Sunday, August 12, 2012

1970-74.THE UK NUMBER 1 SONGS

Week EndingACT + LinksTITLEWeeksTALLYCOMMENT
31 Jan 1970Edison LighthouseLove Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)5Only No 1Studio act with lead singerTony Burrows.  He sang on hits for many other groups.
7 Mar 1970Lee MarvinWandrin' Star3Only No 1Tough-guy actor who growled this song in his film "Paint Your Wagon".
28 Mar 1970Simon & GarfunkelBridge Over Troubled Water3Only No 1Only Art Garfunkel sings on this perennial favourite.Paul Simon went on to even greater solo success, but never made No 1.
18 Apr 1970DanaAll Kinds Of Everything2Only No 1First Eurovision winner for Ireland.  Her career was shorter than most expected.
2 May 1970Norman GreenbaumSpirit In The Sky2Only No 1A "Praising Jesus" song that Norman wrote himself.   Doctor & The Medics took the song to No 1 in 1986.
16 May 1970England World Cup SquadBack Home31st No 1Mexico World Cup sing-along, which did not help England to win the cup.
6 Jun 1970ChristieYellow River1Only No 1Written by Jeff Christie for the Tremeloes who turned it down - so he recorded it himself.
13 Jun 1970Mungo JerryIn The Summertime71st No 1Good-time band led by Ray Dorset.  The song has been revived several times since.
1 Aug 1970Elvis PresleyThe Wonder Of You616th No 1He was reviving his career in Las Vegas, and this is a live recording from his show.  At this point he was still one behind the Beatles.
12 Sep 1970Smokey Robinson & The MiraclesTears Of A Clown11st No 1Motown act - Robinson was a director of the company.  He had a solo No 1 in 1981.
19 Sep 1970Freda PayneBand Of Gold6Only No 1Song about marriage failure from an actress, produced by former Motown men.
31 Oct 1970Matthew's Southern ComfortWoodstock3Only No 1Written by Canadian folk legend Joni Mitchell, about the famous rock festival of 1969.
21 Nov 1970Jimi HendrixVoodoo Chile1Only No 1American with legendary status who found fame in London, where he died two months prior to this No 1.
28 Nov 1970
Xmas No 1
Dave EdmundsI Hear You Knockin'6Only No 1Mainly a producer, he has been involved in hits for dozens of artists.
9 Jan 1971Clive DunnGrandad3Only No 1"Dad's Army" star who tapped seasonal sentimentality that Christmas & New Year.
30 Jan 1971George HarrisonMy Sweet Lord51st No 1The ex-Beatle excelled with this, but was sued for plagiarism a few years later.  The recording returned to the top in 2002, following his death.
6 Mar 1971Mungo JerryBaby Jump22nd & last No 1Written by leader Ray Dorset.  He remained in the music business until the 90s.
20 Mar 1971T RexHot Love61st No 1Led by Marc Bolan, an acoustic folk hero who turned electric and became a glam rock star.
1 May 1971Dave & Ansil CollinsDouble Barrel2Only No 1Jamaican duo who provided only the second West Indian reggae chart topper.
15 May 1971
300th No 1
DawnKnock Three Times51st No 1Tony Orlando had retired from singing when he was persuaded to front Dawn for studio recordings.
19 Jun 1971Middle Of The RoadChirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep5Only No 1They were a Scottish foursome who first tasted success in Europe.
24 Jul 1971T RexGet It On42nd No 1Great guitar riffs ensured that Marc Bolan would get another chart topper.
21 Aug 1971Diana RossI'm Still Waiting42nd No 1 (1st with Supremes)Chosen as Tony Blackburn's record of the week, it sold by the bucket load, and was her first solo No 1.
18 Sep 1971TamsHey Girl Don't Bother Me3Only No 1American act whose US chart career was already over.  This was a reissue of a 1964 US hit.
9 Oct 1971Rod StewartMaggie May51st No 1A veteran of several bands, notably The Faces. This remains a perennial radio favourite.
13 Nov 1971SladeCoz I Luv You41st No 1Wolverhampton glam rockers who launched a long and successful career with this.
11 Dec 1971
Xmas No 1
Benny HillErnie (The Fastest Milkman In The West)4Only No 1Popular tv comic who recorded novelty songs over a number of years.
8 Jan 1972New SeekersI'd Like To Teach The World To Sing41st No 1They were formed by a member of the Seekers. Song started as a Coca Cola tv ad.
5 Feb 1972T RexTelegram Sam23rd No 1First hit for the glam rockers' new record company, and from their album "Slider".
19 Feb 1972Chicory TipSon Of My Father3Only No 1Written by Giorgio Moroder. Was first No 1 to feature a Moog Synthesiser.
11 Mar 1972NilssonWithout You5Only No 1Suicide song written by two members of Badfinger who both later committed suicide. Mariah Carey took the song to No 1 in 1994.
15 Apr 1972The Pipes & Drums & Military Band ofThe Royal Scots Dragoon GuardsAmazing Grace5Only No 1Traditional hymn played by a Scottish bagpipe band.  It was the best-selling single of the year.
20 May 1972T RexMetal Guru44th & last No 1Success continued for a couple more years before the hits began to dry up.
17 Jun 1972Don McLeanVincent21st No 1Song  about Dutch painter Van Gogh.  Don also wrote "American Pie", which made No 2 for him, and No 1 for Madonna in 2000.
1 Jul 1972SladeTake Me Back 'Ome12nd No 1Noddy Holder's rasping vocals took the glam boys to the top again.
8 Jul 1972Donny OsmondPuppy Love51st No 1Written by Paul Anka.  First No 1 for a member of the squeaky clean family act from Utah.
12 Aug 1972Alice CooperSchool's Out3Only No 1Shock-rock act from Arizona who used instruments of death and live snakes on stage.
2 Sep 1972Rod StewartYou Wear It Well12nd No 1His popularity was soaring at this time, but his next No 1 was 3 years away.
9 Sep 1972SladeMama Weer All Crazee Now33rd No 1All Slade's chart toppers, were written by band members Noddy Holder and Jim Lea.
30 Sep 1972David CassidyHow Can I Be Sure21st No 1Star of US tv series thePartridge Family. His solo career was more successful in the UK than at home.
14 Oct 1972Lieutenant PigeonMouldy Old Dough4Only No 1Coventry group which included a mother and son. Was recorded in the front room of their semi.
11 Nov 1972Gilbert O'SullivanClair21st No 1Irishman who dressed as a 1920s worker in flat cap, braces and baggy trousers.
25 Nov 1972Chuck BerryMy Ding-A-Ling4Only No 1Respected pioneer of R&B and rock 'n' roll, whose only topper was this live, innuendo-laden novelty item.
23 Dec 1972
Xmas No 1
Little Jimmy OsmondLong Haired Lover From Liverpool5Only No 1Osmond family member with an Xmas novelty item, and who at age 9 became the youngest chart topper ever.
27 Jan 1973SweetBlockbuster5Only No 1Highly successful glam rockers who had multiple Top 10 hits during the decade.  Nicky Chinn & Mike Chapman song.
3 Mar 1973SladeCum On Feel The Noize44th No 1First of the No 1s to enter at the top for this major band of the day.
31 Mar 1973Donny OsmondThe Twelfth Of Never12nd No 1Another tear-jerker revival got the teeny boppers buying the single.
7 Apr 1973Gilbert O'SullivanGet Down22nd & last No 1.Song about his dog. The hits continued for 2 more years, when he began a lengthy litigation with his manager.
21 Apr 1973Dawn featuringTony OrlandoTie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree42nd & last No 1.Heart-warming song about a prisoner returning home. They were still performing at the start of the 2000s.
19 May 1973WizzardSee My Baby Jive41st No 1.Roy Wood's latest group which grabbed plenty of success for a year or so.
16 Jun 1973Suzi QuatroCan The Can11st No 1.American girl rocker and bassist who found fame in the UK easier than at home.  Nicky Chinn & Mike Chapman song.
23 Jun 197310 CCRubber Bullets11st No 1.Bouncy number that differs greatly from their later slow, heavy productions.
30 Jun  1973SladeSkweeze Me Pleeze Me35th No 1During the height of their popularity they also scored with three No 1 albums.
21 Jul 1973Peters & LeeWelcome Home1Only No 1MOR man and girl duo who were more at home on the supper club circuit.
28 Jul 1973Gary GlitterI'm The Leader Of The Gang (I Am)41st No 1A long-time struggling musician, he was nearly 30 by the time he became a glam-rock star.
25 Aug 1973Donny OsmondYoung Love43rd & last No 1.A revival from 1957 - he got one more No 1 in 1974, as part of the Osmonds.
22 Sep 1973WizzardAngel Fingers12nd & last No 1Later in 1973 Wood got to No 4 with his famous Xmas hit.  He remains in the business, and charted again in 2000.
29 Sep 1973Simon Park OrchestraEye Level4Only No 1The instrumental theme from tv series "Van Der Valk" was first tv theme to reach the top of the charts.
27 Oct 1973David CassidyDaydreamer32nd & last No 1.His teen-based popularity began to wane after this and he returned to acting. By 2000 he was a Las Vegas cabaret act.
17 Nov 1973Gary GlitterI Love You Love Me Love42nd No 1Second consecutive No 1 which sold over a million copies world-wide.
15 Dec 1973
Xmas No 1
SladeMerry Xmas Everybody56th & last No 1This perennial Xmas favourite has been in the charts several times since. They broke up in the 80s.
19 Jan 1974New SeekersYou Won't Find Another Fool Like Me12nd & last No 1.They had enjoyed huge success since their first No 1.   However, after one more Top 10, they split.
26 Jan 1974MudTiger Feet41st No 1Third No 1 for writersNicky Chinn & Mike Chapman.  Popular party record.
23 Feb 1974Suzi QuatroDevil Gate Drive22nd & last No 1.4th No 1 for Chinn & Chapman.  Suzi went into acting shortly after this, but was doing concerts again in the late 1990s.
9 Mar 1974Alvin StardustJealous Mind1Only No 1.He was called Shane Fenton in the 1960s.  His new black leather image gave him a new career a decade later.
16 Mar 1974Paper LaceBilly Don't Be A Hero3Only No 1They came from Nottingham and soon returned there.  Written by Mitch Murray who had No 1s in 1963 & 1968.
6 Apr 1974Terry JacksSeasons In The Sun4Only No 1First Canadian at No 1 since 1957 (Paul Anka).  The song (written in French by Belgian, Jacques Brel), has English lyrics by poet Rod McKuen. Westlife took the song back to the top at the end of 1999.
4 May 1974AbbaWaterloo21st No 1
(of 9)
Eurovision winner for Sweden.  They became international super stars by the end of the decade.
18 May 1974RubettesSugar Baby Love4Only No 1Former session men who achieved moderate success during the mid-70's.
15 Jun 1974Ray StevensThe Streak1Only No 1US Country/Gospel singer who hit with several quirky songs during the 1970s.
22 Jun 1974Gary GlitterAlways Yours13rd & last No 1The great showman continued live concerts to hoards of loyal fans into the mid 1990s.
29 Jun 1974Charles AznavourShe4Only No 1French crooner with a British tv theme.  He went on to stardom in the US.
27 Jul 1974George McCraeRock Your Baby3Only No 1Regarded by some as the first Disco No 1.  It was a New York club hit first.
17 Aug 1974Three DegreesWhen Will I See You Again2Only No 1Part of the Philadelphia Sound, they had more Top 10 hits in the UK than at home.
31 Aug 1974OsmondsLove Me For A Reason3Only No 1Last No 1, either as group or solo, for the Osmond family. In total they amassed 26 UK hits in 4½ years.
21 Sep 1974Carl DouglasKung Fu Fighting3Only No 1Recorded in 10 minutes as a B-side, it sold 10 million worldwide. A version by Bus Stop, featuring Douglas made the Top 10 in May 1998.
12 Oct 1974John DenverAnnie's Song1Only No 1Folk/Country singer and songwriter was a huge star in the US, but this was his only solo hit in the UK.
19 Oct 1974Sweet SensationSad Sweet Dreamer1Only No 1TV talent contest winners who had one more hit before disappearing.
26 Oct 1974Ken BootheEverything I Own3Only No 1Jamaican reggae artist with a song by David Gatesfrom Bread.   Boy George took the song to No 1 in 1987.
16 Nov 1974David EssexGonna Make You A Star31st No 1He found stardom as an actor before singing on the soundtrack of a film, and then breaking into the charts.
7 Dec 1974Barry WhiteYou're The First, The Last, My Everything2Only No 1The "Lurve Walrus" was another Philly-Sound star, who had numerous hits in the 70s.  Still performing at the end of the 90s.
21 Dec 1974
Xmas No 1
MudLonely This Christmas42nd No 1Chinn & Chapman song which has been played every Christmas since.

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