Hello, everybody. I hope you'll come with me on yet another wallow in the past...
Ah, November 1972...a rather unexceptional time in my youth. 14-year-old me had a couple of months of high school under my belt, and things were generally pretty good.
The music was better than pretty good, a lot of it was excellent. As is heard on this week's AT40 review, for the week ending November 18, 1972.
40) Sweet Surrender--Bread (debut)
Pure pop delight. David Gates could write 'em.
39) Me and Mrs. Jones--Billy Paul (debut)
Following in the adulterous footsteps of "If Loving You Is Wrong..." from the summer just ended, Mr. Paul's lush slice of Philly soul would go all the way to #1. Decent song, but not one of my faves.
38) Dialogue Parts 1 and 2--Chicago (debut)
This has to be one of the more inventive songs that Chicago has ever recorded. The point/counterpoint vocals of Cetera and Kath are brilliant, and surprisingly the lyrics still are mostly topical today.
37) All the Young Dudes--Mott the Hoople (37 last week)
Interesting lead in that Casey gave about their producer, the new rock sensation David Bowie, who had yet to score a top 40 hit of his own. Ah, the start of 'glitter rock'. Remember it well. This show chopped up the song pretty good, omitting the verse with the rather suggestive lyrics.
36) Corner Of the Sky--The Jackson Five (debut)
If this J5 single sounds 'show-tuney', it should--it's from the Broadway musical "Pippin". A surprisingly good and more mature sound from the boys, even though Michael's voice has yet to change.
35) Ben--Michael Jackson (17)
And right behind the brothers is Michael's solo #1 ode to a rat! Never saw the movie, which was a sewquel to "Willard" that I did see, and had Bruce Dern in a typically creepy Bruce Dern role, I never was crazy about this song.
34) Don't Do It--The Band (34)
Probably the song I remember least from this countdown. Has a 'live' sound to it. Loved "The Weight" more than any other Band song.
33) I Believe In Music--Gallery (22)
Rather lightweight pop, like Gallery's two other top 40 singles, of which this one was in between. a Mac Davis song.
32) Rockin' Pneumonia--Boogie Woogie Flu--Johnny Rivers (38)
Rivers has got to have a higher percentage of remake hits than almost anyone, although his only #1 single, "Poor Side of Town" was not a remake. This song has an early rock'n'roll feel, which fits in to the then-popular 50s revival that was popular.
31) Spaceman--Nilsson (23)
Now here's a song I loved then and love even more now, as I've gradually warmed to the genius of Harry Nilsson. An amazing song and record--great production.
30) Rock'n'Roll Soul--Grand Funk Railroad (35)
Their big pop single breakthrough was coming, but this one's not bad. Critics loved to slag on these boys from Flint, but I always found them fun and unpretentious.
29) Something's Wrong With Me--Austin Roberts (33)
A totally forgotten pop gem. So much better than his other hit, and no one dies in this one!
28) Clair--Gilbert O'Sullivan (36)
I know it's innocent and not supposed to sound creepy, but I just never cared for this song.
27) American City Suite--Cashman and West (28)
I bought this 45 back then (over 7 minutes long, as I recall) but had totally forgotten how brilliant it is. Great production, unsurprising as Cashman and West were top producers at that time.
26) Elected--Alice Cooper (26)
I remember watching the early music video of this song on ABC's "In Concert" late night TV show back in 72. I'll bet "Coop" played it on his current radio show last week--probably on Tuesday. Still like it!
25) Funny Face--Donna Fargo (31)
I'm sure she's probably a very nice lady, but I couldn't stand then and still don't like the way Ms. Fargo "hishes" her "eshes"! "Funny Fashe, I need you..." Aarrgh!
24) Crazy Horses--The Osmonds (32)
Wow! Did someone slip some 'acid' into the boys' non-caffeinated beverages? What a strange song! Got to give Donny and his brothers credit for not toeing the teen idol line, even though I like their later lush ballads like "Love Me For a Reason" more than this one.
23) Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues--Danny O'Keefe (15)
Another good song from the sensitive, 'confessional' genre that is never heard anymore. a similar one fell off the 40 this same week, Sam Neely's "Loving You Just Crossed My Mind".
22) Operator--Jim Croce (30)
Speaking of 'confessional' songs, they don't get much better than this one.
21) It Never Rains In Southern California--Albert Hammond (27)
A good tune about putting on a brave face when your plans and dreams don't quite work out. And yes, in 1972 there were--let's see--FIVE airlines with transcontinental 747 flights! Some of which had coach lounges with piano bars!
20) I'm Stone In Love With You--The Stylistics (25)
A pretty typical Stylistics single, pretty but somewhat lightweight soul.
19) Burning Love--Elvis Presley (14)
What SHOULD have been Elvis' final number 1 pop single, but was inexplicably held at #2 by probably the worst song one of his early R&R contemporaries ever recorded!
18) Ventura Highway--America (24)
A catchy tune with typically obtuse/meaningless America lyrics. Did Prince actually get the phrase "Purple Rain" from this song? Hmmm...
17) Thunder and Lightning--Chi Coltrane (18)
She was never to have another hit, but Ms. Coltrane belts out a bluesy winner here.
16) Listen To the Music--The Doobie Brothers (11)
The song that started it all for the Doobs, in all of their Tom Johnston/Michael McDonald incarnations. Decent but overplayed over the decades.
15) You Ought To Be Here With Me--Al Green (21)
Or, "I'm Still In Love With You, Part 2". Derivative but still good.
14) My Ding-a-Ling--Chuck Berry (7)
And, here it is. The sophomoric thingy-joke song that kept the far superior "Burning Love" from hitting #1. What were we thinking?
13) If You Don't Know Me By Now--Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes (20)
Simply who? The original and best version. A true classic that introduced the roof-raising voice of Teddy Pendergrass to us, even if we thought at the time that Harold Melvin was the singer!
12) Garden Party--Rick Nelson (6)
Or, how to turn a crowd-displeasing performance at a 'rock and roll revival' concert into a hit song!
11) If I Could Reach You--The Fifth Dimension (12)
The achingly sad vocal performance of Marilyn McCoo on this song still sends chills up my spine. It ain't what she wants, but she'll take it over nothing at all. Great lyrics.
10) Summer Breeze (16)--Seals and Crofts (16)
One of a surprising number of songs with "summer" in their titles that peaked in autumn! Good tune.
9) Witchy Woman--The Eagles (10)
Don Henley handles the lead vocals on the group's second hit, which has a moody, foreboding feel to it.
8) Convention '72--The Delegates (9)
Dickie Goodman-esque 'drop in' record about then-current political events. Hope Jimmy Castor got some money from it, since they sure use snippets from "Troglodyte" a lot!
7) Freddie's Dead--Curtis Mayfield (4)
From the "Superfly" soundtrack, but would not repeat Isaac Hayes' Oscar win for Best Song from earlier in the year. Still holds up well.
6) Papa Was a Rolling Stone--the Temptaions (13)
Arguably the Tempts' final great single, this is a Norman Whitfield tour de force. Another lengthy 45, over six minutes long.
5) Nights In White Satin--The Moody Blues (2)
I could never figure out exactly WHY this nearly five-year-old song, which I remembered from early 1968, became a much bigger hit in '72. Probably a 1973 prom theme song for a lot of high schools!
4) I Am Woman--Helen Reddy (8)
Actually not as bad a song as the punchline it came to be would indicate. Another song that was released nearly a year earlier, charted briefly, and then recharted.
3) I'll Be Around--The Spinners (5)
The Spinners move from Detroit to Philadelphis and Thom Bell gives them their signature sound. A '70s soul classic.
2) I'd Love You To Want Me--Lobo (3)
Just when you though I'd get through this chart review without a personal story--not gonna happen!
Every time I hear this song (which i still love) I'm transported back to freshman English class, where I stared at the back of Susie Maddox' head for an entire school year. I'd fantasize about singing this song to her, and then she would be mine!
How lovely she was, like a young Jennifer Connelly with braces...
1) I Can See Clearly Now--Johnny Nash (1)
A pleasnant pop-reggae song, but not one that felt was deserving of four weeks at number one. I liked his 1968 hit "Hold Me Tight" better.
And there you go, memories of a distant time...hope you enjoy.