1972 , a notable year for Motown concerning Billboard's Soul Singles Chart

[Boogiedown]

The year is 1972. Something occurs concerning Billboard's Soul Singles chart in relation to Motown that had never happened before ....nor does it again in the years after. This is for the years 1961 through 1987 ...

Yes I'm being purposely vague , but if you know what I'm referring to , spill the beans!! :confused:;)

[ralpht]

I'm working on it. Boog.

[jobeterob]

It was a piss poor year for Motown?

[ralpht]

I wonder if Marvin Gaye is in this little puzzle.

[luckyluckyme]

Rican Struction is correct. Why has Boogiedown not acknowledged this? Is there another answer he is still hoping someone will post?

[RicanStruction]

There were no Number One Motown Billboard Soul Singles in 1972


January 1
"Family Affair [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Affair_[[Sly_%26_the_Family_Stone_song))"
Sly and the Family Stone [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sly_and_the_Family_Stone)



January 8
"Let's Stay Together [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let%27s_Stay_Together_[[Al_Green_song))" https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Dagger-14-plain.png
Al Green [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Green)



January 15





January 22





January 29





February 5





February 12





February 19





February 26





March 4





March 11
"Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothing [[Pt. 1) [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talkin%27_Loud_and_Sayin%27_Nothing)"
James Brown [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Brown)



March 18
"I Gotcha [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Gotcha_[[Joe_Tex_song))"
Joe Tex [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Tex)



March 25
"In the Rain [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Rain_[[song))"
The Dramatics [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dramatics)



April 1





April 8





April 15





April 22
"Day Dreaming [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_Dreaming_[[Aretha_Franklin_song))"
Aretha Franklin [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aretha_Franklin)



April 29





May 6
"I'll Take You There [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27ll_Take_You_There)"
The Staple Singers [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Staple_Singers)



May 13





May 20





May 27





June 3
"Oh Girl [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oh_Girl)"
The Chi-Lites [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chi-Lites)



June 10





June 17
"Woman's Gotta Have It [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woman%27s_Gotta_Have_It_[[song))"
Bobby Womack [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Womack)



June 24
"Lean On Me [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lean_on_Me_[[song))"
Bill Withers [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Withers)



July 1
"Outa-Space [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outa-Space)"
Billy Preston [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Preston)



July 8
"[[If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/[[If_Loving_You_Is_Wrong)_I_Don%27t_Want_to_Be_Right )"
Luther Ingram [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luther_Ingram)



July 15





July 22





July 29





August 5
"Where Is the Love [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_Is_the_Love_[[Roberta_Flack_and_Donny_Hathaway_song))"
Roberta Flack [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberta_Flack) and Donny Hathaway [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donny_Hathaway)



August 12
"I'm Still in Love With You [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_Still_in_Love_With_You_[[Al_Green_song))"
Al Green [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Green)



August 19





August 26
"Power of Love [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_of_Love_[[Joe_Simon_song))"
Joe Simon [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Simon_[[musician))



September 2





September 9
"Back Stabbers [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_Stabbers_[[song))"
The O'Jays [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_O%27Jays)



September 16
"Get On the Good Foot [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_On_the_Good_Foot)"
James Brown [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Brown)



September 23





September 30





October 7





October 14
"I'll Be Around [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27ll_Be_Around_[[1972_song))"
The Spinners [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spinners_[[American_R%26B_group))



October 21





October 28





November 4





November 11





November 18
"If You Don't Know Me by Now [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_You_Don%27t_Know_Me_by_Now)"
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Melvin_%26_the_Blue_Notes)



November 25





December 2
"You Ought to Be With Me [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Ought_to_Be_With_Me)"
Al Green [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Green)



December 9
"Me and Mrs. Jones [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Me_and_Mrs._Jones)"
Billy Paul [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Paul)



December 16





December 23





December 30

[Boogiedown]

It was a piss poor year for Motown?
you're right Rob , but Rican hit the nail on the head . 1972 .... not one #1 single for Motown on the Soul chart..... first time ever and never again !

1963
SHOP AROUND - Smokey - 8 weeks!
PLEASE MR POSTMAN -Marvelettes -7 weeks

1962
YOU BEAT ME TO THE PUNCH - Mary Wells - 1 week
DO YOU LOVE ME - The Contours -3 weeks

1963
TWO LOVERS - Mary Wells - 4 weeks
YOU REALLY GOT A HOLD ON ME Miracles - 4 weeks
FINGER TIPS - Stevie Wonder - 6 weeks
HEAT WAVE -Martha/Vandellas - 4 weeks

1964
MY GUY - Mary Wells - 2 weeks
WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO - Supremes - 2 weeks
BABY LOVE - Supremes -4 weeks

chart interrupted

1965
MY GIRL - The Temptations - 6 weeks
SHOT GUN -Jr Walker - 4 weeks
ILL BE DOGGONE - Marvin Gaye - 1 week
BACK IN MY ARMS AGAIN -Supremes - 1 week
I CANT HELP MYSELF - Four Tops 9 weeks!
AIN'T THAT PECULIAR -Marvin Gaye - 1 week

22 weeks total

to be continued



good stuff Rican! Did you figure this out yourself? I believe I did , unless I read it somewhere in the past ....??

[ralpht]

But the reality is, Motown was hot in 72.

[Boogiedown]

But the reality is, Motown was hot in 72.

Yes, but not in this one nuance ....which is sort of shocking . Michael Jackson will hit #1 on the Hot 100 with BEN , but that record peaks at #5 on the Soul chart. He just misses with ROCKIN ROBIN and I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE , both peaking at #2 Soul in 1972. So close, but just off enough to ruin their streak ...

[mysterysinger]

But Motown got their own back by releasing these Al Green songs on his albums a few years later.

[ralpht]

Rob, I'll take the Shekels Motown was hauling in during 1972 over a light chart position. But thanks for the brain teaser.

[JohnnyB]

I was under the impression there was no Billboard R&B chart in 1964? Not sure about My Guy, but Where Did Our Love Go and Baby Love are only assumed to have reached the peak based on their Hot 100 peaks. Has additional 1964 information been released?

[reese]

I was under the impression there was no Billboard R&B chart in 1964? Not sure about My Guy, but Where Did Our Love Go and Baby Love are only assumed to have reached the peak based on their Hot 100 peaks. Has additional 1964 information been released?

Billboard didn't publish an R&B chart from 11/30/63 through 1/23/65.

In the last Billboard Top R&B singles book I purchased, they used data from Cashbox's R&B chart for that period.

In post #7 above, the info for 1964 is the number of weeks a recording was #1 on Billboard's pop chart.

[marybrewster]

On a technical, The Spinners HAD BEEN Motown artists, so one might say that the label was still represented.

[PeaceNHarmony]

What a chart - classics, all. Interesting surely that Motown did not have a #1, but they were sure producing lots of great music and hits. The unanswerable question is always: by '72 did the Motown label seem just a bit dated, hence less marketplace success.

[Motown Eddie]

What a chart - classics, all. Interesting surely that Motown did not have a #1, but they were sure producing lots of great music and hits. The unanswerable question is always: by '72 did the Motown label seem just a bit dated, hence less marketplace success.

I suggest that when Motown Records moved to Los Angeles, there may have been less emphasis on promotion in 1972 than there was before. As someone had mentioned on this site, the move from Detroit to L.A. cost the company money which might have been used to promote their singles. One more thing; as Motown entered the '70s, there wasn't a "Motown Sound" anymore and the company was now competing with the major record conglomerates [like WEA, Columbia, RCA & Capitol] for the Soul Music market.

PS: Motown did have a #1 in 1972 with The Temptations' "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" which went to #1 on Billboard's Pop Chart [it's a mystery to me why this song didn't top Billboard's Soul Chart as well].

[Motown Eddie]

On a technical, The Spinners HAD BEEN Motown artists, so one might say that the label was still represented.

However, the success of The Spinners' "I'll Be Around" showcased two trends. The Rise of the "Philly Soul Sound" which would pick up the Crossover Soul Music market where "Motown Sound" left off and artists who were leaving Motown during the '70s in search of better deals on major record labels [such as Atlantic Records in the case of The Spinners].

[reese]

PS: Motown did have a #1 in 1972 with The Temptations' "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" which went to #1 on Billboard's Pop Chart [it's a mystery to me why this song didn't top Billboard's Soul Chart as well].

That is very interesting. I would have thought it to be a given that PAPA was a #1 Soul hit but it peaked at #5. But its follow-up, MASTERPIECE, did hit #1 Soul in 1973.

[Motown Eddie]

That is very interesting. I would have thought it to be a given that PAPA was a #1 Soul hit but it peaked at #5. But its follow-up, MASTERPIECE, did hit #1 Soul in 1973.

Perhaps it was due to the single of The Tempts' "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" coming out two months after the All Directions LP [and a lot of the Soul audience buying that album for the full length version of "Papa"]. Their follow up album, Masterpiece, and the title song both came out in Feb. 73 so that probably helped that single top the Billboard Soul charts.

[Boogiedown]

Two things jump out : 1972 , the year of Al Green
and Philly breaks out with #1s by Billy Paul, The Ojays , Joe Simon, Harold Melvin, and the Spinners.

also the loyalty to James Brown and Aretha.

What a diverse period, the competition was fierce. Soul music's most adventuresome year?

[Boogiedown]

On a technical, The Spinners HAD BEEN Motown artists, so one might say that the label was still represented.
In a similar vein, sort of, kind of, Billy Preston would go on to one day be a Motown artist.

[Boogiedown]

Perhaps it was due to the single of The Tempts' "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" coming out two months after the All Directions LP [and a lot of the Soul audience buying that album for the full length version of "Papa"]. Their follow up album, Masterpiece, and the title song both came out in Feb. 73 so that probably helped that single top the Billboard Soul charts.


Also PAPA had already been a 'hit' [#24] by the Undisputed Truth on some Soul stations so to a degree the song and its story line had already played out.

[Motown Eddie]

Also PAPA had already been a 'hit' [#24] by the Undisputed Truth on some Soul stations so to a degree the song and its story line had already played out.

That's true; I've forgotten about The Undisputed Truth's original version of "Papa" which preceded The Tempts' release of the song as a single by a couple of months.

[ralpht]

The things I learn here. I swear I never knew of the Undisputed Truth having this song out before the Tempts. I guess I spent so much time with Norman in the studio with the song that I thought it was totally new. Leave it to Norman to pull that one off. The dude knew his business.

[Boogiedown]

The things I learn here. I swear I never knew of the Undisputed Truth having this song out before the Tempts. I guess I spent so much time with Norman in the studio with the song that I thought it was totally new. Leave it to Norman to pull that one off. The dude knew his business.

I believe Motown had to be convinced The Temptations had a hit on their hands ....off to wiki!!

[Motown Eddie]

I believe Motown had to be convinced The Temptations had a hit on their hands ....off to wiki!!

But first, Norman Whitfield had to convince The Tempts to record "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" in the first place! According to Otis Williams, the group was growing tired of doing message songs and the long instrumental segments that Norman had been adding to their songs. Anyway, my local radio stations jumped on the full length version of "Papa" when the Tempts' All Directions LP came out in the summer of 72 so I'm sure that convinced Motown that they had a big hit on their hands.

[reese]

But first, Norman Whitfield had to convince The Tempts to record "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" in the first place! According to Otis Williams, the group was growing tired of doing message songs and the long instrumental segments that Norman had been adding to their songs. Anyway, my local radio stations jumped on the full length version of "Papa" when the Tempts' All Directions LP came out in the summer of 72 so I'm sure that convinced Motown that they had a big hit on their hands.


I recall reading that Dennis also a problem with the lyrics because his own father passed on the third of September, just like in the song.

[Motown Eddie]

I recall reading that Dennis also a problem with the lyrics because his own father passed on the third of September, just like in the song.

That's right! I also recall hearing that having that long intro to the song also put Dennis Edwards on edge along with the opening lyrics to the song. For all of Norman Whitfield's arm twisting in getting The Temptations to record "Papa Was Rollin' Stone", it was worth it.

[TomatoTom123]

I think the bit about Dennis' father might not actually be true. I remember reading that it wasn’t true :rolleyes:

Apparently, he died on the third of October!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papa_Was_a_Rollin%27_Stone

[Motown Eddie]

I think the bit about Dennis' father might not actually be true. I remember reading that it wasn’t true :rolleyes:

Apparently, he died on the third of October!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papa_Was_a_Rollin%27_Stone

Okay, however, it must've been close enough to get under Dennis Edwards skin. Also, Whitfield had Dennis doing multiple takes of the song to get that angry grumble that he used on the song.

[MichaelSherry59]

1972-1973 were the last true good years for Motown, so many great music between those years from the label.

What a great run from 64-73