70s Pop Crossover Prog tracks

Here are some tracks, most of them massive "hits" in the day, [by bands] that sometimes straddled the line between Billboard-type pop music and prog. Not all of these artists are in PA. For example, Elton John's no prog artist, but he did make a few prog-like tunes (I'm partial to the Bowie-esque "Rocket Man," but "Love Lies Bleeding" is arguably his proggiest track). Al Stewart's not in PA too, although I think he might belong - Alan Parsons produced at least 3 of his albums in the 70s. I don't believe Gary Wright's in here, but the nearly all-synthesizer "Dream Weaver" track was his ode to Pink Floyd (lyrics include: Fly me away to the bright side of the moon / And meet me on the other side), and, like 10cc's track, is pretty spacey and great. Not sure if McCartney's in PA either, but that track is crossover pop-prog if ever such a thing could exist. These tracks are often as close as prog got to Billboard.

The reason I chose some tracks - for example, Chicago's "Wishing You Were Here" - is not because it was their highest placing hit, or their proggiest hit, but rather because it's simply my personal favorite.

What's your favorite among these? And what have I left out, what track(s) would you add to this list? Feel free to vent as well. I'm quite fond of many of these tracks, but a few of them I detest. (Okay, I'll name them: Ambrosia's track, and the ubiquitous "Hotel California.") Which track offends you the most?



Edited by jude111 - February 25 2013 at 10:38

someone_else wrote: This thread should be moved to General Music Discussions (I won't report it, this will be seen soon enough). Most of the artists here are non-prog (outside PA) or Prog Related (in PA). And the relation with prog of most songs, as far as I know them, is very remote, if there is any.   Btw, my favourite from this list is I'm Not in Love.

I thought most of these bands are filed under "crossover prog." I'll check real quick...

Okay, I checked:

Crossover (4): Barclay James Harvest, Electric Light Orchestra, Alan Parsons Project, Supertramp

Jazz Rock/Fusion (2): Chicago, Steely Dan

Prog Related (5): Ambrosia, David Bowie, Queen, Styx, 10cc

Not on PA (7): Eagles, Elton John, McCartney & Wings, Steve Miller Band, Al Stewart, Edgar Winter, Gary Wright.



Edited by jude111 - February 25 2013 at 11:22

Macca, of course.

Stool Man wrote: Looking down the list, I'd almost decided on Band On The Run, then I saw one of my favourites was listed, so I voted for it. For the benefit of those who have never heard it, here's Frankenstein:

Yeah, I love this video. And it's totally prog


Edited by jude111 - February 25 2013 at 11:23

Not sure yet what I'll go for. That violin in "Livin' Thing" gets to me every time! (The violin bit in Jean-Jacques Goldman's great "Comme toi" is lifted right from it.) That guitar solo in Steely Dan's FM - the way the music is pared pack and the guitar is allowed to breathe - reminds me so much of Floyd's "Another Brick, p. 2" - and I've often wondered whether Gilmour was influened at all by that track for his own solo at the end. I love Alan Parsons' lush production on that Al Stewart track - and by the way, the electric guitarist on that track is Tim Renwick, whom Floyd fans may know as playing with Floyd on their 1987 and 1994 tours, and accompanying the band at Live 8. Yeah, impossible to vote for only one :-)


Edited by jude111 - February 25 2013 at 11:41

I'd never hear the Styx one so I thought I'd check it out - wish I hadn't  

Offends?

Edited by Ivan_Melgar_M - February 25 2013 at 11:51

Frankenstein because I've been listening to this song all week! Otherwise, this poll is really hard, I practically love them all.

Paul gets my votes.

Horizons wrote: Hotel California gave me a giggle though.

According to one music critic I've read, "Hotel California"'s primary musical inspiration was Floyd's track "Wish You Were Here" ("The Rough Guide to Pink Floyd"). Personally I seriously doubt it; I just don't hear it at all. Surely Floyd wasn't the first band to use an acoustic 12-string guitar. The chords are different, the picking patterns are different. But maybe it's true, stranger things have happened...





Edited by jude111 - February 25 2013 at 12:35