* NM retro singles charts - 1976 *

[Earl Purple]

23 October 1976

1 ( 2 ) More Than A Feeling - Boston < 1st week at #1 >
2 ( 1 ) Blinded By The Light - Manfred Mann's Earth Band (#1[3])
3 ( 4 ) Howzat - Sherbet
4 ( 6 ) Don't Take Away The Music - Tavares
5 ( 7 ) Couldn't Get It Right - Climax Blues Band
6 ( 3 ) (Don't Fear) The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult (#2[2])
7 ( 18 ) Love And Affection - Joan Armatrading
8 ( 5 ) Can't Get By Without You - Real Thing (#3)
9 ( 12 ) Queen Of My Soul - Average White Band
10 ( -- ) Beautiful Noise - Neil Diamond

11 ( 8 ) Nadia's Theme - Barry DaVorzon & Perry Botkin Jr
12 ( 11 ) Dancing With The Captain - Paul Nicholas
13 ( 20 ) Fairytale - Dana
14 ( 17 ) Summer Of My Life - Simon May
15 ( 9 ) I'll Meet You At Midnight - Smokie (#7)
16 ( 24 ) Remember Yesterday - John Miles
17 ( 15 ) Did You Boogie (With Your Baby) - Flash Cadillac & The Continental Kids
18 ( 10 ) Mississippi - Pussycat (#5)
19 ( 28 ) A Dose Of Rock N Roll - Ringo Starr
20 ( 14 ) Under One Roof - Rubettes (#11)

21 ( 31 ) Hold Tight - Liverpool Express
22 ( 13 ) The Killing Of Georgie - Rod Stewart (#1[4])
23 ( 16 ) Rubberband Man - Spinners (#7)
24 ( 29 ) Soul Dracula - Hot Blood
25 ( 35 ) Coming Home - David Essex
26 ( 21 ) It's Ok - Beach Boys (#16)
27 ( 26 ) Laser Love - T Rex
28 ( 19 ) Every Nite's A Saturday Night With You - Drifters (#8)
29 ( 23 ) You Are The Woman - Firefall (#20)
30 ( 27 ) Love So Right - Bee Gees

31 ( -- ) You Don't Have To Be A Star - Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr
32 ( 22 ) Uptown Uptempo Woman - Randy Edelman (#9)
33 ( -- ) You're My Best Friend - Don Williams
34 ( 25 ) Sunrise - Eric Carmen (#12)
35 ( 30 ) Get The Funk Out Of Ma Face - Brothers Johnson (#22)
36 ( 36 ) Like A Sad Song - John Denver (#34)
37 ( 33 ) Doctor Tarr & Professor Fether - Alan Parsons Project (#20)
38 ( 32 ) Double Trouble - Lynyrd Skynyrd (#17)
39 ( 38 ) The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot (#30)
40 ( 34 ) Breakaway - Gallagher & Lyle (#10)

---

-- ( 37 ) Dancing Queen - Abba (#2[3])
-- ( 39 ) Beth - Kiss (#29)
-- ( 40 ) Get Up Offa That Thing - James Brown (#25)

---

Neil Diamond gets the highest new entry whilst two former members of the Fifth Dimension chart as a duo. Don Williams is the second artist to chart in 1976 with a song called "You're My Best Friend" but it isn't a cover of Queen.

[Earl Purple]

30 October 1976

1 ( 1 ) More Than A Feeling - Boston < 2nd week at #1 >
2 ( 3 ) Howzat - Sherbet
3 ( 4 ) Don't Take Away The Music - Tavares
4 ( 7 ) Love And Affection - Joan Armatrading
5 ( 2 ) Blinded By The Light - Manfred Mann's Earth Band (#1[3])
6 ( 5 ) Couldn't Get It Right - Climax Blues Band (#5)
7 ( 10 ) Beautiful Noise - Neil Diamond
8 ( 9 ) Queen Of My Soul - Average White Band
9 ( 13 ) Fairytale - Dana
10 ( -- ) You Make Me Feel Like Dancing - Leo Sayer

11 ( 6 ) (Don't Fear) The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult (#2[2])
12 ( -- ) Lost In France - Bonnie Tyler
13 ( 16 ) Remember Yesterday - John Miles
14 ( 8 ) Can't Get By Without You - Real Thing (#3)
15 ( 14 ) Summer Of My Life - Simon May (#14)
16 ( 19 ) A Dose Of Rock N Roll - Ringo Starr
17 ( 12 ) Dancing With The Captain - Paul Nicholas (#12)
18 ( 11 ) Nadia's Theme - Barry DaVorzon & Perry Botkin Jr (#11)
19 ( 21 ) Hold Tight - Liverpool Express
20 ( -- ) Spinning Rock Boogie - Hank C Burnette

21 ( 25 ) Coming Home - David Essex
22 ( 31 ) You Don't Have To Be A Star - Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr
23 ( 17 ) Did You Boogie (With Your Baby) - Flash Cadillac & The Continental Kids (#17)
24 ( 24 ) Soul Dracula - Hot Blood
25 ( 33 ) You're My Best Friend - Don Williams
26 ( 15 ) I'll Meet You At Midnight - Smokie (#7)
27 ( 20 ) Under One Roof - Rubettes (#11)
28 ( 18 ) Mississippi - Pussycat (#5)
29 ( -- ) Nice N Naasty - Salsoul Orchestra
30 ( 27 ) Laser Love - T Rex (#27)

31 ( 23 ) Rubberband Man - Spinners (#7)
32 ( 26 ) It's Ok - Beach Boys (#16)
33 ( 22 ) The Killing Of Georgie - Rod Stewart (#1[4])
34 ( -- ) Anything You Want - John Valenti
35 ( 30 ) Love So Right - Bee Gees (#30)
36 ( 29 ) You Are The Woman - Firefall (#20)
37 ( -- ) I Can't Live A Dream - Osmonds
38 ( 36 ) Like A Sad Song - John Denver (#34)
39 ( 28 ) Every Nite's A Saturday Night With You - Drifters (#8)
40 ( -- ) I Never Cry - Alice Cooper

---

-- ( 32 ) Uptown Uptempo Woman - Randy Edelman (#9)
-- ( 34 ) Sunrise - Eric Carmen (#12)
-- ( 35 ) Get The Funk Out Of Ma Face - Brothers Johnson (#22)
-- ( 37 ) Doctor Tarr & Professor Fether - Alan Parsons Project (#20)
-- ( 38 ) Double Trouble - Lynyrd Skynyrd (#17)
-- ( 39 ) The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot (#30)
-- ( 40 ) Breakaway - Gallagher & Lyle (#10)

---

-- ( -- ) Give It Up (Turn It Loose) - Tyrone Davis
-- ( -- ) Nights Are Forever Without You - England Dan & John Ford Coley
-- ( -- ) If Not You - Dr Hook

---

In this week, in spite of an entry at #10 last week Neil Diamond can only progress to #7 this week, whilst Dana gets a top 10 hit, her second in about a year with her Christmas song last year reaching #4.

The highest entry is by Leo Sayer, and female country-pop is now provided at #12, this time a Welsh singer, with an intro that annoyed me at the time for sounding so much like "Then He Kissed Me" by the Crystals. She will have a handful of hits, but one of them would be one of the biggest hits by a female singer of all time in my chart.

Hank C Burnette was a Swedish musician who got the Hank from Williams and the Burnette from Johnny, and the C is possibly Chet Atkins, who just gets an initial thrown in. At the end of an instrumental that sounds very 50s rockabilly, we get a narrated part "don't stop keep rockin' kid" which was used as a jingle by Tommy Vance (I think, but it may have been Paul Burnette).

Nice N Naasty is another disco song. Janet Jackson's song of 10 years later maybe borrows a little from this, as well as a Stevie Wonder song coming up with bits of James Brown's "Sex Machine" riff thrown in for good measure.
(For me, mostly the Stevie Wonder song, but that's my opinion).

Going further down the list, Alice Cooper's gone soft. The Rubettes have gone serious and Mud too. We need a new band on the way to rock things up a bit..

Right at the bottom of the list (those who didn't chart at all), wow, this song is TERRIBLE. I quite like "A Little Bit More" albeit it's a bit soft, but oh dear with this one. "Who's gonna water my plants, who's gonna fix my pants.." ?? Back in 1973 this band got to NM #2 with a really fun song about being a massive band taking drugs and having loads of fans and just wanted to be on the cover of a rock mag... Now what have they become?

[Earl Purple]

6 November 1976

1 ( 1 ) More Than A Feeling - Boston < 3rd week at #1 >
2 ( 2 ) Howzat - Sherbet
3 ( 10 ) You Make Me Feel Like Dancing - Leo Sayer
4 ( 3 ) Don't Take Away The Music - Tavares (#3)
5 ( 4 ) Love And Affection - Joan Armatrading (#4)
6 ( 12 ) Lost In France - Bonnie Tyler
7 ( 7 ) Beautiful Noise - Neil Diamond
8 ( 9 ) Fairytale - Dana
9 ( -- ) Under The Moon Of Love - Showaddywaddy
10 ( 8 ) Queen Of My Soul - Average White Band (#8)

11 ( 6 ) Couldn't Get It Right - Climax Blues Band (#5)
12 ( 5 ) Blinded By The Light - Manfred Mann's Earth Band (#1[3])
13 ( 20 ) Spinning Rock Boogie - Hank C Burnette
14 ( 13 ) Remember Yesterday - John Miles (#13)
15 ( -- ) Love Me - Yvonne Elliman
16 ( 16 ) A Dose Of Rock N Roll - Ringo Starr
17 ( 22 ) You Don't Have To Be A Star - Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr
18 ( 11 ) (Don't Fear) The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult (#2[2])
19 ( 15 ) Summer Of My Life - Simon May (#14)
20 ( 29 ) Nice N Naasty - Salsoul Orchestra

21 ( 19 ) Hold Tight - Liverpool Express (#19)
22 ( 21 ) Coming Home - David Essex (#21)
23 ( 25 ) You're My Best Friend - Don Williams
24 ( -- ) (I Believe) Love's A Prima Donna - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel
25 ( 14 ) Can't Get By Without You - Real Thing (#3)
26 ( 34 ) Anything You Want - John Valenti
27 ( 17 ) Dancing With The Captain - Paul Nicholas (#12)
28 ( -- ) It's A Long Way There - Little River Band
29 ( 24 ) Soul Dracula - Hot Blood (#24)
30 ( 37 ) I Can't Live A Dream - Osmonds

31 ( 18 ) Nadia's Theme - Barry DaVorzon & Perry Botkin Jr (#11)
32 ( 40 ) I Never Cry - Alice Cooper
33 ( 23 ) Did You Boogie (With Your Baby) - Flash Cadillac & The Continental Kids (#17)
34 ( 30 ) Laser Love - T Rex (#27)
35 ( 27 ) Under One Roof - Rubettes (#11)
36 ( 26 ) I'll Meet You At Midnight - Smokie (#7)
37 ( -- ) So Sad The Song - Gladys Knight & The Pips
38 ( 32 ) It's Ok - Beach Boys (#16)
39 ( 28 ) Mississippi - Pussycat (#5)
40 ( 31 ) Rubberband Man - Spinners (#7)

---

-- ( 33 ) The Killing Of Georgie - Rod Stewart (#1[4])
-- ( 35 ) Love So Right - Bee Gees (#30)
-- ( 36 ) You Are The Woman - Firefall (#20)
-- ( 38 ) Like A Sad Song - John Denver (#34)
-- ( 39 ) Every Nite's A Saturday Night With You - Drifters (#8)

---

-- ( -- ) Stoney Ground - Guys And Dolls
-- ( -- ) Stand Tall - Burton Cummings
-- ( -- ) Love Ballad - L.T.D

---

The highest new entry by Showaddywaddy which started off the peak period in their career. They had already had two #2 hits but now they would have 7 top 5 hits in a row, all of them covers. All but this one were originally hits in my chart but the original of "Under The Moon Of Love" was never a hit single previously. Curtis Lee, who also recorded "Pretty Little Angel Eyes", recorded it previously but only got to #46 in the USA.

The second highest entry is also a cover, of the Bee Gees, and Martine McCutcheon will also have a hit with it later. Yvonne Elliman will also later record another Bee Gees composition, "If I Can't Have You", but the Bee Gees themselves never recorded that song (as far as I'm aware).

[Good Old Days]

Based on the rules of these charts and your music taste "Grazios Dainos" hits are very rare guests here.

So we will not see "In The Flesh", "Vanilla Olay" and "When I Kissed A Teacher", but at least "Lost In France" is here.

"Lost In France" was a second Bonnie single after low-known "My My Honeycomb".


 

[lewis17]

The Bee Gees did record If I Can't Have You, it's on their 2009 compilation The Ultimate, for example.

[Earl Purple]

Jan 19, 2021 9:21:37 GMT 1 lewis17 said:

The Bee Gees did record If I Can't Have You, it's on their 2009 compilation The Ultimate, for example.

they hadn't recorded it at the time Yvonne Elliman did her version for Saturday Night Fever. Whereas they recorded "Love Me" originally on their album "Children Of The World".

[Earl Purple]

13 November 1976

1 ( 1 ) More Than A Feeling - Boston < 4th week at #1 >
2 ( 3 ) You Make Me Feel Like Dancing - Leo Sayer
3 ( 9 ) Under The Moon Of Love - Showaddywaddy
4 ( 2 ) Howzat - Sherbet (#2[2])
5 ( 6 ) Lost In France - Bonnie Tyler
6 ( -- ) Livin' Thing - Electric Light Orchestra
7 ( 15 ) Love Me - Yvonne Elliman
8 ( 4 ) Don't Take Away The Music - Tavares (#3)
9 ( -- ) Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word - Elton John
10 ( 5 ) Love And Affection - Joan Armatrading (#4)

11 ( 7 ) Beautiful Noise - Neil Diamond (#7)
12 ( 8 ) Fairytale - Dana (#8)
13 ( 13 ) Spinning Rock Boogie - Hank C Burnette
14 ( 24 ) (I Believe) Love's A Prima Donna - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel
15 ( 10 ) Queen Of My Soul - Average White Band (#8)
16 ( 17 ) You Don't Have To Be A Star - Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr
17 ( 20 ) Nice N Naasty - Salsoul Orchestra
18 ( -- ) Maid In Heaven - Be Bop Deluxe
19 ( 14 ) Remember Yesterday - John Miles (#13)
20 ( 28 ) It's A Long Way There - Little River Band

21 ( 16 ) A Dose Of Rock N Roll - Ringo Starr (#16)
22 ( 11 ) Couldn't Get It Right - Climax Blues Band (#5)
23 ( -- ) When A Child Is Born - Johnny Mathis
24 ( 12 ) Blinded By The Light - Manfred Mann's Earth Band (#1[3])
25 ( 26 ) Anything You Want - John Valenti
26 ( 23 ) You're My Best Friend - Don Williams (#23)
27 ( -- ) Teenage Depression - Eddie & The Hotrods
28 ( 19 ) Summer Of My Life - Simon May (#14)
29 ( 22 ) Coming Home - David Essex (#21)
30 ( 21 ) Hold Tight - Liverpool Express (#19)

31 ( 30 ) I Can't Live A Dream - Osmonds (#30)
32 ( 37 ) So Sad The Song - Gladys Knight & The Pips
33 ( -- ) Don't Make Me Wait Too Long - Barry White
34 ( 18 ) (Don't Fear) The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult (#2[2])
35 ( 32 ) I Never Cry - Alice Cooper (#32)
36 ( -- ) Hello Old Friend - Eric Clapton
37 ( -- ) Hot Line - Sylvers
38 ( -- ) Stop Me (If You've Heard It All Before) - Billy Ocean
39 ( 29 ) Soul Dracula - Hot Blood (#24)
40 ( 25 ) Can't Get By Without You - Real Thing (#3)

---

-- ( 27 ) Dancing With The Captain - Paul Nicholas (#12)
-- ( 31 ) Nadia's Theme - Barry DaVorzon & Perry Botkin Jr (#11)
-- ( 33 ) Did You Boogie (With Your Baby) - Flash Cadillac & The Continental Kids (#17)
-- ( 34 ) Laser Love - T Rex (#27)
-- ( 35 ) Under One Roof - Rubettes (#11)
-- ( 36 ) I'll Meet You At Midnight - Smokie (#7)
-- ( 38 ) It's Ok - Beach Boys (#16)
-- ( 39 ) Mississippi - Pussycat (#5)
-- ( 40 ) Rubberband Man - Spinners (#7)

---

Electric Light Orchestra enter with one of their classics, its path to #1 may be blocked by a big one entering next week, but this is the era of "my first chart" now all that time ago. Well it was a few weeks ago but we're seeing the songs in it enter.

Behind them, an Elton John classic. Another one I'd never heard of previously from an EP above the Johnny Mathis song that feels it's entered too soon, but he had my Christmas #1 in 1958.

[Earl Purple]

20 November 1976

1 ( 6 ) Livin' Thing - Electric Light Orchestra < 1st #1 >
2 ( 1 ) More Than A Feeling - Boston (#1[4])
3 ( 3 ) Under The Moon Of Love - Showaddywaddy
4 ( 2 ) You Make Me Feel Like Dancing - Leo Sayer (#2[1])
5 ( 9 ) Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word - Elton John
6 ( -- ) Money Money Money - Abba
7 ( 7 ) Love Me - Yvonne Elliman
8 ( 5 ) Lost In France - Bonnie Tyler (#5)
9 ( 4 ) Howzat - Sherbet (#2[2])
10 ( 18 ) Maid In Heaven - Be Bop Deluxe

11 ( -- ) Little Does She Know - Kursaal Flyers
12 ( 14 ) (I Believe) Love's A Prima Donna - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel
13 ( 23 ) When A Child Is Born - Johnny Mathis
14 ( 8 ) Don't Take Away The Music - Tavares (#3)
15 ( 13 ) Spinning Rock Boogie - Hank C Burnette (#13)
16 ( 27 ) Teenage Depression - Eddie & The Hotrods
17 ( 20 ) It's A Long Way There - Little River Band
18 ( 17 ) Nice N Naasty - Salsoul Orchestra (#17)
19 ( 11 ) Beautiful Noise - Neil Diamond (#7)
20 ( 10 ) Love And Affection - Joan Armatrading (#4)

21 ( 16 ) You Don't Have To Be A Star - Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr (#16)
22 ( 12 ) Fairytale - Dana (#8)
23 ( 15 ) Queen Of My Soul - Average White Band (#8)
24 ( 33 ) Don't Make Me Wait Too Long - Barry White
25 ( 36 ) Hello Old Friend - Eric Clapton
26 ( 19 ) Remember Yesterday - John Miles (#13)
27 ( 25 ) Anything You Want - John Valenti (#25)
28 ( 37 ) Hot Line - Sylvers
29 ( -- ) Secrets - Sutherland Brothers & Quiver
30 ( 38 ) Stop Me (If You've Heard It All Before) - Billy Ocean

31 ( 21 ) A Dose Of Rock N Roll - Ringo Starr (#16)
32 ( 32 ) So Sad The Song - Gladys Knight & The Pips
33 ( 26 ) You're My Best Friend - Don Williams (#23)
34 ( 31 ) I Can't Live A Dream - Osmonds (#30)
35 ( 22 ) Couldn't Get It Right - Climax Blues Band (#5)
36 ( 29 ) Coming Home - David Essex (#21)
37 ( 24 ) Blinded By The Light - Manfred Mann's Earth Band (#1[3])
38 ( 28 ) Summer Of My Life - Simon May (#14)
39 ( 35 ) I Never Cry - Alice Cooper (#32)
40 ( 30 ) Hold Tight - Liverpool Express (#19)

---

-- ( 34 ) (Don't Fear) The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult (#2[2])
-- ( 39 ) Soul Dracula - Hot Blood (#24)
-- ( 40 ) Can't Get By Without You - Real Thing (#3)

---

-- ( -- ) Dazz - Brick
-- ( -- ) After The Lovin' - Engelbert Humperdinck

---

As we get to 1977 I want to keep the number ones I had back then, so looking through both the UK charts and US charts at when they will enter, we have one this chart, one in the next week (27 November), one two weeks after that (11 December) then none until 12 February 1977 (that year has an awfully slow start) so these chart runs will need to stretch out. 12 February 1977 is the week "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" reached #1 in the UK, and that's on my playlist for the last weeks of December 1976 so it also took a while.

Although there's a certain number one (it has to be, it was #1 for 6 weeks when I first did my chart!), the final playlist has 29 songs for just 3 weeks up to Christmas (and there is no new UK or US chart for 1 January 1977 so I'll potentially carry over, that's unusual as there is usually a new US chart). I was a bit mean in discarding 2 covers, Status Quo's "Wild Side Of Life" and Elvis Presley's "Suspicion", both of which were now hits in earlier versions in my chart. Elvis isn't that different but Status Quo's doesn't sound anything like the earlier hit version (which isn't the original, that goes back to about 1952). Suspicion was previously Elvis's first NM hit, now he goes into 1977 (the last year of his life) with 14 number ones to his career so I guess it's not that terrible if I don't chart that one, plus he'll get an extra hit as "Moody Blue" was doubled up in the US and I'll credit the other song until Moody Blue arrives in the UK. (Rod Stewart will get the same as The First Cut Is The Deepest was a hit on its own in the USA and in the UK he'll chart with I Don't Want To Talk About It separately).

Looking ahead to 1977, once the number ones do come, they'll pile up a bit too, particularly as Hotel California now arrives only 2 weeks after Knowing Me Knowing You.

In any case, Electric Light Orchestra are #1 this week but this is the start of a run of many huge ones. The Abba song I couldn't believe didn't get to #1 (wot, behind Johnny Mathis ffs? and a few different number 2s) and
Kursaal Flyers' claim to fame, although the first time they performed in Top of the Pops they just called themselves Kursaals, and they seemed to change it a bit later. (It's the song that has the line "Her escape was so urgent, she forgot her detergent, and dropped all her clean underwear")

[Earl Purple]

27 November 1976

1 ( 1 ) Livin' Thing - Electric Light Orchestra < 2nd week at #1 >
2 ( 6 ) Money Money Money - Abba
3 ( 11 ) Little Does She Know - Kursaal Flyers
4 ( 5 ) Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word - Elton John
5 ( 3 ) Under The Moon Of Love - Showaddywaddy (#3)
6 ( 2 ) More Than A Feeling - Boston (#1[4])
7 ( -- ) Somebody To Love - Queen
8 ( 10 ) Maid In Heaven - Be Bop Deluxe
9 ( 4 ) You Make Me Feel Like Dancing - Leo Sayer (#2[1])
10 ( 7 ) Love Me - Yvonne Elliman (#7)

11 ( 13 ) When A Child Is Born - Johnny Mathis
12 ( 16 ) Teenage Depression - Eddie & The Hotrods
13 ( 12 ) (I Believe) Love's A Prima Donna - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel (#12)
14 ( 8 ) Lost In France - Bonnie Tyler (#5)
15 ( 9 ) Howzat - Sherbet (#2[2])
16 ( -- ) Portsmouth - Mike Oldfield
17 ( 17 ) It's A Long Way There - Little River Band
18 ( 29 ) Secrets - Sutherland Brothers & Quiver
19 ( 15 ) Spinning Rock Boogie - Hank C Burnette (#13)
20 ( 25 ) Hello Old Friend - Eric Clapton

21 ( 24 ) Don't Make Me Wait Too Long - Barry White
22 ( 18 ) Nice N Naasty - Salsoul Orchestra (#17)
23 ( 14 ) Don't Take Away The Music - Tavares (#3)
24 ( 28 ) Hot Line - Sylvers
25 ( 30 ) Stop Me (If You've Heard It All Before) - Billy Ocean
26 ( 21 ) You Don't Have To Be A Star - Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr (#16)
27 ( 19 ) Beautiful Noise - Neil Diamond (#7)
28 ( 27 ) Anything You Want - John Valenti (#25)
29 ( 20 ) Love And Affection - Joan Armatrading (#4)
30 ( 23 ) Queen Of My Soul - Average White Band (#8)

31 ( 32 ) So Sad The Song - Gladys Knight & The Pips
32 ( 22 ) Fairytale - Dana (#8)
33 ( 26 ) Remember Yesterday - John Miles (#13)
34 ( 34 ) I Can't Live A Dream - Osmonds (#30)
35 ( 33 ) You're My Best Friend - Don Williams (#23)
36 ( 31 ) A Dose Of Rock N Roll - Ringo Starr (#16)
37 ( -- ) Dazz - Brick
38 ( 36 ) Coming Home - David Essex (#21)
39 ( -- ) Whenever I'm Away From You - John Travolta
40 ( 38 ) Summer Of My Life - Simon May (#14)

---

-- ( 35 ) Couldn't Get It Right - Climax Blues Band (#5)
-- ( 37 ) Blinded By The Light - Manfred Mann's Earth Band (#1[3])
-- ( 39 ) I Never Cry - Alice Cooper (#32)
-- ( 40 ) Hold Tight - Liverpool Express (#19)

---

With a shortage of songs on this week's playlist I pulled in the highest that missed out last week, however in December we get a barrage of new songs. Not sure if the quality matches that of November but there are a handful of classics in December too. (January 1977 is where we appear to have very little).

In any case Queen enter at #7 with their mighty classic which was a rare hit at the time that entered the UK chart inside the top 5 and didn't get to #1, entering at #4 then remaining there a second week, climbing to #2 on its 3rd week and then falling back to #3 and #4 as the public somehow preferred Showaddywaddy and Johnny Mathis. The song would eventually get to #1 when George Michael performed it at the Freddie Mercury memorial and released it a year later. However in Haven Factor this lost out to Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" in a sing-off.

Electric Light Orchestra were in the first Haven Factor together with Abba. Livin' Thing won its round (round 3) ahead of Abba's "Fernando" which came second. "Money Money Money" was never entered among Abba's songs. Maybe Andy was saving it for the final but they fell one round short.

[Earl Purple]

4 December 1976

1 ( 2 ) Money Money Money - Abba < 3rd #1 >
2 ( 1 ) Livin' Thing - Electric Light Orchestra (#1[2])
3 ( 3 ) Little Does She Know - Kursaal Flyers
4 ( 7 ) Somebody To Love - Queen
5 ( 4 ) Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word - Elton John (#4)
6 ( 5 ) Under The Moon Of Love - Showaddywaddy (#3)
7 ( -- ) Living Next Door To Alice - Smokie
8 ( 16 ) Portsmouth - Mike Oldfield
9 ( 8 ) Maid In Heaven - Be Bop Deluxe (#8)
10 ( 11 ) When A Child Is Born - Johnny Mathis

11 ( 12 ) Teenage Depression - Eddie & The Hotrods
12 ( 6 ) More Than A Feeling - Boston (#1[4])
13 ( -- ) I Wish - Stevie Wonder
14 ( 18 ) Secrets - Sutherland Brothers & Quiver
15 ( 10 ) Love Me - Yvonne Elliman (#7)
16 ( 9 ) You Make Me Feel Like Dancing - Leo Sayer (#2[1])
17 ( 13 ) (I Believe) Love's A Prima Donna - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel (#12)
18 ( 20 ) Hello Old Friend - Eric Clapton
19 ( 17 ) It's A Long Way There - Little River Band (#17)
20 ( -- ) Sideshow - Barry Biggs

21 ( 21 ) Don't Make Me Wait Too Long - Barry White
22 ( -- ) Dr Love - Tina Charles
23 ( 14 ) Lost In France - Bonnie Tyler (#5)
24 ( 24 ) Hot Line - Sylvers
25 ( 25 ) Stop Me (If You've Heard It All Before) - Billy Ocean
26 ( 15 ) Howzat - Sherbet (#2[2])
27 ( -- ) Grandma's Party - Paul Nicholas
28 ( 19 ) Spinning Rock Boogie - Hank C Burnette (#13)
29 ( 37 ) Dazz - Brick
30 ( 22 ) Nice N Naasty - Salsoul Orchestra (#17)

31 ( -- ) Hey Mr Dream Maker - Cliff Richard
32 ( 28 ) Anything You Want - John Valenti (#25)
33 ( 31 ) So Sad The Song - Gladys Knight & The Pips (#31)
34 ( 26 ) You Don't Have To Be A Star - Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr (#16)
35 ( -- ) One Fine Morning - Tommy Hunt
36 ( 23 ) Don't Take Away The Music - Tavares (#3)
37 ( 34 ) I Can't Live A Dream - Osmonds (#30)
38 ( -- ) Lost Without Your Love - Bread
39 ( 27 ) Beautiful Noise - Neil Diamond (#7)
40 ( -- ) Shake Your Rump To The Funk - Bar-Kays

---

-- ( 29 ) Love And Affection - Joan Armatrading (#4)
-- ( 30 ) Queen Of My Soul - Average White Band (#8)
-- ( 32 ) Fairytale - Dana (#8)
-- ( 33 ) Remember Yesterday - John Miles (#13)
-- ( 35 ) You're My Best Friend - Don Williams (#23)
-- ( 36 ) A Dose Of Rock N Roll - Ringo Starr (#16)
-- ( 38 ) Coming Home - David Essex (#21)
-- ( 39 ) Whenever I'm Away From You - John Travolta (#39)
-- ( 40 ) Summer Of My Life - Simon May (#14)

---

So here we go, the last time Abba were #1 in my chart was in 1974 with "Ring Ring" but that only reached #32 in the UK. Since then they have reached #2 in my chart a few times, only #3 with Fernando, but not had a number one, but "Money Money Money" is their first single not to reach UK #1 since "S.O.S" after three that did, and it tops my chart. It might be that Abba came up against big ones, "Convoy" perhaps was a surprise to beat "Mamma Mia" but "Music" and "I'm Mandy Fly Me" were always going to beat Fernando, great though it is, and Dancing Queen got beaten to the top by Rod Stewart's epic "The Killing Of Georgie". On this occasion you might have expected Abba not to be able to pass E.L.O in time before Queen hit the top, but in a sense I had to make it a #1 as I did back when I started doing charts, in fact it was my first #1, and Queen were "on the way down" when in fact their song entered later, but peaked quicker.

And now we also see the 11-year-old influence in my chart as Smokie gets the highest entry above Stevie Wonder although he also enters high. I didn't quite get at the time why Stevie Wonder released this song and not "Isn't She Lovely" which will get a cover-version by David Parton enter in its place. My chart rules won't let me chart the original, and the same happened in the 1960s when there were many Beatles covers out that weren't as good as the original but I had to chart them instead anyway. (Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen doing When I'm 64, for example).

There are a pile of classics coming in the next 3 weeks. I have decided though that the "empty" week of 1 January 1977 (no new UK or US chart) will change the covers rule so both Elvis and Status Quo can enter that week.

If you look at my original retro-chart post I said I wanted to go up to the end of 1976 but I forgot the charts would never merge in, and I have to continue into 1977. In addition the way I compile the chart is so different now - it is a full top 40 compared to a top 20 I made back then, it feeds from the US top 40 and the whole UK top 50, and even the retro charts I'm doing in the late 80s are only using a lesser part of the charts on the whole.

So not sure what I will do with all this, and whether I will ever park it and complete 2018 and do 2019 too.

Meanwhile, the end of 1976 should be reached during this coming week, nearly 6 years after I started this project. I didn't expect it to take quite so long but there was a year of aveilut in there, and in addition I have 4 more retro years going back further.

[Earl Purple]

11 December 1976

1 ( 1 ) Money Money Money - Abba < 2nd week at #1 >
2 ( 4 ) Somebody To Love - Queen
3 ( 7 ) Living Next Door To Alice - Smokie
4 ( 3 ) Little Does She Know - Kursaal Flyers (#3)
5 ( 2 ) Livin' Thing - Electric Light Orchestra (#1[2])
6 ( 13 ) I Wish - Stevie Wonder
7 ( -- ) Things We Do For Love - 10cc
8 ( 8 ) Portsmouth - Mike Oldfield
9 ( -- ) Haitian Divorce - Steely Dan
10 ( 5 ) Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word - Elton John (#4)

11 ( -- ) Anarchy In The UK - Sex Pistols
12 ( 6 ) Under The Moon Of Love - Showaddywaddy (#3)
13 ( 20 ) Sideshow - Barry Biggs
14 ( 10 ) When A Child Is Born - Johnny Mathis (#10)
15 ( 22 ) Dr Love - Tina Charles
16 ( -- ) Car Wash - Rose Royce
17 ( 11 ) Teenage Depression - Eddie & The Hotrods (#11)
18 ( 9 ) Maid In Heaven - Be Bop Deluxe (#8)
19 ( 14 ) Secrets - Sutherland Brothers & Quiver (#14)
20 ( -- ) Ring Out Solstice Bells - Jethro Tull

21 ( 27 ) Grandma's Party - Paul Nicholas
22 ( 18 ) Hello Old Friend - Eric Clapton (#18)
23 ( -- ) Saturday Nite - Earth Wind & Fire
24 ( 12 ) More Than A Feeling - Boston (#1[4])
25 ( 31 ) Hey Mr Dream Maker - Cliff Richard
26 ( 15 ) Love Me - Yvonne Elliman (#7)
27 ( 21 ) Don't Make Me Wait Too Long - Barry White (#21)
28 ( 17 ) (I Believe) Love's A Prima Donna - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel (#12)
29 ( 19 ) It's A Long Way There - Little River Band (#17)
30 ( 35 ) One Fine Morning - Tommy Hunt

31 ( 29 ) Dazz - Brick (#29)
32 ( 16 ) You Make Me Feel Like Dancing - Leo Sayer (#2[1])
33 ( 24 ) Hot Line - Sylvers (#24)
34 ( 25 ) Stop Me (If You've Heard It All Before) - Billy Ocean (#25)
35 ( 38 ) Lost Without Your Love - Bread
36 ( 40 ) Shake Your Rump To The Funk - Bar-Kays
37 ( -- ) Sing Me An Old Fashioned Song - Billie Jo Spears
38 ( -- ) This Song - George Harrison
39 ( -- ) Enjoy Yourself - Jacksons
40 ( 23 ) Lost In France - Bonnie Tyler (#5)

---

-- ( 26 ) Howzat - Sherbet (#2[2])
-- ( 28 ) Spinning Rock Boogie - Hank C Burnette (#13)
-- ( 30 ) Nice N Naasty - Salsoul Orchestra (#17)
-- ( 32 ) Anything You Want - John Valenti (#25)
-- ( 33 ) So Sad The Song - Gladys Knight & The Pips (#31)
-- ( 34 ) You Don't Have To Be A Star - Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr (#16)
-- ( 36 ) Don't Take Away The Music - Tavares (#3)
-- ( 37 ) I Can't Live A Dream - Osmonds (#30)
-- ( 39 ) Beautiful Noise - Neil Diamond (#7)

---

-- ( -- ) Keep It Comin' Love - KC & The Sunshine Band
-- ( -- ) Cherchez La Femme Se Si Bon - Dr Buzzard's Original Savannah Band
-- ( -- ) The Champion - Willie Mitchell
-- ( -- ) I Like Dreamin' - Kenny Nolan

---

10cc now land in the chart at #7, with a classic by Steely Dan also entering inside the top 10. Entering just outside, the "protest" song by the Sex Pistols that will, apparently, save pop music. Or will at least inspire many bands to come, many who are musically far better but I quite like this one, it's a kind of classic. That John Lydon doesn't have a great singing voice is part of what is supposed to make your granny not like it.

The way they behaved, rather than the music itself, is what caused them to be "banned" although they did often perform on Top of the Pops.

Disco isn't dead yet though, Rose Royce enter with one of the disco classics and Earth Wind & Fire also enter at #23, which matches their highest position to date.

In between those we have this year's real Christmas song, which also reached my chart in 2004.

[Earl Purple]

18 December 1976

1 ( 2 ) Somebody To Love - Queen < 4th #1 >
2 ( 1 ) Money Money Money - Abba (#1[2])
3 ( 3 ) Living Next Door To Alice - Smokie
4 ( 7 ) The Things We Do For Love - 10cc
5 ( 9 ) Haitian Divorce - Steely Dan
6 ( 6 ) I Wish - Stevie Wonder
7 ( 11 ) Anarchy In The UK - Sex Pistols
8 ( 4 ) Little Does She Know - Kursaal Flyers (#3)
9 ( 16 ) Car Wash - Rose Royce
10 ( 8 ) Portsmouth - Mike Oldfield (#8)

11 ( 5 ) Livin' Thing - Electric Light Orchestra (#1[2])
12 ( 20 ) Ring Out Solstice Bells - Jethro Tull
13 ( -- ) Walk This Way - Aerosmith
14 ( 13 ) Sideshow - Barry Biggs (#13)
15 ( 15 ) Dr Love - Tina Charles
16 ( 23 ) Saturday Nite - Earth Wind & Fire
17 ( -- ) You're More Than A Number In My Little Red Book - Drifters
18 ( 10 ) Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word - Elton John (#4)
19 ( -- ) Daddy Cool - Boney M
20 ( 21 ) Grandma's Party - Paul Nicholas

21 ( 14 ) When A Child Is Born - Johnny Mathis (#10)
22 ( 12 ) Under The Moon Of Love - Showaddywaddy (#3)
23 ( -- ) Mademoiselle - Styx
24 ( 25 ) Hey Mr Dream Maker - Cliff Richard
25 ( -- ) Don't Give Up On Us - David Soul
26 ( 17 ) Teenage Depression - Eddie & The Hotrods (#11)
27 ( -- ) Every Man Must Have A Dream - Liverpool Express
28 ( 19 ) Secrets - Sutherland Brothers & Quiver (#14)
29 ( 37 ) Sing Me An Old Fashioned Song - Billie Jo Spears
30 ( 30 ) One Fine Morning - Tommy Hunt

31 ( 38 ) This Song - George Harrison
32 ( 22 ) Hello Old Friend - Eric Clapton (#18)
33 ( 18 ) Maid In Heaven - Be Bop Deluxe (#8)
34 ( 39 ) Enjoy Yourself - Jacksons
35 ( 35 ) Lost Without Your Love - Bread
36 ( 36 ) Shake Your Rump To The Funk - Bar-Kays
37 ( 27 ) Don't Make Me Wait Too Long - Barry White (#21)
38 ( 31 ) Dazz - Brick (#29)
39 ( 24 ) More Than A Feeling - Boston (#1[4])
40 ( -- ) Flip - Jesse Green

---

-- ( 26 ) Love Me - Yvonne Elliman (#7)
-- ( 28 ) (I Believe) Love's A Prima Donna - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel (#12)
-- ( 29 ) It's A Long Way There - Little River Band (#17)
-- ( 32 ) You Make Me Feel Like Dancing - Leo Sayer (#2[1])
-- ( 33 ) Hot Line - Sylvers (#24)
-- ( 34 ) Stop Me (If You've Heard It All Before) - Billy Ocean (#25)
-- ( 40 ) Lost In France - Bonnie Tyler (#5)

---

-- ( -- ) Keep Me Cryin' - Al Green

---

Nearly at Christmas 1976 and if the Christmas chart last year was 27 December rather than 20 December then Queen didn't have the Christmas #1 on this chart, but there's only one week to go and they may well get it this time.

The highest entry is a familiar song, due to a cover version in the late summer of 1986, and another song that was covered at the same time is on my first playlist for 1977, when in fact there were 2 versions out at the same time but I'm only going to chart one of them. But Aerosmith enter with "Walk This Way" this week, a song which has been available on an album for over a year.

Boney M and David Soul also make their chart debuts. Of course 1977 and 1978 were all about punk and they were insignificant... well maybe David Soul is considered insignificant now, albeit Silver Lady was a great song, but many of Boney M's songs remain classics... Styx would reach their peak in my chart a few years later, in particular "Paradise Theatre" is one of my favourite albums of all time.

[Earl Purple]

25 December 1976

1 ( 1 ) Somebody To Love - Queen < 2nd week at #1 >
2 ( 2 ) Money Money Money - Abba (#1[2])
3 ( 4 ) Things We Do For Love - 10cc
4 ( 3 ) Living Next Door To Alice - Smokie (#3)
5 ( 5 ) Haitian Divorce - Steely Dan
6 ( 7 ) Anarchy In The UK - Sex Pistols
7 ( 9 ) Car Wash - Rose Royce
8 ( 12 ) Ring Out Solstice Bells - Jethro Tull
9 ( 6 ) I Wish - Stevie Wonder (#6)
10 ( 13 ) Walk This Way - Aerosmith

11 ( 17 ) You're More Than A Number In My Little Red Book - Drifters
12 ( 19 ) Daddy Cool - Boney M
13 ( 16 ) Saturday Nite - Earth Wind & Fire
14 ( 23 ) Mademoiselle - Styx
15 ( 10 ) Portsmouth - Mike Oldfield (#8)
16 ( 8 ) Little Does She Know - Kursaal Flyers (#3)
17 ( 25 ) Don't Give Up On Us - David Soul
18 ( 27 ) Every Man Must Have A Dream - Liverpool Express
19 ( 15 ) Dr Love - Tina Charles (#15)
20 ( 14 ) Sideshow - Barry Biggs (#13)

21 ( 11 ) Livin' Thing - Electric Light Orchestra (#1[2])
22 ( -- ) Winter Melody - Donna Summer
23 ( 20 ) Grandma's Party - Paul Nicholas (#20)
24 ( 29 ) Sing Me An Old Fashioned Song - Billie Jo Spears
25 ( 24 ) Hey Mr Dream Maker - Cliff Richard (#24)
26 ( -- ) Smile - Pussycat
27 ( 31 ) This Song - George Harrison
28 ( 18 ) Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word - Elton John (#4)
29 ( -- ) Don't Cry For Me Argentina - Julie Covington
30 ( 21 ) When A Child Is Born - Johnny Mathis (#10)

31 ( 40 ) Flip - Jesse Green
32 ( 34 ) Enjoy Yourself - Jacksons
33 ( 30 ) One Fine Morning - Tommy Hunt (#30)
34 ( 22 ) Under The Moon Of Love - Showaddywaddy (#3)
35 ( 35 ) Lost Without Your Love - Bread
36 ( 26 ) Teenage Depression - Eddie & The Hotrods (#11)
37 ( 36 ) Shake Your Rump To The Funk - Bar-Kays (#36)
38 ( 28 ) Secrets - Sutherland Brothers & Quiver (#14)
39 ( -- ) Do What You Want Be What You Are - Daryl Hall & John Oates
40 ( -- ) Drivin' Wheel - Foghat

---

-- ( 32 ) Hello Old Friend - Eric Clapton (#18)
-- ( 33 ) Maid In Heaven - Be Bop Deluxe (#8)
-- ( 37 ) Don't Make Me Wait Too Long - Barry White (#21)
-- ( 38 ) Dazz - Brick (#29)
-- ( 39 ) More Than A Feeling - Boston (#1[4])

---

-- ( -- ) Torn Between Two Lovers - Mary MacGregor

---

So there you go, on 6 February 2015 I said I would compile charts from the start of 1960 to the end of 1976.

Today is 26 January 2021 and I have indeed done that, only that I've actually gone back as far as the last few weeks of 1955 with a full top 20 on 31 December 1955.

The last chart of 1976 is a full top 40, it won't run smoothly into the chart I first compiled back in 1977 and my rules include a lot more, and so I will continue compiling from this point, but the original charts have a lot of influence in the new ones.

That doesn't change the fact that I totally hated that Mary McGregor song at the time and there was no way I was going to chart it (given I still find it terrible). In the US it reached #1, in the UK #4 (but a few months later).

My feelings on "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" were mixed. In some ways I quite like it, but it always felt it just dragged out a lot. Of course it's meant to, the way it is in the musical. It's a lot better than "Don't Give Up On Us" and whilst it only entered at #29, the lack of new songs over the next couple of weeks (albeit Elvis and Status Quo will enter next chart) are likely to see it remain around a bit longer.

Winter Melody is a fairly long song. It seems to borrow the instrumental part of Van McCoy's "Do The Hustle" but it's certainly not a disco song, and shows how versatile Donna Summer was as a singer.

Whilst I do have my new 1977 playlist, I will take a bit of "time out" to listen to the chart of the year of 1976.

[Earl Purple]

In 1976 only one single topped both the UK and NM chart. This is the first year in which there were not at least 2. There were a lot of singles that were #1 in one chart and #2 in the other.

[Good Old Days]

Shared # 1 singles in UK and "Grazios Dainos" (70s decade) :
Dana - All Kinds Of Everything (1970)
New Seekers - I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (1972)
Peters and Lee - Welcome Home (1973)
New Seekers - You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me (1974)
ABBA - Waterloo (1974)
Brotherhood Of Man - Save Your Kisses For Me (1976)
Pussycat - Mississippi (1976)
ABBA - Knowing Me, Knowing You (1977)
Brotherhood Of Man - Angelo (1977)
Brotherhood Of Man - Figaro (1978)
John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John - Summer Nights (1978)
Blondie - Heart Of Glass (1979)
Blondie - Sunday Girl (1979)

[Earl Purple]

so far on yhour list only "Waterloo" was a #1 on mine, Knowing Me Knowing You (probably) will be in 1977 as well as Blondie in 1979.

The only UK / NM #1 in 1976, in case you weren't paying attention, was "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" by Elton John & Kiki Dee.

The following were #1 in one chart and #2 in the other:

Abba - Mamma Mia (UK #1, NM #2)
C.W. McCall - Convoy (UK #2, NM #1)
Four Seasons - December 1963 (Oh What A Night) (UK #1, NM #2)
Billy Ocean - Love Really Hurts Without You (UK #2, NM #1)
Wurzels - Combine Harvester (UK #1, NM #2)
Wings - Let 'Em In (UK #2, NM #1)
Abba - Dancing Queen (UK #1, NM #2)
Rod Stewart - The Killing Of Georgie (UK #2, NM #1)
Queen - Somebody To Love (UK #2, NM #1)

The following was #2 in both charts

Leo Sayer - You Make Me Feel Like Dancin'

[Earl Purple]

The top 100 singles of the year. This is all done by points, there are songs that were in the chart at the start of the year and at the end of the year that haven't had their full run, and some appeared at stronger times of the year than others.

100 Turn The Beat Around - Vicki Sue Robinson
99 Heart On My Sleeve - Gallagher & Lyle
98 I'll Go Where Your Music Takes Me - Jimmy James & The Vagabonds
97 Dance Little Lady Dance - Tina Charles
96 Renegade - Michael Murphey
95 Fairytale - Dana
94 City Lights - David Essex
93 Love Me - Yvonne Elliman
92 I'll Meet You At Midnight - Smokie
91 Moonlight Feels Right - Starbuck

90 Lowdown - Boz Scaggs
89 The Boston Tea Party - Sensational Alex Harvey Band
88 Now Is The Time - Jimmy James & The Vagabonds
87 Arms Of Mary - Sutherland Brothers & Quiver
86 Lorelei - Styx
85 Beautiful Noise - Neil Diamond
84 Evil Woman - Electric Light Orchestra
83 Every Nite's A Saturday Night With You - Drifters
82 Soul City Walk - Archie Bell & The Drells
81 I Need To Be In Love - Carpenters

80 Ships In The Night - Be Bop Deluxe
79 Squeeze Box - Who
78 Aria - Mr Acker Bilk
77 Sunshine Day - Osibisa
76 I Love To Boogie - T Rex
75 I Wanna Stay With You - Gallagher & Lyle
74 Queen Of My Soul - Average White Band
73 Forever And Ever - Slik
72 Lost In France - Bonnie Tyler
71 Moonlight Serenade - Glenn Miller

70 Fool To Cry - Rolling Stones
69 The Continental - Maureen McGovern
68 Couldn't Get It Right - Climax Blues Band
67 S-S-S-Single Bed - Fox
66 Living Next Door To Alice - Smokie
65 Happy Days - Pratt & McClain
64 Let's Call It Quits - Slade
63 Morning Glory - James & Bobby Purify
62 Jeans On - David Dundas
61 Love And Affection - Joan Armatrading

60 Got To Get You Into My Life - Beatles
59 Rubberband Man - Spinners
58 You To Me Are Everything - Real Thing
57 Glass Of Champagne - Sailor
56 My Resistance Is Low - Robin Sarstedt
55 Back In The USSR - Beatles
54 Rodrigo's Guitar Concerto De Aranjeuz (2nd Movement) - Manuel & The Music Of The Mountains
53 You See The Trouble In Me - Barry White
52 You Are My Love - Liverpool Express
51 Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word - Elton John

50 Rhiannon - Fleetwood Mac
49 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover - Paul Simon
48 Little Does She Know - Kursaal Flyers
47 Falling Apart At The Seams - Marmalade
46 Take It To The Limit - Eagles
45 This Is It - Melba Moore
44 Silly Love Songs - Wings
43 If You Leave Me Now - Chicago
42 Young Hearts Run Free - Candi Staton
41 She's Gone - Daryl Hall & John Oates

40 You Make Me Feel Like Dancing - Leo Sayer
39 Girls Girls Girls - Sailor
38 You Should Be Dancing - Bee Gees
37 I Love To Love - Tina Charles
36 Under The Moon Of Love - Showaddywaddy
35 You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine - Lou Rawls
34 Mamma Mia - Abba
33 Afternoon Delight - Starland Vocal Band
32 Harvest For The World - Isley Brothers
31 Let Your Love Flow - Bellamy Brothers

30 Combine Harvester - Wurzels
29 Don't Take Away The Music - Tavares
28 Let's Stick Together - Bryan Ferry
27 Somebody To Love - Queen
26 Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry
25 No Regrets - Walker Brothers
24 Mississippi - Pussycat
23 Livin' Thing - Electric Light Orchestra
22 Dancing Queen - Abba
21 Fernando - Abba

20 December 1963 (Oh What A Night) - Four Seasons
19 Silver Star - Four Seasons
18 Money Money Money - Abba
17 Can't Get By Without You - Real Thing
16 Convoy - C.W. McCall
15 Love Really Hurts Without You - Billy Ocean
14 Devil Woman - Cliff Richard
13 Howzat - Sherbet
12 Don't Go Breaking My Heart - Elton John & Kiki Dee
11 You're My Best Friend - Queen

10 All By Myself - Eric Carmen
9 (Don't Fear) The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
8 The Boys Are Back In Town - Thin Lizzy
7 Let 'Em In - Wings
6 Dat - Pluto Shervington
5 More Than A Feeling - Boston
4 The Killing Of Georgie - Rod Stewart
3 Blinded By The Light - Manfred Mann's Earth Band
2 I'm Mandy Fly Me - 10cc
1 Music - John Miles

Thankfully the top 2 are where they should be, I'd have been somewhat peeved if they hadn't, as those two are what the year always makes me think of.

There was an extremely strong wave at the end of March, another wave around the end of September and one right at the end. So some songs (like Howzat) may be higher due to timing (that song came out between the September and the end of year wave). Whilst not being as big as in the UK, "Mississippi" had a long run in my chart too and thus is as high as #24 in spite of never climbing higher than #5, but is above several #2 hits.

[Good Old Days]

Dance To Tipperary "The Boys Are Back In Town" >>> the original.

My favourite song from 1976 year is Brotherhood Of Man - My Sweet Rosalie*.

* - I count "That's Me" as 1977 song, when the single was released in Japan. In other regions it was just B-side of "Dancing Queen".

[Earl Purple]

top 20 artists of the year. This does not including combinations, so Elton John doesn't combine his duet with his solo hits. If we did combine them he'd finish 7th.

20 Blue Oyster Cult (1 hit)
19 Barry White (4 hits)
18 Smokie (3 hits)
17 Boston (1 hit)
16 Pluto Shervington (2 hits)
15 Billy Ocean (3 hits)
14 Tina Charles (4 hits)
13 Real Thing (2 hits)
12 Thin Lizzy (2 hits)
11 Electric Light Orchestra (3 hits)

10 Cliff Richard (3 hits)
9 Manfred Mann's Earth Band (1 hit)
8 Rod Stewart (2 hits)
7 Eric Carmen (3 hits)
6 Wings (2 hits)
5 The Four Seasons (2 hits) (adding Frankie Valli's solo hit won't push him/them any higher)
4 John Miles (2 hits)
3 Queen (3 hits)
2 10cc (3 hits)
1 Abba (4 hits)

[Good Old Days]

DNC for Claude Francois - Tears On The Telephone (UK # 35 in January) ?