Author: Thomas Scovell

It’s 46 years and 4 months before Sadie is born and 2 years and 10 months before Thomas is.

Songs of the month

• ” –
• “A Very Special Love Song” – Charlie Rich
• “Bennie And The Jets” – Elton John
• “Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me” – Gladys Knight And The Pips
• “Boogie Down” – Eddie Kendricks
• “Come And Get Your Love” – Redbone
• [new] “Dancing Machine” – Jackson 5
• “Dark Lady” – Cher
• “Eres Tu” – Mocedades
• [new] “Help Me” – Joni Mitchell
• “Hooked On A Feeling” – Blue Swede
• “I’ll Have To Say I Love You In A Song” – Jim Croce
• [new] “I’ve Been Searchin’ So Long” – Chicago
• “Jet” – Paul Mccartney And Wings
• “Jungle Boogie” – Kool And The Gang
• “Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely” – Main Ingredient
• [new] “Keep On Singing” – Helen Reddy
• [new] “Let It Ride” – Bachman-Turner Overdrive
• “Lookin’ For A Love” – Bobby Womack
• [new] “Looking For A Love” – Bobby Womack
• [new] “Midnight At The Oasis” – Maria Muldaur
• “Mighty Love” – Spinners
• “Mockingbird” – Carly Simon And James Taylor
• [new] “My Mistake” – Diana Ross And Marvin Gaye
• “Oh My My” – Ringo Starr
• [new] “Oh Very Young” – Cat Stevens
• [new] “Piano Man” – Billy Joel
• “Rock On” – David Essex
• [new] “Searching So Long” – Chicago
• “Seasons In The Sun” – Terry Jacks
• “Sunshine On My Shoulders” – John Denver
• “Tell Me A Lie” – Sami Jo
• [new] “The Entertainer” – Marvin Hamlisch
• [new] “The Locomotion” – Grand Funk
• “The Lord’s Prayer” – Sister Janet Mead
• [new] “The Show Must Go On” – Three Dog Night
• [new] “The Streak” – Ray Stevens
• “There Won’t Be Anymore” – Charlie Rich
• “Touch A Hand Make A Friend” – Staple Singers
• “Trying To Hold On To My Woman” – Lamont Dozier
• “Tsop Mfsb
• [new] “Tubular Bells” – Mike Oldfield
• [new] “You Make Me Feel Brand New” – Stylistics

[new] = New to the chart this week.

You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

This month in history

Some history

What’d Sadie think?

The number one song this month was {number_one_song}.

• “Dancing Machine” – Jackson 5
• “Help Me” – Joni Mitchell
• “I’ve Been Searchin’ So Long” – Chicago
• “Keep On Singing” – Helen Reddy
• “Let It Ride” – Bachman-Turner Overdrive
• “Looking For A Love” – Bobby Womack
• “Midnight At The Oasis” – Maria Muldaur
• “My Mistake” – Diana Ross And Marvin Gaye
• “Oh Very Young” – Cat Stevens
• “Piano Man” – Billy Joel
• “Searching So Long” – Chicago
• “The Entertainer” – Marvin Hamlisch
• “The Locomotion” – Grand Funk
• “The Show Must Go On” – Three Dog Night
• “The Streak” – Ray Stevens
• “Tubular Bells” – Mike Oldfield
• “You Make Me Feel Brand New” – Stylistics

Loved ’em

here

Liked ’em

here

Leave ’em

here

Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

A jazzed up intro for this week’s playlist, with Sadie announcing over the top of Blue Swede’s “Hooked on a Feeling”, which was her ear-worm of the week. Hear the whole month here*…

*But not the intro in Belarus or Russia, as the copyright holders of the track have blocked it those countries randomly.

Songs of the month

• [new] “A Very Special Love Song” – Charlie Rich
• “Americans” – Byron Macgregor
• [new] “Bennie And The Jets” – Elton John
• [new] “Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me” – Gladys Knight And The Pips
• [new] “Boogie Down Baby” – Eddie Kendricks
• “Boogie Down” – Eddie Kendricks
• [new] “Come And Get Your Love” – Redbone
• “Dark Lady” – Cher
• “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo” – Rolling Stones
• “Eres Tu” – Mocedades
• [new] “Hooked On A Feeling” – Blue Swede
• [new] “I Like To Live The Love” – B.B. King
• “I Love” – Tom T. Hall
• [new] “I’ll Have To Say I Love You In A Song” – Jim Croce
• “Jet” – Paul Mccartney And Wings
• “Jungle Boogie” – Kool And The Gang
• [new] “Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely” – Main Ingredient
• “Last Time I Saw Him” – Diana Ross
• “Let Me Be There” – Olivia Newton-John
• [new] “Lookin’ For A Love” – Bobby Womack
• “Love Song” – Anne Murray
• “Love’s Theme” – Love Unlimited Orchestra
• “Midnight Rider” – Gregg Allman
• [new] “Mighty Love” – Spinners
• “Mockingbird” – Carly Simon And James Taylor
• [new] “My Sweet Lady” – Cliff Deyoung
• [new] “Oh My My” – Ringo Starr
• “Put Your Hands Together” – O’jays
• [new] “Rock And Roll Hoochie Koo” – Rick Derringer
• “Rock On” – David Essex
• “Seasons In The Sun” – Terry Jacks
• “Sexy Mama” – Moments
• “Show And Tell” – Al Wilson
• “Spiders And Snakes” – Jim Stafford
• [new] “Star” – Stealers Wheel
• “Sunshine On My Shoulders” – John Denver
• [new] “Tell Me A Lie” – Sami Jo
• [new] “The Lord’s Prayer” – Sister Janet Mead
• “The Way We Were” – Barbra Streisand
• [new] “There Won’t Be Anymore” – Charlie Rich
• [new] “Touch A Hand Make A Friend” – Staple Singers
• “Trying To Hold On To My Woman” – Lamont Dozier
• [new] “Tsop” – Mfsb Feat Three Degrees
• “Until You Come Back To Me” – Aretha Franklin
• “You’re Sixteen” – Ringo Starr

[new] = New to the chart this week.

You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

This month in history

On the 2nd of the month, the 16th Annual Grammy Awards took place in Los Angeles, dominated by the creative genius of Stevie Wonder. His groundbreaking album Innervisions won Album of the Year, marking a historic achievement as he also took home several other trophies, including Best R&B Song for “Superstition.” This era of Wonder’s career is often called his “Classic Period,” and this Grammy night solidified his transition from a Motown child star to one of the most respected and influential musical innovators in the world.

On the 4th, the first edition of People magazine debuted in the USA. Featuring Mia Farrow—decked out in her Great Gatsby pearls—on the inaugural cover, the weekly publication signaled a transition from hard news to a dedicated focus on “the stars, the headliners, and the ordinary people caught up in extraordinary situations.” For 35 cents, readers were given a new, intimate window into the lives of public figures, a format that fundamentally reshaped celebrity journalism and remains a juggernaut in the industry today.

 

The end of the month saw the highly anticipated US release of The Great Gatsby, starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow. Despite a mixed critical reception, the film was a massive cultural event that sparked a full-blown “Gatsby-mania” in fashion and interior design. The production’s lavish 1920s aesthetic—outfitted largely by Ralph Lauren—influenced 1970s style trends for years, proving that cinema could drive the consumer market just as much as it could drive the box office.

Down under that month, New Zealand was gripped by “Big Norm” fever. The pop group Ebony released their tribute song to Prime Minister Norman Kirk, which hit #4 on the NZ charts that March.

 

What’d Sadie think?

Three weeks at the top for “Seasons In The Sun” by Terry Jacks before Cher’s “Dark Lady” and  John Denver’s “Sunshine On My Shoulders” get their own week…in the sun.

Loved ’em

• “Bennie And The Jets” – Elton John
• “Come And Get Your Love” – Redbone
• “Hooked On A Feeling” – Blue Swede

Liked ’em

• “A Very Special Love Song” – Charlie Rich
• “Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me” – Gladys Knight And The Pips
• “Boogie Down Baby” – Eddie Kendricks
• “I Like To Live The Love” – B.B. King
• “I’ll Have To Say I Love You In A Song” – Jim Croce
• “Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely” – Main Ingredient
• “Lookin’ For A Love” – Bobby Womack
• “Mighty Love” – Spinners
• “My Sweet Lady” – Cliff Deyoung
• “Oh My My” – Ringo Starr
• “Rock And Roll Hoochie Koo” – Rick Derringer
• “Star” – Stealers Wheel
• “Tell Me A Lie” – Sami Jo
• “The Lord’s Prayer” – Sister Janet Mead
• “There Won’t Be Anymore” – Charlie Rich
• “Touch A Hand Make A Friend” – Staple Singers
• “TSOP” – Mfsb Feat Three Degrees

Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

My how time flies…its only 3 years in our journey before I, Thomas, am born! Which probably explains why I’m making mistakes like forgetting to drag Sadie’s intros to the _top_ of the playlist!

Anyway, we’ve now fixed that for a few months and this month indeed starts with Sadie’s lovely intro, so turn your ears back to February 1974…

Songs of the month

• “Americans” – Byron Macgregor
• [new] “Baby Come Close” – Smokey Robinson
• [new] “Boogie Down” – Eddie Kendricks
• [new] “Dark Lady” – Cher
• [new] “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo” – Rolling Stones
• [new] “Eres Tu” – Mocedades
• “Helen Wheels” – Paul Mccartney And Wings
• “I Love” – Tom T. Hall
• “I’ve Got To Use My Imagination” – Gladys Knight And The Pips
• [new] “Jet” – Paul Mccartney And Wings
• [new] “Jim Dandy” – Black Oak Arkansas
• [new] “Joy” – Isaac Hayes
• “Jungle Boogie” – Kool And The Gang
• [new] “Last Time I Saw Him” – Diana Ross
• “Let Me Be There” – Olivia Newton-John
• “Livin’ For You” – Al Green
• “Living For The City” – Stevie Wonder
• [new] “Love Song” – Anne Murray
• “Love’s Theme” – Love Unlimited Orchestra
• “Me And Baby Brother” – War
• [new] “Midnight Rider” – Gregg Allman
• [new] “Mockingbird” – Carly Simon And James Taylor
• [new] “My Sweet Lady” – Cliff Deyoung & Bill Mumy & Corey Fischer
• “Never Never Gonna Give Ya Up” – Barry White
• “Put Your Hands Together” – O’jays
• “Rock On” – David Essex
• [new] “Seasons In The Sun” – Terry Jacks
• [new] “Sexy Mama” – Moments
• “Show And Tell” – Al Wilson
• “Smokin’ In The Boys Room” – Brownsville Station
• “Spiders And Snakes” – Jim Stafford
• [new] “Sunshine On My Shoulders” – John Denver
• “The Americans” – Gordon Sinclair
• “The Joker” – Steve Miller Band
• “The Most Beautiful Girl” – Charlie Rich
• “The Way We Were” – Barbra Streisand
• “Time In A Bottle” – Jim Croce
• [new] “Trying To Hold On To My Woman” – Lamont Dozier
• “Until You Come Back To Me” – Aretha Franklin
• [new] “Until Your Come Back To Me” – Aretha Franklin
• “You’re Sixteen” – Ringo Starr

[new] = New to the chart this week.

You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

This month in history

On the 2nd the 10th British Commonwealth Games concluded in Christchurch. Dubbed the “Friendly Games,” the event was a massive success for New Zealand and was famously opened and closed by Queen Elizabeth II. The games are best remembered for the 1,500m final on the final day, where Tanzania’s Filbert Bayi broke the world record in what is often cited as the greatest middle-distance race of all time, closely followed by New Zealand’s own John Walker.

On the 7th of February, Mel Brooks’ satirical Western, Blazing Saddles, premiered and instantly became a comedy phenomenon. Starring Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder, the film fearlessly parodied the tropes of the Old West while taking sharp aim at racism and Hollywood conventions. Its world premiere was a true pop culture spectacle: 250 invited guests, including the stars, watched the film from horseback at a drive-in theater in Burbank. It went on to become one of the highest-grossing films of the decade, cementing Mel Brooks’ status as a master of the spoof genre.

The next day television history was made when Good Times premiered on CBS. A spin-off of Maude (which was itself a spin-off of All in the Family), it was the first sitcom to feature a two-parent African-American family. Set in a Chicago housing project, the show balanced humor with the harsh realities of urban poverty. While it was intended as a serious look at family life, Jimmie Walker’s character, J.J., and his catchphrase “Dyn-o-mite!” quickly became a national craze, making the show a definitive staple of mid-70s TV culture.

What’d Sadie think?

It’s three weeks at number one for “The Way We Were” by Barbra Streisand but interrupted in the middle of the month  by Love Unlimited Orchestra with “Love’s Theme”.

Loved ’em

• “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo” – Rolling Stones
• “Last Time I Saw Him” – Diana Ross
• “Sunshine On My Shoulders” – John Denver

Liked ’em

• “Baby Come Close” – Smokey Robinson
• “Boogie Down” – Eddie Kendricks
• “Dark Lady” – Cher
• “Jet” – Paul Mccartney And Wings
• “Jim Dandy” – Black Oak Arkansas
• “Joy” – Isaac Hayes
• “Love Song” – Anne Murray
• “Midnight Rider” – Gregg Allman
• “Mockingbird” – Carly Simon And James Taylor
• “Seasons In The Sun” – Terry Jacks
• “Sexy Mama” – Moments
• “Trying To Hold On To My Woman” – Lamont Dozier
• “Until Your Come Back To Me” – Aretha Franklin

Leave ’em

• “Eres Tu” – Mocedades

Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

Busy week at work so let’s jump straight to the new year sounds of January, 1974…

Songs of the month

• [new] “Americans” – Byron Macgregor
• “D’yer Maker” – Led Zeppelin
• “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” – Elton John
• “Helen Wheels” – Paul Mccartney And Wings
• “Hello It’s Me” – Todd Rundgren
• [new] “I Love” – Tom T. Hall
• “I’ve Got To Use My Imagination” – Gladys Knight And The Pips
• [new] “If We Make It Through December” – Merle Haggard
• “If You’re Ready” – Staple Singers
• [new] “Jungle Boogie” – Kool And The Gang
• “Just You N Me” – Chicago
• “Leave Me Alone” – Helen Reddy
• “Let Me Be There” – Olivia Newton-John
• [new] “Let Your Hair Down” – Temptations
• “Livin’ For You” – Al Green
• “Living For The City” – Stevie Wonder
• “Love’s Theme” – Love Unlimited Orchestra
• “Me And Baby Brother” – War
• “Mind Games” – John Lennon
• “My Music” – Loggins And Messina
• “Never Never Gonna Give You Up” – Barry White
• [new] “Put Your Hands Together” – O’jays
• [new] “Rock On” – David Essex
• “Rockin’ Roll Baby” – Stylistics
• “Show And Tell” – Al Wilson
• [new] “Sister Mary Elephant” – Cheech And Chong
• “Smokin’ In The Boys Room” – Brownsville Station
• [new] “Spiders & Snakes” – Jim Stafford
• [new] “Spiders And Snakes” – Jim Stafford
• [new] “The Americans” – Gordon Sinclair
• “The Joker” – Steve Miller Band
• “The Love I Lost” – Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes
• “The Most Beautiful Girl” – Charlie Rich
• “The Way We Were” – Barbra Streisand
• “Time In A Bottle” – Jim Croce
• “Top Of The World” – Carpenters
• “Until You Come Back To Me” – Aretha Franklin
• [new] “Walk Like A Man” – Grand Funk
• “When I Fall In Love” – Donny Osmond
• “You’re Sixteen” – Ringo Starr

[new] = New to the chart this week.

You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

This month in history

On January 15, ABC premiered a sitcom that would go on to define the decade’s obsession with 1950s nostalgia. Originally born from a segment on Love, American Style, Happy Days introduced the world to the Cunningham family and the breakout “cool” archetype, Arthur “The Fonz” Fonzarelli. While critics were initially mixed, the show’s idealized vision of mid-century Americana struck a chord with an audience looking for escapism during the real-world tensions of the 1970s. It eventually became a ratings powerhouse and spawned a massive franchise of spin-offs.

After nearly eight years of staying off the road following a 1966 motorcycle accident, Bob Dylan returned to the stage on January 3 at the Chicago Stadium. Backed by The Band, this tour was one of the most anticipated musical events of the era, with ticket demand far exceeding supply. The high-energy performances, later immortalized in the live album Before the Flood, saw Dylan reinventing his own classics with a louder, more aggressive sound. It signaled that the “voice of a generation” was ready to engage with the public once again, setting the tone for his prolific output in the mid-70s.

3. The Series Premiere of The Six Million Dollar Man (January 18)

Following three successful television movies, the first weekly episode of The Six Million Dollar Man aired on January 18. Starring Lee Majors as Colonel Steve Austin, the show introduced the iconic “better, stronger, faster” bionic man to a weekly audience. Its blend of sci-fi action and slow-motion “bionic” sound effects became a playground staple for children of the 70s. The show didn’t just become a hit; it became a merchandising phenomenon and a precursor to the modern superhero and action-driven television we see today.

What’d Sadie think?

A week a song for “Time In A Bottle” by Jim Croce, Steve Miller Band’s”The Joker”, “Show And Tell” by Al Wilson and Ringo Starr’s, “You’re Sixteen”.

Loved ’em

• “Jungle Boogie” – Kool And The Gang
• “Let Your Hair Down” – Temptations
• “Rock On” – David Essex
• “Walk Like A Man” – Grand FunK

Liked ’em

• “I Love” – Tom T. Hall
• “If We Make It Through December” – Merle Haggard
• “Put Your Hands Together” – O’jays
• “Spiders & Snakes” – Jim Stafford
• “The Americans” – Gordon Sinclair

Leave ’em

• “Sister Mary Elephant” – Cheech And Chong

Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

Another year in our sped-up journey comes to a close, let’s see what Christmas sounded like in 1973!

Songs of the month

• “All I Know” – Garfunkel
• “Angie” – Rolling Stones
• “Cheaper To Keep Her” – Johnnie Taylor
• [new] “Come Get To This” – Marvin Gaye
• [new] “D’yer Maker” – Led Zeppelin
• “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” – Elton John
• “Heartbeat – It’s A Lovebeat” – Defranco Family
• [new] “Helen Wheels” – Paul Mccartney & Wings
• “Hello It’s Me” – Todd Rundgren
• “I Got A Name” – Jim Croce
• [new] “I’ve Got To Use My Imagination” – Gladys Knight And The Pips
• “If You’re Ready” – Staple Singers
• “Just You N Me” – Chicago
• “Keep On Truckin’” – Eddie Kendricks
• “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” – Bob Dylan
• “Leave Me Alone” – Helen Reddy
• [new] “Let Me Be There” – Olivia Newton-John
• “Let Me Serenade You” – Three Dog Night
• [new] “Livin’ For You” – Al Green
• [new] “Living For The City” – Stevie Wonder
• [new] “Love’s Theme” – Love Unlimited Orchestra
• [new] “Me And Baby Brother” – War
• “Midnight Train To Georgia” – Gladys Knight And The Pips
• [new] “Mind Games” – John Lennon
• [new] “My Music” – Loggins And Messina
• “Never Never Gonna Give You Up” – Barry White
• “Ooh Baby” – Gilbert O’sullivan
• “Paper Roses” – Marie Osmond
• “Photograph” – Ringo Starr
• “Rockin’ Roll Baby” – Stylistics
• [new] “Show And Tell” – Al Wilson
• [new] “Smokin’ In The Boys Room” – Brownsville Station
• “Space Race” – Billy Preston
• “The Joker” – Steve Miller Band
• “The Love I Lost” – Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes
• “The Most Beautiful Girl” – Charlie Rich
• [new] “The Way We Were” – Barbra Streisand
• [new] “Time In A Bottle” – Jim Croce
• “Top Of The World” – Carpenters
• [new] “Until You Come Back To Me” – Aretha Franklin
• [new] “When I Fall In Love” – Donny Osmond
• [new] “Who’s In The Strawberry Patch With Sally” – Dawn
• “You’re A Special Part Of Me” – Diana Ross And Marvin Gaye
• [new] “You’re Sixteen” – Ringo Starr

[new] = New to the chart this week.

You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

This month in history

In early December, Hilly Kristal opened a small club on New York’s Bowery named CBGB (which stood for Country, Bluegrass, and Blues). While the name suggested one genre, the venue quickly became the gritty headquarters for the American punk and new wave movement. By providing a stage for then-unknown acts like the Ramones, Blondie, and Television, CBGB transformed the musical landscape and became one of the most legendary shrines in rock history.

On the day after Christmas, William Friedkin’s The Exorcist hit theaters and became an immediate cultural firestorm. It wasn’t just a movie; it was a news event, with reports of audiences fainting, vomiting, and fleeing the cinema in terror. As the first horror film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, it fundamentally changed the genre’s prestige and remains a definitive example of the visceral, boundary-pushing cinema that defined the early 1970s.

On New Year’s Eve 1973, a fledgling band called AC/DC played their first official show at the Chequers nightclub in Sydney, Australia. Founded by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young, the original lineup featured Dave Evans on vocals. This debut marked the birth of one of the world’s most enduring hard rock acts, though it would be another year before they met Bon Scott and refined the high-voltage sound that eventually conquered the global charts.

What’d Sadie think?

Two at the top for “Top Of The World” by the Carpenters then two for “The Most Beautiful Girl” by Charlie Rich before Jim Croce’s “Time In A Bottle” has a week at number one.

Loved ’em

• “D’yer Maker” – Led Zeppelin
• “Livin’ For You” – Al Green
• “Living For The City” – Stevie Wonder
• “Time In A Bottle” – Jim Croce

Liked ’em

• “Come Get To This” – Marvin Gaye
• “Helen Wheels” – Paul Mccartney & Wings
• “I’ve Got To Use My Imagination” – Gladys Knight And The Pips
• “Let Me Be There” – Olivia Newton-John
• “Love’s Theme” – Love Unlimited Orchestra
• “Me And Baby Brother” – War
• “Mind Games” – John Lennon
• “My Music” – Loggins And Messina
• “Show And Tell” – Al Wilson
• “Smokin’ In The Boys Room” – Brownsville Station
• “The Way We Were” – Barbra Streisand
• “Until You Come Back To Me” – Aretha Franklin
• “You’re Sixteen” – Ringo Starr

Leave ’em

• “When I Fall In Love” – Donny Osmond
• “Who’s In The Strawberry Patch With Sally” – Tony Orlando And Dawn

Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

Let’s tune our ears to the sounds of November, 1973…

Songs of the month

• “All I Know” – Garfunkel
• “Angie” – Rolling Stones
• “Basketball Jones Ft Tyrone Shoelaces” – Cheech And Chong
• [new] “Cheaper To Keep Her” – Johnnie Taylor
• [new] “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” – Elton John
• “Half Breed” – Cher
• “Heartbeat – It’s A Lovebeat” – Defranco Family
• [new] “Hello It’s Me” – Todd Rundgren
• “Higher Ground” – Stevie Wonder
• “Hurts So Good” – Millie Jackson
• “I Got A Name” – Jim Croce
• [new] “If You’re Ready” – Staple Singers
• “Just You N Me” – Chicago
• “Keep On Truckin’” – Eddie Kendricks
• “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” – Bob Dylan
• [new] “Leave Me Alone” – Helen Reddy
• [new] “Let Me Serenade You” – Three Dog Night
• “Let’s Get It On” – Marvin Gaye
• “Loves Me Like A Rock” – Paul Simon
• “Midnight Train To Georgia” – Gladys Knight And The Pips
• “My Maria” – B.W. Stevenson
• [new] “Never Never Gonna Give You Up” – Barry White
• [new] “Nutbush City Limits” – Ike And Tina Turner
• [new] “Ooh Baby” – Gilbert O’sullivan
• “Paper Roses” – Marie Osmond
• “Photograph” – Ringo Starr
• “Ramblin’ Man” – Allman Brothers Band
• [new] “Rockin’ Roll Baby” – Stylistics
• “Space Race” – Billy Preston
• “Summer (The First Time)” – Bobby Goldsboro
• “That Lady” – Isley Brothers
• [new] “The Joker” – Steve Miller Band
• [new] “The Love I Lost” – Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes
• [new] “The Most Beautiful Girl” – Charlie Rich
• “Top Of The World” – Carpenters
• “We May Never Pass This Way” – Seals And Crofts
• “We’re An American Band” – Grand Funk
• “Why Me” – Kris Kristofferson
• “Yes We Can Can” – Pointer Sisters
• “You’re A Special Part Of Me” – Diana Ross And Marvin Gaye

[new] = New to the chart this week.

You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

This month in history

While he had released music before, November 9, 1973, marked the release of the album that would change Billy Joel’s life forever: Piano Man. The title track, inspired by his real-life experience working as a lounge singer in Los Angeles to avoid a bad contract, became a definitive anthem. Its blend of character-driven storytelling and melodic piano work not only gave Joel his first major hit but established the “Piano Man” persona that would define his five-decade career.

Long before the modern era of viral royal news, the wedding of Princess Anne to Captain Mark Phillips at Westminster Abbey on the 14th captured the world’s imagination. It was a massive media event, estimated to have been watched by over 100 million people worldwide—a staggering number for 1973. Beyond the ceremony, the wedding influenced 1970s fashion and served as a rare moment of global celebration during a year otherwise dominated by the energy crisis and political turmoil.

During the opening night of The Who’s Quadrophenia US tour at the Cow Palace in California on the 20th, legendary drummer Keith Moon collapsed on stage after reportedly consuming animal tranquilizers. When he couldn’t continue, guitarist Pete Townshend asked the crowd, “Can anybody play the drums?” A 19-year-old fan in the audience named Scot Halpin was pushed forward by his friend. Halpin stepped up, played the final three songs of the set with the band, and became a permanent fixture in rock history as the fan who saved a The Who concert.

What’d Sadie think?

It’s a week at number one for “Midnight Train To Georgia” by Gladys Knight And The Pips before “Keep On Truckin’” by Eddie Kendricks has it for two weeks, only to be usurped by Ringo Starr’s “Photograph” for the last week of November.

Loved ’em

• “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” – Elton John
• “Never Never Gonna Give You Up” – Barry White
• “Nutbush City Limits” – Ike And Tina Turner
• “The Joker” – Steve Miller Band
• “The Most Beautiful Girl” – Charlie Rich

Liked ’em

• “Hello It’s Me” – Todd Rundgren
• “If You’re Ready” – Staple Singers
• “Leave Me Alone” – Helen Reddy
• “Let Me Serenade You” – Three Dog Night
• “Ooh Baby” – Gilbert O’sullivan
• “Rockin’ Roll Baby” – Stylistics
• “The Love I Lost” – Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes

Leave ’em

• “Cheaper To Keep Her” – Johnnie Taylor

Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.