REMEMBER WHEN - 28TH MAY 1977

1977

Week 22
WEEK ENDING 28TH MAY 1977

TOP 40 SINGLES

TW	LW
1	1	Rod Stewart	I Don't Want To Talk About It / First Cut Is The Deepest
2	3	Joe Tex	Ain't Gonna Bump No More
3	6	Barbra Streisand	Evergreen
4	5	Kenny Rogers	Lucille
5	10	10 CC	Good Morning Judge
6	4	Van McCoy	The Shuffle
7	2	Deniece Williams	Free
8	11	Piero Umiliani	Mah Na Mah Na
9	12	Marvin Gaye	Got To Give It Up
10	9	Eagles	Hotel California
11	8	Stevie Wonder	Sir Duke
12	7	Tavares	Whodunit
13	NEW	Rock Follies	O.K.
14	13	Peter Gabriel	Solsbury Hill
15	NEW	Liverpool Football Team	We Can Do It
16	21	Bay City Rollers	It's A Game
17	20	Boz Scaggs	Lido Shuffle
18	23	Trammps	Disco Inferno
19	24	Blue	Capture Your Heart
20	29	Bryan Ferry	Tokyo Joe
21	18	Elkie Brooks	Pearl's A Singer
22	35	Ramones	Sheena Is A Punk Rocker
23	19	Heatwave	Too Hot To Handle / Slip Your Disc To This
24	NEW	Muppets	Halfway Down The Stairs
25	14	Dead End Kids	Have I The Right
26	27	Joy Sarney	Naughty Naughty Naughty
27	34	Tina Charles	Rendezvous
28	NEW	E.L.O.	Telephone Line
29	22	Delegation	Where Is The Love
30	38	Shalamar	Uptown Festival
31	26	Yvonne Elliman	Hello Stranger
32	25	Deep Purple	Smoke On The Water
33	NEW	Gladys Knight & The Pips	Baby Don't Change Your Mind
34	28	Billy Paul	Let 'Em In
35	15	Andrew Gold	Lonely Boy
36	37	Stranglers	Peaches
37	NEW	Trinidad Oil Company	Calendar Song
38	40	Martyn Ford Orchestra	Let Your Body Go Down Town
39	32	Fleetwood Mac	Don't Stop
40	16	Leo Sayer	How Much Love

Rod Stewart

I Don't Want To Talk About It / First Cut Is The Deepest

This was Rod Stewart's fourth number one. "I Don't Want To Talk About It" was taken from his 1975 album "Atlantic Crossing", while "First Cut Is The Deepest" was from his most recent "A Night On The Town" album. The former was later taken to number three when covered by Everything But The Girl in 1988, and I have no complaints about that particular cover. Most of us associate the song with Rod as though he was the original artist, but this was one of Rod's many covers. It was originally recorded by 'Crazy Horse' (one time Neil Young backing band) for their eponymous debut album in 1971, and written by band vocalist Danny Whitten. Unfortunately, Danny didn't live to see how popular his song became, he died of a self-induced drug overdose in 1972.
"First Cut Is The Deepest" was written by Cat Stevens and was the debut hit for PP Arnold when it reached number 18 in 1967.

Joe Tex

Ain't Gonna Bump No More

Joe Tex reached number two with his novelty, yet highly danceable hit "Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman)". Sadly Joe passed away a few years ago.

Barbara Streisand

Evergreen

It was 11 years since her chart debut, but Barbra Streisand hit the top 10 for the first time and climbed to number three with "Evergreen" (Love Theme From 'A Star Is Born'). She would follow this with a hit every year until 1982.

Kenny Rogers

Lucille

This was Kenny's first chart entry since his second hit "Something's Burning" had reached number eight in 1970. His 1969 number two peaking debut "Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town" told the story of a cheating wife, and this one had a similar theme. Good songs both of them, this one went all the way to number one.

10 CC

Good Morning Judge

Ten CC climbed slowly but eventually reached number five with "Good Morning Judge", taken from the brilliant 'Deceptive Bends' album. Video promos still hadn't quite caught on those days and I seemed to be one of the few to have started to sit up and take real notice of them. For that reason, I remember the attempt by 10.C.C. to do something innovative with the promo for this particular single. As you'd expect, it featured a courtroom.

Van McCoy

The Shuffle

Van was the man behind so many great Disco hits and was having his second big hit under his own name. This big disco hit reached number four.

Deniece Williams

Free

Deniece Williams hit number one with this, her very first hit, a lovely song that just reminds me of summer every time I hear it. Deniece managed two weeks on top and then never quite managed to make the top again. She has recently been presenting a show on BBC Radio Two.
This song was covered in the '80s by Will Downing, and again in the '90s by Chante Moore, but neither made the top 40.

Piero Umiliani

Mah Na Mah Na

The wasn't exactly a song. It was just Mah Na Mah Na noises and no other words. It peaked at number eight in the same week that a version by the Muppets entered the chart on the B side of their "Halfway Down The Stairs" Hit. It had been made popular by it's inclusion in both the Muppet Show and the Benny Hill show. The err, tune (the Mah Na Mah Na bits) was covered by 'Vanilla' on their awful "No Way No Way" hit in 1997.

Marvin Gaye

Got To Give It Up

This was one of my favourite songs from 1977. "Got To Give It Up" was Marvin's first solo hit for almost four years and his last for another five years. I remember there being a room with a pool table and jukebox at my local railway station in Ruabon. We used to go there a lot, but I was the only one who ever selected this one on the jukebox. I think my taste in music was probably questioned (story of my life). Still, it went to number seven to become his biggest solo hit since 1969. Aaliyah had a cover of this in the UK charts at number 37 in 1996, but it was terrible of course (even though I do quite like her as a rule).

Eagles

Hotel California

The Eagles peaked at number eight with this, their biggest UK hit. They never did quite make it big in the UK singles chart, like they did elsewhere. The reason for this will remain one of the great mysteries of our time.

Stevie Wonder

Sir Duke

Stevie Wonder equalled the position of his previous biggest hit as "Sir Duke" reached number two. This song was a tribute to the legendary 'Duke Ellington', and was taken from the 'Songs In The Key Of Life' album. I'm afraid that I could never really get into this single, and neither did I share the critic's enthusiasm for it's parent album (I preferred the three previous and next two albums). Three years would pass before Stevie returned to the top 20 of the single's chart.

Tavares

Whodunit

The Tavares were having their fourth hit in less than 12 months with "Whodunit". They peaked at number five and would never get this high again.

Rock Follies

O.K.

The record label actually credited this to 'Julie Covington, Rula Lenska, Charlotte Cornwell and Sue Jones-Davies'. 'Rock Follies' was a TV series about a fictional girl group called 'The Little Ladies'. Julie had already had a number one single this year with "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" and so was well known to chart watchers. Rula is an actress more well known for her relationship with 'Dennis Waterman' than any acting ability, though I think she was in a sit-com in the early 80's. Charlotte was in another series where she played the part of a singer a few years later, but I think concentrated on the stage more than TV. Sue didn't appear until the last couple of episodes of the second (and final) series, but she had a great voice and I'm surprised that we didn't hear more from her.
The first single release from the series was "Glenn Miller Is Missing", but that bombed out of sight in 1976. This one reached number ten and was a little better than OK.

Peter Gabriel

Solsbury Hill

Peter Gabriel was having his first hit since leaving Genesis, and got as high as number 13 with a song that is now considered a classic.

Liverpool Football Team

We Can Do It

A remake of the Rubettes 1975 hit "I Can Do It" by the most successful football club of this and the following decade (yes, even more successful than my beloved Nottingham Forest). At this time Liverpool were winning the League Championship, European Cup and losing in the F.A. Cup Final to M**chester United. But at least they have always released better records than their Manc counterparts. This one was ok (for a football record), and peaked at it's debut position of number 15. Their biggest hit came in 1988 when the surprisingly enjoyable "Anfield Rap" reached number three. They had a further hit in 1996 when "Pass And Move" reached number four.

Bay City Rollers

It's A Game

I knew this song from the 'String Driven Thing' version that was on K'Tel's '22 Electrifying Hits'. This wasn't a bad cover, but the change of style distanced their young fans and their run of top five singles was over as it peaked at number 16.
The album of the same name included their cover of David Bowie's "Rebel Rebel", and it wasn't as bad as you probably suspect.

Boz Scaggs

Lido Shuffle

Surprising high debut position of number 20 and a high of number 13 for this so-so song.
But what exactly is a Lido Shuffle ?
And why does he pronounce it "Lee Doh"
I've always known it to be pronounced "Lie Doh", and it's usually the swimming baths.

Trammps

Disco Inferno

Perfection. Not only a great disco song, but a great pop single too. Probably the best disco single ever at the time of it's original release, and it hasn't been bettered many times since. Strange though that it only reached number 16.
A year later the ten minute+ version was the closing track on the 'Saturday Night Fever' soundtrack, and so the single was re-issued. This time it reached number 47.

Blue

Gonna Capture Your Heart

This was Blue's only hit. "Gonna Capture Your Heart" was a simple pop song that could easily have been recorded by 'The Dooleys' or any of a hundred other bands, and reached number 18.
This is not the same act that debuted on the UK chart in the spring of 2001.

Bryan Ferry

Tokyo Joe

Bryan ought to stick to cover versions for his solo work. Number 15.

Elkie Brooks

Pearl's A Singer

Back to the charts, and Elkie Brooks was having her first solo hit after years of limited success as a member of 'Vinegar Joe' alongside Robert Palmer. Pearl's A Singer was reputed to be about 'Janis Joplin', and peaked at number eight.

Ramones

Sheena Is A Punk Rocker

Yes, this was alright. I don't think I've heard anything better from them. It reached number 22. Someone ought to have had a word with him about the sunglasses though.

Heatwave

Too Hot To Handle / Slip Your Disc To This

Heatwave were following their first hit "Boogie Nights" with this double A side. It reached number 15 and they were two storming tracks.

Muppets

Halfway Down The Stairs

Kermit The Frog introduced this as an A.A. Milne poem being sang by his nephew "Robin" (the voice of Jerry Nelson). Kermit had first found fame in the UK due to his appearances on "Sesame Street". I used to watch that show on Saturday mornings while I was still at Primary School. I can't think about Sesame Street without thinking about those new fangled 'Toast Toppers' that I always had for my breakfast on Saturdays. They were basically a can of sick that you spread on lightly toasted bread before putting back under the grill for a couple of minutes. It probably wasn't very good for human consumption, but these days establishments such as Pizza Hut are making a fortune out of the concept.
This single was backed with "Mah Na Mah Na" and reached number seven.

Dead End Kids

Have I The Right

The Dead End Kids spent two weeks in their peak position of number six with their remake of the Honeycombs 1964 hit. OK, but hardly a classic cover. They didn't chart again.

Joy Sarney

Naughty Naughty Naughty

This is the one with the Punch and Judy effects. Got irritating after a while, only reached number 26.

Tina Charles

Rendezvous

She did worse, she also did better. Number 27.

E.L.O.

Telephone Line

I think "Tightrope" would have been a better choice of third single from 'A New World Record', but this was pretty good anyway. I always associate this with listening to the top Twenty while in the bath. Funny, Jeff Lynne sometimes sounded as though he was singing with his head under water. This reached number eight.
Two years later the Barron Knights did a parody of this that only lasted approx 45 seconds, the pips kept going for more money.

Delegation

Where Is The Love

Delegation were a UK band having their only top 40 hit with "Where Is The Love", and reached number 22. A very ordinary song that often turns up on cheap compilations.

Shalamar

Uptown Festival

I have this on quite a few compilation LPs and CDs and even on a Shalamar CD, but it's normally a track that I skip. Yet, when heard at a disco, this Motown medley sounded really good. It reached number 30.

Yvonne Elliman

Hello Stranger

Nice enough, but not as good as her three bigger hits. Has a slight feel of William De Vaughn's "Be Thankful For What You've Got" about it. It reached number 26.

Deep Purple

Smoke On The Water

Deep Purple were in the top 40 for the first time in five years with the number 21 peaking "Smoke On The Water". Strange how such a well known song didn't reach a higher position. Deep Purple would never get that high in the charts again either.

Gladys Knight & The Pips

Baby Don't Change Your Mind

One of the best singles of the year, and sounds as fresh as ever today. This more than any other song reminds me of the 'Hightown Discos' that I've previously mentioned. It equalled the number four peak of her biggest hit "The Way We Were".

Billy Paul

Let 'Em In

Billy Paul reached number 26 with this rendition of the Wings number two hit from just nine months earlier. He did add a new slant to the song, he even threw in Martin Luther King. Pity it didn't perform better.

Andrew Gold

Lonely Boy

Andrew Gold was having his very first hit with "Lonely Boy", and peaked at number 11. This one kind of slipped by me at the time, but it didn't take me too long to catch up.

Stranglers

Peaches

Fantastic stuff from the Stranglers. Peaches was the longest running of all their 22 top 40 hits, and reached number 8 despite no airplay from radio one. But the flip "Go Buddy Go" with the legendary "Boooooooooogie" intro got plenty when it was decided this should be a double 'A' side.

Trinidad Oil Company

Calendar Song

All of you Boney M knockers, be thankful that you didn't hear this, it was worse than anything they ever did. It was just months of the year all the way through, and was absolutely terrible. It reached number 34.
Ahh, Boney M did this too !!!!!

Martyn Ford

Let Your Body Go Down Town

Never heard it, reached number 38.
Bet it ain't as good as Petula Clark's "Downtown" though.

Fleetwood Mac

Don't Stop

Fleetwood Mac were having the second of three very small hits from the 'Rumours' album. "Don't Stop" peaked at number 32 and was their biggest 'new' hit since "The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Prong Crown)" seven years previous. This track is usually played during the last encore of their live shows which brings me to,
The line up that toured the UK in 1988 & 1990 which featured 'Billy Burnette' & 'Rick Vito' seemed to be a better live act than the 'Rumours' line up. They even played many of the songs from the pre-Rumours days ("Oh Well" etc).

Leo Sayer

How Much Love

Leo Sayer was following up his only UK number one with the number ten peaking "How Much Love". Leo had frequent patches of success between 1974 & 1983, but was never really consistent with his singles.

This was in the top 50 this week, but failed to reach the top 40.

Marie Myriam

L'oiseau Et L'enfant

Translated as "The Bird And The Child", this was the French winner of the 1977 Eurovision Song Contest. It was the first winner in quite a few years not to make the UK top 40. It peaked at number 42.

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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