UK Music Chart: May 9, 1970

Number 14 : The Move : Brontosaurus

Spirit in the Sky was, once again, the UK's best selling song this week in 1970, but the nation was becoming football crazy with the imminent World Cup tournament and copies of The England World Cup Squad's Back Home were flying out of record shops. In the meantime, three new songs made their debuts inside the Top 20.

• 01 (01) Norman Greenbaum - Spirit In The Sky 
• 02 (03) The England World Cup Squad - Back Home 
• 03 (02) Dana - All Kinds Of Everything 
• 04 (04) Simon And Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water 
• 05 (15) Tom Jones - Daughter Of Darkness 
• 06 (09) Frijid Pink - House Of The Rising Sun 
• 07 (05) Andy Williams - Can't Help Falling In Love 
• 08 (11) Creedence Clearwater Revival - Travellin' Band 
• 09 (06) Stevie Wonder - Never Had A Dream Come True 
• 10 (19) The Hollies - I Can't Tell The Bottom From The Top 
• 11 (07) Pipkins - Gimme Dat Ding! 
• 12 (10) Cuff Links - When Julie Comes Around 
• 13 (12) Blue Mink - Good Morning Freedom 
• 14 (27) The Move - Brontosaurus 
• 15 (14) Mary Hopkin - Knock, Knock Who's There 
• 16 (08) Jimmy Ruffin - Farewell Is A Lonely Sound 
• 17 (23) Roger Whittaker - I Don't Believe In If Anymore 
• 18 (13) Bob And Marcia - Young, Gifted And Black 
• 19 (16) The Band - Rag Mama Rag 
• 20 (35) The Moody Blues - Question

*Previous week in brackets; Climbers denoted in red
Image: The Move Anthology

The Move's Brontosaurus was something of a landmark song in view of what was to happen to the band over the next couple of years. Lead vocalist Carl Wayne had left and Roy Wood's influence had grown ever stronger. Having taken over the role as lead singer himself, Wood steered the group in a more classic rock direction, planting the seeds for the now embryonic Electric Light Orchestra. Jeff Lynne had also joined The Move and we would see Roy Wood promoting this latest disc in the face make-up that would become an even more familiar feature as his signature look in the band, Wizzard (although not in this video).

    

Easy listening made another assault on the Top 20, this time from Roger Whittaker who was enjoying a string of hits during this period. This was his third consecutive entry in the British chart following Durham Town and New World in the Morning. I Don't Believe in 'If' Anymore would peak at Number 8, making it his first Top 10 hit.

Question became The Moody Blues' biggest hit song in the UK since the group's second single Go Now had topped the charts in 1965. Included on their sixth album, A Question of Balance, the track was written by band member Justin Hayward with the ongoing conflict in Vietnam as its core theme. A superb song from a superb band.

Until next time...