7 of the 70s: 9/19/13 (1971)...

It's time for this week's 70s throwback, and I'm back to 1971, the year the Arabian Gulf nation of Qatar gained independence from England, confusing spellers everywhere.

Cher - "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves"
from the album Gypsys Tramps & Thieves (Cher) (1971)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1
Songwriter: Bob Stone

Kudos for Cher for declining to appear in the upcoming Summer Olympics in Russia. Since this song she's been a voice for the outcasts...

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King Floyd - "Groove Me"
from the album King Floyd (1971)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #6
Songwriter: King Floyd

This New Orleans soul singer had a lasting "one-hit wonder" (though he had a second top-40 single)  with this ultra-funky number.

Brewer & Shipley - "One Toke Over The Line"
from the album Tarkio (1970)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #10
Songwriters: Mike Brewer, Tom Shipley

The stoner's national anthem of 1971 was this laid-back little number that sounded like a prayer to the weed god.

Freda Payne - "Bring The Boys Home"
from the album Contact (1971)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #12
Songwriters: Angelo Bond, General Johnson, Greg Perry

After this song became a big hit, it was included on her 1971 album (I'm sure the record company was unsure of its initial prospects). This is one of my favorite ever anti-war songs.

 Led Zeppelin - "Immigrant Song"
from the album Led Zeppelin III (1970)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #16
Songwriters: Jimmy Page, Robert Plant

A trip to Iceland inspired the rock gods to imagine themselves as Vikings conquering the world in this ballbusting explosion of sound that amazingly made the top-20.

Edwin Starr - "Stop The War Now"
from the album Involved (1971)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #26
Songwriters: Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield

Starr's "sequel" to his iconic "War" was just as awesome as the first, with its chants defiant and inspiring.

Ten Years After - "I'd Love To Change The World"
from the album A Space In Time (1971)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #40
Songwriter: Alvin Lee

A couple of decades before "Born This Way", this English blues-rock band celebrated the "dykes and faeries" in this nugget that doesn't give any solutions, only proffers questions.

That's it for this week's radical seven....I'll be back later with 8 more from 1981....