2nd April 1972
It’s back up to the top spot for a 3rd 1966 week as Sweet Talking Guy takes advantage of a lull and a cut back to 75 places, and The Chi-Lites Oh Girl gets to be their second top 10. The highest new entry is a reactivated, and belated UK hit, Wade In The Water giving another 1966 track a presence 6 years late for Ramsey Lewis at 26. Following on from Robert John’s US hit version of The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Dave Newman does the UK hit version, and enters at 51. It’s pretty good too, with future charting versions (for me) to come from Eno and Tight Fit.
The Pearls are also known as Sunny and Sue, and part-time members of Brotherhood Of Man or solo hitmaker of Doctor’s Orders after leaving The Pearls (Sunny), but they enter with a decent version of Third Finger Left Hand, a Martha & The Vandellas cover at 57. Chairmen Of The Board return with a soon-to-be UK hit Elmo James, out in the USA while the UK awaits a B-side hit first, while the movie Cabaret debuts 2 more on the list, Liza Minelli’s title showstopper Cabaret, and Joel Grey’s Wilkommen. Joel is around 90 years old now. That leaves 2 fave acts scarping in with lesser material: Hot Chocolate’s flop Mary-Anne, and Peter Noone’s flop Shoo Be Doo Ah. Peter was on Lift Off, Hot Choc weren’t (I think!).
1 ( 2 ) SWEET TALKING GUY – The Chiffons # 1
2 ( 3 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE – Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1
3 ( 4 ) ROCK & ROLL PART 2 – Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 3
4 ( 5 ) WALK IN THE NIGHT – Junior Walker & The All Stars # 4
5 ( 6 ) HELLO IT’S ME – Todd Rundgren # 1
6 ( 1 ) I SAW THE LIGHT – Todd Rundgren # 1
7 ( 9 ) CRYING, LAUGHING , LOVING, LYING – Labi Siffre # 7
8 ( 10 ) I AM WHAT I AM – Greyhound # 8
9 ( 7 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE – Michael Jackson # 1
10 ( 11 ) OH GIRL – The Chi-Lites # 10
11 ( 8 ) HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART? – Al Green # 8
12 ( 25 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO – Ringo Starr # 12
13 ( 13 ) 10538 OVERTURE – Electric Light Orchestra # 1
14 ( 12 ) I AM A CLOWN – David Cassidy # 5
15 ( 20 ) BROTHER – C.C.S. # 15
16 ( 18 ) I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG – Frederick Knight # 16
17 ( 19 ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE – The Staple Singers # 17
18 ( 22 ) THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE – Roberta Flack # 18
19 ( 14 ) TAKE A LOOK AROUND – The Temptations # 10
20 ( 16 ) WITHOUT YOU – Nilsson # 1
21 ( 17 ) STORM IN A TEACUP – The Fortunes # 1
22 ( 28 ) RADANCER – Marmalade # 22
23 ( 15 ) A COWBOY’S WORK IS NEVER DONE – Sonny & Cher # 15
24 ( 21 ) PUPPY LOVE – Donny Osmond # 16
25 ( 23 ) BETCHA BY GOLLY, WOW – The Stylistics featuring Russell Thompkins, Jr. # 10
26 ( NEW ) WADE IN THE WATER – Ramsey Lewis # 26
27 ( 27 ) LIFE ON MARS? – David Bowie # 1
28 ( 26 ) SAY YOU DON’T MIND – Colin Blunstone # 3
29 ( 47 ) AMAZING GRACE – The Pipes & Drums of The Royal Scots Dragoons Guard Band # 29
30 ( 30 ) SHE’S GOT A WAY – Billy Joel # 30
31 ( 29 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) – Donnie Elbert # 4
32 ( 24 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) – Gilbert O’Sullivan # 18
33 ( 37 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW – The New Seekers # 33
34 ( 36 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” – Nino Rota # 34
35 ( 31 ) HEART OF GOLD – Neil Young # 6
36 ( 34 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION – Paul Simon # 7
37 ( 43 ) SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES – The Drifters # 37
38 ( 45 ) AT THE CLUB – The Drifters # 38
39 ( 48 ) LOOK WHAT YOU DONE FOR ME – Al Green # 39
40 ( 35 ) HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) – John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir # 1
41 ( 33 ) ME AND JULIO DOWN BY THE SCHOOLYARD – Paul Simon # 18
42 ( 32 ) RUN RUN RUN – Jo Jo Gunne # 15
43 ( 52 ) STIR IT UP – Johnny Nash # 43
44 ( 53 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” (SPEAK SOFTLY LOVE) – Andy Williams # 44
45 ( 38 ) SYLVIA’S MOTHER – Doctor Hook And The Medicine Show # 38
46 ( 61 ) TOO BEAUTIFUL TO LAST – Engelbert Humperdinck # 46
47 ( 40 ) EVERYTHING I OWN – Bread # 8
48 ( 46 ) SIMPLE GAME – The Four Tops # 1
49 ( 62 ) HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT – Gladys Knight & The Pips # 49
50 ( 41 ) COULD IT BE FOREVER – David Cassidy # 19
51 ( NEW ) THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT – Dave Newman # 51
52 ( 50 ) I BELIEVE (IN LOVE) – Hot Chocolate # 1
53 ( 51 ) COZ I LUV YOU – Slade # 1
54 ( 49 ) A THING CALLED LOVE – Johnny Cash & The Evangel Choir # 10
55 ( 71 ) THESE DAYS – Jennifer Warnes # 55
56 ( 74 ) YOU DON’T KNOW LIKE I KNOW – The Pioneers # 56
57 ( NEW ) THIRD FINGER LEFT HAND – The Pearls # 57
58 ( 66 ) HOT ROD LINCOLN – Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen # 58
59 ( 67 ) BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY – Daniel Boone # 59
60 ( 72 ) MEIN HERR – Liza Minelli # 60
61 ( 39 ) GOTTA GET UP – Nilsson # 39
62 ( 58 ) IT MUST BE LOVE – Labi Siffre # 1
63 ( 56 ) A HORSE WITH NO NAME – America # 3
64 ( NEW ) ELMO JAMES – Chairmen Of The Board # 64
65 ( 69 ) COME WHAT MAY – Vicky Leandros # 65
66 ( 76 ) I CAN’T STOP – White Plains # 66
67 ( 68 ) SHE’S MY KIND OF GIRL – Benny & Bjorn # 67
68 ( 77 ) LONG HAIRED LOVER FROM LIVERPOOL – Little Jimmy Osmond # 68
69 ( 78 ) TAOS NEW MEXICO – R. Dean Taylor # 69
70 ( 54 ) LOVIN’ YOU AIN’T EASY – Pagliaro # 13
71 ( 79 ) WHAT DO I DO – Sandra & Andres # 71
72 ( NEW ) CABARET – Liza Minelli # 72
73 ( NEW ) SHOO BE DOO AH – Peter Noone # 73
74 ( NEW ) MARY-ANNE – Hot Chocolate # 74
75 ( NEW ) WILKOMMEN – Joel Grey # 75
2nd April 1972
It’s anew number one, albeit 6 years old, from The Chiffons as the fab Sweet Talking Guy gets my seal of approval around the time we went to stay with my mum’s brother and family in mansfield. Cousin Yvonne also liked it, I think. New entries from Jo Jo Gunne, the manic rocking Run Run Run is in at 4, the thumping rocking Ringo & George track, Back Off Boogaloo, is in at 5 and the lovely sweetly sad Craying, Laughing, Loving, Lying gives Labi Siffre a second top 10, as did Ringo’s. Elvis keeps his run of top 10’s at around 18 months long as Buffy Saint-Marie’s Until It’s Time For You Go To is new at 9.
Engelbert’s back with his last half-decent record for 20-odd years (and then it was a remake anyway of a non-single oldie), Too Beautiful To last, and Neil Young debuts with Heart Of Gold, a rare hit single in the UK for the ever-changing man. Tom Jones is also bidding goodbye to the chart goodtimes with The Young New Mexican Puppeteer not being up to par, though his comeback will be swifter than Engelbert’s at 15 years, and he’ll have more and bigger ones to follow.
New at 26, Jonathan King took a go at getting into the teen girl group market with The Angelettes’ rather good Don’t Let Him Touch You, given the activities of some of his celebrity contemporaries, that was rather good advice for girls, though it could also apply to boys too, it would seem. Marmalade’s last classic-period hit pops in at 27, Radancer is pretty good and I like the guitar-work 50 years later, I didn’t really notice it much at the time, just the tune. Finally, getting airplay on Stuart Henry’s Radio 1 show, and Johnny Walker too, I think, Jim Capaldi’s lovely Eve is new at 30, criminally a UK flop for the ex-Traffic vocalist.
1 ( 2 ) SWEET TALKING GUY – The Chiffons
2 ( 1 ) IT’S ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS (YES LOVE) – The Partridge Family
3 ( 4 ) WITHOUT YOU – Nilsson
4 ( NEW ) RUN RUN RUN – Jo Jo Gunne
5 ( NEW ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO – Ringo Starr
6 ( NEW ) CRYING, LAUGHING, LOVING, LYING – Labi Siffre
7 ( 9 ) BROTHER – C.C.S
8 ( NEW ) UNTIL IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO GO – Elvis Presley
9 ( 10 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) – Gilbert O’Sullivan
10 ( 5 ) FLOY JOY – The Supremes
11 ( 7 ) POPPA JOE – The Sweet
12 ( 12 ) SON OF MY FATHER – Chicory Tip
13 ( 3 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) – Donnie Elbert
14 ( 6 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW – The New Seekers
15 ( 11 ) STORM IN A TEACUP – The Fortunes
16 ( 21 ) HOLD YOUR HEAD UP – Argent
17 ( NEW ) TOO BEAUTIFUL TO LAST – Engelbert Humperdinck
18 ( 23 ) MEET ME ON THE CORNER – Lindisfarne
19 ( 19 ) AMERICAN PIE – Don McLean
20 ( NEW ) HEART OF GOLD – Neil Young
21 ( 16 ) LOOK WOT YOU DUN – Slade
22 ( 18 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION – Paul Simon
23 ( 14 ) GOT TO BE THERE – Michael Jackson
24 ( NEW ) THE YOUNG NEW MEXICAN PUPPETEER – Tom Jones
25 ( 24 ) BERNADETTE – The Four Tops
26 ( NEW ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU – The Angelettes
27 ( NEW ) RADANCER – Marmalade
28 ( 8 ) HAVE YOU SEEN HER – The Chi-Lites
29 ( 26 ) SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES – Blue Haze
30 ( NEW ) EVE – Jim Capaldi
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
Its straight on top for Johnny Cash’s best ever single, the rousing and fun Thing Called Love, with Johnny Nash up to 3 and Ringo at 4. Singalonga Country! The Tempations are also back with a social conscience ambitious soul ballad, Take A Look Around at 9, and David Cassidy splits from the Partridges for his first solo single, Could It Be Forever, and he gets even bigger with the Teen market.
Chelsea Football Club get a hand from singer-songwriter Daniel Boone on Blue Is The Colour, still one of the better football songs, as Dave Newman covers the 60’s Wimoweh/Lion Sleeps Tonight Tokens hit, and Ramsey Lewsi finally gets a hit with his 60’s instrumental Wade In The Water. Bay City Rollers get a follow-up here, even if not the UK charts – hey I stuck with them until the UK caught up in 2 years time – at which point I gave up on them! Edwina Biglet & The Miglets, though, was an experimental synth record, whimsical 60’s-styled fun and sank without trace. I bought the single (eventually) though after I taped it from the one radio play it got from DJ Alan Freeman back in the day. It’s fab.
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
popchartfreak 