| The CASH BOX R&B Top 70 | ||||||
| Dark blue square = bullet (strong upward move) | Week ending DECEMBER 8, 1973 | |||||
| TW | TITLE | Artist (Label) | LW | 2WK | 3WK | WKS | |
| 1 | IF YOU’RE READY (Come Go With Me) Staple Singers (Stax 0179) | 2 | 3 | 8 | 8 | |
| 2 | SPACE RACE Billy Preston (A&M 1463) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 13 | |
| 3 | THE LOVE I LOST (pt. 1) Harold Melvin & Blue Notes (Philadelphia Int’l 3533) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 13 | |
| 4 | CHEAPER TO KEEP HER Johnnie Taylor (Stax 0176) | 4 | 4 | 2 | 11 | |
| 5 | THIS TIME I’M GONE FOR GOOD Bobby Blue Bland (Dunhill 4369) | 6 | 8 | 10 | 9 | |
| 6 | NEVER, NEVER GONNA GIVE YA UP Barry White (20th Century 2058) | 7 | 9 | 11 | 9 | |
| 7 | ROCKIN’ ROLL BABY Stylistics (Avco 4625) | 5 | 5 | 7 | 9 | |
| 8 | COME GET TO THIS Marvin Gaye (Tamla 54241) | 9 | 12 | 17 | 7 | |
| 9 | SOME GUYS HAVE ALL THE LUCK Persuaders (Atco 6943) | 10 | 10 | 12 | 11 | |
| 10 | SHOW AND TELL Al Wilson (Rocky Road 30073) | 12 | 14 | 25 | 8 | |
| 11 | I WANNA KNOW YOUR NAME Intruders (Gamble 2508) | 11 | 11 | 14 | 9 | |
| 12 | LIVING FOR THE CITY Stevie Wonder (Tamla 54242) | 16 | 20 | 26 | 6 | |
| 13 | STONED TO THE BONE (pt. 1) James Brown (Polydor 14210) | 14 | 18 | 29 | 6 | |
| 14 | RIVER Joe Simon (Spring 141) | 17 | 21 | 27 | 7 | |
| 15 | LIVIN’ FOR YOU Al Green (Hi 2257) | 19 | 30 | 53 | 4 | |
| 16 | I’VE GOT TO USE MY IMAGINATION Gladys Knight & Pips (Buddah 393) | 25 | 32 | 54 | 4 | |
| 17 | ME AND BABY BROTHER War (United Artists 350) | 20 | 25 | 30 | 6 | |
| 18 | WRAPPED UP IN YOUR WARM AND TENDER LOVE Tyrone Davis (Dakar 4526) | 18 | 19 | 21 | 10 | |
| 19 | UNTIL YOU COME BACK TO ME (That’s What I’m Gonna Do) Aretha Franklin (Atlantic 2995) | 29 | 34 | 47 | 5 | |
| 20 | SWEET UNDERSTANDING LOVE Four Tops (Dunhill 4366) | 21 | 23 | 24 | 8 | |
| 21 | MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA Gladys Knight & Pips (Buddah 383) | 8 | 7 | 4 | 16 | |
| 22 | COME LIVE WITH ME Ray Charles (Crossover 973) | 23 | 26 | 31 | 7 | |
| 23 | STORMY MONDAY Latimore (Glades 1716) | 28 | 29 | 32 | 8 | |
| 24 | FOR YOUR LOVE Gwen McCrae (Cat 1989) | 26 | 27 | 33 | 10 | |
| 25 | COME LAY SOME LOVIN’ ON ME Margie Joseph (Atlantic 2988) | 27 | 28 | 34 | 9 | |
| 26 | YOU’RE A SPECIAL PART OF ME Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye (Motown 1280) | 13 | 6 | 5 | 11 | |
| 27 | BABY COME CLOSE Smokey Robinson (Tamla 54239) | 36 | 43 | 45 | 7 | |
| 28 | IT’S ALL OVER Independents (Wand 11263) | 35 | 41 | 46 | 8 | |
| 29 | I FOUND SUNSHINE Chi-Lites (Brunswick 55503) | 32 | 37 | 40 | 7 | |
| 30 | FELL FOR YOU Dramatics (Volt 4099) | 15 | 17 | 20 | 10 | |
| 31 | ALL THE WAY DOWN Etta James (Chess 2144) | 22 | 22 | 23 | 12 | |
| 32 | SMARTY PANTS First Choice (Philly Groove 179) | 24 | 24 | 28 | 11 | |
| 33 | CHECK IT OUT Tavares (Capitol 3674) | 30 | 15 | 9 | 17 | |
| 34 | CAN THIS BE REAL Natural Four (Curtom 1990) | 42 | 46 | 55 | 6 | |
| 35 | BOTH ENDS AGAINST THE MIDDLE Jackie Moore (Atlantic 2989) | 39 | 40 | 44 | 6 | |
| 36 | JUNGLE BOOGIE Kool & Gang (De-Lite 559) | 46 | 57 | — | 3 | |
| 37 | SOMEBODY’S BEEN ENJOYING MY HOME Don Covay (Mercury 73430) | 37 | 38 | 42 | 8 | |
| 38 | I’M THE MIDNIGHT SPECIAL Clarence Carter (Fame 330) | 47 | 54 | 59 | 7 | |
| 39 | KEEP ON TRUCKIN’ (pt. 1) Eddie Kendricks (Tamla 54238) | 34 | 31 | 13 | 18 | |
| 40 | KEEP YOUR HEAD TO THE SKY Earth, Wind & Fire (Columbia 45953) | 44 | 52 | 64 | 5 | |
| 41 | FOR THE GOOD TIMES (pt. 1) Seventh Wonder (Abet 9454) | 45 | 47 | 51 | 7 | |
| 42 | I MISS YOU Dells (Cadet 5700) | 51 | 56 | 67 | 5 | |
| 43 | GET INVOLVED George Soule (Fame 302) | 43 | 45 | 37 | 12 | |
| 44 | SOFT SOUL BOOGIE WOOGIE Wilson Pickett (RCA Victor 0174) | 53 | 59 | 63 | 4 | |
| 45 | WHAT CAN I TELL HER Timmy Thomas (Glades 1717) | 55 | 62 | 66 | 5 | |
| 46 | MANGO MEAT Mandrill (Polydor 14200) | 49 | 51 | 60 | 4 | |
| 47 | YOU’RE SWEET, YOU’RE FINE, YOU’RE EVERYTHING Tomorrow’s Promise (Capitol 3695) | 52 | 53 | 56 | 6 | |
| 48 | KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING WHEN YOU LEAVE Roshell Anderson (Sunburst 523) | 54 | 61 | 65 | 6 | |
| 49 | WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO Isley Brothers (T-Neck 2252) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 50 | POWER OF LOVE Jerry Butler (Mercury 73443) | 64 | 68 | — | 3 | |
| 51 | LOVE CHAIN Candi Staton (Fame 328) | 56 | 58 | 62 | 6 | |
| 52 | FRISKY Sly & Family Stone (Epic 11060) | 58 | 63 | — | 3 | |
| 53 | I’VE GOT TO BREAK AWAY Baby Washington (Master Five 9107) | 63 | — | — | 2 | |
| 54 | LOVE’S THEME Love Unlimited Orchestra (20th Century 2069) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 55 | SEXY MAMA Moments (Stang 5052) | 61 | — | — | 2 | |
| 56 | GIVE ME JUST ANOTHER DAY Miracles (Tamla 54240) | 59 | 64 | — | 3 | |
| 57 | CAN’T SAY NOTHIN’ Curtis Mayfield (Curtom 1993) | 68 | — | — | 2 | |
| 58 | SUPER ROD Crown Heights Affair (RCA Victor 0023) | 60 | 65 | 68 | 4 | |
| 59 | I LIKE TO LIVE THE LOVE B. B. King (ABC 11406) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 60 | FEEL GOOD Rufus (ABC 11394) | 66 | 70 | — | 3 | |
| 61 | SUNSHINE LADY Willie Hutch (Motown 1282) | 62 | 66 | — | 3 | |
| 62 | LOVE IS SUCH A GOOD THING (pt. 1) Fessor Funk & Queens 8th Street Funk Band (Roxbury 0076) | 57 | 60 | 61 | 5 | |
| 63 | (I’d Know You) ANYWHERE Ashford & Simpson (Warner Bros. 7745) | 65 | — | — | 2 | |
| 64 | WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO Lou Courtney (Epic 11062) | 67 | 67 | 69 | 9 | |
| 65 | QUICK, FAST, IN A HURRY New York City (Chelsea 0150) | 70 | — | — | 2 | |
| 66 | I’D RATHER BE (Blind, Cripple And Crazy) O.V. Wright (Back Beat 628) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 67 | CRY LIKE A BABY Dorothy Moore (GSF 6908) | 69 | — | — | 2 | |
| 68 | TRYING TO HOLD ON TO MY WOMAN Lamont Dozier (ABC 11407) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 69 | THERE’S GOT TO BE RAIN IN YOUR LIFE (To Appreciate The Sunshine) Dorothy Norwood (GRC 1011) | — | — | — | 1 | |
| 70 | LOVE EPIDEMIC Trammps (Golden Fleece 3251) | — | — | — | 1 | |
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