The U.K. 70s Singles & Albums Chart General Discussion Thread.

Back when I was a novice Beatles fan I loved the blue album & still do. Looking at the track listing now "Baby You're A Rich Man" is a noticeable non-inclusion. The only single side missing from 1967.

 

Back in 1974, a fellow student played her copy of The Blue Album while a few of us gathered in her shared room. It was then that I heard "A Day In The Life" all the way through for the first time and thought "Wow!" So I requested a copy of The Blue Album from my parents for Christmas and it's been played regularly ever since, albeit in digital form for the last couple of decades.

 

I didn’t buy the Red and Blue albums until they came out on CD in 1993. I’d have had no interest in them 20 years earlier. I’d rather have had Wings then.

The Beatles get plenty of coverage on here. So much, in fact, that’s it’s quite easy to turn against them. Still, the Red and Blue releases have to be 2 of the best compilations ever. Especially the Blue one.

 

In "the States" especially, this twosome of compilations helped propel not only Macca and Wings' "My Love," but also George Harrison's "Give Me Love - (Give Me Peace On Earth)," to the top. (Followed by "Get Back" keyboardist Billy Preston with his "Will It Go Round In Circles" - shame on the UK for not putting that on the chart.)

 

I can remember seeing black and white footage of the Beatles and thinking, That looks like him from Wings...

 

I'd heard of each individually and liked several songs - Ding Dong, You, You're Sixteen, Only you, 9 Dream, Happy Xmas, C.Moon, and even Band On The Run without knowing about the connection.
Also loved David Cassidy's version of Please Please Me - had no idea it was not the original. But I think, not sure, that by the time Elton did LSITSWD, I had become aware.

 

Same here. I remember them on the radio, but I don't remember ever seeing them apart from McCartney, and Ringo in his nutty 'Photograph' promo. I loved 'Photograph' and played it to death. I still have my exceedingly worn vinyl copy, which is probably unplayable now.

 

"Photograph" is a fabulous track. I have the single, too, but I suspect that it's in better nick than yours as I was much older when I acquired it.

(As a kid, records were occasionally used by my baby brother and myself as indoor Frisbees. It hurts to think about what I did to some future classics. Fortunately, by the age of 14, I knew better.)

 

David Bowie’s “Drive-In Saturday” is 50 years old today.

 

Toy Matinee - S/T (1990)
Lodgic - Nomadic Sands (1985)
Gordon Lightfoot/Two Tones - 1962 (reissue 2022)
Richie Furay -I Am Sure (2005)
Red Jasper - 777 (2016)

 

Always loved 'Drive-In Saturday', even as a little kid. Of course, I didn't know what it was about for many years to come...

 

What a weird and scary picture of Bowie! I guess it fits with the dystopian nature of the lyrics but it's quite a change from his Aladdin Sane persona from which the album is taken?

 

It’s from “Aladdin Sane”.

 

That was exactly my point - it’s a big contrast to Aladdin Sane

 

Bowie was definitely perceived as being weird back then.

 

Bowie is still perceived as weird in the boring world of pop that is 2023. But probably more so in the drab early 70's. In the 80's though he fit like a glove with all the other colourful weirdos

 

Absolutely. The 10 year old me was a bit scared of him in the Aladdin Sane and Pinups era.

 

I always found Bowie very very odd and yes, a bit scary, when I'd see his videos in the 70s, and even up to Ashes To Ashes. I remember being struck by how "ordinary" he looked in the padded-cell scenes of the latter...like, wow, so he can actually look like a normal bloke.

That's probably why I had no problem getting into the Let's Dance and 80s pop Bowie...I didn't have the baggage of idolising him in the 70s as so many New Wave starlets and people a bit older than me might have done.

EG.

 

Now for a change of pace and a look at the Top 50 albums for UK and U.S. for this week in 1974. As always in this look, UK first:

Week Ending 20 April 1974

13 - 01 - 01 - Carpenters - THE SINGLES 1969-1973
25 - 02 - 02 - Elton John - GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD
03 - 04 - 03 - Cat Stevens - BUDDHA AND THE CHOCOLATE BOX
19 - 05 - 04 - Paul McCartney And Wings - BAND ON THE RUN
05 - 03 - 05 - Millican And Nesbitt - MILLICAN AND NESBITT
11 - 12 - 06 - Diana Ross And Marvin Gaye - DIANA AND MARVIN
09 - 06 - 07 - Slade - OLD NEW BORROWED AND BLUE
05 - 10 - 08 - Queen - QUEEN II
05 - 07 - 09 - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - THE STING
40 - 09 - 10 - Mike Oldfield - TUBULAR BELLS
42 - 11 - 11 - Carpenters - NOW AND THEN
05 - 23 - 12 - Charlie Rich - BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
58 - 08 - 13 - Glen Campbell - GLEN CAMPBELL'S GREATEST HITS
05 - 13 - 14 - Steeleye Span - NOW WE ARE SIX
55 - 22 - 15 - Pink Floyd - THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON
42 - 14 - 16 - Perry Como - AND I LOVE YOU SO
22 - 37 - 17 - Stevie Wonder - INNERVISIONS
02 - 15 - 18 - Mott The Hoople - THE HOOPLE
06 - 16 - 19 - Alvin Stardust - THE UNTOUCHABLE
08 - 21 - 20 - Deep Purple - BURN
04 - 26 - 21 - The New Seekers - TOGETHER
92 - 17 - 22 - Simon And Garfunkel - SIMON AND GARFUNKEL'S GREATEST HITS
13 - 30 - 23 - Genesis - SELLING ENGLAND BY THE POUND
20 - 38 - 24 - Bryan Ferry - THESE FOOLISH THINGS
06 - 18 - 25 - Joni Mitchell - COURT AND SPARK
50 - 31 - 26 - The Beatles - 1967-1970
14 - 27 - 27 - Andy Williams - SOLITAIRE
18 - 34 - 28 - Peters And Lee - BY YOUR SIDE
218 - 20 - 29 - Simon And Garfunkel - BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER
06 - 19 - 30 - Carly Simon - HOTCAKES
02 - 28 - 31 - King Crimson - STARLESS AND BIBLE BLACK
03 - 42 - 32 - John Denver - THE BEST OF JOHN DENVER
72 - RE - 33 - Carpenters - CLOSE TO YOU
36 - 33 - 34 - Bread - THE BEST OF BREAD
05 - 24 - 35 - Lena Zavaroni - MA! HE'S MAKING EYES AT ME
18 - 49 - 36 - Ringo Starr - RINGO
03 - RE - 37 - Olivia Newton-John - MUSIC MAKES MY DAY
88 - 40 - 38 - David Bowie - THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS
1 - NEW - 39 - Tangerine Dream - PHAEDRA
31 - 43 - 40 - Diana Ross - TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING
13 - 36 - 41 - Pink Floyd - A NICE PAIR
39 - 25 - 42 - Peters And Lee - WE CAN MAKE IT
1 - NEW - 43 - James Last - NON STOP DANCING 16
04 - 35 - 44 - The Doobie Brothers - WHAT WERE ONCE VICES ARE NOW HABITS
03 - RE - 45 - Queen - QUEEN
08 - RE - 46 - Bob Dylan - PLANET WAVES
06 - 29 - 47 - Free - THE FREE STORY
34 - 41 - 48 - Elton John - DON'T SHOOT ME I'M ONLY THE PIANO PLAYER
50 - 32 - 49 - The Beatles - 1962-1966
92 - RE - 50 - Cat Stevens - TEASER AND THE FIRECAT


And now on to what U.S. buyers were choosing:

20 - 02 - 01 - John Denver - JOHN DENVER'S GREATEST HITS
18 - 01 - 02 - Paul McCartney And Wings - BAND ON THE RUN
04 - 12 - 03 - Chicago - CHICAGO VII
14 - 05 - 04 - MFSB - LOVE IS THE MESSAGE
13 - 08 - 05 - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - THE STING
24 - 03 - 06 - Mike Oldfield - TUBULAR BELLS
11 - 04 - 07 - Joni Mitchell - COURT AND SPARK
06 - 09 - 08 - The Doobie Brothers - WHAT WERE ONCE VICES ARE NOW HABITS
08 - 10 - 09 - Deep Purple - BURN
04 - 14 - 10 - Grand Funk - SHINE ON
27 - 06 - 11 - Elton John - GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD
31 - 16 - 12 - Maria Muldaur - MARIA MULDAUR
36 - 13 - 13 - Stevie Wonder - INNERVISIONS
08 - 15 - 14 - Seals And Crofts - UNBORN CHILD
10 - 07 - 15 - Barbra Streisand - THE WAY WE WERE
12 - 11 - 16 - Carly Simon - HOTCAKES
15 - 18 - 17 - Herbie Hancock - HEAD HUNTERS
11 - 17 - 18 - The Love Unlimited Orchestra - RHAPSODY IN WHITE
02 - 54 - 19 - Cat Stevens - BUDDHA AND THE CHOCOLATE BOX
06 - 22 - 20 - Aretha Franklin - LET ME IN YOUR LIFE
34 - 19 - 21 - Various Artists - 41 ORIGINAL HITS FROM THE SOUNDTRACK OF "AMERICAN GRAFFITI"
05 - 25 - 22 - War - WAR LIVE
49 - 23 - 23 - Charlie Rich - BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
61 - 20 - 24 - Jim Croce - YOU DON'T MESS AROUND WITH JIM
04 - 37 - 25 - Earth, Wind And Fire - OPEN OUR EYES
07 - 28 - 26 - Tower Of Power - BACK TO OAKLAND
05 - 29 - 27 - Charlie Rich - VERY SPECIAL LOVE SONGS
26 - 26 - 28 - Gladys Knight And The Pips - IMAGINATION
06 - 32 - 29 - Spinners - MIGHTY LOVE
14 - 39 - 30 - Bachman-Turner Overdrive - BACHMAN-TURNER OVERDRIVE II
06 - 30 - 31 - Eddie Kendricks - BOOGIE DOWN
54 - 21 - 32 - John Denver - POEMS, PRAYERS AND PROMISES
05 - 35 - 33 - Paul Simon - PAUL SIMON IN CONCERT - LIVE RHYMIN'
16 - 36 - 34 - James Brown - THE PAYBACK
19 - 31 - 35 - Jim Croce - I GOT A NAME
24 - 27 - 36 - The O'Jays - SHIP AHOY
16 - 38 - 37 - Billy Joel - PIANO MAN
11 - 24 - 38 - Bob Dylan - PLANET WAVES
12 - 33 - 39 - Yes - TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS
13 - 34 - 40 - Black Sabbath - SABBATH BLOODY SABBATH
33 - 45 - 41 - Love Unlimited - UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF LOVE UNLIMITED
07 - 40 - 42 - The Marshall Tucker Band - A NEW LIFE
19 - 41 - 43 - Emerson, Lake And Palmer - BRAIN SALAD SURGERY
23 - 48 - 44 - Barry White - STONE GON'
23 - 44 - 45 - Ringo Starr - RINGO
58 - 50 - 46 - Pink Floyd - THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON
09 - 42 - 47 - Charlie Rich - THERE WON'T BE ANYMORE
03 - 97 - 48 - Three Dog Night - HARD LABOR
08 - 47 - 49 - Lou Reed - ROCK 'N' ROLL ANIMAL
1 - NEW - 50 - Eagles - ON THE BORDER

And the overlaps between each side o' the pond:
#2 UK = #11 U.S.
#3 UK = #19 U.S.
#4 UK = #2 U.S.
#9 UK = #5 U.S.
#10 UK = #6 U.S.
#12 UK = #23 U.S.
#15 UK = #46 U.S.
#17 UK = #13 U.S.
#20 UK = #9 U.S.
#25 UK = #7 U.S.
#30 UK = #16 U.S.
#32 UK = #1 U.S. (despite title differences)
#36 UK = #45 U.S.
#44 UK = #8 U.S.
#46 UK = #38 U.S.
(#1 UK = #66 U.S.)
(#6 UK = #161 U.S.)
(#22 UK = #147 U.S.)
(#23 UK = #75 U.S.)
(#26 UK = #97 U.S.)
(#34 UK = #100 U.S.)
(#48 UK = #123 U.S.)
(#49 UK = #116 U.S.)

 

I own:

UK
Cat Stevens - Teaser & The Firecat & Buddha & The Chocolate Box
Bob Dylan - Planet Waves
Queen - S/T & II
Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water
Genesis - Selling England By The Pound
Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon
Steeleye Span - Now We Are Six
Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells

US
The Eagles - On The Border
Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon
ELP - Brain Salad Surgery
The Marshall Tucker Band - A New Life
Yes - Tales From Topographic Oceans
Bob Dylan - Planet Waves
Billy Joel - Piano Man
Jim Croce - I Got A Name & You Don't Mess Around With Jim
Cat Stevens - Buddha & The Chocolate Box
Seals & Crofts - Unborn Child
Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells

 

Based on the U.S. chart, I'd have (or have had) #5, 7, 11, 16, 18, 24, 28, 39, 35 - 37, 41, 44, 46 and 50.

From the UK lot: #2, 9, 15, 25, 29, 30, 33, 48 and 50.

 

I have...

Paul McCartney And Wings - BAND ON THE RUN
Slade - OLD NEW BORROWED AND BLUE
Queen - QUEEN II
Mike Oldfield - TUBULAR BELLS
Steeleye Span - NOW WE ARE SIX
Pink Floyd - THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON
Stevie Wonder - INNERVISIONS
Mott The Hoople - THE HOOPLE
Genesis - SELLING ENGLAND BY THE POUND
Bryan Ferry - THESE FOOLISH THINGS
Joni Mitchell - COURT AND SPARK
Simon And Garfunkel - BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER
King Crimson - STARLESS AND BIBLE BLACK
David Bowie - THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS
Queen - QUEEN
Bob Dylan - PLANET WAVES
Cat Stevens - TEASER AND THE FIRECAT
Yes - TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS
Emerson, Lake And Palmer - BRAIN SALAD SURGERY

 

Wow - Peters and Lee had three entries in the UK chart!! Welcome Home was a bit singles hit for them in 1973.

 

Not verified this but I heard recently that Lennie Peters was Charlie Watts' uncle.

 

He was Rock and Roll royalty then?