| The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1972 |
| TOP 100 R&B SINGLES (As published in the December 30, 1972, issue) |
| POS | TITLE – Artist (Label) |
| 1 | LET’S STAY TOGETHER – Al Green (Hi) |
| 2 | LEAN ON ME – Bill Withers (Sussex) |
| 3 | OUTA-SPACE – Billy Preston (A&M) |
| 4 | I’LL TAKE YOU THERE – The Staple Singers (Stax) |
| 5 | (If Loving You Is Wrong) I DON’T WANT TO BE RIGHT – Luther Ingram (KoKo) |
| 6 | BACK STABBERS – The O’Jays (Philadelphia Int’l) |
| 7 | CLEAN UP WOMAN – Betty Wright (Alston) |
| 8 | TROGLODYTE (Cave Man) – The Jimmy Castor Bunch (RCA Victor) |
| 9 | GET ON THE GOOD FOOT (pt. 1) – James Brown (Polydor) |
| 10 | POWER OF LOVE – Joe Simon (Spring) |
| 11 | EVERYBODY PLAYS THE FOOL – The Main Ingredient (RCA Victor) |
| 12 | THAT’S THE WAY I FEEL ABOUT CHA – Bobby Womack & Peace (United Artists) |
| 13 | SCORPIO – Dennis Coffey & The Detroit Guitar Band (Sussex) |
| 14 | FAMILY AFFAIR – Sly & The Family Stone (Epic) |
| 15 | OH GIRL – The Chi-Lites (Brunswick) |
| 16 | THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE – Roberta Flack (Atlantic) |
| 17 | DROWNING IN THE SEA OF LOVE – Joe Simon (Spring) |
| 18 | I’M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU – Al Green (Hi) |
| 19 | GOT TO BE THERE – Michael Jackson (Motown) |
| 20 | FIRE AND WATER – Wilson Pickett (Atlantic) |
| 21 | I MISS YOU (pt. 1) – Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (Philadelphia Int’l) |
| 22 | YOU ARE EVERYTHING – The Stylistics (Avco) |
| 23 | ASK ME WHAT YOU WANT – Millie Jackson (Spring) |
| 24 | I GOTCHA – Joe Tex (Dial) |
| 25 | I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE – Michael Jackson (Motown) |
| 26 | AIN’T UNDERSTANDING MELLOW – Jerry Butler & Brenda Lee Eager (Mercury) |
| 27 | IN THE RAIN – The Dramatics (Volt) |
| 28 | WHERE IS THE LOVE – Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway (Atlantic) |
| 29 | POP THAT THANG – The Isley Brothers (T-Neck) |
| 30 | SUGAR DADDY – The Jackson 5 (Motown) |
| 31 | YOU WANT IT, YOU GOT IT – The Detroit Emeralds (Westbound) |
| 32 | ROCK STEADY – Aretha Franklin (Atlantic) |
| 33 | I’LL BE AROUND – The Spinners (Atlantic) |
| 34 | DAY DREAMING – Aretha Franklin (Atlantic) |
| 35 | THEME FROM SHAFT – Isaac Hayes (Enterprise) |
| 36 | MY DING-A-LING – Chuck Berry (Chess) |
| 37 | BETCHA BY GOLLY, WOW – The Stylistics (Avco) |
| 38 | FREDDIE’S DEAD (Theme From “Superfly”) – Curtis Mayfield (Curtom) |
| 39 | BABY LET ME TAKE YOU (In My Arms) – The Detroit Emeralds (Westbound) |
| 40 | NOW RUN AND TELL THAT – Denise LaSalle (Westbound) |
| 41 | DO YOUR THING – Isaac Hayes (Enterprise) |
| 42 | I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG – Frederick Knight (Stax) |
| 43 | LOOK WHAT YOU’VE DONE FOR ME – Al Green (Hi) |
| 44 | ONE MONKEY DON’T STOP NO SHOW (pt. 1) – The Honey Cone (Hot Wax) |
| 45 | RESPECT YOURSELF – The Staple Singers (Stax) |
| 46 | WOMAN’S GOTTA HAVE IT – Bobby Womack (United Artists) |
| 47 | WALKIN’ IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE – Love Unlimited (Uni) |
| 48 | TALKING LOUD AND SAYING NOTHING (pt. 1) – James Brown (Polydor) |
| 49 | HAVE YOU SEEN HER – The Chi-Lites (Brunswick) |
| 50 | LITTLE BITTY PRETTY ONE – The Jackson 5 (Motown) |
| 51 | I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) – Donnie Elbert (Avco) |
| 52 | MAKE ME THE WOMAN THAT YOU GO HOME TO – Gladys Knight & Pips (Soul) |
| 53 | MY MAN, A SWEET MAN – Millie Jackson (Spring) |
| 54 | ROCKIN’ ROBIN – Michael Jackson (Motown) |
| 55 | RUNNIN’ AWAY – Sly & The Family Stone (Epic) |
| 56 | STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN – Mel & Tim (Stax) |
| 57 | KING HEROIN – James Brown (Polydor) |
| 58 | BEN – Michael Jackson (Motown) |
| 59 | TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW – The Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose (United Artists) |
| 60 | WOMAN DON’T GO ASTRAY – King Floyd (Chimneyville) |
| 61 | HEARSAY – The Soul Children (Stax) |
| 62 | USE ME – Bill Withers (Sussex) |
| 63 | I’M A GREEDY MAN (pt. 1) – James Brown (Polydor) |
| 64 | PUT IT WHERE YOU WANT IT – The Crusaders (Blue Thumb) |
| 65 | PEOPLE MAKE THE WORLD GO ROUND – The Stylistics (Avco) |
| 66 | THE DAY I FOUND MYSELF – The Honey Cone (Hot Wax) |
| 67 | ZING WENT THE STRINGS OF MY HEART – The Trammps (Buddah) |
| 68 | WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO – Donnie Elbert (All Platinum) |
| 69 | JUNGLE FEVER – Chakachas (Polydor) |
| 70 | ALL THE KING’S HORSES – Aretha Franklin (Atlantic) |
| 71 | INNER CITY BLUES (Make Me Wanna Holler) – Marvin Gaye (Tamla) |
| 72 | FLOY JOY – The Supremes (Motown) |
| 73 | (They Long To Be) CLOSE TO YOU – Jerry Butler featuring Brenda Lee Eager (Mercury) |
| 74 | SUPERSTAR (Remember How You Got Where You Are) – The Temptations (Gordy) |
| 75 | SHOW ME HOW – The Emotions (Volt) |
| 76 | HONKY TONK (pt. 1) – The James Brown Soul Train (Polydor) |
| 77 | THERE IT IS (pt. 1) – James Brown (Polydor) |
| 78 | IN THE GHETTO – Candi Staton (Fame) |
| 79 | SLIPPIN’ INTO DARKNESS – War (United Artists) |
| 80 | RIP OFF – Laura Lee (Hot Wax) |
| 81 | VICTIM OF A FOOLISH HEART – Bettye Swann (Atlantic) |
| 82 | THIS WORLD – The Staple Singers (Stax) |
| 83 | HONEY I STILL LOVE YOU – The Mark IV (Mercury) |
| 84 | SLOW MOTION (pt. 1) – Johnny Williams (Philadelphia Int’l) |
| 85 | MR. PENGUIN (pt. 1) – Lunar Funk (Bell) |
| 86 | YOU SAID A BAD WORD – Joe Tex (Dial) |
| 87 | WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO END IT NOW – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (Tamla) |
| 88 | SWEET CAROLINE (Good Times Never Seemed So Good) – Bobby Womack & Peace (United Artists) |
| 89 | EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT MY GOOD THING (pt. 1) – Little Johnny Taylor (Ronn) |
| 90 | POOL OF BAD LUCK – Joe Simon (Spring) |
| 91 | TELL ME THIS IS A DREAM – The Delfonics (Philly Groove) |
| 92 | GIMME SOME MORE – The JB’s (People 602) |
| 93 | TAKE A LOOK AROUND – The Temptations (Gordy) |
| 94 | I COULD NEVER BE HAPPY – The Emotions (Volt) |
| 95 | EVERYTHING GOOD IS BAD – 100 Proof (Aged In Soul) (Hot Wax) |
| 96 | DON’T EVER BE LONELY (A Poor Little Fool Like Me) – The Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose (United Artists) |
| 97 | SUPERWOMAN (Where Were You When I Needed You) – Stevie Wonder (Tamla) |
| 98 | TOAST TO THE FOOL – The Dramatics (Volt) |
| 99 | (It’s The Way) NATURE PLANNED IT – The Four Tops (Motown) |
| 100 | WHY CAN’T WE BE LOVERS – Holland-Dozier Featuring Lamont Dozier (Invictus) |