In this thread I will compile monthly lists with all non-instrumental new entries from UK Top 40.

 

My rate system :

7 - Masterpiece

6 - Wonderful

5 - Very Good

4 - Good

3 - Average

2 - Weak

1 - Bad

0 - Awful

 

Winners :

[1962] (October) : Del Shannon - The Swiss Maid

[1974] (April) : ABBA - Waterloo

[1977] (July) : Brotherhood of Man - Angelo

[1980] (March) : Barbara Dickson - January February

Edited May 7, 20223 yr by Last Dreamer

For the first experiment October 1962 was selected. In the next month the Beatles got their first hit in UK with "Love Me Do" and changed the world of popular music.

 

October 1962 :

Good :

1. Del Shannon - The Swiss Maid (UK # 2) - 4

2. Mark Wynter - Venus In Blue Jeans (UK # 4) - 4

3. Frank Ifield - Lovesick Blues (UK # 1) - 4

4. Bobby Darin - If A Man Answers (UK # 24) - 4

Average :

5. Marty Robbins - Devil Woman (UK # 5) - 3

6. Johnny Tillotson - Send Me The Pillow You Dream On (UK # 21) - 3

7. Craig Douglas - Oh Lonesome Me (UK # 15) - 3

8. Susan Maughan - Bobby's Girl (UK # 3) - 3

9. Billy Fury - Because Of Love (UK # 18) - 3

10. Everly Brothers - No One Can Make My Sunshine Smile (UK # 11) - 3

Weak :

11. Four Seasons - Sherry (UK # 8) - 2

12. Little Richard - He Got What He Wanted (But He Lost What He Head) (UK # 38) - 2

13. Chris Montez - Let's Dance (UK # 2) - 2

14. Helen Shapiro - Keep Away From Other Girls (UK # 40) - 2

 

Without rate : Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen - The Pay Off (UK # 23)

 

Winner : Del Shannon - The Swiss Maid

 

Edited August 13, 20213 yr by Last Dreamer

Latvian singer Linda Amantova (Anmary) was born in March 1980, thirty two years after she recorded my all-time # 1 single "Beautiful Song".

 

"January February", "Love Patrol" and Toyah's cover version of "Echo Beach" were # 1s in "Gražios Dainos" hitlist.

 

March 1980 :

Very good :

1. Barbara Dickson - January February (UK # 11) - 5

2. Dooleys - Love Patrol (UK # 29) - 5

Good :

3. Squeeze - Another Nail In My Heart (UK # 17) - 4

4. BA Robertson - Kool In The Kaftan (UK # 17) - 4

5. Secret Affair - My World (UK # 16) - 4

6. Rush - Spirit Of Radio (UK # 13) - 4

Average :

7. Beat - Hands Off - She's Mine (UK # 9) - 3

8. Lambrettas - Poison Ivy (UK # 7) - 3

9. Shakin' Stevens - Hot Dog (UK # 24) - 3

10. John Foxx - No-One Driving (UK # 32) - 3

11. Genesis - Turn It On Again (UK # 8) - 3

12. Martha and the Muffins - Echo Beach (UK # 10) - 3

13. Sad Cafe - My Oh My (UK # 14) - 3

14. Judas Priest - Living After Midnight (UK # 12) - 3

15. Jam - Going Underground (UK # 1) - 3

16. Jon Pertwee - Worzel's Song (UK # 33) - 3

17. Iron Maiden - Running Free (UK # 34) - 3

18. Tony Rallo and the Midnight Band - Holdin' On (UK # 34) - 3

19. Leon Haywood - Don't Push It Don't Force It (UK # 12) - 3

20. Detroit Spinners - Working My Way Back To You (UK # 1) - 3

21. Vapors - Turning Japanese (UK # 3) - 3

22. Dr Hook - Sexy Eyes (UK # 4) - 3

23. Brothers Johnson - Stomp (UK # 6) - 3

Weak :

24. Narada Michael Walden - Tonight I'm Alright (UK # 34) - 2

25. David Bowie - Alabama Song (UK # 23) - 2

26. Dexy's Midnight Runners - Geno (UK # 1) - 2

27. Liquid Gold - Dance Yourself Dizzy (UK # 2) - 2

28. Stranglers - Bear Cage (UK # 36) - 2

29. UB40 - King (UK # 4) - 2

Bad :

30. UK Subs - Warhead (UK # 30) - 1

31. Gibson Brothers - Cuba (UK # 12) - 1

32. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Happy House (UK # 17) - 1

33. Bodysnatchers - Let's Do Rock Steady (UK # 22) - 1

 

Without rate : Bad Manners - Ne-Ne-Na-Na-Na-Na-Nu-Nu (UK # 28)

 

Winner : Barbara Dickson - January February

 

I would give a 6 to Turn It On Again and Spirit Of Radio, 5 to Echo Beach and Turning Japanese and 4 to My World, Poison Ivy, Going Underground and Geno.

I strongly dislike "I Feel Love", it's the one from the worst 70s hits.

 

"Angelo" and "Dreams" (my favourite Fleetwood Mac song) were # 1s in "Gražios Dainos".

 

July 1977 :

Very good :

1. Brotherhood of Man - Angelo (UK # 1) - 5

2. Fleetwood Mac - Dreams (UK # 24) - 5

Good :

3. Dave Edmunds - I Knew The Bride (UK # 26) - 4

4. Jonathan Richman - Roadrunner (UK # 11) - 4

5. Showaddywaddy - You Got What It Takes (UK # 2) - 4

6. Wurzels - Farmer Bill's Cowman (UK # 32) - 4

7. Tom Petty and Heartbreakers - Anything That's Rock And Roll (# 36) - 4

Average :

8. Television - Prove It (UK # 25) - 3

9. Barry Biggs - Three Ring Circus (UK # 22) - 3

10. Gary Glitter - A Little Boogie Woogie In The Back Of My Mind (UK # 31) - 3

11. Smokie - It's Your Life (UK # 5) - 3

12. Supertramp - Give A Little Bit (UK # 29) - 3

13. Commodores - Easy (UK # 9) - 3

14. Rita Coolidge - We're All Alone (UK # 6) - 3

15. Jam - All Around The World (UK # 13) - 3

16. Floaters - Float On (UK # 1) - 3

17. Brothers Johnson - Strawberry Letter 23 (UK # 35) - 3

18. Andy Gibb - I Just Wanna Be Your Everything (UK # 26) - 3

19. Fat Larry's Band - Centre City (UK # 31) - 3

20. Joe Walsh - Rocky Mountain Way (UK # 39) - 3

Weak :

21. Stranglers - Something Better Change (UK # 9) - 2

22. Paul Nicholas - Heaven On The 7th Floor (UK # 40) - 2

23. Tavares - One Step Away (UK # 16) - 2

24. Saints - This Perfect Day (UK # 34) - 2

25. Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant (UK # 6) - 2

26. Bob Marley and the Wailers - Exodus (UK # 14) - 2

Bad :

27. Candi Staton - Nights On Broadway (UK # 6) - 1

Awful :

28. Donna Summer - I Feel Love (UK # 1) - 0

 

Without rate : Rah Band - The Crunch (UK # 6)

 

Winner : Brotherhood of Man - Angelo

 

Edited August 24, 20213 yr by Last Dreamer

I don't remember a lot of those but my favourites are I Feel Love by Donna Summer and We're All Alone by Rita Coolidge.

V Good-Supertramp , The Jam

Good- Fleetwood Mac, Commodores

Awful-bhom

 

Possibly "Volare" and "Euphoria" fans disagree with me, but "Waterloo" is the most well-known Eurovision song.

 

April 1974 :

Wonderful :

1. ABBA - Waterloo (UK # 1) - 6

Very good :

2. Peters and Lee - Don't Stay Away Too Long (UK # 3) - 5

Good :

3. Barbra Streisand - The Way We Were (UK # 31) - 4

4. David Bowie - Rock And Roll Suicide (UK # 22) - 4

5. Sunny - Doctors Orders (UK # 7) - 4

6. Charlie Rich - Behind Closed Doors (UK # 16) - 4

Average :

7. Wombles - Remember You're A Womble (UK # 3) - 3

8. Bay City Rollers - Shang-A-Lang (UK # 2) - 3

9. Stevie Wonder - He's Misstra Know-It-All (UK # 10) - 3

10. Mungo Jerry - Long Legged Woman Dressed In Black (UK # 13) - 3

11. Slade - Everyday (UK # 3) - 3

12. Mud - The Cat Crept In (UK # 2) - 3

13. Osmonds - I Can't Stop (UK # 12) - 3

Weak :

14. Wizzard - Rock And Roll Winter (UK # 6) - 2

15. Intruders - I'll Always Love My Mama (UK # 32) - 2

16. Harold Melvin and Bluenotes - Satisfaction Guaranteed (UK # 32) - 2

17. Genesis - I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) (UK # 21) - 2

18. Three Degrees - Year Of Decision (UK # 13) - 2

Bad :

19. Limmie and Family Cookin' - A Walkin' Miracle (UK # 6) - 1

 

Without rate :

Marvin Hamlisch - The Entertainer (UK # 25)

Ragtimers - The Sting (UK # 31)

 

Winner : ABBA - Waterloo

 

Edited February 20, 20223 yr by Last Dreamer

I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) is certainly the best song from that list.

1962: Venus In Blue Jeans and Bobby's Girl are 2 I was mad on as a very little kid, especially obsessed by Bobby's Girl, the first record I recall being obsessed with aged 4 :lol:

 

These days my tastes are more Sherry and Let's Dance.

 

1980: The Jam and Dexy's were my chart-toppers of the time, with other big tracks Food For Thought (UB40's other A side was the bigger airplay hit), Kool In The Kaftan, Genesis, Cuba. These days? The above plus Stomp, Spirit Of radio, My World.

 

1977: Donna Summer & Rah band topped my charts, biggies, Angelo, Dreams, these days I'd add Brothers Johnson & Bob Marley.

 

1974: Wizzard and Abba topped my charts, with Three Degrees and Mud also big. None of the others are quite in the same league, but I'm nostalgic for a lot of them :)

Why are you excluding instrumentals?

 

"The Crunch" by Rah Band is a good tune.

 

I currently do something similar in my blog, each Sunday I review the Top 30 from 30 years ago and on Thursdays I have a general review of the Top 40 in the first week of July each year with a score to find the best year for the Top 40. I don't have as many categories though, just 1 for good, 0.5 for OK and 0 for rubbish.