ELVIS PRESLEY AND THE BILLBOARD
1970
INTRODUCTION
Hello dear friends. Once again we are on this web page of this online radio, with a new chapter. We started the 70’s, a decade that Elvis began with the pull achieved at the end of the previous decade, enjoying a second youth that, sadly, was declining as these years progressed. But it would still leave us authentic musical jewels. This year that concerns us we will analyze in great detail the details of our boy in this prestigious magazine. We will also see what music dominated that year and what was happening socially in the United States. I hope you find it entertaining. See you in a next installment, meanwhile, be happy.
Cesar Valle, Torrelavega (Spain)
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1970
Unlike the tranquility that Elvis Presley had enjoyed in the last eight years dedicated to movies, since his first appearance at the International Hotel in Las Vegas in 1969, he began to have to comply with long tours that Colonel Parker organized. An example: between January 26 and February 23 (performances of which the LP “On Stage, February 1970” was released) and between August 10 and September 7, together with the 6 successful performances of the Astrodome of Houston (with 210,000 spectators), Elvis performed a total of 115 concerts.In successive years, concerts and tours would increase, constituting a threat to his health.
On the other hand, the visits to the recording studios took up much less time, and were much more profitable. Thus, for example, in six days Elvis recorded material to publish no less than three albums: “That`s The Way It Is“, “Elvis Country” and “Love Letters“, in addition to the premiere on November 11, 1970 of his film documentary about his performances in Las Vegas, TTWII, a film that clearly shows us what Elvis Presley is like on his return to the stage, this being his first documentary film since its beginnings in the 50s.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1O7cStOGZXI]
After 11 months of work, he decided to take a vacation in December, and take advantage of it to increase his collection of police badges, which he was able to complete with that of federal narcotics agent, which President Nixon himself gave him on December 21.
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THE BILLBOARD IN 1970
1970 was full of musical events: the deaths of Jimmy Hendrix and Janis Joplin, the separation of The Beatles after publishing “Let It Be“, the success of a revolutionary musical, “Jesus Christ Superstar“, or the appearance of Glam Rock, with Marc Boand and T.Rex in the lead. Also David Bowie, with his single “The Man Who Sold The World” (Nirvana would record it in 1993, on their MTV Unplugged album) or the birth of electronic music (which would reach its peak in the 80’s) hand in hand from the German Krafwerk.
In “single” format, among the best sellers we have five brothers named the Jackson Five, with little Michael at the helm, who had just signed with the Detroit label, Motown and who were the big winners of the year, placing nothing more and nothing fewer than four songs at the top: “I Want You Back,” “A.B.C,” “The Love You Saved,” and “I’ll Be There.” Curiously, the artistic godmother of these five brothers, Diana Ross, also achieved her own number 1 with a composition by Asfhord and Simpson, previously brought to success by Marvin Gave and Tammi Terrel: “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough“. Others from Motown that would be successful that year are Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, with “Tears Of A Clown“.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2bVIBwpCTA]
“Venus“, by the Dutch Snocking Blue is also number 1 that year. This theme will occupy that position again in 1986 with the version of the female trio Bananarama. But the song that held that privileged position the longest was Simon and Garfunkel‘s “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” which ran for six weeks. For his main part, Paul Simon was inspired by the song “Oh Mary Don’t You Weep For Me“, by a prestigious Gospel group, Swan Silverstones, which was number 1 and winner of 3 Grammys. Elvis Presley would make this song one of the most iconic in his 70’s repertoire.
The Beatles, who said goodbye as a group that year, also placed two of their songs at the top of the Billboard: “Let It Be” and “The Long and Winding Road” (a song that had the arrangements and production of Phil Spector, that left the mark of his “Wall Sound“, adding a string section and choirs, with the consequent anger of McCartney, composer of the theme. After this goodbye from The Beatles, they began their respective solo careers. George Harrison, who had always been in the shadow of his colleagues John and Paul, he was in a hurry to demonstrate his talent, and he published nothing more and nothing less than a triple album, “All Things Must Pass“, from which the single “My Sweet Lord” was extracted, reaching to number 1 by the end of the year.This song was accused of plagiarism for its resemblance to “He’s So Fine” by The Chiftons, and although it was not clearly proven, the judge ruled against George Harrison in 1976.
Composers Burt Bacharach and Hall David achieve a double thanks to B.J Thomas and his “Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head” (central theme of the film “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman, also winning an Oscar for the best song) and “Close To You“, by The Carpenters brothers.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VyA2f6hGW4]
From the world of television came the adventures of the Patridge family, with a very young David Cassidy at the helm, being number 1 with “I Think I Love You“. This series became one of the TV events in the United States of this decade.
Los Angeles band Bread rose to the top with the single “Make It With You,” as did singer, comedian and actor Ray Stevens with “Everything It’s Beautiful.” The funk of Sly and The Family Stone, with “Thank You“, or “American Woman“, by the group The Guess Who, would also be number one that year. Anyway, we find a year in 1970 in which John Fogerty’s band placed a total of 6 of their songs among the top 4.
This is the beginning of this decade of the 70’s, where the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union reaches its peak. France joins the nuclear weapons, carrying out its tests in the Pacific Ocean, and in which the first commercial flight of the Jumbo takes place. A new decade that will leave us with new styles, new blood, with great musicians and great musical events, showing us that the Show must continue.
Information provided by Cesar Valle (Torrelavega – Spain)
