REMEMBER WHEN - 21ST JULY 1979

1979

Week 29
WEEK ENDING 21ST JULY 1979

TOP 40 SINGLES

TW	....	LW	....		.....
1		1		Tubeway Army		Are Friends Electric
2		2		Janet Kay		Silly Games
3		3		Sex Pistols		C'mon Everybody
4		21		Dave Edmunds		Girls Talk
5		12		Chic		Good Times
6		8		Beach Boys		Lady Lynda
7		6		Gerry Rafferty		Night Owl
8		5		Amii Stewart		Light My Fire / 137 Disco Heaven
9		4		Squeeze		Up The Junction
10		13		Dooleys		Wanted
11		7		Ruts		Babylon's Burning
12		26		Supertramp		Breakfast In America
13		25		Patrick Hernandez		Born To Be Alive
14		17		Thom Pace		Maybe
15		NEW		Boomtown Rats		I Don't Like Mondays
16		14		Thin Lizzy		Do Anything You Want To
17		15		Village People		Go West
18		11		Eddy Grant		Living On The Front Line
19		38		Police		Can't Stand Losing You
20		32		Public Image Ltd		Death Disco
21		16		Slick		Space Bass
22		22		Donna Summer		Bad Girls
23		NEW		Abba		Angel Eyes / Voulez Vous
24		24		Knack		My Sharona
25		34		Korgis		If I Had You
26		RE		UK Subs		Stranglehold
27		9		Quantum Jump		The Lone Ranger
28		33		Siouxsie & The Banshees		Playground Twist
29		NEW		David Bowie		DJ
30		23		Earth Wind And Fire & The Emotions		Boogie Wonderland
31		30		Rickie Lee Jones		Chuck E's In Love
32		10		Anita Ward		Ring My Bell
33		NEW		Judie Tzuke		Stay With Me Till Dawn
34		20		Dollar		Who Were You With In The Moonlight
35		NEW		Cliff Richard		We Don't Talk Anymore
35		31		Blondie		Sunday Girl
37		35		Sister Sledge		We Are Family
38		NEW		Pretenders		Kid
39		36		Bonnie Tyler		Married Men
40		18		Edwin Starr		H.A.P.P.Y Radio

Tubeway Army

Are Friends Electric

A four week stay at number one, and a whole new sound. I remember the week when it climbed from seven to two, Mr Bates announced the record and then said, "But, what does it mean ?"
It was of course Gary Numan's vision of the future where robots/androids would be used for everything (company, sex, whatever), and they would be called 'friends' and all look exactly the same, like tall grey men. The B side "We Are So Fragile" was pretty good too, as was the album 'Replicas'. This was the beginning of perhaps the last great movement in music. Other synth bands such as OMD, Human League, Depeche Mode would soon follow him into the chart, but Gary himself had been influenced by Ultravox, who in turn had been obviously influenced by David Bowie's 'Low' and 'Heroes' albums. Kraftwerk should also be credited with having a lot of influence on the whole movement, as well as Giorgio Moroder.

Janet Kay

Silly Games

This surprised all chart watchers when after moving up five places to number 23, it leapt twenty places to number three. It eventually peaked at number two, and then Janet vanished, only to reappear again in 1990 in a duet with Lindy Layton with a remake of the track that reached number 22.

Sex Pistols

C'mon Everybody

This would be the Sex Pistol's last top ten hit when it reached number three. Despite John Lydon (Johnny Rotten) no longer being with the band, 1979 was most successful year in the chart. This was the second Eddie Cochran cover sang by Sid Vicious to make number three. So tame that even my Mother liked this. It has to be said though, it was good.

Dave Edmunds

Girl's Talk

Great Elvis Costello song that gave Dave his real comeback (after his not entirely successful attempt two years previous). It spent three weeks at number four, his highest position since the 1970 number one "I Hear You Knocking.

Chic

Good Times

THE bass line. Yes, this is the one that they all copy, and if it wasn't for this, rap may never have crossed over into the mainstream. Ok, it probably would have done, but Sugarhill Gang would not have recorded such a masterpiece as "Rappers Delight". It peaked at number five here and went to the top in the States.
Most people didn't buy singles until they were already in the chart in 1979, hence the (what now seems like a strange) phenonemon of singles climbing the chart. Even Radio stations didn't tend to put a single on their playlist until it was actually released. But those of us who read the music press, did know about the new releases and were able to buy them on the release date (normally a Thursday or Friday), and this was one that I did buy on Thursday 28th June. On Friday 29th (my Dad's birthday), I went to a disco in the Wynnstay Arms Hotel (at the end of my street). I was most impressed that the DJ already had a copy of this single and played it quite a few times. My on-off thing with Bridget was off at the time, but she asked me to have a dance with her to this song and things picked up again within a few days.
What didn't go so well was how I felt the next morning. I had been getting other people to visit the bar for me all night (I had no chance of getting served), and I ended up having one or two too many. But I had to go into work for overtime on the Saturday morning, from 7:30am - 12:30. Well, I eventually got there for 9:00am, where Bram was waiting half expecting me to turn up late or not at all. He gave me the usual handclaps an inch from my head, revved up the Ransom Multimower right next to me. When he eventually realised that there was no chance of anyone getting any work out of me that morning, he told me to go home. The good thing is, the bosses didn't find out and I still got paid for it.

Beach Boys

Lady Lynda

Regulars will know that I found those surfing records that the Beach Boys gave the world during the 60's at best, irritating. For those of you who think that all singles by Status Quo sound the same, and they're a bit of a joke, or all records produced by Stock, Aitken and Waterman (Kylie, Rick Astley, Mel & Kim etc) sound the same and are also a joke, then that's how I feel about the Beach Boys and their 60's output (except for "Good Vibrations" which is a true classic). But they had come back earlier in 1979 with a minor hit "Here Comes The Night" which was disco influenced and very good. They now followed it with "Lady Lynda" which used the melody from a hymn ("Jesu Joy Of Man's Desire") at the beginning, climbed to number six and became their biggest hit for nine years.

Gerry Rafferty

Night Owl

Another wonderful single, this reached number five. It was Gerry's first hit since "Baker Street" over a year earlier, despite a few releases. I actually like this one more than his most famous hit, and it also had a good B side in "Why Don't You Talk To Me".

Amii Stewart

Light My Fire / 137 Disco Heaven

Amii was having her second hit of the year, and what would turn out to be her biggest hit when it peaked at number five. Amii of course came from what would turn out to be a hitmaking family. Her Mother "Miquel Brown" was to have minor success in the mid 80's with songs such as "He's A Saint, He's A Sinner", while Amii's sister "Sinitta" had many hits during the late 80's/early 90's including "So Macho" and something about a big red "GTO" (though why she'd want to sing about the Dooley's record company is beyond me).

Squeeze

Up The Junction

Another narrative song from Squeeze. This went to number two, just as "Cool For Cats" had earlier in the year. They never got that high again, but many excellent singles followed.

Dooleys

Wanted

Incredible ! The Dooleys had managed four hits in the previous two years. All four were simple inoffensive songs that your grandparents would whistle along to. Then came this. It was also inoffensive, but after what had come before, it seemed as though the Dooleys rocked (well, kind of). They had the biggest hit of their career reaching number three.

Ruts

Babylon's Burning

This was their first and biggest hit. It reached number seven, but I didn't particularly like it. I much preferred their next two hits. But as time has gone on, I can now tolerate it more than I could back then.

Supertramp

Breakfast In America

The title track from THAT album. An extremely good album that I've never got around to getting. I never thought that this was one of the best tracks though, a little silly, which would have been fine if I didn't get the impression that they were trying to be a serious band. It reached number nine.

Patrick Hernandez

Born To Be Alive

This big disco hit made number 10 in the mainstreram chart. But, this single is now more famous for the rumour that Madonna sang backing vocals on it. If this is true, then maybe Madonna should have sang the lead vocal. I know she isn't exactly a singer of the calibre of Gladys Knight, Elaine Paige or Diana Ross (though she has improved through the years), but this Hernandez character was simply awful. He sounded like he was straining to sing (I could say straining to do something else, but there is no room for toilet humour here).

Thom Pace

Maybe

A number 14 peaking record that my Grandfather liked. This was the title song from the TV show "The Life And Times Of Grizzly Adams". Thom never returned to the chart.

Boomtown Rats

I Don't Like Mondays

Four weeks on top for this second number one for the Rats. The song was based on the true story of American schoolgirl Brenda Spencer who shot dead a number of other school children, apparently because she didn't like Mondays (I think it was before PMT had been discovered). For this reason it was banned by many radio stations across the US for fear of it upsetting the victim's families. If we apply the same rules to every record ever released, then "Tubthumping" and Placebo's "Pure Morning" would be banned because I find them extremely distaseful, and can think of many other people who would also find them offensive. I'm sure that there are many who would also find Catatonia's "Road Rage" offensive, same goes for the Mansun single that mentions Cancer. In fact, if everyone's going to get so touchy about the lyrics to songs, radio programmers must find it really difficult to put a show together after the events of September 11th 2001.
Tori Amos covered this on her 2001 album "Strange Little Girls", and made it sound like a love song !

Thin Lizzy

Do Anything You Want To

Thin Lizzy were having a great deal of commercial success in 1979. The album "Black Rose" had reached number two in the album chart, and this was the second top Twenty hit from it reaching number 14.
This was also the second hit this year to mention the death of Elvis Presley. The first by Generation X (King Rocker) included the line "Round Five, Elvis took a dive, waiting for the towel more dead than alive". This hit included the lines "Elvis is dead, the king of rock and roll is dead". These facts won't change the world, but I thought I'd mention them anyway !

Village People

Go West

This was their third hit of 1979, and the smallest only reaching number 15. It was also the least suspect (if you get my drift). Of course it was encouraging people to go to San Francisco, but most didn't realise the implications of that. I'm not condemning them for any of the songs (they were after all, good disco records), I'm just stating that such things were not as easily tolerated then as they are now.
The Pet Shop Boys reached number two with a cover of this song in 1993, since when it has become a football terrace anthem (1-0 to the Nottingham/Arsenal/whatever).

Eddy Grant

Living On The Front Line

This number 11 peaking single was Eddy's first solo hit. It was his first appearance in the chart since early 1971 when he had charted as a member of the Equals with "Black Skinned Blue-Eyed Boys". I presumed that he would be yet another one hit wonder reggae act.

Police

Can't Stand Losing You

This originally narrowly missed out on a top 40 place in 1978, but after the success of the re-issued "Roxanne" earlier in '79, it was decided to re-issue this too. This time around, it reached number two and set the scene for the huge success that would swiftly follow. My copy was on red vinyl and the B Side "Dead End Job" had some naughty words near the end to liven up what was basically a crap song.

Public Image Ltd

Death Disco

Swan Lake on acid with John Lydon wailing about something in somebody's eyes. Seems a bit iffy I suppose, but it worked for me, I liked it. Reached number twenty, and the next time they appeared in the top twenty was in 1983.

Slick

Space Bass

Not to be confused with Slik the band that Midge Ure was a part of during the mid 70's, Slick were a disco outfit who reached number 16 with this great single. It was their only hit, but they almost charted with the follow up "Sexy Cream". If my good memory hasn't deserted me, "Sexy Cream" was banned by Radio One, I can't imagine why :D

Donna Summer

Bad Girls

The title track from yet another double album from Donna, the third in a little over 18 months. This album was probably Donna's finest moment, and the way in which the tracks were segued seemed magnificent to me at the time. This reached number 14 over here, and gave Donna her second successive American number one.

Abba

Angel Eyes / Voulez Vous

A great double A Sided single of which both songs should have been released in their own right. When this was featured on Juke Box Jury, three members of the panel surprisingly voted it a miss, Even more surprising, the only member of the panel to vote it a hit was John Lydon. The rotten one was right as it soared to number three.

Knack

My Sharona

This was given a miss on Juke Box Jury, and when I really think about it, no, it doesn't really sound like a hit single to me. Indeed, it's quite possible that this single was illegally hyped in the UK. After spending two weeks at number 24, it unexpectedly shot up to number six before falling, spending just two weeks in the top ten, three in the top twenty, only six in the top 40. Over in the US it was a different story where it spent six weeks on top of the chart.

Korgis

If I Had You

Didn't like this at first, but it grew on me and I still like it now. It reached number 13.

UK Subs

Strangle Hold

This was the first hit for the Subs. During the next 16 months, they would have six singles peak between numbers 26 & 37. This was the biggest of those hits, from a band that didn't compromise like so many others to have come along with the punk movement. They played it fast and furious.

Quantum Jump

The Lone Ranger

This single probably sold more copies due to it's inclusion of the longest word, than the actual song. The song started with the word "Taumatwacky etc" and it was spoken again during the course of the song. The word was used weekly during 'Kenny Everett's Video Show' during 1978 & 1979, when a cartoon face appeared on screen saying it. The song itself dealed with the possibility that the Lone Ranger and Tonto were possibly lovers as they spent every minute of every day together. If the powers that be at the BBC had noticed the lyrical content, they would probably have "acted in our best interests" and removed it from the playlist. But they didn't and the single went to number five.

Siouxsie And The Banshees

Playground Twist

A strange song in much the same way as Public Image's "Death Disco". It didn't seem to belong on the chart, it sounded like some obscure album track, probably the final track on an album. "Hanging from your daisy chains" etc. I liked it though, I also liked horror films, I lost my virginity around the time that it was charting, so maybe my judgement was clouded. But what excuse do I have for still liking it ?
It reached number 28 and had just two weeks in the top 40.

David Bowie

D. J.

Another good single from David as he was really coming out of the doldrums now. Only reached number 29 though.

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.

Rickie Lee Jones

Chuck E's In Love

This is one that I heard every Saturday for months on Paul Gambaccini's US chart show before it finally made the chart over here. It was the kind of thing that needed many listens before I liked it, but by the time it did make our chart, I felt that I'd heard it so many times that I didn't want to buy it. It reached number four over there, and number 18 here in a run that lasted just eight weeks.

Anita Ward

Ring My Bell

This song had been written with Stacy Lattisaw in mind. But schoolteacher 'Anita Ward' ended up recording it and taking it to the top of the chart for a two week stay. Copies of this single had leaked out to Radio stations about a month prior to release, and it was already popular in discos before it's entry into the chart at the beginning of June. But this was her only hit, and I believe she went back to teaching a few years later, only to have another stab at stardom in the 90's.

Judie Tzuke

Stay With Me Till Dawn

Very atmospheric single that was Judie's only hit. Reached number 16 over here, and missed the Billboard hot Hundred by one place. Great follow up "For You" didn't chart at all.

Dollar

Who Were You With In THe Moonlight

This was the second hit for Dollar, and also the second to peak at number 14. I clearly remember on one particular Sunday as the record faded out (with the song's title being repeated), Simon Bates quipped "Not telling you, ner ner ner ner ner". I can never hear this song without thinking of that.

Cliff Richard

We Don't Talk Anymore

Cliff's first number one since 1968 ensured that he joined Elvis Presley in that elite club of acts to have hit number one in three decades. He may have only achieved the feat just in time, but the same was also true of his 50's number one, when yet again he did it in the last year of the decade. And as history shows, Cliff went on to become the only act to hit number one in five decades. He almost made it six decades, but his "Millenium Prayer" was knocked from the top in Christmas week 1999.
"We Don't Talk Anymore" was quite a surprising number one considering Cliff's recent chart form. Since early 1977's "My Kinda Life" had reached number 15, Cliff had failed to hit the top 40 with five consecutive single releases. This included his "Green Light" single from March of this year, a song that I recall a work mate 'Bernie' liking. So when this single entered at number 35, it did not look like a future number one. But five weeks later it got there and remained for four weeks. It was also only his second ever US top ten hit reaching number seven.

Blondie

Sunday Girl

This was the fourth single to be pulled from the 'Parallel Lines' album. This was still quite unusual at the time (Michael Jackson hadn't started his comeback yet), but even more unusual was that it spent three weeks at number one, and wasn't actually very good really. This was one of those rare occasions in the 70's when an act reached number one due to their popularity rather than the actual content of the single. Of course Blondie would start to give us good stuff again with their next single release.

Sister Sledge

We Are Family

This song is annoying. Don't get me wrong, I liked it when it was first released , but by the time it had charted for a third time in 1993 it had just got plain annoying. It reached number eight on this, it's original release.

Pretenders

Kid

A Shadows type riff made this sound quite exciting until Chrissie Hynde's couldn't care less vocals came in. It only reached number 33 (a one place improvement on their previous hit). Chrissie later began to put some emotion into her vocals, and success swiftly followed.

Bonnie Tyler

Married Men

This peaked at number 35 and become Bonnie's last hit for almost four years (which was a shame as she had waited 18 months for this one). This track was taken from the film "The World Is Full Of Married Men" and Bonnie was shown singing the track as the opening credits were on screen. Mick Jackson was shown singing the song as the closing credits ran, and his version was also released as a single, but failed to chart. That is Mick Jackson, not Michael.

Edwin Starr

H.A.P.P.Y. Radio

This number nine peaking single was Edwin's second top ten hit of the year. The 12 inch extended version of this track is brilliant, and I have a story behind it. In 1996, I was at a record fair in my local area, and who walked in, but Edwin. He was there for the sole purpose of buying this 12 inch single, and he got it.

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

John Stewart

Gold

Big number five hit in the US, but only number 43 over here. This boasted backing vocals from Stevie Nicks, but that didn't seem to be enough for some people, this SHOULD have been massive.
Aside from this and three smaller US hits, John is also known for composing the Monkees hit "Daydream Believer".

Doobie Brothers

Minute By Minute

"Minute By Minute" was a massive album in the USA, but it didn't seem to catch on over here. Shame, because it really is a good album. This single peaked at number 47 over here, and number 14 over there.

Some 1979 MP3s

Match - Boogie Man

Some More MP3s

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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