All those number 2s

[richiebro]

I know that Top of the World kept Elton John's huge hit Goodbye Yellow Brick Road from reaching number one. Can anyone identify the recordings that kept so many Carpenters records from hitting the top of the charts?

# 2 Albums:
Tan Album, Now and Then

#2 Siingles:
We've Only Just Begun, Rainy Days and Mondays, Superstar, Hurting Each Other, Yesterday Once More

Thanks, Richie

 

[Vinylalbumcovers]

There's a really great book out there called "The Billboard Book Of #2 Hits" that has precisely this kind of information in it. It spotlights all the number 2 singles that didn't get to number 1 with info about the song that kept each one out of number 1. Great book and I highly recommend it.

Ed

 

[Michael Hagerty]

Richie:
I'll save you a few bucks (on the singles, anyway)

We've Only Just Begun was shut out of #1 by The Jackson 5's "I'll Be There."

Carole King's "It's Too Late" kept "Rainy Days & Mondays" from going any higher than #2.

Rod Stewart's "Maggie May" did the same to "Superstar".

Nilsson's "Without You" refused to budge for "Hurting Each Other".

Jim Croce's "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" held #1 until "Yesterday Once More" cooled off.

The Jackson 5, Carole King and Rod Stewart were all at #1 for five consecutive weeks. Nilsson for four and Jim Croce for 2.

"Superstar", "Rainy Days & Mondays" and "Hurting Each Other" could only hold onto #2 for two weeks. "Yesterday Once More" for only one.

Only "We've Only Just Begun" had a real chance...sticking at #2 for four weeks...but The Partridge Family's "I Think I Love You" followed The Jackson 5 into #1 and the Carpenters fell from #2 the following week.

---Michael Hagerty

 

[Tim Neely]

On the Billboard album charts, Carpenters spent two weeks at #2, July 3 and 10, 1971. Both weeks it was stuck behind the biggest album of the year, Tapestry by Carole King. Before it finally dropped out in late November, Carpenters spent 24 straight weeks in the top 10!

Now and Then spent one week at #2, and that was July 21, 1973. It was behind Living in the Material World by George Harrison that week. One week later, the new Chicago album, Chicago VI, jumped from 18 to 1, and the Carpenters fell from 2 to 4. In all, Now and Then spent 8 weeks in the top 10.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

At least the Carpenters have the consolation of being kept out of #1 by truly classic songs. If they'd been shut out by "Disco Duck" or something, that would've been truly criminal.

 

[GOODY4SHOES]

It's still hard for me to believe that Superstar and YOM did not make it to #1. These tunes literally have it all. It boggles the mind.

 

[Michael Hagerty]

At least the Carpenters have the consolation of being kept out of #1 by truly classic songs. If they'd been shut out by "Disco Duck" or something, that would've been truly criminal.

Mike:
Just ask Boz Scaggs...."Lowdown" stalled out at #3 while "Disco Duck" was at the top.

---Michael Hagerty

 

[Mike Blakesley]

You also have to remember that these hits happened in the days before Soundscan, EDI and all the related statistical automation for tracking sales and airplay. It's just possible that the Carps records were indeed selling better than those #1s, but reporting stores and radio stations just didn't find them "cool" enough to rate #1.

 

[Michael Hagerty]

Mike:
It's possible, but if you go back and look at the records that kept the Carpenters out of #1, they were all monsters. And the "coolness" factor, if applied, would have had Boz Scaggs taking out "Disco Duck".

---Michael Hagerty