Friday Fives: Top of the Pops
For this week’s Friday Fives, we’re doing another look back at the top five singles in the British charts. This time, we’re going back 45, 35, 25, 15, and 5 years ago. So, let’s jump in the TARDIS (don’t worry, there’s room for everyone) and take a spin down memory lane… or time vortex… (with YouTube links, of course).
Week Ending March 18, 1967
- Release Me: Engelbert Humperdinck
- Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever: The Beatles
- This Is My Song (C’est ma chanson): Petula Clark
- On a Carousel: The Hollies
- Edelweiss: Vince Hill (Sorry, no YouTube link–blocked by EMI)
Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever was the first Beatles record in 4 years that did not get to number one. The Fab Four’s reaction? “That’s okay–it gives someone else a chance!”
Week Ending March 19, 1977
- Chanson D’Amour: The Manhattan Transfer
- Knowing Me, Knowing You: ABBA
- Boogie Nights: Heatwave
- Romeo: Mr. Big
- Sound and Vision: David Bowie
The Mr. Big at number 4 is the UK ’70s band. The Mr. Big that had a hit with the song To Be With You is an American band formed in 1988. They are not the same.
Week Ending March 21, 1987
- Everything I Own: Boy George
- Respectable: Mel and Kim
- I Get the Sweetest Feeling: Jackie Wilson
- The Great Pretender: Freddie Mercury
- Live It Up: Mental As Anything
Week Ending March 22, 1997
- Mama/Who Do You Think You Are?: Spice Girls
- Isn’t It a Wonder: Boyzone
- If I Never See You Again: Wet Wet Wet
- Don’t Speak: No Doubt
- Encore Un Fois: Sash!
Week Ending March 17, 2007
- Shine: Take That
- The Sweet Escape: Gwen Stefani
- Ruby: Kaiser Chiefs
- What Goes Around Comes Around: Justin Timberlake
- How to Save a Life: The Fray
And there you have it! I hope you’ve enjoyed remembering songs from years past, and perhaps discovering some new ones. Have a great Friday!
I’m so glad I found your blog, this was so cool 🙂 Especially fun to have so many songs to listen to for the weekend 🙂
I’m glad you found my blog too, Nikki–welcome! I hope you enjoy the music. Check back–sometime in the next couple of weeks I’ll be doing the same but for the US Billboard Charts. 🙂
Very cool! I’m afraid I don’t know any of the songs from 1987 and earlier, but I have a good excuse seeing as I was still in diapers 😀
Awww, so young!! I know most of the 1967 songs, even though it’s a little before my time–but that’s largely because I like a lot of 60s music. Sad to say, I remember when the songs in the 1977 chart were on the radio in the UK–though I was still in single digits. 🙂
1997 is such a childhood flashback for me ^^;
In 1997, I had already been living in the US for 5 years, so I was really out-of-touch with the British charts. So this is educational for me, to see what songs were popular in the UK at the time.
1997 is the first year I remember veering away from listening to only Christian rock and actually enjoying some radio songs. I remember a good chunk of the music that came out that year as a result. These ones are definitely familiar 🙂
Hopefully a pleasant trip down memory lane. I ought to like a lot more Christian music than I do. I just never really got into Christian rock. I could probably name the artists I like on one, maybe two hands. I should probably educate myself more. It’s just hard finding great musicianship coupled with good theology and great songs. There are a lot that have some of these elements, but not many with all three. At least IMO. 🙂
Oh dear, The Spice Girls! I’m ashamed to say they were a huge part of my life. I was only 7 at the time of that song and me and my friends were obsessed. Looking back it’s so cringeworthy. My taste in music as a young girl and tween isn’t something to be proud of haha.
OK, you people are making me feel old! Interestingly, much of the music I enjoyed from about age 9 I still enjoy. One thing that has changed is that I’m less concerned about what other people think about my musical taste. When I was a teen, I would never have admitted to liking ABBA, but they produced some of the best pop music ever. Benny and Bjorn were (and still are) master craftsmen.
Did you hear that Engelbert Humperdinck is going to be the U.K’s Eurovision song contest entry?
On second thoughts, why would you? You’re American. D’oh!
I’m a former Brit, so I might care… though Eurovision’s not what it used to be. Was Eurovision ever what it could have been? I remember we always used to watch Eurovision… I recall when Bucks Fizz won for England back in… 1981? I have vague memories of Brotherhood of Man getting the prize in… 1976? Woah… that’s going back some years. Look up “Save Your Kisses for Me” by Brotherhood of Man, and “Making Your Mind Up” by Bucks Fizz on YouTube. Clearly there’s a formula that worked for England those two times!
So, Engelbert’s still going strong, eh? Interesting! Thanks for the comment, Sarah. 🙂