The essential 70s folk playlist

1971 was a killer year for folk albums, not the least of which was Joni Mitchell's groundbreaking "Blue." Some say "A Case of You" was written about Graham Nash, others say Leonard Cohen, but pretty much everyone can agree that it remains one of the genre's greatest tunes. 

John Denver may not have been from West Virginia, but he recorded the most iconic song about the state in 1971. It's since become an unofficial state song of sorts and is equally beloved among folk fans thanks to its catchy melody and perfectly singable lyrics. 

This 1972 folk song features backing vocals from James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt, written during a time when Young was focusing on acoustic music. The resulting recording remains one of the most legendary folk songs in history, and a favorite among Neil Young obsessives. 

Already established as the preeminent songwriter in folk music by then, Bob Dylan kept the hits coming in 1975 with "Tangled Up In Blue," a song influenced by Dylan's flailing personal life at the time, and his art studies. 

A little bit sad and endlessly catchy, Townes Van Zandt's "Pancho and Lefty" is one of folk's greatest story songs. It tells the story of a bumbling bandit in Mexico and his old friend Lefty, and became a major hit when Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard recorded their own version of the song in 1983. 

This solemn anti-war ballad appears on John Prine's much-acclaimed debut album, and tells a cautionary tale of its titular character, a veteran who's returned home from war with more demons than he can manage. 

The title track of Joan Baez's acclaimed 1975 album, "Diamonds and Rust" is roughly based on Baez's ill-fated romance with fellow songwriter Bob Dylan. It's widely considered one of the best-written songs in folk history, and has inspired a slew of great covers, including one from rockers Judas Priest. 

Written originally by Texas musician Jerry Jeff Walker, "Mr. Bojangles" was a hit for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1970. It was inspired by a homeless musician Walker met in a New Orleans jail, and is decidedly heavier — and sadder — than its jaunty title might indicate. 

Appearing on Cohen's iconic 1971 album Songs of Love and Hate, "Famous Blue Raincoat" is arguably one of the best songs in history about a love triangle and certainly one of the best-written folk songs of the 1970s. It's also one of the first tracks to mention Scientology, so there's that. 

The first single from Carole King's hit-packed album "Tapestry," "It's Too Late" remains one of music's best breakup songs. As its title might indicate, the protagonist in this 1971 classic has officially moved on from her tumultuous relationship, even though she doesn't blame the man she once loved for how things went down. 

This 1972 tune is among the saddest of story songs, in which the narrator recounts his lover leaving him for his best friend to a telephone operator. In 2023, this is an experience that just really can't happen anymore, yet the lyrics in "Operator" remain totally relatable to anyone who's ever lost love. 

This 1970 James Taylor song explores seriously heavy themes, including depression, suıcide, and addiction, along with Taylor's own struggles with his newfound fame. It remains a favorite among folk fans and James Taylor aficionados alike. 

Released in 1970, Cat Stevens (later Yusuf Islam) wrote "Wild World" about the actress Patti D'Arbanville. Its paternalistic (and arguably misogynist) lyrics haven't aged especially well, but it still boasts one of the decade's best folk melodies. 

Janis Ian was 23 years old, not seventeen, when she penned "At Seventeen," a song that speaks to the universal theme of teen angst. "To those of us who knew the pain of valentines that never came," Ian sings. "And those whose names were never called when choosing sides for basketball." Ah, youth. 

The title track of Mitchell's seminal 1971 album "Blue," this song is folk at its finest. 1971 was a really great year for folk albums, with entries from John Prine, Led Zeppelin, and Neil Young, and still somehow "Blue" remains the cream of the crop. 

Led Zeppelin's take on this song, originally a poem called "The Maid Freed From The Gallows," is definitely more folk-rock than traditional folk, but there's no denying that "Gallows Pole" is one of the best folk tracks of the '70s. 

Neil Young is responsible for a great many of folk's most compelling songs, and "After The Gold Rush" may be the most compelling of them all. It explores humanity's (often destructive) relationship with nature, and that makes it feel relevant even today, more than 50 years later. 

With its simple melody and super-catchy chorus, "Our House" is one of this folk supergroup's most enduring tracks. It was inspired by a shopping trip in which Graham Nash and his then-partner Joni Mitchell purchased a lovely vase for her Laurel Canyon home. 

The meaning of this 1970 folk classic's lyrics is a little murky, but there's no disputing its plaintive, sad appeal. Written by Paul Simon, it was originally a dud, and even inspired a brief break-up of the duo, but eventually became a #1 hit — and is still widely regarded as one of the best-written folk songs in history. 

This 1976 tune details the true story of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, a promising boxer who was convicted of a murder he says he did not commit. The song explores systemic racism in the courts and American culture more broadly, which of course, meant that it inspired controversy after its release.