And so it ends on December 31st 1969.
The most influential decade in the history of pop/rock music comes to a close. It started with pop songs aimed at young teenagers and within a few short years it was trying to change the world, advocating drug taking, imbibing music influences from all over, talking about Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds and skipping the Light Fandango. The musical - and real - world had changed, and dramatically at that.
Around the world, many of the events of the 60s continued - the Vietnam War continues and expands into Cambodia. Protests at Kent State University in the US would see the killing of 4 unarmed students which provokes outrage in the US. Neil Young would pen 'Ohio' about the killing. The Space Race would see problems on Apollo 13 coining the phrase 'Houston, we have a problem'. The BBC broadcast Open University lectures for the first time. Finally, 'The Troubles' start to intensify leading to more British troops deployed to Northern Ireland. Of course, 'The Troubles' would continue for decades after sadly.
It was also a great year if you were a City fan with us winning the League Cup and European Cup Winners Cup! Whilst the World Cup would ultimately be a disappointment for England, it will forever be remembered for one of the greatest football teams of all time, Brazil. I hope one day that AI could do a 'Champions League' of peak City, peak Barcelona and peak Brazil 1970! The boxing world saw the comeback of the iconic Muhammed Ali who made his return to the ring after refusing to be drafted.
Looking back at the the music of the 1960s, I think one of the main points to take is that music was more than music. It became intertwined with the great causes of the time - the Civil Rights movement, the anti-Vietnam war movement, student revolutions. People around the world were rising up and challenging the social structures and the ideas behind Capitalism and Communism. The roots of the Environmental movement are born, the idea of counter culture and people being free to live how they want becomes closer. Homosexuality was decriminalised in the UK, inter-racial marriage was legalised in the US. Political systems were challenged not just by armies but by young people armed with idealistic views and a hugely optimistic view of the future. Whilst it's easy to ridicule these ideas now, I see these people as pioneers who did change the world, but maybe not quite in ways they imagined. No matter how much these first teenagers railed at the system and 'The Man' it was clear that the system and 'The Man' were formiddable and powerful foes.
As these teenagers became adults, they get married, settle down and need to hold down jobs to pay the bills and raise a family. It gets a lot harder to work all day and then protest and to some extent, the zeal fizzles out with the drudgery of day-to-day life and economy that starts to struggle. The death of Janis Joplin, Tammi Terrell, Alan Wilson of Canned Heat and Jimi Hendrix this year were a further hammer-blow. On top of the violence and murder of Meredith Hunter at Altamont by Hell's Angels which kind of heralded the end of Hippie era.
Musically, the focus starts to change as well. The ideas of collective solidarity and action start to give way to a more personal, insular style of music. Self-discovery comes through song with the likes of Joni Mitchell and James Taylor being prime examples.
It's also true to say that drugs also help to drive this change in style with heroin in particular becoming more popular which helps to drive that meloncholy, insular sound even further. However, the deaths and dangers of heavy drug use start to highlight that there are also downsides to the new perspectives it gives you.
This introduction feels quite sad, like we have lost something that was special. I do think that period in music and society was incredibly special - they made the modern world. I salute every single person who put a flower in their hair, protested at people getting killed, resisted the draft, tried to overthrow Communism or Capitalism, made music or just turned on, tuned in and dropped out. Thank you. History will look back on you kindly.
Whilst singles were outselling albums, the tide is turning. Musicians have taken the ideas of the Beach Boys and Beatles and the LP is becoming the dominant force which allows artists to explore themes in greater depth. So, my take on this is that I'll nominate LPs from this year rather than singles but still keep it to 10 in total. Again, just like 1963 and 1967 it's an impossible task. The quality of albums alone this year is astonishingly good and the same applies for the singles. I've not been able to include a LOT of superb albums but it all highlights just how good the music was this year.
Before we start looking at the great albums from this year, it's worth going back to 1960 and 1963 and listening to those playlists. Musically, they are completely and totally different. In a few short years, the leap forward is utterly incredible. Lyrically, musically and also the production have progressed so far. Even the length of the songs on the '10' on my playlist is increasing - tracks are lasting longer and becoming more complicated.
Musically, the 70s starts with the death of the greatest rock band of all time - The Beatles.
# LET IT BE - THE BEATLES
In April 1970, Paul McCartney announced he was leaving The Beatles, effectively ending the band. He was 27 years old and along with 29 year old John Lennon, they had changed rock music forever. No other band had pushed the boundaries of pop and rock as music as they had done and with so much success. Music before The Beatles sounds different to music after The Beatles, it's pretty much as simple as that.
The array of musical styles that are born in the 70s is their legacy, so it's no surprise that my first album is 'Let It Be'. Whilst it's not their best album, who else could write a 'bad' album which contains songs as good as Two Of Us, Across The Universe, Let It Be, I've Got A Feeling, The Long And Winding Road and Get Back? Nearly half the tracks on this album are some of the greatest rock songs ever written.
Of all the tracks on this album, my favourite is Across The Universe, written by George Harrison. As I've said before, growing up in the 1980s listening to music from the 1960/70s was dreadfully uncool but I couldn't get enough of them. I remember hearing this and having no idea who it was or who sung it, but I just wanted to hear it again and eventually I found it in my Dad's tape collection and listened to it hundreds of times. It's such a beautiful song.
What a band they were and I think it will be a very long time before we hear anyone who comes close to them.
# LADIES FROM THE CANYON - JONI MITCHELL
As I said in my introduction, 1970 also sees the start of the rise of the singer-songwriter. My second album is 'Ladies From The Canyon' from - in my view - the greatest singer-songwriter of them all. What a talent she is and when she passes, I hope she will get the credit she deserves. She is a genius. For all of Dylan's wordery, Joni can match it and then some but her music is something else. It's far more interesting and complex than anything he can do.
LFTC has one of my all-time favourite songs on it, Woodstock, which I think is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. She was supposed to play at Woodstock but had to perform on TV and never made it there. Instead she watched footage and wrote the song. I wasn't born in 1970, but I have a mental image of what it was like there and it's shaped by this song. It captures everything I hoped the actual Woodstock festival would be. I've watched the documentary and seen all the footage but this song is something else. It's absolute poetry and, of course, is my pick from the album:
There's a live version of her performing Woodstock where she explains how she wrote the song. The contrast between this naieve-sounding, young girl who wasn't there who suddenly launches into the song is incredbly. She knows more about life then than I do now. Here it is if you've not seen it before:
All the songs on the album are superb, but the most famous is 'Big Yellow Taxi' and needs no introduction. However, it's the first songprotesting about environmental degredation:
Those 2 lines sum up what was wrong with the world in 1960, 1970, and sadly still, today.
Given the crises around the climate, I don't think anyone alive today could write a song as good as Joni Mitchell could.
# BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER - SIMON & GARFUNKEL
The title track needs no introduction, it's one of the greatest songs ever written. Some songs just transcend genres, eras and feel like you are hearing genius delivered from Heaven itself. Good Vibrations and A Day In The Life are two and this is the third. It's utterly, utterly beautiful and it's obvious why it's my pick from the album.
I must have listened to the title track hundreds of times but I never tire of these lyrics:
And once you've got past the opening, legendary song the rest of the tracks on the album are also superb - El Condor Pasa (If I could), Cecelia, The Boxer, The Only Living Boy In New York.
# DEJA VU - CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG
It might sound laughable today but back in the 70s the 'supergroup' was literally some of the best performers from other groups put together. For CSNY this is David Crosby from The Byrds, Stephen Stills from Buffalo Springfield, Manchester's Graham Nash from The Hollies and Neil Young also from Buffalo Springfield.
What a top class album this is. The harmonies on this are top class. However, this band are still firmly in that singer-songwriter camp. Many of these kinds of musicians were, along with the likes of Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Carole King etc were based in the Laurel Canyon area in California would all be hugely influential in the coming years. It allowed a new style of music to emerge, a laid back fusion of folk, country, rock and psychedelia is created. When you look at the people who lived there at the time, I can't imagine what it was like - members of The Byrds and The Doors, Joni Mitchell, Frank Zappa, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Linda Ronstadt, Canned Heat, members of The Eagles, Brian Wilson, Gram Parsons, Bonnie Raitt, John Mayall, Carly Simon, The Mamas and Papas, Harry Nilsson and The Monkees.
Interestingly, they wanted to cover a Joni Mitchell song on this album and chose Woodstock. They recorded almost as 'opposite' to her version and it's still brilliant. It rocks, simple as that and shows that when you have a good song, it's almost impossible to record a bad version of it. As much as I love this version, I've decided to pick Country Girl which is a song written by Neil Young.
However, 1970 wasn't all singer-songwriters and that smooth Laurel Canyon/California-sound. There was also another musical style gathering pace which was the polar opposite. And some bands could mix that folky/singer-songwriter vibe with this new emerging style - 'heavy metal'.
# LED ZEPPELIN III - LED ZEPPELIN
This is one of my favourite LZ albums and whilst it - of course - rocks, it's still got that folk/singer-songwriter style with Friends, Gallows Pole, Tangerine, That's The Way and Bron-Y-Aur Stomp. It could easily have been made with Joni, James and Jackson all sitting round a fire in Laurel Canyon! :)
I could go through each track and tell you how good they are but it's best to put it on at the start and just listen to it. You'll be taken from heavy rock to folk to blues, and it all sounds completely natural. Some bands just 'have it' and LZ have it.
However, this album wasn't made in Laurel Canyon and, like all LZ albums, it absolutely rocks. Immigrant Song, Celebration Day and Out On The Tiles are prime examples of the polar opposite of the singer-songwriter style.
Of all the tracks on here, Gallows Pole is something else and is my pick from the album.
# IN ROCK - DEEP PURPLE
If Led Zeppelin were hitting the big riffs, two other bands in particular took it a whole step forward and the first one is Deep Purple. Heavy riffs, big drums and big vocals - 1970 really sees the 'official' birth of Heavy Metal.
Whilst the term 'heavy metal' might sound dated nowadays, the 60s hinted at what was to come. 'You really got me' by The Kinks, Jimi Hendrix and of course 'Born to be wild' by Steppenwolf created the blueprint - hard riffs, great solos and the rest.
However, when you listen to the start of this album, I think you can hear heavy metal being born! That intro comes straight from Jimi Hendrix and then the organ starts. After a few years in the womb, heavy metal is born when that riff bludgeons you straight in the face. No messing, it's like an Ali punch! I do wonder why the organ - eventually - gets left behind in heavy metal! Of course, when you rip open your album to Speed King it has to be the pick from this album.
I can't play this album on anything less than full power and when you open up with Speed King I find it very hard to stick to any speed limit when that monster comes on!!
I saw Deep Purple a couple of years or so in the AO and they were absolutely incredible. After all these years, a band older than I am can still rock.
# PARANOID - BLACK SABBATH
The second great band to create Heavy Metal are, of course, Black Sabbath.
I can almost you, as well as this album, saying 'you think Deep Purple In Rock heralds the start of heavy metal?!? This album invents heavy metal!'. It's just personal preference really, but without any doubt, this album is another genre-defining classic. The riffs, the doom, that voice are just incredible.
If you open up any album with War Pigs and Paranoid you know you are getting a top-class album. However, Planet Caravan also could easily have been cooked up around that camp fire in Laurel Canyon. However, it returns back to form with Iron Man.
Ozzy Osborne has become a sad parody of himself really, but there's absolutely no question that every single heavy rock or metal band owes a huge debt to these pioneers. Whether you think Deep Purple, Black Sabbath or another band are the ones to invent this genre, it really doesn't matter. But what we can say is that 1970 sees 2 albums that are definitely heavy metal. The genre is born and I can't imagine how exciting it must've been to have heard these albums for the first time.
Choosing a track from this album is practically impossible but, for me, War Pigs stands out.
# LOLA VERSUS POWERMAN AND THE MONEYGOROUND - THE KINKS
I've always felt that The Kinks were underrated - probably not by us on here, but overall they are rarely mentioned in the same breath as The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd etc. Maybe it's because they couldn't go to the US which meant they never really got the exposure over there but I am sure some of our friends across the pond could give us their perspective on this!
This album is a great example of what makes them so good - great songwriting, clever, melodic and they tell a great story. It's also the variety of styles on the album which makes it a great listen.
Of course, the stand out on this album is 'Lola'. I keep saying how amazing I find these musicians of the time, but in a time when homosexuality was still taboo, even if it was legalised, to write a song about an encounter with a transvestite is something else. I don't think there's many (any?) songwriters clever enough to do a Lola today and if they did, I'd think it was a PR stunt. The beauty of Lola is that they make it sound like it did happen but it's done in a way which is self-deprecating, funny and incredibly catchy is and just plain clever. It's a masterpiece.
# SEX MACHINE (LIVE) - JAMES BROWN
One genre I feel has slipped under the radar, so far, a little is the emergence of funk. Whilst Sly & The Family Stone can make a good claim, James Brown is generally credited with it's creation. This album highlights his transition from soul to funk. Funk, of course, becomes hugely influential on disco and soul/rnb and later on with rap, hip hop and modern rnb. I would be interested to see if rap could've emerged without funk!
'Get Up (I feel like being a sex machine)' needs no introduction. Whilst the original single was released in 69, the live version on this live version from 1970 is brilliant. It's stripped back perfection, you feel like you're watching them live and whilst Brown is the star of the show just listen to the guitar, drums and bass. The 'touch' on them is something else. Some musicians want to be the star of the show - see the heavy metal guitarists above - and others just have a lighter touch which just is just as powerful. The backing band are incredible and it's a funk classic and one of the most iconic tracks in that genre.
The album has got everything you need - soul, funky drumming, funky bass, funky guitar, funky horns, the emphasis on 'the 1', the grunts and screams and that emphasis on the 'groove'. It just wants you to move, you cannot sit still listening to this album!
The album also contains 'Give it up or turnit a loose' which is my personal favourite, but Sex Machine is iconic and that's why this version is my pick from this album.
# TEA FOR THE TILLERMAN - CAT STEVENS
Going back to the singer-songwriter theme, Tea for the Tillerman is a classic album from Cat Stevens and is packed with great songs. The most famous being Wild World and Father and Son. It's his best album and showcases his ability to write incredibly melodic songs and touching lyrics.
It's a testament to Cat Stevens that I find 'Father and Son' a very difficult song to listen to now I am a father and I can understand how my Dad must've felt at times! Every Son knows best and every father tries to help their son avoid the 'stones on the road', but when you're young you don't realise your Dad has trod a similar path and just wants to help you avoid them. I'm sure every son think their Dad lived a 'square' lifestyle! :)
Tea for the Tillerman is a brilliant album and showcases his songwriting ability. As much as I love Father And Son I've gone with Wild World, but was very tempted to choose Where Do The Children Play?
WHAT TO MAKE OF IT ALL?
I think it's important to listen to the songs that were in the charts just 10 years before. In fact, even just 7 years before in my write up of 1963 - the music is unrecognisable. You cannot imagine Speed King, War Pigs or Bridge over troubled water in 1963, it's simple as that.
What else can we make of 1970? In my view, this year sows the seeds of what comes next. Whilst it's very difficult to say 'this year is the definite year of X style of music', 1970 sees an explosion of singer-songwriters. The sound of Laurel Canyon would reverberate around the world and influence anyone who was into folk, country or easy-rock music. The singer-songwriters like Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, CSNY, James Taylor and Cat Stevens push songwriting to new levels of personal reflection. Elton John, Carole King, Bread and others would continue that theme.
Thanks to Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, we have 2 albums which create heavy metal. These classic albums continue to influence everyone in that genre this day. However, Led Zeppelin remind us that it's possible to create albums which are 'heavy metal-ish' and blend that singer-songwriter sound and make it coherent.
Whilst James Brown's funk sound is a few years old, it's starting to influence big name, established artists too. Anyone who sings soul or rnb is now absorbing funk. You can now hear how the drums, horns, vocals and bass are changing. In turn it will create some amazing music which will be sampled decades later to create a new sound. In 1970 you can hear funks influence - have a listen to 'Ball of confusion' by The Temptations, the 'Get into something' album by The Isley Brothers, 'Up the ladder to the roof' by The Supremes, 'We can work it out' by Stevie Wonder amongst others - the bass, the drums and the guitar and starting to funk out. Funk will go on to have a huge influence on Stevie Wonder, disco, rnb and hip hop.
I didn't think any year would top 1967, but I've changed my mind. The quality and quantity of songs and albums in 1970 has pushed the bar even higher. What a pleasure it's been to look at the music from this year and there will be A LOT of classic albums and songs that I've not been able to include in this write up.
1970 was a bloody good year for music.
