# Best #1 single of the year retrospective: 1973 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 24, 2014, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1973/699439 "2014-09-24T15:44:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1973/699439/21 "2014-09-24T18:09:03Z")
Jeez, what a crappy year. No vote from me. And have I mentioned that George Harrison’s _Living in the Material World_ has to be one of the biggest disappointments in rock n’ roll history? Two and a half years after the absolutely magnificent _All Things Must Pass_ - a _looooong_ time between albums, back then - he releases an album full of this tinny crap. “Give Me Love,” a passable but hardly great song, was easily the standout song from the album. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1973/699439/22 "2014-09-24T18:10:58Z")
Stevie’s “Superstition” followed by “Let’s Get It On” and then “Love Train”. 1974 is next!:eek: That one’s going to be tough. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1973/699439/23 "2014-09-24T18:20:15Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > First part of your statement is a matter of opinion, of course, but the second part is untrue. > > Al Kooper was using two different models of a wearable keyboard with The Blues Project back in 1966-67. One was the [tubon](http://120years.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/KGrHqUOKpIE1qzFmOOBNjWLfNJtw_12.jpg), and IIRC the other was a portable ondioline. > > Can’t find any photos via a quick GI search, but I know I saw him on several TV appearances playing one or the other of these. Huh. That’s interesting. The Wikipedia page on Frankenstein describes Winter as being the first performer to wear a keyboard, and the page on the keytar itself mentions Winter in a similar context. Ignorance fought! ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1973/699439/24 "2014-09-24T18:25:59Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > Didn’t even have to look past “Superstition” to determine my vote. I did check the rest of the list for fun, but didn’t discover any surprise competition for the winner. …and there ya have it. Me, too. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1973/699439/25 "2014-09-24T18:36:34Z")
I voted for Marvin Gaye but I’ve been walking around ever since I took the poll singing “All I’ve got is a photograph” so I decided I should have given Ringo some love. Very catchy, very pop. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1973/699439/26 "2014-09-24T19:07:09Z")
I went with Crocodile ROck because it’s one of the few songs from this era that actually rock. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1973/699439/27 "2014-09-24T19:15:25Z")
I voted for Crocodile Rock because when we drove from Boston to Cape Kennedy to see Apollo 17 in Dec. 72 it was on the radio every five minutes and I still don’t hate it. Unlike the other songs on then. Frankenstein was on every five minutes that summer when I worked in a lab, and if I never hear it again it will be too soon. You’re So Vain was good the first 100 times I heard it. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1973/699439/28 "2014-09-24T19:31:00Z")
Is this the easiest multiple choice poll ever created? Superstition for me, no question. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1973/699439/29 "2014-09-24T19:58:44Z")
Wow, what a great year, I like easily 10+ of these songs. I confess to a strong singalong fondness for “Delta Dawn”, but in the end voted for George Harrison’s perpetually relaxed “Give Me Love”. Twenty years ago I might have voted for “Superstition”, but I’m just so sick of that song, including its frequent NFL Sunday airings. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1973/699439/30 "2014-09-24T20:06:52Z")
O’ Jays- “Love Train” was my vote! ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1973/699439/31 "2014-09-24T20:14:02Z")
Every time I look at these polls, I’m reminded of horrible songs I had blissfully forgotten. This time, the songs are “The Morning After” and “Killing me Softly”. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1973/699439/32 "2014-09-24T20:23:45Z")
Any list of songs that contains “You’re So Vain” can’t be taken seriously. I admit that there are a few songs this year that I’m totally unfamiliar with, but after some scrutiny, I ended up with “You Are the Sunshine of My Life.” ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1973/699439/33 "2014-09-24T21:08:54Z")
Superstition whips every other song’s buttocks here. There are a few I’ve never heard or only heard a handful of times (e.g., Delta Dawn,) and I assume there’s a good reason for that. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1973/699439/34 "2014-09-24T21:33:49Z")
Toss me in with the Superstition crowd. Stevie delivers one of the all time great funky grooves on that one. But there’s still some great, goofy pop songs that could win my heart here, too. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1973/699439/35 "2014-09-24T21:44:21Z")
Well, I’m the single vote for “Photograph” and I’m OK with that. “Angie” was a close second for me, followed by “Time in a Bottle.” We haven’t hit the sucky years yet… ---
**Author:** ![Art\_Rock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/art_rock/32/525_2.png) [@Art\_Rock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Art_Rock)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1973/699439/36 "2014-09-25T05:28:13Z")
Another year with two of my personal favourites: Time in a bottle, ahead of Angie. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1973/699439/37 "2014-09-25T06:29:14Z")
I liked a lot of those songs and figured “Superstition” would be the clear winner, then I saw “Time in a Bottle” at the bottom. I was obsessed with Jim Croce. I had the album and knew all the songs by heart, so I went with my sentimental favorite, “Time in a Bottle”. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1973/699439/38 "2014-09-25T12:38:26Z")
I like almost all of these songs, I don’t give a damn if they’re “bad”. I had to give it to You’re So Vain because of the great lyrics and it’s fun to sing (admittedly not as fun as Delta Dawn, **Maserschmidt** ). ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1973/699439/39 "2014-09-25T13:01:56Z")
A number of fun songs on the list but few truly all-time great ones. I almost went with “Superstition”, briefly considered “Love Train” and GFR’s “American Band” but ultimately went with “Let’s Get it On” - easily one of the top 5 sexiest songs of all time; maybe THE sexiest. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1973/699439/40 "2014-09-25T13:25:36Z")
After the previous year’s was the first Beatle-free list since 1963, this time three of the Fabs–plus honorary Beatle Billy Preston–made the grade. Lennon failed to complete the cycle with his dreary “Mind Games,” which stalled at #18. No matter; “Superstition” is easily the best of this lot. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1973/699439.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1973/699439.md?page=3)