9th April 1972

 

It's new at 1 for a 3rd chart-topper from Elton, Rocket Man being an instant classic and a worthy title for the bio movie. Bill Withers' much-covered positive gospel classic is in at 12, Lean On Me is a song that can't be damaged in any version, though my other fave version is Mud's forgotten 1976 hit version, and Bill was an instant fave for me then and now. Bread keep the classic ballads coming as Diary enters 2 years on from Make It With You, and Billy Preston has a fab funky synthy instrumental just ahead of Stevie Wonder going that route, with Outa Space returning him 3 years after Get Back and That's The Way God Planned It.

 

The Angelettes' were a Jonathan King production, and Don't Let Him Touch You was a good song, quite unusual then and now, and more than a little ironic given more recent events concerning JK, who I was a big fan of back in the day. The Moody Blues are back 4 years on from Nights In White Satin, with the less-essential ambitious Isn't Life Strange, Yvonne Elliman gets a hand from Andrew Lloyd-Webber for her solo album, and this single sunk without trace but Can't Find My Way Home is actually rather nice. The Jackson 5 are back in catchy bopalong mode, Sly & The family Stone opt for a different US single which is pretty good, Mungo Jerry Open Up for a 5th chart hit, one I rated a lot at the time but it sounds more plodding these days, and America get a follow-up entry for Sandman, a US hit along with everything they did for years, and a UK flop along with everything they did, sadly, apart from Horse With No Name.

 

 

1 ( NEW ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John # 1

2 ( 1 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons # 1

3 ( 2 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1

4 ( 3 ) ROCK & ROLL PART 2 - Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 3

5 ( 5 ) HELLO IT’S ME - Todd Rundgren # 1

6 ( 4 ) WALK IN THE NIGHT - Junior Walker & The All Stars # 4

7 ( 7 ) CRYING, LAUGHING , LOVING, LYING - Labi Siffre # 7

8 ( 6 ) I SAW THE LIGHT - Todd Rundgren # 1

9 ( 10 ) OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites # 9

10 ( 12 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO - Ringo Starr # 10

 

11 ( 8 ) I AM WHAT I AM - Greyhound # 8

12 ( NEW ) LEAN ON ME - Bill Withers # 12

13 ( 9 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE - Michael Jackson # 1

14 ( 18 ) THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE - Roberta Flack # 14

15 ( 16 ) I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG - Frederick Knight # 15

16 ( 17 ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE - The Staple Singers # 16

17 ( 13 ) 10538 OVERTURE - Electric Light Orchestra # 1

18 ( 11 ) HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART? - Al Green # 8

19 ( 14 ) I AM A CLOWN - David Cassidy # 5

20 ( 22 ) RADANCER - Marmalade # 20

 

21 ( 15 ) BROTHER - C.C.S. # 15

22 ( 20 ) WITHOUT YOU - Nilsson # 1

23 ( 21 ) STORM IN A TEACUP - The Fortunes # 1

24 ( 26 ) WADE IN THE WATER - Ramsey Lewis # 24

25 ( 29 ) AMAZING GRACE - The Pipes & Drums of The Royal Scots Dragoons Guard Band # 25

26 ( NEW ) DIARY - Bread # 26

27 ( 19 ) TAKE A LOOK AROUND - The Temptations # 10

28 ( 34 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” - Nino Rota # 28

29 ( 27 ) LIFE ON MARS? - David Bowie # 1

30 ( 37 ) SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES - The Drifters # 30

 

31 ( 39 ) LOOK WHAT YOU DONE FOR ME - Al Green # 31

32 ( 25 ) BETCHA BY GOLLY, WOW - The Stylistics featuring Russell Thompkins, Jr. # 10

33 ( 23 ) A COWBOY’S WORK IS NEVER DONE - Sonny & Cher # 15

34 ( 28 ) SAY YOU DON’T MIND - Colin Blunstone # 3

35 ( 31 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) - Donnie Elbert # 4

36 ( 43 ) STIR IT UP - Johnny Nash # 36

37 ( 38 ) AT THE CLUB - The Drifters # 37

38 ( 32 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) - Gilbert O’Sullivan # 18

39 ( 44 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” (SPEAK SOFTLY LOVE) - Andy Williams # 39

40 ( 24 ) PUPPY LOVE - Donny Osmond # 16

 

41 ( 35 ) HEART OF GOLD - Neil Young # 6

42 ( 36 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION - Paul Simon # 7

43 ( 40 ) HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) - John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir # 1

44 ( 51 ) THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT (WIMOWEH) - Dave Newman # 44

45 ( 56 ) YOU DON’T KNOW LIKE I KNOW - The Pioneers # 45

46 ( 46 ) TOO BEAUTIFUL TO LAST - Engelbert Humperdinck # 46

47 ( 33 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW - The New Seekers # 33

48 ( 57 ) THIRD FINGER LEFT HAND - The Pearls # 48

49 ( 49 ) HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT - Gladys Knight & The Pips # 49

50 ( 55 ) THESE DAYS - Jennifer Warnes # 50

 

51 ( 30 ) SHE’S GOT A WAY - Billy Joel # 30

52 ( 48 ) SIMPLE GAME - The Four Tops # 1

53 ( 64 ) ELMO JAMES - Chairmen Of The Board # 53

54 ( 52 ) I BELIEVE (IN LOVE) - Hot Chocolate # 1

55 ( 47 ) EVERYTHING I OWN - Bread # 8

56 ( 60 ) MEIN HERR - Liza Minelli # 56

57 ( 58 ) HOT ROD LINCOLN - Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen # 57

58 ( NEW ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU - The Angelettes # 58

59 ( NEW ) OUTA-SPACE - Billy Preston # 59

60 ( 66 ) I CAN’T STOP - White Plains # 60

 

61 ( 53 ) COZ I LUV YOU - Slade # 1

62 ( 59 ) BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY - Daniel Boone # 59

63 ( 65 ) COME WHAT MAY - Vicky Leandros # 63

64 ( NEW ) ISN’T LIFE STRANGE - The Moody Blues # 64

65 ( 67 ) SHE’S MY KIND OF GIRL - Benny & Bjorn # 65

66 ( 68 ) LONG HAIRED LOVER FROM LIVERPOOL - Little Jimmy Osmond # 66

67 ( 69 ) TAOS NEW MEXICO - R. Dean Taylor # 67

68 ( NEW ) CAN’T FIND MY WAY HOME - Yvonne Elliman # 68

69 ( 72 ) CABARET - Liza Minelli # 69

70 ( 71 ) WHAT DO I DO - Sandra & Andres # 70

 

71 ( 73 ) SHOO BE DOO AH - Peter Noone # 71

72 ( NEW ) LITTLE BITTY PRETTY ONE - The Jackson 5 # 72

73 ( NEW ) (YOU’VE CAUGHT ME) SMILIN’ - Sly & The Family Stone # 73

74 ( NEW ) OPEN UP - Mungo Jerry # 74

75 ( NEW ) SANDMAN - America # 75

 

9th April 1972 chart of the time

 

It's a big climb for Bernadette as I buy the single and help it into the UK top 30 for one week, and so a qualify for a top 20 spot for the Four Tops 1967 classic. My grandma visited us this week, from Liverpool, and she wasn't overly impressed with me playing it loudly. I thought she might like it as it was 5 years old and she was in her 50's so must like old music! T.Rex prove they can sell anything in 1972, including old albums and a 3-year-old flop acoustic single, Debora, in at 6.

 

Marmalade leap into the top 10 for a 4th year, Sonny & Cher follow-up a number one with a great Cowboy song more in the style of Nancy & Lee, Peter Noone has his final half-decent 60's-pop-ish single, Middle Of The Road get a 4th single not quite up to recent par, and Barry Blue starts his hitmaking run (in my charts, if not the real world, that had to wait till he stopped being Greene and went Blue).

 

 

1 ( 25 ) BERNADETTE - The Four Tops

2 ( 1 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons

3 ( 2 ) IT’S ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS (YES LOVE) - The Partridge Family

4 ( 4 ) RUN RUN RUN - Jo Jo Gunne

5 ( 3 ) WITHOUT YOU - Nilsson

6 ( NEW ) DEBORA - Tyrannosaurus Rex

7 ( 27 ) RADANCER - Marmalade

8 ( 9 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) - Gilbert O’Sullivan

9 ( 5 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO - Ringo Starr

10 ( 6 ) CRYING, LAUGHING, LOVING, LYING - Labi Siffre

 

11 ( 8 ) UNTIL IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO GO - Elvis Presley

12 ( 10 ) FLOY JOY - The Supremes

13 ( 20 ) HEART OF GOLD - Neil Young

14 ( 13 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) - Donnie Elbert

15 ( 12 ) SON OF MY FATHER - Chicory Tip

16 ( 11 ) POPPA JOE - The Sweet

17 ( RE ) BLUE IS THE COLOUR - Chelsea FC

18 ( 23 ) GOT TO BE THERE - Michael Jackson

19 ( 14 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW - The New Seekers

20 ( 16 ) HOLD YOUR HEAD UP - Argent

 

21 ( 7 ) BROTHER - C.C.S

22 ( 22 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION - Paul Simon

23 ( 18 ) MEET ME ON THE CORNER - Lindisfarne

24 ( 17 ) TOO BEAUTIFUL TO LAST - Engelbert Humperdinck

25 ( 26 ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU - The Angelettes

26 ( NEW ) A COWBOY’S WORK IS NEVER DONE - Sonny & Cher

27 ( 30 ) EVE - Jim Capaldi

28 ( NEW ) SHOO BE DO AH - Peter Noone

29 ( NEW ) SACREMENTO (A WONDERFUL TOWN) - Middle Of The Road

30 ( NEW ) PAPA DO - Barry Greene

 

 

16th April 1972

 

 

It's up to 1 for a second chart-topper for The Chi-Lites, the lovely Oh Girl holding off Bill Withers wonderful Lean On Me, both of them topped my charts back in 1972 first-time round as my soul preferences were well-strong, and still are. New at 18, Hurricane Smith goes even more retro singalong with the charming Oh Babe, and Procol Harum return after a gap of 5 years with the rousing orchestral Conquistador at 59. Carpenters chart with Carole King's It's Going To Take Some Time, Donnie Elbert gets a 4th hit with oldie Little Piece Of Leather, and The Rolling Stones debut with Tumbling Dice, the lead track off Exile On Main Street. I had a flexi-single comprised of snippets from the album given away free with NME or melody maker, but I foolishly swapped with a more canny mate who persuaded me I would much prefer his copy of The Faces & Rod Stewart's You Can make Me Dance Sing Or Anything, which I'm guessing is worth a lot less than that flexi single is these days.

 

 

1 ( 9 ) OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites # 1

2 ( 12 ) LEAN ON ME - Bill Withers # 2

3 ( 1 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John # 1

4 ( 2 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons # 1

5 ( 3 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1

6 ( 4 ) ROCK & ROLL PART 2 - Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 3

7 ( 7 ) CRYING, LAUGHING , LOVING, LYING - Labi Siffre # 7

8 ( 5 ) HELLO IT’S ME - Todd Rundgren # 1

9 ( 6 ) WALK IN THE NIGHT - Junior Walker & The All Stars # 4

10 ( 8 ) I SAW THE LIGHT - Todd Rundgren # 1

 

11 ( 10 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO - Ringo Starr # 10

12 ( 11 ) I AM WHAT I AM - Greyhound # 8

13 ( 14 ) THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE - Roberta Flack # 13

14 ( 13 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE - Michael Jackson # 1

15 ( 26 ) DIARY - Bread # 15

16 ( 20 ) RADANCER - Marmalade # 16

17 ( 24 ) WADE IN THE WATER - Ramsey Lewis # 17

18 ( NEW ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? - Hurricane Smith # 18

19 ( 17 ) 10538 OVERTURE - Electric Light Orchestra # 1

20 ( 25 ) AMAZING GRACE - The Pipes & Drums of The Royal Scots Dragoons Guard Band # 20

 

21 ( 19 ) I AM A CLOWN - David Cassidy # 5

22 ( 15 ) I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG - Frederick Knight # 15

23 ( 18 ) HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART? - Al Green # 8

24 ( 22 ) WITHOUT YOU - Nilsson # 1

25 ( 30 ) SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES - The Drifters # 25

26 ( 23 ) STORM IN A TEACUP - The Fortunes # 1

27 ( 16 ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE - The Staple Singers # 16

28 ( 31 ) LOOK WHAT YOU DONE FOR ME - Al Green # 28

29 ( 36 ) STIR IT UP - Johnny Nash # 29

30 ( 37 ) AT THE CLUB - The Drifters # 30

 

31 ( 29 ) LIFE ON MARS? - David Bowie # 1

32 ( 58 ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU - The Angelettes # 32

33 ( 27 ) TAKE A LOOK AROUND - The Temptations # 10

34 ( 53 ) ELMO JAMES - Chairmen Of The Board # 34

35 ( 45 ) YOU DON’T KNOW LIKE I KNOW - The Pioneers # 35

36 ( 39 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” (SPEAK SOFTLY LOVE) - Andy Williams # 36

37 ( 28 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” - Nino Rota # 28

38 ( 21 ) BROTHER - C.C.S. # 15

39 ( 59 ) OUTA-SPACE - Billy Preston # 39

40 ( 44 ) THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT (WIMOWEH) - Dave Newman # 40

 

41 ( 32 ) BETCHA BY GOLLY, WOW - The Stylistics featuring Russell Thompkins, Jr. # 10

42 ( 34 ) SAY YOU DON’T MIND - Colin Blunstone # 3

43 ( 35 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) - Donnie Elbert # 4

44 ( 50 ) THESE DAYS - Jennifer Warnes # 44

45 ( 48 ) THIRD FINGER LEFT HAND - The Pearls # 45

46 ( 57 ) HOT ROD LINCOLN - Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen # 46

47 ( 43 ) HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) - John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir # 1

48 ( 42 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION - Paul Simon # 7

49 ( 49 ) HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT - Gladys Knight & The Pips # 49

50 ( 41 ) HEART OF GOLD - Neil Young # 6

 

51 ( 38 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) - Gilbert O’Sullivan # 18

52 ( 33 ) A COWBOY’S WORK IS NEVER DONE - Sonny & Cher # 15

53 ( 40 ) PUPPY LOVE - Donny Osmond # 16

54 ( 60 ) I CAN’T STOP - White Plains # 54

55 ( 52 ) SIMPLE GAME - The Four Tops # 1

56 ( 54 ) I BELIEVE (IN LOVE) - Hot Chocolate # 1

57 ( 68 ) CAN’T FIND MY WAY HOME - Yvonne Elliman # 57

58 ( 63 ) COME WHAT MAY - Vicky Leandros # 58

59 ( NEW ) CONQUISTADOR - Procol Harum & The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra # 59

60 ( 64 ) ISN’T LIFE STRANGE - The Moody Blues # 60

 

61 ( 65 ) SHE’S MY KIND OF GIRL - Benny & Bjorn # 61

62 ( 67 ) TAOS NEW MEXICO - R. Dean Taylor # 62

63 ( 72 ) LITTLE BITTY PRETTY ONE - The Jackson 5 # 63

64 ( 73 ) (YOU’VE CAUGHT ME) SMILIN’ - Sly & The Family Stone # 64

65 ( 66 ) LONG HAIRED LOVER FROM LIVERPOOL - Little Jimmy Osmond with The Mike Curb Congregation # 65

66 ( 47 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW - The New Seekers # 33

67 ( NEW ) IT’S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME - Carpenters # 67

68 ( 69 ) CABARET - Liza Minelli # 68

69 ( 70 ) WHAT DO I DO - Sandra & Andres # 69

70 ( 71 ) SHOO BE DOO AH - Peter Noone # 70

 

71 ( 74 ) OPEN UP - Mungo Jerry # 71

72 ( 56 ) MEIN HERR - Liza Minelli # 56

73 ( 75 ) SANDMAN - America # 73

74 ( NEW ) A LITTLE PIECE OF LEATHER - Donnie Elbert # 74

75 ( NEW ) TUMBLING DICE - The Rolling Stones # 75

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16th Apr 1972 Chart of the time

 

Back in 3rd year at school days my charts were still based on the UK top 30 so a bit volatile, but numbers 21-30 cover those outside the UK top 30 that I liked at the time. The Chiffons is a 1966 delight, Greyhound get a 3rd instant top 5 with a Scott English song, Middle Of The Road get a 4th top 10, Johnny Nash makes a welcome return after 3 years away with Bob Marley's Stir It Up, and the Eurovision winner enters at 9. Big faves of mine that didnt make the 30 were The Angelettes, Jonathan King's girl-group effort, Sonny & Cher's fab cowboy follow-up flop in the UK but big in the USA, Radio 1 airplay tracks The Sutherland brothers and Jim Capaldi, and Dawn's latest flop.

 

1 ( 2 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons

2 ( NEW ) I AM WHAT I AM - Greyhound

3 ( 4 ) RUN RUN RUN - Jo Jo Gunne

4 ( 6 ) DEBORA - Tyrannosaurus Rex

5 ( 5 ) WITHOUT YOU - Nilsson

6 ( 3 ) IT’S ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS (YES LOVE) - The Partridge Family

7 ( 29 ) SACREMENTO (A WONDERFUL TOWN) - Middle Of The Road

8 ( NEW ) STIR IT UP - Johnny Nash

9 ( NEW ) COME WHAT MAY - Vicky Leandros

10 ( 9 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO - Ringo Starr

 

11 ( 7 ) RADANCER - Marmalade

12 ( 8 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) - Gilbert O’Sullivan

13 ( 10 ) CRYING, LAUGHING, LOVING, LYING - Labi Siffre

14 ( 15 ) SON OF MY FATHER - Chicory Tip

15 ( RE ) I’D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING (IN PERFECT HARMONY) - The New Seekers

16 ( 12 ) FLOY JOY - The Supremes

17 ( 18 ) GOT TO BE THERE - Michael Jackson

18 ( 19 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW - The New Seekers

19 ( 11 ) UNTIL IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO GO - Elvis Presley

20 ( 20 ) HOLD YOUR HEAD UP - Argent

 

21 ( 13 ) HEART OF GOLD - Neil Young

22 ( RE ) AMERICAN PIE - Don McLean

23 ( 22 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION - Paul Simon

24 ( 25 ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU - The Angelettes

25 ( 26 ) A COWBOY’S WORK IS NEVER DONE - Sonny & Cher

26 ( NEW ) THE PIE - The Sutherland Brothers

27 ( 1 ) BERNADETTE - The Four Tops

28 ( 27 ) EVE - Jim Capaldi

29 ( NEW ) I PLAY AND SING - Dawn

30 ( 14 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) - Donnie Elbert

23rd April 1972

 

 

It's a first week on top for Lean On Me, Bill Withers' 2nd number one as an artist and 3rd as songwriter. Bread get a 4th top 10 ballad with the touching Diary, and Hurricane Smith gets his 2nd top 10 as he brings ragtime jauntiness into the upper reaches. The highest new entry comes from the current European single from Middle Of The Road - while the UK continues to lag on releases with the unexceptional Sacramento, Europe has 2 sides to pick from the same single, some countries have the sweet Samson And Delilah in the national top 10, and some have the obscure (but fab) Talk Of All The U.S.A. as the lead track in their national top 10. The latter enters at 13 and should have been the bleedingly-obvious follow-up to Soley Soley, but I'm guessing not having Sally Carr on lead vocal worried RCA too much. Samson And Delilah also enters at 53.

 

New at 50, the final great Supremes single, Automatically Sunshine, has the girls all sharing lead again, and in at 54, it's a Thing from Edwina Biglet & The Miglets, as championed by Alan Freeman at the time. It's experimental, charming, whimsical and synthtastic, way ahead of it's time, and yet also sounding a bit 60's at the same time. Very unfairly obscure. Neil Diamond has his last big UK hit for about 6 years with Song, Sung Blue, the one that draws phase one of Neil Diamond to a close, the tuneful fab singer-songwriter with Easy Listening appeal. Replaced by full-on middle-of-the-road Neil Diamond, who wasn't anywhere near as good. Finally, Elvis reaches a turning point for me, a record I didn't like much at the time - which was a first. American Trilogy was overblown, but has a new poignancy for me for the rest of my life, as my mum was listening to this song (and other Elvis classics) on the day she died last week. Mum never stopped loving Elvis Presley, right to the end, and even with advanced Alzheimers.

 

 

 

1 ( 2 ) LEAN ON ME - Bill Withers # 1

2 ( 1 ) OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites # 1

3 ( 6 ) ROCK & ROLL PART 2 - Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 3

4 ( 3 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John # 1

5 ( 4 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons # 1

6 ( 5 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1

7 ( 15 ) DIARY - Bread # 7

8 ( 9 ) WALK IN THE NIGHT - Junior Walker & The All Stars # 4

9 ( 18 ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? - Hurricane Smith # 9

10 ( 11 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO - Ringo Starr # 10

 

11 ( 8 ) HELLO IT’S ME - Todd Rundgren # 1

12 ( 17 ) WADE IN THE WATER - Ramsey Lewis # 12

13 ( NEW ) THE TALK OF ALL THE U.S.A. - Middle Of The Road # 13

14 ( 10 ) I SAW THE LIGHT - Todd Rundgren # 1

15 ( 7 ) CRYING, LAUGHING , LOVING, LYING - Labi Siffre # 7

16 ( 12 ) I AM WHAT I AM - Greyhound # 8

17 ( 34 ) ELMO JAMES - Chairmen Of The Board # 17

18 ( 14 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE - Michael Jackson # 1

19 ( 16 ) RADANCER - Marmalade # 16

20 ( 32 ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU - The Angelettes # 20

 

21 ( 20 ) AMAZING GRACE - The Pipes & Drums of The Royal Scots Dragoons Guard Band # 20

22 ( 13 ) THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE - Roberta Flack # 13

23 ( 25 ) SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES - The Drifters # 23

24 ( 19 ) 10538 OVERTURE - Electric Light Orchestra # 1

25 ( 28 ) LOOK WHAT YOU DONE FOR ME - Al Green # 25

26 ( 24 ) WITHOUT YOU - Nilsson # 1

27 ( 21 ) I AM A CLOWN - David Cassidy # 5

28 ( 35 ) YOU DON’T KNOW LIKE I KNOW - The Pioneers # 28

29 ( 30 ) AT THE CLUB - The Drifters # 29

30 ( 36 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” (SPEAK SOFTLY LOVE) - Andy Williams # 30

 

31 ( 26 ) STORM IN A TEACUP - The Fortunes # 1

32 ( 23 ) HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART? - Al Green # 8

33 ( 31 ) LIFE ON MARS? - David Bowie # 1

34 ( 44 ) THESE DAYS - Jennifer Warnes # 34

35 ( 22 ) I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG - Frederick Knight # 15

36 ( 27 ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE - The Staple Singers # 16

37 ( 39 ) OUTA-SPACE - Billy Preston # 37

38 ( 40 ) THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT (WIMOWEH) - Dave Newman # 38

39 ( 45 ) THIRD FINGER LEFT HAND - The Pearls # 39

40 ( 59 ) CONQUISTADOR - Procol Harum & The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra # 40

 

41 ( 29 ) STIR IT UP - Johnny Nash # 29

42 ( 33 ) TAKE A LOOK AROUND - The Temptations # 10

43 ( 54 ) I CAN’T STOP - White Plains # 43

44 ( 57 ) CAN’T FIND MY WAY HOME - Yvonne Elliman # 44

45 ( 46 ) HOT ROD LINCOLN - Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen # 45

46 ( 41 ) BETCHA BY GOLLY, WOW - The Stylistics featuring Russell Thompkins, Jr. # 10

47 ( 42 ) SAY YOU DON’T MIND - Colin Blunstone # 3

48 ( 43 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) - Donnie Elbert # 4

49 ( 47 ) HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) - John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir # 1

50 ( NEW ) AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE - The Supremes # 50

 

51 ( 48 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION - Paul Simon # 7

52 ( 63 ) LITTLE BITTY PRETTY ONE - The Jackson 5 # 52

53 ( NEW ) SAMSON AND DELILAH - Middle Of The Road # 53

54 ( NEW ) THING - Edwina Biglet & The Miglets # 54

55 ( 58 ) COME WHAT MAY - Vicky Leandros # 55

56 ( 49 ) HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT - Gladys Knight & The Pips # 49

57 ( 55 ) SIMPLE GAME - The Four Tops # 1

58 ( 56 ) I BELIEVE (IN LOVE) - Hot Chocolate # 1

59 ( 38 ) BROTHER - C.C.S. # 15

60 ( 60 ) ISN’T LIFE STRANGE - The Moody Blues # 60

 

61 ( 50 ) HEART OF GOLD - Neil Young # 6

62 ( 64 ) (YOU’VE CAUGHT ME) SMILIN’ - Sly & The Family Stone # 62

63 ( 67 ) IT’S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME - Carpenters # 63

64 ( 51 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) - Gilbert O’Sullivan # 18

65 ( NEW ) SONG, SUNG BLUE - Neil Diamond # 65

66 ( 74 ) A LITTLE PIECE OF LEATHER - Donnie Elbert # 66

67 ( 65 ) LONG HAIRED LOVER FROM LIVERPOOL - Little Jimmy Osmond with The Mike Curb Congregation # 65

68 ( 61 ) SHE’S MY KIND OF GIRL - Benny & Bjorn # 61

69 ( 62 ) TAOS NEW MEXICO - R. Dean Taylor # 62

70 ( 70 ) SHOO BE DOO AH - Peter Noone # 70

 

71 ( 71 ) OPEN UP - Mungo Jerry # 71

72 ( 37 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” - Nino Rota # 28

73 ( 52 ) A COWBOY’S WORK IS NEVER DONE - Sonny & Cher # 15

74 ( 75 ) TUMBLING DICE - The Rolling Stones # 74

75 ( NEW ) AN AMERICAN TRILOGY - Elvis Presley # 75

 

 

 

23rd April 1972 My charts of the time

 

 

1 ( NEW ) A THING CALLED LOVE Johnny Cash

2 ( 1 ) SWEET TALKING GUY The Chiffons

3 ( 8 ) STIR IT UP Johnny Nash

4 ( 10 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO Ringo Starr

5 ( 7 ) SACREMENTO (A WONDERFUL TOWN) Middle Of The Road

6 ( 2 ) I AM WHAT I AM Greyhound

7 ( 3 ) RUN RUN RUN Jo Jo Gunne

8 ( 5 ) WITHOUT YOU Nilsson

9 ( NEW ) TAKE A LOOK AROUND The Temptations

10 ( 6 ) IT’S ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS (YES LOVE) The Partridge Family

 

11 ( 4 ) DEBORA Tyrannosaurus Rex

12 ( NEW ) COULD IT BE FOREVER David Cassidy

13 ( 19 ) UNTIL IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO GO Elvis Presley

14 ( 18 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW The New Seekers

15 ( 23 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION Paul Simon

16 ( 12 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) Gilbert O’Sullivan

17 ( 9 ) COME WHAT MAY Vicky Leandros

18 ( 13 ) CRYING, LAUGHING, LOVING, LYING Labi Siffre

19 ( 16 ) FLOY JOY The Supremes

20 ( 11 ) RADANCER Marmalade

 

21 ( 22 ) AMERICAN PIE Don McLean

22 ( RE ) BLUE IS THE COLOUR Chelsea FC

23 ( 21 ) HEART OF GOLD Neil Young

24 ( 24 ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU The Angelettes

25 ( 25 ) A COWBOY’S WORK IS NEVER DONE Sonny & Cher

26 ( 26 ) THE PIE The Sutherland Brothers

27 ( NEW ) THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT Dave Newman

28 ( NEW ) WE CAN MAKE MUSIC Bay City Rollers

29 ( NEW ) WADE IN THE WATER Ramsey Lewis

30 ( NEW ) THING Edwina Biglet & The Miglets

30th April 1972

 

It's straight in at 1 for T.Rex's 5th number one, the fab Metal Guru which I was mad on for at least a month back in 1972 (and since), a singalong glamrock earworm if ever there was one. Middle Of The Road top the charts in Austria this week and Talk Of All The USA is a 4th top 10 for them while Ramsey Lewis gets a first with 1966's Wade In The Water, sounding cool 6 years later, and 56 years later, finger-snapping still cool. New in at 15, Lindisfarne's finest moment as Lady Eleanor proves they can do touching ballads even better than Geordie singalongs.

 

Diana Ross is back with another solo hit, this time the tongue-twisting Doobedood'ndoobe (etc) which was a bugger to write out into my pencil chart notebooks of the time - there just wasn't enough space and it was hard to spell! Still like it though. New World get a 4th chart entry with the jolly Sister Jane, The Move return for a 5th chart year with their very last UK single, California Man setting up Roy Wood's Wizzard 50's rock'n'roll-styled debut after the ELO project goes wrong for him (and right for Jeff Lynne and Bev Bevan). Finally, a record that wouldnt work in 2022, but which sounded kinda novelty-funky-fun at the time, Troglodyte from The Jimmy Castor Bunch.

 

1 ( NEW ) METAL GURU - T.Rex # 1

2 ( 3 ) ROCK & ROLL PART 2 - Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 2

3 ( 1 ) LEAN ON ME - Bill Withers # 1

4 ( 2 ) OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites # 1

5 ( 7 ) DIARY - Bread # 5

6 ( 6 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1

7 ( 5 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons # 1

8 ( 13 ) THE TALK OF ALL THE U.S.A. - Middle Of The Road # 8

9 ( 12 ) WADE IN THE WATER - Ramsey Lewis # 9

10 ( 4 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John # 1

 

11 ( 8 ) WALK IN THE NIGHT - Junior Walker & The All Stars # 4

12 ( 9 ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? - Hurricane Smith # 9

13 ( 10 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO - Ringo Starr # 10

14 ( 11 ) HELLO IT’S ME - Todd Rundgren # 1

15 ( NEW ) LADY ELEANOR - Lindisfarne # 15

16 ( 17 ) ELMO JAMES - Chairmen Of The Board # 16

17 ( 14 ) I SAW THE LIGHT - Todd Rundgren # 1

18 ( 16 ) I AM WHAT I AM - Greyhound # 8

19 ( 15 ) CRYING, LAUGHING , LOVING, LYING - Labi Siffre # 7

20 ( 23 ) SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES - The Drifters # 20

 

21 ( 18 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE - Michael Jackson # 1

22 ( 21 ) AMAZING GRACE - The Pipes & Drums of The Royal Scots Dragoons Guard Band # 20

23 ( 25 ) LOOK WHAT YOU DONE FOR ME - Al Green # 23

24 ( 28 ) YOU DON’T KNOW LIKE I KNOW - The Pioneers # 24

25 ( 29 ) AT THE CLUB - The Drifters # 25

26 ( 30 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” (SPEAK SOFTLY LOVE) - Andy Williams # 26

27 ( 24 ) 10538 OVERTURE - Electric Light Orchestra # 1

28 ( 19 ) RADANCER - Marmalade # 16

29 ( 34 ) THESE DAYS - Jennifer Warnes # 29

30 ( 20 ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU - The Angelettes # 20

 

31 ( 26 ) WITHOUT YOU - Nilsson # 1

32 ( 27 ) I AM A CLOWN - David Cassidy # 5

33 ( 40 ) CONQUISTADOR - Procol Harum & The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra # 33

34 ( 31 ) STORM IN A TEACUP - The Fortunes # 1

35 ( 33 ) LIFE ON MARS? - David Bowie # 1

36 ( 50 ) AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE - The Supremes # 36

37 ( 37 ) OUTA-SPACE - Billy Preston # 37

38 ( 44 ) CAN’T FIND MY WAY HOME - Yvonne Elliman # 38

39 ( 39 ) THIRD FINGER LEFT HAND - The Pearls # 39

40 ( 38 ) THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT (WIMOWEH) - Dave Newman # 38

 

41 ( 53 ) SAMSON AND DELILAH - Middle Of The Road # 41

42 ( 22 ) THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE - Roberta Flack # 13

43 ( 54 ) THING - Edwina Biglet & The Miglets # 43

44 ( 32 ) HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART? - Al Green # 8

45 ( 35 ) I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG - Frederick Knight # 15

46 ( 36 ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE - The Staple Singers # 16

47 ( 43 ) I CAN’T STOP - White Plains # 43

48 ( NEW ) DOOBEDOOD’NDOOBE DOOBEDOOD’NDO - Diana Ross # 48

49 ( 52 ) LITTLE BITTY PRETTY ONE - The Jackson 5 # 49

50 ( 63 ) IT’S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME - Carpenters # 50

 

51 ( 55 ) COME WHAT MAY - Vicky Leandros # 51

52 ( 49 ) HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) - John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir # 1

53 ( 42 ) TAKE A LOOK AROUND - The Temptations # 10

54 ( 47 ) SAY YOU DON’T MIND - Colin Blunstone # 3

55 ( 48 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) - Donnie Elbert # 4

56 ( 62 ) (YOU’VE CAUGHT ME) SMILIN’ - Sly & The Family Stone # 56

57 ( 46 ) BETCHA BY GOLLY, WOW - The Stylistics featuring Russell Thompkins, Jr. # 10

58 ( 65 ) SONG, SUNG BLUE - Neil Diamond # 58

59 ( 51 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION - Paul Simon # 7

60 ( 41 ) STIR IT UP - Johnny Nash # 29

 

61 ( 58 ) I BELIEVE (IN LOVE) - Hot Chocolate # 1

62 ( 57 ) SIMPLE GAME - The Four Tops # 1

63 ( 66 ) A LITTLE PIECE OF LEATHER - Donnie Elbert # 63

64 ( 45 ) HOT ROD LINCOLN - Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen # 45

65 ( NEW ) SISTER JANE - New World # 65

66 ( 67 ) LONG HAIRED LOVER FROM LIVERPOOL - Little Jimmy Osmond with The Mike Curb Congregation # 65

67 ( NEW ) CALIFORNIA MAN - The Move # 67

68 ( 71 ) OPEN UP - Mungo Jerry # 68

69 ( 60 ) ISN’T LIFE STRANGE - The Moody Blues # 60

70 ( 75 ) AN AMERICAN TRILOGY - Elvis Presley # 70

 

71 ( 74 ) TUMBLING DICE - The Rolling Stones # 71

72 ( 56 ) HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT - Gladys Knight & The Pips # 49

73 ( NEW ) TROGLODYTE (CAVE MAN) - The Jimmy Castor Bunch # 73

74 ( 61 ) HEART OF GOLD - Neil Young # 6

75 ( 59 ) BROTHER - C.C.S. # 15

 

30th April 1972 My charts of the time

 

 

It's 2 weeks on top for Johnny Cash as Sly & The family Stone smash in with their highest-charting single, the quirky Runnin' Away, and Mungo Jerry get their biggest hit since In The Summertime with the forgotten Open Up - admittedly it's not sounding so great 50 years on! David Cassidy gets his first solo top 5, Elton John gets a follow-up to Your Song as Rocket Man roars in at 7, and The Drifters 60's double oldie reissue is new at 8, and in the process restarts their career yet again for the 70's.

 

Daniel Boone is all for Beautiful Sunday, even though in 1972 it was the dullest day of the week with no shops open, nothing on TV, and if you lived in a rural hamlet without a car or train station there was absolutely nowhere to go even if you had a bus going through twice a day. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about. The Rolling Stones return with a weak single, Tumbling Dice featuring on a promo flexi disc free with NME or Melody Maker (I forget which). Exile On Main street didn't impress me so I swapped it 3 years later for a Faces single. I was robbed!

 

The Tremeloes debut with the fab flop single I Like It That Way - had it been released 2 or 3 years earlier it would have hit, but not in Glam 1972 - and T.Rex sneak in with big radio play ahead of the single dropping in the shops, Metal Guru was and is brilliant and Marc Bolan was at the top of his game. Chicory Tip have an identikit follow-up synthpop single, but minus the Moroder touch, and Paul Simon follows-up reggae with latin sounds, very much staking his genre-straddling musical future upfront as a solo star.

 

 

1 ( 1 ) A THING CALLED LOVE - Johnny Cash

2 ( NEW ) RUNNIN’ AWAY - Sly & The Family Stone

3 ( NEW ) OPEN UP - Mungo Jerry

4 ( 2 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons

5 ( 12 ) COULD IT BE FOREVER - David Cassidy

6 ( 8 ) WITHOUT YOU - Nilsson

7 ( NEW ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John

8 ( NEW ) AT THE CLUB/SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES - The Drifters

9 ( 9 ) TAKE A LOOK AROUND - The Temptations

10 ( 7 ) RUN RUN RUN - Jo Jo Gunne

 

11 ( 6 ) I AM WHAT I AM - Greyhound

12 ( 5 ) SACREMENTO (A WONDERFUL TOWN) - Middle Of The Road

13 ( 10 ) IT’S ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS (YES LOVE) - The Partridge Family

14 ( 3 ) STIR IT UP - Johnny Nash

15 ( 4 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO - Ringo Starr

16 ( NEW ) BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY - Daniel Boone

17 ( 16 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) - Gilbert O’Sullivan

18 ( 18 ) CRYING, LAUGHING, LOVING, LYING - Labi Siffre

19 ( 11 ) DEBORA - Tyrannosaurus Rex

20 ( 14 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW - The New Seekers

 

21 ( NEW ) TUMBLING DICE - The Rolling Stones

22 ( 17 ) COME WHAT MAY - Vicky Leandros

23 ( 24 ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU - The Angelettes

24 ( 27 ) THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT - Dave Newman

25 ( 28 ) WE CAN MAKE MUSIC - Bay City Rollers

26 ( NEW ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes

27 ( NEW ) METAL GURU - T.Rex

28 ( 29 ) WADE IN THE WATER - Ramsey Lewis

29 ( NEW ) WHAT’S YOUR NAME - Chicory Tip

30 ( NEW ) ME AND JULIO DOWN BY THE SCHOOLYARD - Paul Simon

7th May 1972

 

It's 2 weeks on top for T.Rex as Metal Guru rules, but in at 2 it's David Cassidy's UK chart-topper as it hits the US charts. How Can I Be Sure has already topped my Retro charts for Dusty Springfield in 1970, and is now back with a great version, as Darlin' David emotes to the max on a classic song that always makes me blubber if I singalong. Apparently Michael Bolton was inspired by David Cassidy's style of singing, which is very unfair of Michael to blame him. Middle Of The Road hit a new peak of 4 with a European hit that does a "Lola": listen carefully to the lyrics and it's not quite what it seems to be, though it's not overt enough for them to get in trouble. I fondly recall hearing it on Junior's Choice in 1973 (cos I taped it) which amuses me.

 

Lindisfarne get that top 10 with Lady Eleanor, and out this week in the States, Hot Butter debut at 15 with the groundbreaking Popcorn. The first entirely synth hit, catchy as hell, and it topped my charts in 1972 cos it sounded like nothing ever before. Still doesn't. Billboard had not a single word to say about it, it was just listed amongst a section of reviews with "no further info" as a comment. I'm assuming their jaws were open and resting on the floor. Just behind, and out on the new duo album, the gorgeous Where Is The Love from Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway.

 

At 34, one I didn't get to know for a couple of decades, but got to know on US oldies radio when on holiday - and it's fab. Too Late To Turn Back Now is the best hit from Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose, but was annoyingly never a UK hit. In at 45, The Tremeloes last significant single, it wasn't a hit thanks to Glam Rock making it sound a bit "yesterday" but I Like It That Way is so catchy and it got a fair bit of UK airplay at the time.

 

Down the lower end, a batch of soul tracks, as Curtis Mayfield, a Chi-Lites B side, a mellow Stevie Wonder flop single that I did get to hear at the time (unlike the others) and a Barry White production/song for a girl group called Smoke that flopped. Oh Well, indeed, but Bazza used the intro on his first hit single, and also covered it himself on his debut album. That leaves only Chicory Tip with an identikit follow-up, What's Your Name I loved at the time, what with the synths and all, but time hasn't been quite so kind to the song. They still had another goodie set for 1973 though.

 

 

1 ( 1 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex # 1

2 ( NEW ) HOW CAN I BE SURE - David Cassidy # 2

3 ( 5 ) DIARY - Bread # 3

4 ( 8 ) THE TALK OF ALL THE U.S.A. - Middle Of The Road # 4

5 ( 3 ) LEAN ON ME - Bill Withers # 1

6 ( 2 ) ROCK & ROLL PART 2 - Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 2

7 ( 15 ) LADY ELEANOR - Lindisfarne # 7

8 ( 4 ) OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites # 1

9 ( 9 ) WADE IN THE WATER - Ramsey Lewis # 9

10 ( 6 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1

 

11 ( 7 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons # 1

12 ( 11 ) WALK IN THE NIGHT - Junior Walker & The All Stars # 4

13 ( 10 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John # 1

14 ( 12 ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? - Hurricane Smith # 9

15 ( NEW ) POPCORN - Hot Butter # 15

16 ( NEW ) WHERE IS THE LOVE - Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway # 16

17 ( 14 ) HELLO IT’S ME - Todd Rundgren # 1

18 ( 23 ) LOOK WHAT YOU DONE FOR ME - Al Green # 18

19 ( 13 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO - Ringo Starr # 10

20 ( 24 ) YOU DON’T KNOW LIKE I KNOW - The Pioneers # 20

 

21 ( 17 ) I SAW THE LIGHT - Todd Rundgren # 1

22 ( 16 ) ELMO JAMES - Chairmen Of The Board # 16

23 ( 18 ) I AM WHAT I AM - Greyhound # 8

24 ( 19 ) CRYING, LAUGHING , LOVING, LYING - Labi Siffre # 7

25 ( 21 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE - Michael Jackson # 1

26 ( 26 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” (SPEAK SOFTLY LOVE) - Andy Williams # 26

27 ( 22 ) AMAZING GRACE - The Pipes & Drums of The Royal Scots Dragoons Guard Band # 20

28 ( 36 ) AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE - The Supremes # 28

29 ( 20 ) SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES - The Drifters # 20

30 ( 25 ) AT THE CLUB - The Drifters # 25

 

31 ( 27 ) 10538 OVERTURE - Electric Light Orchestra # 1

32 ( 33 ) CONQUISTADOR - Procol Harum & The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra # 32

33 ( 31 ) WITHOUT YOU - Nilsson # 1

34 ( NEW ) TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 34

35 ( 48 ) DOOBEDOOD’NDOOBE DOOBEDOOD’NDO - Diana Ross # 35

36 ( 37 ) OUTA-SPACE - Billy Preston # 36

37 ( 41 ) SAMSON AND DELILAH - Middle Of The Road # 37

38 ( 43 ) THING - Edwina Biglet & The Miglets # 38

39 ( 35 ) LIFE ON MARS? - David Bowie # 1

40 ( 34 ) STORM IN A TEACUP - The Fortunes # 1

 

41 ( 32 ) I AM A CLOWN - David Cassidy # 5

42 ( 30 ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU - The Angelettes # 20

43 ( 28 ) RADANCER - Marmalade # 16

44 ( 38 ) CAN’T FIND MY WAY HOME - Yvonne Elliman # 38

45 ( NEW ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes # 45

46 ( 29 ) THESE DAYS - Jennifer Warnes # 29

47 ( 39 ) THIRD FINGER LEFT HAND - The Pearls # 39

48 ( 60 ) STIR IT UP - Johnny Nash # 29

49 ( 40 ) THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT (WIMOWEH) - Dave Newman # 38

50 ( 58 ) SONG, SUNG BLUE - Neil Diamond # 50

 

51 ( 45 ) I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG - Frederick Knight # 15

52 ( 46 ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE - The Staple Singers # 16

53 ( 52 ) HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) - John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir # 1

54 ( 49 ) LITTLE BITTY PRETTY ONE - The Jackson 5 # 49

55 ( 50 ) IT’S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME - Carpenters # 50

56 ( 56 ) (YOU’VE CAUGHT ME) SMILIN’ - Sly & The Family Stone # 56

57 ( 63 ) A LITTLE PIECE OF LEATHER - Donnie Elbert # 57

58 ( 44 ) HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART? - Al Green # 8

59 ( 42 ) THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE - Roberta Flack # 13

60 ( 65 ) SISTER JANE - New World # 60

 

61 ( 54 ) SAY YOU DON’T MIND - Colin Blunstone # 3

62 ( 55 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) - Donnie Elbert # 4

63 ( 53 ) TAKE A LOOK AROUND - The Temptations # 10

64 ( 61 ) I BELIEVE (IN LOVE) - Hot Chocolate # 1

65 ( 62 ) SIMPLE GAME - The Four Tops # 1

66 ( 51 ) COME WHAT MAY - Vicky Leandros # 51

67 ( 67 ) CALIFORNIA MAN - The Move # 67

68 ( 57 ) BETCHA BY GOLLY, WOW - The Stylistics featuring Russell Thompkins, Jr. # 10

69 ( 59 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION - Paul Simon # 7

70 ( 73 ) TROGLODYTE (CAVE MAN) - The Jimmy Castor Bunch # 70

 

71 ( NEW ) WHAT’S YOUR NAME - Chicory Tip # 71

72 ( NEW ) BEAUTIFUL BROTHER OF MINE - Curtis Mayfield # 72

73 ( NEW ) OH LOVE (WELL WE FINALLY MADE IT) - Smoke # 73

74 ( NEW ) BEING IN LOVE - The Chi-Lites # 74

75 ( NEW ) SUPERWOMAN (WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I NEEDED YOU) - Stevie Wonder # 75

 

 

7th May 1972 my charts of the time..

 

It's Hurricane Smith getting his one and only week on top of my charts with the very retro ballad Oh Babe What Would You Say, his voice as distinctive it was on his previous top 3 Don't Let It Die, and holding off future Rock legend Elton John from the top spot with the classic Rocket Man. Paul Simon shoots into a second top 3 in a row with his second solo hit, while the bagpipes finally make my charts after weeks of just annoying me, Amazing Grace finally sneaks grudgingly into my "I quite like it actually" graces at 22. The Moody Blues enter at a lowly 29 with the sprawling Isn't Life Strange - a bit of single editing might have improved it a bit.

 

 

1 ( NEW ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY - Hurricane Smith

2 ( 7 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John

3 ( 30 ) ME AND JULIO DOWN BY THE SCHOOLYARD - Paul Simon

4 ( 4 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons

5 ( 3 ) OPEN UP - Mungo Jerry

6 ( 6 ) WITHOUT YOU - Nilsson

7 ( 1 ) A THING CALLED LOVE - Johnny Cash

8 ( 8 ) AT THE CLUB/SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES - The Drifters

9 ( 10 ) RUN RUN RUN - Jo Jo Gunne

10 ( 2 ) RUNNIN’ AWAY - Sly & The Family Stone

 

11 ( 5 ) COULD IT BE FOREVER - David Cassidy

12 ( 17 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) - Gilbert O’Sullivan

13 ( 9 ) TAKE A LOOK AROUND - The Temptations

14 ( 15 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO - Ringo Starr

15 ( 16 ) BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY - Daniel Boone

16 ( 20 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW - The New Seekers

17 ( 11 ) I AM WHAT I AM - Greyhound

18 ( 14 ) STIR IT UP - Johnny Nash

19 ( 19 ) DEBORA - Tyrannosaurus Rex

20 ( 18 ) CRYING, LAUGHING, LOVING, LYING - Labi Siffre

 

21 ( 21 ) TUMBLING DICE - The Rolling Stones

22 ( NEW ) AMAZING GRACE - The Pipes & Drums of The Royal Scots Dragoons Guards Band

23 ( RE ) HOLD YOUR HEAD UP - Argent

24 ( 22 ) COME WHAT MAY - Vicky Leandros

25 ( 24 ) THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT - Dave Newman

26 ( 26 ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes

27 ( 27 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex

28 ( 28 ) WADE IN THE WATER - Ramsey Lewis

29 ( NEW ) ISN’T LIFE STRANGE - Moody Blues

30 ( 23 ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU - The Angelettes

14th May 1972

 

It's David Cassidy taking Dusty Springfield's chart-topper back up to the top spot as How Can I Be Sure gives him a first solo number one, and a 2nd in total including Partridge Family's I Think I Love You. He holds off Middle Of The Road's naughty European hit The Talk Of All The USA - 50 years ahead of its time had The Kinks not beaten them to it with Lola - and it's their best record. Lindisfarne get the fab Lady Eleanor to 4, not quite as high as The Turtles Elenore chart-topper, and Hot Butter are literally years ahead of the pack as all-synth Popcorn goes top 10 at 6, closely followed by the gorgeous Where Is The Love, from the great Roberta & ill-fated Donny Hathaway.

 

Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose are into the 20, The Trems get their biggest since Me And My Life, and Procol harum since Whiter Shade Of pale. The Supremes keep the run of top 20's going too. Highest new entry at 35 is Wings Mary had A Little Lamb, Paul McCartney going from one extreme to the other - following the banned debut single they went as inoffensive as possible with a tuneful nursery rhyme re-write for his kids. And got royally slagged off again, with yet another one to come on the next single. Me, I loved it in 1972 great tune, and it retains a charm. It's for kids!

 

Bruce Ruffin is back with another goodie, Mad About You is reggae delight, quirky and the ending is novelty but not annoying, and in at 40. Free finally get a proper follow-up to THAT record, a semi-soundalike Little Bit Of Love. This was my introduction to Free though (All Right Now didnt make it to Singapore radio), so when All Right Now charted again in 1973 it was a case of me saying "sounds a bit like Little Bit Of Love" and "its not a patch on previous single Wishing Well".

 

Nilsson's quirky and whimsical Coconut drops in too, I said DOC-tor, about as far from Without You as you can get at 69, and MJ's UK B side to the already charting Ain't No Sunshine, but US A side, I Wanna Be Where You Are enters at 71. The Kinks Supersonic Rocket Ship was typically Kinks in 1972, one I enjoyed at the time, anything sci-fi was good to me. It's no Lola, but catchy enough. I remember Clodagh Rodgers flogging It's Different Now on TV at the time, but it stubbornly refused to chart, annoyingly, though it's not quite up to her hits.

 

T.Rex Thunderwing is one I got to know in 1974 - along with Bolan's entire back catalogue - when my Bolan-obsessed friend played me the lot, and it was one of the ones I liked, B side to Metal Guru, which I was obsessed with in 1972, and which was played on wednesday night at Pet Shop Boys Bournemouth concert while waiting for them to come on stage. Fab! I was Bolan Boogie-ing on the front barrier. Finally, The Eagles debut with their version of Take It Easy, spear-heading years of Easy-listening harmony West Coast Country Rock, and mega-album sales. I always liked it, but never loved it as such. The next single was better.

 

 

1 ( 2 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE - David Cassidy # 1

2 ( 4 ) THE TALK OF ALL THE U.S.A. - Middle Of The Road # 2

3 ( 1 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex # 1

4 ( 7 ) LADY ELEANOR - Lindisfarne # 4

5 ( 3 ) DIARY - Bread # 3

6 ( 15 ) POPCORN - Hot Butter # 6

7 ( 16 ) WHERE IS THE LOVE - Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway # 7

8 ( 9 ) WADE IN THE WATER - Ramsey Lewis # 8

9 ( 5 ) LEAN ON ME - Bill Withers # 1

10 ( 10 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1

 

11 ( 6 ) ROCK & ROLL PART II - Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 2

12 ( 8 ) OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites # 1

13 ( 13 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John # 1

14 ( 11 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons # 1

15 ( 34 ) TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 15

16 ( 12 ) WALK IN THE NIGHT - Junior Walker & The All Stars # 4

17 ( 17 ) HELLO IT’S ME - Todd Rundgren # 1

18 ( 45 ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes # 18

19 ( 32 ) CONQUISTADOR - Procol Harum & The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra # 19

20 ( 28 ) AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE - The Supremes # 20

 

21 ( 35 ) DOOBEDOOD’NDOOBE DOOBEDOOD’NDO - Diana Ross # 21

22 ( 21 ) I SAW THE LIGHT - Todd Rundgren # 1

23 ( 14 ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? - Hurricane Smith # 9

24 ( 20 ) YOU DON’T KNOW LIKE I KNOW - The Pioneers # 20

25 ( 18 ) LOOK WHAT YOU DONE FOR ME - Al Green # 18

26 ( 19 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO - Ringo Starr # 10

27 ( 25 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE - Michael Jackson # 1

28 ( 22 ) ELMO JAMES - Chairmen Of The Board # 16

29 ( 38 ) THING - Edwina Biglet & The Miglets # 29

30 ( 36 ) OUTA-SPACE - Billy Preston # 30

 

31 ( 37 ) SAMSON AND DELILAH - Middle Of The Road # 31

32 ( 26 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” (SPEAK SOFTLY LOVE) - Andy Williams # 26

33 ( 23 ) I AM WHAT I AM - Greyhound # 8

34 ( 31 ) 10538 OVERTURE - Electric Light Orchestra # 1

35 ( NEW ) MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB - Paul McCartney & Wings # 35

36 ( 33 ) WITHOUT YOU - Nilsson # 1

37 ( 24 ) CRYING, LAUGHING , LOVING, LYING - Labi Siffre # 7

38 ( 44 ) CAN’T FIND MY WAY HOME - Yvonne Elliman # 38

39 ( 27 ) AMAZING GRACE - The Pipes & Drums of The Royal Scots Dragoons Guard Band # 20

40 ( NEW ) MAD ABOUT YOU - Bruce Ruffin # 40

 

41 ( 39 ) LIFE ON MARS? - David Bowie # 1

42 ( 40 ) STORM IN A TEACUP - The Fortunes # 1

43 ( 41 ) I AM A CLOWN - David Cassidy # 5

44 ( 42 ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU - The Angelettes # 20

45 ( 50 ) SONG, SUNG BLUE - Neil Diamond # 45

46 ( 48 ) STIR IT UP - Johnny Nash # 29

47 ( 57 ) A LITTLE PIECE OF LEATHER - Donnie Elbert # 47

48 ( 29 ) SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES - The Drifters # 20

49 ( 30 ) AT THE CLUB - The Drifters # 25

50 ( 60 ) SISTER JANE - New World # 50

 

51 ( 46 ) THESE DAYS - Jennifer Warnes # 29

52 ( 67 ) CALIFORNIA MAN - The Move # 52

53 ( 43 ) RADANCER - Marmalade # 16

54 ( 47 ) THIRD FINGER LEFT HAND - The Pearls # 39

55 ( 53 ) HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) - John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir # 1

56 ( 51 ) I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG - Frederick Knight # 15

57 ( NEW ) LITTLE BIT OF LOVE - Free # 57

58 ( 70 ) TROGLODYTE (CAVE MAN) - The Jimmy Castor Bunch # 58

59 ( 71 ) WHAT’S YOUR NAME - Chicory Tip # 59

60 ( 52 ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE - The Staple Singers # 16

 

61 ( 72 ) BEAUTIFUL BROTHER OF MINE - Curtis Mayfield # 61

62 ( 55 ) IT’S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME - Carpenters # 50

63 ( 73 ) OH LOVE (WELL WE FINALLY MADE IT) - Smoke # 63

64 ( 54 ) LITTLE BITTY PRETTY ONE - The Jackson 5 # 49

65 ( 74 ) BEING IN LOVE - The Chi-Lites # 65

66 ( 64 ) I BELIEVE (IN LOVE) - Hot Chocolate # 1

67 ( 65 ) SIMPLE GAME - The Four Tops # 1

68 ( 75 ) SUPERWOMAN (WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I NEEDED YOU) - Stevie Wonder # 68

69 ( NEW ) COCONUT - Nilsson # 69

70 ( 61 ) SAY YOU DON’T MIND - Colin Blunstone # 3

 

71 ( NEW ) I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE - Michael Jackson # 71

72 ( NEW ) SUPERSONIC ROCKET SHIP - The Kinks # 72

73 ( NEW ) IT’S DIFFERENT NOW - Clodagh Rodgers # 73

74 ( NEW ) THUNDERWING - T.Rex # 74

75 ( NEW ) TAKE IT EASY - The Eagles # 75

 

 

14th May 1972 My charts of the time

 

It's a first week at 1 for Metal Guru after some heavy pre-release plugging on Radio 1, putting T.Rex back on top for a 5th time and holding off Elton John. Donnie Elbert gets a 3rd top 10 of the year, with a reissue, Little Piece Of Leather, and Lindisfarne get a 2nd top 20 with the lovely Lady Eleanor at 14. Procol Harum debut with A Whiter Shade Of Pale, an oldie I knew but never loved as such, Leeds United make it a 2nd FC song of the year, and Jerry Lee Lewis covers the late Big Bopper for a 50's bit of fun. Hot Choc don't quite live up to previous standards with the flop Mary Ann, and Anne Murray gets a fair bit of radio play (Radio 2 mostly) with Cotton Jenny.

 

1 ( 27 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex

2 ( 2 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John

3 ( 1 ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY - Hurricane Smith

4 ( 8 ) AT THE CLUB/SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES - The Drifters

5 ( 6 ) WITHOUT YOU - Nilsson

6 ( 4 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons

7 ( 7 ) A THING CALLED LOVE - Johnny Cash

8 ( 5 ) OPEN UP - Mungo Jerry

9 ( NEW ) A LITTLE PIECE OF LEATHER - Donnie Elbert

10 ( 13 ) TAKE A LOOK AROUND - The Temptations

 

11 ( 3 ) ME AND JULIO DOWN BY THE SCHOOLYARD - Paul Simon

12 ( 10 ) RUNNIN’ AWAY - Sly & The Family Stone

13 ( 11 ) COULD IT BE FOREVER - David Cassidy

14 ( NEW ) LADY ELEANOR - Lindisfarne

15 ( 14 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO - Ringo Starr

16 ( 9 ) RUN RUN RUN - Jo Jo Gunne

17 ( 15 ) BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY - Daniel Boone

18 ( NEW ) A WHITER SHADE OF PALE - Procol Harum

19 ( NEW ) LEEDS UNITED - Leeds United F.C.

20 ( 16 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW - The New Seekers

 

21 ( 24 ) COME WHAT MAY - Vicky Leandros

22 ( 18 ) STIR IT UP - Johnny Nash

23 ( 21 ) TUMBLING DICE - The Rolling Stones

24 ( 19 ) DEBORA - Tyrannosaurus Rex

25 ( 17 ) I AM WHAT I AM - Greyhound

26 ( 26 ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes

27 ( 25 ) THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT - Dave Newman

28 ( NEW ) CHANTILLY LACE - Jerry Lee Lewis

29 ( NEW ) MARY ANN - Hot Chocolate

30 ( NEW ) COTTON JENNY - Anne Murray

21st May 1972

 

 

It's 2 weeks on top for David Cassidy as Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose grab a top 10 with a UK flop, and The Tremeloes get a final top 10 of their career with the fab 60's-ish I Like It That Way. Highest new entry at 12 is Alice Cooper who dropped into Glam Rock like a Halloween bomb on Top Of The Pops, and his anthem School's Out was very much speaking to me at the time, school was an absolute nightmare of bullying and surviving the day, and good riddance to it for a few weeks at least. I taped it off my friend Graham who'd bought it, and I'd bought Nut Rocker (new at 57), the 1962 re-issue which was out again following Emerson Lake & Palmer's US hit version. I took it into school for Music lesson, thinking, well it was sort of classical, as on the last day we were allowed to play our own faves. The class was not impressed by my choice, typical geek they were thinking, I'm sure. But I got my coolness points 40 years later when Radio 1 used it on friday "here comes the weekend" time and it became enjoyed by a whole new generation.

 

Slade get a 4th retro entry with Take Me Bak 'Ome at 55, I liked it less than the previous 2 at the time, but it's weathered better than Look Wot You Dun, while TV fave Julie Felix was still around plugging her new records, and her Fire Water Earth & Air had a terrific Greek feel to it which appealed to me, and still does, despite being a flop. Fluff Freeman also liked it. The Sweet return with a 5th chart hits as they morph into a Glam act with the distinctly naughty Little Willy. They got away with it though, plausible deniability courtesy of Chinn-Chapman about to perfect their Glam Rock pop domination.

 

Aretha's back yet again with another goodie I've never heard in my life, All The King's Horses is cool soul though, Tony Christie got a lot of Radio 2 plays with Don't Go Down To Reno, and TV cabaret spots, and it's old-fashioned but nice, The Strawbs were getting Johnnie Walker plays with Here It Comes, but I never managed to record it or buy it, so I've just heard it for the first time in 50 years. S'OK. Finally, Liverpool soul/funk act The Real Thing debut 4 years ahead of an actual hit with Vicious Circle, one I liked at the time, as played by Alan Freeman, and one I bought years later as Mansfield's record store went out of business and dumped a huge back catalogue of classic oldies cheap, so I went mad buying up whatever I could afford, including this one.

 

 

1 ( 1 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE - David Cassidy # 1

2 ( 3 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex # 1

3 ( 2 ) THE TALK OF ALL THE U.S.A. - Middle Of The Road # 2

4 ( 4 ) LADY ELEANOR - Lindisfarne # 4

5 ( 6 ) POPCORN - Hot Butter # 5

6 ( 7 ) WHERE IS THE LOVE - Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway # 6

7 ( 15 ) TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 7

8 ( 5 ) DIARY - Bread # 3

9 ( 18 ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes # 9

10 ( 9 ) LEAN ON ME - Bill Withers # 1

 

11 ( 10 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1

12 ( NEW ) SCHOOL’S OUT - Alice Cooper # 12

13 ( 8 ) WADE IN THE WATER - Ramsey Lewis # 8

14 ( 11 ) ROCK & ROLL PART II - Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 2

15 ( 13 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John # 1

16 ( 12 ) OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites # 1

17 ( 14 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons # 1

18 ( 19 ) CONQUISTADOR - Procol Harum & The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra # 18

19 ( 20 ) AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE - The Supremes # 19

20 ( 21 ) DOOBEDOOD’NDOOBE DOOBEDOOD’NDO - Diana Ross # 20

 

21 ( 17 ) HELLO IT’S ME - Todd Rundgren # 1

22 ( 16 ) WALK IN THE NIGHT - Junior Walker & The All Stars # 4

23 ( 35 ) MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB - Paul McCartney & Wings # 23

24 ( 22 ) I SAW THE LIGHT - Todd Rundgren # 1

25 ( 29 ) THING - Edwina Biglet & The Miglets # 25

26 ( 23 ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? - Hurricane Smith # 9

27 ( 30 ) OUTA-SPACE - Billy Preston # 27

28 ( 28 ) ELMO JAMES - Chairmen Of The Board # 16

29 ( 27 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE - Michael Jackson # 1

30 ( 31 ) SAMSON AND DELILAH - Middle Of The Road # 30

 

31 ( 38 ) CAN’T FIND MY WAY HOME - Yvonne Elliman # 31

32 ( 40 ) MAD ABOUT YOU - Bruce Ruffin # 32

33 ( 24 ) YOU DON’T KNOW LIKE I KNOW - The Pioneers # 20

34 ( 26 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO - Ringo Starr # 10

35 ( 25 ) LOOK WHAT YOU DONE FOR ME - Al Green # 18

36 ( 34 ) 10538 OVERTURE - Electric Light Orchestra # 1

37 ( 32 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” (SPEAK SOFTLY LOVE) - Andy Williams # 26

38 ( 45 ) SONG, SUNG BLUE - Neil Diamond # 38

39 ( 33 ) I AM WHAT I AM - Greyhound # 8

40 ( 36 ) WITHOUT YOU - Nilsson # 1

 

41 ( 37 ) CRYING, LAUGHING , LOVING, LYING - Labi Siffre # 7

42 ( 41 ) LIFE ON MARS? - David Bowie # 1

43 ( 42 ) STORM IN A TEACUP - The Fortunes # 1

44 ( 44 ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU - The Angelettes # 20

45 ( 39 ) AMAZING GRACE - The Pipes & Drums of The Royal Scots Dragoons Guard Band # 20

46 ( 47 ) A LITTLE PIECE OF LEATHER - Donnie Elbert # 46

47 ( 43 ) I AM A CLOWN - David Cassidy # 5

48 ( 50 ) SISTER JANE - New World # 48

49 ( 65 ) BEING IN LOVE - The Chi-Lites # 49

50 ( 63 ) OH LOVE (WELL WE FINALLY MADE IT) - Smoke # 50

 

51 ( 57 ) LITTLE BIT OF LOVE - Free # 51

52 ( 52 ) CALIFORNIA MAN - The Move # 52

53 ( 59 ) WHAT’S YOUR NAME - Chicory Tip # 53

54 ( 61 ) BEAUTIFUL BROTHER OF MINE - Curtis Mayfield # 54

55 ( NEW ) TAKE ME BAK ‘OME - Slade # 55

56 ( 58 ) TROGLODYTE (CAVE MAN) - The Jimmy Castor Bunch # 56

57 ( NEW ) NUT ROCKER - B. Bumble & The Stingers # 57

58 ( 55 ) HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) - John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir # 1

59 ( 69 ) COCONUT - Nilsson # 59

60 ( 71 ) I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE - Michael Jackson # 60

 

61 ( 54 ) THIRD FINGER LEFT HAND - The Pearls # 39

62 ( 46 ) STIR IT UP - Johnny Nash # 29

63 ( NEW ) FIRE WATER EARTH & AIR - Julie Felix # 63

64 ( 72 ) SUPERSONIC ROCKET SHIP - The Kinks # 64

65 ( 68 ) SUPERWOMAN (WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I NEEDED YOU) - Stevie Wonder # 65

66 ( NEW ) LITTLE WILLY - The Sweet # 66

67 ( NEW ) ALL THE KING’S HORSES - Aretha Franklin # 67

68 ( 66 ) I BELIEVE (IN LOVE) - Hot Chocolate # 1

69 ( 67 ) SIMPLE GAME - The Four Tops # 1

70 ( 74 ) THUNDERWING - T.Rex # 70

 

71 ( NEW ) DON’T GO DOWN TO RENO - Tony Christie # 71

72 ( 73 ) IT’S DIFFERENT NOW - Clodagh Rodgers # 72

73 ( 75 ) TAKE IT EASY - The Eagles # 73

74 ( NEW ) HERE IT COMES - Strawbs # 74

75 ( NEW ) VICIOUS CIRCLE - The Real Thing # 75

 

 

 

 

21st May 1972 my charts of the time

 

It's Metal Guru holding firm as my fave record of 50 years ago and just in time for me to record it in good quality as I moved my reel-to-reel next to our stereo radio/record player downstairs, after months of using a hand microphone in all it's tinny quality off the upstairs radio. Diana Ross Doobe doo's rather a lot at 3, new in on the back of her fab Surrender and I'm Still Waiting. Lindisfarne get a top 10 with the lovely Lady Eleanor, and Don McLean gets a 2nd as Vincent, about Van Gogh and my middle name, enters at 7. New World make it 4 in a row with Sister Jane at 8, and The Moody Blues bring back the 60's with Isn't Life Strange, all symphonic at 9.

 

Jonathan King's attempt to get a girl group going, The Angelettes, starts with Don't Let Him Touch You, a big fave of mine at the time in the breakers at 24, and The Pearls (see Sue & Sunny, Brotherhood Of Man) cover martha reeves' Third Finger Left hand at 25, and The Strawbs debut Here It Comes at 26 ahead of their next single chart debut. That's nothing though, Alan Freeman played Liverpool soul-funk band The Real Thing's Vicious Circle 4 years ahead of their chart-topper. I liked it, and ditto Clodagh Rodgers' last personal chart entry for 4 years, It's Different Now.

 

1 ( 1 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex

2 ( 3 ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY - Hurricane Smith

3 ( NEW ) DOOBEDOOD’NDOOBE DOOBEDOOD’NDO - Diana Ross

4 ( 4 ) AT THE CLUB/SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES - The Drifters

5 ( 2 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John

6 ( 14 ) LADY ELEANOR - Lindisfarne

7 ( NEW ) VINCENT - Don McLean

8 ( NEW ) SISTER JANE - New World

9 ( NEW ) ISN’T LIFE STRANGE - The Moody Blues

10 ( 6 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons

 

11 ( 5 ) WITHOUT YOU - Nilsson

12 ( 13 ) COULD IT BE FOREVER - David Cassidy

13 ( 8 ) OPEN UP - Mungo Jerry

14 ( 18 ) A WHITER SHADE OF PALE - Procol Harum

15 ( 11 ) ME AND JULIO DOWN BY THE SCHOOLYARD - Paul Simon

16 ( 12 ) RUNNIN’ AWAY - Sly & The Family Stone

17 ( 15 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO - Ringo Starr

18 ( 16 ) RUN RUN RUN - Jo Jo Gunne

19 ( 7 ) A THING CALLED LOVE - Johnny Cash

20 ( 10 ) TAKE A LOOK AROUND - The Temptations

 

21 ( 23 ) TUMBLING DICE - The Rolling Stones

22 ( 26 ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes

23 ( 27 ) THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT - Dave Newman

24 ( NEW ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU - The Angelettes

25 ( NEW ) THIRD FINGER LEFT HAND - The Pearls

26 ( NEW ) HERE IT COMES - The Strawbs

27 ( 29 ) MARY ANN - Hot Chocolate

28 ( 28 ) CHANTILLY LACE - Jerry Lee Lewis

29 ( NEW ) IT’S DIFFERENT NOW - Clodagh Rodgers

30 ( NEW ) VICIOUS CIRCLE - The Real Thing

28th May 1972

 

It's straight in at 1 for a rock icon - Ziggy Stardust has debuted on Lift On With Ayshea trialling David Bowie's Top Of The Pops appearance shortly with Starman. I watched Starman and loved it right off, but sadly the tapes (like most Lift Off's and most Top Of The Pops from the early 70's) have been wiped. The single had been out a few weeks already, to no impact, but it's Bowie's 3rd Retro chart-topper for me, and the fab B side also enters at 44, Suffragette City. Bung in Alice Cooper's climb to 3 with School's Out and it's starting to look very Glam indeed.

 

In at 14, with the Motown label new album out this week, it's Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons wonderful Northern Soul smash, The Night. Sadly the smash was 1975, 3 years late, and the album sank without trace at the time, leaving the band another 3 years for the re-invention, and Warner Brothers the next label to try (successfully) to re-launch the 60's icons. One of the greatest back catalogue's for the Jersey Boys even by 1972. At 27, one of The New Seekers' best records is new in, Circles still sounds convincing. Also back with a new follow-up, The Fortunes had sadly already had their final chart record, as Baby By The Way flopped, very undeservedly I thought at the time, and still do.

 

At 65, Johnny Nash debuts the title track of his new album as his tour hits Bournemouth 50 years ago (where I work), I Can See Clearly Now is his signature song, of course, and he wrote it himself this time, who needs Bob Marley, eh? Dusty's back with a lush ballad, Yesterday When I Was Young had already been released in 1964 for Charles Aznavour (as Hier Encore), and a US hit in 1969 for Roy Clark, and covered by dozens by 1972. Dusty or Charles for me, anyday, sorry Bing, Bassey, Mathis etc, though Glen Campbell and Marc Almond are also acceptable versions!

 

Edwin Starr is back in Funky 'War' stylee, Sho Nuff Turns Me On, Mac Davis' country ballad Baby Don;t Get Hooked On Me is out in the USA and a future UK hit, Donny Osmond covers old pop hit Too Young as the race to get the recordings in before his voice breaks by the end of the year. My voice was also breaking around the same time, and one of the hot movies reviewed in Words hit song lyrics magazine (I was buying that and Disco 45 into 1973 monthly, which is where I can pick up a lot of what was going on then, along with Record Mirror and Billboard) was How To Steal A Diamond In Four Uneasy Lessons, or The Hot Rock as it was known in the States. Robert Redford, George Segal (recently in The Goldbergs until his death last year), Zero Mostel (The Producers), starred and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's obscure now.

 

The Pioneers release yet another winning reggae track, a non-hit again, sadly, Roll Muddy River, at 71, Argent follow-up with minor hit Tragedy, still sounding decent, The Undisputed Truth beat The Temptations to Papa Was A Rolling Stone, a bit more funked up than the sprawling epic we all know, Deep Purple album track and future famous riff Smoke On The Water pops in, I've no idea when it became a single (if at all) till the live hit version in 1977, but the album Machine Head is out anyway, so doing it now while I remember. Finally, Looking Glass' huge US hit and UK flop is out in the States, Brandy (You're A Fine Girl). I got it on my copy of 22 Electric Hits,a K-Tel album with a yellow cover that featured quite a few of the songs on the chart here. I was never a huge fan of the jazz-vibed singalong ballad, but hey it featured in a Marvel movie (Guardians Of The Galaxy 2), and so did Robert Redford (Captain America: Winter Soldier). I mention these as in 1972 I was a huge superhero comics fan, and if 14-year-old me could have seen those movies, he would have had his mind utterly blown away by those films. The Poseidon Adventure was pretty damn exciting in 1972 and that is tame by 2022 standards.

 

1 ( NEW ) STARMAN - David Bowie # 1

2 ( 1 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE - David Cassidy # 1

3 ( 12 ) SCHOOL’S OUT - Alice Cooper # 3

4 ( 2 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex # 1

5 ( 6 ) WHERE IS THE LOVE - Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway # 5

6 ( 3 ) THE TALK OF ALL THE U.S.A. - Middle Of The Road # 2

7 ( 4 ) LADY ELEANOR - Lindisfarne # 4

8 ( 9 ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes # 8

9 ( 5 ) POPCORN - Hot Butter # 5

10 ( 7 ) TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 7

 

11 ( 8 ) DIARY - Bread # 3

12 ( 10 ) LEAN ON ME - Bill Withers # 1

13 ( 11 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1

14 ( NEW ) THE NIGHT - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons # 14

15 ( 14 ) ROCK & ROLL PART II - Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 2

16 ( 19 ) AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE - The Supremes # 16

17 ( 17 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons # 1

18 ( 15 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John # 1

19 ( 23 ) MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB - Paul McCartney & Wings # 19

20 ( 16 ) OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites # 1

 

21 ( 18 ) CONQUISTADOR - Procol Harum & The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra # 18

22 ( 21 ) HELLO IT’S ME - Todd Rundgren # 1

23 ( 13 ) WADE IN THE WATER - Ramsey Lewis # 8

24 ( 22 ) WALK IN THE NIGHT - Junior Walker & The All Stars # 4

25 ( 24 ) I SAW THE LIGHT - Todd Rundgren # 1

26 ( 32 ) MAD ABOUT YOU - Bruce Ruffin # 26

27 ( NEW ) CIRCLES - The New Seekers # 27

28 ( 26 ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? - Hurricane Smith # 9

29 ( 20 ) DOOBEDOOD’NDOOBE DOOBEDOOD’NDO - Diana Ross # 20

30 ( 25 ) THING - Edwina Biglet & The Miglets # 25

 

31 ( 29 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE - Michael Jackson # 1

32 ( 30 ) SAMSON AND DELILAH - Middle Of The Road # 30

33 ( 28 ) ELMO JAMES - Chairmen Of The Board # 16

34 ( 31 ) CAN’T FIND MY WAY HOME - Yvonne Elliman # 31

35 ( 38 ) SONG, SUNG BLUE - Neil Diamond # 35

36 ( 49 ) BEING IN LOVE - The Chi-Lites # 36

37 ( 50 ) OH LOVE (WELL WE FINALLY MADE IT) - Smoke # 37

38 ( 48 ) SISTER JANE - New World # 38

39 ( 36 ) 10538 OVERTURE - Electric Light Orchestra # 1

40 ( 54 ) BEAUTIFUL BROTHER OF MINE - Curtis Mayfield # 40

 

41 ( 55 ) TAKE ME BAK ‘OME - Slade # 41

42 ( 40 ) WITHOUT YOU - Nilsson # 1

43 ( 42 ) LIFE ON MARS? - David Bowie # 1

44 ( NEW ) SUFFRAGETTE CITY - David Bowie # 44

45 ( 43 ) STORM IN A TEACUP - The Fortunes # 1

46 ( 57 ) NUT ROCKER - B. Bumble & The Stingers # 46

47 ( 27 ) OUTA-SPACE - Billy Preston # 27

48 ( NEW ) BABY BY THE WAY - The Fortunes # 48

49 ( 63 ) FIRE WATER EARTH & AIR - Julie Felix # 49

50 ( 53 ) WHAT’S YOUR NAME - Chicory Tip # 50

 

51 ( 51 ) LITTLE BIT OF LOVE - Free # 51

52 ( 34 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO - Ringo Starr # 10

53 ( 33 ) YOU DON’T KNOW LIKE I KNOW - The Pioneers # 20

54 ( 39 ) I AM WHAT I AM - Greyhound # 8

55 ( 41 ) CRYING, LAUGHING , LOVING, LYING - Labi Siffre # 7

56 ( 47 ) I AM A CLOWN - David Cassidy # 5

57 ( 35 ) LOOK WHAT YOU DONE FOR ME - Al Green # 18

58 ( 37 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” (SPEAK SOFTLY LOVE) - Andy Williams # 26

59 ( 59 ) COCONUT - Nilsson # 59

60 ( 60 ) I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE - Michael Jackson # 60

 

61 ( 46 ) A LITTLE PIECE OF LEATHER - Donnie Elbert # 46

62 ( 44 ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU - The Angelettes # 20

63 ( 45 ) AMAZING GRACE - The Pipes & Drums of The Royal Scots Dragoons Guard Band # 20

64 ( 64 ) SUPERSONIC ROCKET SHIP - The Kinks # 64

65 ( NEW ) I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW - Johnny Nash # 65

66 ( 66 ) LITTLE WILLY - The Sweet # 66

67 ( NEW ) YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS YOUNG - Dusty Springfield # 67

68 ( NEW ) FUNKY MUSIC SHO’ NUFF TURNS ME ON - Edwin Starr # 68

69 ( NEW ) BABY DON’T GET HOOKED ON ME - Mac Davis # 69

70 ( NEW ) TOO YOUNG - Donny Osmond # 70

 

 

71 ( NEW ) ROLL MUDDY RIVER - The Pioneers # 71

72 ( NEW ) TRAGEDY - Argent # 72

73 ( NEW ) PAPA WAS A ROLLIN’ STONE - The Undisputed Truth # 73

74 ( NEW ) BRANDY (YOU’RE A FINE GIRL) - Looking Glass # 74

75 ( NEW ) SMOKE ON THE WATER - Deep Purple # 75

 

 

My 28th May 1972 charts of the time

 

It's 3 weeks on top for Metal Guru as Chicory Tip keep the Giorgio Moroder songs and synths going with the less-good follow up What's Your Name, ahead of the first proper all-synth hit coming soon. Donnie Elbert dropped out of the top 30 last week, and became ineligible for my UK top 30-based top 20 (a stupid rule I stuck to until 1974) but he's back in this week so he re-enters with A Little Piece Of Leather at a new peak of 6.

 

The Move debut with California Man, their last single together under-performing, but not to worry, a rebrand is around the corner and a chart-topper will emerge soon. Back to the heights of Blackberry Way (eg a number one in my charts of the time, 1969). New at 27, Wings hit the breakers section with new non-controversial tuneful single for Macca's kids, Mary Had A Little Lamb, Jackson Browne debuts with future Jackson 5 hit, Doctor My Eyes at 28, Neil Diamond has his last chart hit for 4 years with Song Sung Blue at 29, and Chakachas pop in at 30 with the naughty funky Jungle Fever.

 

 

 

1 ( 1 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex

2 ( NEW ) WHAT’S YOUR NAME - Chicory Tip

3 ( 7 ) VINCENT - Don McLean

4 ( 2 ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY - Hurricane Smith

5 ( 3 ) DOOBEDOOD’NDOOBE DOOBEDOOD’NDO - Diana Ross

6 ( RE ) A LITTLE PIECE OF LEATHER - Donnie Elbert

7 ( 5 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John

8 ( 12 ) COULD IT BE FOREVER - David Cassidy

9 ( 4 ) AT THE CLUB/SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES - The Drifters

10 ( 11 ) WITHOUT YOU - Nilsson

 

 

11 ( 10 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons

12 ( 15 ) ME AND JULIO DOWN BY THE SCHOOLYARD - Paul Simon

13 ( 13 ) OPEN UP - Mungo Jerry

14 ( 9 ) ISN’T LIFE STRANGE - The Moody Blues

15 ( 17 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO - Ringo Starr

16 ( 18 ) RUN RUN RUN - Jo Jo Gunne

17 ( 16 ) RUNNIN’ AWAY - Sly & The Family Stone

18 ( 8 ) SISTER JANE - New World

19 ( NEW ) CALIFORNIA MAN - The Move

20 ( 19 ) A THING CALLED LOVE - Johnny Cash

 

21 ( 20 ) TAKE A LOOK AROUND - The Temptations

22 ( 22 ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes

23 ( 24 ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU - The Angelettes

24 ( 25 ) THIRD FINGER LEFT HAND - The Pearls

25 ( 27 ) MARY ANN - Hot Chocolate

26 ( 26 ) HERE IT COMES - The Strawbs

27 ( NEW ) MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB - Wings

28 ( NEW ) DOCTOR MY EYES - Jackson Browne

29 ( NEW ) SONG SUNG BLUE - Neil Diamond

30 ( NEW ) JUNGLE FEVER - Chakachas

4th June 1972

 

It's up to the top spot for Alice Cooper's School's Out anthem, still sounding fresh for a Glam top 3. The highest new entry is The Jackson 5's Lookin' Through The Windows at 7, title track of the new album from the Jackson's, and UK hit single around Christmas 1972. Quite why it took so long to come out? Who knows! The single after that, a cover of Jackson Browne's Doctor My Eyes took even longer, spring 1973 and I'm not even sure it came out in the USA (as he had already had a hit by then with his own song). Anyway, that's in at 53.

 

The Hollies debut Allan Clarke back on lead vocal and a new sound. The sound being Creedence Clearwater Revival, and outdoing CCR with Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress), new at 44. ABBA debut proper now, as a collective act (albeit not with the name yet), with People Need Love and we get into tracks on their optimistically-titled (for the UK) Greatest Hits in 1976 which sold in bucketloads, and which I bought and played to death. The record is very catchy, and takes it's cue from Focus' Hocus Pocus in bringing back a spot of yodelling to the charts.

 

Gilbert O'Sullivan is back, with another ditty, Ooh-Wakka-Doo-Wakka-Day at 68 being a bit jollier than the previous one, Gladys Knight & The Pips have a UK release of Just In Walk In My Shoes as Motown scrape the barrel for tracks ahead of their exit to Buddha. Soon as acts left Motown, they loved to dig out stuff to keep on releasing. Elton John's Honky Cat is the next single off Elton John's current album, and as jolly as Gilbert, which is a departure for Reg. He'll be rewarded with a minor hit. The Grass Roots are still able to put out decent 60's-flavoured tracks, The Runway sounding like 1969 or so rather than 1972, which is fine by me. And finally, Helen Reddy is back with her women's anthem I Am Woman. Hear Me Roar. I eventually charted it in 1975 when it got reissued in the UK following Angie Baby's success, but didn't in 1972 originally.

 

 

1 ( 3 ) SCHOOL’S OUT - Alice Cooper # 1

2 ( 1 ) STARMAN - David Bowie # 1

3 ( 4 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex # 1

4 ( 2 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE - David Cassidy # 1

5 ( 8 ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes # 5

6 ( 6 ) THE TALK OF ALL THE U.S.A. - Middle Of The Road # 2

7 ( NEW ) LOOKIN’ THROUGH THE WINDOWS - The Jackson 5 # 7

8 ( 14 ) THE NIGHT - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons # 8

9 ( 5 ) WHERE IS THE LOVE - Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway # 5

10 ( 9 ) POPCORN - Hot Butter # 5

 

11 ( 10 ) TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 7

12 ( 7 ) LADY ELEANOR - Lindisfarne # 4

13 ( 11 ) DIARY - Bread # 3

14 ( 12 ) LEAN ON ME - Bill Withers # 1

15 ( 19 ) MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB - Paul McCartney & Wings # 15

16 ( 13 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1

17 ( 17 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons # 1

18 ( 27 ) CIRCLES - The New Seekers # 18

19 ( 26 ) MAD ABOUT YOU - Bruce Ruffin # 19

20 ( 16 ) AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE - The Supremes # 16

 

21 ( 15 ) ROCK & ROLL PART II - Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 2

22 ( 18 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John # 1

23 ( 20 ) OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites # 1

24 ( 22 ) HELLO IT’S ME - Todd Rundgren # 1

25 ( 25 ) I SAW THE LIGHT - Todd Rundgren # 1

26 ( 24 ) WALK IN THE NIGHT - Junior Walker & The All Stars # 4

27 ( 36 ) BEING IN LOVE - The Chi-Lites # 27

28 ( 23 ) WADE IN THE WATER - Ramsey Lewis # 8

29 ( 48 ) BABY BY THE WAY - The Fortunes # 29

30 ( 41 ) TAKE ME BAK ‘OME - Slade # 30

 

31 ( 31 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE - Michael Jackson # 1

32 ( 37 ) OH LOVE (WELL WE FINALLY MADE IT) - Smoke # 32

33 ( 46 ) NUT ROCKER - B. Bumble & The Stingers # 33

34 ( 21 ) CONQUISTADOR - Procol Harum & The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra # 18

35 ( 44 ) SUFFRAGETTE CITY - David Bowie # 35

36 ( 28 ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? - Hurricane Smith # 9

37 ( 38 ) SISTER JANE - New World # 37

38 ( 50 ) WHAT’S YOUR NAME - Chicory Tip # 38

39 ( 51 ) LITTLE BIT OF LOVE - Free # 39

40 ( 40 ) BEAUTIFUL BROTHER OF MINE - Curtis Mayfield # 40

 

41 ( 29 ) DOOBEDOOD’NDOOBE DOOBEDOOD’NDO - Diana Ross # 20

42 ( 49 ) FIRE WATER EARTH & AIR - Julie Felix # 42

43 ( 39 ) 10538 OVERTURE - Electric Light Orchestra # 1

44 ( NEW ) LONG COOL WOMAN (IN A BLACK DRESS) - The Hollies # 44

45 ( 43 ) LIFE ON MARS? - David Bowie # 1

46 ( 42 ) WITHOUT YOU - Nilsson # 1

47 ( 33 ) ELMO JAMES - Chairmen Of The Board # 16

48 ( 45 ) STORM IN A TEACUP - The Fortunes # 1

49 ( 35 ) SONG, SUNG BLUE - Neil Diamond # 35

50 ( 32 ) SAMSON AND DELILAH - Middle Of The Road # 30

 

51 ( 30 ) THING - Edwina Biglet & The Miglets # 25

52 ( 34 ) CAN’T FIND MY WAY HOME - Yvonne Elliman # 31

53 ( NEW ) DOCTOR MY EYES - The Jackson 5 # 53

54 ( 60 ) I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE - Michael Jackson # 54

55 ( NEW ) PEOPLE NEED LOVE - ABBA # 55

56 ( 61 ) A LITTLE PIECE OF LEATHER - Donnie Elbert # 46

57 ( 65 ) I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW - Johnny Nash # 57

58 ( 66 ) LITTLE WILLY - The Sweet # 58

59 ( 59 ) COCONUT - Nilsson # 59

60 ( 67 ) YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS YOUNG - Dusty Springfield # 60

 

61 ( 68 ) FUNKY MUSIC SHO’ NUFF TURNS ME ON - Edwin Starr # 61

62 ( 70 ) TOO YOUNG - Donny Osmond # 62

63 ( 64 ) SUPERSONIC ROCKET SHIP - The Kinks # 63

64 ( 71 ) ROLL MUDDY RIVER - The Pioneers # 64

65 ( 56 ) I AM A CLOWN - David Cassidy # 5

66 ( 69 ) BABY DON’T GET HOOKED ON ME - Mac Davis # 66

67 ( 73 ) PAPA WAS A ROLLIN’ STONE - The Undisputed Truth # 67

68 ( NEW ) OOH-WAKKA-DOO-WAKKA-DAY - Gilbert O’Sullivan # 68

69 ( 72 ) TRAGEDY - Argent # 69

70 ( 52 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO - Ringo Starr # 10

 

71 ( NEW ) JUST WALK IN MY SHOES - Gladys Knight & The Pips # 71

72 ( 74 ) BRANDY (YOU’RE A FINE GIRL) - Looking Glass # 72

73 ( NEW ) HONKY CAT - Elton John # 73

74 ( NEW ) THE RUNWAY - The Grass Roots # 74

75 ( NEW ) I AM WOMAN - Helen Reddy # 75

 

 

4th June 1972 charts of the time, wot I liked then.

 

 

It's up to the top spot for Paul McCartney's second chart-topper, after Another Day in 1971, with the cute Mary had A Little Lamb. I was 14 and am not ashamed! On that theme Michael Jackson gets a second solo top 10 with the old pop ditty Rockin' Robin new at 4, and Slade make it 3 top 5's in a row with Take Me Bak 'Ome at 5. Down the bottom end some sweet soul from The Chi-Lites follows-up Have You Seen Her with Oh Girl, 1962 UK chart-topper Nut Rocker is revived with a bit of hep from Emerson, lake & Palmers minor US hit version of the B. Bumble version of the Tchaikovsky famous classical Nutcracker Suite melody. And The Staple Singers funky I'll Take You There pops in at 30.

 

 

1 ( 27 ) MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB - Wings

2 ( 1 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex

3 ( 2 ) WHAT’S YOUR NAME - Chicory Tip

4 ( NEW ) ROCKIN’ ROBIN - Michael Jackson

5 ( NEW ) TAKE ME BAK ‘OME - Slade

6 ( 4 ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY - Hurricane Smith

7 ( 3 ) VINCENT - Don McLean

8 ( 7 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John

9 ( 11 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons

10 ( 5 ) DOOBEDOOD’NDOOBE DOOBEDOOD’NDO - Diana Ross

 

 

11 ( 9 ) AT THE CLUB/SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES - The Drifters

12 ( 8 ) COULD IT BE FOREVER - David Cassidy

13 ( 6 ) A LITTLE PIECE OF LEATHER - Donnie Elbert

14 ( 12 ) ME AND JULIO DOWN BY THE SCHOOLYARD - Paul Simon

15 ( 19 ) CALIFORNIA MAN - The Move

16 ( RE ) LEEDS UNITED - Leeds United F.C.

17 ( RE ) A WHITER SHADE OF PALE - Procol Harum

18 ( 17 ) RUNNIN’ AWAY - Sly & The Family Stone

19 ( 20 ) A THING CALLED LOVE - Johnny Cash

20 ( 13 ) OPEN UP - Mungo Jerry

21 ( RE ) ISN’T LIFE STRANGE - Moody Blues

22 ( 22 ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes

23 ( 24 ) THIRD FINGER LEFT HAND - The Pearls

24 ( 30 ) JUNGLE FEVER - Chakachas

25 ( 26 ) HERE IT COMES - The Strawbs

26 ( NEW ) OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites

27 ( NEW ) NUT ROCKER - B.Bumble & The Stingers

28 ( 28 ) DOCTOR MY EYES - Jackson Browne

29 ( 29 ) SONG SUNG BLUE - Neil Diamond

30 ( NEW ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE - The Staple Singers

11th June 1972

 

It's up to number one for The Jackson 5 as they get a second chart-topper, following I'll Be There in 1970 in the retro countdown, and a 4th for Michael Jackson including solo toppers Got To Be There and Ain't No Sunshine. Frankie Valli hits a new peak of 3 with the biggest Four Seasons song in the retro lists - but that's not including any of the 60's classics predating 1987, of which Rag Doll would be a definite number one. The New Seekers get a 4th top 10 single, their first since Never Ending Song Of Love, and Wings get a first - or Macca gets a 4th outside The Beatles, depending on how you look at it.

 

Ziggy's out this week, so it's a mini-invasion of Bowie tracks, a total of 6 from the album. The Who get the highest new entry though, Join Together being their best single since, ooh, tracks off the Tommy album. No I havent forgotten Won't Get Fooled Again, sorry! Smokey Robinson is still adding to his 6th year of chart-tracks, and The Stylistics are slowly building theirs up too as smooth soul is always popular with me. That leaves the glam-forgotten 60's hitsters The Troggs still making decent singles, and being ignored, with Everything's Funny new in. It'll take REM to give them a mini-revival, though.

 

Oh, and Donald Peers gets a second chart mention 3 years after Please Don't Go. He seemed ancient, and from the black and white silent movie days of pre-history, but I still liked him. Donald was 63, 6 months younger than I am now. Kate Bush has topped the charts this week at 63, the oldest person ever to do it. Just saying...63 is the new 43! Oh, and Donald's signature tune Babbling Brook, as I know it, will be topping the charts in just over 12 months, partially rewritten as Angel Fingers by Roy Wood. These days it would be billed as Roy Wood & Wizzard featuring Donald Peers with a sample thrown in.

 

1 ( 7 ) LOOKIN’ THROUGH THE WINDOWS - The Jackson 5 # 1

2 ( 1 ) SCHOOL’S OUT - Alice Cooper # 1

3 ( 8 ) THE NIGHT - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons # 3

4 ( 2 ) STARMAN - David Bowie # 1

5 ( 4 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE - David Cassidy # 1

6 ( 3 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex # 1

7 ( 5 ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes # 5

8 ( 18 ) CIRCLES - The New Seekers # 8

9 ( 6 ) THE TALK OF ALL THE U.S.A. - Middle Of The Road # 2

10 ( 15 ) MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB - Paul McCartney & Wings # 10

 

11 ( 9 ) WHERE IS THE LOVE - Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway # 5

12 ( 19 ) MAD ABOUT YOU - Bruce Ruffin # 12

13 ( 10 ) POPCORN - Hot Butter # 5

14 ( 13 ) DIARY - Bread # 3

15 ( 14 ) LEAN ON ME - Bill Withers # 1

16 ( 11 ) TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 7

17 ( 12 ) LADY ELEANOR - Lindisfarne # 4

18 ( 16 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1

19 ( 17 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons # 1

20 ( 42 ) FIRE WATER EARTH & AIR - Julie Felix # 20

 

21 ( 20 ) AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE - The Supremes # 16

22 ( 21 ) ROCK & ROLL PART II - Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 2

23 ( 22 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John # 1

24 ( 24 ) HELLO IT’S ME - Todd Rundgren # 1

25 ( 25 ) I SAW THE LIGHT - Todd Rundgren # 1

26 ( 29 ) BABY BY THE WAY - The Fortunes # 26

27 ( 33 ) NUT ROCKER - B. Bumble & The Stingers # 27

28 ( 35 ) SUFFRAGETTE CITY - David Bowie # 28

29 ( 57 ) I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW - Johnny Nash # 29

30 ( 23 ) OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites # 1

 

31 ( 31 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE - Michael Jackson # 1

32 ( 26 ) WALK IN THE NIGHT - Junior Walker & The All Stars # 4

33 ( 28 ) WADE IN THE WATER - Ramsey Lewis # 8

34 ( 38 ) WHAT’S YOUR NAME - Chicory Tip # 34

35 ( 39 ) LITTLE BIT OF LOVE - Free # 35

36 ( 53 ) DOCTOR MY EYES - The Jackson 5 # 36

37 ( 44 ) LONG COOL WOMAN (IN A BLACK DRESS) - The Hollies # 37

38 ( 37 ) SISTER JANE - New World # 37

39 ( 27 ) BEING IN LOVE - The Chi-Lites # 27

40 ( 30 ) TAKE ME BAK ‘OME - Slade # 30

 

41 ( 36 ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? - Hurricane Smith # 9

42 ( 32 ) OH LOVE (WELL WE FINALLY MADE IT) - Smoke # 32

43 ( 40 ) BEAUTIFUL BROTHER OF MINE - Curtis Mayfield # 40

44 ( 34 ) CONQUISTADOR - Procol Harum & The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra # 18

45 ( 54 ) I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE - Michael Jackson # 45

46 ( 43 ) 10538 OVERTURE - Electric Light Orchestra # 1

47 ( 55 ) PEOPLE NEED LOVE - ABBA # 47

48 ( 45 ) LIFE ON MARS? - David Bowie # 1

49 ( 46 ) WITHOUT YOU - Nilsson # 1

50 ( 60 ) YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS YOUNG - Dusty Springfield # 50

 

51 ( 41 ) DOOBEDOOD’NDOOBE DOOBEDOOD’NDO - Diana Ross # 20

52 ( 48 ) STORM IN A TEACUP - The Fortunes # 1

53 ( 62 ) TOO YOUNG - Donny Osmond # 53

54 ( 67 ) PAPA WAS A ROLLIN’ STONE - The Undisputed Truth # 54

55 ( 61 ) FUNKY MUSIC SHO’ NUFF TURNS ME ON - Edwin Starr # 55

56 ( 58 ) LITTLE WILLY - The Sweet # 56

57 ( 64 ) ROLL MUDDY RIVER - The Pioneers # 57

58 ( 69 ) TRAGEDY - Argent # 58

59 ( 71 ) JUST WALK IN MY SHOES - Gladys Knight & The Pips # 59

60 ( 63 ) SUPERSONIC ROCKET SHIP - The Kinks # 60

 

61 ( 74 ) THE RUNWAY - The Grass Roots # 61

62 ( 66 ) BABY DON’T GET HOOKED ON ME - Mac Davis # 62

63 ( 68 ) OOH-WAKKA-DOO-WAKKA-DAY - Gilbert O’Sullivan # 63

64 ( NEW ) JOIN TOGETHER - The Who # 64

65 ( 75 ) I AM WOMAN - Helen Reddy # 65

66 ( 73 ) HONKY CAT - Elton John # 66

67 ( NEW ) WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO END IT NOW - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles # 67

68 ( NEW ) HANG ON TO YOURSELF - David Bowie # 68

69 ( 72 ) BRANDY (YOU’RE A FINE GIRL) - Looking Glass # 69

70 ( NEW ) MOONAGE DAYDREAM - David Bowie # 70

 

71 ( NEW ) EVERYTHING’S FUNNY - The Troggs # 71

72 ( NEW ) ROCK ‘N’ ROLL SUICIDE - David Bowie # 72

73 ( NEW ) PEOPLE MAKE THE WORLD GO ROUND - The Stylistics # 73

74 ( NEW ) ZIGGY STARDUST - David Bowie # 74

75 ( NEW ) GIVE ME ONE MORE CHANCE - Donald Peers # 75

 

 

11th June 1972 My charts of that week at the time

 

It's a first week on top for The Chi-Lites, as Oh Girl does even better than Have You Seen Her, 1972 very much being the the year of slick smooth soul for me. Highest new entry, though, are 60's faves The Kinks, back with a spot of old-sounding sci-fi-themed jaunty pop. I was always going to like anything about rocketships, but it's no Lola or Waterloo Sunset. Neil Diamond makes it 4 top 10's in a row, and Chakachas get a bit of funky naughtiness onto Radio Luxembourg. Radio 1 not so keen.

 

Future huge star Gary Glitter debuts quietly with the very Glam Rock & Roll Part 2, basically an instrumental and still brilliantly rifftastic. I give credit to Mike Leander (producer/writer) and the Glitter Band. Paul Gadd just minced about a bit to grab the spotlight on Top Of The Pops. Nilsson follows up an epic ballad with a throwaway whimsy, Coconut (lost opportunity!) and Al Green has another decent soul ballad for a hat-trick of chart action. On TV this week, McMillan & Wife was a fave, though more for Susan Saint James and housekeeper Mildred (Nancy Walker) & Sgt Enright (John Schuck) than bland lead Rock Hudson.

 

1 ( 26 ) OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites

2 ( 1 ) MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB - Wings

3 ( 4 ) ROCKIN’ ROBIN - Michael Jackson

4 ( 2 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex

5 ( NEW ) SUPERSONIC ROCKETSHIP - The Kinks

6 ( 29 ) SONG SUNG BLUE - Neil Diamond

7 ( 24 ) JUNGLE FEVER - Chakachas

8 ( 3 ) WHAT’S YOUR NAME - Chicory Tip

9 ( 6 ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY - Hurricane Smith

10 ( 10 ) DOOBEDOOD’NDOOBE DOOBEDOOD’NDO - Diana Ross

 

 

11 ( 5 ) TAKE ME BAK ‘OME - Slade

12 ( 15 ) CALIFORNIA MAN - The Move

13 ( 8 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John

14 ( 7 ) VINCENT - Don McLean

15 ( 13 ) A LITTLE PIECE OF LEATHER - Donnie Elbert

16 ( 11 ) AT THE CLUB/SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES - The Drifters

17 ( 14 ) ME AND JULIO DOWN BY THE SCHOOLYARD - Paul Simon

18 ( 12 ) COULD IT BE FOREVER - David Cassidy

19 ( RE ) LADY ELEANOR - Lindisfarne

20 ( 19 ) A THING CALLED LOVE - Johnny Cash

 

 

21 ( 17 ) A WHITER SHADE OF PALE - Procol Harum

22 ( 27 ) NUT ROCKER - B.Bumble & The Stingers

23 ( 30 ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE - The Staple Singers

24 ( 22 ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes

25 ( 23 ) THIRD FINGER LEFT HAND - The Pearls

26 ( NEW ) ROCK AND ROLL PART 2 - Gary Glitter

27 ( NEW ) COCONUT - Nilsson

28 ( 28 ) DOCTOR MY EYES - Jackson Browne

29 ( NEW ) LOOK WHAT YOU DONE FOR ME - Al Green

30 ( 9 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons

18th June 1972

 

It's straight in at 1 for The O'Jays family, and their classic Backstabbers, the record I like to think of as The Sound Of Philadelphia ground-zero. There were some before that set it up, but this was Philly dance classic, a Gamble & Huff production and written by Gamble, McFadden & Whitehead and sung by one of the great 70's dance acts. It's out in the USA this week and will chart pretty soon. It topped my charts in 72, and is still sounding good enough 50 years later to do it again. Not quite as big, another chart-topper of the time enters at 31 for The Partridge Family, and their decent cover of Neil Sedaka's 1960's biggie, Breaking Up Is Hard To Do - musicians on the record include most of the Wrecking Crew - so of course it's a decent production.

 

Third-highest new entry is a record that topped my charts on re-issue in 1978, Hawkwind's live metal classic Silver Machine, and chart debut for future punk metal legend Lemmy on vocals, new at 32. Play loud! He only had just over a year before his fatal plane crash took him away too young, but Jim Croce debuts with his jolly You Don't Mess Around With Jim at 69, The Osmonds' US-only single Hold Her Tight rocks in nicely to set up the next classic from the lads, and Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes aka Teddy Pendergrass and his less talented mates, debut with I Miss You. Setting up the next classic nicely.

 

1 ( NEW ) BACKSTABBERS - The O’Jays # 1

2 ( 1 ) LOOKIN’ THROUGH THE WINDOWS - The Jackson 5 # 1

3 ( 3 ) THE NIGHT - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons # 3

4 ( 2 ) SCHOOL’S OUT - Alice Cooper # 1

5 ( 4 ) STARMAN - David Bowie # 1

6 ( 5 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE - David Cassidy # 1

7 ( 6 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex # 1

8 ( 8 ) CIRCLES - The New Seekers # 8

9 ( 12 ) MAD ABOUT YOU - Bruce Ruffin # 9

10 ( 7 ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes # 5

 

11 ( 9 ) THE TALK OF ALL THE U.S.A. - Middle Of The Road # 2

12 ( 11 ) WHERE IS THE LOVE - Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway # 5

13 ( 13 ) POPCORN - Hot Butter # 5

14 ( 14 ) DIARY - Bread # 3

15 ( 15 ) LEAN ON ME - Bill Withers # 1

16 ( 16 ) TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 7

17 ( 17 ) LADY ELEANOR - Lindisfarne # 4

18 ( 20 ) FIRE WATER EARTH & AIR - Julie Felix # 18

19 ( 28 ) SUFFRAGETTE CITY - David Bowie # 19

20 ( 10 ) MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB - Paul McCartney & Wings # 10

 

21 ( 18 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1

22 ( 19 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons # 1

23 ( 22 ) ROCK & ROLL PART II - Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 2

24 ( 24 ) HELLO IT’S ME - Todd Rundgren # 1

25 ( 29 ) I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW - Johnny Nash # 25

26 ( 37 ) LONG COOL WOMAN (IN A BLACK DRESS) - The Hollies # 26

27 ( 25 ) I SAW THE LIGHT - Todd Rundgren # 1

28 ( 36 ) DOCTOR MY EYES - The Jackson 5 # 28

29 ( 21 ) AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE - The Supremes # 16

30 ( 23 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John # 1

31 ( NEW ) BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO - The Partridge Family Starring Shirley Jones & featuring David Cassidy # 31

32 ( NEW ) SILVER MACHINE - Hawkwind # 32

33 ( 26 ) BABY BY THE WAY - The Fortunes # 26

34 ( 34 ) WHAT’S YOUR NAME - Chicory Tip # 34

35 ( 31 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE - Michael Jackson # 1

36 ( 30 ) OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites # 1

37 ( 32 ) WALK IN THE NIGHT - Junior Walker & The All Stars # 4

38 ( 35 ) LITTLE BIT OF LOVE - Free # 35

39 ( 39 ) BEING IN LOVE - The Chi-Lites # 27

40 ( 50 ) YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS YOUNG - Dusty Springfield # 40

 

41 ( 33 ) WADE IN THE WATER - Ramsey Lewis # 8

42 ( 27 ) NUT ROCKER - B. Bumble & The Stingers # 27

43 ( 45 ) I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE - Michael Jackson # 43

44 ( 47 ) PEOPLE NEED LOVE - ABBA # 44

45 ( 38 ) SISTER JANE - New World # 37

46 ( 40 ) TAKE ME BAK ‘OME - Slade # 30

47 ( 41 ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? - Hurricane Smith # 9

48 ( 54 ) PAPA WAS A ROLLIN’ STONE - The Undisputed Truth # 48

49 ( 53 ) TOO YOUNG - Donny Osmond # 49

50 ( 46 ) 10538 OVERTURE - Electric Light Orchestra # 1

 

51 ( 56 ) LITTLE WILLY - The Sweet # 51

52 ( 48 ) LIFE ON MARS? - David Bowie # 1

53 ( 49 ) WITHOUT YOU - Nilsson # 1

54 ( 57 ) ROLL MUDDY RIVER - The Pioneers # 54

55 ( 55 ) FUNKY MUSIC SHO’ NUFF TURNS ME ON - Edwin Starr # 55

56 ( 61 ) THE RUNWAY - The Grass Roots # 56

57 ( 59 ) JUST WALK IN MY SHOES - Gladys Knight & The Pips # 57

58 ( 58 ) TRAGEDY - Argent # 58

59 ( 52 ) STORM IN A TEACUP - The Fortunes # 1

60 ( 62 ) BABY DON’T GET HOOKED ON ME - Mac Davis # 60

 

61 ( 64 ) JOIN TOGETHER - The Who # 61

62 ( 65 ) I AM WOMAN - Helen Reddy # 62

63 ( 63 ) OOH-WAKKA-DOO-WAKKA-DAY - Gilbert O’Sullivan # 63

64 ( 44 ) CONQUISTADOR - Procol Harum & The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra # 18

65 ( 66 ) HONKY CAT - Elton John # 65

66 ( 67 ) WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO END IT NOW - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles # 66

67 ( 72 ) ROCK ‘N’ ROLL SUICIDE - David Bowie # 67

68 ( 68 ) HANG ON TO YOURSELF - David Bowie # 68

69 ( NEW ) YOU DON’T MESS AROUND WITH JIM - Jim Croce # 69

70 ( 70 ) MOONAGE DAYDREAM - David Bowie # 70

 

71 ( 71 ) EVERYTHING’S FUNNY - The Troggs # 71

72 ( 73 ) PEOPLE MAKE THE WORLD GO ROUND - The Stylistics # 72

73 ( NEW ) HOLD HER TIGHT - The Osmonds # 73

74 ( 74 ) ZIGGY STARDUST - David Bowie # 74

75 ( NEW ) I MISS YOU PART 1 - Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes # 75

 

 

 

 

18th June 1972 my chart of the time

 

It's a new chart-topper for 1962's B.Bumble, I bought the single, and it was retro fun, showing I didn't mind at all loving ancient records from before my childhood memories, and holding off the newest Glam Rock popstars The Glitter Band. OK, it says Gary Glitter on the label but let's give credit to the Glitter Band on the largely instrumental Rock & Roll Part 2, and Mike Leander who co-wrote and produced it. Glitter basically added the "yeah"s. New at 5 and also moving into Glam Rock, The Sweet drop the Caribbean pop and enter into innuendo, ooh, no missus don't.

 

Elvis is back with Deep South songs and a Ray Stevens mash-up, An American Trilogy, new at 18, and Free debuting A Little Bit Of Love at 20. This was the first Free track I ever heard - I dont recall All Right Now getting played on Singapore radio in 1970. New at 28, The New Seekers cover the then-unknown Harry Chapin's Circles very nicely, while at 29 The Fortunes follow-up their chart-topper with Baby By The Way. Pity it was never a hit, it was a decent pop track.

 

1 ( 22 ) NUT ROCKER - B.Bumble & The Stingers

2 ( 26 ) ROCK AND ROLL PART 2 - Gary Glitter

3 ( 4 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex

4 ( 1 ) OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites

5 ( NEW ) LITTLE WILLY - The Sweet

6 ( 2 ) MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB - Wings

7 ( 9 ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY - Hurricane Smith

8 ( 8 ) WHAT’S YOUR NAME - Chicory Tip

9 ( 10 ) DOOBEDOOD’NDOOBE DOOBEDOOD’NDO - Diana Ross

10 ( 5 ) SUPERSONIC ROCKETSHIP - The Kinks

 

11 ( 3 ) ROCKIN’ ROBIN - Michael Jackson

12 ( 13 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John

13 ( 6 ) SONG SUNG BLUE - Neil Diamond

14 ( 11 ) TAKE ME BAK ‘OME - Slade

15 ( 18 ) COULD IT BE FOREVER - David Cassidy

16 ( 16 ) AT THE CLUB/SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES - The Drifters

17 ( 21 ) A WHITER SHADE OF PALE - Procol Harum

18 ( NEW ) AN AMERICAN TRILOGY - Elvis Presley

19 ( 12 ) CALIFORNIA MAN - The Move

20 ( NEW ) A LITTLE BIT OF LOVE - Free

 

 

21 ( 14 ) VINCENT - Don McLean

22 ( 20 ) A THING CALLED LOVE - Johnny Cash

23 ( 19 ) LADY ELEANOR - Lindisfarne

24 ( 23 ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE - The Staple Singers

25 ( 25 ) THIRD FINGER LEFT HAND - The Pearls

26 ( 7 ) JUNGLE FEVER - Chakachas

27 ( 24 ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes

28 ( NEW ) CIRCLES - The New Seekers

29 ( NEW ) BABY BY THE WAY - The Fortunes

30 ( 27 ) COCONUT - Nilsson

 

25th June 1972

 

It's back up for a second week on top for the brilliant and under-rated Lookin' Through The Windows, The Jackson 5 at their best, and the production is amazing, the strings and guitar work together beautifully for a sense of frantic emotion and frustration. Hawkwind and Lemmy get a first top with the fab Silver Machine, stomping and throbbing and sci-fi. Highest new entry is from the new album from Aphrodite's Child, the Greek trio about to spontaneously combust and go out on a Progrock high with 666. They split up soon after, but the album has become re-assessed in the decdades later and The Four Horsemen almost made the charts a year or two back, new at 50, behind Break at 18. A sort of gentle Jazz quirky ballad, Alan Freeman played it, I bought it a few years later on reissue in 1975, but it only ever hit the charts in the Netherlands, sadly, cos it's fab. The late Vangelis and Demis Roussos went on to great success, of course.

 

New at 28, The Trammps cover of the 1934 song made famous by Judy Garland is basically announcing in a low-key way "This Is Disco!" and indeed it is, as it took over 2 years to break the UK charts smack dab in disco fever in late 1974, but The Trammps got in very early. There's been some cornerstone attempts at what was to become disco music in the late 60's, but Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart has all the elements in place and deserves credit for getting in there before the rush. At 32, Mary Wells' 1964 Smokey Robinson creation, My Guy, is back again, and very nice too as old Motown is all the rage in 1972.

 

Al Green gets a 5th soul ballad onto my charts, I'm Still In Love With You continuing the class at 59, just ahead of reggae star Jimmy Cliff's title song from his Jamaican-urban themed movie The Harder They Come, and very good it is too. It would eventually become a hit for Rocker's Revenge in 1983. Richard Harris is back with his MacArthur Park, not one I'd noticed particularly at the time as charting again, and it charted in my retro 1968 charts. Todd Rundgren has a 3rd charter from his album, with It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference new in, ahead of bottom rung Rub It In, Dave Clark & Friends fresh off a Top Of The Pops appearance and still getting a flop. It's not bad, and extends their Retro run to 6 years nearly. Or 8 years if I ever manage to do 1964 to 1966.

 

1 ( 2 ) LOOKIN’ THROUGH THE WINDOWS - The Jackson 5 # 1

2 ( 1 ) BACK STABBERS - The O’Jays # 1

3 ( 3 ) THE NIGHT - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons # 3

4 ( 6 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE - David Cassidy # 1

5 ( 4 ) SCHOOL’S OUT - Alice Cooper # 1

6 ( 7 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex # 1

7 ( 5 ) STARMAN - David Bowie # 1

8 ( 11 ) THE TALK OF ALL THE U.S.A. - Middle Of The Road # 2

9 ( 32 ) SILVER MACHINE - Hawkwind # 9

10 ( 10 ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes # 5

 

11 ( 8 ) CIRCLES - The New Seekers # 8

12 ( 12 ) WHERE IS THE LOVE - Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway # 5

13 ( 31 ) BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO - The Partridge Family Starring Shirley Jones & featuring David Cassidy # 13

14 ( 9 ) MAD ABOUT YOU - Bruce Ruffin # 9

15 ( 28 ) DOCTOR MY EYES - The Jackson 5 # 15

16 ( 16 ) TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 7

17 ( 19 ) SUFFRAGETTE CITY - David Bowie # 17

18 ( NEW ) BREAK - Aphrodite’s Child # 18

19 ( 13 ) POPCORN - Hot Butter # 5

20 ( 25 ) I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW - Johnny Nash # 20

 

21 ( 15 ) LEAN ON ME - Bill Withers # 1

22 ( 14 ) DIARY - Bread # 3

23 ( 17 ) LADY ELEANOR - Lindisfarne # 4

24 ( 26 ) LONG COOL WOMAN (IN A BLACK DRESS) - The Hollies # 24

25 ( 21 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1

26 ( 22 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons # 1

27 ( 24 ) HELLO IT’S ME - Todd Rundgren # 1

28 ( NEW ) ZING WENT THE STRINGS OF MY HEART - The Trammps # 28

29 ( 18 ) FIRE WATER EARTH & AIR - Julie Felix # 18

30 ( 20 ) MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB - Paul McCartney & Wings # 10

 

31 ( 23 ) ROCK & ROLL PART II - Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 2

32 ( NEW ) MY GUY - Mary Wells # 32

33 ( 27 ) I SAW THE LIGHT - Todd Rundgren # 1

34 ( 30 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John # 1

35 ( 40 ) YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS YOUNG - Dusty Springfield # 35

36 ( 29 ) AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE - The Supremes # 16

37 ( 35 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE - Michael Jackson # 1

38 ( 33 ) BABY BY THE WAY - The Fortunes # 26

39 ( 34 ) WHAT’S YOUR NAME - Chicory Tip # 34

40 ( 44 ) PEOPLE NEED LOVE - ABBA # 40

 

41 ( 36 ) OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites # 1

42 ( 37 ) WALK IN THE NIGHT - Junior Walker & The All Stars # 4

43 ( 56 ) THE RUNWAY - The Grass Roots # 43

44 ( 55 ) FUNKY MUSIC SHO’ NUFF TURNS ME ON - Edwin Starr # 44

45 ( 49 ) TOO YOUNG - Donny Osmond # 45

46 ( 48 ) PAPA WAS A ROLLIN’ STONE - The Undisputed Truth # 46

47 ( 39 ) BEING IN LOVE - The Chi-Lites # 27

48 ( 54 ) ROLL MUDDY RIVER - The Pioneers # 48

49 ( 57 ) JUST WALK IN MY SHOES - Gladys Knight & The Pips # 49

50 ( NEW ) THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Aphrodite’s Child # 50

 

51 ( 38 ) LITTLE BIT OF LOVE - Free # 35

52 ( 46 ) TAKE ME BAK ‘OME - Slade # 30

53 ( 50 ) 10538 OVERTURE - Electric Light Orchestra # 1

54 ( 47 ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? - Hurricane Smith # 9

55 ( 52 ) LIFE ON MARS? - David Bowie # 1

56 ( 61 ) JOIN TOGETHER - The Who # 56

57 ( 53 ) WITHOUT YOU - Nilsson # 1

58 ( 66 ) WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO END IT NOW - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles # 58

59 ( NEW ) I’M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU - Al Green # 59

60 ( NEW ) THE HARDER THEY COME - Jimmy Cliff # 60

 

61 ( 62 ) I AM WOMAN - Helen Reddy # 61

62 ( 73 ) HOLD HER TIGHT - The Osmonds # 62

63 ( 69 ) YOU DON’T MESS AROUND WITH JIM - Jim Croce # 63

64 ( 60 ) BABY DON’T GET HOOKED ON ME - Mac Davis # 60

65 ( 63 ) OOH-WAKKA-DOO-WAKKA-DAY - Gilbert O’Sullivan # 63

66 ( 51 ) LITTLE WILLY - The Sweet # 51

67 ( 65 ) HONKY CAT - Elton John # 65

68 ( 71 ) EVERYTHING’S FUNNY - The Troggs # 68

69 ( 72 ) PEOPLE MAKE THE WORLD GO ROUND - The Stylistics # 69

70 ( 41 ) WADE IN THE WATER - Ramsey Lewis # 8

 

71 ( NEW ) MACARTHUR PARK - Richard Harris # 71

72 ( 43 ) I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE - Michael Jackson # 43

73 ( NEW ) IT WOULDN’T HAVE MADE ANY DIFFERENCE - Todd Rundgren # 73

74 ( 75 ) I MISS YOU PART 1 - Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes # 74

75 ( NEW ) RUB IT IN - Dave Clark & Friends # 75

 

 

 

Wot I liked then 25th June 1972

 

Meanwhile, 50 years ago this week, my charts had Nut Rocker holding for a 2nd week on top as The New Seekers' Circles rockets to 2 as they try for a 4th number one in my charts with the Harry Chapin song (sadly, though, they never got another one). Donny Osmond is 14 years old, and has been a TV star for years - and now he starts his solo career aimed at pre-teen screaming girls on his cover of Puppy Love. I liked it, I liked The Osmonds, and I like Donny's solo stuff till his voice broke 6 months from now at which point the sheer tedium of bland covers became exposed for me.

 

Gilbert is back with another jolly nonsense song, Ooh Wacka Doo has dated as badly as most of his early 70s work, bar 2 or 3 ballads, and it was all downhill after this one as he morphs into a curly-haired cardigan-wearing showbiz crooner. Love Unlimited debut quietly with the brilliant sweeping soul of Barry White, it's his wife, his song, his production, his voice on the record on the telephone and I still love it to bits. Tragedy is no Hold Your Head Up, but it's OK for a number 26 follow-up for Argent, Frederick Knight's quirky soul cut I;ve Been Lonely For So Long delightfully enters at 27, and Julie Felix' Greek-sounding Fire, Water, Earth & Air is new at 28. Another one Alan Freeman played, but failed to chart, sadly. Still good. Finally Sammy grans the US number one slot with Candy Man, and it may not have made the UK charts but it was pretty well known by kids, I can attest, for the Willy Wonka movie song cover.

 

 

1 ( 1 ) NUT ROCKER - B.Bumble & The Stingers

2 ( 28 ) CIRCLES - The New Seekers

3 ( 2 ) ROCK AND ROLL PART 2 - Gary Glitter

4 ( 4 ) OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites

5 ( NEW ) PUPPY LOVE - Donny Osmond

6 ( NEW ) OOH WACKA DOO WACKA DEY - Gilbert O’Sullivan

7 ( 3 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex

8 ( 5 ) LITTLE WILLY - The Sweet

9 ( 8 ) WHAT’S YOUR NAME - Chicory Tip

10 ( 6 ) MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB - Wings

 

11 ( 9 ) DOOBEDOOD’NDOOBE DOOBEDOOD’NDO - Diana Ross

12 ( 7 ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY - Hurricane Smith

13 ( 13 ) SONG SUNG BLUE - Neil Diamond

14 ( 10 ) SUPERSONIC ROCKETSHIP - The Kinks

15 ( 12 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John

16 ( 11 ) ROCKIN’ ROBIN - Michael Jackson

17 ( 15 ) COULD IT BE FOREVER - David Cassidy

18 ( 14 ) TAKE ME BAK ‘OME - Slade

19 ( 18 ) AN AMERICAN TRILOGY - Elvis Presley

20 ( 16 ) AT THE CLUB/SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES - The Drifters

 

21 ( 20 ) A LITTLE BIT OF LOVE - Free

22 ( 19 ) CALIFORNIA MAN - The Move

23 ( 24 ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE - The Staple Singers

24 ( NEW ) WALKIN’ IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited

25 ( 25 ) THIRD FINGER LEFT HAND - The Pearls

26 ( NEW ) TRAGEDY - Argent

27 ( NEW ) I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG - Frederick Knight

28 ( NEW ) FIRE WATER EARTH & AIR - Julie Felix

29 ( 26 ) JUNGLE FEVER - Chakachas

30 ( NEW ) CANDY MAN - Sammy Davis Jr

2nd July 1972

 

It's straight in on top for Carpenters' tour-de-force Goodbye To Love, the one with that jaw-dropping electric guitar solo, the musicians on the track are top-notch session names and it was Richard Carpenter's best song and one of of Karen's most-affecting vocals. Their 3rd Retro chart-topper, and stunningly the UK branch of A&M decided it was a B side to the otherwise-decent album track I Won't Last A Day Without You. They got flipped pretty quickly to a double A side, but it took 2 years for the latter to become a US single (and UK single again), but it features on their latest album along with Top Of The World - which also took well over a year to become a single, and after they'd had another 2 non-album singles in 1973. Both enter my chart lower down.

 

Aphrodite's Child get a top 10 with Break, as the Prog-Rock Four Horsemen goes top 40, both are utterly different and still fab. Jona Lewie pops in as a bunch of dinosaurs on the retro Seaside Shuffle, more in the vein of Don Partridge than his future-looking synth 80's solo hit and the Christmas classic. The Chi-Lites debut with Coldest Days Of My Life as Being in Love drops out, with another 4 years of hits still ahead - even if this one flopped in the UK. Out in the USA to no fanfare, Chuck Berry's Mary-whitehouse-baiting My Ding-A-Ling, Rolf Harris-drawing, Top Of The Pops furore was still a few months away from topping the UK charts. It was funny though seeing someone getting stressed about something that might encourage kids to masturbate. As if a song would do that!

 

The Main Ingredient debut with the fairly-well-known Everybody Plays The Fool, a UK flop, Joe Simon covers the 1966 country song Misty Blue 4 years ahead of Dorothy Moore's hit version - he basically lays down the template that she embroiders on beautifully - and John Kongos gets a 3rd single onto the chart with the flop ballad Great White Lady, which was OK but not nearly on a par with the 2 tribal masterpieces before it. Finally, Roxy Music debut their album, and their bizarre jazz-rock-avante-garde-Glam style, of which I've cherry-picked Ladytron, which I saw on Old Grey Whistle Test. The big single was not on the album and is 4 weeks away...

 

1 ( NEW ) GOODBYE TO LOVE - Carpenters # 1

2 ( 1 ) LOOKIN’ THROUGH THE WINDOWS - The Jackson 5 # 1

3 ( 2 ) BACK STABBERS - The O’Jays # 1

4 ( 3 ) THE NIGHT - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons # 3

5 ( 9 ) SILVER MACHINE - Hawkwind # 5

6 ( 4 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE - David Cassidy # 1

7 ( 6 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex # 1

8 ( 18 ) BREAK - Aphrodite’s Child # 8

9 ( 5 ) SCHOOL’S OUT - Alice Cooper # 1

10 ( 7 ) STARMAN - David Bowie # 1

 

11 ( 13 ) BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO - The Partridge Family Starring Shirley Jones & featuring David Cassidy # 11

12 ( 15 ) DOCTOR MY EYES - The Jackson 5 # 12

13 ( 8 ) THE TALK OF ALL THE U.S.A. - Middle Of The Road # 2

14 ( 11 ) CIRCLES - The New Seekers # 8

15 ( 10 ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes # 5

16 ( 12 ) WHERE IS THE LOVE - Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway # 5

17 ( 28 ) ZING WENT THE STRINGS OF MY HEART - The Trammps # 17

18 ( 24 ) LONG COOL WOMAN (IN A BLACK DRESS) - The Hollies # 18

19 ( 14 ) MAD ABOUT YOU - Bruce Ruffin # 9

20 ( 16 ) TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 7

 

21 ( 17 ) SUFFRAGETTE CITY - David Bowie # 17

22 ( 19 ) POPCORN - Hot Butter # 5

23 ( 21 ) LEAN ON ME - Bill Withers # 1

24 ( 32 ) MY GUY - Mary Wells # 24

25 ( 22 ) DIARY - Bread # 3

26 ( 20 ) I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW - Johnny Nash # 20

27 ( 23 ) LADY ELEANOR - Lindisfarne # 4

28 ( 25 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1

29 ( 35 ) YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS YOUNG - Dusty Springfield # 29

30 ( 26 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons # 1

 

31 ( 27 ) HELLO IT’S ME - Todd Rundgren # 1

32 ( 43 ) THE RUNWAY - The Grass Roots # 32

33 ( 44 ) FUNKY MUSIC SHO’ NUFF TURNS ME ON - Edwin Starr # 33

34 ( 48 ) ROLL MUDDY RIVER - The Pioneers # 34

35 ( 50 ) THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Aphrodite’s Child # 35

36 ( 33 ) I SAW THE LIGHT - Todd Rundgren # 1

37 ( 45 ) TOO YOUNG - Donny Osmond # 37

38 ( 31 ) ROCK & ROLL PART II - Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 2

39 ( 59 ) I’M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU - Al Green # 39

40 ( 34 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John # 1

 

41 ( 37 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE - Michael Jackson # 1

42 ( 60 ) THE HARDER THEY COME - Jimmy Cliff # 42

43 ( 46 ) PAPA WAS A ROLLIN’ STONE - The Undisputed Truth # 43

44 ( 49 ) JUST WALK IN MY SHOES - Gladys Knight & The Pips # 44

45 ( 30 ) MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB - Paul McCartney & Wings # 10

46 ( 29 ) FIRE WATER EARTH & AIR - Julie Felix # 18

47 ( 40 ) PEOPLE NEED LOVE - ABBA # 40

48 ( 36 ) AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE - The Supremes # 16

49 ( 41 ) OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites # 1

50 ( 42 ) WALK IN THE NIGHT - Junior Walker & The All Stars # 4

 

51 ( 56 ) JOIN TOGETHER - The Who # 51

52 ( 58 ) WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO END IT NOW - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles # 52

53 ( 62 ) HOLD HER TIGHT - The Osmonds # 53

54 ( 38 ) BABY BY THE WAY - The Fortunes # 26

55 ( NEW ) I WON’T LAST A DAY WITHOUT YOU - Carpenters # 55

56 ( 55 ) LIFE ON MARS? - David Bowie # 1

57 ( 53 ) 10538 OVERTURE - Electric Light Orchestra # 1

58 ( 61 ) I AM WOMAN - Helen Reddy # 58

59 ( NEW ) SEASIDE SHUFFLE - Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs # 59

60 ( 63 ) YOU DON’T MESS AROUND WITH JIM - Jim Croce # 60

 

61 ( 57 ) WITHOUT YOU - Nilsson # 1

62 ( 54 ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? - Hurricane Smith # 9

63 ( NEW ) THE COLDEST DAYS OF MY LIFE (PART 1) - The Chi-Lites # 63

64 ( 39 ) WHAT’S YOUR NAME - Chicory Tip # 34

65 ( 68 ) EVERYTHING’S FUNNY - The Troggs # 65

66 ( 69 ) PEOPLE MAKE THE WORLD GO ROUND - The Stylistics # 66

67 ( 52 ) TAKE ME BAK ‘OME - Slade # 30

68 ( 73 ) IT WOULDN’T HAVE MADE ANY DIFFERENCE - Todd Rundgren # 68

69 ( 51 ) LITTLE BIT OF LOVE - Free # 35

70 ( NEW ) TOP OF THE WORLD - Carpenters # 70

 

71 ( NEW ) MY DING-A-LING - Chuck Berry # 71

72 ( NEW ) EVERYBODY PLAYS THE FOOL - The Main Ingredient # 72

73 ( NEW ) MISTY BLUE - Joe Simon # 73

74 ( NEW ) GREAT WHITE LADY - John Kongos # 74

75 ( NEW ) LADYTRON - Roxy Music # 75

 

 

 

 

2nd July 1972 My Charts That Week Then...

 

It's 3 weeks on top Nut Rockin' with Love Unlimited giving Barry White his first attempt at a chart-topper at 2 - sadly, Walkin' In The Rain etc would be the closest he came till this one was reissued in the mid 70's. The Staple Singers funk it up at 3 with I'll Take You There and Frederick Knight makes the soul top 10 content a lot stronger this week. Johnny Nash enters with his own song, his classic feel-good I Can See Clearly Now (who needs Bob Marley after all!) and Dr. Hook debut with the quirky histrionic Sylvia's Mother at 13.

 

The Who return again with Join Together, a hippie rock anthem that turns about Won't Get Fooled Again (and is much better than it) at 21, The Stylistics debut with the smooth Betcha By Golly Wow, so good that Prince covered it in the 90's, David Bowie debuts a few weeks after appearing on Lift Off With Ayshea and about to cause a sensation on Top Of The Pops in full-on Glam camp sci-fi performing Starman. A track I have no memory of pops in for Summer Wine - clearly a Lift Off plug, or similar, for a cover of the 50's classic that I knew and loved - Why Do Fools Fall In Love I'm guessing is not a classic as Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers, but prob better than the godawful 1981 Diana Ross hit cover which proved conclusively she should have stayed at Motown. That just leaves Dusty covering Yesterday When I was Young beautifully, classy, and even a TOTP appearance couldnt get her a hit. Purely By Co-incidence she's 29 in my retro revisit chart too.

 

 

 

1 ( 1 ) NUT ROCKER - B.Bumble & The Stingers

2 ( 24 ) WALKIN’ IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited

3 ( 23 ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE - The Staple Singers

4 ( 5 ) PUPPY LOVE - Donny Osmond

5 ( 2 ) CIRCLES - The New Seekers

6 ( 4 ) OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites

7 ( 3 ) ROCK AND ROLL PART 2 - Gary Glitter

8 ( 27 ) I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG - Frederick Knight

9 ( 7 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex

10 ( 10 ) MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB - Wings

 

11 ( NEW ) I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW - Johnny Nash

12 ( 6 ) OOH WACKA DOO WACKA DEY - Gilbert O’Sullivan

13 ( NEW ) SYLVIA’S MOTHER - Doctor Hook & The Medicine Show

14 ( 12 ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY - Hurricane Smith

15 ( 16 ) ROCKIN’ ROBIN - Michael Jackson

16 ( 13 ) SONG SUNG BLUE - Neil Diamond

17 ( 8 ) LITTLE WILLY - The Sweet

18 ( 14 ) SUPERSONIC ROCKETSHIP - The Kinks

19 ( 19 ) AN AMERICAN TRILOGY - Elvis Presley

20 ( 20 ) AT THE CLUB/SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES - The Drifters

 

21 ( NEW ) JOIN TOGETHER - The Who

22 ( 18 ) TAKE ME BAK ‘OME - Slade

23 ( 21 ) A LITTLE BIT OF LOVE - Free

24 ( 28 ) FIRE WATER EARTH & AIR - Julie Felix

25 ( NEW ) BETCHA BY GOLLY WOW - The Stylistics

26 ( NEW ) WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE - Summer Wine

27 ( NEW ) STARMAN - David Bowie

28 ( 25 ) THIRD FINGER LEFT HAND - The Pearls

29 ( NEW ) YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS YOUNG - Dusty Springfield

30 ( 26 ) TRAGEDY - Argent

9th July 1972 Retro Chart

 

It's 2 weeks on top for Carpenters' fab Goodbye To Love as Aphrodite's Child climb to 4 with Break, still defying musical categories (and why it flopped most likely) though I'd call it Piano-rock-jazz-breathy-ballad. Their Prog Rock anthem The Four Horsemen meanwhile is up to 23, and both have fab guitar solos. The Trammps disco into the top 10 with the Judy Garland classic Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart, and Al Green and Jimmy Cliff fly the soul and reggae flags into the 20.

 

Highest new entry is The Bee Gees' Run To Me at 57, still not missing any year in my Retro rundown from 1967 to 1972, while Rick Nelson drops the 50's styles and goes full-on folkrock with the very good Garden Party - he even manages to name-check his own 50's hits. Nilsson debuts with a charming Nilsson Schmilsson track, The Moonbeam Song, which I'd forgotten about, just ahead of Laurie Styvers at 63 - who? She appeared on 20 Star Tracks, the first compilation album I bought, so I got to really like Beat The Reaper over late summer 1972, even though it had not been a hit, and not got much radio airplay. Sweet folk ballad.

 

Don McLean brings Vincent Part 2 (apart from the lyrics) aka Empty Chairs in at 65, Summer Wine appeared on kids TV (Lift Off With Ayshea, then) covering Frankie Lymon's 50's classic Why Do Fools Fall In Love, and it sounds pretty decent 50 years on after not hearing it for 50 years, new at 67, with another 50's star staging a comeback as Brenda Lee drops Always On My Mind. Yes, months ahead of Elvis' cover, 15 years ahead of Pet Shop Boys cover of Elvis' cover, still-young Brenda did it first.

 

Star Trek was my fave TV show of all-time in 1972. Nothing to do with the show, though, but The Vulcans dropped a reggae-synth instrumental called Star Trek, very Moog. New at 71. Freda Payne is still getting Holland-Dozier-Holland attention, but no hits, sadly, You Brought The Joy is not bad though. Cher is one I knew and liked at the time, Living In A House Divided was basically showcasing the forthcoming divorce of Sonny & Cher as they struggled on with their huge TV variety show. Steely dan debut with little-known Dallas, not on an album and not jazz-rock, more folk than jazz, and sneaking in it's Albert hammond having a debut with Down By The River. Albert had been having hits for years as a songwriter. Little Arrows anyone?

 

 

1 ( 1 ) GOODBYE TO LOVE - Carpenters # 1

2 ( 2 ) LOOKIN’ THROUGH THE WINDOWS - The Jackson 5 # 1

3 ( 3 ) BACK STABBERS - The O’Jays # 1

4 ( 8 ) BREAK - Aphrodite’s Child # 4

5 ( 5 ) SILVER MACHINE - Hawkwind # 5

6 ( 4 ) THE NIGHT - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons # 3

7 ( 6 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE - David Cassidy # 1

8 ( 17 ) ZING WENT THE STRINGS OF MY HEART - The Trammps # 8

9 ( 7 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex # 1

10 ( 9 ) SCHOOL’S OUT - Alice Cooper # 1

 

11 ( 10 ) STARMAN - David Bowie # 1

12 ( 18 ) LONG COOL WOMAN (IN A BLACK DRESS) - The Hollies # 12

13 ( 39 ) I’M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU - Al Green # 13

14 ( 42 ) THE HARDER THEY COME - Jimmy Cliff # 14

15 ( 11 ) BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO - The Partridge Family Starring Shirley Jones & featuring David Cassidy # 11

16 ( 13 ) THE TALK OF ALL THE U.S.A. - Middle Of The Road # 2

17 ( 15 ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes # 5

18 ( 24 ) MY GUY - Mary Wells # 18

19 ( 21 ) SUFFRAGETTE CITY - David Bowie # 17

20 ( 20 ) TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 7

 

21 ( 16 ) WHERE IS THE LOVE - Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway # 5

22 ( 32 ) THE RUNWAY - The Grass Roots # 22

23 ( 35 ) THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Aphrodite’s Child # 23

24 ( 29 ) YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS YOUNG - Dusty Springfield # 24

25 ( 12 ) DOCTOR MY EYES - The Jackson 5 # 12

26 ( 14 ) CIRCLES - The New Seekers # 8

27 ( 19 ) MAD ABOUT YOU - Bruce Ruffin # 9

28 ( 23 ) LEAN ON ME - Bill Withers # 1

29 ( 25 ) DIARY - Bread # 3

30 ( 34 ) ROLL MUDDY RIVER - The Pioneers # 30

 

31 ( 33 ) FUNKY MUSIC SHO’ NUFF TURNS ME ON - Edwin Starr # 31

32 ( 28 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1

33 ( 30 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons # 1

34 ( 31 ) HELLO IT’S ME - Todd Rundgren # 1

35 ( 44 ) JUST WALK IN MY SHOES - Gladys Knight & The Pips # 35

36 ( 63 ) THE COLDEST DAYS OF MY LIFE (PART 1) - The Chi-Lites # 36

37 ( 22 ) POPCORN - Hot Butter # 5

38 ( 43 ) PAPA WAS A ROLLIN’ STONE - The Undisputed Truth # 38

39 ( 26 ) I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW - Johnny Nash # 20

40 ( 36 ) I SAW THE LIGHT - Todd Rundgren # 1

 

41 ( 38 ) ROCK & ROLL PART II - Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 2

42 ( 40 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John # 1

43 ( 41 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE - Michael Jackson # 1

44 ( 27 ) LADY ELEANOR - Lindisfarne # 4

45 ( 51 ) JOIN TOGETHER - The Who # 45

46 ( 52 ) WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO END IT NOW - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles # 46

47 ( 53 ) HOLD HER TIGHT - The Osmonds # 47

48 ( 55 ) I WON’T LAST A DAY WITHOUT YOU - Carpenters # 48

49 ( 68 ) IT WOULDN’T HAVE MADE ANY DIFFERENCE - Todd Rundgren # 49

50 ( 37 ) TOO YOUNG - Donny Osmond # 37

 

51 ( 59 ) SEASIDE SHUFFLE - Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs # 51

52 ( 60 ) YOU DON’T MESS AROUND WITH JIM - Jim Croce # 52

53 ( 45 ) MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB - Paul McCartney & Wings # 10

54 ( 49 ) OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites # 1

55 ( 50 ) WALK IN THE NIGHT - Junior Walker & The All Stars # 4

56 ( 48 ) AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE - The Supremes # 16

57 ( NEW ) RUN TO ME - The Bee Gees # 57

58 ( 56 ) LIFE ON MARS? - David Bowie # 1

59 ( 57 ) 10538 OVERTURE - Electric Light Orchestra # 1

60 ( 70 ) TOP OF THE WORLD - Carpenters # 60

61 ( NEW ) GARDEN PARTY - Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band # 61

62 ( NEW ) THE MOONBEAM SONG - Nilsson # 62

63 ( NEW ) BEAT THE REAPER - Laurie Styvers # 63

64 ( 58 ) I AM WOMAN - Helen Reddy # 58

65 ( NEW ) EMPTY CHAIRS - Don McLean # 65

66 ( 73 ) MISTY BLUE - Joe Simon # 66

67 ( NEW ) WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE - Summer Wine # 67

68 ( NEW ) ALWAYS ON MY MIND - Brenda Lee # 68

69 ( 72 ) EVERYBODY PLAYS THE FOOL - The Main Ingredient # 69

70 ( 71 ) MY DING-A-LING - Chuck Berry # 70

 

71 ( NEW ) STAR TREK - The Vulcans # 71

72 ( NEW ) YOU BROUGHT THE JOY - Freda Payne # 72

73 ( NEW ) LIVING IN A HOUSE DIVIDED - Cher # 73

74 ( NEW ) DALLAS - Steely Dan # 74

75 ( NEW ) DOWN BY THE RIVER - Albert Hammond # 75

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9th July 1972 My Charts of That Week Then

 

It's 4 Nut Rockin' weeks on top for B.Bumble as they deny The Partridge Family's cover of the old Neil Sedaka hit, Breaking Up Is Is Hard To Do, a 3rd number one for now, and gives a distinctly early 60's top 2 to those Glam Rock days. Not to fear though, Bowie's Starman is up to 5 keeping the Glam flag flying as The Stylistics lush Betcha By Golly Wow climbs to 4 for some smooth soul 25 years ahead of Prince covering it.

 

Mouth & MacNeal are still 2 years away from Eurovision, but debut with worldwide hit How Do You Do (except the UK, where it flopped) at 25, The Eagles debut with Take It Easy when they were just an obscure new country-rock act (a new thing in those days) at 30, and Don McLeans's future UK chart-topper is new at 27 - Vincent is still touching. In my life, I would have been watching Top Of The Pops in colour as dad had bought a brand new colour TV for the Munich Olympics, and the 2 shows that most benefitted from bright vivid colours were TOTP and Star Trek, my main TV passion.

 

1 ( 1 ) NUT ROCKER - B.Bumble & The Stingers

2 ( NEW ) BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO - The Partridge Family

3 ( 2 ) WALKIN’ IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited

4 ( 25 ) BETCHA BY GOLLY WOW - The Stylistics

5 ( 27 ) STARMAN - David Bowie

6 ( 5 ) CIRCLES - The New Seekers

7 ( 6 ) OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites

8 ( 8 ) I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG - Frederick Knight

9 ( 10 ) MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB - Wings

10 ( 9 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex

 

11 ( 7 ) ROCK AND ROLL PART 2 - Gary Glitter

12 ( 14 ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY - Hurricane Smith

13 ( 12 ) OOH WACKA DOO WACKA DEY - Gilbert O’Sullivan

14 ( 13 ) SYLVIA’S MOTHER - Doctor Hook & The Medicine Show

15 ( 4 ) PUPPY LOVE - Donny Osmond

16 ( 11 ) I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW - Johnny Nash

17 ( 18 ) SUPERSONIC ROCKETSHIP - The Kinks

18 ( 20 ) AT THE CLUB/SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES - The Drifters

19 ( 16 ) SONG SUNG BLUE - Neil Diamond

20 ( 17 ) LITTLE WILLY - The Sweet

 

21 ( 15 ) ROCKIN’ ROBIN - Michael Jackson

22 ( 3 ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE - The Staple Singers

23 ( 24 ) FIRE WATER EARTH & AIR - Julie Felix

24 ( 26 ) WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE - Summer Wine

25 ( NEW ) HOW DO YOU DO - Mouth & MacNeil

26 ( 29 ) YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS YOUNG - Dusty Springfield

27 ( NEW ) VINCENT - Don McLean

28 ( 22 ) TAKE ME BAK ‘OME - Slade

29 ( 21 ) JOIN TOGETHER - The Who

30 ( NEW ) TAKE IT EASY - The Eagles

16th July 1972

 

It's 3 weeks on top for Carpenters' Goodbye To Love, Al Green grabs a 4th top 10, The Chi-Lites a 3rd, and The Hollies a first since He Ain't Heavy 3 years back. Highest new entry is Bread back with another Easy Listening classic, The Guitar Man new at 12, with a Carole King 1962 classic in for Little Eva - The Loco-Motion was a hit for her and hubby lyricist Gerry Goffin's babysitter Little Eva, but she sounds a lot like Carole King, and is new at 26. Still the best version, no question.

 

New at 51, Donny replaces himself as Too Young drops out thanks to the new solo album out in the US this week - the next single Why, as done by Anthony Newley, is a pretty good upbeat oldies song done before Donny's voice breaks and it'll see him through chart action till we see the results of that in 1973. Hint: not as good. Neil Diamond also has a new album out and future single Play Me also debuts early here, Joan Baez' sister writes a touching tribute song their mother and In The Quiet Morning is in at 74, while Jackie Wilson's 1968 biggie (in these charts) finally makes the UK charts 4 years late. Better late than never, and the first of 3 UK top 30 hits for it, 1972, 1975 and 1987.

 

 

1 ( 1 ) GOODBYE TO LOVE - Carpenters # 1

2 ( 2 ) LOOKIN’ THROUGH THE WINDOWS - The Jackson 5 # 1

3 ( 4 ) BREAK - Aphrodite’s Child # 3

4 ( 5 ) SILVER MACHINE - Hawkwind # 4

5 ( 3 ) BACK STABBERS - The O’Jays # 1

6 ( 13 ) I’M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU - Al Green # 6

7 ( 7 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE - David Cassidy # 1

8 ( 36 ) THE COLDEST DAYS OF MY LIFE (PART 1) - The Chi-Lites # 8

9 ( 8 ) ZING WENT THE STRINGS OF MY HEART - The Trammps # 8

10 ( 12 ) LONG COOL WOMAN (IN A BLACK DRESS) - The Hollies # 10

 

 

11 ( 6 ) THE NIGHT - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons # 3

12 ( NEW ) THE GUITAR MAN - Bread # 12

13 ( 18 ) MY GUY - Mary Wells # 13

14 ( 9 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex # 1

15 ( 10 ) SCHOOL’S OUT - Alice Cooper # 1

16 ( 11 ) STARMAN - David Bowie # 1

17 ( 15 ) BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO - The Partridge Family Starring Shirley Jones & featuring David Cassidy # 11

18 ( 22 ) THE RUNWAY - The Grass Roots # 18

19 ( 23 ) THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Aphrodite’s Child # 19

20 ( 14 ) THE HARDER THEY COME - Jimmy Cliff # 14

 

21 ( 16 ) THE TALK OF ALL THE U.S.A. - Middle Of The Road # 2

22 ( 17 ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes # 5

23 ( 20 ) TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 7

24 ( 24 ) YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS YOUNG - Dusty Springfield # 24

25 ( 21 ) WHERE IS THE LOVE - Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway # 5

26 ( NEW ) THE LOCO-MOTION - Little Eva # 26

27 ( 19 ) SUFFRAGETTE CITY - David Bowie # 17

28 ( 26 ) CIRCLES - The New Seekers # 8

29 ( 30 ) ROLL MUDDY RIVER - The Pioneers # 29

30 ( 25 ) DOCTOR MY EYES - The Jackson 5 # 12

 

31 ( 27 ) MAD ABOUT YOU - Bruce Ruffin # 9

32 ( 28 ) LEAN ON ME - Bill Withers # 1

33 ( 29 ) DIARY - Bread # 3

34 ( 32 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1

35 ( 33 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons # 1

36 ( 34 ) HELLO IT’S ME - Todd Rundgren # 1

37 ( NEW ) WATCH ME - Labi Siffre # 37

38 ( 46 ) WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO END IT NOW - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles # 38

39 ( 39 ) I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW - Johnny Nash # 20

40 ( 45 ) JOIN TOGETHER - The Who # 40

 

41 ( 40 ) I SAW THE LIGHT - Todd Rundgren # 1

42 ( 42 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John # 1

43 ( 48 ) I WON’T LAST A DAY WITHOUT YOU - Carpenters # 43

44 ( 31 ) FUNKY MUSIC SHO’ NUFF TURNS ME ON - Edwin Starr # 31

45 ( 37 ) POPCORN - Hot Butter # 5

46 ( 43 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE - Michael Jackson # 1

47 ( 49 ) IT WOULDN’T HAVE MADE ANY DIFFERENCE - Todd Rundgren # 47

48 ( 41 ) ROCK & ROLL PART II - Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 2

49 ( 51 ) SEASIDE SHUFFLE - Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs # 49

50 ( 57 ) RUN TO ME - The Bee Gees # 50

 

51 ( NEW ) WHY - Donny Osmond # 51

52 ( 61 ) GARDEN PARTY - Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band # 52

53 ( 38 ) PAPA WAS A ROLLIN’ STONE - The Undisputed Truth # 38

54 ( 60 ) TOP OF THE WORLD - Carpenters # 54

55 ( 63 ) BEAT THE REAPER - Laurie Styvers # 55

56 ( 62 ) THE MOONBEAM SONG - Nilsson # 56

57 ( 35 ) JUST WALK IN MY SHOES - Gladys Knight & The Pips # 35

58 ( 52 ) YOU DON’T MESS AROUND WITH JIM - Jim Croce # 52

59 ( 65 ) EMPTY CHAIRS - Don McLean # 59

60 ( 58 ) LIFE ON MARS? - David Bowie # 1

 

61 ( 59 ) 10538 OVERTURE - Electric Light Orchestra # 1

62 ( 54 ) OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites # 1

63 ( 66 ) MISTY BLUE - Joe Simon # 63

64 ( 70 ) MY DING-A-LING - Chuck Berry # 64

65 ( 44 ) LADY ELEANOR - Lindisfarne # 4

66 ( 47 ) HOLD HER TIGHT - The Osmonds # 47

67 ( 67 ) WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE - Summer Wine # 67

68 ( 68 ) ALWAYS ON MY MIND - Brenda Lee # 68

69 ( 69 ) EVERYBODY PLAYS THE FOOL - The Main Ingredient # 69

70 ( 55 ) WALK IN THE NIGHT - Junior Walker & The All Stars # 4

 

 

71 ( 71 ) STAR TREK - The Vulcans # 71

72 ( 72 ) YOU BROUGHT THE JOY - Freda Payne # 72

73 ( NEW ) PLAY ME - Neil Diamond # 73

74 ( NEW ) IN THE QUIET MORNING - Joan Baez # 74

75 ( NEW ) I GET THE SWEETEST FEELING - Jackie Wilson # 75

 

 

16th July 1972 Chart of the time

 

It's The Partridge Family grabbing a 3rd chart-topper in my charts of the time, Breaking Up Is Hard To Do falling short of the top 10 in my retro charts these days. though it's still fun. As is Terry Dactyl aka Jona Lewie of the future christmas classic Stop The Cavalry, but back in 1972 he was getting some old time singalong seaside singing with a dinosaur name a la T.Rex. New at 3 as Dr Hook climb to 4 with Sylvia's Mother and Bruce Ruffin's quirky Mad About You reggae song with the madman laughing at the end - they were from laughing boxes, quite the rage back then.

 

Donald Peers makes a comeback 3 years after his 1969 top 10, less good, less big, and a final hurrah before the veteran passed away. Meanwhile Roberta Flack debuts with her rendition of Ewan MacColl's First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. Kirsty would have been about my age at the time, and for me it was the use in Clint Eastwood's brilliant Play Misty For Me psycho movie that made it powerful: the original celebrity stalker movie, and the first major cultural reference of the phenomenon.

 

 

1 ( 2 ) BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO - The Partridge Family

2 ( 1 ) NUT ROCKER - B.Bumble & The Stingers

3 ( NEW ) SEASIDE SHUFFLE - Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs

4 ( 14 ) SYLVIA’S MOTHER - Doctor Hook & The Medicine Show

5 ( NEW ) MAD ABOUT YOU - Bruce Ruffin

6 ( 3 ) WALKIN’ IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited

7 ( 11 ) ROCK AND ROLL PART 2 - Gary Glitter

8 ( 7 ) OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites

9 ( 10 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex

10 ( 9 ) MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB - Wings

 

11 ( 15 ) PUPPY LOVE - Donny Osmond

12 ( 4 ) BETCHA BY GOLLY WOW - The Stylistics

13 ( 8 ) I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG - Frederick Knight

14 ( 12 ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY - Hurricane Smith

15 ( 5 ) STARMAN - David Bowie

16 ( 6 ) CIRCLES - The New Seekers

17 ( 16 ) I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW - Johnny Nash

18 ( 13 ) OOH WACKA DOO WACKA DEY - Gilbert O’Sullivan

19 ( 19 ) SONG SUNG BLUE - Neil Diamond

20 ( RE ) CALIFORNIA MAN - The Move

 

21 ( 18 ) AT THE CLUB/SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES - The Drifters

22 ( 28 ) TAKE ME BAK ‘OME - Slade

23 ( 22 ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE - The Staple Singers

24 ( 25 ) HOW DO YOU DO - Mouth & MacNeil

25 ( 23 ) FIRE WATER EARTH & AIR - Julie Felix

26 ( 27 ) VINCENT - Don McLean

27 ( 21 ) ROCKIN’ ROBIN - Michael Jackson

28 ( NEW ) GIVE ME ONE MORE CHANCE - Donald Peers

29 ( 20 ) LITTLE WILLY - The Sweet

30 ( NEW ) FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE - Roberta Flack

 

23rd July 1972

 

It's 4 weeks on top in my retro charts, 2 weeks more than Carpenters got in my actual charts of 1972 - that guitar work is epic - as The Chi-Lites make it a 3rd top 3 inside 8 months with the haunting Coldest Days Of My Life, not a UK hit sadly. Bread make it a 5th top 10 with the fab Guitar Man, and highest new entry goes to Rod Stewart at 12 as he drops his new album Never A Dull Moment and I go early on his next 2 singles, You Wear It Well at 12 and his cover of Jimi Hendrix's Angel at 71. T.Rex also drop a new album, The Slider has been in my collection some decades on vinyl after my mate Ian introduced me to everything they did really, up to 1975, as he was a total fan. I was more of a singles fan, but liked some of the album tracks, in this case Rock On and Baby Boomerang were my faves and are still pretty good, in at 68 and 75.

 

former-teacher Duncan Browne's only hit, The Journey, debuts at 46, very folksy, melodic and charming still, while Michael Jackson's award-winning movie-theme Ben (a love song from a boy to a rat in a horror film of the same name) is new at 56 courtesy of veteran songwriter Don Black on lyrics, and his B side to his previous US single is new at 73, this original version of hit song Good Thing Going is new to me - I never knew the 1981 Sugar Minott hit was a Jacko cover!

 

Bill Withers album track Use me is picking up steam on US radio and debuts at 66, Lt. Pigeon (aka Stavely Makepeace plus mum on piano) have a top 10 hit in Denmark ahead of Mouldy Old Dough's UK chart-topping run, one I loved at the time but the ragtime-military novelty hasn't dated quite so well as others of the time. New at 69, leaving a Four Tops leftover from Motown as they move to a new label, Walk With Me talk With Me is OK, bur not grade 1 Four Tops.

 

 

1 ( 1 ) GOODBYE TO LOVE - Carpenters # 1

2 ( 8 ) THE COLDEST DAYS OF MY LIFE (PART 1) - The Chi-Lites # 2

3 ( 2 ) LOOKIN’ THROUGH THE WINDOWS - The Jackson 5 # 1

4 ( 3 ) BREAK - Aphrodite’s Child # 3

5 ( 5 ) BACK STABBERS - The O’Jays # 1

6 ( 12 ) THE GUITAR MAN - Bread # 6

7 ( 4 ) SILVER MACHINE - Hawkwind # 4

8 ( 7 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE - David Cassidy # 1

9 ( 9 ) ZING WENT THE STRINGS OF MY HEART - The Trammps # 8

10 ( 6 ) I’M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU - Al Green # 6

 

11 ( 11 ) THE NIGHT - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons # 3

12 ( NEW ) YOU WEAR IT WELL - Rod Stewart # 12

13 ( 13 ) MY GUY - Mary Wells # 13

14 ( 17 ) BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO - The Partridge Family Starring Shirley Jones & featuring David Cassidy # 11

15 ( 26 ) THE LOCO-MOTION - Little Eva # 15

16 ( 19 ) THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Aphrodite’s Child # 16

17 ( 14 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex # 1

18 ( 10 ) LONG COOL WOMAN (IN A BLACK DRESS) - The Hollies # 10

19 ( 15 ) SCHOOL’S OUT - Alice Cooper # 1

20 ( 37 ) WATCH ME - Labi Siffre # 20

 

21 ( 16 ) STARMAN - David Bowie # 1

22 ( 43 ) I WON’T LAST A DAY WITHOUT YOU - Carpenters # 22

23 ( 21 ) THE TALK OF ALL THE U.S.A. - Middle Of The Road # 2

24 ( 22 ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes # 5

25 ( 23 ) TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 7

26 ( 25 ) WHERE IS THE LOVE - Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway # 5

27 ( 20 ) THE HARDER THEY COME - Jimmy Cliff # 14

28 ( 24 ) YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS YOUNG - Dusty Springfield # 24

29 ( 28 ) CIRCLES - The New Seekers # 8

30 ( 18 ) THE RUNWAY - The Grass Roots # 18

 

31 ( 31 ) MAD ABOUT YOU - Bruce Ruffin # 9

32 ( 35 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons # 1

33 ( 32 ) LEAN ON ME - Bill Withers # 1

34 ( 34 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1

35 ( 29 ) ROLL MUDDY RIVER - The Pioneers # 29

36 ( 33 ) DIARY - Bread # 3

37 ( 36 ) HELLO IT’S ME - Todd Rundgren # 1

38 ( 50 ) RUN TO ME - The Bee Gees # 38

39 ( 47 ) IT WOULDN’T HAVE MADE ANY DIFFERENCE - Todd Rundgren # 39

40 ( 49 ) SEASIDE SHUFFLE - Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs # 40

 

41 ( 41 ) I SAW THE LIGHT - Todd Rundgren # 1

42 ( 51 ) WHY - Donny Osmond # 42

43 ( 52 ) GARDEN PARTY - Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band # 43

44 ( 27 ) SUFFRAGETTE CITY - David Bowie # 17

45 ( 38 ) WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO END IT NOW - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles # 38

46 ( NEW ) JOURNEY - Duncan Browne # 46

47 ( 30 ) DOCTOR MY EYES - The Jackson 5 # 12

48 ( 42 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John # 1

49 ( 46 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE - Michael Jackson # 1

50 ( 39 ) I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW - Johnny Nash # 20

 

51 ( 55 ) BEAT THE REAPER - Laurie Styvers # 51

52 ( 56 ) THE MOONBEAM SONG - Nilsson # 52

53 ( 45 ) POPCORN - Hot Butter # 5

54 ( 48 ) ROCK & ROLL PART II - Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 2

55 ( 54 ) TOP OF THE WORLD - Carpenters # 54

56 ( NEW ) BEN - Michael Jackson # 56

57 ( 63 ) MISTY BLUE - Joe Simon # 57

58 ( 40 ) JOIN TOGETHER - The Who # 40

59 ( 59 ) EMPTY CHAIRS - Don McLean # 59

60 ( 60 ) LIFE ON MARS? - David Bowie # 1

 

61 ( 67 ) WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE - Summer Wine # 61

62 ( 58 ) YOU DON’T MESS AROUND WITH JIM - Jim Croce # 52

63 ( 61 ) 10538 OVERTURE - Electric Light Orchestra # 1

64 ( 64 ) MY DING-A-LING - Chuck Berry # 64

65 ( 68 ) ALWAYS ON MY MIND - Brenda Lee # 65

66 ( NEW ) USE ME - Bill Withers # 66

67 ( 62 ) OH GIRL - The Chi-Lites # 1

68 ( NEW ) ROCK ON - T.Rex # 68

69 ( NEW ) MOULDY OLD DOUGH - Lt. Pigeon # 69

70 ( 73 ) PLAY ME - Neil Diamond # 70

 

71 ( NEW ) ANGEL - Rod Stewart # 71

72 ( 74 ) IN THE QUIET MORNING - Joan Baez # 72

73 ( NEW ) WE’VE GOT A GOOD THING GOING - Michael Jackson # 73

74 ( NEW ) WALK WITH ME TALK WITH ME DARLING - The Four Tops # 74

75 ( NEW ) BABY BOOMERANG - T.Rex # 75

 

 

 

 

 

Wot I liked then 23rd July 1972

 

It's 2 weeks on top for The Partridge Family, and I was still enjoying the TV show and their records, but 60's classic My Guy is in at 2 for Mary Wells - a record I knew and liked - while Alice Cooper debuts at 4 with School's Out. My friend Graham andrew bought it over to our house so I could record it, and it really was the end of term anthem for 1972 as we headed into the summer holidays in a couple of weeks. That would be automatically sunshine, cos I remember hot weather and the Munich Olympics and our first colour TV, and The Supremes grab a 4th top 5 in a row in my charts and 4 years of hits.

 

Hawkwind debut with future Heavy Metal thrash icon Lemmy on vocals. I loved the progrock futuristic sounds, just as I loved the first-ever totally synth record debuting at 27: Popcorn from Hot Butter, all-instrumental, and I took the time to explain at the dinner table at school one day to one of the lesser bullies who collectively made my life miserable. I've always used pop music as my default topic when I get nervous as I know nothing about sport and everyone likes music, and since I like all forms of music I can usually find an act they like that I like. His name was Butler and he seemed interested in it anyway. And it genuinely WAS the sound of the future, albeit not quite so bubblegum-based.

 

 

1 ( 1 ) BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO - The Partridge Family

2 ( NEW ) MY GUY - Mary Wells

3 ( 2 ) NUT ROCKER - B.Bumble & The Stingers

4 ( NEW ) SCHOOL’S OUT - Alice Cooper

5 ( NEW ) AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE - The Supremes

6 ( 3 ) SEASIDE SHUFFLE - Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs

7 ( NEW ) SILVER MACHINE - Hawkwind

8 ( 6 ) WALKIN’ IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited

9 ( 4 ) SYLVIA’S MOTHER - Doctor Hook & The Medicine Show

10 ( 12 ) BETCHA BY GOLLY WOW - The Stylistics

 

11 ( 10 ) MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB - Wings

12 ( 7 ) ROCK AND ROLL PART 2 - Gary Glitter

13 ( 17 ) I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW - Johnny Nash

14 ( 13 ) I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG - Frederick Knight

15 ( 5 ) MAD ABOUT YOU - Bruce Ruffin

16 ( 19 ) SONG SUNG BLUE - Neil Diamond

17 ( 11 ) PUPPY LOVE - Donny Osmond

18 ( 16 ) CIRCLES - The New Seekers

19 ( 27 ) ROCKIN’ ROBIN - Michael Jackson

20 ( 29 ) LITTLE WILLY - The Sweet

 

21 ( 15 ) STARMAN - David Bowie

22 ( 22 ) TAKE ME BAK ‘OME - Slade

23 ( RE ) AN AMERICAN TRILOGY - Elvis Presley

24 ( 20 ) CALIFORNIA MAN - The Move

25 ( 28 ) GIVE ME ONE MORE CHANCE - Donald Peers

26 ( 24 ) HOW DO YOU DO - Mouth & MacNeil

27 ( NEW ) POPCORN - Hot Butter

28 ( 23 ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE - The Staple Singers

29 ( 18 ) OOH WACKA DOO WACKA DEY - Gilbert O’Sullivan

30 ( NEW ) LAST NIGHT (I DIDN’T GET TO SLEEP AT ALL) - The 5th Dimension

30th July 1972

 

It's a 3rd retro-chart number one for The Chi-Lites, as a track I didn't know until the CD hits-compilation 80's tops my chart. The Coldest Days Of My LIfe is just lovely. Eugene Record was so fab. Highest new entry at 3 is David Bowie's classic All The Young Dudes, as donated to Mott The Hoople and Ian Hunter, to salvage their floundering career, and how that turned out well! You can hear Bowie on the track, in more than one way, and as they sing, "well I got T.Rex", the main pop star of '72 still.

 

New at 9, Sugar Me is released this week for Lynsey De Paul, a great pop track, with a bit of help from Barry Blue (not yet a popstar), while the B side, her version of chart-topping Storm In A Teacup drops in the lower region. Blackfoot Sue debut at 27 with the fab tribal-ish Standing In The Road. The twins weren't Native American, but I liked the chaga-chagga-shhh's anyway. At 36, The Intruders debut early with new US release Win, Place Or Show, the Philly song with the horse-racing trumpet sounds, and a UK hit in 1974. It's not my fault the UK was so far behind on hits, their are 3 from 1974 on the rundown, but they are all bonafide 1972 tracks.

 

Elton sneaks his Honky Cat onto the chart, truthfully his last OK single for some time, they'd all be classics from hereon. The 5th Dimension make it 5 years of retro charting but the new MOR ballad direction was less to my taste, bar one more still to come, and lastly Candlewick Green debut with their Doggie, which got a fair bit of radio play at the time - I think more likely on Radio 2 and TV. It wasn't a hit, I haven't heard it for 50 years, but it seems extremely familiar even after that length of time.

 

 

1 ( 2 ) THE COLDEST DAYS OF MY LIFE (PART 1) - The Chi-Lites # 1

2 ( 1 ) GOODBYE TO LOVE - Carpenters # 1

3 ( NEW ) ALL THE YOUNG DUDES - Mott The Hoople # 3

4 ( 3 ) LOOKIN’ THROUGH THE WINDOWS - The Jackson 5 # 1

5 ( 5 ) BACK STABBERS - The O’Jays # 1

6 ( 6 ) GUITAR MAN - Bread # 6

7 ( 9 ) ZING WENT THE STRINGS OF MY HEART - The Trammps # 7

8 ( 4 ) BREAK - Aphrodite’s Child # 3

9 ( NEW ) SUGAR ME - Lynsey De Paul # 9

10 ( 12 ) YOU WEAR IT WELL - Rod Stewart # 10

 

11 ( 8 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE - David Cassidy # 1

12 ( 13 ) MY GUY - Mary Wells # 12

13 ( 15 ) THE LOCO-MOTION - Little Eva # 13

14 ( 10 ) I’M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU - Al Green # 6

15 ( 7 ) SILVER MACHINE - Hawkwind # 4

16 ( 11 ) THE NIGHT - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons # 3

17 ( 20 ) WATCH ME - Labi Siffre # 17

18 ( 22 ) I WON’T LAST A DAY WITHOUT YOU - Carpenters # 18

19 ( 16 ) THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Aphrodite’s Child # 16

20 ( 17 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex # 1

 

21 ( 19 ) SCHOOL’S OUT - Alice Cooper # 1

22 ( 21 ) STARMAN - David Bowie # 1

23 ( 38 ) RUN TO ME - The Bee Gees # 23

24 ( 30 ) THE RUNWAY - The Grass Roots # 18

25 ( 14 ) BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO - The Partridge Family Starring Shirley Jones & featuring David Cassidy # 11

26 ( 18 ) LONG COOL WOMAN (IN A BLACK DRESS) - The Hollies # 10

27 ( NEW ) STANDING IN THE ROAD - Blackfoot Sue # 27

28 ( 23 ) THE TALK OF ALL THE U.S.A. - Middle Of The Road # 2

29 ( 26 ) WHERE IS THE LOVE - Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway # 5

30 ( 43 ) GARDEN PARTY - Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band # 30

 

31 ( 24 ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes # 5

32 ( 25 ) TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 7

33 ( 40 ) SEASIDE SHUFFLE - Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs # 33

34 ( 32 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons # 1

35 ( 42 ) WHY - Donny Osmond # 35

36 ( NEW ) WIN, PLACE OR SHOW (SHE’S A WINNER) - The Intruders # 36

37 ( 27 ) THE HARDER THEY COME - Jimmy Cliff # 14

38 ( 46 ) JOURNEY - Duncan Browne # 38

39 ( 34 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1

40 ( 56 ) BEN - Michael Jackson # 40

 

41 ( 37 ) HELLO IT’S ME - Todd Rundgren # 1

42 ( 36 ) DIARY - Bread # 3

43 ( 33 ) LEAN ON ME - Bill Withers # 1

44 ( 41 ) I SAW THE LIGHT - Todd Rundgren # 1

45 ( 52 ) THE MOONBEAM SONG - Nilsson # 45

46 ( 28 ) YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS YOUNG - Dusty Springfield # 24

47 ( 29 ) CIRCLES - The New Seekers # 8

48 ( 39 ) IT WOULDN’T HAVE MADE ANY DIFFERENCE - Todd Rundgren # 39

49 ( 57 ) MISTY BLUE - Joe Simon # 49

50 ( 51 ) BEAT THE REAPER - Laurie Styvers # 50

 

51 ( 31 ) MAD ABOUT YOU - Bruce Ruffin # 9

52 ( 55 ) TOP OF THE WORLD - Carpenters # 52

53 ( 35 ) ROLL MUDDY RIVER - The Pioneers # 29

54 ( 49 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE - Michael Jackson # 1

55 ( 48 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John # 1

56 ( 59 ) EMPTY CHAIRS - Don McLean # 56

57 ( 61 ) WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE - Summer Wine # 57

58 ( 54 ) ROCK & ROLL PART II - Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 2

59 ( 72 ) IN THE QUIET MORNING - Joan Baez # 59

60 ( 69 ) MOULDY OLD DOUGH - Lt. Pigeon # 60

 

61 ( 66 ) USE ME - Bill Withers # 61

62 ( 60 ) LIFE ON MARS? - David Bowie # 1

63 ( 65 ) ALWAYS ON MY MIND - Brenda Lee # 63

64 ( 50 ) I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW - Johnny Nash # 20

65 ( 68 ) ROCK ON - T.Rex # 65

66 ( 63 ) 10538 OVERTURE - Electric Light Orchestra # 1

67 ( 70 ) PLAY ME - Neil Diamond # 67

68 ( 75 ) BABY BOOMERANG - T.Rex # 68

69 ( NEW ) HONKY CAT - Elton John # 69

70 ( 71 ) ANGEL - Rod Stewart # 70

 

71 ( 73 ) WE’VE GOT A GOOD THING GOING - Michael Jackson # 71

72 ( 74 ) WALK WITH ME TALK WITH ME DARLING - The Four Tops # 72

73 ( NEW ) LAST NIGHT (I DIDN’T GET TO SLEEP AT ALL) - The 5th Dimension # 73

74 ( NEW ) STORM IN A TEACUP - Lynsey De Paul # 74

75 ( NEW ) DOGGIE - Candlewick Green # 75

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My charts of the time 30th July 1972

 

It's up to one for the first-ever entirely synth hit, the ground-breaking Popcorn from Hot Butter. It seemed a novelty at the time, but it was a sign of things to come. Highest new entry at 9 is the fab country classic from Faron Young, so good that It's Four In The Morning was name-checked on Prefab Sprout's 80's minor hit Faron Young. Country at its best. New at 12 and Chairmen Of The Board are working on a building of love, which is something board-members don't do these days. The Move go back up with California Man as they debut with the brilliant 10538 Overture as Electric Light Orchestra, not even waiting to terminate The Move before ELO, Wizzard and Roy Wood all start-up to pop immortality in many ways.

 

Middle Of The Road make it 5 chart entries as Samson & Delilah tear down the walls of that afore-said building of love, Richard Harris gets his 1968 Jimmy Webb classic MacArthur Park back into the charts, and debuting in mine 4years late, Little Eva gets Carole King's The Locomotion debuting in my chart 10 years late, Aussie band The Aztecs get some Radio One airplay, but no hit, as they opine Most People I Know Think That I'm Crazy, and JK is back at 30 with one of his flops - It's A Tall Order For A Short Guy but he'll be back Shag-ging before long, so no worries.

 

 

1 ( 27 ) POPCORN - Hot Butter

2 ( 1 ) BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO - The Partridge Family

3 ( 2 ) MY GUY - Mary Wells

4 ( 3 ) NUT ROCKER - B.Bumble & The Stingers

5 ( 5 ) AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE - The Supremes

6 ( 4 ) SCHOOL’S OUT - Alice Cooper

7 ( 8 ) WALKIN’ IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited

8 ( 6 ) SEASIDE SHUFFLE - Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs

9 ( NEW ) IT’S FOUR IN THE MORNING - Faron Young

10 ( 9 ) SYLVIA’S MOTHER - Doctor Hook & The Medicine Show

 

11 ( 10 ) BETCHA BY GOLLY WOW - The Stylistics

12 ( NEW ) WORKING ON A BUILDING OF LOVE - Chairmen Of The Board

13 ( 12 ) ROCK AND ROLL PART 2 - Gary Glitter

14 ( 14 ) I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG - Frederick Knight

15 ( 7 ) SILVER MACHINE - Hawkwind

16 ( 24 ) CALIFORNIA MAN - The Move

17 ( 19 ) ROCKIN’ ROBIN - Michael Jackson

18 ( 15 ) MAD ABOUT YOU - Bruce Ruffin

19 ( 21 ) STARMAN - David Bowie

20 ( 22 ) TAKE ME BAK ‘OME - Slade

 

21 ( 18 ) CIRCLES - The New Seekers

22 ( 29 ) OOH WACKA DOO WACKA DEY - Gilbert O’Sullivan

23 ( NEW ) 10538 OVERTURE - Electric Light Orchestra

24 ( NEW ) SAMSON AND DELILAH - Middle Of The Road

25 ( 13 ) I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW - Johnny Nash

26 ( NEW ) MCARTHUR PARK - Richard Harris

27 ( NEW ) THE LOCOMOTION - Little Eva

28 ( 20 ) LITTLE WILLY - The Sweet

29 ( NEW ) MOST PEOPLE I KNOW THINK THAT I’M CRAZY - Aztecs

30 ( NEW ) IT’S A TALL ORDER FOR A SHORT GUY - Jonathan King

13th August 1972

 

It's a first week on top for Mott The Hoople, and the fourth Bowie chart-topper, as All The Young Dudes is essentially Bowie plus added Ian Hunter and guitar. Little Eva gets a 1962 classic top 10 with Carole King's The Locomotion, and the highest new entry is Roxy Music's startlingly original glamrock classic Virginia Plain at 9. I have decided if I am ever forced to do public karaoke it will to Virginia Plain: there's no singing, I know every word, every nuance of Bryan Ferry's stylish... can we say, rap? I mean, he's not singing, there's no melody to the words, no hook, no chorus, no verse, there's just talking set fanciful imagery set to glam rock music with added synths. I think ground-breaking is a fair comment.

 

New at 28, The Detroit Spinners start their run of cracking Philly Soul singles with I'll Be There, a US number 3 (the other side of the single was not the playlisted track, this was), and a flop UK single until Terri Wells covered it in 1984. Also debuting proper, The Doobie Brothers start their run of US hits with Listen To The Music, though as often the case for 1972 tracks, it took 2 years to become a UK hit. New at 52, future Isley Brothers classic UK hit (yes, 1974 again) Summer Breeze debuts for Seals & Croft, who never managed a UK hit, but this one was worthy enough.

 

Also new in, and Elvis Presley has his last but one decent rock 'n' roll single, Burning Love. It was recently re-done quite well by the London Symphony Orchestra and it almost gave Elvis a last US chart-topper - but fell short at 2. Bobby Hebb's Sunny was not the version I knew in the 60's - Georgie Fame and Jose Feliciano were the covers I knew best - but it's fair it debuts as I missed doing the 1966 retro charts, and it's still an ambition of mine to find the time to do the rest of the earlier 60's along with 1966. Van Morrison debuts with the future Dexy's Midnight Runners hit, Jackie Wilson Said, and I'm pleased Jackie got to hear the original. Finally Peter Noone, against expectations, manages another chart entry with the decent Should I, one I'd forgotten entirely.

 

 

1 ( 3 ) ALL THE YOUNG DUDES - Mott The Hoople # 1

2 ( 1 ) THE COLDEST DAYS OF MY LIFE (PART 1) - The Chi-Lites # 1

3 ( 2 ) GOODBYE TO LOVE - Carpenters # 1

4 ( 9 ) SUGAR ME - Lynsey De Paul # 4

5 ( 5 ) BACK STABBERS - The O’Jays # 1

6 ( 4 ) LOOKIN’ THROUGH THE WINDOWS - The Jackson 5 # 1

7 ( 6 ) GUITAR MAN - Bread # 6

8 ( 13 ) THE LOCO-MOTION - Little Eva # 8

9 ( NEW ) VIRGINIA PLAIN - Roxy Music # 9

10 ( 10 ) YOU WEAR IT WELL - Rod Stewart # 10

 

11 ( 8 ) BREAK - Aphrodite’s Child # 3

12 ( 27 ) STANDING IN THE ROAD - Blackfoot Sue # 12

13 ( 11 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE - David Cassidy # 1

14 ( 7 ) ZING WENT THE STRINGS OF MY HEART - The Trammps # 7

15 ( 12 ) MY GUY - Mary Wells # 12

16 ( 17 ) WATCH ME - Labi Siffre # 16

17 ( 18 ) I WON’T LAST A DAY WITHOUT YOU - Carpenters # 17

18 ( 16 ) THE NIGHT - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons # 3

19 ( 14 ) I’M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU - Al Green # 6

20 ( 23 ) RUN TO ME - The Bee Gees # 20

 

21 ( 15 ) SILVER MACHINE - Hawkwind # 4

22 ( 20 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex # 1

23 ( 22 ) STARMAN - David Bowie # 1

24 ( 30 ) GARDEN PARTY - Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band # 24

25 ( 25 ) BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO - The Partridge Family Starring Shirley Jones & featuring David Cassidy # 11

26 ( 36 ) WIN, PLACE OR SHOW (SHE’S A WINNER) - The Intruders # 26

27 ( 38 ) JOURNEY - Duncan Browne # 27

28 ( NEW ) I’LL BE AROUND - The Detroit Spinners # 28

29 ( 35 ) WHY - Donny Osmond # 29

30 ( 19 ) THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Aphrodite’s Child # 16

 

31 ( 21 ) SCHOOL’S OUT - Alice Cooper # 1

32 ( 33 ) SEASIDE SHUFFLE - Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs # 32

33 ( 24 ) THE RUNWAY - The Grass Roots # 18

34 ( 28 ) THE TALK OF ALL THE U.S.A. - Middle Of The Road # 2

35 ( 29 ) WHERE IS THE LOVE - Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway # 5

36 ( 40 ) BEN - Michael Jackson # 36

37 ( 34 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons # 1

38 ( 26 ) LONG COOL WOMAN (IN A BLACK DRESS) - The Hollies # 10

39 ( 49 ) MISTY BLUE - Joe Simon # 39

40 ( NEW ) LISTEN TO THE MUSIC - The Doobie Brothers # 40

 

 

41 ( 39 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1

42 ( 45 ) THE MOONBEAM SONG - Nilsson # 42

43 ( 41 ) HELLO IT’S ME - Todd Rundgren # 1

44 ( 31 ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes # 5

45 ( 32 ) TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 7

46 ( 44 ) I SAW THE LIGHT - Todd Rundgren # 1

47 ( 42 ) DIARY - Bread # 3

48 ( 59 ) IN THE QUIET MORNING - Joan Baez # 48

49 ( 56 ) EMPTY CHAIRS - Don McLean # 49

50 ( 52 ) TOP OF THE WORLD - Carpenters # 50

 

51 ( 43 ) LEAN ON ME - Bill Withers # 1

52 ( NEW ) SUMMER BREEZE - Seals & Crofts # 52

53 ( 74 ) STORM IN A TEACUP - Lynsey De Paul # 53

54 ( 67 ) PLAY ME - Neil Diamond # 54

55 ( 37 ) THE HARDER THEY COME - Jimmy Cliff # 14

56 ( 54 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE - Michael Jackson # 1

57 ( 57 ) WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE - Summer Wine # 57

58 ( 63 ) ALWAYS ON MY MIND - Brenda Lee # 58

59 ( 55 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John # 1

60 ( 60 ) MOULDY OLD DOUGH - Lt. Pigeon # 60

 

61 ( 61 ) USE ME - Bill Withers # 61

62 ( 50 ) BEAT THE REAPER - Laurie Styvers # 50

63 ( 65 ) ROCK ON - T.Rex # 63

64 ( 62 ) LIFE ON MARS? - David Bowie # 1

65 ( 47 ) CIRCLES - The New Seekers # 8

66 ( 70 ) ANGEL - Rod Stewart # 66

67 ( 68 ) BABY BOOMERANG - T.Rex # 67

68 ( 71 ) WE’VE GOT A GOOD THING GOING - Michael Jackson # 68

69 ( 69 ) HONKY CAT - Elton John # 69

70 ( 73 ) LAST NIGHT (I DIDN’T GET TO SLEEP AT ALL) - The 5th Dimension # 70

 

71 ( NEW ) BURNING LOVE - Elvis Presley # 71

72 ( 72 ) WALK WITH ME TALK WITH ME DARLING - The Four Tops # 72

73 ( NEW ) SUNNY - Bobby Hebb # 73

74 ( NEW ) JACKIE WILSON SAID (I’M IN HEAVEN WHEN YOU SMILE) - Van Morrison # 74

75 ( NEW ) SHOULD I - Peter Noone # 75

 

 

 

6th August 1972 my chart faves that week aged 14

 

It's up to number one for the first of many chart-toppers for Jeff Lynne, and also for Roy Wood, though he had already topped my charts in 1969 with Blackberry Way for The Move. 10538 Overture is still majestic and exciting and different. 1962 nostalgia brings Little Eva up to 3 as the Carole King song is a hit all over again, and the success of the Tapestry album will do the same for Carole King herself before 1972 is finished. The Bee Gees are back for a 5th consecutive top 10 year with Run To Me at 9, and David Bowie's career-rescuing gift to Mott The Hoople debuts at 25, the fabness that is All The Young Dudes. The Sutherland Brothers get a 2nd chart entry with Sailing, the charming thumping ballad that will be bloated into a monster by Rod Stewart in 3 years time. Talking of, Rod The Mod enters with the sweet You Wear It Well, his own songs were always his best stuff.

 

 

1 ( 23 ) 10538 OVERTURE - Electric Light Orchestra

2 ( 1 ) POPCORN - Hot Butter

3 ( 27 ) THE LOCOMOTION - Little Eva

4 ( 7 ) WALKIN’ IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited

5 ( 3 ) MY GUY - Mary Wells

6 ( 4 ) NUT ROCKER - B.Bumble & The Stingers

7 ( 8 ) SEASIDE SHUFFLE - Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs

8 ( 5 ) AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE - The Supremes

9 ( NEW ) RUN TO ME - The Bee Gees

10 ( 2 ) BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO - The Partridge Family

 

11 ( 11 ) BETCHA BY GOLLY WOW - The Stylistics

12 ( 12 ) WORKING ON A BUILDING OF LOVE - Chairmen Of The Board

13 ( 13 ) ROCK AND ROLL PART 2 - Gary Glitter

14 ( 6 ) SCHOOL’S OUT - Alice Cooper

15 ( 9 ) IT’S FOUR IN THE MORNING - Faron Young

16 ( 18 ) MAD ABOUT YOU - Bruce Ruffin

17 ( 22 ) OOH WACKA DOO WACKA DEY - Gilbert O’Sullivan

18 ( 10 ) SYLVIA’S MOTHER - Doctor Hook & The Medicine Show

19 ( 17 ) ROCKIN’ ROBIN - Michael Jackson

20 ( 19 ) STARMAN - David Bowie

 

21 ( 15 ) SILVER MACHINE - Hawkwind

22 ( 24 ) SAMSON AND DELILAH - Middle Of The Road

23 ( 26 ) MCARTHUR PARK - Richard Harris

24 ( 21 ) CIRCLES - The New Seekers

25 ( NEW ) ALL THE YOUNG DUDES - Mott The Hoople

26 ( 20 ) TAKE ME BAK ‘OME - Slade

27 ( NEW ) SAILING - The Sutherland Brothers

28 ( 25 ) I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW - Johnny Nash

29 ( NEW ) YOU WEAR IT WELL - Rod Stewart

30 ( 14 ) I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG - Frederick Knight

13th August 1972

 

It's a first week on top for Roxy Music's debut single, the brilliantly-odd Virginia Plain. The track too a while to grow on me in 1972, it was so unusual, thought it went top 10, and I actually bought it on the 1977 reissue coupled with Pyjamarama, both of which duly topped my charts that year. Blackfoot Sue also get a debut top 10 with the chackachakashhh's of the catchy rock track. Highest new entry at 23 is the former Hotlegs plus one, and the classic line-up of 10 C.C. has arrived, one of the great acts of the 70's. Donna topped my charts of the time, and unusually for me I became a huge fan of the first two albums, so expect to see far more than just the singles charting.

 

The Sutherland Brothers enter at 50 with their best record, Sailing, which Rod the Mod at 7 will be looking down on stroking his chin, biding his time. This is still the best version for me. The Seashells's Maybe I Know was another fave of mine, and I had no idea it was a Lesley Gore cover at the time. To be honest I had no idea who Lesley Gore was, though I liked It's My Party. New at 52, just ahead of Cliff Richard returning with another peace 'n' love track, quirky, catchy and well-intended, and I still like Living In Harmony. At 62, Jonathan King is back with another pseudonym and another that tickled my fancy and topped my charts in 1972, partly cos it was bloody catchy, partly cos it was funny, and partly cos he got away with calling himself Shag. Presumably because it's a bird and the BBC couldn't argue about that. The Drifters chart another 60's oldie, and at 75, Suzi Quatro debuts with Rolling Stone. I remember it at the time getting plays on the radio, though no-one else does, but no, it wasn't Can The Can and it wasn't a Chinn-Chapman song either.

 

 

1 ( 9 ) VIRGINIA PLAIN - Roxy Music # 1

2 ( 2 ) THE COLDEST DAYS OF MY LIFE (PART 1) - The Chi-Lites # 1

3 ( 4 ) SUGAR ME - Lynsey De Paul # 3

4 ( 1 ) ALL THE YOUNG DUDES - Mott The Hoople # 1

5 ( 3 ) GOODBYE TO LOVE - Carpenters # 1

6 ( 12 ) STANDING IN THE ROAD - Blackfoot Sue # 6

7 ( 10 ) YOU WEAR IT WELL - Rod Stewart # 7

8 ( 8 ) THE LOCO-MOTION - Little Eva # 8

9 ( 6 ) LOOKIN’ THROUGH THE WINDOWS - The Jackson 5 # 1

10 ( 5 ) BACK STABBERS - The O’Jays # 1

 

 

11 ( 11 ) BREAK - Aphrodite’s Child # 3

12 ( 7 ) GUITAR MAN - Bread # 6

13 ( 16 ) WATCH ME - Labi Siffre # 13

14 ( 28 ) I’LL BE AROUND - The Detroit Spinners # 14

15 ( 27 ) JOURNEY - Duncan Browne # 15

16 ( 15 ) MY GUY - Mary Wells # 12

17 ( 13 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE - David Cassidy # 1

18 ( 24 ) GARDEN PARTY - Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band # 18

19 ( 17 ) I WON’T LAST A DAY WITHOUT YOU - Carpenters # 17

20 ( 26 ) WIN, PLACE OR SHOW (SHE’S A WINNER) - The Intruders # 20

 

21 ( 40 ) LISTEN TO THE MUSIC - The Doobie Brothers # 21

22 ( 14 ) ZING WENT THE STRINGS OF MY HEART - The Trammps # 7

23 ( NEW ) DONNA - 10 C.C. # 23

24 ( 18 ) THE NIGHT - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons # 3

25 ( 23 ) STARMAN - David Bowie # 1

26 ( 21 ) SILVER MACHINE - Hawkwind # 4

27 ( 22 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex # 1

28 ( 25 ) BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO - The Partridge Family Starring Shirley Jones & featuring David Cassidy # 11

29 ( 29 ) WHY - Donny Osmond # 29

30 ( 20 ) RUN TO ME - The Bee Gees # 20

 

 

31 ( 19 ) I’M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU - Al Green # 6

32 ( 36 ) BEN - Michael Jackson # 32

33 ( 42 ) THE MOONBEAM SONG - Nilsson # 33

34 ( 52 ) SUMMER BREEZE - Seals & Crofts # 34

35 ( 53 ) STORM IN A TEACUP - Lynsey De Paul # 35

36 ( 31 ) SCHOOL’S OUT - Alice Cooper # 1

37 ( 30 ) THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Aphrodite’s Child # 16

38 ( 34 ) THE TALK OF ALL THE U.S.A. - Middle Of The Road # 2

39 ( 39 ) MISTY BLUE - Joe Simon # 39

40 ( 35 ) WHERE IS THE LOVE - Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway # 5

 

 

41 ( 37 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons # 1

42 ( 33 ) THE RUNWAY - The Grass Roots # 18

43 ( 32 ) SEASIDE SHUFFLE - Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs # 32

44 ( 41 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1

45 ( 43 ) HELLO IT’S ME - Todd Rundgren # 1

46 ( 48 ) IN THE QUIET MORNING - Joan Baez # 46

47 ( 54 ) PLAY ME - Neil Diamond # 47

48 ( 46 ) I SAW THE LIGHT - Todd Rundgren # 1

49 ( 47 ) DIARY - Bread # 3

50 ( NEW ) SAILING - The Sutherland Brothers # 50

 

 

51 ( 45 ) TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 7

52 ( NEW ) MAYBE I KNOW - The Seashells # 52

53 ( 49 ) EMPTY CHAIRS - Don McLean # 49

54 ( 51 ) LEAN ON ME - Bill Withers # 1

55 ( 44 ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes # 5

56 ( NEW ) LIVING IN HARMONY - Cliff Richard # 56

57 ( 38 ) LONG COOL WOMAN (IN A BLACK DRESS) - The Hollies # 10

58 ( 58 ) ALWAYS ON MY MIND - Brenda Lee # 58

59 ( 56 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE - Michael Jackson # 1

60 ( 50 ) TOP OF THE WORLD - Carpenters # 50

 

 

61 ( 59 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John # 1

62 ( NEW ) LOOP DI LOVE - Shag aka Jonathan King # 62

63 ( 66 ) ANGEL - Rod Stewart # 63

64 ( 70 ) LAST NIGHT (I DIDN’T GET TO SLEEP AT ALL) - The 5th Dimension # 64

65 ( 60 ) MOULDY OLD DOUGH - Lt. Pigeon # 60

66 ( 61 ) USE ME - Bill Withers # 61

67 ( 63 ) ROCK ON - T.Rex # 63

68 ( 73 ) SUNNY - Bobby Hebb # 68

69 ( 67 ) BABY BOOMERANG - T.Rex # 67

70 ( 71 ) BURNING LOVE - Elvis Presley # 70

 

 

71 ( 69 ) HONKY CAT - Elton John # 69

72 ( NEW ) COME ON OVER TO MY PLACE - The Drifters # 72

73 ( 74 ) JACKIE WILSON SAID (I’M IN HEAVEN WHEN YOU SMILE) - Van Morrison # 73

74 ( 68 ) WE’VE GOT A GOOD THING GOING - Michael Jackson # 68

75 ( NEW ) ROLLING STONE - Suzi Quatro # 75

 

 

 

13th August 1972 my charts of that week then

 

It's 2 weeks on top for ELO with Mott The Hoople grabbing a first top 5 with All The Young Dudes at 4 - It won't be the last time either! Middle Of The Road make it 5 in a row top 5's, and that's it barring re-issues, though there's still more chart action to come as they continue to please me, if not the UK record buyers. Highest new entry is a South American and European hit from 1971, Mardi Gras and their fab cover of Marvin Gaye's Too Busy Thinking Bout My Baby. I prefer it to the original, gasp!

 

Jackie Wilson had a 1968 US hit with I Get The Sweetest Feeling, but as usual the UK is years behind with US soul records, and Jackie returns to my charts for the first time since Higher And Higher in 1969 - which was also years old by then. The 50's Reet Petite hitmaker will be back several times, but never with anything new or that had never charted before. Labi Siffre gets a 3rd lovely ballad, Watch Me at 29, and it would be another 15 years before he had another (monster) hit. Finally, Eric Clapton's band had released the album 18 months ago, but an edited version of Layla is finally out as a single and the rifftastic epic enters at 30. His debut albeit a pseudonym, for all intents.

 

 

1 ( 1 ) 10538 OVERTURE - Electric Light Orchestra

2 ( 2 ) POPCORN - Hot Butter

3 ( 3 ) THE LOCOMOTION - Little Eva

4 ( 25 ) ALL THE YOUNG DUDES - Mott The Hoople

5 ( 22 ) SAMSON AND DELILAH - Middle Of The Road

6 ( 5 ) MY GUY - Mary Wells

7 ( 10 ) BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO - The Partridge Family

8 ( 4 ) WALKIN’ IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited

9 ( 7 ) SEASIDE SHUFFLE - Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs

10 ( 8 ) AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE - The Supremes

 

 

11 ( 11 ) BETCHA BY GOLLY WOW - The Stylistics

12 ( 9 ) RUN TO ME - The Bee Gees

13 ( 14 ) SCHOOL’S OUT - Alice Cooper

14 ( 13 ) ROCK AND ROLL PART 2 - Gary Glitter

15 ( 12 ) WORKING ON A BUILDING OF LOVE - Chairmen Of The Board

16 ( 18 ) SYLVIA’S MOTHER - Doctor Hook & The Medicine Show

17 ( 15 ) IT’S FOUR IN THE MORNING - Faron Young

18 ( 16 ) MAD ABOUT YOU - Bruce Ruffin

19 ( 21 ) SILVER MACHINE - Hawkwind

20 ( 20 ) STARMAN - David Bowie

 

21 ( 29 ) YOU WEAR IT WELL - Rod Stewart

22 ( 28 ) I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW - Johnny Nash

23 ( 17 ) OOH WACKA DOO WACKA DEY - Gilbert O’Sullivan

24 ( 27 ) SAILING - The Sutherland Brothers

25 ( NEW ) TOO BUSY THINKING BOUT MY BABY - Mardi Gras

26 ( 23 ) MCARTHUR PARK - Richard Harris

27 ( 6 ) NUT ROCKER - B.Bumble & The Stingers

28 ( NEW ) I GET THE SWEETEST FEELING - Jackie Wilson

29 ( NEW ) WATCH ME - Labi Siffre

30 ( NEW ) LAYLA - Derek & The Dominoes

20th August 1972

 

It's 2 weeks on top for Roxy Music still sounding exciting with Virginia Plain as a forgotten rockpop should-be classic is at 2 for Blackfoot Sue, Standing In The Road. The Detroit Spinners get their first top 10 of what will be a run, the fabulous I'll Be Around, at 6, and 10 C.C. also start a run of about ooh, 10 top 10's at least, as Donna hits 8, the 50's pastiche still has charm and oomph. Highest new entry at 29 is from The Pearls, on their second 60's cover, You Came You Saw You Conquered, while Slade slam straight in at 38 with Mama Weer All Crazee Now, a 6th charting track for them.

 

The Eagles follow-up their debut Take It Easy with the much better Witchy Woman, great driving tribal guitars on it, Hurricane Smith gets a 3rd chart entry with his cover of Gilbert O'Sullivan's Who Was It, and Dandy Livingstone returns with the jolly Suzanne Beware Of The Devil.

 

1 ( 1 ) VIRGINIA PLAIN - Roxy Music # 1

2 ( 6 ) STANDING IN THE ROAD - Blackfoot Sue # 2

3 ( 4 ) ALL THE YOUNG DUDES - Mott The Hoople # 1

4 ( 5 ) GOODBYE TO LOVE - Carpenters # 1

5 ( 2 ) THE COLDEST DAYS OF MY LIFE (PART 1) - The Chi-Lites # 1

6 ( 14 ) I’LL BE AROUND - The Detroit Spinners # 6

7 ( 3 ) SUGAR ME - Lynsey De Paul # 3

8 ( 23 ) DONNA - 10 C.C. # 8

9 ( 9 ) LOOKIN’ THROUGH THE WINDOWS - The Jackson 5 # 1

10 ( 10 ) BACK STABBERS - The O’Jays # 1

 

11 ( 7 ) YOU WEAR IT WELL - Rod Stewart # 7

12 ( 8 ) THE LOCO-MOTION - Little Eva # 8

13 ( 12 ) GUITAR MAN - Bread # 6

14 ( 15 ) JOURNEY - Duncan Browne # 14

15 ( 20 ) WIN, PLACE OR SHOW (SHE’S A WINNER) - The Intruders # 15

16 ( 16 ) MY GUY - Mary Wells # 12

17 ( 21 ) LISTEN TO THE MUSIC - The Doobie Brothers # 17

18 ( 11 ) BREAK - Aphrodite’s Child # 3

19 ( 19 ) I WON’T LAST A DAY WITHOUT YOU - Carpenters # 17

20 ( 17 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE - David Cassidy # 1

 

21 ( 13 ) WATCH ME - Labi Siffre # 13

22 ( 31 ) I’M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU - Al Green # 6

23 ( 22 ) ZING WENT THE STRINGS OF MY HEART - The Trammps # 7

24 ( 18 ) GARDEN PARTY - Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band # 18

25 ( 25 ) STARMAN - David Bowie # 1

26 ( 29 ) WHY - Donny Osmond # 26

27 ( 27 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex # 1

28 ( 28 ) BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO - The Partridge Family Starring Shirley Jones & featuring David Cassidy # 11

29 ( NEW ) YOU CAME, YOU SAW, YOU CONQUERED - The Pearls # 29

30 ( 35 ) STORM IN A TEACUP - Lynsey De Paul # 30

 

31 ( 26 ) SILVER MACHINE - Hawkwind # 4

32 ( 33 ) THE MOONBEAM SONG - Nilsson # 32

33 ( 24 ) THE NIGHT - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons # 3

34 ( 34 ) SUMMER BREEZE - Seals & Crofts # 34

35 ( 52 ) MAYBE I KNOW - The Seashells # 35

36 ( 47 ) PLAY ME - Neil Diamond # 36

37 ( 46 ) IN THE QUIET MORNING - Joan Baez # 37

38 ( NEW ) MAMA WEER ALL CRAZEE NOW - Slade # 38

39 ( 62 ) LOOP DI LOVE - Shag aka Jonathan King # 39

40 ( 50 ) SAILING - The Sutherland Brothers # 40

 

41 ( 36 ) SCHOOL’S OUT - Alice Cooper # 1

42 ( 38 ) THE TALK OF ALL THE U.S.A. - Middle Of The Road # 2

43 ( 41 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons # 1

44 ( 56 ) LIVING IN HARMONY - Cliff Richard # 44

45 ( 32 ) BEN - Michael Jackson # 32

46 ( 30 ) RUN TO ME - The Bee Gees # 20

47 ( 45 ) HELLO IT’S ME - Todd Rundgren # 1

48 ( 40 ) WHERE IS THE LOVE - Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway # 5

49 ( 48 ) I SAW THE LIGHT - Todd Rundgren # 1

50 ( 44 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1

 

51 ( 42 ) THE RUNWAY - The Grass Roots # 18

52 ( 49 ) DIARY - Bread # 3

53 ( 68 ) SUNNY - Bobby Hebb # 53

54 ( 39 ) MISTY BLUE - Joe Simon # 39

55 ( 70 ) BURNING LOVE - Elvis Presley # 55

56 ( 37 ) THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Aphrodite’s Child # 16

57 ( 43 ) SEASIDE SHUFFLE - Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs # 32

58 ( 67 ) ROCK ON - T.Rex # 58

59 ( 54 ) LEAN ON ME - Bill Withers # 1

60 ( 51 ) TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 7

 

61 ( 63 ) ANGEL - Rod Stewart # 61

62 ( 53 ) EMPTY CHAIRS - Don McLean # 49

63 ( 59 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE - Michael Jackson # 1

64 ( 66 ) USE ME - Bill Withers # 61

65 ( 65 ) MOULDY OLD DOUGH - Lt. Pigeon # 60

66 ( 61 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John # 1

67 ( 55 ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY - The Tremeloes # 5

68 ( 72 ) COME ON OVER TO MY PLACE - The Drifters # 68

69 ( NEW ) WITCHY WOMAN - The Eagles # 71

70 ( NEW ) WHO WAS IT - Hurricane Smith # 70

 

71 ( NEW ) SUZANNE BEWARE OF THE DEVIL - Dandy Livingston # 71

72 ( 73 ) JACKIE WILSON SAID (I’M IN HEAVEN WHEN YOU SMILE) - Van Morrison # 72

73 ( 57 ) LONG COOL WOMAN (IN A BLACK DRESS) - The Hollies # 10

74 ( 64 ) LAST NIGHT (I DIDN’T GET TO SLEEP AT ALL) - The 5th Dimension # 64

75 ( 75 ) ROLLING STONE - Suzi Quatro # 75

 

 

20th August 1972 my charts of that week then

 

It's up to the top spot for Mardi Gras' delightful Marvin Gaye cover, and Blackfoot Sue debut with the fab rock riffs of Standing In The Road new at 5, the even fabber riffs of Clapton on Layla up to 7, and Jackie Wilson's 1968 soul classic up to 9. Procol Harum are in at 17 with their terrific live orchestral version of their 1967 album track, Conquistador, and Lynsey De Paul debuts fresh from already having a number song in 1972 with The Fortunes' Storm In A Teacup, now branching out on a pop career herself with the whip-violin hooks of Sugar Me at 26. Finally Looking Glass debut with their USA monster hit Brandy (You're A Fine Girl), at 30 and not anywhere near as great as another song called Brandy. Albeit known better as Mandy 3 years later.

 

 

1 ( 25 ) TOO BUSY THINKING BOUT MY BABY - Mardi Gras

2 ( 3 ) THE LOCOMOTION - Little Eva

3 ( 1 ) 10538 OVERTURE - Electric Light Orchestra

4 ( 2 ) POPCORN - Hot Butter

5 ( NEW ) STANDING IN THE ROAD - Blackfoot Sue

6 ( 4 ) ALL THE YOUNG DUDES - Mott The Hoople

7 ( 30 ) LAYLA - Derek & The Dominoes

8 ( 5 ) SAMSON AND DELILAH - Middle Of The Road

9 ( 28 ) I GET THE SWEETEST FEELING - Jackie Wilson

10 ( 7 ) BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO - The Partridge Family

 

11 ( 10 ) AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE - The Supremes

12 ( 6 ) MY GUY - Mary Wells

13 ( 9 ) SEASIDE SHUFFLE - Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs

14 ( 14 ) ROCK AND ROLL PART 2 - Gary Glitter

15 ( 21 ) YOU WEAR IT WELL - Rod Stewart

16 ( 11 ) BETCHA BY GOLLY WOW - The Stylistics

17 ( NEW ) CONQUISTADOR - Procol Harum

18 ( 16 ) SYLVIA’S MOTHER - Doctor Hook & The Medicine Show

19 ( 12 ) RUN TO ME - The Bee Gees

20 ( 29 ) WATCH ME - Labi Siffre

 

21 ( 15 ) WORKING ON A BUILDING OF LOVE - Chairmen Of The Board

22 ( 17 ) IT’S FOUR IN THE MORNING - Faron Young

23 ( 20 ) STARMAN - David Bowie

24 ( 13 ) SCHOOL’S OUT - Alice Cooper

25 ( 24 ) SAILING - The Sutherland Brothers

26 ( NEW ) SUGAR ME - Lynsey De Paul

27 ( 19 ) WALKIN’ IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited

28 ( 18 ) SILVER MACHINE - Hawkwind

29 ( 22 ) MAD ABOUT YOU - Bruce Ruffin

30 ( NEW ) BRANDY (YOU’RE A FINE GIRL) - Looking Glass

27th August 1972

 

It's a return for a 2nd week at 1 for The Chi-Lites, a sober track for a sober day as the death of the Queen dominates the world news. That means more upbeat tracks suffer, but Duncan Browne takes his lovely Journey into the top 10, and the glamtastic Sweet start to their run of classic singles with Wig-Wam Bam, high glam Chinn-Chapman camp new at 10. New at 14, and out in the USA Mama Cass changes her name to Cass Elliot as she announces on the B side Don't Call Me Mama Anymore. This was my favourite record in 1974 when it was belatedly released in the UK to promote Cass' media blitz, notably Rosko's Roundtable where she was reviewing the latest records like Mud's Rocket and Hues Corporation Rock The Boat. I taped it cos I was a huge fan of hers and The Mamas & The Papas. And then she suddenly died in London and I was hit with my first pop idol death. So (If You're Gonna) Break Another Heart will always be sad for me for what might have been. She was 30 when she recorded it.

 

The Four Tops get another Motown release enter, ahead of their label move, David Cassidy's title track from his new album debuts at 74, and Dr Hook get a follow up to Sylvia's Mother.

 

 

1 ( 5 ) THE COLDEST DAYS OF MY LIFE (PART 1) - The Chi-Lites # 1

2 ( 6 ) I’LL BE AROUND - The Detroit Spinners # 2

3 ( 4 ) GOODBYE TO LOVE - Carpenters # 1

4 ( 7 ) SUGAR ME - Lynsey De Paul # 3

5 ( 1 ) VIRGINIA PLAIN - Roxy Music # 1

6 ( 3 ) ALL THE YOUNG DUDES - Mott The Hoople # 1

7 ( 14 ) JOURNEY - Duncan Browne # 7

8 ( 8 ) DONNA - 10 C.C. # 8

9 ( 2 ) STANDING IN THE ROAD - Blackfoot Sue # 2

10 ( NEW ) WIG-WAM BAM - The Sweet # 10

 

11 ( 9 ) LOOKIN’ THROUGH THE WINDOWS - The Jackson 5 # 1

12 ( 10 ) BACK STABBERS - The O’Jays # 1

13 ( 13 ) GUITAR MAN - Bread # 6

14 ( NEW ) (IF YOU’RE GONNA) BREAK ANOTHER HEART - Mama Cass Elliot # 14

15 ( 17 ) LISTEN TO THE MUSIC - The Doobie Brothers # 15

16 ( 11 ) YOU WEAR IT WELL - Rod Stewart # 7

17 ( 15 ) WIN, PLACE OR SHOW (SHE’S A WINNER) - The Intruders # 15

18 ( 22 ) I’M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU - Al Green # 6

19 ( 18 ) BREAK - Aphrodite’s Child # 3

20 ( 12 ) THE LOCO-MOTION - Little Eva # 8

 

21 ( 16 ) MY GUY - Mary Wells # 12

22 ( 20 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE - David Cassidy # 1

23 ( 21 ) WATCH ME - Labi Siffre # 13

24 ( 23 ) ZING WENT THE STRINGS OF MY HEART - The Trammps # 7

25 ( 30 ) STORM IN A TEACUP - Lynsey De Paul # 25

26 ( 32 ) THE MOONBEAM SONG - Nilsson # 26

27 ( 19 ) I WON’T LAST A DAY WITHOUT YOU - Carpenters # 17

28 ( 29 ) YOU CAME, YOU SAW, YOU CONQUERED - The Pearls # 28

29 ( 35 ) MAYBE I KNOW - The Seashells # 29

30 ( 26 ) WHY - Donny Osmond # 26

 

31 ( 25 ) STARMAN - David Bowie # 1

32 ( 27 ) METAL GURU - T.Rex # 1

33 ( 34 ) SUMMER BREEZE - Seals & Crofts # 33

34 ( 39 ) LOOP DI LOVE - Shag aka Jonathan King # 34

35 ( 40 ) SAILING - The Sutherland Brothers # 35

36 ( 38 ) MAMA WEER ALL CRAZEE NOW - Slade # 36

37 ( 44 ) LIVING IN HARMONY - Cliff Richard # 37

38 ( 53 ) SUNNY - Bobby Hebb # 38

39 ( 31 ) SILVER MACHINE - Hawkwind # 4

40 ( 24 ) GARDEN PARTY - Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band # 18

 

41 ( 28 ) BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO - The Partridge Family Starring Shirley Jones & featuring David Cassidy # 11

42 ( 33 ) THE NIGHT - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons # 3

43 ( 36 ) PLAY ME - Neil Diamond # 36

44 ( 55 ) BURNING LOVE - Elvis Presley # 44

45 ( 37 ) IN THE QUIET MORNING - Joan Baez # 37

46 ( 43 ) SWEET TALKING GUY - The Chiffons # 1

47 ( 41 ) SCHOOL’S OUT - Alice Cooper # 1

48 ( 47 ) HELLO IT’S ME - Todd Rundgren # 1

49 ( 42 ) THE TALK OF ALL THE U.S.A. - Middle Of The Road # 2

50 ( 49 ) I SAW THE LIGHT - Todd Rundgren # 1

 

51 ( 45 ) BEN - Michael Jackson # 32

52 ( 48 ) WHERE IS THE LOVE - Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway # 5

53 ( 50 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE - Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1

54 ( 58 ) ROCK ON - T.Rex # 54

55 ( 61 ) ANGEL - Rod Stewart # 55

56 ( 52 ) DIARY - Bread # 3

57 ( 64 ) USE ME - Bill Withers # 57

58 ( 65 ) MOULDY OLD DOUGH - Lt. Pigeon # 58

59 ( 70 ) WHO WAS IT - Hurricane Smith # 59

60 ( 69 ) WITCHY WOMAN - The Eagles # 71

 

61 ( 71 ) SUZANNE BEWARE OF THE DEVIL - Dandy Livingston # 61

62 ( 68 ) COME ON OVER TO MY PLACE - The Drifters # 62

63 ( 59 ) LEAN ON ME - Bill Withers # 1

64 ( 46 ) RUN TO ME - The Bee Gees # 20

65 ( 51 ) THE RUNWAY - The Grass Roots # 18

66 ( 63 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE - Michael Jackson # 1

67 ( 57 ) SEASIDE SHUFFLE - Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs # 32

68 ( 54 ) MISTY BLUE - Joe Simon # 39

69 ( 72 ) JACKIE WILSON SAID (I’M IN HEAVEN WHEN YOU SMILE) - Van Morrison # 69

70 ( 56 ) THE FOUR HORSEMEN - Aphrodite’s Child # 16

 

71 ( 66 ) ROCKET MAN - Elton John # 1

72 ( NEW ) (IT’S THE WAY) NATURE PLANNED IT - The Four Tops # 72

73 ( 60 ) TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 7

74 ( NEW ) ROCK ME BABY - David Cassidy # 74

75 ( NEW ) CARRY ME CARRIE - Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show # 75

 

27th August 1972 my charts of the time

 

It's a first week on top for Lynsey De Paul and Sugar Me, and her second of the year as a songwriter. Talking of songwriters having success, Bill Withers debuts with his brilliant Lean On Me at 2, a song so good it would be a top 10 hit again (for Mud) in 1976 and again in the 80's (for Club Nouveau), and his first US smash hit has been covered to even better result by young Michael Jackson, entering at 16 with Ain't No Sunshine. Duncan Browne gets his only hit with Journey, a sweet folkie-styled gentle track at 7, and Roxy Music make a jaw-dropping debut with Virginia Plain at 12. The record was innovative in structure and style, still unique in every way, but it took me 5 years to recognise it's brilliance, when it topped my chart in 1977 after being a hit all over again.

 

Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway's Where Is The Love would also get the cover treatment in later decades, and is still lovely, in at 23, and Slade debut at 27 with their latest miss-spelt glamrock banger, mama Weer All Crazee Now.

 

 

1 ( 26 ) SUGAR ME - Lynsey De Paul

2 ( NEW ) LEAN ON ME - Bill Withers

3 ( 6 ) ALL THE YOUNG DUDES - Mott The Hoople

4 ( 4 ) POPCORN - Hot Butter

5 ( 2 ) THE LOCOMOTION - Little Eva

6 ( 3 ) 10538 OVERTURE - Electric Light Orchestra

7 ( NEW ) JOURNEY - Duncan Browne

8 ( 1 ) TOO BUSY THINKING BOUT MY BABY - Mardi Gras

9 ( 5 ) STANDING IN THE ROAD - Blackfoot Sue

10 ( 10 ) BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO - The Partridge Family

 

11 ( 9 ) I GET THE SWEETEST FEELING - Jackie Wilson

12 ( NEW ) VIRGINIA PLAIN - Roxy Music

13 ( 7 ) LAYLA - Derek & The Dominoes

14 ( 13 ) SEASIDE SHUFFLE - Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs

15 ( 11 ) AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE - The Supremes

16 ( NEW ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE - Michael Jackson

17 ( 15 ) YOU WEAR IT WELL - Rod Stewart

18 ( 14 ) ROCK AND ROLL PART 2 - Gary Glitter

19 ( 16 ) BETCHA BY GOLLY WOW - The Stylistics

20 ( 18 ) SYLVIA’S MOTHER - Doctor Hook & The Medicine Show

 

21 ( 17 ) CONQUISTADOR - Procol Harum

22 ( 25 ) SAILING - The Sutherland Brothers

23 ( NEW ) WHERE IS THE LOVE - Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway

24 ( 20 ) WATCH ME - Labi Siffre

25 ( 8 ) SAMSON AND DELILAH - Middle Of The Road

26 ( 19 ) RUN TO ME - The Bee Gees

27 ( NEW ) MAMA WEER ALL CRAZEE NOW - Slade

28 ( 12 ) MY GUY - Mary Wells

29 ( 21 ) WORKING ON A BUILDING OF LOVE - Chairmen Of The Board

30 ( 22 ) IT’S FOUR IN THE MORNING - Faron Young