Actually, of that list, "One Bad Apple" is of the "take it or leave it" batch; all five you cited as that, plus "Me and Bobby McGee" in the "snap in half" category, are favorites of mine, with only the Donny Osmond "offering" being where we're in agreement. (And to think Rick Hall once produced or co-produced the likes of Wilson Pickett and Clarence Carter.) As for AT40, it started in July of 1970. It was about a year old when "Uncle Albert" was hanging round the Top 40 on its way to and from the top spot.
In my youth, I listened to different radio stations of different formats. For example, in the mid-1970's if I were awake at night, listening to Long John Nebel and Candy Jones on WMCA 570 during its "all-talk" days; or later in the decade, listening to overnight tape loops of the news on 1010 WINS. Many years later, when I was a guest on a cable access show, Beyond Vaudeville, one of the other guests - Alison Steele, "The Nightbird" of one of those very famous FM rock stations, WNEW-FM 102.7, where she was from 1968 to about 1979 - spoke of how the world was divided between larks (day people) and owls (night people). I had mentioned that I hadn't listened to her show, and she assumed that therefore I was a lark; but then I brought up that, when I was young, I used to watch test patterns as the TV stations were signing off for the night. There was a brief "WTF" expression from Ms. Steele (who died three years after that show) before the camera cut to the host.
I discussed this beautiful record on the #1 Billboard Soul Chart thread...and how I didn't appreciate it when I first heard it in 1971. It wasn't until I "re-heard" it in 1979 that I appreciated it for the gem that it is. I also heard several other songs by Brenda and the Tabulations around that time and they became one of my all time favorite groups. They made a whole long string of great records.
It should be noted that 1971 was the year Jerry Lee Lewis had his last visit to the Top 40, with a rendition of "Me And Bobby McGee" which peaked at . . . #40. Its flip side, "Would You Take Another Chance On Me," was a #1 C&W hit. But there were a few other country tunes that showed some life on the pop side - "Kiss An Angel Good Morning" by Charley Pride, "Easy Loving" by Freddie Hart, and two by Jerry Reed - "Amos Moses" and "When You're Hot, You're Hot." Meanwhile, 1971 also marked the first appearance on the singles charts of a majorly truncated "Layla" by Derek And The Dominos, cut down all the way to 2:43. It only mustered up to #51 this time 'round, but would make more of an impact the next year. Here's an approximation of how it sounded the first time out:
My pick for 'should've been a #1 hit', is predictably Diana Ross', 'Remember Me', topped out at #16 on the Hot 100 but made the top 10 on Cashbox, Record World and in the UK and Canada. The following year she'd be busy filming Lady Sings The Blues and would release only 1 single in the entire 1972, of course by '73 she was back on top of things. Going into 1972, we'll see the quietest year for Motown on the charts yet, though it would send 2 singles to #1 on the charts. By this point it was obvious that the Motown sound/machine had come to an end and from now on it would be singular popular acts carrying the label, as opposed to the 1960's era when it seemed anybody on the label could score a hit at any given time.
This is not my pick for song that should have gotten to #1 but didn't (I'll write up my choice tonight). But, it is one of my favorite tracks from the era. Just a fabulous song that MOVES. Treat Her Like a Lady by the Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose. I like Too Late to Turn Back Now, too, but Treat is the one I really love.
Yes, I agree. I had the same experience with my older brothers and sisters. Whatever FM songs did get played on AM usually had bad edits to get them into the 3-4 minute length ("Layla" the first time around in 1971 -- 2:43 length and faded out during the dueling guitar solos!; "Roundabout", "Won't Get Fooled Again", "Beginnings")
WRT "Superstar" (the Carpenters song [as opposed to Murray Head]) I know Bonnie Bramlett sang "I can't wait to sleep with you again" and Karen Carpenter sang "I can't wait to be with you again" I'm wondering which lyric Bette Midler or Rita Coolidge sang, and wondering what the "source" was for the lyrics Karen sang off of the napkin (as mentioned in the earlier post). I imagine Midler sang the cleaner lyric (at least on the Tonight Show).
19 bnm,./ I believe it started in 1970, although I may be wrong. Years ago I heard Kasey Kasem rebroadcast the first episode, and as I recall it, the song "Question" by the Moody Blues was on the list, which would make it late spring-early summer of 1970. -oops, just saw the post above saying July 1970. Actually I was pretty close. I started listening to "American Top 40" in the mid-70s myself.
Santana was hot on the charts with Abraxas and Black Magic Woman in '71. Ringo made It Don't Come Easy and showed the world he could be a viable solo star, at least for a few years. Tommy James came back from a defunct career with Draggin' The Line. Joan Baez had a late career Top 5 hit with The Band's The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. Bill Withers began a bountiful couple of years on the charts with Ain't No Sunshine. The Chi-Lites and The Stylistics were in their nascent period of sweet soul that would only get bigger in the next few years. Creedence had their last Top 10 single with Sweet Hitch-hiker. Just a few more things 1971 had to offer.
I didn't buy this one but I did pick up Don't Pull Your Love and Annabella which I really liked. Hamilton,Joe Frank & Reynolds - Annabella 1971
Here's another song that just grazed the Top 40 in '71 by a female rock group called Fanny that never had the success this song deserved. They made some good records in the short time in the spotlight and this was one of their best.
Yeah, it's miles better than her cover of "Spanish Harlem", which I've always found to be just a mess. Another favorite from when I was a tyke.
1971 was my first full year of record buying, I was mainly a 45 purchaser that year. Here's some I picked up: Chambers Brothers-Love Peace and Happiness T. Rex-Ride A White Swan (on Blue Thumb-actually said "Tyrannosaurus Rex" on the label) Bob Dylan-Watching the River Flow James Brown-Hot Pants, Soul Power Dave and Ansell Collins-Double Barrel Yes-Your Move Joe Cocker-High Time We Went Elton John-Friends, Levon The Poppy Family-I Was Wondering (I loved the horns-and Susan Jacks' voice) Sea Train-13 Questions Redeye-Games Also I remember a couple of the year's controversial songs I didn't buy..."One Toke Over the Line" by Brewer and Shipley and "Timothy" by the Buoys.
Dare I say it was probably "too Black" for top 40 radio at the time? We'll discuss this one more in a few months of the crat, but this one is a stone cold classic! Not quite. He had been releasing singles through the whole time from 1969 to that point. I think it was the time he dissolved the Shondells, and he was going through a prescription drug problem. But, yeah, he came back strong for that one song, didn't he? And, he had that classic sound that made him famous. It would be another seven years before he would strike the top 40 again with a christian-tinged hit. I read somewhere, maybe here, that Robbie Robertson was quite perturbed by Joan Baez's version. he felt that she changed the whole meaning of the song by changing the lyrics and adding a festive arrangement. For the record, I like Baez's version because it sounds like she's giving a middle finger to the sentiment of the song. Bill's success was better than that, and much more than two years! But, Mr. Withers was surprised at even his own success. Like many others who were taken by surprise by sudden success, he didn't quit his day job until it was certain that it was going to work out. There is a story in the reissued "Still Bill" CD about how he recorded his first album. He sped through L.A. traffic to get to the studio. Oh yeah! That's one of the great songs that helped me get through the summer of '71. One of the best blue-eyed soul records ever. Produced by the same songwriting team that would work with The Four Tops and Tavares later on.
You may dare, and I'll dare to agree. Just one look at James Brown's top 40 history in the early '70s bears it out. He put out classic single after classic single, and couldn't dent the Top 10. They were just TOO funky for a lot of stations to play.
But, as I pointed out in the #1 Billboard R&B thread, the quality of his music started to suffer. Long, mindless jams that last a half an hour...
Well it has Jesus in it so that (ahem) trumps any drug references. And Welk calls it a modern spiritual so that's all anyone needs to know!
I was speaking basically in terms of chart success as a singer. He had a #1, #2 and #3 hit between '71 and '72 then languished in the mid to lower reaches of the charts until another #2 In The Name Of Love brought him back to the upper reaches in "81. For most people, he was a Whatever-happened-to artist for the bulk of the 70s.
You are wrong. You are forgetting at least two very significant hits. They should be slapping you in the head right now. One in 1978, and one in 1980. Google them. Have a lovely day, and remember, this thread isn't just the two of us.
Cute. I actually meant to say Just The Two Of Us but I had a brain fart. I didn't forget Lovely Day but it surprisingly wasn't as big a hit as it should have been (#30) and has since become due to it's use in TV commercials. Look, I love the guy but I'll wager if you ask the average person to name some of Bill Wither's hits, they'll get stuck after Ain't No Sunshine and Lean On Me. Certainly not something like this which I also like:
I mentioned on the Billboard R&B #1 thread that I heard "Hot Pants" for a day or two on top 40 radio (when it first came out) and then it inexplicably disappeared from the airwaves. My friends and I all thought it was because it had been deemed "inappropriate" by the radio station programmers. Also, I never heard ANY of James' songs on top 40 radio from 1970 onward. This was in Southern California, others in different parts of the country may have had a different experience. Also, I did hear James on FM "underground" radio at the time. The song was "Ain't It Funky Now". Those stations were really eclectic back in the day. Another song of interest was the Marvin Gaye single from the following year "You're the Man". I bought that 45 right after it came out, it was played heavily on Black radio but not at all on the top 40 stations. This was in spite of the fact that Marvin's previous three singles were all in the top ten. Now, with regard to "Rock Steady", that one got massive top 40 airplay, I remember.
