My March 2024 Charts

Guess where I’ve been…. Hint, S-o-e-e-g- or maybe -t-n-h-d-e would be better…

3rd March 2024

It’s a first week ever on top of my charts for the only posthumous centenarian to have ever managed it – Glynis Johns was 100 when she died last month, and now Send In The Clowns from A Little Night Music, the song written for her, finally tops my chart 51 years late. That’s not the oldest track to do it, but it just leaps over fellow half-century track Sebastian which recently also did the trick, neither of them charting at all for me previously. It’s never too late to discover fabulous old music!

Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich were childhood faves, but most of their chart hits pre-dated my charts (they’ve had 2 chart entries in 1968/69, and 2 oldies chart-toppers since) so it didn’t take much to be persuaded to chart the stompingly good Hold Tight! after it turned up on an advert this week. About time! A great singalong kiddie track, but also great guitar and drums on it, and what with Edgar Wright naming a movie after Last Night In Soho 2 years back it’s good to see they haven’t been forgotten, new in at 9, a 4th top 10 in 56 years of charting.

The highest new track is Lighter at 27, a radio 2-playlisted dance-pop track already, from Galantis, 9 years of charting including one number one, David Guetta, 21 years and still releasing stuff every other week and including 2 number ones, and 5 Seconds Of Summer who are now chart hit 6. Jungle deservedly won Best Album at the Brits – there’s a long-form video of all of the Volcano tracks on Youtube, most of which I’ve bought, and they sound just as good playing live on TV as on record, so a proper Band. So Back On 74 is back and there’s another album cut popping in, Pretty Little Thing being the 9th off Volcano, and 18th to chart.

That leaves Olly Alexander going “solo” for Eurovision, on Dizzy. The First single I ever bought was called Dizzy, 1969, aged 11, Tommy Roe was the singer. Fingers-crossed for 3-time chart-topping Years & Years then aka Olly. Gwen Stefani & hubby Blake Shelton are back for an upbeat pop track together, extending Gwen’s chart career to 27 years, and finally there’s a debut from DJO – aka Stranger Things’ Joe Keery, also good in Free Guy with Ryan Reynolds, but best known as Steve from the Netflix show as we wait for the final season. Not just Kate Bush who gets a big hit out of the show then! Moby also topped my chart after a season 4 placement, along with Kate Bush.

1 2 1 9 SEND IN THE CLOWNS – Glynis Johns 476800
2 1 1 2 THE SOUND OF THE CROWD – The Human League 285000
3 3 1 5 HOLD ON HOPE – Glen Campbell & Eric Church 431000
4 5 1 6 BLAME YOU – Nero featuring Alana Watson 665000
5 7 5 3 CARRY YOU – Martin Garrix, Third=Party & Oaks featuring Declan J Donovan 132000
6 4 1 7 BURNING IN FLAMES – Kaiser Chiefs 551000
7 6 3 6 OH NO :: HE SAID WHAT? – Nothing But Thieves 385000
8 9 8 6 LONELINESS – Pet Shop Boys 219000
9 NEW 9 1 HOLD TIGHT! – Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich 45000
10 10 10 5 TURN THE LIGHTS BACK ON – Billy Joel 151200

11 8 6 7 ALL NIGHT LONG – Kungs, David Guetta & Izzy Bizu 292200
12 16 12 3 TRAINING SEASON – Dua Lipa 78500
13 19 13 3 LET IT RIDE – Paloma Faith 71000
14 12 12 7 THE ANSWER – Johnny Marr 155600
15 17 15 4 CRAZY LOVE – Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 72600
16 11 7 7 SELFISH – Justin Timberlake 227200
17 13 2 6 SPITFIRE – WE ARE ONE 393000
18 15 15 5 KISS OF LIFE – Shaznay Lewis 97900
19 25 19 6 BEAT OF YOUR HEART – Purple Disco Machine & ASDIS 77300
20 30 20 7 NIGHTFLIGHT TO VENUS – Boney M 97300

21 14 10 7 NEVER BE ALONE – Becky Hill & Sonny Fodera 156650
22 22 22 5 STARS ON 45 THEME – Sgt Slick featuring Starsound 83200
23 31 22 8 YES, AND? – Ariana Grande 129850
24 24 24 3 THERE’S NO ME…WITHOUT YOU – Glen Campbell & Carole King 56300
25 20 20 16 MICHELLE – The Beatles 215200
26 18 15 7 SUPERNOVA – Bananarama 148400
27 NEW 27 1 LIGHTER – Galantis, David Guetta & 5 Seconds Of Summer 18400
28 21 5 10 SHADES OF LOVE – The Blessed Madonna featuring The Joy 374250
29 66 29 2 SATURN – SZA 25000
30 23 6 8 BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys 282250

31 27 9 7 NO STRINGS – X Ambassadors 190550
32 26 8 7 AM I GETTING THROUGH PARTS 1 & 2 – Sheryl Crow 209300
33 38 33 4 DANCE ALONE – Sia & Kylie Minogue 64100
34 37 34 4 LONELY DANCERS – Conan Gray 56500
35 28 12 8 LOSE CONTROL – Teddy Swims 190000
36 29 23 8 DEEP IN YOUR LOVE – Alok & Bebe Rexha 116650
37 33 1 14 IMMORTAL – Lufthaus featuring Sophie Ellis-Bextor & Robbie Williams 1116000
38 43 38 4 OH HI – Crowded House 45000
39 39 30 7 HIGH – Bryn Christopher 105200
40 32 19 7 CAN’T GET ENOUGH – Jennifer Lopez 127850

41 34 24 8 A LITTLE MORE LOST – Georgia Ku 142500
42 42 42 6 CREEPING ON THE DANCEFLOOR – The Zutons 69700
43 NEW 43 1 RIDE – Mia Rodriguez 13500
44 47 44 3 HIGH – Stephen Sanchez 30950
45 53 45 4 I’LL BE AROUND – The Detroit Spinners 36050
46 59 46 2 I’M NOT BITTER – Dadi Freyr 22850
47 50 47 3 IS THIS LOVE? – James 30900
48 49 48 5 NOT PREPARED FOR YOU – Beverley Knight 45600
49 35 12 6 SHAPE OF ME – Rita Ora featuring Keith Urban 143350
50 40 33 6 LIL BOO THANG – Paul Russell 98300

51 44 1 15 SEBASTIAN – Cockney Rebel 1170950
52 56 52 4 COULD IT BE I’M FALLING IN LOVE – The Detroit Spinners 31900
53 45 1 16 GOOD AT BREAKING HEARTS – Jungle featuring JNR Williams & 33.3 917250
54 64 54 2 ILLUSIONS – Jalen Ngonda 18100
55 55 55 4 A PLACE IN YOUR HEART – Gabrielle 32800
56 57 56 2 BELFAST CHILD – Simple Minds 21000
57 NEW 57 1 SECRETS – Glockenbach and Ownboss featuring Jazz Montell 10400
58 62 58 2 LOCKSMITH – Sadie Jean 17600
59 46 46 6 LOVER’S LEAP – Elbow 62150
60 61 60 3 TEXAS HOLD ‘EM – Beyonce 21700

61 52 52 6 STICK SEASON – Noah Kahan 55400
62 75 62 2 GIMME SOME KINDA SIGN – UB40 featuring Gilly G 12400
63 63 63 2 I PREDICT A RIOT – Kaiser Chiefs 14400
64 41 41 5 CLARITY – 24kGoldn 47500
65 73 65 2 ENOUGH – Jess Glynne 12400
66 70 66 2 ALL OR NOTHING – Rebecca & Fiona 12800
67 54 1 24 HOLD ON TO NOW – Kylie Minogue 1054950
68 68 68 5 NOTHING BUT THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD – Glen Campbell & Eric Clapton 29800
69 69 69 4 WHEN THE STARS GO BLUE – Paul Young 23400
70 51 35 8 MIRACLE – Shaznay Lewis 84750

71 71 71 3 I’D LIKE TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR PROBLEM – The Dandy Warhols featuring Slash 16400
72 78 72 2 COULD YOU BE LOVED – Bob Marley & The Wailers 10000
73 74 73 2 ROUND WE GO – Madness 10600
74 77 74 2 THE RIGHT WRONG – The Feeling 9800
75 79 75 2 SO MUCH (FOR) STARDUST – Fall Out Boy 9200
76 76 76 2 DRIVING ME CRAZY – Rick Astley 9600
77 72 72 3 IS IT OVER NOW? (TAYLOR’S VERSION) – Taylor Swift 14200
78 RE 17 16 BACK ON 74 – Jungle 208900
79 60 39 5 MURDER ON THE DANCEFLOOR – Sophie Ellis-Bextor 55100
80 80 80 2 JAMMING – Bob Marley & The Wailers 8000

81 NEW 81 1 END OF BEGINNING – DJO 3800
82 NEW 82 1 DIZZY – Olly Alexander 3600
83 NEW 83 1 FLAMME – Juliette Armanet 3400
84 NEW 84 1 PRETTY LITTLE THING – Jungle featuring Bas 3200
85 NEW 85 1 PURPLE IRISES – Gwen Stefani & Blake Shelton 3000

36 36 15 HEY BULLDOG – The Beatles 183650
48 48 3 HAVE YOU SEEN HER – The Chi-Lites 25300
58 6 16 HOUDINI – Dua Lipa 418200
65 10 12 JAMCOD – The Jesus And Mary Chain 260900
67 67 4 FROM HERE TO ETERNITY – Engelbert Humperdinck 24000

10th March 2024

It’s up to the top spot for Carry You, that’ll be Martin Garix’s second chart-topper 9 years after the first one (Animals), and a first for the guest/associates listed in the credits. Dave Dee & Co go up to 2 with their 60’s stomper Hold Tight, making it their 3rd biggest chart hit (with loads still uncharted) and Paloma Faith makes it a hat trick of top 10’s from the new album and also debuts Sweatpants at 47. Boney M haven’t gone top 10 a previously uncharted track since 1979! So, 46 years late Nightflight To Venus becomes their 9th top 10, and the 5th charting track from their monster album of the same name.

Mia Rodriguez climbs 33 places to 10 with her very Toxic-ish Ride and SZA climbs with the second charting planet, Saturn. All we need is Drops OF Jupiter, Girl From Mars, Earth Song and Mercury Rev and The Neptunes to return to have an almost complete set of planets. Just need some to have a go at Uranus. One day I expect it will happen. Usher returns after a decade away with the very decent Kissing Strangers, and Delta Doodrem gets her 3rd chart entry, her second in a row. Wait over 20 years for a follow-up and bang, just a few weeks wait for the next one!

We lost 3 singer/musicians this week, Steve Lawrence passed away at a fair age, so my childhood fave I Just Wanna Stay Here with his wife Eydie Gormez debuts for the first time over 60 years late at 23, though the song previously charted for Dusty Springfield in her 90’s cover version. Karl Wallinger also sadly died, same age as me, formerly of The Waterboys, who topped my charts with The Whole Of The Moon, and World Party, who had a good run of chart entries but never a big hit. Ship Of Fools was my fave, from 1986 and that returns, as does Eric Carmen’s original version of All By Myself from 1976, following his passing.

1 5 1 4 CARRY YOU – Martin Garrix, Third=Party & Oaks featuring Declan J Donovan 302000
2 9 2 2 HOLD TIGHT! – Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich 160000
3 3 1 6 HOLD ON HOPE – Glen Campbell & Eric Church 516000
4 6 1 8 BURNING IN FLAMES – Kaiser Chiefs 616000
5 4 1 7 BLAME YOU – Nero featuring Alana Watson 725000
6 2 1 3 THE SOUND OF THE CROWD – The Human League 340000
7 1 1 10 SEND IN THE CLOWNS – Glynis Johns 526800
8 13 8 4 LET IT RIDE – Paloma Faith 119000
9 20 9 8 NIGHTFLIGHT TO VENUS – Boney M 142300
10 43 10 2 RIDE – Mia Rodriguez 55500

11 7 3 7 OH NO :: HE SAID WHAT? – Nothing But Thieves 422000
12 12 12 4 TRAINING SEASON – Dua Lipa 113500
13 10 10 6 TURN THE LIGHTS BACK ON – Billy Joel 183200
14 11 6 8 ALL NIGHT LONG – Kungs, David Guetta & Izzy Bizu 321200
15 15 15 5 CRAZY LOVE – Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 99600
16 8 8 7 LONELINESS – Pet Shop Boys 244000
17 27 17 2 LIGHTER – Galantis, David Guetta & 5 Seconds Of Summer 41400
18 14 12 8 THE ANSWER – Johnny Marr 177600
19 29 19 3 SATURN – SZA 46000
20 18 15 6 KISS OF LIFE – Shaznay Lewis 117900

21 16 7 8 SELFISH – Justin Timberlake 246950
22 21 10 8 NEVER BE ALONE – Becky Hill & Sonny Fodera 176150
23 NEW 23 1 I JUST WANNA STAY HERE – Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormez 19250
24 24 24 4 THERE’S NO ME…WITHOUT YOU – Glen Campbell & Carole King 75300
25 19 19 7 BEAT OF YOUR HEART – Purple Disco Machine & ASDIS 96050
26 17 2 7 SPITFIRE – WE ARE ONE 411500
27 22 22 6 STARS ON 45 THEME – Sgt Slick featuring Starsound 101600
28 46 28 3 I’M NOT BITTER – Dadi Freyr 41150
29 38 29 5 OH HI – Crowded House 63200
30 26 15 8 SUPERNOVA – Bananarama 166400

31 23 22 9 YES, AND? – Ariana Grande 147750
32 34 32 5 LONELY DANCERS – Conan Gray 74300
33 33 33 5 DANCE ALONE – Sia & Kylie Minogue 81800
34 28 5 11 SHADES OF LOVE – The Blessed Madonna featuring The Joy 391850
35 30 6 9 BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys 299750
36 31 9 8 NO STRINGS – X Ambassadors 207950
37 32 8 8 AM I GETTING THROUGH PARTS 1 & 2 – Sheryl Crow 226600
38 62 38 3 GIMME SOME KINDA SIGN – UB40 featuring Gilly G 29600
39 47 39 4 IS THIS LOVE? – James 48000
40 45 40 5 I’LL BE AROUND – The Detroit Spinners 53050

41 44 41 4 HIGH – Stephen Sanchez 44950
42 37 1 15 IMMORTAL – Lufthaus featuring Sophie Ellis-Bextor & Robbie Williams 1129750
43 35 12 9 LOSE CONTROL – Teddy Swims 203500
44 36 23 9 DEEP IN YOUR LOVE – Alok & Bebe Rexha 129900
45 52 45 5 COULD IT BE I’M FALLING IN LOVE – The Detroit Spinners 44900
46 48 46 6 NOT PREPARED FOR YOU – Beverley Knight 58350
47 NEW 47 1 SWEATPANTS – Paloma Faith 12500
48 39 30 8 HIGH – Bryn Christopher 117500
49 41 24 9 A LITTLE MORE LOST – Georgia Ku 154600
50 54 50 3 ILLUSIONS – Jalen Ngonda 30100

51 40 19 8 CAN’T GET ENOUGH – Jennifer Lopez 139600
52 57 52 2 SECRETS – Glockenbach and Ownboss featuring Jazz Montell 21900
53 58 53 3 LOCKSMITH – Sadie Jean 28850
54 51 1 16 SEBASTIAN – Cockney Rebel 1181950
55 55 55 5 A PLACE IN YOUR HEART – Gabrielle 43600
56 56 56 3 BELFAST CHILD – Simple Minds 31600
57 53 1 17 GOOD AT BREAKING HEARTS – Jungle featuring JNR Williams & 33.3 927650
58 82 58 2 DIZZY – Olly Alexander 13800
59 49 12 7 SHAPE OF ME – Rita Ora featuring Keith Urban 153450
60 60 60 4 TEXAS HOLD ‘EM – Beyonce 31700

61 42 42 7 CREEPING ON THE DANCEFLOOR – The Zutons 77200
62 50 33 7 LIL BOO THANG – Paul Russell 105700
63 63 63 3 I PREDICT A RIOT – Kaiser Chiefs 21600
64 65 64 3 ENOUGH – Jess Glynne 19500
65 66 65 3 ALL OR NOTHING – Rebecca & Fiona 19800
66 75 66 3 SO MUCH (FOR) STARDUST – Fall Out Boy 16000
67 74 67 3 THE RIGHT WRONG – The Feeling 16400
68 76 68 3 DRIVING ME CRAZY – Rick Astley 16000
69 81 69 2 END OF BEGINNING – DJO 10000
70 85 70 2 PURPLE IRISES – Gwen Stefani & Blake Shelton 9000

71 71 71 4 I’D LIKE TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR PROBLEM – The Dandy Warhols featuring Slash 22200
72 73 72 3 ROUND WE GO – Madness 16200
73 67 1 25 HOLD ON TO NOW – Kylie Minogue 1060350
74 84 74 2 PRETTY LITTLE THING – Jungle featuring Bas 8400
75 NEW 75 1 SHIP OF FOOLS – World Party 5000
76 83 76 2 FLAMME – Juliette Armanet 8200
77 NEW 77 1 KISSING STRANGERS – Usher 4600
78 NEW 78 1 HEARTS ON THE RUN – Delta Goodrem 4400
79 NEW 79 1 DO NOT DISTURB (KRYSTAL KLEAR NEW WAVE REMIX) – Bananarama 4200
80 NEW 80 1 ALL BY MYSELF – Eric Carmen 4000


DROP OUTS
80 80 2 JAMMING – Bob Marley & The Wailers 8000
25 20 16 MICHELLE – The Beatles 215200
59 46 6 LOVER’S LEAP – Elbow 62150
61 52 6 STICK SEASON – Noah Kahan 55400
64 41 5 CLARITY – 24kGoldn 47500
68 68 5 NOTHING BUT THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD – Glen Campbell & Eric Clapton 29800
69 69 4 WHEN THE STARS GO BLUE – Paul Young 23400
70 35 8 MIRACLE – Shaznay Lewis 84750
72 72 2 COULD YOU BE LOVED – Bob Marley & The Wailers 10000
77 72 3 IS IT OVER NOW? (TAYLOR’S VERSION) – Taylor Swift 14200
78 17 16 BACK ON 74 – Jungle 208900
79 39 5 MURDER ON THE DANCEFLOOR – Sophie Ellis-Bextor 55100

17th March 2024

It’s a delayed number one for Hold Tight! Dave Dee & co were a fave band when I was a kiddie, and this was a rockin’ great song now being used in advert, and that gave me a great excuse to chart it belatedly, being as 1966 predated my first charts, so the 58-year-old stompin’ fuzzy guitar chanter gives the band their 3rd chart-topper. I was 8 years old when this was brand new and it’s one of the longest waits for any record to top my chart trailing only The Moody Blues Go Now! Dua Lipa grabs yet another top 10, and ditto David Guetta and Galantis, all of them ratcheting up the future back catalogue. Above & Beyond get a second top 10, meanwhile.

Steve Harley sadly passed away this week, I had a ticket to see him on tour, but that got postponed and now tragically cancelled, and it’s almost 50 years since Judy Teen started his chart career with Cockney Rebel, so that returns and pushes out Sebastian which flopped in 1973. His Andrew LLoyd-Webber chart hit is also returning as I under-rated it at the time (1986-ish) The Phantom Of The Opera is the title track of a fab musical.

Other new entries: Ariana follows up with a new one, Selena Gomez too, both are pretty good, Kasabian are back after a short break, James now have two in the chart, they’ve done that many times in their career, and Good Neighbours debut. Finally Pharrell has been absent a bit of late, but grabs Miley Cyrus to help get a bit of a push with his Doctor.

1 2 1 3 HOLD TIGHT! – Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich 330000
2 1 1 5 CARRY YOU – Martin Garrix, Third=Party & Oaks featuring Declan J Donovan 417000
3 3 1 7 HOLD ON HOPE – Glen Campbell & Eric Church 601000
4 9 4 9 NIGHTFLIGHT TO VENUS – Boney M 207300
5 10 5 3 RIDE – Mia Rodriguez 115500
6 4 1 9 BURNING IN FLAMES – Kaiser Chiefs 671000
7 12 7 5 TRAINING SEASON – Dua Lipa 163500
8 8 8 5 LET IT RIDE – Paloma Faith 167000
9 17 9 3 LIGHTER – Galantis, David Guetta & 5 Seconds Of Summer 86400
10 15 10 6 CRAZY LOVE – Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 141600

11 5 1 8 BLAME YOU – Nero featuring Alana Watson 762000
12 11 3 8 OH NO :: HE SAID WHAT? – Nothing But Thieves 457000
13 6 1 4 THE SOUND OF THE CROWD – The Human League 372000
14 7 1 11 SEND IN THE CLOWNS – Glynis Johns 555800
15 18 12 9 THE ANSWER – Johnny Marr 204600
16 13 10 7 TURN THE LIGHTS BACK ON – Billy Joel 208200
17 19 17 4 SATURN – SZA 69000
18 14 6 9 ALL NIGHT LONG – Kungs, David Guetta & Izzy Bizu 343200
19 23 19 2 I JUST WANNA STAY HERE – Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormez 40250
20 16 8 8 LONELINESS – Pet Shop Boys 264000

21 20 15 7 KISS OF LIFE – Shaznay Lewis 137650
22 25 19 8 BEAT OF YOUR HEART – Purple Disco Machine & ASDIS 115550
23 24 23 5 THERE’S NO ME…WITHOUT YOU – Glen Campbell & Carole King 94550
24 22 10 9 NEVER BE ALONE – Becky Hill & Sonny Fodera 195150
25 47 25 2 SWEATPANTS – Paloma Faith 31250
26 28 26 4 I’M NOT BITTER – Dadi Freyr 59650
27 21 7 9 SELFISH – Justin Timberlake 265350
28 38 28 4 GIMME SOME KINDA SIGN – UB40 featuring Gilly G 47900
29 29 29 6 OH HI – Crowded House 81400
30 26 2 8 SPITFIRE – WE ARE ONE 429500

31 50 31 4 ILLUSIONS – Jalen Ngonda 48000
32 32 32 6 LONELY DANCERS – Conan Gray 92100
33 27 22 7 STARS ON 45 THEME – Sgt Slick featuring Starsound 119300
34 40 34 6 I’LL BE AROUND – The Detroit Spinners 70650
35 52 35 3 SECRETS – Glockenbach and Ownboss featuring Jazz Montell 39400
36 39 36 5 IS THIS LOVE? – James 65400
37 33 33 6 DANCE ALONE – Sia & Kylie Minogue 99100
38 77 38 2 KISSING STRANGERS – Usher 21800
39 30 15 9 SUPERNOVA – Bananarama 183500
40 69 40 3 END OF BEGINNING – DJO 27000

41 45 41 6 COULD IT BE I’M FALLING IN LOVE – The Detroit Spinners 58900
42 58 42 3 DIZZY – Olly Alexander 27550
43 31 22 10 YES, AND? – Ariana Grande 161250
44 46 44 7 NOT PREPARED FOR YOU – Beverley Knight 71600
45 64 45 4 ENOUGH – Jess Glynne 32500
46 36 9 9 NO STRINGS – X Ambassadors 220700
47 37 8 9 AM I GETTING THROUGH PARTS 1 & 2 – Sheryl Crow 239100
48 42 1 16 IMMORTAL – Lufthaus featuring Sophie Ellis-Bextor & Robbie Williams 1142050
49 NEW 49 1 JUDY TEEN – Cockney Rebel 12100
50 34 5 12 SHADES OF LOVE – The Blessed Madonna featuring The Joy 403850

51 56 51 4 BELFAST CHILD – Simple Minds 43350
52 35 6 10 BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys 311250
53 53 53 4 LOCKSMITH – Sadie Jean 40100
54 65 54 4 ALL OR NOTHING – Rebecca & Fiona 30800
55 41 41 5 HIGH – Stephen Sanchez 55750
56 66 56 4 SO MUCH (FOR) STARDUST – Fall Out Boy 26600
57 70 57 3 PURPLE IRISES – Gwen Stefani & Blake Shelton 19400
58 44 23 10 DEEP IN YOUR LOVE – Alok & Bebe Rexha 140100
59 43 12 10 LOSE CONTROL – Teddy Swims 213600
60 74 60 3 PRETTY LITTLE THING – Jungle featuring Bas 18400

61 75 61 2 SHIP OF FOOLS – World Party 12500
62 67 62 4 THE RIGHT WRONG – The Feeling 23800
63 49 24 10 A LITTLE MORE LOST – Georgia Ku 161800
64 57 1 18 GOOD AT BREAKING HEARTS – Jungle featuring JNR Williams & 33.3 934750
65 76 65 3 FLAMME – Juliette Armanet 15200
66 48 30 9 HIGH – Bryn Christopher 124300
67 51 19 9 CAN’T GET ENOUGH – Jennifer Lopez 146200
68 68 68 4 DRIVING ME CRAZY – Rick Astley 22400
69 NEW 69 1 WE CAN’T BE FRIENDS (WAIT FOR YOUR LOVE) – Ariana Grande 6200
70 78 70 2 HEARTS ON THE RUN – Delta Goodrem 10400

71 NEW 71 1 LOVE ON – Selena Gomez 5800
72 72 72 4 ROUND WE GO – Madness 21800
73 NEW 73 1 THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA – Steve Harley & Sarah Brightman 5400
74 NEW 74 1 BEEN LIKE THIS – Meghan Trainor & T-Pain 5200
75 79 75 2 DO NOT DISTURB (KRYSTAL KLEAR NEW WAVE REMIX) – Bananarama 9200
76 NEW 76 1 CALL – Kasabian 4800
77 80 77 2 ALL BY MYSELF – Eric Carmen 8600
78 NEW 78 1 OUR WORLD – James 4400
79 NEW 79 1 HOME – Good Neighbours 4200
80 NEW 80 1 DOCTOR (WORK IT OUT) – Pharrell Williams & Miley Cyrus 4000

DROP OUTS
54 1 16 SEBASTIAN – Cockney Rebel 1181950
55 55 5 A PLACE IN YOUR HEART – Gabrielle 43600
59 12 7 SHAPE OF ME – Rita Ora featuring Keith Urban 153450
60 60 4 TEXAS HOLD ‘EM – Beyonce 31700
61 42 7 CREEPING ON THE DANCEFLOOR – The Zutons 77200
62 33 7 LIL BOO THANG – Paul Russell 105700
63 63 3 I PREDICT A RIOT – Kaiser Chiefs 21600
71 71 4 I’D LIKE TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR PROBLEM – The Dandy Warhols featuring Slash 22200
73 1 25 HOLD ON TO NOW – Kylie Minogue 1060350

24th March 2024

It’s a bop top 3 with Martin Garrix back up for a second week on top, but threatened by the Toxic-inspired Ride at 2 from Mia Rodriguez and a chart debut for Rose Gray at 3 with the clubtastic Ecstasy. I feel like clubbing, if only I had the energy! That’s Rose’s 3rd top 3 inside 3 years in my charts. Some of last week’s new crop get big leaps this week, while the new entries include a 2nd return to form this year from Lenny Kravitz, on the 80’s-ish Human at 36.

Girls Aloud have some unreleased tracks out, and in at 43 the rather nice Baby When You Go makes a decent addition to their back catalogue of the Noughties. Seeb have been charting for 7 years, including chart-topper Free to Go in 2019, and they return with Before You go at 64. The Legendary Bon Jovi return for a 38th year of charting at 70, while Fairground Attraction split up in 1988 or thereabouts, a big hit, a good follow-up and that was that apart from Eddie Reader’s solo career in the 90’s – well she and gang are back 36 years on for a pertinent song, What’s Wrong With The World? I could write a book to answer that one.

That leaves Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes on the charity 10-minute cover of his Local Hero movie theme Going Home – it’s an instrumental with more rock legends than have ever gathered together on one track before, totally guaranteed. Mark obviosuly has been charting for 45 years, since Sultans Of Swing hit 2 in my charts for Dire Straits, but it brings back Ringo Starr, Duane Eddy, Hank Marvin, Brian May, Joan Jett and many many more to the singles chart. The OCC will never bother to mention it, but Duane Eddy and Hank Marvin were active in the 1950’s, so beat that anyone! (nobody can, most others are dead) From the point of view of my charts, that gives actual chart spans of 49 years to Duane and Hank, 50 to Brian May, and 56 to Ringo, who now holds the record for longest chart-span ahead of The Beatles, oops! Had I been charting in the 60’s Hank would hold the record with 61 years, from Summer Holiday/Bachelor Boy.

1 2 1 6 CARRY YOU – Martin Garrix, Third=Party & Oaks featuring Declan J Donovan 587000
2 5 2 4 RIDE – Mia Rodriguez 230500
3 NEW 3 1 ECSTASY – Rose Gray 85000
4 1 1 4 HOLD TIGHT! – Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich 395000
5 3 1 8 HOLD ON HOPE – Glen Campbell & Eric Church 661000
6 7 6 6 TRAINING SEASON – Dua Lipa 218500
7 10 7 7 CRAZY LOVE – Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 191600
8 6 1 10 BURNING IN FLAMES – Kaiser Chiefs 719000
9 9 9 4 LIGHTER – Galantis, David Guetta & 5 Seconds Of Summer 131400
10 4 4 10 NIGHTFLIGHT TO VENUS – Boney M 249300

11 23 11 6 THERE’S NO ME…WITHOUT YOU – Glen Campbell & Carole King 131550
12 8 8 6 LET IT RIDE – Paloma Faith 202000
13 11 1 9 BLAME YOU – Nero featuring Alana Watson 794000
14 12 3 9 OH NO :: HE SAID WHAT? – Nothing But Thieves 486000
15 16 10 8 TURN THE LIGHTS BACK ON – Billy Joel 235200
16 17 16 5 SATURN – SZA 94000
17 15 12 10 THE ANSWER – Johnny Marr 227600
18 19 18 3 I JUST WANNA STAY HERE – Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormez 62250
19 28 19 5 GIMME SOME KINDA SIGN – UB40 featuring Gilly G 68900
20 25 20 3 SWEATPANTS – Paloma Faith 51250

21 14 1 12 SEND IN THE CLOWNS – Glynis Johns 575550
22 13 1 5 THE SOUND OF THE CROWD – The Human League 391500
23 18 6 10 ALL NIGHT LONG – Kungs, David Guetta & Izzy Bizu 362450
24 26 24 5 I’M NOT BITTER – Dadi Freyr 78650
25 79 25 2 HOME – Good Neighbours 22950
26 20 8 9 LONELINESS – Pet Shop Boys 282500
27 24 10 10 NEVER BE ALONE – Becky Hill & Sonny Fodera 213550
28 74 28 2 BEEN LIKE THIS – Meghan Trainor & T-Pain 23500
29 38 29 3 KISSING STRANGERS – Usher 40000
30 31 30 5 ILLUSIONS – Jalen Ngonda 66000

31 21 15 8 KISS OF LIFE – Shaznay Lewis 155550
32 71 32 2 LOVE ON – Selena Gomez 23600
33 40 33 4 END OF BEGINNING – DJO 44700
34 34 34 7 I’LL BE AROUND – The Detroit Spinners 88250
35 35 35 4 SECRETS – Glockenbach and Ownboss featuring Jazz Montell 56900
36 NEW 36 1 HUMAN – Lenny Kravitz 17400
37 22 19 9 BEAT OF YOUR HEART – Purple Disco Machine & ASDIS 132850
38 29 29 7 OH HI – Crowded House 98600
39 27 7 10 SELFISH – Justin Timberlake 282450
40 30 2 9 SPITFIRE – WE ARE ONE 446500

41 41 41 7 COULD IT BE I’M FALLING IN LOVE – The Detroit Spinners 72900
42 42 42 4 DIZZY – Olly Alexander 41300
43 NEW 43 1 BABY WHEN YOU GO – Girls Aloud 13500
44 32 32 7 LONELY DANCERS – Conan Gray 105350
45 45 45 5 ENOUGH – Jess Glynne 45500
46 33 22 8 STARS ON 45 THEME – Sgt Slick featuring Starsound 132050
47 49 47 2 JUDY TEEN – Cockney Rebel 24600
48 54 48 5 ALL OR NOTHING – Rebecca & Fiona 43100
49 51 49 5 BELFAST CHILD – Simple Minds 55450
50 69 50 2 WE CAN’T BE FRIENDS (WAIT FOR YOUR LOVE) – Ariana Grande 18200

51 43 22 11 YES, AND? – Ariana Grande 173000
52 48 1 17 IMMORTAL – Lufthaus featuring Sophie Ellis-Bextor & Robbie Williams 1153550
53 53 53 5 LOCKSMITH – Sadie Jean 51350
54 39 15 10 SUPERNOVA – Bananarama 194500
55 56 55 5 SO MUCH (FOR) STARDUST – Fall Out Boy 37400
56 36 36 6 IS THIS LOVE? – James 76000
57 57 57 4 PURPLE IRISES – Gwen Stefani & Blake Shelton 29800
58 46 9 10 NO STRINGS – X Ambassadors 230900
59 60 59 4 PRETTY LITTLE THING – Jungle featuring Bas 29500
60 61 60 3 SHIP OF FOOLS – World Party 22500

61 47 8 10 AM I GETTING THROUGH PARTS 1 & 2 – Sheryl Crow 246600
62 37 33 7 DANCE ALONE – Sia & Kylie Minogue 106500
63 44 44 8 NOT PREPARED FOR YOU – Beverley Knight 78800
64 NEW 64 1 BEFORE YOU GO – Seeb 7100
65 65 65 4 FLAMME – Juliette Armanet 22200
66 73 66 2 THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA – Steve Harley & Sarah Brightman 12200
67 70 67 3 HEARTS ON THE RUN – Delta Goodrem 17000
68 68 68 5 DRIVING ME CRAZY – Rick Astley 28800
69 76 69 2 CALL – Kasabian 11000
70 NEW 70 1 LEGENDARY – Bon Jovi 6000

71 NEW 71 1 TOO SWEET – Hozier 5800
72 55 41 6 HIGH – Stephen Sanchez 61350
73 75 73 3 DO NOT DISTURB (KRYSTAL KLEAR NEW WAVE REMIX) – Bananarama 14600
74 50 5 13 SHADES OF LOVE – The Blessed Madonna featuring The Joy 409050
75 78 75 2 OUR WORLD – James 9400
76 NEW 76 1 GOING HOME (THEME FROM LOCAL HERO) – Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes 4800
77 77 77 3 ALL BY MYSELF – Eric Carmen 13200
78 NEW 78 1 WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE WORLD? – Fairground Attraction 4400
79 52 6 11 BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys 315650
80 80 80 2 DOCTOR (WORK IT OUT) – Pharrell Williams & Miley Cyrus 8000

DROP OUTS
58 23 10 DEEP IN YOUR LOVE – Alok & Bebe Rexha 140100
59 12 10 LOSE CONTROL – Teddy Swims 213600
62 62 4 THE RIGHT WRONG – The Feeling 23800
63 24 10 A LITTLE MORE LOST – Georgia Ku 161800
64 1 18 GOOD AT BREAKING HEARTS – Jungle featuring JNR Williams & 33.3 934750
66 30 9 HIGH – Bryn Christopher 124300
67 19 9 CAN’T GET ENOUGH – Jennifer Lopez 146200
72 72 4 ROUND WE GO – Madness 21800

31st March 2024

It’s a brand new number one as Rose Gray does what she nearly did twice before, and is now in Ecstasy at being number one. Above & Beyond also hit a new peak with Crazy Love outdoing Another Chance which reached 4 in 2017. Good Neighbours bring Home into the top 10, and Glen Campbell gets a double posthumous top 10 with added new duet partners. Both are just wonderfully poignant. Highest new entry is Pet Shop Boys’ Dancing Star, which has Domino dancing vibes, albeit with Russian-related lyrics. In at 12 with more off the EP possibly coming next week. They still have a 100% track record for singles making my charts after 39 years.

Girls Aloud get a biggest chart hit in 15 years, there are act debuts from rocking Des Rocs and poppy RONDE, while Moby returns with new stuff to extend his run to well over 30 years following a 6-year gap, and gets a hand from Lady Blackbird on her 4th chart entry – about time she got some success in the real music world. The Vaccines drop in with ballad Hometown Of Jupiter, which means Venus and Saturn and Jupiter make 3 planets, plus Stardust and a new entry from Empire Of The Sun making for a very astronomical chart. The Vaccines haven’t charted since a Kylie collab in 2019, and this is their 5th to chart in 13 years.

Empire Of The Sun still have that distinctive synth and vocal sound on Changes, their 12th in a 15-year-chart-span. Liam Payne meanwhile nicks a Justin Timberlake style for Teardrops, a 6th charter in 7 years, and Declan J Donovan debuts a solo chart entry Hungry Heart, as his chart-topping collab with Martin Garrix and co drops off the top spot. AWOLNATION are on a 7th since debut smash Sail in 2013, Panoramic View new at 72, and it’s a welcome return to a mellow Feeder after being AWOL, as it were, for 18 years, to give them 16 chart entries in 26 years with Hey You.

Another 90’s band is also back, Eels’ Time is as quirky as ever, but keeps their trademark sound fresh, for a 14th song to chart in 27 years, including chart-topper Last Stop: This Town. Take That’s last single didnt do it for me, but they return with You And Me for 32 years of chart-bothering, Beyonce drops her new Cowboy carter album and I cherry-pick the Nancy Sinatra-sampling (Boots, of course) Ya Ya, and Richard hawley is back in reflective mood, on Heavy rain, his 14th charter in 22 years.

1 3 1 2 ECSTASY – Rose Gray 255000
2 1 1 7 CARRY YOU – Martin Garrix, Third=Party & Oaks featuring Declan J Donovan 702000
3 7 3 8 CRAZY LOVE – Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 276600
4 2 2 5 RIDE – Mia Rodriguez 295500
5 5 1 9 HOLD ON HOPE – Glen Campbell & Eric Church 721000
6 6 6 7 TRAINING SEASON – Dua Lipa 273500
7 25 7 3 HOME – Good Neighbours 72950
8 4 1 5 HOLD TIGHT! – Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich 443000
9 9 9 5 LIGHTER – Galantis, David Guetta & 5 Seconds Of Summer 176400
10 11 10 7 THERE’S NO ME…WITHOUT YOU – Glen Campbell & Carole King 173550

11 8 1 11 BURNING IN FLAMES – Kaiser Chiefs 756000
12 NEW 12 1 DANCING STAR – Pet Shop Boys 35000
13 43 13 2 BABY WHEN YOU GO – Girls Aloud 45500
14 12 8 7 LET IT RIDE – Paloma Faith 231000
15 16 15 6 SATURN – SZA 121000
16 13 1 10 BLAME YOU – Nero featuring Alana Watson 819000
17 15 10 9 TURN THE LIGHTS BACK ON – Billy Joel 258200
18 20 18 4 SWEATPANTS – Paloma Faith 73250
19 19 19 6 GIMME SOME KINDA SIGN – UB40 featuring Gilly G 89900
20 24 20 6 I’M NOT BITTER – Dadi Freyr 98650

21 14 3 10 OH NO :: HE SAID WHAT? – Nothing But Thieves 505750
22 10 4 11 NIGHTFLIGHT TO VENUS – Boney M 268800
23 17 12 11 THE ANSWER – Johnny Marr 246850
24 NEW 24 1 LET ME LIVE/ LET ME DIE – Des Rocs 19000
25 28 25 3 BEEN LIKE THIS – Meghan Trainor & T-Pain 42250
26 29 26 4 KISSING STRANGERS – Usher 58500
27 30 27 6 ILLUSIONS – Jalen Ngonda 84400
28 32 28 3 LOVE ON – Selena Gomez 41900
29 34 29 8 I’LL BE AROUND – The Detroit Spinners 106450
30 33 30 5 END OF BEGINNING – DJO 62700

31 18 18 4 I JUST WANNA STAY HERE – Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormez 80150
32 36 32 2 HUMAN – Lenny Kravitz 35200
33 21 1 13 SEND IN THE CLOWNS – Glynis Johns 593250
34 35 34 5 SECRETS – Glockenbach and Ownboss featuring Jazz Montell 74500
35 23 6 11 ALL NIGHT LONG – Kungs, David Guetta & Izzy Bizu 379950
36 NEW 36 1 UNDECIDED – RONDE 17400
37 42 37 5 DIZZY – Olly Alexander 58600
38 41 38 8 COULD IT BE I’M FALLING IN LOVE – The Detroit Spinners 90100
39 64 39 2 BEFORE YOU GO – Seeb 24200
40 26 8 10 LONELINESS – Pet Shop Boys 299500

41 22 1 6 THE SOUND OF THE CROWD – The Human League 405500
42 27 10 11 NEVER BE ALONE – Becky Hill & Sonny Fodera 227300
43 31 15 9 KISS OF LIFE – Shaznay Lewis 169050
44 NEW 44 1 DARK DAYS – Moby & Lady Blackbird 13250
45 48 45 6 ALL OR NOTHING – Rebecca & Fiona 56100
46 49 46 6 BELFAST CHILD – Simple Minds 68200
47 47 47 3 JUDY TEEN – Cockney Rebel 37100
48 37 19 10 BEAT OF YOUR HEART – Purple Disco Machine & ASDIS 145150
49 NEW 49 1 HOMETOWN OF JUPITER – The Vaccines 12100
50 50 50 3 WE CAN’T BE FRIENDS (WAIT FOR YOUR LOVE) – Ariana Grande 30200

51 38 29 8 OH HI – Crowded House 110350
52 39 7 11 SELFISH – Justin Timberlake 293950
53 40 2 10 SPITFIRE – WE ARE ONE 457750
54 44 32 8 LONELY DANCERS – Conan Gray 116350
55 45 45 6 ENOUGH – Jess Glynne 56300
56 NEW 56 1 CHANGES – Empire Of The Sun 10600
57 60 57 4 SHIP OF FOOLS – World Party 32900
58 59 58 5 PRETTY LITTLE THING – Jungle featuring Bas 39700
59 52 1 18 IMMORTAL – Lufthaus featuring Sophie Ellis-Bextor & Robbie Williams 1163650
60 51 22 12 YES, AND? – Ariana Grande 183000

61 66 61 3 THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA – Steve Harley & Sarah Brightman 19700
62 NEW 62 1 TEARDROPS – Liam Payne 7400
63 53 53 6 LOCKSMITH – Sadie Jean 58550
64 69 64 3 CALL – Kasabian 18100
65 75 65 3 OUR WORLD – James 16400
66 55 55 6 SO MUCH (FOR) STARDUST – Fall Out Boy 44200
67 67 67 4 HEARTS ON THE RUN – Delta Goodrem 23600
68 70 68 2 LEGENDARY – Bon Jovi 12400
69 71 69 2 TOO SWEET – Hozier 12000
70 65 65 5 FLAMME – Juliette Armanet 28200

71 NEW 71 1 HUNGRY HEART – Declan J Donovan 5800
72 NEW 72 1 PANORAMIC VIEW – AWOLNATION 5600
73 NEW 73 1 HEY YOU – Feeder 5400
74 NEW 74 1 TIME – Eels 5200
75 76 75 2 GOING HOME (THEME FROM LOCAL HERO) – Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes 9800
76 NEW 76 1 YOU AND ME – Take That 4800
77 78 77 2 WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE WORLD? – Fairground Attraction 9000
78 NEW 78 1 YA YA – Beyonce 4400
79 80 79 3 DOCTOR (WORK IT OUT) – Pharrell Williams & Miley Cyrus 12200
80 NEW 80 1 HEAVY RAIN – Richard Hawley 4000

DROP OUTS
46 22 8 STARS ON 45 THEME – Sgt Slick featuring Starsound 132050
54 15 10 SUPERNOVA – Bananarama 194500
56 36 6 IS THIS LOVE? – James 76000
57 57 4 PURPLE IRISES – Gwen Stefani & Blake Shelton 29800
58 9 10 NO STRINGS – X Ambassadors 230900
61 8 10 AM I GETTING THROUGH PARTS 1 & 2 – Sheryl Crow 246600
62 33 7 DANCE ALONE – Sia & Kylie Minogue 106500
63 44 8 NOT PREPARED FOR YOU – Beverley Knight 78800
68 68 5 DRIVING ME CRAZY – Rick Astley 28800
72 41 6 HIGH – Stephen Sanchez 61350
73 73 3 DO NOT DISTURB (KRYSTAL KLEAR NEW WAVE REMIX) – Bananarama 14600
74 5 13 SHADES OF LOVE – The Blessed Madonna featuring The Joy 409050
77 77 3 ALL BY MYSELF – Eric Carmen 13200
79 6 11 BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys 315650

Mis-heard Lyrics part 2 – The Year Of Decision by The Three Degrees

It’s spring 1974, The Three Degrees have just had a radio hit with Dirty Ol’ Man about a man who can’t keep his hands to himself, and dropped this fabulous Sound Of Philadelphia ode to peace and freedom as they are poised to take over The Supreme’s Top Girl Group slot, largely in the UK who lapped them up for a good 6 years or so of non-stop hits. The Year Of Decision is not one of their better known records, but it’s one of their best. I always had a problem deciphering the lyrics though here and there. “To make your decision” is obvious now I read it, but it sounded like “make-a-your seizure” to me. Then there’s “souls in an amen” for “soldiers in an army”. I’ll let you work out “we need everyone to suck seed”.

My April 1972 Retro Revamp & Charts of the Time

2nd April 1972

It’s back up to the top spot for a 3rd 1966 week as Sweet Talking Guy takes advantage of a lull and a cut back to 75 places, and The Chi-Lites Oh Girl gets to be their second top 10. The highest new entry is a reactivated, and belated UK hit, Wade In The Water giving another 1966 track a presence 6 years late for Ramsey Lewis at 26. Following on from Robert John’s US hit version of The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Dave Newman does the UK hit version, and enters at 51. It’s pretty good too, with future charting versions (for me) to come from Eno and Tight Fit.

The Pearls are also known as Sunny and Sue, and part-time members of Brotherhood Of Man or solo hitmaker of Doctor’s Orders after leaving The Pearls (Sunny), but they enter with a decent version of Third Finger Left Hand, a Martha & The Vandellas cover at 57. Chairmen Of The Board return with a soon-to-be UK hit Elmo James, out in the USA while the UK awaits a B-side hit first, while the movie Cabaret debuts 2 more on the list, Liza Minelli’s title showstopper Cabaret, and Joel Grey’s Wilkommen. Joel is around 90 years old now. That leaves 2 fave acts scarping in with lesser material: Hot Chocolate’s flop Mary-Anne, and Peter Noone’s flop Shoo Be Doo Ah. Peter was on Lift Off, Hot Choc weren’t (I think!).

1 ( 2 ) SWEET TALKING GUY – The Chiffons # 1
2 ( 3 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE – Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1
3 ( 4 ) ROCK & ROLL PART 2 – Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 3
4 ( 5 ) WALK IN THE NIGHT – Junior Walker & The All Stars # 4
5 ( 6 ) HELLO IT’S ME – Todd Rundgren # 1
6 ( 1 ) I SAW THE LIGHT – Todd Rundgren # 1
7 ( 9 ) CRYING, LAUGHING , LOVING, LYING – Labi Siffre # 7
8 ( 10 ) I AM WHAT I AM – Greyhound # 8
9 ( 7 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE – Michael Jackson # 1
10 ( 11 ) OH GIRL – The Chi-Lites # 10

11 ( 8 ) HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART? – Al Green # 8
12 ( 25 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO – Ringo Starr # 12
13 ( 13 ) 10538 OVERTURE – Electric Light Orchestra # 1
14 ( 12 ) I AM A CLOWN – David Cassidy # 5
15 ( 20 ) BROTHER – C.C.S. # 15
16 ( 18 ) I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG – Frederick Knight # 16
17 ( 19 ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE – The Staple Singers # 17
18 ( 22 ) THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE – Roberta Flack # 18
19 ( 14 ) TAKE A LOOK AROUND – The Temptations # 10
20 ( 16 ) WITHOUT YOU – Nilsson # 1

21 ( 17 ) STORM IN A TEACUP – The Fortunes # 1
22 ( 28 ) RADANCER – Marmalade # 22
23 ( 15 ) A COWBOY’S WORK IS NEVER DONE – Sonny & Cher # 15
24 ( 21 ) PUPPY LOVE – Donny Osmond # 16
25 ( 23 ) BETCHA BY GOLLY, WOW – The Stylistics featuring Russell Thompkins, Jr. # 10
26 ( NEW ) WADE IN THE WATER – Ramsey Lewis # 26
27 ( 27 ) LIFE ON MARS? – David Bowie # 1
28 ( 26 ) SAY YOU DON’T MIND – Colin Blunstone # 3
29 ( 47 ) AMAZING GRACE – The Pipes & Drums of The Royal Scots Dragoons Guard Band # 29
30 ( 30 ) SHE’S GOT A WAY – Billy Joel # 30

31 ( 29 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) – Donnie Elbert # 4
32 ( 24 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) – Gilbert O’Sullivan # 18
33 ( 37 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW – The New Seekers # 33
34 ( 36 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” – Nino Rota # 34
35 ( 31 ) HEART OF GOLD – Neil Young # 6
36 ( 34 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION – Paul Simon # 7
37 ( 43 ) SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES – The Drifters # 37
38 ( 45 ) AT THE CLUB – The Drifters # 38
39 ( 48 ) LOOK WHAT YOU DONE FOR ME – Al Green # 39
40 ( 35 ) HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) – John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir # 1

41 ( 33 ) ME AND JULIO DOWN BY THE SCHOOLYARD – Paul Simon # 18
42 ( 32 ) RUN RUN RUN – Jo Jo Gunne # 15
43 ( 52 ) STIR IT UP – Johnny Nash # 43
44 ( 53 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” (SPEAK SOFTLY LOVE) – Andy Williams # 44
45 ( 38 ) SYLVIA’S MOTHER – Doctor Hook And The Medicine Show # 38
46 ( 61 ) TOO BEAUTIFUL TO LAST – Engelbert Humperdinck # 46
47 ( 40 ) EVERYTHING I OWN – Bread # 8
48 ( 46 ) SIMPLE GAME – The Four Tops # 1
49 ( 62 ) HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT – Gladys Knight & The Pips # 49
50 ( 41 ) COULD IT BE FOREVER – David Cassidy # 19

51 ( NEW ) THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT – Dave Newman # 51
52 ( 50 ) I BELIEVE (IN LOVE) – Hot Chocolate # 1
53 ( 51 ) COZ I LUV YOU – Slade # 1
54 ( 49 ) A THING CALLED LOVE – Johnny Cash & The Evangel Choir # 10
55 ( 71 ) THESE DAYS – Jennifer Warnes # 55
56 ( 74 ) YOU DON’T KNOW LIKE I KNOW – The Pioneers # 56
57 ( NEW ) THIRD FINGER LEFT HAND – The Pearls # 57
58 ( 66 ) HOT ROD LINCOLN – Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen # 58
59 ( 67 ) BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY – Daniel Boone # 59
60 ( 72 ) MEIN HERR – Liza Minelli # 60

61 ( 39 ) GOTTA GET UP – Nilsson # 39
62 ( 58 ) IT MUST BE LOVE – Labi Siffre # 1
63 ( 56 ) A HORSE WITH NO NAME – America # 3
64 ( NEW ) ELMO JAMES – Chairmen Of The Board # 64
65 ( 69 ) COME WHAT MAY – Vicky Leandros # 65
66 ( 76 ) I CAN’T STOP – White Plains # 66
67 ( 68 ) SHE’S MY KIND OF GIRL – Benny & Bjorn # 67
68 ( 77 ) LONG HAIRED LOVER FROM LIVERPOOL – Little Jimmy Osmond # 68
69 ( 78 ) TAOS NEW MEXICO – R. Dean Taylor # 69
70 ( 54 ) LOVIN’ YOU AIN’T EASY – Pagliaro # 13

71 ( 79 ) WHAT DO I DO – Sandra & Andres # 71
72 ( NEW ) CABARET – Liza Minelli # 72
73 ( NEW ) SHOO BE DOO AH – Peter Noone # 73
74 ( NEW ) MARY-ANNE – Hot Chocolate # 74
75 ( NEW ) WILKOMMEN – Joel Grey # 75

2nd April 1972

It’s anew number one, albeit 6 years old, from The Chiffons as the fab Sweet Talking Guy gets my seal of approval around the time we went to stay with my mum’s brother and family in mansfield. Cousin Yvonne also liked it, I think. New entries from Jo Jo Gunne, the manic rocking Run Run Run is in at 4, the thumping rocking Ringo & George track, Back Off Boogaloo, is in at 5 and the lovely sweetly sad Craying, Laughing, Loving, Lying gives Labi Siffre a second top 10, as did Ringo’s. Elvis keeps his run of top 10’s at around 18 months long as Buffy Saint-Marie’s Until It’s Time For You Go To is new at 9.

Engelbert’s back with his last half-decent record for 20-odd years (and then it was a remake anyway of a non-single oldie), Too Beautiful To last, and Neil Young debuts with Heart Of Gold, a rare hit single in the UK for the ever-changing man. Tom Jones is also bidding goodbye to the chart goodtimes with The Young New Mexican Puppeteer not being up to par, though his comeback will be swifter than Engelbert’s at 15 years, and he’ll have more and bigger ones to follow.

New at 26, Jonathan King took a go at getting into the teen girl group market with The Angelettes’ rather good Don’t Let Him Touch You, given the activities of some of his celebrity contemporaries, that was rather good advice for girls, though it could also apply to boys too, it would seem. Marmalade’s last classic-period hit pops in at 27, Radancer is pretty good and I like the guitar-work 50 years later, I didn’t really notice it much at the time, just the tune. Finally, getting airplay on Stuart Henry’s Radio 1 show, and Johnny Walker too, I think, Jim Capaldi’s lovely Eve is new at 30, criminally a UK flop for the ex-Traffic vocalist.

1 ( 2 ) SWEET TALKING GUY – The Chiffons
2 ( 1 ) IT’S ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS (YES LOVE) – The Partridge Family
3 ( 4 ) WITHOUT YOU – Nilsson
4 ( NEW ) RUN RUN RUN – Jo Jo Gunne
5 ( NEW ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO – Ringo Starr
6 ( NEW ) CRYING, LAUGHING, LOVING, LYING – Labi Siffre
7 ( 9 ) BROTHER – C.C.S
8 ( NEW ) UNTIL IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO GO – Elvis Presley
9 ( 10 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) – Gilbert O’Sullivan
10 ( 5 ) FLOY JOY – The Supremes

11 ( 7 ) POPPA JOE – The Sweet
12 ( 12 ) SON OF MY FATHER – Chicory Tip
13 ( 3 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) – Donnie Elbert
14 ( 6 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW – The New Seekers
15 ( 11 ) STORM IN A TEACUP – The Fortunes
16 ( 21 ) HOLD YOUR HEAD UP – Argent
17 ( NEW ) TOO BEAUTIFUL TO LAST – Engelbert Humperdinck
18 ( 23 ) MEET ME ON THE CORNER – Lindisfarne
19 ( 19 ) AMERICAN PIE – Don McLean
20 ( NEW ) HEART OF GOLD – Neil Young

21 ( 16 ) LOOK WOT YOU DUN – Slade
22 ( 18 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION – Paul Simon
23 ( 14 ) GOT TO BE THERE – Michael Jackson
24 ( NEW ) THE YOUNG NEW MEXICAN PUPPETEER – Tom Jones
25 ( 24 ) BERNADETTE – The Four Tops
26 ( NEW ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU – The Angelettes
27 ( NEW ) RADANCER – Marmalade
28 ( 8 ) HAVE YOU SEEN HER – The Chi-Lites
29 ( 26 ) SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES – Blue Haze
30 ( NEW ) EVE – Jim Capaldi

9th April 1972

It’s new at 1 for a 3rd chart-topper from Elton, Rocket Man being an instant classic and a worthy title for the bio movie. Bill Withers’ much-covered positive gospel classic is in at 12, Lean On Me is a song that can’t be damaged in any version, though my other fave version is Mud’s forgotten 1976 hit version, and Bill was an instant fave for me then and now. Bread keep the classic ballads coming as Diary enters 2 years on from Make It With You, and Billy Preston has a fab funky synthy instrumental just ahead of Stevie Wonder going that route, with Outa Space returning him 3 years after Get Back and That’s The Way God Planned It.

The Angelettes’ were a Jonathan King production, and Don’t Let Him Touch You was a good song, quite unusual then and now, and more than a little ironic given more recent events concerning JK, who I was a big fan of back in the day. The Moody Blues are back 4 years on from Nights In White Satin, with the less-essential ambitious Isn’t Life Strange, Yvonne Elliman gets a hand from Andrew Lloyd-Webber for her solo album, and this single sunk without trace but Can’t Find My Way Home is actually rather nice. The Jackson 5 are back in catchy bopalong mode, Sly & The family Stone opt for a different US single which is pretty good, Mungo Jerry Open Up for a 5th chart hit, one I rated a lot at the time but it sounds more plodding these days, and America get a follow-up entry for Sandman, a US hit along with everything they did for years, and a UK flop along with everything they did, sadly, apart from Horse With No Name.

1 ( NEW ) ROCKET MAN – Elton John # 1
2 ( 1 ) SWEET TALKING GUY – The Chiffons # 1
3 ( 2 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE – Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1
4 ( 3 ) ROCK & ROLL PART 2 – Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 3
5 ( 5 ) HELLO IT’S ME – Todd Rundgren # 1
6 ( 4 ) WALK IN THE NIGHT – Junior Walker & The All Stars # 4
7 ( 7 ) CRYING, LAUGHING , LOVING, LYING – Labi Siffre # 7
8 ( 6 ) I SAW THE LIGHT – Todd Rundgren # 1
9 ( 10 ) OH GIRL – The Chi-Lites # 9
10 ( 12 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO – Ringo Starr # 10

11 ( 8 ) I AM WHAT I AM – Greyhound # 8
12 ( NEW ) LEAN ON ME – Bill Withers # 12
13 ( 9 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE – Michael Jackson # 1
14 ( 18 ) THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE – Roberta Flack # 14
15 ( 16 ) I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG – Frederick Knight # 15
16 ( 17 ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE – The Staple Singers # 16
17 ( 13 ) 10538 OVERTURE – Electric Light Orchestra # 1
18 ( 11 ) HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART? – Al Green # 8
19 ( 14 ) I AM A CLOWN – David Cassidy # 5
20 ( 22 ) RADANCER – Marmalade # 20

21 ( 15 ) BROTHER – C.C.S. # 15
22 ( 20 ) WITHOUT YOU – Nilsson # 1
23 ( 21 ) STORM IN A TEACUP – The Fortunes # 1
24 ( 26 ) WADE IN THE WATER – Ramsey Lewis # 24
25 ( 29 ) AMAZING GRACE – The Pipes & Drums of The Royal Scots Dragoons Guard Band # 25
26 ( NEW ) DIARY – Bread # 26
27 ( 19 ) TAKE A LOOK AROUND – The Temptations # 10
28 ( 34 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” – Nino Rota # 28
29 ( 27 ) LIFE ON MARS? – David Bowie # 1
30 ( 37 ) SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES – The Drifters # 30

31 ( 39 ) LOOK WHAT YOU DONE FOR ME – Al Green # 31
32 ( 25 ) BETCHA BY GOLLY, WOW – The Stylistics featuring Russell Thompkins, Jr. # 10
33 ( 23 ) A COWBOY’S WORK IS NEVER DONE – Sonny & Cher # 15
34 ( 28 ) SAY YOU DON’T MIND – Colin Blunstone # 3
35 ( 31 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) – Donnie Elbert # 4
36 ( 43 ) STIR IT UP – Johnny Nash # 36
37 ( 38 ) AT THE CLUB – The Drifters # 37
38 ( 32 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) – Gilbert O’Sullivan # 18
39 ( 44 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” (SPEAK SOFTLY LOVE) – Andy Williams # 39
40 ( 24 ) PUPPY LOVE – Donny Osmond # 16

41 ( 35 ) HEART OF GOLD – Neil Young # 6
42 ( 36 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION – Paul Simon # 7
43 ( 40 ) HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) – John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir # 1
44 ( 51 ) THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT (WIMOWEH) – Dave Newman # 44
45 ( 56 ) YOU DON’T KNOW LIKE I KNOW – The Pioneers # 45
46 ( 46 ) TOO BEAUTIFUL TO LAST – Engelbert Humperdinck # 46
47 ( 33 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW – The New Seekers # 33
48 ( 57 ) THIRD FINGER LEFT HAND – The Pearls # 48
49 ( 49 ) HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT – Gladys Knight & The Pips # 49
50 ( 55 ) THESE DAYS – Jennifer Warnes # 50

51 ( 30 ) SHE’S GOT A WAY – Billy Joel # 30
52 ( 48 ) SIMPLE GAME – The Four Tops # 1
53 ( 64 ) ELMO JAMES – Chairmen Of The Board # 53
54 ( 52 ) I BELIEVE (IN LOVE) – Hot Chocolate # 1
55 ( 47 ) EVERYTHING I OWN – Bread # 8
56 ( 60 ) MEIN HERR – Liza Minelli # 56
57 ( 58 ) HOT ROD LINCOLN – Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen # 57
58 ( NEW ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU – The Angelettes # 58
59 ( NEW ) OUTA-SPACE – Billy Preston # 59
60 ( 66 ) I CAN’T STOP – White Plains # 60

61 ( 53 ) COZ I LUV YOU – Slade # 1
62 ( 59 ) BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY – Daniel Boone # 59
63 ( 65 ) COME WHAT MAY – Vicky Leandros # 63
64 ( NEW ) ISN’T LIFE STRANGE – The Moody Blues # 64
65 ( 67 ) SHE’S MY KIND OF GIRL – Benny & Bjorn # 65
66 ( 68 ) LONG HAIRED LOVER FROM LIVERPOOL – Little Jimmy Osmond # 66
67 ( 69 ) TAOS NEW MEXICO – R. Dean Taylor # 67
68 ( NEW ) CAN’T FIND MY WAY HOME – Yvonne Elliman # 68
69 ( 72 ) CABARET – Liza Minelli # 69
70 ( 71 ) WHAT DO I DO – Sandra & Andres # 70

71 ( 73 ) SHOO BE DOO AH – Peter Noone # 71
72 ( NEW ) LITTLE BITTY PRETTY ONE – The Jackson 5 # 72
73 ( NEW ) (YOU’VE CAUGHT ME) SMILIN’ – Sly & The Family Stone # 73
74 ( NEW ) OPEN UP – Mungo Jerry # 74
75 ( NEW ) SANDMAN – America # 75

9th April 1972 chart of the time

It’s a big climb for Bernadette as I buy the single and help it into the UK top 30 for one week, and so a qualify for a top 20 spot for the Four Tops 1967 classic. My grandma visited us this week, from Liverpool, and she wasn’t overly impressed with me playing it loudly. I thought she might like it as it was 5 years old and she was in her 50’s so must like old music! T.Rex prove they can sell anything in 1972, including old albums and a 3-year-old flop acoustic single, Debora, in at 6.

Marmalade leap into the top 10 for a 4th year, Sonny & Cher follow-up a number one with a great Cowboy song more in the style of Nancy & Lee, Peter Noone has his final half-decent 60’s-pop-ish single, Middle Of The Road get a 4th single not quite up to recent par, and Barry Blue starts his hitmaking run (in my charts, if not the real world, that had to wait till he stopped being Greene and went Blue).

1 ( 25 ) BERNADETTE – The Four Tops
2 ( 1 ) SWEET TALKING GUY – The Chiffons
3 ( 2 ) IT’S ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS (YES LOVE) – The Partridge Family
4 ( 4 ) RUN RUN RUN – Jo Jo Gunne
5 ( 3 ) WITHOUT YOU – Nilsson
6 ( NEW ) DEBORA – Tyrannosaurus Rex
7 ( 27 ) RADANCER – Marmalade
8 ( 9 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) – Gilbert O’Sullivan
9 ( 5 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO – Ringo Starr
10 ( 6 ) CRYING, LAUGHING, LOVING, LYING – Labi Siffre

11 ( 8 ) UNTIL IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO GO – Elvis Presley
12 ( 10 ) FLOY JOY – The Supremes
13 ( 20 ) HEART OF GOLD – Neil Young
14 ( 13 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) – Donnie Elbert
15 ( 12 ) SON OF MY FATHER – Chicory Tip
16 ( 11 ) POPPA JOE – The Sweet
17 ( RE ) BLUE IS THE COLOUR – Chelsea FC
18 ( 23 ) GOT TO BE THERE – Michael Jackson
19 ( 14 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW – The New Seekers
20 ( 16 ) HOLD YOUR HEAD UP – Argent

21 ( 7 ) BROTHER – C.C.S
22 ( 22 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION – Paul Simon
23 ( 18 ) MEET ME ON THE CORNER – Lindisfarne
24 ( 17 ) TOO BEAUTIFUL TO LAST – Engelbert Humperdinck
25 ( 26 ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU – The Angelettes
26 ( NEW ) A COWBOY’S WORK IS NEVER DONE – Sonny & Cher
27 ( 30 ) EVE – Jim Capaldi
28 ( NEW ) SHOO BE DO AH – Peter Noone
29 ( NEW ) SACREMENTO (A WONDERFUL TOWN) – Middle Of The Road
30 ( NEW ) PAPA DO – Barry Greene

16th April 1972

It’s up to 1 for a second chart-topper for The Chi-Lites, the lovely Oh Girl holding off Bill Withers wonderful Lean On Me, both of them topped my charts back in 1972 first-time round as my soul preferences were well-strong, and still are. New at 18, Hurricane Smith goes even more retro singalong with the charming Oh Babe, and Procol Harum return after a gap of 5 years with the rousing orchestral Conquistador at 59. Carpenters chart with Carole King’s It’s Going To Take Some Time, Donnie Elbert gets a 4th hit with oldie Little Piece Of Leather, and The Rolling Stones debut with Tumbling Dice, the lead track off Exile On Main Street. I had a flexi-single comprised of snippets from the album given away free with NME or melody maker, but I foolishly swapped with a more canny mate who persuaded me I would much prefer his copy of The Faces & Rod Stewart’s You Can make Me Dance Sing Or Anything, which I’m guessing is worth a lot less than that flexi single is these days.

1 ( 9 ) OH GIRL – The Chi-Lites # 1
2 ( 12 ) LEAN ON ME – Bill Withers # 2
3 ( 1 ) ROCKET MAN – Elton John # 1
4 ( 2 ) SWEET TALKING GUY – The Chiffons # 1
5 ( 3 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE – Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1
6 ( 4 ) ROCK & ROLL PART 2 – Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 3
7 ( 7 ) CRYING, LAUGHING , LOVING, LYING – Labi Siffre # 7
8 ( 5 ) HELLO IT’S ME – Todd Rundgren # 1
9 ( 6 ) WALK IN THE NIGHT – Junior Walker & The All Stars # 4
10 ( 8 ) I SAW THE LIGHT – Todd Rundgren # 1

11 ( 10 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO – Ringo Starr # 10
12 ( 11 ) I AM WHAT I AM – Greyhound # 8
13 ( 14 ) THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE – Roberta Flack # 13
14 ( 13 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE – Michael Jackson # 1
15 ( 26 ) DIARY – Bread # 15
16 ( 20 ) RADANCER – Marmalade # 16
17 ( 24 ) WADE IN THE WATER – Ramsey Lewis # 17
18 ( NEW ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? – Hurricane Smith # 18
19 ( 17 ) 10538 OVERTURE – Electric Light Orchestra # 1
20 ( 25 ) AMAZING GRACE – The Pipes & Drums of The Royal Scots Dragoons Guard Band # 20

21 ( 19 ) I AM A CLOWN – David Cassidy # 5
22 ( 15 ) I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG – Frederick Knight # 15
23 ( 18 ) HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART? – Al Green # 8
24 ( 22 ) WITHOUT YOU – Nilsson # 1
25 ( 30 ) SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES – The Drifters # 25
26 ( 23 ) STORM IN A TEACUP – The Fortunes # 1
27 ( 16 ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE – The Staple Singers # 16
28 ( 31 ) LOOK WHAT YOU DONE FOR ME – Al Green # 28
29 ( 36 ) STIR IT UP – Johnny Nash # 29
30 ( 37 ) AT THE CLUB – The Drifters # 30

31 ( 29 ) LIFE ON MARS? – David Bowie # 1
32 ( 58 ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU – The Angelettes # 32
33 ( 27 ) TAKE A LOOK AROUND – The Temptations # 10
34 ( 53 ) ELMO JAMES – Chairmen Of The Board # 34
35 ( 45 ) YOU DON’T KNOW LIKE I KNOW – The Pioneers # 35
36 ( 39 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” (SPEAK SOFTLY LOVE) – Andy Williams # 36
37 ( 28 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” – Nino Rota # 28
38 ( 21 ) BROTHER – C.C.S. # 15
39 ( 59 ) OUTA-SPACE – Billy Preston # 39
40 ( 44 ) THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT (WIMOWEH) – Dave Newman # 40

41 ( 32 ) BETCHA BY GOLLY, WOW – The Stylistics featuring Russell Thompkins, Jr. # 10
42 ( 34 ) SAY YOU DON’T MIND – Colin Blunstone # 3
43 ( 35 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) – Donnie Elbert # 4
44 ( 50 ) THESE DAYS – Jennifer Warnes # 44
45 ( 48 ) THIRD FINGER LEFT HAND – The Pearls # 45
46 ( 57 ) HOT ROD LINCOLN – Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen # 46
47 ( 43 ) HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) – John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir # 1
48 ( 42 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION – Paul Simon # 7
49 ( 49 ) HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT – Gladys Knight & The Pips # 49
50 ( 41 ) HEART OF GOLD – Neil Young # 6

51 ( 38 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) – Gilbert O’Sullivan # 18
52 ( 33 ) A COWBOY’S WORK IS NEVER DONE – Sonny & Cher # 15
53 ( 40 ) PUPPY LOVE – Donny Osmond # 16
54 ( 60 ) I CAN’T STOP – White Plains # 54
55 ( 52 ) SIMPLE GAME – The Four Tops # 1
56 ( 54 ) I BELIEVE (IN LOVE) – Hot Chocolate # 1
57 ( 68 ) CAN’T FIND MY WAY HOME – Yvonne Elliman # 57
58 ( 63 ) COME WHAT MAY – Vicky Leandros # 58
59 ( NEW ) CONQUISTADOR – Procol Harum & The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra # 59
60 ( 64 ) ISN’T LIFE STRANGE – The Moody Blues # 60

61 ( 65 ) SHE’S MY KIND OF GIRL – Benny & Bjorn # 61
62 ( 67 ) TAOS NEW MEXICO – R. Dean Taylor # 62
63 ( 72 ) LITTLE BITTY PRETTY ONE – The Jackson 5 # 63
64 ( 73 ) (YOU’VE CAUGHT ME) SMILIN’ – Sly & The Family Stone # 64
65 ( 66 ) LONG HAIRED LOVER FROM LIVERPOOL – Little Jimmy Osmond with The Mike Curb Congregation # 65
66 ( 47 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW – The New Seekers # 33
67 ( NEW ) IT’S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME – Carpenters # 67
68 ( 69 ) CABARET – Liza Minelli # 68
69 ( 70 ) WHAT DO I DO – Sandra & Andres # 69
70 ( 71 ) SHOO BE DOO AH – Peter Noone # 70

71 ( 74 ) OPEN UP – Mungo Jerry # 71
72 ( 56 ) MEIN HERR – Liza Minelli # 56
73 ( 75 ) SANDMAN – America # 73
74 ( NEW ) A LITTLE PIECE OF LEATHER – Donnie Elbert # 74
75 ( NEW ) TUMBLING DICE – The Rolling Stones # 75

16th Apr 1972 Chart of the time

Back in 3rd year at school days my charts were still based on the UK top 30 so a bit volatile, but numbers 21-30 cover those outside the UK top 30 that I liked at the time. The Chiffons is a 1966 delight, Greyhound get a 3rd instant top 5 with a Scott English song, Middle Of The Road get a 4th top 10, Johnny Nash makes a welcome return after 3 years away with Bob Marley’s Stir It Up, and the Eurovision winner enters at 9. Big faves of mine that didnt make the 30 were The Angelettes, Jonathan King’s girl-group effort, Sonny & Cher’s fab cowboy follow-up flop in the UK but big in the USA, Radio 1 airplay tracks The Sutherland brothers and Jim Capaldi, and Dawn’s latest flop.

1 ( 2 ) SWEET TALKING GUY – The Chiffons
2 ( NEW ) I AM WHAT I AM – Greyhound
3 ( 4 ) RUN RUN RUN – Jo Jo Gunne
4 ( 6 ) DEBORA – Tyrannosaurus Rex
5 ( 5 ) WITHOUT YOU – Nilsson
6 ( 3 ) IT’S ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS (YES LOVE) – The Partridge Family
7 ( 29 ) SACREMENTO (A WONDERFUL TOWN) – Middle Of The Road
8 ( NEW ) STIR IT UP – Johnny Nash
9 ( NEW ) COME WHAT MAY – Vicky Leandros
10 ( 9 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO – Ringo Starr

11 ( 7 ) RADANCER – Marmalade
12 ( 8 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) – Gilbert O’Sullivan
13 ( 10 ) CRYING, LAUGHING, LOVING, LYING – Labi Siffre
14 ( 15 ) SON OF MY FATHER – Chicory Tip
15 ( RE ) I’D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING (IN PERFECT HARMONY) – The New Seekers
16 ( 12 ) FLOY JOY – The Supremes
17 ( 18 ) GOT TO BE THERE – Michael Jackson
18 ( 19 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW – The New Seekers
19 ( 11 ) UNTIL IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO GO – Elvis Presley
20 ( 20 ) HOLD YOUR HEAD UP – Argent

21 ( 13 ) HEART OF GOLD – Neil Young
22 ( RE ) AMERICAN PIE – Don McLean
23 ( 22 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION – Paul Simon
24 ( 25 ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU – The Angelettes
25 ( 26 ) A COWBOY’S WORK IS NEVER DONE – Sonny & Cher
26 ( NEW ) THE PIE – The Sutherland Brothers
27 ( 1 ) BERNADETTE – The Four Tops
28 ( 27 ) EVE – Jim Capaldi
29 ( NEW ) I PLAY AND SING – Dawn
30 ( 14 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) – Donnie Elbert

23rd April 1972

It’s a first week on top for Lean On Me, Bill Withers’ 2nd number one as an artist and 3rd as songwriter. Bread get a 4th top 10 ballad with the touching Diary, and Hurricane Smith gets his 2nd top 10 as he brings ragtime jauntiness into the upper reaches. The highest new entry comes from the current European single from Middle Of The Road – while the UK continues to lag on releases with the unexceptional Sacramento, Europe has 2 sides to pick from the same single, some countries have the sweet Samson And Delilah in the national top 10, and some have the obscure (but fab) Talk Of All The U.S.A. as the lead track in their national top 10. The latter enters at 13 and should have been the bleedingly-obvious follow-up to Soley Soley, but I’m guessing not having Sally Carr on lead vocal worried RCA too much. Samson And Delilah also enters at 53.

New at 50, the final great Supremes single, Automatically Sunshine, has the girls all sharing lead again, and in at 54, it’s a Thing from Edwina Biglet & The Miglets, as championed by Alan Freeman at the time. It’s experimental, charming, whimsical and synthtastic, way ahead of it’s time, and yet also sounding a bit 60’s at the same time. Very unfairly obscure. Neil Diamond has his last big UK hit for about 6 years with Song, Sung Blue, the one that draws phase one of Neil Diamond to a close, the tuneful fab singer-songwriter with Easy Listening appeal. Replaced by full-on middle-of-the-road Neil Diamond, who wasn’t anywhere near as good. Finally, Elvis reaches a turning point for me, a record I didn’t like much at the time – which was a first. American Trilogy was overblown, but has a new poignancy for me for the rest of my life, as my mum was listening to this song (and other Elvis classics) on the day she died last week. Mum never stopped loving Elvis Presley, right to the end, and even with advanced Alzheimers.

1 ( 2 ) LEAN ON ME – Bill Withers # 1
2 ( 1 ) OH GIRL – The Chi-Lites # 1
3 ( 6 ) ROCK & ROLL PART 2 – Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 3
4 ( 3 ) ROCKET MAN – Elton John # 1
5 ( 4 ) SWEET TALKING GUY – The Chiffons # 1
6 ( 5 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE – Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1
7 ( 15 ) DIARY – Bread # 7
8 ( 9 ) WALK IN THE NIGHT – Junior Walker & The All Stars # 4
9 ( 18 ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? – Hurricane Smith # 9
10 ( 11 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO – Ringo Starr # 10

11 ( 8 ) HELLO IT’S ME – Todd Rundgren # 1
12 ( 17 ) WADE IN THE WATER – Ramsey Lewis # 12
13 ( NEW ) THE TALK OF ALL THE U.S.A. – Middle Of The Road # 13
14 ( 10 ) I SAW THE LIGHT – Todd Rundgren # 1
15 ( 7 ) CRYING, LAUGHING , LOVING, LYING – Labi Siffre # 7
16 ( 12 ) I AM WHAT I AM – Greyhound # 8
17 ( 34 ) ELMO JAMES – Chairmen Of The Board # 17
18 ( 14 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE – Michael Jackson # 1
19 ( 16 ) RADANCER – Marmalade # 16
20 ( 32 ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU – The Angelettes # 20

21 ( 20 ) AMAZING GRACE – The Pipes & Drums of The Royal Scots Dragoons Guard Band # 20
22 ( 13 ) THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE – Roberta Flack # 13
23 ( 25 ) SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES – The Drifters # 23
24 ( 19 ) 10538 OVERTURE – Electric Light Orchestra # 1
25 ( 28 ) LOOK WHAT YOU DONE FOR ME – Al Green # 25
26 ( 24 ) WITHOUT YOU – Nilsson # 1
27 ( 21 ) I AM A CLOWN – David Cassidy # 5
28 ( 35 ) YOU DON’T KNOW LIKE I KNOW – The Pioneers # 28
29 ( 30 ) AT THE CLUB – The Drifters # 29
30 ( 36 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” (SPEAK SOFTLY LOVE) – Andy Williams # 30

31 ( 26 ) STORM IN A TEACUP – The Fortunes # 1
32 ( 23 ) HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART? – Al Green # 8
33 ( 31 ) LIFE ON MARS? – David Bowie # 1
34 ( 44 ) THESE DAYS – Jennifer Warnes # 34
35 ( 22 ) I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG – Frederick Knight # 15
36 ( 27 ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE – The Staple Singers # 16
37 ( 39 ) OUTA-SPACE – Billy Preston # 37
38 ( 40 ) THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT (WIMOWEH) – Dave Newman # 38
39 ( 45 ) THIRD FINGER LEFT HAND – The Pearls # 39
40 ( 59 ) CONQUISTADOR – Procol Harum & The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra # 40

41 ( 29 ) STIR IT UP – Johnny Nash # 29
42 ( 33 ) TAKE A LOOK AROUND – The Temptations # 10
43 ( 54 ) I CAN’T STOP – White Plains # 43
44 ( 57 ) CAN’T FIND MY WAY HOME – Yvonne Elliman # 44
45 ( 46 ) HOT ROD LINCOLN – Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen # 45
46 ( 41 ) BETCHA BY GOLLY, WOW – The Stylistics featuring Russell Thompkins, Jr. # 10
47 ( 42 ) SAY YOU DON’T MIND – Colin Blunstone # 3
48 ( 43 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) – Donnie Elbert # 4
49 ( 47 ) HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) – John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir # 1
50 ( NEW ) AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE – The Supremes # 50

51 ( 48 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION – Paul Simon # 7
52 ( 63 ) LITTLE BITTY PRETTY ONE – The Jackson 5 # 52
53 ( NEW ) SAMSON AND DELILAH – Middle Of The Road # 53
54 ( NEW ) THING – Edwina Biglet & The Miglets # 54
55 ( 58 ) COME WHAT MAY – Vicky Leandros # 55
56 ( 49 ) HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT – Gladys Knight & The Pips # 49
57 ( 55 ) SIMPLE GAME – The Four Tops # 1
58 ( 56 ) I BELIEVE (IN LOVE) – Hot Chocolate # 1
59 ( 38 ) BROTHER – C.C.S. # 15
60 ( 60 ) ISN’T LIFE STRANGE – The Moody Blues # 60

61 ( 50 ) HEART OF GOLD – Neil Young # 6
62 ( 64 ) (YOU’VE CAUGHT ME) SMILIN’ – Sly & The Family Stone # 62
63 ( 67 ) IT’S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME – Carpenters # 63
64 ( 51 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) – Gilbert O’Sullivan # 18
65 ( NEW ) SONG, SUNG BLUE – Neil Diamond # 65
66 ( 74 ) A LITTLE PIECE OF LEATHER – Donnie Elbert # 66
67 ( 65 ) LONG HAIRED LOVER FROM LIVERPOOL – Little Jimmy Osmond with The Mike Curb Congregation # 65
68 ( 61 ) SHE’S MY KIND OF GIRL – Benny & Bjorn # 61
69 ( 62 ) TAOS NEW MEXICO – R. Dean Taylor # 62
70 ( 70 ) SHOO BE DOO AH – Peter Noone # 70

71 ( 71 ) OPEN UP – Mungo Jerry # 71
72 ( 37 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” – Nino Rota # 28
73 ( 52 ) A COWBOY’S WORK IS NEVER DONE – Sonny & Cher # 15
74 ( 75 ) TUMBLING DICE – The Rolling Stones # 74
75 ( NEW ) AN AMERICAN TRILOGY – Elvis Presley # 75

23rd April 1972 My charts of the time

It’s straight in on top for the Country legend Johnny Cash on his best record (along with Ring Of Fire), A Thing Called Love is just fab, love those backing singers too. Ringo’s up to 4 with his Boogalaoo, and The Temptations enter at 9 with their latest social ambitious soul gem, Take A Look Around. Keith Partridge sets out on his huge UK solo career with Could It Be Forever at 12, and there’s a remake of The Lion Sleeps Tonight, a second Bay City Rollers record in competition with Tommy Roe’s version of We Can Make Music, I liked both versions at the time, Ramsey Lewis’ 60’s instrumental jazz gem drops by, and there’s a brand new synth-60’s-styled quirky pop gem in at 30, so obscure only I have ever heard of it – but DJ Alan Freeman played it – I know cos I taped it off the radio on his show! Edwina Biglet & The Miglets have got a Thing – and it’s called a Moog Synthesiser!

1 ( NEW ) A THING CALLED LOVE Johnny Cash
2 ( 1 ) SWEET TALKING GUY The Chiffons
3 ( 8 ) STIR IT UP Johnny Nash
4 ( 10 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO Ringo Starr
5 ( 7 ) SACREMENTO (A WONDERFUL TOWN) Middle Of The Road
6 ( 2 ) I AM WHAT I AM Greyhound
7 ( 3 ) RUN RUN RUN Jo Jo Gunne
8 ( 5 ) WITHOUT YOU Nilsson
9 ( NEW ) TAKE A LOOK AROUND The Temptations
10 ( 6 ) IT’S ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS (YES LOVE) The Partridge Family

11 ( 4 ) DEBORA Tyrannosaurus Rex
12 ( NEW ) COULD IT BE FOREVER David Cassidy
13 ( 19 ) UNTIL IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO GO Elvis Presley
14 ( 18 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW The New Seekers
15 ( 23 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION Paul Simon
16 ( 12 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) Gilbert O’Sullivan
17 ( 9 ) COME WHAT MAY Vicky Leandros
18 ( 13 ) CRYING, LAUGHING, LOVING, LYING Labi Siffre
19 ( 16 ) FLOY JOY The Supremes
20 ( 11 ) RADANCER Marmalade

21 ( 22 ) AMERICAN PIE Don McLean
22 ( RE ) BLUE IS THE COLOUR Chelsea FC
23 ( 21 ) HEART OF GOLD Neil Young
24 ( 24 ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU The Angelettes
25 ( 25 ) A COWBOY’S WORK IS NEVER DONE Sonny & Cher
26 ( 26 ) THE PIE The Sutherland Brothers
27 ( NEW ) THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT Dave Newman
28 ( NEW ) WE CAN MAKE MUSIC Bay City Rollers
29 ( NEW ) WADE IN THE WATER Ramsey Lewis
30 ( NEW ) THING Edwina Biglet & The Miglets

30th April 1972

It’s straight in at 1 for T.Rex’s 5th number one, the fab Metal Guru which I was mad on for at least a month back in 1972 (and since), a singalong glamrock earworm if ever there was one. Middle Of The Road top the charts in Austria this week and Talk Of All The USA is a 4th top 10 for them while Ramsey Lewis gets a first with 1966’s Wade In The Water, sounding cool 6 years later, and 56 years later, finger-snapping still cool. New in at 15, Lindisfarne’s finest moment as Lady Eleanor proves they can do touching ballads even better than Geordie singalongs.

Diana Ross is back with another solo hit, this time the tongue-twisting Doobedood’ndoobe (etc) which was a bugger to write out into my pencil chart notebooks of the time – there just wasn’t enough space and it was hard to spell! Still like it though. New World get a 4th chart entry with the jolly Sister Jane, The Move return for a 5th chart year with their very last UK single, California Man setting up Roy Wood’s Wizzard 50’s rock’n’roll-styled debut after the ELO project goes wrong for him (and right for Jeff Lynne and Bev Bevan). Finally, a record that wouldnt work in 2022, but which sounded kinda novelty-funky-fun at the time, Troglodyte from The Jimmy Castor Bunch.

1 ( NEW ) METAL GURU – T.Rex # 1
2 ( 3 ) ROCK & ROLL PART 2 – Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 2
3 ( 1 ) LEAN ON ME – Bill Withers # 1
4 ( 2 ) OH GIRL – The Chi-Lites # 1
5 ( 7 ) DIARY – Bread # 5
6 ( 6 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE – Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1
7 ( 5 ) SWEET TALKING GUY – The Chiffons # 1
8 ( 13 ) THE TALK OF ALL THE U.S.A. – Middle Of The Road # 8
9 ( 12 ) WADE IN THE WATER – Ramsey Lewis # 9
10 ( 4 ) ROCKET MAN – Elton John # 1

11 ( 8 ) WALK IN THE NIGHT – Junior Walker & The All Stars # 4
12 ( 9 ) OH BABE WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? – Hurricane Smith # 9
13 ( 10 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO – Ringo Starr # 10
14 ( 11 ) HELLO IT’S ME – Todd Rundgren # 1
15 ( NEW ) LADY ELEANOR – Lindisfarne # 15
16 ( 17 ) ELMO JAMES – Chairmen Of The Board # 16
17 ( 14 ) I SAW THE LIGHT – Todd Rundgren # 1
18 ( 16 ) I AM WHAT I AM – Greyhound # 8
19 ( 15 ) CRYING, LAUGHING , LOVING, LYING – Labi Siffre # 7
20 ( 23 ) SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES – The Drifters # 20

21 ( 18 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE – Michael Jackson # 1
22 ( 21 ) AMAZING GRACE – The Pipes & Drums of The Royal Scots Dragoons Guard Band # 20
23 ( 25 ) LOOK WHAT YOU DONE FOR ME – Al Green # 23
24 ( 28 ) YOU DON’T KNOW LIKE I KNOW – The Pioneers # 24
25 ( 29 ) AT THE CLUB – The Drifters # 25
26 ( 30 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” (SPEAK SOFTLY LOVE) – Andy Williams # 26
27 ( 24 ) 10538 OVERTURE – Electric Light Orchestra # 1
28 ( 19 ) RADANCER – Marmalade # 16
29 ( 34 ) THESE DAYS – Jennifer Warnes # 29
30 ( 20 ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU – The Angelettes # 20

31 ( 26 ) WITHOUT YOU – Nilsson # 1
32 ( 27 ) I AM A CLOWN – David Cassidy # 5
33 ( 40 ) CONQUISTADOR – Procol Harum & The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra # 33
34 ( 31 ) STORM IN A TEACUP – The Fortunes # 1
35 ( 33 ) LIFE ON MARS? – David Bowie # 1
36 ( 50 ) AUTOMATICALLY SUNSHINE – The Supremes # 36
37 ( 37 ) OUTA-SPACE – Billy Preston # 37
38 ( 44 ) CAN’T FIND MY WAY HOME – Yvonne Elliman # 38
39 ( 39 ) THIRD FINGER LEFT HAND – The Pearls # 39
40 ( 38 ) THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT (WIMOWEH) – Dave Newman # 38

41 ( 53 ) SAMSON AND DELILAH – Middle Of The Road # 41
42 ( 22 ) THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE – Roberta Flack # 13
43 ( 54 ) THING – Edwina Biglet & The Miglets # 43
44 ( 32 ) HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART? – Al Green # 8
45 ( 35 ) I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG – Frederick Knight # 15
46 ( 36 ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE – The Staple Singers # 16
47 ( 43 ) I CAN’T STOP – White Plains # 43
48 ( NEW ) DOOBEDOOD’NDOOBE DOOBEDOOD’NDO – Diana Ross # 48
49 ( 52 ) LITTLE BITTY PRETTY ONE – The Jackson 5 # 49
50 ( 63 ) IT’S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME – Carpenters # 50

51 ( 55 ) COME WHAT MAY – Vicky Leandros # 51
52 ( 49 ) HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) – John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir # 1
53 ( 42 ) TAKE A LOOK AROUND – The Temptations # 10
54 ( 47 ) SAY YOU DON’T MIND – Colin Blunstone # 3
55 ( 48 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) – Donnie Elbert # 4
56 ( 62 ) (YOU’VE CAUGHT ME) SMILIN’ – Sly & The Family Stone # 56
57 ( 46 ) BETCHA BY GOLLY, WOW – The Stylistics featuring Russell Thompkins, Jr. # 10
58 ( 65 ) SONG, SUNG BLUE – Neil Diamond # 58
59 ( 51 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION – Paul Simon # 7
60 ( 41 ) STIR IT UP – Johnny Nash # 29

61 ( 58 ) I BELIEVE (IN LOVE) – Hot Chocolate # 1
62 ( 57 ) SIMPLE GAME – The Four Tops # 1
63 ( 66 ) A LITTLE PIECE OF LEATHER – Donnie Elbert # 63
64 ( 45 ) HOT ROD LINCOLN – Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen # 45
65 ( NEW ) SISTER JANE – New World # 65
66 ( 67 ) LONG HAIRED LOVER FROM LIVERPOOL – Little Jimmy Osmond with The Mike Curb Congregation # 65
67 ( NEW ) CALIFORNIA MAN – The Move # 67
68 ( 71 ) OPEN UP – Mungo Jerry # 68
69 ( 60 ) ISN’T LIFE STRANGE – The Moody Blues # 60
70 ( 75 ) AN AMERICAN TRILOGY – Elvis Presley # 70

71 ( 74 ) TUMBLING DICE – The Rolling Stones # 71
72 ( 56 ) HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT – Gladys Knight & The Pips # 49
73 ( NEW ) TROGLODYTE (CAVE MAN) – The Jimmy Castor Bunch # 73
74 ( 61 ) HEART OF GOLD – Neil Young # 6
75 ( 59 ) BROTHER – C.C.S. # 15

30th April 1972 My charts of the time

It’s 2 weeks on top for Johnny Cash as Sly & The family Stone smash in with their highest-charting single, the quirky Runnin’ Away, and Mungo Jerry get their biggest hit since In The Summertime with the forgotten Open Up – admittedly it’s not sounding so great 50 years on! David Cassidy gets his first solo top 5, Elton John gets a follow-up to Your Song as Rocket Man roars in at 7, and The Drifters 60’s double oldie reissue is new at 8, and in the process restarts their career yet again for the 70’s.

Daniel Boone is all for Beautiful Sunday, even though in 1972 it was the dullest day of the week with no shops open, nothing on TV, and if you lived in a rural hamlet without a car or train station there was absolutely nowhere to go even if you had a bus going through twice a day. Trust me, I know what I’m talking about. The Rolling Stones return with a weak single, Tumbling Dice featuring on a promo flexi disc free with NME or Melody Maker (I forget which). Exile On Main street didn’t impress me so I swapped it 3 years later for a Faces single. I was robbed!

The Tremeloes debut with the fab flop single I Like It That Way – had it been released 2 or 3 years earlier it would have hit, but not in Glam 1972 – and T.Rex sneak in with big radio play ahead of the single dropping in the shops, Metal Guru was and is brilliant and Marc Bolan was at the top of his game. Chicory Tip have an identikit follow-up synthpop single, but minus the Moroder touch, and Paul Simon follows-up reggae with latin sounds, very much staking his genre-straddling musical future upfront as a solo star.

1 ( 1 ) A THING CALLED LOVE – Johnny Cash
2 ( NEW ) RUNNIN’ AWAY – Sly & The Family Stone
3 ( NEW ) OPEN UP – Mungo Jerry
4 ( 2 ) SWEET TALKING GUY – The Chiffons
5 ( 12 ) COULD IT BE FOREVER – David Cassidy
6 ( 8 ) WITHOUT YOU – Nilsson
7 ( NEW ) ROCKET MAN – Elton John
8 ( NEW ) AT THE CLUB/SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES – The Drifters
9 ( 9 ) TAKE A LOOK AROUND – The Temptations
10 ( 7 ) RUN RUN RUN – Jo Jo Gunne

11 ( 6 ) I AM WHAT I AM – Greyhound
12 ( 5 ) SACREMENTO (A WONDERFUL TOWN) – Middle Of The Road
13 ( 10 ) IT’S ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS (YES LOVE) – The Partridge Family
14 ( 3 ) STIR IT UP – Johnny Nash
15 ( 4 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO – Ringo Starr
16 ( NEW ) BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY – Daniel Boone
17 ( 16 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) – Gilbert O’Sullivan
18 ( 18 ) CRYING, LAUGHING, LOVING, LYING – Labi Siffre
19 ( 11 ) DEBORA – Tyrannosaurus Rex
20 ( 14 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW – The New Seekers

21 ( NEW ) TUMBLING DICE – The Rolling Stones
22 ( 17 ) COME WHAT MAY – Vicky Leandros
23 ( 24 ) DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU – The Angelettes
24 ( 27 ) THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT – Dave Newman
25 ( 28 ) WE CAN MAKE MUSIC – Bay City Rollers
26 ( NEW ) I LIKE IT THAT WAY – The Tremeloes
27 ( NEW ) METAL GURU – T.Rex
28 ( 29 ) WADE IN THE WATER – Ramsey Lewis
29 ( NEW ) WHAT’S YOUR NAME – Chicory Tip
30 ( NEW ) ME AND JULIO DOWN BY THE SCHOOLYARD – Paul Simon

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds at Poole Lighthouse 17th March 2024

Well, Noel got me back at a Rock gig in Poole Lighthouse for the first time in 25 years or so – it was called Poole Arts Centre in those days, and I never managed to get tickets to see Oasis. The set was part full stage-set-up for around 15 musicians and singers, and part houseplant greenhouse, so I already approved before they even hit the stage, not least as I’d got there early and was quite close to the front, but not amongst the crush area dead centre. The downside is one-sided sound systems can be variable, as this one was for the loud rock numbers, more Jesus & Mary Chain fuzz-styled distortion at times, I’m pretty sure Noel looked up at the speakers at one point. Happily the ballads and recent stuff sounded fine. So what were the band like? Pretty damn fine actually, and I liked Noel had a lot of folk on the paycheck on stage to give a varied and full-bodied sound, brass section, backing singers and all.

So, right off we got a Council Skies selection of singles, totally fine by as I’d bought all but one, top tunes all, and sounding as good as any era of Oasis. Pretty Boy was up first and came over better than it did on record (and that was good to start with), and Council Skies is a great song, love the melody and strings especially for a quality second track. I don’t know the words, just the hooks, but I seemed to be in the minority singing along – obviously not a lot of Radio 2 listeners there, cos they’ve been playlisting several tracks. Noel was in good voice, the guitar work got me going, and up next was Open The Door, See What You Find, chimes included, and a real swirling strings arrangement that I rated as a single, and a good hook to boot.

We’re Gonna Get There In The End introduced the brass section on stage, all 3 of ’em, and the most commercial of the album singles, very late 60’s vibes to it, it wouldn’t sound out of place amongst a Love Affair or Kinks hit to me, but then I can remember the late 60’s as I am in my mid-60’s now. Easy Now, a ballad, up next, sounded decent enough, though not a track I’d bought yet, and 2015’s You Know We Can’t Go Back also not one I know, but romped along nicely in a mildly “it’s all right” Jumping Jack Flash snatch of melody sort of way. We’re Our Way Now was one of the Flying Birds Hits album new tracks, bought that one, rated it, low-key and more acoustic than previous tracks so far. Nice.

Around about here we started the High Flying Birds hits section, from earlier in the career when they usually made the Top 40 charts, In The Heat Of The Moment still sounding good, and around this time it might have been when someone fainted in the crowd, Noel motioning the security staff to attend, but it seemed all was well so he quipped about just getting over-excited cos he was so Bleeping brilliant, or something along those lines. Lock All The Doors, ditto another mid 2010’s track I’d forgotten, some great guitar riffing in it, and another throwback to an old classic popsong “prettiest girl I’ve ever seen” I knew first as David Essex’ Rock On, saw David last in the 90’s. Closest to an Oasis sound so far. If I Had A Gun not one that rung a bell, dating from around 2012, but AKA…What A Life! very much one of Noel’s greatest post-Oasis hits, also one that the crowd got into. Which left the final High Flying Birds track, Dead In The Water, and then off into the Oasis part of the gig!

I think it’s fair to say most folk were there for the Oasis stuff, or at least there hoping he’d do some Oasis stuff – I wasn’t so sure he’d do more than an encore-filled run, but in the event we got quite a few starting with Going Nowhere, not one I knew being as I never bought The Masterplan album. S’alright but plenty of others I prefer, and ditto the very sombre Talk Tonight, also from the same B sides album. Happily Half The World Away was one I did rate way back when despite not being a single, and it turned up on Stop The Clocks compilation of Noel’s fave Oasis tracks. I got a nice snippet of Noel singing this but can’t upload MP4’s sadly so here’s an old youtube version with better sound instead:

Up next, the rousing Little By Little, an early 2000’s single that I never really noticed much at the time, and didn’t rate that much, but it came over really well in concert as it was pumped up more than the recorded version. I need to revisit the later Oasis stuff I think! The 5th Oasis track was The Masterplan, yet another great non-single that is better than a lot of their actual singles, sprawling and ambitious and inspiring, and it sounded like it might be the end of the concert looking at my watch, but no there was the bonus “…and this one needs no introduction” ahead of the encore break. Ironically, the sound sytstem was so distorted it did need an introduction as I was almost half-way through before Love Will Tear Us Apart became more obvious, the Joy Division classic. I never got to see them, but New Order on their early 00’s tour I caught.

The next bit is the bit I hate, a stomping audience on the floor crying out for more – the first floor auditorium actually bounces every time that happens and I just get visions of the floor collapsing and us all being dragged out of the collapsed building on the news! The other bit I hate is tosspots who’ve been drinking and having a laugh shoving in front of you to block your view for the encore, when you’ve been stood for over 3 hours making sure you got a view. Selfish dicks I suppose are inevitable at anything Oasis related, so not unexpected, and there wasn’t too much aggro, a scuffle earlier and some people commenting at a couple of morons blocking views. Want a great view? Get there early mate.

Encore time! Stand By Me an actual Oasis big hit, not one I’d revisited much, but it sounded pretty good, and the first time Noel has sung it live in concert apparently! The crowd loved it. Track 2 the first oasis song that made me appreciate them, Live Forever, and with Liam currently touring with John Squire (neither of them doing Oasis or Stone Roses stuff) Noel was free to showcase one of his best songs 30 years on. Whatever was an unexpected treat, The Beatles-ey singalong was the first Oasis song to top my personal charts yet it’s not one I hear on radio that often, and a real crowd pleaser too, as was the entire encore. Noel paused after that to thank everyone for coming, and to announce the next would be the last track of the evening, which I always appreciate, I know I can join the throng to slowly exit without hanging about, so ta Noel. Don’t Look Back In Anger of course, had to be really, there could be no better way to end a concert, and it’s a real emotion-tugger with cultural history behind it, and it’s pretty good life advice to boot. All in all a great gig, sound system moans apart, and a few tracks I would have swapped for something else, but one has to accept Noel might prefer his own picks and it did make me look at some I’d ignored. Result!

My March 1992 Charts

1st March 1992

It’s 2 weeks on top for 1969’s Simon & Garfunkel classic, The Boxer, and Ian McCulloch gets his first top 10 in a few years and 10 years since Echo & The Bunnymen first popped up. Bryan Adams gets his biggest since THAT record topped the chart, top 20 this week as is Everything But The Girl’s cover of Love Is Strange (previously covered by Echo & The Bunnymen) 8 years on from Each And Every One hitting 2 in my charts, and Massive Attack take Be Thankful into the 20 16 years on from William De Vaughan’s fab original doing the same.

New entries include The Lightning Seeds returning at 51 for a proper run of hits 3 years after Pure didn’t do that, with The Life Of Riley, that football backdrop fave. I wonder if they’ll do a proper footie record…. Alison Limerick keeps a run of dance tracks going, Brand New Heavies keep a run of jazzfunk dance tracks going, and Pearl Jam announce they are Alive and part of the Seattle grunge scene too. Jeff Beck & Rod Stewart get together for a cover of Curtis Mayfield’s soul classic 20 years since they first had a chart hit together, with a reissue of their 1968-ish flop I’ve Been Drinking. Zoe’s back again, and so is Seal with Violet.

1 ( 1 ) THE BOXER Simon & Garfunkel # 1
2 ( 4 ) MOVIN’ ON UP Primal Scream # 1
3 ( 3 ) AMERICA: WHAT TIME IS LOVE? The KLF # 3
4 ( 5 ) THE BIG ONES GET AWAY Buffy Sainte-Marie # 4
5 ( 2 ) MY GIRL The Temptations # 2
6 ( 8 ) COLD DAY IN HELL Gary Moore # 6
7 ( 13 ) HAIL HAIL ROCK ‘N’ ROLL Garland Jeffreys # 7
8 ( 7 ) STAY Shakespear’s Sister # 2
9 ( 6 ) IT MUST BE LOVE Madness # 1
10 ( 21 ) LOVER LOVER LOVER Ian McCulloch # 10

11 ( 10 ) REMEMBER THE TIME Michael Jackson # 10
12 ( 19 ) LAID SO LOW (TEARS ROLL DOWN) Tears For Fears # 12
13 ( 14 ) I LOVE YOUR SMILE Shanice # 5
14 ( 12 ) BORN OF FRUSTRATION James # 9
15 ( 11 ) MY HAND OVER YOUR HEART Marc Almond # 1
16 ( 32 ) THOUGHT I’D DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN Bryan Adams # 16
17 ( 9 ) CRUCIFIED Army Of Lovers # 7
18 ( 35 ) LOVE IS STRANGE Everything But The Girl # 18
19 ( 29 ) BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU’VE GOT Massive Attack # 19
20 ( 17 ) GOODNIGHT GIRL Wet Wet Wet # 4

21 ( 15 ) THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE The Walker Brothers # 1
22 ( 34 ) LOST IN YOUR LOVE Tony Hadley # 22
23 ( 16 ) LOVE IS EVERYWHERE Cicero # 3
24 ( 37 ) DRAGGING ME DOWN Inspiral Carpets # 24
25 ( 45 ) ARE YOU READY TO FLY Rozalla # 25
26 ( 18 ) DIAMANTE Zuchero & Randy Crawford # 5
27 ( 30 ) TWILIGHT ZONE 2 Unlimited # 27
28 ( 59 ) WEATHER WITH YOU Crowded House # 28
29 ( 24 ) STEEL BARS Michael Bolton # 24
30 ( 26 ) JUSTIFIED AND ANCIENT (STAND BY THE JAMM’S) The KLF featuring Tammy Wynette, Maxine Harvey & Ricardo Da Force # 1

31 ( 40 ) METAL GURU T.Rex # 1
32 ( 39 ) 20th CENTURY BOY T.Rex # 1
33 ( 25 ) I WONDER WHY Curtis Stigers # 19
34 ( 23 ) COLOURED KISSES Martika # 23
35 ( 52 ) ONE U2 # 35
36 ( 27 ) OL’ RED EYES IS BACK The Beautiful South # 4
37 ( 20 ) WHAT YOU DO TO ME Teenage Fanclub # 20
38 ( 55 ) REALITY USED TO BE A FRIEND OF MINE PM Dawn # 38
39 ( 28 ) WELCOME TO THE CHEAPSEATS The Wonder Stuff featuring Kirsty MacColl # 11
40 ( 74 ) IT’S A FINE DAY Opus III # 40

41 ( 22 ) OPTIMISTIC Sounds Of Blackness # 22
42 ( 31 ) FOR YOUR BABIES Simply Red # 24
43 ( 36 ) CHIC MYSTIQUE Chic # 36
44 ( 33 ) VISIONS OF YOU Jah Wobble’s Invaders Of The Heart featuring Sinead O’Connor # 21
45 ( 42 ) I’LL CRY FOR YOU Europe # 24
46 ( 48 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN’ FEELIN’ The Righteous Brothers # 35
47 ( 47 ) BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY/THESE ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES Queen # 1
48 ( 46 ) THOSE WERE THE DAYS Mary Hopkin # 1
49 ( 58 ) EVERYBODY GETS A SECOND CHANCE Mike + The Mechanics # 49
50 ( 41 ) I’M DOING FINE NOW The Pasadenas # 12

51 ( NEW ) THE LIFE OF RILEY The Lightning Seeds # 51
52 ( 38 ) THE FORCE BEHIND THE POWER Diana Ross # 38
53 ( 60 ) MEGALOMANIA Pele # 53
54 ( 53 ) BLACK OR WHITE Michael Jackson # 2
55 ( NEW ) MAKE IT ON MY OWN Alison Limerick # 55
56 ( 56 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles # 43
57 ( 44 ) GOD GAVE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL TO YOU Kiss # 9
58 ( NEW ) DREAM COME TRUE Brand New Heavies # 58
59 ( 57 ) FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl # 1
60 ( 43 ) CAN YOU HANDLE IT? DNA featuring Sharon redd # 18

61 ( 50 ) (CAN YOU) FEEL THE PASSION Blue Pearl # 5
62 ( NEW ) ALIVE Pearl Jam # 62
63 ( 54 ) GIVE ME JUST A LITTLE MORE TIME Kylie Minogue # 13
64 ( 64 ) WHY CAN’T WE LIVE TOGETHER (1990 TK REMIX) Timmy Thomas # 52
65 ( 69 ) I CAN’T DANCE Genesis # 50
66 ( 73 ) STANDING IN THE NEED OF LOVE River City People # 66
67 ( 67 ) LET IT BE The Beatles # 62
68 ( 51 ) HIGHWAY 5 ’92 The Blessing # 7
69 ( 66 ) COME AND GET IT Badfinger # 8
70 ( 70 ) DON’T YOU KNOW The Troggs # 70

71 ( NEW ) PEOPLE GET READY Jeff Beck & Rod Stewart # 71
72 ( 71 ) WINTER IN JULY Bomb The Bass # 1
73 ( NEW ) HOLY DAYS Zoe # 73
74 ( 49 ) GOOD FOR ME Amy Grant # 49
75 ( NEW ) VIOLET Seal # 75

Playlisted oldies of that week
1 RIVER DEEP MOUNTAIN HIGH Ike & Tina Turner
2 LODI Creedence Clearwater Revival
3 SAND Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood

8th March 1992

It’s up to the top spot for the Motown 60’s classic from the film called My Girl, and by The Temptations, who get a very first chart-topper 23 years after they peaked at 2 with Diana Ross & The Supremes on I’m Gonna Make You Love Me. KLF move on up past Primal Scream with America: What Time Is Love at 2 and yet another oldie entering at 5 – Robert Palmer’s fab and under-rated minor 1978 hit, Every Kinda People. Bryan Adams gets another top 10, Crowded House get a 2nd (or 4th including Split Enz) and Tears For Fears get an umpteenth.

New entries galore this week, Lisa Stansfield inspired by Prince on the fab Time To Make You Mine at 21, The Charlatans very good Wierdo at 27, Dinah Washington’s 60’s classic Mad About The Boy thanks to a jeans advert with full fold-out poster-sleeve of said wet boy climbing out of a swimming pool (I know cos I own it) and Guns ‘n’ Roses at 37 with the sprawling ballad November Rain. Outside the 40 there’s also Osmond Boys 2nd entry with Second Generation, M People announcing themselves with Colour My Life, Curve committing a Fait Accompli, U2’s The Fly being covered whimsically by The Joshua Trio (pun intended) and Hammer dropping his MC on Do Not Pass Me By. But that ruins my A-Z of acts so he stays an MC here.

That leaves Barbra Streisand on her 21st year of chart entries, Places That Belong To You being no Stoney End that’s for sure, Joe Cocker spanning an even longer 24 years with his latest blues track, Feels Like Forever, Mr. Big debuting with To Be With You, a huge US hit, but not the 70’s band of the same name. That band’s 1977 hit Romeo was way better than this one. Finally, Eric Clapton gets the bottom rung with a tribute to his late young son, who tragically died after falling out of a high rise window. I never found it an easy listen and I still don’t, though I understand it probably helped deal with the loss.

1 ( 5 ) MY GIRL The Temptations # 1
2 ( 3 ) AMERICA: WHAT TIME IS LOVE? The KLF # 2
3 ( 2 ) MOVIN’ ON UP Primal Scream # 1
4 ( 1 ) THE BOXER Simon & Garfunkel # 1
5 ( NEW ) EVERY KINDA PEOPLE Robert Palmer # 5
6 ( 6 ) COLD DAY IN HELL Gary Moore # 6
7 ( 4 ) THE BIG ONES GET AWAY Buffy Sainte-Marie # 4
8 ( 16 ) THOUGHT I’D DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN Bryan Adams # 8
9 ( 28 ) WEATHER WITH YOU Crowded House # 9
10 ( 12 ) LAID SO LOW (TEARS ROLL DOWN) Tears For Fears # 10

11 ( 8 ) STAY Shakespear’s Sister # 2
12 ( 9 ) IT MUST BE LOVE Madness # 1
13 ( 14 ) BORN OF FRUSTRATION James # 9
14 ( 19 ) BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU’VE GOT Massive Attack # 14
15 ( 10 ) LOVER LOVER LOVER Ian McCulloch # 10
16 ( 7 ) HAIL HAIL ROCK ‘N’ ROLL Garland Jeffreys # 7
17 ( 11 ) REMEMBER THE TIME Michael Jackson # 10
18 ( 25 ) ARE YOU READY TO FLY Rozalla # 18
19 ( 24 ) DRAGGING ME DOWN Inspiral Carpets # 19
20 ( 27 ) TWILIGHT ZONE 2 Unlimited # 20

21 ( NEW ) TIME TO MAKE YOU MINE Lisa Stansfield # 21
22 ( 15 ) MY HAND OVER MY HEART Marc Almond # 1
23 ( 13 ) I LOVE YOUR SMILE Shanice # 5
24 ( 35 ) ONE U2 # 24
25 ( 21 ) THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE The Walker Brothers # 1
26 ( 20 ) GOODNIGHT GIRL Wet Wet Wet # 4
27 ( NEW ) WIERDO The Charlatans # 27
28 ( 18 ) LOVE IS STRANGE Everything But The Girl # 18
29 ( 17 ) CRUCIFIED Army Of Lovers # 7
30 ( NEW ) MAD ABOUT THE BOY Dinah Washington # 30

31 ( 34 ) COLOURED KISSES Martika # 23
32 ( 32 ) 20th CENTURY BOY T.Rex # 1
33 ( 38 ) REALITY USED TO BE A FRIEND OF MINE PM Dawn # 33
34 ( 31 ) METAL GURU T.Rex # 1
35 ( 40 ) IT’S A FINE DAY Opus III # 35
36 ( 30 ) JUSTIFIED AND ANCIENT (STAND BY THE JAMM’S) The KLF featuring Tammy Wynette, Maxine Harvey & Ricardo Da Force # 1
37 ( NEW ) NOVEMBER RAIN Guns ‘n’ Roses # 37
38 ( 22 ) LOST IN YOUR LOVE Tony Hadley # 22
39 ( 23 ) LOVE IS EVERYWHERE Cicero # 3
40 ( 26 ) DIAMANTE Zuchero & Randy Crawford # 5

41 ( 29 ) STEEL BARS Michael Bolton # 24
42 ( NEW ) SECOND GENERATION The Osmond Boys # 42
43 ( 36 ) OL’ RED EYES IS BACK The Beautiful South # 4
44 ( 70 ) DON’T YOU KNOW The Troggs # 44
45 ( NEW ) COLOUR MY LIFE M People # 45
46 ( 46 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN’ FEELIN’ The Righteous Brothers # 35
47 ( 39 ) WELCOME TO THE CHEAPSEATS The Wonder Stuff featuring Kirsty MacColl # 11
48 ( 47 ) BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY/THESE ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES Queen # 1
49 ( 73 ) HOLY DAYS Zoe # 49
50 ( 37 ) WHAT YOU DO TO ME Teenage Fanclub # 20

51 ( 48 ) THOSE WERE THE DAYS Mary Hopkin # 1
52 ( NEW ) FAIT ACCOMPLI Curve # 52
53 ( 33 ) I WONDER WHY Curtis Stigers # 19
54 ( 58 ) DREAM COME TRUE Brand New Heavies # 54
55 ( 55 ) MAKE IT ON MY OWN Alison Limerick # 55
56 ( 56 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles # 43
57 ( NEW ) THE FLY The Joshua Trio # 57
58 ( 71 ) PEOPLE GET READY Jeff Beck & Rod Stewart # 58
59 ( 54 ) BLACK OR WHITE Michael Jackson # 2
60 ( 75 ) VIOLET Seal # 60

61 ( 51 ) THE LIFE OF RILEY The Lightning Seeds # 51
62 ( NEW ) DO NOT PASS ME BY MC Hammer # 62
63 ( 50 ) I’M DOING FINE NOW The Pasadenas # 12
64 ( 59 ) FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl # 1
65 ( 64 ) WHY CAN’T WE LIVE TOGETHER (1990 TK REMIX) Timmy Thomas # 52
66 ( 42 ) FOR YOUR BABIES Simply Red # 24
67 ( 67 ) LET IT BE The Beatles # 62
68 ( NEW ) PLACES THAT BELONG TO YOU Barbra Streisand # 68
69 ( 44 ) VISION OF YOU Jah Wobble’s Invaders Of The Heart featuring Sinead O’Connor # 21
70 ( 41 ) OPTIMISTIC Sounds Of Blackness # 22

71 ( NEW ) (ALL I KNOW) FEELS LIKE FOREVER Joe Cocker # 71
72 ( 43 ) CHIC MYSTIQUE Chic # 36
73 ( 72 ) WINTER IN JULY Bomb The Bass # 1
74 ( NEW ) TO BE WITH YOU Mr. Big # 74
75 ( NEW ) TEARS IN HEAVEN Eric Clapton # 75

playlisted tracks
1 JACKY Scott Walker
2 CECILIA Simon & Garfunkel
3 THEME FROM ‘THE PERSUADERS’ John Barry

15th March 1992

It’s finally on top after quite a few weeks potterin’ around, but America: What Time Is Love does what the original versions couldn’t manage, and gives The KLF 4 number ones in a row. The Viking OTT appeal is still fab. Lisa Stansfield adds to her decent list of top 10’s with the Prince-inspired single, and The Charlatans get another top 10 too, Wierdo!

Highest new entry at 22 is Ce Ce Peniston returning 4 or 5 months on from peaking at 30 in 1991 with Finally, cue another push and hey presto a big hit this time 2 years ahead of that key slot in the film Priscilla Queen Of The Desert. At 26, it’s RAF (so I’m bound to support an act with that name) and the fab dance tune We’ve Got To Live Together, annoyingly not a hit. At 44 and Annie Lennox gets her solo career going with a quiet bang, on the lovely Why, 13 years after debuting with The Tourists on the Loneliest Boy In The World. Wet Wet Wet follow-up the biggie with the lesser-known More Than Love, and Bruce Springsteen makes it 17 years of chart hits with Human Touch.

C&C Music Factory return as Clivilles & Cole, on the banging A Deeper Love, their last big hoorah as an act, though they were hot producers of the late 80’s and early 90’s until David Cole’s early death in 1995. Erasure are at 70 with Breath Of Life, another slow-burner for them, Gun enter with Steal Your Fire, one I’ve completely forgotten. The Cure, ironically, are not High, they are at 74 and in their 12th year of charting. Finally, The Beautiful South scrape in at 75 with We Are Each Other, one which didn’t leave a huge impression on me, unlike previous single Ol’ Red Eyes Is Back, still in my chart.

1 ( 2 ) AMERICA: WHAT TIME IS LOVE? The KLF # 1
2 ( 1 ) MY GIRL The Temptations # 1
3 ( 5 ) EVERY KINDA PEOPLE Robert Palmer # 3
4 ( 3 ) MOVIN’ ON UP Primal Scream # 1
5 ( 9 ) WEATHER WITH YOU Crowded House # 5
6 ( 4 ) THE BOXER Simon & Garfunkel # 1
7 ( 6 ) COLD DAY IN HELL Gary Moore # 6
8 ( 21 ) TIME TO MAKE YOU MINE Lisa Stansfield # 8
9 ( 12 ) IT MUST BE LOVE Madness # 1
10 ( 27 ) WIERDO The Charlatans # 10

11 ( 7 ) THE BIG ONES GET AWAY Buffy Sainte-Marie # 4
12 ( 14 ) BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU’VE GOT Massive Attack # 12
13 ( 11 ) STAY Shakespear’s Sister # 2
14 ( 10 ) LAID SO LOW (TEARS ROLL DOWN) Tears For Fears # 10
15 ( 8 ) THOUGHT I’D DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN Bryan Adams # 8
16 ( 30 ) MAD ABOUT THE BOY Dinah Washington # 16
17 ( 13 ) BORN OF FRUSTRATION James # 9
18 ( 24 ) ONE U2 # 18
19 ( 19 ) DRAGGING ME DOWN Inspiral Carpets # 19
20 ( 18 ) ARE YOU READY TO FLY Rozalla # 18

21 ( 15 ) LOVER LOVER LOVER Ian McCulloch # 10
22 ( NEW ) FINALLY Ce Ce Peniston # 22
23 ( 23 ) I LOVE YOUR SMILE Shanice # 5
24 ( 22 ) MY HAND OVER MY HEART Marc Almond # 1
25 ( 25 ) THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE The Walker Brothers # 1
26 ( NEW ) WE’VE GOT TO LIVE TOGETHER RAF # 26
27 ( 16 ) HAIL HAIL ROCK ‘N’ ROLL Garland Jeffreys # 7
28 ( 17 ) REMEMBER THE TIME Michael Jackson # 10
29 ( 61 ) THE LIFE OF RILEY The Lightning Seeds # 29
30 ( 62 ) DO NOT PASS ME BY MC Hammer # 30

31 ( 35 ) IT’S A FINE DAY Opus III # 31
32 ( 32 ) 20th CENTURY BOY T.Rex # 1
33 ( 26 ) GOODNIGHT GIRL Wet Wet Wet # 4
34 ( 37 ) NOVEMBER RAIN Guns ‘n’ Roses # 34
35 ( 34 ) METAL GURU T.Rex # 1
36 ( 57 ) THE FLY The Joshua Trio # 36
37 ( 20 ) TWILIGHT ZONE 2 Unlimited # 20
38 ( 45 ) COLOUR MY LIFE M People # 38
39 ( 36 ) JUSTIFIED AND ANCIENT (STAND BY THE JAMM’S) The KLF featuring Tammy Wynette, Maxine Harvey & Ricardo Da Force # 1
40 ( 29 ) CRUCIFIED Army Of Lovers # 7

41 ( 38 ) LOST IN YOUR LOVE Tony Hadley # 22
42 ( 42 ) SECOND GENERATION The Osmond Boys # 42
43 ( 28 ) LOVE IS STRANGE Everything But The Girl # 18
44 ( NEW ) WHY Annie Lennex # 44
45 ( 31 ) COLOURED KISSES Martika # 23
46 ( 40 ) DIAMANTE Zuchero & Randy Crawford # 5
47 ( 46 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN’ FEELIN’ The Righteous Brothers # 35
48 ( 74 ) TO BE WITH YOU Mr. Big # 48
49 ( 39 ) LOVE IS EVERYWHERE Cicero # 3
50 ( 75 ) TEARS IN HEAVEN Eric Clapton # 50

51 ( 33 ) REALITY USED TO BE A FRIEND OF MINE PM Dawn # 33
52 ( NEW ) I KNOW New Atlantic # 52
53 ( 51 ) THOSE WERE THE DAYS Mary Hopkin # 1
54 ( 48 ) BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY/THESE ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES Queen # 1
55 ( 43 ) OL’ RED EYES IS BACK The Beautiful South # 4
56 ( 56 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles # 43
57 ( NEW ) MORE THAN LOVE Wet Wet Wet # 57
58 ( 41 ) STEEL BARS Michael Bolton # 24
59 ( 71 ) (ALL I KNOW) FEELS LIKE FOREVER Joe Cocker # 59
60 ( 47 ) WELCOME TO THE CHEAPSEATS The Wonder Stuff featuring Kirsty MacColl # 11

61 ( 52 ) FAIT ACCOMPLI Curve # 52
62 ( 59 ) BLACK OR WHITE Michael Jackson # 2
63 ( NEW ) HUMAN TOUCH Bruce Springsteen # 63
64 ( 55 ) MAKE IT ON MY OWN Alison Limerick # 55
65 ( 65 ) WHY CAN’T WE LIVE TOGETHER (1990 TK REMIX) Timmy Thomas # 52
66 ( 50 ) WHAT YOU DO TO ME Teenage Fanclub # 20
67 ( 67 ) LET IT BE The Beatles # 62
68 ( 68 ) PLACES THAT BELONG TO YOU Barbra Streisand # 68
69 ( NEW ) A DEEPER LOVE Clivilles & Cole # 69
70 ( NEW ) BREATH OF LIFE Erasure # 70

71 ( 44 ) DON’T YOU KNOW The Troggs # 44
72 ( 64 ) FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl # 1
73 ( NEW ) STEAL YOUR FIRE Gun # 73
74 ( NEW ) HIGH The Cure # 74
75 ( NEW ) WE ARE EACH OTHER The Beautiful South # 75

Playlist oldies
1 SAND Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood
2 ELUSIVE DREAMS Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood
3 MISS ME BLIND Culture Club

22nd March 1992

it’s a first week on top 14 years late for Robert Palmer as Every Kinda People gives him a second number one, with Crowded House closing in on their second chart-topper with Weather With You. The Lightning Seeds get a second top 10 as The Life Of Riley leaps to 5, and Ce Ce Peniston Finally gets a top 10 at 7 6 months on from first charting. U2 sneak One into the top 10, their epic ballad that took me a few years to rate as highly as I should have at the time.

Highest new entry is Swing Out Sister’s fab cover of Dusty Springfield’s Am I The Same Girl, keeping the same 60’s vibe at 12, while Yazz enters at 50 with a rewrite of Quincy Jones’ 1981 hit Stuff Like That, and Shawn Christopher debuts a dance track at 52. Salt ‘n’ Pepa Express how much they like knocking out the hits at 54 and Def Leppard knock out Let’s Get Rocked, one of their best singles new in at 70 almost 10 years on from their debut. XTC are 13 years into a chart career, and probably their best album, which they promo with new single The Disappointed at 72.

Finally, Prince says Money Don’t Matter 2Nite at 75, which might have been more convincing if he’d not been obsessively getting staff to stop people taking crappy photos on crappy little cameras with no zoom and tinny useless souvenir cassette recordings at his concerts by searching you and and taking them off you, meaning you had to wait for ages to get them back afterwards and as there was no actual internet then nowhere to share them anyway so it all seemed a bit futile and petty except forcing you to buy the programme booklet and the album (which I had done anyway). I may be biased due to experience and of course everyone helps themselves to way better quality actual videos on their phones these days, so I feel I have the moral high ground now oops…

1 ( 3 ) EVERY KINDA PEOPLE Robert Palmer # 1
2 ( 1 ) AMERICA: WHAT TIME IS LOVE? The KLF # 1
3 ( 5 ) WEATHER WITH YOU Crowded House # 3
4 ( 2 ) MY GIRL The Temptations # 1
5 ( 29 ) THE LIFE OF RILEY The Lightning Seeds # 5
6 ( 8 ) TIME TO MAKE YOU MINE Lisa Stansfield # 6
7 ( 22 ) FINALLY Ce Ce Peniston # 7
8 ( 4 ) MOVIN’ ON UP Primal Scream # 1
9 ( 6 ) THE BOXER Simon & Garfunkel # 1
10 ( 18 ) ONE U2 # 10

11 ( 30 ) DO NOT PASS ME BY MC Hammer # 11
12 ( NEW ) AM I THE SAME GIRL Swing Out Sister # 12
13 ( 9 ) IT MUST BE LOVE Madness # 1
14 ( 7 ) COLD DAY IN HELL Gary Moore # 6
15 ( 15 ) THOUGHT I’D DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN Bryan Adams # 8
16 ( 16 ) MAD ABOUT THE BOY Dinah Washington # 16
17 ( 10 ) WIERDO The Charlatans # 10
18 ( 13 ) STAY Shakespear’s Sister # 2
19 ( 12 ) BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU’VE GOT Massive Attack # 12
20 ( 11 ) THE BIG ONES GET AWAY Buffy Sainte-Marie # 4

21 ( 26 ) WE’VE GOT TO LIVE TOGETHER RAF # 21
22 ( 70 ) BREATH OF LIFE Erasure # 22
23 ( 17 ) BORN OF FRUSTRATION James # 9
24 ( 44 ) WHY Annie Lennex # 24
25 ( 14 ) LAID SO LOW (TEARS ROLL DOWN) Tears For Fears # 10
26 ( 48 ) TO BE WITH YOU Mr. Big # 26
27 ( 20 ) ARE YOU READY TO FLY Rozalla # 18
28 ( 25 ) THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE The Walker Brothers # 1
29 ( 52 ) I KNOW New Atlantic # 29
30 ( 34 ) NOVEMBER RAIN Guns ‘n’ Roses # 30

31 ( 36 ) THE FLY The Joshua Trio # 31
32 ( 24 ) MY HAND OVER MY HEART Marc Almond # 1
33 ( 21 ) LOVER LOVER LOVER Ian McCulloch # 10
34 ( 19 ) DRAGGING ME DOWN Inspiral Carpets # 19
35 ( 32 ) 20th CENTURY BOY T.Rex # 1
36 ( 23 ) I LOVE YOUR SMILE Shanice # 5
37 ( 69 ) A DEEPER LOVE Clivilles & Cole # 37
38 ( 35 ) METAL GURU T.Rex # 1
39 ( 59 ) (ALL I KNOW) FEELS LIKE FOREVER Joe Cocker # 39
40 ( 28 ) REMEMBER THE TIME Michael Jackson # 10

41 ( 33 ) GOODNIGHT GIRL Wet Wet Wet # 4
42 ( 50 ) TEARS IN HEAVEN Eric Clapton # 42
43 ( 39 ) JUSTIFIED AND ANCIENT (STAND BY THE JAMM’S) The KLF featuring Tammy Wynette, Maxine Harvey & Ricardo Da Force # 1
44 ( 73 ) STEAL YOUR FIRE Gun # 44
45 ( 40 ) CRUCIFIED Army Of Lovers # 7
46 ( 63 ) HUMAN TOUCH Bruce Springsteen # 46
47 ( 47 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN’ FEELIN’ The Righteous Brothers # 35
48 ( 57 ) MORE THAN LOVE Wet Wet Wet # 48
49 ( 27 ) HAIL HAIL ROCK ‘N’ ROLL Garland Jeffreys # 7
50 ( NEW ) ONE TRUE WOMAN (STUFF LIKE THAT) Yazz # 50

51 ( 45 ) COLOURED KISSES Martika # 23
52 ( NEW ) DON’T LOSE THE MAGIC Shawn Christopher # 52
53 ( 31 ) IT’S A FINE DAY Opus III # 31
54 ( NEW ) EXPRESSION Salt ‘n’ Pepa # 54
55 ( 53 ) THOSE WERE THE DAYS Mary Hopkin # 1
56 ( 56 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles # 43
57 ( 55 ) OL’ RED EYES IS BACK The Beautiful South # 4
58 ( 74 ) HIGH The Cure # 58
59 ( 46 ) DIAMANTE Zuchero & Randy Crawford # 5
60 ( 41 ) LOST IN YOUR LOVE Tony Hadley # 22

61 ( 64 ) MAKE IT ON MY OWN Alison Limerick # 55
62 ( 54 ) BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY/THESE ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES Queen # 1
63 ( 38 ) COLOUR MY LIFE M People # 38
64 ( 43 ) LOVE IS STRANGE Everything But The Girl # 18
65 ( 65 ) WHY CAN’T WE LIVE TOGETHER (1990 TK REMIX) Timmy Thomas # 52
66 ( 58 ) STEEL BARS Michael Bolton # 24
67 ( 68 ) PLACES THAT BELONG TO YOU Barbra Streisand # 67
68 ( 67 ) LET IT BE The Beatles # 62
69 ( 62 ) BLACK OR WHITE Michael Jackson # 2
70 ( NEW ) LET’S GET ROCKED Def Leppard # 70

71 ( 37 ) TWILIGHT ZONE 2 Unlimited # 20
72 ( NEW ) THE DISAPPOINTED XTC # 72
73 ( 49 ) LOVE IS EVERYWHERE Cicero # 3
74 ( NEW ) LIFT EVERY VOICE (TAKE ME AWAY) Mass Order # 74
75 ( NEW ) MONEY DON’T MATTER 2NITE Prince & The New Power Generation # 75

60’s Golden Greats Live at Bournemouth International Centre

This week I took my mum to see some 60’s pop stars, one of the few concerts she’d been to, Elton John and Glen Campbell I think are the only ones she’d seen up to that point and I thought she’d enjoy it. Plus, I loved Gerry & The Pacemakers as a kiddie and my first-ever record was Tommy Roe’s Dizzy, and I had his Greatest Hits to boot. They were all great fun, spontaneous, chatty, and in Bobby Vee’s case he was happy to take requests from the audience for songs obscure or famous from his back catalogue or early rock ‘n’ roll. I knew I loved a couple of his tracks, but his back catalogue was the big take-out of the night for me – I didn’t realise how many great songs he had, so I went and bought the Greatest Hits CD soon as I could, see future playlist oldies of the week no doubt!

1 DIZZY Tommy Roe
2 THE NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES Bobby Vee
3 SHEILA Tommy Roe
4 TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY BABY Bobby Vee
5 THAT’S ALRIGHT MAMA Bobby Vee
6 EVERYBODY Tommy Roe
7 YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE Gerry & The Pacemakers
8 DON’T LET THE SUN CATCH YOU CRYING Gerry & The Pacemakers
9 MORE THAN I CAN SAY Bobby Vee
10 RUN TO HIM Bobby Vee

29th March 1992

It’s a first week on top for Swing Out Sister’s cover of the 1969 Dusty Springfield hit cover of the Barbara Acklin original recording of the song she co-wrote with Eugene Record of The Chi-Lites, who also produced it, and the record was also an instrumental hit in the USA for Young-Holt Unlimited as a smooth Soulful Strut. Every version is great, because Eugene Record knew how to write masterpiece soul songs, from Have You Seen Her, Oh Girl, Homely Girl, Too Good To Be Forgotten through to the funky disco fabness of You Don’t Have To Go. Swing Out Sister’s cover was as good as previous recordings.

The Lightning Seeds go top 3, and out-peak Pure with The Life Of Riley, as Annie Lennox gets her first solo top 5 at 4. Why? Cos it’s nice. Dinah Washington’s classic jazz-blues Mad About The Boy is up 6, and Hammer gets a top 10 before the law of diminishing returns sets in. Highest new entry is from Tori Amos, still in Winter, at 20, as James keep dropping new singles before the previous has left the chart, Ring The Bells new at 30. The Soup Dragons make it 2 years of chart action with Divine Thing at 44, and Z.Z. Top return for a 9th year of hits with a cover of Elvis Presley’s Viva Las Vegas, promoting their Greatest Hits CD nicely.

Right said Fred appeared to be a novelty act with I’m Too Sexy, and decide to keep that image going with the catchy, if basic, Deeply Dippy new at 52, Kym Sims takes my advice at 55, while Roxette worship at the Church Of Your Heart at 56 as their 3-year-run of singles carries on without dropping one yet. Army Of Lovers are besides themselves, both Crucified and new Ride The Bullet at 60 and 61. Ten Sharp say it’s You at 63, Soul II Soul are also on 3 years of chart success with a spot of Joy at 64, and Nirvana get a second chart entry (just) with Come As You Are scraping in at 74, and going no higher! The grunge hype left me cold by and large.

1 ( 12 ) AM I THE SAME GIRL Swing Out Sister
2 ( 1 ) EVERY KINDA PEOPLE Robert Palmer
3 ( 5 ) THE LIFE OF RILEY The Lightning Seeds
4 ( 24 ) WHY Annie Lennex
5 ( 6 ) TIME TO MAKE YOU MINE Lisa Stansfield
6 ( 16 ) MAD ABOUT THE BOY Dinah Washington
7 ( 2 ) AMERICA: WHAT TIME IS LOVE? The KLF
8 ( 11 ) DO NOT PASS ME BY MC Hammer
9 ( 8 ) MOVIN’ ON UP Primal Scream
10 ( 4 ) MY GIRL The Temptations

11 ( 7 ) FINALLY Ce Ce Peniston
12 ( 22 ) BREATH OF LIFE Erasure
13 ( 3 ) WEATHER WITH YOU Crowded House
14 ( 10 ) ONE U2
15 ( 9 ) THE BOXER Simon & Garfunkel
16 ( 17 ) WIERDO The Charlatans
17 ( 13 ) IT MUST BE LOVE Madness
18 ( 18 ) STAY Shakespear’s Sister
19 ( 26 ) TO BE WITH YOU Mr. Big
20 ( NEW ) WINTER Tori Amos

21 ( 14 ) COLD DAY IN HELL Gary Moore
22 ( 15 ) THOUGHT I’D DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN Bryan Adams
23 ( 54 ) EXPRESSION Salt ‘n’ Pepa
24 ( 37 ) A DEEPER LOVE Clivilles & Cole
25 ( 20 ) THE BIG ONES GET AWAY Buffy Sainte-Marie
26 ( 19 ) BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU’VE GOT Massive Attack
27 ( 21 ) WE’VE GOT TO LIVE TOGETHER RAF
28 ( 28 ) THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE The Walker Brothers
29 ( 36 ) I LOVE YOUR SMILE Shanice
30 ( NEW ) RING THE BELLS James

31 ( 46 ) HUMAN TOUCH Bruce Springsteen
32 ( 42 ) TEARS IN HEAVEN Eric Clapton
33 ( 52 ) DON’T LOSE THE MAGIC Shawn Christopher
34 ( 23 ) BORN OF FRUSTRATION James
35 ( 75 ) MONEY DON’T MATTER 2NITE Prince & The New Power Generation
36 ( 35 ) 20th CENTURY BOY T.Rex
37 ( 70 ) LET’S GET ROCKED Def Leppard
38 ( 32 ) MY HAND OVER MY HEART Marc Almond
39 ( 38 ) METAL GURU T.Rex
40 ( 25 ) LAID SO LOW (TEARS ROLL DOWN) Tears For Fears

41 ( 29 ) I KNOW New Atlantic
42 ( 50 ) ONE TRUE WOMAN (STUFF LIKE THAT) Yazz
43 ( 27 ) ARE YOU READY TO FLY Rozalla
44 ( NEW ) DIVINE THING Soup Dragons
45 ( 40 ) REMEMBER THE TIME Michael Jackson
46 ( 43 ) JUSTIFIED AND ANCIENT (STAND BY THE JAMM’S) The KLF featuring Tammy Wynette, Maxine Harvey & Ricardo Da Force
47 ( 47 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN’ FEELIN’ The Righteous Brothers
48 ( 33 ) LOVER LOVER LOVER Ian McCulloch
49 ( NEW ) VIVA LAS VEGAS Z.Z. Top
50 ( 58 ) HIGH The Cure

51 ( 30 ) NOVEMBER RAIN Guns ‘n’ Roses
52 ( NEW ) DEEPLY DIPPY Right Said Fred
53 ( 34 ) DRAGGING ME DOWN Inspiral Carpets
54 ( 41 ) GOODNIGHT GIRL Wet Wet Wet
55 ( NEW ) TAKE MY ADVICE Kym Sims
56 ( NEW ) CHURCH OF YOUR HEART Roxette
57 ( 56 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles
58 ( 55 ) THOSE WERE THE DAYS Mary Hopkin
59 ( 31 ) THE FLY The Joshua Trio
60 ( 45 ) CRUCIFIED Army Of Lovers

61 ( NEW ) RIDE THE BULLET Army Of Lovers
62 ( 44 ) STEAL YOUR FIRE Gun
63 ( NEW ) YOU Ten Sharp
64 ( NEW ) JOY Soul II Soul
65 ( 65 ) WHY CAN’T WE LIVE TOGETHER (1990 TK REMIX) Timmy Thomas
66 ( 72 ) THE DISAPPOINTED XTC
67 ( 51 ) COLOURED KISSES Martika
68 ( 48 ) MORE THAN LOVE Wet Wet Wet
69 ( 68 ) LET IT BE The Beatles
70 ( 57 ) OL’ RED EYES IS BACK The Beautiful South

71 ( 59 ) DIAMANTE Zuchero & Randy Crawford
72 ( 39 ) (ALL I KNOW) FEELS LIKE FOREVER Joe Cocker
73 ( 62 ) BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY/THESE ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES Queen
74 ( NEW ) COME AS YOU ARE Nirvana
75 ( 49 ) HAIL HAIL ROCK ‘N’ ROLL Garland Jeffreys

playlist oldies
1 SAVE THE COUNTRY Laura Nyro
2 WHO’LL STOP THE RAIN Creedence Clearwater Revival
3 OXYGENE PART IV Jean-Michel Jarre

My March 1972 Retro Revamp Charts & my Charts of the Time

5th March 1972

It’s straight in at 1 for the minor 1966 girl-group hit, Sweet Talking Guy, The Chiffons finest moment and a big revived hit in 1972. As I missed the 1966 retro charts (when it would have topped) it gets the top spot here, unlike Bernadette which did top in 1967 and so has a more modest 6 peak 2nd time around. I loved Sweet talking Guy in 1972, I love it still, what a great melody. As is Barry White’s debut at 3, Walking In The rain With The One I Love has Love Unlimited on the label, but Bazza wrote, arranged, produced, was married to the lead singer/speaker and appears on the record in a speaking capacity. So, if 1972 was 2022 the record would be billed Barry White featuring Mrs Barry White. It’s lush soul with more than a slight hint of cheese, and what more could one ask for in a Barry White record! Bazza had obv also appeared in the 1967 rundown in the same role for Felice Taylor’s I Feel Love Coming On, and moonlighted for The Banana Splits in between.

New at 31 it’s The Staple Singers best single, I’ll Take You There, out in the USA this week along with Love Unlimited, and with a bass riff intro not entirely unlike Harry J & The All Stars’ The Liquidator. Blue Haze reggae-fy The old standard Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, which I mostly knew from the Christmas Morecambe & Wise 3 months earlier when Shirley Bassey sang it while having her heels exchanged for a boot. Classic! I rather liked this version more than the 1974 Bryan Ferry plodding version which was a bigger hit. Cilla also back with a TV-plugged single that wasn’t a hit, but was fairly well known at the time if you watched her TV show, which nearly everyone in the UK did. The World I Wish For You. That leaves a Bay City Rollers flop follow-up, We Can Make Music which I quite liked. I liked most of the Rollers hits till they ended up with the “classic” line-up at the end of 1973, at which point I started to go off ’em!

1 ( NEW ) SWEET TALKING GUY – The Chiffons # 1
2 ( 1 ) HELLO IT’S ME – Todd Rundgren # 1
3 ( NEW ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE – Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 3
4 ( 2 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE – Michael Jackson # 1
5 ( 3 ) I SAW THE LIGHT – Todd Rundgren # 3
6 ( 9 ) BERNADETTE – The Four Tops # 6
7 ( 6 ) 10538 OVERTURE – Electric Light Orchestra # 1
8 ( 4 ) SAY YOU DON’T MIND – Colin Blunstone # 3
9 ( 8 ) WITHOUT YOU – Nilsson # 1
10 ( 5 ) I AM A CLOWN – David Cassidy # 5

11 ( 7 ) STORM IN A TEACUP – The Fortunes # 1
12 ( 17 ) BETCHA BY GOLLY, WOW – The Stylistics featuring Russell Thompkins, Jr. # 12
13 ( 11 ) HEART OF GOLD – Neil Young # 6
14 ( 12 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) – Donnie Elbert # 4
15 ( 22 ) HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART? – Al Green # 15
16 ( 10 ) MY WORLD – The Bee Gees # 10
17 ( 20 ) RUN RUN RUN – Jo Jo Gunne # 17
18 ( 14 ) LIFE ON MARS? – David Bowie # 1
19 ( 25 ) TAKE A LOOK AROUND – The Temptations # 19
20 ( 21 ) ME AND JULIO DOWN BY THE SCHOOLYARD – Paul Simon # 20

21 ( 15 ) EVERYTHING I OWN – Bread # 8
22 ( 13 ) LOVIN’ YOU AIN’T EASY – Pagliaro # 13
23 ( 23 ) EVE – Jim Capaldi # 23
24 ( 24 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) – Gilbert O’Sullivan # 24
25 ( 16 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION – Paul Simon # 7
26 ( 26 ) PUPPY LOVE – Donny Osmond # 26
27 ( 18 ) HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) – John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir # 1
28 ( 30 ) I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG – Frederick Knight # 28
29 ( 35 ) SNOWQUEEN OF TEXAS – The Mamas & The Papas # 29
30 ( 19 ) COULD IT BE FOREVER – David Cassidy # 19

31 ( NEW ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE – The Staple Singers # 31
32 ( 37 ) A COWBOY’S WORK IS NEVER DONE – Sonny & Cher # 32
33 ( 27 ) SON OF MY FATHER – Chicory Tip # 15
34 ( 41 ) THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE – Roberta Flack # 34
35 ( 28 ) A THING CALLED LOVE – Johnny Cash & The Evangel Choir # 10
36 ( 31 ) A HORSE WITH NO NAME – America # 3
37 ( 29 ) HURTING EACH OTHER – Carpenters # 17
38 ( 33 ) LOOK WOT YOU DUN – Slade # 16
39 ( 34 ) TELEGRAM SAM – T.Rex # 9
40 ( 44 ) SHE’S GOT A WAY – Billy Joel # 40

41 ( 32 ) MOON RIVER – Greyhound # 5
42 ( 38 ) SIMPLE GAME – The Four Tops # 1
43 ( 36 ) IT MUST BE LOVE – Labi Siffre # 1
44 ( 39 ) COZ I LUV YOU – Slade # 1
45 ( 40 ) LET’S STAY TOGETHER – Al Green # 3
46 ( 54 ) GOTTA GET UP – Nilsson # 46
47 ( 42 ) FLOY JOY – The Supremes # 7
48 ( 46 ) I BELIEVE (IN LOVE) – Hot Chocolate # 1
49 ( 45 ) GOT TO BE THERE – Michael Jackson # 1
50 ( 58 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW – The New Seekers # 50

51 ( 43 ) STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN – Led Zeppelin # 3
52 ( 55 ) BROTHER – C.C.S. # 52
53 ( 47 ) BABY I’M A WANT YOU – Bread # 4
54 ( 52 ) GYPSIES, TRAMPS & THIEVES – Cher # 1
55 ( 51 ) WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO – Donnie Elbert # 1
56 ( 60 ) SYLVIA’S MOTHER – Doctor Hook And The Medicine Show # 56
57 ( 53 ) HOLD YOUR HEAD UP – Argent # 2
58 ( 49 ) SOFTLY WHISPERING I LOVE YOU – The Congregation featuring Brian Keith of Plastic Penny # 1
59 ( 48 ) FAMILY AFFAIR – Sly & The Family Stone # 2
60 ( 63 ) IN THE RAIN – The Dramatics # 60

61 ( 50 ) FLIRT – Jonathan King # 50
62 ( 68 ) SON OF MY FATHER – Giorgio # 62
63 ( 69 ) WHAT IS LIFE – Olivia Newton-John # 63
64 ( 71 ) WAKE UP – Roy Wood # 64
65 ( 56 ) IT’S ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS (YES LOVE) – The Partridge Family Starring Shirley Jones and featuring David Cassidy # 7
66 ( 61 ) TOKOLOSHE MAN – John Kongos # 1
67 ( 73 ) WHEN GRAN’MA PLAYS THE BANJO – Roy Wood # 67
68 ( 57 ) THE PIE – The Sutherland Brothers # 55
69 ( 74 ) TOO BEAUTIFUL TO LAST – Engelbert Humperdinck # 69
70 ( 62 ) DA DOO RON RON (WHEN HE WALKED ME HOME) – Ian Matthews # 62

71 ( 75 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” – Nino Rota # 71
72 ( 59 ) ROCKIN’ ROBIN – Michael Jackson # 56
73 ( NEW ) SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES – Blue Haze # 73
74 ( 64 ) NICE TO BE WITH YOU – Gallery # 64
75 ( 78 ) TOUCH YOUR WOMAN – Dolly Parton # 75
76 ( 79 ) IF IT FEELS GOOD DO IT – Della Reese # 76
77 ( NEW ) THE WORLD I WISH FOR YOU – Cilla Black # 77
78 ( 67 ) GOING DOWN SLOW ALL THE WAY – Jim Capaldi # 67
79 ( 80 ) CHANTILLY LACE – Jerry Lee Lewis # 79
80 ( NEW ) WE CAN MAKE MUSIC – Bay City Rollers # 80

5th March 1972 my charts of the time

It’s straight in at 1 for a 3rd New Seekers chart-topper as Beg, Steal Or Borrow is chosen as the new Eurovision song for the UK, stopping Donnie Elbert making it 2 number ones in a row as his great cover of The Four Tops’ I Can’t Help Myself enters at 2, and Gilbert O’ Sullivan hits a new peak chart position with his new (and greatest) song Alone Again (Naturally) at 3. I found the song part-touching and part-depressing, and still do not least because the lines about parents dying was a fear of 14-year-old me, and now I’ve had to face up to the reality it’s even more difficult to listen to.

Lindisfarne debut with the folk jolliness of Meet Me On The Corner at 10, and outside the UK top 30 I buy the new Partridge Family single It’s One Of Those Nights – I still like the TV show, and this Tony Romeo song is typically tuneful, if a bit MOR. Back in at 27, Argent finally get a hit single out of Hold Your Head Up after I’d charted it in 1971 as a new release that Alan Freeman was plugging. So we had both of The Zombies on the chart, Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone.

1 ( NEW ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW – The New Seekers
2 ( NEW ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) – Donnie Elbert
3 ( NEW ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) – Gilbert O’Sullivan
4 ( 4 ) FLIRT – Jonathan King
5 ( 2 ) GOT TO BE THERE – Michael Jackson
6 ( 1 ) SAY YOU DON’T MIND – Colin Blunstone
7 ( 5 ) WITHOUT YOU – Nilsson
8 ( 7 ) POPPA JOE – The Sweet
9 ( 3 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION – Paul Simon
10 ( NEW ) MEET ME ON THE CORNER – Lindisfarne

11 ( 8 ) SON OF MY FATHER – Chicory Tip
12 ( 6 ) BLUE IS THE COLOUR – Chelsea FC
13 ( 11 ) ALL I EVER NEED IS YOU – Sonny & Cher
14 ( 9 ) LOOK WOT YOU DUN – Slade
15 ( 13 ) HAVE YOU SEEN HER – The Chi-Lites
16 ( 10 ) STORM IN A TEACUP – The Fortunes
17 ( 16 ) DAY BY DAY – Holly Sherwood
18 ( 12 ) I’D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING (IN PERFECT HARMONY) – The New Seekers
19 ( 15 ) TELEGRAM SAM – T.Rex
20 ( 18 ) THEME FROM THE PERSUADERS – John Barry

21 ( 20 ) MOON RIVER – Greyhound
22 ( 17 ) AMERICAN PIE – Don McLean
23 ( NEW ) IT’S ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS (YES LOVE) – The Partridge Family
24 ( 14 ) WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO – Donnie Elbert
25 ( 19 ) BRAND NEW KEY – Melanie
26 ( 21 ) DAY AFTER DAY – Badfinger
27 ( NEW ) HOLD YOUR HEAD UP – Argent
28 ( 24 ) HURTING EACH OTHER – Carpenters
29 ( 22 ) LET’S STAY TOGETHER – Al Green
30 ( 26 ) A HORSE WITH NO NAME – America

12th March 1972

It’s 2 weeks on top for the 1966 girlgroup delight Sweet Talking Guy, The Chiffons being 6 years late for a big UK hit at the time. Up to 2 it’s the soon-to-be-big Barry White with his missus as frontperson of Love Unlimited and the lushness of Walking In The Rain With The One I Love. Al Green makes it 3 top 10’s in a row with his Bee Gees cover, and Stylistics get a first top 10 for a quite soulful upper section.

Highest new entry is Labi Siffre’s 3rd chart entry, the lovely Crying, laughing, Loving, Lying new at 28 and which deserves to be much better known than it is. Labi has been on the media in the last week or so, being politically active and all, and has also had a 1971 album track chosen by Nish Kumar on Ken Bruce’s Radio 2 show, all very welcome profile boosting. Greyhound also get a 3rd chart hit with the catchy I Am What I Am, a jolly song that was fairly well-known prior to their hit reggae cover, but which has since been utterly forgotten, overshadowed by the gay showtune I Am What I Am, the only great version of which was Aqua’s 2021 cover. I am totally serious! Not even Gloria Gaynor…..

The Drifters chart a UK double A side of 2 early 60’s singles, and get one big UK smash, the better side is At The Club, the catchier side is Saturday Night At The Movies, and 1972 was the year of the 60’s oldies charting again in the UK singles chart. Loads more to come! Gladys Knight’s nice-ish version of Help Me Make It Through The Night follows Kris Kristofferson into my retro chart, leaving one more to come in 1974 – the reggae, and best, version from John Holt. I love reggae.

Commander Cody’s top 10 US hit Hot Rod Lincoln never crossed over to the UK, but I liked it then and I like it now, Tom Jones last big hit till the 80’s pops in, but I never rated The Young New Mexican Puppeteer much. The 5th Dimension go full on MOR soul with Last Night, not a patch on their 60’s gospel tinged vocal choral brilliance, and Badfinger’s Baby Blue pops in courtesy of charting in the UK thanks to the US TV show Breaking Bad finale starring the fab Bryan Cranston a few years back. Produced by Todd Rundgren, at 3 and 4 in my chart, and within months about to debut the timeless Sparks first album as producer.

1 ( 1 ) SWEET TALKING GUY – The Chiffons # 1
2 ( 3 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE – Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 2
3 ( 2 ) HELLO IT’S ME – Todd Rundgren # 1
4 ( 5 ) I SAW THE LIGHT – Todd Rundgren # 3
5 ( 4 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE – Michael Jackson # 1
6 ( 6 ) BERNADETTE – The Four Tops # 6
7 ( 10 ) I AM A CLOWN – David Cassidy # 5
8 ( 7 ) 10538 OVERTURE – Electric Light Orchestra # 1
9 ( 15 ) HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART? – Al Green # 9
10 ( 12 ) BETCHA BY GOLLY, WOW – The Stylistics featuring Russell Thompkins, Jr. # 10

11 ( 8 ) SAY YOU DON’T MIND – Colin Blunstone # 3
12 ( 9 ) WITHOUT YOU – Nilsson # 1
13 ( 11 ) STORM IN A TEACUP – The Fortunes # 1
14 ( 19 ) TAKE A LOOK AROUND – The Temptations # 14
15 ( 17 ) RUN RUN RUN – Jo Jo Gunne # 15
16 ( 13 ) HEART OF GOLD – Neil Young # 6
17 ( 14 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) – Donnie Elbert # 4
18 ( 20 ) ME AND JULIO DOWN BY THE SCHOOLYARD – Paul Simon # 18
19 ( 24 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) – Gilbert O’Sullivan # 19
20 ( 18 ) LIFE ON MARS? – David Bowie # 1

21 ( 16 ) MY WORLD – The Bee Gees # 10
22 ( 26 ) PUPPY LOVE – Donny Osmond # 22
23 ( 32 ) A COWBOY’S WORK IS NEVER DONE – Sonny & Cher # 23
24 ( 21 ) EVERYTHING I OWN – Bread # 8
25 ( 28 ) I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG – Frederick Knight # 25
26 ( 31 ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE – The Staple Singers # 26
27 ( 25 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION – Paul Simon # 7
28 ( NEW ) CRYING, LAUGHING , LOVING, LYING – Labi Siffre # 28
29 ( 27 ) HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) – John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir # 1
30 ( 30 ) COULD IT BE FOREVER – David Cassidy # 19

31 ( 22 ) LOVIN’ YOU AIN’T EASY – Pagliaro # 13
32 ( 34 ) THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE – Roberta Flack # 32
33 ( 40 ) SHE’S GOT A WAY – Billy Joel # 33
34 ( 23 ) EVE – Jim Capaldi # 23
35 ( 33 ) SON OF MY FATHER – Chicory Tip # 15
36 ( NEW ) I AM WHAT I AM – Greyhound # 36
37 ( 29 ) SNOWQUEEN OF TEXAS – The Mamas & The Papas # 29
38 ( 35 ) A THING CALLED LOVE – Johnny Cash & The Evangel Choir # 10
39 ( 50 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW – The New Seekers # 39
40 ( 52 ) BROTHER – C.C.S. # 40

41 ( 36 ) A HORSE WITH NO NAME – America # 3
42 ( 56 ) SYLVIA’S MOTHER – Doctor Hook And The Medicine Show # 42
43 ( 38 ) LOOK WOT YOU DUN – Slade # 16
44 ( 39 ) TELEGRAM SAM – T.Rex # 9
45 ( 42 ) SIMPLE GAME – The Four Tops # 1
46 ( 46 ) GOTTA GET UP – Nilsson # 46
47 ( 44 ) COZ I LUV YOU – Slade # 1
48 ( 43 ) IT MUST BE LOVE – Labi Siffre # 1
49 ( 45 ) LET’S STAY TOGETHER – Al Green # 3
50 ( 48 ) I BELIEVE (IN LOVE) – Hot Chocolate # 1

51 ( 41 ) MOON RIVER – Greyhound # 5
52 ( 37 ) HURTING EACH OTHER – Carpenters # 17
53 ( 47 ) FLOY JOY – The Supremes # 7
54 ( 49 ) GOT TO BE THERE – Michael Jackson # 1
55 ( 60 ) IN THE RAIN – The Dramatics # 55
56 ( 62 ) SON OF MY FATHER – Giorgio # 56
57 ( 54 ) GYPSIES, TRAMPS & THIEVES – Cher # 1
58 ( 53 ) BABY I’M A WANT YOU – Bread # 4
59 ( 55 ) WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO – Donnie Elbert # 1
60 ( 63 ) WHAT IS LIFE – Olivia Newton-John # 60

61 ( 51 ) STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN – Led Zeppelin # 3
62 ( 57 ) HOLD YOUR HEAD UP – Argent # 2
63 ( 58 ) SOFTLY WHISPERING I LOVE YOU – The Congregation featuring Brian Keith of Plastic Penny # 1
64 ( 64 ) WAKE UP – Roy Wood # 64
65 ( 71 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” – Nino Rota # 65
66 ( 73 ) SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES – Blue Haze # 66
67 ( 67 ) WHEN GRAN’MA PLAYS THE BANJO – Roy Wood # 67
68 ( NEW ) AT THE CLUB – The Drifters # 68
69 ( 69 ) TOO BEAUTIFUL TO LAST – Engelbert Humperdinck # 69
70 ( 59 ) FAMILY AFFAIR – Sly & The Family Stone # 2

71 ( NEW ) SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES – The Drifters # 71
72 ( NEW ) HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT – Gladys Knight & The Pips # 72
73 ( 75 ) TOUCH YOUR WOMAN – Dolly Parton # 73
74 ( 76 ) IF IT FEELS GOOD DO IT – Della Reese # 74
75 ( 77 ) THE WORLD I WISH FOR YOU – Cilla Black # 75
76 ( 79 ) CHANTILLY LACE – Jerry Lee Lewis # 76
77 ( NEW ) HOT ROD LINCOLN – Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen # 77
78 ( NEW ) THE YOUNG NEW MEXICAN PUPPETEER – Tom Jones # 78
79 ( NEW ) (LAST NIGHT) I DIDN’T GET TO SLEEP AT ALL – The 5th Dimension # 79
80 ( NEW ) BABY BLUE – Badfinger # 80

12th March 1972Wot I Liked Then

It’s a 2nd number one for The Partridge Family, with the melodic It’s One Of Those Nights, as sung in the TV series (though those episodes didn’t make it over to the UK for quite some time), and The Supremes enter at 6 with Floy Joy with a bit of vocal sharing going on, for a pleasant change, giving Mary Wilson (now the only original member) a chance to shine. Argent meanwhile go top 10 after debuting 5 or 6 months earlier with Hold Your Head Up.

Other newies: The Hollies new Swedish vocalist helps The Baby enter at 23, but Allan Clarke will return before years-end. Blue haze cover the Platters golden oldie, as sung by Shirley Bassey on Morecambe & Wise Show last christmas, and this time done reggae-stylee, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes entering at 24. Cliff brings a spot of Jesus into the top 30, The Four Tops 1967 Motown classic Bernadette is new at 27, the next single I bought after I’d bought The Partridge Family single with my pocket money. Lastly, taped off the Stuart Henry show, I think, Buffy Sainte-Marie returns with I’m Gonna Be A Country Girl Again.

1 ( 23 ) IT’S ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS (YES LOVE) – The Partridge Family
2 ( 2 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) – Donnie Elbert
3 ( 1 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW – The New Seekers
4 ( 3 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) – Gilbert O’Sullivan
5 ( 7 ) WITHOUT YOU – Nilsson
6 ( NEW ) FLOY JOY – The Supremes
7 ( 4 ) FLIRT – Jonathan King
8 ( 8 ) POPPA JOE – The Sweet
9 ( 27 ) HOLD YOUR HEAD UP – Argent
10 ( 11 ) SON OF MY FATHER – Chicory Tip

11 ( 5 ) GOT TO BE THERE – Michael Jackson
12 ( 22 ) AMERICAN PIE – Don McLean
13 ( 15 ) HAVE YOU SEEN HER – The Chi-Lites
14 ( 19 ) TELEGRAM SAM – T.Rex
15 ( 13 ) ALL I EVER NEED IS YOU – Sonny & Cher
16 ( 6 ) SAY YOU DON’T MIND – Colin Blunstone
17 ( 14 ) LOOK WOT YOU DUN – Slade
18 ( 9 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION – Paul Simon
19 ( 18 ) I’D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING (IN PERFECT HARMONY) – The New Seekers
20 ( 16 ) STORM IN A TEACUP – The Fortunes

21 ( 10 ) MEET ME ON THE CORNER – Lindisfarne
22 ( 12 ) BLUE IS THE COLOUR – Chelsea FC
23 ( NEW ) THE BABY – The Hollies
24 ( NEW ) SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES – Blue Haze
25 ( 17 ) DAY BY DAY – Holly Sherwood
26 ( NEW ) JESUS – Cliff Richard
27 ( NEW ) BERNADETTE – The Four Tops
28 ( 20 ) THEME FROM THE PERSUADERS – John Barry
29 ( NEW ) I’M GONNA BE A COUNTRY GIRL AGAIN – Buffy Sainte-Marie
30 ( 21 ) MOON RIVER – Greyhound

19th March 1972

It’s a first week on top for Love Unlimited’s extended phone call in the rain to Barry White, soulful lush starts here, Walking In The Rain With The One I Love – you need to add On My Mind to the title or the phone call makes no sense! Highest new entry at 6 is a debut for the stompingly chantingly riffingly fab The Glitter Band, not yet credited by the masterful production and songwriting talents of Mike Leander, Part 1 is the vocal version featuring egomaniac frontman Paul Gadd, but the classic version is the playlisted mostly-instrumental Part 2, and as featured in the recent Joker movie. It’s still brilliant despite you-know-who.

New in at 8, Junior Walker’s back for another attempt at a number one 4 years into his retro run, What Does It Take hit the top in 1969, Take Me Girl I’m Ready nearly did it in 1971, and Walk In The Night, another mostly instrumental bar backing singers, makes it a 4th top 10. The Temptations are on 5 top 10’s, as Take A Look Around climbs, and Ringo joins John with a little help from George on Back Off Boogaloo, a stomping Glam Rock chantalong with a great guitar up front and drums pounding at back. New in at 36 for Ringo’s second solo entry.

At 49, Marmalade keep their 4-year-run of great singles going, but sadly this will be the last one to chart in the UK until the 1976 revamp. Radancer is an odd title, I heard it on Lift Off With Ayshea and thought it was called The Dancer or something like that, so that’s how I wrote it down in my chart book till I saw the printed chart. It poprocks! New at 65, Johnny Nash is back after a gap of 3 years to get his second-chart-wind, bigger than the first run, this time with a bit of kudos for giving Bob Marley a hit song on his cover of Stir It Up.

At 68. Andy Williams sings the Love Theme to The Godfather, with added Speak Softly Love lyrics, and as Andy is never less than cool and soaringly effortless, it’s pretty good at 68, a few places lower then the actual movie instrumental original. The Godfather was a huge box office and cultural smash in 1972. Al Green makes it 3 on the chart as his new single Look What You Done For Me debuts at 69, Daniel Boone follows up his Chelsea song with the singalong jaunty Beautiful Sunday, and ABBA’s Benny & Bjorn get a second chart entry 2 years after the first. She’s My Kind Of Girl is credited to Abba in some retrospective collections, but as it features no Agnetha & Frida I’m going with the original label. ABBA are in my current charts, 50 years later and I have tickets for the hologram tour.

In at 76, Jennifer Warnes debuts with her version of Nico’s version of Jackson’s Browne’s These Days, a brilliant song, and just ahead of Jackson’s own version appearing on his next album – but it’ll be 36 years before the definitive version turns up, Glen Campbell’s wonderful version as Alzheimers inspires Glen to a late career recording resurgence, 2 fab albums and some heartbreaking tracks on and outside those albums. Donnie Elbert gets a 4th chart entry, not the Bee Gees song, The Pioneers keep a chart run going, The Partridge Family sneak in with a flop UK single before the cover versions resurrect their career and David Cassidy keeps the better songs for himself. Debora returns 3 years on as anything T.Rex sells on singles or albums in 1972.

1 ( 2 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE – Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1
2 ( 1 ) SWEET TALKING GUY – The Chiffons # 1
3 ( 4 ) I SAW THE LIGHT – Todd Rundgren # 3
4 ( 3 ) HELLO IT’S ME – Todd Rundgren # 1
5 ( 5 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE – Michael Jackson # 1
6 ( NEW ) ROCK & ROLL PART 2 – Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 6
7 ( 7 ) I AM A CLOWN – David Cassidy # 5
8 ( NEW ) WALK IN THE NIGHT – Junior Walker & The All Stars # 8
9 ( 9 ) HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART? – Al Green # 9
10 ( 14 ) TAKE A LOOK AROUND – The Temptations # 10

11 ( 8 ) 10538 OVERTURE – Electric Light Orchestra # 1
12 ( 10 ) BETCHA BY GOLLY, WOW – The Stylistics featuring Russell Thompkins, Jr. # 10
13 ( 12 ) WITHOUT YOU – Nilsson # 1
14 ( 13 ) STORM IN A TEACUP – The Fortunes # 1
15 ( 23 ) A COWBOY’S WORK IS NEVER DONE – Sonny & Cher # 15
16 ( 22 ) PUPPY LOVE – Donny Osmond # 16
17 ( 11 ) SAY YOU DON’T MIND – Colin Blunstone # 3
18 ( 19 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) – Gilbert O’Sullivan # 18
19 ( 28 ) CRYING, LAUGHING , LOVING, LYING – Labi Siffre # 19
20 ( 25 ) I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG – Frederick Knight # 20

21 ( 16 ) HEART OF GOLD – Neil Young # 6
22 ( 17 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) – Donnie Elbert # 4
23 ( 6 ) BERNADETTE – The Four Tops # 6
24 ( 26 ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE – The Staple Singers # 24
25 ( 20 ) LIFE ON MARS? – David Bowie # 1
26 ( 36 ) I AM WHAT I AM – Greyhound # 26
27 ( 15 ) RUN RUN RUN – Jo Jo Gunne # 15
28 ( 40 ) BROTHER – C.C.S. # 28
29 ( 18 ) ME AND JULIO DOWN BY THE SCHOOLYARD – Paul Simon # 18
30 ( 32 ) THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE – Roberta Flack # 30

31 ( 27 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION – Paul Simon # 7
32 ( 33 ) SHE’S GOT A WAY – Billy Joel # 32
33 ( 29 ) HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) – John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir # 1
34 ( 21 ) MY WORLD – The Bee Gees # 10
35 ( 24 ) EVERYTHING I OWN – Bread # 8
36 ( NEW ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO – Ringo Starr # 36
37 ( 39 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW – The New Seekers # 37
38 ( 30 ) COULD IT BE FOREVER – David Cassidy # 19
39 ( 42 ) SYLVIA’S MOTHER – Doctor Hook And The Medicine Show # 39
40 ( 31 ) LOVIN’ YOU AIN’T EASY – Pagliaro # 13

41 ( 35 ) SON OF MY FATHER – Chicory Tip # 15
42 ( 34 ) EVE – Jim Capaldi # 23
43 ( 38 ) A THING CALLED LOVE – Johnny Cash & The Evangel Choir # 10
44 ( 46 ) GOTTA GET UP – Nilsson # 44
45 ( 45 ) SIMPLE GAME – The Four Tops # 1
46 ( 41 ) A HORSE WITH NO NAME – America # 3
47 ( 37 ) SNOWQUEEN OF TEXAS – The Mamas & The Papas # 29
48 ( 47 ) COZ I LUV YOU – Slade # 1
49 ( NEW ) RADANCER – Marmalade # 49
50 ( 50 ) I BELIEVE (IN LOVE) – Hot Chocolate # 1

51 ( 65 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” – Nino Rota # 51
52 ( 43 ) LOOK WOT YOU DUN – Slade # 16
53 ( 44 ) TELEGRAM SAM – T.Rex # 9
54 ( 48 ) IT MUST BE LOVE – Labi Siffre # 1
55 ( 49 ) LET’S STAY TOGETHER – Al Green # 3
56 ( 54 ) GOT TO BE THERE – Michael Jackson # 1
57 ( 51 ) MOON RIVER – Greyhound # 5
58 ( 53 ) FLOY JOY – The Supremes # 7
59 ( 57 ) GYPSIES, TRAMPS & THIEVES – Cher # 1
60 ( 71 ) SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES – The Drifters # 60

61 ( 68 ) AT THE CLUB – The Drifters # 61
62 ( 66 ) SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES – Blue Haze # 62
63 ( 64 ) WAKE UP – Roy Wood # 63
64 ( 67 ) WHEN GRAN’MA PLAYS THE BANJO – Roy Wood # 64
65 ( NEW ) STIR IT UP – Johnny Nash # 65
66 ( 59 ) WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO – Donnie Elbert # 1
67 ( 69 ) TOO BEAUTIFUL TO LAST – Engelbert Humperdinck # 67
68 ( NEW ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” (SPEAK SOFTLY LOVE) – Andy Williams # 68
69 ( NEW ) LOOK WHAT YOU DONE FOR ME – Al Green # 69
70 ( 72 ) HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT – Gladys Knight & The Pips # 70

71 ( 77 ) HOT ROD LINCOLN – Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen # 71
72 ( 75 ) THE WORLD I WISH FOR YOU – Cilla Black # 72
73 ( NEW ) BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY – Daniel Boone # 73
74 ( 74 ) IF IT FEELS GOOD DO IT – Della Reese # 74
75 ( NEW ) SHE’S MY KIND OF GIRL – Benny & Bjorn # 75
76 ( NEW ) THESE DAYS – Jennifer Warnes # 76
77 ( NEW ) IF I CAN’T HAVE YOU – Donnie Elbert # 77
78 ( NEW ) YOU DON’T KNOW LIKE I KNOW – The Pioneers # 78
79 ( NEW ) AM I LOSING YOU – The Partridge Family Starring Shirley Jones and featuring David Cassidy # 79
80 ( NEW ) DEBORA – Tyrannosaurus Rex # 80

19th March 1972 My charts of the time

It’s 2 weeks on top for The Partridge Family, as 14-year-old me still loved the TV show and its associated memories of Singapore which I was mightily missing in grim, cold Lincoln. Donnie Elbert meanwhile gets a 3rd week at 2 as The Supremes peak at 3 with Floy Joy, their biggest track since Love Child and I’m Gonna Make You Love Me in 1969. The Chiffons 1966 girl-group goodie Sweet Talking Guy is in at 24 as it is climbing the UK charts and enters for me, brand new as it was, taking my fancy along with a lot of teen girls’ fancies of the time.

The Osmonds were also well-known to me from US TV variety shows broadcast in Singapore, so I felt ahead of the game with Down By The Lazy River, new at 25 with a rocking sound. Olivia is back with another cover, the OK version of George Harrison’s better original, What Is Life at 29, and Ray Stevens is back with the jolly gospel Turn Your Radio On. I still loved Ray, but it was not in the same league as Everything Is Beautiful’s chart-topping run, or even Brigitte The Midget’s charming whimsy.

1 ( 1 ) IT’S ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS (YES LOVE) – The Partridge Family
2 ( 2 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) – Donnie Elbert
3 ( 6 ) FLOY JOY – The Supremes
4 ( 3 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW – The New Seekers
5 ( 5 ) WITHOUT YOU – Nilsson
6 ( 7 ) FLIRT – Jonathan King
7 ( 8 ) POPPA JOE – The Sweet
8 ( 4 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) – Gilbert O’Sullivan
9 ( 13 ) HAVE YOU SEEN HER – The Chi-Lites
10 ( 15 ) ALL I EVER NEED IS YOU – Sonny & Cher

11 ( 10 ) SON OF MY FATHER – Chicory Tip
12 ( 11 ) GOT TO BE THERE – Michael Jackson
13 ( 18 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION – Paul Simon
14 ( 20 ) STORM IN A TEACUP – The Fortunes
15 ( 12 ) AMERICAN PIE – Don McLean
16 ( 17 ) LOOK WOT YOU DUN – Slade
17 ( 9 ) HOLD YOUR HEAD UP – Argent
18 ( 16 ) SAY YOU DON’T MIND – Colin Blunstone
19 ( 14 ) TELEGRAM SAM – T.Rex
20 ( 21 ) MEET ME ON THE CORNER – Lindisfarne

21 ( 19 ) I’D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING (IN PERFECT HARMONY) – The New Seekers
22 ( RE ) DAY AFTER DAY – Badfinger
23 ( 24 ) SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES – Blue Haze
24 ( NEW ) SWEET TALKING GUY – The Chiffons
25 ( NEW ) DOWN BY THE LAZY RIVER – The Osmonds
26 ( 27 ) BERNADETTE – The Four Tops
27 ( 22 ) BLUE IS THE COLOUR – Chelsea FC
28 ( 29 ) I’M GONNA BE A COUNTRY GIRL AGAIN – Buffy Sainte-Marie
29 ( NEW ) WHAT IS LIFE – Olivia Newton-John
30 ( NEW ) TURN YOUR RADIO ON – Ray Stevens

26th March 1972

Its a first week on top for Todd Rundgren’s 2nd number 1 retro song of 1972 as it enters the US Hot 100. Greyhound grab a 3rd top with the great forgotten Scott English song I Am What I Am, and Labi Siffre 2nd with the lovely Crying, Laughing, Loving, Tweeting as Labi does these days. Highest newie is Chi-Lites Oh Girl, a huge US hit and future Paul Young cover.

The huge bagpipe song enters at 47, not only did it stop Ringo topping the chart it annoyed me at the time. I warmed to it after The Wrath Of Khan Spock death scene, and find it quite touching these days. Eurovision 1972 showed Vicky Leandros beating my fave, Beg Steal or Borrow to win for Luxembourg via Greece with her Apres Toi/ Come What May, and my other fave Netherlands Sandra and Andres. All are in the chart.

Cabaret is the huge musical if the moment and Luza Minelli becomes a household name with clips from the film on TV for the next 12 months till Oscars winning time. Mein Herr is the best clip and song, tho Liza had to wait for Pet Shop Boys Results album to top my charts in 1990. White Plains got airplsy on the new Radio 2 Terry Wogan breakfast show with the flop I Cant Stop which is quite nice, R.Dean Taylor debuts a track off his 1974 hits album that i bought, Taos New Mexico.

Other newies: Jimmy Osmond joins the Osmond fray with the annoying Long Haired Lover From Liverpool out in the USA, but which would be held back for the Osmonds UK tour where Jimmy, about 8 or 9, did a turn with his older brothers. Huge. My brother bought it for xmas cos he supported the football team after our younger days living there. Finally that big 1974 holiday hit Y Viva Espana debuts in a non English version for Samantha. I think the Dutch must have gotten into Spanish package holidays a bit sooner than the uk.

1 ( 3 ) I SAW THE LIGHT – Todd Rundgren # 1
2 ( 2 ) SWEET TALKING GUY – The Chiffons # 1
3 ( 1 ) WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH THE ONE I LOVE – Love Unlimited featuring Barry White # 1
4 ( 6 ) ROCK & ROLL PART 2 – Gary Glitter and The Glitter Band # 4
5 ( 8 ) WALK IN THE NIGHT – Junior Walker & The All Stars # 5
6 ( 4 ) HELLO IT’S ME – Todd Rundgren # 1
7 ( 5 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE – Michael Jackson # 1
8 ( 9 ) HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART? – Al Green # 8
9 ( 19 ) CRYING, LAUGHING , LOVING, LYING – Labi Siffre # 9
10 ( 26 ) I AM WHAT I AM – Greyhound # 10

11 ( NEW ) OH GIRL – The Chi-Lites # 11
12 ( 7 ) I AM A CLOWN – David Cassidy # 5
13 ( 11 ) 10538 OVERTURE – Electric Light Orchestra # 1
14 ( 10 ) TAKE A LOOK AROUND – The Temptations # 10
15 ( 15 ) A COWBOY’S WORK IS NEVER DONE – Sonny & Cher # 15
16 ( 13 ) WITHOUT YOU – Nilsson # 1
17 ( 14 ) STORM IN A TEACUP – The Fortunes # 1
18 ( 20 ) I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG – Frederick Knight # 18
19 ( 24 ) I’LL TAKE YOU THERE – The Staple Singers # 19
20 ( 28 ) BROTHER – C.C.S. # 20

21 ( 16 ) PUPPY LOVE – Donny Osmond # 16
22 ( 30 ) THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE – Roberta Flack # 22
23 ( 12 ) BETCHA BY GOLLY, WOW – The Stylistics featuring Russell Thompkins, Jr. # 10
24 ( 18 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) – Gilbert O’Sullivan # 18
25 ( 36 ) BACK OFF BOOGALOO – Ringo Starr # 25
26 ( 17 ) SAY YOU DON’T MIND – Colin Blunstone # 3
27 ( 25 ) LIFE ON MARS? – David Bowie # 1
28 ( 49 ) RADANCER – Marmalade # 28
29 ( 22 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) – Donnie Elbert # 4
30 ( 32 ) SHE’S GOT A WAY – Billy Joel # 30

31 ( 21 ) HEART OF GOLD – Neil Young # 6
32 ( 27 ) RUN RUN RUN – Jo Jo Gunne # 15
33 ( 29 ) ME AND JULIO DOWN BY THE SCHOOLYARD – Paul Simon # 18
34 ( 31 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION – Paul Simon # 7
35 ( 33 ) HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) – John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir # 1
36 ( 51 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” – Nino Rota # 36
37 ( 37 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW – The New Seekers # 37
38 ( 39 ) SYLVIA’S MOTHER – Doctor Hook And The Medicine Show # 38
39 ( 44 ) GOTTA GET UP – Nilsson # 39
40 ( 35 ) EVERYTHING I OWN – Bread # 8

41 ( 38 ) COULD IT BE FOREVER – David Cassidy # 19
42 ( 23 ) BERNADETTE – The Four Tops # 6
43 ( 60 ) SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES – The Drifters # 43
44 ( 34 ) MY WORLD – The Bee Gees # 10
45 ( 61 ) AT THE CLUB – The Drifters # 45
46 ( 45 ) SIMPLE GAME – The Four Tops # 1
47 ( NEW ) AMAZING GRACE – The Pipes & Drums of The Royal Scots Dragoons Guard Band # 47
48 ( 69 ) LOOK WHAT YOU DONE FOR ME – Al Green # 48
49 ( 43 ) A THING CALLED LOVE – Johnny Cash & The Evangel Choir # 10
50 ( 50 ) I BELIEVE (IN LOVE) – Hot Chocolate # 1

51 ( 48 ) COZ I LUV YOU – Slade # 1
52 ( 65 ) STIR IT UP – Johnny Nash # 52
53 ( 68 ) LOVE THEME FROM “THE GODFATHER” (SPEAK SOFTLY LOVE) – Andy Williams # 53
54 ( 40 ) LOVIN’ YOU AIN’T EASY – Pagliaro # 13
55 ( 64 ) WHEN GRAN’MA PLAYS THE BANJO – Roy Wood # 55
56 ( 46 ) A HORSE WITH NO NAME – America # 3
57 ( 63 ) WAKE UP – Roy Wood # 57
58 ( 54 ) IT MUST BE LOVE – Labi Siffre # 1
59 ( 56 ) GOT TO BE THERE – Michael Jackson # 1
60 ( 55 ) LET’S STAY TOGETHER – Al Green # 3

61 ( 67 ) TOO BEAUTIFUL TO LAST – Engelbert Humperdinck # 61
62 ( 70 ) HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT – Gladys Knight & The Pips # 62
63 ( 41 ) SON OF MY FATHER – Chicory Tip # 15
64 ( 59 ) GYPSIES, TRAMPS & THIEVES – Cher # 1
65 ( 42 ) EVE – Jim Capaldi # 23
66 ( 71 ) HOT ROD LINCOLN – Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen # 66
67 ( 73 ) BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY – Daniel Boone # 67
68 ( 75 ) SHE’S MY KIND OF GIRL – Benny & Bjorn # 68
69 ( NEW ) COME WHAT MAY – Vicky Leandros # 69
70 ( 52 ) LOOK WOT YOU DUN – Slade # 16

71 ( 76 ) THESE DAYS – Jennifer Warnes # 71
72 ( NEW ) MEIN HERR – Liza Minelli # 72
73 ( 62 ) SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES – Blue Haze # 62
74 ( 78 ) YOU DON’T KNOW LIKE I KNOW – The Pioneers # 74
75 ( 53 ) TELEGRAM SAM – T.Rex # 9
76 ( NEW ) I CAN’T STOP – White Plains # 76
77 ( NEW ) LONG HAIRED LOVER FROM LIVERPOOL – Little Jimmy Osmond # 77
78 ( NEW ) TAOS NEW MEXICO – R. Dean Taylor # 78
79 ( NEW ) WHAT DO I DO – Sandra & Andres # 79
80 ( NEW ) EVIVA ESPANA – Samantha # 80

My 26th March 1972 Chart of the time

It’s 3 weeks on top for The Partridge Family as The Chiffons become the main rival for number one, the 6-year-old girl-group song sounded worlds-away from 1972 standards of sound, but still so catchy. New at 9 CCS are back with a 3rd goodie, Brother was subsequently used as the Radio 1 chart-show rundown tune after Alan Freeman moved on the Rock Show’s, thanks to the horn-intro which remains magnificent. Daniel Boone is not content with writing the Chelsea football song, he also drops Beautiful Sunday, so cheerful and catchy I think I reacted against it and the best it can do is 27. Peter Noone is still trying to resurrect his short solo career, Shoobe Do Wa was pleasant pop at 28, but it’s not quite up to Hermans Hermits standards. Finally, Cilla sneaks in with her current single taken from being plugged on her high-ratings BBC TV series as she morphs seamlessly into a TV career, and the pop hits dry up.

1 ( 1 ) IT’S ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS (YES LOVE) – The Partridge Family
2 ( 24 ) SWEET TALKING GUY – The Chiffons
3 ( 2 ) I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) – Donnie Elbert
4 ( 5 ) WITHOUT YOU – Nilsson
5 ( 3 ) FLOY JOY – The Supremes
6 ( 4 ) BEG, STEAL OR BORROW – The New Seekers
7 ( 7 ) POPPA JOE – The Sweet
8 ( 9 ) HAVE YOU SEEN HER – The Chi-Lites
9 ( NEW ) BROTHER – C.C.S
10 ( 8 ) ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) – Gilbert O’Sullivan

11 ( 14 ) STORM IN A TEACUP – The Fortunes
12 ( 11 ) SON OF MY FATHER – Chicory Tip
13 ( 6 ) FLIRT – Jonathan King
14 ( 12 ) GOT TO BE THERE – Michael Jackson
15 ( 29 ) WHAT IS LIFE – Olivia Newton-John
16 ( 16 ) LOOK WOT YOU DUN – Slade
17 ( 21 ) I’D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING (IN PERFECT HARMONY) – The New Seekers
18 ( 13 ) MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION – Paul Simon
19 ( 15 ) AMERICAN PIE – Don McLean
20 ( 27 ) BLUE IS THE COLOUR – Chelsea FC

21 ( 17 ) HOLD YOUR HEAD UP – Argent
22 ( 18 ) SAY YOU DON’T MIND – Colin Blunstone
23 ( 20 ) MEET ME ON THE CORNER – Lindisfarne
24 ( 26 ) BERNADETTE – The Four Tops
25 ( 10 ) ALL I EVER NEED IS YOU – Sonny & Cher
26 ( 23 ) SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES – Blue Haze
27 ( NEW ) BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY – Daniel Boone
28 ( NEW ) SHOOBE DE WA – Peter Noone
29 ( 25 ) DOWN BY THE LAZY RIVER – The Osmonds
30 ( NEW ) THE WORLD I WISH FOR YOU – Cilla Black

It’s not Peter’s current single, but this the “never seen in the UK” edition of Midnight Special he hosted in 1973. Bee Gees, Robin Trower, Gilbert O’Sullivan, ELO, David Essex, Manfred Mann’s Earthband and Herman’s Hermits aka half The Rubettes come 1974. Some 1973 gems on this…

My February 1992 Charts

2nd February 1992

It’s 3 weeks on top for Marc Almond’s under-rated and forgotten My hand Over Your Heart, as Pet Shop Boys get Cicero a number 3. I’m a PSB fan, so a trifle over-rated I think. Wet Wet Wet get their biggest chart hit since Wishing I Was Lucky peaked at 4 5 years earlier, still their first and best record, but Goodnight Girl is a step up on everything in between. The KLF are back with an OTT revamp of What Time Is Love which I love more than the original. Such great fun, such epic records, such a tragedy that they called it a day after this single, new at 13.

Primal Scream movin’ on up into the top 20 with leaps and bounds, ditto Buffy Sainte-Marie’s finest moment, The Big Ones Get Away. This weeks oldies debuting include Dr.Hook’s 1979 number 2 When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman at 23, a DNA revamp of Sharon Redd’s 1981 club hit Can You Handle It at 28, The Valentine Brothers’ original version of Money’s Too Tight To Mention at 60 a first-time charter, as is the 1977 Punk pop minor classic Another Girl Another Planet from The Only Ones at 68. That leaves Michael Jackson starting to mine the new album for hit singles as Remember The Time enters at 33, Europe crying at 65 6 years on from The Final Countdown, the under-rated Definition Of Sound at 70 with Moira Jane’s Cafe, 2 Unlimited entering the Twilight Zone at 72, and The Prodigy new at 75 with Everybody In The Place.

1 ( 1 ) MY HAND OVER YOUR HEART Marc Almond # 1
2 ( 3 ) THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE The Walker Brothers # 1
3 ( 8 ) LOVE IS EVERYWHERE Cicero # 3
4 ( 11 ) GOODNIGHT GIRL Wet Wet Wet # 4
5 ( 2 ) STAY Shakespear’s Sister # 2
6 ( 6 ) JUSTIFIED AND ANCIENT (STAND BY THE JAMM’S) The KLF featuring Tammy Wynette, Maxine Harvey & Ricardo Da Force # 1
7 ( 5 ) DIAMANTE Zuchero & Randy Crawford # 5
8 ( 4 ) OL’ RED EYES IS BACK The Beautiful South # 4
9 ( 9 ) GOD GAVE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL TO YOU Kiss # 9
10 ( 7 ) HIGHWAY 5 ’92 The Blessing # 7

11 ( 17 ) WELCOME TO THE CHEAPSEATS The Wonder Stuff featuring Kirsty MacColl # 11
12 ( 31 ) I’M DOING FINE NOW The Pasadenas # 12
13 ( NEW ) AMERICA: WHAT TIME IS LOVE? The KLF # 13
14 ( 14 ) TOO BLIND TO SEE IT Kym Sims # 6
15 ( 34 ) MOVIN’ ON UP Primal Scream # 15
16 ( 10 ) (CAN YOU) FEEL THE PASSION Blue Pearl # 5
17 ( 18 ) HIT The Sugercubes # 17
18 ( 36 ) THE BIG ONES GET AWAY Buffy Sainte-Marie # 18
19 ( 19 ) CAN’T LET GO Mariah Carey # 19
20 ( 12 ) BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY/THESE ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES Queen # 1

21 ( 27 ) BORN OF FRUSTRATION James # 21
22 ( 13 ) GIVE ME JUST A LITTLE MORE TIME Kylie Minogue # 13
23 ( NEW ) WHEN YOU’RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN Dr. Hook # 23
24 ( 39 ) FOR YOUR BABIES Simply Red # 24
25 ( 15 ) EVERYBODY MOVE Cathy Dennis # 4
26 ( 16 ) WE GOT A LOVE THANG Ce Ce Peniston # 16
27 ( 51 ) VISIONS OF YOU Jah Wobble’s Invaders Of The Heart featuring Sinead O’Connor # 27
28 ( NEW ) CAN YOU HANDLE IT? DNA featuring Sharon redd # 28
29 ( 20 ) FEEL SO HIGH Des’Ree # 20
30 ( 22 ) FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl # 1

31 ( 23 ) SHOW ME THE WAY The Osmond Boys # 23
32 ( 28 ) THOSE WERE THE DAYS Mary Hopkin # 1
33 ( NEW ) REMEMBER THE TIME Michael Jackson # 33
34 ( 24 ) STARS Simply Red # 11
35 ( 40 ) I WONDER WHY Curtis Stigers # 35
36 ( 33 ) 20th CENTURY BOY T.Rex # 1
37 ( 32 ) METAL GURU T.Rex # 1
38 ( 50 ) VIBEOLOGY Paula Abdul # 38
39 ( 25 ) PERFECT PLACE Voice Of The Beehive # 25
40 ( 29 ) OBSESSION Army Of Lovers # 2

41 ( 26 ) SOUND James # 8
42 ( 21 ) SAY IT ABC # 12
43 ( 55 ) LOVE YOUR MONEY Daisy Chainsaw # 43
44 ( 52 ) HAIL HAIL ROCK ‘N’ ROLL Garland Jeffreys # 44
45 ( 35 ) BLACK OR WHITE Michael Jackson # 2
46 ( 46 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN’ FEELIN’ The Righteous Brothers # 1
47 ( 60 ) PRIDE (IN THE NAME OF LOVE) Clivilles & Cole # 47
48 ( 45 ) I LOVE YOUR SMILE Shanice # 5
49 ( 30 ) WAS IT WORTH IT? Pet Shop Boys # 5
50 ( 37 ) ROCKET MAN Kate Bush # 3

51 ( 62 ) MYSTERIOUS WAYS U2 # 20
52 ( 43 ) IF YOU WERE WITH ME NOW Kylie Minogue & Keith Washington # 5
53 ( 49 ) COME AND GET IT Badfinger # 8
54 ( 54 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles # 1
55 ( 42 ) THAT’S WHAT LOVE IS FOR Amy Grant # 8
56 ( 44 ) DIAMONDS AND PEARLS Prince # 8
57 ( 38 ) WHEN YOU TELL ME THAT YOU LOVE ME Diana Ross # 17
58 ( 48 ) THE SHOW MUST GO ON Queen # 10
59 ( 41 ) THE PRINCIPLES OF LUST Enigma # 16
60 ( NEW ) MONEY’S TOO TIGHT (TO MENTION) The Valentine Brothers # 60

61 ( 47 ) THE WAY I FEEL ABOUT YOU Karyn White # 47
62 ( 64 ) WHY CAN’T WE LIVE TOGETHER (1990 TK REMIX) Timmy Thomas # 52
63 ( 61 ) THAT’S THE WAY GOD PLANNED IT Billy Preston # 9
64 ( 56 ) DO YOU FEEL LIKE I FEEL Belinda Carlisle # 4
65 ( NEW ) I’LL CRY FOR YOU Europe # 65
66 ( 68 ) LET IT BE The Beatles # 1
67 ( 66 ) WINTER IN JULY Bomb The Bass # 1
68 ( NEW ) ANOTHER GIRL ANOTHER PLANET The Only Ones # 68
69 ( 63 ) DRIVER’S SEAT Sniff ‘n’ The Tears # 9
70 ( NEW ) MOIRA JANE’S CAFE Definition Of Sound # 70

71 ( 72 ) I CAN’T DANCE Genesis # 71
72 ( NEW ) TWILIGHT ZONE 2 Unlimited # 72
73 ( 57 ) DON’T TALK JUST KISS Right Said Fred featuring Jocelyn Brown # 29
74 ( 74 ) EVERYTHING I DO (I DO IT FOR YOU) Bryan Adams # 1
75 ( NEW ) EVERYBODY IN THE PLACE The Prodigy # 75

9th February 1992

It’s a climb of 14 to give Primal Scream a first chart topper since Loaded went top 10 in 1990, with the fab gospel vibes of Movin’ On Up. That keeps Madness off the top spot as the revived It Must Be Love, the Labi Siffre cover, enters at 2, still great fun 11 years on. A film, meanwhile, helps The Temptations 1965 Motown classic My Girl to debut at 5, written by Smokey Robinson and covered by many, but none as good as the original.

James keep the top 10 run going as Born Of Frustration is up to 10, ahead of a plethora of new entries and a bit of a chart clearout, the highest new track enters at 32 for Tears For Fears and Laid So Low, ironically kicking out Feel So High, Des’ree plummeting. That’s chart balance. Michael Bolton gets another decent single shock – Steel Bars new at 33. At 34, teenage Fanclub debut the terrific and under-rated What You Do For Me, as Texas drop in at 37 with Alone With You, one of their less-remembered songs, but me still supporting them as I do now, regardless of how they do chart-wise.

Massive Attack return at 38 with a cover of the 1974 William De Vaughan soul classic, Be Thankful (For What You’ve Got), which itself was inspired by Curtis Mayfield, and Timmy Thomas’ 1972 classic Why Can’t We Live Together, still hanging on in the chart – albeit the 1990 added-Martin-Luther-King-Jr remix that is still unavailable due to copyright issues. Tina Turner has a Love Thing, and 23 years of chart hits, Sounds Of Blackness are looking Optimistic, one of Bryan Adams’ best ballads drops in at 60, Thought I’d Died And Gone To Heaven.

And down the bottom end of the chart, Take That debut with Once You’ve Tasted Love, and I can honestly say I don’t recall charting it so early in their career, but there you go new at 72 ahead of Dream frequency’s Feel So Real, a minor Julia Fordham return at 75 for 4 years of chart action, and as they top my Playlisted non-chart tracks of the week, Michael Jackson’s 2 album tracks that I most rated at 76 and 77, Will You Be There and Heal The World eventually became singles (and big hits) but he’d opted for Remember The Time. Had I allowed album tracks, both of them would be higher than that, likely top 5, this week.

1 ( 15 ) MOVIN’ ON UP Primal Scream # 1
2 ( NEW ) IT MUST BE LOVE Madness # 2
3 ( 1 ) MY HAND OVER YOUR HEART Marc Almond # 1
4 ( 2 ) THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE The Walker Brothers # 1
5 ( NEW ) MY GIRL The Temptations # 5
6 ( 7 ) DIAMANTE Zuchero & Randy Crawford # 5
7 ( 5 ) STAY Shakespear’s Sister # 2
8 ( 3 ) LOVE IS EVERYWHERE Cicero # 3
9 ( 4 ) GOODNIGHT GIRL Wet Wet Wet # 4
10 ( 21 ) BORN OF FRUSTRATION James # 10

11 ( 18 ) THE BIG ONES GET AWAY Buffy Sainte-Marie # 11
12 ( 12 ) I’M DOING FINE NOW The Pasadenas # 12
13 ( 13 ) AMERICA: WHAT TIME IS LOVE? The KLF # 13
14 ( 6 ) JUSTIFIED AND ANCIENT (STAND BY THE JAMM’S) The KLF featuring Tammy Wynette, Maxine Harvey & Ricardo Da Force # 1
15 ( 11 ) WELCOME TO THE CHEAPSEATS The Wonder Stuff featuring Kirsty MacColl # 11
16 ( 8 ) OL’ RED EYES IS BACK The Beautiful South # 4
17 ( 33 ) REMEMBER THE TIME Michael Jackson # 17
18 ( 28 ) CAN YOU HANDLE IT? DNA featuring Sharon redd # 18
19 ( 9 ) GOD GAVE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL TO YOU Kiss # 9
20 ( 23 ) WHEN YOU’RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN Dr. Hook # 20

21 ( 27 ) VISIONS OF YOU Jah Wobble’s Invaders Of The Heart featuring Sinead O’Connor # 21
22 ( 10 ) HIGHWAY 5 ’92 The Blessing # 7
23 ( 35 ) I WONDER WHY Curtis Stigers # 23
24 ( 24 ) FOR YOUR BABIES Simply Red # 24
25 ( 16 ) (CAN YOU) FEEL THE PASSION Blue Pearl # 5
26 ( 14 ) TOO BLIND TO SEE IT Kym Sims # 6
27 ( 20 ) BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY/THESE ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES Queen # 1
28 ( 48 ) I LOVE YOUR SMILE Shanice # 5
29 ( 22 ) GIVE ME JUST A LITTLE MORE TIME Kylie Minogue # 13
30 ( 26 ) WE GOT A LOVE THANG Ce Ce Peniston # 16

31 ( 17 ) HIT The Sugercubes # 17
32 ( NEW ) LAID SO LOW Tears For Fears # 32
33 ( NEW ) STEEL BARS Michael Bolton # 33
34 ( NEW ) WHAT YOU DO TO ME Teenage Fanclub # 34
35 ( 25 ) EVERYBODY MOVE Cathy Dennis # 4
36 ( 36 ) 20th CENTURY BOY T.Rex # 1
37 ( NEW ) ALONE WITH YOU Texas # 37
38 ( NEW ) BE THANKFUL Massive Attack # 38
39 ( 32 ) THOSE WERE THE DAYS Mary Hopkin # 1
40 ( 37 ) METAL GURU T.Rex # 1

41 ( 31 ) SHOW ME THE WAY The Osmond Boys # 23
42 ( NEW ) LOVE THING Tina Turner # 42
43 ( NEW ) OPTIMISTIC Sounds Of Blackness # 43
44 ( 30 ) FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl # 1
45 ( 19 ) CAN’T LET GO Mariah Carey # 19
46 ( 46 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN’ FEELIN’ The Righteous Brothers # 1
47 ( 45 ) BLACK OR WHITE Michael Jackson # 2
48 ( 34 ) STARS Simply Red # 11
49 ( 41 ) SOUND James # 8
50 ( 42 ) SAY IT ABC # 12

51 ( 72 ) TWILIGHT ZONE 2 Unlimited # 51
52 ( 29 ) FEEL SO HIGH Des’Ree # 20
53 ( 40 ) OBSESSION Army Of Lovers # 2
54 ( 54 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles # 1
55 ( 52 ) IF YOU WERE WITH ME NOW Kylie Minogue & Keith Washington # 5
56 ( 56 ) DIAMONDS AND PEARLS Prince # 8
57 ( 53 ) COME AND GET IT Badfinger # 8
58 ( 71 ) I CAN’T DANCE Genesis # 58
59 ( 49 ) WAS IT WORTH IT? Pet Shop Boys # 5
60 ( NEW ) THOUGHT I’D DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN Bryan Adams # 60

61 ( 50 ) ROCKET MAN Kate Bush # 3
62 ( 65 ) I’LL CRY FOR YOU Europe # 62
63 ( 62 ) WHY CAN’T WE LIVE TOGETHER (1990 TK REMIX) Timmy Thomas # 1
64 ( 44 ) HAIL HAIL ROCK ‘N’ ROLL Garland Jeffreys # 44
65 ( 55 ) THAT’S WHAT LOVE IS FOR Amy Grant # 8
66 ( 66 ) LET IT BE The Beatles # 1
67 ( 51 ) MYSTERIOUS WAYS U2 # 20
68 ( 43 ) LOVE YOUR MONEY Daisy Chainsaw # 43
69 ( 67 ) WINTER IN JULY Bomb The Bass # 1
70 ( 70 ) MOIRA JANE’S CAFE Definition Of Sound # 70

71 ( 63 ) THAT’S THE WAY GOD PLANNED IT Billy Preston # 9
72 ( NEW ) ONCE YOU’VE TASTED LOVE Take That # 72
73 ( NEW ) FEEL SO REAL Dream Frequency # 73
74 ( 64 ) DO YOU FEEL LIKE I FEEL Belinda Carlisle # 4
75 ( NEW ) LOVE MOVES (IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS) Julia Fordham # 75
76 ( NEW ) WILL YOU BE THERE? Michael Jackson # 76
77 ( RE ) HEAL THE WORLD Michael Jackson # 76

playlisted tracks
1 WILL YOU BE THERE? Michael Jackson
2 HEAL THE WORLD Michael Jackson
3 SAND Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood
4 ELUSIVE DREAMS Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood
5 I STARTED A JOKE The Bee Gees

16th February 1992

It’s up to the top spot for a belated 4th number one for Madness, 11 years after It Must Be Love peaked a bit lower than 1. Fellow oldie The Boxer also returns to give Simon & Garfunkel a second run in the top 5 23 years after I first charted it, aged 11. Another oldie, from 1991, is also back for another go, Crucified being big in Europe and not in the UK for Army Of Lovers, and top 10 again here. Buffy Sainte-Marie gets her first top 10 since 1971’s Soldier Blue, with her fab The Big Ones Get away.

In a busy week for new entries, Gary Moore’s bluesy Cold Day In Hell is an instant top 40 13 years on from Parisienne Walkways, Martika returns with some Coloured Kisses, and Everything But The Girl join the throng of covers of the 50’s classic Love Is Strange, as they do a pretty good version of Mickey & Sylvia’s still-charming original. Mike + The Mechanics get a second chance, Mike being 8 places behind himself in Genesis sitting at 50, that’s just greedy. Diana Ross has a swift follow-up, ditto Amy Grant, and Naughty By Nature, while English band Pele debut Megalomania.

Inspiral carpets are Dragging Me Down, in a good way, Ronnie Jordan says So What, PM Dawn keep their run running with Reality Used To Be A Friend Of Mine (I think that’s true for all of us these days), and Chic are back for a 3rd decade, with a spot of Chic Mystique over 20 years early for the Nile Rodgers 10’s revival. I like to think I’m ahead of the times, but actually I’m just a lot more faithful to fave old pop stars than the fashion-chasing singles chart is. I don’t care if something or someone is out of fashion with the Sound Of The Moment – even if I’m very into that Sound Of The Moment.

1 ( 2 ) IT MUST BE LOVE Madness # 1
2 ( 1 ) MOVIN’ ON UP Primal Scream # 1
3 ( 7 ) STAY Shakespear’s Sister # 2
4 ( 5 ) MY GIRL The Temptations # 4
5 ( NEW ) THE BOXER Simon & Garfunkel # 5
6 ( 3 ) MY HAND OVER YOUR HEART Marc Almond # 1
7 ( NEW ) CRUCIFIED Army Of Lovers # 7
8 ( 11 ) THE BIG ONES GET AWAY Buffy Sainte-Marie # 8
9 ( 10 ) BORN OF FRUSTRATION James # 9
10 ( 9 ) GOODNIGHT GIRL Wet Wet Wet # 4

11 ( 4 ) THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE The Walker Brothers # 1
12 ( 6 ) DIAMANTE Zuchero & Randy Crawford # 5
13 ( 13 ) AMERICA: WHAT TIME IS LOVE? The KLF # 13
14 ( 17 ) REMEMBER THE TIME Michael Jackson # 14
15 ( 8 ) LOVE IS EVERYWHERE Cicero # 3
16 ( 28 ) I LOVE YOUR SMILE Shanice # 5
17 ( 16 ) OL’ RED EYES IS BACK The Beautiful South # 4
18 ( 15 ) WELCOME TO THE CHEAPSEATS The Wonder Stuff featuring Kirsty MacColl # 11
19 ( 23 ) I WONDER WHY Curtis Stigers # 19
20 ( 14 ) JUSTIFIED AND ANCIENT (STAND BY THE JAMM’S) The KLF featuring Tammy Wynette, Maxine Harvey & Ricardo Da Force # 1

21 ( 12 ) I’M DOING FINE NOW The Pasadenas # 12
22 ( 18 ) CAN YOU HANDLE IT? DNA featuring Sharon redd # 18
23 ( 32 ) LAID SO LOW Tears For Fears # 23
24 ( 62 ) I’LL CRY FOR YOU Europe # 24
25 ( 19 ) GOD GAVE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL TO YOU Kiss # 9
26 ( 21 ) VISIONS OF YOU Jah Wobble’s Invaders Of The Heart featuring Sinead O’Connor # 21
27 ( 64 ) HAIL HAIL ROCK ‘N’ ROLL Garland Jeffreys # 27
28 ( 43 ) OPTIMISTIC Sounds Of Blackness # 28
29 ( 38 ) BE THANKFUL Massive Attack # 29
30 ( 37 ) ALONE WITH YOU Texas # 30

31 ( 24 ) FOR YOUR BABIES Simply Red # 24
32 ( 33 ) STEEL BARS Michael Bolton # 32
33 ( 25 ) (CAN YOU) FEEL THE PASSION Blue Pearl # 5
34 ( 60 ) THOUGHT I’D DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN Bryan Adams # 34
35 ( 22 ) HIGHWAY 5 ’92 The Blessing # 7
36 ( NEW ) COLD DAY IN HELL Gary Moore # 36
37 ( 27 ) BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY/THESE ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES Queen # 1
38 ( 40 ) METAL GURU T.Rex # 1
39 ( 36 ) 20th CENTURY BOY T.Rex # 1
40 ( 42 ) LOVE THING Tina Turner # 40

41 ( 26 ) TOO BLIND TO SEE IT Kym Sims # 6
42 ( 20 ) WHEN YOU’RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN Dr. Hook # 20
43 ( 39 ) THOSE WERE THE DAYS Mary Hopkin # 1
44 ( NEW ) COLOURED KISSES Martika # 44
45 ( 51 ) TWILIGHT ZONE 2 Unlimited # 45
46 ( 34 ) WHAT YOU DO TO ME Teenage Fanclub # 34
47 ( 46 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN’ FEELIN’ The Righteous Brothers # 35
48 ( NEW ) LOVE IS STRANGE Everything But The Girl # 48
49 ( 47 ) BLACK OR WHITE Michael Jackson # 2
50 ( 58 ) I CAN’T DANCE Genesis # 50

51 ( 44 ) FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl # 1
52 ( 72 ) ONCE YOU’VE TASTED LOVE Take That # 52
53 ( 30 ) WE GOT A LOVE THANG Ce Ce Peniston # 16
54 ( 29 ) GIVE ME JUST A LITTLE MORE TIME Kylie Minogue # 13
55 ( 54 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles # 43
56 ( 35 ) EVERYBODY MOVE Cathy Dennis # 4
57 ( 49 ) SOUND James # 8
58 ( NEW ) EVERYBODY GETS A SECOND CHANCE Mike + The Mechanics # 58
59 ( NEW ) THE FORCE BEHIND THE POWER Diana Ross # 59
60 ( 70 ) MOIRA JANE’S CAFE Definition Of Sound # 60

61 ( NEW ) MEGALOMANIA Pele # 61
62 ( 57 ) COME AND GET IT Badfinger # 8
63 ( NEW ) EVERYTHING’S GONNA BE ALRIGHT Naughty By Nature # 63
64 ( 63 ) WHY CAN’T WE LIVE TOGETHER (1990 TK REMIX) Timmy Thomas # 52
65 ( 31 ) HIT The Sugercubes # 17
66 ( NEW ) GOOD FOR ME Amy Grant # 66
67 ( 66 ) LET IT BE The Beatles # 62
68 ( 55 ) IF YOU WERE WITH ME NOW Kylie Minogue & Keith Washington # 5
69 ( 75 ) LOVE MOVES (IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS) Julia Fordham # 69
70 ( 69 ) WINTER IN JULY Bomb The Bass # 1

71 ( NEW ) DRAGGING ME DOWN Inspiral Carpets # 71
72 ( 48 ) STARS Simply Red # 11
73 ( NEW ) CHIC MYSTIQUE Chic # 73
74 ( NEW ) SO WHAT Ronnie Jordan # 74
75 ( NEW ) REALITY USED TO BE A FRIEND OF MINE PM Dawn # 75

Playlist oldies
1 GREATEST HITS Nancy Sinatra
2 GREATEST HITS Cilla Black
3 CHRONICLE Creedence Clearwater Revival

23rd February 1992

It’s yet another oldie on top as the CD-single reactivated The Boxer tops my chart 23 years late for Simon & Garfunkel, a song I know every single word to. If only I could sing in tune. The KLF climb 10 and threaten a 4th chart-topper in a row with the What Time Is Love revamp that I prefer to the original hit version. Buffy Sainte-Marie gets a top 5 for the first time in 21 years, when Soldier Blue did the trick. Gary Moore climbs into the top 10 with a Cold Day In Hell as Blues undergoes a 90’s revival, and Jacko sneaks a top 10 with Remember The Time under-performing by usual MJ standards.

Highest new entry is Julian Cope, 11 years on from Reward peaking at 2 for Teardrop Explodes, as he sings Lover times 3. At 34, ex-Spandau Tony Hadley has a solo entry for Lost In Your Love, and Tone is into his 12th year of charting. Rozalla flies back with another dance anthem, U2 drop an absolute classic ballad anthem in One, and Crowded House enter with their most-famous song Weather With You, the former also 11 years into the hits, the latter 12 years including Split Enz.

That leaves The Troggs unexpectedly staging an album comeback Athens Andover, and single entry at 70 with Don’t You Know, actually their debut in my charts as their career predated my charting years. The album title refers to Andover, Reg Presley’s UFO-cornfield-chasing home in the UK, and Athens Georgia where they recorded the album along with some local fans, REM, cough. River City People return, and Opus III insist it’s a fine day.

1 ( 5 ) THE BOXER Simon & Garfunkel # 1
2 ( 4 ) MY GIRL The Temptations # 2
3 ( 13 ) AMERICA: WHAT TIME IS LOVE? The KLF # 3
4 ( 2 ) MOVIN’ ON UP Primal Scream # 1
5 ( 8 ) THE BIG ONES GET AWAY Buffy Sainte-Marie # 5
6 ( 1 ) IT MUST BE LOVE Madness # 1
7 ( 3 ) STAY Shakespear’s Sister # 2
8 ( 36 ) COLD DAY IN HELL Gary Moore # 8
9 ( 7 ) CRUCIFIED Army Of Lovers # 7
10 ( 14 ) REMEMBER THE TIME Michael Jackson # 10

11 ( 6 ) MY HAND OVER YOUR HEART Marc Almond # 1
12 ( 9 ) BORN OF FRUSTRATION James # 9
13 ( 27 ) HAIL HAIL ROCK ‘N’ ROLL Garland Jeffreys # 13
14 ( 16 ) I LOVE YOUR SMILE Shanice # 5
15 ( 11 ) THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE The Walker Brothers # 1
16 ( 15 ) LOVE IS EVERYWHERE Cicero # 3
17 ( 10 ) GOODNIGHT GIRL Wet Wet Wet # 4
18 ( 12 ) DIAMANTE Zuchero & Randy Crawford # 5
19 ( 23 ) LAID SO LOW (TEARS ROLL DOWN) Tears For Fears # 19
20 ( 46 ) WHAT YOU DO TO ME Teenage Fanclub # 20

21 ( NEW ) LOVER LOVER LOVER Ian McCulloch # 21
22 ( 28 ) OPTIMISTIC Sounds Of Blackness # 22
23 ( 44 ) COLOURED KISSES Martika # 23
24 ( 32 ) STEEL BARS Michael Bolton # 24
25 ( 19 ) I WONDER WHY Curtis Stigers # 19
26 ( 20 ) JUSTIFIED AND ANCIENT (STAND BY THE JAMM’S) The KLF featuring Tammy Wynette, Maxine Harvey & Ricardo Da Force # 1
27 ( 17 ) OL’ RED EYES IS BACK The Beautiful South # 4
28 ( 18 ) WELCOME TO THE CHEAPSEATS The Wonder Stuff featuring Kirsty MacColl # 11
29 ( 29 ) BE THANKFUL Massive Attack # 29
30 ( 45 ) TWILIGHT ZONE 2 Unlimited # 30

31 ( 31 ) FOR YOUR BABIES Simply Red # 24
32 ( 34 ) THOUGHT I’D DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN Bryan Adams # 32
33 ( 26 ) VISIONS OF YOU Jah Wobble’s Invaders Of The Heart featuring Sinead O’Connor # 21
34 ( NEW ) LOST IN YOUR LOVE Tony Hadley # 34
35 ( 48 ) LOVE IS STRANGE Everything But The Girl # 35
36 ( 73 ) CHIC MYSTIQUE Chic # 36
37 ( 71 ) DRAGGING ME DOWN Inspiral Carpets # 37
38 ( 59 ) THE FORCE BEHIND THE POWER Diana Ross # 38
39 ( 39 ) 20th CENTURY BOY T.Rex # 1
40 ( 38 ) METAL GURU T.Rex # 1

41 ( 21 ) I’M DOING FINE NOW The Pasadenas # 12
42 ( 24 ) I’LL CRY FOR YOU Europe # 24
43 ( 22 ) CAN YOU HANDLE IT? DNA featuring Sharon redd # 18
44 ( 25 ) GOD GAVE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL TO YOU Kiss # 9
45 ( NEW ) ARE YOU READY TO FLY Rozalla # 45
46 ( 43 ) THOSE WERE THE DAYS Mary Hopkin # 1
47 ( 37 ) BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY/THESE ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES Queen # 1
48 ( 47 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN’ FEELIN’ The Righteous Brothers # 1
49 ( 66 ) GOOD FOR ME Amy Grant # 49
50 ( 33 ) (CAN YOU) FEEL THE PASSION Blue Pearl # 5

51 ( 35 ) HIGHWAY 5 ’92 The Blessing # 7
52 ( NEW ) ONE U2 # 52
53 ( 49 ) BLACK OR WHITE Michael Jackson # 2
54 ( 54 ) GIVE ME JUST A LITTLE MORE TIME Kylie Minogue # 13
55 ( 75 ) REALITY USED TO BE A FRIEND OF MINE PM Dawn # 55
56 ( 55 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles # 1
57 ( 51 ) FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl # 1
58 ( 58 ) EVERYBODY GETS A SECOND CHANCE Mike + The Mechanics # 58
59 ( NEW ) WEATHER WITH YOU Crowded House # 59
60 ( 61 ) MEGALOMANIA Pele # 60

61 ( 41 ) TOO BLIND TO SEE IT Kym Sims # 6
62 ( 69 ) LOVE MOVES (IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS) Julia Fordham # 62
63 ( 63 ) EVERYTHING’S GONNA BE ALRIGHT Naughty By Nature # 63
64 ( 64 ) WHY CAN’T WE LIVE TOGETHER (1990 TK REMIX) Timmy Thomas # 1
65 ( 30 ) ALONE WITH YOU Texas # 30
66 ( 62 ) COME AND GET IT Badfinger # 8
67 ( 67 ) LET IT BE The Beatles # 1
68 ( 57 ) SOUND James # 8
69 ( 50 ) I CAN’T DANCE Genesis # 50
70 ( NEW ) DON’T YOU KNOW The Troggs # 70

71 ( 70 ) WINTER IN JULY Bomb The Bass # 1
72 ( 40 ) LOVE THING Tina Turner # 40
73 ( NEW ) STANDING IN THE NEED OF LOVE River City People # 73
74 ( NEW ) IT’S A FINE DAY Opus III # 74
75 ( 68 ) IF YOU WERE WITH ME NOW Kylie Minogue & Keith Washington # 5

Playlist that week
1 EAGLE Abba
2 WHAT HAVE I DONE (TO DESERVE THIS) Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield
3 ELUSIVE DREAMS Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood

Mis-Heard Lyrics To Songs

The first in an occasional series. We all know this phenomenon – you listen to a song, you sing along, and you get the words wrong…

This was one from 50 years ago and I’ve been hearing the lyrics this way since 1974 – I swear the late great Karen Carpenter is singing different words to Jamabalaya as Hank Williams wrote it:

I mean granted a lot of the lyrics are obscure but in the chorus she 100% sings “son of a gun we’ll have a big fart on the bayou”. Just listen to the video above and see I’m right! 🙂

My February 2024 Charts

4th February 2024

It’s a second week on top for Nero, holding off a lot of great competition in a great top 10, all new bar Blessed Madonna about a year old, and Sheryl Crow 26 years old. Justin Timberlake gets his first top 10 in well over 5 years, and biggest climber is Pet Shop Boys up to 14 with Radio 2-playlisted Loneliness. Highest new entry is the new Billy Joel single, Turn The Lights Back On as it’s as if he’s never been away, voice, piano and classical-influenced quality all intact, yet incredibly it’s been 30 years since he last did anything seriously pop music. That’s 10 years longer away than his prior 20-year career! Amazing. So his chart span climbs in one fell swoop from 19 years to 49 years!

Shaznay Lewis has a second new track enter at 61, Kiss Of Life is very All Saints as well as the higher-placed Miracle. Sgt Slick removes all of the Beatles and Abba songs from the 1981 dance cover mash-ups, and just goes with the start and fade-out original song bits, and it sounds better than the original records, which got a bit annoying after a while. Beverley Knight grabs a 4th track off her album.

Glen Campbell’s final album is having the duets treatment with a host of stars. The alzheimers-based touching goodbye still works, and there are 2 tracks available at present with the best songs held back for full release, so they get an early debut, one of them with Eric Clapton – which makes it 52 years of charting for Eric since Layla debuted. Glen doesn’t count as they are the original voice recordings from the 2010’s, but it keeps him around which is great. Finally, a Frank Sinatra film theme covered in 1968 that I didn’t know debuts for Engelbert Humperdinck: turns out it was on radio 2 last week, after someone was trying to find out the name and artist of the much-sampled lush chill-out instrumental Slip Into Something More Comfortable by Kinobe, which borrows the intro.

1 1 1 2 BLAME YOU – Nero featuring Alana Watson 340000
2 2 2 2 SPITFIRE – WE ARE ONE 230000
3 4 3 2 OH NO :: HE SAID WHAT? – Nothing but Thieves 150000
4 5 4 3 BURNING IN FLAMES – Kaiser Chiefs 146000
5 7 5 6 SHADES OF LOVE – The Blessed Madonna featuring The Joy 244200
6 6 6 4 BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys 168000
7 10 7 3 ALL NIGHT LONG – Kungs, David Guetta & Izzy Bizu 102200
8 8 8 3 AM I GETTING THROUGH PARTS 1 & 2 – Sheryl Crow 116000
9 9 9 3 NO STRINGS – X Ambassadors 101250
10 20 10 3 SELFISH – Justin Timberlake 67200

11 3 1 10 IMMORTAL – Lufthaus featuring Sophie Ellis-Bextor & Robbie Williams 1042850
12 12 12 2 SHAPE OF ME – Rita Ora featuring Keith Urban 70000
13 17 13 4 LOSE CONTROL – Teddy Swims 84200
14 60 14 2 LONELINESS – Pet Shop Boys 39000
15 16 15 5 SEND IN THE CLOWNS – Glynis Johns 104800
16 11 11 10 PRADA – Casso, D-Block Europe and RAYE 177600
17 31 17 3 SUPERNOVA – Bananarama 57900
18 13 1 11 SEBASTIAN – Cockney Rebel 1109000
19 28 19 3 CAN’T GET ENOUGH – Jennifer Lopez 52300
20 36 20 3 THE ANSWER – Johnny Marr 44600

21 15 1 12 GOOD AT BREAKING HEARTS – Jungle featuring JNR Williams & 33.3 856750
22 26 22 4 YES, AND? – Ariana Grande 55300
23 14 4 11 BAD WOMAN – Paloma Faith 434950
24 19 6 13 HOUDINI – Dua Lipa 378400
25 18 7 10 WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? – MisterWives 336250
26 33 26 4 A LITTLE MORE LOST – Georgia Ku 73600
27 35 27 6 NO CALIFORNIA – Ilsey 102100
28 30 28 12 MICHELLE – The Beatles 138450
29 NEW 29 1 TURN THE LIGHTS BACK ON – Billy Joel 18200
30 37 30 6 I REMEMBER EVERYTHING – Zach Bryan featuring Kacey Musgrave 78500

31 21 10 9 JAMCOD – The Jesus And Mary Chain 225050
32 23 1 20 HOLD ON TO NOW – Kylie Minogue 1007850
33 22 10 8 STUMBLIN’ IN – CYRIL featuring Suzi Quatro & Chris Norman 184700
34 48 34 3 NEVER BE ALONE – Becky Hill & Sonny Fodera 36900
35 45 35 4 MIRACLE – Shaznay Lewis 42500
36 39 36 2 LIL BOO THANG – Paul Russell 34500
37 25 25 10 LOVE ME/HATE ME – Mari Bella 126150
38 24 2 17 STORY – Kylie Minogue 823100
39 47 39 4 DEEP IN YOUR LOVE – Alok & Bebe Rexha 43500
40 40 40 4 LIFELINE – Alicia Keys 49800

41 41 41 12 HEY BULLDOG – The Beatles 131950
42 51 42 3 HIGH – Bryn Christopher 35600
43 66 43 3 NIGHTFLIGHT TO VENUS – Boney M 24500
44 29 13 9 ONE ON ONE – The Knocks & SOFI TUKKER 160800
45 50 45 4 ALIBI – Ella Henderson featuring Rudimental 39600
46 34 4 14 LOOK AT YOU NOW – Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 521750
47 27 2 5 TROUBLE – Lindsey Buckingham 375900
48 54 48 3 THE OTHERSIDE – Ross Quinn 33300
49 59 49 4 LOVE HURT REPEAT – Alle Farben & Lewis Thompson featuring Mae Muller 35200
50 74 50 2 CREEPING ON THE DANCEFLOOR – The Zutons 17200

51 32 15 7 DEAR JESSIE – Madonna 104850
52 61 52 5 NATURAL MAGICK – Kula Shaker 36600
53 38 4 17 AEIOU – PNAU & Empire Of The Sun 510250
54 75 54 2 LOVER’S LEAP – Elbow 16000
55 62 55 4 WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT – Dizzee Rascal featuring Jme & Double E 28800
56 63 56 3 GOTTA GO HOME – Boney M 22800
57 44 4 18 VERUSCHKA – Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 506350
58 56 1 22 SOMETHING ON MY MIND – Purple Disco Machine x Duke Dumont x Nothing But Thieves 988550
59 55 1 15 NOW AND THEN – The Beatles 932350
60 70 60 2 STICK SEASON – Noah Kahan 16000

61 NEW 61 1 KISS OF LIFE – Shaznay Lewis 7500
62 68 62 5 FARAWAY – Cast 32200
63 72 63 4 YOU WANT MY – Bright Light Bright Light 24000
64 69 64 3 WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO MY SONG MA – Melanie 19300
65 NEW 65 1 STARS ON 45 THEME – Sgt Slick featuring Starsound 7000
66 NEW 66 1 NOT PREPARED FOR YOU – Beverley Knight 6800
67 79 67 2 RENT – Pet Shop Boys 10800
68 73 68 2 BEAT OF YOUR HEART – Purple Disco Machine & ASDIS 11800
69 80 69 2 DICK AROUND – Sparks 10200
70 NEW 70 1 HOLD ON HOPE – Glen Campbell & Eric Church 6000

71 76 71 3 RUBY TUESDAY – Melanie 15000
72 NEW 72 1 CLARITY – 24kGoldn 5600
73 NEW 73 1 NOTHING BUT THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD – Glen Campbell & Eric Clapton 5400
74 NEW 74 1 FROM HERE TO ETERNITY – Engelbert Humperdinck 5200
75 78 75 3 PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE – The Shangri-Las 13400

DROP OUTS
42 1 9 GO NOW – The Moody Blues 601750
43 32 8 THE DAY BEFORE YOU CAME – ABBA 131900
46 14 10 ANGELS CRY TOO – Lucia & The Best Boys 158300
49 36 11 THIS BOY – The Beatles 137000
52 25 9 WORTH IT – RAYE 118200
53 7 15 DOPAMINE – Mehro 352950
57 4 13 SAVOUR THE MIRACLE OF LIFE – Dario G 400200
58 7 13 ALREADY KNOW – Gustaph 343250
64 42 5 STRONG ENOUGH – Jonas Brothers featuring Bailey Zimmerman 50900
65 17 13 WE’RE GONNA GET THERE IN THE END – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 184700
67 54 5 SPIRIT – The Killers 45200
71 71 2 RASPUTIN (667950) – Boney M 11600
77 14 14 HASS HASS – Diljit Dosanjh X SIA 253350

11th February 2024

It’s a 4th number one for Kaiser Chiefs, Burning In Flames following on from 2005’s Oh My God and I Predict A Riot, and 2007’s Everything Is Average Nowadays, it’s only taken another 17 years to grab a 4th. Meanwhile, the late Glen Campbell, and the current Eric Church rocket up 67 spots to 3 with Hold On Hope, a song for our times originally recorded by Glen mid-Alzheimers in 2011. That’s Glen’s first top 10 since a bunch of posthumous oldies did it in 2017, extends his chart run of top 10’s to 55 years since I first charted the eternal Wichita Lineman, and his 24th in total.

Shaznay gets a new top 40 as one drops out, Sgt Slick gets a 2nd top 40, Starsound a 4th, and the highest new entry is an Aussie collab between Sia and Kylie, Dance Alone at 50, Sia’s on 22 years of charting and Kylie’s on 36 years. Featuring in a new TV advert and the sales chart, The Chi-Lites classic 1971 track Have You Seen Her is back for a 3rd chart run, hitting 4 in 1972 and the top 10 in 1975, while more 70’s soul enter for The Detroit Spinners following the death of the last-surviving member Henry Famborough – I’ll Be Around debuts for the first time, having only charted previously in cover versions, while Could It Be I’m Falling In Love charted in 1973 and 1977.

Paul Young returns to the chart, older and huskier on When The Stars Go Blue, and it really has been 30 years since he last charted, for a chart span of 46 years, while Gabrielle is back again after a modest gap of 3 years, and a 31-year span of chart hits. Above & Beyond also return after a bit of a gap – 7 years – for their 5th chart hit, alongside Zoe Johnston who last charted with them in 2015. Conan Gray is on entry number 2, Tracey Chapman’s 1988 anthem Fast car is back again following her Grammys performance, and finally Crowded House return with their first new material to make my charts since 2015, 37 years on from debuting with chart-topper Don’t Dream It’s Over (a song Paul Young covered) or if we are being picky, the Finn Brothers really debuted 44 years ago with the magnificent Split-Enz song I Got You.

1 4 1 4 BURNING IN FLAMES – Kaiser Chiefs 316000
2 1 1 3 BLAME YOU – Nero featuring Alana Watson 455000
3 70 3 2 HOLD ON HOPE – Glen Campbell & Eric Church 91000
4 3 3 3 OH NO :: HE SAID WHAT? – Nothing but Thieves 215000
5 2 2 3 SPITFIRE – WE ARE ONE 290000
6 5 5 7 SHADES OF LOVE – The Blessed Madonna featuring The Joy 299200
7 7 7 4 ALL NIGHT LONG – Kungs, David Guetta & Izzy Bizu 152200
8 10 8 4 SELFISH – Justin Timberlake 115200
9 6 6 5 BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys 213000
10 14 10 3 LONELINESS – Pet Shop Boys 81000

11 8 8 4 AM I GETTING THROUGH PARTS 1 & 2 – Sheryl Crow 153000
12 13 12 5 LOSE CONTROL – Teddy Swims 119200
13 9 9 4 NO STRINGS – X Ambassadors 133250
14 34 14 4 NEVER BE ALONE – Becky Hill & Sonny Fodera 65900
15 15 15 6 SEND IN THE CLOWNS – Glynis Johns 131800
16 12 12 3 SHAPE OF ME – Rita Ora featuring Keith Urban 95000
17 17 17 4 SUPERNOVA – Bananarama 80900
18 20 18 4 THE ANSWER – Johnny Marr 66600
19 19 19 4 CAN’T GET ENOUGH – Jennifer Lopez 73300
20 29 20 2 TURN THE LIGHTS BACK ON – Billy Joel 38200

21 11 1 11 IMMORTAL – Lufthaus featuring Sophie Ellis-Bextor & Robbie Williams 1062600
22 22 22 5 YES, AND? – Ariana Grande 74800
23 18 1 12 SEBASTIAN – Cockney Rebel 1128250
24 26 24 5 A LITTLE MORE LOST – Georgia Ku 92600
25 21 1 13 GOOD AT BREAKING HEARTS – Jungle featuring JNR Williams & 33.3 875500
26 28 26 13 MICHELLE – The Beatles 156950
27 61 27 2 KISS OF LIFE – Shaznay Lewis 25900
28 39 28 5 DEEP IN YOUR LOVE – Alok & Bebe Rexha 61800
29 65 29 2 STARS ON 45 THEME – Sgt Slick featuring Starsound 25200
30 42 30 4 HIGH – Bryn Christopher 53600

31 16 11 11 PRADA – Casso, D-Block Europe and RAYE 195500
32 27 27 7 NO CALIFORNIA – Ilsey 119900
33 36 33 3 LIL BOO THANG – Paul Russell 52200
34 24 6 14 HOUDINI – Dua Lipa 396000
35 23 4 12 BAD WOMAN – Paloma Faith 452450
36 32 1 21 HOLD ON TO NOW – Kylie Minogue 1025250
37 49 37 5 LOVE HURT REPEAT – Alle Farben & Lewis Thompson featuring Mae Muller 52500
38 43 38 4 NIGHTFLIGHT TO VENUS – Boney M 41700
39 31 10 10 JAMCOD – The Jesus And Mary Chain 242150
40 41 40 13 HEY BULLDOG – The Beatles 148950

41 30 30 7 I REMEMBER EVERYTHING – Zach Bryan featuring Kacey Musgrave 92500
42 45 42 5 ALIBI – Ella Henderson featuring Rudimental 53350
43 35 35 5 MIRACLE – Shaznay Lewis 56000
44 48 44 4 THE OTHERSIDE – Ross Quinn 46550
45 25 7 11 WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? – MisterWives 349250
46 68 46 3 BEAT OF YOUR HEART – Purple Disco Machine & ASDIS 24550
47 50 47 3 CREEPING ON THE DANCEFLOOR – The Zutons 29700
48 33 10 9 STUMBLIN’ IN – CYRIL featuring Suzi Quatro & Chris Norman 197000
49 38 2 18 STORY – Kylie Minogue 835200
50 NEW 50 1 DANCE ALONE – Sia & Kylie Minogue featuring Chaka Khan 12000

51 40 40 5 LIFELINE – Alicia Keys 61550
52 52 52 6 NATURAL MAGICK – Kula Shaker 48100
53 37 25 11 LOVE ME/HATE ME – Mari Bella 137400
54 54 54 3 LOVER’S LEAP – Elbow 27000
55 55 55 5 WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT – Dizzee Rascal featuring Jme & Double E 39600
56 56 56 4 GOTTA GO HOME – Boney M 33400
57 44 13 10 ONE ON ONE – The Knocks & SOFI TUKKER 171200
58 60 58 3 STICK SEASON – Noah Kahan 26200
59 62 59 6 FARAWAY – Cast 42300
60 63 60 5 YOU WANT MY – Bright Light Bright Light 34000

61 64 61 4 WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO MY SONG MA – Melanie 26800
62 46 4 15 LOOK AT YOU NOW – Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 529150
63 66 63 2 NOT PREPARED FOR YOU – Beverley Knight 14000
64 58 1 23 SOMETHING ON MY MIND – Purple Disco Machine x Duke Dumont x Nothing But Thieves 995650
65 67 65 3 RENT – Pet Shop Boys 17800
66 72 66 2 CLARITY – 24kGoldn 12400
67 59 1 16 NOW AND THEN – The Beatles 938950
68 71 68 4 RUBY TUESDAY – Melanie 21400
69 69 69 3 DICK AROUND – Sparks 16400
70 74 70 2 FROM HERE TO ETERNITY – Engelbert Humperdinck 11200

71 73 71 2 NOTHING BUT THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD – Glen Campbell & Eric Clapton 11200
72 NEW 72 1 HAVE YOU SEEN HER – The Chi-Lites 5600
73 NEW 73 1 WHEN THE STARS GO BLUE – Paul Young 5400
74 NEW 74 1 A PLACE IN YOUR HEART – Gabrielle 5200
75 NEW 75 1 I’LL BE AROUND – The Detroit Spinners 5000
76 NEW 76 1 CRAZY LOVE – Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 4800
77 NEW 77 1 LONELY DANCERS – Conan Gray 4600
78 NEW 78 1 COULD IT BE I’M FALLING IN LOVE – The Detroit Spinners 4400
79 NEW 79 1 OH HI – Crowded House 4200
80 NEW 80 1 FAST CAR – Tracey Chapman 4000

DROP OUTS
47 2 5 TROUBLE – Lindsey Buckingham 375900
51 15 7 DEAR JESSIE – Madonna 104850
53 4 17 AEIOU – PNAU & Empire Of The Sun 510250
57 4 18 VERUSCHKA – Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 506350
75 75 3 PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE – The Shangri-Las 13400

18th February 2024

It’s a touching posthumous chart-topper for Glen Campbell on his duet with Eric Church, Hold On Hope, a song that remains as relevant as it was in 2011 on Glen’s Ghost On The Canvas album, but this version is even better and not only charts for the first time, it becomes Glen’s 14th number one 53 and a half years after his first, comfortably grabbing the second spot behind The Beatles’ 55-year span – both of them doing it with old material newly reinvented. Glen had 3 number ones in the 70’s, 4 tracks from the late 60’s charting over the last 25 years, and new stuff on top in the 00’s (3), 10’s (3) and now in the 20’s. The only decade he missed was the 80’s, so that’s 4 consecutive decades plus the 70’s for 5 in total. Previous chart-topper There’s No Me…Without You is also now back at 28 in a new duet version with Carole King.

Eric Church, OTOH, has his first chart-topper and chart entry – his albums career is nearly 20 years long, and the country singers terrific vocals and harmonies are a major part of the success of the new version of Hold On Hope. Carole King, meanwhile, hasn’t charted in 23 years with new material and is yet to top my chart in 53 years of chart span – though my first love, It Might As Well rain Till September would have done it in hypothetical 1963 charts, and still may do as an oldie. She’s written loads of number ones though.

Glynis John may have died at 100, but her 51-year-old Send In The Clowns sounds as fabulous as ever in the top 5, joining fellow 1972/3 tracks from The Chi-Lites, The Detroit Spinners and Cockney Rebel. Highest new entry is dance track Carry You, Martin Garrix new at 18 on his biggest track in the 11 years since Animals hit the top spot. Fellow collabs on the track all debut, sounding not entirely unlike Lana Del Ray’s Summertime Sadness at times.

Dua Lipa’s new Tame Impala-produced Training Season is in at 26, Paloma faith gets a banging album cut, Let It Ride, making the 3rd off the new CD to chart, James also debut with Is This Love, extending their chart run to 33 years, Stephen Sanchez follows up his number one with a 3rd track, High, and The Dandy Warhols get a Slash assist on rock track I’d Like To Help You With Your Problem, the dandy’s first new track in 19 years to chart, 23 years since Bohemian Like You topped my chart and 26 years since they debuted. Slash charted with Ozzy Osbourne and Elton John in 2020, so it’s his 2nd credit, but of course he was busy in the 80’s and 90’s with Guns’n’Roses, including chart-topper Sweet Child O’Mine and guests spots with Michael Jackson and others.

That leaves a surprise new entry from Beyonce going Country, didn’t see that coming at any part of her 26-year career and 2 chart-toppers, while Taylor Swift is back with one from the vaults and still no chart-topper in over 16 years.

1 3 1 3 HOLD ON HOPE – Glen Campbell & Eric Church 261000
2 1 1 5 BURNING IN FLAMES – Kaiser Chiefs 431000
3 2 1 4 BLAME YOU – Nero featuring Alana Watson 540000
4 4 3 4 OH NO :: HE SAID WHAT? – Nothing but Thieves 280000
5 15 5 7 SEND IN THE CLOWNS – Glynis Johns 191800
6 7 6 5 ALL NIGHT LONG – Kungs, David Guetta & Izzy Bizu 207200
7 8 7 5 SELFISH – Justin Timberlake 165200
8 5 2 4 SPITFIRE – WE ARE ONE 338000
9 10 9 4 LONELINESS – Pet Shop Boys 126000
10 14 10 5 NEVER BE ALONE – Becky Hill & Sonny Fodera 107900

11 6 5 8 SHADES OF LOVE – The Blessed Madonna featuring The Joy 336200
12 12 12 6 LOSE CONTROL – Teddy Swims 154200
13 9 6 6 BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys 245000
14 20 14 3 TURN THE LIGHTS BACK ON – Billy Joel 67200
15 17 15 5 SUPERNOVA – Bananarama 107900
16 18 16 5 THE ANSWER – Johnny Marr 91600
17 27 17 3 KISS OF LIFE – Shaznay Lewis 48900
18 NEW 18 1 CARRY YOU – Martin Garrix, Third=Party & Oaks featuring Declan J Donovan 22000
19 13 9 5 NO STRINGS – X Ambassadors 154250
20 11 8 5 AM I GETTING THROUGH PARTS 1 & 2 – Sheryl Crow 173000

21 19 19 5 CAN’T GET ENOUGH – Jennifer Lopez 93050
22 26 22 14 MICHELLE – The Beatles 176450
23 28 23 6 DEEP IN YOUR LOVE – Alok & Bebe Rexha 81050
24 29 24 3 STARS ON 45 THEME – Sgt Slick featuring Starsound 44200
25 16 12 4 SHAPE OF ME – Rita Ora featuring Keith Urban 113750
26 NEW 26 1 TRAINING SEASON – Dua Lipa 18500
27 21 1 12 IMMORTAL – Lufthaus featuring Sophie Ellis-Bextor & Robbie Williams 1081000
28 NEW 28 1 THERE’S NO ME…WITHOUT YOU – Glen Campbell & Carole King 18300
29 24 24 6 A LITTLE MORE LOST – Georgia Ku 110800
30 NEW 30 1 LET IT RIDE – Paloma Faith 18000

31 22 22 6 YES, AND? – Ariana Grande 92700
32 76 32 2 CRAZY LOVE – Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 22600
33 23 1 13 SEBASTIAN – Cockney Rebel 1145950
34 38 34 5 NIGHTFLIGHT TO VENUS – Boney M 59300
35 25 1 14 GOOD AT BREAKING HEARTS – Jungle featuring JNR Williams & 33.3 893000
36 30 30 5 HIGH – Bryn Christopher 71000
37 40 37 14 HEY BULLDOG – The Beatles 166250
38 50 38 2 DANCE ALONE – Sia & Kylie Minogue 29200
39 33 33 4 LIL BOO THANG – Paul Russell 69300
40 77 40 2 LONELY DANCERS – Conan Gray 21600

41 66 41 3 CLARITY – 24kGoldn 26400
42 37 37 6 LOVE HURT REPEAT – Alle Farben & Lewis Thompson featuring Mae Muller 66250
43 31 11 12 PRADA – Casso, D-Block Europe and RAYE 209000
44 44 44 5 THE OTHERSIDE – Ross Quinn 59800
45 46 45 4 BEAT OF YOUR HEART – Purple Disco Machine & ASDIS 37550
46 32 27 8 NO CALIFORNIA – Ilsey 132650
47 47 47 4 CREEPING ON THE DANCEFLOOR – The Zutons 42200
48 54 48 4 LOVER’S LEAP – Elbow 39300
49 36 1 22 HOLD ON TO NOW – Kylie Minogue 1037350
50 34 6 15 HOUDINI – Dua Lipa 408000

51 39 10 11 JAMCOD – The Jesus And Mary Chain 253900
52 42 42 6 ALIBI – Ella Henderson featuring Rudimental 64850
53 56 53 5 GOTTA GO HOME – Boney M 44650
54 43 35 6 MIRACLE – Shaznay Lewis 67000
55 41 30 8 I REMEMBER EVERYTHING – Zach Bryan featuring Kacey Musgrave 103300
56 35 4 13 BAD WOMAN – Paloma Faith 463050
57 61 57 5 WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO MY SONG MA – Melanie 37200
58 58 58 4 STICK SEASON – Noah Kahan 36400
59 79 59 2 OH HI – Crowded House 14300
60 49 2 19 STORY – Kylie Minogue 845200

61 52 52 7 NATURAL MAGICK – Kula Shaker 55600
62 72 62 2 HAVE YOU SEEN HER – The Chi-Lites 13000
63 63 63 3 NOT PREPARED FOR YOU – Beverley Knight 21200
64 65 64 4 RENT – Pet Shop Boys 24900
65 60 60 6 YOU WANT MY – Bright Light Bright Light 41000
66 75 66 2 I’LL BE AROUND – The Detroit Spinners 11800
67 59 59 7 FARAWAY – Cast 48900
68 NEW 68 1 IS THIS LOVE? – James 6400
69 70 69 3 FROM HERE TO ETERNITY – Engelbert Humperdinck 17400
70 74 70 2 A PLACE IN YOUR HEART – Gabrielle 11200

71 71 71 3 NOTHING BUT THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD – Glen Campbell & Eric Clapton 17000
72 73 72 2 WHEN THE STARS GO BLUE – Paul Young 11000
73 78 73 2 COULD IT BE I’M FALLING IN LOVE – The Detroit Spinners 9800
74 NEW 74 1 HIGH – Stephen Sanchez 5200
75 55 55 6 WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT – Dizzee Rascal featuring Jme & Double E 44600
76 NEW 76 1 I’D LIKE TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR PROBLEM – The Dandy Warhols featuring Slash 4800
77 64 1 24 SOMETHING ON MY MIND – Purple Disco Machine x Duke Dumont x Nothing But Thieves 1000250
78 62 4 16 LOOK AT YOU NOW – Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 533550
79 NEW 79 1 TEXAS HOLD ‘EM – Beyonce 4200
80 NEW 80 1 IS IT OVER NOW? (TAYLOR’S VERSION) – Taylor Swift 4000

DROP OUTS
45 7 11 WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? – MisterWives 349250
48 10 9 STUMBLIN’ IN – CYRIL featuring Suzi Quatro & Chris Norman 197000
51 40 5 LIFELINE – Alicia Keys 61550
53 25 11 LOVE ME/HATE ME – Mari Bella 137400
57 13 10 ONE ON ONE – The Knocks & SOFI TUKKER 171200
67 1 16 NOW AND THEN – The Beatles 938950
68 68 4 RUBY TUESDAY – Melanie 21400
69 69 3 DICK AROUND – Sparks 16400
80 80 1 FAST CAR – Tracey Chapman 4000

25th February 2024

It’s straight in on top 43 years late for The Human League’s Sound Of The Crowd, fresh from getting me onto a club dancefloor at the weekend, and a playlist ranging from Desmond Dekker’s Israelites to Lizzo’s About Damn Time. It’s belatedly their 11th chart-topper and the third from their brilliant Dare album. The late Centenarian Glynis Johns is up to 2 with her so-sad 1973 song Send In The Clowns, written for her and spoken/sung best by her. Loved her voice as a child, and Mary Poppins.

Martin Garrix grabs his first top 10 since Animals topped the chart in 2013, and Billy Joel’s first since River Of Dreams in 1993, 44 years on from his first, It’s Still Rock ‘n’ Roll To me. Some oldies have been selling on itunes, so in pops some Bob Marley gems, boosted by his biopic at the movies. How does Bob Marley like his doughnuts? W’i Jam-in. 1978 that first charted for me. Belfast Child went top 10 in 1989 for Simple Minds, and Kaiser Chiefs topped my chart in 2005 with I Predict A Riot, and has sneaked back in for the 2nd time. I requested it last year at a 70th birthday party disco, just to give younger folks a break from the 60’s and 70’s stuff. Fab!

Dadi Freyr gets his 4th chart entry, robbed of a Eurovision win he was, by Covid! I’m Not Bitter, though, and his new one is pretty good, highest new track at 59. SZA has had two chart-toppers before going more rap and potty-mouthed oriented, but the new track is lovely, Saturn. Runs rings around some of her others. Rings? No? Please yourself! Jalen Nogonda is on a 2nd chart entry here, Illusions keeps up the vocal class and 60’s soul vibes, Rebecca & Fiona get chart entry number 2, Jess Glynne keeps ’em coming for a decade of charting, and both The Feeling and Fall Out Boy are on a whopping 18 years and counting now!

Veterans Corner sees Rick Astley keeping his revival ongoing for 37 years (gasp) of charting, UB40 (minus Ali and 2 sadly late former members) are on 44 years as they cover the terrific Gimme Some Sign, the 1968 Brenton Wood soul classic, slowed-down reggae stylee, and Madness are a sweet 45 years into their career since Prince Buster charted and sparked the Ska 80’s revival. I was dancing to them on Saturday too.

1 NEW 1 1 THE SOUND OF THE CROWD – The Human League 170000
2 5 2 8 SEND IN THE CLOWNS – Glynis Johns 306800
3 1 1 4 HOLD ON HOPE – Glen Campbell & Eric Church 346000
4 2 1 6 BURNING IN FLAMES – Kaiser Chiefs 496000
5 3 1 5 BLAME YOU – Nero featuring Alana Watson 600000
6 4 3 5 OH NO :: HE SAID WHAT? – Nothing But Thieves 335000
7 18 7 2 CARRY YOU – Martin Garrix, Third=Party & Oaks featuring Declan J Donovan 72000
8 6 6 6 ALL NIGHT LONG – Kungs, David Guetta & Izzy Bizu 255200
9 9 9 5 LONELINESS – Pet Shop Boys 171000
10 14 10 4 TURN THE LIGHTS BACK ON – Billy Joel 109200

11 7 7 6 SELFISH – Justin Timberlake 202200
12 16 12 6 THE ANSWER – Johnny Marr 126600
13 8 2 5 SPITFIRE – WE ARE ONE 370000
14 10 10 6 NEVER BE ALONE – Becky Hill & Sonny Fodera 136900
15 17 15 4 KISS OF LIFE – Shaznay Lewis 75900
16 26 16 2 TRAINING SEASON – Dua Lipa 43500
17 32 17 3 CRAZY LOVE – Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 45600
18 15 15 6 SUPERNOVA – Bananarama 129900
19 30 19 2 LET IT RIDE – Paloma Faith 39000
20 22 20 15 MICHELLE – The Beatles 196450

21 11 5 9 SHADES OF LOVE – The Blessed Madonna featuring The Joy 355950
22 24 22 4 STARS ON 45 THEME – Sgt Slick featuring Starsound 63700
23 13 6 7 BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys 264250
24 28 24 2 THERE’S NO ME…WITHOUT YOU – Glen Campbell & Carole King 37300
25 45 25 5 BEAT OF YOUR HEART – Purple Disco Machine & ASDIS 56300
26 20 8 6 AM I GETTING THROUGH PARTS 1 & 2 – Sheryl Crow 191500
27 19 9 6 NO STRINGS – X Ambassadors 172650
28 12 12 7 LOSE CONTROL – Teddy Swims 172500
29 23 23 7 DEEP IN YOUR LOVE – Alok & Bebe Rexha 99250
30 34 30 6 NIGHTFLIGHT TO VENUS – Boney M 77300

31 31 22 7 YES, AND? – Ariana Grande 110600
32 21 19 6 CAN’T GET ENOUGH – Jennifer Lopez 110850
33 27 1 13 IMMORTAL – Lufthaus featuring Sophie Ellis-Bextor & Robbie Williams 1098700
34 29 24 7 A LITTLE MORE LOST – Georgia Ku 128500
35 25 12 5 SHAPE OF ME – Rita Ora featuring Keith Urban 131250
36 37 36 15 HEY BULLDOG – The Beatles 183650
37 40 37 3 LONELY DANCERS – Conan Gray 38900
38 38 38 3 DANCE ALONE – Sia & Kylie Minogue 46400
39 36 30 6 HIGH – Bryn Christopher 88100
40 39 33 5 LIL BOO THANG – Paul Russell 86300

41 41 41 4 CLARITY – 24kGoldn 40400
42 47 42 5 CREEPING ON THE DANCEFLOOR – The Zutons 55950
43 59 43 3 OH HI – Crowded House 27800
44 33 1 14 SEBASTIAN – Cockney Rebel 1159200
45 35 1 15 GOOD AT BREAKING HEARTS – Jungle featuring JNR Williams & 33.3 906000
46 48 46 5 LOVER’S LEAP – Elbow 52050
47 74 47 2 HIGH – Stephen Sanchez 17700
48 62 48 3 HAVE YOU SEEN HER – The Chi-Lites 25300
49 63 49 4 NOT PREPARED FOR YOU – Beverley Knight 33300
50 68 50 2 IS THIS LOVE? – James 18400

51 54 35 7 MIRACLE – Shaznay Lewis 78750
52 58 52 5 STICK SEASON – Noah Kahan 47900
53 66 53 3 I’LL BE AROUND – The Detroit Spinners 23050
54 49 1 23 HOLD ON TO NOW – Kylie Minogue 1048350
55 70 55 3 A PLACE IN YOUR HEART – Gabrielle 22000
56 73 56 3 COULD IT BE I’M FALLING IN LOVE – The Detroit Spinners 20400
57 NEW 57 1 BELFAST CHILD – Simple Minds 10400
58 50 6 16 HOUDINI – Dua Lipa 418200
59 NEW 59 1 I’M NOT BITTER – Dadi Freyr 10100
60 RE 39 4 MURDER ON THE DANCEFLOOR – Sophie Ellis-Bextor 50900

61 79 61 2 TEXAS HOLD ‘EM – Beyonce 11700
62 NEW 62 1 LOCKSMITH – Sadie Jean 7400
63 NEW 63 1 I PREDICT A RIOT – Kaiser Chiefs 7200
64 NEW 64 1 ILLUSIONS – Jalen Ngonda 7100
65 51 10 12 JAMCOD – The Jesus And Mary Chain 260900
66 NEW 66 1 SATURN – SZA 6800
67 69 67 4 FROM HERE TO ETERNITY – Engelbert Humperdinck 24000
68 71 68 4 NOTHING BUT THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD – Glen Campbell & Eric Clapton 23400
69 72 69 3 WHEN THE STARS GO BLUE – Paul Young 17200
70 NEW 70 1 ALL OR NOTHING – Rebecca & Fiona 6000

71 76 71 2 I’D LIKE TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR PROBLEM – The Dandy Warhols featuring Slash 10600
72 80 72 2 IS IT OVER NOW? (TAYLOR’S VERSION) – Taylor Swift 9600
73 NEW 73 1 ENOUGH – Jess Glynne 5400
74 NEW 74 1 ROUND WE GO – Madness 5200
75 NEW 75 1 GIMME SOME KINDA SIGN – UB40 featuring Gilly G 5000
76 NEW 76 1 DRIVING ME CRAZY – Rick Astley 4800
77 NEW 77 1 THE RIGHT WRONG – The Feeling 4600
78 NEW 78 1 COULD YOU BE LOVED – Bob Marley & The Wailers 4400
79 NEW 79 1 SO MUCH (FOR) STARDUST – Fall Out Boy 4200
80 NEW 80 1 JAMMING – Bob Marley & The Wailers 4000

DROP OUTS
44 44 5 THE OTHERSIDE – Ross Quinn 59800
42 37 6 LOVE HURT REPEAT – Alle Farben & Lewis Thompson featuring Mae Muller 66750
43 11 12 PRADA – Casso, D-Block Europe and RAYE 209000
46 27 8 NO CALIFORNIA – Ilsey 132650
52 42 6 ALIBI – Ella Henderson featuring Rudimental 64850
53 53 5 GOTTA GO HOME – Boney M 44650
55 30 8 I REMEMBER EVERYTHING – Zach Bryan featuring Kacey Musgrave 103300
56 4 13 BAD WOMAN – Paloma Faith 463050
57 57 5 WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO MY SONG MA – Melanie 37200
60 2 19 STORY – Kylie Minogue 845200
61 52 7 NATURAL MAGICK – Kula Shaker 55600
64 64 4 RENT – Pet Shop Boys 24900
65 60 6 YOU WANT MY – Bright Light Bright Light 41000
67 59 7 FARAWAY – Cast 48900
75 55 6 WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT – Dizzee Rascal featuring Jme & Double E 44600
77 1 24 SOMETHING ON MY MIND – Purple Disco Machine x Duke Dumont x Nothing But Thieves 1000250
78 4 16 LOOK AT YOU NOW – Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 533550

My Top 100 Tracks of 2001 version 2

Obviously I’m biased, but based on my personal charts points system, these come out as the top tracks of the year, from fabulous (see Murder On The Dancefloor, now a global hit thanks to movie Saltburn, but it was already my top track of 2001 as a clubbing favourite, getting into pubs and clubs a bit late in life at the grand old age of 43) to really good (Madonna at 100).

1 1 32 MURDER ON THE DANCEFLOOR Sophie Ellis-Bextor
2 1 32 SOMEONE TO CALL MY LOVER Janet Jackson
3 1 26 CRYING AT THE DISCOTEQUE Alcazar
4 2 25 ROAD TO MANDALAY Robbie Williams
5 1 30 CRYSTAL New Order
6 1 42 IMITATION OF LIFE REM
7 1 26 ASTOUNDED Bran Van 3000/ Curtis Mayfield
8 1 22 HE LOVES U NOT Dream
9 1 29 THE DARK IS RISING Mercury Rev
10 1 28 STARLIGHT Supermen Lovers

11 1 14 LET LOVE BE YOUR ENERGY Robbie Williams
12 1 16 WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG? Emma Bunton
13 1 32 CAN’T GET YOU OUT OF MY HEAD Kylie Minogue
14 1 16 BOHEMIAN LIKE YOU Dandy Warhols
15 1 20 RIGHT ON Silicone Soul
16 2 19 LET’S DANCE Five
17 1 19 JUXTAPOZED WITH U Super Furry Animals
18 2 25 SING Travis
19 4 33 FALLIN’ Alicia Keys
20 4 12 DAYS GO BY Dirty Vegas

21 1 22 FAMILY AFFAIR Mary J. Blige
22 1 18 I’M LIKE A BIRD Nelly Furtado
23 2 15 LOVIN’ EACH DAY Ronan Keating
24 3 19 BUTTERFLY Crazy Town
25 2 31 WHEN IT’S OVER Sugar Ray
26 3 21 LET ME BLOW YA MIND Eve/ Gwen Stefani
27 4 19 SOMETHING STUPID Robbie Williams/ Nicole Kidman
28 3 19 ELEVATION U2
29 4 20 YOU ROCK MY WORLD Michael Jackson
30 2 17 A.M. RADIO Everclear

31 2 17 WHITE BOY WITH A FEATHER Jason Downs /Milk
32 2 14 THIS IS WHERE I CAME IN Bee Gees
33 6 19 AIN’T IT FUNNY Jennifer Lopez
34 4 18 ALL FOR YOU Janet Jackson
35 3 20 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Louise
36 4 20 HERE WITH ME Dido
37 5 18 MUSIC’S NO GOOD WITHOUT YOU Cher
38 5 20 FREE Mya
39 8 22 TEENAGE DIRTBAG Wheatus
40 4 17 CASE OF THE EX Mya

41 4 18 ALL RISE Blue
42 4 24 SOUTHSIDE Moby/ Gwen Stefani
43 3 15 STRONGER Britney Spears
44 6 17 REVOLUTION (IN THE SUMMERTIME) Cosmic Rough Riders
45 4 14 CANDY Ash
46 4 12 THE TOXIC GIRL Kings Of Convenience
47 5 15 FEELS SO GOOD Melanie B
48 5 12 SURVIVOR Destiny’s Child
49 3 14 ANDROGYNY Garbage
50 9 18 ISLAND IN THE SUN Weezer

51 2 10 DOWN TO THE RIVER TO PRAY Alison Krauss
52 5 12 POP ‘NSync
53 3 16 F.E.A.R. Ian Brown
54 6 14 STONE BY STONE Catatonia
55 8 17 LOVE DON’T COST A THING Jennifer Lopez
56 4 15 LITTLE L Jamiroquai
57 5 16 HASH PIPE Weezer
58 5 17 WITH ARMS WIDE OPEN Creed
59 4 11 WHAT’S GOING ON Artists Against Aids Worldwide
60 7 15 THINGS I’VE SEEN Spooks

61 6 11 SO WHY SO SAD Manic Street Preachers
62 10 14 ALWAYS COME BACK TO YOUR LOVE Samantha Mumba
63 7 13 LES FLEUR 4 Hero
64 5 13 DON’T STOP MOVIN S Club 7
65 5 17 ALL HOOKED UP All Saints
66 7 15 GOODNIGHT MOON Shivaree
67 10 15 TAKE ME HOME Sophie Ellis-Bextor
68 8 16 LULLABY Melanie B
69 10 14 ONE NIGHT STAND Mis-Teeq
70 7 17 IN THE END Linkin Park

71 9 12 SIDE Travis
72 7 14 BROWN SKIN India.Irie
73 10 15 WHO DO YOU LOVE NOW? Riva/ Danii Minogue
74 5 9 I CAN’T DENY IT Rod Stewart
75 10 19 DROPS OF JUPITER (TELL ME) Train
76 9 15 BACK HERE BBMak
77 10 15 A LITTLE RESPECT Wheatus
78 9 14 QUEEN OF MY HEART Westlife
79 7 9 IT’S OVER NOW “112””
80 14 18 JADED Aerosmith

81 17 18 HIT ‘EM UP STYLE (OOPS!) Blu Cantrell
82 11 17 NOBODY WANTS TO BE LONELY Ricky Martin & Christina Aguilera
83 2 6 DAYDREAM IN BLUE I Monster
84 8 11 NO MORE (BABY I’MA DO RIGHT) 3LW
85 14 17 BOOTYLICIOUS Destiny’s Child
86 10 13 I WANT LOVE Elton John
87 10 12 THANK YOU Dido
88 8 13 STOP YOUR CRY’IN Spiritualized
89 9 16 SWEET SURRENDER Sarah McLachlan
90 8 10 CHILLIN’ Modjo

91 7 11 CRAZY FOR THIS GIRL Evan & Jaron
92 19 15 DANCE FOR ME Sisqo
93 10 11 SINCE I LEFT YOU Avalanches
94 9 13 TURN OFF THE LIGHTS Nelly Furtado
95 17 15 MS JACKSON Outkast
96 10 10 BENEATH A SPIELBERG SKY Midge Ure
97 10 14 HANGING BY A MOMENT Lifehouse
98 18 17 NOT SUCH AN INNOCENT GIRL Victoria Beckham
99 8 11 ANOTHER CHANCE Roger Sanchez/ Toto
100 10 13 WHAT IT FEELS LIKE FOR A GIRL Madonna