Featured Songs for Saturday 19 December 2009

and missed from last week ...
Scaffold
Thank You Very Much, NZ#1(1), 29 February 1968, UK#4, 8 weeks in Top 20 from 9 December 1967. Monster Hit in N.Z.

Emile Ford with the Checkmates
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO MAKE THOSE EYES AT ME FOR? UK#1(6) from 18 December 1959 and Au#1(2) from 12 March 1960 MONSTER HIT in N.Z. Emile Ford (born Emile Sweetman, 16 October 1937, Castries, Saint Lucia, West Indies) is a musician and singer, who was popular in the United Kingdom in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Ford was the son of a government official and an opera-singing mother, and he moved to Britain with his family at an early age.

He was educated at the Paddington Technical College in London.[2] It was during this time that Ford taught himself to play a number of musical instruments. These included the guitar, piano, violin, bass guitar and drums. His innate interest in music was fostered by his mother, and perhaps derived in part — according to annotator Roger Dopson and journalist Norman Jopling — in his synesthesia: he perceived sound as colours and patterns.

He teamed up with George Ford, Ken Street and John Cuffley as Emile Ford and the Checkmates, and their first self-produced recording "What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?" went to number one in the UK Singles Chart at the end of 1959 and stayed there for six weeks. The track remains as having the longest question ever asked by a chart topping disc in the UK.[3] Ford was also the first black British artist to sell one million copies of a 7" single.

Brenda Lee
*SWEET NOTHIN'S (Monster Hit) 2nd million-seller for Brenda Lee Tarpley or 'Little Miss Dynamite'. Lithonia, Georgia born in December 1944, Brenda won a talent contest at age 6. In 1956 at age 11 she was heard by Red Foley, who arranged for her to make her TV debut on the country-and-western 'Ozark Jubilee' show. This led to further TV appearances and a recording contract in May 1956. Her first record release being 'Jambalaya', then a year later her first chart at #43, 'One Step At A Time'. 'Sweet Nothin's' was her 3rd chart (and 1st Top 10), 24 weeks on from 21 December 1959

Harry Simeone Chorale
LITTLE DRUMMER BOY Initially released on the 1958 album "Sing We Now Of Christmas" which was renamed "The Little Drummer Boy" in 1963. The song made the US Pop charts every December (except 1962) from 1958 (posn. 22) through to 1963, when the single made US#1. Co-written by Harry Simeone in 1958 who took the tune from the Spanish song 'Tabolilleros' and tells the story of a poor boy who has no great gift to offer the Nativity but his playing the drum. Big Hit in N.Z.
Music buff Alex, tells me the song was originally called Carol Of The Drum by the Trapp Family Singers from 1952. The Originals Project says; ""Carol Of The Drum" was written, arranged from a Czech carol, in 1941 by Katherine Davis (aka C.R.W. Robinson). No one seems to have recorded it until some eleven years later.

The Trapp Family Singers' recording was done in Germany for Deutsche Grammophon. In the US, Decca issued it in various forms, including an album, the six-45 record set shown and a single 45 (Decca 30997, 1959)."

*The Chipmunks - The Chipmunk Song, US#1(4) from 22 December 1958 and NZ#1 almost a year later in November 1959

Billy Vaughn and his orchestra
*SAIL ALONG SILV'RY MOON Dot [USA]. Billy Vaughn's second million-seller for this most consistent hit-producing studio orchestra leader in the disc business. This disc sold a reputed four and a half million globally, for which he received a special platinum disc award. Apart from selling over a million in the USA, it also sold over a million in Germany where his discs have a big following and consistent sales (see 1955). The song is an oldie of 1937 by Harry Tobias (words) and Percy Wenrich (music) and had been a hit for Bing Crosby that year. US#5 in 1958, 26 weeks in Top 100 from 23 December 1957 and a HUGE HIT in N.Z. PROBABLY THE BIGGEST SELLING SINGLE OF THE LATE 50’S.

Bobby Helms
*JINGLE BELL ROCK a perennial seasonal favourite; Pop #6 first up from 23 December 1957, then on pop charts in December 1958, 1960 to 1963 and top of the special US Christmas chart in 1963 and appearing each year through to 1970, again 1972 and 1973, and 1983 to 1985, a million-seller after 5 years (his 2nd) J.S.Pierpont's 1857 'Jingle Bells' updated by Joe Beal and Jim Boothe exactly a century later and Big Hit in NZ.

Conway Twitty
LONELY BLUE BOY (Moderate Hit) his 2nd million-seller charted from 28 December 1959 and had originally been recorded (unreleased) by Elvis Presley as "Danny" for the movie 'King Creole'

Andy Williams
*HAWAIIAN WEDDING SONG backed with HOUSE OF BAMBOO Andy's 2nd million-seller, 'Hawaiian Wedding Song' ('Ke Kali nei ou') was written in 1926 (by Charles King) with English lyrics being provided in 1958 (by Al Hoffman and Dick Manning). Recorded 3 November and charting for Andy from 29 December 1958 with a US#11 peak in 1959. BIG HIT


Cliff Richard
I Love You, UK#1(2) from 29 December 1960. For the first time Cliff took over from Elvis at #1 (It's Now Or Never) - a feat repeated exactly 3 years later when "The Next Time/Bachelor Boy" displaced "Return To Sender"

LaVern Baker
JIM DANDY Her 2nd million-seller, a US#17, 19 weeks in from 29 December 1956 and written by Lincoln Chase. Born Delores Williams in Chicago 11 November 1928. Recorded as 'Little Miss Sharecropper' and 'Bea Baker'. After working with the Todd Rhodes Orchestra 1952-53 then toured Europe solo. Returned to work for Atlantic Records and became one of the most popular female R&B singers in the early rock era. Her first million-seller, “Tweedle Dee” was a R&B#4 in 1955 was not released in N.Z. RELEASED HERE BUT NOT A HIT.

Ray Price Not a big seller and quite hard to get. Possibly a little too country for the mainstream at the time.
CRAZY ARMS - N/A Rated the top Country-and-Western record for the year and the 1st million-seller for Ray Price. Made the Honor Roll Of Hits, at #27, 1 week - 29 December 1956

Ricky Nelson
STOOD UP MODERATE HIT in N.Z. backed with
WAITIN' IN SCHOOL Imperial. This third million-seller for Ricky Nelson enjoyed popularity on both sides. 'Stood Up' was written by Dub Dickerson and Erma Herrold; 'Waitin' in School' by Johnny and Dorsey Burnette. 'Stood Up' was US#2(3) in early 1958, 18 weeks in Top 100 from 30 December 1957. Ricky changed his name to Rick after “Travellin’ Man”/”Hello Mary Lou” from April / May 1961

Featured Songs for Saturday 12 December 2009

*Benny Hill – Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West). UK#1(4) from 11 December 1971

Bill Haley
Joey's Song Au#1(4) from 12 December 1959, an instrumental that peaked at US#46 as Haley's moment of fame was waning (12 wks in Top 100 from 5 October 1959). But not in Australia, with a tune named for it's composer, arranger/conductor, Joe Reisman. (Not to be confused with Lou Reisman!) MONSTER HIT in N.Z. – in Bits

Pat Boone
APRIL LOVE Dot [USA] US#1(6) from 16 December 1957, 26 weeks in Top 100 from 28 October, NZ#1, January 1958 and UK#7in 1957, 18 weeks in Top 20 from 20 December (23 wks in Top 30) HUGE HIT in N.Z. – By 1958 April Love became Pat’s 9th million seller, a reworked title song from the movie starring Pat Boone and Shirley Jones. Written by Paul Francis Webster (lyrics) and Sammy Fain (music) from Pat’s first musical film.
backed with WHEN THE SWALLOWS COME BACK TO CAPISTRANO

Eddie Fisher
DUNGAREE DOLL, US#7, 19 weeks in Top 100 from 17 December 1955. Initially the flip-side, a Rodgers and Hammerstein ballad, "Everybody's Got A Home But Me" attracted the interest before the focus shifted to this number which had more appeal as Rock 'n' Roll started to take off. Monster Hit. – in Bits

Barry Gordon with Art Mooney & Orchestra
NUTTIN' FOR CHRISTMAS, Another youngster in the Jimmy Boyd tradition of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa", Barry Gordon was Massachusetts born 21 December 1948, so this song came out just before Barry's 7th birthay. 4 weeks in Top 100 from 17 December 1955 with a peak of US#6.
Barry also made many TV appearances and had one other chart, in 1958, with "Rock Around Mother Goose" - again with the Art Mooney Orchestra. Art Mooney features again later with "Honey-Babe" Not Released In NZ.

Teresa Brewer
LET ME GO, LOVER!, (with The Lancers) US#6 in 1955, 12 weeks in Top 100 from 18 December 1954, UK#9 from February 1955 and her 5th million-seller. Also a million-seller for Joan Weber in 1954, written by Jenny Lou Carson in 1953 with revised lyrics by Al Hill in 1954. Big Hit in N.Z.

Featured Songs for Saturday 5 December 2009

The Teddy Bears
TO KNOW HIM IS TO LOVE HIM
Los Angeles trio comprising Phil Spector, Carol Connors & Marshall Leib. US#1(3) from 1 December 1958 and a MONSTER HIT in N.Z.


Frankie Laine
MOONLIGHT GAMBLER Columbia [USA]
The 9th million-seller for Frankie Laine was written in 1956 by Bob Hilliard (words) and Philip Springer (music). It was No 3 in the US Top 100 with 22 weeks in from 1 December 1956 and No. 13 with 12 weeks in the UK Top 30 from December 1956, plus NZ#1 in March 1957 and 7 weeks in the Top 20. HUGE HIT in N. Z. With Ray Conniff & Orchestra - see following song ...


Don Cherry
BAND OF GOLD, US#4, 22 weeks in Top 100 from 3 December 1955, UK#6 from February 1956. Said to have been the first arrangement by Ray Conniff for the Columbia label. Dallas, Texas born in January 1924, Don Cherry studied voice after military service in the mid forties. Vocalist with the Jan Barber band in the late forties before becoming a professional golfer for a while before getting back into singing in the early fifties.
Big Hit in N.Z.



Adam Faith
WHAT DO YOU WANT UK#1(3) from 4 December 1959 Blond moody Adam Faith, from BBC TV's 'Drumbeat' was born Terence Nelhams in June 1940. Taken into the Parlophone studios and (despite an uninspiring track record to date) produced one of the pop classics of the pre-Beatles era. The last line of this song also gave him the catch phrase "Wish you wanted my love, bay-bee" MONSTER HIT in N.Z.



LaVern Baker
I CRIED A TEAR Her biggest hit in N.Z., but only sold moderately. US#6 in early 1959, 21 weeks in US Top 100 from 8 December 1958.

Featured Songs Saturday 21 November 2009

Eddie Arnold
THE CATTLE CALL US#69, 1 week on Top 100, 19 November 1955, a Country #1 in 1955 and originally released in 1947. Written in 1934 by Tex Owens Moderate Hit in N.Z. With 146 songs on the country charts -- including 28 number one hits -- Arnold ranks among the most popular country singers in U.S. history. Only George Jones had more individual hits on the country charts but, according to a formula derived by Joel Whitburn, Arnold is the all-time leader in an overall rankings for hits and their time on the charts. He became popular on Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry as a singer with Pee Wee King (1940-43) and died 8 May 2008

*The Supremes - YOU KEEP ME HANGING ON, US#1(2) from 19 November 1966 and a Monster Hit in N.Z.
*The Supremes - I HEAR A SYMPHONY, US#1(2) from 20 November 1965 Big Hit in N.Z.

Isaac Hayes
Theme From Shaft US#1(2) from 20 November a UK#4 (In Top 20 from 4 December) 1971 and NZ#7 from early 1972.
Written and produced by Isaac Hayes it was released in the US 29 September and in the UK November 1971 and peaking there at #2* (12 weeks in the Top 50). The ‘Shaft’ theme from the film soundtrack passed the million and half in the US and in Britain sold over 250,000. It won the Oscar for Best Film Song of 1971 and Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement and for Best Engineered Recording in 1971. Along with Isaac Hayes (vocal/organ) there were Lester Snell (electric piano), James Alexander (bass guitar), Michael Toles (lead/rhythm guitar), Charles Pitts (lead/rhythm guitar), Willie Hall (drums/tambourine), Gary Jones (bongos/congos), The Memphis Strings & Horns (arranged by Isaac Hayes & Johnny Allen). *according to the Encyclopedia of Million Sellers. However both everyHit.com and Rock File 4 say the peak was #4.


Del Shannon
KEEP SEARCHIN' His own composition and 3rd million-seller (globally) - US#9, 14 weeks in Top 100 from 21 November 1964 and UK#3, 8 weeks in Top 20 from 21 January 1965. MONSTER HIT

The Partridge Family
I Think I Love You US#1(3) from 21 November 1970 and UK#18 and NZ#3 in 1970
The Partridge Family was created for a popular TV show in the US, as were the Monkees. The show describes the humorous adventures of a widow and her five children and proved to be a top-rating TV series, networked weekly by ABC-TV.
The Partridge Family were David Cassidy, lead singer, (son of Jack Cassidy) with his real life step-mother, Shirley Jones. Shirley Jones, was an actress and former star of films (Oklahoma and Carousel) and stage (Call Me Madam, South Pacific). Other members were Susan Dey, Jeremy Gelbwaks, Danny Bonaduce and Suzane Crough.
Bell Records mounted a huge promotion campaign around the TV series, single, album and music from the show. “I Think I Love You”, written by Tony Romeo was the first single release and achieved the R.I.A.A. Gold Disc award by December. In Britain the song was released in November with 9 weeks in the Top 50

Jimi Hendrix – Voodoo Chile. UK#1, 21 November 1970

Long John Baldry
Let The Heartaches Begin. UK#(2) from 22 November 1967 and US#88, and NZ#20 in early 1968. The song was #1 when the first heart transplant was performed by Dr. Christiaan Barnard in South Africa on 3 December 1967.
The song also had a claim to fame in being one of the few occasions when song writers have ousted another of their songs from the top. Tony McAuley and John McLeod had written the charts previous #1 by The Foundations - Baby Now That I've Found You.
Long John Baldry himself, was born 12 January 1941 and is/was probably the tallest act to make UK#1. He sang with various blues groups in the sixties, including the Hoochie Coochie Men, Steampacket and Bluesology, whose pianist, Elton John, took his second name from Baldry’s first. None of Baldry’s blues recordings made the charts and it was a switch to tear-jerking ballads such as this one, that brought him to national attention. He eventually went back to his musical roots but no more chart records followed.

Billy Connolly – D.I.V.O.R.C.E. UK#1, 22 November 1975

KC & The Sunshine Band – That’s The Way (I Like It) US#1(2) from 22 November 1975

Dale & Grace
I'm Leaving It Up To You US#1(2) from *23 November 1963 (15 weeks in US Top 100) *the day after JFK assassination
Two 19 years olds, Dale Houston and Grace Broussard updated a 1957 song which sold a million for them globally. Dale and Grace had sung in local Baton Rouge Louisiana bistros for several years before teaming up. Grace first sung with her brother Van, while Dale worked as a soloist. It was at producer Sam Montel's studio where they met and did an impromptu session -Montel was greatly impressed with their version of "I'm Leaving It Up To You" and it became a local success in the southern states before becoming a national then international hit. Not a million seller

Featured Songs Saturday 14 November 2009

missed from before
The Monkees
LAST TRAIN TO CLARKSVILLE, US#1(1), 5 November 1966, a UK#23 in early 1967 and a Monster Hit in N.Z.
The group's first million seller written by Tommy Boyce/Bobby Hart (as was a lot of their material). Their TV show was partly inspired by The Beatles 'Hard Day's Night film and this track was considered a knock-off of the Beatles' "Paperback Writer"

*Hugo Montenegro & Orch. – The Good The Bad And The Ugly. UK#1(4) from 13 November 1968
Bachman-Turner Overdrive – You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet US#1, 9 November 1974
Eagles – Heartache Tonight. US#1, 10 November 1979

Gilbert O’Sullivan
Clair. UK#1(2) from 11 November 1972. ‘Clair’ was not an obvious love story but was inspired by the young daughter of O’Sullivan’s manager, Gordon Mills, for whom Gilbert babysat. The angle gave the song a wider audience than it would have received had it been a traditional romance. Irish man O’Sullivan’s first No 1, almost two years after his record debut with his UK Top 10, “Nothing Rhymed”.


Donna Summer
MacArthur Park. US#1(3) from 11 November 1978. Donna Summer is an American singer and songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of music, earning the title "The Queen of Disco". Summer trained as a gospel singer before her introduction to the music industry and has always been known for her "powerhouse" vocal delivery. A cover of the Jimmy Webb-penned "MacArthur Park", originally made famous by the late actor-singer Richard Harris. Summer's recording, which was included as part of the "MacArthur Park Suite" on her double album Live and More, ran to 8:40 in its full-length version. The shorter single edit of the song was Summer's first single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The 17:47 long medley "MacArthur Park Suite", which incorporates the songs "One of a Kind" and "Heaven Knows", was also issued as a 12" (30 cm) promo, which stayed at number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart for five weeks in 1978.

*Johnny Rivers - Poor Side Of Town, US#1(1), 12 November 1966 didn't sell a million.
*Hugo Montenegro & Orch. – The Good The Bad And The Ugly. UK#1(4) from 13 November 1968
Slade – Coz I Love You. UK#1(4) from 13 November 1971
(not really suitable for Coast)
*Chicago – If You Leave Me Now. UK#1(3) from 13 November 1976

Rod Stewart
Tonight’s The Night. US#1(8) from 13 November 1976
The song features whispers from Britt Ekland who was Stewart's girlfriend at the time. From his 1976 album 'A Night On The Town'

*Nino Tempo & April Stevens - Deep Purple US#1, 16 November 1963, (15 weeks in Top 100) A famous oldie from 1939 originally composed by Peter de Rose for piano solo, then with words added by Mitchell Parish, became a great favourite for over 30 years with orchestras. A million-seller for this brother and sister from Niagara Falls, New York.
John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band – Whatever Gets You Thru The Night US#1, 16 November 1974
David Essex – Gonna Make You A Star. UK#1(3) from 16 November 1974 (didn’t make the US Top 100 – “Rock On” and “Lamplight” did in 1973/74) N/A
*The 4 Seasons - Big Girls Don't Cry, US#1(5) from 17 November 1962 (16 weeks in Top 100), Au#1(1) 5 Jan 1963 and a MONSTER HIT in N.Z.
*Beach Boys – Good Vibrations. UK#1(2) from 17 November, US#1, 10 December 1966 and NZ#1(2) from 12 January 1967 and from the Pet Sounds album.
Gary Glitter – I Love You Love Me Love. UK#1(4) from 17 November 1973. His second UK No 1 and a million seller. N/A

Commodores
Still. US#1, 17 November 1979. The group is best known for their ballads, such as "Easy" and "Three Times a Lady", but, for the most part, the group mainly recorded funky, driven dance-floor hits which include "Slippery When Wet" and "Brick House". This song came from their hit album Midnight Magic and reached the top of both the pop and R&B charts. It is one of the group's most popular singles and is also notable for being their last big hit before Lionel Richie went solo.

Featured Songs Saturday 7 November 2009

* - songs played in regular Coast playlist
*Elvis Presley – Suspicious Minds US#1, 1 November 1969

Stevie Wonder – You Haven’t Done Nothin US#1, 2 November 1974


Abba
The Name Of The Game. UK#1(4) from 5 November 1974 and Aust #13 from 2 November 1977
Polydor 847 365 Abba The Songbook, Australian Chart Hits

The Rolling Stones * more a 'Hauraki' song
GET OFF OF MY CLOUD, UK#1(3) from 4 November and US#1(2) from 6 November 1965 Big Hit in N.Z.
The 2nd successive #1 recorded by the boys in Hollywood a number one on both sides of the Atlantic.

*Johnny Nash – I Can See Clearly Now US#1(4) from 4 November 1972
*Anne Murray – You Needed Me. US#1, 4 November 1978

Jimmy Dean
Big Bad John US#1(5) from 6 November 1961 (16 weeks in Top 100), 2nd Top No 1 of 1961 and a HUGE HIT in N.Z.
The 1st million-seller for country and western artist, Jimmy Dean, with his own composition. Signed to Columbia Records in 1957, this was his first pop success and became the winner of the N.A.R.A.S Award for Best Country-and-Western Recording for 1961.



Joe Cocker (Not sure this suits the 'Coast sound')
*With A Little Help From My Friends. UK#1, 6 November 1968, US#68 (6 wks in Top 100 from 16 November) 1968 and NZ#12 in early 1969. Ex gas fitter John Cocker (b. Sheffield 20 May 1944) had formed his first band, an R&B outfit called Vance Arnold & The Avengers, 1963. The following year he cut his first single, a Beatles song, “I’ll Cry Instead” using the name Joe Cocker. Working with numerous musicians he became well known on the London club circuit, gaining the attention of Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. Having a mildly successful single with “Marjorine”, Cocker decided to record the stage favourite “With a Little Help From My Friends”. As the Guiness book of UK No 1 Hits said, “Few could have turned this singalong track from the Beatles’ Sergeant Pepper LP into a souful ballad.”

The 5th Dimension
WEDDING BELL BLUES Soul City [USA] US#1(3) from 6 November 1969 Monster Hit in N.Z. at NZ#3 and UK#16 in 1969
Released in September 1969 and taken from the group’s enormously successful album ‘Age of Aquarius’, this lovely soft song by Laura Nyro not only made US#1 (with 15 weeks in the Top 100) but sold a million by 5 December 1969 with Gold Disc award from R.I.A.A.

Cher
Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves US#1(2) from 6 November 1971 * in NexGen
Written by Bob Stone (or Wikipedia suggests it was, Shel Silverstein) and released in the US September and in Britain in November 1971, where it peaked at #3 and spent 12 weeks in the UK Top 50. It was the first big hit as a solo artist for Cher, with a million sale in the US, earning the R.I.A.A. Gold Disc award, 19 November 1971. It sold 250,000 in the UK.
After Sonny & Cher initial success in the mid sixties, the duo became somewhat quiet in the acid rock period, making an anti dope film for children in 1968. From 1969 to 1970 there was a lull in their fortunes, but in 1970 they went into nightclubs and cabaret circuit. In 1971, they got a CBS TV show and were back in popularity, with the success of the one-hour TV series. Cher subsequently divorced Sonny in 1974 and started a solo career with Kapp Records, and became a fashion queen working for Vogue etc. In 1975 Cher embarked on a stormy, on-off marriage to Greg Allman (of the Allman Brothers) and recorded with him (Allman and Woman, 1977).
The video for "Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves" was Cher's first music video and was a recorded performance of the song on The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour in 1971. Throughout the video Cher is singing in front of a house wagon and in front of a fire. A second video was made, but it was very similar to the original. In the second video, clips of dancing female gypsies were shown.

Steve Miller – Rock’n Me. US#1, 6 November 1976

*The Foundations - Baby Now That I’ve Found You. UK#1(2) from 8 November 1967 and US#11 early 1968 (13 weeks in Top 100 from 23 December 1967)

David Bowie – Space Oddity. UK#1(2) from 8 November 1975


Conway Twitty
IT’S ONLY MAKE BELIEVE
US#1(2) from 10 November 1958 and a MONSTER HIT in N.Z.
Superstar Country singer who charted 40 #1 Country hits. Born Harold Lloyd Jenkins 1 September 1933 in Friars Point, Mississippi and raised in Helena, Arkansas. Died of an abdominal aneurysm on 5 June 1993.

Featured Songs for Saturday 30 October 2009

Temptations
I CAN'T GET NEXT TO YOU, US#1(2) from 18 October 1969 - Moderate Hit in N.Z. A Detroit soul group formed in 1960 with Eddie Kendricks (d. October 1992 of lung cancer at age 52) Paul Williams (d. August 1973) Melvin Franklin, Otis Williams (not to be confused with the same-named member of The Charms) and Elbridge Bryant, who was replaced by David Ruffin in 1964. A number of other personnel changes followed. Recognised as American's all-time favourite soul group. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. This song charted between a number of tracks the group did with Diana Ross & The Supremes, I.e. the US#2 “I'm Gonna Make You Love Me” from late 1968 and “The Weight” which followed this song on the charts (September 1969). Another big hit for writers Norman Whitfield and Barret Strong, released 16 August 1969, this sold a million after spending two weeks at No 1 in the U.S. A UK#13 from January 1970.



Bobbie Gentry
I'll Never Fall In Love Again, UK#1(1), 18 October and Au#1(2) from 11 November 1969 Monster Hit in N.Z. With this song, from their musical ‘Promises Promises’ Bacharach and David achieved their sixth No. 1 composition, maintaining their third position in the league of most successful Number One songwriting partnerships.
Bobbie Gentry, born Roberta Lee Streeter, 27 July 1944, began playing piano at the age of seven, going on to study music at the Los Angeles Conservatory Of Music. After seeing the film ‘Ruby Gentry’ she decided to adopt that surname for her stage name and by 1966 she was singing and writing songs for her own song and dance group.
Bobbie had approached Capitol Records with any eye to selling songs to other artists. Instead they asked to sing them herself. Her first hit was her lament against indifference to suicide, with the “Ode To Billy Joe”, a UK Top 20 and US#1 in 1967. This song was her next British chart, then her cover, with Glen Campbell, of the Everly’s “All I Have To Do Is Dream” made UK#3 in December 1969 and then a minor (UK#40) with “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” from February 1970 was her lot on the UK charts.


The Jackson 5
I’LL BE THERE. US#1(5) from 17 October 1970 A quintet of brothers formed and managed by their father beginning in 1966 in Gary, Indiana. Consisted of Sigmund ‘Jackie’, Toriano ‘Tito’, Jermaine, Marlon and lead singer Michael (the youngest b. 1958). First recorded for Steeltown in 1968. Known as the Jackson 5 from 1968-75. The group was backed by their sisters Rebbie, La Toya and Janet. Each had solo hits and Michael and Janet went on to have superstar solo careers.
This song was taken from the Jackson 5’s third album and was an even bigger success than their previous 1970 releases, selling over 350,000 copies in the US by November, after being at No 1 for 5 weeks. Released in the US 28 August and in the UK 13 November 1970, where it got to No 4 for a week and sold over 250,000 copies by early 1971. This fourth million for the group (all US#1 hits) was written by Berry Gordy Jr., B. West, W. Hutch and H. Davies. The quintet sold over 10 million singles in a nine month period since their first million seller of “I Want You Back” and was claimed to be in excess of sales figures by The Beatles within any given nine-month period.



Matthews’ Southern Comfort
WOODSTOCK. UK#1(3) from 31 October 1970. Ian Matthews, (born Ian MacDonald in Lincolnshire, England in June 1946) left the folk-rock band he helped found, Fairport Convention in 1969, and his first solo album, released at the beginning of 1970, was called ‘Matthews Southern Comfort’. His band took the name of the album and on this single the line-up was Matthews on vocals, Gordon Huntley, Ramon Duffy, Andy Leigh, Carl Barnwell and Mark Griffiths. It was their only hit, making them at the time, the 15th member of that exclusive one-hit wonder group and the fourth act to qualify during 1970.
In 1971, Ian Matthew had dissolved his band to go solo and without setting the world on fire with his music, has remained a respected performer on both sides of the Atlantic.


Chuck Berry
My Ding-A-Ling, US#1(2) from 21 October and UK#1(4) from 25 November 1972. Originally recorded by the artist as “My Tambourine” in 1966. Recorded live at the Lanchester Arts Festival, Coventry, England. Chuck Berry wrote “My Ding-a-Ling” in the early 1950s but Mercury Records turned it down. It was however recorded by Dave Bartholomew in 1954 and by Chuck under the new title of ‘My Tambourine’ in 1958. The song was issued under its original title on Berry’s 1972 album ‘London Chuck Berry Session’ and the single issue rocketed to No 1 with R.I.A.A. Gold Disc Award by September 1972. It took Britain by storm and was their Christmas hit of 1972. The risqué novelty number was a surprise Anglo-American hit and in Britain aroused attack by Mrs. Mary Whitehouse, the ‘clean-up TV’ campaigner of the time.
The publicity certainly helped revive Chuck Berry’s career and this song was his first certified million seller.