Hey--
For those who were around in '73, what do you remember of that year?
What was big--I mean like, what bands/artists were the most popular in music? What movies were huge? Television? Any interesting fashion trends from that year?
What about the political happenings--What was the general feeling on Roe v. Wade in '73? Gay Rights? From what you guys remember, what did your family/friends/neighbors etc feel about Watergate in '73--Did your ''average Joe'' still think Nixon was innocent?

I was 10 in 1973. I do remember the Watergate hearings were on TV all the time. My parents figured Nixon was involved as the trial went on, but how deep we weren't sure. As a 10 year old, I was more concerned that , with Watergate always on TV, I couldn't watch my rerun shows (Brady Bunch, Get Smart, Gilligan's Island, Bewitched, Room 222, I dream of Jeaninie etc..)

The Vietnam war was still on and heard news about that pretty much everyday. Everyone watched Walter Cronkite on CBS news.

What I remember from 1973 was the NFL Dolphins winning the Superbowl in Jan 1973 (after their perfect season). Oakland A's won their 2nd of 3 World series in a row.

What music was popular? At that time I listened to AM radio. Carpenters, Chicago, Elton John, Tony Orlando & Dawn were all big that year. Maybe John Denver too.
On TV "All in the family" was pretty big, as well as "Mary Tyler Moore show". By that time music from the Partridge Family, Osmonds and Jackson 5 were losing their popularity that began 3 or 4 years earlier.
I went to see "The Sting"  at the theaters. It's probably in my top 5 movies of all time.

I wasn't born yet, but I do know that there were lots of great cover songs here in Canada that were quite popular ...

'It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference' by Tom Middleton
'Last Kiss' by Wednesday

to name a few ...

I was 7 in 1973.  My family was living in Greece for the first three-quarters of that year and I remember my parents always taking us to the lovely coves so me and my brothers could go swimming.  Afterwards we'd sit around a nice fire and listen to Gordon Lightfoot music.  Fun times.  :)

The last quarter of that year was when my family moved to Guam for the first time.  I was in second grade then and I remember having a hard time fitting in at school since I was light-skinned and in the minority.

I was 13 and in 8th/9th grade, living on a Michigan farm.  I was utterly into clothes/fashion and popular music, and I loved the popular TV shows of the time.  Besides favorite sitcoms (like All In The Family, Sanford and Son, Mary Tyler Moore, the Odd Couple) I remember watching variety shows a lot - they were big throughout the 70's.  In 1973 I think I watched Sonny and Cher, Flip Wilson, and Carol Burnett, probably some others too.

The music topic is too big to cover in depth, but some of my favorite sounds in 73 came from the likes of: Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Three Dog Night, War, Paul Simon, the Doobie Brothers, the Spinners, Seals and Crofts, Elton John, and the Edgar Winter group.  Qualitatively, I'd noticed that the sounds were changing and evolving, mostly in a good way - but we didn't yet know where things were going to land.  'Disco' wasn't in the vocabulary yet.

I'd recently started paying attention to politics and, not being a Nixon fan (I liked McGovern), I was getting mad about Watergate.  When Spiro Agnew was out, I remember thinking, good riddance.  Gerald Ford was a welcome, if not well known, selection - but it was weird to have a vice president nominated mid-term.  None of us knew then that he'd be president before too long.

Fashion-wise, it was "out there" then.  I recall a favorite outfit of mine - a grey herringbone double knit knickers plus bolero vest set, that I wore with shiny black knee-high boots with a clunky mid heel and a ribbed turtleneck.  I often topped it off with a favorite hat.  I loved that outfit!  :D

I copy/pasted below a bunch of top 100 singles that I dug from '73 from the Cashbox charts (I was 10, so cut me some slack). All below still hold a strong nostalgic value for me, but I italicized the tunes I really liked back then and bolded the ones I still dig today:

TIE A YELLOW RIBBON ROUND THE OLE OAK TREE – Tony Orlando & Dawn, BAD, BAD LEROY BROWN – Jim Croce, DELTA DAWN – Helen Reddy, CROCODILE ROCK – Elton John, MY LOVE – Paul McCartney & Wings, YOU’RE SO VAIN – Carly Simon, PLAYGROUND IN MY MIND – Clint Holmes, SHAMBALA – Three Dog Night, LOVE TRAIN – The O’Jays, MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA – Gladys Knight & The Pips, HALF-BREED – Cher, SAY, HAS ANYBODY SEEN MY SWEET GYPSY ROSE – Tony Orlando & Dawn, DRIFT AWAY – Dobie Gray, BROTHER LOUIE – Stories, WILL IT GO ROUND IN CIRCLES – Billy Preston, KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG – Roberta Flack, LOVES ME LIKE A ROCK – Paul Simon, THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN GEORGIA – Vicki Lawrence, THAT LADY (pt. 1) – The Isley Brothers, SUPERSTITION – Stevie Wonder, STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU – Stealers Wheel, ROCKIN’ PNEUMONIA—BOOGIE WOOGIE FLU – Johnny Rivers, OH, BABE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? – Hurricane Smith, LIVE AND LET DIE – Paul McCartney & Wings, NATURAL HIGH – Bloodstone, NEITHER ONE OF US (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye) – Gladys Knight & The Pips, HIGHER GROUND – Stevie Wonder, AIN’T NO WOMAN (Like The One I’ve Got) – The Four Tops, WE’RE AN AMERICAN BAND – Grand Funk, RAMBLIN’ MAN – The Allman Brothers Band, SING – Carpenters, YESTERDAY ONCE MORE – Carpenters, DANIEL – Elton John, COULD IT BE I’M FALLING IN LOVE – The Spinners, THE COVER OF “ROLLING STONE” – Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show, I AM WOMAN – Helen Reddy, TOP OF THE WORLD – Carpenters, LITTLE WILLY – The Sweet, SMOKE ON THE WATER – Deep Purple, PAPA WAS A ROLLIN’ STONE – The Temptations, PHOTOGRAPH – Ringo Starr, DUELING BANJOS – “Deliverance” Soundtrack, YOUR MAMA DON’T DANCE – Loggins & Messina, FUNNY FACE – Donna Fargo, HOCUS POCUS – Focus, YOU ARE THE SUNSHINE OF MY LIFE – Stevie Wonder, GIVE ME LOVE (Give Me Peace On Earth) – George Harrison, DIAMOND GIRL – Seals & Crofts, JUST YOU ’N’ ME – Chicago, KODACHROME – Paul Simon, FREE RIDE – The Edgar Winter Group, SPACE RACE – Billy Preston, THE CISCO KID – War, I GOT A NAME – Jim Croce, ANGIE – The Rolling Stones, BEHIND CLOSED DOORS – Charlie Rich, WILDFLOWER – Skylark, I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW – Johnny Nash, FRANKENSTEIN – The Edgar Winter Group, BOOGIE WOOGIE BUGLE BOY – Bette Midler, PAPER ROSES – Marie Osmond, FEELIN’ STRONGER EVERY DAY – Chicago, HEARTBEAT—IT’S A LOVEBEAT – The DeFranco Family, MONEY – Pink Floyd, REELING IN THE YEARS – Steely Dan, ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA (2001) – Deodato, THE WORLD IS A GHETTO – War, I’M GONNA LOVE YOU JUST A LITTLE MORE BABY – Barry White, JAMBALAYA (On The Bayou) – The Blue Ridge Rangers, MASTERPIECE – The Temptations, SATURDAY NIGHT’S ALRIGHT FOR FIGHTING – Elton John, THE MORNING AFTER – Maureen McGovern

Some notables that didn't chart yearly top-100, but are still all-time classics (all great - no bold or italics necessary):

MOODY BLUES - I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band), LED ZEPPELIN - Dancing Days / D'yer Mak'er, THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND - Jessica, THE ROLLING STONES - Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker), STEELY DAN - Do It Again / Dirty Work, JOE WALSH - Rocky Mountain Way, ELTON JOHN - Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding / Bennie and the Jets / All the Girls Love Alice, THE STYLISTICS - Break Up to Make Up, JONI MITCHELL - You Turn Me on I'm a Radio, YES - Close to the Edge / And You and I, DEEP PURPLE - Highway Star / Pictures Of Home / Lazy / Space Truckin',

And here are the albums in the same style as the singles list above:

THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON – Pink Floyd, HOUSES OF THE HOLY – Led Zeppelin, DIAMOND GIRL – Seals & Crofts, THE WORLD IS A GHETTO – War, THE CAPTAIN AND ME – The Doobie Brothers, LIFE AND TIMES – Jim Croce, TALKING BOOK – Stevie Wonder, CHICAGO VI, THEY ONLY COME OUT AT NIGHT – The Edgar Winter Group, BILLION DOLLAR BABIES – Alice Cooper, MADE IN JAPAN – Deep Purple, THE BEST OF BREAD, NOW & THEN – Carpenters, THERE GOES RHYMIN’ SIMON – Paul Simon, BROTHERS AND SISTERS – The Allman Brothers Band, DON’T SHOOT ME I’M ONLY THE PIANO PLAYER – Elton John, LIVING IN THE PAST – Jethro Tull, WE’RE AN AMERICAN BAND – Grand Funk, RED ROSE SPEEDWAY – Paul McCartney & Wings, KILLING ME SOFTLY – Roberta Flack, GOATS HEAD SOUP – The Rolling Stones, THE DIVINE MISS M – Bette Midler, CARAVANSERAI – Santana, LET’S GET IT ON – Marvin Gaye, CAN’T BUY A THRILL – Steely Dan, LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD – George Harrison, THE SMOKER YOU DRINK, THE PLAYER YOU GET – Joe Walsh, A PASSION PLAY – Jethro Tull, SHOOT OUT AT THE FANTASY FACTORY – Traffic, SPINNERS – The Spinners, DELIVER THE WORD – War, GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD – Elton John, ROUND 2 – The Stylistics, PHOENIX – Grand Funk, YESSONGS – Yes, HEAD TO THE SKY – Earth, Wind & Fire, FOR THE ROSES – Joni Mitchell, CHICAGO V, VOL. 4 – Black Sabbath, CLOSE TO THE EDGE – Yes, MACHINE HEAD – Deep Purple, BECK, BOGART & APPICE, TROUBLE MAN – Marvin Gaye, BIRDS OF FIRE – The Mahavishnu Orchestra, BLOODSHOT – The J. Geils Band.

I was 22 in 1973.  Roe v. Wade was as controversial then as now, but not as rabid.  The feelings, and reasons for abortion were understood as much more complex, not as black and white as some may like to paint it these days.  I remember Spiro Agnew resigning, but not Lyndon Johnson dying.  I remember The Saturday Night Massacre when Nixon ordered Attorney General Elliot Richardson to fire Watergate Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox. He refused and resigned, along with Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus. Solicitor General Robert Bork, third in line at the Department of Justice, then fired Cox.  Everyone knew, at that moment that Nixon was not going to last.  That was HUGE.  Nixon lost even his staunchest supporters on that move and, I think, the reason why Bork didn't make the Supreme Court.  Gay Rights?  There are some people today who are firm supporters of gay rights, but back then they were not.  I had a friend who was openly gay in high school, there were some people who wouldn't associate with me because I dared be his friend.  Today they are ashamed of themselves. The transformation of the attitudes towards gays is truly amazing.

I was in 5th/6th grade in 1973.  The "Weekly Reader" (do they still have that) was a great news source for kids breaking the news down in simple language for us to understand.

Watergate is always mentioned but I hardly ever see that Vice President Spiro Agnew also resigned.  In the fall of 73 Agnew was all over the news for the wrong deeds he had done.  That fall he resigned as vice president. I remember in my school the radio news bulletin of his resignation was played over the intercom.  I suppose the administration felt like it was history in the making so they interupted our daily studies with that radio broadcast.

I remember also reading about the World Trade Center in my weekly reader.  The first I had heard of these buildings was way back in 1st or 2nd grade, New York was going to build the worlds tallest buildings, and it was about 5th or 6th grade when they were completed they had an article in that little newspaper as the towers being taller than the Empire State Building. 

In sports the World Series games were always played during the day and I recall getting home just in time to see the Oakland A's and New York Mets play the last couple innings of some of the games.

There was a music tv show on at that time and I can't recall the name of it.  It was an hour of videos (no "live" preformances but actual videos) of some of the weeks top country and pop songs.  I can vividly recall Kris Kristofferson's "Why Me Lord" clip.  For the life of me I can't remember the name of the show though.  I'm thinking it ran just that summer but I could be mistaken.

Being raised in the country and on the poor side, we weren't exposed to much outside of school and what tv had to offer then.  I didn't know to much about what fashion was suppose to be or not what it was suppose to be.  The beginnig of the school year kids usually got new clothes, plain old blue jeans, some shirts and and new shoes.  Maybe it was different in the high school I don't know, but in the grade school parents didn't spend five or six hundred dollars for school supplies and clothes, parents I knew mostly just took one of the three catalogs, Sears, JC Penney or Montgomery Ward and bought their kids clothes from there.  One fashion I do recall that swept through our school anyway was the heavy winter Air Force Jacket.  Seems like everybody was wearing those that one winter.  My folks couldn't afford an "authentic" Air Force jacket and they bought be a knockoff type.  I was a little disappointed because my jacket didn't have all those extra pockets like my friends jackets had.  School bags were still around, you know the kind that kind of looked like briefcases, not backpacks.  I recall that one year the red white and blue style school bag was really popular, I'd say half the kids had them.  I recall that because my cousin accidentally threw a school bag out the window at his friend after he thought his friend forgot it on the bus.  Turned out to be his own school bag. lol

But those are a few things I recall.  I thought it was a great time to be a kid.

I recall a favorite outfit of mine - a grey herringbone double knit knickers plus bolero vest set, that I wore with shiny black knee-high boots with a clunky mid heel and a ribbed turtleneck.  I often topped it off with a favorite hat.  I loved that outfit!   :D


The aforementioned outfit looked lot like this (from an early 70's sewing pattern):

http://users.dls.net/~faulkners/1971Pattern.jpg