A few classic rock perennials, a full batch of soul staples, and an above average number of novelties. If this week’s countdown is a showdown between rock and soul, the latter wins, but the former scores a few good points. And soft rock sneaks its way onto the field, gently warning of things to come.
Casey Kasem’s Top 40 countdown for the last full week of September 1970 is a bit all over the map, a reflection of a manic period in American history…
September 26, 1970—The Week at a Glance
On Saturday, September 19th, live music history was made when promoters staged the very first Glastonbury Festival. Michael Eaves, inspired after witnessing a Led Zeppelin performance at the Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music, decided to stage his own open air concert near Pilton, Somerset.
Tyrannosaurus Rex (soon renamed T. Rex) headlined the event, which was attended by an estimated 1500 concertgoers. Today, Glastonbury is a highly anticipated annual event, a touchstone of British music culture, and a showcase that draws an average of more than 200,000 attendees each year.
On Monday, September 21st, Monday Night Football debuted on the ABC network. It marked the beginning of regularly scheduled primetime football for American audiences. The Cleveland Browns bested the New York Jets 31-21, also marking the last time either of these teams played in a relevant Monday night game.
On Tuesday, September 22th, Congress codified the District of Columbia Delegate Act, which for the first time in history, gave Washington D.C. Congressional Representation. .
Finally, and perhaps most importantly on Friday, September 25th, a primetime sitcom centering around a singing family premiered on the ABC network. While critics generally panned The Partridge Family as a warmed-over ripoff of the Cowsills featuring actors who generally had no musical abilities, it would land a Top 20 radio hit just one month later with “I Think I Love You”.
Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 for the Week of September 26, 1970
This week’s countdown topper is “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Diana Ross. Originally a massive hit for Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, it also earned Ross her first #1 following her departure from the Supremes.
Not only that, but it succeeded in holding Creedence Clearwater Revival from the top spot. The fantastical “Lookin’ Out My Back Door” reached #2 on both this week’s countdown and the Billboard Hot 100. It would be their fifth and final #2 hit. Not only that, but CCR would never land a #1.
Still, their entry anchors a clutch of perennial classic rock staples including “All Right Now” by Free at #10 “Green-Eyed Lady” by Sugar Loaf at #16, “25 or 6 to 4” by Chicago at #17, “ “Closer to Home” by Grand Funk Railroad (#27), and “Lola” by the Kinks at #28.
Soft rock is also clearly on the rise, as evidenced by Canadian warbler Anne Murray’s #8 ranking with “Songbird”, The Carpenters at #1 hit with “We’ve Only Just Begun” and James Taylor with “Fire and Rain” at #30.
But what really seems to set this week’s countdown apart is its susceptibility to eccentricity, perhaps some might even say novelty.
With the sublimely strange “Spill the Wine” (#36), former Animal Eric Burdon helped to shine a spotlight on Long Beach, California funk band War. They would ultimately use this spotflight to achieve their own greatness.
At #35, British jug band Mungo Jerry scores one of the all time great hot weather hits with “In the Summertime”.
And at #29, Ernie clocks in with “Rubber Duckie”.
Yes, that Ernie. Children first heard the song on a February 25th episode of Sesame Street. With its sudden surge in popularity, Muppets creator Jim Henson took “Rubber Duckie” into the recording studio and scored a surprise mainstream hit. “Rubber Duckie” would ultimately peak at #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 that year.
Clearly, the summer of 1970 was a high time for oddball hits.
On the other hand, this week’s countdown features a couple of stone-cold classics, especially in the soul genre. Tops among them are “It’s a Shame” by the Spinners (#15), “Express Yourself” by Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band (#14), the powerhouse protest song, “War” by Edwin Starr (#9), and “I Know I’m Losing You” by Rare Earth, here covering their Motown labelmates The Temptations, and reaching #7.
The most consequential soul song here, however, comes from the Jackson 5. At #6 on this week’s countdown, “I’ll Be There” would actually become the family combo’s fourth consecutive #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
This would make the Jackson 5 both the first artist to reach the top spot with their first four singles and the first black male performers to have four consecutive chart-toppers. It would in fact go on to become the most successful single from Motown’s peak era.
Incidentally, it would also be the final chart-topper for the Jackson 5. Though they would score several #2 hits thereafter, Michael Jackson’s next chart-topper would come as a solo artist in 1972 with “Ben”—a love song from a movie about a boy with a pet rat.
Odds and Ends
One of the more interesting entries here comes from a band called Hotlegs. The more-or-less instrumental song “Neanderthal Man” ranks #22 on this week’s countdown. The fact that it was recorded at all is a matter entirely of happenstance.
It was actually intended merely as a test for a new drum machine purchased by the musicians in question. The studio tape happened to be rolling, and its release ultimately produced a fairly sizable transatlantic hit.
But far more interesting than this simple instrumental track are the musicians themselves. The production is led by multi-instrumentalist and producer Eric Stewart. To that point, he was best known for his work with the British Invasion group The Mindbenders. His vocals stand out front on their signature hit—“A Groovy Kind Of Love.”
Here, he gathered with an assembly of musicians that includes Kevin Godley, Lol Creme and Graham Gouldman. While they merely conjured the name Hotlegs on the spot to accommodate their surprise single, they would resurface with quite a bit more intention in 1972 as 10CC.
The Poppy Family also appears here, at #33 with the mysterious folk entry, “That’s Where I Went Wrong.” The Poppy Family is an interesting pop music footnote—a lite psychedelic quartet from Vancouver centered around the husband-wife team of Terry and Susan Jacks.
Recording just two albums together, charting a small handful of hits, and attracting a cult following, their minor success would ultimately pave the way to a major hit for Terry Jacks, who spent three weeks at #1 in 1974 with “Seasons in the Sun”, an anglicized adaptation of Jacques Brel’s “Le Moribund”.
At #4 on this week’s countdown, Neil Diamond lands his third consecutive million seller and his first Billboard Hot 100 #1 with “Cracklin’ Rosie”. The song enjoys backing from members of the legendary L.A. session musicians circle known as the Wrecking Crew, including the great Hal Blaine on drums and Larry Knechtel on keyboards.
While the song, on its surface, would appear to be about a woman, Diamond has clarified that the actual object of desire is a cheap brand of sparkling wine popular among the indigenous tribes of British Columbia.
The Top 40 for September 26, 1970 in Order
40: STAND BY YOUR MAN – CANDI STATON
39: DO WHAT YOU WANNA DO – FIVE FLIGHTS UP
38: MAKE IT WITH YOU – BREAD
OLDIE: MR CUSTER – LARRY BYRD (#1 SONG 10 YEARS AGO TODAY)
37: SOMEBODY’S BEEN SLEEPING IN MY BED – MASKED MAN & THE AGENTS
36: SPILL THE WINE – ERIC BURDEN & WAR
35: IN THE SUMMERTIME – MONGO JERRY
34: EL CONDOR PASA – SIMON & GARFUNKEL
33: THAT’S WHERE I WENT WRONG – THE POPPY FAMILY
32: IT’S ONLY MAKE-BELIEVE – GLEN CAMPBELL
31: CLOSE TO YOU – THE CARPENTERS
30: FIRE AND RAIN – JAMES TAYLOR
OLDIE: GOING OUT OF MY HEAD/CAN’T TAKE MY EYES OFF OF YOU – THE LETTERMEN
29: RUBBER DUCKIE – ERNIE
28: LOLA – THE KINKS
27: CLOSER TO HOME – GRAND FUNK RAILROAD
26: LONG LONG TIME – LINDA RONSTADT
25: LOOK WHAT THEY’VE DONE TO MY SONG, MA – THE NEW SEEKERS
24: OUT IN THE COUNTRY – THREE DOG NIGHT
23: INDIANA WANTS ME – R. DEAN TAYLOR
22: NEANDERTHAL MAN – HOT LEGS
21: JOANN – MICHAEL NESMITH & THE FIRST NATIONAL BAND
OLDIE: YOUNG LOVE – SONNY JAMES
20: STILL WATERS (LOVE) – THE FOUR TOPS
19: I WHO HAVE NOTHING – TOM JONES
18: WE’VE ONLY JUST BEGUN – THE CARPENTERS
17: 25 OR 6 TO 4 – CHICAGO
16: GREEN-EYED LADY – SUGARLOAF
15: IT’S A SHAME – THE SPINNERS
14: EXPRESS YOURSELF – CHARLES WRIGHT & THE WATTS 103rd STREET RHYTHM BAND
13: DON’T PLAY THAT SONG – ARETHA FRANKLIN & THE DIXIE FLYERS
12: GROOVY SITUATION – GENE CHANDLER
11: PATCHES – CLARENCE CARTER
OLDIE: EASIER SAID THEN DONE – THE ESSEX
10: ALLRIGHT NOW – FREE
9: WAR – EDWIN STARR
8: SNOWBIRD – ANNE MURRAY
7: I KNOW I’M LOSING YOU – RARE EARTH
6: I’LL BE THERE – THE JACKSON FIVE
5: JULIE JULIE JULIE DO YOU LOVE ME – BOBBY SHERMAN
4: CRACKLIN’ ROSIE – NEIL DIAMOOND
3: CANDIDA – DAWN
2: LOOKIN’ OUT MY BACK DOOR – CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL
1: AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH – DIANA ROSS