Billboard's Hot 100/ Top 40 Motown Chronicles - 1974 - [Pt. 1]

[Boogiedown]

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #06
Feb 09, 1974

Number of singles reviewed this week: 108
last week: 88

including:

NORMAN FEELS - My World Is Empty Without You [3:05];
producer: Sal Scaltro; writers: Holland, Dozier, Holland; Just Sunshine 513 [Famous]



David Van De Pitte is behind this new artist with a Marvin Gaye like version of the Supremes former #1 record. Van De Pitte also arranged Gaye's LETS GET IT ON and WHATS GOING ON projects.

The Motown Review:

BOOGIE DOWN is now Motown's hottest single as it approaches the Top 10. Diana Ross is still strong as well as is Marvin Gaye as he nears the Top 40. Smokey has slowed down while the Temptations leave the Top 40 altogether. Motown reigns at the top still on the Soul chart as Eddie Kendricks replaces The Temptations at #1. No new singles but also none fall off for a total of six charters on the Hot 100.

The Top 10:

Week six of 1974 and as many singles have reached #1. Barry White's LOVE'S THEME nudges Barbra Streisand and THE WAY WE WERE to #2. The Top 10 on the Hot 100 has mirrored the Easy Listening chart greatly so far in 1974, where LOVE'S THEME has already been #1 while not reaching the Top 10 of the Soul chart. [Diana Ross' LAST TIME I SAW HIM is also only at #16 on the Soul chart while it's #4 Adult Contemporary]. Former #1, The JOKER by Steve Miller gets his last laugh on the Top 10 dropping to #11 from #9 and Kool and the Gang quickly jump in to replace him with JUNGLE BOOGIE their first time there at #10 from #14.

The Top 40:

Motown:
Four 45s from Motown are on the Top 40:
^ BOOGIE DOWN - Eddie Kendricks zooms to #14 from #19 with a bullet
LIVING FOR THE CITY - Stevie Wonder drops to #16 from #13
^LAST TIME I SAW HIM - Diana Ross climbs to a bulleted #21 from #27
^BABY COME CLOSE - Smokey Robinson eases to #29 from #33
LET YOUR HAIR DOWN - Temptations OFF to #46 from #31
Offs: one

Biggest mover in the Top 40, 9 spots
DARK LADY - Cher #31 from #40

5 debuts, 4 US, 1 Canada, 2+Top 10 bound+, 1 PI related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy, 0 Country.

+SEASONS IN THE SUN+ - Terry Jacks #27 up 22 from #49 [One Hit Wonder]
CAN THIS BE REAL - Natural Four #35 up 8 from #43 [One Hit Wonder]
I SHALL SING - Garfunkel #38 up 7 from #45 [2nd Top 40 hit]
I LIKE TO LIVE THE LOVE - BB King #39 up 3 from #42 [4th and final Top 40 hit]
+COME AND GET YOUR LOVE+ - Redbone #40 up 7 from #51 [2nd and final Top 40 hit]

The Hot 100:

8 newbies: 2 Top 40 bound, 2 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 1 Philly International related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy, 4 Country

Highest debut:
third tier:
#69 - JET - Paul McCartney

#84 - HOUSTON I'M COMING HOME - Glen Campbell
#85 - TELL ME A LIE - Sami Jo
#90 - I'VE GOT A THING ABOUT YOU BABY - Elvis Presley
#96 - SHES GONE - Hall & Oates
#98 - HOMELY GIRL - Chi-lites
#99 - A MOTHER FOR MY CHILDREN - Whispers
#100 - AMERICANS - Tex Ritter

Motown:

debuts: none
3rd week: ^YOU SURE LOVE TO **** - Marvin Gaye #53 up 13 from #66
8th week: LET YOUR HAIR DOWN - Temptations #46 down 15 from #31
OFFS : none
____

A very good week for:
Comedy
While the heavier themed AMERICANS holds a place in the Top 5 again this week, there is also room for the lighter side. Joining it in the Top 10 is Jim Stafford's SPIDERS AND SNAKES
An American/Southern Californian phenomenon, Cheech and Chong will soon be releasing their fourth studio album. The last two have reached #2 on Billboard Top 200 LP chart. Reaching back to their 1972 LP, BIG BAMBU, is this track, now on 45:



Having peaked at #24 [now #61], SISTER MARY ELEPHANT is one of a very few records to reach the Top 40 that is all verbal having no musical accompaniment.

***
Five Month Club : THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL 20 weeks on the Hot 100 and still at #23

***
Full-page ad toting Motown's Anthology collections adding Gladys Knight/Pips and Smokey Robinson/Miracles 2-record sets to the existing Temptations set with the promise of Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross /Supremes, Jr Walker/ All Stars, and Stevie Wonder soon to come.

***
Record World
Money Music:

Hottest tip of the week: If you recall, we were super positive and adamant in our continuous tips about
such current bubblegum smashes as Wednesday and the up and coming next
#1 record in the country Terry Jacks ...We are just as positive right now
about Blue Swede "Hooked On A Feeling" on EMI [[distributed by Capitol). Note:
This song was a standard by B. J. Thomas. We guarantee that this record becomes the hottest record in town within the first 24 hours it is played.

***
Noteworthy:
The duo Hall & Oates debut on the Hot 100 this week for their first time but the Arif Mardin production will go largely unnoticed [this round.]