REMEMBER WHEN - 15TH MAY 1976

1976
Week 20
WEEK ENDING 15TH MAY 1976

TOP 40 SINGLES

TW	LW
1	1	Abba	Fernando
2	2	Brotherhood Of Man	Save Your Kisses For Me
3	3	Hank Mizell	Jungle Rock
4	5	Fox	S-S-S-Single Bed
5	18	Andrea True Connection	More More More
6	16	Sutherland Brothers And Quiver	Arms Of Mary
7	4	Laurie Lingo & The Dipsticks	Convoy GB
8	7	Silver Convention	Get Up And Boogie
9	6	Four Seasons	Silver Star
10	14	Stylistics	Can't Help Falling In Love
11	26	J.J. Barrie	No Charge
12	9	Sheer Elegance	Life Is Too Short Girl
13	11	Frankie Valli	Fallen Angel
14	22	Rolling Stones	Fool To Cry
15	19	Diana Ross	Love Hangover
16	27	James And Bobby Purify	I'm Your Puppet
17	20	Bellamy Brothers	Let Your Love Flow
18	10	Isaac Hayes	Disco Connection
19	12	Eric Carmen	All By Myself
20	23	Paul Nicholas	Reggae Like It Used To Be
21	17	Bay City Rollers	Love Me Like I Love You
22	NEW	Robin Sarstedt	My Resistance Is Low
23	30	Jimmy James	I'll Go Where Your Music Takes Me
24	NEW	Cliff Richard	Devil Woman
25	24	Harpo	Movie Star
26	8	Diana Ross	Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)
27	25	Johnny Taylor	Disco Lady
28	28	Rubettes	You're The Reason Why
29	NEW	Wings	Silly Love Songs
30	NEW	Gladys Knight & The Pips	Midnight Train To Georgia
31	31	Tina Charles	Love Me Like A Lover
32	13	Sailor	Girls Girls Girls
33	NEW	Wurzels	Combine Harvester
34	NEW	Slik	Requiem
35	39	Judge Dread	The Winkle Man
36	15	John Miles	Music
37	NEW	Mud	Shake It Down
38	21	10 C.C.	I'm Mandy Fly Me
39	NEW	Peter Frampton	Show Me The Way
40	NEW	Archie Bell & The Drells	Soul City Walk

Abba

Fernando

Abba spent four weeks at number one with this single. This was the year in which Abba were really big. Fernando was the second of three number ones they achieved in 1976 (all sounding totally different). Even though they had become such hot property, reaching number one was not a foregone conclusion with each new release (as it became in the late 90's), singles had to earn the right to top the charts. This single had steadily grown on the British public as it climbed (remember when singles did that ?) to number two, and stayed there for three weeks before hitting the top.

Brotherhood Of Man

Save Your Kisses For Me

The Brotherhood Of Man were having their first hit for almost six years, and it may have seemed unusual for a group without a hit in such a long time to enter the chart as high as number 14. But there was of course a story behind this song. After many years of an act being chosen to sing for the UK in the Eurovision song contest and then being given six songs to sing from which TV viewers would vote, this year it was done differently. Instead a contest was held where a number of different acts sang one song each. Brotherhood Of Man won that contest and of course went on to win the big one. This single went on to spend six weeks at number one and became the best selling single of 1976.
And then of course, there's the thing about this Brotherhood Of Man not really being the same group that had a hit with "United We Stand" in 1970. There was no Tony Burrows this time for one thing. It was still songwriter Tony Hiller's baby though, and this was the classic line up (can there be such a thing as a 'classic' Brotherhood Of Man line up ?).

Hank Mizell

Jungle Rock

Hank Mizell reached number three with this song that he'd recorded in the 50's. Like the Tammy Wynette Country song "Stand By Your Man" from the previous year, there seems no logical explanation for this slice of Rockabilly suddenly becoming a hit. But what I do remember is an interview with Hank on the radio one 'Newsbeat' show at the time of the hit. He was being interviewed at his current place of work, working the fuel pumps.

Fox

S-S-S-Single Bed

Fox peaked at number four with this third and (surprisingly) final hit. Noosha Fox would return to the charts briefly at the beginning of her solo career, and later released as a single her superior version of "The Heat Is On" (later a minor hit for Agnetha from Abba), but success was limited.

Andrea True Connection

More More More

It has been widely documented that Andrea was a porn actress, and I certainly remember quite revealing photographs appearing in the music press at the time (naturally in grubby black and white). But was it all a marketing ploy ?
Andrea climaxed at number five, and after not being able to do much with her follow ups, she went back to doing whatever it is she did.
Bananarama covered this in 1993.

Sutherland Brothers & Quiver

Arms Of Mary

The Sutherland Brothers & Quiver peaked at number five with their first and biggest hit "Arms Of Mary". A particular memory of this one, is of the resident dancers on a TV show named 'Lift Off' dancing with miner's lanterns in their hands. A previous song of theirs had been the second biggest selling single of the year before, when recorded by Rod Stewart ("Sailing"). They recorded a good follow up single to this named "When The Train Comes", which failed to chart, and only managed a week at number 35 with the one after that called "Secrets". There was a further near miss for them with "Easy Come Easy Go" in 1979, andf nothing was heard from them afterwards.

Laurie Lingo And The Dipsticks

Convoy GB

Laurie Lingo And The Dipsticks were in fact Radio One DJs Dave Lee Travis & Paul Burnett. "Convoy GB" was a parody of the CW McCall hit "Convoy" from just two months previous, and peaked at number four. I found it as good as the original to be truthful (well, the slang terms made more sense to us than the ones Mr McCall used).

Silver Convention

Get Up And Boogie

Silver Convention were having their biggest hit with the number seven peaking "Get Up And Boogie". This was promoted on TV, by a cartoon clip featuring different species of animals including a cat playing a piano. Promos were still few and far between in those days, so this one sticks in the memory. it reminds me of the promo for the Bamboo hit "Bamboogie".

Four Seasons

Silver Star

The Four Seasons were having their last big hit with this one. It was a single that had a very strange chart run. After entering at number 27, t climbed normally to number 16 and then 6. But it then dropped to number nine before climbing to number three, dropping to 21, climbing back up to 16, dropping to 31, then 39 and out.
It was a very worthy follow up to their number one "December '63" and had a great disco version on the B side. What disco version actually meant was that it was a longer cut of the track on the A side.

Stylistics

Can't Help Falling In Love

More strange movements within the chart were encountered by the Stylistics. Having moved up one week from ten to four, they dropped to 14 the following week. This was thieir last ever top five hit.

J.J. Barrie

No Charge

This single was one that most of us who were into the music of the day would rather forget. It was one of those things that our mothers and grandmothers liked, the story of a kid giving his mother a bill for doing household chores etc. She of course reminded him of all she had done for him through his growing up and not charged him for it. It was bloody awful, but still managed to have a week at number one. Billy Connolly later did a parody of it which was just as bad !

Sheer Elegance

Life Is Too Short Girl

Sheer Elegance were back with the follow up to their first hit "Milky Way". "Life Is Too Short Girl" reached number nine, but was the last hit for the band who found fame via the 'New Faces' talent show. If I remember correctly, their album sleeve was quite naughty.

Frankie Valli

Fallen Angel

As well as having a top ten with the Four Seasons, Frankie Valli had his major hit at with this one. Call me an old softie, but I still think that this is a great ballad and should have got higher than number eleven. On either the 22nd April or 6th May, Frankie appeared on Top Of The Pops both as a solo artist and as a member of his band performing "Silver Star". I can't remember the exact date, but logically it must be one of the two mentioned, as prior to the madness that now presides over the UK charts started, the only songs to be featured on the show were those that were rising up the chart, not going down.

Rolling Stones

Fool To Cry

The Rolling Stones were back with one of their strongest singles since the 60's. It stopped just short of the top five at number six, but a classic all the same, and another record that reminds me of hot summer days, or maybe evenings, as my most vivid memory is of it being played on the top twenty on Sundays.

Diana Ross

Love Hangover

Just over four weeks after "Theme From Mahogany" entered the top 40, "Love Hangover" entered at number 24. This was Diana in sultry mode and sounds very much like she'd been influenced by Donna Summer, who'd recently hit the top five with "Love To Love You Baby". Despite it's slow progress up the chart, this single eventually reached number ten.

James And Bobby Purify

I'm Your Puppet

James And Bobby Purify reached number twelve with an old recording that had been an American number six hit in 1966. Pretty ordinary song maybe, but another nice reminder of Summer days.

Bellamy Brothers

Let Your Love Flow

The Bellamy Brothers were on their way to number seven with their country crossover hit, "Let Your Love Flow". They went on to have a near miss with their next single "Satin Sheets", but they had to wait over three years before they finally hit the top 40 again. To be honest, I've never really classed "Let Your Love Flow" as country anyway, I just think of it as a good pop song.

Isaac Hayes

Disco Connection

Isaac Hayes was having his second UK hit with"Disco Connection" and peaked at number ten. This single was GOOD, so I can't imagine why it is one of only three singles from the chart in which it debuted that I don't have. I'll have to hunt it down.
Isaac had to wait over 22 years for his next hit. This was in the guise of Chef from South Park, and he hit number one with "Chocolate Salty Balls"

Eric Carmen

All By Myself

This was Eric's only hit single and peaked at number 12, spending just six weeks in the chart. Many of you may associate him more with the track "Hungry Eyes" from the 'Dirty Dancing' soundtrack. Eric had previously been a member of 'The Raspberries, a band who always seemed to be about to make it in the UK, but never quite managed it. As well as being covered and taken back into the chart by Celine Dion in 1996, "All By Myself" was also covered by Sheryl Crow and Jewell in the 1990s.

Paul Nicholas

Reggae Like It Used To Be

Paul Nicholas reached number 17 with this debut hit. Paul had been around a few years, but his success throughout 1976 was probably kick started by his role as the sadistic cousin Kevin in the film "Tommy".

Bay City Rollers

Love Me LIke I Love You

This was the eighth consecutive top ten hit for the Bay City Rollers. It appeared to be a deliberate attempt to recapture the sound of "Bye Bye Baby", but it only made it to number four. This was the first to feature new band member Ian Stewart, who later became a porn star.

Robin Sarstedt

My Resistance Is Low

Robin Sarstedt (real name Clive) was the younger brother of both Peter who'd had a 1969 number one with "Where Do You Go To My Lovely, and also Eden Kane (Richard Sarstedt) who'd spent a week at number one in 1961 with "Well I Ask You". Robin (real name Clive) couldn't repeat the feat, and had to settle for a number three peak with this cover of the Hoagy Carmichael song.

Jimmy James & The Vagabonds

I'll Go Where The Music Takes Me

Jimmy James And The Vagabonds were having their first hit, since their debut with "Red Red Wine" in 1968. They would only reach number 23 this time, but better times were coming for the band.

Cliff Richard

Devil Woman

Cliff Richard's all time favourite amongst his own recordings, "Devil Woman" reached number nine. It was quite a change in style from Cliff's previous hit "Miss You Nights", and also a strange title for a song from someone so closely associated with Christianity. I wonder if this is the track that persuaded British students to adopt Cliff's speaking manner.

Harpo

Movie Star

Harpo was another Swedish act, but didn't quite make it as big as Abba (bit of an understatement there). "Movie Star" was a nice catchy song that got as high as number 24, then no more was heard from him.

Diana Ross

Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)

This first of two quickfire hits for Diana peaked at number five and was her biggest solo hit since "I'm Still Waiting" had gone all the way to number one in 1971. It was covered by Jennifer Lopez on her 1999 album "On The Six".

Johnny Taylor

Disco Lady

Johnny Taylor was having his only hit with the number 25 peaking "Disco Lady". Yet over in the States, not only was it a four week number one and the biggest of his 21 hits, but it was also the first Platinum record to be certified by the RIAA.

Rubettes

You're The Reason Why

The Rubettes were having their seventh hit with "You're The Reason Why" and peaked at number 28. It was a far cry from two years previous when they were celebrating a number one with their debut "Sugar Baby Love".

Wings

Silly Love Songs

After having their last two singles fail to reach the top 40, Wings were back on form as "Silly Love Songs" went to number two. The B side to this was a song featuring Linda McCartney on vocals titled "Cook Of The House". Quite appropriate considering how successful her range of vegetarian meals later became.
I have become to feel a little uncomfortable about those meals though. I chose to give up eating red meat in the mid-late nineties. This was after quite a few years of deliberation about the matter. I haven't and would never try to convince anyone else to do the same, that's their choice (that also applies to my daughter who does have some red meat in her baby food). Blood sports are an entirely different matter and I could quite happily bury alive anyone who partakes in such activities. Back to the matter in hand, those vegetarian dishes actually do taste like the meat that they are substituting. So I'm beginning to feel that maybe this is defeating the object just a little.

Gladys Knight & The Pips

Midnight Train To Georgia

Gladys Knight reached number 10 with this, but how could she have failed ?
She had two elements of classic soul recordings in the title alone, 'Georgia' AND the good old 'Midnight Train'.
Seriously, I remember this single being originally released towards the end of 1973, and listening to it by calling a number listed in the Record Mirror (best UK Music Publication ever). I wondered what had happened to it until it reappeared and charted.

Tina Charles

Love Me Like A Lover

Disappointing follow up to "I Love To Love", and that wolf whistle at the beginning was plain embarrassing. Somehow, I bought her "I Love To Love" album (Britannia Music Club record of the month, think it was called Audio Club Of Great Britain at the time), but always skipped this track. It reached number 28.
Interestingly enough, when this first entered the top 40 at number 31, the single one place above it was "I'll Go Where Your Music Takes Me" by JImmy James & The Vagabonds. Just under two years later, Tina had her final hit with her cover of that song.

Sailor

Girls Girls Girls

The follow up to their number two hit "Glass Of Champagne", but not a very good one. Somehow it reached number seven.
A new songword magazine started life around this time, and the words to this song were in the first issue. I can't remember the title of the magazine, but it had gone by the end of the year.

Wurzels

Combine Harvester

"Combine Harvester" was a parody of the Melanie hit "Brand New Key", and it made about as much sense as the original. Strangely enough, this was the summer that I spent working on a farm and saw quite a lot of Combine Harvester activity. It spent two weeks at number one.

Slik

Requiem

Slik reached number 24 with this criminally ignored single. They had reached number one with their previous effort "Forever And Ever", but this was to be their only other hit, despite a fine third single "The Kids A Punk". "Requiem" would not have seemed out of place on an Ultravox album, the band which lead singer Midge Ure would become a part of in 1980.

Judge Dread

The Winkle Man

Judge Dread was having his seventh hit with "The Winkle Man" and peaked at 35. He actually said a naughty word in this one.

John Miles

Music

Someone else taking a leaf out of the Freddie Mercury songbook. Another long song with varying tempos. This was always one that you quite liked, but your Dad liked a lot. Nice tune (s) and all that, but look at the lyrics alone and you're looking at a pile of crap. Three weeks at number three.

Mud

Shake It Down

Mud got funky with this 14th top 40 hit. Quite impressive actually, it reached number 12.

10 C.C.

I'm Mandy Fly Me

I've always believed that the success of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" was in the back of someone's mind when it was decided to release this track as a single. Not only did it seem to be a long song, but it also had a few changes of tempo, just like "Bo Rap".
It sounded nothing like it of course, but it was still a great song. It spent nine weeks in the top 40, including three at it's peak of number six.
It was helped a little bit by a strange thing that ITV were doing at the time. I noticed it most on Sunday afternoons. Now and then, instead of showing ads during a commercial break, they would show a music promo instead. "I'm Mandy Fly Me" was featured quite often in these segments.

Peter Frampton

Show Me The Way

Peter Frampton reached number ten with his debut solo hit "Show Me The Way". Strange how exactly a year later a band called 'The Jacksons' were climbing to number one with "Show You The Way To Go", which was also their debut top 40 hit (under their new moniker). However despite the critical acclaim and three more excellent singles (Baby I Love Your Way, I'm In You & I Can't Stand It No More), clearly no one did show Peter the way. All he could manage after this was a week at number 39 with "Do You Feel Like We Do" in November of this year.

Archie Bell & The Drells

Soul City Walk

Archie Bell And The Drells had waited three years to follow up their second hit with a third, but they finally got it with "Soul City Walk". This is the song that most people associate with the band, despite it only reaching number 13 compared to the number 11 high of "Here I Go Again". I don't like Archie Bell records very much, and I don't know why, unless it's something to do with me thinking people named Archie should not have hit singles.

These were in the top 50 this week, but failed to reach the top 40.

Mac And Katie Kissoon

The Two Of Us

Almost identical to "Can't Take My Eyes Off You", but very flat. It reached number 46 and that was the last we heard of Mac. Katie went on to work as a backing singer with Roger Waters.

Some 1976 MP3s

Linda Lewis - Baby I'm Yours

Disclaimer All comments concerning the quality of the songs in this and any other chart, are purely my opinion and not a statement of fact. I believe that we are all equal when it comes to deciding what makes a good song. I do not believe that good songs have to be serious or dull. I am of the opinion that if a single sells many copies, then many people like it, so it must be good whether I like it or not. Good music is everything YOU like, and it's also everything I like.

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Email: nige@innotts.co.uk
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