It would seem that 1969 was a good year all round but the first week of January 1970 is only a week after 1969 so are we going to see the same standards or an almighty drop.
Well we have something in 1970 that we didn't have in 1969, a record that scores 5. This is "Wedding Bell Blues" by Fifth Dimension that I picked as my record of the year for 1970. Easily the best record I've listened to so far in this series.
Almost getting a 5 was "I Can't Get Next To You" by The Temptations. This was a record where we get to hear all the members sing their own lines including Otis Williams. What stops it from getting a 5 is that it's not quite as good as "Since I Lost My Baby".
It's another Motown record in 3rd place with "Just a Little Misunderstanding by The Contours. This was originally from 1966 and the group had split up by this point but it got a new lease of life from being part of the Northern soul scene.
Another Motown record we have is The Jackson 5 debut hit "I Want You Back" which may have come higher had I not heard it so many times in my life.
The Beatles were on their way out but we have a couple of records from their Apple label. There's "Temma Harbour" by Mary Hopkin which I found myself enjoying more than I expected to. Then we have the debut of Badfinger with "Come and Get It" which despite it's low placing is a record I like.
The only truly awful record in this batch is "Both Sides Now" by Judy Collins which I find really dreary and irritating. We have 1 of 3 versions of "Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head" to chart, the Sacha Distel version. It sounds a bit of a piss take version but not bad enough to score zero.
Jethro Tull are now into their progressive rock phase with the double a-side "The Witches Promise/Teacher". Neither are bad but I'd probably need to give them 100 listens to get it.
We have 2 records that Bananarama covered in the 80s by groups who had no other Top 40 hits. As a result I've got them mixed up before. They are "Venus" by Shocking Blue and "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" by Steam. "Venus" just about scrapes a 3 whereas "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" scores a 2.
Although 1969 remains top of the table 1970 is comfortably 2nd so far.
Score: 60
No comments:
Post a Comment