February 1973 -- an Oddity or two

Fun countdown today as Casey made a couple comments that 50 years later really resonated.  First up was David Bowie (which he pronounced Boo'-ee), who debuted with his first top 40 hit, "Space Oddity," in its 3rd release in 5 years.  While it made a respectable #15, what Casey didn't know is that he would go on to 2 #1s and become a rock icon.  He also didn't connect that the theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey was also charting, and I think the movie helped Bowie's song.

He also made a big deal out of the 5th Dimension going on an eastern Europe goodwill tour...but he didn't know that that was his last opportunity to talk about it.  They never spent another week in the top 40.  By contrast, the Eagles, Doobie Brothers, newcomer Bette Midler would have hit songs through 1990, despite not exactly hot starts.

He made a big deal about the Barbara Mason record being a most unusual third hit from the same soundtrack.  Little did know that Saturday Night Fever, Urban Cowboy, and Footloose were coming down the pike....with 6 each.

Funny connections to the parallel 80's-on-8 broadcast from 1980, where they mentioned Barbara Mason and Deodato!

1 5 KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG –•– Roberta Flack (Atlantic)-5 (1 week at #1) (1)
2 4 DUELING BANJOS –•– Deliverance (Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell) (Warner Brothers)-7 (2)
3 1 CROCODILE ROCK –•– Elton John (MCA)-12 (1)
4 2 YOU’RE SO VAIN –•– Carly Simon (Elektra)-13 (1)
5 7 COULD IT BE I’M FALLING IN LOVE –•– The Spinners (Atlantic)-9 (5)
6 6 DO IT AGAIN –•– Steely Dan (ABC)-15 (6)
7 13 LAST SONG –•– Edward Bear (Capitol)-11 (7)
8 8 DON’T EXPECT ME TO BE YOUR FRIEND –•– Lobo (Big Tree)-9 (8)
9 15 LOVE TRAIN –•– The O’Jays (Philadelphia International)-6 (9)
10 10 ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH –•– John Denver (RCA)-14 (10)
11 3 OH, BABE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY –•– Hurricane Smith (Capitol)-13 (3)
12 16 DADDY’S HOME –•– Jermaine Jackson (Motown)-12 (12)
13 14 DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT –•– King Harvest (Perception)-18 (13)
14 9 WHY CAN’T WE LIVE TOGETHER –•– Timmy Thomas (Glades)-14 (3)
15 19 THE COVER OF “ROLLING STONE” –•– Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show (Columbia)-13 (15)
16 18 JAMBALAYA (On the Bayou) –•– The Blue Ridge Rangers (Fantasy)-13 (16)
17 12 SUPERSTITION –•– Stevie Wonder (Tamla)-15 (1)
18 25 ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA (2001) –•– Deodato (CTI)-4 (18)
19 22 DO YOU WANT TO DANCE –•– Bette Midler (Atlantic)-10 (19)
20 11 THE WORLD IS A GHETTO –•– War (United Artists)-15 (7)
21 23 DREIDEL –•– Don McLean (United Artists)-10 (21)
22 28 I’M JUST A SINGER (In a Rock and Roll Band) –•– The Moody Blues (Threshold)-4 (22)
23 20 LOVE JONES –•– Brighter Side Of Darkness (20th Century)-12 (16)
24 29 PEACEFUL EASY FEELING –•– Eagles (Asylum)-9 (24)
25 17 TROUBLE MAN –•– Marvin Gaye (Tamla)-11 (7)
26 35 DANNY’S SONG –•– Anne Murray (Capitol)-8 (26)
27 36 AUBREY –•– Bread (Elektra)-4 (27)
28 30 I GOT ANTS IN MY PANTS (And I Want To Dance) (Part 1) –•– James Brown (Polydor)-6 (28)
29 34 BIG CITY MISS RUTH ANN –•– Gallery (Sussex)-9 (29)
30 21 YOUR MAMA DON’T DANCE –•– Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina (Columbia)-16 (4)
31 40 NEITHER ONE OF US (Wants To Be the First To Say Goodbye) –•– Gladys Knight and the Pips (Soul)-5 (31)
32 32 LIVING TOGETHER, GROWING TOGETHER –•– The 5th Dimension (Bell)-8 (32)
33 38 HUMMINGBIRD –•– Seals and Crofts (Warner Brothers)-6 (33)
34 41 GIVE ME YOUR LOVE –•– Barbara Mason (Buddah)-7 (34)
35 37 JESUS IS JUST ALRIGHT –•– The Doobie Brothers (Warner Brothers)-11 (35)
36 42 SPACE ODDITY –•– David Bowie (RCA)-5 (36)
37 43 DON’T CROSS THE RIVER –•– America (Warner Brothers)-5 (37)
38 24 HI, HI, HI –•– Wings (Apple)-11 (10)
39 46 AIN’T NO WOMAN (Like the One I Got) –•– The Four Tops (Dunhill)-4 (39)
40 47 DEAD SKUNK –•– Loudon Wainwright III (Columbia)-5 (40)

July 1973 -- Why Me, indeed

Another great week for countdown oddities, including some Casey would've been unaware of.

He was aware that Pink Floyd's album "Dark Side of the Moon" had hit #1, spawning #17 below, but would he have ever guessed it would nearly 1,000 weeks on the album chart, 741 consecutive, ranking among the top 200 of the year as late as 2015!  Now that catalog albums aren't artificially kept off the album chart, Queen, Journey, or Bob Marley will likely ultimately pass them with their Greatest Hits albums, but that's still years away.

Down at #35, Kris Kristopherson moved up a modest two notches, but what Casey didn't know is that it would have one of the craziest chart performances ever, pre-streaming.  It fell off the top 40 that next week, returned 4 weeks later, and bopped up and down until finally dropping off in December, unheard of longevity then, especially for a song that only peaked at #16.  I'm sure Casey was as surprised as anyone when its longevity made it rank as the #2 song of the entire year!  Not every number one for a year was necessarily #1 for any given week (e.g. "Levitating" by Dua Lipa in 2021), but if not for "Tie a Yellow Ribbon," it would've been still far-and-away the lowest weekly charting for such a song. 

He also outro'd Foster Sylvers as being related to but not a member of the family act, the Sylvers...who'd never hit the top 40.  Little did he know, they'd hit #1 3 years later, including Foster, with "Boogie Fever."  Foster sounded just like a young Michael Jackson.

He intro'd Maureen McGovern's song as a recipient of publicity from winning an Academy Award.  Just a couple years ago, that launched "Shallow" by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper to #1 the week after the Oscars.  Took a little bit longer back in 1973 -- the vinyl record had to be re-pressed, sent to stations and stores, picked up for airplay... but it too eventually went to #1 as well.

Finally, he made much of Bobby Pickett's most unusual return to the top 40 with "Monster Mash" -- an 11-year-old #1 hit!  It would go on to make the weekly top 10 (oddly, nowhere near Halloween) and make the year-end top 100 for a 2nd time.

All in all, an eclectic top 40!

1 1 WILL IT GO ROUND IN CIRCLES –•– Billy Preston (A&M)-16 (2 weeks at #1) (1)

2 2 KODACHROME –•– Paul Simon (Columbia)-9 (2)

3 5 BAD, BAD LEROY BROWN –•– Jim Croce (ABC)-13 (3)
4 7 SHAMBALA –•– Three Dog Night (Dunhill)-9 (4)
5 4 GIVE ME LOVE (Give Me Peace On Earth) –•– George Harrison (Apple)-9 (1)
6 8 YESTERDAY ONCE MORE –•– The Carpenters (A&M)-7 (6)
7 6 PLAYGROUND IN MY MIND –•– Clint Holmes (Epic)-17 (2)
8 11 SMOKE ON THE WATER –•– Deep Purple (Warner Brothers)-8 (8)
9 3 MY LOVE –•– Paul McCartney and Wings (Apple)-14 (1)
10 9 RIGHT PLACE WRONG TIME –•– Dr. John (Atco)-14 (9)

11 12 LONG TRAIN RUNNIN’ –•– The Doobie Brothers (Warner Brothers)-13 (8)
12 13 NATURAL HIGH –•– Bloodstone (London)-13 (12)
13 17 DIAMOND GIRL –•– Seals and Crofts (Warner Brothers)-10 (13)
14 14 BOOGIE WOOGIE BUGLE BOY –•– Bette Midler (Atlantic)-10 (14)
15 10 I’M GONNA LOVE YOU JUST A LITTLE MORE BABY –•– Barry White (20th Century)-14 (3)
16 18 BEHIND CLOSED DOORS –•– Charlie Rich (Epic)-12 (16)
17 20 MONEY –•– Pink Floyd (Harvest)-9 (17)
18 16 PILLOW TALK –•– Sylvia (Vibration)-17 (3)
19 22 SO VERY HARD TO GO –•– The Tower Of Power (Warner Brothers)-11 (19)
20 26 MONSTER MASH –•– Bobby “Boris” Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers (Parrot)-28 (1)

21 29 TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING –•– Diana Ross (Motown)-7 (21)
22 24 DOING IT TO DEATH –•– Fred Wesley and the JB’s (People)-7 (22)
23 15 ONE OF A KIND (Love Affair) –•– The Spinners (Atlantic)-12 (11)
24 19 DADDY COULD SWEAR, I DECLARE –•– Gladys Knight and the Pips (Soul)-12 (19)
25 30 MISDEMEANOR –•– Foster Sylvers (Pride / MGM)-7 (25)
26 32 FEELIN’ STRONGER EVERY DAY –•– Chicago (Columbia)-4 (26)
27 21 FRANKENSTEIN –•– The Edgar Winter Group (Epic)-19 (1)
28 35 SATIN SHEETS –•– Jeanne Pruett (MCA)-10 (28)
29 42 THE MORNING AFTER –•– Maureen McGovern (20th Century)-4 (29)
30 23 I’M DOIN’ FINE NOW –•– New York City (Chelsea)-20 (17)

31 48 GET DOWN –•– Gilbert O’Sullivan (MAM)-4 (31)
32 41 I BELIEVE IN YOU (You Believe In Me) –•– Johnnie Taylor (Stax)-4 (32)
33 34 WHERE PEACEFUL WATERS FLOW –•– Gladys Knight and the Pips (Buddah)-5 (33)
34 45 IF YOU WANT ME TO STAY –•– Sly and the Family Stone (Epic)-3 (34)
35 37 WHY ME –•– Kris Kristofferson (Monument)-15 (35)
36 39 GOIN’ HOME –•– The Osmonds (MGM)-5 (36)
37 61 BROTHER LOUIE –•– The Stories (Kama Sutra)-4 (37)
38 38 I’LL ALWAYS LOVE MY MAMA (Part 1) –•– The Intruders (Gamble)-7 (38)
39 44 SWAMP WITCH –•– Jim Stafford (MGM)-10 (39)
40 40 THE PLASTIC MAN –•– The Temptations (Gordy)-6 (40)

February 1971 -- The Jackson 5 vs the Osmond 5

When I last blogged about this month, it was about all the family acts and that the Jackson 5 would be joining the next week.  Well, I heard that subsequent countdown today, and not only did they debut, but big...way up at #25.  Casey made a point he'd make often in the years to come that they started with 4 straight #1's, but what he didn't know was that this song would break the streak....and they'd never have another #1!

Sure, Michael Jackson did, and the other brothers did just fine by any standard, but one might've expected after 4 #1's to begin their career that they'd have a few others along the way.  Nope!  Worst yet, "Mama's Pearl" reached #2 behind "One Bad Apple" which was basically a rip-off of their sound by the Osmonds.

Speaking of rip-offs, among the few oldies he played was Dean Martin's #1 "Memories are Made of This," which sounded like Martin imitating Elvis.

Also debuting was a lush orchestral instrumental, one of the last of its kind.  Henry Mancini never had a top 40 hit again, but this week he already sounded a bit out of place (along with Perry Como) on the charts with Dave Edmunds and James Brown :-)

Up at #8 sat Elton John's first hit, and if Casey would've been surprised to know Elton would have at least one top 40 hit through 1999... how much more startled he'd be this very week in 2022, when Elton's again in the top 10 with "Cold Heart." It's a mash up of pieces of three of his hits, "Sacrifice," "Kiss the Bride," and "Rocket Man" re-recorded with Dua Lipa.  None of the titles or choruses are used...just lyric lines with a modern production.  It has been a long time since another artist who started in the 70's hit the top 40 (outside of Christmas).

1 1 KNOCK THREE TIMES –•– Dawn (Bell)-12 (3 weeks at #1) (1)
2 9 ONE BAD APPLE –•– The Osmonds (MGM)-6 (2)
3 2 MY SWEET LORD / ISN’T IT A PITY –•– George Harrison (Apple)-11 (1)
4 3 LONELY DAYS –•– The Bee Gees (Atco)-10 (3)
5 5 ROSE GARDEN –•– Lynn Anderson (Columbia)-11 (5)
6 7 I HEAR YOU KNOCKING –•– Dave Edmunds (MAM)-7 (6)
7 6 GROOVE ME –•– King Floyd (Chimneyville)-16 (6)
8 8 YOUR SONG –•– Elton John (Uni)-11 (8)
9 4 ONE LESS BELL TO ANSWER –•– The 5th Dimension (Bell)-16 (2)
10 11 IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN –•– Gladys Knight and the Pips (Soul)-11 (10)
11 10 STONEY END –•– Barbra Streisand (Columbia)-15 (6)
12 25 WATCHING SCOTTY GROW –•– Bobby Goldsboro (United Artists)-7 (12)
13 13 IT’S IMPOSSIBLE –•– Perry Como (RCA)-13 (10)
14 14 LOVE THE ONE YOU’RE WITH –•– Stephen Stills (Atlantic)-9 (14)
15 18 MR. BOJANGLES –•– The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (Liberty)-12 (15)
16 19 REMEMBER ME –•– Diana Ross (Motown)-7 (16)
17 17 BORN TO WANDER –•– Rare Earth (Rare Earth)-9 (17)
18 28 IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND –•– Gordon Lightfoot (Reprise)-7 (18)
19 26 AMAZING GRACE –•– Judy Collins (Elektra)-9 (19)
20 20 WE GOTTA GET YOU A WOMAN –•– Runt (Todd Rundgren) (Ampex)-13 (20)
21 22 I REALLY DON’T WANT TO KNOW / THERE GOES MY EVERYTHING –•– Elvis Presley (RCA)-7 (21)
22 15 I THINK I LOVE YOU –•– The Partridge Family (Starring Shirley Jones and Featuring David Cassidy) (Bell)-18 (1)
23 16 IMMIGRANT SONG –•– Led Zeppelin (Atlantic)-12 (16)
24 12 BLACK MAGIC WOMAN –•– Santana (Columbia)-13 (4)
25 47 MAMA’S PEARL –•– Jackson 5 (Motown)-2 (25)
26 21 STONED LOVE –•– The Supremes (Motown)-14 (7)
27 31 AMOS MOSES –•– Jerry Reed (RCA)-15 (27)
28 23 FOR THE GOOD TIMES –•– Ray Price (Columbia)-24 (11)
29 33 LET YOUR LOVE GO –•– Bread (Elektra)-6 (29)
30 49 (Theme From) “LOVE STORY” –•– Henry Mancini, His Orchestra and Chorus (RCA)-4 (30)
31 36 (Do the) PUSH AND PULL (Part 1) –•– Rufus Thomas (Stax)-8 (31)
32 56 HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THE RAIN / HEY TONIGHT –•– Creedence Clearwater Revival (Fantasy)-2 (32)
33 40 SOMEBODY’S WATCHING YOU –•– Little Sister (Stone Flower)-9 (33)
34 35 GET UP, GET INTO IT, GET INVOLVED (Part 1) –•– James Brown (King)-6 (34)
35 37 1900 YESTERDAY –•– Liz Damon’s Orient Express (White Whale)-7 (35)
36 39 PRECIOUS PRECIOUS –•– Jackie Moore (Atlantic)-10 (36)
37 27 PAY TO THE PIPER –•– The Chairmen Of the Board (Invictus)-13 (13)
38 34 GAMES –•– Redeye (Pentagram)-14 (27)
39 55 DON’T LET THE GREEN GRASS FOOL YOU –•– Wilson Pickett (Atlantic)-4 (39)
40 41 YOUR TIME TO CRY –•– Joe Simon (Spring)-8 (40)