UK Music Chart: April 4, 1970

Number 13 : Dana : All Kinds of Everything
  • 01 (01) Simon And Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water 
  • 02 (07) Mary Hopkin - Knock, Knock Who's There 
  • 03 (03) Andy Williams - Can't Help Falling In Love 
  • 04 (02) Lee Marvin - Wand'rin' Star 
  • 05 (06) Bob And Marcia - Young, Gifted And Black 
  • 06 (05) Pickettywitch - That Same Old Feeling 
  • 07 (04) Beatles - Let It Be 
  • 08 (11) Kenny Rogers And The First Edition - Something's Burning 
  • 09 (08) Dave Clark Five - Everybody Get Together 
  • 10 (09) Elvis Presley - Don't Cry Daddy 
  • 11 (10) Steam - Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye 
  • 12 (12) Jackson Five - I Want You Back 
  • 13 (**)  Dana - All Kinds Of Everything 
  • 14 (18) Jimmy Ruffin - Farewell Is A Lonely Sound 
  • 15 (33) Norman Greenbaum - Spirit In The Sky 
  • 16 (13) Herman's Hermits - Years May Come, Years May Go 
  • 17 (22) Four Tops - I Can't Help Myself 
  • 18 (20) Joe Dolan - You're Such A Good Looking Woman 
  • 19 (29) Juicy Lucy - Who Do You Love? 
  • 20 (14) Canned Heat - Let's Work Together
*Previous week in brackets; Climbers denoted in red
Image: The Best of Dana

Simon and Garfunkel remained at the top of the UK singles chart this week in 1970, but two Eurovision songs were endeavouring to capture their crown. The Eurovision Song Contest for this year had just been settled and Ireland was celebrating its first win.

The UK entry at the Contest was up five places to Number 2, but the winning entry by Dana was set for better things. This was a time when Eurovision songs regularly charted and All Kinds of Everything was no different. Entering this week at Number 13, Dana would soon be celebrating again when the song cruised to the top of the charts:

   

Next up is one of the UK chart's true One Hit Wonders: Spirit in the Sky. Norman Greenbaum's classic song was new to the ears of the British record buying public at this point, but over the following years it has not only been a Number 1 two other times, but also celebrated as one of the greatest songs of all time. This, the original version, would also go to Number 1 along with covers from Doctor and the Medics in 1986 and Gareth Gates in 2003:



It was 1965 when The Four Tops were celebrating their first Number 1 in the US with the classic I Can't Help Myself. However, it would take another five years before it saw any chart action in the UK, where it eventually peaked at Number 10. One of Holland-Dozier-Holland's finest compositions, it would return to the British chart two years later in a version by Donnie Elbert: 



Hands up if you remember blues band Juicy Lucy. While the band is still around today (albeit with a different line-up), it is probably best remembered for its cover of the Bo Diddley song Who Do You Love. Included on their self-titled first album, the band's rendition would take it to a peak of Number 14. Later in the year, Juicy Lucy's second and final chart appearance was with a track called Pretty Woman which stalled at Number 44.




Until next time...

UK Music Chart: March 28, 1970

Number 7 : Mary Hopkin : Knock, Knock Who's There?
  • 01 (02) Simon And Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water 
  • 02 (01) Lee Marvin - Wand'rin' Star  
  • 03 (06) Andy Williams - Can't Help Falling In Love 
  • 04 (03) Beatles - Let It Be 
  • 05 (05) Pickettywitch - That Same Old Feeling 
  • 06 (15) Bob And Marcia - Young, Gifted And Black 
  • 07 (---) Mary Hopkin - Knock, Knock Who's There 
  • 08 (11) Dave Clark Five - Everybody Get Together 
  • 09 (08) Elvis Presley - Don't Cry Daddy 
  • 10 (09) Steam - Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye 
  • 11 (13) Kenny Rogers And The First Edition - Something's Burning 
  • 12 (04) Jackson Five - I Want You Back 
  • 13 (07) Herman's Hermits - Years May Come, Years May Go 
  • 14 (12) Canned Heat - Let's Work Together 
  • 15 (10) John Lennon/Yoko Ono/The Plastic Ono Band - Instant Karma! 
  • 16 (14) Sacha Distel - Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head 
  • 17 (16) Brotherhood Of Man - United We Stand 
  • 18 (23) Jimmy Ruffin - Farewell Is A Lonely Sound 
  • 19 (17) Edison Lighthouse - Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) 
  • 20 (26) Joe Dolan - You're Such A Good Looking Woman
*Previous week in brackets; Climbers denoted in red
Image: Knock, Knock Who's There? single art

One of music's classic songs slid into the top spot as Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water began its three week run as the UK Number this week in 1970. Elsewhere, a Eurovision song, some Motown and Ireland's Tom Jones were enjoying their first week in the Top 20.

It was Eurovision time at this point in 1970 and the United Kingdom had selected the angelic Mary Hopkin and the song Knock, Knock Who's There? as its contender at the Song Contest that was held in Amsterdam. There were high hopes for Ms. Hopkin, who was already a high profile singer across Europe, because of hits such as Those Were the Days and Goodbye. In the event, she secured the UK's sixth second place behind Ireland's winner All Kinds of Everything sung by Dana:



Motown was particularly popular in the UK around this time and, in my opinion, one of the label's best artists  was about to climb the Top 20. Jimmy Ruffin had already recorded some classics such as What Becomes of the Brokenhearted and I'll Say Forever My Love and his latest was easily as good. I'm unfortunately unable to locate any live performances of Farewell Is A Lonely Sound, a song which would briefly bounce back into the chart on re-release in 1974:


Ireland's most successful recording artist of the era was former showband leader, Joe Dolan. He had already made appearances in the UK chart with the international hit Make Me An Island and a more minor entry, Teresa. By this time, Dolan had signed up to the agency that handled Tom Jones and, from the evidence of the following video, its influence had an impact on his stage act:


Until next time...

UK Music Chart: March 21, 1970

Number 15: Bob & Marcia: Young, Gifted & Black
  • 01 (01)  Lee Marvin - Wand'rin' Star 
  • 02 (03)  Simon And Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water 
  • 03 (02)  Beatles - Let It Be
  • 04 (04)  Jackson Five - I Want You Back 
  • 05 (08)  Pickettywitch - That Same Old Feeling 
  • 06 (17)  Andy Williams - Can't Help Falling In Love 
  • 07 (09)  Herman's Hermits - Years May Come, Years May Go
  • 08 (11)  Elvis Presley - Don't Cry Daddy
  • 09 (13)  Steam - Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye
  • 10 (06)  John Lennon/Yoko Ono/The Plastic Ono Band - Instant Karma!
  • 11 (20)  Dave Clark Five - Everybody Get Together
  • 12 (07)  Canned Heat - Let's Work Together
  • 13 (18)  Kenny Rogers And The First Edition - Something's Burning
  • 14 (10)  Sacha Distel - Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head
  • 15 (22)  Bob And Marcia - Young, Gifted And Black
  • 16 (12)  Brotherhood Of Man - United We Stand
  • 17 (05)  Edison Lighthouse - Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)
  • 18 (14)  White Plains - My Baby Loves Lovin'
  • 19 (15)  Peter, Paul And Mary - Leavin' On A Jet Plane
  • 20 (21)  Rolf Harris - Two Little Boys
*Previous week in brackets; Climbers denoted in red
Image: Bob & Marcia: Young, Gifted and Black [Download]

Lee Marvin was completing his third and final week as the UK Number 1 on a chart that was relatively quiet this week in 1970.

The only new song to break into the twenty was a wonderful reggae cover of a track co-written by Nina Simone: Young, Gifted and Black. Although several other big names had recorded the song, Aretha Franklin and Donny Hathaway among them, it was Bob Andy and Marcia Griffiths who had the hit in the UK. It would eventually go Top 5:

 

Rolf Harris managed to re-enter the twenty at No. 20, but apart from this, we would have to wait another week before some new tracks made an appearance.

Until next time...

UK Music Chart: March 14, 1970

Number 2: The Beatles: Let It Be
  • 01 (01) Lee Marvin - Wand'rin' Star 
  • 02 (---) Beatles - Let It Be 
  • 03 (07) Simon And Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water 
  • 04 (02) Jackson Five - I Want You Back 
  • 05 (04) Edison Lighthouse - Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) 
  • 06 (05) John Lennon/Yoko Ono/The Plastic Ono Band - Instant Karma! 
  • 07 (03) Canned Heat - Let's Work Together 
  • 08 (19) Pickettywitch - That Same Old Feeling 
  • 09 (08) Herman's Hermits - Years May Come, Years May Go 
  • 10 (15) Sacha Distel - Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head 
  • 11 (18) Elvis Presley - Don't Cry Daddy 
  • 12 (11) Brotherhood Of Man - United We Stand 
  • 13 (13) Steam - Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye 
  • 14 (09) White Plains - My Baby Loves Lovin' 
  • 15 (06) Peter, Paul And Mary - Leavin' On A Jet Plane 
  • 16 (12) Shocking Blue - Venus 
  • 17 (---) Andy Williams - Can't Help Falling In Love 
  • 18 (16) Kenny Rogers And The First Edition - Something's Burning 
  • 19 (10) Mary Hopkin - Temma Harbour 
  • 20 (28) Dave Clark Five - Everybody Get Together
*Previous week in brackets; Climbers denoted in red 
 Image: The Beatles Let it Be: Poster/Print

Lee Marvin remained at Number 1 for a second week, but some classic tracks were lining up behind him to try and claim the top spot this week in 1970.

The first is the highest new entry, not only to the Top 20, but also into the entire chart. Jumping straight in at Number 2 is the final single from The Beatles to reach the Top 10 from the era of the band's new releases while all of the members were still alive. Let It Be has become one of the band's best loved songs, but it was famously kept off the top spot by Lee Marvin:



Recorded by a multitude of acts, the Andy Williams version of Can't Help Falling in Love was a brand new entry into this week's Top 20 at Number 17. It was among a handful of singles that became a bigger hit in the UK than in his homeland, where it only just managed to scrape into the Top 100. Of course, this is an Elvis song and ironically The King appears in this week's Top 20 as well:


While we were witnessing the final Top 10 single (of sorts) from The Beatles, this week also saw the last British Top 10 from the legendary Dave Clark Five. Everybody Get Together had actually been recorded six years earlier by The Kingston Trio under the title Let's Get Together. However, it was far more successful in the States when The Youngbloods re-released it in 1969 with another slight title change: Get Together. But, this is the version that was big in the UK (and watch out for Madeleine Bell on the video):


Andy Williams at Number 17
Until next time...


UK Music Chart: March 7, 1970

Number 18 : Elvis Presley : Don't Cry Daddy
  • 01 (02) Lee Marvin - Wand'rin' Star 
  • 02 (04) Jackson Five - I Want You Back 
  • 03 (03) Canned Heat - Let's Work Together 
  • 04 (01) Edison Lighthouse - Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) 
  • 05 (05) John Lennon/Yoko Ono/The Plastic Ono Band - Instant Karma! 
  • 06 (06) Peter, Paul And Mary - Leavin' On A Jet Plane 
  • 07 (13) Simon And Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water 
  • 08 (11) Herman's Hermits - Years May Come, Years May Go 
  • 09 (09) White Plains - My Baby Loves Lovin' 
  • 10 (07) Mary Hopkin - Temma Harbour 
  • 11 (10) Brotherhood Of Man - United We Stand 
  • 12 (08) Shocking Blue - Venus 
  • 13 (21) Steam - Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye 
  • 14 (23) Boris Gardiner - Elizabethan Reggae 
  • 15 (16) Sacha Distel - Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head 
  • 16 (28) Kenny Rogers And The First Edition - Something's Burning 
  • 17 (14) Judy Collins - Both Sides Now 
  • 18 (30) Elvis Presley - Don't Cry Daddy 
  • 19 (27) Pickettywitch - That Same Old Feeling 
  • 20 (15) Rolf Harris - Two Little Boys
*Previous week in brackets; Climbers denoted in red

Edison Lighthouse made way for the new Number 1 this week in 1970: the One Hit Wonder from Lee Marvin, Wand'rin' Star. While the actor was celebrating this surprising feat, five other acts also had reason to celebrate as their songs climbed into the Top 20 - some big names among them.

The highest new entry of the week was another One Hit Wonder from a band that really did not exist: Steam. The song was originally intended as a B-Side to one of several other tracks written by three of those who would eventually become Steam. Instead of playing the intended A-Side, DJs flipped the disc and began playing Na Na... The song caught on with listeners and became a huge hit in the US where it reached Number 1 in December, 1969. Although it did not quite replicate that chart success in the UK, it nevertheless is a well-remembered song from the era:



Jamaican Boris Gardiner was the latest in a long line of reggae artists that found themselves on the British music charts of the late 1960s and early 1970s. The Skinhead movement of the time was in full bloom and its music of choice was ska and reggae, often released by the renowned label Trojan Records. Elizabethan Reggae was a cover of a light orchestral piece called Elizabethan Serenade, but Boris Gardiner would see even greater success in 1986 when the song I Want to Wake Up With You went to Number 1 for three weeks:



No sooner had Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town dropped out of the Top 20 than Kenny Rogers and the First Edition's latest song, Something's Burning, had replaced it. However, this would be the last we would see of Kenny on the British charts for seven years, when as a solo act he would return and torment us with the song Lucille:



More country styling as Elvis enters the chart at Number 18. Don't Cry Daddy was written by Mac Davis (of Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me fame) and would become his first Top 10 hit of the 1970s in the UK:



Pickettywitch was about to enjoy its first and only Top 10 song ever. Fronted by the beautiful and soulful Polly Brown(e), the group had three hits in 1970 and That Same Old Feeling was the most successful of them all. The band split up around two years later and Polly would go on to pursue both a solo career and become one half of the duo Sweet Dreams. In the US, she had a hit with Up In A Puff of Smoke, while in the UK Sweet Dreams was to have a Top 10 cover hit of ABBA's Honey, Honey in 1974. In the meantime, she's getting that same old feeling...:



Until next time...

UK Music Chart: February 28, 1970

Number 13 : Simon & Garfunkel : Bridge Over Troubled Water
  • 01 (01) Edison Lighthouse - Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) 
  • 02 (05) Lee Marvin - Wand'rin' Star 
  • 03 (02) Canned Heat - Let's Work Together 
  • 04 (04) Jackson Five - I Want You Back 
  • 05 (07) John Lennon/Yoko Ono/The Plastic Ono Band - Instant Karma! 
  • 06 (03) Peter, Paul And Mary - Leavin' On A Jet Plane 
  • 07 (06) Mary Hopkin - Temma Harbour 
  • 08 (09) Shocking Blue - Venus 
  • 09 (11) White Plains - My Baby Loves Lovin' 
  • 10 (19) Brotherhood Of Man - United We Stand 
  • 11 (12) Herman's Hermits - Years May Come, Years May Go 
  • 12 (08) Jethro Tull - The Witch's Promise / Teacher 
  • 13 (42) Simon And Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water 
  • 14 (20) Judy Collins - Both Sides Now 
  • 15 (10) Rolf Harris - Two Little Boys 
  • 16 (26) Sacha Distel - Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head 
  • 17 (17) Temptations - I Can't Get Next To You 
  • 18 (14) Chicago - I'm A Man 
  • 19 (13) Badfinger - Come And Get It 
  • 20 (18) Kenny Rogers/First Edition - Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town
*Previous week in brackets; Climbers denoted in red.
Image: Simon & Garfunkel "Bridge Over Troubled Water" Framed Silver Record

All of last week's new entries continued to climb the Top 20, while Lee Marvin breathed down the neck of Number 1 group Edison Lighthouse which managed to hold the top spot for one further week.

More interestingly, one of pop music's classic tunes was about to begin its own assault on the peak of the British chart. On this day in February 1970, Bridge Over Troubled Water would top the Billboard Hot 100 in the States, but it would have to wait a few more weeks before repeating the feat in the UK. Nevertheless, this beautiful track made an impressive 29 place jump to become the biggest climber of the week. Sadly, the song would eventually lead to the break-up of one of music's best loved duos:



Three places below Simon and Garfunkel, Sacha Distel was winning the battle of the Raindrops as his version of Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head jumped ten places to Number 16. Several different versions of this song were floating around at the time. Three of them were competing with each other this week in 1970: the original by B.J. Thomas (UK peak, Number 38), Bobbie Gentry (UK peak, Number 40) and this one which would eventually reach Number 10:



As there are not many new songs to mention in this post, I thought adding the following video may be a little memory jogging for some. Unfortunately, the BBC has wiped many of the earlier editions of Top of the Pops, so we can't enjoy watching some of our favourite artists from the Sixties and Seventies again. However, as I was researching today's post, I happened upon this clip of the show from the era covered here:



Until next time...

UK Music Chart: February 21, 1970

Number 7 : John Lennon : Instant Karma!
  • 01 (01) Edison Lighthouse - Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)
  • 02 (03) Canned Heat - Let's Work Together
  • 03 (02) Peter, Paul And Mary - Leavin' On A Jet Plane
  • 04 (12) Jackson Five - I Want You Back
  • 05 (18) Lee Marvin - Wand'rin' Star
  • 06 (08) Mary Hopkin - Temma Harbour
  • 07 (---) John Lennon/Yoko Ono/The Plastic Ono Band - Instant Karma!
  • 08 (04) Jethro Tull - The Witch's Promise / Teacher
  • 09 (10) Shocking Blue - Venus
  • 10 (07) Rolf Harris - Two Little Boys
  • 11 (22) White Plains - My Baby Loves Lovin'
  • 12 (24) Herman's Hermits - Years May Come And Years May Go
  • 13 (05) Badfinger - Come And Get It
  • 14 (09) Chicago - I'm A Man
  • 15 (06) Marmalade - Reflections of My Life
  • 16 (20) Vanity Fare - Hitchin' A Ride
  • 17 (14) Temptations - I Can't Get Next To You
  • 18 (13) Kenny Rogers/First Edition - Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town
  • 19 (40) Brotherhood Of Man - United We Stand
  • 20 (23) Judy Collins - Both Sides Now
*Previous week in brackets; Climbers denoted in red.
Image: John Lennon "Instant Karma" Framed Silver Record

Edison Lighthouse was enjoying its fourth week at Number 1, but below them there was a lot of movement, including five new entries. The first of them is what has now become a classic rock tune from the late John Lennon: Instant Karma!

The single was the third to be released by the ex-Beatle, following the Top 20 hits Give Peace A Chance and Cold Turkey. Cited as being one of the fastest released tracks in pop music history, the song was recorded on the same day that it was written. It was in shops ten days later. Produced by Phil Spector, others featured on the recording include Billy Preston and George Harrison:


Next up is some pure pop from White Plains. Formed out of the ashes of The Flowerpot Men, the group mainly recorded songs by prolific songwriters Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway. Their first hit was one such song which also managed to break the Top 20 in the US. First of five Top 30 hits in the UK, here's My Baby Loves Lovin':


In a chart career that began in 1964 with the Number 1 I'm Into Something Good, 1970 would witness the last Top 10 single by Herman's Hermits: Years May Come, Years May Go. By the end of this year, the group's hit making days were over:


The first chart appearance by the pre-Eurovision line-up of The Brotherhood of Man occurred this week in 1970. Having failed to set the charts alight with their previous single, Love One Another, a similarly themed song broke the group into the Top 20 - not only in the UK, but also across the pond in the US. United We Stand would become very familiar over the years, following its use for various causes. Here it is performed on a rare promo film:

 

The week's final new entry crept into the Number 20 placing and was the first of only three chart entries for the American singer/songwriter, Judy Collins. Never one to settle on a single style of music, she is probably best linked to the folk/pop movement of the Sixties. One of the recordings in that style was her cover of Joni Mitchell's Both Sides Now. It had already been a substantial hit in the US three years earlier, also earning her a Grammy for Best Folk Performance in 1968. Here's Pan's People with their dance interpretation of the song:


Extra: One voice graced three of the songs in this week's Top 20 - that of Tony Burrows. At the time, he was a highly sought after session singer and would be one of the voices on The Pipkins' hit Gimme Dat Ding later in 1970. However, this week, he can be heard on the tracks by Edison Lighthouse, White Plains and The Brotherhood of Man. Here he is talking about that feat:



Until next time...

UK Music Chart: February 14, 1970

Number 10 : Shocking Blue
  • 01 (01) Edison Lighthouse - Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) 
  • 02 (04) Peter, Paul And Mary - Leavin' On A Jet Plane 
  • 03 (15) Canned Heat - Let's Work Together 
  • 04 (06) Jethro Tull - The Witch's Promise / Teacher 
  • 05 (05) Badfinger - Come And Get It 
  • 06 (03) Marmalade - Reflections of My Life 
  • 07 (02) Rolf Harris - Two Little Boys 
  • 08 (10) Mary Hopkin - Temma Harbour 
  • 09 (08) Chicago - I'm A Man 
  • 10 (21) Shocking Blue - Venus 
  • 11 (09) Arrival - Friends 
  • 12 (30) Jackson Five - I Want You Back 
  • 13 (07) Kenny Rogers/First Edition - Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town 
  • 14 (13) Temptations - I Can't Get Next To You 
  • 15 (11) Bobbie Gentry And Glen Campbell - All I Have To Do Is Dream 
  • 16 (28) Fifth Dimension - Wedding Bell Blues 
  • 17 (12) Elvis Presley - Suspicious Minds 
  • 18 (36) Lee Marvin - Wand'rin' Star 
  • 19 (17) Diana Ross And The Supremes - Someday, We'll Be Together 
  • 20 (16) Vanity Fare - Hitchin' A Ride
*Previous week in brackets; Climbers denoted in red.

Edison Lighthouse continued their run at Number 1, enjoying a third week at the summit of the Top 20. Below them, some classic tracks were making a move into the chart, each of them on a mission to dislodge Rosemary.

The highest new entry of the week was straight into the Top 10 and came from Dutch group, Shocking Blue.  Having enjoyed success in their homeland and around continental Europe, Venus was the track that would break them internationally. It became a Number 1 hit in the USA and Canada, as well as topping the charts across Europe. In the UK it peaked at Number 8 and enjoyed a revival when it was recorded by Bananarama in 1986.

Did you know, however, that much of Venus is heavily lifted from a track called The Banjo Song recorded by The Big Three in 1963?



Up eighteen places at Number 12 is the first ever hit single from one of Motown's most success young vocal groups. In today's terms, The Jackson 5 would probably have become known as a boy band. However, we have all come to learn that they were much more than this. At the time, the Jackson family was to enjoy a media rivalry with The Osmonds. At this point, however, the rivalry was in its early days. Nevertheless, I Want You Back was to become the first of four consecutive Number 1 singles in the USA, while in the UK the track peaked at Number 2: 



While The 5th Dimension was a regular visitor to the US charts for around seven years, in the UK the quintet was only able to enjoy two Top 20 hits. The first was Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In which managed to peak at Number 11 the previous year and became something of a signature tune for the hippie generation. The second was the new entry at Number 16 called Wedding Bell Blues, which was also the second Number 1 in the USA for the group:



One of the most unlikely hit records of the year was a song lifted from the soundtrack of the movie Paint Your Wagon. Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood were its main stars and the album became more successful than the film itself. One of the tracks was released as a single, with Eastwood singing I Talk to the Trees on the B-Side and Marvin croaking his way through the A-Side: Wand'rin' Star. It would soon become a Number 1 song in the UK, but this week it moves eighteen places to Number 18:



Until next time...

UK Music Chart: February 7, 1970

Number 10 : Mary Hopkin

  • 01 (01) Edison Lighthouse - Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) 
  • 02 (02) Rolf Harris - Two Little Boys 
  • 03 (03) Marmalade - Reflections of My Life 
  • 04 (09) Peter, Paul And Mary - Leavin' On A Jet Plane 
  • 05 (04) Badfinger - Come And Get It 
  • 06 (10) Jethro Tull - The Witch's Promise / Teacher 
  • 07 (07) Kenny Rogers/First Edition - Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town 
  • 08 (12) Chicago - I'm A Man 
  • 09 (08) Arrival - Friends 
  • 10 (22) Mary Hopkin - Temma Harbour 
  • 11 (05) Bobbie Gentry And Glen Campbell - All I Have To Do Is Dream 
  • 12 (06) Elvis Presley - Suspicious Minds 
  • 13 (20) Temptations - I Can't Get Next To You 
  • 14 (11) Cuff-Links - Tracy 
  • 15 (29) Canned Heat - Let's Work Together 
  • 16 (23) Vanity Fare - Hitchin' A Ride 
  • 17 (15) Diana Ross And The Supremes - Someday, We'll Be Together 
  • 18 (13) Dave Clark Five - Good Old Rock 'n' Roll 
  • 19 (14) Archies - Sugar Sugar 
  • 20 (17) Harry J All-Stars - The Liquidator
*Previous week in brackets; Climbers denoted in red.
Image:  Mary Hopkin - Greeting Card 

No change at the very top of the Top 20 in the first week of February 1970, but further down the chart three different musical styles became the week's newcomers.

The highest new entry was the third of five Top 20 hits for Welsh songbird, Mary Hopkin. Having already had immense success with Those Were the Days and Goodbye, Temma Harbour was about to complete a hat trick of songs to reach the UK Top 10. Unlike the previous two, this track was not as successful in the United States. However, here's Mary featured on an edition of Top of the Pops:



At Number 15 was a new entry from the popular blues/rock band Canned Heat. In the UK, Let's Work Together became the group's biggest hit, eventually peaking at Number 2. In the USA it did not fare so well, possibly due to a contemporaneous release by the song's writer, Wilbert Harrison. It would later reappear in the UK chart when Bryan Ferry recorded a version, changing the title to Let's Stick Together



At the other end of the musical spectrum was the British pop band Vanity Fare which was enjoying its second UK Top 20 hit with Hitchin' A Ride. It was the follow-up to the band's bigger hit Early in the Morning which had cracked the Top 10 in August 1969. Hitchin' was more successful in the American charts where it peaked at Number 5 and became Vanity Fare's second million selling song. However, as far as the British charts are concerned, nothing more was heard of the band:



Useless chart coincidence: Vanity Fare competed to represent the United Kingdom at the 1986 Eurovision Song Contest with a song called Dreamer (listen here). They came third in the national final. Mary Hopkin represented the UK later in 1970 when she came second to Dana's All Kinds of Everything.

Until next time...

UK Music Chart: January 31, 1970

Number 10 : Jethro Tull
  • 01 (12) Edison Lighthouse - Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) 
  • 02 (01) Rolf Harris - Two Little Boys 
  • 03 (03) Marmalade - Reflections of My Life 
  • 04 (08) Badfinger - Come And Get It 
  • 05 (04) Bobbie Gentry And Glen Campbell - All I Have To Do Is Dream 
  • 06 (06) Elvis Presley - Suspicious Minds 
  • 07 (02) Kenny Rogers/First Edition - Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town 
  • 08 (11) Arrival - Friends 
  • 09 (13) Peter, Paul And Mary - Leavin' On A Jet Plane 
  • 10 (30) Jethro Tull - The Witch's Promise / Teacher 
  • 11 (05) Cuff-Links - Tracy 
  • 12 (20) Chicago - I'm A Man 
  • 13 (07) Dave Clark Five - Good Old Rock 'n' Roll 
  • 14 (09) Archies - Sugar Sugar 
  • 15 (14) Diana Ross And The Supremes - Someday, We'll Be Together 
  • 16 (10) Blue Mink - Melting Pot 
  • 17 (15) Harry J All-Stars - The Liquidator 
  • 18 (19) Roger Whittaker - Durham Town (The Leavin') 
  • 19 (18) Jim Reeves - But You Love Me Daddy 
  • 20 (26) Temptations - I Can't Get Next To You
*Previous week in brackets; Climbers denoted in red.
Image: Jethro Tull with Gold Album - 1971

At the end of January 1970, Rolf Harris's stranglehold on the top of the charts finally came to an end as Edison Lighthouse jumped eleven places to occupy the Number One spot. Elsewhere, the Top 20 was relatively quiet, with only two new songs making their mark.

At Number 10  was a new entry by progressive rock band Jethro Tull, with their penultimate Top 20 hit (to date): The Witch's Promise. Released as a double A-Side with Teacher, both tracks were included on the band's early Seventies album Living in the Past.



Here are the band on the German music programme, Beat Club, performing the excellent Teacher:

 

A new entry at Number 20 was the Norman Whitfield/Barrett Strong composed I Can't Get Next to You sung by The Temptations. By this time, David Ruffin had exited the group and their sound was following a psychedelic-soul path, similar to that of Sly and the Family Stone. This track, included on the album Puzzle People, was a pop and R&B Number 1 song in the USA, while in the UK it peaked at Number 13.


The Temptations Pictured in September 1969

Until next time...



UK Music Chart: January 24, 1970

Number 13 : Peter, Paul & Mary
  • 01 (01) Rolf Harris - Two Little Boys 
  • 02 (04) Kenny Rogers/First Edition - Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town 
  • 03 (09) Marmalade - Reflections of My Life 
  • 04 (03) Bobbie Gentry And Glen Campbell - All I Have To Do Is Dream 
  • 05 (05) Cuff-Links - Tracy 
  • 06 (02) Elvis Presley - Suspicious Minds 
  • 07 (08) Dave Clark Five - Good Old Rock 'n' Roll 
  • 08 (10) Badfinger - Come And Get It 
  • 09 (06) Archies - Sugar Sugar 
  • 10 (07) Blue Mink - Melting Pot 
  • 11 (18) Arrival - Friends 
  • 12 (---) Edison Lighthouse - Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) 
  • 13 (36) Peter, Paul And Mary - Leavin' On A Jet Plane 
  • 14 (13) Diana Ross And The Supremes - Someday We'll Be Together 
  • 15 (17) Harry J All-Stars - The Liquidator 
  • 16 (21) Delaney And Bonnie featuring Eric Clapton - Comin' Home 
  • 17 (11) Tom Jones - Without Love 
  • 18 (15) Jim Reeves - But You Love Me Daddy 
  • 19 (12) Roger Whittaker - Durham Town (The Leavin') 
  • 20 (23) Chicago - I'm A Man
*Previous week in brackets; Climbers denoted in red.



Rolf Harris continued his reign at Number 1, but the song that would knock him from the top spot raced into the Top 20 at Number 12.

Edison Lighthouse was a studio group that was formed specifically to promote Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes). It was led by session singer Tony Burrows, who would make  appearances on Top of the Pops around this time singing lead for four separate bands: Brotherhood of Man, The Pipkins, White Plains and this future Number 1:



The final Top 40 song from folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary was also their only US Number 1 hit. Later in 1970, they would break up to follow solo ventures. In the United Kingdom, they only ever previously graced the Top 20 with the Bob Dylan-composed track, Blowing in the Wind (No.13, 1963). Here, they cover John Denver's Leavin' On A Jet Plane, which would eventually peak at Number 2:


One of the few Top 20 appearances in the UK Singles Chart by the American band Chicago (Transit Authority) was the track I'm A Man, which was included on their eponymous debut album. Originally recorded by The Spencer Davis Group, it became a Top 10 hit in both the US and UK in 1967. Chicago repeated that feat in the UK, but as the B-Side of Questions 67 and 68, it could only peak at Number 49 in the States:


Useless chart fact: The lead vocals on both The Archies' Sugar Sugar and The Cuff-Links' Tracy are provided by session singer, Ron Dante.

Until next time...

UK Music Chart: January 17, 1970

Number 10 : Badfinger
  • 01 (01) Rolf Harris - Two Little Boys 
  • 02 (07) Elvis Presley - Suspicious Minds 
  • 03 (05) Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell - All I Have To Do Is Dream 
  • 04 (02) Kenny Rogers/First Edition - Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town 
  • 05 (04) Cufflinks - Tracy 
  • 06 (06) Archies - Sugar Sugar 
  • 07 (03) Blue Mink - Melting Pot 
  • 08 (08) Dave Clark Five - Good Old Rock 'n' Roll 
  • 09 (16) Marmalade - Reflections Of My Life 
  • 10 (33) Badfinger - Come And Get It 
  • 11 (13) Tom Jones - Without Love 
  • 12 (12) Roger Whittaker - Durham Town (The Leavin') 
  • 13 (24) Diana Ross And The Supremes - Someday We'll Be Together 
  • 14 (09) Stevie Wonder - Yester-Me Yester-You Yesterday 
  • 15 (17) Jim Reeves - But You Love Me Daddy 
  • 16 (14) Engelbert Humperdinck - Winter World Of Love 
  • 17 (10) Harry J All-Stars - The Liquidator 
  • 18 (45) Arrival - Friends 
  • 19 (11) Marvin Gaye And Tammi Terrell - The Onion Song 
  • 20 (22) Cliff Richard - With The Eyes Of A Child
*Previous week in brackets; Climbers denoted in red.
*Image: The Very Best Of Badfinger

Rolf Harris continues his reign at the top of the UK Singles Chart, while Elvis's classic song Suspicious Minds rebounds back to Number Two. Lower down the chart, however, four tracks make their debut. 

The highest new entry is Badfinger (No.10) with a song composed by Paul McCartney and given specifically to the band. It's included on the soundtrack of the film The Magic Christian, starring Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr, and was the first of three Top 10 hits for the Welsh group:


Motown was showing well in this week's Top 20 and Diana Ross and the Supremes' final big UK hit was selling well enough to leap to Number 13. It was the last of the girls' twelve Number 1 singles in the US, but this was to be its peak position in the United Kingdom:

 

Taking a twenty-seven place jump to Number 18 is something of a lost song from the era. Arrival was a multi-member band that managed to secure one more hit record later in 1970. Friends has a sound that is very much a part of the times: peace, harmony and the hippie culture. Before it disbanded, Arrival went on to have a well received appearance on the third day of the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival. Here they are on Top of the Pops

 

Scraping in at Number 20 was Cliff Richard's final single release of the 1960s. Not one of his most popular songs, it wasn't included on an album at the time and this week's chart position was as high as it was able to manage. Here he is, singing With the Eyes of a Child in 1974 at the Palladium in London: 


Until next time...


UK Music Chart: January 10, 1970

Number 16: Marmalade
  • 01 (01)  Rolf Harris - Two Little Boys 
  • 02 (02)  Kenny Rogers/First Edition - Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town 
  • 03 (05)  Blue Mink - Melting Pot 
  • 04 (09)  Cufflinks - Tracy 
  • 05 (07)  Bobbie Gentry And Glen Campbell - All I Have To Do Is Dream 
  • 06 (03)  Archies - Sugar Sugar 
  • 07 (04)  Elvis Presley - Suspicious Minds 
  • 08 (12)  Dave Clark Five - Good Old Rock 'n' Roll 
  • 09 (06)  Stevie Wonder - Yester-Me Yester-You Yesterday 
  • 10 (16)  Harry J All-Stars - The Liquidator 
  • 11 (11)  Marvin Gaye And Tammi Terrell - The Onion Song 
  • 12 (13)  Roger Whittaker - Durham Town (The Leavin') 
  • 13 (10)  Tom Jones - Without Love 
  • 14 (08)  Engelbert Humperdinck - Winter World of Love 
  • 15 (14)  Tremeloes - (Call Me) Number One 
  • 16 (30)  Marmalade - Reflections of My Life 
  • 17 (17)  Jim Reeves - But You Love Me Daddy 
  • 18 (21)  Beatles - Something / Come Together 
  • 19 (47)  Delaney And Bonnie featuring Eric Clapton - Comin' Home 
  • 20 (29)  Cilla Black - If I Thought You'd Change Your Mind
*Previous week in brackets; Climbers denoted in red.
*Image: Fine Cuts - The Best Of Marmalade

Not much change at the top of the UK Top 20 this week in 1970 as Rolf Harris and Kenny Rogers continue to dominate.

Further down, three discs enter the twenty for the first time, while The Beatles classic double A-Side reappears at Number 18.

At Number 16, the biggest selling single of Marmalade's career makes its debut and what a wonderful melancholic song it is:


A twenty-eight place jump to Number 19 was the only appearance in the UK Top 20 by American husband and wife team, Delaney and Bonnie. Great friends with Eric Clapton, he joins them on Comin' Home, a track included on the album On Tour With Eric Clapton:


Cilla Black's chart career was drawing to a close (only one further Top 10 hit was to come) and If I Thought You'd Change Your Mind was the penultimate showing for the "Liverpool Lass" as this new entry peaked at Number 20. In 2004, the song was covered by ABBA's Agnetha Fältskog and became a hit all over again:



Until next time...


UK Music Chart: January 3, 1970

Number One: Rolf Harris
  •  01 - Rolf Harris - TWO LITTLE BOYS 
  •  02 - Kenny Rogers/First Edition - RUBY DON'T TAKE YOUR LOVE TO TOWN 
  •  03 - Archies - SUGAR SUGAR 
  •  04 - Elvis Presley - SUSPICIOUS MINDS 
  •  05 - Blue Mink - MELTING POT 
  •  06 - Stevie Wonder - YESTER-ME YESTER-YOU YESTERDAY 
  •  07 - Bobbie Gentry And Glen Campbell - ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM 
  •  08 - Engelbert Humperdinck - WINTER WORLD OF LOVE 
  •  09 - Cufflinks - TRACY 
  •  10 - Tom Jones - WITHOUT LOVE 
  •  11 - Marvin Gaye And Tammi Terrell - THE ONION SONG 
  •  12 - Dave Clark Five - GOOD OLD ROCK 'N' ROLL 
  •  13 - Roger Whittaker - DURHAM TOWN (THE LEAVIN') 
  •  14 - Tremeloes - (CALL ME) NUMBER ONE 
  •  15 - Malcolm Roberts - LOVE IS ALL 
  •  16 - Harry J All-Stars - THE LIQUIDATOR 
  •  17 - Jim Reeves - BUT YOU LOVE ME DADDY 
  •  18 - Des O'Connor - LONELINESS 
  •  19 - Creedence Clearwater Revival - GREEN RIVER 
  •  20 - Karen Young - NOBODY'S CHILD
Image: By Zuzanna Neziri (Flickr: Rolf Harris) [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

As you might expect, the music chart for the first week in January was something of a hangover from the Christmas season of 1969. No new chart was published because of Christmas and so the previous week's edition was used.

You might notice that much of the Top 20 has a very "middle of the road" flavour, with artists such as Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck, Roger Whittaker, Malcolm Roberts and Des O'Connor dominating proceedings. In fact, Rolf Harris was enjoying his third week at Number One with the very sugary Two Little Boys:



One of the few tracks that was eschewing the mum and dad feel of the charts was the penultimate Top 10 hit from the Dave Clark Five, although the title of the song might demonstrate otherwise: Good Old Rock'n'Roll:



Until next time...