1970 best-selling singles in Brazil
there's a dearth of data from January to March 1970;
complete information only from April to December 1970.
there's a dearth of data from January to March 1970;
complete information only from April to December 1970.
Singles with most weeks at the #1 position:
1. Adeus solidão (Picking up pebbles) - Carmen Silva (RCA) 14 wks at #1
2. Quero voltar p'ra Bahia - Paulo Diniz (Odeon) 12 wks at #1
3. Venus - The Shocking Blue (Polydor) 9 wks at #1
4. Eu te amo meu Brasil - Os Incriveis (RCA) 8 wks at #1
5. Everybody's talkin' - Nilsson (RCA) 5 wks at #1
6. Marie Jolie - Aphrodite's Child (Mercury) 5 wks at #1
7. Yellow River - Christie (Epic) 4 wks at #1
8. Airport Love Theme - Vincent Bell (MCA-Chantecler) 4 wks at #1
9. A namorada que sonhei - Nilton Cesar (RCA) 2 wks at #1
10. P'ra frente Brasil - Coral de Joab Teixeira (Copacabana) 2 wks at #1
11. 120... 150... 200 km por hora - Roberto Carlos (CBS) 2 wks at #1
12. Hoje - Taiguara (Odeon) 2 wks at #1
13. Reflections of my life - The Marmalade (Odeon) 2 wks at #1
14. Primavera (Vai chuva) - Tim Maia (Polydor) 2 wks at #1
15. Se eu pudesse conversar com Deus - Antonio Marcos (RCA) 1 wk at #1
16. Yester-me, yester-you, yester-day - Stevie Wonder (Tamla-Ebrau)
17. Pensando em você - Wanderley Cardoso (Copacabana)
18. Cherry red - The Bee Gees (Polydor)
19. Candida - Dawn (Bell-Odeon)
'Amiga', a TV guide published in Rio by weekly illustrated Manchete started carrying lists of Best Selling Records according to a research done by a 'A Grande Parada Brasil' (Brazil's Great Parade) a radio-show broadcast from São Paulo on Saturdays from 12:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The radio-programme was produced by Waldyr Santos and compered by Enzo de Almeida Passos who linked up with various DJs from different radio stations from capital cities around the country.
Paulo Diniz's 'Quero voltar p'ra Bahia' (I want to go back to Bahia) was the second-biggest hit of the year. Diniz who had had a medium-sized hit for Copacabana before that had got hold of a phrase Caetano Veloso had written from London - to independent weekly 'O Pasquim' and made it into a refrain (I don't want to stay here, I want to go back to Bahia) which became 'Quero voltar p'ra Bahia' and shot to #1 almost immediately after being released by Odeon.
'The boxer' was Simon & Garfunkel's biggest hit so far. The American duo would also chart with 'Cecilia' and 'El condor pasa' from their album 'Bridge over troubled water'.
British-Australian band The Bee Gees kept churning out hit after hit; 'Cherry red' being on the top of the charts for one week.
Greek outfit Aphrodite's Child was #1 for 4 weeks with 'Marie Jolie'. Demis Roussos, their crooner, would soon leave the combo to start a victorious solo career.
2. Quero voltar p'ra Bahia - Paulo Diniz (Odeon) 12 wks at #1
3. Venus - The Shocking Blue (Polydor) 9 wks at #1
4. Eu te amo meu Brasil - Os Incriveis (RCA) 8 wks at #1
5. Everybody's talkin' - Nilsson (RCA) 5 wks at #1
6. Marie Jolie - Aphrodite's Child (Mercury) 5 wks at #1
7. Yellow River - Christie (Epic) 4 wks at #1
8. Airport Love Theme - Vincent Bell (MCA-Chantecler) 4 wks at #1
9. A namorada que sonhei - Nilton Cesar (RCA) 2 wks at #1
10. P'ra frente Brasil - Coral de Joab Teixeira (Copacabana) 2 wks at #1
11. 120... 150... 200 km por hora - Roberto Carlos (CBS) 2 wks at #1
12. Hoje - Taiguara (Odeon) 2 wks at #1
13. Reflections of my life - The Marmalade (Odeon) 2 wks at #1
14. Primavera (Vai chuva) - Tim Maia (Polydor) 2 wks at #1
15. Se eu pudesse conversar com Deus - Antonio Marcos (RCA) 1 wk at #1
16. Yester-me, yester-you, yester-day - Stevie Wonder (Tamla-Ebrau)
17. Pensando em você - Wanderley Cardoso (Copacabana)
18. Cherry red - The Bee Gees (Polydor)
19. Candida - Dawn (Bell-Odeon)
'Amiga', a TV guide published in Rio by weekly illustrated Manchete started carrying lists of Best Selling Records according to a research done by a 'A Grande Parada Brasil' (Brazil's Great Parade) a radio-show broadcast from São Paulo on Saturdays from 12:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The radio-programme was produced by Waldyr Santos and compered by Enzo de Almeida Passos who linked up with various DJs from different radio stations from capital cities around the country.
The Military Junta that had overthrown democratic elected President João Goulart 6 years before (1st April 1964) had consolidated its power through a series of arbitrary Acts - AI-5 imposed on the country in December 1968 being the most infamous - had a heavy-handed censorship imposed on all kinds of arts - especially the music business.
The Brazilian national football-team won FIFA's World Cup in Mexico in June 1970 spawning a few march-like hits like Coral de Joab's 'P'ra frente Brasil' (Foward Brazil), Titulares do Ritmo's 'A Taça do Mundo é Nossa' (The World Cup is Ours) and Wilson Simonal's 'Aqui é o pais do futebol' (Here is football's country). The Military Junta took advantage of national jubilation over the football victory to press their own agenda emphasizing a fascist nationalism and introducing a negative campaign copied from a USA's earlier campaign: 'America, love it or leave it', which rhymes in English but it is poorly phrased in Portuguese: 'Brasil, ame-o ou deixe-o!'
Juca Chaves had started as an 'enfant terrible' in 1960. He had lived in exile in Rome and Paris as of 1963 but was now back in the country with a full swing. He released 'Paris tropical' (Paris in the tropics) in defiance of the general truculent nationalistic mood, sending up Jorge Ben's 1969's # 1 hit 'País tropical' (Tropical country) a jingoist view of the country that ran according to the General's 'official view'.
Rock band Os Incríveis would take 'Eu te amo meu Brasil' (I love you, my dear Brazil) to #1 by December, crowning 1970 as probably the most jingoistic year in Brazil's recent tragic history. Actually 'Eu te amo meu Brasil' was a paen extolling the natural beauties of the country and not an overall piece of political propaganda... but it unfortunately ended up working as probably not intended.
Quite a few artists had left the country going into exile due to political pressure coming from the Dictatorship. Chico Buarque de Hollanda thought it might be safer to live in Rome after the theatre in which his play 'Roda Viva' was playing was invaded by an anti-communist para-military group that bashed up actors and destroyed property. Caetano Veloso & Gilberto Gil left for London in 1969, after having been held illegally by the Military and submitted to mental and physical torture.
Paulo Diniz's 'Quero voltar p'ra Bahia' (I want to go back to Bahia) was the second-biggest hit of the year. Diniz who had had a medium-sized hit for Copacabana before that had got hold of a phrase Caetano Veloso had written from London - to independent weekly 'O Pasquim' and made it into a refrain (I don't want to stay here, I want to go back to Bahia) which became 'Quero voltar p'ra Bahia' and shot to #1 almost immediately after being released by Odeon.
Gal Costa went up the charts with Caetano Veloso's 'London, London', his first attempt at writing in English which is about the city where he was in exile.
Chico Buarque de Hollanda had a hit with 'Essa moça tá diferente' (This girl's changed) released by Dutch Philips, his new label after having left local RGE.
Paulinho da Viola with his beautiful 'Foi um rio que passou em minha vida' (It was like a river that passed through my life) had finally arrived in grand style. Taiguara, who was born in Uruguay but moved to Brazil very young was another welcome breath of fresh air. Taiguara's 'Hoje' (Today) had a most exquisite arrangement made by Lindolpho Gaya and Taiguara's eerie lyrics were deep and mysterious. He would release an album before the end of the year with 'Viagem' and 'Universo no teu corpo' that could be considered part of a trilogy along with 'Hoje'.
Rio de Janeiro's vocal group Golden Boys had a very good year with 'Fumacê' (A lot of smoke) a pro-marijuana song even though it was properly disguised as something else. 'Cabeção' their second hit was a tongue-in-cheek or simply a politically-incorrect song about a fellow with a big head.
By November, Tim Maia a new act hailing from Rio de Janeiro took 'Primavera' (Vai chuva) to #1 in the singles' chart. Tim had started singing with the same Tijuca crowd that had been on top now for more than 5 years namely Roberto Carlos, Erasmo Carlos, Jorge Ben and Wilson Simonal. Tim instead migrated to the USA where he was influenced by American Black music. Tim Maia's album was a breakthrough for what would be soon called Brazilian Soul Music.
The first half of the year saw Carmen Costa and her 'Adeus solidão' on the top of the charts for 9 consecutive weeks making it the best-selling-single of 1970. Adapted from 'Picking up pebbles' a ballad written by British Johnny Curtis, that was a #1 hit in Australia by Matt Flinders and a #1 hit in South Africa and Rhodesia by Cornelia.
By November, Tim Maia a new act hailing from Rio de Janeiro took 'Primavera' (Vai chuva) to #1 in the singles' chart. Tim had started singing with the same Tijuca crowd that had been on top now for more than 5 years namely Roberto Carlos, Erasmo Carlos, Jorge Ben and Wilson Simonal. Tim instead migrated to the USA where he was influenced by American Black music. Tim Maia's album was a breakthrough for what would be soon called Brazilian Soul Music.
The first half of the year saw Carmen Costa and her 'Adeus solidão' on the top of the charts for 9 consecutive weeks making it the best-selling-single of 1970. Adapted from 'Picking up pebbles' a ballad written by British Johnny Curtis, that was a #1 hit in Australia by Matt Flinders and a #1 hit in South Africa and Rhodesia by Cornelia.
On the foreign-language songs department we had more of the same. We started the year with two blockbusters: B.J.Thomas' 'Raindrops keep fallin' on my head' from 'Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid' and Nilsson's 'Everybody's talkin' from 'Midnight cowboy' that was huge. Both flicks had sound-track albums that sold in the thousands. 'Venus' by Dutch band Shocking Blue was probably the best-selling-single-of-the-year but as we don't have the charts for the first 3 months of 1970 it is not possible to be sure of that.
In August, session musician Vincent Bell took 'Airport Love Theme' (from a popular movie based on Arthur Hayle's book) to #1.Bell had played as a session-men for years (he played in The Lemon Pipers' 'Green tambourine' #1 at Billboard on 3 February 1968). Bell developed a 'watery' guitar sound with his 12-string guitar that amazed people making his 'Airport Love Theme' go to the top of the charts.
'Let it be' was The Beatles farewell song. But even before 'Let it be' hit the radio-waves John Lennon placed his own powerful 'Instant Karma' at the charts being the first Beatle to hit individually.
In August, session musician Vincent Bell took 'Airport Love Theme' (from a popular movie based on Arthur Hayle's book) to #1.Bell had played as a session-men for years (he played in The Lemon Pipers' 'Green tambourine' #1 at Billboard on 3 February 1968). Bell developed a 'watery' guitar sound with his 12-string guitar that amazed people making his 'Airport Love Theme' go to the top of the charts.
'Let it be' was The Beatles farewell song. But even before 'Let it be' hit the radio-waves John Lennon placed his own powerful 'Instant Karma' at the charts being the first Beatle to hit individually.
'The boxer' was Simon & Garfunkel's biggest hit so far. The American duo would also chart with 'Cecilia' and 'El condor pasa' from their album 'Bridge over troubled water'.
British-Australian band The Bee Gees kept churning out hit after hit; 'Cherry red' being on the top of the charts for one week.
Greek outfit Aphrodite's Child was #1 for 4 weeks with 'Marie Jolie'. Demis Roussos, their crooner, would soon leave the combo to start a victorious solo career.
Credence Clearwater Revival were the 2nd most-popular foreign band in Brazil having placed two songs in the charts: the anti-war ditty 'Who'll stop the rain' and 'Travellin' band'.
Military Dictatorship, TV Globo & the demisse of pop-music festivals
Pop music festivals organized by TV stations started in 1965. Soon they became really popular having hit their peak in 1967. But now, due to the censorship imposed by the Military Dictatorship those festivals were fast becoming redundant.
Since 1964, there had been a change of media ownership in the country. Independent TV Excelsior which had single-handedly revolutionized the way of making TV in Brazil was put 'on ice' by the Dictators and conservative and anti-communist newspaper O Globo was anointed by the Junta and given a TV concession (TV Globo) to what would soon become a monopoly on communications in the country.
TV Globo took up pop-music festivals that up until then had been TV Record's trump and kept on organizing them in Rio de Janeiro. Up until 1968, São Paulo had been the place where those festivals happened. Now, new TV Globo with a fresh influx of capital from Time-Life Inc. ruled the waves.
Due to the Junta's censorship to all kinds of media their raison d'etre no longer existed. How could a song festival be successfull if song-writers could not say what they wanted? 1970 saw the last of such events, even though there were 2 further editions in 1971 and 1972, but they were lacklustre affairs and died of natural causes.
The 1970 edition of the so-called V FIC - 5th International Song Festival - showed all the contradictions of a police-state. As the organizers tried to 'clean' song lyrics of all social protest they became bland and boring. The winning song 'BR-3' written by Antonio Adolfo & Tiberio Gaspar was bland enough to get the go-ahead from the organizers. It was a story about people dying during car crashes on BR-3 a highway linking Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais. The song itself was insipid but it was sung in a forceful way by Toni Tornado, a Black singer sporting a huge Afro-hair which in itself was not viewed favourably the Military, especially now that the US Black Panther movement was on the go.
Erlon Chaves, a Black orchestra-conductor who had always been friendly with the conservative side of politics was in for a shock when after performing his entry 'Eu também quero mocotó' he was summoned by a para-military court, imprisoned and given the runaround because he had the nerve to be kissed and hugged by two blondes on the stage as part of his show. Erlon who was naive politically learned the hard way: it was not enough to be 'anti-communist' in Brazil; one had to be white too! Erlon Chaves who had been the highlight of the 1970 Festival went into instant ostracism and died of a heart attack (or a broken-heart) 4 years later.
Paul Simon's wife had been harassed by Brazilian police as she arrived at Rio Airport for wearing a T-shirt with Mao Tse Tung on it. Even with all this repression, 'Pedro Nadie' (Peter Nobody), the story of common man that could be interpreted as being left-wing, written and performed by Argentine Piero won the Festival on 27 October 1970.
Manchete weekly illustrated magazine: Italian born Argentine Piero De Benedictis wins the International Song Festival in Rio de Janeiro on 27 October 1970. Piero is lifted on his peers' shoulders while receiving a standing ovation from the crowd that filled Maracanãzinho arena.
read more about this Festival at:
http://festivalesdempb.blogspot.com.br/2011/01/1970-v-festival-internacional-da-cancao.html
18 October 1970 (National final)
25 October 1970 (International final)
1. BR-3 (Adolfo-Gaspar) Tony Tornado & Trio Ternura
2. O amor é meu país (Lins-Souza) Ivan Lins
3. Encouraçado (Costa-Lemos) Fabio
4. Um abraço terno em você, viu mãe? Luiz Gonzaga Jr.
5. Abolição 1860-1980 (Salvador-Medeiros) Dom Salvador
6. Eu também quero mocotó (Jorge Ben) Erlon Chaves & Banda Veneno
7. Meu laiaraiá - Martinho da Vila
8. Universo no teu corpo - Taiguara
9. Tributo ao sorriso - O Terço
10. Coisa e tal - O Grupo
11. A charanga - Wanderléa
12. Namorada - Antonio Marcos & Vanusa
