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[Popchartfreak]

1st January 1972

It's 2 weeks on top for Hunky Dory album track Life On Mars? two years early from it's release as a single, as the David Bowie album returns to the album charts for it's 50th anniversary this week in the UK. Changes also goes top 10 3 years early for my actual charts of 1975. There's not much happening as there's not a lot of major releases over the Xmas/New Year period back in 1971/2. Shirley Bassey gets a 2nd top 10 in the retro charts, neither of them made my top 10 at the time. I must be getting old, but hey Diamonds Are Forever is classic Bond theme.

Highest new entry is Carpenters' Hurting Each Other, a UK flop, as so much classic stuff was in those days (3 of the top 10 weren't even singles, and Changes was a flop). Getting an early chart appearance months of being a minor UK hit, Chakachas' Jungle Fever is naughty funk, prob why it didn't get played on the BBC radio shows, you had to listen to Radio Luxembourg. It was my birthday this week, and I bought one of the new entries, The (former-Rocking) Berries appeared on Lift Off With Ayshea doing an Elvis impersonation Don't Be Cruel, along with wholesome family celebrity impressions like Jimmy Saville, Rolf Harris and Harry Corbett & Sooty. It is, of course, unplayable these days, but when I was 13/14 it seemed funny enough for a couple of plays.

The Pioneers get a follow-up hit, Give And Take didn't get much BBC airplay at the time though - I certainly never managed to record it off the radio and only heard it once or twice at most. King Crimson's 21st Century Schizoid Man I had never heard of until Toyah (Mrs Robert Fripp) covered it in tribute to a King Crimson band-member. The couple have been quite active on Youtube during Lockdown, and I saw Toyah in concert again in a small rural Dorset venue a couple of years ago and she was great fun. Mac And Katie Kissoon debut in my charts of the time and in this retro chart, the brother and sister would have to wait 3 years for a proper UK hit but I heard I've Found My Freedom on Lift Off and liked it. Then didn't hear it for 50 years. I still like it. Finally, Neil Reid enters with Mother Of Mine after I saw an edition of Top Of The Pops from the end of December 1971 which has popped up on Youtube, along with a host of not-broadcast-since episodes I've not seen in 50 to 45 years, rescued from private collections I would imagine. Anyway, young Neil gave a surprisingly polished, self-assured and flawless vocal performance and impressed me despite the song being a little on the joyless side for 14-year-old me.


1 ( 1 ) LIFE ON MARS? - David Bowie # 1
2 ( 3 ) WITHOUT YOU - Nilsson # 1
3 ( 2 ) HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) - John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir # 1
4 ( 4 ) A HORSE WITH NO NAME - America # 4
5 ( 5 ) STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN - Led Zeppelin # 3
6 ( 9 ) IT MUST BE LOVE - Labi Siffre # 1
7 ( 12 ) DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER - Shirley Bassey # 7
8 ( 6 ) LET’S STAY TOGETHER - Al Green # 3
9 ( 11 ) CHANGES - David Bowie # 9
10 ( 8 ) SOFTLY WHISPERING I LOVE YOU - The Congregation featuring Brian Keith of Plastic Penny # 1

11 ( 7 ) FAMILY AFFAIR - Sly & The Family Stone # 2
12 ( 10 ) COZ I LUV YOU - Slade # 1
13 ( 13 ) IT’S ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS (YES LOVE) - The Partridge Family Starring Shirley Jones and featuring David Cassidy # 13
14 ( 16 ) GOT TO BE THERE - Michael Jackson # 1
15 ( 18 ) BABY I’M A WANT YOU - Bread # 4
16 ( 22 ) MOON RIVER - Greyhound # 16
17 ( 25 ) FLOY JOY - The Supremes # 17
18 ( 17 ) TOKOLOSHE MAN - John Kongos # 1
19 ( 19 ) IT’S FOUR IN THE MORNING - Faron Young # 10
20 ( 24 ) SIMPLE GAME - The Four Tops # 1

21 ( 21 ) SOLEY SOLEY - Middle Of The Road # 3
22 ( 26 ) MEET ME ON THE CORNER - Lindisfarne # 22
23 ( 27 ) I BELIEVE (IN LOVE) - Hot Chocolate # 1
24 ( 15 ) VINCENT - Don McLean # 7
25 ( 28 ) OH! YOU PRETTY THINGS - David Bowie # 25
26 ( 30 ) WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO - Donnie Elbert # 1
27 ( 31 ) JEEPSTER - T.Rex # 1
28 ( 32 ) HOLD YOUR HEAD UP - Argent # 2
29 ( 33 ) I WILL RETURN - Springwater # 6
30 ( 34 ) RUNNIN’ AWAY - Sly & The Family Stone # 20

31 ( 14 ) CAN’T LET YOU GO - Barry Ryan # 12
32 ( 23 ) TINY DANCER - Elton John # 10
33 ( 29 ) BRANDY - Scott English # 5
34 ( 35 ) GYPSIES, TRAMPS & THIEVES - Cher # 1
35 ( 36 ) ALL I EVER NEED IS YOU - Sonny & Cher # 8
36 ( 40 ) HOOKED ON A FEELING - Jonathan King # 18
37 ( 41 ) I DON’T KNOW HOW TO LOVE HIM - Petula Clark # 37
38 ( 42 ) WHY SHOULD I - Bob Marley & The Wailers # 38
39 ( 43 ) MISSISSIPPI LADY - Sequoia # 39
40 ( 44 ) I’D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING (IN PERFECT HARMONY) - The New Seekers # 24

41 ( 38 ) THEME FROM SHAFT - Isaac Hayes # 1
42 ( 50 ) SLEEPY SHORES - Johnny Pearson Orchestra # 42
43 ( 20 ) DAY AFTER DAY - Badfinger # 20
44 ( 37 ) STAY WITH ME - The Faces # 37
45 ( 39 ) KARA KARA - New World # 39
46 ( 53 ) YOU WANT IT YOU GOT IT - The Detroit Emeralds # 46
47 ( 46 ) GET IT ON (BANG A GONG) - T.Rex # 1
48 ( 48 ) THE NIGHT THEY DROVE OLD DIXIE DOWN - Joan Baez # 2
49 ( 47 ) HAVE YOU SEEN HER - The Chi-Lites # 1
50 ( 49 ) RUN BABY RUN (BACK INTO MY ARMS) - The Newbeats # 1

51 ( 51 ) MAKE ME THE WOMAN THAT YOU GO HOME TO - Gladys Knight & The Pips # 51
52 ( 45 ) NOTHING TO HIDE - Tommy James # 33
53 ( 58 ) FESTIVAL TIME - The San Remo Golden Strings # 53
54 ( 59 ) LITTLE DARLIN’ (I NEED YOU) - Marvin Gaye # 54
55 ( 54 ) THEME FROM “THE PERSUADERS” - John Barry # 10
56 ( 60 ) KEEPING MY HEAD ABOVE WATER - Jigsaw # 56
57 ( 55 ) THE SUN HAS GOT HIS HAT ON - Nemo aka Jonathan King # 55
58 ( 56 ) IMAGINE - John Lennon # 4
59 ( NEW ) HURTING EACH OTHER - Carpenters # 59
60 ( 62 ) THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT (WIMOWEH) - Robert John # 60

61 ( 57 ) SURRENDER - Diana Ross # 1
62 ( 80 ) IT’S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME - Carole King # 62
63 ( 52 ) (JUST AN) OLD FASHIONED LOVE SONG - Paul Williams # 15
64 ( 67 ) THEME FROM THE ONEDIN LINE - Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra # 64
65 ( 70 ) MORNING HAS BROKEN - Cat Stevens # 65
66 ( 63 ) TOMORROW - Wings # 63
67 ( 71 ) HOW DO YOU DO - Mouth and MacNeal # 67
68 ( 72 ) SACREMENTO - Middle Of The Road # 68
69 ( 73 ) I WANT TO GO BACK THERE AGAIN - B.J. Arnau # 69
70 ( 77 ) OKLAHOMA SUNDAY MORNING - Glen Campbell # 70

71 ( 75 ) DOWN FROM DOVER - Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood # 71
72 ( 78 ) THE CANDY MAN - Sammy Davis Jr with The Mike Curb Congregation # 72
73 ( 79 ) COTTON JENNY - Anne Murray # 73
74 ( NEW ) JUNGLE FEVER - The Chakachas # 74
75 ( 64 ) TAP TURNS ON THE WATER - C.C.S # 5
76 ( NEW ) GIVE AND TAKE - The Pioneers # 76
77 ( NEW ) 21ST CENTURY SCHIZOID MAN - King Crimson # 77
78 ( NEW ) I’VE FOUND MY FREEDOM - Mac and Katie Kissoon # 78
79 ( NEW ) THE KING (DON’T BE CRUEL) - The Berries # 79
80 ( NEW ) MOTHER OF MINE - Neil Reid # 80

4th january 1972 My Charts Of The Time:

It's a new year and Melanie grabs her only chart-topper with the quirky Brand New Key, which sadly spawned a UK novelty version 4 years later for The Wurzels. Meanwhile I sadly change my chart rules to be only UK top 50 and then top 30 only singles can chart inside my top 20, which ended up making my charts really inaccurate by mid-1973 as I started to rate more and more stuff outside the UK top 30. So the the more obscure interesting stuff will be between 21 and 30. Highest new entry at 9 is the then-British-based America, sons of US servicemen stationed in the UK, with the very Neil Young-sounding A Horse With No Name. So soundalike that Neil Young's dad complimented him saying it was one of his best records. Oops!

The Faces are new at 10 with what is basically the follow-up to Maggie May, only it charts higher than Maggie May did for me. Rocking rather than ballading. John Barry's fab theme from ITV's The Persuaders starring movie star fave Tony Curtis and future Bond Roger Moore was getting good ratings, and helped by the TV theme. New at 16, while at 18 Ronnie Dyson's goos version of The Delfonics When You Get Right Down To It gets UK airplay and sales where the original version didn't.



1 ( 5 ) BRAND NEW KEY - Melanie
2 ( 1 ) I’D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING (IN PERFECT HARMONY) - The New Seekers
3 ( 3 ) SOLEY SOLEY - Middle Of The Road
4 ( 4 ) SOFTLY WHISPERING I LOVE YOU - The Congregation
5 ( 9 ) JOHNNY REGGAE - The Piglets
6 ( 7 ) THEME FROM SHAFT - Isaac Hayes
7 ( 10 ) JEEPSTER - T.Rex
8 ( 30 ) RUN BABY RUN (BACK INTO MY ARMS) - The Newbeats
9 ( NEW ) A HORSE WITH NO NAME - America
10 ( NEW ) STAY WITH ME - The Faces

11 ( 11 ) GYPSIES, TRAMPS & THIEVES - Cher
12 ( 12 ) COZ I LUV YOU - Slade
13 ( 14 ) SOMETHING TELLS ME (SOMETHING’S GONNA HAPPEN TONIGHT) - Cilla Black
14 ( 19 ) KARA KARA - New World
15 ( 27 ) BACK ON THE ROAD - Marmalade
16 ( NEW ) THEME FROM THE PERSUADERS - John Barry
17 ( 26 ) FIREBALL - Deep Purple
18 ( NEW ) WHEN YOU GET RIGHT DOWN TO IT - Ronnie Dyson
19 ( 16 ) I JUST CAN’T HELP BELIEVING - Elvis Presley
20 ( 15 ) IT MUST BE LOVE - Labi Siffre

21 ( 2 ) HOOKED ON A FEELING Jonathan King
22 ( 6 ) CAN’T LET YOU GO Barry Ryan
23 ( 8 ) THE KING (DON’T BE CRUEL) The Berries
24 ( 13 ) DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER Shirley Bassey
25 ( 24 ) TOKOLOSHE MAN John Kongos
26 ( 17 ) NO MATTER HOW I TRY Gilbert O’Sullivan
27 ( 18 ) ERNIE (THE FASTEST MILKMAN IN THE WEST) Benny Hill
28 ( 20 ) (IS THIS THE WAY TO) AMARILLO Tony Christie
29 ( 21 ) SLEEPY SHORES Johnny Pearson Orchestra
30 ( 22 ) I’VE FOUND MY FREEDOM Mac & Katie Kissoon