UK Music Chart: October 9, 1971 Featuring Mungo Jerry

Number 13: Mungo Jerry (Amazon)

This was the week that Rod Stewart climbed to the top of the charts in the UK with Maggie May, mirroring his contemporaneous achievement in the USA with the same song.

Not only was he at Number 1 in both country's singles charts, but at the same time he captured the top spot on their respective album charts with Every Picture Tells A Story. This was the first instance in chart history of this happening.

However, by this time, Mungo Jerry were British chart veterans by comparison, having seen their first three single releases jump into the Top 10. This week they were back with their new record, as a part of a quartet of songs debuting in the Top 20.  

Rod Stewart at Number 1

The Chart: 

• 01 (02) Rod Stewart - Maggie May 
• 02 (01) The Tams - Hey Girl Don't Bother Me 
• 03 (03) Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood - Did You Ever? 
• 04 (04) Middle of the Road - Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum 
• 05 (08) James Taylor - You've Got a Friend 
• 06 (05) CCS - Tap Turns on the Water 
• 07 (10) Shirley Bassey - For All We Know 
• 08 (06) Marmalade - Cousin Norman 
• 09 (17) The Fortunes - Freedom Come, Freedom Go 
• 10 (09) Hot Chocolate - I Believe (In Love) 
• 11 (12) Jethro Tull - Life is a Long Song / Up the Pool 
• 12 (07) The Supremes - Nathan Jones 
• 13 (21) Mungo Jerry - You Don't Have to Be in the Army (to Fight in the War) 
• 14 (29) Redbone - The Witch Queen of New Orleans 
• 15 (11) Curved Air - Back Street Luv 
• 16 (13) Diana Ross - I'm Still Waiting 
• 17 (28) Titanic - Sultana 
• 18 (24) The Four Tops - Simple Game 
• 19 (18) Daniel Boone - Daddy, Don't You Walk So Fast 
• 20 (14) The New Seekers - Never Ending Song of Love

*Previous week in brackets; Climbers denoted in red; New entries in bold
 
13: Mungo Jerry: You Don't Have to Be in the Army

Mungo Jerry was on a roll at this point in the group's career. Their first three singles had entered the UK Top 10, the first two making it to Number 1.

As well as the previous disc (Lady Rose) hitting Number 5, the group had also been acknowledged as one of the best live bands in the world during this year. Lead singer Ray Dorset was also on the receiving end of a trio of Ivor Novello Awards for his songwriting and composing.

It was no surprise then that the band's fourth skiffle-based single, You Don't Have to Be in the Army (to Fight in the War), would jump into the Top 20. The only surprise was that it could climb no further than this week's Number 13.

14: Redbone: The Witch Queen of New Orleans

Redbone was one of the few, if not the only, Native American rock groups to feature in the UK music charts.

Whereas 1974's Come and Get Your Love was the band's biggest US hit, that song completely missed the British listing and instead the pounding rhythm of The Witch Queen of New Orleans is the track that UK record buyers will remember more readily.

It faltered at Number 21 in the States, but the disc was only denied a Number 1 placing here, for three straight weeks, by this week's new chart topper from Rod Stewart.

17: Titanic: Sultana

In a week when a Native American band entered the Top 20, another overseas group made its first and only appearance: the Norwegian progressive rockers, Titanic.

Equally unusual was that their record, Sultana, was an instrumental - a genre that often sold too few copies to worry the chart compilers.

It was very commercial though, and its regular coverage on stations like Radio Luxembourg no doubt helped lodge it in listeners' memories and push up its sales. It went on to eventually peak at Number 5.

Although Titanic continued to record throughout the 1970s, follow-up releases failed to capture the imagination of record buyers and the group have since been added to the list of UK One Hit Wonders.

18: The Four Tops: Simple Game

From two bands enjoying their one and only UK successes to one of Motown's finest vocal groups, The Four Tops, which was making one its regular visits to the UK Top 20. This time the quartet was back with one of its biggest British hits, a remake of The Moody Blues' Simple Game.

Originally included on the British group's album, In Search of the Lost Chord, The Moodies were more than happy for Levi Stubbs and co to cover the song. In fact, their producer - the late Tony Clarke - also produced The Four Tops version of the track, adding some heat to their already excellent performance.

This combined talent helped Simple Game to reach Number 3 in the United Kingdom, but it unfortunately failed to impress American record buyers, only peaking at Number 90 when released there in 1972.


The American Top 10 (w/e October 9, 1971)

• 01 (01) Maggie May / Reason to Believe - Rod Stewart
• 02 (02) Go Away Little Girl - Donny Osmond
• 03 (04) Superstar - The Carpenters
• 04 (03) The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down - Joan Baez
• 05 (09) Yo-Yo - The Osmonds
• 06 (10) Do You Know What I Mean? - Lee Michaels
• 07 (06) Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey - Paul & Linda McCartney
• 08 (05) Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers
• 09 (12) If You Really Love Me - Stevie Wonder
• 10 (14) Sweet City Woman - The Stampeders

The UK Number 1 album this week:

• Rod Stewart - Every Picture Tells A Story