JANUARY 1978

 

Notes on Text

The above-left photograph is one of Redan Place, Bayswater, London W2. At the Redan Recorders studio which used to exist in this street, Spirits Rejoice! by the Louis Moholo-Moholo Octet and In Conference by Harry Miller were recorded respectively on 24 and 27 January 1978, one day before and three days after my fourteenth birthday.

The label of "If I Had Words" credits "the St Thomas Moore School Choir"; they were actually from the St Thomas More Language College, a Roman Catholic secondary school based in Cadogan Street, Chelsea (some would argue Knightsbridge; yet others Belgravia).

Despite going top ten and selling a million in the United States, "The Groove Line" disappointingly only peaked at number twelve here; the band were unavailable for Top Of The Pops, meaning that Legs & Co had to perform one of their dully literal dance interpretations. If you glance through the charts of old and wonder why such-and-such a classic single wasn't a bigger hit here in Britain, it's probably because Pan's People or Zoo or Legs & Co "danced" to it, to the pleasure of fathers everywhere but to the records' short-term detriment.

Motherhood of Bran did eventually make number one after Althia & Donna spent only one week at the top, a situation not helped by a terrible TOTP performance where the orchestra appeared to have turned the song into a Glenn Miller tribute.

"Heartsong" ended up being used as the theme to BBC1's Holiday tourist programme, but that happened some while after the song was a hit.

As usual, when I can't make my mind up about a dance track, I've posted links to both the 7-inch/radio edits and the full-length 12-inch mixes for completeness' sake. 

 

7 January

TERRY WOGAN: The Floral Dance/Old Rockin' Chair (Philips 6006 592)

 

Inevitably the great Irishman gets to add a vocal to the Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band hit that he helped to happen, and although he obviously cannot sing for toffee, he enters into the proceedings with good spirit and this should have novelty appeal to hungover first-footers.

 

ODYSSEY: Native New Yorker/Ever Lovin' Sam (RCA Victor PB 1129)

 

Somewhat dated Dr Buzzard/hustle blend that plods a little too much to render it really danceable, but is obviously an MoR hit.

ALTHIA & DONNA: Up Town Top Ranking/MIGHTY TWO: Calico Suit (Lightning LIG 506)

 

Already paraphrased on stage by Joe Strummer, this explosively catchy reggae tune, sung entirely in Jamaican patois and produced by Joe "Two Sevens Clash" Gibbs (which song inspired the name of Strummer's band), has the potential to become the next "Double Barrel," with the same periodic nice harmonic twist when you're not looking and gallons of amiable cheek. If I were Wings I'd be very worried because this could go all the way.

 

 

14 January

BILL WITHERS: Lovely Day/It Ain't Because Of Me Baby (CBS 5773)

 

Looking to have his first British hit in nearly six years, this is a spring song two months early. Charming and bold, with breath-challenging sustained vocal notes, Clarence McDonald's subtle strings, a deceptively easy rhythm section and a heart-stopping harmonic progression, this really captures that wonderful feeling you get in the morning when you see the sun shining through the front window and are reminded that life has a very clear point, that everything is going to be good. One could walk down Kylepark Avenue singing it, or at least with the song in one's head. Deserves to be big.

 

T-CONNECTION: On Fire/Cush (T.K. Records TKR 6006)

 

Even more dynamic than "Do What You Wanna Do" and an obvious dancefloor smash, this is brilliant and propulsive Miami pop-funk with a bringing-down-the-mountains elegiac descending-chord chorus and once again requires the full 12-inch format for maximum impact. Leave "Native New Yorker" to your parents.

 

 

21 January

THE IMPERIALS: Who's Gonna Love Me/Can You Imagine (Power Exchange Records & Tapes PX 266)

 

Now without Little Anthony, the Imperials finally get the top thirty hit they didn't quite manage two years ago with the revived "Better Use Your Head"; a snakey hustler which despite its terrible lyrics - no wonder she left you, pal - I find really compelling; the near-unhinged soprano sax solo is the cherry on this particular cake.

 

SCOTT FITZGERALD & YVONNE KEELEY (WITH THE ST THOMAS MOORE [sic] SCHOOL CHOIR): If I Had Words (Pepper Records/United Artists UP 36333)

 

A real sleeper that Luxembourg has already been playing for two months which has already been a smash all over the Continent but is about to become a monster hit here, this very clever pop-reggae adaptation of the central theme from Saint-Saëns' Third Symphony gradually pulls out all the stops; wailing pseudo-soul lead vocals, children's choir, brass and strings, church organ, tubular bells and eventually the proverbial kitchen sink, thanks to arranger and producer Jonathan Hodge. I actually find it very moving.

 

WAR: Galaxy (Part 1)/Galaxy (Part 2) (MCA 339)

 

"The music of the future!" exclaimed Bob Stewart delightedly when he played this on Luxembourg, and one can only agree with him; its free-form intro leads into a patient yet insistent groove, not a million miles from Don Cherry's Relativity Suite but put to drastically different ends. War don't often have hits in Britain, but you notice when they do.

 

HEATWAVE: The Groove Line/Happiness Togetherness (GTO GT 115)

 

Their best since "Boogie Nights"; a monstrously great dance-funk record with an irresistible train groove and a lovely and somewhat melancholy extended fadeout; once again Rod Temperton, John Cameron and Barry Blue come through. There's no reason why this shouldn't be huge. What pop music is all about.

 

BROTHERHOOD OF MAN: Figaro/You Can Say That Again (Pye 7N 46037)

 

Depressingly looking like they're heading for a third number one - although they're unlikely to overtake Althia & Donna next week - this irritatingly jaunty Blackpool rock romp about a dangerous swarthy guy walking around on the beach is destined to thrill Kiss-Me-Quik wallys from Inverness to Sevenoaks, and we're stuck with them, punk rock or no punk rock.

 

 

28 January

GORDON GILTRAP: Heartsong/The Deserter (The Electric Record Company WOT 19)

 

Another one which Andrew Austin likes, this technically excellent but uninvolving instrumental with handclaps, as though the Shadows had been commissioned to write music for Spanish holiday commercials, is catchy enough to snare Kylepark residents, although its music press advertisements - "you gotta have 'Heartsong'!" - would be enough to turn anybody into a punk. A fine guitarist, undoubtedly, but this really is only slightly superior muzak.

 

RICH KIDS: Rich Kids/Empty Words (EMI 2738)

 

Interesting that, although EMI dropped the Sex Pistols, they were happy to sign Glen Matlock's new band; helped enormously by ex-Slik/PVC frontman Midge Ure - this is what the Bay City Rollers might have sounded like if they'd been allowed to go punk - "Rich Kids" is a punchy if somewhat undistinguished New Wave (not punk; there are no swear words or other controversial content) rocker which should do quite well on reputation alone, but I'm not sure that it bodes promisingly for a long-term career.

 

ROSE ROYCE: Wishing On A Star/Funk Factory (Whitfield Records K 17060)

 

A startling, ethereal ballad about lost loves, hopes and chances - you can sense singer Gwen Dickey desperately clutching to the possibilities of a second chance, however vague or improbable (the upward Moog flurries reflect those remote hopes floating away in the breeze, or storm) - which finally ends up walking round a circle of sorrow, and bearing the best string arrangement on a Norman Whitfield record since "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" - once again provided by Paul Riser - this is deservedly likely to become the band's biggest hit yet.

 

BACCARA: Sorry, I'm A Lady/Love You Till I Die (RCA Victor PB 5555)

 

More convoluted and a lot less catchy than the chart-topping predecessor that it strives to emulate, but should still hold enough residual attraction for wallys to hoist it into the top ten.