1970 used to be my least-fave chart year, bar some major huge faves, because i was not that familiar with a lot of it, but my recent re-visit changed my mind, it's just as fab as others on either side of it. It was a transitional year - from hippy 60's to the emergence of Glam, reggae, Philly soul, progrock, Metal and so on. The Beatles split, and T.Rex hit big, The Jackson 5 were huge in the States.

 

Both Sides Now was a huge fave of mine in Singapore, tuneful and in either the Judy Collins or Glen Campbell version, loved them equally, great song. Joni's original less so, but hey she did write it! Subsequent versions don't bear comparison to the above 3. Venus famously topped the US chart - for Bananarama! It's a great song, a great record, and Shocking Blue had loads of hits. In Holland. Not one I heard until 1974. Leaving On A Jet Plane was another huge fave, bought the single in 1975 5 years late from loving it, reminds me of lazy tropical sunny days and flying there. John Denver is undergoing a long-overdue critical evaluation thanks to Lana Del Ray referencing him and his widescreen mountain vistas in song. Tragically, John's obsession with Jet Planes did in fact see him leaving us far too early.

 

Love Grows is my top record of the batch, adore it, what a song! Famously Tony Burrows was a busy man on TOTP around then, what with vocals on White Plains, Brotherhood Of Man, The Pipkins, and previous forays with The Ivy league, the fab The Flowerpot Men and a late classic with First Class in 1974. I prefer to think of all of them as the same act, really. My fave at the time too. Let's Work Together heard in 1975 and din't like it. I perked up the following year when Bryan Ferry did a Glam masterclass cover of it which makes this one sound a bit weedy in comparison.

 

Friends is nice, another early '75 track for me. Elizabethan Reggae, never got to hear it in 1970, I only knew the original version from the 50's, a melodic Mantovani masterpiece, very late Middle Ages pastoral in flavour. I recognised it when I heard it though as I didn't know the song title. Fun. Let It All hang Out is also fun, and yes I can see the Britpop vibes too - it was remixed in 1990-ish funnily enough and had another go at the chart.

 

Victoria, meh, never a fave really, though well-regarded. Witch's promise is passable, but not a fave, and the Chicago cover is not bad. None of those meant anything to me before 1975 or much later, unlike The temptations epic I Can't get Next To You. Play loud and jaw-drop. The louder the better, cool funkrock.

 

Come And Get It was a gift to Apple-signees and tragic Badfinger, a top Macca tune that I loved at the time. They had better self-written songs to come though, this is more upbeat Beatles than Badfinger. Wedding Bell Blues is fabulous - one of my )failed) BJSC entries was the Fifth Dimension on another gospel-driven version of a Laura Nyro song. Canadian Laura never had any success as an artist but she wrote many classic songs for other acts, including Barbra Streisand's greatest moment Stoney End. Laura died far too young. I love this song and The Fifth Dimension though their multi-harmony-gospel style hasnt been fashionable for err 50 years. Shame!

 

Raindrops Keep fallin' On My Head was the version I heard in Singapore - so sacha was first, and I adore the song. Bacharach melody is delicious, but once I heard the BJ Thomas version in the film circa 1974 or 5 there was no going back to sacha, his version is lazy in comparison.

A chart oddity coming here as the OCC and Polyhex list “Wand’rin’ Star” as a double A side with Clint Eastwood’s “I Talk To The Trees”, thereby implying that Clint Eastwood had a UK #1 single, which I’m sure would be news to us all. However further research reveals that the single was in fact only a double A side for its first 2 weeks, peaking at #18, and the rest of the chart run should really show as “Wand’rin’ Star” on its own with “I Talk To The Trees” the B side. I’m still reviewing them as one entity but the score is mainly for the vastly more interesting Lee Marvin track.

 

I know “I Want You Back” is a huge classic but I don’t quite love it enough to give it the win, which goes instead to a stunning gem of a guitar track.

 

And sorry Simon if you’re reading as I know the Herman’s Hermits single was the first you ever bought but I can’t muster any love for it!

 

9 Rare Bird Sympathy Only hit for this English group and a gorgeous atmospheric rock ballad; love the interplay between the two different voices too

8 The Jackson Five I Want You Back I can only enjoy child Michael in small doses but this is certainly a great and sophisticated piano and guitar assisted pop record

8 BJ Thomas Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head Only hit for this US singer; the original of this and it's a beautiful track, here given the dreamy and wistful performance it needs

7 Lee Marvin/Clint Eastwood Wand'rin' Star/I Talk To The Trees 282nd #1: the Clint track is slightly drippy if we're counting it but "Wand'rin' Star" is a unique and beautifully atmospheric song

7 White Plains My Baby Loves Lovin' 1st hit for this UK band who were a spin off of The Flower Pot Men; this is poppy but a great relentless track filled with hooks

7 Creedence Clearwater Revival Down On The Corner A minor hit here but #3 in The States: a really strong singalong tune with lovely harmonies and an infectious Calypso style beat

6 Kenny Rogers And The First Edition Something's Burning The 2nd and last hit for The First Edition; another really interesting song from them and it was banned for being too sensual

6 John Lennon And Yoko Ono With The Plastic Ono Band Instant Karma Easily their best yet: gets a little repetitive towards the end but a well written song that sounds more like late Beatles Lennon

6 Steam Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye Interesting story behind this US #1 as the band Steam didn't exist; it's a good tune with slightly raucous stadium style vocals

5 The Contours Just A Little Misunderstanding Only hit here for this US band who did the original "Do You Love Me": this isn't a classic like that but a nicely done soul song

5 Mary Hopkin Temma Harbour She has such a pretty voice and this is a sweet little song, though the chorus doesn't have as much oomph as her previous ones

4 The Peddlers Girlie Their 2nd and final Top 40: fantastic guitar and piano work which makes it well worth a listen but I don't like the "girlie" lyric

3 The Tams Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy Debut hit for this US R&B group and a cover; it's one of those soul songs that's pleasant but doesn't leave a lasting impression

3 Brotherhood Of Man United We Stand Debut hit for this English group originally conceived as a rotating line up of session singers: it's not bad but slightly formulaic

2 Herman's Hermits Years May Come And Years May Go I suppose this has a sweet charm to it but it's lyrically and melodically so basic that it doesn't repay a large number of listens

 

 

1970 Group 3:

 

#3486 21/02/1970 Simon And Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water 1 42-13-7-3-2-{1}-1-1-2-3-4-4-12-14-25-28-44-38-40-45R(7)->20

#3487 21/02/1970 Dorothy Squires Till 25 44-31-44-26-{25}-32-30-37-43-44-48R(2)->11

#3488 21/02/1970 Bobbie Gentry Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head 40 48-42-{40}-43->4

#3489 21/02/1970 Cliff And Hank Joy Of Living 25 50-33-{25}-25-28-25-31-32->8

#3490 28/02/1970 Pickettywitch That Same Old Feeling 5 27-19-8-{5}-5-6-7-11-19-25-29-39-50-47->14

#3491 28/02/1970 Elvis Presley Don't Cry Daddy 8 30-18-11-{8}-9-10-14-20-25-31-42->11

#3492 28/02/1970 Joe Dolan You're Such A Good Looking Woman 17 38-48-28-26-20-18-{17}-17-21-20-31-35-44->13

#3493 28/02/1970 Jimmy Ruffin Farewell Is A Lonely Sound 8 50-32-29-23-18-14-13-9-9-{8}-16-14-23-32-45-45->16

#3494 07/03/1970 The Dave Clark Five Everybody Get Together 8 28-20-11-{8}-9-15-23-36->8

#3495 07/03/1970 Juicy Lucy Who Do You Love? 14 46-44-29-29-19-25-{14}-20-18-27-32-45->12

#3496 14/03/1970 The Beatles Let It Be 2 {2}-3-4-7-11-16-26-34-34-43R(24)->10

#3497 14/03/1970 Andy Williams Can't Help Falling In Love 3 17-6-{3}-3-3-3-4-5-7-11-12-28-32-42-43-38-47->17

#3498 14/03/1970 Bob And Marcia Young, Gifted And Black 5 22-15-6-{5}-8-7-7-13-18-24-40-39->12

#3499 14/03/1970 Des O'Connor I'll Go On Hoping 30 36-43-{30}-36-40-41-42->7

#3500 14/03/1970 The Cuff Links When Julie Comes Around 10 47-34-26-22-16-12-12-{10}-12-13-25-27-43-49->14

Edited March 3, 20241 yr by JulianT

'I Want You Back' 🥰

Sympathy is a good track, sort of prog jazzrock. I think Marillion covered it in the 90's unless my memory fails me (quite possible). I Want You Back is fab, still. The Jackson 5 were often on The Ed Sullivan Show and other US variety shows on Singapore TV, one of the few contemporary acts I actually got to see for 2 years! So good it survived a pedestrian remix in 1988. The original is the best. BJ I've already mentioned. That scene in the movie is just delightful.

 

Wandrin' Star was a huge fave of our family, we went to see Paint Your Wagon at the RAF cinema and dad bought the album so I know the soundtrack back to front. Lee Marvin was the stand-out from the film (as usual, see Cat Ballou for a brilliant feel-good cowboy) and I still love this track, takes me right back to 1970 happy days. I like I Talk To The Trees, though Clint not the best singer. The stand-out track though is They Call The Wind Mariah, Ms Carey named after it, and quite right too it's epic. My dad could hit every powerful note, I have him on tape from 1971 singing it.

 

White Plains, not a patch on Love Grows or Let's Go To San Francisco or Funny How Love Can Be. Something about this jaunty incarnation of Tony Burrows that seemed more bargain basement. CCR not among their best, but it's not bad. Instant Karma is great, one I missed until 1975, love that TOTP performance. Powerful Lennon is top notch. Steam is a fab bubblegum single, still better than the 'Nana's decent cover, one I liked at the time on the couple of times I got to hear it, and then loved around 1976 when I got it on a compilation album.

 

The Contours, The Peddlers I've already forgotten since I last played them in 2020. Temma Harbour is my Singapore anthem. The lyrics matched my tropical lifestyle and is so evocative of living there - OK it's not in any way caribbean, but the mood was just right. Mary was also still my top fave pop star when this came out so it topped my charts easy for a Hopkin hat-trick. Still love it.

 

The Tams' was a bit of a disappointment after hearing Hey Girl Don't Bother Me first, but it's not bad as such, just a bit bland. United We Stand is a good rousing singalong message track, with Tony Burrows yet again and past/future hitmakers Sue & Sunny aka The Pearls Mark 1 and Sunny's Doctors Orders. Not to mention songwriter Roger Greenaway of David & Jonathan 60's hits. Years May Come another one I missed until 1975, by which time Peter Noone had dropped off my radar (sorry Simon!) but he's back on again as I follow him on the tinternet and find his post-Hermits solo career was actually pretty decent. He didn't sing this in Disney Epcot, as his US career dropped off around 1968 and UK hits didnt register.

A mixed bag here with the obvious picks at the top.

9 The Beatles Let It Be Their last hit together and not a complex or challenging song but it's incredibly powerful lyrically and melodically and I love it

8 Simon And Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water 283rd #1: not my favourite of theirs I can't deny its beauty or the emotional power it must have had as an original record

8 Pickettywitch That Same Old Feeling I thought this was The Supremes at first and it has that flavour but it's an English pop group getting their first hit: great song

7 Bobbie Gentry Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head Last hit for Bobbie and a lovely cover of this: her country twang brings something slightly different and the outro is great

7 Cliff And Hank Joy Of Living 2nd hit for Cliff and Hank together and another very good one: a moody critique of modern life with unusual guitar effects

6 The Cuff Links When Julie Comes Around 2nd and last hit for them and an enjoyable and catchy bubblegum pop song; not quite the original but the best known version

6 Juicy Lucy Who Do You Love? A cover of a Bo Diddley early rock song and the only hit for this UK group: I really enjoy the chaotic, swirling guitars on this

5 The Dave Clark Five Everybody Get Together A cover here and their last big hit: not hugely deep but a rousing number with a big singalong chorus done quite nicely here

4 Jimmy Ruffin Farewell Is A Lonely Sound No matter how many times I listen to this I struggle to remember that: a pleasant but very gentle and unremarkable soul track

4 Bob And Marcia Young, Gifted And Black I realise I'm not the target demographic; another soul song that's well performed but doesn't quite manage to do much for me

3 Joe Dolan You're Such A Good Looking Woman Joe's last Top 40: there's something rather brash and unlikeable about the male character portrayed here; the song itself is OK

3 Elvis Presley Don't Cry Daddy An odd follow up to the great "Suspicious Minds", with more performance value than the ballads below but not much melody

2 Des O'Connor I'll Go On Hoping A fairly flaccid ballad that doesn't have much emotional impact but just trudges along, and then changes key for good measure

2 Andy Williams Can't Help Falling In Love This cover really doesn't work very well, taking all the gravity out of the song to make a light hearted piece of easy listening

1 Dorothy Squires Till Wasn't a big fan of this as a 50s ballad and there's a snarling quality to her voice which makes this version quite unpleasant

 

 

1970 Group 4:

 

#3501 14/03/1970 Gene Pitney A Street Called Hope 37 50-{37}-38-46-48->5

#3502 21/03/1970 Jim Reeves Nobody's Fool 32 33-35-{32}-42-38->5

#3503 21/03/1970 Diana Ross And The Supremes With The Temptations Why (Must We Fall In Love) 31 36-43-44-34-{31}-34-38->7

#3504 21/03/1970 The Tremeloes By The Way 35 40-39-42-{35}-46-49->6

21/03/1970 The Four Tops I Can't Help Myself {1970} 10 47-22-17-12-{10}-11-17-21-29-48-46->11

#3505 21/03/1970 Norman Greenbaum Spirit In The Sky 1 48-33-15-6-5-2-{1}-1-2-2-4-9-15-22-25-32-41-40-40-49->20

#3506 28/03/1970 Mary Hopkin Knock Knock, Who's There? 2 7-{2}-4-4-5-14-15-22-29-31-40-38-44-48->14

#3507 28/03/1970 The Pipkins Gimme Dat Ding 6 31-21-10-{6}-6-7-11-18-26-41->10

#3508 28/03/1970 Blue Mink Good Morning Freedom 10 36-37-21-18-{10}-12-13-21-27-42->10

#3509 28/03/1970 Radha Krishna Temple Govinda 23 42-33-{23}-29-24-37-30-27->8

#3510 28/03/1970 Stevie Wonder Never Had A Dream Come True 6 46-39-19-13-8-{6}-9-16-15-36-42-47->12

#3511 28/03/1970 Frijid Pink House Of The Rising Sun 4 48-40-39-21-14-9-6-{4}-6-7-16-19-30-29-37-40->16

#3512 04/04/1970 Dana All Kinds Of Everything 1 13-2-{1}-1-2-3-5-10-21-27-29-36-33-38-48-47R(2)->16

#3513 04/04/1970 Creedence Clearwater Revival Travellin' Band 8 35-27-19-15-11-{8}-9-11-16-33-34-42-46R(2)->13

#3514 04/04/1970 The Band Rag Mama Rag 16 47-33-25-{16}-16-19-17-34-43->9

#3515 04/04/1970 The Who The Seeker 19 48-46-35-28-26-24-{19}-28-24-39-46->11

Edited March 3, 20241 yr by JulianT

I'd put Bridge Over Troubled Water above Let It Be myself. It's the best song from the 1970s so far.

 

John is right that Marillion did a version of Sympathy. It was a top 20 hit for them.

Of course I knew the Gareth Gates version of “Spirit In The Sky” first and one might have assumed that the original was just like that without the comedy elements. However when you listen closely you realise Greenbaum’s is a really sophisticated pop record with rock guitar elements and fully deserving of the win here. I have to give “Gimme Dat Ding” a feature too though, proving that you can combine novelty, catchiness and quality.

 

9 Norman Greenbaum Spirit In The Sky 285th #1: like "Venus" this combines a great pop tune with a captivating instrumental: the fuzz box guitar effect is special

9 The Pipkins Gimme Dat Ding A novelty record but so catchy and joyous with a fun high and low voice interplay and a genuinely great honky tonk piano part

8 The Who The Seeker Not one of their best known but it's really strong: I especially like the driving bass guitar line and the lyrics are interesting

8 Radha Krishna Temple Govinda I love this and prefer it to their other hit which was slightly repetitive: this has interesting sections and an accelerating 2nd half

7 Gene Pitney A Street Called Hope Business as usual for Gene: lavish production, a steady build throughout and high drama and anguish, but this is a great song

7 The Band Rag Mama Rag Their 2nd and last hit, and it's a really lovely rollicking jazzy number with interesting instrumental parts and an improvised feel

6 Mary Hopkin Knock Knock, Who's There? Like Sam Ryder 2nd in Eurovision and a #2 hit: as usual delightfully sung by her and a good melody; holds up better than Dana

6 Blue Mink Good Morning Freedom "A-bee-bow-bow-ba-ba-ba-baa-bow": a fun hook and an enjoyable record though that main melody is somewhat repetitive

5 Creedence Clearwater Revival Travellin' Band This sounds like a Little Richard late 50s rock 'n' roll song: not an essential from them but still good and very nicely performed

5 The Tremeloes By The Way I think this sounds like a late 60s song rather than one looking to the new decade, but it has a very nice melody and harmonies

4 Diana Ross And The Supremes With The Temptations Why (Must We Fall In Love) The third and final joint hit for these 2 groups and much less successful than the others and I can see why as it isn't memorable

4 Stevie Wonder Never Had A Dream Come True For me this one is pleasant but a bit too gentle and just washes over the listener: I need these soul records to hit a bit harder

3 Dana All Kinds Of Everything 284th #1: the Irish Eurovision winner and I do have a soft spot for it, but lyrically and musically it now sounds extremely twee

3 Frijid Pink House Of The Rising Sun Their only hit and this cover was not really needed: I suppose it brings a more advanced guitar sound but I can take or leave it

2 Jim Reeves Nobody's Fool I enjoy his voice, and the gentle twinkling piano accompaniment, but once again the trudging song doesn't hold the attention

 

 

 

1970 Group 5:

 

#3516 11/04/1970 Rufus Thomas Do The Funky Chicken 18 41-36-30-29-26-25-{18}-23-20-31-35-43->12

#3517 11/04/1970 Roger Whittaker I Don't Believe In If Anymore 8 45-28-22-23-17-15-{8}-8-11-12-19-19-27-31-36-33-43-35->18

#3518 18/04/1970 England World Cup Squad Back Home 1 26-23-3-2-{1}-1-1-2-3-9-15-24-36-35-44-44-46R(2)->17

#3519 18/04/1970 White Plains I've Got You On My Mind 17 27-32-24-22-20-{17}-17-19-25-28-45->11

#3520 18/04/1970 Tom Jones Daughter Of Darkness 5 33-17-15-{5}-8-5-9-5-16-20-28-35-37-48-49->15

#3521 18/04/1970 The Hollies I Can't Tell The Bottom From The Top 7 44-27-19-10-{7}-9-15-26-40-49->10

#3522 18/04/1970 Don Fardon Belfast Boy 32 45-48-{32}-32-42->5

#3523 18/04/1970 Julie Felix If I Could (El Condor Pasa) 19 47-33-28-25-23-{19}-22-23-30-37-39->11

#3524 18/04/1970 Edgar Broughton Band Out Demons Out 39 50-41-{39}-45-49->5

#3525 25/04/1970 The Move Brontosaurus 7 31-27-14-10-{7}-10-15-18-26-35->10

#3526 25/04/1970 Deep Feeling Do You Love Me 34 45-40R(2)-{34}-41-48->5

#3527 02/05/1970 The Moody Blues Question 2 35-20-3-4-{2}-3-6-12-17-20-28-38->12

#3528 02/05/1970 Christie Yellow River 1 44-28-6-3-3-{1}-2-2-4-7-15-17-18-25-21-25-28-30-31-35-37-47->22

#3529 02/05/1970 Status Quo Down The Dustpipe 12 47-43-37-37-30-29-21-18-14-{12}-12-14-16-24-32-32-45->17

#3530 02/05/1970 The Supremes Up The Ladder To The Roof 6 48-39-30-30-{6}-10-8-13-12-18-21-26-45-34-50->15

Edited March 3, 20241 yr by JulianT

The double-monster-ballad of Let It be and Bridge Over Troubled Water dominated 1970 Singapore radio (and Two-Way Family favourites) for me, at the time it was The Beatles that had my preference, as the split-up news was headline-worthy in the Daily Mirror book-style bound batches we got 2 or 3 weeks late. It's still a classic, but in recent decades has had more airplay than Bridge, so isn't quite so fresh to me. Bridge, OTOH, was one I rated highly, but came to grow even more with time. What a masterpiece! The album and the single, gospel-driven epic.

 

Pickettywich, I missed their entire career until after Sweet Dreams covered Honey Honey in 1974 and people were dropping hints that Polly Brown, lead singer, was in dubious disguise. I like this one, though, quite pleasant and inoffensive. Oddly enough I never heard Bobbie's version of Raindrops until recently. I love her voice, always have, always will. Cliff and hank ditto, a recent track for me, quite good too. The Cuff Links featuring Ron Dante and again, another I never heard until 2020 - I still prefer his 1970 Archies' tracks, like the upbeat Sunshine, a flop single in the UK.

 

Juicy Lucy I heard in 1975 and wasn't too impressed, these days I don't mind it. Everybody Get Together is a cover of a good US hit, but less folkrock and more big pop. I liked it right away, and the message, Dave Clark's last worthy hit. Farewell Is A Lonely Sound was a hit again in 1974, and it was new to me then - and is still a Motown soul fave. Young Gifted & Black was re-issued in 1974, and Bob & Marcia's reggae cornerstone was a Nina Simone Black Rights social cover, I charted it in 1974 and loved it. Was clubbing to it in London last Saturday.

 

Joe Dolan's second-best record, but not in the same class as Make Me An Island. Don't Cry Daddy is a dirge, never liked it. Let's move on to the next one! Des, meh. Dorothy Squires, blech. Andy Williams, though, this was my "original" version of the song and the swirling strings won me over, plus Andy was one of the few singers on TV in Singapore for his variety show. Big fan.

I heard Spirit In The Sky in 1975, and that riff and chorus was an instant "pow" on me - I saw the single on a Gloucester Market record stall and spent 30p or so of my pocket money on it. Totally worth it. Still a classic, no covers come close, though Doctor & The Medics is a fun pastiche. Gimme Dat Ding was bizarre and catchy, and it's that Tony Burrows man again, though you can't tell! It's almost 1920's in style. The Seeker? A recent track for me, it's OK.

 

Govinda, it was the Kula Shaker hit I heard first (and loved, topped my charts) and I always liked any music that reminded me of melting-pot multi-cultural Singapore. A Street Called Hope another late discovery, when I bought his Greatest Hits CD. Gene is never less than good. Heard Rag mama Rag in 1975. Didn't like it. I'll be honest never liked The Band singles much, but the cover of their Night They Drove Old Dixie Down is brilliant, coming soon-ish, and Robbie Robertson was fab in his solo career.

 

Mary's Eurovision I heard once I think in 1970, and it didn't hit my Love-it spot like the first 3 did, but I got hold of a very scratched copy in the 70's so I still hear a terrible audio track when I think of it. Preferred Dana at the time. probably the other way around these days. Good Morning Freedom is great, as I've said before love Blue Mink, and off to see them in a few weeks (Madeleine and Roger). Travelin' Band, another 1975-heard disappointment for me. It's no Bad Moon Rising. In the States they had double A sides for singles, twice the value and the other sides were often way better, think Lodi, Who'll Stop The Rain and Fortunate Son, all top notch CCR and we got this retro thing instead and missed all of them. Harrumph!

 

The Trem's treading water ahead of a much better hit to come, The Motown combo last and least of their collabs, but Stevie's Never Had A Dream Come True is a great song, one I liked right off when I got to hear it eventually. Dana was a huge fave in 1970, taped it off the radio, sunny Sunday Morning radio Two-Way Family Favourite regular on the Forces radio slot. I agree it sounds way more twee these days, but I still have a soft spot for those flutey sounds. A pity she didn't stick to music, though..

 

Frijid Pink was a Prog/Heavy self-unaware bloated attack on a classic and was fairly representative of the self-importance of the genre some of the time. It's more parody than anything. Jim, meh. Haircut 100 had a much better song called Nobody's Fool.

Surprisingly The Moody Blues had only 3 Top 10 hits: their chart topping cover, “Nights In White Satin” and this, but they’re all great.

 

9 The Moody Blues Question Another brilliant song from them: this has an epic feel with the different sections and speeds and great vocals and guitar work

8 Christie Yellow River 287th #1: debut hit for this English band; 1970 seems to have been good for strong and catchy pop songs of which this is one

8 Status Quo Down The Dustpipe Another great one from them that's strikingly different from what will be their signature sound, and has a bouncy, folky feel

7 The Supremes Up The Ladder To The Roof Their 1st hit without Diane, with Jean Terrell on lead, but it sounds surprisingly similar and this is a strong tune well delivered

7 Roger Whittaker I Don't Believe In If Anymore This type of music can be very boring, but this is a very well written and compelling ballad with interesting switches of pace

6 Julie Felix If I Could (El Condor Pasa) 1st of 2 hits for this US folk singer and a Simon & Garfunkel cover: an enchanting song given an atmospheric performance

6 The Hollies I Can't Tell The Bottom From The Top Their 2nd last Top 10 and nothing surprising but a nice pop song which builds up to a very catchy chorus with nice harmonies

5 The Move Brontosaurus A rockier sound for them than previously and with a harder edge to it though nonsense lyrics: decent but slightly repetitive

5 Tom Jones Daughter Of Darkness This is one of Tom's nicer hits: he performs it well but it isn't over the top, and it has a good tune and quite interesting lyrics

4 Don Fardon Belfast Boy 1st of 2 hits for him and a tribute to then top footballer George Best: odd concept I don't love but I enjoy the clanging beat

4 White Plains I've Got You On My Mind The Dorian Gray original is fabulous: this still sounds pleasant but does not add much and the vocals sound almost echoey

3 Edgar Broughton Band Out Demons Out 1st hit for this English rock band and an odd record built on a repetitive exorcism chant: intriguing but I don't hugely enjoy it

3 England World Cup Squad Back Home 286th #1: 1st football smash and therefore I can forgive it for sounding like many others to come: basic and raucous but OK

2 Deep Feeling Do You Love Me A slowed down cover of the 60s song: the urgency is what makes it so compelling so I don't think this tempo works at all

2 Rufus Thomas Do The Funky Chicken Only hit for this soul singer and quite a bizarre novelty song that seems to be fondly remembered but does very little for me

 

 

1970 Group 6:

 

#3531 02/05/1970 Butterscotch Don't You Know 17 50-41-31-22-19-18-{17}-24-20-33-38->11

#3532 09/05/1970 Marvin Gaye Abraham, Martin And John 9 35-33-24-20-14-14-11-{9}-13-11-22-25-38-47->14

#3533 09/05/1970 Mr Bloe Groovin' With Mr Bloe 2 37-36-21-13-7-4-3-{2}-3-3-8-14-19-27-29-32-36-50->18

#3534 09/05/1970 Glen Campbell Honey Come Back 4 38-28-13-5-{4}-5-6-8-11-14-15-19-21-26-31-39-50-46-46->19

#3535 09/05/1970 The Guess Who American Woman/No Sugar Tonight 19 49-45-34R(2)-30-28-25-26-{19}-23-23-31-31-39->13

#3536 16/05/1970 Elvis Presley Kentucky Rain 21 38-31-26-22-26-{21}-22-25-26-43-38-46R(2)->12

#3537 16/05/1970 Ray Stevens Everything Is Beautiful 6 40-16-12-{6}-9-8-11-14-18-25-22-28-31-28-38-37->16

#3538 16/05/1970 The Jackson Five ABC 8 41-20-11-{8}-10-14-24-21-42-41-42->11

#3539 16/05/1970 Barry Ryan Kitsch 37 44-43-{37}-50-43-45->6

#3540 16/05/1970 The Beach Boys Cottonfields 5 46-32-14-12-7-{5}-6-5-6-7-10-14-19-19-25-29-37->17

#3541 23/05/1970 Johnny Cash What Is Truth? 21 33-33-{21}-32-23-34-30-46-29-34-45->11

#3542 23/05/1970 Richard Barnes Take To The Mountains 35 36-44-{35}-37-41-41->6

#3543 23/05/1970 Gerry Monroe Sally 4 38-35-25-11-7-5-{4}-7-6-13-15-20-27-33-31-35-41-50-43-42->20

#3544 23/05/1970 Herman's Hermits Bet Yer Life I Do 22 39-29-24-{22}-27-27-23-29-37-37->10

#3545 23/05/1970 Fleetwood Mac The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Prong Crown) 10 49-18-17-13-{10}-10-10-10-16-17-27-30->12

Edited March 17, 20241 yr by JulianT

'Let It Be', 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' and 'Spirit In The Sky' are great!

Question was another 1975 track for me, took a while to grow on me but it is very good and sprawling. I like sprawling. Yellow River was a big fave of 12-year-old John, it's basically an attempt to do CCR, only much catchier than the pedestrian Travelin Band. Singalong pop anthem of 1970. Still fond of it. Down The Dustpipe is early Quo morphing into boogie rock Quo, didn't get to hear it for maybe a decade or so when it popped up on a compilation album I bought. I was not impressed, still not fussed.

 

Jean Terrell is an under-rated singer for Supremes Mk II, and this is a prototype I missed at the time for their forthcoming fab singles that I loved and heard first. Roger Whittaker was always a whistling MOR fave, and this one I missed too, but it's rather sweet. Julie Felix was another TV staple in the UK of the time, but it was the Simon & Garfunkel version I knew first (and the classic version) in Singapore. Her version is pretty decent though.

 

The Hollies' song is OK, I thought it was OK in 1975 when it got played on the 1970 chart rundowns, and I like it a bit more than I did then these days. Brontosaurus was a monster flop for me, not keen at all, this wasn't The Move I loved. More Jeff Lynne influence than Roy Wood I speculate. Happily they went into strings instead before long. Daughter Of Darkness was a good pop song, a bit more credible than some of Tom's later ballads, and the Don fardon song I never heard until 2020. I didn't bother to feature it in my top 75 1970 retro charts.

 

White Plains were always a bit bland, Edgar broughton another one from 2020 I didnt bother to chart, ditto Deep Feeling and Rufus Thomas, so fair to say they'd be on a 1 from me. Back Home was catchy enough though, singalongafootie I taped in 1975, but after my personal footie fave Blue Is The Colour in 1972. Back Home is probably the best football hit until 1990 though.

Another great predominantly instrumental hit from Fleetwood Mac, but I’m surprised how much I’ve been enjoying the Richard Barnes track.

8 Fleetwood Mac The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Prong Crown) 4 straight weeks at #10 for this excellent twangtastic mostly instrumental number with several sections that are all interesting

8 Richard Barnes Take To The Mountains 1st of his 2 minor hits for this UK singer and it's beautiful: he has such a gentle voice and the twinkling strings are hypnotic

7 Butterscotch Don't You Know Only hit for this English group that sounds bigger than it was; a lovely slice of slick bubblegum pop with a stonking chorus

7 Mr Bloe Groovin' With Mr Bloe A very fine harmonica led instrumental with a catchy pulsating beat and an intriguing story as the group didn't really exist

6 The Guess Who American Woman/No Sugar Tonight Only Top 40 for this Canadian group and both sides are very nice: the first more rocky and the second slightly more poppy

6 Elvis Presley Kentucky Rain This should have been the big hit instead of "Don't Cry Daddy": quite a wordy ballad without a big hook but lovely storytelling

5 The Beach Boys Cottonfields Their last solo Top 5 and it's a very enjoyable hit-worthy pop song; it just isn't groundbreaking or exceptional in any way

5 Ray Stevens Everything Is Beautiful 1st hit for Ray: I don't normally go for this kind of slightly cheesy singalong style but this is well done and I find it charming

4 The Jackson Five ABC Another well remembered and technically assured record from them but I can't love the strident vocals or sickly sweetness

4 Herman's Hermits Bet Yer Life I Do Last of their 20 solo hits and a sweet and sunny ballad with a calypso feel in the accompaniment, but nothing very exciting

3 Johnny Cash What Is Truth? This type of spoken word hit isn't my thing but Johnny does the best possible version of it and it's something a bit different

3 Barry Ryan Kitsch I disagree that "kitsch" is a beautiful word, and this is an odd record though it has Barry's usual epic and interesting production

2 Marvin Gaye Abraham, Martin And John Nice singing but quite a bland and lyrically confusing song: I thought the references were biblical but then we reached Martin

2 Glen Campbell Honey Come Back Glen started off so well but he seems to have descended into slush: this whining ballad with spoken parts isn't very much fun

1 Gerry Monroe Sally 1st cover hit for this talent show star with a falsetto heavy style that makes this quite unpleasant, as well as a decade too late

 

 

1970 Group 7:

 

#3546 30/05/1970 The Four Tops It's All In The Game 5 40-31-24-17-13-8-{5}-5-6-7-9-14-30-26-48R(2)-49->16

#3547 30/05/1970 Engelbert Humperdinck My Marie 31 50-47-39-{31}-44-40-34->7

#3548 06/06/1970 Mungo Jerry In The Summertime 1 13-{1}-1-1-1-1-1-1-4-6-8-9-16-22-28-38-48-46-46-42->20

#3549 06/06/1970 Arrival I Will Survive 16 34-23-{16}-16-17-17-27-27-40-38-47->11

#3550 06/06/1970 Free All Right Now 2 36-27-4-3-{2}-2-2-2-2-4-5-12-14-23-30-34->16

#3551 06/06/1970 Cliff Richard Goodbye Sam Hello Samantha 6 37-20-15-7-{6}-8-9-12-13-18-20-27-27-38-45->15

#3552 06/06/1970 Tony Joe White Groupie Girl 22 38-35-34-23-26-{22}-24-32-39-44->10

#3553 06/06/1970 The Ides Of March Vehicle 31 46-33-40-{31}-36-47-34-41-50->9

#3554 06/06/1970 Ten Years After Love Like A Man 10 48-41-32-30-29-24-20-21-12-{10}-10-13-12-18-26-39-39-47->18

#3555 13/06/1970 Nicky Thomas Love Of The Common People 9 36-29-21-15-{9}-11-9-11-13-18-29-33-40-49->14

#3556 13/06/1970 Joni Mitchell Big Yellow Taxi 11 48-46-49-31-25-28-20-17-12-13-{11}-21-25-36-47->15

#3557 13/06/1970 The Temptations Psychedelic Shack 33 50-39-36-34-{33}-42-35->7

#3558 20/06/1970 Creedence Clearwater Revival Up Around The Bend 3 33-18-9-4-{3}-5-8-11-22-31-42-48->12

#3559 20/06/1970 Shirley Bassey Something 4 48-32-16-13-10-7-5-5-{4}-6-8-9-15-14-26-25-28-35-38-43-47-50R(11)->22

#3560 27/06/1970 Cat Stevens Lady D'Arbanville 8 37-28-19-12-11-10-{8}-12-17-20-34-47-48->13

Edited March 17, 20241 yr by JulianT

The Green Manalishi gave me nightmare throwbacks to the mid 60's when I heard it in 1975 - there was a super-scary ghost story series late night on TV that literally kept me awake many times for years afterwards, and the wailing sounds are so similar to sounds from music used around 1966. It's a very good record though. Richard Barnes was an early Amazon download discovery for me, after Youtube opened up 1970 tracks to me. It's nice.

 

Don't You Know is another spooky record - in a different way! 1971 Singapore, a song I'd never heard, I was in the middle of a dream with this song playing in my head loudly. Sleepily woke up put the radio on - and it was on the radio! Became a big fave instantly, but it took 4 years to hear it again :o Either I'm psychic or a neighbour must have had the radio on as I was waking up...and I'm not psychic! Mr. Bloe is a great instrumental, another 1975 discovery, and a cover of a US B side for Tony orlando aka Wind at that time. Pardon me! The B side of this featured obscure nobody Elton John on piano.

 

American Woman is OK but future glories lay ahead in 1974 for Bachman-Turner not the then-defunkt Guess Who. Spooky, You Ain't Seen Nothin Yet has just come on Radio 2. I'm beginning to think I am psychic after all. :lol: Quite agree about Kentucky Rain, mystifyingly minor vs the dreary Don't Cry Daddy. Kentucky Rain was another 21st century track for me. Cottonfields is an old song from the days of Cottonfields, I think, but it's a reasonable update. Another 1975 track. Unlike Everything Is Beautiful, my peak Singapore nostalgia track. Dad loved it, and enjoyed Ray's comedy tracks, but this was a gospel singalong optimistic classic. The melody, the kids singing, and the message conjure up happy lazy tropical Sunday mornings with this loud on the radio in our front room and dad singing along flawlessly. Still takes me back 54 years.

 

ABC was the single I missed from the J5 at the time - yet all their lesser hits in 1971 I knew and taped off the radio. So, when I did hear it, it just seemed a bit more like a nursery rhyme than a soul classic, and I've never been able to shake that feeling off even though it's clearly I Want You Back part 2. Bet Yer Life I Do I finally got to hear in 2020, not bad, but news of the week for me is Peter Noone liked my tweet! Thanks Peter! (I posted a link to Midnight Special 1973, just made available on Youtube, with Peter Noone hosting from London Trafalgar Square and The Thames, and singing live to backing tracks along with ELO, Manfred Mann's Earthband, David Essex, Gilbert O Sullivan and The Bee Gees. Peter's backing musicians included half The Rubettes. This was never broadcast in the UK so it's a bit of treasure trove discovery with all the Top Of The Pops being wiped. PS Hi Simon, can I claim to be a close personal friend of Peter Noone now? :lol:

 

 

Johnny Cash, over my head, Kitsch is a bit less poppy than previous Barry Ryan epic singles, but I do like this oddity quite a bit, Marvin Gaye's was a topical record for 1970 and a cover of a Dion US hit, the loss of Kennedy, his brother and MLK was still fresh and relevant in a troubled world. Honey Come Back was the Glen Campbell album I requested mum & dad buy me (I heard it at their friends' house, they owned it and I loved the title song, very Cowboy movie with Glen fresh from True Grit - he gets killed! - but they couldnt find a copy in Singapore City so bought This Is Glen Campbell instead. I was disappointed but it's way better 54 years on. Still fond of Honey Come Back, but it's no Wichita Lineman...

 

Sally, the old Gracie Fields song from pre-history, was done upbeat and manic falsetto by Gerry Monroe. Another 1975 discovery, and I found a copy in a second hand record shop in Mansfield. very scratched copy, full of pops and crackles and a bit distorted. maybe that gives a bit of atmosphere, as I rather enjoy this one still. Compare with the dreary Fields signature tune, though I can see how the manic falsetto can annoy - as all of his later hits do.

 

 

A fantastic top few here: “In The Summertime” is a unique record and was deservedly huge but “All Right Now”, which it kept off #1, is surely the more important record in rock ‘n’ roll history. But I have to give the nod to Joni as it’s the only time she’ll appear here with a solo hit and it’s so effortlessly wonderful. Also my mum was her doppelgänger when they were both young and was often approached by people thinking it was Joni.

 

9 Joni Mitchell Big Yellow Taxi Her only solo hit amazingly, and it's quite a low key acoustic ballad but nonetheless beautiful, with great artistry and lyricism 

9 Free All Right Now Debut hit for this English band and a ubiquitous and ageless rock classic that will reach the Top 20 on 4 separate occasions 

8 Mungo Jerry In The Summertime 288th #1 and year end #1: debut hit for this UK rock band and the archetypal summer song with a unique chugging rhythm

8 Creedence Clearwater Revival Up Around The Bend Their 2nd biggest hit and it's a driving, twangy and powerful rock number with strong, gritty vocals and a very striking riff

7 Cat Stevens Lady D'Arbanville His 1st hit for 3 years, very explicitly about his ex girlfriend, might be my favourite of his: I really enjoy its dramatic exposition 

7 The Temptations Psychedelic Shack A minor hit, maybe because it's so experimental with high and low vocals and unusual instrumental sounds, but I really like it

7 Nicky Thomas Love Of The Common People Only hit for this Jamaican singer and a reggae version of a song first recorded the year before: this rendition works very nicely

6 The Ides Of March Vehicle Only hit for this US jazz rock band, and the brass riff on this is great: it's an effective and punchy song about desperate love 

6 Arrival I Will Survive 2nd and final hit for them: the best thing about this is the huge euphoric wall of sound chorus, which gives it a bit of sparkle 

5 Ten Years After Love Like A Man Another 1 hit wonder: only hit for this UK group again with a very nice twangy riff, but beyond that the track isn't so distinctive

4 Tony Joe White Groupie Girl Only hit for this US singer songwriter: I can't really work out what a "groupy girl" is but it's quite a nice laid back soft rock track

3 The Four Tops It's All In The Game Unnecessary 3rd charting version of this song, although this is better than Cliff's cover and The Four Tops are classy as ever

2 Engelbert Humperdinck My Marie Not sure why if he's not back by sunset she needs to leave the town and change her name; in any case I don't much enjoy this

2 Shirley Bassey Something The original of this is perfect for me and definitely didn't need to be turned into an overblown and over-dramatic Shirley song

1 Cliff Richard Goodbye Sam Hello Samantha Cliff didn't like this song about coming of age but was forced to record it anyway, and I'm with him as it's intensely irritating

 

 

 

1970 Group 8:

 

#3561 04/07/1970 The Kinks Lola 2 22-16-4-4-3-{2}-3-4-5-12-18-25-35-41->14

#3562 04/07/1970 Pickettywitch (It's Like A) Sad Old Kinda Movie 16 39-27-18-23-{16}-23-24-24-35-45->10

#3563 04/07/1970 Brotherhood Of Man Where Are You Going To My Love 22 44-35-30-28-26-{22}-26-35-44-44->10

#3564 04/07/1970 Jimmy Ruffin I'll Say Forever My Love 7 45-30-19-15-9-{7}-9-10-13-19-31-36->12

#3565 04/07/1970 Hotlegs Neanderthal Man 2 48-32-21-8-6-3-{2}-2-3-6-13-19-32-38->14

#3566 04/07/1970 Joe Cocker The Letter 39 50-{39}-49-39-48-49->6

#3567 11/07/1970 Elvis Presley The Wonder Of You 1 20-13-3-{1}-1-1-1-1-1-2-4-5-9-11-17-20-23-33-42-48-47R(9)->21

#3568 11/07/1970 Miguel Rios Song Of Joy 16 44-33-26-22-{16}-21-18-23-21-27-42-50->12

#3569 18/07/1970 Stevie Wonder Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) 15 31-24-18-{15}-15-16-18-28-33-49R(2)->10

#3570 18/07/1970 Fair Weather Natural Sinner 6 32-29-23-17-{6}-8-6-11-17-24-33-44->12

#3571 18/07/1970 The Marmalade Rainbow 3 39-30-20-14-7-{3}-4-4-9-11-25-40-42-50->14

#3572 18/07/1970 Chicago 25 Or 6 To 4 7 46-43-30-28-16-14-{7}-8-7-12-17-27-34->13

#3573 18/07/1970 Diana Ross Reach Out And Touch (Somebody's Hand) 33 50-36-{33}-36-41->5

#3574 25/07/1970 Ray Morgan The Long And Winding Road 32 46-{32}-33-36-36-43->6

#3575 25/07/1970 Johnny Johnson And The Bandwagon Sweet Inspiration 10 50-36-29-23-15-11-{10}-12-16-22-28-35-46R(2)->13

Edited March 17, 20241 yr by JulianT

Well that's a great top pick there. Also liked the Counting Crows and Vanessa Carlton cover too. 'All Right Now' is a classic record and then 'In The Summertime' is a mighty jolly breeze of a record!

Big Yellow Taxi is very 1970 with it's early environmental message, but it remains ever-relevant. sadly I didnt get to hear it till 1975 by which time the Love n Peace message had slipped away in favour of Lets' Dance. I like it, but it's some of her other songs I love more, my first Joni was Both Sides Now, Woodstock, and then the Court & Spark album in '74. SOOO sick of hearing All Right Now, it never goes away for even a year or two. For me it came out in 1973 (first hit revival) as the follow-up to the brilliant and under-rated Wishing Well, and All Right Now sounded like a rip-off of Free's Little Bit Of Love, their 1972 hit. OK I know it's the other way around, but that's the order I heard them.

 

In The Summertime was a tropical Singapore jolly anthem, and local hero Ray Dorset proved he was more than this monster pop hit. Huge fan of it in 1970 and afterwards until HP Sauce used a crap cover in an ad that ran for years and totally ruined it for me. Nostalgia still beckons me in the right mood though, and I can re-live the memories. I'll skip that 90's hit cover too, which added insult to injury. Up Around The Bend one I missed till '75. It's romping enough, but not a fave CCR track. Lady D'Arbanville was another huge Singapore fave for me, loved that haunting dark song, and my fave Cat Stevens song after Matthew And Son. Almost mediaeval in tone.

 

Psychedelic Shack another I missed at the time, heard it occasionally in the 70's and 80's but it was the creative comedy-drama masterpiece detective show Moonlighting that converted me over to it. Brice Willis and Cybil Shepherd danced and mimed to this in one episode, and I think they brought on some band member/s on screen in an early case of actual classic record placement. It was the norm before that to bung cheap covers on TV/adverts to save cash on expensive rights to recordings. Love Of The Common People is a great reggae tune, Paul Young had the massive 1983 hit version that I know best.

 

The Ides Of March was an 80's discovery, I think, or early 90's and the jazz riffing is great, I Will Survive was a 2020 first hearing, not too bad. Love Like A Man I took an instant dislike to on chart replays in 1975, ditto Ten Years After, never got them. The naughty Groupie Girl another 2020 play - don't recall much about it already. The Four Tops cover of It's All In The Game is a classy one - the song was familiar to me, and it's a standard, Levi Stubbs can't be beaten vocally really, though the earlier US versions have a certain period charm to them.

 

My Marie, 2020 playing, no memory of it one way or the other, Something about the OTT Bassey version that rubbed me the wrong way in 1975, though it did at least make people take notice of George as a songwriter. Fondly recall Frank Sinatra introducing his version as one of his fave Lennon/McCartney songs ever, oops! Goodbye Sam Hello Samantha was a big personal chart-topping fave for me, jolly pop tune that doesn't sound anywhere near as good half a century on. I always thought it was about a tomboy hitting puberty and changing her looks, but it's about dumping your mates cos you're horny for girls, not quite so endearing. I mean, that's what happens in real life if your new partner dislikes your mates and puts a foot down if one lets them, or when kids come along, but it's a bit cold to say it out loud, oops! Ironically Cliff kept his mates and dumped the romance...

 

 

I know “Lola” would be widely regarded as the correct winner here, but I’ve fallen in love with “Rainbow” so that takes it for me.

 

9 The Marmalade Rainbow Their 2nd straight #3 hit and simpler than the other one but a stunning harmonica assisted folk ballad with beautiful harmonies

9 The Kinks Lola This completes the trinity of all time great #2 hits for them; a brilliant piece of storytelling and incredibly compelling guitar pop

8 Chicago 25 Or 6 To 4 Their 2nd Top 10 before a 6 year gap: this is a stonking original rocky number about writing a song in the middle of the night

8 Hotlegs Neanderthal Man Only hit for this English band but a unique one with an incredibly hypnotic and infectious beat; I love the flute parts as well

7 Stevie Wonder Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) A soul classic that never charted as highly as it deserved; I should probably like it even more but it's never quite excited me

7 Pickettywitch (It's Like A) Sad Old Kinda Movie As with their 1st hit I really enjoy Polly Brown's vocals; it's a very fine tune and the song has a really warm and retro feel to it

6 Diana Ross Reach Out And Touch (Somebody's Hand) Diana's 1st solo hit and it's a very nice slow ballad; it didn't do very well and maybe was too similar to the Supremes' output

6 Johnny Johnson And The Bandwagon Sweet Inspiration The group had moved to the UK where they had more success and this gave them another Top 10: a lovely well crafted song

5 Brotherhood Of Man Where Are You Going To My Love I found their first hit a little cheesy but this feels like a more mature pop song: nothing out of the ordinary but a pleasant listen

5 Elvis Presley The Wonder Of You 289th #1 and his 1st in 5 years: it has a nice build and uplifting quality but it comes nowhere near his great #2s from last year

4 Jimmy Ruffin I'll Say Forever My Love I feel like I say this about soul songs quite often: it's very well performed and arranged but the song itself is not that exciting

3 Fair Weather Natural Sinner Only hit for this Amen Corner spinoff group: I suppose it does have a certain charm but I find it somewhat repetitive and dull

3 Joe Cocker The Letter This cover does try something different, but it just seems bloated and turgid whereas the original was simple and enchanting

2 Ray Morgan The Long And Winding Road Only hit for this UK singer, and it's a fruitless Beatles cover with nothing much different but much less heart than the original

1 Miguel Rios Song Of Joy Only hit for this Spanish singer and composer: I'm sure he's good but I really don't enjoy this vocal version of "Ode To Joy"

 

 

 

1970 Group 9:

 

#3576 01/08/1970 Smokey Robinson And The Miracles The Tears Of A Clown 1 29-25-11-5-2-2-{1}-2-2-4-12-16-25-38->14

#3577 01/08/1970 The Jackson Five The Love You Save 7 37-24-17-{7}-10-14-25-29-46->9

#3578 01/08/1970 D, B, M And T Mr President 33 41-34-42-37-34-{33}-50-43->8

#3579 01/08/1970 Andy Williams It's So Easy 13 42-43-34-26-24-17-16-{13}-23-19-30-37-41-49R(2)->14

#3580 01/08/1970 Bread Make It With You 5 46-37-33-22-15-7-{5}-7-10-16-20-26-31-39->14

#3581 08/08/1970 The Who Summertime Blues 38 40-{38}-43-38->4

#3582 08/08/1970 Jimmy Cliff Wild World 8 41-35-21-22-13-{8}-9-12-17-25-31-40->12

#3583 08/08/1970 Three Dog Night Mama Told Me (Not To Come) 3 42-30-19-9-{3}-3-5-6-12-18-22-30-47-46->14

#3584 08/08/1970 Dorothy Squires My Way 25 48-40-42-48-42-45R(2)-34-34-37-43-35-36-48-49R(3)-48-41-{25}-25-25-30-41-43-44->23

#3585 15/08/1970 Tom Jones I (Who Have Nothing) 16 39-23-25-{16}-21-23-31-31-47R(2)-50-49->11

#3586 15/08/1970 Hot Chocolate Love Is Life 6 43-20-17-15-10-{6}-11-10-17-27-37-48->12

#3587 15/08/1970 The Poppy Family Featuring Susan Jacks Which Way You Goin' Billy? 7 48-41-28-24-11-10-{7}-7-10-9-12-22-30-44->14

#3588 15/08/1970 Deep Purple Black Night 2 50-48-46-32-34-20-9-5-3-{2}-2-5-3-11-11-28-31-43-47-47-42->21

#3589 22/08/1970 Chairmen Of The Board Give Me Just A Little More Time 3 34-19-5-4-{3}-3-6-9-18-21-30-43-43->13

#3590 22/08/1970 Family Strange Band 11 40-40-26-22-18-14-{11}-15-12-23-31-38->12

Edited March 17, 20241 yr by JulianT

Rainbow was another summer of '75 discovery, and a lovely ballad it is too, Ob La Di seems a long time ago now... Lola, ditto, I heard Apeman and Supersonic Rocketship first - it was never likely to get radio play in ultra conservative "no long hair for men, no gays" Singapore at that time! - but it's undeniably one of Ray's best records, up there with You Really Got Me and Waterloo Sunset.

 

25 or 6 to 4, summer of 75, crackin' rock track. Make the most of it cos 20 years of bland Chicago ballads beckon all of them US hits, the UK only had to suffer the occasional gem hit. Hotlegs were fab, love this novelty record, summer of 75 I found a scratched 2nd hand copy. Well I would love it, it's 10CC (well 7.5CC to be accurate) experimenting with their new recording techniques and setting up a career via their own Strawberry Studios in Manchester.

 

Signed Sealed Delivered is dance Motown Stevie waving goodbye as Singer-songwriting funksynth Motown Stevie was going to be flexing his creative muscles soon. It's a good record. Pickettywich, always pleasant, rarely memorable. I couldnt hum it and I last heard it 4 years ago. Reach Out & Touch was a nice ballad, but as a career-starter a definite mis-step, and the first on this list I actually heard in Singapore, hooray!

 

Johnny Johnson another decent track I dont know that well, Brotherhood Of Man see Pickettywich comment. The Wonder Of You, though was a global monster, in more than one way. Elvis was back on top of the charts, and his Vegas career was debuting and about to take over his creative (lack of) output, but this one was a huge OTT fave of the time, easily topping my charts. The passing years have been less kind to it, I'm really not that fussed these days, except for nostalgia. The 1969 tracks so much better.

 

I'll Say Forever My Love another summer of 75 soul fave, I always like Jimmy Ruffin, his voice is fab and Motown knew how to hit those "last dance at the disco" spots. Natural Sinner: love Andy fairweather-Low and he'd go on to solo success, but have always hated this one since '75, so dull. Agree about The Letter, original please! Self-indulgent and typical of the jazz/blues crowd peeing their pants over "proper singers" and forgetting all about subtlety and originality and actual emotion. I still have problems with the constipated style of singing as some sort of high emotional tortured experience. Less is sometimes more.

 

I've already forgotten the last 2, oops! The Beatles version of Long & Winding Road was as big as any single in Singapore, without being a single, and I adore those strings and as a goodbye to The Beatles (in the USA at any rate) it was perfect. It really was all over, and I've adored their version (topped my charts) ever since. Nobody else has ever done a decent version of it.

My first perfect 10 of the 70s now and it’s a record that to me has everything - a great melody, an iconic riff, heartbreaking lyrics and a superb performance. Amazing that it was recorded in 1967 but took several years to become a hit.

 

10 Smokey Robinson And The Miracles The Tears Of A Clown 290th #1: one of the best songs of its genre ever that combines a brilliant riff and melody with great storytelling and emotion

8 Chairmen Of The Board Give Me Just A Little More Time Debut hit for this US-Canadian soul group and as well as being an excellent tune it's a great and slightly cheeky performance

8 Bread Make It With You A US #1 and the debut hit for this US soft rock group: a great song beautifully arranged with a simple wistful elegance to it

7 Deep Purple Black Night Their debut hit and must be the 1st hard rock Top 3 hit: it is great but slightly lacks the light and shade to make me love it

7 Hot Chocolate Love Is Life Another band debuting and the opening riff is distinctively theirs; it's a lovely tender song with a real warmth to the production

7 The Jackson Five The Love You Save The infinitely more mature follow up to "ABC": this still has the catchiness and bounce but it's a more sophisticated pop song

6 Three Dog Night Mama Told Me (Not To Come) Not the original but a really enjoyable and irreverent version of this song and the first of a couple of hits for this US rock band

6 The Poppy Family Featuring Susan Jacks Which Way You Goin' Billy? Only hit for this Canadian group: it's not an adventurous ballad but a lovely tune and the vocal layering is almost ABBA-esque

6 D, B, M And T Mr President Not sure why they abbreviated their name here: their last hit and it's unremarkable but a very good lyrically interesting song

5 Jimmy Cliff Wild World A Yusuf song that has become a MOR classic: this version is good but it's hard to shake the feeling of cruise ships and the like

5 Family Strange Band I loved their debut "No Mule's Fool": this is more experimental with no memorable melody and I don't think it quite comes off

4 The Who Summertime Blues A cover of the Eddie Cochran classic; it's quite nicely done and brings the song up to date but doesn't take it anywhere new

3 Tom Jones I (Who Have Nothing) I do like the Shirley Bassey version from 1963: this is alright but not as effective as that, and feels outdated and unnecessary

2 Andy Williams It's So Easy So easy indeed: unchallenging to listen to in the extreme, and a dull record though I like the opening with the scraping violin

1 Dorothy Squires My Way Last hit for her and she certainly sings it her way, but in that overwrought slightly snarling style and I really can't get on with it

 

 

1970 Group 10:

 

#3591 22/08/1970 Desmond Dekker You Can Get It If You Really Want 2 46-39-20-14-8-4-{2}-2-3-8-12-19-24-37-39->15

#3592 22/08/1970 Al Martino Spanish Eyes 49 {49}->1

14/07/1973 Al Martino Spanish Eyes {1973} 5 42-31-16-8-8-{5}-6-5-5-6-9-13-15-15-19-22-27-37-48-42-50->21

#3593 22/08/1970 Aretha Franklin Don't Play That Song 13 50-32-29-19-17-{13}-18-13-29-36-42->11

#3594 29/08/1970 Bobby Bloom Montego Bay 3 45-30-20-15-8-{3}-5-7-11-8-23-23-35-41-49R(2)-42-42-49R(2)-47->19

#3595 29/08/1970 Black Sabbath Paranoid 4 47-47-37-28-19-8-{4}-5-5-6-10-13-26-30-42-46-38-38->18

#3596 05/09/1970 Freda Payne Band Of Gold 1 36-6-{1}-1-1-1-1-1-3-4-10-17-25-29-34-31-31-28-38->19

#3597 05/09/1970 Cliff Richard I Ain't Got Time Any More 21 39-24-32-{21}-33-31-36->7

#3598 05/09/1970 Creedence Clearwater Revival Long As I Can See The Light 20 41-29-26-{20}-23-21-23-29-40->9

#3599 05/09/1970 Carpenters (They Long To Be) Close To You 6 43-38-31-15-14-{6}-8-6-11-14-20-29-35-33-45-49-49-43->18

#3600 12/09/1970 Diana Ross Ain't No Mountain High Enough 6 32-21-16-13-7-{6}-7-9-13-25-39-46->12

#3601 12/09/1970 The Tremeloes Me And My Life 4 39-30-18-15-8-{4}-4-4-6-6-12-22-28-44-35-35-40-41->18

#3602 12/09/1970 Horace Faith Black Pearl 13 40-33-27-20-14-{13}-15-21-28-41->10

#3603 12/09/1970 Engelbert Humperdinck Sweetheart 22 43-27-28-{22}-26-33-50R(2)->7

#3604 12/09/1970 Jim Reeves Angels Don't Lie 32 44-40R(2)-{32}->3

Edited March 17, 20241 yr by JulianT