Number 1 With A Bullet: The O’Jays’ “Love Train”
The O'Jays - "Backstabbers" (Philadelphia International, 1973)
From the time they started as a gospel duo in 1958, the group that would become the O’Jays endured multiple personnel changes and recorded for numerous labels. Finally, in the early ’70s, they landed with Philadelphia International and gathered their first #1 record.
The O’Jays were a trio when the passed on offers from the Invictus and Motown labels when they decided in 1972 to work with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff’s Philly International imprint.
One of the label’s first hits was the group’s “Back Stabbers,” the first O’Jays single to reach the Top 40. After releasing “992 Arguments” as the second single, Gamble and Huff returned to the Back Stabbers LP one more time for the last song on the program, “Love Train.”
“Love Train” entered the charts at #61 in January 1973 and became the O’Jays first and only #1 on March 24th.
Check out more songs that were “#1 with a Bullet.
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