The end of '73.
20 - "And I Love You So," Perry Como
The laid back one's last U.S. top 40 and final U.K. Top Five. I'd better move on from this while I'm still awake.
19 - "Good Grief Christina," Chicory Tip
Named for a coffee additive, this Kent band had a handful of hits in the early 70s, including this pop-rocker about a girl who just can't get into rock music. If the stuff she's exposed to is like this sub-Bay City Rollers blob, I can't say I blame her.
18 - "The Twelfth of Never," Donny Osmond
1972 and 1973 were the peak of Osmond-mania in Britain, as Donny was a constant presence on the charts both alone and with his brothers. His second of three #1s was this cover of a Johnny Mathis hit about undying love. I definitely prefer him at this stage, after the voice changed. I'll be reminded of what a prepubescent Osmond sounds like a little later.
17 - "Amanda," Stewart Gillies
Don't know much about this guy, accept that he was discovered on a talent show called Opportunity Knocks, he had a hit with this Andy Williams-ish orchestral ballad, and you can book him through a company called Champions Music and Entertainment. News you can use. Oh, and the beginning reminds me a lot of the theme from The Young and the Restless, aka "Nadia's Theme."
16 - "Big Eight," Judge Dread
Alex Hughes was born in Kent in 1945, and as a teenager moved to the Brixton section of London, where he was exposed to the burgeoning reggae scene. In the late 60s, he became a DJ, and worked as a debt collector for the British reggae label Trojan, and soon afterward he tried his hand at music himself (using a name inspired by a popular British comic book character), going on to become the first white artist to have a reggae hit in Jamaica. His third Top 40 hit (following "Big Six" and "Big Seven") follows the pattern of its predecessors in taking nursery rhymes and turning them into thinly veiled sexual innuendoes. So thinly veiled, in fact, that these songs reached their lofty chart positions entirely due to sales, as they were banned from airplay. And even by modern standards, they're pretty raunchy. You may never think of Mary, Mary quite so contrarily again. Anyway, this was my introduction to another piece of pop history I knew nothing about, and the good Judge (who died of a heart attack shortly after a performance in 1998) gets this charts Uneasy Rider. And I'm sure he's having a good chuckle somewhere about the name of that particular honor.
15 - "Crazy," Mud
These London glam-rockers had their biggest success in the mid-70s, beginning with this single, a fuzzy, catchy tune about being in love with a younger girl. Bigger hits were to come, and this one intrigues me enough to eventually want to look those up.
14 - "Pyjamarama," Roxy Music
Known for their stylishly-dressed singer Bryan Ferry and their penchant for putting attractive women on their album covers, this band had their second Top Ten with this catchy, pre-New Wave pop shuffle that features some odd yet somehow perfect saxophone work. No mention of pyjamas, but that doesn't really affect the song one way or another.
13 - "No More Mr. Nice Guy," Alice Cooper
Vincent Furnier and his tale of becoming a pariah. I'd like to think that the vast majority of pastors wouldn't punch a parishioner regardless of what they did, a la Reverend Smithee.
12 - "My Love," Paul McCartney and Wings
Paul and his flight aids, singing about someone who "does it good." Cheeky.
11 - "Giving it All Away," Roger Daltrey
The Who frontman's first solo single was this ballad co-written by the then-unknown Leo Sayer. It's about regretting youthful mistakes. I can certainly relate, which is probably why I like it so much.
10 - "I'm a Clown/Some Kind of a Summer," David Cassidy
TV's Keith Partridge was becoming a teen idol in his own right at this time, and his following was even more rabid in Britain than it was at home. This double-sided hit was the third of his four U.K. Top Fives. The A side is a ballad based on the Pagliacci archetype of the funny man masking his pain. Song's okay, but his breathy heartthrob delivery makes it come across less serious than it should. The B is a little more upbeat, reminiscing about a road trip across America he took with a former lover during the hottest season. Better, and it's the one of the two that I could have imagined being incorporated into the show. You can almost see Shirley Jones at a keyboard while you listen to it.
9 - "Brother Louie," Hot Chocolate
These guys again, this time with the Top Ten original version of the song Stories would take to #1 in the U.S. later this year. Sounds very similar, except for a soulful vocal opposed to a Rod Stewart-sounding one, and a couple of spoken word parts that portray racism from the families of both sides of the couple. Both versions are well worth listening to.
8 - "Get Down," Gilbert O'Sullivan
The second U.K. #1 for one of the most unlikely pop stars anyway. Still can't figure out if it's about a woman or a dog, still don't care.
7 - "All Because of You," Geordie
Named after the nickname for residents of their hometown of Newcastle, this band had the second and biggest of their four hits with this blues-rock stomper about a man changed for the better by love. At first the singer sounds kind of like a British John Fogerty, but then in the parts when he lets loose he becomes fully identifiable as Brian Johnson, the man who, seven years later, would take over from the late Bon Scott in AC/DC. And now Johnson himself has been replaced, at least temporarily, with none other than Axl Rose. The circle of rock.
6 - "See My Baby Jive," Wizzard
Founded in Birmingham by Roy Wood, who had co-founded The Move and later Electric Light Orchestra, these glam rockers went to #1 with their second hit, a heavily arranged, early-60s-ish pop song purposely crafted to sound like one of Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" production. The lyric and overall sound make it a very good homage. I think had I grown up in Britain, my two-year-old ears would have ben quite drawn to a lot of the glam rock of the day.
5 - "Tweedle Dee," Little Jimmy Osmond
Osmond-mania was so big in Britain that even the main brothers' ten-year-old sibling became a superstar, hitting #1 with the old-fashioned trifle "Long-Haired Lover from Liverpool." The follow-up was this too cute cover of a 1954 LaVern Baker R&B hit. I actually get pain in my teeth listening to this stuff.
4 - "Hell Raiser," Sweet
One of the biggest glam rock bands of the era, these Londoners had the fourth of a run of six straight Top Fives with this fast catchy rocker about a very hot lady. It inspires me to break out the Headbangometer again, on which it registers three and a half stars.
3 - "Drive-In Saturday," David Bowie
Bowie's third U.K. Top Five was this midtempo rocker that's apparently about a future where people have forgotten how to reproduce, and thus have to watch porn from the past to learn how it's done. Strange subject matter for most, but par for the course for Bowie. Of course it's great.
2 - "Hello Hello I'm Back Again," Gary Glitter
Paul Gadd was a glam superstar during this period. Now he's a convicted and incarcerated pedophile. Hopefully he never gets a chance to say this again. We don't miss you now you're gone.
And on top over there 43 years ago was...
1 - "Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Ole Oak Tree," Tony Orlando and Dawn
Tony and his lady friends with their song about a returning prisoner who finds that his lover has indeed waited for him. How I'm sure the guy from the Tom Jones song hopes things will turn out.
Another done. But I'm not. I'm a pop cockroach, and I'll crawl back with more soon.
Thursday, May 12, 2016
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Gloves Across the Water: UK Top 40 May 3, 1973 Part One
Great Britain, early May, 1973. On the 5th, Sunderland, a team not even in the top flight of English football, won the FA Cup final, an upset not matched or exceeded in the British game until what happened a couple of days ago. Congratulations to Leicester City. Meanwhile, on the charts...
40 - "Whatever Happened to You," Highly Likely
This was the theme song to Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, a BBC sitcom about two working class friends that was a sequel to a 60s show called simply The Likely Lads. It's a piano-driven uptempo tune about wanting to live in the past, written by Mike Hugg of Manfred Mann and performed by a studio group. I'm sure it worked better as an abbreviated TV theme than it does as a full song.
39 - "20th Century Boy," T. Rex
The last of Marc Bolan's glam stars nine consecutive Top Threes was this grinding rock party. It grooves, Bolan swaggers, you rock out. Absolute genius.
38 - "Feel the Need in Me," The Detroit Emeralds
Formed in Little Rock, Arkansas, this vocal group moved to the Motor City and found success, picking up two U.S. Top 40 hits as well as three in Britain. Their highest charting record in either country was this one, which went to #4 here despite not even cracking the U.S. Hot 100. It's a funky strut about desire. Pretty cool, and reminiscent of the best of the Spinners.
37 - "Bad Weather," The Supremes
The group's final single with lead singer Jean Terrell would also be their last U.K. Top 40. Funky, uptempo pop-soul about a dissolving relationship. An overlooked gem of the post-Diana era.
36 - "Killing Me Softly With His Song," Roberta Flack
Covered it before, still a classic. Only #6, Britain? Pity.
35 - "Wam Bam," The Handley Family
These three sisters and two brothers from the London district of Bermondsey were briefly promoted as a British answer to American acts like the Jacksons and the Osmonds, but they only managed one minor hit in this cheesy bit of faux-ragtime. The fact that all the information I could find on this group was from a blog called "The World's Worst Records" should tell you something.
34 - "One and One is One," Medicine Head
The Staffordshire duo of John Fiddler and Peter Hope-Evans were discovered by influential BBC DJ John Peel, and the biggest of their four hits was this springy blues rocker about finding someone who is the other half of you. A nice little shuffle, with a little tinge of reggae.
33 - "Hey Mama," Joe Brown
A Lincolnshire native, Brown first found success as a teen-idol rocker in the early 60s, but was well past his commercial peak when he managed one more hit with this mournful ballad of appreciation for a dying mother. It walks a line between sincerity and melodrama, but mostly ends up on the right side of that line.
32 - "Cum On Feel the Noize," Slade
This Wolverhampton band were formed in the mid-60s. first as the N'Betweeners, then as Ambrose Slade, and finally Slade. Their first charted single in 1971 reached #16, then their next twelve all reached the Top Five, with six of them hitting #1. Their fourth charttopper was this raucous celebration of partying, with a misspelled title that was their trademark. One listen to this and you realize how pale an imitation the Quiet Riot version was.
31 - "Letter to Lucille," Tom Jones
The Welsh superstar was at the beginning of fifteen year dry spell during which none of his singles cracked the British Top 30. The closest he came was with this dramatic bit of protodisco on which Jones portrays a prisoner asking any of his fellow inmates who might be about to be released to deliver a letter to his lady asking her to wait for him. The arrangement is peppier than you'd think it should be, but it still works.
30 - "Could it Be I'm Falling in Love," The Spinners
#4 in the U.S., #12 here, #1 in your hearts. Listen and there will be no doubt you're falling in love with it.
29 - "The Right Thing to Do," Carly Simon
The ballad that followed up "You're So Vain" hit #17 on both sides of the Atlantic. A good example of her reliable early 70s output.
28 - "Heart of Stone," Kenny
Named for Irish singer Tony Kenny, these London-based glam rockers picked up the first of six U.K. hits with this tale of being betayed by an unfaithful lady named Ramona. One might assume that along with petrifying Kenny's heart, she also removed his testicles, judging by the highness of his voice. Still, pretty fun glam pop.
27 - "Mean Girl," Status Quo
The Quo's sixth Top 40 was this boogie-rocker about an unkind lady that the singer regrets becoming involved with. Decent enough example of its kind
26 - "Power to All Our Friends," Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff again, this time with Britain's entry in the 1973 Eurovision Song Contest. It's a ballad about appreciating people and the things they employ and enjoy. It's catchy and anthemic. I like it. But it only came third in the contest. Who won? Well, since you asked...
25 - "Wonderful Dream," Ann-Marie David
This French pop singer first got attention when she played Mary Magdalene in a production of Jesus Christ Superstar, then rose to greater fame when she sang Luxembourg's winning entry in the 1973 Eurovision Song Contest. The English version was this ballad about a couple trying to hold on to their dreams. Dramatic but typical MOR. Cliff totally should have won.
24 - "Love Train," The O'Jays
The Philly soul stars' only U.S. #1 was also their sole U.K. Top Ten. Nothing to say but "Get on board."
23 - "Duelling Banjos," Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell
The cover of a 1955 bluegrass instrumental used in the movie Deliverance hit #2 in the U.S., but only #17 here. I'm surprised, given the British capacity for exotica and novelty.
22 - "God Gave Rock and Roll to You," Argent
The band formed by ex-Zombie Rod Argent are best known in America for "Hold Your Head Up," but in their homeland they had two hits after that, the second being this power ballad anthem about how rock was granted to humanity by the Creator to make us feel young and alive. I don't know if that's true, but it makes sense to me.
21 - "Never Never Never," Shirley Bassey
Born in Wales to a Nigerian father and a British mother, Bassey grew up in an area of Cardiff that would inspire her later nickname "The Tigress from Tiger Bay." Her career began in earnest in the late 50s, and between 1957 and 1967 she had 21 Top 40 singles, including her lone American hit, the theme from the James Bond film Goldfinger. She had another run of five Top 40s between '70 and '73, the last of which being this dramatic ballad cover of an Italian song called "Grande Grande Grande." It's about being in love with someone in spite of yourself, and Bassey sings it beautifully. She is a voice I should go out of my way to hear more of.
In Part Two: Join me at sunrise for some cocoa in your PJs. (Trust me, it makes sense.)
40 - "Whatever Happened to You," Highly Likely
This was the theme song to Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, a BBC sitcom about two working class friends that was a sequel to a 60s show called simply The Likely Lads. It's a piano-driven uptempo tune about wanting to live in the past, written by Mike Hugg of Manfred Mann and performed by a studio group. I'm sure it worked better as an abbreviated TV theme than it does as a full song.
39 - "20th Century Boy," T. Rex
The last of Marc Bolan's glam stars nine consecutive Top Threes was this grinding rock party. It grooves, Bolan swaggers, you rock out. Absolute genius.
38 - "Feel the Need in Me," The Detroit Emeralds
Formed in Little Rock, Arkansas, this vocal group moved to the Motor City and found success, picking up two U.S. Top 40 hits as well as three in Britain. Their highest charting record in either country was this one, which went to #4 here despite not even cracking the U.S. Hot 100. It's a funky strut about desire. Pretty cool, and reminiscent of the best of the Spinners.
37 - "Bad Weather," The Supremes
The group's final single with lead singer Jean Terrell would also be their last U.K. Top 40. Funky, uptempo pop-soul about a dissolving relationship. An overlooked gem of the post-Diana era.
36 - "Killing Me Softly With His Song," Roberta Flack
Covered it before, still a classic. Only #6, Britain? Pity.
35 - "Wam Bam," The Handley Family
These three sisters and two brothers from the London district of Bermondsey were briefly promoted as a British answer to American acts like the Jacksons and the Osmonds, but they only managed one minor hit in this cheesy bit of faux-ragtime. The fact that all the information I could find on this group was from a blog called "The World's Worst Records" should tell you something.
34 - "One and One is One," Medicine Head
The Staffordshire duo of John Fiddler and Peter Hope-Evans were discovered by influential BBC DJ John Peel, and the biggest of their four hits was this springy blues rocker about finding someone who is the other half of you. A nice little shuffle, with a little tinge of reggae.
33 - "Hey Mama," Joe Brown
A Lincolnshire native, Brown first found success as a teen-idol rocker in the early 60s, but was well past his commercial peak when he managed one more hit with this mournful ballad of appreciation for a dying mother. It walks a line between sincerity and melodrama, but mostly ends up on the right side of that line.
32 - "Cum On Feel the Noize," Slade
This Wolverhampton band were formed in the mid-60s. first as the N'Betweeners, then as Ambrose Slade, and finally Slade. Their first charted single in 1971 reached #16, then their next twelve all reached the Top Five, with six of them hitting #1. Their fourth charttopper was this raucous celebration of partying, with a misspelled title that was their trademark. One listen to this and you realize how pale an imitation the Quiet Riot version was.
31 - "Letter to Lucille," Tom Jones
The Welsh superstar was at the beginning of fifteen year dry spell during which none of his singles cracked the British Top 30. The closest he came was with this dramatic bit of protodisco on which Jones portrays a prisoner asking any of his fellow inmates who might be about to be released to deliver a letter to his lady asking her to wait for him. The arrangement is peppier than you'd think it should be, but it still works.
30 - "Could it Be I'm Falling in Love," The Spinners
#4 in the U.S., #12 here, #1 in your hearts. Listen and there will be no doubt you're falling in love with it.
29 - "The Right Thing to Do," Carly Simon
The ballad that followed up "You're So Vain" hit #17 on both sides of the Atlantic. A good example of her reliable early 70s output.
28 - "Heart of Stone," Kenny
Named for Irish singer Tony Kenny, these London-based glam rockers picked up the first of six U.K. hits with this tale of being betayed by an unfaithful lady named Ramona. One might assume that along with petrifying Kenny's heart, she also removed his testicles, judging by the highness of his voice. Still, pretty fun glam pop.
27 - "Mean Girl," Status Quo
The Quo's sixth Top 40 was this boogie-rocker about an unkind lady that the singer regrets becoming involved with. Decent enough example of its kind
26 - "Power to All Our Friends," Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff again, this time with Britain's entry in the 1973 Eurovision Song Contest. It's a ballad about appreciating people and the things they employ and enjoy. It's catchy and anthemic. I like it. But it only came third in the contest. Who won? Well, since you asked...
25 - "Wonderful Dream," Ann-Marie David
This French pop singer first got attention when she played Mary Magdalene in a production of Jesus Christ Superstar, then rose to greater fame when she sang Luxembourg's winning entry in the 1973 Eurovision Song Contest. The English version was this ballad about a couple trying to hold on to their dreams. Dramatic but typical MOR. Cliff totally should have won.
24 - "Love Train," The O'Jays
The Philly soul stars' only U.S. #1 was also their sole U.K. Top Ten. Nothing to say but "Get on board."
23 - "Duelling Banjos," Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell
The cover of a 1955 bluegrass instrumental used in the movie Deliverance hit #2 in the U.S., but only #17 here. I'm surprised, given the British capacity for exotica and novelty.
22 - "God Gave Rock and Roll to You," Argent
The band formed by ex-Zombie Rod Argent are best known in America for "Hold Your Head Up," but in their homeland they had two hits after that, the second being this power ballad anthem about how rock was granted to humanity by the Creator to make us feel young and alive. I don't know if that's true, but it makes sense to me.
21 - "Never Never Never," Shirley Bassey
Born in Wales to a Nigerian father and a British mother, Bassey grew up in an area of Cardiff that would inspire her later nickname "The Tigress from Tiger Bay." Her career began in earnest in the late 50s, and between 1957 and 1967 she had 21 Top 40 singles, including her lone American hit, the theme from the James Bond film Goldfinger. She had another run of five Top 40s between '70 and '73, the last of which being this dramatic ballad cover of an Italian song called "Grande Grande Grande." It's about being in love with someone in spite of yourself, and Bassey sings it beautifully. She is a voice I should go out of my way to hear more of.
In Part Two: Join me at sunrise for some cocoa in your PJs. (Trust me, it makes sense.)
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