THE SEVENTIES - A RETROSPECTIVE

1977

Red Rum became the first horse to wins the Grand National three times.

It was the Queen's Silver Jubilee year.

March saw two Boeing 707 jumbo jets collide at Tenerife in the Canary Islands. The accident claimed 574 victims and a further 70 people escaped.

Virginia Wade won the women's singles title at Wimbledon whilst Bjorn Borg won it for the men.

The music world lost more than its fair share of stars, as Marc Bolan, Bing Crosby, and Elvis Presley died this year.

Denis Norden presented the debut It'll be Alright on the Night for the first time.

MUSIC

1977 is surely recognised as the year of punk rock. Johnny Rotten and the boys had finally spat their ways onto the chart and a whole new generation of acts followed in their wake. The punk bands inspired a revival of the 7" single as they released their records in picture sleeves and on coloured vinyl. The 12" single format also gained wider acceptance due to the popularity of Disco music. Mr Big, Patsy Gallant and Racing Cars all failed to fulfil their promise and notched up one solitary hit each.

The first new chart topper of this year hit the mark on Jan 15^th. David Soul was enjoying fame as one half of TV cop duo Starsky and Hutch. He also had a nifty sideline with a singing career and 'Don't Give Up On Us' enjoyed a 4-week stay at the top of the singles chart. The track was eventually displaced by another TV personality. Actress Julie Covington was appearing in a spoof drama series called the Rock Follies at the time. ,'Don't Cry For Me Argentina' was actually from Evita, the hit musical written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice,  and lasted on top for just one week. Barbara Dickson also had a hit with a song from Evita. However 'Another Suitcase In Another Hall' only just scraped into the top twenty. A group I had predicted big things for finally hit the big time - for a while anyway. The Kursaal Flyers had a top twenty smash with Little Does She Know' in January.

Away from the top and Boston scored a very disappointing number 22 hit with the brilliant 'More Than a Feeling'. Meanwhile, the Electric Light Orchestra charted with 'Rockaria', an eventual number 9 hit. Also around this time Fleetwood Mac underwent a chart revival. The band had added Stevie Nicks and  Lindsay Buckingham to the line-up. 'Go Your Own Way' was taken from their hugely successful 'Rumours' album. The song only peaked at an extremely disappointing 38 however. Around this time I was running my own mobile disco and had two go-go dancers called Sugar and Spice in tow. They used to do a special dance routine to Heatwave's 'Boogie Nights'. This dance floor thumper with the dreamy harp introduction was a firm favourite of mine.

Other notable records hitting the top twenty included Smokie who were 'Living Next Door To Alice and Paul Nicholas accepting an invitation to 'Grandma's Party'. Mary McGregor was 'Torn Between Two Lovers' and Rose Royce were working at the 'Car Wash' Reggae was represented in the form of Barry Biggs with 'Sideshow'. Two versions of 'Don't Leave Me This Way' were slugging it out in the Charts. They were by Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes and also Thelma Houston who provided my favourite version of the song.

Abba were experiencing a few personal problems but they used these to their own advantage. Their troubles were reflected in their latest song 'Knowing Me, Knowing You'. The record lasted on top for 5 weeks. Deniece Williams upstaged the Swedish superstars with 'Free' which lasted at pole position for a fortnight. Next, Rod Stewart returned to the top for the fourth time in his career. It was officially a double A side, the tracks being "I Don't Want to Talk About It / First Cut Is the Deepest". It remained supreme for a month. 

Away from the top, April  saw the chart debut of Elkie Brooks. The song 'Pearl's a Singer' eventually climbed to number 8. Also this month Andrew Gold secured his UK chart debut with "Lonely Boy". The song peaked at number 11. April was definitely the month for debuts as Peter Gabriel, ex Genesis front man, charted with 'Solisbury Hill', an eventual number 13. 

In May the Stranglers enter the top twenty with "Peaches". It was the punk band's second single, their debut charted earlier on in the year with (Get a) Grip (on Yourself). "Peaches" peaked at number 8. Barbara Streisand experienced chart success with the love theme to her film 'A Star Is Born' and Scottish band Blue had a hit on their hands with 'Gonna Capture Your Heart'. In June the Muppet show was responsible for two novelty hits. Kermit's nephew Robin reached number 8 with 'Halfway Up The Stairs' and a sketch from the Muppets prompted Pierro Umiliani to re-release 'Mah na Mah Na' which also reached the eighth position.

In June 10cc were experiencing problems with the judiciary. Their song 'Good Morning Judge stalled at number 5. One of my favourites at this time was by Boz Scaggs. 'Lido Shuffle' was the second hit taken from his 'Silk Degrees' album, the first being 'What Can I Say?' which was released earlier in the year. Thanks to Saturday Night Fever, the Trammps were burning up the charts with 'Disco Inferno'.

Away from the top and the Rah Band debuted in July with a killer instrumental called 'The Crunch' and climbed to number 6. Emmerson Lake and Palmer were showing off their instrumental virtuosity with 'Fanfare For The Common Man'. Another instrumental hanging around the charts at this time was penned by  Jean Michel Jarre. He also was making his UK chart debut with 'Oxygene' and peaked at number 4. As if all these instrumentals weren't enough Space swooped to number 2 with 'Magic Fly'.

Elsewhere the Commodores were taking it 'Easy' and the Alessi Brothers had a massive summer hit with 'Oh Lori'. Irish band The Boomtown Rats, fronted by a fresh-faced Bob Geldof, made their chart debut with "Looking After Number One". The song peaked just outside the UK top ten at number 11. Another good rocker was provided by Ram Jam who assaulted the chart with 'Black Betty'. It eventually secured a seventh placing. Head-bangers were well catered for at this time as Tom Robinson made his chart debut in October with 2-4-6-8 Motorway.

Records worthy of note at this time included Mink Deville with 'Spanish Stroll' and the Adverts with 'Gary Gilmore's Eyes'. Patsy Gallant was commuting 'From New York To LA' while Carly Simon presented us with one of the best Bond themes ever with 'Nobody Does It Better'. Status Quo were 'Rocking All Over The World' and Thin Lizzy were more reflective than normal with their mellow hit 'Dancing In The Moonlight'.

David Soul scored a second chart topper in October with 'Silver Lady'. Spanish female duo Baccara replaced the crooning TV cop after one week with 'Yes Sir I can Boogie'. However, Abba returned and promptly removed the Spaniards from their perch with "Name of the Game" their sixth number one here in the UK. The Swedes remained dominant for 4 long weeks before being ousted by a Liverpudlian singing about his Scottish retreat.

Ex Beatle Paul McCartney and Wings released a classic that was destined to become the nation's biggest selling single of all time. Relegating  his former group's anthem 'She Loves You' into second spot at long last. 'Mull of Kintyre' was to remain the UK's best selling single for seven years, and it remained at number one for a massive 9 weeks commencing December 3.

The Festive period usually unearths a few novelty hits and 1977 was no exception. The Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band scored a hit with 'The Floral Dance, while The Barron Knights achieved a chart comeback with 'Live In Trouble'. Elsewhere Crystal Gayle was experiencing the good life with 'Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue' and Bonnie Tyler's hit 'It's A Heartache' had the nation singing along like crazy. Another sing-along favourite was provided by Queen with 'We Are The Champions'.

TELEVISION

It was the Queen's Silver Jubilee year and Prince Charles launched his scheme to help young people simultaneously on all channels. Television Licenses were increased to £21 for colour and £9 for black and white. The Annan Report was published and recommended that a fourth TV channel be introduced.

BBC 1 had a 'Blue Peter' spin off with 'Go With Noakes'. John Noakes stepped out with his faithful dog Shep to see if there was life beyond a television studio. 'Chorlton and the Wheelies' and 'Jamie and his Magic Torch from Cosgrove Hall animations kept the little ones quiet at lunchtime.

BBC 2 had an investigative series called 'The Philpott File, and 'Rhoda' starring Valerie Harper. This was one of the numerous spin-offs from 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show'.

Anthony Valentine brought another fictional character to life. He played E. W. Hornung's likeable Edwardian cricketer turned thief 'Raffles'. Richmal Crompton's 'Just William' stories were faithfully re-told in their original 1928 setting. The series starred 14-year old Adrian Dannat as the mischievous boy with Bonnie Langford co-starring as the horrible Violet Elizabeth Bott. Yet another adaptation gained much praise. 'Hard Times' serialised the moving novel by Charles Dickens and it won the top TV award at the New York International Film Festival.

For me the programme of 1977 was an improvised drama by Mike Leigh called 'Abigail's party'. Alison Steadman played Beverley, whose intimate dinner party doesn't turn out as she anticipated. Abigail doesn't actually appear, she's a teenager holding her own party down the street. There was also a drama based on the true story of 'Philby, Burgess and Maclean'. This introduced a new TV genre called 'Faction' which portrayed the events leading up to the traitor's defection to Russia.

'Coronation Street' provided the wedding of the year when Len Fairclough married his shop manageress Rita Littlewood. Meanwhile another great partnership, Bodie and Doyle, exploded on to our screens for the first time in 1977. 'The Professionals' established Martin Shaw and Lewis Collins as hearthrobs. The tough talking, fast shooting team from CI5 were commanded by Gordon Jackson.

ITV launched its own quest to find the cleverest, fittest, and most dextrous Briton who possessed 'The Krypton Factor'. Gordon Burns hosted the contest which ran for a staggering 18 years. Contestants had to complete tests designed to rate intelligence and observation. The highlight for most viewers was when they were sent hurtling around a gruelling army assault course. 

Stars of the comedy series 'Man about the House' all had successful follow up shows. Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy starred in 'George and Mildred' and much hilarity ensued. This was a direct spin-off to the flat sharing comedy as was 'Robin's Nest'. This series centred on Robin (played by Richard O'Sullivan) and his comedy attempts at running a Bistro. Although not exactly a spin-off to 'Man About The House', another of it's stars featured in a series about an unmarried mother. Paula Wilcox starred in 'Miss Jones and Son'. The world is still eagerly awaiting Sally Thomsett's comedy vehicle.....don't hold your breath!

The following is a typical BBC line-up for Monday May 9th 1977 taken from the pages of The Radio Times.

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