*#41] DADDY’S HOME by Jermaine Jackson
LW #54 / 5 wks / 94-84-67-54|-41 / Jermaine’s second solo single appeared to be about to do what his first single, THAT’S HOW LOVE GOES [#46 - 2 wks] in November ‘72, hadn’t been able to - break into the Top 40 of the Hot 100 / 6th Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - 13 positions
#42] HARRY HIPPIE by Bobby Womack & Peace
LW #45 / 5 wks / 93-80-57-45|-42 / the B-side of the Soul singer-songwriter-guitarist’s seventh single was his eighth song on the Hot 100 & was poised to become his second Top 40 Pop hit; THAT’S HOW I FEEL ABOUT CHA peaked at #27 [1 wk] in February ‘72
#43] THE RELAY by The Who
LW #47 / 5 wks / 82-75-58-47|-43 / 16th single on the Hot 100 by the English Mod Rockers, dating to I CAN’T EXPLAIN in March ‘65; would it become their 12th Top 40 hit next week?
#44] SUMMER BREEZE by Seals & Crofts
Peak - #6 [2 wks] / Top 10 - 3 wks / Top 20 - 6 wks / Top 40 - 11 wks / Hot 100 - 18 wks / 88-85-71-70-59-50-34-28-21-16-10-6-6-11-19-24-29|-44 / Soft Rock duo Seals & Crofts’ second charting single, following WHEN I MEET THEM [#104 on Billboard’s Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart] in ‘71 / written by Jim Seals & Dash Crofts and produced by Louie Shelton; released on the last day of August, nine days before their fourth studio album, also titled SUMMER BREEZE / the song debuted on the Hot 100 in the 9/9/72 issue of Billboard & needed 12 weeks to reach its Peak Position in the 11/25/72 issue / ranked #13 on Rolling Stone magazine's “Best Summer Songs of All Time” / in its All Music review, the song is described as "one of those relentlessly appealing 1970s harmony-rock anthems ... appropriately ubiquitous on the radio and in the memory" / the duo performed SUMMER BREEZE on BOBBY DARIN’S AMUSEMENT COMPANY variety show in ‘72 / their breakthrough album reached #7 on Billboard’s Top 200 & has achieved 2x Platinum status; it peaked at #6 in Canada / covered by the Ray Conniff Singers & released as a “45” in the UK in January ‘73; released as a single by English singer Geoffrey Williams [#56 UK / #32 New Zealand] in ‘92; a Goth Metal version by Type O Negative was released on their album BLOODY KISSES in ‘93 - first recorded as “Summer Girl” but Seals & Crofts objected to the alternate lyrics; Type O Negative’s cover was featured in the opening of hit horror film I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER in ‘97; the most successful cover of the song with the classic summer vibe was a harder rocking version by The Isley Brothers [#60 Pop / #10 Soul / #16 UK] from their 3+3 album in ‘74 / Seals & Croft’s SUMMER BREEZE also peaked at #6 on the Cashbox [sales only] chart & Canada’s RPM Top 100 chart; it rose to #4 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart & went to #17 on the same chart [renamed Adult Contemporary] in ‘04; the song was a Top 20 hit “Down Under,” peaking at #16 in Australia & #14 in New Zealand
#45] LONG DARK ROAD by The Hollies
Peak - #26 [1 wk] / Top 40 - 5 wks / Hot 100 - 11 wks / 89-73-52-45-33-30-26-28-32|-45-63 / the follow-up to their #2 hit LONG COOL WOMAN (In A Black Dress), LONG DARK ROAD was their 18th Hot 100 single in the US & tenth Top 40 hit / the 11th & final track on their 11th studio album DISTANT LIGHT [#21 Top 200] - the last album recorded with original lead singer Allan Clarke - was produced by Ron Richards & The Hollies; the album was the group’s highest charting in the US / lead guitarist Tony Hicks wrote LONG DARK ROAD with British singer-songwriter-actor Kenny Lynch, one of five songs on the album credited to Hicks & Lynch / the 4:16 album track was trimmed to 3:25 for the “45” and was b/w non-album track INDIAN GIRL, written by Hollies rhythm guitarist Terry Sylvester & produced by The Hollies / LONG DARK ROAD was apparently only released in North America & reached #24 in Canada
*#46] I’LL BE YOUR SHELTER (In Time Of Storm) by Luther Ingram
LW #60 / 6 wks / 84-79-78-69-60|-46 / Ingram’s sixth chart single since January ‘70 & follow-up to his biggest hit (If Loving You Is Wrong) I DON’T WANT TO BE RIGHT [#3 - 2 wks] in August ‘72 / 5th Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - TIE [4] - 14 positions
#47] NO by Bulldog
LW #44 / Peak - #44 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 13th wk [of 15] / 91-81-80-73-63-62-61-57-50-50-49-44|-47-54-55 / Bulldog was founded by former Rascals guitarist Gene Cornish & drummer Dino Danelli, along with Billy Hocher on bass & lead vocals, Eric Thorngren on guitar, and John Turi on keyboards & lead vocals in ‘72 / Cornish & Danelli produced the band’s self-titled debut album, released on Decca Records / Billy Hocher & John Turi wrote both sides of the single NO [2:34] b/w GOOD TIMES ARE COMIN’ [3:14] / the album’s ten tracks opened with a cover of ROCKIN’ ROBIN and included NO, JUICIN’ WITH LUCY, DON’T BLAME IT ON ME, YOU UNDERMINED MY LIFE, HAVE A NICE DAY, TOO MUCH MONKEY BUSINESS, PARTING PEOPLE SHOULD BE GOOD FRIENDS, GOOD TIMES ARE COMIN’ and closed with I’M A MADMAN / a second album, SMASHER, was released on Buddah Records in ‘74 before the band broke up / Cornish & Danelli formed Fotomaker in ‘78, releasing three albums - none of which sold well - in less than 18 months / along with Felix Cavaliere & Eddie Brigatti, Cornish & Danelli were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as The Rascals in ‘97; the band had toured for several months without Brigatti after performing at the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary in May ‘88; all four members of The Rascals performed at their Hall of Fame induction; Cornish & Danelli toured as The New Rascals featuring Gene Cornish & Dino Danelli in ‘05; over 10 years after all four members had last played together, they reunited again for a benefit concert in Tribecca, New York City in April ‘10; next, they performed at six shows at the Capitol Theater in Port Chester, New York in December ‘12, and finally for 15 dates in April & May ‘13 at the Richard Rogers Theatre on Broadway; after its Broadway run ended, “Once Upon A Dream,” produced by longtime fan Steve Van Zandt [Little Steven, E Street Band] & his wife Maureen, toured selected cities in North America [Toronto, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Chicago, Detroit & Rochester]
#48] LET US LOVE by Bill Withers
LW #52 / Peak - #47 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 5th wk [of 6] / 81-76-56-52|-48-47 / fifth chart single for Withers & only his second not to reach the Top 40/Top 10; it followed AIN’T NO SUNSHINE [#3 - 2 wks / Gold] in September & GRANDMA’S HANDS [#42 - 2 wks in December ‘71; and LEAN ON ME [#1 - 3 wks / Gold] in July & USE ME [#2 - 2 wks / Gold] in October ‘72 / non-album single LET US LOVE [3:34], released on the Sussex Records label, was written by Bill Withers & produced by Withers with Ray Jackson, James Gadson, Melvin Dunlap & Benorce Blackmon [his backing band] / the song was included on Withers’ only concert album LIVE AT CARNEGIE HALL [#63 Top 200 / #6 Soul / #80 UK] in a 5:21 version on the album’s fourth side / Withers’ fifth Top 20 hit on Billboard’s Soul chart, peaking at #17; it followed AIN’T NO SUNSHINE [#6], GRANDMA’S HANDS [#18], LEAN ON ME [#1 - 1 wk] & USE ME [#2] / #33 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart & #75 in Canada on the RPM Top 100 chart
*#49] DO YOU WANT TO DANCE by Bette Midler
LW #72 / 3 wks / 81-72|-49 / first chart single for the 27-year-old singer born in Paterson, New Jersey, and raised in Hawaii / 2nd Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - 23 positions
#50] YOU’RE A LADY by Peter Skellern
LW #53 / Peak - #50 [2 wks] / Hot 100 - 7th wk [of 8] / 96-88-78-63-61-53|-50-50 / the only US chart single for the English singer-songwriter born in Bury, Lancashire, England, in March ‘47, peaked 20 positions higher than the cover version by Dawn featuring Tony Orlando; interestingly, both versions entered the Hot 100 the same week, peaked at their respective positions of #50 & #70 for the same two weeks & then completely dropped off the chart the following week; [also see #70] / Skellern took piano lessons at 9, played trombone in his school brass band at 12, and joined the National Youth Brass Band and was organist & choirmaster of St. Paul's Church in Bury at 16; after school, Skellern attended Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, graduating with honors in ‘68; with little success as a concert pianist, he turned to Pop music, joining The March Hare as keyboardist after answering an ad in Melody Maker / the band’s only single HAVE WE GOT NEWS FOR YOU b/w I COULD MAKE IT THERE WITH YOU on Deram Records was released in June ‘69 but failed to chart; both sides of the single were written by Skellern, who had written YOU’RE A LADY while working as a hotel porter before joining the band / with a shift to Country influenced music, The March Hare became Harlan County in ‘70 & released an album on Philips Records subsidiary label Nashville, which included three songs co-written by Skellern; the album wasn’t a success & the group broke up / the band’s manager shopped Skellern’s songs to various labels & publishing houses and he was signed by Decca Records as an artist & Warner Music for publishing in May ‘72 / his debut album, named for his first single YOU’RE A LADY, was primarily recorded over five sessions, beginning in early July ‘72 at Decca’s Studio 4 in London / on the second day of recording, YOU’RE A LADY was recorded in six takes and featured brass band The Hanwell Band & a choir using members of The Congregation* / *[The Congregation, formed by English singer-songwriter-producers Roger Cook & Roger Greenaway (known professionally as David & Jonathan), had a #4 UK hit with SOFTLY WHISPERING I LOVE YOU in January ‘72; listed as The English Congregation in the US, the song reached #29 [1 wk] on the Hot 100 in early March ‘72] / talking about his first solo single, Skellern said he wanted to capture the “speechless amazement” he felt playing for the first time in the National Youth Brass Band, as well as, evoking the North of England: "I wanted people to see the wet cobblestones and the Lowry paintings when they heard ‘You're a Lady.’" / YOU’RE A LADY was a #3 hit in the UK, selling over 800,000 copies, & became Peter Skellern’s signature song / the album’s second single, OUR JACKIE’S GETTING MARRIED, did not chart & the album sold poorly; a reviewer at the time thought some songs sounded too much like Gilbert O’Sullivan, while others were under-developed / when retrospective boxed set, PETER SKELLERN: THE COMPLETE DECCA RECORDINGS, was released in ‘19, reviewers commented that the “unjustly neglected” album [Nilsson was a fan] was "full of inventiveness and Skellern’s many voices” and "…sounds like nothing else released in a decade where anything was possible." / although never achieving great success in the UK, Skellern continued to record through the ‘70s with the single HOLD ON TO LOVE - his last Top 20 UK hit - reaching #14 [#106 US] in March ‘75; HARD TIMES, his final album for Island Records in ‘75, failed to chart despite heavy airplay for the title track & a guest appearance by George Harrison, who played guitar on MAKE LOVE, NOT WAR; 1930s song LOVE IS THE SWEETEST THING [#60] was a minor hit in ‘78, winning the Music Trades Association’s “Best Middle of the Road” song / Skellern wrote & performed in a series of musical “playlets” called HAPPY ENDINGS for the BBC in ‘81; he wrote the lyrics for ONE MORE KISS, DEAR from BLADE RUNNER, starring Harrison Ford, in ‘82; and hosted the TV chat show PRIVATE LIVES in ‘83; Skellern has written & performed theme songs for several BBC TV series & was the voice of a character in the BBC Radio production of “Uncle Mort's North Country” / he formed a trio with cellist Julian Lloyd Webber [younger brother of composer Andrew Lloyd Webber] & Welsh singer Mary Hopkin [THOSE WERE THE DAYS] in ‘84, and recorded an album on Warner Bros., which sold well; the group performed live on TV but a tour was cancelled after Hopkin became ill / Skellern collaborated with humorous songwriter Richard Stilgoe in Cabaret & Musical Comedy performances and the duo released three live albums in ‘85, ‘97 & ‘00 / later in his career, Peter Skellern wrote several sacred choral works / compilation albums include THE VERY BEST OF PETER SKELLERN in ‘96, YOU’RE A LADY: THE BEST OF PETER SKELLERN in ‘14, and two crowd-funded boxed sets released by Mint Audio - THE COMPLETE DECCA RECORDINGS in ‘19 & THE COMPLETE ISLAND & MERCURY RECORDINGS in ‘21 / cover versions of YOU’RE A LADY include: French Folk singer Hugues Aufray as "Vous ma lady" later in ‘72, a duet of the French version by Brigitte Bardot & Laurent Vergez followed in January ‘73; in English by Davy Jones [formerly of The Monkees], Johnny Mathis, and Telly Savalas; Andy Williams has recorded two of Skellern’s songs: MAKE IT EASY ON ME on SOLITAIRE [#185 US / #3 UK] in ‘75 & MY LONELY ROOM on ANDY [DNC]* in ‘78; and Ringo Starr recorded HARD TIMES for his album BAD BOY [#129 US / #98 Australia] in ‘78 / *[Did Not Chart] / it was revealed that Peter Skellern was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in October ‘16 and that he had fulfilled a lifelong dream to be ordained as both a deacon & a priest in the Church of England; he died in February ‘17 at the age of 69
#51] IN HEAVEN THERE IS NO BEER by Clean Living
LW #51 / Peak - #49 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 10th wk [of 12] / 77-72-67-62-51-49-52-55-51|-51-61-63 / Clean Living was formed in ‘72 by Robert LaPalm [vocals, guitar] & Timothy Griffin [drums, percussion], who had been in Springfield, Massachusetts, band Bold; Norman Schell [lead vocals, guitar], Robert "Tex" LaMountain [lead vocals, rhythm guitar], Frank Shaw [lead vocals, bass], Paul Lambert [pedal steel guitar] and Elliot Sherman (keyboards] rounded out the band’s original lineup / from Clean Living’s self-titled debut album produced by Maynard Solomon & released in ‘72; other songs on the album include the single’s B-side, BACKWOODS GIRL, JUBAL’S BLUES AGAIN, Chuck Berry’s SWEET LITTLE SIXTEEN, The Doobie Brothers’ LISTEN TO THE MUSIC, Bob Dylan’s IT TAKES A LOT TO LAUGH, IT TAKES A TRAIN TO CRY, and JESUS IS MY SUBWAY LINE / the Polka-Novelty song was the Country-Rock band’s only Hot 100 single / a later album reviewer wrote: “…showcased three lead singers in the form of LaMountain, Schell and Shaw. Each brought a different vibe to the album, giving them considerable diversity. … Almost a polka, the song [“In Heaven There Is No Beer”] was totally unlike the rest of their repertoire, and naturally, it was the song people wanted to hear. The rest of their catalog fell into the dustbin which was unfortunate. … Ultimately, their musical niche made them too country for rock fans and too rock for country fans. That was a perfect recipe for commercial obscurity.” / originally written by Ernst Neubach & Ralph Maria Siegel as "Im Himmel gibt's kein Bier" for the German film DIE FISCHERIN VOM BODENSEE in ‘56; English lyrics are credited to Art Walunas / the song title was the inspiration for Les Blank’s ‘84 documentary film IN HEAVEN THERE IS NO BEER? about the lifestyle, culture & food associated with Polka music & its followers; the film was a winner at the Sundance Film Festival in ‘85 / also recorded by Atongo Zimba from Ghana, "In Heaven There Is No Beer | No Beer in Heaven" was a big hit in Ghana in ‘04 / Clean Living’s lone chart single was a Top 40 hit on the Cashbox [sales only] Top 100, peaking at #34; on Canada’s RPM Top 100 chart, it peaked at #51
*#52] DREIDEL by Don McLean
LW #66 / 3 wks / 75-66|-52 / third chart single for the 27-year-old singer-songwriter from New Rochelle, New York, who had topped the chart for four weeks with AMERICAN PIE in early ‘72 / 5th Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - TIE [4] - 14 positions
*#53] I CAN’T STAND TO SEE YOU CRY by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
LW #62 / 4 wks / 89-68-62|-53 / 42nd single to chart on the Hot 100 by the longstanding Motown group, recording on the Tamla label since SHOP AROUND [#2 - 1 wk] in February ‘61 / BAD GIRL [#93 - 1 wk], their first chart single as The Miracles in October ‘59, was written by Berry Gordy, Jr. & William “Smokey” Robinson and produced by Gordy but predated the formation of Motown & was released on the Chess label, based in Chicago / Smokey Robinson’s name was added to the group’s moniker in early ‘67 at the same time that Martha & the Vandellas became Martha Reeves & the Vandellas and The Supremes became Diana Ross & the Supremes
*#54] DON’T EXPECT ME TO BE YOUR FRIEND by Lobo
LW #81 / 2 wks / 81|-54 / seventh chart single, dating to ME AND YOU AND A DOG NAMED BOO in April ‘71, and follow-up single to his #2 Gold hit I’D LOVE YOU TO WANT ME from late November ‘72 / Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - 27 positions
#55] VENTURA HIGHWAY by America
LW # 36 / Peak - #8 [2 wks] / Top 10 - 3 wks / Top 20 - 6 wks / Top 40 - 9 wks / Hot 100 - 12 wks / 63-42-37-24-18-13-10-8-8-20-36|-55 / written by group member Dewey Bunnell; from the trio’s self-produced second album HOMECOMING [#9 US / Platinum / #17 Australia / Gold / #6 Canada / Gold / #21 UK] / VENTURA HIGHWAY was the album’s first track & the first single released and their third US single & third Top 10 hit; A HORSE WITH NO NAME [#1 - 3 wks] in Mar/Apr & I NEED YOU [#9 - 2 wks] in July ‘72 preceded it up the chart / Bunnell has said “alligator lizards in the sky” refers to cloud shapes he & his brother saw along the highway as their father fixed a flat tire near a road sign for Ventura; their father was stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base at Lompoc, California, at the time; he also recalled "I remember vividly having this mental picture of the stretch of the coastline traveling with my family when I was younger. Ventura Highway itself, there is no such beast, what I was really trying to depict was the Pacific Coast Highway, Highway 1, which goes up to the town of Ventura." / the lyrics include the phrase “purple rain,” which several sources claim was the inspiration for the song & film by Prince in ‘84 / in the Rhino Records boxed set, HIGHWAY: 30 YEARS OF AMERICA in ‘00, Bunnell writes: "[the song] reminds me of the time I lived in Omaha as a kid and how we'd walk through cornfields and chew on pieces of grass. There were cold winters, and I had images of going to California. So, I think in the song I'm talking to myself, frankly: 'How long you gonna stay here, Joe?' I really believe that 'Ventura Highway' has the most lasting power of all my songs. It's not just the words — the song and the track have a certain fresh, vibrant, optimistic quality that I can still respond to."; written as a conversation between an optimistic teenager and an old man named Joe, who was based on a grumpy old man he met while his dad was stationed at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi / Bunnell’s original demo of the song is included on HIGHWAY & does not include the intro for which the song is most recognized; "That's Gerry [Beckley] and Dan [Peek] doing a harmony on two guitars on the intro. I remember us sitting in a hotel room, and I was playing the chords, and Gerry got that guitar line, and he and Dan worked out that harmony part. That's really the hook of the song." / the song’s guitar riff & hook was sampled for Janet Jackson’s SOMEONE TO CALL MY LOVER [#3 Hot 100 / #1 Dance Club Songs] in ‘01; Jackson’s producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis grew up listening to Top 40 radio in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with their friend Prince, & had been influenced by America; the band’s sales were boosted by the Jackson hit / also recorded by English musician Paul Hardcastle for the compilation album JAZZMASTERS (THE SMOOTH CUTS) with British vocalist Helen Rogers in ‘04; and French Pop Party band The Gypsy Queens on their self-titled debut album in ‘12, featuring Booker T. Jones and Beckley & Bunnell on VENTURA HIGHWAY / Pro-wrestler Jesse Ventura was a fan of the song, and after he was elected governor of Minnesota, he asked America to perform at his inauguration in ‘99. Bunnell recalled, "We went and played at Governor Jesse Ventura's inaugural out in Minneapolis. He asked us to — his wife is a horse lady, and she'd always loved 'A Horse with No Name', and he had adopted this name Ventura. So when he put together his cast of characters for his big inaugural celebration, he wanted us to come and play two songs, which we did."
#56] WOMAN TO WOMAN by Joe Cocker & the Chris Stainton Band
LW #58 / Peak - #56 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 6th wk [of 9] / 95-72-71-63-58|-56-59-65-70 / originally the B-side of Cocker’s ninth single, MIDNIGHT RIDER [#27 - 1 wk] in October ‘72 / written by Joe Cocker & Chris Stainton and produced by Denny Cordell & Nigel Thomas / from his third studio album JOE COCKER [#30 US / #11 Australia / #28 Canada] on A&M Records; released as SOMETHING TO SAY outside of the US / both sides of Cocker’s single HIGH TIME WE WENT b/w BLACK EYED BLUES [#22 - 1 wk] in July ‘71 were also included on the album / WOMAN TO WOMAN has been “sampled” for numerous Hip-Hop songs, including by Ultramagnetic MCs on FUNKY in ‘87, EPMD on KNICK KNACK PATTY WACK in ‘89, Ultramagnetic MCs on BLAST FROM THE PAST in ‘92, Wreckx-N-Effect on NEW JACK SWING II in ‘92, Moby on HONEY in ‘99, Quasimoto on ASTRO BLACK in ‘00, German singer-songwriter Sarah Connor on HE’S UNBELIEVABLE in ‘02, Maino featuring Swizz Beatz, Jadakiss, Jim Jones and Joell Ortiz on WE KEEP IT ROCKIN’ in ‘10 / WOMAN TO WOMAN’s horn & piano riff was “sampled” on CALIFORNIA LOVE, the comeback single by Tupac featuring Dr. Dre & Roger Troutman, in ‘95; it topped four Billboard charts [Hot 100 / Dance Singles / Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs / Hot Rap Songs] and charts in four countries - Canada [Dance/Urban], Italy, New Zealand & Sweden [Sverigetopplistan & Dance]; #3 on Eurochart’s Hot 100, Top 10 on charts in nine countries & Top 20 in five more countries / WOMAN TO WOMAN by Joe Cocker was featured on the soundtrack of ‘04 video game GRAND THEFT AUTO: SAN ANDREAS, played on fictional Classic Rock radio station K-DST, where it was introduced with "I think you're gonna love this record... or you would if you were man enough." by DJ Tommy "The Nightmare" Smith (Axl Rose); later versions of the game do not include the song
*#57] LOOKING THROUGH THE EYES OF LOVE by The Partridge Family starring Shirley Jones & featuring David Cassidy
LW #64 / 4 wks / 82-73-64|-57 / eighth chart single for the TV “family” group, dating to I THINK I LOVE YOU in October ‘70
#58] I’M STONE IN LOVE WITH YOU by The Stylistics
LW #38 / Peak - #10 [2 wks] / Top 10 - 2 wks / Top 20 - 5 wks / Top 40 - 8 wks / Hot 100 - 13 wks / 92-71-60-41-25-20-15-11-10-10-26-38|-55 / Gold / sixth single for the Philly Soul quintet was their fifth Top 40 Pop single and third Top 10 Pop hit & Gold record; preceding it in the Top 40 were STOP, LOOK, LISTEN (To Your Heart) [#39 - 1 wk] in July ‘71; and YOU ARE EVERYTHING [#9 - 2 wks / Gold] in January, BETCHA BY GOLLY, WOW [#3 - 1 wk / Gold] in May & PEOPLE MAKE THE WORLD GO ROUND [#25 - 2 wks] in July ‘72 / I’M STONE IN LOVE WITH YOU reached the Top 10 in its ninth week, the second week of December / their first five singles on the Hot 100 were all on their debut album for Avco Records, THE STYLISTICS [#23 Top 200 / #3 Soul], which has been described as “a sweet Soul landmark” / I’M STONE IN LOVE WITH YOU, written by Thom Bell, Linda Creed & Anthony Bell, was the first of three singles from their second Avco album, ROUND 2 [#32 Top 200 / #3 Soul], and was also recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia & produced by Thom Bell / I’M STONE IN LOVE WITH YOU was their fourth single on Billboard’s Easy Listening chart, peaking at #27, and was also a Top 10 Pop hit in Canada [#8] & the UK [#9] / the Soul group’s first six singles were all Top 10 hits on Billboard's Soul chart: YOU’RE A BIG GIRL NOW [#7], STOP, LOOK, LISTEN (To Your Heart) [#6], YOU ARE EVERYTHING [#10], BETCHA BY GOLLY, WOW [#2], PEOPLE MAKE THE WORLD GO ROUND [#6] & I’M STONE IN LOVE WITH YOU [#4] / The Stylistics would have six more Top 10 Soul hits through ‘74 - 12 consecutive Top 10 Soul hits in all
*#59] YOU’VE GOT TO TAKE IT (If You Want It) by The Main Ingredient
LW #67 / 3 wks / 79-67-59 / seventh Hot 100 single & the follow-up to the New York Soul trio’s first Top 10 hit on the Pop chart, EVERYBODY PLAYS THE FOOL [#3 - 1 wk / Gold] in October ‘72
*#60] I’M NEVER GONNA BE ALONE ANYMORE by The Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
LW #69 / 3 wks / 74-69|-60 / follow-up to the group’s third Top 40 single, DON’T EVER BE LONELY (A Poor Little Fool Like Me) [#23 - 1 wk] in October ‘72
*#61] COULD IT BE I’M FALLING IN LOVE by The Spinners
LW #79 / 2 wks / 79|-61 / eighth song on the Hot 100 & follow-up single to the Soul vocal group’s first Pop Top 10 hit, I’LL BE AROUND [#3 - 2 wks / Gold] in November ‘72 / 3rd Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - 18 positions
*#62] REMEMBER (Christmas) by Nilsson
LW #70 / Peak - #53 [2 wks] / Hot 100 - 3rd wk [of 6] / 76-70|-62-53-53-56 / Nilsson’s eighth single to chart on the Hot 100 & only his first not to reach the Top 40, following EVERYBODY’S TALKIN’ [#6 - 1 wk] in October & I GUESS THE LORD MUST BE IN NEW YORK CITY [#34 - 2 wks] in Nov/Dec ‘69; ME AND MY ARROW [#34 - 1 wk] in May ‘71; WITHOUT YOU [#1 - 4 wks] in Feb/Mar, JUMP INTO THE FIRE [#27 - 1 wk] in April, COCONUT [#8 - 1 wk] in August & SPACEMAN [#23 - 1 wk] in November ‘72 / REMEMBER (Christmas), from his eighth studio album, SON OF SCHMILSSON, recorded at Trident & Apple Studios in London, was written by Nilsson & produced by Richard Perry / SON OF SCHMILSSON was his second best-selling album in the US [#12 US / Gold / #13 Australia / #16 Canada / #41 UK] & included the lead single, SPACEMAN / follow-up to his most successful album, NILSSON SCHMILSSON [#3 / Gold / #2 Australia / #4 Canada / #4 UK], which spawned the hit singles WITHOUT YOU, JUMP INTO THE FIRE & COCONUT / in addition to Nilsson, musicians on SON OF SCHMILSSON included Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Lowell George, Nicky Hopkins, Klaus Voorman, Bobby Keys & Peter Frampton / the black & white album cover, which shows Nilsson dressed as Dracula with arms extended, holding a cape, was shot at George Harrison’s home, Friar Park
#63] CRAZY HORSES by The Osmonds
LW #39 / Peak - #14 [2 wks] / Top 20 - 4 wks / Top 40 - 8 wks / Hot 100 - 12 wks / 90-70-50-32-24-19-15-14-14-23-39|-63 / the five brothers’ eighth chart single, dating to January ‘71, and sixth Top 40/Top 20 Pop hit / three “45”s were Top 10 hits & certified Gold records: ONE BAD APPLE [#1 - 5 wks] in Feb/Mar & YO-YO [#3 - 3 wks] in October ‘71; and DOWN BY THE LAZY RIVER [#4 - 2 wks] in March ‘72 / their two previous Top 20 singles both peaked at #14, also: DOUBLE LOVIN’ [1 wk] in July ‘71 & HOLD HER TIGHT [2 wks] in August '72 / written by brothers Alan Osmond, Merrill Osmond & Wayne Osmond and produced by Alan Osmond & Michael Lloyd,* the Heavy Metal-Rock song was such a departure for the Pop band that their record label, MGM, initially didn’t want to release it as a single, putting out HOLD HER TIGHT as lead single from their fourth album instead / *[Lloyd had previously been a member of Psychedelic Rock group The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band] / Merrill Osmond: "Before that, my brothers and I had been what's now called a boy band: all our songs were chosen for us by the record company. But now, having been successful, we wanted to freak out and make our own music. We were rehearsing in a basement one day when Wayne started playing this heavy rock riff. I came up with a melody and Alan got the chords. Within an hour, we had the song. I had always been the lead singer, but I sang ‘Crazy Horses’ with Jay. The line ‘What a show, there they go, smoking up the sky’ had to be sung higher, so I did that, and Jay did the verses because his voice was growlier, and this track was heavier than anything we’d ever done." / Jay Osmond: “The song was recorded at MGM in Hollywood and we added that distinctive ‘Wah! Wah!’ intro sound afterwards. Alan had written the lyrics, which talked about horsepower, and he said: ‘It's got to sound like a horse somehow.’ We tried everything, then finally found something on Donny's organ that sounded like a neighing stallion.” / Donny Osmond: “It wasn't [a] theremin, it was a YP-30 Yamaha organ with a portamento slide. We had a wall of Marshalls in the studio. It was so loud that you couldn't even walk in the studio, so we had to play the organ from the control room. My brother Alan actually played it on the record. I played it live. But the secret to it was a wah-wah pedal. We opened the wah-wah just enough to get that really harsh kind of a piercing sound, but it was the loudness of the Marshalls that got us that sound. And then we doubled it. That was the secret to that sound.” / CRAZY HORSES, the title song of the brothers’ fourth MGM album in three years, was the first Osmonds single to feature Jay Osmond on lead vocals [Donny didn’t sing on the track because his voice was changing] / the album was their third to peak in the Top 20 & fourth straight to be awarded a Gold disc by the RIAA [#14 US / Gold / #37 Australia / #10 Canada / #9 UK] / their previous five MGM singles were all Top 10 hits in Canada with ONE BAD APPLE, YO-YO and DOWN BY THE LAZY RIVER all reaching #1; DOUBLE LOVIN’ peaked at #9 and HOLD HER TIGHT at #6; CRAZY HORSES was their first Canadian single not to reach the Top 10, peaking at #12 / in the UK, CRAZY HORSES was the brothers’ breakout hit, peaking at #2; previously, two singles had charted there - ONE BAD APPLE [#42] & DOWN BY THE LAZY RIVER [#40] / CRAZY HORSES also topped charts in three European countries - Belgium, the Netherlands & France - and reached #5 in Switzerland, #17 in Ireland and was their third & highest charting single in Australia, peaking at #23 / amazingly, the song by the [squeaky clean] band of Mormon brothers was banned by radio in South Africa & France for perceived drug references [horse = heroin / "smoking up the sky" = drugs]; those interpretations of the lyrics couldn’t have been further from what the song was really about, according to Jay Osmond: "'Crazy Horses' was way ahead of its time. It's a song about ecology and the environment: those 'crazy horses, smoking up the sky' are gas-guzzling cars, destroying the planet with their fumes. We shot the record sleeve in a junkyard, surrounded by big old cars.” / CRAZY HORSES has been covered by a number of artists - both on albums & in concert / according to Donny Osmond, Ozzie Osbourne told him that the track is one of his favorite Rock songs
#64] TROUBLE IN MY HOME by Joe Simon
LW #50 / Peak - #50 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 7 wks / 65-56-56-53-50|-64-72 / originally the B-side of I FOUND MY DAD [#78 - 2 wks] in November ‘72, Simon’s 26th song on the Hot 100 became the bigger hit, reaching #50 on the last chart of ‘72 / Simon had been logging hits on the Pop chart since ‘66 and on the R&B/Soul chart since ‘64 / the double-sided single was his 18th Top 20 & eighth Top 10 hit on the R&B/Soul chart, peaking at #5 / TROUBLE IN MY HOME, co-written by Simon & Raeford Gerald and produced by Gerald, was one of ten tracks on Simon’s eighth studio album, THE POWER OF JOE SIMON [#97 Top 200 / #15 Soul]
*#65] THE COVER OF THE ROLLING STONE by Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show
LW #77 / 6 wks / 100-99-85-84-77|-65 / third single on the Hot 100 for the New Jersey Pop-Rock band after scoring a Top 10 hit with SYLVIA’S MOTHER [#5 - 2 wks / Gold] in June ‘72 / 7th Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - TIE [3] - 12 positions
#66] WHAT AM I CRYING FOR? by Dennis Yost & the Classics IV
LW #57 / Peak - #39 [2 wks] / Top 40 - 3 wks / Hot 100 - 12th wk [of 13] / 99-84-72-67-57-52-41-39-39-40-57|-66-74 / tenth chart single for the Jacksonville, Florida, quintet and their fifth & final Top 40 hit, following SPOOKY [#3 - 3 wks] in February & STORMY [#5 - 1 wk / Gold] in December ‘68 and TRACES [#2 - 1 wk] in March & EVERYDAY WITH YOU GIRL [#19 - 2 wks] in June ‘69 / of their previous four singles, only CHANGE OF HEART [#49 - 1 wk] in September ‘69 had come close to the Top 40 / WHAT AM I CRYING FOR?, the title song of the group’s fifth & final studio album, was written by the band’s producer Buddy Buie & band member J.R. Cobb, who had written & produced all of the band's previous chart singles / Dennis Yost & the Classics IV would have two more singles chart near the bottom of the Hot 100; Buie & lead guitarist Cobb also wrote the band’s next-to-last single, ROSANNA, before forming the Atlanta Rhythm Section with Classics IV bass player Dean Daughtry in ‘74
*#67] PEACEFUL EASY FEELING by Eagles
LW #73 / 2 wks / 73|-67 / third chart single by the Country-Rock band formed in Southern California in ‘71 / the band’s first two singles were both Top 20 hits - TAKE IT EASY [#12 - 2 wks] in July & WITCHY WOMAN [#9 - 1 wk] in November ‘72
*#68] ANTHEM by Wayne Newton
LW #75 / Peak - #65 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 3rd wk [of 5] / 80-75|-68-65-72 / Newton’s second follow-up single to DADDY DON’T YOU WALK SO FAST [#4 - 2 wks] in August ‘72, quickly lost steam on the chart, peaking at #65 / ANTHEM was his 14th single on the Hot 100, dating to April ‘63; unlike his previous two singles - his only Top 10 Pop hit & CAN’T YOU HEAR THE SONG? - which both reached #3 on Billboard’s Easy Listening chart, ANTHEM, written by Tony Romeo & produced by Wes Farrell*, did not reach the EL chart / *[Romeo wrote & Farrell produced The Partridge Family’s biggest hit, I THINK I LOVE YOU [#1 - 3 wks] in Nov/Dec ‘70]
#69] EVERYBODY LOVES A LOVE SONG by Mac Davis
LW #63 / Peak - #63 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 7 wks / 83-73-68-66-65-63|-69 / written by Davis, produced by Rick Hall of FAME studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, & included on his BABY DON’T GET HOOKED ON ME album [#11 US / #27 Country / Platinum / #9 Canada] / although not a Top 40 Pop hit, Davis’ fourth single on the Pop chart & follow-up to the #1 title track of his album was a Top 20 Easy Listening hit, peaking at #13
#70] YOU’RE A LADY by Dawn featuring Tony Orlando
LW #74 / Peak - #70 [2 wks] / Hot 100 - 7th wk [of 8] / 98-89-84-79-77-74|-70-70 / after their first two singles - CANDIDA [#3 - 2 wks / Gold] and KNOCK THREE TIMES [#1 - 3 wks / Gold] - were Top 3 smash hits in late ‘70 & early ‘71, the trio led by Tony Orlando had not been having the same level of success on the Pop chart; their next three singles were all Top 40 hits - but none rose higher than #25: I PLAY AND SING [#25 - 1 wk] in April, SUMMER SAND [#33 - 1 wk] in July & WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON SUNDAY [#39 - 1 wk] in November ‘71; and their three most recent singles hadn’t come close to the Top 40: RUNAWAY / HAPPY TOGETHER [#79 - 1 wk] in February & VAYA CON DIOS [#95 - 1 wk] in July ‘72, and YOU’RE A LADY [#70 - 2 wks] in January ‘73 / their current single was the less successful of two versions charting on the Hot 100 at the same time and did not chart on Billboard’s Easy Listening chart; the song’s writer, Peter Skellern, charted 20 positions higher with his original version / but after three straight “misses,” the vocal trio’s ninth Hot 100 single would take them back to the top of the charts once again
#71] WE NEED ORDER by The Chi-lites
LW #61 / Peak - #61 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 6 wks / 76-69-68-62-61|-71 / third single for the Chicago Soul quartet since their #1 hit, OH GIRL, from ‘72, and their 13th single overall to chart on the Hot 100 / lead single from their fifth Brunswick Records album A LETTER TO MYSELF [#50 Top 200 / #4 Soul], released in March ‘73 / written by lead singer Eugene Record & drummer Quinton Joseph and produced by Record / the 5:20 album track was edited to 2:48 for the “45” and b/w LIVING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ANOTHER MAN, which had been included on the vocal group’s GREATEST HITS [#55 Top 200 / #4 Soul], released in October ‘72 / their 13th Top 40 single on Billboard’s R&B/Soul chart & tenth Top 20 hit, peaking at #13
#72] DAYTIME, NIGHT-TIME by Keith Hampshire
LW #76 / 3 wks / 78-76|-72 / first US chart single for the English-born Canadian singer
#73] WHAT MY BABY NEEDS NOW IS A LITTLE MORE LOVIN’ by James Brown & Lynn Collins
LW #78 / 3 wks / 98-78|-73 / third chart single for the member of James Brown’s Revue & her first duet with Brown
#74] LAST SONG by Edward Bear
LW #80 / 4 wks / 98-96-80|-74 / second US chart single for trio from Toronto, Canada, named for a character in “Winnie the Pooh”
*#75] LUCKY MAN by Emerson, Lake & Palmer
LW #86 / 2 wks / 86|-75 / fourth song on the Hot 100 for the Progressive Rock trio & the second time on the chart for LUCKY MAN / 8th Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - 11 positions
#77] SONGMAN by Cashman & West
LW #82 / 2 wks / 82|-77 / second chart single for the New York City duo after AMERICAN CITY SUITE reached #27 [1 wk] in mid-November
#78] MAMA WE’RE ALL CRAZEE NOW by Slade
LW #83 / Peak - #76 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 8th wk [of 10] / 96-95-87-87-87-85-83|-78-76-81 / second US chart single for the English Hard Rock band, following TAKE ME BAK ‘OME [#97 -2 wks] in September ‘72 / in their native UK, the quartet was having much greater success - their current single was their fifth Top 20 & fourth Top 10 hit; all four of their Top 10s were Top 5 hits with three #1s: COZ I LOVE YOU [#1 - 4 wks] in Nov/Dec ‘71, LOOK WOT YOU DUN [#4 - 3 wks] in Feb/Mar, TAKE ME BAK ‘OME [#1 - 1 wk] in July and MAMA WE’RE ALL CRAZEE NOW [#1 - 3 wks] in September ‘72 [debuted at #2]
*#79] BIG CITY MISS RUTH ANN by Gallery
LW #88 / 2 wks / 88|-79 / third chart single for Detroit Pop-Soft Rock band following a pair of Top 40 hits in ‘72 - NICE TO BE WITH YOU [#4 - 1 wk / Gold] in June & I BELIEVE IN MUSIC [#22 - 2 wks] in November
*#80] JESUS IS JUST ALRIGHT by The Doobie Brothers
LW #90 / 4 wks / 97-93-90|-80 / second chart single for the Rock band from San Jose, California, followed their first Hot 100 hit LISTEN TO THE MUSIC [#11 - 2 wks] in November ‘72 / 9th Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - 10 positions
#81] SILLY WASN’T I by Valerie Simpson
LW #84 / 5 wks / 96-93-87|-84-81 / the only solo single to chart for the 26-year-old singer-songwriter, who co-wrote & co-produced many of the hits for Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell in the late ‘60s with her husband Nicholas Ashford / AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH [#19 - 2 wks] in July ‘67 and AIN’T NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THING [#8 - 2 wks] in May/June & YOU’RE ALL I NEED TO GET BY [#7 - 1 wk] in September ‘68 were among the biggest hits of Motown’s most successful duo; Ashford & Simpson’s dramatic re-working of AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH became the first solo #1 for Diana Ross for three weeks in Sept/Oct ‘70
#82] ONE LAST TIME by Glen Campbell
LW #85 / Peak - #78 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 5th wk [of 7] / 92-92-91-85|-82-79-78 / Campbell’s 26th single to chart on the Hot 100 was written by The Addrisi Brothers - Dick & Don - who had a #25 hit with WE GOT TO GET IT ON AGAIN in March ‘72 / second single released from G
#84] YOU COULD DO MAGIC by Limmie & Family Cooking
LW #89 / Peak - #84 [2 wks] / Hot 100 - 8th wk [of 10] / 100-99-96-91-91-90-89|-84-84-87 / the only single to chart for the family Pop group from Canton, Ohio, which consisted of sisters Martha Stewart & Jimmy Thomas and brother Limmie Snell; Snell had previously recorded solo and the sisters were members of The Sugarcakes
#85] OH NO NOT MY BABY by Merry Clayton
LW #87 / Peak - #72 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 3rd wk [of 6] / 88-87|-85-81-77-72 / third single for the backup vocalist, who sang on the studio version of The Rolling Stones’ GIMME SHELTER / formerly a member of Ray Charles’ Raeletts, Clayton’s first single was her version of the classic Stones’ track, which reached #73 [1 wk] in July ‘70 / her second single, AFTER ALL THIS TIME, debuted in December ‘71 & peaked at #71 [1 wk] in January ‘72 / Clayton recorded for the Ode label, started by Lou Adler, who had great success with The Mamas & The Papas and The Grass Roots on his Dunhill label in the late ‘60s; Ode Records’ biggest star in the early ‘70s was Carole King
*#86] I NEVER SAID GOODBYE by Engelbert Humperdinck
LW #100 / 2 wks / 100|-86 / 16th single to chart for the British singer, born in Madras, India, in May ‘36 / in the US, his biggest hit was his first, RELEASE ME (And Let Me Love Again) [#4 - 4 wks] in May/June ‘67 / 5th Biggest Jump on the Hot 100 - TIE [4] - 14 positions
#87] I’M SORRY by Joey Heatherton
LW #93 / Peak - #87 [2 wks] / Hot 100 - 7th wk [of 8] / 100-98-95-95-94-93|-87-87 / second & last chart single for the 27-year-old dancer-actress-singer, following her Top 40 hit GONE [#24 - 2 wks] in August ‘72
#88] DIDN’T WE by Barbra Streisand
LW #95 / Peak - #82 [2 wks] / Hot 100 - 5th wk [of 8] / 98-96-95-95|-88-85-82-82 / 18th Hot 100 single for the actress-singer, who first charted with PEOPLE [#5 - 2 wks], from the Broadway musical FUNNY GIRL, in June/July ‘64 / Richard Harris had a minor hit with DIDN’T WE [#63 - 1 wk], written by Jimmy Webb, in July ‘69
#89] BOOGIE WOOGIE MAN by Paul Davis
LW #94 / 3 wks / 97-94|-89 / third chart single for the 22-year-old singer born in Meridian, Mississippi
#90] FEVER by Rita Coolidge
LW #96 / 2 wks / 96|-90 / second chart single for the Nashville-born singer, who would marry Kris Kristofferson in ‘73
#91] JESUS WAS A CAPRICORN by Kris Kristofferson
LW #91 / Peak - #91 [3 wks] / Hot 100 - 3 wks / 91|-91-91 / the 36-year-old singer-songwriter’s third chart single, following LOVING HER WAS EASIER (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again) [#26 - 1 wk] in October ‘71 & JOSIE [#63 - 1 wk] in April ‘72 / JESUS WAS A CAPRICORN, written by Kristofferson & produced by Fred Foster, was the title song of Kristofferson’s fourth studio album on Monument Records / the album was his fourth straight Top 10 album on Billboard’s Country album chart & his first chart-topper: KRISTOFFERSON [#10 Country / #43 Top 200], released in ‘70, THE SILVER TONGUED DEVIL AND I [#4 Country / #21 Top 200 / Gold / #22 Canada] in ‘71, BORDER LORD [#6 Country / #41 Top 200], released in February ‘72, and JESUS WAS A CAPRICORN [#1 Country / #31 Top 200 / Gold / #27 Canada], released in November ‘72 / speaking with Graeme Thomson of UNCUT in ‘16, Kristofferson said, "I wrote 'Jesus Was A Capricorn (Owed To John Prine)' because I was so influenced by John. When I heard his songs, I felt like his writing had kicked me into doing it. You take things from all over the place, though you don't always admit it! I was really influenced by Roger Miller, Shel Silverstein and Mickey Newbury. Everybody you admire influences you somehow in your art." / JESUS WAS A CAPRICORN did not chart on the Country singles chart & the follow-up single, JESSE YOUNGER, did not chart in the US / the third single, WHY ME, would become Kristofferson’s only #1 Country hit & his only Top 20 Pop hit, driving the album up the charts after poor initial sales; WHY ME peaked at #1 on the Country chart in early July, and after a very long climb, it reached #16 on the Pop chart in early November; nearly a year after the album was released, JESUS WAS A CAPRICORN [w/Kristofferson & girlfriend Rita Coolidge smiling on the cover] reached #1 on the Country album chart and was replaced the following week by FULL MOON, the first album of duets by Kristofferson & Coolidge
#94] BUT I DO by Bobby Vinton
LW #98 / 2 wks / 98|-94 / Vinton’s 36th single on the Hot 100 in his 12+ years on the chart followed a pair of Top 40 hits in ‘72 - EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE [#24 - 1 wk] in April & SEALED WITH A KISS [#19 - 2 wks] in August
#95] CHOO CHOO MAMA by Ten Years After
LW #97 / Peak - #89 [2 wks] / Hot 100 - 4th wk [of 6] / 99-99-97|-95-89-89 / fourth & final Hot 100 chart single for the British Blues-Rock quartet of Alvin Lee [vocals, guitar], Leo Lyons [bass], Chick Churchill [keyboards] & Ric Lee [drums] / nine months after performing at Woodstock in mid-August ‘69, the band’s single, LOVE LIKE A MAN [#98 - 2 wks] charted in May ‘70 / I’D LOVE TO CHANGE THE WORLD [#40 - 2 wks] became their only US Top 40 hit in November ‘71, spending 12 weeks on the chart / their third US “45,” BABY WON’T YOU LET ME ROCK ‘N ROLL YOU, had reached #61 [1 wk] in February ‘72
#96] REDBACK SPIDER by Brownsville Station
LW #99 / Peak - #96 [1 wk] / Hot 100 - 3 wks / 100-99|-96 / first single to chart on the Hot 100 for the trio from Ann Arbor, Michigan, with Cub Koda [guitar], Michael Lutz [vocals] & Henry Weck [drums]