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Plethora of Pop’s Rate-A-Record
Closed Doors, a Funny Face, and Me
1973’s crossovers want to know why?
As I approached my senior year of high school (1973–4), I didn’t know where I’d be attending college, how we’d pay for whatever school I got into, and which of my friends would be joining me for the further adventures of late teen life. Turns out, none of those friends would be heading in my direction, but that was still months away as my life at home wound down.
My parents’ car didn’t have an FM radio, so I listened to the Top 40, or 30 per my favorite AM station, WSGN. But even they played “Money,” which for your interest and possible annoyance was the #92 song for 1973. Nineteen rungs above was Steely Dan’s first hit, “Do It Again” (#73), but five rungs above that one at #68 was “Reeling in the Years,” also from their debut Can’t Buy a Thrill. I do love the latter song, but not as much as the former; still, these are all wins.
More winners: #4, Marvin’s “Let’s Get it On,;” #8, Billy Preston’s “Will It Go Round In Circles;” and #9, Carly’s “You’re So Vain.”
And in the so-called winners circle: #20, Cher’s “Half-Breed;” #28, Maureen McGovern’s “The Morning After,” which I think was the theme song from The Poseidon Adventure; and…1973’s Billboard Hot 100 #1 song: