Soul Music is an offshoot of gospel music and traditional blues, later paving the way for funk and disco music in the 1970s. Some of the most heralded figures of this genre include Ray Charles and Little Richard, who were considered among its pioneers back in the 1950s.
By the 1970s, Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield began incorporating a plethora of new sounds and rhythms, aiding thus in the creation of a new movement called “progressive soul”. Others – like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Sly and the Family Stone – soon followed, becoming staples in that particular musical trend.
70s soul music is identified by several markers such as catchy rhythmic patterns, handclaps, and persuading body movements. It also often features “call and response” sequences between the chorus and lead singer, with intense vocal deliveries at various key moments. These traits make soul music very repeatable via tools like ListenOnRepeat.
The 10 Greatest Soul Songs of the 70s
Let us look now at the best of 70s soul music, narrowing our list to just 10 songs (out of the many we could mention):
10. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Diana Ross
Former Supremes singer Diana Ross didn’t exactly pen this tune (that honor goes to Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson back in ’66) but she was instrumental in popularizing it by 1970, thanks to a soulful yet largely reworked rendition. This one was quite different from an earlier version she recorded with the Supremes – which followed a more similar format to the one sung by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell back in the day- and focused on bringing more classically-oriented elements, especially noticeable at the intro.
listen to Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Diana Ross On Repeat
The backing vocals here were courtesy of various The Undisputed Truth members, granting this recording a more decidedly gospel appeal. You can also hear some spoken word passages from Ross herself.
9. Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe – Barry White
From the moment this hit single was released, it would forever epitomize Barry White’s very musical career. This song came out in 1974, during the early days of disco music – a genre that White would help materialize, by the way – and it aptly recalls every disco trope that would get reprised for years to come.
listen to Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe – Barry White On Repeat
Elements worth highlighting here are the prominent cowbell timekeeping beats, the delicious orchestral arrangements, and, of course, Barry White’s trademarked deep, soothing, soulful, and unforgettable voice!
8. Love Train – The O’Jays
“Love” was a word thrown around quite a lot during this particular period. Love Train, released in 1972, was composed as a message from the O’Jays to nations of the world to “join hands”. It sang like an anthem to peace at a time of increasing conflict in the Middle East, specifically around the Suez Canal.
listen to Love Train – The O’Jays On Repeat
The tune is pretty straightforward and catchy enough to warrant the Nº 1 slot on the Billboard Hot 100 ranking between February and March of 1973. For many folks, it was one of the earliest proto-disco tracks, while still under the umbrella of “soul” music (Philly soul).
7. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life – Stevie Wonder
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life was a single from Wonder’s 1972 album Talking Book, mainly responsible for winning him a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. This song was graced with exceptional backing vocals by the likes of Gloria Barley, Jim Gilstrap (who sang the first 2 lines), and Lani Groves, apart from Wonder’s typically relatable and endearing voice.
listen to You Are The Sunshine Of My Life – Stevie Wonder On Repeat
Some of the most outstanding aspects to underline about this track include the remarkable electric piano harmonies and the markedly Latin-inspired motifs and rhythm section (with congas to boot). This song is also among the first examples of the “Progressive Soul” subgenre.
6. Let’s Get It On – Marvin Gaye
After a creative block following the release of the “What’s Going On” album, Marvin Gaye decided to steer away from the social themes explored therein to focus on more personal subjects, and personal they definitely were! (intimate even). Labeled by experts as one of the most “sexually charged” albums ever recorded, Let’s Get It On and, more specifically, its eponymous track, catapulted Marvin Gaye as a literal sex symbol in 1973 and eclipsed even the success he attained with “What’s Going On” two years prior.
listen to Let’s Get It On – Marvin Gaye On Repeat
This track, and the album as a whole, marked a before and after in the way the “Motown Sound” was conceived as it began to abandon its traditional “call and response”, tambourine back beats, and signature melodic and harmonic structures. Contemporary R&B was also heavily influenced by this album’s vocal multi-tracking and instrumentation.
5. Ain’t No Sunshine – Bill Withers
Ain’t No Sunshine was released in 1971 and became an instant hit in the US. It was not as successful as Lean On Me (released a year later), but it has been instrumental in shaping Withers as a public ambassador for American soul music. As a piece of funny trivia: At the time Withers composed the track, he was making toilets for airplanes, a fact that inspired the record company to later award him with a golden toilet seat upon the song’s success.
listen to Ain’t No Sunshine – Bill Withers On Repeat
This gloomy ballad is not only famous for its slow-paced, melancholic mood, but also for its inventive lyrics and the emblematic 26 “I know’s” at the end. “I know” was supposed to be the beginning phrase of the third verse, but Withers was then advised to leave it as it was and to just repeat the phrase, an idea he obviously embraced.
4. Lean On Me – Bill Withers
Yes, we had to mention two Bill Withers tracks in a row! Released in 1972, Lean On Me is one of Bill Withers’ greatest hits and a candidate for one of the most successful soul songs of the decade. Lean On Me’s composition follows simplistic and light-hearted whole-tone chord progressions with all the usual Motown clichés and deliberately uncomplicated lyrics. The song was Withers’ attempt to bring back his childhood memories in his hometown – the coal mining town of Slab Fork, West Virginia – emphasizing the simple lifestyle he had before moving to busy Los Angeles.
listen to Lean On Me – Bill Withers On Repeat
Lean On Me remained Nº1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and soul singles rankings for almost the entire month of July 1972 and has been versioned numerous times over the years.
3. Midnight Train To Georgia – Gladys Knight & The Pips
Midnight Train To Georgia, released in 1973, was Motown at its finest, even though Gladys Knight and the Pips had already left Motown Records well before. This song was initially called “Midnight Plane to Houston” and was recorded as such by Jim Weatherly. Then, after a long string of events, the song was re-recorded by Cissy Houston as “Midnite Train to Georgia” and forwarded to Gladys Knight and The Pips, who would then use it as a template to record their own version.
listen to Midnight Train To Georgia – Gladys Knight & The Pips On Repeat
This would be the version that made it to Nº 1 on the Hot 100, replacing Rolling Stones’ “Angie” on October 1973. It was also much more fast-paced and brassy than Houston’s version.
2. Lovin’ You – Minnie Riperton
Minnie Riperton is a renowned singer with a fantastic vocal range who quickly rose to the charts thanks to the angelic whistle register she used in this soft ballad. For the record (no pun intended), she is actually one of the few female singers to make use of this register in pop music, let alone soul music.
listen to Lovin’ You – Minnie Riperton On Repeat
“Lovin’ You” was certified Gold in the US by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in April 1975, as the single sold more than 1,000,000 units. Moreover, the Album “Perfect Angel” comprising this track was produced by none other than Stevie Wonder (who also played the piano on various tracks).
1. (Honorable Mention) September – Earth, Wind & Fire
September, released in 1978, may very well be the song with the catchiest chorus ever recorded, but it was not uncontroverted. There were discussions about what to do with the “ba-dee-ya” that was repeated ad nauseam. Allee Willis, who co-wrote the song with Maurice White, was not really happy with White’s constant use of that gibberish, but White insisted to leave it there. She then related how she learned her greatest lesson by not letting the lyrics interrupt the flow of the music. “Ba-dee-ya” remained and became the focal point of the entire song.
listen to (Honorable Mention) September – Earth, Wind & Fire On Repeat
September is labeled more often as a disco track, but we feel safe including it here as a piece of soul music history.
Final words
We probably skipped a huge chunk of the best of 70s soul music (to the dismay of many soul enthusiasts) but, hopefully, we were able to showcase some of the most repeatable tracks out of the bunch to create your ideal ListenOnRepeat playlist.
The post 10 Best Soul Music of 70s appeared first on ListenOnRepeat.
