70's US & UK Charts.

It wasn't a huge hit here, but I really loved the song when I was young.

I finally got it on CD on one of the excellent 'Guilty Pleasures' UK comps about 10 years ago.

 

It's a shame there aren't more UK charts on here. At Christmas time we always had great seasonal records in the top 10. Mud, Slade, Gary Glitter, Wings. Great days.

 

The UK Top 40 for December 13 1975:

No LW Weeks In Artist / Title
1 1 6 Queen / Bohemian Rhapsody
2 2 6 Hot Chocolate / You Sexy Thing
3 9 4 Laurel And Hardy With The Avalon Boys / The Trail Of The Lonesome Pine ft Chill Wills
4 3 4 Bay City Rollers / Money Honey
5 6 5 The Stylistics / Na Na Is The Saddest Word
6 5 5 Steeleye Span / All Around My Hat
7 4 5 Rod Stewart / This Old Heart Of Mine
8 15 3 Mud / Show Me You're A Woman
9 14 3 Chubby Checker / Let's Twist Again/The Twist
10 10 7 John Lennon / Imagine
11 12 7 Jigsaw / Sky High
12 8 8 Jim Capaldi / Love Hurts
13 19 4 Demis Roussos / Happy To Be On An Island In The Sun
14 18 5 John Asher / Let's Twist Again
15 24 3 David Bowie / Golden Years
16 40 2 Greg Lake / I Believe In Father Christmas
17 11 4 Slade / In For A Penny
18 7 7 Billy Connolly / DIVORCE
19 16 6 Stretch / Why Did You Do It
20 13 7 Maxine Nightingale / Right Back Where We Started From
21 27 3 The Drifters / Can I Take You Home Little Girl
22 36 2 Chris Hill / Renta Santa
23 22 4 The Impressions / First Impressions
24 47 2 Judge Dread / Christmas In Dreadland/Come Outside
25 50 2 David Essex / If I Could
26 43 2 Andy Fairweather-Low / Wide Eyed And Legless
27 32 3 10cc / Art For Art's Sake
28 46 3 Ken Dodd / (Think Of Me) Wherever You Are
29 33 3 Elvis Presley / Green Green Grass Of Home
30 17 8 David Cassidy / Darlin'
31 21 11 Glen Campbell / Rhinestone Cowboy
32 44 2 Sailor / Glass Of Champagne
33 28 5 Silver Convention / Fly Robin Fly
34 48 2 The Fatback Band / Do The Bus Stop
35 30 4 Rubettes / Little Darling
36 26 7 Eagles / Lyin' Eyes
37 23 9 Hello / New York Groove
38 20 10 David Bowie / Space Oddity
39 31 5 Gladys Knight And The Pips / Part Time Love
40 29 10 Roxy Music / Love Is The Drug

Not a lot I can say. Billy Connolly? Ken Dodd? Elvis doing a Tom Jones song? A Chubby Checker double A-side of 60s twist hits (and also "Let's Twist Again" by John Asher, which must be a remake; was there a twist revival in Britain at Christmas 1975)? Laurel and Hardy? (The Laurel and Hardy?!) A typically madcap British chart for the 1970s. I know it's a bizarre Top 40 when Demis Roussos is one of the 15 or so songs I know.

 

John Asher was one of the hosts of Tiswas when it first began. I don't think he stayed long.

Yes, THE Laurel & Hardy! I've no idea why that was in the charts. My dad bought the single!

Greg Lake was this year's big Christmas hit. He got stuck behind Queen, of course.

Never heard the Judge Dread single, but I can imagine.

Some great records in this chart, though.

If you don't mind me asking, where did you get this chart from?

 

Usually I look at UK charts on the Official Charts Company website, but that chart was cut-and-paste (with slight modifications by me to make it slightly more readable) from the UK charts Wiki page:
http://uk-charts-archive.wikia.com/wiki/Home_Page

And the official UK charts website:
http://www.officialcharts.com/

 

Thanks for that I'll enjoy looking through them.

 

Where's Bobby Morrow to comment on all this? I miss his wry, sardonic sense of humor. The new people who have come along since he left about a month ago are...well, a little boring.

 

Greg Lake, Eagles, 10cc, Roxy, Queen, Bowie, Silver Convention from that chart, in order.

 

I have in my collection, from this set (and U.S. pressings, of course), #1, 2, the B side of 9, 10, 15, 20, 31, 33, 36 and 38. As for Laurel & Hardy (yes, it was ol' Stan and Ollie, as 'Hiptobesquare' mentioned - and the tune came straight from their 1937 film Way Out West), the high charting in the UK (where it was released on United Artists) contrasts wildly with that in the U.S. where it didn't do diddly-squat - it was issued as a single in the States on George Garabedian's Mark56 label, famous in those days for LP issues of old radio shows. Some pressings of that were - gulp - styrene, pressed by Allied Record Co. of Los Angeles. (What's more, the U.S. pressings deigned to credit Mr. Garabedian as producer - whereas the British UA issue had no producer's credit.) As to why it broke out big in merrie olde England, you can thank BBC Radio 1's John Peel for that.

 

Where art thou list?

 

A few odd ones but quite a few of my favorites

Love Sky High , Rhinestone Cowboy , Golden Years , Love Is The Drug & Glass Of Champagne


Money Honey is a classic rocker from the Roller's

 

Our charts were always eclectic, but seemed to go up a gear at Christmas.

There seemed to be a lack of great Xmas songs in this chart. Something the UK was known for in the 70s. Of course, I doubt anyone would have gotten past Queen. Greg Lake would surely have made the top if not for them. The Steeleye Span record wasn't exactly a Christmas song, but is the sort of thing that usually only sells at this time of year. Like their 'Gaudete' from a couple of years previously.

 

Here's the US chart for the December 13 1975. Quite a bit different from the equivalent UK chart I posted:

TW LW TITLE Artist (Label)-Weeks on Chart

1 1 FLY, ROBIN, FLY –•– Silver Convention (Midland International)-10 (3 weeks at #1)
2 4 LET’S DO IT AGAIN –•– The Staple Singers (Curtom)-8
3 3 SKY HIGH –•– Jigsaw (Chelsea)-16
4 2 THAT’S THE WAY (I Like It) –•– K.C. and the Sunshine Band (T.K.)-8
5 9 SATURDAY NIGHT –•– The Bay City Rollers (Arista)-10
6 12 LOVE ROLLERCOASTER –•– The Ohio Players (Mercury)-5
7 8 NIGHTS ON BROADWAY –•– The Bee Gees (RSO)-11
8 19 THEME FROM “MAHOGANY” (Do You Konw Where You’re Going To) –•– Diana Ross (Motown)-7
9 10 MY LITTLE TOWN –•– Simon and Garfunkel (Columbia)-9
10 11 FOX ON THE RUN –•– Sweet (Capitol)-5

11 13 I WRITE THE SONGS –•– Barry Manilow (Arista)-5
12 14 VENUS AND MARS ROCK SHOW –•– Paul McCartney and Wings (Capitol)-7
13 16 OUR DAY WILL COME –•– Frankie Valli (Private Stock)-9
14 18 I LOVE MUSIC (Part 1) –•– The O’Jays (Philadelphia International)-7
15 17 I WANT’A DO SOMETHING FREAKY TO YOU –•– Leon Haywood (20th Century)-15
16 6 ISLAND GIRL –•– Elton John (MCA)-10
17 5 THE WAY I WANT TO TOUCH YOU –•– The Captain and Tennille (A&M)-12
18 7 LOW RIDER –•– War (United Artists)-13
19 15 EIGHTEEN WITH A BULLET –•– Pete Wingfield (Island)-17
20 20 SECRET LOVE –•– Freddy Fender (ABC / Dot)-9

21 25 TIME OF YOUR LIFE –•– Paul Anka (United Artists)-5
22 26 THE LAST GAME OF THE SEASON (A Blind Man In the Bleachers) –•– David Geddes (Big Tree)-5
23 29 FOR THE LOVE OF YOU (Parts 1 and 2) –•– The Isley Brothers (T-Neck)-5
24 30 COUNTRY BOY (You Got Your Feet In L.A.) –•– Glen Campbell (Capitol)-6
25 33 WALK AWAY FROM LOVE –•– David Ruffin (Motown)-6
26 27 I’M ON FIRE –•– 5000 Volts (Philips)-9
27 31 PART TIME LOVE –•– Gladys Knight and the Pips (Buddah)-6
28 28 I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU –•– Art Garfunkel (Columbia)-17
29 82 CONVOY –•– C.W. McCall (MGM)-2
30 34 ROCK AND ROLL ALL NIGHT (Live Version) –•– Kiss (Casablanca)-5

31 35 FULL OF FIRE –•– Al Green (Hi)-6
32 37 YOU SEXY THING –•– Hot Chocolate (Big Tree)-7
33 46 SING A SONG –•– Earth, Wind, and Fire (Columbia)-4
34 22 THIS WILL BE –•– Natalie Cole (Capitol)-16
35 40 VOLARE –•– Al Martino (Capitol)-7
36 45 OVER MY HEAD –•– Fleetwood Mac (Reprise)-6
37 58 FLY AWAY –•– John Denver (with Olivia Newton-John) (RCA)-2
38 42 LOVE MACHINE (Part 1) –•– The Miracles (Tamla)-8
39 43 WINNERS AND LOSERS –•– Hamilton, Joe Frank, and Reynolds (Playboy)-6
40 49 EVIL WOMAN –•– The Electric Light Orchestra (United Aritsts)-5

That's a lot more to my liking. Stellar songs by Silver Convention, the Staple Singers, Ohio Players, the Bee Gees and Diana in the Top 10. And a few nice songs ascending the Top 40: ELO's "Evil Woman" (49-40), EWF's "Sing A Song" (46-33), "Fly Away" by John Denver (and ONJ) (58-37), "Country Boy" (30-24), even "Rock And Roll All Night" by Kiss (34-30). But man, "Convoy": vaults from No. 82 to No. 29. It's a fun song, but... terrible. I'm shocked it wasn't on the UK chart too.

 

'Convoy' made #2 here in March 1976. So we didn't let you down.

'Saturday Night' was never a UK single. Odd considering it was such a big US hit for the Bay City Rollers.

 

From this list, in my collection are #1, 2, 5 - 11, 14, 16, 17, 19, 21, 25, 26, 32 - 34, 36, 37 and 40. As for "Saturday Night," it was indeed released as a single in the U.K. In 1973. On Bell. With a different lead vocal than on Arista AS 0157 which charted here.

And "Convoy" was the very last Number One MGM Records ever had. By early 1976, what was left of MGM's roster was folded into Polydor.

 

Same here - many more that I like from this chart. Majority of the top 10 + Country Boy , Convoy & Fly Away one of John's finest songs

 

You have to feel a bit sorry for Elton, with both Leon and the Captain and Tennille in, uhhh, frisky moods on either side of him.

 

Never thought of the Captain and Tennille as especially frisky.

 

I like That's the Way I Like It and Nights on Broadway, and to a lesser extent Sky High, I Write the Songs and maybe You Sexy Thing from the latest chart. After that, it's basically meh.

I always look over the lists three or four times. I didn't even notice Nights on Broadway the first two.

 

1976


Note – the chart was “frozen” next week (week ending 1st January, 1977). The next new chart was dated 8th January, 1977.

TW LW TITLE Artist (Label)-Weeks on Chart (Peak Position)

1 1 TONIGHT’S THE NIGHT (Gonna Be Alright) –•– Rod Stewart (Warner Brothers)-13 (7 weeks at #1) (1)
2 3 YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A STAR (To Be In My Show) –•– Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. (ABC)-16 (2)
3 2 THE RUBBERBAND MAN –•– The Spinners (Atlantic)-16 (2)
4 5 YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE DANCING –•– Leo Sayer (Warner Brothers)-10 (4)
5 6 MORE THAN A FEELING –•– Boston (Epic)-15 (5)
6 7 SORRY SEEMS TO BE THE HARDEST WORD –•– Elton John (MCA / Rocket)-7 (6)
7 18 I WISH –•– Stevie Wonder (Tamla)-4 (7)
8 12 DAZZ –•– Brick (Bang)-10 (8)
9 17 CAR WASH –•– Rose Royce (MCA)-10 (9)
10 11 AFTER THE LOVIN’ –•– Engelbert Humperdinck (Epic)-10 (10)

11 15 STAND TALL –•– Burton Cummings (Portrait)-12 (11)
12 14 HOT LINE –•– The Sylvers (Capitol)-12 (12)
13 13 I NEVER CRY –•– Alice Cooper (Warner Brothers)-20 (13)
14 16 LOVE ME –•– Yvonne Elliman (RSO)-13 (14)
15 19 LIVIN’ THING –•– The Electric Light Orchestra (United Artists)-10 (15)
16 4 MUSKRAT LOVE –•– The Captain and Tennille (A&M)-14 (4)
17 8 NADIA’S THEME (The Young and the Restless) –•– Barry DeVorzon and Perry Botkin Jr. (A&M)-18 (8)
18 10 NIGHTS ARE FOREVER WITHOUT YOU –•– England Dan and John Ford Coley (Big Tree)-12 (10)
19 22 SOMEBODY TO LOVE –•– Queen (Elektra)-5 (19)
20 48 NEW KID IN TOWN / VICTIM OF LOVE –•– The Eagles (Asylum)-2 (20)

21 31 ENJOY YOURSELF –•– The Jacksons (Epic)-7 (21)
22 26 LOST WITHOUT YOUR LOVE –•– Bread (Elektra)-5 (22)
23 9 YOU ARE THE WOMAN –•– Firefall (Atlantic)-19 (9)
24 28 JEANS ON –•– David Dundas (Chrysalis)-12 (24)
25 29 SHAKE YOUR RUMP TO THE FUNK –•– The Bar-Kays (Mercury)-11 (25)
26 30 SATURDAY NITE –•– Earth, Wind and Fire (Columbia)-6 (26)
27 33 THIS SONG –•– George Harrison (Dark Horse)-6 (27)
28 38 WALK THIS WAY –•– Aerosmith (Columbia)-6 (28)
29 42 TORN BETWEEN TWO LOVERS –•– Mary MacGregor (Ariola America)-6 (29)
30 35 I LIKE DREAMIN’ –•– Kenny Nolan (20th Century)-8 (30)

31 21 LOVE SO RIGHT –•– The Bee Gees (RSO)-15 (3)
32 40 BLINDED BY THE LIGHT –•– Manfred Mann’s Earth Band (Warner Brothers)-6 (32)
33 36 WHISPERING / CHERCHEZ LA FEMME / SE SI BON (Medley) –•– Dr. Buzzard’s Original “Savannah” Band (RCA)-8 (33)
34 20 LOVE BALLAD –•– L.T.D. (A&M)-13 (20)
35 50 WEEKEND IN NEW ENGLAND –•– Barry Manilow (Arista)-5 (35)
36 37 MADEMOISELLE –•– Styx (A&M)-7 (36)
37 43 AIN’T NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THING –•– Donny and Marie (Kolob)-5 (37)
38 39 KEEP ME CRYIN’ –•– Al Green (Hi)-10 (38)
39 41 DO WHAT YOU WANT, BE WHAT YOU ARE –•– Daryl Hall and John Oates (RCA)-9 (39)
40 47 DRIVIN’ WHEEL –•– Foghat (Bearsville)-5 (40)

OFF THE CHARTS

41 23 BETH / DETROIT ROCK CITY –•– Kiss (Casablanca)-17 (7)
45 24 HELLO OLD FRIEND –•– Eric Clapton (RSO)-11 (24)
48 27 DISCO DUCK (Part 1) –•– Rick Dees and His Cast Of Idiots (RSO)-20 (1)
57 32 JUST TO BE CLOSE TO YOU –•– The Commodores (Motown)-15 (7)
58 34 DON’T TAKE AWAY THE MUSIC –•– Tavares (Capitol)-9 (34)
68 25 THE WRECK OF THE EDMUND FITZGERALD –•– Gordon Lightfoot (Reprise)-18 (2)

POWER PLAYS

41 23 BETH / DETROIT ROCK CITY –•– Kiss (Casablanca)-17 (7)
42 46 WHAT CAN I SAY –•– Boz Scaggs (Columbia)-6 (42)
43 54 FREE BIRD (Live Version) –•– Lynyrd Skynyrd (MCA)-4 (43)
44 44 FLIGHT ’76 –•– The Walter Murphy Band (Private Stock)-7 (44)
45 24 HELLO OLD FRIEND –•– Eric Clapton (RSO)-11 (24)
46 56 SOMEONE TO LAY DOWN BESIDE ME / CRAZY –•– Linda Ronstadt (Asylum)-4 (46)
47 57 I LIKE TO DO IT –•– K.C. and the Sunshine Band (T.K.)-4 (47)
48 27 DISCO DUCK (Part 1) –•– Rick Dees and His Cast Of Idiots (RSO)-20 (1)
49 51 IT KEEPS YOU RUNNIN’ –•– The Doobie Brothers (Warner Brothers)-7 (49)
50 52 DO IT TO MY MIND –•– Johnny Bristol (Atlantic)-5 (50)

DEBUTS THIS WEEK

79 — BABY, YOU LOOK GOOD TO ME TONIGHT –•– John Denver (RCA)-1 (79)
82 — MOODY BLUE / SHE THINKS I STILL CARE –•– Elvis Presley (RCA)-1 (82)
87 — CARRY ON WAYWARD SON –•– Kansas (Kirshner)-1 (87)
88 — WHEN LOVE IS NEW –•– Arthur Prysock (Old Town)-1 (88)
89 — C.B. SAVAGE –•– Rod Hart (Little Richie / Plantation)-1 (89)
90 — HA CHA CHA (Funktion) –•– Brass Construction (United Artists)-1 (90)
93 — PRISONER (Captured By Your Eyes) –•– L.A. Jets (RCA)-1 (93)
95 — FEELINGS –•– Walter Jackson (Chi-Sound)-1 (95)
96 — HEY BABY –•– J.J. Cale (Shelter)-1 (96)
97 — SPEND SOME TIME –•– Elvin Bishop Featuring Mickey Thomas (Capricorn)-1 (97)
98 — (She’s Just a) FALLEN ANGEL –•– Starz (Capitol)-1 (98)

39 years ago.

Great top 10, though Engelbert's a bit out of place. Thought he'd stopped having hits at this point.

 

From this batch of chart records, I have #1, 3 - 8, 10 - 13, 18 (got that for its B side, "Showboat Gambler"), 22, 28, 29, 31, 35,48, 68, 82 and 87. #10 appears to be one of Mr. Humperdinck's biggest hits, probably more so than when he was on Parrot. (However, his fellow labelmate [both on Parrot and now Epic] and Gordon Mills managee, Tom Jones, charted with "Say You'll Stay Until Tomorrow" not long after this, but it wasn't as big a hit, I.I.N.M.)

As for #34, let's say I'm more partial towards George Benson's 1979 version . . .

 

Post #545, I like (approximately in descending order) More than a Feeling, Somebody to Love, Weekend in New England, Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word, Carry On My Wayward Son and, uh, Disco Duck ...

 

Nice UK & US chart from October 1974.

 

I have always had a soft spot for the Three Degrees song "When Will I See You Again" - it´s slick and polished - and perfect! Seeing Shirley Ferguson - ? - on "Never mind the Buzzcocks" revealed another side of her, a raunchier side. Funny lady.

 

Sheila Ferguson.

The Three Degrees made 2 excellent albums at the end of the 70s, 'New Dimensions' and "3D'. They include hits like 'My Simple Heart', 'The Runner' and 'Woman In Love' and are well worth anyone's time.