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”.
Category Archives: Uncategorized
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
Scenes Of Dorset – The Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site
Dorset has been my home for 40 years. It’s pretty impressive scenery-wise….
These scenes show many coastal areas between Swanage and Weymouth, including an abandoned World War 2 village, Tyneham, taken over by the military prior to D-Day. The villagers were never allowed to return but the last of them have been buried in the churchyard, still kept up for summer visitors. The rest of the year the area is used for Target Practice and tanks and the public excluded.
Anyone who has seen the Disney show Andor, a Disney Star Wars spin-off TV series prequel to Rogue One, might recognise the former stone quarry used for filming in the first series, and now stuffed with warning signs to stay out due to rockfalls. The second series filming had to be abandoned for health & safety reasons.
Fossils from the Jurassic period (and others) are aplenty along the coast, and historic fossil-hunters date back to the 19th century. It’s not difficult to see ancient fossils in rocks. It’s also great if anyone asks what’s the oldest thing you own and you can chuck out an ammonite and say, ooh, about 100million years old or so.
Lulworth Cove is a big tourist area and you can take coastal boat tours there, and there’s a gasping-climb to Durdle Door, the cliffside arch featured 40-years back in Tears For Fears’ Shout video, and films. If you struggle up steep hills drive to the nearest car park, the Lulworth Cove car park fee covers it as well. The Visitors Centre there is pretty good. Walking along the coast from Langton Matravers westwards is pretty cool, that’s where the Star Wars’ Andor filming took place.
Tyneham ruins of village houses
Tyneham Church
Andor site
coastal fossils
Corfe Castle, destroyed by Oliver Cromwell during the Civil War
Lulworth Cove
Durdle Door
Kim Wilde at Bournemouth Pavilion 23rd Sept 2022
Photos of the still fabulous Kim, her brother Ricky, niece Scarlett, and the terrific longtime band on their Greatest Hits tour to celebrate 40 years but delayed due to covid till yesterday. Fine voice, rousing band, and hit after hit so we can all feel young again. Kim has so much energy and charm!
Photos of Singapore 1969 -1971
OK, I’ve been posting in dribs and drabs to accompany old music charts, but I thought it might be nice to bunch some together for anyone that was around Singapore at that time…
Changi Village 1970
MacRitchie Reservoir entrance, schoolkids Year 2 RAF Changi Grammar 1971
me wallowing beach near Changi 1970ish
RAF Changi hospital from RAF Changi swimming pool 1970
the garden plants, me and baby brother & an armed guard at Changi Prison overlooking our street 1970
mobile brush and carpet man, mum and ahchoo with sweeping brush and the carpets on the garden fence and gate for cleaning 1970
Changi Village drinks stall down an alleyway 1971
Changi Road with a white RAF bus (“Ghari” if that’s how it was spelt!) and a new model local bus, the old boneshakers from the 50’s were still in use, the new ones seemed lush in comparison, 1971
MacRitchie Reservoir 1971
RAF Changi Grammar School 1971, the building is still there…
My Top 100 Abba tracks Part 3: 80-71
80. ONE MAN ONE WOMAN – ABBA (1978 The Album album track)
79. I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME – Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow (2013 single)
78. DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW – ABBA (1979 single)
77. I AM THE CITY – ABBA (1982-era ABBA MORE GOLD album track)
76. PUT ON YOUR WHITE SOMBRERO – ABBA (1980-era THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC album track)
75. HAPPY HAWAII – ABBA (1977 B side early version of Why Did It Have To Be Me)
74. I WONDER (DEPARTED) – ABBA (1978 The Album album track)
73. LOVERS (LIVE A LITTLE LONGER) – ABBA (1979 Voulez Vous album track)
72. MY MAMA SAID – ABBA (1974 Waterloo Album track)
71. DREAM WORLD – ABBA (1978-era THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC album track with the hook from Does Your Mother Know)
My Top 100 Abba Songs Part 2: 90-81
90. WHEN YOU WALK IN THE ROOM – Agnetha Faltskog (2004 single Jackie De Shannon cover)
89. WATCH OUT – ABBA (1974 Waterloo rocking album track)
88. ROCK ‘N’ ROLL BAND – ABBA (1973 Ring Ring rocking album track)
87. I KEEP THEM ON THE FLOOR BESIDE MY BED – Agnetha Faltskog (2013 A album track)
86. THE HEAT IS ON – Agnetha Faltskog (1983 single)
85. MEDLEY: PICK A BALE OF COTTON/ON TOP OF OLD SMOKEY/MIDNIGHT SPECIAL – ABBA (1978 wacky charity album track & B side)
84. WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE ME – ABBA (1976 Arrival album track)
83. THE ONE WHO LOVES YOU NOW – Agnetha Faltskog (2013 single)
82. DANCE YOUR PAIN AWAY – Agnetha Faltskog (2013 single)
81. DANCE (WHILE THE MUSIC STILL GOES ON) – ABBA (1973 Waterloo album track)
Kim Wilde’s Winter Acoustic Concert at The Exchange Sturminster Newton, Dorset 14th December 2019 – A Family Affair!
Neil Jones, Scarlett Wilde, Kim Wilde & Ricky Wilde
Kim Wilde is fab. Turning 60 next year and still fab. Having the confidence to do an acoustic tour, just guitars, jingle bells and tambourine shows a willingness to put your abilities to sing and entertain up front. Kim’s voice is still flawless and it shows the strength in her back catalogue that if you strip away the production they still stand up. The Exchange in the Dorset rural town is a great intimate recently-built venue, there’s a real connection between the audience and the stage, and the sound-quality is top notch – everyone can make eye-contact, performer with audience and vice-versa, and Kim made the most of it, interacting from the audience as well as the stage.
So why acoustic? Kim loves Christmas! Her 2013 album Wilde Winter Songbook is a heart-warming family affair from Kim, musical mastermind brother Ricky, niece Scarlet and assorted guests including dad Marty. The 2015 deluxe version included more of the same but with added covers of christmas classics, but the original album were original winter or christmas-themed songs plus a sprinkling of covers, minus big production, and is probably my fave xmas album by a single act. As the material doesn’t fit in with her big pop tours it wasn’t, for example, featured on her Here Comes The Alien big tour on which the same 4 here were doing the big pop catalogue and the good new stuff, which is a shame, so I was very pleased to get the opportunity to hear it live, and amazed to find the band is just as good low-key as in-ya-face.
Frankly, I wish the show had been recorded for TV broadcasting as a Special, Kim’s presentation and communication skills and engaging, sincere personality is ideal and it would have shown the wider public she’s still got it musically. The harmonies were great, Kim’s singing was great, the audience sang along, and Ricky & Neil were great. The Jingle Bells were brought out here and there, largely for a couple of the Xmas covers which included Last Christmas, Let It Snow, her 80’s charity hit cover, Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree, and more winter-related fab covers of Freiheit’s Keeping The Dream Alive and Fleet Foxes White Winter Hymnal, heavy on beautiful harmonies both, with great support from Scarlett & dad Ricky.
The original songs from the album were also fab, Hope and New Life especially, while Kim’s own Hey Mister Snowman was charming and fun – my fave track was missed out (Isobel’s Dream requires child vocal input) but no grumbles apart from that! Sprinkled throughout the gig-in-two-halves were the hits, all of which worked, and worked very well when you’re forced to focus on the song itself, some of the song structures were more varied than I’d considered before. Chequered Love done folk-stylee, Never Trust A Stranger, Four Letter Word, You Keep Me Hangin’ On all worked acoustic-ally, and Cambodia always brings a tear to my eye. You Came broke down mid-song when Scarlett pointed to Kim that audience-member Holly, a young girl, was dancing – Kim was both laughing and touched, Ricky was engaged, and she was drawn into the evening too, before they picked up where they had left-off. Finale? Kids In America of course, still her signature song!
Kim’s touring a 60th birthday Greatest Hits tour next year, grab a ticket is my advice! I’m a fan of the Wilde dynasty – I was mad on dad Marty’s songs Abergavenny and Jesamine back in the late 60’s as a kid, I was a fan of pre-teen wannaba-star Ricky in 1972/74 (I bought I Am An Astronaut and Teen Wave, and about time Ricky did Teen Wave just for me while Kim gets a break in her concert to change costume or whatever!), and I bought a lot of Kim’s singles and the vinyl album Close in the 80’s. I’m still buying the downloads and albums and seeing her live. 4 times and counting since I first failed to get tickets, supporting Michael Jackson at Wembley in the late 80’s – though I did sit outside the stadium listening to her, and lo who walked by me? Only blooming pop star Paul Young! No, I’m not a stalker, I’d been into London with friends and we drove to Wembley to park and get the tube in, allowing me the indulgence of a looking like a sad loser sat on a wall outside for a bit. Worth it though. Still is worth it, driving into the rural countryside included 🙂
Pop Music From A Kiddie POV – 1963 Part 1
Street-urchins! Me bottom middle, brother to right, Glen Bingley far left and his mum Joyce above, and mum in the middle holding baby Bingley in Mansfield, circa 1962 – by 1963 we were living in Norfolk and there aren’t any photos from then.
1963
BACHELOR BOY – Cliff Richard & The Shadows (3 weeks)
Cliff was at his peak teen popularity, and ditto the Shadows, around this time, with 2 tracks featuring in an upcoming movie. The Next Time is the better side, one of Cliff’s early gems that has stood the test of time. This jocular bit of fluff, though, was the one that kids could sing along to, and it contained advice that Cliff has stuck to (at least the first half of the song anyway), what with being a confirmed bachelor and all. I loved it, it seemed to be everywhere, and it was one of the first batch of singles that dad bought when we got our first 45 rpm record player – so I played it a lot throughout the mid to late 60’s, and then not so much beyond that, just an occasional reminisce. Unlike The Next Time which I would still be happy to play!
THE WAYWARD WIND – Frank Ifield (2 weeks)
Dad’s singles coming thick and fast now, this was another one that was very familiar to me, Aussie yodeller Frank Ifield covering a country classic. It’s old-fashioned for 1963, but then again mum and dad loved country, and Frank Ifield – dad could sing along to this one no problem and match Frank note for note. Is it one I play much? Not these days. It has a certain period charm still, and I’m fond of it for old times sake, but if I had to play an Ifield track it would I Remember You, a better song despite the veering off into yodel-territory. Yodelling is not a good idea as a general rule, unless you’re going for comedy…
THE NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES – Bobby Vee (2 weeks)
Cute young Bobby Vee probably owed to his career to the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly – a hastily-formed local schoolboy band (calling themselves The Shadows) filled in for the next date of the tour that had lost it’s 3 headliners, and included young Bobby Vee, future teen idol. Unlike most of the other clean-cut teen idols of the time, Bobby had a great string of much-covered hit singles lasting several years from the likes of top songwriters like Goffin & King – and had enough material for me to take mum to see him on an 80’s “60’s” tour of several acts, at which point I was surprised by how many hits of his I really liked, topped by this one. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes is one I knew in the 60’s, but didn’t know it was Bobby Vee, it was just a tune I really liked. Still do, it’s a fab little unpretentious pop ditty that rattles along at high speed, and still seems like it should have featured in a cool 60’s spy movie.
SUMMER HOLIDAY – Cliff Richard & The Shadows (6 weeks)
Well here’s a thing – a family singalong anthem that still sounds charming while still very much of it’s time. Bristling with optimism amongst the grey reality of working class life, what kid of the time didn’t dream of running off to sunnier climes in a double-decker bus after seeing the film? Answer: only those with no imagination. Una Stubbs, Melvyn Hayes, The Shads, Cliff at his youth-appealing peak, the film was great fun and the record was perfect for the film, and vice versa. Glorious colour to boot, in an era when British movies were usually black and white kitchen-sink or war-time dramas – even A Hard Day’s Night for the actual Beatles was in b&w! I literally did, and still do, love the idea of driving round Europe in a souped-up double-decker bus. The idea was still iconic enough for a kids show in 1970 called Here Comes The Double Deckers, about a bunch of kids hanging about in a scrapyard bus – with Melvyn Hayes back on board ahead of his famous role in It Ain’t Half Hot Mum, and a very young Brinsley Forde (later of chart-topping reggae band Aswad) among the cast.
HOW DO YOU DO IT? – Gerry And The Pacemakers (2 weeks)
Scousers Gerry and his mates came in on the Merseybeat boom and were as big and famous as The Beatles in the early days, a sort of more family-friendly combo with short catchy ditties like this one. Famously getting the first chart-starting hat-trick in UK chart history, they don’t get much airplay these days, bar those 2 records which I won’t mention yet. I loved this jolly easy-to-sing debut as a 5-year-old, and Gerry was on TV variety shows quite a lot so my awareness of the band (but mostly Gerry Marsden) was there from an early age. Granted I don’t rate it that much these days, nostalgic affection apart, but it does transport me back way back when…
popchartfreak 