Remember The 70s: Greatest Hits Live!

As a time capsule of early-Seventies AM pop, this selection of television clips is telling, and as a collection of rock, soul, and folk performances, it's top-notch.

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You might be forgiven for not remembering the TV variety show "Rollin'," which aired on CBS from 1971-1973. Essentially a musical show with some comedy mixed in, it featured an unlikely host band in Kenny Rogers and the First Edition, a talented troupe responsible for late-Sixties hits like "(Just Dropped In) To See What Condition My Condition Was In" and "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town."

Both of those hits are included in this collection of (mostly) live TV performances from the series, but the rest of this DVD is pure Seventies pop heaven, as everyone from Al Green to the Grass Roots to Jim Croce takes center stage to perform their big hits of the day. Except for a few backing tracks, the songs are done live (what a shock compared to today!) and all the vocals are the real deal, so you get to hear slightly different takes on your favorite classics, done by the artists themselves. (This is especially true of the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, shown twice here in full burn.)

The Edition's drummer, Mickey Jones, proves an affable host as he introduces songs like Billy Preston's "Outa-Space," Bill Withers' "Lean On Me," and Paul Revere and the Raiders' "Indian Reservation" (a rare synched track). Better still, a series of factoids follows each, narrated by a pleasant female voice; they put these hits in context for those who never knew -- or had forgotten -- that bread used to be a quarter a loaf or that "Ruby" was still resonating with Vietnam-weary audiences in 1972. Remember?