I think this is as good a time as any to review the Top 50 R&B singles of 1973 as calculated by Billboard. This year was clearly another bag compared with the prior year, which itself was pivotal in soul music and a different bag from the year before that. A year where we saw Stevie Wonder truly come onto his own as a force in the music business - and quite a few crossed over successfully to the pop charts (a few also making #1 there, some of which just missed topping these charts). A year where Philly soul truly became the proverbial force to be reckoned with, from all sides - Gamble/Huff on one end, Thom Bell on the other. The envelope, please (only those that didn't make #1 will be linked in the titles, and the peak position referred to): 1. "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye 2. "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder 3. "Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye)" by Gladys Knight & The Pips 4. "Me And Mrs. Jones" by Billy Paul 5. "Why Can't We Live Together" by Timmy Thomas 6. "One Of A Kind (Love Affair)" by Spinners 7. "Love Train" by the O'Jays 8. "Doing It To Death" by Fred Wesley And The J.B.'s 9. "Midnight Train To Georgia" by Gladys Knight & The Pips 10. "Love Jones" by the Brighter Side Of Darkness (peak position #3) 11. "I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby" by Barry White 12. "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love" by Spinners 13. "Masterpiece (Vocal)" by The Temptations 14. "Natural High" by Bloodstone (peak position #4) 15. "Pillow Talk" by Sylvia 16. "That Lady (Part 1)" by the Isley Brothers (peak position #2) 17. "Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation" by The Dells (peak position #3) 18. "Keep On Truckin' (Part 1)" by Eddie Kendricks 19. "If You Want Me To Stay" by Sly & The Family Stone (peak position #3) 20. "The World Is A Ghetto" by War (peak position #3) 21. "Superfly" by Curtis Mayfield (peak position #5) 22. "Here I Am (Come And Take Me)" by Al Green (peak position #2) 23. "Stoned Out Of My Mind" by The Chi-Lites (peak position #2) 24. "Give Me Your Love" by Barbara Mason (peak position #9) 25. "Ain't No Woman (Like The One I've Got)" by the Four Tops (peak position #2) 26. "Leaving Me" by The Independents 27. "Trouble Man" by Marvin Gaye (peak position #4) 28. "Angel" by Aretha Franklin 29. "Funky Stuff" by Kool And The Gang (peak position #5) 30. "Daddy Could Swear, I Declare" by Gladys Knight & The Pips (peak position #2) 31. "Funky Worm" by the Ohio Players 32. "Hurts So Good" by Millie Jackson (peak position #3) 33. "Higher Ground" by Stevie Wonder 34. "Will It Go Round In Circles" by Billy Preston (peak position #10) 35. "Nobody Wants You When You're Down And Out" by Bobby Womack (peak position #2) 36. "Hey Girl (I Like Your Style)" by The Temptations (peak position #2) 37. "There's No Me Without You" by the Manhattans (peak position #3) 38. "Gypsy Man" by War (peak position #6) 39. "Daddy's Home" by Jermaine Jackson (peak position #3) 40. "Time To Get Down" by the O'Jays (peak position #2) 41. "You Ought To Be With Me" by Al Green 42. "We Did It" by Syl Johnson (peak position #23) 43. "I Can't Stand The Rain" by Ann Peebles (peak position #6) 44. "Get It Together" by The Jackson 5 (peak position #2) 45. "Touch Me In The Morning" by Diana Ross (peak position #5) 46. "I've Got So Much To Give" by Barry White (peak position #5) 47. "Are You Man Enough" by the Four Tops (peak position #2) 48. "Killing Me Softly With His Song" by Roberta Flack (peak position #2) 49. "Theme From Cleopatra Jones" by Joe Simon Featuring The Mainstreeters (peak position #3) 50. "Harry Hippie" by Bobby Womack And Peace (peak position #8)
I just made some comments on The Pointer Sisters and Curtis Mayfield on the other Billboard thread. here's part of that post: Nowhere in the discussion of 1973 did anyone mention The Pointer Sisters. They emerged out of nowhere with a cool little funk hit called "Yes We Can Can". It was was a a lot of scatting with nothing more than a prominent bass, drums, and wah-wah guitar. One could say that it was a precursor to rap music. The Pointer Sisters also has a single towards the end on 1973 with a Willie Dixon-penned song "Wang Dang Doodle". We will hear a lot from these sisters from Oakland California from here on out. They weren't soul. They weren't pop. They just did whatever the hell they wanted. That's what you call tru artists! Another artists I listen to a lot of in the fall of '73 is Curtis Mayfield. yeah, he was still a thing in '73. By brother came to visit after he was discharged from the army after two tours of Viet Nam. He had a tape of Mayfield's "Back To The World" that he loved, and I immediately loved, too. At first, I sat out in his car, played the 8-track while recording it onto my little cassette player with a microphone. That worked for a couple of weeks until I could earn enough money doing yard work (yuk!) to buy the vinyl album. I, of course, still have that album, along with a Scorpio pressing of it. But, neither the Scorpio pressing, nor the Charley CD, or even the download sound correct. So, I was forced many years ago to do my own needledrop of the original vinyl.
And I also mentioned about the Pointers (whose "Yes We Can Can" I have): For many years starting in the mid-1970's, they would be heard on various animated number counting sequences involving a pinball machine that aired on Sesame Street. Those bits had a degree of funk that was par for the course with their music in this period.
A quick huzzah for the Pointers' then label (and partial inspiration for my user name) Blue Thumb Records. Such an eclectic roster - everything from The Crusaders to Captain Beefheart.
Here we are at the beginning of 1974. Let's see how this year in R&B will turn out. So, first up: Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do) - Aretha Franklin Reunited with producer Arif Mardin, Aretha comes back with this Stevie Wonder-penned #1 hit single. I loved this 45 a lot. A thing we did when we were kids was bring our 45s to school on rainy days. I always thought Aretha was singing "Aw f-kin' baby", and my mom told me it wasn't, but, if that if that's what I thought that she was really singing, she would forbid be to take the record to school with me, and put it on top of the fridge! I was never forbidden to play the record at home, though. I included a video with compressed sound because that's what it sounds like on the radio back then. Well, it's something different.
It also marked Lady Soul's return to the pop Top 10, from what I recall. Jerry Wexler was credited as co-producer, but as has been said . . .
It feels odd that this song peaked in January - it's got such a breezy warm weather feel. A friend once called this the least creepy stalker song ever. Love the little "open up babe" she ad-libs toward the end. Stevie was the latest to find out once the Queen does your song, it's hers. I doubt he minded. Yes, sir. First pop Top 10 since "Day-Dreaming" in May '72.
I also used to do this until the day someone ripped off a bunch of 45s I had in my bag. That's how I lost my picture sleeve of It's A Beautiful Morning which I really adored. Until You Come Back To Me is indeed a fantastic record and 'Retha deservedly returned to the Top 10 although this should have hit the top. She has a few more singles in the next year or two that I really enjoyed before things started to dry up. Just for comparison's sake:
By then, Wexler had semi-retired after failing at an attempt for an Atlantic country music division in Nashville. I'm guessing that the execs and Aretha sat at conference table and wondered what it would take to get her back on the top of the charts.
Huh??? Why do you think I posted the song? It hit #1! Remember, this is the R&B chart! We are not comparing it to the pop chart.
Her last great single I thought before her huge '80s comeback with "Freeway Of Love", "Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves" and "I Knew You Were Waiting". A great tune, beautiful and soulful, and Aretha really brings it.
Sorry, I temporarily forgot which thread I was on. But come on, you should have known what I was referring to!
Understood. I overreacted. I have also gotten confused as to which thread I was on. I just wish this thread had more participation.
You're not alone, so do I. But it's precisely because of songs like this reaching the top, that Ms. Franklin was designated the "Queen of Soul." And very well earned and deserved at that. There's a definite difference in the feel of her material as here from even her 1971-72 string, let alone the "classic" numbers on which she initially built her Atlantic tenure.
I'm very shocked (again) that such a great song is being almost totally ignored by the thread's participants.
For me, this started around Day Dreaming which sounded sort of in the same vein as Where Is The Love. Wonder if Flack's ascendance influenced Aretha?
Well, it's very conceivable that the same musicians (based out of New York) played on both Ms. Flack's and Ms. Franklin's records during this period, so anything's possible. If not directly influencing Aretha, then most likely those she was working with as producers, arrangers and musicians. And besides, both ladies were on the same label, so . . .
Absolutely amazing how the forum is panning this song. For those of you who weren't around back then, it was a major hit single. So, anyway, here's the next #1: I've Got To Use My Imagination - Gladys Knight & The Pips Here is another hot one by the group, and it was also very popular across the board back in early 1974. I heard it on the radio a lot! I also really did that bass line. Sadly, it was one of the very few R&B jams they would release since their departure from Motown.
A Norman Whitfield-esque production of a Gerry Goffin / Barry Goldberg tune. Always liked this one, although it perhaps sounds a little dated.
I absolutely love, love, love this one! My favorite, by far, off the album. Great singing, great horns, great beat, great everything! And it most definitely should have been a POP #1 - see what I did there? In the summer of 1976, I traveled to the mainland for the first time, Pittsburgh to be exact. We passed a K-Mart one day and I begged to go inside since I'd seen commercials for years but at the time, Hawaii didn't have one. There was a bin of albums going for a buck a pop and I found the one you see in the following video. I recognized Barry Goldberg as one of the creators of the song so I bit the bullet for a dollar. Very different take, sort of swamp rock and spooky. It's always interesting to hear how the creators envision their own tunes.
