Whereas most of the attention across the years has been on Scorpions’ 1980s output, here’s a reminder that their reputation was boldly built in the 1970s. What’s also cool about the narrative is that the Matthias Jabs era begins right at the end of the decade, which provides a through-line not only to the smash hit albums of the ’80s, but also to the band’s fetching new Rock Believer album in 2022. And in that light, we present to you, in reverse order, 10 bangers from the boys from long, long ago (quotes culled from my book Wind of Change: The Scorpions Story).
10. “I’ve Got to Be Free” (Taken by Force, December 1977) The grooviest song on the peaks-and-valleys record that usually polls Top 3. There’s rare clean guitar and it’s even funky, with “I’ve Got to Be Free” arguably representing the best arrangement on the album.
Herman Rarebell (drummer): “When you listen to those lyrics, you could tell (lead guitarist) Uli (Jon Roth) had already made up his mind, then and there, that he was
