REMEMBER WHEN - 4TH JUNE 1977

1977

Week 23
WEEK ENDING 4TH JUNE 1977

TOP 40 SINGLES

TW	LW
1	1	Rod Stewart	I Don't Want To Talk About It / First Cut Is The Deepest
2	4	Kenny Rogers	Lucille
3	2	Joe Tex	Ain't Gonna Bump No More
4	3	Barbra Streisand	Evergreen
5	6	Van McCoy	The Shuffle
6	5	10 CC	Good Morning Judge
7	9	Marvin Gaye	Got To Give It Up
8	24	Muppets	Halfway Down The Stairs
9	8	Piero Umiliani	Mah Na Mah Na
10	13	Rock Follies	O.K.
11	NEW	Sex Pistols	God Save The Queen
12	10	Eagles	Hotel California
13	17	Boz Scaggs	Lido Shuffle
14	NEW	Genesis	Spot The Pigeon
15	23	Heatwave	Too Hot To Handle / Slip Your Disc To This
16	15	Liverpool Football Team	We Can Do It
17	NEW	Carole Bayer Sager	You're Moving Out Today
18	28	E.L.O.	Telephone Line
19	7	Deniece Williams	Free
20	12	Tavares	Whodunit
21	14	Peter Gabriel	Solsbury Hill
22	33	Gladys Knight & The Pips	Baby Don't Change Your Mind
23	NEW	Jacksons	Show You The Way To Go
24	16	Bay City Rollers	It's A Game
25	18	Trammps	Disco Inferno
26	20	Bryan Ferry	Tokyo Joe
27	36	Stranglers	Peaches
28	19	Blue	Gonna Capture Your Heart
29	22	Ramones	Sheena Is A Punk Rocker
30	26	Joy Sarney	Naughty Naughty Naughty
31	NEW	Honky	Join The Party
32	30	Shalamar	Uptown Festival
33	11	Stevie Wonder	Sir Duke
34	37	Trinidad Oil Company	Calendar Song
35	NEW	Mr Big	Feel Like Calling Home
36	NEW	Queen	Queen's First E.P.
37	27	Tina Charles	Rendezvous
38	NEW	Manhattan Transfer	Don't Let Go
39	31	Yvonne Elliman	Hello Stranger
40	NEW	Jam	In The City

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

Sex Pistols

God Save The Queen

I liked the Sex Pistols (for a while, I didn't know anyone sharing my enthusiasm), and went out and bought this straight away. It wasn't easy though, 'Cranes' was the only record shop in Wrexham to stock it, and it wasn't easy to ask for a record from a band with the word 'Sex' in their name. As I said, I liked them, but maybe I just liked them in the same way that the kids next door like the Teletubbies or Tweenies. If I'd been four or five years older and more mature, I may well have hated them. I still think the playing on this track is the best they ever did, but I now have reservations about the sentiments. No, I'm not a Royalist at all, though I have nothing against any of them personally. There was a big fuss about them singing about the Queen being a moron. But as they pointed out, it was the people who follow/worship the Queen etc that they were calling morons. This was amusing to an impressionable 15 year old scalliwag, but almost a quarter of a century later, I find it insulting. How dare these 'no marks' insult our parents, grandparents, great grandparents, people who celebrated Coronations, Royal Weddings, Royal Births etc by having street parties ?

And then we have the conspiracy theory. It has been claimed through the years that this should have been number one in the week that it jumped from number eleven to number two, but was denied it's rightful place due to it being the Queen's Silver Jubilee week. But let's look at the facts. Things were different back then and if a single jumped from eleven to number one, there was a 99% chance that it would still be at number one the following week, and it certainly wouldn't be out of the top three. But the week after the alleged number one, it was down at number four. It's true that it was at number one in some other charts in the music weeklies, but that wasn't an isolated incident, the Beatles "Please Please Me" had been number one in all charts except the official one back in 1963. I don't hear anyone shouting conspiracy about that one.

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.

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.

Genesis

Spot The Pigeon EP

This is another one that I can only remember hearing in the bath at the time. The lead track was "Match Of The Day", but I don't really remember it too well (my head must have been under water). It immediately became Genesis' highest charting single to date when it entered at number 14, but it then showed some rather bizzarre chart behavior. It fell to number 22, climbed to 16, dropped to 21, climbed to 19 then dropped out.

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.

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.

Carole Bayer Sager

You're Moving Out Today

Highly enjoyable track from the talented songwriter Carole. It spent three weeks at number six and a total of eight weeks in the top 40. I hope I'm not tempting fate when I say that I hope it doesn't get covered or remixed 21st Century style. It should be left as it is.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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".

Jacksons

Show You The Way

Their first hit for four years was also their first with the new group name (apparently Motown wouldn't let them use the 'Jackson Five' monicker). It was also their first number one, spending a week at the top at the end of June.
Dannii Minogue had a minor hit with this song in 1992, and it was quite bearable (or maybe I just liked looking at Dannii *lol*).

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.

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.

Bryan Ferry

Tokyo Joe

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

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.

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.

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.

Joy Sarney

Naughty Naughty Naughty

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

Honky

Join The Party

Another bargain bin favourite. It reached number 28, I think I have it on a compilation album, but I don't remember it, so it couldn't have made a good impression on me.

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.

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.

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 !!!!!

Mr. Big

Feel Like Calling Home

I don't remember this follow up to "Romeo". It spent this one week in the top 40, a week that proved to be their last ever.

Queen

Queen's First EP

I'll be honest about it and say that this wasn't exactly the best thing Queen ever did. Their previous single "Tie Your Mother Down" had failed to become a hit (number 31 was considered close but no cigar in those days), and so a third single had been released, but with a difference. It was an EP that included a track from each of the previous four albums. The lead track was "Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy" from the 'Day At The Races' album, but the best track was "Death On Two Legs" from the 'Night At The Opera' album. The EP peaked at number 17.

Tina Charles

Rendezvous

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

Manhattan Transfer

Don't Let Go

Very different from their previous single "Chanson D'Amour". It leaned heavily towards Country And Western, well, A "Wagon Train" type of thing. The vocals were great anyway. It reached number 32.

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.

Jam

In The City

First hit for the Jam, and it spent just one week in the top 40. Three years later, it spent another week at number 40, then three years after that, it reached number 47. But in 2002 (25 years after it's original release), it reached it's highest chart position of number 36.

Once the opening couple of lines are out of the way, I can take it or leave it.

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

Faces

The Faces EP

In a week that two EPs entered the top 40, this one debuted in the top 50. It stopped just short of the top 40 by peaking at number 41, and it was comprised of "Memphis", "You Can Make Me Dance Sing Or Anything", "Stay With Me" & "Cindy Incidentally".

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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BACK TO THE 1977 INDEX
THE REMEMBER WHEN ARCHIVES
GOLDEN DAYS INDEX

Email: nige@innotts.co.uk
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