It’s time to move forward to 1970 from a Vintage vinyl collection place in time. Like the year before, covered in earlier installments, there were some great releases this year from some of our favorite artists of the day. Here are five gems, still well worth a listen during these crazy days of an “old world,” listed in chronological order by date of release. Vintage vinyl treasures (Episode 45)
Van Morrison: Moondance (Warner Bros. Records) – Catalog Number BSK 3103, released January 1970.
Van the Man was firing on all cylinders with Janet Planet [songwriter and vocalist, married to Van Morrison until their divorce in 1973] by his side and this his third studio effort. His inspiration also came in part due to his writing setting; a mountain-top home in the Catskills, near Woodstock. As a reminder for aficionados and as an introduction for Van newbies, consider “And It Stoned Me,” “Moondance,” “Crazy Love,” “Caravan,” and “Into the Mystic.” It just does not get better than this. Side two is joyous as well so please do not misunderstand my humble position on the matter. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified Moondance triple platinum in 1996. Three years later, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. It came in at number 65 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2003. This one makes my cut when grabbing an armful of albums for a deserted island or for the rest of one’s days’ scenario every time.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Dallas Taylor & Greg Reeves: Déjà vu (Atlantic Records) – Catalog Number SD 7200, released March 1970.
I remember passing this album cover around a room of family and friends way back in the day. That was a special place and time in my much younger musical journey. I always thought that the cover was as cool as the album’s name, Déjà vu. Hats off to the talents of this fab four nucleus along with the stellar and noted support of Dallas Taylor on drums and Greg Reeves on bass. Additional musicians lending a hand included John Sebastian and Jerry Garcia. Another tour de force side one is at hand with a side two nearly as strong again in this writer’s humble view. Just 14 days after its release, this album was certified Gold in the U.S. while eventually spending 88 weeks on the Billboard 200 charts. RIAA-certified seven times platinum for sales in excess of seven million copies says it all. Pick any song here and you have a moment in music to cherish.
The Meters: Struttin’ (Josie Records) – Catalog Number JOS-4012, released June 1970.
This, the Meters’ third studio album, featured the stylish vocals of the one and only Art Neville on “Wichita Lineman,” “Darling, Darling, Darling,” and the brilliant and fun Toussaint-penned “Ride Your Pony.” Speaking of Allen Toussaint, he along with his then partner, Marshall Sehorn, produced and recorded this release at Cosimo Matassa’s studio. My favorites include the single “Chicken Strut,” which reached number 11 on Billboard U.S. R&B Singles chart and “Same Old Thing,” “Go for Yourself,” “Hey! Last Minute,” and the aforementioned “Ride Your Pony.” Struttin’ went on to reach number 32 on the U.S. R&B Albums chart. Many thanks to Art, George, Leo, and Ziggy for funk like no other.
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Cosmo’s Factory (Fantasy Records) – Catalog Number 8402, released July 1970.
Cosmo’s Factory by CCR holds a special place as it was my first vinyl record store purchase. I thought that the front album cover photo of the boyz from El Cerrito, California, was so bad ass back then. Still do, come to think of it. It is a powerhouse of a record featuring 11 great tunes including two wicked jams, the seven-plus minute “Ramble Tamble” and the brilliant eleven-plus minute rendition of “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” a cover like no other. John Fogerty penned some more memorable ones here including “Travelin’ Band,” “Lookin’ Out My Back Door,” “Run Through the Jungle,” “Up Around the Bend,” “Who’ll Stop the Rain,” and “Long as I Can See the Light.” Phenom in a word.
Stevie Wonder: Signed, Sealed & Delivered (Tamla Records) – Catalog Number T 304, released August 1970.
Last but certainly not least, the great one gave us yet another round of standout music in 1970. This li’l Stevie Wonder’s twelfth studio album was released three months after his 20th birthday as he sang that he had “seen a lot of things in this old world” on his number three Billboard hit, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours).” Additional singles included Wonder’s “Never Had a Dream Come True,” Ron Miller’s “Heaven Help Us All,” and Wonder’s signature touch on the Lennon/McCartney “We Can Work It Out.” Hats off to members of the legendary Funk Brothers who lent a hand on this one including Richard “Pistol” Allen, Bob Babbitt, Dennis Coffey, Eddie Willis, and the incomparable James Jamerson, the latter just age 47 at the time of his passing in 1983. The music, however, lives on, and based upon this month’s installment, 1970 was definitely yet another very special year.
