List of Hot Country Singles number ones of 1972

A bearded man wearing dark glasses and a cap, playing a guitar
Hank Williams Jr. reached number one in 1972 with "Eleven Roses". At the time he did not sport the beard, dark glasses and hat which he adopted after suffering severe facial injuries in 1975.[1][2]

Hot Country Songs is a chart that ranks the top-performing country music songs in the United States, published by Billboard magazine. In 1972, 27 different singles topped the chart, at the time published under the title Hot Country Singles, in 53 issues of the magazine, based on playlists submitted by country music radio stations and sales reports supplied by stores.[3]

In the first issue of Billboard of the new year, "Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'" by Charley Pride spent its fifth week at number one.[4] The following week, it was displaced by the double A-sided single "Would You Take Another Chance on Me" / "Me and Bobby McGee" by Jerry Lee Lewis. Freddie Hart spent the most weeks at number one in 1972, occupying the top spot for a total of 11 weeks with "My Hang-Up Is You", "Bless Your Heart" and "Got the All Overs for You (All Over Me)". "My Hang-Up Is You" had the longest unbroken run at number one, spending six weeks at the top of the chart in the spring. This was twice as long as any other song spent at number one during 1972. Hart had been a recording artist since the early 1950s and made his first appearance on the Hot Country chart in 1959, but had never reached the top 10 until 1971, when "Easy Loving" went to number one.[5] That song began a run of top 10 entries which lasted until 1975, when his chart performance began to decline again.[5][6] In addition to Hart, Merle Haggard and Pride each achieved three number ones in 1972, spending six and seven weeks respectively at the top of the chart.

Three artists topped the chart for the first time in 1972. Donna Fargo spent three weeks at number one in June with her first chart entry, "The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.",[7] and went on to gain her second number one in the fall with "Funny Face". Jerry Wallace achieved his only country chart-topper with "If You Leave Me Tonight I'll Cry", which spent two non-consecutive weeks at number one after being featured in an episode of the television show Night Gallery.[8][9] Finally, Mel Tillis topped the chart for the first time with "I Ain't Never", more than a decade after he had first charted in Billboard.[10] Tillis co-wrote the song with Webb Pierce, whose version went to number two on the chart in 1959, but Tillis did not record the song himself until 1972, when his version outperformed Pierce's and became his first number one.[11] The final number one of the year was "She's Got to Be a Saint" by another singer who had been charting since the 1950s, Ray Price.[12]

Chart history

A dark-haired man in a tuxedo, smiling broadly
After more than a decade of chart appearances without ever reaching the top 10, Freddie Hart had reached number one for the first time in 1971 and continued his run of success in 1972.
A woman with long brown curly hair, wearing a yellow top and blue pants, singing into a microphone
Donna Fargo began her chart career with a number one and quickly followed it up with a second.
A grey-haired man in a black jacket and white pants, singing into a microphone
Mel Tillis achieved his first number one, more than a decade after he first entered the chart.
Issue date Title Artist Ref.
January 1 "Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'" Charley Pride [4]
January 8 "Would You Take Another Chance on Me" / "Me and Bobby McGee"[a] Jerry Lee Lewis [13]
January 15 "Carolyn" Merle Haggard [14]
January 22 [15]
January 29 [16]
February 5 "One's on the Way" Loretta Lynn [17]
February 12 [18]
February 19 "It's Four in the Morning" Faron Young [19]
February 26 [20]
March 4 "Bedtime Story" Tammy Wynette [21]
March 11 "My Hang-Up Is You" Freddie Hart [22]
March 18 [23]
March 25 [24]
April 1 [25]
April 8 [26]
April 15 [27]
April 22 "Chantilly Lace" Jerry Lee Lewis [28]
April 29 [29]
May 6 [30]
May 13 "Grandma Harp" Merle Haggard [31]
May 20 [32]
May 27 "(Lost Her Love) On Our Last Date" Conway Twitty [33]
June 3 "The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A." Donna Fargo [34]
June 10 [35]
June 17 [36]
June 24 "That's Why I Love You Like I Do" Sonny James [37]
July 1 "Eleven Roses" Hank Williams Jr. [38]
July 8 [39]
July 15 "Made in Japan" Buck Owens [40]
July 22 "It's Gonna Take a Little Bit Longer" Charley Pride [41]
July 29 [42]
August 5 [43]
August 12 "Bless Your Heart" Freddie Hart [44]
August 19 [45]
August 26 "If You Leave Me Tonight I'll Cry" Jerry Wallace [46]
September 2 "Woman (Sensuous Woman)" Don Gibson [47]
September 9 "If You Leave Me Tonight I'll Cry" Jerry Wallace [48]
September 16 "When the Snow Is on the Roses" Sonny James [49]
September 23 "I Can't Stop Loving You" Conway Twitty [50]
September 30 "I Ain't Never" Mel Tillis [51]
October 7 [52]
October 14 "Funny Face" Donna Fargo [53]
October 21 [54]
October 28 [55]
November 4 "It's Not Love (But It's Not Bad)" Merle Haggard [56]
November 11 "My Man (Understands)" Tammy Wynette [57]
November 18 "She's Too Good to Be True" Charley Pride [58]
November 25 [59]
December 2 [60]
December 9 "Got the All Overs for You (All Over Me)" Freddie Hart [61]
December 16 [62]
December 23 [63]
December 30 "She's Got to Be a Saint" Ray Price [64]

a. ^ Double A-sided single

See also

References

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  2. ^ Whitaker, Sterling (August 8, 2017). "Remember when Hank Williams Jr had a Near-Fatal Accident?". Taste of Country. Townsquare Media. Archived from the original on March 4, 2019. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  3. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2005). Joel Whitburn's Top Country Songs: 1944–2005. Record Research. p. ix. ISBN 9780898201659.
  4. ^ a b "Hot Country Songs chart for January 1, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 23, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  5. ^ a b Adams, Greg. "Freddie Hart Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 4, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  6. ^ "Freddie Hart Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 17, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  7. ^ McCall, Michael; Rumble, John; Kingsbury, Paul (2012). The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Oxford University Press. p. 170. ISBN 9780199920839.
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  10. ^ "Mel Tillis Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 23, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  11. ^ Freeman, Jon; Betts, Stephen L. (November 20, 2017). "10 Great Songs You Didn't Know Mel Tillis Wrote". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 9, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  12. ^ Cooper, Dan. "Ray Price Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 4, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
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  14. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for January 15, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  15. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for January 22, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
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  17. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for February 5, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  18. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for February 12, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  19. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for February 19, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  20. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for February 26, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  21. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for March 4, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
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  23. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for March 18, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  24. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for March 25, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  25. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for April 1, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  26. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for April 8, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  27. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for April 15, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  28. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for April 22, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  29. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for April 29, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  30. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for May 6, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  31. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for May 13, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  32. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for May 20, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  33. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for May 27, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 10, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  34. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for June 3, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 5, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  35. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for June 10, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 5, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  36. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for June 17, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 5, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  37. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for June 24, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 5, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  38. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for July 1, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 5, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  39. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for July 8, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 5, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  40. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for July 15, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 5, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  41. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for July 22, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 5, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  42. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for July 29, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 5, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  43. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for August 5, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 16, 2016. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  44. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for August 12, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 7, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  45. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for August 19, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 5, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  46. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for August 26, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 5, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  47. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for September 2, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 11, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  48. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for September 9, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  49. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for September 16, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  50. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for September 23, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  51. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for September 30, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  52. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for October 7, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  53. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for October 14, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  54. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for October 21, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  55. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for October 28, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  56. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for November 4, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  57. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for November 11, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  58. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for November 18, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  59. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for November 25, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  60. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for December 2, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  61. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for December 9, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  62. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for December 16, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  63. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for December 23, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  64. ^ "Hot Country Songs chart for December 30, 1972". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2010.