On 04/10/2020 16:06, Robbie wrote:
> On 04/10/2020 11:12, Chris Brown wrote:
>> Well, I'm not in Indiana but it's windy and rainy enough in Harrow
>> today, thanks.
>
> The south seems to have had a nasty few days of wind and rain. It rained
> all yesterday but the sun was shining this morning.
We had all the weather today.
UPDATE: I started this reply a few days ago, it's been a bit more
consistent today.
>> Chart dated: 8th October 1977
>
> The month when singles sales started to pick up rapidly in the UK
> building to then record breaking levels in late 1978 / early 1979.
>
> An interesting chart with many nationalities represented here. There
> were slim pickings for British acts. In the top 10 only Yes were from
> the UK.
David Soul also has British nationality now, but he didn't in 1977.
>> 1. (2) David Soul Silver Lady
>
> I didn't care much for any of his hits but this was probably the best of
> them.
I would agree with that assessment.
>> 2. (1) Elvis Presley Way Down
>
> The death of Elvis was the top celebrity death of 1977. I've posted
> about this before but his death kept open the RCA record factory which
> was located in my town. It had been earmrked for closure in July 1977
> but the death of Elvis led to such a demand for his albums and led to 24
> hour working for several months. The factory did eventually close in 1981.
>
> Awful song.
I guess it's sort of interesting how silly it is, but I'm sure it wasn't
the epitaph he'd have wanted.
>> 3. (8) La Belle Epoque Black Is Black
>
> Another of those Euro disco hits that were by this point making the
> charts with ease.
There doesn't seem to have been as many Euro disco covers in the charts
as there were Eurodance covers in the 90s.
>> 4. (7) The Emotions Best Of My Love
>
> First record in this chart I owned. I loved this back then and still
> think it's a great song.
Slightly overplayed but certainly a good track.
>> 5. (3) Space Magic Fly
>
> Second single I owned. La Belle Epoque were a French based act with a
> French singer. Space were French as was Jean Michel-Jarre at number 11.
> This is still a brilliant instrumental track.
Certainly unusual to have two French instrumentals Top 10 together (the
previous week).
Definitely my favourite band called Space who had a Top 10 hit.
> And Daft Punk must have
> been influenced by the video.
Ha, yeah, and maybe the song too in fact.
>> 6. (9) Patsy Gallant From New York To L.A.
>
> Keeping the French connection alive, Patsy is a Canadian of French
> heritage and grew up in a French speaking household. Indeed her early
> releases were sung entirely in French. Shades of Celine Dion's career in
> the 1980s.
Ironically, the USA was one of the few places this wasn't a big hit.
>> 7. (16) Yes Wonderous Stories
>
> The only UK act in the top 10 with one of the most unlikeliest top 10
> hits of 1977.
I suppose by the standards of previous Yes albums this was a more
commercial sound. I was slightly surprised to learn that the four-minute
single version isn't actually an edit, it's straight off the album.
>> 8. (11) Danny Mirror I Remember Elvis Presley
>
> Just awful. At least this was meant as a heartfelt ribute to Elvis by
> the Dutchman.
He turned it around quickly too, I'll give him that.
>Follow up single 'We Wish You (A Merry Christmas)' was
> enough to have Elvis turning in his grave
>
>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9D9Ugnppdk
>
> I don't know if he's trying to sound like Elvis in the above (and
> failing badly) or if that is his natural singing voice.
Surely he is trying (and failing). At least he's not singing about Elvis
in the Elvis voice, I guess.
> Either way it's
> worse than his hit single. Fortunately his Christmas single was only
> released in the Netherlands.
On the other hand, he did co-write 'Ding-A-Dong' by Teach-In.
>> 9. (6) Meri Wilson Telephone Man
>
> A silly novelty record. Meri's career seems to have been guided by car
> accidents. Her first car accident was in 1975 and left her in a body
> cast for months. She passed the time by writing novelty songs thus
> moving her (until then) unsuccessful music career in a more successful
> direction. Unfortunately a second car accident in 2002 killed both her
> career and sadly Meri herself stone dead.
I suppose this was even less suited to people wanting to play it after
she died than the Elvis one.
>> 10. (5) Donna Summer Down Deep Inside
>
> Donna Summer's cahrt career went into overdrive in the second half of
> 1977. This is the theme tune from a long forgotten fil called "The
> Deep". Not her best but not too bad. Co-written by Donna and John Barry.
Makes sense if it's a film theme.
>> 11. (4) Jean-Michel Jarre Oxygene Part IV
>
> An influential artist. While this track isn't bad I always thought it
> was a bit lighweight.
Someone did point out that you can sing "Oxygene Part 4, Oxygene Part 4,
Jean-Michel Jarre"
I saw the Electronic Music exhibition a couple of a weeks ago and they
had a reconstruction of his studio.
>> 12. (10) Elkie Brooks Sunshine After The Rain
>
> Miss Warbly Voice but I quite like this one.
It does suit the song, which might have been too bland with a smoother
voice.
>> 13. (20) The Stranglers No More Heroes
>
> One of their best singles. Great song.
Good work from all four of them.
>> 14. (24) Baccara Yes Sir I Can Boogie
>
> On its way to number 1. Awful song by the two Spanish ladies.
A classic case of a hit single that breaks the fourth wall.
>> 15. (14) The Boomtown Rats Looking After Number One
>
> I quite liked this one.
Not their most exciting.
>> 16. (18) Ram Jam Black Betty
>
> And this one too. And even the 1990 remix.
Seemed an odd song to remix.
>> 17. (21) Donna Summer I Remember Yesterday
>
> From her concept album of the same name that had already spawned the
> number 1 single 'I Remember Yesterday'. I think only Donna could have
> got away with this strange mix of disco and a 1940s sound.
I suppose Doop was more 1920s.
>> 18. (15) Rods Do Anything You Wanna Do
>
> I bought this single. Great song. Produced and co-written by Ed Hollis,
> the late brother of the now late Mark Hollis of Talk Talk.
Though apparently he wasn't the "Eddie" in the band name.
>> 19. (13) The Dooleys I Think I'm Gonna Fall In love With You
>
> Dreaful song by a dreadful band.
Some of their songs had some entertainment value.
>> 20. (12) Carly Simon Nobody Does It Better
>
> Theme to the James Bond movie "The Spy Who Loved Me". Great song.
Certainly one of the best Bond themes.
>> 23. (27) David Essex Cool Out Tonight
>
> He was struggling with mid chart mediocrity by now.
And not as interesting musically as earlier either.
>> 25. (30) Giorgio From Here To Eternity
>
> An excellent elctro-disco single from Giorgio Moroder.
No connection to the film, I think.
>> 26. (23) The Adverts Gary Gilmore's Eyes
>
> A good song but probably not something to be taken seriously.
I guess it's a kind of grotesque novelty.
I'd never thought of that before but it makes sense.
>> 28. (NE) The Clash Complete Control
>
> This fell from the all-important top 30 (which was all Radio 1 broadcast
> at the time) the following week. At the time it was a very rare example
> of a single entering so high up the chart and falling the following week.
Which seems to imply it was only really selling to existing fans, though
understandable as it was basically them moaning about their record company.
Also their first single with Topper Headon.
>> 32. (NE) Status Quo Rockin' All Over The World
>
> One of my favourite Quo records. Great song.
Not sure it's quite my favourite but it really seems to encapsulate the
"classic" Quo sound.
>> 33. (32) Stevie Wonder Another Star
>
> From 'Songs In The Key Of Life', one of the best albums of the 1970s.
Also used for World Cup coverage a few years ago IIRC.
>> 46. (NE) Peter Blake Lipsmackin' Rock N' Rollin'
>
> Started life as a Pepsi Coke advert.
Yes, I recently saw that ad for the first time. It could be described as
"of its time" even though it's set about 20 years before.
>> 49. (NE) The Carpenters Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft
>> (The Recognized Anthem Of World Contact Day)
>
> By The Carpenters standards, a very bizarre song. A cover of a track by
> Canadian band Klaatu.
Klaatu's other great claim to fame is of course that their album didn't
have their names or photos on the cover so somebody started a rumour
they were The Beatles.
> STAR BREAKERS
> b02 (b05) RIGHT ON TIME - Brothers Johnson
Not as good as Stomp but OK.
> b03 (NEW) HIGHER & HIGHER - Rita Coolidge (Chart Entry 15-Oct-1977 at
> No. 49)
Not sure this cover was necessary.
> b04 (b03) SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE - Rosetta Stone
I suppose doing this cover on a synthesiser was noteworthy at the time.
> b05 (NEW) IT'S ECSTASY WHEN YOU LAY DOWN NEXT TO ME - Barry White (Chart
> Entry 15-Oct-1977 at No. 41)
Not his most memorable.
> b06 (NEW) I BELIEVE YOU - Dorothy Moore (Chart Entry 15-Oct-1977 at No. 46)
> b07 (b06) THEME FROM BIG TIME - Smokey Robinson
A bit of a move from the Miracles sound.
> b08 (NEW) YOU MAKE LOVING FUN - Fleetwood Mac
> b09 (NEW) SHE'S NOT THERE - Santana (Chart Entry 15-Oct-1977 at No. 50)
And the two tracks that are probably best-known now are at the bottom of
this chart.
Chris