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Posted by: popchartfreak 8th January 2014, 07:32 PM

3rd JAN 1979

It’s a new year 1979 and I hit 21, all grown up. I didn’t have a party, though after my mate had returned from Wisconsin and found I’d turned 21 he nagged me to have a belated one (thanks Pete!) at home in Mansfield. So I did, my College friends came, one spiked another’s drink, who threw up on my parents bed (no names as she’s still embarrassed about it), and waddya know Pete didn’t make it to the party - he never was conventional, married a Japanese girl and last seen in Tokyo being daddy.

Music-wise, just like today oldies from the previous year get a boost, and the lack of new singles allows a sneaky new chart-topper. Sally Oldfield just sounded so right for the new year, all fresh and delightful, and her brother was ringing in the changes at 18 too. Ian Dury’s classic gets to 6, while Elton and Hot Choc get another Top 10 in very long runs of top 10 hits, give or take.

Earth Wind & Fire are a bit late for September, but chart in my next 2014 chart with the same song courtesy of being used heavily in current movie Last Vegas (and making the Archive Chart Top 40) which I saw this week. Shalamar get a big climber with a great disco soul record, and highest new entry is veteran Frankie Avalon and his Grease cameo (very amusing and 50’s pastiche too) joining Paul Evans from the same clean-cut pop-star era and Mud covering a 50‘s doo-wop classic. Having disco-fied Star Wars Meco has a less-successful go at the Wizard Of Oz, and Manhattan Transfer have a lot of questions and very few answers…

New Year TV is dominated by old films, notably New Year sentimental comedy classic from Billy Wilder, The Apartment. Jack Lemmon and Shirley Maclaine stole my heart and a real fave.




1 ( 5 ) MIRRORS Sally Oldfield
2 ( 1 ) Y.M.C.A. The Village People
3 ( 3 ) ELO EP (EVIL WOMAN/STRANGE MAGIC/CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD/MA MA MA BELLE Electric Light Orchestra
4 ( 2 ) I LOST MY HEART TO A STARSHIP TROOPER Sarah Brightman & Hot Gossip
5 ( 6 ) DOCTOR WHO Mankind
6 ( 12 ) HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK Ian Dury & The Blockheads
7 ( 4 ) MARY'S BOY CHILD/ OH MY LORD Boney M
8 ( 8 ) LE FREAK Chic
9 ( 16 ) SONG FOR GUY Elton John
10 ( 14 ) I'LL PUT YOU TOGETHER AGAIN Hot Chocolate

11 ( 7 ) DO YA THINK I'M SEXY Rod Stewart
12 ( 10 ) LAY YOUR LOVE ON ME Racey
13 ( 11 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
14 ( 9 ) TOO MUCH HEAVEN The Bee Gees
15 ( 17 ) I'M EVERY WOMAN Chaka Khan
16 ( 13 ) HANGING ON THE TELEPHONE Blondie
17 ( 25 ) SEPTEMBER" Earth, Wind And Fire
18 ( 15 ) TAKE 4 EP Mike Oldfield
19 ( 22 ) A LITTLE MORE LOVE Olivia Newton-John
20 ( 26 ) ONE NATION UNDER A GROOVE Funkadelic




21 ( 15 ) IN THE BUSH Musique
22 ( 20 ) SHOOTING STAR Dollar
23 ( 35 ) YOU NEEDED ME Anne Murray
24 ( 21 ) I LOVE AMERICA Patrick Juvet
25 ( 32 ) HELLO THIS IS JOANNIE Paul Evans
26 ( 24 ) RAINING IN MY HEART Leo Sayer
27 ( 49 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
28 ( 23 ) YOU DON'T BRING ME FLOWERS Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond
29 ( 29 ) SWEET TALKING WOMAN E.L.O.
30 ( 30 ) PROMISES Buzzcocks

31 ( 28 ) HOPELESSLY DEVOTED TO YOU Olivia Newton-John
32 ( 27 ) FAT BOTTOMED GIRLS/ BICYCLE RACE Queen
33 ( 37 ) MY LIFE Billy Joel
34 ( 19 ) ACCIDENT PRONE Status Quo
35 ( 36 ) DANCE (DISCO HEAT) Sylvester
36 ( 38 ) B.A.B.Y. Rachel Sweet
37 ( 41 ) PLEASE COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS The Eagles
38 ( 40 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
39 ( 39 ) SUMMER NIGHTS John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
40 ( 31 ) ALWAYS AND FOREVER Heatwave




41 ( 34 ) DON'T CRY OUT LOUD Elkie Brooks
42 ( 33 ) GREASED LIGHTNING John Travolta
43 ( 63 ) TAKE THAT TO THE BANK Shalamar
44 ( 44 ) SILVER MACHINE Hawkwind
45 ( 51 ) SUMMER NIGHT CITY Abba
46 ( 46 ) PUBLIC IMAGE Public Image Limited
47 ( 43 ) PART TIME LOVE Elton John
48 ( 42 ) RASPUTIN Boney M
49 ( 47 ) TOMMY GUN The Clash
50 ( 52 ) YOU MAKE ME FEEL (MIGHTY REAL) Sylvester




51 ( 57 ) RIVERS OF BABYLON Boney M
52 ( NEW ) BEAUTY SCHOOL DROPOUT Frankie Avalon
53 ( 58 ) EVE OF THE WAR Jeff Wayne (& Justin Hayward)
54 ( 45 ) MY BEST FRIEND'S GIRL The Cars
55 ( 48 ) GERM FREE ADOLESCENT X-Ray Spex
56 ( 53 ) DOWN IN THE TUBE STATION AT MIDNIGHT The Jam
57 ( 59 ) RIGHT DOWN THE LINE Gerry Rafferty
58 ( NEW ) THE WIZARD OF OZ Meco
59 ( 50 ) INSTANT REPLAY Dan Hartman
60 ( 69 ) JUST THE WAY YOU ARE Barry White




61 ( 51 ) ANYWAY YOU DO IT Liquid Gold
62 ( 55 ) MCCARTHUR PARK Donna Summer
63 ( 60 ) OH WHAT A CIRCUS David Essex
64 ( 64 ) FOREVER AUTUMN Justin Hayward
65 ( 68 ) COULD IT BE MAGIC Barry Manilow
66 ( 71 ) NIGHT FEVER The Bee Gees
67 ( 67 ) SUBSTITUTE Clout
68 ( 72 ) IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU Yvonne Elliman
69 ( 65 ) JILTED JOHN Jilted John
70 ( 66 ) DAYLIGHT KATY Gordon Lightfoot

71 ( NEW ) NEW DAY Airwaves
72 ( 54 ) CHRISTMAS IN SMURFLAND Father Abraham & The Smurfs
73 ( 56 ) LAY LOVE ON YOU Luisa Fernandez
74 ( NEW ) WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE Mud
75 ( NEW ) WHO WHAT WHEN WHERE WHY Manhattan Transfer

TV
1 THE APARTMENT
2 What's New Pussycat?
3 Top Of The Pops
4 Fantastic Journey (Wed)
5 MASH (part 2)
6 Happy Days
7 The Rockford Files
8 Fantastic Journey (Fri)
9 Fantastic Journey (Thurs)
10 The 2 Ronnies

Posted by: popchartfreak 8th January 2014, 07:35 PM

10th JAN 1979 - Headlines: Tunisia, knife-threats, Roman history and disco hits...

Back to College - and straight off to Tunisia for a Geography field trip (and history/art-related). It wasn’t free, we had to pay for it (staying in Sousse), but it was a great experience. Visits to schools, Roman amphitheatres at El Djem (not far from where Star Wars had been filmed) and a ruin at Carthage (Tunis) - oh and a pottery where my bag managed to knock over and break an urn. “Ca va ca va” said the generous owner, but I felt obliged to buy a crooked vase as penance. Still got it…

My mate Pete (yes him again) had barely got off the plane from the States and he was back on this one to Tunisia, providing me with a great disco experience. Well, cut short experience when he lept to the defence of some of the girls who were getting hassled by local lads to dance. Having already watched one student reduced to tears after one gentleman in the local market offered to buy her for a camel - maybe she was insulted it wasn’t two! - the girls were getting bit fed up with the gropey “fair-game” attitude towards Western women. Anyway, we enjoyed Barry White’s Just The Way You Are, and freaked out properly to Chic’s Le Freak, but after Pete had been threatened with a knife once he stepped outside we decided an early night was the way forward and left in a gang for safety. Aahh Happy days (and explains the short TV chart!) - hoping to finally catch that 1979 Top Of The Pops I missed this week…

So, YMCA back at the top (bound to have been on at the disco!), Anne Murray finally gets into the Top 10 after 2 or 3 months in the chart, her first since 1974, and three new entries into the Top 40: Phoebe Snow with Paul McCartney’s Every Night, Diana Ross & Michael Jackson with the single from the Movie The Wiz (and explains Meco’s Oz cash-in), and the Queen mum’s alleged fave pop hit novelty song Car 67, which was actually fairly charming.

1 ( 2 ) Y.M.C.A. The Village People
2 ( 1 ) MIRRORS Sally Oldfield
3 ( 3 ) ELO EP (EVIL WOMAN/STRANGE MAGIC/CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD/MA MA MA BELLE Electric Light Orchestra
4 ( 6 ) HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK Ian Dury & The Blockheads
5 ( 5 ) DOCTOR WHO Mankind
6 ( 4 ) I LOST MY HEART TO A STARSHIP TROOPER Sarah Brightman & Hot Gossip
7 ( 10 ) I'LL PUT YOU TOGETHER AGAIN Hot Chocolate
8 ( 23 ) YOU NEEDED ME Anne Murray
9 ( 7 ) MARY'S BOY CHILD/ OH MY LORD Boney M
10 ( 8 ) LE FREAK Chic




11 ( 9 ) SONG FOR GUY Elton John
12 ( 19 ) A LITTLE MORE LOVE Olivia Newton-John
13 ( 17 ) SEPTEMBER" Earth, Wind And Fire
14 ( 11 ) DO YA THINK I'M SEXY Rod Stewart
15 ( 13 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
16 ( 12 ) LAY YOUR LOVE ON ME Racey
17 ( 15 ) I'M EVERY WOMAN Chaka Khan
18 ( 20 ) ONE NATION UNDER A GROOVE Funkadelic
19 ( 14 ) TOO MUCH HEAVEN The Bee Gees
20 ( 16 ) HANGING ON THE TELEPHONE Blondie




21 ( 21 ) IN THE BUSH Musique
22 ( 25 ) HELLO THIS IS JOANNIE Paul Evans
23 ( 22 ) SHOOTING STAR Dollar
24 ( 18 ) TAKE 4 EP Mike Oldfield
25 ( NEW ) EVERY NIGHT Phoebe Snow
26 ( NEW ) EASE ON DOWN THE ROAD Diana Ross & Michael Jackson
27 ( NEW ) CAR 67 Driver 67
28 ( 52 ) BEAUTY SCHOOL DROPOUT Frankie Avalon
29 ( 24 ) I LOVE AMERICA Patrick Juvet
30 ( 30 ) PROMISES Buzzcocks




31 ( 26 ) RAINING IN MY HEART Leo Sayer
32 ( 35 ) DANCE (DISCO HEAT) Sylvester
33 ( 36 ) B.A.B.Y. Rachel Sweet
34 ( 27 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
35 ( 38 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
36 ( 29 ) SWEET TALKING WOMAN E.L.O.
37 ( 31 ) HOPELESSLY DEVOTED TO YOU Olivia Newton-John
38 ( 33 ) MY LIFE Billy Joel
39 ( 39 ) SUMMER NIGHTS John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
40 ( 40 ) ALWAYS AND FOREVER Heatwave




41 ( 32 ) FAT BOTTOMED GIRLS/ BICYCLE RACE Queen
42 ( 34 ) ACCIDENT PRONE Status Quo
43 ( 43 ) TAKE THAT TO THE BANK Shalamar
44 ( 60 ) JUST THE WAY YOU ARE Barry White
45 ( 49 ) TOMMY GUN The Clash
46 ( 28 ) YOU DON'T BRING ME FLOWERS Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond
47 ( 45 ) SUMMER NIGHT CITY Abba
48 ( 44 ) SILVER MACHINE Hawkwind
49 ( 51 ) RIVERS OF BABYLON Boney M
50 ( 41 ) DON'T CRY OUT LOUD Elkie Brooks

51 ( 46 ) PUBLIC IMAGE Public Image Limited
52 ( 58 ) THE WIZARD OF OZ Meco
53 ( 48 ) RASPUTIN Boney M
54 ( 50 ) YOU MAKE ME FEEL (MIGHTY REAL) Sylvester
55 ( 53 ) EVE OF THE WAR Jeff Wayne (& Justin Hayward)
56 ( 42 ) GREASED LIGHTNING John Travolta
57 ( 57 ) RIGHT DOWN THE LINE Gerry Rafferty
58 ( 65 ) COULD IT BE MAGIC Barry Manilow
59 ( 47 ) PART TIME LOVE Elton John
60 ( 56 ) DOWN IN THE TUBE STATION AT MIDNIGHT The Jam

61 ( 55 ) GERM FREE ADOLESCENT X-Ray Spex
62 ( 37 ) PLEASE COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS The Eagles
63 ( NEW ) FALLEN ANGEL Barbara Dickson
64 ( 64 ) FOREVER AUTUMN Justin Hayward
65 ( 66 ) NIGHT FEVER The Bee Gees
66 ( 59 ) INSTANT REPLAY Dan Hartman
67 ( 68 ) IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU Yvonne Elliman
68 ( 67 ) SUBSTITUTE Clout
69 ( 63 ) OH WHAT A CIRCUS David Essex
70 ( 75 ) WHO WHAT WHEN WHERE WHY Manhattan Transfer

71 ( 54 ) MY BEST FRIEND'S GIRL The Cars
72 ( 69 ) JILTED JOHN Jilted John
73 ( 62 ) MCCARTHUR PARK Donna Summer
74 ( 70 ) DAYLIGHT KATY Gordon Lightfoot
75 ( NEW ) HOW ARE YOU GONNA SEE ME NOW Alice Cooper



TV
1 It'll Be Alright On The Night
2 Mork & Mindy
3 Film '79
4 Parkinson

Posted by: popchartfreak 12th January 2014, 12:06 PM

17th Jan 1979

A roll-over holiday chart, I think, as there are no new records, only re-entries and nothing much happening. The Superman movie was out, or shortly out, which was a great blockbuster movie of a comics favourite, and John Williams was in his prime, churning out great soundtrack after great soundtrack. The movie’s a bit overlong and dated these days, sadly! YMCA gets a 3rd week at the top, and seems like nothing can shift it, as nothing new is entering. Barry White goes up, though, as does writer Billy Joel. My friend Jane had a few tears when Just The Way You Are came on at the Hotel disco (Sousse) as she was missing her boyfriend and future hubbie Dave and it was their song. If you’re going to pick a song for it’s lyrics for the love of your life that’s a pretty good one to go for! Just had a birthday card from them last week. Sometimes life is sweet J

On TV, back at home, Blake’s 7 was starting to look good as a new rebel-led sci-fi drama, Top Of The Pops was good, and Morecambe & Wise were still amusing.


1 ( 1 ) Y.M.C.A. The Village People
2 ( 3 ) ELO EP (EVIL WOMAN/STRANGE MAGIC/CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD/MA MA MA BELLE Electric Light Orchestra
3 ( 8 ) YOU NEEDED ME Anne Murray
4 ( 2 ) MIRRORS Sally Oldfield
5 ( 7 ) I'LL PUT YOU TOGETHER AGAIN Hot Chocolate
6 ( 4 ) HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK Ian Dury & The Blockheads
7 ( 5 ) DOCTOR WHO Mankind
8 ( 6 ) I LOST MY HEART TO A STARSHIP TROOPER Sarah Brightman & Hot Gossip
9 ( 12 ) A LITTLE MORE LOVE Olivia Newton-John
10 ( 9 ) MARY'S BOY CHILD/ OH MY LORD Boney M

11 ( 11 ) SONG FOR GUY Elton John
12 ( 13 ) SEPTEMBER" Earth, Wind And Fire
13 ( 10 ) LE FREAK Chic
14 ( 16 ) LAY YOUR LOVE ON ME Racey
15 ( 18 ) ONE NATION UNDER A GROOVE Funkadelic
16 ( 26 ) EASE ON DOWN THE ROAD Diana Ross & Michael Jackson
17 ( 14 ) DO YA THINK I'M SEXY Rod Stewart
18 ( 22 ) HELLO THIS IS JOANNIE Paul Evans
19 ( 15 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
20 ( 17 ) I'M EVERY WOMAN Chaka Khan

21 ( 19 ) TOO MUCH HEAVEN The Bee Gees
22 ( 25 ) EVERY NIGHT Phoebe Snow
23 ( 27 ) CAR 67 Driver 67
24 ( 20 ) HANGING ON THE TELEPHONE Blondie
25 ( 23 ) SHOOTING STAR Dollar
26 ( 21 ) IN THE BUSH Musique
27 ( 30 ) PROMISES Buzzcocks
28 ( 28 ) BEAUTY SCHOOL DROPOUT Frankie Avalon
29 ( 24 ) TAKE 4 EP Mike Oldfield
30 ( 33 ) B.A.B.Y. Rachel Sweet

31 ( 58 ) COULD IT BE MAGIC Barry Manilow
32 ( 31 ) RAINING IN MY HEART Leo Sayer
33 ( 29 ) I LOVE AMERICA Patrick Juvet
34 ( 44 ) JUST THE WAY YOU ARE Barry White
35 ( 32 ) DANCE (DISCO HEAT) Sylvester
36 ( 38 ) MY LIFE Billy Joel
37 ( 37 ) HOPELESSLY DEVOTED TO YOU Olivia Newton-John
38 ( 35 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
39 ( 34 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
40 ( 36 ) SWEET TALKING WOMAN E.L.O.




41 ( 39 ) SUMMER NIGHTS John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
42 ( 49 ) RIVERS OF BABYLON Boney M
43 ( 45 ) TOMMY GUN The Clash
44 ( 40 ) ALWAYS AND FOREVER Heatwave
45 ( 41 ) FAT BOTTOMED GIRLS/ BICYCLE RACE Queen
46 ( 52 ) THE WIZARD OF OZ Meco
47 ( 42 ) ACCIDENT PRONE Status Quo
48 ( RE ) NEW DAY Airwaves
49 ( 47 ) SUMMER NIGHT CITY Abba
50 ( 48 ) SILVER MACHINE Hawkwind




51 ( 46 ) YOU DON'T BRING ME FLOWERS Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond
52 ( 43 ) TAKE THAT TO THE BANK Shalamar
53 ( RE ) NEW YORK NEW YORK Gerard Kenny
54 ( 51 ) PUBLIC IMAGE Public Image Limited
55 ( 50 ) DON'T CRY OUT LOUD Elkie Brooks
56 ( 55 ) EVE OF THE WAR Jeff Wayne (& Justin Hayward)
57 ( 53 ) RASPUTIN Boney M
58 ( 63 ) FALLEN ANGEL Barbara Dickson
59 ( 54 ) YOU MAKE ME FEEL (MIGHTY REAL) Sylvester
60 ( 57 ) RIGHT DOWN THE LINE Gerry Rafferty

61 ( 56 ) GREASED LIGHTNING John Travolta
62 ( 70 ) WHO WHAT WHEN WHERE WHY Manhattan Transfer
63 ( 59 ) PART TIME LOVE Elton John
64 ( 60 ) DOWN IN THE TUBE STATION AT MIDNIGHT The Jam
65 ( 61 ) GERM FREE ADOLESCENT X-Ray Spex
66 ( 65 ) NIGHT FEVER The Bee Gees
67 ( 64 ) FOREVER AUTUMN Justin Hayward
68 ( RE ) RAMA LAMA DING DONG Rocky Sharpe & The Replays
69 ( 68 ) SUBSTITUTE Clout
70 ( 67 ) IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU Yvonne Elliman

71 ( RE ) THEME FROM "SUPERMAN" John Williams' Original Soundtrack
72 ( 75 ) HOW ARE YOU GONNA SEE ME NOW Alice Cooper
73 ( 69 ) OH WHAT A CIRCUS David Essex
74 ( 72 ) JILTED JOHN Jilted John
75 ( 66 ) INSTANT REPLAY Dan Hartman

TV
1 The Morecambe & Wise Show
2 Top Of The Pops
3 Wonder Woman
4 Blake's 7
5 Petrocelli (TV film)
6 The Muppet Show
7 Sporting Superstars
8 Mary Hartman Mary Hartman
9 Tomorrow's World

Posted by: popchartfreak 12th January 2014, 12:09 PM

24th jan 1979

The chart at last starts to move, a 4th week at the top for Village People, sadly, as the number 2 from Chic is a better record and should have knocked them off the top. The Tunisian disco mood having a big chart effect as September and the marvellous Funkadelic track go top 10. Highest new entry, meanwhile, at 14, who else but Abba and their lovely Spanish-ballad-cum-circus-finale, all proceeds going to UNESCO (for the Children of the world) just as The Bee Gees Too Much Heaven had. Pity the mega-rich popstars of the moment don’t make a similar gesture with their debut singles for new albums…

TV wise, sitcom of the day SOAP rightly at the top, it was manic, over the top, full of great characters and great performances from a top notch cast, and scripts from future Golden Girls prime-mover Susan Harris. Two veterans dominate otherwise, George Burns wasn’t actually 100 yet (though he would get there) but he was making a career revival largely based around his great one-liners and being so old (being a husband-wife double-act of Vaudeville & radio & TV for most of the 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and beyond). Proving that age is no barrier to being sharp, smart and cool. Spike Milligan was also a madcap unpredictable comic genius, often hit and miss, but I went to see him on the tour he was pushing on Parkinson (I think) as I saw him at Lincoln theatre in 1979 and laughed uncontrollably for much of the show. Honestly, I pissed myself over the bit where he pointed up to the audience in the upper circle and exclaimed “Finger!”. It became a running gag between mate Pete and myself for months… (you probably had to be there!)

1 ( 1 ) Y.M.C.A. The Village People
2 ( 13 ) LE FREAK Chic
3 ( 3 ) YOU NEEDED ME Anne Murray
4 ( 4 ) MIRRORS Sally Oldfield
5 ( 9 ) A LITTLE MORE LOVE Olivia Newton-John
6 ( 5 ) I'LL PUT YOU TOGETHER AGAIN Hot Chocolate
7 ( 2 ) ELO EP (EVIL WOMAN/STRANGE MAGIC/CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD/MA MA MA BELLE Electric Light Orchestra
8 ( 12 ) SEPTEMBER" Earth, Wind And Fire
9 ( 15 ) ONE NATION UNDER A GROOVE Funkadelic
10 ( 6 ) HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK Ian Dury & The Blockheads

11 ( 8 ) I LOST MY HEART TO A STARSHIP TROOPER Sarah Brightman & Hot Gossip
12 ( 7 ) DOCTOR WHO Mankind
13 ( 18 ) HELLO THIS IS JOANNIE Paul Evans
14 ( NEW ) CHIQUITITA Abba
15 ( 22 ) EVERY NIGHT Phoebe Snow
16 ( 36 ) MY LIFE Billy Joel
17 ( 11 ) SONG FOR GUY Elton John
18 ( 20 ) I'M EVERY WOMAN Chaka Khan
19 ( 14 ) LAY YOUR LOVE ON ME Racey
20 ( 10 ) MARY'S BOY CHILD/ OH MY LORD Boney M

21 ( 16 ) EASE ON DOWN THE ROAD Diana Ross & Michael Jackson
22 ( 34 ) JUST THE WAY YOU ARE Barry White
23 ( 23 ) CAR 67 Driver 67
24 ( 17 ) DO YA THINK I'M SEXY Rod Stewart
25 ( 19 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
26 ( 26 ) IN THE BUSH Musique
27 ( NEW ) THIS IS IT Dan Hartman
28 ( 21 ) TOO MUCH HEAVEN The Bee Gees
29 ( 31 ) COULD IT BE MAGIC Barry Manilow
30 ( 52 ) TAKE THAT TO THE BANK Shalamar




31 ( 25 ) SHOOTING STAR Dollar
32 ( NEW ) DON'T HOLD BACK Chanson
33 ( 24 ) HANGING ON THE TELEPHONE Blondie
34 ( 32 ) RAINING IN MY HEART Leo Sayer
35 ( 71 ) THEME FROM "SUPERMAN" John Williams' Original Soundtrack
36 ( NEW ) A WOMAN IN LOVE The Three Degrees
37 ( 28 ) BEAUTY SCHOOL DROPOUT Frankie Avalon
38 ( 35 ) DANCE (DISCO HEAT) Sylvester
39 ( 33 ) I LOVE AMERICA Patrick Juvet
40 ( 38 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC




41 ( 37 ) HOPELESSLY DEVOTED TO YOU Olivia Newton-John
42 ( 27 ) PROMISES Buzzcocks
43 ( 29 ) TAKE 4 EP Mike Oldfield
44 ( 39 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
45 ( 48 ) NEW DAY Airwaves
46 ( 40 ) SWEET TALKING WOMAN E.L.O.
47 ( 44 ) ALWAYS AND FOREVER Heatwave
48 ( 68 ) RAMA LAMA DING DONG Rocky Sharpe & The Replays
49 ( 41 ) SUMMER NIGHTS John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
50 ( NEW ) DESIRE ME A Doll




51 ( 42 ) RIVERS OF BABYLON Boney M
52 ( 30 ) B.A.B.Y. Rachel Sweet
53 ( NEW ) YOU NEED A WOMAN Captain & Tenille
54 ( 59 ) YOU MAKE ME FEEL (MIGHTY REAL) Sylvester
55 ( 49 ) SUMMER NIGHT CITY Abba
56 ( 50 ) SILVER MACHINE Hawkwind
57 ( 43 ) TOMMY GUN The Clash
58 ( 51 ) YOU DON'T BRING ME FLOWERS Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond
59 ( 45 ) FAT BOTTOMED GIRLS/ BICYCLE RACE Queen
60 ( NEW ) COOL MEDITATION Third World




61 ( 47 ) ACCIDENT PRONE Status Quo
62 ( 56 ) EVE OF THE WAR Jeff Wayne (& Justin Hayward)
63 ( 57 ) RASPUTIN Boney M
64 ( 46 ) THE WIZARD OF OZ Meco
65 ( 54 ) PUBLIC IMAGE Public Image Limited
66 ( 60 ) RIGHT DOWN THE LINE Gerry Rafferty
67 ( NEW ) DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA The Shadows
68 ( 66 ) NIGHT FEVER The Bee Gees
69 ( 62 ) WHO WHAT WHEN WHERE WHY Manhattan Transfer
70 ( 65 ) GERM FREE ADOLESCENT X-Ray Spex

71 ( 58 ) FALLEN ANGEL Barbara Dickson
72 ( 53 ) NEW YORK NEW YORK Gerard Kenny
73 ( 75 ) INSTANT REPLAY Dan Hartman
74 ( 64 ) DOWN IN THE TUBE STATION AT MIDNIGHT The Jam
75 ( 63 ) PART TIME LOVE Elton John

TV
1 Soap
2 Monty Python's Flying Circus
3 Mork And Mindy
4 Blake's 7
5 Wonder Woman
6 The Morecambe & Wise Show
7 George Burns' 100th Birthday Party
8 Parkinson: Spike Milligan
9 The Rockford Files
10 Top Of The Pops

Posted by: popchartfreak 12th January 2014, 12:14 PM

31st Jan 1979


At last the charts get moving and exciting again after the looong Christmas lull. Anne Murray finally climbs to the top, and gets her second topper (Snowbird in 1970 the first) with her American Number one ballad. Blondie come from nowhere with a disco anthem in at 6, leap-frogging even Abba. Just to rub it in that disco was one of the major forces behind the mass-record-sales of 1979, everyone was doing it, rock, new wave, MOR, pop, metal acts (aka Stones, Rod, Blondie, Abba, Kiss and more) and even US-only stars like teen Leif Garrett who had a great little disco-chugger UK hit at last.

Big leaps for Superman, one-hit wonders A Doll, cool Third World reggae, classy disco Shalamar, majestic OTT Manilow, and child-hood big-stars The Shadows and their Evita instrumental re-tread. New entries lower down include great MOR rock from Toto and The Baby‘s, more French synth and disco from Jarre & Cerrone, and pub rock from Dr Feelgood.




1 ( 3 ) YOU NEEDED ME Anne Murray
2 ( 1 ) Y.M.C.A. The Village People
3 ( 5 ) A LITTLE MORE LOVE Olivia Newton-John
4 ( 4 ) MIRRORS Sally Oldfield
5 ( 8 ) SEPTEMBER" Earth, Wind And Fire
6 ( NEW ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
7 ( 15 ) EVERY NIGHT Phoebe Snow
8 ( 14 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
9 ( 2 ) LE FREAK Chic
10 ( 35 ) THEME FROM "SUPERMAN" John Williams' Original Soundtrack

11 ( 50 ) DESIRE ME A Doll
12 ( 29 ) COULD IT BE MAGIC Barry Manilow
13 ( 6 ) I'LL PUT YOU TOGETHER AGAIN Hot Chocolate
14 ( 7 ) ELO EP (EVIL WOMAN/STRANGE MAGIC/CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD/MA MA MA BELLE Electric Light Orchestra
15 ( 10 ) HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK Ian Dury & The Blockheads
16 ( 30 ) TAKE THAT TO THE BANK Shalamar
17 ( 9 ) ONE NATION UNDER A GROOVE Funkadelic
18 ( NEW ) I WAS MADE FOR DANCING Leif Garrett
19 ( 16 ) MY LIFE Billy Joel
20 ( 13 ) HELLO THIS IS JOANNIE Paul Evans




21 ( 11 ) I LOST MY HEART TO A STARSHIP TROOPER Sarah Brightman & Hot Gossip
22 ( 12 ) DOCTOR WHO Mankind
23 ( 22 ) JUST THE WAY YOU ARE Barry White
24 ( 27 ) THIS IS IT Dan Hartman
25 ( 17 ) SONG FOR GUY Elton John
26 ( 18 ) I'M EVERY WOMAN Chaka Khan
27 ( 20 ) MARY'S BOY CHILD/ OH MY LORD Boney M
28 ( 19 ) LAY YOUR LOVE ON ME Racey
29 ( 60 ) COOL MEDITATION Third World
30 ( 24 ) DO YA THINK I'M SEXY Rod Stewart

31 ( 23 ) CAR 67 Driver 67
32 ( 32 ) DON'T HOLD BACK Chanson
33 ( 25 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
34 ( 21 ) EASE ON DOWN THE ROAD Diana Ross & Michael Jackson
35 ( 67 ) DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA The Shadows
36 ( 28 ) TOO MUCH HEAVEN The Bee Gees
37 ( 31 ) SHOOTING STAR Dollar
38 ( 26 ) IN THE BUSH Musique
39 ( 48 ) RAMA LAMA DING DONG Rocky Sharpe & The Replays
40 ( 40 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC

41 ( 33 ) HANGING ON THE TELEPHONE Blondie
42 ( 36 ) A WOMAN IN LOVE The Three Degrees
43 ( 53 ) YOU NEED A WOMAN Captain & Tenille
44 ( 39 ) I LOVE AMERICA Patrick Juvet
45 ( 34 ) RAINING IN MY HEART Leo Sayer
46 ( 38 ) DANCE (DISCO HEAT) Sylvester
47 ( 44 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
48 ( 45 ) NEW DAY Airwaves
49 ( 41 ) HOPELESSLY DEVOTED TO YOU Olivia Newton-John
50 ( 46 ) SWEET TALKING WOMAN E.L.O.




51 ( NEW ) HOLD THE LINE Toto
52 ( 49 ) SUMMER NIGHTS John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
53 ( 42 ) PROMISES Buzzcocks
54 ( NEW ) (OUR LOVE) DON'T THROW IT ALL AWAY Andy Gibb
55 ( 47 ) ALWAYS AND FOREVER Heatwave
56 ( 56 ) SILVER MACHINE Hawkwind
57 ( 54 ) YOU MAKE ME FEEL (MIGHTY REAL) Sylvester
58 ( 51 ) RIVERS OF BABYLON Boney M
59 ( 37 ) BEAUTY SCHOOL DROPOUT Frankie Avalon
60 ( 55 ) SUMMER NIGHT CITY Abba

61 ( 65 ) PUBLIC IMAGE Public Image Limited
62 ( 62 ) EVE OF THE WAR Jeff Wayne (& Justin Hayward)
63 ( 43 ) TAKE 4 EP Mike Oldfield
64 ( 58 ) YOU DON'T BRING ME FLOWERS Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond
65 ( 57 ) TOMMY GUN The Clash
66 ( NEW ) WHEN I'M AWAY FROM YOU Frankie Miller
67 ( 63 ) RASPUTIN Boney M
68 ( NEW ) EQUINOXE 5 Jean-Michel Jarre
69 ( 66 ) RIGHT DOWN THE LINE Gerry Rafferty
70 ( 59 ) FAT BOTTOMED GIRLS/ BICYCLE RACE Queen




71 ( NEW ) JE SUIS MUSIC Cerrone
72 ( 68 ) NIGHT FEVER The Bee Gees
73 ( 52 ) B.A.B.Y. Rachel Sweet
74 ( NEW ) EVERY TIME I THINK OF YOU The Baby's
75 ( NEW ) MILK AND ALCOHOL Dr. Feelgood




TV
1 Monthy Python's Flying Circus
2 Mork And Mindy
3 Soap
4 Blake's 7
5 Doctor Who
6 Parkinson
7 The Rockford Files
8 Top Of The Pops
9 Call My Bluff
10 Life On earth

Posted by: popchartfreak 5th February 2014, 03:12 PM

7th Feb 1979

A first week at the top for disco Blondie, did it in 2 weeks, and their 2nd Number one (after Denis). Record sales were high high high, all three UK number ones have sold a million so far (and my other topper Anne Murray probably did in the USA). Abba’s Chiquitita uncharacteristically had to settle into the runner-up position (they hadn’t failed to top my chart since SOS).

Lots of chart movement as the pop scene sprung into life, lots of minor hits doing much better in my charts: A Doll, John Williams and Shalamar‘s first Top 10 3 years before they broke through big. The Love Theme from Superman on the B Side would also have charted (if I’d allowed B sides) as it was luvverly. I was a big John Williams, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Star Trek and Superman fan, so I think it’s fair to say I was in sci fi and music heaven from 1977 to 1980 really! Co-inciding exactly with my College years, rather sad to say, still the best years of my life.

New entries, great disco funk from Peaches & Herb, Billy Idol’s debut with Generation X doing an Elvis (and getting ready to wind up TOTP producers later in the year), and a somewhat famous record (and million-seller) slipping in at 41, Gloria Gaynor’s comeback hit after a run of John Hits, including 2 Number 1’s, Pete Wingfield’s return disguised inside Olympic Runners (18 With a Bullet, amusing soul pastiche hit Top 10 in 1975), Judas Priest debut with a pretty rubbish single as my mate had subjected me to Judas Priest albums in digs and their much-better album-track version of Joan Baez’ Diamonds wasn’t eligible. Ian Matthews also has a comeback, 9 years on from the wonderful Woodstock (Joni Mitchell dreamy cover UK number one), The Pointer Sisters cover Sly Stone’s Everybody Is A Star and get a hit after years of trying in the UK, The Undertones follow-up a classic less memorably ( but good), and The Doors chart a 60’s classic 8 years after Riders Of The Storm was first in the charts, and 3 years since it was last in the charts. Jim Morrison of course long-dead by then…



1 ( 6 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
2 ( 8 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
3 ( 2 ) Y.M.C.A. The Village People
4 ( 11 ) DESIRE ME A Doll
5 ( 10 ) THEME FROM "SUPERMAN" John Williams' Original Soundtrack
6 ( 18 ) I WAS MADE FOR DANCING Leif Garrett
7 ( 1 ) YOU NEEDED ME Anne Murray
8 ( 12 ) COULD IT BE MAGIC Barry Manilow
9 ( 4 ) MIRRORS Sally Oldfield
10 ( 16 ) TAKE THAT TO THE BANK Shalamar

11 ( 3 ) A LITTLE MORE LOVE Olivia Newton-John
12 ( 7 ) EVERY NIGHT Phoebe Snow
13 ( 9 ) LE FREAK Chic
14 ( 19 ) MY LIFE Billy Joel
15 ( 5 ) SEPTEMBER" Earth, Wind And Fire
16 ( 13 ) I'LL PUT YOU TOGETHER AGAIN Hot Chocolate
17 ( 17 ) ONE NATION UNDER A GROOVE Funkadelic
18 ( 15 ) HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK Ian Dury & The Blockheads
19 ( 35 ) DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA The Shadows
20 ( 29 ) COOL MEDITATION Third World



21 ( 14 ) ELO EP (EVIL WOMAN/STRANGE MAGIC/CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD/MA MA MA BELLE Electric Light Orchestra
22 ( 20 ) HELLO THIS IS JOANNIE Paul Evans
23 ( NEW ) SHAKE YOUR GROOVE THING Peaches & Herb
24 ( 21 ) I LOST MY HEART TO A STARSHIP TROOPER Sarah Brightman & Hot Gossip
25 ( 22 ) DOCTOR WHO Mankind
26 ( 23 ) JUST THE WAY YOU ARE Barry White
27 ( 71 ) JE SUIS MUSIC Cerrone
28 ( NEW ) KING ROCKER Generation X
29 ( 26 ) I'M EVERY WOMAN Chaka Khan
30 ( 32 ) DON'T HOLD BACK Chanson


31 ( 27 ) MARY'S BOY CHILD/ OH MY LORD Boney M
32 ( 25 ) SONG FOR GUY Elton John
33 ( 51 ) HOLD THE LINE Toto
34 ( 30 ) DO YA THINK I'M SEXY Rod Stewart
35 ( 31 ) CAR 67 Driver 67
36 ( 24 ) THIS IS IT Dan Hartman
37 ( 28 ) LAY YOUR LOVE ON ME Racey
38 ( 54 ) (OUR LOVE) DON'T THROW IT ALL AWAY Andy Gibb
39 ( 40 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
40 ( 33 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats


41 ( NEW ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
42 ( 42 ) A WOMAN IN LOVE The Three Degrees
43 ( 39 ) RAMA LAMA DING DONG Rocky Sharpe & The Replays
44 ( 74 ) EVERY TIME I THINK OF YOU The Baby's
45 ( 36 ) TOO MUCH HEAVEN The Bee Gees
46 ( NEW ) SIR DANCEALOT Olympic Runners
47 ( 47 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
48 ( 34 ) EASE ON DOWN THE ROAD Diana Ross & Michael Jackson
49 ( NEW ) TAKE OUT ON THE WORLD Judas Priest
50 ( 37 ) SHOOTING STAR Dollar

51 ( 38 ) IN THE BUSH Musique
52 ( 50 ) SWEET TALKING WOMAN E.L.O.
53 ( 41 ) HANGING ON THE TELEPHONE Blondie
54 ( 49 ) HOPELESSLY DEVOTED TO YOU Olivia Newton-John
55 ( 52 ) SUMMER NIGHTS John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
56 ( NEW ) SHAKE IT Ian Matthews
57 ( 44 ) I LOVE AMERICA Patrick Juvet
58 ( NEW ) HELLO I LOVE YOU The Doors
59 ( 43 ) YOU NEED A WOMAN Captain & Tenille
60 ( 68 ) EQUINOXE 5 Jean-Michel Jarre



61 ( 60 ) SUMMER NIGHT CITY Abba
62 ( 57 ) YOU MAKE ME FEEL (MIGHTY REAL) Sylvester
63 ( 58 ) RIVERS OF BABYLON Boney M
64 ( 56 ) SILVER MACHINE Hawkwind
65 ( 63 ) TAKE 4 EP Mike Oldfield
66 ( 61 ) PUBLIC IMAGE Public Image Limited
67 ( 75 ) MILK AND ALCOHOL Dr. Feelgood
68 ( 46 ) DANCE (DISCO HEAT) Sylvester
69 ( 62 ) EVE OF THE WAR Jeff Wayne (& Justin Hayward)
70 ( 48 ) NEW DAY Airwaves

71 ( 45 ) RAINING IN MY HEART Leo Sayer
72 ( NEW ) EVERYBODY IS A STAR The Pointer Sisters
73 ( 72 ) NIGHT FEVER The Bee Gees
74 ( NEW ) GET OVER YOU The Undertones
75 ( NEW ) WEEKEND Mick Jackson




TV
1 Soap
2 MASH
3 Monty Python
4 Wonder Woman
5 Mork & Mindy
6 Top Of The Pops
7 Morecambe & Wise Show
8 Film '79
9 Doctor Who
10 The Rockford Files

Posted by: popchartfreak 6th February 2014, 07:10 PM

14th Feb 1979

Second for Blondie at 1 presiding over a Top 20 of mostly minor shuffling. New entries from veteran Gene Chandler, now dabbling with disco, Rod gives up disco dabbling meanwhile and enters with a decent ballad, Judas Priest inexplicably make my Top 40, and The Bees Gees enter just above baby bruv Andy, with a bit of a disco explosion and future Steps identikit camp cover: Tragedy. It’s brilliant (the original, that is, sorry Steps fans, never learnt the dance moves).

Meanwhile Edwin Starr also jumps on the disco bandwagon, reasonably, but it’s no War (ugh! What is it good for? Absolutely Nothing!) 9 years after the event. Elvis Costello goes for his most radio-friendly single to date, albeit about mercenaries, it’s great. The Members oik their way into my charts, sort of Sham 69 part 2 (as if Part 1 wasn‘t more than enough, which at the least ended up sparking the fabulous 2-Tone before imploding in it‘s own racist cess-pool fandom), but the lads had a better style song and still-relevant lyric in the summer, briefly.

The new-look Darts were back, still-good but not nearly as madcap minus Den Hegarty, The Jacksons had a go at their Destiny (I think it was to be overshadowed by Michael by year’s end, actually), and Clout comeback with a Russ Ballard song that should have been a hit outside of South Africa. So good that Rainbow covered it later in the year and grabbed the hit. TV? Blake’s 7, rebels on top of the rivals, classy detectives, surgeons in Korea, woman with a lassoo, chart hits and current events.



1 ( 1 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
2 ( 2 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
3 ( 6 ) I WAS MADE FOR DANCING Leif Garrett
4 ( 4 ) DESIRE ME A Doll
5 ( 3 ) Y.M.C.A. The Village People
6 ( 8 ) COULD IT BE MAGIC Barry Manilow
7 ( 5 ) THEME FROM "SUPERMAN" John Williams' Original Soundtrack
8 ( 10 ) TAKE THAT TO THE BANK Shalamar
9 ( 9 ) MIRRORS Sally Oldfield
10 ( 7 ) YOU NEEDED ME Anne Murray

11 ( 11 ) A LITTLE MORE LOVE Olivia Newton-John
12 ( 14 ) MY LIFE Billy Joel
13 ( 12 ) EVERY NIGHT Phoebe Snow
14 ( 15 ) SEPTEMBER" Earth, Wind And Fire
15 ( 19 ) DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA The Shadows
16 ( 13 ) LE FREAK Chic
17 ( 20 ) COOL MEDITATION Third World
18 ( 18 ) HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK Ian Dury & The Blockheads
19 ( 23 ) SHAKE YOUR GROOVE THING Peaches & Herb
20 ( NEW ) GET DOWN Gene Chandler




21 ( 41 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
22 ( 17 ) ONE NATION UNDER A GROOVE Funkadelic
23 ( 16 ) I'LL PUT YOU TOGETHER AGAIN Hot Chocolate
24 ( 28 ) KING ROCKER Generation X
25 ( 21 ) ELO EP (EVIL WOMAN/STRANGE MAGIC/CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD/MA MA MA BELLE Electric Light Orchestra
26 ( NEW ) AIN'T LOVE A BITCH Rod Stewart
27 ( 26 ) JUST THE WAY YOU ARE Barry White
28 ( 24 ) I LOST MY HEART TO A STARSHIP TROOPER Sarah Brightman & Hot Gossip
29 ( 22 ) HELLO THIS IS JOANNIE Paul Evans
30 ( 33 ) HOLD THE LINE Toto




31 ( 46 ) SIR DANCEALOT Olympic Runners
32 ( 25 ) DOCTOR WHO Mankind
33 ( 49 ) TAKE OUT ON THE WORLD Judas Priest
34 ( 44 ) EVERY TIME I THINK OF YOU The Baby's
35 ( 27 ) JE SUIS MUSIC Cerrone
36 ( 36 ) THIS IS IT Dan Hartman
37 ( NEW ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
38 ( 38 ) (OUR LOVE) DON'T THROW IT ALL AWAY Andy Gibb
39 ( 31 ) MARY'S BOY CHILD/ OH MY LORD Boney M
40 ( 34 ) DO YA THINK I'M SEXY Rod Stewart

41 ( 35 ) CAR 67 Driver 67
42 ( NEW ) CONTACT Edwin Starr
43 ( 39 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
44 ( 40 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
45 ( 29 ) I'M EVERY WOMAN Chaka Khan
46 ( 37 ) LAY YOUR LOVE ON ME Racey
47 ( 56 ) SHAKE IT Ian Matthews
48 ( 32 ) SONG FOR GUY Elton John
49 ( NEW ) OLIVER'S ARMY Elvis Costello
50 ( 47 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty




51 ( 72 ) EVERYBODY IS A STAR The Pointer Sisters
52 ( 30 ) DON'T HOLD BACK Chanson
53 ( 45 ) TOO MUCH HEAVEN The Bee Gees
54 ( 58 ) HELLO I LOVE YOU The Doors
55 ( 52 ) SWEET TALKING WOMAN E.L.O.
56 ( 54 ) HOPELESSLY DEVOTED TO YOU Olivia Newton-John
57 ( NEW ) SOUND OF THE SUBURBS The Members
58 ( 43 ) RAMA LAMA DING DONG Rocky Sharpe & The Replays
59 ( 55 ) SUMMER NIGHTS John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
60 ( NEW ) GET IT Darts

61 ( 42 ) A WOMAN IN LOVE The Three Degrees
62 ( 48 ) EASE ON DOWN THE ROAD Diana Ross & Michael Jackson
63 ( 67 ) MILK AND ALCOHOL Dr. Feelgood
64 ( 50 ) SHOOTING STAR Dollar
65 ( 53 ) HANGING ON THE TELEPHONE Blondie
66 ( NEW ) DESTINY The Jacksons
67 ( 62 ) YOU MAKE ME FEEL (MIGHTY REAL) Sylvester
68 ( 63 ) RIVERS OF BABYLON Boney M
69 ( 61 ) SUMMER NIGHT CITY Abba
70 ( 64 ) SILVER MACHINE Hawkwind

71 ( NEW ) SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE Clout
72 ( 75 ) WEEKEND Mick Jackson
73 ( 57 ) I LOVE AMERICA Patrick Juvet
74 ( 66 ) PUBLIC IMAGE Public Image Limited
75 ( NEW ) YOU BET YOUR LOVE Herbie Hancock

TV
1 Blake's 7
2 Monty Python
3 The Morecambe & Wise Show
4 MASH
5 Wonder Woman
6 Top Of The Pops
7 The Rockford Files
8 Tonight
9 Petrocelli
10 Rising Damp

Posted by: popchartfreak 6th February 2014, 07:53 PM

21st Feb 1979

I was getting into my screen printing and photography at College by this time, especially suing my Tunisian photos for booklet-style Arabic prints, Tunisian graffiti and such arty-farty stuff. The Blondie/Abba douible still held for a third week at the top, though lots of movement elsewhere: challengers Bee Gees and Gloria Gaynor line-up near the top; minor hit Peaches & Herb (featured recentl;y in a Hollywood movie, cos it’s still fab) goes Top 10 for me; Elvis Costello and Darts rocket into the Top 20.

A deluge of great debuts from The Late Show (obscure 50’s revivalists), Scots rockers Nazareth (back after 2 years away), The Pretenders (American darling rock journo Chrissie Hynde Sandie Shaw-ing beautifully over a Ray Davies Kinks song. They had more than musical admiration going on….), The Doobie Brothers, (back after 5 years for a final attempt at a UK hit with Michael McDonald in tow), Boney (last Nightflight To Venus single, 60’s cover), The Skids (now THAT’S how do you do punk-chanting pop properly!), Lene Lovich (bizarrely-phrased whacky American new wave pop). And The Dooleys.



1 ( 1 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
2 ( 2 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
3 ( 3 ) I WAS MADE FOR DANCING Leif Garrett
4 ( 37 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
5 ( 4 ) DESIRE ME A Doll
6 ( 19 ) SHAKE YOUR GROOVE THING Peaches & Herb
7 ( 5 ) Y.M.C.A. The Village People
8 ( 21 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
9 ( 42 ) CONTACT Edwin Starr
10 ( 10 ) YOU NEEDED ME Anne Murray

11 ( 8 ) TAKE THAT TO THE BANK Shalamar
12 ( 9 ) MIRRORS Sally Oldfield
13 ( 6 ) COULD IT BE MAGIC Barry Manilow
14 ( 7 ) THEME FROM "SUPERMAN" John Williams' Original Soundtrack
15 ( 49 ) OLIVER'S ARMY Elvis Costello
16 ( 12 ) MY LIFE Billy Joel
17 ( 11 ) A LITTLE MORE LOVE Olivia Newton-John
18 ( 60 ) GET IT Darts
19 ( 14 ) SEPTEMBER" Earth, Wind And Fire
20 ( 20 ) GET DOWN Gene Chandler




21 ( 16 ) LE FREAK Chic
22 ( 24 ) KING ROCKER Generation X
23 ( 13 ) EVERY NIGHT Phoebe Snow
24 ( 18 ) HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK Ian Dury & The Blockheads
25 ( 26 ) AIN'T LOVE A BITCH Rod Stewart
26 ( 15 ) DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA The Shadows
27 ( 30 ) HOLD THE LINE Toto
28 ( 17 ) COOL MEDITATION Third World
29 ( 34 ) EVERY TIME I THINK OF YOU The Baby's
30 ( 22 ) ONE NATION UNDER A GROOVE Funkadelic

31 ( 25 ) ELO EP (EVIL WOMAN/STRANGE MAGIC/CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD/MA MA MA BELLE Electric Light Orchestra
32 ( 23 ) I'LL PUT YOU TOGETHER AGAIN Hot Chocolate
33 ( 28 ) I LOST MY HEART TO A STARSHIP TROOPER Sarah Brightman & Hot Gossip
34 ( 38 ) (OUR LOVE) DON'T THROW IT ALL AWAY Andy Gibb
35 ( 27 ) JUST THE WAY YOU ARE Barry White
36 ( 33 ) TAKE OUT ON THE WORLD Judas Priest
37 ( 31 ) SIR DANCEALOT Olympic Runners
38 ( NEW ) THE BRISTOL STOMP The Late Show
39 ( 32 ) DOCTOR WHO Mankind
40 ( 29 ) HELLO THIS IS JOANNIE Paul Evans

41 ( 40 ) DO YA THINK I'M SEXY Rod Stewart
42 ( 39 ) MARY'S BOY CHILD/ OH MY LORD Boney M
43 ( 43 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
44 ( 44 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
45 ( 35 ) JE SUIS MUSIC Cerrone
46 ( NEW ) MAY THE SUN SHINE Nazareth
47 ( 36 ) THIS IS IT Dan Hartman
48 ( 41 ) CAR 67 Driver 67
49 ( 57 ) SOUND OF THE SUBURBS The Members
50 ( 50 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty




51 ( 47 ) SHAKE IT Ian Matthews
52 ( NEW ) STOP YOUR SOBBING The Pretenders
53 ( NEW ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers
54 ( 46 ) LAY YOUR LOVE ON ME Racey
55 ( 45 ) I'M EVERY WOMAN Chaka Khan
56 ( 48 ) SONG FOR GUY Elton John
57 ( 55 ) SWEET TALKING WOMAN E.L.O.
58 ( NEW ) PAINTER MAN Boney M
59 ( 56 ) HOPELESSLY DEVOTED TO YOU Olivia Newton-John
60 ( 71 ) SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE Clout




61 ( 53 ) TOO MUCH HEAVEN The Bee Gees
62 ( 59 ) SUMMER NIGHTS John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
63 ( 63 ) MILK AND ALCOHOL Dr. Feelgood
64 ( NEW ) QUE TAL AMERICA 2 Man Sound
65 ( 62 ) EASE ON DOWN THE ROAD Diana Ross & Michael Jackson
66 ( 51 ) EVERYBODY IS A STAR The Pointer Sisters
67 ( NEW ) INTO THE VALLEY The Skids
68 ( NEW ) DOCTOR DOCTOR UFO
69 ( 67 ) YOU MAKE ME FEEL (MIGHTY REAL) Sylvester
70 ( 68 ) RIVERS OF BABYLON Boney M




71 ( NEW ) LUCKY NUMBERS Lene Lovich
72 ( NEW ) HONEY I'M LOST The Dooleys
73 ( 61 ) A WOMAN IN LOVE The Three Degrees
74 ( 69 ) SUMMER NIGHT CITY Abba
75 ( 70 ) SILVER MACHINE Hawkwind




TV
1 The Unrecorded Jasper carrott
2 The Christmas Video Show
3 MASH
4 In The Heat Of The Night (film)
5 Kenny Evertt Video Show
6 Morecambe & Wise Show
7 Fawlty Towers
8 Wonder Woman
9 Top Of The Pops
10 Mork & Mindy

Posted by: popchartfreak 6th February 2014, 07:57 PM

28th Feb 1979

Posted by: popchartfreak 10th February 2014, 07:17 PM

28th Feb 1979

After 3 weeks at 2 Abba finally topple Blondie with the delectably sweet Chiquitita, Abba's 9th consecutive chart-topper and 10th in all, with another 6 Top 40 hits sprinkled about too. Toto also finally get moving into the Top 20 after several weeks, rocktastic, and The Baby's get their 2nd Top 20 with the dramatically fab Every Time I Think Of You. Nazereth rocket up to 19, The Doobie's 22 and two mega-famous rock classics enter at 23 and 25 for Meatloaf and Queen, making for a very Rock-biased chart. Herbie Hancock gets his 2nd jazz-disco vocoder hit (these days they call it autotune and it's obligatory for singers who can't sing in tune, then it was more optional...)

Meanwhile Lene Lovich keeps up the New Wave flag Top 40, along with Elvis Costello going Top 10. Soul and dancefunk new entries from the hot The Real Thing force-ing their way in, Donna Summer popping in Heaven Knows, and The Ritchie Family back again 4 years after debuting with Brazil, and doing a disco medley in '76, with one of the cheesiest eurodisco non-hits (in the UK). It's great fun though! The Pointer Sisters drop out with Everybody Is A Star - and also enter with Bruce Springsteen's Fire, and a much better record it is too. Class. As is the lovely Lotta Love just behind it, an American hit even if the UK was too cool for ballads for the most part in 1979.

TV? Doctor Who re-asserts itself over newcomer Blake's 7, TOTP sounds fab (it was a great year for music), David Attenborough's classic Life On earth was fresh and new and ground-breaking, and Robin Williams was still funny.



1 ( 2 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
2 ( 1 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
3 ( 4 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
4 ( 8 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
5 ( 9 ) CONTACT Edwin Starr
6 ( 3 ) I WAS MADE FOR DANCING Leif Garrett
7 ( 15 ) OLIVER'S ARMY Elvis Costello
8 ( 20 ) GET DOWN Gene Chandler
9 ( 5 ) DESIRE ME A Doll
10 ( 7 ) Y.M.C.A. The Village People

11 ( 6 ) SHAKE YOUR GROOVE THING Peaches & Herb
12 ( 18 ) GET IT Darts
13 ( 10 ) YOU NEEDED ME Anne Murray
14 ( 27 ) HOLD THE LINE Toto
15 ( 12 ) MIRRORS Sally Oldfield
16 ( 29 ) EVERY TIME I THINK OF YOU The Baby's
17 ( 25 ) AIN'T LOVE A BITCH Rod Stewart
18 ( 13 ) COULD IT BE MAGIC Barry Manilow
19 ( 46 ) MAY THE SUN SHINE Nazareth
20 ( 14 ) THEME FROM "SUPERMAN" John Williams' Original Soundtrack




21 ( 11 ) TAKE THAT TO THE BANK Shalamar
22 ( 53 ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers
23 ( NEW ) BAT OUT OF HELL Meatloaf
24 ( 24 ) HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK Ian Dury & The Blockheads
25 ( NEW ) DON'T STOP ME NOW Queen
26 ( 17 ) A LITTLE MORE LOVE Olivia Newton-John
27 ( 21 ) LE FREAK Chic
28 ( 19 ) SEPTEMBER" Earth, Wind And Fire
29 ( RE ) YOU BET YOUR LOVE Herbie Hancock
30 ( 16 ) MY LIFE Billy Joel




31 ( 22 ) KING ROCKER Generation X
32 ( 71 ) LUCKY NUMBERS Lene Lovich
33 ( NEW ) HOT SHOT Karen Young
34 ( 26 ) DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA The Shadows
35 ( 31 ) ELO EP (EVIL WOMAN/STRANGE MAGIC/CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD/MA MA MA BELLE Electric Light Orchestra
36 ( 33 ) I LOST MY HEART TO A STARSHIP TROOPER Sarah Brightman & Hot Gossip
37 ( 23 ) EVERY NIGHT Phoebe Snow
38 ( 34 ) (OUR LOVE) DON'T THROW IT ALL AWAY Andy Gibb
39 ( 49 ) SOUND OF THE SUBURBS The Members
40 ( 30 ) ONE NATION UNDER A GROOVE Funkadelic

41 ( 28 ) COOL MEDITATION Third World
42 ( 36 ) TAKE OUT ON THE WORLD Judas Priest
43 ( 52 ) STOP YOUR SOBBING The Pretenders
44 ( 43 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
45 ( 44 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
46 ( 32 ) I'LL PUT YOU TOGETHER AGAIN Hot Chocolate
47 ( 39 ) DOCTOR WHO Mankind
48 ( 41 ) DO YA THINK I'M SEXY Rod Stewart
49 ( 42 ) MARY'S BOY CHILD/ OH MY LORD Boney M
50 ( 38 ) THE BRISTOL STOMP The Late Show




51 ( 35 ) JUST THE WAY YOU ARE Barry White
52 ( 58 ) PAINTER MAN Boney M
53 ( 60 ) SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE Clout
54 ( 37 ) SIR DANCEALOT Olympic Runners
55 ( 50 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
56 ( NEW ) CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE The Real Thing
57 ( 40 ) HELLO THIS IS JOANNIE Paul Evans
58 ( 45 ) JE SUIS MUSIC Cerrone
59 ( 67 ) INTO THE VALLEY The Skids
60 ( 47 ) THIS IS IT Dan Hartman

61 ( 72 ) HONEY I'M LOST The Dooleys
62 ( 57 ) SWEET TALKING WOMAN E.L.O.
63 ( RE ) WEEKEND Mick Jackson
64 ( 48 ) CAR 67 Driver 67
65 ( 59 ) HOPELESSLY DEVOTED TO YOU Olivia Newton-John
66 ( 63 ) MILK AND ALCOHOL Dr. Feelgood
67 ( NEW ) HEAVEN KNOWS Donna Summer
68 ( 56 ) SONG FOR GUY Elton John
69 ( 54 ) LAY YOUR LOVE ON ME Racey
70 ( 62 ) SUMMER NIGHTS John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John




71 ( 51 ) SHAKE IT Ian Matthews
72 ( NEW ) AMERICAN GENERATION The Ritchie Family
73 ( 55 ) I'M EVERY WOMAN Chaka Khan
74 ( NEW ) FIRE The Pointer Sisters
75 ( NEW ) LOTTA LOVE Nicolette Larson

TV
1 Soap
2 Mork & Mindy
3 Top Of The Pops
4 Doctor Who
5 Wonder Woman
6 Blake's 7
7 Life On Earth
8 The Dick Emery Show
9 Tomorrow's World
10 Olivia

Posted by: popchartfreak 15th March 2014, 09:46 AM

7th March 1979

A visit to Kettering around now, mate Alan’s 21st birthday party do with our gang of College friends. His girlfriend was holding all our coats when we went in, she and Alan exchanged words, and she dropped the lot on the floor. Funny. Alan’s brother was a club DJ, which impressed me no end, and made me a little envious. Kettering, though, errr, not that exciting.

Second week at the top for delicious Abba, holding off 3 UK number one singles! Elvis Costello finally gets a Top 5 hit, and The Skids positively rocket into the valley of the Top 10 from 59. My sort of New Wave: Catchy and up tempo! Toto finally get into the 10, The Real Thing continue their 7-year-run of hits (Vicious Circle in 1972 being the first - well, if I’d allowed none-charting hits in my chart (I bought the single).

New entries: the gorgeous Chic at 17. Nile Rodgers you know. Nuff said. The Cars follow-up at 29 with another quirky rocktastic cool track. David Essex show tunes his way to 39, a bit military-style, and quite exciting in production. I almost always really liked his minor hits in the 70’s, often off-the-wall and interesting. Under-rated as a songwriter too. Lower down, The Sex Pistols cover Eddie Cochran and become a novelty act, sort of. Neil Diamond’s back with his last decent poppy song, Foreigner sneak in, and Thin Lizzy riff it up at 75. Reggae from Dennis Brown, Violins from ELO’s Violinski, and Gary’s Gang keep on dancing. Sadly, not the much better Bay City Rollers cover of the American 60’s pop hit.


1 ( 1 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
2 ( 3 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
3 ( 2 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
4 ( 4 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
5 ( 7 ) OLIVER'S ARMY Elvis Costello
6 ( 5 ) CONTACT Edwin Starr
7 ( 59 ) INTO THE VALLEY The Skids
8 ( 8 ) GET DOWN Gene Chandler
9 ( 6 ) I WAS MADE FOR DANCING Leif Garrett
10 ( 14 ) HOLD THE LINE Toto

11 ( 22 ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers
12 ( 32 ) LUCKY NUMBERS Lene Lovich
13 ( 56 ) CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE The Real Thing
14 ( 16 ) EVERY TIME I THINK OF YOU The Baby's
15 ( 10 ) Y.M.C.A. The Village People
16 ( 9 ) DESIRE ME A Doll
17 ( NEW ) I WANT YOUR LOVE Chic
18 ( 12 ) GET IT Darts
19 ( 11 ) SHAKE YOUR GROOVE THING Peaches & Herb
20 ( 23 ) BAT OUT OF HELL Meatloaf



21 ( 15 ) MIRRORS Sally Oldfield
22 ( 29 ) YOU BET YOUR LOVE Herbie Hancock
23 ( 13 ) YOU NEEDED ME Anne Murray
24 ( 52 ) PAINTER MAN Boney M
25 ( 25 ) DON'T STOP ME NOW Queen
26 ( 20 ) THEME FROM "SUPERMAN" John Williams' Original Soundtrack
27 ( 17 ) AIN'T LOVE A BITCH Rod Stewart
28 ( 18 ) COULD IT BE MAGIC Barry Manilow
29 ( NEW ) JUST WHAT I NEEDED The Cars
30 ( 24 ) HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK Ian Dury & The Blockheads



31 ( 19 ) MAY THE SUN SHINE Nazareth
32 ( 43 ) STOP YOUR SOBBING The Pretenders
33 ( 39 ) SOUND OF THE SUBURBS The Members
34 ( 27 ) LE FREAK Chic
35 ( 61 ) HONEY I'M LOST The Dooleys
36 ( 21 ) TAKE THAT TO THE BANK Shalamar
37 ( 67 ) HEAVEN KNOWS Donna Summer
38 ( 26 ) A LITTLE MORE LOVE Olivia Newton-John
39 ( NEW ) IMPERIAL WIZARD David Essex
40 ( 28 ) SEPTEMBER" Earth, Wind And Fire

41 ( 36 ) I LOST MY HEART TO A STARSHIP TROOPER Sarah Brightman & Hot Gossip
42 ( 33 ) HOT SHOT Karen Young
43 ( 35 ) ELO EP (EVIL WOMAN/STRANGE MAGIC/CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD/MA MA MA BELLE Electric Light Orchestra
44 ( 31 ) KING ROCKER Generation X
45 ( 30 ) MY LIFE Billy Joel
46 ( 44 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
47 ( 45 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
48 ( 38 ) (OUR LOVE) DON'T THROW IT ALL AWAY Andy Gibb
49 ( 34 ) DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA The Shadows
50 ( 53 ) SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE Clout

51 ( 37 ) EVERY NIGHT Phoebe Snow
52 ( 48 ) DO YA THINK I'M SEXY Rod Stewart
53 ( 40 ) ONE NATION UNDER A GROOVE Funkadelic
54 ( 49 ) MARY'S BOY CHILD/ OH MY LORD Boney M
55 ( 47 ) DOCTOR WHO Mankind
56 ( 46 ) I'LL PUT YOU TOGETHER AGAIN Hot Chocolate
57 ( 63 ) WEEKEND Mick Jackson
58 ( NEW ) BLUE MORNING BLUE DAY Foreigner
59 ( 55 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
60 ( NEW ) CLOG DANCE Violinski

61 ( 50 ) THE BRISTOL STOMP The Late Show
62 ( 74 ) FIRE The Pointer Sisters
63 ( 42 ) TAKE OUT ON THE WORLD Judas Priest
64 ( 51 ) JUST THE WAY YOU ARE Barry White
65 ( 41 ) COOL MEDITATION Third World
66 ( 62 ) SWEET TALKING WOMAN E.L.O.
67 ( NEW ) MONEY IN MY POCKET Dennis Brown
68 ( 57 ) HELLO THIS IS JOANNIE Paul Evans
69 ( 65 ) HOPELESSLY DEVOTED TO YOU Olivia Newton-John
70 ( NEW ) KEEP ON DANCING Gary's Gang

71 ( 66 ) MILK AND ALCOHOL Dr. Feelgood
72 ( NEW ) SOMETHING ELSE The Sex Pistols
73 ( 70 ) SUMMER NIGHTS John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
74 ( NEW ) FOREVER IN BLUE JEANS Neil Diamond
75 ( NEW ) WAITING FOR AN ALIBI Thin Lizzy




TV
1 Kenny Everett Video Show
2 film: The Thin Man
3 Soap
4 Wonder Woman
5 Blake's 7
6 Film '79
7 Top Of The Pops
8 Fawlty Towers
9 The Rockford Files
10 The Sky At Night

Posted by: popchartfreak 15th March 2014, 09:52 AM

14th March 1979

It’s a Tragedy! Thankfully, an original Bee Gees, thunderclap-booming, frantic-paced, high-pitched falsetto-tight-pants immaculately-produced classic as opposed to that other version. Top 10: The Real Thing and Chic returning, The Doobie Brothers debuting - Listen To The Music peaked at 11 5 years earlier. Top 20: Queen, Boney M and Herbie Hancock return, The Pretenders leap in with their debut single. Note: Meatloaf peaks at 20! Will Queen (another rock classic) do the same?!

Lots of big climbers, after a jolly good Top Of The Pops, just repeated in fact, and influencing new entries lower down such as the fantastic frantic, shouty, throbbing rocker from former Hawkind singer (and number one) Lemmy, Motorhead debut. Dire Straits quietly debut, grooving it at 75. I loved the cool sounds. Lizzy shoot up, they always had a knack for riffs and choruses, and by now 6 years-worth of hits.

The Bristol Stomp about faces and adds a bit of 60’s-stylee fun to the 40, while new entries from US rock ballad band Firefall, 1973 reissued soft-jazz-rock classic from Steely Dan, Buzzcocks frantic new wave gem, and Kate’s mysterious moody Wow, all slip in amongst all the action.

On TV Kenny Everett still ruled, just ahead of wacky Soap and the aforementioned TOTP episode. Blake’s 7 started to pick up steam as Avon started to take shape as the most popular character. I was 21, but still room for Muppets, new sci-fi movies specials, a bit of politics and superheroes. Pretty much the same as 56 then. Why change now, eh?



1 ( 2 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
2 ( 4 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
3 ( 1 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
4 ( 3 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
5 ( 7 ) INTO THE VALLEY The Skids
6 ( 13 ) CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE The Real Thing
7 ( 5 ) OLIVER'S ARMY Elvis Costello
8 ( 11 ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers
9 ( 17 ) I WANT YOUR LOVE Chic
10 ( 8 ) GET DOWN Gene Chandler

11 ( 6 ) CONTACT Edwin Starr
12 ( 12 ) LUCKY NUMBERS Lene Lovich
13 ( 10 ) HOLD THE LINE Toto
14 ( 24 ) PAINTER MAN Boney M
15 ( 22 ) YOU BET YOUR LOVE Herbie Hancock
16 ( 9 ) I WAS MADE FOR DANCING Leif Garrett
17 ( 14 ) EVERY TIME I THINK OF YOU The Baby's
18 ( 32 ) STOP YOUR SOBBING The Pretenders
19 ( 70 ) KEEP ON DANCING Gary's Gang
20 ( 25 ) DON'T STOP ME NOW Queen

21 ( 15 ) Y.M.C.A. The Village People
22 ( 72 ) SOMETHING ELSE The Sex Pistols
23 ( 29 ) JUST WHAT I NEEDED The Cars
24 ( 16 ) DESIRE ME A Doll
25 ( 35 ) HONEY I'M LOST The Dooleys
26 ( 67 ) MONEY IN MY POCKET Dennis Brown
27 ( 21 ) MIRRORS Sally Oldfield
28 ( 39 ) IMPERIAL WIZARD David Essex
29 ( 18 ) GET IT Darts
30 ( 75 ) WAITING FOR AN ALIBI Thin Lizzy

31 ( 23 ) YOU NEEDED ME Anne Murray
32 ( 37 ) HEAVEN KNOWS Donna Summer
33 ( 19 ) SHAKE YOUR GROOVE THING Peaches & Herb
34 ( 61 ) THE BRISTOL STOMP The Late Show
35 ( 27 ) AIN'T LOVE A BITCH Rod Stewart
36 ( 26 ) THEME FROM "SUPERMAN" John Williams' Original Soundtrack
37 ( 28 ) COULD IT BE MAGIC Barry Manilow
38 ( 30 ) HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK Ian Dury & The Blockheads
39 ( NEW ) STRANGE WAY Firefall
40 ( 20 ) BAT OUT OF HELL Meatloaf

41 ( 34 ) LE FREAK Chic
42 ( 33 ) SOUND OF THE SUBURBS The Members
43 ( 60 ) CLOG DANCE Violinski
44 ( 41 ) I LOST MY HEART TO A STARSHIP TROOPER Sarah Brightman & Hot Gossip
45 ( NEW ) RIKKI DON'T LOSE THAT NUMBER Steely Dan
46 ( 31 ) MAY THE SUN SHINE Nazareth
47 ( NEW ) EVERYBODY'S HAPPY NOWADAYS Buzzcocks
48 ( 46 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
49 ( 47 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
50 ( 43 ) ELO EP (EVIL WOMAN/STRANGE MAGIC/CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD/MA MA MA BELLE Electric Light Orchestra



51 ( 38 ) A LITTLE MORE LOVE Olivia Newton-John
52 ( 36 ) TAKE THAT TO THE BANK Shalamar
53 ( 40 ) SEPTEMBER" Earth, Wind And Fire
54 ( 62 ) FIRE The Pointer Sisters
55 ( 42 ) HOT SHOT Karen Young
56 ( 59 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
57 ( 52 ) DO YA THINK I'M SEXY Rod Stewart
58 ( NEW ) WOW Kate Bush
59 ( 54 ) MARY'S BOY CHILD/ OH MY LORD Boney M
60 ( 45 ) MY LIFE Billy Joel



61 ( 74 ) FOREVER IN BLUE JEANS Neil Diamond
62 ( 51 ) EVERY NIGHT Phoebe Snow
63 ( 55 ) DOCTOR WHO Mankind
64 ( 56 ) I'LL PUT YOU TOGETHER AGAIN Hot Chocolate
65 ( 53 ) ONE NATION UNDER A GROOVE Funkadelic
66 ( 57 ) WEEKEND Mick Jackson
67 ( NEW ) OVERKILL Motorhead
68 ( 48 ) (OUR LOVE) DON'T THROW IT ALL AWAY Andy Gibb
69 ( 58 ) BLUE MORNING BLUE DAY Foreigner
70 ( NEW ) WARM FEELING Lindisfarne



71 ( NEW ) GREEN LIGHT Cliff Richard
72 ( 66 ) SWEET TALKING WOMAN E.L.O.
73 ( 50 ) SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE Clout
74 ( 64 ) JUST THE WAY YOU ARE Barry White
75 ( NEW ) SULTANS OF SWING Dire Straits

TV
1 Kenny Everett Video Show
2 Soap
3 Blake's 7
4 Top Of The Pops
5 Mork & Mindy
6 Fawlty Towers
7 The Muppet Show
8 Arena: Cinema: Invasion Of The Body Snatchers
9 Tonight (Thursday) - politics/news
10 Wonder Woman

Posted by: popchartfreak 16th March 2014, 10:02 AM

21st March 1979

2nd week on top for Tragedy. Toto about face and Hold The Line at 4, and jolly good too! Herbie Hancock vocodes his way into the Top 10 - if only he knew the horrors he would be unleashing on 21st Century pop when they changed the name to autotune. Sort of.

Buzzcocks make it 4 out 4 Top 30 hits, Kate makes it 3 out of 4 Top 40 (and 4 out of 4 Top 75), but it’s the new entries for the news: Roxy Music are back after 3 years with Trash. Not trash, mind you, though hardly of the same standard as classic Roxy, but glad to have them back! In The Navy comes on a recruitment drive - I know I signed up. Actually, it put me off, if anything!

The Jam are back as usual with a low entry, but the standard of singles was climbing with each release. Can’t say the same for The Clash, back with the English Civil War, more of a message than a pop song. Lastly, Manfred’s back with You Angel You, a decent single and minor hit, for over a decade of chart hits.
TV? Still Kenny Everett topping, MASH still quipping, and Eurovision preps it’s way in. I have no idea what Of Mycenae And Men was about, but it’s either very helpful to my Greek & Roman Lit studies at Uni or a sitcom I’ve utterly forgotten….answers please….!




1 ( 1 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
2 ( 2 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
3 ( 9 ) I WANT YOUR LOVE Chic
4 ( 13 ) HOLD THE LINE Toto
5 ( 5 ) INTO THE VALLEY The Skids
6 ( 3 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
7 ( 4 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
8 ( 15 ) YOU BET YOUR LOVE Herbie Hancock
9 ( 8 ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers
10 ( 6 ) CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE The Real Thing

11 ( 19 ) KEEP ON DANCING Gary's Gang
12 ( 7 ) OLIVER'S ARMY Elvis Costello
13 ( 14 ) PAINTER MAN Boney M
14 ( 18 ) STOP YOUR SOBBING The Pretenders
15 ( 10 ) GET DOWN Gene Chandler
16 ( 23 ) JUST WHAT I NEEDED The Cars
17 ( 11 ) CONTACT Edwin Starr
18 ( 28 ) IMPERIAL WIZARD David Essex
19 ( 30 ) WAITING FOR AN ALIBI Thin Lizzy
20 ( 22 ) SOMETHING ELSE The Sex Pistols



21 ( 12 ) LUCKY NUMBERS Lene Lovich
22 ( 16 ) I WAS MADE FOR DANCING Leif Garrett
23 ( 26 ) MONEY IN MY POCKET Dennis Brown
24 ( 34 ) THE BRISTOL STOMP The Late Show
25 ( 25 ) HONEY I'M LOST The Dooleys
26 ( 17 ) EVERY TIME I THINK OF YOU The Baby's
27 ( 21 ) Y.M.C.A. The Village People
28 ( 47 ) EVERYBODY'S HAPPY NOWADAYS Buzzcocks
29 ( 32 ) HEAVEN KNOWS Donna Summer
30 ( 39 ) STRANGE WAY Firefall

31 ( 20 ) DON'T STOP ME NOW Queen
32 ( 24 ) DESIRE ME A Doll
33 ( 27 ) MIRRORS Sally Oldfield
34 ( 29 ) GET IT Darts
35 ( 58 ) WOW Kate Bush
36 ( 31 ) YOU NEEDED ME Anne Murray
37 ( 43 ) CLOG DANCE Violinski
38 ( 36 ) THEME FROM "SUPERMAN" John Williams' Original Soundtrack
39 ( 75 ) SULTANS OF SWING Dire Straits
40 ( NEW ) TRASH Roxy Music



41 ( 35 ) AIN'T LOVE A BITCH Rod Stewart
42 ( 41 ) LE FREAK Chic
43 ( 38 ) HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK Ian Dury & The Blockheads
44 ( 37 ) COULD IT BE MAGIC Barry Manilow
45 ( 45 ) RIKKI DON'T LOSE THAT NUMBER Steely Dan
46 ( 61 ) FOREVER IN BLUE JEANS Neil Diamond
47 ( 56 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
48 ( 44 ) I LOST MY HEART TO A STARSHIP TROOPER Sarah Brightman & Hot Gossip
49 ( 49 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
50 ( 48 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC

51 ( 33 ) SHAKE YOUR GROOVE THING Peaches & Herb
52 ( 70 ) WARM FEELING Lindisfarne
53 ( 40 ) BAT OUT OF HELL Meatloaf
54 ( 54 ) FIRE The Pointer Sisters
55 ( 50 ) ELO EP (EVIL WOMAN/STRANGE MAGIC/CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD/MA MA MA BELLE Electric Light Orchestra
56 ( 42 ) SOUND OF THE SUBURBS The Members
57 ( NEW ) IN THE NAVY The Village People
58 ( NEW ) STRANGE TOWN The Jam
59 ( 57 ) DO YA THINK I'M SEXY Rod Stewart
60 ( 51 ) A LITTLE MORE LOVE Olivia Newton-John

61 ( 46 ) MAY THE SUN SHINE Nazareth
62 ( 59 ) MARY'S BOY CHILD/ OH MY LORD Boney M
63 ( 52 ) TAKE THAT TO THE BANK Shalamar
64 ( 53 ) SEPTEMBER" Earth, Wind And Fire
65 ( 55 ) HOT SHOT Karen Young
66 ( NEW ) YOU ANGEL YOU Manfred Mann's Earthband
67 ( 67 ) OVERKILL Motorhead
68 ( 60 ) MY LIFE Billy Joel
69 ( 63 ) DOCTOR WHO Mankind
70 ( NEW ) TURN THE MUSIC UP Player's Association

71 ( 71 ) GREEN LIGHT Cliff Richard
72 ( 62 ) EVERY NIGHT Phoebe Snow
73 ( 64 ) I'LL PUT YOU TOGETHER AGAIN Hot Chocolate
74 ( 65 ) ONE NATION UNDER A GROOVE Funkadelic
75 ( NEW ) ENGLISH CIVIL WAR The Clash

TV
1 Kenny Everett Video Show
2 Fawlty Towers
3 MASH
4 Of Mycenae And Men
5 Film Review
6 Top Of The Pops
7 Blake's 7
8 Eurovision Preview Part 1
9 Wonder Woman
10 The Practise

Posted by: popchartfreak 16th March 2014, 10:10 AM

28th March 1979

Inevitably, Gloria Gaynor gets to number one, having had two previous chart-toppers, and by virtue of this being a powerful self-affirming statement for messed-around women. One of only 2 singles my mum ever bought (along with Robin Gibb’s Saved By The Bell), she was partying at home while I was away and dad was still commuting daily to RAF Swinderby. It’s fair to say, it’s become a bit of a classic, and I certainly loved it for the first 25 years afterwards. Then I started partying hard in 2001 and the week-in week-out exposure to it on dozens of cliched pub compilations proved too much to bear (much the same as YMCA). I need a break from it for a decade please!

David Essex gets his 9th Top 10 in 6 years, nearly all of them written by himself, and all quite varied and quirkily appealing. Sex Pistols get only their 2nd Top 10 (though the balance gets redressed with re-issues of earlier tracks eventually), and Kate Bush shoots up to 13. Wow! The Late Show push Bristol to 14, the Village People push the navy to 26, and Motorhead overkill it at 31.

Inner City are the highest new entry at 35, not sounding anything like their reggae 90’s smash hits, including the theme song to that cops show (Bad Boys). Talking of Themes, Art Garfunkel’s back 5 years after his first solo hits, with a film tune: Mike Batt’s bunny wabbits, ahahahahaha wascally wabbits. That’ll be Watership Down then. It’s very sweet.

Squeeze at last get a breakthrough big follow-up to Take Me I’m Yours, the laddy fab Cool For Cats. Rocky Sharpe’s Iminimininimiiniminimagination, or something like that, saunters catchily in, and Racey chase some girls. Well as they say, some girls will, some girls won’t, some girl’s need a lot of loving and er some girls don’t. I bet they’re still single.

Happy Days pops in. It was probably one of those Suzi Quatro episodes, as The Fonz had gone from awesomely cool to wholesome wimp in the space of 2 seasons. Laverne & Shirley and a few supporting cast (and spin-offs) kept it going long enough for Ron Howard to learn directing and do some good ol movies.



1 ( 2 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
2 ( 1 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
3 ( 4 ) HOLD THE LINE Toto
4 ( 3 ) I WANT YOUR LOVE Chic
5 ( 11 ) KEEP ON DANCING Gary's Gang
6 ( 5 ) INTO THE VALLEY The Skids
7 ( 6 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
8 ( 18 ) IMPERIAL WIZARD David Essex
9 ( 20 ) SOMETHING ELSE The Sex Pistols
10 ( 7 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie

11 ( 9 ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers
12 ( 10 ) CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE The Real Thing
13 ( 35 ) WOW Kate Bush
14 ( 24 ) THE BRISTOL STOMP The Late Show
15 ( 8 ) YOU BET YOUR LOVE Herbie Hancock
16 ( 16 ) JUST WHAT I NEEDED The Cars
17 ( 12 ) OLIVER'S ARMY Elvis Costello
18 ( 13 ) PAINTER MAN Boney M
19 ( 21 ) LUCKY NUMBERS Lene Lovich
20 ( 15 ) GET DOWN Gene Chandler

21 ( 23 ) MONEY IN MY POCKET Dennis Brown
22 ( 39 ) SULTANS OF SWING Dire Straits
23 ( 19 ) WAITING FOR AN ALIBI Thin Lizzy
24 ( 17 ) CONTACT Edwin Starr
25 ( 14 ) STOP YOUR SOBBING The Pretenders
26 ( 57 ) IN THE NAVY The Village People
27 ( 40 ) TRASH Roxy Music
28 ( 28 ) EVERYBODY'S HAPPY NOWADAYS Buzzcocks
29 ( 30 ) STRANGE WAY Firefall
30 ( 22 ) I WAS MADE FOR DANCING Leif Garrett

31 ( 67 ) OVERKILL Motorhead
32 ( 58 ) STRANGE TOWN The Jam
33 ( 27 ) Y.M.C.A. The Village People
34 ( 46 ) FOREVER IN BLUE JEANS Neil Diamond
35 ( NEW ) EVERYTHING IS GREAT Inner Circle
36 ( 26 ) EVERY TIME I THINK OF YOU The Baby's
37 ( 37 ) CLOG DANCE Violinski
38 ( 31 ) DON'T STOP ME NOW Queen
39 ( 33 ) MIRRORS Sally Oldfield
40 ( 32 ) DESIRE ME A Doll



41 ( 36 ) YOU NEEDED ME Anne Murray
42 ( 34 ) GET IT Darts
43 ( 54 ) FIRE The Pointer Sisters
44 ( 25 ) HONEY I'M LOST The Dooleys
45 ( NEW ) BRIGHT EYES Art Garfunkel
46 ( 50 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
47 ( 47 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
48 ( 29 ) HEAVEN KNOWS Donna Summer
49 ( 70 ) TURN THE MUSIC UP Player's Association
50 ( 38 ) THEME FROM "SUPERMAN" John Williams' Original Soundtrack

51 ( 49 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
52 ( 52 ) WARM FEELING Lindisfarne
53 ( 48 ) I LOST MY HEART TO A STARSHIP TROOPER Sarah Brightman & Hot Gossip
54 ( 42 ) LE FREAK Chic
55 ( 43 ) HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK Ian Dury & The Blockheads
56 ( 44 ) COULD IT BE MAGIC Barry Manilow
57 ( NEW ) COOL FOR CATS Squeeze
58 ( 59 ) DO YA THINK I'M SEXY Rod Stewart
59 ( 55 ) ELO EP (EVIL WOMAN/STRANGE MAGIC/CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD/MA MA MA BELLE Electric Light Orchestra
60 ( 45 ) RIKKI DON'T LOSE THAT NUMBER Steely Dan



61 ( 41 ) AIN'T LOVE A BITCH Rod Stewart
62 ( NEW ) IMAGINATION Rocky Sharpe & The Replays
63 ( 51 ) SHAKE YOUR GROOVE THING Peaches & Herb
64 ( 62 ) MARY'S BOY CHILD/ OH MY LORD Boney M
65 ( 60 ) A LITTLE MORE LOVE Olivia Newton-John
66 ( 66 ) YOU ANGEL YOU Manfred Mann's Earthband
67 ( 53 ) BAT OUT OF HELL Meatloaf
68 ( 75 ) ENGLISH CIVIL WAR The Clash
69 ( 64 ) SEPTEMBER" Earth, Wind And Fire
70 ( 68 ) MY LIFE Billy Joel

71 ( 56 ) SOUND OF THE SUBURBS The Members
72 ( 63 ) TAKE THAT TO THE BANK Shalamar
73 ( NEW ) SOME GIRLS Racey
74 ( 69 ) DOCTOR WHO Mankind
75 ( 61 ) MAY THE SUN SHINE Nazareth

TV
1 MASH
2 Kenny Everett Video Show
3 Soap
4 Mork And Mindy
5 Blake's 7
6 The Rockford Files
7 The Morecambe & Wise Show
8 Top Of The Pops
9 Fawlty Towers
10 Happy Days

Posted by: popchartfreak 17th April 2014, 08:30 PM

3rd April 1979

2nd week for Gloria Surviving on top, Gary’s Gang for some inexplicable reason go up to 3, and David Essex a little flattered at 5. Fortunately the troops were charging in and up to the top: Kate up to 7, Dire Straits to 10, Art Garfunkel shooting up to 16 and Squeeze to 32.

The new entries were sudddenly in a rush, and loads of them sudden returns to form after a few years of middling chart entries: Supertramp in at 17 with the charming Logical Song, having always done better in my charts than the singles chart, this was their biggest since Dreamer hit 2 in 1975. The Three Degrees made it 2 credible Giorgio Moroder tracks in a row, this possibly being their best ever single, The Runner, all hi-energy and excitement at 19. Wings, quirky and Paul melodically on form, one of his most playful and retro 40’s tracks, in at 23. In those days, as Douglas Adams commented, Macca could easily drop a tune good enough to buy a small county with the proceeds, seemingly at will. The Jacksons were back with a great disco record at 25, and Sister Sledge, all grown-up and Chic-ified, Nile Rodgers-stylee, were demonstrating they really were family and in the disco groove 4 years after the Jackson 5-esque Mama Never Told Me. Spot the link there...

Lower down, Anne Murray follows up a great ballad with another good one; Frank Mills enters with US instrumental hit much-used as backdrop to many a TV item, without ever getting to be a hit, sadly; Gonzales get a latin-flavoured dance hit with a Gloria Jones song. I was very much still in mourning for the much-missed Marc Bolan, so was predisposed to like the song, Gloria being his partner and all. At least until it was destroyed by Pat & Mick ten years later. George Harrison joins fellow Ex-Beatle Paul with one of his lesser songs, Blow Away at 71, Black Lace debut with their UK Eurovision effort. Certainly was an effort, too. As was Sham ’69 at 73. Happily, The Beach Boys were re-doing an old song of theirs, spruced it up and released it to the current vogue. That’ll be disco. At least it got them back into the charts, and the album it came off L.A. (Light Album) had much better tracks on it, back on form.

In my life, still at College, still taking lots of photos, b&w and colour, screen printing, doing assignments, and living in digs, cycling about on my girlie bicycle with no lights. Turned out expensive that, as the Police decided to stop me one dark late evening, after visiting friends. It was a road where a 3rd year student had been beaten up so I really wasn’t keen on walking. The Policeman took the view that I needed teaching a lesson, as I had to say I was a student at the teacher training college. So he did me, got fined and the git also turned up at my digs while I was out at breakfast sunday morning to scare the family I had a room with (17-year-old girl thought it was cool, her mother less so and reported me to the College as she thought I was doing drugs). What a palaver! I hadn’t even SEEN drugs in my life, pah!

Hey ho, TV was great this week, the final episode of Blake’s 7 first season (fab), 3-part TV miniseries King (fab), Mork & Mindy pilot episode repeat, and the Marx Brothers at their best “A Night At The Opera”. Not to mention Eurovision and our rubbish entry.


1 ( 1 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
2 ( 2 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
3 ( 5 ) KEEP ON DANCING Gary's Gang
4 ( 3 ) HOLD THE LINE Toto
5 ( 8 ) IMPERIAL WIZARD David Essex
6 ( 4 ) I WANT YOUR LOVE Chic
7 ( 13 ) WOW Kate Bush
8 ( 9 ) SOMETHING ELSE The Sex Pistols
9 ( 7 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
10 ( 22 ) SULTANS OF SWING Dire Straits




11 ( 12 ) CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE The Real Thing
12 ( 6 ) INTO THE VALLEY The Skids
13 ( 26 ) IN THE NAVY The Village People
14 ( 10 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
15 ( 11 ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers
16 ( 45 ) BRIGHT EYES Art Garfunkel
17 ( NEW ) THE LOGICAL SONG Supertramp
18 ( 21 ) MONEY IN MY POCKET Dennis Brown
19 ( NEW ) THE RUNNER The Three Degrees
20 ( 15 ) YOU BET YOUR LOVE Herbie Hancock



21 ( 16 ) JUST WHAT I NEEDED The Cars
22 ( 17 ) OLIVER'S ARMY Elvis Costello
23 ( NEW ) GOODNIGHT TONIGHT Wings
24 ( 34 ) FOREVER IN BLUE JEANS Neil Diamond
25 ( NEW ) SHAKE YOUR BODY (DOWN TO THE GROUND) The Jacksons
26 ( 28 ) EVERYBODY'S HAPPY NOWADAYS Buzzcocks
27 ( NEW ) HE'S THE GREATEST DANCER Sister Sledge
28 ( 14 ) THE BRISTOL STOMP The Late Show
29 ( 18 ) PAINTER MAN Boney M
30 ( 19 ) LUCKY NUMBERS Lene Lovich



31 ( 31 ) OVERKILL Motorhead
32 ( 57 ) COOL FOR CATS Squeeze
33 ( 27 ) TRASH Roxy Music
34 ( 20 ) GET DOWN Gene Chandler
35 ( 32 ) STRANGE TOWN The Jam
36 ( 73 ) SOME GIRLS Racey
37 ( 49 ) TURN THE MUSIC UP Player's Association
38 ( 43 ) FIRE The Pointer Sisters
39 ( 23 ) WAITING FOR AN ALIBI Thin Lizzy
40 ( 30 ) I WAS MADE FOR DANCING Leif Garrett



41 ( 24 ) CONTACT Edwin Starr
42 ( 25 ) STOP YOUR SOBBING The Pretenders
43 ( 33 ) Y.M.C.A. The Village People
44 ( 38 ) DON'T STOP ME NOW Queen
45 ( 62 ) IMAGINATION Rocky Sharpe & The Replays
46 ( NEW ) LET'S FLY AWAY Voyage
47 ( 39 ) MIRRORS Sally Oldfield
48 ( 35 ) EVERYTHING IS GREAT Inner Circle
49 ( 52 ) WARM FEELING Lindisfarne
50 ( 29 ) STRANGE WAY Firefall

51 ( NEW ) I JUST FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Anne Murray
52 ( 47 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
53 ( 46 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
54 ( 36 ) EVERY TIME I THINK OF YOU The Baby's
55 ( 41 ) YOU NEEDED ME Anne Murray
56 ( 51 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
57 ( 40 ) DESIRE ME A Doll
58 ( 66 ) YOU ANGEL YOU Manfred Mann's Earthband
59 ( 53 ) I LOST MY HEART TO A STARSHIP TROOPER Sarah Brightman & Hot Gossip
60 ( 50 ) THEME FROM "SUPERMAN" John Williams' Original Soundtrack

61 ( 54 ) LE FREAK Chic
62 ( 37 ) CLOG DANCE Violinski
63 ( 58 ) DO YA THINK I'M SEXY Rod Stewart
64 ( 55 ) HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK Ian Dury & The Blockheads
65 ( NEW ) MUSIC BOX DANCER Frank Mills
66 ( NEW ) LIVING IT UP (FRIDAY NIGHT) Bell & James
67 ( 42 ) GET IT Darts
68 ( NEW ) HAVEN'T STOPPED DANCING YET Gonzales
69 ( 59 ) ELO EP (EVIL WOMAN/STRANGE MAGIC/CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD/MA MA MA BELLE Electric Light Orchestra
70 ( 56 ) COULD IT BE MAGIC Barry Manilow

71 ( NEW ) BLOW AWAY George Harrison
72 ( NEW ) MARY ANN Black Lace
73 ( NEW ) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Sham '69
74 ( 64 ) MARY'S BOY CHILD/ OH MY LORD Boney M
75 ( NEW ) HERE COMES THE NIGHT The Beach Boys

TV
1 Blake's 7
2 King
3 Mork & Mindy
4 A Night At The Opera"
5 Kenny Everett Video Show
6 Mork & Mindy
7 Rhoda
8 Eurovision Song Contest
9 The Rockford Files
10 Top Of The Pops
11 Q8
12 Disney Time
13 Wonder Woman
14 Film Night '79
15 Life On Earth

Posted by: popchartfreak 18th April 2014, 11:55 AM

10th April 1979

3 weeks Gloria-ously on top. Dire Straits? Not at all, swinging up to the runners-up spot. Kate into the Top 5 for 3 out of 3, and Art Garfunkel gets his 4th solo Top 10. The Village People campaign for the forces at 10 (yeah right!) and new entry at 16 for M, the timeless, poptastic synth delight of Pop Muzik. Does what it says on the label! M is really a solo act, Robin Scott.

Motorhead get a sudden rush to 18 with the under-rated Overkill. It was a template they perfected a year later with Ace Of Spades, but the manic thrash was sooo exciting. Squeeze up to 19, never less than intelligent, witty and melodic, cleverness not always appreciated in pop, but Glen & Chris have it, and Jools is of course an institution these days.

Eurovision: the right song won and enters at 41, a still-fab singalong effort from Israel. This week also one for TV spectacles with the BRITS and Oscars on telly. Siouxsie & co climb some stairs, at 44, and the Members pop back with some cynical reggae - totally in favour of anyone highlighting the rich tax-dodging tosspots who take and take and think they don’t have to donate the same proportion of their vast riches as the poor members of society. You know the ones, running the world cos money is power.

Finally, a delightful follow-up for Rachel Sweet, Showaddywaddy starting to run out of 50’s steam, and a 60’s soul classic all disco and sparkly from Amii Stewart. I know nothing of the mass-murdering Ghengis at the bottom of the chart, I think it was a disco number in the style of Rasputin. Google calling!


1 ( 1 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
2 ( 10 ) SULTANS OF SWING Dire Straits
3 ( 2 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
4 ( 7 ) WOW Kate Bush
5 ( 6 ) I WANT YOUR LOVE Chic
6 ( 3 ) KEEP ON DANCING Gary's Gang
7 ( 17 ) THE LOGICAL SONG Supertramp
8 ( 16 ) BRIGHT EYES Art Garfunkel
9 ( 4 ) HOLD THE LINE Toto
10 ( 13 ) IN THE NAVY The Village People



11 ( 5 ) IMPERIAL WIZARD David Essex
12 ( 25 ) SHAKE YOUR BODY (DOWN TO THE GROUND) The Jacksons
13 ( 19 ) THE RUNNER The Three Degrees
14 ( 27 ) HE'S THE GREATEST DANCER Sister Sledge
15 ( 23 ) GOODNIGHT TONIGHT Wings
16 ( NEW ) POP MUZIK M
17 ( 9 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
18 ( 31 ) OVERKILL Motorhead
19 ( 32 ) COOL FOR CATS Squeeze
20 ( 11 ) CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE The Real Thing



21 ( 8 ) SOMETHING ELSE The Sex Pistols
22 ( 14 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
23 ( 35 ) STRANGE TOWN The Jam
24 ( 15 ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers
25 ( 24 ) FOREVER IN BLUE JEANS Neil Diamond
26 ( 12 ) INTO THE VALLEY The Skids
27 ( 37 ) TURN THE MUSIC UP Player's Association
28 ( 30 ) LUCKY NUMBERS Lene Lovich
29 ( 22 ) OLIVER'S ARMY Elvis Costello
30 ( 21 ) JUST WHAT I NEEDED The Cars



31 ( 36 ) SOME GIRLS Racey
32 ( 38 ) FIRE The Pointer Sisters
33 ( 18 ) MONEY IN MY POCKET Dennis Brown
34 ( 20 ) YOU BET YOUR LOVE Herbie Hancock
35 ( 46 ) LET'S FLY AWAY Voyage
36 ( 45 ) IMAGINATION Rocky Sharpe & The Replays
37 ( 39 ) WAITING FOR AN ALIBI Thin Lizzy
38 ( 26 ) EVERYBODY'S HAPPY NOWADAYS Buzzcocks
39 ( 58 ) YOU ANGEL YOU Manfred Mann's Earthband
40 ( 51 ) I JUST FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Anne Murray



41 ( NEW ) HALLELUJAH Milk And Honey featuring Gali Atari
42 ( 29 ) PAINTER MAN Boney M
43 ( 40 ) I WAS MADE FOR DANCING Leif Garrett
44 ( NEW ) THE STAIRCASE (MYSTERY) Siouxsie & The Banshees
45 ( 34 ) GET DOWN Gene Chandler
46 ( 33 ) TRASH Roxy Music
47 ( 43 ) Y.M.C.A. The Village People
48 ( NEW ) OFFSHORE BANKING BUSINESS The Members
49 ( 28 ) THE BRISTOL STOMP The Late Show
50 ( NEW ) I DON'T WANNA LOSE YOU Kandidate

51 ( 41 ) CONTACT Edwin Starr
52 ( 68 ) HAVEN'T STOPPED DANCING YET Gonzales
53 ( 47 ) MIRRORS Sally Oldfield
54 ( 53 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
55 ( 52 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
56 ( NEW ) REMEMBER THEN Showaddywaddy
57 ( 56 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
58 ( 66 ) LIVING IT UP (FRIDAY NIGHT) Bell & James
59 ( 71 ) BLOW AWAY George Harrison
60 ( 65 ) MUSIC BOX DANCER Frank Mills

61 ( 44 ) DON'T STOP ME NOW Queen
62 ( 42 ) STOP YOUR SOBBING The Pretenders
63 ( 75 ) HERE COMES THE NIGHT The Beach Boys
64 ( 55 ) YOU NEEDED ME Anne Murray
65 ( NEW ) KNOCK ON WOOD Amii Stewart
66 ( 61 ) LE FREAK Chic
67 ( 63 ) DO YA THINK I'M SEXY Rod Stewart
68 ( NEW ) I GO TO PIECES Rachel Sweet
69 ( 59 ) I LOST MY HEART TO A STARSHIP TROOPER Sarah Brightman & Hot Gossip
70 ( 50 ) STRANGE WAY Firefall

71 ( 73 ) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Sham '69
72 ( NEW ) GHENGIS KHAN Ghengis Khan
73 ( 54 ) EVERY TIME I THINK OF YOU The Baby's
74 ( 57 ) DESIRE ME A Doll
75 ( 60 ) THEME FROM "SUPERMAN" John Williams' Original Soundtrack

TV
1 Soap
2 Kenny Everett Video Show
3 Wings Over The World
4 Mork & Mindy
5 Mardi Gras
6 Barney Miller
7 The Practise
8 The Turin Shroud
9 Top Of The Pops
10 Rhoda
11 Life On Earth
12 Q8
13 Porridge
14 British Rock & Pop Awards
15 51st Oscars

Posted by: AlexRange 18th April 2014, 12:18 PM

John, it's German Eurovision participant in this year. They were on the 4th place. Yes, it's a disco and very similar sound with Boney M classic.

Dschinghis Khan - Dschinghis Khan



The song was written and produced by famous Ralph Siegel with lyrics by Bernd Meinunger. Siegel is one of the most notable figures at the Eurovision Song Contest, in which he has participated with 21 songs so far, the latest being the 2013 Sammarinese entry "Crisalide" by Valentina Monetta. In 1982, Siegel's and Bernd Meinunger's song "Ein bißchen Frieden" (A Little Peace), performed by Nicole won the Contest and became a hit in Europe.

In Australia in 1980, Dschinghis Khan's single "Moscow" (the English-language version of their song Moskau) topped the charts and remained No.1 for six weeks.

Posted by: popchartfreak 18th April 2014, 01:05 PM

17th April 1979

Back at home in mansfield for the Easter Holidays and lots of TV specials, headed by the annual event of Jesus Christ Superstar - chock full of great songs, Rice & Lloyd Webber at their best, and rock-biased which suits me fine. Abba In Switzerland is one I’d half-forgotten, and One I’d very much like to get hold of now!

Back in the charts, and a new number 1 - Supertramp go one better than Dreamer managed in 1975. I did love it, though I didn’t actually buy the single until on holiday in California later in the year - lots of tales to come! Bright Eyes rabbiting on at 2, but Three Degrees running upwards and chasing Pop Muzik - who will win? The Bee Gees were back, a melodic ballad this time, but the 2-year-run of brilliance had ebbed just slightly with this one. Chris Montez led an inrush of 50’s and early 60’s rock n roll classics, in for the second time at 23 (peaked at 3 in 1972 on it’s first re-issue). The singles had been issued on picture disc, styled with 50’s American cars, and sold enough to chart in most cases. Although I wasn’t around at the time, the big hits really were quite well-known 20 years later, Radio 1 in those days being happy to play lots of oldies in between newies.

The Sex Pistols were back, well, minus Johnny, Sid & self-respect by now. The record was OK, though, and it was a better career move than Sid’s (heroin, murder and suicide). Oddly, no-one’s ever suggested not playing Sex Pistols records on the TV or radio. Apparently, murdering your girlfriend is more acceptable than groping a woman on the leg, such a heinous crime that merely being accused of it warrants financial ruin, banning from the airwaves and reputation-destroying. We live in perverted media morality times....

Among the welcomed oldies, Bobby Darrin and his fab Dream Lover, the Drifters, Johnny Tillotson, and The Teddy Bears (another girlfriend-murderer, I believe, behind this one, to continue the theme). Two early 70’s chart-topperers return with disco beats: Mike Oldfield being Guilty, and Sparks aiming to be Number One Song In Heaven. Sparks get the coolness points, as it’s Giorgio Moroder and pretty much heralding in the sign of the future, synth beats. Fab to have them back, it was.

1 ( 7 ) THE LOGICAL SONG Supertramp
2 ( 8 ) BRIGHT EYES Art Garfunkel
3 ( 1 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
4 ( 2 ) SULTANS OF SWING Dire Straits
5 ( 16 ) POP MUZIK M
6 ( 4 ) WOW Kate Bush
7 ( 13 ) THE RUNNER The Three Degrees
8 ( 3 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
9 ( 12 ) SHAKE YOUR BODY (DOWN TO THE GROUND) The Jacksons
10 ( 15 ) GOODNIGHT TONIGHT Wings



11 ( 14 ) HE'S THE GREATEST DANCER Sister Sledge
12 ( 10 ) IN THE NAVY The Village People
13 ( 6 ) KEEP ON DANCING Gary's Gang
14 ( 5 ) I WANT YOUR LOVE Chic
15 ( 19 ) COOL FOR CATS Squeeze
16 ( 27 ) TURN THE MUSIC UP Player's Association
17 ( 9 ) HOLD THE LINE Toto
18 ( 23 ) STRANGE TOWN The Jam
19 ( NEW ) LOVE YOU INSIDE OUT The Bee Gees
20 ( 20 ) CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE The Real Thing



21 ( 17 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
22 ( 11 ) IMPERIAL WIZARD David Essex
23 ( NEW ) LET'S DANCE Chris Montez
24 ( 22 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
25 ( 21 ) SOMETHING ELSE The Sex Pistols
26 ( 31 ) SOME GIRLS Racey
27 ( 52 ) HAVEN'T STOPPED DANCING YET Gonzales
28 ( 41 ) HALLELUJAH Milk And Honey featuring Gali Atari
29 ( 32 ) FIRE The Pointer Sisters
30 ( 35 ) LET'S FLY AWAY Voyage



31 ( 28 ) LUCKY NUMBERS Lene Lovich
32 ( 24 ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers
33 ( 18 ) OVERKILL Motorhead
34 ( 25 ) FOREVER IN BLUE JEANS Neil Diamond
35 ( 40 ) I JUST FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Anne Murray
36 ( 50 ) I DON'T WANNA LOSE YOU Kandidate
37 ( NEW ) SILLY THING The Sex Pistols
38 ( 29 ) OLIVER'S ARMY Elvis Costello
39 ( 48 ) OFFSHORE BANKING BUSINESS The Members
40 ( 65 ) KNOCK ON WOOD Amii Stewart

41 ( 56 ) REMEMBER THEN Showaddywaddy
42 ( 26 ) INTO THE VALLEY The Skids
43 ( 44 ) THE STAIRCASE (MYSTERY) Siouxsie & The Banshees
44 ( 36 ) IMAGINATION Rocky Sharpe & The Replays
45 ( 34 ) YOU BET YOUR LOVE Herbie Hancock
46 ( 37 ) WAITING FOR AN ALIBI Thin Lizzy
47 ( 33 ) MONEY IN MY POCKET Dennis Brown
48 ( 55 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
49 ( 30 ) JUST WHAT I NEEDED The Cars
50 ( 39 ) YOU ANGEL YOU Manfred Mann's Earthband

51 ( 47 ) Y.M.C.A. The Village People
52 ( 54 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
53 ( 71 ) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Sham '69
54 ( NEW ) DREAM LOVER/ MAC THE KNIFE Bobby Darrin
55 ( 43 ) I WAS MADE FOR DANCING Leif Garrett
56 ( NEW ) GUILTY Mike Oldfield
57 ( 57 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
58 ( 53 ) MIRRORS Sally Oldfield
59 ( 68 ) I GO TO PIECES Rachel Sweet
60 ( 63 ) HERE COMES THE NIGHT The Beach Boys



61 ( NEW ) SWEET LOI LOUISE Iron Horse
62 ( 38 ) EVERYBODY'S HAPPY NOWADAYS Buzzcocks
63 ( NEW ) HOORAY IT'S A HOLI HOLIDAY Boney M
64 ( 60 ) MUSIC BOX DANCER Frank Mills
65 ( 45 ) GET DOWN Gene Chandler
66 ( 51 ) CONTACT Edwin Starr
67 ( NEW ) I LOVE THE MUSIC Freefall
68 ( NEW ) SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME The Drifters
69 ( NEW ) POETRY IN MOTION Johnny Tillotson
70 ( 42 ) PAINTER MAN Boney M

71 ( NEW ) VALLEY OF THE DOLLS Generation X
72 ( NEW ) DOUBLE LOVE Cracking
73 ( 58 ) LIVING IT UP (FRIDAY NIGHT) Bell & James
74 ( NEW ) THE NUMBER ONE SONG IN HEAVEN Sparks
75 ( NEW ) TO KNOW HIM IS TO LOVE HIM The Teddy Bears



TV
1 Jesus Christ Superstar
2 Parkinson's Best
3 Didn't Quite Make It Video Show
4 Mork & Mindy
5 Abba In Switzerland
6 Q8
7 Barney Miller
8 You Only Live Twice
9 Rhoda
10 Top Of THe Pops
11 The Practise
12 Mary Hartman Mary Hartman
13 The Rockford Files
14 Fantasy Island
15 Blue Peter

Posted by: popchartfreak 18th April 2014, 01:09 PM

Thanks Alex, it all comes back to me now! I think it was my second fave in that year's Eurovision! Didnt know they'd written Nicole's winner either,

cheers!
john

Posted by: popchartfreak 18th April 2014, 03:16 PM

24th April 1979

All change, Art Garfunkel getting his 2nd Number One solo, oddly one more than the brilliant solo Paul Simon. It was sweet at the time, a bit maudlin these days. Three Degrees get their highest chart position in 5 years, and Abba pop in as the highest new entry, fresh off the Voulez Vous album, chock full of great tracks, several of them singles-worthy, including the fabulous B Side Kisses Of Fire. I was annoyed they’d gone with DYMK (a Bournemouth bar name these days) as it was about the least good track on the album, and certainly Abba’s least good single in 5 years.

Squeeze get a 3rd Top 10, Sex Pistols a 4th Top 20, and The Beach Boys go Top 40 for the first time in 3 years. Eruption get a belated follow-up hit to I Can’t Stand The Rain, a good eurodisco record, George Benson jazzes his way into my charts again, Gary Moore gets a lending vocal hand from Thin Lizzy mainman Phil, Chris Rea’s back with another minor hit, Ray Stevens takes the piss out of Barry Manilow, and who’s that Iron Horse going up? It’s Randy Bachman’s new band, which explains why it sounds a lot like 1974 chart-topper You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet!



1 ( 2 ) BRIGHT EYES Art Garfunkel
2 ( 1 ) THE LOGICAL SONG Supertramp
3 ( 7 ) THE RUNNER The Three Degrees
4 ( 5 ) POP MUZIK M
5 ( 9 ) SHAKE YOUR BODY (DOWN TO THE GROUND) The Jacksons
6 ( 10 ) GOODNIGHT TONIGHT Wings
7 ( 3 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
8 ( 4 ) SULTANS OF SWING Dire Straits
9 ( 6 ) WOW Kate Bush
10 ( 15 ) COOL FOR CATS Squeeze

11 ( 11 ) HE'S THE GREATEST DANCER Sister Sledge
12 ( 8 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
13 ( NEW ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW Abba
14 ( 12 ) IN THE NAVY The Village People
15 ( 23 ) LET'S DANCE Chris Montez
16 ( 19 ) LOVE YOU INSIDE OUT The Bee Gees
17 ( 37 ) SILLY THING The Sex Pistols
18 ( 13 ) KEEP ON DANCING Gary's Gang
19 ( 14 ) I WANT YOUR LOVE Chic
20 ( 16 ) TURN THE MUSIC UP Player's Association

21 ( 27 ) HAVEN'T STOPPED DANCING YET Gonzales
22 ( 20 ) CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE The Real Thing
23 ( 21 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
24 ( 28 ) HALLELUJAH Milk And Honey featuring Gali Atari
25 ( 17 ) HOLD THE LINE Toto
26 ( 18 ) STRANGE TOWN The Jam
27 ( 36 ) I DON'T WANNA LOSE YOU Kandidate
28 ( 40 ) KNOCK ON WOOD Amii Stewart
29 ( 24 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
30 ( 35 ) I JUST FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Anne Murray



31 ( 25 ) SOMETHING ELSE The Sex Pistols
32 ( 22 ) IMPERIAL WIZARD David Essex
33 ( 26 ) SOME GIRLS Racey
34 ( 56 ) GUILTY Mike Oldfield
35 ( 43 ) THE STAIRCASE (MYSTERY) Siouxsie & The Banshees
36 ( 39 ) OFFSHORE BANKING BUSINESS The Members
37 ( 31 ) LUCKY NUMBERS Lene Lovich
38 ( 41 ) REMEMBER THEN Showaddywaddy
39 ( 29 ) FIRE The Pointer Sisters
40 ( 60 ) HERE COMES THE NIGHT The Beach Boys



41 ( 32 ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers
42 ( 30 ) LET'S FLY AWAY Voyage
43 ( 38 ) OLIVER'S ARMY Elvis Costello
44 ( 34 ) FOREVER IN BLUE JEANS Neil Diamond
45 ( 33 ) OVERKILL Motorhead
46 ( 54 ) DREAM LOVER/ MAC THE KNIFE Bobby Darrin
47 ( 42 ) INTO THE VALLEY The Skids
48 ( 59 ) I GO TO PIECES Rachel Sweet
49 ( 53 ) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Sham '69
50 ( NEW ) ONE WAY TICKET Eruption

51 ( 46 ) WAITING FOR AN ALIBI Thin Lizzy
52 ( 52 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
53 ( 48 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
54 ( 61 ) SWEET LUI LOUISE Iron Horse
55 ( 51 ) Y.M.C.A. The Village People
56 ( NEW ) LOVE BALLAD George Benson
57 ( 45 ) YOU BET YOUR LOVE Herbie Hancock
58 ( 63 ) HOORAY IT'S A HOLI HOLIDAY Boney M
59 ( 67 ) I LOVE THE MUSIC Freefall
60 ( 57 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats



61 ( 58 ) MIRRORS Sally Oldfield
62 ( 55 ) I WAS MADE FOR DANCING Leif Garrett
63 ( NEW ) FEEL THE NEED Leif Garrett
64 ( NEW ) PARISIENNE WALKWAYS Gary Moore featuring Phil Lynnot
65 ( 69 ) POETRY IN MOTION Johnny Tillotson
66 ( 68 ) SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME The Drifters
67 ( 50 ) YOU ANGEL YOU Manfred Mann's Earthband
68 ( 74 ) THE NUMBER ONE SONG IN HEAVEN Sparks
69 ( 49 ) JUST WHAT I NEEDED The Cars
70 ( 72 ) DOUBLE LOVE Cracking

71 ( 66 ) CONTACT Edwin Starr
72 ( 65 ) GET DOWN Gene Chandler
73 ( NEW ) I NEED YOUR HELP BARRY MANILOW Ray Stevens
74 ( NEW ) DIAMONDS Chris Rea
75 ( 44 ) IMAGINATION Rocky Sharpe & The Replays

TV
1 It'll Be Alright On The Night
2 Kenny Everett Video Show
3 Mork & Mindy
4 It's About Time
5 Defection Of Simas Kudirka
6 Top Of The Pops
7 The Rockford Files
8 Mary Hartman Mary hartman
9 Barney Miller
10 Q8

Posted by: popchartfreak 16th May 2014, 06:31 PM

1st May 1979

My TV chart has an important event. Yes, the first In concert performance that impressed me (ELO). There was also a general election 3rd May, a momentous day for the world. It was a major advance for the cause of equality, because it showed that women could be equally as bad as men. In the case of Thatcher, she took it to the stratosphere and changed things so much in favour of the rich and powerful at the expense of the economy and the rest of us that the damage is still being dealt with (unsuccessfully) now. Rather sadly, if it hadn’t been for the bloody Falklands War (which she started by removing the protective British warship, inviting the belligerent Argentine military junta in) she would have gone down in history as one of the most unpopular one-term Prime Ministers. I don’t usually have a lifelong loathing of democratic politicians but she made it SO easy...

Anyways, I rated the TV event lower than The Sky At Night and Top Of The Pops. About right, I think...

Back in music-land, Supertramp pop back on top as Bright Eyes fades quickly, leaving Wings to get their first top 3 for a year. Oldies meanwhile do well, Chris Montez’ 2nd go in the Top 10 as a reissue, Amii Stewart’s only-just-better-than-Bowie’s-live-version cover of Knock On Wood at 18, The Dickies cover of fab kids show theme The Banana Splits, all-punked-up and in at 28 (I liked Drooper best), Walk On By yet another cover version hit for Average White Band at 65 - not the first, certainly not the last! - and Child covering Only You, which Ringo had already covered. Covers of covers!

More 1979, Eruption leap to 9 with a great euro-disco hit, Boney M leap to 21 with a cheesy euro-disco hit, Siouxsie climbs the staircase to 22, and Gary Moore goes top 40 and all French. New hits for Peaches & Herb’s smooth soul follow-up to their top 10 Groove Thing, Roxy get a swift 2nd comeback hit (and proper pop record, albeit it very smooth and MOR for them) with Dance Away at 49, and a hooker enters at 52, bleached-blonde pin-up boy on vocals and The Police reggae-rocking it big time. The Police became the band of the moment for students within months. Hudson-Ford get a comeback, good news after those 3 gem singles in a row 6 years earlier, bad news it’s with an awful novelty song as The Monks. Ugh! Better news, The Tubes are back with a knowingly kitsch mickey-take of pop using TV cliches for lyrics. It was both hilarious and melodically brilliant, a sort of The Turtles of the punk era. I had the white vinyl, TV picture cover single.

1 ( 2 ) THE LOGICAL SONG Supertramp
2 ( 3 ) THE RUNNER The Three Degrees
3 ( 6 ) GOODNIGHT TONIGHT Wings
4 ( 4 ) POP MUZIK M
5 ( 5 ) SHAKE YOUR BODY (DOWN TO THE GROUND) The Jacksons
6 ( 1 ) BRIGHT EYES Art Garfunkel
7 ( 13 ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW Abba
8 ( 15 ) LET'S DANCE Chris Montez
9 ( 50 ) ONE WAY TICKET Eruption
10 ( 16 ) LOVE YOU INSIDE OUT The Bee Gees



11 ( 8 ) SULTANS OF SWING Dire Straits
12 ( 7 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
13 ( 17 ) SILLY THING The Sex Pistols
14 ( 9 ) WOW Kate Bush
15 ( 10 ) COOL FOR CATS Squeeze
16 ( 12 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
17 ( 21 ) HAVEN'T STOPPED DANCING YET Gonzales
18 ( 28 ) KNOCK ON WOOD Amii Stewart
19 ( 14 ) IN THE NAVY The Village People
20 ( 11 ) HE'S THE GREATEST DANCER Sister Sledge

21 ( 58 ) HOORAY IT'S A HOLI HOLIDAY Boney M
22 ( 35 ) THE STAIRCASE (MYSTERY) Siouxsie & The Banshees
23 ( 19 ) I WANT YOUR LOVE Chic
24 ( 34 ) GUILTY Mike Oldfield
25 ( 18 ) KEEP ON DANCING Gary's Gang
26 ( 23 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
27 ( 27 ) I DON'T WANNA LOSE YOU Kandidate
28 ( NEW ) BANANA SPLITS The Dickies
29 ( 40 ) HERE COMES THE NIGHT The Beach Boys
30 ( 36 ) OFFSHORE BANKING BUSINESS The Members



31 ( 22 ) CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE The Real Thing
32 ( 29 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
33 ( 25 ) HOLD THE LINE Toto
34 ( 24 ) HALLELUJAH Milk And Honey featuring Gali Atari
35 ( 56 ) LOVE BALLAD George Benson
36 ( 20 ) TURN THE MUSIC UP Player's Association
37 ( 63 ) FEEL THE NEED Leif Garrett
38 ( 48 ) I GO TO PIECES Rachel Sweet
39 ( NEW ) REUNITED Peaches and Herb
40 ( 64 ) PARISIENNE WALKWAYS Gary Moore featuring Phil Lynnot

41 ( 32 ) IMPERIAL WIZARD David Essex
42 ( 26 ) STRANGE TOWN The Jam
43 ( 38 ) REMEMBER THEN Showaddywaddy
44 ( 41 ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers
45 ( 31 ) SOMETHING ELSE The Sex Pistols
46 ( 37 ) LUCKY NUMBERS Lene Lovich
47 ( 30 ) I JUST FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Anne Murray
48 ( 54 ) SWEET LUI LOUISE Iron Horse
49 ( NEW ) DANCE AWAY Roxy Music
50 ( 33 ) SOME GIRLS Racey

51 ( 43 ) OLIVER'S ARMY Elvis Costello
52 ( NEW ) ROXANNE The Police
53 ( 52 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
54 ( 53 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
55 ( 39 ) FIRE The Pointer Sisters
56 ( NEW ) NICE LEGS (SHAME ABOUT THE FACE) The Monks
57 ( 55 ) Y.M.C.A. The Village People
58 ( 42 ) LET'S FLY AWAY Voyage
59 ( 44 ) FOREVER IN BLUE JEANS Neil Diamond
60 ( 47 ) INTO THE VALLEY The Skids



61 ( 45 ) OVERKILL Motorhead
62 ( 60 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
63 ( 59 ) I LOVE THE MUSIC Freefall
64 ( 51 ) WAITING FOR AN ALIBI Thin Lizzy
65 ( NEW ) WALK ON BY Average White Band
66 ( 46 ) DREAM LOVER/ MAC THE KNIFE Bobby Darrin
67 ( 70 ) DOUBLE LOVE Cracking
68 ( NEW ) PRIME TIME The Tubes
69 ( 61 ) MIRRORS Sally Oldfield
70 ( 73 ) I NEED YOUR HELP BARRY MANILOW Ray Stevens



71 ( 49 ) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Sham '69
72 ( 62 ) I WAS MADE FOR DANCING Leif Garrett
73 ( NEW ) I'M AN UPSTART The Angelic Upstarts
74 ( 68 ) THE NUMBER ONE SONG IN HEAVEN Sparks
75 ( NEW ) ONLY YOU Child

TV
1 Kenny Everett Video Show
2 ELO at Wembley
3 Mork & Mindy
4 Top Of The Pops
5 Rhoda
6 The Sky At Night
7 Election Coverage '79
8 The World About Us
9 Film '79
10 The Waltons

Posted by: popchartfreak 17th May 2014, 05:15 PM

8th May 1979

Surprise! Abba at number one again for the 11th time - actually it’s more of an unofficial double A side as I preferred Kisses Of Fire at the time, and still do, it’s a corking dancerock track, where Does Your Mother Know is cheesy singalong poprock, fun maybe, but flattered without the B side. Wings yet again at 2, and I was clearly feeling quite positive and jolly judging by the pure pop happy toons in the Top 10. Maybe it’s because 4 of my friends and me had been chatting about working the summer for cash enough to hop the new Laker airlines to California for an exciting student holiday. My dream place......!

The chart though, not much happening this week, Police jumping up to 20 for the first of a long run 100% Top 10 run of singles. Sparks stop pottering about and rocket from 74 to 29, back in the 40 after a 4-year break. Bowie’s back with a bang. He always was of course, but the cross-dressing video, catchy guitar riffs and synths were irresistible at 33 and highest new entry. At 37 The Undertones were deservedly back in the 40 too, fun new wave, and Cheap Trick slip in for some new wave US rock at 74.



1 ( 7 ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW/ KISSES OF FIRE Abba
2 ( 3 ) GOODNIGHT TONIGHT Wings
3 ( 1 ) THE LOGICAL SONG Supertramp
4 ( 2 ) THE RUNNER The Three Degrees
5 ( 4 ) POP MUZIK M
6 ( 9 ) ONE WAY TICKET Eruption
7 ( 10 ) LOVE YOU INSIDE OUT The Bee Gees
8 ( 5 ) SHAKE YOUR BODY (DOWN TO THE GROUND) The Jacksons
9 ( 6 ) BRIGHT EYES Art Garfunkel
10 ( 21 ) HOORAY IT'S A HOLI HOLIDAY Boney M



11 ( 17 ) HAVEN'T STOPPED DANCING YET Gonzales
12 ( 18 ) KNOCK ON WOOD Amii Stewart
13 ( 24 ) GUILTY Mike Oldfield
14 ( 28 ) BANANA SPLITS The Dickies
15 ( 12 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
16 ( 11 ) SULTANS OF SWING Dire Straits
17 ( 13 ) SILLY THING The Sex Pistols
18 ( 15 ) COOL FOR CATS Squeeze
19 ( 14 ) WOW Kate Bush
20 ( 52 ) ROXANNE The Police

21 ( 8 ) LET'S DANCE Chris Montez
22 ( 16 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
23 ( 49 ) DANCE AWAY Roxy Music
24 ( 39 ) REUNITED Peaches and Herb
25 ( 27 ) I DON'T WANNA LOSE YOU Kandidate
26 ( 35 ) LOVE BALLAD George Benson
27 ( 20 ) HE'S THE GREATEST DANCER Sister Sledge
28 ( 26 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
29 ( 74 ) THE NUMBER ONE SONG IN HEAVEN Sparks
30 ( 40 ) PARISIENNE WALKWAYS Gary Moore featuring Phil Lynnot

31 ( 22 ) THE STAIRCASE (MYSTERY) Siouxsie & The Banshees
32 ( 19 ) IN THE NAVY The Village People
33 ( NEW ) BOYS KEEP SWINGING David Bowie
34 ( 32 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
35 ( 23 ) I WANT YOUR LOVE Chic
36 ( 33 ) HOLD THE LINE Toto
37 ( NEW ) JIMMY JIMMY The Undertones
38 ( 25 ) KEEP ON DANCING Gary's Gang
39 ( 37 ) FEEL THE NEED Leif Garrett
40 ( 29 ) HERE COMES THE NIGHT The Beach Boys



41 ( 31 ) CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE The Real Thing
42 ( 48 ) SWEET LUI LOUISE Iron Horse
43 ( 44 ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers
44 ( 41 ) IMPERIAL WIZARD David Essex
45 ( 36 ) TURN THE MUSIC UP Player's Association
46 ( 30 ) OFFSHORE BANKING BUSINESS The Members
47 ( 46 ) LUCKY NUMBERS Lene Lovich
48 ( 65 ) WALK ON BY Avergae White Band
49 ( 38 ) I GO TO PIECES Rachel Sweet
50 ( 56 ) NICE LEGS (SHAME ABOUT THE FACE) The Monks



51 ( 34 ) HALLELUJAH Milk And Honey featuring Gali Atari
52 ( 45 ) SOMETHING ELSE The Sex Pistols
53 ( 53 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
54 ( 54 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
55 ( 51 ) OLIVER'S ARMY Elvis Costello
56 ( 42 ) STRANGE TOWN The Jam
57 ( NEW ) VALLEY OF THE DOLLS Generation X
58 ( 50 ) SOME GIRLS Racey
59 ( 57 ) Y.M.C.A. The Village People
60 ( 47 ) I JUST FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Anne Murray

61 ( 68 ) PRIME TIME The Tubes
62 ( 59 ) FOREVER IN BLUE JEANS Neil Diamond
63 ( 62 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
64 ( 60 ) INTO THE VALLEY The Skids
65 ( 43 ) REMEMBER THEN Showaddywaddy
66 ( 64 ) WAITING FOR AN ALIBI Thin Lizzy
67 ( 61 ) OVERKILL Motorhead
68 ( NEW ) UNTIL THE NIGHT Billy Joel
69 ( 58 ) LET'S FLY AWAY Voyage
70 ( 55 ) FIRE The Pointer Sisters

71 ( 69 ) MIRRORS Sally Oldfield
72 ( 73 ) I'M AN UPSTART The Angelic Upstarts
73 ( 75 ) ONLY YOU Child
74 ( NEW ) I WANT YOU TO WANT ME Cheap Trick
75 ( 67 ) DOUBLE LOVE Cracking

TV
1 A Fire In The Sky (TV Film)
2 Soap
3 Mork & Mindy
4 Fawlty Towers
5 Top Of The Pops
6 Happy Days
7 The Birds (film)
8 Tomorrow's World
9 McMillan
10 The Odd Couple

Posted by: popchartfreak 17th May 2014, 06:56 PM

15th May 1979

2 weeks for Abba, holding off Pop Muzik at 2. M did eventually reach number one. 10 Years later! Eruption get 2 top 3’s, but not the start of a promising run of hits, more like the end of. The Dickies slip up to 7, Sparks rise to 11, Bowie to 18 and highest new entry is Lene Lovich, saying when, a great follow-up to Lucky Number, not nearly as annoying after overplays. Cheap Trick meanwhile shoot up to 33, Bachman-Turner Overd...oops I mean Iron Horse finally break the 40, and Linda Clifford discofies a classic. Or should that be crucifies...? I charted it purely for the song, I think. Nice to see the Damned go Top 40 too.

Cher is back after a gap, and guess what, she’s gone disco. Take Me Home enters at 48, I rather liked it, though the UK buying public disagreed - well, at least not for another 20-odd years and Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s cover version. Blondie follow up a monster classic with a French-flavoured melodic pop gem of a single, at 60. Orleans are also back after a couple of years away from my charts, they never did get that UK hit, despite radio airplay exposure for Dance With Me and Still The One. A 2nd Beatle pops into the 75, George at 65, and one I’m going to have to youtube as i’ve not heard it in 35 years. Hope it’s good! Roy Wood’s back at 75 too, not one of his best, and virtually his last barring xmas reissues and rerecordings. Finally, Earth Wind & Fire duet with protogees The Emotions on a funky disco classic. Fab.

1 ( 1 ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW/ KISSES OF FIRE Abba
2 ( 5 ) POP MUZIK M
3 ( 6 ) ONE WAY TICKET Eruption
4 ( 7 ) LOVE YOU INSIDE OUT The Bee Gees
5 ( 3 ) THE LOGICAL SONG Supertramp
6 ( 2 ) GOODNIGHT TONIGHT Wings
7 ( 14 ) BANANA SPLITS The Dickies
8 ( 10 ) HOORAY IT'S A HOLI HOLIDAY Boney M
9 ( 4 ) THE RUNNER The Three Degrees
10 ( 20 ) ROXANNE The Police

11 ( 29 ) THE NUMBER ONE SONG IN HEAVEN Sparks
12 ( 13 ) GUILTY Mike Oldfield
13 ( 9 ) BRIGHT EYES Art Garfunkel
14 ( 8 ) SHAKE YOUR BODY (DOWN TO THE GROUND) The Jacksons
15 ( 23 ) DANCE AWAY Roxy Music
16 ( 11 ) HAVEN'T STOPPED DANCING YET Gonzales
17 ( 12 ) KNOCK ON WOOD Amii Stewart
18 ( 33 ) BOYS KEEP SWINGING David Bowie
19 ( 24 ) REUNITED Peaches and Herb
20 ( 15 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor




21 ( 30 ) PARISIENNE WALKWAYS Gary Moore featuring Phil Lynnot
22 ( 16 ) SULTANS OF SWING Dire Straits
23 ( 26 ) LOVE BALLAD George Benson
24 ( 18 ) COOL FOR CATS Squeeze
25 ( 19 ) WOW Kate Bush
26 ( 22 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
27 ( 17 ) SILLY THING The Sex Pistols
28 ( 28 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
29 ( 37 ) JIMMY JIMMY The Undertones
30 ( NEW ) SAY WHEN Lene Lovich



31 ( 25 ) I DON'T WANNA LOSE YOU Kandidate
32 ( 21 ) LET'S DANCE Chris Montez
33 ( 74 ) I WANT YOU TO WANT ME Cheap Trick
34 ( 27 ) HE'S THE GREATEST DANCER Sister Sledge
35 ( 42 ) SWEET LUI LOUISE Iron Horse
36 ( NEW ) BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER Linda Clifford
37 ( 34 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
38 ( 36 ) HOLD THE LINE Toto
39 ( NEW ) LOVE SONG The Damned
40 ( 50 ) NICE LEGS (SHAME ABOUT THE FACE) The Monks

41 ( 31 ) THE STAIRCASE (MYSTERY) Siouxsie & The Banshees
42 ( 32 ) IN THE NAVY The Village People
43 ( 43 ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers
44 ( 38 ) KEEP ON DANCING Gary's Gang
45 ( 35 ) I WANT YOUR LOVE Chic
46 ( 41 ) CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE The Real Thing
47 ( 44 ) IMPERIAL WIZARD David Essex
48 ( NEW ) TAKE ME HOME Cher
49 ( 46 ) OFFSHORE BANKING BUSINESS The Members
50 ( 45 ) TURN THE MUSIC UP Player's Association



51 ( 40 ) HERE COMES THE NIGHT The Beach Boys
52 ( 39 ) FEEL THE NEED Leif Garrett
53 ( 47 ) LUCKY NUMBERS Lene Lovich
54 ( 53 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
55 ( 54 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
56 ( 61 ) PRIME TIME The Tubes
57 ( 48 ) WALK ON BY Average White Band
58 ( 52 ) SOMETHING ELSE The Sex Pistols
59 ( 55 ) OLIVER'S ARMY Elvis Costello
60 ( NEW ) SUNDAY GIRL Blondie

61 ( 59 ) Y.M.C.A. The Village People
62 ( NEW ) LOVE TAKES TIME Orleans
63 ( 72 ) I'M AN UPSTART The Angelic Upstarts
64 ( 63 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
65 ( NEW ) LOVE COMES TO EVERYONE George Harrison
66 ( 51 ) HALLELUJAH Milk And Honey featuring Gali Atari
67 ( 58 ) SOME GIRLS Racey
68 ( 68 ) UNTIL THE NIGHT Billy Joel
69 ( 49 ) I GO TO PIECES Rachel Sweet
70 ( NEW ) CHAINS The Late Show

71 ( 64 ) INTO THE VALLEY The Skids
72 ( NEW ) BOOGIE WONDERLAND Earth, Wind & Fire and The Emotions
73 ( 57 ) VALLEY OF THE DOLLS Generation X
74 ( 71 ) MIRRORS Sally Oldfield
75 ( NEW ) WE'RE BACK ON THE ROAD AGAIN Roy Wood




TV
1 3 Hungry Wives (TV film)
2 Soap
3 Top Of The Pops
4 South Bank Show
5 Barney Miller
6 Mork & Mindy (Fri)
7 Rockford Files
8 A Shot In The Dark (film)
9 Mork & Mindy (sat)
10 The Odd Couple

Posted by: AlexRange 19th May 2014, 09:17 AM

Yes, John.
Finally someone said it. "Kisses Of Fire" could replace Dusty Springfield on the top, if albums tracks were available for my retro charts. "Does Your Mother Know" even didn't reach top 10. "Sunday Girl" for the next # 1. Easily best Blondie's song.

Posted by: popchartfreak 19th May 2014, 11:36 AM

Thanks Alex, you're right, too about Blondie (Ive given it away!), but how long will it take to get there
cheers
john

Posted by: popchartfreak 19th May 2014, 06:16 PM

22nd May 1979

3 weeks for Abba, and Sparks get their biggest hit since This Town... up to 2 with the Number One Song, will they won’t they though..? Police take that red light up to 4, and Roxy get a Top 10 hit again, though to be fair they made the top 10 every year (or solo Ferry) every year bar 1978 since debuting in 1972. Mike Oldfield gets his 6th Top 10, and Blondie shoot up from 60 to 13, 6 Top 20’s in a row.

Undertones and Lene Lovich go top 20, and then it’s all about the new entries: ELO highest at 22, with the disco-flavoured Shine A Little Love and never failing to make my charts, with one possible exception in 1974. Donna Summer at 34, going a bit raunchy in a guitar riff sense, and getting huge in the States at long last after being huge in the UK for 2 or 3 years. Elvis Costello is back at 38 with one of his most tuneful poptastic minor hits, Dollar follw-up at 43 with the not-dissimilar Who Were You With In The Moonlight (to Shooting Star), but soooo catchy anyway.

The Shads insist on doing another cover (the dreary film theme), The Clash do a more inventive cover (60’s classic I Fought The Law), and best of all, sneaking in at 73 it’s Elton going all Philly disco 5 years late. To be fair, the record was several years old when it came out, oddly, but it was (to be honest) better than most of his records of the last 2 years. You may have heard of it, being as Are You Ready For Love got to Number One. Eventually. There may have been a record that had to wait longer than 24 years to top the chart (Reet Petite) but I’m not sure if it’s the oldest actual RECORDING to do it for the first time or not. Answers on a postcard.


1 ( 1 ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW/ KISSES OF FIRE Abba
2 ( 11 ) THE NUMBER ONE SONG IN HEAVEN Sparks
3 ( 3 ) ONE WAY TICKET Eruption
4 ( 10 ) ROXANNE The Police
5 ( 8 ) HOORAY IT'S A HOLI HOLIDAY Boney M
6 ( 2 ) POP MUZIK M
7 ( 7 ) BANANA SPLITS The Dickies
8 ( 15 ) DANCE AWAY Roxy Music
9 ( 4 ) LOVE YOU INSIDE OUT The Bee Gees
10 ( 12 ) GUILTY Mike Oldfield

11 ( 5 ) THE LOGICAL SONG Supertramp
12 ( 6 ) GOODNIGHT TONIGHT Wings
13 ( 60 ) SUNDAY GIRL Blondie
14 ( 29 ) JIMMY JIMMY The Undertones
15 ( 30 ) SAY WHEN Lene Lovich
16 ( 19 ) REUNITED Peaches and Herb
17 ( 9 ) THE RUNNER The Three Degrees
18 ( 18 ) BOYS KEEP SWINGING David Bowie
19 ( 14 ) SHAKE YOUR BODY (DOWN TO THE GROUND) The Jacksons
20 ( 21 ) PARISIENNE WALKWAYS Gary Moore featuring Phil Lynnot

21 ( 13 ) BRIGHT EYES Art Garfunkel
22 ( NEW ) SHINE A LITTLE LOVE E.L.O.
23 ( 17 ) KNOCK ON WOOD Amii Stewart
24 ( 72 ) BOOGIE WONDERLAND Earth, Wind & Fire and The Emotions
25 ( 20 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
26 ( 56 ) PRIME TIME The Tubes
27 ( 35 ) SWEET LUI LOUISE Iron Horse
28 ( 23 ) LOVE BALLAD George Benson
29 ( 16 ) HAVEN'T STOPPED DANCING YET Gonzales
30 ( 36 ) BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER Linda Clifford



31 ( 22 ) SULTANS OF SWING Dire Straits
32 ( 39 ) LOVE SONG The Damned
33 ( 33 ) I WANT YOU TO WANT ME Cheap Trick
34 ( NEW ) HOT STUFF Donna Summer
35 ( 26 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
36 ( 28 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
37 ( 24 ) COOL FOR CATS Squeeze
38 ( NEW ) ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN Elvis Costello
39 ( 25 ) WOW Kate Bush
40 ( 37 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie



41 ( 31 ) I DON'T WANNA LOSE YOU Kandidate
42 ( 48 ) TAKE ME HOME Cher
43 ( NEW ) WHO WERE YOU WITH IN THE MOONLIGHT Dollar
44 ( 38 ) HOLD THE LINE Toto
45 ( 27 ) SILLY THING The Sex Pistols
46 ( 34 ) HE'S THE GREATEST DANCER Sister Sledge
47 ( 32 ) LET'S DANCE Chris Montez
48 ( 43 ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers
49 ( NEW ) THEME FROM THE DEER HUNTER (CAVATINA) The Shadows
50 ( 41 ) THE STAIRCASE (MYSTERY) Siouxsie & The Banshees



51 ( 40 ) NICE LEGS (SHAME ABOUT THE FACE) The Monks
52 ( 44 ) KEEP ON DANCING Gary's Gang
53 ( 46 ) CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE The Real Thing
54 ( 47 ) IMPERIAL WIZARD David Essex
55 ( 54 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
56 ( 55 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
57 ( 45 ) I WANT YOUR LOVE Chic
58 ( 65 ) LOVE COMES TO EVERYONE George Harrison
59 ( 42 ) IN THE NAVY The Village People
60 ( 50 ) TURN THE MUSIC UP Player's Association

61 ( 49 ) OFFSHORE BANKING BUSINESS The Members
62 ( 62 ) LOVE TAKES TIME Orleans
63 ( 63 ) I'M AN UPSTART The Angelic Upstarts
64 ( 53 ) LUCKY NUMBERS Lene Lovich
65 ( 51 ) HERE COMES THE NIGHT The Beach Boys
66 ( NEW ) I FOUGHT THE LAW The Clash
67 ( 70 ) CHAINS The Late Show
68 ( 61 ) Y.M.C.A. The Village People
69 ( 64 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
70 ( 58 ) SOMETHING ELSE The Sex Pistols

71 ( 52 ) FEEL THE NEED Leif Garrett
72 ( 59 ) OLIVER'S ARMY Elvis Costello
73 ( NEW ) ARE YOU READY FOR LOVE Elton John
74 ( NEW ) RUNAWAY Elkie Brooks
75 ( 67 ) SOME GIRLS Racey




TV
1 Soap
2 Mork & Mindy
3 Barney Miller
4 Top Of The Pops
5 The Last Voyage (film)
6 Rockford Files
7 Fantasy Island
8 The New Maverick (TV film)
9 Up The Chastity Belt (film)
10 The Odd Couple

Posted by: popchartfreak 19th May 2014, 07:24 PM

29th May 1979

4th and final week on top for Kisses Of Fire, but who’s going to get the spot, Sparks at 2, Blondie up to 3, Bowie up to 6, ELO up to 22...all faves, all former chart toppers, all still fab!? Lene Lovich at 9, Elvis Costello’s fab Accidents Will happen at 13, Tubes fab Prime Time at 14, and even Dollar shooting stars up to 15 could even make it a newcomer topper. Tune in next month to see if it is Blondie after all:)

All that activity means the highest new track is Quantum Jump at 34. Whoooo?! Just listen to the first 30 seconds, longest town name in the world at the time (New Zealand), and the record is a 3-year-old slyly gay goodie too finally a hit thanks to Kenny Everett’s TV and radio shows. The Skids follow-up is the equal of Into The Valley, in at 37, and probably the last 2 ever Philly hits in the chart with McFadden & Whitehead’s classic (joining Elton) at 39, ain’t no stoppin them. 64, Tubeway Army, striking dark morose electronic music, people said a bit Bowie, well nothing like Boys Keep Swinging actually, and even better! Sister Sledge 2nd time round keep the disco ball rolling with another Chic classic, We Are Family, so that’s one-up on their Jackson 5 period.


1 ( 1 ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW/ KISSES OF FIRE Abba
2 ( 2 ) THE NUMBER ONE SONG IN HEAVEN Sparks
3 ( 13 ) SUNDAY GIRL Blondie
4 ( 4 ) ROXANNE The Police
5 ( 8 ) DANCE AWAY Roxy Music
6 ( 18 ) BOYS KEEP SWINGING David Bowie
7 ( 22 ) SHINE A LITTLE LOVE E.L.O.
8 ( 3 ) ONE WAY TICKET Eruption
9 ( 15 ) SAY WHEN Lene Lovich
10 ( 7 ) BANANA SPLITS The Dickies

11 ( 14 ) JIMMY JIMMY The Undertones
12 ( 6 ) POP MUZIK M
13 ( 38 ) ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN Elvis Costello
14 ( 26 ) PRIME TIME The Tubes
15 ( 43 ) WHO WERE YOU WITH IN THE MOONLIGHT Dollar
16 ( 5 ) HOORAY IT'S A HOLI HOLIDAY Boney M
17 ( 10 ) GUILTY Mike Oldfield
18 ( 11 ) THE LOGICAL SONG Supertramp
19 ( 32 ) LOVE SONG The Damned
20 ( 24 ) BOOGIE WONDERLAND Earth, Wind & Fire and The Emotions

21 ( 9 ) LOVE YOU INSIDE OUT The Bee Gees
22 ( 12 ) GOODNIGHT TONIGHT Wings
23 ( 16 ) REUNITED Peaches and Herb
24 ( 17 ) THE RUNNER The Three Degrees
25 ( 19 ) SHAKE YOUR BODY (DOWN TO THE GROUND) The Jacksons
26 ( 30 ) BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER Linda Clifford
27 ( 33 ) I WANT YOU TO WANT ME Cheap Trick
28 ( 21 ) BRIGHT EYES Art Garfunkel
29 ( 34 ) HOT STUFF Donna Summer
30 ( 25 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor




31 ( 23 ) KNOCK ON WOOD Amii Stewart
32 ( 49 ) THEME FROM THE DEER HUNTER (CAVATINA) The Shadows
33 ( 20 ) PARISIENNE WALKWAYS Gary Moore featuring Phil Lynnot
34 ( NEW ) THE LONE RANGER Quantum Jump
35 ( 35 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
36 ( 36 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
37 ( NEW ) MASQUERADE The Skids
38 ( 31 ) SULTANS OF SWING Dire Straits
39 ( NEW ) AIN'T NO STOPPIN' US NOW McFadden and Whitehead
40 ( 29 ) HAVEN'T STOPPED DANCING YET Gonzales



41 ( 40 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
42 ( 37 ) COOL FOR CATS Squeeze
43 ( 27 ) SWEET LUI LOUISE Iron Horse
44 ( 28 ) LOVE BALLAD George Benson
45 ( 51 ) NICE LEGS (SHAME ABOUT THE FACE) The Monks
46 ( 39 ) WOW Kate Bush
47 ( 44 ) HOLD THE LINE Toto
48 ( 52 ) KEEP ON DANCING Gary's Gang
49 ( 41 ) I DON'T WANNA LOSE YOU Kandidate
50 ( 48 ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers



51 ( 46 ) HE'S THE GREATEST DANCER Sister Sledge
52 ( 47 ) LET'S DANCE Chris Montez
53 ( 45 ) SILLY THING The Sex Pistols
54 ( 55 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
55 ( 56 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
56 ( 53 ) CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE The Real Thing
57 ( 50 ) THE STAIRCASE (MYSTERY) Siouxsie & The Banshees
58 ( 42 ) TAKE ME HOME Cher
59 ( 66 ) I FOUGHT THE LAW The Clash
60 ( 54 ) IMPERIAL WIZARD David Essex

61 ( 57 ) I WANT YOUR LOVE Chic
62 ( 60 ) TURN THE MUSIC UP Player's Association
63 ( 67 ) CHAINS The Late Show
64 ( NEW ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
65 ( 58 ) LOVE COMES TO EVERYONE George Harrison
66 ( 59 ) IN THE NAVY The Village People
67 ( 61 ) OFFSHORE BANKING BUSINESS The Members
68 ( 73 ) ARE YOU READY FOR LOVE Elton John
69 ( 69 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
70 ( 68 ) Y.M.C.A. The Village People

71 ( 74 ) RUNAWAY Elkie Brooks
72 ( NEW ) WE ARE FAMILY Sister Sledge
73 ( 64 ) LUCKY NUMBERS Lene Lovich
74 ( NEW ) YOU AND ME Liner
75 ( 65 ) HERE COMES THE NIGHT The Beach Boys



TV
1 Soap
2 George Burns 100th Birthday
3 Top Of The Pops
4 Horizon
5 Dave Allan At Large
6 Petrocelli
7 Fantasy Island
8 Mary Hartman Mary Hartman
9 Centennial (Tues)
10 Tomorrow's World

Posted by: popchartfreak 10th June 2014, 05:47 PM

5th June 1979

Still at College, towards the end of the second year and plans for a trip to california (after working over the summer to pay for it) were firming up. Meanwhile I became enraptured by a TV mini series called Centennial. Part of my degree involved American Studies - history, geography and literature (I always have had a thing for the USA!) - so this series was quite relevant to me, being as it covered an era I’d been studying, the Native American getting wiped out at worst, relocated onto badlands at best, in the movement West. It pretty much covered generations of settlers with an all-star cast, much-loved actors by me like David Janssen, Lynn Redgrave and new star Gregory Harrison. I loved it so much I wrote a letter of comment to Radio Times when it finished, which they printed, yay! It’s taken 35 years but I have a Dutch DVD version of the series now. Unlike new Glen A. Larson series Sword Of Justice (action-adventure) which I also liked a lot - only to never be repeated or available ever again.

Back in pop land Debbie Harry ruled, everywhere it seemed, a pin-up fave of the boys at College, and Blondie duly topped my chart for the third time with the fab Sunday Girl. Ooh la la! ELO were also huge, and go up to 4 with a slightly-below-par single (but only slightly) while the fab Tubes shoot up to 5. Love that melody. Dollar’s synth-poppiness gets them a top 10 for the second time, The Skids shoot up to 11, Mcfadden & Whitehead at 17 prove there’s no stopping ‘em now, The Shads get a rare Top 20 hit and Tubeway Army rocket up to 22 after an enigmatic TOTP performance.

Highest new entry is future UK topper Ring My Bell, Linda Ward sounding catchy for a while, and beating out more street-cred disco of The Bombers in at 30. Gerry Rafferty get’s a 3rd Top 40 hit, Night Owl entering at 37, and Edwin Starr gets 2 in a row thanks to some happy radio plays. The Village People get a 3rd hit, a lowly 58 to start with, but future-anthem Go West would eventually top my charts - by Pet Shop Boys and their genius take on this fairly standard gay disco track. Hot Choc make a statement about Mindless Boogie, and get rewarded with a relative flop, but hey they get 9 consecutive years of hits in my charts, big fan was I. Not many new entries though, and the short list of TV shows makes me think I was away somewhere, maybe London with the art or geography shtudents who were my natural crowds of friends. Must check my diary if I ever find it...(you didn’t think my ramblings were from notes did you!?)



1 ( 3 ) SUNDAY GIRL Blondie
2 ( 1 ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW/ KISSES OF FIRE Abba
3 ( 2 ) THE NUMBER ONE SONG IN HEAVEN Sparks
4 ( 7 ) SHINE A LITTLE LOVE E.L.O.
5 ( 14 ) PRIME TIME The Tubes
6 ( 4 ) ROXANNE The Police
7 ( 9 ) SAY WHEN Lene Lovich
8 ( 15 ) WHO WERE YOU WITH IN THE MOONLIGHT Dollar
9 ( 5 ) DANCE AWAY Roxy Music
10 ( 6 ) BOYS KEEP SWINGING David Bowie

11 ( 37 ) MASQUERADE The Skids
12 ( 20 ) BOOGIE WONDERLAND Earth, Wind & Fire and The Emotions
13 ( 13 ) ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN Elvis Costello
14 ( 11 ) JIMMY JIMMY The Undertones
15 ( 12 ) POP MUZIK M
16 ( 8 ) ONE WAY TICKET Eruption
17 ( 39 ) AIN'T NO STOPPIN' US NOW McFadden and Whitehead
18 ( 23 ) REUNITED Peaches and Herb
19 ( 32 ) THEME FROM THE DEER HUNTER (CAVATINA) The Shadows
20 ( 17 ) GUILTY Mike Oldfield



21 ( 29 ) HOT STUFF Donna Summer
22 ( 64 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
23 ( 10 ) BANANA SPLITS The Dickies
24 ( 18 ) THE LOGICAL SONG Supertramp
25 ( NEW ) RING MY BELL Anita Ward
26 ( 27 ) I WANT YOU TO WANT ME Cheap Trick
27 ( 34 ) THE LONE RANGER Quantum Jump
28 ( 16 ) HOORAY IT'S A HOLI HOLIDAY Boney M
29 ( 28 ) BRIGHT EYES Art Garfunkel
30 ( NEW ) (EVERYBODY) GET DANCING The Bombers

31 ( 72 ) WE ARE FAMILY Sister Sledge
32 ( 21 ) LOVE YOU INSIDE OUT The Bee Gees
33 ( 24 ) THE RUNNER The Three Degrees
34 ( 30 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
35 ( 25 ) SHAKE YOUR BODY (DOWN TO THE GROUND) The Jacksons
36 ( 22 ) GOODNIGHT TONIGHT Wings
37 ( NEW ) NIGHT OWL Gerry Rafferty
38 ( 19 ) LOVE SONG The Damned
39 ( 31 ) KNOCK ON WOOD Amii Stewart
40 ( NEW ) (H.A.P.P.Y.) RADIO Edwin Starr



41 ( 36 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
42 ( 35 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
43 ( 41 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
44 ( 38 ) SULTANS OF SWING Dire Straits
45 ( 26 ) BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER Linda Clifford
46 ( 45 ) NICE LEGS (SHAME ABOUT THE FACE) The Monks
47 ( 59 ) I FOUGHT THE LAW The Clash
48 ( 33 ) PARISIENNE WALKWAYS Gary Moore featuring Phil Lynnot
49 ( 47 ) HOLD THE LINE Toto
50 ( 48 ) KEEP ON DANCING Gary's Gang

51 ( 46 ) WOW Kate Bush
52 ( 50 ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers
53 ( 42 ) COOL FOR CATS Squeeze
54 ( 54 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
55 ( 55 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
56 ( 40 ) HAVEN'T STOPPED DANCING YET Gonzales
57 ( 44 ) LOVE BALLAD George Benson
58 ( NEW ) GO WEST The Village People
59 ( 43 ) SWEET LUI LOUISE Iron Horse
60 ( 51 ) HE'S THE GREATEST DANCER Sister Sledge




61 ( 52 ) LET'S DANCE Chris Montez
62 ( 56 ) CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE The Real Thing
63 ( NEW ) THE WORKER Fischer Z
64 ( 68 ) ARE YOU READY FOR LOVE Elton John
65 ( 60 ) IMPERIAL WIZARD David Essex
66 ( NEW ) MINDLESS BOOGIE Hot Chocolate
67 ( 53 ) SILLY THING The Sex Pistols
68 ( 61 ) I WANT YOUR LOVE Chic
69 ( 69 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
70 ( 49 ) I DON'T WANNA LOSE YOU Kandidate

71 ( 57 ) THE STAIRCASE (MYSTERY) Siouxsie & The Banshees
72 ( 62 ) TURN THE MUSIC UP Player's Association
73 ( 70 ) Y.M.C.A. The Village People
74 ( 75 ) HERE COMES THE NIGHT The Beach Boys
75 ( 66 ) IN THE NAVY The Village People

TV
1 Centennial
2 Dave Allen At Large
3 Mork And Mindy
4 Top Of The Pops
5 Sword Of Justice
6 The World About Us

Posted by: popchartfreak 10th June 2014, 07:51 PM

12th June 1979

2 weeks for Blondie on top, a lot of shuffling abaht, but not much going on, really. Only 6 new entries, top one from Linda Lewis at 39 with a musical track from Evita. It’s fab, and how I wish some of Linda’s early TV performances had survived (circa 1973 she was a singer-songwriter, hitting with Rock A Doodle Do, then a disco diva covering It’s In His Kiss decades before Cher, and eventually morphed into backing singer for 80’s pop stars). She had a unique voice, very girlie, which I loved. At 54 it’s another gem from Squeeze, a whole soap opera in over 3 minutes or so, Glen Tilbrook showing his great vocals this time solo. Patti Smith gets a follow-up in my charts at least (Frederick), John Williams gets his original version of Cavatina in the chart to join the dropping Shads, and The Scorpions debut over a decade before they got that huge hit, making do with 75.

Elton's future number one (21st century that is) goes Top 40 (that's one up on the UK Top 40, hooray!), The Skids go Top 5 for the 2nd time in a row, Earth Wind & Fire get their 3rd Top 10 hit, and Anita Ward ding dong dings up to 9. Happily the far better Tubeway Army and Sister Sledge go top 20 along with Donna Summer and Quantum Jump. Centennial still rules on TV for me as Levi Zendt starts to establish the town of Centennial and marry a native Indian girl after being traumatically widowed after just getting married, running away from his Quaker community. It’s not just history, it’s soap drama!


1 ( 1 ) SUNDAY GIRL Blondie
2 ( 2 ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW/ KISSES OF FIRE Abba
3 ( 4 ) SHINE A LITTLE LOVE E.L.O.
4 ( 11 ) MASQUERADE The Skids
5 ( 12 ) BOOGIE WONDERLAND Earth, Wind & Fire and The Emotions
6 ( 3 ) THE NUMBER ONE SONG IN HEAVEN Sparks
7 ( 8 ) WHO WERE YOU WITH IN THE MOONLIGHT Dollar
8 ( 5 ) PRIME TIME The Tubes
9 ( 25 ) RING MY BELL Anita Ward
10 ( 6 ) ROXANNE The Police

11 ( 10 ) BOYS KEEP SWINGING David Bowie
12 ( 9 ) DANCE AWAY Roxy Music
13 ( 22 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
14 ( 31 ) WE ARE FAMILY Sister Sledge
15 ( 7 ) SAY WHEN Lene Lovich
16 ( 13 ) ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN Elvis Costello
17 ( 21 ) HOT STUFF Donna Summer
18 ( 17 ) AIN'T NO STOPPIN' US NOW McFadden and Whitehead
19 ( 27 ) THE LONE RANGER Quantum Jump
20 ( 15 ) POP MUZIK M

21 ( 14 ) JIMMY JIMMY The Undertones
22 ( 16 ) ONE WAY TICKET Eruption
23 ( 19 ) THEME FROM THE DEER HUNTER (CAVATINA) The Shadows
24 ( 18 ) REUNITED Peaches and Herb
25 ( 20 ) GUILTY Mike Oldfield
26 ( 37 ) NIGHT OWL Gerry Rafferty
27 ( 24 ) THE LOGICAL SONG Supertramp
28 ( 23 ) BANANA SPLITS The Dickies
29 ( 30 ) (EVERYBODY) GET DANCING The Bombers
30 ( 26 ) I WANT YOU TO WANT ME Cheap Trick

31 ( 28 ) HOORAY IT'S A HOLI HOLIDAY Boney M
32 ( 29 ) BRIGHT EYES Art Garfunkel
33 ( 40 ) (H.A.P.P.Y.) RADIO Edwin Starr
34 ( 34 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
35 ( 33 ) THE RUNNER The Three Degrees
36 ( 38 ) LOVE SONG The Damned
37 ( 32 ) LOVE YOU INSIDE OUT The Bee Gees
38 ( 35 ) SHAKE YOUR BODY (DOWN TO THE GROUND) The Jacksons
39 ( NEW ) I'D BE SURPRISNGLY GOOD FOR YOU Linda Lewis
40 ( 64 ) ARE YOU READY FOR LOVE Elton John




41 ( 41 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
42 ( 42 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
43 ( 36 ) GOODNIGHT TONIGHT Wings
44 ( 39 ) KNOCK ON WOOD Amii Stewart
45 ( 47 ) I FOUGHT THE LAW The Clash
46 ( 58 ) GO WEST The Village People
47 ( 43 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
48 ( 45 ) BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER Linda Clifford
49 ( 44 ) SULTANS OF SWING Dire Straits
50 ( 66 ) MINDLESS BOOGIE Hot Chocolate




51 ( 46 ) NICE LEGS (SHAME ABOUT THE FACE) The Monks
52 ( 48 ) PARISIENNE WALKWAYS Gary Moore featuring Phil Lynnot
53 ( 50 ) KEEP ON DANCING Gary's Gang
54 ( NEW ) UP THE JUNCTION Squeeze
55 ( 49 ) HOLD THE LINE Toto
56 ( 54 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
57 ( 55 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
58 ( 52 ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers
59 ( 63 ) THE WORKER Fischer Z
60 ( 51 ) WOW Kate Bush



61 ( 53 ) COOL FOR CATS Squeeze
62 ( NEW ) FREDERICK The Patti Smith Group
63 ( 62 ) CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE The Real Thing
64 ( 61 ) LET'S DANCE Chris Montez
65 ( NEW ) LET'S LOVE DANCE TONIGHT Gary's Gang
66 ( 60 ) HE'S THE GREATEST DANCER Sister Sledge
67 ( 65 ) IMPERIAL WIZARD David Essex
68 ( 56 ) HAVEN'T STOPPED DANCING YET Gonzales
69 ( 69 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
70 ( 74 ) HERE COMES THE NIGHT The Beach Boys



71 ( 57 ) LOVE BALLAD George Benson
72 ( 59 ) SWEET LUI LOUISE Iron Horse
73 ( 68 ) I WANT YOUR LOVE Chic
74 ( NEW ) CAVATINA John Williams
75 ( NEW ) IS THERE ANYBODY THERE The Scorpions

TV
1 Centennial
2 Rhoda
3 Mork And Mindy
4 Sword Of Justice
5 Mork And Mindy
6 Saturday Night At The Mill
7 Top Of The Pops
8 Space 1999
9 The Odd Couple
10 Fantasy Island

Posted by: popchartfreak 13th June 2014, 05:32 PM

19th June 1979

In which nothing much happens music chart-wise. So little in fact that the awful Gertcha sneaks in at the bottom of the charts. hey ho, at least the top end was still fab, Blondie getting three weeks on top and Tubeway ASrmy challenging at 3. Sister Sledge get their first (but not last) Top 10 hit, Gerry Rafferty his 6th Top 20, and Squeeze rocket right up the junction at 16 for their 3rd Top 20. Even the Village People get their third Top 20, and I don’t recall liking it that much at the time - the chart position says otherwise!

The Clash at last break into the 30 with the old Bobby Fuller Four 60’s USA hit, while, hooray! New Entries! Nick Lowe gets Cracking Up at 50, he was always pretty decent. Olivia Newton-John enters at 57 with one I rather liked a lot, being as it became an American holiday hit on US radio in 2 months, but which didn’t do much in the UK. Trust me it sounded great cruising down hot sunny Californian desert highways! Deeper Than The Night! Eddy Grant is back, meanwhile! Eh? Back for me, as he was very much a voice and face I knew from Top Of The Pops in the 60’s with the Equals, Viva Bobby Joe especially, and here he was 10 years on with dreadlocks and looking and sounding all Bob Marley. Living On The Frontline was throbbing and fab.

TV? A Python revival on TV, Centennial was still gripping me, and new pop show Jukebox Jury outdoes TOTP. I say new. Actually it was another childhood fave which had been revived (pop stars review new releases then get embarrassed for slagging them off when said new record release artist pops out from backstage). It was fun.

1 ( 1 ) SUNDAY GIRL Blondie
2 ( 2 ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW/ KISSES OF FIRE Abba
3 ( 13 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
4 ( 4 ) MASQUERADE The Skids
5 ( 3 ) SHINE A LITTLE LOVE E.L.O.
6 ( 5 ) BOOGIE WONDERLAND Earth, Wind & Fire and The Emotions
7 ( 9 ) RING MY BELL Anita Ward
8 ( 14 ) WE ARE FAMILY Sister Sledge
9 ( 6 ) THE NUMBER ONE SONG IN HEAVEN Sparks
10 ( 8 ) PRIME TIME The Tubes

11 ( 10 ) ROXANNE The Police
12 ( 7 ) WHO WERE YOU WITH IN THE MOONLIGHT Dollar
13 ( 26 ) NIGHT OWL Gerry Rafferty
14 ( 11 ) BOYS KEEP SWINGING David Bowie
15 ( 12 ) DANCE AWAY Roxy Music
16 ( 54 ) UP THE JUNCTION Squeeze
17 ( 19 ) THE LONE RANGER Quantum Jump
18 ( 46 ) GO WEST The Village People
19 ( 15 ) SAY WHEN Lene Lovich
20 ( 18 ) AIN'T NO STOPPIN' US NOW McFadden and Whitehead

21 ( 20 ) POP MUZIK M
22 ( 16 ) ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN Elvis Costello
23 ( 17 ) HOT STUFF Donna Summer
24 ( 22 ) ONE WAY TICKET Eruption
25 ( 21 ) JIMMY JIMMY The Undertones
26 ( 33 ) (H.A.P.P.Y.) RADIO Edwin Starr
27 ( 23 ) THEME FROM THE DEER HUNTER (CAVATINA) The Shadows
28 ( 24 ) REUNITED Peaches and Herb
29 ( 27 ) THE LOGICAL SONG Supertramp
30 ( 45 ) I FOUGHT THE LAW The Clash



31 ( 25 ) GUILTY Mike Oldfield
32 ( 39 ) I'D BE SURPRISNGLY GOOD FOR YOU Linda Lewis
33 ( 30 ) I WANT YOU TO WANT ME Cheap Trick
34 ( 34 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
35 ( 32 ) BRIGHT EYES Art Garfunkel
36 ( 28 ) BANANA SPLITS The Dickies
37 ( 35 ) THE RUNNER The Three Degrees
38 ( 29 ) (EVERYBODY) GET DANCING The Bombers
39 ( 37 ) LOVE YOU INSIDE OUT The Bee Gees
40 ( 38 ) SHAKE YOUR BODY (DOWN TO THE GROUND) The Jacksons

41 ( 41 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
42 ( 42 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
43 ( 36 ) LOVE SONG The Damned
44 ( 43 ) GOODNIGHT TONIGHT Wings
45 ( 31 ) HOORAY IT'S A HOLI HOLIDAY Boney M
46 ( 44 ) KNOCK ON WOOD Amii Stewart
47 ( 47 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
48 ( 40 ) ARE YOU READY FOR LOVE Elton John
49 ( 50 ) MINDLESS BOOGIE Hot Chocolate
50 ( NEW ) CRACKING UP Nick Lowe



51 ( 48 ) BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER Linda Clifford
52 ( 49 ) SULTANS OF SWING Dire Straits
53 ( 51 ) NICE LEGS (SHAME ABOUT THE FACE) The Monks
54 ( 62 ) FREDERICK The Patti Smith Group
55 ( 57 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
56 ( 56 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
57 ( NEW ) DEEPER THAN THE NIGHT Olivia Newton-John
58 ( 55 ) HOLD THE LINE Toto
59 ( 53 ) KEEP ON DANCING Gary's Gang
60 ( 58 ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers



61 ( 59 ) THE WORKER Fischer Z
62 ( NEW ) LIVING ON THE FRONTLINE Eddy Grant
63 ( 52 ) PARISIENNE WALKWAYS Gary Moore featuring Phil Lynnot
64 ( 74 ) CAVATINA John Williams
65 ( 63 ) CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE The Real Thing
66 ( 65 ) LET'S LOVE DANCE TONIGHT Gary's Gang
67 ( 60 ) WOW Kate Bush
68 ( 64 ) LET'S DANCE Chris Montez
69 ( 69 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
70 ( 61 ) COOL FOR CATS Squeeze



71 ( 70 ) HERE COMES THE NIGHT The Beach Boys
72 ( 67 ) IMPERIAL WIZARD David Essex
73 ( 75 ) IS THERE ANYBODY THERE The Scorpions
74 ( NEW ) GERTCHA Chas And Dave
75 ( 66 ) HE'S THE GREATEST DANCER Sister Sledge

TV
1 Centennial
2 Soap
3 Mork And Mindy
4 Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes (film)
5 And Now For Something Completely Different...
6 Rhoda
7 Jukebox Jury
8 The Pythons
9 Top Of The Pops
10 S.W.A.T.

Posted by: popchartfreak 13th June 2014, 06:17 PM

26th June 1979

A new Number One, hooray, and the chart comes alive again with great new entries. Tubeway Army gives Gary Numan his first (and last) chart-topper with the awesome Are ‘Friends’ Electric. Gerry Rafferty gets his 3rd Top 5 hit, at 3, Squeeze their 2nd Top 10, and Quantum jump up with that masked man to 10. Highest new entry is Amii Stewart, back with another disco-fied 60’s classic, this one Light My Fire at 14. I had huge love for the Jose Feliciano gentle latin version, which went top 10 in 1968 in my charts, and it was becoming obvious that this great Doors song was pretty indestructible, it can be done in any style, by anyone, and it’s still good, cos the song is just so perfect.

Even better, the Beach Boys were back proper, a year ahead of their triumphant reunion tour (I was there Knebworth 1980) with a fab album and a bonafide hit, this time the Bach-based Al Jardine song, the gorgeous Lady Lynda. Wings were back in Old Siam, Sir, rocking it this time at 25 and Supertrtamp’s Breakfast In America nestled next to The Logical Song in at 33. Voyager have a halfway hotel at 35, and The Dooleys change tack, this time giving the two girls vocal duties, with a song that sounded like an Abba album track, and a rather damn fine one at that. It still sounds good, and it still sounds Abba 1979.

Toto show their jazzy side, soon to be their only side, as Georgie Porgie kisses the girls at 55. That topnotch popstar Kevin Keegan (and part-time footballer hero of the 70’s) has a pop at a hit at 58 - basically, it’s a Smokie record. Without the harmonies. In at 63, a record that has yet to make the UK top 40, criminally. Another huge American holiday radio hit, Driver’s Seat still sounds marvellous and fresh, and is long overdue being a hit. The annoying thing is they are British, and the USA recognised it as a classic, but in the New Wave climate of 1979 the UK snubbed it.

There’s still more: Art Garfunkel’s follow-up to Bright Eyes, a 50’s US ballad classic, the wonderful Since I Don’t Have You, was the first version to chart in my charts, later Guns ‘n’ Roses had a good go, but the best version was never a hit (also the most faithful to the original Skyliners version) - Don McLean - except in my chart. Thin Lizzy are back, starting to sound a tad formulaic, at 68, and the jazzy fab Chuck E’s In Love pops in for Rickie Lee Jones at 75. Phew!




1 ( 3 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
2 ( 1 ) SUNDAY GIRL Blondie
3 ( 13 ) NIGHT OWL Gerry Rafferty
4 ( 2 ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW/ KISSES OF FIRE Abba
5 ( 7 ) RING MY BELL Anita Ward
6 ( 6 ) BOOGIE WONDERLAND Earth, Wind & Fire and The Emotions
7 ( 4 ) MASQUERADE The Skids
8 ( 16 ) UP THE JUNCTION Squeeze
9 ( 5 ) SHINE A LITTLE LOVE E.L.O.
10 ( 17 ) THE LONE RANGER Quantum Jump

11 ( 9 ) THE NUMBER ONE SONG IN HEAVEN Sparks
12 ( 8 ) WE ARE FAMILY Sister Sledge
13 ( 20 ) AIN'T NO STOPPIN' US NOW McFadden and Whitehead
14 ( NEW ) LIGHT MY FIRE Amii Stewart
15 ( 18 ) GO WEST The Village People
16 ( 11 ) ROXANNE The Police
17 ( 15 ) DANCE AWAY Roxy Music
18 ( 14 ) BOYS KEEP SWINGING David Bowie
19 ( 10 ) PRIME TIME The Tubes
20 ( 19 ) SAY WHEN Lene Lovich



21 ( 12 ) WHO WERE YOU WITH IN THE MOONLIGHT Dollar
22 ( NEW ) LADY LYNDA The Beach Boys
23 ( 23 ) HOT STUFF Donna Summer
24 ( 27 ) THEME FROM THE DEER HUNTER (CAVATINA) The Shadows
25 ( NEW ) OLD SIAM, SIR Wings
26 ( 21 ) POP MUZIK M
27 ( 32 ) I'D BE SURPRISNGLY GOOD FOR YOU Linda Lewis
28 ( 25 ) JIMMY JIMMY The Undertones
29 ( 26 ) (H.A.P.P.Y.) RADIO Edwin Starr
30 ( 24 ) ONE WAY TICKET Eruption



31 ( 28 ) REUNITED Peaches and Herb
32 ( 22 ) ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN Elvis Costello
33 ( NEW ) BREAKFAST IN AMERICA Supertramp
34 ( 29 ) THE LOGICAL SONG Supertramp
35 ( NEW ) HALFWAY HOTEL Voyager
36 ( 34 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
37 ( 62 ) LIVING ON THE FRONTLINE Eddy Grant
38 ( 35 ) BRIGHT EYES Art Garfunkel
39 ( 57 ) DEEPER THAN THE NIGHT Olivia Newton-John
40 ( 30 ) I FOUGHT THE LAW The Clash

41 ( 31 ) GUILTY Mike Oldfield
42 ( 37 ) THE RUNNER The Three Degrees
43 ( 41 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
44 ( 42 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
45 ( 50 ) CRACKING UP Nick Lowe
46 ( 40 ) SHAKE YOUR BODY (DOWN TO THE GROUND) The Jacksons
47 ( 64 ) CAVATINA John Williams
48 ( 36 ) BANANA SPLITS The Dickies
49 ( 39 ) LOVE YOU INSIDE OUT The Bee Gees
50 ( 47 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie

51 ( 33 ) I WANT YOU TO WANT ME Cheap Trick
52 ( 44 ) GOODNIGHT TONIGHT Wings
53 ( 38 ) (EVERYBODY) GET DANCING The Bombers
54 ( NEW ) WANTED The Dooleys
55 ( NEW ) GEORGIE PORGIE Toto
56 ( 55 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
57 ( 56 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
58 ( NEW ) HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE Kevin Keegan
59 ( 45 ) HOORAY IT'S A HOLI HOLIDAY Boney M
60 ( 52 ) SULTANS OF SWING Dire Straits

61 ( 58 ) HOLD THE LINE Toto
62 ( 60 ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers
63 ( NEW ) DRIVER'S SEAT Sniff 'n' The Tears
64 ( 46 ) KNOCK ON WOOD Amii Stewart
65 ( 43 ) LOVE SONG The Damned
66 ( 59 ) KEEP ON DANCING Gary's Gang
67 ( NEW ) SINCE I DON'T HAVE YOU Art Garfunkel
68 ( NEW ) DO ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO Thin Lizzy
69 ( 48 ) ARE YOU READY FOR LOVE Elton John
70 ( 49 ) MINDLESS BOOGIE Hot Chocolate



71 ( 69 ) RAT TRAP The Boomtown Rats
72 ( 53 ) NICE LEGS (SHAME ABOUT THE FACE) The Monks
73 ( 65 ) CAN YOU FEEL THE FORCE The Real Thing
74 ( 51 ) BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER Linda Clifford
75 ( NEW ) CHUCK E'S IN LOVE Rickie Lee Jones

TV
1 Rhoda
2 Soap
3 True Grit (film)
4 Top Of The Pops
5 Sword Of Justice
6 Centennial
7 My Name Is Bond
8 Hollywood Greats - Judy Garland
9 Fantasy Island
10 The Odd Couple

Posted by: popchartfreak 20th July 2014, 12:52 PM

4th July 1979

Wimbledon coverage pops into my TV chart, which reminds me I used to play tennis a lot at College, School, life, always my preferred game (along with badminton, squash, snooker, pool, darts), though College lunchtimes usually meant a game of pool. College was winding down though, exams over-ish, assignments done-ish, leaving me time for far more important stuff: Top Of The Pops at 2 in TV chart showing the music scene was alive; preparing to work in a hosiery warehouse near Mansfield for the summer for cash to pay for the US trip planned. The previous summer had been the nightmare that was Landers Bakery, now thankfully long-gone. 12 hour shifts 6pm to 6am stuffing rolls in to bags or a production line rush of bread popping out of scorching ovens in skin-scarring tins is still the worst job I’ve ever done. This one was mildly pleasant, moving boxes about, daytime Radio 1 on the factory speakers indelibly printing the songs of July and August 1979 on my mind to the point that I actually got sick of hearing many of the hits around. An old bloke Jim (ie prob my age now) used to give me a lift to work, early morn, and back again. Sorted!

Chart-wise, straight in at 1, it’s Abba with a double-A side (official this time) the awesome Voulez-Vous and the poppy Angel Eyes, both from the fab Voulez-Vous album, stuffed with great potential singles, albeit a bit schizophrenic part-disco/dance part pop/ballad. The passionate, dramatic classic disco Voulez-Vous would have had a longer run, had album tracks been eligible, though Angel Eyes is flattered and probably wouldn’t have topped my chart alone, being as it’s a bit too jollypop. That means just the one week for Tubeway Army on top, and The Beach Boys take Lady Lynda into the top 3 for their highest charting new track since 1969. The Dooleys take their Abba-clone into the Top 20, rocketing up more than any previous singles had done.

New entries: all summer factory song reminders. The reggae-tastic vocal-range-testing Janet Kay’s Silly Games in at 25; Patrick Hernandez’ sublimely eurocheesey Born To Be Alive at 26; Bonnie Tyler’s movie theme disco Married Men at 29; disco-synth After The Fire in at 32 with One Rule For You (red vinyl, my copy!); space-age disco synths plus farty noises for the fab Space Bass (Slick) at 44; The Ruts dramatic new wave/punk Babylon’s Burning at 53; The USA’s answer to New Wave, the first huge record to top the chart there to fit into the category, the rhythm-tastic My Sharona (The Knack) at 70, another American holiday hit it was impossible to avoid on US radio. Which leaves climbers from Thin Lizzy to 30, and Eddy Grant to 22.



1 ( NEW ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba
2 ( 1 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
3 ( 22 ) LADY LYNDA The Beach Boys
4 ( 3 ) NIGHT OWL Gerry Rafferty
5 ( 5 ) RING MY BELL Anita Ward
6 ( 2 ) SUNDAY GIRL Blondie
7 ( 4 ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW/ KISSES OF FIRE Abba
8 ( 8 ) UP THE JUNCTION Squeeze
9 ( 14 ) LIGHT MY FIRE Amii Stewart
10 ( 6 ) BOOGIE WONDERLAND Earth, Wind & Fire and The Emotions

11 ( 15 ) GO WEST The Village People
12 ( 7 ) MASQUERADE The Skids
13 ( 13 ) AIN'T NO STOPPIN' US NOW McFadden and Whitehead
14 ( 9 ) SHINE A LITTLE LOVE E.L.O.
15 ( 10 ) THE LONE RANGER Quantum Jump
16 ( 20 ) SAY WHEN Lene Lovich
17 ( 54 ) WANTED The Dooleys
18 ( 11 ) THE NUMBER ONE SONG IN HEAVEN Sparks
19 ( 12 ) WE ARE FAMILY Sister Sledge
20 ( 16 ) ROXANNE The Police



21 ( 25 ) OLD SIAM, SIR Wings
22 ( 37 ) LIVING ON THE FRONTLINE Eddy Grant
23 ( 18 ) BOYS KEEP SWINGING David Bowie
24 ( 17 ) DANCE AWAY Roxy Music
25 ( NEW ) SILLY GAMES Janet Kay
26 ( NEW ) BORN TO BE ALIVE Patrick Hernandez
27 ( 21 ) WHO WERE YOU WITH IN THE MOONLIGHT Dollar
28 ( 19 ) PRIME TIME The Tubes
29 ( NEW ) MARRIED MEN Bonnie Tyler
30 ( 68 ) DO ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO Thin Lizzy



31 ( 26 ) POP MUZIK M
32 ( NEW ) ONE RULE FOR YOU After The Fire
33 ( 33 ) BREAKFAST IN AMERICA Supertramp
34 ( 23 ) HOT STUFF Donna Summer
35 ( 35 ) HALFWAY HOTEL Voyager
36 ( 24 ) THEME FROM THE DEER HUNTER (CAVATINA) The Shadows
37 ( 29 ) (H.A.P.P.Y.) RADIO Edwin Starr
38 ( 39 ) DEEPER THAN THE NIGHT Olivia Newton-John
39 ( 28 ) JIMMY JIMMY The Undertones
40 ( 36 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor



41 ( 30 ) ONE WAY TICKET Eruption
42 ( 34 ) THE LOGICAL SONG Supertramp
43 ( 27 ) I'D BE SURPRISNGLY GOOD FOR YOU Linda Lewis
44 ( NEW ) SPACE BASS Slick
45 ( 38 ) BRIGHT EYES Art Garfunkel
46 ( 44 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
47 ( 43 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
48 ( 58 ) HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE Kevin Keegan
49 ( 31 ) REUNITED Peaches and Herb
50 ( NEW ) STRANGLEHOLD UK Subs

51 ( 42 ) THE RUNNER The Three Degrees
52 ( 50 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
53 ( NEW ) BABYLON'S BURNING The Ruts
54 ( 41 ) GUILTY Mike Oldfield
55 ( 32 ) ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN Elvis Costello
56 ( 46 ) SHAKE YOUR BODY (DOWN TO THE GROUND) The Jacksons
57 ( 56 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
58 ( 57 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
59 ( NEW ) C'MON EVERYBODY The Sex Pistols
60 ( 49 ) LOVE YOU INSIDE OUT The Bee Gees

61 ( 48 ) BANANA SPLITS The Dickies
62 ( 67 ) SINCE I DON'T HAVE YOU Art Garfunkel
63 ( 52 ) GOODNIGHT TONIGHT Wings
64 ( 40 ) I FOUGHT THE LAW The Clash
65 ( 47 ) CAVATINA John Williams
66 ( 60 ) SULTANS OF SWING Dire Straits
67 ( 61 ) HOLD THE LINE Toto
68 ( 62 ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers
69 ( 63 ) DRIVER'S SEAT Sniff 'n' The Tears
70 ( NEW ) MY SHARONA The Knack

71 ( 51 ) I WANT YOU TO WANT ME Cheap Trick
72 ( NEW ) MAYBE Thom Pace
73 ( 55 ) GEORGIE PORGIE Toto
74 ( 53 ) (EVERYBODY) GET DANCING The Bombers
75 ( 75 ) CHUCK E'S IN LOVE Rickie Lee Jones

TV
1 Soap
2 Top Of The Pops
3 Centennial
4 Ask Aspel
5 Sword Of Justice
6 Rhoda
7 Juke Box Jury
8 Wimbledon Coverage
9 The World About Us
10 The Liver Birds

Posted by: popchartfreak 21st July 2014, 06:07 PM

11th July 1979

2 weeks for Abba on top, Beach Boys at 2, and The old Doors song disco-fied at 3 for Amii Stewart. The Dooleys prove they are Wanted at 5 and Patrick Hernandez really is Borrrrrrn T Be Aliiive as he leaps 7. Reggae into the 20 for Janet kay and Eddy grant, both fab records, while Christian poprock band After The Fire synth it up to 14, and Supertramp have some Breakfast In America at 20 - something I was working on doing too.

Highest new entry, a returning hero, as Dave Edmunds covers Elvis Costello, with Nick Lowe’s assist, and does it even better, Girl’s Talk in at 25 and just marvellous. 10 years on since Sabre Dance, 6 years since last topping my chart, too. Slick and the Sex Pistols (the latter doing another joke cover of Eddie Cochran) join The Ruts and UK Subs in breaking into the 40. 2 of them didn’t deserve to, though. Clue: I like Slick, and Ruts is a late punk classic.

In at 34, a hugely-influential Chic record, Good Times, which was to pop up later in the year with the dance bassline underpinning something called “rap”. Bet that was just a gimmick, eh, everyone was saying so at the time....? In at 36, not looking pop stars, but with a melody and harmony to kill for, The Korgis brilliant If I Had You. Donna Summer’s quick follow-up to Hot Stuff is more in a soul vibe, and Bad Girls duly enters at 39 as it shoots up the American charts to make it a double US whammy. At 45, The Police really Can’t Stand Losing You, and like Roxanne a 1978 flop getting a new wind as Sting becomes number one pop male pin-up, but with an uptempo new wave-reggae vibe that appealed to lads as much as girls, if not more so. Finally, Manfred Mann keeps his run of chart hits going, nearly 11 years strong (officially) and 15 years of popchartfreak appreciation:)

TV times, Soap was still ground-breaking manic comedy and pushing even beloved Star Trek down to 2. The men’s final at Wimbledon was a goodie as Bjorn Borg won a record 4th consecutive title, against Roscoe Tanner. Joanna Lumley is absolutely fabulous as Sapphire to David McCallum’s Steel, old faves both as Purdey (New Avengers) and Ilya Kuryakin (Man From UNCLE). Both are still working on TV of course, Ab Fab/documentaries, and NCIS, soo hooray for them! It was a mysterious rare ITV sci fi show that I liked a lot when the script was right. Jukebox Jury continued to give welcome exposure to new records in a fun setting, and Australia’s Chopper Squad showed what they had at 15. As I vaguely recall, noticeably.

1 ( 1 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba
2 ( 3 ) LADY LYNDA The Beach Boys
3 ( 9 ) LIGHT MY FIRE Amii Stewart
4 ( 2 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
5 ( 17 ) WANTED The Dooleys
6 ( 4 ) NIGHT OWL Gerry Rafferty
7 ( 26 ) BORN TO BE ALIVE Patrick Hernandez
8 ( 6 ) SUNDAY GIRL Blondie
9 ( 5 ) RING MY BELL Anita Ward
10 ( 7 ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW/ KISSES OF FIRE Abba



11 ( 8 ) UP THE JUNCTION Squeeze
12 ( 11 ) GO WEST The Village People
13 ( 25 ) SILLY GAMES Janet Kay
14 ( 32 ) ONE RULE FOR YOU After The Fire
15 ( 22 ) LIVING ON THE FRONTLINE Eddy Grant
16 ( 13 ) AIN'T NO STOPPIN' US NOW McFadden and Whitehead
17 ( 10 ) BOOGIE WONDERLAND Earth, Wind & Fire and The Emotions
18 ( 12 ) MASQUERADE The Skids
19 ( 15 ) THE LONE RANGER Quantum Jump
20 ( 33 ) BREAKFAST IN AMERICA Supertramp



21 ( 14 ) SHINE A LITTLE LOVE E.L.O.
22 ( 29 ) MARRIED MEN Bonnie Tyler
23 ( 16 ) SAY WHEN Lene Lovich
24 ( 30 ) DO ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO Thin Lizzy
25 ( NEW ) GIRL'S TALK Dave Edmunds
26 ( 44 ) SPACE BASS Slick
27 ( 20 ) ROXANNE The Police
28 ( 19 ) WE ARE FAMILY Sister Sledge
29 ( 18 ) THE NUMBER ONE SONG IN HEAVEN Sparks
30 ( 21 ) OLD SIAM, SIR Wings



31 ( 59 ) C'MON EVERYBODY The Sex Pistols
32 ( 53 ) BABYLON'S BURNING The Ruts
33 ( 50 ) STRANGLEHOLD UK Subs
34 ( NEW ) GOOD TIMES Chic
35 ( 35 ) HALFWAY HOTEL Voyager
36 ( NEW ) IF I HAD YOU The Korgis
37 ( 24 ) DANCE AWAY Roxy Music
38 ( 27 ) WHO WERE YOU WITH IN THE MOONLIGHT Dollar
39 ( NEW ) BAD GIRLS Donna Summer
40 ( 31 ) POP MUZIK M



41 ( 28 ) PRIME TIME The Tubes
42 ( 23 ) BOYS KEEP SWINGING David Bowie
43 ( 70 ) MY SHARONA The Knack
44 ( 40 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
45 ( NEW ) CAN'T STAND LOSING YOU The Police
46 ( 34 ) HOT STUFF Donna Summer
47 ( 42 ) THE LOGICAL SONG Supertramp
48 ( 48 ) HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE Kevin Keegan
49 ( 46 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
50 ( 47 ) CHIQUITITA Abba

51 ( 38 ) DEEPER THAN THE NIGHT Olivia Newton-John
52 ( 37 ) (H.A.P.P.Y.) RADIO Edwin Starr
53 ( 45 ) BRIGHT EYES Art Garfunkel
54 ( 62 ) SINCE I DON'T HAVE YOU Art Garfunkel
55 ( 41 ) ONE WAY TICKET Eruption
56 ( 52 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
57 ( 51 ) THE RUNNER The Three Degrees
58 ( 75 ) CHUCK E'S IN LOVE Rickie Lee Jones
59 ( 57 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
60 ( 58 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC

61 ( 36 ) THEME FROM THE DEER HUNTER (CAVATINA) The Shadows
62 ( 72 ) MAYBE Thom Pace
63 ( 43 ) I'D BE SURPRISNGLY GOOD FOR YOU Linda Lewis
64 ( 73 ) GEORGIE PORGIE Toto
65 ( 54 ) GUILTY Mike Oldfield
66 ( 69 ) DRIVER'S SEAT Sniff 'n' The Tears
67 ( 56 ) SHAKE YOUR BODY (DOWN TO THE GROUND) The Jacksons
68 ( 49 ) REUNITED Peaches and Herb
69 ( 60 ) LOVE YOU INSIDE OUT The Bee Gees
70 ( 61 ) BANANA SPLITS The Dickies

71 ( 63 ) GOODNIGHT TONIGHT Wings
72 ( 39 ) JIMMY JIMMY The Undertones
73 ( NEW ) DON'T KILL IT CAROL Manfred Mann's Earthband
74 ( 67 ) HOLD THE LINE Toto
75 ( 68 ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers

TV
1 Soap (Sun)
2 Star Trek: The Squire Of Gothos
3 Soap (Fri)
4 Centennial
5 The Odd Couple
6 Sapphire And Steel (Thurs)
7 Lost Horizon (film)
8 Barney Miller
9 Sword Of Justice
10 Sapphire And Steel (Tues)
11 Rhoda
12 Jukebox Jury
13 Top Of The Pops
14 Match Of The Day: Wimbledon Men's Finals
15 Chopper Squad

Posted by: popchartfreak 23rd July 2014, 06:36 PM

18th July 1979

3 weeks at 1 for Abba, joined in the top 10 by After The Fire and Slick, both adding some synth delight into the upper reaches, and also the fab Silly Games. The Police almost make it in their second week, too, at 11, and even overhaul Dave Edmunds and his biggest hit since 1973 at 12. Bonnie Tyler’s moody disco track is at 14, while Thin Lizzy’s run of Top 20 hits is 6 years as the rock’n’rollin Do Anything You Wanna Do hits 20, just behind the leaping Good Times of Chic.

The Knack take My Sharona into the 40, and Sniff ‘n’ The Tears manage what they did in the USA, but not the UK, and place the brilliant Driver’s Seat behind the Top 40 wheel. British they were, too. Highest two new entries, though, are 2 major pop classics, the epic Boomtown Rats “I Don’t Like Mondays” written as a response to a slacker teenage girl murderer’s quote. It’s brilliant, ambitious, sprawling and has just the right amount of bitterness - not that big in the States for some reason, can’t think why...oh, yes, they worship the gun, that’ll be why (plus to be fair it would have hampered a fair trial).

Cliff’s back. Only 3 years since his last critically-well-received batch of songs, and whaddya know, he tops it and kickstarts his pop career for another 5 years run of great singles (courtesy of writer-producer Alan Tarney). We Don’t Talk Anymore pops in at 41, but it’s a pretty good candidate for his best record in a fairly substantial back catalogue. I will have no truck with popular Cliff-bashing opinions, then or now, you don’t last 55 years based on fan-base appeal, you get it by releasing great records, and this one, complete with mature-looking, leather-trouser-clad Cliff, was a biggie, even in the US of A, who only occasionally let him have a big hit.

Others: Judie Tzuke’s gorgeous, haunting Stay With Me Till Dawn breaks in at 56; Siouxsie’s Playground Twist is at 60, but not one of my faves of hers, Let’s Playground Twist Again (like we did last summer) would have been more fun; PIL dirge their way in at 62, The Real Thing Boogie Down at 64 and the Doobie’s grab a minute at 75.

TV chart, Centennial peaks again, such a great series, Trek repeats the classic sci-fi Frederic Brown short story adaptation Arena episode (which I still think would make a great movie with modern CGI and an as-originally-written naked and vulnerable hero battling to save the human race one-on-one against an equally naked and not-so-vulnerable alien fighting for his species). Suggestions for current hot actors to star welcome! The 20th anniversary of the Moon Landing pops in at 4. Mankind’s greatest achievement. A quick comment for all those Moon-landing hoax believers - now that they have a satellite orbiting the moon and photos of every single footprint and piece of equipment left on the Moon, don’t you feel a bit foolish? No? You should, for falling for every money-making conspiracy nut-job preying on gullibility. Scientists aren’t in the business of making things up, cos there’s nothing they hate more than being shown up to be wrong by other scientists. People who write books, on the other hand, spew crap masquerading as fact. Ker-ching!


1 ( 1 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba
2 ( 2 ) LADY LYNDA The Beach Boys
3 ( 5 ) WANTED The Dooleys
4 ( 3 ) LIGHT MY FIRE Amii Stewart
5 ( 7 ) BORN TO BE ALIVE Patrick Hernandez
6 ( 14 ) ONE RULE FOR YOU After The Fire
7 ( 4 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
8 ( 26 ) SPACE BASS Slick
9 ( 13 ) SILLY GAMES Janet Kay
10 ( 6 ) NIGHT OWL Gerry Rafferty




11 ( 45 ) CAN'T STAND LOSING YOU The Police
12 ( 25 ) GIRL'S TALK Dave Edmunds
13 ( 9 ) RING MY BELL Anita Ward
14 ( 22 ) MARRIED MEN Bonnie Tyler
15 ( 8 ) SUNDAY GIRL Blondie
16 ( 20 ) BREAKFAST IN AMERICA Supertramp
17 ( 10 ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW/ KISSES OF FIRE Abba
18 ( 34 ) GOOD TIMES Chic
19 ( 11 ) UP THE JUNCTION Squeeze
20 ( 24 ) DO ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO Thin Lizzy



21 ( 15 ) LIVING ON THE FRONTLINE Eddy Grant
22 ( 31 ) C'MON EVERYBODY The Sex Pistols
23 ( 36 ) IF I HAD YOU The Korgis
24 ( 39 ) BAD GIRLS Donna Summer
25 ( 19 ) THE LONE RANGER Quantum Jump
26 ( 43 ) MY SHARONA The Knack
27 ( 12 ) GO WEST The Village People
28 ( NEW ) I DON'T LIKE MOIDAYS The Boomtown Rats
29 ( 18 ) MASQUERADE The Skids
30 ( 27 ) ROXANNE The Police




31 ( 16 ) AIN'T NO STOPPIN' US NOW McFadden and Whitehead
32 ( 17 ) BOOGIE WONDERLAND Earth, Wind & Fire and The Emotions
33 ( 23 ) SAY WHEN Lene Lovich
34 ( 21 ) SHINE A LITTLE LOVE E.L.O.
35 ( 33 ) STRANGLEHOLD UK Subs
36 ( 32 ) BABYLON'S BURNING The Ruts
37 ( 30 ) OLD SIAM, SIR Wings
38 ( 29 ) THE NUMBER ONE SONG IN HEAVEN Sparks
39 ( 28 ) WE ARE FAMILY Sister Sledge
40 ( 66 ) DRIVER'S SEAT Sniff 'n' The Tears

41 ( NEW ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard
42 ( 41 ) PRIME TIME The Tubes
43 ( 58 ) CHUCK E'S IN LOVE Rickie Lee Jones
44 ( 63 ) I'D BE SURPRISNGLY GOOD FOR YOU Linda Lewis
45 ( 42 ) BOYS KEEP SWINGING David Bowie
46 ( 40 ) POP MUZIK M
47 ( 44 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
48 ( 38 ) WHO WERE YOU WITH IN THE MOONLIGHT Dollar
49 ( 37 ) DANCE AWAY Roxy Music
50 ( 35 ) HALFWAY HOTEL Voyager

51 ( 62 ) MAYBE Thom Pace
52 ( 49 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
53 ( 47 ) THE LOGICAL SONG Supertramp
54 ( 50 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
55 ( 73 ) DON'T KILL IT CAROL Manfred Mann's Earthband
56 ( NEW ) STAY WITH ME TILL DAWN Judy Tzuke
57 ( 60 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
58 ( 56 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
59 ( 59 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
60 ( NEW ) PLAYGROUND TWIST Siouxsie And The Banshees



61 ( 53 ) BRIGHT EYES Art Garfunkel
62 ( NEW ) DEATH DISCO Public Image Limited
63 ( 52 ) (H.A.P.P.Y.) RADIO Edwin Starr
64 ( NEW ) BOOGIE DOWN The Real Thing
65 ( 57 ) THE RUNNER The Three Degrees
66 ( 55 ) ONE WAY TICKET Eruption
67 ( 48 ) HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE Kevin Keegan
68 ( 70 ) BANANA SPLITS The Dickies
69 ( 72 ) JIMMY JIMMY The Undertones
70 ( 46 ) HOT STUFF Donna Summer

71 ( 67 ) SHAKE YOUR BODY (DOWN TO THE GROUND) The Jacksons
72 ( 65 ) GUILTY Mike Oldfield
73 ( 71 ) GOODNIGHT TONIGHT Wings
74 ( 64 ) GEORGIE PORGIE Toto
75 ( NEW ) MINUTE BY MINUTE The Doobie Brothers

TV
1 Centennial
1 Star Trek: Arena
3 Soap
4 Project Apollo
5 Sword Of Justice
6 Top Of The Pops
7 Barney Miller
8 Rhoda
9 Hawaii 5-0
10 Sapphire And Steel (Tues)

Posted by: popchartfreak 24th July 2014, 06:24 PM

25th July 1979

A 4th week for Voulez-Vous (and Angel Eyes) on top, Abba ruling still, as they keep the fab Beach Boys at 2 for 3 weeks. The charts enter into the glorious summer of 79, for me, possibly because I heard so much radio while at work, but also cos there were just so many great new records coming out each week!

Patrick Hernandez eurodances into the Top 3, while Girls keep Talking for Dave Edmunds at 4, his fourth Top 4. 4 is the magic number this week! The Police, The Boomtown Rats get another Top 10, while The Korgis sneak in too. So many great records in fact, that many are pushed down or held down in lower chart positions than they deserved. Donna Summer gets the latest in a long run of non-consecutive Top 20 hits, and Cliff is up to 22.

It’s the new entries, though, that herald fabness, with highest new entry from the Pretenders at 27, the marvellous Kid. In at 40, Sparks try to Beat The Clock with lovely Moroder-ness, a timely entry. Sorry! E.L.O. sign in at 51 with a diary of a wimp - I’ll be perfectly honest, I felt they were talking about me in the lyrics, Horace Wimp was me in my own self-image. Regardless, it’s one of their best records, a touching feel-good inspiring pop song. The under-rated Gold, John Stewart’s very minor hit, is at 58, and the Gibson Brothers infectious salsa-pop at 66 is just as welcome, ahead of Telex and their bizarre Kraftwerk-esque version of Rock Around The Clock. Timely! Oh, already done that one.....! If at first you don’t get a laugh, keep on repeating it till you do, is my motto!


1 ( 1 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba
2 ( 2 ) LADY LYNDA The Beach Boys
3 ( 5 ) BORN TO BE ALIVE Patrick Hernandez
4 ( 12 ) GIRL'S TALK Dave Edmunds
5 ( 8 ) SPACE BASS Slick
6 ( 4 ) LIGHT MY FIRE Amii Stewart
7 ( 11 ) CAN'T STAND LOSING YOU The Police
8 ( 3 ) WANTED The Dooleys
9 ( 28 ) I DON'T LIKE MOIDAYS The Boomtown Rats
10 ( 23 ) IF I HAD YOU The Korgis

11 ( 7 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
12 ( 9 ) SILLY GAMES Janet Kay
13 ( 18 ) GOOD TIMES Chic
14 ( 10 ) NIGHT OWL Gerry Rafferty
15 ( 16 ) BREAKFAST IN AMERICA Supertramp
16 ( 24 ) BAD GIRLS Donna Summer
17 ( 26 ) MY SHARONA The Knack
18 ( 14 ) MARRIED MEN Bonnie Tyler
19 ( 13 ) RING MY BELL Anita Ward
20 ( 22 ) C'MON EVERYBODY The Sex Pistols

21 ( 6 ) ONE RULE FOR YOU After The Fire
22 ( 41 ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard
23 ( 17 ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW/ KISSES OF FIRE Abba
24 ( 15 ) SUNDAY GIRL Blondie
25 ( 19 ) UP THE JUNCTION Squeeze
26 ( 21 ) LIVING ON THE FRONTLINE Eddy Grant
27 ( NEW ) KID The Pretenders
28 ( 25 ) THE LONE RANGER Quantum Jump
29 ( 35 ) STRANGLEHOLD UK Subs
30 ( 62 ) DEATH DISCO Public Image Limited



31 ( 20 ) DO ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO Thin Lizzy
32 ( 36 ) BABYLON'S BURNING The Ruts
33 ( 43 ) CHUCK E'S IN LOVE Rickie Lee Jones
34 ( 29 ) MASQUERADE The Skids
35 ( 30 ) ROXANNE The Police
36 ( 56 ) STAY WITH ME TILL DAWN Judy Tzuke
37 ( 33 ) SAY WHEN Lene Lovich
38 ( 60 ) PLAYGROUND TWIST Siouxsie And The Banshees
39 ( 64 ) BOOGIE DOWN The Real Thing
40 ( NEW ) BEAT THE CLOCK Sparks



41 ( 27 ) GO WEST The Village People
42 ( 37 ) OLD SIAM, SIR Wings
43 ( 42 ) PRIME TIME The Tubes
44 ( 51 ) MAYBE Thom Pace
45 ( 32 ) BOOGIE WONDERLAND Earth, Wind & Fire and The Emotions
46 ( 31 ) AIN'T NO STOPPIN' US NOW McFadden and Whitehead
47 ( 39 ) WE ARE FAMILY Sister Sledge
48 ( 34 ) SHINE A LITTLE LOVE E.L.O.
49 ( 38 ) THE NUMBER ONE SONG IN HEAVEN Sparks
50 ( 47 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor



51 ( NEW ) THE DIARY OF HORACE WIMP E.L.O.
52 ( 52 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
53 ( 54 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
54 ( 46 ) POP MUZIK M
55 ( 44 ) I'D BE SURPRISNGLY GOOD FOR YOU Linda Lewis
56 ( 45 ) BOYS KEEP SWINGING David Bowie
57 ( 53 ) THE LOGICAL SONG Supertramp
58 ( NEW ) GOLD John Stewart
59 ( 59 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
60 ( 57 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC

61 ( 58 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
62 ( 49 ) DANCE AWAY Roxy Music
63 ( RE ) SINCE I DON'T HAVE YOU Art Garfunkel
64 ( 48 ) WHO WERE YOU WITH IN THE MOONLIGHT Dollar
65 ( 55 ) DON'T KILL IT CAROL Manfred Mann's Earthband
66 ( NEW ) OOH WHAT A NIGHT The Gibson brothers
67 ( 61 ) BRIGHT EYES Art Garfunkel
68 ( 65 ) THE RUNNER The Three Degrees
69 ( NEW ) ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK Telex
70 ( 40 ) DRIVER'S SEAT Sniff 'n' The Tears



71 ( 68 ) BANANA SPLITS The Dickies
72 ( 69 ) JIMMY JIMMY The Undertones
73 ( 75 ) MINUTE BY MINUTE The Doobie Brothers
74 ( 66 ) ONE WAY TICKET Eruption
75 ( 50 ) HALFWAY HOTEL Voyager

TV
1 Centennial
1 Star Trek: Return Of The Archons
1 Soap
4 Rhoda
5 Top Of The Pops
6 Hawaii 5-0
7 Sapphire & Steel (thu)
8 The Liver Birds
9 Sapphire & Steel (Tues)
10 It Ain't Half Hot Mum

Posted by: popchartfreak 21st August 2014, 07:27 PM

1st August 1979

5th and final week on top for Abba, so who is going to knock them off? The Police are up to 2, a new chart peak for a crackin New Wave track, The Boomtown Rats were reigning in the UK charts, but could they go higher than 4, and equal Rat Trap? Number One more often than not, ELO rocket up to 7 from 51 with the gorgeous wistful Diary Of Horace Wimp while the equally gorgeous Korgis are up to 5. Cliff shoots up from 22 to 8 with his best ever record, but can he grab a chart-topper for the first time in 8 years? We Don’t Talk Anymore, but apparently that doesn’t stop people talking about Cliff in another ridiculous Trial By BBC media. They had a bonafide evil mass paedophile and did nothing about rumours, but one whiff of an accusation at a 30-year-old religious meeting and it’s helicopters and seizing of all that 30-year-old evidence on hard drives. What? They didn’t have PC’s back in those days? Ah well, any excuse will do, eh, he’s bound to have a diary or something saying “I groped a 15-year-old”? Pity the police didn’t bother to ask him first before deciding he was guilty of something.

Regardless, one of the best Top 10’s of all time IMHO. Elsewhere, Pretenders and Sparks go top 20, and The Gibson Brothers rocket to 26 5 years after their writer-producer hit my number 2 as The Yamasukis. Art Garfunkel finally breaks into the 40 with the lovely 50’s cover, while Telex do the same with a less lovely 50’s cover. Highest new entry is Bowie, D.J. at 43, for a literally cool decade of hits, with Showaddywaddy at 50 (and another cover) and a less-than-cool 6 years of hits. Buzzcocks at 59 with an old track, Undertones at 68 with a great new track, Darts with (yet) another cover at 70, Duke Of Earl, a former Gene Chandler hit, Gene having only recently dropped out of the charts with his own new stuff. At 66, earth Wind And Fire continue the run of great singles with a great ballad that takes me back to overcast LA streets, car radio and American stations who were hammering it.

On TV Centennial still ruled, along with Soap, while Mork And Mindy stayed high. Robin Williams is much-missed, but he’ll always be the young manic alien for me, when he was fresh and on fire. Later series hit the sentimental button too much, but the first one was great. A great human being, and a comic inspiration. Another sitcom, Barney Miller, was also a fave of mine, a gentle whimsical cop show, and it had the fab Ron Glass in it, later of Firefly, the awesome Joss Whedon space cowboy show, as a preacher. Keeping up my astronomy interest Patrick Moore was ever-present with The Sky At Night. I once sat through one of his talks with a mate, when he asked for questions from the audience. I dared my mate to ask him if he’d “ever seen Your Anus”. Thankfully he didn’t! Yourannuss as they call Uranus these days.

So, at home, my wisdom tooth started to cut me open. The bloody thing impacted eventually, but as I did nothing about it, it basically made my teeth all crooked for the rest of my life, and 30 years later I eventually had to get the bloody thing broken to bits and removed chunk by chunk while I tried hard not to have tears filling the dental goggles. Moral: get your teeth done early!

Mum and dad were on holiday in North Wales this week, on the wednesday I got a call from grandma telling me she was coming friday, then got one from dad saying mum had been rushed to hospital with appendicitis and had an operation. That put me into severe anxiety mode, I rang my Aunty Eileen to let her know, and Uncle Tony popped round thursday for an update after I’d got in from my factory work job. The lovely couple who gave me a lift, Lil and Jim, wouldn’t take any money off me when they heard about mum, which was so sweet.

Friday and grandma arrived to stay with a random friend in tow (as she often did) and told her about mum, turned out to be an infection elsewhere and antibiotics needed. Noted that at work I tended to hang around with the younger folk (always have) and listed a few things I bought that week with my wages: Record Mirror, Smash Hits, some 12” extended mixes of The Runner and Ain’t No Stoppin Us Now, and a stack of bargain bin singles, and I was also writing a Star Trek fan-fic piece. Juke Box Jury I enjoyed, noting Mike Reid was a big head (he got his own back in 1986 when he took the piss out of me on live Radio 1), and Bob Geldof: “as intelligent and slamming as ever”. Bit of a hero, Bob, long before Live Aid made him a saint. But that’s another story...


1 ( 1 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba
2 ( 7 ) CAN'T STAND LOSING YOU The Police
3 ( 2 ) LADY LYNDA The Beach Boys
4 ( 9 ) I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS The Boomtown Rats
5 ( 10 ) IF I HAD YOU The Korgis
6 ( 3 ) BORN TO BE ALIVE Patrick Hernandez
7 ( 51 ) THE DIARY OF HORACE WIMP E.L.O.
8 ( 22 ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard
9 ( 4 ) GIRL'S TALK Dave Edmunds
10 ( 8 ) WANTED The Dooleys

11 ( 5 ) SPACE BASS Slick
12 ( 6 ) LIGHT MY FIRE Amii Stewart
13 ( 11 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
14 ( 12 ) SILLY GAMES Janet Kay
15 ( 15 ) BREAKFAST IN AMERICA Supertramp
16 ( 13 ) GOOD TIMES Chic
17 ( 17 ) MY SHARONA The Knack
18 ( 27 ) KID The Pretenders
19 ( 14 ) NIGHT OWL Gerry Rafferty
20 ( 40 ) BEAT THE CLOCK Sparks

21 ( 16 ) BAD GIRLS Donna Summer
22 ( 20 ) C'MON EVERYBODY The Sex Pistols
23 ( 19 ) RING MY BELL Anita Ward
24 ( 21 ) ONE RULE FOR YOU After The Fire
25 ( 36 ) STAY WITH ME TILL DAWN Judy Tzuke
26 ( 66 ) OOH WHAT A LIFE The Gibson brothers
27 ( 39 ) BOOGIE DOWN The Real Thing
28 ( 33 ) CHUCK E'S IN LOVE Rickie Lee Jones
29 ( 23 ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW/ KISSES OF FIRE Abba
30 ( 24 ) SUNDAY GIRL Blondie



31 ( 18 ) MARRIED MEN Bonnie Tyler
32 ( 63 ) SINCE I DON'T HAVE YOU Art Garfunkel
33 ( 26 ) LIVING ON THE FRONTLINE Eddy Grant
34 ( 30 ) DEATH DISCO Public Image Limited
35 ( 25 ) UP THE JUNCTION Squeeze
36 ( 69 ) ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK Telex
37 ( 28 ) THE LONE RANGER Quantum Jump
38 ( 31 ) DO ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO Thin Lizzy
39 ( 32 ) BABYLON'S BURNING The Ruts
40 ( 29 ) STRANGLEHOLD UK Subs

41 ( 35 ) ROXANNE The Police
42 ( 34 ) MASQUERADE The Skids
43 ( NEW ) D.J. David Bowie
44 ( 37 ) SAY WHEN Lene Lovich
45 ( 55 ) I'D BE SURPRISNGLY GOOD FOR YOU Linda Lewis
46 ( 43 ) PRIME TIME The Tubes
47 ( 38 ) PLAYGROUND TWIST Siouxsie And The Banshees
48 ( 44 ) MAYBE Thom Pace
49 ( 42 ) OLD SIAM, SIR Wings
50 ( NEW ) SWEET LITTLE ROCK 'N' ROLLER Showaddywaddy



51 ( 53 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
52 ( 50 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
53 ( 52 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
54 ( 47 ) WE ARE FAMILY Sister Sledge
55 ( 46 ) AIN'T NO STOPPIN' US NOW McFadden and Whitehead
56 ( 49 ) THE NUMBER ONE SONG IN HEAVEN Sparks
57 ( 59 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
58 ( 60 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
59 ( NEW ) HARMONY IN MY HEAD Buzzcocks
60 ( 45 ) BOOGIE WONDERLAND Earth, Wind & Fire and The Emotions

61 ( 57 ) THE LOGICAL SONG Supertramp
62 ( 61 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
63 ( 54 ) POP MUZIK M
64 ( 41 ) GO WEST The Village People
65 ( 48 ) SHINE A LITTLE LOVE E.L.O.
66 ( NEW ) AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE Earth Wind And Fire
67 ( 56 ) BOYS KEEP SWINGING David Bowie
68 ( NEW ) HERE COMES THE SUMMER The Undertones
69 ( 62 ) DANCE AWAY Roxy Music
70 ( NEW ) DUKE OF EARL Darts



71 ( NEW ) CONSCIOUS MAN Jolly Brothers
72 ( 68 ) THE RUNNER The Three Degrees
73 ( NEW ) LADY WRITER Dire Straits
74 ( NEW ) THE BOSS Diana Ross
75 ( NEW ) MORNING DANCE Spiro Gyra




TV
1 Centennial
1 Soap
3 Star Trek: This Side Of Paradise
4 Rhoda
5 Mork And Mindy
6 Top Of The Pops
7 Barney Miller
8 Carry On...Don't Lose Your Head
9 Sword Of Justice
10 The Hollywood Greats
11 Sapphire And Steel (Thurs)
12 Juke Box Jury
13 The Sky At Night
14 Sapphire And Steel (Tues)
15 It Ain't Half Hot Mum

Posted by: popchartfreak 26th August 2014, 04:11 PM

7th August 1979

The Police get their first chart-topper with the year-old Can’t Stand Losing You, I enjoyed singing along to this one! ELO (of course!) go top 5 with Horace Wimp, and Sparks get a 2nd Top 10 in a row, just like the 1974 heydays. Beat The Clock should have been higher but there were even greater records ahead of it! Judy Tzuke gets a top 20, and highest new entry is B.A. Robertson and his whimsical Bang Bang. A terrifically amusing lyricist, this one started a run of catchy great pop singles for him, though he was also in demand as songwriter for others. Bang Bang is fab.

Spiro Gyra take their MOR jazz instrumental up to 26, while Earth Wind And Fire get an 8th Top 40 hit. Gerry Rafferty gets his 4th Top 40 in a row, as the absolutely fantastic, Get It Right Next Time enters at 31. This became an anthem for me and my group of friends on our South-West USA adventure, a massive radio airplay hit and a single I bought over there - oddly no picture covers, and poorer quality vinyl, but hey it’s important to me, and Gerry could do no wrong in 1979.

Bossy Diana Ross is at 37, The Planets are new at 39 (a great Police-ish single) with Lines, and new at 41 it’s The Tourists getting their first hit - better known as Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox pre-Eurythmics, plus mates - with the lovely Loneliest Man In The World. Joe Jackson also debuts with the US hit Jazz-rock-new wave Is She Really Going Out With Him, pretty catchy and amusing too. Ian Dury, meanwhile finally follows up Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick, with a Radio-One hyped Reasons To Be Cheerful (Part 3), very low-key and a little disappointing at the time, but in at 49. Finally, in at 70, a sad sweet ballad from the brilliantly-inadvertedly-amusing Randy Vanwarmer, Just When I Needed You Most.

On TV I was waxing lyrical on Centennial and it’s characters, especially Lynn Redgrave’s spine-tingling Charlotte during the Great Depression, and a speech about Planet Earth “reminiscent of The Octopus” (One of my college novels) and the “EPIC” finale, and I was so enthused I wrote my letter to the Radio Times - which got printed!. At home, the rest of the family was back, mum out of hospital, and weak, and a house full with grandma and her friend Hilda (Mrs Mitch as grandma called her, as her generation was wont to do with friends, seemingly odd to my generation), and Sue, brother Mark’s girlfriend, her young brother Chris completed the greeting as i got in from work. My holiday prezzie was stamps - yes I used to collect them, just add it to my list of nerd hobbies, I’ve millions.

I was sleeping on the couch, bedroom donated to grandma, at work on the factory floor I was getting first-hand experience of lazy buggers creeping up to the boss, people who do nothing but make it appear as though they do and slag off others. My wages were £39 for the week, hooray! Babysat for my nieces Rachel (8) and Lisa (6), stayed the night as no room at home anyway, and Lisa fell asleep in my arms while Rachel was wide awake asking questions about “Sword Of Justice” TV show. Next morning Lisa wouldn’t let me go home!




1 ( 2 ) CAN'T STAND LOSING YOU The Police
2 ( 1 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba
3 ( 4 ) I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS The Boomtown Rats
4 ( 7 ) THE DIARY OF HORACE WIMP E.L.O.
5 ( 8 ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard
6 ( 5 ) IF I HAD YOU The Korgis
7 ( 6 ) BORN TO BE ALIVE Patrick Hernandez
8 ( 9 ) GIRL'S TALK Dave Edmunds
9 ( 3 ) LADY LYNDA The Beach Boys
10 ( 20 ) BEAT THE CLOCK Sparks

11 ( 18 ) KID The Pretenders
12 ( 26 ) OOH WHAT A LIFE The Gibson brothers
13 ( 17 ) MY SHARONA The Knack
14 ( 13 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
15 ( 10 ) WANTED The Dooleys
16 ( 25 ) STAY WITH ME TILL DAWN Judy Tzuke
17 ( 12 ) LIGHT MY FIRE Amii Stewart
18 ( NEW ) BANG BANG B.A. Robertson
19 ( 14 ) SILLY GAMES Janet Kay
20 ( 16 ) GOOD TIMES Chic




21 ( 11 ) SPACE BASS Slick
22 ( 21 ) BAD GIRLS Donna Summer
23 ( 15 ) BREAKFAST IN AMERICA Supertramp
24 ( 19 ) NIGHT OWL Gerry Rafferty
25 ( 27 ) BOOGIE DOWN The Real Thing
26 ( 75 ) MORNING DANCE Spiro Gyra
27 ( 66 ) AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE Earth Wind And Fire
28 ( 23 ) RING MY BELL Anita Ward
29 ( 43 ) D.J. David Bowie
30 ( 34 ) DEATH DISCO Public Image Limited

31 ( NEW ) GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME Gerry Rafferty
32 ( 36 ) ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK Telex
33 ( 50 ) SWEET LITTLE ROCK 'N' ROLLER Showaddywaddy
34 ( 29 ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW/ KISSES OF FIRE Abba
35 ( 30 ) SUNDAY GIRL Blondie
36 ( 22 ) C'MON EVERYBODY The Sex Pistols
37 ( 74 ) THE BOSS Diana Ross
38 ( 32 ) SINCE I DON'T HAVE YOU Art Garfunkel
39 ( NEW ) LINES The Planets
40 ( 70 ) DUKE OF EARL Darts




41 ( NEW ) THE LONELIEST MAN IN THE WORLD The Tourists
42 ( 24 ) ONE RULE FOR YOU After The Fire
43 ( 33 ) LIVING ON THE FRONTLINE Eddy Grant
44 ( 31 ) MARRIED MEN Bonnie Tyler
45 ( NEW ) IS SHE REALLY GOING OUT WITH HIM Joe Jackson
46 ( 35 ) UP THE JUNCTION Squeeze
47 ( 37 ) THE LONE RANGER Quantum Jump
48 ( 41 ) ROXANNE The Police
49 ( NEW ) REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL Ian Dury And The Blockheads
50 ( 42 ) MASQUERADE The Skids




51 ( 44 ) SAY WHEN Lene Lovich
52 ( 28 ) CHUCK E'S IN LOVE Rickie Lee Jones
53 ( 52 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
54 ( 51 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
55 ( 53 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
56 ( 59 ) HARMONY IN MY HEAD Buzzcocks
57 ( 54 ) WE ARE FAMILY Sister Sledge
58 ( 45 ) I'D BE SURPRISNGLY GOOD FOR YOU Linda Lewis
59 ( 49 ) OLD SIAM, SIR Wings
60 ( 68 ) HERE COMES THE SUMMER The Undertones

61 ( 57 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
62 ( 58 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
63 ( 46 ) PRIME TIME The Tubes
64 ( 62 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
65 ( NEW ) HERSHAM BOYS Sham '69
66 ( 71 ) CONSCIOUS MAN Jolly Brothers
67 ( 48 ) MAYBE Thom Pace
68 ( 61 ) THE LOGICAL SONG Supertramp
69 ( 38 ) DO ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO Thin Lizzy
70 ( NEW ) JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST Randy Vanwarmer

71 ( 56 ) THE NUMBER ONE SONG IN HEAVEN Sparks
72 ( 63 ) POP MUZIK M
73 ( NEW ) GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS Hot Chocolate
74 ( 40 ) STRANGLEHOLD UK Subs
75 ( 39 ) BABYLON'S BURNING The Ruts

TV
1 Star Trek: The Doomsday Machine
1 Centennial: final episode
3 Rhoda
4 Duck Soup: Marx Brothers film
5 The Hollywood Greats
6 Des O'Connor Entertains
7 Juke Box Jury
8 Mork And Mindy
9 Top Of The Pops
10 The New Avengers

Posted by: popchartfreak 26th August 2014, 06:38 PM

14th August 1979

The Boomtown Rats knock off the Police from the top after only one week and get their second (and greatest) Number One. For such a sombre subject matter it’s an epic, ambitious record. The Pretenders get their first Top 10 hit with the beautiful Kid, and The Gibson Brothers get their first Top 10 too with the fab Ooh What A Life. Showaddywaddy quietly break into the top 20 but the times were a changing for them and also for Boney M, highest whooptastic new entry at 23 with Gotta Go Home, later to be served up as a bit of Duck Sauce.

Just behind at 24, the sound of the future pops in: The Specials had a big effect on pop music with the ska revival and Two Tone records, and it all starts here with the superb Gangsters, as fresh as the day it first announced itself. Big jumps for Ian Dury at 27 and Joe Jackson at 29, before some more great new entries: Roxy Music show the comeback has legs with the great romping Angel Eyes (nothing to do with Abba’s song), and the quirky posh-tastic Flying Lizards bark their way through a cover of Money (as made famous by The Beatles) and single-handedly predict the 80’s yuppie. Johnny Mathis goes disco for his 4th hit, Kandidate drop by again, and The Bellamy Brothers finally follow-up their 1976 classic number one (for me) with the much-less-classic country ballad with the “deserves a slap” pick-up line title.

In my life, arrangements for the forthcoming American trip were less-than-sorted, everything a bit up in the air, which caused me and my parents anxiety. Package holidays to the states weren’t a thing and this was all made up stuff! Seems like airport car hire was the way to go. An old school friend got in touch, while friends of my parents dropped by - I’d known them since I was a toddler. Got a bit miffed at the lack of a decent send-off for nice Fran at work, not even a box of chocs! I said hello to our neighbour-friend Renie’s sister (Renie was Serefina Modelefski, a Polish World War 2 refugee, recently widowed when refugee husband Ted died suddenly, and needing help with many things).

On TV I was raving about American comedian John Byner (of Soap, Get Smart and the original Mork - he turned it down, he’s now forgotten and Robin Williams isn’t, but I noted, and I quote: “The classic U.S. stand-up comedian John Byner ..had me once again in tears of laughter with the best vocal and facial expressions this side of Robin Williams.” Praise indeed!). In the shops I bought 18 singles. On Juke Box Jury Kenny Everett joined Sting, Leslie Judd and Tina Charles for a very funny episode. Wish it was on DVD! At home a blazing family row upset me, even though I was not involved, as kids grow-up it causes problems if they don’t move out, and things had been simmering a while with sides taken not to dad’s liking. Family rows were fairly regular in the 70’s....and 80’s. Hey ho, I was doing a runner shortly, for a while.



1 ( 3 ) I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS The Boomtown Rats
2 ( 2 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba
3 ( 1 ) CAN'T STAND LOSING YOU The Police
4 ( 5 ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard
5 ( 4 ) THE DIARY OF HORACE WIMP E.L.O.
6 ( 6 ) IF I HAD YOU The Korgis
7 ( 10 ) BEAT THE CLOCK Sparks
8 ( 12 ) OOH WHAT A LIFE The Gibson brothers
9 ( 11 ) KID The Pretenders
10 ( 9 ) LADY LYNDA The Beach Boys

11 ( 8 ) GIRL'S TALK Dave Edmunds
12 ( 7 ) BORN TO BE ALIVE Patrick Hernandez
13 ( 16 ) STAY WITH ME TILL DAWN Judy Tzuke
14 ( 14 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
15 ( 18 ) BANG BANG B.A. Robertson
16 ( 26 ) MORNING DANCE Spiro Gyra
17 ( 27 ) AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE Earth Wind And Fire
18 ( 15 ) WANTED The Dooleys
19 ( 31 ) GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME Gerry Rafferty
20 ( 33 ) SWEET LITTLE ROCK 'N' ROLLER Showaddywaddy




21 ( 13 ) MY SHARONA The Knack
22 ( 17 ) LIGHT MY FIRE Amii Stewart
23 ( NEW ) GOTTA GO HOME Boney M
24 ( NEW ) GANGSTERS The Specials
25 ( 39 ) LINES The Planets
26 ( 19 ) SILLY GAMES Janet Kay
27 ( 49 ) REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL Ian Dury And The Blockheads
28 ( 20 ) GOOD TIMES Chic
29 ( 45 ) IS SHE REALLY GOING OUT WITH HIM Joe Jackson
30 ( 32 ) ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK Telex




31 ( 21 ) SPACE BASS Slick
32 ( 25 ) BOOGIE DOWN The Real Thing
33 ( 22 ) BAD GIRLS Donna Summer
34 ( 24 ) NIGHT OWL Gerry Rafferty
35 ( 23 ) BREAKFAST IN AMERICA Supertramp
36 ( 40 ) DUKE OF EARL Darts
37 ( 37 ) THE BOSS Diana Ross
38 ( 41 ) THE LONELIEST MAN IN THE WORLD The Tourists
39 ( 35 ) SUNDAY GIRL Blondie
40 ( 34 ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW/ KISSES OF FIRE Abba




41 ( NEW ) ANGEL EYES Roxy Music
42 ( 28 ) RING MY BELL Anita Ward
43 ( 70 ) JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST Randy Vanwarmer
44 ( 38 ) SINCE I DON'T HAVE YOU Art Garfunkel
45 ( 29 ) D.J. David Bowie
46 ( NEW ) MONEY The Flying Lizards
47 ( 36 ) C'MON EVERYBODY The Sex Pistols
48 ( 48 ) ROXANNE The Police
49 ( 43 ) LIVING ON THE FRONTLINE Eddy Grant
50 ( 42 ) ONE RULE FOR YOU After The Fire

51 ( 30 ) DEATH DISCO Public Image Limited
52 ( NEW ) GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS Kandidate
53 ( 44 ) MARRIED MEN Bonnie Tyler
54 ( 55 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
55 ( 54 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
56 ( 53 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
57 ( 61 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
58 ( 62 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
59 ( 47 ) THE LONE RANGER Quantum Jump
60 ( 46 ) UP THE JUNCTION Squeeze

61 ( 57 ) WE ARE FAMILY Sister Sledge
62 ( 65 ) HERSHAM BOYS Sham '69
63 ( NEW ) GONE GONE GONE Johnny Mathis
64 ( 58 ) I'D BE SURPRISNGLY GOOD FOR YOU Linda Lewis
65 ( 51 ) SAY WHEN Lene Lovich
66 ( 50 ) MASQUERADE The Skids
67 ( 64 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
68 ( 52 ) CHUCK E'S IN LOVE Rickie Lee Jones
69 ( 59 ) OLD SIAM, SIR Wings
70 ( 73 ) GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS Hot Chocolate

71 ( 56 ) HARMONY IN MY HEAD Buzzcocks
72 ( 63 ) PRIME TIME The Tubes
73 ( 66 ) CONSCIOUS MAN Jolly Brothers
74 ( 68 ) THE LOGICAL SONG Supertramp
75 ( NEW ) IF I SAID YOU HAD A BEAUTIFUL BODY (WOULD YOU HOLD IT AGAINST ME) The Bellamy Brothers

TV
1 Star Trek: Erand Of Mercy
2 Rhoda
3 Juke Box Jury
4 Top Of The Pops
5 Sword Of Justice
6 Seven To One
7 The Hollywood Greats
8 Where Are They Now
9 It Ain't Half Hot Mum
10 Sykes

Posted by: popchartfreak 27th August 2014, 07:24 PM

21st August 1979

2 weeks for the Rats, holding off Cliff, and mirroring the UK charts. Sparks up to 4 makes it 2 consecutive Top 5 hits for the first time for them, and Giorgio Moroder’s first 2 consecutive since Chicory Tip in 1972. The Specials bang in with their Gangsters though, up to 7, while BA Bang Bang’s in at 9. Boney M up to 10, and their 7th Top 10 since their debut number one in 1977 with Daddy Cool. It’s also their last one ever, though by way of compensation I had a dream about them on the Thursday. Apparently. I shall say no more about it!
Rocketing into the 40 at 11 it’s Roxy, well on form for their 9th Top 20 (and Ferry’s 16th). Highest new entry and it’s Sister Sledge’s hat-trick of Chic-tastic singles, the sublime Lost In Music, future number one (in 1984) but making do with 21 first time round. The Flying Lizards are up at 26 (that’s what I want!), but even they are outdone on the quirky and bizarre front: The B52’s debut at 34 with the brilliant and odd Rock Lobster, kick-starting an unlikely 15 year-run of occasionally classic singles, all instantly recognisable as them and no-one else in the universe. Sort of retro 60’s garage trash, sort of New wave, sort of sci-fi, sort of fab.

Amusingly Gone Gone Gone nestles up to Girls Girls Girls, ahead of Hot Chocolate who say they are going through the motions. That’s a nasty habit unless it’s NHS-based. At 54, The Stranglers are back with a great, albeit slightly mellow single, Duchess - which was an early indicator of things to come.

In my life? A card from the BBC telling me of letter in Radio Times, I was “dead-chuffed” - modern-translation: well-impressed; decided I really liked Lil, Eileen and Nigel from work, as I was entering my last few days there, and finding it quite pleasant really. Bought American dollars! Bob Geldof impressed on a TV show Seven To One: “so articulate and thought-provoking”. I had a rather less-impressive opinion of Keith Chegwin on Juke Box Jury which is so rude I’m not repeating it! At the cinema it was “Buck Rogers In The 25th Century” with a couple of wacky robots (“not original still funny”) battling crap plots, characters. More than anything though getting anxiety over the forthcoming adventure, especially as the prime mover, mate Pete, seemed to have vanished from communication (working in Germany). Gulp!


1 ( 1 ) I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS The Boomtown Rats
2 ( 4 ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard
3 ( 2 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba
4 ( 7 ) BEAT THE CLOCK Sparks
5 ( 8 ) OOH WHAT A LIFE The Gibson brothers
6 ( 3 ) CAN'T STAND LOSING YOU The Police
7 ( 24 ) GANGSTERS The Specials
8 ( 5 ) THE DIARY OF HORACE WIMP E.L.O.
9 ( 15 ) BANG BANG B.A. Robertson
10 ( 23 ) GOTTA GO HOME Boney M

11 ( 41 ) ANGEL EYES Roxy Music
12 ( 17 ) AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE Earth Wind And Fire
13 ( 6 ) IF I HAD YOU The Korgis
14 ( 19 ) GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME Gerry Rafferty
15 ( 10 ) LADY LYNDA The Beach Boys
16 ( 16 ) MORNING DANCE Spiro Gyra
17 ( 14 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
18 ( 13 ) STAY WITH ME TILL DAWN Judy Tzuke
19 ( 25 ) LINES The Planets
20 ( 9 ) KID The Pretenders



21 ( NEW ) LOST IN MUSIC Sister Sledge
22 ( 27 ) REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL Ian Dury And The Blockheads
23 ( 11 ) GIRL'S TALK Dave Edmunds
24 ( 12 ) BORN TO BE ALIVE Patrick Hernandez
25 ( 29 ) IS SHE REALLY GOING OUT WITH HIM Joe Jackson
26 ( 46 ) MONEY The Flying Lizards
27 ( 43 ) JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST Randy Vanwarmer
28 ( 18 ) WANTED The Dooleys
29 ( 20 ) SWEET LITTLE ROCK 'N' ROLLER Showaddywaddy
30 ( 22 ) LIGHT MY FIRE Amii Stewart




31 ( 37 ) THE BOSS Diana Ross
32 ( 21 ) MY SHARONA The Knack
33 ( 26 ) SILLY GAMES Janet Kay
34 ( NEW ) ROCK LOBSTER The B52's
35 ( 28 ) GOOD TIMES Chic
36 ( 38 ) THE LONELIEST MAN IN THE WORLD The Tourists
37 ( 63 ) GONE GONE GONE Johnny Mathis
38 ( 52 ) GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS Kandidate
39 ( 70 ) GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS Hot Chocolate
40 ( 31 ) SPACE BASS Slick




41 ( 30 ) ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK Telex
42 ( 34 ) NIGHT OWL Gerry Rafferty
43 ( NEW ) YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU GOT Me And You
44 ( 39 ) SUNDAY GIRL Blondie
45 ( 40 ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW/ KISSES OF FIRE Abba
46 ( 33 ) BAD GIRLS Donna Summer
47 ( 36 ) DUKE OF EARL Darts
48 ( 35 ) BREAKFAST IN AMERICA Supertramp
49 ( 62 ) HERSHAM BOYS Sham '69
50 ( 42 ) RING MY BELL Anita Ward

51 ( NEW ) THE BITCH The Olympic Runners
52 ( 32 ) BOOGIE DOWN The Real Thing
53 ( 75 ) IF I SAID YOU HAD A BEAUTIFUL BODY (WOULD YOU HOLD IT AGAINST ME) The Bellamy Brothers
54 ( NEW ) DUCHESS The Stranglers
55 ( 57 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
56 ( 58 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
57 ( 48 ) ROXANNE The Police
58 ( 55 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
59 ( 54 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
60 ( 56 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor




61 ( 49 ) LIVING ON THE FRONTLINE Eddy Grant
62 ( 53 ) MARRIED MEN Bonnie Tyler
63 ( 50 ) ONE RULE FOR YOU After The Fire
64 ( 44 ) SINCE I DON'T HAVE YOU Art Garfunkel
65 ( 61 ) WE ARE FAMILY Sister Sledge
66 ( 64 ) I'D BE SURPRISNGLY GOOD FOR YOU Linda Lewis
67 ( 45 ) D.J. David Bowie
68 ( 67 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
69 ( 59 ) THE LONE RANGER Quantum Jump
70 ( 60 ) UP THE JUNCTION Squeeze

71 ( NEW ) YOU NEED WHEELS The Merton Parkas
72 ( 65 ) SAY WHEN Lene Lovich
73 ( 66 ) MASQUERADE The Skids
74 ( 69 ) OLD SIAM, SIR Wings
75 ( NEW ) LOVE'S GOT A HOLD ON ME Dollar

TV
1 Star Trek: The Conscience Of The King
2 Top Of The Pops
3 Rhoda
4 The Hollywood Greats
5 Juke Box Jury
6 Where Are They Now

Posted by: popchartfreak 28th August 2014, 12:50 PM

28th August 1979

35 years on and Cliff, about as non-rock-star as one can get in the rock world is being interviewed about historic allegations, while Kate Bush has just opened her new tour 35-years after her last one. One interesting aspect of re-reading my diaries from 1979 is how much I’d forgotten (and now been reminded of) and how much even with diary notes is completely gone from my memory. I’ve got a VERY good memory, and even I can’t trust my own memory of events from 30 and 35 years ago, and the younger one gets the less accurate the memory gets, it’s all just too hazy, a series of images and half-memories. I have two memories from 1966 Liverpool of being “flashed” by two men in two separate incidents (and yes my mum took me to the police to report it) but could I give any reliable account now of what happened then? Not a chance. Some countries take this into account and have a limit on eye-witness accounts of any event. What people think they remember is not necessarily correct....

In my charts, though, Cliff is at his peak with his best record, the brilliant We Don’t Talk Anymore, the one that refreshed his career in a good way, and broke him (again) in the States. Top of the UK charts too, it was his 3rd number one in my charts, his first for 7 years - and his last one ever with new material! B.A. Robertson goes top 3. Bang Bang! Roxy get another Top 10, and The Stranglers leap to 24.

The new entries provide the interest as 2 future UK chart-toppers enter, Gary Numan going it solo (effectively just a name-change) with his classic Cars entering at 39, and Dr. Hook at 49 with When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman. It’s hard, you know it gets so hard. I’ve been to see them both in concert in the last few years (at least the voice of Dr. Hook Dennis Locorriere) and unexpectedly I’d take Dennis over Gary. Who’d a thunk it? At 51, the jazzy Crusaders introduce Randy Crawford to the charts with Street Life, a good single though I’ll take the Roxy Music song of the same title anyday. The Jam keep the run of hits going, and City Boy get a third hit with an exciting song title - I haven’t heard it for 35 years though, so youtube here I come.

In My Life? I read my Radio Times letter on the bus home from work and was immediately overcome with embarrassment at the enthusiastic shtudent pedant mood of it and decided not to show it to anyone except parents (who liked it) and brother (who didn’t). Friday was my last day at work, I was sorry to leave, and at home I was packing. My charts were done on the friday early rather than Tuesday, which is why there’s not much happening. Pete rang and left me full of anxiety at the way we were winging everything with no organisation, and mum was worrying a lot too. So much so, that she cried when I got on the bus for London Saturday morning. “I’ll be alright” I promised. Read David Niven’s fab autobiography “The Moon’s A Balloon” on the bus. The mix of social types and races in London fascinated me en route to Laker Airways offices with dad’s RAF bag in tow, overpacked and heavy. Julie, Sue and her boyfriend Joe were already there with bad news: we couldn’t fly before Monday, and Pete hadn’t arrived. My anxiety then came out as negativity and moodiness, and Pete’s unreliability didn’t help at all. So, a bad start, and ill feelings when Pete turned up late (we already had our tickets, having had to make a decision to get them before 5pm or miss the Monday flight. Sue and Joe insisted it was Pete’s own fault for being late and not getting in touch, and Julie and I went along with it despite wanting to wait). He got there just before 5 and tried to pay for the ticket in Deutschmarks, causing hassles!

So, a shared hotel room with 5 people and a weekend in London, unexpectedly. Saw “Moonraker” at the cinema, had my first MacDonalds ever (loved it), and then had excruciating belly-ache all night. I think it was the stress not the burger..... Next morning the boys sat in the Hotel Adams corridor in pyjamas while the girls changed. “Hello” we said to passing guests looking startled. That was funny. The day was spent at Hyde Park, where we hired two rowboats, which was a laugh, Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey - for some reason no-one trusted my sense of direction as Guide Designate, but my memory for places and routes is pretty damn good. Just as well I ended up working with maps years later then! Another MacDonalds with actual Cliff and Rats faves playing, then rang home.

Monday was the flight to LA. from Gatwick, Huge queues and I commented on an “ancient (50’s)-looking woman with a wrinkled, ugly face” in jeans who was brimming with enthusiasm for England. Ageist! The fact that I am now in my 50’s serves me right for that comment! I also wear jeans still, so there! I got very excited to be on the plane, (in Smokers section, how things have changed!) and noted I always love take-off. We flew over Ireland, I chatted to a nice American woman and young Jewish American. I still remember the lady, Lucy Mojarro or Martha Delean - as she gave me her contact details and her mother’s in case we had problems - and she gave us great advice about hotels (don’t go near the airport, try Long Beach). It was my first experience at how friendly Americans can be, very welcoming. The rest of the trip? “Californian Suite” movie (appropriately!) and War Of The Worlds on radio (album). A stop-off at Bangor, Maine, a bit UK-looking to me, but VERY humid, for customs. At this point Pete got frog-marched off by officials as he’d not bothered to get a visa, assuming his student visa from 1978 was still valid. It wasn’t. We all got taken to a waiting room while Pete disappeared again, Sue was pissed off with him for not checking. Essentially Pete held up the plane, he got grilled, paid £5 for the visa and waltzed on board the plane to everyone staring at him. Typical Pete, things just drop into his lap no matter what!

2 hours later, clouds lifted and we had majestic views of deserts, canyons, mesas and buttes, towns and other incredibly exciting aerial scenes, until we landed in palm-treed Los Angeles. Avis courtesy bus, bags collected, car hired, and Joe tentatively drove us onto the American freeway, his first time, and ours, and he did really well adapting quickly to the roads. Once comfortable I HAD to put on the radio. First song in America? Lost In Music by Sister Sledge, how appropriate for me! Singing! Cruising highways! Yay! We were in America!

tbc.





1 ( 2 ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard
2 ( 1 ) I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS The Boomtown Rats
3 ( 9 ) BANG BANG B.A. Robertson
4 ( 3 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba
5 ( 5 ) OOH WHAT A LIFE The Gibson brothers
6 ( 10 ) GOTTA GO HOME Boney M
7 ( 7 ) GANGSTERS The Specials
8 ( 14 ) GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME Gerry Rafferty
9 ( 4 ) BEAT THE CLOCK Sparks
10 ( 11 ) ANGEL EYES Roxy Music

11 ( 8 ) THE DIARY OF HORACE WIMP E.L.O.
12 ( 6 ) CAN'T STAND LOSING YOU The Police
13 ( 26 ) MONEY The Flying Lizards
14 ( 21 ) LOST IN MUSIC Sister Sledge
15 ( 12 ) AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE Earth Wind And Fire
16 ( 25 ) IS SHE REALLY GOING OUT WITH HIM Joe Jackson
17 ( 17 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
18 ( 15 ) LADY LYNDA The Beach Boys
19 ( 19 ) LINES The Planets
20 ( 16 ) MORNING DANCE Spiro Gyra

21 ( 13 ) IF I HAD YOU The Korgis
22 ( 37 ) GONE GONE GONE Johnny Mathis
23 ( 27 ) JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST Randy Vanwarmer
24 ( 54 ) DUCHESS The Stranglers
25 ( 22 ) REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL Ian Dury And The Blockheads
26 ( 43 ) YOU'LL NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU GOT Me And You
27 ( 24 ) BORN TO BE ALIVE Patrick Hernandez
28 ( 34 ) ROCK LOBSTER The B52's
29 ( 20 ) KID The Pretenders
30 ( 18 ) STAY WITH ME TILL DAWN Judy Tzuke

31 ( 36 ) THE LONELIEST MAN IN THE WORLD The Tourists
32 ( 23 ) GIRL'S TALK Dave Edmunds
33 ( 49 ) HERSHAM BOYS Sham '69
34 ( 38 ) GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS Kandidate
35 ( 28 ) WANTED The Dooleys
36 ( 39 ) GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS Hot Chocolate
37 ( 30 ) LIGHT MY FIRE Amii Stewart
38 ( 29 ) SWEET LITTLE ROCK 'N' ROLLER Showaddywaddy
39 ( NEW ) CARS Gary Numan
40 ( 33 ) SILLY GAMES Janet Kay




41 ( 32 ) MY SHARONA The Knack
42 ( 53 ) IF I SAID YOU HAD A BEAUTIFUL BODY (WOULD YOU HOLD IT AGAINST ME) The Bellamy Brothers
43 ( 31 ) THE BOSS Diana Ross
44 ( 35 ) GOOD TIMES Chic
45 ( 40 ) SPACE BASS Slick
46 ( 42 ) NIGHT OWL Gerry Rafferty
47 ( 44 ) SUNDAY GIRL Blondie
48 ( 45 ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW/ KISSES OF FIRE Abba
49 ( NEW ) WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN Dr. Hook
50 ( 41 ) ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK Telex



51 ( NEW ) STREET LIFE The Crusaders
52 ( 46 ) BAD GIRLS Donna Summer
53 ( 48 ) BREAKFAST IN AMERICA Supertramp
54 ( 55 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
55 ( 56 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
56 ( 50 ) RING MY BELL Anita Ward
57 ( 47 ) DUKE OF EARL Darts
58 ( 58 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
59 ( 59 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
60 ( 60 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor

61 ( 52 ) BOOGIE DOWN The Real Thing
62 ( 57 ) ROXANNE The Police
63 ( NEW ) REGGAE FOR IT NOW Bill Lovelady
64 ( 71 ) YOU NEED WHEELS The Merton Parkas
65 ( 51 ) THE BITCH The Olympic Runners
66 ( 61 ) LIVING ON THE FRONTLINE Eddy Grant
67 ( 75 ) LOVE'S GOT A HOLD ON ME Dollar
68 ( 62 ) MARRIED MEN Bonnie Tyler
69 ( 63 ) ONE RULE FOR YOU After The Fire
70 ( 68 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie

71 ( 66 ) I'D BE SURPRISNGLY GOOD FOR YOU Linda Lewis
72 ( 65 ) WE ARE FAMILY Sister Sledge
73 ( NEW ) THE DAY THE WORLD CAUGHT FIRE City Boy
74 ( 69 ) THE LONE RANGER Quantum Jump
75 ( NEW ) WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG The Jam

Posted by: popchartfreak 3rd October 2014, 06:58 PM

4th September 1979

The first chart in Long Beach, LA, and it’s too soon for anything to have happened musically, so it’s quite a dull chart with a bit of shuffling. On the plus side, Cliff’s fab record gets a second week on top, Boney M get a 4th Top 3 hit (yes I knew that hook was fab, even if it under-performed UK charts-wise), Gerry Rafferty gets a 4th Top 5, and the Specials are real Gangsters at 5. Don’t argue!

Flying Lizards get to 10, Randy Vanwarmer takes his sweetsad ballad to 11, and Johnny Mathis gets a 3rd Top 20 hit. Jumping Randy Crawford with The Crusaders 51 to 27, Streetlife - sadly not the much better Roxy Music hit, though the nearly-as-good Angel Eyes is at 8 for them - and Dr Hook get to 39 with a future biggie. New entries: Wings (it’s OK), and not much else worth noting.

So instead I’ll pop over to California ’79, where I was, and continue the pop culture anecdotes amongst the student nostalgia. Cheers! So, we headed randomly to Long Beach, and came across Beach Terrace Motel, literally on the beach, and facing the Queen Mary liner, and all for $11 each, wow! My American airplane friend gave us good advice! It was night, the ocean was full of blocks of colour and twinkling lights. Fab! Roomy, a iamspamspamami a balcony over the beach, living room and bedroom, “Pure sensational delight” I quote myself. Being an American TV fan, I took over the control next day as I re-acquainted with childhood faves not seen in a decade thanks to re-run stations - as opposed to the pathetic 3 UK channels. Notably Mel Brooks wacky sitcom Get Smart, and Gilligans Island daft but loveable sitcom, Ghost and Mrs Muir, Family Affair, Batman, Partridge Family. I was in babbling sitcom heaven.

Tuesday: The daytime revealed we were basically living like Jim Rockford, on the beach, we got groceries at a nearby store, played frisbee, took photos, pancakes at a diner “a cup of tea, please” said Julie, the waitress loved the accent and repeated it. A recurring theme of the States: the English accent is very popular! We hired a tent, everyone was so happy to help us look for one, so friendly and helpful. I loved it here, shame we moved out next day....

Wednesday: Out for a drive, my un-named friend tried driving down the highway wrong direction, cars hurtling towards us - fortunately those alleyways you see on cop shows are real and dived down it. Laugh or cry about it? Laugh! Then it was a day in Disneyland: my first time, my first theme park. The thick brown cords I wore prob not a great idea in the heat... I loved the rides, the detail, the lifelike “robot” Abe Lincoln, and I pushed Tomorrowland as the place to be - so ME! Space Mountain: “the most exciting thing I’ve ever done” a pitch-black indoor roller-coaster, thus begins my roller-coaster obsession! I adored Disneyland.

Thursday: Off to Las Vegas. I froze in the air-con car (I like heat!). I anticipated a future language cliche in my comment: “literally” my feet and arms were freezing, but I used the commas to show it wasn’t actually literal. So there! Nothing new under the sun. Station KFI (LA) - some of the big news items that cropped up: Lex Barker (Tarzan) died, actress Jean Seberg was found dead in Paris (Paint Your Wagon), Earl Mountbatten blown-up by the IRA, hurricanes. Gulp! Stop-off at Calico, a great desert mountain ghost mining town done up for tourists, terrific for photos and HOT, well over 100F. Yay! On the radio? My theme song, my all-time fave song, the song that has followed me round the world, wherever I go, I usually hear it (less so these days, mind you): Baker Street by Gerry Rafferty. Las Vegas: I found new DC Comics in a supermarket, Legion Of Super-Heroes especially. Me sorted, then! Accommodation? KOA campsite, a tent in desert heat, erecting it as night fell - yes, not thought through that one..... Cruising the Las Vegas strip at night in the car? Tick! Just like American Graffiti...

Friday: newspaper tokens for a free casino breakfast and free $1 in coins to play. True! I demonstrated to Pete & Julie the futility of gambling on the one-armed bandits, feeding my coins in “you never win on these things” I said as $5 worth of cash tumbled out. I quit while I was ahead:) Drove to Hoover Dam: terrific photos. Pete and Julie were getting on VERY well by this time, leaving me as the 5th wheel, but all good fun. We were heading for the Grand Canyon.... TBC


1 ( 1 ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard
2 ( 2 ) I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS The Boomtown Rats
3 ( 6 ) GOTTA GO HOME Boney M
4 ( 8 ) GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME Gerry Rafferty
5 ( 7 ) GANGSTERS The Specials
6 ( 4 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba
7 ( 3 ) BANG BANG B.A. Robertson
8 ( 10 ) ANGEL EYES Roxy Music
9 ( 5 ) OOH WHAT A LIFE The Gibson brothers
10 ( 13 ) MONEY The Flying Lizards




11 ( 23 ) JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST Randy Vanwarmer
12 ( 14 ) LOST IN MUSIC Sister Sledge
13 ( 9 ) BEAT THE CLOCK Sparks
14 ( 12 ) CAN'T STAND LOSING YOU The Police
15 ( 11 ) THE DIARY OF HORACE WIMP E.L.O.
16 ( 16 ) IS SHE REALLY GOING OUT WITH HIM Joe Jackson
17 ( 19 ) LINES The Planets
18 ( 17 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
19 ( 22 ) GONE GONE GONE Johnny Mathis
20 ( 15 ) AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE Earth Wind And Fire




21 ( 20 ) MORNING DANCE Spiro Gyra
22 ( 28 ) ROCK LOBSTER The B52's
23 ( 26 ) YOU'LL NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU GOT Me And You
24 ( 24 ) DUCHESS The Stranglers
25 ( 18 ) LADY LYNDA The Beach Boys
26 ( 34 ) GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS Kandidate
27 ( 51 ) STREET LIFE The Crusaders
28 ( 21 ) IF I HAD YOU The Korgis
29 ( 31 ) THE LONELIEST MAN IN THE WORLD The Tourists
30 ( 27 ) BORN TO BE ALIVE Patrick Hernandez

31 ( 25 ) REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL Ian Dury And The Blockheads
32 ( 30 ) STAY WITH ME TILL DAWN Judy Tzuke
33 ( 63 ) REGGAE FOR IT NOW Bill Lovelady
34 ( 39 ) CARS Gary Numan
35 ( 29 ) KID The Pretenders
36 ( 32 ) GIRL'S TALK Dave Edmunds
37 ( 35 ) WANTED The Dooleys
38 ( 42 ) IF I SAID YOU HAD A BEAUTIFUL BODY (WOULD YOU HOLD IT AGAINST ME) The Bellamy Brothers
39 ( 49 ) WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN Dr. Hook
40 ( 33 ) HERSHAM BOYS Sham '69

41 ( 37 ) LIGHT MY FIRE Amii Stewart
42 ( 36 ) GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS Hot Chocolate
43 ( 38 ) SWEET LITTLE ROCK 'N' ROLLER Showaddywaddy
44 ( 40 ) SILLY GAMES Janet Kay
45 ( 41 ) MY SHARONA The Knack
46 ( NEW ) GETTING CLOSER Wings
47 ( 54 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
48 ( 55 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
49 ( 48 ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW/ KISSES OF FIRE Abba
50 ( 47 ) SUNDAY GIRL Blondie




51 ( 46 ) NIGHT OWL Gerry Rafferty
52 ( 45 ) SPACE BASS Slick
53 ( 44 ) GOOD TIMES Chic
54 ( 75 ) WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG The Jam
55 ( 53 ) BREAKFAST IN AMERICA Supertramp
56 ( 58 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
57 ( 64 ) YOU NEED WHEELS The Merton Parkas
58 ( 59 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
59 ( 60 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
60 ( 43 ) THE BOSS Diana Ross

61 ( 50 ) ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK Telex
62 ( 62 ) ROXANNE The Police
63 ( 56 ) RING MY BELL Anita Ward
64 ( NEW ) BOY OH BOY Racey
65 ( 67 ) LOVE'S GOT A HOLD ON ME Dollar
66 ( 52 ) BAD GIRLS Donna Summer
67 ( 57 ) DUKE OF EARL Darts
68 ( NEW ) WHEN WILL YOU BE MINE Average White Band
69 ( 73 ) THE DAY THE WORLD CAUGHT FIRE City Boy
70 ( 70 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie

71 ( 61 ) BOOGIE DOWN The Real Thing
72 ( NEW ) TEENAGE WARNING The Angelic Upstarts
73 ( 66 ) LIVING ON THE FRONTLINE Eddy Grant
74 ( 68 ) MARRIED MEN Bonnie Tyler
75 ( 69 ) ONE RULE FOR YOU After The Fire

Posted by: popchartfreak 6th October 2014, 07:14 PM

11th September 1979

The first US chart proper, and it shows in an inrush of Californian and Nevada radio tracks that hadn’t registered in the UK. Appropriately, the 3 highest were British acts, plus 3 US acts, and an Aussie and a Canadian, but the chart-topper was one of the 2 45’s I bought on holiday - Gerry Rafferty’s 2nd number one, the fabulous Get It Right Next Time, inexorably linked in my mind with desert highways. As was the highest new entry at 3, ELO’s 3rd Top 5 of the year off Discovery, the thumpingly brilliant Don’t Bring Me Down, the other 45 I bought, along with In The Ghetto, Aquarius/Let The Sunshine, and Good Morning Starshine as I was reliving the summer of 69. ELO: all the boys sang along to “Broooce” loudly in the car, every time it came on. yay!

Sister Sledge get their biggest hit to date as the brilliant Lost In Music goes Top 5, Dr Hook get a 5th Top 20 hit at 18, and in at 20 it’s the 3rd Breakfast In America single, the US-hit-only Goodbye Stranger, a delicious ballad much better than the title track. In at 30 it’s Nick Lowe, fresh off helping Dave Edmunds, with the irresistible Cruel To Be Kind - in the right measure! Another non-UK-hit at 38, the wonderful Cars and Let’s Go, for a 3rd John hit and another great single. At 55, Babs is back with the theme tune to her last decent comedy, with Ryan O’Neal, The Main Event, all camp disco, and 8 years of hits.

The Little River Band had a radio hit in the UK with Reminiscing but never broke through, but Lonesome Loser is a sort of 80’s poprock template and a great singalong bit of drama. Anne Murray gets 9 years of hits, 2 number ones, and a 3rd hit of the year with the pleasant Shadows In The Moonlight. A bit MOR but I always loved her soft easy-on-the-ear vocals. Robert Palmer gets a 2nd hit with Bad Case Of Loving You, rocking it where Every Kinda People ached wistfully, and finally a bit of country from Eddie Rabbit, and one I’ve never managed to hear again. Not for long though...!

On the holiday media-scene, Laverne & Shirley (a Penny Marshall Happy Days spin-off, daft but loveable), The Jeffersons (black sitcoms were making inroads on US TV) and The Match Game, the US original version of Blankety Blank: more on this later...

Friday (cont): The Grand Canyon. Just past Bedrock (I kid not, Fred Flintstone is alive and well!), through the woodland, park the car, and whooo the biggest hole in the world! If you’ve seen the photos, it comes as a letdown initially - but that’s only till you get a proper sense of scale. It blew my mind: I peered over the edge and watched a bird flying way below. Only it wasn’t a bird, it was a plane. It’s HUGE. One of the greatest spots on the planet to visit, stunning to me, less so for the others. Downside: we camped in the tent. It was bloody freezing! We weren’t dressed for cold! I loaned my pyjamas to the girls.

Sat: The canyon was breathtaking in the morning light and blue skies. I picked up some souvenir stones to take home. I do that. Chipmunks. Ammonite souvenirs. Hoover Dam. KOA Las Vegas. Another nameless friend drove Pete & I in the dark to a casino - the wrong way down the highway! Quick U turn! Cruised the strip. Lady Luck casino, past gathering prostitutes and drunks. Watched a gathering of glamorous ladies getting picked up in the casino one by one by gentleman callers who gave them something before leaving. How thoughtful. Pete played cards, won some cash, a lady helpfully advised us that if we didn’t have ID proving we were over 21 (Julie wasn’t 21) we ought to make a quick exit as it was against the law. We took her advice!

Sun: Death Valley via Pahrump, a dust devil, desert scrub, it was a National Monument, fabulous scenery, worryingly hot with names like Furnace Creek and danger signs all adding to the anxiety about breaking down en route. All good fun, as was the toilet rolls in the “emergency” roadsign box. Souvenir desert-salt fell immediately to bits in the car, as predicted by yours truly. Sand dunes. Hick gas shack on the mountain climb out of the valley. Mountains! Lone Pine: a motel! hooray! Luxury!

Mon: To Lake Tahoe, sensational mountain scenery, forests and lakes, Lake Tahoe a deep blue edged by steep pine-treed slopes, and casinos on the Nevada end. The 2nd-highest lake in the world I read somewhere. Judy Collins and Jim Stafford were in town for shows: nobody knew who they were or cared to find out. Johnny Mathis more so, but expensive. Pity! Eagle Point Camp Site. tent again.

Tues: Sunny, fresh campsite morning by the lake! Driving to KOA Auburn for the afternoon, put my washing in the campsite industrial-sized drier. My T shirts shrunk to the size of tots T shirts. Much merriment from others. Listed lots of oldies in my notebooks heard on radio: Beatles, Abba, Bee Gees a-plenty (yes Abba, despite popular perception they never made it in the States, did, and were played on radio), Love’s Theme, Jet, Driver’s Seat, Layla and many more....




1 ( 4 ) GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME Gerry Rafferty
2 ( 1 ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard
3 ( NEW ) DON'T BRING ME DOWN E.L.O.
4 ( 2 ) I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS The Boomtown Rats
5 ( 12 ) LOST IN MUSIC Sister Sledge
6 ( 5 ) GANGSTERS The Specials
7 ( 6 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba
8 ( 8 ) ANGEL EYES Roxy Music
9 ( 3 ) GOTTA GO HOME Boney M
10 ( 11 ) JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST Randy Vanwarmer

11 ( 7 ) BANG BANG B.A. Robertson
12 ( 10 ) MONEY The Flying Lizards
13 ( 9 ) OOH WHAT A LIFE The Gibson brothers
14 ( 17 ) LINES The Planets
15 ( 14 ) CAN'T STAND LOSING YOU The Police
16 ( 20 ) AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE Earth Wind And Fire
17 ( 13 ) BEAT THE CLOCK Sparks
18 ( 39 ) WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN Dr. Hook
19 ( 19 ) GONE GONE GONE Johnny Mathis
20 ( NEW ) GOODBYE STRANGER Supertramp

21 ( 15 ) THE DIARY OF HORACE WIMP E.L.O.
22 ( 18 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
23 ( 27 ) STREET LIFE The Crusaders
24 ( 21 ) MORNING DANCE Spiro Gyra
25 ( 22 ) ROCK LOBSTER The B52's
26 ( 23 ) YOU'LL NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU GOT Me And You
27 ( 16 ) IS SHE REALLY GOING OUT WITH HIM Joe Jackson
28 ( 24 ) DUCHESS The Stranglers
29 ( 30 ) BORN TO BE ALIVE Patrick Hernandez
30 ( NEW ) CRUEL TO BE KIND Nick Lowe



31 ( 33 ) REGGAE FOR IT NOW Bill Lovelady
32 ( 25 ) LADY LYNDA The Beach Boys
33 ( 34 ) CARS Gary Numan
34 ( 26 ) GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS Kandidate
35 ( 38 ) IF I SAID YOU HAD A BEAUTIFUL BODY (WOULD YOU HOLD IT AGAINST ME) The Bellamy Brothers
36 ( 28 ) IF I HAD YOU The Korgis
37 ( 36 ) GIRL'S TALK Dave Edmunds
38 ( NEW ) LET'S GO The Cars
39 ( 45 ) MY SHARONA The Knack
40 ( 46 ) GETTING CLOSER Wings



41 ( 31 ) REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL Ian Dury And The Blockheads
42 ( 29 ) THE LONELIEST MAN IN THE WORLD The Tourists
43 ( 32 ) STAY WITH ME TILL DAWN Judy Tzuke
44 ( 47 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
45 ( NEW ) LONESOME LOSER The Little River Band
46 ( 35 ) KID The Pretenders
47 ( 37 ) WANTED The Dooleys
48 ( 41 ) LIGHT MY FIRE Amii Stewart
49 ( 44 ) SILLY GAMES Janet Kay
50 ( 49 ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW/ KISSES OF FIRE Abba



51 ( 48 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
52 ( 50 ) SUNDAY GIRL Blondie
53 ( 64 ) BOY OH BOY Racey
54 ( 53 ) GOOD TIMES Chic
55 ( NEW ) THE MAIN EVENT/ FIGHT Barbra Streisand
56 ( 59 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
57 ( 58 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
58 ( 51 ) NIGHT OWL Gerry Rafferty
59 ( 56 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
60 ( NEW ) SHADOWS IN THE MOONLIGHT Anne Murray

61 ( 66 ) BAD GIRLS Donna Summer
62 ( 54 ) WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG The Jam
63 ( 68 ) WHEN WILL YOU BE MINE Average White Band
64 ( 52 ) SPACE BASS Slick
65 ( 60 ) THE BOSS Diana Ross
66 ( 63 ) RING MY BELL Anita Ward
67 ( 40 ) HERSHAM BOYS Sham '69
68 ( 42 ) GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS Hot Chocolate
69 ( 55 ) BREAKFAST IN AMERICA Supertramp
70 ( 62 ) ROXANNE The Police

71 ( RE ) POP MUZIK M
72 ( 70 ) HEART OF GLASS Blondie
73 ( 43 ) SWEET LITTLE ROCK 'N' ROLLER Showaddywaddy
74 ( NEW ) BAD CASE OF LOVING YOU (DOCTOR DOCTOR) Robert Palmer
75 ( NEW ) SUSPICION Eddie Rabbit

TV
1 Laverne And Shirley
2 The Jeffersons
3 The Match Game

Posted by: popchartfreak 7th October 2014, 07:19 PM

18th September 1979

A split US/UK chart, with a couple of days back in the UK mixed in with American radio new entries. ELO get their 6th chart-topper, knocking off Gerry after one week only. The record has popped up since in American road movies (I mean how appropriate for me, being as it was, and is, and always will be, singing down freeways and highways) like the brilliant Paul, the good Super 8, Doctor Who, Family Guy, The Pirates, and only just missed getting onto Guardians Of The Galaxy (hoping to see it in the extended version on DVD). I feel all justified and warm... Both crackers! Gary Numan motors up to 4 for a 2nd Top 5 hit with Cars, and highest new entry is The Commodores (and Lionel Richie’s) best ballad, the gorgeous Sail On. It’s a country song from a soul band, and the delayed end chorus is just delicious.

The Stranglers get all royal at 18, and Dollar re-enter with their soppy ballad at 25, making it 3 in a row Top 40’s. At 26, it’s Robert John, last seen in 1972 wimoweh-ing with a sleeping lion, back this time with a sweet falsetto ballad, Sad Eyes. Frantique strut some funky stuff at 28, Squeeze are up for a bit of Slap n Tickle at 30, a 5th hit for them, and Elton John follows-up his Philly-hit Are You Ready For Love with the US-only Philly hit Mama Can’t Buy You Love, almost as good and the track I preferred at the time.

Dionne Warwick gets the Manilow treatment, and a decent ballad, at 49, back after 5 chart years away. Secret Affair debut with the storming Time For Action at 50, and Maxine Nightingale leads me on at 57, her 4th hit since her brilliant Motown-styled breakthrough in 1975, Right Back Where We Started From. Another US-only hit by a British act, the US charts were full of ‘em in those days, we had pop stars to spare. At 64, 3rd hit for Maureen Mcgovern, 6 years after her Poseidon Adventure song, and finally 2 big name comebacks: Herb Alpert’s sax goes disco for the fab Rise, the head of A&M records getting his first hit in 10 years, and former child-star Michael Jackson goes solo for a second-wind career, his 6th hit sneaking in at 75 produced by Quincy Jones, a slick, disco dance maturity on display. Wonder how that’ll go down? Not badly....!

Wed/ Thurs: Sacremento. Pleasant city, and a Middle Of The Road song. San Francisco for 2 days: instantly my fave city, gorgeous to look at, lots to do, Chinatown, Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf (views of Alcatraz) all done, all fab, Cable-car trolley ride? tick. The Bay bridges? yup. Attractive high-rise buildings? not bad. I especially loved Chinatown, giving me a heady dose of Singapore nostalgia, buying up oriental souvenirs and trinkets in a sweaty excitement. Pagoda wind-chimes, playing cards, chess piece, tiger-balm ointment (for mosquito bite ease), tiger-design & China scenery bamboo and cloth wall hangers, parasol, bamboo table mats. Yup I loved it. They all thought I was mad.

KOA tent evening north of the Bridge, where I got chatted-to by a hunk and his blonde girlfriend, neither of them had heard of Nottingham, Robin Hood or Errol Flynn when I tried to explain where I came from. On the second day, I wanted to stay longer, but one friend wasn’t at all keen and ended up getting the others to agree to move on to the next campsite, while we were eating a meal. I threw a hissy fit, sulked for the journey and refused to help with the map reading to the KOA campsite in the middle of nowhere (I really had had enough of dull tent-life with nothing to do and nowhere to go, and also wanted to see an exciting-looking new film Alien starring a new actress called Sigourney Weaver, showing in SF). Hilariously (to me, in a petty, serves you right sort of way) we went sailing by the exit we needed, and had to double-back and put the tent up in the dark. How spiteful was I? I knew it was the road we needed when we sailed by and I said nothing. Sulky brat, that’s me! I apologise here and now to Julie and Sue (lost touch with Joe and Pete) for being an arse!

Fri/Sat: Fresno. A younger girl bank-teller loved my “cute” T shirt and accent, and Pete’s. Aaaahhh! Sequioa National Park: mountain giant redwoods amazing! Saw General Sherman, the world’s biggest tree. Pete tricked me into thinking pine cones were falling on me on a huge fallen trunk. he was throwing them. Doh! Another KOA - did some charting while the others went swimming. They thought I was sulking again, and offered to go and see Alien at a local drive-in. Stopped by police for not stopping completely at a junction “stop” sign. It means just that, but they let us off when we explained it didn’t mean that in the UK. Phew! Being English had so many advantages! Too late for Alien, we went to a double-feature instead: Jaws, and the audience was SO unlike British audiences, screaming, gasping, laughing, applauding, so not-hung-up on showing emotion. Fab! Unfortunately they did the same for Airport ’80: The Concorde, a piece of tripe I slagged off afterwards, even though everyone else seemed to love it. “Sheer boring garbage” said I at the time and I stand by that!

Sun: L.A. 120F degrees. Hot! Hollywood sign. Sunset Boulevard. Capitol Building. Chinese Theatre, pavement footprints of the stars! Yay! Monroe, Marx Bros and Bogart were my faves. The Life Of Brian was showing!!! Not even out in the UK and here was a controversial Brit-flick on at the most famous movie theatre in the world. Joe & Sue went to see it while Pete, Julie & I went to CBS studios to watch a recording of The Match Game (aka Blankety Blank) as we’d got free tickets outside the theatre. yay! The warm-up man took over, getting the audience jolly, pulling faces and making crude groin gestures to get a bigger laugh. Even during recording! That explains the manic laughing at mild jokes on US shows: it’s what’s happening off-stage that’s funny! The star guests: David Doyle (Charlie’s Angels); Charles Nelson Reilly; Marcia Wallace (then of Bob Newhart Show, most famously now Mrs Krabappel from the Simpsons, sadly died recently); Bill Daly (also Bob Newhart Show, and previously I Dream Of Jeannie - as I told a smart-ass kid waiting for autographs after the show, he didn’t believe me. Bill confirmed and signed autographs for us. Ahhh!); Randi Oakes (great name) from CHIPS. It was great fun to watch! At the KOA later a couple in the next tent were having loud sex. That was a first for me....!

Mon: Universal studios, Battlestar Galactica sci-fi tunnel on the tram tour (still verrrry hot!), houses of The Munsters, The Addams Family, Animal House, Pyscho, sets of Kojak and The Sting (doubling as New York), Land Of The Giants TV show props (had my photo with a telephone bigger than me), the Jaws shark, and an icy-water avalanche as relief from the excess 120F heat. I bought a Mork And Mindy photonovel, the only way in those days to get a visual record of a beloved TV show. Loved Robin Williams, I did. Back to Mann’s/Grauman’s Chinese Theatre for The Life Of Brian in a plush cinema, it was BRILLIANT! Pete & I loved the depth and irreverence of it, piss-taking so much and so many, and my new fave all-time comedy as a result.

Tues: That’s it, flight home, after a shopping mall detour, bought some more singles and gifts for the family, and really wanting to stay. I always want to stay when I go on holiday, it’s never long enough, but especially so for this one having packed so much in 2 weeks. Sorry for the self-indulgent stories, but hope the 1979 media references fit into the Retro Themes nicely!





1 ( 3 ) DON'T BRING ME DOWN E.L.O.
2 ( 1 ) GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME Gerry Rafferty
3 ( 2 ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard
4 ( 33 ) CARS Gary Numan
5 ( 5 ) LOST IN MUSIC Sister Sledge
6 ( 8 ) ANGEL EYES Roxy Music
7 ( 7 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba
8 ( 4 ) I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS The Boomtown Rats
9 ( 10 ) JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST Randy Vanwarmer
10 ( 6 ) GANGSTERS The Specials

11 ( 9 ) GOTTA GO HOME Boney M
12 ( 12 ) MONEY The Flying Lizards
13 ( NEW ) SAIL ON The Commodores
14 ( 30 ) CRUEL TO BE KIND Nick Lowe
15 ( 14 ) LINES The Planets
16 ( 19 ) GONE GONE GONE Johnny Mathis
17 ( 13 ) OOH WHAT A LIFE The Gibson brothers
18 ( 28 ) DUCHESS The Stranglers
19 ( 11 ) BANG BANG B.A. Robertson
20 ( 20 ) GOODBYE STRANGER Supertramp



21 ( 23 ) STREET LIFE The Crusaders
22 ( 15 ) CAN'T STAND LOSING YOU The Police
23 ( 16 ) AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE Earth Wind And Fire
24 ( 31 ) REGGAE FOR IT NOW Bill Lovelady
25 ( RE ) LOVE'S GOT A HOLD ON ME Dollar
26 ( NEW ) SAD EYES Robert John
27 ( 22 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
28 ( NEW ) STRUT YOUR FUNKY STUFF Frantique
29 ( 35 ) IF I SAID YOU HAD A BEAUTIFUL BODY (WOULD YOU HOLD IT AGAINST ME) The Bellamy Brothers
30 ( NEW ) SLAP AND TICKLE Squeeze



31 ( 17 ) BEAT THE CLOCK Sparks
32 ( 21 ) THE DIARY OF HORACE WIMP E.L.O.
33 ( 38 ) LET'S GO The Cars
34 ( 29 ) BORN TO BE ALIVE Patrick Hernandez
35 ( 25 ) ROCK LOBSTER The B52's
36 ( 18 ) WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN Dr. Hook
37 ( NEW ) MAMA CAN'T BUY YOU LOVE Elton John
38 ( 53 ) BOY OH BOY Racey
39 ( 32 ) LADY LYNDA The Beach Boys
40 ( 45 ) LONESOME LOSER The Little River Band

41 ( 36 ) IF I HAD YOU The Korgis
42 ( 42 ) THE LONELIEST MAN IN THE WORLD The Tourists
43 ( 37 ) GIRL'S TALK Dave Edmunds
44 ( 27 ) IS SHE REALLY GOING OUT WITH HIM Joe Jackson
45 ( 24 ) MORNING DANCE Spiro Gyra
46 ( 40 ) GETTING CLOSER Wings
47 ( 39 ) MY SHARONA The Knack
48 ( 48 ) LIGHT MY FIRE Amii Stewart
49 ( NEW ) I'LL NEVER LOVE THIS WAY AGAIN Dionne Warwick
50 ( NEW ) TIME FOR ACTION Secret Affair

51 ( 49 ) SILLY GAMES Janet Kay
52 ( 26 ) YOU'LL NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU GOT Me And You
53 ( 55 ) THE MAIN EVENT/ FIGHT Barbra Streisand
54 ( 44 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
55 ( 51 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
56 ( 50 ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW/ KISSES OF FIRE Abba
57 ( NEW ) LEAD ME ON Maxine Nightingale
58 ( 59 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
59 ( 60 ) SHADOWS IN THE MOONLIGHT Anne Murray
60 ( 52 ) SUNDAY GIRL Blondie

61 ( 57 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
62 ( 56 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
63 ( 34 ) GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS Kandidate
64 ( NEW ) DIFFERENT WORLDS Maureen McGovern
65 ( 54 ) GOOD TIMES Chic
66 ( NEW ) RISE Herb Alpert
67 ( 75 ) SUSPICION Eddie Rabbit
68 ( 41 ) REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL Ian Dury And The Blockheads
69 ( 61 ) BAD GIRLS Donna Summer
70 ( 58 ) NIGHT OWL Gerry Rafferty



71 ( 47 ) WANTED The Dooleys
72 ( 66 ) RING MY BELL Anita Ward
73 ( RE ) THE DAY THE WORLD CAUGHT FIRE City Boy
74 ( 69 ) BREAKFAST IN AMERICA Supertramp
75 ( NEW ) DON'T STOP TILL YOU GET ENOUGH Michael Jackson

TV
1 Top Of The Pops
2 Get Smart
3 Carry On At Your Convenience: film
4 The Seachers: film
5 The Tonight Show

Posted by: popchartfreak 8th October 2014, 02:39 PM

25th September 1979

2 weeks on top for ELO as US holiday hit Robert John’s not so sad at 4, and The Commodores get their 3rd Top 10. It’s all about the new entries though, as a deluge of new UK releases invade my charts having been denied UK radio access for over 2 weeks, and led by highest new hit at 9 for Blondie, instantly catchy Dreaming. Just behind them, and also following up a chart-topper, it’s The Police shifting it up a gear with the frantic Message In A Bottle, a huge student fave and in at 11.

That’s not all though, big new entry at 13 for Kate Bush’s Them Heavy People. Wow! One more big new entry at 15, Rainbow, a Deep Purple off-shoot and a great Russ (Argent) Ballard song already charted for Clout in my charts. This rockpopmetal version is even better though. Biggest climber, up 50 places to 25 for Michael Jackson, just hanging on ahead of another batch of new entries.

Such as Quo at 30, Whatever You Want, one of their best records and rifftastic and all moody singalong - just bad luck it got overshadowed by even better records! At 38, Elvis Costello-a-like The Jags good Back Of My Hand, and then 2 new monster hits: Fleetwood Mac finally release something new, and it’s the sprawling, ambitious, rhythmic Tusk, confounding expectations brilliantly, in at 49. At 51, it’s Trevor Horn debuting. His group were called The Buggles and this was a little-known track mentioning the increasingly popular music videos that were cropping up on TV. I expect this utterly fab novelty record and music videos are long-forgotten these days. Finally, it’s a ska debut from a fresh-faced gang of lads called Madness: The Prince at 53.

OK, so no sooner than back from the States than it was off to Batley by coach for Sue’s 21st birthday bash with her family and mutual college friends. That was saturday, sunday was back to mansfield and a procession of guests, Mona from down the street (mum’s school-friend’s mum, a family friend) and Great Aunty Doll (mum’s Aunt) who talked of the tragedies in grandma’s life - it’s a novel in itself - before dad took me and brother mark out for a driving lesson. Mark was much better than me, couldn’t get the hang of gear changes. Aunty Eileen, Uncle Tony and the cousins Rachel & Lisa popped round Monday, before a family outing to Monty Python & The Holy Grail - probably the last film dad bothered to go and see at the cinema. Mum and Sue hated it, and it just wasn’t as good as Life Of Brian in LA! The other film, Blazing saddles, everyone loved, cos it’s brilliant. Cleaned my goldfish tank, and the budgie aviary. Mark bought a 10-minute Dr Who & The Daleks movie edit for his new movie projector, which was good, pre-video days, like being at the cinema, and was disappointed at the quality of my American slides that came in the post - too dark, mostly. Tragic!


1 ( 1 ) DON'T BRING ME DOWN E.L.O.
2 ( 2 ) GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME Gerry Rafferty
3 ( 4 ) CARS Gary Numan
4 ( 26 ) SAD EYES Robert John
5 ( 9 ) JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST Randy Vanwarmer
6 ( 13 ) SAIL ON The Commodores
7 ( 3 ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard
8 ( 5 ) LOST IN MUSIC Sister Sledge
9 ( NEW ) DREAMING Blondie
10 ( 14 ) CRUEL TO BE KIND Nick Lowe



11 ( NEW ) MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE The Police
12 ( 7 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba
13 ( NEW ) THEM HEAVY PEOPLE Kate Bush
14 ( 8 ) I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS The Boomtown Rats
15 ( NEW ) SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE Rainbow
16 ( 18 ) DUCHESS The Stranglers
17 ( 11 ) GOTTA GO HOME Boney M
18 ( 6 ) ANGEL EYES Roxy Music
19 ( 25 ) LOVE'S GOT A HOLD ON ME Dollar
20 ( 24 ) REGGAE FOR IT NOW Bill Lovelady



21 ( 10 ) GANGSTERS The Specials
22 ( 20 ) GOODBYE STRANGER Supertramp
23 ( 12 ) MONEY The Flying Lizards
24 ( 16 ) GONE GONE GONE Johnny Mathis
25 ( 75 ) DON'T STOP TILL YOU GET ENOUGH Michael Jackson
26 ( 19 ) BANG BANG B.A. Robertson
27 ( 30 ) SLAP AND TICKLE Squeeze
28 ( 28 ) STRUT YOUR FUNKY STUFF Frantique
29 ( 29 ) IF I SAID YOU HAD A BEAUTIFUL BODY (WOULD YOU HOLD IT AGAINST ME) The Bellamy Brothers
30 ( NEW ) WHATEVER YOU WANT Status Quo



31 ( 21 ) STREET LIFE The Crusaders
32 ( 50 ) TIME FOR ACTION Secret Affair
33 ( 23 ) AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE Earth Wind And Fire
34 ( 22 ) CAN'T STAND LOSING YOU The Police
35 ( 42 ) THE LONELIEST MAN IN THE WORLD The Tourists
36 ( 17 ) OOH WHAT A LIFE The Gibson brothers
37 ( 38 ) BOY OH BOY Racey
38 ( NEW ) BACK OF MY HAND The Jags
39 ( 15 ) LINES The Planets
40 ( 49 ) I'LL NEVER LOVE THIS WAY AGAIN Dionne Warwick

41 ( 27 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
42 ( 32 ) THE DIARY OF HORACE WIMP E.L.O.
43 ( 31 ) BEAT THE CLOCK Sparks
44 ( 66 ) RISE Herb Alpert
45 ( 36 ) WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN Dr. Hook
46 ( 39 ) LADY LYNDA The Beach Boys
47 ( NEW ) THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME The Headboys
48 ( 34 ) BORN TO BE ALIVE Patrick Hernandez
49 ( NEW ) TUSK Fleetwood Mac
50 ( 40 ) LONESOME LOSER The Little River Band



51 ( NEW ) VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR The Buggles
52 ( 48 ) LIGHT MY FIRE Amii Stewart
53 ( NEW ) THE PRINCE Madness
54 ( 57 ) LEAD ME ON Maxine Nightingale
55 ( 41 ) IF I HAD YOU The Korgis
56 ( 33 ) LET'S GO The Cars
57 ( 54 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
58 ( 64 ) DIFFERENT WORLDS Maureen McGovern
59 ( 55 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
60 ( NEW ) SOMETHING THAT I SAID The Ruts

61 ( 35 ) ROCK LOBSTER The B52's
62 ( 58 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
63 ( 60 ) SUNDAY GIRL Blondie
64 ( 56 ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW/ KISSES OF FIRE Abba
65 ( NEW ) TOMORROW'S GIRLS The UK Subs
66 ( 43 ) GIRL'S TALK Dave Edmunds
67 ( NEW ) QUEEN OF HEARTS Dave Edmunds
68 ( 44 ) IS SHE REALLY GOING OUT WITH HIM Joe Jackson
69 ( 47 ) MY SHARONA The Knack
70 ( NEW ) DIM ALL THE LIGHTS Donna Summer

71 ( 61 ) TRAGEDY The Bee Gees
72 ( 62 ) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
73 ( RE ) WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG The Jam
74 ( 51 ) SILLY GAMES Janet Kay
75 ( NEW ) LASER LOVE After The Fire

TV
1 Star Trek: Charlie X
2 Westworld: film
3 MASH
4 Arthur C. Clarke Profile
5 Targets
6 Top Of The Pops
7 Kojak
8 Carry On Doctor: film
9 Film 79
10 The Sky At Night

Posted by: popchartfreak 25th October 2014, 06:41 PM

2nd October 1979

3 weeks for ELO on top, but the competition is so fierce that classic records I bought full-price, like Cars, actually drop. Michael Jackson gets his biggest solo hit since 1972 as Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough shoots up to 3, chased by The Police following up their number 1 with a message in a bottle at 5. Kate gets her 4th Top 10, Rainbow get their first (and last) and Quo just miss out at 12.

Supertramp, and The Tourists, go back up to new peaks of 14 and 15 respectively. Tusk, in the meantime, drums it’s way up 30 places to 19 and The Buggles take that video statement up 31 to 20. Squeeze, The Jags, Madness, Herb Alpert, The Headboys and The Little River Band all rise inside the 40, giving a very very busy chart. That’s not enough though! 12 new entries pop in, including The Dickies taking on The Moody Blues Nights In White Satin at 36: it must be heard to be believed! Following up the gorgeous Lady Lynda, The Beach Boys enter with the equally gorgeous Sumahama, a Japanese oriental-flavoured delight, while Judy Tzuke is For You at 53. Sad Cafe debut at 63, as do XTC at 66 with the brilliant, unusual and exciting Making Plans For Nigel, a record that is as relevant today as it was then in subject matter (nepotism of the rich). The O’Jays get 7 years of hits at 70, Gloria Gaynor 5 years at 74 - it’s I Will Survive part 2, sort of. Elton also makes it 8 years of hits as he goes full-blown disco again, after dabbling with older recordings of Philly soul sessions: Victim Of Love at 75 is a forgotten goodie.




Back in the UK a while, I was now back at College (hooray!), in new digs, on campus (hooray!) for the first time as I started my 3rd and final year (Boo!). Most of my friends were in the same block, Pete and Paul on my floor, Sue, Julie and Bev upstairs, which was great. Did some painting, shelves, cleaning bedroom, cleaning budgies, fish tank cleaning. I taught one of mum’s friend’s young sons how to get water moving down the pipe from the tank by sucking - he got a mouthful of fishy water, though! I hope that wasn’t the start of his lifelong substance abuse, he certainly seemed happier then.

Gracie Fields died, noted that Carry On The Khyber is the best Carry On, that MASH (practical joker episode) remained as good as ever 7 years on, and the Doctor Who episode in Paris was one of the best in ages, though I was still unsure about the new Romana. I watched Parkinson guests Terry Wogan and the marvellous Carol Channing have a great Python-esque show while the rest of the family had a huge argument downstairs, which meant Sue (brothers fiancee) had to go back home to her parents house (she’d been living with Mark here) while Ernie, the retired disabled father of the late next-door-neighbour still lived with us too in a 3-bedroom house. We have spent a lifetime often taking in people relations and family and it’s not always easy if things get fraught, as they tend to do when you have a lot of people in an overcrowded house. That, of course, is life in UK 2014 for many - just that’s it’s been life in mum and dad’s house in 1979, 1989, 1999, 2009....but not any more. Ernie, with mum and dad, took me to College, and he was always nice and appreciative of us till the day he died a few years later, but he was never happy with his condition, the loss of his wife and daughter, and really only his young grandson kept him going for a few years. When he got moved into a Council assisted flat development (staff on site, but own flats) the residents used to call it “Death Row” waiting to see who’d be next to go. It wasn’t that bad actually, certainly better than care homes and mental institutions I’ve seen.


1 ( 1 ) DON'T BRING ME DOWN E.L.O.
2 ( 2 ) GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME Gerry Rafferty
3 ( 25 ) DON'T STOP TILL YOU GET ENOUGH Michael Jackson
4 ( 6 ) SAIL ON The Commodores
5 ( 11 ) MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE The Police
6 ( 3 ) CARS Gary Numan
7 ( 10 ) CRUEL TO BE KIND Nick Lowe
8 ( 13 ) THEM HEAVY PEOPLE Kate Bush
9 ( 9 ) DREAMING Blondie
10 ( 15 ) SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE Rainbow



11 ( 5 ) JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST Randy Vanwarmer
12 ( 30 ) WHATEVER YOU WANT Status Quo
13 ( 7 ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard
14 ( 22 ) GOODBYE STRANGER Supertramp
15 ( 35 ) THE LONELIEST MAN IN THE WORLD The Tourists
16 ( 8 ) LOST IN MUSIC Sister Sledge
17 ( 12 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba
18 ( 4 ) SAD EYES Robert John
19 ( 49 ) TUSK Fleetwood Mac
20 ( 51 ) VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR The Buggles

21 ( 20 ) REGGAE FOR IT NOW Bill Lovelady
22 ( 14 ) I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS The Boomtown Rats
23 ( 27 ) SLAP AND TICKLE Squeeze
24 ( 38 ) BACK OF MY HAND The Jags
25 ( NEW ) YOU CAN DO IT Al Hudson
26 ( 32 ) TIME FOR ACTION Secret Affair
27 ( 53 ) THE PRINCE Madness
28 ( 50 ) LONESOME LOSER The Little River Band
29 ( 16 ) DUCHESS The Stranglers
30 ( 18 ) ANGEL EYES Roxy Music



31 ( 17 ) GOTTA GO HOME Boney M
32 ( 44 ) RISE Herb Alpert
33 ( 24 ) GONE GONE GONE Johnny Mathis
34 ( 31 ) STREET LIFE The Crusaders
35 ( 19 ) LOVE'S GOT A HOLD ON ME Dollar
36 ( NEW ) NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN The Dickies
37 ( 26 ) BANG BANG B.A. Robertson
38 ( 21 ) GANGSTERS The Specials
39 ( NEW ) SUMAHAMA The Beach Boys
40 ( 47 ) THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME The Headboys




41 ( 28 ) STRUT YOUR FUNKY STUFF Frantique
42 ( 34 ) CAN'T STAND LOSING YOU The Police
43 ( 33 ) AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE Earth Wind And Fire
44 ( 45 ) WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN Dr. Hook
45 ( 39 ) LINES The Planets
46 ( 29 ) IF I SAID YOU HAD A BEAUTIFUL BODY (WOULD YOU HOLD IT AGAINST ME) The Bellamy Brothers
47 ( 41 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
48 ( 70 ) DIM ALL THE LIGHTS Donna Summer
49 ( 43 ) BEAT THE CLOCK Sparks
50 ( 42 ) THE DIARY OF HORACE WIMP E.L.O.




51 ( 23 ) MONEY The Flying Lizards
52 ( 36 ) OOH WHAT A LIFE The Gibson brothers
53 ( NEW ) FOR YOU Judy Tzuke
54 ( 46 ) LADY LYNDA The Beach Boys
55 ( 67 ) QUEEN OF HEARTS Dave Edmunds
56 ( 52 ) LIGHT MY FIRE Amii Stewart
57 ( 37 ) BOY OH BOY Racey
58 ( 48 ) BORN TO BE ALIVE Patrick Hernandez
59 ( NEW ) OH SUSIE Secret Service
60 ( NEW ) GOOD GIRLS DON'T The Knack

61 ( 57 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
62 ( 59 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
63 ( NEW ) EVERYDAY HURTS Sad Cafe
64 ( 58 ) DIFFERENT WORLDS Maureen McGovern
65 ( 62 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
66 ( NEW ) MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL XTC
67 ( 63 ) SUNDAY GIRL Blondie
68 ( 64 ) DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW/ KISSES OF FIRE Abba
69 ( 69 ) MY SHARONA The Knack
70 ( NEW ) SING A HAPPY SONG The O'Jays



71 ( 55 ) IF I HAD YOU The Korgis
72 ( NEW ) THERE MUST BE THOUSANDS The Quads
73 ( 54 ) LEAD ME ON Maxine Nightingale
74 ( NEW ) LET ME KNOW (I HAVE A RIGHT) Gloria Gaynor
75 ( NEW ) VICTIM OF LOVE Elton John

TV
1 Star Trek: Court Martial
2 MASH
3 Carry On Up The Khyber: film
4 Rhoda
5 The Rockford Files
6 Top Of The Pops
7 Film '79
8 Doctor Who
9 The Two Ronnies
10 Ned Sherrin: Christopher Reeves interview

Posted by: popchartfreak 27th October 2014, 09:44 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auJ_wkSxiKA

OK I'm trying this out as a dry run...

Posted by: Outcast 30th October 2014, 02:08 PM

John, which Blondie's songs were # 1s in your chart ? Obviously # 2 group of decade (of course behind ABBA).

Peak at # 9 it's so low for amazing "Dreaming".

Most possible 70s is my favourite decade in music. Really want to complete my top 200 favourite songs for this time period, but it's so hard to rate all those wonderful hits.

Posted by: popchartfreak 30th October 2014, 07:51 PM

9th October 1979

Michael Jackson gets his 2nd solo number one, 7 years after Ain’t No Sunshine, and it’s a brilliant Quincy Jones dance production, mixed with the first evidence that he was more than capable of writing his own great songs. It sounded like a disco step forward at the time - because it was. Still sounds great too. Quo go up to 4, Whatever You Want taking the throbbing riff and perfecting it - this is the best riffing Quo single, though surprisingly to some they had plenty of other non-riffing great singles.

Squeeze grab a 4th Top 20 entry, and Madness their first of a long run as The Prince hits 19. XTC, Judy Tzuke, Donna Summer, Dave Edmunds and Sad Cafe go top 40 along with Secret Service, no-hit wonders. The highest new entry is an advert song, Don’t Be A Dummy, at 49, while at 55 The Devil, apparently, Went Down To Georgia with The Charlie Daniels Band, a record I’d heard on my US holiday but hadn’t rated much. It was a grower, country fiddle-tastic.

Reggae? OK Fred, says Errol Dunkley new at 60, The Dooleys Are The Chosen Few, melodically tweeting at 67, and the funk run of soul singles by Earth Wind & Fire keeps shining a Star on my charts. The Nolan Sisters, before they dropped the sister and went pop, debut with a sweet enough old-fashioned pop song, Spirit Body And Soul at 70, The Eagles days are almost numbered for 30 years, as Heartache Tonight thumps in at 72, and the Atlanta Rhythm Section cover 60’s classic Spooky, jazzfunk style and grab 74 - Dusty Springfield has the definitive version, but it’s still pretty good. Lastly it’s The Skids with a 3rd frantic chanting punkpop single at 75, Charade!





Back at College, in my new digs, new room, I gathered a large crowd in my room watching my portable black and white TV, half-joking “I’ll have to throw them out” I said to a friend when we went for our meal in the dining hall, who bluntly repeated it when I got back, to my mortal embarrassment, bright red, and they sheepishly drifted off, never to return some of them. Aaghhh! The core group of holiday friends and Jane thankfully stayed for some USA holiday slideshow fun. Most of my gang spent weekdays out on Teaching Practice while I had lectures with 4th-year honours students - though no “honours” title to my degree, pah!

Snooker games, news of someone who’d failed exams and left, and the sudden realisation I had a 3-hour exam in 2 days on humour in 19th century novels and I hadn’t even got the books yet, swanning off to America all summer as I did. Agh! Revised like mad, answered only 2 questions and a big flop. The other 7 or 8 exam-takers joined me for consolation in my room afterwards, which meant I missed eating. Socialised lots with my growing gang of core friends, and had great fun, laughs, and noted they were all nice people. Ahhh good times!

Friday was ART day, developing my photos in the darkroom (I always enjoy seeing what develops in darkrooms © 1965), by far my fave subject, loved it. An ex-college friend who’d left in the 2nd year was back visiting the day before she should have been getting married (it was a late cancellation of the permanent kind, sadly), then home to mansfield for the weekend, babysitting for my lil’ cousins and Kenny Everett on Parkinson, yay! Then my brother announced he was getting married to Sue next September. Can’t say it wasn’t a busy week.....!



1 ( 3 ) DON'T STOP TILL YOU GET ENOUGH Michael Jackson
2 ( 1 ) DON'T BRING ME DOWN E.L.O.
3 ( 5 ) MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE The Police
4 ( 12 ) WHATEVER YOU WANT Status Quo
5 ( 10 ) SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE Rainbow
6 ( 9 ) DREAMING Blondie
7 ( 2 ) GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME Gerry Rafferty
8 ( 8 ) THEM HEAVY PEOPLE Kate Bush
9 ( 7 ) CRUEL TO BE KIND Nick Lowe
10 ( 4 ) SAIL ON The Commodores

11 ( 6 ) CARS Gary Numan
12 ( 20 ) VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR The Buggles
13 ( 15 ) THE LONELIEST MAN IN THE WORLD The Tourists
14 ( 14 ) GOODBYE STRANGER Supertramp
15 ( 23 ) SLAP AND TICKLE Squeeze
16 ( 19 ) TUSK Fleetwood Mac
17 ( 18 ) SAD EYES Robert John
18 ( 11 ) JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST Randy Vanwarmer
19 ( 27 ) THE PRINCE Madness
20 ( 24 ) BACK OF MY HAND The Jags

21 ( 26 ) TIME FOR ACTION Secret Affair
22 ( 25 ) YOU CAN DO IT Al Hudson
23 ( 13 ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard
24 ( 39 ) SUMAHAMA The Beach Boys
25 ( 17 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba
26 ( 44 ) WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN Dr. Hook
27 ( 16 ) LOST IN MUSIC Sister Sledge
28 ( 32 ) RISE Herb Alpert
29 ( 63 ) EVERYDAY HURTS Sad Cafe
30 ( 36 ) NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN The Dickies



31 ( 66 ) MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL XTC
32 ( 21 ) REGGAE FOR IT NOW Bill Lovelady
33 ( 28 ) LONESOME LOSER The Little River Band
34 ( 22 ) I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS The Boomtown Rats
35 ( 40 ) THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME The Headboys
36 ( 53 ) FOR YOU Judy Tzuke
37 ( 48 ) DIM ALL THE LIGHTS Donna Summer
38 ( 55 ) QUEEN OF HEARTS Dave Edmunds
39 ( 59 ) OH SUSIE Secret Service
40 ( 31 ) GOTTA GO HOME Boney M



41 ( 41 ) STRUT YOUR FUNKY STUFF Frantique
42 ( 30 ) ANGEL EYES Roxy Music
43 ( 35 ) LOVE'S GOT A HOLD ON ME Dollar
44 ( 38 ) GANGSTERS The Specials
45 ( 29 ) DUCHESS The Stranglers
46 ( 34 ) STREET LIFE The Crusaders
47 ( 37 ) BANG BANG B.A. Robertson
48 ( 42 ) CAN'T STAND LOSING YOU The Police
49 ( NEW ) DON'T BE A DUMMY John Du Cann
50 ( 75 ) VICTIM OF LOVE Elton John

51 ( 33 ) GONE GONE GONE Johnny Mathis
52 ( 43 ) AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE Earth Wind And Fire
53 ( 50 ) THE DIARY OF HORACE WIMP E.L.O.
54 ( 47 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
55 ( NEW ) THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA The Charlie Daniels Band
56 ( 74 ) LET ME KNOW (I HAVE A RIGHT) Gloria Gaynor
57 ( 60 ) GOOD GIRLS DON'T The Knack
58 ( 49 ) BEAT THE CLOCK Sparks
59 ( 45 ) LINES The Planets
60 ( NEW ) OK FRED Errol Dunkley

61 ( 61 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
62 ( 62 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
63 ( 56 ) LIGHT MY FIRE Amii Stewart
64 ( 54 ) LADY LYNDA The Beach Boys
65 ( 58 ) BORN TO BE ALIVE Patrick Hernandez
66 ( 70 ) SING A HAPPY SONG The O'Jays
67 ( NEW ) THE CHOSEN FEW The Dooleys
68 ( NEW ) STAR Earth Wind & Fire
69 ( 46 ) IF I SAID YOU HAD A BEAUTIFUL BODY (WOULD YOU HOLD IT AGAINST ME) The Bellamy Brothers
70 ( NEW ) SPIRIT BODY AND SOUL The Nolan Sisters

71 ( 65 ) CHIQUITITA Abba
72 ( NEW ) HEARTACHE TONIGHT The Eagles
73 ( 52 ) OOH WHAT A LIFE The Gibson brothers
74 ( NEW ) SPOOKY Atlanta Rhythm Section
75 ( NEW ) CHARADE The Skids

TV
1 Star Trek: Catspaw
2 Top Of The Pops
3 Doctor Who
4 MASH
5 Parkinson (sat)
6 Parkinson (wed)
7 Sykes
8 Talking Movies
9 Starsky and Hutch
10 To The Manor Born

Posted by: popchartfreak 30th October 2014, 08:04 PM

Look forward to that 70's rate if you manage it, Alex! Dreaming up to 6 this week

Blondie number ones: Denis, Heart Of Glass, Sunday Girl, Atomic, Rapture, Good Boys (2003) - 6 in total

Posted by: popchartfreak 1st November 2014, 05:58 PM

16th October 1979

Another new number one as The Police get their 2nd chart-topper, the terrific frantic rock-reggae Message In A Bottle, and Sting very much being the pin-up man of the time (pin-up boys not being that much in demand). New in at 2, though, the group most-likely-to (knock ‘em off after 1 week) it’s Abba’s brilliant disco track Gimme Gimme Gimme - not only did it inspire a TV sitcom, that insistent catchy flutey sound was borrowed heavily by Madonna for her just-as-good Hung Up. By this time Abba hadn’t NOT topped my chart in four years (and would have had at least an additional 10 or 15 had I allowed album tracks). Bit of a fan.

Rainbow go top 3, and Fleetwood Mac charge their Tusk up to 5, incredibly only their second top 5 hit (after Dreams peaked at 3). The Buggles get into the top 10, under-appreciated quite frankly! Herb Alpert gets his 2nd Top 20 hit 11 years on, as he rises, while The Chosen Few takes The Dooleys into the top 40 for the 5th time or so. New in at 40, their 6th, it’s Chic with my forbidden lover - I’m lying, I didn’t have one, forbidden or otherwise, but it’s as classy as previous hits, albeit not quite as bass-ily classic!

In at 66, Lene Lovich has a 3rd hit with the utterly fantastic Bird Song, a complete change of pace, and still mad as a hatter in a touching way. Dusty’s back again with Baby Blue, her disco period, but this is a soulful disco minor classic that never became the hit it deserved to be, but giving my all-time fave female vocalist 11 years of hits. Steve Harley, meanwhile, has lost his Cockney Rebel’s, and bounced back with the great Freedom’s Prisoner at 64 5 years on from Judy Teen. Ian Gomm debuts at 67 with the gorgeous US hit Hold On: who he? He be ex-Brinsley Schwarz, and Cruel To be Kind British co-writer, that be who. Pure American-radio-sounding, it’s yet another UK flop, not being that much in vogue with New Wave UK.

Wrapping up the lower-end, The Sex Pistols keep on having that barrel scraped as the 3rd version of Rock Around The Clock charts, more of a shambles than a punk record, but might have been mildly amusing if the tw*t farting about on lead vocal hadn’t murdered his girlfriend before overdosing. Not that funny, after that. Viola Wills also covers an old 50‘s song, disco-fashion, that had been a hit in many different genres, big-band swing, country, wall-of-sound, latino-pop, ska before it added another hit notch here. It’s OK, thanks to the song more than the arrangement. Suzi Quatro is also back again with a romping poprock She’s In Love With You at 74, and at 75 it’s Nostromo with a dance version of the theme tune to the forthcoming sci-fi film Alien. Nostromo is the name of the ship, the tune is haunting and daunting from the brilliant Jerry Goldsmith, composer of movie soundtracks like, (pause for breath) Planet Of The Apes, Logans Run, Star Trek (5 of ‘em!), Gremlins, LA Confidential, Chinatown, The Mummy. Among others. Phew!

Back at college again, it was snooker games, a social group gathering in my room for TV & tea, where my review of Airport 80: Concorde was shared by Barry Norman on Film 79. Lots of friends, chatting, discussing, opinion-ating, and general fun times. Reading Lord Of The Flies for literature course - classic! Hanging about a bit with American exchange student Steve from Waukesha Wisconsin. Evenings, I’d forgotten how much my room was the social centre of the gang, I pretty much had a parade of visitors from tea-time till bed-time watching TV and chatting. Friday a gang of us over-crowded Paul’s car for a pub evening down at the Quay (The William IV’th). In town for records searching Saturday I bumped into my old form-tutor from school, Mrs Gibson. Entertained non-campus friends in the evening, but basically every single evening I socialised, an evening sat on my own watching TV was unheard of (I’m happy to say) as everyone wound down from the stress of Teaching Practice for a laugh.



1 ( 3 ) MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE The Police
2 ( NEW ) GIMME GIMME GIMME (A MAN AFTER MIDNIGHT) Abba
3 ( 5 ) SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE Rainbow
4 ( 1 ) DON'T STOP TILL YOU GET ENOUGH Michael Jackson
5 ( 16 ) TUSK Fleetwood Mac
6 ( 2 ) DON'T BRING ME DOWN E.L.O.
7 ( 6 ) DREAMING Blondie
8 ( 4 ) WHATEVER YOU WANT Status Quo
9 ( 12 ) VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR The Buggles
10 ( 7 ) GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME Gerry Rafferty

11 ( 8 ) THEM HEAVY PEOPLE Kate Bush
12 ( 24 ) SUMAHAMA The Beach Boys
13 ( 11 ) CARS Gary Numan
14 ( 10 ) SAIL ON The Commodores
15 ( 9 ) CRUEL TO BE KIND Nick Lowe
16 ( 26 ) WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN Dr. Hook
17 ( 13 ) THE LONELIEST MAN IN THE WORLD The Tourists
18 ( 14 ) GOODBYE STRANGER Supertramp
19 ( 22 ) YOU CAN DO IT Al Hudson
20 ( 28 ) RISE Herb Alpert

21 ( 20 ) BACK OF MY HAND The Jags
22 ( 15 ) SLAP AND TICKLE Squeeze
23 ( 31 ) MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL XTC
24 ( 18 ) JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST Randy Vanwarmer
25 ( 17 ) SAD EYES Robert John
26 ( 29 ) EVERYDAY HURTS Sad Cafe
27 ( 19 ) THE PRINCE Madness
28 ( 35 ) THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME The Headboys
29 ( 23 ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard
30 ( 25 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba

31 ( 67 ) THE CHOSEN FEW The Dooleys
32 ( 60 ) OK FRED Errol Dunkley
33 ( 38 ) QUEEN OF HEARTS Dave Edmunds
34 ( 37 ) DIM ALL THE LIGHTS Donna Summer
35 ( 21 ) TIME FOR ACTION Secret Affair
36 ( 36 ) FOR YOU Judy Tzuke
37 ( 55 ) THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA The Charlie Daniels Band
38 ( 49 ) DON'T BE A DUMMY John Du Cann
39 ( 68 ) STAR Earth Wind & Fire
40 ( NEW ) MY FORBIDDEN LOVER Chic

41 ( 39 ) OH SUSIE Secret Service
42 ( 34 ) I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS The Boomtown Rats
43 ( 50 ) VICTIM OF LOVE Elton John
44 ( 70 ) SPIRIT BODY AND SOUL The Nolan Sisters
45 ( 27 ) LOST IN MUSIC Sister Sledge
46 ( 57 ) GOOD GIRLS DON'T The Knack
47 ( 33 ) LONESOME LOSER The Little River Band
48 ( 72 ) HEARTACHE TONIGHT The Eagles
49 ( 56 ) LET ME KNOW (I HAVE A RIGHT) Gloria Gaynor
50 ( 40 ) GOTTA GO HOME Boney M

51 ( 32 ) REGGAE FOR IT NOW Bill Lovelady
52 ( 48 ) CAN'T STAND LOSING YOU The Police
53 ( 66 ) SING A HAPPY SONG The O'Jays
54 ( 30 ) NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN The Dickies
55 ( 54 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
56 ( NEW ) BIRD SONG Lene Lovich
57 ( 44 ) GANGSTERS The Specials
58 ( 42 ) ANGEL EYES Roxy Music
59 ( NEW ) BABY BLUE Dusty Springfield
60 ( 41 ) STRUT YOUR FUNKY STUFF Frantique




61 ( 53 ) THE DIARY OF HORACE WIMP E.L.O.
62 ( 61 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
63 ( 62 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
64 ( NEW ) FREEDOM'S PRISONER Steve Harley
65 ( 58 ) BEAT THE CLOCK Sparks
66 ( 43 ) LOVE'S GOT A HOLD ON ME Dollar
67 ( NEW ) HOLD ON Ian Gomm
68 ( 63 ) LIGHT MY FIRE Amii Stewart
69 ( 64 ) LADY LYNDA The Beach Boys
70 ( NEW ) ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK The Sex Pistols




71 ( NEW ) GONNA GET ALONG WITHOUT YOU NOW Viola Wills
72 ( 52 ) AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE Earth Wind And Fire
73 ( 47 ) BANG BANG B.A. Robertson
74 ( NEW ) SHE'S IN LOVE WITH YOU Suzi Quatro
75 ( NEW ) ALIEN Nostromo



TV
1 MASH
2 Star Trek: Who Mourns For Adonis
3 Roots: The Next Generation
4 Rhoda
5 Parkinson (sat)
6 Top Of The Pops
7 Doctor Who
8 Ripping Yarns
9 To The Manor Born
10 Mike Yarwood Show

Posted by: popchartfreak 1st November 2014, 10:35 PM

23rd October 1979

Another week another new number one: of course Abba got there, it’s one of their great singles and it wasn’t on Voulez Vous (though there was yet another single to go from it). That makes it 12 in a row, far and away the longest run of number ones, and 13 in total. No other act has ever had a dozen in my chart, not even The Beatles and Pet Shop Boys.

The Buggles and Blondie finally go top 5, both deserved even better, and Dr. Hook finally go top 10, their 5th in 7 years. The Beach Boys get a 2nd Top 10 hit of the year, the lovely Sumahama being their 7th in 11 years. Had I allowed album tracks, Good Timin’ would also have done it from the same album, a harmony delight. XTC make plans for the top 20, OK Fred ragga raggas up to 17, The Dooleys get a 4th top 20, and Lene Lovich makes it 3 in a row as Bird Song flies up 40 places to 16.

The Sex Pistols mystifyingly make the top 40 while more understandably old faves the O’Jays double number one’s are long behind them, but are amiable enough singing a happy song at 39, and Steve Harley is at 40, freedom’s prisoner no more. Debuts for The Selecter and Matumbi, both decent singles, ska and reggae respectively, and The Undertones are back with their second great single, the very under-rated, and brilliant, You’ve Got My Number at 57.

B.A. Robertson has a 2nd pop gem, claiming he knocked it off amongst other football references. Cats UK fly in from Luton Airport: fear not it flew out just as quickly to everyone’s relief. The Stranglers go atomic, Bob Marley has a good social message which sadly will never stop being relevant as long as their are people, Van Morrison is a little more optimistic with one of his least-dreary records, and Queen continue to underperform in my charts with their 1979 singles as Crazy Little Thing Called Love rockabilly’s its way in at 74 - the abrupt change of style didn’t work for me at the time, but it’s a pop gem actually. Lastly, Atlanta Rhythm Section re-enter with a song Dusty recorded, as she rises with her new one: Spooky!




Back in digs, the stream of evening pals dropping by continues. I feel so loved! A dull poetry lecture, some photo lab-bing, some laughs with friends, some relationship developing between 2 of them (I was chaperone). Read “Pincher Martin”, snooker (I won), college cinema for “Jaws” I was gratified to see the American students just as reactive as they were in California a few weeks back “not dumb quiet like English”. A spot of Knights Of Ni Python silliness between ourselves afterwards, and Billy Connolly very funny on Parkinson. I got the boys in stitches of laughter when I announced to the girls we used the girls toilets on our side of the student block cos they were nearer than the men’s (it was down to the comic timing, you had to be there!). At the cinema I went to see spoof Dracula movie Love At First Bite with fave Susan Saint James in it: “good cast good script mildly amusing throughout...” which leaves me bewildered as to why it’s become so obscure these days, it’s never repeated. Doctor Who: “Excellent, best series in long time”. Post-wedding social-evening with non-campus friends, to complete another great week for me. I can see why I look back so fondly on those years compared to the 80’s...





1 ( 2 ) GIMME GIMME GIMME (A MAN AFTER MIDNIGHT) Abba
2 ( 1 ) MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE The Police
3 ( 5 ) TUSK Fleetwood Mac
4 ( 9 ) VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR The Buggles
5 ( 7 ) DREAMING Blondie
6 ( 3 ) SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE Rainbow
7 ( 4 ) DON'T STOP TILL YOU GET ENOUGH Michael Jackson
8 ( 16 ) WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN Dr. Hook
9 ( 12 ) SUMAHAMA The Beach Boys
10 ( 11 ) THEM HEAVY PEOPLE Kate Bush

11 ( 8 ) WHATEVER YOU WANT Status Quo
12 ( 6 ) DON'T BRING ME DOWN E.L.O.
13 ( 10 ) GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME Gerry Rafferty
14 ( 23 ) MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL XTC
15 ( 13 ) CARS Gary Numan
16 ( 56 ) BIRD SONG Lene Lovich
17 ( 32 ) OK FRED Errol Dunkley
18 ( 31 ) THE CHOSEN FEW The Dooleys
19 ( 15 ) CRUEL TO BE KIND Nick Lowe
20 ( 20 ) RISE Herb Alpert

21 ( 14 ) SAIL ON The Commodores
22 ( 39 ) STAR Earth Wind & Fire
23 ( 37 ) THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA The Charlie Daniels Band
24 ( 21 ) BACK OF MY HAND The Jags
25 ( 25 ) SAD EYES Robert John
26 ( 26 ) EVERYDAY HURTS Sad Cafe
27 ( 40 ) MY FORBIDDEN LOVER Chic
28 ( 28 ) THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME The Headboys
29 ( 18 ) GOODBYE STRANGER Supertramp
30 ( 19 ) YOU CAN DO IT Al Hudson




31 ( 22 ) SLAP AND TICKLE Squeeze
32 ( 70 ) ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK The Sex Pistols
33 ( 36 ) FOR YOU Judy Tzuke
34 ( 17 ) THE LONELIEST MAN IN THE WORLD The Tourists
35 ( 49 ) LET ME KNOW (I HAVE A RIGHT) Gloria Gaynor
36 ( 71 ) GONNA GET ALONG WITHOUT YOU NOW Viola Wills
37 ( 30 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba
38 ( 29 ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard
39 ( 53 ) SING A HAPPY SONG The O'Jays
40 ( 64 ) FREEDOM'S PRISONER Steve Harley

41 ( 24 ) JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST Randy Vanwarmer
42 ( 27 ) THE PRINCE Madness
43 ( 43 ) VICTIM OF LOVE Elton John
44 ( 44 ) SPIRIT BODY AND SOUL The Nolan Sisters
45 ( NEW ) ON MY RADIO The Selecter
46 ( 35 ) TIME FOR ACTION Secret Affair
47 ( 74 ) SHE'S IN LOVE WITH YOU Suzi Quatro
48 ( 75 ) ALIEN Nostromo
49 ( 42 ) I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS The Boomtown Rats
50 ( NEW ) POINT OF VIEW Matumbi

51 ( 41 ) OH SUSIE Secret Service
52 ( 33 ) QUEEN OF HEARTS Dave Edmunds
53 ( 48 ) HEARTACHE TONIGHT The Eagles
54 ( 59 ) BABY BLUE Dusty Springfield
55 ( 45 ) LOST IN MUSIC Sister Sledge
56 ( 38 ) DON'T BE A DUMMY John Du Cann
57 ( NEW ) YOU'VE GOT MY NUMBER (WHY DON'T YOU USE IT) The Undertones
58 ( 55 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
59 ( NEW ) KNOCKED IT OFF B.A. Robertson
60 ( RE ) CHARADE The Skids



61 ( 62 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
62 ( 63 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
63 ( 67 ) HOLD ON Ian Gomm
64 ( 52 ) CAN'T STAND LOSING YOU The Police
65 ( NEW ) LUTON AIRPORT Cats UK
66 ( 34 ) DIM ALL THE LIGHTS Donna Summer
67 ( 50 ) GOTTA GO HOME Boney M
68 ( NEW ) NUCLEAR DEVICE (WIZARD OF AUS) The Stranglers
69 ( RE ) SPOOKY Atlanta Rhythm Section
70 ( 65 ) BEAT THE CLOCK Sparks

71 ( NEW ) SO MUCH TROUBLE IN THE WORLD Bob Marley & The Wailers
72 ( 68 ) LIGHT MY FIRE Amii Stewart
73 ( NEW ) BRIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD Van Morrison
74 ( NEW ) CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE Queen
75 ( 61 ) THE DIARY OF HORACE WIMP E.L.O.




TV
1 Star Trek: The Apple
2 Roots: The Next Generation
3 Parkinson (wed)
4 Top Of The Pops
5 For Pete's Sake: film
6 Doctor Who
7 Parkinson (sat)
8 Friday Night Sunday Morning: film
9 The Rockford Files
10 Blankety Blank

Posted by: popchartfreak 2nd November 2014, 02:56 PM

30th October 1979

For the 4th week in a row it’s a new number one, even knocking off a new Abba single - Fleetwood Mac’s sprawling, ambitious, drum-thumping, everything-thrown-in-including-the-iamspamspamamisink marching Tusk. It shocked everyone at the time, following up Rumours, but I loved it. It’s fair to say if there hadn’t been so many great singles about Video Killed The Radio Star and When You’re In Love would have topped my charts as well as the UK’s.

Lene Lovich and XTC bring a bit of New Wave quirkiness into my Top 10, and there’s no Hold On Ian Gomm up 43 to 20. Highest new entry is both the first chart version of a song to be big 4 years on for Laura Branigan - Gloria - and also, as a double-pack single, 60’s melodic classic Everyone’s Gone To The Moon which I loved as a kid, helping Jonathan King to be one of my fave pop stars during the 70’s - always fun, despite being a terrible singer. Moon was supposed to be a piss-take of cliched pop drivel with trite lyrics, rhymes designed to use every lyrical cliche about. Trouble was, the tune was so strong it wasn’t at all obvious it wasn’t serious and could be taken straight, giving graduate-student JK a surprise hit and career. It didn’t qualify for my charts (I’d excluded reissues by then unless they charted in the UK) but the reality is it would have at least been as high as the much inferior Gloria, and likely a number one, had I allowed it.

Suzi Quatro’s back in the top 40, The Eagles also do it despite a little bit of heartache tonight, and The Nolan Sisters get their first Top 40 hit. Few new entries this week, but New Musik point the 80’s pop way with Straight Lines, a great debut entry at 47 from a great under-rated pop album From A To B chock-a-block with great singles and potential singles. Sham 69 have an abrupt change of style, Misty you’re a better man than I, and end their chart career in the process. On the one hand, phew! On the other hand the more ballady single should in theory have been a good way forward had some of their fans not been more into rioting and racism than actual music.

On TV, Doctor Who nearly knocks Star Trek off my weekly top spot, and back in student-land, visitors to Chez-John this week included Alan, Julie, Jeanette, Paul, Pete, Sue, Jane, Bev, Joe, Ian, Jane D. individually or in any combination thereof day or evening. Designed a poster for a screen print (for Art), came to the conclusion that one of my English Lit lecturers was a droning bore, and had tons of coursework and assignments assigned, such as Volpone. Boo! More snooker and laughs, after I won by 20 points for spite because I wasn’t allowed some points I felt I deserved, so I played “brilliantly” while pretend-mocking I was annoyed about it. Our American students hosted an American Studies lecture, which was fun, and I noted this weeks TOTP was crap - yes the one that was just broadcast on BBC4 as I type. It’s still crap.

Friday was an Art field trip to Bradford with Chuck my new American friend, Max, my art tutor, and 3 mature students, for a David Hockney exhibition - which didn’t overly impress me. Next stop was Sheffield for a Diane Arbus photographic exhibition, I do like her style to this day and choice of unusual people portraits. Late back, but not too late for a social evening for Paul’s Party in the student uni room, I refused to dance (as always in those days), though when a few punk tracks came on nearly everyone stopped dancing and I started - much more comfortable dancing to rock music (still am) The Cars, The Skids, The Sex Pistols which not many of our gang liked. Hey ho! Saturday in town, bumped into another ex-school teacher Mr Poole who i always liked, and had a quick chat. A pub afternoon in Anersley with Jane Dave and Paul, then the Rag Ball in the evening, with tie (against my principles, ties) and which I tried to get out of, the sound system and music pretty poor. Refused to dance again, but sulking cos I needed to stop having fun and knuckle down to the bloody pile of assignments - so Sunday was work day. Degrees, honestly, get spoilt by having to study and write rather than have fun!



1 ( 3 ) TUSK Fleetwood Mac
2 ( 1 ) GIMME GIMME GIMME (A MAN AFTER MIDNIGHT) Abba
3 ( 2 ) MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE The Police
4 ( 4 ) VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR The Buggles
5 ( 8 ) WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN Dr. Hook
6 ( 6 ) SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE Rainbow
7 ( 5 ) DREAMING Blondie
8 ( 16 ) BIRD SONG Lene Lovich
9 ( 14 ) MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL XTC
10 ( 7 ) DON'T STOP TILL YOU GET ENOUGH Michael Jackson

11 ( 11 ) WHATEVER YOU WANT Status Quo
12 ( 12 ) DON'T BRING ME DOWN E.L.O.
13 ( 13 ) GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME Gerry Rafferty
14 ( 17 ) OK FRED Errol Dunkley
15 ( 27 ) MY FORBIDDEN LOVER Chic
16 ( 18 ) THE CHOSEN FEW The Dooleys
17 ( 20 ) RISE Herb Alpert
18 ( 15 ) CARS Gary Numan
19 ( 23 ) THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA The Charlie Daniels Band
20 ( 63 ) HOLD ON Ian Gomm




21 ( 9 ) SUMAHAMA The Beach Boys
22 ( 22 ) STAR Earth Wind & Fire
23 ( 10 ) THEM HEAVY PEOPLE Kate Bush
24 ( NEW ) GLORIA/ EVERYON'ES GONE TO THE MOON Jonathan King
25 ( 19 ) CRUEL TO BE KIND Nick Lowe
26 ( 21 ) SAIL ON The Commodores
27 ( 47 ) SHE'S IN LOVE WITH YOU Suzi Quatro
28 ( 33 ) FOR YOU Judy Tzuke
29 ( 45 ) ON MY RADIO The Selecter
30 ( 25 ) SAD EYES Robert John




31 ( 26 ) EVERYDAY HURTS Sad Cafe
32 ( 32 ) ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK The Sex Pistols
33 ( 36 ) GONNA GET ALONG WITHOUT YOU NOW Viola Wills
34 ( 35 ) LET ME KNOW (I HAVE A RIGHT) Gloria Gaynor
35 ( 44 ) SPIRIT BODY AND SOUL The Nolan Sisters
36 ( 29 ) GOODBYE STRANGER Supertramp
37 ( 40 ) FREEDOM'S PRISONER Steve Harley
38 ( 30 ) YOU CAN DO IT Al Hudson
39 ( 53 ) HEARTACHE TONIGHT The Eagles
40 ( 37 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba

41 ( 24 ) BACK OF MY HAND The Jags
42 ( 38 ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard
43 ( 57 ) YOU'VE GOT MY NUMBER (WHY DON'T YOU USE IT) The Undertones
44 ( 34 ) THE LONELIEST MAN IN THE WORLD The Tourists
45 ( 31 ) SLAP AND TICKLE Squeeze
46 ( 28 ) THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME The Headboys
47 ( NEW ) STRAIGHT LINES New Musik
48 ( 48 ) ALIEN Nostromo
49 ( 54 ) BABY BLUE Dusty Springfield
50 ( 41 ) JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST Randy Vanwarmer




51 ( 43 ) VICTIM OF LOVE Elton John
52 ( 42 ) THE PRINCE Madness
53 ( 49 ) I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS The Boomtown Rats
54 ( 59 ) KNOCKED IT OFF B.A. Robertson
55 ( NEW ) YOU'RE A BETTER MAN THAN I Sham '69
56 ( 52 ) QUEEN OF HEARTS Dave Edmunds
57 ( 58 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
58 ( 68 ) NUCLEAR DEVICE (WIZARD OF AUS) The Stranglers
59 ( 61 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
60 ( 62 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC

61 ( 39 ) SING A HAPPY SONG The O'Jays
62 ( 55 ) LOST IN MUSIC Sister Sledge
63 ( 69 ) SPOOKY Atlanta Rhythm Section
64 ( 74 ) CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE Queen
65 ( 64 ) CAN'T STAND LOSING YOU The Police
66 ( 46 ) TIME FOR ACTION Secret Affair
67 ( 50 ) POINT OF VIEW Matumbi
68 ( 51 ) OH SUSIE Secret Service
69 ( 71 ) SO MUCH TROUBLE IN THE WORLD Bob Marley & The Wailers
70 ( 73 ) BRIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD Van Morrison

71 ( NEW ) THE SPARROW The Ramblers
72 ( 72 ) LIGHT MY FIRE Amii Stewart
73 ( NEW ) IF YOU REMEMBER ME Chris Thompson
74 ( 70 ) BEAT THE CLOCK Sparks
75 ( 75 ) THE DIARY OF HORACE WIMP E.L.O.

TV
1 Star Trek: Metamorphosis
2 Doctor Who
3 Fawlty Towers
4 Roots: The Next Generation
5 MASH
6 Film 79
7 The Odd Couple
8 Starsky And Hutch
9 The Two Ronnies
10 Top Of The Pops

Posted by: popchartfreak 3rd December 2014, 09:17 PM

6th November 1979

The rapid turnover at the top continues as Lene Lovich gets an unexpected Number 1 with a minor UK hit, the quirkily melodic Bird Song. Many found Lene laughable, but I found her endearing, and loved this record. Earth Wind & Fire keep the run of big hits going, 4 years into their chart career, as Star goes up 7, just ahead of the gorgeous Hold On from Ian Gomm, and Herb Alpert Rises to 10, his first foray there since my very first chart of all in 1968, with Burt Bacharach’s heart-rending This Guy’s In Love, a record that still makes cry buckets if I try and sing along. And anyone else within earshot, for different reasons.

Suzi Quatro’s back in the top 20, 6 years on and going strong, but never quite getting that number 1, and BA Robertson knocks one off at 27, his 2nd top 40 hit. Highest new entry is Dynasty with the OK disco track I Don’t Want To Be A Freak - well, I can’t help myself either! - ahead of the fairly average follow-up ballad to Sail On. Still, that’s normal for the Commodores. Another disappointing (ska) follow-up, for The Specials Rudi, who at least stay ahead of a bunch of kiddies tweeting about Sparrows! Kool and The Gang start their string of largely soundalike hits, with Ladies Night at 61, Bonnie Tyler appears to believe in my sweet love, actually not a bad single, pity it got no airplay to speak of. The Jam hit their stride though, at 53 with the brilliant Eton Rifles, The Damned Smash It Up at 68, Thin Lizzy mellow down with sarah at 71, Darts peter out a bit at 74 and Sparks get their third chart entry of the year - just! - at 75, their 9th or so. No airplay you see.....no internet, no airplay, no hear.

In the real world, on TV Not The 9 o’clock news, it was a generally not-that-great sketch show, but with moments of inspiration and some new big comic names, like, oh Rowan Atkinson. Yes, Mr. Bean, Blackadder, Johnny English, him. At College, in English, our eccentric lecturer (Hello Mr Jackson) had us all prancing round a willow tree outside reciting folk poems, in full view of the staff room and other lecturers. I swear it was a bet to see who could make students look the most ridiculous. He won! It did make some of the 4th years students actually talk for a change though, so mission accomplished I suspect. The BBC singles charts disappointed, I entertained Ian and Pete with a coffee on a Teaching Practice break for them, Pete off to the Grimsby/Everton footie match in the evening. Sue round in the evenings, snooker with Ian, Pete and Sue lunchtime, great fun. Halloween masks for Pete, who tried to scare passers-by to his window with a flashlight - at least he tried!

Pete, Sue, Pauline, Alan, and Helen popped in on their way to (allegedly) the most boring lecturer (ever, presumably), and consoled afterwards with drinks in my room, with Julie having arrived. I finished an assignment, somehow, amidst the stream of friends dropping by (Jane, Bev, Paul, Dave, Clive as well as the previous suspects), helped push a car to start, watched a play about a transvestite, painted some giant fireworks ready for the Rag Parade, watched more holiday slides on my projector, two first years got me to agree to put on tights for the fireworks costume I was going to wear, lying to me that Paul had already said he would - he did not!! We started doing the ‘Float up for the Parade, only to find it all blown away by the wind when we got back from dinner. Doh! Rather embarrassingly (but making up for the first year when I opted out) Paul and I were the only men on an otherwise entirely first-year-female lorry-load of brightly-coloured fireworks. Paul was fairly happy, I think, with that arrangement. We wet lots of passers-by on the slow-drive through Lincoln, and as usual I took loads of black and white photos. To my huge surprise, my first ever real day spent as a centre of public attention was pretty enjoyable - not that I did that again for 5 years or so, but it was good to realise I can do it without freezing. The Rag Revue had one highlight, Dave Allen and Robert Lythgoe as Hinge and Brackett, very funny (especially since Dave had been someone who got on my nerves in the first year, with his stories of his Bishop dad or something like it). A bonfire evening cheerio to the busy week, with Pete back from a London trip with a tale of being robbed while there. Hey ho, certainly wasn’t a dull life!




1 ( 8 ) BIRD SONG Lene Lovich
2 ( 1 ) TUSK Fleetwood Mac
3 ( 2 ) GIMME GIMME GIMME (A MAN AFTER MIDNIGHT) Abba
4 ( 5 ) WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN Dr. Hook
5 ( 3 ) MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE The Police
6 ( 4 ) VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR The Buggles
7 ( 22 ) STAR Earth Wind & Fire
8 ( 20 ) HOLD ON Ian Gomm
9 ( 6 ) SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE Rainbow
10 ( 17 ) RISE Herb Alpert



11 ( 15 ) MY FORBIDDEN LOVER Chic
12 ( 9 ) MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL XTC
13 ( 7 ) DREAMING Blondie
14 ( 14 ) OK FRED Errol Dunkley
15 ( 11 ) WHATEVER YOU WANT Status Quo
16 ( 10 ) DON'T STOP TILL YOU GET ENOUGH Michael Jackson
17 ( 27 ) SHE'S IN LOVE WITH YOU Suzi Quatro
18 ( 12 ) DON'T BRING ME DOWN E.L.O.
19 ( 13 ) GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME Gerry Rafferty
20 ( 29 ) ON MY RADIO The Selecter

21 ( 19 ) THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA The Charlie Daniels Band
22 ( 18 ) CARS Gary Numan
23 ( 30 ) SAD EYES Robert John
24 ( 24 ) GLORIA/ EVERYONE'S GONE TO THE MOON Jonathan King
25 ( 33 ) GONNA GET ALONG WITHOUT YOU NOW Viola Wills
26 ( 16 ) THE CHOSEN FEW The Dooleys
27 ( 54 ) KNOCKED IT OFF B.A. Robertson
28 ( NEW ) I DON'T WANT TO BE A FREAK Dynasty
29 ( 26 ) SAIL ON The Commodores
30 ( 25 ) CRUEL TO BE KIND Nick Lowe

31 ( 43 ) YOU'VE GOT MY NUMBER (WHY DON'T YOU USE IT) The Undertones
32 ( 35 ) SPIRIT BODY AND SOUL The Nolan Sisters
33 ( 21 ) SUMAHAMA The Beach Boys
34 ( 23 ) THEM HEAVY PEOPLE Kate Bush
35 ( NEW ) STILL The Commodores
36 ( 36 ) GOODBYE STRANGER Supertramp
37 ( 37 ) FREEDOM'S PRISONER Steve Harley
38 ( NEW ) A MESSAGE TO YOU RUDI The Specials
39 ( 71 ) THE SPARROW The Ramblers
40 ( 31 ) EVERYDAY HURTS Sad Cafe

41 ( 32 ) ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK The Sex Pistols
42 ( 40 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba
43 ( 42 ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard
44 ( 34 ) LET ME KNOW (I HAVE A RIGHT) Gloria Gaynor
45 ( 38 ) YOU CAN DO IT Al Hudson
46 ( 28 ) FOR YOU Judy Tzuke
47 ( 47 ) STRAIGHT LINES New Musik
48 ( 58 ) NUCLEAR DEVICE (WIZARD OF AUS) The Stranglers
49 ( NEW ) I BELIEVE IN YOUR SWEET LOVE Bonnie Tyler
50 ( 44 ) THE LONELIEST MAN IN THE WORLD The Tourists



51 ( 55 ) YOU'RE A BETTER MAN THAN I Sham '69
52 ( 70 ) BRIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD Van Morrison
53 ( NEW ) ETON RIFLES The Jam
54 ( 45 ) SLAP AND TICKLE Squeeze
55 ( 50 ) JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST Randy Vanwarmer
56 ( 53 ) I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS The Boomtown Rats
57 ( 60 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
58 ( 59 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
59 ( 57 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
60 ( 64 ) CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE Queen



61 ( NEW ) LADIES NIGHT Kool And The Gang
62 ( 39 ) HEARTACHE TONIGHT The Eagles
63 ( 63 ) SPOOKY Atlanta Rhythm Section
64 ( 41 ) BACK OF MY HAND The Jags
65 ( 48 ) ALIEN Nostromo
66 ( 65 ) CAN'T STAND LOSING YOU The Police
67 ( 46 ) THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME The Headboys
68 ( NEW ) SMASH IT UP The Damned
69 ( 62 ) LOST IN MUSIC Sister Sledge
70 ( 49 ) BABY BLUE Dusty Springfield

71 ( NEW ) SARAH Thin Lizzy
72 ( 52 ) THE PRINCE Madness
73 ( 73 ) IF YOU REMEMBER ME Chris Thompson
74 ( NEW ) CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF YOUR LOVE Darts
75 ( NEW ) TRYOUTS FOR THE HUMAN RACE Sparks

TV
1 Star Trek: The Galileo Seven
2 It'll Be Alright On The Night 2
3 Soap
4 MASH
5 Top Of The Pops
6 The Rockford Files
7 Film 79
8 Muhammed Ali's Greatest Hits
9 The Waltons
10 Not The 9 o'clock News

Posted by: popchartfreak 4th December 2014, 08:22 PM

13th November 1979

Back up to number one, saving Gimme Gimme Gimme from the shame of shortest run topping my charts for an Abba song. It’s great too! New in at 2 though, following on from the Dickies cover, the original epic version by The Moody Blues is back 7 years after peaking at 3 and 11 years after first being released (pre-dating my charts). Saw them last year in concert (2013): fab. Sole climber into the 10 is ska act The Selecter, and a jumpy bit of the same old song On My Radio. Not really!

BA climbs to 13, Commodores to 17, Specials to 21, Undertones to 25, Jam at 31 ahead of the new entries surge: Dan-I in at 30 with Monkey Chop, a great KC-ish soulpop minor dance hit that should have been big, lyrics aside it’s great. Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand had both hit the top spot in 1977, but not done it since despite hits throughout, so will the battling diva duet take them all the way? Nah! I like it though. At 37, ELO’s 5th of the year is a double A Side delight of two great tracks from discovery, following up number 1 Don’t Bring Me Down. First off the block was Last Train To London, a riffy catchy synthy pop slice of typical ELO. Confusion wasn’t getting any airplay at this time, sadly.

Also following up number 1’s: The Police return with another winner, the great Saturn-V video’d Walking On The Moon at 57, while Cliff sneaks in at 75 with Hot Shot, behind his topper, and also behind his producer and songwriter Alan Tarney at 72 with a cover of Cathy’s Clown. Oops Cliff bad choice! The Tourists get on the Dusty cover-version bandwagon as 60’s pop nostalgia starts to get a hold on the new pop music scene, in at 65 with a good version (as opposed to the Bay City Rollers twee version from 1976) of I Only Want To be With You. At 59, though, it’s the majesty state-of-the-art synth-strings-percussive dance sounds of Rose Royce and their brilliant Is It Love You’re After. Heavily sampled for 1988 Number One Theme From S’Express, the original is an exciting, rifftastic anthemic delight, as is S’Express’. Also keeps up their run of hits 3 years in...

Others: Secret Affair pop back with an OK track, France Joli has a smooth ballad, big in the USA, at 70, The Simms Brothers pop in quite highly at 51 - who?! - US rockjazz, actually, not a million miles away from Styx, who enter at 74 with future UK hit ballad Babe (and US biggie), a good ol’ song.

At College, I finally got to get to see Alien, that Ridley Scott masterpiece of dramatic sci-fi tension, visually-stunning, plot-unpredictably-twisted, ground-breaking monster invention movie. The one I’d missed in California due to friends inability to get ready on time! My review? “Classic...I shivered from beginning to end...I haven’t seen such a tense film ever, I was biting my hand at the tenseness. Sigourney Weaver was Brilliant as the HERO - a heroic struggle of the individual versus the unknown...the definitive horror film for me.” Still is, actually! I made a list of my top films immediately:

Close Encounters Of The Third Kind
Star Wars
Alien
The Poseidon Adventure
Superman
2001
Planet Of The Apes
Jesus Christ Superstar
Blazing Saddles

I did my all-time top 100 recently, and 2010 edged out 2001 (though 2001 is the classic), while only Superman missed the list by a mile, so my tastes remain pretty constant.

Raved about Alien to Julie, Pete, Bev, Paul, Sue and Jane, all round for TV, chat, slideshow, a game of scrabble, Life Of Brian featured on Film 79 (yes, seen it 2 months at the Chinese Theatre LA, already, I told Barry Norman on the screen, the UK having to wait even to see bloody British films!) and also panel discussion shows with tits like Malcolm Muggeridge insisting it was anti-Jesus, when it was actually anti-religious blind followers and full of social commentary. English lecturer this time had us performing a South Sea Island Pre-Marriage Ritual, which was kinda fun actually, as was snooker. Read Poe’s The Raven. One of my fave poem’s actually, largely due to the MAD magazine illustrated version I bought in Singapore. Watched a harrowing TV shown on Auschwitz. Not ideal bedtime viewing.

Everyone decided to go and see Alien while Star Trek was on TV (so no chance of me joining them, everyone knew!). The next game of snooker “I was really brilliant” 33 point break. Well, everything’s relative! More evenings of laughs and visits and TV - I must say as social life goes, it can’t get better than everyone using you as a focal point, makes you feel so wanted! Or, more likely, I would never turn anyone away...! Mark Twain’s Huck Finn the next novel for American Studies. Top Of The Pops annoyed me: Dr Hook had been replaced at 1 by Lena Martell. How very dare they! That’s not what they announced on Tuesday’s chart rundown!

Friday was Art day, I was grouped with 3 mature student ladies (probably in their 30’s, eek!) for a discussion on foyer printworks. Not the ceramic sculptures of the female ladyparts though, that were put on exhibit, and then very quickly taken off exhibit from the College foyer following complaints. I wasn’t shocked, more bemused as I’d never seen ladies bits up close before, but it made a great bit of drama and talking-point. The artist, male, was most put-out at his forest of lady-gardens being pruned.

I went home for the weekend, dad picked me up, mum having been ill lately, and looking very tired, we had to call the doctor out saturday night as she was in so much pain and nauseous. By now she was so desperate to get rid of the pain, which had been going on weeks, that she wanted to get into hospital to get it sorted. All very worrying and depressing. Just to add to the mood, little cousin Rachel let loose that all my budgies were dead from the cold (donated to grandad’s school for the kids, they had an outdoor aviary and he was caretaker) which pissed me off. This is turning into a novel.....! Sorry!


1 ( 3 ) GIMME GIMME GIMME (A MAN AFTER MIDNIGHT) Abba
2 ( NEW ) NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN The Moody Blues
3 ( 2 ) TUSK Fleetwood Mac
4 ( 1 ) BIRD SONG Lene Lovich
5 ( 4 ) WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN Dr. Hook
6 ( 10 ) RISE Herb Alpert
7 ( 7 ) STAR Earth Wind & Fire
8 ( 20 ) ON MY RADIO The Selecter
9 ( 6 ) VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR The Buggles
10 ( 5 ) MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE The Police



11 ( 8 ) HOLD ON Ian Gomm
12 ( 17 ) SHE'S IN LOVE WITH YOU Suzi Quatro
13 ( 27 ) KNOCKED IT OFF B.A. Robertson
14 ( 12 ) MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL XTC
15 ( 23 ) SAD EYES Robert John
16 ( 16 ) DON'T STOP TILL YOU GET ENOUGH Michael Jackson
17 ( 35 ) STILL The Commodores
18 ( 9 ) SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE Rainbow
19 ( 11 ) MY FORBIDDEN LOVER Chic
20 ( 14 ) OK FRED Errol Dunkley

21 ( 38 ) A MESSAGE TO YOU RUDI The Specials
22 ( 13 ) DREAMING Blondie
23 ( 19 ) GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME Gerry Rafferty
24 ( 18 ) DON'T BRING ME DOWN E.L.O.
25 ( 31 ) YOU'VE GOT MY NUMBER (WHY DON'T YOU USE IT) The Undertones
26 ( 28 ) I DON'T WANT TO BE A FREAK Dynasty
27 ( 15 ) WHATEVER YOU WANT Status Quo
28 ( 22 ) CARS Gary Numan
29 ( 25 ) GONNA GET ALONG WITHOUT YOU NOW Viola Wills
30 ( NEW ) MONKEY CHOP Dan-I



31 ( 53 ) ETON RIFLES The Jam
32 ( 29 ) SAIL ON The Commodores
33 ( NEW ) NO MORE TEARS (ENOUGH IS ENOUGH) Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand
34 ( 21 ) THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA The Charlie Daniels Band
35 ( 24 ) GLORIA/ EVERYONE'S GONE TO THE MOON Jonathan King
36 ( 26 ) THE CHOSEN FEW The Dooleys
37 ( NEW ) CONFUSION/ LAST TRAIN TO LONDON E.L.O.
38 ( 30 ) CRUEL TO BE KIND Nick Lowe
39 ( 61 ) LADIES NIGHT Kool And The Gang
40 ( 51 ) YOU'RE A BETTER MAN THAN I Sham '69



41 ( 36 ) GOODBYE STRANGER Supertramp
42 ( 40 ) EVERYDAY HURTS Sad Cafe
43 ( 34 ) THEM HEAVY PEOPLE Kate Bush
44 ( 42 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba
45 ( 33 ) SUMAHAMA The Beach Boys
46 ( 60 ) CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE Queen
47 ( 49 ) I BELIEVE IN YOUR SWEET LOVE Bonnie Tyler
48 ( 43 ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard
49 ( 63 ) SPOOKY Atlanta Rhythm Section
50 ( 71 ) SARAH Thin Lizzy

51 ( NEW ) BACK TO SCHOOL The Simms Brothers Band
52 ( 46 ) FOR YOU Judy Tzuke
53 ( 39 ) THE SPARROW The Ramblers
54 ( 55 ) JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST Randy Vanwarmer
55 ( 57 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
56 ( 58 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
57 ( NEW ) WALKING ON THE MOON The Police
58 ( 56 ) I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS The Boomtown Rats
59 ( NEW ) IS IT LOVE YOU'RE AFTER Rose Royce
60 ( 59 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army



61 ( 50 ) THE LONELIEST MAN IN THE WORLD The Tourists
62 ( 37 ) FREEDOM'S PRISONER Steve Harley
63 ( 32 ) SPIRIT BODY AND SOUL The Nolan Sisters
64 ( 45 ) YOU CAN DO IT Al Hudson
65 ( NEW ) I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU The Tourists
66 ( 48 ) NUCLEAR DEVICE (WIZARD OF AUS) The Stranglers
67 ( 44 ) LET ME KNOW (I HAVE A RIGHT) Gloria Gaynor
68 ( 74 ) CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF YOUR LOVE Darts
69 ( NEW ) LET YOUR HEART DANCE Secret Affair
70 ( NEW ) COME TO ME France Joli

71 ( 66 ) CAN'T STAND LOSING YOU The Police
72 ( NEW ) CATHY'S CLOWN Tarney and Spencer
73 ( 73 ) IF YOU REMEMBER ME Chris Thompson
74 ( NEW ) BABE Styx
75 ( NEW ) HOT SHOT Cliff Richard

TV
1 Star Trek: Wolf In The Fold
2 Soap
3 MASH
4 The Odd Couple
5 Top Of The Pops
6 Film 79
7 Friday Night Saturday Morning
8 The Rockford Files
9 The Muppet Show
10 Doctor Who

Posted by: popchartfreak 6th December 2014, 07:48 PM

20th November 1979

The Moody Blues get a new record - longest wait between chart debut and hitting number one, taking over from Hawkwind, at just over 7 years. Nights In White Satin is a sweeping dramatic orchestral rock masterpiece, oh yes it is! The video starts off in Paris, which is kinda appropriate (see later). B.A.Robertson gets a second top in a row, well he knocked it off. He knocked it off well I mean. Suzi Quatro keeps up her top 10 entries, her 7th, and Dan-I chops those monkeys at 15, while Donna & Babs, & ELO both shoot into the top 20. Rose Royce rocket to 25, and highest new entry is The Isley Brothers, having a disco night at 29, 11 years since they first impressed me with This Old Heart Of Mine, and since.

The Tourists hit 34, as The Gibson Brothers follow up a big hit with a similar-sounding fun-packed Que Sera Mi Vida. Queen at long last make my top 40 with huge UK and USA hit Crazy Little Thing Called Love - I admit I preferred early Queen to rockabilly Queen, and as Matchbox claimed at 75, I’m a rockabilly rebel. Not really, but I like it. KC & The Sunshine Band are back after a year gap with a new sound, laid back soul essentially, which I rather liked at the time, less so these days thanks to that godawful 90’s moronic cover by KWS.

Madness get a 2nd hit at 66, the largely instrumental and ska-tastic, sax-heavy One Step Beyond, pushing Madness into a higher league. Sparks have another go at tryouts, doing a little better this time at 64, Anne Murray gets a 4th hit subsequent to her number one in January, the lovely Broken Hearted Me. Less lovely, but whimsically cynical, The Boomtown Rats follow-up 2 number ones with social commentary Diamond Smiles, an under-rated record, and a flop in comparison to previous singles, sneaking in at 74.

On TV repeats of Roots and TV series Logans Run still hit my appreciation spot, and new sitcom Barney Miller mildly amused. Back at college, and 2 months after the USA adventure, I was preparing for an Art course excursion to Paris art galleries, architecture and museums, my second one inside 12 months, but this time without my friends, being a mix of 2nd year students, a couple of girls on my Combined Studies course in the same year, and some Honours students. Rang mum to hear she was going into hospital again, which sort of relieved me a bit as it might sort out the problem and stop the pain.

Snooker and TV/drinks with the extended gang of friends in various combinations, with Edgar Allen Poe stuff in between, and some great chatting with Jane, Julie and Pete, always a good combo the 4 of us. The College had a showing of Young Frankenstein Mel Brooks’ classic, which I watched with the American coursemates (they loved it as much as me) and my room left with friends watching TV, sob I knew it was my TV they wanted! I noted Terri Garr was wonderful, appropriately enough as I watching my home video last night of her and Burt Reynolds in a 90’s between-filming breaks to TV quiz show Reel To Reel, all about movies. Life can be quite circular...

I gave a speech on Huck Finn’s optimism/pessimism, very monotone reading from notes and stuttering, not something I’m good at - John Davies the lecturer noted I was typically Lincolnshire in my casual remarks about important things. Lincoln is a sort of milder, less working class version of Mansfield, the two places I spent more of life in than anywhere else up to that point. Feeling depressed in mood I quoted, what with work, mum, and Paris anxiety. I wasn’t, I was mildly stressed and down but I can get moody. Went all introverted and friends tried to cheer me up, sweet of them.

Saturday: 1.45 am rise for minibus ride to Grantham rail station, met Jane Moorse outside (lots of Jane’s at College) and chatted on the bus and train. Kings Cross, Charing Cross, breakfast guessing occupations of passer-by’s for amusement. Group trip to Dover by train, 2 noisy second-year lads took a fancy to Emma and Jane in our compartment - yes trains had compartments once upon a time - and then hung around them all day. Hovercraft at Dover (is this still running!?) for a bumpy ride to Calais, my first! Hovercraft that is. Train to Paris, Metro to Republic and the hotel where I met my new room-mate, David, who was actually easy-going, a drama student who had gossip-related comments directed to me about his alleged sexual preferences. We had single beds each and a sink, the girls on the other hand were pissed off at having to share double beds in smelly rooms.

A pricey meal with Emma, Jane and Sue in the Notre-Dame area in the evening, then down the Boulevard Saint Michel (shades of Peter Sarstedt!) to the Sorbonne. Back to the hotel, David was out till late, and “must have forgotten his pyjamas” I noted, as he was starkers in the morning. Many years later I saw him on TV news as a Friend Of John McCarthy hostage activist, which impressed me.

Sunday: Flea Market group visit, it pissed down, and gave sympathy to bedraggled Jo and Sarah, who I spent the morning with afterwards. Then we met up with David and his “nerd” friends - how rude of me! Kettle calling frying pan etc. Pompidou Centre. Photographs. Fire-breathers in the square. Chatted to Joe and Ann, stuck with them the rest of the day, poor me flipping about amongst everyone, felt like a virginal slag! walked to Notre Dame with them. Evening at Sacre-Coeur I love it there, the mood, the lighting, the streetlife, so took Emma Jane and Sue there for a meal at a restaurant I’d been to before. I sadly joined in the gossip about David, confirming his late nights (and not mentioning the winkle-washing behaviour in the sink when he got back in, thinking I was asleep. I thought that odd at the time, and of course know exactly what that means now!). So naive, me.





1 ( 2 ) NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN The Moody Blues
2 ( 1 ) GIMME GIMME GIMME (A MAN AFTER MIDNIGHT) Abba
3 ( 3 ) TUSK Fleetwood Mac
4 ( 4 ) BIRD SONG Lene Lovich
5 ( 6 ) RISE Herb Alpert
6 ( 5 ) WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN Dr. Hook
7 ( 13 ) KNOCKED IT OFF B.A. Robertson
8 ( 8 ) ON MY RADIO The Selecter
9 ( 12 ) SHE'S IN LOVE WITH YOU Suzi Quatro
10 ( 7 ) STAR Earth Wind & Fire



11 ( 11 ) HOLD ON Ian Gomm
12 ( 9 ) VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR The Buggles
13 ( 17 ) STILL The Commodores
14 ( 10 ) MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE The Police
15 ( 30 ) MONKEY CHOP Dan-I
16 ( 21 ) A MESSAGE TO YOU RUDI The Specials
17 ( 37 ) CONFUSION/ LAST TRAIN TO LONDON E.L.O.
18 ( 33 ) NO MORE TEARS (ENOUGH IS ENOUGH) Donna Summer & Barbra Streisand
19 ( 14 ) MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL XTC
20 ( 16 ) DON'T STOP TILL YOU GET ENOUGH Michael Jackson

21 ( 31 ) ETON RIFLES The Jam
22 ( 15 ) SAD EYES Robert John
23 ( 26 ) I DON'T WANT TO BE A FREAK Dynasty
24 ( 19 ) MY FORBIDDEN LOVER Chic
25 ( 59 ) IS IT LOVE YOU'RE AFTER Rose Royce
26 ( 23 ) GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME Gerry Rafferty
27 ( 24 ) DON'T BRING ME DOWN E.L.O.
28 ( 18 ) SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE Rainbow
29 ( NEW ) IT’S A DISCO NIGHT The Isley Brothers
30 ( 39 ) LADIES NIGHT Kool And The Gang

31 ( 20 ) OK FRED Errol Dunkley
32 ( 22 ) DREAMING Blondie
33 ( 28 ) CARS Gary Numan
34 ( 65 ) I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU The Tourists
35 ( 69 ) LET YOUR HEART DANCE Secret Affair
36 ( 27 ) WHATEVER YOU WANT Status Quo
37 ( 50 ) SARAH Thin Lizzy
38 ( 32 ) SAIL ON The Commodores
39 ( NEW ) QUE SERA MI VIDA (IF YOU SHOULD GO) The Gibson Brothers
40 ( 46 ) CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE Queen

41 ( 29 ) GONNA GET ALONG WITHOUT YOU NOW Viola Wills
42 ( 34 ) THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA The Charlie Daniels Band
43 ( 25 ) YOU'VE GOT MY NUMBER (WHY DON'T YOU USE IT) The Undertones
44 ( 38 ) CRUEL TO BE KIND Nick Lowe
45 ( 47 ) I BELIEVE IN YOUR SWEET LOVE Bonnie Tyler
46 ( 44 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba
47 ( 40 ) YOU'RE A BETTER MAN THAN I Sham ’69
48 ( 36 ) THE CHOSEN FEW The Dooleys
49 ( 42 ) EVERYDAY HURTS Sad Cafe
50 ( 41 ) GOODBYE STRANGER Supertramp

51 ( 51 ) BACK TO SCHOOL The Simms Brothers Band
52 ( 35 ) GLORIA/ EVERYONE'S GONE TO THE MOON Jonathan King
53 ( 43 ) THEM HEAVY PEOPLE Kate Bush
54 ( 48 ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard
55 ( 56 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
56 ( 55 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
57 ( 54 ) JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST Randy Vanwarmer
58 ( NEW ) PLEASE DON’T GO KC and The Sunshine Band
59 ( 45 ) SUMAHAMA The Beach Boys
60 ( 60 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army

61 ( 57 ) WALKING ON THE MOON The Police
62 ( 72 ) CATHY'S CLOWN Tarney and Spencer
63 ( 75 ) HOT SHOT Cliff Richard
64 ( RE ) TRYOUTS FOR THE HUMAN RACE Sparks
65 ( 58 ) I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS The Boomtown Rats
66 ( NEW ) ONE STEP BEYOND Madness
67 ( NEW ) BROKEN HEARTED ME Anne Murray
68 ( 70 ) COME TO ME France Joli
69 ( 49 ) SPOOKY Atlanta Rhythm Section
70 ( NEW ) HE WAS BEAUTIFUL Iris Williams



71 ( 53 ) THE SPARROW The Ramblers
72 ( 74 ) BABE Styx
73 ( 71 ) CAN'T STAND LOSING YOU The Police
74 ( NEW ) DIAMOND SMILES The Boomtown Rats
75 ( NEW ) ROCKABILLY REBEL Matchbox





1. Star Trek: The Changeling
2. Barney Miller
3. Soap
4. Logans Run
5. Barney Miller
6. Roots
7. The Muppet Show
8. Sapphire And Steel
9. Top Of The Pops
10. Doctor Who

Posted by: popchartfreak 7th December 2014, 03:06 PM

27th November 1979

A 2nd week for the Moody’s at 1, as ELO’s double A side shoots up to 2 to my Confusion, and BA goes top 5. The Commodores get a 4th Top 10, 5 years after the first (and best) Machine Gun, and Dan-I breaks his monkey chops to get to 9. The Tourists and Rose Royce make headway into the 20, their 2nd and 4th respectively, while The Isleys make it 7 or so at 20.

Biggest climber: The Boomotwn Rats forgotten diamond single up 50 to 24, as highest new entry is Gary Numan’s forgotten bizarre ballad Complex at 26. Madness leap one step beyond at 29, and Blondie replace themselves in the top 40 with new single Union City Blue entering at 33. KC cries Please Don’t Go, and gets to 40, as new entries drop in from Marianne Faithful, once famous in the 60’s, and now debuting in my charts at 69 with Shel Silverstein’s great The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan (he was the principle songwriter for Dr Hook’s best records). Janis Ian follows up her gem of a 1975 UK flop At 17, with a laid-back Fly Too High, not flying that high at 75.

Michael Jackson’s follow-up to his classic number one is Off The Wall at 67, title track off the album that changed his career, assisted in no small part by Quincy Jones and Rod (UK Heatwave songwriter) Temperton. Stevie Wonder’s career, on the other hand, is treading water with Send One Your Love at 66. The Pretenders 3rd hit enters at 53, the fantastic Brass In Pocket, Dollar get a 4th 1979 hit as they cover the Beatles I Want To Hold Your Hand, which was sounding a bit dated by then (albeit a childhood fave), so they gave it a clappy synthy vibe which grew on one. They had by now, of course, outdone their whole career inside Guys And Dolls. Final new entry is Touch from Lori and The Chameleons. Who!? You may have heard of David Balfour, of The Teardrop Explodes and producer of Echo And The Bunnymen, and Bill Drummond, he of The Timelords and KLF. Both were in cult Liverpool band Big In Japan, and this was one of their releases on their own record label Zoo Records. Quirky.

Still in Paris this week, it was a trip to the UNESCO building, where we had a film about Thailand before, and I quote, “an upper-class one-eyed twit gave us a DULL lecture on UNESCO”. Gosh, I was SO judgmental in those days! This was followed by a Peruvian lady with a French accent trying to give a lecture tour in broken English. Henry Moore sculptures abounded outdoors, along with a Japanese-designed garden. I was impressed with the latter, and not in the slightest by the former. From here to the Eifel Tower, where we bumped into the very drunk and noisy Drama students (including David), and on to Jeu De Paume for some more art: I liked some Renoir and Pissarro works. I had a quiet night in after all the walking, how dull of me!

Next day, Max (my ever-present mild and likeable art lecturer) took a group of us to the Hayter workshop, chock-full of artists from all over the world doing their etchings, where an American lady artist gave us a tour. I enjoyed the group I hung around with today, including 3 second-year lads who’d I’d been wanting to get to know, what with spending all my time with girls so far, pretty much, though I did end up showing a group of girls round Paris, for which they were gracious in thanking me. Notably, Notre Dame square for snacks and a cathedral tour. I had a hunch I’d see Quasimodo. Sorry....! River Seine, and off to climb le Tour Eifel, windy and cold. As it turned out a major movie shoot was in progress on the 2nd Stage, called The Hostage Tower, with some very famous (and cold) actors sat around a table doing nothing much waiting for “Action”: I recognised Douglas Fairbanks Junior immediately, and found out afterwards who the others were (we weren’t allowed to get too close): Maud Adams off James Bond, and Peter Fonda, off Henry, Jane and Easy Rider. Well, I get starstruck, what can I say!


Arc de Triomphe up next, did some postcards and posted them, back to say hi to David at the hotel, and had an evening meal with Emma Jane and Sue off the Champs Elysees, where fleas in the wine failed to impress. Especially Sue, who swallowed one of them. In a bar, conversation drifted to a prostitute in the corner. Allegedly. I went bright red with embarrassment, and generally felt bad about the girls not having a party night (I didn’t want to go, and I think they didn’t feel comfortable going unescorted). Not the party type, me, in those days. Boring! Next day was the trip back via Boulogne hovercraft - or that was the plan. It broke down, so we had to wait for the next available ship. I was pissed off as it meant we wouldn’t get back in time for Star Trek. Pah (Pete and Sue recorded it on tape for me though)! As the general mood from everyone was one of “humbug” at the delays though, I became Mr Happy for the trip home, trying to cheer everyone up. I expect they wanted to throttle me. Back late evening to tell Julie Pete Jane and Sue of my adventures. Phew!




1 ( 1 ) NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN The Moody Blues
2 ( 17 ) CONFUSION/ LAST TRAIN TO LONDON E.L.O.
3 ( 2 ) GIMME GIMME GIMME (A MAN AFTER MIDNIGHT) Abba
4 ( 3 ) TUSK Fleetwood Mac
5 ( 7 ) KNOCKED IT OFF B.A. Robertson
6 ( 4 ) BIRD SONG Lene Lovich
7 ( 6 ) WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN Dr. Hook
8 ( 5 ) RISE Herb Alpert
9 ( 15 ) MONKEY CHOP Dan-I
10 ( 13 ) STILL The Commodores

11 ( 18 ) NO MORE TEARS (ENOUGH IS ENOUGH) Donna Summer & Barbra Streisand
12 ( 22 ) SAD EYES Robert John
13 ( 25 ) IS IT LOVE YOU'RE AFTER Rose Royce
14 ( 16 ) A MESSAGE TO YOU RUDI The Specials
15 ( 34 ) I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU The Tourists
16 ( 14 ) MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE The Police
17 ( 8 ) ON MY RADIO The Selecter
18 ( 9 ) SHE'S IN LOVE WITH YOU Suzi Quatro
19 ( 23 ) I DON'T WANT TO BE A FREAK Dynasty
20 ( 29 ) IT’S A DISCO NIGHT The Isley Brothers

21 ( 12 ) VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR The Buggles
22 ( 10 ) STAR Earth Wind & Fire
23 ( 11 ) HOLD ON Ian Gomm
24 ( 74 ) DIAMOND SMILES The Boomtown Rats
25 ( 21 ) ETON RIFLES The Jam
26 ( NEW ) COMPLEX Gary Numan
27 ( 20 ) DON'T STOP TILL YOU GET ENOUGH Michael Jackson
28 ( 30 ) LADIES NIGHT Kool And The Gang
29 ( 66 ) ONE STEP BEYOND Madness
30 ( 39 ) QUE SERA MI VIDA (IF YOU SHOULD GO) The Gibson Brothers



31 ( 27 ) DON'T BRING ME DOWN E.L.O.
32 ( 26 ) GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME Gerry Rafferty
33 ( NEW ) UNION CITY BLUE Blondie
34 ( 35 ) LET YOUR HEART DANCE Secret Affair
35 ( 19 ) MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL XTC
36 ( 33 ) CARS Gary Numan
37 ( 40 ) CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE Queen
38 ( 28 ) SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE Rainbow
39 ( 37 ) SARAH Thin Lizzy
40 ( 58 ) PLEASE DON’T GO KC and The Sunshine Band




41 ( 45 ) I BELIEVE IN YOUR SWEET LOVE Bonnie Tyler
42 ( 24 ) MY FORBIDDEN LOVER Chic
43 ( 68 ) COME TO ME France Joli
44 ( 36 ) WHATEVER YOU WANT Status Quo
45 ( 38 ) SAIL ON The Commodores
46 ( 46 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba
47 ( 32 ) DREAMING Blondie
48 ( 44 ) CRUEL TO BE KIND Nick Lowe
49 ( 31 ) OK FRED Errol Dunkley
50 ( NEW ) TOUCH Lori And The Chameleons



51 ( NEW ) I WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND Dollar
52 ( 41 ) GONNA GET ALONG WITHOUT YOU NOW Viola Wills
53 ( NEW ) BRASS IN POCKET The Pretenders
54 ( 55 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
55 ( 56 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
56 ( 54 ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard
57 ( 62 ) CATHY'S CLOWN Tarney and Spencer
58 ( 67 ) BROKEN HEARTED ME Anne Murray
59 ( 61 ) WALKING ON THE MOON The Police
60 ( 50 ) GOODBYE STRANGER Supertramp

61 ( 57 ) JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST Randy Vanwarmer
62 ( 42 ) THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA The Charlie Daniels Band
63 ( 53 ) THEM HEAVY PEOPLE Kate Bush
64 ( 65 ) I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS The Boomtown Rats
65 ( 60 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
66 ( NEW ) SEND ONE YOUR LOVE Stevie Wonder
67 ( NEW ) OFF THE WALL Michael Jackson
68 ( 75 ) ROCKABILLY REBEL Matchbox
69 ( NEW ) THE BALLAD OF LUCY JORDAN Marianne Faithful
70 ( 43 ) YOU'VE GOT MY NUMBER (WHY DON'T YOU USE IT) The Undertones



71 ( 49 ) EVERYDAY HURTS Sad Cafe
72 ( 63 ) HOT SHOT Cliff Richard
73 ( 64 ) TRYOUTS FOR THE HUMAN RACE Sparks
74 ( 59 ) SUMAHAMA The Beach Boys
75 ( NEW ) FLY TOO HIGH Janis Ian

1. The Trouble With Tribbles
1. Soap
3. Sapphire And Steel
4. MASH
5. Top Of The Pops
6. The Odd Couple
7. My Wife Next Door
8. Soap
9. The Muppet Show
10. Hawaii 5-0

Posted by: popchartfreak 4th January 2015, 02:08 PM

4th December 1979

ELO get their second number one of the year, largely due to Confusion and it’s fantastic melody and synth riff, love it! For the record, that’s 8 number ones spanning 7 years. Gary Numan gets his 3rd top 3 of the year as Complex leaps to 3, and Rose Royce get their 3rd Top 10 in 2 years as Theme From S’Express (well, sort of, hits 6), while Donna and Babs get their biggest hit of the year - enough is enough! The Police rocket 49 places taking giant steps attempting to walk on the moon at 10, that’ll be 4 top 10‘s in a row then!

Lots of upward movements for several fave pop stars, and new at 18 it’s a genuine classic record from Pink Floyd, and that animated video. No-one expected Pink Floyd to do anything remotely commercial, they didn’t do singles, that was the firm rule, so to have this come out at christmas, off The Wall, while Michael Jackson was Off The Wall (see 25) was a major talking point amongst music fans. Not commercial? Not in one sense, but in another sense, brilliantly commercial by virtue of being effing fabulous.

The Skids enter at 35 with 4th hit of 1979, Working For The Yankee Dollar, they claim, somewhat dubiously, as they had no USA success. The Three Degrees follow-up a fantastic disco classic with...err My Simple Heart. Hmmm. Mellow. Ditto Quo, rock classic, hmmm, mellow: Living On An Island, 50 and 53 respectively. Mike Oldfield follows up his guilty disco hit with a guilty Blue Peter TV theme update - we all knew the tune in those days, very jolly. At 69, belatedly entering, the terrific Sing Children Sing, Lesley Duncan’s great 1971 flop single is re-recorded for Children In Need with an all-star backing chorus: Kate Bush, Pete Townsend, Joe Brown, Phil Lynott, and many more. Lesley never made it big, despite critical approval and support from the likes of Elton John, possibly due to her stage fright problems, and sadly passed away in 2010. Finally, at 73, Sheila B. Devotion is back, showing us all B. Devotion is the name of her backing band, not hers, and it’s a Chic record, as in Chic in all but artist name - French-accented vocals as opposed to American, but Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards are behind this fab classy dance track with the sci-fi theme. Given Chic were running out of steam at this point, it was jolly decent of them to give this away!





1 ( 2 ) CONFUSION/ LAST TRAIN TO LONDON E.L.O.
2 ( 1 ) NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN The Moody Blues
3 ( 26 ) COMPLEX Gary Numan
4 ( 5 ) KNOCKED IT OFF B.A. Robertson
5 ( 3 ) GIMME GIMME GIMME (A MAN AFTER MIDNIGHT) Abba
6 ( 13 ) IS IT LOVE YOU'RE AFTER Rose Royce
7 ( 4 ) TUSK Fleetwood Mac
8 ( 9 ) MONKEY CHOP Dan-I
9 ( 11 ) NO MORE TEARS (ENOUGH IS ENOUGH) Donna Summer & Barbra Streisand
10 ( 59 ) WALKING ON THE MOON The Police

11 ( 30 ) QUE SERA MI VIDA (IF YOU SHOULD GO) The Gibson Brothers
12 ( 7 ) WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN Dr. Hook
13 ( 24 ) DIAMOND SMILES The Boomtown Rats
14 ( 8 ) RISE Herb Alpert
15 ( 15 ) I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU The Tourists
16 ( 33 ) UNION CITY BLUE Blondie
17 ( 6 ) BIRD SONG Lene Lovich
18 ( NEW ) ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL (PART 2) Pink Floyd
19 ( 20 ) IT’S A DISCO NIGHT The Isley Brothers
20 ( 29 ) ONE STEP BEYOND Madness

21 ( 10 ) STILL The Commodores
22 ( 16 ) MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE The Police
23 ( 28 ) LADIES NIGHT Kool And The Gang
24 ( 12 ) SAD EYES Robert John
25 ( 67 ) OFF THE WALL Michael Jackson
26 ( 21 ) VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR The Buggles
27 ( 23 ) HOLD ON Ian Gomm
28 ( 14 ) A MESSAGE TO YOU RUDI The Specials
29 ( 39 ) SARAH Thin Lizzy
30 ( 22 ) STAR Earth Wind & Fire

31 ( 40 ) PLEASE DON’T GO KC and The Sunshine Band
32 ( 31 ) DON'T BRING ME DOWN E.L.O.
33 ( 32 ) GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME Gerry Rafferty
34 ( 34 ) LET YOUR HEART DANCE Secret Affair
35 ( NEW ) WORKING FOR THE YANKEE DOLLAR The Skids
36 ( 18 ) SHE'S IN LOVE WITH YOU Suzi Quatro
37 ( 53 ) BRASS IN POCKET The Pretenders
38 ( 27 ) DON'T STOP TILL YOU GET ENOUGH Michael Jackson
39 ( 43 ) COME TO ME France Joli
40 ( 17 ) ON MY RADIO The Selecter



41 ( 25 ) ETON RIFLES The Jam
42 ( 36 ) CARS Gary Numan
43 ( 37 ) CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE Queen
44 ( 58 ) BROKEN HEARTED ME Anne Murray
45 ( 35 ) MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL XTC
46 ( 38 ) SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE Rainbow
47 ( 50 ) TOUCH Lori And The Chameleons
48 ( 19 ) I DON'T WANT TO BE A FREAK Dynasty
49 ( 45 ) SAIL ON The Commodores
50 ( NEW ) MY SIMPLE HEART The Three Degrees

51 ( 51 ) I WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND Dollar
52 ( 46 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba
53 ( NEW ) LIVING ON AN ISLAND Status Quo
54 ( 48 ) CRUEL TO BE KIND Nick Lowe
55 ( 44 ) WHATEVER YOU WANT Status Quo
56 ( 66 ) SEND ONE YOUR LOVE Stevie Wonder
57 ( 54 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
58 ( 55 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
59 ( 56 ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard
60 ( 69 ) THE BALLAD OF LUCY JORDAN Marianne Faithful

61 ( 47 ) DREAMING Blondie
62 ( 61 ) JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST Randy Vanwarmer
63 ( 60 ) GOODBYE STRANGER Supertramp
64 ( 64 ) I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS The Boomtown Rats
65 ( 65 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
66 ( 68 ) ROCKABILLY REBEL Matchbox
67 ( NEW ) BLUE PETER Mike Oldfield
68 ( 42 ) MY FORBIDDEN LOVER Chic
69 ( NEW ) SING CHILDREN SING Lesley Duncan
70 ( 41 ) I BELIEVE IN YOUR SWEET LOVE Bonnie Tyler



71 ( 49 ) OK FRED Errol Dunkley
72 ( 75 ) FLY TOO HIGH Janis Ian
73 ( NEW ) SPACER Sheila and B. Devotion
74 ( 63 ) THEM HEAVY PEOPLE Kate Bush
75 ( 62 ) THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA The Charlie Daniels Band





MY TV CHART
1. Star Trek: Journey To Babel
2. Soap
3. Top Of The Pops
4. A Day At The Races (Marx Brothers Film)
5. Logan’s Run (TV series)
6. The New Avengers
7. Parkinson
8. Happy Days
9. Doctor Who
10. Time Express: film

At College still writing my Poe essay, snooker while 2nd year lads practiced on their drum kit (how cool to envious me!), Spike Milligan on Parkinson, really enjoyed John Davis American Studies literature lecture, lots of laughs and thought-provoking. Chatting to 2nd year Art students also working on screen printing enjoyable. A fab video-only Top Of The Pops with the usual gang round for a TV evening. We laughed a lot, always. This was the saturday that Pete Paul and I compared who’s record player was most accurate starting Message In A Bottle at the same time, I knew Pete’s ran too fast (verified), which was funny. The girls thought we were mad. We went to the cinema to see a reissue of The Poseidon Adventure, still one of my top 5 films at that time, then in the evening a 21st birthday disco in the student union function room where a Jane (there were several Jane friends) wrapped her arms round my neck and wouldn’t let me leave till I danced. I agreed only if everyone else sat also danced, this bit of blackmail backfired when everyone else got up and I had to dance for 4 numbers, unable to vary my dance - Judy Murray on Strictly looked positively flowing in comparison to my dance skills then! Pretty sure this Jane fancied me, I was invited to her party even though she was under the incorrect assumption that I was going out with Julie. Maybe she’d noticed her canoodling with Pete... Oops, stress for me next week!

Posted by: popchartfreak 4th January 2015, 09:12 PM

11th December 1979

Third number one for The Police, Walking On The Moon, and Sting is hot with everyone it seems, bleached blonde all 3. Hope that doesn’t make you lose your hair Sting! The Rats get a 3rd consecutive top 5, Diamond Smiles boys! The Gibson Brothers go for their 2nd, Madness their fabulous first, and The Tourists get Dave and Annie in the 10 3 years before Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This). Oh Yes, Pink Floyd also get in the 10 for the first time!

Abba bizarrely go for an album track from Voulez Vous, the 5th to feature on a single, as the follow-up to brand-new non-album track Gimme Gimme Gimme, though it certainly had wide-appeal - obviously, as it hit 2 in the UK charts behind Pink Floyd. The Skids and The Pretenders zip up into the 20, both for the 3rd time, and a new entry at 22 for a very significant record: Yes it’s Nile Rodgers and Chic again - with a twist! It’s the backing track being rapped over by a new act, The Sugarhill Gang, of Sylvia Robinson’s record label (number 2 in 1973 with Pillow Talk in my charts, loved it). Widely-regarded as a novelty hit, it was actually the sign of Pop Future via message dance rap and gangsta rap all the way through to obligatory rap.

At 24, Paul McCartney has a go at a christmas classic - and gets it with Wonderful Christmastime, though frankly I prefer the frog chorus anyday. Anyways, that’s 8 years of solo hits and 11 with The Beatles and Wings, but not his finest hour. Amusingly Dollar’s version of I want To Hold Your Hand nestles just below at 25, another record I’d rather hear than the annual christmas overplay. M get a follow-up hit, Moonlight And Musak, and it’s very nice, under-appreciated I thought. Spacer and The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan both go 40, both deservedly, while It’s My House enters twice: Diana Ross going for 11 years of hits at 40 with the original version, and a reggae version at 75 from Storm which is quite nice too.

A bit of rockpop at 68 from Rocky Burnette, son of 50’s rocker Johnny Burnette, and the great Tired Of Toeing The Line, while a second Sara enters the charts - Thin Lizzy drop with theirs as Stevie Nicks utterly-effing-fantastic Fleetwood Mac affecting ballad enters at 70. Sara is a track that has grown with time, it reduces me to tears when I see and hear Stevie sing it live (as I have done 3 times, and will be doing again later this year). Just brilliance. At 74, Darts cover Jackie Wilson to minimal effect, Reet Petite at 74, but he’ll be back posthumously himself in 1986 with the only version that counts.



1 ( 10 ) WALKING ON THE MOON The Police
2 ( 1 ) CONFUSION/ LAST TRAIN TO LONDON E.L.O.
3 ( 3 ) COMPLEX Gary Numan
4 ( 2 ) NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN The Moody Blues
5 ( 13 ) DIAMOND SMILES The Boomtown Rats
6 ( 6 ) IS IT LOVE YOU'RE AFTER Rose Royce
7 ( 11 ) QUE SERA MI VIDA (IF YOU SHOULD GO) The Gibson Brothers
8 ( 20 ) ONE STEP BEYOND Madness
9 ( 15 ) I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU The Tourists
10 ( 18 ) ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL (PART 2) Pink Floyd

11 ( 5 ) GIMME GIMME GIMME (A MAN AFTER MIDNIGHT) Abba
12 ( 4 ) KNOCKED IT OFF B.A. Robertson
13 ( 8 ) MONKEY CHOP Dan-I
14 ( 16 ) UNION CITY BLUE Blondie
15 ( 7 ) TUSK Fleetwood Mac
16 ( NEW ) I HAVE A DREAM Abba
17 ( 35 ) WORKING FOR THE YANKEE DOLLAR The Skids
18 ( 12 ) WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN Dr. Hook
19 ( 37 ) BRASS IN POCKET The Pretenders
20 ( 25 ) OFF THE WALL Michael Jackson

21 ( 9 ) NO MORE TEARS (ENOUGH IS ENOUGH) Donna Summer & Barbra Streisand
22 ( NEW ) RAPPER’S DELIGHT The Sugarhill Gang
23 ( 14 ) RISE Herb Alpert
24 ( NEW ) WONDERFUL CHRISTMASTIME Paul McCartney
25 ( 51 ) I WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND Dollar
26 ( 22 ) MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE The Police
27 ( 19 ) IT’S A DISCO NIGHT The Isley Brothers
28 ( 17 ) BIRD SONG Lene Lovich
29 ( 31 ) PLEASE DON’T GO KC and The Sunshine Band
30 ( 26 ) VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR The Buggles



31 ( 21 ) STILL The Commodores
32 ( 23 ) LADIES NIGHT Kool And The Gang
33 ( NEW ) MOONLIGHT AND MUSAK M
34 ( 32 ) DON'T BRING ME DOWN E.L.O.
35 ( 33 ) GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME Gerry Rafferty
36 ( 73 ) SPACER Sheila and B. Devotion
37 ( 39 ) COME TO ME France Joli
38 ( 60 ) THE BALLAD OF LUCY JORDAN Marianne Faithful
39 ( 24 ) SAD EYES Robert John
40 ( NEW ) IT’S MY HOUSE Diana Ross

41 ( 27 ) HOLD ON Ian Gomm
42 ( 29 ) SARAH Thin Lizzy
43 ( 53 ) LIVING ON AN ISLAND Status Quo
44 ( 30 ) STAR Earth Wind & Fire
45 ( 38 ) DON'T STOP TILL YOU GET ENOUGH Michael Jackson
46 ( 42 ) CARS Gary Numan
47 ( 47 ) TOUCH Lori And The Chameleons
48 ( 50 ) MY SIMPLE HEART The Three Degrees
49 ( 36 ) SHE'S IN LOVE WITH YOU Suzi Quatro
50 ( 44 ) BROKEN HEARTED ME Anne Murray

51 ( 41 ) ETON RIFLES The Jam
52 ( 34 ) LET YOUR HEART DANCE Secret Affair
53 ( 28 ) A MESSAGE TO YOU RUDI The Specials
54 ( 69 ) SING CHILDREN SING Lesley Duncan
55 ( 46 ) SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE Rainbow
56 ( 52 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba
57 ( 40 ) ON MY RADIO The Selecter
58 ( 49 ) SAIL ON The Commodores
59 ( 57 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
60 ( 58 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC

61 ( 56 ) SEND ONE YOUR LOVE Stevie Wonder
62 ( NEW ) MELLOW MELLOW RIGHT ON Lowrell
63 ( 59 ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard
64 ( 54 ) CRUEL TO BE KIND Nick Lowe
65 ( 43 ) CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE Queen
66 ( 62 ) JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST Randy Vanwarmer
67 ( 67 ) BLUE PETER Mike Oldfield
68 ( NEW ) TIRED OF TOEING THE LINE Rocky Burnette
69 ( 45 ) MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL XTC
70 ( NEW ) SARA Fleetwood Mac



71 ( 55 ) WHATEVER YOU WANT Status Quo
72 ( 64 ) I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS The Boomtown Rats
73 ( 65 ) ARE 'FRIENDS' ELECTRIC Tubeway Army
74 ( NEW ) REET PETITE Darts
75 ( NEW ) IT’S MY HOUSE Storm





1. Star Trek: The Deadly Years
2. Soap
3. Logan’s Run
4. MASH
5. Happy Days
6. Fawlty Towers
7. The Odd Couple
8. Top Of The Pops
9. Barney Miller
10. Kelly Monteith
11. Time Express
12. Doctor Who
13. Hawaii 5-0
14. The New Avengers
15. My Wife Next Door


Life? Had College breakfast with 5 Americans, mostly from Trenton, and had to read out a poem wot I wrote in English class. I’m not a fan of poetry for the most part, just too artificial unless it’s set to music for me. The Americans gave class an entertaining play in the afternoon, Italian immigrants in New York, though I was fascinated by the regional accents they had (Arizona, Wisconsin, New Jersey, New York) and just how much better Americans are at public presentation than shy and retiring Brits. Several assignments handed in (I did do work, honest!), Jane seemed depressed following Teaching Practice which worried me, spent all of friday on screen printing works, quick visits from various friends before Ian popped round prior to other-Jane’s party. Mostly girls there, and quite good fun actually, escorted to digs by merry Caroline arm around the waists, but too late for Paul’s party which had just wrapped up.

Saturday was an outing in Paul’s car and Dave’s car to Nottingham for shopping, Julie, Jane, me and Bev as passengers. I got some Starlog/Starburst sci-fi mags and was overjoyed to find 2 1960’s Legion comics in a back-issue comic shop. I Love The Victoria Centre, said I! I ran out of money, sadly, so couldn’t get all I wanted. 10-pin bowls next, I love that game, been playing it since the late 60’s on and off. Paul won one, I won one, and showed off horribly at how much better I was. Not that I can say that about anything else much! On Monday, I arranged to “call-in impromptu” to Jane’s as she had a visiting teacher who was giving problems. It didn’t work and she didn’t take the hint. Tried to advise worried Jane afterwards. Barry Norman gave Star Trek: The Motion Picture a good review on Film Night: things were looking promising!

Posted by: popchartfreak 5th January 2015, 11:05 PM

18th December 1979

2 weeks for The Police on top, as Abba (of course) shoot up to 2 with I Have A Dream, fresh off their world tour. 1979 was the last time Kate Bush and Abba toured, so one down and one, err not a snowball chance of. Floyd at 5, and The Pretenders at 10 gives a great top 10 and a chance for me to feature videos not picked as new entry choices. Wonderful Christmastime at 15, Lesley Duncan big climb to 26, Mike Oldfield even bigger climb to 28, and Storm’s reggae cover leaps over Diana Ross’ version - mainly because it was a better record.

Highest new entry is Day Trip To Bangor at 37: let’s put that down to childhood nostalgia from the days I lived on fab Isle Of Anglesey and passed through Bangor often, rather than any love of Fiddler’s Dram. Much better, it’s a classic alternate version of John I’m Only Dancing in at 39, David Bowie’s top 5 fave of mine from 1972 dating from the same period. Pretty similar and pretty brilliant, still one of my top-rated Bowie records, so under-rated. It’s also a double A side, with a 1975 version of the same song, from Bowie’s plastic soul period (which I loved) but the treatment didn’t improve the song in any way, and is at best mildly pleasant.

In at 40, it’s Chic again, My Feet Keep Dancing, their third going up the charts (see 19 and 27), and shockingly their last biggish hit, though Nile Rodgers had bigger things ahead, and way ahead. Motorhead bomb back in at 43, Matchbox returns, as does Styx, while The Beat cover Smokey Robinson and debut at 56. The UK Subs cover The Zombies and enter at 63. Neither version is a patch on the original, though Tears Of A Clown is at least fun.

1 ( 1 ) WALKING ON THE MOON The Police
2 ( 16 ) I HAVE A DREAM Abba
3 ( 4 ) NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN The Moody Blues
4 ( 8 ) ONE STEP BEYOND Madness
5 ( 10 ) ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL (PART 2) Pink Floyd
6 ( 2 ) CONFUSION/ LAST TRAIN TO LONDON E.L.O.
7 ( 7 ) QUE SERA MI VIDA (IF YOU SHOULD GO) The Gibson Brothers
8 ( 5 ) DIAMOND SMILES The Boomtown Rats
9 ( 9 ) I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU The Tourists
10 ( 19 ) BRASS IN POCKET The Pretenders



11 ( 3 ) COMPLEX Gary Numan
12 ( 17 ) WORKING FOR THE YANKEE DOLLAR The Skids
13 ( 6 ) IS IT LOVE YOU'RE AFTER Rose Royce
14 ( 14 ) UNION CITY BLUE Blondie
15 ( 24 ) WONDERFUL CHRISTMASTIME Paul McCartney
16 ( 20 ) OFF THE WALL Michael Jackson
17 ( 11 ) GIMME GIMME GIMME (A MAN AFTER MIDNIGHT) Abba
18 ( 15 ) TUSK Fleetwood Mac
19 ( 22 ) RAPPER’S DELIGHT The Sugarhill Gang
20 ( 18 ) WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN Dr. Hook



21 ( 12 ) KNOCKED IT OFF B.A. Robertson
22 ( 33 ) MOONLIGHT AND MUSAK M
23 ( 13 ) MONKEY CHOP Dan-I
24 ( 29 ) PLEASE DON’T GO KC and The Sunshine Band
25 ( 25 ) I WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND Dollar
26 ( 54 ) SING CHILDREN SING Lesley Duncan
27 ( 36 ) SPACER Sheila and B. Devotion
28 ( 67 ) BLUE PETER Mike Oldfield
29 ( 48 ) MY SIMPLE HEART The Three Degrees
30 ( 23 ) RISE Herb Alpert



31 ( 26 ) MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE The Police
32 ( 21 ) NO MORE TEARS (ENOUGH IS ENOUGH) Donna Summer & Barbra Streisand
33 ( 43 ) LIVING ON AN ISLAND Status Quo
34 ( 75 ) IT’S MY HOUSE Storm
35 ( 30 ) VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR The Buggles
36 ( 40 ) IT’S MY HOUSE Diana Ross
37 ( NEW ) DAY TRIP TO BANGOR Fiddler’s Dram
38 ( 28 ) BIRD SONG Lene Lovich
39 ( NEW ) JOHN I’M ONLY DANCING (1972)/JOHN I’M ONLY DANCING (AGAIN) (1975) David Bowie
40 ( NEW ) MY FEET KEEP DANCING Chic



41 ( 34 ) DON'T BRING ME DOWN E.L.O.
42 ( 35 ) GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME Gerry Rafferty
43 ( NEW ) BOMBER Motorhead
44 ( 27 ) IT’S A DISCO NIGHT The Isley Brothers
45 ( 39 ) SAD EYES Robert John
46 ( RE ) ROCKABILLY REBEL Matchbox
47 ( 61 ) SEND ONE YOUR LOVE Stevie Wonder
48 ( 31 ) STILL The Commodores
49 ( 38 ) THE BALLAD OF LUCY JORDAN Marianne Faithful
50 ( 46 ) CARS Gary Numan

51 ( 45 ) DON'T STOP TILL YOU GET ENOUGH Michael Jackson
52 ( 41 ) HOLD ON Ian Gomm
53 ( 62 ) MELLOW MELLOW RIGHT ON Lowrell
54 ( 32 ) LADIES NIGHT Kool And The Gang
55 ( 68 ) TIRED OF TOEING THE LINE Rocky Burnette
56 ( NEW ) TEARS OF A CLOWN The Beat
57 ( RE ) BABE Styx
58 ( 56 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba
59 ( 37 ) COME TO ME France Joli
60 ( 44 ) STAR Earth Wind & Fire

61 ( 59 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
62 ( 60 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
63 ( NEW ) SHE’S NOT THERE The UK Subs
64 ( 51 ) ETON RIFLES The Jam
65 ( 55 ) SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE Rainbow
66 ( 70 ) SARA Fleetwood Mac
67 ( 66 ) JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST Randy Vanwarmer
68 ( 58 ) SAIL ON The Commodores
69 ( 74 ) REET PETITE Darts
70 ( 63 ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard

71 ( 42 ) SARAH Thin Lizzy
72 ( 64 ) CRUEL TO BE KIND Nick Lowe
73 ( 47 ) TOUCH Lori And The Chameleons
74 ( 49 ) SHE'S IN LOVE WITH YOU Suzi Quatro
75 ( 50 ) BROKEN HEARTED ME Anne Murray


TV CHART
1. Star Trek: A Private Little War
2. Parkinson
3. Soap
4. The Rockford Files
5. Kelly Monteith
6. Film 79
7. Butterflies
8. The New Avengers
9. Parkinson
10. Porridge
11. Time Express
12. Up The Gum Tree
13. The Sky At Night
14. Fantastic Voyage
15. My Wife Next Door



At college, lunch with part of the gang and also Campion from Rhodesia, who was over on scholarship, very affable and only saw him get worked up once - when discussing white minority rule, he had stories to tell. Sadly, it’s replacement seems to be no improvement for some. Term was breaking up, Pete & Julie were saying goodbyes as Pete got a lift back with his sis. Sue and Paul were arguing over something - ah, end of term stresses! Fiona and Jo came round for tea and a (overlong) slide show from me of the USA. Paul, Julie, Jane round to watch Fantastic Voyage, Raquel Welch inside someone. Honest! My screen prints weren’t what I’d hoped they’d be, though OK, as I finished working in the art room. A pub evening, Paul took us in his car, and Jane gave me a £3 thank you record token! A lot of money in those days, Jane is so thoughtful and sweet-natured, artistic and intelligent too, fab company. I got tickled in the pub after going a bit enthusiastically about the jukebox music. No change there then! Back for William Shatner on Parkinson, bit of a revelation, intelligent and entertaining.

In American Studies, lecturer John Davis called me a great wit (!!) which was quite a compliment, and embarrassedly mentioned my Chapel Harem - that’s my many girl mates who I supported when they had a do going on in there. I went red. A sad goodbye to American Steve who was off back to the States, and who’d had a bad assignment returned, sadly. The christmas carol college gathering was great fun, especially the American students doing Randolph The Red-Nosed Cowboy, and the Connie Stew Hall lads doing Ding Dong Merrily On High with electric guitar was funny. At the College disco it was a live College band, SAVVY, with 2nd-year Pete on drums, danced with Julie, and Sue, to the great band, The Police-inspired stuff.

Last day was Art lectures, everyone tired from the late partying as people left for home during the day, including Bev off back to Mansfield (like me), and Chuck the American (another permanent goodbye). I miss being a serial gregarious-er, College absolutely taught me to socialise in a less introverted fashion. Took my wall posters down and waited for dad to pick me up and take me home, brother Mark tried to annoy me to get a reaction, mum did chips and beans for me, and they’d bought me a £40 record unit! Expensive, so I slightly told them off instead of being grateful! Doh! Played the Jesus Christ Superstar movie soundtrack album they’d also bought me for christmas. Christmas shopping for gifts on Saturday, Grandad and little cousins Helen and Neil came round with Uncle Geoff - he’s my age - and I played Risk with Mark, and won for the first time ever! We played it again with 9-year-old nephew John Christmas Day 2014. Mark won as usual. Some things never change!

Posted by: popchartfreak 7th January 2015, 03:11 PM

25th December 1979

Christmas Day chart, and we were in Gravesend (see later) and Abba’s song and Pink Floyd’s song were being heavily played on rotating 45’s by the two girls there. So appropriately they comprise my top 2! Abba get a 13th number one in a row, 14th in total, and 5th of the year. Needless to say that’s pretty much 3 records for the price of one at the time. David Bowie meanwhile gets a second top 5 hit with John I’m Only Dancing 7 years on. The Pretenders leapfrog The Tourists and girls fronting bands were catching on, after being quite the rarity pre-punk.

KC gets his first top 10 single in 4 years, Macca just misses the christmas 10 with his christmas evergreen, Lesley Duncan finally cracks my top 20 8 years late, and Dollar get a 4th Top 20 hit. The Beat still cry at 28, and Babe is at 29. Not the pig, Styx. Motorhead get another top 40, and there are a mere 6 entries, headed by Boney M, who are Born Again. I wouldn’t put money on it actually! Elvis has an oldie christmas hit at 49, not one of his best though. Earth Wind & Fire Can’t Let Go at 55, not one of their best, Rupert Holmes finally starts to get his UK breakthrough hit a mere 5 years after debuting in my charts with the fab Our National Pastime. This time it’s the risque, morally dubious, but sorta sweet Escape (The Pina Colada Song) as featured in the 2014 blockbuster movie (and my 2014 charts) Guardians Of The Galaxy. Bung in The Clash at their best, London Calling at 62, and the second ever rap record to chart in the UK (and mine): Kurtis Blow with his Christmas Rappin’ at 75.




1 ( 2 ) I HAVE A DREAM Abba
2 ( 5 ) ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL (PART 2) Pink Floyd
3 ( 1 ) WALKING ON THE MOON The Police
4 ( 3 ) NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN The Moody Blues
5 ( 39 ) JOHN I’M ONLY DANCING (1972)/JOHN I’M ONLY DANCING (AGAIN) (1975) David Bowie
6 ( 10 ) BRASS IN POCKET The Pretenders
7 ( 9 ) I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU The Tourists
8 ( 6 ) CONFUSION/ LAST TRAIN TO LONDON E.L.O.
9 ( 4 ) ONE STEP BEYOND Madness
10 ( 24 ) PLEASE DON’T GO KC and The Sunshine Band



11 ( 15 ) WONDERFUL CHRISTMASTIME Paul McCartney
12 ( 12 ) WORKING FOR THE YANKEE DOLLAR The Skids
13 ( 13 ) IS IT LOVE YOU'RE AFTER Rose Royce
14 ( 7 ) QUE SERA MI VIDA (IF YOU SHOULD GO) The Gibson Brothers
15 ( 22 ) MOONLIGHT AND MUSAK M
16 ( 16 ) OFF THE WALL Michael Jackson
17 ( 8 ) DIAMOND SMILES The Boomtown Rats
18 ( 26 ) SING CHILDREN SING Lesley Duncan
19 ( 11 ) COMPLEX Gary Numan
20 ( 25 ) I WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND Dollar



21 ( 27 ) SPACER Sheila and B. Devotion
22 ( 14 ) UNION CITY BLUE Blondie
23 ( 28 ) BLUE PETER Mike Oldfield
24 ( 19 ) RAPPER’S DELIGHT The Sugarhill Gang
25 ( 17 ) GIMME GIMME GIMME (A MAN AFTER MIDNIGHT) Abba
26 ( 20 ) WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN Dr. Hook
27 ( 18 ) TUSK Fleetwood Mac
28 ( 56 ) TEARS OF A CLOWN The Beat
29 ( 57 ) BABE Styx
30 ( 21 ) KNOCKED IT OFF B.A. Robertson

31 ( 23 ) MONKEY CHOP Dan-I
32 ( 37 ) DAY TRIP TO BANGOR Fiddler’s Dram
33 ( 36 ) IT’S MY HOUSE Diana Ross
34 ( 34 ) IT’S MY HOUSE Storm
35 ( 31 ) MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE The Police
36 ( 43 ) BOMBER Motorhead
37 ( 40 ) MY FEET KEEP DANCING Chic
38 ( 33 ) LIVING ON AN ISLAND Status Quo
39 ( 32 ) NO MORE TEARS (ENOUGH IS ENOUGH) Donna Summer & Barbra Streisand
40 ( NEW ) I’M BORN AGAIN Boney M

41 ( 30 ) RISE Herb Alpert
42 ( 42 ) GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME Gerry Rafferty
43 ( 41 ) DON'T BRING ME DOWN E.L.O.
44 ( 29 ) MY SIMPLE HEART The Three Degrees
45 ( 35 ) VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR The Buggles
46 ( 47 ) SEND ONE YOUR LOVE Stevie Wonder
47 ( 38 ) BIRD SONG Lene Lovich
48 ( 66 ) SARA Fleetwood Mac
49 ( NEW ) IT WON’T SEEM LIKE CHRISTMAS WITHOUT YOU Elvis Presley
50 ( 55 ) TIRED OF TOEING THE LINE Rocky Burnette

51 ( 63 ) SHE’S NOT THERE The UK Subs
52 ( 51 ) DON'T STOP TILL YOU GET ENOUGH Michael Jackson
53 ( 50 ) CARS Gary Numan
54 ( 45 ) SAD EYES Robert John
55 ( NEW ) CAN’T LET GO Earth Wind & Fire
56 ( 52 ) HOLD ON Ian Gomm
57 ( NEW ) ESCAPE (THE PINA COLADA SONG) Rupert Holmes
58 ( 62 ) DREADLOCK HOLIDAY 10CC
59 ( 61 ) BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
60 ( 58 ) VOULEZ VOUS/ ANGEL EYES Abba

61 ( 48 ) STILL The Commodores
62 ( NEW ) LONDON CALLING The Clash
63 ( 46 ) ROCKABILLY REBEL Matchbox
64 ( 44 ) IT’S A DISCO NIGHT The Isley Brothers
65 ( 53 ) MELLOW MELLOW RIGHT ON Lowrell
66 ( 49 ) THE BALLAD OF LUCY JORDAN Marianne Faithful
67 ( 54 ) LADIES NIGHT Kool And The Gang
68 ( 69 ) REET PETITE Darts
69 ( 67 ) JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST Randy Vanwarmer
70 ( 64 ) ETON RIFLES The Jam



71 ( 70 ) WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE Cliff Richard
72 ( 68 ) SAIL ON The Commodores
73 ( 60 ) STAR Earth Wind & Fire
74 ( 65 ) SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE Rainbow
75 ( NEW ) CHRISTMAS RAPPIN’ Kurtis Blow


TV CHART
1. Star Trek: Obsession
2. Mork And Mindy
3. Soap
4. MASH
5. Logan’s Run (TV series)
6. Fawlty Towers
7. Top Of The Pops
8. Bananas (film)
9. Kelly Monteith
10. The Rockford Files

11. Time Express
12. My Wife Next Door
13. Parkinson (wednesday)
14. Horizon
15. Parkinson (saturday)
16. Film Night
17. Blankety Blank
18. Doctor Who
19. Up The Gum Tree
20. Happy Days

At home, more christmas shopping, in the media lukewarm reviews for the Star Trek Motion Picture (doh!), and I did some College work in between wrapping prezzies. I went to see Star Trek for myself, and 8 years of waiting just sent into a tizzy of hyperbole : “long but not boring or overlong” (oh yes it was!) “sheer magic to have all the characters back, like seeing old friends again” and “the special effects were brilliant...now money can be spent to do them properly”. I also noted some similarities to TV episode plot, found myself in agreement with overall Trek philosphy, almost a cult by this point. I really loved Decker and Ilia, though didn’t love their loss of individuality (death) and rebirth as a merged being. rating: Top 4 film of all-time behind Close Encounters, Star Wars and Alien (!). It failed to make my top 100 last year.

Bumped into Great Uncle Ernest and Great Aunty Ann in town who gave me some money, they always did love me and brother and loved visits, which we didn’t do often enough. At the cinema again for Meteor: “first three-quarters of an hour crap” with bad characterisations, Brian Keith and Henry Fonds stealing the movie for me. On saturday mum and dad drove me to Gravesend to stop with their good friends Joe & Sandra, Merseysiders (we had a lot in common) who were our next-door-neighbour family friends in Gloucester 1974/5, with kids Joanne & Tracy. As everyone did in those days, asked if I had a girlfriend yet. It was practically obligatory in those days, and no I didn’t. On TV the Beatles Help! movie: “still got it” I noted. John Cleese was on TV, too: I’m reading his autobiography at the moment, appropriately.

Shopping in Gravesend Christmas Eve, bought the Pink Floyd single, and some sci-fi mags and prezzies for Joe Sandra & kids. Beatles Yellow Submarine on the telly (yay!). Christmas day was as pleasant as the previous couple, the first time we had one away from home or grandma’s. Joanne & Tracy were excited. Christmas Top Of The Pops with a late dinner, I summed it up as an “excellent year”, and yes it was, both for music and for me, quite probably my best year still. How sad! Trips to Tunisia, USA, Paris, great times at College, loads of good friends, and music TV and films were all on fire, and there were no tragedies or deaths, everything ticked along beautifully. TV: Hard Days Night, Goldfinger and The Gnomemobile, all regular TV faves in the 70’s. The Gnomemobile has been replaced by other better films, but it had Walter Brennan as a gnome, so what’s not to love!