November 12 in Music History: The 1970s Number Ones
On November 12 in music history, the number one song in America changed with every year of the 1970s.
The Billboard Hot 100 week that contains November 12 had a different song on top in all ten years.
Those ten songs spent 32 weeks at number one between them.
You can play every one from the table below.
Each row also shows how far into its run the song was that week.
Total weeks at number one for the song on top the week of November 12, one bar per year.
Chart: Music of the 70s, from this site's weekly Billboard Hot 100 data.
November 12 in Music History, 1970 to 1979: Play the Ten Number Ones
Press Play on any row and the list keeps going, song after song, until you press Stop.
Tap a column heading to sort by song, artist, year, chart week or weeks at number one.
| Play | Chart week | The story | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I'll Be There | The Jackson 5 | 1970 | Nov 7 to Nov 13 | 4 of 5 | 5 | Recorded in June 1970 at Hitsville West in Los Angeles, it also topped the soul singles chart for six weeks. | |
| Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves | Cher | 1971 | Nov 6 to Nov 12 | 1 of 2 | 2 | Wrecking Crew session players backed Cher, and it was MCA's biggest-selling single at the time. | |
| I Can See Clearly Now | Johnny Nash | 1972 | Nov 11 to Nov 17 | 2 of 4 | 4 | Wikipedia says its arrangement and style are heavily laced with reggae influences. | |
| Keep on Truckin' | Eddie Kendricks | 1973 | Nov 10 to Nov 16 | 1 of 2 | 2 | It was Eddie Kendricks' only number one solo hit, two years after he left the Temptations. | |
| You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet | Bachman–Turner Overdrive | 1974 | Nov 9 to Nov 15 | 1 of 1 | 1 | Randy Bachman sang it with a stutter as a joke for his brother Gary, who had a stutter. | |
| Island Girl | Elton John | 1975 | Nov 8 to Nov 14 | 2 of 3 | 3 | It entered the Hot 100 at number 49 on October 11, 1975, and reached the top in four weeks. | |
| Rock'n Me | Steve Miller Band | 1976 | Nov 6 to Nov 12 | 1 of 1 | 1 | Steve Miller recorded it at CBS studios in San Francisco, and it went to number one in Canada too. | |
| You Light Up My Life | Debby Boone | 1977 | Nov 12 to Nov 18 | 5 of 10 | 10 | Debby Boone sang her vocal over an instrumental track already made for the film's soundtrack. | |
| MacArthur Park | Donna Summer | 1978 | Nov 11 to Nov 17 | 1 of 3 | 3 | It came from Donna Summer's live double album Live and More, and it was her first Hot 100 number one. | |
| Heartache Tonight | Eagles | 1979 | Nov 10 to Nov 16 | 1 of 1 | 1 | Bob Seger and JD Souther wrote it with Don Henley and Glenn Frey, and Frey sang lead. |
Chart week is the Billboard Hot 100 week that contains November 12 that year.
Week of run says which week of the song's time at number one that was, like 5 of 10.
Chart weeks and weeks at number one come from this site's weekly Hot 100 file, and the story lines are credited in Sources.
The Short Answer: Who Was on Top Each Year
For November 12 in music history, a different record was number one in every year from 1970 to 1979.
That is the Hot 100 chart week that includes November 12.
Here is what the ten weeks show at a glance:
- The ten songs spent 32 weeks at number one in total.
- "You Light Up My Life" had the most weeks, with ten.
- "I'll Be There" came next with five, and "I Can See Clearly Now" had four.
- "Island Girl" and "MacArthur Park" had three each, and two songs had two.
- Three songs held number one for a single week.
- 6 of the ten songs were in the first week of their run, and 4 were in the middle.
- None of the ten was in its last week on top.
Want Your Own Week?
The Birthday #1 Song Finder does this for any 1970s birthday, not only November 12 in music history.
Enter the date and it shows the song that was on top that week.
How the November 12 Week Was Picked
Billboard chart weeks do not line up with the calendar, so there is no single week called November 12.
This November 12 in music history page uses the weekly Hot 100 week that contains November 12 each year.
In 1977 that week began on November 12 itself, and in the other nine years it began a few days before:
- 1970: the chart week of November 7, 1970, with "I'll Be There" by The Jackson 5 on top.
- 1971: the chart week of November 6, 1971, with "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" by Cher on top.
- 1972: the chart week of November 11, 1972, with "I Can See Clearly Now" by Johnny Nash on top.
- 1973: the chart week of November 10, 1973, with "Keep on Truckin'" by Eddie Kendricks on top.
- 1974: the chart week of November 9, 1974, with "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" by Bachman–Turner Overdrive on top.
- 1975: the chart week of November 8, 1975, with "Island Girl" by Elton John on top.
- 1976: the chart week of November 6, 1976, with "Rock'n Me" by Steve Miller Band on top.
- 1977: the chart week of November 12, 1977, with "You Light Up My Life" by Debby Boone on top.
- 1978: the chart week of November 11, 1978, with "MacArthur Park" by Donna Summer on top.
- 1979: the chart week of November 10, 1979, with "Heartache Tonight" by Eagles on top.
Where the Numbers Come From
Chart weeks and weeks at number one come from the weekly Hot 100 file on this site.
The story line for each song is a fact from that song's Wikipedia page.
Anything that could not be confirmed against those sources was left out.
All ten runs were unbroken.
So "week of run" counts the weeks since the song first reached number one.
Six Songs Also on the November 7 List
This is the real week of November 12, so every song on top that week is here.
Six of them are also on the November 7 in music history list.
In 1971 and 1976 both dates fell in the same chart week.
In 1970, 1972, 1975 and 1977 a longer run carried the same song across both weeks.
The other four years had a new number one by November 12.
November 12 in Music History, 1970 to 1972: Hitsville West, the Wrecking Crew and a Reggae Lilt
November 12 in music history opened the decade with a Jackson 5 ballad near the end of its run.
Cher followed in her first week on top.
Then came Johnny Nash, one week into a four-week stay.
1970: "I'll Be There" by The Jackson 5
Berry Gordy, Hal Davis, Bob West and Willie Hutch wrote "I'll Be There."
Wikipedia says the group recorded it in June 1970 at Hitsville West in Los Angeles.
Motown released it on August 28, 1970, as the first single from Third Album.
It was also number one on the soul singles chart for six weeks.
Wikipedia puts its sales at 4.2 million in the United States, and it entered the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2011.
This site's weekly data shows five weeks at number one, from October 17 to November 14, 1970.
Neil Diamond's "Cracklin' Rosie" was on top before it, and The Partridge Family's "I Think I Love You" came next.
So the chart week that contains November 12 was the fourth of five.
The song is number 7 on the 1970 year-end Hot 100, in this site's year-end data.
The full story is on the I'll Be There page.
1971: "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" by Cher
Bob Stone wrote "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves," and Snuff Garrett produced it.
Wikipedia says L.A. session musicians from the Wrecking Crew played on it.
Kapp Records released it on September 1, 1971, as the lead single from the album Chér.
It was the biggest-selling single in MCA's history at the time.
This site's weekly data shows two weeks at number one, from November 6 to November 13, 1971.
Rod Stewart's "Maggie May" was on top before it, and Isaac Hayes's "Theme from Shaft" came next.
So the chart week that contains November 12 was the first of two.
The song is number 39 on the 1971 year-end Hot 100, in this site's year-end data.
More solo stars of the decade are on the 70s female singers page.
1972: "I Can See Clearly Now" by Johnny Nash
Johnny Nash wrote "I Can See Clearly Now" and recorded it in London.
Wikipedia says its arrangement and style are heavily laced with reggae influences.
It was the lead single from his twelfth album.
Hothouse Flowers released their own version in 1990.
This site's weekly data shows four weeks at number one, from November 4 to November 25, 1972.
Chuck Berry's "My Ding-a-Ling" was on top before it, and The Temptations' "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" came next.
So the chart week that contains November 12 was the second of four.
The song is number 47 on the 1972 year-end Hot 100, in this site's year-end data.
November 12 in Music History, 1973 to 1975: A Former Temptation, a Stutter and an Elton John Climb
November 12 in music history in the middle of the decade brought two brand-new number ones.
Eddie Kendricks and Bachman-Turner Overdrive each reached the top that week.
Elton John was one week into a three-week run.
1973: "Keep on Truckin'" by Eddie Kendricks
Frank Wilson, Anita Poree and Leonard Caston Jr. wrote "Keep on Truckin'."
Wikipedia says Wilson was the main producer on most of Kendricks' solo records.
The song came out in August 1973, two years after Kendricks left the Temptations.
It reached number one on both the Hot 100 and the R&B singles chart.
It was his only number one solo hit, and it reached number 18 in the UK.
This site's weekly data shows two weeks at number one, from November 10 to November 17, 1973.
Gladys Knight & the Pips' "Midnight Train to Georgia" was on top before it, and Ringo Starr's "Photograph" came next.
So the chart week that contains November 12 was the first of two.
The song is number 35 on the 1973 year-end Hot 100, in this site's year-end data.
More of that sound is in 70s soul music.
1974: "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" by Bachman-Turner Overdrive
Randy Bachman wrote "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" for the band's third studio album, Not Fragile.
Wikipedia says he sang it with a stutter as a joke for his brother Gary, who had a stutter.
They meant to record it only once and send that one copy to Gary.
The single came out in September 1974.
It also went to number one in Canada and won the 1976 Juno Award for best-selling single.
In the UK it stopped at number two, behind Mud's "Lonely This Christmas."
This site's weekly data shows one week at number one, the chart week of November 9, 1974.
Stevie Wonder's "You Haven't Done Nothin'" was on top before it, and John Lennon's "Whatever Gets You thru the Night" came next.
The song is number 98 on the 1975 year-end Hot 100, in this site's year-end data.
Louder records of the decade are on the 70s hard rock list.
1975: "Island Girl" by Elton John
Elton John wrote the music for "Island Girl," and Bernie Taupin wrote the lyrics.
Gus Dudgeon produced it, and it was recorded in June and July 1975.
It came out on September 29, 1975, as the first single from Rock of the Westies.
Wikipedia says it entered the Hot 100 at number 49 on October 11, 1975, and reached the top in four weeks.
The RIAA certified it Platinum.
This site's weekly data shows three weeks at number one, from November 1 to November 15, 1975.
Neil Sedaka's "Bad Blood" was on top before it, and KC and the Sunshine Band's "That's the Way (I Like It)" came next.
So the chart week that contains November 12 was the second of three.
The song is number 65 on the 1976 year-end Hot 100, in this site's year-end data.
More of his records are on the Elton John page.
November 12 in Music History, 1976 to 1979: Steve Miller, a Ten-Week Ballad, Donna Summer and the Eagles
November 12 in music history closed the decade with three songs in their first week on top.
Steve Miller, Donna Summer and the Eagles each reached number one that week.
In between, Debby Boone was halfway through a ten-week run.
1976: "Rock'n Me" by Steve Miller Band
Steve Miller wrote and produced "Rock'n Me."
Wikipedia says it was recorded in 1976 at CBS studios in San Francisco.
It came out in August 1976 as the second single from Fly Like an Eagle.
Miller said the intro nods to Free's hit "All Right Now."
It was the band's second Hot 100 number one, and it also reached number one in Canada.
This site's weekly data shows one week at number one, the chart week of November 6, 1976.
Chicago's "If You Leave Me Now" was on top before it, and Rod Stewart's "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" came next.
More of the decade's guitar rock is on the 70s rock page.
1977: "You Light Up My Life" by Debby Boone
Joseph Brooks wrote "You Light Up My Life" for the film of the same name.
In the film, actress Didi Conn lip-synced to Kasey Cisyk's original recording.
Wikipedia says Debby Boone sang her vocal over an instrumental track already made for the soundtrack.
The song won Brooks the Academy Award for Best Original Song and the Grammy for Song of the Year.
This site's weekly data shows ten weeks at number one, from October 15 to December 17, 1977.
Meco's "Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band" was on top before it, and the Bee Gees' "How Deep Is Your Love" came next.
So the chart week that contains November 12 was the fifth of ten.
The song is number 3 on the 1978 year-end Hot 100, in this site's year-end data.
More slow songs from the decade are on the 70s slow songs list.
1978: "MacArthur Park" by Donna Summer
Jimmy Webb wrote "MacArthur Park" in 1967, and Richard Harris recorded it first.
Donna Summer's disco version came out in August 1978.
It was part of the nearly 18-minute "MacArthur Park Suite" on her double album Live and More.
Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte produced it.
Wikipedia says it was her first number one on the Hot 100.
This site's weekly data shows three weeks at number one, from November 11 to November 25, 1978.
Anne Murray's "You Needed Me" was on top before it, and Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond's "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" came next.
So the chart week that contains November 12 was the first of three.
The song is number 12 on the 1979 year-end Hot 100, in this site's year-end data.
The full story is on the MacArthur Park page.
1979: "Heartache Tonight" by Eagles
Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Bob Seger and JD Souther wrote "Heartache Tonight."
Glenn Frey sang lead, and it came from the album The Long Run.
The single came out on September 18, 1979.
Wikipedia says it was the band's last song to reach number one on the Hot 100.
It won the Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
This site's weekly data shows one week at number one, the chart week of November 10, 1979.
M's "Pop Muzik" was on top before it, and the Commodores' "Still" came next.
The full story is on the Heartache Tonight page.
November 12 in Music History by the Numbers: Six New Arrivals and Four Long Runs
Ranking the ten songs of November 12 in music history by weeks at number one puts Debby Boone's 1977 run on top.
| Song | Artist | Year | Weeks at #1 | First week | Last week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| You Light Up My Life | Debby Boone | 1977 | 10 | October 15, 1977 | December 17, 1977 |
| I'll Be There | The Jackson 5 | 1970 | 5 | October 17, 1970 | November 14, 1970 |
| I Can See Clearly Now | Johnny Nash | 1972 | 4 | November 4, 1972 | November 25, 1972 |
| Island Girl | Elton John | 1975 | 3 | November 1, 1975 | November 15, 1975 |
| MacArthur Park | Donna Summer | 1978 | 3 | November 11, 1978 | November 25, 1978 |
| Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves | Cher | 1971 | 2 | November 6, 1971 | November 13, 1971 |
| Keep on Truckin' | Eddie Kendricks | 1973 | 2 | November 10, 1973 | November 17, 1973 |
| You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet | Bachman–Turner Overdrive | 1974 | 1 | November 9, 1974 | November 9, 1974 |
| Rock'n Me | Steve Miller Band | 1976 | 1 | November 6, 1976 | November 6, 1976 |
| Heartache Tonight | Eagles | 1979 | 1 | November 10, 1979 | November 10, 1979 |
Each box is one week at number one and the gold box is the week that contains November 12.
Chart: Music of the 70s, from this site's weekly Billboard Hot 100 data.
Where November 12 Fell in Each Run
The weeks split two ways:
- 6 songs were in their first week at number one: "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves," "Keep on Truckin'," "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet," "Rock'n Me," "MacArthur Park" and "Heartache Tonight."
- Three of those six stayed on top past that week, and three did not.
- 4 were in the middle of a longer run: "I'll Be There," "I Can See Clearly Now," "Island Girl" and "You Light Up My Life."
- No song was in the last week of its run.
Test Your Own Memory
Which of these ten November 12 in music history number ones would you have bet on?
The list runs from The Jackson 5 in 1970 to the Eagles in 1979.
Other weeks have their own lists, including November 19 in music history, May 1 in music history, October 8 in music history, February 1 in music history, December 12 in music history, November 28 in music history, September 16 in music history, August 19 in music history, July 15 in music history, June 12 in music history, May 29 in music history, April 17 in music history, March 20 in music history, February 13 in music history and January 9 in music history.
The 70s Music Trivia Quiz has ten new questions each round.
For the whole decade at the top, see the 70s number one hits page.
More of the decade lives on the Music of the 70s home page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the number one song on November 12 in music history in the 1970s?
The number one song for the Hot 100 chart week that includes November 12 changed every year. It was "I'll Be There" in 1970, "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" in 1971, "I Can See Clearly Now" in 1972, "Keep on Truckin'" in 1973 and "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" in 1974. The list ends with "Island Girl," "Rock'n Me," "You Light Up My Life," "MacArthur Park" and "Heartache Tonight."
Which 70s number one song stayed on top the longest around November 12?
Debby Boone's "You Light Up My Life" stayed on top the longest, with ten weeks at number one from October 15 to December 17, 1977, according to this site's weekly Hot 100 data. The chart week that contains November 12 was the fifth of those ten weeks.
What was the number one song on November 12, 1978?
Donna Summer's "MacArthur Park" was number one for the Hot 100 chart week that began November 11, 1978. It was the first of its three weeks on top, and Wikipedia calls it her first Hot 100 number one. Anne Murray's "You Needed Me" was on top the week before.
How can I find the number one song from my own birthday?
You can find the number one song from your birthday with the Birthday #1 Song Finder on this site. Enter a birthday from the 1970s and it shows the song that topped the Billboard Hot 100 that week, using the same weekly chart data as the ten songs on this page.
Why are some of these songs also on the November 7 list?
November 7 and November 12 are only five days apart, so in some years they fall in the same chart week. In other years a long run carried a song across both weeks. Six songs appear on both lists, and four are different.
Related Posts
Sources
- I'll Be There (The Jackson 5 song), Wikipedia, for the writers, the Hitsville West session, the release date, the soul chart run, the sales and the Grammy Hall of Fame.
- Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves (song), Wikipedia, for the writer, the producer, the Wrecking Crew, the release date and the MCA sales note.
- I Can See Clearly Now, Wikipedia, for the London session, the reggae influences, the lead single and the Hothouse Flowers version.
- Keep On Truckin' (song), Wikipedia, for the writers, Frank Wilson, the release, the Temptations split and the chart peaks.
- You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet (Bachman-Turner Overdrive song), Wikipedia, for the album, the stutter joke, the release, the Juno Award and the UK peak.
- Island Girl, Wikipedia, for the writers, Gus Dudgeon, the recording and release dates, the Hot 100 climb and the Platinum award.
- Rock'n Me, Wikipedia, for the writer, the CBS studios session, the release, the Free nod and the US and Canada number ones.
- You Light Up My Life (song), Wikipedia, for Joseph Brooks, Didi Conn, Kasey Cisyk, Debby Boone's vocal and the Oscar and Grammy.
- MacArthur Park (song), Wikipedia, for Jimmy Webb, Richard Harris, the Live and More suite, the producers and Summer's first number one.
- Heartache Tonight, Wikipedia, for the writers, the lead vocal, the album, the release date, the last number one and the Grammy.
- Billboard Hot 100, Wikipedia, for how the weekly chart used for number one runs works.