UK Music Chart: April 25, 1970

Number 14 : Frijid Pink : House of the Rising Sun

Dana continued as the UK's best selling song this week in April, 1970, although Norman Greenbaum's Spirit in the Sky was hot on her heels to claim the top spot. Further down the chart, three songs made their debuts in the Top 20, beginning with an updated version of an Animals classic.

• 01 (01) Dana - All Kinds Of Everything 
• 02 (05) Norman Greenbaum - Spirit In The Sky 
• 03 (02) Simon And Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water 
• 04 (03) Andy Williams - Can't Help Falling In Love 
• 05 (04) Mary Hopkin - Knock, Knock Who's There 
• 06 (06) Pipkins - Gimme Dat Ding! 
• 07 (07) Bob And Marcia - Young, Gifted And Black 
• 08 (13) Stevie Wonder - Never Had A Dream Come True 
• 09 (09) Jimmy Ruffin - Farewell Is A Lonely Sound 
• 10 (18) Blue Mink - Good Morning Freedom 
• 11 (10) Four Tops - I Can't Help Myself 
• 12 (12) Cufflinks - When Julie Comes Around 
• 13 (08) Lee Marvin - Wand'rin' Star 
• 14 (21) Frijid Pink - House Of The Rising Sun 
• 15 (19) Creedence Clearwater Revival - Travellin' Band 
• 16 (25) The Band - Rag Mama Rag 
• 17 (33) Tom Jones - Daughter Of Darkness 
• 18 (15) Kenny Rogers And The First Edition - Something's Burning 
• 19 (11) Pickettywitch - That Same Old Feeling 
• 20 (14) Juicy Lucy - Who Do You Love

*Previous week in brackets; Climbers denoted in red
Image: Frijid Pink in August 1970 (Public Domain).

Frijid Pink hail from the Motown city - Detroit - and have undergone many member changes since first forming in 1967. The group's most commercially fruitful era though was the early 1970s. From that period comes this wonderful, psychedelic version of The House of the Rising Sun, previously a Number 1 for The Animals in 1964. Frijid Pink would eventually reach Number 4 in the UK, but internationally it would be more successful than The Animals' recording, finding favour across Europe, the US and Australia:

Only twice did The Band manage to see action on the UK Singles Chart and Rag Mama Rag was the second such occurrence. Previously peaking at Number 21 with The Weight in 1968, this tune fared a little better, reaching a high of Number 16. While Robbie Robertson and co are better remembered for their country-rock styling, as the title suggests, Rag Mama Rag is performed very much in a ragtime fashion:

Better known now by the younger generation as a judge on The Voice UK, back in 1970 Sir Tom Jones was enjoying his fifteenth UK Top 20 hit and his first of the 1970s. Eventually stalling at Number 5, Daughter of Darkness would also make the charts of Canada, Germany, The Netherlands and the US:

The Number One album this week:
 

Until next time...peace...