Pick of the Pops

 What's your special No. 1? 

I thought I might try something new and different for 2021. 

Music – the variety of genres is vast – Rock, Jazz, Classical, R&B, Indie, Heavy Metal, Rap, Grunge, House……. pieces of music and songs mean something to each and every one of us.

At the end of last year, whilst travelling back to my flat in Surrey, after a research day trip, I flicked through the radio stations. I chanced upon hearing, the end of the Radio 2 programme, “Pick Of The Pops”, hosted by Paul Gambaccini, playing the number 1 song for November 1994, “Let Me Be Your Fantasy” by Baby D.

So, with this in mind, I thought, why not write an article inviting the readers of bay to write in, either with a surprise birthday wish to friends/family or generally being interested in what the Number 1 song was at any given time.

The record charts were first complied in 1952, when Percy Dickens of the New Musical Express (NME) gathered a pool of 52 stores willing to share their sales figures. Soon a further 20 shops asked to be included in listing the 10 bestselling records of the week. The results were then compiled into a Top 12 chart, with the first chart being published on 14th November 1952. The number one record then was “Here in My Heart” by Al Martino.

To start the ball rolling I have selected my brother James Watkins, whose birthday is 25th February. The list below is the Top 20 of 1973. The list after (in brackets) also illustrates the previous weeks entry.

1. Cum On Feel The Noize – Slade (new)
2. Part Of The Union – Strawbs (2)
3. Blockbuster – The Sweet (1)
4. Sylvia – Focus (4)
5. Cindy Incidentally – The Faces (5)
6. Do You Wanna Touch Me? (Oh Yeah!) – Gary Glitter (3)
7. Whisky In The Jar – Thin Lizzy (6)
8. Baby I Love You – Dave Edmunds (10)
9. Looking Through The Eyes Of Love – The Partridge Family (9)
10. Feel The Need In Me – Detroit Emeralds (21)
11. Daniel – Elton John (7)
12. Doctor My Eyes – The Jackson 5 (19)
13. Hello Hurray – Alice Cooper (14)
14. Superstition –Stevie Wonder (11)
15. Roll Over Beethoven – Electrical Light Orchestra (8)
16. Gonna Make You An Offer You Can’t Refuse – Jimmy Helms (48)
17. Take Me Home Country Roads – Olivia Newton-John (15)
18. Long Haired Lover From Liverpool – Little Jimmy Osmond (17)
19. Killing Me Softly With His Song – Roberta Flack (23)
20. Reelin’ And Rockin’ – Chuck Berry (18)

If you want to find out what was in the charts on your special day, please do so at the new email address – toptunes100@yahoo.com

Copyright - Bay Magazine, February 2021