October 1974. Britain holds its second election of the year, which resulted in Harold Wilson’s government going from a minority to a thin majority in Parliament. Meanwhile, the following songs gained enough support to be elected to another august body, the Top Forty.
40 - “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted,” Jimmy Ruffin
The Motown second-stringer’s biggest hit returned to the Top Ten eight years after its first release. It deserves to be a hit many times over.
39 - “Life is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me),” Reunion
The laundry-list hit only got to #33 here. Maybe the Brits were in the dark about most of the references after “Mott the Hoople.”
38 - “Love Me,” Diana Ross
Miss Ross had a small, U.K. only hit with a sex ballad featuring some pretty thinly disguised entendres (“I feel your lovin’ inside me growin’,” “Let me come with you.”). I like that she’s willing to admit that she wants a lot more than just touching in the morning.
37 - “When Will I See You Again,” The Three Degrees
The Philly soul ballad to rule them all. The U.K. stepped up and gave it the #1 it deserves.
36 - “Leave It,” Mike McGear
This is Peter Michael McCartney, younger brother of the Cute Beatle. He had some success in the sixties with the comedy band The Scaffold, but he only got this high with his one solo hit. Paul wrote this bouncy tune about a girl who gets her heart broken while trying to become famous. I think that’s it. Surprisingly, McGear sounds more like Gerry Rafferty than Macca. Nothing special, but a glimpse at a figure I had no idea existed before now.
35 - “I Honestly Love You,” Olivia Newton-John
ONJ’s first of two Triple Crowns. Heartfelt but not sappy. She says she’s not trying to make me feel uncomfortable, and she doesn’t.
34 - “I’m Leaving it Up to You,” Donny and Marie Osmond
The first hit collaboration by the Mormon teens was this cover of a 1963 Dale and Grace hit. It’s most interesting for how much Marie sounds like pre-puberty Donny. Maybe that’s why they started pairing right after his voice broke.
33 - “Happy Anniversary,” Slim Whitman
Born in Tampa, Florida, Ottis Whitman had some country success in the 50s and 60s, and at one point toured with an opening act named Elvis Presley. Surprisingly, he was a bigger star in Britain, where his “Rose Marie” topped the charts for 11 weeks in 1955. But even there, he hadn’t charted in 17 years until coming back with this celebration of a lasting marriage. He doesn’t yodel as much as he does on other songs, but this is nice, old-school country, and takes him out of the box I had put him in thanks to all the TV commercials for his “Not Available in Stores” collections in the 80s.
32 - “Na Na Na,” Cozy Powell
The third hit for the drummer born Colin Flooks was this rocker about the power of being a drummer, and how it’s better than being a “guitar star.” Love it. And I must say, if I had done more with music than just yelling at it, I’d probably bash the skins myself.
31 - “All of Me Loves All of You,” The Bay City Rollers
The Scots’ fifth hit was this jaunty boogie-popper. So light and fluffy it should have been released on a pancake instead of a vinyl disc.
30 -“Pinball,” Brian Protheroe
This Salisbury actor-singer had his only hit with this folky tune about being bored and aimless. It’s sneakily great. Doesn’t sound like much, but it draws you in and leaves you loving it.
29 - “I’m a Believer,” Robert Wyatt
Bristol-born Wyatt has been a prolific musician since the 60s, when he was part of the pioneering jazz-rock combo The Soft Machine. His biggest pop success was this cover of the Neil Diamond-penned Monkees perennial. It’s a very dramatic, very English version, but it works very well. It’s even got a violin solo. It makes me want to smash Smash Mouth in the...balls.
28 - “Love Me for a Reason,” The Osmonds
Donny and bros. only #1 here was a soul ballad about wanting a serious relationship. Okay, but the Johnny Bristol original can’t help but be better.
27 - “Samba Pa Ti,” Santana
Carlos’ band picked up a hit here with a loping instrumental taken from the then-four-year-Old Abraxas LP. Good guitar work, naturally, but little more.
26 - “Baby Love,” Diana Ross and the Supremes
Ten years after it first topped the charts, this Motown Classic was reissued and got to #12. A hit any time, anywhere,
25 - “The Black Eyed Boys,” Paper Lace
These guys last non-football-assisted hit was a jaunty number about a motorcycle-riding rock band. Not hard by any stretch, but it’s Napalm Death compared to that Bay City Rollers track.
24 - “Silly Love,” 10cc
My newest favourite band had their fifth hit by beating McCartney to the theme of “silly love songs” by a couple years. I am on record as defending Paul’s effort, but it doesn’t hold a candle to this caustic, clever stomper. Listen to this, stat!
23 - “You Little Trustmaker,” The Tymes
The Philly soulsters with a cool number about a fantastically faithful female. It obviously appealed to the Northern Soul crowd, but it was Top 20 at home too. Good job, America.
22 - “I Can’t Leave You Alone,” George McCrae
The Floridian’s followup to the Triple Crown-winning “Rock Your Baby” was only a Top Ten here. It’s very good, more on the funk side of the line than the disco side. And McCrae sounds quite a bit like Terence Trent D’Arby on this.
21 - “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,” Bryan Ferry
Ferry's third solo hit was a cover of a popular standard that originated in the 1933 Broadway musical Roberta, whose original cast included Bob Hope and Fred MacMurray (and was made two years later into a Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers movie). He does the smooth loungey thing he brings out often, and it works.
In Part Two: childbirth and chop socky, chalk and cheese.
No comments:
Post a Comment