American Top 40 for the week ending December 19, 1970
Hooray! A 1970 show--my favorite AT40 era. And this one has a legendary AT40 'goof' almost right off the bast. I've been looking forward to this show all week.
40) Rose Garden--Lynn Anderson (debut)
A huge country #1 that also works as a good pop tune. No surprise that it crossed over.
39) And now we come to the classic 'oops!' moment: AT40 played the wrong song. It should have been the debut of Stephen Stills' "Love the One You're With", which has never bone much for me, but instead we heard a song titled "So Close" by Jake Holmes, which in fact had fallen entirely out of the Hot 100 from #57 on this particular week. "So Close", which I have never heard before or since, is not a bad slow tune. Pretty good, in fact. Holmes would never score another chart hit after this one, which had actually peaked at #49 several weeks prior.
38) Your Song--Elton John (debut)
The song that started the hit train rolling for Mr. Dwight. A true classic.
37) Border Song--Aretha Franklin (debut)
And right after Elton's first top 40 appearance is a cover of his first Hot 100 song (it had peaked at #92 just a couple of months earlier) by the Queen of Soul. As always, Aretha makes the song her own with a soaring gospel-like performance. I'm sure Elton was pleased.
36) Do It--Neil Diamond (39 previous week)
1970 was a period in which Diamond's former label, Bang, was releasing 'from the vaults' tracks as singles at the same time as his then-current label (Uni/MCA) was. This was his third Bang single to hit the 40 in 1970, following "Shilo" and the re-release of his first chart single "Solitary Man", and it's a good one. I prefer it to his concurrent Uni single which comes later in the countdown.
35) I'm Not My Brother's Keeper--The Flaming Ember (38)
The third and final top 40 hit by this Detroit soul group (who happened to be white, a la Rare Earth). Good song, but not quite as good as blackbowl's favorite "Westbound #9" or their great first single from a year earlier, "Mind, Body and Soul".
34) Engine Number 9--Wilson Pickett (26)
A tasty piece of funk from the Wicked Pickett, the first of three consecutive top 20 pop hits he would score in 1970/71.
33) Only Love Can Break Your Heart--Neil Yong (33)
A plaintive ballad done in Young's inimitable style, from his solo "After the Gold Rush" LP.
32) If I Were Your Woman--Gladys Knight and the Pips (debut)
The highest debut of the week, and one of many great vocal performances by Gladys, who I think is one of the more underrated female vocalists of the era. Great song.
31) Immigrant Song--Led Zeppelin (36)
I guess this is one of the songs that Mr. Plant has no desire to sing in concert for the millionth time, no matter how much money is dangled in front of him!
A classic that's still a 'classic rock' staple. But what in the heck is it about, Viking references and all?
30) River Deep-Mountain High--The Supremes and the Four Tops (35)
Two top Motown acts team up and remake the Ike and Tina tune with excellent results. The only version of this much-recorded song to hit the top 40.
29) It's Impossible--Perry Como (34)
A master of the genre has his way with a really good pop song, and it shows.
28) Groove Me--King Floyd (30)
I love southern soul, and I love this song! Raw and funky.
27) Stoney End--Barbra Streisand (40)
While I've never been a fan of 'Babs', I have to admit that this tune, almost the biggest mover within the 40, isn't bad at all. Written by the late, great Laura Nyro.
26) Can't Stop Loving You--Tom Jones (29)
An almost totally forgotten Jones release. Not great, but not bad either.
25) Pay To the Piper--The Chairmen Of the Board (32)
The second and last major hit by an unjustly forgotten R&B group. another great example of early '70s soul.
24) You Don't Have To Say You Love Me--Elvis Presley (14)
Elvis nearly scored a third top 10 record in 1970 with this one that peaked at #11. A remake of a 1966 Dusty Springfield hit, it does not hold any special charm for me.
23) One Man Band--Three Dog Night (28)
One of their lower-charting records from their 'golden era', I've always thought this to be one of their best. It rocks out quite nicely.
22) Montego Bay--Bobby Bloom (17)
Only hit from Mr. Bloom, who unfortunately died young just a few years later. A good tune with evocative lyrics of a Jamaican experience.
21) Fire and Rain--James Taylor (15)
The one that started Taylor's long-running career as a singer-songwriter. A textbook example of the 'confessional' school of songwriting.
20) He Ain't Heavy...He's My Brother (21)
The second of Neil's two singles on two labels. Like the Elvis remake just a few songs ago, I don't think this remake of the Hollies' hit from earlier in the year adds much if anything to the original.
19) For the Good Times--Ray Price (23)
The second big country crossover hit on this chart, this is a classic song and a great vocal performance my Mr. Price, whom we lost earlier this year.
18) After Midnight--Eric Clapton (18)
Clapton's first solo single hit is peaking this week. A good rendition of a J. J. Cale song, another artist who recently passed on.
17) Be My Baby--Andy Kim (19)
Kim does a decent job on this remake of the #2 Ronettes/Phil Spector 1963 hit. Quite a few remakes on this chart, aren't there?
16) Heaven Help Us All--Stevie Wonder (16)
An excellent Wonder song that is never heard today, unfortunately.
15) Domino--Van Morrison (22)
A good song, but another "Huh? What the heck is this song about?" tune.
14) I'll Be There--The Jackson Five (5)
One of only a few songs that were on the last 1970 AT40 that we heard this year back in October. As I think I commented back then, the brothers' biggest hit is a true classic.
13) 5-10-15-20 (25-30 Years Of Love)--The Presidents (13)
A lightweight, 'bubblegummy' pop/soul tune.
12) We've Only Just Begun--The Carpenter (11)
Another song that was on the previous 1970 show. Like I said then, great vocal performance by Karen.
11) Share the Land--The Guess Who (10)
Probably my favorite song by the group. A good song I never tire of hearing.
10) No Matter What--Badginger (8)
Badfinger at their most 'Beatle-esque'. Good pop song.
9) Gypsy Woman--Brian Hyland (3)
Yet another remake (The Impressions, 1961). Hyland's last major pop hit is a good one, with soulful vocals.
8) Does Anybody Really Know What time it Is--Chicago (9)
Chicago's third consecutive top 10 single in a row is the weakest of the three, in my opinion.
7) Stoned Love--The Supremes (12)
The highest-charting pop hit the post-Diana Supremes would have (this is where it would peak) is a good one. Jean Terrell delivers a great vocal performance.
6) Knock Three Times--Dawn (20)
The biggest move on the 40, Tony Orlando's still uncredited vocal performance is headed for the top. Decent pop tune, but to me a bit 'gimmicky' and not as good as their first hit "Candida".
5) Black Magic Woman--Santana (7)
Their second pop hit is still a 'classic rock' staple. Excellent song and production.
4) I Think I Love You--The Partridge Family (2)
Yes, it's coldly-calculated 'tennybop' product intended solely to sell product and promote the ABC sitcom, but darned if it isn't a good pop tune. And (unlike some teen idols) Cassidy could actually sing!
3) One Less Bell To Answer--The Fifth Dimension (4)
A great Marilyn McCoo vocal really pushes this almost-#1 hit into the 'excellent' category.
2) My Sweet Lord/Isn't It a Pity--George Harrison (6)
Headed straight for #1, which it would own for the next four weeks. A true classic with an equally good, rarely heard flip side.
One note: Casey was wrong! The #1 record exactly one year earlier was NOT Harrison's Beatle song "Something", but rather Peter, Paul, and Mary's "Leaving On a Jet Plane". The combined "Come Together"/"Something" did hit #1 for one week on Billboard for the week ending November 29, 1969, which was also the week that "Billboard" changed their chart methodology and ceased listing 'A' and 'B' sides separately. "Something", by itself, had been ranked at #3 the two previous weeks.
1) "The Tears Of a Clown"--Smokey Robinson and the Miracles (1)
Who would've thought? Take a three-year-old track recorded in 1967 and release it as a single and it hits #1! The song that would become Smokey's signature tune. Another true timeless classic.
Hope you've enjoyed my observations and ramblings, as always. Until 2015...bye!