American Top 40 1971

Whatever you were doing in 1971 and whoever you were doing it with (or to), these are the songs you were doing it to, presented by the host who played the hits from coast to coast , Casey Kasem!

Music News from 1971

What I’VE been doing lately is working on other AT40 shows (actually, I'm trying not to turn my new gal into a computer widow), so these shows are from the Vault, meaning I haven’t had time to listen to all of them. This is what they look like before I “Rocketize” them, and I’m quite sure I will get back to them just because that’s what I do.

The only shows missing are January 2nd and January 9th, because they chronicled the Top 80 songs of 1970 and are included in the 1970 vault. Here is a list of all the songs that made the Top 40 in 1971. Before you download, realize there are two copies of some of these shows.

Not Again! As if the unexpected deaths of Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin weren't enough to bear, Jim Morrison, lead singer of the Doors, died on July 3, 1971, some 9 months after the other two. Morrison was known to abuse alcohol, which, likely led to his death. With the Doors, his best known single was Light My Fire, a number one hit in 1967. The Doors were one of Rock music's most influencial bands of that era. Morrison passed away at age 27.

A Year For Legends: Two of the former Beatles, Paul McCartney and George Harrison, along with the Rolling Stones, all enjoyed number one hits in 1971. These legendary acts spent a combined total of 6 weeks at number one during the year, making '71 a tribute year for Rock history makers. To top it off, in December of 1971, Don McLean's American Pie, a tribute song to early Rock and Roll pioneer, the late Buddy Holly, entered the Top 40. American Pie reached number one in early '72, but helped make 1971 a year to remember Rock's legends.

The Highest Ever! Isaac Hayes' Theme From Shaft set the all-time record for debuting in the Top 40 at the highest position ever! This popular movie (and later TV series) theme entered the Top 40 at number 9 on October 23! It became a number one hit, and, by far, the biggest hit of Isaac Hayes' music career. Almost an entire decade would pass before another song would leap into the Top 40 within the Top 10!

All of the songs that hit the weekly Top 40 pop charts in 1971, according to Billboard Magazine.

[ ]--Original Date of Entry Into Top 40
( )--Peak Position on Chart

My Sweet Lord--George Harrison [see 1970] (#1)
One Less Bell To Answer--5th Dimension [see 1970] (#2)
Knock Three Times--Dawn [see 1970] (#1)
The Tears Of A Clown--Smokey Robinson & The Miracles [see 1970] (#1)
Black Magic Woman--Santana [see 1970] (#4)
I Think I Love You--Partridge Family [see 1970] (#1)
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is--Chicago [see 1970] (#7)
Stoned Love--Supremes [see 1970] (#7)
Domino--Van Morrison [see 1970] (#9)
Gypsy Woman--Brian Hyland [see 1970] (#3)
For The Good Times--Ray Price [see 1970] (#11)
Stoney End--Barbra Streisand [see 1970] (#6)
No Matter What--Badfinger [see 1970] (#8)
Pay To the Piper--Chairmen Of the Board [see 1970] (#13)
It's Impossible--Perry Como [see 1970] (#10)
River Deep··Mountain High--Supremes & The Four Tops [see 1970] (#14)
Groove Me--King Floyd [see 1970] (#6)
Rose Garden--Lynn Anderson [see 1970] (#3)
5-10-15-20 (25-30 Years Of Love)--Presidents [see 1970] (#11)
One Man Band--Three Dog Night [see 1970] (#19)
Lonely Days--Bee Gees [see 1970] (#3)
He Ain't Heavy….He's My Brother--Neil Diamond [see 1970] (#20)
If I Were Your Woman--Gladys Knight & The Pips [see 1970] (#9)
Immigrant Song--Led Zeppelin [see 1970] (#16)
Your Song--Elton John [see 1970] (#8)
Be My Baby--Andy Kim [see 1970] (#17)
Love The One You're With--Stephen Stills [see 1970] (#14)
We've Only Just Begun--Carpenters [see 1970] (#2)
I'll Be There--Jackson 5 [see 1970] (#1)
Can't Stop Lovin' You--Tom Jones [see 1970] (#25)
Games--Redeye [see 1970] (#27)
We Gotta Get You A Woman--Runt [see 1970] (#20)
Stop The War Now--Edwin Starr [1/2] (#26)
(Don't Worry) If There's A Hell Below, We're All Going To Go--Curtis Mayfield [1/2] (#29)
I Really Don't Want To Know / There Goes My Everything--Elvis Presley [1/2] (#21)
Born To Wander--Rare Earth [1/2] (#17)
I'm Not My Brother's Keeper--Flaming Ember [see 1970] (#34)
Do It--Neil Diamond [see 1970] (#36)
After Midnight--Eric Clapton [see 1970] (#18)
Mr. Bojangles--Nitty Gritty Dirt Band [1/2] (#9)
Amazing Grace--Judy Collins [1/9] (#15)
Watching Scotty Grow--Bobby Goldsboro [1/9] (#11)
Amos Moses--Jerry Reed [1/9] (#8)
Remember Me--Diana Ross [1/9] (#16)
Most Of All--B.J. Thomas [1/9] (#38)
Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved (Part 1)--James Brown [1/16] (#34)
I Hear You Knocking--Dave Edmunds [1/16] (#4)
If You Could Read My Mind--Gordon Lightfoot [1/23] (#5)
Precious, Precious--Jackie Moore [1/23] (#30)
One Bad Apple--The Osmonds [1/23] (#1)
(Do The) Push And Pull, Part I--Rufus Thomas [1/23] (#25)
Let Your Love Go--Bread [1/30] (#28)
1900 Yesterday--Liz Damon's Orient Express [1/30] (#33)
Somebody's Watching You--Little Sister [1/30] (#32)
Have You Ever Seen the Rain/Hey Tonight--Creedence Clearwater Revival [2/6] (#8)
Mama's Pearl--Jackson 5 [2/6] (#2)
Theme From Love Story--Henry Mancini & His Orchestra [2/6] (#13)
Your Time To Cry--Joe Simon [2/6] (#40)
For All We Know--Carpenters [2/13] (#3)
Temptation Eyes--The Grass Roots [2/13] (#15)
Jody's Got Your Girl And Gone--Johnny Taylor [2/13] (#28)
Proud Mary--Ike & Tina Turner [2/13] (#4)
Sweet Mary--Wadsworth Mansion [2/13] (#7)
She's A Lady--Tom Jones [2/20] (#2)
Me And Bobby McGee--Janis Joplin [2/20] (#1)
Doesn't Somebody Want To Be Wanted--Partridge Family [2/20] (#6)
Help Me Make It Through The Night--Sammi Smith [2/20] (#8)
Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)--Temptations [2/20] (#1)
D.O.A.--Bloodrock [2/27] (#36)
Burning Bridges--Mike Curb Congregation [2/27] (#34)
Just Seven Numbers (Can Straighten Out My Life)--Four Tops [2/27] (#40)
Theme From Love Story--Francis Lai & His Orchestra [2/27] (#31)
Cried Like A Baby--Bobby Sherman [2/27] (#16)
(Where Do I Begin) Love Story--Andy Williams [2/27] (#9)
Free--Chicago [3/6] (#20)
You're All I Need To Get By--Aretha Franklin [3/6] (#19)
What's Going On--Marvin Gaye [3/6] (#2)
What Is Life--George Harrison [3/6] (#10)
Blue Money--Van Morrison [3/6] (#23)
Oye Como Va--Santana [3/6] (#13)
Wild World--Cat Stevens [3/6] (#11)
Love's Lines, Angles And Rhymes--5th Dimension [3/13] (#19)
One Toke Over the Line--Brewer and Shipley [3/13] (#10)
Soul Power (Part 1)--James Brown [3/13] (#29)
Another Day--Paul McCartney [3/13] (#5)
No Love At All--B.J. Thomas [3/13] (#16)
Eighteen--Alice Cooper [3/20] (#21)
Heavy Makes You Happy (Sha·Na·Boom Boom)--Staple Singers [3/20] (#27)
Country Road--James Taylor [3/20] (#37)
Stay Awhile--Bells [3/27] (#7)
Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)--Glen Campbell [3/27] (#31)
Put Your Hand In the Hand--Ocean [3/27] (#2)
Where Did They Go, Lord/Rags To Riches--Elvis Presley [3/27] (#33)
Sit Yourself Down--Stephen Stills [3/27] (#37)
Joy To The World--Three Dog Night [3/27] (#1)
We Can Work It Out--Stevie Wonder [3/27] (#13)
If--Bread [4/3] (#4)
I Am...I Said--Neil Diamond [4/3] (#4)
Baby Let Me Kiss You--King Floyd [4/3] (#29)
Ask Me No Questions--B.B. King [4/3] (#40)
Chick-A-Boom (Don't Ya Jes' Love It)--Daddy Dewdrop [4/10] (#16)
I Play and Sing--Dawn [4/10] (#25)
Never Can Say Goodbye--Jackson 5 [4/10] (#2)
Friends--Elton John [4/10] (#34)
Power To The People--John Lennon [4/10] (#11)
Timothy--The Buoys [4/17] (#17)
Don't Change On Me--Ray Charles [4/17] (#36)
I Love You For All Seasons--The Fuzz [4/17] (#21)
I Don't Blame You At All--Smokey Robinson & The Miracles [4/17] (#18)
Love Her Madly--The Doors [4/24] (#11)
Bridge Over Troubled Water/Brand New Me--Aretha Franklin [4/24] (#6)
Here Comes the Sun--Richie Havens [4/24] (#16)
Me and You and a Dog Named Boo--Lobo [4/24] (#5)
Woodstock--Matthews' Southern Comfort [4/24] (#23)
Right On the Tip Of My Tongue--Brenda and the Tabulations [5/1] (#23)
Battle Hymn Of Lt. Calley--C Company Featuring Terry Nelson [5/1] (#37)
Want Ads--Honey Cone [5/1] (#1)
Sweet and Innocent--Donny Osmond Of the Osmonds [5/1] (#7)
Brown Sugar--Rolling Stones [5/1] (#1)
(For God's Sake) Give More Power To the People--Chi·Lites [5/8] (#26)
Superstar--Murray Head with the Trinidad Singers [5/8] (#14)
Me and My Arrow--Nilsson [5/8] (#34)
I Don't Know How To Love Him--Helen Reddy [5/8] (#13)
It Don't Come Easy--Ringo Starr [5/8] (#4)
Toast and Marmalade For Tea--Tin Tin [5/8] (#20)
Booty Butt--Ray Charles Orchestra [5/15] (#36)
Treat Her Like a Lady--Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose [5/15] (#3)
Cool Aid--Paul Humphrey and His Cool Aid Chemists [5/15] (#29)
I'll Meet You Halfway--Partridge Family [5/15] (#9)
Don't Knock My Love (Part 1)--Wilson Pickett [5/15] (#13)
Reach Out, I'll Be There--Diana Ross [5/15] (#29)
The Drum--Bobby Sherman [5/15] (#29)
Rainy Days and Mondays--Carpenters [5/22] (#2)
I Don't Know How To Love Him--Yvonne Elliman [5/22] (#28)
It's Too Late/I Feel the Earth Move--Carole King [5/22] (#1)
Nathan Jones--Supremes [5/22] (#16)
Lowdown--Chicago [5/29] (#35)
Double Livin'--Osmonds [5/29] (#14)
Indian Reservation (The Lament Of The Cherokee Reservation Indian)--Raiders [5/29] (#1)
When You're Hot, You're Hot--Jerry Reed [5/29] (#9)
She's Not Just Another Woman--8th Day [6/5] (#11)
Funky Nassau (Part 1)--Beginning Of the End [6/5] (#15)
That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be--Carly Simon [6/5] (#10)
Albert Flasher/Broken--Guess Who [6/12] (#29)
Don't Pull Your Love--Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds [6/12] (#4)
Never Can Say Goodbye--Isaac Hayes [6/12] (#22)
Puppet Man/Resurection Shuffle--Tom Jones [6/12] (#26)
High Time We Went/Black-Eyed Blues--Joe Cocker [6/19] (#22)
Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again--Fortunes [6/19] (#15)
Sooner Or Later--Grass Roots [6/19] (#9)
I Don't Want To Do Wrong--Gladys Knight & The Pips [6/19] (#17)
Mr. Big Stuff--Jean Knight [6/19] (#2)
You've Got A Friend--James Taylor [6/19] (#1)
Escape-ism (Part 1)--James Brown [6/26] (#35)
Get It On--Chase [6/26] (#24)
Never Ending Love Song--Delaney & Bonnie & Friends [6/26] (#13)
Take Me Home, Country Roads--John Denver [6/26] (#2)
Draggin' The Line--Tommy James [6/26] (#4)
Bring The Boys Home--Freda Payne [6/26] (#12)
How Can You Mend a Broken Heart--Bee Gees [7/3] (#1)
Double Barrel--David and Ansil Collins [7/3] (#22)
You've Got A Friend--Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway [7/3] (#29)
Love The One You're With--Isley Brothers [7/3] (#18)
Wild Horses--Rolling Stones [7/3] (#28)
Beginnings/Colour My World--Chicago [7/10] (#7)
Summer Sand--Dawn [7/10] (#33)
Signs--Five Man Electrical Band [7/10] (#3)
Chicago--Graham Nash [7/10] (#35)
Moon Shadow--Cat Stevens [7/10] (#30)
Hot Pants (She Got To Use What She Got To Get What She Wants) (Part 1)--James Brown [7/17] (#15)
Rings--Cymarron [7/17] (#17)
Mercy, Mercy Me (The Ecology)--Marvin Gaye [7/17] (#4)
If Not For You--Olivia Newton·John [7/17] (#25)
Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)--Stylistics [7/17] (#39)
Liar--Three Dog Night [7/17] (#7)
What the World Needs Now Is Love/Abraham, Martin and John (Medley)--Tom Clay [7/24] (#8)
Sweet Hitch-Hiker--Creedence Clearwater Revival [7/24] (#6)
Riders On The Storm--The Doors [7/24] (#14)
Love Means (You Never Have To Say You're Sorry)--Sounds Of Sunshine [7/24] (#39)
Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get--Dramatics [7/31] (#9)
Maybe Tomorrow--Jackson 5 [7/31] (#20)
Smiling Faces Sometimes--Undisputed Truth [7/31] (#3)
Resurrection Shuffle--Ashton, Gardner & Dyke [8/7] (#40)
Spanish Harlem--Aretha Franklin [8/7] (#2)
I Just Want To Celebrate--Rare Earth [8/7] (#7)
Won't Get Fooled Again--The Who [8/7] (#15)
Go Down Gamblin'--Blood, Sweat and Tears [8/14] (#32)
Mother Freedom--Bread [8/14] (#37)
I'm Leavin'--Elvis Presley [8/14] (#36)
Mighty Clouds Of Joy--B.J. Thoman [8/14] (#34)
Ain't No Sunshine--Bill Withers [8/14] (#3)
Tired Of Being Alone--Al Green [8/21] (#11)
Stick-Up--Honey Cone [8/21] (#11)
Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey--Paul & Linda McCartney [8/21] (#1)
Go Away Little Girl--Donny Osmond [8/21] (#1)
I Woke Up In Love This Morning--Partridge Family [8/21] (#13)
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down--Joan Baez [8/28] (#3)
Bangla-Desh--George Harrison [8/28] (#23)
Saturday Morning Confusion--Bobby Russell [8/28] (#28)
Maggie May--Rod Stewart [8/28] (#1)
Where You Lead--Barbra Streisand [8/28] (#40)
Rain Dance--Guess Who [9/4] (#19)
So Far Away--Carole King [9/4] (#14)
Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep--Kissoon, Mac & Katie [9/4] (#20)
Do You Know What I Mean--Lee Michaels [9/4] (#6)
The Story In Your Eyes--Moody Blues [9/4] (#23)
I Likes To Do It--People's Choice [9/4] (#38)
The Wedding Song (There Is Love)--Paul Stookey [9/4] (#24)
If You Really Love Me--Stevie Wonder [9/4] (#8)
Make It Funky (Part 1)--James Brown [9/11] (#22)
K-Jee--Nite-Liters [9/11] (#39)
Surrender--Diana Ross [9/11] (#38)
Sweet City Woman--Stampeders [9/11] (#8)
Superstar/Bless the Beasts and the Children--Carpenters [9/11] (#2)
The Love We Had (Stays On My Mind)--The Dells [9/18] (#30)
I've Found Someone Of My Own--Free Movement [9/18] (#5)
I Ain't Got Time Anymore--Glass Bottle [9/18] (#36)
Yo-Yo--The Osmonds [9/18] (#3)
Thin Line Between Love And Hate--Persuaders [9/18] (#15)
The Breakdown (Part I)--Rufus Thomas [9/18] (#31)
Easy Loving--Freddie Hart [9/25] (#17)
Trapped By A Thing Called Love--Denise LaSalle [9/25] (#13)
Stagger Lee--Tommy Roe [9/25] (#25)
All Day Music--War [9/25] (#35)
Never My Love--5th Dimension [10/2] (#12)
Gypsys, Tramps, and Thieves--Cher [10/2] (#1)
Mac Arthur Park (Part II)--Four Tops [10/2] (#38)
Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do)--Kris Kristofferson [10/2] (#26)
Birds Of A Feather--Raiders [10/2] (#23)
Only You And I Know--Delaney & Bonnie & Friends [10/9] (#20)
One Fine Morning--Lighthouse [10/9] (#24)
Peace Train--Cat Stevens [10/9] (#7)
You've Got To Crawl (Before You Walk)--8th Day [10/16] (#28)
Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)--Marvin Gaye [10/16] (#9)
Women's Love Rights--Laura Lee [10/16] (#36)
A Natural Man--Lou Rawls [10/16] (#17)
Long Ago And Far Away--James Taylor [10/16] (#31)
Desiderata--Les Crane [10/23] (#8)
Theme From "Shaft"--Isaac Hayes [10/23] (#1)
I'm Comin' Home--Tommy James [10/23] (#40)
Imagine--John Lennon [10/23] (#3)
Questions 67 and 68/I'm a Man--Chicago [10/30] (#24)
Have You Seen Her--Chi·Lites [10/30] (#3)
One Tin Soldier (The Legend Of Billy Jack)--Coven [10/30] (#26)
Absolutely Right--Five Man Electrical Band [10/30] (#26)
Two Divided By Love--The Grass Roots [10/30] (#16)
Everybody's Everything--Santana [10/30] (#12)
Baby I'm-A Want You--Bread [11/6] (#3)
Charity Ball--Fanny [11/6] (#40)
Rock Steady--Aretha Franklin [11/6] (#9)
Got To Be There--Michael Jackson [11/6] (#4)
Cherish--David Cassidy [11/13] (#9)
Scorpio--Dennis Coffey & The Detroit Guitar Band [11/13] (#6)
What Are You Doing Sunday--Dawn Featuring Tony Orlando [11/13] (#39)
Family Affair--Sly & The Family Stone [11/13] (#1)
All I Ever Need Is You--Sonny & Cher [11/13] (#7)
Respect Yourself--Staple Singers [11/13] (#12)
Where Did Our Love Go--Donnie Elbert [11/20] (#15)
Wild Night--Van Morrison [11/20] (#28)
Theme From "Summer Of '42"--Peter Nero [11/20] (#21)
Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)--Temptations [11/20] (#18)
I'd Love To Change The World--Ten Years After [11/20] (#40)
An Old Fashioned Love Song--Three Dog Night [11/20] (#4)
Stones--Neil Diamond [11/27] (#14)
Brand New Key--Melanie [11/27] (#1)
She's All I Got--Freddie North [11/27] (#39)
(I