November 11, 1972

Okay, so I've decided to do a whole post on this week's 70s show. I'll start it by listing songs 40-11, with the singles I haven't covered in past entries in bold, then breaking down the newbies.

40 - "Use Me," Bill Withers
39 - "Why," Donny Osmond
38 - "Rockin' Pneumonia - Boogie Woogie Flu," Johnny Rivers
37 - "All the Young Dudes," Mott the Hoople
36 - "Clair," Gilbert O'Sullivan
35 - "Rock n' Roll Soul," Grand Funk Railroad
34 - "Don't Do It," The Band
33 - "Something's Wrong with Me," Austin Roberts
32 - "Crazy Horses," The Osmonds
31 - "Funny Face," Donna Fargo
30 - "Operator (That's Not the Way it Feels)," Jim Croce
29 - "Loving You Just Crossed My Mind," Sam Neely
28 - "American City Suite," Cashman and West
27 - "It Never Rains in Southern California," Albert Hammond, Jr.
26 - "Elected," Alice Cooper
25 - "I'm Stone in Love with You," The Stylistics
24 - "Ventura Highway," America
23 - "Spaceman," Nilsson
22 - "I Believe in Music," Gallery
21 - "You Ought to Be with Me," Al Green
20 - "If You Don't Know Me by Now," Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes
19 - "Starting All Over Again," Mel and Tim
18 - "Thunder and Lightning," Chi Coltrane
17 - "Ben," Michael Jackson
16 - "Summer Breeze," Seals and Crofts
15 - "Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues," Danny O'Keefe
14 - "Burning Love," Elvis Presley
13 - "Papa was a Rollin' Stone," The Temptations
12 - "If I Could Reach You," The Fifth Dimension
11 - "Listen to the Music," The Doobie Brothers

We've got twelve noobs in this bunch. I'll start with the rockers. Brits Mott the Hoople had their only American pop hit with this David Bowie-penned glam anthem about stealing clothes from deprartment stores, drinking wine, and spreading news of the coming apocalypse. That's what I've been able to piece together. But it really doesn't matter. It's just a classic singalong. Grand Funk Railroad do their Grand Funk-y thing on yet another mediocre blues rocker about partying. Ex-Bob Dylan backup group The Band had their second and final American pop hit with this cover of a 1964 Marvin Gaye hit about not wanting one's woman to leave. Blues rock as well, but unlike GFR, this has substance and soul. And Alice Cooper had a timely hit with this big glossy production in which Alice himself offers himself as an alternative candidate, presumably for the presidency, representing "The Wild Party." Although admitting that he doesn't care about the nation's problems doesn't seem like the greatest strategy. And it wasn't the only election-themed entry on this week's chart, as we'll see later.

Next we have pop groups. The Osmonds are here with their stab at hard rock, a song that's supposedly about what pollution is doing to nature. Surprisingly, it's pretty convincing for the most part, except maybe for when the horns come in at the end. But the vocals and the guitar squeals that sound like a whinnying stallion are pretty awesome. Terry Cashman and Tommy West had their only hit together with a three-songs-in-one number that combines a gentle folk-rocker, a more urgent rock tune, and a piano ballad. The first part is about the joys of city life. The second is about urban struggle and danger. And the third is a more personal ode to a dying friend. It's all quite strange to these ears. Later, Terry Cashman would gain more fame for his popular sports song "Talkin' Baseball," which he later redid as "Talkin' Softball" in tribute to the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant team's championship season. America are here with the one big hit of theirs I haven't covered yet, a soft-rock jam about leaving for greener pastures. Possibly their best hit, and their use of the phrase "purple rain" may have inspired a certain Minnesotans film/album project twelve years later. And speaking of big hits I haven't covered yet, here's Seals and Crofts. We all know this one, it's gooey and cheesy, and I don't like it. That's all I have to say.

Then we have a couple male solo singers. Jim Croce had his second hit with this acoustic ballad about trying to place a long-distance phone call to an old lover. The emotion is genuine and heartfelt. Good song. It certainly appeared that this guy had a long and fruitful career ahead of him. But that's not the way it went. And Harry Nilsson is here that's basically a "be careful what you wish for" warning. But a fun, catchy, awesome one. This is another guy I should get more into. But I'm still not nearly done with Al Green.

We finish with two Philly soul groups. The Stylistics are so dedicated to the happiness of their beloved that even though only have average lives, they dream of stardom, business success, and even owning "the first house on the moon" to give her all that she desires. Love makes fools of us all, but the good kind of fool. And I still love the lead singer's falsetto. And finally, we encounter Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes biggest hit. The original is much better than Simply Red's version. It's also better than the one Ricky Gervais did as David Brent, but that one at least has it's own sweaty charm.

Top Ten, baby!

10 - "Witchy Woman," The Eagles
The SoCal record-selling machine's first Top Ten, a song about a crazy hot lady. The Egos had landed.

9 - "Convention '72," The Delegates
Here's another new one. This is a "break-in" record, a la Dickie Goodman's "Mr. Jaws," in which people ask questions that are answered by snippets from pop hits of the day. The premise is that the Republican and Democratic political parties are having a joint convention, and the media is there to cover it in the form of parody newscasters such as "Walter Klondike" and "David Stinkley." These "journalists" interview prominent figures in the 1972 presidential campaign. President Nixon is conspicuously absent, but Vice-President Spiro Agnew and Nixon campaign manager John Mitchell do appear. The Democrats are represented by, among others, presidential candidate George McGovern, his original running mate Thomas Eagleton (who was quickly let go after his mental health issues became public), and his eventual running mate Sargent Shriver. Among the songs used are Cher's "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves," America's "A Horse with No Name, and The Bee Gees "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart. But no song is used more than "Troglodyte (Cave Man)" by the Jimmy Castor Bunch, lines from which are used in several responses, most notably on the three occasions when then-Secretary of State Henry Kissinger answers questions with "Gotta find a woman, gotta find a woman!" There's also a bad impression of Marlon Brando from The Godfather mixed in there. All in all, a dated bit of cheesy comedy, and this chart's clear Uneasy Rider.

8 - "I am Woman," Helen Reddy
The feminist anthem that spawned all others, and still the best for my money. Not that my opinion on this particularly matters. But it's a great song, that's for sure.

7 - "My Ding-a-Ling," Chuck Berry
Once again, I present you with this fact: This dick-joke-laden novelty was Chuck's only American #1. Elvis may be the King of Rock n' Roll, but make no mistake, Chuck Berry founded the kingdom and built the throne.

6 - "Garden Party," Rick Nelson and the Stone Canyon Band
Who knew the ex-teen hearthrob/TV star had something this smart and cool in him? Just a fantastic song.

5 - "I'll be Around," The Spinners
This group's first post-Motown hit. This is great, and it would get even better from their. These guys are among the decade's unsung musical heroes.

4 - "Freddie's Dead," Curtis Mayfield
A gritty funk masterpiece from a true legend. Proves that you don't necessarily need hard talk and obscenity to portray the desperation and despair of street life. Not that there isn't a place for that, but doing it with sweet soul singing is pretty good too.

3 - "I'd Love You to Want Me," Lobo
What's this? A Lobo song I haven't covered yet? Yeah. I know this one, and it's just a lump of crap. I won't waste my time saying more.

2 - "Nights in White Satin," The Moody Blues
Big ballad from these sometimes-pretentious Brits. Good romantic mood music though, I suppose.

1 - "I Can See Clearly Now," Johnny Nash
A guy from Houston backed by Bob Marley's Wailers on a gently grooving ode to optimism. Belongs on any "get yourself out of a crappy mood" playlist.

The NotCaseys were "Corner of the Sky" by the Jackson 5, "Living in the Past" by Jethro Tull, and "Sweet Surrender" by Bread.

Well, there's my extra-credit work. See you next week for what I believe will just be a normal week.