This American Songwriter opinion piece celebrates four occasions when heavy or hard-rocking 1970s bands set aside their usual sound for gentler, more acoustic material. The author argues that although such genre departures do not always succeed, when they do they can rank among the finest songs in a band's catalogue, offering a welcome contrast to their heavier output rather than replacing it.

The four selections are "Orchid" by Black Sabbath, an almost Baroque acoustic piece from Master of Reality that acts as a palate cleanser between the album's metal tracks; "Going to California" by Led Zeppelin, a light, airy song inspired in part by Joni Mitchell, though still marked by Robert Plant's distinctive vocals; "San Tropez" by Pink Floyd, a buoyant, sunny number from Meddle likened to The Beatles' "Octopus's Garden"; and "Hard Luck Woman" by KISS, originally written with Rod Stewart in mind and cited from the band's divisive soft-rock phase. The writer acknowledges these choices, especially the KISS track, may prove contentious among fans.