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Singles that were released in October 1973 but failed to enter the UK charts...
01 Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band - Intro & Outro (United
Artists UP35602)
Originally formed in 1962, but didn’t release their debut
album until 1967. By 1970 the Bonzo’s had split up, but got together again in
1972 for a contractual obligation LP. It was probably because of Vivian
Stanshall’s recent appearances on the soundtrack of “That’ll Be The Day” and
Mike Oldfield’s “Tubular Bells” that led to UA releasing this obscure b- side
track as a single in it’s own right this year.
02 Yellowstone & Voice - Well Hello (EMI
2074)
“Well Helo” had already been released in January, but EMI
obviously thought it was worth another go when they released it again just nine
months later. The UK
duo featured the ‘talents’ of singers/guitarists Peter Papini (aka Peter Yellowstone)
and Steve Voice. Peter had been a writer for other artists in Italy.
03 Steve Miller Band - The Joker (Capitol
CL15765)
Surely a big hit? But no, not in the UK on first release. Here it failed
to enter the UK
chart, despite it’s chart topping position Stateside. It took until 1990 before
it was used in a Levi’s commercial before the song achieved the same status in
the UK.
04 Can - Moonshake (UP35596)
Can were a German Prog/Rock band formed in 1968 by Holger
Czukay. Taken from their fifth album “Future Days” which was 8th in
the Rolling Stone list of 50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time,
Moonshake was one of only four tracks on the album, and the only one with a
running time of less than 8 minutes!
05 Hudson
Ford - Take It Back (A&M AMS7088)
John Hudson and Richard Ford had left the Strawbs, and had
had a hit earlier in the year with ‘Pick Up The Pieces’. Unfortunately, this,
the follow up, failed to chart, but their next single ‘Burn Baby Burn’ in 1974,
did see them back in the charts. However they were not to be seen inside the
Top 20 again until 1979 after re-calling themselves The Monks and releasing the
novelty hit “Nice Legs, Shame About The Face”.
06 Goodies - All Things Bright And Beautiful (Decca F13449)
Before their huge string of hits in the 70s, TV’s The
Goodies released this version of the well known hymn in a ‘glam rock’ style! –
church would never be the same again!
07 Wild Angels - Clap Your Hands And Stamp Your Feet
(Decca F13456)
The Wild Angels were Gene Vincent’s backing band during his UK
1969 comeback tour. They released three track single of songs from the new hit
musical that was currently showing on the London
stage ‘Grease’ starring Richard Gere. “Greased Lightning”/” Born To Hand-Jive”/ “Beauty School Dropout”
failed to chart, as did the follow up, “Clap Your Hands…” (their last vinyl
single release). But the band are still touring and released a new album in
2013.
08 Carl Wayne
- You're A Star (Pye 7N45290)
Carl Wayne had been in the 60s group The Vikings before
forming The Move. In the late 60s he left to go solo, and released several
singles before being asked to perform the theme tune to the TV talent show “New
Faces”. Although lacking in chart success, he did marry ‘Miss Diane’ (actress
Susan Hanson) from “Crossroads”, and enjoyed a long career in music before his
death in 2004.
09 Roy
Castle - Record Breaker (BBC RESL14)
Despite many recordings, Roy Castle’s only chart hit was his
1960 Chritsmas novelty song “Little White Berry” which got to number 40. The
theme song to his hit TV show ‘Record Breakers’, backed with the other song
featured in the show “Dedication” came close, but still didn’t quite make it.
10 Ray Martin And His Orchestra - The Big Match (La
Soiree) (Decca F13455)
“La Soiree” was the third of six theme tunes to be used for
the BBC’s flagship football programme that had been running since 1968.
Composed by David Ordini, the track became one of the first recorded by
orchestra leader Ray Martin on his return to the UK after having spent many
years in the US composing and arranging film and TV soundtracks of his own.
11 Smacka Fitzgibbon - The Adventures Of Barry
McKenzie (Bell 1312)
Soundtrack to the film of the same name, McKenzie started
life as a character created by Barry Humphries for Private Eye magazine. Played
by Barry Crocker in the film, it also starred Peter Cook, Spike Milligan and
Barry Humphries himself who took the role of several characters including ‘Aunt
Edna’ Everage.
12 Gene Pitney - Love Grows (Pye Intl 7N25624)
Gene Pitney’s chart career was definitely struggling by the
time of this release. Both the singles before and after this, scraped into the
Top 40, but this never made it.
13 Rick Nelson - Evil Woman Child (MCA MU1225)
Born Eric Nelson, he was known as Ricky Nelson in the late
50s when he was one of the first ‘rock’ Teen Idols, thanks to his appearances
on American radio and TV. Changing his showbiz name to Rick and his musical
style to a more country orientated sound, the hist began to dry up as the
sixties progressed. A minor hit with ‘Garden Party’ in 1972 pushed him into
releasing a variety of mixed genre releases including this atypical flop. He
died at the age of 45 in a plane crash in 1985.
14 Earth Wind & Fire - Evil (CBS SCBS1792)
Formed in 1970, ‘Evil’ was their second US chart hit, reaching number 50.
They were not so lucky in the UK
where it took until 1977 before their long string of hits made them one of the
most successful bands of all time.
15 Sister Sledge - Mama Never Told Me (Atlantic
K10375)
Another group that had to wait for the hits to come were
Sister Sledge. Formed from backing singers in 1971, this single was their first
UK
release, but it didn’t chart for another two years. It wasn’t until 1979’s
“He’s The Greatest Dancer” reached the Top Ten before they had any more success
either in the UK or the US.
16 Love Unlimited - Under The Influence Of Love (Pye Intl 7N25630)
Produced and managed by Barry White, it is somewhat
surprising that this track never entered the UK
chart and only reached a lowly 76 in the US.
17 Paris
Connection - That Lady (Explosion EX2085)
Carlton Trout, a Jamaican Tailor, thought he’d try his hand
at record production and worked with artist Jackie Paris to produce this
intriguing cover of the Isley Brothers hit.
18 Jimmy Cliff - Fundamental Reggay (EMI 2065)
Jamaican, Cliff was going through a bit of a dry patch,
chart wise, when he released this jolly little number.
19 Curtis Mayfield - Back To The World (Buddah
2011187)
Following the success of the soundtrack album ‘Superfly’,
Mayfield released this political title track to very little response.
20 Denise La Salle - Trapped By A Thing Called Love
(Westbound 6146105)
La Salle released her first
single in 1967. This was her first US
hit in 1971, but she had to wait until 1985 for her version of “Mt Toot Toot”
to reach the Top 10 for her only UK hit.
21 Thelma Houston - Piano Man (MoWest MW3005)
Thelma Houston had been releasing singles since 1966, but it
wasn’t until 1977 that she finally hit the Top 20 with “Don’t Leave Me This
Way”, which was a number one in the US.
22 Reg Presley - 'S Down To You Marianne (CBS
SCBS1748)
As lead singer with the Troggs, Reg Presley had a number of
hits in the 60s, but his solo outings were not as successful. He did write two
number one hits though, with the Troggs “With A Girl Like You” in 1966, and
with 1994’s “Love Is All Around” by Wet Wet Wet.
23 Starbuck - Do You Like Boys (Bradleys
BRAD312)
An appearance on ‘Lift Off with Ayshea’ did nothing to help
this band into the charts.
24 Wei Wei Wong - Sing Song Boat (Dart ART2040)
Originally a member of the dance troupe The Young
Generation, Wei Wei Wong attempted a singing career before becoming a regular
hostess on TV’s ‘The Golden Shot’.
25 Imca Marina - Y Viva España (Columbia DB9016)
Imca Marina was a Dutch singer who scored many hits in her
native Netherlands including
this one, which was to be a UK
hit in 1974 for Swedish singer Eva
Sylvia Vrethammar or just Sylvia as she was known.
26 Rock Rebellion - Let's Go (Santa Posa PNS7)
Rock Rebellion were previously Screaming Lord Sutch’s
backing band, and this was their only release.
27 Dave Clark And Friends - Sha Na Na Na (EMI
2082)
Long after the hits had dried up for 60s hit makers, the
Dave Clark Five, Dave Clark was still releasing singles in the hope of another
hit, including this cover of a Steam hit from 1970.
28 Jets - Yeah! (Cube BUG35)
Mike Craig and Kearon O'Conner thought they could cash-in on
the Gary Glitter sound that was storming the charts…they couldn’t! (nothing to
do with either of the 80s bands of the same name).
29 Barron Knights - Turning My Back On You
(Penny Farthing PEN818)
Between their 60s novelty hits and their 70s novelty hits,
the Barron Knights thought they would try serious pop music. The result speaks
for itself.
30 Sensational Alex Harvey Band - Giddy Up A Ding Dong (Vertigo 6059091)
Releasing singles since 1964, it took until 1975 for SAHB to
have a hit.
31 Incredible Bongo Band - Bongo Rock (MGM
2006161)
Artist Manager Michael Viner was asked to produce some
tracks for the soundtrack to the movie ’The Thing With Two Heads’. To facilitate
this, he invented the band and recorded a further two albums under the name
that was made entirely of session musicians.
32 Springfield
Revival - Riverboat Queen (Polydor 2058416)
Springfield Revival had appeared on TV shows with Morecambe
& Wise, The Two Ronnies and Rolf Harris, they had toured the world with the
Osmonds and appeared on the 45th Academy Awards show, but never had
a hit. Lead vocalist Donna Jones went on to form Pussyfoot, who also never had
a hit. She also joined the New Seekers in 1979, one year after they had had
their last hit.
33 Thieves - Ali Baba (RAK 160)
Even producer Mickie Most couldn’t help this one.
34 Les Humphries Singers - Kentucky Dew (Decca F13448)
English born Les Humphries formed this German group to form
a pool of multi-ethnic singers as an alternative to James Last, several of whom
went on to have substantial music career’s of their own. Jürgen Drews became
quite popular as a solo artist in Germany, Linda Thompson joined
Silver Convention, Liz Mitchell fronted Boney M and John Lawton fronted Uriah
Heep
35 Blue Ridge Rangers
- You Don't Owe Me (Fantasy FTC110)
On leaving Creedence Clearwater Revival, John Fogerty
released the album ‘Blue Ridge Rangers’ without mention of his name. An album
of country cover versions, this track didn’t actually appear on the album.
36 Gallagher And Lyle - Shine A Light (A&M
AMS7087)
Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle had hit the charts as part
of McGuiness Flint with ‘When I’m Dead And Gone’, before they had their own
couple of hits in 1976, ‘I Wanna Stay With You’ and ‘Heart On My Sleeve’.
37 Horslips - Dearg Doom (Oats OAT2)
By 1973, traditional Irish folk band Horslips, had changed
their sound, and the ‘Dearg Doom’ reached number one in Germany, but unfortunately failed to reach the UK
charts.
38 Max Bygraves - Party Singalong (Part 1) (EMI
2076)
This was originally released in 1956, and was re-issued to
cash in on his popular TV show and his current hit ‘Deck Of Cards’ that did
actually reach the Top 20.
39 Petula Clark And Sacha Distel - (Let The Love Light
In Your Eyes) Lead Me On (Polydor 2058413)
Petula and Sacha often teamed up for duets on each others TV
shows, but that didn’t help this track into the charts.
40 John Fox Orchestra - Sailing By (BBC RESL15)
Composed in 1963, this is a version of the theme that was
used on BBC radio for the shipping forecast and played at 12:45 every night.
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