A fifty-year retro-spective of the year 1970 in music.
The seventies saw an explosion of the classic rock we know from rocking bands such as Led Zeppelin to the progressive rock sounds of Chicago. Rock also saw the swan-song of the Beatles as a group and the start of each of them as individuals. R&B saw Diana Ross splitting away from The Supremes and the emergence of The Jackson Five. The Carpenters took the world by storm. Too many stories for one paragraph.
All right now, whether you’re from Victoria or Venus or Temma Harbour, let’s go hitchin’ a ride and board this vehicle and take that long and winding road up around the bend and ramble on through fire and rain and celebrate the year of 1970. We’ve only just begun and thank you.
This ranking reflects my personal tastes and your mileage may vary. Enjoy.
| 1 | HE AIN’T HEAVY, HE’S MY BROTHER | The Hollies |
| 2 | WE’VE ONLY JUST BEGUN | Carpenters |
| 3 | (THEY LONG TO BE) CLOSE TO YOU | Carpenters |
| 4 | LET IT BE | The Beatles |
| 5 | CRACKLIN’ ROSIE | Neil Diamond |
| 6 | SOMEDAY WE’LL BE TOGETHER | Diana Ross & The Supremes |
| 7 | ALL RIGHT NOW | Free |
| 8 | TEACH YOUR CHILDREN | Crosby, Stills & Nash |
| 9 | THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD | The Beatles |
| 10 | THE TEARS OF A CLOWN | Smokey Robinson & The Miracles |
| 11 | VEHICLE | The Ides of March |
| 12 | BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER | Simon & Garfunkel |
| 13 | TICKET TO RIDE | Carpenters |
| 14 | SNOWBIRD | Anne Murray |
| 15 | WHO’LL STOP THE RAIN | Creedence Clearwater Revival |
| 16 | THANK YOU | Led Zeppelin |
| 17 | RIDE CAPTAIN RIDE | Blues Image |
| 18 | IN THE SUMMERTIME | Mungo Jerry |
| 19 | I’LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN | Dionne Warwick |
| 20 | LOOKIN’ OUT MY BACK DOOR | Creedence Clearwater Revival |
| 21 | EVIL WAYS | Santana |
| 22 | I’LL BE THERE | Jackson 5 |
| 23 | RAMBLE ON | Led Zeppelin |
| 24 | IT’S A SHAME | The Spinners |
| 25 | FIRE AND RAIN | James Taylor |
| 26 | I WANT YOU BACK | Jackson 5 |
| 27 | WHAT YOU GAVE ME | Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell |
| 28 | WHOLE LOTTA LOVE | Led Zeppelin |
| 29 | GIVE ME JUST A LITTLE MORE TIME | Chairmen of the Board |
| 30 | CLOSER TO HOME (I’M YOUR CAPTAIN) | Grand Funk Railroad |
| 31 | QUESTION | The Moody Blues |
| 32 | GROOVE ME | King Floyd |
| 33 | CELEBRATE | Three Dog Night |
| 34 | SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED I’M YOURS | Stevie Wonder |
| 35 | LOLA | The Kinks |
| 36 | UP AROUND THE BEND | Creedence Clearwater Revival |
| 37 | REACH OUT AND TOUCH (SOMEBODY’S HAND) | Diana Ross |
| 38 | TWO OF US | The Beatles |
| 39 | O-O-H CHILD | The 5 Stairsteps |
| 40 | AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH | Diana Ross |
| 41 | LIVING LOVING MAID (SHE’S JUST A WOMAN) | Led Zeppelin |
| 42 | MIDNIGHT COWBOY | Arthur Ferrante & Louis Teicher |
| 43 | CECILIA | Simon & Garfunkel |
| 44 | SPILL THE WINE | War |
| 45 | JE T’AIME… MOI NON PLUS | Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin |
| 46 | BIG YELLOW TAXI | Joni Mitchell |
| 47 | AMERICAN WOMAN | The Guess Who |
| 48 | OUR HOUSE | Crosby, Stills & Nash |
| 49 | EASY COME, EASY GO | Bobby Sherman |
| 50 | INSTANT KARMA | John Lennon |
| 51 | MAMA TOLD ME (NOT TO COME) | Three Dog Night |
| 52 | 25 OR 6 TO 4 | Chicago |
| 53 | ABC | Jackson 5 |
| 54 | TRAVELIN’ BAND | Creedence Clearwater Revival |
| 55 | WHY SHOULD I CRY | The Gentrys |
| 56 | EL CONDOR PASA (IF I COULD) | Simon & Garfunkel |
| 57 | EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL | Ray Stevens |
| 58 | DOES ANYBODY REALLY KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS? | Chicago |
| 59 | HEY THERE LONELY GIRL | Eddie Holman |
| 60 | ALONE AGAIN OR | Love |
| 61 | BORDER SONG | Elton John |
| 62 | LOVE OR LET ME BE LONELY | The Friends of Distinction |
| 63 | COMIN’ HOME | Delaney & Bonnie / Eric Clapton |
| 64 | ROADHOUSE BLUES | The Doors |
| 65 | LET’S WORK TOGETHER | Wilbert Harrison |
| 66 | KEEP ON DOIN’ | The Isley Brothers |
| 67 | ONLY YOU AND I KNOW | Dave Mason |
| 68 | CRAZY LOVE | Van Morrison |
| 69 | ROCK ISLAND LINE | Johnny Cash |
| 70 | DIDN’T I (BLOW YOUR MIND THIS TIME) | The Delfonics |
| 71 | HITCHIN’ A RIDE | Vanity Fare |
| 72 | TEMMA HARBOUR | Mary Hopkin |
| 73 | HEARTBREAKER | Grand Funk Railroad |
| 74 | AFTER MIDNIGHT | Eric Clapton |
| 75 | FRESH AIR | Quicksilver Messenger Service |
| 76 | UNTIL IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO GO | Neil Diamond |
| 77 | SHE CAME IN THROUGH THE BATHROOM WINDOW | Joe Cocker |
| 78 | EVERYTHING’S TUESDAY | Chairmen of the Board |
| 79 | GIMME DAT DING | The Pipkins |
| 80 | THE LETTER | Joe Cocker with Leon Russell & the Shelter People |
| 81 | SPIRIT IN THE SKY | Norman Greenbaum |
| 82 | RAINY NIGHT IN GEORGIA | Brook Benton |
| 83 | RUN SALLY RUN | The Cuff Links |
| 84 | CANDIDA | Dawn featuring Tony Orlando |
| 85 | HELLO DARLIN’ | Conway Twitty |
| 86 | LONG, LONG TIME | Linda Ronstadt |
| 87 | LOVE GROWS (WHERE MY ROSEMARY GOES) | Edison Lighthouse |
| 88 | CINNAMON GIRL | The Gentrys |
| 89 | VICTORIA | The Kinks |
| 90 | UNITED WE STAND | The Brotherhood Of Man |
| 91 | VENUS | Shocking Blue |
| 92 | KENTUCKY RAIN | Elvis Presley |
| 93 | WALKIN’ IN THE RAIN | Jay & The Americans |
| 94 | PATCHES | Clarence Carter |
| 95 | THE LOVE YOU SAVE | Jackson 5 |
| 96 | MAKE IT WITH YOU | Bread |
| 97 | SAVE THE COUNTRY | The 5th Dimension |
| 98 | CALIFORNIA GIRL | Eddie Floyd |
| 99 | SAMBA PA TI | Santana |
| 100 | VOODOO CHILD {Slight Return} | Jimi Hendrix |
Happy new year.
Alan's Music Spotlight 
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