Best of the Rest of the Top 40: 1970

Cafe Society
1

The year is now 1970. For this poll, we go to #43 to fill in our minimum 25 songs on the chart in a year I can only describe as a transitional period between psychedelia and hard rock.

What’s your favorite?

Previous polls: 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969

Best #1 single polls: 1955-56 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s All-time

2

First, there was a poll
then there was no poll
then there was.

3

Now there is, Donovan.

4

These songs are the soundtrack of my childhood. It’s like picking your favorite kid. I JUST CAN’T!!

5

It’s easy! “Which Way You Goin’, Billy” is easily the worst song on that or most any list.

Oh, you want my favorite. “All Right Now” was what I played very loud before going out Friday nights for several years in a row.

6

“Instant Karma” is the highest-rated song in the world-famous Ponch8 Music Rating System, and it seems the rest of the Teeming Millions agree so far. Other contenders for my vote were “Band of Gold,” “Spill the Wine,” “Signed, Sealed, Delivered,” and “Ride Captain Ride.”

“Hitchin’ a Ride” is horrible and finishes dead-ass last.

There’s an error in the list: the song is called “…Where My Rosemary Goes,” not “…Where My Baby Goes.”

Just a week ago, I was JUST ABOUT to start an “ID this song for me” thread for a song I had just remembered. For some reason I thought it was a Mamas and the Papas song similar to “Go Where You Wanna Go” except slower. Now that I’ve played all the songs I don’t recognize, I discovered that it was Marmalade’s “Reflections of My Life”!

7

Almost as much variety as 1965-1968, but the quality has suffered.
And almost entirely devoid of any sense of direction.

Which may explain why disco sounded good to some fools a few years later…

8

Loves me some Brook Benton. Second choice would be Spirit In The Sky, with that Telecaster pretending it was a bari saxophone.

9

Came down to War, Free, and Stevie Wonder. Went with Stevie – the last of his “Motowny” hits, just before he became simply a sui generis genius.

10

I went with Spirit in the Sky on this one, mainly on the basis of that awesome fuzz guitar riff.

Spill the Wine, Instant Karma, Green-Eyed Lady, Looking Out My Back Door, All Right Now, and Ride Captain Ride all get honorable mentions in my book.

11

I was just at a funeral for a friend (50 years old) who was an avid skier, hiker, biker, camper, etc. The montage of his life pictures was set to Spirit In the Sky, so that’s my choice.

12

Instant Karma.

Just because.

13

I dunno. I think “Patches” gives it a run for its money.

That is what I voted, as well.

14

I voted for “Green Eyed Lady”.

15

Up until now, the ‘best of the rest’ has been generally better than the #1’s in practically every year, and unlike the #1’s, they’ve had no bad years.

This year is the first where the ‘best of the rest’ really just isn’t all that good. And the #1’s kick their ass every which way.

ETA: I’m going with Creedence as basically a default choice.

16

I went with Free… Paul Rodgers is one of the best rock singers of al ltime. Much under rated.
BTW. .I think the Edison Lighthouse song is Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)

17

Damn, I voted for “All Right Now” and completely missed that “Spirit in the Sky” was an option. If I could change my vote, I would.

18

Don’t worry, I voted for “Spirit in the Sky” before I noticed that “Spill the Wine” was an option. So, if someone who wants to vote for “All Right Now” will vote for “Spill the Wine”, it’ll all work out.

19

Hmm… I’m caught between Spill the Wine and Instant Karma. Decisions, decisions…

20

John Lennon FTW. Say what you will about the rest of 1970, “Instant Karma” rules.

Well we all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun