Best of 1970 Mix

 

 So the hard part in working on my top 500 songs list was knowing what songs to review.  So I began this project of going year by year and picking out songs.  Initially I was just going to do from 1976 to present day.  1976 was the first year I bought an album.  But then I decided that I really wanted to be able to make a decade mix for 1970 so I went back to begin with 1970.  Now I'm thinking I should probably do the 60's, but we'll see.

I say all that to say here is my 20 song mix from 1970.  

20. Fire and Rain by James Taylor

    I will admit this likely would not be on my list if I had not married my wife.  She is such a huge James Taylor fan.  This will be the same for the Cat Stevens song in this mix.  

19. We've Only Just Begun by The Carpenters

    Always like The Carpenters and this song still holds up today.  

18. Into the Mystic by Van Morrison

    I was never a huge Van Morrison fan but he has his moments.  I had a friend in college who adored Morrison and this song always makes me think of her.  

17. The Only Living Boy in New York by Simon & Garfunkel

    Not my favorite Simon & Garfunkel album but this song has really grown on me over the years. 

16. Paranoid by Black Sabbath

    I'm not a heavy metal guy but this is a classic.  

15. Have You Ever Seen the Rain by CCR

    I really like CCR but they can wear on me.  This song though, I never get tired of it.  

14. Proud Mary by Ike & Tina Turner

    Another classic.  

13. Ain't No Mountain High Enough by Diana Ross

    Don't know why I like this song so much, but I do.  

12. Wild World by Cat Stevens

    Can't listen to Cat Stevens without thinking of my wife and this is the quintessential Cat Stevens song to me.   

11. Close to You by The Carpenters

    Another classic.  

10. No Time by The Guess Who

    I really like some of their songs, but was never a big fan of American Woman which came out in 1970. 

9. Love the One You're With by Stephen Stills

    This song always makes me think of my friend Eric.  

8. 25 or 6 to 4 by Chicago

    This song always makes me think of high school.

7. Make It With You by Bread

    So a girl once put a couple of Bread songs on a mix tape for me, Make It With You being one of them and so I've loved this song ever since.  

6. Move On Up by Curtis Mayfield

    This is so good.

5. O-o-h Child by The Five Stairsteps

    Another one that my wife absolutely loves.  I always liked the song, but now it has special meaning.  

4. Your Song by Elton John

    When Elton John connects he really connects and I think this song really nails it.  

3. Midnight Rider by The Allman Brothers Band

    Talk about a song that makes me think of Heath High School, this one does it.  

2. Moondance by Van Morrison

    I had acquaintance in college who was in a band.  We went to see them one night and they did Moondance and it was fantastic. I always liked this song, but I realized that night what a fun song it really is.  

1. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lightfoot

    You know those songs that for whatever reason when you hear them they just really hit you, that's the way this song has always been for me.