FIRST HOUR
Summer In The City (The Lovin' Spoonful)
(1966)... a rockin' '60s classic which has stood the test of time as a really cool song, a complete contrast from their other big hit from the same year, the very hummable but much more laid back Daydream
Mirror Man (The Human League)
(1982)... having previously topped the chart with Don't You Want Me, they came close to repeating its success with Mirror Man, conceived and written as a celebration of Philip Oakey and Philip Adrian Wright's love of old Motown records [W]
You're The Reason Why (The Rubettes)
... from the first of today's featured years ~ a very under-rated single which deserved to do much better than a lowly # 28. Sounding more '60s than '70s, it's got a bit of the old Mersey Sound feel to it, pure pop with more of a stripped back production than previous Rubettes hits and most other chart singles around at the time
Much sought-after Northern Soul
I'll Do Anything (He Wants Me To) (Doris Troy)
(1965) .. co-written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff who later created the Philadelphia sound, working with the likes of The O'Jays, The Three Degrees and Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. Much loved on the Northern Soul scene, sadly it never troubled the chart
I've Been Hurt (Guy Darrell)
(1966 /1973)... a good old stomper which finally made it into the Top 20 as a re-issue seven years after its original release
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It's Written In The Stars (Paul Weller)
(2001)... Top 10 single from the chart-topping album Illumination, breaking away from the Britpop/ alt-rock leanings that had dominated his hit UK solo records ~ 'a return to the more soul-forward sound of The Style Council. The song is driven by a loop of an infectious horn-riff ... before some decidedly funky drums and Weller‘s voice enter the fray... (Source: http://www.djdmac.com/blog/song-day-paul-weller-written-stars/ )
Newsround Tameside: 46 years ago ~ 1976
Young Hearts Run Free (Candi Staton)
... disco anthem which peaked at # 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100 but soared to # 2 here and was only held off the top spot by The Real Thing with You To Me Are Everything
I Love To Boogie (T Rex)
... Marc Bolan's final chart outing during his lifetime was a short-but-sweet, back to basics rock 'n' roll song, pure and simple which, for fans and critics alike, was a welcome return to form after some fairly forgettable mid '70s output. Although well received, it deserved to do much better than a mere # 13, a view which is borne out when you consider how popular it has become as time has gone on, and especially after it was included in the hit film Billy Elliot. I Love To Boogie is the song you hear in that memorable scene in which budding young ballet dancer Billy (Jamie Bell) is put through his paces by his teacher and mentor played by Julie Walters
Let Your Love Flow (Bellamy Brothers)
... feelgood country cross-over, which topped the US Billboard Hot 100 and and made our Top 10 ~ one of the most played songs on the radio in the record breaking long hot summer of '76
This Is It (Melba Moore)
... disco hit written by Van McCoy who had been successful in his own right the previous year with The Hustle. '90s chart watchers will remember This Is It sung by Dannii Minogue
Soul City Walk (Archie Bell & The Drells)
... previously best known in the UK for Here I Go Again (1972, # 11). The start of the disco era prompted them to release a comeback album which included the single Soul City Walk (US # 42, UK # 13)
The Continental (Maureen McGovern)
... song which first saw the light of day in a 1934 film The Gay Divorcee, starring the twinkle-toed dancing duo, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers [W]
You Are My Love (Liverpool Express)
... former members of The Merseybeats and The Merseys who re-grouped a decade after their first flush of success
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Georgy Girl (The Seekers) (1967) ... first of two in tribute to lead singer Judith Durham who has died aged 79. Georgy Girl was written by two famous names from very different backgrounds - Tom Springfield (brother of Dusty and one time member of The Springfields) wrote the music with Jim Dale, the actor who starred in several Carry On films supplying the lyrics
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SECOND HOUR
At The Hop (Danny & The Juniors)
(1958)... classic rock 'n' roll combining 12 bar blues and boogie woogie piano, with lyrics name checking the popular dance routines of that time ~ the stomp, stroll, 'chalypso' and chicken . At The Hop topped the US chart and made the UK Top 3 [W]
Let's Stay Together (Tina Turner)
(1983) ... on fine form with a great version of the Al Green song ~ the single which relaunched her career, with production and backing vocals from Sheffield's Heaven 17
High In The Sky (Amen Corner)
... teaser track for our second featured year, from the Cardiff band who took their name from the Amen Corner, a regular Sunday night 'disc spin' (forerunner of the disco) in their home city [W]
Absolutely Lyricless ~ the instrumental break
Murder She Said [Miss Marple theme] (Ron Goodwin)
(1961) ... memorable theme tune of the Miss Marple films starring Margaret Rutherford. Fast forward to the '80s, Fun Boy Three recorded a version as the opening track on their album Waiting
Yakety Sax (Boots Randolph)
(1963) ... US hit which became much more famous here as the music accompanying the infamous 'chasing madly around the park' routine at the end of each episode of the Benny Hill Show, a regular midweek fixture on ITV during the '70s and '80s
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Stop (The Spice Girls)
(1998) ... amazingly missed out on the top spot, living up to its name by bringing to a sudden halt their unbroken run of six # 1 hits in less than two years. They didn't have too long to wait for their seventh chart-topper (Viva Forever) and two more would follow, making a grand total of nine
Morningtown Ride (The Seekers) (1966) ... the train whistle was a blowing ~ much played on the BBC radio request show, Junior Choice, a song which brings back happy childhood memories for those of us of a certain age. Second of two played in tribute to lead singer Judith Durham who has died aged 79.
Newsround pre-Tameside: 54 years ago ~ 1968
Angel Of The Morning (PP Arnold)
... second hit for the American soul singer born Patricia Ann Cole, a year after the more successful and better known The First Cut Is The Deepest. She has recently published her autobiography Soul Survivor, described as 'a compelling memoir... charting the musical highs and personal lows of her extraordinary life'. Another song coming up later...
Young Girl (Union Gap featuring Gary Puckett)
.... cheery chart-topper which was quickly followed by another sizeable hit ~ Lady Willpower (# 5). We tend to think of the group as 'Gary Puckett & The Union Gap" ~ in fact, the lead singer only achieved top billing when Young Girl was successfully reissued six years later (1974, # 6)
Rainbow Chaser (Nirvana)
... clearly not the '90s grunge band ** ~ this lot were a '60s progressive rock group best remembered for this very hummable psychedelic pop tune. ** Kurt Cobain, frontman of the later and much more famous Nirvana would only have been one year old when Rainbow Chaser made the lower reaches of the Top 40
Step Inside Love (Cilla Black)
... theme song for her first TV series on BBC1 ('Cilla' ). Step Inside Love was written specially for her by Paul McCartney and produced by George Martin
Jumpin' Jack Flash (The Rolling Stones)
... two weeks at the top for a classic single widely regarded as one of the Stones' greatest ever
To Love Somebody (PP Arnold)
... second of two as promised ~ The Bee Gees song which Barry Gibb considered to be the best he had written. In a TV interview as recently as 2017, he told Piers Morgan he believed it stood out for its "clear, emotional message" [W]
Fire Brigade (The Move)
... lyrically and musically, one of Roy Wood's greatest songs ~ fun from start to finish, always plenty going on, all within a time frame of just 2 minutes 20 seconds
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SHOW THEME:
Rhapsody In Blue (Rick Wakeman)
written by George Gershwin, arranged by Tony Visconti
from the album Rhapsodies (A&M Records, 1979)
[W]: Source: Wikipedia
If you missed any of the show, you can catch up online after 15:00 on Sunday 07/08/2022:
https://www.questmedianetwork.co.uk/on-demand/
