Favorite #2 Song of 1972?

Unpacking some boxes -- yes, I only moved in fourteen months ago -- I came across the BILLBOARD BOOK OF NO. 2 SINGLES. I thought I'd try a variation of the weekly chart list, and see what happens.

These songs peaked at number two, so number twos that went on to claim the top of the charts are not included; presumably they're contained in THE BILLBOARD BOOK OF NO. 1 SINGLES, which I don't have handy. (There's a storge unit of more boxes.)

So vote, and post any opinions or memories . . .

 

Gotta go with The King, although "It's Too Late To Turn Back Now" made it mighty tough to choose....

 

Incidentally, the above songs were denied the top slot by the following songs:

1. "Hurting Each Other" by Nilsson's "Without You"

2. "Rockin' Robin" by Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"

3. "I Gotcha" by Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"

4. "Outa-Space" by Bill Withers's "Lean On Me"

5. "Too Late To Turn Back Now" by Bill Wither's "Lean On Me"

6. "Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)" by Gilbert O'Sullivan's "Alone Again (Naturally)"

7. "Use Me" by Michael Jackson's "Ben" and Chuck Berry's "My Ding-A-Ling"

8. "Burning Love" by Chuck Berry's "My Ding-A-Ling"

9. "Nights In White Satin" by Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now"

10. "I'd Love You To Want Me" by Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now"

11. "Clair" by Billy Paul's "Me And Mrs. Jones" and Carly Simon's "You're So Vain"

 

That's a pretty good list of twos, but I felt pretty comfortable voting for Use Me.

 

Well, according to the book, it peaked at number two on November 4, 1972. To quote:

The song first charted on February 1968, but missed the Hot 100, bubbling under at #103 . . . the song remained a favorite of many fans, and in 1972 . . . was re-released. At first it didn't appear the song would do much better its second time around because it debuted at #100. But the song climbed steadily and in its 14th chart week, it became The Moody Blues' biggest hit ever, spending two weeks at #2. It just took four years, eight months, and 25 days to do it.

 

I voted for "Too Late" by a hair over "Use Me" and "Rockin' Robin." "Clair" is the only one I might change stations for if it came on the radio, a little to wispy compared to his other big hits that year.

Surprised but delighted to see "Too Late" has the early lead! Youse guys got good taste!

 

Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress conjured up just about every fantasy my 14-year-old self could conjure at the time. and that was a lot of fantasies.

but maybe that's a little *too* personal.

 

Note that Gibert O'Sullivan's "Clair" was denied by two consecutive number one classics: "Me And Mrs. Jones" and "You're So Vain." Bad timing!

If I could vote on my own poll (AOL), I'd have to go with "Burning Love" or "Use Me."

 

Novel idea for a poll, Ron.....hats off!

I picked, with a little reluctance, "Burning Love"--a fine record, no mistake--but "Too Late To Turn Back Now," a very suave, classy piece of light soul; "I Gotcha," a blatant parody, but lotsa fun; and Withers' "Use Me" were hard to resist. The rest got the position they deserved(or should have gotten worse). "Outa-Space" was the kind of fluke instrumental hit you're not likely to get again: it's a garish, silly bit of Lp filler(which is why it was a B-side that got turned over--who knows why ). "Long Cool Woman"(with US quick fade) is a decent one, but as much as I love "Nights" it will always be a 1968 song to me, though it was great to see the single and album finally receive its due here. How Lobo got to #2 is a mystery; cripes, what a dull song and performance! MJ's "Rockin' Robin" cover is cute, and it works that way. The Carps did their usual MOR work, nothing great, nothing bad; "Clair"? Silly, but easier to take than the previous million-seller, the worst kind of maudlin mush.

That Gilbert O'Sullivan robbed the Hollies hit of the #1 slot is kinda depressing, but then, the depressing "Alone Again" is far less heard today than the Hollies last really big international hit, which is still good fun.


ED

 

1968(USA)to be precise...I declined that one for the same reason, but the fact remains, it was a rare rerelease 45 to really do good years after the fact(remember, it Bubbled Under here the first time out). And the album got to #3, eventually wound up with 106 weeks' worth of chart action--far more than its meager beginnings years earlier would have suggested.

Nah, it's gotta stay; but we've outed it, not likely to get many votes.


ED

 

Hey Ed (or anyone who knows) --

Did the "Nights in White Satin" single have that spoken word bit? Or is that on the album cut? I'm not sure if I always hear it on the radio.

 

How did Neil Young's "Heart of Gold" do in '72?

 

Woah! The popularity so far of one of my all-time favorite songs "It's Too Late To Turn Back Now" surprised the heck out of me!

 

"Nights in White Satin" hits me where I live - that's my vote.

 

No way, man! The 1967 version was stripped down without the symphony orchestra. The 1972 hit was from the LP.

 

So there are three versions of NIWS? 1) Mono; 2) Stereo LP hit version w/ symphony; and 3) "stripped down w/out symphony" version. Where can I find #3?

 

The 60s mono single version IS the stripped-down version. And ya know, if I had been aware of that song in the 60s, I would have liked it that way.

 

I can't vote for just one, so here's my top 4 of 72's top 2s!

It's too late to turn back now - great soul track

Long cool woman - who'd of thought that the Hollies could produce this?!?

Use me - I've only recently discovered Bill Withers. Great voice, great song.

Burning love - the last great Elvis?

 

Thanks to Bill Inglot, I found out two 45 versions of the single were issued in '72(I'm sure we've gone over this before). The first, from '68, was the mono single version, just the band and nothing else, with the cold end. But in '72, that version was issued(most stock singles were the old mix), along with an alternate mono(folded, I believe)Lp mix that had the orchestra, but faded out to closely match the original's timing, and had to wait a few more seconds to fade the ork out....

The single never had any 'spoken word' nonsense, perhaps the weakest aspect of the album.


ED

 

As should be clear, nothing was 'stripped down'; listen to DOFP again, either the original Lp mix(preferable)or remix: the band and orchestra were recorded separately, and the band were recorded first, then the orchestra, that's just logical....and as the UK 45 was well in advance of the album, what more do you need to know? This was a tough band when it had to be, and Mike Pinder's Mellotron carries "Nights" so well, that to this day, I still have to explain to younger fans that, no, what you're hearing isn't an 'orchestra'(the single version)....it's Mike, carrying the band on his back.


ED

 

Ignoring live versions:

1. UK/US mono 45--THE original mix--just the band!

2. UK/US mono Lp version(w/ork, recitation and poem at end)

3. UK/US stereo Lp version-(same as above)

4. US '72 alt. 45(I believe to be)fold-down version, Lp mix, matches basic timing of original 45)--w/ork

5. VOICES IN THE SKY international CD/Lp version: STEREO remix of the original '67 mix, no ork--that is, this is the original 45 version in stereo. And, IMHO, wonderfully done.

6. Various '70s comps: the song, Lp mix, but either left in full from DOFP, or faded differently from US '72 alt. 45, and before the "Late Lament" poem"....


If there are others, friends, feel free to add....


ED

 

Ed,

I know how it was recorded. I used the term "stripped-down" for common clarity. In this case, stripped-down means that there is no symphony backing.

 

Now *that* I did not know, as I never owned the 70s 45, but have it on a Rhino Billboard CD.

Well, that's only your opinion!

 

I know, my friend. But your terminology belies the truth, since the original 45/mix pre-dated the Lp, and there was no 'stripping down.' This confusion can make a mess of things for others later on.

ED