It insists upon itself.
I’d never actually heard BoTW before I did this poll, and having listened to it, I don’t care for it - it’s somehow Spartan and overproduced at the same time, and the lyrics just lack the kind of cutting social insight that Simon usually delivers. It’s certainly not the equal of The Boxer or The Sound of Silence or even I Am A Rock.
FWIW, my vote this year went to Let It Be - it’s a simple song, and yet complex in ways I can’t really define, and it sort of represents the fundamental ideal of “soft rock”.
I voted for Shocking Blue’s “Venus.” Because it’s a damn cool song.
My second favorite on the list would be “Isn’t It a Pity” and George Harrison was at the peak of his prime around then. My 3rd favorite might be from among “American Woman,” “Everybody Is a Star,” “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” and, weirdly, “I Think I Love You,” which as syrupy pop songs go is actually a pretty good one. Or maybe it’s that it coincided with my dewy-eyed youth when I was at the age of 11 and the nostalgia effect of it got to me. Thinking it over, I’ve decided that “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” would have to be my 3rd favorite choice with “American Woman” close after.
Yeah, that was in my top tier, as well. Love that song.
“What you mean ‘we,’ paleface?”
You’re doing all the talking for a rather wide swath of people here, and your statements don’t really reflect how pop/rock music worked in those days.
The easiest way to look at this whole thing is to tell yourself “different music for different purposes.” There is value in much music made under the general rubric of “album-oriented” rock, and there is also value of a different kind in music that was made strictly for the Top 40 charts.
Sometimes, a song rested comfortably in both worlds, but not nearly as often as you seem to imply. What “we” remember depends very much upon who “we” is. This thread is evidence that some are dismissive of anything of a light, fun nature; some are dismissive of the pretentiousness that underlies a lot of “serious” rock; and some (myself included) can move easily between both words, dependent upon mood.
And by the way, there is nothing “incidental” about a #1 record. Your 45 rpm record had to garner a LOT of sales and a LOT of Top 40 radio airplay in order for it to hit #1. Of the artists in this 1970 crop of #1’s, only a few had really monster-selling concurrent LPs, and fewer still of these are given any critical regard today.
That doesn’t mean the individual songs are unworthy; it just means that they did not ride the coattails of a hugely successful LP to get the top of the charts, as you imply. And of those that did, you could easily argue that they would have been just as successful if they had released as standalone singles with no connection to an album.
I’m on board with this post including the last bit. Nothing could make me mash the button on the car radio faster. [Insert obligatory “each to her own” disclaimer.]
Hey, no love for Band on the Run? Or B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets? 
If you want to nitpick, both songs were actually released in 1973 but didn’t hit #1 until 1974. However, some at least halfway decent #1 singles actually released during the 1974 calendar year included Eric Clapton’s “I Shot the Sheriff”, Stevie Wonder’s “You Haven’t Done Nothin’”, and BTO’s “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet”.
For my choice in 1974, I’ve narrowed it down to two picks. Still, it is four years and four polls away so we’ll just cross that bridge when we come to it.
Not in 1970 it didn’t. Not quite yet. The list of #1s alone may not make the strongest case, but in 1970 you could turn on Top 40 radio and hear the likes of “Instant Karma,” “Woodstock,” “Evil Ways,” “Black Magic Woman,” “Lola,” “The Thrill Is Gone,” “Spill the Wine,” “Get Ready” (Rare Earth version), “Go Back,” “Ball of Confusion,” “Cinnamon Girl,” “Oh Well (Part One),” “The Letter” (Joe Cocker version), “Green Eyed Lady,” “Ooh Child,” “After Midnight,” “All Right Now,” “25 or 6 to 4,” “Make Me Smile,” “Question,” “Rainy Night in Georgia,” a buttload of great Creedence songs, and more more more. Yeah, you might also hear a “Julie Do Ya Love Me” or a “Gimme Dat Ding,” but that’s the chance you take. 
I think you’re selling Edwin Starr short.
You guys do understand that when I say “beginnings” I don’t mean “end,” right? :smack:
Good God, y’all.
Another vote for Venus.
Good Lord, did wimp-rock raise it’s passive aggressive head in 1970 or what? A bigger collection of terribly emotive songs I’ve never seen. And I dig 70s tunes enormously. Just God above, the amount of self-serious turtleneck wearers seems out of proportion to the amount needed by any sane world.
Out of that lot, I went with the Jackson Five.
I would go for “Venus” if it were the instrumental version. I have fond memories of listening to it over and over again while working in my high school’s auditorium one evening to get everything ready for the homecoming variety show. (“Hey! Let’s put on a show!”) :o
I vote Simon & Garfunkel but if Vehicle by Ides of March had made past #2 I would have voted for it.
“I Want You Back” now and until the end of time. Probably the greatest single of the last 100 years.
About half great choices, and half bad choices. “Let it Be” won by me.
Wow! 
I had a hard time picking between Bridge and Let It Be. I picked the latter.