Top 10 Closing Tracks From 1970s Studio Albums

Top 10 Album Closing Tracks In Rock Music

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Our Top 10 Closing Tracks From 1970s Rock Albums looks at a trend in the 1970s that often led artists to place their longest and most epic tracks as the closing numbers on their studio albums. To make this list, these closing tracks would have to have been placed on side two which would stand as the final album cut. Not all of these closing tracks were monumental extravagant closing pieces. Some were just killer songs. Either way, this list presents our favorites. Of course, thousands could have been showcased on this list, but keeping it to ten makes it a lot more fun.

This list only includes STUDIO TRACKS, NOT LVE TRACKS.

# 10 – Ticking – Caribou – (Elton John)

We open up our Top 10 Closing Tracks From 1970s Studio Albums list with this dark and very sad song from Elton John and Bernie Taupin called “Ticking.” I am not sure if a song like this could have been released in today’s world because of all the mass shootings that this country has endured over the past 20 years. It also even gave us pause to include this one, but it’s such a mesmerizing tune that all Elton John fans fell in love with. The piano playing is striking. However, it’s the lyrics and Elton John’s emotional delivery that just leaves the listener breathless. The song was released on Elton John’s Caribou album in 1974.

There have been a lot of critics who put this album down, but it’s pretty easy to see that these are people who weren’t even born when this record came out. This is a fantastic album. I grew up with this record; I remember buying it when it was brand new and listening to it every single day. One should not judge an album by listening to it just one time; some writers don’t even listen to the whole song through—they miss out on everything about the song, the depths of the song. The only people who understand how great this record is are the Elton John fans who grew up with it, and you know what, in the end, that’s all that really matters.

# 9 – The Pretender – The Pretender – (Jackson Browne)

Continuing with our Top 10 Closing Tracks From 1970s Studio Albums list, we present a song from one of the greatest albums released during the 1970s. In our opinion, this is Jackson Browne’s best album. Every single song on the record is just stunning. However, the closing song and the album’s title track represent the best song that Jackson Browne has ever composed and recorded.

# 8 – Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five – Band On The Run – (Paul McCartney & Wings)

When we recently did our top 10 opening tracks of the ’70s, we were pretty sad not to be able to include”Band on the Run.” It’s tough to imagine a top 10 list without it, but it just couldn’t nudge out some of the other classics. However, we think we’ve made amends with this entry, as it’s probably the sleeper of our list. It’s one of Paul McCartney’s best and most underrated songs. This is a roaring rock and roll tune, obviously released on the Band on the Run album in 1973. If you haven’t come across this one or never listened to it before, we believe it will blow your mind.

# 7 – When The Levve Breaks – Led Zeppelin IV – Led Zeppelin

There was a bit of a battle for this spot on our list. It came down to a world championship fight between Houses of the Holy’s “The Ocean” and Led Zeppelin IV‘s “When the Levee Breaks.” It was a hard-fought battle, but in the end, even though we probably like “The Ocean” a little better, we just could not disregard the immense love that goes out to this classic Bonham-fueled tune, “When the Levee Breaks.”

# 6 – “Free Bird” – (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd) – Lynyrd Skynyrd

Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd (SHM-CD)

Landing in the number six spot on our Top 10 Closing Tracks From 1970s Studio Albums list is the classic Lynyrd Skynyrd song “Free Bird.” If we had included live tracks on this list, the live version of “Free Bird” would have been ranked much higher, as it is a superior version of the song. Still, we could not overlook the studio version of this iconic tune, easily the band’s most famous. And in the end, it’s always enjoyable to also listen to this studio version with its organ opening as well as the piano opening on the live version.

Man, I miss these guys. What a loss it was. Still, I’m glad that the surviving members eventually carried on and brought in new members to continue the legacy of this band’s wonderful music. Ignore the haters who give the band a hard time for continuing; it’s all done in a loving and tribute-filled manner.

# 5 – Riders On The Storm – L.A. Woman – (The Doors)

“The Doors” track “Riders on the Storm” is not only the final song on their L.A. Woman album, but also the last studio track released with Jim Morrison before his untimely death. Released on April 19, 1971, with “Love Her Madly” as the initial single, L.A. Woman would soon feature “Riders on the Storm” as its follow-up single. Despite its over seven-minute duration, which was unconventional for AM radio play, its haunting tone is quintessential Morrison. It’s intriguing to ponder what might have been if Morrison had lived longer, possibly continuing with The Doors or embarking on a solo career, but tragically, we will never know.

# 4 -“I’m Your Captain (Closer to Home)” – Closer To Home – Grand Funk Railroad

I always say “Everyone needs a bit of Grand Funk Railroad in their life,” a sentiment that echoes among fans who adored the band during the 1970s. Grand Funk Railroad, with its robust catalog of hits and albums, rocketed to fame and became one of the world’s most popular bands in the early to mid 70s. Initially, their music leaned more towards progressive rock with longer tracks, a style that gradually evolved to accommodate shorter, radio-friendly songs—a transition that Don Brewer discussed with me in our 2023 interview. One of our favorite Grand Funk songs has always been “I’m Your Captain,” the closing song on their album Closer to Home, released on June 15, 1970. This track is the perfect piece that showcases their early, progressive style.

# 3 – The Last Resort – Hotel California – (The Eagles)

In 1976, the Eagles released their fifth studio album called Hotel California. I wonder if the band ever expected this album to be as big as it became. Hotel California was a monster album for the band; the title track would win Record of the Year at the Grammy Awards. The first single “New Kid In Town” released from the album went straight to number one, as did the title track. The album’s third single, “Life in the Fast Lane,” also became a top twenty hit.

Hotel California would become one of the biggest selling albums of all time; the only Eagles album that sold more than Hotel California was their greatest hits, which is pretty much the biggest selling album of all time, although it keeps battling it back and forth with Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Nonetheless, when this album first came out, I was fifteen years old and, despite all the brilliant songs on this record, the song that struck me the hardest was the final song, “The Last Resort.” The way Don Henley sang it just left me stunned and breathless. It still does. I don’t think I’m the only one with that feeling.

# 2 – Jungleland – Born To Run – (Bruce Springsteen)

It wasn’t easy to pick the number one song on this list because of these two songs. It was a battle between Bruce Springsteen’s “Jungleland” and The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” My personal favorite is Springsteen’s “Jungleland.” I’m a huge Springsteen fan, and Born to Run was the album that changed my life. However, I’m also a pretty big Who fan, and there’s just no denying how significant the song “Won’t Get Fooled Again” was in classic rock history. They are two completely different types of songs. In the end, they had different impacts too. “Jungleland” is a deep song written with lyrics defining a genius’s pen. Bruce Springsteen’s character, his personality, doesn’t showcase that brilliance because he comes across as just an average guy. But if you listen to a song like this, you know he’s not an average guy. Everything about “Jungleland” is a masterpiece. The opening string line, that crying piano riff that gives some glimpse of hope or some sense of wonder, and all the rest, is just captivating to listen to over and over again.

“Jungleland” takes you on an epic adventure through the streets of any urban city. It’s about hope and hopelessness. It’s a song of reality. It’s a song of pain. It’s an adventure like West Side Story, which very much seemed to inspire most of this record. The tempo changes, the melodic changes, the passion behind Springsteen’s voice, and the power of the band are all just so striking. It may very well just have the greatest ending of any rock song I’ve ever heard when Springsteen howls up from the streets, past the windows where the lights go out, at the moon through the city smog, you can just simply visualize it so perfectly. It is one of the greatest songs ever released, recorded, and loved.

# 1 – Won’t Get Fooled Again – Who’s Next (The Who)

Once again, The Who is crowned champion. When we did our 10 best opening tracks of the ’70s article, “Baba O’Riley” won that one. Well, here we go again from the same exact album, Who’s Next. The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again” takes first place on our best closing tracks of ’70s studio albums. This is a very different song from “Jungleland,” which came in second on this list. Lyrically, it’s much more simple—I mean, how much more simple can you get when you sing the lyrics, “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss”? However, that’s the power of rock and roll….. simplicity. The Who got that and they delivered big time.

All The Who had to do was hit you in the face once, and you knew it. Of course, this song goes through rhythmic changes, and Keith Moon plays like a madman, as always. Roger Daltrey sings his heart out; Townshend’s rhythm guitar playing is just phenomenal, and John Entwistle, well, there was nobody like him on this planet. My friends and I always argued about which song was more classic—“Won’t Get Fooled Again” or “Baba O’Riley.” It’s an ongoing argument; it’s pretty much hard to choose, but when you break it down to opening tracks and closing tracks, then it becomes easy.