Dr Hook – Watered down Rock Your Baby. Blandsville USA. Union City Blue – Another excellent 45 from Eat To The Beat; Blondie’s best album IMO. Janis Ian never really troubled the UK charts; a pity, since she had oodles of talent. Anyway, Fly Too High is a great jazzy r&b hybrid, courtesy of a surprising jump onto the Moroder bandwagon. Turning Chic’s Good Times inside out, Rapper’s Delight became a watershed moment for rap & hip-hop. I find it pretty boring though. Brass In Pocket is the third consecutive good 45 from Ms Hynde & gang. Moody; broody; with an insistent guitar motif. The Damned's second 45 from their excellent Machine Gun Etiquette album: Meanwhile, The Cockney Rejects & UK Subs scrape the bottom of the punk barrel. Wooden spoon time.
We are compelled to go back one week, prior to "When You're In Love..." topping the "Official" Charts, as NME and Melody Maker both had it at the top for the week before all that: NME SINGLES CHART - Week Ending 10 November 1979 01 (02) - Dr. Hook - WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN 02 (01) - Lena Martell - ONE DAY AT A TIME 03 (06) - ABBA - GIMME, GIMME, GIMME (A MAN AFTER MIDNIGHT) 04 (03) - Sad Café - EVERY DAY HURTS 05 (07) - Fleetwood Mac - TUSK 06 (05) - Michael Jackson - DON'T STOP 'TIL YOU GET ENOUGH 07 (04) - The Buggles - VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR 08 (15) - Queen - CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE 09 (08) - The Dooleys - THE CHOSEN FEW 10 (20) - The Selecter - ON MY RADIO 11 (12) - Chic - MY FORBIDDEN LOVER 12 (11) - Viola Wills - GONNA GET ALONG WITHOUT YOU NOW 13 (27) - Earth, Wind And Fire - STAR 14 (18) - Suzi Quatro - SHE'S IN LOVE WITH YOU 15 (21) - The Specials Featuring Rico + - A MESSAGE TO YOU RUDY / NITE KLUB 16 (16) - The Charlie Daniels Band - THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA 17 (NEW) - Commodores - STILL 18 (09) - Errol Dunkley - O.K. FRED 19 (NEW) - The Jam - THE ETON RIFLES 20 (28) - Kool And The Gang - LADIES NIGHT 21 (13) - XTC - MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL 22 (26) - Herb Alpert - RISE 23 (10) - The Police - MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE 24 (19) - Status Quo - WHATEVER YOU WANT 25 (22) - Cats U.K. - LUTON AIRPORT 26 (17) - Blondie - DREAMING 27 (24) - Dave Edmunds - QUEEN OF HEARTS 28 (25) - The Ramblers (From The Abbey Hey Junior School) - THE SPARROW 29 (14) - Rainbow - SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE 30 (NEW) - Dynasty - I DON'T WANT TO BE A FREAK (BUT I CAN'T HELP MYSELF) MELODY MAKER SINGLES CHART - Week Ending 10 November 1979 01 (01) - Dr. Hook - WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN 02 (03) - Sad Café - EVERY DAY HURTS 02 (04) - ABBA - GIMME, GIMME, GIMME (A MAN AFTER MIDNIGHT) 04 (02) - Lena Martell - ONE DAY AT A TIME 05 (07) - Fleetwood Mac - TUSK 06 (15) - Queen - CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE 07 (26) - The Jam - THE ETON RIFLES 08 (20) - Chic - MY FORBIDDEN LOVER 09 (08) - The Dooleys - THE CHOSEN FEW 10 (06) - Michael Jackson - DON'T STOP 'TIL YOU GET ENOUGH 11 (13) - Viola Wills - GONNA GET ALONG WITHOUT YOU NOW 12 (05) - The Buggles - VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR 13 (11) - The Selecter - ON MY RADIO 14 (09) - Errol Dunkley - O.K. FRED 15 (18) - Suzi Quatro - SHE'S IN LOVE WITH YOU 16 (14) - The Specials Featuring Rico + - A MESSAGE TO YOU RUDY / NITE KLUB 17 (NEW) - Commodores - STILL 18 (26) - Earth, Wind And Fire - STAR 19 (16) - The Charlie Daniels Band - THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA 20 (28) - The Ramblers (From The Abbey Hey Junior School) - THE SPARROW 21 (24) - Herb Alpert - RISE 22 (10) - XTC - MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL 23 (12) - The Police - MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE 24 (NEW) - Kool And The Gang - LADIES NIGHT 25 (23) - Cats U.K. - LUTON AIRPORT 26 (22) - Dave Edmunds - QUEEN OF HEARTS 27 (NEW) - B.A. Robertson - KNOCKED IT OFF 28 (NEW) - Donna Summer / Barbra Streisand - NO MORE TEARS (ENOUGH IS ENOUGH) 29 (19) - Blondie - DREAMING 30 (NEW) - Iris Williams - HE WAS BEAUTIFUL (CAVATINA)
Now for another batch of U.S. hits that failed to make the grade in Britain. First this tune with the retro arrangement suggesting Roy Orbison and the whole era (c. early 1960's), "You're Only Lonely" by J. D. Souther: His biggest solo hit, making #7 in US Billboard and Cash Box, and #8 in Record World and Radio & Records.
Next, from Supertramp is the single that in the States followed "Goodbye Stranger," "Take The Long Way Home": This one - which studio version did not see UK release (a live version was ish'd as a single in Britain the next year) - reached #10 in Billboard and Record World, #16 in Cash Box, and #6 in Radio & Records.
Then the Little River Band again, this time with "Cool Change": In the UK, this was the flip of "Lonesome Loser." In the U.S., it was another hit for the Aussie group - #10 in Billboard, #13 in Cash Box, #12 in Record World, and #5 in Radio & Records.
Then this hit from Crystal Gayle, after switching to US Columbia (and UK CBS), "Half The Way"; the opening string flourish sounded to me like it was lifted from The Elton John Band's 1975 hit "Philadelphia Freedom": Made it to #15 in Billboard, #18 in Cash Box, #23 in Record World and #19 in Radio & Records. Brits wouldn't see Ms. Gayle on their chart again until a little over three years from here.
After "Blue Morning, Blue Day," it would be more than two years before Foreigner would be seen again on the UK singles charts. Here is one of their US hits that failed to make the grade in Britain during this interim, "Head Games": This one got to #14 in Billboard, #12 in Cash Box and Radio & Records, and #15 in Record World.
Then this solo comeback from Smokey Robinson, who the UK wouldn't see on their singles charts for nearly two years from this: Pay no attention to the clip title (that his onetime Miracle fellow band member Marv Tarplin co-wrote this may explain it); this was a "sorta', kinda' " #1, albeit on the Cash Box chart for 1 week (16 February 1980); elsewhere, it reached #4 in Billboard, #5 in Record World, and #11 in Radio & Records.
Favs... Week Ending 17 November 1979 1 - NEW - 57 - Pretenders - BRASS IN POCKET 1 - NEW - 61 - Def Leppard - WASTED Week Ending 24 November 1979 1 - NEW - 15 - Gary Numan - COMPLEX 1 - NEW - 34 - The Skids - WORKING FOR THE YANKEE DOLLAR 1 - NEW - 35 - Blondie - UNION CITY BLUE 1 - NEW - 54 - Status Quo - LIVING ON AN ISLAND 1 - NEW - 55 - Marianne Faithfull - THE BALLAD OF LUCY JORDAN 1 - NEW - 62 - Sheila And B. Devotion - SPACER Week Ending 01 December 1979 1 - NEW - 05 - The Police - WALKING ON THE MOON 1 - NEW - 26 - Pink Floyd - ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL (PART II) 1 - NEW - 38 - Sugarhill Gang - RAPPER'S DELIGHT 1 - NEW - 45 - The Stranglers - DON'T BRING HARRY (EP) 1 - NEW - 61 - Paul McCartney - WONDERFUL CHRISTMASTIME 1 - NEW - 67 - Motörhead - BOMBER
In 1953 brothers Johnny and Dorsey Burnette both had sons, whom they named Rocky and Billy, and wrote a song called "Rocky n' Billy boogie", which they released in 1956 as "Rockbilly boogie", and that's why we call that music "rockabilly". True or false? No idea, but a great story. "Tired of toein' the line", a cool performance, not unlike Roy Orbison, or later Robert Gordon.
When you're in love with a beautiful woman - this funky disco thing gets my goat. For the subject matter I prefer "All the boys love my baby" from the Matchbox debut.
There are many who much prefer their days as Dr. Hook And The Medicine Show and such hits as "Sylvia's Mother" and "The Cover Of 'Rolling Stone'." (The latter of which no doubt was in the BBC's crosshairs because of the reference to a certain magazine and their ban on advertising references in songs.)
In fact, it was banned: the Hook tried to re-make the song with the Radio Times (then, and now, the BBC's flagship magazine). It flopped again.
Dr. Hook - When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman A song I've never disliked, but equally cannot get very enthusiastic towards. I wouldn't buy or play it, but equally wouldn't turn it off - apathy rules OK!
#17 of 1979 (#447 in total) - "Walking On The Moon" by The Police (#1 for 1 week - 08 December 1979) The UK single: The US single (not ish'd until seven years later): Wikipedia entry - also NME #486 (same time period and duration - 08 December 1979) and Melody Maker #426 (2 weeks - 08 December-15 December 1979); in U.S., despite it being a "classic rock" staple today, when it finally came out as a single in late 1986/early 1987 it did not chart.
Week Ending 08 December 1979 02 - 05 - 01 - The Police - WALKING ON THE MOON 02 - 26 - 02 - Pink Floyd - ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL (PART II) 06 - 03 - 03 - Donna Summer / Barbra Streisand - NO MORE TEARS (ENOUGH IS ENOUGH) 12 - 01 - 04 - Dr. Hook - WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN 04 - 12 - 05 - Gibson Brothers - QUE SERA MI VIDA 05 - 22 - 06 - The Tourists - I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU 08 - 02 - 07 - Queen - CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE 03 - 06 - 08 - Gary Numan - COMPLEX 04 - 08 - 09 - Electric Light Orchestra - CONFUSION / LAST TRAIN TO LONDON 05 - 07 - 10 - Madness - ONE STEP BEYOND 06 - 04 - 11 - Commodores - STILL 02 - 38 - 12 - Sugarhill Gang - RAPPER'S DELIGHT 06 - 09 - 13 - The Jam - THE ETON RIFLES 05 - 23 - 14 - The Moody Blues - NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN 04 - 13 - 15 - The Boomtown Rats - DIAMOND SMILES 03 - 21 - 16 - Blondie - UNION CITY BLUE 06 - 14 - 17 - The Isley Brothers - IT'S A DISCO NIGHT (ROCK DON'T STOP) 07 - 11 - 18 - Kool And The Gang - LADIES NIGHT 09 - 15 - 19 - The Ramblers (From The Abbey Hey Junior School) - THE SPARROW 07 - 10 - 20 - B.A. Robertson - KNOCKED IT OFF 06 - 18 - 21 - Matchbox - ROCKABILLY REBEL 03 - 25 - 22 - Michael Jackson - OFF THE WALL 09 - 20 - 23 - Herb Alpert - RISE 08 - 24 - 24 - Thin Lizzy - SARAH 09 - 33 - 25 - Dynasty - I DON'T WANT TO BE A FREAK (BUT I CAN'T HELP MYSELF) 03 - 31 - 26 - The Three Degrees - MY SIMPLE HEART 11 - 16 - 27 - Lena Martell - ONE DAY AT A TIME 03 - 32 - 28 - The Skids - WORKING FOR THE YANKEE DOLLAR 04 - 34 - 29 - Rose Royce - IS IT LOVE YOU'RE AFTER 03 - 36 - 30 - Status Quo - LIVING ON AN ISLAND 02 - 61 - 31 - Paul McCartney - WONDERFUL CHRISTMASTIME 07 - 17 - 32 - The Specials Featuring Rico + - A MESSAGE TO YOU RUDY / NITE KLUB 04 - 47 - 33 - Pretenders - BRASS IN POCKET 08 - 19 - 34 - ABBA - GIMME, GIMME, GIMME (A MAN AFTER MIDNIGHT) 03 - 43 - 35 - Sheila And B. Devotion - SPACER 02 - 62 - 36 - U.K. Subs - SHE'S NOT THERE / KICKS (EP) 03 - 41 - 37 - Lowrell - MELLOW MELLOW RIGHT ON 05 - 30 - 38 - Dan-I - MONKEY CHOP 08 - 27 - 39 - Suzi Quatro - SHE'S IN LOVE WITH YOU 03 - 44 - 40 - Diana Ross - IT'S MY HOUSE 02 - 45 - 41 - The Stranglers - DON'T BRING HARRY (EP) 02 - 67 - 42 - Motörhead - BOMBER 09 - 28 - 43 - The Selecter - ON MY RADIO 04 - 46 - 44 - Janis Ian - FLY TOO HIGH 03 - 53 - 45 - Shalamar - THE SECOND TIME AROUND 02 - 69 - 46 - The Damned - I JUST CAN'T BE HAPPY TODAY 08 - 40 - 47 - Robert John - SAD EYES 03 - 50 - 48 - Marianne Faithfull - THE BALLAD OF LUCY JORDAN 05 - 39 - 49 - Secret Affair - LET YOUR HEART DANCE 04 - 55 - 50 - Storm - IT'S MY HOUSE 04 - 48 - 51 - Atmosfear - DANCING IN OUTER SPACE 10 - 35 - 52 - Viola Wills - GONNA GET ALONG WITHOUT YOU NOW 07 - 29 - 53 - Iris Williams - HE WAS BEAUTIFUL (CAVATINA) 02 - 73 - 54 - Darts - REET PETITE 04 - 49 - 55 - The Police - FALL OUT 1 - NEW - 56 - Chic - MY FEET KEEP DANCING 03 - 57 - 57 - Dollar - I WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND 04 - 58 - 58 - Rocky Burnette - TIRED OF TOEIN' THE LINE 05 - 42 - 59 - Showaddywaddy - A NIGHT AT DADDY GEE'S 03 - 59 - 60 - Dave Edmunds - CRAWLING FROM THE WRECKAGE 12 - 37 - 61 - Sad Café - EVERY DAY HURTS 03 - 52 - 62 - Stevie Wonder - SEND ONE YOUR LOVE 03 - 54 - 63 - Freddie James - GET UP AND BOOGIE 1 - NEW - 64 - M - MOONLIGHT AND MUZAK 02 - 74 - 65 - Cockney Rejects - I'M NOT A FOOL 1 - NEW - 66 - The Inmates - THE WALK 1 - NEW - 67 - The Beat - TEARS OF A CLOWN / RANKING FULL STOP 1 - NEW - 68 - The Barron Knights - FOOD FOR THOUGHT 10 - 51 - 69 - Fleetwood Mac - TUSK 1 - NEW - 70 - Lori And The Chameleons - TOUCH 1 - NEW - 71 - One Way Featuring Al Hudson - MUSIC 1 - NEW - 72 - Mike Oldfield - BLUE PETER 1 - NEW - 73 - Dr. Feelgood - PUT HIM OUT OF YOUR MIND 1 - NEW - 74 - K.C. And The Sunshine Band - PLEASE DON'T GO 02 - 66 - 75 - Eagles - THE LONG RUN
And for the 'newies' . . . Could only 'bubble under' to #101 in US Billboard. Made it to #51 in US Billboard, #95 in Cash Box, and #84 in Record World. Only the A side saw U.S. single release: