Why Can't I Touch You - Ronnie Dyson (1970) 1/30/23

I'm wondering how many of my theatre friends and colleagues have heard of the 1969 off-Broadway rock musical, "Salvation."

It was about a man searching for answers in organized religion, and failing to find them, ends up creating his own religion and becomes its guru.

The show ran for 239 performances, and at one point, the cast included Bette Midler and Barry Bostwick.

From that musical, came one "Great Song" with a very long title: 1970's "(If You Let Me make Love to You, Then) "Why Can't I Touch You" by Ronnie Dyson--who, oddly enough, was a cast member of the quite-a-bit-more-famous musical "Hair" at the time.

The song reached #6 on Billboard's Hot 100 and #8 on the Soul Chart on its way to selling well over a million copies.

Note: Listen closely: Some people think it's the best Tom Jones song that Tom never recorded.

Ronnie Dyson became a one-hit wonder, and "Salvation" remains pretty obscure to this day, but "(If You Let Me Make Love to You, Then) Why Can't I Touch You" is still a "Great Song of 1970!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0I3efGtx5c