#41] LIVING IN THE PAST by Jethro Tull
LW #28 / Peak - #11 [1 wk] / Top 20 - 6 wks / Top 40 - 10 wks / Hot 100 - 14 wks / 76-62-47-36-30-26-20-17-13|-12-11-20-28-41 / written by Jethro Tull leader Ian Anderson in about an hour while staying in a Holiday Inn in Boston, where the Progressive Rock band was playing three shows at the Boston Tea Party club in February ‘69 / recorded in two March sessions in New Jersey & Los Angeles soon after it was written and produced by Anderson & manager/producer Terry Ellis [who co-founded Chrysalis Records in ‘69] / released in the UK on 2/5/69 as the band began work on their fourth studio album; the heavily overdubbed non-album “45” b/w DRIVING SONG was the band’s fourth single, second Top 40 & first Top 10 hit, peaking at #3; it also peaked at #5 in Ireland & #15 in New Zealand - but was only issued as a promotional single in the US / over three years later, LIVING IN THE PAST [#3 US / Gold / #2 Australia / #8 UK] was the title track of a two-disc set of UK-only singles & outtakes recorded from ‘68 to ‘71; released as a single in the US to promote the album, this version of LIVING IN THE PAST has an organ part replacing a flute overdub on the 3:18 track / Ian Anderson said of the song with the unusual 5/4 time signature in “Jethro Tull: Stand Up – The Elevated Edition”: Lines like "we'll go walking out while others shout of war's disaster" reflect my rather cynical view of much of the world in the late sixties. [...] I was never drawn to the fashions, the free love, the drug experiences and the drug culture that people seemed willing to get into. [...] So, when I sang "now there's revolution, but they don't know what they're fighting," I was just saying forget all that stuff, let's stay in a more realistic world with more straightforward values. Not necessarily my personal viewpoint all the time, but as a reaction to that rather trendy pretence at revolution and infatuation with the present, in the sense of living for today and having a good time – something I usually felt a bit awkward about. But I'm a party pooper, you know that." / [Jethro Tull was said to have been invited to play at Woodstock, but Anderson turned the offer down because he didn’t like hippies] / included on numerous Jethro Tull compilation albums, including M.U. - THE BEST OF JETHRO TULL [#13 US / Platinum / #31 Australia / #44 UK] in ‘76, a live version on THROUGH THE YEARS in ‘98 and the single disc 50TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION [#73 UK] in ‘18 and boxed sets - live on disc three of 20 YEARS OF JETHRO TULL [#97 US / #100 Australia / #78 UK] in ‘88, disc one of the 4-disc limited edition 25TH ANNIVERSARY BOX SET in ‘93 and the original ‘69 UK single was on disc one of the three-disc set 50 FOR 50 in ‘18 / LIVING IN THE PAST reached #15 on the Cashbox [sales only] chart, #16 on Canada’s RPM Top 100 & #36 on Australia’s Kent Music Report
*#42] BIG CITY MISS RUTH ANN by Gallery
LW #50 / 6 wks / 88-79-69-59-50-42 / third single by the Detroit Pop group looked to be ready to join their previous two in the Top 40 - NICE TO BE WITH YOU [#4 - 1 wk / Gold] in June & I BELIEVE IN MUSIC [#22 - 2 wks] in November ‘72
*#43] JESUS IS JUST ALRIGHT by The Doobie Brothers
LW #53 / 9th Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - TIE [2] - 10 positions / Peak - #35 [1 wk] / Top 40 - 2 wks / Hot 100 - 11 wks / 97-93-90-80-68-56-53-43-41-37-35 / the second single from the band’s second album, TOULOUSE STREET [#21 US / Platinum / #24 Canada], produced by Ted Templeman, was the Rock band’s second Top 40 hit / the follow-up single to LISTEN TO THE MUSIC [#11 - 2 wks] in November ‘72, would enter the Top 40 in two weeks, reach its peak position of #35 in the 2/24/73 chart & drop completely off the Hot 100 the following week / written by Arthur S. Reynolds and first recorded by his Gospel group The Art Reynolds Singers in a 1:50 version in ‘66 / The Byrds began performing the song in concert in early ‘69, using an extended intro arranged by drummer Gene Parsons, who had been in the studio with Reynolds when it was first recorded; producer Terry Melcher dispensed with the long intro when it was recorded for BALLAD OF EASY RIDER in June ‘69; released as a 2:10 single, it spent just one week on the Hot 100 at #97 in February ‘70; despite its poor chart performance, JESUS IS JUST ALRIGHT was a concert favorite from ‘69 to ‘71 and has appeared on five compilation albums & two live albums by The Byrds / even though none of The Doobie Brothers were particularly religious, they began including the song in their sets after hearing The Byrds’ version & it quickly became a fan favorite / although The Doobies’ cover was over twice as long as The Byrds’ album version, it was very similar to their concert version; the album track - with its long intro & slower “Jesus is my friend” second bridge, created by bassist Tiran Porter & sung by guitarist Patrick Simmons - was edited from 4:37 to 3:50 on the “45” and b/w another concert favorite, ROCKIN’ DOWN THE HIGHWAY / JESUS IS JUST ALRIGHT was one of a number of contemporary religious songs popular among the “Jesus movement” of the late ‘60s & ‘70s, which became Top 40 hits in the early ‘70s / included on BEST OF THE DOOBIES [#5 US / 10x Platinum / #3 Canada / 2x Platinum] in ‘76 & four other compilation albums and three live albums, including FAREWELL TOUR [#79 US / #87 Canada] in ‘83 and the charity album ROCKIN’ DOWN THE HIGHWAY: THE WILDLIFE CONCERT in ‘96 / also covered by Wisconsin Psychedelic Rock band Underground Sunshine, Scottish Folk singer Shelagh McDonald [who disappeared from the music scene after two albums in ‘70 & ‘71, due to a bad acid trip that caused her to lose her voice and experience paranoia & hallucinations], British Blues musician Alexis Korner, popular ‘60s instrumental band The Ventures, Christian Rap/Rock trio DC Talk on the Platinum-selling, Grammy award-winning album FREE AT LAST in ‘92, guitarist Robert Randolph with Eric Clapton on the album COLORBLIND in ‘06, and Christian Heavy Metal band Stryper on NO MORE HELL TO PAY [#35 Top 200 / Top 10 on four Billboard album charts - #2 Christian / #3 Hard Rock / #6 Independent / #6 Rock] in ‘13 / The Doobie Brothers’ cover of JESUS IS JUST ALRIGHT peaked two positions higher at #33 in Canada, and was a Top 20 hit in the Netherlands, reaching #17
#44] LIVING TOGETHER, GROWING TOGETHER by The 5th Dimension
LW #47 / 5 wks / 76-64-58-47-44 / 26th Hot 100 single for the five-person vocal group, dating to mid-January ‘67; 19 of their previous singles were Top 40 hits
#45] I CAN’T STAND TO SEE YOU CRY by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
LW #45 / Peak - #45 [2 wks] / Hot 100 - 8 wks / 89-68-62-53-51-48-45-45 / I CAN’T STAND TO SEE YOU CRY, written by Johnny Bristol, Wade Brown, Jr. & David Jones, Jr. and produced by Bristol, was the Miracles’ final single released with the group’s founder, Smokey Robinson / Robinson, the group’s principal songwriter, did not write any of the songs on FLYING HIGH TOGETHER [#46 Top 200 / #31 Soul], his final album with the group he had first charted with 15 years earlier / now a Motown Vice President and tired of constantly touring & being away from his wife and two young children, Robinson had intended to leave the group several years earlier - but after THE TEARS OF A CLOWN* became a huge [and unexpected] hit in the second half of ‘70, he continued on with The Miracles for two more years to capitalize on its success
*[THE TEARS OF A CLOWN, with music by Stevie Wonder & his producer Hank Cosby and lyrics by Smokie Robinson, was included on the Smokey Robinson & the Miracles album MAKE IT HAPPEN in ‘67; according to Motown lore, Wonder couldn’t come up with any lyrics for the music he’d written & took a tape to the Motown Christmas party to see if Robinson had any ideas; the music reminded Robinson of a circus calliope & he quickly came up with the lyrics; reportedly, THE TEARS OF A CLOWN was released as a single in the UK after John Reid [the future manager of Elton John & Queen] and manager of UK Tamla Motown at the time, OKed the catalog album track to be a “45” after it was selected by the head of Motown’s UK fan club as a potential hit for the group; released in July, the single entered the UK chart the first week of August & needed just seven weeks to top the UK Pop chart in early September ‘70; [29-25-11-5-2-2-1-2-2-4-12-16-25-38]; following the single’s UK chart success, it was given a new mix & released in the US in late September, peaking at #1 for two weeks in mid-December ‘70 & spending ten weeks in the Top 10; [68-45-27-13-7-4-2-2-1-1-3-4-6-10-17-38]; THE TEARS OF A CLOWN also went to #1 for one week on the Cashbox [sales only] chart & for three weeks on Billboard’s Soul chart in December ‘70; internationally, it was a Top 10 hit in five countries]
Top 40 Hot 100 & R&B/Soul hits:
on the Hot 100, I CAN’T STAND TO SEE YOU CRY was The Miracles’ 42nd single with 27 reaching the Top 40 and 14 Top 20 & six Top 10 hits, including one #1 / on Billboard’s R&B/Soul chart, I CAN’T STAND TO SEE YOU CRY was their 40th Top 40 single - 39 were Top 25 hits, with 35 Top 20 & 24 Top 10 hits, including four #1s
The Miracles
1958:
GOT A JOB* - [DNC Pop / #5 R&B]
*[produced by Berry Gordy, Jr, but recorded before the formation of Motown; released on Chess Records]
1961:
SHOP AROUND - [#2 - 1 wk Pop / #1 - 8 wks R&B] in February
AIN’T IT BABY - [#49 - 1 wk Pop / #15 R&B] in April
MIGHTY GOOD LOVIN’ - [#51 - 1 wk Pop / #21 R&B] in August
EVERYBODY’S GOT TO PAY SOME DUES - [#52 - 2 wks Pop / #11 R&B] in November
1962:
WHAT’S SO GOOD ABOUT GOODBYE - [#35 - 2 wks Pop / #16 R&B] in February
I’LL TRY SOMETHING NEW - [#39 - 1 wk Pop / #11 R&B] in June
1963:
YOU’VE REALLY GOT A HOLD ON ME - [#8 - 2 wks Pop / #1 - 1 wk R&B] in February
A LOVE SHE CAN COUNT ON - [#31 - 1 wk Pop / #21 R&B] in May
MICKEY’S MONKEY - [#8 - 2 wks / #3 R&B] in September
1964:
I’VE GOTTA DANCE TO KEEP FROM CRYING - [#35 - 1 wk Pop / #17 R&B*] in January
(You Can’t Let The Boy Overpower) THE MAN IN YOU - [#59 - 1 wk Pop / #12 R&B*] in April
I LIKE IT LIKE THAT - [#27 - 1 wk Pop / #10 R&B*] in August
THAT’S WHAT LOVE IS MADE OF - [#35 - 1 wk Pop / #9 R&B*] in October
*[Cashbox sales only R&B chart, as Billboard did not publish its R&B chart in ‘64]
1965:
COME ON DO THE JERK - [#50 - 1 wk Pop / #22 R&B] in January
OOH BABY BABY - [#16 - 2 wks Pop / #4 R&B] in May
THE TRACKS OF MY TEARS - [#16 - 1 wk Pop / #2 R&B] in September
MY GIRL HAS GONE - [#14 - 1 wk Pop / #3 R&B] in November
1966:
GOING TO A GO-GO - [#11 - 2 wks / #2 R&B] in February
b/w CHOOSEY BEGGAR - [DNC Pop / #35 R&B]
WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN’ IN MY HEART (Since I Met You) - [#46 - 1 wk Pop / #20 R&B] in July
(Come ‘Round Here) I’M THE ONE YOU NEED - [#17 - 1 wk Pop / #4 R&B] in December
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
1967:
THE LOVE I SAW IN YOU WAS JUST A MIRAGE - [#20 - 1 wk Pop / #10 R&B] in April
MORE LOVE - [#23 - 2 wks Pop / #5 R&B] in July/Aug
I SECOND THAT EMOTION - [#4 - 3 wks Pop / #1 - 1 wk R&B in ‘68] in December
1968:
IF YOU CAN WANT - [#11 - 2 wks Pop / #3 R&B] in Apr/May
YESTER LOVE - [#31 - 1 wk Pop / #9 R&B] in July
SPECIAL OCCASION - [#26 - 1 wk Pop / #4 R&B] in September
1969:
BABY, BABY DON’T CRY - [#8 - 2 wks Pop / #3 Soul] in March
DOGGONE RIGHT - [#32 - 2 wks Pop / #7 Soul] in July
b/w HERE I GO AGAIN - [#37 - 1 wk Pop / #15 Soul] in October
ABRAHAM, MARTIN & JOHN - [#33 - 2 wks Pop / #16 Soul] in uly
1970:
POINT IT OUT - [#37 - 2 wks Pop / #4 Soul] in January
WHO’S GONNA TAKE THE BLAME - [#46 - 1 wk Pop / #9 Soul] in June
TEARS OF A CLOWN - [#1 - 2 wks Pop / #1 - 3 wks Soul] in December
1971:
I DON’T BLAME YOU AT ALL - [#18 - 1 wk Pop / #7 Soul] in May
CRAZY ABOUT THE LA LA LA - [#56 - 2 wks Pop / #20 Soul] in July
1972:
SATISFACTION - [#49 - 1 wk Pop / #20 Soul] in January
WE’VE COME TO FAR TO END IT NOW - [#46 - 2 wks Pop / #9 Soul] in August
1973:
I CAN’T STAND TO SEE YOU CRY - [#45 - 2 wks Pop / #21 Soul] in Jan/Feb
#46] I GOT ANTS IN MY PANTS by James Brown
LW #51 / 3 wks / 79-51-46 / Brown’s 78th song on the Pop chart, including THINK [#100 - 1 wk] with Vicki Anderson in April ‘67 & WHAT MY BABY NEEDS NOW IS A LITTLE MORE LOVIN’ with Lyn Collins, currently on the Hot 100 in its last week at #56; Brown’s first single, TRY ME [#48 - 1 wk] in January ‘59, debuted in mid-December ‘58
#47] I’LL BE YOUR SHELTER (In Time Of Storm) by Luther Ingram
LW #40 / Peak - #40 [2 wks] / Top 40 - 2 wks / Hot 100 - 10th wk [of 11] / 84-79-78-69-60-46-42-40-40-47-55 / follow-up single to Ingram’s only Top 10 hit on the Hot 100, (If Loving You Is Wrong) I DON’T WANT TO BE RIGHT, which peaked at #3 for two weeks in early August ‘72 & topped Billboard’s Soul chart for four weeks in July / like his biggest hit, his second & last Top 40 single was written by Homer Banks, Carl Hampton & Raymond Jackson and produced by Koko Records owner Johnny Baylor / I’LL BE YOUR SHELTER (In Time Of Storm) [3:25] and its B-side I CAN’T STOP, written by Ingram, were both from his second Koko album, named for his biggest hit / on Billboard’s Soul chart, I’LL BE YOUR SHELTER (In Time Of Storm) was Ingram’s tenth Top 40 hit & his third to reach the Top 10, peaking at #9; AIN’T THAT LOVING YOU (For More Reasons Than One) had peaked at #6 in ‘70 and went to #45 for a week in July on the Pop chart / Ingram continued to record for Koko with seven singles on the Soul chart through ‘78 - but only one would chart on the Hot 100, due to the label’s financial & distribution issues / living in Alton, Illinois, near St. Louis, Ingram had first been in Gospel group The Alton Crusaders with his two brothers & two friends; they recorded four songs as Doo Wop group The Gardenias on Federal Records in Cincinnati, Ohio, with Ike Turner & his Kings of Rhythm backing them in ‘56; the single FLAMING LOVE b/w MY BABY’S TOPS was released but it did not chart / Ingram first recorded solo in ‘65 but had no chart success until ‘69 when he signed with Memphis label Koko Records, which was distributed by Stax Records; Ingram co-wrote RESPECT YOURSELF, recorded by Stax artists The Staple Singers, which reached #12 on the Pop chart & #2 Soul in ‘71; the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in ‘02 & ranked #464 on Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in ‘04 / Luther Ingram died from a number of health issues in March ‘07 at the age of 69
#48] YOU’VE GOT TO TAKE IT (If You Want It) by The Main Ingredient
LW #52 / Peak - #46 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 7th wk [of 9] / 79-67-59-56-54-52-48-46-51 / the follow-up single to the NYC Soul trio’s first Top 10 Pop hit, EVERYBODY PLAYS THE FOOL [#3 - 1 wk / Gold] in October ‘72, would peak at #46 next week / written by Ed Townsend and produced by Tony Silvester & Luther Simmons, the second single from their fourth album, BITTER SWEET [#79 Top 200 / #10 Soul / #30 Canada], peaked at #18 on the Soul chart - their sixth Top 25 hit on that chart
*#49] DANNY’S SONG by Anne Murray
LW #60 / 5 wks / 83-77-68-60-49 / 8th Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - TIE [3] - 11 positions / the Canadian singer’s fifth solo single on the Pop chart; her first was the Top 10 hit SNOWBIRD [#8 - 2 wks / Gold] in September ‘70 - but none of the others had come close to the Top 40 until her current single
*#50] HUMMINGBIRD by Seals & Crofts
LW #63 / 3 wks / 76-63-50 / 6th Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - 13 positions / second Hot 100 single for the Texas-born duo, following the Top 10 hit, SUMMER BREEZE [#6 - 2 wks] in Nov/Dec ‘72
#51] LUCKY MAN by Emerson, Lake & Palmer
LW #55 / Peak - #51 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 6th wk [of 7] / 86-75-66-57-55-51-59 / LUCKY MAN was written & produced by Greg Lake, and included as the final track on the self-titled debut album by Emerson, Lake & Palmer, when one more song was needed - but initially Keith Emerson & Carl Palmer did not think it fit the album / Lake worked on the song with Palmer in the studio & eventually the acoustic ballad was overdubbed with multiple layers - bass, triple-tracked acoustic guitars, electric guitar, and harmony vocals - until it "sounded like a record"; a second guitar solo at the song’s end was replaced by a Moog synthesizer solo by Emerson - one of the first songs with a Moog solo; [the version with the original guitar ending was later included on the deluxe CD version of the album in ‘12] / the 4:37 album version was edited to 3:33 for the single / MTV’s Kurt Loder, reviewing the ‘04 film MOOG, said, "'Lucky Man' demonstrated for delighted keyboard players everywhere that it was at last possible for them to blow amp-shredding lead guitarists right off the stage, if they so chose."; and a Moog technician said the song gave the instrument its "big breakthrough" / but Emerson was embarrassed by his Moog solo & didn’t realize that what he had been experimenting with was being recorded; when he wanted to do another take, he was told there was no room left to do so; later, when the band wanted to perform LUCKY MAN in concert as closely to the album version as possible, Emerson contacted Keyboard Magazine for the transcription of the solo he knew it had made, saying "it'll save me time if you send me what you came up with..." / in previous concerts, Lake performed the song as an acoustic solo, to the disappointment of many fans / ELP’s debut album reached #17 on Billboard’s Top 200 album chart & #4 in the UK and was certified Gold in both countries / the single was originally released in December ‘70 & was a Top 25 hit in four countries - #14 Netherlands, #20 Belgium, #23 West Germany & #25 Canada - but only reached #48 in the US on the 5/1/71 chart, spending 12 weeks on the Hot 100; [92-78-68-62-56-50-49-48-52-60-60-65]
the bitterly ironic song about a man who had everything, then went to war & was killed, was a heavy topic for a 12-year-old songwriter / in an interview in ‘12, Greg Lake was asked if he was a ‘lucky man”: “I did write “Lucky Man” when I was 12. My mum bought me a guitar, and I was very lucky in that sense, the answer was yes instead of no. There was the first bit of luck because had the answer been no, my life would have probably been totally different. I got the guitar, and I learned the first four chords that were D, G, A Minor and E Minor and with those chords I wrote “Lucky Man”. I truly cannot remember everything about writing it other than I think it struck me as being . . . this sort of minstrel feeling. “Lucky Man” . . . is like a medieval folk song in a way. That was the essence of the idea. I wrote the song in its entirety, and I finished it, and I remembered it. As far as its significance regarding me . . . the song has been very lucky for me. It came about because of a piece of good fortune, which was my mother giving me the guitar, and it has been lucky for me ever since. I would say if I was going to be honest, I have been very lucky in life. I certainly have been.”
LUCKY MAN was the fourth and final single on the Hot 100 by the Progressive Rock trio, best known for their creative albums & concerts; only FROM THE BEGINNING [#39 - 1 wk] in late October ‘72 reached the Top 40 / the band called it quits in the late ‘70s after releasing seven studio albums from ‘70 to ‘78 & five live albums through ‘79 / Greg Lake had a #2 UK solo hit with I BELIEVE IN FATHER CHRISTMAS, while still with ELP in ‘75 [#95 US]; Lake recorded a pair of solo albums with guitarist Gary Moore in the early ‘80s; toured briefly with supergroup Asia [w/ELP drummer Carl Palmer & former King Crimson bandmate John Wetton] on the Japan leg of a tour in ‘83; recorded an album as Emerson, Lake & Powell, with drummer Cozy Powell [while Palmer was still with Asia] in ‘86; and recorded a pair of studio albums in ‘92 & ‘94, after Emerson, Lake & Palmer reunited; Lake toured as a member of the seventh iteration of Ringo Starr & His All-Starr band in ‘01; ELP continued performing concerts together through ‘10 & numerous live albums from various time periods have since been released, including the live 4-disc box set A TIME AND A PLACE in ‘10, drawing from the early & late ‘70s and the ‘90s; Emerson and Palmer also had various recording projects over the years; three live albums by Greg Lake were released in ‘07, ‘13 & ‘17 / Greg Lake died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 69 in December ‘16, nine months after the suicide of 71-year-old Keith Emerson [brought on by heart disease, depression & alcohol]; Carl Palmer, soon to be 73 in March ‘23, is the last surviving member of Emerson, Lake & Palmer
*#52] GIVE ME YOUR LOVE by Barbara Mason
LW #64 / 4 wks / 95-75-64-52 / 7th Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - TIE [2] - 12 positions / GIVE ME YOUR LOVE was the Philadelphia-born singer’s ninth single on the Hot 100, dating to her first & biggest hit, YES, I’M READY [#5 - 1 wk] in July ‘65
*#53] GOOD MORNING HEARTACHE by Diana Ross
LW #61 / 4 wks / 98-71-61-53 / the seventh solo single on the Hot 100 for the former lead singer of The Supremes, going back to April ‘70, with all but one of the previous six reaching the Top 40 / although it was not a Top 40 in the US, I’M STILL WAITING was a #1 hit for a week in Ireland & for four weeks in the UK in Aug/Sept ‘71
#54] DAYTIME, NIGHT-TIME by Keith Hampshire
LW#59 / Peak - #51 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 7th wk [of 9] / 78-76-72-67-66-59-54-51-64 / the first charting US single by the 27-year-old singer, born in England & raised in Canada from the age of six, would peak at #51 on the 2/10/73 chart / Hampshire, who had taken singing lessons, had a voice that was compared to David Clayton-Thomas, lead singer of Blood, Sweat & Tears, & sang with several bands while in high school / Hampshire returned to the UK in his early twenties, and from ’66 to mid-’67, he was a DJ on “pirate radio station” Radio Caroline South on the program “Keefer’s Commotions” & later “Keefer’s Uprising” / the first Hampshire single to chart in Canada was EBENEZER b/w SING ANGEL SING [#81] in ‘71 and DAYTIME, NIGHT-TIME, his second single, became his first Top 10 hit, peaking at #5 / both sides of DAYTIME, NIGHT-TIME [3:07], written by Mike Hugg, b/w TURNED THE OTHER WAY [2:34], written by Bill Misener, were produced by Misener and released on A&M Records
#55] DON’T LEAVE ME STARVIN’ FOR YOUR LOVE, Part 1 by Holland-Dozier featuring Brian Holland
LW #57 / Peak - #52 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 5th wk [of 6] / 93-78-67-57-55-52 / DON’T LEAVE ME STARVIN’ FOR YOUR LOVE, Part 1 would peak at #52 on the 2/10/73 chart & fall off the Hot 100 the following week / Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier, as HOLLAND-DOZIER, released two singles on their Invictus label in ‘72; WHY CAN’T WE BE LOVERS, featuring Lamont Dozier, entered the Hot 100 on 9/30/72, peaking at #57 [1 wk] on 11/25/72; Dozier had three more solo singles chart - but DON’T LEAVE ME STARVIN’ FOR YOUR LOVE would be the only Hot 100 single with Brian Holland listed as the featured artist / Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier & Eddie Holland, as Holland-Dozier-Holland, was one of the most successful songwriting-production teams of all time, working primarily with Motown artists Martha & the Vandellas, The Four Tops, & The Supremes, and charting 14 Top 10 hits, including ten #1s, with the Supremes alone / after acrimoniously departing Motown in ‘68, Holland-Dozier-Holland formed the Invictus & Hot Wax labels and had Top 10 hits with The Chairmen of the Board - GIVE ME JUST A LITTLE MORE TIME [#3 - 1 wk / Gold] in March ‘70, Freda Payne - BAND OF GOLD [#3 - 1 wk / Gold] in July ‘70 and The Honey Cone - WANT ADS [#1 - 1 wk / Gold] in June ‘71
#56] WHAT MY BABY NEEDS NOW IS A LITTLE MORE LOVIN’ by James Brown & Lyn Collins
LW #58 / Peak - #56 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 7 wks / 98-78-73-62-62-58-56 / Brown’s 77th song on the Pop chart & only single with James Brown Revue member Lyn Collins reached its peak position this week and would drop off the Hot 100 on the next chart / two singles by Collins had previously charted - THINK (About It) [#66 - 2 wks] in Sept/Oct and ME AND MY BABY GOT A GOOD THING GOING [#86 - 2 wks] in December ‘72; all three songs were written & produced by James Brown / born Gloria Lavern Collins in Dime Box, Texas, she began recording with Charles Pike & the Scholars when she was 14 in ‘62 / working with Brown on the People Record label, Collins’ biggest solo hit was the Gospel-style THINK (About It), which reached #9 on Billboard’s Soul chart; portions of that song have been “sampled” on numerous Hip Hop songs, most notably on IT TAKES TWO by Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock [#36 Pop / #17 R&B / #3 Dance / Platinum / #24 UK] in ‘88; IT TAKES TWO was itself “sampled” on TWO TO MAKE IT RIGHT by Seduction [#2 - 2 wks Pop / #1 Dance Club Play / Gold] in February ’90; IT TAKES TWO was listed at #116 on Rolling Stone magazine’s revised 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in ‘21 / the Collins & Brown single reached #17 on Billboard’s Soul chart / Collins would have seven more songs on the Soul singles chart but just two reached the Top 40, both in ‘73 - TAKE ME JUST AS I AM [#35] & MAMA FEELGOOD, from the BLACK CAESAR soundtrack; another heavily “sampled” Collins single was ROCK ME AGAIN & AGAIN & AGAIN & AGAIN & AGAIN & AGAIN, which reached #53 in ‘74 / Collins’ second album CHECK ME OUT IF YOU DON’T KNOW ME BY NOW was released in ‘75 but did not chart; her first album, named for her biggest hit, reached #34 on the Soul album chart in ‘72 / Collins attempted a comeback in the late ‘80s & early '90s as a dance club diva; she sang on Patra’s remake of THINK (About It) in ‘93; her two studio albums were re-released in England & the Netherlands / in ‘05, Collins performed on her first solo tour for three weeks in the UK, France, Germany, Austria & Switzerland; upon returning to the US, she died of cardiac arrhythmia in Pasadena, California, at the age of 56 / a live album, MAMA FEELGOOD, from her European tour was released in ‘06 / ROCK ME AGAIN & AGAIN… was covered by The Human League on their fourth studio album HYSTERIA in ‘84; and both Collins’ original ROCK ME AGAIN & AGAIN… and THINK (About It) were featured in the video game GRAND THEFT AUTO: SAN ANDREAS in ‘04; excerpts of the Lyn Collins’ song ME AND MY BABY GOT OUR OWN THING GOING were featured in Ludacris’ SOUTHERN FRIED INTRO from his CHICKEN-N-BEER album in ‘03 and by Bruce Springsteen on SHACKLED AND DRAWN from his album WRECKING BALL in ‘12 / Lyn Collins, when asked about working with James Brown, reportedly said, “I would have preferred to sing more and scream less.” / Collins’ work with Brown in the early ‘70s has been “sampled” by Hip Hop and Dance artists more than 3500 times, making her, by far, the most “sampled” female artist
*#57] DON’T CROSS THE RIVER by America
LW #76 / 2 wks / 76-57 / 5th Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - 19 positions / fourth chart single by the acoustic guitar trio; their first three “45”s were all Top 10 hits
#59] SONGMAN by Cashman & West
LW # 65 / Peak - #59 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 6th wk [of 7] / 82-77-73-69-65-59-62 / the New York City singer-songwriter-producers’ second & last Hot 100 single / written by Terry Cashman & Tommy West and produced by Steve Barri, the Dunhill single SONGMAN [3:27] & its B-side IF YOU WERE A RAINBOW [2:57] were both from their A SONG OR TWO album, which also produced their only Top 40 single AMERICAN CITY SUITE [#27 - 1 wk] in November ‘72
*#60] SPACE ODDITY by David Bowie
LW #71 / 2 wks / 71-60 / 8th Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - TIE [3] - 11 positions / Bowie’s fourth Hot 100 single was already higher on the chart in just its second week than any of his previous three in ‘72
#61] I NEVER SAID GOODBYE by Engelbert Humperdinck
LW #67 / Peak - #61 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 6th wk [of 7] / 100-86-71-70-67-61-69 / English ballad singer’s 16th Hot 100 single since ‘67 - all on Parrot Records; born Arnold George Dorsey in India in May ‘36, he met Tom Jones’ manager Gordon Mills, who suggested his name change, in ‘65; [the original Engelbert Humperdinck was a famous German Opera composer] / I NEVER SAID GOODBYE was the third & highest charting Hot 100 single from his ninth album, IN TIME [#72] / on Billboard’s Easy Listening chart, I NEVER SAID GOODBYE was Humperdinck’s 14th Top 20 hit / beginning with his third Hot 100 single, THE LAST WALTZ, he had a string of 11 consecutive Top 10 EL hits, which was broken by the first single from his current album, TOO BEAUTIFUL TO LAST [#16] from the film NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRA; the album’s title track got as high as #12 on the EL chart - but I NEVER SAID GOODBYE only reached #18 / Humperdinck’s singles on both the Pop & EL charts were peaking lower than they had been previously
*#62] NEITHER ONE OF US (Wants To Say Goodbye) by Gladys Knight & the Pips
LW #86 / 2 wks / 86-62 / Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - 24 positions / 21st chart single by the family group & their 15th released on Motown’s Soul imprint since signing with the Detroit label in ‘67
#63] SILLY WASN’T I by Valerie Simpson
LW #68 / Peak - #63 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 9 wks / 96-93-87-84-81-75-74-68-63 / Valerie Simpson & Nick Ashford met while singing in a Baptist church choir in Harlem in ‘64 and by ‘66 were recording [unsuccessfully] as a duo / they formed a songwriting partnership with former Ikette Jo Armstead & had several moderate hits recorded by Septer Records artists in ‘65, including Maxine Brown [ONE STEP AT A TIME - #55 Pop] & Ronnie Milsap [NEVER HAD IT SO GOOD - #19 R&B]; Milsap also recorded another song written by the three songwriters that was relegated to the B-side of that single, LET’S GO GET STONED; Ray Charles heard Milsap’s recording & had a #1 R&B hit with his cover of the B-side in July ‘66 [not long after kicking his 16-year heroin addiction]; after hearing the Ray Charles recording, Motown head Berry Gordy, Jr. signed Ashford & Simpson to Motown’s Jobete Publishing as songwriters / the duo wrote songs for a number of Motown artists, including The Marvelettes [DESTINATION: ANYWHERE - #63 Pop / #28 R&B] in ‘68, Gladys Knight & the Pips [DIDN’T YOU KNOW (You’d Have To Cry Sometime) - #63 Pop / #11 R&B] in ‘69 and Smokey Robinson & the Miracles [WHO’S GONNA TAKE THE BLAME - #46 Pop / #9 Soul] in ‘70 - but they primarily worked with Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, writing & producing much of their best known work together: AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH [#19 - 2 wks / #3 R&B] in July & YOUR PRECIOUS LOVE [#5 - 2 wks / #2 R&B] in November ‘67 and AIN’T NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THING [#8 - 2 wks / #1 - 1 wk R&B] in May/June & YOU’RE ALL I NEED TO GET BY [#7 - 1 wk / #1 - 5 wks R&B] in Aug/Sept ‘68 / also written by Ashford & Simpson, CALIFORNIA SOUL was first recorded on Motown’s Soul label as a B-side by The Messengers in ‘67, followed by Nick Ashford’s solo version on Verve Records in ‘68; The 5th Dimension had the first hit with the song, reaching #25 for a week on the Pop charrt in February ‘69; Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell’s version*, the B-side of their final single, reached #56 [1 wk] in May ‘70; Edwin Starr’s cover was included on his Gordy album WAR & PEACE [#52 Top 200 / #9 Soul] in ‘70 / *[in his ‘85 biography, “Divided Soul: The Life of Marvin Gaye,” by David Ritz, Gaye claimed that Valerie Simpson recorded most of Tammi Terrell’s vocals on their final album of duets together, because Terrell was too ill to sing; Terrell died from a brain tumor in March ‘70; Simpson has since refuted this claim, saying that she only recorded “guide vocals” for Terrell, and two others working at Motown at the time have also said they knew Terrell sang her own vocals on the album] / American singer Marlena Shaw’s classic interpretation of CALIFORNIA SOUL in ‘69 has been used in commercials for Dockers, KFC, Dodge Ram trucks and by Target in ‘11; the song was a staple “rare groove” track played by “pirate radio stations” broadcasting offshore from the UK & has appeared in several video games including GRAND THEFT AUTO V in ‘13; although it never charted in the UK, downloads of Shaw’s version received a Silver Award [200,000 sold] in June ‘21 & a Gold Award [400,000 sold] in September ‘22 / Ashford & Simpson also wrote & produced three Motown albums for Diana Ross: her self-titled debut solo album [#19 Top 200 / #1 Soul], which included their dramatic re-working of AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH [#1 - 3 wks / #1 - 1 wk Soul] in Sept/Oct ‘70, her third album, SURRENDER [#56 Top 200 / #10 Soul], in ‘71 & her ninth solo album, THE BOSS [#14 Top 200 / #10 R&B / Gold], in ‘79
Valerie Simpson released two solo albums on Motown: EXPOSED in ‘71 and VALERIE SIMPSON in ‘72, which included her only Hot 100 single, SILLY WASN’T I / Ashford & Simpson left Motown in ‘73 after Simpson’s albums were poorly promoted, and because the label would not release their album of “cover” songs, which were written by the duo & had previously been hits for other Motown artists / they would record as a duo through the ‘70s & ‘80s with their biggest hit, SOLID [#12 Pop / #1 Black / #1 New Zealand / Top 10 in 7 countries], coming in ‘84 / SILLY WASN’T I [2:10], written by Ashford, Simpson & Armstead b/w I BELIEVE I’M GONNA TAKE THIS RIDE [3:00], written by Ashford & Simpson, were from Simpson’s self-titled second album on Motown’s Tamla label, produced by the couple / SILLY WASN’T I has been “sampled” by Hip Hop artists 50 Cent on the song BEST FRIEND from the soundtrack of his first film GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN’ in ‘05 and on the album track SILLY GIRL by 9th Wonder & Mur in ‘06
#64] TWEEDLEE DEE by Little Jimmy Osmond
LW #69 / Peak - #59 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 4th wk [of 6] / 99-96-69-64-63-59 / the second single by the youngest Osmond brother would reach its peak of #59 in two weeks on the 2/17/73 chart, before dropping off the Hot 100 the following week / the nine-year-old singer’s first “45” was the Top 40 hit LONG HAIRED LOVER FROM LIVERPOOL [#38 - 1 wk] in June ‘72
#65] SOUL SONG by Joe Stampley
LW #66 / 5 wks / 98-83-73-66-65 / only single to chart on the Hot 100 by the Louisiana-born Country singer
*#66] DEAD SKUNK by Loudon Wainright III
LW #88 / 2 wks / 88-66 / 3rd Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - 22 positions / first Hot 100 single for the 26-year-old satyrical Folk singer-songwriter
*#67] CONTROL OF ME by Les Emerson
LW #75 / 4 wks / 86-86-75-67 / Emerson had previously been on the Hot 100 as the lead singer & guitarist of The Five Man Electrical Band with SIGNS [#3 - 1 wk / Gold] in August ‘71
*#68] ROSALIE by Sam Neely
LW #79 / 2 wks / 79-68 / 8th Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - TIE [3] - 11 positions / second chart single for Neely; LOVING YOU JUST CROSSED MY MIND reached #29 for two weeks in November ‘72
*#69] THE MESSAGE by Cymande
LW #78 / 3 wks / 85-78-69 / first chart single by the 8-man Afro Rock group from the West Indies
#70] BOOGIE WOOGIE MAN by Paul Davis
LW #74 / Peak - #68 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 7th wk [of 9] / 97-94-89-82-80-74-70-70-68 / third & lowest charting single for the 24-year-old singer, born in Meridian, Mississippi; his first two singles - A LITTLE BIT OF SOAP [#52 - 2 wks] in July & I JUST WANT TO KEEP IT TOGETHER [#51 - 2 wks] in October ‘70 - peaked nearly 20 positions higher than his current “45” / Davis sang the part of the disciple Peter on the original recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice’s JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
*#71] TODAY I STARTED LOVING YOU AGAIN by Bettye Swan
LW #83 / 2 wks / 83-71 / 7th Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - TIE [2] - 12 positions / fifth Hot 100 single for the Louisiana-born singer, who had been living in Los Angeles since the late ‘50s
#73] IT NEVER RAINS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA by Albert Hammond
LW #36 / Peak - #5 [3 wks] / Top 10 - 6 wks / Top 20 - 8 wks / Top 40 - 13 wks / Hot 100 - 16 wks / 65-50-39-27-21-14-8-7-5-5-5|-6-12-24-36-73 / telling the story of a musician whose dreams of finding stardom in southern California have gone from bad to worse and then worse again, Albert Hammond’s first hit single was co-written by Hammond & Mike Hazlewood, with whom he had recorded previously, and was produced by Hammond & Don Altfield
Mike Hazlewood, Albert Hammond & Steve Rowland had formed vocal group The Family Dogg in ‘66 / Hammond & Hazlewood recorded three singles together and wrote several songs which became hits for other artists in the late ‘60s & early ‘70s / LITTLE ARROWS by Leapy Lee [#16 - 1 wk / #11 Country / #8 Canada Pop / #1 Canada Country / #1 Rhodesia / #2 South Africa / #2 UK] in ‘68; #1 in Ireland by Brendan O'Brien & the Dixies in ‘68, #1 [2 wks] in Sweden as "Amors pilar" by Eva Roos, with Swedish lyrics by Abba’s future manager, in February ‘69, and #1 [6 wks] in Spain as "Las Flechas del Amor" by Karina in March ‘69 / Irish singer Joe Dolan had a hit with Hammond & Hazlewood’s MAKE ME AN ISLAND [#2 Belgium - Flanders, Ireland & South Africa, #3 UK, #10 Netherlands, #15 West Germany, #16 Belgium - Wallonia & #17 Austria] in ‘69, and the follow-up singles TERESA & YOU’RE SUCH A GOOD LOOKING WOMAN, which they also co-wrote, were Top 10 hits in several countries / novelty song GIMME DAT DING by studio group The Pipkins [#9 - 1 wk / #1 New Zealand / #6 UK / #7 Canada & Ireland / #8 Netherlands / #15 South Africa] / and THE AIR THAT I BREATHE - first recorded by Hammond on his debut solo album in ‘72 & then by Phil Everly on his first solo album, STAR SPANGLED SPRINGER, in ‘73; Everly’s single did not chart but the song became a major international hit for The Hollies in ‘74 [#6 - 1 wk / #3 EL / Gold / #1 Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa / #2 Australia & UK / #3 Austria / #4 West Germany / #5 Canada [Pop & EL] / #6 Ireland]; THE AIR THAT I BREATHE was also a hit in several countries for Simply Red [#5 Scotland / #6 UK / #15 Belgium / #17 Austria] nearly 25 years later in ‘98
Hammond’s IT NEVER RAINS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA was the title song of his debut album [#77 US / #63 Australia / #52 Canada / #13 Spain], recorded in Los Angeles with session musicians, including members of The Wrecking Crew, and was released in October ‘72 / Hammond said of his first big hit: "One of my most important songs not only because I think it's a great song, and I love it, and I think it tells the story of my life in a way; but also because I was the artist, the producer, the writer – I mean, everything was right, it was just like the right thing. If I hadn't had that, I might have got slowly downhill, you know." / the “45” of IT NEVER RAINS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA on Mums Records was 3:19 - 12 seconds shorter than the album track; it peaked at #2 on both Billboard’s Easy Listening chart & the Cashbox [sales only] chart / although it only reached #51 in the UK, internationally, Hammond’s single was a Top 10 hit in six countries: #1 Japan [International], #2 Canada [#38 EL] & New Zealand, #3 Norway, #5 Switzerland & #9 West Germany; and Top 20 in two countries - #11 Japan [Top 100] & #12 Australia
#76] FEVER by Rita Coolidge
LW #77 / Peak - #76 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 6th wk [of 7] / 96-90-90-84-77-76-79 / Coolidge’s cover of FEVER was recorded for her third album, THE LADY IS NOT FOR SALE [#46 US / #27 Canada], which was released in October ‘72 / FEVER was originally recorded by Little Willie John [#24 - 2 wks / #1 - 3 wks R&B] in August ‘56; written by Otis Blackwell [using the pseudonym John Davenport] & Eddie Cooley / the best-known recording of the song is Peggy Lee’s sultry, finger snapping version [#8 - 1 wk / #5 R&B / #2 Australia / #5 UK] in August ‘58, which was nominated in three categories - Record of the Year, Song of the Year & Best Female Vocal Performance - at the inaugural Grammy Awards in ‘59; Lee, uncredited, changed some of the song’s lyrics & slowed down the beat from the original / recorded by a wide array of singers, including Elvis Presley on ELVIS IS BACK! in ‘60, The Kingsmen, Helen Shapiro, and Sarah Vaughn in ‘64, The McCoys and Paul Revere & the Raiders in ‘65, James Brown in ‘67, Buddy Guy in ‘68, Suzi Quatro in ‘75, Link Wray in ‘79, Madonna - her 15th #1 on the Dance Club Play chart - in ‘92, Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir on two live solo albums in ‘98 & ‘13, Michael Bublé in ‘03, Bette Midler on BETTE MIDLER SINGS THE PEGGY LEE SONGBOOK [#10 US / #41 UK / single - #4 Dance] in ‘05, and Beyoncé on her album HEAT in ‘10
#77] HAPPY (Love Theme from “Lady Sings The Blues”) by Bobby Darin
LW #80 / Peak - #67 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 5th wk [of 8] / 92-88-83-80-77-73-70-67 / written by Michel LeGrand & Smokey Robinson / Robinson: "I was looking at the movie one day, and I was listening to that melody, and I thought it was just such a beautiful melody, until I wanted to write some words for that melody, which I did, and I went and I sang them for Berry Gordy, and he was really upset because I didn't write them before he finished the movie so they could've been in the movie." / also recorded by Michael Jackson for his third solo album, MUSIC & ME [#92 Top 200 / #24 Soul]; released as a single in Oceania, it reached #31 in Australia & #21 in New Zealand in ‘73; and #52 in the UK in ‘83, when it was released as a single to promote the UK only compilation album 18 GREATEST HITS [#1 - 3 wks UK / Platinum] by Michael Jackson & The Jackson 5, to cash in on the success of Michael Jackson’s THRILLER album / Smokey Robinson also recorded HAPPY for his third solo album, QUIET STORM [#36 Top 200 / #7 Soul], in ‘75; the landmark album came to define an entire genre of Soul music in the late ‘70s & early ‘80s, also known as “Quiet Storm”
HAPPY (Love Theme from “Lady Sings The Blues”) was Bobby Darin’s first single for Motown Records and his final “45” to chart on the Hot 100; Darin died following open heart surgery at the age of 37 in December ‘73 / HAPPY was included on his only album for Motown, the posthumous DARIN: 1936-1973 / since June ‘58, Bobby Darin had charted 22 Top 40 singles with 14 Top 20s & ten Top 10 hits / Bobby Darin’s first single was his first Top 10 hit & his tenth Top 10 came nine years later in ‘66; overall, Darin charted 41 songs on the Billboard Pop charts in 16 years with his final Top 40 hit coming in ‘67
Bobby Darin’s 22 Top 40 hits:
1958:
SPLISH SPLASH - [#3 - 1 wk] in August
EARLY IN THE MORNING* - [#24 - 1 wk] in August
QUEEN OF THE HOP - [#9 - 1 wk] in November
*[released on Brunswick Records by “The Rinky-Dinks” to conceal Darin’s identity, because he was under contract with Atco Records]
1959:
PLAIN JANE - [#38 - 2 wks] in Feb/Mar
DREAM LOVER - [#2 - 1 wk] in June
MACK THE KNIFE - [#1 - 9 wks] in Oct/Nov/Dec
1960:
BEYOND THE SEA - [#6 - 1 wk] in February
CLEMENTINE - [#21 - 2 wks] in April
WON’T YOU COME HOME BILL BAILEY - [#19 - 1 wk] in July
ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS - [#20 - 1 wk] in October
1961:
LAZY RIVER - [#14 - 1 wk] in March
NATURE BOY - [#40 - 1 wk] in July
YOU MUST HAVE BEEN A BEAUTIFUL BABY - [#5 - 1 wk] in October
1962:
IRRESISTIBLE YOU - [#15 - 1 wk] in February
b/w MULTIPLICATION - [#30 - 1 wk] in February
WHAT’D I SAY (Part 1) - [#24 - 1 wk] in April
THINGS - [#3 - 1 wk] in August
IF A MAN ANSWERS - [#32 - 1 wk] in November
1963:
YOU’RE THE REASON I’M LIVING - [#3 - 2 wks] in March
18 YELLOW ROSES - [#10 - 1 wk] in June
1966:
IF I WERE A CARPENTER - [#8 - 2 wks] in November
1967:
LOVIN’ YOU - [#32 - 2 wks] in February
#79] HOT WIRE by Al Green
LW #81 / Peak - #71 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 3rd wk [of 5] / 93-81-79-75-71 / recorded at the same time as the regional hit BACK UP TRAIN [#41 - 3 wks / #5 R&B] by Al Greene & the Soul Mates on the Hot Line label in February ‘68; both GUILTY [#69 - 1 wk / #29 Soul] & HOT WIRE [#71 - 1 wk] in February ‘73 - from the four-year-old BACK UP TRAIN album [#162 Top 200 / #37 R&B] - were released by Bell Records to capitalize on Al Green’s string of Top 10 hits on the Pop & Soul charts in the past 18 months
*#81] LOVE IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT by The Grass Roots
LW #91 / 2 wks / 91-81 / 9th Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - TIE [2] - 10 positions / 20th Hot 100 single for the Pop Rock group, dating to June ‘66 `
#82] BUT I DO by Bobby Vinton
LW #84 / Peak - #82 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 6 wks / 98-94-92-88-84-82 / Vinton’s 36th single to chart on the Hot 100, dating to June ‘62, and just his eighth “45” in 11 years not to reach the Top 40; it followed a pair of Top 25 hits in ‘72: EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE [#24 - 1 wk] in April & SEALED WITH A KISS [#19 - 2 wks] in August
#83] SLOW MOTION, Part 1 by Johnny Williams
LW #85 / Peak - #78 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 5th wk [of 7] / 100-94-90-85-83-82-78 / the Philadelphia International “45” was the only Hot 100 single for the Soul singer, who was born in Tyler, Alabama, and moved to Chicago in ‘56, when he was 14
#84] HOW CAN I TELL YOU by Travis Wammack
LW #87 / 3 wks / 91-87-84 / third chart single by the Muscle Shoals session guitarist
#89] LITTLE WILLIE by The Sweet
LW #92 / 3 wks / 99-92-89 / second US chart single for the English Rock band was already ten positions higher than the #99 peak of their first '“45,” CO-CO, in October ‘71
#91] SWEET LORRAINE by Uriah Heep
LW #93 / Peak - #91 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 3 wks / 97-93-91 / A-side of the British Hard Rock band’s second single on the Hot 100; the B-side would also chart / the band’s first US single, EASY LIVIN, had reached #39 [2 wks] in September ‘72
#93] DON’T BURN ME by Paul Kelly
LW #94 / Peak - #79 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 5 wks / 94-93-89-83-79 / second & last chart single by the 32-year-old R&B singer who had been in The Spades and The Valadeers / Kelly’s first single, STEALING IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, got to #49 [1 wk] in August ‘70; the song’s title subsequently became a line in The Temptations’ PAPA WAS A ROLLING STONE
#95] COME SOFTLY TO ME by The New Seekers featuring Marty Kristian
LW #100 / Peak - #95 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 3 wks / 100-95-96 / eighth & lowest charting single by the British-Australian group; although they had scored a Top 20 & Top 10 hit - LOOK WHAT THEY’VE DONE TO MY SONG MA [#14 - 1 wk] in October ‘70 & I’D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING (In Perfect Harmony) [#7 - 2 wks / Gold] in January ‘72 - none of their other six singles had risen higher than #67 / COME SOFTLY TO ME was originally a #1 hit for The Fleetwoods for four weeks in March ‘59
#96] SOMEBODY LOVES YOU by The Whispers
LW #98 / Peak - #94 [2 wks] / Hot 100 - 2nd wk [of 4] / 98-96-94-94 / third & lowest charting single by the Los Angeles Soul group, which formed in ‘64
#98] IF IT’S ALRIGHT WITH YOU by Dottie West
LW #97 / Peak - #97 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 3 wks / 98-97-98 / first single by the Country singer to chart on the Hot 100 / on Billboard’s Country chart, West had been charting since ‘63; IF IT’S ALRIGHT WITH YOU was her 17th Top 40 hit, peaking at #28 / from her 14th studio album given a double title from its two singles - IF IT’S ALRIGHT WITH YOU / JUST WHAT I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR
#99] WE’RE GONNA HAVE A GOOD TIME by Rare Earth
LW #99 / Peak - #93 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 3 wks / 99-99-93 / the band’s second single from their fifth album, WILLIE REMEMBERS, was written by Baird, Bridges, Guzman, Monette, Olson & Rivera; the album was produced by Joe Porter, Rare Earth & Tom Baird / with the poor chart performance of their eighth chart single, Rare Earth’s three-year run of Hot 100 singles came to an end after five Top 20 hits, including three Top 10s, and three singles which did not reach the Top 40 / Rare Earth, although not the first white act signed by Motown, was the first successful white act for the R&B label, recording for the Rare Earth imprint / Louder magazine: "Rare Earth’s music straddles genres and defies categorization, slipping seamlessly between the two seemingly disparate worlds of Classic Rock and R&B."
Rare Earth’s Top 40/Top 20 hits:
GET READY
Peak - #4 [2 wks] in June ‘70 / Top 10 - 5 wks / Top 20 - 11 wks / Top 40 - 17 wks / Hot 100 - 20 wks / 91-77-61-36-35-33-32-24-19-16-12-11-6-4-4-7-10-13-17-23
(I Know) I’M LOSING YOU
Peak - #7 [1 wk] in October ‘70 / Top 10 - 3 wks / Top 20 - 6 wks / Top 40 - 11 wks / Hot 100 - 14 wks / 61-58-47-37-31-27-16-14-9-7-10-19-21-32
BORN TO WANDER
Peak - #17 [2 wks] in Jan/Feb ‘71 / Top 20 - 2 wks / Top 40 - 8 wks / Hot 100 - 11 wks / 83-63-53|-36-32-24-23-17-17-26-35
I JUST WANT TO CELEBRATE
Peak - #7 [2 wks] in September ‘71 / Top 10 - 4 wks / Top 20 - 6 wks / Top 40 - 10 wks / Hot 100 - 13 wks / 79-66-47-37-26-22-18-10-7-7-10-17-26
HEY BIG BROTHER
Peak - #19 [1 wk] in January ‘72 / Top 20 - 2 wks / Top 40 - 7 wks / Hot 100 - 10 wks / 77-60-46-38-32-28-22-20-19-34
DEBUTS ON THE HOT 100
*#58] I’M JUST A SINGER (In A Rock And Roll Band) by The Moody Blues
*#72] HELLO HURRAY by Alice Cooper
*#74] ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA (2001) by Deodato
*#75] PALACE GUARD by Rick Nelson & the Stone Canyon Band
*#78] AUBREY by Bread
*#80] ONE LESS SET OF FOOTSTEPS by Jim Croce
*#85] PEACEFUL by Helen Reddy
*#86] KEEP ON SINGING by Austin Roberts
*#87] AIN’T NO WOMAN (Like The One I’ve Got) by The Four Tops
*#88] KISSING MY LOVE by Bill Withers
*#90] FOLLOW YOUR DAUGHTER HOME by The Guess Who
#92] DO IT IN THE NAME OF LOVE by Candi Staton
#94] SUGAR MAGNOLIA by The Grateful Dead
#97] WISH THAT I COULD TALK TO YOU by The Sylvers
#100] LOVE MUSIC by The Raiders