#21] FRANKENSTEIN by The Edgar Winter Group
LW #16 / Peak - #1 [1 wk] / Top 10 - 7 wks / Top 20 - 10 wks / Top 40 - 14 wks / Hot 100 - 18th wk [of 20] / 98-97-87-78-59-41-25-15-10-7-4-1-3-2-6-13-16-21-27-40 / Gold / written by Edgar Winter, who plays ARP 2600 Synthesizer, electric piano, alto saxophone & timbales on the track, which was produced by group member Rick Derringer; also playing on the instrumental track are Ronnie Montrose - guitar, Dan Hartman - bass & Chuck Ruff - drums / written several years earlier & played by Edgar with his older brother Johnny at the latter’s Royal Albert Hall concert in ‘70, which was included on the legacy release of Johnny Winter’s SECOND WINTER in ‘04 / the name of the track came from drummer Ruff - when the band played the song they tended to go off on different tangents, resulting in long “monster” tapes, which had to be edited & spliced down to 4:44 for the album & 3:28 for the single; Winter has also said the name is appropriate due to the song’s “monster-like, lumbering beat” / Edgar Winter was the first keyboard/synthesizer player to strap an instrument on like a guitar, giving him onstage mobility / the band played the song on THE OLD GREY WHISTLE TEST in ‘73, with Rick Derringer playing guitar / segments of the song were used for many years by BBC radio personality Alan Freeman on several of his radio programs / Edgar Winter re-recorded the song with more emphasis on the synthesizer & beat and the video with him as Dr. Frankenstein was added to MTV’s rotation in November ‘83 / cover versions: Rock band Phish - 91 times in concerts between ‘89 & ‘20, Thrash Metal band Overkill in ‘91, Alternative Rock band THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS in concert from ‘92 to ‘95, early ‘90s band Bazooka on their debut album PERFECTLY SQUARE in ‘93, British Psychedelic Glam Rock band Doctor & the Medics wrote lyrics for the track on their INSTANT HEAVEN album in ‘96, Those Darn Accordions on LAWNBALL in ‘04, Japanese musician Tomoyasu Hotei on MODERN TIMES ROCK’N’ROLL in ‘09, played by a brass section for the introduction of French singer Claude François at his concerts, played by Rock band Primus at midnight of their 2012-2013 New Year’s Eve concert, and by Rock violinist Deni Bonet on BRIGHT SHINY OBJECTS & premiered live to a standing ovation with the Baylor University Symphony in October ‘17 / a few bars of FRANKENSTEIN are played at the very beginning of WAYNE’S WORLD 2 in ‘93, included in pinball machine MARY SHELLY’S FRANKENSTEIN in ‘95, and a cover version is one of five songs on the sixth & highest level [“face melters”] of video game GUITAR HERO in ‘95 / #1 on the Cashbox [sales only] chart for 5/26/73; #1 in Canada, #10 in Mexico, #18 in the UK, #19 in Australia & #39 in West Germany
#22] SO VERY HARD TO GO by Tower of Power
LW #24 / 10 wks / 97-82-76-71-61-61-39-27-24-22 / third single to chart on the Hot 100 & second Top 40 hit, following YOU’RE STILL A YOUNG MAN [#29 - 2 wks] in September ‘72
#23] I’M DOIN’ FINE NOW by New York City
LW #19 / Peak - #17 [1 wk] / Top 20 - 5 wks / Top 40 - 12 wks / Hot 100 - 19th wk [of 20] / 96-86-80-67-58-51-47-41-38-33-28-27-21-18-20-18-17-19-23-30 / R&B-Soul vocal group New York City formed as Tri-Boro Exchange in ‘72 with four experienced members - lead singer Tim McQueen, John Brown [formerly in The Five Satins, The Cadillacs & The Moonglows], Savannah, Georgia, native Eddie Schell, and Claude Johnson [formerly in The Genies and Don & Juan / [The Five Satins had a pair of Top 40 hits - IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT [#24] in ‘56 & TO THE AISLE [#25] in ‘57; The Cadillacs also had two - SPEEDO [#17] in ‘56 & PEEK-A-BOO [#28] in ‘59; The Moonglows had three Top 40 hits - SINCERELY [#20] in ‘55, SEE SAW [#25] in ‘56 & TEN COMMANDMENTS OF LOVE [#22] in ‘58; and former Genies members Don & Juan hit #7 with WHAT’S YOUR NAME in ‘62] / I’M DOIN’ FINE NOW was written by Thom Bell & Sherman Marshall and produced by Bell / title song of their first album, which was produced by Thom Bell, Wes Farrell [Partridge Family & many others] and John Bahler [session singer, songwriter]; the album charted at #122 on the Top 200 & #35 on the Soul chart and also included Jimmy Webb’s BY THE TIME I GET TO PHOENIX, SANITY, written by all four group members, and future singles MAKE ME TWICE THE MAN and QUICK, FAST, IN A HURRY / New York City toured in ‘73 with backing group the Big Apple Band, which included the future co-founders of Chic - Bernard Rogers & Nile Edwards / British R&B-Pop group The Pasadenas had a Top 10 UK & European hit with I’M DOING FINE NOW in ‘92 [#4 - UK, #6 - Belgium [Flanders] & Ireland, #9 Greece & Eurochart, and #2 European Dance Radio] / I’M DOIN’ FINE NOW by New York City peaked at #12 on the Cashbox [sales only] chart for 6/16/73 & #14 on Billboard’s Soul chart; #20 in the UK, #26 in Canada [#24 Canada EL] & #95 Australia
I’M DOIN’ FINE NOW
Remember the day you up and left
I nearly cried myself to death, oh yeah
And then I met someone else
She made me stop and get a hold of myself
Oh girl, I'm doin' fine now
Without you, baby
I'm doin' fine now
Without you baby
Remember the day you walked away
I ran behind you and I begged ya to stay, oh yeah
But you never heard a word I said
You kept on steppin'
Never turning your head, yeah
Oh girl
I'm doin' fine now
Without you, baby
I'm doin' fine now
Without you, baby
Do-do-do
Do-do-do-do-do
Do-do-do
I'm doin' fine now
Without you, baby
I'm doin' fine now
Without you, baby
(I'm doin' fine now)
Hey, you had a chance now
Baby, baby
(I'm doin' fine now)
(Without you baby)
#24] DOIN’ IT TO DEATH by Fred Wesley & the J.B.s
LW #28 / 6 wks / 83-60-45-40-28-24 / third chart single & first Top 40 Pop hit for James Brown’s backing band, led by Fred Wesley / their previous two singles from ‘72 - GIMME SOME MORE [#67 - 1 wk] in February & PASS THE PEAS [#95 - 1 wk] in June - were listed as The J.B.s
#25] DANIEL by Elton John
LW #15 / Peak - #2 [1 wk] / Top 10 - 7 wks / Top 20 - 9 wks / Top 40 - 12 wks / Hot 100 - 14th wk [of 15] / 77-46-35-25-14-9-5-3-2-4-5-8-15-25-58 / written by Elton John & Bernie Taupin and produced by Gus Dudgeon / second single from Elton’s sixth studio album DON’T SHOOT ME I’M ONLY THE PIANO PLAYER [#1 US / 3x Platinum / #1 Australia / 3x Platinum / #1 Canada / #1 UK / Gold / #1 in three other countries / Top 5 in four countries]; the album was John’s second US #1, following HONKY CHATEAU in ‘72, & was his first UK #1 / both albums were recorded at Strawberry Studios at Château d'Hérouville, Hérouville, France, & mixed at Trident Studios, London / the studios, with a moat & no phone or outside distractions were conducive to songwriting and John & Taupin wrote a dozen songs in just four days / Bernie Taupin’s lyrics for DANIEL were inspired by a story he read in Time magazine; Taupin: "I'd seen this article in Time magazine on the Tet Offensive. And there was a sidebar next to it with a story about how many of the soldiers that were coming back from 'Nam were these simple sort of down-home country guys who were generally embarrassed by both the adulation and, depending on what part of the country you came from, the animosity that they were greeted by. For the most part, they just wanted to get back to a normal life, but found it hard, what with all the looky loos and the monkeys of war that they carried on their backs. I just took it from there and wrote it from a younger brother's perspective; made him disabled and wanting to get away. I made it Spain, basically, because it rhymes with plane." / a third verse was not used by Elton John in the song he referred to as "a calypso-type number with Everley Brothers-type harmonies," because he thought the song was already too long; Taupin has said the song is their most misunderstood: "We had that whole thing about the missing verse that everybody seems to believe explained the true meaning of the song. I think that's just an urban legend. It didn't really explain anything. Sure, it was cut out. But that used to happen all the time with our songs. I would often overwrite, and Elton felt it necessary to edit somewhat. But believe me, it didn't say anything that the rest of the song didn't say." / from the Cashbox review: “…fascinating lyrics by Bernie Taupin will make you want to listen over and over again.” / playing on the song: Elton John – vocals, backup vocals, Fender Rhodes electric piano, Mellotron (flute parts), Davey Johnstone – acoustic guitar & banjo, Dee Murray – bass, Nigel Olsson – drums & maracas, and engineer Ken Scott – ARP synthesizer
recorded by French singer-actress Marie Laforêt in ‘74; also recorded for two tribute albums - by Wilson Phillips for TWO ROOMS: CELEBRATING THE SONGS OF ELTON JOHN & BERNIE TAUPIN [#7 as an album cut on the AC charts in both the US & Canada / #26 Pop in Canada] in ‘91 and by Sam Smith on REVAMP: REIMAGINING THE SONGS OF ELTON JOHN & BERNIE TAUPIN in ‘18 / Smith also performed the song on the CBS special ELTON JOHN: I’M STILL STANDING GRAMMY SALUTE, saying before his performance, "Elton, as a male singer-songwriter from England who is gay, you are a shining example who helped me see what was possible in this world. Your brilliant songwriting partner Bernie Taupin put it poetically in this exquisite song I'm so honored to sing for you tonight. Elton, you truly are and will always be a star in the face of the sky." / DANIEL, Elton John’s ninth US Hot 100 single & fifth Top 10 hit, was finally certified Gold by the RIAA more than 22 years after its release, in September ‘95, & because of downloads, it reached Platinum in May ‘18 / Elton’s record company [MCA in the US & DJM in the UK] didn’t want to release the song as a single but he insisted & it became a hit in spite of receiving little promotion / #2 [2 wks] on the Cashbox [sales only] chart for the weeks of 6/9/73 & 6/16/73; first #1 for Elton John on Billboard’s Easy Listening chart [2 wks in May]; #1 in Canada [2 wks in early June] & #2 on the RPM EL chart, #2 - New Zealand & Zimbabwe, #4 - Ireland & the UK, #5 - Switzerland, #7 - South Africa, #8 - Norway, #15 - Netherlands & #27 - West Germany
DANIEL
Daniel is traveling tonight on a plane
I can see the red taillights heading for Spain
And I can see Daniel waving goodbye
Oh it looks like Daniel, must be the clouds in my eyes
They say Spain is pretty though I've never been
And Daniel says it's the best place that he's ever seen
He should know, he's been there enough
Oh, I miss Daniel, oh I miss him so much, oh
Daniel my brother, you are older than me
Do you still feel the pain of the scars that won't heal?
Your eyes have died but you see more than I
Daniel you're a star in the face of the sky
Oh, Daniel my brother you are older than me
Do you still feel the pain of the scars that won't heal?
Your eyes have died but you see more than I
Daniel you're a star in the face of the sky
Daniel is traveling tonight on a plane
And I can see the red taillights heading for Spain
And I can see Daniel waving goodbye
Oh, it looks like Daniel, it must be the clouds in my eyes
Oh God it looks like Daniel, must be the clouds in my eyes
#26] MONSTER MASH by Bobby “Boris” Pickett & the Crypt Kickers
LW #31 / 13 wks / 94-89-79-77-67-57-51-43-31-26 / third time on the chart for the Halloween favorite, which was now a Top 40 hit for a second time - this time in the summer / MONSTER MASH was a #1 hit for two weeks in late October ‘62 & a Gold Record - but only got to #91 [1 wk] when it was re-released in ‘70 / the same studio crew had a #30 hit with MONSTER’S HOLIDAY in late December ‘62
#27] YOU’LL NEVER GET TO HEAVEN (If You Break My Heart) by The Stylistics
LW #23 / Peak - #23 [2 wks] / Top 40 - 5 wks / Hot 100 - 8th wk [of 10] / 77-59-53-36-29-23-23-27-59-71 / third single from the Soul vocalists’ second album, ROUND 2, released on Avco Records in October ‘72 following the Top 10 hits - I’M STONE IN LOVE WITH YOU [#10 - 2 wks] in December ‘72 & BREAK UP TO MAKE UP [#5 - 1 wk] in early April ‘73 / the album was produced by Thom Bell & the single was just one of three songs on the album not written or co-written by him / YOU’LL NEVER GET TO HEAVEN (If You Break My Heart) was written by Burt Bacharach & Hal David and first recorded by Dionne Warwick & released in August ‘64; it reached #34 on the Hot 100, #28 on the Cashbox [sales only] chart & #10 on Billboard’s R&B chart; the song was a bigger hit for Warwick in Canada [#15] & the UK [#20] but fared about the same in Australia, where it reached #32 / other cover versions: American Latin Jazz musician Cal Tjader on SOUNDS OUT BURT BACHARACH in ‘68, Madagascar Pop group Les Surfs in French as "Tu n'iras par au ciel" in the ‘60s, English singer & TV presenter Cilla Black in ‘69, Esquires Now recorded a Reggae version in ‘73, Aretha Franklin in ‘74, Jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk released a live version on BRIGHT MOMENTS in ‘74, American cassette artist Daniel Johnson on MORE SONGS OF PAIN in ‘83, and a Disco version by UK group 5446 came out in ‘91 / The Stylistics’ YOU’LL NEVER GET TO HEAVEN (If You Break My Heart) reached #16 on the Cashbox [sales only] chart for 7/7/73, #8 on Billboard’s Soul chart & #4 on the Easy Listening chart; #35 on Canada’s RPM Top 100 chart & #38 on the RPM EL chart, and #83 in Australia
YOU’LL NEVER GET TO HEAVEN (If You Break My Heart)
Mother told me always to
Follow the golden rule
And she said it's really a sin
To be mean and cruel
So remember if you're untrue
Angels up in heaven are looking at you
You'll never get to heaven if
You break my heart
So be very careful not to make us part
You won't get to heaven if
You break my heart oh no!
I've been hearin' rumors about
How you play around
Though I don't believe what I hear
Still it gets me down
If you ever should say goodbye
It would be so awful the angels would cry
You'll never get to heaven if
You break my heart
So be very careful not to make us part
You won't get to heaven if
You break my heart oh no!
I can hardly wait for the day
When we say I do it's a day I dreamed of so
Long now it's comin' true
You will promise to cherish me
If you break your promise the angels will see
You'll never get to heaven if
You break my heart
So be very careful not to make us part
You won't get to heaven if
You break my heart oh
La, la, la, la, la, la, laaaaa
La, la, la, laaaaa la, la, la, laaaaa
La, la, la, la, la, la, laaaaa
La la, la, laaaaa la, la, la, laaaaa
La, la, la, la, la, la, laaaaa
La, la, la, laaaaa
#28] TIE A YELLOW RIBBON ROUND THE OLD OAK TREE by Dawn featuring Tony Orlando
LW #25 / Peak - #1 - 4 wks / Top 10 - 11 wks / Top 20 - 14 wks / Top 40 - 17 wks / Hot 100 - 21st wk [of 23] / 80-68-56-48-29-19-13-6-3-1-1-1-1-2-4-5-7-10-18-25-28-54-98 / written by Irwin Levine & L. Russell Brown and produced by Hank Medress & Dave Appell / lead vocals by Tony Orlando with backing vocals by group members Telma Hopkins & Joyce Vincent Wilson and her sister Pamela Vincent / wearing a yellow ribbon as a sign of remembrance became popular by women in the 19th century waiting for the return of their US Cavalry husbands or sweethearts; the song "'Round Her Neck She Wears a Yeller Ribbon" inspired the John Wayne film SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON in ‘49 / New York Times writer Pete Hamill published an article titled “Going Home” in October ‘71 about an ex-con riding a bus by his home & hoping to see a yellow handkerchief on an oak tree; the story was republished in Reader’s Digest in June ‘72, the same month ABC-TV aired a movie, starring James Earl Jones, as the ex-con; the song was written & copyrighted after Russell Brown read the Reader’s Digest article but the songwriters said they had heard the story while serving in Viet Nam; Hammill didn’t believe them & sued - but in the meantime Levine & Brown had discovered similar stories that predated the Hamill article and the lawsuit was dropped
cover versions were many, especially in the ‘70s: 1973 - Country singer Johnny Carver as “Yellow Ribbon” [#5 Country / #1 Canada Country], Perry Como, Bing Crosby, Kai Hyttinen in Finnish as "Nosta lippu salkoon", Chilean singer Roberto Inglez [#1 Chile], Mexican band Los Mismos as "Pon Una Cinta En El Viejo Roble", Dean Martin on YOU’RE THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME [& performed on the TV special LUCY GETS LUCKY in ‘75], Italian singer Domenico Modugno in Italian as "Appendi un nastro giallo", Jim Nabors, & New Orleans trombonist-singer Lou Sino; 1974 - Kay Starr [#12 Country] & Frank Sinatra on SOME NICE THINGS I’VE MISSED; 1975 - British variety performer Max Bygraves, a bi-lingual English-Spanish version by Freddy Fender, & Lawrence Welk on LAWRENCE WELK’S MOST REQUESTED TV FAVORITES (CHAMPAGNE STYLE), after being performed multiple times on the show; 1976 - Bobby Goldsboro on the multiple artist album STORYTELLERS; also recorded by Harry Connick, Jr. on 30, recorded in ‘98 but not released until ‘01 and Dolly Parton on FOR GOD AND COUNTRY in ‘03 / in film: played by a band at the Navy ball in AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN in ‘82, sung by actor-comedian David Allen Grier over the closing credits of AMAZON WOMEN ON THE MOON in ‘87, in the stop-motion animated WALLACE & GROMMIT short film THE WRONG TROUSERS in ‘93, and Eric D. Johnson on the soundtrack of OUR IDIOT BROTHER in ‘11 / on TV: sung by Andy Kaufman as his obnoxious lounge singer character Tony Clifton on HBO in ‘77, sung by several characters in the “Driving Miss Ethyl” episode of DINOSAURS in June ‘94, sung by British Pop group S Club 7 on their TV series MIAMI 7 in ‘99, Tony Orlando [as himself] sings the song at the end of an episode of LAS VEGAS in ‘05, which also featured Don Knotts [as himself] in one of his last performances, on a Series 6 episode of British comedy-drama SHAMELESS in ‘09, and in the 25th season of THE SIMPSONS episode "Treehouse of Horror XXIV" in October ‘13
TIE A YELLOW RIBBON ROUND THE OLD OAK TREE
I'm comin' home, I've done my time
Now I've got to know what is and isn't mine
If you received my letter telling you I'd soon be free
Then you'll know just what to do
If you still want me, if you still want me
Whoa, tie a yellow ribbon 'round the ole oak tree
It's been three long years, do you still want me?
If I don't see a ribbon round the ole oak tree
I'll stay on the bus, forget about us, put the blame on me
If I don't see a yellow ribbon 'round the ole oak tree
Bus driver, please look for me
'Cause I couldn't bear to see what I might see
I'm really still in prison and my love, she holds the key
A simple yellow ribbon's what I need to set me free
And I wrote and told her please
Whoa, tie a yellow ribbon 'round the ole oak tree
It's been three long years, do you still want me?
If I don't see a ribbon round the ole oak tree
I'll stay on the bus, forget about us, put the blame on me
If I don't see a yellow ribbon 'round the ole oak tree
Now the whole damned bus is cheerin'
And I can't believe I see
A hundred yellow ribbons round the ole oak tree
I'm comin' home
Tie a ribbon 'round the ole oak tree
Tie a ribbon 'round the ole oak tree
Tie a ribbon 'round the ole oak tree
Tie a ribbon 'round the ole oak tree
first offered to Ringo Starr - but the songwriters were told by an Apple Records employee that they should be ashamed for writing such a “ridiculous” song / ridiculous or not - the song was a huge hit, selling three million copies in just three weeks, on its way to becoming the biggest hit of 1973 in both the US & Canada and several other countries / TIE A YELLOW RIBBON ROUND THE OLD OAK TREE topped the Cashbox [sales only] chart for three weeks in late April & early May, in addition to four weeks at #1 on the Hot 100 & two weeks at #1 in April on Billboard’s Easy Listening chart / #1 in Australia [7 wks / biggest hit of the year], Belgium [Wallonia], Canada [2 wks / #1 RPM EL], Ireland [6 wks], Netherlands [2 wks], New Zealand [10 wks / biggest hit of the year], Norway, South Africa & the UK [4 wks / biggest hit of the year]; #2 - Argentina, Austria & Sweden; and #9 - Denmark / in addition to skyrocketing sales in multiple countries in ‘73, the song also played a part later in political movements - yellow ribbons were around many trees & poles across the US during the Iran Hostage Crises in ‘79; yellow ribbons played a part in the overthrow of Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos by the People Power Movement in ‘86; and the song was sung by sit-in [occupy] demonstrators & street musicians in Hong Kong in ‘14 with TIE A YELLOW RIBBON being described as a protest song by journalists
*#29] TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING by Diana Ross
LW #44 / 6 wks / 89-65-62-58-44-29 / Highest Debut in the Top 40 / 3rd Biggest Jump Into the Top 40 & 10th Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - TIE [3] - 15 positions / the eighth charting solo single for Miss Ross was her seventh Top 40 hit, following REACH OUT AND TOUCH (Somebody’s Hand) [#20 - 1 wk] in June & AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH [#1 - 3 wks] in Sept/Oct ‘70; REMEMBER ME [#16 - 2 wks] in February, REACH OUT I’LL BE THERE [#29 - 1 wk] in late May & SURRENDER [#38 - 2 wks] in September ‘71; and GOOD MORNING HEARTACHE [#34 - 1 wk] in March ‘73
#30] MISDEMEANOR by Foster Sylvers
LW #32 / 6 wks / 96-63-57-49-32-30 / first solo single by the youngest member of the Sylvers family, which had already charted below the Top 75 with two singles - FOOL’S PARADISE [#94 - 1 wk] in September ‘72 & WISH THAT I COULD TALK TO YOU [#77 - 1 wk] in late March ‘73
#31] AND I LOVE YOU SO by Perry Como
LW #29 / Peak - #29 [2 wks] / Top 40 - 8 wks / Hot 100 - 13th wk [of ] / 88-78-65-52-46-37-32-29-33-36-31-29-31-45-54-67 / written by Don McClean for his first album, TAPESTRY, in ‘70, the song’s verses have an A-B-B-A rhyming scheme / an unexpected hit for Como [like the previous IT’S IMPOSSIBLE], & title song of his album, which included his covers of many contemporary hits [KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG, FOR THE GOOD TIMES, AUBREY, SING, I BELIEVE IN MUSIC and TIE A YELLOW RIBBON ROUND THE OLD OAK TREE]; one of the last albums produced by Chet Atkins before he stepped down as head of RCA Nashville / a number of other artists have also recorded McLean’s song: English singer Rick Astley in ‘05, Shirley Bassey in ‘72, Harry Belafonte, Glen Campbell in ‘99, Harry Connick, Jr. in ‘08, Italian-American tenor & actor Sergio Franchi, French Pop singer-songwriter Claude François in French as "Et je t'aime tellement" in ‘77, Bobby Goldsboro in ‘71, Tom T. Hall, Emmylou Harris, Engelbert Humperdinck, Hong Kong singer George Lam in ‘93, Johnny Mathis, Greek singer Nana Mouskouri, Jim Nabors, Olivia Newton-John, Helen Reddy, Bobby Vinton in ‘72, and Canadian singer Roch Voisone in ‘08; Elvis Presley recorded AND I LOVE YOU SO for his album TODAY, released in May ‘75, and performed the song in nearly all of his concerts until his death in ‘78
AND I LOVE YOU SO
And I love you so
The people ask me how
How I've lived till now
I tell them I don't know
I guess they understand
How lonely life has been
But life began again
The day you took my hand
And yes, I know how lonely life can be
The shadows follow me 'n' the night won't set me free
But I don't let the evening get me down
Now that you're around me
And you love me, too
Your thoughts are just for me
You set my spirit free
I'm happy that you do
The book of life is brief
And once a page is read
All but life is dead
That is my belief
And yes, I know how lonely life can be
The shadows follow me and the night won't set me free
But I don't let the evening get me down
Now that you're around me
AND I LOVE YOU SO was Perry Como’s 127th and final Top 40 hit on Billboard’s Pop charts, dating to his first in ‘43 / he had nearly 100 [98] Top 40 hits in the 12 years from ‘43 to ‘54 and 29 of his songs reached the Top 40 in the first 19 years of the Rock Era - from ‘55 to ‘73
Perry Como’s 127 Top 40 Hits
1943
GOODBYE, SUE [#20] b/w THERE’LL SOON BE A RAINBOW [#18]
1944
HAVE I STAYED AWAY TOO LONG? [#14]
LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY [#8] b/w I LOVE YOU [#16]
LILI MARLENE [#13]
1945
I DREAM OF YOU [#10] b/w CONFESSIN’ [#12]
MORE AND MORE [#14]
TEMPTATION [#15 / Gold]
I’M GONNA LOVE THAT GAL [#4 / Gold] b/w I LOVED YOU [#3]
TIL THE END OF TIME [#1 / Double Gold] b/w (Did You Ever Get) THAT FEELING IN THE MOONLIGHT [#9]
DIG YOU LATER (A Hubba Hubba Hubba) [#3 / Gold] b/w HERE COMES HEAVEN AGAIN [#12]
1946
I’M ALWAYS CHASING RAINBOWS [#5 / Gold] b/w YOU WON’T BE SATISFIED (Until You Break My Heart) [#5]
PRISONER OF LOVE [#1 / Gold] b/w ALL THROUGH THE DAY [#8]
THEY SAY IT’S WONDERUL [#4] b/w IF YOU WERE THE ONLY GIRL IN THE WORLD [#14]
SURRENDER [#1 / Gold] b/w MORE THAN YOU KNOW [#19]
A GARDEN IN THE RAIN [#22]
IF I’M LUCKY [#19]
WINTER WONDERLAND [#10]
1947
SONATA [#9] b/w THAT’S THE BEGINNING OF THE END [#19]
I WANT TO THANK YOUR FOLKS [#21] b/w THAT’S WHERE I CAME IN [#21]
CHI-BABA, CHI-BABA (My Bambino Go To Sleep) [#1 / Gold] b/w WHEN YOU WERE SWEET SIXTEEN [#2]
I WONDER WHO’S KISSING HER NOW with Ted Weems [#2]
SO FAR [#11] b/w A FELLOW NEEDS A GIRL [#25]
TWO LOVES HAVE I [#21]
WHITE CHRISTMAS [#23]
1948
PIANISSIMO [#21]
BECAUSE [#4 / Gold]
HAUNTED HEART [#23]
LAROO, LAROO, LILLI BOLERO [#20]
RAMBLING ROSE [#18]
1949
FAR AWAY PLACES [#4] b/w N’YOT N’YOW (The Pussy Cat Song) [#20]
BLUE ROOM [#18]
FOREVER AND EVER [#2] b/w I DON’T SEE ME IN YOUR EYES ANYMORE [#11]
A’ YOU’RE ADORABLE [#2]
SOME ENCHANTED EVENING [#1 / Gold] b/w BALI HA’I [#5]
JUST ONE WAY TO SAY I LOVE YOU [#23] b/w LET’S TAKE AN OLD-FASHIONED WALK [#15]
GIVE ME YOUR HAND [#23]
A DREAMER’S HOLIDAY [#3]
I WANNA GO HOME [#18]
AVE MARIA [#22] b/w THE LORD’S PRAYER [#28]
1950
BIBBIDI-BOBBIDI-BOO [#14]
HOOP-DEE-DOO [#2] b/w ON THE OUTGOING TIDE [#16]
I CROSS MY FINGERS [#25]
PATRICIA [#7]
A BUSHEL AND A PECK with Betty Hutton [#3]
YOU’RE JUST IN LOVE [#5]
1951
IF (They Made Me A King) [#1 / Gold] b/w ZING ZING ZOOM ZOOM [#12]
HELLO, YOUNG LOVERS [#27]
THERE’S NO BOAT LIKE A ROWBOAT [#20] b/w THERE’S A BIG BLUE CLOUD (Next To Heaven) [#25]
ROLLIN’ STONE [#24] b/w WITH ALL MY HEART AND SOUL [#28]
IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS [#19]
1952
TULIPS AND HEATHER [#16] b/w PLEASE MR. SUN [#12]
NOODLIN’ RAG [#23]
ONE LITTLE CANDLE [#18]
MAYBE w/Eddie Fisher [#3] b/w WATERMELON WEATHER w/Eddie Fisher [#19]
MY LOVE AND DEVOTION [#22]
TO KNOW YOU (Is To Love You) [#19]
DON’T LET THE STARS GET IN YOUR EYES [#1] b/w LIES [#30]
1953
WILD HORSES [#6] b/w I CONFESS [#17]
SAY YOU’RE MINE AGAIN [#3] b/w MY ONE AND ONLY HEART [#11]
NO OTHER LOVE [#2] b/w KEEP IT GAY [#30]
PA-PAYA MAMA [#11] b/w YOU ALONE (Solo Tu) [#9]
1954
WANTED [#1 / Gold] b/w LOOK OUT OF THE WINDOW (And See How I’m Standing In The Rain) [#24]
HIT AND RUN AFFAIR [#15] b/w THERE NEVER WAS A NIGHT SO BEAUTIFUL [#21]
PAPA LOVES MAMBO [#4 / Gold] b/w THE THINGS I DIDN’T DO [#22]
(There’s No Place Like) HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS [#8]
1955
KO-KO-MO (I Love You So) [#2]
CHEE CHEE-OO CHEE (Sang The Little Bird) w/Jaye P. Morgan [#12] b/w TWO LOST SOULS w/ Jaye P. Morgan [#18]
TINA MARIE [#5] b/w FOOLED [#20]
1956
ALL AT ONCE YOU LOVE HER [#11]
HOT DIGGITY (Dog Ziggity Boom) [#1 / Gold] b/w JUKE BOX BABY [#10]
MORE [#4] b/w GLENDORA [#8]
SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME [#18]
1957
ROUND AND ROUND [#1 / Gold]
THE GIRL WITH THE GOLDEN BRAIDS [#13]
JUST BORN TO BE YOUR BABY [#12] b/w IVY ROSE [#18]
1958
CATCH A FALLING STAR [#1 / Gold] b/w MAGIC MOMENTS [#4]
KEWPIE DOLL [#6] b/w DANCE ONLY WITH ME [#19]
MOON TALK [#28]
LOVE MAKES THE WORLD GO ‘ROUND [#33]
1959
TOMBOY [#29]
1960
DELAWARE [#22]
1962
CATERINA [#23]
1963
(I Love You) DON’T YOU FORGET IT [#39]
1965
DREAM ON LITTLE DREAMER [#25]
1969
SEATTLE [#38]
1971
IT’S IMPOSSIBLE [#10]
1973
AND I LOVE YOU SO [#29]
*#32] FEELIN’ STRONGER EVERY DAY by Chicago
LW #63 / 3 wks / 75-63-32 / 2nd Highest Debut in the Top 40 / Biggest Jump Into the Top 40 & 4th Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - 31 positions / the Rock-Jazz band’s ninth A-side to chart on the Hot 100 & eighth to reach the Top 40 / previous Top 40 hits: MAKE ME SMILE [#9 - 2 wks] in June & 25 OR 6 TO 4 [#4 - 1 wk] in September ‘70; DOES ANYBODY REALLY KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS [#7 - 2 wks] in early January, FREE [#20 - 1 wk] in early April, LOWDOWN [#35 - 2 wks] in June, BEGINNINGS // COLOUR MY WORLD [#7 - 2 wks] in August and QUESTIONS 67 AND 68 [#24 - 2 wks] in late November ‘71; and SATURDAY IN THE PARK [#3 - 2 wks / Gold] in late September & DIALOGUE (Part I & II) [#24 - 1 wk] in December ‘72
#33] TIME TO GET DOWN by The O’Jays
LW #40 / Peak Position / 8 wks / 90-81-77-64-50-45-40-33 / Biggest Jump Inside the Top 40 - TIE [2] - 7 positions / 14th single to chart on the Hot 100, dating to mid-September ‘63; their fourth single on their fourth label, Philadelphia International, was their third Top 40 single for the label, following BACK STABBERS [#3 - 1 wk / Gold] in early October ‘72 & LOVE TRAIN [#1 - 1 wk / Gold] in late March ‘73
*#34] WHERE PEACEFUL WATERS FLOW by Gladys Knight & the Pips
LW #51 / 4 wks / 75-64-51-34 / 3rd Highest Debut in the Top 40 / 2nd Biggest Jump Into the Top 40 & 9th Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - 17 positions / the R&B-Soul vocal group’s 17th Top 40 Pop hit was on their fifth record label: Vee-Jay Records - EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART [#6] in ‘61; Fury Records - LETTER FULL OF TEARS [#19] in ‘62; Maxx Records - GIVING UP [#38] in ‘64; Soul Records [Motown] - EVERYBODY NEEDS LOVE [#39] & I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE [#2] in ‘67, THE END OF OUR ROAD [#15] & IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME [#40] in ‘68, THE NITTY GRITTY [#19] & FRIENDSHIP TRAIN [#17] in ‘69, YOU NEED LOVE LIKE I DO (Don’t You) [#25] in ‘70, IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN [#9] & I DON’T WANT TO DO WRONG [#17] in ‘71, MAKE ME THE WOMAN YOU GO HOME TO [#27] & HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT [#33] in ‘72, NEITHER ONE OF US (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye) [#2] & DADDY COULD SWEAR I DECLARE [#19] in ‘73; and Buddah Records - WHERE PEACEFUL WATERS FLOW [#34 & rising] in ‘73
#35] SATIN SHEETS by Jeanne Pruett
LW #36 / 9 wks / 95-86-74-63-46-54-39-36-35 / first single on the Pop chart for the Country singer was her first Top 40 Pop hit; she had topped the Country chart for two weeks with the song at the end of May & beginning of June - her fifth single & second Top 40 hit on that chart
#36] DRIFT AWAY by Dobie Gray
LW #27 / Peak - #5 [1 wk] / Top 10 - 4 wks / Top 20 - 9 wks / Top 40 - 15 wks / Hot 100 - 20th wk [of 21] / 85-73-66-59-50-36-29-21-15-11-6-5-7-8-11-12-15-22-27-36-64 / Dobie Gray - born to sharecropper parents in Simonton, Texas, on 7/26/40 - is believed to have been named Lawrence Darrow Brown, but he also went by the names Lawrence Ainsworth, Larry Curtis & Larry Dennis early in his recording career; Sonny Bono got him signed to the small independent Stripe Records, where it was suggested that he go by Dobie Gray because of popular TV show THE MANY LOVES OF DOBIE GILLIS, which aired from September ‘59 to June ‘63 / Gray had moved to Los Angeles, hoping to make his mark as an actor & began singing to earn money between acting jobs / he first charted with LOOK AT ME [#91] in ‘63; THE ‘IN’ CROWD [#13 Pop / #11 R&B] was his first Top 40 hit in February ‘65 and SEE YOU AT THE GO-GO reached #69 later that year; Gray’s recording of ROSE GARDEN* charted on Billboard’s Bubbling Under the Hot 100 at #119 in ‘69 / *[ROSE GARDEN was a #1 Country & #3 Pop hit for Lynn Anderson in ‘70-‘71, selling over one million copies in the US] / Dobie Gray was lead singer of Soul band Pollution, which released POLLUTION I in ‘70 & POLLUTION II in ‘71 on A&M Records; the group also included vocalist Tata Vega, who has recorded four solo albums for Motown & been a backup singer for a number of artists, including Stevie Wonder, Julio Iglesias, Vanessa Williams, Ray Charles, Patti LaBelle & Elton John, on albums and in concerts; Pollution was managed by Max Baer, best remembered as “Jethro” on THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES / Dobie Gray starred in the Los Angeles production of HAIR for two & a half years and Tata Vega starred in the Broadway production of the groundbreaking musical
DRIFT AWAY was first recorded by John Henry Kurtz on his Swamp Rock album REUNION in ‘72 / other cover versions [by a widely diverse group of artists]: Country singer Narvel Felts [#8 Country / #48 Canada Country], which charted three months after Gray’s with the “I wanna get lost in your Rock & Roll” line changed to "I wanna get lost in your country song"; Allen Clark [lead singer of The Hollies], R&B singer Clarence Carter, Ike & Tina Turner, Roy Orbison, Dolly Parton & Anne Murray [with the "country song" line] in ‘76, Humble Pie, English group Mud, a Reggae version by The Heptones, Pop singer-songwriter Jackie DeShannon, Rod Stewart, Waylon Jennings, Ray Charles, The Neville Brothers, a capela group The Nylons, Bon Jovi - live in ‘87 & recorded for the Westwood One concert series, Copperhead, The Rolling Stones [recorded in ‘74 but not released until ‘21], Bruce Springsteen [recorded live in New Jersey in ‘84], Wisconsin Rock band The BoDeans, Ringo Starr [sharing lead vocals w/Alanis Morisette & Tom Petty with Steven Tyler on drums], Billie Joe Royal, Country-Americana singer-songwriter Steve Young [writer of SEVEN BRIDGES ROAD - a #21 hit for the Eagles in ‘81], John Kay [lead singer of Steppenwolf], and Garth Brooks on the “Blue-Eyed Soul” album from his BLAME IT ALL ON MY ROOTS: FIVE DECADES OF INFLUENCES box set in ‘13 / others having a hit with the song, include: Michael Bolton on TIMELESS: THE CLASSICS [#1 US / 4x Platinum / Top 10 in 5 other countries / 2x Platinum Australia / 3x Platinum UK] in ‘92; DRIFT AWAY was a Top 25 hit for Bolton in three countries - #15 in Ireland, #18 in the UK & #23 in New Zealand; and Uncle Kracker featuring Dobie Gray [Gray sang backing vocals, the bridge & the last verse with Kracker] - #9 on the Hot 100 and a record-setting [at the time] 28 weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart in ‘03 & ‘04 [23 wks: 6/7/03 to 11/8/03, 11/22/03 & 11/29/03, 1/10/04 & 1/17/04, and 1/31/04] / Country music star Lynn Anderson, partner of the song’s writer Mentor Williams, recorded a Gospel version of DRIFT AWAY, with new lyrics by Williams, as the title song of what would be her final album in ‘15; Anderson & Williams were together for over 25 years, living for many years in New Mexico, until her unexpected death of a heart attack at the age of 67 in July ‘15; two years before her death, Anderson said of Williams, "He’s technically my boyfriend, but really he’s like my husband."; Mentor Williams, who co-wrote Alabama’s #1 Country hit WHEN WE MAKE LOVE in ‘84, died of lung cancer at the age of 70 in November ‘16 at his home overlooking Taos, New Mexico
DRIFT AWAY
Day after day I'm more confused
Yet I look for the light through the pourin' rain
You know that's a game that I hate to lose
And I'm feelin' the strain, ain't it a shame?
Oh, give me the beat, boys, and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock 'n' roll and drift away
Oh, give me the beat, boys, and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock 'n' roll and drift away
Beginnin' to think that I'm wastin' time
I don't understand the things I do
The world outside looks so unkind
Now I'm countin' on you to carry me through
Oh, give me the beat, boys, and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock 'n' roll and drift away
Hey, give me the beat, boys, and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock 'n' roll and drift away
And when my mind is free
You know a melody can move me
And when I'm feelin' blue
A guitar's comin' through to soothe me
Thanks for the joy that you've given me
I want you to know I believe in your song
And rhythm and rhyme and harmony
You've helped me along, makin' me strong
Oh, give me the beat, boys, and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock 'n' roll and drift away
Give me the beat, boys, and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock 'n' roll and drift away
Ho, ho, oh-ho, yeah
Give me the beat, boys, and free my soul (free my soul)
I wanna get lost in your rock 'n' roll and drift away
Yeah, hey, hey, yeah
Give me the beat, boys, and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock 'n' roll and drift away
Na, na, now won't ya
Won't ya take me?
Whoa-ho, take me
DRIFT AWAY, written & produced by Mentor Williams [brother of songwriter-actor Paul Williams], was released on Decca Records in early ‘73, shortly after Dobie Gray signed with the label / title song of Gray’s third solo album [#64 US / #63 Australia], which also included ROCKIN’ CHAIR [written by Donald Dunn], WE HAD IT ALL [written by Muscle Shoals session musician Donnie Fritts], and CITY STARS [co-written by Gray & Chuck Higgins, Jr.] / DRIFT AWAY [3:57] b/w CITY STARS [3:32] entered the Hot 100 at #85 on the 2/24/73 chart & nearly three months later peaked at #5 on the 5/12/73 chart / one of 17 songs on DRIFT AWAY: THE BEST OF DOBIE GRAY, released on Razor & Tie Records in ‘96, and on Disc one of the 79 track four-disc box set DRIFT AWAY: A DECADE OF DOBIE 1969-1979, released on Hip-O-Select in ‘04 / #8 [2 wks] on the Cashbox [sales only] charts for 5/12/73 & 5/19/73; #12 on Billboard’s Easy Listening chart & #42 on the Soul chart; #7 in Canada & #44 in Australia
*#37] WHY ME by Kris Kristofferson
LW #50 / 14 wks / 100-99-91-79-73-69-65-60-59-59-53-54-50-37 / 4th Debut in the Top 40 / 4th Biggest Jump Into the Top 40 & 12th Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - TIE [3] - 13 positions / Kristofferson’s first big jump of 12 positions brought WHY ME to #79 and after ten more weeks, his jump of 13 positions brought him into the Top 40 for a second time as a recording artist / LOVING HER WAS EASIER (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again) [#26 - 1 wk] in late October ‘71 was his first Top 40 hit
#38] I’LL ALWAYS LOVE MY MAMA by The Intruders
LW #39 / 6 wks / 85-79-64-57-39-38 / the Philadelphia Soul group’s 12th single on the Hot 100 but just their third Top 40 hit & first in nearly four years, following COWBOYS TO GIRLS [#6 - 2 wks / Gold] in May & (Love Is Like A) BASEBALL GAME [#26 - 1 wk] in late August ‘68
*#39] GOIN’ HOME by The Osmonds
LW #48 / 4 wks / 71-55-48-39 / 5th Debut in the Top 40 / eighth single by the five brothers to chart on the Hot 100 & their seventh Top 40 hit, following ONE BAD APPLE [#1 - 5 wks / Gold] in Feb/Mar, DOUBLE LOVIN’ [#14 - 1 wk] in early July & YO-YO [#3 - 3 wks / Gold] in October ‘71; and DOWN BY THE LAZY RIVER [#4 - 2 wks / Gold] in March, HOLD HER TIGHT [#14 - 2 wks] in August & CRAZY HORSES [#14 - 2 wks] in December ‘72
#40] PLASTIC MAN by The Temptations
LW #45 / 6th Debut in the Top 40 / Peak - #40 [2 wks] / Top 40 - 2 wks / Hot 100 - 5th wk [of 8] / 80-77-51-45-40-40-55-62 / the Temptation’s 30th Top 40 hit on the Pop chart was the only one to peak at #40 / previously only six of their Top 40 “45”s peaked below the Top 25 - I’LL BE IN TROUBLE [#33 - 1 wk] in July & GIRL (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue) [#26 - 1 wk] in October ‘64, GET READY [#29 - 1 wk] in April ‘66, PLEASE RETURN YOUR LOVE TO ME [#26 - 2 wks] in Aug/Sept ‘68, UNGENA ZA ULIMWENGU (Unite The World) [#33 - 1 wk] in late October ‘70, and TAKE A LOOK AROUND [#30 - 1 wk] in early April ‘72 / follow-up single to the Top 10 hit MASTERPIECE [#7 Pop / #1 Soul] and second single from the MASTERPIECE album [#7 Top 200 / #1 Soul] / Dennis Edwards, Damon Harris, Melvin Franklin & Richard Street share lead vocals on the song about “plastic people” who operate in underhanded ways / the 5:53 album track was edited to 4:40 for the single and b/w album track HURRY TOMORROW [edited from 8:06 to 5:07] with Damon Harris on lead vocals / both sides of the single were written & produced by Norman Whitfield / one of 19 songs on Disc 4: Funk/Disco Years on the 110 track 5-CD [6:25:36] EMPERORS OF SOUL, released on Motown Records in September ‘94 / PLASTIC MAN peaked at #33 on the Cashbox [sales only] chart on 7/21/73 & #8 on Billboard’s Soul chart, their 28th Top 10 hit on the R&B/Soul chart; previously, UNGENA ZA ULIMWENGU (Unite The World) in ‘70 & SUPERSTAR (Remember How You Got Where You Are) in ‘71 had also peaked at #8 on the Soul chart