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The 100 Greatest Songs of 1970 #1. Bridge Over Troubled Water

94. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young “Our House” (from Deja vu) 

https://youtu.be/tKYjUn-SBcg

This is Graham Nash’s love song to his then girlfriend Joni Mitchell, and to the hippie domestic bliss they achieved that year at Laurel Canyon. Joni would return the favor with the sublime “My Old Man” released the following year. Sadly the relationship did not last long. Yet the images (two cats in the yard) remain timeless. 

 
93. Emerson, Lake and Palmer “Lucky Man” (from Emerson, Lake & Palmer)

https://youtu.be/9ZUyB5dRwg0

Greg Lake wrote this little ballad when he was 12, forgot about it for years, then produced it when the new band needed some filler to close off the first album. And of course it’s been a classic rock staple ever since. 

 
92. Black Sabbath “War Pigs” (from Paranoid) 

https://youtu.be/LQUXuQ6Zd9w

Ah, Geezer Butler. In an interview I read he’s attempting to explain the source of his lyrics: “So when I wrote like witches in black masses, I was making a metaphor, man! Generals are witches, get it?” Geezer is a great bass player, but not exactly deep. 
I always have trouble listening to this or any other classic early Sabbath tune without thinking of the dreadful industrial accident Iommi suffered as a teen, which inadvertently created their sound. Even so it’s a great sound. Ozzy’s vocals are a little showy here, but still terrific. 

 
timschochet said:
92. Black Sabbath “War Pigs” (from Paranoid) 

https://youtu.be/LQUXuQ6Zd9w

Ah, Geezer Butler. In an interview I read he’s attempting to explain the source of his lyrics: “So when I wrote like witches in black masses, I was making a metaphor, man! Generals are witches, get it?” Geezer is a great bass player, but not exactly deep. 
I always have trouble listening to this or any other classic early Sabbath tune without thinking of the dreadful industrial accident Iommi suffered as a teen, which inadvertently created their sound. Even so it’s a great sound. Ozzy’s vocals are a little showy here, but still terrific. 
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Love it but this is also a gargantuan tune that I would put way up there.

 
timschochet said:
I always have trouble listening to this or any other classic early Sabbath tune without thinking of the dreadful industrial accident Iommi suffered as a teen, which inadvertently created their sound. Even so it’s a great sound.
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Without that accident Tony might still be working in that factory, denying us from all that followed.

 
timschochet said:
95. Elton John “Take Me to the Pilot” (from Elton John) 

https://youtu.be/Fi0xN499IXE

Don’t ask me what this song is about; Bernie Taupin has stated that he doesn’t know, Elton doesn’t know, so how could the rest of us have any idea? It’s a classic early Elton rocker, enhanced by his superb keyboards and vocals. 
The album is often thought to be Elton’s first; the film Rocket Man presents this as well. But it’s actually his second album. The first one, Empty Sky has a couple of serviceable tunes (“Western Ford Gateway” and “Lady Samantha”) but is mostly pretty mediocre. 
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love, love, love this song - so many of these from young Elton/Bernie combo - hope to see more here  :wub:

 
timschochet said:
93. Emerson, Lake and Palmer “Lucky Man” (from Emerson, Lake & Palmer)

https://youtu.be/9ZUyB5dRwg0

Greg Lake wrote this little ballad when he was 12, forgot about it for years, then produced it when the new band needed some filler to close off the first album. And of course it’s been a classic rock staple ever since. 
Click to expand...


I was very much a Yes fan and a fan of a lot of prog - never took to ELP, with the exception of a few songs and this was one of them.  

 
timschochet said:
92. Black Sabbath “War Pigs” (from Paranoid) 

https://youtu.be/LQUXuQ6Zd9w

Ah, Geezer Butler. In an interview I read he’s attempting to explain the source of his lyrics: “So when I wrote like witches in black masses, I was making a metaphor, man! Generals are witches, get it?” Geezer is a great bass player, but not exactly deep. 
I always have trouble listening to this or any other classic early Sabbath tune without thinking of the dreadful industrial accident Iommi suffered as a teen, which inadvertently created their sound. Even so it’s a great sound. Ozzy’s vocals are a little showy here, but still terrific. 
Click to expand...


to anyone that doesn't like this song:

1) we can't be friends

2) WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU??!!

 
timschochet said:
91. Eric Burdon & War “Spill the Wine” (from Eric Burdon Declares “War”) 

https://youtu.be/3i0DMbCKnAg

One of those songs that I don’t think about until I hear it, and then it’s always great. This tune was used very effectively into two movies, IMO: Boogie Nights and Remember the Titans. 
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I've always wondered about one lyric in this version.....  she brings out a bottle not of wine but of Lithramich? What is that?

 
Just realized after it came up on my playlist.... Mungo Jerry was a 1970 hit, wasn't it?  I wonder if it cracks the top 50.  

 
johnnycakes said:
Just realized after it came up on my playlist.... Mungo Jerry was a 1970 hit, wasn't it?  I wonder if it cracks the top 50.  
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i'm working the math - it will go in exactly the same spot mr timmy would have ranked Come On Eileen if he'd done 1982  (@Andy Dufresne  ranked '82 and gave it a still2hi #85)....................lessee.............carry the Bread.....................what's the square root of Karma Chameleon?....................i'll get back2u

 
johnnycakes said:
Just realized after it came up on my playlist.... Mungo Jerry was a 1970 hit, wasn't it?  I wonder if it cracks the top 50.  
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I might as well reveal this now: I was hoping we could get through this draft without mention of this annoying, awful tune, which did not make my list. Were my list ten times as long, I would still manage to exclude that crappy song. 

 
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90. Simon & Garfunkel “El Condor Pasa (If I Could)” (from Bridge Over Troubled Water) 

https://youtu.be/QqJvqMeaDtU

Long before Paul Simon became enamored with the native sounds of southern Africa (see Graceland) he was equally infatuated with the sounds of Central America, particularly the Andean region of Peru. Taking an old folk song (though not quite as old as he supposed; it was actually written in 1913, and this fact led to a later lawsuit) Simon made it world famous. He later incorporated Andean music for his song “Duncan” from his solo effort two years later. 

 
"Take Me to the Pilot" and "Spill the Wine" are criminally underrated here.*

*I have no idea what else might be coming up, so am making this statement just to stir the pot.  That Elton song, though, is likely my second favorite from him (I can't put anything higher than Your Song, for sentimental reasons), and Spill the Wine is one of my favorites from anyone (if you can't dig that groove we can't be friends or even iFriends).

 
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timschochet said:
90. Simon & Garfunkel “El Condor Pasa (If I Could)” (from Bridge Over Troubled Water) 

https://youtu.be/QqJvqMeaDtU

Long before Paul Simon became enamored with the native sounds of southern Africa (see Graceland) he was equally infatuated with the sounds of Central America, particularly the Andean region of Peru. Taking an old folk song (though not quite as old as he supposed; it was actually written in 1913, and this fact led to a later lawsuit) Simon made it world famous. He later incorporated Andean music for his song “Duncan” from his solo effort two years later. 
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I always loved the intro much better than the rest of the song.

That intro was used beautifully in the movie "Wild".

 
timschochet said:
93. Emerson, Lake and Palmer “Lucky Man” (from Emerson, Lake & Palmer)

https://youtu.be/9ZUyB5dRwg0

Greg Lake wrote this little ballad when he was 12, forgot about it for years, then produced it when the new band needed some filler to close off the first album. And of course it’s been a classic rock staple ever since. 
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Huge ELP fan here. Was able to see them in concert once, bucket list concert for sure. 

 
88. Three Dog Night “Mama Told Me Not to Come”  (from It Ain’t Easy) 

https://youtu.be/rKaQzQAlNn4

Originally composed for Eric Burdon, Randy Newman recorded his own version in 1970 for his album Twelve Songs (with the help of Ry Cooder on slide guitar) and offered it to Three Dog Night, which gave them their first hit single. I personally prefer the Newman version, though it’s close. Two great pieces of trivia about the Three Dog Night version: 

1. The back up singer is Donna Summer (uncredited) 

2. On the very first episode of Casey Kasem’s America’s Top 40, “Mama Told Me Not to Come” was the #1 song. 

 
87. Traffic “John Barleycorn (Must Die)” (from John Barleycorn Must Die)

https://youtu.be/t8878chOvfI

Traffic was a great band with all sorts of multi-talented musicians, but this ballad is almost all Steve Winwood. Taking a traditional British folk tune and adding his own guitar arrangement, Winwood offered his own stake to early 70s “folk wars” that so many of the great British rock bands at the time were into: and though it’s a little lesser known, “John Barleycorn” is every bit as good and classic as the best of acoustic Jethro Tull, acoustic Led Zeppelin, Fairport Convention, etc. Coming from me thats pretty high praise. 

 
timschochet said:
87. Traffic “John Barleycorn (Must Die)” (from John Barleycorn Must Die)

https://youtu.be/t8878chOvfI

Traffic was a great band with all sorts of multi-talented musicians, but this ballad is almost all Steve Winwood. Taking a traditional British folk tune and adding his own guitar arrangement, Winwood offered his own stake to early 70s “folk wars” that so many of the great British rock bands at the time were into: and though it’s a little lesser known, “John Barleycorn” is every bit as good and classic as the best of acoustic Jethro Tull, acoustic Led Zeppelin, Fairport Convention, etc. Coming from me thats pretty high praise. 
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I loved Faces, Zep, Tull taking acoustic turns around that time, but this was the album i listened to most of the bunch

 
timschochet said:
87. Traffic “John Barleycorn (Must Die)” (from John Barleycorn Must Die)

https://youtu.be/t8878chOvfI

Traffic was a great band with all sorts of multi-talented musicians, but this ballad is almost all Steve Winwood. Taking a traditional British folk tune and adding his own guitar arrangement, Winwood offered his own stake to early 70s “folk wars” that so many of the great British rock bands at the time were into: and though it’s a little lesser known, “John Barleycorn” is every bit as good and classic as the best of acoustic Jethro Tull, acoustic Led Zeppelin, Fairport Convention, etc. Coming from me thats pretty high praise. 
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Traffic is one of my faves, don't get me wrong.  I just can't see how you gush over this piece while scoffing at "have a drink, have a drive, go and see what you can find".  

 
johnnycakes said:
Traffic is one of my faves, don't get me wrong.  I just can't see how you gush over this piece while scoffing at "have a drink, have a drive, go and see what you can find".  
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It's fashionable to minimize the effects of the Mungovirus on American society that year, but i remember well and shudder at the remembrance of what happened in that Summertime. The soda counter evacuations when it would infect the PA, the daisychains of auto accidents resulting from the reactive flinches to it coming on car radios, the raised intensity of parental whuppins enraged by the scoff at norms of its insouciant shuffle. yadadadada, indeed!

 
86. Eric Clapton “After Midnight” (from Eric Clapton) 

https://youtu.be/UkWccgl-9vs

As will be seen, 1970 was a highly prolific year for Eric Clapton, both as a contributor to other performers as well as projects that were of his own design. Almost forgotten in all of this was that he also released his first solo album, which included this cover of a then unknown artist named JJ Cale. Just as with seemingly every recoding that Clapton was involved with during these years, the musicians on this record read likes a who’s who list of the greatest artists of the time period. 

 
85. Black Sabbath “Black Sabbath” (from Black Sabbath) 

https://youtu.be/0lVdMbUx1_k

If you take a look at the comment section of the YouTube link, it’s all about Iommi and Ozzy. Iommi and Ozzy created the sound, they created heavy metal music, etc. But just as with “War Pigs”,  a deeper look shows that Geezer Butler had as much to do with it as anyone. 
It was Geezer who, for whatever weird ####ed up reason, decided to paint his room completely black. It was Geezer who borrowed a book all in black about Satan from Ozzy (what Ozzy was doing with this book is unexplained.)It was Geezer who read the black book in his black room and then fell asleep only to be wakened by a black vision (here’s a question: if the room is pitch black how can you read a book that’s also pitch black? And how can you see a vision that’s also pitch black? And why am I asking these questions?) 

 
timschochet said:
85. Black Sabbath “Black Sabbath” (from Black Sabbath) 

https://youtu.be/0lVdMbUx1_k

If you take a look at the comment section of the YouTube link, it’s all about Iommi and Ozzy. Iommi and Ozzy created the sound, they created heavy metal music, etc. But just as with “War Pigs”,  a deeper look shows that Geezer Butler had as much to do with it as anyone. 
It was Geezer who, for whatever weird ####ed up reason, decided to paint his room completely black. It was Geezer who borrowed a book all in black about Satan from Ozzy (what Ozzy was doing with this book is unexplained.)It was Geezer who read the black book in his black room and then fell asleep only to be wakened by a black vision (here’s a question: if the room is pitch black how can you read a book that’s also pitch black? And how can you see a vision that’s also pitch black? And why am I asking these questions?) 
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this song scared the #### out of me in junior high..  I was hooked ever since and LOVE Sabbath :headbang:

 
Binky The Doormat said:
always felt that Lancer's was in a more direct competition with Mateus Rose - when going for the sophisticated bottle wif the young wimmen.  

I am pretty sure both were standard issue to all freshman college girls - pre-melted with several candles of course. 
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i think Cosby might have used the Lancer bottle to achieve his evil motive before pharmaceutical methods availed themselves. cracking wise was my first basis in all things except within konking distance of one of those clay jugs

 
84. Elton John “Burn Down the Mission” (from Tumbleweed Connection) 

https://youtu.be/EdEQkRq_xrw

In late 1970, Elton John released his third studio  album, Tumbleweed Connection, which must have been a financial disappointment, since there were no hit songs, no radio play. It was essentially a bunch of ballads devoted to Bernie Taupin’s obsession of the old American west. And it is, IMO, easily Elton John’s best album. 
“Burn Down the Mission”, which may or not tell the story of the Pueblo Revolt of the 1680s in New Mexico (don’t hold me to it) is just a classic early Elton song, deservedly in the pantheon of his finest material. 

 
This thread inspired me to drink, more. I'll post more when I figure out which of my favorites were released in 1970.  

Oh, Google says my pet favorite album was released in 1970 (was not sure if it was 70 or 71).  I expect to see four or five songs on Tim's list from this album alone.  I can dream, right?

Pretty sure Burn Down the Mission should be ranked higher.

 
timschochet said:
I love posts like this. Hopefully there will be more. This is the deepest list I’ve ever done and it’s not even close. 
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It’s probably the worst year in music for the 70s decade for my tastes. Really tight top 10 but the majority of songs are 5s or 6s.

 
timschochet said:
89. The Guess Who “No Time” (from American Woman) 

https://youtu.be/NPX48NpSRvo

Such a catchy tune. The band actually released a previous version the year before on the album Canned Heat but it wasn’t as clean sounding; this newer release is the one that became the radio hit. Burton Cummings was one of rock’s more underrated vocalists. 
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Canned Wheat. Canned Heat was a band. 

 
timschochet said:
94. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young “Our House” (from Deja vu) 

https://youtu.be/tKYjUn-SBcg

This is Graham Nash’s love song to his then girlfriend Joni Mitchell, and to the hippie domestic bliss they achieved that year at Laurel Canyon. Joni would return the favor with the sublime “My Old Man” released the following year. Sadly the relationship did not last long. Yet the images (two cats in the yard) remain timeless. 
Click to expand...
Every time I have seen CSN(Y), this has been my bathroom break song. 

 
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