The Top 200 #1 Hits Of The Beatles Years ( 1964 - 1970 )

A few years ago we compiled a chart designating The Top 200 Biggest #1 Hits of "The Beatles Years", 1964 - 1970. 

Utilizing statistics from all three major publications (Billboard, Cash Box and Record World), we took the ACCUMULATED total number of weeks spent at #1 during this era and then put together the ultimate #1 Hits Countdown.  (Because #1's were considered from all THREE publications, records that you don't typically find designated as a #1 Record were now given equal consideration, even if they only topped the chart in one of the national trades!)

The whole series is permanently posted here:
http://www.forgottenhits.com/the_top_200_1_hits_of_the_beatles_era_1964_-_1970 ...

But here's the recap (in its entirety):

THE TOP 200 #1 HITS OF

THE BEATLES ERA, 1964 - 1970

We've compiled a list of The Top 200 Biggest Number One Records of the Beatles Era.

Many, many years ago Casey Kasem did a special American Top 40 Countdown saluting The Beatles Era and it was one of my favorite "special countdown" shows.  I decided to take it another step further ... and expand the list to 200 songs ... but only included the records that actually made it all the way to #1!

Another big difference THIS time around is that we've compiled a list of EVERY Number One Single from ALL THREE of the major music trade publications for this era ... and, as such, you'll see some titles appear that might surprise you.  (Casey's countdowns were always based on the Billboard Charts ... long recognized as "The Music Bible" when it comes chart information.  OUR list takes into consideration ALL of the national research used to assemble these charts way back when ... hopefully presenting an even clearer and more-accurate consensus of how these records really performed on the national charts.)

As such, using OUR methodology, we'll finally be honoring some songs that we have always felt were #1 Hits despite the fact that they never "officially" reached the summit in Billboard Magazine ... songs like LAST KISS by J. FRANK WILSON AND THE CAVALIERS (#1 in both Cash Box and Record World but NOT #1 in Billboard), THOSE WERE THE DAYS by MARY HOPKIN, GEORGY GIRL by THE SEEKERS, THE RAIN, THE PARK AND OTHER THINGS by THE COWSILLS, SHE'S NOT THERE by THE ZOMBIES, SPIRIT IN THE SKY by NORMAN GREENBAUM, I'M GONNA MAKE YOU LOVE ME by DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES AND THE TEMPTATIONS, BARBARA ANN by THE BEACH BOYS and many, many more.  (In addition, for the first time you'll see #1 Records included by Creedence Clearwater Revival and Blood, Sweat And Tears ... artists that couldn't get past the #2 spot in Billboard!  All-in-all, we feel a better cross-representation of what the charts were REALLY like during this exciting and inventive era.)

And, since this countdown spotlights "The Beatles Years", you can count on seeing 24 #1 Records by The Fab Four in the countdown as well.  (Although Billboard "officially" counted 20 #1 Records by The Beatles, this new expanded list now includes "Twist And Shout", a #1 Hit in both Cash Box and Record World, as well as "Nowhere Man", "Yellow Submarine" and "Something".) 

In all fairness, we DID make a couple of "judgement call" eliminations.  For example, even though George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" reached #1 during 1970, we couldn't really include a record by a SOLO Beatle if we were saluting "The Beatles Years".  Too bad for The Quite Beatle ... had it been included, "My Sweet Lord" would have earned eleven weeks at #1 between the three publications ... and that would have been good enough to make The Top 20!!!  (We eliminated Diana Ross' first solo #1 Hit for the same reason ... but The Supremes are well-represented with TWELVE #1 Records of their own!  But the solo careers of George Harrison, Diana Ross, et al, are really of "another era" ... and NOT The Beatles Era.)   

The only other criteria required that the record had to have hit #1 between the weeks of January 1, 1964 and December 31, 1970 in order to qualify.  (In the event of ties ... and there were several ... we let the record's performance in Billboard, long considered to be the Pop Music Bible, determine the rankings ... and, if further ties developed ... and they sometimes did ... we weighted the record based on its long-standing popularity over the past 40-45 years.)

The list includes ONLY #1 Records ... so records that may have charted longer or earned more points in a conventional countdown will not appear here unless they reached #1 in one of the major trade publications.



  1.  I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND - The Beatles
  2. HEY JUDE - The Beatles
  3. I'M A BELIEVER - The Monkees
  4. AQUARIUS / LET THE SUN SHINE IN - The Fifth
      Dimension
  5. LOVE IS BLUE - Paul Mauriat
  6. IN THE YEAR 2525 - Zager and Evans
  7. CAN'T BUY ME LOVE - The Beatles
  8. GET BACK - The Beatles
  9. HONEY - Bobby Goldsboro
 10. I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE - Marvin Gaye
 11. BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER - 
       Simon and Garfunkel
 12. THE BALLAD OF THE GREEN BERETS - S/Sgt. Barry
       Sadler
 13. ODE TO BILLIE JOE - Bobbie Gentry
 14. THIS GUY'S IN LOVE WITH YOU - Herb Alpert
 15. I'LL BE THERE - The Jackson Five
 16. TO SIR, WITH LOVE - Lulu
 17. SATISFACTION - The Rolling Stones
 18. DAYDREAM BELIEVER - The Monkees
 19. SUGAR, SUGAR - The Archies
 20. HONKY TONK WOMEN - The Rolling Stones
 21. THE LETTER - The Box Tops
 22. PEOPLE GOT TO BE FREE - The Rascals
 23. BABY LOVE - The Supremes
 24. CHAPEL OF LOVE - The Dixiecups
 25. MRS. BROWN, YOU'VE GOT A LOVELY DAUGHTER -
        Herman's Hermits
 26. MRS. ROBINSON - Simon and Garfunkel
 27. WINDY - The Association
 28. I THINK I LOVE YOU - The Partridge Family
 29. YESTERDAY - The Beatles
 30. RAINDROPS KEEP FALLIN' ON MY HEAD - B.J. Thomas
 31. GROOVIN' - The Young Rascals
 32. DIZZY - Tommy Roe
 33. SOMETHIN' STUPID - Nancy and Frank Sinatra
 34. THE HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN - The Animals
 35. I FEEL FINE - The Beatles
 36. WE CAN WORK IT OUT - The Beatles
 37. I GOT YOU BABE - Sonny and Cher
 38. HELLO GOODBYE - The Beatles
 39. LOVE CHILD - Diana Ross and the Supremes
 40. LET IT BE - The Beatles
 41. COME TOGETHER - The Beatles
 42. CLOSE TO YOU - The Carpenters
 43. CHERISH - The Association
 44. MONDAY, MONDAY - The Mamas and the Papas
 45. A HARD DAY'S NIGHT - The Beatles
 46. YOU'VE LOST THAT LOVIN' FEELING - The Righteous
       Brothers
 47. EIGHT DAYS A WEEK - The Beatles
 48. EVERYDAY PEOPLE - Sly and the Family Stone
 49. OH, PRETTY WOMAN - Roy Orbison
 50. HAPPY TOGETHER - The Turtles
 51. WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL - The New Vaudeville Band
 52. HELP! - The Beatles
 53. SOUL AND INSPIRATION - The Righteous Brothers
 54. WEDDING BELL BLUES - The Fifth Dimension
 55. RESPECT - Aretha Franklin
 56. MAMA TOLD ME NOT TO COME - Three Dog Night
 57. VENUS - Shocking Blue
 58. AMERICAN WOMAN - The Guess Who
 59. TURN, TURN, TURN - The Byrds
 60. SUMMER IN THE CITY - The Lovin' Spoonful
 61. WAR - Edwin Starr
 62. RAG DOLL - The Four Seasons
 63. DO WAH DIDDY DIDDY - Manfred Mann
 64. WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO - The Supremes
 65. THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD - The Beatles
 66. I'M TELLING YOU NOW - Freddie and the Dreamers
 67. GRAZING IN THE GRASS - Hugh Masekela
 68. HANKY PANKY - Tommy James and the Shondells
 69. I HEAR A SYMPHONY - The Supremes
 70. THOSE WERE THE DAYS - Mary Hopkin
 71. THERE, I'VE SAID IT AGAIN - Bobby Vinton
 72. LIGHT MY FIRE - The Doors
 73. SHE LOVES YOU - The Beatles
 74. I GET AROUND - The Beach Boys
 75. DOWNTOWN - Petula Clark
 76. I CAN'T HELP MYSELF - The Four Tops
 77. THIS DIAMOND RING - Gary Lewis and the Playboys
 78. YOU CAN'T HURRY LOVE - The Supremes
 79. CRIMSON AND CLOVER - Tommy James and the
       Shondells
 80. HELP ME, RHONDA - The Beach Boys
 81. WILD THING - The Troggs
 82. WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN - Percy Sledge
 83. ABC - The Jackson Five
 84. PAPERBACK WRITER - The Beatles
 85. THE LOVE YOU SAVE - The Jackson Five
 86. JUDY IN THE DISGUISE - John Fred and His Playboy
       Band
 87. THE SOUNDS OF SILENCE - Simon and Garfunkel
 88. THANK YOU FALETTINME BE MICE ELF AGIN -
       Sly and the Family Stone
 89. LOVE THEME FROM "ROMEO AND JULIET" - 
       Henry Mancini
 90. COME SEE ABOUT ME - The Supremes
 91. YOU KEEP ME HANGIN' ON - The Supremes
 92. SUSPCIOUS MINDS - Elvis Presley
 93. PENNY LANE - The Beatles
 94. ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE - The Beatles
 95. LAST TRAIN TO CLARKSVILLE - The Monkees
 96. I'M HENRY THE VIII, I AM - Herman's Hermits
 97. HELLO DOLLY - Louis Armstrong
 98. HARPER VALLEY P.T.A. - Jeannie C. Riley
 99. SOMETHING - The Beatles
100. HAIR - The Cowsills

101. DOCK OF THE BAY - Otis Redding
102. TIGHTEN UP - Archie Bell and the Drells
103. HELLO, I LOVE YOU - The Doors
104. GET OFF OF MY CLOUD - The Rolling Stones
105. STOP! IN THE NAME OF LOVE - The Supremes
106. PAINT IT, BLACK - The Rolling Stones
107. LIGHTNING STRIKES - Lou Christie
108. HANG ON SLOOPY - The McCoys
109. EVE OF DESTRUCTION - Barry McGuire
110. LEAVING ON A JET PLANE - Peter, Paul and Mary
111. GOOD LOVIN' - The Young Rascals
112. INCENSE AND PEPPERMINTS - 
        The Strawberry Alarm Clock
113. RUBY TUESDAY - The Rolling Stones
114. LOVE IS HERE AND NOW YOU'RE GONE - 
        The Supremes
115. SPIRIT IN THE SKY - Norman Greenbaum
116. I'M GONNA MAKE YOU LOVE ME - Diana Ross and the
         Supremes and The Temptations
117. BUILD ME UP BUTTERCUP - The Foundations
118. VALLERI - The Monkees
119. MY GUY - Mary Wells
120. NA NA, HEY HEY, KISS HIM GOODBYE - Steam
121. THE TEARS OF A CLOWN - Smokey Robinson and the
        Miracles
122. KIND OF A DRAG - The Buckinghams
123. MY LOVE - Petula Clark
124. EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL - Ray Stevens
125. REACH OUT, I"LL BE THERE - The Four Tops
126. 96 TEARS - ? and the Mysterians
127. THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKIN' - 
        Nancy Sinatra
128. GOOD VIBRATIONS - The Beach Boys
129. GAME OF LOVE - Wayne Fontana And The
        Mindbenders
130. SOMEDAY WE'LL BE TOGETHER - Diana Ross and the
        Supremes
131. MR. TAMBOURINE MAN - The Byrds
132. TICKET TO RIDE - The Beatles
133. LEADER OF THE PACK - The Shangri-Las
134. CRACKLIN' ROSIE - Neil Diamond
135. OVER AND OVER - The Dave Clark Five
136. SUNSHINE SUPERMAN - Donovan
137. MAKE IT WITH YOU - Bread
138. STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT - Frank Sinatra
139. POOR SIDE OF TOWN - Johnny Rivers
140. LOVE ME DO - The Beatles
141. GREEN TAMBOURINE MAN - The Lemon Pipers
142. MR. LONELY - Bobby Vinton
143. THE HAPPENING - The Supremes
144. CAN'T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU - Frankie Valli
145. BARBARA ANN - The Beach Boys
146. LAST KISS - J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers
147. A LITTLE BIT ME, A LITTLE BIT YOU - The Monkees
148. A LOVER'S CONCERTO - The Toys
149. I CAN'T GET NEXT TO YOU - The Temptations
150. A WORLD WITHOUT LOVE - Peter And Gordon
151. I WANT YOU BACK - The Jackson Five
152. RINGO - Lorne Greene
153. BACK IN MY ARMS AGAIN - The Supremes
154. TWIST AND SHOUT - The Beatles
155. IN THE GHETTO - Elvis Presley
156. A GROOVY KIND OF LOVE - The Mindbenders
157. SPILL THE WINE - Eric Burdon and War
158. LET'S HANG ON - The Four Seasons
159. THEME FROM "VALLEY OF THE DOLLS" - Dionne
        Warwick
160. LOOKIN' OUT MY BACK DOOR - 
        Creedence Clearwater Revival
161. LADY WILLPOWER - Gary Puckett and the Union Gap
162. LOUIE LOUIE - The Kingsmen
163. SUNNY - Bobby Hebb
164. GEORGY GIRL - The Seekers
165. FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE - Stevie Wonder
166. WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN - The Carpenters
167. MELLOW YELLOW - Donovan
168. CECILIA - Simon and Garfunkel
169. NOWHERE MAN - The Beatles
170. YOUNG GIRL - Gary Puckett and the Union Gap
171. THEY'RE COMING TO TAKE ME AWAY, HA-HAA!!! -
        Napoleon XIV
172. SOUL MAN - Sam and Dave
173. EASY TO BE HARD - Three Dog Night
174. I GOT RHYTHM - The Happenings
175. YELLOW SUBMARINE - The Beatles
176. LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD - Sam the Sham 
        and the Pharaohs
177. THE RAPPER - The Jaggerz
178. SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED, I'M YOURS - 
        Stevie Wonder
179. MY GIRL - The Temptations
180. NEVER MY LOVE - The Association
181. THE RAIN, THE PARK AND OTHER THINGS - 
        The Cowsills
182. 1, 2, 3 - Len Barry
183. JUMPIN' JACK FLASH - The Rolling Stones
184. SHE'S NOT THERE - The Zombies
185. WOOLY BULLY - Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs
186. SNOOPY VS. THE RED BARON - The Royal Guardsmen
187. BAD MOON RISING - Creedence Clearwater Revival
188. ONE - Three Dog Night
189. CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION - Tommy James and the
        Shondells
190. TIME OF THE SEASON - The Zombies
191. I GOT YOU - James Brown
192. PROUD MARY - Creedence Clearwater Revival
193. A LITTLE BIT OF SOUL - The Music Explosion
194. IN THE SUMMERTIME - Mungo Jerry
195. CLASSICAL GAS - Mason Williams
196. DAYDREAM - The Lovin' Spoonful
197. CANDIDA - Dawn
198. TOUCH ME - The Doors
199. LITTLE WOMAN - Bobby Sherman
200. A TASTE OF HONEY - Herb Alpert and the 
        Tijuana Brass

RUNNERS-UP (in alphabetical order):
AND WHEN I DIE - Blood, Sweat and Tears
BALL OF CONFUSION - The Temptations
BAND OF GOLD - Freda Payne
BEND ME, SHAPE ME - The American Breed
A BOY NAMED SUE - Johnny Cash
BREAD AND BUTTER - The Newbeats
CAN'T YOU HEAR MY HEARTBEAT - Herman's Hermits
CHAIN OF FOOLS - Aretha Franklin
I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE - Gladys Knight and the Pips
INDIANA WANTS ME - R. Dean Taylor
JEAN - Oliver
LIKE A ROLLING STONE - Bob Dylan
LOVE POTION NUMBER NINE - The Searchers
19th NERVOUS BREAKDOWN - The Rolling Stones
PATCHES - Clarence Carter
SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER - The Happenings
SHE'D RATHER BE WITH ME - The Turtles
SIMON SAYS - The 1910 Fruitgum Company
SOULFUL STRUT - Young-Holt Unlimited
THAT'S LIFE - Frank Sinatra
TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIME - Tyrone Davis
WE'LL SING IN THE SUNSHINE - Gale Garnett
YOU SHOWED ME - The Turtles

#1 (1970 - 1981)

Picking up our series in 1970, we find our very first "Should Have Been An Across-The-Boards #1 Hit" candidate in May.  That's when Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit In The Sky" reached the top of the charts ... for two weeks ... in both Cash Box And Record World magazines ... yet did NOT hit the top spot in Billboard.  This one has always played as a #1 Record to me ... and its repeated use in film, television and commercials has forever burned it into our dna.  (It did top the chart here in Chicago as well ... both WCFL and WLS ranked it at #1.)    

Next up would have to be "Cecilia", also #1 everywhere but Billboard (including Chicago).  Billboard apparently denied it a #1 berth by giving a second week at #1 to Ray Stevens' "Everything Is Beautiful" instead.   

Two more such occurrences happened in August when Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours" and Eric Burdon and War's "Spill The Wine" both reached #1 in both Cash Box and Record World but not in Billboard.  In hindsight, I'd have to say "Spill The Wine" was the more deserving of the two, despite the fact that I have NEVER liked this song.  It just played like a #1 Record.   

Creedence Clearwater Revival never had a #1 Record in Billboard Magazine.  For years they were called The Kings of #2.  This was not the case in Cash Box and Record World, however, where "Proud Mary" and "Bad Moon Rising" both hit #1 in Record World in 1969.  It happened again in 1970 when "Lookin' Out My Back Door" reached the top in both Record World and Cash Box ... but not in Billboard.  All three CCR hits were deserving of this honor.  Billboard denied "Proud Mary" #1 status by charting "Everyday People" by Sly and the Family Stone" and "Dizzy" by Tommy Roe at #1 for four weeks each instead.  "Bad Moon Rising" was eclipsed by a five week run at the top by The Beatles' "Get Back", in hindsight one of their weaker efforts that STILL managed to hold down the #1 spot for five big weeks in both Billboard and Cash Box.  

And finally, "We've Only Just Begun" by The Carpenters, their follow-up hit to their #1 smash "Close To You", reached the #1 spot everywhere but Billboard.  Big as it was at the time ... and big as THEY were at the time, this one definitely should have earned across-the-boards #1 status. 

1971 

"Lonely Days" was a HUGE comeback record for The Bee Gees ... and it reached #1 in both Cash Box and Record World ... but NOT in Billboard ... a HUGE mistake in my opinion.  This record marked a HUGE comeback for The Brothers Gibb and topped the charts all over the country and was deserving of a #1 berth.   

It was followed by "Rose Garden" by Lynn Anderson, a record I feel nowhere near as strongly about, that still managed to capture the top spot in both Cash Box and Record World.  (Billboard charted Tony Orlando and Dawn's "Knock Three Times" at #1 for three weeks instead while The Bee Gees and Lynn Anderson were enjoying #1 status in these other publications.)

Two more back-to-back #1 Hits everywhere but Billboard belong to "She's A Lady" by Tom Jones and "Doesn't Somebody Want To Be Wanted" by The Partridge Family.  Both of these records, based solely on their popularity at the time, were deserving of #1 status.  Ringo Starr accomplished the same feat with his first big solo hit, "It Don't Come Easy".  That record reached #1 everywhere but Billboard, too.  (This one I don't know if I feel quite as strongly about ... great record, yes ... incredible Ringo effort, for sure ... but #1???  I don't think so.) 

A major oversight seems to be John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads", #1 for two weeks in Record World and one week in Cash Box ... but never reaching the summit in Billboard.  While I'm not a big John Denver fan, I believe that this record was deserving of a #1 showing ... and it opened up a huge career for him.  Right behind it came "Spanish Harlem" by Aretha Franklin, #1 for a week in both Cash Box and Record World.  I'm not so sure about this one either.  Billboard had Donny Osmond's "Go Away Little Girl" at #1, the start of a three week run at the top of their pop singles chart.   

1972 

Record World had Badfinger's "Day After Day" at #1 for two weeks in February of 1972.  While it's a great record (and one of my all-time faves), it failed to hit the top spot in both Billboard and Cash Box and, as such, I'd have to say probably was NOT deserving of #1 status.  A month later, however, Sonny Geraci and Climax hit #1 everywhere except Billboard ... and that record, big as it was at the time, absolutely deserved its #1 achievement. 

Three records in July alone reached #1 in Cash Box and Record World without hitting #1 in Billboard ... heck, that's most of the month!  First up was Billy Preston's "Outta Space".  Then came "Too Late To Turn Back Now" by Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose, followed by "Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast" by Wayne Newton.  I'm not sure any of those records deserved the #1 spot but we still hear "Too Late To Turn Back Now" nearly every single day.  "Outta Space" was a totally different sounding instrumental to what we'd grown accustomed and Wayne Newton's emotional take on "Daddy Don't You Walk To Fast" will still elicit a tear from time to time ... but I just don't hear ANY of those records as #1's.  "Lean On Me" by Bill Withers topped the Billboard chart for most of July ... and also hit #1 in the other publications.  (This song has not aged well for me, although I really liked it at the time.  In hindsight the pacing seems a little bit off ... it plays as more of a funeral march than a pop hit, forty years later.)

There were several more instances of denied #1's in Billboard before the end of the year.  "I'm Still In Love With You" by Al Green, odd in a way since Record World had NOT ranked his earlier hit that year, "Let's Stay Together", at #1, while Billboard and Cash Box did.  Next came "Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress) by The Hollies.  This record had #1 written all over it ... yet Billboard didn't see it that way.  "Everybody Plays The Fool" by The Main Ingredient is a record I feel absolutely deserved to be #1.  (Billboard showed "Ben" by Michael Jackson in the top spot instead.)  

The Moody Blues were also denied a top spot in Billboard for "Nights In White Satin", a record that topped Cash Box for a week and Record World for Two.  Other 1972 records that made it to #1's in two of the three national trade publications (but not Billboard) include "I'll Be Around" by The Spinners and "I'd Love You To Want Me" by Lobo.  There were also a couple of Cash Box only #1's worth mentioning that perhaps deserve attention as worthy #1's ... "Got To Be There" by Michael Jackson, "Rockin' Robin" by Michael Jackson, "Sylvia's Mother" by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show, "Nice To Be With You" by Gallery, Back Stabbers" by The O'Jays and Burnin' Love by Elvis Presley.  Of these choices, I'd have to go with the last two as most-deserving of being a #1 Record.  

1973 

There were several songs that topped both the Cash Box and Record World charts in 1973 but failed to reach that position in Billboard ... probably the most we've seen thus far in our little expose of what constitutes a #1 Record.    

"Dueling Banjos" by Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell (from the "Deliverance" soundtrack), "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love" by The Spinners, "Neither One Of Us" by Gladys Knight and the Pips, "Shambala" by Three Dog Night, "Yesterday Once More" by The Carpenters, "Live And Let Die" by Paul McCartney and Wings, "Higher Ground" by Stevie Wonder, "Heartbeat, It's A Lovebeat" by The DeFranco Family, "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" by Elton John and "Leave Me Alone" by Helen Reddy ALL hold that distinction.  MOST of these deserve #1 status ... with a slight edge going to "Dueling Banjos" (held out in Billboard by a five week run at the top by "Killing Me Softly With His Song" by Roberta Flack, as opposed to three week runs in both Cash Box and Record World), "Shambala" (held out by Jim Croce's "Bad Bad Leroy Brown" in Billboard), "Live And Let Die" (nudged out by a two-week run of "Brother Louie" by Stories), and (dare I say it) "Heartbeat, It's A Lovebeat", a song I absolutely DETESTED (and still do) ... but cannot deny it's universal popularity, except in Billboard where Eddie Kendricks' "Keep On Truckin'" had a two week run, and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" by Elton John, kept out of the top spot by The Carpenters' hit "Top Of The World" (one of my least favorite records by them as well.)

1974 

"Americans", the spoken word record by Byron MacGregor topped both the Cash Box and Record World charts for a week in February ... but failed to do so in Billboard.  Somehow, I just don't feel that this was a deserving #1 Record, although it did garner quite a bit of media coverage at the time of its release.  "Boogie Down" by Eddie Kendricks also topped the chart in Cash Box and Record World, as did "Dancing Machine" by The Jackson Five, "The Show Must Go On" by Three Dog Night, "You Make Me Feel Brand New" by The Stylistics, "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" by Elton John, "Jazzman" by Carole King and "When Will I See You Again" by The Three Degrees.    

Much as I liked these records, I don't know that "The Show Must Go On" or "Jazzman" deserved #1 status.  "Dancing Machine", "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" and "When Will I See You Again" probably did.   

1975 

1975 saw "Boogie On Reggae Woman" by Stevie Wonder, "Jackie Blue" by The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" by Elton John and "Mr. Jaws" by Dickie Goodman top both the Cash Box and Record World charts but fail to do so in Billboard, perhaps the shortest list we've run into so far.  Elton John was hot as can be in 1974 and 1975, so "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" probably deserved #1 status.  So did "Jackie Blue", which we still hear nearly every single day some forty years later.  "Mr. Jaws" was HUGELY popular at the time ... but #1?  I don't think so.  (It peaked at #4 in Billboard ... so it wasn't even close).  However, Randy Price's Super Charts also shows it at #1 when factoring in the combined rankings of the three major trades ... so maybe it did!

1976 

In 1976, "All By Myself" by Eric Carmen, "Dream Weaver" by Gary Wright, "Lonely Night (Angel Face") by The Captain and Tennille, "Right Back Where We Started From" by Maxine Nightingale and "Get Up And Boogie" by The Silver Connection each spent a week at #1 in both Cash Box and Record World Magazines without ever reaching the top in Billboard.  I might have to go with Billboard's rankings on this one.  Even with the benefit of forty years of hindsight, I don't know that I believe that any of these tunes truly deserved #1 status.  On the other hand the ONLY record to make it to #1 in Billboard and NOT reach the top in the other two publications was "Love Rollercoaster" by The Ohio Players" ... and I didn't particularly care for that one either.  It was HUGE in clubs, however, so I can understand how it would hit #1 ... it just wasn't my cup of tea. (But then again, neither was disco in general!)   

1977 

In 1977, not a single record hit #1 in both of the other publications without hitting #1 in Billboard ... first time we've seen THAT!!!  

Billboard #1's that failed to peak that high in Cash Box and Record World include "New Kid In Town" by The Eagles, "Don't Leave Me This Way" by Thelma Houston and "Looks Like We Made It" by Barry Manilow.  If there's a #1 Record that probably deserved an across-the-boards ranking at the top of the charts (but didn't get it), I would have to go with "Don't Stop" by Fleetwood Mac. 

1978 

1978 started with Player's hit "Baby Come Back" at #1 in both Billboard and Cash Box ... but NOT in Record World.  ("How Deep Is Your Love" by The Bee Gees, a carry-over #1 hit from 1977, experienced the same fate.  I can't imagine for a moment "How Deep Is Your Love" NOT being a #1 Record!)  That's because Record World charted Debby Boone's "You Light Up My Life" at #1 for THIRTEEN WEEKS ... replaced by "We Are The Champions" by Queen, a record that failed to hit the top in Billboard or Cash Box.  (I would have to say that ALL of the above mentioned tunes absolutely deserved a #1 ranking). 

There were only 23 #1 Records for all of 1978 ... and NONE of them hit the top spot in both Cash Box and Record World without also doing so in Billboard.  A couple of discrepancies worth mentioning ...  

"Emotion" by Samantha Sang and "Baker Street", both hit #1 in Cash Box only (and were deserving of #1 status in the eyes of all of America) ... while Anne Murray's "You Needed Me", #1 in Billboard and nowhere else, was probably NOT worthy of that honor.   

1979 

Only one record again this year that hit the top spot in both Cash Box and Record World despite failing to do so in Billboard Magazine ... and that distinction belongs to "Sail On" by The Commodores. 

#1 in Billboard only:  "Love You Inside Out" by The Bee Gees (worthy) and "Pop Muzik" by M (not).   

1980 

"Please Don't Go" kicked off the new decade at #1 in Billboard only ... I don't think it deserved it, especially in light of the competition ("Escape" by Rupert Holmes and "Rock With You" by Michael Jackson).  Kenny Rogers' hit "Coward Of The County" was #1 in both Cash Box and Record World, but failed to climb that high in Billboard.  I don't think it was deserving of Pop #1 Status.  However, somehow Paul McCartney's live version of "Coming Up" only hit the top spot in Billboard ... and stayed there for three weeks.  How this one escaped the #1 position in Cash Box and Record World is beyond me.   

1981 

Our final look ... "Being With You" by Smokey Robinson topped both the Cash Box and the Record World charts ... and I feel this was a record worthy of hitting #1.  (It spent three weeks at #2 in Billboard Magazine.)  The only other record to achieve #1 status in both Cash Box and Record World and fail to do so in Billboard was "Theme from 'Greatest American Hero'" by Joey Scarbury.  Honestly, I'm not quite sure HOW I feel about that one!!!  (lol) 

Two singular #1's that absolutely deserved #1 status were "Woman" by John Lennon (#1 for two weeks in Cash Box only) and "Elvira", #1 for a week in Cash Box, catchy as hell and on the radio non-stop in 1981.  It certainly deserved one week on top in all three publications.  (Billboard "peaked" it at #5 and it topped off at #3 in Record World.)   

That's our look back at #1 Discrepancies.  All chart information comes from Joel Whitburn's new "Chart Comparison" book, available through the Record Research website:    
http://www.recordresearch.com/pop/the_comparison_book_1954-1982.php   

In fact, Joel will be giving away a copy of this book to a lucky Forgotten Hits Reader at random next week.   

Wanna chance to win a free copy?    

Send us your comments on our #1 Series.  We'll let Joel pick the best one and award that person a copy of his great, new book.  (The Chart Comparison Book compares side by side the peak position of EVERY record to hit The Billboard, Cash Box and Music Vendor / Record World charts between 1954 and 1982 ... it's an invaluable source of chart information all in one place at your fingertips.)   

Even if you don't win a copy, you definitely owe it to yourself to purchase a copy via the link above ... EVERY hit record of The AM Radio / Top 40 Era, ranked by each national publication.  It's a MUST HAVE for any collector's library.  (kk)

NOTE:  Forgotten Hits subscribers received a special FRIDAY FLASH edition via email this morning.

Not a subscriber?

Just drop us an email at forgottenhits@aol.com, put "Subscribe" in the subject line, and we'll add you to the list.  And, if you live in the greater Chicagoland area, let us know that, too, and we'll add you to our Local List, offering special news and offers on concerts happening in our area.

TOMORROW IN FORGOTTEN HITS:  

A special encore presentation of The Top 200 #1 Hits of The Beatles Era, 1964 - 1970.  Don't miss it!