This homsepun slice of whisky-soaked wisdom turned tough-guy actor Lee Marvin into the unlikeliest of one-hit wonders when it topped the charts in 1970. (more…)

Shocking Blue is one of those quintessentially Seventies band names. The enticing hint of naughtiness was enhanced not only by their exotic Dutchness (who ever heard of Dutch pop?!) but by sultry singer Mariska Veres, with her smouldering stage presence and peculiar pronunciation: “I’m your Venus, I’m your fire… JORE desire!” (more…)

Rod Stewart was Britain’s best blues singer before he became a pop superstar, especially on his first solo album in 1969. Just a shame about the lyric. (more…)

By the start of the Seventies, my embryonic musical taste (The Scaffold, Herman’s Hermits, Mary Hopkin) had begun to take a new direction. This was my first single of the new decade. (more…)

Badfinger were the first band signed to The Beatles’ new label Apple and this was the fifth single I ever bought, written and produced by Paul McCartney.

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