4x Life

One month in pop history, every week.

It’s July, 1970

Written by

Thomas Scovell

in

Back to it this week with the sounds of July, 1970…

Songs of the month

  • [new] “Are You Ready” – Pacific Gas & Electric
  • “Ball Of Confusion” – Temptations
  • “Band Of Gold” – Freda Payne
  • “Check Out Your Mind” – Impressions
  • [new] “Close To You” – Carpenters
  • “Everything Is Beautiful” – Ray Stevens
  • “Get Ready” – Rare Earth
  • “Gimme Dat Ding” – Pipkins
  • “Hitchin’ A Ride” – Vanity Fare
  • [new] “I Just Can’t Help Believing” – B.J. Thomas
  • “It’s All In The Game” – Four Tops
  • [new] “Lay A Little Lovin’ On Me” – Robin Mcnamara
  • “Lay Down” – Melanie & Edwin Hawkins Singers
  • [new] “Love Land” – Charles Wright & Watts 103Rd Street Rhythm Band
  • “Love On A Two Way Street” – Moments
  • [new] “Make It With You” – Bread
  • “Make Me Smile” – Chicago
  • “Mama Told Me Not To Come” – Three Dog Night
  • “Mississippi Queen” – Mountain
  • “My Baby Loves Lovin’” – White Plains
  • [new] “O-O-H Child” – Five Stairsteps
  • [new] “Ohio” – Crosby Stills Nash & Young
  • “Question” – Moody Blues
  • “Ride Captain Ride” – Blues Image
  • [new] “Rise Captain Ride” – Blues Image
  • [new] “Save The Country” – 5Th Dimension
  • [new] “Signed Sealed Delivered I’m Yours” – Stevie Wonder
  • [new] “Silver Bird” – Mark Lindsay
  • “Song Of Joy” – Miguel Rios
  • [new] “Spill The Wine” – Eric Burdon & War
  • “Sugar Sugar” – Wilson Pickett
  • [new] “Teach Your Children” – Crosby Stills Nash & Young
  • “The Long And Winding Road” – Beatles
  • “The Love You Save” – Jackson Five
  • “The Wonder Of You” – Elvis Presley
  • [new] “Tighter Tighter” – Alive & Kicking
  • “United We Stand” – Brotherhood Of Man
  • “Up Around The Bend / Run Through The Jungle” – Creedence Clearwater Revival
  • [new] “War” – Edwin Starr
  • [new] “Westbound #9” – Flaming Ember
  • “Which Way You Goin’ Billy” – Poppy Family
  • [new] “Why Can’t I Touch You” – Ronnie Dyson

[new] = New to the chart this week.

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

This month in history

On the 5th the iconic radio music countdown show “American Top 40” made its debut, with Casey Kasem as host, playing the most recent list of Top 40 most popular songs as ranked by Billboard magazine (whose charts we use). Initially, only 7 radio stations carried the syndicated program. The first song introduced (the #40 seller for the week) was Marvin Gaye’s recording of “The End of Our Road”, and the first number one hit was “Mama Told Me Not to Come” by Three Dog Night.

Hear that first show here.

Then on the 11th in one of the largest parimutuel betting wins up to that time (by amount returned on investment), a New Zealand contractor won NZD $482,687 (US$431,000) from the jackpot at Matamata by being the only person to pick all four winners on a quadrella jackpot wager. Quite the luck! The win, by Te Aroha resident Peter Moran, would be the equivalent of 2.8 million U.S. dollars.

What’d Sadie think?

It’s a week at the top for “The Love You Save” by the Jackson Five then two for “Mama Told Me Not To Come” by Three Dog Night before “Close To You” by the Carpenters takes the top spot.

Loved ’em

  • “Close To You” – Carpenters
  • “Make It With You” – Bread
  • “O-O-H Child” – Five Stairsteps
  • “Ohio” – Crosby Stills Nash & Young
  • “Signed Sealed Delivered I’m Yours” – Stevie Wonder
  • “Teach Your Children” – Crosby Stills Nash & Young
  • “War” – Edwin Starr

Liked ’em

  • “Are You Ready” – Pacific Gas & Electric
  • “I Just Can’t Help Believing” – B.J. Thomas
  • “Lay A Little Lovin’ On Me” – Robin Mcnamara
  • “Love Land” – Charles Wright & Watts 103Rd Street Rhythm Band
  • “Rise Captain Ride” – Blues Image
  • “Save The Country” – 5Th Dimension
  • “Silver Bird” – Mark Lindsay
  • “Spill The Wine” – Eric Burdon & War
  • “Tighter Tighter” – Alive & Kicking
  • “Why Can’t I Touch You” – Ronnie Dyson

Leave ’em

  • “Westbound #9” – Flaming Ember

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

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