UK Music Chart: May 16 1970

Number 6 : Christie : Yellow River

While The England World Cup Squad was enjoying its first week as the UK's Number 1 song, the rest of the twenty was looking decidedly active, particularly in the cases of two songs that were vying for that top position.

• 01 (02) The England World Cup Squad - Back Home 
• 02 (01) Norman Greenbaum - Spirit In The Sky 
• 03 (20) The Moody Blues - Question 
• 04 (06) Frijid Pink - House Of The Rising Sun 
• 05 (03) Dana - All Kinds Of Everything 
• 06 (28) Christie - Yellow River 
• 07 (10) The Hollies - I Can't Tell The Bottom From The Top 
• 08 (05) Tom Jones - Daughter Of Darkness 
• 09 (08) Creedence Clearwater Revival - Travellin' Band 
• 10 (14) The Move - Brontosaurus 
• 11 (07) Andy Williams - Can't Help Falling In Love 
• 12 (04) Simon And Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water 
• 13 (12) Cuff Links - When Julie Comes Around 
• 14 (16) Jimmy Ruffin - Farewell Is A Lonely Sound 
• 15 (17) Roger Whittaker - I Don't Believe In 'If' Anymore 
• 16 (09) Stevie Wonder - Never Had A Dream Come True 
• 17 (19) The Band - Rag Mama Rag 
• 18 (11) Pipkins - Gimme Dat Ding! 
• 19 (24) The Who - The Seeker 
• 20 (22) White Plains - I've Got You On My Mind

*Previous week in brackets; Climbers denoted in red 
Image: Yellow River (Christie album)

In my last post, I discussed one of the previous week's new entries, Question by The Moody Blues. Along with newcomers Christie, The Moodies were among the biggest climbers of this week, jumping seventeen places to Number 3. As for Christie, the group's song Yellow River advanced twenty-two places to Number 6 to threaten Back Home at the top.

Although Yellow River was composed by Jeff Christie, he initially offered the song to The Tremeloes as the band's next single. However, they rejected it, claiming it was too "pop-py" for the direction in which they were now wanting to go. Instead, Christie decided to record it with his band and took it to Number 1 in the UK, as well as into the Top 30 in America. It's one of those songs that gets into your head and won't go away. Perhaps the band should have considered Eurovision?

 

From one end of pop's musical spectrum to the other as we greet The Who into the Top 20 this week in 1970. The band was releasing new material following the international acclaim after performances of the rock opera, Tommy. Perhaps not one of the group's best remembered songs, Pete Townshend himself has expressed a dislike for The Seeker, albeit he wrote it. This week's position of Number 19 was its highest before it re-emerged on the compilation album, Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy.

Just a few weeks after their first hit had fallen off the chart, White Plains were back to claim their second Top Twenty hit with the song I've Got You On My Mind. Of their four tracks that climbed into this part of the chart, this is the one that peaked at the lowest position: Number 17. Unfortunately, I'm not able to find a video of the group performing the song, but as an Avengers and Bond fan, this one featuring Honor Blackman serves as a very acceptable substitute.

The Number 1 album this week in 1970:

Until next time...