Best 1970s Soul and R and B Songs

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   Move On Up

   Curtis Mayfield · from Curtis (1970) · Album scores 93/99

   An uplifting, horn-driven groove.

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   What's Going On

   Marvin Gaye · from What's Going On (1971) · Album scores 96/99

   A plea for peace, beautifully arranged.

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   Ain't No Sunshine

   Bill Withers · from Just as I Am (1971) · Album scores 78/99

   Spare, aching and perfect.

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   Theme from Shaft

   Isaac Hayes · from Shaft (1971) · Album scores 85/99

   Wah-wah funk and Oscar-winning cool.

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   The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

   Gil Scott-Heron · from Pieces of a Man (1971) · Album scores 82/99

   Proto-rap spoken-word fire.

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   Family Affair

   Sly and the Family Stone · from There's a Riot Goin' On (1971) · Album scores 95/99

   Murky, groundbreaking funk.

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   Superstition

   Stevie Wonder · from Talking Book (1972) · Album scores 94/99

   The Moog bassline that Stevie wrote for Beck and kept for himself.

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   Let's Stay Together

   Al Green · from Let's Stay Together (1972) · Album scores 88/99

   Smooth Memphis soul at its peak.

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   Lean on Me

   Bill Withers · from Still Bill (1972) · Album scores 86/99

   A timeless, gospel-warm standard.

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    Higher Ground

    Stevie Wonder · from Innervisions (1973) · Album scores 85/99

    The reborn-again Stevie, funkier and more urgent than anyone expected.

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    Let's Get It On

    Marvin Gaye · from Let's Get It On (1973) · Album scores 92/99

    Definitive bedroom soul.

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    Living for the City

    Stevie Wonder · from Innervisions (1973) · Album scores 85/99

    A funky, novelistic social epic.

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