American Top 40 1973

Whatever you were doing in 1973 and whoever you were doing it with (or to), these are the songs you were doing it to, presented by the host who played the hits from coast to coast , Casey Kasem!

Music News from 1973

60's Stars Shine Bright in '73: More than any other year since the 1960's, 1973 had more number one singles from stars of the 60's. Three of the former Beatles - Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr - enjoyed number one hits, the first and only time 3 different members of the same group had top hits in a calendar year. Diana Ross, former lead singer of the 60's Motown supergroup the Supremes, reached the top with Touch Me In The Morning. Her friend and Motown counterpart Marvin Gaye hit number one with Let's Get It On. Another Motown great, Stevie Wonder, saw his hits Superstition and You Are The Sunshine of My Life take the top spot. Eddie Kendricks, once the Temptations' lead singer, topped the chart with Keep On Truckin'. And last, but not least, the 60's rock supergroup the Rolling Stones went to number one with Angie. The 60's stars were still shining.

On Disco's Doorstep: In 1973, few, if any, Pop music fans had heard of the term "Disco". But the sounds that evolved into Disco were starting to come together. The "Funk" sound, which began in the early 70's, was heard on many top 40 hits, including, to some extent, Stevie Wonder's number one Superstition. The other sound that soon led to Disco was the "Philadelphia" sound, named after the city where many of its creators originated. Groups such as Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes (If You Don't Know Me By Now, The Love I Lost) and the O'Jays (number one hit Love Train) popularized the "Philly" sound. This sound was a distant offshoot of the Motown sound, and was even dubbed "Philly Motown" by some in the industry. Who would have thought that Funk and the Philly Sound would come together soon? The rest, as the Bee Gees, Donna Summer and others can attest, is history!

Plane Crash Takes Croce's Life: In what would become an all-too-long list of Rock music tragedies, young rising star Jim Croce lost his life in a plane crash on September 30. Croce made the top ten with his first single You Don't Mess Around With Jim in 1972. He reached number one that summer with Bad, Bad Leroy Brown, his last hit before the tragic fate stepped in. Croce had an astonishing 8 top 40 hits in just under 2 years time, including another number one hit, Time In A Bottle, after his death. Jim Croce was only 30.

All of the songs that hit the weekly Top 40 pop charts in 1973, according to Billboard Magazine.

[ ]--Original Date of Entry Into Top 40
( )--Peak Position on Chart

You're So Vain--Carly Simon [see 1972] (#1)
Clair--Gilbert O' Sullivan [see 1972] (#2)
Me And Mrs. Jones--Billy Paul [see 1972] (#1)
Superstition--Stevie Wonder [see 1972] (#1)
Funny Face--Donna Fargo [see 1972] (#5)
It Never Rains In Southern California--Albert Hammond [see 1972] (#5)
Rockin' Pneumonia-Boogie Woogie Flu--Johnny Rivers [see 1972] (#6)
Your Mama Don't Dance--Loggins & Messina [see 1972] (#4)
Superfly--Curtis Mayfield [see 1972] (#8)
You Ought To Be With Me--Al Green [see 1972] (#3)
Keeper Of The Castle--Four Tops [see 1972] (#10)
Living In The Past--Jethro Tull [see 1972] (#11)
Crocodile Rock--Elton John [see 1972] (#1)
I Am Woman--Helen Reddy [see 1972] (#1)
Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight--James Taylor [see 1972] (#14)
Something's Wrong With Me--Austin Roberts [see 1972] (#12)
Walk On Water--Neil Diamond [see 1972] (#17)
Sitting--Cat Stevens [see 1972] (#16)
Why Can't We Live Together--Timmy Thomas [see 1972] (#3)
Sweet Surrender--Bread [see 1972] (#15)
Pieces Of April--Three Dog Night [see 1972] (#19)
Hi, Hi, Hi--Wings [see 1972] (#10)
I Wanna Be With You--Raspberries [see 1972] (#16)
Been To Canaan--Carole King [see 1972] (#24)
Oh, Babe What Would You Say--Hurricane Smith [see 1972] (#3)
Trouble Man--Marvin Gaye [see 1972] (#7)
Papa Was A Rolling Stone--Temptations [see 1972] (#1)
Separate Ways--Elvis Presley [see 1972] (#20)
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes--Blue Haze [see 1972] (#27)
The World Is A Ghetto--War [see 1972] (#7)
Do It Again--Steely Dan [see 1972] (#6)
Love Jones--Brighter Side Of Darkness [1/6] (#16)
I Can See Clearly Now--Johnny Nash [see 1972] (#1)
Dancing In The Moonlight--King Harvest [see 1972] (#13)
Rocky Mountain High--John Denver [1/6] (#2)
If You Don't Know Me By Now--Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes [see 1972] (#3)
Jambalaya (On The Bayou)--Blue Ridge Rangers [1/6] (#16)
You Turn Me On, I'm A Radio--Joni Mitchell [see 1972] (#25)
Corner Of The Sky--Jackson 5 [1/6] (#)
Reelin' & Rockin'--Chuck Berry [1/6] (#27)
Daddy's Home--Jermaine Jackson [1/13] (#9)
Don't Expect Me To Be Your Friend--Lobo [1/13] (#8)
The Relay--The Who [1/13] (#39)
Harry Hippie--Bobby Womack [1/13] (#31)
I'll Be Your Shelter (In Time Of Storm)--Luther Ingram [1/20] (#40)
Dreidel--Don McLean [1/20] (#21)
Do You Want To Dance--Bette Midler [1/20] (#17)
Could It Be I'm Falling In Love--Spinners [1/20] (#4)
Last Song--Edward Bear [1/27] (#3)
Love Train--O' Jays [1/27] (#1)
Looking Through The Eyes Of Love--Partridge Family [1/27] (#39)
I'm Never Gonna Be Alone Anymore--Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose [2/3] (#37)
The Cover Of "Rolling Stone"--Dr. Hook [2/3] (#6)
Peaceful Easy Feeling--The Eagles [2/3] (#22)
Killing Me Softly With His Song--Roberta Flack [2/3] (#1)
Dueling Banjos--Eric Weissberg & Steve Mandell [2/3] (#2)
Living Together, Growing Together--5th Dimension [2/10] (#32)
I Got Ants In My Pants (And I Want to Dance)--James Brown [2/10] (#27)
Big City Miss Ruth Ann--Gallery [2/10] (#23)
Danny's Song--Anne Murray [2/10] (#7)
Aubrey--Bread [2/17] (#15)
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Theme from 2001)--Deodato [2/17] (#2)
Jesus Is Just Alright--Doobie Brothers [2/17] (#35)
Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye)--Gladys Knight & The Pips [2/17] (#2)
I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band)--Moody Blues [2/17] (#12)
Hummingbird--Seals & Crofts [2/17] (#20)
Don't Cross The River--America [2/24] (#35)
Space Oddity--David Bowie [2/24] (#15)
Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)--Four Tops [2/24] (#4)
Give Me Your Love--Barbara Mason [2/24] (#31)
Dead Skunk--Loudon Wainwright [2/24] (#16)
Call Me (Come Back Home)--Al Green [3/3] (#10)
Stir It Up--Johnny Nash [3/3] (#12)
Good Morning Heartache--Diana Ross [3/3] (#34)
Soul Song--Joe Stampley [3/3] (#37)
Break Up To Make Up--Stylistics [3/3] (#5)
Kissing My Love--Bill Withers [3/3] (#31)
Sing--Carpenters [3/10] (#3)
Hello Hurray--Alice Cooper [3/10] (#35)
Master Of Eyes (The Deepness Of Your Eyes)--Aretha Franklin [3/10] (#33)
Peaceful--Helen Reddy [3/10] (#12)
Masterpiece--Temptations [3/10] (#7)
Cook With Honey--Judy Collins [3/17] (#32)
One Less Set Of Footsteps--Jim Croce [3/17] (#37)
Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree--Dawn [3/17] (#1)
The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia--Vicki Lawrence [3/17] (#1)
Little Willy--Sweet [3/17] (#3)
A Letter To Myself--Chi·Lites [3/24] (#33)
The Twelfth Of Never--Donny Osmond [3/24] (#8)
Daisy A Day--Jud Strunk [3/24] (#14)
The Cisco Kid--War [3/24] (#2)
Drift Away--Dobie Gray [3/31] (#5)
Walk On The Wild Side--Lou Reed [3/31] (#16)
Wildflower--Skylark [3/31] (#9)
Stuck In The Middle With You--Stealers Wheel [3/31] (#6)
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life--Stevie Wonder [3/31] (#1)
One Man Band (Plays All Alone)--Ronnie Dyson [4/7] (#28)
Bitter Bad--Melanie [4/7] (#36)
Out Of The Question--Gilbert O' Sullivan [4/7] (#17)
Reeling In The Years--Steely Dan [4/7] (#11)
Halleujah Day--Jackson 5 [4/14] (#28)
Pinball Wizard/See Me, Feel Me--New Seekers [4/14] (#29)
Funky Worm--Ohio Players [4/14] (#15)
Step By Step--Joe Simon [4/14] (#37)
Oh La De Da--Staple Singers [4/14] (#33)
Cherry Cherry--Neil Diamond [4/21] (#31)
Hocus Pocus--Focus [4/21] (#9)
Daniel--Elton John [4/21] (#2)
The Right Thing To Do--Carly Simon [4/21] (#17)
Pillow Talk--Sylvia [4/21] (#3) (NOTE: Different from Sylvia who charted in 1982)
Frankenstein--Edgar Winter Group [4/21] (#1)
Armed and Extremely Dangerous--First Choice [4/28] (#28)
Leaving Me--Independents [4/28] (#21)
Thinking Of You--Loggins & Messina [4/28] (#18)
My Love--Paul McCartney [4/28] (#1)
I'm Doin' Fine Now--New York City [4/28] (#17)
Playground In My Mind--Clint Holmes [5/5] (#2)
It Sure Took A Long, Long Time--Lobo [5/5] (#27)
I Can Understand It--New Birth [5/5] (#35)
Steamroller Blues--Elvis Presley [5/5] (#17)
Blue Suede Shoes--Johnny Rivers [5/5] (#38)
I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby--Barry White [5/5] (#3)
No More Mr. Nice Guy--Alice Cooper [5/12] (#25)
Right Place Wrong Time--Dr. John [5/12] (#9)
Teddy Bear Song--Barbara Fairchild [5/12] (#32)
Super Fly Meets Shaft--John & Ernest [5/12] (#31)
Let's Pretend--Raspberries [5/12] (#35)
Hearts Of Stone--Blue Ridge Rangers [5/19] (#37)
And I Love You So--Perry Como [5/19] (#29)
Will It Go Round In Circles--Billy Preston [5/19] (#1)
One Of A Kind (Love Affair)--Spinners [5/19] (#11)
Long Train Runnin'--Doobie Brothers [5/26] (#8)
Close Your Eyes--Edward Bear [5/26] (#37)
Give Me Love (Peace On Earth)--George Harrison [5/26] (#1)
Give It To Me--J. Geils Band [5/26] (#30)
Bad, Bad Leroy Brown--Jim Croce [6/2] (#1)
Back When My Hair Was Short--Gunhill Road [6/2] (#40)
Daddy Could Swear, I Declare--Gladys Knight & The Pips [6/2] (#19)
Kodachrome--Paul Simon [6/2] (#2)
Shambala--Three Dog Night [6/2] (#3)
Natural High--Bloodstone [6/9] (#10)
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy--Bette Midler [6/9] (#8)
Behind Closed Doors--Charlie Rich [6/9] (#15)
You'll Never Get To Heaven (If You Break My Heart)--Stylistics [6/9] (#23)
Yesterday Once More--Carpenters [6/16] (#2)
Smoke On The Water--Deep Purple [6/16] (#4)
Diamond Girl--Seals & Crofts [6/16] (#6)
So Very Hard To Go--Tower Of Power [6/16] (#17)
Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation--The Dells [6/23] (#34)
Doing It To Death--J.B.'s [6/23] (#22)
Money--Pink Floyd [6/23] (#13)
Satin Sheets--Jeanne Pruett [6/23] (#28)
I'll Always Love My Mama--Intruders [6/30] (#36)
Time To Get Down--O' Jays [6/30] (#33)
Monster Mash--Bobby Pickett & The Crypt-Kickers [6/30] (#10)
Misdemeanor--Foster Sylvers [6/30] (#22)
Feelin' Stronger Every Day--Chicago [7/7] (#10)
Where Peaceful Waters Flow--Gladys Knight & The Pips [7/7] (#28)
Why Me--Kris Kristofferson [7/7] (#16)
Goin' Home--The Osmonds [7/7] (#36)
Touch Me In The Morning--Diana Ross [7/7] (#1)
The Plastic Man--Temptations [7/7] (#40)
The Morning After--Maureen McGovern [7/14] (#1)
Get Down--Gilbert O' Sullivan [7/14] (#7)
If You Want Me To Stay--Sly & The Family Stone [7/14] (#12)
Swamp Witch--Jim Stafford [7/14] (#39)
Brother Louie--The Stories [7/14] (#1)
I Believe In You (You Believe In Me)--Johnnie Taylor [7/14] (#11)
Uneasy Rider--Charlie Daniels Band [7/21] (#9)
Soul Makossa--Manu Dibango [7/21] (#35)
Angel--Aretha Franklin [7/21] (#20)
Here I Am (Come And Take Me)--Al Green [7/21] (#10)
How Can I Tell Her--Lobo [7/21] (#22)
Live And Let Die--Paul McCartney [7/21] (#2)
Are You Man Enough?--Four Tops [7/28] (#15)
Let's Get It On--Marvin Gaye [7/28] (#1)
Say, Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose--Dawn [7/28] (#3)
Delta Dawn--Helen Reddy [7/28] (#1)
A Million To One/Young Love--Donny Osmond [8/4] (#23)
The Hurt--Cat Stevens [8/4] (#31)
Gypsy Man--War [8/4] (#8)
I Was Checkin' Out She Was Checkin' In--Don Covay [8/11] (#29)
Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting--Elton John [8/11] (#12)
Believe In Humanity--Carole King [8/11] (#28)
Nobody Wants You When You're Down And Out--Bobby Womack [8/11] (#29)
We're An American Band--Grand Funk [8/18] (#1)
That Lady (Part 1)--Isley Brothers [8/18] (#6)
Loves Me Like A Rock--Paul Simon [8/18] (#2)
There It Is--Tyrone Davis [8/25] (#32)
Future Shock--Curtis Mayfield [8/25] (#39)
Theme From Cleopatra Jones--Joe Simon [8/25] (#18)
My Maria--B.W.Stevenson [8/25] (#9)
Half-Breed--Cher [9/1] (#1)
Stoned Out Of My Mind--Chi-Lites [9/1] (#30)
I've Got So Much To Give--Barry White [9/1] (#32)
Higher Ground--Stevie Wonder [9/1] (#4)
Ramblin' Man--Allman Brothers Band [9/8] (#2)
Yes We Can Can--Pointer Sisters [9/8] (#11)
Ghetto Child--Spinners [9/8] (#29)
Hey Girl (I Like Your Style)--Temptations [9/8] (#35)
Free Ride--Edgar Winter Group [9/8] (#14)
China Grove--Doobie Brothers [9/15] (#15)
Keep On Truckin'--Eddie Kendricks [9/15] (#1)
Midnight Train To Georgia--Gladys Knight & The Pips [9/15] (#1)
You've Never Been This Far Before--Conway Twitty [9/15] (#22)
In The Midnight Hour--Cross Country [9/22] (#30)
Get It Together--Jackson 5 [9/22] (#28)
To Know You Is To Love You--B.B. King [9/22] (#38)
Ecstasy--Ohio Players [9/22] (#31)
Angie--The Rolling Stones [9/22] (#1)
Rocky Mountain Way--Joe Walsh [9/22] (#23)
Basketball Jones featuring Tyrone Shoelaces--Cheech & Chong [9/29] (#15)
Heartbeat (It's A Lovebeat)--DeFranco Family featuring Tony DeFranco [9/29] (#3)
Knockin' On Heaven's Door--Bob Dylan [9/29] (#12)
Hurts So Good--Millie Jackson [9/29] (#24)
Jimmy Loves Mary·Anne--Looking Glass [9/29] (#33)
All I Know--Art Garfunkel [10/6] (#9)
Summer (The First Time)--Bobby Goldsboro [10/6] (#21)
Funky Stuff--Kool & The Gang [10/6] (#29)
Paper Roses--Marie Osmond [10/6] (#5)
Let Me In--The Osmonds [10/6] (#36)
I Got A Name--Jim Croce [10/13] (#10)
Jesse--Roberta Flack [10/13] (#30)
You're A Special Part Of Me--Marvin Gaye & Diana Ross [10/13] (#12)
Space Race--Billy Preston [10/13] (#4)
We May Never Pass This Way (Again)--Seals & Crofts [10/13] (#21)
Top Of the World--Carpenters [10/20] (#1)
Just You 'N' Me--Chicago [10/20] (#4)
The Love I Lost (Part 1)--Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes [10/20] (#7)
Photograph--Ringo Starr [10/20] (#1)
The Most Beautiful Girl--Charlie Rich [10/27] (#1)
Cheaper To Keep Her--Johnny Taylor [10/27] (#15)
Nutbush City Limits--Ike & Tina Turner [10/27] (#22)
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road--Elton John [11/3] (#2)
Check It Out--Tavares [11/3] (#35)
Friends--Bette Midler [11/10] (#40)
Ooh Baby--Gilbert O' Sullivan [11/10] (#25)
Hello It's Me--Todd Rundgren [11/10] (#5)
If You're Ready Come Go With Me--Staple Singers [11/10] (#9)
Sweet Understanding Love--Four Tops [11/17] (#33)
Come Get To This--Marvin Gaye [11/17] (#21)
The Joker--Steve Miller Band [11/17] (#1)
Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)--Helen Reddy [11/17] (#3)
Rockin' Roll Baby--Stylistics [11/17] (#14)
Let Me Serenade You--Three Dog Night [11/17] (#17)
Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up--Barry White [11/17] (#7)
Be--Neil Diamond [11/24] (#34)
D'yer Mak'er--Led Zeppelin [11/24] (#20)
My Music--Loggins & Messina [11/24] (#16)
Show And Tell--Al Wilson [11/24] (#1)
Living For The City--Stevie Wonder [11/24] (#8)
Time In A Bottle--Jim Croce [12/1] (#1)
Who's In The Strawberry Patch With Sally--Dawn [12/1] (#27)
Mind Games--John Lennon [12/1] (#18)
Smokin' In the Boys Room--Brownsville Station [12/8] (#3)
Corazon--Carole King [12/8] (#37)
I've Got To Use My Imagination--Gladys Knight & The Pips [12/8] (#4)
Helen Wheels--Paul McCartney & Wings [12/8] (#10)
Some Guys Have All The Luck--Persuaders [12/8] (#39)
Me And Baby Brother--War [12/8] (#15)
Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)--Aretha Franklin [12/15] (#3)
Let Me Be There--Olivia Newton·John [12/15] (#6)
Are You Lonesome Tonight / When I Fall In Love--Donny Osmond [12/15] (#14)
Tell Her She's Lovely--El Chicano [12/22] (#40)
Livin' For You--Al Green [12/22] (#19)
Love's Theme--Love Unlimited Orchestra [12/22] (#1)
I Can't Stand The Rain--Ann Peebles [12/22] (#38)
The Way We Were--Barbra Streisand [12/22] (#1)
Sister Mary Elephant--Cheech & C