My April 1992 Charts

5th April 1992

It’s new in 1 for the 1977 classic Year Of The Cat, Al Stewart didn’t set my charts alight with it first time round but by 1992 I was in full-on love mode, and bought the newly released-on-CD-single version, giving an entire top 5 of old songs as ZZ Top shoot up to 5 with Elvis Presley’s 1966 film soundtrack title song, Viva Las Vegas, giving ZZ and new chart peak after almost a decade. Ce Ce Peniston Finally makes the top 10, and Erasure keep their long list of top 10’s up-to-date with Breath Of Life at 10.

A new entry at 14 for another Trevor Horn-produced Marc Almond epic – this time 1967’s Days Of Pearly Spencer, the flop original by David McWilliams might not have produced a career, but he at least got to see David Bowie cover it and Marc Almond have a big hit with the dramatic story-song before dying in 2002. Julian Lennon makes it 8 years of top 20 hits as Get a Life debuts at 19. Shockingly that’s a longer span than The Beatles chart career, and only 3 years short of dad John’s solo career.

At 34, Kylie has some Finer Feelings with one of her finest 90’s tracks, Tom Petty has left the Wilburys to reunite with his Heartbreakers, and Too Good To Be True, but it is – 15 years since they debuted. Foreigner bring a revived 1981 track back, still waiting for a girl like you at 44, Inner City revamp Hallelujah, Howard Jones is lifted up with his 9th charting year at 64, Curtis Stigers follows-up a big hit with another big hit (albeit a less-decent one), Randy Crawford is 13 years into her career with a cover of Journey’s Who’s Crying Now, and The Pasadenas are back with a dance-version Bread cover. Let’s just say Let Loose showed how to cover the classic Make It With You later in the decade and leave it at that.

1 ( NEW ) YEAR OF THE CAT Al Stewart # 1
2 ( 1 ) AM I THE SAME GIRL Swing Out Sister # 1
3 ( 2 ) EVERY KINDA PEOPLE Robert Palmer # 1
4 ( 6 ) MAD ABOUT THE BOY Dinah Washington # 4
5 ( 49 ) VIVA LAS VEGAS Z.Z. Top # 5
6 ( 4 ) WHY Annie Lennex # 4
7 ( 3 ) THE LIFE OF RILEY The Lightning Seeds # 3
8 ( 8 ) DO NOT PASS ME BY MC Hammer # 8
9 ( 11 ) FINALLY Ce Ce Peniston # 7
10 ( 12 ) BREATH OF LIFE Erasure # 10

11 ( 5 ) TIME TO MAKE YOU MINE Lisa Stansfield # 5
12 ( 9 ) MOVIN’ ON UP Primal Scream # 1
13 ( 7 ) AMERICA: WHAT TIME IS LOVE? The KLF # 1
14 ( NEW ) THE DAYS OF PEARLY SPENCER Marc Almond # 14
15 ( 44 ) DIVINE THING Soup Dragons # 15
16 ( 10 ) MY GIRL The Temptations # 1
17 ( 23 ) EXPRESSION Salt ‘n’ Pepa # 17
18 ( 16 ) WIERDO The Charlatans # 10
19 ( NEW ) GET A LIFE Julian Lennon # 19
20 ( 14 ) ONE U2 # 10

21 ( 15 ) THE BOXER Simon & Garfunkel # 1
22 ( 13 ) WEATHER WITH YOU Crowded House # 3
23 ( 35 ) MONEY DON’T MATTER 2NITE Prince & The New Power Generation # 23
24 ( 17 ) IT MUST BE LOVE Madness # 1
25 ( 19 ) TO BE WITH YOU Mr. Big # 19
26 ( 18 ) STAY Shakespear’s Sister # 2
27 ( 30 ) RING THE BELLS James # 27
28 ( 20 ) WINTER Tori Amos # 20
29 ( 37 ) LET’S GET ROCKED Def Leppard # 29
30 ( 28 ) THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE The Walker Brothers # 1

31 ( 55 ) TAKE MY ADVICE Kym Sims # 31
32 ( 22 ) THOUGHT I’D DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN Bryan Adams # 8
33 ( 21 ) COLD DAY IN HELL Gary Moore # 6
34 ( NEW ) FINER FEELINGS Kylie Minogue # 34
35 ( 24 ) A DEEPER LOVE Clivilles & Cole # 24
36 ( 50 ) HIGH The Cure # 36
37 ( 63 ) YOU Ten Sharp # 37
38 ( 36 ) 20th CENTURY BOY T.Rex # 1
39 ( 25 ) THE BIG ONES GET AWAY Buffy Sainte-Marie # 4
40 ( 39 ) METAL GURU T.Rex # 1

41 ( 38 ) MY HAND OVER MY HEART Marc Almond # 1
42 ( 29 ) I LOVE YOUR SMILE Shanice # 5
43 ( NEW ) TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers # 43
44 ( NEW ) WAITING FOR A GIRL LIKE YOU Foreigner # 44
45 ( 56 ) CHURCH OF YOUR HEART Roxette # 45
46 ( 52 ) DEEPLY DIPPY Right Said Fred # 46
47 ( 47 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN’ FEELIN’ The Righteous Brothers # 35
48 ( 34 ) BORN OF FRUSTRATION James # 9
49 ( 31 ) HUMAN TOUCH Bruce Springsteen # 31
50 ( NEW ) HALLELUJAH ’92 Inner City # 50

51 ( 46 ) JUSTIFIED AND ANCIENT (STAND BY THE JAMM’S) The KLF featuring Tammy Wynette, Maxine Harvey & Ricardo Da Force # 1
52 ( 32 ) TEARS IN HEAVEN Eric Clapton # 32
53 ( 40 ) LAID SO LOW (TEARS ROLL DOWN) Tears For Fears # 10
54 ( 26 ) BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU’VE GOT Massive Attack # 12
55 ( 64 ) JOY Soul II Soul # 55
56 ( 33 ) DON’T LOSE THE MAGIC Shawn Christopher # 33
57 ( 57 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles # 43
58 ( 58 ) THOSE WERE THE DAYS Mary Hopkin # 1
59 ( 27 ) WE’VE GOT TO LIVE TOGETHER RAF # 21
60 ( 61 ) RIDE THE BULLET Army Of Lovers # 60

61 ( 43 ) ARE YOU READY TO FLY Rozalla # 18
62 ( 66 ) THE DISAPPOINTED XTC # 62
63 ( 48 ) LOVER LOVER LOVER Ian McCulloch # 10
64 ( NEW ) LIFT ME UP Howard Jones # 64
65 ( 45 ) REMEMBER THE TIME Michael Jackson # 10
66 ( 65 ) WHY CAN’T WE LIVE TOGETHER (1990 TK REMIX) Timmy Thomas # 52
67 ( 42 ) ONE TRUE WOMAN (STUFF LIKE THAT) Yazz # 42
68 ( 54 ) GOODNIGHT GIRL Wet Wet Wet # 4
69 ( 69 ) LET IT BE The Beatles # 62
70 ( 60 ) CRUCIFIED Army Of Lovers # 7

71 ( NEW ) YOU’RE ALL THAT MATTERS TO ME Curtis Stigers # 71
72 ( NEW ) WHO’S CRYING NOW Randy Crawford # 72
73 ( 41 ) I KNOW New Atlantic # 29
74 ( 71 ) DIAMANTE Zuchero & Randy Crawford # 5
75 ( NEW ) MAKE IT WITH YOU The Pasadenas # 75

Playlisted oldies
1 “Sugar Tax” album Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
2 HELLRAISER The Sweet
3 RUNAWAY BOYS The Stray Cats

12th April 1992

It’s 2 weeks on top for Al Stewart’s classic 1977 minor hit, Year Of The Cat as Marc Almond gets a hat-trick of top 10’s with The Days Of Pearly Spencer at 4, and Foreigner’s 1981 rock ballad biggy Waiting For A Girl Like You shoots up to 8, and highest new entry at 5 is a reactivated Glam classic from Alvin Stardust, My Coo Ca Choo topping my late 1973 charts. Chuck in the retro-sounding Def Leppard Let’s Get Rocked up to 9 and the MOR ballad Why up to 3, and it’s pretty much an oldies entire top 10.

Kylie climbs to 11, XTC to 23, and a host of new entries invade the chart to at least give some fresher blood lower down the chart: The Stone Roses I Am The Resurrection new at 33, Cher sings Could’ve Been You at 40, Frankie Miller lauds Caledonia at 42 for 15 years of chart entries, Chaka Khan’s on 18 years as she enters at 59, Jody Watley on 13 years at 62, Liquid debut at 64, Chris De Burgh 15 years at 73 and Genesis also on 18 years at 74.

Curiosity decide it’s the the year of the cat and drop it from their name, as their fab cover of Johnny Bristol’s 1974 smash Hang On In There Baby is new at 45, and Rod Stewart covers great mate Elton John’s Your Song. That’s before Phyllis and Sharon fell out of course. Texas also return with a fab soul classic cover, Al Green’s Tired Of Being Alone at 55.

1 ( 1 ) THE YEAR OF THE CAT Al Stewart # 1
2 ( 2 ) AM I THE SAME GIRL Swing Out Sister # 1
3 ( 6 ) WHY Annie Lennox # 3
4 ( 14 ) THE DAYS OF PEARLY SPENCER Marc Almond # 4
5 ( NEW ) MY COO CA CHOO Alvin Stardust # 5
6 ( 4 ) MAD ABOUT THE BOY Dinah Washington # 4
7 ( 3 ) EVERY KINDA PEOPLE Robert Palmer # 1
8 ( 44 ) WAITING FOR A GIRL LIKE YOU Foreigner # 8
9 ( 29 ) LET’S GET ROCKED Def Leppard # 9
10 ( 5 ) VIVA LAS VEGAS Z.Z. Top # 5

11 ( 34 ) FINER FEELINGS Kylie Minogue # 11
12 ( 11 ) TIME TO MAKE YOU MINE Lisa Stansfield # 5
13 ( 19 ) GET A LIFE Julian Lennon # 13
14 ( 9 ) FINALLY Ce Ce Peniston # 7
15 ( 10 ) BREATH OF LIFE Erasure # 10
16 ( 7 ) THE LIFE OF RILEY The Lightning Seeds # 3
17 ( 8 ) DO NOT PASS ME BY MC Hammer # 8
18 ( 15 ) DIVINE THING Soup Dragons # 15
19 ( 12 ) MOVIN’ ON UP Primal Scream # 1
20 ( 23 ) MONEY DON’T MATTER 2NITE Prince & The New Power Generation # 20

21 ( 13 ) AMERICA: WHAT TIME IS LOVE? The KLF # 1
22 ( 16 ) MY GIRL The Temptations # 1
23 ( 62 ) THE DISAPPOINTED XTC # 23
24 ( 18 ) WIERDO The Charlatans # 10
25 ( 20 ) ONE U2 # 10
26 ( 21 ) THE BOXER Simon & Garfunkel # 1
27 ( 37 ) YOU Ten Sharp # 27
28 ( 17 ) EXPRESSION Salt ‘n’ Pepa # 17
29 ( 25 ) TO BE WITH YOU Mr. Big # 19
30 ( 31 ) TAKE MY ADVICE Kym Sims # 30

31 ( 26 ) STAY Shakespear’s Sister # 2
32 ( 30 ) THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE The Walker Brothers # 1
33 ( NEW ) I AM THE RESURRECTION The Stone Roses # 33
34 ( 22 ) WEATHER WITH YOU Crowded House # 3
35 ( NEW ) YOUR SONG Rod Stewart # 35
36 ( 55 ) JOY Soul II Soul # 36
37 ( 40 ) METAL GURU T.Rex # 1
38 ( 38 ) 20th CENTURY BOY T.Rex # 1
39 ( 24 ) IT MUST BE LOVE Madness # 1
40 ( NEW ) COULD’VE BEEN YOU Cher # 4

41 ( NEW ) CAN’T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU Frankie Valli # 41
42 ( NEW ) CALEDONIA Frankie Miller # 42
43 ( 41 ) MY HAND OVER MY HEART Marc Almond # 1
44 ( 27 ) RING THE BELLS James # 27
45 ( NEW ) HANG ON IN THERE BABY Curiosity (Killed The Cat) # 45
46 ( 33 ) COLD DAY IN HELL Gary Moore # 6
47 ( 47 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN’ FEELIN’ The Righteous Brothers # 35
48 ( 60 ) RIDE THE BULLET Army Of Lovers # 48
49 ( 32 ) THOUGHT I’D DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN Bryan Adams # 8
50 ( 50 ) HALLELUJAH ’92 Inner City # 50

51 ( 39 ) THE BIG ONES GET AWAY Buffy Sainte-Marie # 4
52 ( 51 ) JUSTIFIED AND ANCIENT (STAND BY THE JAMM’S) The KLF featuring Tammy Wynette, Maxine Harvey & Ricardo Da Force # 1
53 ( 36 ) HIGH The Cure # 36
54 ( 42 ) I LOVE YOUR SMILE Shanice # 5
55 ( NEW ) TIRED OF BEING ALONE Texas # 55
56 ( 28 ) WINTER Tori Amos # 20
57 ( 57 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles # 43
58 ( 58 ) THOSE WERE THE DAYS Mary Hopkin # 1
59 ( NEW ) LOVE YOU ALL MY LIFETIME Chaka Khan # 59
60 ( 64 ) LIFT ME UP Howard Jones # 60

61 ( 35 ) A DEEPER LOVE Clivilles & Cole # 24
62 ( NEW ) I’M THE ONE YOU NEED Jody Watley # 62
63 ( 71 ) YOU’RE ALL THAT MATTERS TO ME Curtis Stigers # 63
64 ( NEW ) SWEET HARMONY Liquid # 64
65 ( 72 ) WHO’S CRYING NOW Randy Crawford # 65
66 ( 66 ) WHY CAN’T WE LIVE TOGETHER (1990 TK REMIX) Timmy Thomas # 52
67 ( 46 ) DEEPLY DIPPY Right Said Fred # 46
68 ( NEW ) IT’S NOT A LOVE THING Geoffrey Williams # 68
69 ( 43 ) TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers # 43
70 ( 69 ) LET IT BE The Beatles # 62

71 ( 48 ) BORN OF FRUSTRATION James # 9
72 ( 65 ) REMEMBER THE TIME Michael Jackson # 10
73 ( NEW ) SEPARATE TABLES Chris De Burgh # 73
74 ( NEW ) HOLD ON MY HEART Genesis # 74
75 ( NEW ) THAT LOVING FEELING Cicero # 75

playlisted tracks
1 HEART OF GOLD Neil Young
2 HOLD YOUR HEAD UP Argent
3 SWEET TALKING GUY The Chiffons

19th April 1992

It’s a first (and last) chart-topper for Def Leppard – Let’s Get Rocked might not be as good as Animal, but it’s outpeaked it when the main competition is oldies, not least Steve Harley coming back to a new peak of 2 17 years on from Make Me Smile going top 10. Kylie meanwhile continues to add her growing number of top 10’s with Finer Feelings. My feeling is she’s not going to stop doing that for another 30 years at least.

Two more oldies are back, with Squeeze’s 1979 Cool For Cats is at 18, and Madness get another revived oldie with House Of Fun at 19 10 years on from peaking at 2. New at 29, Kim Wilde’s forgotten fab Love Is Holy, 11-year-career and counting, and I’m hoping she does it when I see her for the 5th time next week. Brand New Heavies Never Stop at 51, Michael Jackson’s firmly In The Closet at 60, and Woman In Chains is back again for Tears For Fears & Oleta Adams 3 years on from going top 10. Mariah Carey gets a another entry, The Mission are still goth-rocking, M People are starting to build up to big sales Someday soon, and John Cougar sneaks in for a decade of mostly-Mellencamp tracks.

1 ( 9 ) LET’S GET ROCKED Def Leppard # 1
2 ( NEW ) MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel # 2
3 ( 4 ) THE DAYS OF PEARLY SPENCER Marc Almond # 3
4 ( 1 ) THE YEAR OF THE CAT Al Stewart # 4
5 ( 2 ) AM I THE SAME GIRL Swing Out Sister # 5
6 ( 8 ) WAITING FOR A GIRL LIKE YOU Foreigner # 6
7 ( 11 ) FINER FEELINGS Kylie Minogue # 7
8 ( 6 ) MAD ABOUT THE BOY Dinah Washington # 8
9 ( 3 ) WHY Annie Lennex # 9
10 ( 5 ) MY COO CA CHOO Alvin Stardust # 10

11 ( 7 ) EVERY KINDA PEOPLE Robert Palmer # 11
12 ( 10 ) VIVA LAS VEGAS Z.Z. Top # 12
13 ( 13 ) GET A LIFE Julian Lennon # 13
14 ( 12 ) TIME TO MAKE YOU MINE Lisa Stansfield # 14
15 ( 23 ) THE DISAPPOINTED XTC # 15
16 ( 14 ) FINALLY Ce Ce Peniston # 16
17 ( 17 ) DO NOT PASS ME BY MC Hammer # 17
18 ( NEW ) COOL FOR CATS Squeeze # 18
19 ( NEW ) HOUSE OF FUN Madness # 19
20 ( 15 ) BREATH OF LIFE Erasure # 20

21 ( 18 ) DIVINE THING Soup Dragons # 21
22 ( 27 ) YOU Ten Sharp # 22
23 ( 21 ) AMERICA: WHAT TIME IS LOVE? The KLF # 23
24 ( 36 ) JOY Soul II Soul # 24
25 ( 16 ) THE LIFE OF RILEY The Lightning Seeds # 25
26 ( 19 ) MOVIN’ ON UP Primal Scream # 26
27 ( 20 ) MONEY DON’T MATTER 2NITE Prince & The New Power Generation # 27
28 ( 22 ) MY GIRL The Temptations # 28
29 ( NEW ) LOVE IS HOLY Kim Wilde # 29
30 ( 45 ) HANG ON IN THERE BABY Curiosity (Killed The Cat) # 30

31 ( 35 ) YOUR SONG/ BROKEN ARROW Rod Stewart # 31
32 ( 26 ) THE BOXER Simon & Garfunkel # 32
33 ( 24 ) WIERDO The Charlatans # 33
34 ( 55 ) TIRED OF BEING ALONE Texas # 34
35 ( 32 ) THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE The Walker Brothers # 35
36 ( 41 ) CAN’T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU Frankie Valli # 36
37 ( 50 ) HALLELUJAH ’92 Inner City # 37
38 ( 37 ) METAL GURU T.Rex # 38
39 ( 38 ) 20th CENTURY BOY T.Rex # 39
40 ( 40 ) COULD’VE BEEN YOU Cher # 40

41 ( 25 ) ONE U2 # 41
42 ( 31 ) STAY Shakespear’s Sister # 42
43 ( 28 ) EXPRESSION Salt ‘n’ Pepa # 43
44 ( 43 ) MY HAND OVER MY HEART Marc Almond # 44
45 ( 30 ) TAKE MY ADVICE Kym Sims # 45
46 ( 34 ) WEATHER WITH YOU Crowded House # 46
47 ( 39 ) IT MUST BE LOVE Madness # 47
48 ( 63 ) YOU’RE ALL THAT MATTERS TO ME Curtis Stigers # 47
49 ( 47 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN’ FEELIN’ The Righteous Brothers # 48
50 ( 29 ) TO BE WITH YOU Mr. Big # 49

51 ( NEW ) NEVER STOP Brand New Heavies # 50
52 ( 49 ) THOUGHT I’D DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN Bryan Adams # 51
53 ( 67 ) DEEPLY DIPPY Right Said Fred # 52
54 ( 60 ) LIFT ME UP Howard Jones # 53
55 ( 62 ) I’M THE ONE YOU NEED Jody Watley # 54
56 ( 33 ) I AM THE RESURRECTION The Stone Roses # 55
57 ( 52 ) JUSTIFIED AND ANCIENT (STAND BY THE JAMM’S) The KLF featuring Tammy Wynette, Maxine Harvey & Ricardo Da Force # 56
58 ( 57 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles # 58
59 ( 58 ) THOSE WERE THE DAYS Mary Hopkin # 59
60 ( NEW ) IN THE CLOSET Michael Jackson # 60

61 ( NEW ) WOMAN IN CHAINS Tears For Fears featuring Oleta Adams # 61
62 ( 46 ) COLD DAY IN HELL Gary Moore # 62
63 ( 73 ) SEPARATE TABLES Chris De Burgh # 63
64 ( 42 ) CALEDONIA Frankie Miller # 64
65 ( 65 ) WHO’S CRYING NOW Randy Crawford # 65
66 ( NEW ) NEVER AGAIN The Mission # 66
67 ( 66 ) WHY CAN’T WE LIVE TOGETHER (1990 TK REMIX) Timmy Thomas # 67
68 ( 54 ) I LOVE YOUR SMILE Shanice # 68
69 ( NEW ) SOMEDAY M People # 69
70 ( 51 ) THE BIG ONES GET AWAY Buffy Sainte-Marie # 70

71 ( 70 ) LET IT BE The Beatles # 71
72 ( NEW ) MAKE IT HAPPEN Mariah Carey # 72
73 ( 74 ) HOLD ON MY HEART Genesis # 73
74 ( NEW ) RAINBOW’S END Eleven # 74
75 ( NEW ) NOW MORE THAN EVER John Mellencamp # 75

Errol Brown Live at Poole Arts Centre

Errol had broken up Hot Chocolate (sadly) as one of my fave singles acts for 15 years in a row was the band, but in 1992 he was still touring their back catalogue. Oddly, most of my fave records either he didn’t do or lacked a bit of oomph, and it was the funk ones that stood out, bar Emma, which is stark to start with, and remaining stark isn’t too difficult.

1 Emma
2 Every 1’s A Winner
3 Disco Queen
4 You Sexy Thing
5 Heaven Is In The Back Seat Of My Cadillac
6 So You Win Again
7 No Doubt About It

26th April 1992

It’s a first-ever week on top for Steve Harley’s classic 1975 UK chart-topper, Make Me Smile, as oldies continue to dominate my chart, Curiosity’s cover up fast to 3, for their 2nd top 10, Kim Wilde leaping 21 to 8 as Love Is Holy adds to the 11 years of top 10’s. Highest new (old) entry is CCR and 1969’s Bad Moon Rising, a fave from Singapore days and not far off my driving the Florida Keys one moonlit night with the track on the radio.

The other theme of the week is grungeish new entries, L7 at 33 with Pretend We’re Dead, Nirvana Come As You Are at 57, and Pearl Jam’s Even Flow at 73. Sounds Of Balckness bring a bit of gospel soul dance at 41, KWS ruin a KC & The Sunshine chart-topper for me, Please Don’t Go still charting at 68 though, and Sisters Of Mercy’s Temple Of Love is gothtastic at 63. On TV it was the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, and the tracks I picked weren’t the tracks that got onto the UK chart-topping EP.

1 ( 2 ) MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel # 1
2 ( 3 ) THE DAYS OF PEARLY SPENCER Marc Almond # 2
3 ( 30 ) HANG ON IN THERE BABY Curiosity (Killed The Cat) # 3
4 ( 7 ) FINER FEELINGS Kylie Minogue # 4
5 ( 5 ) AM I THE SAME GIRL Swing Out Sister # 1
6 ( 1 ) LET’S GET ROCKED Def Leppard # 1
7 ( NEW ) BAD MOON RISING Creedence Clearwater Revival # 7
8 ( 29 ) LOVE IS HOLY Kim Wilde # 8
9 ( 9 ) WHY Annie Lennex # 3
10 ( 4 ) THE YEAR OF THE CAT Al Stewart # 1

11 ( 8 ) MAD ABOUT THE BOY Dinah Washington # 4
12 ( 34 ) TIRED OF BEING ALONE Texas # 12
13 ( 19 ) HOUSE OF FUN Madness # 13
14 ( 11 ) EVERY KINDA PEOPLE Robert Palmer # 1
15 ( 27 ) MONEY DON’T MATTER 2NITE Prince & The New Power Generation # 15
16 ( 22 ) YOU Ten Sharp # 16
17 ( 6 ) WAITING FOR A GIRL LIKE YOU Foreigner # 6
18 ( 18 ) COOL FOR CATS Squeeze # 18
19 ( 14 ) TIME TO MAKE YOU MINE Lisa Stansfield # 5
20 ( 12 ) VIVA LAS VEGAS Z.Z. Top # 5

21 ( 10 ) MY COO CA CHOO Alvin Stardust # 5
22 ( 17 ) DO NOT PASS ME BY MC Hammer # 8
23 ( 15 ) THE DISAPPOINTED XTC # 15
24 ( 13 ) GET A LIFE Julian Lennon # 13
25 ( 23 ) AMERICA: WHAT TIME IS LOVE? The KLF # 1
26 ( 36 ) CAN’T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU Frankie Valli # 26
27 ( 16 ) FINALLY Ce Ce Peniston # 7
28 ( 21 ) DIVINE THING Soup Dragons # 15
29 ( 61 ) WOMAN IN CHAINS Tears For Fears featuring Oleta Adams # 29
30 ( 26 ) MOVIN’ ON UP Primal Scream # 1

31 ( 20 ) BREATH OF LIFE Erasure # 10
32 ( 28 ) MY GIRL The Temptations # 1
33 ( NEW ) PRETEND WE’RE DEAD L7 # 33
34 ( 25 ) THE LIFE OF RILEY The Lightning Seeds # 3
35 ( 66 ) NEVER AGAIN The Mission # 35
36 ( 32 ) THE BOXER Simon & Garfunkel # 1
37 ( 35 ) THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE The Walker Brothers # 1
38 ( 50 ) NEVER STOP Brand New Heavies # 38
39 ( 39 ) 20th CENTURY BOY T.Rex # 1
40 ( 38 ) METAL GURU T.Rex # 1

41 ( NEW ) THE PRESSURE Sounds Of Blackness # 41
42 ( 33 ) WIERDO The Charlatans # 10
43 ( 53 ) LIFT ME UP Howard Jones # 43
44 ( 31 ) YOUR SONG/ BROKEN ARROW Rod Stewart # 31
45 ( 52 ) DEEPLY DIPPY Right Said Fred # 45
46 ( 24 ) JOY Soul II Soul # 24
47 ( 44 ) MY HAND OVER MY HEART Marc Almond # 1
48 ( 48 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN’ FEELIN’ The Righteous Brothers # 41
49 ( 49 ) TO BE WITH YOU Mr. Big # 19
50 ( 42 ) STAY Shakespear’s Sister # 2

51 ( 51 ) THOUGHT I’D DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN Bryan Adams # 8
52 ( 41 ) ONE U2 # 10
53 ( 60 ) IN THE CLOSET Michael Jackson # 53
54 ( NEW ) PALE RED Jerry Burns # 54
55 ( 47 ) IT MUST BE LOVE Madness # 1
56 ( 47 ) YOU’RE ALL THAT MATTERS TO ME Curtis Stigers # 47
57 ( NEW ) COME AS YOU ARE Nirvana # 57
58 ( 69 ) SOMEDAY M People # 58
59 ( 58 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles # 44
60 ( 56 ) JUSTIFIED AND ANCIENT (STAND BY THE JAMM’S) The KLF featuring Tammy Wynette, Maxine Harvey & Ricardo Da Force # 1

61 ( 59 ) THOSE WERE THE DAYS Mary Hopkin # 1
62 ( 65 ) WHO’S CRYING NOW Randy Crawford # 62
63 ( NEW ) TEMPLE OF LOVE Sisters Of Mercy # 63
64 ( NEW ) STARTOUCHERS Digital Orgasm # 64
65 ( 40 ) COULD’VE BEEN YOU Cher # 40
66 ( 46 ) WEATHER WITH YOU Crowded House # 3
67 ( 67 ) WHY CAN’T WE LIVE TOGETHER (1990 TK REMIX) Timmy Thomas # 52
68 ( NEW ) PLEASE DON’T GO KWS # 68
69 ( 37 ) HALLELUJAH ’92 Inner City # 37
70 ( 43 ) EXPRESSION Salt ‘n’ Pepa # 17

71 ( 72 ) MAKE IT HAPPEN Mariah Carey # 71
72 ( 71 ) LET IT BE The Beatles # 63
73 ( NEW ) EVEN FLOW Pearl Jam # 73
74 ( 62 ) COLD DAY IN HELL Gary Moore # 6
75 ( 70 ) THE BIG ONES GET AWAY Buffy Sainte-Marie # 4

Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert on TV
1 INNUENDO Robert Plant & Queen
2 WE WILL ROCK YOU Axl Rose & Queen
3 QUEEN MEDLEY Extreme

MIsheard Lyrics Part 3: Groovin’ By The Young Rascals

I was watching Youtube’s always-good Professor Of Rock’s latest post yesterday about a 60’s classic – Groovin’ by The Young Rascals, so laid-back, cool, sunny and upbeat, it seems unlikely it might not have been released by Atlantic records, but the story and the interview here tells the story behind it:

Anyway it reminded me back in the 70’s, DJ Noel Edmonds was doing a feature on his show about misheard lyrics in pop music and this one came up with the great quote “life could be ecstacy, you and me and Leslie” and I’ve not been able to un-hear it ever since 🙂

My April 1972 Retro Revamp Charts & My Original 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

Its straight on top for Johnny Cash’s best ever single, the rousing and fun Thing Called Love, with Johnny Nash up to 3 and Ringo at 4. Singalonga Country! The Tempations are also back with a social conscience ambitious soul ballad, Take A Look Around at 9, and David Cassidy splits from the Partridges for his first solo single, Could It Be Forever, and he gets even bigger with the Teen market.

Chelsea Football Club get a hand from singer-songwriter Daniel Boone on Blue Is The Colour, still one of the better football songs, as Dave Newman covers the 60’s Wimoweh/Lion Sleeps Tonight Tokens hit, and Ramsey Lewsi finally gets a hit with his 60’s instrumental Wade In The Water. Bay City Rollers get a follow-up here, even if not the UK charts – hey I stuck with them until the UK caught up in 2 years time – at which point I gave up on them! Edwina Biglet & The Miglets, though, was an experimental synth record, whimsical 60’s-styled fun and sank without trace. I bought the single (eventually) though after I taped it from the one radio play it got from DJ Alan Freeman back in the day. It’s fab.

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

My April 2024 Charts

7th April 2024

It’s two weeks on top for Rose Gray with Pet Shop Boys getting a second top 10 of the year, and first top 5, with Dancing Star being joined lower down by B sides Sense Of Time and IF Jesus Had A Sister. Chris & Neil still manage to come up with new song titles! Des Rocs stomps into the 10, and Girls Aloud get a first showing in there for 12 years, albeit with unreleased material. Lenny Kravitz gets his biggest hit in my chart for 10 years, with Human.

Jalen Ngonda grabs a 3rd 60’s-retro-sounding track on Here To Stay as Illusions hits the 20, and Rozalla is back after a 30-year absence! She covers Nicolette Larson’s Lotta Love dance stylee, the original 70’s version sneaking into my charts of the time, but topping as an oldie a year or 2 back. Justin Timberlake follows-up Selfish with No Angels, Paul Weller is back with a lush ballad, Rise Up Singing extending his chart run to a whopping 47 years since the days of The Jam. Depeche Mode are also back, following up chart-topper Ghosts Again and extending their chart run to 43 years.

1 1 1 3 ECSTASY – Rose Gray 425000
2 3 2 9 CRAZY LOVE – Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 391600
3 2 1 8 CARRY YOU – Martin Garrix, Third=Party & Oaks featuring Declan J Donovan 787000
4 4 2 6 RIDE – Mia Rodriguez 350500
5 12 5 2 DANCING STAR – Pet Shop Boys 95000
6 5 1 10 HOLD ON HOPE – Glen Campbell & Eric Church 776000
7 7 7 4 HOME – Good Neighbours 122950
8 9 8 6 LIGHTER – Galantis, David Guetta & 5 Seconds Of Summer 224400
9 24 9 2 LET ME LIVE/ LET ME DIE – Des Rocs 64000
10 13 10 3 BABY WHEN YOU GO – Girls Aloud 87500

11 6 6 8 TRAINING SEASON – Dua Lipa 310500
12 36 12 2 UNDECIDED – RONDE 52400
13 10 10 8 THERE’S NO ME…WITHOUT YOU – Glen Campbell & Carole King 205550
14 44 14 2 DARK DAYS – Moby & Lady Blackbird 42250
15 32 15 3 HUMAN – Lenny Kravitz 62200
16 8 1 6 HOLD TIGHT! – Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich 468000
17 11 1 12 BURNING IN FLAMES – Kaiser Chiefs 779000
18 39 18 3 BEFORE YOU GO – Seeb 46200
19 37 19 6 DIZZY – Olly Alexander 79600
20 27 20 7 ILLUSIONS – Jalen Ngonda 104400

21 15 15 7 SATURN – SZA 140750
22 16 1 11 BLAME YOU – Nero featuring Alana Watson 838500
23 14 8 8 LET IT RIDE – Paloma Faith 250250
24 25 24 4 BEEN LIKE THIS – Meghan Trainor & T-Pain 61250
25 17 10 10 TURN THE LIGHTS BACK ON – Billy Joel 276950
26 26 26 5 KISSING STRANGERS – Usher 77000
27 30 27 6 END OF BEGINNING – DJO 81100
28 28 28 4 LOVE ON – Selena Gomez 60200
29 29 29 9 I’LL BE AROUND – The Detroit Spinners 124650
30 19 19 7 GIMME SOME KINDA SIGN – UB40 featuring Gilly G 107900

31 18 18 5 SWEATPANTS – Paloma Faith 91150
32 20 20 7 I’M NOT BITTER – Dadi Freyr 116450
33 49 33 2 HOMETOWN OF JUPITER – The Vaccines 29800
34 56 34 2 CHANGES – Empire Of The Sun 18200
35 23 12 12 THE ANSWER – Johnny Marr 264350
36 21 3 11 OH NO :: HE SAID WHAT? – Nothing But Thieves 523150
37 38 37 9 COULD IT BE I’M FALLING IN LOVE – The Detroit Spinners 107400
38 76 38 2 YOU AND ME – Take That 22000
39 45 39 7 ALL OR NOTHING – Rebecca & Fiona 73200
40 50 40 4 WE CAN’T BE FRIENDS (WAIT FOR YOUR LOVE) – Ariana Grande 47200

41 69 41 3 TOO SWEET – Hozier 26000
42 34 34 6 SECRETS – Glockenbach and Ownboss featuring Jazz Montell 88250
43 62 43 2 TEARDROPS – Liam Payne 20900
44 46 44 7 BELFAST CHILD – Simple Minds 81450
45 35 6 12 ALL NIGHT LONG – Kungs, David Guetta & Izzy Bizu 392950
46 40 8 11 LONELINESS – Pet Shop Boys 312250
47 43 15 10 KISS OF LIFE – Shaznay Lewis 181250
48 65 48 4 OUR WORLD – James 28700
49 22 4 12 NIGHTFLIGHT TO VENUS – Boney M 280900
50 64 50 4 CALL – Kasabian 30100

51 33 1 14 SEND IN THE CLOWNS – Glynis Johns 605000
52 78 52 2 YA YA – Beyonce 15900
53 42 10 12 NEVER BE ALONE – Becky Hill & Sonny Fodera 238550
54 68 54 3 LEGENDARY – Bon Jovi 23400
55 58 55 6 PRETTY LITTLE THING – Jungle featuring Bas 50500
56 31 18 5 I JUST WANNA STAY HERE – Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormez 90750
57 71 57 2 HUNGRY HEART – Declan J Donovan 16200
58 61 58 4 THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA – Steve Harley & Sarah Brightman 29900
59 41 1 7 THE SOUND OF THE CROWD – The Human League 415600
60 72 60 2 PANORAMIC VIEW – AWOLNATION 15600

61 73 61 2 HEY YOU – Feeder 12900
62 74 62 2 TIME – Eels 12600
63 75 63 3 GOING HOME (THEME FROM LOCAL HERO) – Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes 17000
64 48 19 11 BEAT OF YOUR HEART – Purple Disco Machine & ASDIS 152250
65 80 65 2 HEAVY RAIN – Richard Hawley 11000
66 77 66 3 WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE WORLD? – Fairground Attraction 15800
67 51 29 9 OH HI – Crowded House 116950
68 53 2 11 SPITFIRE – WE ARE ONE 464150
69 52 7 12 SELFISH – Justin Timberlake 300150
70 55 45 7 ENOUGH – Jess Glynne 62300

71 54 32 9 LONELY DANCERS – Conan Gray 122150
72 NEW 72 1 HERE TO STAY – Jalen Ngonda 5600
73 NEW 73 1 LOTTA LOVE – Rozalla 5400
74 79 74 4 DOCTOR (WORK IT OUT) – Pharrell Williams & Miley Cyrus 17400
75 NEW 75 1 SENSE OF TIME – Pet Shop Boys 5000
76 NEW 76 1 RISE UP SINGING – Paul Weller 4800
77 NEW 77 1 NO ANGELS – Justin Timberlake 4600
78 NEW 78 1 PEOPLE ARE GOOD – Depeche Mode 4400
79 NEW 79 1 IF JESUS HAD A SISTER – Pet Shop Boys 4200
80 NEW 80 1 ELVIS I LOVE YOU – Albin Lee Meldau 4000

DROP OUTS
47 47 3 JUDY TEEN – Cockney Rebel 37100
57 57 4 SHIP OF FOOLS – World Party 32900
59 1 18 IMMORTAL – Lufthaus featuring Sophie Ellis-Bextor & Robbie Williams 1163650
60 22 12 YES, AND? – Ariana Grande 183000
63 53 6 LOCKSMITH – Sadie Jean 58550
66 55 6 SO MUCH (FOR) STARDUST – Fall Out Boy 44200
67 67 4 HEARTS ON THE RUN – Delta Goodrem 23600
70 65 5 FLAMME – Juliette Armanet 28200

14th April 2024

It’s 6 years since Pet Shop Boys last had a number one (with Olly Alexander aka Years & Years, see Olly at 17), and Dancing Star makes it 5 consecutive decades of Pet Shop Boys chart-toppers (a record for my charts, new material only), their 48th putting them only 4 behind the combined group/solo Beatles total. The song about 60’s Russian ballet dancer Rudolph Nuryev has the feel of Domino Dancing in the production, which is fine by me they havent exactly rushed to repeat that one from 1988. That’s 39 years of number ones.

Moby meanwhile is on his 8th top 10 in 33 years of charting, 6 years on from his last one, and Lady Blackbird is on her 3rd this decade already, with the very dark Dark Days, I can see that cropping up in Stranger Things. The highest new entry is a 3rd for Shaznay Lewis inside 5 months, and the biggest of the 3 at 10 for the former All Saints chart-topper 27 years into her career. Good Mourning features Shola Ama who’s been absent since 2000 from my charts, but she was also a 1997 chart debutante with her first 2 top 10’s, while General Levy gets his first.

Kasabian drop a “Grat” track which is way better than previous single Call, leap-frogging that one to debut at 15, Coming Back To Me Good sounds like a Radio 2 future playlist track to me. Hypaton become the latest to revamp classic blues ballad Feeling Good, big throbbing dance stylee with David Guetta adding to his zillion chart entries and second on this list, new at 52. Cat Burns is a 4th, Alone this time at 59, while Darin has an Electric chart return, Crowded House replace themselves with Teenage Summer, Dua Lipa has a very low 3rd track off the forthcoming album, it’s an Illusion, and Ringo grabs an undisclosed mate with a knack for guitar riffs (probably one of those on the Mark Knopfler track a bit higher up) to get another solo entry on February Sky – and to grab the new record for longest chart span (as part of The Beatles) at 55 years and 7 months, taking it off himself on aforesaid uncredited Guitar Heroes single. So, justice is served.

1 5 1 3 DANCING STAR – Pet Shop Boys 265000
2 1 1 4 ECSTASY – Rose Gray 540000
3 3 1 9 CARRY YOU – Martin Garrix, Third=Party & Oaks featuring Declan J Donovan 872000
4 2 2 10 CRAZY LOVE – Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 456600
5 4 2 7 RIDE – Mia Rodriguez 410500
6 7 6 5 HOME – Good Neighbours 177950
7 14 7 3 DARK DAYS – Moby & Lady Blackbird 92250
8 10 8 4 BABY WHEN YOU GO – Girls Aloud 135500
9 9 9 3 LET ME LIVE/ LET ME DIE – Des Rocs 109000
10 NEW 10 1 GOOD MOURNING – Shaznay Lewis featuring Shola Ama & General Levy 42000

11 15 11 4 HUMAN – Lenny Kravitz 99200
12 12 12 3 UNDECIDED – RONDE 87400
13 6 1 11 HOLD ON HOPE – Glen Campbell & Eric Church 808000
14 8 8 7 LIGHTER – Galantis, David Guetta & 5 Seconds Of Summer 253400
15 NEW 15 1 COMING BACK TO ME GOOD – Kasabian 27000
16 11 6 9 TRAINING SEASON – Dua Lipa 335500
17 19 17 7 DIZZY – Olly Alexander 102600
18 18 18 4 BEFORE YOU GO – Seeb 68200
19 34 19 3 CHANGES – Empire Of The Sun 39200
20 13 10 9 THERE’S NO ME…WITHOUT YOU – Glen Campbell & Carole King 225550

21 33 21 3 HOMETOWN OF JUPITER – The Vaccines 49550
22 24 22 5 BEEN LIKE THIS – Meghan Trainor & T-Pain 80750
23 27 23 7 END OF BEGINNING – DJO 100350
24 17 1 13 BURNING IN FLAMES – Kaiser Chiefs 798000
25 16 1 7 HOLD TIGHT! – Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich 486750
26 29 26 10 I’LL BE AROUND – The Detroit Spinners 143150
27 28 27 5 LOVE ON – Selena Gomez 78600
28 38 28 3 YOU AND ME – Take That 40300
29 22 1 12 BLAME YOU – Nero featuring Alana Watson 856700
30 20 20 8 ILLUSIONS – Jalen Ngonda 122400

31 21 15 8 SATURN – SZA 158650
32 26 26 6 KISSING STRANGERS – Usher 94800
33 23 8 9 LET IT RIDE – Paloma Faith 267950
34 25 10 11 TURN THE LIGHTS BACK ON – Billy Joel 294550
35 37 35 10 COULD IT BE I’M FALLING IN LOVE – The Detroit Spinners 124900
36 40 36 5 WE CAN’T BE FRIENDS (WAIT FOR YOUR LOVE) – Ariana Grande 64600
37 41 37 4 TOO SWEET – Hozier 43300
38 30 19 8 GIMME SOME KINDA SIGN – UB40 featuring Gilly G 125100
39 32 20 8 I’M NOT BITTER – Dadi Freyr 133550
40 43 40 3 TEARDROPS – Liam Payne 37900

41 NEW 41 1 TEAR YOU APART – She Wants Revenge 14000
42 31 18 6 SWEATPANTS – Paloma Faith 104900
43 44 43 8 BELFAST CHILD – Simple Minds 94950
44 35 12 13 THE ANSWER – Johnny Marr 277600
45 36 3 12 OH NO :: HE SAID WHAT? – Nothing But Thieves 536250
46 57 46 3 HUNGRY HEART – Declan J Donovan 28950
47 48 47 5 OUR WORLD – James 41200
48 52 48 3 YA YA – Beyonce 28200
49 50 49 5 CALL – Kasabian 42200
50 55 50 7 PRETTY LITTLE THING – Jungle featuring Bas 62500

51 54 51 4 LEGENDARY – Bon Jovi 35150
52 NEW 52 1 FEELING GOOD – Hypaton x David Guetta 11500
53 39 39 8 ALL OR NOTHING – Rebecca & Fiona 84450
54 62 54 3 TIME – Eels 23600
55 73 55 2 LOTTA LOVE – Rozalla 16200
56 58 56 5 THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA – Steve Harley & Sarah Brightman 40500
57 61 57 3 HEY YOU – Feeder 23300
58 42 34 7 SECRETS – Glockenbach and Ownboss featuring Jazz Montell 98450
59 NEW 59 1 ALONE – Cat Burns 10100
60 60 60 3 PANORAMIC VIEW – AWOLNATION 25600

61 46 8 12 LONELINESS – Pet Shop Boys 319750
62 72 62 2 HERE TO STAY – Jalen Ngonda 13000
63 63 63 4 GOING HOME (THEME FROM LOCAL HERO) – Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes 24200
64 65 64 3 HEAVY RAIN – Richard Hawley 18100
65 47 15 11 KISS OF LIFE – Shaznay Lewis 188250
66 66 66 4 WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE WORLD? – Fairground Attraction 22600
67 45 6 13 ALL NIGHT LONG – Kungs, David Guetta & Izzy Bizu 399550
68 51 1 15 SEND IN THE CLOWNS – Glynis Johns 611400
69 53 10 13 NEVER BE ALONE – Becky Hill & Sonny Fodera 244750
70 75 70 2 SENSE OF TIME – Pet Shop Boys 11000

71 77 71 2 NO ANGELS – Justin Timberlake 10400
72 78 72 2 PEOPLE ARE GOOD – Depeche Mode 10000
73 76 73 2 RISE UP SINGING – Paul Weller 10200
74 80 74 2 ELVIS I LOVE YOU – Albin Lee Meldau 9200
75 NEW 75 1 ELECTRIC – Darin 5000
76 NEW 76 1 TEENAGE SUMMER – Crowded House 4800
77 79 77 2 IF JESUS HAD A SISTER – Pet Shop Boys 8800
78 NEW 78 1 ILLUSION – Dua Lipa 4400
79 NEW 79 1 FEBRUARY SKY – Ringo Starr 4200
80 NEW 80 1 THE REAL THING – Gwen Stefani featuring Bernard Sumner & Peter Hook 4000

DROP OUTS
49 4 12 NIGHTFLIGHT TO VENUS – Boney M 280900
56 18 5 I JUST WANNA STAY HERE – Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormez 90750
59 1 7 THE SOUND OF THE CROWD – The Human League 415600
64 19 11 BEAT OF YOUR HEART – Purple Disco Machine & ASDIS 152250
67 29 9 OH HI – Crowded House 116950
68 2 11 SPITFIRE – WE ARE ONE 464150
69 7 12 SELFISH – Justin Timberlake 300150
70 45 7 ENOUGH – Jess Glynne 62300
71 32 9 LONELY DANCERS – Conan Gray 122150
74 74 4 DOCTOR (WORK IT OUT) – Pharrell Williams & Miley Cyrus 17400

Shaznay grabs her first ever solo chart-topper, she’s been on a roll of late, and Good Mourning is def her best track since Rocksteady became All Saints 2nd chart topper 20 years or so ago, the first being the fab Pure Shores. The band hit the charts in 1997 along with Shola Ama, who debuted with a top 3 track – but never got that high again and has been absent for 25 years from my charts – but grabbing a belated chart-topper here 27 years on from debut. General levy has been about rapping on drum n bass tracks but nice to grab a credit here for a good job done.

Kasabian have been around for ages but have never had a top 10 – though The SLP had a chart-topper (Sergio that would be) – so Coming Back To Me Good is a major step up from all the top 20’s – and Lenny Kravitz grabs his first in a while, and extends his run of top 10’s to 30-odd years. Highest new entry is from Sabrina Carpenter, Espresso at 45 finally following-up her 2017 track debut, PNAU join Empire Of The Sun in the chart following their collab (and co-member on both of course), Passion Flower at 67 and Chappell Roan gets a 3rd chart entry inside 12 months.

Alfie Templeman adds to his growing run of good singles, Kings Of Leon are back again with new track Nothing To Do helping them have a 20-year chart run, with current hit tracks from Dasha and Artemas sneaking into my chart too. Taylor Swift has dropped another album, as she does every year, back in self-reflective mode on Fortnite, assistance courtesy of Post Malone, still yet to out-peak Sunflower in my charts.

Will Young returns some 22 years on from debuting and a couple of years on from last charting, Travis ditto, only 27 years of charting, but neither of them can match the returns from Don McLean and Marty Wilde! Marty had a chart debut in 2020 – but actually he’d been charting throughout the 70’s and beyond as part of his kids recordings – both Ricky and Kim Wilde – and had I been charting earlier in 1968, he would have been top 5 with Abergavenny and he was actually topping my chart as songwriter in 1968 with the Casuals’ Jesamine. So that’ll be 56 years of songwriting success then! Don debuted in early 1972 with American Pie, but hasn’t troubled my charts for 40 years with any new material, so American Boys makes a nice tail-ender and chart span of 52 years.

1 10 1 2 GOOD MOURNING – Shaznay Lewis featuring Shola Ama & General Levy 212000
2 1 1 4 DANCING STAR – Pet Shop Boys 380000
3 2 1 5 ECSTASY – Rose Gray 625000
4 15 4 2 COMING BACK TO ME GOOD – Kasabian 92000
5 7 5 4 DARK DAYS – Moby & Lady Blackbird 152250
6 3 1 10 CARRY YOU – Martin Garrix, Third=Party & Oaks featuring Declan J Donovan 927000
7 8 7 5 BABY WHEN YOU GO – Girls Aloud 185500
8 5 2 8 RIDE – Mia Rodriguez 458500
9 6 6 6 HOME – Good Neighbours 222950
10 11 10 5 HUMAN – Lenny Kravitz 141200

11 4 2 11 CRAZY LOVE – Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 493600
12 12 12 4 UNDECIDED – RONDE 122400
13 9 9 4 LET ME LIVE/ LET ME DIE – Des Rocs 141000
14 13 1 12 HOLD ON HOPE – Glen Campbell & Eric Church 837000
15 14 8 8 LIGHTER – Galantis, David Guetta & 5 Seconds Of Summer 280400
16 17 16 8 DIZZY – Olly Alexander 127600
17 16 6 10 TRAINING SEASON – Dua Lipa 358500
18 18 18 5 BEFORE YOU GO – Seeb 90200
19 19 19 4 CHANGES – Empire Of The Sun 60200
20 21 20 4 HOMETOWN OF JUPITER – The Vaccines 69550

21 59 21 2 ALONE – Cat Burns 29850
22 22 22 6 BEEN LIKE THIS – Meghan Trainor & T-Pain 100250
23 23 23 8 END OF BEGINNING – DJO 119600
24 26 24 11 I’LL BE AROUND – The Detroit Spinners 162150
25 20 10 10 THERE’S NO ME…WITHOUT YOU – Glen Campbell & Carole King 244300
26 27 26 6 LOVE ON – Selena Gomez 97100
27 41 27 2 TEAR YOU APART – She Wants Revenge 32400
28 28 28 4 YOU AND ME – Take That 58600
29 37 29 5 TOO SWEET – Hozier 61500
30 24 1 14 BURNING IN FLAMES – Kaiser Chiefs 816000

31 35 31 11 COULD IT BE I’M FALLING IN LOVE – The Detroit Spinners 142800
32 36 32 6 WE CAN’T BE FRIENDS (WAIT FOR YOUR LOVE) – Ariana Grande 82400
33 40 33 4 TEARDROPS – Liam Payne 55600
34 31 15 9 SATURN – SZA 176250
35 29 1 13 BLAME YOU – Nero featuring Alana Watson 874200
36 55 36 3 LOTTA LOVE – Rozalla 33600
37 52 37 2 FEELING GOOD – Hypaton x David Guetta 28800
38 30 20 9 ILLUSIONS – Jalen Ngonda 139600
39 48 39 4 YA YA – Beyonce 45300
40 46 40 4 HUNGRY HEART – Declan J Donovan 45950

41 32 26 7 KISSING STRANGERS – Usher 108800
42 33 8 10 LET IT RIDE – Paloma Faith 281700
43 34 10 12 TURN THE LIGHTS BACK ON – Billy Joel 308050
44 38 19 9 GIMME SOME KINDA SIGN – UB40 featuring Gilly G 138350
45 NEW 45 1 ESPRESSO – Sabrina Carpenter 13000
46 51 46 5 LEGENDARY – Bon Jovi 47900
47 47 47 6 OUR WORLD – James 53700
48 54 48 4 TIME – Eels 35900
49 49 49 6 CALL – Kasabian 54300
50 75 50 2 ELECTRIC – Darin 17000

51 39 20 9 I’M NOT BITTER – Dadi Freyr 153300
52 71 52 3 NO ANGELS – Justin Timberlake 21900
53 62 53 3 HERE TO STAY – Jalen Ngonda 24250
54 57 54 4 HEY YOU – Feeder 34300
55 44 12 14 THE ANSWER – Johnny Marr 288400
56 45 3 13 OH NO :: HE SAID WHAT? – Nothing But Thieves 546850
57 72 57 3 PEOPLE ARE GOOD – Depeche Mode 20400
58 50 50 8 PRETTY LITTLE THING – Jungle featuring Bas 72700
59 64 59 4 HEAVY RAIN – Richard Hawley 28200
60 60 60 4 PANORAMIC VIEW – AWOLNATION 35600

61 70 61 3 SENSE OF TIME – Pet Shop Boys 18500
62 42 18 7 SWEATPANTS – Paloma Faith 112300
63 73 63 3 RISE UP SINGING – Paul Weller 17400
64 76 64 2 TEENAGE SUMMER – Crowded House 11900
65 66 65 5 WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE WORLD? – Fairground Attraction 29600
66 78 66 2 ILLUSION – Dua Lipa 11200
67 NEW 67 1 PASSION FLOWER – PNAU 6600
68 NEW 68 1 GOOD LUCK, BABE – Chappell Roan 6400
69 74 69 3 ELVIS I LOVE YOU – Albin Lee Meldau 15400
70 NEW 70 1 HELLO LONELY – Alfie Templeman 6000

71 NEW 71 1 NOTHING TO DO – Kings Of Leon 5800
72 NEW 72 1 AUSTIN – Dasha 5600
73 77 73 3 IF JESUS HAD A SISTER – Pet Shop Boys 14200
74 79 74 2 FEBRUARY SKY – Ringo Starr 9400
75 NEW 75 1 I LIKE THE WAY YOU KISS ME – Artemas 5000
76 NEW 76 1 FORTNIGHT – Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone 4800
77 NEW 77 1 FALLING DEEP – Will Young 4600
78 NEW 78 1 GASLIGHT – Travis 4400
79 NEW 79 1 AMERICAN BOYS – Don McLean & Home Free 4200
80 NEW 80 1 TWO EYES STREAMING – Marty Wilde 4000

DROP OUTS
25 1 7 HOLD TIGHT! – Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich 486750
43 43 8 BELFAST CHILD – Simple Minds 94950
53 39 8 ALL OR NOTHING – Rebecca & Fiona 84450
56 56 5 THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA – Steve Harley & Sarah Brightman 40500
58 34 7 SECRETS – Glockenbach and Ownboss featuring Jazz Montell 98450
61 8 12 LONELINESS – Pet Shop Boys 319750
63 63 4 GOING HOME (THEME FROM LOCAL HERO) – Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes 24200
65 15 11 KISS OF LIFE – Shaznay Lewis 188250
67 6 13 ALL NIGHT LONG – Kungs, David Guetta & Izzy Bizu 399550
68 1 15 SEND IN THE CLOWNS – Glynis Johns 611400
69 10 13 NEVER BE ALONE – Becky Hill & Sonny Fodera 244750
80 80 1 THE REAL THING – Gwen Stefani featuring Bernard Sumner & Peter Hook 4000

28th April 2024

It’s 2 weeks on top Shaznay & friends as they get radio 2 playlisted and hold off a Pet Shop Boys Nonetheless album track invasion, led by New London Boy at 3 and Why Am I Dancing? at 13. Next single A New Bohemia is in at 76 and current single Dancing Star at 2, for a total of 10 tracks on the extended chart, or around 12% of the chart. It’s a good album, though. The highest debut is from Ben Hemsley, a dance banger at 6 with Closer. Meanwhile 2000’s track Tear You Apart gives She wants Revenge a first top 10 at 9, and RONDE also grab a first top 10.

Other non-PSB newies are debuts from The Marias, Alessia Cara, and Zolita with a naughty countrypop upbeat bit of fun.

1 1 1 3 GOOD MOURNING – Shaznay Lewis featuring Shola Ama & General Levy 382000
2 2 1 5 DANCING STAR – Pet Shop Boys 495000
3 NEW 3 1 NEW LONDON BOY – Pet Shop Boys 85000
4 4 4 3 COMING BACK TO ME GOOD – Kasabian 157000
5 3 1 6 ECSTASY – Rose Gray 685000
6 NEW 6 1 CLOSER – Ben Hemsley featuring Chenai 55000
7 5 5 5 DARK DAYS – Moby & Lady Blackbird 202250
8 6 1 11 CARRY YOU – Martin Garrix, Third=Party & Oaks featuring Declan J Donovan 975000
9 27 9 3 TEAR YOU APART – She Wants Revenge 77400
10 12 10 5 UNDECIDED – RONDE 164400

11 7 7 6 BABY WHEN YOU GO – Girls Aloud 222500
12 10 10 6 HUMAN – Lenny Kravitz 176200
13 NEW 13 1 WHY AM I DANCING? – Pet Shop Boys 32000
14 8 2 9 RIDE – Mia Rodriguez 487500
15 9 6 7 HOME – Good Neighbours 249950
16 11 2 12 CRAZY LOVE – Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 518600
17 21 17 3 ALONE – Cat Burns 52850
18 20 18 5 HOMETOWN OF JUPITER – The Vaccines 91550
19 19 19 5 CHANGES – Empire Of The Sun 81200
20 18 18 6 BEFORE YOU GO – Seeb 110200

21 14 1 13 HOLD ON HOPE – Glen Campbell & Eric Church 856750
22 15 8 9 LIGHTER – Galantis, David Guetta & 5 Seconds Of Summer 299900
23 13 9 5 LET ME LIVE/ LET ME DIE – Des Rocs 160250
24 24 24 12 I’LL BE AROUND – The Detroit Spinners 181150
25 37 25 3 FEELING GOOD – Hypaton x David Guetta 47550
26 29 26 6 TOO SWEET – Hozier 80000
27 45 27 2 ESPRESSO – Sabrina Carpenter 32400
28 36 28 4 LOTTA LOVE – Rozalla 51900
29 NEW 29 1 THE SECRET OF HAPPINESS – Pet Shop Boys 18200
30 17 6 11 TRAINING SEASON – Dua Lipa 376500

31 31 31 12 COULD IT BE I’M FALLING IN LOVE – The Detroit Spinners 160700
32 32 32 7 WE CAN’T BE FRIENDS (WAIT FOR YOUR LOVE) – Ariana Grande 100200
33 16 16 9 DIZZY – Olly Alexander 145300
34 50 34 3 ELECTRIC – Darin 34600
35 70 35 2 HELLO LONELY – Alfie Templeman 23500
36 39 36 5 YA YA – Beyonce 62700
37 68 37 2 GOOD LUCK, BABE – Chappell Roan 23700
38 22 22 7 BEEN LIKE THIS – Meghan Trainor & T-Pain 117450
39 40 39 5 HUNGRY HEART – Declan J Donovan 63050
40 28 28 5 YOU AND ME – Take That 75600

41 33 33 5 TEARDROPS – Liam Payne 69600
42 23 23 9 END OF BEGINNING – DJO 133350
43 26 26 7 LOVE ON – Selena Gomez 110600
44 48 44 5 TIME – Eels 49150
45 53 45 4 HERE TO STAY – Jalen Ngonda 37250
46 25 10 11 THERE’S NO ME…WITHOUT YOU – Glen Campbell & Carole King 257050
47 61 47 4 SENSE OF TIME – Pet Shop Boys 31000
48 30 1 15 BURNING IN FLAMES – Kaiser Chiefs 828300
49 35 1 14 BLAME YOU – Nero featuring Alana Watson 886300
50 57 50 4 PEOPLE ARE GOOD – Depeche Mode 32400

51 63 51 4 RISE UP SINGING – Paul Weller 29150
52 52 52 4 NO ANGELS – Justin Timberlake 33400
53 67 53 2 PASSION FLOWER – PNAU 17850
54 54 54 5 HEY YOU – Feeder 45300
55 34 15 10 SATURN – SZA 187050
56 38 20 10 ILLUSIONS – Jalen Ngonda 150200
57 NEW 57 1 FEEL – Pet Shop Boys 10400
58 41 26 8 KISSING STRANGERS – Usher 119000
59 59 59 5 HEAVY RAIN – Richard Hawley 38300
60 NEW 60 1 BULLET FOR NARCISSUS – Pet Shop Boys 10000

61 43 10 13 TURN THE LIGHTS BACK ON – Billy Joel 315550
62 42 8 11 LET IT RIDE – Paloma Faith 289100
63 44 19 10 GIMME SOME KINDA SIGN – UB40 featuring Gilly G 145550
64 64 64 3 TEENAGE SUMMER – Crowded House 19000
65 66 65 3 ILLUSION – Dua Lipa 18200
66 46 46 6 LEGENDARY – Bon Jovi 55700
67 78 67 2 GASLIGHT – Travis 11000
68 71 68 2 NOTHING TO DO – Kings Of Leon 12200
69 72 69 2 AUSTIN – Dasha 11800
70 NEW 70 1 SMALL TOWN SCANDAL – Zolita 6000

71 75 71 2 I LIKE THE WAY YOU KISS ME – Artemas 10800
72 60 60 5 PANORAMIC VIEW – AWOLNATION 41200
73 NEW 73 1 THE SCHLAGER HIT PARADE – Pet Shop Boys 5400
74 74 74 3 FEBRUARY SKY – Ringo Starr 14600
75 76 75 2 FORTNIGHT – Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone 9800
76 NEW 76 1 A NEW BOHEMIA – Pet Shop Boys 4800
77 77 77 2 FALLING DEEP – Will Young 9200
78 NEW 78 1 RUN YOUR MOUTH – The Marias 4400
79 79 79 2 AMERICAN BOYS – Don McLean & Home Free 8400
80 80 80 2 TWO EYES STREAMING – Marty Wilde featuring Roxanne Wilde 8000

81 47 47 7 OUR WORLD – James 57500
82 69 69 4 ELVIS I LOVE YOU – Albin Lee Meldau 19000
83 NEW 83 1 I’M YOURS – Alessia Cara 3400
84 65 65 6 WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE WORLD? – Fairground Attraction 32800
85 NEW 85 1 LOVE IS THE LAW – Pet Shop Boys 3000

DROP OUTS
49 49 6 CALL – Kasabian 54300
51 20 9 I’M NOT BITTER – Dadi Freyr 153300
55 12 14 THE ANSWER – Johnny Marr 288400
56 3 13 OH NO :: HE SAID WHAT? – Nothing But Thieves 546850
58 50 8 PRETTY LITTLE THING – Jungle featuring Bas 72700
62 18 7 SWEATPANTS – Paloma Faith 112300
73 73 3 IF JESUS HAD A SISTER – Pet Shop Boys 14200