Diana Ross' Most Bizarre Billboard Hot 100 #1 Charter

[Boogiedown]

......who knows what I'm on about??

[jobeterob]

When Touch Me In The Morning was #1, Billboard published the wrong chart and f…..ked it up - it had some other song at #1; they published an ad the next week correcting the error - right opposite the Hot 100.

Could it be that?

[Boogiedown]

When Touch Me In The Morning was #1, Billboard published the wrong chart and f…..ked it up - it had some other song at #1; they published an ad the next week correcting the error - right opposite the Hot 100.

Could it be that?

yesss, sort of, .... you're getting there, ......

[reese]

When Touch Me In The Morning was #1, Billboard published the wrong chart and f…..ked it up - it had some other song at #1; they published an ad the next week correcting the error - right opposite the Hot 100.

Could it be that?

I think by mistake they listed THE MORNING AFTER, the title of Maureen McGovern's recording.

[Boogiedown]

Oh come on you guys can jazz it up better than that ! You're making me snore here!

>>>>

This is actually beyond bizarre: >>>>

On Aug 18, 1973 Diana Ross woke up to the news of her 14th time at being at the Top of Billboard's Hot 100. She was now #1 for the second time in her solo career after 12 times prior shared with The Supremes.

Trouble was: it was for a song she'd never sung, on a record she'd never recorded!

Somehow Billboard goofed and THE MORNING AFTER was at #1 and by Diana Ross. For an entire week the whole nation waited with bated breath as to who was the #1 artist in the country and with what song. Until Billboard could post a correction in the nest issue, it wasn't known for sure ..... was it Diana that was the new #1 with TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING or was it supposed to be for the third week: Maureen McGovern with THE MORNING AFTER??

Thus Diana Ross is the only artist ever to be mistakenly credited with an extra unearned #1 song , THE MORNING AFTER, in all the history of Billboard.

[copley]

So what song was published as being at #2?

[milven]

So what song was published as being at #2?

I'm still confused. I see the corrected chart. Before it was corrected, did it show THE MORNING AFTER by Diana Ross and Touch Me by Maureen

https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1973-08-18/

[Boogiedown]

So what song was published as being at #2?

#2 was LIVE AND LET DIE by The Rolling Stones

[Boogiedown]

I'm still confused. I see the corrected chart. Before it was corrected, did it show THE MORNING AFTER by Diana Ross and Touch Me by Maureen

https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1973-08-18/

no, only Diana Ross got credited with a bonus song.

[johnjeb]

I remember this error quite well. I was so annoyed. The other day I checked my Joel Whitburn 70s Hot 100 Chart reproduction book for that date. I meant to post but I forgot. The error was not corrected or edited for the reproduction which used the original chart [[although in B&W rather than two-tone color that was used in some years).

Although the title The Morning After was listed as #1, all the accompanying info of artist, record label and publisher was for Touch Me In The Morning.

Maureen McGovern’s The Morning After dropped from #1 to #4 that week,

[milven]

I remember this error quite well. I was so annoyed. The other day I checked my Joel Whitburn 70s Hot 100 Chart reproduction book for that date. I meant to post but I forgot. The error was not corrected or edited for the reproduction which used the original chart [[although in B&W rather than two-tone color that was used in some years).

Although the title The Morning After was listed as #1, all the accompanying info of artist, record label and publisher was for Touch Me In The Morning.

Maureen McGovern’s The Morning After dropped from #1 to #4 that week,

One more question and I will be unconfused. On the uncorrected chart, was Morning After listed as number one but by Diana Ross; and then listed again at number four by Maureen?

I had a weekly subscription to Billboard at the time, was in the industry, am a Supremes/Diana fan and don't remember this at all. It is something I should have been aware of at the time. Either I am senile now, or I had my head up my ass then. I hope it was the latter

[gman]

Joel Whitburn tried to chew me down to a unacceptable low price on a sealed EDDY ARNOLD LP on Ebay many years ago...after I refused, he went the "don't you know who I am?" route...I happily told him I know exactly who he is, have a few of his wonderful books, and he can afford to pay the very fair researched price offered....Case Closed!!!!

[Boogiedown]

One more question and I will be unconfused. On the uncorrected chart, was Morning After listed as number one but by Diana Ross; and then listed again at number four by Maureen?

I had a weekly subscription to Billboard at the time, was in the industry, am a Supremes/Diana fan and don't remember this at all. It is something I should have been aware of at the time. Either I am senile now, or I had my head up my ass then. I hope it was the latter

You have it exactly right. MORNING AFTER was the #1 song as credited to Diana Ross and the #4 song as credited to Maureen McGovern. [I've tried to duplicate the page to post here and haven't had success]

As subscribers, milven, Johnjeb, do you recall Billboard EVER listing the wrong title with the wrong artist at any level of the chart , no less the #1 song, of all things??

The following week Billboard played it off rather casually with a square inch box on the cover noting the slight error. Motown on the other hand , in that same issue took out a full page ad mocking the mistake.
Were they happily cashing in on a bit of free publicity via the controversy, or was Berry mad as hell when he saw the error. Likely both? ....

[johnjeb]

Just had my senior nap on a rainy afternoon during a 3-day stay on Cape Cod so I am now more prepared to tackle this vexing dilemma. Actually, I mention that I am away because I do not have my Billboard books at hand to reference.

However, when I saw this thread, over the weekend, I immediately went to check the original chart. My recollection is that it was corrected for the book. I was surprised to see that it was left as originally and erroneously published.

The song title The Morning After appears at #1 and #4. At the #1 spot is Diana Ross’ name with all the relevant information for the song Touch Me In The Morning, most likely label and record number and songwriters. At the #4 spot is again The Morning After title but with Maureen McGovern’s name and record info. It also indicated that it was #1 the previous week.

milven, I’m disappointed to see that you were unaware of this so I’m afraid I have to agree that it was most likely the latter then and unfortunately the former now! 😂. In addition to the chart error for the week in question there was a statement and correction regarding the error in the following week’s issue. Maybe that was a period when your subscription lapsed or your mailman “borrowed “ your magazines.

When I get home on Wednesday I will get the specifics and post, I hope, before I head to New Hampshire, otherwise it will be a few weeks. I wish I knew how to take a picture and post to SD.

[johnjeb]

Boogiedown, I wasn’t a subscriber, just read it on the newsstand and bought relevant issues. I’m pretty sure I have copies of what you mention in the attic with my memorabilia. Then again, at the cost of almost $.60 cents an issue in the 60s, and about $1.25 in the 70s, I might have decided to buy a 45 that week!

Funny you should ask the question if Billboard ever made a similar, or any, chart error before or since. I was just thinking about that this morning and thought I might drop Record Research an email. If Joel was still with us he might know off the top of his head. Although he has a long term employee who is also a chart fanatic, and has some interesting YouTube videos, who could answer the question pretty easily.

I agree that Berry was annoyed at the error and saw an opportunity. I was annoyed, as well. I just couldn’t imagine how an error like that could be made. It was too bad that Touch Me In The Morning After [[see what I did there? Wheel of Fortune would call that a Before & After!) didn’t stay at #1 for a second week so it could sit atop the chart in grand fashion as it so rightly deserved. I am recently thinking that this song is her absolute best #1 during her solo years.

[johnjeb]

gman, so did you get the record? at your price? or was he so challenged by your offer and comment that he raised his asking price? 😆

Have you ever seen the YouTube videos of his record collection? Amazing. There is a copy of Supremes A’ Go-Go hanging among other LP covers. I wonder if his daughter and organization are going to maintain the record collection. Maybe it belongs in the Smithsonian or The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Record Research has been having reduced prices for certain book titles since Joel passed. I wonder if they’re downsizing their inventory of books or phasing out the business.

[Boogiedown]

good stuff. I did two things in those days: I would head out to KAFY radio up in the foothills of the east side and sit in their reception point and they'd let me read their trades, or I'd go to this paperback book/ magazine stand where they'd kindly let me stand there and read their Billboard.

This is another instance where I think it illustrates the trades did their best to be on the up and up with their chart accuracy. Otherwise when Berry called hollering and screaming about leaving the title off of their #1 song, they might have compromised by saying, "Ya we blew it, how about we repeat Diana at #1 and with the right title "...

Instead : they had TOUCH ME dip to #3 the very same week of their correction box and #1 went to of all things .....BROTHER LOUIE by unknowns Stories.

[Boogiedown]

johnjeb:

Funny you should ask the question if Billboard ever made a similar, or any, chart error before or since. I was just thinking about that this morning and thought I might drop Record Research an email. If Joel was still with us he might know off the top of his head. Although he has a long term employee who is also a chart fanatic, and has some interesting YouTube videos, who could answer the question pretty easily.

I agree that Berry was annoyed at the error and saw an opportunity. I was annoyed, as well. I just couldn’t imagine how an error like that could be made. It was too bad that Touch Me In The Morning After [[see what I did there? Wheel of Fortune would call that a Before & After!) didn’t stay at #1 for a second week so it could sit atop the chart in grand fashion as it so rightly deserved. I am recently thinking that this song is her absolute best #1 during her solo years.

TOUCH ME THE MORNING AFTER...good one ...maybe this then became a working title for Diana for her run of morning songs ....


.... I wonder if anyone got let go ...the morning after ... this fopaux...

[milven]

Wow. This really is the first time that I have heard about all of this and it is bothering me that I don't remember. I read the trade magazines religiously back then and can't imagine how I could have passed over this. So there never was a printed version of the Hot 100 showing Touch Me In The Morning as number one? Was there any reaction from Diana about this? Maybe Billboard appeased Berry and Diana by naming her Entertainer of the Century a couple of years later. I always wondered why Billboard invented that award and then named Diana the Entertainer of the Century. I saved that Billboard.

Thanks guys for all the info in this thread, that I seem to have missed decades ago.

[milven]

gman, so did you get the record? at your price? or was he so challenged by your offer and comment that he raised his asking price? 😆
...

It was Gman that was selling the Eddie Arnold LP on Ebay and Joel Whitburn wanted it at a cheaper price. When gman refused to lower the already fair price, Joel Whitburn said, "Don't you know who I am?" Gman told Joel he knew exactly who he was and that he had some of his books but refused to lower his fair price for Eddy Arnold LP. Case Closed. Good

[johnjeb]

Oops, I misunderstood. Thanks for the clarification, milven.

[gman]

I was the seller.....I am still selling vinyl on ebay...23 years...some CD's, some books that reference music....nothing rare and highly collectable, every day average LP's and a ton of 12" singles...my own collectables were the first to go, before I started investing for the purpose of selling...I started doing this when my mother got ill and couldn't be left alone as a way to occupy my time in the house.... with a AOL connection!!!! I did catch a few store closings, so I still have some sealed Sdtrks / Pop Vocals left.

[johnjeb]

I was the seller.....I am still selling vinyl on ebay...23 years...some CD's, some books that reference music....nothing rare and highly collectable, every day average LP's and a ton of 12" singles...my own collectables were the first to go, before I started investing for the purpose of selling...I started doing this when my mother got ill and couldn't be left alone as a way to occupy my time in the house.... with a AOL connection!!!! I did catch a few store closings, so I still have some sealed Sdtrks / Pop Vocals left.

Yeah, I totally misread your post. I guess my senior nap wasn’t a Power Nap. My cognition was low level to be sure.

Sounds like you have a nice hobby and pass time. Is selling as much fun as collecting? I’ve wanted to try it but never felt the time was right.

Ironically I’m spending a couple of days with my 95 yo father. He stumbled and fell the other day while walking with my sisters out of church. He is fine, although stubborn. We don’t need to be with him constantly and he won’t allow it but being closer than 90 miles away is what we’re aiming for right now. We’re working out a schedule of being with him as much as possible. The fact this is a summer vacation area is a plus. He has good neighbors here that keep an eye out for him.

Good luck selling the remainder of your collection.