For the Record: The 70s

Songwriters of the 70s took on Richard Nixon the best way they knew how: with their music. Blaming music for drug use, the Kent State shootings, Watergate, and getting a pardon for "any crimes he may have committed" were all issues that inspired artists such as Jefferson Airplane, CSNY, Gil Scott-Heron, Stevie Wonder, and David Bowie. This episode discusses how music reflected the dissatisfaction and outright anger with President Richard Nixon, even beyond his resignation in August 1974.

Country radio has created the country music sound it has wanted since Elvis and rock and roll began to lure away its customers. This was not pleasing to country music purists in the 1970s. Amy discusses why more people began to listen to countryish music in the 70s and why it became difficult to distinguish country from other pop music. She also offers an analysis of two of Glen Campbell's biggest hits of the 70s, "Country Boy" and "Rhinestone Cowboy."

Disco and the 70s had a love-hate relationship. Why? Who loved it, who hated it, and what did Stonewall and the beginning of the gay rights movement have to do with any of this?