You may be right . . . but it's funny. All his pop #1's were vocal, whereas those that topped the soul charts were instrumental. Weird.
Not just yet. he has one more hit single in 1973 that's coming up. I'm not looking to see if it hit #1, though. I am running out of time. Gotta go to work early!
Will It Go Round In Circles is a really fun song and I like it a lot. I had the Outa-Space 45 and played it a bunch, and Circles was even more fun. Later in 1973 when we went back to school after Summer break, our vocal teacher was asking for ideas for songs for us to practice for the winter concert. I kept suggesting Circles, but she had her heart set on "Say, Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose", even though none of the kids wanted it. So guess what we sang? I thought it was weird that a 7th grade Catholic school chorus would be singing a song about a man trying to find his estranged wife who ran off to become a stripper, instead of, well...whatever Circles is about. (I recall other suggestions from kids were "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" and the old school band stand-by "Proud Mary").
I like "Will It Go Round in Circles" quite a bit. Just a really fun, good song. Much respect to Billy. I was actually in Moe's Southwest Grill within the last six months and they were blasting this song. It was kind of a nice surprise, not the kind of thing I ordinarily hear around. It sounded great!
I got a review that ain't got no words, I'm gonna post it to this thread ... Like his pal George whom he replaced in the top spot, Billy's spiritual influences really shine through here - he always brought "church" to his music. The keyboards here are straight out of the alcove. Don't really know what it is that might go round in circles, don't much care ... I'll just quote Florida Evans' son J.J. ... it's DY-NO-MITE! And to carry on the Beatles roll we've been on, the B-side was his incredible version of "Blackbird":
To catch up on the "kept out of #1" file: "My Love" kept Elton John's "Daniel" at #2, alas, but made it for it by also blocking "Playground In My Mind". A shiny new five pence for you, Macca! Billy Preston is currently keeping Paul Simon's "Kodachrome" at runner-up. Paul will be stuck as bridesmaid yet again later in the year.
“Daniel” and “Kodachrome” are two of my favorites. Really love both songs. I had no idea “Daniel” was about a Vietnam was veteran returning home from war until I saw an interview with Bernie Taupin years later. “Kodachrome” - I wonder does anyone under the age of 40 know what “Kodachrome” is? I was a bit of a camera buff when I was a teenager and always preferred shooting Kodachrome film versus Ektachrome because it gives “nice bright colors” just like Paul Simon says.
What is Life is my second favorite single of his. The only thing that keeps it out of the top is the mushy production job by Spector. This is one of the songs that I think is really negatively impacted by the Wall of Sound. My Sweet Lord gets through it unscathed; I actually like Spector's work on that one TBH. But on Life, everything seems to melt into a bit of a din. 'Foggy' might be a good way to describe how it sounds to me. I prefer clarity! Below is the official video for the song. It's interesting that they decided to make a brand new video for the song with young dancers rather than just patch together something from old footage of George. What do you guys think? I kind of like it actually:
I've made this point a few times before on this website, but since we're talking about it again, I agree that Phil Spector's production ruined the majority of All Things Must Pass including the track What Is Life. Spector's technique sounds great on records that are designed to be pressed in mono only and heard on AM transistor radios. So much of ATMP is buried in a big gloppy mess that it's difficult to hear the genius of the songs. If any album deserved to be re-recorded properly, this is it. Kodachrome is also another favorite of mine - Simon was on a really strong roll around this time. He switched gears just a bit from the S&G days and was able to parlay that new approach in songwriting into some very successful albums and singles. Elton was also on fire, but Daniel, as beautiful and melodic as it is, well, I really hate the drum sounds on it. They sound very poppy. They are recorded too loud or something, and instead of hearing a drum sound, I get a POP sound from them. It really detracts from the song. I'm sad that Playground In My Mind didn't hit #1 because I'm sure it would give us three or four pages of very interesting reading.
This comp contains Billy Preston's "Will It Go Round In Circles" in its single length. This comp, only on promo LP, contains Billy Preston's "Outa-Space" This comp contains three of Billy Preston's records: "Will It Go Round In Circles" (album length); "Nothing From Nothing"; and "You Are So Beautiful" I have all of these and the latter two are somewhat difficult to find. The first one above is from 2012 and already seems out of print.
"Will It Go 'Round In Circles" is one of those records where you get the feeling that the musicians enjoyed cutting it. The performance is so full of life.
There Goes Rhymin' Simon remains my top Paul Simon LP. The two singles are fantastic upbeat toe tappers that deserved their chart success. He also showed he could still produce pretty and affecting ballads even without Art Garfunkel's dulcet tones. Something So Right is probably this album's standard, even Streisand did a great cover. St. Judy's Comet is a soft lullaby that speaks to a universal situation of a parent coaxing their child to sleep. American Tune is his second "America" song that should have been another Top 10 hit but curiously stalled at #35. It has all the sweep and grandeur Simon was known for; just an excellent cut that is as relevant today if not more so. And the song loses none of it's grace and power in this acoustic performance: Paul Simon - American Tune (1975) And just in case you were wondering how it would've sounded with Garfunkel's participation: Simon & Garfunkel - American Tune (from The Concert in Central Park)
I don't have anything particularly clever or insightful to say about "Will It Go Round In Circles", except that it's a kickass track. If this song doesn't get you moving, even if it just means shuffling around in your car seat, then you're probably an anvil. Billy Preston occupied his own niche in pop music history. Being a high-profile sideman to the Beatles and the Stones is unique and impressive enough, but as an artist proper he cultivated a distinctive blend of pop, R&B and funk that doesn't really sound like anyone else. He wasn't Sly Stone or Prince when it came to breadth and impact, but his contributions to the pop landscape continue to sound as fresh and exciting today as they did in the early seventies.
But still available as lossless download file: A&M 50: The Anniversary Collection | Interprètes Divers
No memory of "Playground In My Mind" at all. I can't see my uncle putting up with this crapfest for more than 10 seconds. More like Playground In My Diaper.
Wow. Quite a feat. Here's the chart from the week George's song was No. 1. TW LW TITLE –•– Artist (Label)-Weeks on Chart (Peak To Date) 1 5 GIVE ME LOVE (Give Me Peace On Earth) –•– George Harrison (Apple)-7 (1 week at #1) (1) 2 1 MY LOVE –•– Paul McCartney and Wings (Apple)-12 (1) 3 4 WILL IT GO ROUND IN CIRCLES –•– Billy Preston (A&M)-14 (3) 4 3 I’M GONNA LOVE YOU JUST A LITTLE MORE BABY –•– Barry White (20th Century)-12 (3) 5 7 KODACHROME –•– Paul Simon (Columbia)-7 (5) 6 6 PILLOW TALK –•– Sylvia (Vibration)-15 (3) 7 2 PLAYGROUND IN MY MIND –•– Clint Holmes (Epic)-15 (2) 8 9 LONG TRAIN RUNNIN’ –•– The Doobie Brothers (Warner Brothers)-11 (8) 9 10 RIGHT PLACE WRONG TIME –•– Dr. John (Atco)-12 (9) 10 11 SHAMBALA –•– Three Dog Night (Dunhill)-7 (10) 11 12 ONE OF A KIND (Love Affair) –•– The Spinners (Atlantic)-10 (11) 12 14 BAD, BAD LEROY BROWN –•– Jim Croce (ABC)-11 (12) 13 16 YESTERDAY ONCE MORE –•– The Carpenters (A&M)-5 (13) 14 15 NATURAL HIGH –•– Bloodstone (London)-11 (14) 15 8 DANIEL –•– Elton John (MCA)-13 (2) 16 13 FRANKENSTEIN –•– The Edgar Winter Group (Epic)-17 (1) 17 20 SMOKE ON THE WATER –•– Deep Purple (Warner Brothers)-6 (17) 18 21 BOOGIE WOOGIE BUGLE BOY –•– Bette Midler (Atlantic)-8 (18) 19 17 I’M DOIN’ FINE NOW –•– New York City (Chelsea)-18 (17) 20 28 BEHIND CLOSED DOORS –•– Charlie Rich (Epic)-10 (20) 21 29 DIAMOND GIRL –•– Seals and Crofts (Warner Brothers)-8 (21) 22 24 DADDY COULD SWEAR, I DECLARE –•– Gladys Knight and the Pips (Soul)-10 (22) 23 23 YOU’LL NEVER GET TO HEAVEN (If You Break My Heart) –•– The Stylistics (Avco)-7 (23) 24 27 SO VERY HARD TO GO –•– The Tower Of Power (Warner Brothers)-9 (24) 25 18 TIE A YELLOW RIBBON ROUND THE OLE OAK TREE –•– Dawn Featuring Tony Orlando (Bell)-20 (1) 26 33 MONEY –•– Pink Floyd (Harvest)-7 (26) 27 22 DRIFT AWAY –•– Dobie Gray (Decca)-19 (5) 28 40 DOING IT TO DEATH –•– Fred Wesley and the JB’s (People)-5 (28) 29 31 AND I LOVE YOU SO –•– Perry Como (RCA)-12 (29) 30 30 GIVE IT TO ME –•– The J. Geils Band (Atlantic)-14 (30) 31 43 MONSTER MASH –•– Bobby “Boris” Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers (Parrot)-26 (1) 32 49 MISDEMEANOR –•– Foster Sylvers (Pride / MGM)-5 (32) 33 25 WILDFLOWER –•– Skylark (Capitol)-20 (9) 34 38 GIVE YOUR BABY A STANDING OVATION –•– The Dells (Cadet)-11 (34) 35 36 LET’S PRETEND –•– The Raspberries (Capitol)-15 (35) 36 39 SATIN SHEETS –•– Jeanne Pruett (MCA)-8 (36) 37 19 HOCUS POCUS –•– Focus (Sire)-18 (9) 38 34 NO MORE MR. NICE GUY –•– Alice Cooper (Warner Brothers)-12 (25) 39 57 I’LL ALWAYS LOVE MY MAMA (Part 1) –•– The Intruders (Gamble)-5 (39) 40 45 TIME TO GET DOWN –•– The O’Jays (Philadelphia International)-7 (40) THIS WEEK’S DROPS 41 26 LEAVING ME –•– The Independents (Wand)-13 (21) 42 32 YOU ARE THE SUNSHINE OF MY LIFE –•– Stevie Wonder (Tamla)-16 (1) 47 35 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU –•– Stealers Wheel (A&M)-18 (6) POWER PLAYS 43 53 HEY YOU! GET OFF MY MOUNTAIN –•– The Dramatics (Volt)-9 (43) 44 58 TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING –•– Diana Ross (Motown)-5 (44) 45 51 THE PLASTIC MAN –•– The Temptations (Gordy)-4 (45) 46 47 SWAMP WITCH –•– Jim Stafford (MGM)-8 (46) 48 55 GOIN’ HOME –•– The Osmonds (MGM)-3 (48) 49 44 BACK WHEN MY HAIR WAS SHORT –•– Gunhill Road (Kama Sutra)-14 (40) 50 54 WHY ME –•– Kris Kristofferson (Monument)-13 (50) DEBUTS THIS WEEK 78 — IF YOU WANT ME TO STAY –•– Sly and the Family Stone (Epic)-1 (78) 84 — UNEASY RIDER –•– Charlie Daniels (Kama Sutra)-1 (84) 94 — THERE YOU GO –•– Edwin Starr (Soul)-1 (94) 96 — BLACK BYRD –•– Donald Byrd (Blue Note)-2 (92) 97 — TOP OF THE WORLD –•– Lynn Anderson (Columbia)-1 (97) 98 — MY MERRY-GO-ROUND –•– Johnny Nash (Epic)-1 (98) 100 — HELLO STRANGER –•– Fire and Rain (Mercury)-1 (100)
Yes, Kodachrome sure sounds like a No. 1. S Top 40 Singles Week Ending 14th July, 1973 TW LW TITLE –•– Artist (Label)-Weeks on Chart (Peak To Date) 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) THIS WEEK’S DROPS 45 31 AND I LOVE YOU SO –•– Perry Como (RCA)-14 (29) 54 28 TIE A YELLOW RIBBON ROUND THE OLE OAK TREE –•– Dawn Featuring Tony Orlando (Bell)-22 (1) 58 25 DANIEL –•– Elton John (MCA)-15 (2) 59 27 YOU’LL NEVER GET TO HEAVEN (If You Break My Heart) –•– The Stylistics (Avco)-9 (23) 60 33 TIME TO GET DOWN –•– The O’Jays (Philadelphia International)-9 (33) 64 36 DRIFT AWAY –•– Dobie Gray (Decca)-21 (5) POWER PLAYS 41 58 UNEASY RIDER –•– Charlie Daniels (Kama Sutra)-3 (41) 42 51 WATERGRATE –•– Dickie Goodman (Rainy Wednesday)-5 (42) 43 53 HOW CAN I TELL HER –•– Lobo (Big Tree)-4 (43) 44 69 LIVE AND LET DIE –•– Wings (Apple)-2 (44) 46 73 HERE I AM (Come and Take Me) –•– Al Green (Hi)-2 (46) 47 47 SOUL MAKOSSA –•– Afrique (Mainstream)-6 (47) 48 49 NEVER, NEVER, NEVER (Grande, Grande, Grande) –•– Shirley Bassey (United Artists)-7 (48) 49 50 SOUL MAKOSSA –•– Manu Dibango (Atlantic)-4 (49) 50 52 ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN –•– Electric Light Orchestra (United Artists)-12 (50) DEBUTS THIS WEEK 68 — SAY, HAS ANYBODY SEEN MY SWEET GYPSY ROSE –•– Dawn Featuring Tony Orlando (Bell)-1 (68) 71 — CLOUDS –•– David Gates (Elektra)-1 (71) 74 — LET’S GET IT ON –•– Marvin Gaye (Tamla)-1 (74) 83 — YOUNG LOVE / A MILLION TO ONE –•– Donny Osmond (MGM)-1 (83) 84 — YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE / BELIEVE IN HUMANITY –•– Carole King (Ode)-1 (84) 88 — DARLING COME BACK HOME –•– Eddie Kendricks (Tamla)-1 (88) 89 — THAT LADY (Part 1) –•– The Isley Brothers (T-Neck)-1 (89) 91 — EVERYONE’S AGREED THAT EVERYTHING WILL TURN OUT FINE –•– Stealers Wheel (A&M)-1 (91)
Best of: 35 LET’S PRETEND –•– The Raspberries 15 DANIEL –•– Elton John 4 I’M GONNA LOVE YOU JUST A LITTLE MORE BABY –•– Barry White [his second-best hit] 8 LONG TRAIN RUNNIN’ –•– The Doobie Brothers 27 DRIFT AWAY –•– Dobie Gray 1 GIVE ME LOVE (Give Me Peace On Earth) –•– George Harrison 5 KODACHROME –•– Paul Simon 26 MONEY –•– Pink Floyd 37 HOCUS POCUS –•– Focus 33 WILDFLOWER –•– Skylark 2 MY LOVE –•– Paul McCartney and Wings I'll ignore Monster Mash for being in the wrong year, but I like it. Least favourites: Bad Bad Leroy Brown, Stuck in the Middle With You
