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1970
THE 100
GREATEST SONGS
MCMLXX
The first year of the Seventies saw The Beatles
announce the group had split. The music world mourned the deaths of Jimi
Hendrix and Janis Joplin. Egypt’s President Nasser died. National Guards shot
& killed protestors at Kent State University. The Apollo 13 mission was
aborted because of an accident. Pele helped secure a World Cup win for Brazil.
Edward Heath was elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. At the movies,
crowds flocked to enjoy ‘Hello, Dolly!’, ‘Love Story’ and ‘Airport’. TV
audiences tuned in for the first time to view “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”, “The
Odd Couple” and “The Partridge Family”.
Here are 100 examples of the music that was the
soundtrack for the year 1970:
100
TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIME Tyrone Davis
99
TWO LITTLE BOYS Rolf Harris
98
WHERE DO THE CHILDREN PLAY? Cat Stevens
97
RIDE A WHITE SWAN T. Rex
96
HEAVEN HELP US ALL Stevie Wonder
95 DO
THE FUNKY CHICKEN Rufus Thomas
94
KNOCK KNOCK WHO’S THERE Mary Hopkin
93
SPIRIT IN THE SKY Norman Greenbaum
92
COME AND GET IT Badfinger
91
SNOWBIRD Liv Maessen
90
WAH-WAH George Harrison
89
MAKE IT WITH YOU Bread
88
EXPRESS YOURSELF
Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd
Street Rhythm Band
87
CRAZY LOVE Van Morrison
86
THE ONION SONG Marvin Gaye &
Tammi Terrell
85 BIG YELLOW TAXI Joni Mitchell
84 IF
NOT FOR YOU George Harrison
83
CALL ME Aretha Franklin
82 SONG FOR THE ASKING Simon & Garfunkel
81
I’M YOUR PUPPET Marvin Gaye &
Tammi Terrell
80 ONE
LESS BELL TO ANSWER The 5th
Dimension
79 UP
AROUND THE BEND Creedence Clearwater
Revival
78 THE IMMIGRANT SONG Led Zeppelin
77 I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU LOVE ME
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
76 LOVE GROWS (WHERE MY ROSEMARY GOES)
Edison Lighthouse
75
TAKE ME TO THE PILOT Elton John
74
DOMINO Van Morrison
73 ON
A CLEAR DAY (YOU CAN SEE FOREVER)
Barbra Streisand
72
GIVE ME JUST A LITTLE MORE TIME
Chairmen
Of The Board
71
RIVER DEEP, MOUNTAIN HIGH
The Supremes & The Four Tops
70
O-O-O CHILD The Five Stairsteps
69
SAD LISA Cat Stevens
68 NO
MATTER WHAT Badfinger
67 INTO THE MYSTIC Van Morrison
66 SO
LONG, FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT Simon & Garfunkel
65
SUPER BAD James Brown
64
CAROLINA IN MY MIND James Taylor
63 MARRAKESH
EXPRESS Crosby, Stills &
Nash
62 KENTUCKY RAIN Elvis Presley
61
AND IT STONED ME Van Morrison
60 WHO’LL STOP THE RAIN?
Creedence Clearwater Revival
59
KEEP THE CUSTOMER SATISFIED Simon & Garfunkel
58
PSYCHEDELIC SHACK The Temptations
57 MY
LADY D’ARBANVILLE Cat Stevens
56 OH
ME OH MY Lulu
55 I
ME MINE The Beatles
54
WAR Edwin Starr
53 QUESTION Moody Blues
52
LAY DOWN (CANDLES IN THE RAIN) Melanie
51 REMEMBER
ME Diana Ross
50
CECILIA Simon & Garfunkel
49
COMIC CONVERSATION John Farnham
48
BALL OF CONFUSION
(THAT’S
WHAT THE WORLD IS TODAY) The Temptations
47
BLACK NIGHT Deep Purple
46
LOLA The Kinks
45
NEVER HAD A DREAM COME TRUE Stevie Wonder
44
INSTANT KARMA! (WE ALL SHINE ON) John Lennon
43
LOOKING OUT MY BACK DOOR
Creedence Clearwater Revival
42
SPILL THE WINE (DIG THAT GIRL) Eric Burdon & War
41
THE LOVE YOU SAVE Jackson 5
40
WHY DON’T YOU WRITE ME Simon & Garfunkel
39
FIRST EPISODE AT HIENTON Elton John
38
ACROSS THE UNIVERSE The Beatles
37
BLACK MAGIC WOMAN Santana
36
SIXTY YEARS ON Elton John
35 MY
SWEET LORD George Harrison
34
FIRE AND RAIN James Taylor
33
ABC Jackson 5
32
COUNTRY COMFORT Elton John
31
LONELY DAYS Bee Gees
30
DON’T PLAY THAT SONG (YOU LIED) Aretha Franklin
29 I
THINK I LOVE YOU Partridge Family
28
SWEET BABY JAMES James Taylor
27
BORDER SONG (HOLY MOSES) Aretha Franklin
26 25
or 6 to 4 Chicago
25 UP
THE LADDER TO THE ROOF The Supremes
24
DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS Chicago
23
BAND OF GOLD Freda Payne
22
WILD WORLD Cat Stevens
21
THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD The Beatles
20
I’LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Dionne Warwick
19
STONED LOVE The Supremes
18
STONEY END Barbra Streisand
17 EL
CONDOR PASA (IF I COULD) Simon & Garfunkel
16
WHAT IS LIFE George Harrison
15
THE GREATEST DISCOVERY Elton John
14
THE ONLY LIVING BOY IN NEW YORK Simon & Garfunkel
13
FATHER AND SON Cat Stevens
12 I
NEED YOU TO TURN TO Elton John
11
WE’VE ONLY JUST BEGUN The Carpenters
10
IT’S
A SHAME
The Spinners
The Spinners never reached their full potential
while on the Motown label. This remains the one – shining- exception. Produced
by the then 20 year-old Stevie Wonder, who co-wrote the song with Syreeta
Wright and Lee Garrett, the track allowed lead vocalist G.C. Cameron to infuse
an exciting energy to the lyrics. The Spinners would soon join the exodus from
the label and score major chart hits on Atlantic.
9
GET
UP (I FEEL LIKE BEING A)
SEX
MACHINE
James Brown
The Godfather Of Soul at his uber-funky best. Only
James Brown could get away with a song so aurally hypnotic and pulsing with
hyper-sensuality. It remains one of the best make-out tracks of all time.
8
SIGNED,
SEALED, DELIVERED
I’M YOURS
Stevie Wonder
By 1970, Stevie Wonder had begun flexing his
creative muscles. At the dawn of his most lauded decade of output, the track
was produced by the performer. The song was the result of contributions from
Wonder, his mother Lula Mae Hardaway, future wife Syreeta Wright and frequent
collaborator Lee Garrett. It topped Billboard’s Soul Chart and reached #3 Pop
in the U.S.A.
7
LET
IT BE
The Beatles
‘Abbey Road’ was intended to be the swansong for history’s
most influential rock group, but the ‘Let It Be’ album ended up being released
later. As the world grieved over the band’s split, the title track soothed.
These were troubled times globally, but Paul McCartney’s lyrics and vocal
performance somehow offered solace. The disc reached #1 in America (#2 in
Britain), Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
6
I’LL
BE THERE
The Jackson 5
The issue of this single gave the Motown siblings a
staggering fourth consecutive chart-topper. This was a change in direction for
the family act. The previous 3 #1s had been upbeat. “I’ll Be There” was a sweet
ballad that showcased the range and skill of lead singer Michael Jackson. The
single was so successful, it surpassed “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” as
Motown’s best seller.
5
MIOONDANCE
Van Morrison
The Irish singer/ songwriter composed and produced
this jazz/ rock gem. It is the title track from Van Morrison’s album that was
issued in 1970, though it was not released as a single until 7 years later.
4
(THEY
LONG TO BE)
CLOSE
TO YOU
The Carpenters
The brother-sister duo never sounded as perfect as
on this cover of a song penned by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Together,
Richard and Karen Carpenter would dominate the charts in the first years of the new
decade with their lush arrangements and heavenly harmonies.
3
AIN’T
NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH
Diana Ross
Husband and wife songwriters & producers Nikolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson suggested this
song would be ideal for Diana Ross to record. Her solo career had just been
kick-started but lacked that major #1 hit to establish her in the post-Supremes era. Initially, Ross was reluctant: Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell had
already recorded the song in the 1960s. She herself had also covered it with
the Supremes and The Temptations. Ashford and Simpson transformed the song
especially for Ross. The result was her first solo #1 single and it remains one
of her signature songs.
2
BRIDGE
OVER TROUBLED WATER
Simon & Garfunkel
As 1969 gave way to the Seventies, the future was
uncertain and daunting. Paul Simon created a song that was perfect for its
time, offering reassurance and comfort. The ballad has lost none of its power
in the 50 years since it was unleashed. Art Garfunkel’s angelic vocal delivery
allows Simon’s lyrics to soar. Few albums share a title with a track as
majestic as this timeless classic. The fact that the duo split after its
release adds to the song’s impact.
1
YOUR
SONG
Elton John
The release of “Your Song” introduced the planet to
one of its greatest musical icons. Bernie Taupin’s gentle lyrics are simple and
complemented perfectly by the sincerity
and authenticity in Elton John’s vocal. This breakthrough single has remained
in the legendary piano player’s live sets for the half century since audiences
first fell under its spell.
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