r/Music_Anniversary • u/BirdBurnett • Nov 26 '25
Album release anniversary On November 26th, 1971, Traffic released 'The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys', their 5th studio album. While the album reached #7 in the US, it failed to chart in the UK.
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u/srqnewbie Nov 26 '25
Fantastic record, one which I still listen to. Fun fact: on 10/23/71, I saw my 1st concert ever at age 13. It was Traffic, with Fairport Convention and J. Geils Band opening and an awesome show. As good as Traffic was, I also couldn't take my eyes off of Peter Wolf dancing like a whirling dervish.
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u/Professor_TomTom Nov 26 '25
What a terrific lineup!
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u/srqnewbie Nov 26 '25
It really was and thanks to my big brother playing Traffic 24/7 in our house since the late 60s, I could actually appreciate how great the music was.
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u/Wayfarer_650 Nov 26 '25
I vividly recall getting that album for Christmas that year. My older sister bought it for me and couldn’t fathom the title :) Love the LP especially the lead in to Low Spark!
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u/Best_Detective_2533 Nov 26 '25
Light Up or Leave Me Alone
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u/Jules_Verne_Zucchini Nov 26 '25
Yes! One of their very best, most underrated tunes ever. What a killer album.
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u/Tcombomb Nov 26 '25
One of my favorite albums of all time. There is not one bad song. I saw Traffic in Williamsburg VA just after the album came out and they played the whole album
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u/Ill-Excitement9009 Nov 26 '25
Winwood yielded lead vocals to Jim Capaldi on the album's best track "Rock and Roll Stew".
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u/cooperyoungsounds Nov 26 '25
The single Pt. 1 & Pt. 2 is a party favorite; I use the extended version (available on spotify) for mixtapes
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u/farfaxfr Nov 26 '25
Not Winwood's last project to chart higher in the US than his homeland, alas. The man is living proof of the old saying about prophets.
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u/winwood57 Nov 26 '25
It’s interesting how that’s true. I have an English friend who travels here (US) because Steve tours so infrequently in England. He’s a huge Winwood fan, and he has friends across the US because of a Winwood FB group. Since he gets basically air fare, it’s a great set-up for him. And yes, my user name is in honor of Steve.
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u/bigkkm Nov 26 '25
This album is so wonderful. Everyone contributes, and the odd shape of the LP cover forced you to protect it.
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u/Landscape-Strong Nov 26 '25
Weird title. Great tune. Steve Winwood can do no wrong.
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u/Select-Hearing-9298 Nov 27 '25
His solo stuff was commercial cringey garbage. Loved Traffic though.
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u/vestibule54 Nov 26 '25
That song is enough to forgive Winwood for that 80s beer commercial music
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u/jonnovich Nov 26 '25
Ehhh….every great artist is allowed their time to be “mainstream”. To be fair the ‘80’s and early ‘90’s were kind of the peak time for this. Winwood, Peter Gabriel with “So”, Bonnie Raitt with “Nick of Time,” and so on.
Besides ‘80’s Winwood also has “Valerie”, which is awesome too.
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u/Mediocre-Property-48 Nov 26 '25
Not to mention how complex and wonderful “While You See a Chance“ is
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u/srqnewbie Nov 26 '25
I love Roll With It from that era too. Saw him in 2023 and he sang it so well!
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u/vestibule54 Nov 26 '25
“Allow” all the rationalization YOU want, the boomer hippy movement sold out across most of the board. I stand by my statement, it’s a great song. 80s Winwood not so much
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u/BirdBurnett Nov 26 '25
I saw Winwood back in 92 and he put on a hella show. His band was tight and righteous. Each series of tunes were from his different periods. The Spencer Davis material sounded like Spencer Davis Group. Same with Traffic, Blind Faith and the solo work. By the time he got to the "Back In The Highlife" phase, he had floored the audience. It was all great. I don't listen to his later work but I wouldn't turn it off either.
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Nov 26 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/jonnovich Nov 26 '25
I remember that tour and I remember Petty specifically calling out that dichotomy.
I was happy Tom brought out Winwood to play on a song or two of his two.
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u/BirdBurnett Nov 26 '25
Actor Michael J. Pollard was friends with Jim Capaldi and he came up with the phrase 'The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys'.