Entry 11: Top Tens of 1970

Top Ten Songs of 1970's

10. "Long Winding Road" - Beatles

9. "Everything is Beautiful" Ray Charles

8. " American Woman" - the Guess Who

7 "ABC"- Jacksoon Five

6. "Let it be" Beatles

5. " Bridge over Troubled Waters" Simon & Garfunkel

4. "Thank You for being a Friend" (Golden Girls Theme) Sly and the Family Stove

3."Venus" the Shocking Blue

2"I Want You Back" jackson Five

1. "Raindrops Keep Falling on my head"

Click to find Lyrics for songs listed

Top Ten Movies of 1970

10.Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice

9. Catch 22

8. The Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter

7. Cotton Comes to Harlem

6. Love Story

5. Five Easy Pieces

4. Woodstock- 3 days of Peace and Music

3. Patton

2. M*A*S*H

1. Airport

Click for a plot summary of each movie

Comparison between the two lists. An underlying tone of Peace.

The top ten songs of 1970 which includes songs from the Beatles, Jackson Five, Ray Stevens and other popular singers of that era are concentrated around the Vietnam War. The general tone of the songs is sad, yet very optimistic of the future. For example, in the song “Long and Winding Road” by the Beatles, the singer talks of the hardship, interpreted as the War, that he is going through to get to his lover, which in the context of time, we can interpret as his country, peace or his family. Another example of such a tone is the song “Let it be” by the Beatles. Again, in this song, the singer talks about how he always consults his “Mother Mary” when he is in a trouble or is going through a difficult time in his life. The following is a part of that song:

And when the broken hearted people
Living in the world agree,
There will be an answer, let it be.
For though they may be parted there is
Still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be.
Let it be, let it be. Yeah
There will be an answer, let it be.

This stanza explains the fact that when the Vietnam War is over through negotiations of both sides, namely the US and Vietnam, peace and prosperity will come again

Similarly, the movies of 1970 which included pieces like Airport, MASH and others revolved around the same concept of war, disasters and sadness. For example, in the movie Airport, this concept is revealed through all of the disastrous situations that happen in the film. The bomb threats at the airport, the old lady trying to sneak in through different airlines and the married pilot who is having an affair with a stewardess all prove the fact that Americans were not in an ideal situation at that time. That America had gone out of control.

However, there is one difference in the movies of the 1970 and the songs. Even though, movies like MASH were about war, they were comedies. MASH is set the during the Korean War and depicts the war through cruel humor. In the songs of 1970, there was no such thing as making fun of the war. The concept of war was simply not funny to singers and listeners. This difference in the songs and movies could be because of the fact that movies are and were a source of entertainment. People watched movies to get away from the hassles of their life and get entertained. Movies like MASH provided the audience an opportunity to step back and look at their lives and the war in a whole different way. Not surprisingly, movies were made to make money as supposed to songs at that time. The movie makers made films that would entertain them and distant them from the troubles in their lives. Songs however, were written and sang to depict the reality and touch people's souls. Songs were made not to entertain but to educate and inform the Americans.

Songs and movies have been a very important aspect of the American life style from a long time. In the 1970, movies and songs both depicted the same concept of war and sadness. The songs however, were more optimistic about the future of America while the movies helped Americans look at the war from a whole new perspective.