Doing it to Death (Part 8)

Back after a short pause. As I continue my survey of all the R&B #1s of the 1970s, let’s make our way into 1972.

“Have You Seen Her,” the Chi-Lites (11/20/71)
It’s… fine. The kind of record I refer to as “pretty” as opposed to pretty. And pretty boring. B-

“Family Affair,” Sly & the Family Stone (12/4/71)
Probably the most overrated funk/R&B artist of the decade. I’ve never cottoned to Sly Stone and co., and have never fully understood why so many folks put them on a critical pedestal. Everything they do/attempt is done better by others, and their songs just aren’t that good. Not to mention that you can practically hear all the drugs they were taking, on their records. I know most of y’all will disagree with me, and that’s fine; you can have ‘em. D

“Let’s Stay Together,” Al Green (1/8/72)
This is how you make a perfect, sexy, silky smooth ballad-that-doesn’t-sound-like-a-ballad — and he was kinda just get started, as this was the title track/first single from the first of six consecutive #1 R&B albums. “Together” spent nine weeks atop the chart too, the longest such run since 1965, and was 1972’s R&B #1. And by no means is this the last time we’ll hear from Green this year. A

“Talkin’ Loud and Sayin’ Nothing (Pt. 1),” James Brown (3/11/72)
He really made funk look so effortless, didn’t he? A-

“I Gotcha,” Joe Tex (3/18/72)
As opposed to Brown’s slightly more “professional” funk, this is of the gutbucket variety, and while it’s good, I don’t love Tex’s more guttural exaltations. B