The Hits of 1970

Dave and Milt crank up the Time Machine and head back to the week ending May 30, 1970, but not before detouring through spam-text “pig slaughtering” scams, listener banter, and a recap of Stephen Colbert’s farewell show, complete with Jack White, Eminem, and a fire-marshal joke that somehow made perfect sense. Meanwhile, Milt delivers a major life update: Thelma the bird has likely become a mother, making him a proud and slightly obsessed bird granddad. Once the charts arrive, it’s a heavyweight showdown. The guys rave about classics like “Let It Be,” “Vehicle,” “The Letter,” “Up Around the Bend,” “Cecilia,” and “American Woman,” while taking a considerably dimmer view of “Which Way You Goin’ Billy?,” “Love on a Two-Way Street,” and “Everything Is Beautiful.” Along the way they uncover a Jay-Z sample connection, debate the mystery of Cecilia vs. Celia, call an old 800 number, wander into cheesesteak territory, and somehow find room for Claudia Schiffer, the Butthole Surfers, and The Lego Movie. The episode also features a Beatles lyric quiz (A-to-Y edition), spirited arguments over Beatles minutiae, and a pair of chart substitutions as Sly & the Family Stone’s “I Want to Take You Higher” and Mountain’s “Mississippi Queen” earn honorary spots in the lineup. In the end, “Cecilia” and “Let It Be” emerge as the week’s champions, and the chart earns a final grade of “Bee Gees Plus”—which, in highly scientific Past Tens terms, is pretty darn good. Topics 00:53 Wrong Number Scam Texts 03:38 Nicknames and Listener Banter 04:22 Colbert Finale Recap 07:47 Time Machine to May 1970 09:35 Bird Granddad and News 16:02 #10 – Let It Be Deep Dive 28:48 #9 – Vehicle and Horn-Rock Greatness 38:38 #8 – Tyrone Davis Soul Stop 41:59 Soul Vibes Warning 42:39 #7 – Joe Cocker’s The Letter 45:35 Mad Dogs & Englishmen Grit 47:47 Beatles A-to-Y Quiz 56:34 Trippy Beatles Debate 58:35 Poppy Family Deep Cut 01:02:20 Seasons in the Sun Tangent 01:05:33 #6 – CCR’s Up Around the Bend 01:12:03 Calling the Old 800 Number 01:15:11 #5 – Simon & Garfunkel’s Cecilia 01:18:33 Celia vs. Cecilia Mystery 01:20:17 Cheesesteak Saint Debate 01:21:11 Legendary Cheesesteak Duel 01:21:58 #3 Countdown Begins 01:25:26 Jay-Z Sample Surprise 01:27:14 Moments Name Change Story 01:30:38 #2 Countdown Spot 01:31:32 American Woman Origin Story 01:33:50 Dreams and Claudia Schiffer 01:37:10 Butthole Surfers Detour 01:40:20 #1 Song Revealed 01:42:06 Everything Is Beautiful Roast Session 01:44:27 Lego Movie Comparison 01:45:59 Top 10 Recap 01:47:32 Winner of the Week 01:49:38 Righting a Musical Wrong 01:56:32 Past Tens Grade Debate 02:00:57 Sign-Off and Plugs