WEEK ENDING 28TH SEPTEMBER 1974
TOP 40 SINGLES

Last weeks position in Brackets
1-(-1)----Carl Douglas-----------------Kung Fu Fighting
2-(-3)----John Denver-----------------Annie's Song
3-(-4)----Johnny Bristol---------------Hang On In There Baby
4-(-2)----Osmonds----------------------Love Me For A Reason
5-(-6)----Sylvia--------------------------Y Viva Espana
6-(-7)----Alvin Stardust---------------You You You
7-(-9)----K.C. And The Sunshine Band----------Queen Of Clubs
8-(-8)----Barry White-------------------Can't Get Enough Of Your Love Babe
9-(22)----Andy Kim---------------------Rock Me Gently
10(23)----Leo Sayer---------------------Long Tall Glasses
11(-5)----Donny and Marie Osmond---------------I'm Leaving It All Up To You
12(14)----Diana Ross And The Supremes--------Baby Love
13(11)----Paper Lace--------------------The Black Eyed Boys
14(10)----Cozy Powell-------------------Na Na Na
15(34)----Sweet Sensation-------------Sad Sweet Dreamer
16(33)----Peter Shelley------------------Gee Baby
17(21)----Bryan Ferry--------------------Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
18(12)----Jimmy Ruffin------------------What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted
19(24)----Cat Stevens--------------------Another Saturday Night
20(---)----David Bowie-------------------Knock On Wood
21(15)----Three Degrees----------------When Will I See You Again
22(28)----Brian Protheroe---------------Pinball
23(25)----Elton John----------------------The Bitch Is Back
24(17)----Stylistics------------------------You Make Me Feel Brand New
25(26)----Commodores-------------------Machine Gun
26(27)----Kiki Dee-------------------------I've Got The Music in Me
27(13)----Sweet Dreams-----------------Honey Honey
28(30)----10 C.C.---------------------------Silly Love
29(16)----Showaddywaddy-------------Rock 'N' Roll Lady
30(29)----Don Covay---------------------It's Better To Have
31(---)----Tymes---------------------------You Little Trustmaker
32(---)----Andy Fairweather Lowe----------------Reggae Tune
33(---)----Reunion-------------------------Life Is A Rock (But The Radio Rolled Me)
34(20)----Cockney Rebel----------------Mr. Soft
35(---)----Ken Boothe--------------------Everything I Own
36(18)----Bobby Goldsboro------------Hello Summertime
37(39)----Tom Jones---------------------Something 'Bout You Baby I Like
38(37)----Roberta Flack-----------------Feel Like Making Love
39(31)----Bay City Rollers--------------Summerlove Sensation
40(19)----Peters & Lee-------------------Rainbow


1-(-1)----Carl Douglas-----------------Kung Fu Fighting
Carl was at number one for the second of three weeks. I can remember the first time I ever heard this. I was in a record store called 'Cranes' in Wrexham. Cranes was a store that stocked lots of pianos and I believe was the only store in Wrexham to stock the sheet music for the popular hits of the day. At one end of the store was the small record department, small but very efficient. They had all the current hits (including any that were barred by the BBC, and not stocked by Woolworths, Boots etc), and all the new releases as well as a good selection of albums. they also had a box with many old singles on sale for 10p (a red vinyl copy of "Ain't Doin' Nothin' " by 'Jet Bronx And The Forbidden' was in that box for many years). Anyway, I was browsing through the singles one Saturday, when I heard this record being played. I was quite certain that it was 'Tom Jones', and equally certain that such an awful song would not be a hit (particularly as Tom Jones was no longer fashionable). So, imagine my surprise when a few weeks later it entered the chart, I discovered it wasn't Tom Jones, and it hit number one. After hearing it a few times I began to like it, but after hearing it a few more I hated it. Now, it's nothing more than ok to me. Carl followed it with the truly stinking "Dance The Kung Fu" which struggled to number 35. But three years later came back with the classic under-rated "Run Back". As for the record shop, sadly it became a branch of 'Pizzaland' in the '80's. My first wife had an interesting episode in there once. She ordered and ate a meal in there and then tried to pay with a voucher that had nothing to do with pizzas whatsoever (she wasn't well at the time). She had no money at all save for maybe a pound, but the manager declined to call the police on condition that she never walked through their door again, nice one !

2-(-3)----John Denver-----------------Annie's Song
How I hated this ! I saw this as a very dreary song by someone who looked like his greatest pleasure in life was reading knitting patterns (He also looked like our insurance man). Whatever I thought about it, it still went to number one for a week. Since the decline of music that's been steadily increasing over the last five years, I've come to appreciate this song a lot more, and it isn't that bad at all really.

3-(-4)----Johnny Bristol---------------Hang On In There Baby
The backing track on this sounded like a Barry White record to me at the time, but the vocals were so much better. This number three peaking single was a classic of it's time, and it always remained a travesty of justice to me that Johnny had no further chart success save for a minor hit while duetting with Amii Stewart six years later. The song hit number three again when covered by 'Curiosity' in 1992, it wasn't as bad as so many '90s covers, but it wasn't very good either.

4-(-2)----Osmonds----------------------Love Me For A Reason
At least Johnny Bristol had writing credits on a number one single after writing this one. This single had spent three weeks at the top and were it not for the shallow views of many people would have been regarded as a great record. Because of the fact that most of Donny's singles weren't usually regarded as anything better than sprouts by anyone over the age of 14 (most weren't exactly classics), the singles made by the band as a whole were also trashed. In reality they were actually quite good and still sound good today if listened to without small minded prejudice. The song was of course recently covered by 'Boyzone' who also did a good job of it.

5-(-6)----Sylvia--------------------------Y Viva Espana
This seemed to be around for ages before becoming a hit. It was played every weekend by Ed Stewart on Junior Choice for months before becoming a hit. It was a typical wally record, but maybe not as bad as most and rose one more place to number four.

6-(-7)----Alvin Stardust---------------You You You
Alvin was having his Fourth hit in nine months with all making the top ten. This one was peaking at number six this week, but he would have to wait seven years before he next entered the top ten.

7-(-9)----K.C. And The Sunshine Band----------Queen Of Clubs
The debut hit from KC and the boys was at it's high of number seven this week, but Howie Casey had already written a number one single in this year, having been responsible for George McCrae's massive hit "Rock Your Baby".

8-(-8)----Barry White-------------------Can't Get Enough Of Your Love Babe
The man himself was having his first top ten hit and peaking at number eight. Probably one of Barry's best known songs, this was covered and taken into the top twenty by Taylor Dayne in 1993.

9-(22)----Andy Kim---------------------Rock Me Gently
The only hit Andy ever had in the UK while rising to number two had some really strange movements in the chart. It's full chart run was as follows - 35-29-24-22-9-8-2-8-8-25-36. I'm sure a certain chart commentator would find that rise to number nine, the one to two and the one back to eight, nothing short of 'Astonishing' ! I wonder if I'm the only person who thought it sounded like Neil Diamond ?

10(23)----Leo Sayer---------------------Long Tall Glasses
Leo's third hit of the year and another top tenner on it's way to number four. This was the one where Leo finally decided to appear on TV to promote it without the make up he had worn for his previous two hits. My own memories of this song are of the dancers on 'Lift Off' doing their mime/dance to it.

11(-5)----Donny And Marie Osmond---------------I'm Leaving It All Up To You
Donny And Marie's first duet together was a huge hit and had soared all the way to number two, being denied a number one by Donny's single with his brothers. The song had previously hit number 42 when recorded by 'Dale And Grace' ten years earlier.

12(14)----Diana Ross And The Supremes--------Baby Love
Another song that had been a hit ten years previous, but this had hit number one and was now back in it's original version reaching number 12 this time. This was the last time that the Supremes appeared in then top 40.

13(11)----Paper Lace--------------------The Black Eyed Boys
The third hit and last top 20 entry for Paper Lace had peaked at number 11 the previous week. I wouldn't rate this as one of the best singles of 1974, in fact it had nothing going for it at all. It just didn't have the annoying factor that "Billy Don't Be A Hero" had, or the commercial potential that "The Night Chicago Died" had. It was an ordinary single that was just 'there'. They had to wait four years for their next (and final) hit, "We've Got The Whole World In Our Hands" with Nottingham Forest F.C. (Yes, we once had the best team in Europe here in Nottingham).

14(10)----Cozy Powell-------------------Na Na Na
Cozy's third hit was the first to feature vocals. I'm not sure who the vocalist was, but it was probably someone like 'Roger Chapman'. It became Cozy's second single to make the top ten in eight months. I didn't buy this single when it came out, but a few years later decided I wanted it. I spent over ten years trying to track it down. As often seems the case once I did get it, it started appearing on numerous compilations and I've got it four times now. Cozy didn't appear in the top 40 again until almost 19 years later on the single "Resurrection" with Brian May. Cozy was killed in a road accident in April 1998.

15(34)----Sweet Sensation-------------Sad Sweet Dreamer
A big climb up the chart for Sweet Sensation who had recently been winners of the talent show 'New Faces'. This carried on climbing until it spent a solitary week at number one. They did follow it with one more hit, but then vanished without trace. For the record, they sounded very similar to the Jackson Five.

16(33)----Peter Shelley------------------Gee Baby
No, it isn't the bloke from the Buzzcocks. This Peter Shelley was the one that had been writing all of Alvin Stardust's hits. He'd decided to have a go himself and this number four hit was the result. It was an ok inoffensive song that didn't sound a bit like anything Alvin would have put out.

17(21)----Bryan Ferry--------------------Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
Four oldies together here. The first was Bryan Ferry's cover of a song that 'The Platters' had taken to number one in 1959. Bryan's version was peaking at number 17 this week. The song was being used in a TV. commercial at the time, and I think it was something called 'Esso Blue'. Other hit versions of this song were recorded by 'Blue Haze' in 1972, and by John Awful, sorry John Alford in 1996. Blue Haze had reached number 32, while John's chart position isn't even interesting due to the year in which it charted (OK, number 13).

18(12)----Jimmy Ruffin------------------What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted
Another classic that for some obscure reason was re-released just eight years after the original had reached number ten. This time though it did even better, going to number 4. This song (one of the best to ever come out of 'Motown') has since also been taken into the chart by other acts. Dave Stewart and Colin Blunstone took it to number 13 in 1981, while Robson And Jerome had a number one hit with it in 1996.

19(24)----Cat Stevens--------------------Another Saturday Night
A cover of Sam Cooke's 1963 number 23 hit took Cat to number 19 and became his first hit in almost two years. It also turned out to be the last of his nine top 40 hits. He later seemed to go a little strange and supported the orders of a dictator to assassinate a certain author. I'm not going to comment any more on that because I've had enough trouble lately !

20(---)----David Bowie-------------------Knock On Wood
A year after covering "Sorrow" David was back with a live version of 'Eddie Floyd's' number 19 hit from 1967. David took his version to number ten, and this was the third of five times that this song would chart. Otis Redding reached number 35 with it in 1967, while Amii Stewart charted twice with the song. She took it to number six in 1979 and to number seven in 1985. All versions have been good in their own way.

21(15)----Three Degrees----------------When Will I See You Again
The Three Degrees had been to number one with this song. It's another song that's attracted a lot of covers, but none have made it into the top 40.

22(28)----Brian Protheroe---------------Pinball
Brian only ever had this one hit, and he didn't rise any higher than number 22 with it. Brian has since worked as a session musician, and has written many TV. themes. I wouldn't be surprised if he's written the music for many commercials too. The song in question is now regarded as a classic, so if any single is worthy of a second chance, this deserves a re-release.

23(25)----Elton John----------------------The Bitch Is Back
Elton's singles had taken a little bit of a nosedive in terms of chart positions over the previous twelve months. After reaching the top ten with six out of his previous seven singles, "Step Into Christmas", "Candle In The Wind", and "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" had all failed to get beyond number 11. He would still have to wait a little longer though as "The Bitch Is Back" could only manage a high of number 15.

24(17)----Stylistics------------------------You Make Me Feel Brand New
The Stylistics made the original versions of so many songs that have recently been covered (including "You Are Everything", it WAS NOT the 'Astonishing' Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye). Surprisingly this was not one of them, no one has ever taken a cover of this song into the top 40. This was one of their biggest hits and was on it's way down from number two. A memory that I most associate with it, is of being on Chester Railway Station with my parents, brother and sister. My father had bought some 'Runaround' tickets which enabled us to travel anywhere along the North Wales coast for a week. So that's what we were doing that year for our holiday. I thought it was great, a different adventure every day. On the Sunday, we travelled to Rhyl which wasn't really much of an adventure. We'd been so many times through the years. School trips, British Legion trips, they always seemed to go there (I visited that god forsaken place just over a year ago, and it's worse than ever !). We were on our way home and waiting on Chester Station for our train to Ruabon when I heard some music. Someone on the station had a radio and was listening to the top 20 on which the Stylistics were playing . And that's why this particular song reminds me of 'Chester Railway Station'.

25(26)----Commodores-------------------Machine Gun
This was the first hit for the Commodores and gave us no clues as to the kind of music we would hear from them in the future. This was a fast paced instrumental track that had been to number 20. It was to be three years before they returned with the ballads that we associate them with.

26(27)----Kiki Dee-------------------------I've Got The Music in Me
Kiki returning after almost a year with her second hit. This number 19 hit did go on a bit, and to me sounds better when listening to it many years later. There is a great cover of this by Heart on their 'Magazine' album.

27(13)----Sweet Dreams-----------------Honey Honey
On it's way down from number ten was this cover of a track from Abba's 'Waterloo' album. Abba released their own version in America, but declined to do so in the UK. Sweet Dreams were in fact 'Polly Brown' with some man I don't know the name of, and I remember seeing them on Top Of The Pops where Polly blacked her face.

28(30)----10 C.C.---------------------------Silly Love
I liked this a lot. Faster paced than their previous singles, and their last hit for the UK Label. It rose no higher than number 24, but such a low position was still an achievement in those days. At least it spent six weeks in the chart, so people actually had opportunities to hear it !

29(16)----Showaddywaddy-------------Rock 'N' Roll Lady
Showaddywaddy were also past winners of 'New Faces' and were having their second hit, which was on it's way down from number 15. I preferred this one to their first "Hey Rock and Roll", and got my first copy of it thanks to 'Smiths Crisps'. I cut out the vouchers from the crisp packets and was sent a flexidisc (thicker than normal ones) that had this on one side and "Sad Sweet Dreamer" by Sweet Sensation on the other. Both sides are still playable.

30(29)----Don Covay---------------------It's Better To Have
I don't know much about this except that it peaked at number 29, was once played at the beginning of Top Of The Pops while the chart positions were being displayed, and he had no further hits. Oh, and I like it.

31(---)----Tymes---------------------------You Little Trustmaker
The Tymes had reached number 21 with "So Much In Love" in 1963, and had then had to wait Five years and eight months until 1969 for their second hit when "People" hit number 16. Now after a gap of Five years and six months they were back again and on their way to number 18. Fortunately, they wouldn't have to wait long for their follow up to this, it hit the chart at the end of December.

32(---)----Andy Fairweather Lowe----------------Reggae Tune
Andy had six hits as part of 'Amen Corner' during the late 60's including the number one "(If Paradise Is) Half As Nice". He launched his hitmaking solo career with a number ten hit in the shape of "Reggae Tune". It may have been a case for the 'Trades Description' people really but it was pleasant enough as long as he doesn't do it again.

33(---)----Reunion-------------------------Life Is A Rock (But The Radio Rolled Me)
This was as high as it got and I don't remember much about it (remember it was top 30 on Top Of The Pops at the time). I gather it wasn't very good and could have resembled the Beach Boys (that bad ?). As for 'Reunion', they were that obscure that they could have won the equal of that year's 'Mercury Music Prize' ;-)

34(20)----Cockney Rebel----------------Mr. Soft
The second hit from Cockney Rebel was coming down from number eight, and wasn't particularly good compared to some of their other efforts. There has been renewed interest in this track lately due to it being used in commercials for Toilet Tissue and Mints (what a combination !).

35(---)----Ken Boothe--------------------Everything I Own
This would be a number one for Ken, as well as becoming a number one again for Boy George in 1987. It had already been a minor hit reaching number 32 for Bread in 1972. I have a feeling someone could have released a bad cover of this recently, but maybe I'm thinking of John Awful's cover of "If" from 1996.

36(18)----Bobby Goldsboro------------Hello Summertime
Wonderfully, unashamedly, Commercial. This is what music is REALLY about. I don't see how anyone can dislike this happy feel good tune. The melody was taken from a Coca- Cola commercial (ok, that was a fault), but as Bobby clearly didn't want to promote a drink that tastes of chemicals and is referred to as 'Gut Rot' by me, he decided to sing about Summer instead. Too bad that it could climb no higher than number 14. The B Side, "And Then There Was Gina" was good too.

37(39)----Tom Jones---------------------Something 'Bout You Baby I Like
Tom was no longer as hip as he'd been in the late 60s and early 70s. He hadn't been into the top thirty since 1972, and wouldn't get there again until 1987. This single would get no higher than number 36 for Tom, but would go to number nine when recorded by Status Quo in 1981.

38(37)----Roberta Flack-----------------Feel Like Making Love
Oh Roberta, I bet she really got the men going when she sang this, I don't think !
Roberta did some great stuff with the late 'Donny Hathaway' and a few of her solo singles were above average.This peaked at number 34 and she didn't hit the 40 again until 1980. George Benson fared little better with his cover of this abysmal song when he made number 28 in 1983.

39(31)----Bay City Rollers--------------Summerlove Sensation
Rollermania had started, though they were still waiting for their first number one after this had peaked at number three. The song was of course complete nonsense, but at least we could understand the words.

40(19)----Peters & Lee-------------------Rainbow
This wasn't bad considering that it came from these two and had been as high as number 17. They had won the other talent show 'Opportunity Knocks', and the major reason for that was possibly due to Lenny Peters being blind (or was he ? I had my doubts). He certainly couldn't sing (and that was usually a requirement to get anywhere near a recording studio back then), and that was a shame due to his vocals drowning out those of Diane Lee on every single. He was also said to have many contacts in Gangster land, including the Kray twins. He passed away a few years ago and I've no idea what Diane Lee is doing at present. I reckon that she ought to hire Thom Yorke or Bobby from Boney M as Lenny's replacement.

THE REMEMBER WHEN ARCHIVES
GOLDEN DAYS INDEX

Email: nige@innotts.co.uk