1970 --- For Singles Only

And by singles I mean 45s !

Was just reading the thread about songs that wowed you when you heard them and someone posted ' Love On A Two Way Street ' and on the current Stephen Stills thread there's several mentions of ' Love The One You're With '.
Both great single hits in 1970 , an unbelievably good year for 45s.

Listened to Top 40 radio plenty back then and it seemed like every week there was another bunch of outstanding new songs on the charts.

A great year too for Billboard #1 smashes ( ' Bridge Over Troubled Water ' - incredible, ' Let It Be ' - Beatles swan song, ' Mama Told Me Not To Come ' - my intro to Three Dog Night , ' The Tears of a Clown ' - fantastic, ' My Sweet Lord ' - George! )

What are some of your faves from this great year in music?

 

Who can forget 'Grandad' by Clive Dunn, released in November of that year?

 

"Give Me Just a Little More Time"

 

CSN&Y "Teach Your Children".

The harmony, the lyrics, the music, Garcia on the Steel, everything about this song is superb.

 

'Band of Gold'

 

Your song - Elton John

 

I know it not. Regrets.

 

Its follow-up ( 'Ohio ' ) ain't no slouch either.

 

Interesting to note that on Billboard's year-end Top 1OO singles chart, 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' took the no.1 position while 'Let it Be' obsequiously bowed-in at number nine, number nine, number nine ..

 

For me, '70 was at the front end of a string of fantastic singles years.
My standouts as singles:



Carpenters - We've Only Just Begun
James Gang - Funk #49
Moody Blues - Question
The Who - The Seeker
Jerry Reed - Amos Moses
Chicago - Does Anybody Really Know What Time it Is
Freda Payne - Band of Gold
5th Dimension - One Less Bell to Answer
Four Tops and Supremes - River Deep, Mountain High
Gordon Lightfoot - If You Could Read My Mind
Chairmen of the Board - Give Me Just A Little More Time
Chicago - Make Me Smile
Kniks - Apeman
Badfinger - No Matter What
James Taylor - Fire and Rain
Carpenters - Close to You
Elvis Presley - Kentucky Rain

 

'Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours'

 

'Stoned Love'

 

Crabby Appleton - "Go Back", fantastic hit single.

I agree with several of the aforementioned, including "Band of Gold", "Love On A Two Way Street", "Tears of A Clown" and "No Matter What".

 

Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin (1970 #1; released December, 1969)

 

Many years ago I had the pleasure of working on the documentary "Band Of Gold: The Invictus Record Story", which was the account of Holland-Dozier-Holland and the new record label they formed after leaving Motown. We had the honor of filming interviews of both Freda Payne & General Johnson of Chairman of the Board (at different times) for inclusion in this documentary. Both were very pleasant and extremely interesting in their accounts of these times and these particular records. We also interviewed Ron Dunbar, co-writer of "Band Of Gold". He explained the song was about to be pulled from rotation until it broke in the gay community in a small town down south. They wrongly interpreted the husbands leaving on his wedding night as a sign that he was actually gay. He went on to explain that in an effort to cut the the length of the song, vital lyrics to the story were omitted. It was actually the young bride who sent her husband away.

 

'Still Water (Love)'

 

Long Long Time - Linda Ronstadt
Roll Away the Stone - Leon Russell

 

The Kinks -- Lola
New decade, new ideas.

 

I was smitten with this almost hit from Mary Hopkin. I got the 45 for my birthday in spring 1970 so this would qualify as the first new record I ever got as a gift! Many more would follow! I played this to death.

 

And how many great singles were released in 1970 that weren't big hits?

 

Neil Young -- Only Love Can Break Your Heart

Made a little kid into a lifetime Neil fan.

I have a friend I've never seen
He hides his head inside a dream

 

"No Matter What" -- Badfinger:

 

Well, the telling line (after "we slept in separate rooms") is "And love me like you tried before."

This implies a certain, er, failure on the wedding night, for which the groom's sexual orientation is only one possible explanation. One could easily see him leaving out of general shame at that failure.

There is nothing in the lyrics that remain that imply the bride sent her husband away. In fact, she sings "Hoping soon that you'll walk back through that door." Seems an unusual thought if she's the one who banished him.