Peace Love and musical happiness welcome
to watchmojo.com and today we’ll be
counting down our picks for the top 10
Billboard chart topping rock songs of
the 70s
for this list we focus on rock songs
that reached number 1 on the Billboard
chart while making a definitive mark on
pop culture in the desert you can
remember your name
number ten my sweet lord George Harrison
just weeks after the untimely deaths of
Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin rock fans
were presented with a gift from the gods
courtesy of a new solo artist named
George Harrison really really well going
as the Beatles had recently parted ways
the experimental music upped the ante by
releasing a triple album entitled all
things must pass with a lead single
dedicated to the supreme deity Krishna
therapeutic for both the artists and
listeners alike my sweet lord became the
most successful single of George
Harrison’s post Beatles career as the
song hit number one what remains for
four weeks
number nine Maggie Mae Rod Stewart
from a man was naturally hippie hair to
one with a carefully sculpted mane of
early 70s glory after playing with the
Jeff Beck Group in the late 60s rod the
mod set off on a solo career and
thoroughly dominated the Billboard
charts with the throaty vocals of Maggie
Maggie
based on his first sexual encounter with
a much older Dame the song details a
strange journey of love
but despite the awkward details Rod
Stewart topped the Billboard Hot 100 for
an impressive five weeks
number eight me and Bobby McGee Janis
Joplin busted flat and Van Rouge waiting
for train on a speed the news fate it is
managing unless you lived through the
70s there’s a good chance that this
chart-topper is the only Janis Joplin
song you can name off the top of your
head
and there’s a good reason for that as it
was released a few months after her life
ended at the age of 27 co-written by
Kris Kristofferson and Roy Orbison
producer Fred foster me and Bobby McGee
was recorded the week of Joplin’s death
much to the surprise of Kristofferson
upon first hearing the version one day
after the singer passed Janis is short
but legendary music career was given a
touching send-off as the song became a
chart topper and one of her signature
songs
number seven Crocodile Rock Elton John
while rock stars had been known to be a
bit pretentious this song stripped away
all the theatrics with respect to the
early days of rock and roll waha death
is time Crocodile Rock originated after
Elton John heard the Australian hits
Eagle Rock by Daddy Cool and along with
writing partner Bernie toe pay he came
up with the playful lyrics for a future
billboard number one
okay it’s not exactly the most thrashing
of early 70s rock songs but it captures
the essence and energy of the genre
itself
Miss America
–
with Ja number six American Pie Don
McClane this will be the day that I
speaking of well serious musicians Don
McLean once noted that his lyrics to the
culture phenomenon are beyond analysis
their poetry and you know what he’s
right
Oh rose
as a recollection of the day the music
died American Pie is essentially about
America itself and as the singer has
noted himself it means that he doesn’t
ever have to work again ever
because that’s what happens when you
find yourself at the top of the
Billboard charts American Pie reminds of
a more innocent time and it remains a
memento of classic folk rock
Oh
b-but
number five American woman the guess who
speaking of Americana perhaps it was the
success of this rock hit that inspired
Don McClane to write a more in-depth
response whatever the case the guests
who weren’t actually Americans at all
but a Canadian rock band who caused a
stir with the aggressive nature of their
lyrics America despite the controversy
the United States took a liking to
American woman and it ultimately climbed
its way to the top of the charts thus
proving that all it takes as a funky
groove and an America reference to gain
attention and maybe some badass vocals
too
number four brown sugar the Rolling
Stones
well here’s a song that wouldn’t exactly
fly as a new release today but
nevertheless it’s undoubtedly a rock and
roll classic
recorded down south at Alabama’s Muscle
Shoals studio and inspired by Mick
Jagger’s relationship with Marcia hunt
the lyrics were every parent’s worst
nightmare in 1971 and not exactly
politically correct
you
then again we’re talking about the
Rolling Stones a legendary band who
could sell anything and brown sugar was
ultimately consumed like a daily
appetizer for rock fans
number three bridge over troubled water
simon and garfunkel when you
feeling small
put your palms to the sky baby because
this folky number will have you praising
the godly songwriting of Paul Simon for
the lead single up their final album
Simon and Garfunkel channeled a little
gospel along with Phil Spector’s wall of
sound technique for a song that would be
covered by the likes of Elvis Presley
Aretha Franklin and Johnny Cash
and pain
almost five minutes in length bridge
over troubled water has a grand scope of
positivity that had people shouting from
the mountaintops
remaining atop the Billboard Hot 100 for
six big weeks there’s no doubt that this
is one of the duo’s most signature songs
number two let it be the Beatles
times of trouble mother Mary comes to me
speaking words written by John Lennon
and Paul McCartney let it be originated
after the latter saw his deceased mother
in a dream and upon its release no other
rock song had ever debuted higher on the
Billboard charts
a fitting conclusion to the band’s
decade together
let it be stands the test of time and is
often considered one of the greatest
songs of all time
the track marked the end of the era as
McCartney left the Beatles approximately
five weeks after the song’s release but
you know what they say let it be
before we unveil our top pick here are a
few honorable mentions to be
you
number one Hotel California the Eagles
by the mid-70s diehard music fans were
becoming less concerned with the
Billboard charts and more interested in
the scope of albums as a whole and when
the Eagles released their fifth studio
album in December of 1976 a six and a
half minute musical journey stopped
listeners in their tracks
sweet musically adroit and lyrically
profound Hotel California is far more
than a soft rock anthem and one of the
best-selling songs of all time
it’s a surrealistic fantasy open for
endless interpretations
so do you agree with our selections what
is your favorite Billboard chart topping
rock song of the 70s for more musical
top 10s published every day be sure to
subscribe to watchmojo.com
to watchmojo.com and today we’ll be
counting down our picks for the top 10
Billboard chart topping rock songs of
the 70s
for this list we focus on rock songs
that reached number 1 on the Billboard
chart while making a definitive mark on
pop culture in the desert you can
remember your name
number ten my sweet lord George Harrison
just weeks after the untimely deaths of
Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin rock fans
were presented with a gift from the gods
courtesy of a new solo artist named
George Harrison really really well going
as the Beatles had recently parted ways
the experimental music upped the ante by
releasing a triple album entitled all
things must pass with a lead single
dedicated to the supreme deity Krishna
therapeutic for both the artists and
listeners alike my sweet lord became the
most successful single of George
Harrison’s post Beatles career as the
song hit number one what remains for
four weeks
number nine Maggie Mae Rod Stewart
from a man was naturally hippie hair to
one with a carefully sculpted mane of
early 70s glory after playing with the
Jeff Beck Group in the late 60s rod the
mod set off on a solo career and
thoroughly dominated the Billboard
charts with the throaty vocals of Maggie
Maggie
based on his first sexual encounter with
a much older Dame the song details a
strange journey of love
but despite the awkward details Rod
Stewart topped the Billboard Hot 100 for
an impressive five weeks
number eight me and Bobby McGee Janis
Joplin busted flat and Van Rouge waiting
for train on a speed the news fate it is
managing unless you lived through the
70s there’s a good chance that this
chart-topper is the only Janis Joplin
song you can name off the top of your
head
and there’s a good reason for that as it
was released a few months after her life
ended at the age of 27 co-written by
Kris Kristofferson and Roy Orbison
producer Fred foster me and Bobby McGee
was recorded the week of Joplin’s death
much to the surprise of Kristofferson
upon first hearing the version one day
after the singer passed Janis is short
but legendary music career was given a
touching send-off as the song became a
chart topper and one of her signature
songs
number seven Crocodile Rock Elton John
while rock stars had been known to be a
bit pretentious this song stripped away
all the theatrics with respect to the
early days of rock and roll waha death
is time Crocodile Rock originated after
Elton John heard the Australian hits
Eagle Rock by Daddy Cool and along with
writing partner Bernie toe pay he came
up with the playful lyrics for a future
billboard number one
okay it’s not exactly the most thrashing
of early 70s rock songs but it captures
the essence and energy of the genre
itself
Miss America
–
with Ja number six American Pie Don
McClane this will be the day that I
speaking of well serious musicians Don
McLean once noted that his lyrics to the
culture phenomenon are beyond analysis
their poetry and you know what he’s
right
Oh rose
as a recollection of the day the music
died American Pie is essentially about
America itself and as the singer has
noted himself it means that he doesn’t
ever have to work again ever
because that’s what happens when you
find yourself at the top of the
Billboard charts American Pie reminds of
a more innocent time and it remains a
memento of classic folk rock
Oh
b-but
number five American woman the guess who
speaking of Americana perhaps it was the
success of this rock hit that inspired
Don McClane to write a more in-depth
response whatever the case the guests
who weren’t actually Americans at all
but a Canadian rock band who caused a
stir with the aggressive nature of their
lyrics America despite the controversy
the United States took a liking to
American woman and it ultimately climbed
its way to the top of the charts thus
proving that all it takes as a funky
groove and an America reference to gain
attention and maybe some badass vocals
too
number four brown sugar the Rolling
Stones
well here’s a song that wouldn’t exactly
fly as a new release today but
nevertheless it’s undoubtedly a rock and
roll classic
recorded down south at Alabama’s Muscle
Shoals studio and inspired by Mick
Jagger’s relationship with Marcia hunt
the lyrics were every parent’s worst
nightmare in 1971 and not exactly
politically correct
you
then again we’re talking about the
Rolling Stones a legendary band who
could sell anything and brown sugar was
ultimately consumed like a daily
appetizer for rock fans
number three bridge over troubled water
simon and garfunkel when you
feeling small
put your palms to the sky baby because
this folky number will have you praising
the godly songwriting of Paul Simon for
the lead single up their final album
Simon and Garfunkel channeled a little
gospel along with Phil Spector’s wall of
sound technique for a song that would be
covered by the likes of Elvis Presley
Aretha Franklin and Johnny Cash
and pain
almost five minutes in length bridge
over troubled water has a grand scope of
positivity that had people shouting from
the mountaintops
remaining atop the Billboard Hot 100 for
six big weeks there’s no doubt that this
is one of the duo’s most signature songs
number two let it be the Beatles
times of trouble mother Mary comes to me
speaking words written by John Lennon
and Paul McCartney let it be originated
after the latter saw his deceased mother
in a dream and upon its release no other
rock song had ever debuted higher on the
Billboard charts
a fitting conclusion to the band’s
decade together
let it be stands the test of time and is
often considered one of the greatest
songs of all time
the track marked the end of the era as
McCartney left the Beatles approximately
five weeks after the song’s release but
you know what they say let it be
before we unveil our top pick here are a
few honorable mentions to be
you
number one Hotel California the Eagles
by the mid-70s diehard music fans were
becoming less concerned with the
Billboard charts and more interested in
the scope of albums as a whole and when
the Eagles released their fifth studio
album in December of 1976 a six and a
half minute musical journey stopped
listeners in their tracks
sweet musically adroit and lyrically
profound Hotel California is far more
than a soft rock anthem and one of the
best-selling songs of all time
it’s a surrealistic fantasy open for
endless interpretations
so do you agree with our selections what
is your favorite Billboard chart topping
rock song of the 70s for more musical
top 10s published every day be sure to
subscribe to watchmojo.com
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