In 1973 I was in the 10th grade. I listened to the radio a lot. And I bought quite a few records. We didn’t have itunes or mp3 players. Music wasn’t as accessible as it is today.
Billboard Hot 100 no. 1 singles of 1973
You’re so Vain by Carly Simon
No. 1 the weeks of Jan. 6, 13 and 20.
The big question was ‘Who was she singing about?’. Years later I heard that it was Hugh Hefner. That made sense to me. Then I heard it was Warren Beatty. It seemed to me that Hugh Hefner was the one most likely to fly to Nova Scotia to see the total eclipse of the sun. Or wear an apricot scarf.
Did I have the record? Yes
My rating: ***
Superstition by Stevie Wonder
No. 1 the week of Jan. 27
This song was on the radio all of the time. I wasn’t a big fan then. I like it better now. We played it in band when I was in college.
Did I have the record? No
My rating: ***
Crocodile Rock by Elton John
No. 1 the weeks of Feb. 3, 10 and 17
I used to play this song in the jukebox that was outside of the Tastee Freeze down the street from where I lived. I had no clue what the Crocodile Rock was.
Did I have the record? Yes
My rating: ***
Killing Me Softly With His Song by Robert Flack
No. 1 the weeks of Feb. 24, March 3, 10 and 17
This song was no. 1 for 4 weeks. I really liked it, but it was just soooooooo slow. I love Roberta’s voice. I like it better than the Fugee’s version.
Did I have the record? Yes
My rating: ****
Love Train by the O’Jays
No. 1 the week of March 24
I can’t say that I was a big fan when it first came out. I like it better now.
Did I have the record? No
My rating: **
Killing My Softly With His Song by Robert Flack
No. 1 the week of March 31
Oh, look who’s back. I guess people wanted to take a week off and speed things up a bit. So I guess this song was actually no. 1 for 5 weeks. I call it a Grover Cleveland song.
My Rating: I already did that
The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia by Vicki Lawrence
No. 1 the weeks of Apr. 7 and 14
This was another one of those songs that they played on the radio all the time. I got so sick of it. Later, they made a movie called The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia with Kristy McNichol and Dennis Quaid. I went to see it. I don’t remember it having anything to do with the song. I hated the movie.
Did I have the record? No, but my sister did.
My rating: **
Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree by Tony Orlando and Dawn
No. 1 the weeks of April 21, 28, May 5 and 12
This song was no. 1 for 4 weeks. I liked it better then than I do now. The song was about a prisoner returning home after being away for 3 years. It was later used for returning vets.
Did I have the record? No, but my sister did.
My Rating: **
You Are the Sunshine of My Life by Stevie Wonder
No. 1 the week of May 19
Thank goodness it was only no. 1 for a week. I didn’t care for it. I like it a little better now.
Did I have the record? No
My rating: **
Frankenstein by The Edgar Winter Group
No. 1 the week of May 26
Loved it. I used to play it in the jukebox at the rec center all the time. You’d get 5 songs for a dollar. I’d use the whole dollar on this one song.
Did I have the record? Yes (now I have it on itunes)
Rating: *****
My Love by Paul McCartney and Wings
No. 1 the weeks of June 2, 9, 16 and 23
No. 1 for a month. ugh. Not a big fan. I didn’t care for this song at all.
Did I have the record? No
My rating: **
Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth) by George Harrison
No. 1 the week of June 30
I must confess that I don’t even remember this song. If I heard it now I might remember it. It must not have left much of an impression on me.
Did I have the record? No
My rating: I can’t rate it because I can’t remember it.
Will It Go Round in Circles by Billy Preston
No. 1 the weeks of July 7 and 14
This song was okay. I liked it all right. It has a nice groove. There are other Billy Preston songs that I like better.
Did I have the record? No
My rating: ***
Bad, Bad Leroy Brown by Jim Croce
No. 1 the weeks of July 21 and 28
I wasn’t a big fan, but I used to sing along to it every time that it came on the radio.
Did I have the record? Yes, I had the album.
My rating: ***
The Morning After by Maureen McGovern
No. 1 the weeks of Aug. 4 and 11.
This song was from the Poseidon Adventure movie. I went to see it almost every day that it played at the theater down the street. Like 2 weeks in a row. Then I bought the record. I used to love it. Now I borderline can’t stand it.
Did I have the record? Yes
My rating: Then ***** Now **
Touch Me in the Morning by Diana Ross
No. 1 the week of Aug. 18
I like Diana Ross by not this song. ugh.
Did I have the record? No
My rating: *
Brother Louie by Stories
No. 1 the weeks of Aug. 25 and Sept. 1
This is one of those songs that gets stuck in your head. Mainly the chorus.
Louie, Louie, Louie, Lou- eeeeeeeee
Louie, Louie, Louie, Lou- iiiiiiiiiiiiiii
I liked it okay.
Did I have the record? Yes
My rating: ***
Let’s Get it On by Marvin Gaye
No. 1 the week of Sept. 8
This was only no. 1 for a week. You’d think that it would have been in that spot a lot longer. It’s a Marvin Gaye classic. Probably just as popular today as it was then.
Did I have the record? No
My rating: ****
Delta Dawn by Helen Reddy
No. 1 the week of Sept. 15
I like the Tanya Tucker version much better. I used to play that version all of the time.
Did I have the record? No
My rating: ***
Let’s Get it On by Marvin Gaye
No. 1 the week of Sept. 22
Okay, I take it back. This song was no. 1 for 2 weeks. Another Grover Cleveland song. Interrupted by the interim Helen Reddy for one week.
My rating: I already gave it
We’re an American Band by Grand Funk
No. 1 the week of Sept. 29
This was a good tune. I liked it quite a bit.
Did I have the record? No
My rating: ****
Half Breed by Cher
No. 1 the weeks of Oct 6 and 13
I would sing along every time it came on the radio. When I was with my friends we would have group sing-a-longs when it came on.
Did I have the record? Yes
My rating: ****
Angie by The Rolling Stones
No. 1 the week of Oct. 20
I liked this song okay. There are other Stones songs that I like better. I have an affinity for Mick because we have the same birthday.
Did I have the record? No
My rating: ***
Midnight Train to Georgia by Gladys Knight and the Pips
No. 1 the weeks of Oct. 27 and Nov. 3
Another sing-a-long. I liked it better then that I do now. I think that I’m just over it.
Did I have the record? Yes
My rating: ***
Keep on Truckin’ (Part 1) by Eddie Kendricks
No. 1 the weeks of Nov. 10 and 17
When this became no. 1 I just couldn’t understand why. I was not a fan.
Did I have the record? No
My rating: **
Photograph by Ringo Starr
No. 1 the week of Nov. 24
I like his song It Don’t Come Easy a lot better. This one was okay.
Did I have the record? No
My rating: ***
Top of the World by The Carpenters
No. 1 the weeks of Dec. 1 and 8
I like everthing Carpenters. Karen is probably my favorite female singer. In the pop genre, that is. I had all kinds of Carpenter albums over the years. This isn’t my absolute favorite Carpenter song. It sounds too much like a jingle. I still like it though.
Did I have the record? Yes, I had the album
My rating: ****
The Most Beautiful Girl by Charlie Rich
No. 1 the weeks of Dec. 15 and 22
I want to say that I didn’t like this song, but I did. I didn’t want to like it.
Did I have the record? No, but my mom had the album.
My rating: ***
Time in a Bottle by Jim Croce
No. 1 the week of Dec. 29
This might have been no. 1 longer than a week. I don’t know. I didn’t look at the 1974 charts. It’s not like I have it memorized. I was not a big fan of this song. In the 80s I played this song on the piano at a friends wedding. I totally screwed it up. Oops.
Did I have the record? Yes, I had the album
My rating: **
So, according to the ratings, my favorite no. 1 song of 1973 was Frankenstein by Edgar Winter and my least favorite was Touch Me in the Morning by Diana Ross.
The True Bob Files 