UK Top 20: November 25, 1972 Ft. The Strawbs

New at No.20: The Strawbs with Lay Down

Presenting the UK Top 20 music chart for the week ending 25 November, 1972

Having completed two weeks as the UK's Number 1 record, Gilbert O'Sullivan relinquished the top spot in favour of Chuck Berry the artist with the nation's new best seller: My Ding-A-Ling. 

Further down the listing, we lost Top 20 hits from Python Lee Jackson, Family, Johnny Nash and Harley Quinne as the latest releases from The Strawbs, The Jackson Five, Rod Stewart and Slade entered the top section of the charts.

Read on...

Chuck Berry at Number 1

The Chart: 

• 01 (02) Chuck Berry - My Ding-A-Ling 
• 02 (07) The Osmonds - Crazy Horses 
• 03 (01) Gilbert O'Sullivan - Clair 
• 04 (06) Donny Osmond - Why 
• 05 (08) Elton John - Crocodile Rock 
• 06 (03) The Shangri-Las - Leader of the Pack 
• 07 (04) Shag - Loop Di Love 
• 08 (---) Slade - Gudbuy T'Jane 
• 09 (10) The Stylistics - I'm Stone in Love With You 
• 10 (23) Rod Stewart - Angel / What Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made a Loser Out of Me) 
• 11 (09) Chris Montez - Let's Dance 
• 12 (05) Lieutenant Pigeon - Mouldy Old Dough 
• 13 (21) The Jackson Five - Lookin' Through the Windows 
• 14 (14) Archie Bell and the Drells - Here I Go Again 
• 15 (15) The Carpenters - Goodbye to Love 
• 16 (13) 10cc - Donna 
• 17 (11) Alice Cooper - Elected 
• 18 (17) Junior Campbell - Hallelujah Freedom 
• 19 (20) Jeff Beck - Hi-Ho Silver Lining 
• 20 (26) The Strawbs - Lay Down

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

Stream This Week's New Hits:




08: Slade: Gudbuy T'Jane

Taken from the album Slayed?, Gudbuy T'Jane was Slade's fifth consecutive Top 5 UK hit and one of a few of the group's single releases during this period not to make Number 1.

It peaked at Number 2 - kept from the top by this week's Number 1 by Chuck Berry.

It fared well across Europe too, as well as becoming the band's biggest hit in the United States where it reached Number 68.



10: Rod Stewart: Angel/What Made Milwaukee Famous

Rod Stewart's latest release was issued as a double A-Side in the UK, coupling a cover of the Jimi Hendrix song Angel (included on his Number 1 album, Never A Dull Moment) with another cover - the country flavoured What Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made a Loser Out of Me) listen here, originally recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis in 1968.

Stewart brought soul to Angel, while watering down the country characterisation of Milwaukee, instead giving it a more pop/country feel.

It all worked, as the single continued to climb the chart, giving Stewart another Top Five record, peaking at Number 4.

13: The Jackson Five: Lookin' Through the Windows

The Jackson Five's previous single, Little Bitty Pretty One, had failed to make an appearance on the British listings but the the title track from their latest album had no such problem.

Lookin' Through the Windows marked a change in Michael's voice, moving from the boyish soprano to the more recognisable tenor of his later career.

It also changed the family's fortunes in the UK, as it became their first Top 10 single since I'll Be There in late 1970 - eventually reaching a peak placing of Number 9.

20: The Strawbs: Lay Down

Generally known for their folk rock roots, it would take around three years since the release of their first album for The Strawbs to appear on the singles listing.

Lay Down would be the song to bring them into the charts - in fact, their record label A&M confirmed that this was the band's first real attempt to crack open the singles market.

It worked; no doubt helped by their appearance on Top of the Pops, dressed as glittery glam rockers resplendent in accompanying make-up.

The song would climb to Number 12, ultimately starting a short-lived, but memorable, singles chart career.

The UK Number 1 album this week:

• Various Artists: 20 All Time Greats of the 50s

The American Top 10 (Click to play tracks)