As I have categorically stated in my May 2021 article “God Only Knows” I have no affiliation with God, gods or any other manner of deities. What I do like is music inspired by a devotion to a perceived supernatural and/or transcendental higher spirit.

I don’t just mean songs like Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” which has been done to death by everyone and their dog or the Beach Boys’ title I used in my earlier piece.

Just look at soul and gospel music. The clue is in the title. Who doesn’t get a little tingle listening to Aretha Franklin’s or Dionne Warwick’s version of  the 1967 Baccarach/David hit “I Say A Little Prayer”. The Edwin Hawkins Singers “Oh Happy Day” ’69 is major full on goosebumps for me.

I think it started for me as a wee boy listening to “Deck Of Cards”. More a narration than a Country and Western song by the wonderful spoonerism Wink Martindale. The song is corny as all hell but it got me hooked as a lad.

The seventies gave us some great inspirational works like George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord” ’70 , Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground” ’73 and Norman Greenbaum’s “Spirit In The Sky” ’70.

“Jesus Is Just Alright” for both The Byrds ’67 and The Doobie Brothers ’79.

My personal favourites are ”Drop Kick Me Jesus” by Bobby Dare ’76 and Kinky Friedman’s “They Ain’t Making Jews Like Jesus Anymore” ’74.

* Warning * Not the most politically correct song ever written !

What seventies songs are simply divine to you ?

(Post by John Allan from Bridgetown, Western Australia – September 2025)