| The CASH BOX Top 100 Black Contemporary | ||||||
| Green square = bullet (strong upward move) | Week ending DECEMBER 5, 1981 | |||||
| TW | TITLE | Artist (Label) | LW | 2WK | 3WK | WKS | |
| 1 | LET’S GROOVE Earth, Wind & Fire (ARC 02536) | 1 | 2 | 4 | 9 | |
| 2 | TAKE MY HEART (You Can Have It If You Want It) Kool & Gang (De-Lite 815) | 2 | 1 | 3 | 10 | |
| 3 | CONTROVERSY Prince (Warner Bros. 49808) | 5 | 7 | 8 | 11 | |
| 4 | NEVER TOO MUCH Luther Vandross (Epic 02409) | 3 | 3 | 1 | 18 | |
| 5 | I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE (pt. 1) Roger (Warner Bros. 49786) | 4 | 4 | 2 | 16 | |
| 6 | SNAP SHOT Slave (Cotillion 46022) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 13 | |
| 7 | OH NO Commodores (Motown 1527) | 8 | 8 | 12 | 11 | |
| 8 | TURN YOUR LOVE AROUND George Benson (Warner Bros. 49846) | 9 | 11 | 19 | 6 | |
| 9 | WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE Diana Ross (RCA 12349) | 12 | 14 | 16 | 7 | |
| 10 | INSIDE YOU (pt. 1) Isley Brothers (T-Neck 02531) | 10 | 12 | 14 | 10 | |
| 11 | GET IT UP The Time (Warner Bros. 49774) | 7 | 5 | 5 | 16 | |
| 12 | JUST ONCE Quincy Jones featuring James Ingram (A&M 2357) | 11 | 10 | 11 | 16 | |
| 13 | PULL FANCY DANCER / PULL (pt. 2) One Way (MCA 51165) | 14 | 18 | 18 | 14 | |
| 14 | WHEN SHE WAS MY GIRL Four Tops (Casablanca 2338) | 13 | 9 | 7 | 17 | |
| 15 | SHARING THE LOVE Rufus With Chaka Khan (MCA 51203) | 20 | 27 | 32 | 6 | |
| 16 | LET THE FEELING FLOW Peabo Bryson (Capitol 5065) | 24 | 31 | 37 | 7 | |
| 17 | BLUE JEANS Chocolate Milk (RCA 12335) | 18 | 22 | 29 | 9 | |
| 18 | I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT YOUR LOVE Teddy Pendergrass (Philadelphia Int’l 02462) | 16 | 16 | 13 | 15 | |
| 19 | HIT AND RUN Bar-Kays (Mercury 76123) | 22 | 28 | 39 | 6 | |
| 20 | WALKING INTO SUNSHINE Central Line (Mercury 76126) | 26 | 29 | 42 | 8 | |
| 21 | TONIGHT YOU AND ME Phyllis Hyman (Arista 0637) | 21 | 23 | 27 | 8 | |
| 22 | SHE DON’T LET NOBODY (But Me) Curtis Mayfield (Boardwalk 122) | 17 | 17 | 17 | 14 | |
| 23 | SOMETHING ABOUT YOU Ebonee Webb (Capitol 5044) | 23 | 24 | 25 | 11 | |
| 24 | SHE’S A BAD MAMA JAMA (She’s Built, She’s Stacked) Carl Carlton (20th Century-Fox 2488) | 15 | 15 | 10 | 25 | |
| 25 | KICKIN’ BACK L.T. D. (A&M 2382) | 31 | 37 | 52 | 5 | |
| 26 | ENDLESS LOVE Diana Ross & Lionel Richie (Motown 1519) | 19 | 13 | 9 | 22 | |
| 27 | FUNKY SENSATION Gwen McCrae (Atlantic 3853) | 25 | 25 | 30 | 14 | |
| 28 | CALL ME Skyy (Salsoul 2152) | 38 | 48 | 58 | 6 | |
| 29 | I’M JUST TOO SHY Jermaine Jackson (Motown 1525) | 35 | 41 | 51 | 6 | |
| 30 | TAKE MY LOVE Melba Moore (EMI America 8092) | 28 | 20 | 20 | 13 | |
| 31 | SWEETER AS THE DAYS GO BY Shalamar (Solar 12329) | 33 | 38 | 43 | 7 | |
| 32 | STEAL THE NIGHT Stevie Woods (Cotillion 46016) | 32 | 33 | 38 | 10 | |
| 33 | DON’T HIDE OUR LOVE Evelyn King (RCA 12322) | 37 | 39 | 48 | 7 | |
| 34 | I WILL FIGHT Gladys Knight & Pips (Columbia 02549) | 36 | 43 | 55 | 7 | |
| 35 | LA LA MEANS I LOVE YOU Tierra (Boardwalk 129) | 34 | 34 | 36 | 7 | |
| 36 | YOU’RE MY LATEST, MY GREATEST INSPIRATION Teddy Pendergrass (Philadelphia Int’l 02619) | 46 | 58 | 83 | 4 | |
| 37 | I WANT YOU Booker T. (A&M 2374) | 43 | 50 | 61 | 6 | |
| 38 | WALL TO WALL Rene & Angela (Capitol 5052) | 40 | 46 | 53 | 8 | |
| 39 | BEFORE I LET GO Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly (Capitol 5031) | 29 | 26 | 23 | 16 | |
| 40 | LOVE FEVER Gayle Adams (Prelude 8040) | 53 | 62 | 86 | 4 | |
| 41 | SHAKE GQ (Arista 0603) | 47 | 56 | 63 | 5 | |
| 42 | LOVE ALL THE HURT AWAY Aretha Franklin & George Benson (Arista 0624) | 27 | 19 | 15 | 16 | |
| 43 | STAY AWAKE Ronnie Laws (Liberty 1424) | 39 | 35 | 31 | 17 | |
| 44 | SCHOOL DAZE Funn (Magic 93000) | 50 | 57 | 67 | 6 | |
| 45 | LOVE IN THE FAST LANE Dynasty (Solar 47946) | 51 | 61 | 69 | 5 | |
| 46 | I CAN’T GO FOR THAT (No Can Do) Daryl Hall & John Oates (RCA 12361) | 76 | 85 | — | 3 | |
| 47 | YOU GO YOUR WAY (I’ll Go Mine) Spinners (Atlantic 3865) | 30 | 30 | 34 | 8 | |
| 48 | ALL I WANT Twennynine With Lenny White (Elektra 47208) | 48 | 51 | 54 | 8 | |
| 49 | IT’S MY TURN Aretha Franklin (Arista 0646) | 59 | 67 | 76 | 4 | |
| 50 | (I Found) THAT MAN OF MINE Jones Girls (Philadelphia Int’l 02618) | 58 | 66 | 74 | 4 | |
| 51 | SUPER FREAK (pt. 1) Rick James (Gordy 7205) | 41 | 21 | 21 | 19 | |
| 52 | WANTING YOU Starpoint (Chocolate City 3229) | 55 | 63 | 66 | 7 | |
| 53 | SATURDAY, SATURDAY NIGHT Zoom (Polydor 2186) | 56 | 59 | 68 | 7 | |
| 54 | BREAKIN’ AWAY Al Jarreau (Warner Bros. 49842) | 64 | 80 | — | 3 | |
| 55 | WE WANT YOU (On The Floor) Lakeside (Solar 12334) | 57 | 65 | 80 | 5 | |
| 56 | BE MINE (Tonight) Grover Washington Jr. (Elektra 47246) | 69 | — | — | 2 | |
| 57 | WIDE OPEN Brick (Bang 02599) | 65 | 75 | 85 | 4 | |
| 58 | BLUER THAN BLUE Peaches & Herb (Polydor/MVP 2187) | 67 | 76 | 88 | 4 | |
| 59 | SOMETHING ABOUT YOU Angela Bofill (Arista 0636) | 68 | 77 | — | 3 | |
| 60 | (We Are Here To) GEEK YOU UP Michael Henderson (Buddah 629) | 62 | 64 | 72 | 5 | |
| 61 | CAN’T HOLD BACK (Your Loving) Kano (Mirage 3878) | 73 | 86 | — | 3 | |
| 62 | GHETTO LIFE Rick James (Gordy 7215) | 71 | 79 | — | 3 | |
| 63 | IF YOU THINK YOU’RE LONELY NOW Bobby Womack (Beverly Glen 2000) | 83 | — | — | 2 | |
| 64 | BEWARE Barry White (Unlimited Gold 02580) | 66 | 68 | 78 | 5 | |
| 65 | YOU S.O.S. Band (Tabu 02569) | 74 | — | — | 2 | |
| 66 | I BELIEVE IN LOVE Rockie Robbins (A&M 2380) | 75 | 83 | — | 3 | |
| 67 | HOW CAN LOVE SO RIGHT (Be So Wrong) Ray, Goodman & Brown (Polydor 2191) | 79 | — | — | 2 | |
| 68 | DO IT TO ME Vernon Burch (SRI 00019) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 69 | ROCKIN’ TO THE BEAT Fatback (Spring 3022) | 77 | — | — | 2 | |
| 70 | COOL (pt. 1) The Time (Warner Bros. 49864) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 71 | TUFF Midnight Star (Solar 47948) | 82 | 90 | — | 3 | |
| 72 | LOVE HAS COME AROUND Donald Byrd & 125th Street, N.Y.C. (Elektra 47168) | 42 | 32 | 26 | 18 | |
| 73 | PORTUGUESE LOVE Teena Marie (Gordy 7216) | 81 | 89 | — | 3 | |
| 74 | FIRST TRUE LOVE AFFAIR Jimmy Ross (RFC/Quality 7002) | 78 | 78 | 81 | 7 | |
| 75 | STATION BRAKE Captain Sky (WMOT 02407) | 80 | 81 | 96 | 4 | |
| 76 | TOO MUCH TOO SOON T.S. Monk (Mirage 3875) | 92 | — | — | 2 | |
| 77 | YOUR LOVE Skool Boyz (Destiny 2001) | 85 | 93 | — | 3 | |
| 78 | QUICK SLICK Syreeta (Tamla 54333) | 86 | — | — | 2 | |
| 79 | THE OLD SONGS Frederick Knight (Juana 3700) | 87 | 91 | 94 | 4 | |
| 80 | FUNGI MAMA / BEBOPAFUNKADISCOLYPSO Tom Browne (Arista/GRP 2518) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 81 | APACHE Sugar Hill Gang (Sugar Hill 567) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 82 | SWEET TENDER LOVE Denroy Morgan (Becket 45-8) | 90 | — | — | 2 | |
| 83 | HANG ON IN THERE Harold Melvin & Blue Notes (MCA 51190) | 45 | 45 | 45 | 9 | |
| 84 | SOMETHING INSIDE MY HEAD Gene Dunlap featuring Phillippe Wynn (Capitol 5055) | 89 | 95 | — | 3 | |
| 85 | WE’LL MAKE IT Mike & Brenda Sutton (SAM 5023) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 86 | YOU’RE THE ONE FOR ME “D” Train (Prelude 8043) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 87 | LOVE MASSAGE Lowrell Simon (Zoo York 1324) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 88 | LOVELINE Tavares (Capitol 5043) | 54 | 54 | 62 | 6 | |
| 89 | MAGIC NUMBER Herbie Hancock (Columbia 02615) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 90 | EVERY HOME SHOULD HAVE ONE Patti Austin (Qwest 49854) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 91 | RATED X Invisible Man’s Band (Boardwalk 127) | 70 | 71 | 79 | 5 | |
| 92 | I JUST WANNA HOLD YOU Black Ice (Montage 1204) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 93 | MAKE UP YOUR MIND Aurra (Salsoul 7017) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 94 | STRUNG OUT ON THE BOOGIE Gangsters (Heat 2007) | 94 | — | — | 2 | |
| 95 | TWINKLE Earl Klugh (Liberty 1431) | 88 | 88 | 90 | 4 | |
| 96 | THIS KIND OF LOVIN’ Whispers (Solar 12295) | 61 | 36 | 24 | 14 | |
| 97 | IT MUST BE MAGIC Teena Marie (Gordy 7212) | 44 | 44 | 46 | 8 | |
| 98 | LOVE DON’T LOVE NOBODY (pt. 1) Jean Carn (TSOP 02501) | 63 | 49 | 49 | 11 | |
| 99 | NOTHIN’ BUT A FOOL Natalie Cole (Capitol 5045) | 49 | 40 | 40 | 10 | |
| 100 | HEART HEART Geraldine Hunt with Charles Marotta (Prism 412) | 72 | 74 | 75 | 9 | |
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