UK Top 20: June 3, 1972 Ft. Diana Ross

We have now reached the British Top 20 of June 3, 1972 in which only two new entries made their mark, the highest of which was at Number 18: the latest release by Diana Ross called Doobedood'ndoobe Doobedood'ndoobe Doobedood'ndoo.

Much less of a mouthful was the latest single by Wings - Paul McCartney's take on a nursery rhyme - and the second of the new songs of the week.

Elsewhere, there was some notable progress up the chart, particularly from several records within the Top 10 which were vying for the Number 1 spot.

However, glam rockers T.Rex continued to cling to the summit of the Top 20 with Metal Guru for a third week, refusing to relinquish their grip for a while yet.

T. Rex at Number 1

The Chart: 

• 01 (01) T. Rex - Metal Guru 
• 02 (05) Elton John - Rocket Man 
• 03 (08) The Drifters - At the Club / Saturday Night at the Movies 
• 04 (06) Hurricane Smith - Oh Babe, What Would You Say? 
• 05 (11) Don McLean - Vincent 
• 06 (12) Lindisfarne - Lady Eleanor 
• 07 (02) David Cassidy - Could It Be Forever 
• 08 (03) The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards - Amazing Grace 
• 09 (07) Johnny Cash and the Evangel Temple Choir - A Thing Called Love 
• 10 (04) Vicky Leandros - Come What May 
• 11 (20) The Move - California Man 
• 12 (10) Leeds United FC - Leeds United 
• 13 (19) The Moody Blues - Isn't Life Strange? 
• 14 (09) The Rolling Stones - Tumbling Dice 
• 15 (14) Procol Harum - A Whiter Shade Of Pale 
• 16 (16) New World - Sister Jane 
• 17 (18) The Temptations - Take A Look Around 
• 18 (22) Diana Ross - Doobedood'ndoobe Doobedood'ndoobe Doobedood'ndoo 
• 19 (15) Paul Simon - Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard 
• 20 (36) Wings - Mary Had A Little Lamb

*Previous week in brackets; Climbers denoted in red; New entries in bold

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18: Diana Ross: Doobedood'ndoobe Doobedood'ndoobe Doobedood'ndoo

Following on from the enormous UK sales success of I'm Still Waiting, Motown decided to release a second song from Ross's album Everything is Everything.

The strangely titled Doobedood'ndoobe Doobedood'ndoobe Doobedood'ndoo was another song written by Deke Richards, the songwriter who provided Ross with I'm Still Waiting.

Probably less re-collectible than that No. 1, nevertheless the single furnished the former Supreme with another UK hit, this one managing to peak at Number 12.

Unlike most other Diana Ross releases, this record was not distributed in the United States.

20: Wings: Mary Had A Little Lamb

An oddity from Paul McCartney's new band Wings was this pop/rock arrangement of the children's nursery rhyme, Mary Had A Little Lamb.

The reason given for the composition's release at this time was due to the BBC's ban of the group's politically-sensitive previous single, Give Ireland Back to the Irish. It seems McCartney explained this in an interview while "Lamb" was popular, but has since rescinded the statement for something less controversial.

It is, in fact, a serious attempt to compose a rock song for children, the part of his audience he felt was neglected by the music moguls.

Whatever the explanation, music critics hated it but a lot of the British public liked it enough to send it into the UK Top 10 to finally peak at No.9.


The UK Number 1 album this week:

• T. Rex: Bolan Boogie

The American Top 10 (Click to play tracks)