Don’s Top 10 From September 1, 1972

(#17 last week) Surprise hit remake of an early 60s smash from Brian Hyland. Vinton was a consistent hitmaker himself from 1962-1968, but the chart appearances slowed down until this put him on the comeback trail. He had one more big hit, 1974's "My Melody Of Love".

(#11 last week) The actual "Guitar Man" here was the multitalented "Wrecking Crew" member Larry Knechtel, who played on hundreds of hits song, including his Grammy-winning work playing piano on "Bridge Over Troubled Water" for Simon & Garfunkel.

(#14 last week) This is the first that there's a video available, but I am refusing to post it (or play it on the radio). Glitter is a convicted child molester. I refuse to line his pockets with royalties.

(#13 last week) This southern band only had one hit, but their musical pedigree was stellar, having been part of the expanding music scene there (Alabama) for a long time.

(#5 last week) An R&B song with lyrics so vivid it became a country hit for Barbara Mandrell years later. The song is about an adulterous love affair, told from the point of view of either the mistress or the cheating husband, depending on the sex of the artist. Either way, both people involved express their desire to maintain the affair, while at the same time acknowledging that the relationship is morally wrong. Although it was first recorded by The Emotions, that recording were never released. Other well-known artists recording it included Isaac Hayes, Rod Stewart, Percy Sledge, Bobby "Blue" Bland, David Ruffin, Ramsey Lewis & Tom Jones.

(#4 last week) Was there ever a greater "intro" to a song? It was released soon after Allan Clarke, who was featured on lead guitar as well as lead vocal had left the group. As they had just left EMI/Parlophone & signed with Polydor, they did not promote the song. However it became a No. 2 hit in America, their greatest ever singles success here. It was inspired & in the style of Creedence Clearwater Revival. Psst....secret. This song inspired many a teenage boy to fantasize about the LCW in that black dress.....

(#9 last week) Dramatically different versions of this are out there. The album version runs over six minutes, the commercial single is 3:15, while the radio edit is only 2:52.

(#3 last week) Another song with surprisingly no performance video out there. Did anyone have a better year than Al Green did in 1972? Four straight million selling singles (he actually had seven straight from 1971-1973). In 2005, Rolling Stone named him No. 66 in their list of the '100 Greatest Artists of All Time'.

(#2 last week)  Supposedly, the true story of New Brunswick spinster Mary Ellis. Ms. Ellis, according to oral tradition, was seduced by a sea captain who vowed to return to marry her. He never returned and she would come to the spot where her grave now stands, each day, to look for his ship in the Raritan River in New Brunswick. Elliot Lurie's lyrics tell of Brandy, a barmaid in a port town. She wins the admiration of many of the sailors, but cannot return their feelings — the love of her life was unwilling to abandon his true love, the sea.

(#1 last week; 5th week at #1) Talk about a downer of a song. And yet, the lyrics really connected with record buyers, starting with the singer telling of his plans to commit suicide after being left at the altar, & then telling about the death of his parents. One of the biggest hits of the decade, yet is rarely played today.