Buggles - Video Killed The Radio Star Excellent, catchy Pop song that showed some of the production skills that Trevor Horn would later demonstrate on several amazing sounding recordings. Futuristic? Video Killed The Radio Star was of course the first video played on MTV when it launched in 1981 and it has nothing in common with this parody: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OoXSrPl38Po
An older cousin had this on a battered VHS. Haven't seen since about '81. I don't see the Buggles connection though?
Despite the title and the use on the first MTV broadcast, I was simply suggesting that unlike some of the later video excesses, Buggles gave us a very good, highly memorable song, not video - though it's pretty good!
From Not The 9 O'Clock News, no doubt. The gal in that group later married the egregiously unfunny Billy Connolly.
#15 of 1979 (#445 in total) - "One Day At A Time" by Lena Martell (#1 for 3 weeks - 27 October-10 November 1979) The UK single (no US release) - how old this record is, is measured by the color scheme variants of the label: Wikipedia entry - also NME #484 (1 week - 03 November 1979), but could only get to #2 on the Melody Maker singles chart; a true "slow burner," being as this record was out for two years at the point it reached the top. The last-ever Number One single for Pye Records; a year after this, parent ATV's rights to the name 'Pye' had expired, obliging them to change the label name to PRT (Precision Records And Tapes). The success of Ms. Martell's version led to another recording by American singer Cristy Lane which topped the US country chart the next year.
Week Ending 27 October 1979 05 - 05 - 01 - Lena Martell - ONE DAY AT A TIME 06 - 01 - 02 - The Buggles - VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR 06 - 09 - 03 - Dr. Hook - WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN 07 - 03 - 04 - Michael Jackson - DON'T STOP 'TIL YOU GET ENOUGH 06 - 06 - 05 - Sad Café - EVERY DAY HURTS 02 - 30 - 06 - ABBA - GIMME, GIMME, GIMME (A MAN AFTER MIDNIGHT) 06 - 10 - 07 - The Dooleys - THE CHOSEN FEW 06 - 02 - 08 - The Police - MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE 04 - 18 - 09 - Fleetwood Mac - TUSK 05 - 04 - 10 - Blondie - DREAMING 06 - 12 - 11 - Errol Dunkley - O.K. FRED 07 - 07 - 12 - Rainbow - SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE 06 - 08 - 13 - Status Quo - WHATEVER YOU WANT 06 - 11 - 14 - Dave Edmunds - QUEEN OF HEARTS 06 - 20 - 15 - The Charlie Daniels Band - THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA 04 - 27 - 16 - Viola Wills - GONNA GET ALONG WITHOUT YOU NOW 06 - 28 - 17 - XTC - MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL 03 - 23 - 18 - Chic - MY FORBIDDEN LOVER 07 - 15 - 19 - Al Hudson And The Partners - YOU CAN DO IT 08 - 17 - 20 - The Jags - BACK OF MY HAND 02 - 33 - 21 - Queen - CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE 02 - 46 - 22 - Suzi Quatro - SHE'S IN LOVE WITH YOU 03 - 21 - 23 - Sex Pistols And Ten Pole Tudor - THE GREAT ROCK N' ROLL SWINDLE / ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK 04 - 29 - 24 - Cats U.K. - LUTON AIRPORT 07 - 13 - 25 - Kate Bush - KATE BUSH ON STAGE (EP) 03 - 47 - 26 - The Selecter - ON MY RADIO 04 - 25 - 27 - Earth, Wind And Fire - STAR 09 - 22 - 28 - Madness - THE PRINCE 03 - 51 - 29 - The Ramblers (From The Abbey Hey Junior School) - THE SPARROW 12 - 16 - 30 - Bellamy Brothers - IF I SAID YOU HAD A BEAUTIFUL BODY WOULD YOU HOLD IT AGAINST ME 10 - 19 - 31 - Nick Lowe - CRUEL TO BE KIND 04 - 37 - 32 - Gloria Gaynor - LET ME KNOW (I HAVE A RIGHT) 03 - 52 - 33 - Herb Alpert - RISE 04 - 35 - 34 - Nolan Sisters - SPIRIT, BODY AND SOUL 02 - 43 - 35 - The Damned - SMASH IT UP 02 - 40 - 36 - The Stranglers - NUCLEAR DEVICE (THE WIZARD OF AUS) 09 - 14 - 37 - Gary Numan - CARS 11 - 26 - 38 - Dollar - LOVE'S GOTTA HOLD ON ME 02 - 64 - 39 - The Undertones - YOU'VE GOT MY NUMBER (WHY DON'T YOU USE IT!) 03 - 50 - 40 - Eagles - HEARTACHE TONIGHT 1 - NEW - 41 - The Specials Featuring Rico + - A MESSAGE TO YOU RUDY / NITE KLUB 03 - 44 - 42 - Dynasty - I DON'T WANT TO BE A FREAK (BUT I CAN'T HELP MYSELF) 02 - 58 - 43 - Thin Lizzy - SARAH 05 - 48 - 44 - Matumbi - POINT OF VIEW (SQUEEZE A LITTLE LOVIN') 08 - 32 - 45 - Squeeze - SLAP AND TICKLE 02 - 74 - 46 - Robert John - SAD EYES 12 - 34 - 47 - Frantique - STRUT YOUR FUNKY STUFF 1 - NEW - 48 - Iris Williams - HE WAS BEAUTIFUL (CAVATINA) 1 - NEW - 49 - Kool And The Gang - LADIES NIGHT 05 - 39 - 50 - The O'Jays - SING A HAPPY SONG 10 - 38 - 51 - Commodores - SAIL ON 02 - 67 - 52 - Lene Lovich - BIRD SONG 04 - 61 - 53 - New Musik - STRAIGHT LINES 06 - 45 - 54 - Headboys - THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME 02 - 71 - 55 - Darts - CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF YOUR LOVE 09 - 24 - 56 - Secret Affair - TIME FOR ACTION 02 - 62 - 57 - Bob Marley And The Wailers - SO MUCH TROUBLE IN THE WORLD 1 - NEW - 58 - B.A. Robertson - KNOCKED IT OFF 1 - NEW - 59 - Chris Thompson And Night - IF YOU REMEMBER ME 05 - 31 - 60 - The Skids - CHARADE 09 - 36 - 61 - Electric Light Orchestra - DON'T BRING ME DOWN 06 - 42 - 62 - John Du Cann - DON'T BE A DUMMY 02 - 73 - 63 - Van Morrison - BRIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD 02 - 60 - 64 - Public Image Ltd - MEMORIES 02 - 69 - 65 - Dusty Springfield - BABY BLUE 09 - 41 - 66 - Donna Summer - DIM ALL THE LIGHTS 1 - NEW - 67 - Sham 69 - YOU'RE A BETTER MAN THAN I 02 - 70 - 68 - Steve Harley - FREEDOM'S PRISONER 1 - NEW - 69 - 999 - FOUND OUT TOO LATE 1 - NEW - 70 - Atlanta Rhythm Section - SPOOKY 11 - 49 - 71 - Crusaders - STREET LIFE 03 - 63 - 72 - The Slits - TYPICAL GIRLS / I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE 1 - NEW - 73 - Supertramp - GOODBYE STRANGER 1 - NEW - 74 - Sparks - TRYOUTS FOR THE HUMAN RACE 05 - 55 - 75 - The Three Degrees - JUMP THE GUN Week Ending 03 November 1979 06 - 01 - 01 - Lena Martell - ONE DAY AT A TIME 07 - 03 - 02 - Dr. Hook - WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN 07 - 05 - 03 - Sad Café - EVERY DAY HURTS 03 - 06 - 04 - ABBA - GIMME GIMME GIMME (A MAN AFTER MIDNIGHT) 07 - 02 - 05 - The Buggles - VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR 08 - 04 - 06 - Michael Jackson - DON'T STOP 'TIL YOU GET ENOUGH 07 - 07 - 07 - The Dooleys - THE CHOSEN FEW 05 - 09 - 08 - Fleetwood Mac - TUSK 05 - 16 - 09 - Viola Wills - GONNA GET ALONG WITHOUT YOU NOW 03 - 21 - 10 - Queen - CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE 07 - 11 - 11 - Errol Dunkley - O.K. FRED 07 - 08 - 12 - The Police - MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE 06 - 10 - 13 - Blondie - DREAMING 07 - 15 - 14 - The Charlie Daniels Band - THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA 04 - 18 - 15 - Chic - MY FORBIDDEN LOVER 05 - 27 - 16 - Earth, Wind And Fire - STAR 07 - 14 - 17 - Dave Edmunds - QUEEN OF HEARTS 08 - 12 - 18 - Rainbow - SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE 07 - 13 - 19 - Status Quo - WHATEVER YOU WANT 03 - 22 - 20 - Suzi Quatro - SHE'S IN LOVE WITH YOU 04 - 26 - 21 - The Selecter - ON MY RADIO 04 - 23 - 22 - Sex Pistols And Ten Pole Tudor - THE GREAT ROCK N' ROLL SWINDLE / ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK 07 - 17 - 23 - XTC - MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL 09 - 20 - 24 - The Jags - BACK OF MY HAND 08 - 19 - 25 - Al Hudson And The Partners - YOU CAN DO IT 04 - 29 - 26 - The Ramblers (From The Abbey Hey Junior School) - THE SPARROW 05 - 24 - 27 - Cats U.K. - LUTON AIRPORT 02 - 41 - 28 - The Specials Featuring Rico + - A MESSAGE TO YOU RUDY / NITE KLUB 1 - NEW - 29 - The Jam - THE ETON RIFLES 02 - 48 - 30 - Iris Williams - HE WAS BEAUTIFUL (CAVATINA) 04 - 33 - 31 - Herb Alpert - RISE 1 - NEW - 32 - Commodores - STILL 02 - 49 - 33 - Kool And The Gang - LADIES NIGHT 03 - 39 - 34 - The Undertones - YOU'VE GOT MY NUMBER (WHY DON'T YOU USE IT!) 04 - 42 - 35 - Dynasty - I DON'T WANT TO BE A FREAK (BUT I CAN'T HELP MYSELF) 05 - 34 - 36 - Nolan Sisters - SPIRIT, BODY AND SOUL 05 - 32 - 37 - Gloria Gaynor - LET ME KNOW (I HAVE A RIGHT) 03 - 46 - 38 - Robert John - SAD EYES 03 - 36 - 39 - The Stranglers - NUCLEAR DEVICE (THE WIZARD OF AUS) 13 - 30 - 40 - Bellamy Brothers - IF I SAID YOU HAD A BEAUTIFUL BODY WOULD YOU HOLD IT AGAINST ME 03 - 35 - 41 - The Damned - SMASH IT UP 02 - 58 - 42 - B.A. Robertson - KNOCKED IT OFF 03 - 43 - 43 - Thin Lizzy - SARAH 10 - 37 - 44 - Gary Numan - CARS 02 - 74 - 45 - Sparks - TRYOUTS FOR THE HUMAN RACE 03 - 52 - 46 - Lene Lovich - BIRD SONG 02 - 59 - 47 - Chris Thompson And Night - IF YOU REMEMBER ME 02 - 70 - 48 - Atlanta Rhythm Section - SPOOKY 04 - 40 - 49 - Eagles - HEARTACHE TONIGHT 03 - 55 - 50 - Darts - CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF YOUR LOVE 06 - 44 - 51 - Matumbi - POINT OF VIEW (SQUEEZE A LITTLE LOVIN') 08 - 25 - 52 - Kate Bush - KATE BUSH ON STAGE (EP) 10 - 28 - 53 - Madness - THE PRINCE 02 - 67 - 54 - Sham 69 - YOU'RE A BETTER MAN THAN I 07 - 54 - 55 - Headboys - THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME 03 - 57 - 56 - Bob Marley And The Wailers - SO MUCH TROUBLE IN THE WORLD 12 - 38 - 57 - Dollar - LOVE'S GOTTA HOLD ON ME 03 - 68 - 58 - Steve Harley - FREEDOM'S PRISONER 02 - 73 - 59 - Supertramp - GOODBYE STRANGER 10 - 56 - 60 - Secret Affair - TIME FOR ACTION 1 - NEW - 61 - Paul Phoenix (Treble) - NUNC DIMITTIS 06 - 50 - 62 - The O'Jays - SING A HAPPY SONG 05 - 53 - 63 - New Musik - STRAIGHT LINES 03 - 65 - 64 - Dusty Springfield - BABY BLUE 1 - NEW - 65 - Matchbox - ROCKABILLY REBEL 1 - NEW - 66 - Amii Stewart - JEALOUSY 11 - 31 - 67 - Nick Lowe - CRUEL TO BE KIND 03 - 63 - 68 - Van Morrison - BRIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD 06 - 60 - 69 - The Skids - CHARADE 1 - NEW - 70 - Angelic Upstarts - NEVER 'AD NOTHIN' 1 - NEW - 71 - Jonathan King - GLORIA 1 - NEW - 72 - Donna Summer / Barbra Streisand - NO MORE TEARS (ENOUGH IS ENOUGH) 1 - NEW - 73 - Cliff Richard - HOT SHOT 1 - NEW - 74 - The Isley Brothers - IT'S A DISCO NIGHT (ROCK DON'T STOP) 02 - 69 - 75 - 999 - FOUND OUT TOO LATE Week Ending 10 November 1979 07 - 01 - 01 - Lena Martell - ONE DAY AT A TIME 08 - 02 - 02 - Dr. Hook - WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN 04 - 04 - 03 - ABBA - GIMME, GIMME, GIMME (A MAN AFTER MIDNIGHT) 08 - 03 - 04 - Sad Café - EVERY DAY HURTS 04 - 10 - 05 - Queen - CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE 06 - 08 - 06 - Fleetwood Mac - TUSK 02 - 29 - 07 - The Jam - THE ETON RIFLES 06 - 09 - 08 - Viola Wills - GONNA GET ALONG WITHOUT YOU NOW 05 - 21 - 09 - The Selecter - ON MY RADIO 02 - 32 - 10 - Commodores - STILL 04 - 20 - 11 - Suzi Quatro - SHE'S IN LOVE WITH YOU 08 - 05 - 12 - The Buggles - VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR 08 - 11 - 13 - Errol Dunkley - O.K. FRED 08 - 07 - 14 - The Dooleys - THE CHOSEN FEW 05 - 26 - 15 - The Ramblers (From The Abbey Hey Junior School) - THE SPARROW 09 - 06 - 16 - Michael Jackson - DON'T STOP 'TIL YOU GET ENOUGH 08 - 23 - 17 - XTC - MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL 06 - 16 - 18 - Earth, Wind And Fire - STAR 03 - 28 - 19 - The Specials Featuring Rico + - A MESSAGE TO YOU RUDY / NITE KLUB 05 - 15 - 20 - Chic - MY FORBIDDEN LOVER 03 - 33 - 21 - Kool And The Gang - LADIES NIGHT 06 - 27 - 22 - Cats U.K. - LUTON AIRPORT 08 - 12 - 23 - The Police - MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE 08 - 14 - 24 - The Charlie Daniels Band - THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA 03 - 42 - 25 - B.A. Robertson - KNOCKED IT OFF 05 - 31 - 26 - Herb Alpert - RISE 02 - 72 - 27 - Donna Summer / Barbra Streisand - NO MORE TEARS (ENOUGH IS ENOUGH) 05 - 22 - 28 - Sex Pistols And Ten Pole Tudor - THE GREAT ROCK N' ROLL SWINDLE / ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK 03 - 30 - 29 - Iris Williams - HE WAS BEAUTIFUL (CAVATINA) 05 - 35 - 30 - Dynasty - I DON'T WANT TO BE A FREAK (BUT I CAN'T HELP MYSELF) 09 - 18 - 31 - Rainbow - SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE 04 - 34 - 32 - The Undertones - YOU'VE GOT MY NUMBER (WHY DON'T YOU USE IT!) 09 - 25 - 33 - Al Hudson And The Partners - YOU CAN DO IT 04 - 38 - 34 - Robert John - SAD EYES 07 - 13 - 35 - Blondie - DREAMING 08 - 17 - 36 - Dave Edmunds - QUEEN OF HEARTS 04 - 43 - 37 - Thin Lizzy - SARAH 08 - 19 - 38 - Status Quo - WHATEVER YOU WANT 04 - 46 - 39 - Lene Lovich - BIRD SONG 02 - 74 - 40 - The Isley Brothers - IT'S A DISCO NIGHT (ROCK DON'T STOP) 06 - 37 - 41 - Gloria Gaynor - LET ME KNOW (I HAVE A RIGHT) 03 - 47 - 42 - Chris Thompson And Night - IF YOU REMEMBER ME 04 - 50 - 43 - Darts - CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF YOUR LOVE 02 - 65 - 44 - Matchbox - ROCKABILLY REBEL 10 - 24 - 45 - The Jags - BACK OF MY HAND 03 - 45 - 46 - Sparks - TRYOUTS FOR THE HUMAN RACE 04 - 41 - 47 - The Damned - SMASH IT UP 03 - 48 - 48 - Atlanta Rhythm Section - SPOOKY 04 - 39 - 49 - The Stranglers - NUCLEAR DEVICE (THE WIZARD OF AUS) 1 - NEW - 50 - Dan-I - MONKEY CHOP 1 - NEW - 51 - Madness - ONE STEP BEYOND... 02 - 70 - 52 - Angelic Upstarts - NEVER 'AD NOTHIN' 03 - 54 - 53 - Sham 69 - YOU'RE A BETTER MAN THAN I 05 - 49 - 54 - Eagles - HEARTACHE TONIGHT 06 - 36 - 55 - Nolan Sisters - SPIRIT, BODY AND SOUL 02 - 61 - 56 - Paul Phoenix (Treble) - NUNC DIMITTIS 03 - 59 - 57 - Supertramp - GOODBYE STRANGER 02 - 66 - 58 - Amii Stewart - JEALOUSY 04 - 56 - 59 - Bob Marley And The Wailers - SO MUCH TROUBLE IN THE WORLD 1 - NEW - 60 - Secret Affair - LET YOUR HEART DANCE 04 - 64 - 61 - Dusty Springfield - BABY BLUE 02 - 73 - 62 - Cliff Richard - HOT SHOT 14 - 40 - 63 - Bellamy Brothers - IF I SAID YOU HAD A BEAUTIFUL BODY WOULD YOU HOLD IT AGAINST ME 1 - NEW - 64 - Whitesnake - LONG WAY FROM HOME 1 - NEW - 65 - The Moody Blues - NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN 02 - 71 - 66 - Jonathan King - GLORIA 1 - NEW - 67 - Cozy Powell - THEME ONE 11 - 44 - 68 - Gary Numan - CARS 1 - NEW - 69 - Showaddywaddy - A NIGHT AT DADDY GEES 08 - 55 - 70 - Headboys - THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME 11 - 53 - 71 - Madness - THE PRINCE 13 - 57 - 72 - Dollar - LOVE'S GOTTA HOLD ON ME 09 - 52 - 73 - Kate Bush - KATE BUSH ON STAGE (EP) 07 - 51 - 74 - Matumbi - POINT OF VIEW (SQUEEZE A LITTLE LOVIN') 1 - NEW - 75 - The Tourists - I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU
Now for what I'd have from that lot . . . The big comeback for this outfit, their first major U.S. hit since 1974's "Hollywood Swinging," this one made #8 in US Billboard, #4 in Cash Box, #5 in Record World, and #14 in Radio & Records. This single had two different flip sides, the first being their ultimate follow-up; I have that one. This was the group's second U.S. Number One (and last while Lionel Richie was still with them), topping both Billboard's Hot 100 (#476) and Cash Box' Top 100 for the same 1 week (17 October 1979); alas, both Record World's Singles Chart and Radio & Records' National Airplay / 30 had this stuck at #3.
And here's the 45 edit for "Still": Though I have this, and for me it's the 45 or nothin', no doubt @Alf. would rate this either "wooden spoon" or "Zzzzzzzzzzzzz."
Favs... Week Ending 27 October 1979 1 - NEW - 41 - The Specials Featuring Rico + - A MESSAGE TO YOU RUDY / NITE KLUB 1 - NEW - 58 - B.A. Robertson - KNOCKED IT OFF Week Ending 03 November 1979 1 - NEW - 29 - The Jam - THE ETON RIFLES 1 - NEW - 72 - Donna Summer / Barbra Streisand - NO MORE TEARS (ENOUGH IS ENOUGH) Week Ending 10 November 1979 1 - NEW - 51 - Madness - ONE STEP BEYOND... 1 - NEW - 75 - The Tourists - I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU
Now for the 'newies': This song from the soundtrack of the film The Champ (remember that one?), by the guy who sang lead on Manfred Mann's Earth Band's "Blinded By The Light" (and made "deuce" sound like a word that rhymed with "whoosh"), reached #17 in US Billboard, #19 in Cash Box, #25 in Record World, and #20 in Radio & Records. Differing copies listed Mr. Thompson either solo, or in tandem with his then-group Night, as seen above. This cover of the 1967 hit from The Classics IV managed finishes of #f17 in US Billboard, #15 in Cash Box, #19 in Record World - and #8 in Radio & Records. Their U.S. follow-up to "The Logical Song," this got to #15 in Billboard, #16 in Cash Box, #13 in Record World, and #7 in Radio & Records.
The flip of this U.S. release was their prior UK charted single, "The No 1 Song In Heaven": Now they tell us!
The order will be jumbled a bit because of a host of different releases for one of the entries. Could only reach #90 in US Billboard, and #109 in Record World.
The U.S. release had a different artist order - and different record label: The fourth U.S. Number One for both artists, Ms. Streisand's penultimate topper and the last time Ms. Summer would see the summit, had varying runs at #1: 2 weeks (24 November-01 December 1979) on Billboard's Hot 100 (#477), 1 week (15 December 1979) on Cash Box' Top 100, and 3 weeks (24 November-08 December 1979) on Record World's Singles Chart; the only exception was Radio & Records' National Airplay / 30 where it got no higher than #3. It should be noted that Billboard and Cash Box only listed the 7" single as on Babs' label Columbia; Record World listed both that and the 12" single on Donna's label Casablanca, with the artist order as on the UK single:
Only ish'd in the U.S. on a promo 12" single: No U.S. single, but . . . this is the exact same song that, three years from here, would be the first hit for American singer Laura Branigan. (In short, neither the doo-wop classic recorded by acts ranging from The Cadillacs to Vito And The Salutations, nor the Van Morrison composition first recorded by his then-band Them and made famous by The Shadows Of Knight.) This single from a group with two people who would later comprise a popular '80's outfit, could only aspire to #80 in US Billboard.
Lena Martell – Worst #1 of the year. Sounds like a refugee from the mid-‘70s; something Tammy would have tossed out with the trash. Best Worst Whitesnake & Jonathan King: Both utterly ludicrous.......and not in a good way. As for Lionel Richie......Still awful. The Future The synthpop bandwagon was rolling, and one October 45 which didn't chart - but would be highly influential - was from Sheffield's Human League.
Just signed on Magnet, who did their best to turn them into a pop band, in which they finally succeeded a few years later and tore the band apart. At this point the progress was still in its early stages, resulting in a brilliant, if commercial rockabilly LP. One of the anthems of the later-day rockabilly rebels... like me.
One day at a time - full-blown Nashville country at UK #1 in '79 seems surprising. Could be the hopeful lyrics. It's actually very nice. The mood reminds me of "That lucky old sun". It's funny how often @Alf. has the exact opposite opinion from mine. This is the lead track off the Lovehunter LP which to me is among the very best hard rock of the time.
I wonder if the rise of the Martell version might have been as a result of the interstellar success of the Irish version (by Gloria) from the year before. That version was enormous in my homeland and never seemed to leave the charts between 1978-80. Perhaps some mogul saw its popularity amongst immigrant Irish workers in the UK and it made them scramble for a version of their own they could use to exploit locally (and not have to license off the small Irish label).
In the U.K. the 7” single was credited to Donna Summer and Barbara Streisand and was released on Casablanca, and the 12” single was credited to Barbara Streisand and Donna Summer and was released on CBS. These fell into my lap in late 1979 since I worked for a music trade paper at that time as a chart researcher and reviewer. A few weeks after this, the lax working attitudes that were endemic in British business bit hard and the paper got closed by its owners.
Absolutely! Pamela Stephenson's Kate Bush impression was pretty iconic too, and who can forget the innuendo-laden 'Kinda lingers'?
The reverse of the US, I see. The UK 12" single had the same flip - Ms. Streisand's "Wet" - that was on the US 45. The US promo for the 45 co-credited both labels, but natch' the stock there (as above) was on US Columbia: This, B.T.W., was why, on US Billboard's entry for this number, they attributed the label and cat. # to "Columbia/Casablanca 1-11125." Record World, as I said, listed both the regular 45 and the 12" single on their entry for this - as "Columbia 1 11125 / Casablanca NBD 20199." (Billboard sometimes had as much errors - sometimes with titles, mostly with cat. #'s - on a par with Record Mirror's printings of BMRB charts.) Cash Box likewise did as Billboard in how the record was shown. Here is the "other side of the coin" in terms of the single representation. Please advise if you notice mixing differences between this and the Streisand clip. Many on the US Hot 100 #1's thread insist there are. As from this quote:
As I said . . . that record was 2 years old when this made #1. Look at the ℗ date - 1977. Closer to mid-1970's than this point, chronologically - and evidently. Apparently, at 39 Ms. Martell was the oldest female singer at that point to have a Number One. Probably . . . but it says something that no U.S. label took on Ms. Martell's recording, no? Besides an indication that Pye's time in the sun was just about up? After all, US Private Stock (which licenced Brotherhood Of Man recordings for a brief period after Pye shut down its US outpost, enough to do a US ish of the dreaded "Angelo") had gone out of business a year ago (late 1978) in this timeline.
