Newark N.J. 1970s: Columbia House 1971

Who could forget those Columbia House ads in teenager magazines offering a lot of albums for a few cents? Every one in the Brazilian community in Newark used to clip those coupons, send them over, get their first batch of 12 albums and forget to buy the rest at 'normal' [inflated] prices.

Sound-tracks like 'The Graduate' and 'West Side Story' were still big sellers. Simon & Garfunkel's 'Bookends' was a fantastic album. How about Sergio Mendes & Brazil '66?

Janis Joplin died in 1970 and 'Me & Bobby McGee' went to Number One, while Chicago was as hot as fire... Laura Nyro was good and so were Santana's 'Abrax' and James Taylor's 'Mud Slide Slim'.

Carole King's 'Music' ['Sweet seasons'] was the follow-up to smash-hit 'Tapestry'... while Barbra Joan Streisand sang John Lennon's 'Mother' in a most heart-felt way...

Three Dog Night was the top singles-band in 1971 with 'Joy to the world'...

Carpenters were hot in 1971 with Leon Russell's amazing 'Superstar'; their Russell-song follow-up was 'Song for you'. In 1972, Jim Croce was just starting... and Rod Stewart's 'Every picture tells a story' was still Number One in the Album Charts; while Elton John was gradually becoming the hottest act in the USA.

these ads were a fixture in teen-ager magazines like Hit Parader, 16th etc.

In 1972, Sony & Cher were big on TV; Sammy Davis, Jr. had his biggest hit ever with 'Candy man'; Bread with 'Baby I'm a-want you' should mind their grammar; Three Dog Night had ballads like 'An old-fashioned love song' on the top.

Albums I bought in 1971-1972

I became an avid fan of duo Simon & Garfunkel circa 1969 after listening to 'The boxer'. But unfortunately not all their recordings were released in Brazil. So I went nuts when I arrived in New York and saw album covers I didn't even imagined ever existed. I particularly liked this 'Parsely, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme' album cover.

Donovan's 'For little ones'

cover & back-cover.

'Two Virgins' John & Yoko experimental album. I only bought it because I knew it would never be released in Brazil because of its military dictatorship censorship.

A bonus from 'Two Virgins' - this photo didn't quite make it to the final product but shows that Lennon could keep it up!

'Chicago II' - It was almost like a religious experience when I first heard Chicago. I've always been a fan of brass! I love this album, especially the A side of disc # 1 which starts with 'Make me smile'... 'Colour my world' etc.

I thought I was a Puerto Rican boy living in Manhattan West Side... I loved Leonard Berstein's haunting melodies.

Rod Stewart's 'Maggie Mae' was the biggest hit I had ever experienced being in the United States for the 1st time. I didn't know a Number One played continually the whole day... and half the night. I used to live upstairs from a go-go bar in the Ironbound... and the mandolin playing finale in 'Maggie May' would fill the air...

I remember the 1st time I heard Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young... their harmonies were the best I'd heard since the Mamas & the Papas. 'Our house' is a especially good one... not to mention Neil Young's plaintive 'Helpless'... and 'Country girl'.

Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young, Dallas Taylor & Greg Reeves... and doggie!

Bob Dylan in 1965's flick 'Don't look back' that I went to see at the Village somewhere...

Dylan had a ressurgence in 1971 due to having appeared at George Harrison's Concert for Bangladesh at the Madison Square Garden in August 1971. They released a documentary and a triple album that went to Number One in in all FM stations.

Bob Dylan & a hirsute George Harrison at the Madison Square Garden.

Harrison, Dylan with a little help from Leon Russell.

New York Times clip of 2nd August 1971.

'A hard rain's gonna fall' a song Dylan had written during the 1963 Cuban missile crisis was all the rage again in 1971-1972. 'Hard rain' meaning 'nuclear fall out'!