The Top 10 Songs of 1970 (UK)

1970's best selling song in the UK was this track by Elvis Presley.

In the USA, it peaked at Number 9 in the spring of 1970, but The Wonder of You topped the UK Singles Chart for six weeks in the summer of that year. This was the 59th Top 40 hit of his career.

The Wonder of You was one of about thirty five songs he would play live in concert, never recording it in a studio. It was the first of three songs that were recorded live in concert in Las Vegas during his lifetime.

Image: By Ollie Atkins, chief White House photographer [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Yellow River became a massive international hit, reaching Number 1 on the UK music chart for a single week in June 1970. It also reached Number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the US.

Band of Gold was written by the Motown songwriting team of Holland/Dozier/Holland and became a smash hit in 1970.

It peaked at Number 3 in the US and hit Number 1 on the UK Singles Chart, staying there for six weeks in September 1970, giving Payne her first gold record.

The song has been covered by numerous artists since, notably dueling 1986 versions by singers Belinda Carlisle and Bonnie Tyler, and a 2007 version by American Idol contestant, Kimberley Locke.

Something was originally recorded by The Beatles and became a Number One hit for the group in the US, as well as a Top 10 record in the UK.

Many artists have recorded the George Harrison song over the years, but one of the most commercially successful covers was by Dame Shirley Bassey in 1970.

Her version peaked at Number 4 in August, 1970 but remained on the UK charts for 22 weeks, thereby selling enough copies to make the disc the fifth best seller of the year.

Image: Shirley Bassey by Daniel Kruczynski, on Flickr

Wand'rin' Star was a UK Number One song for Lee Marvin for three weeks in March 1970.

It was originally written for the stage musical Paint Your Wagon in 1951. When the film of the musical was made in 1969, Lee Marvin took the role of prospector Ben Rumson.

Despite the film being a box office flop, the soundtrack became a success.

Orchestrated and arranged by Nelson Riddle, Marvin's version of the song Wand'rin Star becoming an unlikely Number 1 song in the UK, famously keeping The Beatles at Number 2 with their song Let It Be. Marvin never released a follow up single, so he is classed as a One Hit Wonder.

Spirit in the Sky sold two million copies in 1969 and 1970 and peaked at Number Three on the US Billboard chart, as well as Number One on the UK, Australian and Canadian charts. Rolling Stone ranked Spirit in the Sky Number 333 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Cover versions by Doctor and the Medics and Gareth Gates have also made the Number 1 spot in the UK.

Two Little Boys was written in 1902, but Australian star Rolf Harris, revived it in 1969.

Audience reaction was so great that he decided to record it as a single. It soon rocketed to the top of the UK charts, and made it there in time for the song to become the Christmas Number 1 of 1969.

Its popularity continued into 1970, eventually spending 25 weeks on the UK Charts.

Image: By Zuzanna Neziri (Flickr: Rolf Harris) [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

All Right Now was released in the summer of 1970, and hit Number 2 on the UK Singles Chart, and Number 4 on the US charts. The song originally appeared on the album Fire And Water, and in 1991, was remixed and re-released, reaching Number 8 on the UK Singles Chart.

All Right Now was a Number 1 hit in over 20 countries, and in 2000 an Award was given to group member, Paul Rodgers, by the British Music Industry when the song passed 2,000,000 plus radio plays in the UK.

Image: By Pilsener (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons

Cottonfields was a cover of a song written by Blues musician Lead Belly, and released on the Beach Boys' 1969 album 20/20, with Al Jardine on lead vocals.

With a new arrangement, Jardine led the group to record a more country-rock style version. This remake, while not a hit in the US, was a Top Ten song around the world, including the UK, in the Spring and Summer of 1970. It remained on the UK chart for 17 weeks and peaked at Number 5.