Critics CALLED His Songs SILLY-So He Wrote 1 as a JOKE to PRANK ‘em…Became #1 Hit!-Professor of Rock

You know, the best songs often come from a whirlwind of emotions—whether it's fiction, non-fiction, or somewhere in between. The heart and soul behind the lyrics are what makes them so compelling. In this episode, we're turning the spotlight on songs that were lit by frustration, anger, and even heartbreak. From Paul McCartney answering a critic who claimed a legend wrote silly songs to Carly Simon calling out a cocky lover that became the biggest mystery in the history of recorded music, to Roger Waters voicing political frustration and one that ripped a Stevie Nicks so deeply she asked her ex-lover to change the lyric but he wouldn’t and then she had to sing it next to him for decades… it’s all here! It’s a countdown of songs in the key of diss… the top 5 disses of the 70s, coming up NEXT on Professor of Rock!

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Executive Producer
Brandon Fugal

Honorary Producers
22Unchained, Thomas Halterman, Keith Novak, Yvonne Fus, Jeffrey Thorn

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#classicrock #70smusic #70srock #pinkfloyd

It’s time to countdown the Top 5 Diss Songs of the 70s, Let’s get rich into it.

At #5, it’s Queen’s venomous scorning of their former manager and co-owner of their music publisher Trident Studios…”Death on Two Legs.” Freddie Mercury wrote this song as a pointed message to Norman Sheffield, Queen's former manager and co-owner of Trident Studios. The band believed Sheffield had failed to give them the support they deserved, leading to their split with him before recording their seminal album, A Night at the Opera. A Night at the Opera, named after the Marx Brothers' film, was recorded over four months in 1975 at various studios. Frustrated by management issues that left them with little of the earnings from their earlier albums, Queen parted ways with Trident Studios. They avoided using Trident's facilities for this record, except for "God Save the Queen," which had been recorded the year before.

In the Days of Our Lives documentary, the surviving band members reflected on the tense atmosphere during this time. They recalled the frustration of producing hit singles without reaping the financial rewards. Roger Taylor shared one particularly absurd moment when he was told not to hit his drums too hard because "new drumsticks were too expensive." Meanwhile, Taylor noted, “You see them [the management] cruising around in stretch limos and think, ‘Hang on, something’s not right here!’ The split with Sheffield was anything but friendly, and “Death on Two Legs” became the band’s parting shot. The lyrics are a scathing character takedown, dripping with the band’s full resentment toward their former associate. with some really killer lyrics including You suck my blood like a leach, you break the law and you breach you screw my brain till it hurts you’ve taken all my money and you want more!

[ProfessorofRock]

Poll: What is your PICK for the BEST "STORY" Song of the Rock era?

[elicash]

I hate this channel! Your titles make me wanna click for quick information and then you’re so damn good and likable I end up watching the whole video and then I’m late for whatever I was supposed to be doing. Ya got me again

[hartjohnson]

As an overly logical child in the 70s, I was always hung up on, "you probably think this song is about you, " because obviously... it was.

[drothberg]

"You're So Vain" is a great song, and it's amazing that Carly Simon has kept people interested in the mystery of who it's about for 50 years!

[leahmonahan]

Great topic. Paul and Linda were wonderful as a couple. Even if sugary. My husband said his Grandfather rescued Paul and Linda while in the Caribbean. Paul and Linda overturned their small Hoby cat. Grandpa to the rescue! Unknown to Paul, Grandad was already a U.S. navy Admiral. Paul offered to give Grandpa an honorary Admiral award. Grandpa said….no thanks…..I’m already an Admiral. Everyone laughed.

[Opiemus]

Pink Floyd, Animals brings back memories. My father was divorced from his second wife and he went out and bought all kinds of greenery for the den. I was in college (1985) and we were two single dudes. We would get stoned and sit amongst the greenery and listen to Pink Floyd Animals and he would tell me what he thought the deeper meanings of the songs were. Good Times, I miss him.

[christineml]

Carly Simon makes a diss sound so good, you'd never know it was. And that's the beauty of a good singer/songwriter.

[raynelson]

I saw a cover band do Silly Love Songs and the last chorus they sang: You'd think that people would have had enough of Paul McCartney. I look around me and I see it isn't so. Some people want to fill the world with Paul McCartney. What's wrong with that!!!?

[lionheartroar]

Great group of diss songs, but the best one i ever heard is "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morisette. The anger in that song is palpable even to a casual listener.

[sayrerowan]

The bass line on Silly Love Songs is amazing.

[timefoolery]

I’m so glad I got to see Fleetwood Mac just before Christine McVie passed. What a great show!

[flavellinator]

With that awesome bass line, "Silly Love Songs" could have been about anything and I would have liked it...

[johnryan]

I took a cruise on the Norwegian Escape and they had a Fleetwood Mac tribute band that performed the entire Rumors album. They did it in story form discussing the story behind the song before they performed it. If it wasn't for all the cheating, infidelity and threats of divorce, that album wouldn't be one of the greatest albums of all time!
It was an 8 member band from England and they nailed it! They sounded better live than the album itself!

[cpearson]

I have ALWAYS loved Silly Little Love Songs, from childhood. I have always sung it out loud. I started with my parents, and now with my husband and our 3 daughters. The bass line is superb fun, and their voices are full of love. This song is the one song that the whole family (even my husband) sings at the top of their voices with our van's windows down, cruising down the backroads of Maryland.

[dustybrand]

In 1978 when my sister was 16 she would call through the house for 7-year-old me: "Dusty...? Dusty...? DUSTY!...where are you?...better not be in my room staring at my Carly Simon album again".

[bethdietz]

Enjoyed this count down! There is one more Fleetwood Mac song to add to the list…Have you ever seen a live version of “Silver Springs”? The glare that Stevie Nicks send as she sings “I will follow you down till the sound of my voice will haunt you” is quite palpable.

[bazzathegreat]

The Paul McCartney story remains of something I heard Walt Disney said. I can't remember exactly but it went about like this, The critics say I make cheese. Well, I like cheese. People like things that evoke memories of being young or falling in love or a reminder of happy times. It may not be the most artistic thing but not everything should be high art. Some things just need to be fun or happy.

[rogertemple]

Another awesome episode with great stories about Queen, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, Paul McCartney & Wings and Carly Simon this is what I like hearing about and the classic memories of rock and pop music Thanks Professor.
🎶🎶📻🧋📻🎶🎶

[jezmez]

"Silly Love Songs" has such a KILLER bass line. As someone who plays and finds it hard to sing at the same time, it is almost always amazing to me to see people singing while playing. WINGS always reminds me of being a grade-schooler and hanging out in an air-conditioned house during summer vacation. What a relaxing time of my life!

[blackfinjrblackfinjr]

Silly Love Songs was one of the earliest songs I ever remembered hearing on the radio (I was born in 1972) and I loved it then in 1976 just as much as I love it today.