In the early summer of 1973, there was a strange coincidence in terms of Beatles number one solo singles.

We all know that the only time that another artist was credited with The Beatles on a chart single was in 1969 when the single “Get Back” was credited as “The Beatles with Billy Preston”. Of course, “Get Back” topped the Billboard Hot 100 on May 24, 1969 and stayed there for five weeks. As is well known, the band first met their friend Preston in Liverpool in 1962 when he was backing Little Richard on tour of the UK. Helping out his old buddies on the recording of “Get Back”, Paul instructed him to take a solo on the electric organ.

The fact that “Get Back” itself was a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 was an omen in itself because exactly four years later something incredible would happen concerning three of the artists who performed on the 1969 highly successful chart-topping single. Three of them would follow each other into the top slot on the Billboard Hot 100.

“My Love”, by Paul McCartney and Wings, topped the charts for four weeks beginning on June 4, 1973. Paul both wrote and produced the single.

“My Love” was knocked out of the top position on the Billboard Hot 100 by George Harrison’s “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)” on June 30, 1973. Harrison both wrote and produced this song, which was his second number one hit.

“Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)” only lasted one week on top because on July 7, 1973, it was replaced by “Will It Go Round in Circles” by Billy Preston. This song, which held the top slot for two weeks, was co-written by Preston and Bruce Fisher and produced by Preston. It was the American keyboard player’s first number one hit; in October 1974 he would score his second and final number one with “Nothing from Nothing”.

Billy Preston, the only person in history to be credited along with The Beatles on a song to reach the charts, helped them guide “Get Back” to the top of the charts. How ironic that some four years later fate would have it that three of the artists on that number one hit would follow each other into the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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