Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Music Column – The Breakfast Show Rewind with William Price King and Sally Cronin – Chart Hits 1972 Part Two- Staple Singers, Al Green, Don McLean, America

Welcome to The Breakfast Show and the top hits of the 1970s.

Both William and I are working on new projects and as we complete those we hope you will enjoy the series which began in January 2021 again, or for the first time if you are new to the blog.

Each week William and I selected two top hits from the charts starting with 1960 for two weeks followed by 1961 etc..through to 2005. We then did a retro series beginning in the 1940s. We also included some of the notable events in those years for the up and coming stars who were centre stage at the time.

Welcome to the show and we are excited to share decades of music with you again in 2024. Here is the second of my top 1972 hits which I hope you will enjoy.  William.

News Event:  July 15th “Honky Chateau” becomes Elton John’s first No. 1 album in the US, includes hit “Rocket Man”

The Staple Singers – I’ll Take You There

“I’ll Take You There” was the Staple Singers’ biggest international hit, topping the charts in the US, UK, Canada, and South Africa. The song ranked #276 on the Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. In 1994, the British band “General Public” released a cover of “I’ll Take You There” featured in the film “Threesome.”

News Event: September 2nd Rod Stewart’s 1st #1 hit (You Wear it Well)

Al Green- Let’s Stay Together

“Let’s stay together” was a huge hit for Al Green, topping the charts around the world and going gold and platinum in many countries. It was ranked the 60th greatest song of all time by Rolling Stone magazine, has been covered by numerous performers and most notably Tina Turner. It was chosen by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry, which selects recordings that are “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” The song went on to claim the #1 position on the Billboard Year-End chart as the top R&B song for 1972.

News Event:  September 28th David Bowie sells out his 1st show in NY Carnegie Hall

Now time for my picks from 1972 and these are tracks that take me down memory lane and I danced to every week and are my particular favourites today

Don McLean – Vincent

“Vincent” is a song by Don McLean written as a tribute to Vincent van Gogh. It is often erroneously titled after its opening refrain, “Starry Starry Night”, a reference to Van Gogh’s 1889 painting The Starry Night. McLean wrote the lyrics in 1971 after reading a book about the life of Van Gogh. It was released on McLean’s 1971 American Pie album, and the following year the song became the No. 1 hit in the UK Singles Chart for two weeks, and No. 12 in the United States,where it also hit No. 2 on the Easy Listening chart. Billboard ranked it as the No. 94 song for 1972. folkman 123

News Event:  October 17th Chuck Berry’s “My Ding-a-ling,” is #1

America – Horse with No Name

“A Horse with No Name” is a song by the folk rock band America, written by Dewey Bunnell. It was the band’s first and most successful single, released in late 1971 in Europe and early 1972 in the United States, and topped the charts in Canada, Finland, and the United States. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. badgarin

Additional sources: On This Day – Music –  Wikipedia

     Your Hosts for The Breakfast Show

William Price King is an American jazz singer, crooner, and composer.

His interest in music began at an early age when he studied piano and clarinet in high school. At Morehouse College in Atlanta where he grew up, he sang in the Glee Club and studied classical music. After graduation he went off to the Yale School of Music where he earned a Masters degree. From there he journeyed to New York where he created a jazz trio ‘Au Naturel’ which performed in some of the hottest venues in Manhattan including gigs on Broadway and the famous ‘Rainbow Room.’ These gigs opened doors for performances in Montreal and a European tour.

While touring Europe he met a lovely French lady, Jeanne Maïstre, who, a year later became his wife. King left the group ‘Au Naturel’ and settled in the south of France where he started a new life on the French Riviera, opening his own music school – the “Price King Ecole Internationale de Chant.” He has had the pleasure over the years of seeing many of his students excel as singers on a professional level, and some going on to become national celebrities. He continues to coach young singers today, in his spare time.

Blog– IMPROVISATION – William Price King on Tumblr – Buy William’s music: William Price King iTunes – Facebook – William Price King – Twitter – @wpkofficial
Regular Venue – Cave Wilson

Sally Cronin is an author, blogger and broadcaster who enjoyed four years as part of the team on Onda Cero International’s English speaking morning show in Marbella and then for two years as a presenter on Expressfm the local radio station in Portsmouth. She co-presented two ‘Drive Time’ shows a week with Adrian Knight, hosted the live Thursday Afternoon Show and The Sunday Morning Show guests including musicians and authors. Following this she became Station Director for a local internet television station for two years, producing and presenting the daily news segment, outside broadcasts and co-presenting the Adrian and Sally chat show live on Friday evenings.

She and her husband David have now returned to Ireland where they live on the Wexford Coast where she blogs and continues to write books.

Books :Amazon US – And: Amazon UK – More reviews: Goodreads – blog: Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Twitter: @sgc58 – Facebook: Sally Cronin – LinkedIn: Sally Cronin

 Next time 1973 Part One and we hope you will tune in.. as always we love to hear from you.. thanks William and Sally.