Billboard's Hot 100/ Top 40 Motown Chronicles - 1972 - [Pt. 3]

[Boogiedown]

Due to the volume of content, the year 1972 is being divided into three threads.
This is Part III:
Sept. - Dec.

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #36
Sept 02, 1972

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

this year :
link for: 1972 Part II - May -August
link for: 1972 Part 1 - Jan -April

past years:
link for: 1970

link for: 1971 Pt. 1 - Jan - July

link for: 1971 Pt. 2 - July - December

Number of singles reviewed this week: 87
last week: 102

including:
THE BAND - DON'T DO IT [3:30)
The Holland-Dozier rocker, a past hit for Marvin Gaye, is given
a dynamite dance treatment, a cut from the Band's new LP "Rock
of Ages "

One of Motown's weakest of weeks. A total of three songs from the label are on the Hot 100, with just one of them on the Top 40, The Jackson Five's LOOKIN' THROUGH THE WINDOWS, and it's stalling at #16. No debuts from the label.

The Top 10:

No Motown.

Rarely does a song return to the top of the chart once it drops from it. This week , ALONE AGAIN [NATURALLY] by Gilbert O'Sullivan does so, bumping out BRANDY [YOU'RE A FINE GIRL] by Looking Glass after one week at #1. BRANDY is now #4 and The Hollies' LONG COOL WOMAN is lined up at #2 hoping for its turn at #1.
Two new songs arrive into the Top 10 both by new artists to the Top 40: Glamor act Gary Glitter's instrumental B side of his ROCK AND ROLL enters at #9 from #17 and long time vocal group [since 1958] The O'Jays finally arrive with BACK STABBERS at #10 from #14.
Off are IF LOVING YOU IS WRONG by Luther Ingram to #13 from #6 and COCONUT by Nillson from #8 to #17.

The Top 40:

LOOKIN' THROUGH THE WINDOWS - Jackson Five - likely peaking this week with a repeat at the #16 position.

Biggest mover within the chart: Seventeen places
HONKY CAT - Elton John to #23 from #40

Light week, four songs entering, all with big gains, two newbies, 3 US, 1 UK

titles coded with a brown + will go Top 10
Highest Debut:
+ EVERYBODY PLAYS THE FOOL + - Main Ingredient - #32 up 10 from #42 [*first time artist]

PLAY ME - Neil Diamond #33 up 11 from #44
[19th Top 40 Hit]
SPEAK TO THE SKY - Rick Springfield #35 up 14 from #49 [*first time artist] his only one of the seventies
+ NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN + - Moody Blues #39 up 8 from #47[sixth Top 40 hit]

The Hot 100:

11 singles
titles coded with green will go Top 40
NEW: . Starting this week , artists never before on the Hot 100, will be noted with pink # symbol.
Eight newbies.
Highest debut:
3rd tier:
#78 - FOR EMILY WHEREVER I MAY FIND HER - Simon and Garfunkel

#80 - DON'T EVER BE LONELY [A POOR LITTLE FOOL LIKE ME] - Cornelius Bros. & Sister Rose
#86 - THUNDER AND LIGHTNING - Chi Coltrane
#87 - GOOD TIME CHARLIE'S GOT THE BLUES - Danny O'Keefe
#88 - LOVING YOU JUST CROSSED MY MIND - Sam Neely
#89 - LISTEN TO THE MUSIC - Doobie Brothers
#90 - THINK [ABOUT IT] - Lyn Collins
#92 - LIFE AND BREATH - Climax
#98 - LADY ELEANOR - Lindisfarne
#99 - FOOL'S PARADISE - Sylvers
#100 - WHATEVER TURNS YOU ON - Travis Wammack

Motown:
no debuts
5th week: ^BEN - Michael Jackson - #43 up 8 from #51
5th week: - ^YOUR WONDERFUL SWEET SWEET LOVE - Supremes #66 up 3 from #69
11th week: WE'VE COME TOO FAR TO END IT NOW - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles off from #57
Off:
Despite coming too far, Smokey ends the Miracle's 17 year union this week with a farewell/ departure themed tune [although lyrically about a couple] with sentiments that seem to contradict the impending reality. Johnny Bristol is behind WE'VE COME TOO FAR TO END IT NOW as he was with The Supremes departure tune SOMEDAY WE'LL BE TOGETHER. Falling short of the Top 40, peaking at #46, Motown will give the original line-up one more try at charting, the next single coming up shortly, also off the same last Smokey Robinson & The Miracles LP, for some reason titled, FLYING HIGH TOGETHER.

*****

A very good week for:
Sweetness
four songs have sweet titles:
Barbara Streisand's SWEET INSPIRATION is at #38 [and is the Hot 100's only split hit WHERE YOU LEAD being the other side]
Millie Jackson's MY MAN IS A SWEET MAN is at #55
The Supremes' YOUR WONDERFUL SWEET SWEET LOVE at #66
and Bobby Womack charting with a remake of Neil Diamond's 1969 hit [#4 peak] SWEET CAROLINE at #73 in its second week:




SWEET CAROLINE will peak at #51 [#16 Soul], but DJs start playing the B side which will reintroduce the record and put Womack back into the Top 40.

*****
UK's fondness for Motown continues: four songs are on the UK Top 50.

#28 - AIN'T NO SUNSHINE - Michael Jackson
#30 - AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE - Supremes
#34 - MY GUY - Mary Wells
#36 - WALK WITH ME TALK WITH ME DARLING - Four Tops

*****

#1 on the Jazz LP chart :

UPENDO NI PAMOJOS [LOVE IS TOGETHER]
by the Ramsey Lewis Trio their first LP on Columbia after ten years at Chess. The album features one cover of a Motown song, Michael Jackson's GOT TO BE THERE.



RIP Ramsey Emmanuel Lewis Jr. [May 27, 1935 – September 12, 2022]