UK Music Chart: October 31, 1970

Number 14: The Rattles: The Witch

After six weeks, there was a new Number 1 song on the UK music chart as Matthews' Southern Comfort leapt nine places to the top spot with a cover of the Joni Mitchell song, Woodstock. Meanwhile, four tracks made their debut on the Top 20 of this week in October, 1970.

The Chart:

• 01 (10) Matthews' Southern Comfort - Woodstock 
• 02 (03) Clarence Carter - Patches 
• 03 (01) Freda Payne - Band Of Gold 
• 04 (04) The Tremeloes - Me And My Life 
• 05 (02) Deep Purple - Black Night 
• 06 (05) Black Sabbath - Paranoid 
• 07 (09) The Temptations - Ball Of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today) 
• 08 (11) Bobby Bloom - Montego Bay 
• 09 (07) Diana Ross - Ain't No Mountain High Enough 
• 10 (13) The Four Tops - Still Water (Love)
• 11 (06) The Carpenters - (They Long To Be) Close To You 
• 12 (08) Desmond Dekker - You Can Get It If You Really Want 
• 13 (18) Melanie - Ruby Tuesday 
• 14 (22) The Rattles - The Witch 
• 15 (16) Edwin Starr - War 
• 16 (14) The Hollies - Gasoline Alley Bred 
• 17 (19) Des O'Connor - The Tip Of My Fingers 
• 18 (27) Jimmy Ruffin - It's Wonderful (To Be Love By You)
• 19 (32) Don Fardon - Indian Reservation 
• 20 (24) Roger Whittaker - New World In The Morning

*Previous week in brackets; Climbers denoted in red; New entries in bold 
Image: The Best of The Rattles

14: The Rattles: The Witch

It's the Halloween chart of 1970, so perhaps it's no surprise that a song by the name of The Witch should make its first appearance this week. Recorded by one of Germany's most successful bands of the time, The Rattles also enjoyed brief chart action in the US with this song. It would eventually become an international million seller and peak at Number 8 in the UK.

18: Jimmy Ruffin: It's Wonderful (To Be Loved By You)

In at Number 18 was Jimmy Ruffin's second hit of the year, his song benefitting from the Northern Soul club scene in the UK. He first came to prominence in the mid-1960s with tracks such as What Becomes of the Brokenhearted and I've Passed This Way Before, but found that his popularity had begun to wane in the US. He moved to the UK around this time and continued to enjoy irregular chart hits for the next ten years, such as this one: It's Wonderful (To Be Loved By You).

19: Don Fardon: Indian Reservation

American readers may remember The Raiders' recording of Indian Reservation, which topped the US chart in July 1971. However, Don Fardon's 1968 cover of John D. Loudermilk's song was the first to see chart action in both the US and the UK. Fardon, formerly the vocalist with The Sorrows, had enjoyed a minor hit earlier in the year with his tribute to footballer George Best called Belfast Boy. However, Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian) - to give it its full title - would be his biggest hit, registering a Number 3 peak in the UK and Number 20 in the US.  

20: Roger Whittaker: New World in the Morning

Roger Whittaker was riding a wave of success in Great Britain at the beginning of the 1970s and New World in the Morning reflected this, becoming his third Top 20 hit in the matter of twelve months. However, his easy listening style fell out of favour for a few years and this track would be his final major hit for five years.

Until next time...

UK Music Chart: October 24, 1970

Number 16: Edwin Starr: War

This week in October 1970 would be the sixth and final week that Freda Payne would hold the Number 1 spot in the UK singles chart. A change was a-comin' in the shape of Matthews' Southern Comfort but, before that happened, there were two new songs entering the lower reaches of the Top 20 to enjoy.

• 01 (01) Freda Payne - Band Of Gold 
• 02 (02) Deep Purple - Black Night 
• 03 (14) Clarence Carter - Patches 
• 04 (04) The Tremeloes - Me And My Life 
• 05 (05) Black Sabbath - Paranoid 
• 06 (08) The Carpenters - (They Long To Be) Close To You 
• 07 (06) Diana Ross - Ain't No Mountain High Enough 
• 08 (03) Desmond Dekker - You Can Get It If You Really Want 
• 09 (10) The Temptations - Ball Of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today) 
• 10 (11) Matthews' Southern Comfort - Woodstock 
• 11 (07) Bobby Bloom - Montego Bay 
• 12 (09) Poppy Family Ft. Susan Jacks - Which Way You Goin' Billy? 
• 13 (20) The Four Tops - Still Water (Love)
• 14 (19) The Hollies - Gasoline Alley Bred 
• 15 (13) Horace Faith - Black Pearl 
• 16 (---) Edwin Starr - War 
• 17 (24) Blue Mink - Our World (Re)
• 18 (21) Melanie - Ruby Tuesday 
• 19 (15) Des O'Connor - The Tip Of My Fingers 
• 20 (17) Elvis Presley - The Wonder Of You

*Previous week in brackets; Climbers denoted in red; New entries in bold 
 Image: The Hits of Edwin Starr

Making its first appearance in the UK Top 20 at Number 16 was what had been a Temptations' album track, but was rebooted for soul singer Edwin Starr by its co-writer, Norman Whitfield. By this time, War had already spent three weeks at the top of the US charts, demonstrating much of the American public's contempt for events surrounding their government's involvement in Vietnam. Starr's intense and dramatic vocal turned it into one of rock's most successful protest songs, as well as the most enduring hit of his career.

   

Melanie's first international hit single, Lay Down (Candles in the Rain), was released earlier in 1970, but completely missed the UK Top 50. It wasn't until she covered The Rolling Stones' Ruby Tuesday that she broke in Great Britain, taking her folk/pop version into the Top 10. Strangely, the track performed poorly in her homeland, unable to crack the Top 50 there. She would return to both listing in 1971, though, with her better remembered, Brand New Key.

Until next time....

UK Music Chart: October 17, 1970

Number 11: Woodstock: Matthews' Southern Comfort

Freda Payne continued her grip on the UK Number 1 spot as she started a fifth week singing the nation's best selling song, Band of Gold. Elsewhere, there was a lot of upward movement within the Top 20, including five new entries, one of which would shortly replace the American soul singer at the top.

• 01 (01) Freda Payne - Band Of Gold 
• 02 (03) Deep Purple - Black Night 
• 03 (02) Desmond Dekker - You Can Get It If You Really Want 
• 04 (08) The Tremeloes - Me And My Life 
• 05 (04) Black Sabbath - Paranoid 
• 06 (07) Diana Ross - Ain't No Mountain High Enough 
• 07 (05) Bobby Bloom - Montego Bay 
• 08 (06) The Carpenters - (They Long To Be) Close To You 
• 09 (10) Poppy Family Ft. Susan Jacks - Which Way You Goin' Billy? 
• 10 (16) The Temptations - Ball Of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today) 
• 11 (24) Matthew's Southern Comfort - Woodstock 
• 12 (15) Family - Strange Band 
• 13 (14) Horace Faith - Black Pearl 
• 14 (39) Clarence Carter - Patches 
• 15 (33) Des O'Connor - The Tip Of My Fingers 
• 16 (12) Smokey Robinson And The Miracles - Tears Of A Clown 
• 17 (11) Elvis Presley - The Wonder Of You 
• 18 (09) Chairmen Of The Board - Give Me Just A Little More Time 
• 19 (23) The Hollies - Gasoline Alley Bred 
• 20 (27) The Four Tops - Still Water (Love)

*Previous week in brackets; Climbers denoted in red; New entries in bold 
 Image: Matthews' Southern Comfort: The Essential Collection

In essence, Matthews Southern Comfort was Iain Matthews, who originally came to prominence as a vocalist with the folk group, Fairport Convention. He led Southern Comfort for a couple of years, during which time the band recorded a cover of this Joni Mitchell song. It was the group's only commercially successful recording, entering the UK Top 20 at this week's Number 11 and ultimately capturing the Number 1 spot for three weeks. It's also my favourite version of Woodstock.

Three places below at Number 14 was the only UK hit from American soul man, Clarence Carter. He had been a regular on the US pop and R&B charts for around three years, but it was his cover of the Chairmen of the Board song Patches that almost took him to the top of the British listing. The track ultimately stalled at Number 2, but across the pond it won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song and became a Number 4 pop hit.

Inexplicably - for this author at least - people were buying enough copies of Des O'Connor's output to actually push it into the national charts. A couple of years earlier he'd enjoyed a Number 1 hit with I Pretend, but thankfully The Tip of My Fingers would be his last entry in the singles chart for a further 16 years when, in 1986,  The Skye Boat Song would make an appearance in the Top 10. 

Much more enjoyable was the arrival of the latest hit by The Hollies, a group that was never away from the British charts for too long at this time. Gasoline Alley Bred was the follow-up to the more successful I Can't Tell the Bottom From the Top, marking the start of a decline in the band's commercial fortunes in the UK over the next few years. It would be 1974 before we would see the group in the Top 20 again, but nevertheless, it's wonderful to be reminded of this 'forgotten' hit which entered the listing this week at Number 19.

Yet another of Motown's legendary vocal groups was enjoying phenomenal success in the UK as The Four Tops joined both Diana Ross and The Temptations in this week's UK Top 20. In fact, the Tops were on something of a roll on this side of the ocean, as Still Water (Love) became the fifth of six consecutive Top 20 UK entries for the quartet. Co-written by Smokey Robinson, the song enters this week at Number 20 and would eventually peak at Number 10 (Number 11 Stateside). 

  

Until next time...

UK Music Chart: October 10, 1970

Number 16: The Temptations: Ball of Confusion

Freda Payne continued to reign supreme over the UK Singles Chart in October 1970, as she began a fourth week as the nation's Number 1 with Band of Gold. Elsewhere, an eclectic mix of musical genres was climbing the chart, but this week's two new entries to the Top 20 shared a common theme.

• 01 (01) Freda Payne - Band Of Gold 
• 02 (02) Desmond Dekker - You Can Get It If You Really Want 
• 03 (05) Deep Purple - Black Night 
• 04 (08) Black Sabbath - Paranoid 
• 05 (03) Bobby Bloom - Montego Bay 
• 06 (14) The Carpenters - (They Long To Be) Close To You 
• 07 (13) Diana Ross - Ain't No Mountain High Enough 
• 08 (15) The Tremeloes - Me And My Life 
• 09 (06) Chairmen Of The Board - Give Me Just A Little More Time 
• 10 (07) Poppy Family Ft. Susan Jacks - Which Way You Goin' Billy? 
• 11 (09) Elvis Presley - The Wonder Of You 
• 12 (04) Smokey Robinson And The Miracles - Tears Of A Clown 
• 13 (18) Aretha Franklin - Don't Play That Song 
• 14 (20) Horace Faith - Black Pearl 
• 15 (11) Family - Strange Band 
• 16 (26) The Temptations - Ball Of Confusion 
• 17 (10) Hot Chocolate - Love Is Life 
• 18 (12) Three Dog Night - Mama Told Me (Not To Come) 
• 19 (24) Blue Mink - Our World 
• 20 (16) Bread - Make It With You

*Previous week in brackets; Climbers denoted in red; New entries in bold
 Image: The Temptations: Psychedelic Soul

The Temptations were now in their "psychedelic period", having teamed up with Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong as their songwriters. Ball of Confusion was the follow-up to the equally pacy Psychedelic Shack, but with lyrics which reflected the major political concerns of the time. The track was a world away from the content that we had come to expect from The Temptations, causing some concern that conservative America may not accept this kind of material from the group. There was no need to worry, though, as the single raced to Number 3 in the US and Number 7 in the UK.

Meanwhile, Blue Mink followed up its previous Top 10 hit, Good Morning Freedom, with a British take on the "Ball of Confusion". Much less psychedelic and hard-hitting than their American counterparts, the band's "green" message was nevertheless equally as important - even if it sounded as if it was a hangover from the "Summer of Love". Not one of the group's most successful singles, Our World would peak at Number 17 but became the song that would give Blue Mink its only appearance in the US charts.

Until next time...

UK Music Chart: October 3, 1970

Number 20: Horace Faith: Black Pearl

Freda Payne racked up her third week as the UK Number 1 on this date in October 1970, while many of the new entries from last week continued their upward climb within the Top 20.

Looking back, it's amazing to see two of Britain's biggest heavy metal bands occupying places within the Top 10 singles, with Deep Purple at Number 5 and Black Sabbath at Number 8. Not a situation that would repeat itself in years to come. On another note, new entries were hard to come by, with only one making an appearance in this week's listing.

• 01 (01) Freda Payne - Band Of Gold 
• 02 (04) Desmond Dekker - You Can Get It If You Really Want 
• 03 (08) Bobby Bloom - Montego Bay 
• 04 (02) Smokey Robinson And The Miracles - Tears Of A Clown 
• 05 (09) Deep Purple - Black Night 
• 06 (03) Chairmen Of The Board - Give Me Just A Little More Time 
• 07 (07) Poppy Family Ft. Susan Jacks - Which Way You Goin' Billy? 
• 08 (19) Black Sabbath - Paranoid 
• 09 (05) Elvis Presley - The Wonder Of You 
• 10 (11) Hot Chocolate - Love Is Life 
• 11 (14) Family - Strange Band 
• 12 (06) Three Dog Night - Mama Told Me Not To Come 
• 13 (16) Diana Ross - Ain't No Mountain High Enough 
• 14 (15) The Carpenters - (They Long To Be) Close To You 
• 15 (18) The Tremeloes - Me And My Life 
• 16 (10) Bread - Make It With You 
• 17 (12) Jimmy Cliff - Wild World 
• 18 (13) Aretha Franklin - Don't Play That Song 
• 19 (23) Andy Williams - It's So Easy (Re)
• 20 (27) Horace Faith - Black Pearl

*Previous week in brackets; Climbers denoted in red; New entries in bold
Image: Horace Faith at Discogs

While Andy Williams re-entered the Top 20 with It's So Easy at Number 19, one place below him was the only new song to feature in this week's listing, Black Pearl. Originally co-written and produced by Phil Spector for the American band Checkmates Ltd, Jamaican reggae singer Horace Faith picked it up for release in the UK. Given Trojan Records' classic pop/reggae flavour, it emulated the American version by peaking at Number 13 in the charts.

Until next time...