My Retro December 1969 Charts

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RAF Changi swimming pool with the Marshalls

 

6th December 1969

It’s straight in on top for Marmalade’s first chart-topper, the fab emotional ballad Reflections Of My Life, written by Junior Campbell & Dean Forde, now firmly in control of their own musical direction, and that direction was harmonies a la Hollies backing up a powerful vocal. Bobbie Gentry replaces herself in the top 10, along with Glen Campbell, and Roger Whittaker gets his one and only top 10 hit, it’s fairly safe to say, as he continues leaving Durham Town.

Jimmy Ruffin shoots into the 20, just ahead of new entry at 16 Hey There Lonely Girl, from Eddie Holman, a huge late late-1974 hit – just as Jimmy Ruffin hit again around that time. Spooky! There’s nice top 40 climbs for Cilla, Lou Christie and Guess Who, leaving newies lower down from The Impressions, as consistent as ever inside my charts – something I never expected at all, being as I didn’t know any of them 2 years ago! Tom Jones booms out another ballad, Without Love, and not one I know well, though I did also first hear it in 1974, while B. B. King enters with The Thrill Is Gone, a blues standard, Thelma Houston drops in 8 years earlier than her disco cover of Don’t Leave Me This Way, with a cover of the Stones Jumping Jack Flash. Georgie Fame returns, Archie Bell’s A Side (hugely inferior to Here I Go Again) sneaks in, and The Intrigues return in a low-key manner.


1 ( NEW ) REFLECTIONS OF MY LIFE Marmalade # 1
2 ( 1 ) HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell & The Drells # 1
3 ( 4 ) TWO LITTLE BOYS Rolf Harris # 3
4 ( 5 ) I WANT YOU BACK The Jackson 5 # 4
5 ( 17 ) ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell # 5
6 ( 2 ) WAND’RIN’ STAR Lee Marvin # 2
7 ( 3 ) THEY CALL THE WIND MARIA Harve Presnell # 1
8 ( 11 ) DURHAM TOWN (THE LEAVIN’) Roger Whittaker # 8
9 ( 6 ) HE AIN’T HEAVY…HE’S MY BROTHER The Hollies # 1
10 ( 7 ) THEME FROM “MIDNIGHT COWBOY” John Barry # 1

11 ( 8 ) RAINDROPS KEEP FALLIN’ ON MY HEAD B.J. Thomas # 8
12 ( 10 ) I’LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Bobbie Gentry # 1
13 ( 38 ) FAREWELL IS A LONELY SOUND Jimmy Ruffin # 13
14 ( 14 ) VENUS Shocking Blue # 14
15 ( 9 ) I GUESS THE LORD MUST BE IN NEW YORK CITY Nilsson # 9
16 ( NEW ) HEY THERE LONELY GIRL Eddie Holman # 16
17 ( 12 ) (CALL ME) NUMBER ONE The Tremeloes # 4
18 ( 13 ) YESTER-ME, YESTER-YOU, YESTERDAY Stevie Wonder # 6
19 ( 22 ) OH ME OH MY (I’M A FOOL FOR YOU BABY) Lulu # 19
20 ( 20 ) LITTLE GREEN BAG George Baker Selection # 20

21 ( 16 ) NA NA HEY HEY KISS HIM GOODBYE Steam # 3
22 ( 24 ) WHOLE LOTTA LOVE Led Zeppelin # 22
23 ( 18 ) SOMETHING The Beatles # 6
24 ( 15 ) WONDERFUL WORLD BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE Jimmy Cliff # 15
25 ( 19 ) A BRAND NEW ME Dusty Springfield # 19
26 ( 39 ) IF I THOUGHT YOU’D EVER CHANGE YOUR MIND Cilla Black # 26
27 ( 25 ) TRY A LITTLE KINDNESS Glen Campbell # 4
28 ( 28 ) GROOVIN’ (OUT ON LIFE) The Newbeats # 28
29 ( 42 ) SHE SOLD ME MAGIC Lou Christie # 29
30 ( 32 ) SOMEDAY WE’LL BE TOGETHER Diana Ross & The Supremes # 30

31 ( 21 ) HERE COMES THE SUN The Beatles # 9
32 ( 23 ) LIQUIDATOR Harry J All Stars # 23
33 ( 46 ) NO TIME The Guess Who # 33
34 ( 37 ) TIME AND LOVE Laura Nyro # 34
35 ( 35 ) WHEN WE GET MARRIED 1910 Fruitgum Company # 35
36 ( 31 ) AM I THE SAME GIRL Dusty Springfield # 1
37 ( 40 ) WHICH WAY YOU GOING BILLY? The Poppy Family featuring Terry Jacks # 37
38 ( 26 ) THE GOSPEL OF NO NAME CITY Alan Dexter # 19
39 ( 29 ) SOME OF SHELLY’S BLUES The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band # 16
40 ( 27 ) THERE’S A COACH COMIN’ IN Harve Presnell & Chorus # 27

41 ( 36 ) LEAVING ON A JET PLANE Peter, Paul & Mary # 13
42 ( 30 ) PAINT YOUR WAGON ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK MAIN TITLE (I’M ON MY WAY) Paint Your Wagon Chorus # 30
43 ( 60 ) LADY-O The Turtles # 43
44 ( 47 ) GIMME SHELTER The Rolling Stones # 44
45 ( 33 ) DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO The Four Tops # 10
46 ( 48 ) JINGLE JANGLE The Archies # 46
47 ( 34 ) BILJO Clodagh Rodgers # 34
48 ( 43 ) BEST THINGS Lee Marvin, Clint Eastwood & Ray Walston # 43
49 ( 50 ) BRANDED BAD The O’Jays # 49
50 ( 54 ) JAM UP JELLY TIGHT Tommy Roe # 50

51 ( 44 ) SPACE ODDITY David Bowie # 1
52 ( 56 ) IT’S GONNA TAKE A LOT TO BRING ME BACK The Manhattans # 52
53 ( 57 ) MAYBE The Chantels # 53
54 ( 55 ) ARIZONA Mark Lindsay # 54
55 ( 41 ) HOLLY HOLY Neil Diamond # 30
56 ( 52 ) SOMETHING IN THE AIR Thunderclap Newman # 1
57 ( 53 ) IN THE YEAR 2525 (EXORDIUM AND TERMINUS) Zager & Evans # 1
58 ( 51 ) WEDDING BELL BLUES The 5th Dimension # 8
59 ( 62 ) WHAT DOES IT TAKE (TO WIN YOUR LOVE) Motherlode # 59
60 ( 68 ) DARLING DEAR Smokey Robinson & The Miracles # 60

61 ( 58 ) WINTER WORLD OF LOVE Engelbert Humperdinck # 58
62 ( 69 ) SHE Tommy James & The Shondells # 62
63 ( 66 ) CHERRY HILL PARK Billy Joe Royal # 63
64 ( 59 ) CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION Tommy James & The Shondells # 1
65 ( NEW ) WHEREVER SHE LEADETH ME The Impressions featuring Curtis Mayfield # 65
66 ( NEW ) WITHOUT LOVE (THERE IS NOTHING) Tom Jones # 66
67 ( 71 ) MELTING POT Blue Mink # 67
68 ( NEW ) THE THRILL IS GONE B. B. King # 68
69 ( 74 ) THE OLD MAN’S BACK AGAIN Scott Walker # 69
70 ( 72 ) VICTORIA The Kinks # 70

71 ( 75 ) DON’T LET HIM TAKE YOUR LOVE FROM ME The Four Tops # 71
72 ( NEW ) JUMPIN’ JACK FLASH Thelma Houston # 72
73 ( NEW ) SEVENTH SON Georgie Fame # 73
74 ( NEW ) A WORLD WITHOUT MUSIC Archie Bell & The Drells # 74
75 ( NEW ) I’M GONNA LOVE YOU The Intrigues # 75

6th Dec Wot I Liked Then
1 ( 1 ) SUGAR SUGAR The Archies
2 ( 2 ) TWO LITTLE BOYS Rolf Harris
3 ( 3 ) I’LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Bobbie Gentry
4 ( 5 ) ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell
5 ( 4 ) SOMETHING The Beatles
6 ( 6 ) YESTER-ME YESTER-YOU, YESTERDAY Stevie Wonder
7 ( 8 ) RUBY DON’T TAKE YOUR LOVE TO TOWN Kenny Rogers and The First Edition
8 ( 7 ) EVERYBODY’S TALKING Nilsson
9 ( NEW ) TRACY The Cuff Links
10 ( 10 ) SUSPICIOUS MINDS Elvis Presley

 

13th December 1969

It’s 2 weeks on top for Marmalade as the highest new entry is in at 3 for actor-singer Murray Head, 2 years ahead of his UK debut with Superstar, the first track dropped in November in the UK and December in the USA. It would be another 15 years before Murray got a big hit, with Tim Rice & The Abba boys One Night In Bangkok from the musical Chess – and of course this was the epic finale to Tim Rice & Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s greatest musical Jesus Christ Superstar. Murray’s brother Anthony would one day star in one of the greatest TV shows of all-time. Yes, really, Buffy The Vampire Slayer is brilliant.

Eddie Holman goes top 5, and Jimmy Ruffin top 10, making it 3 UK 70’s hits in the top rung – and I’m not including those hitting in the early new year of 1970. The Guess Who get a top 20 with No Time, Cilla & Led Zep join them, it’s Plant & co’s first (but not last) jump into the top rungs. The Turtles make it 2 top 40’s of 1969 for the former chart-toppers, as The Archies & The Stones go top 40 too, both having had quite a few to date. I do like variety!

Vanity Fare get a second hit with Hitchin’ A Ride – I’ll be honest I don’t know their version very well, and it sounds less convincing than the version mum taped off Singapore radio in late 1970/early 1971 – Frank Ifield! And also less convincing than the latest Murray/Callander hit project Paper Lace’s ’75 version. But better than Sinitta’s 1990 hit version. In at 71, The Lovelites harmonise about how to tell your folk you’re preggers, Dionne Warwick gets the US hit version of the classic Bobbie Gentry UK chart-topper (and it’s not as good as Bobbie’s heartfelt version), Delaney & Bonnie drag a friend in on guitar, and Leapy Lee stops being a one-hit wonder a year late.

1 ( 1 ) REFLECTIONS OF MY LIFE Marmalade # 1
2 ( 2 ) HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell & The Drells # 1
3 ( NEW ) SUPERSTAR Murray Head # 3
4 ( 3 ) TWO LITTLE BOYS Rolf Harris # 3
5 ( 16 ) HEY THERE LONELY GIRL Eddie Holman # 5
6 ( 5 ) ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell # 5
7 ( 4 ) I WANT YOU BACK The Jackson 5 # 4
8 ( 13 ) FAREWELL IS A LONELY SOUND Jimmy Ruffin # 8
9 ( 7 ) THEY CALL THE WIND MARIA Harve Presnell # 1
10 ( 6 ) WAND’RIN’ STAR Lee Marvin # 2

11 ( 8 ) DURHAM TOWN (THE LEAVIN’) Roger Whittaker # 8
12 ( 14 ) VENUS Shocking Blue # 12
13 ( 9 ) HE AIN’T HEAVY…HE’S MY BROTHER The Hollies # 1
14 ( 10 ) THEME FROM “MIDNIGHT COWBOY” John Barry # 1
15 ( 12 ) I’LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Bobbie Gentry # 1
16 ( 11 ) RAINDROPS KEEP FALLIN’ ON MY HEAD B.J. Thomas # 8
17 ( 19 ) OH ME OH MY (I’M A FOOL FOR YOU BABY) Lulu # 17
18 ( 33 ) NO TIME The Guess Who # 18
19 ( 26 ) IF I THOUGHT YOU’D EVER CHANGE YOUR MIND Cilla Black # 19
20 ( 22 ) WHOLE LOTTA LOVE Led Zeppelin # 20

21 ( 15 ) I GUESS THE LORD MUST BE IN NEW YORK CITY Nilsson # 9
22 ( 17 ) (CALL ME) NUMBER ONE The Tremeloes # 4
23 ( 18 ) YESTER-ME, YESTER-YOU, YESTERDAY Stevie Wonder # 6
24 ( 20 ) LITTLE GREEN BAG George Baker Selection # 20
25 ( 21 ) NA NA HEY HEY KISS HIM GOODBYE Steam # 3
26 ( 43 ) LADY-O The Turtles # 26
27 ( 23 ) SOMETHING The Beatles # 6
28 ( 29 ) SHE SOLD ME MAGIC Lou Christie # 28
29 ( 30 ) SOMEDAY WE’LL BE TOGETHER Diana Ross & The Supremes # 29
30 ( 37 ) WHICH WAY YOU GOING BILLY? The Poppy Family featuring Terry Jacks # 30

31 ( 24 ) WONDERFUL WORLD BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE Jimmy Cliff # 15
32 ( 27 ) TRY A LITTLE KINDNESS Glen Campbell # 4
33 ( 34 ) TIME AND LOVE Laura Nyro # 33
34 ( 35 ) WHEN WE GET MARRIED 1910 Fruitgum Company # 34
35 ( 25 ) A BRAND NEW ME Dusty Springfield # 19
36 ( 28 ) GROOVIN’ (OUT ON LIFE) The Newbeats # 28
37 ( 44 ) GIMME SHELTER The Rolling Stones # 37
38 ( 46 ) JINGLE JANGLE The Archies # 38
39 ( 31 ) HERE COMES THE SUN The Beatles # 9
40 ( 36 ) AM I THE SAME GIRL Dusty Springfield # 1

41 ( 32 ) LIQUIDATOR Harry J All Stars # 23
42 ( 50 ) JAM UP JELLY TIGHT Tommy Roe # 42
43 ( 41 ) LEAVING ON A JET PLANE Peter, Paul & Mary # 13
44 ( 38 ) THE GOSPEL OF NO NAME CITY Alan Dexter # 19
45 ( 39 ) SOME OF SHELLY’S BLUES The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band # 16
46 ( 53 ) MAYBE The Chantels # 46
47 ( 62 ) SHE Tommy James & The Shondells # 47
48 ( 60 ) DARLING DEAR Smokey Robinson & The Miracles # 48
49 ( 54 ) ARIZONA Mark Lindsay # 49
50 ( NEW ) HITCHIN’ A RIDE Vanity Fare # 50

51 ( 40 ) THERE’S A COACH COMIN’ IN Harve Presnell & Chorus # 27
52 ( 45 ) DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO The Four Tops # 10
53 ( 51 ) SPACE ODDITY David Bowie # 1
54 ( 42 ) PAINT YOUR WAGON ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK MAIN TITLE (I’M ON MY WAY) Paint Your Wagon Chorus # 30
55 ( 55 ) HOLLY HOLY Neil Diamond # 30
56 ( 66 ) WITHOUT LOVE (THERE IS NOTHING) Tom Jones # 56
57 ( 63 ) CHERRY HILL PARK Billy Joe Royal # 57
58 ( 65 ) WHEREVER SHE LEADETH ME The Impressions featuring Curtis Mayfield # 58
59 ( 56 ) SOMETHING IN THE AIR Thunderclap Newman # 1
60 ( 57 ) IN THE YEAR 2525 (EXORDIUM AND TERMINUS) Zager & Evans # 1

61 ( 49 ) BRANDED BAD The O’Jays # 49
62 ( 68 ) THE THRILL IS GONE B. B. King # 62
63 ( 67 ) MELTING POT Blue Mink # 63
64 ( 58 ) WEDDING BELL BLUES The 5th Dimension # 8
65 ( 52 ) IT’S GONNA TAKE A LOT TO BRING ME BACK The Manhattans # 52
66 ( 69 ) THE OLD MAN’S BACK AGAIN Scott Walker # 66
67 ( 72 ) JUMPIN’ JACK FLASH Thelma Houston # 67
68 ( 70 ) VICTORIA The Kinks # 68
69 ( 71 ) DON’T LET HIM TAKE YOUR LOVE FROM ME The Four Tops # 69
70 ( 64 ) CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION Tommy James & The Shondells # 1

71 ( NEW ) HOW CAN I TELL MY MOM AND DAD The Lovelites # 71
72 ( 73 ) SEVENTH SON Georgie Fame # 72
73 ( NEW ) I’LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Dionne Warwick # 73
74 ( NEW ) COMIN’ HOME Delaney & Bonnie & Friends # 74
75 ( NEW ) GOOD MORNING Leapy Lee # 75

RETRO THEN
1 ( 1 ) SUGAR SUGAR The Archies
2 ( 2 ) TWO LITTLE BOYS Rolf Harris
3 ( 4 ) ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell
4 ( 6 ) YESTER-ME YESTER-YOU, YESTERDAY Stevie Wonder
5 ( 7 ) RUBY DON’T TAKE YOUR LOVE TO TOWN Kenny Rogers and The First Edition
6 ( 5 ) SOMETHING The Beatles
7 ( 9 ) TRACY The Cuff Links
8 ( RE ) FEELIN’ SO GOOD (S.K.O.O.B.Y D.O.O) The Archies
9 ( 10 ) SUSPICIOUS MINDS Elvis Presley
10 ( 8 ) EVERYBODY’S TALKING Nilsson

 

 

20th December 1969

It’s 3 weeks on top for Marmalade, as they hold off a Xmas Superstar challenge from Murray Head. The Guess Who get their first top 10, no time to mention they’d be back – sort of – in 1974, stuttering a bit. You ain’t seen nothin’ yet! Bananarama also get a first top 10 – I mean Shocking Blue! Highest new entry at 11 is the first of an invasion of new singles or album tracks just sneaking into the 1969 release schedules, and it’s The Beatles’ charity Across The Universe at 11, the first John song to challenge the top 10 since Ballad Of John & Yoko.

The Delfonics are back with another future 70’s UK hit, Didn’t I Blow Your Mind in at 22, just ahead of Jimmy Cliff’s earlier 1969 single getting another shot in the wake of Wonderful World Beautiful People, the great Many Rivers To Cross, a future UK hit – for UB40. The 5th Dimension are back with another Laura Nyro cover, Blowin’ her Away and out of the top 40 – how rude! Meanwhile ailing Louis Armstrong is back for what is pretty much his swansong, the ironically-titled We Have All The Time In The World, the non-hit new Bond song from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service – both the title tune and Louis’ original songs becoming 90’s hits eventually. The new Bond actor didn’t favour, but at least it had Diana Rigg in it, which is compensation for almost anything.

The Carpenters debut at 40 with the template for their greatest 70’s tracks – gorgeous vocals, lush arrangements, and great songs, this time a cover of The Beatles Ticket To Ride. Karen was happier behind the drums and out of the spotlight – but she had the voice of an angel in the studio, making it seem effortless. Rock critics busy sharpening up their vitriolic pencils, of course, as they always do for anything not deemed “cool”, and usually end up being proved wrong in the long run. Happily I’ve a long memory and enjoy a good bout of “I told you so’s” when they get it wrong.

Elsewhere Marvin Gaye covers Jimmy Ruffin as Motown bung out an album of covers against the wishes of Gaye, for the most part, which may be why they were a bit cool with his own stuff in a year or two initially. It’s a decent effort here though. Sly & The Family Stone have a double A side, the track I prefer is Everybody Is A Star, The Pioneers are back, Brook Benton enters with future Randy Crawford 80’s hit Rainy Night In Georgia, Lenny Welch covers Neil Sedaka’s early 60’s pop hit Breaking Up Is Hard To Do in slow piano-led soul stylee, 2 years ahead of The Partridge Family topping my chart with a version more in line with the original, and 5 years ahead of Neil Sedaka covering it himself in the same style as Lenny Welch.

Luther Ingram debuts, Melanie debuts setting herself up for a chart-topper in 2 years-time, and Elvis sneaks in with a movie song B side that got remixed and a hit in the noughties – Rubberneckin’. Phew! 1969 has been a manic and varies year. One more week to go and then it’s into 1970 – which I regard as the low-point from 1966 through 1974. It’s going to be interesting to see if my greatly-expanded new charts bear that out! Possibly not!

1 ( 1 ) REFLECTIONS OF MY LIFE Marmalade # 1
2 ( 3 ) SUPERSTAR Murray Head # 2
3 ( 2 ) HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell & The Drells # 1
4 ( 5 ) HEY THERE LONELY GIRL Eddie Holman # 4
5 ( 6 ) ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell # 5
6 ( 8 ) FAREWELL IS A LONELY SOUND Jimmy Ruffin # 6
7 ( 4 ) TWO LITTLE BOYS Rolf Harris # 3
8 ( 7 ) I WANT YOU BACK The Jackson 5 # 4
9 ( 18 ) NO TIME The Guess Who # 9
10 ( 12 ) VENUS Shocking Blue # 10

11 ( NEW ) ACROSS THE UNIVERSE The Beatles # 11
12 ( 17 ) OH ME OH MY (I’M A FOOL FOR YOU BABY) Lulu # 12
13 ( 11 ) DURHAM TOWN (THE LEAVIN’) Roger Whittaker # 8
14 ( 9 ) THEY CALL THE WIND MARIA Harve Presnell # 1
15 ( 10 ) WAND’RIN’ STAR Lee Marvin # 2
16 ( 19 ) IF I THOUGHT YOU’D EVER CHANGE YOUR MIND Cilla Black # 16
17 ( 14 ) THEME FROM “MIDNIGHT COWBOY” John Barry # 1
18 ( 13 ) HE AIN’T HEAVY…HE’S MY BROTHER The Hollies # 1
19 ( 15 ) I’LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Bobbie Gentry # 1
20 ( 26 ) LADY-O The Turtles # 20

21 ( 16 ) RAINDROPS KEEP FALLIN’ ON MY HEAD B.J. Thomas # 8
22 ( NEW ) DIDN’T I (BLOW YOUR MIND THIS TIME) The Delfonics # 22
23 ( 20 ) WHOLE LOTTA LOVE Led Zeppelin # 20
24 ( NEW ) MANY RIVERS TO CROSS Jimmy Cliff # 24
25 ( 30 ) WHICH WAY YOU GOING BILLY? The Poppy Family featuring Terry Jacks # 25
26 ( 28 ) SHE SOLD ME MAGIC Lou Christie # 26
27 ( 23 ) YESTER-ME, YESTER-YOU, YESTERDAY Stevie Wonder # 6
28 ( 22 ) (CALL ME) NUMBER ONE The Tremeloes # 4
29 ( 21 ) I GUESS THE LORD MUST BE IN NEW YORK CITY Nilsson # 9
30 ( 24 ) LITTLE GREEN BAG George Baker Selection # 20

31 ( 25 ) NA NA HEY HEY KISS HIM GOODBYE Steam # 3
32 ( 38 ) JINGLE JANGLE The Archies # 32
33 ( 27 ) SOMETHING The Beatles # 6
34 ( 37 ) GIMME SHELTER The Rolling Stones # 34
35 ( NEW ) BLOWIN’ AWAY The 5th Dimension # 35
36 ( 46 ) MAYBE The Chantels # 36
37 ( NEW ) WE HAVE ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD Louis Armstrong # 37
38 ( 47 ) SHE Tommy James & The Shondells # 38
39 ( 32 ) TRY A LITTLE KINDNESS Glen Campbell # 4
40 ( NEW ) TICKET TO RIDE The Carpenters # 40

41 ( 29 ) SOMEDAY WE’LL BE TOGETHER Diana Ross & The Supremes # 29
42 ( 31 ) WONDERFUL WORLD BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE Jimmy Cliff # 15
43 ( 40 ) AM I THE SAME GIRL Dusty Springfield # 1
44 ( 33 ) TIME AND LOVE Laura Nyro # 33
45 ( 50 ) HITCHIN’ A RIDE Vanity Fare # 45
46 ( 56 ) WITHOUT LOVE (THERE IS NOTHING) Tom Jones # 46
47 ( 42 ) JAM UP JELLY TIGHT Tommy Roe # 42
48 ( 48 ) DARLING DEAR Smokey Robinson & The Miracles # 48
49 ( 34 ) WHEN WE GET MARRIED 1910 Fruitgum Company # 34
50 ( 39 ) HERE COMES THE SUN The Beatles # 9

51 ( 35 ) A BRAND NEW ME Dusty Springfield # 19
52 ( NEW ) GONNA GIVE HER ALL THE LOVE I GOT Marvin Gaye # 52
53 ( 36 ) GROOVIN’ (OUT ON LIFE) The Newbeats # 28
54 ( 71 ) HOW CAN I TELL MY MOM AND DAD The Lovelites # 54
55 ( 43 ) LEAVING ON A JET PLANE Peter, Paul & Mary # 13
56 ( 62 ) THE THRILL IS GONE B. B. King # 56
57 ( 57 ) CHERRY HILL PARK Billy Joe Royal # 57
58 ( 58 ) WHEREVER SHE LEADETH ME The Impressions featuring Curtis Mayfield # 58
59 ( 41 ) LIQUIDATOR Harry J All Stars # 23
60 ( 53 ) SPACE ODDITY David Bowie # 1

61 ( 49 ) ARIZONA Mark Lindsay # 49
62 ( 45 ) SOME OF SHELLY’S BLUES The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band # 16
63 ( 66 ) THE OLD MAN’S BACK AGAIN Scott Walker # 63
64 ( 59 ) SOMETHING IN THE AIR Thunderclap Newman # 1
65 ( 60 ) IN THE YEAR 2525 (EXORDIUM AND TERMINUS) Zager & Evans # 1
66 ( NEW ) EVERYBODY IS A STAR Sly & The Family Stone # 66
67 ( NEW ) POOR RAMASES The Pioneers # 67
68 ( NEW ) RAINY NIGHT IN GEORGIA Brook Benton # 68
69 ( 73 ) I’LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Dionne Warwick # 69
70 ( 72 ) SEVENTH SON Georgie Fame # 70

71 ( NEW ) BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO Lenny Welch # 71
72 ( NEW ) MY HONEY AND ME Luther Ingram # 72
73 ( NEW ) THANK YOU (FALETTINME BE MICE ELF AGAIN) Sly & The Family Stone # 73
74 ( NEW ) BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE Melanie # 74
75 ( NEW ) RUBBERNECKIN’ Elvis Presley # 75

wot I liked that week then
1 ( 1 ) SUGAR SUGAR The Archies
2 ( 2 ) TWO LITTLE BOYS Rolf Harris
3 ( 3 ) ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell
4 ( 5 ) RUBY DON’T TAKE YOUR LOVE TO TOWN Kenny Rogers and The First Edition
5 ( 4 ) YESTER-ME YESTER-YOU, YESTERDAY Stevie Wonder
6 ( 6 ) SOMETHING The Beatles
7 ( 9 ) SUSPICIOUS MINDS Elvis Presley
8 ( NEW ) JINGLE JANGLE The Archies
9 ( 7 ) TRACY The Cuff Links
10 ( NEW ) GREEN RIVER Creedence Clearwater Revival

 

27th December 1969

it’s 4 weeks on top for Reflections Of My Life, holding off Superstar, and the last dated chart of the year for my listings, while back in the day the record that topped of 1969 and started 1970 was Two Little Boys. The Beatles sneak another top 10 in at the last minute, not many left now, just 1970 and then nothing till some reissues in 1976 unless I start charting uncharted stuff off the Blue & red albums in 1973. Jimmy Cliff gets his first top 10 with the brilliant Many Rivers To Cross, and Lulu gets a first top 10 since To Sir With Love topped 2 years ago.

It’s a very quiet post-Christmas chart, just 3 new entries, which gives a bunch of under-performing chart positions a boost after floods of new tracks recently. Tom Jones, Tommy Roe & Vanity fare all add to their top 40’s and the highest debut at 45 is from The Beatles. I mean, Badfinger. On Apple, A Paul McCartney song, and he made them copy his version of Come And Get It pretty much as it was handed over – as can be seen on the versions recently released and on Anthology 3 in the 90’s. No matter, they had their own classics to come and it gave the Band a useful showcase.

At 62, Friends drop by from Arrival – a band of many members, the key ones going on to success in Kokomo in the later 70’s and early 80’s – and Donny Hathaway enters at 75 with cult cut The Ghetto. Donny was more famous for his duets with Roberta Flack, but he was also a key soul act, albeit a very troubled one who died young following a few years of mental illness and depression.

1 ( 1 ) REFLECTIONS OF MY LIFE Marmalade # 1
2 ( 2 ) SUPERSTAR Murray Head with the Trinidad Singers # 2
3 ( 4 ) HEY THERE LONELY GIRL Eddie Holman # 3
4 ( 5 ) ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell # 4
5 ( 3 ) HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell & The Drells # 1
6 ( 6 ) FAREWELL IS A LONELY SOUND Jimmy Ruffin # 6
7 ( 11 ) ACROSS THE UNIVERSE The Beatles # 7
8 ( 24 ) MANY RIVERS TO CROSS Jimmy Cliff # 8
9 ( 9 ) NO TIME The Guess Who # 9
10 ( 12 ) OH ME OH MY (I’M A FOOL FOR YOU BABY) Lulu # 10

11 ( 7 ) TWO LITTLE BOYS Rolf Harris # 3
12 ( 22 ) DIDN’T I (BLOW YOUR MIND THIS TIME) The Delfonics # 12
13 ( 8 ) I WANT YOU BACK The Jackson 5 # 4
14 ( 16 ) IF I THOUGHT YOU’D EVER CHANGE YOUR MIND Cilla Black # 14
15 ( 20 ) LADY-O The Turtles # 15
16 ( 13 ) DURHAM TOWN (THE LEAVIN’) Roger Whittaker # 8
17 ( 14 ) THEY CALL THE WIND MARIA Harve Presnell # 1
18 ( 15 ) WAND’RIN’ STAR Lee Marvin # 2
19 ( 10 ) VENUS Shocking Blue # 10
20 ( 25 ) WHICH WAY YOU GOING BILLY? The Poppy Family featuring Terry Jacks # 20

21 ( 17 ) THEME FROM “MIDNIGHT COWBOY” John Barry # 1
22 ( 19 ) I’LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Bobbie Gentry # 1
23 ( 18 ) HE AIN’T HEAVY…HE’S MY BROTHER The Hollies # 1
24 ( 21 ) RAINDROPS KEEP FALLIN’ ON MY HEAD B.J. Thomas # 8
25 ( 40 ) TICKET TO RIDE The Carpenters # 25
26 ( 26 ) SHE SOLD ME MAGIC Lou Christie # 26
27 ( 35 ) BLOWIN’ AWAY The 5th Dimension # 27
28 ( 37 ) WE HAVE ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD Louis Armstrong # 28
29 ( 32 ) JINGLE JANGLE The Archies # 29
30 ( 34 ) GIMME SHELTER The Rolling Stones # 30

31 ( 27 ) YESTER-ME, YESTER-YOU, YESTERDAY Stevie Wonder # 6
32 ( 28 ) (CALL ME) NUMBER ONE The Tremeloes # 4
33 ( 36 ) MAYBE The Chantels # 33
34 ( 31 ) NA NA HEY HEY KISS HIM GOODBYE Steam # 3
35 ( 29 ) I GUESS THE LORD MUST BE IN NEW YORK CITY Nilsson # 9
36 ( 30 ) LITTLE GREEN BAG George Baker Selection # 20
37 ( 46 ) WITHOUT LOVE (THERE IS NOTHING) Tom Jones # 37
38 ( 47 ) JAM UP JELLY TIGHT Tommy Roe # 38
39 ( 23 ) WHOLE LOTTA LOVE Led Zeppelin # 20
40 ( 45 ) HITCHIN’ A RIDE Vanity Fare # 40

41 ( 54 ) HOW CAN I TELL MY MOM AND DAD The Lovelites # 41
42 ( 52 ) GONNA GIVE HER ALL THE LOVE I GOT Marvin Gaye # 42
43 ( 33 ) SOMETHING The Beatles # 6
44 ( 39 ) TRY A LITTLE KINDNESS Glen Campbell # 4
45 ( NEW ) COME AND GET IT Badfinger # 45
46 ( 43 ) AM I THE SAME GIRL Dusty Springfield # 1
47 ( 38 ) SHE Tommy James & The Shondells # 38
48 ( 48 ) DARLING DEAR Smokey Robinson & The Miracles # 48
49 ( 56 ) THE THRILL IS GONE B. B. King # 49
50 ( 68 ) RAINY NIGHT IN GEORGIA Brook Benton # 50

51 ( 42 ) WONDERFUL WORLD BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE Jimmy Cliff # 15
52 ( 58 ) WHEREVER SHE LEADETH ME The Impressions featuring Curtis Mayfield # 52
53 ( 41 ) SOMEDAY WE’LL BE TOGETHER Diana Ross & The Supremes # 29
54 ( 44 ) TIME AND LOVE Laura Nyro # 33
55 ( 55 ) LEAVING ON A JET PLANE Peter, Paul & Mary # 13
56 ( 50 ) HERE COMES THE SUN The Beatles # 9
57 ( 63 ) THE OLD MAN’S BACK AGAIN Scott Walker # 57
58 ( 67 ) POOR RAMASES The Pioneers # 58
59 ( 69 ) I’LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Dionne Warwick # 59
60 ( 66 ) EVERYBODY IS A STAR Sly & The Family Stone # 60

61 ( 51 ) A BRAND NEW ME Dusty Springfield # 19
62 ( NEW ) FRIENDS Arrival # 62
63 ( 49 ) WHEN WE GET MARRIED 1910 Fruitgum Company # 34
64 ( 60 ) SPACE ODDITY David Bowie # 1
65 ( 70 ) SEVENTH SON Georgie Fame # 65
66 ( 71 ) BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO Lenny Welch # 66
67 ( 59 ) LIQUIDATOR Harry J All Stars # 23
68 ( 64 ) SOMETHING IN THE AIR Thunderclap Newman # 1
69 ( 65 ) IN THE YEAR 2525 (EXORDIUM AND TERMINUS) Zager & Evans # 1
70 ( 72 ) MY HONEY AND ME Luther Ingram # 70

71 ( 73 ) THANK YOU (FALETTINME BE MICE ELF AGAIN) Sly & The Family Stone # 71
72 ( 53 ) GROOVIN’ (OUT ON LIFE) The Newbeats # 28
73 ( 75 ) RUBBERNECKIN’ Elvis Presley # 73
74 ( 74 ) BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE Melanie # 74
75 ( NEW ) THE GHETTO Donny Hathaway # 75

Wot I liked then
1 ( 2 ) TWO LITTLE BOYS Rolf Harris
2 ( 1 ) SUGAR SUGAR The Archies
3 ( 3 ) ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell
4 ( NEW ) REFLECTIONS OF MY LIFE Marmalade
5 ( 7 ) SUSPICIOUS MINDS Elvis Presley
6 ( 8 ) JINGLE JANGLE The Archies
7 ( 6 ) SOMETHING The Beatles
8 ( 4 ) RUBY DON’T TAKE YOUR LOVE TO TOWN Kenny Rogers and The First Edition
9 ( 5 ) YESTER-ME YESTER-YOU, YESTERDAY Stevie Wonder
10 ( 9 ) TRACY The Cuff Links

My August 1986 Charts

5th August 1986

It’s the oldest record to top my chart to date at 1 – the 22-year-old Shout, giving Lulu her first chart-topper after 18 years of trying. There are lots of big climbers, big droppers, and new entries in a volatile chart week. Doctor & The Medics make it 2 top 5’s in a row with a big leap, and yes, someone had to like it, Chris De Burgh also goes top 5 here. I loathe the record these days, got sick of hearing it very quickly, and have never gone back to it, it was all those wedding dances that did it…!

Robert Palmer gets his first top 10, Patti Labelle rockets into the 20, and Bruce Hornsby & Jesus & Mary Chain both leap strongly into the 20 too. The Smiths rocket into the 30, along with 2 soul divas in Aretha Franklin & Gwen Guthrie. The highest new entry is Miami Sound Machine, back again with the rather lovely Fallin In Love at 28. Yello have a European Goldrush into the 40, & The Real Thing get a 3rd 70’s remix into my 40, still feeling that force 7 years on. Tim Finn, ex of Split Enz and brother of forthcoming Crowded House ex-Split Enz Neil Finn, gets a solo entry, Prince is close behind, a bit of Boris Gardiner debuting his lover’s rock future UK chart-topper, Basia goes solo of Matt Bianco, Everything But The Girl have another newie, and the fabulous record and future Annie Lennox fabness (supporting Eurythmics on tour as it happens, A Lover Speaks) is No More ‘I Love You’s. Jefferey Osbourne also returns, popping to Soweto.

1 ( 3 ) SHOUT Lulu
2 ( 1 ) PAPA DON’T PREACH Madonna
3 ( 24 ) BURN Doctor & The Medics
4 ( 18 ) LADY IN RED Chris De Burgh
5 ( 5 ) WE WALKED IN LOVE Dollar
6 ( 6 ) PRESS Paul McCartney
7 ( 2 ) (BANG ZOOM) LET’S GO GO The Real Roxanne with Hitman Howie T
8 ( 15 ) I DIDN’T MEAN TO TURN YOU ON Robert Palmer
9 ( 4 ) HIGHER LOVE Stevie Winwood
10 ( 10 ) WHAT’S THE COLOUR OF MONEY Hollywood Beyond

11 ( 7 ) CAMOUFLAGE Stan Ridgway
12 ( 30 ) FIND THE TIME Five Star
13 ( 9 ) NEW BEGINNING (MAMBA SEYRA) Bucks Fizz
14 ( 8 ) VENUS Bananarama
15 ( 26 ) OH LOUISE (REMIX) Junior
16 ( 62 ) OH PEOPLE Patti Labelle
17 ( 51 ) CALLING ALL THE HEROES It Bites
18 ( 11 ) ROSES Haywoode
19 ( 42 ) THE WAY IT IS Bruce Hornsby & The Range
20 ( 45 ) SOME CANDY TALKING Jesus & Mary Chain

21 ( 20 ) EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART Rod Stewart
22 ( 16 ) I CAN’T WAIT Nu Shooz
23 ( 13 ) THE EDGE OF HEAVEN Wham!
24 ( 12 ) THE PROMISE YOU MADE Cock Robin
25 ( 27 ) I CAN PROVE IT Phil Fearon & Galaxy
26 ( 17 ) NO CONVERSATION A View From The Hill
27 ( 48 ) AIN’T NOTHIN’ GOING’ ON BUT THE RENT Gwen Guthrie
28 ( NEW ) FALLIN’ IN LOVE (UH-UH) Miami Sound Machine featuring Gloria Estefan
29 ( 39 ) SUN STREET Katrina & The Waves
30 ( 74 ) PANIC The Smiths

31 ( 14 ) SEASIDE WOMAN Suzy & The Red Stripes
32 ( 25 ) OPPORTUNITIES (LET’S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) Pet Shop Boys
33 ( 19 ) SOMEBODY Brilliant
34 ( 65 ) AIN’T NOBODY EVER LOVED YOU Aretha Franklin
35 ( 21 ) SING OUR OWN SONG UB40
36 ( 28 ) SMILE Audrey Hall
37 ( 29 ) FREDERICK Sandie Shaw
38 ( NEW ) GOLDRUSH Yello
39 ( 22 ) LET’S GO ALL THE WAY Sly Fox
40 ( NEW ) CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE (REMIX) The Real Thing

41 ( 23 ) HAPPY HOUR The Housemartins
42 ( 41 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
43 ( 35 ) HUNTING HIGH AND LOW a-ha
44 ( 72 ) DREAMTIME Daryl Hall
45 ( 40 ) VIENNA CALLING Falco
46 ( NEW ) CARVE YOU IN MARBLE Tim Finn
47 ( NEW ) GIRLS AND BOYS Prince
48 ( 64 ) BREAKING AWAY Jaki Graham
49 ( 32 ) I WANNA BE A COWBOY Boys Don’t Cry
50 ( 50 ) ED’S FUNKY DINER It’s Immaterial

51 ( NEW ) I WANT TO WAKE UP WITH YOU Boris Gardiner
52 ( 38 ) SWEET LOVE Anita Baker
53 ( 75 ) RED SKY Status Quo
54 ( NEW ) PRIME TIME TV Basia
55 ( 49 ) YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE (REMIX) Candi Staton
56 ( 44 ) SPIRIT IN THE SKY Doctor & The Medics
57 ( 53 ) (I’LL NEVER BE) MARIA MAGDALENA Sandra
58 ( 47 ) SET ME FREE Jaki Graham
59 ( 57 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye
60 ( NEW ) COME ON HOME Everything But The Girl

61 ( NEW ) NO MORE ‘I LOVE YOU’S A Lover Speaks
62 ( 60 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
63 ( 63 ) SO MACHO Sinitta
64 ( 31 ) MY FAVOURITE WASTE OF TIME Owen Paul
65 ( 69 ) DANCING ON THE CEILING Lionel Richie
66 ( 36 ) PARANOIMIA Art Of Noise and Max Headroom
67 ( 56 ) CAN’T GET BY WITHOUT YOU (REMIX) The Real Thing
68 ( 37 ) I KEEP FORGETTIN’ Michael McDonald
69 ( 68 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush
70 ( 70 ) FIGHT FOR OURSELVES Spandau Ballet

71 ( 66 ) YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON Diana Ross & The Supremes
72 ( 43 ) WHEN TOMORROW COMES Eurythmics
73 ( NEW ) SOWETO Jeffery Osbourne
74 ( 33 ) BORROWED LOVE SOS Band
75 ( 34 ) DON’T LET LOVE GET YOU DOWN Archie Bell & The Drells

PLAYIST OLDIES

1 LAST NIGHT IN SOHO Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
2 JACKIE Scott Walker
3 YAMASUKI The Yamasukis

 

12th August 1986

A few weeks since The Supremes oldie hit the top, in comes Diana Ross with her first major solo hit, the definitive OTT cover of Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, the Marvin & Tammi oldie, a hit in 1970 while I lived out the country and was blissfully unaware of it until a few years later – I grew to love it more and more over the years until it was a 1986 reissue, giving her a 3rd solo topper, or 5 including The Supremes. The chart is as volatile as last week, tracks shooting up and dropping back, and entering high, such as the highest new track at 8 from the Human league doing Jam & Lewis, the gorgeous Human, and another Jam & Lewis classic for Janet Jackson, When I Think Of You, at 47.

Patti Labelle gets a second top tenner, Oh people at 4, and The Smiths grab one of their occasional top 10’s with the fab Panic up to 9. Bon Jovi debut in my charts with You Give Love A Bad Name, at 51, Jermaine Stewart dances in without having to take his clothes off, Winston Reedy does a good reggae cover of Elvis Costello, Stevie Nicks slips in with the understated and utter gorgeousness of Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You, The The sneak in, and somehow Anita Dobson escapes from Eastenders, bungs some lyrics on the theme tune, and got future hubbie Brian May on production duties, hey presto a big UK hit in the year when Angie ruled the Queen Vic.

1 ( NEW ) AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH Diana Ross
2 ( 1 ) SHOUT Lulu
3 ( 5 ) WE WALKED IN LOVE Dollar
4 ( 16 ) OH PEOPLE Patti Labelle
5 ( 3 ) BURN Doctor & The Medics
6 ( 2 ) PAPA DON’T PREACH Madonna
7 ( 8 ) I DIDN’T MEAN TO TURN YOU ON Robert Palmer
8 ( NEW ) HUMAN Human League
9 ( 30 ) PANIC The Smiths
10 ( 4 ) LADY IN RED Chris De Burgh

11 ( 12 ) FIND THE TIME Five Star
12 ( 6 ) PRESS Paul McCartney
13 ( 27 ) AIN’T NOTHIN’ GOING’ ON BUT THE RENT Gwen Guthrie
14 ( 17 ) CALLING ALL THE HEROES It Bites
15 ( 7 ) (BANG ZOOM) LET’S GO GO The Real Roxanne with Hitman Howie T
16 ( 19 ) THE WAY IT IS Bruce Hornsby & The Range
17 ( 40 ) CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE (REMIX) The Real Thing
18 ( 10 ) WHAT’S THE COLOUR OF MONEY Hollywood Beyond
19 ( 25 ) I CAN PROVE IT Phil Fearon & Galaxy
20 ( 20 ) SOME CANDY TALKING Jesus & Mary Chain

21 ( 13 ) NEW BEGINNING (MAMBA SEYRA) Bucks Fizz
22 ( 9 ) HIGHER LOVE Stevie Winwood
23 ( 11 ) CAMOUFLAGE Stan Ridgway
24 ( 15 ) OH LOUISE (REMIX) Junior
25 ( 28 ) FALLIN’ IN LOVE (UH-UH) Miami Sound Machine featuring Gloria Estefan
26 ( 44 ) DREAMTIME Daryl Hall
27 ( 34 ) AIN’T NOBODY EVER LOVED YOU Aretha Franklin
28 ( 14 ) VENUS Bananarama
29 ( 18 ) ROSES Haywoode
30 ( 22 ) I CAN’T WAIT Nu Shooz

31 ( 23 ) THE EDGE OF HEAVEN Wham!
32 ( 51 ) I WANT TO WAKE UP WITH YOU Boris Gardiner
33 ( 29 ) SUN STREET Katrina & The Waves
34 ( 48 ) BREAKING AWAY Jaki Graham
35 ( 53 ) RED SKY Status Quo
36 ( 26 ) NO CONVERSATION A View From The Hill
37 ( 32 ) OPPORTUNITIES (LET’S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) Pet Shop Boys
38 ( 38 ) GOLDRUSH Yello
39 ( 24 ) THE PROMISE YOU MADE Cock Robin
40 ( 46 ) CARVE YOU IN MARBLE Tim Finn

41 ( 37 ) FREDERICK Sandie Shaw
42 ( 33 ) SOMEBODY Brilliant
43 ( 42 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
44 ( 60 ) COME ON HOME Everything But The Girl
45 ( 21 ) EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART Rod Stewart
46 ( 47 ) GIRLS AND BOYS Prince
47 ( NEW ) WHEN I THINK OF YOU Janet Jackson
48 ( 39 ) LET’S GO ALL THE WAY Sly Fox
49 ( 61 ) NO MORE ‘I LOVE YOU’S A Lover Speaks
50 ( 54 ) PRIME TIME TV Basia

51 ( NEW ) YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME Bon Jovi
52 ( 65 ) DANCING ON THE CEILING Lionel Richie
53 ( 31 ) SEASIDE WOMAN Suzy & The Red Stripes
54 ( 45 ) VIENNA CALLING Falco
55 ( 73 ) SOWETO Jeffery Osbourne
56 ( 43 ) HUNTING HIGH AND LOW a-ha
57 ( 36 ) SMILE Audrey Hall
58 ( 49 ) I WANNA BE A COWBOY Boys Don’t Cry
59 ( 63 ) SO MACHO Sinitta
60 ( 59 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye

61 ( 35 ) SING OUR OWN SONG UB40
62 ( NEW ) I HAD A FRIEND Rain And Tears
63 ( 62 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
64 ( 55 ) YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE (REMIX) Candi Staton
65 ( 57 ) (I’LL NEVER BE) MARIA MAGDALENA Sandra
66 ( NEW ) WE DON’T HAVE TO TAKE OUR CLOTHES OFF Jermaine Stewart
67 ( NEW ) ANYONE CAN FALL IN LOVE Anita Dobson
68 ( 41 ) HAPPY HOUR The Housemartins
69 ( NEW ) EVERYDAY I WRITE THE BOOK Winston Reedy
70 ( 69 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush

71 ( 52 ) SWEET LOVE Anita Baker
72 ( 58 ) SET ME FREE Jaki Graham
73 ( NEW ) HAS ANYONE WRITTEN ANYTHING FOR YOU Stevie Nicks
74 ( NEW ) HEARTLAND The The
75 ( 67 ) CAN’T GET BY WITHOUT YOU (REMIX) The Real Thing

Playlist Oldies Of The Week
1 BEHIND THE MASK Greg Phillinganes
2 HELL IN PARADISE Yoko Ono
3 I LOVE ALL OF ME Yoko Ono

 

19th August 1986

It’s 2 weeks on top for Diana Ross’ 1970 classic, just holding off Human at 2, and a return for Godley & Creme’s 1985 chart-topper Cry, thanks to a re-entry in the UK top 75 validating it. Janet Jackson adds another Jam & Lewis goodie into the 10 as one departs (Robert Palmer), up 41 places for When I Think Of You to 6. Highest new song is in at 12 for Modern Talking, a nice slice of Eurocheese as opposed to a brilliant drink of Hot Chocolate 70’s soul. Likewise, Sophie & Peter Johnson, John Peel faves are in at 28, a new song as opposed to The Turtles classic Happy Together. Melodic 80’s pop ballad, that deserved more.

As did The Big Supreme’s Don’t Walk in at 34, a great pop track better than some of the stuff in the charts, and The Moody Blues’ Your Wildest Dreams keeping the Moody’s in chart hits for 14 years. Lower newies include Depeche Mode asking another question, rhetorical presumably, The Stranglers on holiday in France 9 years on from hanging about on beaches with Peaches, and a debut from Cutting Crew. Bucks Fizz follow-up an epic single with….err a pedestrian cover of a Stephen Stills 1971 minor hit (albeit a great song). The Writing really was On The Wall, sadly. Peter Cetera enters with a movie song even more turgid than any of Chicago’s most turgid of ballad’s, but it sold the film I guess. Tina meanwhile has a low opinion of men – can’t blame her really. Typical Male.

1 ( 1 ) AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH Diana Ross
2 ( 8 ) HUMAN Human League
3 ( NEW ) CRY Godley & Creme
4 ( 4 ) OH PEOPLE Patti Labelle
5 ( 5 ) BURN Doctor & The Medics
6 ( 47 ) WHEN I THINK OF YOU Janet Jackson
7 ( 9 ) PANIC The Smiths
8 ( 3 ) WE WALKED IN LOVE Dollar
9 ( 13 ) AIN’T NOTHIN’ GOING’ ON BUT THE RENT Gwen Guthrie
10 ( 2 ) SHOUT Lulu

11 ( 6 ) PAPA DON’T PREACH Madonna
12 ( NEW ) BROTHER LOUIE Modern Talking
13 ( 17 ) CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE (REMIX) The Real Thing
14 ( 16 ) THE WAY IT IS Bruce Hornsby & The Range
15 ( 7 ) I DIDN’T MEAN TO TURN YOU ON Robert Palmer
16 ( 19 ) I CAN PROVE IT Phil Fearon & Galaxy
17 ( 14 ) CALLING ALL THE HEROES It Bites
18 ( 34 ) BREAKING AWAY Jaki Graham
19 ( 11 ) FIND THE TIME Five Star
20 ( 26 ) DREAMTIME Daryl Hall

21 ( 12 ) PRESS Paul McCartney
22 ( 10 ) LADY IN RED Chris De Burgh
23 ( 20 ) SOME CANDY TALKING Jesus & Mary Chain
24 ( 15 ) (BANG ZOOM) LET’S GO GO The Real Roxanne with Hitman Howie T
25 ( 32 ) I WANT TO WAKE UP WITH YOU Boris Gardiner
26 ( 21 ) NEW BEGINNING (MAMBA SEYRA) Bucks Fizz
27 ( 27 ) AIN’T NOBODY EVER LOVED YOU Aretha Franklin
28 ( NEW ) HAPPY TOGETHER Sophie & Peter Johnson
29 ( 35 ) RED SKY Status Quo
30 ( 22 ) HIGHER LOVE Stevie Winwood

31 ( 23 ) CAMOUFLAGE Stan Ridgway
32 ( 18 ) WHAT’S THE COLOUR OF MONEY Hollywood Beyond
33 ( 25 ) FALLIN’ IN LOVE (UH-UH) Miami Sound Machine featuring Gloria Estefan
34 ( NEW ) DON’T WALK The Big Supreme
35 ( 52 ) DANCING ON THE CEILING Lionel Richie
36 ( 40 ) CARVE YOU IN MARBLE Tim Finn
37 ( NEW ) YOUR WILDEST DREAMS The Moody Blues
38 ( 49 ) NO MORE ‘I LOVE YOU’S A Lover Speaks
39 ( 30 ) I CAN’T WAIT Nu Shooz
40 ( 46 ) GIRLS AND BOYS Prince

41 ( 37 ) OPPORTUNITIES (LET’S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) Pet Shop Boys
42 ( 28 ) VENUS Bananarama
43 ( 43 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
44 ( 31 ) THE EDGE OF HEAVEN Wham!
45 ( 51 ) YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME Bon Jovi
46 ( 29 ) ROSES Haywoode
47 ( 66 ) WE DON’T HAVE TO TAKE OUR CLOTHES OFF Jermaine Stewart
48 ( 24 ) OH LOUISE (REMIX) Junior
49 ( NEW ) A QUESTION OF TIME Depeche Mode
50 ( 50 ) PRIME TIME TV Basia

51 ( NEW ) NICE IN NICE The Stranglers
52 ( 39 ) THE PROMISE YOU MADE Cock Robin
53 ( 55 ) SOWETO Jeffery Osbourne
54 ( 36 ) NO CONVERSATION A View From The Hill
55 ( 38 ) GOLDRUSH Yello
56 ( 71 ) SWEET LOVE Anita Baker
57 ( 69 ) EVERYDAY I WRITE THE BOOK Winston Reedy
58 ( 42 ) SOMEBODY Brilliant
59 ( 73 ) HAS ANYONE WRITTEN ANYTHING FOR YOU Stevie Nicks
60 ( 44 ) COME ON HOME Everything But The Girl

61 ( 33 ) SUN STREET Katrina & The Waves
62 ( 62 ) I HAD A FRIEND Rain And Tears
63 ( 60 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye
64 ( NEW ) (I JUST) DIED IN YOUR ARMS Cutting Crew
65 ( 63 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
66 ( 54 ) VIENNA CALLING Falco
67 ( 67 ) ANYONE CAN FALL IN LOVE Anita Dobson
68 ( 41 ) FREDERICK Sandie Shaw
69 ( NEW ) LOVE THE ONE YOU’RE WITH Bucks Fizz
70 ( 56 ) HUNTING HIGH AND LOW a-ha

71 ( 70 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush
72 ( NEW ) STUCK WITH YOU Huey Lewis & The News
73 ( NEW ) GLORY OF LOVE Peter Cetera
74 ( 58 ) I WANNA BE A COWBOY Boys Don’t Cry
75 ( NEW ) TYPICAL MALE Tina Turner

PLAYLIST OLDIES
1 I KNOW THERE’S SOMETHING GOING ON Frida
2 BEHIND THE MASK Greg Phillinganes
3 THE LONG MARCH Vangelis

 

25th August 1986

It’s a first week on top for the Jam & Lewis Human League, their 7th chart-topper, while the Jam & Lewis Janet Jackson is up to 3, with Human and When I Think Of You respectively. It’s Janet Jackson’s 2nd top 5. Modern Talking follow-up a chart-topper with a second top 5 hit, Phil Fearon returns to the top 10 for the first time in 2 years with the Tony Etoria minor classic. The Stranglers are nicely inside the top 20 with a leap, followed by Depeche Mode, Prince and Jermaine Stewart inside the 30.

Highest new entry is Eurythmics with a more funkrock anthemic style Thorn In My Side at 32, with The The’s Heartland just behind. Bucks Fizz take the Stephen Stills oldie into the 40 with a mighty bound, while new entries lower down from Killing Joke, Frankie and Psychedelic Furs give a more indie feel to the chart. The Furs is a re-record of an oldie for a movie, I think, and Frankie are Trevor Horn-less, and it shows. Michael MacDonald is back with jolly tune that flopped – till 1987 – and the monster Communards “song of 1986” cover of Harold Melvin’s Don’t Leave Me This Way enters quite low. I’m in a minority in preferring the original over all other versions.

9 years on, Jean-Michel Jarre is back, with a chart-topper still 30 years in the future, OMD have a lovely new entry, Genesis mine Invisible Touch, and Bananarama release one of their less remembered singles.

1 ( 2 ) HUMAN Human League
2 ( 1 ) AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH Diana Ross
3 ( 6 ) WHEN I THINK OF YOU Janet Jackson
4 ( 12 ) BROTHER LOUIE Modern Talking
5 ( 5 ) BURN Doctor & The Medics
6 ( 7 ) PANIC The Smiths
7 ( 3 ) CRY Godley & Creme
8 ( 9 ) AIN’T NOTHIN’ GOING’ ON BUT THE RENT Gwen Guthrie
9 ( 4 ) OH PEOPLE Patti Labelle
10 ( 16 ) I CAN PROVE IT Phil Fearon & Galaxy

11 ( 14 ) THE WAY IT IS Bruce Hornsby & The Range
12 ( 18 ) BREAKING AWAY Jaki Graham
13 ( 13 ) CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE (REMIX) The Real Thing
14 ( 25 ) I WANT TO WAKE UP WITH YOU Boris Gardiner
15 ( 10 ) SHOUT Lulu
16 ( 11 ) PAPA DON’T PREACH Madonna
17 ( 28 ) HAPPY TOGETHER Sophie & Peter Johnson
18 ( 20 ) DREAMTIME Daryl Hall
19 ( 15 ) I DIDN’T MEAN TO TURN YOU ON Robert Palmer
20 ( 51 ) NICE IN NICE The Stranglers

21 ( 8 ) WE WALKED IN LOVE Dollar
22 ( 34 ) DON’T WALK The Big Supreme
23 ( 36 ) CARVE YOU IN MARBLE Tim Finn
24 ( 17 ) CALLING ALL THE HEROES It Bites
25 ( 47 ) WE DON’T HAVE TO TAKE OUR CLOTHES OFF Jermaine Stewart
26 ( 49 ) A QUESTION OF TIME Depeche Mode
27 ( 40 ) GIRLS AND BOYS Prince
28 ( 19 ) FIND THE TIME Five Star
29 ( 38 ) NO MORE ‘I LOVE YOU’S A Lover Speaks
30 ( 24 ) (BANG ZOOM) LET’S GO GO The Real Roxanne with Hitman Howie T

31 ( 35 ) DANCING ON THE CEILING Lionel Richie
32 ( NEW ) THORN IN MY SIDE Eurythmics
33 ( 26 ) NEW BEGINNING (MAMBA SEYRA) Bucks Fizz
34 ( 69 ) LOVE THE ONE YOU’RE WITH Bucks Fizz
35 ( 37 ) YOUR WILDEST DREAMS The Moody Blues
36 ( 21 ) PRESS Paul McCartney
37 ( NEW ) HEARTLAND The The
38 ( 22 ) THE LADY IN RED Chris De Burgh
39 ( 45 ) YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME Bon Jovi
40 ( 31 ) CAMOUFLAGE Stan Ridgway

41 ( 30 ) HIGHER LOVE Stevie Winwood
42 ( 41 ) OPPORTUNITIES (LET’S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) Pet Shop Boys
43 ( 43 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
44 ( 27 ) AIN’T NOBODY EVER LOVED YOU Aretha Franklin
45 ( NEW ) ADORATIONS Killing Joke
46 ( 39 ) I CAN’T WAIT Nu Shooz
47 ( NEW ) SWEET FREEDOM Michael MacDonald
48 ( 32 ) WHAT’S THE COLOUR OF MONEY Hollywood Beyond
49 ( 57 ) EVERYDAY I WRITE THE BOOK Winston Reedy
50 ( NEW ) RAGE HARD Frankie Goes To Hollywood

51 ( 29 ) RED SKY Status Quo
52 ( 23 ) SOME CANDY TALKING Jesus & Mary Chain
53 ( 73 ) GLORY OF LOVE Peter Cetera
54 ( 75 ) TYPICAL MALE Tina Turner
55 ( 44 ) THE EDGE OF HEAVEN Wham!
56 ( 42 ) VENUS Bananarama
57 ( NEW ) DON’T LEAVE ME THIS WAY The Communards
58 ( 33 ) FALLIN’ IN LOVE (UH-UH) Miami Sound Machine featuring Gloria Estefan
59 ( NEW ) PRETTY IN PINK The Psychedelic Furs
60 ( 60 ) COME ON HOME Everything But The Girl

61 ( 64 ) (I JUST) DIED IN YOUR ARMS Cutting Crew
62 ( 67 ) ANYONE CAN FALL IN LOVE Anita Dobson
63 ( NEW ) FOURTH RENDEZVOUS Jean-Michel Jarre
64 ( 63 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye
65 ( 65 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
66 ( 46 ) ROSES Haywoode
67 ( 72 ) STUCK WITH YOU Huey Lewis & The News
68 ( NEW ) TWISTING THE NIGHT AWAY Sam Cooke
69 ( NEW ) FOREVER (LIVE AND DIE) OMD
70 ( 58 ) SOMEBODY Brilliant

71 ( 71 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush
72 ( NEW ) IN TOO DEEP Genesis
73 ( 66 ) VIENNA CALLING Falco
74 ( 50 ) PRIME TIME TV Basia
75 ( NEW ) MORE THAN PHYSICAL Bananarama

Oldies
1 LOVE COMES QUICKLY Pet Shop Boys
2 BEHIND THE MASK Greg Phillinganes
3 SHOULD I LAUGH OR CRY Abba

My July 1986 Charts

1st July 1986

It’s 3 weeks on top for Bucks Fizz, their longest runner, as they hold off Wham! at 2, and Boys Don’t Cry going top 5 with non-hit I Wanna Be A Cowboy. Bananarama grab a 5th or so top 10, Madonna strides into the 20, and A View From The Hill are talking about a big climb into the 20. Highest new entry at 18 is 1979 top 5 Boogie Wonderland, back again for Earth Wind & Fire & The Emotions.

Steve Winwood has a large leap into the 30 with his Higher Love, and Stan Ridgway is in Camouflage with his goose-bump-inducing story of a ghostly heroic marine in Viet-Nam new at 28 for the former Wall Of Voodoo man, and his joining Stewart Copeland on Don’t Box Me In. Michael McDonald is back, I keep forgettin’ how many tracks he’s charted, but at least dating back to 1979 with The Doobie Brothers What A Fool Believes. Katrina gets another sunny wave-y hit, I’d advise her to give Eurovision a try when the hits dry up, Gary Numan extends his chart run to 7 years, and Barry Grey enters 17 years belatedly with his theme to Joe 90, puppet-strings-music-maestro, and not for the last time with a Gerry Anderson theme tune.

1 ( 1 ) NEW BEGINNING (MAMBA SEYRA) Bucks Fizz
2 ( 7 ) THE EDGE OF HEAVEN Wham!
3 ( 2 ) I CAN’T WAIT Nu Shooz
4 ( 12 ) I WANNA BE A COWBOY Boys Don’t Cry
5 ( 8 ) LET’S GO ALL THE WAY Sly Fox
6 ( 6 ) WHEN TOMORROW COMES Eurythmics
7 ( 4 ) VIENNA CALLING Falco
8 ( 3 ) OPPORTUNITIES (LET’S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) Pet Shop Boys
9 ( 9 ) GOING DOWN TO LIVERPOOL The Bangles
10 ( 13 ) VENUS Bananarama

11 ( 10 ) HUNTING HIGH AND LOW a-ha
12 ( 24 ) PAPA DON’T PREACH Madonna
13 ( 19 ) ROSES Haywoode
14 ( 16 ) PAPERBACK WRITER The Beatles
15 ( 18 ) HAPPY HOUR The Housemartins
16 ( 5 ) ARE YOU READY TO BE HEARTBROKEN Sandie Shaw
17 ( 34 ) NO CONVERSATION A View From The Hill
18 ( 11 ) SPIRIT IN THE SKY Doctor & The Medics
19 ( NEW ) BOOGIE WONDERLAND Earth, Wind & Fire with The Emotions
20 ( 28 ) AMITYVILLE (HOUSE ON THE HILL) Lovebug Starski

21 ( 14 ) SET ME FREE Jaki Graham
22 ( 35 ) THE PROMISE YOU MADE Cock Robin
23 ( 27 ) TOO GOOD TO BE FORGOTTEN Amazulu
24 ( 32 ) THE MEDICINE SHOW Big Audio Dynamite
25 ( 26 ) UNDERGROUND David Bowie
26 ( 63 ) HIGHER LOVE Stevie Winwood
27 ( 17 ) SLEDGEHAMMER Peter Gabriel
28 ( NEW ) CAMOUFLAGE Stan Ridgway
29 ( 15 ) SINFUL Pete Wylie
30 ( 33 ) FRIENDS WILL BE FRIENDS Queen

31 ( 20 ) MOUNTAINS Prince
32 ( 46 ) (BANG ZOOM) LET’S GO GO Real Roxanne
33 ( 21 ) NASTY Janet Jackson
34 ( 23 ) (I’LL NEVER BE) MARIA MAGDALENA Sandra
35 ( 39 ) CALL OF THE WILD Midge Ure
36 ( 31 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
37 ( 43 ) THE TEACHER Big Country
38 ( 25 ) YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE (REMIX) Candi Staton
39 ( 29 ) CAN’T GET BY WITHOUT YOU (REMIX) The Real Thing
40 ( 42 ) WHO’S JOHNNY El DeBarge

41 ( 22 ) MY FAVOURITE WASTE OF TIME Owen Paul
42 ( 30 ) BAD BOYS Miami Sound Machine
43 ( 36 ) ON MY OWN Patti Labelle & Michael MacDonald
44 ( 50 ) LEFT OF CENTRE Suzanne Vega
45 ( 40 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye
46 ( 38 ) LESSONS IN LOVE Level 42
47 ( 66 ) LISTEN LIKE THIEVES INXS
48 ( 37 ) INVISIBLE TOUCH Genesis
49 ( 54 ) BAND OF GOLD Bonnie Tyler
50 ( 59 ) MY GIRL The Temptations

51 ( 41 ) GOD THANK YOU WOMAN Culture Club
52 ( RE ) PARANOIMIA Art Of Noise and Max Headroom
53 ( 48 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
54 ( 49 ) WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY Janet Jackson
55 ( 47 ) ROCK LOBSTER The B52’s
56 ( NEW ) I KEEP FORGETTIN’ Michael McDonald
57 ( 72 ) BRILLIANT MIND Furniture
58 ( 60 ) JUMP BACK (SET ME FREE) Dhar Braxton
59 ( 53 ) YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON Diana Ross & The Supremes
60 ( NEW ) OH SHEILA Ready For The World

61 ( 45 ) THE LOCOMOTION Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin
62 ( 61 ) CAN’T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE Five Star
63 ( 44 ) BIG MOUTH STRIKES AGAIN The Smiths
64 ( 55 ) ROCK ME AMADEUS Falco
65 ( 65 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush
66 ( NEW ) HEADLINES Midnight Star
67 ( 67 ) IRRESISTIBLE Steve Harley
68 ( 64 ) CALLING AMERICA Electric Light Orchestra
69 ( NEW ) SMILE Audrey Hall
70 ( NEW ) SUN STREET Katrina & The Waves

71 ( 70 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha
72 ( 56 ) DANCING IN THE STREET Matt Bianco
73 ( NEW ) I CAN’T STOP Gary Numan
74 ( NEW ) JOE 90 THEME (CLUB MIX) The Barry Grey Orchestra
75 ( 75 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy

PLAYIST OLDIES

1 HOLD ME Fleetwood Mac
2 WISHING WELL (REMIX) Free
3 YOU DON’T HAVE TO SAY YOU LOVE ME Guys & Dolls

 

8th July 1986

It’s 4 weeks on top for the Fizz, as Bananarama join Wham! in challenging for the top spot – but Madonna grabs a 4th top 5 and speeding up behind her is Stevie Winwood’s Higher Love, his first top 5 as his early stuff predates my charts. The Real Roxanne is Bang Zoom! rapping it to the moon at 9, and Haywoode’s Roses are blooming at last at 10.

Highest new entry is the fab veterans Archie Bell & The Drells, an 80’s variation on their fab 60’s/early 70’s Philly soul sounds. Don’t Let Me Get You Down is their first new hit in a decade, and extends their run to 14 years (or, in my retro charts of 1967/68 which I created 50 years late, 19 years). They topped my chart in 1972 with Here I Go Again. Brilliant! It’s Somebody in at 36 for an early look-in for Youth & the KLF man, as the 15-year-old recording, finally released in 1977, is back again for another try at 37 for Suzy & The Red Stripes – aka Linda McCartney, and her own song Seaside Woman, with a little help from her (Wings) friends. technically she co-wrote Live And Let Die (like this song, the reggae bit) so she had form and it was a nice nose-thumb to the music critics. And of course, a huge American chart-topper with hubbie Paul in the brilliant Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey 15 years earlier, but tragically not one I got to hear at the time – though it has since topped my charts.

Rod Stewart is back with a celtic-sounding ballad, Nick Heyward is keeping the minor entries dribbling out, Drum Theatre are back with a song I heard them do in concert. They were good live. Records never really matched the in concert experience though. Warning Will Robinson! Yes, Lady In Red enters with a 69 as the torture of wedding dances for the next decade looms from Chris De Burgh. I’ll take the Ferryman track anyday 9 years earlier, or the Spaceman one. Sam Fox makes it a double top, err 75, It’s Immaterial aren’t quite as endearing when they stop driving away from home, and The Blow Monkeys keep it funky, but less jazzy and memorable than Digging Your Scene.

1 ( 1 ) NEW BEGINNING (MAMBA SEYRA) Bucks Fizz
2 ( 2 ) THE EDGE OF HEAVEN Wham!
3 ( 10 ) VENUS Bananarama
4 ( 5 ) LET’S GO ALL THE WAY Sly Fox
5 ( 12 ) PAPA DON’T PREACH Madonna
6 ( 26 ) HIGHER LOVE Stevie Winwood
7 ( 3 ) I CAN’T WAIT Nu Shooz
8 ( 9 ) GOING DOWN TO LIVERPOOL The Bangles
9 ( 32 ) (BANG ZOOM) LET’S GO GO The Real Roxanne with Hitman Howie T
10 ( 13 ) ROSES Haywoode

11 ( 4 ) I WANNA BE A COWBOY Boys Don’t Cry
12 ( 8 ) OPPORTUNITIES (LET’S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) Pet Shop Boys
13 ( 6 ) WHEN TOMORROW COMES Eurythmics
14 ( 7 ) VIENNA CALLING Falco
15 ( 11 ) HUNTING HIGH AND LOW a-ha
16 ( 17 ) NO CONVERSATION A View From The Hill
17 ( 22 ) THE PROMISE YOU MADE Cock Robin
18 ( 14 ) PAPERBACK WRITER The Beatles
19 ( 19 ) BOOGIE WONDERLAND Earth, Wind & Fire with The Emotions
20 ( 23 ) TOO GOOD TO BE FORGOTTEN Amazulu

21 ( 18 ) SPIRIT IN THE SKY Doctor & The Medics
22 ( 15 ) HAPPY HOUR The Housemartins
23 ( 25 ) UNDERGROUND David Bowie
24 ( 28 ) CAMOUFLAGE Stan Ridgway
25 ( 37 ) THE TEACHER Big Country
26 ( 16 ) ARE YOU READY TO BE HEARTBROKEN Sandie Shaw
27 ( 21 ) SET ME FREE Jaki Graham
28 ( NEW ) DON’T LET LOVE GET YOU DOWN Archie Bell & The Drells
29 ( 20 ) AMITYVILLE (HOUSE ON THE HILL) Lovebug Starski
30 ( 35 ) CALL OF THE WILD Midge Ure

31 ( 52 ) PARANOIMIA Art Of Noise and Max Headroom
32 ( 27 ) SLEDGEHAMMER Peter Gabriel
33 ( 31 ) MOUNTAINS Prince
34 ( 47 ) LISTEN LIKE THIEVES INXS
35 ( 44 ) LEFT OF CENTRE Suzanne Vega
36 ( NEW ) SOMEBODY Brilliant
37 ( NEW ) SEASIDE WOMAN Suzy & The Red Stripes
38 ( 36 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
39 ( 29 ) SINFUL Pete Wylie
40 ( 34 ) (I’LL NEVER BE) MARIA MAGDALENA Sandra

41 ( 30 ) FRIENDS WILL BE FRIENDS Queen
42 ( 39 ) CAN’T GET BY WITHOUT YOU (REMIX) The Real Thing
43 ( 56 ) I KEEP FORGETTIN’ Michael McDonald
44 ( 41 ) MY FAVOURITE WASTE OF TIME Owen Paul
45 ( 38 ) YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE (REMIX) Candi Staton
46 ( 73 ) I CAN’T STOP Gary Numan
47 ( 33 ) NASTY Janet Jackson
48 ( 45 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye
49 ( 57 ) BRILLIANT MIND Furniture
50 ( 69 ) SMILE Audrey Hall

51 ( 40 ) WHO’S JOHNNY El DeBarge
52 ( 67 ) IRRESISTIBLE Steve Harley
53 ( 24 ) THE MEDICINE SHOW Big Audio Dynamite
54 ( NEW ) EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART Rod Stewart
55 ( 43 ) ON MY OWN Patti Labelle & Michael MacDonald
56 ( 53 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
57 ( 42 ) BAD BOYS Miami Sound Machine
58 ( 66 ) HEADLINES Midnight Star
59 ( NEW ) GOODBYE YESTERDAY Nick Heyward
60 ( 46 ) LESSONS IN LOVE Level 42

61 ( 70 ) SUN STREET Katrina & The Waves
62 ( 55 ) ROCK LOBSTER The B52’s
63 ( 59 ) YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON Diana Ross & The Supremes
64 ( 54 ) WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY Janet Jackson
65 ( 65 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush
66 ( NEW ) HOME (IS WHERE THE HEART IS) Drum Theatre
67 ( 64 ) ROCK ME AMADEUS Falco
68 ( 68 ) CALLING AMERICA Electric Light Orchestra
69 ( NEW ) LADY IN RED Chris De Burgh
70 ( NEW ) DO YA DO YA (WANNA PLEASE ME) Samantha Fox

71 ( 71 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha
72 ( NEW ) ED’S FUNKY DINER It’s Immaterial
73 ( NEW ) DON’T BE SCARED OF ME The Blow Monkeys
74 ( 62 ) CAN’T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE Five Star
75 ( 75 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy

Playlist Oldies Of The Week
1 WIRED FOR SOUND Cliff Richard
2 MARRAKESH EXPRESS Crosby, Stills & Nash
3 ROCK ON T.Rex

 

15th July 1986

It’s a first week on top for Madonna after 2 years of singles coming close – Papa Don’t Preach was a step-up in class right from the get go with the strings intro. This was the track that converted me into a fan, as opposed to an act I liked a lot. Biggest rival is Stevie Winwood at 3 as Higher Love does what it says on the label. Literally. A View From The Hill get the fab No Conversation into the top 10 too.

Linda McCartney gets a solo (ish) top 20 hit as Seaside Woman leaps over the incoming waves – actually Katrina is stalled – leaving a remixed Junior and a re-entered Dhar Braxton to take the highest new-ish spots inside the 40. Brilliant get a 3rd top 20, and the highest actual new track is Paul McCartney’s Press, Macca going dance and booting out his Paperback Writer in the process. Rod Stewart makes it 15 years of top 40’s, Chris De Burgh 4 years, Michael McDonald 7 years, Gary Numan 7 years. And that concludes the Pop Stars Longevity results.

Hollywood Beyond debut, at 40, SOS Band are back again, Van Halen are having big Dreams, Princess is procrastinating, and debuting dubiously asking for a spot of immolation is Willie Colon. His name isn’t pronounced like the body part, that would be silly and childish. No it’s pronounced as in the perfume Cologne. As a product it could well be an untapped market. Billy Bragg is singing an ode to one of the greatest vocalists of all-time, Levi Stubbs of The Four Tops, which is somewhat ironic as Billy’s vocals are on a par with Bob Dylan’s – songs sung better by others. Dollar are back after a gap, with the flop We Walked In Love, a minor gem of a ballad that was under-rated, giving them 8 years of success in my charts – if not actually anywhere else – as a duo, or 11 years including Guys & Dolls tracks. From There’s A Whole Lot Of Loving to We Walked In Love, but David Van Day was already eyeing up Bucks Fizz from below in more ways than one – watch out guys!

1 ( 5 ) PAPA DON’T PREACH Madonna
2 ( 1 ) NEW BEGINNING (MAMBA SEYRA) Bucks Fizz
3 ( 6 ) HIGHER LOVE Stevie Winwood
4 ( 3 ) VENUS Bananarama
5 ( 2 ) THE EDGE OF HEAVEN Wham!
6 ( 9 ) (BANG ZOOM) LET’S GO GO The Real Roxanne with Hitman Howie T
7 ( 10 ) ROSES Haywoode
8 ( 7 ) I CAN’T WAIT Nu Shooz
9 ( 16 ) NO CONVERSATION A View From The Hill
10 ( 4 ) LET’S GO ALL THE WAY Sly Fox

11 ( 11 ) I WANNA BE A COWBOY Boys Don’t Cry
12 ( 8 ) GOING DOWN TO LIVERPOOL The Bangles
13 ( 12 ) OPPORTUNITIES (LET’S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) Pet Shop Boys
14 ( 17 ) THE PROMISE YOU MADE Cock Robin
15 ( 15 ) HUNTING HIGH AND LOW a-ha
16 ( 37 ) SEASIDE WOMAN Suzy & The Red Stripes
17 ( 28 ) DON’T LET LOVE GET YOU DOWN Archie Bell & The Drells
18 ( 36 ) SOMEBODY Brilliant
19 ( 14 ) VIENNA CALLING Falco
20 ( 13 ) WHEN TOMORROW COMES Eurythmics

21 ( 24 ) CAMOUFLAGE Stan Ridgway
22 ( 22 ) HAPPY HOUR The Housemartins
23 ( 31 ) PARANOIMIA Art Of Noise and Max Headroom
24 ( 20 ) TOO GOOD TO BE FORGOTTEN Amazulu
25 ( 34 ) LISTEN LIKE THIEVES INXS
26 ( NEW ) OH LOUISE (REMIX) Junior
27 ( 21 ) SPIRIT IN THE SKY Doctor & The Medics
28 ( RE ) JUMP BACK (SET ME FREE) Dhar Braxton
29 ( 54 ) EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART Rod Stewart
30 ( 35 ) LEFT OF CENTRE Suzanne Vega

31 ( 23 ) UNDERGROUND David Bowie
32 ( 69 ) LADY IN RED Chris De Burgh
33 ( 50 ) SMILE Audrey Hall
34 ( NEW ) PRESS Paul McCartney
35 ( 27 ) SET ME FREE Jaki Graham
36 ( 32 ) SLEDGEHAMMER Peter Gabriel
37 ( 43 ) I KEEP FORGETTIN’ Michael McDonald
38 ( 38 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
39 ( 46 ) I CAN’T STOP Gary Numan
40 ( NEW ) WHAT’S THE COLOUR OF MONEY Hollywood Beyond

41 ( 30 ) CALL OF THE WILD Midge Ure
42 ( 19 ) BOOGIE WONDERLAND Earth, Wind & Fire with The Emotions
43 ( 18 ) PAPERBACK WRITER The Beatles
44 ( 25 ) THE TEACHER Big Country
45 ( 40 ) (I’LL NEVER BE) MARIA MAGDALENA Sandra
46 ( 26 ) ARE YOU READY TO BE HEARTBROKEN Sandie Shaw
47 ( 49 ) BRILLIANT MIND Furniture
48 ( 29 ) AMITYVILLE (HOUSE ON THE HILL) Lovebug Starski
49 ( 45 ) YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE (REMIX) Candi Staton
50 ( 39 ) SINFUL Pete Wylie

51 ( NEW ) BORROWED LOVE SOS Band
52 ( 42 ) CAN’T GET BY WITHOUT YOU (REMIX) The Real Thing
53 ( 33 ) MOUNTAINS Prince
54 ( 72 ) ED’S FUNKY DINER It’s Immaterial
55 ( 48 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye
56 ( NEW ) DREAMS Van Halen
57 ( 58 ) HEADLINES Midnight Star
58 ( 59 ) GOODBYE YESTERDAY Nick Heyward
59 ( 44 ) MY FAVOURITE WASTE OF TIME Owen Paul
60 ( 56 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite

61 ( 61 ) SUN STREET Katrina & The Waves
62 ( 41 ) FRIENDS WILL BE FRIENDS Queen
63 ( 55 ) ON MY OWN Patti Labelle & Michael MacDonald
64 ( NEW ) TELL ME TOMORROW Princess
65 ( NEW ) SET FIRE TO ME Willie Colon
66 ( 63 ) YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON Diana Ross & The Supremes
67 ( 65 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush
68 ( NEW ) SECRET SEPARATION The Fixx
69 ( 62 ) ROCK LOBSTER The B52’s
70 ( 68 ) CALLING AMERICA Electric Light Orchestra

71 ( 71 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha
72 ( 67 ) ROCK ME AMADEUS Falco
73 ( 73 ) DON’T BE SCARED OF ME The Blow Monkeys
74 ( NEW ) WE WALKED IN LOVE Dollar
75 ( NEW ) LEVI STUBB’S TEARS Billy Bragg

PLAYLIST OLDIES
1 LONELY DAYS LONELY NIGHTS Don Downing
2 HOLD TIGHT Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
3 WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO Donnie Elbert

 

22nd July 1986

It’s 2 weeks on top for Madonna as some serious Stan-ning is going on – that’s a Camouflage, though, in the top 10, along with Who Killed Cock Robin – oh no that was my toddler poem that mum used to read to me, I loved that poem, one of my earliest memories. It wasn’t the sparrow with his bow & arrow, though. This one is a ballad though, and I’m surprised to see it made my top 10 as my memory of it was “S’OK”.

Macca is Im-press-ed to be top 20, Hollywood Beyond rocket up to 19, Dollar are up a whopping 50 places for their first top 30 entry in 4 years, and UB40 are the highest new entry at 25, singing their own song this time, as opposed to a cover. Unlike Robert Palmer and his good cover of the Jam & Lewis track for Cherrelle, in at 29 with another video lookalike, I Didn’t Mean To Turn You On he claims – I think he very much did mean to, judging by the video models. Lulu is also back, after 4 years away, and with a cover – of her own Shout. The original version started to sell immediately and for chart purposes both were combined. The 1964 teenage original is WAY better…

Also covering himself, sort of, is Jack Bruce, covering the Cream classic I Feel Free, a 60’s classic. I’ve forgotten this version though! Five Star are bangin’ out the quick hit singles, Kirsty MacColl and Chris Rea are both beach bound, Chaka Khan is still getting her I Feel For You boosted follow-up entries, while It Bites lower in the chart: Calling All The Heroes. Heaven knows we need them these days. Finally, my fave of the new tracks, maybe, is Rockin’ With Rita, under-appreciated at the time, but both amusing, and a cracking unusual non-80’s-sounding combo of acts on the Vindaloo label.

1 ( 1 ) PAPA DON’T PREACH Madonna
2 ( 3 ) HIGHER LOVE Stevie Winwood
3 ( 2 ) NEW BEGINNING (MAMBA SEYRA) Bucks Fizz
4 ( 7 ) ROSES Haywoode
5 ( 6 ) (BANG ZOOM) LET’S GO GO The Real Roxanne with Hitman Howie T
6 ( 4 ) VENUS Bananarama
7 ( 21 ) CAMOUFLAGE Stan Ridgway
8 ( 9 ) NO CONVERSATION A View From The Hill
9 ( 14 ) THE PROMISE YOU MADE Cock Robin
10 ( 5 ) THE EDGE OF HEAVEN Wham!

11 ( 8 ) I CAN’T WAIT Nu Shooz
12 ( 22 ) HAPPY HOUR The Housemartins
13 ( 18 ) SOMEBODY Brilliant
14 ( 16 ) SEASIDE WOMAN Suzy & The Red Stripes
15 ( 10 ) LET’S GO ALL THE WAY Sly Fox
16 ( 34 ) PRESS Paul McCartney
17 ( 17 ) DON’T LET LOVE GET YOU DOWN Archie Bell & The Drells
18 ( 13 ) OPPORTUNITIES (LET’S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) Pet Shop Boys
19 ( 40 ) WHAT’S THE COLOUR OF MONEY Hollywood Beyond
20 ( 11 ) I WANNA BE A COWBOY Boys Don’t Cry

21 ( 23 ) PARANOIMIA Art Of Noise and Max Headroom
22 ( 15 ) HUNTING HIGH AND LOW a-ha
23 ( 29 ) EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART Rod Stewart
24 ( 74 ) WE WALKED IN LOVE Dollar
25 ( NEW ) SING OUR OWN SONG UB40
26 ( 26 ) OH LOUISE (REMIX) Junior
27 ( 12 ) GOING DOWN TO LIVERPOOL The Bangles
28 ( 32 ) LADY IN RED Chris De Burgh
29 ( NEW ) I DIDN’T MEAN TO TURN YOU ON Robert Palmer
30 ( 19 ) VIENNA CALLING Falco

31 ( 20 ) WHEN TOMORROW COMES Eurythmics
32 ( 33 ) SMILE Audrey Hall
33 ( 51 ) BORROWED LOVE SOS Band
34 ( 25 ) LISTEN LIKE THIEVES INXS
35 ( NEW ) SHOUT/SHOUT (1986) Lulu
36 ( 27 ) SPIRIT IN THE SKY Doctor & The Medics
37 ( 37 ) I KEEP FORGETTIN’ Michael McDonald
38 ( 59 ) MY FAVOURITE WASTE OF TIME Owen Paul
39 ( 38 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
40 ( 35 ) SET ME FREE Jaki Graham

41 ( 24 ) TOO GOOD TO BE FORGOTTEN Amazulu
42 ( 36 ) SLEDGEHAMMER Peter Gabriel
43 ( 47 ) BRILLIANT MIND Furniture
44 ( 49 ) YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE (REMIX) Candi Staton
45 ( 52 ) CAN’T GET BY WITHOUT YOU (REMIX) The Real Thing
46 ( NEW ) I FEEL FREE Jack Bruce
47 ( 65 ) SET FIRE TO ME Willie Colon
48 ( 45 ) (I’LL NEVER BE) MARIA MAGDALENA Sandra
49 ( 64 ) TELL ME TOMORROW Princess
50 ( 30 ) LEFT OF CENTRE Suzanne Vega

51 ( 28 ) JUMP BACK (SET ME FREE) Dhar Braxton
52 ( 54 ) ED’S FUNKY DINER It’s Immaterial
53 ( 31 ) UNDERGROUND David Bowie
54 ( 56 ) DREAMS Van Halen
55 ( NEW ) FIND THE TIME Five Star
56 ( 55 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye
57 ( NEW ) DOWN ON THE BEACH Kirsty MacColl
58 ( 61 ) SUN STREET Katrina & The Waves
59 ( 46 ) ARE YOU READY TO BE HEARTBROKEN Sandie Shaw
60 ( 60 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite

61 ( 50 ) SINFUL Pete Wylie
62 ( 39 ) I CAN’T STOP Gary Numan
63 ( NEW ) LOVE OF A LIFETIME Chaka Khan
64 ( 42 ) BOOGIE WONDERLAND Earth, Wind & Fire with The Emotions
65 ( 68 ) SECRET SEPARATION The Fixx
66 ( 66 ) YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON Diana Ross & The Supremes
67 ( 48 ) AMITYVILLE (HOUSE ON THE HILL) Lovebug Starski
68 ( 67 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush
69 ( 43 ) PAPERBACK WRITER The Beatles
70 ( 41 ) CALL OF THE WILD Midge Ure

71 ( 53 ) MOUNTAINS Prince
72 ( NEW ) CALLING ALL THE HEROES It Bites
73 ( 71 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha
74 ( NEW ) ON THE BEACH Chris Rea
75 ( NEW ) ROCKIN’ WITH RITA Vindaloo Summer Special (featuring Fuzzbox, Ted Chippington & The Nightingales)

Playlist Oldies
1 DANIEL Elton John
2 WIRED FOR SOUND Cliff Richard
3 TONIGHT The Move

 

29th July 1986

It’s 3 weeks on top for Madonna as The Real Roxanne peaks at 2 – Bang Zoom, almost at the Moon! Lulu’s Shouts about rocketing almost to the Moon, 22 years late and her highest-charting single since Boom Bang A Bang 17 years earlier. Dollar get a 3rd top 5, and Macca extends his run of top 10’s to 18 years (including The Beatles) or 15 years actual solo. Robert Palmer outdoes Addicted To Love, Chris De Burgh takes a lady in red into the 20, and there’s a deluge of new tracks:

Doctor & The Medics return with their own song, Burn is pretty good at 24. Phil Fearon is back with a cover of the fab 1977 Tony Etoria UK soul minor hit, always under-rated, I Can Prove It – cos I said so! Sandie Shaw is also a 60’s veteran returning with Frederick, a Patti Smith song. Anita Baker debuts with the fab Sweet Love, bringing smooth Jazz into the 86 charts, Bruce Hornsby’s well-remembered The Way It Is is in at 42, Jesus & Mary Chain have Some Candy Talking, sweet fuzzy guitar! An 80’s funk classic is in for Gwen Guthrie, the ever-charting Beach Boys add to the 60’s veterans who were there in my first 1968 chart, Patti Labelle is solo with the lovely Oh People, Sinitta debuts with the trite So Macho (what was I thinking!?), 60’s soul goddess Aretha is also back, 70’s Hall is back with no Oates, Dreamtime, Lionel & Spandau enter with very poor efforts, 60’s Quo are also back, and best of all it’s The Smiths with one of their great singles, Panic.

1 ( 1 ) PAPA DON’T PREACH Madonna
2 ( 5 ) (BANG ZOOM) LET’S GO GO The Real Roxanne with Hitman Howie T
3 ( 35 ) SHOUT/SHOUT (1986) Lulu
4 ( 2 ) HIGHER LOVE Stevie Winwood
5 ( 24 ) WE WALKED IN LOVE Dollar
6 ( 16 ) PRESS Paul McCartney
7 ( 7 ) CAMOUFLAGE Stan Ridgway
8 ( 6 ) VENUS Bananarama
9 ( 3 ) NEW BEGINNING (MAMBA SEYRA) Bucks Fizz
10 ( 19 ) WHAT’S THE COLOUR OF MONEY Hollywood Beyond

11 ( 4 ) ROSES Haywoode
12 ( 9 ) THE PROMISE YOU MADE Cock Robin
13 ( 10 ) THE EDGE OF HEAVEN Wham!
14 ( 14 ) SEASIDE WOMAN Suzy & The Red Stripes
15 ( 29 ) I DIDN’T MEAN TO TURN YOU ON Robert Palmer
16 ( 11 ) I CAN’T WAIT Nu Shooz
17 ( 8 ) NO CONVERSATION A View From The Hill
18 ( 28 ) LADY IN RED Chris De Burgh
19 ( 13 ) SOMEBODY Brilliant
20 ( 23 ) EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART Rod Stewart

21 ( 25 ) SING OUR OWN SONG UB40
22 ( 15 ) LET’S GO ALL THE WAY Sly Fox
23 ( 12 ) HAPPY HOUR The Housemartins
24 ( NEW ) BURN Doctor & The Medics
25 ( 18 ) OPPORTUNITIES (LET’S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) Pet Shop Boys
26 ( 26 ) OH LOUISE (REMIX) Junior
27 ( NEW ) I CAN PROVE IT Phil Fearon & Galaxy
28 ( 32 ) SMILE Audrey Hall
29 ( NEW ) FREDERICK Sandie Shaw
30 ( 55 ) FIND THE TIME Five Star

31 ( 38 ) MY FAVOURITE WASTE OF TIME Owen Paul
32 ( 20 ) I WANNA BE A COWBOY Boys Don’t Cry
33 ( 33 ) BORROWED LOVE SOS Band
34 ( 17 ) DON’T LET LOVE GET YOU DOWN Archie Bell & The Drells
35 ( 22 ) HUNTING HIGH AND LOW a-ha
36 ( 21 ) PARANOIMIA Art Of Noise and Max Headroom
37 ( 37 ) I KEEP FORGETTIN’ Michael McDonald
38 ( NEW ) SWEET LOVE Anita Baker
39 ( 58 ) SUN STREET Katrina & The Waves
40 ( 30 ) VIENNA CALLING Falco

41 ( 39 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
42 ( NEW ) THE WAY IT IS Bruce Hornsby & The Range
43 ( 31 ) WHEN TOMORROW COMES Eurythmics
44 ( 36 ) SPIRIT IN THE SKY Doctor & The Medics
45 ( NEW ) SOME CANDY TALKING Jesus & Mary Chain
46 ( 27 ) GOING DOWN TO LIVERPOOL The Bangles
47 ( 40 ) SET ME FREE Jaki Graham
48 ( NEW ) AIN’T NOTHIN’ GOING’ ON BUT THE RENT Gwen Guthrie
49 ( 44 ) YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE (REMIX) Candi Staton
50 ( 52 ) ED’S FUNKY DINER It’s Immaterial

51 ( 72 ) CALLING ALL THE HEROES It Bites
52 ( 34 ) LISTEN LIKE THIEVES INXS
53 ( 48 ) (I’LL NEVER BE) MARIA MAGDALENA Sandra
54 ( 42 ) SLEDGEHAMMER Peter Gabriel
55 ( 63 ) LOVE OF A LIFETIME Chaka Khan
56 ( 45 ) CAN’T GET BY WITHOUT YOU (REMIX) The Real Thing
57 ( 56 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye
58 ( 75 ) ROCKIN’ WITH RITA Vindaloo Summer Special (featuring Fuzzbox, Ted Chippington & The Nightingales)
59 ( NEW ) ROCK ‘N’ ROLL TO THE RESCUE The Beach Boys
60 ( 60 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite

61 ( 46 ) I FEEL FREE Jack Bruce
62 ( NEW ) OH PEOPLE Patti Labelle
63 ( NEW ) SO MACHO Sinitta
64 ( NEW ) BREAKING AWAY Jaki Graham
65 ( NEW ) AIN’T NOBODY EVER LOVED YOU Aretha Franklin
66 ( 66 ) YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON Diana Ross & The Supremes
67 ( 43 ) BRILLIANT MIND Furniture
68 ( 68 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush
69 ( NEW ) DANCING ON THE CEILING Lionel Richie
70 ( NEW ) FIGHT FOR OURSELVES Spandau Ballet

71 ( 57 ) HE’S ON THE BEACH Kirsty MacColl
72 ( NEW ) DREAMTIME Daryl Hall
73 ( 73 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha
74 ( NEW ) PANIC The Smiths
75 ( NEW ) RED SKY Status Quo

FAVE OLDIES OF THE WEEK
1 GET ON THE LINE The Archies
2 SUNSHINE The Archies
3 I’M GONNA BE STRONG Gene Pitney

 

 

My Retro October 1967 Charts

7th October 1967

It’s 3 weeks on top for the fab Gibbs and their Massachussets, but it was a close call with the classic Jimmy Webb UK-non-hit, one of the greatest travesty’s in chart history, as Glen Campbell enters at 2 (where Gentle On My Mind peaked) with By The Time I Get To Phoenix. Dave Dee & co enter with their best track, despite a deliberate attempt from Howard & Blaikley to write a song with nonsense lyrics, cos it’s just a brilliant tune and production, and one I was mad on at the time. Very under-rated songwriter-producers, they could tackle multiple genres and make mini-pop-gems out of ’em.

Harry Nilsson gets his first top 10, and not his last, with the gorgeous Without Her – Jack Jones did a good cover, unlikely as it sounds, as I may have said already. New at 17, David McWilliams with another UK chart non-hit travesty, though Marc Almond and Trevor Horn took it into the top 5 in 1992 (and topped my chart), The Days Of Pearly Spencer. Nico enters at 31 with another non-UK-hit gem, in any version: 16-year-old precocious Jackson Browne wrote it, Nico did the first version of dozens, and 5 years ahead of Jackson Browne’s own version seeing the light of day. Mature in the extreme for a teenager, for me the definitive version was recorded in 2008 on Glen Campbell’s brilliant Meet Glen Campbell and should have been a single – it topped my charts and was one of my tracks of the decade, suiting a great singer nearing the end of his life and career more than one starting out.

In at 40, one new to me, Giant Sunflower, girl/boys harmony band sort of Mamas & Papas crossed with Middle Of The Road (in vocal style), and a very minor US chart entry, despite impeccable production credentials from Lou Adler and yet another of the many1967 covers of a Smokey Robinson song (The Miracles did it first). 60’s soul star Chuck Jackson pops in with another goodie new to me (he had many US hits, and his best-known song is I Keep Forgettin’ as covered by Michael McDonald) Shame On Me, funk legend George Clinton is back again for a second chart entry at 52, Gladys & her family are in with a song made immortal by Marvin Gaye (Berry Gordy shelved it and funked it up for a huge US hit), I Heard It Through The Grapevine, Shirley Bassey enters with a song that was all over British TV and radio for years, hugely well-known at the time and one of her signature tunes, Big Spender. The Kinks pop in with a future hit for The Jam, Barbara Randolph does a good Motown cover of a Holland-Dozier-Holland Four Tops song, Scott McKenzie gets a second John Phillips gift (not as good a prezzie this one though), Sandy Posey gets a 3rd chart entry of the year, and finally obscure band The Messengers tackle another Motown song: R. Dean Taylor’s Window Shopping (the only white songwriter on the label at the time, I think), which eventually became a UK single for R. Dean himself in 1974 following There’s A Ghost In My House and Gotta See Jane having Northern Soul chart success. It also charted in my charts then.

1 ( 1 ) MASSACHUSSETS (THE LIGHTS GO OUT IN) The Bee Gees
2 ( NEW ) BY THE TIME I GET TO PHOENIX Glen Campbell
3 ( 4 ) BABY NOW THAT I’VE FOUND YOU The Foundations
4 ( 8 ) I CAN SEE FOR MILES The Who
5 ( 3 ) FROM THE UNDERWORLD The Herd
6 ( 9 ) (YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE) A NATURAL WOMAN Aretha Franklin
7 ( 2 ) TO SIR WITH LOVE Lulu
8 ( NEW ) ZABADAK! Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
9 ( 5 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE The Young Rascals
10 ( 16 ) WITHOUT HER Harry Nilsson

11 ( 6 ) THE RAIN, THE PARK AND OTHER THINGS The Cowsills
12 ( 18 ) MATHILDE Scott Walker
13 ( 7 ) EXCERPT FROM ‘A TEENAGE OPERA’ Keith West
14 ( 20 ) SOMETHING’S GOTTEN HOLD OF MY HEART Gene Pitney
15 ( 10 ) REFLECTIONS Diana Ross & The Supremes
16 ( 12 ) YOUR PRECIOUS LOVE Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
17 ( NEW ) THE DAYS OF PEARLY SPENCER David McWilliams
18 ( 21 ) GET THE MESSAGE Brian Hyland
19 ( 15 ) LET’S GO TO SAN FRANCISCO The Flowerpot Men
20 ( 17 ) ODE TO BILLIE JOE Bobbie Gentry

21 ( 13 ) FLOWERS IN THE RAIN The Move
22 ( 23 ) HOLIDAY The Bee Gees
23 ( 19 ) THE DAY I MET MARIE Cliff Richard
24 ( 22 ) TAKE A LOOK Aretha Franklin
25 ( 11 ) EVERLASTING LOVE Robert Knight
26 ( 14 ) MONTAGUE TERRACE (IN BLUE) Scott Walker
27 ( 37 ) STRAIGHT SHOOTER The Mamas & The Papas
28 ( 29 ) HUSH Billy Joe Royal
29 ( 25 ) JILL Gary Lewis & The Playboys
30 ( 27 ) GET TOGETHER The Youngbloods

31 ( NEW ) THESE DAYS Nico
32 ( 26 ) TRY MY WORLD Georgie Fame
33 ( 24 ) (YOUR LOVE KEEPS LIFTING ME) HIGHER AND HIGHER Jackie Wilson
34 ( 38 ) LIGHTNING’S GIRL Nancy Sinatra
35 ( 32 ) ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE The Beatles
36 ( 30 ) ANYTHING GOES Harpers Bizarre
37 ( 39 ) PATA PATA Miriam Makeba
38 ( 40 ) SOUL MAN Sam And Dave
39 ( 35 ) I FEEL GOOD (I FEEL BAD) The Lewis And Clarke Expedition featuring Mike Nesmith
40 ( NEW ) WHAT’S SO GOOD ABOUT GOOD-BYE Giant Sunflower

41 ( 31 ) YOU KEEP RUNNING AWAY The Four Tops
42 ( 34 ) TWELVE THIRTY (YOUNG GIRLS ARE COMING TO THE CANYON) The Mamas & The Papas
43 ( 33 ) YOU’VE MADE ME SO VERY HAPPY Brenda Holloway
44 ( 28 ) THE LETTER The Box Tops
45 ( 46 ) AMSTERDAM Scott Walker
46 ( 54 ) IF THIS IS LOVE (I’D RATHER BE LONELY) The Precisions
47 ( NEW ) SHAME ON ME Chuck Jackson
48 ( 41 ) TO LOVE SOMEBODY The Bee Gees
49 ( 63 ) WHEN WILL THE GOOD APPLES FALL The Seekers
50 ( 65 ) KING MIDAS IN REVERSE The Hollies

51 ( 36 ) HOLE IN MY SHOE Traffic
52 ( NEW ) ALL YOUR GOODIES ARE GONE The Parliaments
53 ( 56 ) PEOPLE ARE STRANGE The Doors
54 ( 43 ) LET IT ALL HANG OUT The Hombres
55 ( 51 ) GENTLE ON MY MIND Glen Campbell
56 ( 52 ) YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (JOHN BARRY MOVIE VERSION) Nancy Sinatra
57 ( 42 ) GIMME LITTLE SIGN Brenton Wood
58 ( 49 ) YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN The Turtles
59 ( 48 ) I MAKE A FOOL OF MYSELF Frankie Valli
60 ( 72 ) YOU’VE NOT CHANGED Sandie Shaw

61 ( 50 ) TELL HIM Patti Drew
62 ( 69 ) LOVELY RITA The Beatles
63 ( 57 ) RANDY SCOUSE GIT (ALTERNATE TITLE) The Monkees
64 ( 58 ) I WAS MADE TO LOVE HER Stevie Wonder
65 ( NEW ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Gladys Knight & The Pips
66 ( 73 ) HOMBURG Procol Harum
67 ( 62 ) SAN FRANCISCO (BE SURE TO WEAR SOME FLOWERS IN YOUR HAIR) Scott McKenzie
68 ( 61 ) SUNNY GOODGE STREET Tom Northcott
69 ( NEW ) BIG SPENDER Shirley Bassey
70 ( NEW ) DAVID WATTS The Kinks

71 ( NEW ) I GOT A FEELING Barbara Randolph
72 ( NEW ) LIKE AN OLD TIME MOVIE Scott McKenzie
73 ( NEW ) ARE YOU NEVER COMING HOME Sandy Posey
74 ( 75 ) (LONELINESS MADE ME REALIZE) IT’S YOU THAT I NEED The Temptations
75 ( NEW ) WINDOW SHOPPING The Messengers

14th October 1967

A first week at one for Glen Campbell’s brilliant Jimmy Webb Phoenix ballad, the first of a trilogy of Americana Cities-themed classics. Dave Dee and co echo the future Family Dogg hit Way Of Life up to 2, and Gene Pitney makes the top 10, though sadly almost all his great hits predated 1967 so not many more to come. The Bee Gees make it two in the 20, Giant Sunflower blossom into the 20, and Nico’s original of the Jackson Browne classic as done definitively by Glen Campbell (one day) beaks into the 20.

Highest new entry is one of 2 from Dionne Warwick, the movie theme big USA hit Valley Of The Dolls, at 23 ahead of the future Aretha Franklin classic, I Say A Little Prayer, as Aretha peaks at 5 with Carole King’s classic, and Aretha’ sis Erma enters at 37 with future Janis Joplin classic Piece Of My Heart. That leaves second-highest new entry a second song from The Kinks – Autumn Almanac at 26, and a childhood fave – and an anecdote from me: picture it. RAF Valley, Anglesey married quarters, 9 Tro Minfordd, and the song comes on the new BBC radio station. 9-year-old John rushes to the Weekend mag his mum had bought, and digs out the newly-discovered hit-song-lyric-of-the-week published inside: One Autumn Almanac, and sings along. Mum comments impressed about him knowing the lyrics, and young John says he’s reading and singing along. Cue young John cutting them out and saving pop song lyrics from here-on until Disco 45 gets published…

OK, not riveting, but it’s of the time!

Others: Wet Wet Wet are in, oops, I mean the much better original of Love Is All Around, Nancy & Lee are back while Nancy is still in the 40, with a song I assumed was for the First Lady of the USA (Probably not!), Neil D is back again, Val Doonican is in with a lesser song from his repertoire (which I loved as a kid pre-1967) and Bob Seger debuts with a track new to me a full decade before he started with hits proper. Who knew?!

1 ( 2 ) BY THE TIME I GET TO PHOENIX Glen Campbell
2 ( 1 ) MASSACHUSSETS (THE LIGHTS GO OUT IN) The Bee Gees
3 ( 8 ) ZABADAK! Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
4 ( 4 ) I CAN SEE FOR MILES The Who
5 ( 6 ) (YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE) A NATURAL WOMAN Aretha Franklin
6 ( 3 ) BABY NOW THAT I’VE FOUND YOU The Foundations
7 ( 10 ) WITHOUT HER Harry Nilsson
8 ( 5 ) FROM THE UNDERWORLD The Herd
9 ( 7 ) TO SIR WITH LOVE Lulu
10 ( 14 ) SOMETHING’S GOTTEN HOLD OF MY HEART Gene Pitney

11 ( 11 ) THE RAIN, THE PARK AND OTHER THINGS The Cowsills
12 ( 17 ) THE DAYS OF PEARLY SPENCER David McWilliams
13 ( 9 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE The Young Rascals
14 ( 22 ) HOLIDAY The Bee Gees
15 ( 13 ) EXCERPT FROM ‘A TEENAGE OPERA’ Keith West
16 ( 15 ) REFLECTIONS Diana Ross & The Supremes
17 ( 40 ) WHAT’S SO GOOD ABOUT GOOD-BYE Giant Sunflower
18 ( 18 ) GET THE MESSAGE Brian Hyland
19 ( 31 ) THESE DAYS Nico
20 ( 20 ) ODE TO BILLIE JOE Bobbie Gentry

21 ( 12 ) MATHILDE Scott Walker
22 ( 16 ) YOUR PRECIOUS LOVE Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
23 ( NEW ) (THEME FROM) VALLEY OF THE DOLLS Dionne Warwick
24 ( 19 ) LET’S GO TO SAN FRANCISCO The Flowerpot Men
25 ( 27 ) STRAIGHT SHOOTER The Mamas & The Papas
26 ( NEW ) AUTUMN ALMANAC The Kinks
27 ( 24 ) TAKE A LOOK Aretha Franklin
28 ( 26 ) MONTAGUE TERRACE (IN BLUE) Scott Walker
29 ( 23 ) THE DAY I MET MARIE Cliff Richard
30 ( 21 ) FLOWERS IN THE RAIN The Move

31 ( 29 ) JILL Gary Lewis & The Playboys
32 ( 25 ) EVERLASTING LOVE Robert Knight
33 ( 34 ) LIGHTNING’S GIRL Nancy Sinatra
34 ( 30 ) GET TOGETHER The Youngbloods
35 ( 50 ) KING MIDAS IN REVERSE The Hollies
36 ( 28 ) HUSH Billy Joe Royal
37 ( NEW ) PIECE OF MY HEART Erma Franklin
38 ( 47 ) SHAME ON ME Chuck Jackson
39 ( 46 ) IF THIS IS LOVE (I’D RATHER BE LONELY) The Precisions
40 ( 35 ) ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE The Beatles

41 ( 38 ) SOUL MAN Sam And Dave
42 ( 36 ) ANYTHING GOES Harpers Bizarre
43 ( 33 ) (YOUR LOVE KEEPS LIFTING ME) HIGHER AND HIGHER Jackie Wilson
44 ( 39 ) I FEEL GOOD (I FEEL BAD) The Lewis And Clarke Expedition featuring Mike Nesmith
45 ( 45 ) AMSTERDAM Scott Walker
46 ( 32 ) TRY MY WORLD Georgie Fame
47 ( NEW ) I SAY A LITTLE PRAYER Dionne Warwick
48 ( 42 ) TWELVE THIRTY (YOUNG GIRLS ARE COMING TO THE CANYON) The Mamas & The Papas
49 ( 52 ) ALL YOUR GOODIES ARE GONE The Parliaments
50 ( 53 ) PEOPLE ARE STRANGE The Doors

51 ( 37 ) PATA PATA Miriam Makeba
52 ( 48 ) TO LOVE SOMEBODY The Bee Gees
53 ( 44 ) THE LETTER The Box Tops
54 ( 41 ) YOU KEEP RUNNING AWAY The Four Tops
55 ( 60 ) YOU’VE NOT CHANGED Sandie Shaw
56 ( 43 ) YOU’VE MADE ME SO VERY HAPPY Brenda Holloway
57 ( NEW ) LOVE IS ALL AROUND The Troggs
58 ( 71 ) I GOT A FEELING Barbara Randolph
59 ( 65 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Gladys Knight & The Pips
60 ( NEW ) LADY BIRD Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood

61 ( 56 ) YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (JOHN BARRY MOVIE VERSION) Nancy Sinatra
62 ( 55 ) GENTLE ON MY MIND Glen Campbell
63 ( 54 ) LET IT ALL HANG OUT The Hombres
64 ( 51 ) HOLE IN MY SHOE Traffic
65 ( 66 ) HOMBURG Procol Harum
66 ( 69 ) BIG SPENDER Shirley Bassey
67 ( 49 ) WHEN WILL THE GOOD APPLES FALL The Seekers
68 ( 70 ) DAVID WATTS The Kinks
69 ( 75 ) WINDOW SHOPPING The Messengers
70 ( 73 ) ARE YOU NEVER COMING HOME Sandy Posey

71 ( NEW ) NOBODY BUT ME The Human Beinz
72 ( 72 ) LIKE AN OLD TIME MOVIE Scott McKenzie
73 ( NEW ) HEAVY MUSIC PART 1 Bob Seger and The Last Heard
74 ( NEW ) IF THE WHOLE WORLD STOPPED LOVING Val Doonican
75 ( NEW ) KENTUCKY WOMAN Neil Diamond

 

21st October 1967

It’s a first week on top for Dave Dee and co and the tuneful fun Zabadak! It won’t be the last time they top my charts…. nor for Nancy Sinatra – who is back in at 7 with the nominal B side of Lady Bird (up inside the 40), but which is the trippy hippy cult classic that is Sand, Lee Hazelwood was definitely on something, but those lyrics are pure poetry. I have managed to get the record played twice on the BBC – first on Simon Mayo’s Radio 1 obscure track with a story, and later on Radio 2’s Brian Mathews Sounds Of The 60’s with the same story: dad bought a reel-to-reel tape recorder in RAF Changi, Singapore in 1970, and I was obsessed with pop music to put it mildly. Dad & I both bought some blank tapes (not cheap) and while we were out at work and school, respectively, mum was at home at our house which was overlooked by the armed guard tower for Changi Prison in lush tropical equatorial Singapore. If a song came on the radio she liked she’d start the tape recording – and then forget to turn it off. So we got all sorts of radio tracks I never knew, including this one (mum loved men with gruff voices and Lee Hazelwood fit that bill perfectly). Sand should be better known.

Another Singapore reel-to-reel track enters at 31 for Felice Taylor, her second Barry White track of the year in my charts, and her first hit (and his), I Feel Love Comin’ On. It was groovy. More tape faves from a fave Disney animation enter lower down – and they would eventually become a mashed-up 90’s hit – The Jungle Book’s Bare Necessities and I Wanna Be Like You. So you see, in 1970 I was discovering and rediscovering 1967 music big-time. In my mind it’s a mash-up of sunny RAF Valley on Anglesey and tropical Singapore at RAF Changi.

Future Vegas act Wayne Newton, though, is new to me, and is in with an early version of Love Of The Common People, future much-covered hit, The Left Banke debut ahead of their later hit classic with cult fave Desiree, while minor tracks for The Four Seasons, Mamas & The Papas, and Tommy James keep up the hit tally.

1 ( 3 ) ZABADAK! Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
2 ( 1 ) BY THE TIME I GET TO PHOENIX Glen Campbell
3 ( 2 ) MASSACHUSSETS (THE LIGHTS GO OUT IN) The Bee Gees
4 ( 4 ) I CAN SEE FOR MILES The Who
5 ( 5 ) (YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE) A NATURAL WOMAN Aretha Franklin
6 ( 7 ) WITHOUT HER Harry Nilsson
7 ( NEW ) SAND Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood
8 ( 6 ) BABY NOW THAT I’VE FOUND YOU The Foundations
9 ( 10 ) SOMETHING’S GOTTEN HOLD OF MY HEART Gene Pitney
10 ( 12 ) THE DAYS OF PEARLY SPENCER David McWilliams

11 ( 14 ) HOLIDAY The Bee Gees
12 ( 8 ) FROM THE UNDERWORLD The Herd
13 ( 11 ) THE RAIN, THE PARK AND OTHER THINGS The Cowsills
14 ( 19 ) THESE DAYS Nico
15 ( 23 ) (THEME FROM) VALLEY OF THE DOLLS Dionne Warwick
16 ( 17 ) WHAT’S SO GOOD ABOUT GOOD-BYE Giant Sunflower
17 ( 9 ) TO SIR WITH LOVE Lulu
18 ( 27 ) TAKE A LOOK Aretha Franklin
19 ( 13 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE The Young Rascals
20 ( 26 ) AUTUMN ALMANAC The Kinks

21 ( 18 ) GET THE MESSAGE Brian Hyland
22 ( 15 ) EXCERPT FROM ‘A TEENAGE OPERA’ Keith West
23 ( 16 ) REFLECTIONS Diana Ross & The Supremes
24 ( 20 ) ODE TO BILLIE JOE Bobbie Gentry
25 ( 25 ) STRAIGHT SHOOTER The Mamas & The Papas
26 ( 21 ) MATHILDE Scott Walker
27 ( 22 ) YOUR PRECIOUS LOVE Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
28 ( 24 ) LET’S GO TO SAN FRANCISCO The Flowerpot Men
29 ( 38 ) SHAME ON ME Chuck Jackson
30 ( 35 ) KING MIDAS IN REVERSE The Hollies

31 ( NEW ) I FEEL LOVE COMIN’ ON Felice Taylor
32 ( 28 ) MONTAGUE TERRACE (IN BLUE) Scott Walker
33 ( 31 ) JILL Gary Lewis & The Playboys
34 ( 29 ) THE DAY I MET MARIE Cliff Richard
35 ( 37 ) PIECE OF MY HEART Erma Franklin
36 ( 32 ) EVERLASTING LOVE Robert Knight
37 ( 60 ) LADY BIRD Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood
38 ( 30 ) FLOWERS IN THE RAIN The Move
39 ( 34 ) GET TOGETHER The Youngbloods
40 ( 47 ) I SAY A LITTLE PRAYER Dionne Warwick

41 ( 33 ) LIGHTNING’S GIRL Nancy Sinatra
42 ( 40 ) ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE The Beatles
43 ( 57 ) LOVE IS ALL AROUND The Troggs
44 ( NEW ) I WANNA BE LIKE YOU Louis Prima, Phil Harris & Bruce Reitherman
45 ( 36 ) HUSH Billy Joe Royal
46 ( 42 ) ANYTHING GOES Harpers Bizarre
47 ( 44 ) I FEEL GOOD (I FEEL BAD) The Lewis And Clarke Expedition featuring Mike Nesmith
48 ( 48 ) TWELVE THIRTY (YOUNG GIRLS ARE COMING TO THE CANYON) The Mamas & The Papas
49 ( 49 ) ALL YOUR GOODIES ARE GONE The Parliaments
50 ( 39 ) IF THIS IS LOVE (I’D RATHER BE LONELY) The Precisions

51 ( 43 ) (YOUR LOVE KEEPS LIFTING ME) HIGHER AND HIGHER Jackie Wilson
52 ( 59 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Gladys Knight & The Pips
53 ( 58 ) I GOT A FEELING Barbara Randolph
54 ( 65 ) HOMBURG Procol Harum
55 ( NEW ) THE BARE NECESSITIES Phil Harris & Bruce Reitherman
56 ( 41 ) SOUL MAN Sam And Dave
57 ( 52 ) TO LOVE SOMEBODY The Bee Gees
58 ( 70 ) ARE YOU NEVER COMING HOME Sandy Posey
59 ( 53 ) THE LETTER The Box Tops
60 ( 69 ) WINDOW SHOPPING The Messengers

61 ( 51 ) PATA PATA Miriam Makeba
62 ( 45 ) AMSTERDAM Scott Walker
63 ( 55 ) YOU’VE NOT CHANGED Sandie Shaw
64 ( NEW ) LOVE OF THE COMMON PEOPLE Wayne Newton
65 ( 46 ) TRY MY WORLD Georgie Fame
66 ( 71 ) NOBODY BUT ME The Human Beinz
67 ( 68 ) DAVID WATTS The Kinks
68 ( 72 ) LIKE AN OLD TIME MOVIE Scott McKenzie
69 ( NEW ) DESIREE The Left Banke
70 ( 73 ) HEAVY MUSIC PART 1 Bob Seger and The Last Heard

71 ( 61 ) YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (JOHN BARRY MOVIE VERSION) Nancy Sinatra
72 ( 74 ) IF THE WHOLE WORLD STOPPED LOVING Val Doonican
73 ( NEW ) WATCH THE FLOWERS GROW The Four Seasons
74 ( NEW ) OUT OF THE BLUE Tommy James & The Shondells
75 ( NEW ) GLAD TO BE UNHAPPY The Mamas & The Papas

 

8th October 1967

The day before my brothers’ 8th birthday and it’s a new entry at 1 from The Stone Poneys, with a sublime version of Mike Nesmith’s A Different Drum. Not a song I knew at the time (being as it wasn’t a UK hit) but one I got to know and like in 1978 when it finally charted as the other side to Linda Ronstadt’s current cover of Roy Orbison’s Blue Bayou, which was neither anywhere near as good as Roy’s version nor her lead singer oldie. Very Monkees, and just perfect.

Sand goes up to 4, for some hippie psychedelia as Nancy & Lee also go into the 20 with Lady Bird, both are fab. In at 16 a record I loved at the time, Everybody Knows, The Dave Clark 5 at their most tuneful, and one that is very nostalgic for me when I hear it. Another “5” track enters for The 5th Dimension, there’s a great video performance of them doing Paper Cup on US TV (likely The Ed Sullivan Show, they were always on it) all facing each other in a moving circle.

At 24, Brenda & The Tabulations just can’t stay out of my 1967 charts, just love the sweet, melodic singles they put out, if occasionally a little shrill, but endearing. Debuting at 30, it’s Hugo Montenegro who was making a career out of making Sergio Leone spaghetti western soundtracks into pop hits, instrumental, and a year ahead of THE biggie. Dad bought an EP of 4 of them in Singapore which I played to death, including this one.

The Dells enter with a bit of soul passion, as they would with a medley cover of Love Is Blue/I Can Sing A Rainbow 2 years on, and having had a 12 year career already without success. Smokey Robinson is also unable to stay out the 1967 charts, here with the famous I Second That Emotion, or I Second That Emulsion, as Japan almost sang when they turned it into plodding fodder. The Turtles sneak another minor hit in before year-end, ditto The Beach Boys, and a second version of Love Of The Common People enters – for The Everley Brothers! Who knew they were covering future famous songs and still not having hits as their career tailed off!

1 ( NEW ) DIFFERENT DRUM The Stone Poneys featuring Linda Ronstadt
2 ( 2 ) BY THE TIME I GET TO PHOENIX Glen Campbell
3 ( 1 ) ZABADAK! Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
4 ( 7 ) SAND Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood
5 ( 3 ) MASSACHUSSETS (THE LIGHTS GO OUT IN) The Bee Gees
6 ( 4 ) I CAN SEE FOR MILES The Who
7 ( 10 ) THE DAYS OF PEARLY SPENCER David McWilliams
8 ( 6 ) WITHOUT HER Harry Nilsson
9 ( 9 ) SOMETHING’S GOTTEN HOLD OF MY HEART Gene Pitney
10 ( 5 ) (YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE) A NATURAL WOMAN Aretha Franklin

11 ( 15 ) (THEME FROM) VALLEY OF THE DOLLS Dionne Warwick
12 ( 14 ) THESE DAYS Nico
13 ( 8 ) BABY NOW THAT I’VE FOUND YOU The Foundations
14 ( 16 ) WHAT’S SO GOOD ABOUT GOOD-BYE Giant Sunflower
15 ( 12 ) FROM THE UNDERWORLD The Herd
16 ( NEW ) EVERYBODY KNOWS The Dave Clark Five
17 ( 13 ) THE RAIN, THE PARK AND OTHER THINGS The Cowsills
18 ( 11 ) HOLIDAY The Bee Gees
19 ( 20 ) AUTUMN ALMANAC The Kinks
20 ( 37 ) LADY BIRD Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood

21 ( 29 ) SHAME ON ME Chuck Jackson
22 ( 31 ) I FEEL LOVE COMIN’ ON Felice Taylor
23 ( 17 ) TO SIR WITH LOVE Lulu
24 ( NEW ) WHEN YOU’RE GONE Brenda & The Tabulations
25 ( 23 ) REFLECTIONS Diana Ross & The Supremes
26 ( 22 ) EXCERPT FROM ‘A TEENAGE OPERA’ Keith West
27 ( 21 ) GET THE MESSAGE Brian Hyland
28 ( 18 ) TAKE A LOOK Aretha Franklin
29 ( 30 ) KING MIDAS IN REVERSE The Hollies
30 ( NEW ) FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE Hugo Montenegro & His Orchestra

31 ( 24 ) ODE TO BILLIE JOE Bobbie Gentry
32 ( 19 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE The Young Rascals
33 ( 26 ) MATHILDE Scott Walker
34 ( 44 ) I WANNA BE LIKE YOU Louis Prima, Phil Harris & Bruce Reitherman
35 ( 35 ) PIECE OF MY HEART Erma Franklin
36 ( 28 ) LET’S GO TO SAN FRANCISCO The Flowerpot Men
37 ( 33 ) JILL Gary Lewis & The Playboys
38 ( 40 ) I SAY A LITTLE PRAYER Dionne Warwick
39 ( 27 ) YOUR PRECIOUS LOVE Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
40 ( 34 ) THE DAY I MET MARIE Cliff Richard

41 ( 43 ) LOVE IS ALL AROUND The Troggs
42 ( 25 ) STRAIGHT SHOOTER The Mamas & The Papas
43 ( 32 ) MONTAGUE TERRACE (IN BLUE) Scott Walker
44 ( 55 ) THE BEAR NECESSITIES Phil Harris & Bruce Reitherman
45 ( 42 ) ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE The Beatles
46 ( 36 ) EVERLASTING LOVE Robert Knight
47 ( 52 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Gladys Knight & The Pips
48 ( 38 ) FLOWERS IN THE RAIN The Move
49 ( NEW ) OOH I LOVE YOU The Dells
50 ( 53 ) I GOT A FEELING Barbara Randolph

51 ( 46 ) ANYTHING GOES Harpers Bizarre
52 ( 54 ) HOMBURG Procol Harum
53 ( 47 ) I FEEL GOOD (I FEEL BAD) The Lewis And Clarke Expedition featuring Mike Nesmith
54 ( 58 ) ARE YOU NEVER COMING HOME Sandy Posey
55 ( 39 ) GET TOGETHER The Youngbloods
56 ( NEW ) PAPER CUP The 5th Dimension
57 ( 51 ) (YOUR LOVE KEEPS LIFTING ME) HIGHER AND HIGHER Jackie Wilson
58 ( 48 ) TWELVE THIRTY (YOUNG GIRLS ARE COMING TO THE CANYON) The Mamas & The Papas
59 ( 66 ) NOBODY BUT ME The Human Beinz
60 ( 64 ) LOVE OF THE COMMON PEOPLE Wayne Newton

61 ( 41 ) LIGHTNING’S GIRL Nancy Sinatra
62 ( 45 ) HUSH Billy Joe Royal
63 ( 57 ) TO LOVE SOMEBODY The Bee Gees
64 ( 69 ) DESIREE The Left Banke
65 ( 68 ) LIKE AN OLD TIME MOVIE Scott McKenzie
66 ( NEW ) I SECOND THAT EMOTION Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
67 ( 75 ) GLAD TO BE UNHAPPY The Mamas & The Papas
68 ( 50 ) IF THIS IS LOVE (I’D RATHER BE LONELY) The Precisions
69 ( 49 ) ALL YOUR GOODIES ARE GONE The Parliaments
70 ( 73 ) WATCH THE FLOWERS GROW The Four Seasons

71 ( NEW ) SHE’S MY GIRL The Turtles
72 ( 60 ) WINDOW SHOPPING The Messengers
73 ( 74 ) OUT OF THE BLUE Tommy James & The Shondells
74 ( NEW ) LOVE OF THE COMMON PEOPLE The Everley Brothers
75 ( NEW ) WILD HONEY The Beach Boys

My Retro September 1967 Charts

2nd September 1967

3 weeks for Keith west on top, Lulu goes top 5 and Mike Nesmith piggybacks back into the top 10. Highest new entry is the Radio One signature tune from The Move, future hero Roy Wood making himself known to me. There’s a host of familiar songs entering – just not by the artists who had the bigger hit covers: Robert Knight’s original Everlasting Love at 26 (a hit in 1974 eventually), Traffic’s Hole In My Shoe, Brenda Holloway’s second entry of the year with You’ve Made Me So Very Happy, Tony Bennett’s chart debut (here) with For Once In My Life, My White Bicycle from Tomorrow, and Sam And Dave’s Soul Man. Points for naming the UK hit covers…

1 ( 1 ) EXCERPT FROM ‘A TEENAGE OPERA’ Keith West
2 ( 2 ) REFLECTIONS Diana Ross & The Supremes
3 ( 3 ) LET’S GO TO SAN FRANCISCO The Flowerpot Men
4 ( 5 ) THE DAY I MET MARIE Cliff Richard
5 ( 11 ) TO SIR WITH LOVE Lulu
6 ( 4 ) ODE TO BILLIE JOE Bobbie Gentry
7 ( 10 ) JILL Gary Lewis & The Playboys
8 ( 9 ) (YOUR LOVE KEEPS LIFTING ME) HIGHER AND HIGHER Jackie Wilson
9 ( 7 ) ANYTHING GOES Harpers Bizarre
10 ( 15 ) I FEEL GOOD (I FEEL BAD) The Lewis And Clarke Expedition featuring Mike Nesmith

11 ( 8 ) ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE The Beatles
12 ( 6 ) GET THE MESSAGE Brian Hyland
13 ( 19 ) YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN The Turtles
14 ( 17 ) GET TOGETHER The Youngbloods
15 ( 18 ) THE LETTER The Box Tops
16 ( 22 ) GIMME LITTLE SIGN Brenton Wood
17 ( 12 ) SUNNY GOODGE STREET Tom Northcott
18 ( 21 ) ITCHYCOO PARK The Small Faces
19 ( 13 ) TO LOVE SOMEBODY The Bee Gees
20 ( NEW ) FLOWERS IN THE RAIN The Move

21 ( 24 ) WE LOVE YOU The Rolling Stones
22 ( 16 ) PLEASANT VALLEY SUNDAY The Monkees
23 ( 28 ) LET IT ALL HANG OUT The Hombres
24 ( 23 ) GENTLE ON MY MIND Glen Campbell
25 ( 14 ) THE WORLD WE KNEW (OVER AND OVER) Frank Sinatra
26 ( NEW ) EVERLASTING LOVE Robert Knight
27 ( 27 ) EVEN THE BAD TIMES ARE GOOD The Tremeloes
28 ( NEW ) HOW CAN I BE SURE The Young Rascals
29 ( 36 ) THE LAST WALTZ Engelbert Humperdinck
30 ( 20 ) FAKIN’ IT Simon & Garfunkel

31 ( 26 ) YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (JOHN BARRY MOVIE VERSION) Nancy Sinatra
32 ( NEW ) HOLE IN MY SHOE Traffic
33 ( 25 ) AGNES ENGLISH John Fred & His Playboy Band
34 ( 38 ) TELL HIM Patti Drew
35 ( 30 ) RANDY SCOUSE GIT (ALTERNATE TITLE) The Monkees
36 ( 31 ) I WAS MADE TO LOVE HER Stevie Wonder
37 ( 33 ) SAN FRANCISCO (BE SURE TO WEAR SOME FLOWERS IN YOUR HAIR) Scott McKenzie
38 ( 40 ) (I WANNA) TESTIFY The Parliaments featuring George Clinton (aka Funkadelic)
39 ( 34 ) MORE LOVE Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
40 ( 52 ) TWELVE THIRTY (YOUNG GIRLS ARE COMING TO THE CANYON) The Mamas & The Papas

41 ( 29 ) HEROES & VILLAINS The Beach Boys
42 ( 54 ) I MAKE A FOOL OF MYSELF Frankie Valli
43 ( 32 ) THERE IS A MOUNTAIN Donovan
44 ( 48 ) STRAIGHT SHOOTER The Mamas & The Papas
45 ( 35 ) I’LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Tom Jones
46 ( 56 ) THERE’S ALWAYS ME Elvis Presley
47 ( 55 ) LANDSLIDE Tony Clarke
48 ( 49 ) DON’T FORGET ABOUT ME The American Breed
49 ( 43 ) LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS The Beatles
50 ( 42 ) WHEN I’M SIXTY-FOUR The Beatles

51 ( 41 ) JUST LOVING YOU Anita Harris
52 ( 45 ) LIGHT MY FIRE The Doors
53 ( 47 ) SHE’S LEAVING HOME The Beatles
54 ( 37 ) CASANOVA (YOUR PLAYING DAYS ARE OVER) Ruby Andrews
55 ( 64 ) TAKE A LOOK Aretha Franklin
56 ( 39 ) YOU’VE GOT TO PAY THE PRICE Al Kent
57 ( NEW ) YOU’VE MADE ME SO VERY HAPPY Brenda Holloway
58 ( 62 ) MORNING GLORY Tim Buckley
59 ( NEW ) YOUR PRECIOUS LOVE Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
60 ( 63 ) YOU CAN’T DO THAT Nilsson

61 ( 46 ) WORDS The Monkees
62 ( 69 ) I CAN’T STAY AWAY FROM YOU The Impressions (featuring Curtis Mayfield)
63 ( 44 ) I DIG ROCK ‘N’ ROLL MUSIC Peter, Paul & Mary
64 ( NEW ) YOU KEEP RUNNING AWAY The Four Tops
65 ( NEW ) SOUL MAN Sam And Dave
66 ( 70 ) LOVE BUG LEAVE MY HEART ALONG Martha & The Vandellas
67 ( 67 ) IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT Ray Charles
68 ( 53 ) MORNING DEW Episode Six
69 ( 57 ) A DAY IN THE LIFE The Beatles
70 ( NEW ) MY WHITE BICYCLE Tomorrow

71 ( 71 ) IT’S GOT TO BE MELLOW Leon Haywood
72 ( 58 ) WHAT GOOD AM I Cilla Black
73 ( 61 ) SOUL FINGER The Bar-Kays
74 ( NEW ) SPREADIN HONEY The Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band
75 ( NEW ) FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE Tony Bennett

 

9th September 1967

4 weeks on top for A Teenage Opera, chased only by Lulu’s movie theme up to 2, inexplicably a UK B side. The Youngbloods grab a top 10 with a cover of The Kingston Trio’s 1964 original folk version, while the highest new entry at 16 is young Peter Frampton, 8 years ahead of his topping my chart solo, and 20 years ahead of me seeing him play with David Bowie at Wembley. From The Underworld is written by Alan Blaikley, co-mastermind behind the very under-rated Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, and is fab.

Big climbs for Aretha Franklin, and Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, into the top 30 like previous 1967 tracks, and future hits. The Mamas & The Papas B side overtakes the A side in the 40, and Elvis gets his first top 40 since Crying In The Chapel (had I been compiling charts then). At 66, Hush! It’s Billy Joe Royal, later more-well-known hit versions from Deep Purple and Kula Shaker lay ahead, Georgie Fame enters a bit lower, just ahead of Albert King, a Doors classic (covered by Echo & The Bunnymen one fine day), and Cher covers Hendrix at 74.

1 ( 1 ) EXCERPT FROM ‘A TEENAGE OPERA’ Keith West
2 ( 5 ) TO SIR WITH LOVE Lulu
3 ( 2 ) REFLECTIONS Diana Ross & The Supremes
4 ( 3 ) LET’S GO TO SAN FRANCISCO The Flowerpot Men
5 ( 4 ) THE DAY I MET MARIE Cliff Richard
6 ( 8 ) (YOUR LOVE KEEPS LIFTING ME) HIGHER AND HIGHER Jackie Wilson
7 ( 7 ) JILL Gary Lewis & The Playboys
8 ( 6 ) ODE TO BILLIE JOE Bobbie Gentry
9 ( 12 ) GET THE MESSAGE Brian Hyland
10 ( 14 ) GET TOGETHER The Youngbloods

11 ( 9 ) ANYTHING GOES Harpers Bizarre
12 ( 10 ) I FEEL GOOD (I FEEL BAD) The Lewis And Clarke Expedition featuring Mike Nesmith
13 ( 15 ) THE LETTER The Box Tops
14 ( 11 ) ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE The Beatles
15 ( 16 ) GIMME LITTLE SIGN Brenton Wood
16 ( NEW ) FROM THE UNDERWORLD The Herd
17 ( 28 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE The Young Rascals
18 ( 18 ) ITCHYCOO PARK The Small Faces
19 ( 20 ) FLOWERS IN THE RAIN The Move
20 ( 26 ) EVERLASTING LOVE Robert Knight

21 ( 21 ) WE LOVE YOU The Rolling Stones
22 ( 13 ) YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN The Turtles
23 ( 23 ) LET IT ALL HANG OUT The Hombres
24 ( 17 ) SUNNY GOODGE STREET Tom Northcott
25 ( 19 ) TO LOVE SOMEBODY The Bee Gees
26 ( 29 ) THE LAST WALTZ Engelbert Humperdinck
27 ( 32 ) HOLE IN MY SHOE Traffic
28 ( 55 ) TAKE A LOOK Aretha Franklin
29 ( 59 ) YOUR PRECIOUS LOVE Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
30 ( 34 ) TELL HIM Patti Drew

31 ( 24 ) GENTLE ON MY MIND Glen Campbell
32 ( 22 ) PLEASANT VALLEY SUNDAY The Monkees
33 ( 27 ) EVEN THE BAD TIMES ARE GOOD The Tremeloes
34 ( 44 ) STRAIGHT SHOOTER The Mamas & The Papas
35 ( 48 ) DON’T FORGET ABOUT ME The American Breed
36 ( 42 ) I MAKE A FOOL OF MYSELF Frankie Valli
37 ( 46 ) THERE’S ALWAYS ME Elvis Presley
38 ( 40 ) TWELVE THIRTY (YOUNG GIRLS ARE COMING TO THE CANYON) The Mamas & The Papas
39 ( 31 ) YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (JOHN BARRY MOVIE VERSION) Nancy Sinatra
40 ( 47 ) LANDSLIDE Tony Clarke

41 ( 30 ) FAKIN’ IT Simon & Garfunkel
42 ( 33 ) AGNES ENGLISH John Fred & His Playboy Band
43 ( 35 ) RANDY SCOUSE GIT (ALTERNATE TITLE) The Monkees
44 ( 36 ) I WAS MADE TO LOVE HER Stevie Wonder
45 ( 37 ) SAN FRANCISCO (BE SURE TO WEAR SOME FLOWERS IN YOUR HAIR) Scott McKenzie
46 ( 25 ) THE WORLD WE KNEW (OVER AND OVER) Frank Sinatra
47 ( 57 ) YOU’VE MADE ME SO VERY HAPPY Brenda Holloway
48 ( 39 ) MORE LOVE Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
49 ( 43 ) THERE IS A MOUNTAIN Donovan
50 ( 41 ) HEROES & VILLAINS The Beach Boys

51 ( 38 ) (I WANNA) TESTIFY The Parliaments featuring George Clinton (aka Funkadelic)
52 ( 64 ) YOU KEEP RUNNING AWAY The Four Tops
53 ( 45 ) I’LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Tom Jones
54 ( 65 ) SOUL MAN Sam And Dave
55 ( 53 ) SHE’S LEAVING HOME The Beatles
56 ( 50 ) WHEN I’M SIXTY-FOUR The Beatles
57 ( 49 ) LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS The Beatles
58 ( 52 ) LIGHT MY FIRE The Doors
59 ( 54 ) CASANOVA (YOUR PLAYING DAYS ARE OVER) Ruby Andrews
60 ( 66 ) LOVE BUG LEAVE MY HEART ALONE Martha & The Vandellas

61 ( 62 ) I CAN’T STAY AWAY FROM YOU The Impressions (featuring Curtis Mayfield)
62 ( 51 ) JUST LOVING YOU Anita Harris
63 ( 71 ) IT’S GOT TO BE MELLOW Leon Haywood
64 ( 58 ) MORNING GLORY Tim Buckley
65 ( 60 ) YOU CAN’T DO THAT Nilsson
66 ( NEW ) HUSH Billy Joe Royal
67 ( 70 ) MY WHITE BICYCLE Tomorrow
68 ( 75 ) FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE Tony Bennett
69 ( NEW ) TRY MY WORLD Georgie Fame
70 ( 74 ) SPREADIN HONEY The Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band

71 ( NEW ) BORN UNDER A BAD SIGN Albert King
72 ( 61 ) WORDS The Monkees
73 ( NEW ) PEOPLE ARE STRANGE The Doors
74 ( NEW ) HEY JOE Cher
75 ( NEW ) TRAIN TO SKAVILLE The Ethiopians

DROP OUTS:
YOU’VE GOT TO PAY THE PRICE Al Kent
I DIG ROCK ‘N’ ROLL MUSIC Peter, Paul & Mary
IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT Ray Charles
MORNING DEW Episode Six
A DAY IN THE LIFE The Beatles
WHAT GOOD AM I Cilla Black
SOUL FINGER The Bar-Kays

 

16th September 1967

It’s a first week on top for Lulu’s best ballad, To Sir With Love, still a teenager and 3 years or so since Shout would have topped my chart (probably), what 60’s kid didn’t love that one!? In at 2, and matching previous single To Love Somebody in one go, it’s the track that featured on 12 Big Hits, a 1968 stereo Australian hits compilation, an album I absolutely nagged my dad to buy while he was thinking about whether it was worth the money (albums weren’t cheap) at Changi market, Singapore, Oct 1969: Massachussets. There were too many gems I obsessively loved on it to pass up, and mum loved The Bee Gees.

The Herd stampede into the top 5, The Young Rascals outdo the 1972 David Cassidy cover in my charts (peaked at 12) but not my affections (a live version by now-ailing darlin’ David topped my chart in 1987), and the also fab Dusty version is yet to chart (one I missed in 1970, being as I lived in Singapore then). In at 18, the highest of 3 tracks off Scott, Scott Walker’s first solo album, and one he wrote himself – the other 2 being Jacques Brel covers. Moody and magnificent.

Nancy’s back, before she’s even left my chart, a bit more uptempo, The Seekers return, Booker T covers the Young Rascals, and a big American hit, very much of it’s time, is in at 73 – obscure in the UK though.

1 ( 2 ) TO SIR WITH LOVE Lulu
2 ( NEW ) MASSACHUSSETS (THE LIGHTS GO OUT IN) The Bee Gees
3 ( 1 ) EXCERPT FROM ‘A TEENAGE OPERA’ Keith West
4 ( 3 ) REFLECTIONS Diana Ross & The Supremes
5 ( 16 ) FROM THE UNDERWORLD The Herd
6 ( 4 ) LET’S GO TO SAN FRANCISCO The Flowerpot Men
7 ( 17 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE The Young Rascals
8 ( 5 ) THE DAY I MET MARIE Cliff Richard
9 ( 6 ) (YOUR LOVE KEEPS LIFTING ME) HIGHER AND HIGHER Jackie Wilson
10 ( 8 ) ODE TO BILLIE JOE Bobbie Gentry

11 ( 7 ) JILL Gary Lewis & The Playboys
12 ( 13 ) THE LETTER The Box Tops
13 ( 10 ) GET TOGETHER The Youngbloods
14 ( 9 ) GET THE MESSAGE Brian Hyland
15 ( 11 ) ANYTHING GOES Harpers Bizarre
16 ( 20 ) EVERLASTING LOVE Robert Knight
17 ( 19 ) FLOWERS IN THE RAIN The Move
18 ( NEW ) MONTAGUE TERRACE (IN BLUE) Scott Walker
19 ( 28 ) TAKE A LOOK Aretha Franklin
20 ( 29 ) YOUR PRECIOUS LOVE Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell

21 ( 14 ) ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE The Beatles
22 ( 18 ) ITCHYCOO PARK The Small Faces
23 ( 12 ) I FEEL GOOD (I FEEL BAD) The Lewis And Clarke Expedition featuring Mike Nesmith
24 ( 27 ) HOLE IN MY SHOE Traffic
25 ( 15 ) GIMME LITTLE SIGN Brenton Wood
26 ( 35 ) DON’T FORGET ABOUT ME The American Breed
27 ( 23 ) LET IT ALL HANG OUT The Hombres
28 ( 38 ) TWELVE THIRTY (YOUNG GIRLS ARE COMING TO THE CANYON) The Mamas & The Papas
29 ( 21 ) WE LOVE YOU The Rolling Stones
30 ( 36 ) I MAKE A FOOL OF MYSELF Frankie Valli

31 ( 34 ) STRAIGHT SHOOTER The Mamas & The Papas
32 ( 30 ) TELL HIM Patti Drew
33 ( 26 ) THE LAST WALTZ Engelbert Humperdinck
34 ( 37 ) THERE’S ALWAYS ME Elvis Presley
35 ( 25 ) TO LOVE SOMEBODY The Bee Gees
36 ( 22 ) YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN The Turtles
37 ( 24 ) SUNNY GOODGE STREET Tom Northcott
38 ( 40 ) LANDSLIDE Tony Clarke
39 ( 52 ) YOU KEEP RUNNING AWAY The Four Tops
40 ( 47 ) YOU’VE MADE ME SO VERY HAPPY Brenda Holloway

41 ( 31 ) GENTLE ON MY MIND Glen Campbell
42 ( 60 ) LOVE BUG LEAVE MY HEART ALONE Martha & The Vandellas
43 ( 32 ) PLEASANT VALLEY SUNDAY The Monkees
44 ( 69 ) TRY MY WORLD Georgie Fame
45 ( 39 ) YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (JOHN BARRY MOVIE VERSION) Nancy Sinatra
46 ( 33 ) EVEN THE BAD TIMES ARE GOOD The Tremeloes
47 ( 43 ) RANDY SCOUSE GIT (ALTERNATE TITLE) The Monkees
48 ( 44 ) I WAS MADE TO LOVE HER Stevie Wonder
49 ( 45 ) SAN FRANCISCO (BE SURE TO WEAR SOME FLOWERS IN YOUR HAIR) Scott McKenzie
50 ( 54 ) SOUL MAN Sam And Dave

51 ( 41 ) FAKIN’ IT Simon & Garfunkel
52 ( 42 ) AGNES ENGLISH John Fred & His Playboy Band
53 ( 66 ) HUSH Billy Joe Royal
54 ( 71 ) BORN UNDER A BAD SIGN Albert King
55 ( NEW ) LIGHTNING’S GIRL Nancy Sinatra
56 ( 63 ) IT’S GOT TO BE MELLOW Leon Haywood
57 ( 48 ) MORE LOVE Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
58 ( 67 ) MY WHITE BICYCLE Tomorrow
59 ( 46 ) THE WORLD WE KNEW (OVER AND OVER) Frank Sinatra
60 ( 68 ) FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE Tony Bennett

61 ( 55 ) SHE’S LEAVING HOME The Beatles
62 ( 49 ) THERE IS A MOUNTAIN Donovan
63 ( 50 ) HEROES & VILLAINS The Beach Boys
64 ( NEW ) MATHILDE Scott Walker
65 ( 56 ) WHEN I’M SIXTY-FOUR The Beatles
66 ( 57 ) LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS The Beatles
67 ( 58 ) LIGHT MY FIRE The Doors
68 ( NEW ) AMSTERDAM Scott Walker
69 ( 73 ) PEOPLE ARE STRANGE The Doors
70 ( 53 ) I’LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Tom Jones

71 ( 75 ) TRAIN TO SKAVILLE The Ethiopians
72 ( 74 ) HEY JOE Cher
73 ( NEW ) INCENSE AND PEPPERMINT The Strawberry Alarm Clock
74 ( NEW ) WHEN WILL THE GOOD APPLES FALL The Seekers
75 ( NEW ) GROOVIN’ Booker T & The MG’s

DROP OUTS
(I WANNA) TESTIFY The Parliaments featuring George Clinton (aka Funkadelic)
CASANOVA (YOUR PLAYING DAYS ARE OVER) Ruby Andrews
I CAN’T STAY AWAY FROM YOU The Impressions (featuring Curtis Mayfield)
JUST LOVING YOU Anita Harris
MORNING GLORY Tim Buckley
YOU CAN’T DO THAT Nilsson
SPREADIN HONEY The Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band
WORDS The Monkees

 

23rd September 1967

It’s a first week on top for the fab Bee Gees’ Massachussets, as the almost-as-fab Gibb brothers’ (and friends) Holiday pops in at 24, both showcasing Robin Gibb’s fragile but effective lead vocals. Peter Frampton is up to 3, and the highest new entry is at 7, a future tender top 10 cover (in my charts) by Alison Krauss, Baby Now That I’ve Found You, The Foundations debut with the late Clem Curtis’ triff vocals. A great UK pop song, and just behind it a great US pop song fromThe Cowsills, daft title or not it sparked a TV show inspired by the family group (The Partridge Family). 5 brothers, 1 sister, 1 mother, and another fab track 2 years in the future.

Aretha replaces herself in the top 20, the gorgeous Caroie King song You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman keeping up her run of 1967 chart entries at a frantic pace. This is her pearl in the ’67 shell, though, a version even better than Carole King’s Tapestry brilliance. Scott Walker bounds into the 20 with Mathilde, giving him 2 consecutive dramatic ballads, and few do that better than Scott. Georgie Fame goes top 30 with a sweet track, the best version of Hush goes top 40 (the lyrics actually make sense as sung by Billy, rather than one-level in the covers), and the good South African Pata Pata brings Miriam Makeba to international note.

The Hollies are back again, as ever, Jackie DeShannon pops in with an oldie (her cover to be covered by The Four Tops) – which she frankly didn’t need to do: pause for breath…byt his stage she had dated Elvis, toured with and inspired The Beatles, wrote songs like When You Walk In The Room, Breakaway, Bette Davis Eyes, When You Walk In The Room, and co-wrote with Led Zep Jimmy Page, Randy Newman, and had hits herself with Put A Little Love In Your Heart and What The World Needs Now Is Love. Legend, and still going strong! Oh, yes, mustn’t forget that Hendrix fellow with a good track that was, cough, to be an “inspiration”, cough, for Cozy Powell’s Dance With The Devil (splutter, a better record, sacrilege!).

1 ( 2 ) MASSACHUSSETS (THE LIGHTS GO OUT IN) The Bee Gees
2 ( 1 ) TO SIR WITH LOVE Lulu
3 ( 5 ) FROM THE UNDERWORLD The Herd
4 ( 3 ) EXCERPT FROM ‘A TEENAGE OPERA’ Keith West
5 ( 7 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE The Young Rascals
6 ( 4 ) REFLECTIONS Diana Ross & The Supremes
7 ( NEW ) BABY NOW THAT I’VE FOUND YOU The Foundations
8 ( NEW ) THE RAIN, THE PARK AND OTHER THINGS The Cowsills
9 ( 6 ) LET’S GO TO SAN FRANCISCO The Flowerpot Men
10 ( 12 ) THE LETTER The Box Tops

11 ( 8 ) THE DAY I MET MARIE Cliff Richard
12 ( 16 ) EVERLASTING LOVE Robert Knight
13 ( 9 ) (YOUR LOVE KEEPS LIFTING ME) HIGHER AND HIGHER Jackie Wilson
14 ( 10 ) ODE TO BILLIE JOE Bobbie Gentry
15 ( 18 ) MONTAGUE TERRACE (IN BLUE) Scott Walker
16 ( 17 ) FLOWERS IN THE RAIN The Move
17 ( NEW ) (YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE) A NATURAL WOMAN Aretha Franklin
18 ( 64 ) MATHILDE Scott Walker
19 ( 14 ) GET THE MESSAGE Brian Hyland
20 ( 20 ) YOUR PRECIOUS LOVE Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell

21 ( 11 ) JILL Gary Lewis & The Playboys
22 ( 19 ) TAKE A LOOK Aretha Franklin
23 ( 13 ) GET TOGETHER The Youngbloods
24 ( NEW ) HOLIDAY The Bee Gees
25 ( 15 ) ANYTHING GOES Harpers Bizarre
26 ( 26 ) DON’T FORGET ABOUT ME The American Breed
27 ( 24 ) HOLE IN MY SHOE Traffic
28 ( 28 ) TWELVE THIRTY (YOUNG GIRLS ARE COMING TO THE CANYON) The Mamas & The Papas
29 ( 21 ) ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE The Beatles
30 ( 44 ) TRY MY WORLD Georgie Fame

31 ( 31 ) STRAIGHT SHOOTER The Mamas & The Papas
32 ( 23 ) I FEEL GOOD (I FEEL BAD) The Lewis And Clarke Expedition featuring Mike Nesmith
33 ( 39 ) YOU KEEP RUNNING AWAY The Four Tops
34 ( 22 ) ITCHYCOO PARK The Small Faces
35 ( 40 ) YOU’VE MADE ME SO VERY HAPPY Brenda Holloway
36 ( 25 ) GIMME LITTLE SIGN Brenton Wood
37 ( 30 ) I MAKE A FOOL OF MYSELF Frankie Valli
38 ( 27 ) LET IT ALL HANG OUT The Hombres
39 ( 53 ) HUSH Billy Joe Royal
40 ( 35 ) TO LOVE SOMEBODY The Bee Gees

41 ( 29 ) WE LOVE YOU The Rolling Stones
42 ( 34 ) THERE’S ALWAYS ME Elvis Presley
43 ( 32 ) TELL HIM Patti Drew
44 ( 50 ) SOUL MAN Sam And Dave
45 ( 33 ) THE LAST WALTZ Engelbert Humperdinck
46 ( 36 ) YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN The Turtles
47 ( 68 ) AMSTERDAM Scott Walker
48 ( 41 ) GENTLE ON MY MIND Glen Campbell
49 ( 54 ) BORN UNDER A BAD SIGN Albert King
50 ( 55 ) LIGHTNING’S GIRL Nancy Sinatra

51 ( 45 ) YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (JOHN BARRY MOVIE VERSION) Nancy Sinatra
52 ( NEW ) PATA PATA Miriam Makeba
53 ( 47 ) RANDY SCOUSE GIT (ALTERNATE TITLE) The Monkees
54 ( 48 ) I WAS MADE TO LOVE HER Stevie Wonder
55 ( 37 ) SUNNY GOODGE STREET Tom Northcott
56 ( 49 ) SAN FRANCISCO (BE SURE TO WEAR SOME FLOWERS IN YOUR HAIR) Scott McKenzie
57 ( 43 ) PLEASANT VALLEY SUNDAY The Monkees
58 ( 58 ) MY WHITE BICYCLE Tomorrow
59 ( 38 ) LANDSLIDE Tony Clarke
60 ( 42 ) LOVE BUG LEAVE MY HEART ALONE Martha & The Vandellas

61 ( NEW ) IF THIS IS LOVE (I’D RATHER BE LONELY) The Precisions
62 ( 56 ) IT’S GOT TO BE MELLOW Leon Haywood
63 ( 46 ) EVEN THE BAD TIMES ARE GOOD The Tremeloes
64 ( 69 ) PEOPLE ARE STRANGE The Doors
65 ( 71 ) TRAIN TO SKAVILLE The Ethiopians
66 ( 72 ) HEY JOE Cher
67 ( 74 ) WHEN WILL THE GOOD APPLES FALL The Seekers
68 ( NEW ) KING MIDAS IN REVERSE The Hollies
69 ( 61 ) SHE’S LEAVING HOME The Beatles
70 ( NEW ) IT’S ALL IN THE GAME Jackie De Shannon

71 ( 73 ) INCENSE AND PEPPERMINT The Strawberry Alarm Clock
72 ( 57 ) MORE LOVE Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
73 ( 75 ) GROOVIN’ Booker T & The MG’s
74 ( NEW ) GET ON UP The Esquires
75 ( NEW ) THIRD STONE FROM THE SUN The Jimi Hendrix Experience

DROP OUTS

FAKIN’ IT Simon & Garfunkel
AGNES ENGLISH John Fred & His Playboy Band
THE WORLD WE KNEW (OVER AND OVER) Frank Sinatra
FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE Tony Bennett
THERE IS A MOUNTAIN Donovan
HEROES & VILLAINS The Beach Boys
WHEN I’M SIXTY-FOUR The Beatles
LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS The Beatles
LIGHT MY FIRE The Doors
I’LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Tom Jones

 

30th September 1967

It’s 2 weeks on top for The Bee Gees as The Who leap in seeing for miles and miles – presumably all the way to Massachussets – and it’s their biggest hit to date. That also goes for Aretha, up to 9, and Harry Nilsson’s instant entry at 16 with the gorgeous Without Her. Gene Pitney’s future UK chart-topper (with Marc Almond) is in at 20 with his original and definitive version of Something’s Gotten Hold Of My Heart. Procol Harum follow-up a classic with a whimper, and a few other 1967 chart regulars pop in with more lesser tracks.

1 ( 1 ) MASSACHUSSETS (THE LIGHTS GO OUT IN) The Bee Gees
2 ( 2 ) TO SIR WITH LOVE Lulu
3 ( 3 ) FROM THE UNDERWORLD The Herd
4 ( 7 ) BABY NOW THAT I’VE FOUND YOU The Foundations
5 ( 5 ) HOW CAN I BE SURE The Young Rascals
6 ( 8 ) THE RAIN, THE PARK AND OTHER THINGS The Cowsills
7 ( 4 ) EXCERPT FROM ‘A TEENAGE OPERA’ Keith West
8 ( NEW ) I CAN SEE FOR MILES The Who
9 ( 17 ) (YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE) A NATURAL WOMAN Aretha Franklin
10 ( 6 ) REFLECTIONS Diana Ross & The Supremes

11 ( 12 ) EVERLASTING LOVE Robert Knight
12 ( 20 ) YOUR PRECIOUS LOVE Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
13 ( 16 ) FLOWERS IN THE RAIN The Move
14 ( 15 ) MONTAGUE TERRACE (IN BLUE) Scott Walker
15 ( 9 ) LET’S GO TO SAN FRANCISCO The Flowerpot Men
16 ( NEW ) WITHOUT HER Harry Nilsson
17 ( 14 ) ODE TO BILLIE JOE Bobbie Gentry
18 ( 18 ) MATHILDE Scott Walker
19 ( 11 ) THE DAY I MET MARIE Cliff Richard
20 ( NEW ) SOMETHING’S GOTTEN HOLD OF MY HEART Gene Pitney

21 ( 19 ) GET THE MESSAGE Brian Hyland
22 ( 22 ) TAKE A LOOK Aretha Franklin
23 ( 24 ) HOLIDAY The Bee Gees
24 ( 13 ) (YOUR LOVE KEEPS LIFTING ME) HIGHER AND HIGHER Jackie Wilson
25 ( 21 ) JILL Gary Lewis & The Playboys
26 ( 30 ) TRY MY WORLD Georgie Fame
27 ( 23 ) GET TOGETHER The Youngbloods
28 ( 10 ) THE LETTER The Box Tops
29 ( 39 ) HUSH Billy Joe Royal
30 ( 25 ) ANYTHING GOES Harpers Bizarre

31 ( 33 ) YOU KEEP RUNNING AWAY The Four Tops
32 ( 29 ) ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE The Beatles
33 ( 35 ) YOU’VE MADE ME SO VERY HAPPY Brenda Holloway
34 ( 28 ) TWELVE THIRTY (YOUNG GIRLS ARE COMING TO THE CANYON) The Mamas & The Papas
35 ( 32 ) I FEEL GOOD (I FEEL BAD) The Lewis And Clarke Expedition featuring Mike Nesmith
36 ( 27 ) HOLE IN MY SHOE Traffic
37 ( 31 ) STRAIGHT SHOOTER The Mamas & The Papas
38 ( 50 ) LIGHTNING’S GIRL Nancy Sinatra
39 ( 52 ) PATA PATA Miriam Makeba
40 ( 44 ) SOUL MAN Sam And Dave

41 ( 40 ) TO LOVE SOMEBODY The Bee Gees
42 ( 36 ) GIMME LITTLE SIGN Brenton Wood
43 ( 38 ) LET IT ALL HANG OUT The Hombres
44 ( 26 ) DON’T FORGET ABOUT ME The American Breed
45 ( 34 ) ITCHYCOO PARK The Small Faces
46 ( 47 ) AMSTERDAM Scott Walker
47 ( 49 ) BORN UNDER A BAD SIGN Albert King
48 ( 37 ) I MAKE A FOOL OF MYSELF Frankie Valli
49 ( 46 ) YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN The Turtles
50 ( 43 ) TELL HIM Patti Drew
51 ( 48 ) GENTLE ON MY MIND Glen Campbell

52 ( 51 ) YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (JOHN BARRY MOVIE VERSION) Nancy Sinatra
53 ( 41 ) WE LOVE YOU The Rolling Stones
54 ( 61 ) IF THIS IS LOVE (I’D RATHER BE LONELY) The Precisions
55 ( 45 ) THE LAST WALTZ Engelbert Humperdinck
56 ( 64 ) PEOPLE ARE STRANGE The Doors
57 ( 53 ) RANDY SCOUSE GIT (ALTERNATE TITLE) The Monkees
58 ( 54 ) I WAS MADE TO LOVE HER Stevie Wonder
59 ( 66 ) HEY JOE Cher
60 ( 65 ) TRAIN TO SKAVILLE The Ethiopians

61 ( 55 ) SUNNY GOODGE STREET Tom Northcott
62 ( 56 ) SAN FRANCISCO (BE SURE TO WEAR SOME FLOWERS IN YOUR HAIR) Scott McKenzie
63 ( 67 ) WHEN WILL THE GOOD APPLES FALL The Seekers
64 ( 57 ) PLEASANT VALLEY SUNDAY The Monkees
65 ( 68 ) KING MIDAS IN REVERSE The Hollies
66 ( 58 ) MY WHITE BICYCLE Tomorrow
67 ( 42 ) THERE’S ALWAYS ME Elvis Presley
68 ( 74 ) GET ON UP The Esquires
69 ( NEW ) LOVELY RITA The Beatles
70 ( 69 ) SHE’S LEAVING HOME The Beatles

71 ( 63 ) EVEN THE BAD TIMES ARE GOOD The Tremeloes
72 ( NEW ) YOU’VE NOT CHANGED Sandie Shaw
73 ( NEW ) HOMBURG Procol Harum
74 ( 75 ) THIRD STONE FROM THE SUN The Jimi Hendrix Experience
75 ( NEW ) (LONELINESS MADE ME REALIZE) IT’S YOU THAT I NEED The Temptations

My Retro April 1967 Charts

7th april 1967

Holiday fill in top 20 only, rest to follow at the weekend for completeness.

1. ( 3) SOMETHIN’ STUPID Frank and Nancy Sinatra
2. (1) BERNADETTE Four Tops
3. (2) A LITTLE BIT ME A LITTLE BIT YOU The Monkees
4. (4) DEDICATED TO THE ONE I LOVE Mamas and Papas
5. (9) HI HO SILVER LINING Jeff Beck Group
6. (7) THE GIRL I KNEW SOMEWHERE The Monkees
7. (5) PENNY LANE The Beatles
8. (11) HA HA SAID THE CLOWN Manfred Mann
9. (12) MUSIC TO WATCH GIRLS BY Andy Williams
10. (13) ALFIE Dionne Warwick

11. (8) STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER The Beatles
12. (6) BEGGIN’ The Four Seasons
13. (17) VENUS IN FURS The Velvet Underground & Nico
14. (NEW) THE BOAT THAT I ROW Lulu
15. (10) JIMMY MACK Martha and The Vandellas
16. (23) FLIM FLAM MAN Laura Nyro
17. (20) GIRL YOU’LL BE A WOMAN SOON Neil Diamond
18. (34) JUST LOOK WHAT YOU’VE DONE Brenda Holloway
19. (35) BUY FOR ME THE RAIN The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
20. (25) PUPPET ON A STRING Sandie Shaw

21 ( 15 ) LAST TRAIN TO CLARKSVILLE The Monkees
22 ( 14 ) LOVE IS HERE AND NOW YOU’RE GONE The Supremes
23 ( 24 ) TELL ME TO MY FACE Keith
24 ( 16 ) SIMON SMITH AND HIS AMAZING DANCING BEAR The Alan Price Set
25 ( 31 ) I’M GONNA GET ME A GUN Cat Stevens
26 ( 32 ) AND WHEN I DIE Laura Nyro
27 ( 22 ) THERE’S A KIND OF HUSH Herman’s Hermits
28 ( 28 ) DON’T TIE ME DOWN Little Anthony & The Imperials
29 ( 18 ) GIRL I NEED YOU The Artistics
30 ( 19 ) DRY YOUR EYES Brenda & The Tabulations

31 ( 27 ) MATTHEW AND SON Cat Stevens
32 ( 26 ) HAPPY TOGETHER The Turtles
33 ( 21 ) I WAS KAISER BILL’S BATMAN Whistling Jack Smith
34 ( 44 ) I WANT TO GO BACK THERE AGAIN Chris Clarke
35 ( 39 ) DEAD END STREET Lou Rawls
36 ( 45 ) CLOSE YOUR EYES Peaches and Herb
37 ( 70 ) AIN’T GONNA REST (TILL I GET YOU) The Five Stairsteps
38 ( 53 ) CASINO ROYALE Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
39 ( 48 ) SWEET SOUL MUSIC Arthur Conley
40 ( 52 ) ONE HURT DESERVES ANOTHER The Raelettes

41 ( 51 ) THE HAPPENING The Supremes
42 ( 41 ) I’M A BELIEVER The Monkees
43 ( 37 ) THIS IS MY SONG Petula Clark
44 ( 38 ) STAY WITH ME BABY The Walker Brothers
45 ( 29 ) MY FRIEND JACK The Smoke
46 ( 55 ) ARNOLD LAYNE Pink Floyd
47 ( 30 ) LET’S FALL IN LOVE Peaches and Herb
48 ( 33 ) KEEP IT OUT OF SIGHT Paul & Barry Ryan
49 ( 42 ) GO WHERE YOU WANNA GO The Fifth Dimension
50 ( 58 ) LOVE EYES Nancy Sinatra

51 ( 64 ) BLUES THEME Davie Allan & The Arrows
52 ( 36 ) (IN THE) COLD LIGHT OF DAY Gene Pitney
53 ( 59 ) SOMEBODY TO LOVE Jefferson Airplane
54 ( 46 ) THE LOOK OF LOVE Dusty Springfield
55 ( 47 ) THE 59TH BRIDGE STREET SONG (FEELIN’ GROOVY) Harpers Bizarre
56 ( NEW ) THE 59TH BRIDGE STREET SONG (FEELIN’ GROOVY) Simon And Garfunkel
57 ( NEW ) IF I WERE A CARPENTER Tim Hardin
58 ( 63 ) THE LADY CAME FROM BALTIMORE Bobby Darin
59 ( 50 ) HERE COMES MY BABY The Tremeloes
60 ( 65 ) i CAN HEAR THE GRASS GROW The Move

61 ( 49 ) TRIP, STUMBLE AND FALL The Mamas & The Papas
62 ( 56 ) SINGLE GIRL Sandy Posey
63 ( 67 ) ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND ME Patti LaBelle & The Blue Belles
64 ( 69 ) IT’S SO HARD BEING A LOSER The Contours
65 ( 54 ) FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH Buffalo Springfield
66 ( 43 ) GONNA GIVE HER ALL THE LOVE I’VE GOT Jimmy Ruffin
67 ( 40 ) BEGINNING OF LONELINESS Dionne Warwick
68 ( 72 ) WHEN LOVE SLIPS AWAY Dee Dee Warwick
69 ( NEW ) WHEN TOMORROW COMES Carla Thomas
70 ( 73 ) GET ME TO THE WORLD ON TIME The Electric Prunes

71 ( 61 ) SITTING IN THE PARK Georgie Fame
72 ( 62 ) SUMMER WINE Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood
73 ( NEW ) BLOWIN’ AWAY Laura Nyro
74 ( 75 ) BREAK ON THROUGH (TO THE OTHER SIDE) The Doors
75 ( NEW ) WADE IN THE WATER Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass

 

14th April 1967

The Monkees back on top for a second week with a Neil Diamond song, as Lulu enters the top 10 with a Neil Diamond song, and Neil Diamond keeps one for himself inside the top 20. There’s a couple of Burt Bacharach’s in the chart too, led by Dionne Warwick at 5. Highest new entry the fab (Young) Rascals track Groovin’ at 11, just ahead of the fab Gladys Knight track at 15 – saw her do it concert last year, terrific show.

Tim Hardin’s original of If I Were A Carpenter shoots up to 22, leapfrogging Bobby Darin (who would have a hit with it) and heading towards The Four Tops (who would have a hit with it), but the original is just lovely. A fair amount of Northern Soul and plain ol Soul in the top 40, plus Little Anthony doing a great Four Seasons impression right next to…The Four Seasons.

The Marvelettes are back again with their greatest record, When You’re Young And In Love, later to be attacked by The Flying Pickets without actually destroying it, while a nice bit of movie theme reggae and 60’s garage punk pop in at the lower end.

1 ( 3 ) A LITTLE BIT ME A LITTLE BIT YOU The Monkees
2 ( 2 ) BERNADETTE The Four Tops
3 ( 1 ) SOMETHIN’ STUPID Frank & Nancy Sinatra
4 ( 4 ) DEDICATED TO THE ONE I LOVE The Mamas & The Papas
5 ( 10 ) ALFIE Dionne Warwick
6 ( 16 ) FLIM FLAM MAN Laura Nyro
7 ( 7 ) PENNY LANE The Beatles
8 ( 14 ) THE BOAT THAT I ROW Lulu
9 ( 5 ) HI HO SILVER LINING The Jeff Beck Group
10 ( 6 ) THE GIRL I KNEW SOMEWHERE The Monkees

11 ( NEW ) GROOVIN’ The Young Rascals
12 ( 13 ) VENUS IN FURS The Velvet Underground & Nico
13 ( 11 ) STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER The Beatles
14 ( 9 ) MUSIC TO WATCH GIRLS BY Andy Williams
15 ( NEW ) TAKE ME IN YOUR ARMS AND LOVE ME Gladys Knight & The Pips
16 ( 17 ) GIRL, YOU’LL BE A WOMAN SOON Neil Diamond
17 ( 18 ) JUST LOOK WHAT YOU’VE DONE Brenda Holloway
18 ( 19 ) BUY FOR ME THE RAIN The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
19 ( 20 ) PUPPET ON A STRING Sandie Shaw
20 ( 8 ) HA HA SAID THE CLOWN Manfred Mann

21 ( 15 ) JIMMY MACK Martha & The Vandellas
22 ( 57 ) IF I WERE A CARPENTER Tim Hardin
23 ( 12 ) BEGGIN’ The Four Seasons
24 ( 28 ) DON’T TIE ME DOWN Little Anthony & The Imperials
25 ( 21 ) LAST TRAIN TO CLARKSVILLE The Monkees
26 ( 26 ) AND WHEN I DIE Laura Nyro
27 ( 22 ) LOVE IS HERE AND NOW YOU’RE GONE The Supremes
28 ( 37 ) AIN’T GONNA REST (TILL I GET YOU) The Five Stairsteps
29 ( 29 ) GIRL I NEED YOU The Artistics
30 ( 35 ) DEAD END STREET Lou Rawls

31 ( 31 ) MATTHEW AND SON Cat Stevens
32 ( 38 ) CASINO ROYALE Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
33 ( 23 ) TELL ME TO MY FACE Keith
34 ( 25 ) I’M GONNA GET ME A GUN Cat Stevens
35 ( 27 ) THERE’S A KIND OF HUSH Herman’s Hermits
36 ( 24 ) SIMON SMITH AND HIS AMAZING DANCING BEAR The Alan Price Set
37 ( 51 ) BLUES THEME Davie Allan & The Arrows
38 ( 58 ) THE LADY CAME FROM BALTIMORE Bobby Darin
39 ( 41 ) THE HAPPENING The Supremes
40 ( 46 ) ARNOLD LAYNE Pink Floyd

41 ( 34 ) I WANT TO GO BACK THERE AGAIN Chris Clarke
42 ( 32 ) HAPPY TOGETHER The Turtles
43 ( 30 ) DRY YOUR EYES Brenda & The Tabulations
44 ( 36 ) CLOSE YOUR EYES Peaches and Herb
45 ( 42 ) I’M A BELIEVER The Monkees
46 ( 33 ) I WAS KAISER BILL’S BATMAN Whistling Jack Smith
47 ( 56 ) THE 59TH BRIDGE STREET SONG (FEELIN’ GROOVY) Simon And Garfunkel
48 ( 50 ) LOVE EYES Nancy Sinatra
49 ( 73 ) BLOWIN’ AWAY Laura Nyro
50 ( 53 ) SOMEBODY TO LOVE Jefferson Airplane

51 ( 40 ) ONE HURT DESERVES ANOTHER The Raelettes
52 ( 39 ) SWEET SOUL MUSIC Arthur Conley
53 ( 68 ) WHEN LOVE SLIPS AWAY Dee Dee Warwick
54 ( 44 ) STAY WITH ME BABY The Walker Brothers
55 ( 43 ) THIS IS MY SONG Petula Clark
56 ( 60 ) i CAN HEAR THE GRASS GROW The Move
57 ( NEW ) WHEN YOU’RE YOUNG AND IN LOVE The Marvelettes
58 ( 49 ) GO WHERE YOU WANNA GO The Fifth Dimension
59 ( 45 ) MY FRIEND JACK The Smoke
60 ( 64 ) IT’S SO HARD BEING A LOSER The Contours

61 ( 47 ) LET’S FALL IN LOVE Peaches and Herb
62 ( 63 ) ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND ME Patti LaBelle & The Blue Belles
63 ( 54 ) THE LOOK OF LOVE Dusty Springfield
64 ( 55 ) THE 59TH BRIDGE STREET SONG (FEELIN’ GROOVY) Harpers Bizarre
65 ( 70 ) GET ME TO THE WORLD ON TIME The Electric Prunes
66 ( 62 ) SINGLE GIRL Sandy Posey
67 ( 59 ) HERE COMES MY BABY The Tremeloes
68 ( 69 ) WHEN TOMORROW COMES Carla Thomas
69 ( 74 ) BREAK ON THROUGH (TO THE OTHER SIDE) The Doors
70 ( 48 ) KEEP IT OUT OF SIGHT Paul & Barry Ryan

71 ( 75 ) WADE IN THE WATER Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
72 ( NEW ) HIM OR ME – WHAT’S IT’S GONNA BE Paul Revere & The Raiders featuring Mark Lindsey
73 ( 61 ) TRIP, STUMBLE AND FALL The Mamas & The Papas
74 ( 52 ) (IN THE) COLD LIGHT OF DAY Gene Pitney
75 ( NEW ) GUNS OF NAVARONE The Skatalites

 

21st April 1967

It’s 3 weeks on top for The Monkees, for a total of 7 weeks on top in 1967 (3 singles), the only significant moves at the top end from The Rascals and Gladys Knight, one a big hit in the real world, the other one mysteriously not – it was pretty well known by me in my teens! The Five Stairsteps – talk about obscure – are up to 15 with a goodie sounding very Northern Soul-ish, and Cat Stevens does an about face and hits the 20. I bet he couldn’t get away with singing that track these days under his current name without people madly rushing screaming into the streets in hysterical panic. It’s fine if you’re white Christian, though.

The goddess Laura Nyro makes it 3 in the 40, such a fab songwriter, as The Trems cover The Four Seasons and replace themselves in the chart and leapfrog Frankie Valli and co. The Bee Gees haunting second chart entry enters inside the 30, and The Mamas & The Papas grab a second inside the 40 with that hit single that told the band’s actual autobiographical journey in lyric. Outside the 40 there’s an invasion of familiar pop names of the 60’s, not least a chart debut for David Bowie. The Laughing Gnome charted for me in 1973 – OK it wasn’t Life On Mars, but it was very Junior Choice and I still loved that show in 1973 when Bowie ruled all. Eurovision runner-upper Vicky Leandros enters with Love Is Blue (The Paul Mauriat version was the one for me, I learnt to play it on the melodica at the time), but she had a win 5 years in the future to look forward to. The 1967 contest was the first I was allowed to stay up for, and I loved Sandie.

Lastly, Ellie Greenwich pops in with a future minor hit for Billie Davis (the better copycat version) – Ellie of course was a major hit songwriter of the 60’s alongside male partners like Jeff Barry, and competing alongside Carole King her friend as part of the Brill Building team not to mention Neil “wrote everything in the 1967 chart” Diamond, and Boyce & Hart who along with Diamond & King wrote for the Monkees, and also featured as songwriter….Laura Nyro, frequent songwriter for The Fifth Dimension who enter lower down. Small pop world!

1 ( 1 ) A LITTLE BIT ME A LITTLE BIT YOU The Monkees
2 ( 2 ) BERNADETTE The Four Tops
3 ( 3 ) SOMETHIN’ STUPID Frank & Nancy Sinatra
4 ( 5 ) ALFIE Dionne Warwick
5 ( 6 ) FLIM FLAM MAN Laura Nyro
6 ( 4 ) DEDICATED TO THE ONE I LOVE The Mamas & The Papas
7 ( 11 ) GROOVIN’ The Young Rascals
8 ( 15 ) TAKE ME IN YOUR ARMS AND LOVE ME Gladys Knight & The Pips
9 ( 7 ) PENNY LANE The Beatles
10 ( 8 ) THE BOAT THAT I ROW Lulu

11 ( 18 ) BUY FOR ME THE RAIN The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
12 ( 22 ) IF I WERE A CARPENTER Tim Hardin
13 ( 9 ) HI HO SILVER LINING The Jeff Beck Group
14 ( 10 ) THE GIRL I KNEW SOMEWHERE The Monkees
15 ( 28 ) AIN’T GONNA REST (TILL I GET YOU) The Five Stairsteps
16 ( 13 ) STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER The Beatles
17 ( 34 ) I’M GONNA GET ME A GUN Cat Stevens
18 ( 12 ) VENUS IN FURS The Velvet Underground & Nico
19 ( 14 ) MUSIC TO WATCH GIRLS BY Andy Williams
20 ( 26 ) AND WHEN I DIE Laura Nyro

21 ( 17 ) JUST LOOK WHAT YOU’VE DONE Brenda Holloway
22 ( 37 ) BLUES THEME Davie Allan & The Arrows
23 ( 16 ) GIRL, YOU’LL BE A WOMAN SOON Neil Diamond
24 ( NEW ) SILENCE IS GOLDEN The Tremeloes
25 ( 38 ) THE LADY CAME FROM BALTIMORE Bobby Darin
26 ( NEW ) NEW YORK MINING DISASTER 1941 The Bee Gees
27 ( 30 ) DEAD END STREET Lou Rawls
28 ( 25 ) LAST TRAIN TO CLARKSVILLE The Monkees
29 ( 21 ) JIMMY MACK Martha & The Vandellas
30 ( 19 ) PUPPET ON A STRING Sandie Shaw

31 ( 20 ) HA HA SAID THE CLOWN Manfred Mann
32 ( 32 ) CASINO ROYALE Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
33 ( 27 ) LOVE IS HERE AND NOW YOU’RE GONE The Supremes
34 ( NEW ) CREEQUE ALLEY The Mamas & The Papas
35 ( 39 ) THE HAPPENING The Supremes
36 ( 31 ) MATTHEW AND SON Cat Stevens
37 ( 40 ) ARNOLD LAYNE Pink Floyd
38 ( 23 ) BEGGIN’ The Four Seasons
39 ( 49 ) BLOWIN’ AWAY Laura Nyro
40 ( 57 ) WHEN YOU’RE YOUNG AND IN LOVE The Marvelettes

41 ( 24 ) DON’T TIE ME DOWN Little Anthony & The Imperials
42 ( 35 ) THERE’S A KIND OF HUSH Herman’s Hermits
43 ( 47 ) THE 59TH BRIDGE STREET SONG (FEELIN’ GROOVY) Simon And Garfunkel
44 ( 29 ) GIRL I NEED YOU The Artistics
45 ( 36 ) SIMON SMITH AND HIS AMAZING DANCING BEAR The Alan Price Set
46 ( 50 ) SOMEBODY TO LOVE Jefferson Airplane
47 ( 48 ) LOVE EYES Nancy Sinatra
48 ( 45 ) I’M A BELIEVER The Monkees
49 ( 42 ) HAPPY TOGETHER The Turtles
50 ( 56 ) i CAN HEAR THE GRASS GROW The Move

51 ( 43 ) DRY YOUR EYES Brenda & The Tabulations
52 ( 33 ) TELL ME TO MY FACE Keith
53 ( 72 ) HIM OR ME – WHAT’S IT’S GONNA BE Paul Revere & The Raiders featuring Mark Lindsey
54 ( NEW ) WHEN I WAS YOUNG Eric Burdon & The Animals
55 ( 46 ) I WAS KAISER BILL’S BATMAN Whistling Jack Smith
56 ( 71 ) WADE IN THE WATER Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
57 ( NEW ) RESPECT Aretha Franklin
58 ( NEW ) I WANT YOU TO BE MY BABY Ellie Greenwich
59 ( 69 ) BREAK ON THROUGH (TO THE OTHER SIDE) The Doors
60 ( NEW ) ALL I NEED The Temptations

61 ( NEW ) RUN, RUN, BABY, RUN Tommy James & The Shondells
62 ( 44 ) CLOSE YOUR EYES Peaches and Herb
63 ( NEW ) ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER HEARTACHE The Fifth Dimension
64 ( NEW ) BEAT THE CLOCK The McCoys
65 ( NEW ) THE LAUGHING GNOME David Bowie
66 ( NEW ) L’AMOUR EST BLEU Vicky Leandros
67 ( NEW ) PICTURES OF LILY The Who
68 ( 41 ) I WANT TO GO BACK THERE AGAIN Chris Clarke
69 ( NEW ) BECK’S BOLERO The Jeff Beck Group
70 ( 51 ) ONE HURT DESERVES ANOTHER The Raelettes

71 ( NEW ) DO RIGHT WOMAN, DO RIGHT MAN Aretha Franklin
72 ( 66 ) SINGLE GIRL Sandy Posey
73 ( NEW ) MIRAGE Tommy James & The Shondells
74 ( NEW ) A BEAUTIFUL STORY Sonny & Cher
75 ( NEW ) GOT TO HAVE YOU BACK The Isley Brothers

28th April 1967

It’s straight in at 1 for future 1974 chart-topper There’s A Ghost In My House from white Motown act R. Dean Taylor, and a brilliant Northern Soul Holland-Dozier production. Still sounds as exciting as the day it left the studio – a total flop in 1967. The Rascals are up to 3, PP Arnold enters at 12, cos if there’s a lack of Cat Stevens songs in the chart – actually there isn’t! Nor is there a lack of Neil Diamond songs – but The Boat That I Row goes up to 9 for Lulu while Neil’s own version pops in lower down.

The Turtles 2nd hit enters with a bang at 14, and a very obscure fab instrumental (new to me, and very early 60’s in mood) makes 20 for Davie Allan (who? No idea!). Eric Burdon and Aretha Franklin get nice climbs into the 40, and a Beach Boys cover of a Phil Spector hit oldie is in at 41. That leaves childhood acts I liked to enter: Gary Lewis, now nearing the end of a long run of good pop hits, and Roger Miller, who still had a few more to come.

1 ( NEW ) THERE’S A GHOST IN MY HOUSE R. Dean Taylor
2 ( 1 ) A LITTLE BIT ME A LITTLE BIT YOU The Monkees
3 ( 7 ) GROOVIN’ The Young Rascals
4 ( 8 ) TAKE ME IN YOUR ARMS AND LOVE ME Gladys Knight & The Pips
5 ( 2 ) BERNADETTE The Four Tops
6 ( 6 ) DEDICATED TO THE ONE I LOVE The Mamas & The Papas
7 ( 3 ) SOMETHIN’ STUPID Frank & Nancy Sinatra
8 ( 4 ) ALFIE Dionne Warwick
9 ( 10 ) THE BOAT THAT I ROW Lulu
10 ( 11 ) BUY FOR ME THE RAIN The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

11 ( 5 ) FLIM FLAM MAN Laura Nyro
12 ( NEW ) FIRST CUT IS THE DEEPEST PP Arnold
13 ( 9 ) PENNY LANE The Beatles
14 ( NEW ) SHE’D RATHER BE WITH ME The Turtles
15 ( 24 ) SILENCE IS GOLDEN The Tremeloes
16 ( 12 ) IF I WERE A CARPENTER Tim Hardin
17 ( 20 ) AND WHEN I DIE Laura Nyro
18 ( 14 ) THE GIRL I KNEW SOMEWHERE The Monkees
19 ( 16 ) STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER The Beatles
20 ( 22 ) BLUES THEME Davie Allan & The Arrows

21 ( 13 ) HI HO SILVER LINING The Jeff Beck Group
22 ( 26 ) NEW YORK MINING DISASTER 1941 The Bee Gees
23 ( 25 ) THE LADY CAME FROM BALTIMORE Bobby Darin
24 ( 15 ) AIN’T GONNA REST (TILL I GET YOU) The Five Stairsteps
25 ( 18 ) VENUS IN FURS The Velvet Underground & Nico
26 ( 32 ) CASINO ROYALE Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
27 ( 34 ) CREEQUE ALLEY The Mamas & The Papas
28 ( 19 ) MUSIC TO WATCH GIRLS BY Andy Williams
29 ( 21 ) JUST LOOK WHAT YOU’VE DONE Brenda Holloway
30 ( 39 ) BLOWIN’ AWAY Laura Nyro

31 ( 17 ) I’M GONNA GET ME A GUN Cat Stevens
32 ( 28 ) LAST TRAIN TO CLARKSVILLE The Monkees
33 ( 54 ) WHEN I WAS YOUNG Eric Burdon & The Animals
34 ( 40 ) WHEN YOU’RE YOUNG AND IN LOVE The Marvelettes
35 ( 43 ) THE 59TH BRIDGE STREET SONG (FEELIN’ GROOVY) Simon And Garfunkel
36 ( 23 ) GIRL, YOU’LL BE A WOMAN SOON Neil Diamond
37 ( 29 ) JIMMY MACK Martha & The Vandellas
38 ( 33 ) LOVE IS HERE AND NOW YOU’RE GONE The Supremes
39 ( 36 ) MATTHEW AND SON Cat Stevens
40 ( 71 ) DO RIGHT WOMAN, DO RIGHT MAN Aretha Franklin

41 ( NEW ) THEN I KISSED HER The Beach Boys
42 ( 27 ) DEAD END STREET Lou Rawls
43 ( 35 ) THE HAPPENING The Supremes
44 ( 31 ) HA HA SAID THE CLOWN Manfred Mann
45 ( 61 ) RUN, RUN, BABY, RUN Tommy James & The Shondells
46 ( 30 ) PUPPET ON A STRING Sandie Shaw
47 ( 53 ) HIM OR ME – WHAT’S IT’S GONNA BE Paul Revere & The Raiders featuring Mark Lindsey
48 ( 42 ) THERE’S A KIND OF HUSH Herman’s Hermits
49 ( 44 ) GIRL I NEED YOU The Artistics
50 ( 58 ) I WANT YOU TO BE MY BABY Ellie Greenwich

51 ( 38 ) BEGGIN’ The Four Seasons
52 ( 63 ) ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER HEARTACHE The Fifth Dimension
53 ( 56 ) WADE IN THE WATER Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
54 ( 48 ) I’M A BELIEVER The Monkees
55 ( 66 ) L’AMOUR EST BLEU Vicky Leandros
56 ( 45 ) SIMON SMITH AND HIS AMAZING DANCING BEAR The Alan Price Set
57 ( 57 ) RESPECT Aretha Franklin
58 ( 37 ) ARNOLD LAYNE Pink Floyd
59 ( 60 ) ALL I NEED The Temptations
60 ( 69 ) BECK’S BOLERO The Jeff Beck Group

61 ( 49 ) HAPPY TOGETHER The Turtles
62 ( 46 ) SOMEBODY TO LOVE Jefferson Airplane
63 ( 50 ) i CAN HEAR THE GRASS GROW The Move
64 ( 64 ) BEAT THE CLOCK The McCoys
65 ( 65 ) THE LAUGHING GNOME David Bowie
66 ( NEW ) THE BOAT THAT I ROW Neil Diamond
67 ( 67 ) PICTURES OF LILY The Who
68 ( 47 ) LOVE EYES Nancy Sinatra
69 ( 59 ) BREAK ON THROUGH (TO THE OTHER SIDE) The Doors

70 ( 51 ) DRY YOUR EYES Brenda & The Tabulations
71 ( 55 ) I WAS KAISER BILL’S BATMAN Whistling Jack Smith
72 ( 73 ) MIRAGE Tommy James & The Shondells
73 ( NEW ) GIRLS IN LOVE Gary Lewis & The Playboys
74 ( 74 ) A BEAUTIFUL STORY Sonny & Cher
75 ( NEW ) WALKIN’ IN THE SUNSHINE Roger Miller

My 1975 Charts – March

gloucester and Toby's bookshop

gloucester and Toby’s bookshop

buzzjack youtube 1975 links

4th March 1975

6th and final week for Helen Reddy’s Angie Baby on top, but who will topple her – Wigan’s Chosen Few play footsie at 2, Shirley says Shame Shame Shame at only going up to 3, and there are 2 big new entries: Gloria Gaynor follows up her big number one with a cover of a Motown classic in at 4, the Four Tops Reach Out I’ll Be There, and it’s a thumping frantic disco anthem, for me the best version apart from the original. At 5, it’s a long-missing 50’s guitar instrumental legend, Duane Eddy, who gets some help from a chorus of girl Rebelettes to twang along in the 70’s: Play Me Like Your Guitar is great, though not as great as his old classics like Peter Gunn, Rebel Rouser and Because They’re Young. Close thing, though.

Bowie goes top 20 with his funky Young Americans, ditto Supertramp and Moments and Whatnauts, while in at 26 it’s a 60’s Northern Soul-inspired hit for Gary Lewis And The Playboys, My Heart’s Symphony. They had a whole run of big US hits, and were notable for Gary being the son of comedian Jerry Lewis, and being pretty good pop, especially the fab This Diamond Ring, which was never a UK hit (like almost their entire career). The strings on this one add a bit of 60’s pop interest and I still love it, should have been bigger. Meanwhile Hamilton Bohannon smoothly funks his way to 28, the Average White Band do the same at 29, and Sweet return with their first self-written hit Fox On The Run, and it’s pretty good, in at 30! Giving them 4 years of hits, non-stop.

In at 43, it’s Barry Manilow debuting with the OTT Mandy, a cover of the much-better original sitting at 10 for Scott English – Brandy. It just came over as a bland, if mildly pleasant version of a great song, to me at the time. At 44, the Bay City Rollers ditch their songwriters and go it alone – by covering a Four Seasons non-UK-hit, Bye Bye Baby – they do it effectively, and the song wasn’t that well known in the UK, but it was the start of a loooooong list of acts getting much bigger hits than the brilliant Four Seasons originals in the UK – in the USA it was the other way round, for the most part. Which leaves Helen Reddy getting a follow-up entry as she drops off the top, Free And Easy, and Nosmo King and The Javells getting another chart entry (albeit unlikely) at 46. Finally Jim Stafford has a 3rd entry, with Your Bulldog Drinks Champagne – he certainly never was predictable!

1 ( 1 ) ANGIE BABY Helen Reddy
2 ( 3 ) FOOTSIE Wigan’s Chosen Few
3 ( 4 ) SHAME SHAME SHAME Shirley & Company
4 ( NEW ) REACH OUT I’LL BE THERE Gloria Gaynor
5 ( NEW ) PLAY ME LIKE YOU PLAY YOUR GUITAR Duane Eddy and The Rebelettes
6 ( 2 ) HITCHIN’ A RIDE ’75 Paper Lace
7 ( 6 ) ONLY YOU CAN Fox
8 ( 7 ) HEY GIRL DON’T BOTHER ME The Tams
9 ( 8 ) THIS OLD HEART OF MINE The Isley Brothers
10 ( 9 ) BRANDY Scott English

11 ( 11 ) DON’T BE CRUEL Mike Berry
12 ( 5 ) THE SECRETS THAT YOU KEEP Mud
13 ( 13 ) I CAN DO IT The Rubettes
14 ( 14 ) OUR NATIONAL PASTIME Rupert Holmes
15 ( 24 ) YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie
16 ( 10 ) THEN I CHANGE HANDS Mick Robertson
17 ( 12 ) MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) Steve Harley And Cockney Rebel
18 ( 26 ) DREAMER Supertramp
19 ( 23 ) GIRLS Moments and Whatnauts
20 ( 18 ) #9 DREAM John Lennon

21 ( 20 ) REMEMBER THE DAYS OF THE OLD SCHOOL YARD Linda Lewis
22 ( 36 ) SNOOKEROO Ringo Starr
23 ( 17 ) PLEASE MR POSTMAN The Carpenters
24 ( 16 ) YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY Ohio Express
25 ( 15 ) NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE Gloria Gaynor
26 ( NEW ) MY HEART’S SYMPHONY Gary Lewis And The Playboys
27 ( 27 ) I’M ON MY WAY Dean Parrish
28 ( 44 ) SOUTH AFRICAN MAN Hamilton Bohannon
29 ( 43 ) PICK UP THE PIECES The Average White Band
30 ( NEW ) FOX ON THE RUN Sweet

31 ( 19 ) THE QUEEN OF 1964 Neil Sedaka
32 ( 33 ) GAMES UP Hello
33 ( 21 ) I’LL TAKE A MELODY The Hues Corporation
34 ( 22 ) I’M HER FOOL Billy Swan
35 ( 25 ) IT MAY BE WINTER OUTSIDE (BUT IN MY HEART IT’S SPRING) Love Unlimited
36 ( 30 ) BOOGIE ON REGGAE WOMAN Stevie Wonder
37 ( 28 ) YOUR KISS IS SWEET Syreeta
38 ( 29 ) GET DANCIN’ Disco Tex and The Sex-o-lettes
39 ( 46 ) DOWN DOWN Status Quo
40 ( 45 ) LOVE IS ALL Roger Glover and Guests (featuring Ronnie Dio)

41 ( 31 ) SHOORAH SHOORAH Betty Wright
42 ( 32 ) ROLL ON DOWN THE HIGHWAY Bachman-Turner Overdrive
43 ( NEW ) MANDY Barry Manilow
44 ( NEW ) BYE BYE BABY The Bay City Rollers
45 ( NEW ) FREE AND EASY Helen Reddy
46 ( NEW ) LOVIN’ YOU IS EASY Nosmo King and The Javells
47 ( 40 ) LEGO SKANGA Rupie Edwards
48 ( 41 ) MY LAST NIGHT WITH YOU Arrows
49 ( 42 ) DOCTOR LOVE The Pearls
50 ( NEW ) YOUR BULLDOG DRINKS CHAMPAGNE Jim Stafford


11th March 1975

Gloria Gaynor gets her 2nd chart-topper in a row, Reach Out I’ll Be There getting there in 2 weeks flat, and a new disco queen arrives. Not me, no. It’s all about Gloria’s vocal, the fab percussion, the backing singers and especially the heavy drumbeat on the chorus. Excited me no end at the time, and still does. Shooting up to 2, Supertramp’s best record Dreamer, it still sounds fresh, urgent and original, well beyond the normal single format. Duane Eddy has a veteran top 3 hit when few from the 50’s were still going, bar the odd Cliff and Elvis. Bowie gets his first top 10 since Sorrow, and his 7th to date, while The Rubettes get a 3rd, cos they can do it. The Rollers rocket up to 12, rather unexpectedly, as my early love for the Rollers in 1971-73 was well on the turn to annoyance what with all the screaming pre-teen girls all over the place, and Gary Lewis gets a 9-years-late top 20 hit.

It’s all about the 19 new entries though, as the music scene hits overdrive and my chart has an almost 40% clearout. 19 is a new record, and is headed by an old-fashioned Eurovision-styled boy-girl singalong, and it’s fab – There’s A Whole Lot Of Loving is schmaltzy, overdoses on the backing singers and strings, and has a killer chorus…yes it’s a real guilty pleasure! The group had TV host Bruce Forsyth’s daughter in it, not to mention Thereza Bazar and David Van Day, future hit duo Dollar. Talking of Eurovision, Radio Luxembourg was busy plugging Geraldine’s English-language version (You) of her French-language entry, Toi, and here it is at 28, making it 4 years in a row that Luxembourg had charted. It’s also one place higher than the UK’s entry, the last one under the system where an established act is chosen to sing 6 songs, then the public vote – and this time Cliff’s backing band, and UK instrumental heroes The Shadows join Duane Eddy on the comeback trail and also get a debut rare vocal hit, Let Me Be The One. It’s not bad at all.

At 30, a dance cover of The Beatles’ George Harrison song Something, from The Miracle Workers, gives it 3 hit versions in 6 years, while a Dutch duo cover of the 60’s childhood fave of mine Swinging On A Star (by Big Dee Irwin and Little Eva, itself a 40’s Bing Crosby cover) enters at 41 for the badly-named Spooky And Sue. An actual 60’s song I liked enters at 47 for The McCoys, Hang On Sloopy, while a 40’s styled gorgeous gentle ballad (and tribute to Fred Astaire) enters at 35 for Don McLean, his first hit in 3 years – Wonderful Baby.

At 32 and 33, two big US hits for two big UK-based stars, and two big UK-flops as they moved to the States and got ignored by UK record-buyers. Idiots. ELO’s Can’t Get It Out Of My Head is a touching emotive ballad, and a singles departure for the band that eventually charted 3 years later on an EP in the UK, while Olivia Newton-John was moving out of country into melodic pop ballads, and one of her best: Have You Never Been Mellow, lovely. At 34 a late glam rock entrant from Shabby Tiger (too late for the UK to chart it, but not in Europe), Slow Down is decent enough, and at 36 The Goodies get a thrid hit with a Funky Gibbon. Yes, well, hmmm, it was catchy for a couple of weeks! David Bowie’s guitarist, the legendary Mick Ronson gets a quirky solo entry at 45, Billy Porter, Alice Cooper gets 3 years of chart entries at 48, Department Of Youth. Also 3 years on, Peter Skellern gets a follow-up entry at 50, the laid-back Hold On To Love, and 2 years on ex-teacher Clifford T. Ward keeps the gentle folk ballads coming, gets a 4th entry with the delightful Jigsaw Girl at 49.

Phew! That leaves just the great new ones, from K.C. And The Sunshine Band, and a third hit (and a 6th song) with Get Down Tonight, as the fabulous funky dance grooves get notched a peg or two, even over chart-topper Queen Of Clubs. The basis of more than one future sampled hit, and still brilliant, and in at 37. Then there’s Elton John, with a Band attached, a new sound of Philadelphia, strings, soul, fabulousness, and a song dedicated to gay tennis player Billie-Jean King, Philadelphia Freedom. In at 42, 4 years of chartdom, and Elton had yet to miss the chart since Rocket Man hit 2, and was followed up by 2 number one’s in Crocodile Rock and Bennie And The Jets in 1972 and 1974. Elton, it should be stressed, was the biggest star in the world at this point and could do no wrong, especially in the USA, and was mightily prolific, 2 albums a year, and singles not necessarily on albums, and album tracks that should have been singles but weren’t. Phew!

1 ( 4 ) REACH OUT I’LL BE THERE Gloria Gaynor
2 ( 18 ) DREAMER Supertramp
3 ( 5 ) PLAY ME LIKE YOU PLAY YOUR GUITAR Duane Eddy and The Rebelettes
4 ( 1 ) ANGIE BABY Helen Reddy
5 ( 2 ) FOOTSIE Wigan’s Chosen Few
6 ( 3 ) SHAME SHAME SHAME Shirley & Company
7 ( 15 ) YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie
8 ( 13 ) I CAN DO IT The Rubettes
9 ( NEW ) THERE’S A WHOLE LOT OF LOVING Guys and Dolls
10 ( 11 ) DON’T BE CRUEL Mike Berry

11 ( 6 ) HITCHIN’ A RIDE ’75 Paper Lace
12 ( 44 ) BYE BYE BABY The Bay City Rollers
13 ( 26 ) MY HEART’S SYMPHONY Gary Lewis And The Playboys
14 ( 14 ) OUR NATIONAL PASTIME Rupert Holmes
15 ( 19 ) GIRLS Moments and Whatnauts
16 ( 8 ) HEY GIRL DON’T BOTHER ME The Tams
17 ( 9 ) THIS OLD HEART OF MINE The Isley Brothers
18 ( 10 ) BRANDY Scott English
19 ( 20 ) #9 DREAM John Lennon
20 ( 7 ) ONLY YOU CAN Fox

21 ( 30 ) FOX ON THE RUN Sweet
22 ( 29 ) PICK UP THE PIECES The Average White Band
23 ( 28 ) SOUTH AFRICAN MAN Hamilton Bohannon
24 ( 22 ) SNOOKEROO Ringo Starr
25 ( 31 ) THE QUEEN OF 1964 Neil Sedaka
26 ( 12 ) THE SECRETS THAT YOU KEEP Mud
27 ( NEW ) FANCY PANTS Kenny
28 ( NEW ) YOU Geraldine
29 ( NEW ) LET ME BE THE ONE The Shadows
30 ( NEW ) SOMETHING The Miracle Workers

31 ( 32 ) GAMES UP Hello
32 ( NEW ) CAN’T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD The Electric Light Orchestra
33 ( NEW ) HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN MELLOW Olivia Newton-John
34 ( NEW ) SLOW DOWN Shabby Tiger
35 ( NEW ) WONDERFUL BABY Don McLean
36 ( NEW ) FUNKY GIBBON The Goodies
37 ( NEW ) GET DOWN TONIGHT K.C. And The Sunshine Band
38 ( 17 ) MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) Steve Harley And Cockney Rebel
39 ( 25 ) NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE Gloria Gaynor
40 ( 23 ) PLEASE MR POSTMAN The Carpenters

41 ( NEW ) SWINGING ON A STAR Spooky And Sue
42 ( NEW ) PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM The Elton John Band
43 ( 43 ) MANDY Barry Manilow
44 ( 41 ) SHOORAH SHOORAH Betty Wright
45 ( NEW ) BILLY PORTER Mick Ronson
46 ( NEW ) SWEET MUSIC Showaddywaddy
47 ( NEW ) HANG ON SLOOPY The McCoys
48 ( NEW ) DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH Alice Cooper
49 ( NEW ) JIGSAW GIRL Clifford T. Ward
50 ( NEW ) HOLD ON TO LOVE Peter Skellern


18th March 1975

After the deluge of last week, only 2 new entries and Gloria Gaynor gets 2 weeks reaching out on top. The rest of the chart is busy though, Elton up 40 places to 2 outdoing all his previous singles bar 3, just lovin’ that Philadelphia Freedom. Bowie also does better here than any other chart, hitting 5 with Young Americans – Bowie fans struggled with the new “plastic soul” sound, but not me, loved it. The Sweet get an 11th Top 10 hit, Neil Sedaka stops yo-yo-ing and hits 8 for his annual top 10 hit, now allied with Elton John on his label, and ELO get a 4th top 10.

The 2 Eurovision songs keep pace with each other at 14 and 15, Geraldine still having the edge, while Livvy goes top 20, and Shabby Tiger slow down at 19. New at 44 it’s Polly Brown getting a second solo hit, dialling L for Love, though it’s now 5 years since she debuted with Pickettywich. Finally, at 48, The Hues Corporation have a 4th chart entry with the Love Corporation, diminishing returns but they still sound good.

1 ( 1 ) REACH OUT I’LL BE THERE Gloria Gaynor
2 ( 42 ) PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM The Elton John Band
3 ( 3 ) PLAY ME LIKE YOU PLAY YOUR GUITAR Duane Eddy and The Rebelettes
4 ( 2 ) DREAMER Supertramp
5 ( 7 ) YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie
6 ( 9 ) THERE’S A WHOLE LOT OF LOVING Guys and Dolls
7 ( 21 ) FOX ON THE RUN Sweet
8 ( 25 ) THE QUEEN OF 1964 Neil Sedaka
9 ( 32 ) CAN’T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD The Electric Light Orchestra
10 ( 4 ) ANGIE BABY Helen Reddy

11 ( 5 ) FOOTSIE Wigan’s Chosen Few
12 ( 6 ) SHAME SHAME SHAME Shirley & Company
13 ( 8 ) I CAN DO IT The Rubettes
14 ( 28 ) YOU Geraldine
15 ( 29 ) LET ME BE THE ONE The Shadows
16 ( 13 ) MY HEART’S SYMPHONY Gary Lewis And The Playboys
17 ( 15 ) GIRLS Moments and Whatnauts
18 ( 33 ) HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN MELLOW Olivia Newton-John
19 ( 34 ) SLOW DOWN Shabby Tiger
20 ( 10 ) DON’T BE CRUEL Mike Berry

21 ( 11 ) HITCHIN’ A RIDE ’75 Paper Lace
22 ( 19 ) #9 DREAM John Lennon
23 ( 37 ) GET DOWN TONIGHT K.C. And The Sunshine Band
24 ( 36 ) FUNKY GIBBON The Goodies
25 ( 12 ) BYE BYE BABY The Bay City Rollers
26 ( 22 ) PICK UP THE PIECES The Average White Band
27 ( 27 ) FANCY PANTS Kenny
28 ( 30 ) SOMETHING The Miracle Workers
29 ( 20 ) ONLY YOU CAN Fox
30 ( 31 ) GAMES UP Hello

31 ( 16 ) HEY GIRL DON’T BOTHER ME The Tams
32 ( 17 ) THIS OLD HEART OF MINE The Isley Brothers
33 ( 18 ) BRANDY Scott English
34 ( 23 ) SOUTH AFRICAN MAN Hamilton Bohannon
35 ( 35 ) WONDERFUL BABY Don McLean
36 ( 26 ) THE SECRETS THAT YOU KEEP Mud
37 ( 14 ) OUR NATIONAL PASTIME Rupert Holmes
38 ( 46 ) SWEET MUSIC Showaddywaddy
39 ( 39 ) NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE Gloria Gaynor
40 ( 40 ) PLEASE MR POSTMAN The Carpenters

41 ( 41 ) SWINGING ON A STAR Spooky And Sue
42 ( 45 ) BILLY PORTER Mick Ronson
43 ( 50 ) HOLD ON TO LOVE Peter Skellern
44 ( NEW ) DIAL ‘L’ FOR LOVE Polly Brown
45 ( 49 ) JIGSAW GIRL Clifford T. Ward
46 ( 47 ) HANG ON SLOOPY The McCoys
47 ( 24 ) SNOOKEROO Ringo Starr
48 ( NEW ) LOVE CORPORATION The Hues Corporation
49 ( 43 ) MANDY Barry Manilow
50 ( 38 ) MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) Steve Harley And Cockney Rebel

In Gloucester days, I was seriously buying every vinyl single I could get afford and find, and every old and new DC comic I could find. I scoured all the record shops (and there were plenty in those days) and newsagents that stocked American comics, and had a weekly Saturday bus ride, or walk of a few miles (to have extra money to spend on them) to do the rounds, especially the second-hand bookstore Toby’s which had stocks of recent DC comics printed with their name on the cover – much cheaper for me and I picked up loads I’d missed. Hooray! We also had a family ride, after some snowfall, to see our Singapore family friends the Wainwrights, after not seeing them for a year or so – I have the trip there fixed in my mind to some of the Radio 1 playlist tracks of the time, so I associate them with crisp snow and sunshine, for instance Fox On The Run and Young Americans, and especially Philadelphia Freedom. Odd the things that stick in the mind sometime. It was great seeing them all again.


25th March 1975 part 1 (Eurovision)

It’s a new number one, but dropping from 6 and completely out of the chart it’s Guys & Dolls with one of the shortest ever chart runs for a record that peaked at 6 – 2 weeks, peak, and out! It’s a guilty pleasure, but one that I got over quickly, until a decent amount of time had passed by (years), and then I loved it again. Anyway, new at 1 it’s Elton, yay! His 3rd number one in 4 years, a brilliant Philly soul record by a white British rock star, joining Bowie in crossing some genre boundaries, and also commenting at the time about his domination on USA radio where his singles just would not leave the chart – he wished they would stop playing them and let them leave the chart, even he was getting fed up of it! This, of course, is now how the whole music business works: overkill, monotony, and dominated by a huge few stars. Elton was also presiding over another chart invasion, though, chock full of good new singles, led by the Eurovision winner, Teach-In, at 10. Ding A Dong! Or Dinge Dong, take your pick. It was an immediate hit with me while I babysat, and my clear favourite, though the chart placing just ahead of the UK and Luxembourg might say otherwise. The Shadows did well, and Geraldine, Toi, so there’s a mini-1975 Eurovision section to enjoy. Or ‘enjoy’! The Netherlands deserved to win though, and they had clearly learnt the Abba lesson and gone uptempo pop. So here the three are…


25th March 1975 (part 2)

Back in March 1975, 25th, and K.C. is up to 3 for his 3rd successive top 3 hit, with one of the great instant instrumental funk intros, do a little dance make a little love, get down tonight! The Sweet hit 4, fox-chasing, and Olivia hits 6 with her biggest ever hit in 4 years, so she must have been feeling pretty mellow about that. The second highest new entry is the record that came 2nd in the Radio 1 All-Time Top 100 singles, as compiled in 1974 – Young Girl won it (and charted all over again) but runner-up was Bobby Goldsboro’s 1968 UK number 2, which was reissued in the UK and hit 2 again, having been 2 on the 100. A case of the 2’s if ever I heard it! The sickly-sweet sentimental tragedy song enters at 14 here. It’s both touching and OTT laughable, depending on mood. It fit in with tragic news of the death of a classmate in a motorbike accident, Martin Milliard, who’d been getting interviews with football clubs. His best mate Davvy was a mate at school, and I was shocked and sad all round for Davvy and Milli’s family. The song came up in group classroom conversation, and Davvy took it’s side, so did I.

In at 16, Jim Gilstrap’s lovely gospel soul shuffler Swing Your Daddy, and in at 17 another Wigan band, Wigan’s Ovation with an actual NEW recording and northern soul cover hit, the Invitations’ Skiing In The Snow. Northern Soul was cool in the working class circles. Lulu’s back with another image change at 26, this time soul funk, one style she was to return to most frequently over the years. The record? Take You Mama For A Ride, and 7 years of hits. Missing for 2 years, and it’s a welcome return for Middle Of The Road, with the flop single Hitchin’ A Ride In The Moonlight, which managed to grab a couple of plays on Radio Luxembourg, and nothing in the UK, but it gives them an 8th bubblegum chart entry for me. I haven’t heard it for decades, and it’s not on itunes, boo!

Ralph McTell’s back at 34 with a forgotten, non-itunes, follow-up El Progresso, not that folky, while Hot Chocolate return with new single Blue Night, in the style of Emma at 48. Pretty good, a flop, no airplay, but it had a B Side you may have heard of, a ditty called You Sexy Thing. Come back in 7 months when it gets flipped, and Blue Night is the B Side. 49, Caston And Majors, a Motown act, and a fantastic record in Child Of Love, fab song, should have been a hit. Finally, at 50, it’s another oldie reissue from the late Jim Croce, one which would have charted in 1972 had my charts allowed non-UK-chart records: Bad Bad Leroy Brown. Big US hit.

1 ( 2 ) PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM The Elton John Band
2 ( 1 ) REACH OUT I’LL BE THERE Gloria Gaynor
3 ( 23 ) GET DOWN TONIGHT K.C. And The Sunshine Band
4 ( 7 ) FOX ON THE RUN The Sweet
5 ( 3 ) PLAY ME LIKE YOU PLAY YOUR GUITAR Duane Eddy and The Rebelettes
6 ( 18 ) HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN MELLOW Olivia Newton-John
7 ( 9 ) CAN’T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD The Electric Light Orchestra
8 ( 4 ) DREAMER Supertramp
9 ( 5 ) YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie
10 ( NEW ) DING A DONG Teach-In

11 ( 15 ) LET ME BE THE ONE The Shadows
12 ( 14 ) YOU Geraldine
13 ( 16 ) MY HEART’S SYMPHONY Gary Lewis And The Playboys
14 ( NEW ) HONEY Bobby Goldsboro
15 ( 19 ) SLOW DOWN Shabby Tiger
16 ( NEW ) SWING YOUR DADDY Jim Gilstrap
17 ( NEW ) SKIING IN THE SNOW Wigan’s Ovation
18 ( 10 ) ANGIE BABY Helen Reddy
19 ( 11 ) FOOTSIE Wigan’s Chosen Few
20 ( 12 ) SHAME SHAME SHAME Shirley & Company

21 ( 28 ) SOMETHING The Miracle Workers
22 ( 8 ) THE QUEEN OF 1964 Neil Sedaka
23 ( 27 ) FANCY PANTS Kenny
24 ( 13 ) I CAN DO IT The Rubettes
25 ( 45 ) JIGSAW GIRL Clifford T. Ward
26 ( NEW ) TAKE YOUR MAMA FOR A RIDE Lulu
27 ( NEW ) HITCHIN’ A RIDE IN THE MOONLIGHT Middle Of The Road
28 ( 21 ) HITCHIN’ A RIDE ’75 Paper Lace
29 ( RE ) THEN I CHANGE HANDS Mick Robertson
30 ( 22 ) #9 DREAM John Lennon

31 ( 31 ) HEY GIRL DON’T BOTHER ME The Tams
32 ( 32 ) THIS OLD HEART OF MINE The Isley Brothers
33 ( 33 ) BRANDY Scott English
34 ( NEW ) EL PROGRESSO Ralph McTell
35 ( 43 ) HOLD ON TO LOVE Peter Skellern
36 ( 24 ) FUNKY GIBBON The Goodies
37 ( 35 ) WONDERFUL BABY Don McLean
38 ( 26 ) PICK UP THE PIECES The Average White Band
39 ( 34 ) SOUTH AFRICAN MAN Hamilton Bohannon
40 ( 29 ) ONLY YOU CAN Fox

41 ( 39 ) NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE Gloria Gaynor
42 ( 40 ) PLEASE MR POSTMAN The Carpenters
43 ( 44 ) DIAL ‘L’ FOR LOVE Polly Brown
44 ( 20 ) DON’T BE CRUEL Mike Berry
45 ( 42 ) BILLY PORTER Mick Ronson
46 ( 41 ) SWINGING ON A STAR Spooky And Sue
47 ( 48 ) LOVE CORPORATION The Hues Corporation
48 ( NEW ) BLUE NIGHT Hot Chocolate
49 ( NEW ) CHILD OF LOVE Caston And Majors
50 ( NEW ) BAD BAD LEROY BROWN Jim Croce

My 2015 Charts – January to April

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26th April 2015

It’s Jimmy Somerville edging out Will Young, and it’s a first chart-topper for Jimmy including all of his previous incarnations, so he’s only had to wait patiently for, ooh, nigh on 31 years to get there with his lovely 70’s Philly-sounding soul retro pop track. Some wonder! Will has had one previous chart-topper (Friday’s Child in 2004) so Love Revolution is his 2nd biggest in 13 years or so. Brandon Flowers has also had one previous solo number one (a huge 7-weeker) Crossfire in 2010, and Somebody Told Me with The Killers in 2004, so up at 5 Can’t Deny My Love is his biggest track in 5 years.

Eurovision already has 2 tracks in my charts now, Denmark joining the UK as an early favourite at 47. I’ve flicked through the album on itunes giving each track a few seconds and they seem to fall into the “let’s copy Conchita Wurst” category or the “let’s do pop dance” category, so I’d guess that any track that doesn’t sound like all the others will do better than expected. Hello Electro Velvet! Some previous recent number one acts also return, Miami Horror featuring Cleopold, and Of Monsters And Men, and some older number one acts – Texas and Simply Red. Texas had loads in the 90’s and early 2000’s, Simply Red had two: Fairground in 1995 and Sunrise in 2003.

1 4 1 3 SOME WONDER Jimmy Somerville 290000
2 5 2 3 LOVE REVOLUTION Will Young 217000
3 1 1 4 LOVE MERA HIT HIT (BILLU BARBER ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK) Neeraj Shridhar and Tulsi Kumar 443750
4 8 4 6 DIMITTO (LET GO) Kato and Safri Duo featuring Bjornskof 251300
5 30 5 3 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 95200
6 2 2 3 OVERLOADED Life Of Dillon 255000
7 3 1 7 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 760000
8 9 8 3 FIRESTONE Kygo featuring Conrad Sewell 116000
9 20 9 7 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 144200
10 17 10 4 LOST STARS Stevie McCrorie 95250

11 6 1 9 KING Years And Years 601000
12 7 4 6 I’LL BE THERE Chic featuring Nile Rodgers 295000
13 15 13 3 UNDAUNTED Wibi Soerjadi 78500
14 14 14 6 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 145400
15 10 4 7 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 305250
16 16 16 3 WE HAVE TO TALK About The Girl 69250
17 19 17 12 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 221500
18 11 7 7 HIGHER Sigma featuring Labrinth 230400
19 25 19 5 THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVE Jack Savoretti 88950
20 27 20 8 SUGAR DADDY Spada 130400

21 18 18 4 PEACE AND TRANQUILITY ABC 77250
22 12 12 6 ELECTRIC LOVE Burns 169500
23 13 1 10 LOST STARS Adam Levine 632250
24 31 1 19 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 923400
25 29 25 3 I WANNA BE YOUR LOVER Elicit featuring Prince 54750
26 34 26 2 COOL ENOUGH Spada and Elen Levon 36100
27 32 27 8 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 113950
28 23 1 14 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 857550
29 22 15 7 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 136000
30 62 30 3 EGO Tove Styrke 32000

31 24 1 12 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 632500
32 35 32 2 KINGS & QUEENS Brooke Fraser 35300
33 33 27 6 SUMMERTIME BOY Seasick Steve 97500
34 36 34 2 SHE’S NOT THERE The Zombies 35000
35 RE 35 5 LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE The Summer Set 74600
36 26 9 8 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 189900
37 39 37 3 CURTAINS Last Lynx 44600
38 44 38 3 ELECTRIC BONES Findlay 43700
39 59 39 2 CAN’T STOP PLAYING (MAKES ME HIGH) Dr. Kucho! and Gregor Salton featuring Ane Brun 27200
40 43 40 2 DYNAMITE Asta featuring Allday 30500

41 27 2 13 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 659400
42 45 42 17 ALFIE Cilla Black 151450
43 21 12 6 FAITH IN YOU Lulu 124850
44 46 44 2 INSOMNIA Audien featuring Parson James 26000
45 RE 45 5 COLD WAR Niykee Heaton 48400
46 41 4 9 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 250250
47 NEW 47 1 THE WAY YOU ARE (DENMARK) Anti Social Media 12500
48 37 6 15 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 412100
49 38 7 12 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 336400
50 54 50 2 I’M MISSING YOU Ali Campbell 23000

51 51 51 5 BILLS Lunchmoney Lewis 53800
52 52 52 4 YE ISHQ HAI Shreya Ghoshal 39400
53 48 1 12 SPEED KILLS 10CC 603700
54 NEW 54 1 ROADS Lawson 11000
55 58 55 2 WHEN I FOUND YOU Franceso Yates 21000
56 56 56 3 THIEF The Beach 28300
57 57 57 5 LONESOME STREET Blur 46800
58 NEW 58 1 LOVE LIKE MINE Miami Horror featuring Cleopold 10200
59 NEW 59 1 CRYSTALS Of Monsters And Men 10100
60 60 60 2 HOME Max Jury 20000

61 NEW 61 1 GERONIMO Sheppard 7500
62 64 62 3 WABI SABI The Ting Tings 20500
63 71 63 2 DEJA VU Giorgio Moroder featuring SIA 13000
64 69 64 4 BAD TO ME Marc Almond 23900
65 65 65 3 DEAR FUTURE HUSBAND Megan Trainor 19400
66 75 66 2 SHY Stacey Solomon 11800
67 67 67 3 BIG GIRLS CRY SIA 18400
68 72 68 2 TETHER Eric Prydz vs Chvrches 12000
69 NEW 69 1 LEAN ON Major Lazer featuring MO and DJ Snake 6200
70 70 70 2 RUN COIN 12000

71 NEW 71 1 STOLE THE SHOW Kygo featuring Parson James 5800
72 74 72 2 TRUE LOVE SURVIVOR Freemasons featuring Solah 10800
73 NEW 73 1 ARE YOU READY Texas 5400
74 NEW 74 1 SHINE ON Simply Red 5200
75 NEW 75 1 HALLELUJAH Panic! At The Disco 5000

DROP OUTS
40 40 2 I’M IN LOVE Zhala 34000
42 5 27 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 616100
47 47 2 NAN GANG Ulrik Munther 23500
49 6 8 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 223050
50 50 1 AMERICAN PIE Don McLean 12000
53 12 9 STYLE Taylor Swift 162000
55 2 13 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 443200
61 20 9 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 109800
63 11 11 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 250050
66 9 12 SUGAR Maroon 5 233750
68 68 2 PAPER LIGHT (HIGHER) Loreen 11400


19th April 2015

2 weeks on top for a Bollywood Hit Hit, I’m still playing it a lot, it’s a creation of Bollywood musical maestro Pritam, regular award winner dating from 2009, and it’s so chocka hooks! Mumford & Sons bounce back at 20, you better Believe it, and Spada are cool enough to get a second top 40 entry (with Elen Levon) at 34 as Sugar Daddy goes up to 27. At 36, The Zombies 60’s classic She’s Not There is in thanks to Record Store Day and an advert – it’s been a hit many times before starting with the Santana 1977 hit cover, but the original remains the best.

At 50, news of the lyric sale of American Pie pushed sales of the classic 1972 top 10 hit enough to qualify for my charts, a belated number one for me in the 90’s on one of it’s regular chart re-appearances for Don McLean, while Ali Campbell gets a solo hit again, extending his run to 22 years, or 35 years as the voice of UB40, this time with a reggae version of Diana Ross’ 1985 US hit (and top 10 charter for me) Missing You. Written by Lionel Richie, the video was originally Diana’s tribute to the late Marvin Gaye, Florence Ballard of The Supremes and Paul Williams of The Temptations, all Motown friends at one time. Giorgio Moroder is back with a second chart entry (with SIA), Deja VU, the senior act of the chart getting good diva support from Kylie still, higher up. At 74 the Freemasons, former number one act are back after a fair break with True Love Survivor.

1 1 1 3 LOVE MERA HIT HIT (BILLU BARBER ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK) Neeraj Shridhar and Tulsi Kumar 358750
2 3 2 2 OVERLOADED Life Of Dillon 200000
3 2 1 6 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 710000
4 6 4 2 SOME WONDER Jimmy Somerville 120000
5 10 5 2 LOVE REVOLUTION Will Young 102000
6 4 1 8 KING Years And Years 564000
7 9 4 5 I’LL BE THERE Chic featuring Nile Rodgers 260000
8 5 5 5 DIMITTO (LET GO) Kato and Safri Duo featuring Bjornskof 186300
9 17 9 2 FIRESTONE Kygo featuring Conrad Sewell 68000
10 7 4 6 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 278250

11 11 7 6 HIGHER Sigma featuring Labrinth 208400
12 20 12 5 ELECTRIC LOVE Burns 150000
13 8 1 9 LOST STARS Adam Levine 613000
14 16 14 5 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 116400
15 22 15 2 UNDAUNTED Wibi Soerjadi 46500
16 23 16 2 WE HAVE TO TALK About The Girl 44250
17 25 17 3 LOST STARS Stevie McCrorie 53250
18 29 18 3 PEACE AND TRANQUILITY ABC 57500
19 19 19 11 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 198500
20 41 20 6 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 99200

21 12 12 5 FAITH IN YOU Lulu 111350
22 15 15 6 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 117800
23 13 1 13 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 839250
24 14 1 11 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 614600
25 30 25 4 THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVE Jack Savoretti 67950
26 24 9 7 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 172500
27 18 2 12 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 645400
27 28 27 7 SUGAR DADDY Spada 110400
29 32 29 2 I WANNA BE YOUR LOVER Elicit featuring Prince 36000
30 38 30 2 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 35200

31 35 1 18 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 904400
32 42 32 7 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 95550
33 27 27 5 SUMMERTIME BOY Seasick Steve 79800
34 NEW 34 1 COOL ENOUGH Spada and Elen Levon 17600
35 NEW 35 1 KINGS & QUEENS Brooke Fraser 17500
36 NEW 36 1 SHE’S NOT THERE The Zombies 17400
37 37 6 14 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 399800
38 36 7 11 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 324300
39 58 39 2 CURTAINS Last Lynx 27300
40 40 40 2 I’M IN LOVE Zhala 34000

41 26 4 8 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 237500
42 31 5 27 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 616100
43 NEW 43 1 DYNAMITE Asta featuring Allday 13500
44 44 44 2 ELECTRIC BONES Findlay 26500
45 49 45 16 ALFIE Cilla Black 137700
46 NEW 46 1 INSOMNIA Audien featuring Parson James 12750
47 54 47 2 NAN GANG Ulrik Munther 23500
48 45 1 11 SPEED KILLS 10CC 592450
49 21 6 8 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 223050
50 NEW 50 1 AMERICAN PIE Don McLean 12000

51 59 51 4 BILLS Lunchmoney Lewis 42050
52 60 52 3 YE ISHQ HAI Shreya Ghoshal 27900
53 43 12 9 STYLE Taylor Swift 162000
54 NEW 54 1 I’M MISSING YOU Ali Campbell 11000
55 48 2 13 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 443200
56 64 56 2 THIEF The Beach 17700
57 57 57 4 LONESOME STREET Blur 36400
58 NEW 58 1 WHEN I FOUND YOU Franceso Yates 10200
59 NEW 59 1 CAN’T STOP PLAYING (MAKES ME HIGH) Dr. Kucho! and Gregor Salton featuring Ane Brun 10100
60 NEW 60 1 HOME Max Jury 10000

61 63 20 9 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 109800
62 67 62 2 EGO Tove Styrke 14000
63 50 11 11 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 250050
64 70 64 2 WABI SABI The Ting Tings 13100
65 73 65 2 DEAR FUTURE HUSBAND Megan Trainor 12400
66 65 9 12 SUGAR Maroon 5 233750
67 74 67 2 BIG GIRLS CRY SIA 11800
68 75 68 2 PAPER LIGHT (HIGHER) Loreen 11400
69 72 69 3 BAD TO ME Marc Almond 16800
70 NEW 70 1 RUN COIN 6000

71 NEW 71 1 DEJA VU Giorgio Moroder featuring SIA 5800
72 NEW 72 1 TETHER Eric Prydz vs Chvrches 5600
73 NEW 73 1 COOL Alesso featuring Roy English 5400
74 NEW 74 1 TRUE LOVE SURVIVOR Freemasons featuring Solah 5200
75 NEW 75 1 SHY Stacey Solomon 5000

DROP OUTS
33 14 5 GOLD Andreya Triana 110800
34 18 5 EMMENEZ MOI Charles Aznavour 77050
39 39 4 LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE The Summer Set 57100
46 22 3 SAVE ME NOW Billy Idol 51750
47 31 5 IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME Tim Buckley 61350
51 17 6 THE RIGHT TIME Brian Wilson featuring Al Jardine and David Marks 119250
52 38 2 STRAWBERRY LETTER 23 Yuna 28700
53 1 8 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 316650
55 20 7 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 105550
56 56 4 COLD WAR Niykee Heaton 35400
61 40 6 KING OF THE WORLD Blue 74850
62 4 13 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 327700
66 42 4 HOW WILL I KNOW Jermain Jackman 43900
68 68 1 HABIB GALBI A-WA 6400
69 8 9 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 215100
71 48 4 SEASONS Olly Murs 40400

12th April 2015

It’s a Bollywood dance anthem on top, I’m just loving the rhythms, the tune, the production, the structure of the track, not to mention the cool singing and that fab cheesy dance movie video. This is bad news for highest new entry from London band Life Of Dillon, whose terrific Overloaded might well have topped the chart, bringing steel drums back into the current europop sound, and the singer sounding more like Sam Smith ought to sound – that’ll be La La La Sam Smith as opposed to Snore Me Down Sam Smith. In at 6, it’s Jimmy Somerville with a retro-tribute soul track, a bit of Love Unlimited Orchestra here, a touch of The Stylistics there, and it’s been an aeon since he was in the Top 10: I hadn’t realised just how much I’d missed Jimmy Somerville till I heard this one, welcome back Jimmy, 31 years of top 10 hits!

It’s also welcome back to Will Young with a cracking re-versioning of the fab 2003 chart-topper Loneliness (Tomcraft) – one of Will’s biggest hits in my chart, already. It’s a chart invasion of new names, and one re-imagining of Prince’s actual first hit from 1980, I Wanna Be Your Lover, and it’s pretty fine at 32. Brandon Flowers is back on the solo hit scene, presumably on a Killers break, and he’s been doing well in my charts for over a decade now. That leaves new hits for recent regulars like The Ting Tings, SIA, and Loreen. Phew!

1 25 1 2 LOVE MERA HIT HIT (BILLU BARBER ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK) Neeraj Shridhar and Tulsi Kumar 188750
2 2 1 5 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 625000
3 NEW 3 1 OVERLOADED Life Of Dillon 85000
4 1 1 7 KING Years And Years 509000
5 10 5 4 DIMITTO (LET GO) Kato and Safri Duo featuring Bjornskof 138300
6 NEW 6 1 SOME WONDER Jimmy Somerville 55000
7 5 4 5 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 236250
8 3 1 8 LOST STARS Adam Levine 581000
9 4 4 4 I’LL BE THERE Chic featuring Nile Rodgers 210000
10 NEW 10 1 LOVE REVOLUTION Will Young 42000

11 7 7 5 HIGHER Sigma featuring Labrinth 171400
12 15 12 4 FAITH IN YOU Lulu 91600
13 8 1 12 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 820000
14 11 1 10 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 595600
15 20 15 5 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 98300
16 17 16 4 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 87400
17 NEW 17 1 FIRESTONE Kygo featuring Conrad Sewell 23000
18 14 2 11 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 627000
19 19 19 10 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 177500
20 12 12 4 ELECTRIC LOVE Burns 115000

21 6 6 7 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 210950
22 NEW 22 1 UNDAUNTED Wibi Soerjadi 19500
23 NEW 23 1 WE HAVE TO TALK About The Girl 19250
24 9 9 6 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 154000
25 52 25 2 LOST STARS Stevie McCrorie 30250
26 21 4 7 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 223500
27 27 27 4 SUMMERTIME BOY Seasick Steve 62100
28 30 28 6 SUGAR DADDY Spada 92000
29 37 29 2 PEACE AND TRANQUILITY ABC 35500
30 33 30 3 THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVE Jack Savoretti 49200

31 13 5 26 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 602350
32 NEW 32 1 I WANNA BE YOUR LOVER Elicit featuring Prince 17800
33 16 14 5 GOLD Andreya Triana 110800
34 18 18 5 EMMENEZ MOI Charles Aznavour 77050
35 35 1 17 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 886500
36 24 7 10 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 307100
37 29 6 13 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 382500
38 NEW 38 1 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 17200
39 41 39 4 LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE The Summer Set 57100
40 NEW 40 1 I’M IN LOVE Zhala 17000

41 28 28 5 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 79200
42 45 42 6 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 77750
43 23 12 8 STYLE Taylor Swift 150750
44 NEW 44 1 ELECTRIC BONES Findlay 13250
45 43 1 10 SPEED KILLS 10CC 580150
46 22 22 3 SAVE ME NOW Billy Idol 51750
47 31 31 5 IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME Tim Buckley 61350
48 34 2 12 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 432400
49 51 49 15 ALFIE Cilla Black 124700
50 32 11 10 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 242850

51 26 17 6 THE RIGHT TIME Brian Wilson featuring Al Jardine and David Marks 119250
52 38 38 2 STRAWBERRY LETTER 23 Yuna 28700
53 44 1 8 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 316650
54 NEW 54 1 NAN GANG Ulrik Munther 11000
55 39 20 7 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 105550
56 56 56 4 COLD WAR Niykee Heaton 35400
57 57 57 3 LONESOME STREET Blur 26000
58 NEW 58 1 CURTAINS Last Lynx 10200
59 59 59 3 BILLS Lunchmoney Lewis 30300
60 68 60 2 YE ISHQ HAI Shreya Ghoshal 16400

61 40 40 6 KING OF THE WORLD Blue 74850
62 36 4 13 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 327700
63 63 20 8 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 102300
64 NEW 64 1 THIEF The Beach 7100
65 50 9 11 SUGAR Maroon 5 226950
66 46 42 4 HOW WILL I KNOW Jermain Jackman 43900
67 NEW 67 1 EGO Tove Styrke 6600
68 NEW 68 1 HABIB GALBI A-WA 6400
69 61 8 9 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 215100
70 NEW 70 1 WABI SABI The Ting Tings 6000

71 48 48 4 SEASONS Olly Murs 40400
72 75 72 2 BAD TO ME Marc Almond 10600
73 NEW 73 1 DEAR FUTURE HUSBAND Megan Trainor 5400
74 NEW 74 1 BIG GIRLS CRY SIA 5200
75 NEW 75 1 PAPER LIGHT (HIGHER) Loreen 5000

DROP OUTS
42 29 3 WIN Deacon Blue 39350
47 5 6 TOWARDS THE SUN Rihanna 201550
49 33 6 MASTER PRETENDER First Aid Kit 77000
53 35 5 LONG STRETCH OF LOVE Lady Antebellum 80850
54 54 5 FADE OUT LINES The Avener and Phoebe Killdeer 42200
55 30 6 SACRED Erasure 93200
58 19 5 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 73900
60 60 4 MY HEART WOULD TAKE YOU BACK Shayne Ward 33400
62 50 4 DANCING IN THE CORNER Monarchy 38000
64 64 4 BLOODSTREAM Ed Sheeran and Rudimental 23900
65 19 7 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 100200
66 66 4 NAIL ON THE HEAD Duke Special 22600
67 55 4 DRIVING ME WILD Bryan Ferry 34300
69 10 10 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 200600
70 70 3 BERYL Mark Knopfler 17200
71 6 10 THE NIGHTS Avicii 288300
72 1 14 INSIDE OUT Spoon 433550
73 73 1 INVISIONS Luca C & Brigante featuring Roisin Murphy 5400
74 74 1 IRRESISTIBLE Fall Out Boy 5200


4th April 2015

King finally climbs to the top, edging The Ronettes off after 2 weeks, but it took Years And Years! Great record. Meanwhile, following a boost on The Voice, Lost Stars returns to the top 3 for Adam Levine, former number one, as a cover version for The Voice winner Stevie enters at 52. Ahhh, he’s a fireman you know! I’m happy cos the song deserves to top the UK chart, I know a great tune when I hear one and it’s a great tune, trust me.

Chic get their first top 5 hit since I Want Your Love in 1979, when I was a student at uni. I love Nile Rodgers, and not just cos those were the days! Safri Duo get a second hit, and Kato a first, as they go top 10 with a great dance track, though I do wonder where the both The Green Hornet and Inspector Clouseau are. Lulu hits 15 with a bullet, her biggest self-written song, and it gives her top 20 hits in the 60’s, the 70’s, the 80’s, the 90’s, the 00’s and the 10’s – I make that 6 consecutive decades, and still looking good and sounding good, and now writing songs good. Lulu is a musical chameleon, and an under-rated national treasure. I have Faith In You, Lulu!

The UK Eurovision entry hits 20, and peaks higher (so far) than the vast majority of UK entries since 1977, though it has some way to go to beat last year’s chart-topper. At 25, it’s a fab Indian dance track from a fillum, with another one at 68 – Billum Barber and The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel respectively. Love Mera Hit Hit is Bollywood playback singer-songwriter Neeraj Shridhar plus feamle vocalist Tulsi Kumar (and ditto playback singer, that’s singers who actors/dancers mime to in Bollywood musicals). Just to keep it current, Shreya Ghoshal is also a playback singer, though the track in the Hotel movie is on radio, and Shreya is a star in her own right in India. Another Eastern star enters at 38, courtesy of an H&M ad – it’s Yuna, from Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) but now getting quite the Norah Jones buzz round LA – she’s covered the fantastic Brothers Johnson 1970‘s dance track Strawberry Letter 23 (they had the hit version with that gorgeous instrumental hook and sophisticated melody).

Others: ABC are back with a 2001 track I somehow missed at the time, Marc Almond returns for a melodrama-filled 34 years of hits, and Roisin Murphy guests, and keeps the Moloko 90’s sounds a-going strong.


1 2 1 6 KING Years And Years 444000
2 1 1 4 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 510000
3 12 1 7 LOST STARS Adam Levine 533000
4 6 4 3 I’LL BE THERE Chic featuring Nile Rodgers 165000
5 4 4 4 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 186250
6 7 6 6 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 191200
7 9 7 4 HIGHER Sigma featuring Labrinth 134400
8 3 1 11 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 788000
9 10 9 5 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 135000
10 26 10 3 DIMITTO (LET GO) Kato and Safri Duo featuring Bjornskof 78300

11 5 1 9 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 566600
12 13 12 3 ELECTRIC LOVE Burns 95000
13 11 5 25 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 584450
14 8 2 10 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 605000
15 39 15 3 FAITH IN YOU Lulu 56600
16 14 14 4 GOLD Andreya Triana 93100
17 19 17 3 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 62400
18 27 18 4 EMMENEZ MOI Charles Aznavour 59450
19 24 19 9 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 156500
20 38 20 4 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 71300

21 18 4 6 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 205000
22 22 22 2 SAVE ME NOW Billy Idol 39000
23 23 12 7 STYLE Taylor Swift 137250
24 21 7 9 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 289750
25 NEW 25 1 LOVE MERA HIT HIT (BILLU BARBER ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK) Neeraj Shridhar and Tulsi Kumar 18750
26 17 17 5 THE RIGHT TIME Brian Wilson featuring Al Jardine and David Marks 107500
27 28 27 3 SUMMERTIME BOY Seasick Steve 43700
28 37 28 4 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 65200
29 16 6 12 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 365200
30 49 30 5 SUGAR DADDY Spada 73700

31 44 31 4 IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME Tim Buckley 48850
32 15 11 9 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 230850
33 43 33 2 THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVE Jack Savoretti 31200
34 31 2 11 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 420100
35 54 1 16 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 869000
36 25 4 12 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 320300
37 NEW 37 1 PEACE AND TRANQUILITY ABC 17300
38 NEW 38 1 STRAWBERRY LETTER 23 Yuna 17200
39 20 20 6 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 94750
40 40 40 5 KING OF THE WORLD Blue 67350

41 45 41 3 LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE The Summer Set 40000
42 29 29 3 WIN Deacon Blue 39350
43 41 1 9 SPEED KILLS 10CC 567150
44 36 1 7 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 305400
45 46 45 5 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 64000
46 42 42 3 HOW WILL I KNOW Jermain Jackman 37100
47 32 5 6 TOWARDS THE SUN Rihanna 201550
48 48 48 3 SEASONS Olly Murs 34600
49 33 33 6 MASTER PRETENDER First Aid Kit 77000
50 34 9 10 SUGAR Maroon 5 219950

51 53 51 14 ALFIE Cilla Black 112600
52 NEW 52 1 LOST STARS Stevie McCrorie 11500
53 35 53 5 LONG STRETCH OF LOVE Lady Antebellum 80850
54 57 54 5 FADE OUT LINES The Avener and Phoebe Killdeer 42200
55 30 30 6 SACRED Erasure 93200
56 64 56 3 COLD WAR Niykee Heaton 24800
57 74 57 2 LONESOME STREET Blur 15600
58 58 19 5 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 73900
59 59 59 2 BILLS Lunchmoney Lewis 20200
60 60 60 4 MY HEART WOULD TAKE YOU BACK Shayne Ward 33400

61 47 8 8 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 208900
62 50 50 4 DANCING IN THE CORNER Monarchy 38000
63 65 20 7 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 95100
64 70 64 4 BLOODSTREAM Ed Sheeran and Rudimental 23900
65 52 19 7 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 100200
66 72 66 4 NAIL ON THE HEAD Duke Special 22600
67 55 55 4 DRIVING ME WILD Bryan Ferry 34300
68 NEW 68 1 YE ISHQ HAI Shreya Ghoshal 6400
69 66 10 10 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 200600
70 71 70 3 BERYL Mark Knopfler 17200

71 56 6 10 THE NIGHTS Avicii 288300
72 67 1 14 INSIDE OUT Spoon 433550
73 NEW 73 1 INVISIONS Luca C & Brigante featuring Roisin Murphy 5400
74 NEW 74 1 IRRESISTIBLE Fall Out Boy 5200
75 NEW 75 1 BAD TO ME Marc Almond 5000

DROP OUTS
51 40 6 MIRROR MAN Ella Henderson 74750
61 32 4 THEY DON’T KNOW The Disciples 60300
62 62 2 BLACK ROSES Claire Bowen 13400
63 63 4 CONGREGATION Foo Fighters 28800
68 2 10 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 420600
69 3 14 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 589050
73 73 1 FROZEN SILENCE Fahrenhaidt 5400
75 8 15 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 252400


29th February 2015

It’s 2 weeks for The Ronettes on top – well it’s still a classic! Holding off Years And Years, not quite King of the castle, and Train with yet another top 5. Sigma and Labrinth both return to the top 10, but together this time, as Noel Gallagher gets 2 in row top 20 and Ace Of Base their first since the 90’s. Billy Idol’s top 10 from last year returns at 22, and Charles Aznavour gets his first ever top 30 entry 41 years since She.

It’s a Eurovisoion trio at 38, 39, 40, almost as if it was planned, as Electro Velvet re-enter one place ahead of Lulu and 2 ahead of Blue. Lulu’s Eurovision peaked at 2 and Blue’s top 10, still time for Still In Love With You though! Blur are back, too, for a neat 25 years or so of chart entries.

1 1 1 3 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 395000
2 3 2 5 KING Years And Years 274000
3 2 1 10 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 740000
4 10 4 3 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 126250
5 4 1 8 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 529600
6 9 6 2 I’LL BE THERE Chic featuring Nile Rodgers 100000
7 7 7 5 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 136200
8 8 2 9 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 576000
9 19 9 3 HIGHER Sigma featuring Labrinth 84400
10 17 10 4 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 90000

11 5 5 24 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 552450
12 6 1 6 LOST STARS Adam Levine 448000
13 16 13 2 ELECTRIC LOVE Burns 57000
14 14 14 3 GOLD Andreya Triana 68100
15 11 11 8 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 213050
16 13 6 11 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 347000
17 18 17 4 THE RIGHT TIME Brian Wilson featuring Al Jardine and David Marks 89000
18 12 4 5 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 185250
19 27 19 2 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 39400
20 25 20 5 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 77650

21 15 7 8 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 270750
22 NEW 22 1 SAVE ME NOW Billy Idol 19500
23 21 12 6 STYLE Taylor Swift 118000
24 24 24 8 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 135500
25 22 4 11 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 302900
26 32 26 2 DIMITTO (LET GO) Kato and Safri Duo featuring Bjornskof 36300
27 44 27 3 EMMENEZ MOI Charles Aznavour 37450
28 65 28 2 SUMMERTIME BOY Seasick Steve 25300
29 62 29 2 WIN Deacon Blue 25600
30 30 30 5 SACRED Erasure 82400

31 26 2 10 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 402500
32 23 5 5 TOWARDS THE SUN Rihanna 189050
33 33 33 5 MASTER PRETENDER First Aid Kit 64900
34 29 9 9 SUGAR Maroon 5 207950
35 35 35 4 LONG STRETCH OF LOVE Lady Antebellum 69600
36 34 1 6 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 292150
37 37 37 3 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 46900
38 RE 38 3 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 51300
39 47 39 2 FAITH IN YOU Lulu 29600
40 43 40 4 KING OF THE WORLD Blue 50350

41 31 1 8 SPEED KILLS 10CC 553650
42 56 42 2 HOW WILL I KNOW Jermain Jackman 24350
43 NEW 43 1 THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVE Jack Savoretti 13500
44 52 44 3 IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME Tim Buckley 30950
45 45 45 2 LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE The Summer Set 26000
46 46 46 4 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 51000
47 20 8 7 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 201400
48 60 48 2 SEASONS Olly Murs 22300
49 39 39 4 SUGAR DADDY Spada 55700
50 50 50 3 DANCING IN THE CORNER Monarchy 30600

51 40 40 6 MIRROR MAN Ella Henderson 74750
52 28 19 6 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 93200
53 55 53 13 ALFIE Cilla Black 100850
54 48 1 15 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 851500
55 59 55 3 DRIVING ME WILD Bryan Ferry 27700
56 36 6 9 THE NIGHTS Avicii 282500
57 58 57 4 FADE OUT LINES The Avener and Phoebe Killdeer 31200
58 42 19 4 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 63700
59 NEW 59 1 BILLS Lunchmoney Lewis 10100
60 68 60 3 MY HEART WOULD TAKE YOU BACK Shayne Ward 23400

61 38 32 4 THEY DON’T KNOW The Disciples 60300
62 70 62 2 BLACK ROSES Claire Bowen 13400
63 63 63 4 CONGREGATION Foo Fighters 28800
64 64 64 2 COLD WAR Niykee Heaton 14200
65 41 20 6 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 87900
66 49 10 9 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 194400
67 54 1 13 INSIDE OUT Spoon 427950
68 53 2 10 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 420600
69 51 3 14 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 589050
70 73 70 3 BLOODSTREAM Ed Sheeran and Rudimental 16800

71 72 71 2 BERYL Mark Knopfler 11200
72 74 72 3 NAIL ON THE HEAD Duke Special 15800
73 NEW 73 1 FROZEN SILENCE Fahrenhaidt 5400
74 NEW 74 1 LONESOME STREET Blur 5200
75 75 8 15 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 252400

DROP OUTS
57 50 4 SOMETHING FROM NOTHING Foo Fighters 39600
61 33 5 WHAT KIND OF MAN Florence And The Machine 62100
66 7 14 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 291450
67 1 18 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 724200
69 17 9 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 119450
71 1 14 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 662000

22nd March 2015

It’s The Ronettes 1963 classic Be My Baby at 1, currently amusing some meerkats on TV adverts in the UK. The Phil Spector classic has a gap of over 40 years since it last topped my chart, in 1974 (in an oldies-only chart), or else it’s taken 49 years from the time I went mad on it, when my dad bought the single in 1966, to get to be a proper chart topper. At 52 years old it’s also one of the oldest records to top my chart. That’s bad news for Outlines which stays at 2, and Years And Years who go up to 3. Paloma Faith and Train get yet another top 10 each, in long lists of top tenners, while the highest new entry is Chic (aka Nile Rodgers and friends) and the unearthed lost disco Chic track I’ll Be There, now rejigged and more contemporary-sounding. They were so prolific in the late 70’s they gave half their stuff away, and actually forgot about this track entirely, so they never got back to it until the old record company dug it out recently and sent it to Niles. Hooray! That gives Chic a span of 37 years of top 10 hits.

Noel Gallagher replaces himself in the chart with a very Wonderwall-ish ambitious Riverman, at 27 and fab, Lulu returns with a self-written track at 47, Faith In You carrying on where Tina Turner’s cover of her song I Don’t Wanna Fight left off, in giving Lu songwriting credits after a lifetime of singing other people’s songs, such as David Bowie, nestled just above her at 46, who spearheaded one of her many many comeback reinventions in 1974. Lulu charted with I’m A Tiger at 2, in my chart in 1968 – which gives her a run of a whopping 47 years of new chart entries, pretty much throughout the 47 years too. Only Paul McCartney can beat that (with The Beatles, and by a few weeks only). Other oldies with comebacks: Mark Knofler doing a Sultans Of Swing-ish track, Beryl, for 36 years, and Deacon Blue, getting on for 30 years, with Seasick Steve being one of the oldest “new” (ish) acts to chart. Fifty Shades Of Grey in my chart, at least!

1 6 1 2 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 225000
2 2 1 9 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 655000
3 7 3 4 KING Years And Years 159000
4 1 1 7 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 469600
5 5 5 23 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 515450
6 3 1 5 LOST STARS Adam Levine 413000
7 16 7 4 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 86200
8 9 2 8 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 528000
9 NEW 9 1 I’LL BE THERE Chic featuring Nile Rodgers 45000
10 23 10 2 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 61250

11 11 11 7 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 186050
12 4 4 4 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 163250
13 14 6 10 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 322000
14 59 14 2 GOLD Andreya Triana 39100
15 15 7 7 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 251000
16 NEW 16 1 ELECTRIC LOVE Burns 25000
17 30 17 3 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 48000
18 18 18 3 THE RIGHT TIME Brian Wilson featuring Al Jardine and David Marks 66000
19 27 19 2 HIGHER Sigma featuring Labrinth 39400
20 8 8 6 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 188900

21 12 12 5 STYLE Taylor Swift 98750
22 10 4 10 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 284150
23 13 5 4 TOWARDS THE SUN Rihanna 171250
24 24 24 7 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 116500
25 28 25 4 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 57650
26 17 2 9 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 384600
27 NEW 27 1 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 18400
28 19 19 5 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 81700
29 29 9 8 SUGAR Maroon 5 190350
30 37 30 4 SACRED Erasure 64400

31 21 1 7 SPEED KILLS 10CC 539650
32 NEW 32 1 DIMITTO (LET GO) Kato and Safri Duo featuring Bjornskof 17800
33 53 33 4 MASTER PRETENDER First Aid Kit 47200
34 31 1 5 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 274750
35 35 35 3 LONG STRETCH OF LOVE Lady Antebellum 52100
36 26 6 8 THE NIGHTS Avicii 271900
37 48 37 2 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 29600
38 32 32 3 THEY DON’T KNOW The Disciples 52800
39 43 39 3 SUGAR DADDY Spada 43600
40 47 40 5 MIRROR MAN Ella Henderson 63000

41 20 20 5 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 80900
42 25 19 3 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 53500
43 44 43 3 KING OF THE WORLD Blue 33350
44 71 44 2 EMMENEZ MOI Charles Aznavour 19050
45 NEW 45 1 LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE The Summer Set 13000
46 46 46 3 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 38250
47 NEW 47 1 FAITH IN YOU Lulu 12500
48 38 1 14 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 840500
49 22 10 8 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 187600
50 67 50 2 DANCING IN THE CORNER Monarchy 18600

51 34 3 13 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 582850
52 69 52 2 IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME Tim Buckley 17700
53 42 2 9 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 414200
54 41 1 12 INSIDE OUT Spoon 421350
55 58 55 12 ALFIE Cilla Black 89600
56 NEW 56 1 HOW WILL I KNOW Jermain Jackman 10600
57 50 50 4 SOMETHING FROM NOTHING Foo Fighters 39600
58 72 58 3 FADE OUT LINES The Avener and Phoebe Killdeer 20800
59 66 59 2 DRIVING ME WILD Bryan Ferry 16900
60 NEW 60 1 SEASONS Olly Murs 10000

61 33 33 5 WHAT KIND OF MAN Florence And The Machine 62100
62 NEW 62 1 WIN Deacon Blue 7400
63 63 63 3 CONGREGATION Foo Fighters 21600
64 NEW 64 1 COLD WAR Niykee Heaton 7100
65 NEW 65 1 SUMMERTIME BOY Seasick Steve 7000
66 52 7 14 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 291450
67 49 1 18 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 724200
68 65 65 2 MY HEART WOULD TAKE YOU BACK Shayne Ward 13400
69 61 17 9 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 119450
70 NEW 70 1 BLACK ROSES Claire Bowen 6000

71 60 1 14 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 662000
72 NEW 72 1 BERYL Mark Knopfler 5400
73 73 73 2 BLOODSTREAM Ed Sheeran 10800
74 75 74 2 NAIL ON THE HEAD Duke Special 10200
75 70 8 14 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 247400


15th February 2015

It’s Calvin Harris getting his second number one, but this time it’s not Hurts, it’s another “H”, Haim. The pattern is clear! It’s a terrific record and has finally made the UK Top 40, after being in the sales Top 40 charts a few weeks. Stevie Nicks has that rhythm, and she finally gets into the top 5, 34 years on, with Edge Of Seventeen. Marlon Roudette hasn’t had to wait quite so long, but it’s still taken 22 weeks to peak at 5, I’ve never gotten bored with it any stage. Highest new entry? Phil Spector’s classic, Dirty Dancing-used, TV advert pushed, Brian Wilson all-time fave (yes him at 18), Be My Baby by The Ronettes. The record would have been number one in my charts for weeks and weeks in 1966 (had I been doing charts) as dad bought the record when we lived in Liverpool and got our first record player, and I was a bit mad on it. It finally topped my chart as an oldie in 1974, so that’s a 41-year gap for a 52-year-old girl-group classic.

Paloma is singing in Bournemouth tonight, and shoots up to 16 even though I couldn’t get tickets to watch Beauty Remains done live. Last night, though, I did get to see actual legend Morrissey in concert, as irascible, witty and political as always. He has an enormous catalogue of classic hits, sadly he chose not to do any faves of mine, bar one, in favour of his new album. On the plus side, his pre-show videos had a handful of fab oldies for me to search out and download – the man has taste when he’s passionate about music. Which explains Charles Aznavour and Tim Buckley, father of Jeff (both of them dying young) as new entries. There would have been another had I been able to find out who the punk-bhangra singer was!

Train are back, the long run of chart entries gets longer, with Bulletproof Picasso at 23, and Sigma and Labrinth both add to theirs, together Higher at 27. Ace Of Base go top 40 for the first time since the 90’s, Jess Glynne wants to Hold My hand at 30, and Mumford And Sons have a welcome return, Believe it! Shayne Ward has unlikely return of the week, and Bryan Ferry extends his run of chart entries to oooh, a mere 43 years. Gosh! He’s Driving Me Wild, in a very low-key way. Marvin Gaye gave it up a long time ago, but his family crossed some blurred lines recently, which boosted sales of the 1977 soul disco classic enough to hit the sales charts lower down, and re-enter mine 38 years on.

1 2 1 6 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 404600
2 1 1 8 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 540000
3 3 1 4 LOST STARS Adam Levine 358000
4 7 4 3 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 128250
5 17 5 22 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 455450
6 NEW 6 1 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 55000
7 24 7 3 KING Years And Years 74000
8 8 8 5 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 168900
9 4 2 7 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 480000
10 6 4 9 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 264650

11 13 11 6 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 149050
12 20 12 4 STYLE Taylor Swift 79000
13 5 5 3 TOWARDS THE SUN Rihanna 152000
14 10 6 9 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 290000
15 11 7 6 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 224000
16 72 16 3 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 36200
17 9 2 8 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 366100
18 18 18 2 THE RIGHT TIME Brian Wilson featuring Al Jardine and David Marks 44000
19 26 19 4 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 63400
20 27 20 4 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 66900

21 14 1 6 SPEED KILLS 10CC 521750
22 15 10 7 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 175500
23 NEW 23 1 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 19250
24 25 24 6 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 97500
25 19 19 2 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 39750
26 16 6 7 THE NIGHTS Avicii 254500
27 NEW 27 1 HIGHER Sigma featuring Labrinth 18400
28 56 28 3 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 38900
29 21 9 7 SUGAR Maroon 5 172150
30 65 30 2 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 25000

31 23 1 4 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 257150
32 32 32 2 THEY DON’T KNOW The Disciples 35600
33 48 33 4 WHAT KIND OF MAN Florence And The Machine 54600
34 22 3 12 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 571100
35 39 35 2 LONG STRETCH OF LOVE Lady Antebellum 34600
36 30 20 5 TEACH ME Bakermat 80600
37 49 37 3 SACRED Erasure 46400
38 41 1 13 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 828200
39 40 39 2 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 34100
40 12 8 10 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 351000

41 31 1 11 INSIDE OUT Spoon 410350
42 33 2 8 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 402950
43 45 43 2 SUGAR DADDY Spada 26500
44 67 44 2 KING OF THE WORLD Blue 19850
45 29 26 4 WINDFALL TheFatRat 66800
46 46 46 2 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 25500
47 50 47 4 MIRROR MAN Ella Henderson 46000
48 NEW 48 1 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 12300
49 36 1 17 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 717600
50 54 50 3 SOMETHING FROM NOTHING Foo Fighters 29200

51 34 34 5 LANA DEL DRE Tep No 71750
52 52 7 13 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 284650
53 53 53 3 MASTER PRETENDER First Aid Kit 29500
54 37 12 7 THE BALLAD OF THE MIGHTY I Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 149850
55 28 15 9 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 143500
56 35 35 5 MINE Phoebe Ryan 68700
57 38 1 21 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 893050
58 60 58 11 ALFIE Cilla Black 78800
59 NEW 59 1 GOLD Andreya Triana 10100
60 59 1 13 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 656200

61 42 17 8 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 113250
62 43 4 15 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 511050
63 63 63 2 CONGREGATION Foo Fighters 14400
64 44 18 9 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 111600
65 NEW 65 1 MY HEART WOULD TAKE YOU BACK Shayne Ward 7000
66 NEW 66 1 DRIVING ME WILD Bryan Ferry 6800
67 NEW 67 1 DANCING IN THE CORNER Monarchy 6600
68 RE 68 2 LAY ME DOWN Sam Smith featuring John Legend 11800
69 NEW 69 1 IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME Tim Buckley 6200
70 57 8 13 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 242400

71 NEW 71 1 EMMENEZ MOI Charles Aznavour 5800
72 75 72 2 FADE OUT LINES The Avener and Phoebe Killdeer 10600
73 NEW 73 1 BLOODSTREAM Ed Sheeran 5400
74 NEW 74 1 GOT TO GIVE IT UP Marvin Gaye 5200
75 NEW 75 1 NAIL ON THE HEAD Duke Special 5000

Me with Iron Man the other week

Me with Iron Man the other week


8th March 2015

It’s Mike Mago and Dragonette, that melody just never lets up and I never tire of it, such a pretty, touching dancepop song. In an age when dreary repeat album plays keep tedious tracks in the singles charts for month after terminal month, I’m a bit miffed that this little gem exited so quickly. It’s possibly because it’s on Ministry Of Sound and the streaming sites don’t like MoS I suspect….

Calvin Harris goes up to 2, 1 place short of equalling Under Control. Stevie Nicks classic Edge Of Seventeen finally makes my top 10 34 years late, Stevie’s 2nd of 2015, showing she can rock out as well as she can tender ballad, and the riff features at 2 as well, having previously been sampled heavily by Destiny’s Child. Stevie says she borrowed the inspiration for it from The Police. Hooray!

Highest new entry is from The Beach Boys. Actually, it’s just 3 of the original Beach Boys line-up, Brian Wilson (sometimes Beach Boys genius) plus Al Jardine (who’s been a Beach Boy throughout pretty much) and David Marks (boyhood neighbour of the Wilson brothers, and 60‘s occasional Beach Boy) but minus Mike Love (cousins Brian and Mike have been falling out for 50 years at least). Carl and Dennis Wilson of course, sadly no longer with us. It’s the single to Brian’s new album, and sounds like a decent latter-day Beach Boys record thanks to the harmonies. Just behind at 19, it’s an ex-member of Westlife, and I really need exclamation marks for the arrival of Markus Feehily who I couldn’t even have named before this great new track that is way better than any of his former band’s hits.

Back in the top 20, 20 weeks on, and finally a UK hit, it’s Marlon Roudette’s great single. He’s on Syco, but I forgive him as much as I forgive Labrinth. A big climb for Years And Years, getting their second top 40 entry with King, while at 39 Lady Antebellum prove they aren’t just about ballads, as they get a bit rocky, just ahead of the UK’s fun, catchy, jazzy Eurovision entry – seems to be splitting opinion right down the middle, possibly due to the modern singles chart scene having had the “fun” element of pop surgically removed, give or take the odd Taylor Swift or Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars hit. We are, of course, only allowed to be depressed or to dance in the charts since the Tories legislated for it. Well, I blame them anyway, for keeping everyone miserable. Talking of Eurovision, Blue are back as well, hey I still like them, and unlike Westlife, I can actually name them all.


1 2 1 7 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 425000
2 3 2 5 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 234600
3 1 1 3 LOST STARS Adam Levine 273000
4 9 2 6 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 435000
5 5 5 2 TOWARDS THE SUN Rihanna 120000
6 4 4 8 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 222650
7 44 7 2 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 63250
8 10 8 4 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 120900
9 6 2 7 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 343100
10 13 6 8 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 261000

11 11 7 5 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 197000
12 12 8 9 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 334000
13 16 13 5 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 112050
14 8 1 5 SPEED KILLS 10CC 502000
15 14 10 6 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 156000
16 15 6 6 THE NIGHTS Avicii 236000
17 36 12 21 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 395450
18 NEW 18 1 THE RIGHT TIME Brian Wilson featuring Al Jardine and David Marks 22000
19 NEW 19 1 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 21000
20 30 20 3 STYLE Taylor Swift 44000

21 19 9 6 SUGAR Maroon 5 153950
22 18 3 11 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 553500
23 7 1 3 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 239250
24 75 24 2 KING Years And Years 24000
25 25 25 5 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 78500
26 28 26 3 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 42400
27 33 27 3 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 46900
28 17 15 8 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 132700
29 26 26 3 WINDFALL TheFatRat 53800
30 20 20 4 TEACH ME Bakermat 63200

31 23 1 10 INSIDE OUT Spoon 396350
32 NEW 32 1 THEY DON’T KNOW The Disciples 17800
33 22 2 7 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 389200
34 35 34 4 LANA DEL DRE Tep No 60000
35 37 35 4 MINE Phoebe Ryan 58100
36 29 1 16 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 705500
37 32 12 6 THE BALLAD OF THE MIGHTY I Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 138850
38 21 1 20 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 882650
39 NEW 39 1 LONG STRETCH OF LOVE Lady Antebellum 17100
40 NEW 40 1 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 17000

41 34 1 12 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 811000
42 24 17 7 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 105750
43 31 4 14 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 503650
44 27 18 8 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 104500
45 NEW 45 1 SUGAR DADDY Spada 13000
46 NEW 46 1 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 12750
47 59 47 3 I PUT A SPELL ON YOU Annie Lennox 28400
48 48 48 3 WHAT KIND OF MAN Florence And The Machine 36900
49 40 40 2 SACRED Erasure 29100
50 52 50 3 MIRROR MAN Ella Henderson 33500

51 55 51 3 WHERE YOU BELONG The Weeknd 27750
52 43 7 12 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 273150
53 65 53 2 MASTER PRETENDER First Aid Kit 18250
54 69 54 2 SOMETHING FROM NOTHING Foo Fighters 17200
55 39 39 5 DOING IT Charli XCX featuring Rita Ora 47700
56 60 56 2 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 20600
57 57 8 12 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 236400
58 56 9 11 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 218900
59 49 1 12 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 646200
60 63 60 10 ALFIE Cilla Black 68600

61 38 30 6 THE DAY IS MY ENEMY The Prodigy 89900
62 47 47 3 WON’T BACK DOWN (BOEHM REMIX) Benjamin Francis Leftwich 31900
63 NEW 63 1 CONGREGATION Foo Fighters 7200
64 42 8 10 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 232000
65 NEW 65 1 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 7000
66 64 1 30 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10CC 1049300
67 NEW 67 1 KING OF THE WORLD Blue 6600
68 66 1 27 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 681750
69 45 28 6 LET IN THE SUN Take That 89500
70 70 1 52 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 895650

71 62 1 20 THESE DAYS Take That 911800
72 72 72 2 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 11200
73 NEW 73 1 SOMETHING NEW Axford & Ingrosso 5400
74 74 74 2 JULIA Jungle 10400
75 NEW 75 1 FADE OUT LINES The Avener and Phoebe Killdeer 5000

DROP OUTS
41 41 2 FIRST AND LAST (GLASTROPHOBIA REMIX) Gemology 28000
46 46 3 TV Eves The Behaviour 35900
50 50 2 SWAY (THE CHAINSMOKERS REMIX) Anna Of The North 22200
51 16 6 LITTLE BY LITTLE (LULLEAUX AND GEORGE WHYMAN REMIX) Ulf Nilsson 112450
53 20 6 PORCELAIN Rachel Taylor 103450
54 26 6 LOVE KILLS Queen 87100
58 58 2 AVENIR Louane 15600
61 25 5 FOURFIVESECONDS Rihanna and Kanye West and Paul McCartney 81100
67 67 1 TETHER Eric Prydz vs CHVRCHES 6600
68 54 6 ELASTIC HEART SIA featuring The Weeknd and Diplo 54200
71 71 2 HEELS OFF Sandra Lyng 10800
73 73 1 LAY ME DOWN Sam Smith 5400

P1070310


1st March 2015

Adam Levine pips by a hair’s-breadth, as any of the top 5 should have been on top this week, the charts are electric for me at the moment, records falling that should be climbing, and a queue forming outside the top 75 there’s just no room! Adam Levine’s Lost Stars should have won this week’s Oscar, and I’m miffed it didn’t as he gives a brilliant vocal performance and it’s a fantastic song, typically-structured to build climactically and melodically like the best Gregg Alexander songs always do – it’s Adam’s 2nd chart-topper (after Maroon 5’s Moves Like Jagger) and Gregg’s 4th as songwriter (New Radicals’ You Get What You Give, Texas’ Inner Smile, and Ronan Keating’s Life Is A Rollercoaster).

Beaten by a whisker, the fantastic Outlines is up to 2, I love the lyrics and tune, and that only just keeps off Calvin Harris and HAIM, who rocket into the top 40 at 3 with Pray To God, HAIM’s biggest hit by far, though Calvin has a topper with Hurts. That riff sounds very familiar (Oh yes, there it is at 44 as Stevie Nicks Edge Of Seventeen and it’s John Lennon-murder-inspired lyrics and bootylicious riffs returns after under-achieving first time round in 1981, thanks to The Voice this week). Allt his love keeps Madonna’s BRIT’s gravity-bound performance out of the top 3, as Living For Love shoots up to 4, but as consolation she also has album track Hold Tight at 10, giving her 4 top 10’s so far in 2015. That really is pretty good, even for Madonna!

Just as Adam Levine replaces himself in the top 10 (as Maroon 5 drop), so too Rihanna’s new soundtrack film track Towards The Sun from film Home is straight in at 5, overshadowing her superstar collaboration big hit as far as I’m concerned – I love the marching mood and melody. Like Adam Levine, she also gives a great vocal performance. Elsewhere: Kaiser Chiefs big jump to 28, Taylor Swift to 30, and Erasure in at 40 with yet another new track, Sacred, and more consistent than they have been for years in my charts. Ace Of Base are back! It’s been a decade or more, so it’s good to see a sweet new pop toon from them at 60 – Would You Believe they still look great too, 22 years on from All That She Wants? They do!

1 30 1 2 LOST STARS Adam Levine 188000
2 4 2 6 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 255000
3 49 3 4 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 119600
4 42 4 7 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 167650
5 NEW 5 1 TOWARDS THE SUN Rihanna 60000
6 2 2 6 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 298100
7 1 1 2 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 220000
8 3 1 4 SPEED KILLS 10CC 473000
9 5 2 5 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 370000
10 27 10 3 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 72900

11 7 7 4 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 160000
12 12 8 8 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 299000
13 6 6 7 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 219000
14 10 10 5 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 129000
15 11 6 5 THE NIGHTS Avicii 211000
16 23 16 4 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 80050
17 15 15 7 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 114400
18 16 3 10 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 534000
19 9 9 5 SUGAR Maroon 5 134200
20 20 20 3 TEACH ME Bakermat 45200

21 8 1 19 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 865450
22 13 2 6 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 371500
23 14 1 9 INSIDE OUT Spoon 378450
24 17 17 6 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 92000
25 34 25 4 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 59750
26 39 26 2 WINDFALL TheFatRat 35600
27 18 18 7 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 91250
28 72 28 2 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 23900
29 25 1 15 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 688100
30 70 30 2 STYLE Taylor Swift 24000

31 22 4 13 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 490150
32 21 12 5 THE BALLAD OF THE MIGHTY I Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 121550
33 55 33 2 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 28500
34 29 1 11 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 797000
35 35 35 3 LANA DEL DRE Tep No 42400
36 45 12 20 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 372450
37 37 37 3 MINE Phoebe Ryan 40600
38 36 30 5 THE DAY IS MY ENEMY The Prodigy 82400
39 64 39 4 DOING IT Charli XCX featuring Rita Ora 36900
40 NEW 40 1 SACRED Erasure 17000

41 41 41 2 FIRST AND LAST (GLASTROPHOBIA REMIX) Gemology 28000
42 19 8 9 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 225900
43 31 7 11 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 261650
44 NEW 44 1 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 13250
45 28 28 5 LET IN THE SUN Take That 83300
46 46 46 3 TV Eves The Behaviour 35900
47 50 47 2 WON’T BACK DOWN (BOEHM REMIX) Benjamin Francis Leftwich 24500
48 48 48 2 WHAT KIND OF MAN Florence And The Machine 24600
49 40 1 11 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 636100
50 58 50 2 SWAY (THE CHAINSMOKERS REMIX) Anna Of The North 22200

51 24 16 6 LITTLE BY LITTLE (LULLEAUX AND GEORGE WHYMAN REMIX) Ulf Nilsson 112450
52 60 52 2 MIRROR MAN Ella Henderson 21500
53 32 20 6 PORCELAIN Rachel Taylor 103450
54 26 26 6 LOVE KILLS Queen 87100
55 74 55 2 WHERE YOU BELONG The Weeknd 16000
56 53 9 10 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 208700
57 51 8 11 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 226000
58 73 58 2 AVENIR Louane 15600
59 71 59 2 I PUT A SPELL ON YOU Annie Lennox 15900
60 NEW 60 1 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 10000

61 33 25 5 FOURFIVESECONDS Rihanna and Kanye West and Paul McCartney 81100
62 56 1 19 THESE DAYS Take That 906000
63 63 63 9 ALFIE Cilla Black 58600
64 57 1 29 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10CC 1042500
65 NEW 65 1 MASTER PRETENDER First Aid Kit 7000
66 62 1 26 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 675350
67 NEW 67 1 TETHER Eric Prydz vs CHVRCHES 6600
68 54 54 6 ELASTIC HEART SIA featuring The Weeknd and Diplo 54200
69 NEW 69 1 SOMETHING FROM NOTHING Foo Fighters 6200
70 69 1 51 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 889650

71 75 71 2 HEELS OFF Sandra Lyng 10800
72 NEW 72 1 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 5600
73 NEW 73 1 LAY ME DOWN Sam Smith 5400
74 NEW 74 1 JULIA Jungle 5200

DROP OUTS:
38 10 7 LADY Stevie Nicks 145050
43 2 9 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 532950
44 14 6 FIRE Gavin DeGraw 110650
47 10 7 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 157200
52 28 6 START A FAMILY Texas 84700
59 59 2 ALL FOR THE TAKING Meanwhile 20200
61 61 2 RUNNING IN CIRCLES POP ETC 14300
65 65 2 JOHNNY BLOSSOM Ride Into The Sun 13600
66 40 3 CASSY O’ George Ezra 35800
67 39 5 SOMETHING IN THE WATER Carrie Underwood 65050
68 68 3 PAPER PLANE (ACOUSTIC) Status Quo 17000
75 NEW 75 1 KING Years And Years 5000


22nd February 2015

It’s the late Lesley Gore in at 1 with her classic girl-power anthem ballad, one of the early pop songs for females (and she was 17-years-old) to make a stand for girls, an American chart-topper but a UK flop, criminally lost amongst Beatlemania. Lesley later came out as gay, one of the very few girls around in the 60’s music scene. It’s also her first popchartfreak entry, although 2 of her 60‘s hits were covered, Maybe I Know hit for The Seashells in 1972 and It’s My Party Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin in 1981 took it to number 2.

Bad news for Ellie Goulding, then, up to 2 with her great UK chart-topper, with Mister Magoo at 4, with it’s terrific melody and a great new twist on describing attraction in lyrics. Just when you think it’s all been said…! David Guetta adds another top 10 to his quite long list now, with Emeli Sande grabbing a few herself so far. Ne-yo jumps into the 20, but not as rapidly as Bakermat, who can Teach Me a few things with some fab gospel hooks. At 30 Adam Levine gets his 2nd top 30 hit in the same chart, Maroon 5 holding at 9, and his movie theme up for an Oscar at 30, Lost Stars is essentially a Gregg Alexander song from his soundtrack to the movie, a man who’s written a few chart-toppers in my chart, starting with his band New Radicals in 1997 and the brilliant You Get What You Give.

Florence and The Machine are back at 50, after a bit of a gap, though nowhere as big a gap as Annie Lennox has managed from time to time, as she brings about the 5th or 6th track from 50 Shades Of Grey into my chart, I Put A Spell On You being a 1956 Jay Hawkins classic covered by Nina Simone and Alan Price in the 60’s UK charts, while more recently Sonique had a big hit with it in 2000-ish. Annie now has solo chart entries dating back 27 years, and as singer dating back to the Tourists 36 years ago. Not bad! The Weeknd copies Madonna and grabs a 4th current chart track, how greedy are they!


1 NEW 1 1 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 170000
2 3 2 5 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 238100
3 1 1 3 SPEED KILLS 10CC 425000
4 10 4 5 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 140000
5 4 2 4 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 325000
6 6 6 6 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 187000
7 7 7 3 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 123000
8 2 1 18 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 845700
9 9 9 4 SUGAR Maroon 5 113200
10 18 10 4 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 100000

11 11 6 4 THE NIGHTS Avicii 184000
12 12 8 7 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 264000
13 5 2 5 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 352000
14 8 1 8 INSIDE OUT Spoon 359200
15 37 15 6 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 91400
16 13 3 9 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 512000
17 22 17 5 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 73000
18 27 18 6 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 72850
19 15 8 8 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 212150
20 74 20 2 TEACH ME Bakermat 25200

21 14 12 4 THE BALLAD OF THE MIGHTY I Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 103750
22 17 4 12 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 472250
23 28 23 3 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 55050
24 16 16 5 LITTLE BY LITTLE (LULLEAUX AND GEORGE WHYMAN REMIX) Ulf Nilsson 100700
25 23 1 14 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 669900
26 32 26 5 LOVE KILLS Queen 76100
27 47 27 2 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 30900
28 36 28 4 LET IN THE SUN Take That 70300
29 19 1 10 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 779400
30 NEW 30 1 LOST STARS Adam Levine 18000

31 31 7 10 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 248150
32 20 20 5 PORCELAIN Rachel Taylor 92200
33 25 25 4 FOURFIVESECONDS Rihanna and Kanye West and Paul McCartney 73600
34 38 34 3 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 41000
35 62 35 2 LANA DEL DRE Tep No 24900
36 30 30 4 THE DAY IS MY ENEMY The Prodigy 65200
37 70 37 2 MINE Phoebe Ryan 23300
38 21 10 7 LADY Stevie Nicks 145050
39 NEW 39 1 WINDFALL TheFatRat 17100
40 34 1 10 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 624000

41 NEW 41 1 FIRST AND LAST (GLASTROPHOBIA REMIX) Gemology 14000
42 26 22 6 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 102650
43 33 2 9 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 532950
44 24 14 6 FIRE Gavin DeGraw 110650
45 45 12 19 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 355050
46 57 46 2 TV Eves The Behaviour 23150
47 29 10 7 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 157200
48 NEW 48 1 WHAT KIND OF MAN Florence And The Machine 12300
49 49 49 3 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 34600
50 NEW 50 1 WON’T BACK DOWN (BOEHM REMIX) Benjamin Francis Leftwich 12000

51 43 8 10 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 215600
52 52 28 6 START A FAMILY Texas 84700
53 44 9 9 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 198100
54 55 54 5 ELASTIC HEART SIA featuring The Weeknd and Diplo 47800
55 NEW 55 1 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 10800
56 50 1 18 THESE DAYS Take That 898600
57 56 1 28 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10CC 1035400
58 NEW 58 1 SWAY (THE CHAINSMOKERS REMIX) Anna Of The North 10200
59 59 59 2 ALL FOR THE TAKING Meanwhile 20200
60 NEW 60 1 MIRROR MAN Ella Henderson 10000

61 66 61 2 RUNNING IN CIRCLES POP ETC 14300
62 60 1 25 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 668550
63 63 63 8 ALFIE Cilla Black 51400
64 64 64 3 DOING IT Charli XCX featuring Rita Ora 19800
65 67 65 2 JOHNNY BLOSSOM Ride Into The Sun 13600
66 40 40 3 CASSY O’ George Ezra 35800
67 39 39 5 SOMETHING IN THE WATER Carrie Underwood 65050
68 73 68 3 PAPER PLANE (ACOUSTIC) Status Quo 17000
69 65 1 50 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 883650
70 NEW 70 1 STYLE Taylor Swift 6000

71 NEW 71 1 I PUT A SPELL ON YOU Annie Lennox 5800
72 NEW 72 1 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 5600
73 NEW 73 1 AVENIR Louane 5400
74 NEW 74 1 WHERE YOU BELONG The Weeknd 5200
75 NEW 75 1 HEELS OFF Sandra Lyng 5000

DROP OUTS
35 19 10 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 134900
41 13 6 COME HOME BABY The Charlatans 123000
42 26 6 LIPS ARE MOVIN’ Meghan Trainor 89100
46 39 4 PEOPLE IIIII (featuring Adele Kosman) 55400
48 48 3 MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel 32300
51 40 6 UNDER THE SHADOWS Rae Morris 58750
53 15 10 COOL KIDS Echosmith 177250
54 10 11 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 265100
58 7 12 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 291500
61 11 11 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 191650
68 1 17 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 598900
69 5 8 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 204050
71 9 17 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 322550
72 72 1 LIGHTS Kartell 5600
75 75 1 HOLD BACK THE RIVER James Bay 5000


15th February 2015

1 1 1 2 SPEED KILLS 10CC 340000
2 2 1 17 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 797700
3 43 3 4 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 123100
4 3 2 3 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 265000
5 5 2 4 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 320000
6 15 6 5 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 132000
7 17 7 2 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 73000
8 4 1 7 INSIDE OUT Spoon 330200
9 29 9 3 SUGAR Maroon 5 68200
10 20 10 4 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 75000

11 6 6 3 THE NIGHTS Avicii 147000
12 8 8 6 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 229000
13 7 3 8 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 487000
14 12 12 3 THE BALLAD OF THE MIGHTY I Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 84000
15 11 8 7 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 191150
16 23 16 4 LITTLE BY LITTLE (LULLEAUX AND GEORGE WHYMAN REMIX) Ulf Nilsson 81700
17 9 4 11 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 452750
18 24 18 3 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 58000
19 13 1 9 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 761200
20 28 20 4 PORCELAIN Rachel Taylor 74400

21 10 10 6 LADY Stevie Nicks 127850
22 37 22 4 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 50000
23 18 1 13 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 651150
24 14 14 5 FIRE Gavin DeGraw 97400
25 25 25 3 FOURFIVESECONDS Rihanna and Kanye West and Paul McCartney 55900
26 RE 22 5 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 88900
27 44 27 5 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 50850
28 35 28 2 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 35800
29 16 10 6 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 144700
30 32 30 3 THE DAY IS MY ENEMY The Prodigy 47800

31 49 7 9 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 230250
32 34 32 4 LOVE KILLS Queen 57600
33 21 2 8 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 519450
34 27 1 9 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 607000
35 19 19 10 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 134900
36 36 36 3 LET IN THE SUN Take That 52000
37 38 37 5 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 64400
38 69 38 2 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 23400
39 39 39 4 SOMETHING IN THE WATER Carrie Underwood 58450
40 50 40 2 CASSY O’ George Ezra 29000

41 22 13 6 COME HOME BABY The Charlatans 123000
42 26 26 6 LIPS ARE MOVIN’ Meghan Trainor 89100
43 33 8 9 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 203850
44 31 9 8 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 186850
45 53 12 18 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 342050
46 48 39 4 PEOPLE IIIII (featuring Adele Kosman) 55400
47 NEW 47 1 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 12500
48 60 48 3 MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel 32300
49 57 49 2 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 22500
50 45 1 17 THESE DAYS Take That 888000

51 40 40 6 UNDER THE SHADOWS Rae Morris 58750
52 41 28 5 START A FAMILY Texas 73200
53 30 15 10 COOL KIDS Echosmith 177250
54 51 10 11 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 265100
55 56 55 4 ELASTIC HEART SIA featuring The Weeknd and Diplo 36800
56 54 1 27 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10CC 1025000
57 NEW 57 1 TV Eves The Behaviour 10400
58 47 7 12 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 291500
59 NEW 59 1 ALL FOR THE TAKING Meanwhile 10100
60 59 1 24 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 661150

61 55 11 11 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 191650
62 NEW 62 1 LANA DEL DRE Tep No 7400
63 65 63 7 ALFIE Cilla Black 44200
64 72 64 2 DOING IT Charli XCX featuring Rita Ora 12700
65 64 1 49 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 877450
66 NEW 66 1 RUNNING IN CIRCLES POP ETC 6800
67 NEW 67 1 JOHNNY BLOSSOM Ride Into The Sun 6600
68 62 1 17 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 598900
69 58 5 8 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 204050
70 NEW 70 1 MINE Phoebe Ryan 6000

71 68 9 17 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 322550
72 NEW 72 1 LIGHTS Kartell 5600
73 74 73 2 PAPER PLANE (ACOUSTIC) Status Quo 10600
74 NEW 74 1 TEACH ME Bakermat 5200
75 NEW 75 1 HOLD BACK THE RIVER James Bay 5000

DROP OUTS
42 24 6 SHE MOVES (FAR AWAY) Alle Farben featuring Graham Candy 101350
46 4 11 YOU’RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE SIA 345650
52 27 6 REACH OUT Rumer 73400
61 9 12 BLANK SPACE Taylor Swift 263900
63 33 3 BANG! Sandy River featuring April 42200
66 23 9 HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Paul McCartney 102750
67 35 3 GHOST Megan Vice 41600
70 1 16 YOU RUIN ME The Veronicas 686050
71 71 3 BREATHE Glude 16600
73 12 17 SOS Indila 273800
75 75 2 GRAVITY DJ Fresh featuring Ella Eyre 10000

8th February 2015

It’s a record I’ve worshipped since I first heard it in 1976 when Pete Lambert in the 6th form loaned me his 10CC album, Speed Kills, but which wasn’t eligible for my charts as it was an old album track. I’ve been waiting for an excuse to chart it ever since, and Buzz Jack Song Contest is good enough for me as an excuse. Those driving guitars, those harmonies, the exciting pulsating rhythms, the lyrics which are sort of anti-drug while the record has it’s own musical rush. Should have been a single. So, 42 years late, it joins T.Rex (also from that period) in my top 10, and gives 10CC 2 chart-toppers in 2 years, a span of 43 years of number ones, and the 6th under the 10CC name – though one of those is just Graham Gouldman (who wrote Bus Stop, as reworked melody-wise by Noel Gallagher at 12) and Eric Stewart, but the missing Lol Creme and Kevin Godley had another 2 as a duo in the 80’s as Godley & Creme, so they are actually on 7 each.

Another veteran Stevie Nicks adds to her 39-year haul, I’ve lost count if I include Fleetwood Mac, quite a Lady! Imagine Dragons are back in the top 40 again at 16 as the hits roll on – you bet your life! Fall Out Boy are also back with the highest new proper record, a tribute to Uma Thurman. I say new – actually about one-third of it a lengthy sample of the brilliant theme tune from the lovable 60’s fantasy sit-com, The Munsters, and a brilliant theme tune it is too, all surfer-instrumental-rock Halloween flavoured. The record blends it perfectly in.

Mr Magoo is at 20 (one for the older folk there), though he’s lost his other O, clumsy, but a great record. In fact the charts are pretty volatile with new stuff battling it out, records that should be going up are static or dropping a little. Boo! Maroon 5 are sweet as Sugar and rocketing up to 29, Queen get 41 years of top 40 hits with a 31-year-old song, actually it’s better than Freddie’s dance version, I think, which scraped into my 20 in 1984. Synth Indie act Above And Beyond also enter at 38, after I heard it on Paul Gambaccini’s USA chart run-down driving back from London yesterday – Paul is still giving me great musical tips after well over 40 years, thanks Paul!

Also back: Cobra Starship get another top 40 hit, ditto Rae Morris and Ne-Yo. George Ezra gets a 3rd entry with Cassy O’. I assume that’s the missing O from Mike Mago, who pronounces it Magoo. Calvin Harris and HAIM are busy praying to God, they might want to have a word with Hozier though, as he’s at 2, a bit higher than 57. Another 1973 song enters at 74 (joining Linda Lewis in being an alternative version of a 1973 chart hit), Paper Plane from Status Quo, while a 1972 number one in my chart, the brilliant 1968 US northern soul hit from Archie Bell And The Drells, Here I Go Again, is back again thanks to a current advert on TV.


1 NEW 1 1 SPEED KILLS 10CC 170000
2 1 1 16 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 682700
3 2 2 2 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 200000
4 4 1 6 INSIDE OUT Spoon 382200
5 3 2 3 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 260000
6 6 6 2 THE NIGHTS Avicii 110000
7 5 3 7 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 455000
8 9 8 5 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 194000
9 12 4 10 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 429750
10 16 10 5 LADY Stevie Nicks 108100

11 8 8 6 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 164150
12 20 12 2 THE BALLAD OF THE MIGHTY I Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 55000
13 7 1 8 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 740200
14 18 14 4 FIRE Gavin DeGraw 78400
16 10 10 5 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 126500
16 41 16 4 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 75000
17 NEW 17 1 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 23000
18 17 1 12 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 631900
19 19 19 9 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 117400
20 63 20 3 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 33000

21 11 2 7 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 501750
22 13 13 5 COME HOME BABY The Charlatans 109000
23 23 23 3 LITTLE BY LITTLE (LULLEAUX AND GEORGE WHYMAN REMIX) Ulf Nilsson 56700
24 40 24 2 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 36000
25 30 25 2 FOURFIVESECONDS Rihanna and Kanye West and Paul McCartney 36750
26 26 26 5 LIPS ARE MOVIN’ Meghan Trainor 75350
27 14 1 8 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 589400
28 28 28 3 PORCELAIN Rachel Taylor 54400
29 75 29 2 SUGAR Maroon 5 23200
30 15 15 9 COOL KIDS Echosmith 166000

31 22 9 7 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 173600
32 50 32 2 THE DAY IS MY ENEMY The Prodigy 29800
33 29 8 8 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 190350
34 49 34 3 LOVE KILLS Queen 39800
35 NEW 35 1 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 17500
36 38 36 2 LET IN THE SUN Take That 34600
37 67 37 3 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 30500
38 48 38 4 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 47100
39 44 39 3 SOMETHING IN THE WATER Carrie Underwood 41350
40 56 40 5 UNDER THE SHADOWS Rae Morris 47000

41 36 28 4 START A FAMILY Texas 61700
42 24 24 6 SHE MOVES (FAR AWAY) Alle Farben featuring Graham Candy 101350
43 47 43 3 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 38100
44 66 44 4 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 32450
45 37 1 16 THESE DAYS Take That 876000
46 21 4 11 YOU’RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE SIA 345650
47 32 7 11 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 281300
48 39 39 3 PEOPLE IIIII (featuring Adele Kosman) 42650
49 25 7 8 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 212350
50 NEW 50 1 CASSY O’ George Ezra 12000

51 34 10 10 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 256100
52 27 27 6 REACH OUT Rumer 73400
53 53 12 17 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT (BLONDEE & HAGEN RADIO EDIT) Marlon Roudette 329050
54 52 1 26 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10CC 1014400
55 31 11 10 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 184150
56 58 56 3 ELASTIC HEART SIA featuring The Weeknd and Diplo 26000
57 NEW 57 1 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 10400
58 45 5 7 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 197850
59 57 1 23 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 651150
60 60 60 2 MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel 20000

61 46 9 12 BLANK SPACE Taylor Swift 263900
62 51 1 16 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 592500
63 33 33 3 BANG! Sandy River featuring April 42200
64 62 1 48 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 870450
65 65 65 6 ALFIE Cilla Black 37000
66 43 23 9 HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Paul McCartney 102750
67 35 35 3 GHOST Megan Vice 41600
68 54 9 16 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 316750
69 NEW 69 1 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 6200
70 61 1 16 YOU RUIN ME The Veronicas 686050

71 73 71 3 BREATHE Glude 16600
72 NEW 72 1 DOING IT Charli XCX featuring Rita Ora
73 59 12 17 SOS Indila 273800
74 NEW 74 1 PAPER PLANE (ACOUSTIC) Status Quo 5200
75 RE 75 2 GRAVITY DJ Fresh featuring Ella Eyre 10000

DROP OUTS
42 25 3 SOLO DANCING Indiana 51000
55 55 2 SAVE ME Listenbee 21600
64 1 15 DUST HALOS 650500
68 68 2 TILL IT HURTS Yellow Claw featuring Ayden 12800
69 1 26 CHANGING Sigma featuring Paloma Faith 1189950
70 58 2 HIYHIY Lostboycrow 16200
71 1 14 ANYTIME Cosmonaut Grenchko 636550
72 1 14 WHO’S GONNA STAND UP? (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Neil Young 670300
74 1 25 CALL Francesco Yates 744200


1st February 2015

It’s Hozier, finally getting on top after two previous chart runs in previous years, and his fantastic passionate anti-hymn, Take Me To Church a well-deserved world-wide hit. Of course, here on Buzz Jack, it becomes yet another example of a classic record well-under-appreciated by voters – sorry boys and girls, but as long as we voters keep not voting for brilliant records I’m going to keep on mentioning it! It knocks off another (non-hit) example, Spoon, and keeps off a MYNGA, as well, all fab.

Highest new entry is from 74-year-old Giorgio Moroder and much much younger Kylie Minogue, and the terrific Right Here Right Now, the hook is just fabulous. Giorgio first came close to topping my charts in 1972 as writer-producer of one of the first ever synthpop song chart-toppers, Son Of My Father, before topping in 1977 with the instant classic, force of nature that is Donna Summer’s I Feel Love, pretty much all modern dance music can be traced back to that one. He had his first solo top 10 hit later that year (From Here To Eternity), then appeared again with Phil Oakey in 1984 on the classic Together In Electric Dreams, and it’s only taken him 31 years to get his 3rd, entering straight in at 2! Kylie, of course, has a zillion top 10 hits, and I think has yet not to chart with anything she’s released. So I like her!

Avicii is back with another big new entry and top 10 hit, with The Nights, at 6, while Sarah Cracknell adds to her list of top 10 entries. Paloma Faith adds to her top 20 list, and Noel Gallagher extends his run (including with Oasis) to 21 years with The Ballad Of The Mighty I, and it’s little hint of The Hollies Bus Stop. At 30 it’s a superstar bunch, as Rihanna takes lead vocals, Kanye West adds a bit, and Paul McCartney tinkles on some instruments. That’s a decade each for the first two of chart entries, and combined they still don’t have half the span of chart entries of Macca, my first ever chart number one with The Beatles Hey Jude in 1968. Legend!

Others returning: Take That, David Guetta, Emeli Sande, The Prodigy, and Maroon 5. With the new stupid dull streaming charts keeping genuine Top 40 sales hits out of the UK charts, only Maroon 5 breaks in to the UK charts, though at least The Weeknd finally gets in a few weeks late, resting still at 5 in my charts. Hey ho!


1 6 1 15 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 567700
2 NEW 2 1 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 115000
3 2 2 2 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 200000
4 1 1 5 INSIDE OUT Spoon 317200
5 5 3 6 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 405000
6 NEW 6 1 THE NIGHTS Avicii 55000
7 4 1 7 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 708200
8 8 8 5 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 127150
9 11 9 4 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 146000
10 14 10 4 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 101500

11 3 2 6 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 482000
12 12 4 9 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 384750
13 17 13 4 COME HOME BABY The Charlatans 89500
14 10 1 7 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 571000
15 15 15 8 COOL KIDS Echosmith 148000
16 19 16 4 LADY Stevie Nicks 66100
17 18 1 11 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 609900
18 36 18 3 FIRE Gavin DeGraw 49400
19 39 19 8 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 96400
20 NEW 20 1 THE BALLAD OF THE MIGHTY I Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 20000

21 7 4 10 YOU’RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE SIA 332900
22 9 9 6 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 155700
23 29 23 2 LITTLE BY LITTLE (LULLEAUX AND GEORGE WHYMAN REMIX) Ulf Nilsson 37450
24 24 24 5 SHE MOVES (FAR AWAY) Alle Farben featuring Graham Candy 87600
25 13 7 7 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 200250
26 26 26 4 LIPS ARE MOVIN’ Meghan Trainor 56850
27 27 27 5 REACH OUT Rumer 61900
28 32 28 2 PORCELAIN Rachel Taylor 36100
29 22 8 7 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 172650
30 NEW 30 1 FOURFIVESECONDS Rihanna and Kanye West and Paul McCartney 18000

31 16 11 9 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 173350
32 20 7 10 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 268800
33 37 33 2 BANG! Sandy River featuring April 35000
34 21 10 9 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 244350
35 35 35 2 GHOST Megan Vice 35000
36 28 28 3 START A FAMILY Texas 47700
37 31 1 15 THESE DAYS Take That 863000
38 NEW 38 1 LET IN THE SUN Take That 17200
39 44 39 2 PEOPLE IIIII (featuring Adele Kosman) 30350
40 NEW 40 1 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 17000

41 30 30 3 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 50000
42 25 25 3 SOLO DANCING Indiana 51000
43 23 23 8 HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Paul McCartney 95950
44 54 44 2 SOMETHING IN THE WATER Carrie Underwood 24250
45 40 5 6 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 187650
46 33 9 11 BLANK SPACE Taylor Swift 256400
47 49 47 2 WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Ellie Goulding 24600
48 50 48 3 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 29900
49 59 49 2 LOVE KILLS Queen 22200
50 NEW 50 1 THE DAY IS MY ENEMY The Prodigy 12000

51 45 1 15 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 585100
52 51 1 25 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10C.C. 1003400
53 47 12 16 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT (BLONDEE & HAGEN RADIO EDIT) Marlon Roudette 317800
54 38 9 15 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 310350
55 55 55 2 SAVE ME Listenbee 21600
56 63 56 4 UNDER THE SHADOWS Rae Morris 30000
57 56 1 22 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 641050
58 74 58 2 ELASTIC HEART SIA featuring The Weeknd and Diplo 15400
59 48 12 16 SOS Indila 268400
60 NEW 60 1 MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel 10000

61 52 1 15 YOU RUIN ME The Veronicas 680050
62 62 1 47 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 863350
63 71 63 2 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 13000
64 57 1 15 DUST HALOS 650500
65 70 65 5 ALFIE Cilla Black 30000
66 69 66 3 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 19200
67 67 67 2 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 13200
68 68 68 2 TILL IT HURTS Yellow Claw featuring Ayden 12800
69 66 1 26 CHANGING Sigma featuring Paloma Faith 1189950
70 58 58 2 HIYHIY Lostboycrow 16200

71 61 1 14 ANYTIME Cosmonaut Grenchko 636550
72 65 1 14 WHO’S GONNA STAND UP? (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Neil Young 670300
73 73 73 2 BREATHE Glude 10800
74 72 1 25 CALL Francesco Yates 744200
75 NEW 75 1 SUGAR Maroon 5 5000

DROP OUTS
34 19 9 SADNESS DISEASE Urban Cone 160500
41 14 10 HEARTBEAT LOUD Andy C featuring Fiora 178550
42 22 4 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 70400
43 5 12 THE DEVIL IS A LONELY NIGHT The Pierces 350000
46 5 11 GENTLE ON MY MIND The Band Perry 322700
53 10 9 DESIRE Years And Years 203650
60 3 9 THE HANGING TREE James Newton Howard featuring Jennifer Lawrence 316800
64 64 1 PRETTY GREEN Spinee 7100
75 75 1 GRAVITY DJ Fresh featuring Ella Eyre 5000

25th January 2015

It’s a big clearout of oldies this week, as an invasion of buzz jack contest entries forces them out earlier than I’d have liked – but it was them or current stuff I still love, and the oldies lost! So that means it’s a Buzz Jack 1 and 2 as semi-finalist’s Spoon climb on to the top with the fab Inside Out, and a great John Lennon-styled vocal performance. Just behind, and new in at 2, it’s the equally good MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein, and the falsetto soul dance fabulousness of Back Home. Support MYNGA’s!

Up to 8, Simple Minds best record in 20 years, the not-very-rocky Let The Day Begin, it’s more synth-period Simple Minds with that throbbing beat they turned to in 1983, and it’s very good. Linda Lewis gets Rock A Doodle Do, an archive live BBC version that’s virtually as good as the original, into the top 10 42 years on. I love her voice, her range is amazing, it’s like 3 singers in one, and look forward to her new material. Sarah Cracknell extends her top 20 hits run (with Saint Etienne) to 22 years, and the sweet Ready Or Not, while The Charlatans do the same, only 26 years. That’s nothing, though, the classy Stevie Nicks goes top 20 with a bound, the Lady has 38 years of hit-songs (with Mac of course, and solo, and with ex-Lindsay Buckingham).

Paul McCartney, Texas, and Paloma Faith all go top 40, while Queen’s version of the 1984 Freddie Mercury dance top 20 hit Love Kills, pops in as Somebody To Love is pushed out. The Weeknd makes it 3 in the chart, finally, as his featuring with SIA enters, as SIA and The Weeknd’s Top 10 tracks drop a bit, leaving his other featuring, former number one with Ariana Grande, a bit lower down. Not bad, and about time he had a solo hit.

1 9 1 4 INSIDE OUT Spoon 252200
2 NEW 2 1 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 115000
3 2 2 5 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 445000
4 1 1 6 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 658200
5 3 3 5 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 345000
6 5 5 14 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 397700
7 4 4 9 YOU’RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE SIA 313150
8 25 8 4 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 79150
9 16 9 5 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 136200
10 6 1 6 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 542000

11 13 11 3 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 101000
12 8 4 8 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 349750
13 7 7 6 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 181500
14 23 14 3 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 59500
15 15 15 7 COOL KIDS Echosmith 121000
16 11 11 8 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 155450
17 35 17 3 COME HOME BABY The Charlatans 57500
18 12 1 10 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 586900
19 59 19 3 LADY Stevie Nicks 41100
20 14 7 9 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 251000

21 17 10 8 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 226750
22 38 8 6 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 154450
23 71 23 7 HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Paul McCartney 82450
24 24 24 4 SHE MOVES (FAR AWAY) Alle Farben featuring Graham Candy 68600
25 26 25 2 SOLO DANCING Indiana 37250
26 44 26 3 LIPS ARE MOVIN’ Meghan Trainor 38350
27 49 27 4 REACH OUT Rumer 43500
28 50 28 2 START A FAMILY Texas 30300
29 NEW 29 1 LITTLE BY LITTLE (LULLEAUX AND GEORGE WHYMAN REMIX) Ulf Nilsson 18200
30 30 30 2 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 36000

31 18 1 14 THESE DAYS Take That 845700
32 NEW 32 1 PORCELAIN Rachel Taylor 17800
33 21 9 10 BLANK SPACE Taylor Swift 243650
34 19 19 9 SADNESS DISEASE Urban Cone 160500
35 NEW 35 1 GHOST Megan Vice 17500
36 60 36 2 FIRE Gavin DeGraw 27400
37 NEW 37 1 BANG! Sandy River featuring April 17300
38 28 9 14 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 299350
39 73 39 7 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 75400
40 31 5 5 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 174650

41 27 14 10 HEARTBEAT LOUD Andy C featuring Fiora 178550
42 22 22 4 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 70400
43 29 5 12 THE DEVIL IS A LONELY NIGHT The Pierces 350000
44 NEW 44 1 PEOPLE IIIII (featuring Adele Kosman) 13250
45 40 1 14 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 573350
46 36 5 11 GENTLE ON MY MIND The Band Perry 322700
47 33 12 15 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT (BLONDEE & HAGEN RADIO EDIT) Marlon Roudette 306550
48 34 12 15 SOS Indila 258300
49 NEW 49 1 WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Ellie Goulding 12100
50 72 50 2 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 17600

51 48 1 24 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10C.C. 991900
52 41 1 14 YOU RUIN ME The Veronicas 672550
53 32 10 9 DESIRE Years And Years 203650
54 NEW 54 1 SOMETHING IN THE WATER Carrie Underwood 11000
55 NEW 55 1 SAVE ME Listenbee 10800
56 55 1 21 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 630650
57 47 1 14 DUST HALOS 643400
58 NEW 58 1 HIYHIY Lostboycrow 10200
59 NEW 59 1 LOVE KILLS Queen 10100
60 39 3 9 THE HANGING TREE James Newton Howard featuring Jennifer Lawrence 316800

61 52 1 13 ANYTIME Cosmonaut Grenchko 630750
62 62 1 46 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 855950
63 67 63 3 UNDER THE SHADOWS Rae Morris 19400
64 NEW 64 1 PRETTY GREEN Spinee 7100
65 54 1 13 WHO’S GONNA STAND UP? (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Neil Young 664700
66 63 1 25 CHANGING Sigma featuring Paloma Faith 1183750
67 NEW 67 1 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 6600
68 NEW 68 1 TILL IT HURTS Yellow Claw featuring Ayden 6400
69 69 69 2 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 12400
70 70 70 4 ALFIE Cilla Black 23000

71 NEW 71 1 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 5800
72 68 1 24 CALL Francesco Yates 739000
73 NEW 73 1 BREATHE Glude 5400
74 NEW 74 1 ELASTIC HEART SIA featuring The Weeknd and Diplo 5200
75 NEW 75 1 GRAVITY DJ Fresh featuring Ella Eyre 5000

DROP OUTS

10 10 30 OUR LAST SUMMER Abba 448750
20 20 16 STORM IN A TEACUP Lynsey De Paul 212750
37 37 4 TOCA TOCA Fly Project 50100
42 2 10 REAL LOVE Tom Odell 359250
43 43 12 SONG FOR THE ASKING Simon And Garfunkel 112000
45 36 5 HOME AGAIN Ashley Campbell 59950
46 46 9 SOMEBODY TO LOVE Queen 84150
51 13 11 WELCOME TO NEW YORK Taylor Swift 205150
53 15 10 27 CLUB Chloe Black 176250
56 5 20 SHAKE IT OFF Taylor Swift 528550
57 57 10 MY GENERATION The Who 77400
58 47 5 I’M AN ALBATRAOZ AronChupa 48600
61 25 5 SOMETHING I NEED Ben Haenow 76600
64 37 5 SHAKE THAT Danssun and Marlon Hofstadt 71600
65 33 6 BAILANDO Enrique Iglesias featuring Sean Paul, Descemer Bueno and Gente De Zona 65700
66 1 16 SHE’S NOT YOU Jenny Lewis 696950
74 74 1 TONGUE TIED Alvin Stardust 5200
75 75 2 BLACK BETTY Ram Jam 10000
P1070254small


18th January 2015

3 weeks for Madonna on top, getting close to catching up her long runners at number one (I think 4 weeks is the longest, or do I mean Four Minutes). Still at 2 too! Not much change at the top at all in fact, though Spoon go top 10, and SIA gets her 4th Top 5. Sarah Cracknell gets a solo top 40 entry (yay!), and Indiana is back with Solo Dancing after doing well with it last year. The Radio One playlist is starting to look like an old Buzzjack song contest listing. Just saying….

Imagine Dragons are back with a new track, hooray! In at 30, I Bet My Life, giving them, ooo it must be 6 or so top 40 hits and a number one with Radioactive about a year before Radio one picked up on it. Just saying…

Texas are back, also hooray, looking to start a family at 50, while Gavin DeGraw pops in on fire at 60, sounding suspiciously like Maroon 5, but he’s been around long enough to have a Greatest Hits coming out. True fact! Ne-Yo is also back, extending his long run of chart action, just ahead of the late Alvin Stardust and his new track, very retro-sounding in a Johnny Cash sort of fashion, quite probably his first chart hit in 25 years, and extends his run wayyyy back to 1973, when I became mad on My Coo Ca Choo and sent it all the way to number one.

1 1 1 5 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 593200
2 2 2 4 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 360000
3 3 3 4 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 285000
4 6 4 8 YOU’RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE SIA 263150
5 7 5 13 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 342700
6 5 1 5 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 500000
7 8 7 5 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 149500
8 4 4 7 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 314750
9 24 9 3 INSIDE OUT Spoon 82200
10 10 10 30 OUR LAST SUMMER Abba 448750

11 19 11 7 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 130450
12 9 1 9 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 564900
13 13 13 2 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 64000
14 11 7 8 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 231000
15 20 15 6 COOL KIDS Echosmith 94000
16 16 16 4 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 91200
17 12 10 7 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 207000
18 15 1 13 THESE DAYS Take That 828000
19 22 19 8 SADNESS DISEASE Urban Cone 142900
20 23 20 16 STORM IN A TEACUP Lynsey De Paul 212750

21 17 9 9 BLANK SPACE Taylor Swift 225950
22 25 22 3 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna featuring Alicia Keys 56650
23 53 23 2 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 30500
24 34 24 3 SHE MOVES (FAR AWAY) Alle Farben featuring Graham Candy 49600
25 38 25 3 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 31150
26 NEW 26 1 SOLO DANCING Indiana 18500
27 14 14 9 HEARTBEAT LOUD Andy C featuring Fiora 164550
28 28 9 13 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 282150
29 18 5 11 THE DEVIL IS A LONELY NIGHT The Pierces 336500
30 NEW 30 1 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 18000

31 21 5 4 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 157650
32 26 10 8 DESIRE Years And Years 192400
33 27 12 14 THE BEAT DROPS OUT (BLONDEE & HAGEN RADIO EDIT) Marlon Roudette 294050
34 50 12 14 SOS Indila 246000
35 40 35 2 COME HOME BABY The Charlatans 34500
36 31 5 10 GENTLE ON MY MIND The Band Perry 309950
37 39 37 4 TOCA TOCA Fly Project 50100
38 30 8 5 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 134950
39 29 3 8 THE HANGING TREE James Newton Howard featuring Jennifer Lawrence 306800
40 37 1 13 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 560350

41 33 1 13 YOU RUIN ME The Veronicas 661050
42 35 2 10 REAL LOVE Tom Odell 359250
43 46 43 12 SONG FOR THE ASKING Simon And Garfunkel 112000
44 67 44 2 LIPS ARE MOVIN’ Meghan Trainor 19850
45 36 36 5 HOME AGAIN Ashley Campbell 59950
46 49 46 9 SOMEBODY TO LOVE Queen 84150
47 42 1 13 DUST HALOS 633000
48 48 1 23 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10C.C. 980150
49 62 49 3 REACH OUT Rumer 25100
50 NEW 50 1 START A FAMILY Texas 12000

51 32 13 11 WELCOME TO NEW YORK Taylor Swift 205150
52 44 1 12 ANYTIME Cosmonaut Grenchko 623250
53 59 15 10 27 CLUB Chloe Black 176250
54 43 1 12 WHO’S GONNA STAND UP? (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Neil Young 657700
55 55 1 20 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 620050
56 56 5 20 SHAKE IT OFF Taylor Swift 528550
57 57 57 10 MY GENERATION The Who 77400
58 47 47 5 I’M AN ALBATRAOZ AronChupa 48600
59 60 59 2 LADY Stevie Nicks 20100
60 NEW 60 1 FIRE Gavin DeGraw 10000

61 41 25 5 SOMETHING I NEED Ben Haenow 76600
62 61 1 45 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 848550
63 63 1 24 CHANGING Sigma featuring Paloma Faith 1176550
64 45 37 5 SHAKE THAT Danssun and Marlon Hofstadt 71600
65 52 33 6 BAILANDO Enrique Iglesias featuring Sean Paul, Descemer Bueno and Gente De Zona 65700
66 64 1 16 SHE’S NOT YOU Jenny Lewis 696950
67 72 67 2 UNDER THE SHADOWS Rae Morris 12200
68 68 1 23 CALL Francesco Yates 733400
69 NEW 69 1 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 6200
70 70 70 3 ALFIE Cilla Black 17000

71 58 40 6 HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Paul McCartney 63200
72 NEW 72 1 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 5600
73 69 49 6 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 58300
74 NEW 74 1 TONGUE TIED Alvin Stardust 5200
75 75 75 2 BLACK BETTY Ram Jam 10000

DROP OUTS
51 4 9 SEE EMILY PLAY Pink Floyd 260350
54 19 11 ADRENALINA Wisin featuring Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin 157900
65 20 6 THANK GOD IT’S NOT CHRISTMAS Sparks 73700
66 4 12 BUSY EARNIN’ Jungle 313200
71 71 3 JEALOUS Labrinth 16600
73 1 28 BECOME Midge Ure 988400
74 74 1 EVERY BREAKING WAVE U2 5200


11th January 2015

It’s bad news for Madonna, Devil Pray is held off the top spot by Madonna, and a second good news week for Ghosttown. That’s frustrating as Devil Pray would have been her 21st number one! I think it’s probably fair to say Madonna is back on peak form at the age of 56, even if the rest of the album is merely OK (I like all the tracks I’ve heard so far). The Weeknd meanwhile gets his 3rd Top 3 hit, Olly and Demi go back up to 4, SIA goes up to 6 and Hozier is a re-entry at 7, though it’s really his 3rd run in 3 different years in my chart, 2013 he went top 20, 2014 hit 9, and thanks to a Graham Norton performance and BBC radio at loooooong last properly picking up on it it’s back at a new peak of 7. Hozier is completely absent from the top 50 radio chart, despite being 3 on streaming and consistently selling downloads over a long period. I think that says a lot about current British radio programming and “target audiences” instead of just going for quality new music.

Abba finally creep into the top 10 with Mamma Mia song, and Super Trouper album track, Our Last Summer from 1980. It’s only taken 34 years to get there (cos I didn’t allow album tracks during Abba’s years or else they would have taken over the whole chart). Also back, 42 years on, it’s T.Rex and Solid Gold Easy Action, thanks to an advert., at 13. I was mad on this one when I was 14, and bought it the same week I bought John & Yoko’s Happy Xmas, Lennon & Bolan being heroes of mine. Tragically, within 8 years they had both died violently.

Highest proper new track is from The Charlatans, great to have them back with a good single at 40, and a chart run of around 25 years now… while also back, it’s Sarah Cracknell (thanks AH) and a sweet ballad, Saint Etienne dating back regularly in my charts since the early 90’s. Under-rated throughout. At 60, it’s Stevie Nicks, who’s been having solo hits since the 70’s, and with Fleetwood Mac since 1976, and like Sarah Cracknell a long-time fave female vocalist. I have my tickets for the long-awaited classic Rumours line-up in the summer, having seen them all previously in various line-ups of Fleetwood Mac, but never together on one stage. Always brilliant.


1 1 1 4 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 423200
2 3 2 3 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 245000
3 4 3 3 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 200000
4 7 4 6 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 266750
5 2 1 4 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 445000
6 9 6 7 YOU’RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE SIA 198150
7 RE 7 12 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 282700
8 12 8 4 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 99500
9 6 1 8 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 529900
10 19 10 29 OUR LAST SUMMER Abba 406750

11 11 7 7 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 202000
12 10 10 6 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 184000
13 NEW 13 1 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 32000
14 14 14 8 HEARTBEAT LOUD Andy C featuring Fiora 146150
15 8 1 12 THESE DAYS Take That 806000
16 16 16 3 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 68200
17 15 9 8 BLANK SPACE Taylor Swift 206200
18 13 5 10 THE DEVIL IS A LONELY NIGHT The Pierces 318300
19 42 19 6 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 93450
20 24 20 5 COOL KIDS Echosmith 67000

21 5 5 3 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 139750
22 RE 22 7 SADNESS DISEASE Urban Cone 121900
23 26 23 15 STORM IN A TEACUP Lynsey De Paul 192750
24 29 24 2 INSIDE OUT Spoon 37200
25 27 25 2 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna featuring Alicia Keys 37150
26 20 10 7 DESIRE Years And Years 174600
27 17 12 13 THE BEAT DROPS OUT (BLONDEE & HAGEN RADIO EDIT) Marlon Roudette 276350
28 28 9 12 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 263850
29 22 3 7 THE HANGING TREE James Newton Howard featuring Jennifer Lawrence 289700
30 21 8 4 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 117750

31 31 5 9 GENTLE ON MY MIND The Band Perry 292550
32 18 13 10 WELCOME TO NEW YORK Taylor Swift 193400
33 23 1 12 YOU RUIN ME The Veronicas 647050
34 45 34 2 SHE MOVES (FAR AWAY) Alle Farben featuring Graham Candy 30600
35 30 2 9 REAL LOVE Tom Odell 345500
36 46 36 4 HOME AGAIN Ashley Campbell 46950
37 35 1 12 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 543350
38 74 38 2 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 22400
39 59 39 3 TOCA TOCA Fly Project 32800
40 NEW 40 1 COME HOME BABY The Charlatans 17000

41 25 25 4 SOMETHING I NEED Ben Haenow 69100
42 34 1 12 DUST HALOS 620500
43 38 1 11 WHO’S GONNA STAND UP? (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Neil Young 646700
44 36 1 11 ANYTIME Cosmonaut Grenchko 611750
45 37 37 4 SHAKE THAT Danssun and Marlon Hofstadt 64500
46 49 46 11 SONG FOR THE ASKING Simon And Garfunkel 98750
47 48 47 4 I’M AN ALBATROAZ AronChupa 38400
48 47 1 22 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10C.C. 967850
49 54 49 8 SOMEBODY TO LOVE Queen 71400
50 50 12 13 SOS Indila 228400

51 41 4 9 SEE EMILY PLAY Pink Floyd 260350
52 33 33 5 BAILANDO Enrique Iglesias featuring Sean Paul, Descemer Bueno and Gente De Zona 58700
53 NEW 53 1 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 11250
54 39 19 11 ADRENALINA Wisin featuring Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin 157900
55 55 1 19 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 609250
56 43 5 19 SHAKE IT OFF Taylor Swift 517950
57 60 57 9 MY GENERATION The Who 67000
58 40 40 5 HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Paul McCartney 57400
59 RE 15 9 27 CLUB Chloe Black 165000
60 NEW 60 1 LADY Stevie Nicks 10000

61 61 1 44 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 841150
62 72 62 2 REACH OUT Rumer 13000
63 63 1 23 CHANGING Sigma featuring Paloma Faith 1169350
64 62 1 15 SHE’S NOT YOU Jenny Lewis 690150
65 65 20 6 THANK GOD IT’S NOT CHRISTMAS Sparks 73700
66 53 4 12 BUSY EARNIN’ Jungle 313200
67 NEW 67 1 LIPS ARE MOVIN’ Meghan Trainor 6600
68 68 1 22 CALL Francesco Yates 727000
69 58 49 5 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 52900
70 75 70 2 ALFIE Cilla Black 11000

71 71 71 3 JEALOUS Labrinth 16600
72 NEW 72 1 UNDER THE SHADOWS Rae Morris 5600
73 73 1 28 BECOME Midge Ure 988400
74 NEW 74 1 EVERY BREAKING WAVE U2 5200
75 NEW 75 1 BLACK BETTY Ram Jam 5000

4th January 2015

It’s Madonna – but which one? Not the highest new entry, at 27, that’s new single Living For Love. Not Devil Prey which climbs to 3 to give Madonna 2 consecutive top 3’s for the first time in yonks and yonks, if yonks means 1985, I think. No, the one on top is the fab Ghosttown, and it’s not even a single, with most of the album yet to be revealed. So how many chart-toppers does that make for Her Madgeness? The 1st was Papa Don’t Preach in 1986, the oldest Holiday from 1984, and the most recent 4 Minutes in 2008, so it’s been a long gap of almost 7 years, but gives a grand total of 20, I reckon. 29 years of chart-toppers, not bad!

The Weeknd meanwhile replaces himself in the top 5 as it starts to chart in the USA, and SIA gets a 2nd solo top 10 of the year, and Sam Smith gets his first, shockingly given he had the top record of 2014 (La La La), but then Like I Do isn’t as whingey as the previous album singles. Visage take Fade To Grey back into the top 20 34 years on from topping my chart, Linda Lewis top 20 doodle do-ing 42 years on from first time round, and some reactivated dance tracks shoot up and back from Andy C and Fiora, Marlon Roudette, a new mystery song (all to be revealed in a week or two), and Alle Farben moves a bit closer to the 40 2nd time around around after hitting 49 last september – Radio 2 is playing it now, so it may even chart, shock! As may the Albatross song. Not Fleetwood Mac, it’s the sweary AronChupa track. I like it despite the the potty-mouth lyrics, which I’m getting fed up with in pop music, it’s become such a contrived cliche. I mean I can swear like a trooper but even so….

For my birthday, born the same year as Madonna, I went ice skating with the young niece and nephew, trying not to fall over and look even more ridiculous as kiddies zipped in and about and danced on ice. I was comfortably the oldest skating, singing along to the music: Iiiiiim gonna swing (wobble) from the chande (slide) lieeeeerrrrrrr (wibble) froooom (bump) the chandeleee (wobble) eeeeeerrrrrrrrr (glide). I got series 7 Doctor Who, too, so yay!

1 4 1 3 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 253200
2 1 1 3 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 385000
3 9 3 2 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 130000
4 7 4 2 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 115000
5 5 5 2 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 120000
6 2 1 7 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 484900
7 6 4 5 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 201750
8 3 1 11 THESE DAYS Take That 779000
9 12 9 6 YOU’RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE SIA 143150
10 14 10 5 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 149000

11 11 7 6 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 165000
12 59 12 3 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 51500
13 8 5 9 THE DEVIL IS A LONELY NIGHT The Pierces 296300
14 RE 14 7 HEARTBEAT LOUD Andy C featuring Fiora 117150
15 18 9 7 BLANK SPACE Taylor Swift 183200
16 29 16 2 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 43200
17 51 12 12 THE BEAT DROPS OUT (BLONDEE & HAGEN RADIO EDIT) Marlon Roudette 257950
18 15 13 9 WELCOME TO NEW YORK Taylor Swift 175600
19 23 19 28 OUR LAST SUMMER Abba 364750
20 20 10 6 DESIRE Years And Years 156100

21 13 8 3 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 99750
22 10 3 6 THE HANGING TREE James Newton Howard featuring Jennifer Lawrence 271500
23 17 1 11 YOU RUIN ME The Veronicas 629350
24 34 24 4 COOL KIDS Echosmith 47000
25 25 25 3 SOMETHING I NEED Ben Haenow 55100
26 27 26 14 STORM IN A TEACUP Lynsey De Paul 173500
27 NEW 27 1 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 18400
28 16 9 11 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 245550
29 NEW 29 1 INSIDE OUT SPOON 18200
30 22 2 8 REAL LOVE Tom Odell 328000

31 21 5 8 GENTLE ON MY MIND The Band Perry 274650
32 32 32 5 REAL LOVE Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne 63300
33 37 33 4 BAILANDO Enrique Iglesias featuring Sean Paul, Descemer Bueno and Gente De Zona 47200
34 31 1 11 DUST HALOS 606750
35 28 1 11 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 526050
36 26 1 10 ANYTIME Cosmonaut Grenchko 598500
37 38 37 3 SHAKE THAT Danssun and Marlon Hofstadt 51500
38 30 1 10 WHO’S GONNA STAND UP? (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Neil Young 633200
39 36 19 10 ADRENALINA Wisin featuring Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin 146900
40 40 40 4 HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Paul McCartney 47200

41 19 4 8 SEE EMILY PLAY Pink Floyd 248600
42 24 24 5 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 72450
43 41 5 18 SHAKE IT OFF Taylor Swift 507350
44 67 44 2 THINKING ABOUT IT Just Kiddin 19850
45 NEW 45 1 SHE MOVES (FAR AWAY) Alle Farben featuring Graham Candy 13000
46 56 46 3 HOME AGAIN Ashley Campbell 29550
47 47 1 21 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10C.C. 955550
48 66 48 3 I’M AN ALBATROAZ AronChupa 25900
49 54 49 10 SONG FOR THE ASKING Simon And Garfunkel 86000
50 44 12 12 SOS Indila 216400

51 43 19 4 I BELIEVE IN FATHER CHRISTMAS Greg Lake 65500
52 39 39 2 HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) John & Yoko and The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir 28600
53 48 4 11 BUSY EARNIN’ Jungle 306400
54 58 54 7 SOMEBODY TO LOVE Queen 59300
55 55 1 18 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 598450
56 53 6 10 SAVE ME NOW Billy Idol 240550
57 45 26 7 WAIT ON ME Rixton 84500
58 49 49 4 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 46700
59 RE 59 2 TOCA TOCA Fly Project 15700
60 63 60 8 MY GENERATION The Who 56600

61 61 1 43 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 833650
62 62 1 14 SHE’S NOT YOU Jenny Lewis 683050
63 60 1 22 CHANGING Sigma featuring Paloma Faith 1162150
64 64 64 2 7/11 Beyonce 14200
65 33 20 5 THANK GOD IT’S NOT CHRISTMAS Sparks 66700
66 35 18 3 CHRISTMAS WRAPPING The Waitresses 46300
67 42 42 2 ONE MORE SLEEP Leona Lewis 20350
68 68 1 21 CALL Francesco Yates 720600
69 50 50 3 DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Chris Rea 29000
70 70 70 2 DIAMONDS Josef Salvat 12000

71 75 71 2 JEALOUS Labrinth 10800
72 NEW 72 1 REACH OUT Rumer 5600
73 73 1 27 BECOME Midge Ure 983000
74 NEW 74 1 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 5200
75 NEW 75 1 ALFIE Cilla Black 5000

DROP OUTS
46 32 5 TELL ‘EM I’M GONE Cat Stevens 73250
52 5 12 WHEN I FIND LOVE AGAIN James Blunt 276600
57 29 4 YOU GIVE ME LOVE Idris Elba featuring Maverick Sabre 54000
65 15 8 27 CLUB Chloe Black 154900
69 52 2 STEP INTO CHRISTMAS Elton John 17700
71 71 2 REBEL HEART Madonna 11600
72 72 1 IT DON’T MEAN A THING Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga 5600
74 8 13 HELLO GOODNIGHT Mamas Gun 251950

My 1974 Charts – November

Gloucester just outside the cinema

Gloucester just outside the cinema


click here for 1974 youtube videos


5th November 1974

3 weeks on top for Killer Queen, holding off an instant oldie challenge from Marvin Gaye’s Top 10 hit from 1969, I Heard It Through The Grapevine going even better second-time around to 2. That’s not the last time it will chart either, being as it’s such an all-time classic. KC gets a second top 5, as Scorched Earth (Billy Ocean) returns to the top 10 for the second time in 1974.

The Glitter Band get a good jump to 14, their second top 20 hit of the year, while newly entering all in a neat row behind Mike McGear’s Paul McCartney song…it’s 3 Beatles tracks from the reactivated Magical Mystery Tour EP, giving me an opportunity to chart 3 non-singles that should all have been singles: Paul’s gorgeous Fool On The Hill at 17, John’s powerful I Am The Walrus at 18, and Paul’s sweet Your Mother Should Know at 19, Mike Batt having just charted with it before the Fabs.

Proper new stuff is relegated to the lower end, Fancy return with their second chart-entry, a USA hit, Touch Me at 23, while The Three Degrees get their FIFTH chart entry of 1974, as Get Your Love Back sees them back in uptempo mode at 25. Elton’s back with an epic version of Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, keeping up The Beatles theme. I AM rather a fan, if it’s not obvious yet! The Chi-Lites get their 4th hit, Too Good To Be Forgotten not as big as earlier ones, ditto Lynsey De Paul’s No Honestly, her 5th hit, getting on for 10th as a songwriter, and TV sitcom theme tune. Husband & Wife John Alderton and Pauline Collins starred, it was mildly amusing mostly for Pauline Collins. Finally Dionne Warwick gets her first actual chart entry in my charts, bizarrely, long after her great Bacharach/David period had ended, here with US number one Then Came You, jointly with the Spinners, their 3rd hit.

Earthquake had come out in the States, an exciting, big-budget all-star cast disaster movie with Charlton Heston headlining. He’d switched from biblical blockbusters to sci-fi and disaster blockbusters with Planet Of The Apes, and although this one wasn’t in the same league, it did provide a faaab Universal Studios theme park ride for a few decades which I saw many times. My record collection (singles mostly) was growing quite fast these days, as I’d come across some more back-street ex-chart singles shops, some as low as 5 pence, or 10% of a full price single. 10 for the price of 1! Bargain! Usually 20p or 25p was more usual though. To put that into context in 2014 prices, that’s about £5 for a single or 50p for a bargain cut rate bargain bin single. Downloads are twice that absolute bargain bin price. Music has never been cheaper: fact!

1 ( 1 ) KILLER QUEEN Queen
2 ( NEW ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye
3 ( 3 ) I HEAR YOU KNOCKING Dave Edmunds
4 ( 2 ) ROCKIN’ SOUL The Hues Corporation
5 ( 9 ) SOUND YOUR FUNKY HORN KC And The Sunshine Band
6 ( 4 ) I AM MISSING YOU Shankar Family & Friends
7 ( 8 ) PEPPERBOX The Peppers
8 ( 5 ) I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU Gary Shearston
9 ( 6 ) DRACULA’S DAUGHTER Thunderthighs
10 ( 24 ) ON THE RUN Scorched Earth

11 ( 14 ) EVERYTHING I OWN Ken Boothe
12 ( 15 ) ONLY YOU CAN Fox
13 ( 11 ) O.K. CHICAGO Resonance
14 ( 30 ) LET’S GET TOGETHER AGAIN The Glitter Band
15 ( 10 ) THE TANGO’S OVER Mick Robertson
16 ( 18 ) LEAVE IT Mike McGear
17 ( NEW ) FOOL ON THE HILL The Beatles
18 ( NEW ) I AM THE WALRUS The Beatles
19 ( NEW ) YOUR MOTHER SHOULD KNOW The Beatles
20 ( 7 ) ALL I WANT IS YOU Roxy Music

21 ( 19 ) YOU CAN REALLY ROCK ‘N’ ROLL ME Pans People
22 ( 12 ) YAMASUKI The Yamasukis
23 ( NEW ) TOUCH ME Fancy
24 ( RE ) THE WILD ONE Suzi Quatro
25 ( NEW ) GET YOUR LOVE BACK The Three Degrees
26 ( 23 ) FAREWELL Rod Stewart
27 ( 21 ) MINUETTO ALLEGRETTO The Wombles
28 ( 17 ) MY RAINBOW VALLEY Robert Knight
29 ( 29 ) SAD SWEET DREAMER Sweet Sensation
30 ( 20 ) OUTSIDERS POINT OF VIEW Barry Reynolds

31 ( 13 ) YOU HAVEN’T DONE NOTHIN’ Stevie Wonder
32 ( 16 ) HEY THERE LONELY GIRL Eddie Holman
33 ( 22 ) REGGAE TUNE Andy Fairweather-Low
34 ( 25 ) I CAN’T LEAVE YOU ALONE George McCrae
35 ( 40 ) YOU LITTLE TRUSTMAKER The Tymes
36 ( NEW ) LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS Elton John
37 ( 38 ) FAR FAR AWAY Slade
38 ( NEW ) TOO GOOD TO BE FORGOTTEN The Chi-Lites
39 ( NEW ) NO HONESTLY Lynsey De Paul
40 ( NEW ) THEN CAME YOU Dionne Warwick & The Detroit Spinners


12th November 1974

4 weeks on top for Queen, but just at those Beatles! I’d picked up an ex-chart copy of Get Back, which led me to think it was re-issued in amongst all the glam rock and soul records, which was enough for me to rechart it at 4, Top 5 5 years after first doing the business. Not only that but B side Don’t Let Me Down, also on that famous rooftop goodbye performance, John’s song, charts at 18. So, that means George’s production of Ravi Shankar at 6, Magical Mystery Tour tracks at 15, 16, 17, Elton John’s version of John’s Lucy In The Sky up to 19, and Macca’s new single under-performing at 28 – Junior’s farm just wasn’t up to par, not even as good as most of the tracks off Band On The Run, never mind The Beatles invasion of my charts long before it was fashionable (eg 1976) – and finally Macca’s better song for his brother Mike at 29. Phew!

On Top Of The Pops we had amusingly-named and ground-breaking Javells FEATURING Nosmo King and his Northern Soul hit new at 9 – there are probably earlier examples of “featuring” but that was the first one to me, and just ahead of The Guess Who at 10 – or Bachman-Turner Overdrive as they were now called, and the epic metal pop classic You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet. Not arf! Brilliance. Bad news for Ken Boothe who just can’t break the 10, while some Latin chanting pops back in for Steeleye Span as Christmas was in the air, a year on. Gaudete. Russ Ballard, ex of Argent, and before he became a smash songwriter, debuts at 30 with Fly Away, annoyingly not on itunes. Jimmy Ruffin follows up his oldie hit with a 1970 oldie re-issue, Farewell Is A Lonely Sound at 33. 50’s popstar Paul Anka’s back with his MOR You’re Having My Baby, which seemed to offend feminists at the time, largely for the use of “My” rather than “Our” as far as I can tell. Finally, Barry White’s biggest, best, and most-famous song struggles in at 37, his 6th hit but the formula was wearing thin for me at the time. Pity cos it’s fab, actually!

On TV, The Six Million Dollar Man was thrilling kids, but Lee Majors was always the sexy young Heath Barklay to me, in Barbara Stanwyck’s 60‘s TV western The Big Valley, not the moustachio’d rebuilt bland hero, nor the man lending his missus his surname for Charlie’s Angels. The Time Tunnel fave of 1967/8 was being repeated, I was big on 60’s nostalgia, still babysitting for cash to feed my vinyl and DC Comics habits, which were getting quite pricey, so I got to watch a lot of Saturday Night TV. I still have nightmares of having to watch Match Of The Day and Parkinson cos nothing else was on the 3 channels (yes count ‘em, 3!!!). Parkinson’s constant slagging off of pop and lamenting on the good old days when music was music used to piss me off, though he was actually good at his job and let the stars come through at ease. Match Of The Day is an hour of my weekly life wasted, I tended to read Planet Of The Apes comics or anything else that was to hand really.

1 ( 1 ) KILLER QUEEN Queen
2 ( 3 ) I HEAR YOU KNOCKING Dave Edmunds
3 ( 2 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye
4 ( NEW ) GET BACK The Beatles
5 ( 7 ) PEPPERBOX The Peppers
6 ( 6 ) I AM MISSING YOU Shankar Family & Friends
7 ( 4 ) ROCKIN’ SOUL The Hues Corporation
8 ( 5 ) SOUND YOUR FUNKY HORN KC And The Sunshine Band
9 ( NEW ) GOODBYE NOTHIN’ TO SAY The Javells featuring Nosmo King
10 ( NEW ) YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHIN’ YET Bachman-Turner Overdrive

11 ( 11 ) EVERYTHING I OWN Ken Boothe
12 ( 15 ) THE TANGO’S OVER Mick Robertson
13 ( 14 ) LET’S GET TOGETHER AGAIN The Glitter Band
14 ( 10 ) ON THE RUN Scorched Earth
15 ( 18 ) I AM THE WALRUS The Beatles
16 ( 17 ) FOOL ON THE HILL The Beatles
17 ( 19 ) YOUR MOTHER SHOULD KNOW The Beatles
18 ( NEW ) DON’T LET ME DOWN The Beatles
19 ( 36 ) LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS Elton John
20 ( 20 ) ALL I WANT IS YOU Roxy Music

21 ( 9 ) DRACULA’S DAUGHTER Thunderthighs
22 ( 13 ) O.K. CHICAGO Resonance
23 ( 12 ) ONLY YOU CAN Fox
24 ( 24 ) THE WILD ONE Suzi Quatro
25 ( 23 ) TOUCH ME Fancy
26 ( NEW ) GAUDETE Steeleye Span
27 ( RE ) MAGIC Pilot
28 ( NEW ) JUNIOR’S FARM Paul McCartney & Wings
29 ( 16 ) LEAVE IT Mike McGear
30 ( NEW ) FLY AWAY Russ Ballard

31 ( 8 ) I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU Gary Shearston
32 ( 35 ) YOU LITTLE TRUSTMAKER The Tymes
33 ( NEW ) FAREWELL IS A LONELY SOUND Jimmy Ruffin
34 ( NEW ) YOU’RE HAVING MY BABY Paul Anka
35 ( 37 ) FAR FAR AWAY Slade
36 ( 39 ) NO HONESTLY Lynsey De Paul
37 ( NEW ) YOU’RE THE FIRST, THE LAST, MY EVERYTHING Barry White
38 ( RE ) GONNA MAKE YOU A STAR David Essex
39 ( 32 ) HEY THERE LONELY GIRL Eddie Holman
40 ( 34 ) I CAN’T LEAVE YOU ALONE George McCrae


19th November 1974

B-b-b-baby, You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet knocks Queen off the top, as rock, and indeed rock and roll, takes over the chart. The soaring guitar riffs and the pounding driving rhythm is the key to this record, it sounded like nothing else when it came out fresh and exciting. Familiarity (and Smashie and Nicie) may have dulled that somewhat, but it’s still a cracker. Pepperbox, after a long climb, gets to 3, they synthy catchy instrumental all but forgotten these days, sadly.

It’s a top 10 clear-out, headed by one of Gary Glitter’s better singles at 4, Oh Yes You’re Beautiful, highest new entry, joining The Glitter Band in my charts and a dilemma for me – do I feature the youtube video (assuming one is on there) or do I pretend he never existed for the convenience of history re-writers…? Hmmm. New at 6, 50’s stylee, and a second top 10 hit for The Rubettes with Jukebox Jive, retro pop, 50’s actual song cover for Sha Na Na, an American 50’s covers band who had a hit with Shboom (Life Could Be A Dream), and who have many tracks on itunes – but not this one! Doh! So many great old records are still not available in the digital universe.

In at 9, a third hit for The Equals (aka Eddy Grant) as Baby Come Back makes my top 10 6 years late – it just predated my charts, but was a properly famous record in those days in the UK, and it was good to see it in the top 10. Merlin get a second chart hit, with Wildcat, T.Rex pop in with a Zip Gun Boogie at 29, having yet to fail to chart in 4 years. Not one of Bolan’s best though, to be fair! Ace enter at 35. How Long? Yes, it’s Paul Carrack’s debut hit, the terrific ballad that became a US hit and kickstarted a long career that sees him still charting in my charts 40 years on. Never made it big, or famous, but he kept on going where others fell by the wayside, with his great soulful voice and melodic ballads, mostly. Talking of soul, Al Green gets a comeback 5th hit with Sha La La, while glam rockers Hello cover 60’s pop hit Tell Him, originally by The Exciters.

In the news, atrocious pub bombings, and some murderous Lord killed his nanny and disappeared famously. People do seem to enjoy killing other people for no good reason. Hateful. On a happier note, DJ Sarah Cox popped into the world this week, good for her and now good for Radio 2. On TV Mary Tyler Moore Show spin-off Rhoda, with the sharp loveable Valerie Harper as star, debuted. Playing her sister? Future Marge Simpson, Julie Kavner! Hong Kong Phooey upped the Kung Fu mania a level, from Hannah-Barbera – a last fling of the career dice I think. The fantastic Rockford Files, made James Garner a household name all over again, and Harry O, another classy detective show, kept The Fugitive’s David Janssen in work. Both had great supporting casts of character actors. The Night Stalker was a pre-X-Files show about vampires and aliens, with Darren McGavin, who guested nicely in X-Files in tribute to this largely-forgotten (but good) show. Sadly, Star Trek: The Animated Series (actual original cast actors and proper scripts) ended, but hey ho, give it 5 years and a movie will possible come along, I say!

1 ( 10 ) YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHIN’ YET Bachman-Turner Overdrive
2 ( 1 ) KILLER QUEEN Queen
3 ( 5 ) PEPPERBOX The Peppers
4 ( NEW ) OH YES YOU’RE BEAUTIFUL Gary Glitter
5 ( 9 ) GOODBYE NOTHIN’ TO SAY The Javells featuring Nosmo King
6 ( NEW ) JUKEBOX JIVE The Rubettes
7 ( 3 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye
8 ( 4 ) GET BACK The Beatles
9 ( NEW ) BABY COME BACK The Equals
10 ( NEW ) SHBOOM (LIFE COULD BE A DREAM) Sha Na Na

11 ( 8 ) SOUND YOUR FUNKY HORN KC And The Sunshine Band
12 ( 21 ) DRACULA’S DAUGHTER Thunderthighs
13 ( 15 ) I AM THE WALRUS The Beatles
14 ( 19 ) LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS Elton John
15 ( 11 ) EVERYTHING I OWN Ken Boothe
16 ( 13 ) LET’S GET TOGETHER AGAIN The Glitter Band
17 ( 16 ) FOOL ON THE HILL The Beatles
18 ( 17 ) YOUR MOTHER SHOULD KNOW The Beatles
19 ( 20 ) ALL I WANT IS YOU Roxy Music
20 ( 22 ) O.K. CHICAGO Resonance

21 ( NEW ) WILDCAT Merlin
22 ( 23 ) ONLY YOU CAN Fox
23 ( 25 ) TOUCH ME Fancy
24 ( 26 ) GAUDETE Steeleye Span
25 ( 24 ) THE WILD ONE Suzi Quatro
26 ( 14 ) ON THE RUN Scorched Earth
27 ( 27 ) MAGIC Pilot
28 ( 30 ) FLY AWAY Russ Ballard
29 ( NEW ) ZIP GUN BOOGIE T.Rex
30 ( 18 ) DON’T LET ME DOWN The Beatles

31 ( 6 ) I AM MISSING YOU Shankar Family & Friends
32 ( 37 ) YOU’RE THE FIRST, THE LAST, MY EVERYTHING Barry White
33 ( 35 ) FAR FAR AWAY Slade
34 ( 36 ) NO HONESTLY Lynsey De Paul
35 ( NEW ) HOW LONG Ace
36 ( NEW ) TELL HIM Hello
37 ( NEW ) SHA LA LA LA (MAKES ME HAPPY) Al Green
38 ( 38 ) GONNA MAKE YOU A STAR David Essex
39 ( 28 ) JUNIOR’S FARM Paul McCartney & Wings
40 ( RE ) TOO GOOD TO BE FORGOTTEN The Chi-Lites


26th November 1974

The first record to return to number one in my charts (after a chart absence)? John & Yoko with their Christmas classic, 2 years after topping my chart and being one of my christmas single purchases, it was back again, selling well and getting airplay as pop christmas songs really did get a hold of Radio 1 from hereon in – Phil Spector’s christmas album peppered around with newer and older xmas tracks. I was still mad on BTO though, at 2. More oldies appear: Johnny Nash’s 1968 Top 5 reggae (forgotten) great Hold Me Tight is back at 8, The Supremes debut UK hit follows up Baby Love this time round, as Where Did Our Love Go enters at 19, having also been a 1972 chart-topper – for Donnie Elbert. Obscurity of the week? Beano at 27 with doo-wop-ish teen pop Candy Baby – they later turned up UK Eurovision heats as Scramble, and this was an Italian chart hit.

One of the catchiest, campest, maddest disco hits enters at 14 for the brilliantly-named Disco Tex and the Sex-o-lettes, if that doesn’t scream out tongue-in-cheek I’d like to know what does! Hot Chocolate do mellow pop at 18 with Cheri Baby for 4 straight years of top 20 hits, The Wombles get an unimaginable 5th Top 30 hit in under a year with the great Wombling Merry Christmas. All day long we will be wombling in the snow? Snow? In these global warming UK days! Hah! 25 showcases one of my fave Bond themes, but not one that the public went for, The Man With The Golden Gun, Lulu’s 5th chart hit in 6 years. I also loved the movie, Christopher Lee, fabulous Asian locales, Britt Ekland, what’s not to love! Finally Ringo and Elvis pop in with covers, of The Platters and Richard Harris respectively, though Ringo is leapfrogged by John at 1, Paul at 13 with Junior’s Farm and some Beatles tracks above him! Where’s George? Not far off actually….

How about a school story? Errr, hmm, well Bachman-Turner Overdrive were quite popular in the 6th form block, and I got some brownie points knowing the B side to Roxy Music’s streetlife from a sporty cool kid I admired a fair bit, not to mention finishing off a song-line he started singing: Sunshine… “on my shoulder”. John Denver UK flop, showing that not only was I obsessive before, during and since 1974 about pop music, the fact that I recall these instances and I’ve forgotten his name says something about me. Oops! I associate people with the music they like I’m afraid, and it tends to stick in my mind for years n years!

1 ( NEW ) HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) John & Yoko and The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir
2 ( 1 ) YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHIN’ YET Bachman-Turner Overdrive
3 ( 3 ) PEPPERBOX The Peppers
4 ( 2 ) KILLER QUEEN Queen
5 ( 4 ) OH YES YOU’RE BEAUTIFUL Gary Glitter
6 ( 6 ) JUKEBOX JIVE The Rubettes
7 ( 7 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye
8 ( NEW ) HOLD ME TIGHT Johnny Nash
9 ( 10 ) SHBOOM (LIFE COULD BE A DREAM) Sha Na Na
10 ( 11 ) SOUND YOUR FUNKY HORN KC And The Sunshine Band

11 ( 5 ) GOODBYE NOTHIN’ TO SAY The Javells featuring Nosmo King
12 ( 12 ) DRACULA’S DAUGHTER Thunderthighs
13 ( 39 ) JUNIOR’S FARM Paul McCartney & Wings
14 ( NEW ) GET DANCING Disco Tex and The Sex-o-lettes
15 ( 9 ) BABY COME BACK The Equals
16 ( 13 ) I AM THE WALRUS The Beatles
17 ( 8 ) GET BACK The Beatles
18 ( NEW ) CHERI BABE Hot Chocolate
19 ( NEW ) WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO? The Supremes
20 ( 20 ) O.K. CHICAGO Resonance

21 ( 26 ) ON THE RUN Scorched Earth
22 ( 15 ) EVERYTHING I OWN Ken Boothe
23 ( 24 ) GAUDETE Steeleye Span
24 ( NEW ) WOMBLING MERRY CHRISTMAS The Wombles
25 ( NEW ) THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN Lulu
26 ( NEW ) ONLY YOU Ringo Starr
27 ( NEW ) CANDY BABY Beano
28 ( 14 ) LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS Elton John
29 ( 21 ) WILDCAT Merlin
30 ( 17 ) FOOL ON THE HILL The Beatles

31 ( 36 ) TELL HIM Hello
32 ( 35 ) HOW LONG Ace
33 ( 37 ) SHA LA LA LA (MAKES ME HAPPY) Al Green
34 ( 27 ) MAGIC Pilot
35 ( 38 ) GONNA MAKE YOU A STAR David Essex
36 ( 32 ) YOU’RE THE FIRST, THE LAST, MY EVERYTHING Barry White
37 ( 25 ) THE WILD ONE Suzi Quatro
38 ( NEW ) MY BOY Elvis Presley
39 ( 34 ) NO HONESTLY Lynsey De Paul
40 ( NEW ) COSTAFINE TOWN Splinter

My 1969 Charts – October

mum n dad looking cool

mum n dad looking cool

OCT 1969

7th Oct 1969

It’s a new number one, Bobbie Gentry’s gorgeous version of the Bacharach/David song, and again a version that improves on the Dionne Warwick recording, Bobbie’s husky singing voice just being so emotive. This was the 4th single I ever bought, sadly I bought it off an evening market record stall again (I think this time though, it was one near Siglap in the middle of a housing estate, bizarrely), and it was clearly well-played (an 11-year-old-kid’s a a good opportunity to dump used product) cos it forever got stuck in the same spot on the record. For anyone not used to vinyl, sometimes the needle either refused to follow a groove due to a blockage and just went into an endless loop till you forced it onwards, or it jumped a couple of seconds as it slipped out of a groove. I still expect to hear the same line repeated…

My chart gets reduced to a top 10, as I’d run out of new records. A new entry at 10, though, for a record I was aware of, thanks to a couple of sheet music books I bought for the lyrics of some of my top-notch fave songs, and He Ain’t Heavy was in it. They were pretty good value actually, 15 or 20 sheet music current American hits per book. Fab! Still got them, of course. The Hollies of course would eventually get a proper chart run in 1988 when it hit the UK number one, but first-time round, I liked it. Now I love it, a terrific ballad, and Allan Clarke is an under-rated singer these days (along with the Hollies, who were huge at the time, and were a few hits into my charts already).

Singapore memories? I was at my first Secondary School, a 3-storey white building with air con. Hooray for Seletar Secondary Modern! OK, some of the classrooms were old-fashioned huts with fans on the ceilings and no glass in the windows, sweltering-muchness going on, but at least they were mixed in with some lessons inside the main building so you could cool down. On my first day there were two of us starting new, Stephen Game being the other wavy-black-haired kid, and he became my new best friend for the next year, which was great cos he was cool and likeable, he wore hipster shorts, and I got lots of friends and got to be in with the coolish kids who spent breaks and lunchtimes running extended versions of British Bulldog around the large school-site. We were constantly hot, sweaty, and good at long-distance running in equatorial heat, no sunscream, no hats, lots of sweat. Before that, though, we were introduced to our new class: Form 1H2, short for Hannah. The forms were all named after RAF heroes: Gibson, Cheshire and, I think, Malcolm – need to check on that one in the school yearbook, though! They were allocated colours, Hannah was yellow, Gibson green, Cheshire blue, the other was red (Thanks to Suzi in the comments for the corrections!). Very handy for sports day competitions. Mrs Gibson was our form tutor, slim and shoulder-length black hair. I’ll be honest, at the end of the school year we all signed each other’s books so I still have names of some of the school-mates, and as is often the way in RAF life I ran into some of them again in years in the future. It’s a small Forces world…

swimming pool (me on the board) RAF Changi

swimming pool (me on the board) RAF Changi

1 ( 2 ) I’LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Bobbie Gentry
2 ( 3 ) GOOD MORNING STARSHINE Oliver
3 ( 1 ) IN THE YEAR 2525 Zager And Evans
4 ( 5 ) HARE KRISHNA MANTRA Radha Krishna Temple
5 ( 6 ) IT’S GETTING BETTER Mama Cass
6 ( 4 ) BAD MOON RISING Creedence Clearwater Revival
7 ( 7 ) DON’T FORGET TO REMEMBER The Bee Gees
8 ( 9 ) LAY LADY LAY Bob Dylan
9 ( 12 ) VIVA BOBBY JOE The Equals
10 ( NEW ) HE AIN’T HEAVY..HE’S MY BROTHER The Hollies

14th October 1969

2 weeks for Bobbie at 1, 2 weeks for Oliver at 2, and Mama Cass up to 3, but not much movement at all really, save the very famous million-selling, 8-weeks as the UK number one, Sugar Sugar, by cartoon band The Archies. Lots of people hate the record, but they are all SO wrong. It’s simplicity is it’s charm, it’s bubblegum, a hint of soul, nicely-produced, and with great vocalists for pure pop. Largely regarded as bubblegum novelty, that it continues to sell 45 years later should tellingly beg to differ. People buying it have never heard of, never mind seen, the TV show. For the record, and to repeat: Sugar Sugar was the first EP I bought, the first album I bought, and I used to record the songs from the show onto reel-to-reel tape. I recently bought the DVD’s of The Archie Funhouse, which is the series after the ones being made circa 1969/70, and errr…they are godawful. I never DID like the cartoon segments much, but they are just terrible. Nostalgia just can’t change that fact! The music, though, oh just sweeeet. With songwriters like Jeff Barry and Andy “Rock Me Gently” Kim, though, they should have something to contribute musically – largely rip-offs, granted, but catchy enough tunes, with a bit of social commentary thrown in. Not kidding there, either, pollution, racism and other topics happily resting there amongst the love songs, and odes to Hot Dog (the pet dog) and rock n roll music. You’ll never find them in the Critics Hall Of Fame, but as kiddie music goes, a cut above all those that followed in their kiddie music footsteps.

view from RAF Changi pool of Changi Hospital

view from RAF Changi pool of Changi Hospital


Meanwhile, back at school, my first week at school introduced me to breaktime popcorn and cherryade fizzy drinks from the tuck shop, streaming for English and Maths (Band 2 for both I think, based on whatever quick test they threw at me and Stephen on the first day): these were monitored term by term, and kids moved up or down each term based on how well you were doing. I’ll be honest, I liked the competitive element, I moved up in Maths, and it tended to be good for the smarter kids who moved ahead faster. All other subjects were mixed ability, which meant progress was more leisurely as you had to take into account the kids who struggled more. I was also introduced to two things that caused me stress:

Homework. Groaaan! Lost leisure time as far as I was concerned, though I was pretty good at doing it. The other one was sports. More specifically, Stephen & I had to sit in the changing room while the boys changed, then played cricket, or athletics, and then showered. That came as quite a shock to me, and very anxiety-creating, the thought of having to parade around naked in front of other boys stressed me out more than the team games did. My “kit hadn’t arrived” from the UK for a few weeks (Stephen took the plunge earlier than I did) till I couldn’t get away with it anymore, and had to join the throng. I was in and out of that shower faster than you could say “Streaker”.

Got used to it eventually, of course, and was pretty damn good at long-distance running (second to Lee Green, in the Hannah house. Lee turned up again in Gloucester in the 5th year, 5 years on, by which time I was absolutely rubbish at running the freezing UK weather to be avoided at all costs, give me scorching sweaty humidity any day). Cricket was loathsome though, punishingly-hard balls, lumps of wood to hit it with and numb your hands, running up and down a stupid bit of short grass, and the dumbest rules of any game ever invented. I took a dislike to it right away, and as the school-years went by, dislike turned to hatred at the pointlessness of it all. Volleyball or Rounders/Baseball, though, yay! Proper games, fast, points, running, balls don’t kill you or give you major bruises. Cricket is a British Empire anachronism that needs to be dumped in the nearest skip. Just my opinion of course (ptui!).

1 ( 1 ) I’LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Bobbie Gentry
2 ( 2 ) GOOD MORNING STARSHINE Oliver
3 ( 5 ) IT’S GETTING BETTER Mama Cass
4 ( 3 ) IN THE YEAR 2525 Zager And Evans
5 ( NEW ) SUGAR SUGAR The Archies
6 ( 4 ) HARE KRISHNA MANTRA Radha Krishna Temple
7 ( 6 ) BAD MOON RISING Creedence Clearwater Revival
8 ( 8 ) LAY LADY LAY Bob Dylan
9 ( 7 ) DON’T FORGET TO REMEMBER The Bee Gees
10 ( 10 ) HE AIN’T HEAVY..HE’S MY BROTHER The Hollies

21st October 1969

3 weeks for Bobbie at 1, 3 weeks for Oliver at 2, yes so little new UK chart music about, though Dylan goes up to 6, a chart position he didn’t beat until the reissue of Like A Rolling Stone 35 years on.

1 ( 1 ) I’LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Bobbie Gentry
2 ( 2 ) GOOD MORNING STARSHINE Oliver
3 ( 3 ) IT’S GETTING BETTER Mama Cass
4 ( 5 ) SUGAR SUGAR The Archies
5 ( 6 ) HARE KRISHNA MANTRA Radha Krishna Temple
6 ( 8 ) LAY LADY LAY Bob Dylan
7 ( 9 ) DON’T FORGET TO REMEMBER The Bee Gees
8 ( 7 ) BAD MOON RISING Creedence Clearwater Revival
9 ( RE ) A BOY NAMED SUE Johnny Cash
10 ( 10 ) HE AIN’T HEAVY..HE’S MY BROTHER The Hollies

28th October 1969

…and 4 weeks for Bobbie at 1, poor old Oliver should have grabbed at least one week on top instead of 4 at 2 (I certainly loved it enough to do so) but I loved Bobbie just a little bit more. Hooray, though, 3 new entries! Nilsson debuts at 7 with the utterly brilliant and gorgeous Everybody’s Talking, from the film Midnight Cowboy. Obviously far to young to see the film till years later, I was a bit miffed to find the version I knew wasn’t quite the same in the film – these things matter to me, I don’t rate “wrong versions”. Regardless Harry Nilsson was a supreme and under-rated vocalist, and this record is spine-tingling.

At 9, Lulu’s back, and my word what a change! Months ago it was all teenpop I’m A Tiger and Boom Bang A Bang, and now it’s slick soul, and a huge American hit to follow-on from the sublime US-only hit To Sir With Love, one of the criminally-ignored British single greats of the decade in the UK. I may not have loved Oh Me Oh My as much as I’m A Tiger at the time, but it’s dated much better! Lastly, The Trems are back with another song I was aware of from the Daily Mirror Top 30 charts, but frustratingly didn’t get to hear for some time: (Call Me) Number One. Catchy and singalong, like most Tremeloes singles, they have been banished into the mists of time, save the occasional Chesney Hawkes reference or Four Seasons footnote for Silence Is Golden, but they had a good ol’ run of pop singles, and this one is fun.

1 ( 1 ) I’LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Bobbie Gentry
2 ( 2 ) GOOD MORNING STARSHINE Oliver
3 ( 4 ) SUGAR SUGAR The Archies
4 ( 3 ) IT’S GETTING BETTER Mama Cass
5 ( 8 ) BAD MOON RISING Creedence Clearwater Revival

6 ( 6 ) LAY LADY LAY Bob Dylan
7 ( NEW ) EVERYBODY’S TALKING Nilsson
8 ( 7 ) DON’T FORGET TO REMEMBER The Bee Gees
9 ( NEW ) OH ME OH MY (I’M A FOOL FOR YOU) Lulu
10 ( NEW ) (CALL ME) NUMBER ONE The Tremeloes

Changi beach and views of the islands

Changi beach and views of the islands


Back at home in Bedokville, I’d gotten into little plastic boxes of sweets, hexagon, square, circular, with transparent covers, from the shack shop at the back of the house on the other side of the monsoon drains that ran down every street. I liked the boxes. Monsoon drains were essential on the equator, as we found out fairly quickly. When it rained, it POURED. It was like the shower being on full everywhere, and torrents of temporary rivers ran downhill wherever they could. Quite thrilling, not remotely cold, you could (and we did) quite happily dance about getting soaking wet in the garden. I still love a good tropical thunderstorm.

A big discovery was the mobile chinese magazine seller, a motorbike and sidecar-box, which had newspapers, and COMICS! New DC Comics. OMG! Talk about trembling with excitement, I talked dad into buying me the coverless legion Action Comics 378 which was there with a cover, brand new for 55 cents, along with Adventure Comics 381, in which it suddenly became clear why the Legion featured only in the back-up story in Action: some twat had gone against all common commercial sense and moved the Legion of Super-Heroes from the main feature in Adventure so that Supergirl could get her own comic. This was disastrous! To state it clearly, the Legion were the most fan-based popular DC comic of the 60’s (the fans got it brought back by demanding it when it had all but fizzled out) and sales of the Legion comic were stunning my modern standards. A comic in 2014 sells a few tens of thousands if they’re lucky, worldwide. In 1969 Adventure Comics with the Legion was pushing a million. The first Supergirl comic was great (featured Batgirl as guest) but it was no substitute for epicness! She limped on through declining sales for 4 years and then it was all over. The Legion, revived, took over Superboy’s comic in 1973 and became one of the 2 big DC sellers of the 80s’, creatively brilliant. Editors: listen to the kids!