November 28 in Music History: The 1970s Number Ones
On November 28 in music history, the number one song in America changed with every year of the 1970s.
The Billboard Hot 100 chart week that contains November 28 had a different song on top in all ten years.
Those ten songs spent 37 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 28, one bar per year.
Chart: Music of the 70s, from this site's weekly Billboard Hot 100 data.
November 28 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 Think I Love You | The Partridge Family | 1970 | Nov 28 to Dec 4 | 2 of 3 | 3 | Tony Romeo wrote it, and it came out about a month before the TV series debuted. | |
| Theme from Shaft | Isaac Hayes | 1971 | Nov 27 to Dec 3 | 2 of 2 | 2 | Isaac Hayes won the 1972 Academy Award for Best Original Song, the first Black winner of a non-acting Oscar. | |
| I Can See Clearly Now | Johnny Nash | 1972 | Nov 25 to Dec 1 | 4 of 4 | 4 | It vaulted from number 20 to number 5 to number 1 in two weeks, and it also topped the adult contemporary chart. | |
| Photograph | Ringo Starr | 1973 | Nov 24 to Nov 30 | 1 of 1 | 1 | Ringo Starr and George Harrison wrote it, the only song officially credited to the pair. | |
| I Can Help | Billy Swan | 1974 | Nov 23 to Nov 29 | 1 of 2 | 2 | Billy Swan wrote it, and it also reached number one on the country chart in November 1974. | |
| That's the Way (I Like It) | KC and the Sunshine Band | 1975 | Nov 22 to Nov 28 | 1 of 2 | 2 | Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch wrote and produced it, and it hit number one twice in a month. | |
| Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright) | Rod Stewart | 1976 | Nov 27 to Dec 3 | 3 of 8 | 8 | Rod Stewart wrote it, and Britt Ekland speaks the French part. | |
| You Light Up My Life | Debby Boone | 1977 | Nov 26 to Dec 2 | 7 of 10 | 10 | Ten weeks at the top, a Hot 100 record at the time. | |
| MacArthur Park | Donna Summer | 1978 | Nov 25 to Dec 1 | 3 of 3 | 3 | Jimmy Webb's song became the only recording of a Webb composition to top the Hot 100. | |
| No More Tears (Enough Is Enough) | Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer | 1979 | Nov 24 to Nov 30 | 1 of 2 | 2 | Paul Jabara and Bruce Roberts wrote it, and Wikipedia calls it the first duet by two women to top the Hot 100. |
Chart week is the Billboard Hot 100 week that contains November 28 that year.
Week of run says which week of the song's time at number one that was, such as 2 of 5.
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 28 in music history, the Hot 100 chart week that includes November 28, the number one song was a different record in every year from 1970 to 1979.
Here is what the ten weeks show at a glance:
- The ten songs spent 37 weeks at number one in total.
- "You Light Up My Life" had the longest run, with ten weeks starting October 15, 1977.
- 4 of the ten songs were in their first week at number one that week.
- 3 were somewhere in the middle of a longer run, and three were in the final week of theirs.
Want Your Own Week?
The Birthday #1 Song Finder does this for any 1970s birthday.
Enter the date and it shows the song that was on top that week.
How the November 28 Week Was Picked
Billboard chart weeks do not line up with the calendar, so there is no single week called November 28.
This page takes the weekly Hot 100 week that contains November 28 in each year.
That week began on a different date each year:
- 1970: the chart week of November 28, 1970, with "I Think I Love You" by The Partridge Family on top.
- 1971: the chart week of November 27, 1971, with "Theme from Shaft" by Isaac Hayes on top.
- 1972: the chart week of November 25, 1972, with "I Can See Clearly Now" by Johnny Nash on top.
- 1973: the chart week of November 24, 1973, with "Photograph" by Ringo Starr on top.
- 1974: the chart week of November 23, 1974, with "I Can Help" by Billy Swan on top.
- 1975: the chart week of November 22, 1975, with "That's the Way (I Like It)" by KC and the Sunshine Band on top.
- 1976: the chart week of November 27, 1976, with "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" by Rod Stewart on top.
- 1977: the chart week of November 26, 1977, with "You Light Up My Life" by Debby Boone on top.
- 1978: the chart week of November 25, 1978, with "MacArthur Park" by Donna Summer on top.
- 1979: the chart week of November 24, 1979, with "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" by Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer 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.
November 28 in Music History, 1970 to 1972: A TV Family, a Movie Theme and a Four-Week Climb
The first three Novembers of the decade were led by a television group, a film theme and a pop favorite.
1970: "I Think I Love You" by the Partridge Family
Tony Romeo wrote "I Think I Love You," and it was released on August 22, 1970, about a month before the TV series debuted.
Wikipedia says it topped the Hot 100 for three weeks in November and December 1970.
The RIAA certified the single Gold for a million units.
The run began November 21, and November 28 was the second week.
1971: "Theme from Shaft" by Isaac Hayes
Isaac Hayes wrote and produced "Theme from Shaft," and it came from his 1971 album Shaft.
It won the 1972 Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Wikipedia says Hayes was the first African American to win an Academy Award in a non-acting category.
It spent two weeks at number one, and November 27 was the second and last.
1972: "I Can See Clearly Now" by Johnny Nash
"I Can See Clearly Now" was the lead single from Johnny Nash's album of the same name.
Wikipedia says it took only two weeks to vault from number 20 to number 5 to number 1.
It also spent the same four weeks at number one on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart.
It topped the Hot 100 from November 4 to November 25, and November 25 was the fourth and last week.
November 28 in Music History, 1973 to 1975: A Beatle, a Country Crossover and a Disco Double Run
The middle of the decade brought a solo Beatle, a one-hit country-pop favorite and a disco band that hit the top twice.
1973: "Photograph" by Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr and George Harrison wrote "Photograph," and it is the only song officially credited to the pair.
Richard Perry produced it for Starr's 1973 album Ringo.
It was Starr's first solo number one on the Hot 100.
Wikipedia reports that Cilla Black wanted to record it, and Starr said no.
It held the top for one week, starting November 24.
1974: "I Can Help" by Billy Swan
Billy Swan wrote and sang "I Can Help," and he produced it with Chip Young.
Swan wrote the song using a "Rock" preset on his Rhythm Master drum machine, according to Wikipedia.
It also reached number one on the Hot Country Singles chart in November 1974.
It held the top for two weeks, starting November 23.
The song is number 44 on the 1975 year-end Hot 100, in this site's year-end data.
Swan also appears on the 70s one-hit wonders list.
1975: "That's the Way (I Like It)" by KC and the Sunshine Band
Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch wrote and produced "That's the Way (I Like It)" for the band's second studio album.
It was the band's second number one on the Hot 100.
The week of November 22 was its first, and then Silver Convention's "Fly, Robin, Fly" took over for three weeks.
The single came back for a second week starting December 20, which Wikipedia calls rare for a chart-topper within one month.
The song is number 45 on the 1976 year-end Hot 100, in this site's year-end data.
More of the band's hits are on KC and the Sunshine Band Songs.
November 28 in Music History, 1976 to 1979: A Long Run, a Record, a Disco Epic and a First Duet
The last four Novembers brought the decade's longest run and two disco-era number ones in a row.
1976: "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" by Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart wrote "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)," and Tom Dowd produced it for the album A Night on the Town.
Britt Ekland, who was Stewart's girlfriend at the time, speaks the French part.
Wikipedia says the BBC originally banned it, and Reverend Jesse Jackson protested its suggestive lyrics.
It held number one for eight weeks, from November 13, 1976 to January 1, 1977, and November 27 was the third.
The song is number 1 on the 1977 year-end Hot 100, in this site's year-end data.
1977: "You Light Up My Life" by Debby Boone
"You Light Up My Life" ran ten weeks at number one, from October 15 to December 17, 1977.
Wikipedia says that set a new Hot 100 record for most weeks at number one.
Joseph Brooks wrote it, and Kasey Cisyk first recorded it for the film's soundtrack.
November 26 was the seventh of the ten weeks.
The song is number 3 on the 1978 year-end Hot 100, in this site's year-end data.
1978: "MacArthur Park" by Donna Summer
Jimmy Webb wrote "MacArthur Park," and Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte produced Donna Summer's version.
Wikipedia says hers is the only recording of a Webb composition to top the Hot 100.
It reached number one the week of November 11, and November 25 was the third and last of its three weeks.
The full story is on MacArthur Park by Donna Summer.
More of her records are on Donna Summer.
The song is number 12 on the 1979 year-end Hot 100, in this site's year-end data.
1979: "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" by Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer
Paul Jabara and Bruce Roberts wrote "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)," and Gary Klein and Giorgio Moroder produced it.
Wikipedia calls it the first duet by two women to top the Billboard Hot 100.
The original title was "Enough Is Enough," and the writers changed it to fit the water theme of Streisand's album Wet.
It spent two weeks at number one, starting November 24.
November 28 in Music History by the Numbers: Short Runs, Long Runs and Where Each Song Stood
Ranking the ten songs by weeks at number one shows how unevenly the top spot was shared.
| 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 |
| Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright) | Rod Stewart | 1976 | 8 | November 13, 1976 | January 1, 1977 |
| I Can See Clearly Now | Johnny Nash | 1972 | 4 | November 4, 1972 | November 25, 1972 |
| I Think I Love You | The Partridge Family | 1970 | 3 | November 21, 1970 | December 5, 1970 |
| MacArthur Park | Donna Summer | 1978 | 3 | November 11, 1978 | November 25, 1978 |
| Theme from Shaft | Isaac Hayes | 1971 | 2 | November 20, 1971 | November 27, 1971 |
| I Can Help | Billy Swan | 1974 | 2 | November 23, 1974 | November 30, 1974 |
| That's the Way (I Like It) | KC and the Sunshine Band | 1975 | 2 | November 22, 1975 | December 20, 1975 |
| No More Tears (Enough Is Enough) | Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer | 1979 | 2 | November 24, 1979 | December 1, 1979 |
| Photograph | Ringo Starr | 1973 | 1 | November 24, 1973 | November 24, 1973 |
Each box is one week at number one, and the gold box is the week that contains November 28.
Chart: Music of the 70s, from this site's weekly Billboard Hot 100 data.
Where November 28 Fell in Each Run
The weeks split three ways:
- 4 songs were in their first week at number one: "Photograph," "I Can Help," "That's the Way (I Like It)" and "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)."
- 3 were in the middle of a longer run: "I Think I Love You," "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" and "You Light Up My Life."
- Three were in the last week of their run: "Theme from Shaft," "I Can See Clearly Now" and "MacArthur Park."
Test Your Own Memory
Which of these ten November 28 in music history number ones would you have bet on?
Earlier weeks have their own lists, this week in music history for October 24 and November 7 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 28 in music history in the 1970s?
The number one song for the Hot 100 chart week that includes November 28 changed every year. It was "I Think I Love You" in 1970, "Theme from Shaft" in 1971, "I Can See Clearly Now" in 1972, "Photograph" in 1973 and "I Can Help" in 1974. The list ends with five more, up to "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" in 1979.
Which 70s number one song stayed on top the longest around November 28?
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 28 was the seventh of those ten weeks.
What was the number one song on November 28, 1975?
KC and the Sunshine Band's "That's the Way (I Like It)" was number one for the Hot 100 chart week of November 22 to 28, 1975. Silver Convention's "Fly, Robin, Fly" then took over for three weeks, and the KC and the Sunshine Band single came back for a second week starting December 20.
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 does the chart week change from year to year?
This site's weekly Hot 100 file dates each chart week from a Saturday, and that date moves each year. The week containing November 28 began November 28 in 1970, November 27 in 1971 and 1976, November 26 in 1977, November 25 in 1972 and 1978, November 24 in 1973 and 1979, November 23 in 1974 and November 22 in 1975.
Related Posts
Sources
- I Think I Love You, Wikipedia, for the writer, the release date and the three weeks at number one.
- Theme from Shaft, Wikipedia, for the Academy Award and the two weeks at number one.
- I Can See Clearly Now, Wikipedia, for the climb to number one, the four weeks on top and the adult contemporary chart.
- Photograph (Ringo Starr song), Wikipedia, for the writers, the producer and Ringo Starr's first solo number one.
- I Can Help, Wikipedia, for the writer, the label and the country chart number one.
- That's the Way (I Like It), Wikipedia, for the writers, the album and the two separate weeks at number one.
- Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright), Wikipedia, for the writer, the producer, the eight weeks at number one and the French spoken part.
- You Light Up My Life (song), Wikipedia, for the ten-week record, the writer and the awards.
- MacArthur Park (song), Wikipedia, for the writer, the producers and Donna Summer's three weeks at number one.
- No More Tears (Enough Is Enough), Wikipedia, for the writers, the producers and the first-duet-by-two-women note.
- Billboard Hot 100, Wikipedia, for how the weekly chart used for number one runs works.