12/29/73

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01/05/74

 

 

WPGC - Top 100 of 1973 - Musical Review

1973 was the year the new block letter logo replaced the microphone logo in use since 1956. The new one was featured on bumperstickers plastered on cars all over Metro DC. It was joined by the WPGC 'Music Troll' mascot that remained in use through 1975.

It is possible that a local guy from Silver Spring, Clint Holmes had one on his car. His hit, 'Playground In My Mind' was his only claim to fame other than later being sidekick to Joan Rivers. Holmes had once sung with the US Army Chorus. In a perfect case of timing, it was the return of many of his fellow servicemen however when the POW's in Vietnam came home that sparked a #1 hit for Tony Orlando & Dawn, with, 'Tie A Yellow Ribbon'.

Two of the biggest mysteries of the year took the form of the identity of who Carly Simon was singing about in, 'You're So Vain' and who done it in Vicki Lawrence's, 'The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia. Suffice to say, 'little sister don't miss' when she aims for the #1 spot on the charts. Georgia was on the mind of the record buying public as well with Gladys Knight & the Pips' most successful song to date, 'Midnight Train To Georgia'.

For controversy, Sylvia's suggestive, 'Pillow Talk' on the aptly named, 'Vibration' label pushed boundaries to a new high (or low) in music while controversial subject matter made news at the box office as well with Burt Reynolds in, 'Deliverance'. The memorable tune from the film, 'Dueling Banjos' appeared on the WPGC All Hit Music survey for weeks (even on the year-end list) without crediting the artists who actually performed on the track, Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell. Other hits from the movies included the title tune from, 'Live & Let Die', and, 'The Morning After' from the 'Poseidon Adventure'. Movies even inspired a couple of hits having nothing to do with motion pictures, with 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' and Deodato's, 'Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001)'.

Other instrumentals included Hocus Pocus, 'Focus' (yodeling notwithstanding) and Billy Preston's, 'Space Race'. Billy became one of the exceedingly few instrumentalists to also have a hit on which he sang on with, 'Will It Go Round In Circles'. One of the bands he once played with, the Rolling Stones returned with their, 'Goats Head Soup' album containing the single, 'Angie', at least in part inspired by David Bowie's then wife.

Tragedy struck in 1973 with the loss of one of the most significant new voices of the early '70's, when Jim Croce perished in a plane crash while en route to a gig. The first song released after the accident was the poignant, 'Time In A Bottle'. Croce continued charting for some time after his death as more songs from his library were released. Treating the topic of death in a vastly more lighthearted way was Loudon Wainwright III, whose novelty tune, 'Dead Skunk' may have stunk to high heaven but didn't stink as a hit record. As for the macabre, Bobby 'Boris' Pickett's 1962 smash, 'Monster Mash' was a hit all over again, despite not coinciding with Halloween.

Picking up where Marvin Gaye left off, Stevie Wonder turned serious with hits like, 'Higher Ground' and, 'You Haven't Done Nothin'' from his album, 'Innervisions' which won the Grammy for 'Album Of the Year'. Marvin meanwhile turned his attention to carnal pleasures with, 'Let's Get It On', which rivaled Sylvia's record for sultriness. Elsewhere at Motown, Eddie Kendricks left the Temptations, went solo and kept it cookin' with, 'Keep On Trucking', while Gladys Knight & the Pips left the label altogether with their swan song, 'Neither One Of Us'.

As for solo Beatles, three of the four made the year end countdown with Paul McCartney's, 'My Love' being hailed as one of his best ballads ever. Ringo Starr focused on a hit with, 'Photograph' and George Harrison pleaded, 'Give Me Love'. Though he did not make the year end survey, John Lennon came back in 1973 with, 'Mind Games'.

The biggest parody of the year took the form of one of the greatest send ups of Rock & Roll ever with Dr. Hook & the Medicine Shows', 'Cover Of the Rolling Stone'. The farcical tune was written by their manager, noted author, Shel Silverstein. After widespread airplay the band actually did appear on the front cover on 03/29/73.

And the #1 song of the year was a cover itself of a hit in the UK for Hot Chocolate, 'Brother Louie'. The story of an interracial love affair made the Top Ten on their shores but fared even better in the States, hitting #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 and spending three consecutive weeks at #1 on WPGC. For the group 'Stories' however, it was the end of the 'story' as they never had another hit.

 

 

WPGC - Top 100 of 1973 - About the Countdown

Originally donated by WPGC Tribute Site contributor, Walt Bailey who grew up in Alexandria, the countdown ran just over 6 hours long, beginning at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve and was repeated a total of 4 times live, ending in the early morning hours of January 2nd, 1974.

Other jocks appearing doing the countdown in those 24 hours or so included, during the first run, a rare on-air appearance by Ken Carpenter, normally the board-op for live overnight broadcasts from the Black Ulysses restaurant, followed by Big Don O'Bryan who does his show in front of patrons of said mentioned eating establishment.

As dawn arrived on New Year's Day, Harv Moore and then the late, 'Bob Raleigh' #5 (Bill Miller) handled the second run from about 6am - noon. Alas, but for a break or two from Harv, it was the only run of the show that was not captured on tape.

Run 3 starts off with Bob flipping the list over and beginning the countdown again and continues with night time ace, Dan Steele who makes it to a surprise song at #1 (hint - it was NOT Tony Orlando & Dawn's 'Tie A Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Ole Oak Tree'). It is that run which has been fully restored.

Considering the enormous reach of WPGC in 1973, it doesn't come as a surprise that more than one person recorded the show. Thus explains how portions of three of the four runs have been preserved. The late Jim Schiller who resided in Cockeysville, MD 40 miles north of the station had run tape during its first go-around in the overnight hours.

By that evening, he was at it again, recording songs #80 - #1 with Dan and the late, Dave Kellogg. Hear Dave's final break immediately following the countdown's last run in what may have been his finest on-air moment ever.

All told, of the 24-hour special, approximately 17 hours still exist. You can choose to listen to whichever run of the countdown you like, or, listen to specific jock's portions of the countdown.

As 1973 gave way to 1974, change was in the air, not only on the political front but at WPGC itself. With the passing of owner, Max Richmond late in 1972, WPGC would be sold for an unprecedented $5.8 million. Thus ended one era at the station as another began with the arrival of the Marriott brothers' meddling which would ultimately result in the demise of the station in a few short years' time.

But in 1974, it was full speed ahead for WPGC, the year in which a major milestone would be realized when WPGC-FM eclipsed the ratings of WPGC-AM for the first time. Within two more years, all FM listenership in the Nation's Capital would surpass all AM listenership for the first time, making DC the first FM dominant market in the country, thanks in no small part to WPGC!

 

	Run #1	#100 - #1	Ken Carpenter & Big Don O'Bryan	1:17:30	Scoped
	Run #1	#100 - #1	Ken Carpenter & Big Don O'Bryan	5:41:22	UNscoped
	Run #2	#100 - #99	Harv Moore	:37	Scoped
	Run #2	#100 - #99	Harv Moore	:58	UNscoped
	Run #3	#100 - #1	Bob Raleigh #5 (Bill Miller) & Dan Steele	44:01	Scoped
	Run #3	#100 - #1	Bob Raleigh #5 (Bill Miller) & Dan Steele	5:40:10	UNscoped
	Run #4	#80 - #1	Dan Steele & Dave Kellogg	52:34	Scoped
	Run #4	#80 - #1	Dan Steele & Dave Kellogg	3:52:57	UNscoped
Or By Individual Air Personality:
	Run #1	#100 - #64	Ken Carpenter	27:04	Scoped
	Run #1	#100 - #64	Ken Carpenter	2:04:14	UNscoped
	Run #1	#63 - #1	Big Don O'Bryan	51:29	Scoped
	Run #1	#63 - #1	Big Don O'Bryan	3:38:07	UNscoped
	Run #2	#100 - #99	Harv Moore	:37	Scoped
	Run #2	#100 - #99	Harv Moore	:58	UNscoped
	Run #3	#100 - #42	Bob Raleigh #5 - Bill Miller	27:20	Scoped
	Run #3	#100 - #42	Bob Raleigh #5 - Bill Miller	3:13:49	UNscoped
	Run #3	#41 - #1	Dan Steele	16:36	Scoped
	Run #3	#41 - #1	Dan Steele	2:26:19	UNscoped
	Run #4	#80 - #64	Dan Steele	5:10	Scoped
	Run #4	#80 - #64	Dan Steele	28:51	UNscoped
	Run #4	#63 - #1	Dave Kellogg	47:24	Scoped
	Run #4	#63 - #1	Dave Kellogg	3:24:14	UNscoped