Every UK #1 Single of 1976 Discussion Thread

16 singles topped the UK Singles Chart in 1976, so let's get started!

 

The first number one single of 1976 was ABBA's 'Mamma Mia', which reached the top spot the week ending 31 January 1976, staying there for 2 weeks.



B-side: Tropical Loveland

 

"Mamma Mia" is a song recorded by the Swedish pop group ABBA, written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson, with the lead vocals shared by Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. It is the opening track on the group's third album, the self-titled ABBA. The song's name is derived from Italian, where it is an interjection used in situations of surprise, anguish, or excitement, which corresponds to the English interjection "my" but literally means "My mommy". The interjection "my my" can indeed be found in some lines within the song.



History and impact
The distinctive sound at the start of the song is the marimba. According to biographer Carl Magnus Palm, the instrument was incorporated at the last minute, added after Benny Andersson found it in the studio and decided its "tick tock" rhythm was perfect for the track.

"Mamma Mia" was written at the home of Agnetha Fältskog and Björn Ulvaeus, and was the last track recorded for the album ABBA. It was one of four songs from the album to have a music video made to promote the album. Initially, however, "Mamma Mia" was never intended for release as a single. Around this time, many artists were recording ABBA songs (such as "Honey, Honey" and "Bang a Boomerang"), similarly ABBA offered "Mamma Mia" to British pop group Brotherhood of Man, who turned it down.

"I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" topped the Australian charts for three weeks; however, the promo clip for "Mamma Mia" proved the more popular after repeat screenings on Australian television, notably Molly Meldrum's Countdown. ABBA’s Australian record company, RCA, asked that "Mamma Mia" be released as a single but Polar Music refused. However, Stig Anderson agreed to this; "Mamma Mia" was released in Australia in August 1975, where it spent 10 weeks at number one.

After this success in Australia, Epic Records in the United Kingdom took notice of ABBA for the first time since their Eurovision Song Contest winner "Waterloo". From then on, Epic began to heavily promote ABBA's singles with the immediate result of "S.O.S." reaching the Top 10 in the British market, their first hit since "Waterloo". "Mamma Mia" soon followed, reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart in January 1976, the second of ABBA's 18 consecutive Top 10 singles there.

The B-side for the Australian release of "Mamma Mia" was "Hey, Hey Helen". In most other countries the B-side was the instrumental "Intermezzo Number 1". ABBA's British label Epic selected "Tropical Loveland" as the B-side for the UK release, feeling another vocal track, especially one showcasing ABBA in a different musical style, would better promote the parent album.

A-Teens version
"Mamma Mia" became the first single by the A-Teens which was released as the debut single from the album The ABBA Generation. The song is a cover version of the popular hit by ABBA. Unlike the original, this version leaves out the second refrain "Mamma Mia, even if I say, Bye bye, leave me now or never; Mamma Mia, it's a game we play, Bye bye, doesn't mean forever."

When the single came out in the spring of 1999, it became a smash hit in their home country, Sweden, where it peaked at number-one and stayed there for eight consecutive weeks earning a platinum certification.

On the initial pressings of the single, the name of the band appeared as ABBA*Teens, but Universal Music Group thought it would be better to change the name of the band to A-Teens so the new pressings of the single were made.

The single reached the top twenty in almost every European country, reaching number three in Norway, number nine in Switzerland and the Netherlands, number ten in Germany, number twelve in the United Kingdom, number fourteen in Austria and Finland, among others. A Spanish version of the song was recorded for promotion in Latin America and Spain.

Despite the worldwide success, the song failed to attract the Australian public, peaking at seventy-two on the ARIA Charts. The album flopped, and the A-Teens stopped releasing singles or albums in that country until the 2002 single "Can't Help Falling in Love". "Mamma Mia" also peaked at thirteen in New Zealand, but owing to the lack of success in Australia, the further singles were never released in that country either.

In the United States the single peaked at sixty-three on the Billboard Hot Single Sales Chart, becoming the band's first single to chart in the country.

Music video
The music video was directed by Henrik Sylvén and was filmed in Sweden. It shows the A-Teens as waiters in an art exposition, and they are suppressed by the manager; but soon they discover that one of the paintings transports them to a party where the manager and patrons he's helping also join in on the fun.

The video reached number one on several music channels, and was the main single outside the US, where "Dancing Queen" was used as the main single to promote the album.

Mamma Mia! version
"Mamma Mia" was recorded by Meryl Streep for the soundtrack of Mamma Mia!. Her version was released on July 8, 2008 alongside the rest of the soundtrack, by Decca and Polydor Records. It was produced by Benny Andersson.

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again version
Lily James, Jessica Keenan Wynn and Alexa Davies recorded "Mamma Mia" for the soundtrack of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. Their version was released on July 13, 2018 alongside the rest of the soundtrack, by Capitol and Polydor Records. It was produced by Benny Andersson.

Live cover performances
The song is featured in the Mamma Mia! musical, and sung by the character of Donna. In the context of the musical, the song is used as Donna's surprise at finding the three men she went out with at the same time. Donna explains how much pain the men caused her at the separation, but also in the song she explains how easily she can succumb to temptation. In the 2008 Mamma Mia! film adaptation, it is sung by Meryl Streep, who plays Donna. In both cases, the length of the song is exactly the same as the original, but like the A-Teens version (see above), the second refrain is omitted and the main refrain is sung twice in succession.

References and appearances in other media

• In 1980, a Spanish version of "Mamma Mia" was included on the album Gracias Por La Música.
• In 1999, a musical with the same name, Mamma Mia! (with an exclamation point to differentiate its name from the title track), opened in London's West End, featuring many of ABBA's songs and production has spread to many other countries, with more than 5,000 performances on Broadway alone. A film adaptation premiered in theaters in 2008.
• ABBA perform parts of the song live in the film ABBA: The Movie (1977).
• The song is featured in the movie The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1993) which was made in Australia, the site of the single's greatest success.
• The song can be heard in another Australian film Muriel's Wedding (1994).
• The song can be heard in the That '70s Show episode "No Quarter". Jackie plays it trying to get to sleep, to the annoyance of Donna.
• In a second-season episode of the television drama Boston Legal, the character Ivan Tiggs, performed by Tom Selleck references the song in reaction to his fiance's breaking into a line from Dancing Queen.
• The A-Teens cover is used as the opening theme of the German reality programme Frauentausch.
• On 5 December 2010, on a British poll of the nation's favourite ABBA song, the song was placed at number 6.
• Aus TV series sent up this video in their second season in 1990 with Jane Turner and Gina Riley in the roles of Agnetha and Fredia respectively.
  
  
  Mamma Mia (song) - Wikipedia

 

The Record Mirror Scan for the week ending 31 January 1976

 

The Singles Chart for the week ending 7 February 1976:

Week Ending 07 February 1976

(weeks on chart - chart position the week before - chart position)
09 - 01 - 01 - Abba - MAMMA MIA
04 - 02 - 02 - Slik - FOREVER AND EVER
05 - 04 - 03 - Miracles - LOVE MACHINE
04 - 06 - 04 - Donna Summer - LOVE TO LOVE YOU BABY
04 - 07 - 05 - R And J Stone - WE DO IT
14 - 03 - 06 - Queen - BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
10 - 05 - 07 - Sailor - GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE
02 - 28 - 08 - Four Seasons - DECEMBER '63 (OH WHAT A NIGHT)
09 - 09 - 09 - Billy Howard - KING OF THE COPS
08 - 08 - 10 - Mike Oldfield - IN DULCE JUBILO / ON HORSEBACK
05 - 10 - 11 - Electric Light Orchestra - EVIL WOMAN
07 - 12 - 12 - Paul Davidson - MIDNIGHT RIDER
04 - 20 - 13 - Walker Brothers - NO REGRETS
09 - 13 - 14 - Small Faces - ITCHYCOO PARK
03 - 26 - 15 - Glenn Miller - MOONLIGHT SERENADE / LITTLE BROWN JUG / IN THE MOOD
07 - 11 - 16 - Barry White - LET THE MUSIC PLAY
04 - 14 - 17 - Barbara Dickson - ANSWER ME
04 - 16 - 18 - David Ruffin - WALK AWAY FROM LOVE
08 - 18 - 19 - Sheer Elegance - MILKY WAY
03 - 24 - 20 - War - LOW RIDER
02 - 44 - 21 - Manuel And The Music Of The Mountains - RODRIGO'S GUITAR CONCERTO DE ARANJUEZ
04 - 17 - 22 - Osibisa - SUNSHINE DAY
03 - 21 - 23 - Wing And A Prayer Fife And Drum Corps - BABY FACE
10 - 19 - 24 - Andy Fairweather-Low - WIDE EYED AND LEGLESS
04 - 27 - 25 - Donny And Marie Osmond - DEEP PURPLE
03 - 31 - 26 - Who - SQUEEZE BOX
05 - 23 - 27 - Paul Simon - 50 WAYS TO LEAVE YOUR LOVER
03 - 30 - 28 - Captain And Tennille - THE WAY I WANT TO TOUCH YOU
03 - 36 - 29 - Yvonne Fair - IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME
02 - 43 - 30 - Smokie - SOMETHING'S BEEN MAKING ME BLUE
02 - 45 - 31 - O'Jays - I LOVE MUSIC
03 - 39 - 32 - Evelyn Thomas - WEAK SPOT
03 - 34 - 33 - George McCrae - HONEY I
10 - 22 - 34 - Fatback Band - DO THE BUS STOP
03 - 35 - 35 - Sweet - LIES IN YOUR EYES
07 - 25 - 36 - Roxy Music - BOTH ENDS BURNING
1 - NEW - 37 - L J Johnson - YOUR MAGIC PUT A SPELL ON ME
02 - 49 - 38 - Faith, Hope And Charity - JUST ONE LOOK
1 - NEW - 39 - Manhattan Transfer - TUXEDO JUNCTION
07 - 42 - 40 - Ethna Campbell - THE OLD RUGGED CROSS
04 - 38 - 41 - Tony Christie - DRIVE SAFELY DARLIN'
04 - 33 - 42 - Gloria Gaynor - HOW HIGH THE MOON
1 - NEW - 43 - Bob Dylan - HURRICANES
02 - 48 - 44 - Dooley Silverspoon - LET ME BE THE NUMBER 1 (LOVE OF YOUR LIFE)
1 - NEW - 45 - Slade - LET'S CALL IT QUITS
1 - NEW - 46 - Pluto Shervington - DAT
1 - NEW - 47 - Juggy Jones - INSIDE AMERICA
1 - NEW - 48 - Tina Charles - I LOVE TO LOVE
1 - NEW - 49 - Cliff Richard - MISS YOU NIGHTS
1 - NEW - 50 - Sound 9418 - IN THE MOOD

 

Mama Mia. Fabulous single, obviously.

Preferred SOS, but that's a tough benchmark.

I may be the only person on this forum to adore the 7 February new entry at number 48.

Lovely to see Dylan and 10cc entering the album charts at numbers four and five respectively in the 31 January chart.

 

After nine weeks at number one, Bohemian Rhapsody needed something special to knock it off the top, and ABBA well and truly stepped up to the plate with the wonderful Mama Mia.

Shame the song didn't have more staying power!!

 

I had the 7" of King Of The Cops!



"I should warn you, I'm an expert at the karate chop"

"The only chops you know are the ones you stuff in your fat face!"

 

'Mamma Mia' dethroned 'Bohemian Rhapsody' which also contains the words 'mam(m)a mia'. A nice coincidence.

 

It didn't have much staying power at number one in 1976 but it has proved a lot of staying power in the past 20 years, with the musical of the same name and the 2 movies conquering the whole world.

 

Mama Mia's production and arrangement was Slik.

 

Still have the 45. Lots of ABBA 45s.

I actually really like the electric guitar work in that song!

 

Carry on like that and a Requiem will follow.

 

'Mamma Mia' is a perfect pop song, from the first to the very last second, full of catchy hooks and arrangements, like all ABBA hits.

One example of ABBA's brilliance is the 'just one look and I can hear a bell ring, one more look and I forget everything' part right before the chorus.
Simply amazing.

 

My mum took me to see the musical in London - it was an excellent show.

Yes, the music really does have staying power and appeal for many age groups.

 

The thought did occur to me that that's 2 number ones in a row that have been passed along to the young ones via cinema.

Good thing they're both fantastic songs!

 

ABBA - Mamma Mia
Brilliant, classic single.
They don't make em' like this anymore.
Transends generations....
5/5

 

Glancing at the chart...
Sweet - Lies In Your Eyes
Fantastic commercial Rock from my fav band as a young un'
Ok Andy Scott lifted the riff from The Stones Paint It Black....but that makes it even better.
Slade - Let's Call It Quits
Another great single...but Joe Public was turning away from them.
Paul Simon - 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover
Have always loved this tune.

 

...and go Supersonic!!!!

 

Finishing off The 70's with cut to the chase and Randoms.
Every UK #1 Single of 1970 Discussion Thread

 

This is a fantastic Abba single and proved that SOS wasn't a fluke hit after the previous flops.
Personally I would have liked to have heard a Brotherhood Of Man version of this single, and also Abba's take on Figaro and Angelo.
The two groups were just so similar in looks, talent, fashion and style, also there's the Eurovision connection as well. I could easily imagine Brotherhood Of Man singing Waterloo and Abba singing Save Your Kisses For Me.
And lets not forget that both groups 'went' Disco....

 

Early 1976 charts:

From the African reggae of Osibisa to the first big hit of the Electric Light Orchestra, the charts have a lot to say. Oddities such as Glenn Miller's re-issue (it actually cracked the Top 20!), early disco hits like Donna Summer's erotic hit and The Miracles Love Machine or O'Jays I Love Music, old glories like The Walker Brothers, the Four Seasons or the Small Faces and MOR pop like R&J Stone. And in the middle, reggae hit of Paul Davidson (possibly the only time Gregg Allman was in the charts) and Geoff Love's rendition of Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez.

 

Another coincidence between the Queen and ABBA numbers is, both in the U.S. were issued on labels that were part of the WEA combine. "Bohemian Rhapsody" was on Elektra; "Mamma Mia" was on Atlantic, and its U.S. B side was "Tropical Loveland."

 

From these charts, in my collection are #3-6, #10-11, #11-16, #13-14, #16-18, #23-27, #28-8, #30-28, #40-/, #45-31, #/-47 and #/-48. B.T.W., as for Juggy Jones - it's longtime New York R&B producer Juggy Murray.

 

Being well into hard rock, blues rock, jazz rock and punk rock at the time, I couldn't stand "Mamma Mia".
As time wore on, I thought it was great.