May 1971: When six masterpieces were released in a month
I love having my birthday in May. The dampness of a long winter is nothing more than a distant memory by this point, and the oncoming promise of summer punctuates the air. In short, it is a time when all my friends are more than willing to go to the pub, and so these anniversary celebrations are buoyed by a renewed thirst.
In that spirit, albums have always felt a little bit more exciting. When the warm spring sun seeps through the windows, and my turntable basks in it, the opening note it plays from any given record always has that extra little punch.
But to my own fault, I’ve never combined this magic by spending my May’s, playing albums, exclusively released in that month. In the spirit of starting that trend in the next available May, I feel it’s only right to launch from the year that undoubtedly released the best music: 1971. And in doing my research, I realise how tragic my oversight has been, for the album I will forever consider the greatest of all time, is one I share a birthday month with.
Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On was released on the 21st day of that month, delivering a goddamn masterclass in musical social consciousness, powered by the sultry sounds of his soul arrangements. His voice was transcendent on that record, as it narrated something that would extend beyond the realms of 1971 and help soundtrack the remaining century.
With What’s Going On alone, May was a triumphant month in an already game-changing year. But it didn’t stand alone. Another masterful soul album from a new voice stood beside Gaye in the release schedule, introducing the world to a voice that would similarly soundtrack a generation. Bill Withers’ debut record, Just As I Am, was released on the very first day of the month, showcasing hits that would outlive the rest of his work. ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ and ‘Grandma’s Hands’ were a window into an artist’s soul, an artist whose painfully emotive style would ache through the years that followed.
So far, in May, soul was shining bright. So, of course, it wouldn’t feel right for Aretha Franklin not to stake her claim in some form. While she didn’t do it in the shape of a studio record, she did release Live At Fillmore West, which reminded everyone of her on-stage dynamism. The album’s opener ‘Respect’ was a truly joyous showing of Franklin’s talent, proving her unmatchable ability to cast a spell over a packed room of listeners.
On that record, Franklin fluctuated between original music and covers, providing the audience with a truly compelling rendition of ‘Eleanor Rigby’ by The Beatles. It was Aretha tipping her cap to the 1960s and the band that dominated the decade, while moving it one step forward into this exciting new era of soul. But that didn’t mean The Beatles weren’t somewhat present.
No, Paul McCartney also used May to remind the world that just because the band had ended didn’t mean he had to. A year after his first, scratchy solo record, he returned with Linda McCartney firmly by his side, with RAM. It was Macca at his brightly coloured best, leaning into the playful sensibilities that caused friction a few years earlier. Filled with the exciting prospect of his newfound freedom, the record feels like one giant sigh of relief, and nearly a quarter of a century on, it feels just as fitting for the sun-tinged mornings of May.
These four behemoths of music act as May’s Mount Rushmore, if you will. But carved into the layer of rock below are Rod Stewart and Rory Gallagher. On Stewart’s project, Every Picture Tells A Story, he introduced the world to a voice that traversed this new shared era of rock and soul, while Gallagher’s self-titled album emboldened the idea that the 1970s were all about virtuosic guitar playing.
It was a truly seismic month in a groundbreaking year of music. A year that ultimately platformed decades of genre diversity, where rock gave way to soul, and soul gave way to so much more. As I turn 30 next May, I can see no better way than to celebrate a personally important milestone with a complete run through of this unfiltered greatness.
