The Top 10 Songs of 1970 in the UK

The UK's Top 10 best selling songs of 1970 certainly made for strange companions considering what music was on offer during this particular year.

You probably could not create a list of ten songs as diverse as those that captured the attention of the record buying public during 1970. Who would have thought that rock band Free, Lee Marvin and Elvis Presley could end up appearing on the same countdown? But, that is exactly what happened.

Note that these songs have not been picked as my favourites of this year, but to show which records sold the most during 1970.

1970s 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.

Yellow River became a massive international hit, reaching Number 1 on the UK music chart for a single week in June 1970. It also entered the American charts, peaking at a respectable Number 23.

Originally recorded by The Tremeloes, it was the group's intention to release it as their latest single, but then decided the song was not in keeping with the direction they wanted to follow.

Christie recorded vocals over the original backing track and, as they say, the rest is history.

The first ever single from Mungo Jerry became the band's biggest selling song, hitting the top of the charts worldwide. In the UK alone, In the Summertime remained at Number 1 for a staggering seven weeks, while it is now estimated to have global sales of more than six million copies.

Although the song peaked at Number 3 in the States, this was the band's only hit on their shores, although more were to come in their native UK and elsewhere around the world.

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.

Wand'rin' Star was a UK Number 1 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 now classed as a One Hit Wonder.

Spirit in the Sky sold two million copies in 1969 and 1970 and peaked at Number 3 on the US Billboard chart, as well as Number 1 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.

The song that won many of the plaudits during 1970 and essentially split the professional partnership of Simon and Garfunkel was the now classic Bridge Over Troubled Water.

It peaked at Number 1 in the US at the end of February and remained there for a total of six weeks, eventually becoming the biggest seller of the year on the Billboard chart. It repeated the feat in the UK a month later, staying at the top of the British charts for three weeks. It also won the Grammys for Record and Song of the Year

Aside from the single, its parent album was a permanent fixture on music charts around the world for the first half of the decade and like the 45 was honoured with a Grammy.

One of the biggest sporting events of the year was the football World Cup in which England was defending its title.

This was the first of the World Cup songs to celebrate the participation of the England squad and duly went to Number 1 in the charts during May for three weeks.

Unfortunately, the team was not as successful on the pitch, as England was eliminated in the quarter-final stages by Germany.

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.

It 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.

• Record of the Year
  • Bridge over Troubled Water

• Album of the Year
  • Bridge over Troubled Water performed by Simon & Garfunkel

• Song of the Year
  • Bridge over Troubled Water performed by Simon & Garfunkel

• Best New Artist
  • The Carpenters

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