Pick of the Pops 77 (3.9.76)

RAAAAAAHHHHHHD STOOOOWAAAAHHHRRRTT- The Killing of Georgie Parts 1 and 2

The best thing he ever did. An absolute game changer with regard to changing the attitudes of the Great British Public in terms of their attitudes towards the gay community (however shallow and sentimental those new reactions may have been), and by association one of the most important records ever release in the UK.

He may be a Tory twat of the highest order, but just for once...Nice one, Rod. 10/10

ABBA - Dancing Queen

The one regular reader of this drivel will know how much I love ABBA (I was going to write 'the Swedish Fab 4', but enough people hate me as it is), but my goodness, this is awful. You can't dance to it, 'Jive' doesn't rhyme with 'life' and it's as beige as Beverley's settee. 4/10

Gallagher and Lyle - Heart on My Sleeve

A great (admitted chunky knit sweater) single, but f**k knows what Gambaccini played today. It certainly wasn't the single I remember with false happy nostalgia (I didn't go to a 'college of higher education'/euphemersity or wear striped rugby shirts) and sounded more like a G and L tribute band.

7/10 (original version)

*Mystery solved. Bryan Ferry was in the charts at this time with Let's Stick Together; on the album of the same name he covers Heart on My Sleeve. This is the one they played. It's awful - just like the lack of attention from the POTP production team, and which also begs the question: does Gambaccini actually listen to the 'records' he's playing'. Evidently not.

The Stylistics - 16 Bars

Forty six years after the event I still have no idea of what The Stylistics thought they were doing. MOBO for unfunky white people.

Called Trevor. 0/10

Lou Rawls - You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine

Now, this is more like it - heartfelt, smoochy as fuck and bursting with the joys of life. A superb record. 10/10

 

The Chi-Lites - You Don't Have To Go 

More superb Philly disco/soul. Great band, great vocals, great song. 8/10

5000 Volts - Dr Kiss Kiss

A British attempt to mimic that brilliant American Philly sound, and not bad at all. Unfortunately, once my brain started singing 'Doctor Shipman' all was lost. 4/10

Tavares - Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel 

It's amazing how 'Shipman' starts to replace nouns in song titles once you let your guard slip. I quite like this song, but I'm not a big fan of Tavares - a bit too 'melodic'/soup in a basket for this ageing funk machine. 5/10 

Bee Gees - You Should Be Dancing

You really have to be in the mood for these dickheads.

Luckily I was.

Today.

5/10

Johnny Wakelin - In Zaire

The tale of Mohammed Ali's 'Rumble in the Jungle' with the inventor of the George Foreman grill.

For some reason.

Bizarre AND shite.

A winning combination. 1/10

David Dundas - Jeans On

Lord David Dundas went on to compose the (mighty fine) music for Withnail and I. Before that he wrote this shitey jingle for Brutus jeans, which - with a bit of tweaking - became a shitey hit single. Although EVERYONE was a meff in the 1970s, REAL, 24 carat paraffins wore Brutus jeans. And Wranglers. And Green Flash. And had feathered hair. And nits. 2/10

 

Dr Hook - A Little Bit More 

This record makes me feel physically sick. I mean literally - and not some figurative hyperbole - I mean I really want to vomit just thinking about this song.

Honestly, just thinking apout this pile of shite has spoiled my weekend. Fuck off, Doctor Hook. 0/10

Wings - Let Em In

If you weren't there at the time, you have no idea how dismal it was looking around the albums on display in record shops in 1976. Oceans of Elton Johns, K-Tel compilations, Quo, Queen and fucking Wings at the Speed of Sound for our youthful delectation. Punk couldn't come soon enough. This actually sounded OK through the cooling prism of nearly five decades, but in its day it was like torture and the dearth of sprit, life and soul. 

Just terrible. 1/10

Elton John/Kiki Dee - Don't Go Breaking My Heart

Jesus - still number one in September. Every f***er who bought this single voted Brexit in 2016.

Fact. 0/10

Summary

Gambaccini: why does he tell you what records he's going to play at the start of the show? The nobhead. 0/10

Show as a whole: 7/10

Best: Lou Rawls/Rod

Worst: Dr Fook