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Posted on 04/04/2026 9:41:00 AM PDT by nickcarraway
The ultra-funky single by The Beatles and Rolling Stones alumnus entered the Billboard Hot 100 on March 31, 1973.
The keyboard confidant of both The Beatles and the Rolling Stones was adding to his solo heritage on March 31, 1973. The late and much-missed Billy Preston, a cherished contributor to the work of both bands and many others, entered the Billboard Hot 100 that day with the ultra-funky “Will It Go Round In Circles.”
It was strangely fitting that, just over three months later, this great solo track by the man who’d played on “Get Back” and with George Harrison at the Concert For Bangladesh was replacing George’s “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)” at No.1 in America.
Will It Go Round In Circles
Preston, a former child prodigy who appeared in the film St. Louis Blues in 1958, had met The Beatles in their early days. At 16, he accompanied Sam Cooke and Little Richard on a British tour in 1962. He first found singles chart success in his own right as a signing to the group’s Apple label. 1969’s stirring “That’s The Way God Planned It,” produced by Harrison, was followed by an impressive version of George’s “My Sweet Lord.”
‘Outa-Space’ and outta sight
In 1972, Billy came within an ace of a No.1 single in the US with the catchy instrumental “Outa-Space.” The A&M release was an R&B chart-topper and made a long climb into runner-up spot on the Hot 100, giving ground only to Bill Withers” “Lean On Me.” By late that year, Preston was releasing his next studio album Music Is My Life.
The LP was full of A-list session players, some of them yet to find fame outside the studio. Notable among them were the dynamic guitar-and-bass combination of George and Louis, the Brothers Johnson. A mighty five-piece horn section featured Tom Scott, whose countless later credits included yet another Beatle connection. He played the nimble soprano saxophone solo on Paul McCartney and Wings’ “Listen To What The Man Said.”
Listen to uDiscover Music’s Billy Preston Best Of playlist.
“Will It Go Round In Circles” made a cautious debut at No.99 in the States. But it showed slow and steady progress throughout the spring, hitting the Top 10 in its 12th week. McCartney and Wings were then in a four-week reign with “My Love,” which then gave way to Harrison’s “Give Me Love.” Then along came Billy, stealing George’s top spot, to his undoubted amusement. The B-side? Preston’s Music Is My Life cover version of Lennon and McCartney’s “Blackbird.” Full “Circles” indeed.
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Loved it. I remember dancing around the basement to it as a kid, lol!
When black music was still actually music.
Yes black & REAL musicians with AWESOME music
“Will It Go Round in Circles” (1973),
“Nothing from Nothing” (1974)
I was a huge fan of his back in the day. But I had no idea for years, that was him on “Let It Be”, and “Abbey Road”.
Outa-Space
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIi6AwMzERs
God Bless you Billy!
Loved this song as a kid - still do!!!
Still, Preston performed “Get Back” for the film, and it was terrific.
Yep
and
Glen Campbell and Daryl Dragon of
The Captain and Tennille sat in
with the Beach Boys too
Get this, I saw George Harrison at Olympia Stadium (downtown Detroit, Red Wings home and long torn down) in November 1974. Sound was terrible but no matter I got to see a Beatle. The crowd was a bit subdued compared to others at the time...so it seemed. Out of nowhere Billy Preston came on stage and did play “Will It Go Round In Circles” and the crowd went wild, all suburban white kids.
Still until my dying day I’ll never get over it.
That boy had some SERIOUS hair too….
🤣
Remember seeing him on either Don Kirschner’s or Midnight Special….
I saw Billy Preston at the Toledo Student Union (we sat on the floor) with Jon McLaughlin, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker-latesixties
I bought an old synth because that song.
Roland JX3P…. Wish I’d have kept it.
They were all playing together?
Yes, I don’t think they ever formed a band formally and I really didn’t know at that age what I was looking at. Jack Bruce had his back turned to us for the whole gig.
I met him at a Beatles fan convention in Chicago in the 80s. Very humble man. Signed a record sleeve for me. Back when you could just ask and they didn’t charge $50 for the privilege.
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