I Love #1's - 1974

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

A thrilling conclusion to last week's number ones poll saw Ace Of Base pip 2 Unlimited to the 1993 crown by two votes. Unsurprisingly the large pink blob suffered badly. This week's poll is dominated by dodgy male singers but sprinkled with pop gems nonetheless. Don your sparkly blue caps kids, it's 1974!

[Poll #867293]
*For some reason I left BOTH of these off the 1975 poll! Shocking, isn't it.

Comments

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Despite the FOREST of ticks I still don't think of this as a particularly good year - lots of quite good stuff and only a couple of real heavyweights.

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

It's not brilliant is it. All the male solo artists apart from Bazza White and Gl1tter are pretty unmemorable in terms of pop legacy (obv the latter remembered rather less fondly!). The kidz today might recognise Alvin Stardust from random appearances on Vic-n-Bob, they might know David Essex's name from their mums going on abt them - but could they identify George McRae in a police lineup? Would they know John Denver's other songs? Would they know about John Denver at all if it hadn't been for House Of Rock?

[the-roofdog.livejournal.com]

David Essex whose Grandad discovered Essex.

TRUE STORY

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman wrote Tiger Feet after Mike once came round to Nicky's house whilst he was decorating his living room. Obviously as it was the seventies, Nicky had chosen a lovely co-ordinating colour scheme for the room, with bright yellow walls and brown skirting board (nice). Nicky had made a bit of a mess and Mike pointed out that he had got paint all over his shoes. "It's like you've got tiger feet!" he said. "That's neat!" Nicky replied. TRUFAX.

The old Guilty Pleasures conundrum

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

I can't remember this G4ry Gl1tt3r song anyway, but if it had been good, would people tick it?

Re: The old Guilty Pleasures conundrum

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

Hmm, good question. Possibly I would have, but fortunately it is not particularly good.

In fact, it's the only song I didn't tick! High %age of ticks is mostly down to fond associations with the charts at the time. This is very much "my era".

Re: The old Guilty Pleasures conundrum

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'd tick "Rock And Roll Part 2" if it was a #1, easily.

But "Always Yours" is rub.

It's going to be weird writing about GG, but interesting.

[the-roofdog.livejournal.com]

'Season In The Sun' - not that bad shurely ? I nearly ticked it, but then did not. It's not in the same league as awful, awful Annie's Song

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

I can't remember it. Is it beard?

[the-roofdog.livejournal.com]

It is pensioner's karaoke sing-along. WAVE YR HANDS!

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Oooh that sounds great! Is it better than Julio Iglesias? He's got a new album out, you know.

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

It is a version of Brel's "Le Moribond" (The Dying Man). It is 10000000x GREBT

[miss-newham.livejournal.com]

Surely you know the Westlife version though! (No, me neither.) You should listen to Radio 2! Last week Steve Wright played it as a request and claimed it made him nauseous, and I cheered.

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

yes, yes it is worse than annie's song.

[strange-powers.livejournal.com]

It is incredibly good. Goodbye my friends it's hard to die - what's not to love? OG - original goth.

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

I ticked Annie's Song, and I'm proud I did. Reasons why

i. It is the first #1 I can remember - I was 1 at the time so I assume this is not 'proper' memory but my Dad liking it and playing it, or it still being on the radio.
ii. Sheffield United fans' adaptation of it is a masterwork of vernacular poetry innit. (Not that I give two bits about Sheff U in the ordinary run of things)
iii. It was the only 'pop' record I was ever taught to play on the acoustic guitar!
iv. The melody is quite pretty.

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Also SITS is grebt and anyone picking it as worst has PLAINLY not heard The Streak.

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

bah you are all mental, SITS is appalling, so very very dreary and mawkish...

...is the streak the last number one with fake audience laughing on it?

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

Thus spake the Belle & Sebastian fan!

Doesn't "Ashes to Ashes" have a brief snatch of fake laughter in the background somewhere in it? (I may be imagining this.)

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

Being one of these young people, inadevertantly read 'Ray Stevens' as 'Rachel Stevens' at first. This may be to do with the fact I've been up all night writing an essay, though.

I always get Suzi Quatro and Hazel what's-her-face confused.

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

Oh dear lord, I'd just ignore that comment, I clearly can't write anything anymore.

[ex-cornfedpi814.livejournal.com]

Devil Gate Drive is an appalling song.

[awesomewells.livejournal.com]

I'm sort of shocked by how few of these I actually know. I'm sure I'd recognise loads of them but I can only actually put a tune to Bazza White, The Osmonds and George McCrae.

Oh, and Kung Fu Fighting and Abba, obv.