RECORD WORLD (USA) MAGAZINE'S (BARRY KOWAL) TOP SINGLES OF 1972
No. Song-Artist-Peak Month 1 AMERICAN PIE-DON MCLEAN-JANUARY 674 2 THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE-ROBERTA FLACK-April 594 3 ALONE AGAIN (Naturally)-GILBERT O'SULLIVAN-August 542 4 WITHOUT YOU-NILSSON-February 538 5 LET'S STAY TOGETHER-AL GREEN-January 518 6 I DON'T WANT TO BE RIGHT-LUTHER INGRAM-July 504 7 DADDY DON'T YOU WALK SO FAST-WAYNE NEWTON-July 488 8 I AM WOMAN-Helen Reddy-December 484 9 HEART OF GOLD-Neil Young-March 466 10 A HORSE WITH NO NAME-America-March 462 11 Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)-The Looking Glass-August 462 12 Oh Girl-Chi-Lites-May 454 13 Me And Mrs. Jones-Billy Paul-December 454 14 I Gotcha-Joe Tex-May 450 15 Too Late To Turn Back Now-Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose-July 430 16 Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)-The Hollies-September 428 17 I'll Take You There-The Staple Singers-June 426 18 Nights In White Satin-The Moody Blues-November 420 19 Clair-Gilbert O'Sullivan-December 410 20 Back Stabbers-The O'Jays-September 404 21 I'm Still In Love With You-Al Green-September 394 22 You Ought To Be With Me-Al Green-December 382 23 Down By The Lazy River-The Osmonds-March 376 24 Precious And Few-Climax-March 376 25 The Candy Man-Sammy Davis Jr.-June 372 26 My Ding-a-ling-Chuck Berry-October 372 27 Hurting Each Other-Carpenters-March 368 28 Rockin' Robin-Michael Jackson-April 366 29 Sunshine-Jonathan Edwards-January 366 30 The Lion Sleeps Tonight-Robert John-March 360 31 Lean On Me-Bill Withers-July 360 32 Everybody Plays The Fool-The Main Ingredient-October 358 33 I'll Be Around-The Spinners-November 354 34 Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me-Mac Davis-September 352 35 Burning Love-Elvis Presley-November 350 36 Look What You Done For Me-Al Green-May 342 37 Song Sung Blue-Neil Diamond-June 340 38 Never Been To Spain-Three Dog Night-February 334 39 Cherish-David Cassidy-January 334 40 In The Rain-Dramatics-April 330 41 Black And White-Three Dog Night-September 330 42 Day After Day-Badfinger-February 324 43 Go All The Way-The Raspberries-October 320 44 Outa-space-Billy Preston-July 320 45 I'd Love You To Want Me-Lobo-December 320 46 Sugar Daddy-The Jackson 5-January 318 47 Papa Was A Rollin' Stone-The Temptations-December 302 48 Ben-Michael Jackson-October 298 49 Scorpio-Dennis Coffey & The Detroit Guitar Band-January 298 50 Sylvia's Mother-Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show-June 296 51 Mother And Child Reunion-Paul Simon-March 288 52 Betcha By Golly, Wow-The Stylistics-May 286 53 Troglodyte (Cave Man)-The Jimmy Castor Bunch-July 280 54 It Never Rains In Southern California-Albert Hammond-December 278 55 Nice To Be With You-Gallery-June 278 56 I Can See Clearly Now-Johnny Nash-November 278 57 Clean Up Woman-Betty Wright-January 278 58 Everything I Own-Bread-March 276 59 Saturday In The Park-Chicago-October 276 60 Day Dreaming-Aretha Franklin-April 274 61 Where Is The Love-Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway-August 272 62 Rockin' Pneumonia?boogie Woogie Flu-Johnny Rivers-December 268 63 Drowning In The Sea Of Love-Joe Simon-January 266 64 Popcorn-Hot Butter-October 266 65 Take It Easy-Eagles-July 266 66 If You Don't Know Me By Now-Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes-December 264 67 Puppy Love-Donny Osmond-April 264 68 Tumbling Dice-The Rolling Stones-May 260 69 How Do You Do?-Mouth & MacNeal-August 252 70 Jungle Fever-Chakachas-April 224 71 You Don't Mess Around With Jim-Jim Croce-September 222 72 Rock And Roll-Gary Glitter-September 222 73 Rocket Man-Elton John-July 214 74 Little Bitty Pretty One-The Jackson 5-May 212 75 The Happiest Girl In The Whole U.S.A.-Donna Fargo-August 210 76 I Need You-America-July 210 77 I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony)-The New Seekers-January 204 78 Garden Party-Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band-November 204 79 Morning Has Broken-Cat Stevens-June 202 80 You Are Everything-The Stylistics-January 200 81 Get On The Good Foot-James Brown-October 200 82 I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony)-The Hillside Singers-January 196 83 Sweet Seasons-Carole King-March 196 84 Use Me-Bill Withers-October 194 85 Vincent-Don McLean-May 192 86 Power Of Love-Joe Simon-September 186 87 Goodbye To Love-Carpenters-September 184 88 Freddie's Dead (Theme From 'superfly')-Curtis Mayfield-November 182 89 (Last Night) I Didn't Get To Sleep At All-5th Dimension-June 176 90 Joy-Apollo 100-March 174 91 School's Out-Alice Cooper-August 170 92 The Family Of Man-Three Dog Night-April 170 93 Back Off Boogaloo-Ringo Starr-May 170 94 If I Could Reach You-5th Dimension-November 170 95 Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues-Danny O'Keefe-November 168 96 A Cowboy's Work Is Never Done-Sonny & Cher-April 168 97 Ventura Highway-America-December 166 98 Something's Wrong With Me-Austin Roberts-December 162 99 Doctor My Eyes-Jackson Browne-May 160 100 Walkin' In The Rain With The One I Love-Love Unlimited-June 160 101 Run To Me-Bee Gees-September 160 102 I Wanna Be Where You Are-Michael Jackson-July 160 103 Witchy Woman-Eagles-November 160 104 The Way Of Love-Cher-March 158 105 Hold Her Tight-The Osmonds-August 158 106 Hold Your Head Up-Argent-September 156 107 Hot Rod Lincoln-Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen-May 148 108 Summer Breeze-Seals & Crofts-December 132 109 Tight Rope-Leon Russell-October 130 110 The Guitar Man-Bread-September 128 111 I Knew You When-Donny Osmond-January 122 112 Black Dog-Led Zeppelin-February 122 113 Hey Girl-Donny Osmond-January 122 114 Bang A Gong (Get It On)-T. Rex-March 120 115 Stay With Me-Faces-February 118 116 Amazing Grace-The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards-July 118 117 Operator (That's Not The Way It Feels)-Jim Croce-December 118 118 Rock And Roll Lullaby-B.J. Thomas-April 118 119 Layla-Derek & The Dominos-August 112 120 Roundabout-Yes-April 112 121 Too Young-Donny Osmond-July 112 122 Baby Blue-Badfinger-May 108 123 Coconut-Nilsson-August 106 124 Honky Cat-Elton John-September 96 125 Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard-Paul Simon-May 88 126 I'm Stone In Love With You-The Stylistics-December 84 127 Listen To The Music-Doobie Brothers-November 82 128 Diary-Bread-June 80 129 Sweet Surrender-Bread-December 76 130 You Wear It Well-Rod Stewart-October 76 131 I Believe In Music-Gallery-November 76 132 Happy-The Rolling Stones-August 74 133 It's Going To Take Some Time-Carpenters-June 72 134 Play Me-Neil Diamond-September 72 135 Every Day Of My Life-Bobby Vinton-April 72 136 Don't Say You Don't Remember-Beverly Bremers-March 70 137 Walk On Water-Neil Diamond-December 68 138 One Monkey Don't Stop No Show-The Honey Cone-January 68 139 Thunder And Lightning-Chi Coltrane-November 68 140 It's One Of Those Nights (Yes Love)-The Partridge Family-January 68 141 Speak To The Sky-Rick Springfield-October 68 142 Day By Day-Godspell-August 68 143 Why-Donny Osmond-October 34 144 Suavecito-Malo-May 34