REMEMBER WHEN - 12TH MAY 1979

1979

Week 19
WEEK ENDING 12TH MAY 1979

TOP 40 SINGLES

TW	LW
1	1	Art Garfunkel	Bright Eyes
2	3	M	Pop Muzik
3	4	Boney M	Hooray Hooray It's A Holi Holiday
4	19	Abba	Does Your Mother Know
5	2	Racey	Some Girls
6	21	Peaches And Herb	Reunited
7	22	Dickies	Banana Splits
8	5	Wings	Goodnight Tonight
9	10	Amii Stewart	Knock On Wood
10	9	Supertramp	The Logical Song
11	20	Eruption	One Way Ticket
12	6	Jacksons	Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)
13	13	Bee Gees	Love You Inside Out
14	7	Milk & Honey	Hallelujah
15	31	David Bowie	Boys Keep Swingin'
16	8	Squeeze	Cool For Cats
17	11	Kandidate	I Don't Wanna Lose You
18	27	Police	Roxanne
19	15	Gonzalez	Haven't Stopped Dancing Yet
20	34	Roxy Music	Dance Away
21	25	Gary Moore	Parisienne Walkways
22	30	Mike Oldfield	Guilty
23	18	Neil Diamond	Forever In Blue Jeans
24	28	Undertones	Jimmy Jimmy
25	32	Monks	Nice Legs Shame About Her Face
26	NEW	Damned	Love Song
27	12	Three Degrees	The Runner
28	24	Siouxsie And The Banshees	The Staircase Mystery
29	26	Generation X	Valley Of The Dolls
30	NEW	Earth Wind And Fire & The Emotions	Boogie Wonderland
31	35	Angelic Upstarts	I'm An Upstart
32	23	Showaddywaddy	Remember Then
33	16	Sex Pistols	Silly Thing / Who Killed Bambi
34	40	Sparks	The Number One Song In Heaven
35	29	George Benson	Love Ballad
36	NEW	Linda Clifford	Bridge Over Troubled Water
37	14	Sister Sledge	He's The Greatest Dancer
38	33	Child	Only You
39	NEW	Cheap Trick	I Want You To Want Me
40	NEW	Dr. Feelgood	As Long As The Price Is Right

Art Garfunkel

Bright Eyes

Art Garfunkel hit the top and had the biggest selling single of the year with this. "Bright Eyes" was taken from the film 'Watership Down', and spent a total of six weeks at number one. It was Art's second solo hit, and his second number one, his previous being "I Only Have Eyes For You" back in 1975.

Pop Muzik

Pop Muzik by 'M' made it's debut in April 1979 and got as high as number two. It went back to number 15 when re-released ten years later. The original 12 inch single was released as a special double grooved record which is a really weird concept that I still find difficult to get my head around (despite owning a copy). You put the needle down at the beginning of the record and never know whether you'll get "Pop Muzik" or "M Factor".
I preferred the follow up single, the much less successful "Moonlight And Muzak".

Boney M

Hooray Hooray It's A Holi Holiday

I won't describe this as rubbish because I don't think that it was meant to be taken as a creative work of art. It's a song written and performed with the intention of appealing to children. Taking it in that context, yes, they did a good job of it, it was extremely popular with children and reached number three.
Now, if you want to look at it in a serious light - - - - -

Abba

Does Your Mother Know

Abba's 14th hit was the first to feature the men (Benny and Bjorn) on lead vocals. They had previously sang vocals on quite a few tracks, including some on their "Greatest Hits" album, but none of them had been issued as singles and/or become UK hits.
I thought that it was quite a good track, but the B Side "Kisses Of Fire" was even better. It reached number 14, and was quickly followed into te chart by more tracks from the wonderful "Voulez-Vous" album. Yes, that's right, I'm praising an Abba album. Aside from "Chiquitita", I still think that this was one of the best albums of a year that produced more than it's fair share of great albums.

Racey

Some Girls

Racey were having their second top three hit in three months as "Some Girls" made it's way to number two. I thought it was ok to begin with, but saturation airplay put paid to that. Barry Manilow later covered this song on his "I Wanna Do It With You" album.

Peaches And Herb

Reunited

This classic duet reached number four and spent ten weeks in the chart. I love it, but a friend of mine claims that this is one of the worst five records ever.
Anyway, this was their second hit following their other '79 hit "Shake Your Groove Thing". I do have an earlier single by them called "Down Where It's At", but that didn't chart and neither did any other releases by them.

Dickies

Banana Splits

While Boney M had recorded a new song especially for children, the Dickies had taken a children's song and turned it into a punk thrash. It was amusing the first couple of listens, but when it really comes down to it, the Boney M single was better whichever way you took it. Somehow it reached number seven.
"Banana Splits" was a childrens TV show that was broadcast on Saturday mornings in the early seventies. It was one of the worst children's shows of the time, and I only used to watch it for the 'Arabian Nights' cartoon (remember "Size Of An Elephant"), and that 'Mysterious Island' serial. I'm sure there was another cartoon on it too, but I can't remember.

Wings

Goodnight Tonight

After missing the top 40 with "I've Had Enough" and "London Town", Wings were happy to be back on the hit trail with the disco influenced "Goodnight Tonight". In reaching number five, this was the last Wings single to reach a reasonable chart position, before Paul McCartney went solo. This single took just three weeks to reach number 13 in the States, but it took a further five weeks to reach it's peak of number five, a position it held for three weeks.

Amii Stewart

Knock On Wood

This is the highest charting version of this song. It reached number six as opposed to the previous highest, number ten by David Bowie in 1974. This was also Amii's last hit when re-issued in 1985 and peaked two places lower. Her Mother Miquel Brown made her chart debut in 1984, followed by her sister 'Sinitta' in 1986. Amii spent one week at the top in the US with this song.

Supertramp

The Logical Song

Supertramp were having their biggest UK hit with "The Logical Song", and despite initially climbing quite slowly, it suddenly leapt from number 23 to number seven before starting to drop down the chart.

Eruption

One Way Ticket

I already knew this song, as it was on the B Side of one of my Mum's Neil Sedaka singles. It was a song that was almost entirely made up of song titles, quite clever really. And this was a very good cover of it. Or was it just that singer Precious Wilson's legs were good to look at ?
It reached number nine and that was the last we heard of them.

Jacksons

Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)

The Jacksons reached number four with "Shake Your Body". Only two of their singles reached higher chart positions than this. This is an excellent single and for me, Michael has never matched it solo, despite coming close a few times. Over the water, this single peaked at number seven.

Bee Gees

Love You Inside Out

I liked the "Spirits Having Flown" album, but thought that "Living Together" would have been a better choice of single to follow "Tragedy". And so, their run of top five hits came to an end as this stuttered to number 13. It was a different story in the States though as this became their record sixth consecutive number one single.

Milk And Honey

Hallelujah

After debuting at number 35 with this Eurovision Song Contest winner from Israel, Milk And Honey made history the following week when it became the first single to ever rise Thirty places inside the top 40. Strangely number Five was as high as it reached.
I have a cover of Abba's "Dance (While The Music Still Goes On)" by a band named Milk And Honey, I've always wondered if it's the same group.

David Bowie

Boys Keep Swingin'

After three disappointing albums, David was almost back on track with the "Lodger" album. This was the first single to be lifted and in reaching number seven gave him his first top ten hit in over two years.

Squeeze

Cool For Cats

Squeeze had waited almost a full year to get their second hit, and did it well by reaching number two for the first of two occasions this year. Despite the vocals being sang by Difford rather than Tilbrook, a man who couldn't sing to save his life (allegedly !), it was still a great pop song and the 'couldn't care less' vocal style suited it perfectly.

Kandidate

I Don't Wanna Lose You

Kandidate were having the first of the two hits they would have this year. Sounding very much like Heatwave in their mellow moments, they went to number eleven.

Police

Roxanne

They'd been around for a couple of years and even many people not following the music scene with enthusiasm were aware of them. But it wasn't until 1st May 1979 that they finally entered the UK top 40. This was a full year after it's original release, and much of it's belated success was down to it being an American top 40 hit. It reached number 12 and set the scene for the huge success to follow.
It reached number 17 a year later as part of the "Six Pack" release, and the same position when remixed in 1997.

Gonzalez

Haven't Stopped Dancing Yet

Gonzalez peaked at number 15 with this song. This was another one of those songs that I had first heard on Paul Gambaccini's Billboard countdown on Saturday afternoons, and had bought it weeks before it charted. The trouble with this one, I liked hearing it on the radio and also enjoyed listening to the record. But when I eventually saw them performing it on Top Of The Pops, I was put off it a little. The group looked like understudies for the Dooleys, and nothing like a hot disco band.
However, the highest charting version of "Haven't Stopped Dancing Yet" was the awful cover by 'Pat And Mick' 10 years later.

Roxy Music

Dance Away

And the comeback was complete. Roxy Music had split in 1976, but after three solo albums Bryan Ferry was starting to experience difficulty in selling his music. So the band reformed, but the first single "Trash" was considered just that by many people and struggled to number 40. But then "Dance Away" was quickly released and became their biggest hit to date spending three weeks at number two, and signal the beginning of the most successful period in their history.

Gary Moore

Parisienne Walkways

Nice tune by Gary that was enhanced by the vocals of Phil Lynott. It was one of two occasions that Gary's name appeared in the top ten listings. This one reached number eight, then in 1985 he hit number five with "Out In The Fields" (also with Phil Lynott).
At this time I was working with Bramwell Jones maintaining the grass and shrub beds in the Hightown and Hermitage estate areas of Wrexham. Bram was in his mid 50s at the time and was convinced that the Shadows had originally recorded this song. I disagreed with him once, he wouldn't have it, so I left it at that. They did record it later though.

Mike Oldfield

Guilty

Great single from Mike that was much better than his Portsmouth/Blue Peter/etc stuff. It reached number 22.

Neil Diamond

Forever In Blue Jeans

One of Neil Diamond's good 'uns. This peaked at number 16 in it's seventh week and Neil has failed to chart that high since.

Undertones

Jimmy Jimmy

Great single from the Undertones that gave them their first top twenty entry. It was backed by "Mars Bars", a tribute to the band's favourite food at the time. It came as a lime green single in a see through sleeve.

Monks

Nice Legs Shame About The Face

This was Hudson Ford, the one time 'Strawbs' members who'd had a couple of hits in their own right in 73-74. It was a novelty hit that reached number 19, but still doesn't seem too bad even today.
I can't think about this song without remembering one Saturday night in Ruabon's Railway Club. A drunk who looked remarkably like the man who would become my supervisor two years later (and my best man five years later) Andre, seemed obsessed with the song and sang along with it all night. Even as he left the pub he shouted "Shame about the boat race".

Damned

Love Song

After managing to release a single before the Sex Pistols in 1976 ("New Rose"), following it with two albums and three more singles, the Damned split in February 1978 without a hit single to their name. Later that year, they reformed as 'The Doomed' with Lemmy of 'Motorhead' on bass, only for him to quit after after one gig to be replaced by Henry Badowski of 'Chelsea'.
In 1979 three quarters of the original line up (Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible & Rat Scabies) recruited Algy Ward (ex-Saints), and decided to be called 'The Damned' again. At last a hit single !
Fully deserved too, this was a very catchy song (seems like they went out to have a hit). It reached number twenty and they didn't better that position until 1986.

Three Degrees

The Runner

The Three Degrees were continuing their comeback and peaked at ten with this excellent single, the 12 inch needs to be checked out. Incidentally, I saw Three Degrees lead vocalist 'Sheila Ferguson' in a Blackpool Summer Show in 1996 and she could still belt out all of the old hits including this one.

Siouxsie And The Banshees

The Staircase Mystery

Siouxsie And The Banshees were having their second hit with the weird "Staircase Mystery". It peaked at a lowly number 24, but is worth investing in for the B side, a cover of the T.Rex hit "20th Century Boy".

Generation X

Valley Of The Dolls

Generation X were having their final hit with the number 23 peaking very average song "Valley Of The Dolls". However, lead vocalist 'Billy Idol' returned in style six years later.

Earth Wind And Fire & The Emotions

Boogie Wonderland

Earth Wind And Fire were going through the most successful phase of their career, and this was taken from the brilliant 'I Am' album. They credited their girl backing singers 'The Emotions' on this track, and peaked at number four.

Angelic Upstarts

I'm An Upstart

"I'm an upstart hey, what ya gonna do about it"
Says it all really doesn't it ?
A select few bands sounded convincing doing the angry punk thing. Some were ok, but seemed uncomfortable with it. Bands like this seemed as though they were trying to come across as nasty bovver boys. Only the stupid were convinced, it reached number 31.

Showaddywaddy

Remember Then

Showaddywaddy were having their 16th hit, but their previous one had been the last of their ten top ten hits and this stalled at number 17. They continued to hit the top 40 until the Autumn of 1982, and still play live all over the UK. They play gigs in my area of the country frequently, in fact just about everyone in Mansfield (my wife's hometown), seems to have seen them.

Sex Pistols

Silly Thing / Who Killed Bambi

The Sex Pistols seemed to be on a roll since Johnny Rotten's resignation from the band and Sid Vicious' death. Before the number three peaking "Something Else" had even fallen out of the top five, "Silly Thing" was rising up the chart towards number six. It was backed by the silly "Who Killed Bambi" credited to 'Ten Pole Tudor'.

Sparks

Number One Song In Heaven

This was the first single of the first successful comeback by Sparks. It reached number 14 to become their first hit in three and a half years, and their biggest since 1974. There was a really good longer version on the B side, but I think that was more down to Giorgio Moroder ( a member of the band for five years) than the Mael brothers.

George Benson

Love Ballad

Uneventful song from George that I wasn't in the slightest bit tempted to buy. It made number 29.

Linda Clifford

Bridge Over Troubled Water

You're probably not going to like this, but I love this cover version AND prefer to hear this to the original. Linda had such a great voice and the recording has a big happy feel to it (despite the opening lyrics). It reached number 28 and the 12 inch version is available on 'The Greatest 70's Album Of All Time part 2' on 'Dressed To Kill' records (www.dressedtokill.co.uk).

Sister Sledge

He's The Greatest Dancer

Sister Sledge were having their first hit in almost four years, and would not get a bigger hit than this number six peaking hit until 1984. They also did well on the billboard chart peaking at nine.This excellent 'tune' has recently been subjected to the 'Will Smith' treatment on "Gettin' Jiggy With It".

Child

Only You

Another song that I knew from my mother's record colllection. She had the Platters version on a 78 with a blue label. That version was double A side with "The Great Pretender" and reached number five in 1956, and was promoted as the sole A side when it went to number 18 six months later. But the highest charting version in that ere was by the Hilltoppers who reached number three. The song was later taken to number 38 by Mark Wynter in 1964 and number 40 by Jeff Collins in 1972. And the version that I bought was the one by Ringo Starr, a number 28 hit in 1974.
This one only reached number 33 for Child, but at least they were safe from the Stranglers while in their Top Of The Pops dressing room this time.

Cheap Trick

I Want You To Want Me

I already knew this track from one of those free albums that one of the music weeklies gave away in exchange for collecting tokens over a number of weeks. It had originally been a track on their 1977 album 'In Colour' and an unsuccessful single at that time. But this was a live version from their album 'At Budokan', and gave them their only UK top 40 hit, peaking at number 29. There was anotehr good single from that album later in the year, their cover of "Ain't That A Shame". The band were still recording in the late '90s.

Dr. Feelgood

As Long As The Price Is Right

This was released on Blue, Brown and Purple vinyl singles, and I got all three (two of them after they had been confined to the bargain bin). It only made number 40, but I preferred it to "Milk And Alcohol".

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

T-Connection

Saturday Night

T-Connection always seemed to be high up the disco charts, but only managed to get into the top 40 twice. This was another of those big floor fillers, and peaked at 41 on the national chart.

Inner Circle

Stop Breaking My Heart

This is the one that prompted me to buy the 'Everything Is Great' album. Only slightly reggae, but great pop. It reached number 50.

Players Association

Ride The Groove

Another big disco hit that didn't cross over. It reached number 42 and had a cover of 'Chic's' "Everybody Dance" on the B Side.

The Who

Long Live Rock

Who single that just seemed to pop up from knowhere and then disappear again. It reached number 48.

Gino Soccio

Dancer

Another great disco track that I thought would have at least put in an appearance at the lower end of the chart. But it didn't and had to settle for number 46.

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 1979 INDEX
THE REMEMBER WHEN ARCHIVES
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Email: nige@innotts.co.uk
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