As we do every year (as part of our Fifty Year Flashback Series),
today we are featuring THE TOP 72 SONGS OF 1972,
compiled by data accumulated from all of the major trade publications
(as well as also factoring in the rankings from Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual and the book "Ranking the '70's" by Dann Isbell and William Campbell)
You'll find a few surprises on this list ...
Some of the songs that didn't seem to do so well during the course of the year seem to rank higher than you might expect them to ...
While there are also some much bigger hits (based on the weekly charts we ran every Monday this past year) that have maybe placed a little lower than you might have expected on the combination Year-End Chart.
Some have aged better than others ...
Some have remained radio airplay staples while others have virtually disappeared from the airwaves for decades now ...
But this list shows you how these songs stacked up at the time ...
And not necessarily the way we feel about them today.
Consider it a snapshot of pop music's biggest hits ... 1972.
We're not here to argue (although I'm certainly prepared to do so!!! lol)
We're just here to report ...
So, without further adieu, here are
THE TOP 72 SONGS OF 1972
# 1 - ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) - Gilbert O'Sullivan
# 2 - American Pie - Don McLean
# 3 - Without You - Nilsson
# 4 - The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Robert Flack
# 5 - Lean On Me - Bill Withers
# 6 - I Gotcha - Joe Tex
# 7 - The Candy Man - Sammy Davis, Jr.
# 8 - Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me - Mac Davis
# 9 - Let's Stay Together - Al Green
#10 - Brandy - Looking Glass
#11 - Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast - Wayne Newton
#12 - A Horse With No Name - America
#13 - Heart Of Gold - Neil Young
#14 - The Lion Sleeps Tonight - Robert John
#15 - I'll Take You There - The Staple Singers
#16 - If Loving You Is Wrong, I Don't Want To Be Right - Luther Ingram
#17 - My Ding-A-Ling - Chuck Berry
#18 - Oh Girl - The Chi-Lites
#19 - Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress) - The Hollies
#20 - Nice To Be With You - Gallery
#21 - Brand New Key - Melanie
#22 - Song Sung Blue - Neil Diamond
#23 - Outa-Space - Billy Preston
#24 - Everybody Plays The Fool - The Main Ingredient
#25 - Ben - Michael Jackson
#26 - Rockin' Robin - Michael Jackson
#27 - Back Stabbers - The O'Jays
#28 - Precious And Few - Climax
#29 - Too Late To Turn Back Now - Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose
#30 - Betcha By Golly Wow - The Stylistics
#31 - Sunshine - Jonathan Edwards
#32 - Down By The Lazy River - The Osmonds
#33 - Go All The Way - The Raspberries
#34 - Nights In White Satin - The Moody Blues
#35 - I'm Still In Love With You - Al Green
#36 - Slippin' Into Darkness - War
#37 - Last Night I Didn't Get To Sleep At All - The Fifth Dimension
#38 - Black And White - Three Dog Night
#39 - Burning Love - Elvis Presley
#40 - Hurting Each Other - The Carpenters
#41 - I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash
#42 - Scorpio - Dennis Coffey and the Detroit Guitar Band
#43 - Look What You've Done For Me - Al Green
#44 - Day After Day - Badfinger
#45 - How Do You Do? - Mouth and MacNeal
#46 - Hold Your Head Up - Argent
#47 -Jungle Fever - Chakachas
#48 - In The Rain - The Dramatics
#49 - Clean Up Woman - Betty Wright
#50 - Puppy Love - Donny Osmond
#51 - Sylvia's Mother - Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show
#52 - Mother And Child Reunion - Paul Simon
#53 - Everything I Own- Bread
#54 - The Happiest Girl In The Whole USA - Donna Fargo
#55 - Saturday In The Park - Chicago
#56 - Garden Party - Rick Nelson and the Stone Canyon Band
#57 - Popcorn - Hot Butter
#58 - A Cowboy's Work Is Never Done - Sonny and Cher
#59 - The Way Of Love - Cher
#60 - Never Been To Spain - Three Dog Night
#61 - Where Is The Love - Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway
#62 - Me And Mrs. Jones - Billy Paul
#63 - Starting All Over Again - Mel and Tim
#64 - School's Out - Alice Cooper
#65 - I Am Woman - Helen Reddy
#66 - Family Affair - Sly and the Family Stone
#67 - You Don't Mess Around With Jim - Jim Croce
#68 - Bang A Gong - T. Rex
#69 - Morning Has Broken - Cat Stevens
#70 - Use Me - Bill Withers
#71 - Beautiful Sunday -Daniel Boone
#72 - Cherish - David Cassidy
