Barry White’s only chart-topping single started life as a country-and-western tune before he gave it a disco makeover. (more…)

New World are the forgotten band of the early Seventies. Deservedly so, some might say, and they would be right, in musical terms anyway. In legal terms, not so much. (more…)

The early Seventies were a golden age of one-hit wonders. Johnny Bristol was another, though this disco classic was far from his only contribution to pop history. (more…)

There were two newcomers in 1973 whose debut songs genuinely sounded like nothing before them. One was Rock On by David Essex and this was the other one by Leo Sayer – the last I’ll be posting from that year. (more…)

Madness were the only all-white band in the Two-Tone family and put the fun factor into the updated ska sound. This was their first top ten hit. (more…)

Doctor Alimentado’s signature song Born For A Purpose, based on the true story of his near-death experience, is another of the quintessential reggae tunes. (more…)

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This was the first chart topper of 1972. It began life as a TV commercial, shamelessly co-opting a multi-racial group of teenagers to sing the joys of a sugary fizzy drink… and ended up being stolen by Oasis. (more…)

I’m not sure I know a single other song by blues rockers Ten Years After but their only hit single has stayed in my mind, thanks to Alvin Lee’s memorable guitar riff.
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This was probably the first Jamaican tune I ever heard – I was nine when it came out – and this amazing film, apparently, is the first music video to appear on Top of the Pops.
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