Billboard's Hot 100/ Top 40 Motown Chronicles - 1973 - [Pt. 3]

[Boogiedown]

Because of the amount of content, the year 1973 is being divided into three threads.

This is Part III:
Sept. - Dec.

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

2023:

link for: 1973 Part II - May - August
link for: 1973 Part I - Jan - April

past years:

link for: 1972 Part III - Sept - December
link for: 1972 Part II - May -August
link for: 1972 Part 1 - Jan -April


link for: 1971 Pt. 1 - Jan - July
link for: 1971 Pt. 2 - July - December

link for: 1970

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #35
Sept. 1, 1973

Number of singles reviewed this week: 134
last week: 101

Welcome to Part III of 1973!
Much is yet to happen this year chart-wise but it will be hard to top where we've left off in Part II with Diana Ross at the center of Billboard's biggest flub ever on their charts. [see charts #33 and #34]. Ross and Motown would probably prefer a pass on having any part of this bizarre distinction, but then it probably made for excellent water-cooler chatter throughout the industry. The good news is TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING has put Diana Ross at the top and she's currently enjoying one of the biggest hits of her solo career. And the chart moves on.

**

The Motown Review:

Another stellar week from Motown, two songs in the Top Ten [Top Five actually], along with a new 45 in the Top 40 that is the week's highest debut at #30, so that in just 3 weeks, Stevie Wonder is two-thirds the way up the Hot 100 with HIGHER GROUND. Another big Motown act joins in the charting frenzy and with no singles dropping off, 10 records are represented from Motown's current cache of hitmakers.

The Top 10:

The story remains the same: BROTHER LOUIE is #1 for week two. Marvin Gaye is putting the press on at #2 from #4 with LET'S GET IT ON as is Helen Reddy with a bullet to #3 from #6 with DELTA DAWN . Diana Ross remains high in the ratings with TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING descending just one to #4. Chicago gets their second wind and FEELIN' STRONGER EVERYDAY pushes back into the Top 10 at #10, where it peaked before dipping to #11. The big entry: LOVES ME LIKE A ROCK by Paul Simon bulleting in to #9 from #16. The two offs: BAD BAD LEROY BROWN by Jim Croce after peaking at #1 dips to #13 from #10. And Charlie Daniel's UNEASY RIDER falls off to #18 from #9.

The Top 40:

Motown:
Three records from Motown are on the Top 40:

^LETS GET IT ON - Marvin Gaye - now #2 from #4
TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING - Diana Ross at #4 slight drop from #3
^HIGHER GROUND - Stevie Wonder big debut at #30

Biggest mover in the Top 40: 10 marks :
MY MARIA - B.W. Stevenson to #25 from #35

*note:
color change: PI related records now purple
color change: Top Ten bound + now green
4 debuts, all US, 2 +Top 10 bound+, 0 PI related, 1 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut:
+HIGHER GROUND+ - Stevie Wonder #30 up 21 from #51 [25th Top 40 hit]

+HALF-BREED+- Cher #33 up 21 from #54 [9th Top 40 hit]
STONED OUT OF MY MIND - The Chi-Lites #36 up 8 from#44 [5th and final Top 40 hit]
I'VE GOT SO MUCH TO GIVE - Barry White #37 up 6 from #43 [2nd Top 40 hit]

The Hot 100:

*note:
color change: Philly International now purple

7 debuts: 4 Top 40 bound, 2 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 1 Philly International related, 1 Motown, 1 by proxy
Highest debut:
third tier:
#71 - MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA - Gladys Knight/Pips ex Motown act

#76 - GET IT TOGETHER - Jackson Five
#80 - KNOCKIN' ON HEAVEN'S DOOR - Bob Dylan
#83 - TONIGHT - Raspberries
#86 - PEACEMAKER -Albert Hammond
#87 - PARRTY - Maceo and the Mack
#92 - EVERYBODY'S HAD THE BLUES - Merle Haggard
#93 - HE - Today's People
#94 - THEY'RE COMING TO TAKE ME AWAY - Napoleon XIV
#95 - MAKE ME TWICE THE MAN - New York City
#96 - AS TIME GOES BY - Nillson
#99 - I CAN'T STAND THE RAIN - Ann Peebles

Motown:

debuts: one
1st week: GET IT TOGETHER - The Jackson Five - DEBUT #76

2nd week: ^KEEP ON TRUCKIN' - Eddie Kendricks #60 up 19 from #79
3rd week: ^HEY GIRL [I LIKE YOUR STYLE] - Temptations #47 up 11 from#58
3rd week: ^HIGHER GROUND - Stevie Wonder - Top 40 from #51 up 22 from #73
4th week: ALL I NEED IS TIME - Gladys Knight & The Pips #73 down 8 from #65
4th week: SLICK - Willie Hutch repeat #81
5th week: ^ DON'T LET IT END - Miracles #63 up 1 from #64
9th week: ^SWEET HARMONY - Smokey Robinson #54 up 2 from #56
off: none

**
A very good week for:
Coming and going, or not.

#12 - IF YOU WANT ME TO STAY - Sly Stone
#14 - HERE I AM COME AND TAKE ME - Al Green
#29 - I WAS CHECKIN OUT, SHE WAS CHECKIN IN - Don Covay
#43 - SO VERY HARD TO GO - Tower Of Power
#89 - STAY AWAY FROM ME - Sylvers
#91 - BLOOD RED AND GOING DOWN - Tanya Tucker
#94 - THEY'RE COMING TO TAKE ME AWAY - Napoleon XIV
#100 - UNTIL ITS TIME FOR YOU TO GO - New Birth

SO VERY HARD TO GO ... yet Tower Of Power do so this week, dropping out of the Top 40 from #39. Next week they'll be gone altogether after a 18 week run. Sad to say this masterful composition peaked at just #17 and fell short of the Soul Top 10 as well [#11]. Lenny Williams, replacing Rick Stevens as the group's vocalist, gave it a perfect-paced delivery, arguably his career highlight. He'll be with Tower a couple of more years, then Lenny's off to Motown, does one album and moves on.



***

WHY ME: Kris Kristofferson - week #22 and Kris Kristofferson moves up a notch on the Top 40 to #31.

Cashbox reports: Kris and Rita Coolidge wed Aug. 19.

**
New to the 5 Month Club [20 weeks on the Hot 100]:
BAD BAD LEROY BROWN - Jim Croce at #13

**
Charting Billboard provides substance enough, but there are two other record trade magazines with valuable content each week as well. Will keep eyes on them as much as possible as space permits.
This week in Cashbox' R&B Ingredients column: "Initial reaction to the newly released Myrrh Records single, "Dust Yourself Off And Try It Again" by the Beautiful Zion Choir featuring Emma Richards, is exciting. One listen, and you'll agree it's a mover! Initial radio play already reflecting sales activity."

KDIA in Oakland reports airplay.



Chicago music man Willie Henderson leads this production, the Zion Choir's one of two 45 releases [DUST YOURSELF OFF is its "b"side].
Michael Jackson gospelized = disco?

**
Also from Cashbox R&B Ingredients:

Paul Williams [one of the original Temptations] was
found dead in Detroit, Friday [17].

[Boogiedown]

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #36
Sept. 8, 1973

Number of singles reviewed this week: 102
last week: 134

including:

Soul:

EDWIN STARR - You've Got My Soul On Fire - [3:28]; producer: Norman Whitfield; writer:N. Whitfield; Motown 1276. Despite his doctor's advice to stay away from his baby who is breaking his heart. Edwin still has fine thoughts about his fine lady who is "one of a kind". There is a forceful propulsion to his attack, with chorus and a surging tempo driving the orchestra down the path of unbroken love.

Pop
also recommended :

RARE EARTH - Hum Along and Dance [3:59]; producer. Norman Whitfield, writers:
N. Whitfield, B. Strong, Rare Earth 5054

The Motown Review:

Can't get much better. Motown is #1 again in less than a month after their last #1. Two of the label's records are in the nation's Top 5. The Top 40's biggest moving record is from Motown, while two Norman Whitfield productions get reviewed, and while Motown adds no new singles this week, none drop off for a total of ten charters with 9 moving upward.

The Top 10:

Diana Ross has not yet dropped out of the Top 5 with her former #1 TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING and already Motown is back on top with Marvin Gaye's LET'S GET IT ON up from #2 . One internal bullet, LOVES ME LIKE A ROCK by Paul Simon from #9 to #6. Three new Top 10 charters: all with bullets: WE'RE AN AMERICAN BAND by Grand Funk enters at #8 from #11, War's GYPSY MAN is #9 from #15 and at #10 HERE I AM once again in the Top 10: Al Green from #14. 3 outs: THE MORNING AFTER by Maureen McGovern from #7 to #11, Gilbert O'Sullivan goes down to #13 with GET DOWN from #8 and FEELIN' STRONGER EVERY DAY may have now had its strongest chartings : two times at #10 and Chicago is now #14.

_____

The Top 40:

Motown:
Four records from Motown are on the Top 40:

^LET'S GET IT ON - Marvin Gaye - now #1 from #2
TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING - Diana Ross at #5 slight drop from #4
^HIGHER GROUND - Stevie Wonder gets significantly higher to #18 from #30
^HEY GIRL [I LIKE YOUR STYLE] - Temptations DEBUT at #39 from #47
__

Biggest mover in the Top 40: 12 rungs:
HIGHER GROUND - Stevie Wonder to #18 from #30

PI related records now purple
Top Ten bound + now green
5 debuts, all US, 1 +Top 10 bound+, 1 PI related, 1 Motown, 1 by proxy
Highest debut:
GHETTO CHILD - Spinners #30 up 12 from #42 [7th Top 40 hit]

YES WE CAN CAN - Pointer Sisters #34 up 21 from #55 [*first time artist]
+RAMBLIN' MAN+ - Allman Bros. #35 up 23 from #58 [*first time artist]
FREE RIDE - Edgar Winter Group #37 up 8 from #45 [2nd Top 40 hit]
HEY GIRL [I LIKE YOUR STYLE] - Temptations #39 up 8 from #47 [31st Top 40 hit]

The Hot 100:

Philly International now purple

10 debuts: 7 Top 40 bound, 2 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 0 Philly International related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut:
third tier:
#75 - ANGIE - The Rolling Stones

#78 - HURTS SO GOOD - Millie Jackson
#81 - HEARTBEAT ITS A LOVEBEAT - DeFranco Family
#84 - BASKETBALL JONES featuring Tyrone Shoelaces - Cheech and Chong
#86 - LET ME IN - Osmonds
#89 - NUTBUSH CITY LIMITS - Ike and Tina Turner
#90 - THAT'S WHY YOU REMEMBER - Kenny Karen
#98 - MAKE UP YOUR MIND - J Geils Band
#99 - SOUL J'TAIME - Sylvia & Ralfi Pagan
#100 - FUNKY STUFF - Kool & The Gang
________

Motown:

debuts: none
2nd week: ^GET IT TOGETHER - The Jackson Five - #62 up 14 from #76
3rd week: ^KEEP ON TRUCKIN' - Eddie Kendricks #41 up 19 from #60
3rd week: ^HEY GIRL [I LIKE YOUR STYLE] - Temptations Top 40 from #47
5th week: ^ALL I NEED IS TIME - Gladys Knight & The Pips #72 up 1 from #73
5th week: ^SLICK - Willie Hutch #65 up 16 from #81
6th week: ^ DON'T LET IT END - Miracles #59 up 4 from #63
10th week: ^SWEET HARMONY - Smokey Robinson #51 up 3 from #54
offs: none

**
A very good week for:
Tramps and thieves
Both in the Top Ten:
War's GYPSY MAN [#9] and
SAY HAS ANYBODY SEEN MY SWEET GYPSY ROSE [#4] by Dawn

**
Disco edges closer:

Arriving onto the Hot 100 this week is FUNKY STUFF by Kool & The Gang. The promo single of this dance favorite that features repeated whistle blowing is being accompanied with a whistle to accommodate a growing trend in dance clubs.



KC & The Sunshine Band make their first chart appearance this week and its on the Soul chart [#93] with BLOW YOUR WHISTLE:



KC & The Sunshine Band are a spontaneous creation centered around two studio workers , Harry Casey and Richard Finch, at the new TK studios near Miami Florida. Headed by Henry Stone, TK Records will be a new musical epicenter whose main thrust is disco.

**
#1 in Canada [Canadian recorded]: BONGO ROCK by The Incredible Bongo Band

**

WHY ME: Kris Kristofferson - week #23 and Kris Kristofferson moves up 5 from #31 to #26, reentering the Top 30.

**
Soul Sauce: Coverage of Freda Payne who says

"I don't play my own records at home because I haven't really been that knocked out over what I've done so far." ....
... "I don't consider myself a song stylist. I'm a singer. I think of a stylist
as someone who has a gimmick. Someone who might be a little heavier with the vibrato [i.e. Eartha Kitt), or a little snappy when singing the
lyrics [i.e. Della Reese). And you will find most singers like that are usually victimized, or flattered, by the mimic. Personally. I don't feel that as a singer I have any of those mannerisms. or nuances. ......

**
Record World: Marvin Gaye is the cover's featured artist.

Massive Campaign

In addition to radio spots advertising the album, Motown will place its first wave of ad-
vertising in national publications such as the National Lampoon, Time [college edition), Essence, Jet and Rolling Stone, and in important local publications such as the Los Angeles Times Sunday Calendar.
For further local advertising, the company has created a series of ad mattes in various sizes, and a large billboard on Sunset Boulevard will go up shortly after the album is released.
Two posters - one 4 x 6 feet and other 22x33 inches - will be supplied to stores and radio stations, as will "Let's Get It On" lapel buttons.
Late in September "The Master: The Magic of Marvin Gaye", a 90-minute radio special documenting the recording career of the artist through the new album, will be made available to radio stations.

**
Record World's MoneyMusic column:

Huge Soul record:
Eddie Kendricks "Keep On Truckin'." Sales on this record in Chicago are
approaching the astounding total of 100,000. There are huge sales in many other cities. It has become so vast in New York City, WPIX had to put
it on this week. As we have mentioned in this column before, Kendricks has had one giant r&b winner after another, but has been unable to cross over. This looks like the one that is going to put him into the pop superstar category.

**
Two-page ad for Marvin Gayes new album
Full-page ad for The Temptations new ANTHOLOGY set.

**
It was reported in charts #29 and #30 about the untimely death of a Bloodstone member Roger Durham due to being thrown from a horse. Record World this week reports this:

Roger Lee Durham
Of Bloodstone Dies

Roger Lee Durham, 27, a member of London Records' Bloodstone, died recently in
Kansas City after a lengthy illness.Born in Charlotte, N.C., Durham grew up in Kansas City, Kansas, where he and four friends formed a group called The Sinceres, which later became Bloodstone. He was vocalist and percussionist as well as writer for the group and toured with them until February, when his illness forced him to return
to Kansas City. Durham is survived by his parents, a half-brother and a
sister.

[Boogiedown]

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #37
Sept. 15, 1973

Number of singles reviewed this week: 110
last week: 102
including:

*HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES - The Love I Lost [Part I] [3:35]; pro-
ducer: Gamble, Huff; writers: K. Gamble. L. Huff. Philadelphia
International 3533. The love the guys lost was a sweet love, a complete
love. They sing with a conviction that it was reallya good love. Thump, thump goes
the bass-the lead instrument - and their voices ride right along, with strings flowing in the background.

*disco significant record

The Motown Review:

Diana and Marvin. That about sums up Motown right now. [see below for breaking news]. Both are in the Top Ten with former #1 records. Close at hand, Stevie Wonder is moving up to take their place. Eddie Kendricks enters the Top 40, finally for the first time as a solo artist, taking seven releases to do so, and The J5 seem headed that way soon. Kendricks has overtaken his old group, The Temptations. There are no singles dropping off, and no new ones added on, so Motown still holds ten places on the Hot 100.

The Top 10:

Like Diana Ross and TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING [now #7], it's a brief run for Marvin Gaye at the top. After one week there, LET'S GET IT ON dips to #2 [while remaining #1 on the Soul chart for week #5.] Helen Reddy takes his place, from #3 to #1 with DELTA DAWN . One inside bullet for Grand Funk's WE'RE AN AMERICAN BAND to #5 from #8. It's been awhile that this has happened, but this week there are no new songs breaking into the Top 10. Singles #11 - #14 are each bulleted and lined up to move in.

__________

The Top 40:

Motown:
Five records from Motown are on the Top 40:

LET'S GET IT ON - Marvin Gaye - now #2 from #1
TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING - Diana Ross at #7 slight drop from #5
^HIGHER GROUND - Stevie Wonder gets higher to #13 from #18
^ KEEP ON TRUCKIN' - Eddie Kendricks - DEBUT at #30
^HEY GIRL [I LIKE YOUR STYLE] - Temptations slowing a bit to #36 from #39

Biggest mover in the Top 40: 14 rungs:
RAMBLIN' MAN - Allman Bros. to #21 from #35

note: PI related records now purple
Top Ten bound + now green
4 debuts, all US, 2+Top 10 bound+, 0 PI related, 1 Motown, 1 by proxy
Highest debut:
CHINA GROVE -Doobie Bros. #24 up 8 from #32 [4th Top 40 hit]

+KEEP ON TRUCKIN’+ - Eddie Kendricks #30 up 11 from #41 [*1st time artist]
+MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA+ - Gladys Knight & The Pips - #33 up 23 from #55 [18th Top 40 hit]
YOU'VE NEVER BEEN THIS FAR BEFORE - Conway Twitty #35 up 8 from #43 [9th and final Top 40 hit]

The Hot 100:

note: Philly International now purple

10 debuts: 2 Top 40 bound, 4 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 0 Philly International related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut:
third tier:
#79 - ALL I KNOW - Garfunkel

#81 - OUTLAW MAN - Eagles
#84 - NEVER LET YOU GO - Bloodstone
#85 - SUCH A NIGHT - Dr. John
#86 - PAPER ROSES - Marie Osmond
#89 - QUEEN OF THE ROLLER DERBY - no artist given [it's Leon Russell]
#91 - THIS TIME IT'S REAL - Tower of Power
#96 - RUBBER BULLETS - 10cc
#97 - SLIPPIN' AWAY - Jean Shephard
#100 - FAREWELL ANDROMEDA - John Denver
_____

Motown:

debuts: none
3rd week: ^GET IT TOGETHER - The Jackson Five - #45 up 17 from #62
4th week: ^KEEP ON TRUCKIN' - Eddie Kendricks Top 40 from #41
6th week: ^ALL I NEED IS TIME - Gladys Knight & The Pips #61 up 11 from #72
6th week: SLICK - Willie Hutch #65 again
7th week: ^ DON'T LET IT END - Miracles #56 up 3 from #59
11th week: SWEET HARMONY - Smokey Robinson #53 down 2 from #51
offs: none
_________

A very good week for:
Simon & Garfunkel
separately:
Paul Simon is in the Top 5 with LOVES ME LIKE A ROCK
Art Garfunkel enters [as Garfunkel] the Hot 100 as the week's highest debut with ALL I KNOW. It'll be interesting to see how these two cross paths on the charts.
Meanwhile the Dixie Hummingbirds, who back Paul Simon on his hit, have for some reason released a version of LOVES ME LIKE A ROCK with just them on the recording.

***
A very good week for:
Tanya Tucker sort of

Tanya's former big Country hit DELTA DAWN is now #1, unfortunately not by her but by Helen Reddy. But then Bette Midler actually recorded it first. Tanya Tucker chose that song as her first release at the age of 13, turning down THE HAPPIEST GIRL N THE WHOLE USA written by Donna Fargo who decided to release it herself.
Pop charts have always embraced teen-aged singers and lately with heightened gusto. And now so does Country, although at first Tanya's age was not revealed. Now 14, Tucker is on the Hot 100 [#83] with BLOOD RED AND GOING DOWN which has inched up the country chart and next week will be #1, her second of three in a row.



Tanya Tucker will flourish through the seventies, become an item with Glen Campbell, faze out for awhile, and reemerge in the later 80's as a country favorite with 10 Top 5 records in the 80's and 11 Top 5 country hits in the 1990s.

This week, September 15, 1973, the whippersnapper has some competition: Now rising on the Country chart: Marie Osmond, the little sister within the Osmond clan, and PAPER ROSES jumps to the Hot 100 this week.

***
36 year-old Mississippi born Tyrone Davis has taken the latest of his Chicago sound as far as it can go, peaking at #32, [#9 Soul] and now drops out of the Top 40. With its relentless 4/4 driving beat, galloping guitar, and punchy horns it may qualify as disco:



Willie Henderson at the helm, whose Zion Choir's DUST YOURSELF OFF AND TRY IT AGAIN can be heard at chart #35.

**

WHY ME: Kris Kristofferson - week #24 --- six MONTHS --- on the Hot 100 and Kris Kristofferson moves up 3 to #23 from #26, re-entering the Top 25.

Meanwhile Kris and new wife Rita Coolidge have a new duet album reviewed in Record World.

FULL MOON
KRIS & RITA- A&M -4403
Country rock's answer to Steve and Eydie, the duo of Coolidge and Kristof-
ferson have put together a gently romantic album that features impeccable
instrumental work and a delightful vocal mix of Kris'srough voice and Rita's crytal tones

.

***
more gypsies:
Tommy Cash, Johnny's younger brother moves up to #21 from #24 on the Country chart with I RECALL A GYPSY WOMAN. In a few years this will be a #13 UK hit.

***
Record World's MONEY MUSIC column:

Eddie Kendricks "Keep On Truckin'". The soul
sales on this record have been sensational right
along, as they have been on his previous single
releases. Last week, we expressed the opinion that
this was one of the big soul hits that was big
enough to cross top 40. . . and that's the way
it happened. It debuted at #17 at WPIX. New be-
lievers: WCFL, WLS, WIXY. Sales are so big that
this record may rival the Marvin Gayein total
sales.

... and first mention of:

Powerhouse new release: Diana Ross and Marvin
Gaye "You're A Part Of Me". These two superstars
are coming off #1 smash singles. It won't be
much of a gamble for pop stations to jump right
on this record. One can expect immediate big action
at the soul stations.

***
Full-page ad for the Three Degrees new single DIRTY OLD MAN in which the PI label for some reason chooses to call attention to the thin representation of female performers on their roster, asking, "Because, why should guys have all the Philly hits?"

***
of note:
Record World has an additional #101- #150 singles list. At #140: DREAM ON by Aerosmith

[Boogiedown]

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #38
Sept. 22, 1973

Number of singles reviewed this week: 111
last week: 110
including:


DIANA ROSS & MARVIN GAYE - A Special Part of Me [3:15]; producer: Berry
Gordy; writers: G. Wright, H. Johnson, A. Porter: Motown 1280. Could two artists whose last singles have both been no. one chart records create a stiff by teaming up for a duet? The answer is NO! This Ross- Gaye duet revives the classic early Motown sound with great energy and verve. Let's have more from the pair, lots more!


The Motown Review:

Motown is closing out summer with a bang: Marvin Gaye's run at number one seemed a bit short when it was displaced last week after one week, but in a rare occurrence LET'S GET IT ON is back on the top. Three of the Top 10 are Motown releases and Eddie Kendricks is the Top 40's fastest mover, jumping 16 notches to place at #14. If KEEP ON TRUCKIN' repeats that performance next week, it'll be #1.
Meanwhile the Jackson Five join the label's champs in the Top 40 giving Motown a full six Top 40 records. No Hot 100 debuts and one falls off, so Motown is riding high with 9 charters.
Meanwhile on the Soul Chart Marvin Gaye is #1 for the sixth week and Motown has 4 songs on its' Top Ten.

The Top Ten:

Motown continues to keep it interesting at the very top as this week Marvin Gaye's LET'S GET IT ON muscles its way back to #1 for a 2nd nonconsecutive turn at #1. Most unusual. Helen Reddy's DELTA DAWN slides down to #3 while Grand Funk's WE'RE AN AMERICAN BAND wedges in at #2 , as the only internal bulleted single. Three records debut each with bullets: Cher's HALF BREED is #7 from #11, The Isley's THAT LADY is #10 from #15 and at #8 is Stevie Wonder's HIGHER GROUND giving Motown an impressive three Top 10 songs this week as Diana Ross holds tight for another round with TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING slipping to #9. Out: GYPSY MAN from War to #13 from #8 , LIVE AND LET DIE expires to #17 from #9, and Al Green's HERE I AM can now be found at #16 from #10.

The Top 40:

Motown:
Six records from Motown are on the Top 40:

^LET'S GET IT ON - Marvin Gaye - now #1 again from #2
^HIGHER GROUND - Stevie Wonder gets higher and into the top 10 to #8 from #13
TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING - Diana Ross at #9, a slight drop from #7
^KEEP ON TRUCKIN' - Eddie Kendricks - #14 from #30
^HEY GIRL [I LIKE YOUR STYLE] - Temptations slowing quite a bit to #35 from #36
^GET IT TOGETHER - The Jackson Five DEBUT at #40 without a bullet from #45

Biggest mover in the Top 40: 16 rungs:
KEEP ON TRUCKIN' - Eddie Kendricks to #14 from #30

note: PI related records now purple
Top Ten bound + now green
6 debuts, 5 US, 1UK, 1+Top 10 bound+, 1 PI related, 1 Motown, 1 by proxy
Highest debut:
+ANGIE+ - Rolling Stones - #22 up 33 to #55 [23rd Top 40 hit]

ECSTASY - Ohio Players #34 up 15 to #49 [2nd Top 40 hit]
ROCKY MOUNTAIN WAY - Joe Walsh #36 up 8 to #44 [*1st time artist]
TO KNOW YOU IS TO LOVE YOU - B.B. King #38 up 8 to #46 [5th Top 40 hit]
IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR -Cross Country #39 up 4 from #43 [One hit Wonder]
GET IT TOGETHER - Jackson Five - #40 up 5 to #45 [14th Top 40 hit]

The Hot 100:

9 newbies: 4 Top 40 bound, 2 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 2 Philly International related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut:
third tier:
#75 - SPACE RACE - Billy Preston

#80 - WE MAY NEVER PASS THIS WAY AGAIN - Seals & Crofts
#81- RAISED ON ROCK N ROLL /FOR OL' TIMES SAKE - Elvis Presley
#83 - JESSE - Roberta Flack
#84 - CHECK IT OUT - Tavares
#93 - GOTTA FIND A WAY - Moments
#94 - SISTER JAMES - Nino Tempo & The 5th Avenue Sax
#96 - YOU'D BETTER BELIEVE IT - Manhattans
#99 - I'M COMING HOME - Johnny Mathis
_____

Motown:

debuts: none
4th week: ^GET IT TOGETHER - The Jackson Five - Top 40 from #45
7th week: ALL I NEED IS TIME - Gladys Knight & The Pips - #69 down 8 from #61
7th week: SLICK - Willie Hutch OFF from #65
8th week: DON'T LET IT END TIL YOU LET IT BEGIN - Miracles #63 down 7 from#56
12th week: ^SWEET HARMONY - Smokey Robinson #48 up 5 from #53
offs: one
SLICK - As one of Motown's latest potential stars, Willie Hutch has a weak introduction as his 2nd single performs modestly [#65 Pop, #18 Soul] on the charts. Hutch became a Motown staffer after writing lyrics for the J5's I'LL BE THERE. With this false start, Hutch won't reappear on the Hot 100 for a couple of years.

A very good week for:
Bobby Eli.
Eli is a busy man helping to define the Philly sound as a member of the TSOP studio band, his guitaring can be heard on six records dotting the Hot 100, with two of them debuting this week. Two surprises this week: SWEET CHARLIE BABE within inches [#42] of becoming a deserved Top 40 contender, slips to #46:



And B.B. gets a sudden surge of 8 spaces to achieve that goal [at #38] with Stevie Wonder's TO KNOW YOU IS TO LOVE YOU:



Both of these records would likely be placing well on the week's disco chart, were it now in existence. King's is especially compelling with its longer danceable length of eight+ minutes and the drop out break that occurs at 5:10 with the instruments reintroduced one by one.

**
Soul Sauce Column, no byline re: Paul Williams.
excerpts:

Williams' Death
Brings Memories
LOS ANGELES-
Paul Williams,
a former member of the original Temptations, was found dead in a
parked car on August 17, 1973, in Detroit, an apparent suicide, accord-
ing to the police. Williams death, not felt very strongly in the music busi-
ness, brought to an end a life and career of a man of 34 whose contribu-
tions to what we have now in the form of soul, rhythm and blues, and
black dancing, should not pass without some sort of last salute....
.....Paul Williams was a part of that originality. And that's something to
think about. And think about this. How many of today's so called soul
fans or people in the business of presenting soul, can name the original singing group? Even worse, Paul Williams contributions [maybe not major- but important nonetheless) as a Temptation have probably been lost. But it only brings about the reverberating fact: "How soon we forget".

**
The UK and US charts are practically strangers with little overlap.
As for Motown, there is the commonality of The Jackson 5 at #40 US and #27 UK. , but with two different tracks. In the UK its SKYWRITER and in the US its GET IT TOGETHER, and neither get together on the chart of the other. Just one other Motown charter in Britain: #33 TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING already peaking at #9.

**
Full-page ad for the first ever single of Marvin and Diana being heard on the same 45: A large picture of the two posed together and the promise of a forthcoming album.

**
Billboard article:

Wonder Halts Further Work
NEW YORK-
Motown Records artist Stevie Wonder, recently injured in an automobile accident while on tour in North Carolina, said that it would be "at least three to four months" before he returns to either the stage or to the recording studio.
Wonder said that he has not suffered any permanent physical damage from the accident, adding that his doctors were not sure whether he
would retain his sense of smell and taste. He also stated that his immediate plans include a vacation trip to Africa and additional rest.
While Wonder said that he would take a hiatus from performing, he
added that he would remain involved in the producing of his
backup group Wonder Love forthcoming LP.

**

WHY ME: Kris Kristofferson - week #25 on the Hot 100 and Kris Kristofferson drops 8 places from #23 to #31.

[Boogiedown]

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #39
Sept. 29, 1973

Number of singles reviewed this week: 102
last week: 111

including:
Soul
also recommended:
JERMAINE JACKSON - You're In Good Hands [3:17] producers: Fonce Mizell, Freddie Perren; writers: F. Mizell, L. Mizell; Motown 1244.

The Motown Review:

Marvin Gaye again drops from #1 and again lands at #2 for the third time.
Motown has two Top Ten singles and the week's biggest mover on the Top 40 which has six singles by the label on it. Marvin Gaye's six week reign at #1 on the Soul chart ends, but the chart's Top 3 records are Motown:
#1 -HIGHER GROUND,
#2 - LETS GET IT ON,
#3 - KEEP ON TRUCKIN'
with GET IT TOGETHER also in the Top Ten [#7].
No debuts and two drop offs equals seven Hot 100 charting 45s.

The Top Ten:

Todd Rundgren has produced Michigan's Grand Funk to #1 with WE'RE AN AMERICAN BAND written and sung by the band's drummer Don Brewer. The band, formed in 1969, is seeing its first Top Ten single now go to #1. Marvin Gaye's LET'S GET IT ON is back to #2 after a second time of one week at #1. Cher's HALF-BREED is the Top Ten's sole internal bullet from #7 to #3. Two debuts: B. W. Stevenson and MY MARIA enters at #9 from #11, and RAMBLIN' MAN by Allman Bros. bullets to #10 from #15. Two drop out:
Stories former #1 BROTHER LOUIE to #11 from #6 and Diana Ross' former #1 TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING from #9 top #15.

The Top 40:

Six records from Motown are on the Top 40:

^LET'S GET IT ON - Marvin Gaye - now #2 again from #1
^HIGHER GROUND - Stevie Wonder goes higher up the Top 10 to #6 from #8
^KEEP ON TRUCKIN' - Eddie Kendricks - big slow down nudging two places to #12 from #14
TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING - Diana Ross at #14, a drop from #9
^GET IT TOGETHER - The Jackson Five bullets to #29 from #40
HEY GIRL [I LIKE YOUR STYLE] - Temptations stays at #35 again

Biggest mover in the Top 40: 11 ranks:
GET IT TOGETHER - The Jackson Five #29 from #40
-------
note: PI related records now purple
Top Ten bound + now green
5 newbies, 5 US, 1+Top 10 bound+, 0 PI related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut:
BASKETBALL JONES - Cheech And Chong #26 up 15 from #41 [*first time artist]

JIMMY LOVES MARY ANNE - Looking Glass #33 up 10 #43 [2nd and final Top 40 hit]
KNOCKIN' ON HEAVEN'S DOOR - Bob Dylan #36 up 8 from #44 [9th Top 40 hit']
+HEARTBEAT IT'S LOVEBEAT+ - DeFranco Family #39 up 15 from #54 [*first time Artist]
HURTS SO GOOD - Millie Jackson #40 up 2 from #42 [2nd and final Top 40 hit]

The Hot 100:

13 arrivals: 5 Top 40 bound, 2 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 2 Philly International related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut:
third tier:
#71 - JUST YOU & ME - Chicago

#77 - WOMAN FROM TOKYO - Deep Purple
#79 - FRIENDS - Bette Midler
#83 - THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL - Charlie Rich
#86 - RIDIN' MY THUMB DOWN TO MEXICO - Johnny Rodriguez
#88 - LIFE AINT EASY - Dr. Hook Medicine Show
#92 - COUNTRY SUNSHINE - Dottie West
#94 - THE LOVE I LOST [PART I] * - Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes
#96 - MAKE ME TWICE THE MAN - New York City
#97 - TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE WOMAN YOU'RE WITH - Wilson Pickett
#98 - WEST COAST WOMAN - Painter
#99 - REDNECK FRIEND - Jackson Browne
#100 - LOVE IS ALL - Engelbert Humperdinck

* disco significant record

Motown:

debuts: none

8th week: ALL I NEED IS TIME - Gladys Knight & The Pips - OFF from #69
9th week: DON'T LET IT END TIL YOU LET IT BEGIN - Miracles OFF from #63
13th week: SWEET HARMONY - Smokey Robinson #54 down 6 from #48
offs: two

It ends for DON'T LET IT END after peaking at #56 for the Miracles, this their first charting single that features new lead man Billy Griffin.
And they've run out of time , Gladys Knight and The Pips, with perhaps their last Motown charter peaking at #64, ALL I NEED IS TIME.

________

A very good week for:
Country music:
Not including Jackson Brown's REDNECK FRIEND, 3 Hot 100 debuts are Country crossovers. Add these to the 8 singles already on the Hot 100 including the bizarrely charting WHY ME by Kris Kristofferson. Dottie West has one of the debuts with COUNTRY SUNSHINE which will be her most successful Hot 100 song and her career trademark along with future #1 duets with Kenny Rogers. Dottie will next jump on the year-end release by Diana Ross and make it a Top 10 country hit:



Dottie's version and Diana's version will be on the charts at the same time for a bit next spring.

**
A very good week again for:
Bobby Eli
adding two more Sigma recorded singles he [likely] participated in to the 6 already reported on the Hot 100 last week. One of them this week reaches #1 on the Easy Listening chart:



making this also a very good week for Johnny Mathis who is topping the Adult Contemporary chart surprisingly for the first time in his career and he has his most promising pop charter in close to ten years with this country tinged ballad.

**
Two-page ad boasting Motown's latest album releases: A Motown Christmas, Marvin Gaye, Stephen Cohn, Gloria Jones, Crusaders, Jackson Five and Willie Hutch. Page One's heading reads: LISTEN TO THE MOTOWN SOUND NOW.
Page Two reads: YOU NEVER HEARD IT SO GOOD.

[Detroit becoming a distant memory]

**
Record World's DIALOGUE column
excerpt from lengthy talk with this year's new President of Motown:

Ewart Abner on Motown Today

RW: You've lost some major acts recently. Why did they leave?

Abner: Well, each one is a unique and specific case. And again, in
a situation like ours - as our company is structured and as we deal with
our artists - those that have stayed with us over the years have done
so because their desires and attitudes and ours were one. You know,
when we have somebody staying for ten years, there is a reason...

... Now, if you take the Spinners, they've bee around a long time and they're beautiful
guys and somehow or another it wasn't happening for them, so they
said, "Hey, we'd like to go try something else. "Fine. And that was that.
That's the relationship and the way we do what we do-no hassles,
no anything. If they feel it isn't happening for them and they ask,then
that's it.
And that's what happened in the case of the Spinners and in the case
of the Four Tops and in the case of Gladys.Those are the three
principal artists .The Four Tops' contract expired and we talked about
it and they thought they would try elsewhere.

**
WHY ME: Kris Kristofferson - week #26 on the Hot 100 and Kris Kristofferson does an about face on the Top 40, jumping 8 places back up to #23 from#31 and with a bullet.

**
In Record World;

R.Dean Taylor
Exits Motown
LOS ANGELES -
R.Dean Taylor,
writer/artist for Motown Records,
has left the company after an association of ten years. Taylor,
who wrote "Love Child," a gold record for the Supremes, cited the
need to expand his "creative activities"as a major reason for
his departure.
As a performer, his record of "Indiana Wants Me"went to No.1 on the charts, making him the first white artist in the history of Motown to do so.

This issue of Billboard has a special section focused on Canada and includes a full-page ad for R Dean Taylor's new label "Jane" and his new single on it called SWEET FLOWERS.

**

Jim Croce Dies
In Plane Crash
NEW YORK - ABC/Dunhil

Records artist Jim Croce was killed Friday [21] when a light plane in
which he and members of his group were traveling failed to clear trees
upon taking off from a Louisiana airport.
Croce, who was leaving Louisiana following a performance at a college
campus, was well known for his singles "Bad Bad Leroy Brown," "You
Don't Mess Around With Jim" and "Operator."Currently on the market
is his LP "Life & Times." Five other persons were also killed in the crash.

[Boogiedown]

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #40
October 6, 1973

Number of singles reviewed this week: 128
last week: 102

including:

First Time Around:
RODNEY ALLEN RIPPY - Take Life a Little Easier [2:54]; producer: Al Capps; writers: Sid Woloshin, John Annarino: Bell 45403. [Everyone has by now heard this charming child singing the Jack-in-the-Box commercial. Here's the commercial music version of the melody by this five-year old on the way to commercial exploitation.]

The Motown Review:

Almost all of Motown's chart action is within the Top 40 and while the label has five songs there, none have a bullet. Three Motown records are in the Top 10, with two headed upward. The Hot 100's biggest debut single, and at an impressive #68, is the pairing of Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye. And that's just in time, it's the labels only new release to chart the Hot 100 in weeks. Seven records total with one on and one off.
A very Motown Top 10 on the Soul chart:
#1 Eddie Kendricks, #2 Stevie Wonder, #3 Gladys Knight & The Pips, #4 Jackson Five, #5 Marvin Gaye, #6 The Spinners, #8 The Temptations.
_____

The Top 10:

Another new record at the peak, Cher's HALF-BREED, its her second #1 as a soloist, knocking WE'RE AN AMERICAN BAND by Grand Funk to #4. Paul Simon's LOVES ME LIKE ROCK is #2. One internal bullet, The Allman Bros, RAMBLIN' MAN to #7 from #10. Two new songs in the Top 10: ANGIE by the Rolling Stones to #8 from #13 with a bullet. Eddie Kendricks' KEEP ON TRUCKIN' keeps on movin' up, now into the Top 10 at #10 from #12. B. W. Stevenson's MY MARIA spent just one week in the Top 10, reaching #9, and now dips to #12. Tony Orlando and Dawn's SAY HAS ANYBODY SEEN MY SWEET GYPSY ROSE can be found at #13 from #7.

The Top 40:

Five records from Motown are on the Top 40:

LET'S GET IT ON - Marvin Gaye - now #3 from #2
^HIGHER GROUND - Stevie Wonder goes higher and onto the Top 5 to #5 from #6
^KEEP ON TRUCKIN' - Eddie Kendricks - nudging two places into the Top 10 at #10 from #12
TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING - Diana Ross at #18, a drop from #14
^GET IT TOGETHER - The Jackson Five a big slow down of a one place advancement to #28 from #29
HEY GIRL [I LIKE YOUR STYLE] - Temptations OFF from #35 to #49
-------

Biggest mover in the Top 40: 16 ranks:
HEARTBEAT IT'S A LOVEBEAT - Defranco Family to #23 from #39

note: PI related records now purple
Top Ten bound + now green
5 newbies, all US, 2+Top 10 bound+, 0 PI related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut:
+PAPER ROSES+ - Marie Osmond #25 up 18 from #43 [*first time artist]

+ALL I KNOW+ - Art Garfunkel - #29 up 20 from #49 [*first time artist]
LET ME IN - Osmonds #38 up 8 from #46 [8th Top 40 hit]
SUMMER [THE FIRST TIME] - Bobby Goldsboro #39 up 8 from #47 [11th and final Top 40 hit]
FUNKY STUFF - Kool & The Gang - #40 up 4 from #44 [*1st time artist]

The Hot 100:

10 arrivals: 4 Top 40 bound, 2 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 0 Philly International related, 1 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut:
second tier:
#66 - YOU'RE A SPECIAL PART OF ME - Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross

third tier:
#74 - PHOTOGRAPH - Ringo Starr
#76 - I GOT A NAME - Jim Croce
#80 - TOP OF THE WORLD - Carpenters
#86 - ROLLING IN MY SWEET BABY'S ARMS/ I'M SO LONESOME I COULD CRY - Hank Wilson
#87 - MY PRETENDING DAYS ARE OVER - Dells
#93 - LITTLE GIRL GONE - Donna Fargo
#95 - HEY LITTLE GIRL - Foster Sylvers
#97 - HELLO IT'S ME - Todd Rundgren
#98 - LET ME BE YOUR LOVEMAKER - Betty Wright

Motown:

debuts: one
1st week: YOU'RE A SPECIAL PART OF ME - Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross DEBUT: #66
8th week: HEY GIRL [I LIKE YOUR STYLE] - Temptations #49 down 14 from #35
14th week: SWEET HARMONY - Smokey Robinson OFF from #54
off: one

After a decent 13 weeks spent on the Hot 100, Smokey Robinson's first single SWEET HARMONY from his first solo album SMOKEY fails to move into the Top 40 level [#48 peak , #31 Soul], this in spite of co-arranging efforts by Gene Page and Willie Hutch. The second single from SMOKEY is coming up.

**
BUBBLING UNDER THE HOT 100: 120

#113 - HUM ALONG & DANCE - Rare Earth

**

WHY ME: Kris Kristofferson - week #27
and Kris Kristofferson climbs almost into the Top 20 to #21 from #23.

**
A very good week for:
Country music again
two more singles off the Country chart jump into the Hot 100 fray as well as a reclaiming by The Carpenters of Lyn Anderson's countrified TOP OF THE WORLD and a debut single by 'country legend' Hank Wilson [actually Leon Russell]. Jim Weatherly's YOU'RE THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME is #1 on the Country chart by Ray Price.

Also a very good week for:
The youngest of charters
Currently: Jackson Five, Osmond Bros. as well as their younger sister Marie, Foster Sylvers, Tavares, Tanya Tucker, and this week a record review of the youngest: 5 year-old Rodney Allen Rippy of TV commercial fame.

**
Spotted in Belgium: PEPPERBOX by The Peppers [#2]

**
Page 3 Billboard:

Discotheques Break Singles
NEW YORK-
The re-emergence of discotheques as an important medium for product was among key topics discussed during the two day promotion conference held here by Famous Music Corp.exposure-. and at the Essex House during Sept. 21 -22
The renewed impact of discotheque exposure on singles sales was emphasized during second day talks conducted by Fred Ruppert newly
appointed national promotion director, who met with 21 promotion
managers from across the country and with Famous executives and artists
Ruppert reported that certain singles, as in the case of Paramount's
recent single release by the Everyday People, had received greater airplay and sales from discotheque exposure than through radio airplay.

Every Day People are an obscure Canadian rock band whose one album includes a cover of the Sly Stone song of that name.
Vince Aletti , who will soon spearhead Record World's Disco Files section mentions the cut in his article from Rolling Stone's Sept 13th issue:

... more than six minutes long and quite extraordinary. A completely strange production that builds from a jungle drum and throbbing bass introduction with an echoed jumble of vocals that sounds like bird cries, to a basic rock song with just the sort of minimum message you can connect with when you're dancing,I like what i like /because I like it.

While not specifically using the term 'disco' this article with the headline: DISCOTHEQUE ROCK '73: PAAAAARTY! is the first national publication acknowledging something is in the air when it comes to these emerging dance clubs .....



I LIKE WHAT I LIKE BECAUSE I LIKE IT [parts I and II] utilizes the current liberating themes of do what you wanna do and if it feels good do it ....


Meanwhile in NYC, a funk group called The Everyday People , has also put out one album, and a release in 1973 [exact date not known] of a 45 called THE BUMP:



This week, Kool & The Gang make their first entrance onto the Top 40 with the similar sounding FUNKY STUFF.

***
Ads :
Full-page ad for Stephen Cohn LP.

[Boogiedown]

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #41
October 13, 1973

Number of singles reviewed this week: 112
last week: 128

including:
Pop:
DEODATO - Super Strut [4:16]; producer. Creed Taylor; writer. Eumir Deodato; CTI 16. Are the charts still open to offbeat instrumentals?
If so, this is one of best. Deodato's "Rhapsody In Blue" had a pretty good chart life and this is the former flipside. It has the joyfully churning beat and shimmering surfaces of today's most original soul productions. Flip: "Rhapsody In Blue" [3:45];
[see below]

The Motown Review:

Marvin Gaye continues to have Motown's biggest current single with LET'S GET IT ON sitting high at #3 again. Just below him is Stevie Wonder and not far below that, Eddie Kendricks - all Top 10. Diana Ross' TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING is still Top 40 and with its chart longevity becomes a member of the five month club. Meanwhile she and Marvin quickly enter the Top 40 in just the second week of their combo being on the Hot 100. Six Motown recordings are on the Hot 100 this week and all are in the Top 40. A very good week.

The Top 10:

HALF-BREED by Cher is #1 for its second week. Closing in at #2 are The Allman Bros. with RAMBLIN' MAN bulleting there from #7. One other internal bullet: ANGIE by The Rolling Stones moves to #5 from #8 and this week's only Top 10 debut bullets in from #11 to #9: MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA by Gladys Knight and The Pips. It bumps out DELTA DAWN by Helen Reddy to #18 from #9.
Motown stars dominate: Marvin Gaye #3, Stevie Wonder #4, Isley's #6, Gladys Knight #8, and Eddie Kendricks #9.

The Top 40:

Six records from Motown are on the Top 40:

LET'S GET IT ON - Marvin Gaye - sits tight at #3
^HIGHER GROUND - Stevie Wonder goes even higher to #4 from #5 [#1 Cash Box]
^KEEP ON TRUCKIN' - Eddie Kendricks - slow crawl at #9 from #10 [#1 Soul]
TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING - Diana Ross at #25, a drop from #18
GET IT TOGETHER - The Jackson Five sit tight at #28
^YOU'RE A SPECIAL PART OF ME - Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross DEBUT #37

Biggest mover in the Top 40: 12 steps:
PAPER ROSES - Marie Osmond to #13 from #25

note: PI related records now purple
Top Ten bound + now green
6 debuts, all US, 3+Top 10 bound+, 0 PI related, 1 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut:
+SPACE RACE+ - Billy Preston #26 up 16 from #42 [3rd Top 40 hit]
WE MAY NEVER PASS THIS WAY AGAIN - Seals And Crofts #31 up 10 from #41 [4th Top 40 hit]
ECSTASY - Ohio Players #34 up 11 from #45 [2nd Top 40 hit]
+YOU'RE A SPECIAL PART OF ME+ - Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross #35 up 31 from #66 [first time artist]
JESSE - Roberta Flack #38 up 6 from #44 [5th Top 40 hit]
+I GOT A NAME+ - Jim Croce #40 up 36 from #76 [5th Top 40 hit]

The Hot 100:

Just 8 arrivals: 3 Top 40 bound, 0 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 0 Philly International related, 0 Motown, 1 by proxy
Highest debut:
third tier:
#77 - CHEAPER TO KEEP HER - Johnny Taylor

#81 - OOH BABY - Gilbert O'Sullivan
#82 - SWEET UNDERSTANDING LOVE - Four Tops - former Motown act
#85 - OH NO NOT MY BABY - Rod Stewart
#95 - I WONT LAST A DAY WITHOUT YOU - Maureen McGovern
#98 - STEALIN' - Uriah Heep
#99 - HAVING A PARTY - Ovations
#100 - KID'S STUFF - Barbara Fairchild

Motown:

debuts: none
2nd week: YOU'RE A SPECIAL PART OF ME - Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross Top 40 from #66
9th week: HEY GIRL [I LIKE YOUR STYLE] - Temptations OFF from #49

off: one
HEY GIRL [I LIKE YOUR STYLE] is the third single from their MASTERPIECE album to take The Temptations into the Top 40 [briefly.] A fourth cut, LAW OF THE LAND, is charting in the UK.

**
BUBBLING UNDER THE HOT 100: 121

#112 - DEBUT -YOU'RE IN GOOD HANDS - Jermaine Jackson
#116 from #113 - HUM ALONG & DANCE - Rare Earth
_________

A very good week for:

Diana Ross and/or Marvin Gaye
Individually and together they have three records dotting the Top 40.

***
KOKE or COKE, depending on the region that's pressed the two-part 45, is a persistent high-hat instrumental by Tribe that has now maxed after a 3 month run and peaking at #56 on the Soul chart. KOKE has some of the tension of Donna Summer's upcoming LOVE TO LOVE YOU BABY.



Tribe will release three albums, including TRIBAL BUMPIN', but KOKE will not appear on any of them
It will become an increasing trend: Studio musicians that will record a producer's music credited to nonexistent groups. Tribe is being headed behind the scenes by Dee Irvin.

***

SUPER STRUT is a Billboard pick single [see above] this week from the current #1 LP on the Jazz chart: DEODATO 2 :



This is the "B" side of a single still on the Hot 100 in its 8th week. Not sure this has happened before where a charting 45 gets its "b" side reviewed.

***
A very BIG week for:
Kris Kristofferson

Billboard article:

NASHVILLE- "Why Me?" by
Kris Kristofferson, a final nominee in the upcoming Country Music Association Awards. won the Gospel Music Association "Dove" for Song of the Year. It marks the first time that the same song was nominated for both a major gospel and country award.

And Columbia records foots the bill for a full-page ad heralding the single,
with photo of Kris' face - the ad reads:
"When a record will soon be on the charts longer than any other in history; when it is approaching one million copies in sales; when it is still climbing the charts six months after its release; you ought to know that record:"

Meanwhile in Cash Box' Talent On Stage:

Kris Kristofferson & Rita Coolidge
Michael Bacon
TROUBADOR L.A.
The proverbial cup was running over at the Troubador. Outside on the street, a growing crowd brooded over the soldout sign on the box office window
while inside the club, it was wall-to-wall people. A Saturday night-sized
audience, but this was a Tuesday, opening night for Kris Kristofferson
and Rita Coolidge. Kristofferson has always enjoyed a reputation as a maverick of sorts — Nashville singer and songwriter with a big following among the rock and rollers, the first country singer with an Oxford education. His music would
be, perhaps, the only taste to be shared by both Abbie Hoffman and
George C. Wallace. In combination with honey-voiced Rita Coolidge,
their act takes on new material, new versatility and an even broader universal appeal. It was a multi-faceted show, featuring Kristofferson solos, Kristofferson-Coolidge duets, guest appearances by Gordon Lightfoot, Doug Kershaw and Roger McGuinn.....

WHY ME: Kris Kristofferson - week #28
and Kris Kristofferson dips to #23 from #21.

**
front page square photo ad for Marvin Gaye album
Cover photo of Eddie Kendricks for Cash Box' cover [KEEP ON TRUCKIN' #5 there]

***
Full-page ad in Record World for Lou Reed's BERLIN project which quotes Rolling Stone saying it will be "The Sgt. Pepper of the seventies."

[Boogiedown]

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #42
October 20, 1973

Number of singles reviewed this week: 106
last week: 112

including:
Pop:
also recommended:
MORGANA KING - You are the Sunshine of My life [4:50]; producer: Vince Mauro, writer: S. Wonder; Paramount 0245 [Famous). [A slow but powerful treatment with a hypnotic effect.]

Soul
SMOKEY ROBINSON - Baby Come Close [3:20] producers: Smokey Robinson, Willie Hutch; writers: W. Robinson, P. Moffett. M. Tarplin;
Tamla 54239 [[Motown). Smokey's soft voice matches the romantic theme of the song. "So warm, so warm." he sings, an organ and flute wafting through the orrangement. The pleasantness of the arrangement should guarantee it MOR play.

The Motown Review:

All of Motown's six Top 40 songs of last week remain so this round, although some are losing their oomph. Diana Ross at 21 Hot 100 charting weeks is still Top 40. Eddie Kendricks has an internal Top 10 bullet in spite of Billboard's stated policy that a record must move 3 places to garner one, KEEP ON TRUCKIN' is up 2. J5 catapulted into the Top 40 but have suddenly peaked less than halfway up it. Brother Jermaine joins his brothers on the Hot 100 giving the label seven titles with no drop offs.

The Top 10:

Cher shares the coveted top , letting go after 2 weeks there with HALF BREED , now #2. The Rolling Stones are #1 with a song that'll hit that spot or near it in most countries, however most notably NOT the UK where ANGIE has already peaked at #5. The Stones last #1 there was in 1969 with HONKY TONK WOMEN. They will have no #1s there in all the seventies or thereafter. The group's next US #1 comes when they dabble in disco.
Marvin Gaye is still Top 5. Two Top Tenners have internal bullets: Gladys Knight's MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA at #5 from #8 and Eddie Kendrick's KEEP ON TRUCKIN at #7 from #9. One new entry, The Defranco Family's bulleted HEARTBEAT IT'S A LOVEBEAT at #9 from #12. Off: Grand Funk's WE'RE AN AMERICAN BAND to #12 from #10

The Top 40:

Six 45s from Motown are on the Top 40:

LET'S GET IT ON - Marvin Gaye - slips one place to #4 from #3
^KEEP ON TRUCKIN' - Eddie Kendricks - slow crawl at #7 from #9
HIGHER GROUND - Stevie Wonder dips to #8 after peaking at #4
^YOU'RE A SPECIAL PART OF ME - Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross strong jump to #26 from #37
GET IT TOGETHER - The Jackson Five drop from their peak of #28 to #34
TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING - Diana Ross clings at #40 from #25



Biggest mover in the Top 40: 18 rungs:
I GOT A NAME - Jim Croce to #22 from #40

4 debuts, 3 US, 1 UK, all big guns, all +Top 10 bound+, 1 PI related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut:
+JUST YOU & ME+ - Chicago #28 up 15 from #43 [12th Top 40 hit]

+PHOTOGRAPH+ - Ringo Starr #29 up 31 from #60 [3rd Top 40 hit]
+TOP OF THE WORLD+ - Carpenters #31 up 25 from #56 [11th Top 40 hit]
+THE LOVE I LOST PART I+ - Harold Melvin Blue Notes #37 up 14 from #51 [2nd Top 40 hit]

The Hot 100:

9 arrivals: 4 Top 40 bound, 0 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 1 Philly International related, 1 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut:
third tier:
#77 - SAIL AROUND THE WORLD - David Gates

#80 - ROCKIN' ROLL BABY - Stylistics
#83 - DY'ER MA'KER - Led Zepplin
#86 - THE JOKER - Steve Miller
#88 - DREAM ON -Aerosmith [*not Top 40 this time out]
#90 - IF I WERE ONLY A CHILD AGAIN - Curtis Mayfield
#93 - YOU'RE IN GOOD HANDS - Jermaine Jackson
#96 - SHOW AND TELL - Al Wilson
#97 - MR SKIN - Spirit

Motown:

debuts: one
1st Week: YOU'RE IN GOOD HANDS - Jermaine Jackson DEBUT #93
offs: none

BUBBLING UNDER THE HOT 100:

^Hot 100 from #112 - YOU'RE IN GOOD HANDS - Jermaine Jackson
^#115 from #116 - HUM ALONG & DANCE - Rare Earth

**
a very good week for:

British acts in the Top 40
Actually there aren't but two long-time competing UK giants and they have the biggest record of them all with ANGIE by The Rolling Stones and a big debut at #29 for ex-Beatle Ringo Starr with PHOTOGRAPH.

**
Space limitation means various topics within the weekly pages of Billboard go unexplored here. One ongoing issue has been whether 45 singles would be better if converted to small hole centers instead of the traditional big hole. The concept has much support except from the jukebox industry which doesn't want to have to refit their machines to accommodate them.

Small-Hole Single Proposal Blasted

LAKE OZARK, Mo.- Jukebox operators and programmers here at
the Missouri Coin Machine Council meeting expressed severe doubt
about the proposed small-hole 45 now being considered as part of the
wide-spread efforts underway to improve quality. They heard a full review from Earl Paige, jukebox programming editor, Billboard.
Yet another problem with records was reported by Jack Sully, RockOla rep from Bird Music Co., Manhattan, Kan. He said paint from the paper label piles up in grooves and causes problems. Operators over wide areas have complained of the paper label peeling, a problem which is being studied along with many other aspects.
Several operators here as well as Leroy Davidson, veteran one-stopper, remembered earlier efforts to have small-hole disks. Paige explained that the rackjobbers are urging a small-hole 45 as a way to possibly boost store sales. Home phonograph engineers are also optimistic about a small-hole as a way to eliminate the spindle problem and
add stability to the disk. Jukebox people though are very
negative on the subject of the small hole.

Meanwhile , on the Top 40 this week premiers THE LOVE I LOST by Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes. Gamble & Huff 's intended ballad gets sped up by the cymbal hissing drumming style of Earl Young of The Trammps. The ad lib vamping by Teddy Pendergrass for the last three minutes doubles the song's length becoming a favorite for the dance floor but it's too long for repeated radio play. The regular released 45 will split the 6 1/2 minute song into two parts, but PI will also press a small-hole promo 45 with the entirety running on one side. Club Djs love it as it replaces the burdensome need to seek out the full cut on the album.
The format will catch on when disco arrives.

Although fronted by Harold Melvin, another Bluenote steps forward from his drum set to again sing a lead vocal and a star is born :


.
The group's next big single, BAD LUCK in 1975, will be disco's longest #1 record, holding the top spot for 12 weeks.

**
Week 21 on the Hot 100 for Diana Ross' former #1 TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING, the newcomer Michael Masser composition :



Ross and Kris Kristofferson are the only members of the 5 month club this week.

**
WHY ME: Kris Kristofferson - week #29
after a very good last week, Kristofferson moves UP to #21 from #23


thanks SatansBlues [below] I hadn't given that a thought! a podcast of the charters would be nice .. ..

[SatansBlues]

This would make for an AWESOME podcast Boogiedown.

[Boogiedown]

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #43
October 27, 1973
Number of singles reviewed this week: 125
last week: 106

including:

Pop:
MARVIN GAYE - Come Get To This [2:40)]; producer: Marvin Gaye; writer. M. Gaye; Tamla 54241. Gaye has a knack for segueing from soul to pop and back in the same song and he does it well here in an up tempo cut from his fine "Let's Get It On." LP. The artist is backed well by a fine chorus and an excellently arranged orchestra. Tune ends with nostalgic twist.

Soul:
EDWIN STARR - Love [The Lonely People's Prayer] [3:20);
producer. Edwin Starr; writer: E. Starr; Motown 1276. Very pretty and intense Motown mover from a singer who could be getting the new big hit he's overdue for. Good lyric about universal needs for love.

The Motown Review:

Motown continues to have three of the week's Top Ten singles, with a fourth moving into the Top 20. Otherwise the label's chart action has cooled, with The Jackson Five repeating at #34 again this week as does Jermaine Jackson at #93. No new charters and Diana's long run with TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING concludes after 21 weeks, making it seven Motown records charting this Hot 100.
_______

The Top 10:

A new #1 and Motown can celebrate one of their most successful alumni reaching the top finally as Gladys Knight and the Pips have their first and only pop chart topper with MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA jumping there from #5. The Rolling Stones and ANGIE are #2 and Eddie Kendricks has his third internal bullet as KEEP ON TRUCKIN' again moves up two places to #5 from #7. Marie Osmond also bullets within the Top 10 to #7 from #10 where PAPER ROSES debuted last week knocking out Paul Simon's LOVES ME LIKE A ROCK from #10 to #14 . There are no new records entering the Top Ten this week.

The Top 40:

Five 45s from Motown are on the Top 40:

^KEEP ON TRUCKIN' - Eddie Kendricks - continues to inch upward to #5 from #7
LET'S GET IT ON - Marvin Gaye - slips two to #6 from #4
HIGHER GROUND - Stevie Wonder dips to #10 from #8
^YOU'RE A SPECIAL PART OF ME - Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross a strong jump to #20 from #26
GET IT TOGETHER - The Jackson Five repeats at #34
offs:
TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING - Diana Ross off from #40

Diana Ross has had two singles reach the Top 10 during her solo career with each of those going on to become #1s. Michael Masser's TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING was co-written with Ron Miller who's been with Motown from the earliest days with writing credits that include several for Stevie Wonder like FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE and YESTER-ME, YESTER-YOU, YESTERDAY.
Ross is not through charting in 1973 with both a new single and a new album in the works.

Biggest mover in the Top 40: 11 places:
PHOTOGRAPH - Ringo Starr - #18 from #29

only 4 newbies, all US , 1 +Top 10 bound+, 0 PI related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut:
ECSTASY - Ohio Players #35 up 7 from #42 [returns to Top 40]

NUTBUSH CITY LIMIT - Ike & Tina Turner #36 up 5 from #41 [6th and final Top 40 hit]
CHEAPER TO KEEP HER - Johnny Taylor #39 up 18 from #57 [8th Top 40 ht]
+THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL+ - Charlie Rich #40 up 3 from #43 [4th Top 40 hit]


The Hot 100:

11arrivals: 7 Top 40 bound, 1 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 1 Philly International related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut:
2nd tier:
#66- GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD - Elton John

third tier:
#74 - BE - Neil Diamond
#76 - IF YOU'RE READY COME GO WITH ME - Staple Singers
#80 - CORAZON - Carole King
#81 - MAMMY BLUE - Stories
#82 - FELL FOR YOU - Dramatics
#84 - LET ME SERENADE YOU - 3 Dog Night
#96 - PAINTED LADIES - Ian Thomas
#97 - BACK FOR A TASTE OF YOUR LOVE - Syl Johnson
#98 - I WANNA KNOW YOUR NAME - Intruders
#99 - NEVER NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP - Barry White
#100 - SMOKIN' IN THE BOYS ROOM - Brownsville Station

Motown:

debuts: none
2nd Week: YOU'RE IN GOOD HANDS - Jermaine Jackson repeat at #93
11th week: HEY GIRL [I LIKE YOUR STYLE] - Temptations repeat at #64

offs: one
from the Top 40:
TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING - Diana Ross
________

BUBBLING UNDER THE HOT 100:
Billboard is revamping this section of the magazine and the Bubbling Under feature is missing.

***
A very good week for:
a struggling Stax Records
Johnny Taylor has a strong fast entry into the Top 40 and two singles from the label enter the Hot 100, from The Dramatics and The Staple Singers, both with bullets.

***

WHY ME: Kris Kristofferson - week #30
Kristofferson locked in at #21 again

***
It took over twenty years, now Gladys Knight and The Pips achieve the first Pop #1 single of their singing career beginning in 1952 with their second [but not last] Jim Weatherly tune. Footballer turned songwriter, Weatherly was on the phone with Lee Major's girlfriend [Farrah Fawcett] who told him she was leaving that night on a midnight plane to Houston which sounded kind of Glen Campbell to him and a song was born.



Cissy Houston's version changed the destination and the means to get there to MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA and the imagery stuck.

Meanwhile over at Cash Box this week , there's an ad announcing the release of another songwriter's tune , I GOT TO USE MY IMAGINATION written by Barry Goldberg with Jerry Goffin and produced by Bob Dylan and Jerry Wexler.



The Pips latest album released earlier this month is titled IMAGINATION based on that cut. Looks like Goldberg is trying to get ahead of them by releasing a single of his own.

***
Full-page ad in all trades for Stevie Wonder's new single LIVING FOR THE CITY .

Big push in all trades for Sly Stone's latest work including a four-page ad in Billboard and cover features in both Cash Box and Record World.

[Boogiedown]

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #44
November 3, 1973
Number of singles reviewed this week: 116
last week:125
including:

Pop:
STEVIE WONDER - Living For The City [3:12]; producer.
Stevie Wonder; writer: Stevie Wonder; Tamla 54242 .
Stevie's "Innervisions" LP produces this spectacular production of a country boy whose parents sacrifice themselves for him. Stevie's voice soars and glides with a gutsy reality. Lots of catchy horn, background voices and cymbals in the picture also.

Soul:
WILLIE HUTCH - Sunshine Lady [3:12]; producer: Willie
Hutch; W. Hutch; Motown 1282. Stepping into artist spotlight after a distinguished Motown writer-producer career, Hutch consolidates his charts entry with a delightful upbeat ballad as happy as its title and
wrapped in a package of shimmering strings and steamroller beat.

The Motown Review:

KEEP ON TRUCKIN' is Motown's biggest single of the week at #3 and with a bullet. Also still in the Top 10 is Marvin Gaye's LET'S GET IT ON, the title cut from this week's #1 Soul LP. Moving upward is Marvin and Diana's Top 20 single. The label remains strongly represented on the Top 40 holding five slots. The Temptations meanwhile are #2 on the Soul Singles chart taking that spot from The Jackson Five [now #3]. One title drops off and one gets added, totaling seven Motown singles on the Hot 100.

The Top 10:

MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA by Gladys Knight and the Pips is #1 for a second week. ANGIE by The Stones holds at #2. Eddie Kendricks moves up 2 spots to #3 from #5. Two new Top Ten entries: at #9 Billy Preston launches up 6 places from #15 with SPACE RACE. ALL I KNOW by Garfunkel eases in at #10 from #11. Now out: To #14 from #9, The Isley Bros' THAT LADY, their first Top Ten hit since IT'S YOUR THING, their 1969 debut release on their own T-Neck label after leaving Motown. After a peak of #4, Stevie Wonder's HIGHER GROUND subsides to #16 from #10.

The Top 40:

Five 45s from Motown are on the Top 40:

^KEEP ON TRUCKIN' - Eddie Kendricks - inches upward to #3 from #5
LET'S GET IT ON - Marvin Gaye - slips two to #8 from #6
HIGHER GROUND - Stevie Wonder dips to #16 from #10
^YOU'RE A SPECIAL PART OF ME - Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross push upward to #18 from #20
GET IT TOGETHER - The J5 drops to #37 from #34


Biggest mover in the Top 40: 10 ranks:
TOP OF THE WORLD - Carpenters - #13 from #23

First time ever? - there are just 2 debuts , 1 US, 1 UK , 1 +Top 10 bound+, 0 PI related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut:
CHECK IT OUT - Tavares #39 up 4 from #43 [*First Time Artist]

GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD - Elton John #40 up 22 from #62 [9th Top 40 hit]

The Hot 100:

9 entries : 3 Top 40 bound, 3 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 1 Philly International related, 1 Motown, 0 by proxy

Highest debut 3rd tier:
#82 - COME GET TO THIS - Marvin Gaye

#85 - MY MUSIC -Loggins and Messina
#88 - SOME GUYS HAVE ALL THE LUCK - The Persuaders
#90 - LEAVE ME ALONE RUBY RED DRESS - Helen Reddy
#94 - I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS BUT IT SURE IS FUNKY* - Ripple
#96 - THERE AIN'T NO WAY -Lobo
#97 - MY OLD SCHOOL - Steely Dan
#99 - VADA VIA - Dropi
#100 - PRETTY LADY - Lighthouse

*disco significant record

Motown:

debuts: one
1st week: ^COME GET TO THIS - Marvin Gaye DEBUT at #82

3rd Week: ^YOU'RE IN GOOD HANDS - Jermaine Jackson #84 up 9 from #93
12th week: HEY GIRL [I LIKE YOUR STYLE] - Temptations OFF from #64

offs: one
Strangely HEY GIRL [I LIKE YOUR STYLE] is still moving up on the Soul Singles chart, to #2 no less, yet the record falls off the Hot 100. It is the third single from the MASTERPIECE album with which The Temptations flirt with the Top 40's lower rungs.
A 4th cut, LAW OF THE LAND, is charting in the UK [#44 peak]. Disco DJs on the hunt for club plays like this five minute imported British 45 which happens to work well with Eddie Kendrick's hit.



**
Al Green and Willie Mitchell's thumping Memphis sound continues to make ripples. Georgian Annette Snell's YOU OUGHTA BE HERE WITH ME at #21 again on the Soul chart this week and peaks at #19 without making the Hot 100.



The single is on the close-by Nashville Dial label. Annette will stay with Dial a couple more years and a couple more singles before landing a deal with Epic Records in 1977. Returning home from her first recording sessions with her new label, Snell's Southern Airways flight encounters rough weather and crashes killing 66 people including Annette Snell at age 32.

**
Very good week for:

Marvin Gaye
His former #1 song is still in the Top 10 and his new release is the week's Hot 100's highest debut.

Also a very good week for:
Helen Reddy
her former #1 song is the chart's second longest running single [2nd to only WHY ME ] and her next release is now charting.

**
5 month club DELTA DAWN - Helen Reddy #42 - 20 weeks

**
WHY ME: Kris Kristofferson - week #31
Kristofferson returns to the Top 20!!! by inching up two to #19

**
Soul Sauce column:

Kendricks
Truckin' on
Way to Top
By LEROY ROBINSON
LOS ANGELES- Irony is not usually commensurate with success
in the record business. But examining the recent success of Eddie
Kendricks with his hit single. "Keep On Truckin'," and take note of how
long it has taken for him to reach this new pot of gold. irony is certainly
not to be dismissed as a possibility. Talent also played a large and important role in the Tamla recording artist finally rising to a number one spot on the record charts. Kendricks
will tell you that it also took good promotion of "Truckin' " for it to
even anticipate potential success. something that was not done for the
former Temptations' previous outings.
But it took three years of performing and recording as a single artist
before Kendricks could taste any of the success he enjoyed as a member
of the famed Motown vocal quintet. And it was a tough three years.
Kendricks admits, "It was a very depressing period". The thought of
quitting, however, never entered his mind. "No, my mind told me I needed to stop,"explains Kendricks; "but my heart told me I couldn't."
And he did not, mainly because many Eddie Kendricks' fans encouraged him not to quit as well. These were supporters he had gained and
retained from his historic days with the original Temptations. And they
were the same fans that purchased his first two albums as a single, "All
By Myself' and "People ... Hold On" albeit they were not enough in
numbers to bring golden success to the falsetto singer.
So, "keep on truckin"' was a modus operandi for Kendricks before it became a hit record. And as for taming back, or returning to the fold.
"You don't go backwards." says Kendricks. "If you make a step forward, then you gotta keep on steppin' until you're all the way where you wanna go."
And based on the above statement. Kendricks continued to persevere, and success did eventually smile upon him once more. Overall credit, however. belongs to another.
"I'm a believer in the Almighty... I'm a believer in God," says Kendricks. "And I believe I'm one of His children.so no one is gonna deny me success if it's due me."
The success of "Keep On Truckin'' is confirmation of Kendricks belief. It is also an indication that during the three years of recording and personal appearances the former fans of Eddie Kendricks obviously multiplied. with his falsetto singing style becoming more acceptable. But what of the future, and a wider audience? Will the falsetto be
enough to sustain interest in him and lead to superstardom?
"I Think it will because I'm putting out feeling." Kendricks says with
confidence. "Everybody understands feeling. Only thing they can do is fight the feeling

**
Full- page ad for Stevie Wonder's next charter: LIVING FOR THE CITY

**
Record World
Dede Dabney's Soul Truth Column:

ALBUM: This week was the week in which Philadelphia International released four new albums:
Harold Melvin And The Bluenotes -"Black & Blue"; The O'Jays - "Ship Ahoy"; "The Three
Degrees;" and "War Of The Gods" -Billy Paul. Many cuts on each album are definitely qualified to be singles. Never have producers put out such quality material at one time as Gamble/Huff. Look into each album carefully you might find what you need.

[Boogiedown]

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #45
November 10, 1973

Number of singles reviewed this week: 114
last week: 116
including:
SOUL recommended:

DENNIS COFFEY - Theme from Enter The Dragon [3:12]; producers: M. Theodore. D. Coffey; writer: Lab Schiffrin: Sussex 511

The Motown Review:

Motown is #1!!!
Typically big records reach a hot period and bolt to their peak. Eddie Kendricks KEEP ON TRUCKIN' has moved up steadily step by step: from #14, to #12, to #10, to #9, to #7, to #5, to #3, to #1. Never witnessed a crawling pattern like this to finally arrive at the top.
KEEP ON TRUCKIN' is now the label's only Top Ten record but the label has five records overall in the Top 40 with the J5 dropping out. Eight records are on the Hot 100 with none dropping off as Stevie Wonder hops back on.

The Top 10:

Eddie Kendricks KEEPs ON TRUCKIN' and reaches the top while Gladys Knight's MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA departs from the summit to dip to #2. Two new ones in the Top 10, each with bullets: PHOTOGRAPH by Ringo Starr enters at #6 from #11 and TOP OF THE WORLD lifts The Carpenters up into the Top Ten at #10 from #13. Marvin Gaye's former #1 LET'S GET IT ON is #18 from #8, and The Allman Brothers Band's only Top 10 hit, RAMBLIN' MAN drifts to #13 from #7 after a #2 peak.

The Top 40:

Four 45s from Motown are on the Top 40:

^KEEP ON TRUCKIN' - Eddie Kendricks - is #1
^YOU'RE A SPECIAL PART OF ME - Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross push upward to #14 from #18
LET'S GET IT ON - Marvin Gaye - falls ten to #18 from #8
HIGHER GROUND - Stevie Wonder dips to #23 from #16

OFF: GET IT TOGETHER - Jackson Five to #45 from #37
_____

Biggest mover in the Top 40: 10 ranks:
GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD - Elton John to #30 from #40

4 debuts , All US, 2 +Top 10 bound+, 0 PI related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut:
OOH BABY - Gilbert O'Sullivan #33 up 10 from #43 [5th and final Top 40 hit]
+HELLO IT'S ME+ - Todd Rundren #38 up 8 from #46 [2nd Top 40 hit]
+IF YOU'RE READY COME GO WITH ME+ - Staple Singers#38 up 12 from #50 [6th Top 40 hit]
FRIENDS - Bette Midler #40 up 5 from #45 [3rd and final 70's Top 40 hit]

The Hot 100:

8 entries: 5 Top 40 bound, 2 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 0 Philly International related, 1 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut 3rd tier:
#76 - MIND GAMES - John Lennon

#77 - LIVING FOR THE CITY - Stevie Wonder
#81 - WHO'S LIVING IN THE STRAWBERRY PATCH WITH SALLY - Dawn
#86 - ME AND BABY BROTHER - War
#90 - LET ME TRY AGAIN - Paul Anka
#91 - ROCK N ROLL I GAVE YOU THE BEST YEARS OF MY LIFE - Kevin Johnston
#93 - ROCK ON - David Essex
#97 - SPIDERS AND SNAKES - Jim Stafford

Motown:

debuts: one
1st week: ^LIVING FOR THE CITY - Stevie Wonder DEBUT #77

2nd week: ^COME GET TO THIS - Marvin Gaye #65 up 17 to #82
4th Week: ^YOU'RE IN GOOD HANDS - Jermaine Jackson #79 up 5 from #84
11th week: GET IT TOGETHER - The Jackson Five #45 down 8 from #37
offs: none
_________

Two of Motown's biggest names are seeing those names on the biggest hits of their careers:
Eddie Kendrick's scored repeatedly as a member of The Temptations. He's had trouble breaking as a solo artist since 1971. But this, his 7th single, not only brings Eddie to the Top 40 for the first time, but all the way to the top of it as well.The UK version:


James Jamerson is on bass.
The era of the clavinet, the xylophone, and busy strings has now arrived.


Gladys Knight and the Pips signed on with Motown in 1966 and hit big with I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE reaching #2 a year later. They are currently charting with what will turn out to be their only #1:



***
A very good week for:
Former Beatles
John Lennon enters the Hot 100 with the week's highest debut, while Ringo Starr and Billy Preston [the fifth Beatle] each have records in the Top 10.

***
WHY ME: Kris Kristofferson - week #32
Kristofferson is still Top 20!!! and with three jumps from #19 to #16.

***
Full- page ad: large text ad with no images that touts GC Cameron's single LET ME DOWN EASY

[Boogiedown]

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #46
November 17, 1973

Number of singles reviewed this week: 111
last week: 114
including:

Soul:
THE MIRACLES - Give Me Just Another Day [3:13]; producer. Hal Davis; writer: L. Ware; Tamla 54245 . The Miracles make a powerful bid to return to soul dominance minus Smokey Robinson with an elaborate production of a sweet but emotion-charged love plaint. Motown packaging at its most effective.

recommended:
LAMONT DOZIER -Trying To Hold On To My Woman [4:24];
producer: McKinley Jackson; writers: M. Jackson. J. Reddick;
ABC 11407

The Motown Review:

Motown is #1!! Week two at the top for Eddie Kendrick's KEEP ON TRUCKIN'. Meanwhile Marvin And Diana lose a bit of momentum keeping them out of the Top Ten at #12 without a bullet. By himself, Marvin enters the Top 40. Smokey enters the Hot 100 while the Miracles get a Billboard pick. Nine records scatter the entirety of the Hot 100 from #1 to #97. On the Soul chart, 3 records from the label are fairing much better. The J5, The Temptations, and the pairing of Marvin and Diana are all Top 10.

The Top 10:

Second week for KEEP ON TRUCKIN' by Eddie Kendricks with Gladys Knight repeating at #2 with MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA . It's a fast paced Top 10 with only KEEP ON TRUCKIN' already charting more than 3 months. Two big names return, Jim Croce with I GOT A NAME at #10 from #11 shared with Chicago's JUST YOU & ME at #9 from #12. Off: Art Garfunkels's ALL I KNOW to #9 from #11 and Cher's former #1, HALF-BREED topples to #14 from #8 .

The Top 40:

Five 45s from Motown are on the Top 40:

^KEEP ON TRUCKIN' - Eddie Kendricks - is #1 week #2
^YOU'RE A SPECIAL PART OF ME - Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross push upward to #12 from #14
LET'S GET IT ON - Marvin Gaye - falls twelve places to #30 from #18
HIGHER GROUND - Stevie Wonder dips to #33 from #23
^COME GET TO THIS - Marvin Gaye #39 DEBUT
_____

Biggest mover in the Top 40: 13 steps:
IF YOU'RE READY [COME GO WITH ME] - Staple Singers To #25 from #38


7 debuts, All US, 3 +Top 10 bound+, 1 PI related, 1 Motown, 1 by proxy
Highest debut:
+LEAVE ME ALONE [RUBY RED DRESS]+ - Helen Reddy #29 up 30 from #59 [5th Top 40 hit]

LET ME SERENADE YOU - Three Dog Night #32 up 30 from # 62 [17th Top 40 hit]
ROCKIN' ROLL BABY- Stylistics # 34 up 8 from # 42 [8th Top 40 hit]
+THE JOKER+ - Steve Miller - #37 up 9 from #46 [* first time artist]
SWEET UNDERSTANDING LOVE - Four Tops 38 up 5 from 43 [22nd Top 40 hit]
COME GET TO THIS - Marvin Gaye #39 up 26 from #65 [35th Top 40 hit solos and duets]
+NEVER NEVER GONNA GIVE YA UP+ - Bary White #40 up 14 from #54 [3rd Top 40 hit]

The Hot 100:

12 new ones: 5 Top 40 bound, 1 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 1 Philly International related, 1 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut 3rd tier:
#79 -TIME IN A BOTTLE - Jim Croce

#82 - KEEP YOUR HEAD TO THE SKY - EW&F
#83 - TELL HER SHES LOVELY - El Chicano
#87 - LET ME BE THERE - Olivia Newton-John
#89 - SMARTY PANTS* - First Choice
#93 - IT'S ALL OVER - The Independents
#94 - I FOUND SUNSHINE - Chi-Lites
#96 - THIS TIME I'M GONE FOR GOOD - Bobby Blue Bland
#97 - BABY COME CLOSE - Smokey Robinson
#98 - RIVER - Joe Simon
#99 - A SONG I'D LIKE TO SING - Kris & Rita
#100 - COME LIVE WITH ME - Ray Charles
* disco significant record

Motown:

debuts: one
BABY COME CLOSE - Smokey Robinson - DEBUT #97

2nd week: ^LIVING FOR THE CITY - Stevie Wonder #58 up 19 from #77
3rd week: ^COME GET TO THIS - Marvin Gaye Top 40 from #65
5th Week: ^YOU'RE IN GOOD HANDS - Jermaine Jackson #81 #79 up 5 from #84
12th week: GET IT TOGETHER - The Jackson Five #47 down 2 from#45
offs: none

***
A very good week for:
Sadly it's for Jim Croce who died two months ago in a plane crash. This week he enters the Top 10 with his follow-up to his #1 song earlier this year. Jim also has the week's highest debuting Hot 100 single.

***
This week's #1 country single has already been #1 on the Easy Listening chart, and on the Hot 100, PAPER ROSES slips to #6 after its peak last week at #5, a hit right out of the box for Marie Osmond with her first song release, recorded at age 13.



The family's formula [guided by MGM's Mike Curb] of pulling up almost forgotten hits of yesteryear and giving them a polish once again proves a winner with PAPER ROSES, the biggest hit [also #5, and#16 R&B] for Anita Bryant in 1960.
PAPER ROSES will become and international hit including reaching #1 in the UK where this week LET ME IN by her brothers is at #2 [just under David Cassidy.]

***

While Eddie Kendricks remains #1 in Billboard, over at Cash Box and Record Mirror, they're each reporting that the nation's top single is HEARTBEAT IT'S A LOVEBEAT [#3 Billboard] by The DeFranco Family fronted by another teenager, the group's youngster member, 14 year-old Tony :



The DeFrankos are out of Montreal Canada and will become teen fanzines like Tiger Beat cover staples as well as appearing on American Bandstand 9 times. Their run is limited to the next few years, never eclipsing their debut hit and they disband as performers in 1978.

***:
WHY ME: Kris Kristofferson - week #33
Kristofferson is still Top 20! and dips one from #16 to #17. Kris with his new wife move on to a new single this week at #99. Their LP has reached #1 Country [replaced this week by Marie Osmond's] with a full page ad this week congratulating them from their Monument label.

A major Carpenters insert this issue: 28 pages of congratulatory support and in depth coverage and an interview with Richard & Karen Carpenter.

"We played one night at the Whisky, but were thrown out because our music wasn't danceable to make the people want to buy drinks. We also played the Ice House, the Troubadour on Hoot Night, and even opened a concert for Steppenwolf."
Working in Joe Osborn's studio most of the time on Monday about 4 p.m.,
the Carpenters station wagon would drop off one sibling to wait in line while the
other went back with friends to get the amps and instruments ready to play at
the Troubadour's hootenanny.
"You had to wait in this huge line in the afternoon to get a 15-minute spot
that night," Karen remembers. "Some of the other people getting started then included Jackson Browne and Brewer & Shipley. Once we got in, however,
the audience loved us. We got standing ovations but still no recording con-
tracts.

Meanwhile Record World features an interview with John Lennon who when asked what he thinks is hot amongst current music releases answers Ann Peebles' I CANT STAND THE RAIN : "the best thing since LOVE TRAIN" [O'Jay's]

[Boogiedown]

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #47
November 24, 1973
Number of singles reviewed this week: 130
last week: 111
including:

First Time Around:

BUCKINGHAM NICKS-Don't Let Her Down Again [3:23];
producer: Keith Olsen; writer: L. Buckingham;
Energized vocals and guitar runs push this hip swaying tune.
There's an infectious quality to the total production.

The Motown Review:

Eddie Kendricks KEEP ON TRUCKIN' slips a notch to #2 while remaining Motown's biggest charter. Marvin and Diana step down two notches to #14 while two former Motown Top 10 records now leave the Top 40. Big name male soloists from the label advance on the charts this week: Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder are moving upward in the Top 40 while Smokey Robinson struggles at the bottom of the Hot 100. No debuts and three singles drop off, so Motown is at six total. Gladys Knight and the Pips have the weeks highest Hot 100 debut.

The Top 10:

All four post-Beatles members have now topped the Hot 100 with Ringo Starr being the last to do so with PHOTOGRAPH. Co-written by Ringo and George Harrison, its Phil Spector sound, including castanets, can be credited to arranging credits by Jack Nitzsche, who worked on much of Spectors 1960s releases. Ringo jumps to @1 from #4 forcing Eddie Kendricks to #2 after 2 weeks at #1. The Carpenters' TOP OF THE WORLD bullets from #7 to #3.
Two songs break into the Top 10: Elton John's GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD at #9 from #15 and THE LOVE I LOST PT I by Harold Melvin Blue Notes [this week's Soul Singles #1] enters at #10 from #13. Out:The Rolling Stone's former #1 ANGIE dips from #8 to #11 and Jim Croce's I GOT A NAME from #10 to #13.

The Top 40:

Three 45s from Motown are on the Top 40:

KEEP ON TRUCKIN' - Eddie Kendricks - gives just a bit, to #2 from #1
YOU'RE A SPECIAL PART OF ME - Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross descend to #14 from a peak of #12
LET'S GET IT ON - Marvin Gaye OFF from #30
^COME GET TO THIS - Marvin Gaye #31 leaps up 8 to #39
HIGHER GROUND - Stevie Wonder OFF from #33
OFF:
Stevie Wonder's HIGHER GROUND spent 14 weeks on the Hot 100 peaking at #4 [#1 Soul, #29 UK]. Wonder put the piece together in a 3 hour spurt last spring. He plays all the instruments including drums , clavinet, and synthesizer.

Marvin Gaye's LET'S GET IT ON spent 19 weeks on the Hot 100 peaking at #1 for two weeks [#1 Soul 8 weeks, #31 UK]. The record has become Motown's biggest selling single and becomes Gaye's personal biggest hit to date. Released internationally, the song only charted in the US and the UK.

Biggest mover in the Top 40: 10 notches:
NEVER NEVER GONNA GIVE YA UP - Bary White to #30 from #40

5 debuts, 4 US, 1 UK 2 +Top 10 bound+, 0 PI related, 1 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut:
MY MUSIC - Loggins & Messina #34 up 23 from #57 [3rd Top 40 single]

BE - Neil Diamond #35 up 6 from #41 [22nd Top 40 hit]
SHOW AND TELL - Al Wilson #37 up 17 from #54 [2nd Top 40 hit]
LIVING FOR THE CITY - Stevie Wonder #38 up 20 from #58 [26th Top 40 hit]
D'YER MAK'ER - Led Zeppelin #40 up 8 from #48 [4th Top 40 hit]

The Hot 100:

10 new ones: 8 Top 40 bound, 1 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 0 Philly International related, 0 Motown, 2 by proxy
Highest debut 3rd tier:
#74 - I'VE GOT TO USE MY IMAGINATION - Gladys Knight & The Pips former Motown act.

#81 - FRISKY - Sly & The Family Stone
#84 - SISTER MARY ELEPHANT - Cheech & Chong
#87 - WHEN I FALL IN LOVE/ ARE YOU LONESOME TONIGHT - Donny Osmond
#90 - WALK LIKE A MAN - Grand Funk Railroad
#92 - THE WAY WE WERE - Barbra Streisand
#96 - AIN'T GOT NO HOME - The Band
#97 - IF WE MAKE IT THROUGH DECEMBER - Merle Haggard
#98 - UNTIL YOU COME BACK TO ME THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA DO -Aretha Franklin written by Stevie Wonder
#99 - LAST KISS - Wednesday

Motown:

debuts: none
2nd week ^BABY COME CLOSE - Smokey Robinson - #95 up 2 from #97
3rd week: ^LIVING FOR THE CITY - Stevie Wonder Top 40 from #58
6th Week: YOU'RE IN GOOD HANDS - Jermaine Jackson OFF from #81
13th week: GET IT TOGETHER - The Jackson Five #54 down 8 from #47

Off:
YOU'RE IN GOOD HANDS, former Jackson Five member Jermaine's first and only single from his second solo LP COME INTO MY LIFE [with a multitude of producers and arrangers brought in] falls flat.

***
A new Christmas song, IF WE MAKE IT THROUGH DECEMBER, charts this week, the season's first 45 to chart thus far:



It's from MERLE HAGGARD'S CHRISTMAS PRESENT his 18th studio LP.

***
WHY ME: Kris Kristofferson - week #34 Still halfway into the Top 40, at #21 dropping from #17

***
Soul Sauce column this week:

highlights:

Wailers Wooing U.S. Fans
By LEROY ROBINSON

LOS ANGELES-The fact that Reggae music has not been able to "Catch A Fire" [on Island Records) as the title of The Wailers' recent album suggests, cannot be blamed on the Kingston, Jamaica group, headed by Bob Marley, for they have literally been steaming for ten years.
In some areas of the United Kingdom and all over Jamaica, in the
West Indies, the five young black men known as The Wailers are referred to as "the first geniuses of Reggae." And Marley, the "master" of the form, along with his stablemates have been making appearances in New York, Boston and Los
Angeles ....
"When America find out what the real Reggae is it will be around for a long, long while." Just what Marley is basing that thought on is anyone's guess, be-
cause sometime after we interviewed the slight and determined young
Jamaican, an appearance in support of Sly and The Family Stone met
with disaster. According to grapevine reports, The Wailers "played a confusing music." ....
Marley, in correcting any belief that Reggae is kin to Calypso, says of the music that it is "a phoney kind of thing ...just as phoney as you can
make yourself. The boys and girls [in Jamaica) when they dance to it, improvise and do everything to the music."
Marley says Reggae is "mostly out of our own living, our ghetto, our own oppressions. It's the kind of thing that really tears your heart
open. The Jamaican man grows up with Reggae. Its our blues." Ironically. black people in America have grown up with the blues but very few have supported it or the artists performing it....

No reggae singles are on this week's Soul chart, however a reggae tinged single breaks into the Top 40 by British band Led Zeppelin :

Led Zeppelin has an odd way when it comes to releasing singles. In 1972 they passed on releasing STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN in the US where its become an iconic tune of theirs while the release of it in the UK scored a tepid #37. Now, they've released D'YER MAK'ER [an English accented twisting of the word "Jamaica"] in the US while not doing so in the UK where reggae is much more in vogue. The group's US touring this year has them selling-out and breaking attendance records.

***
5 Month Club:
New member this week - THAT LADY by The Isley Bros. 20th week and at #34.

***
"Hot Flashes" a column from Capitol Records Canada states:
George Harrison songs will be used exclusively on the next Barbra Streisand album.

***
Record World Singles Picks:

LOVE UNLIMITED ORCHESTRA - 20th Century TC-2069
LOVE'S THEME [prod. by Barry White]
Instrumental track from the Love Unlimited
album has already jumped out in New
York as a huge discotheque item. Produced
and written by Barry White, cut could be a
left-field monster.

LAMONT DOZIER - ABC 11407
TRYING TO HOLD ON TO MY WOMAN [prod. by
McKinley Jackson)
Veteran hit man with the Holland brothers
is out on his own with this magnificent
debut solo effort. A r&b natural, record
should leap over to pop playlists quickly.
Great performance!

***

[Boogiedown]

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #48
December 1, 1973
Number of singles reviewed this week: 87
last week: 130

including:
POP recommended:
THE NEW SEEKERS - Reach Out I'll Be There [2:52]; producer: Michael Lloyd. writers: B. Holland, L. Dozier, E. Holland:
MGM 14683.*

Record World:
THE TEMPTATIONS, "LET YOUR HAIR DOWN" [prod. by Norman Whitfield]. Norman Whitfield switches gears a bit here with a heavy dance number from the Tempts' forthcoming LP "1990." Solid discotheque item. "Hair" today, hit tomorrow.

The Motown Review:

KEEP ON TRUCKIN' holds its place within the nation's Top 5 singles this week as it now descends from the top as slowly as it rose. All three of Motown's advancing singles have bullets with two in the Top 40 as Smokey picks up momentum near the bottom of the Hot 100 in his third week with BABY COME CLOSE. One drop off and no debuts this charting period trims Motown to five 45s.
_____

The Top 10:

A new #1: The Carpenters are on top of the charts with TOP OF THE WORLD returning there for the second time after a string of #2 hits since CLOSE TO YOU was #1 in 1970. PHOTOGRAPH a close finish at #2 after a one week run at the top for Ringo Starr. It's a tight Top 10 race with Elton John having the biggest stride bolting from #9 to #3 with GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD. Just one new entry with THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL arriving at #10 from #12 by Charlie Rich. Off the petals fall for Marie Osmond's PAPER ROSES to #12 from #8 after a peak at #5.

The Top 40:

Four 45s from Motown are on the Top 40:

KEEP ON TRUCKIN' - Eddie Kendricks - dips but still Top 10, to #5 from #2
YOU'RE A SPECIAL PART OF ME - Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross descend to #21 from #14 [#4 Soul up 1]
^COME GET TO THIS - Marvin Gaye bullets to #25 from #31
^LIVING FOR THE CITY - Stevie Wonder to #29 from #38 with a bullet
_____

Biggest mover in the Top 40, a repeat from last week: 10 notches:
NEVER NEVER GONNA GIVE YA UP - Barry White to #20 from #30 from #40

Only 3 debuts, 2 US, 1 UK, 1 +Top 10 bound+, 0 PI related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut:
+TIME IN A BOTTLE+ - Jim Croce #18 up 30 from #48 [6th Top 40 hit]

MIND GAMES - John Lennon #30 up 11 from #41 [6th Top 40 hit as solo artist]
WHO'S IN THE STRAWBERRY PATCH WITH SALLY - Tony Orlando & Dawn #32 up 12 from #44 [8th Top 40 hit]
------

The Hot 100:

9 new ones: 2 Top 40 bound, 1 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 0 Philly International related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut 3rd tier:
#82 - AMERICAN TUNE - Paul Simon

#86 - BLUE COLLAR - Bachman Turner Overdrive
#88 - THE RIVER OF LOVE - B.W. Stevenson
#89 - LOVE'S THEME* - Love Unlimited Orchestra
#90 - SHOWDOWN - Electric Light Orchestra
#96 - STONED TO THE BONE - James Brown
#97 - LOVE REIGN O'ER ME - The Who
#99 - LOVE HAS NO PRIDE - Linda Ronstadt
#100 - HALF A MILLION MILES FROM HOME - Albert Hammond
*disco significant record

Motown:

debuts: none
3rd week ^BABY COME CLOSE - Smokey Robinson -#85 up 10 from#95
14th week: GET IT TOGETHER - The Jackson Five OFF from #54

OFF: The J5 better get it together as 1973 concludes a second year of their failing to make it to the Top 10 after always placing there and usually at #1. This single barely gets them into the Top 30 for the second time in a row when it and HALLELUJAH DAY both made it to #28. GET IT TOGETHER is the only release from the group's album of the same name, a new LP to be titled DANCING MACHINE is months away.

***
A very good week for:

Orchestras
two debut this week
Conceived as lush background for Barry White's soft singing female trio Love Unlimited, the 40-piece Love Unlimited Orchestra has somehow turned loose its own version of the song minus the ladies. Their version does exist although even on their album its the instrumental version that's placed there.



Roy Wood's split from ELO in 1972 has already paid off for him as his new group Wizzard has hit #1 twice this year in the UK [see Chart #23] while Jeff Lynne remains at ELO's helm and is still struggling to find a successful application of the orchestrated rock concept he and Wood envisioned.
Already John Lennon favorably calls the ELO band the "Son of The Beatles" and describes SHOWDOWN as "a beautiful combination of Marvin Gaye's I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE and Lou Christie's LIGHTNING STRIKES with a little bit of I AM THE WALRUS underneath."



both records composed by their orchestral leaders Barry White [with Gene Page] and Jeff Lynne.

***
WHY ME: Kris Kristofferson - week #35 . Big slip but still on the Top 40, at #31 and dropping ten places from #21

***
Talent On Stage from Cash Box:

Eddie Kendricks
Main Ingredient
Voices Of E. Harlem
Edwin Birdsong
FELT FORUM, NYC

[partial] Star time is always a big deal at soul shows, and this one was no exception. In the tradition of James Brown, Wilson Pickett, and Otis Redding, Eddie Kendricks followed[Frankie] Crocker’s introduction with a lengthy rendition of his huge hit “Keep On Truckin’ ”, during which he began a hand shaking tour along the apron of the stage that excited the young ladies so much as to cause several of them to jump onto stage and kiss the stunned singer. Reluctantly he made the announcement, “I’m sorry, but we can’t continue until all of you take your seats. I’m sorry.”
But that was the end of the sorrow as Eddie led his well disciplined
band through an extensive sequence of soulful ballads and lively uptempo
numbers which included, “Girl You Need A Change of Mind” and the
timeless Temptations’ classic, “My Girl”, which Eddie, of course, sang
lead on. With the audience into his groove from start to finish, Eddie could have continued on forever, something the clammering crowd would have loved to see. As he left the stage after his final encore so the crew could ready the second show, Kendricks glanced back over his shoulder and smiled broadly, then he trucked backstage

***
Full page ad for Smokey Robinson's BABY COME CLOSE single that reads:
A warm sensual statement from the Poet Laureate of Pop Music. The newest single
from his first solo album, Smokey. Produced by Smokey Robinson and Willie Hutch. Now.

***

* this version of the Four Tops' #1 hit of 1966 was only included as an opposite side of a US pressing of the New Seeker's hit YOU WONT FIND ANOTHER FOOL LIKE ME [backed by SONG FOR YOU AND ME elsewhere] which went to #1 in the UK but did not chart in the US. REACH OUT I'LL BE THERE is not included on any of their albums nor is it on You Tube.

[Boogiedown]

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #49
December 8, 1973
Number of singles reviewed this week: 115
last week: 87

including:
recommended:

TEMPTATIONS - Let Your Hair Down [2:40]; producer
Norman Whitfield; writer N. Whitfield: Gordy 7133 .

Cash Box:
THE TEMPTATIONS [Gordy 7133F]
Let Your Hair Down [2:40]
Culled from their forthcoming “1990” LP, this great Temps tune is the one
to get them back on that "Papa Was A Rolling Stone” track [and a good one
it is]. Harmonies need not be mentioned. We know that the Temps are masters at that. This one is oozing with funk and drive so just watch out, and make room at the top, for this one’s gonna be there in no time.



After a life in Detroit since high school, producer/songwriter Norman Whitfield has settled into a new life in LA. Temptations are singing here, but this is Rose Royce, Whitfield's new LA group, playing.

First Time Around:
AVERAGE WHITE BAND - This World Has Music [3:54];
producers: AWB and Robin Turner; writers: B. Bramlett, L.
Ware, A. Cone; MCA 40168. British band does a fine job of copying the instrumental style of American soul musicians and using black vocal inflections on this stirring work.

The Motown Review:

Now a member of the four-month club KEEP ON TRUCKIN' is still in the nation's Top 10 in its 16th week of charting. Both Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye advance within the Top 40 and Smokey Robinson comes to a sudden halt towards the bottom of the Hot 100. With no drop offs but also no debuts, the same five records from the label are charting. Judging from the trades, Temptations have a winner on their hands this time around.

The Top 10:

The Carpenters continue to top it all with TOP OF THE WORLD, the album cut they'd passed on as a single, now redone and countrified and featured on their greatest hits package which will be one of the biggest selling LPs of the 70's. Elton John's GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD moves up one to #2 while Charlie Rich's THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL makes an unusually big jump of seven spaces within the Top 10, from #10 to #3. Todd Rundgren cheerily enters the Top 10 at #8 from #11 with HELLO IT'S ME , while a disgruntled Helen Reddy's LEAVE ME ALONE [RUBY RED DRESS] comes in at #10 from #13. Goodbye to two wordy titles: MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA by Gladys Knight and the Pips departs to #11 from #7 and The DeFranco Family's HEARTBEAT - ITS A LOVE BEAT beats it to #14 from #9.

The Top 40:

Four 45s from Motown are on the Top 40:

KEEP ON TRUCKIN' - Eddie Kendricks - dips but still Top 10, to #9 from #5
^COME GET TO THIS - Marvin Gaye shifts to #22 from #25
^LIVING FOR THE CITY - Stevie Wonder bounds to #23 from #29 with a bullet
YOU'RE A SPECIAL PART OF ME - Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross descend to #28 from #21
OFF: none
_____

Biggest mover in the Top 40, 7 notches {tie}:
THE JOKER - Steve Miller #15 from #22
MY MUSIC - Loggins & Messina #19 from #26

5 breakthroughs, all US, 2 +Top 10 bound+, 1 PI related, 0 Motown, 1 by proxy
Highest debut:
+SMOKING IN THE BOYS ROOM+ - Brownsville Station #33 up 8 from # 41 [1st time artist]

+I'VE GOT TO USE MY IMAGINATION+ - Gladys Knight Pips #35 up 15 from #50 [19th Top 40 hit]
ME AND BABY BROTHER - War #38 up 6 from #44 [7th Top 40 hit]
CORAZON - Carole King #39 up 4 from #43 [7th Top 40 hit]
SOME GUYS HAVE ALL THE LUCK - Persuaders #40 up 9 from #49 [2nd and final Top 40 hit]

The Hot 100:

7 arrivals: 3 Top 40 bound, 2 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 1 Philly International related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut 3rd tier:
#85 -LIVIN' FOR YOU - Al Green

#90 - BIG TIME OPERATOR - Keith Hampshire
#94 - THIS IS YOUR SONG - Don Goodwin
#97 - I LOVE - Tom T. Hall
#98 - I'M A ROCKER - Raspberries
#99 - I LIKE TO LIVE THE LOVE - BB King backed by MFSB
#100 - JUNGLE BOOGIE - Kool and the Gang

Motown:

debuts: none
3rd week ^BABY COME CLOSE - Smokey Robinson - #84 up 1 from#85
Off: none
________

A very good week for:
Gladys Knight and the Pips
The same week they drop from the Top 10 with a former Number 1 song they re-enter the Top 40 with their next Top 10 hit.

Also a very good week for:
The Osmond Family
in the UK
with three records in the Top 10 : Sister Marie at #4 with PAPER ROSES [#2 peak], Donny Osmond peeking this week at #5 with WHEN I FALL IN LOVE and the brothers at #10 with LET ME IN [#2 peak].

***
WHY ME: Kris Kristofferson - week #36 . Still on the Top 40, at #34 and dropping just three places from #31.

***
Billboard's TALENT IN ACTION:

EDDIE KENDRICKS
MAIN INGREDIENT
VOICES OF EAST HARLEM
EDWARD BIRDSONG
Fell Forum, N.Y.C.
A surprise guest appearance on stage at the Felt Forum by Motown recording artist Stevie Wonder literally stole the spotlight from the headlined acts.
Wonder, a showman par excellence, had the near-capacity crowd at the early show surging towards the stage [and even hopping onto it much to the chagrin of the security force) when he joined Eddie Kendricks also Motown Records - in a rip-em-up jam session that at times seemed more like an oversized, let-it-all-hangout soul party than the concert it was billed as. Kendricks is a powered entertainment force, who looks not like an entertainer. but like a rural schoolteacher or small-town attorney.
Backed by a group calling itself the Young Senators. he belied his appearance
with a set of earthy, sensuous set that included his million-selling "Keep on Truckin'," and some others from his old days with the Temptations.

***
Cash Box:

Bogart's New Label Via Warner Bros.
NEW YORK — Neil Bogart has made a deal with Warner Bros. Records to
distribute his newly-formed company, Casablanca Records.
Bogart, formerly co-president of Buddah Records, where in his five
year association with the label it earned 36 gold records, including five
gold LP’s this year, will re-locate to the west coast in January. At that
time, the label will name other execs and market its first product.
Bogart told Cash Box that in addition to a regular flow of recordings,
the company will also be involved in new motion picture and TV projects.
In addition, the company will be active in music publishing through two
affiliates, Casablanca Music and Cafe Americana Music.
According to WB chairman Mo Ostin, Casablanca’s own promo men will
work hand-in-hand with Warners’ own national promo dept., as well as
utilizing the WB creative services and merchandising staffs. Bogart said he
has commissioned David Byrd to design a logo for his company.
Commenting on the deal, WB president Joe Smith said: “[Bogart’s]
track record plus his vitality and innovative reputation make [him) one
of the real winners in our business . . .” interestingly, the label arrangement
is one of the rare instances whereby such a pact is being based on the
skills of a label exec rather than the success of a producer or artist.
Temporary headquarters for Casablanca will be at 1155 North La Cienega in Los Angeles, telephone:
[[213) 657-6360, with a New York
office at 116 Central Park South. Pent-
house A, telephone: [[212) 582-5790.

[Warner Bros. develops doubts and Casablanca will then be distributed independently]

***
Barry White slows a bit this week with NEVER NEVER GONNA GIVE YA UP moving up four places to #16 , but with still a bullet as well as continuing to surge on the Soul chart where it's now in the Top 10, to #5 from #15. The US 45 features a longer version of the song as its B side [ a format that will soon be labeled as the longer "disco version" on many future dance singles] while the European pressings have Barry's version of STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF LOVE:



The long intro used here is even longer on the LP version ...approaching three minutes

The Four Tops had a hot spurt in 1965-66 with their masterful deliveries led by Levi Stubbs of Holland- Dozier-Holland compositions. STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF LOVE took them into the Top 10 [#6] for a 4th time [then once again with the follow-up BERNADETTE [#4]].

[Boogiedown]

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #50
December 15, 1973
Number of singles reviewed this week: 123
last week: 115

including:
POP:
DIANA ROSS - Last Time I Saw Him [2:49] producer: Michael Masser; writers: M. Masser. Pam Sawyer: Motown 1271 Diana sings softly about a man "who's Greyhound bound" with an arrangement which fuses banjo and a happy almost two-beat feeling. It's a jazz razz-matazz tune in the Dawn dixieland mold.

Record World Singles Pick:

MIKE OLDFIELD - Virgin PR -199 [Atlantic] TUBULAR BELLS
Edited version of this sensational instrumental which serves as the title cut for Oldfield's highly acclaimed album. Left field pop fly could go for a home run.

The Motown Review:

It's still Eddie Kendricks at the top, although KEEP ON TRUCKIN' now dips below the Top 10. Both Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder remain Top 40 advancing contenders. Motown eases off as the year concludes although Diana Ross is quickly back with a likely charter from a new album. No drop offs, no debuts, Motown is five strong on the Hot 100.

The Top 10:

Country music's former #1 [3 weeks] is now at the top of the Hot 100 with Charlie Rich's THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL, also already #1 on the Easy Listening chart [3 weeks]. It will also reach #1 in Canada and #2 in the UK. Charlie Rich holds Elton John's GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD at #2 while The Carpenters are now #3 after two weeks at #1 with TOP OF THE WORLD. Three songs climb into the Top 10: Jim Croce's TIME IN A BOTTLE enters halfway at #5 from #12, Steve Miller's THE JOKER also makes a serious move from #15 to #9, while The Staple Singers are ready to hit the Top rungs again at #10 from #12 with IF YOU'RE READY [COME GO WITH ME] [#1 Soul.] Three drop out: Billy Preston's finishes his SPACE RACE and is now #11 from #6, Harold Melvin's THE LOVE I LOST loses momentum, exits to #12 from #7, and Eddie Kendrick's former #1, KEEP ON TRUCKIN' is now #13 from #9.

The Top 40:

Four 45s from Motown are on the Top 40:

KEEP ON TRUCKIN' - Eddie Kendricks - dips out of the Top 10, to #13 from #9
^LIVING FOR THE CITY - Stevie Wonder bounds to #19 from #23
^COME GET TO THIS - Marvin Gaye one bump to #21 from #22
YOU'RE A SPECIAL PART OF ME - Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross still Top 40: to #36 from #28
OFF: none
______

Biggest mover in the Top 40, 11 positions
SHOW AND TELL Al Wilson to #16 from #27

3 strong breakthroughs, all US, 2 +Top 10 bound+, 0 PI related, 0 Motown, 1 by proxy
Highest debut:
+LET ME BE THERE+ - Olivia Newton John#31 up 11 from #44 [2nd Top 40 hit]

+UNTIL YOU COME BACK TO ME+ - Aretha Franklin #33 up 12 from #45 [29th Top 40 hit]
WHEN I FALL IN LOVE/ ARE YOU LONESOME TONIGHT - Donny Osmond #39 up 16 from #55 [9th Top 40 hit in a row][Billboard this week flips the leading side of this 45]

The Hot 100:

10 arrivals: 2 Top 40 bound, 2 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 0 Philly International related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut 3rd tier:
#75 - YOU'RE SIXTEEN Ringo Starr

#80 - HANGIN' AROUND - Edgar Winter Group
#83 - WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW - Melanie
#88 - JIM DANDY - Black Oak Arkansas
#90 - A FOOL SUCH AS I - Bob Dylan
#94 - LOVE SONG - Anne Murray
#95 - IT MAY BE WINTER OUTSIDE - Love Unlimited
#98 - SOMEWHERE BETWEEN LOVE AND TOMORROW - Roy Clark
#99 - FLASHBACK - 5th Dimension
#100 - COULD YOU EVER LOVE ME AGAIN - Gary and Dave

Motown:

debuts: none
5th week ^BABY COME CLOSE - Smokey Robinson - #73 up 11 from#84
Off: none

***
A very good week for:
former Beatles
Ringo is coming off a #1 record with a follow-up that is this week's highest debut.
John's MIND GAMES and Paul's HELEN WHEELS are both advancing within the Top 40.
George gets writing credits on Ringo's PHOTOGRAPH, still Top 10, as well as performs on it.
Billy Preston's SPACE RACE drops from the Top 10 after peaking at #4 and #1 Soul.

also a very good week for:
Carole King
Debuting this week is Melanie with an updated version of The Shirelles' 1960 #1 hit WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW penned by Carole King and Gerry Goffin.
Meanwhile King herself is on the Top 40, peaking this week at #37 [#5 Easy Listening] with a Latin tinged record:



She likely doesn't expect CORAZON to be reworked and popularized in the growing NYC latin dance clubs [discos].



Produced by Philadelphian Jerry Ross who in 1972 released on Motown his second jazzy SYMPOSIUM album. He also wrote with Kenny Gamble the #2 single I'M GONNA MAKE YOU LOVE ME by The Suprems and The Temptations.

***
WHY ME: Kris Kristofferson - week #37 . STILL in the Top 40, at #38 and dropping just four places from #34.

***
new to 5 month club: At #51 Cher - HALF BREED

***

CONCERT REVIEW

Felt Forum Souled Out
NEW YORK
-The word of the day, in New York at least, seems to be P-A-R-T-Y! And, that's exactly what went on when Eddie Kendricks [Tamla], the Main Ingredient [RCA] and the Voices of East Harlem [Just Sunshine] got together for two 'souled' out shows at Madison Square Garden's Felt Forum. Eddie Kendricks is black but his music transcends racial barriers. From the moment that he walks on stage and is besieged by his ardent admirers, both male and female, to the time that he makes his final bows and exits, the man is in complete control of both himself and the stage. Backed by the Young Senators, Eddie opens his show with his first number one, million-plus single, "Keep On Truckin'." It sets the fever-pitched pace of the evening, and Eddie soon proves why he's always been considered a singers' singer with his version of Kenny Rodgers', "Something's Burning," "Darling, Come Back Home" and "Eddie's Love" were also highlights of the show. Eddie was soon joined on stage by none other than his Tamla brother, Stevie Wonder. The two combined forces on Stevie's, "Living For the City" and Eddie's, "Girl, You Need A Change of Mind." Eddie could have carried the show himself, but Stevie's presence was dynamite, just the same.

Ads this week:

Full-page ad for latest single LAST TIME I SAW HIM and album of the same name by Diana Ross shown sitting on a stool.
Spacey Full-page ad for the Temptations single LET YOUR HAIR DOWN from new LP 1990.

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Record World's Money Music column:

Diana Ross "Last Time I Saw Her." [sic] Since King George Michael got a hold of it, he played it three times that night at WFIL. It jumped right on WIP and WSM who were probably the first stations to get a hold of a copy. It was arranged by the legendary Gene Page and we believe it will go all the way

Record World:

MOTOWN INKS DYNAMIC SUPERIORS
Photo caption:
The Dynamic Superiors and their manager, Guy Draper, join hands with Motown Records President Ewart Abner, following the signing of a long term contract with the label. The group was discovered by Abner while attending the BAMA Convention in Atlanta, Georgia earlier this year.

[Boogiedown]

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #51
December 22, 1973
Number of singles reviewed this week: 73!
last week: 123

including

Pop:
EDDIE KENDRICKS - Boogie Down [3:30]; producers:
Frank Wilson. Leonard Caston; writers: F. Wilson. L. Canton.

A. Puree; Tamia 54243. Kendrick's soft voice is teamed with a funky instrumental feel, with soft choral voices and an outstanding percussive feel with fiddles and guitar weaving in and out. He's going downtown to "fool around." The song, arrangement and vocal treatment are all a cohesive unit

Record World Singles Pick:

EDDIE KENDRICKS,"BOOGIE DOWN"
[prod.by Wilson & Caston]. "Keep On Truckin'" established this former Temptation as a solo star, and this chugger will make it two in a row.
This "Boogie" will be a biggie! TamlaT54243.

DIANA ROSS, "LAST TIME I SAW HIM" [prod. by Michael Masser]. Title cut
from her latest album is a bit of rag rock a la Dawn
which is a departure for this top pop/r&b artist. Diana's hotter than ever, so this ditty can't possibly miss. Motown M1278F.

.
The Motown Review:

Stevie Wonder has Motown's highest single this week with LIVIN' FOR THE CITY in the Top 20. Eddie Kendricks' KEEP ON TRUCKIN' has run its course and by next week will likely be off the Top 40 if not the entire Hot 100. Marvin Gaye this weeks slips a few places. The Temptations are back on the charts under the continued leadership of Norman Whitfield and new records from Diana Ross and Eddie Kendricks are getting favorable reviews. No records drop off and with one new one , Motown is represented with 6 pressings.

The Top Ten:

Charlie Rich repeats at #1 with THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL [also #1 Cash Box, #1 Record World] with several contenders lined up, three with bullets. Just one record is added amongst the ranks, Barry White's NEVER NEVER GONNA GIVE YA UP at #10 from #14: Out: Richard Starsky's former #1, PHOTOGRAPH from #8 to #13.

The Top 40:

Three 45s from Motown are on the Top 40:

^LIVING FOR THE CITY - Stevie Wonder bounds to #15 from #19
COME GET TO THIS - Marvin Gaye slips to #25 from #21
KEEP ON TRUCKIN' - Eddie Kendricks - giant tumble to #29 from #13
OFF: one
YOU'RE A SPECIAL PART OF ME - Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross just outside the Top 40 to #42 from #36

Biggest mover in the Top 40, 10 positions
SMOKIN' IN THE BOY'S ROOM - Brownsville Station - #12 from #22


5 breakthroughs, all US, 2 +Top 10 bound+, 0 PI related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut:
+LOVE'S THEME+ - Love Unlimited Orchestra #33 up 17 from #50 [*first time artist]
+THE WAY WE WERE+ - Barbra Streisand #35 up 20 from #55 [6th Top 40 hit]
LIVIN' FOR YOU - Al Green #36 up 21 from #57 [8th Top 40 hit]
I CANT STAND THE RAIN - Ann Peebles #38 up 4 from #42 [One Hit Wonder]
TELL HER SHES LOVELY - El Chicano #40 up 6 from #46 [2nd and last Top 40 hit]

The Hot 100:

7 entries : 3 Top 40 bound, 1 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 0 Philly International related, 1 Motown, 1 by proxy
Highest debut 3rd tier:
#85 - MIDNIGHT RIDER - Gregg Allman

#86 - LET YOUR HAIR DOWN - Temptations
#95 - RAISED ON ROBBERY - Joni Mitchell
#96 - PLEASE DADDY - John Denver
#98 - TRYING TO HOLD ON TO MY WOMAN - Lamont Dozier former motown writer/producer
#99 - WANG DANG DOODLE - Pointer Sisters
#100 - LAST KISS - J Frank Wilson and the Caviliers


Motown:

debuts: one
1st week: ^LET YOUR HAIR DOWN - Temptations #86 DEBUT
6th week ^BABY COME CLOSE - Smokey Robinson - #61 up 12 from #73
12th week: YOU'RE A SPECIAL PART OF ME - Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross #42 down 6 from #36.
Offs: none

A very good week for:
Barry White
His backing orchestra has the week's highest debut in the Top 40, while his girl group Love Unlimited show some movement on the lower end of the Hot 100, while Barry breaks into the Top 10 for his second time with NEVER NEVER GONNA GIVE YA UP. Barry has come up with a "b" side approach to his singles he'll use from here on out that spinners love: an instrumental version of the single which provides a means to expand or customize the 45's "A" side by mixing the two using two turntables.



Disco is just around the corner ....

also a very good week for:
Hi Records
Al Green is back on the Top 40 and joining him is new artist Ann Peebles from the same label. Unlike Al, who took just three weeks to get LIVIN' FOR YOU into the Top 40, Ann's I CAN'T STAND THE RAIN took 17 to get to #38 [its peak, #6 Soul.] She and soon to be husband HI songwriter Bob Bryant created the song one night when they were meeting at the studio to go attend a concert and it started raining. Ann commented, "I can't stand the rain" , Bob heard a song , and instead of going on their date, they went into the studios and created the record.



I CANT STAND THE RAIN will become a signature song for Ann Peebles and then Eruption , a spin-off of sorts of the group Boney M when they disco it up in 1978 and it takes off world-wide.

***
It's been awhile since two acts compete at charting with the same song: Canadian group Wednesday has done a remake of the Cavaliers' LAST KISS which ten years prior went to #2 [also a remake of the Wayne Cochran's non-hit version.] This new version has reached #2 in Canada and is struggling on the Hot 100 at #84 in its 5th week. To hamper things , the Cavaliers version has been re-released and this week also enters the Hot 100.

***

WHY ME: Kris Kristofferson - week #38 . Finally dropping below the Top 40, at #52 down 14 from #38.

***
full-page ad repeated for Diana Ross' LAST TIME I SAW HIM LP and single

The LP gets a Spotlight review:

DIANA ROSS- Last Time I Saw Him, Motown M 8I2111.
Diana and some pretty melodies are a delightful combination. That's the tandem here, with the title tune a light romp in the Tony Orlando and Dawn style. This pop package certainly asserts Diana's powerful ability to stand out as a distinct vocal stylist. "No One's Gonna Be a Fool Forever" has some pretty multiple voicings all by Diana
while "Love Me" has her standing out in front of some soft gushing female voices playing the supporting role which the former Supremes did for her. Only this sound is much sweeter. "Stone Liberty" is a much more demanding tune and consequently the arrangement is much more funkier than the other tunes. But then that segues into "Behind Closed Doors" and Diana is back, into the kind of groove she is best suited to -easy, relaxed singing over a powerful, yet restrained beat with plenty of fiddles working.

as does The Temptations latest:

THE TEMPTATIONS - 1990, Gordy 966Y1.
One thing's predictable about a Tempts album: it's unpredictable. "Let Your Hair Down' and 'You've Got My Soul on Fire 'are fiery warning songs. "Heavenly" goes in
another direction. The percussion section of regular traps and congas is like a jackhammer pounding methodically away to a paint where it gets into your nervous system.
All the tunes are new and expressively alive from the mind of Norman Whitfield who also handled production. "Ain't No Justice" has the sound of ominous thunder, floating violin figures and buzzing guitars as a forward to some dramatic vocal work by the five Tempts. The title tune is a sad picture of America and all her ills, but she's still the greatest country of them all say the lyrics. "Zoom" is a spectacular production about a trip to the moon.

***
RW's Money Music column:

Terry Jacks "Season In The Sun" on Bell. It has a Rod McKuen lyric that has made it a huge Canadian hit. It just jumped on CKLW and Rosalie Trombley says: "Based on the fantastic response thus far, this record could sell a million."

and:

Merle Haggard "If We Make It Through December"
A lot of faint -hearts feel that this is only a seasonal record that will disappear in three or four weeks. We maintain in stentorian tones that it will last a lot longer than that. In fact, Dan Rather read the lyrics on the morning news over CBS national TV in conjunction with a report on how bad things are for people these days. There are huge country sales. . . we hear 60,000 to 70,000 out of the Atlanta branch alone. The lyric is so timely, the record has to sustain.

[Boogiedown]

Billboard’s Hot 100/ Top 40
Chart #52
December 29, 1973
Number of singles reviewed this week: 60!
last week: 73

Cash Box:
TERRY JACKS -Bell 432 Seasons In The Sun [3:24] [J. Brel, R. McKuen]
Great pop arrangement of Jacques Brel classic [with English lyrics by Rod
McKuen] is already a Canadian smash and is seemingly headed in the same
direction in the U.S. Top, sensitive performance by Terry makes this one a
certain contender for the top of the pops in early ’74. Could be one of the
biggest of the upcoming year.

THE DEVASTATING AFFAIR - Motown M1263F THAT'S HOW IT WAS [RIGHT FROM THE START) [prod. by Devastating Affair] Chuggin' chunko' funk is a r&b natural, that should see pop play almost immediately. New group sounds like a potential monster, and this is a great way to start off. An Affair to remember!

RENA SCOTT- Epic 5-11064 LA-TE-DA [THIS GIRL'S IN LOVE) [prod. by Barrett Strong] Super Barrett Strong produced and wrote disc that could go all the way. Solid performance by artist and relentless beats seal chartdom for this one.

The Motown Review:

1973 ends with Motown's chart presence intact with three records on the Top 40 plus two lower on the Hot 100 with new material already in the pipeline for 1974. The brightest spot is on the Soul chart where the company has the current #1 song with Stevie Wonder's LIVING FOR THE CITY as well as a second single in the Top 5 with Marvin Gaye's COME GET TO THIS at #3 and still climbing. Gaye also has two LPs on the Soul LPs Top 10, he's at #3 with LET'S GET IT ON and his shared LP with Diana Ross is at #8. Eddie Kendrick's KEEP ON TRUCKIN' keeps on the Top 40 another week by just a hair at #40.
In 1973 Motown had 5 #1s and 38 singles chart the Hot 100, 17 -or almost half of them- went Top 40.

The Top 10:

The year ends on a bittersweet note with a powerful farewell to rising star Jim Croce killed in a plane crash in October with TIME IN A BOTTLE at #1. Charlie Rich, #1 for 2 weeks with THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL, now at #2. Steve Miller's THE JOKER bullets to #4 from #6. Two records bullet into the Top 10, SHOW AND TELL to #8 from #11 by Al Wilson his first time here as it is for Brownsville Station with SMOKIN IN THE BOYS' ROOM at #9 from #12 . Off: The Staple Singers begin their trek downward with IF YOU'RE READY [COME GO WITH ME] from#9 to #12 and Chicago's JUST YOU 'N ME is now #13 from #8.

The Top 40:

Three 45s from Motown are on the Top 40:

^LIVING FOR THE CITY - Stevie Wonder bounds to #11 from #15
COME GET TO THIS - Marvin Gaye slips to #33 from #25
KEEP ON TRUCKIN' - Eddie Kendricks - big tumble to #40 from #29


Biggest mover in the Top 40, {tie} 12 spots
LOVE'S THEME -Love Unlimited Orch. #21 from #33
THE WAY WE WERE - Barbra Streisand #23 from #35

5 debuts, 3 US, 1 UK, 1 Canadian , 2 +Top 10 bound+, 0 PI related, 0 Motown, 0 by proxy
Highest debut:
+YOU'RE SIXTEEN+ - Ringo Starr - #27 up 23 from #50 [4th Top 40 hit]

SISTER MARY ELEPHANT - Cheech & Chong - #35 up 6 from #41 [2nd Top 40 hit]
WALK LIKE A MAN - Grand Funk Railroad - #36 up 8 from #44 [5th Top 40 hit]
PAINTED LADIES - Ian Thomas - #37 up 6 from #43 [One Hit Wonder]
+SPIDERS AND SNAKES+ - Jim Stafford #38 up 8 from #46 [2nd Top 40 hit]

The Hot 100:

8 newbies : 2 Top 40 bound, 1 first time to chart on the Hot 100, 1 Philly International related, 0 Motown, 1 by proxy
Highest debut 3rd tier:
#72 - IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY - Jim Croce

#84 - TEENAGE LAMENT '74 - Alice Cooper
#87 - I SHALL SING - Garfunkel
#90 - ONE TIN SOLDIER - Coven
#95 - ABRA-CA-DABRA - De Franco Family
#98 -WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO - Isley Brothers formerly signed to Motown
#99 - LIFE IS A SONG WORTH SINGING - Johnny Mathis
#100 - CAN'T SAY NOTHIN' - Curtis Mayfield

Motown: debuts: none
2nd week: ^LET YOUR HAIR DOWN - Temptations #65 up 21 from#86
7th week ^BABY COME CLOSE - Smokey Robinson #59 up 2 from #61
13th week: YOU'RE A SPECIAL PART OF ME - Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross OFF from #42.
Offs: one
Recorded apart from each other, YOU'RE A SPECIAL PART OF ME was a monumental pairing of two of Motown's biggest acts each coming off of #1 records. Special yes, but not enough to take them into the Top Ten, peaking at #12. The back-ups are by Devastating Affair, who have their own record currently out [see above].
___

A very good week for:
a remembrance of Jim Croce
with three songs on the chart.
Croce's TIME IN A BOTTLE is his 2nd #1 song this year, while I GOT NAME is still Top 40 at #38 after a peak of #10, while Croce has the highest new charter on the Hot 100 with IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY at #72 . TIME IN A BOTTLE is an album cut retrieved from a previous LP.

***

WHY ME: Kris Kristofferson - week #38 . Poof! from #38 last week, WHY ME finally bows out after almost a 10 month chart run, 19 weeks of those on the Top 40. It changed chart direction up and down six times. WHY ME is Kristofferson's biggest hit as a performer reaching #16 pop and #1 Country ...his only big country record, and as far as Billboard chart stats: this one's a biggie. Only Johnny Mathis' 1956 debut single WONDERFUL WONDERFUL had charted longer, but only by one week.



Kris offered WHY ME to Johnny Cash who didn't record it. Larry Gatlin [whose song, HELP ME inspired Kristofferson] sings backup as well as future wife Rita Coolidge hitting those angelic high notes toward the end of the record. Elvis Presley will include the song in his concerts in 1974.
Why me Lord...
what have a I ever done
to deserve even one
of the pleasures I've known

***

Bobby Darin Dies
LOS ANGELES -
Singer Bobby Darin died last week at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital,where he underwent open-heart surgery last Wednesday. Darin, who died a 3:15 am Thursday morning [27), had been admitted to the hospital eight days before,when an examination showed that one of two artificial valves inserted in his heart in surgery performed in 1971 was not functioning properly. Darin was 37. Darin,whose first hit "Splish Splash,"was made for Atco in 1958, later branched out in to a more adult sound with "Mack the Knife" and went on to become a top night club and film performer.
.
***

McDougal Exits Motown
HOLLYWOOD,CALIF. - Weldon Arthur McDougal III has resigned his post with Motown Records Corporation and will announce his future plans shortly

Full page ad for: Stevie Wonder's award as #1 Male Vocalist Of The Year [all 3 trades]

Didn't see it coming:
Billboard's Top LP Of 1973:
War - THE WORLD IS A GHETTO

Singles Artist Of The Year:
Gladys Knight & The Pips

***
Record World MONEY MUSIC column:

Byron MacGregor.
This may be one of the biggest records in the history of the business. It is already gold. People whom you ordinarily never see in record shops are coming in to Detroit and buying four and five copies at a time. One small shop in Detroit sold 1,000 in a week. The sales could easily reach five million. It was featured on the news on Metromedia TV channel 5 New York. Rosalie Trombley says: "It is the biggest record she has ever seen since she entered the business."

Tip of the week:
"Lillies" Sidney Joe Qualls on Brunswick. This record has ruined my "soul detecting machine." The needle on my "goosebump computer" went to overload. I had three "soul attacks," this record pulled the scalp skin clean off my skull-bone, the wah-wah guitar gutted my autonomic nervous system, my hormone endocrine balance is now shot, my soul doctor told me I had to get a little bit better just to die. This record was produced by the MASTER, the Vice President of Brunswick Records, Carl Davis.
Nat Tarnopol says: "I have not been as excited about an artist since I found Jackie Wilson in Detroit City in 1957." Pete Garris says: "I modestly admit that this record is a 'soul orgy.' "

***
Year-end SOUL SAUCE column titled:
1973 Was Just So-So Year for R&B Product
LEROY ROBINSON