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May 17, 1972

May 17, 1972, was a Wednesday. It was 52 years, 5 months, and 16 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Taurus.

Song charts

Top songs

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on May 17, 1972:

  • United States: "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack
  • United Kingdom: "Amazing Grace" by Royal Scots Dragoon Guards

The Billboard Hot 100 on May 17, 1972

These songs were dominating the music charts:

  • The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Roberta Flack
  • I Gotcha - Joe Tex
  • Oh Girl - The Chi-lites
  • I'll Take You There - The Staple Singers
  • Rockin' Robin - Michael Jackson
Play the top singles from 1972
A Spotify playlist of songs from 1972. Take a trip back to the days of Elton John, Lou Reed, Al Green and Don McLean.
The Godfather

Top movie

The movie "The Godfather" was at the top of the box office on this day.

Facts

This date occurred 19,162 days ago. Approximately 639 months have passed. It was the 138th day of 1972, in week 20. The decade was the seventies. People who were born on May 17, 1972, are now 52 years old and belong to the Generation X generation. 1972 was a leap year, which means that it had an extra day in February. We have gone through approximately 213 seasons of weather since this date.

Take me back to May 17, 1972

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is May 17, 1972, and it's a Wednesday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Taurus. It is "Hump Day", so many are beginning to think about the weekend ahead.

The summer of 1972 has finally arrived. The weather has warmed up, and the evenings are brighter than usual. The school year is nearly finished. In America, the song "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack is at the top of the singles charts, while "Amazing Grace" by Royal Scots Dragoon Guards is the number-one song in the UK. Richard Nixon is the President of the United States, and the movie The Godfather is at the top of the box office.

Edward Heath is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. On television, people are watching popular shows such as "Hawaii Five-O", "The Two Ronnies", "The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour", and "The Rookies". In fashion, the hippie look from the 1960s is still popular. Clothing items such as tie dye shirts, bell-bottoms, midi skirts, gauchos and Mexican blouses are being worn by women. Meanwhile, men are wearing dark satin shirts, ethnic-looking tunics, bell bottom jeans, tweed sports jackets and turtlenecks.

It's 1972, so radio stations are playing songs from artists such as Don McLean, Harry Nilsson, Hot Butter, Neil Young, The Moody Blues, Roberta Flack, Bill Withers and Johnny Nash. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Jackie Robinson, Janet Munro, Harry S. Truman, and Lyndon B. Johnson would all still be alive. Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "Lassie", "My Three Sons", "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!", and "The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show".

Children are playing with toys such as Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots, Clackers, Crissy (doll), and Big Jim (action figure).

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on May 17, 1972, will have the star sign Taurus.
  • Zodiac Element: Earth.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1972 was the year of the Rat (Yang Wood).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 5.
  • Native American Zodiac: May 17, 1972 falls under the Beaver.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of May will have the birthstone Emerald.
  • Birth flower (May): The Lily of the Valley and the Hawthorn.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on May 17, 1972.

  • The Co-ed Killer is targeting students in California.

    The Co-ed Killer is targeting students in California

    Between May of 1972 and April of 1973, serial killer Edmund Kemper (aka the "Co-ed Killer") was targeting female college students in California.
  • Music cassette tapes are becoming popular.

    Music cassette tapes are becoming popular

    Audio cassettes started becoming widespread from about 1972 onward. Although they lacked the sound quality of vinyl records, they were far more convenient and portable.
  • Color TV surpasses black-and-white.

    Color TV surpasses black-and-white

    Sales of color TV sets were beginning to surpass sales of the older black-and-white models. By this stage, almost all of the popular daytime networks were broadcasting in color.
  • The US is winding down its involvement in the Vietnam War.

    The US is winding down its involvement in the Vietnam War

    During 1972, the war in Vietnam was still ongoing. However, the US had greatly reduced their presence in the country. Between 1971 and 1972, the number of US troops in Vietnam fell from 156,800 to 24,200. Instead of keeping soldiers on the ground, the US shifted its focus to providing air support while negotiators in Paris tried to hammer out a peace agreement.
  • Who were the best NBA players in 1972?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1972?

    The best NBA players in 1972 were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, John Havlicek, Spencer Haywood, Jerry West and Walt Frazier.
  • Best soccer players.

    Best soccer players

    In 1972, the best soccer players were Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller, Günter Netzer, Johan Cruyff, Piet Keizer, Kazimierz Deyna, Gordon Banks, Barry Hulshoff, Włodzimierz Lubański and Bobby Moore.
  • The Godfather.

    The Godfather

    "The Godfather" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1972.
  • Roberta Flack - "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"

    Roberta Flack - "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"

    "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack would go on to win a Grammy for 1972's Song of the Year.
  • 1972 in movies.

    1972 in movies

    Movies released in 1972 included The Godfather, The Poseidon Adventure, "What's Up, Doc?", Behind the Green Door, Deliverance, Super Fly, Cabaret, The Getaway, Fritz the Cat, The Legend of Boggy Creek, Jeremiah Johnson, Blacula and Silent Running.
  • Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger.

    Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger

    US President Richard Nixon and his National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger were both named Time Person of the Year in 1972. Nixon and Kissinger had made history by traveling to China to "open up a dialogue."
  • 1972 in music.

    1972 in music

    The Billboard Charts in 1972 were dominated by Don McLean, Roberta Flack, Gilbert O'Sullivan, America, Joe Tex, Looking Glass and Al Green.
  • Have a nice day!

    Have a nice day!

    The smiley face and phrases such as "Have a nice day!" and "Have a happy day!" were being plastered onto t-shirts, mugs, and badges.
  • Bell-bottoms.

    Bell-bottoms

    Bell-bottoms (flares) were in fashion.
  • Wallpaper.

    Wallpaper

    Wallpaper was extremely common in people's homes throughout the 1970s and 1980s. It wasn't until the mid-late 1980s that "modernism" started to creep in.
  • Office workers are using typewriters.

    Office workers are using typewriters

    Although personal computers began to emerge during the 1970s, typewriters were still the norm for most office workers.
  • The Volkswagen Beetle.

    The Volkswagen Beetle

    The Volkswagen Beetle was one of the most common cars on the road. Sales of the vehicle increased following the release of the 1968 film The Love Bug (and its subsequent spin-offs).
  • The Hippie movement.

    The Hippie movement

    The hippie counterculture reached its peak during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The movement, which sprung up in opposition to the Vietnam War, was centered around peace, psychedelic music, sexual liberation, bright colors, and drugs such as LSD and marijuana.
  • Lava lamps are all the rage.

    Lava lamps are all the rage

    Sales of lava lamps increased in the late 1960s. It wasn't until the second half of the 1970s that they started to go out of fashion.
  • The afro hairstyle is at its peak in popularity.

    The afro hairstyle is at its peak in popularity

    The afro hairstyle took off during the 1960s and early 1970s. Public figures such as Angela Davis, Pam Grier, Jimi Hendrix, and the Jackson 5 were among those who sported the style.
  • The push-button telephone.

    The push-button telephone

    Push-button telephones were beginning to replace the older rotary-style landlines.

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on May 17, 1972.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

What happened around this time?

News stories, pop culture trends, and other events that happened around May 17, 1972.

  • April 17, 1972: The first Boston Marathon that allows women to compete takes place.
  • April 21, 1972: Bill Withers releases the song "Lean on Me".
  • May 2, 1972:
    • 91 people are killed by a fire at the Sunshine Mine in Idaho.
    • FBI director J. Edgar Hoover dies from a heart attack at the age of 77.
  • May 4, 1972: Woody Allen's comedy movie "Play It Again, Sam" is released in movie theaters.
  • May 5, 1972: 115 people die when Alitalia Flight 112 crashes near Palermo in Italy.
  • May 6, 1972: FA Cup Final 1972: A goal from Allan Clarke helps Leeds United secure a 1-0 victory over Arsenal.
  • May 7, 1972:
    • Serial killer Ed Kemper murders hitchhikers Mary Ann Pesce and Anita Mary Luchessa near Alameda, California.
    • The Los Angeles Lakers win the 1972 NBA Finals after they defeat the New York Knicks 4-1.
  • May 13, 1972: 115 people are killed in Osaka, Japan, when a fire breaks out at a nightclub.
  • May 15, 1972: Democratic presidential candidate George Wallace is shot five times in an assassination attempt in Laurel, Maryland.
  • This date: May 17, 1972
  • May 22, 1972: US president Richard Nixon visits Moscow.
  • May 26, 1972: The United States and the USSR sign the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.
  • May 30, 1972: 26 people are killed in a terrorist attack at Lod Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel.
  • May 31, 1972: Football: Ajax win the European Cup after two goals from Cruyff helps them to defeat Internazionale 2-0.
  • June 9, 1972: The Black Hills flood: 238 people are killed by floods in South Dakota.
  • June 14, 1972: The film "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes" is released.
  • June 15, 1972: The co-founder of the Red Army Faction, Ulrike Meinhof, is arrested in Germany.
  • June 16, 1972: 108 people are killed in France when two passenger trains collide with the debris of a collapsed tunnel.

1970s fashion

Photographs of 1970s fashion and hairstyles.

1970s fashion

Television shows

TV series on May 17, 1972

People in May 1972 were watching the following TV series:

TV shows from May 1972.

The Rookies
The Rookies
Emergency!
Emergency!
Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son
Upstairs, Downstairs
Upstairs, Downstairs
Soul Train
Soul Train
McMillan & Wife
McMillan & Wife
The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
The Two Ronnies
The Two Ronnies
All in the Family
All in the Family
Alias Smith and Jones
Alias Smith and Jones
The Partridge Family
The Partridge Family
The Odd Couple
The Odd Couple

Cars in 1972

1972 saw the introduction of cars such as the Honda Civic, the Chevrolet LUV, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the BMW 5 Series, the Ford Thunderbird (sixth generation), and the Renault 5.

Cars in 1972.

Children TV shows

Cartoons and children's TV shows in May 1972

Children and teenagers were watching the following cartoons and TV series:

The Electric Company
The Electric Company
Help!... It's the Hair Bear Bunch!
Help!... It's the Hair Bear Bunch!
Archie's TV Funnies
Archie's TV Funnies

The Funky Phantom
The Funky Phantom
The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show
The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show
All in the Family
All in the Family
Sabrina the Teenage Witch
Sabrina the Teenage Witch
Groovie Goolies
Groovie Goolies
Josie and the Pussycats
Josie and the Pussycats
The Clangers
The Clangers
Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Toys

Toys in 1972

Children were playing with the following toys and games:

Big Jim (action figure)
Big Jim (action figure)
Uno (card game)
Uno (card game)
The Rock Flowers dolls
The Rock Flowers dolls
Weebles
Weebles
VertiBird (toy helicopter)
VertiBird (toy helicopter)
G.I. Joe Adventure Team
G.I. Joe Adventure Team
Nerf Balls
Nerf Balls
Frisbee
Frisbee
Crissy (doll)
Crissy (doll)
Clackers
Clackers
Battleship (game)
Battleship (game)
Lite-Brite
Lite-Brite

Were you born on May 17, 1972?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1972.

This is because humans find it difficult to retrieve memories of their early childhood.

If you are looking for some childhood nostalgia, then you should check out May 17, 1978, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on May 17.

Dennis Hopper

Dennis Hopper

Actor Deceased
Born on May 17, 1936
He turned 36 on this day in 1972.

Bill Paxton

Bill Paxton

Actor Deceased
Born on May 17, 1955
He turned 17 on this day in 1972.

Bob Saget

Bob Saget

Comedian / Actor Deceased
Born on May 17, 1956
He turned 16 on this day in 1972.

Sugar Ray Leonard

Sugar Ray Leonard

Boxer
Born on May 17, 1956
He turned 16 on this day in 1972.

Enya

Enya

Irish singer
Born on May 17, 1961
She turned 11 on this day in 1972.

Tahj Mowry

Tahj Mowry

Actor
Born on May 17, 1986
He was born exactly 14 years after this date.

Charlotte Crosby

Charlotte Crosby

English TV personality
Born on May 17, 1990
She was born exactly 18 years after this date.

Holidays

Holidays

National holidays and famous events that fall on May 17:

USA

US President

Richard Nixon was the President of the United States on May 17, 1972.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Edward Heath was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

Jack Lynch was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on May 17, 1972 was most likely conceived around August 25, 1971.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on May 17, 1972 is close to February 7, 1973.

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Stats for May 17, 1972

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about May 17, 1972:

  • 19,162 days have passed since this date.
  • 2,737 weeks have passed.
  • 1,655,600,400 seconds have passed since May 17, 1972.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,931,533,800 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 854,289,806,400 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 275,933,400 times.
  • You have taken approximately 142,381,634 steps. That's roughly 63,281 miles.
  • 19,867,205 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1972?

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