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Great Number One hits

Started by 23 Daves, May 26, 2004, 12:56:00 PM

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DrJ

The network chart was never the real chart.  Boo, down with that sort of thing,  But you're right about the Who.

God Save The Queen by the Sex Pistols is another debatable number one.  The apparent story is that it was the biggest selling single on the week of the jubilee in '77 but the published chart left Rod Stewart's "Sailing" at number one.  The Filth and The Fury says that the top of the charts was left blank that week.  The good old Guinness book of British hit singles will confirm that it wasn't number one.

23 Daves

There are so many urban myths surrounding the Sex Pistols that even the band themselves seem keen to perpetuate that it's difficult to get to the bottom of the truth on this one - I assume that the BBC chart wouldn't have just declared there to be no number one that week, and would have had something there, albeit something that didn't actually sell more copies.  Does anyone have any answers to this?  I suppose a copy of Music Week from 1977 would answer all our questions...  unlikely anyone has one of those.

Ditto the oft-quoted rumour that after Bill Grundy's career nosedived he went to Australia to form Grundy Television and create "Neighbours".  A nice story, but completely untrue- it's a completely different Grundy who had a career in Australia dating back from the fifties.  

Anyway, more number ones:

Bomb The Bass:  Beat Dis
Roxy Music: Jealous Guy
Tornadoes:  Telstar
Kraftwerk: The Model

El Unicornio, mang

According to the Sex Pistols documentary I watched a few years ago, 'God Save The Queen' got to number one, but was was replaced by a black bar so you couldn't see what it was. John Peel still played it mind, bless 'im

23 Daves

Yep, BUT...  The official bible of all things British chart "The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles" lists it as a number two record, as does their official book of the Top 40 (listing all the charts from 1960 onwards).  

So, was the 'black bar' incident an official chart one, or one taken from an alternative source (ie the Capital Radio chart, or another one)?

A Passing Turk Slipper

I thought it was widely accepted that God Save the Queen despite being banned in a lot of record shops did sell the most but was either replaced by a black bar, missed out completely or switched places with Rod Stewart's song. I think lots of different documentarys and nostalgia shows have said different things but most agreed that the Sex Pistols were the best selling that week even if the official charts people didn't want to admit it.

The Culture Bunker

Quote from: "23 Daves"
Ditto the oft-quoted rumour that after Bill Grundy's career nosedived he went to Australia to form Grundy Television and create "Neighbours".  A nice story, but completely untrue- it's a completely different Grundy who had a career in Australia dating back from the fifties.  

Tony Wilson tells the story of when he invited Grundy to the "Festival of the 10th Summer" (since punk) at the GMEX. After he'd clobbered Paul Morley with his walking stick, he shuffled on stage and said "Seldom have I seen so many scruffy, lazy cunts in one place at one time."

Oh, and another #1 single, of sorts:

Billy Bragg: She's Leaving Home

Z/Sb