Billboard's Hot 100/ Top 40 Motown Chronicles - 1974 - [Pt. 2]

[Boogiedown]

Because of the amount of content,
the year 1974 is being divided into three threads.

This is Part II:
May - August
______________

Previously on Motown and Billboard's Hot 100/ Top 40:

1974:
link for: 1974 Part I - January - April [[https://soulfuldetroit.com/newreply.php?do=postreply&t=31792)

1973:
link for: 1973 Part III - Sept - December [[https://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?31268-Billboard-s-Hot-100-Top-40-Motown-Chronicles-1973-Pt-3&p=789002#post789002)
link for: 1973 Part II - May - August [[https://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?30851-Billboard-s-Hot-100-Top-40-Motown-Chronicles-1973-Pt-2)
link for: 1973 Part I - Jan - April [[https://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?30360-Billboard-s-Hot-100-Top-40-Motown-Chronicles-1973-Pt-1)

1972:
link for: 1972 Part III - Sept - December [[https://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?29895-Billboard-s-Hot-100-Top-40-Motown-Chronicles-1972-Pt-3)
link for: 1972 Part II - May -August [[https://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?29451-Billboard-s-Hot-100-Top-40-Motown-Chronicles-1972-Pt-2)
link for: 1972 Part 1 - Jan -April [[https://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?28931-Billboard-s-Hot-100-Top-40-Motown-Chronicles-1972-Pt-1)

1971:
link for: 1971 Pt. 1 - Jan - July [[https://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?27113-Billboard-American-Top-40-Fifty-Years-Ago-1971)-Sundays-Radio-Countdown-Listen&highlight=billboard)
link for: 1971 Pt. 2 - July - December [[https://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?28207-Billboard-s-Hot-100-Top-40-Motown-Chronicles-1971-Pt-2&p=680113#post680113)

link for: 1970 [[https://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?26110-Link-Billboard-American-Top-40-Fifty-Yrs-Ago-1970)-Sundays-Radio-Countdown-Listen&highlight=billboard)

[Boogiedown]

The following article from Record World stretched the regular chart posting beyond the maximum amount of text permitted, so rather than trying to condense it, the entire article is being posted first [with the post of the week's regular chart review to follow]:



[The following is the conclusion
of a two part series on New York's
burgeoning disco scene.]

NEW YORK - So who are the top deejays in the city's leading discotheques, what kind of music do they play, and where do they get their programming material from?
Research into the thriving disco market has provided both answers and information.
As to who they are, most of them are young entrepreneurs who
have made working at various discos around the city their full
time job. The pay is reasonable: from $30 to $50 a night, with most working five days a week in one or more clubs. And the reason they don't hold down day jobs is
fairly logical: most would find it difficult to wake up for "normal
working hours" after having spun records until 4:00 a.m. the night
[morning] before. One Le Jardin deejay, however, is studying to be a pharmacist.

Communication
And the deejays - in the open discotheques where admission is
available to everyone, and the closed "parties" where admission
is limited to members and their friends only- maintain close communication with each other. They know each other, where they work, how much they make, what
records they are playing, and what type of crowd [and most of the
deejays have built up a loyal clientele that will follow them wherever they go] attends.
Accordingly, they share information on new disco records, new sources of supply [since surprisingly, most of them still pay for the majority of records], and new trends in the overall disco scene. Since the discos themselves are short-lived, changing with the
times becomes a crucial factor. A disco that maintains the same format, layout, music and light show, an "in" place today, will probably not last out a year unless it changes. The disco market is indeed flexible- volatile would perhaps be a better word- and today's trendsetter discos must change with the times if they want to maintain their clientele.

Music
The music played in discotheques could be called a record company executive's delight. It is six or more hours of total nonstop music,with one record segueing into another. All of the records fall into the "dance" category, of which the overwhelming majority
are r&b or r&b crossover records. All of the records are brand new:
they are not necessarily dropped when they reach the charts [and the deejays check out Record World's R&B Singles Chart, Soul Truth column and International
Hit Parades for new record information], but older standards like "Love Train,""Keep On Truckin'," or "The Love I Lost" no longer receive play. About the oldest records being played now are "Dancin' Machine" or "TSOP,"
and they will probably be dropped soon. Gallery deejay Nicky Siano explains the policy on dropping records:"I hangout with my audience, and I know what they
listen to and what they like. After a certain point, I can tell they're getting tired of a record, and I probably am too. That's when I drop it." And since Nicky is one of the key deejays in the city, when he and his colleagues decide a record has had its run, almost
all drop it. Filling six hours with good new music is a challenge that the deejays enjoy. They scour record stores for new releases, and are very much aware of the music
scene. And their value in exposing and breaking new records is becoming more well known. Billy Smith, local representative for 20th Century Records, is recognized as
the resident expert on the New York discotheque scene, and is
acknowledged as the first local man to service them fully and become friendly with them. Smith credits the discos with breaking some of the Barry White and Love
Unlimited Orchestra records, and Barry White himself noted in his Record World Dialogue[[April6) that "discotheques have been greatly responsible for a lot of my
success,"while the importance of discos to the label runs up to 20th
president Russ Regan,who agreed to award a gold record to a Le Jardin deejay for his efforts in breaking "Love's Theme" [RW'April27).

Breaking the Hits
Other companies have experienced success with records breaking out of the discos, "Soul Makossa" being a prime example.The record was initially discovered after a member of local discos turned it into an underground hit, ultimately a gold record, which was bootlegged initially with copies going for $10. The deejays, when they play something heavily [and by nature of their close communication, they usually do] can create hits. A&M credits them with Billy Preston, Columbia appreciates
their efforts on their own and Philadelphia International product
[especially MFSB], and they have exposed Motown, Buddah, RCA,
Atlantic and other labels' product without much recognition for their
value in breaking the records initially, they quickly add."I spend $30 to $40 a week for records," says Bobby D.J. of Le Jardin, and
his expenses are typical of what some of the deejays spend.

Influentials
According to 20th's Billy Smith, there are about 40 major discotheques in the New York area,with five or six considered the most influential. Smith, the deejays, and some local promotion men who have begun servicing them, are aware of their value and power. Now, they hope for recognition for their efforts

Not yet:
The applying of the term "disco" to define a specific type of music.
Here disco is used only as a synonym for a dance club, a shortening of the word discotheque.

[Boogiedown]

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #18
May 04, 1974

Number of singles reviewed this week: 92
last week:109
including:
First Time Around: [?]
SMOKEY ROBINSON - It's Her Turn To Live [2:50]; producer: Smokey Robinson; writers: W. Robinson, M. Tarplin; Tamla 54246.
Melodic tune from Smokey featuring his highly distinctive vocals and good use of background horns. In a much more funky vein than some of his recent material, and the arrangement works well.

Record World:
SMOKEY ROBINSON, "IT'S HER TURN TO LIVE"[prod. by Smokey Robinson] ."Baby Come Close"
established Smokey as a solo success after his Miracles years. This
boogie from his new album churns out the saga of a mom's new lease
on love life. Will really hit home with widows, divorcees and their
progeny.Tamla T54246F.

Cash Box:

EDDIE KENDRICKS [[Tamla 54247)
Son Of Sagittarius [3:12] [-F. Wilson, L. Caston, A. Poree]
Time to get down and boogie again with Eddie, a chore that should be one of the
easier ones of any day. The man's got his act together for sure now, just one spin here
will prove that. "Keep On Trucking” and "Boogie Down" were both monsters and
there's now a third to fit right in with those other greats. Eddie's boogie is definitely a
"sign "of the times.

Record World:

STEPHANIE MILLS, " I KNEW IT WAS LOVE" [prod. by Eddie V. Deane/ Burlington Prod.] Multi-time winner of Apollo Theater amateur nights goes professional on
her powerhouse debut. Draped in Diana Ross silk tailored in Philly style, she's Vegas-bound with top 40 sequins shimmering in her future. Paramount 0290.
.
The Motown Review:

One third of the way into 1974 and Motown has held steady thus far. They continue to have representation at all levels and on various charts and this week finds them in the Top 5 [#2 Soul] with the Jackson Five as well as having two other climbers on the Top 40. Beyond that, The Temptations HEAVENLY is struggling to break into the Top 40 and sits just below it, and BOOGIE DOWN, in its 18th week, is still on the Hot 100.
Six records from the label are charting.
In the UK Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye appear together on the Top Ten with YOU ARE EVERYTHING slipping to #6 after peaking at #5.

The Top 10:

#1: THE LOCO-MOTION - Grand Funk Railroad - all three trades.

A young Top 10 as nine of the titles have been on the Hot 100 for 12 weeks or less. Running up especially quick is Ray Stevens' THE STREAK to #6 from #19 in just its 4th chart week. Grand Funk Railroad have their 2nd #1 in less than a year with a remake of teen-aged Little Eva's King/Goffin penned LOCO-MOTION which went to #1 for her as well in 1962 . Just below at #2 is MFSB's TSOP after two weeks at the top.
Big turnover week: four new records , Ray Stevens' THE STREAK , TUBULAR BELLS by Mike Oldfield at #8 from #12, THE SHOW MUST GO ON by Three Dog Night at #9 from #13, and also included: JUST DON'T WANT TO BE LONELY by Main Ingredient at #10 from #11. Off: OH MY MY by Ringo Starr to #13 from #5, Redbone's COME AND GET YOUR LOVE to #14 from #7, , I'LL HAVE TO SAY I LOVE YOU IN A SONG Jim Croce to # 16 from #9 and look for Bobby Womack's biggest career hit, LOOKIN' FOR A LOVE at #18 from #10.

The Top 40:

Motown:
Three 45s from Motown are on the Top 40:

^DANCING MACHINE - Jackson Five bullets to#5 from #8
^MY MISTAKE WAS TO LOVE YOU - Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross bullets to #19 from #20#
^DON'T YOU WORRY 'BOUT A THING - Stevie Wonder bullets to #27 from #33
OFFS: none
____

Biggest mover in the Top 40, 14 notches
I WONT LAST A DAY WITHOUT YOU - Carpenters #21 from #35

4 Arrivals, all big movers, 3 US, 1UK. 2+Top 10 bound+, 1 PI related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy, 0 Country
highest debut:
+BAND ON THE RUN+ - Paul McCartney & Wings #22 up 19 from #41 [10th Top 40 hit]

+FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY+ - O'Jays #32 up 13 from#45 [5th Top 40 hit]
I'M IN LOVE - Aretha Franklin #36 up 10 from #46 [31st Top 40 hit]
MY GIRL BILL - Jim Stafford #39 up 17 from #56 [3rd Top 40 hit]

The Hot 100:

11 premieres: 5 Top 40 bound, 4 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 1 Philly International related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy, 2 Country
Highest debut:
3rd tier:
#80 - I DON'T SEE ME IN YOUR EYES ANYMORE - Charlie Rich

#82 - ONE CHAIN DON'T MAKE NO PRISON - Four Tops [former Motown act]
#84 - SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME - DeFranco Family
#89 - BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU GOT - William De Vaughn
#91 - CAN YOU HANDLE IT - Graham Central Station
#92 - SOMETHING - Johnny Rodriguez
#94 - WONDERFUL - Isaac Hayes
#95 - DAY BREAKER - ELO
#97 - ALREADY GONE - Eagles
#98 - THIS HEART - Gene Redding
#99 - FINALLY GOT MYSELF TOGETHER - Impressions written and produced by Ed Townsend [Marvin Gaye associate]
__________

Motown:
debuts: none
2nd week: ^HELP YOURSELF - Undisputed Truth #90 up 7 from #97
8th week: ^HEAVENLY - Temptations - #43 up 1 from #44 from #55 from #74 from #85 from #96
18th week: BOOGIE DOWN - Eddie Kendricks dips to#63 down 12 from #51 from #14 from #11, from #4, from #2, from #2, from #4, from #7, from #9 .
_________

A very good week for:
Charlie Rich
Rich has three 45s on the Hot 100, one is this week's highest debut.

Also a very good week for:
Trains.
The #1 record is LOCO-MOMTION [Chug-a chug-a motion like a railway train now] and at #2 is the theme for SOUL TRAIN, TSOP by MFSB. Also at #37 is I'M A TRAIN performed and written by Albert Hammond of the UK.

***
In the UK, a record by Sunny is peaking on the Top Ten at #7. Sunny is one of the singers from the now defunct Brotherhood Of Man [UNITED WE STAND] as was Roger Greenaway who with Roger Cook and Geoff Stephens composed DOCTOR'S ORDERS.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4cz5fn7RB4

The record doesn't get picked up in the US and the song has run its course ... or has it.

***
Another European record tilting in the disco direction dips this week on the Soul Singles chart to #39 after peaking at #34 [#78 Hot 100]


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7F_yA6_I7Y

The Peppers are an instrumental grouping out of France and this is their one time to shine. They've already charted in Belgium and by year's end PEPPER BOX will reach #6 in the UK.

***
Two-page full-color ad promoting the double record set of various artists from various labels for the ST to the movie SAVE THE CHILDREN released in September of last year.

Full-page ad black lettering on brown mustard background announcing the Frankie Valli and the Four Season's latest hit HICKORY.

[Boogiedown]

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #19
May 11, 1974

Number of singles reviewed this week:
this week 101
last week 92
including:
NORTH, SOUTH, EAST & WEST - I Can't Make It Without
YOU [2:53]; producer: Slanvue Prods.; writer: D. Ells; 20th Century 2096. Soul cut with
intensity and style of the Jackson 5 at their best. Sounds somewhat like the 5 without being an imitation.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc9dB5qV5-M

J5 meet Barry White on this one single outing on 20th Century by this mysterious group from somewhere on the compass.

Record World Sleeper:

MARTIN & FINLEY, "WHITEBIRD" [prod.by Bob Gaudio]. Promising duo takes wings on this production which could well have been a flight-mate to "Jonathan Livingston Seagull."Not the old It's A Beautiful Day track, but one that creates its own bright and sunny climate, each time it comes into earshot. Motown M1294.

The Motown Review:

A very good week for Motown. The Jackson Five are in the Top 3 with DANCING MACHINE as well as it being #1 in Record World and #1 Soul. Stevie Wonder continues to bullet up the Top 40 at a steady pace. Big names Diana Ross and Eddie Kendricks both enter the Hot 100 with Eddie having the Hot 100's highest debut record. Seven Motown 45s are charting.

The Top 10:

#1:
Billboard: LOCO-MOTION week 2
Record Word: DANCING MACHINE week 1
Cash Box THE SHOW MUST GO ON - week 1

2nd week at #1 for the LOCO-MOTION of the Grand Funk Railroad. Strong Top 10, six of the titles have bullets including the three new ones . At #4 from #11 is THE ENTERTAINER by Marvin Hamlisch from the movie THE STING. Chicago continues their streak of Top Tenners with SEARCHIN' SO LONG at #9 from #12 and Maria Muldaur gets her first shot at it with MIDNIGHT AT THE OASIS at #10 from #14. The three that leave: BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME by Gladys Knight and the Pips to #11 from #4, HOOKED ON A FEELING by Blue Swede dives to #12 from #7, and JUST DON"T WANT TO BE LONELY by Main Ingredient , dropping from its peak of #10 to #18.
.
The Top 40:

Motown:

Three 45s from Motown are on the Top 40:

^DANCING MACHINE - Jackson Five bullets to #3 from #5 from #8
^DON'T YOU WORRY 'BOUT A THING - Stevie Wonder bullets to#21 from #27 from #33
MY MISTAKE WAS TO LOVE YOU - Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross dips to #25 from #19 from #20
OFFS: none

Biggest mover in the Top 40, 10 notches
MY GIRL BILL Jim Stafford to #29 from #39

5 Arrivals, 4 U.S. 1 Canada, 2+Top 10 bound+, 0 PI related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy, 1 Country
highest debut:
LETS GET MARRIED - Al Green #34 up 7 from #41 [9th Top 40 single]

SUNDOWN - Gordon Lightfoot - #36 up 10 from #46 [2nd Top 40 hit]
BILLY DON'T BE A HERO - Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods #38 up 19 from #57 [* first time artist]
IF YOU LOVE ME LET ME KNOW - Olivia Newton John #39 up 11 from #50 [3rd Top 40 hit]
STANDING AT THE END OF THE LINE - Lobo - #40 up 8 from #48 [6th Top 40 hit]

The Hot 100:

9 debuts: 3 Top 40 bound, 2 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 0 Philly International related, 2 Motown, 0 by proxy, 0 Country
Highest debut:
3rd tier:
#74 - SON OF SAGITTARIUS - Eddie Kendricks

#80 - HAVEN'T GOT TIME FOR THE PAIN - Carly Simon
#84 - RIKKI DON'T LOSE THAT NUMBER - Steely Dan
#89 - TEEN ANGEL - Wednesday
#92 - SLEEPIN' - Diana Ross
#95 - WILDFIRE - New Birth
#96 - EVERYBODY WANNA GET RICH RITE AWAY - Dr. John
#98 - AFTER MIDNIGHT - Maggie Bell
#99 - RADAR LOVE - Golden Earring
________

Motown:

debuts: two
1st week: ^SON OF SAGITTARIUS - Eddie Kendricks DEBUT - #74
1st week : ^SLEEPIN' - Diana Ross DEBUT - #92
3rd week: ^HELP YOURSELF - Undisputed Truth #86 up 4 from #90 from #97
9th week: HEAVENLY - Temptations - #53 down 10 from #43, from #44, from #54, from #74 from #85 from #96
19th week: BOOGIE DOWN - Eddie Kendricks OFF from #63, from #51, from #14, from #11, from #4, from #2, from #2, from #4, from #7, from #9 .
OFFS : one

Eddie Kendricks will now BOOGIE DOWN but not off the chart entirely as his next single jumps right on. 19 weeks is a long run and just shy of making the 5 month club.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD-f8BxgqPI

BOOGIE DOWN is Kendrick's second #1 Soul single in a row and peaked at #2 on the Hot 100 [#39 UK].
________

A very good week for
Instrumentals
especially when used in other mediums, three voiceless 45s are in the Top 10 [never before?]
#4 - THE ENTERTAINER, ragtime from the movie THE STING
#7 - TUBULAR BELLS music used in THE EXORCIST
#8 - TSOP, aka THEME FROM SOUL TRAIN heard weekly on the TV dance show.

***
Duke Ellington turned 75 on April 29th, celebrated by several trade ads congratulating him.

Soul Sauce by Leroy Robinson:


excerpts
....we have to be just as candid, and perhaps negative, by saying that there is not
enough black pride in the music of Ellington. And like all dreadful situations of deficiency, the reason for the shortage must be singled out.
We could start with the elimination many years ago of the jazz big band, which also eliminated dancing by the masses until Chubby Checker introduced "The Twist."
Or, we could blame Ellington for playing and writing music that some
younger critics felt "wasn't modern enough." And still another younger
and unknowledgeable group, might go so far as to say that Duke Ellington's music is without soul.
You might also find that in many black American homes, the Duke's
music is not welcome.
.... According to our word carrier, [radio DJ] Jones decided to open his home wide to Ellington, as well as at WVON where he is the leading voice. And when that wasn't enough. Jones got another Chicago station, WJPC, and three other New York stations, WBLS, WNJR and WLIB, to open their homes [stations] to pay homage to a music institution.
So, what's important about those stations playing the music of Duke Ellington for a week or two? Everything, when you consider these stations are the so-called soul stations which do not normally welcome much jazz, and particularly Ellington's form, into their home and family. Whether this noble effort by Jones and the other jocks is going to have any overwhelming effect on young black listeners can only be hoped for.
We can cite a situation with our own daughter, where her exposure
to "Lady Sings The Blues" encouraged her to finally examine our vast
collection of Billie Holiday records at home. Once she did, she agreed
with her father that there was obviously more to the soul of "Lady
Day" than was found in the mimicry of Diana Ross in the film.
Duke Ellington is our own. Pride in his music should be a universal one, not a racial one.

Also worth a look: Scott Joplin's current spurt in popularity with the #1 LP on Billboard's Top 200 and a Top 5 single.

Cash Box:

Atlantic Obtains Rights To ABBA’S Eurovision Winner
NEW YORK — Atlantic Records has acquired the United States and Canadian distributing rights for the Swedish group, ABBA, whose single, "Waterloo," won top honors at the 19th annual Eurovision Song Festival. The announcement was made by Jerry Greenberg, senior vice president and general manager of Atlantic Records, who negotiated the deal with New York attorney Bob Casper. "Waterloo” was voted the award over 7000 entries from Britain, Holland, Israel, and Yugoslavia. Eurovision’s 500 million viewers in 32 countries watched the contest and an estimated million more listened on the radio.

[Boogiedown]

Big news: ROCK THE BOAT

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #19
May 18, 1974

Number of singles reviewed this week 147!
last week 101

Record World:
PUZZLE- Motown M1302F
EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE SOMEBODY [prod. by Bob Cullen] Horn rock with solid guitar tracks puts the sound pieces together for this band as they pound out their best effort to date. They'll be what they wanna be.

COMMODORES - Motown M1307F
MACHINE GUN [prod.by James Carmichael]
Nothin' really violent - just a funky instrumental goin' down here. It's aiming pointblank at the charts. Big bullseye!

The Motown Review:

Motown is #2!!!
The Jackson Five deliver another one for the team as DANCING MACHINE moves up a notch to #2 just short of being the top single of the week. Stevie Wonder is bulleting, but not charging, up the Top 40, as DON'T YOU WORRY 'BOUT A THING is #2 on the Soul chart just above DANCING MACHINE at #3 [from #1]. Eddie Kendricks latest makes a big Hot 100 jump, while Diana Ross struggles without a bullet. No new tunes from the label break, but one departs giving the label six records on the Hot 100.

The Top 10:

#1:
Billboard: THE STREAK week 1
Record Word: THE STREAK week 1
Cash Box: DANCING MACHINE - week 1

THE STREAK has barely been on the charts, six week in, and it's #1. Ray Stevens has successfully tapped into the craze that is sweeping the country. It was exactly four years ago that Ray was also #1 with EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL. Philly replaces Philly as TSOP by MFSB drops to #11 from #8 and The Stylistics enter at #10 from #13 with YOU MAKE ME FEEL BRAND NEW. Brits replace Brits as Paul McCartney and Band dash up the chart with BAND ON THE RUN to #7 from #14 while Mike Oldfield's TUBULAR BELLS drops to #13 from #7.

The Top 40:

Motown:
Three 45s from Motown are on the Top 40:

^DANCING MACHINE - Jackson Five bullets to #2 from #3 from #5 from #8
^DON'T YOU WORRY 'BOUT A THING - Stevie Wonder bullets to #19 from #21 from #27 from #33
MY MISTAKE WAS TO LOVE YOU - Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross dips to #33 from #25 from #19 from #20
OFFS: none

Biggest mover in the Top 40, 16 ranks
SUNDOWN Gordon Lightfoot to #20 from #36

Just 2 breakthroughs, both U.S., 2+Top 10 bound+, 1 PI related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy, 0 Country
highest debut:
+BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU GOT+ - William DeVaughn #30 up 24 from #54 [One Hit Wonder]

+HOLLYWOOD SWINGIN'+ - Kool & The Gang #32 up 12 from #44 [3rd Top 40 hit]

The Hot 100:

7 debuts: 4 Top 40 bound, 2 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 2 Philly International related, 0 Motown, 1 by proxy, 0 Country
Highest debut:
3rd tier:
#84 - I'M COMING HOME - Spinners

#87 - LIVIN IN THE USA - Steve Miller Band
#92 - SIDESHOW - Blue Magic
#93 - THE LONE RANGER -Oscar Brown Jr.
#96 - COME MONDAY - Jimmy Buffett
#98 - TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS - Bachman Turner Overdrive
#99 - FOX HUNT - Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass

Motown:

debuts: none
2nd week: ^SON OF SAGITTARIUS - Eddie Kendricks - #55 up 19 from #74
2nd week : ^SLEEPIN' - Diana Ross - #83 up 9 from #92
4th week: ^HELP YOURSELF - Undisputed Truth #72 up 14 from #86 from #90 from #97
10th week: HEAVENLY - Temptations - OFF from #53 from #43, from #44, from #54, from #74 from #85 from #96
Offs: one
As former Temptation Eddie Kendricks bullets up, The Temptations without him fall off the chart with a not so HEAVENLY thud as they fail to reach the Top 40 [#43] with this their 32rd single to go Top 10 Soul.
________

A very good week for:
The Main Ingredient
Rarely, since Billboard's period of revising their chart calculating, do records go back up the chart once leaving their peak [except #1] with WHY ME by Kris Kristofferson having the wildest up and down performance. This week, JUST DON"T WANT TO BE LONELY goes upward 3 places from the #18 spot it plunged to last week from #10. Now The Main Ingredient are #15 as well as being at #7 in Record World.

***


Marvin Gaye
Sets Concerts

LOS ANGELES -Because of the critical acclaim of his first commercial
concert appearance in six years last January in Oakland, Marvin Gaye has
agreed to a very limited number of concert appearances beginning May 17 at
the Forum in Los Angeles. The only other confirmed dates at this time are
two appearances in Kingston, Jamaica, May 21 and 23 as a part of the island's
annual Labor Day celebration. Gaye, who has become a superstar
with such recorded hits as "Let's Get It On," "What's Goin' On" and "Keep Getting It On," to say nothing of "Inner City Blues," personally chose the Kingston
dates because of the festive occasion surrounding his appearance.
Motown Records is backing the appearances with a full schedule of radio
spots, in-store and window displays, and other special merchandising .




'Rock the Boat'
Gets New Life
From Disco Play
By GARY COHEN

NEW YORK - RCA Records is the most recent label to enjoy the
power of the discotheque market. "Rock The Boat,"a single by the Hues Corporation, is experiencing a second life thanks to the strong play from New York and other city discos. As a result of the New York disco play, the record went to number 2 at WWRL and went on WABC at number 15, without being on any pop or r&b chart in the country. This week, the record has picked up other
key additions and debuts at 81 with a bullet on Record World's
pop chart, and 69 with a bullet on r&b. Attesting to the power of the discos, RCA Records reported that the record sold 30,000 in New York before major radio airplay, and 15,000 without any N.Y. radio
airplay, with only disco play. Tom Cossie, RCA's director of promotion, reported that "Rock The Boat" was "the hottest breaking disco record in RCA's history."



an amazing claim by Tom Cossie when considering disco hasn't even officially happened yet.

Again this week The Sting soundtrack is Billboard's top selling LP. Scott Joplin would likely be thrilled to see his music riding so high [finally] while never imagining it would be applied so successfully as movie mood music.
Newcomer Marvin Hamlisch's rendition of Scott's THE ENTERTAINER is #3 on the Top 40, and is #1 Easy Listening.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fxk9qwCFf8s

Same could be said of Mike Oldfield who took two years to create TUBULAR BELLS, never considering it as movie music much less for The Exorcist. But, unbeknownst to him, the rights were bought and the music parsed and used for the film [performed by Mystic Sounds, not Mike Oldfield].


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyFhzg76250

The young [age 19] composer's fate was sealed and TUBULAR BELLS has been his cash cow ever since. It didn't do Richard Branson's new venture Virgin Records any harm either seeding the entrepreneur with money for future endeavors like Virgin Airlines, the Virgin Records chain, and Janet Jackson.

***
Full-page ad for Eddie Kendricks single, SON OF SAGITTARIUS , touted as his third million-seller.

.

[Boogiedown]

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #20
May 25, 1974

Number of singles reviewed this week: 99
last week: 147
including:

Soul recommended:

THE ORIGINALS - Game Called Love [3:00]; producer: Stevie
Wonder: writer: S. Wonder; Soul 35113. .

Record World:
REGGIE GARNER - ABC 11440
HALF A CUP [prod. by McKinley Jackson]
Artist is indeed in his cups here as his soul runneth over. Pounding funk should quench many a thirst for a chantin' disco item such as this. One whole of a hit.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrJ_fqHCfqg

Cash Box newcomer:

MICHAEL WHITE [Impulse 284]
Father Music, Mother Dance [2:38] [M. White, M. Washington]:
Already a regional r&b hit in many areas, this one looks to break out any day now and when it does, watch out! A powerhouse, hard driver of funk certain to establish the artist, this one is another strong disco item that will have 'em dancing uptown, downtown and all around. This is one marriage that works.

The Motown Review:

Six songs from Motown one the charts, just one with a bullet: SON OF SAGITTARIUS by Eddie Kendricks. The rest are charting pretty flat. The Jackson Five remain the hottest scoring Motown act , again at #2. On the other end of the Hot 100, Smokey Robinson squeaks in at #99.

The Top 10:

#1:
Billboard: THE STREAK - week 1
Record Word: THE SHOW MUST GO ON - week 1
Cash Box: THE STREAK - week 1

Humor rules the week as THE STREAK repeats at #1 for week #2 for Ray Stevens. Log jam week with just one title breaking through at the bottom. Radio and sales are enough to assist Joni Mitchell into the Top 10 with HELP ME at #10 from #14, especially from the AC crowd where Joni is #1 with this hit, the only Top 10 single of her career. Diving down to make room: Elton John and BENNY AND THE JETS landing at #18 from #6.

The Top 40:

Motown:
Three 45s from Motown are on the Top 40:

DANCING MACHINE - Jackson Five repeats at #2 from #2 from #3 from #5 from #8
DON'T YOU WORRY 'BOUT A THING - Stevie Wonder repeats at #17 from #17 from #21 from #27 from #33
MY MISTAKE WAS TO LOVE YOU - Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross dips to#37 from #33 from #25 from #19 from #20
OFFS: none
____

Biggest mover in the Top 40, 10 notches
BILLY DON'T BE A HERO - Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods to #13 from #23

5 Arrivals, 3 U.S., 2 Canada, 1+Top 10 bound+, 0 PI related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy, 0 Country
highest debut:
+YOU WON'T SEE ME+ - Anne Murray #33 up 8 from #41[4th Top 40 hit]

ONE HELL OF A WOMAN - Mac Davis -#36 up 9 from #45 [2nd Top 40 hit]
SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME - DeFranco Family#38 up 10 from #48 [3rd and final Top 40 hit]
ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK - Bill Haley #39 up 6 from #44 [14th and final Top 40 hit [repeat: 8 weeks #1 in 1955]
DAYBREAK - Nillson #40 up 2 from#42 [8th and final Top 40 hit]

The Hot 100:

11 newbies: 4 Top 40 bound, 5 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 0 Philly International related, 1 Motown, 1 by proxy, 0 Country
Highest debut:
3rd tier:
#70 - ON AND ON - Gladys Knight & The Pips [former Motown act]

#75 - TRAIN OF THOUGHT - Cher
#78 - ROCK AND ROLL HEAVEN - Righteous Brothers
#83 - *ROCK THE BOAT* - Hues Corporation
#86 - KING OF NOTHING - Seals & Crofts
#88 - I HATE HATE - Razzie
#89 - I'M THE LEADER OF THE GANG - Brownsville Station
#93 - KEEP ON SMILIN' - Wet Willie
#94 - KISSIN' TIME - Kiss
#96 - DANCIN' ON A SATURDAY NIGHT - Flash Cadallac Continental Kids
#98 - LOVE THAT REALLY COUNTS - Natural Four
#99 - IT'S HER TURN TO LIVE - Smokey Robinson
*disco significant record

Motown:

debuts: one
!st week: ^IT'S HER TURN TO LIVE - Smokey Robinson DEBUT at #99
3rd week: ^SON OF SAGITTARIUS - Eddie Kendricks - #45 up 10 from #55 from #74
3rd week : ^SLEEPIN' - Diana Ross - #74 up 9 from #83 from #92
5th week: ^HELP YOURSELF - Undisputed Truth #68 up 4 from #72 from #86 from #90 from #97
OFFs: none
_____

A very good week for:
Earth Wind & Fire
It's taken the group five albums to find a sound in a single that takes them into the Top 40. MIGHTY MIGHTY this week is #30 after peaking last week at #29. The single also takes EW& F into the Soul Singles' Top 10 [#4] for the first time and this week the album that opens our eyes to them becomes the #1 Soul LP and is certified gold. OPEN OUR EYES was unconventionally recorded in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5_oM8rU1jk

***
Five Month Club:
20 weeks:
COME AND GET YOUR LOVE - Redbone #29 still Top 40
SEASONS IN THE SUN - Terry Jacks #47

***
Cash Box:

`Boogie Down' LP Goes Game Show
NEW YORK -Eddie Kendricks' Tamla
LP, "Boogie Down" which includes the newly-released single, "Son of Sagittarius," will be promoted during June on a pair of prime time game shows. Exposure is set for both "Let's Make A Deal" and "The Price Is Right," part of a continuing TV support program that began in March with the "New Dating Game"series.

***
Cash box news :

Word started getting around at the O'Jay's press conference that there was going to be a surprise birthday party for Stevie Wonder at Hollywood's Speak Easy Club, but I don't think anyone dreamed that before the evening was over [the sun came up] Stevie would receive congratulations from Bill Withers, B. B. King, The Temptations, The O'Jays, Flo and Eddie, New York disk jockey Frankie Crocker, and the illustrious
Smokey Robinson, who made a point of stopping to pose with Cash Box president
and publisher George Albert for eager photographers. Wonder, winner of five Grammys this year, was joined by his mother as well as Motown president Ewart Abner and family and a host of label personnel, including the redoubtable Mike Lushka. In between all the fine food, drink, and dancing, Stevie found time to give the evening the air of uniqueness it deserved when he got up to play several numbers. Once it got going the jam lasted for hours with dozens of musicians participating. One morning FM jock summed it all up when he took the air at 6 AM and said. "You won't believe this but I just left Stevie Wonder's birthday party and it was still going strong."

***
Record World Concert Review:



Ross Regalizes Caesar's Palace
LAS VEGAS -
Diana Ross unveiled her new show before a packed audience at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas recently. The show was absolutely magnificent and will shortly be available for all to enjoy on Diana's latest album, "Live at Caesar's Palace." Rarely has an artist controlled an audience as Diana did. She had people singing, holding hands and swaying in time during her performance of "Reach Out and Touch Somebody's Hand." She then exploded into a medley of Supremes songs that had people whooping and clapping. Later, the audience sat mesmerized as Diana took us back to the days of Billie Holliday with a "Lady Sings the Blues" segment topped off by a sensational rendering of "My Man."
Other high spots were her version of "Corner of the Sky" from the "Pippin" score -a possible single in the near future; the "Touch Me in the Morning" number which featured her superb dancers; a tune called "Together,"written by Motown's The Devastating Affair, who added background vocals; and her performance -in the true sense of the word -of "Sleepin," her current single. There aren't enough words to describe the greatness that emanated from Ms. Ross during the show. Suffice it to say that the all-too-'often used term "superstar" readily applies to Diana in this, her 13th consecutive year at the top of her profession.
Lenny Beer
***
Will this become a regular segment of the Soul Ingredient column in Cash Box?:


HOT DISCO MOVERS -
"Do It Over," Olympic Runners ... "Mighty, Mighty,"
Earth, Wind & Fire ..."Help Yourself," Undisputed Truth ... "Satisfaction," Harold Melvin & Bluenotes ... "T.S.O.P.," MFSB ... "Where Do We Go From Here," Trammps ... "Waterbed," LTG Exchange. "What Goes Around [Comes Around]," Black Ivory.

***
Full-page ad for Hues Corporation's ROCK THE BOAT single in Cash Box and Record World.

[Boogiedown]

this is aPOST in progress :):

Big News: ROCK YOUR BABY

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #21
June 1, 1974

Number of singles reviewed this week: 108
last week: 99
including:
THE TEMPTATIONS - You've Got My Soul On Fire [3:25];
producer: N. Whitfield; writer: N. Whitfield; . Gordy 7136. [Motown]. Strong lead vocals and intricate backup vocals mixed with heavily percussion
oriented instrumentation make this one of this veteran
groups most commercial effort in a long while. Should get
equally heavy play on pop and soul.

Cash Box:
RARE EARTH-Rare Earth R 5057F CHAINED [prod. by Frank Wilson]
Back to their familiar formula of re-interpreting vintage Motor City soul for the rock market, group picks up on a well-linked Marvin Gaye goodie from '68.

The Motown Review:

Jackson Five still Top 5 with DANCING MACHINE maintaining their position as Motown's current best charting act. Eddie Kendricks has bulleted back into the Top 40 while Stevie Wonder has stalled outside the Top 10. No debuts and no drop offs, Motown holds solid with seven records charting on the Hot 100.

The Top 10:
#1:
Billboard: THE STREAK - week 3
Record Word: THE STREAK- week 1
Cash Box: THE ENTERTAINER - week 1

Third week running, Ray Stevens THE STREAK is #1. Hot on its heals in second place is Paul McCartney's BAND ON THE RUN. The J5's DANCING MACHINE is still strong at #3. Three new 45s bullet into the Top 10: SUNDOWN by Gordon Light foot is at #7 from #12 , Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods are at #9 from #13 with BILLY DON'T BE A HERO, while Cat Steven's OH VERY YOUNG comes in at #10 from #14. Grand Funk's THE LOCO-MOTION dips to #14 from #8 , It's lights out for Three Dog Nights THE SHOW MUST GO ON as it deep dives to #14 from #4, while Chicago finds themselves at #18 from #9 after SEARCHIN' FOR SO LONG.

The Top 40:

Motown:
Four 45s from Motown are on the Top 40:

DANCING MACHINE - Jackson Five #3 from#2 from #2 from #3 from #5 from #8
^DON'T YOU WORRY 'BOUT A THING - Stevie Wonder #16 from #17 from #17 from #21 from #27 from #33
MY MISTAKE WAS TO LOVE YOU - Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross repeats at #37 from #33 from #25 from #19 from #20
^SON OF SAGITTARIUS - Eddie Kendricks #32 DEBUT

OFFS: none
Biggest mover in the Top 40, 8 spots
SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME -DeFranco Family to #30 from #38

4 Breakers , 4 U.S. , 2+Top 10 bound+, 0 PI related, 1 Motown, 1 by proxy, 0 Country
highest debut:
HAVEN'T GOT TIME FOR THE PAIN - Carly Simon - #27 up 17 from #44 [4th Top 40 solo hit]

SON OF SAGITTARIUS - Eddie Kendricks #32 up 13 from #45 [3rd Top 40 solo hit]
ANOTHER PARK ANOTHER SUNDAY - Doobie Bros. #36 up 5 from #41 - [5th Top 40 hit]
ON AND ON - Gladys Knight & The Pips - #40 up 30 from #70[14th Top 40 hit]
____

The Hot 100:

9 newbies: 4 Top 40 bound, 5 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 0 Philly International related, 0 Motown, by proxy, 3 Country
Highest debut:
3rd tier:

#76 -WATERLOO -ABBA
#83 - WHEN THE MORNING COMES -Hoyt Axton
#85 REBEL REBEL - David Bowie
#87 - ANNIE'S SONG - John Denver
#90 - LAMPLIGHT - David Essex
#91 TOO LATE - Tavares
#93 - *ROCK YOUR BABY* - George McGrae
#98 - PLEASE COME TO BOSTON - Dave Loggins
#99 - GEORGIA PORCUPINE George Fischoff
*disco signifacant record




Motown:

debuts: none
2nd week: ^IT'S HER TURN TO LIVE - Smokey Robinson #97 up 2 from #99
4th week: ^SON OF SAGITTARIUS - Eddie Kendricks - Top 40 from #45, from #55, from #74
4th week : ^SLEEPIN' - Diana Ross - #70 up 4 from #74 from #83 from #92
6th week: ^HELP YOURSELF - Undisputed Truth #63 up 5 from #68 from #72 from #86 from #90 from #97
OFFs: none
_____
A very good week for:
Lenny Waronker
Not many hits to report from this producer, but this week he's experiencing quite a peak with two of his best efforts side by side on the Top 10 at #6 and #7:
Even more rare, this is writer David Nichter only hit:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf-EMhTgDUg
lyrically he made an error, there are no cacti friendly or not, in the Arabian dessert.

Canadian Gordon Lightfoot writes this one himself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IBdZ645S-o

***
Album Review:

DIANA ROSS - Me Caesars Palace, Motown M6.80151.
Diana Ross has came the full circle, from recording star
to TV personality to an accomplished actress to night
club star. With this LP, she showcases her remarkable
ability to communicate with all kinds of audiences, using
standards, some of her most famous tunes from her days
with the Supremes, melodies from her "Lady Sings the
Blues" movie and several newer songs. In fine voice and
demonstrating a natural audience regal [particularly
on the sing along sections of the set], she shows how
she has blossomed into an all around musical star. The
kind of LP that should appeal to all record buyers and
make record buyers out of many. Are orchestration and
arrangements also add to the quality. and the medleys
are ideal for radio play.
Best cuts "Reach Out and Touch [Somebody's
Hand], "Supremos Medley,""Lady Sings the Blues,"
"My Man."
Dealers: Motown has mounted a huge push on this
set, so watch for material. Display in pop, soul and le-
male vocalists
***
record world

J5 Set Film Debut
LOS ANGELES - Raymond St.
Jacques, in conjunction with Jackson-Aarons Enterprises, will present
the motion picture debut of the
the Jackson 5, when they co-star
with St. Jacques in "Isoman
Cross and Sons."
Play Slave Family
St. Jacques, who has written the
original screenplay and will direct,
produce and co-star in the film,
is known for his roles in "Come
Back Charleston Blue" and "Cot-
ton Comes to Harlem." "Isoman
Cross and Sons" is a period piece
dealing with a black slave family
during the mid-19th century. Their
story is not just the struggle for
freedom but for existence its-elf.
St. Jacques portrays the father, and
The Jackson 5 play the sons. The
role of the mother has not been
cast as yet


***
All three trades reporting the passing of Duke Ellington:

from Record World:



NEW YORK- Edward Kennedy
"Duke" Ellington died Friday [[24)
at Columbia Presbyterian \Hospital
here of pneumonia. Although he
shad been et the medical facility
for treatment for more than a
month, and had to spend his 75th
'birthday in a hospital bed, his con-
dition had not been listed as "seri-
ous" until the day prior to his
death.
Perhaps the most famous of all
big band/jazz leaders, musicians
and composers, the man who had
made his self-penned classic
"Take the 'A' Train" his theme
song had been honored with every
conceivable award for his craft
during his prolific and active life-
time - including [[the nation's
highest honor, the Medal of Free-
dom, which President Nixon pre-
sented him in 1969 on the occa-
sion of his 70th birthday.
Among his classic compositions
are "Don't Get Around Much Any-
more," "Satin Doll" and "Mood
Indigo." One of his most ambi-
tious and highly acclaimed extend-
ed jazz works, "Black, Brown and
Beige" was recorded by him
for Columbia Records. Duke El-
lington had cut for almost every
major label during his lifetime,
and most recently appeared in
duet on Flying Dutchman with
Teresa Brewer.



Disco Discs Hot
NEW YORK- For the second time in three weeks, a single that started out as a major discotheque record has become a national radio smash. "Rock Your Baby" by George McRae [T.K.] was added by WABC and seven other key top 40 stations this week, and moves 25 points from 108 to 83 with a bullet. The other disco breakout, "Rock the Boat" by the Hues Corporation [RCA] also jumps 25 points from 68 bullet to 43 bullet, and appears headed for chart-topping status, with six more key additions this week.