40. MY DING-A-LING- Chuck Berry (684,000)*

 

1972

17 weeks on chart

Peak position: 1

 

 

Another to chalk up as “a 70s thing”- and yes his Ding-a-ling is exactly what you think it is!  Starting life innocently enough as a 19^th century folk song “little brown jug” it went through many interpretations and lyrical re-writes with this particular version first seeing light of day as single in 1952 by Dave Bartholomew with Berry himself first performing it under a version called “My Tambourine” in 1968.  For his live tour he reverted back to the Bartholomew version with this track recorded live in Coventry in Early 1972, incredibly it made No 1 not only here but in the US (his sole No 1 in either country) despite little airplay radio and TV and an active campaign by Mary Whitehouse to have the track banned on the grounds of decency.  What would she have made of “W.A.P”……..

39. BLOCKBUSTER!- The Sweet (690,000)

 

1973

15 weeks on chart

Peak position: 1

 

Another Chinn/Chapman creation and the only chart topper from these Glam Rocksters.  Minor controversy was caused when the bass player appeared on TOTP wearing a swastika and a Hitler moustache- it was a different time!  Famously frontman Brian Connelly was fostered (though never formerly adopted) by the parents  of actor Mark McManus (lead in “Taggart”) and the group scored an impressive 13 top 20 hits in the decade.

I had to go and mention quality didn't I?! Showaddywaddy's was a decent drum-heavy cover actually, and may well be their best record, though I have a soft spot for Hey Mr Xmas (rarely not a cover). They did get a bit samey towards the end though. Chuck Berry was funny once or twice and that was enough. Memories of TOTP trying to make it non-threatening by getting artist Rolf Harris on to draw cartoons live showing Chuck was singing about a sort of musical yo-yo. He wasn't, and that if anything has aged even more badly than Chuck on stage singing it. And Chuck was done for a videoing hobby....!

So that leaves Blockbuster! The Sweet were always good, even in their bubblegum calypso phase, but they'd had a go at Glam with Little Willy (see My Ding A Ling later in the year) and Wig Wam Bam honed the template, before they struck gold with Blockbuster. Fabulous record and the 3 follow-up number 2's were even more exciting and should have hit the top spot. They had 5 number two's which is pretty unlucky! Just Andy left now, sadly, so the intro to Ballroom Blitz is a bit silent these days.

38. ONE DAY AT A TIME-Lena Martell (691,800)

 

1979

15 Weeks on chart

Peak position: 1

 

Country and Western Christian music was a chart-topping thing in the 70s it seems.  This Kris Kristofferson co-penned track was first recorded by Marilyn Sellars and made into a US Top 40 hit in 1974, it was then a major hit in 1977 and 1978 in Ireland for singer Gloria which in turn brought it to the attention of Martell whose original release flopped.  Nevermind she had another bash in 79 and bingo a huge hit as she joined the long list of one hit wonders!

37. DANCE AWAY- Roxy Music (701,500)

 

1979

14 Weeks on chart

Peak position: 2

 

Another major 70s act that only had one chart topper- but that never came until the 80s so it was that this was their biggest hit of the decade.  It was written by Bryan Ferry in 1977 and planned for his fourth solo album but got cut in the end, it was then planned for his fifth solo album a year later- and then got cut again!  It was finally finished and included on the Roxy Music album “Manifesto” and became a single.  Although weekly panel sales are not available it must have come exceptionally close to being No 1 spending three weeks behind Blondie’s “Sunday Girl” but as you can see outselling it ultimately.

36. IN THE SUMMERTIME- Mungo Jerry (721,400)

 

1970

20 weeks on chart

Peak position: 1

Here’s the best seller of 1970, a track written by lead singer Ray Dorset who of course went on to write a chart topper for Kelly Marie in the 80s.  This track was written in just 10 minutes whilst Dorset was working and it spent a mighty 7 weeks at No 1 in 1970.  It was unusual at the time as the single played at 33 1/3 rpm rather than the usual 45rpm and came as a picture sleeve (again relatively unusual at the time), it’s slower playing speed allowed the 7” to contain three songs on instead of the usual 2 and was therefore considered as good value for money which may have also helped with sales.  The motorbike sound on the track was actually one of Dorset’s friends driving past the studio which was captured for the single.  The group went on to have another number one but this is the only one to make the list, and they took their name from a poem by T.S.Elliot

Lena Martell a pet hate, oh how that record annoyed me. People from my grandparents' generation were fans though, and with the trials of getting older I can see why it appealed to them. As Bette Davis quipped in her later years, "old age sure ain't for sissies". Dance Away was the moment the avante-garde Glam pioneers moved over to mass-appeal laid-back synth-pop, and much as I like it as a pleasant pass-time, it's really not in the same class as Virgina Plain, Streetlife, All I Want Is You, Love Is The Drug, not to mention Ferry's best solo stuff. Angel Eyes and Same Old Scene would have a bit more oomph but this was the future for both Roxy and Ferry, pretty much.

Mungo Jerry I was huge on this record for ages and ages until a bloody advert ruined it. I have to return to tropical Singapore and try and remember it when it was new and fresh and catchy. Mungo always did give good value on singles with the number of tracks. Downside 33 and a third singles sound quality wasn't as good as 45rpm. Ray lives in Dorset and still does local festivals, the legend!

What a mixed bag those last 6 are, typical 70s number ones if there’s such a thing.

On the one hand we’ve got the awful One Day At A Time, Under The Moon of Love and of course My Ding-A-Ling, there’s not much to say except how tragic that it was that song that gave the brilliant pioneering Chuck his only number one?!

Then on the other hand we’ve got the brilliantly cool Dance Away, the fantastically unique In The Summertime and my favourite of all the wonderfully OTT Blockbuster and it’s sirens, guitar riff, stomping glam rock rhythm etc, everything including the kitchen sink (probably) thrown in. And it spawned the equally excellent Doctorin’ The Tardis of course!!!

Edited September 6Sep 6 by Jaz13music

Have to say Gezza, Mungo Jerry only had 2 No.1's. Other was Baby Jump.

Quite right. Altered. Thanks

Playing catch-up again.

'Sunday Girl' and 'Rat Trap' are both excellent from Friday's trio! Blondie managed to strike an impressive quality / quantity balance with their 5 #1s, all great to varying levels.

I have opposite feelings on Showaddywaddy and Chuck Berry's appearances from Saturday! I'm not a fan of Showaddywaddy's formula in general but think this is their best song (admittedly a low bar), while Chuck Berry is a musical icon yet this track is dire, awful representation for his sole chart topper. 'Blockbuster' is my favourite of the three, good fun and a well used sample in 'Doctorin' the Tardis' as already mentioned by Jaz.

'One Day At A Time' is another dreadful record and particularly feels archaic for 1979 which is otherwise a superb, cutting edge year for #1s on the whole. I don't think I realised 'Dance Away' was that big, wow at it actually finishing higher here than the song that blocked it from #1 😯 I like the chugging charms of 'In The Summertime' the most of these three.

So that leaves Blockbuster! The Sweet were always good, even in their bubblegum calypso phase,

Yes they started off with calypso pop a bit like Amazulu in the 80s, but less authentic lol.

Blockbuster by The Sweet is great fun though with its synth sirens.

My Ding A Ling is awful. Chuck Berry though was so influential in the 50s.

35. LONG HAIRED LOVER FROM LIVERPOOL- Little Jimmy Osmond (722,300)

 

1972

27 Weeks on chart

Peak position: 1

 

In the record books as the youngest act to ever reach the top spot in the UK, Little Jimmy Osmond was only 9 years old when this stormed to the top at the height of Osmond mania in the country.  Needless to say it’s a cover, this time the original was recorded by the composer Christopher Dowden in 1969 which flopped but was released on the same label in the US as the Osmonds were on which is how the track to the attention of the Osmond camp.  The song became the festive Number one of the year and on the day it made No 1 The Osmonds own “Crazy Horses” stood at No 5 while brother Donny was at No 9 with “Why”- never before had 1 family so dominated the top 10!

34. ARE “FRIENDS” ELECTRIC- Tubeway Army (727,100)

 

1979

16 Weeks on chart

Peak position: 1

 

The sound of the future- well in 1979 it seemed that way at least, but what exactly the song about?  Well Numan explained it in 2014 "All my early songs were about being alone or misunderstood. As a teenager, I'd been sent to a child psychiatrist and put on medication. I had Asperger's and saw the world differently. I immersed myself in sci-fi writers: Philip K Dick, JG Ballard.  The lyrics came from short stories I'd written about what London would be like in 30 years. These machines – "friends" – come to the door. They supply services of various kinds, but your neighbours never know what they really are since they look human. The one in the song is a prostitute, hence the inverted commas. It was released in May 1979 and sold a million copies. I had a No 1 single with a song about a robot prostitute and no one knew.”

 

Consider yourself updated, and though it didn’t sell a million in 79 it did provide the inspiration for the Sugababes “Freak Like Me” so bonus points there.

33. I WILL SURVIVE- Gloria Gaynor (730,200)

 

1979

15 Weeks on chart

Peak position: 1

 

Whilst adapted at various times as an anthem for both Woman’s rights and gay rights, the song was actually written with an entirely different genesis.  Dino Fekaris (principle songwriter) had been dropped by Motown as a writer after several years and conceived of the idea for the song as a response to them.  It went unrecorded for a few years until he was co-producing a track called “Substitute” for Gloria Gaynor and presented this track as a possible B-side, she loved it and tried to get the label to flip the slides without success.  “Substitute” only made No 78 but the B-side started getting club play and the label were convinced to promote it as the a-side and rest is history.

From the awful (Jimmy Osmond) to the sublime with those three tracks. Big signature anthems for synths (Tubeway Army) and disco/pop (Gloria Gaynor).

That was exactly my reaction too TheSnake! Jimmy’s song is terrible and pretty much unlistenable.

The other two are fantastic and also groundbreaking singles. Gloria’s huge disco anthem and Tubeway Army’s wonderful dark synth masterpiece!

32. HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK- Ian Dury & The Blockheads (730,500)*

 

1978

15 weeks on chart

Peak position: 1

 

A quirky number which seemed to capture the spirit of Winter of discontent, the group were one of the leading lights of the new wave movement of the late 70s building up a good following through touring and the hits started rolling.  This track was their only chart topper and was marketing towards the end of its run with a promotion that the dealer that ordered the millionth copy would get a mystery prize- it never got there so we’ll never know.

31. DON’T GO BREAKING MY HEART- Elton John & Kiki Dee (738,400)

 

1976

14 weeks on chart

Peak position: 1

 

Famously Elton’s sole chart topper….until 1990 that is.  The track was written as an homage to Motown records with the first choice of duet partner being Dusty Springfield who ultimately declined it.  It spent 6 weeks at the top during the long hot summer of 76 and was remade into a top 10 single by Elton with Rupaul 18 years later.

30. DON’T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA- Julie Covington (739,000)

1976

18 weeks on chart

Peak position: 1

Starting off as a concept album by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, this track was seen as the stand out moment and quickly got a single release. Covington was an established west end star, and when Elkie Brooks turned down the offer of the soundtrack Lloyd Webber asked Covington if she would do it, she did and got herself a No 1 hit. She was offered the chance of lead role when the album was staged in 1978 but turned it down as she didn’t like the character of Peron, the track was, at the time, the biggest selling single by a female solo act until topped by Jennifer Rush in 1985. The song was not only a top 10 again for Madonna in 1996, but the melody formed the basis for David Essex’s “OH What A Circus” which made No 3 as Essex starred in the original west end production. Trivia titbit- the song was originally called “It’s Only Your Lover Returning” but it didn’t sound quite right so it got this title instead.