My first full-on 70s coverage in a few months goes to this chart from the fall of 1971. I was nine months old. All around me, these sounds filled the air.
40 - "I'd Love to Change the World," Ten Years After
39 - "She's All I Got," Freddie North
38 - "(I Know) I'm Losing You," Rod Stewart
37 - "Tired of Being Alone," Al Green
36 - "One Fine Morning," Lighthouse
35 - "You are Everything," The Stylistics
34 - "I've Found Someone of My Own," The Free Movement
33 - "Brand New Key," Melanie
32 - "Absolutely Right," The Five Man Electrical Band
31 - "Never My Love," The Fifth Dimension
We begin this section with British rock. Nottingham, England blues rockers Ten Years After had their biggest hit with this song about wanting to make the world better, but unltimately not doing so because "I don't know what to do." It's just a list of problems, and as far as the solutions go, "I leave it up to you." And the songs uncensored reference to "dykes and fairies" confuses me, because it's unclear how they feel about them. Can't say I like it. And Rod the Mod had his second American hit with this cover of a Temptations hit that Rare Earth had covered just one year earlier. Rod's version has much more soul and personality.
Four soul tracks in this bunch. Singer and DJ Freddie North had his only hit with this plea to a "friend" not to steal the woman he needs. "She's my water when I need a drink." He sings. I was more familiar with Johnny Paycheck's hit country version of this song, but I like this one better. Al Green is back from previous charts I've covered with this soulful plea for company. Al, I'm still working on getting to know you better, but suffice it to say, you're fantastic. The Stylistics had their first pop Top Ten with this song about missing a woman who literally means the world. These guys just might be my favorite Philly soul balladeers. They bring it every time. And The Free Movement return with their tale of a woman who's leaving her man to do some "free movement" of her own. You like that? Huh? Sorry, I tried.
Two Canadian bands are here. Lighthouse return from the past with their solid Blood Sweat and Tears knockoff. And The Five Man Electrical Band, of "Signs" fame, had their only other American hit with this rocker about coming crawling back to a lover, just like she said you would. It reminds me of the state Homer Simpson was in after Marge kicked him out for telling too many of her personal secrets to the marriage class he was teaching. He really was as dirty as a Frenchman, and if he'd had to go without her for a few more hours, I'm sure he would have been dead.
What's left is female-fronted pop. Melanie Safka is here, providing the world with the "key = penis, roller skates = vagina" metaphor no one was asking for. Not that it isn't silly fun, but I just don't think there was a particular clamor for it. And the Fifth Dimension return with an Association cover that was an improvement over the original simply by not being by The Association. In introducing this, Casey said he hoped this group would never break up. Well, technically they haven't, but there's only one original member left, and main stars Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. are long gone. And they haven't had a hit since 1973. So you've sort of gotten your wish, Case.
30 - "Wild Night," Van Morrison
29 - "Theme from Summer of '42," Peter Nero
28 - "Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)," The Temptations
27 - "Where Did Our Love Go," Donnie Elbert
26 - "One Tin Soldier (The Legend of Billy Jack)," Coven
25 - "Scorpio," Dennis Coffey and the Detroit Guitar Band
24 - "Questions 67 & 68," Chicago
23 - "Stones," Neil Diamond
22 - "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)," Marvin Gaye
21 - "Superstar," The Carpenters
We'll start with the male solo singers. Van Morrison had his last American hit with this spirited R&B raveup about getting dressed up and going out on the town. John Mellencamp had a much bigger hit with this in the 90s, but musically, he did not come close to topping Van the Man. New Orleans-born, Buffalo-raised Donnie Elbert hit the Hot 100 for the first time in 1957, but he didn't make the Top 40 until fourteen years later with this professional but unnecessary cover of a Supremes classic. He'd go back to the Motown well the next year for his only other American pop hit "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)." Neil Diamond kept his hit machine rolling with this stange-lyricked (is that a word?) acoustic tune about stones that make a woman's bed and how he and her are wildflowers. Not bad, but I prefer the B-side of this single, "Crunchy Granola Suite." And I'm not joking. And Marvin Gaye scored a third Top 40 hit from What's Going On with this smooth-yet-effective cry against America's social and economic inequalities. The man was serving up some harsh medicine, but he was definitely sweetening enough to make it go down easy.
There are two instrumentals here. Pianist Peter Nero had his only major pop hit with his version of the theme from a film about a teenage boy who loses his virginity to a woman whose husband is killed in World War II. It's not particularly memorable on its own, but I guess the desire for people to relive the movie was strong enough to make it a million-selling single. And Dennis Coffey and band return from past excursions to this time period with this oft-sampled funk instrumental. Sounds like a theme to the best cop show never made.
We'll close the first half with the four remaining groups. The Temptations had another of their early-70s hits with this funky reminder to someone who's achieved success not to forget the people who helped get them there, because "beneath the glitter and gleam, like everyday people, you're just a human being." Good advice, catchily delivered. Coven, a band previously infamous for weaving Satanic themes into their music, had their one mainstream moment with this cover of a 1969 hit for Canadian group The Original Caste. I'm sure you know this song about warlike "valley people" who slaughter the peaceful "mountain people" to acquire a "treasure" that they assume is of great matreial value but is in fact simply a message: "Peace on Earth." Oh, the irony. This version was recorded by Coven singer Jinx Dawson backed by an orcherstra for the soundtrack of the asskicker-defending-hippies movie Billy Jack, but Dawson insisted that her whole band get credit for it. Bottom line, The Original Caste version is much better. But I would like to hear more actual Coven, just out of curiosity. Chicago are here with another of their early hits, a jazzy ballad about the wonder of love that doesn't suck in that "If You Leave Me Now" way. I haven't been able to find the story behind that title, though. And Karen and Richard are back with their classic about falling in love with a guitar player. It's great. That's all
Tomorrow: Another Association cover, a prose poem written in 1927, and the funkiest Oscar-winning song ever.
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