3 hours ago, Spiceboy said:

Omg what on earth is that!? Lol I have never heard of that before! The Wombles, Teletubbies, Bob The Builder, and now The Smurfs all getting #1s lol! 😂

No they got a number 2 (as it were)

The Wombles never got a No 1 either but other than that @Spiceboy was on the money!

A lot of these big sellers aren't very good but I have an affection for all of them as they are the soundtrack to my childhood.

The Smurf Song is iconic, I was annoyed at the time that it was kept off the top of the chart for six weeks by You're The One That I Want.

3 minutes ago, King Rollo said:

A lot of these big sellers aren't very good but I have an affection for all of them as they are the soundtrack to my childhood.

The Smurf Song is iconic, I was annoyed at the time that it was kept off the top of the chart for six weeks by You're The One That I Want.

There was another song by The Smurfs in the 1996 chart 'I've Got A Little Puppy' based on 'I Wanna Be A Hippy' by Technohead.

On 11/09/2026 at 08:58, Gezza said:

Definitely not in the 70s, though it definitely is now 😀

Has it always been the case that it didn't make it in the 70s? I know that sounds like a silly comment but with things like sales being downgraded for the mid 90s etc then I wondered if the same could have happened to the 70s?

I really could have sworn it used to feature on the million sellers lists before things like streaming ever got added - unless maybe it continued to sell after 79 for some reason.

58 minutes ago, TheSnake said:

There was another song by The Smurfs in the 1996 chart 'I've Got A Little Puppy' based on 'I Wanna Be A Hippy' by Technohead.

I preferred Dippety Day. 🤪

2 hours ago, dandy* said:

Has it always been the case that it didn't make it in the 70s? I know that sounds like a silly comment but with things like sales being downgraded for the mid 90s etc then I wondered if the same could have happened to the 70s?

I really could have sworn it used to feature on the million sellers lists before things like streaming ever got added - unless maybe it continued to sell after 79 for some reason.

Reissues and downloads would have done it pre streaming. Alan jones confirmed that it didn't sell a million in the 70s.

18. THREE TIMES A LADY- The Commodores (819,500)

 

1978

14 weeks on chart

Peak position: 1

 

Inspired by a toast that his father made to his mother on their wedding anniversary ("She's a great lady, she's a great mother, and she's a great friend”) Richie wrote this track originally as a waltz.  Feeling that it wouldn’t suit the music the Commodores were making he twiddled around it imagining it being sung by Frank Sinatra and we got the final version which was their only UK chart topper and replaced Diana Ross’ “I’m Still Waiting” as Motown’s biggest seller in the UK.

17. PUPPY LOVE- Donny Osmond (824,400)

 

1972

23 weeks on chart

Peak position: 1

 

Written by 19 year old Paul Anka and a hit for him in 1960 (UK#33) it got a revival by an even younger 14 year old Donny Osmond in 1972.  The Osmonds were the teen sensation of the early 70s having been regulars on “The Andy Williams Show” and becoming stars on the US charts in 1971, so Donny’s first solo single here was always going to be an event and true enough it took just 4 weeks to hit the top where it stayed for 5 weeks that summer becoming his biggest solo hit.

what a dire top 20 so far !!

Yeah Puppy Love is dreadful. Three Times A Lady is okay, I wouldn’t actively seek it out though. Hoping for some favourites in the rest of the top 20!🤞

9 hours ago, Jaz13music said:

Yeah Puppy Love is dreadful.

The Osmonds were huge in the early 70's though. Donny, the whole group, Marie, Little Jimmy, Every record a huge hit..

16. MARYS BOY CHILD- OH MY LORD- Boney M (832,500)*

 

1978

8 weeks on chart

Peak position: 1

 

Rounding off a fantastic year for the group in 1978 they scored the festive chart topper with this track, itself a cover of the Harry Belafonte’s 1957 Christmas No 1. It was put together with a new track “Oh My Lord” which helped give the songwriters a share in the profits, and was a second No 1 in just 8 months though they never made it there again and the fifth song to top the charts for different acts.

15. SAVE YOUR KISSES FOR ME- Brotherhood Of Man (833,400)

 

1976

16 weeks on chart

Peak position: 1

 

 By far the biggest Eurovision track of the 70s this was of course the UK entry for 1976 and marched home to victory though it only won the qualifying competition (“Song For Europe”) by just 2 points from Co-Co who themselves represented the UK at Eurovision in 1978 and contained Bucks Fizz’s Cheryl Baker.  It went on to top the charts all over Europe and ensured the band would be successful for the remainder of the 70s.

I think 'Mary's Boy Child' is the only song I like since I last commented! An uplifting cover version and festive staple.

Three times a lady 👌👌

Puppy love decent enough i prefer the Juniors cover 😅

Mary's boy child is an underrated christmas classic

Save your kisses for me is a bop

Mary’s Boy Child has always been a Christmas song I like, Save All Your Kisses For Me, not so much!

14. MOULDY OLD DOUGH- Lieutenant Pigeon (837,000)

 

1972

19 weeks on chart

Peak position: 1

 

Might have to chalk this one up to “it was the 70s”.  Instrumental that contained only two lines, the title and “Dirty Old Man”, it was composed by the duo Lieutenant Pigeon with one of the member’s mother on piano, a fact which still makes it a record holder as the only UK number one single to feature a mother and her son.  The song flopped originally but was a hit in some European markets which prompted a re-issue where it was championed by DJ Noel Edmunds which helped push it to No 1 for a month.

13. YMCA- Village People (848,600)*

 

1978

16 weeks on chart

Peak position: 1

 

Extolling the virtues of the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), well kind of…..it was also clearly a nod to the men only environment in such hostels and the things that may happen there.  The history of the group being based on gay stereotypes seen in the local gay neighbourhoods of New York is well known, only two members of the group were actually gay (confirmed at any rate as the Cowboy and the native Indian).  This has gone on to be a staple of 70s nights and parties with the accompanying dance.

Nice bit of schlager for Brotherhood of Man musically, but cringe lyrically.

YMCA was groundbreaking with its gay themes. Fun too.

The Boney M Christmas song is good too.

Edited September 15Sep 15 by TheSnake