Posted January 14Jan 14 4th January 1975 It's a new year, I turn 17, and Minnie Ripperton grabs an early 1975 chart-topper with her gorgeous Lovin' You. What a range she had, and so tragic she died young. There are lots of new entries as the Christmas songs drop, the highest is Pilot at 3 with the fab January, their third top 20 in a row, and threatening to be their 2nd number one. Neil Sedaka, with an assist from Elton, goes for his 4th top ten, and future huge USA smash, Bad Blood, outdoing all of Elton's singles since Bennie & The Jet gave Elt a 5th number one. The Wombles replace themselves in the top 20 with the album track The Orinoco Kid - this one may well be my fave Mike Batt Wombling track, it has that classic Cowboy vibe to it, only not cleaning up Dodge City, it's cleaning up Wimbledon Common. I was there not long ago, the Wombles need to work a bit harder. The Glitter Band have a change in style for their 5th non-Gary track, the rather good Goodbye My Love at 28 - a record that never ever gets radio play, and I fail to see why it's been forgotten, we liked it in the UK at the time! Footsee was a mid-60's stompalong dance track that became bi at the Wigan Casino Northern Soul scene, so some bright spark added Wigan to the artist, added some live sounds, and hey presto another big hit that's been forgotten. It's fun, but 50 years on no-one from then will be attempting those energetic dance moves! New at 37, I have the re-issued 12 inch single. Sweet Sensation have a soundalike follow-up, Purely By Co-incidence, which is quite pleasant, BTO go full-on rock follow-up, Roll On Down The Highway, and Mac & Katie Kissoon finally get that elusive UK hit, Sugar Candy Kisses. I always liked Mac's vocals, from their version of Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep onwards. Philip & Vanessa do a cover of the old Hoagy Carmichael 1938 standard, Two Sleepy People - I actually bought their album in the bargain bin years later to get hold of the record - and it's a song I still like, but it's not been heard of for decades. It seemed like a vintage song to 17-year-old me, what with it being 20 years old when I was born and all, but this cover is actually 13 years older than that now and the song is 87 years old. The Stylistics continue to prefer mush over soul, with Star On A TV Show slipping in, Georgie Fame returns with his Ali bandwagon song, after being away over 3 years from my retro charts, and Graham Central Station think a funked-up version of The Detroit Emeralds' classic is a good idea. 1 ( 3 ) LOVIN' YOU - Minnie Ripperton # 1 2 ( 1 ) #9 DREAM - John Lennon # 1 3 ( NEW ) JANUARY - Pilot # 3 4 ( 2 ) CHILD OF LOVE - Caston & Majors # 1 5 ( 7 ) DOWN DOWN - Status Quo # 5 6 ( 5 ) I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU - ABBA # 1 7 ( 6 ) CAN’T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD - Electric Light Orchestra # 1 8 ( 10 ) BE MY BABY - The Ronettes # 1 9 ( 11 ) SO LONG - ABBA # 9 10 ( 15 ) BAD BLOOD - Neil Sedaka featuring Elton John # 10 11 ( 12 ) THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN - Lulu # 7 12 ( 14 ) SHA LA LA (MAKE ME HAPPY) - Al Green # 4 13 ( 8 ) WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO? - Diana Ross & The Supremes # 3 14 ( 9 ) WALKING IN RHYTHM - The Blackbyrds # 4 15 ( 18 ) YOU CAN MAKE ME DANCE, SING OR ANYTHING - The Faces featuring Rod Stewart # 15 16 ( 42 ) THE ORINOCO KID - The Wombles # 16 17 ( 17 ) YOU’RE THE FIRST THE LAST MY EVERYTHING - Barry White # 2 18 ( 21 ) DREAMER - Supertramp # 15 19 ( 13 ) SLEIGH RIDE - The Ronettes # 10 20 ( 4 ) CHRISTMAS (BABY PLEASE COME HOME) - Darlene Love # 4 21 ( 23 ) HOW DOES IT FEEL - Slade # 16 22 ( 20 ) WOMBLING MERRY CHRISTMAS - The Wombles # 20 23 ( 19 ) MS GRACE - The Tymes # 15 24 ( 43 ) SHAME SHAME SHAME - Shirley & Company # 24 25 ( 28 ) ALL I WANT IS YOU - Roxy Music # 1 26 ( 30 ) NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE - Gloria Gaynor # 1 27 ( 25 ) LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS - Mud # 1 28 ( NEW ) GOODBYE MY LOVE - The Glitter Band # 28 29 ( 16 ) LOVE IS ALL - Roger Glover & Friends featuring Ronnie James Dio # 16 30 ( 27 ) YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHIN’ YET - Bachman-Turner Overdrive # 1 31 ( 31 ) I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU - Gary Shearston # 1 32 ( 54 ) SINCE I FOUND MY BABY - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 32 33 ( 45 ) CRYING OVER YOU - Ken Boothe # 33 34 ( 22 ) MIDNIGHT SHOW - Ron Dante # 22 35 ( 40 ) IRE FEELINGS (SKANGA) - Rupie Edwards # 10 36 ( 47 ) TOBY - The Chi-Lites # 36 37 ( NEW ) FOOTSEE - Wigans Chosen Few # 37 38 ( 34 ) STARDUST - David Essex # 9 39 ( 24 ) ANGIE BABY - Helen Reddy # 1 40 ( 26 ) LADY MARMALADE - LaBelle # 8 41 ( 38 ) I CAN HELP - Billy Swan # 9 42 ( 36 ) GET DANCIN’ - Disco Tex & The Sex-o-lettes # 2 43 ( 60 ) MY MAIN MAN - The Staple Singers # 43 44 ( 32 ) THEN HE KISSED ME - The Crystals # 1 45 ( 37 ) DRACULA’S DAUGHTER - Thunderthighs # 12 46 ( 41 ) MAGIC - Pilot # 20 47 ( NEW ) PURELY BY COINCIDENCE - Sweet Sensation # 47 48 ( 52 ) DO IT, DO IT - The Peppers # 48 49 ( 44 ) PICK UP THE PIECES - Average White Band # 41 50 ( 39 ) GOODBYE NOTHIN’ TO SAY - The Javells featuring Nosmo King # 12 51 ( 29 ) MORNING SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN - Donny & Marie Osmond # 3 52 ( 46 ) HOW LONG - Ace featuring Paul Carrack # 1 53 ( 33 ) HEY MR CHRISTMAS - Showaddywaddy # 20 54 ( 61 ) I'M A WOMAN - Maria Muldaur # 54 55 ( 56 ) GONNA MAKE YOU A STAR - David Essex # 13 56 ( 51 ) SHBOOM (LIFE COULD BE A DREAM) - Sha Na Na # 50 57 ( 50 ) BEACH BABY - The First Class # 1 58 ( 58 ) ARE YOU READY TO ROCK - Wizzard # 58 59 ( NEW ) ROLL ON DOWN THE HIGHWAY - Bachman-Turner Overdrive # 59 60 ( 59 ) HURT SO GOOD - Susan Cadogan # 59 61 ( 35 ) YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL - George McCrae # 35 62 ( 53 ) KILLER QUEEN - Queen # 1 63 ( 65 ) THE LIFE OF THE PARTY - The Jackson 5 # 63 64 ( 64 ) LONELY PEOPLE - America # 64 65 ( 55 ) JUKEBOX JIVE - The Rubettes # 18 66 ( 70 ) NIGHTINGALE - Carole King # 66 67 ( 49 ) LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS - Elton John featuring John Lennon # 20 68 ( NEW ) SUGAR CANDY KISSES - Mac & Katie Kissoon # 68 69 ( 69 ) DING DONG, DING DONG - George Harrison # 69 70 ( NEW ) TWO SLEEPY PEOPLE - Phillip & Vanessa # 70 71 ( 72 ) PLEASE TELL HIM THAT I SAID HELLO - Dana # 71 72 ( NEW ) STAR ON A TV SHOW - The Stylistics # 72 73 ( 73 ) BLACK SUPERMAN (MUHAMMAD ALI) - Johnny Wakelin # 73 74 ( NEW ) ALI SHUFFLE - Georgie Fame # 74 75 ( NEW ) FEEL THE NEED - Graham Central Station # 75
January 20Jan 20 Author 11th January 1975 It's a second number one for Pilot and the second number one in January, as January goes where Just A Smile pioneered - to the top spot! ABBA get a third top 5 as So Long replaces it's B side at the top end, and the highest new entries enter at 6, for Olivia Newton-John on the lovely ballad Have You Never Been Mellow, and 9 for the rousing singalong from Guys & Dolls, There's A Whole Of Loving. The group includes Bruce Forsyth's daughter (and partner of Phil Lynnot) and future Dollar singers David Van Day and Therese Bazar. The Glitter Band meanwhile grab a second top 10, Goodbye My Love being the first since Angel Face, not counting the Gary Glitter backing stompers. Down the bottom end, Queen make it a 4th charter with Brian May's Now I'm Here at 63, Nigel Olsson gets a helping hand from the Elton John Band for his solo cover of The Bee Gees song Only One Woman, as first charted by me in 1968 for The Marbles, and George MccRae's US single (and non-UK single) I Get Lifted pops in too as You Can Have It All drops out. It's actually pretty good and a departure from the KC Miami sound. Rufus and Chaka Khan get a second entry, Once You Get Started a decent funk track, The Pearls make it 4 years in a row of minor records as Doctor Love flops, but enters at 73 here 2 years ahead of Tina Charles getting a hit with the song. Mick Robertson's follow-up to The Tango's Over was also flop, but the Magpie Tv presenter had an album out to promote and Then I Change Hands was OK. I liked it at the time but never managed to record it off the radio so I havent heard it in 50 years. On one play it's fairly subdued. That leaves another I charted at the time, Brian Protheroe's Fly Now, a jauntier follow-up to the fab Pinball, which it sounds like in places, but less of an impact emotionally. 1 ( 3 ) JANUARY - Pilot # 1 2 ( 1 ) LOVIN' YOU - Minnie Ripperton # 1 3 ( 2 ) #9 DREAM - John Lennon # 1 4 ( 9 ) SO LONG - ABBA # 4 5 ( 4 ) CHILD OF LOVE - Caston & Majors # 1 6 ( NEW ) HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN MELLOW - Olivia Newton-John # 6 7 ( 7 ) CAN’T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD - Electric Light Orchestra # 1 8 ( 8 ) BE MY BABY - The Ronettes # 1 9 ( NEW ) THERE’S A WHOLE LOT OF LOVING - Guys & Dolls # 9 10 ( 28 ) GOODBYE MY LOVE - The Glitter Band # 10 11 ( 21 ) HOW DOES IT FEEL - Slade # 11 12 ( 11 ) THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN - Lulu # 7 13 ( 5 ) DOWN DOWN - Status Quo # 5 14 ( 6 ) I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU - ABBA # 1 15 ( 16 ) THE ORINOCO KID - The Wombles # 15 16 ( 10 ) BAD BLOOD - Neil Sedaka featuring Elton John # 10 17 ( 14 ) WALKING IN RHYTHM - The Blackbyrds # 4 18 ( 32 ) SINCE I FOUND MY BABY - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 18 19 ( 36 ) TOBY - The Chi-Lites # 19 20 ( 12 ) SHA LA LA (MAKE ME HAPPY) - Al Green # 4 21 ( 13 ) WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO? - Diana Ross & The Supremes # 3 22 ( 15 ) YOU CAN MAKE ME DANCE, SING OR ANYTHING - The Faces featuring Rod Stewart # 15 23 ( 37 ) FOOTSEE - Wigans Chosen Few # 23 24 ( 24 ) SHAME SHAME SHAME - Shirley & Company # 24 25 ( 17 ) YOU’RE THE FIRST THE LAST MY EVERYTHING - Barry White # 2 26 ( 23 ) MS GRACE - The Tymes # 15 27 ( 48 ) DO IT, DO IT - The Peppers # 27 28 ( 49 ) PICK UP THE PIECES - Average White Band # 28 29 ( 33 ) CRYING OVER YOU - Ken Boothe # 29 30 ( 43 ) MY MAIN MAN - The Staple Singers # 30 31 ( 18 ) DREAMER - Supertramp # 15 32 ( 40 ) LADY MARMALADE - LaBelle # 8 33 ( 25 ) ALL I WANT IS YOU - Roxy Music # 1 34 ( 26 ) NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE - Gloria Gaynor # 1 35 ( 30 ) YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHIN’ YET - Bachman-Turner Overdrive # 1 36 ( 31 ) I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU - Gary Shearston # 1 37 ( 39 ) ANGIE BABY - Helen Reddy # 1 38 ( 27 ) LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS - Mud # 1 39 ( 47 ) PURELY BY COINCIDENCE - Sweet Sensation # 39 40 ( 46 ) MAGIC - Pilot # 20 41 ( 22 ) WOMBLING MERRY CHRISTMAS - The Wombles # 20 42 ( 19 ) SLEIGH RIDE - The Ronettes # 10 43 ( 20 ) CHRISTMAS (BABY PLEASE COME HOME) - Darlene Love # 4 44 ( 59 ) ROLL ON DOWN THE HIGHWAY - Bachman-Turner Overdrive # 44 45 ( 34 ) MIDNIGHT SHOW - Ron Dante # 22 46 ( 35 ) IRE FEELINGS (SKANGA) - Rupie Edwards # 10 47 ( 41 ) I CAN HELP - Billy Swan # 9 48 ( 54 ) I'M A WOMAN - Maria Muldaur # 48 49 ( 42 ) GET DANCIN’ - Disco Tex & The Sex-o-lettes # 2 50 ( 51 ) MORNING SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN - Donny & Marie Osmond # 3 51 ( 45 ) DRACULA’S DAUGHTER - Thunderthighs # 12 52 ( 57 ) BEACH BABY - The First Class # 1 53 ( 58 ) ARE YOU READY TO ROCK - Wizzard # 53 54 ( 52 ) HOW LONG - Ace featuring Paul Carrack # 1 55 ( 50 ) GOODBYE NOTHIN’ TO SAY - The Javells featuring Nosmo King # 12 56 ( 55 ) GONNA MAKE YOU A STAR - David Essex # 13 57 ( 63 ) THE LIFE OF THE PARTY - The Jackson 5 # 57 58 ( 38 ) STARDUST - David Essex # 9 59 ( 60 ) HURT SO GOOD - Susan Cadogan # 59 60 ( 66 ) NIGHTINGALE - Carole King # 60 61 ( 44 ) THEN HE KISSED ME - The Crystals # 1 62 ( 29 ) LOVE IS ALL - Roger Glover & Friends featuring Ronnie James Dio # 16 63 ( NEW ) NOW I’M HERE - Queen # 63 64 ( 53 ) HEY MR CHRISTMAS - Showaddywaddy # 20 65 ( NEW ) ONLY ONE WOMAN - Nigel Olsson # 65 66 ( NEW ) I GET LIFTED - George McCrae # 71 67 ( 68 ) SUGAR CANDY KISSES - Mac & Katie Kissoon # 67 68 ( 62 ) KILLER QUEEN - Queen # 1 69 ( 70 ) TWO SLEEPY PEOPLE - Phillip & Vanessa # 69 70 ( NEW ) ONCE YOU GET STARTED - Rufus featuring Chaka Khan # 70 71 ( 71 ) PLEASE TELL HIM THAT I SAID HELLO - Dana # 71 72 ( 72 ) STAR ON A TV SHOW - The Stylistics # 72 73 ( NEW ) DOCTOR LOVE - The Pearls # 73 74 ( NEW ) THEN I CHANGE HANDS - Mick Robertson # 74 75 ( NEW ) FLY NOW - Brian Protheroe # 75
January 26Jan 26 Author 18th January 1975 It's 2 weeks on top for Pilot, as January holds off Olivia's Mellow and a new entry at 3 for Michael Jackson, who grabs his first solo entry since 1973's retro rundown. It's a future UK number one - in 1981! One Day In Your Life didn't get a single release until Jackson's Off The Wall had struck gold for Epic, at which point Motown do what they have always done: bung out some oldies if they have no new material to offer. This week in 1975 the new Michael Jackson is out, and his new official single enters at 38 (also an 80's re-issued hit) We're Almost There, but One day In Your Life remains an album track for the next 6 years, which was a very mad decision. Jackie Blue enters at 13, for Ozark Mountain Daredevils, criminally not a UK hit but was a US smash at least, cos it's fab and always has been, one I bought and played to death in the summer of 75. Syreeta is back with Stevie Wonder boost co-write/produce from her Ex on her biggest hit, Your Kiss Is Sweet at 27, and Redbone debut with a great single Ive never heard before, at 39 with Only You And Rock And Roll, sort of more Come And Get Your Love than Witch Queen. Reunion also get a follow-up to Life Is a Rock that I wasnt aware of - it's a disco celebration, name-checking funk and disco acts, and sounds convincingly KC & The Sunshine Band. Al Green, fresh from his life-changing scalding burns and suicide of an ex, enters with L-O-V-E, as Sha La La hangs in near the top end, and Charlie Rich debuts both his current UK and US singles. The better one is the US single, a cover of Lee Hazelwood's brilliant duet with Nancy Sinatra, My Elusive Dreams. A great song. Even sung by Charlie Rich in a laid-back vibe. New at 57, a wannabe pop star that never made it, Dave Jordan, with a single I bought and rated, Street Corner Music, fairly synthy for the times. I get reminded of him every time I see a Marvel film or TV show that invariably lists a Dave Jordan as music maestro, and who does a brilliant job. As far as I can tell they arent the same Dave Jordan though, as the Marvel man looks considerably under 70, and Wikipedia searches offer up many other Dave Jordan's still touring. The Hues Corporation get a 4th retro entry with a single I'd actually forgotten about, but it's rather catchy and upbeat, I'll Take A Melody, Alvin Stardust's 6th hit under that name - Good Love Can never Die - is better than I remember it, but really it's his 5th hit as the Alvin Stardust on My Coo Ca Choo is really writer/producer Peter Shelley and should be added to his tally. Peter decided Shane Fenton would promote it better than he could. Which he did, in spades. Arrows get a follow-up hit, My Last Night With You, but will likely be back with a famous B side, as heard by one Joan Jett on tour who caught their ITV TV show. John Henry noted the cover hits of 30's and 40's songs by Ferry & Shearston, and decided he'd like a piece of that action, and dropped I Won't Dance, an old Frank Sinatra song that cropped up on Morecambe & Wise's TV show in one famous skit. I quite liked it and bought it as a bargain bin cheapie, but seem to have lost it along the way on an unwise clear-out (which I had to do every time we moved house, which was usually every year or two years at most). Finally B.J. Thomas gets a bit of a US comeback chart-wise, and sneaks into mine too, with the Hey Won't You Play song. So that'll be 8 Retro years of tracks entering for BJ. 1 ( 1 ) JANUARY - Pilot # 1 2 ( 6 ) HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN MELLOW - Olivia Newton-John # 2 3 ( NEW ) ONE DAY IN YOUR LIFE - Michael Jackson # 3 4 ( 2 ) LOVIN' YOU - Minnie Ripperton # 1 5 ( 4 ) SO LONG - ABBA # 4 6 ( 3 ) #9 DREAM - John Lennon # 1 7 ( 7 ) CAN’T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD - Electric Light Orchestra # 1 8 ( 9 ) THERE’S A WHOLE LOT OF LOVING - Guys & Dolls # 8 9 ( 10 ) GOODBYE MY LOVE - The Glitter Band # 9 10 ( 5 ) CHILD OF LOVE - Caston & Majors # 1 11 ( 11 ) HOW DOES IT FEEL - Slade # 11 12 ( 14 ) I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU - ABBA # 1 13 ( NEW ) JACKIE BLUE - The Ozark Mountain Daredevils # 13 14 ( 8 ) BE MY BABY - The Ronettes # 1 15 ( 18 ) SINCE I FOUND MY BABY - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 15 16 ( 16 ) BAD BLOOD - Neil Sedaka featuring Elton John # 10 17 ( 12 ) THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN - Lulu # 7 18 ( 23 ) FOOTSEE - Wigans Chosen Few # 18 19 ( 17 ) WALKING IN RHYTHM - The Blackbyrds # 4 20 ( 19 ) TOBY - The Chi-Lites # 19 21 ( 15 ) THE ORINOCO KID - The Wombles # 15 22 ( 21 ) WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO? - Diana Ross & The Supremes # 3 23 ( 24 ) SHAME SHAME SHAME - Shirley & Company # 23 24 ( 20 ) SHA LA LA (MAKE ME HAPPY) - Al Green # 4 25 ( 26 ) MS GRACE - The Tymes # 15 26 ( 13 ) DOWN DOWN - Status Quo # 5 27 ( NEW ) YOUR KISS IS SWEET - Syreeta # 27 28 ( 39 ) PURELY BY COINCIDENCE - Sweet Sensation # 28 29 ( 30 ) MY MAIN MAN - The Staple Singers # 29 30 ( 29 ) CRYING OVER YOU - Ken Boothe # 29 31 ( 25 ) YOU’RE THE FIRST THE LAST MY EVERYTHING - Barry White # 2 32 ( 35 ) YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHIN’ YET - Bachman-Turner Overdrive # 1 33 ( 34 ) NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE - Gloria Gaynor # 1 34 ( 44 ) ROLL ON DOWN THE HIGHWAY - Bachman-Turner Overdrive # 34 35 ( 36 ) I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU - Gary Shearston # 1 36 ( 33 ) ALL I WANT IS YOU - Roxy Music # 1 37 ( 37 ) ANGIE BABY - Helen Reddy # 1 38 ( NEW ) WE’RE ALMOST THERE - Michael Jackson # 38 39 ( NEW ) ONLY YOU AND ROCK AND ROLL - Redbone # 39 40 ( 40 ) MAGIC - Pilot # 20 41 ( 46 ) IRE FEELINGS (SKANGA) - Rupie Edwards # 10 42 ( 31 ) DREAMER - Supertramp # 15 43 ( 32 ) LADY MARMALADE - LaBelle # 8 44 ( 48 ) I'M A WOMAN - Maria Muldaur # 44 45 ( 49 ) GET DANCIN’ - Disco Tex & The Sex-o-lettes # 2 46 ( 38 ) LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS - Mud # 1 47 ( NEW ) DISCO-TEKIN - Reunion # 47 48 ( 22 ) YOU CAN MAKE ME DANCE, SING OR ANYTHING - The Faces featuring Rod Stewart # 15 49 ( 28 ) PICK UP THE PIECES - Average White Band # 28 50 ( 27 ) DO IT, DO IT - The Peppers # 27 51 ( 47 ) I CAN HELP - Billy Swan # 9 52 ( NEW ) L-O-V-E (LOVE) - Al Green # 52 53 ( 51 ) DRACULA’S DAUGHTER - Thunderthighs # 12 54 ( 56 ) GONNA MAKE YOU A STAR - David Essex # 13 55 ( 52 ) BEACH BABY - The First Class # 1 56 ( 54 ) HOW LONG - Ace featuring Paul Carrack # 1 57 ( NEW ) STREET CORNER MUSIC - Dave Jordan # 57 58 ( 57 ) THE LIFE OF THE PARTY - The Jackson 5 # 57 59 ( 50 ) MORNING SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN - Donny & Marie Osmond # 3 60 ( 63 ) NOW I’M HERE - Queen # 60 61 ( NEW ) MY ELUSIVE DREAMS - Charlie Rich # 61 62 ( 60 ) NIGHTINGALE - Carole King # 60 63 ( 53 ) ARE YOU READY TO ROCK - Wizzard # 53 64 ( 65 ) ONLY ONE WOMAN - Nigel Olsson # 64 65 ( 75 ) FLY NOW - Brian Protheroe # 65 66 ( 74 ) THEN I CHANGE HANDS - Mick Robertson # 66 67 ( NEW ) WE LOVE EACH OTHER - Charlie Rich # 67 68 ( NEW ) I’LL TAKE A MELODY - The Hues Corporation # 68 69 ( 59 ) HURT SO GOOD - Susan Cadogan # 59 70 ( 70 ) ONCE YOU GET STARTED - Rufus featuring Chaka Khan # 70 71 ( 66 ) I GET LIFTED - George McCrae # 71 72 ( 68 ) KILLER QUEEN - Queen # 1 73 ( 69 ) TWO SLEEPY PEOPLE - Phillip & Vanessa # 69 74 ( NEW ) GOOD LOVE CAN NEVER DIE - Alvin Stardust # 74 75 ( 67 ) SUGAR CANDY KISSES - Mac & Katie Kissoon # 67 76 ( NEW ) MY LAST NIGHT WITH YOU - Arrows # 76 77 ( NEW ) I WON’T DANCE - John Henry # 77 78 ( NEW ) SATIN SOUL - The Love Unlimited Orchestra # 78 79 ( 73 ) DOCTOR LOVE - The Pearls # 73 80 ( NEW ) (HEY WON’T YOU PLAY) ANOTHER SOMEBODY DONE SOMEBODY WRONG SONG - B.J. Thomas # 80
February 1Feb 1 Author 25th January 1975 It's the end of January 1975 and the music scene is picking up after the Christmas break, traditionally a quiet time for new music. The new number one in my retro revamp, though, is one I didn't know at the time. Future 1981 chart-topper One Day In Your Life gives Michael Jackson a third solo number one to add to his 4 with The Jackson 5. Slade grab only their third top 10 in the retro countdown, compared to 8 in my original charts - and How Does It Feel wasn't one of them! Jackie Blue gives Ozark Mountain Daredevils a first (and last) top 10. The highest new entry is the late Steve Harley's signature song, the wonderful Make Me Smile at 11, his biggest track since Sebastian dominated my 1973 Retro charts with a long run on top. As everyone started to party, disco and Northern Soul were doing the biz, this week Northern Soul especially as Gary Lewis & The Playboy's mid 60's obscure gem makes the UK charts and debuts at 16 with My Heart's Symphony. Essentially a US teenybop group with a string of big hits, they were mostly known for Gary being film star/comedian Jerry Lewis' son. I belatedly got into them in the 80's but loved the strings on this single. The B side also enters lower down. Another mid-60's minor gem debuts at 19 for Graham Bonney. There's a great youtube clip of him performing Supergirl, and it was a song I vaguely aware of in the 60's, but rediscovered it this week as Record Mirror had a big ad for it being out again to buy. Supergirl will be in vogue again soon with the new Superman movie setting up a long-awaited second Supergirl movie. Dean Parrish is also in with a banging Northern Soul tune, I'm On My Way at 25. Dolly Parton keeps the Country anthems dropping at a furious pace, this time the delightful Bargain Store at 42, it was quite well-known in the UK without ever being a hit - Dolly didnt chart in the UK until 1976, despite being on her third year of classic records, half a dozen of 'em charting so far Retro-wise. Ben E. King's big US comeback hit, Supernatural Thing, also flopped in the UK, but it's sounding good new at 71, The Philly Devotions is not a track I knew at the time, but thats good too, in at 75. We move into the reggae section, with charting Tito Simon getting zero airplay at the time, unlike Rupie Edwards' minor follow-up to Skanga, turns out I like the former having never heard it before, while the one I liked best also enters - a cover of The New Seekers' cover of the Delaney & Bonnie song Never Ending Song Of Love. No idea who Smoking 007 was, but I liked the song and I think Radio Luxembourg must have been playing it. The Drifters keep the 60's formula going with Love Games, Suzi Quatro has a very misjudged change of style - yes Glam was on it's last legs, but this wasn't the way things would go, and Claire Hamill drops in with one I liked (and bought out of a bargain bin) Geronimo's Cadillac. 1 ( 3 ) ONE DAY IN YOUR LIFE - Michael Jackson # 1 2 ( 1 ) JANUARY - Pilot # 1 3 ( 2 ) HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN MELLOW - Olivia Newton-John # 2 4 ( 13 ) JACKIE BLUE - The Ozark Mountain Daredevils # 4 5 ( 4 ) LOVIN' YOU - Minnie Ripperton # 1 6 ( 6 ) #9 DREAM - John Lennon # 1 7 ( 7 ) CAN’T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD - Electric Light Orchestra # 1 8 ( 8 ) THERE’S A WHOLE LOT OF LOVING - Guys & Dolls # 8 9 ( 9 ) GOODBYE MY LOVE - The Glitter Band # 9 10 ( 11 ) HOW DOES IT FEEL - Slade # 10 11 ( NEW ) MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel # 11 12 ( 27 ) YOUR KISS IS SWEET - Syreeta # 12 13 ( 5 ) SO LONG - ABBA # 4 14 ( 10 ) CHILD OF LOVE - Caston & Majors # 1 15 ( 15 ) SINCE I FOUND MY BABY - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 15 16 ( NEW ) MY HEART’S SYMPHONY - Gary Lewis & The Playboys # 16 17 ( 14 ) BE MY BABY - The Ronettes # 1 18 ( 39 ) ONLY YOU AND ROCK AND ROLL - Redbone # 18 19 ( NEW ) SUPERGIRL - Graham Bonney # 19 20 ( 26 ) DOWN DOWN - Status Quo # 5 21 ( 16 ) BAD BLOOD - Neil Sedaka featuring Elton John # 10 22 ( 18 ) FOOTSEE - Wigans Chosen Few # 18 23 ( 12 ) I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU - ABBA # 1 24 ( 22 ) WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO? - Diana Ross & The Supremes # 3 25 ( NEW ) I’M ON MY WAY - Dean Parrish # 25 26 ( 19 ) WALKING IN RHYTHM - The Blackbyrds # 4 27 ( 17 ) THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN - Lulu # 7 28 ( 28 ) PURELY BY COINCIDENCE - Sweet Sensation # 28 29 ( 34 ) ROLL ON DOWN THE HIGHWAY - Bachman-Turner Overdrive # 29 30 ( 21 ) THE ORINOCO KID - The Wombles # 15 31 ( 24 ) SHA LA LA (MAKE ME HAPPY) - Al Green # 4 32 ( 20 ) TOBY - The Chi-Lites # 19 33 ( 32 ) YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHIN’ YET - Bachman-Turner Overdrive # 1 34 ( 33 ) NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE - Gloria Gaynor # 1 35 ( 35 ) I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU - Gary Shearston # 1 36 ( 47 ) DISCO-TEKIN - Reunion # 36 37 ( 57 ) STREET CORNER MUSIC - Dave Jordan # 37 38 ( 52 ) L-O-V-E (LOVE) - Al Green # 38 39 ( 38 ) WE’RE ALMOST THERE - Michael Jackson # 38 40 ( 66 ) THEN I CHANGE HANDS - Mick Robertson # 40 41 ( 25 ) MS GRACE - The Tymes # 15 42 ( NEW ) THE BARGAIN STORE - Dolly Parton # 42 43 ( 31 ) YOU’RE THE FIRST THE LAST MY EVERYTHING - Barry White # 2 44 ( 44 ) I'M A WOMAN - Maria Muldaur # 44 45 ( 36 ) ALL I WANT IS YOU - Roxy Music # 1 46 ( 43 ) LADY MARMALADE - LaBelle # 8 47 ( 53 ) DRACULA’S DAUGHTER - Thunderthighs # 12 48 ( 61 ) MY ELUSIVE DREAMS - Charlie Rich # 48 49 ( 42 ) DREAMER - Supertramp # 15 50 ( 29 ) MY MAIN MAN - The Staple Singers # 29 51 ( 54 ) GONNA MAKE YOU A STAR - David Essex # 13 52 ( 41 ) IRE FEELINGS (SKANGA) - Rupie Edwards # 10 53 ( 49 ) PICK UP THE PIECES - Average White Band # 28 54 ( 56 ) HOW LONG - Ace featuring Paul Carrack # 1 55 ( 68 ) I’LL TAKE A MELODY - The Hues Corporation # 55 56 ( 55 ) BEACH BABY - The First Class # 1 57 ( 40 ) MAGIC - Pilot # 20 58 ( 51 ) I CAN HELP - Billy Swan # 9 59 ( 23 ) SHAME SHAME SHAME - Shirley & Company # 23 60 ( 50 ) DO IT, DO IT - The Peppers # 27 61 ( 30 ) CRYING OVER YOU - Ken Boothe # 29 62 ( 37 ) ANGIE BABY - Helen Reddy # 1 63 ( 46 ) LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS - Mud # 1 64 ( 60 ) NOW I’M HERE - Queen # 60 65 ( 65 ) FLY NOW - Brian Protheroe # 65 66 ( 67 ) WE LOVE EACH OTHER - Charlie Rich # 66 67 ( 58 ) THE LIFE OF THE PARTY - The Jackson 5 # 57 68 ( 45 ) GET DANCIN’ - Disco Tex & The Sex-o-lettes # 2 69 ( 71 ) I GET LIFTED - George McCrae # 71 70 ( 64 ) ONLY ONE WOMAN - Nigel Olsson # 64 71 ( NEW ) SUPERNATURAL THING - Ben E. King # 71 72 ( 70 ) ONCE YOU GET STARTED - Rufus featuring Chaka Khan # 70 73 ( 78 ) SATIN SOUL - The Love Unlimited Orchestra # 73 74 ( 48 ) YOU CAN MAKE ME DANCE, SING OR ANYTHING - The Faces featuring Rod Stewart # 15 75 ( NEW ) I JUST CAN’T SAY GOODBYE - The Philly Devotions # 75 76 ( 76 ) MY LAST NIGHT WITH YOU - Arrows # 76 77 ( 74 ) GOOD LOVE CAN NEVER DIE - Alvin Stardust # 74 78 ( 77 ) I WON’T DANCE - John Henry # 77 79 ( NEW ) THIS MONDAY MORNING FEELING - Tito Simon # 79 80 ( NEW ) NEVER ENDING SONG OF LOVE - Smoking 007 # 80 81 ( NEW ) I WON’T MAKE THAT MISTAKE AGAIN - Gary Lewis & The Playboys # 81 82 ( NEW ) LOVE GAMES - The Drifters # 82 83 ( NEW ) LEGO SKANGA - Rupie Edwards # 83 84 ( NEW ) YOUR MAMA WON’T LIKE ME - Suzi Quatro # 84 85 ( NEW ) GERONIMO’S CADILLAC - Claire Hamill # 85
February 7Feb 7 Author 1st February 1975 It's 2 weeks on top for Michael Jackson's 1981 number one as the late Steve Harley starts to challenge up at 3, and Syreeta gets a first top 10. I should probably include Stevie Wonder in that stat but I can't hear him on the record this time, though it has his print all over it. There are only 2 new entries this week, Billie-Jo Spears is 5 months early for the UK as she enters the Country Music chart in the USA with Blanket On The Ground, one I'm more fond of now than I was at the time, in at 38, while Earth, Wind & Fire start their golden period with Shining Star at 71 - not a UK hit though, that would be another 2 years off. 1 ( 1 ) ONE DAY IN YOUR LIFE - Michael Jackson # 1 2 ( 2 ) JANUARY - Pilot # 1 3 ( 11 ) MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel # 3 4 ( 3 ) HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN MELLOW - Olivia Newton-John # 2 5 ( 4 ) JACKIE BLUE - The Ozark Mountain Daredevils # 4 6 ( 5 ) LOVIN' YOU - Minnie Ripperton # 1 7 ( 8 ) THERE’S A WHOLE LOT OF LOVING - Guys & Dolls # 7 8 ( 6 ) #9 DREAM - John Lennon # 1 9 ( 7 ) CAN’T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD - Electric Light Orchestra # 1 10 ( 12 ) YOUR KISS IS SWEET - Syreeta # 10 11 ( 18 ) ONLY YOU AND ROCK AND ROLL - Redbone # 11 12 ( 9 ) GOODBYE MY LOVE - The Glitter Band # 9 13 ( 14 ) CHILD OF LOVE - Caston & Majors # 1 14 ( 16 ) MY HEART’S SYMPHONY - Gary Lewis & The Playboys # 14 15 ( 19 ) SUPERGIRL - Graham Bonney # 15 16 ( 10 ) HOW DOES IT FEEL - Slade # 10 17 ( 25 ) I’M ON MY WAY - Dean Parrish # 17 18 ( 17 ) BE MY BABY - The Ronettes # 1 19 ( 13 ) SO LONG - ABBA # 4 20 ( 20 ) DOWN DOWN - Status Quo # 5 21 ( 24 ) WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO? - Diana Ross & The Supremes # 3 22 ( 21 ) BAD BLOOD - Neil Sedaka featuring Elton John # 10 23 ( 48 ) MY ELUSIVE DREAMS - Charlie Rich # 23 24 ( 36 ) DISCO-TEKIN - Reunion # 24 25 ( 27 ) THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN - Lulu # 7 26 ( 23 ) I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU - ABBA # 1 27 ( 26 ) WALKING IN RHYTHM - The Blackbyrds # 4 28 ( 15 ) SINCE I FOUND MY BABY - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 15 29 ( 39 ) WE’RE ALMOST THERE - Michael Jackson # 29 30 ( 29 ) ROLL ON DOWN THE HIGHWAY - Bachman-Turner Overdrive # 29 31 ( 31 ) SHA LA LA (MAKE ME HAPPY) - Al Green # 4 32 ( 38 ) L-O-V-E (LOVE) - Al Green # 32 33 ( 30 ) THE ORINOCO KID - The Wombles # 15 34 ( 37 ) STREET CORNER MUSIC - Dave Jordan # 34 35 ( 28 ) PURELY BY COINCIDENCE - Sweet Sensation # 28 36 ( 40 ) THEN I CHANGE HANDS - Mick Robertson # 36 37 ( 35 ) I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU - Gary Shearston # 1 38 ( NEW ) BLANKET ON THE GROUND - Billie Jo Spears # 38 39 ( 42 ) THE BARGAIN STORE - Dolly Parton # 39 40 ( 22 ) FOOTSEE - Wigans Chosen Few # 18 41 ( 34 ) NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE - Gloria Gaynor # 1 42 ( 33 ) YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHIN’ YET - Bachman-Turner Overdrive # 1 43 ( 43 ) YOU’RE THE FIRST THE LAST MY EVERYTHING - Barry White # 2 44 ( 47 ) DRACULA’S DAUGHTER - Thunderthighs # 12 45 ( 41 ) MS GRACE - The Tymes # 15 46 ( 46 ) LADY MARMALADE - LaBelle # 8 47 ( 52 ) IRE FEELINGS (SKANGA) - Rupie Edwards # 10 48 ( 55 ) I’LL TAKE A MELODY - The Hues Corporation # 48 49 ( 65 ) FLY NOW - Brian Protheroe # 49 50 ( 79 ) THIS MONDAY MORNING FEELING - Tito Simon # 50 51 ( 54 ) HOW LONG - Ace featuring Paul Carrack # 1 52 ( 56 ) BEACH BABY - The First Class # 1 53 ( 45 ) ALL I WANT IS YOU - Roxy Music # 1 54 ( 58 ) I CAN HELP - Billy Swan # 9 55 ( 49 ) DREAMER - Supertramp # 15 56 ( 66 ) WE LOVE EACH OTHER - Charlie Rich # 56 57 ( 51 ) GONNA MAKE YOU A STAR - David Essex # 13 58 ( 62 ) ANGIE BABY - Helen Reddy # 1 59 ( 57 ) MAGIC - Pilot # 20 60 ( 53 ) PICK UP THE PIECES - Average White Band # 28 61 ( 44 ) I'M A WOMAN - Maria Muldaur # 44 62 ( 32 ) TOBY - The Chi-Lites # 19 63 ( 61 ) CRYING OVER YOU - Ken Boothe # 29 64 ( 64 ) NOW I’M HERE - Queen # 60 65 ( 60 ) DO IT, DO IT - The Peppers # 27 66 ( 70 ) ONLY ONE WOMAN - Nigel Olsson # 64 67 ( 75 ) I JUST CAN’T SAY GOODBYE - The Philly Devotions # 67 68 ( 81 ) I WON’T MAKE THAT MISTAKE AGAIN - Gary Lewis & The Playboys # 68 69 ( 71 ) SUPERNATURAL THING - Ben E. King # 69 70 ( 50 ) MY MAIN MAN - The Staple Singers # 29 71 ( NEW ) SHINING STAR - Earth, Wind & Fire # 71 72 ( 59 ) SHAME SHAME SHAME - Shirley & Company # 23 73 ( 72 ) ONCE YOU GET STARTED - Rufus featuring Chaka Khan # 70 74 ( 82 ) LOVE GAMES - The Drifters # 74 75 ( 73 ) SATIN SOUL - The Love Unlimited Orchestra # 73 76 ( 78 ) I WON’T DANCE - John Henry # 76 77 ( 83 ) LEGO SKANGA - Rupie Edwards # 77 78 ( 76 ) MY LAST NIGHT WITH YOU - Arrows # 76 79 ( 85 ) GERONIMO’S CADILLAC - Claire Hamill # 79 80 ( 80 ) NEVER ENDING SONG OF LOVE - Smoking 007 # 80
February 14Feb 14 Author 8th February 1975 It's the late Steve Harley taking over the top spot for a second Retro chart-topper - Sebsatian had a long run in my 1973 revamp - as the timeless Make Me Smile gets a first week at 1. Redbone get a 3rd top 10 with the obscure (but fab) Only You And Rock And Roll which is a terrible title, they should have gone with one of the song hooks instead, clearly not learning from their previous mistake with Come And Get Your Love, which wasn't called that when it first came out and flopped. Graham Bonney's 1966 top tune, Supergirl, flies up to 10. I must do a Super-hero chart one of these days, there's loads of great songs about super-heroes, or by acts that sound like or steal names of superhero-related characters. It's a hobby I've had for decades! Highest new entry is Jim Gilstrap's falsetto sway-funk goodie Swing Your Daddy at 17, with Mud under-achieving at a mere 47 with their Valentines Day hit, The Secrets That You Keep. After a run of 7 top 5's in a row, this sweet ballad falls a bit short for now. Neil Sedaka will be having a US chart-topper by the end of 1975, with Bad Blood, but sadly in the UK his 3-year run of great new records is drawing to a close, as we were early on him, being as he was signed to a UK label, and recorded at 10cc's studio, with their assistance, and Elton John giving him a leg-up in the States. So all he has left, pretty much, is the Queen Of 1964, an amusing light-hearted take on an ex-groupie. It's a story-song so for any younger folk reading, It's not real! It's fiction, it doesn't mean anything. She's not real, she didn't die! Songs don't always have to be literal "this is what I feel right now" replacement psychiatrists. Paper Lace's songwriter/producers Murray/Callander seem to have run out steam creating new hits for Paper Lace, so they opt for one of their older minor hits as a cover, Hitchin' A Ride, one of my fave records of 1970 at the time. This version is a bit punchier but it ended their hit-streak, and it was all over for them now. In the Italian top 10 this week is a record I've never heard in my life, but I like Rafaella Carra so checked it out. Felictata Ta Ta turns out to be a fun, cinematic, quirky little ditty so she gets a debut 3 years earlier than her 1978 hit. Showaddywaddy seem to be alternating good records with lesser tracks, Sweet Music being a lesser example, but not to worry they have a solution towards becoming more consistent with the next one. Billy Swan's follow-up to I Can Help is almost a novelty record by the end of it, but I'm Her Fool just about stays on the good side, which leaves Hamilton Bohannon's dance breakthrough, South African Man, which I havent heard in decades, a pleasant enough funk groove but it's not one you can really sing along to, being largely instrumental. 1 ( 3 ) MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel # 1 2 ( 2 ) JANUARY - Pilot # 1 3 ( 1 ) ONE DAY IN YOUR LIFE - Michael Jackson # 1 4 ( 4 ) HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN MELLOW - Olivia Newton-John # 2 5 ( 10 ) YOUR KISS IS SWEET - Syreeta # 5 6 ( 8 ) #9 DREAM - John Lennon # 1 7 ( 6 ) LOVIN' YOU - Minnie Ripperton # 1 8 ( 5 ) JACKIE BLUE - The Ozark Mountain Daredevils # 4 9 ( 11 ) ONLY YOU AND ROCK AND ROLL - Redbone # 9 10 ( 15 ) SUPERGIRL - Graham Bonney # 10 11 ( 13 ) CHILD OF LOVE - Caston & Majors # 1 12 ( 14 ) MY HEART’S SYMPHONY - Gary Lewis & The Playboys # 12 13 ( 17 ) I’M ON MY WAY - Dean Parrish # 13 14 ( 23 ) MY ELUSIVE DREAMS - Charlie Rich # 14 15 ( 7 ) THERE’S A WHOLE LOT OF LOVING - Guys & Dolls # 7 16 ( 18 ) BE MY BABY - The Ronettes # 1 17 ( NEW ) SWING YOUR DADDY - Jim Gilstrap # 17 18 ( 16 ) HOW DOES IT FEEL - Slade # 10 19 ( 9 ) CAN’T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD - Electric Light Orchestra # 1 20 ( 12 ) GOODBYE MY LOVE - The Glitter Band # 9 21 ( 21 ) WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO? - Diana Ross & The Supremes # 3 22 ( 38 ) BLANKET ON THE GROUND - Billie Jo Spears # 22 23 ( 36 ) THEN I CHANGE HANDS - Mick Robertson # 23 24 ( 24 ) DISCO-TEKIN - Reunion # 24 25 ( 39 ) THE BARGAIN STORE - Dolly Parton # 25 26 ( 22 ) BAD BLOOD - Neil Sedaka featuring Elton John # 10 27 ( 30 ) ROLL ON DOWN THE HIGHWAY - Bachman-Turner Overdrive # 27 28 ( 19 ) SO LONG - ABBA # 4 29 ( 32 ) L-O-V-E (LOVE) - Al Green # 29 30 ( 25 ) THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN - Lulu # 7 31 ( 26 ) I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU - ABBA # 1 32 ( 35 ) PURELY BY COINCIDENCE - Sweet Sensation # 28 33 ( 29 ) WE’RE ALMOST THERE - Michael Jackson # 29 34 ( 20 ) DOWN DOWN - Status Quo # 5 35 ( 27 ) WALKING IN RHYTHM - The Blackbyrds # 4 36 ( 33 ) THE ORINOCO KID - The Wombles # 15 37 ( 28 ) SINCE I FOUND MY BABY - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 15 38 ( 34 ) STREET CORNER MUSIC - Dave Jordan # 34 39 ( 48 ) I’LL TAKE A MELODY - The Hues Corporation # 39 40 ( 49 ) FLY NOW - Brian Protheroe # 40 41 ( 31 ) SHA LA LA (MAKE ME HAPPY) - Al Green # 4 42 ( 37 ) I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU - Gary Shearston # 1 43 ( 43 ) YOU’RE THE FIRST THE LAST MY EVERYTHING - Barry White # 2 44 ( 44 ) DRACULA’S DAUGHTER - Thunderthighs # 12 45 ( 42 ) YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHIN’ YET - Bachman-Turner Overdrive # 1 46 ( 53 ) ALL I WANT IS YOU - Roxy Music # 1 47 ( NEW ) THE SECRETS THAT YOU KEEP - Mud # 47 48 ( 41 ) NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE - Gloria Gaynor # 1 49 ( 46 ) LADY MARMALADE - LaBelle # 8 50 ( 50 ) THIS MONDAY MORNING FEELING - Tito Simon # 50 51 ( 45 ) MS GRACE - The Tymes # 15 52 ( 56 ) WE LOVE EACH OTHER - Charlie Rich # 52 53 ( 52 ) BEACH BABY - The First Class # 1 54 ( 54 ) I CAN HELP - Billy Swan # 9 55 ( NEW ) THE QUEEN OF 1964 - Neil Sedaka # 55 56 ( 58 ) ANGIE BABY - Helen Reddy # 1 57 ( 64 ) NOW I’M HERE - Queen # 57 58 ( 69 ) SUPERNATURAL THING - Ben E. King # 58 59 ( 67 ) I JUST CAN’T SAY GOODBYE - The Philly Devotions # 59 60 ( 51 ) HOW LONG - Ace featuring Paul Carrack # 1 61 ( 59 ) MAGIC - Pilot # 20 62 ( 57 ) GONNA MAKE YOU A STAR - David Essex # 13 63 ( 66 ) ONLY ONE WOMAN - Nigel Olsson # 63 64 ( NEW ) HITCHIN’ A RIDE ’75 - Paper Lace # 64 65 ( 47 ) IRE FEELINGS (SKANGA) - Rupie Edwards # 10 66 ( 71 ) SHINING STAR - Earth, Wind & Fire # 66 67 ( 55 ) DREAMER - Supertramp # 15 68 ( 68 ) I WON’T MAKE THAT MISTAKE AGAIN - Gary Lewis & The Playboys # 68 69 ( 73 ) ONCE YOU GET STARTED - Rufus featuring Chaka Khan # 69 70 ( NEW ) FELICITA TA TA - Raffaella Carra # 70 71 ( 40 ) FOOTSEE - Wigans Chosen Few # 18 72 ( 74 ) LOVE GAMES - The Drifters # 72 73 ( 60 ) PICK UP THE PIECES - Average White Band # 28 74 ( 77 ) LEGO SKANGA - Rupie Edwards # 74 75 ( 80 ) NEVER ENDING SONG OF LOVE - Smokey 007 # 75 76 ( 76 ) I WON’T DANCE - John Henry # 76 77 ( 78 ) MY LAST NIGHT WITH YOU - Arrows # 76 78 ( NEW ) SWEET MUSIC - Showaddywaddy # 78 79 ( NEW ) I’M HER FOOL - Billy Swan # 79 80 ( NEW ) SOUTH AFRICAN MAN - Hamilton Bohannon # 80
February 26Feb 26 Author 15th February 1975It's back up for a 3rd week on top with January in February from Pilot, and Jim Gilstrap and Dean Parrish go top 10. Michael Jackson gets 2 in the top 20, and a cornerstone in the development of popular music arrives at 18: Kraftwerk were hugely influential with their brand of industrial synth music, and it all began here with Autobahn. They may not have had the first synthpop hits, but they showed electronic music could be used outside of traditional pop formats. It certainly sounded unusual at the time, but more of a one-off novelty in the tradition of Telstar, Son Of My Father or Popcorn - technically 3-off in the case of Chicory Tip/Giorgio Moroder at this time. It would take David Bowie in Berlin to borrow the inspiration from Kraftwerk, and Giorgio Moroder to return with a jaw-dropping advance in dance music, while Jean-Michel Jarre and Space underpinning Europe as the focus of the change coming in popular music in 1977. Punk got the headlines, New Wave got the pop stars, but Electronic music won the long race.Talking of Bowie, he borrows Luther Vandross on backing vocals and abruptly changes to plastic-soul, as he called it on the Young Americans album and single, to the disbelief of his Glam fans. Me, I thought it was the best thing he'd done since Aladdin Sane, and was quite happy with the genre-hop. 50 years on, yes it's not really Rebel Rebel but good in it's own way. Peter Skellern returns after a 3-year-gap, on the unusual Hold On To Love, which I always found hard to categorise - a sort of breathy, sorta-synthy, MOR croon.Gladys Knight charts in the USA with a soul ballad I've never heard before, playing it this week the intro was oddly familiar, then it came to me - it's a slower version of the intro to Eels' Susan's House! Never knew they borrowed it from Love Finds Its Own Way! Hello follow-up Tell Him with Games Up, plugging it on ITV kids music shows. It's OK. Which just leaves Odia Coates doing a soul cover of ELO's Showdown, which was itself a sort of homage to I Heard It Through The Grapevine.1 ( 2 ) JANUARY - Pilot # 12 ( 1 ) MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel # 13 ( 3 ) ONE DAY IN YOUR LIFE - Michael Jackson # 14 ( 4 ) HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN MELLOW - Olivia Newton-John # 25 ( 5 ) YOUR KISS IS SWEET - Syreeta # 56 ( 17 ) SWING YOUR DADDY - Jim Gilstrap # 67 ( 13 ) I’M ON MY WAY - Dean Parrish # 78 ( 7 ) LOVIN' YOU - Minnie Ripperton # 19 ( 6 ) #9 DREAM - John Lennon # 110 ( 10 ) SUPERGIRL - Graham Bonney # 1011 ( 9 ) ONLY YOU AND ROCK AND ROLL - Redbone # 912 ( 8 ) JACKIE BLUE - The Ozark Mountain Daredevils # 413 ( 14 ) MY ELUSIVE DREAMS - Charlie Rich # 1314 ( 12 ) MY HEART’S SYMPHONY - Gary Lewis & The Playboys # 1215 ( 11 ) CHILD OF LOVE - Caston & Majors # 116 ( 33 ) WE’RE ALMOST THERE - Michael Jackson # 1617 ( 22 ) BLANKET ON THE GROUND - Billie Jo Spears # 1718 ( NEW ) AUTOBAHN - Kraftwerk # 1819 ( 16 ) BE MY BABY - The Ronettes # 120 ( 20 ) GOODBYE MY LOVE - The Glitter Band # 921 ( 23 ) THEN I CHANGE HANDS - Mick Robertson # 2122 ( 25 ) THE BARGAIN STORE - Dolly Parton # 2223 ( 24 ) DISCO-TEKIN - Reunion # 2324 ( 27 ) ROLL ON DOWN THE HIGHWAY - Bachman-Turner Overdrive # 2425 ( 21 ) WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO? - Diana Ross & The Supremes # 326 ( 19 ) CAN’T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD - Electric Light Orchestra # 127 ( 18 ) HOW DOES IT FEEL - Slade # 1028 ( 15 ) THERE’S A WHOLE LOT OF LOVING - Guys & Dolls # 729 ( 29 ) L-O-V-E (LOVE) - Al Green # 2930 ( 55 ) THE QUEEN OF 1964 - Neil Sedaka # 3031 ( 34 ) DOWN DOWN - Status Quo # 532 ( 30 ) THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN - Lulu # 733 ( 38 ) STREET CORNER MUSIC - Dave Jordan # 3334 ( 37 ) SINCE I FOUND MY BABY - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 1535 ( 32 ) PURELY BY COINCIDENCE - Sweet Sensation # 2836 ( NEW ) YOUNG AMERICANS - David Bowie # 3637 ( 47 ) THE SECRETS THAT YOU KEEP - Mud # 3738 ( 35 ) WALKING IN RHYTHM - The Blackbyrds # 439 ( 36 ) THE ORINOCO KID - The Wombles # 1540 ( 70 ) FELICITA TA TA - Raffaella Carra # 4041 ( 31 ) I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU - ABBA # 142 ( 42 ) I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU - Gary Shearston # 143 ( 52 ) WE LOVE EACH OTHER - Charlie Rich # 4344 ( 44 ) DRACULA’S DAUGHTER - Thunderthighs # 1245 ( 40 ) FLY NOW - Brian Protheroe # 4046 ( 39 ) I’LL TAKE A MELODY - The Hues Corporation # 3947 ( 57 ) NOW I’M HERE - Queen # 4748 ( 64 ) HITCHIN’ A RIDE ’75 - Paper Lace # 4849 ( 26 ) BAD BLOOD - Neil Sedaka featuring Elton John # 1050 ( 58 ) SUPERNATURAL THING - Ben E. King # 5051 ( 43 ) YOU’RE THE FIRST THE LAST MY EVERYTHING - Barry White # 252 ( 45 ) YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHIN’ YET - Bachman-Turner Overdrive # 153 ( 28 ) SO LONG - ABBA # 454 ( 59 ) I JUST CAN’T SAY GOODBYE - The Philly Devotions # 5455 ( 50 ) THIS MONDAY MORNING FEELING - Tito Simon # 5056 ( 53 ) BEACH BABY - The First Class # 157 ( 48 ) NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE - Gloria Gaynor # 158 ( 46 ) ALL I WANT IS YOU - Roxy Music # 159 ( 66 ) SHINING STAR - Earth, Wind & Fire # 5960 ( 56 ) ANGIE BABY - Helen Reddy # 161 ( 51 ) MS GRACE - The Tymes # 1562 ( NEW ) HOLD ON TO LOVE - Peter Skellern # 6263 ( 49 ) LADY MARMALADE - LaBelle # 864 ( 41 ) SHA LA LA (MAKE ME HAPPY) - Al Green # 465 ( 54 ) I CAN HELP - Billy Swan # 966 ( 60 ) HOW LONG - Ace featuring Paul Carrack # 167 ( 80 ) SOUTH AFRICAN MAN - Hamilton Bohannon # 6768 ( 72 ) LOVE GAMES - The Drifters # 6869 ( 74 ) LEGO SKANGA - Rupie Edwards # 6970 ( 79 ) I’M HER FOOL - Billy Swan # 7071 ( NEW ) LOVE FINDS ITS OWN WAY - Gladys Knight & The Pips # 7172 ( NEW ) GAMES UP - Hello # 7273 ( 75 ) NEVER ENDING SONG OF LOVE - Smokey 007 # 7374 ( 78 ) SWEET MUSIC - Showaddywaddy # 7475 ( NEW ) SHOWDOWN - Odia Coates # 75
March 4Mar 4 Author 22nd February 1975It's a big week on the retro chart as 1975 finally wakes up in one huge release of great singles, 17 of them headed by Gloria Gaynor new in at 1 with her stomping cover of Reach Out I'll Be There. It was never going to rival the massive Motown classic that is The Four Tops' original, but Disco Queen Gloria updates it for a new disco audience, BPM's up front and on show. It topped my chart at the time, as did four other of the new entries, starting with Elton John's Philadelphia Freedom, disco ode to Billie-Jean King, tennis legend, and in at 2 to give Elt his biggest single since Bennie & The Jets. Also new in, at 3, and charting in Europe 5 or 6 months ahead of breaking the UK, Bimbo Jets' largely instrumental synth-flavoured bop El Bimbo, cheese-factor on show and showing an early indication that Europe would be ahead of the game when it comes to synthpop, and another number one for me in 1975. Also a number one, German disco act Silver Convention debut at 11 as they get released in the USA with Save Me, one I bought and played a lot into the early hot summer of '75 as I was busy revising for exams. Lush orchestral disco music was a big theme for 1975 as Glam died a slow death and the new pop was Disco, glitter-balls and all. The Rubettes are back with a 4th hit at 26, I Can Do It, singalong pop Glam Rock in synch with Jukebox Jive, and Hot Chocolate debut at 27 with a monster disco anthem from late in the year, You Sexy Thing. The record has managed to chart across subsequent decades and remains well known, and topped my chart in 1987 as a remix version, but this original slipped out as a B Side to Blue Night - in at 73 and a flop at the time - which seems incredible 50 years on. I can only put it down to upbeat Cheri Baby only scraping into the charts, where the maudlin Emma was top 3, so they took what seemed the safer option with the equally-maudlin Blue Night. Barry White is also back after a mega-successful 1974 not taking any risks with his format, What Am I Gonna Do With You at 28, while new at 45 it's wannabe popstars Shaggy Tiger and the rather good Slow Down. It never got much Radio 1 exposure, as I recall it was more Radio Luxembourg, or kids TV pop shows, but it sounds a couple of years ahead of it's time looking back, not happy-clappy like the majority of 1975 pop-rock singles. Just behind and Peter Shelley follows up his Gee Baby with another song that Alvin Stardust must have turned down, the very twee and sentimental Love Me Love My Dog, not a huge fave of mine at the time, but as you get older you get nostalgic and sentimental, and it's really rather sweet. Nice airy production. Talking of Shane Fenton, 60's popstar...The Bay City Rollers have given up their hit-songwriting team/s and opted for a 60's cover - Bye Bye Baby is a Four Seasons song that like much of their back-catalogue, wasnt a hit in the UK for them. In fact, so many great songs remained unknown they were about to spearhead many a big hit cover and grab their own comeback with way better records. Bye Bye Baby is very much peak Rollers, and it's catchy enough, but not a patch on some of their earlier stuff pre-1974. Eurovision, meanwhile, had gone for Cliff twice and almost won, so why not The Shadows as well, with a singalong decent single Let Me Be The One, returning them to the UK charts for the first time in a decade (and coming second in Eurovision, as per normal for the UK, I think). Ditto at 65, 60's popstar and future sitcom actor Mike Berry nicks the version of Don't Be Cruel off Billy Swan's I Can Help album, slows it even further, turns it darker, and revitalises the Elvis 50's oldie, even though it wasn't a hit Billy Swan would get his own back later in the year when the UK releases it as a single. Duane Eddy & The Rebelettes also bring back the girlie chorus and twangy guitar into the UK chart with Play Me Like Your Old Guitar at 66, making this a big 60's acts return week. As far as my charts are concerned, they are all pre-date 1967 and therefore all debut. That leaves Linda Lewis releasing a gifted Cat Stevens song for a 4th retro charter, and like Mike Berry flopping, but like Billy Swan, Cat Stevens would chart his own version of Remember The Days Of The Old School-Yard down the line in 1977. Kenny follow-up The Bump, meanwhile, with the very annoying and shrill Fancy Pants. It's fair to say I have never been a fan. 1 ( NEW ) REACH OUT I’LL BE THERE - Gloria Gaynor # 12 ( NEW ) PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM - Elton John Band # 23 ( NEW ) EL BIMBO - Bimbo Jets # 34 ( 6 ) SWING YOUR DADDY - Jim Gilstrap # 45 ( 1 ) JANUARY - Pilot # 16 ( 2 ) MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel # 17 ( 3 ) ONE DAY IN YOUR LIFE - Michael Jackson # 18 ( 10 ) SUPERGIRL - Graham Bonney # 89 ( 5 ) YOUR KISS IS SWEET - Syreeta # 510 ( 9 ) #9 DREAM - John Lennon # 111 ( NEW ) SAVE ME - Silver Convention # 1112 ( 13 ) MY ELUSIVE DREAMS - Charlie Rich # 1213 ( 17 ) BLANKET ON THE GROUND - Billie Jo Spears # 1314 ( 4 ) HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN MELLOW - Olivia Newton-John # 215 ( 8 ) LOVIN' YOU - Minnie Ripperton # 116 ( 12 ) JACKIE BLUE - The Ozark Mountain Daredevils # 417 ( 7 ) I’M ON MY WAY - Dean Parrish # 718 ( 18 ) AUTOBAHN - Kraftwerk # 1819 ( 15 ) CHILD OF LOVE - Caston & Majors # 120 ( 14 ) MY HEART’S SYMPHONY - Gary Lewis & The Playboys # 1221 ( 24 ) ROLL ON DOWN THE HIGHWAY - Bachman-Turner Overdrive # 2122 ( 29 ) L-O-V-E (LOVE) - Al Green # 2223 ( 11 ) ONLY YOU AND ROCK AND ROLL - Redbone # 924 ( 16 ) WE’RE ALMOST THERE - Michael Jackson # 1625 ( 36 ) YOUNG AMERICANS - David Bowie # 2526 ( NEW ) I CAN DO IT - The Rubettes # 2627 ( NEW ) YOU SEXY THING - Hot Chocolate # 2728 ( NEW ) WHAT AM I GONNA DO WITH YOU - Barry White # 2829 ( 19 ) BE MY BABY - The Ronettes # 130 ( 25 ) WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO? - Diana Ross & The Supremes # 331 ( 34 ) SINCE I FOUND MY BABY - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 1532 ( 22 ) THE BARGAIN STORE - Dolly Parton # 2233 ( 20 ) GOODBYE MY LOVE - The Glitter Band # 934 ( 30 ) THE QUEEN OF 1964 - Neil Sedaka # 3035 ( 32 ) THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN - Lulu # 736 ( 40 ) FELICITA TA TA - Raffaella Carra # 3637 ( 21 ) THEN I CHANGE HANDS - Mick Robertson # 2138 ( 35 ) PURELY BY COINCIDENCE - Sweet Sensation # 2839 ( 37 ) THE SECRETS THAT YOU KEEP - Mud # 3740 ( 39 ) THE ORINOCO KID - The Wombles # 1541 ( 26 ) CAN’T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD - Electric Light Orchestra # 142 ( 28 ) THERE’S A WHOLE LOT OF LOVING - Guys & Dolls # 743 ( 27 ) HOW DOES IT FEEL - Slade # 1044 ( 33 ) STREET CORNER MUSIC - Dave Jordan # 3345 ( NEW ) SLOW DOWN - Shabby Tiger # 4546 ( NEW ) LOVE ME LOVE MY DOG - Peter Shelley # 4647 ( 50 ) SUPERNATURAL THING - Ben E. King # 4748 ( 31 ) DOWN DOWN - Status Quo # 549 ( 23 ) DISCO-TEKIN - Reunion # 2350 ( 42 ) I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU - Gary Shearston # 151 ( 44 ) DRACULA’S DAUGHTER - Thunderthighs # 1252 ( 41 ) I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU - ABBA # 153 ( 59 ) SHINING STAR - Earth, Wind & Fire # 5354 ( 38 ) WALKING IN RHYTHM - The Blackbyrds # 455 ( 46 ) I’LL TAKE A MELODY - The Hues Corporation # 3956 ( NEW ) BYE BYE BABY - Bay City Rollers # 5657 ( NEW ) LET ME BE THE ONE - The Shadows # 5758 ( 62 ) HOLD ON TO LOVE - Peter Skellern # 5859 ( 57 ) NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE - Gloria Gaynor # 160 ( 45 ) FLY NOW - Brian Protheroe # 4061 ( 48 ) HITCHIN’ A RIDE ’75 - Paper Lace # 4862 ( 56 ) BEACH BABY - The First Class # 163 ( 52 ) YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHIN’ YET - Bachman-Turner Overdrive # 164 ( 58 ) ALL I WANT IS YOU - Roxy Music # 165 ( NEW ) DON’T BE CRUEL - MIke Berry # 6566 ( NEW ) PLAY ME LIKE YOU PLAY YOUR GUITAR - Duane Eddy & The Rebelettes # 6667 ( NEW ) WILDFIRE - Michael Murphy # 6768 ( 47 ) NOW I’M HERE - Queen # 4769 ( 43 ) WE LOVE EACH OTHER - Charlie Rich # 4370 ( 67 ) SOUTH AFRICAN MAN - Hamilton Bohannon # 6771 ( 71 ) LOVE FINDS ITS OWN WAY - Gladys Knight & The Pips # 7172 ( 72 ) GAMES UP - Hello # 7273 ( NEW ) BLUE NIGHT - Hot Chocolate # 7374 ( NEW ) REMEMBER THE DAYS OF THE OLD SCHOOL-YARD - Linda Lewis # 7475 ( NEW ) FANCY PANTS - Kenny # 75
March 11Mar 11 Author 1st March 1975It's up to the top spot for Elton John as Philadelphia Freedom gives Reg a 6th Retro number one, while after the avalanche of new entries last week it's a more modest 5 new ones this week, but the number of chart-toppers from my original 1975 charts doesn't slow down as Joh Lennon's cover of Ben E King's classic Stand By Me drops in at 29 which went to my top spot where #9 Dream fell short at 4, but this time round it's looking like Stand By Me wont match #9 Dream's top-spot and top-10 status as it's overtaken in the new entry stakes by Sweet's first self-written rock track, Fox On The Run new at 18. To be fair, in a normal week it would have gone instant top 20, as would Skiing In The Snow at 33, from Wigans Ovation, a Northern Soul UK-made mini-gem.Suffice to say the chart is all over the place as multiple tracks compete at the top end, and not much happens down the lower end, bar a new entry for Morris Albert as Mexico charts Feelings ahead of the USA and 5 months ahead of the UK, grabbing number 67 here as The Goodies drop another childish nursery rhyme with The Funky Gibbon at 74. It's mildly amusing as a one-off, but really doesn't bear repeat hearings, either in 1975 or now. Unlike a B side later in the year taken from their TV show piss-take of Glam Rock, the final nail in the coffin for that genre.1 ( 2 ) PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM - Elton John Band # 12 ( 1 ) REACH OUT I’LL BE THERE - Gloria Gaynor # 13 ( 3 ) EL BIMBO - Bimbo Jets # 34 ( 6 ) MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel # 15 ( 5 ) JANUARY - Pilot # 16 ( 4 ) SWING YOUR DADDY - Jim Gilstrap # 47 ( 7 ) ONE DAY IN YOUR LIFE - Michael Jackson # 18 ( 13 ) BLANKET ON THE GROUND - Billie Jo Spears # 89 ( 10 ) #9 DREAM - John Lennon # 110 ( 11 ) SAVE ME - Silver Convention # 1011 ( 14 ) HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN MELLOW - Olivia Newton-John # 212 ( 16 ) JACKIE BLUE - The Ozark Mountain Daredevils # 413 ( 9 ) YOUR KISS IS SWEET - Syreeta # 514 ( 27 ) YOU SEXY THING - Hot Chocolate # 1415 ( 8 ) SUPERGIRL - Graham Bonney # 816 ( 25 ) YOUNG AMERICANS - David Bowie # 1617 ( 26 ) I CAN DO IT - The Rubettes # 1718 ( NEW ) FOX ON THE RUN - The Sweet # 1819 ( 21 ) ROLL ON DOWN THE HIGHWAY - Bachman-Turner Overdrive # 1920 ( 18 ) AUTOBAHN - Kraftwerk # 1821 ( 20 ) MY HEART’S SYMPHONY - Gary Lewis & The Playboys # 1222 ( 12 ) MY ELUSIVE DREAMS - Charlie Rich # 1223 ( 15 ) LOVIN' YOU - Minnie Ripperton # 124 ( 36 ) FELICITA TA TA - Raffaella Carra # 2425 ( 28 ) WHAT AM I GONNA DO WITH YOU - Barry White # 2526 ( 19 ) CHILD OF LOVE - Caston & Majors # 127 ( 17 ) I’M ON MY WAY - Dean Parrish # 728 ( 34 ) THE QUEEN OF 1964 - Neil Sedaka # 2829 ( NEW ) STAND BY ME - John Lennon # 2930 ( 22 ) L-O-V-E (LOVE) - Al Green # 2231 ( 29 ) BE MY BABY - The Ronettes # 132 ( 30 ) WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO? - Diana Ross & The Supremes # 333 ( NEW ) SKIING IN THE SNOW - Wigans Ovation # 3334 ( 33 ) GOODBYE MY LOVE - The Glitter Band # 935 ( 45 ) SLOW DOWN - Shabby Tiger # 3536 ( 31 ) SINCE I FOUND MY BABY - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 1537 ( 39 ) THE SECRETS THAT YOU KEEP - Mud # 3738 ( 46 ) LOVE ME LOVE MY DOG - Peter Shelley # 3839 ( 23 ) ONLY YOU AND ROCK AND ROLL - Redbone # 940 ( 24 ) WE’RE ALMOST THERE - Michael Jackson # 1641 ( 32 ) THE BARGAIN STORE - Dolly Parton # 2242 ( 41 ) CAN’T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD - Electric Light Orchestra # 143 ( 43 ) HOW DOES IT FEEL - Slade # 1044 ( 35 ) THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN - Lulu # 745 ( 40 ) THE ORINOCO KID - The Wombles # 1546 ( 47 ) SUPERNATURAL THING - Ben E. King # 4647 ( 57 ) LET ME BE THE ONE - The Shadows # 4748 ( 50 ) I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU - Gary Shearston # 149 ( 38 ) PURELY BY COINCIDENCE - Sweet Sensation # 2850 ( 42 ) THERE’S A WHOLE LOT OF LOVING - Guys & Dolls # 751 ( 53 ) SHINING STAR - Earth, Wind & Fire # 5152 ( 56 ) BYE BYE BABY - Bay City Rollers # 5253 ( 51 ) DRACULA’S DAUGHTER - Thunderthighs # 1254 ( 49 ) DISCO-TEKIN - Reunion # 2355 ( 44 ) STREET CORNER MUSIC - Dave Jordan # 3356 ( 59 ) NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE - Gloria Gaynor # 157 ( 66 ) PLAY ME LIKE YOU PLAY YOUR GUITAR - Duane Eddy & The Rebelettes # 5758 ( 48 ) DOWN DOWN - Status Quo # 559 ( 52 ) I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU - ABBA # 160 ( 54 ) WALKING IN RHYTHM - The Blackbyrds # 461 ( 67 ) WILDFIRE - Michael Murphy # 6162 ( 58 ) HOLD ON TO LOVE - Peter Skellern # 5863 ( 55 ) I’LL TAKE A MELODY - The Hues Corporation # 3964 ( 74 ) REMEMBER THE DAYS OF THE OLD SCHOOL-YARD - Linda Lewis # 6465 ( 65 ) DON’T BE CRUEL - MIke Berry # 6566 ( 37 ) THEN I CHANGE HANDS - Mick Robertson # 2167 ( NEW ) FEELINGS - Morris Albert # 6768 ( 70 ) SOUTH AFRICAN MAN - Hamilton Bohannon # 6769 ( 60 ) FLY NOW - Brian Protheroe # 4070 ( 61 ) HITCHIN’ A RIDE ’75 - Paper Lace # 4871 ( 71 ) LOVE FINDS ITS OWN WAY - Gladys Knight & The Pips # 7172 ( 72 ) GAMES UP - Hello # 7273 ( 73 ) BLUE NIGHT - Hot Chocolate # 7374 ( NEW ) THE FUNKY GIBBON - The Goodies # 7475 ( 75 ) FANCY PANTS - Kenny # 75
March 18Mar 18 Author 8th March 1975It's another week, another 1975 personal chart number entering the fray - the entire top 5 did it at the time, 3 of them spread out later in the year - as Ray Stevens drops his cover of Johnny Mathis' signature ballad Misty, and he does it upbeat country stylee with fab slide guitars and suchlike. To me at the time, it was like Country music just got a much-needed kick up the arse, and Ray Stevens got his second number one then and now since Everything Is Beautiful in 1970 did it in my retro and original charts. It's a bit early for the UK, as Misty was the sound of the scorching summer of '75. Popular memory has 1976 as the long, hot summer - as indeed it was, right into August from an early start and droughts galore - but 1975 was also a hot one, albeit not for as long. Meanwhile John Lennon's Stand By Me is up to 4 as 9 Dream drops out of the top 10, The Sweet get their biggest since Teenage Rampage at 6, Hot Chocolate make it a 7th top 10 at 7, and the fun Northern Soul original Skiing In The Snow is at 8 for Wigans Ovation. Lower down Lulu joins herself in the chart with low-key disco vibe Take Your Mama For A Ride underlining her genre-hopping from Bowie Glam, Bond blockbuster, to this - Lulu survived as a music icon by morphing, you name it she'd do it: Soul, funk, Beat Music, movie ballad, pop, Country, 90's Boyband and back to her main love, Soul-dance, for most of her career since the mid 90's. Roger Whittaker gets an early start with his The Last Farewell, now charting in one of the global charts of this week then, but his UK comeback will wait until the autumn, Earth, Wind & Fire join themselves with the title track of their new album (and future single) That's The Way Of The World, Diana Ross is sounding a bit Country ballad on Sorry Doesn't Always Make It Right, T.Rex drop Bolan's Zip Gun album a bit late after the two singles underperformed, but there was one track that should have been the single instead of Zip Gun Boogie: Think Zinc. George McCrae continues to make hay while the chart shines in the UK, Sing A Happy Song, and there's a bunch of follow-up minor tracks from Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes, Helen Reddy, Lynsey De Paul, Tony Orlando & Dawn and The Javells featuring Nosmo King. The Lynsey & Nosmo tracks are not on Spotify so Youtube it is then...1 ( NEW ) MISTY - Ray Stevens # 12 ( 3 ) EL BIMBO - Bimbo Jets # 23 ( 2 ) REACH OUT I’LL BE THERE - Gloria Gaynor # 14 ( 29 ) STAND BY ME - John Lennon # 45 ( 1 ) PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM - Elton John Band # 16 ( 18 ) FOX ON THE RUN - The Sweet # 67 ( 14 ) YOU SEXY THING - Hot Chocolate # 78 ( 33 ) SKIING IN THE SNOW - Wigans Ovation # 89 ( 7 ) ONE DAY IN YOUR LIFE - Michael Jackson # 110 ( 6 ) SWING YOUR DADDY - Jim Gilstrap # 411 ( 4 ) MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel # 112 ( 9 ) #9 DREAM - John Lennon # 113 ( 11 ) HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN MELLOW - Olivia Newton-John # 214 ( 12 ) JACKIE BLUE - The Ozark Mountain Daredevils # 415 ( 17 ) I CAN DO IT - The Rubettes # 1516 ( 8 ) BLANKET ON THE GROUND - Billie Jo Spears # 817 ( 24 ) FELICITA TA TA - Raffaella Carra # 1718 ( 5 ) JANUARY - Pilot # 119 ( 10 ) SAVE ME - Silver Convention # 1020 ( 15 ) SUPERGIRL - Graham Bonney # 821 ( 16 ) YOUNG AMERICANS - David Bowie # 1622 ( 19 ) ROLL ON DOWN THE HIGHWAY - Bachman-Turner Overdrive # 1923 ( 35 ) SLOW DOWN - Shabby Tiger # 2324 ( 13 ) YOUR KISS IS SWEET - Syreeta # 525 ( 20 ) AUTOBAHN - Kraftwerk # 1826 ( 21 ) MY HEART’S SYMPHONY - Gary Lewis & The Playboys # 1227 ( 23 ) LOVIN' YOU - Minnie Ripperton # 128 ( 37 ) THE SECRETS THAT YOU KEEP - Mud # 2829 ( 22 ) MY ELUSIVE DREAMS - Charlie Rich # 1230 ( 38 ) LOVE ME LOVE MY DOG - Peter Shelley # 3031 ( 26 ) CHILD OF LOVE - Caston & Majors # 132 ( 25 ) WHAT AM I GONNA DO WITH YOU - Barry White # 2533 ( 31 ) BE MY BABY - The Ronettes # 134 ( 32 ) WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO? - Diana Ross & The Supremes # 335 ( 36 ) SINCE I FOUND MY BABY - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 1536 ( 34 ) GOODBYE MY LOVE - The Glitter Band # 937 ( 30 ) L-O-V-E (LOVE) - Al Green # 2238 ( 27 ) I’M ON MY WAY - Dean Parrish # 739 ( 52 ) BYE BYE BABY - Bay City Rollers # 3940 ( 28 ) THE QUEEN OF 1964 - Neil Sedaka # 2841 ( 39 ) ONLY YOU AND ROCK AND ROLL - Redbone # 942 ( 42 ) CAN’T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD - Electric Light Orchestra # 143 ( 43 ) HOW DOES IT FEEL - Slade # 1044 ( 44 ) THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN - Lulu # 745 ( 45 ) THE ORINOCO KID - The Wombles # 1546 ( 51 ) SHINING STAR - Earth, Wind & Fire # 4647 ( 47 ) LET ME BE THE ONE - The Shadows # 4748 ( 48 ) I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU - Gary Shearston # 149 ( 65 ) DON’T BE CRUEL - MIke Berry # 4950 ( 57 ) PLAY ME LIKE YOU PLAY YOUR GUITAR - Duane Eddy & The Rebelettes # 5051 ( 53 ) DRACULA’S DAUGHTER - Thunderthighs # 1252 ( NEW ) TAKE YOUR MAMA FOR A RIDE - Lulu # 5253 ( 46 ) SUPERNATURAL THING - Ben E. King # 4654 ( 50 ) THERE’S A WHOLE LOT OF LOVING - Guys & Dolls # 755 ( 40 ) WE’RE ALMOST THERE - Michael Jackson # 1656 ( 56 ) NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE - Gloria Gaynor # 157 ( 55 ) STREET CORNER MUSIC - Dave Jordan # 3358 ( 61 ) WILDFIRE - Michael Murphy # 5859 ( 49 ) PURELY BY COINCIDENCE - Sweet Sensation # 2860 ( 62 ) HOLD ON TO LOVE - Peter Skellern # 5861 ( NEW ) THE LAST FAREWELL - Roger Whittaker # 6162 ( NEW ) THAT’S THE WAY OF THE WORLD - Earth, Wind & Fire # 6263 ( 41 ) THE BARGAIN STORE - Dolly Parton # 2264 ( 58 ) DOWN DOWN - Status Quo # 565 ( 67 ) FEELINGS - Morris Albert # 6566 ( 64 ) REMEMBER THE DAYS OF THE OLD SCHOOL-YARD - Linda Lewis # 6467 ( 73 ) BLUE NIGHT - Hot Chocolate # 6768 ( NEW ) SORRY DOESN’T ALWAYS MAKE IT RIGHT - Diana Ross # 6869 ( NEW ) THINK ZINC - T.Rex # 6970 ( NEW ) SING A HAPPY SONG - George McCrae # 7071 ( NEW ) LOVIN’ YOU IS EASY - The Javells featuring Nosmo King # 7172 ( NEW ) BAD LUCK PART 1 - Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes # 7273 ( NEW ) HE DON’T LOVE YOU (LIKE I LOVE YOU) - Tony Orlando & Dawn # 7374 ( NEW ) MY MAN AND ME - Lynsey De Paul # 7475 ( NEW ) FREE AND EASY - Helen Reddy # 75
March 18Mar 18 1975 was amazing year for Lynsey De Paul. She had three # 1 singles (My Man And Me, Rhythm And Blue Jean Baby, Happy Christmas To You From Me).
March 19Mar 19 Author 19 hours ago, Last Dreamer said:1975 was amazing year for Lynsey De Paul. She had three # 1 singles (My Man And Me, Rhythm And Blue Jean Baby, Happy Christmas To You From Me).A shame commercially she was on the decline in 1975, and odd that almost nothing from her career after she changed labels in 1974 is on Spotify, not even the big hits.
March 21Mar 21 On 19/03/2025 at 15:06, Popchartfreak said:A shame commercially she was on the decline in 1975, and odd that almost nothing from her career after she changed labels in 1974 is on Spotify, not even the big hits.Same for Twiggy, YVA and many other my favourites. That's why I prefer Youtube. Spotify is good only for big acts or current (mostly English language) music.
March 25Mar 25 Author 15th March 1975It's 2 weeks on top for Ray Stevens as another bumper crop of new entries brings yet another 2 chart-toppers from my original 1975 charts entering at 2 and 3, over half the top 20 have topped my charts in 1975 or later, and not all of them have this time round being as they have all collided. In at 2 it's KC & The Sunshine Band's US chart-topper Get Down Tonight, their 3rd top 3 in my retro charts, back in the day it was second personal chart for KC after Queen Of Clubs (which has also topped the retro charts) not to mention his George McCrae classic Rock Your Baby. Get Down Tonight is at the grittier and funkier end of disco. New at 3, 1968's Honey hit the number 2 spot again in the UK charts, and topped my charts due to my feeling shocked and sad at the death of a classmate in a motorbike accident, it just fit the mood. In my retro 1968 chart it peaked at 6, obviously even more chart competition than in 1975.There was a low-key new Rock musical out in 1975: the film version of the 1973 horror romp The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The film achieved cult status by 1980, as shown in the stark film Fame, people dressing up and joining in at showings at the cinema. That tradition still continues. Camp, joyous, naughty, ground-breaking, gruesome, and Tim Curry is amazing as Frank N Furter, Meatloaf rocks, Christopher Biggins has a cameo, Charles Gray, Barry Bostwick and Susan Sarandon have a laugh, and creator Richard O'Brien is huge fun as Riff Raff, pre-Crystal Maze fame. There are two especially iconic moments in the film: The Time Warp, a future hit in the 80's for Damien (but the original is the greatest) is in at 8, and Sweet Transvestite in at 33.The Rubettes get a 3rd top 10, Clifford T. Ward returns with another goodie, Jigsaw Girl flopped sadly, but it's great and a single I bought at the time and played a lot, in at 17, while the sweet Wonderful Baby is in at 18 for Don McLean, also a UK flop, but a great 40's sounding-song and low-key tasteful and melodic. A lot of ballads got lost in the Glam/Disco climate of the time. One that didn't was the delightfully French A Little Love & Understanding from French singer Gilbert Becaud, playful and engaging, in at 23. At 36 The McCoys 1966 hit Hang On Sloopy is back in the shops and being plugged in music press adverts, and in my charts of the time. Catchy and fun, and one I vaguely had heard before but never noticed.10cc dropped the lead single off their new, much-more-serious, album The Original Soundtrack, Life Is A Minestrone though was more like an early album track, but all the food references put me off it at the time, so it under-performed compared to all previous singles. Still brilliantly-produced and witty, and in at 53, but still not a huge fave unlike the album track that will be the next single once an edit gets sorted. In the meantime the rather nice The Film Of My Love drops in lower down from the album, with Graham Gouldman on lead for a change, fitting the retro vibe nicely. I saw Graham on 10cc's final (?) tour recently, still fab, and on Radio 2 the other week with a guesting Kevin Godley.The Carpenters return with a new song that sounds like an old song, Only Yesterday is nice enough at 67, and for those that like comedy records (I'm in a minority there) there's Yin & Yan covering Telly Savalas' spoken-word reading of Bread's If - poor David Gates is the only one that didn't get a hit in the UK with that song! The song imagines a camp record-producer having a run-through in the studio with Telly as if he were TV cop Theo Kojak, just before he records the final version with backing singers. It's amusing and beautifully done, but some will hate it, and you need to have watched the show - huge in 1974/75 everywhere (eg for the lollipop references, his catchphrase from the show).That leaves Bowie's guitarist and often-creator/helper Mick Ronson's solo track Billy Porter, sounding very mid-60's quirkily British, a Chi-Lites UK single that didn't catch-on and one I don't recall ever hearing, it's not on either of their comprehensive hits CD's I have, and a European hit cover of Little Eva & Big Dee Irwin's early 60's hit, Swinging On A Star from Spooky & Sue. Not a UK hit either, but the song was a huge kiddie fave, loved it, and it was a regular on Junior's Choice radio show well into the late 70's.1 ( 1 ) MISTY - Ray Stevens # 12 ( NEW ) GET DOWN TONIGHT - KC & The Sunshine Band # 23 ( NEW ) HONEY - Bobby Goldsboro # 34 ( 3 ) REACH OUT I’LL BE THERE - Gloria Gaynor # 15 ( 8 ) SKIING IN THE SNOW - Wigans Ovation # 56 ( 5 ) PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM - Elton John Band # 17 ( 7 ) YOU SEXY THING - Hot Chocolate # 78 ( NEW ) THE TIME WARP - Richard O’Brien, Patricia Quinn, Little Nell & Cast # 89 ( 2 ) EL BIMBO - Bimbo Jets # 210 ( 15 ) I CAN DO IT - The Rubettes # 1011 ( 6 ) FOX ON THE RUN - The Sweet # 612 ( 9 ) ONE DAY IN YOUR LIFE - Michael Jackson # 113 ( 10 ) SWING YOUR DADDY - Jim Gilstrap # 414 ( 4 ) STAND BY ME - John Lennon # 415 ( 12 ) #9 DREAM - John Lennon # 116 ( 14 ) JACKIE BLUE - The Ozark Mountain Daredevils # 417 (NEW) JIGSAW GIRL - Clifford T.Ward # 1718 (NEW) WONDERFUL BABY - Don McLean # 1819 ( 30 ) LOVE ME LOVE MY DOG - Peter Shelley # 1920 ( 18 ) JANUARY - Pilot # 121 ( 20 ) SUPERGIRL - Graham Bonney # 822 ( 11 ) MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel # 123 ( NEW ) A LITTLE LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING - Gilbert Becaud # 2324 ( 25 ) AUTOBAHN - Kraftwerk # 1825 ( 16 ) BLANKET ON THE GROUND - Billie Jo Spears # 826 ( 19 ) SAVE ME - Silver Convention # 1027 ( 23 ) SLOW DOWN - Shabby Tiger # 2328 ( 24 ) YOUR KISS IS SWEET - Syreeta # 529 ( 26 ) MY HEART’S SYMPHONY - Gary Lewis & The Playboys # 1230 ( 39 ) BYE BYE BABY - Bay City Rollers # 3031 ( 13 ) HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN MELLOW - Olivia Newton-John # 232 ( 34 ) WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO? - Diana Ross & The Supremes # 333 ( NEW ) SWEET TRANSVESTITE - Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon & Barry Bostwick # 3334 ( 22 ) ROLL ON DOWN THE HIGHWAY - Bachman-Turner Overdrive # 1935 ( 17 ) FELICITA TA TA - Raffaella Carra # 1736 ( NEW ) HANG ON SLOOPY - The McCoys # 3637 ( 21 ) YOUNG AMERICANS - David Bowie # 1638 ( 27 ) LOVIN' YOU - Minnie Ripperton # 139 ( 32 ) WHAT AM I GONNA DO WITH YOU - Barry White # 2540 ( 31 ) CHILD OF LOVE - Caston & Majors # 141 ( 35 ) SINCE I FOUND MY BABY - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 1542 ( 62 ) THAT’S THE WAY OF THE WORLD - Earth, Wind & Fire # 4243 ( 47 ) LET ME BE THE ONE - The Shadows # 4344 ( 36 ) GOODBYE MY LOVE - The Glitter Band # 945 ( 52 ) TAKE YOUR MAMA FOR A RIDE - Lulu # 4546 ( 49 ) DON’T BE CRUEL - MIke Berry # 4647 ( 46 ) SHINING STAR - Earth, Wind & Fire # 4648 ( 33 ) BE MY BABY - The Ronettes # 149 ( 41 ) ONLY YOU AND ROCK AND ROLL - Redbone # 950 ( 50 ) PLAY ME LIKE YOU PLAY YOUR GUITAR - Duane Eddy & The Rebelettes # 5051 ( 43 ) HOW DOES IT FEEL - Slade # 1052 ( 45 ) THE ORINOCO KID - The Wombles # 1553 ( NEW ) LIFE IS A MINESTRONE - 10cc # 5354 ( 38 ) I’M ON MY WAY - Dean Parrish # 755 ( 28 ) THE SECRETS THAT YOU KEEP - Mud # 2856 ( 61 ) THE LAST FAREWELL - Roger Whittaker # 5657 ( 42 ) CAN’T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD - Electric Light Orchestra # 158 ( 48 ) I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU - Gary Shearston # 159 ( 51 ) DRACULA’S DAUGHTER - Thunderthighs # 1260 ( NEW ) IT’S ONLY ME YOU’VE LEFT BEHIND - Cliff Richard # 6061 ( 29 ) MY ELUSIVE DREAMS - Charlie Rich # 1262 ( 37 ) L-O-V-E (LOVE) - Al Green # 2263 ( 56 ) NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE - Gloria Gaynor # 164 ( 44 ) THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN - Lulu # 765 ( 40 ) THE QUEEN OF 1964 - Neil Sedaka # 2866 ( 58 ) WILDFIRE - Michael Murphy # 5867 ( NEW ) ONLY YESTERDAY - Carpenters # 6768 ( 66 ) REMEMBER THE DAYS OF THE OLD SCHOOL-YARD - Linda Lewis # 6469 ( NEW ) IF - Yin & Yan # 6970 ( 65 ) FEELINGS - Morris Albert # 6571 ( 60 ) HOLD ON TO LOVE - Peter Skellern # 5872 ( 70 ) SING A HAPPY SONG - George McCrae # 7073 ( 72 ) BAD LUCK PART 1 - Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes # 7274 ( NEW ) THE FILM OF MY LOVE - 10cc # 7475 ( 73 ) HE DON’T LOVE YOU (LIKE I LOVE YOU) - Tony Orlando & Dawn # 7376 ( NEW ) BILLY PORTER - Mick Ronson # 7677 ( 68 ) SORRY DOESN’T ALWAYS MAKE IT RIGHT - Diana Ross # 6878 ( 69 ) THINK ZINC - T.Rex # 6979 ( NEW ) I FORGOT TO SAY I LOVE YOU TILL I’M GONE - The Chi-Lites # 7980 ( NEW ) SWINGING ON A STAR - Spooky and Sue # 80
April 1Apr 1 Author 22nd March 1975It's a first week on top for KC as the exciting funk disco classic Get Down Tonight gives KC a second band chart-topper after Queen Of Clubs: a US number one this huge fave of mine under-performed in the UK, peaking outside the top 20, though I felt justified in the 2000's when it was seriously chopped up and sampled for a big UK dance hit Bamboogie. The highest new entry is from Grand Funk Railroad, a great song called Bad Time, later covered in the 90's by The Jayhawks, neither version a UK hit, annoyingly. New at 42, while America return with Sister Golden Hair, at 61 a future US chart-topper, and needless to say not a UK hit, America didn't make the UK charts again until 1982. I have the vinyl Greatest Hits even if no-one else in the UK does...Making the club charts in New York it's future minor UK hit Dynomite, a funk goodie that was forgotten soon as it dropped out the charts never to be played again. Pity. Tony Camillo's Bazuka is new at 62, while a few places lower Albert Hammond is back yet again a great song - the non-hit (of course) 99 Miles From LA, later covered by Art Garfunkel around 1979, and a better version than Albert's, but hey he wrote it! Gladys Knight in concert is amazing, flawless vocally, so it's fair enough she grabbed at long last a big UK hit with The Way We Were, a live cover of the Barbara Streisand movie theme song, coupled with an intro Try To Remember, where every word remains relevant to every generation. New at 67 and retro charting since 1967.Justin Hayward & John Lodge take a Moody Blues break for a new album, the first single off it flopped sadly, but it's rather nice and in at 69, I Dreamed Last Night. Justin has a great version of Life In A Northern Town out at the moment, with Mike Batt doing the production honours and backing vocals. Behind it at 70 Barry Mann, of Missus Mann & Weil hit songwriters and Who Put The Bomp hitmaker, returns with a good track I've never heard of, written & produced by a couple of the then-current-line-up of The Beach Boys, Nothing Goods Comes Easy. Clearly it doesn't as it sank without trace. Robert Knight continues his mini-comeback with a great new track, The Outsider, which not only sank without trace, it seems to be pretty unavailable anywhere in a decent version, Alice Cooper drops his UK flop ballad, Only Women Bleed, which was a hit in the US, but a later hit in the UK for Julie Covington, a much better version told from a female point of view. Betty Wright returns after the Shoorah with Where Is The Love, Polly Brown drops another solo flop, sadly, but it's OK, ditto The Pioneers, and ditto The Hues Corporation. All of them will be dropped by record labels before too long, as was the reward for flopping in those days. OK, just for a bit of fun - who in this chart have I seen live? Brian Connolly's Sweet, Elton John, Michael Jackson, Mary Wilson of The Supremes, 10cc minus Godley & Creme, and also minus Eric Stewart three times, Lulu, Olivia Newton-John, Cliff Richard, David Bowie twice, Albert Hammond, Les Gray's Mud, Gladys Knight & The Pips, The Moody Blues, Alice Cooper, The Chi-Lites minus Eugene Record, and I had tickets for Steve Harley but sadly he died after having to postpone the tour.1 ( 2 ) GET DOWN TONIGHT - KC & The Sunshine Band # 12 ( 1 ) MISTY - Ray Stevens # 13 ( 3 ) HONEY - Bobby Goldsboro # 34 ( 4 ) REACH OUT I’LL BE THERE - Gloria Gaynor # 15 ( 5 ) SKIING IN THE SNOW - Wigans Ovation # 56 ( 11 ) FOX ON THE RUN - The Sweet # 67 ( 6 ) PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM - Elton John Band # 18 ( 8 ) THE TIME WARP - Richard O’Brien, Patricia Quinn, Little Nell, Charles Gray & Cast # 89 ( 10 ) I CAN DO IT - The Rubettes # 910 ( 12 ) ONE DAY IN YOUR LIFE - Michael Jackson # 111 ( 7 ) YOU SEXY THING - Hot Chocolate # 712 ( 9 ) EL BIMBO - Bimbo Jets # 213 ( 14 ) STAND BY ME - John Lennon # 414 ( 15 ) #9 DREAM - John Lennon # 115 ( 17 ) JIGSAW GIRL - Clifford T.Ward # 1516 ( 18 ) WONDERFUL BABY - Don McLean # 1617 ( 16 ) JACKIE BLUE - The Ozark Mountain Daredevils # 418 ( 30 ) BYE BYE BABY - Bay City Rollers # 1819 ( 42 ) THAT’S THE WAY OF THE WORLD - Earth, Wind & Fire # 1920 ( 23 ) A LITTLE LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING - Gilbert Becaud # 2021 ( 24 ) AUTOBAHN - Kraftwerk # 1822 ( 29 ) MY HEART’S SYMPHONY - Gary Lewis & The Playboys # 1223 ( 21 ) SUPERGIRL - Graham Bonney # 824 ( 13 ) SWING YOUR DADDY - Jim Gilstrap # 425 ( 25 ) BLANKET ON THE GROUND - Billie Jo Spears # 826 ( 36 ) HANG ON SLOOPY - The McCoys # 2627 ( 19 ) LOVE ME LOVE MY DOG - Peter Shelley # 1928 ( 33 ) SWEET TRANSVESTITE - Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon & Barry Bostwick # 2829 ( 20 ) JANUARY - Pilot # 130 ( 22 ) MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel # 131 ( 32 ) WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO? - Diana Ross & The Supremes # 332 ( 28 ) YOUR KISS IS SWEET - Syreeta # 533 ( 26 ) SAVE ME - Silver Convention # 1034 ( 38 ) LOVIN' YOU - Minnie Ripperton # 135 ( 40 ) CHILD OF LOVE - Caston & Majors # 136 ( 44 ) GOODBYE MY LOVE - The Glitter Band # 937 ( 34 ) ROLL ON DOWN THE HIGHWAY - Bachman-Turner Overdrive # 1938 ( 43 ) LET ME BE THE ONE - The Shadows # 3839 ( 53 ) LIFE IS A MINESTRONE - 10cc # 3940 ( 45 ) TAKE YOUR MAMA FOR A RIDE - Lulu # 4041 ( 27 ) SLOW DOWN - Shabby Tiger # 2342 ( NEW ) BAD TIME - Grand Funk Railroad # 4243 ( 48 ) BE MY BABY - The Ronettes # 144 ( 35 ) FELICITA TA TA - Raffaella Carra # 1745 ( 52 ) THE ORINOCO KID - The Wombles # 1546 ( 31 ) HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN MELLOW - Olivia Newton-John # 247 ( 39 ) WHAT AM I GONNA DO WITH YOU - Barry White # 2548 ( 41 ) SINCE I FOUND MY BABY - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 1549 ( 60 ) IT’S ONLY ME YOU’VE LEFT BEHIND - Cliff Richard # 4950 ( 67 ) ONLY YESTERDAY - Carpenters # 5051 ( 56 ) THE LAST FAREWELL - Roger Whittaker # 5152 ( 57 ) CAN’T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD - Electric Light Orchestra # 153 ( 37 ) YOUNG AMERICANS - David Bowie # 1654 ( 46 ) DON’T BE CRUEL - Mike Berry # 4655 ( 58 ) I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU - Gary Shearston # 156 ( 59 ) DRACULA’S DAUGHTER - Thunderthighs # 1257 ( 51 ) HOW DOES IT FEEL - Slade # 1058 ( 49 ) ONLY YOU AND ROCK AND ROLL - Redbone # 959 ( 47 ) SHINING STAR - Earth, Wind & Fire # 4660 ( 54 ) I’M ON MY WAY - Dean Parrish # 761 ( NEW ) SISTER GOLDEN HAIR - America # 6162 ( NEW ) DYNOMITE - Tony Camilla’s Bazuka # 6263 ( 69 ) IF - Yin & Yan # 6364 ( NEW ) 99 MILES FROM L.A. - Albert Hammond # 6465 ( 76 ) BILLY PORTER - Mick Ronson # 6566 ( 55 ) THE SECRETS THAT YOU KEEP - Mud # 2867 ( NEW ) TRY TO REMEMBER/ THE WAY WE WERE - Gladys Knight # 6768 ( 50 ) PLAY ME LIKE YOU PLAY YOUR GUITAR - Duane Eddy & The Rebelettes # 5069 ( NEW ) I DREAMED LAST NIGHT - Justin Hayward & John Lodge # 6970 ( NEW ) NOTHING GOOD COMES EASY - Barry Mann # 7071 ( 74 ) THE FILM OF MY LOVE - 10cc # 7172 ( 75 ) HE DON’T LOVE YOU (LIKE I LOVE YOU) - Tony Orlando & Dawn # 7273 ( NEW ) THE OUTSIDER - Robert Knight # 7374 ( NEW ) ONLY WOMEN BLEED - Alice Cooper # 7475 ( NEW ) WHERE IS THE LOVE - Betty Wright # 7576 ( 79 ) I FORGOT TO SAY I LOVE YOU TILL I’M GONE - The Chi-Lites # 7677 ( 80 ) SWINGING ON A STAR - Spooky and Sue # 7778 ( NEW ) DIAL ‘L’ FOR LOVE - Polly Brown # 7879 ( NEW ) SWEET NUMBER ONE - The Pioneers # 7980 ( NEW ) LOVE CORPORATION - The Hues Corporation # 80
April 8Apr 8 Author 29th March 1975It's 2 weeks on top for KC as The Sweet climb up to look like the closest threat, as Fox On The Run is at 3. Bay City Rollers get a first top 10 since Manana in 1972, and Grand Funk Railroad's Bad Time leaps up to 10 from outside the top 40, sounding great on repeat. The highest new entry is the Eurovision winner, it was the track I went big on on the night, much as I liked The Shadows' runner-up, which appropriately enough climbs to 18 as The Netherlands' Teach-In debut Ding-A-Dong at 17. It's cheese, but it topped my chart in 1975 and it's still fun.Old faves Middle Of The Road continue to be ignored by UK radio but Europe still likes them, and so did I, as their final decent single Hitchin' A Ride In The Moonlight pops in at 61, just ahead of a sound-alike follow-up for The Glitter Band, The Tears I Cried being Goodbye My Love part 2, but not as good. The Three Degrees drop back into sultry lush Philly ballad groove after failing to follow-up When Will I See You Again, and are rewarded with a UK hit, Take Good Care Of Yourself at 65.In the USA Don Williams releases You're My Best Friend, which would take another 12 months to become a Country hit in the UK, but I'm as ever in early in these retro charts. Kiki Dee meanwhile covers Nancy Wilson's How Glad I Am rock-stylee, and it's decent enough, but Ralph McTell opts from a very not folk-song follow-up to Streets Of London. El Progresso was a strange choice, though I do like it. Pilot manage to do the unlikely: sabotage their own career by not re-issuing Just A Smile as the follow-up to January (that came later after the damage was done) and dropping the ordinary Call Me Round ("OK! You're Round"). Sylvia tried for another Spanish holiday hit with Hasta La Vista, Arnold Schwarzenegger was taking notes, baby. Lastly Al Downing enters with a song I've never heard before. 1 ( 1 ) GET DOWN TONIGHT - KC & The Sunshine Band # 12 ( 2 ) MISTY - Ray Stevens # 13 ( 6 ) FOX ON THE RUN - The Sweet # 34 ( 5 ) SKIING IN THE SNOW - Wigans Ovation # 45 ( 8 ) THE TIME WARP - Richard O’Brien, Patricia Quinn, Little Nell, Charles Gray & Cast # 56 ( 3 ) HONEY - Bobby Goldsboro # 37 ( 4 ) REACH OUT I’LL BE THERE - Gloria Gaynor # 18 ( 7 ) PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM - Elton John Band # 19 ( 18 ) BYE BYE BABY - Bay City Rollers # 910 ( 42 ) BAD TIME - Grand Funk Railroad # 1011 ( 15 ) JIGSAW GIRL - Clifford T.Ward # 1112 ( 19 ) THAT’S THE WAY OF THE WORLD - Earth, Wind & Fire # 1213 ( 20 ) A LITTLE LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING - Gilbert Becaud # 1314 ( 10 ) ONE DAY IN YOUR LIFE - Michael Jackson # 115 ( 11 ) YOU SEXY THING - Hot Chocolate # 716 ( 12 ) EL BIMBO - Bimbo Jets # 217 ( NEW ) DING-A-DONG - Teach-In # 1718 ( 38 ) LET ME BE THE ONE - The Shadows # 1819 ( 16 ) WONDERFUL BABY - Don McLean # 1620 ( 17 ) JACKIE BLUE - The Ozark Mountain Daredevils # 421 ( 23 ) SUPERGIRL - Graham Bonney # 822 ( 28 ) SWEET TRANSVESTITE - Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon & Barry Bostwick # 2223 ( 27 ) LOVE ME LOVE MY DOG - Peter Shelley # 1924 ( 26 ) HANG ON SLOOPY - The McCoys # 2425 ( 9 ) I CAN DO IT - The Rubettes # 926 ( 13 ) STAND BY ME - John Lennon # 427 ( 24 ) SWING YOUR DADDY - Jim Gilstrap # 428 ( 14 ) #9 DREAM - John Lennon # 129 ( 31 ) WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO? - Diana Ross & The Supremes # 330 ( 21 ) AUTOBAHN - Kraftwerk # 1831 ( 34 ) LOVIN' YOU - Minnie Ripperton # 132 ( 35 ) CHILD OF LOVE - Caston & Majors # 133 ( 29 ) JANUARY - Pilot # 134 ( 30 ) MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel # 135 ( 39 ) LIFE IS A MINESTRONE - 10cc # 3536 ( 22 ) MY HEART’S SYMPHONY - Gary Lewis & The Playboys # 1237 ( 49 ) IT’S ONLY ME YOU’VE LEFT BEHIND - Cliff Richard # 3738 ( 50 ) ONLY YESTERDAY - Carpenters # 3839 ( 40 ) TAKE YOUR MAMA FOR A RIDE - Lulu # 3940 ( 32 ) YOUR KISS IS SWEET - Syreeta # 541 ( 43 ) BE MY BABY - The Ronettes # 142 ( 41 ) SLOW DOWN - Shabby Tiger # 2343 ( 36 ) GOODBYE MY LOVE - The Glitter Band # 944 ( 25 ) BLANKET ON THE GROUND - Billie Jo Spears # 845 ( 47 ) WHAT AM I GONNA DO WITH YOU - Barry White # 2546 ( 45 ) THE ORINOCO KID - The Wombles # 1547 ( 46 ) HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN MELLOW - Olivia Newton-John # 248 ( 53 ) YOUNG AMERICANS - David Bowie # 1649 ( 51 ) THE LAST FAREWELL - Roger Whittaker # 4950 ( 55 ) I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU - Gary Shearston # 151 ( 48 ) SINCE I FOUND MY BABY - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 1552 ( 61 ) SISTER GOLDEN HAIR - America # 5253 ( 65 ) BILLY PORTER - Mick Ronson # 5354 ( 74 ) ONLY WOMEN BLEED - Alice Cooper # 5455 ( 54 ) DON’T BE CRUEL - Mike Berry # 4656 ( 52 ) CAN’T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD - Electric Light Orchestra # 157 ( 69 ) I DREAMED LAST NIGHT - Justin Hayward & John Lodge # 5758 ( 33 ) SAVE ME - Silver Convention # 1059 ( 37 ) ROLL ON DOWN THE HIGHWAY - Bachman-Turner Overdrive # 1960 ( 64 ) 99 MILES FROM L.A. - Albert Hammond # 6061 ( NEW ) HITCHING A RIDE IN THE MOONLIGHT - Middle Of The Road # 6162 ( NEW ) THE TEARS I CRIED - The Glitter Band # 6263 ( 62 ) DYNOMITE - Tony Camilla’s Bazuka # 6264 ( 63 ) IF - Yin & Yan # 6365 ( NEW ) TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOURSELF - The Three Degrees # 6566 ( 71 ) THE FILM OF MY LOVE - 10cc # 6667 ( 67 ) TRY TO REMEMBER/ THE WAY WE WERE - Gladys Knight & The Pips # 6768 ( 44 ) FELICITA TA TA - Raffaella Carra # 1769 ( 78 ) DIAL ‘L’ FOR LOVE - Polly Brown # 6970 ( 75 ) WHERE IS THE LOVE - Betty Wright # 7071 ( 77 ) SWINGING ON A STAR - Spooky and Sue # 7172 ( NEW ) YOU’RE MY BEST FRIEND - Don Williams # 7273 ( NEW ) (YOU DON’T KNOW) HOW GLAD I AM - The Kiki Dee Band # 7374 ( 70 ) NOTHING GOOD COMES EASY - Barry Mann # 7075 ( 73 ) THE OUTSIDER - Robert Knight # 7376 ( 76 ) I FORGOT TO SAY I LOVE YOU TILL I’M GONE - The Chi-Lites # 7677 ( NEW ) EL PROGRESSO - Ralph McTell # 7778 ( NEW ) CALL ME ROUND - Pilot # 7879 ( NEW ) HASTA LA VISTA - Sylvia # 7980 ( NEW ) I’LL BE HOLDING ON - Al Downing # 80
April 15Apr 15 Author 5th April 1975It's up 3 to the top spot for the best new record to come out of the British Northern Soul movement: Wigan's Ovation's Skiing In The Snow - well there would be come the heavy snows over Winter 1975/76, I've got the photos to prove it was perfectly possible to ski down our road in Mansfield. If you didn't mind hitting traffic. It's a bop of a record with a great intro, it's a great shame it's been forgotten by all. There are also another 2 of my original 1975 number ones debuting courtesy of the US charts - at this rate there will be none left for the summer! Van McCoy's classic disco smash therefore drops in early at 8, for the Hustle, while Captain & Tennille's cover of Neil Sedaka's Love Will Keep Us Together is in at 13. Both tracks topped my chart over the early hot summer, and also did so in the USA.Meanwhile Disco Tex with added Sir Monti Rock III, comes back with another fun disco wheeze, I Wanna Dance Wit' Choo in at 18, having peaked at 2 in my charts of the time, one slot lower than Get Dancin'. In a quiet week there are just 2 lower-end entries: Stephanie De Sykes gets a third chart entry, including her Rain stuff, with ballad We'll Find Our Day - this song anticipates her future Eurovision entries as a songwriter for other acts. Finally, Mr Bloe is back and still Groovin' 5 years on from his UK hit, with a similar-sounding cover of Wilson Pickett's Land Of A Thousand Dances, one I don't recall hearing at the time but it's pretty good.1 ( 4 ) SKIING IN THE SNOW - Wigans Ovation # 12 ( 2 ) MISTY - Ray Stevens # 13 ( 1 ) GET DOWN TONIGHT - KC & The Sunshine Band # 14 ( 5 ) THE TIME WARP - Richard O’Brien, Patricia Quinn, Little Nell, Charles Gray & Cast # 45 ( 10 ) BAD TIME - Grand Funk Railroad # 56 ( 3 ) FOX ON THE RUN - The Sweet # 37 ( 6 ) HONEY - Bobby Goldsboro # 38 ( NEW ) THE HUSTLE - Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony # 89 ( 7 ) REACH OUT I’LL BE THERE - Gloria Gaynor # 110 ( 9 ) BYE BYE BABY - Bay City Rollers # 911 ( 13 ) A LITTLE LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING - Gilbert Becaud # 1112 ( 11 ) JIGSAW GIRL - Clifford T.Ward # 1113 ( NEW ) LOVE WILL KEEP US TOGETHER - Captain and Tennille # 1314 ( 8 ) PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM - Elton John Band # 115 ( 12 ) THAT’S THE WAY OF THE WORLD - Earth, Wind & Fire # 1216 ( 19 ) WONDERFUL BABY - Don McLean # 1617 ( 16 ) EL BIMBO - Bimbo Jets # 218 ( NEW ) I WANNA DANCE WIT’ CHOO (DO DAT DANCE) - Disco Tex & The Sex-o-lettes featuring Sir Monti Rock III # 1819 ( 35 ) LIFE IS A MINESTRONE - 10cc # 1920 ( 22 ) SWEET TRANSVESTITE - Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon & Barry Bostwick # 2021 ( 14 ) ONE DAY IN YOUR LIFE - Michael Jackson # 122 ( 18 ) LET ME BE THE ONE - The Shadows # 1823 ( 21 ) SUPERGIRL - Graham Bonney # 824 ( 20 ) JACKIE BLUE - The Ozark Mountain Daredevils # 425 ( 23 ) LOVE ME LOVE MY DOG - Peter Shelley # 1926 ( 15 ) YOU SEXY THING - Hot Chocolate # 727 ( 17 ) DING-A-DONG - Teach-In # 1728 ( 29 ) WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO? - Diana Ross & The Supremes # 329 ( 25 ) I CAN DO IT - The Rubettes # 930 ( 24 ) HANG ON SLOOPY - The McCoys # 2431 ( 31 ) LOVIN' YOU - Minnie Ripperton # 132 ( 26 ) STAND BY ME - John Lennon # 433 ( 39 ) TAKE YOUR MAMA FOR A RIDE - Lulu # 3334 ( 32 ) CHILD OF LOVE - Caston & Majors # 135 ( 28 ) #9 DREAM - John Lennon # 136 ( 33 ) JANUARY - Pilot # 137 ( 37 ) IT’S ONLY ME YOU’VE LEFT BEHIND - Cliff Richard # 3738 ( 38 ) ONLY YESTERDAY - Carpenters # 3839 ( 52 ) SISTER GOLDEN HAIR - America # 3940 ( 27 ) SWING YOUR DADDY - Jim Gilstrap # 441 ( 34 ) MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel # 142 ( 41 ) BE MY BABY - The Ronettes # 143 ( 36 ) MY HEART’S SYMPHONY - Gary Lewis & The Playboys # 1244 ( 44 ) BLANKET ON THE GROUND - Billie Jo Spears # 845 ( 45 ) WHAT AM I GONNA DO WITH YOU - Barry White # 2546 ( 30 ) AUTOBAHN - Kraftwerk # 1847 ( 49 ) THE LAST FAREWELL - Roger Whittaker # 4748 ( 53 ) BILLY PORTER - Mick Ronson # 4849 ( 55 ) DON’T BE CRUEL - Mike Berry # 4650 ( 54 ) ONLY WOMEN BLEED - Alice Cooper # 5051 ( 57 ) I DREAMED LAST NIGHT - Justin Hayward & John Lodge # 5152 ( 40 ) YOUR KISS IS SWEET - Syreeta # 553 ( 60 ) 99 MILES FROM L.A. - Albert Hammond # 5354 ( 61 ) HITCHING A RIDE IN THE MOONLIGHT - Middle Of The Road # 5455 ( 50 ) I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU - Gary Shearston # 156 ( 46 ) THE ORINOCO KID - The Wombles # 1557 ( 51 ) SINCE I FOUND MY BABY - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 1558 ( 48 ) YOUNG AMERICANS - David Bowie # 1659 ( 63 ) DYNOMITE - Tony Camilla’s Bazuka # 5960 ( 42 ) SLOW DOWN - Shabby Tiger # 2361 ( 62 ) THE TEARS I CRIED - The Glitter Band # 6162 ( 43 ) GOODBYE MY LOVE - The Glitter Band # 963 ( 47 ) HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN MELLOW - Olivia Newton-John # 264 ( 64 ) IF - Yin & Yan # 6365 ( 65 ) TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOURSELF - The Three Degrees # 6566 ( 66 ) THE FILM OF MY LOVE - 10cc # 6667 ( 58 ) SAVE ME - Silver Convention # 1068 ( 70 ) WHERE IS THE LOVE - Betty Wright # 6869 ( 56 ) CAN’T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD - Electric Light Orchestra # 170 ( 72 ) YOU’RE MY BEST FRIEND - Don Williams # 7071 ( 67 ) TRY TO REMEMBER/ THE WAY WE WERE - Gladys Knight & The Pips # 6772 ( 76 ) I FORGOT TO SAY I LOVE YOU TILL I’M GONE - The Chi-Lites # 7273 ( 73 ) (YOU DON’T KNOW) HOW GLAD I AM - The Kiki Dee Band # 7374 ( 69 ) DIAL ‘L’ FOR LOVE - Polly Brown # 6975 ( 78 ) CALL ME ROUND - Pilot # 7576 ( 80 ) I’LL BE HOLDING ON - Al Downing # 7677 ( NEW ) WE’LL FIND OUR DAY - Stephanie De Sykes # 7778 ( 71 ) SWINGING ON A STAR - Spooky and Sue # 7179 ( 79 ) HASTA LA VISTA - Sylvia # 7980 ( NEW ) LAND OF A THOUSAND DANCES - Mr Bloe # 8012th April 1975Van McCoy gets that number one spot with a disco classic - "Do it", but Disco Tex isnt far behind at 3, as ABBA drop a single in some European territories, going for an MOR vibe on what I still consider to be their least-fabulous single of all. It's singalong but they can and did better. The B side also charts, that's catchy too. Mud say bye bye to RAK and Mickie Most with a 50's Buddy Holly cover, War enter a year early for the UK, and Maria Muldaur's Gringo is issued with her US single on the B side. 1 ( 8 ) THE HUSTLE - Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony # 12 ( 3 ) GET DOWN TONIGHT - KC & The Sunshine Band # 13 ( 18 ) I WANNA DANCE WIT’ CHOO (DO DAT DANCE) - Disco Tex & The Sex-o-lettes featuring Sir Monti Rock III # 34 ( 2 ) MISTY - Ray Stevens # 15 ( 1 ) SKIING IN THE SNOW - Wigans Ovation # 16 ( 6 ) FOX ON THE RUN - The Sweet # 37 ( 13 ) LOVE WILL KEEP US TOGETHER - Captain and Tennille # 78 ( 5 ) BAD TIME - Grand Funk Railroad # 59 ( 4 ) THE TIME WARP - Richard O’Brien, Patricia Quinn, Little Nell, Charles Gray & Cast # 410 ( 11 ) A LITTLE LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING - Gilbert Becaud # 1011 ( 12 ) JIGSAW GIRL - Clifford T.Ward # 1112 ( 9 ) REACH OUT I’LL BE THERE - Gloria Gaynor # 113 ( 10 ) BYE BYE BABY - Bay City Rollers # 914 ( 17 ) EL BIMBO - Bimbo Jets # 215 ( 29 ) I CAN DO IT - The Rubettes # 916 ( 15 ) THAT’S THE WAY OF THE WORLD - Earth, Wind & Fire # 1217 ( 23 ) SUPERGIRL - Graham Bonney # 818 ( 14 ) PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM - Elton John Band # 119 ( 19 ) LIFE IS A MINESTRONE - 10cc # 1920 ( NEW ) I DO, I DO, I DO, I DO, I DO - ABBA # 2021 ( 39 ) SISTER GOLDEN HAIR - America # 2122 ( 21 ) ONE DAY IN YOUR LIFE - Michael Jackson # 123 ( 24 ) JACKIE BLUE - The Ozark Mountain Daredevils # 424 ( 16 ) WONDERFUL BABY - Don McLean # 1625 ( 25 ) LOVE ME LOVE MY DOG - Peter Shelley # 1926 ( 20 ) SWEET TRANSVESTITE - Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon & Barry Bostwick # 2027 ( 22 ) LET ME BE THE ONE - The Shadows # 1828 ( 7 ) HONEY - Bobby Goldsboro # 329 ( 28 ) WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO? - Diana Ross & The Supremes # 330 ( 35 ) #9 DREAM - John Lennon # 131 ( 38 ) ONLY YESTERDAY - Carpenters # 3132 ( 33 ) TAKE YOUR MAMA FOR A RIDE - Lulu # 3233 ( 26 ) YOU SEXY THING - Hot Chocolate # 734 ( 27 ) DING-A-DONG - Teach-In # 1735 ( 30 ) HANG ON SLOOPY - The McCoys # 2436 ( 31 ) LOVIN' YOU - Minnie Ripperton # 137 ( 36 ) JANUARY - Pilot # 138 ( 37 ) IT’S ONLY ME YOU’VE LEFT BEHIND - Cliff Richard # 3739 ( 40 ) SWING YOUR DADDY - Jim Gilstrap # 440 ( 51 ) I DREAMED LAST NIGHT - Justin Hayward & John Lodge # 4041 ( 50 ) ONLY WOMEN BLEED - Alice Cooper # 4142 ( 43 ) MY HEART’S SYMPHONY - Gary Lewis & The Playboys # 1243 ( 49 ) DON’T BE CRUEL - Mike Berry # 4344 ( 41 ) MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel # 145 ( NEW ) OH BOY - Mud # 4546 ( 52 ) YOUR KISS IS SWEET - Syreeta # 547 ( NEW ) WHY CAN’T WE BE FRIENDS - War # 4748 ( 42 ) BE MY BABY - The Ronettes # 149 ( 32 ) STAND BY ME - John Lennon # 450 ( 34 ) CHILD OF LOVE - Caston & Majors # 151 ( 45 ) WHAT AM I GONNA DO WITH YOU - Barry White # 2552 ( 54 ) HITCHING A RIDE IN THE MOONLIGHT - Middle Of The Road # 5253 ( 46 ) AUTOBAHN - Kraftwerk # 1854 ( 47 ) THE LAST FAREWELL - Roger Whittaker # 4755 ( 53 ) 99 MILES FROM L.A. - Albert Hammond # 5356 ( NEW ) GRINGO IN MEXICO - Maria Muldaur # 5657 ( 57 ) SINCE I FOUND MY BABY - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose # 1558 ( 56 ) THE ORINOCO KID - The Wombles # 1559 ( 61 ) THE TEARS I CRIED - The Glitter Band # 5960 ( NEW ) ROCK ME - ABBA # 6061 ( 59 ) DYNOMITE - Tony Camilla’s Bazuka # 5962 ( 65 ) TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOURSELF - The Three Degrees # 6263 ( 64 ) IF - Yin & Yan # 6364 ( 44 ) BLANKET ON THE GROUND - Billie Jo Spears # 865 ( 55 ) I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU - Gary Shearston # 166 ( 48 ) BILLY PORTER - Mick Ronson # 4867 ( NEW ) PAPA OOM MOW MOW - The Sharonettes # 6768 ( 72 ) I FORGOT TO SAY I LOVE YOU TILL I’M GONE - The Chi-Lites # 6869 ( 76 ) I’LL BE HOLDING ON - Al Downing # 6970 ( NEW ) LET ME TRY AGAIN - Tammy Jones # 7071 ( 77 ) WE’LL FIND OUR DAY - Stephanie De Sykes # 7172 ( 73 ) (YOU DON’T KNOW) HOW GLAD I AM - The Kiki Dee Band # 7273 ( NEW ) YOU BABY - John Holt # 7374 ( NEW ) MIDNIGHT SKY PART 1 - The Isley Brothers # 7475 ( 58 ) YOUNG AMERICANS - David Bowie # 1676 ( 80 ) LAND OF A THOUSAND DANCES - Mr Bloe # 7677 ( 71 ) TRY TO REMEMBER/ THE WAY WE WERE - Gladys Knight & The Pips # 6778 ( NEW ) ONCE BITTEN TWICE SHY - Ian Hunter # 7879 ( 75 ) CALL ME ROUND - Pilot # 7580 ( NEW ) LOVE - Lyn Paul # 80
May 19May 19 Author 19th April 1975It's back on top for a 3rd week for Misty in the absence of major new entries, Ray Stevens still sounding banjo-pluckingly, slide-guitar-ishly fab. Clifford T. Ward gets a 3rd Retro top 10, and Earth, Wind & Fire a first of many. Maria Muldaur leaps to 12 with a flop single that I bought at the time and which still sounds good, and Lulu adds to her top 20 tally running back to 1967. Highest new entry is track from El Dorado - an album I've yet to buy - as ELO enter at 30 with their US-single that didn't get a UK release, Boy Blue. A year early, Manhattan Transfer enter with their revamp of the vintage 40's song Tuxedo Junction, Glen Miller had the 1940 hit and as 40's nostalgia was catching on in the mid-70's just as 90's nostalgia is in the 2020's, Manhattan Transfer went full on TV slots as a 70's new-act-does-old-stuff appeal, cool and slick. The song was on their new album but wouldnt hit the UK charts until Spring 1976. George McRae had another US-only single, it's pretty good, Look At You, at 63, and Andy Williams had an invisible single called Cry Softly, which is more like vintage Andy, and pretty good. Whiskey Mac had the odd TV appearance at the time, I think Top Of The Pops possibly, but never had a hit. I liked it at the time but have never got hold of a copy so just downloaded one off itunes - and what a shoddy transfer it is too, very poor audio quality, sounds like it came right off an over-played vinyl single. Still like the song though. Lost & Found.Talking of old songs, Brother Can You Spare A Dime is a key song of the Great Depression in the 30's, relevant then and relevant now, nicely revamped 30's style by The Faces' Ronnie Lane. TV documentaries about the 1930's were almost guaranteed to play the original versions of the song. George Baker has moved on from his Little Green Bag and has a European summertime cheesy singalong smash that remains famous - Paloma Blanca. Billy Swan gets round to releasing his original cover version of Don't Be Cruel, but Mike Berry's quicker cover of the cover goes top 40, it's darker and cooler. Eric Clapton drafts in friends, including the fab Yvonne Elliman as co-vocalist on his cover of the ancient Spiritual Christian US 1860's now-traditional Rugby anthem, Swing Low Sweet Chariot. It can't be nostalgia as there wont have been anyone left alive from when it was new. It's a gentle lilting reggae number. The Hollies get to be the first act to chart with a Bruce Springsteen cover, Sandy, and The Moments sneak in with another track Look At Me. 1 ( 4 ) MISTY - Ray Stevens # 12 ( 1 ) THE HUSTLE - Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony # 13 ( 8 ) BAD TIME - Grand Funk Railroad # 34 ( 2 ) GET DOWN TONIGHT - KC & The Sunshine Band # 15 ( 11 ) JIGSAW GIRL - Clifford T.Ward # 56 ( 5 ) SKIING IN THE SNOW - Wigans Ovation # 17 ( 7 ) LOVE WILL KEEP US TOGETHER - Captain and Tennille # 78 ( 10 ) A LITTLE LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING - Gilbert Becaud # 89 ( 3 ) I WANNA DANCE WIT’ CHOO (DO DAT DANCE) - Disco Tex & The Sex-o-lettes featuring Sir Monti Rock III # 310 ( 16 ) THAT’S THE WAY OF THE WORLD - Earth, Wind & Fire # 1011 ( 21 ) SISTER GOLDEN HAIR - America # 1112 ( 56 ) GRINGO IN MEXICO - Maria Muldaur # 1213 ( 24 ) WONDERFUL BABY - Don McLean # 1314 ( 9 ) THE TIME WARP - Richard O’Brien, Patricia Quinn, Little Nell, Charles Gray & Cast # 415 ( 14 ) EL BIMBO - Bimbo Jets # 216 ( 12 ) REACH OUT I’LL BE THERE - Gloria Gaynor # 117 ( 6 ) FOX ON THE RUN - The Sweet # 318 ( 18 ) PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM - Elton John Band # 119 ( 32 ) TAKE YOUR MAMA FOR A RIDE - Lulu # 1920 ( 20 ) I DO, I DO, I DO, I DO, I DO - ABBA # 2021 ( 17 ) SUPERGIRL - Graham Bonney # 822 ( 26 ) SWEET TRANSVESTITE - Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon & Barry Bostwick # 2023 ( 23 ) JACKIE BLUE - The Ozark Mountain Daredevils # 424 ( 22 ) ONE DAY IN YOUR LIFE - Michael Jackson # 125 ( 25 ) LOVE ME LOVE MY DOG - Peter Shelley # 1926 ( 15 ) I CAN DO IT - The Rubettes # 927 ( 13 ) BYE BYE BABY - Bay City Rollers # 928 ( 29 ) WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO? - Diana Ross & The Supremes # 329 ( 38 ) IT’S ONLY ME YOU’VE LEFT BEHIND - Cliff Richard # 2930 ( NEW ) BOY BLUE - Electric Light Orchestra # 3031 ( 28 ) HONEY - Bobby Goldsboro # 332 ( 30 ) #9 DREAM - John Lennon # 133 ( 36 ) LOVIN' YOU - Minnie Ripperton # 134 ( 70 ) LET ME TRY AGAIN - Tammy Jones # 3435 ( NEW ) TUXEDO JUNCTION - Manhattan Transfer # 3536 ( 47 ) WHY CAN’T WE BE FRIENDS - War # 3637 ( 43 ) DON’T BE CRUEL - Mike Berry # 3738 ( 27 ) LET ME BE THE ONE - The Shadows # 1839 ( 34 ) DING-A-DONG - Teach-In # 1740 ( 55 ) 99 MILES FROM L.A. - Albert Hammond # 4041 ( 41 ) ONLY WOMEN BLEED - Alice Cooper # 4142 ( 42 ) MY HEART’S SYMPHONY - Gary Lewis & The Playboys # 1243 ( 39 ) SWING YOUR DADDY - Jim Gilstrap # 444 ( 46 ) YOUR KISS IS SWEET - Syreeta # 545 ( 52 ) HITCHING A RIDE IN THE MOONLIGHT - Middle Of The Road # 4546 ( 33 ) YOU SEXY THING - Hot Chocolate # 747 ( 19 ) LIFE IS A MINESTRONE - 10cc # 1948 ( 48 ) BE MY BABY - The Ronettes # 149 ( 54 ) THE LAST FAREWELL - Roger Whittaker # 4750 ( 67 ) PAPA OOM MOW MOW - The Sharonettes # 5051 ( 51 ) WHAT AM I GONNA DO WITH YOU - Barry White # 2552 ( 35 ) HANG ON SLOOPY - The McCoys # 2453 ( 45 ) OH BOY - Mud # 4554 ( 49 ) STAND BY ME - John Lennon # 455 ( 31 ) ONLY YESTERDAY - Carpenters # 3156 ( 50 ) CHILD OF LOVE - Caston & Majors # 157 ( 37 ) JANUARY - Pilot # 158 ( 53 ) AUTOBAHN - Kraftwerk # 1859 ( 69 ) I’LL BE HOLDING ON - Al Downing # 5960 ( 60 ) ROCK ME - ABBA # 6061 ( 76 ) LAND OF A THOUSAND DANCES - Mr Bloe # 6162 ( 59 ) THE TEARS I CRIED - The Glitter Band # 5963 ( NEW ) LOOK AT YOU - George McRae # 6364 ( NEW ) CRY SOFTLY - Andy Williams # 6465 ( 73 ) YOU BABY - John Holt # 6566 ( NEW ) LOST AND FOUND - Whiskey Mac # 6667 ( 44 ) MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel # 168 ( 40 ) I DREAMED LAST NIGHT - Justin Hayward & John Lodge # 4069 ( NEW ) BROTHER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME? - Ronnie Lane # 6970 ( 74 ) MIDNIGHT SKY PART 1 - The Isley Brothers # 7071 ( 71 ) WE’LL FIND OUR DAY - Stephanie De Sykes # 7172 ( 62 ) TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOURSELF - The Three Degrees # 6273 ( 61 ) DYNOMITE - Tony Camilla’s Bazuka # 5974 ( 72 ) (YOU DON’T KNOW) HOW GLAD I AM - The Kiki Dee Band # 7275 ( NEW ) PALOMA BLANCA - George Baker Selection # 7576 ( NEW ) DON’T BE CRUEL - Billy Swan # 7677 ( NEW ) SWING LOW SWEET CHARIOT - Eric Clapton featuring Yvonne Elliman # 7778 ( 78 ) ONCE BITTEN TWICE SHY - Ian Hunter # 7879 ( NEW ) SANDY - The Hollies # 7980 ( NEW ) LOOK AT ME - The Moments # 80
May 19May 19 I like Teach-In winner's song, but 70s is a golden decade for Eurovision. So only 4th place in my ranking for Netherlands (behind Luxembourg, Monaco and Norway).1975 (my ranking)1. Geraldine - Toi (Luxembourg) - 82. Sophie - Une Chanson C'est Une Lettre (Monaco) - 83. Ellen Nikolaysen - Touch My Life With Summer (Norway) - 84. Teach-In - Ding-A-Dong (Netherlands) - 75. Simone Drexel - Mikado (Switzerland) - 66. Ann Christy - Gelukkig Zijn (Belgium) - 67. Swarbriggs - That's What Friends Are For (Ireland) - 58. Shadows - Let Me Be The One (United Kingdom) - 59. Pepel In Kri - Dan Ljubezni (Yugoslavia) - 510. Nicole Rieu - Et Bonjour A Toi L'artiste (France) - 511. Lasse Berghagen - Jennie, Jennie (Sweden) - 412. Pihasoittajat - One Man Fiddle (Finland) - 413. Renato - Singing This Song (Malta) - 314. Wess and Dori Ghezzi - Era (Italy) - 315. Duarte Mendes - Madrugada (Portugal) - 316. Sergio and Estibaliz - Tu Volveras (Spain) - 317. Shlomo Artzi - At Va'ani (Israel) - 318. Semiha Yanki - Seninle Bir Dakika (Turkey) - 319. Joy Fleming - Ein Lied Kann Eine Brucke Sein (Germany) - 1I strongly dislike fan favourite from Germany. In real contests all worderful Norwegian entries of that era "died" in bottom. 🙁 It's hard to believe, but in 70s their average score was higher than UK and Ireland in my decade ranking.1970 - 1979 :1. Norway - 7.892. United Kingdom - 7.603. Ireland - 7.104. Finland - 6.225. Austria - 6.176. Monaco - 6.007. Luxembourg - 5.708. Switzerland - 5.509. France - 5.4410. Germany - 5.4011. Belgium - 5.3012. Sweden - 5.0013. Yugoslavia - 5.0014. Netherlands - 3.9015. Portugal - 3.8916. Italy - 3.7017. Greece - 3.6018. Malta - 3.3319. Spain - 3.3020. Turkey - 3.0021. Israel - 3.00
May 20May 20 Author 23 hours ago, Last Dreamer said:I like Teach-In winner's song, but 70s is a golden decade for Eurovision. So only 4th place in my ranking for Netherlands (behind Luxembourg, Monaco and Norway).1975 (my ranking)1. Geraldine - Toi (Luxembourg) - 82. Sophie - Une Chanson C'est Une Lettre (Monaco) - 83. Ellen Nikolaysen - Touch My Life With Summer (Norway) - 84. Teach-In - Ding-A-Dong (Netherlands) - 75. Simone Drexel - Mikado (Switzerland) - 66. Ann Christy - Gelukkig Zijn (Belgium) - 67. Swarbriggs - That's What Friends Are For (Ireland) - 58. Shadows - Let Me Be The One (United Kingdom) - 59. Pepel In Kri - Dan Ljubezni (Yugoslavia) - 510. Nicole Rieu - Et Bonjour A Toi L'artiste (France) - 511. Lasse Berghagen - Jennie, Jennie (Sweden) - 412. Pihasoittajat - One Man Fiddle (Finland) - 413. Renato - Singing This Song (Malta) - 314. Wess and Dori Ghezzi - Era (Italy) - 315. Duarte Mendes - Madrugada (Portugal) - 316. Sergio and Estibaliz - Tu Volveras (Spain) - 317. Shlomo Artzi - At Va'ani (Israel) - 318. Semiha Yanki - Seninle Bir Dakika (Turkey) - 319. Joy Fleming - Ein Lied Kann Eine Brucke Sein (Germany) - 1I strongly dislike fan favourite from Germany. In real contests all worderful Norwegian entries of that era "died" in bottom. 🙁It's hard to believe, but in 70s their average score was higher than UK and Ireland in my decade ranking.1970 - 1979 :1. Norway - 7.892. United Kingdom - 7.603. Ireland - 7.104. Finland - 6.225. Austria - 6.176. Monaco - 6.007. Luxembourg - 5.708. Switzerland - 5.509. France - 5.4410. Germany - 5.4011. Belgium - 5.3012. Sweden - 5.0013. Yugoslavia - 5.0014. Netherlands - 3.9015. Portugal - 3.8916. Italy - 3.7017. Greece - 3.6018. Malta - 3.3319. Spain - 3.3020. Turkey - 3.0021. Israel - 3.00I loved the Teach-In song, it topped my chart in 1975, but it hasn't worn as well as The Shadows' UK entry I think. I also liked Geraldine's, but the rest on your list I havent heard since the 70's and I cant remember whether I liked them or not! 😮 One day I will catch them on Youtube!Poor Norway, always famous for Nul points, but they've had some total classics amongst the forgotten stuff.
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