October 1972

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Jon Mark, guitarist for the Mark/Almond Band, loses the ring finger of his left hand in a fall while in Hawaii on tour. He is expected to recover and to play again, but the remainder of the Mark/Almond Band's tour is canceled.
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Joe Cocker is arrested along with six band members in Adeleide, Australia. In the after-the-show raid, police claim to have confiscated marijuana, heroin and hypodermic syringes. Cocker is released on bail immediately, and faces penalties ranging from a $2,000 fine and two years in prison to a mere four-hour notice to leave the country.

"Ben," Michael Jackson's theme song from the movie of the same name, reaches Number One on the pop chart. It is the third solo hit in a year for the thirteen-year-old lead singer of the Jackson 5 (the other two being "Got To Be There" and "Rockin' Robin"). While it may prove that Michael can go it alone without his older brothers, he will continue to record and to tour with the other four Jacksons, in addition to making solo records.

The Spinners have their first R&B Number One single: "I'll Be Around" backed with "How Could I Let You Get Away." It is the first of three consecutive R&B Number Ones -- followed by "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love" and "One of a Kind (Love Affair)" -- for this soul vocal group formed by songwriter, singer and producer Harvey Fuqua in 1957.

Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes enter the soul chart with "If You Don't Know Me By Now," which in 16 weeks on the chart will peak at Number One for two weeks starting November 18. The song will enter the pop chart in December, and will reach #3 there.
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Creedence Clearwater Revival issue a press statement announcing the group's breakup. In typically ambiguous public-relations prose, the release more or less states: "We don't regard this as breaking up. We look at it as an expansion of our activities. We will devote our time to individual rather than group projects." Translation, please: CCR are splitting.
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The presidential campaign shifts into top gear as ads portray George McGovern as the candidate protecting the interests of the majority of American people from those of the wealthy few, while Richard Nixon's ads address issues of law and order and self-reliance. During the waning weeks of the campaign, Nixon will continue to dominate in the polls.
 21
Seventeen years after writing and recording the first of his many rock & roll classics ("Maybelline," followed by "Roll Over Beethoven," "School Day," "Rock and Roll Music," "Sweet Little Sixteen," "Johnny B. Goode," Carol," "Almost Grown," "Little Queenie," "Back in the U.S.A" and so on). Chuck Berry gets his first American Number One pop hit with "My Ding-a-Ling," a singalong novelty song derived from grade-school -level private-parts jokes.
22
In a full seven games, the Oakland A's, with the aid of four home runs from Gene Tenace, derail the Big Red Machine of Cincinati to clinch the World Series. Two days later, baseball legend Jackie Robinson dies of an apparent heart attack.
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Henry Kissinger publicly announces that after weeks of "shuttle diplomacy" among Paris, Saigon and Washington, a final political agreement and cessation of hostilities in Indochina is expected soon. The election polls predictably tilt even further in Richard Nixon's favor, though a missed dealine on Oct. 31 will rekindle North Vietnamese attacks in November.
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Philadelphia pop-soul balladeer Billy Paul enters the soul chart with the biggest hit of his career, "Me and Mrs. Jones," which will hit Number One for four weeks starting December 9, it will also hit Number One on the pop chart for three weeks starting December 16.

The United States Council for World Affairs announces that it is adopting the Who song "Join Together" as its official theme.
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Elton John gives a command performance for Queen Elizabeth II, making him the first rock & roller to be asked to appear in a royal variety performance since the Beatles in 1963
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