Every UK #1 Single Of 1974 Discussion Thread

That’s ample Mud for me. Even the last 4 tracks aren’t essential.

Though I did put in a bid on a cheap copy of Mud Rock on eBay. Don’t ask me why..

 

Time for the next number one:

Devil Gate Drive is a song by American singer Suzi Quatro, her second (and final) solo number one single in the UK, spending two weeks at the top of the chart in February 1974.

Written and produced by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, Devil Gate Drive was the second number one in a row for the "ChinniChap" writing and production team, following the success of Tiger Feet by Mud. The single was re-recorded for Quatro's 1995 album What Goes Around as the opening track. The track was the B-side to the re-release in 1987, when Can The Can became a minor hit.

A vocal extract was used on Orbital's, Bigpipe Style. The song was featured on the show, Happy Days, during season 5, on the episode "Fonzie and Leather Tuscadero, Part II". Quatro played Leather Tuscadero on the show.



The Suzi Quatro, Len Tuckey penned B side.



Happy on the Italian sleeve.



Magnificently moody picture on the Japanese sleeve.

 

The famous TOTPs performance:

 

The B side, In The Morning:

 

Whilst I did own a second hand copy of 48 Crash, with a massive split in it (which amazingly still played), the financial realities of an eleven year old caught up with me, and although loving the song, I couldn't afford the single.

The second RAK and Chinn / Chapman number one single in a row: if only they had been around instead of Stock, Aitken & Waterman!

 

As I’ve said before, If You Can’t Give Me Love is my favourite Suzi single, though Devil Gate Drive is probably the best of ‘this’ type of material Chinn and Chapman gave her. It’s more of a song than Can The Can for example and has a great chantable chorus. As also mentioned before, I don’t think C&C ever gave their very best stuff to Suzi, but Devil Gate Drive is solid and deserved to be #1.

The B-side is a nice snarky kiss-off song, but it’s easy to see why Suzi wasn’t begged to write the A-sides of her singles..

Both sides of this are available as bonus tracks on the excellent 7ts CD reissue of her 2nd album, Quatro.

 

Suzi Quatro
Devil Gate Drive
I bought this...
Great single, tho not a ultimate fav...as mentioned before, 48 Crash remains her best IMO.
Typical Chinn and Chapman pop rock, and nothing wrong with that.
5/5

 

This is the UK chart for Suzi’s 2nd week at the top. A few changes in the top 40 since Christmas.

 

Even Yugoslavia had a picture sleeve!

 

Devil Gate Drive is another one I've never heard before. Not bad at all. It's got a lot of energy and Suzi does a good job on the vocals. My only gripe is that the Chinnichap songs are all starting to sound alike - stomping rhythms and tons of hooks in the chorus. They certainly had a trademark sound.

 

They could mix up their sound when they needed to. Like on this 1978 single which turned out to be one of Suzi’s last big UK hits.

 

The dutch sleeve of Devil Gate Drive (such a badass cover):



I bought the Devil Gate Drive single (in the PC sleeve above) upon release. Somewhere along the way I lost the 45, and it's been ages since I last heard the song. After listening to it now on you tube, I must say it's a fun, uplifting boogie (very catchy chorus), but just a tad below Suzi's earlier hits Can The Can or 48 Crash, IMO.

 

Love this image. Suzi's all come hither and the lads are all "back off!".

Or perhaps she wanted to extend the neighbouring digit instead.

 

While I prefer 1973's music to 1974 (also taking into account albums), so far the british charts (and #1's) of this year are holding up well. It's also fun seeing how artists like Alvin Stardust and David Essex were huge in the UK. In my home country the Netherlands both essentially were one-hit wonders, David with Gonna Make You A Star and Alvin had My Coo-Ca-Choo, although the latter surpringly made a storming comeback in 1981, hitting the dutch #1 spot with Pretend!

 

I saw the Dutch sleeve, loved it, but hoped you would post it!

Pleased you have, because it is a badass cover!

 

I thought that chart was a pretty good one, and I’m frankly amazed that @Randoms hasn’t taken it upon himself to mention Wombling Song yet.

 

"Wombling free, The Wombles of Wimbledon Common are we" i still remember that lol ... i think i used to watch the tv show as a little kid

 

Wasn't Tiger Feet the single were Mud first introduced us to their fabulous dancing skills on Top Of The Pops?

 

I always loved Suzi Quattro. Just a straight up great rock chick.
48 crash
can the can
cat size
Your mama won't like me
tear me apart
stumblin in (with the guy from smokie)
the race is on
mama's boy
too big
i may be too young
she's in love with you
if you can't give me love

she may not have been an album artist as such, but some great songs, that were a big part of my youth

 

That was a great performance of a great single...

 

Tiger Feet - I firs heard this song on CBC radio about 12 or 13 years ago. Very catchy. It's too bad it was't a big hit over here.

Devil Gate Drive - I love the chorus.

 

I remember this one now that I've played the video. I think it was played on the radio for about a week or two. Stumblin' In overshadowed it in a major, major way.

 

Bob posted the screenshot...love the authenticity...
here's the Top 30 snagged from the now 'Official Chart'.....

 

Other way around here. Stumblin’ In flopped, but If You Can’t Give Me Love made #4.

It was strange that the former did nothing as Suzi’s duet partner Chris Norman was in Smokie who were a popular UK band at the time.

 

How did you manage to copy that from Official Charts? When I try I just get a jumbled up mess!