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| Number 8: Slade |
Further down the Top 20 there were four new entries, headed by the latest single from Slade - the record that would eventually replace Rod Stewart at the top.
Among the other three, only The Carpenters were a familiar name, while both Springwater and The Piglets were new acts to debut on the British chart.
Rod Stewart at Number 1
The Chart:
- 01 (01) Rod Stewart - Maggie May
- 02 (02) Redbone - Witch Queen of New Orleans
- 03 (04) The Four Tops - Simple Game
- 04 (10) Al Green - Tired of Being Alone
- 05 (20) Tom Jones - Till
- 06 (12) Joan Baez - The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
- 07 (05) Titanic - Sultana
- 08 (26) Slade - Coz I Luv You
- 09 (06) Shirley Bassey - For All We Know
- 10 (03) Middle of the Road - Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum
- 11 (07) The Fortunes - Freedom Come, Freedom Go
- 12 (17) Vince Hill - Look Around (And You'll Find Me There)
- 13 (18) Scott English - Brandy
- 14 (19) Aretha Franklin - Spanish Harlem
- 15 (08) James Taylor - You've Got A Friend
- 16 (09) Bay City Rollers - Keep On Dancing
- 17 (24) Springwater - I Will Return
- 18 (11) Danyel Gérard - Butterfly
- 19 (**) The Piglets - Johnny Reggae
- 20 (22) The Carpenters - Superstar / For All We Know
08: Slade: Coz I Luv You
It also began a string of six Number 1 songs for the group in the UK, ultimately securing Noddy Holder and co the title of the most successful British rock band of the decade based on the sales of their singles.
Sales of Coz I Luv You reached a half million within two weeks of its release, helping it gallop to the top of the chart and then stay there for four weeks.
17: Springwater: I Will Return
As a songwriter, he composed the first three singles for the now long-forgotten and commercially unsuccessful British group, Tuesday's Children - of which he was also a member.
I Will Return was also his composition - a superb guitar instrumental which, for me, is reminiscent of the hymn Abide With Me.
Although he continued to record under the name Springwater, he never again returned to the British charts. He did enjoy considerable commercial success in Germany following I Will Return, however, using the moniker Dan the Banjo Man. He had a Number 1 hit there with a song of the same name.
Sadly, Phil Cordell died in 2007 at the young age of 59.
19: The Piglets: Johnny Reggae
While he does not appear vocally on Johnny Reggae, the record label humbly relates that King wrote, conceived, created, produced and directed the recording.
It is, in fact, Barbara Kay who has been credited with the lead vocals (by King himself), although at various times actresses Adrienne Posta and Wendy Richard have incorrectly been named as the guilty parties.
Singing credits aside, it was of course King's way of cashing in on the ska boom in popular music in the UK at the time - and fans lapped it up. Not surprising as it was a fun, cheeky send up of the reggae and ska genres and generated enough sales to send it to a peak of Number 3.
20: The Carpenters: Superstar / For All We Know
Consequently, the latter was released as one half of a double A-Side in the UK, but it was the beautiful Superstar which became the lead track.
The signs were that the single may replicate its American success, where it reached Number 2. However, The Carpenters were not yet as big a name in the UK as they were in the USA and the record stalled at Number 18.
The American Top 10 (w/e November 6, 1971)
- 01 (02) Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves - Cher
- 02 (05) Theme From 'Shaft' - Isaac Hayes
- 03 (03) Maggie May / Reason to Believe - Rod Stewart
- 04 (06) Imagine - John Lennon
- 05 (03) Yo-Yo - The Osmonds
- 06 (04) Superstar - The Carpenters
- 07 (09) Peace Train - Cat Stevens
- 08 (10) I've Found Someone of My Own - The Free Movement
- 09 (19) Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) - Marvin Gaye
- 10 (08) The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down - Joan Baez
The UK Number 1 album this week:
- John Lennon - Imagine
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