Every Friday, I’m publishing my top ten songs from a single year and this week it’s the turn of 1972.

For previous top ten tunes, please click on the year: 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

In 1972, British troops open fire on unarmed demonstrators in Derry, Northern Ireland killing 14– the event is remembered as “Bloody Sunday”, protestors burn down the British Embassy in Dublin, an IRA bomb kills 6 people in Aldershot barracks, Edward, Duke of Windsor dies at 77– 35 years after he abdicated from the throne, a British plane crashes near Staines killing all 118 people on board, the first gay pride march takes place in London, a series of IRA explosions in Belfast leave 9 dead, in County Londonderry 9 are killed by IRA car bombs, the Olympics takes place in Munich, West Germany- where 11 Israel athletes are murdered in a terrorist attack, the first episode of Emmerdale Farm is broadcast, the Watergate Scandal starts when wiretapping laws are broken and 5 White House officials are arrested for burglarising the Democratics’ offices, President Nixon is re-elected as president of the United States, 16 people survive a plane crash in the Andes after practising cannibalism and the films The Godfather, Deliverance, Cabaret, The Poseidon Adventure and Super Fly are released.

Outstanding week this week. Some of my all time favourite songs are on this week’s list. Here they are, in no particular order. Spotify playlist at the end.

1. Rockin’ Robbin by Michael Jackson

2. Superstition by Stevie Wonder

3. Papa Was a Rolling Stone by the Temptations (there are some marvellous dance moves and outfits in this video)

4. Day Dreaming by Aretha Franklin

5. The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face by Roberta Flack

6. You’re So Vain by Carly Simon

7. Starman by David Bowie

8. Tiny Dancer by Elton John

9. Handbags and the Gladrags by Rod Stewart

10. Les Fleur by Minnie Riperton

Stevie and The Temptations are close runners up, but it’s Minnie Riperton that’s my favourite this week. One of my all time favourite songs.

See you next week for 1973!