December 1972 on the Music Charts

December closes out 1972, and here's  the continuing series of Top music hits of the month.  November 1972, almost done with one of the greatest years in popular music!  Fifty years ago (Yikes!)

There were 5 weeks in December1972, and there were 58 songs that spent time in the the Top 40.  Over those 5 weeks, there were 3 songs that topped the charts:  Papa Was A Rollin' Stone byThe Temptations and I Am Woman by Helen Reddy each spent a week at #1, then Billy Paul's Me And Mrs. Jones took over for the last 3 weeks of 1972.

Here's the top 10 songs of the month, ranked by average chart position over the 5 weeks of the month. 

• Me And Mrs. Jones - Billy Paul - 2.25
• I Am Woman - Helen Reddy - 3
• You Ought To Be With Me - Al Green - 3.75
• Clair - Gilbert O'Sullivan - 5.5
• It Never Rains In Southern California - Albert Hammond - 5.5
• Papa Was A Rollin' Stone - The Temptations - 7.5
• If You Don't Know Me By Now - Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes - 7.75
• Funny Face - Donna Fargo - 9.25
• Rockin' Pneumonia - Boogie Woogie Flu - Johnny Rivers - 11
• I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash - 11.5

Meanwhile, Twenty-Four (24) songs made their Top 40 debut. Here they are, ranked by debut chart position:

• Hi, Hi, Hi - Wings - 27
• Crocodile Rock - Elton John - 30
• Keeper Of The Castle - Four Tops - 32
• Superstition - Stevie Wonder - 32
• Pieces Of April - Three Dog Night - 32
• Why Can't We Live Together - Timmy Thomas - 32
• Long Dark Road - The Hollies - 33
• Trouble Man - Marvin Gaye - 33
• Your Mama Don't Dance - Loggins and Messina - 34
• Sitting - Cat Stevens - 35
• Smoke Gets In Your Eyes - Blue Haze - 35
• The World Is A Ghetto - War - 35
• You're So Vain - Carly Simon - 37
• I Wanna Be With You - Raspberries - 37
• Alive - Bee Gees - 37
• Oh, Babe, What Would You Say? - Hurricane Smith - 37
• Do It Again - Steely Dan - 37
• Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight - James Taylor - 38
• I Didn't Know I Loved You (Till I Saw You Rock And Roll) - Gary Glitter - 38
• What Am I Crying For? - Dennis Yost And The Classics IV - 39
• Theme From The Men - Isaac Hayes - 39
• Been To Canaan - Carole King - 40
• You Turn Me On, I'm A Radio - Joni Mitchell - 40
• Angel - Rod Stewart - 40

So that wraps up 1972, one of the best years ever for the Top 40.  Lots of great stuff, and a variety you just don't hear these days.