/74. To those who weren't there, YES men wore platform shoes. They looked something like this pic I found online, except, remember, they were blue denim. Super cool!

https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/3rd-may-1973-a-man-wearing-platform-shoes-picture-id3424230?s=612x612


O0

That is how I remember this time, the clothing, shoes and the hairstyle.

I can also recognise the location of this photo, it is at Oxford Street, London, with the tall building Centre point, and the tube station Tottenham Court Road behind him.

Describe then vibe of 1973
Check on this topic here:

What Were The 1970s Like?

I have seen those.


Cat
I have not seen those before.

When did line dancing start to become popular?

From my "flawed" recollection only, I'll say this was more of a mid-80's and later phenomenon.
From Google:

"Line dancing as we know it today was born in 1980, despite the fact that the concept had already been around for a while. In 1980, Jim Ferrazzano choreographed the “Tush Push.” This is one of the most popular and well-known line dances today. This dance is the first known choreographed line dance."

Wasn't transistor radios square shaped back then? ???


Not all-just like the one that I posted-I had one just like that only it was white. Mitch also had one that was round.


Cat

1973 was the year of one of the greatest songs of all time IMO!  I wasn't around in '73 (I came later in the decade), but I still sometimes hear this one on the radio and it still sounds great!  This song never shows up on 70s playlists or hits compilations as it only peaked at #92 in the US, but it reached #7 in Australia and #1 in Canada. 

Gary and Dave - Could You Ever Love Me Again
s9DdstrN_OA

Not all-just like the one that I posted-I had one just like that only it was white. Mitch also had one that was round.


Cat


Your memory is better than mine, all I can remember is that transistor radios were small and square.

Your memory is better than mine, all I can remember is that transistor radios were small and square.


Transistor radios came in all kinds of designs, shapes and colors.  The "boring" ones like mine were silver-grey and rectangular.

Transistor radios came in all kinds of designs, shapes and colors.  The "boring" ones like mine were silver-grey and rectangular.
Boring like my once boring transistor radio?

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/79YAAOSwmXFiCjhU/s-l1600.jpg

Boring like my once boring transistor radio?

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/79YAAOSwmXFiCjhU/s-l1600.jpg


I was thinking more of the "pocket" sized radios...

I was thinking more of the "pocket" sized radios...
Unless your pockets were big enough for this one?

Here's another clip indicative of the 1973 "vibe".  This Soul Train clip from fall 1973 gives an idea of fashions that were hot then (Soul Train dancers generally wore extreme (sometimes) versions of "regular" clothes) -

Soul Train: dancing to the dance funk smash, Jungle Boogie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lODBVM802H8

Boring like my once boring transistor radio?

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/79YAAOSwmXFiCjhU/s-l1600.jpg


I love this radio! Those buttons make it almost look like a cassette player. I wonder what they were for? Maybe preset buttons of the type car radios had back then? I can't quite read anything except the bass and treble knobs.

Transistor radios came in all kinds of designs, shapes and colors.  The "boring" ones like mine were silver-grey and rectangular.

How much are they going for these days?

How much are they going for these days?
Have you check eBay or Amazon?

Here's another clip indicative of the 1973 "vibe".  This Soul Train clip from fall 1973 gives an idea of fashions that were hot then (Soul Train dancers generally wore extreme (sometimes) versions of "regular" clothes) -

Soul Train: dancing to the dance funk smash, Jungle Boogie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lODBVM802H8


That was sure a fun time to dress up. :)

I have to preface by saying that 1972 was the last year of the cultural 60s. Absolutely. There was no one reason that ended it. Not the landslide re-election of Nixon, not Watergate, not nothing. In late 1972 the 60s just petered out. Finally ran out of steam and fizzled. Thusly you would think that 1973 was the first year of the cultural 70s, but this is not the case. The cultural 70s (or "the cultural early 70s", somewhat different than the "cultural late 70s") had been running parallel to the cultural 60s in 1971 and 1972. (1970 was pure 60s). In 1973 there was really a sense of newness. the earthiness of 71 and 72 had given way fully to glam. (Though glam has been going strong in the UK since late 1970 when Marc Bolan first put glitter under his eyes). There was less of a 19721/1972 singer-songwriter feel (though they still were going strong) and more of a glam feel, an Alice Cooper feel (though he had been going strong since 1971), more of a Bowie feel (though he wouldn't get as big here in the US as people think he always was until 1975).

People were TOLD that the Vietnam War was over, but kind of knew it wasn't. That wouldn't happen until 1975. Watergate was big news and the Senate Watergate Committee's hearings were nationally televised daily. The now forgotten but then-despised Vice President of the United States, Spiro Agnew, was thrown out of office in late 73 for tax evasion and was replaced by Gerald Ford, who the hand of fate would later make President. In his time as VP, Spiro Agnew had given speeches condemning rock music and even named names. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Jefferson Airplane were among his targets. He was a goofball.

I remember my friend, a big Pink Floyd fan, calling me in early 1973 to tell me he had just bought their brand new album "Dark Side of the Moon". It went on to be a legendary album in years to come.

And, to mention fashion, because AG did...short shorts on men, often denim "cutoffs" as they were called, were a plain and common sight and nobody gave it a second thought. This would continue straight through the 1980s. Professional basketball players wore shorts that were microscopic by today's standards, and that is also what  gym shorts looked like in high school.


I made a thread about 1967 in the before the 70s section I’d like to have you contribute to

I made a thread about 1967 in the before the 70s section I’d like to have you contribute to


I'd be happy to. What is the nature of your interest in these eras?

I made a thread about 1967 in the before the 70s section I’d like to have you contribute to


The only thing I personally could speak to re: 1967 would be kid culture (back then I was age 6/7)

Describe then vibe of 1973


Big disclaimer here - I know for a fact this commercial was made sometime in the 2010s.  And I don't endorse any products.  But as someone who experienced life in 1973, in this KFC commercial IMO the clothes, the hair, the car and the music do a pretty good job portraying a 1973 vibe:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYRanH8VjTU

One of my all time favorite albums in life came out in 1973. "Baron Von Tollbooth & The Chrome Nun" by Paul Kantner, Grace Slick & David Freiberg. This album can out in something of an interim period between Jefferson Airplane and what became known as Jefferson Starship, although the name "Jefferson Starship" had already been used in a conceptual manner on Kantner's classic 1970 concept album "Blows Against the Empire".

The title of this album derives from David Crosby's nicknames for Kantner and Slick. It wasn't really a big seller at the time, and, although obscure, commands a great cult following today. It did get a lot of reviews (some good, some bad) in the publications I have already mentioned on this thread like "Zoo World" and "Rock" in that mystical atmosphere of 1973. Players on this album include Jerry Garcia & Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead, David Crosby, Craig Chaquico, The Pointer Sisters, Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady of Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna and more.

Front Cover:

https://i.discogs.com/obQOaqEno4jYNuCgeAC4nz_Xq8DsOTb0sOBLBzYySV8/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:597/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWltYWdlcy9SLTI1/ODg5MTEtMTU2NjU1/OTc0OS00MTY3Lmpw/ZWc.jpeg

Innersleeve 1:

https://i.discogs.com/AmZhUg9LpRG16KhwT47Vr647vIAu8-BqV06O-7CLXqk/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:595/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWltYWdlcy9SLTI1/ODg5MTEtMTQxMTA3/ODQ0Mi05NzY0Lmpw/ZWc.jpeg

Innersleeve 2:

https://i.discogs.com/i99CINzcmaAP1y5R7MKRIGBQgf411UrGJMuqDi5Bo7g/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:586/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWltYWdlcy9SLTI1/ODg5MTEtMTQxMTA3/ODQ1Ny02ODkxLmpw/ZWc.jpeg

The gorgeous "Sketches of China" from "Baron Von Tollbooth & The Chrome Nun", released in 1973. Lead guitar is by Jerry Garcia. The Dead's Mickey hart plays gongs and an unusual instrument called a "waterphone".

Now this is a REAL taste of the magical, mystical, clear feel of 1973 (yet at the same time it is timeless), away from the mainstream.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwEOq8zH4zM

The gorgeous "Sketches of China" from "Baron Von Tollbooth & The Chrome Nun", released in 1973. Lead guitar is by Jerry Garcia. The Dead's Mickey hart plays gongs and an unusual instrument called a "waterphone".

Now this is a REAL taste of the magical, mystical, clear feel of 1973 (yet at the same time it is timeless), away from the mainstream.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwEOq8zH4zM


O0 Agreed - Sketches Of China is a sweet song, not so mainstream, but it captures the soulful feel of 1973.

For more "mainstream" tunes, I attached the Cashbox Top 40 chart data for June 30, 1973 (picked a mid-year date just because).  Note how diverse - but how generally good - the Top 40 tunes (most of them) are:

...I attached the Cashbox Top 40 chart data for June 30, 1973 (picked a mid-year date just because)...


Here's one other point I want to make about the Top 40 during the mid 70's - turnover was extremely fast, i.e. a song rarely stayed in the Top 40 for a long time.  This phenomenon changed after some years, after which it became common for songs to remain top hits for months on end.  This attachment contains Cashbox Top 40 chart data for September 15, 1973 - if compared with the late June chart, almost all of the songs are different:

O0 Agreed - Sketches Of China is a sweet song, not so mainstream, but it captures the soulful feel of 1973.

For more "mainstream" tunes, I attached the Cashbox Top 40 chart data for June 30, 1973 (picked a mid-year date just because).  Note how diverse - but how generally good - the Top 40 tunes (most of them) are:


Perry Como at #20 and Deep Purple at #21. How's that for diversity?  :D

Perry Como at #20 and Deep Purple at #21. How's that for diversity?  :D


      ;D    :D    ;D

(Incidentally, I can't recall the Perry Como tune, although I might know it if I heard it.  There are about a half dozen or so songs I don't know just reading the names.)

For completeness, I thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to include an earlier 1973 Cashbox chart.  This is from March 17th:

Music-wise, instrumentals continued to have a significant foothold on the pop music scene then.  Some instrumental hits were of course derived from hit movies of the time.  For example, from the 1972 hit movie Deliverance hailed the quirky instrumental Dueling Banjos, which became very popular and was a huge hit in early 1973:

Dueling Banjos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDlZLsJJkVA

      ;D    :D    ;D

(Incidentally, I can't recall the Perry Como tune, although I might know it if I heard it.  There are about a half dozen or so songs I don't know just reading the names.)

For completeness, I thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to include an earlier 1973 Cashbox chart.  This is from March 17th:


The only Perry Como hit I recall was "Seattle" from 1969. It was the theme song to the TV show "Here Come The Brides". Bobby Sherman, the star of the show, also recorded version, but the Como version was the hit. Every once in a while in those days the old, schmaltzy, over-the-hill and middle-of-the-road people like Como, Bobby Vinton and Sammy Davis Jr. would sneak in a fluke-y hit.

The only Perry Como hit I recall was "Seattle" from 1969. It was the theme song to the TV show "Here Come The Brides". Bobby Sherman, the star of the show, also recorded version, but the Como version was the hit. Every once in a while in those days the old, schmaltzy, over-the-hill and middle-of-the-road people like Como, Bobby Vinton and Sammy Davis Jr. would sneak in a fluke-y hit.



Really? Perry Como sang that? Didn't know that. (BTW, David Soul was also in that show just in case you didn't already know that. lol.)


Cat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_e-RQZVwxg
Billy Preston - Will It Go Round In Circles

The only Perry Como hit I recall was "Seattle" from 1969. It was the theme song to the TV show "Here Come The Brides". Bobby Sherman, the star of the show, also recorded version, but the Como version was the hit. Every once in a while in those days the old, schmaltzy, over-the-hill and middle-of-the-road people like Como, Bobby Vinton and Sammy Davis Jr. would sneak in a fluke-y hit.



Really? Perry Como sang that? Didn't know that. (BTW, David Soul was also in that show just in case you didn't already know that. lol.)

Cat


I watched Here Come The Brides on a pretty regular basis from '68 to '70.  I don't recall watching it after '70.  I liked the show, even as some of the themes were over my head (for an 8- to 10-year-old).  As most of its viewers, I grew very fond of its characters.


Billy Preston - Will It Go Round In Circles


O0 I still have the original 45!

I watched Here Come The Brides on a pretty regular basis from '68 to '70.  I don't recall watching it after '70.  I liked the show, even as some of the themes were over my head (for an 8- to 10-year-old).  As most of its viewers, I grew very fond of its characters.

O0 I still have the original 45!


I watched it, too-and of course it was WAY over my head. I remember one of my sisters having pictures from the show on the inside of her bedroom door that she cut out from some teen magazine. I do recall watching it when it went into syndication in the '70s and of course I understood it a lot more than I did during the '60s. 



Cat