Issue date Song Artist (s) Reference January 1 "Brand New Key '' Melanie January 8 January 15 "American Pie '' Don McLean January 22 January 29 February 5 February 12 "Let 's Stay Together '' Al Green February 19 "Without You '' Nilsson February 26 March 4 March 11 March 18 "Heart of Gold '' Neil Young March 25 "A Horse with No Name '' America April 1 April 8 April 15 "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face '' Roberta Flack April 22 April 29 May 6 May 13 May 20 May 27 "Oh Girl '' The Chi - Lites June 3 "I 'll Take You There '' The Staple Singers June 10 "The Candy Man '' Sammy Davis Jr. June 17 June 24 July 1 "Song Sung Blue '' Neil Diamond July 8 "Lean on Me '' Bill Withers July 15 July 22 July 29 "Alone Again (Naturally) '' Gilbert O'Sullivan August 5 August 12 August 19 August 26 "Brandy (You 're a Fine Girl) '' Looking Glass September 2 "Alone Again (Naturally) '' Gilbert O'Sullivan September 9 September 16 "Black and White '' Three Dog Night September 23 "Baby, Do n't Get Hooked on Me '' Mac Davis September 30 October 7 October 14 "Ben '' Michael Jackson October 21 "My Ding - a-Ling '' Chuck Berry October 28 November 4 "I Can See Clearly Now '' Johnny Nash November 11 November 18 November 25 December 2 "Papa Was a Rollin ' Stone '' The Temptations December 9 "I Am Woman '' Helen Reddy December 16 "Me and Mrs. Jones '' Billy Paul December 23 December 30
what was the number one song on august 23 1972
"Alone Again (Naturally) '' "Alone Again (Naturally) ''