Billboard Hot 100 — September 2, 1972
The Billboard Hot 100 for the week of September 2, 1972. "Alone Again (Naturally)" by Gilbert O'Sullivan returned to #1 after 1 week away, climbing from #2 to displace "Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)" by Looking Glass, on its way to 2 weeks on top (it would total 6 weeks at #1 across 2 separate runs). 11 songs entered the chart this week; the highest new entry was "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her" by Simon & Garfunkel at #78, which would go on to peak at #53. The biggest climber was "Use Me" by Bill Withers, up 27 places from #80 to #53.
Chart highlights
- At #1: "Alone Again (Naturally)" by Gilbert O'Sullivan — 1 week at the top so far, 12 weeks on the chart since debuting June 17, 1972.
- New in the top 10: "Rock And Roll Part 2" by Gary Glitter (up from #17 to #9); "Back Stabbers" by The O'Jays (up from #14 to #10).
- Biggest fall: "Where Is The Love" by Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway, down 13 places from #18 to #31.
- Longest run on this week's chart: "Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast" by Wayne Newton, 20 weeks and counting (peak #4).
- Gone from the chart: "Lean On Me" by Bill Withers after 19 weeks (peak #1); "Too Late To Turn Back Now" by Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose after 14 weeks (peak #2); "School's Out" by Alice Cooper after 13 weeks (peak #7).
TW = this week, LW = last week (NEW = first week on the chart), Peak = highest position reached up to this week, Wks = weeks on the chart up to this week.
| TW | LW | Peak | Wks | Song / Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 1 | 12 | Alone Again (Naturally) Gilbert O'Sullivan |
| 2 | 3 | 2 | 11 | Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress) The Hollies |
| 3 | 4 | 3 | 9 | I'm Still In Love With You Al Green |
| 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | Brandy (You're A Fine Girl) Looking Glass |
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 12 | Hold Your Head Up Argent |
| 6 | 10 | 6 | 10 | Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me Mac Davis |
| 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | Goodbye To Love Carpenters |
| 8 | 9 | 8 | 10 | You Don't Mess Around With Jim Jim Croce |
| 9 | 17 | 9 | 7 | Rock And Roll Part 2 Gary Glitter |
| 10 | 14 | 10 | 7 | Back Stabbers The O'Jays |
| 11 | 13 | 11 | 6 | The Guitar Man Bread |
| 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | Motorcycle Mama Sailcat |
| 13 | 6 | 3 | 14 | (If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want To Be Right Luther Ingram |
| 14 | 23 | 14 | 4 | Black & White Three Dog Night |
| 15 | 20 | 15 | 5 | Saturday In The Park Chicago |
| 16 | 16 | 16 | 8 | Lookin' Through The Windows Jackson 5 |
| 17 | 8 | 8 | 13 | Coconut Nilsson |
| 18 | 24 | 18 | 14 | Beautiful Sunday Daniel Boone |
| 19 | 22 | 19 | 7 | Join Together The Who |
| 20 | 28 | 20 | 10 | Go All The Way Raspberries |
| 21 | 11 | 11 | 15 | The Happiest Girl In The Whole U.S.A. Donna Fargo |
| 22 | 27 | 22 | 9 | Power Of Love Joe Simon |
| 23 | 40 | 23 | 4 | Honky Cat Elton John |
| 24 | 25 | 24 | 15 | Baby Let Me Take You (In My Arms) Detroit Emeralds |
| 25 | 15 | 4 | 20 | Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast Wayne Newton |
| 26 | 19 | 19 | 13 | Sealed With A Kiss Bobby Vinton |
| 27 | 37 | 27 | 6 | Run To Me Bee Gees |
| 28 | 33 | 28 | 9 | Popcorn Hot Butter |
| 29 | 29 | 29 | 11 | Small Beginnings Flash |
| 30 | 34 | 30 | 10 | Pop That Thang The Isley Brothers |
| 31 | 18 | 5 | 13 | Where Is The Love Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway |
| 32 | 42 | 32 | 8 | Everybody Plays The Fool The Main Ingredient |
| 33 | 44 | 33 | 4 | Play Me Neil Diamond |
| 34 | 36 | 34 | 8 | You're Still A Young Man Tower Of Power |
| 35 | 49 | 35 | 5 | Speak To The Sky Rick Springfield |
| 36 | 26 | 8 | 19 | How Do You Do? Mouth & MacNeal |
| 37 | 38 | 37 | 11 | Sweet Inspiration/Where You Lead Barbra Streisand |
| 38 | 39 | 38 | 5 | This World The Staple Singers |
| 39 | 47 | 39 | 5 | Nights In White Satin The Moody Blues |
| 40 | 32 | 32 | 9 | When You Say Love Sonny & Cher |
| 41 | 46 | 41 | 6 | The City Of New Orleans Arlo Guthrie |
| 42 | 63 | 42 | 5 | My Ding-A-Ling Chuck Berry |
| 43 | 51 | 43 | 5 | Ben Michael Jackson |
| 44 | 35 | 24 | 15 | Gone Joey Heatherton |
| 45 | 54 | 45 | 6 | Easy Livin Uriah Heep |
| 46 | 55 | 46 | 5 | Get On The Good Foot-Part 1 James Brown |
| 47 | 48 | 47 | 8 | The Coldest Days Of My Life (Part 1) The Chi-lites |
| 48 | 59 | 48 | 4 | America Yes |
| 49 | 50 | 49 | 9 | Starting All Over Again Mel And Tim |
| 50 | 41 | 22 | 8 | Happy The Rolling Stones |
| 51 | 45 | 28 | 10 | Breaking Up Is Hard To Do The Partridge Family Starring Shirley Jones Featuring David Cassidy |
| 52 | 53 | 52 | 8 | Put It Where You Want It The Crusaders |
| 53 | 80 | 53 | 2 | Use Me Bill Withers |
| 54 | 67 | 54 | 6 | Garden Party Rick Nelson And The Stone Canyon Band |
| 55 | 58 | 55 | 5 | My Man, A Sweet Man Millie Jackson |
| 56 | 60 | 56 | 5 | Rock Me On The Water Jackson Browne |
| 57 | 72 | 57 | 4 | I Believe In Music Gallery |
| 58 | 68 | 58 | 3 | Burning Love Elvis Presley |
| 59 | 56 | 56 | 9 | A Simple Man Lobo |
| 60 | 82 | 60 | 2 | Tight Rope Leon Russell |
| 61 | 52 | 48 | 11 | In The Ghetto Candi Staton |
| 62 | 85 | 62 | 2 | Why/Lonely Boy Donny Osmond |
| 63 | 71 | 63 | 3 | If You Leave Me Tonight I'll Cry Jerry Wallace |
| 64 | 66 | 64 | 9 | Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart The Trammps |
| 65 | 65 | 62 | 15 | That's The Way God Planned It Billy Preston |
| 66 | 69 | 66 | 5 | Your Wonderful, Sweet Sweet Love The Supremes |
| 67 | 87 | 67 | 2 | You Wear It Well Rod Stewart |
| 68 | 74 | 68 | 3 | Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile) Van Morrison |
| 69 | 73 | 69 | 6 | In The Quiet Morning Joan Baez |
| 70 | 62 | 62 | 8 | Alabama Wild Man Jerry Reed |
| 71 | 79 | 71 | 5 | Geronimo's Cadillac Michael Murphey |
| 72 | 70 | 70 | 13 | My Guy Petula Clark |
| 73 | 84 | 73 | 2 | Sweet Caroline (Good Times Never Seemed So Good) Bobby Womack & Peace |
| 74 | 61 | 42 | 12 | I'm Coming Home Stories |
| 75 | 75 | 75 | 5 | In Time Engelbert Humperdinck |
| 76 | 86 | 76 | 3 | Love Song Tommy James |
| 77 | 89 | 77 | 2 | From The Beginning Emerson, Lake & Palmer |
| 78 | NEW | 78 | 1 | For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her Simon & Garfunkel |
| 79 | 93 | 79 | 3 | Freddie's Dead (Theme From "Superfly") Curtis Mayfield |
| 80 | NEW | 80 | 1 | Don't Ever Be Lonely (A Poor Little Fool Like Me) Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose |
| 81 | 81 | 81 | 3 | Wholy Holy Aretha Franklin With James Cleveland & The Southern California Community Choir |
| 82 | 99 | 82 | 2 | A Piece Of Paper Gladstone |
| 83 | 83 | 81 | 7 | Beat Me Daddy Eight To The Bar Commander Cody |
| 84 | 91 | 84 | 3 | How Could I Let You Get Away The Spinners |
| 85 | 90 | 85 | 2 | I Will Never Pass This Way Again Glen Campbell |
| 86 | NEW | 86 | 1 | Thunder And Lightning Chi Coltrane |
| 87 | NEW | 87 | 1 | Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues Danny O'Keefe |
| 88 | NEW | 88 | 1 | Loving You Just Crossed My Mind Sam Neely |
| 89 | NEW | 89 | 1 | Listen To The Music The Doobie Brothers |
| 90 | NEW | 90 | 1 | Think (About It) Lyn Collins |
| 91 | 92 | 91 | 7 | Down By The River Albert Hammond |
| 92 | NEW | 52 | 13 | Life And Breath Climax featuring Sonny Geraci |
| 93 | 94 | 93 | 4 | Summer Sun Jamestown Massacre |
| 94 | 95 | 94 | 2 | Toast To The Fool The Dramatics |
| 95 | 100 | 95 | 2 | I've Got To Have You Sammi Smith |
| 96 | 96 | 96 | 4 | A Sunday Kind Of Love Lenny Welch |
| 97 | 97 | 97 | 3 | Guess Who/Them Changes B.B. King |
| 98 | NEW | 98 | 1 | Lady Eleanor Lindisfarne |
| 99 | NEW | 99 | 1 | Fool's Paradise The Sylvers |
| 100 | NEW | 100 | 1 | Whatever Turns You On Travis Wammack |
See more charts from 1972 or browse the 1970s.
Prefer the app? Get Top Hits Finder on Google Play to explore all 1,600+ charts on your phone.