This Week's Top 10 - March 23, 1971

WABC Musicradio Survey for March 23, 1971

http://www.musicradio77.com/Surveys/1971/surveymar2371.html


1. Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) - The Temptations
2. What's Going On - Marvin Gaye
3. Proud Mary - Ike & Tina Turner
4. One Bad Apple - The Osmonds
5. Me and Bobby McGee - Janis Joplin
6. She's a Lady - Tom Jones
7. For All We Know - The Carpenters
8. Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted - The Partridge Family
9. (Where Do I Begin) Love Story - Andy Williams
10. Mama's Pearl - The Jackson 5

 

For All We Know captures the early seventies sound the best for me. Nice and easy.

 

It's a toss up between 1 & 2 for me. "Just My Imagination" is just such a dreamy number and timeless. "What's Going On" is fantastic too.

 

No question...it's Marvin. Although you gotta love the Temptations.

 

Same here! I finally went with the Temps!

I also love Janis' "Me & Bobby McGee"

Again...great chart, Martin!

 

I went with Janis, but I could easily have gone with any of the following:

1. Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) - The Temptations
2. What's Going On - Marvin Gaye
3. Proud Mary - Ike & Tina Turner
6. She's a Lady - Tom Jones

What a great chart

 

Love this era... didn't realize Joplin was that late.

Coincidentally was blasting "One Bad Apple" this morning without seeing this thread - FANTASTIC single and my favorite on this chart.

I played a young friend of mine a couple of Osmond tunes and their comment was, "Sounds like a white Jackson 5" - hmm. Interesting.

Jeff

 

I like that the charts around this time had bubblegum, blues rock, AND Motown soul...

But I must say "soul" or whatever you call Marvin's work and The Tempations are a genre that does absolutely nothing for me, unfortunately.

It's the one genre that the forum (deservedly I'm sure) respects and loves... it just - I grew up with it so it's not ignorance, but it's something that never "touched me" inside the way so much of the other music from those charts has...

It's okay - there are people (even here) who no matter how much they are exposed to it and told "how to listen" don't get The Beach Boys for example.

I like that many of our opinions differ on here but so many of us who write on the forum are EDUCATED - so I totally respect all of your love for the Motown groups, etc.

Jeff

 

I totally understand, Jeff. Growing up in Motown, it's in my genes!

 

What's Going On - Marvin Gaye. I still get goose-bumps hearing that song.
I don't recall the Jackson Five song but just checked out a sample on Amazon and it sounds like classic J5. Jeeze, even the Partridge Family track isn't bad. Great Chart!

 

A very mellow year in music to my ears. Was it all a getaway from the fast and turbulent 60's?

 

Great chart! never cared much for One Bad Apple, though. I thought the followup single Double Lovin' was better.

 

Voted for the Temptations, tho Marvin Gaye is close, but I hear it too much.

Don't know the last three. Is the Andy William's song from the movie of that name?

 

Of this chart, my collection includes #1 and 5-9. I'd rate the 45 mono mix of #2 as amongst my favorites, preferable to the stereo mix; and correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't The Ladybirds (the background singers on The Benny Hill Show, among other things) heard singing on Mr. Jones' number (which I voted for, because someone had to - besides I like it!)? Sure sounds like it . . .

 

One and the same. Only with lyrics (from Carl Sigman).

An interesting side note: Mr. Williams' version (Columbia single #4-45317) was released one catalogue number after another version by Tony Bennett (4-45316) which, to my knowledge, didn't even chart.

 

Isn't even close: What's Going On

 

I've been familiar with it since 1978 when I first got a 45 copy of Bell single #963. B.T.W., one of the writers, Mike Appel, would go on to manage Bruce Springsteen very early on in his (the latter's, that is) career. I've always had the record in the form of a Columbia pressing from Pitman, NJ - such pressings alternated between using A&R Recording-mastered lacquers and those cut in-house by Columbia in New York.

 

Again, I had to go with the popular choice of that day. The Temps in their prime were hard to best!

 

Very hard to choose between the first two songs on the list. But if I had to pick one, I guess it would be the Marvin Gaye. It gave me chills the first time I heard it, and I have never tired of hearing it despite the fact that it has been somewhat overplayed on the radio over the years.

I like all of the top 5 songs on this chart, and the Carpenters song too. Overall, a great week for music!

 

I agree. I think the original "Detroit Mix" improves on the released single and album versions and they're all available here:

http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Going-Marvin-Gaye/dp/samples/B000059RL3

 

"One Bad Apple" was actually written for the Jackson 5 by southern soul singer/songwriter George Jackson, but Berry Gordy rejected it saying it sounded too juvenile. The J5 had such an impact with their first 4 consecutive #1 singles in 1970, that it was inevitable that others would try to copy their sound (Osmonds, Sylvers, Honey Cone etc).

http://www.answers.com/topic/george-jackson-rhythm-blues-artist

I chose the Temptations - I love "What's Going On", but I've heard it too often.

 

I love Janis singing and re-gendering the Kris Kristofferson classic.

 

The Tempts' great tune, one that I come to appreciate more with each passing year.

 

Here is the top 20 from WLS dated March 22, 1971. I voted for Janis. I have fond memories of this time. I was a Senior in college at this time, and graduated in May 1971.

1. Just My Imagination Temptations-Gordy 5
2. She's A Lady Tom Jones-Parrot 3
3. What's Going On? Marvin Gaye-Tamla 6
4. Doesn't Somebody Want To Be Wanted Partridge Family-Bell 1
5. One Take Over The Line Brewer & Shipley-Kama Sutra 8
6. What Is Life? George Harrison-Apple 11
7. Me And Bobby McGee Janis Joplin-Columbia 2
8. For All We Know Carpenters-A&M 4
9. Blue Money Van Morrison-Warner Brothers 7
10. Help Me Make It Through The Night Sammi Smith-Mega 15
11. L. A. Goodbye Ides Of March-Warner Brothers 19
12. Another Day Paul McCartney-Apple 23
13. Free Chicago-Columbia 17
14. Loves, Lines, Angles & Rhymes Fifth Dimension-Bell 9
15. Oye Como Va Santana-Columbia 18
16. Eighteen Alice Cooper-Warner Brothers 30
17. We Can Work It Out Stevie Wonder-Tamla 28
18. Amos Moses Jerry Reed-R.C.A. 13
19. Mama's Pearl Jackson Five-Motown 10
20. (Theme From) Love Story Henry Mancini-R.C.A. 12

 

I always preferred the single mono mix of What's Going On, complete with false fade at the end. I also like the "Detroit mix".