1973 In Music - September's Almost Made the Charts

 Continuing my look at songs that dropped off the charts during the month, but never made the Top 40.  And for August, I counted a whopping 50.  That's more than triple the normal (since I started logging)

Here they are, with peak position noted:

• Baby I've Been Missing You - The Independents - 41
• Sweet Charlie Babe - Jackie Moore - 42
• Love, Love, Love - Donny Hathaway - 44
• Clouds - David Gates - 47
• Everyone's Agreed That Everything Will Turn Out Fine - Stealers Wheel - 49
• Don't Let It End ('til You Let It Begin) - The Miracles - 56
• Billion Dollar Babies - Alice Cooper - 57
• Bongo Rock - The Incredible Bongo Band - 57
• Twisting The Night Away - Rod Stewart - 59
• Just Don't Want To Be Lonely - Ronnie Dyson - 60
• All I Need Is Time - Gladys Knight And The Pips - 61
• Show Biz Kids - Steely Dan - 61
• Slick - Willie Hutch - 65
• Sixty Minute Man/Mother-In-Law - Clarence Carter - 65
• Top Of The World - Lynn Anderson - 74
• One Tin Soldier (The Legend of Billy Jack) - Coven - 79
• The Peacemaker - Albert Hammond - 80
• Hang Loose - Mandrill - 83
• They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa! - Napoleon XIV - 87
• Queen Of The Roller Derby - Leon Russell - 89
• Stay Away From Me - The Sylvers - 89
• Sylvia - Focus - 89
• The Long Way Home - Neil Diamond - 91
• Make Me Twice The Man - New York City - 93
• Kid Stuff - Barbara Fairchild - 95
• Until It's Time For You To Go - The New Birth - 97
• Make Up Your Mind - The J. Geils Band - 98
• Soul Je T'aime - Sylvia And Ralfi Pagan - 99

Note that "One Tin Soldier" was a re-recording of the 1971 hit that had previously reached #26.

Note that "They're Coming to Take Me Away" is a re-release of the song that hit #3 in 1966. 

September 2023: Nifty Fifty, Straight Out of Camera Pt.3

  Over at 365project, they're doing a challenge for September.  Nifty Fifty, Straight Out of Camera.  More detailed explanation here.  But for the month, participants are challenged to present photos with no post-processing (straight out of camera or sooc), shot with a 50mm lens (or 50mm equivalent - nifty fifty or nf).

Continuing my reposts, here's part 3.

9/11: Power Line

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9/12:  Crossing

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9/13: Latched

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9/14:  Potted

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9/15:  Join Our Team

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There's Part 3.  Click for Parts 1 and 2. more parts to follow.

September 2023: Nifty Fifty, Straight Out of Camera Pt.2

 Over at 365project, they're doing a challenge for September.  Nifty Fifty, Straight Out of Camera.  More detailed explanation here.  But for the month, participants are challenged to present photos with no post-processing (straight out of camera or sooc), shot with a 50mm lens (or 50mm equivalent - nifty fifty or nf).

Continuing my reposts, here's part 2.

9/6:  Greenbrier River

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9/7:  New River

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9/8:  In The Woods

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9/9:  Blue Ridge Farm

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9/10:  Door, Flag

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There's Part 2.  Click for Part 1. more parts to follow.

September 2023: Nifty Fifty, Straight Out of Camera Pt.1

 Over at 365project, they're doing a challenge for September.  Nifty Fifty, Straight Out of Camera.  

The point of the challenge is to throw back to the old days:  

"when photography enthusiasts purchased a camera it was invariably either a 35mm range-finder or a 35mm SLR. In most cases it was fitted with a "standard" 50mm lens. A roll of film was then exposed and sent to the lab and several days later, when you got it back and viewed the prints (or slides) there were some good, some bad but you were stuck with the result of your initial in-camera composition and exposure.".   

So for the month, participants are challenged to present photos with no post-processing (straight out of camera or sooc), shot with a 50mm lens (or 50mm equivalent - nifty fifty or nf).

Anyway, as somebody who started photography back in the film days, I usually participate, at least part of the month.  This year, I've really stressed it, and added the constraint of shooting black-and-white for the challeneg, since that's most of what I shot back in the high-school / college days.

Without getting too geeky, on my camera (and many digital cameras) the focal length to match the old 50mm lens is 33.33mm.  Trust me or google it.   

Anyway, lots of words, need more photos.  As we wind down the month, I decided to spotlight my NF-SOOC photos here.  I'll do a handful at a time.  I should probably post them over at Happenstance, too...

9/1: Stop Ahead

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9/2: Rest Easy

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9/3:  4-Track

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9/4:  Pittsburgh, Monongahela River

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9/5:  St. Mary’s Of The Mount

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There's the first 5, stay tuned for more!

Wild and Wonderful

During recent trips to SW Virginia, I've driven (in pieces) old Route 52 from Bluefield, WV almost to the NC Border.  This is the route we drove (rode) when my family lived in WV (in the 60's) when visiting my mother's family (in NC).  Wytheville, Hillsville, Fancy Gap....  Into NC past Mout Airey and Pilot Mountain.  Up and down the mountains on 2 lane windy roads.  Back before the interstates cut straight through the mountains and bypassed the towns.  (Sheesh, I sound like a lecture from Cars!).

Anyway, the last section I drove was from the south end of the East River Mountain Tunnel, up and over the mountain.  I had missed this on our last trip, as the posted Rt 52 now goes through the tunnel.  A quick look at a map showed that the old Rt. 52 is now named 598.  There's an overlook at the peak, just into WV, with views into Bluefield and southern WV.  

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On The Charts - September 1973

Continuing the review of songs that were on the Top 40 (US) charts 50 years ago (1973).  We're on to September; 3/4 through the year!  

All of the 1973 music posts can be seen HERE, btw.

Following the normal format, here's the Top 10 songs for September 1973, based on the average chart position (US charts) over the 5 weeks in the month:

• Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye - 1.6
• Delta Dawn - Helen Reddy - 3
• Say, Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose - Dawn Featuring Tony Orlando - 5
• Brother Louie - Stories - 5.2
• We're An American Band - Grand Funk - 5.4
• Loves Me Like A Rock - Paul Simon - 5.4
• Touch Me In The Morning - Diana Ross - 7.8
• Live And Let Die - Paul McCartney And Wings - 13
• Gypsie Man - War - 13.2
• That Lady (Part 1) - The Isley Brothers - 14.2 (Tie)
• Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting - Elton John - 14.2 (Tie)

Three (4) songs topped the charts in September, 1973.  Brother Louie, by Stories, opened the month at #1 but only for 1 week.  Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On took over the 2nd week of September, dropped out for a week, the rebounded for the 4th week of the month.  Delta Dawn, by Helen Reddy spent one week at #1, splitting Marvin Gaye's stay.  The month ended with Grand Funk's We're An American Band at the top.       Another eclectic month in the top 10, some great, some good, some...  well, not my favorite.  In fact, I only own 7 of the top 10 songs.  

There were 64 individual songs on the Top 40 over the course of the 5 weeks in September, which is pretty much average.

24 songs made their Top 40 debut in September, which is pretty typical.  But some are especially notable.Here they are, with their debut rank:  

• Angie - The Rolling Stones - 22
• China Grove - The Doobie Brothers - 24
• Basketball Jones Featuring Tyrone Shoelaces - Cheech & Chong - 26
• Higher Ground - Stevie Wonder - 30
• Keep On Truckin' (Part 1) - Eddie Kendricks - 30
• Ghetto Child - The Spinners - 30
• Half-Breed - Cher - 33
• Midnight Train To Georgia - Gladys Knight And The Pips - 33
• Jimmy Loves Mary-Anne - Looking Glass - 33
• Yes We Can Can - The Pointer Sisters - 34
• Ecstasy - Ohio Players - 34
• Ramblin Man - The Allman Brothers Band - 35
• You've Never Been This Far Before - Conway Twitty - 35
• Stoned Out Of My Mind - The Chi-lites - 36
• Rocky Mountain Way - Joe Walsh - 36
• Knockin' On Heaven's Door - Bob Dylan - 36
• Free Ride - Edgar Winter Group - 37
• I've Got So Much To Give - Barry White - 37
• To Know You Is To Love You - B.B. King - 38
• Hey Girl (i Like Your Style) - The Temptations - 39
• In The Midnight Hour - Cross Country 39
• Heartbeat - It's A Lovebeat - The DeFranco Family - 39
• Get It Together - Jackson 5 - 40
• Hurts So Good - Millie Jackson - 40

So that's it, look for the post later this month of songs that dropped off the Hot 100 in September without having made the Top 40!