4x Life

One month in pop history, every week.

It’s February, 1970

Written by

Thomas Scovell

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As Easter approaches in 2025, let’s turn our ears back to February, 1970…

Songs of the month

  • “Always Something There To Remind Me” – R.B. Greaves
  • “Arizona” – Mark Lindsay
  • “Baby Take Me In Your Arms” – Jefferson
  • “Blowing Away” – 5Th Dimension
  • [new] “Bridge Over Troubled Water” – Simon & Garfunkel
  • [new] “Call Me / Son Of A Preacher Man” – Aretha Franklin
  • [new] “Didn’t I” – Delfonics
  • “Don’t Cry Daddy” – Elvis Presley
  • “Early In The Morning” – Vanity Fare
  • [new] “Evil Ways” – Santana
  • [new] “Give Me Just A Little More Time” – Chairmen Of The Board
  • [new] “He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother” – Hollies
  • “Hey There Lonely Girl” – Eddie Holman
  • “Honey Come Back” – Glen Campbell
  • [new] “House Of The Rising Sun” – Frijid Pink
  • “I Want You Back” – Jackson Five
  • “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again” – Dionne Warwick
  • “Jam Up And Jelly Tight” – Tommy Roe
  • “Jingle Jangle” – Archies
  • [new] “Kentucky Rain” – Elvis Presley
  • “Leaving On A Jet Plane” – Peter Paul & Mary
  • [new] “Love Grows” – Edison Lighthouse
  • “Ma Belle Amie” – Tee Set
  • “Midnight Cowboy” – Ferrante & Teicher
  • [new] “Never Had A Dream Come True” – Stevie Wonder
  • “No Time” – Guess Who
  • [new] “Oh Me Oh My” – Lulu
  • “Psychedelic Shack” – Temptations
  • “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” – B.J. Thomas
  • [new] “Rainy Night In Georgia” – Brook Benton
  • [new] “She Came In Through The Bathroom Window” – Joe Cocker
  • “Someday We’ll Be Together” – Diana Ross & The Supremes
  • “Thank You” – Sly & The Family Stone
  • “The Rapper” – Jaggerz
  • [new] “The Thrill Is Gone” – B.B. King
  • [new] “Travellin’ Band / Who’ll Stop The Rain” – Creedence Clearwater Revival
  • “Venus” – Shocking Blue
  • “Walk A Mile In My Shoes” – Joe South
  • “Walkin’ In The Rain” – Jay & The Americans
  • “Whole Lotta Love” – Led Zeppelin
  • “Winter World Of Love” – Engelbert Humperdinck
  • “Without Love” – Tom Jones
  • “Wonderful World Beautiful People” – Jimmy Cliff

[new] = New to the chart this week.

You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

This month in history

Some history

On February 2, Bertrand Russell (97), British philosopher passed away. I’ll leave it to his answer to this 1959 interview question, “Suppose Lord Russell this film were to be looked at by our descendants, like a Dead Sea scroll in a thousand years time, what would you think it’s worth telling that generation about the life you’ve lived and the lessons you’ve learned from it?”

On the 13th the “first heavy metal album”, Black Sabbath went on sale in Britain. Black Sabbath had been formed in the English city of Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist and chief songwriter Tony Iommi, lead singer Ozzy Osbourne, drummer Bill Ward, and bassist Geezer Butler. Within weeks, the debut record would be the eighth bestselling rock album on the British charts, and would be released in the United States on June 1.

And on a literal, lighter, note on the 25th during an episode of the children’s TV series Sesame Street, “Rubber Duckie” was performed for the first time and would soon become a best-selling record.

What’d Sadie think?

A week at the top for”Venus” by Shocking Blue, two for “Thank You” by Sly & The Family Stone and then a week at number one for Simon & Garfunkel’s”Bridge Over Troubled Water”.

Sadie said, “that’s a tune!” of Son of a Preacher man and continues to love The Jackon 5’s “I want you back”. She may have also made her first use of a music reference to “Don’t Cry Daddy” by Elvis Presley , which she also really likes, during the week when telling me not to be sad about something!

Loved ’em

  • “Bridge Over Troubled Water” – Simon & Garfunkel
  • “Call Me / Son Of A Preacher Man” – Aretha Franklin
  • “He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother” – Hollies
  • “House Of The Rising Sun” – Frijid Pink
  • “Rainy Night In Georgia” – Brook Benton

Liked ’em

  • “Didn’t I” – Delfonics
  • “Evil Ways” – Santana
  • “Give Me Just A Little More Time” – Chairmen Of The Board
  • “He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother” – Hollies
  • “Kentucky Rain” – Elvis Presley
  • “Love Grows” – Edison Lighthouse
  • “Never Had A Dream Come True” – Stevie Wonder
  • “Oh Me Oh My” – Lulu
  • “She Came In Through The Bathroom Window” – Joe Cocker
  • “The Thrill Is Gone” – B.B. King
  • “Who’ll Stop The Rain” – Creedence Clearwater Revival

Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

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