Massive Hits From 1972 That Aren’t So Easy To Remember
Some songs capture a feeling or ride a beat so effectively that they seem to last forever. Whether the public just never stops loving them or they find their way in different movies, these hits are practically remembered as shorthand for the decades they originated.
However, for every song we remember from a bygone era, there are about ten we don’t. And when those songs were recorded over half a century ago, it’s pretty much inevitable for memories of them to get a little hazy. Although not everything listed here will have fallen down that memory hole, more of them will than it may seem.
Roberta Flack – “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”
Although she’s perhaps better known for her version of “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” that was only one of Roberta Flack’s number-one hits from the early to mid ’70s. Neither it nor any of her others would have ever had a chance to flourish if not for one beloved cover.
Flack’s version of the 1957 song “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” wasn’t a massive sensation when she recorded it in 1969, but the song ended up receiving such a big boost from the 1971 Clint Eastwood movie Play Misty For Me that it would become the biggest hit of 1972. It was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks.
Gilbert O’ Sullivan – “Alone Again (Naturally)”
Although Irish singer Gilbert O’ Sullivan’s signature song “Alone Again (Naturally),” is initially about being left at the altar, it delves more into philosophical matters and family traumas as it progresses. This proved moving enough to give O’Sullivan a hit big enough to stay at number one for six non-consecutive weeks in 1972, but the song would also have a peculiar afterlife.
That’s because it has the complicated legacy of effectively killing the golden age of sampling in hip-hop. After O’Sullivan sued Biz Markie for an unauthorized sample of the song, sampling under these circumstances was legally found to constitute copyright infringement for the first time in 1991.
Don McLean – “American Pie”
Although not every big hit from 1972 is likely to be remembered forever, Don McLean’s sprawling ode to the death of Buddy Holly and the state of rock and roll afterwards probably has the best chance.
That’s not just because “American Pie” has that catchy chorus or lyrics laden with poetic meaning, but also because McLean was able to make an eight-minute song engaging enough to the public to set a 50-year record for the longest song to hit number one. Even more impressively, it stayed at that spot for four weeks in 1972.
Harry Nilsson – “Without You”
As a singer-songwriter, Nilsson had such an impressive reputation for his work that he was sometimes called “The American Beatle.” That’s not just because then-former Beatles like Paul McCartney and John Lennon deeply admired his music, but also because he would form genuine friendships with them.
As such, there’s an irony in the fact that Nilsson’s biggest hit of 1972 was a song he didn’t write. It was originally a deep cut by Welsh band Badfinger but the fuller drama and richer production of Nilsson’s version caught on enough to give him his only number-one hit. It remained at that spot for four weeks.
Sammy Davis Jr. – “The Candy Man”
When Anthony Newley wrote the original version of “The Candy Man” that appeared in the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory with Leslie Bricusse, he was appalled by how uncommercial the nasally version sung by actor Aubrey Woods was in the movie. He lobbied to record his own version instead, but Woods’ contract was clear that his voice couldn’t be overdubbed.
It turned out that Newley’s instincts on the song’s commercial prospects were correct because Sammy Davis Jr.’s legendary cover would turn out to be his only number-one hit. Although he reportedly had no hope for his version’s success at all, it spent three weeks at number one.
Joe Tex – “I Gotcha”
Although Joe Tex had originally intended to write “I Gotcha” for soul singer King Floyd, he got the instinct to record it himself. Although he didn’t release the results for several years and re-recorded it in 1971, those instincts turned out to serve him well because he had a bigger hit on his hands than he expected.
Tex had intended the song as a B-side, but radio DJs found they liked it so much better than the A-side that “I Gotcha” provided Tex with his first major hit in five years. It peaked at number two for two weeks, as it was blocked from the number-one spot by Roberta Flack’s version of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.”
Bill Withers – “Lean On Me”
Although classic soul man Bill Withers spent less time in the music industry than it may seem in retrospect, he had the uncanny knack to release multiple hits that all achieved timeless longevity. Perhaps one of his most beloved and precious is the comfort and togetherness anthem “Lean On Me.”
From its uplifting chorus to its sing-along interlude, the passion and wholesome sentiments of the song warmed the hearts of Americans everywhere. Not only does that show in its three-week run at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 but also in the fact that even a cover of Lean On Me has matched that success.
Mac Davis – “Baby Don’t Get Hooked On Me”
When the fledgling singer-songwriter Mac Davis was trying to get his career off the ground, his biggest edict from his record company was that he needed to write a song with a hook. Although they likely didn’t mean it quite so literally, “Baby Don’t Get Hooked On Me” fit the bill better than they could have hoped
That’s because the country-pop tune ended up staying at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and topping the Easy Listening chart for the same length of time. Amusingly, he also got a chance to sing it on The Muppet Show.
Melanie – “Brand New Key”
Although Melanie would also be known for the rousing Woodstock-inspired anthem “Lay Down,” it’s fair to say that the more twee and innocently cute ditty “Brand New Key” is considered the singer-songwriter’s signature track.
Inspired by the joy she felt in indulging herself after embarking on a 27-day fast, Melanie channelled this sentiment into a sweet song about a young girl trying to a attract a boy’s attention with her brand new roller skates. It was number one for three weeks but wasn’t considered a bigger hit of 1972 because at least one of those weeks was in 1971.
Wayne Newton – “Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast”
Through his decades of successful residencies there, Wayne Newton has long developed a reputation as “Mr. Las Vegas.” Yet, back when he was just beginning to make the desert city his kingdom, Newton was also a figure of national renown in the entertainment industry.
Although Newton had multiple Top 40 hits between 1963 and 1980, only “Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast” was able to break through the Top Ten in 1972. A song about a man reconsidering divorce after his daughter says the title phrase to him, “Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast,” peaked at number four during its 20-week run on the Billboard Hot 100.
Al Green – “Let’s Stay Together”
It seems that 1972 was a particularly tough year for couples to stay together, as two songs convincing them to do so were some of the year’s biggest hits. The one that’s since had the more significant afterlife, however, is Al Green’s soul classic, “Let’s Stay Together.”
In addition to reaching number one for a week in 1972, the song would also inspire a successful cover by Tina Turner (ironically, as a solo outing) and even become culturally significant enough in the decades since to warrant selection in the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry in 2010.
Looking Glass – “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)”
While it’s an endlessly sunny feel-good hit of the early ’70s, those who don’t remember when the Looking Glass song “Brandy” came out are more likely to have heard it from Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2. In fairness, that’s likely because Looking Glass didn’t have much time to shore up their legacy.
Although they landed at the top of both Billboard’s Hot 100 and Cash Box charts with “Brandy,” the New Jersey pop band would soon discover that it would be their first and last major hit single. Although most of the acts that notched huge hits in 1972 couldn’t be described as one-hit wonders, Looking Glass was the biggest exception.
The Chi-Lites – “Oh Girl”
As their name would suggest, the R&B vocal quarter The Chi-Lites were from Chicago and enjoyed a respectable long-term career together as fixtures of the ’70s soul scene. Yet, while they had more than one top-ten single, only “Oh Girl” had the distinction of making it to number one.
“Oh Girl” depicts a couple on the verge of breaking up and stood out from other soul songs at the time for prominently featuring a harmonica. Although it spent just one week at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, the song would have another week in the sun atop the R&B Singles chart.
Gallery – “Nice To Be With You”
For those who don’t remember the band Gallery, it’s likely because they were only active for a few years before completely disbanding in 1974. Yet, in that time, veteran musicians like Jim Gold and Dennis Coffey (pictured) briefly found reason to see Gallery as a promising prospect.
However, even their success had an unfortunate undercurrent to it, as their hit song “Nice To Be With You” was rated “lousy” on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand right as it entered the charts. Nonetheless, it was able to reach number four on the Billboard Hot 100, while also reaching number one on the organization’s former Cash Box chart and in Canada.
Chuck Berry – “My Ding-A-Ling”
Despite the fact that Chuck Berry practically invented rock and roll, he was surprisingly light on hits during his time in the spotlight, receiving more accolades from other musicians than chart success. Nonetheless, he was able to achieve three top-ten hits in 1958, 1964, and 1972.
However, perhaps the saddest part of his legacy is the fact that his sole number-one hit isn’t “Johnny B. Goode,” No Particular Place to Go,” or “Run Rudolph Run.” Instead, it’s a cover of a phallocentric novelty song by Dave Bartholomew called “My Ding-A-Ling.” It’s unclear what led Berry to perform it, but it would end up staying at the number-one spot for two weeks.
