FEBRUARY 1974

New UK Top 30 singles chart entries for the month under consideration. Perry Como did come to Glasgow at some point in 1975 but we didn't go to see him. We might have been on holiday at the time. Ringo Starr does not regard "You're Sixteen" as "harmless" these days and does not perform it on stage (video is here For Purposes Of Historical Completeness). Cat Power in for "Bubblerock." The demo version of "I Feel Like Going Home" is far superior to the studio original:

 

2 February

STEALERS WHEEL: Star/What More Could You Want (A&M AMS 7094)

"Stuck In The Middle With You" was naturally catchy. This is OK but drags a bit and isn't catchy.

 

BUBBLEROCK: (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction/Bubblerock Is Here To Stay (UK 53)

This would seem to be Jonathan King doing the Rolling Stones in the style of Bob Dylan. He always uses other names. Is he afraid of himself?

PERRY COMO: For The Good Times/Sing (RCA 2402)

This has come back from last year and mum has the album. Like a warm log fire if we had one here. There used to be one in the attic but that's an attic now. It would be nice if he came to the Glasgow Apollo.

The WOMBLES: The Wombling Song/Wombles Everywhere (CBS 1794)

TV theme and obviously it's going to be big. Is that Bernard Cribbins singing? This is on CBS and he's on Parlophone so it probably isn't.

The ISLEY BROTHERS: Highways Of My Life/Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight (Epic EPC 1980)

Really like this one. Tingling Moog lines which make me think of long, endless roads, like the one that goes up to Bothwell Castle, in the summer.

9 February

LENA ZAVARONI: Ma! (He's Making Eyes At Me)/Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody (Philips 6006 367)

Oh, leave me alone, child prodigies, especially Scottish-Italian ones who've already been on TV! I got enough pain with Neil Reid. My parents can't understand why I'm not famous yet - well maybe I don't WANT to be famous! She's confident and exuberant - all the things I'm not. I'm not even the brightest pupil in my class (nowhere near it really). I'd qutie like never having to go to school again. That's also painful.

PRELUDE: After The Goldrush/Johnson Boy (Dawn DNS 1052)

Acappella version of Neil Young song that Noel Edmonds plays all the time, so I guess that's why it's a hit.

BARRY WHITE: Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up/Standing In The Shadows Of Love (Pye International 7N 25633)

Now THIS is good. Greg Edwards advertises this on Luxembourg and his voice is SCARY. In fact Pye Records is a really scary label if you think about it. This is like Isaac Hayes - lots of talking before you get to any song - but it sounds richer and more sumptuous. Like nothing else around now, which is a good thing.

LOVE UNLIMITED ORCHESTRA: Love's Theme/Sweet Moments (Pye International 7N 25635)

This is Barry White as well - instrumental, but he wrote and I presume conducted it. A lot of the time you're waiting for him to come in and start talking about going to bed but this will be good for some television scenes.

MARC BOLAN & T. REX: Teenage Dream/Satisfaction Pony (EMI MARC 7)

Now it's Marc Bolan & T. Rex - maybe he has to remind people who he is because he's going down the charts now. Another one of those "Teenage" records to go with Alice Cooper and the Sweet, where are we all heading etc. This goes on for some time and actually it's really good and apocalyptic - great string arrangement (Tony Visconti). But he's moving away from his fans. It sounds like a resignation letter - he's resigning from pop.

SUZI QUATRO: Devil Gate Drive/In The Morning (RAK 167)

This is the business, her best since "Can The Can." Actually her records are ALL good but this kicks its way through. The lyrics are a bit "Monster Mash" but this is far more up-to-date than that. Really punches and thrashes about and the band obviously had a great time making the record; you can feel it. This is going to be another number one.

16 February 1974

GILBERT O'SULLIVAN: Happiness Is Me And You/Breakfast Dinner And Tea (MAM 114)

Yet another slow ballad, but at least he sounds in a better mood than he did on the last one. Can we have another uptempo one like "Get Down" next time?

The HOLLIES: The Air That I Breathe/No More Riders (Polydor 2058 435)

You don't see much of the Hollies in the charts these days, except when they're trying to be Creedence Clearwater Revival, but this is their best one in ages, an imperial ballad with soaring strings and peerless vocal harmonies. Their biggest hit since "He Ain't Heavy," I reckon.

ALVIN STARDUST: Jealous Mind/Guitar Star (Magnet MAG 5)

Soundalike follow-up. He's popular at the moment so this will be another huge hit, but will he still be getting hits at the end of the year? If this had been the sixties, Billy Fury could have done the song as a ballad.

23 February

HUDSON-FORD: Burn Baby Burn/Angels (A&M AMS 7096)

Apocalyptic campfire folk-rock strum from the ex-Strawbs. Thanks to the oil crisis there isn't so much to burn these days so I suppose there's that.

MEDICINE HEAD: Slip And Slide/Cajun Kick (Polydor 2058 436)

More easy listening hippie jamming, this time with a concertina.

CHARLIE RICH: The Most Beautiful Girl/I Feel Like Going Home (Epic EPC 1897)

Number one in the USA and it's going to be huge here too - beautiful country lonesome me ballad.

The BAY CITY ROLLERS: Remember/Bye Bye Barbara (Bell 1338)

 

Haven't heard from them since "Keep On Dancing" in 1971 but now they're back with what sounds like a Wall Of Sound tribute but with Edinburgh accents. Radio Luxembourg again.

RINGO STARR: You're Sixteen/Devil Woman (Apple R 5995)

Harmless oldie cover by the Beatle nobody can hate (we have the Ringo album already). McCartney on kazoo, Nilsson on ooh-la-las at the back.

BOWIE: Rebel, Rebel/Queen Bitch (RCA LPBO 5009)

Doesn't even call himself David any more - what's going on? "Let's Spend The Night Together" from Aladdin Sane proved he could make better Rolling Stones records than the Stones and this new one continues on that path. Catchy stomper marred only by boring pub piano and overlong fade.