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)

UK Top 20: November 18, 1972 Ft. The Osmonds

The Osmond Family raid the UK Top 10

Presenting the UK Top 20 music chart for the week ending 18 November, 1972

Under increased pressure, Gilbert O'Sullivan managed to maintain his grip on the UK Singles Chart with his affectionate composition for his manager's daughter, Clair.

Further down the chart, Osmondmania was responsible for the two highest new entries as both Donny and his brothers claimed neighbouring spots within the Top 10. Just two other "new" songs slipped into the listing (one a re-release, the other a cover song) as singles by Judge Dread, Elvis Presley, Gary Glitter and Peter Skellern fell out of the Top 20.

Read on...

Gilbert O'Sullivan at Number 1

The Chart: 

• 01 (01) Gilbert O'Sullivan - Clair 
• 02 (06) Chuck Berry - My Ding-A-Ling 
• 03 (08) The Shangri-Las - Leader of the Pack 
• 04 (05) Shag - Loop Di Love 
• 05 (02) Lieutenant Pigeon - Mouldy Old Dough 
• 06 (21) Donny Osmond - Why 
• 07 (27) The Osmonds - Crazy Horses 
• 08 (20) Elton John - Crocodile Rock 
• 09 (15) Chris Montez - Let's Dance 
• 10 (19) The Stylistics - I'm Stone in Love With You 
• 11 (04) Alice Cooper - Elected 
• 12 (07) Python Lee Jackson - In a Broken Dream 
• 13 (03) 10cc - Donna 
• 14 (11) Archie Bell and the Drells - Here I Go Again 
• 15 (09) The Carpenters - Goodbye to Love 
• 16 (13) Family - Burlesque 
• 17 (10) Junior Campbell - Hallelujah Freedom 
• 18 (12) Johnny Nash - There Are More Questions Than Answers 
• 19 (23) Harley Quinne - New Orleans 
• 20 (22) Jeff Beck - Hi Ho Silver Lining

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

Stream This Week's New Hits:




06: Donny Osmond: Why

Osmondmania in the UK continued to gather pace as Donny returned to the British Top 10 for the third time in a row, this time with yet another cover song: Why.

Originally a Number 1 hit in the USA for Frankie Avalon at the cusp of the 1960s and topping the UK chart for Anthony Newley in January 1960, Osmond revived the song for his adoring fans - most of whom would have never heard the original(s).

The result was a UK Number 3 hit - achieving a 20-week run on the listing - while it stalled at Number 13 in the singer's homeland.

07: The Osmonds: Crazy Horses

Even though Donny's much more sugary solo offering only just beat his brothers (and himself) into the Top 10 this week, The Osmonds' rockier Crazy Horses would finally become the bigger British hit peaking at Number 2.

Instantly recognisable by its 'wah! wah!' intro, the song's subject matter now seems more than a little ahead of its time: the environment, ecology and particularly, large petrol-thirsty cars harming the planet with choking fumes.

It became the brothers' debut British hit, while it peaked at Number 14 in the States to become their sixth Top 20 entry there.

19: Harley Quinne: New Orleans

A group of session musicians was brought together to promote a production from the Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway songwriting team - namely New Orleans.

When the song began to climb the charts on the back of the glam rock phenomenon, faces had to be added for TV appearances. Thus, Harley Quinne was born.

While New Orleans managed a Top 20 placing (this week's No.19 peak), its two follow-ups failed to ignite public interest and the Harley Quinne venture was ditched.

20: Jeff Beck: Hi Ho Silver Lining

Some might call this a cover version as a band called The Attack released this song in March 1967, a few days earlier than the Jeff Beck rendition.

In a year full of re-releases, Hi Ho Silver Lining was another single revisiting the British charts, this time managing a peak position of No.17 (originally No.14 in 1967).

It would make yet another sojourn to the listing in 1982, but failed to make much headway on that occasion (No.62).

For comparison, here's The Attack's version.


The UK Number 1 album this week:

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

The American Top 10 (Click to play tracks)




The song at Number 8 in the USA this week was by The Delegates and called Convention '72, a parody record about the American Presidential contenders - and unavailable to stream.

UK Top 20: November 11, 1972 Ft. Chuck Berry

Big Mover: Chuck Berry climbs to Number 6

Presenting the UK Top 20 music chart for the week ending 11 November, 1972

A new week and a new Number 1 as Gilbert O'Sullivan climbs one place to the top of the UK charts with his sentimental ode to his manager's daughter, Clair.

Elsewhere, there were some big movers climbing into the Top 20 as songs from Elton John, Archie Bell and the Drells, Chuck Berry and The Stylistics replaced hits by Bread, The Sweet, David Bowie and David Cassidy.

Read on...

Gilbert O'Sullivan at Number 1

The Chart: 

• 01 (02) Gilbert O'Sullivan - Clair 
• 02 (01) Lieutenant Pigeon - Mouldy Old Dough 
• 03 (03) 10cc - Donna 
• 04 (05) Alice Cooper - Elected 
• 05 (07) Shag - Loop Di Love 
• 06 (23) Chuck Berry - My Ding-A-Ling 
• 07 (04) Python Lee Jackson - In A Broken Dream 
• 08 (06) The Shangri-Las - Leader of the Pack 
• 09 (11) The Carpenters - Goodbye to Love 
• 10 (13) Junior Campbell - Hallelujah Freedom 
• 11 (24) Archie Bell and the Drells - Here I Go Again 
• 12 (10) Johnny Nash - There Are More Questions Than Answers 
• 13 (14) Family - Burlesque 
• 14 (09) Elvis Presley - Burning Love 
• 15 (19) Chris Montez - Let's Dance 
• 16 (08) Peter Skellern - You're A Lady 
• 17 (12) Gary Glitter - I Didn't Know I Loved You (Till I Saw You Rock 'n' Roll) 
• 18 (15) Judge Dread - Big Six 
• 19 (31) The Stylistics - I'm Stone in Love With You 
• 20 (42) Elton John - Crocodile Rock

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

Stream This Week's New Hits:



06: Chuck Berry: My Ding-A-Ling

More than seven years after his last British hit, rock'n'roll pioneer Chuck Berry returned to the UK charts in 1972 with an entirely different sound.

Originally recorded in the early 1950s by Dave Bartholomew, Berry recorded a version of My Ding-A-Ling in 1968 called My Tambourine. However, it was a live recording of the song which would eventually top the charts on both sides of the Atlantic.

The innuendo laden lyrics caused some (American) radio stations to refuse to play it and even the UK's clean-up campaigner Mary Whitehouse tried to (unsuccessfully) ban it.

Nevertheless, the single sold by the shed load, hitting Number 1 in the UK for four weeks and for two weeks in the USA.

11: Archie Bell and the Drells: Here I Go Again

Having missed out on a British chart placing for their American Number 1 Tighten Up four years earlier, US RandB vocal group Archie Bell and the Drells eventually hit the UK listing with the re-release of a 1969 recording, Here I Go Again.

Fuelled by its popularity on the Northern Soul scene, the single peaked at its highest placing of Number 11 this week during a run of ten weeks on the chart.

Its surprise UK success led to the re-release of the 1968 track (There's Gonna Be A) Showdown, but this US Top 30 hit could not repeat its predecessor's climb up the British chart, eventually peaking at Number 36.

This would not be the last time we would see Archie Bell and the Drells in the British Top 20, though. They would return on one more occasion in the Spring of 1976 with the song Soul City Walk.

19: The Stylistics: I'm Stone in Love With You

Taken from their album Round 2, I'm Stone in Love With You became The Stylistics' second UK chart entry and their first to enter the British Top 10 (No.9).

Written by Linda Creed together with Thom and Tony Bell, it was among the many tracks which helped define the soulful "Philly Sound" of the early 1970s.

Although recorded by a number of acts during the Seventies, only Johnny Mathis was able to bring the song back onto the British charts when it hit Number 10 in 1975.

20: Elton John: Crocodile Rock

After the relative failure of his previous single, Honky Cat (No.31) in the UK, it would be Crocodile Rock which returned Elton John to the British Top 20 (No.5).

Released as the lead single from his sixth studio album, Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only the Piano Player, Crocodile Rock would go on to become the singer's first US Number 1 - and the first to be released on the newly formed MCA label.

It also helped the album to top the charts on both sides of the Atlantic - his first to do so in the UK.




The UK Number 1 album this week:

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

The American Top 10 (Click to play tracks)



The song at Number 9 in the USA this week was by The Delegates and called Convention '72, a parody record about the American Presidential contenders.