Now – Yearbook 1972

The next instalment in the ongoing ‘Yearbook’ series. It’s back to 1972 with 80 stellar tracks across 4 CDs. Now – Yearbook 1972: Celebrating a brilliant year of pop singles. Opening with an all-time favourite, usually reserved for Christmas-time listening, ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’ by John Lennon, The Plastic Ono Band, Yoko Ono and The Harlem Community Choir – and it leads an opening run of classics including Rod Stewart’s #1 ‘You Wear It Well’, Don McLean with ‘American Pie’, ‘A Horse With No Name’ from America and a song by the same name ‘America’ from Simon & Garfunkel, released as a single in 1972 to promote the duo’s ‘Greatest Hits’ collection. More legendary U.S. artists follow including Carly Simon, Bread, Harry Nilsson with his #1 ‘Without You’, and Neil Diamond with one of his signature tracks, U.S. #1, and the title of recent biopic ‘Song Sung Blue’. Gilbert O’Sullivan enjoyed his first chart-topper with ‘Clair’ while Colin Blunstone hit with ‘Say You Don’t Mind’ and Cat Stevens scored a Top 10 hit on both sides of the Atlantic with ‘Morning Has Broken’- Ten years before ‘Thriller’, Michael Jackson had his first solo hit with ‘Got To Be There’, and is followed by timeless ballads from Bill Withers and Labi Siffre with ‘It Must Be Love’. Johnny Nash enjoyed a massive hit with ‘I Can See Clearly Now’ and leads into Disc One’s closing run from four of the most celebrated artists of all time; Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney (& Wings), and finishes with Elvis Presley’s Top 10 ‘I Just Can’t Help Believin’. 1972 saw Glam Rock become hugely popular, and the second disc kicks off at the rock end of glam with Alice Cooper and the anthemic #1 ‘School’s Out’, and followed by the superb art-rock of Roxy Music on their debut ‘Virginia Plain’ – and Mott The Hoople with the David Bowie written and produced ‘All The Young Dudes’ hitting the Top 3. Ahead of their biggest commercial year in ’73, Sweet scored their third Top 5 hit with ‘Wig Wam Bam’ and Slade follow with the second of two #1’s in 1972, ‘Mama Weer All Crazee Now’. Elton John had a huge year and Top 5 smash ‘Crocodile Rock’ is up next alongside another glam-flavoured chart-topper ‘Son Of My Father’ by Chicory Tip and co-written by Giorgio Moroder. Jeff Beck had a hit with the re-released ‘Hi Ho Silver Lining’ and Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs made #2 with ‘Seaside Shuffle’-. The second half of the disc celebrates the year’s biggest rock-pop hits including from Blackfoot Sue, Family, Argent, Free, Lindisfarne, Marmalade, Jo Jo Gunne and The Move – plus the debut hit from Electric Light Orchestra, ‘10538 Overture’, which reached #9 and became the first of 13 Top 10 smashes they would enjoy in the ’70s – and the huge ‘Silver Machine’ from Hawkwind featuring a pre-Motrhead Lemmy on lead vocals. The disc ends on a lighter note from a Rock ‘n’ Roll legend Chuck Berry, who hit #1 in both the UK and US with the novelty track ‘My Ding-A-Ling’. CD3 celebrates ’72’s easy listening and pure pop classics opening in style with Shirley Bassey and her second ‘Bond’ theme ‘Diamonds Are Forever’ ahead of Andy Williams’ ‘Speak Softly Love’ – the theme from the year’s biggest film ‘The Godfather’. ‘The Way Of Love’ from Cher comes ahead of joyful pop nuggets from Sammy Davis Jr, Tom Jones and Tony Christie with ‘(Is This The Way To) Amarillo’ reaching #18 in 1972 but hitting #1 33 years later!… Middle Of The Road had a Top 5 hit, while The New Seekers’ ‘Beg Steal Or Borrow’ reached #2 and came 2nd at 1972’s Eurovision Song Contest, losing out to Vicky Leandros with ‘Come What May’ which is next- It was a great year for soul music on the charts with Love Unlimited’s sublime ‘Walkin’ In The Rain With The One I Love’ leading an incredible run that features The Stylistics, Diana Ross, The Supremes, Jackson 5, The Drifters and The Staple Singers, plus Northern Soul favourites Donnie Elbert and Archie Bell And The Drells, with ‘Back Stabbers’ from The O’Jays announcing their ’70s Philadelphia International era, while the disc closes with ‘Family Affair’ a huge hit and a massively-influential track from Sly and The Family Stone. The final disc is packed with huge hits and launches with one of Elton John’s signature songs, the #2, ‘Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going To Be A Long Long Time)’. Rod Stewart provided the stunning vocal on Python Lee Jackson’s ‘In A Broken Dream’ and Slade’s other #1 in ’72 ‘Take Me Bak ‘Ome’ is next, alongside a second appearance from Sweet. More second features from Elvis Presley, Gilbert O’Sullivan and Michael Jackson are included along with #1’s from Don McLean with ‘Vincent’ and The New Seekers with their massive selling ‘I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing’. Melanie enjoyed a Top 5 hit with ‘Brand New Key’ – and Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show reached #2 with ‘Sylvia’s Mother’. Artists enjoying a later-in-career renaissance included Johnny Cash, Faron Young and The Fortunes whilst newer artists Junior Campbell and Hurricane Smith are up next. The disc closes with singer/songwriter Peter Skellern’s ‘You’re A Lady’ reaching #3 and featuring backing vocals by The Congregation who are featured next with their own Top 5 hit ‘Softly Whispering I Love You’. U.S. talk show host and actor Les Crane’s spoken word reading of the poem ‘Desiderata’ was a Top 10 hit both here and in his home country – and it’s an instrumental that closes this collection – and 1972’s biggest selling single: Based on the arrangement of the previous year’s hit for Judy Collins, The Pipes and Drums Of The Military Band Of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards celebrated a huge selling version – featuring a bagpipe solo – of ‘Amazing Grace’. NOW – Yearbook 1972 – a celebration of the diversity and wonderful creativity of a truly fabulous year in pop. Track list: CD1: 1. John Lennon, The Plastic Ono Band, Yoko Ono & The Harlem Community Choir – Happy Xmas (War Is Over) 2. Rod Stewart – You Wear It Well 3. Don McLean – American Pie 4. America – A Horse With No Name 5. Simon & Garfunkel – America 6. Carly Simon – Anticipation 7. Bread – Baby I’m-A Want You 8. Harry Nilsson – Without You 9. Neil Diamond – Song Sung Blue 10. Gilbert O’Sullivan – Clair 11. Colin Blunstone – Say You Don’t Mind 12. Cat Stevens – Morning Has Broken 13. Michael Jackson – Got To Be There 14. Bill Withers – Lean On Me 15. Labi Siffre – It Must Be Love 16. Johnny Nash – I Can See Clearly Now 17. Paul Simon – Mother And Child Reunion 18. Bob Dylan – If Not For You 19. Paul McCartney & Wings – Mary Had A Little Lamb 20. Elvis Presley – I Just Can’t Help Believin’ CD2: 1. Alice Cooper – School’s Out 2. Roxy Music – Virginia Plain 3. Mott The Hoople – All The Young Dudes 4. Sweet – Wig Wam Bam 5. Slade – Mama Weer All Crazee Now 6. Elton John – Crocodile Rock 7. Chicory Tip – Son Of My Father 8. Jeff Beck – Hi Ho Silver Lining 9. Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs – Seaside Shuffle 10. Blackfoot Sue – Standing In The Road 11. Family – Burlesque 12. Argent – Hold Your Head Up 13. Free – Little Bit Of Love 14. Electric Light Orchestra – 10538 Overture 15. Hawkwind – Silver Machine 16. Lindisfarne – Lady Eleanor 17. Marmalade – Radancer 18. Jo Jo Gunne – Run Run Run 19. The Move – California Man 20. Chuck Berry – My Ding-A-Ling (Live At Lanchester Arts Festival, 1972) CD3: 1. Shirley Bassey – Diamonds Are Forever 2. Andy Williams – Speak Softly Love (Love Theme From “The Godfather”) 3. Cher – The Way Of Love 4. Sammy Davis Jr. – The Candy Man 5. Tom Jones – The Young New Mexican Puppeteer 6. Tony Christie – (Is This The Way To) Amarillo 7. Middle Of The Road – Soley Soley 8. The New Seekers – Beg, Steal Or Borrow 9. Vicky Leandros – Come What May 10. Love Unlimited – Walkin’ In The Rain With The One I Love 11. The Stylistics – Betcha By Golly, Wow 12. Diana Ross – DoobeDood’nDoobe, DoobeDood’nDoobe, DoobeDood’nDoo 13. The Supremes – Floy Joy 14. Donnie Elbert – Where Did Our Love Go 15. The Drifters – Saturday Night At The Movies 16. Archie Bell And The Drells – Here I Go Again 17. Jackson 5 – Lookin’ Through The Windows 18. The O’Jays – Back Stabbers 19. The Staple Singers – I’ll Take You There 20. Sly & The Family Stone – Family Affair CD4: 1. Elton John – Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going To Be A Long Long Time) 2. Python Lee Jackson featuring Rod Stewart – In A Broken Dream 3. Slade – Take Me Bak ‘Ome 4. Sweet – Little Willy 5. Elvis Presley – Burning Love 6. Gilbert O’Sullivan – Alone Again (Naturally) 7. Don McLean – Vincent 8. Michael Jackson – Ben 9. The New Seekers – I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony) 10. Melanie – Brand New Key 11. Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show – Sylvia’s Mother 12. Johnny Cash – A Thing Called Love 13. Faron Young – It’s Four In The Morning 14. The Fortunes – Storm In A Teacup 15. Junior Campbell – Hallelujah Freedom 16. Hurricane Smith – Oh, Babe What Would You Say 17. Peter Skellern – You’re A Lady 18. The Congregation – Softly Whispering I Love You 19. Les Crane – Desiderata 20. The Pipes And Drums Of The Military Band Of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards – Amazing Grace 3LP Set LP1 – SIDE A: 1. John Lennon, The Plastic Ono Band, Yoko Ono & The Harlem Community Choir – Happy Xmas (War Is Over) 2. Rod Stewart – You Wear It Well 3. Don McLean – American Pie 4. America – A Horse With No Name 5. Simon & Garfunkel – America 6. Harry Nilsson – Without You 7. Bob Dylan – If Not For You 8. Paul McCartney & Wings – Mary Had A Little Lamb LP1 – SIDE B: 1. Bread – Baby I’m-A Want You 2. Carly Simon – Anticipation 3. Neil Diamond – Song Sung Blue 4. Gilbert O’Sullivan – Clair 5. Colin Blunstone – Say You Don’t Mind 6. Cat Stevens – Morning Has Broken 7. Michael Jackson – Got To Be There 8. Labi Siffre – It Must Be Love 9. Johnny Nash – I Can See Clearly Now LP2 – SIDE A: 1. Alice Cooper – School’s Out 2. Roxy Music – Virginia Plain 3. Mott The Hoople – All The Young Dudes 4. Sweet – Wig Wam Bam 5. Slade – Mama Weer All Crazee Now 6. Elton John – Crocodile Rock 7. Chicory Tip – Son Of My Father 8. Jeff Beck – Hi Ho Silver Lining LP2-SIDE B: 1. The Stylistics – Betcha By Golly, Wow 2. Bill Withers – Lean On Me 3. Love Unlimited – Walkin’ In The Rain With The One I Love 4. Sly & The Family Stone – Family Affair 5. The O’Jays – Back Stabbers 6. The Supremes – Floy Joy 7. Michael Jackson – Ben 8. Melanie – Brand New Key 9. The New Seekers – I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony) LP3-SIDE A: 1. Elton John – Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going To Be A Long Long Time) 2. Python Lee Jackson featuring Rod Stewart – In A Broken Dream 3. Slade – Take Me Bak ‘Ome 4. Electric Light Orchestra – 10538 Overture 5. Hawkwind – Silver Machine 6. Lindisfarne – Lady Eleanor 7. Elvis Presley – Burning Love LP3-SIDE B: 1. Shirley Bassey – Diamonds Are Forever 2. Andy Williams – Speak Softly Love (Love Theme From “The Godfather”) 3. Cher – The Way Of Love 4. Sammy Davis Jr. – The Candy Man 5. Tony Christie – (Is This The Way To) Amarillo 6. Paul Simon – Mother And Child Reunion 7. Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show – Sylvia’s Mother 8. Don McLean – Vincent 9. The Pipes And Drums Of The Military Band Of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards – Amazing Grace