| The CASH BOX R&B Top 60 | ||||||
| Dark blue square = bullet (strong upward move) | Week ending DECEMBER 9, 1972 | |||||
| TW | TITLE | Artist (Label) | LW | 2WK | 3WK | WKS | |
| 1 | PAPA WAS A ROLLIN’ STONE Temptations (Gordy 7121) | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | |
| 2 | YOU OUGHT TO BE WITH ME Al Green (Hi 2227) | 3 | 4 | 9 | 7 | |
| 3 | ME AND MRS. JONES Billy Paul (Philadelphia Int’l 3521) | 5 | 7 | 15 | 7 | |
| 4 | I’M STONE IN LOVE WITH YOU Stylistics (Avco 4603) | 4 | 5 | 7 | 8 | |
| 5 | IF YOU DON’T KNOW ME BY NOW Harold Melvin & Blue Notes (Philadelphia Int’l 3520) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10 | |
| 6 | MAN SIZED JOB Denise LaSalle (Westbound 206) | 7 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
| 7 | ONE LIFE TO LIVE Manhattans (DeLuxe 139) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 16 | |
| 8 | WORK TO DO Isley Brothers (T-Neck 936) | 9 | 12 | 16 | 7 | |
| 9 | 992 ARGUMENTS O’Jays (Philadelphia Int’l 3522) | 11 | 21 | 31 | 5 | |
| 10 | CORNER OF THE SKY Jackson 5 (Motown 1214) | 15 | 19 | 29 | 6 | |
| 11 | I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW Johnny Nash (Epic 10902) | 12 | 20 | 28 | 6 | |
| 12 | PEACE IN THE VALLEY OF LOVE Persuaders (Win Or Lose 225) | 14 | 16 | 23 | 9 | |
| 13 | BABY SITTER Betty Wright (Alston 4614) | 13 | 9 | 8 | 13 | |
| 14 | KEEPER OF THE CASTLE Four Tops (Dunhill 4330) | 17 | 23 | 37 | 5 | |
| 15 | I GOT A BAG OF MY OWN James Brown (Polydor 14153) | 18 | 30 | 43 | 4 | |
| 16 | I LOVE YOU MORE THAN YOU’LL EVER KNOW Donny Hathaway (Atco 6903) | 16 | 18 | 24 | 9 | |
| 17 | I’LL BE AROUND Spinners (Atlantic 2904) | 8 | 6 | 2 | 15 | |
| 18 | SLOW MOTION (pt. 1) Johnny Williams (Philadelphia Int’l 3518) | 10 | 8 | 5 | 17 | |
| 19 | MAMA TOLD ME NOT TO COME Wilson Pickett (Atlantic 2909) | 20 | 22 | 26 | 7 | |
| 20 | LOVE JONES Brighter Side Of Darkness (20th Century 2002) | 24 | 31 | 39 | 5 | |
| 21 | THEME FROM THE MEN Isaac Hayes (Enterprise 9058) | 23 | 17 | 19 | 10 | |
| 22 | SUPERSTITION Stevie Wonder (Tamla 54226) | 26 | 34 | 47 | 4 | |
| 23 | FREDDIE’S DEAD (Theme From “Superfly”) Curtis Mayfield (Curtom 1975) | 19 | 11 | 6 | 16 | |
| 24 | ONE NIGHT AFFAIR Jerry Butler (Mercury 73335) | 27 | 29 | 32 | 6 | |
| 25 | SUPERFLY Curtis Mayfield (Curtom 1978) | 33 | 42 | — | 3 | |
| 26 | WOMAN DON’T GO ASTRAY King Floyd (Chimneyville 443) | 21 | 13 | 10 | 18 | |
| 27 | IF YOU LET ME Eddie Kendricks (Tamla 54222) | 30 | 33 | 34 | 12 | |
| 28 | WHY CAN’T WE LIVE TOGETHER Timmy Thomas (Glades 1703) | 43 | 58 | 60 | 4 | |
| 29 | JUST AS LONG AS WE’RE IN LOVE Dells (Cadet 5694) | 31 | 35 | 35 | 7 | |
| 30 | HEY MISTER Ray Charles (ABC/TRC 11337) | 32 | 36 | 46 | 4 | |
| 31 | THE WORLD IS A GHETTO War (United Artists 50975) | 44 | — | — | 2 | |
| 32 | I’LL BE YOUR SHELTER (In Time Of Storm) Luther Ingram (KoKo 2113) | 41 | — | — | 2 | |
| 33 | BEGGIN’ IS HARD TO DO Montclairs (Paula 375) | 34 | 37 | 42 | 7 | |
| 34 | ON AND OFF (pt. 1) Anacostia (Columbia 45685) | 36 | 38 | 38 | 8 | |
| 35 | TRYING TO LIVE MY LIFE WITHOUT YOU Otis Clay (Hi 2226) | 40 | 43 | 44 | 8 | |
| 36 | LOVIN’ YOU, LOVIN’ ME Candi Staton (Fame 91005) | 38 | 44 | 49 | 6 | |
| 37 | FEEL THE NEED IN ME Detroit Emeralds (Westbound 209) | 39 | 41 | 45 | 6 | |
| 38 | TROUBLE IN MY HOME Joe Simon (Spring 130) | 47 | — | — | 2 | |
| 39 | STOP DOGGIN’ ME Johnny Taylor (Stax 0142) | 22 | 15 | 13 | 13 | |
| 40 | REELIN’ AND ROCKIN’ Chuck Berry (Chess 2136) | 49 | — | — | 2 | |
| 41 | IF YOU HAD A CHANGE IN MIND Tyrone Davis (Dakar 4513) | 42 | 46 | 52 | 4 | |
| 42 | USE ME Bill Withers (Sussex 241) | 28 | 24 | 14 | 14 | |
| 43 | WHY CAN’T WE BE LOVERS Holland-Dozier Featuring Lamont Dozier (Invictus 9125) | 25 | 14 | 12 | 13 | |
| 44 | THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE Jimmy Castor Bunch (RCA Victor 74-0836) | 46 | 51 | — | 3 | |
| 45 | TIME Jackie Moore (Atlantic 2830) | 45 | 49 | 53 | 9 | |
| 46 | A LONELY MAN Chi-Lites (Brunswick 55483) | 29 | 28 | 20 | 13 | |
| 47 | THAT’S HOW LOVE GOES Jermaine Jackson (Motown 1201) | — | — | — | 7 | |
| 48 | YOU CAN DO MAGIC Limmie & Family Cookin’ (Avco 4602) | 51 | 55 | 57 | 5 | |
| 49 | AS LONG AS I DON’T SEE YOU Little Johnny Taylor (Ronn 66) | 53 | 54 | 56 | 4 | |
| 50 | GUILTY Al Green (Bell 45,258) | 35 | 25 | 17 | 12 | |
| 51 | YOU MADE ME (A Brand New World) We The People (Lion 122) | 52 | 48 | 55 | 7 | |
| 52 | I’VE NEVER FOUND A MAN (To Love Me Like You Do) Esther Phillips (Kudu 910) | 55 | 56 | 58 | 4 | |
| 53 | THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE King Hannibal (Aware 027) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 54 | WALK ON IN Lou Rawls (MGM 14428) | 56 | 57 | — | 3 | |
| 55 | I HEAR YOU KNOCKING (It’s Too Late) Reuben Bell (DeLuxe 140) | 59 | — | — | 7 | |
| 56 | SOMEBODY LOVES YOU Whispers (Janus 200) | 57 | 59 | — | 3 | |
| 57 | WISH THAT I COULD TALK TO YOU Sylvers (Pride 1019) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 58 | (I Got) SO MUCH TROUBLE IN MY MIND (pt. 1) Joe Quarterman & Free Soul (GSF 6879) | — | 47 | 50 | 5 | |
| 59 | LOVE WALKED OUT Don Downing (Roadshow 7001) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 60 | ONE WAY TICKET TO LOVE LAND Leon Haywood (20th Century 2003) | — | — | — | 1 | |
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