My friend J has a penchant bordering on evangelism for Kate Bush’s Wuthering Heights. It was, he says with some pride, number one in the UK chart on the day he was born. Good thinking, I thought. I wonder if my birth song has as much street cred.1977 was a patchy year, to say the least. David Soul had two number one hits, marking the beginning of his rapid and deserved slide into obscurity that ended when Starsky and Hutch did two years later. On August 27 we were all apparently listening to the dubious-sounding Float On by The Floaters, a group of musicians so obviously destined to be a one-hit wonder that the record label named the band after its song. And Kenny Rogers had a hit with Lucille, one of the few songs ever made that attempts to rhyme “Toledo” with “depot”.
But 1977 also featured Baccara’s Yes Sir I Can Boogie and Donna Summer’s I Feel Love, two songs that are indeed classics (if you take as your yardstick their popularity on albums containing “best” and “… ever” in their titles). Elvis and Hot Chocolate hit the top spot with a pair of funky numbers and Abba, for whom I have a grudging respect, scored with The Name of the Game and Knowing Me, Knowing You.
So, what was my birthday song?
Chanson d’Amour, by Manhattan Transfer, that’s what. It is the most nauseating tune I have ever heard. They looked like this:
And their lyrics, sung in close harmony, went like this:
“Chanson d’amour, ra da-da da-da, play encore/ Here in my heart, ra da-da da-da, more and more”
I have no music pedigree at all. Why couldn’t I have had The Floaters?
See comments for your own birth song (if you were born between 1976 and 1978)
Tuesday, May 16, 2006 at 2:14 am |
Praise the British record-buying public. I got the dates wrong. While Chanson d’Amour was indeed number one on March 26, the song people were buying during the week of my birth was of course announced at the end of that week, on April 2. It was Knowing Me, Knowing You by Abba. I feel strangely cleansed.
Anyhow, to create an interactive experience for anyone born between 1976 and 1978 (and hopefully stimulate a few COMMENTS) here are the full listings for that period. Your song is the first one after your birth date.
Jan 03 1976: Bohemian Rhapsody, by Queen
Jan 10 1976: Bohemian Rhapsody
Jan 17 1976: Bohemian Rhapsody
Jan 24 1976: Bohemian Rhapsody
Jan 31 1976: Mama Mia, by Abba
Feb 07 1976: Mama Mia
Feb 14 1976: Forever and Ever, by Slik
Feb 21 1976: December ’63 (Oh What a Night), by the Four Seasons
Feb 28 1976: December ’63 (Oh What a Night)
Mar 06 1976: I Love to Love, by Tina Charles
Mar 13 1976: I Love to Love
Mar 20 1976: I Love to Love
Mar 27 1976: Save Your Kisses for Me, by The Brotherhood of Man
Apr 03 1976: Save Your Kisses for Me
Apr 10 1976: Save Your Kisses for Me
Apr 20 1976: Save Your Kisses for Me
Apr 27 1976: Save Your Kisses for Me
May 01 1976: Save Your Kisses for Me
May 08 1976: Fernando, by Abba
May 15 1976: Fernando
May 22 1976: Fernando
May 29 1976: Fernando
Jun 05 1976: No Charge, by J.J. Barrie
Jun 12 1976: Combine Harvester, by The Wurzels
Jun 19 1976: Combine Harvester
Jun 26 1976: You to Me Are Everything, by The Real Thing
Jul 03 1976: You to Me Are Everything
Jul 10 1976: You to Me Are Everything
Jul 17 1976: The Roussos Phenomenon, by Demis Roussos
Jul 24 1976: Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, by Elton John and Kiki Dee
Jul 31 1976: Don’t Go Breaking My Heart
Aug 07 1976: Don’t Go Breaking My Heart
Aug 14 1976: Don’t Go Breaking My Heart
Aug 21 1976: Don’t Go Breaking My Heart
Aug 28 1976: Don’t Go Breaking My Heart
Sep 04 1976: Dancing Queen, by Abba
Sep 11 1976: Dancing Queen
Sep 18 1976: Dancing Queen
Sep 25 1976: Dancing Queen
Oct 02 1976: Dancing Queen
Oct 09 1976: Dancing Queen
Oct 16 1976: Mississippi, by Pussycat
Oct 23 1976: Mississippi
Oct 30 1976: Mississippi
Nov 06 1976: Mississippi
Nov 13 1976: If You Leave Me Now, by Chicago
Nov 20 1976: If You Leave Me Now
Nov 27 1976: If You Leave Me Now
Dec 04 1976: Under the Moon of Love, by Showaddywaddy
Dec 11 1976: Under the Moon of Love
Dec 18 1976: Under the Moon of Love
Dec 25 1976: When a Child is Born (Soleado) by Johnny Mathis
____________________________________________________
Jan 01 1977: When a Child is Born
Jan 08 1977: When a Child is Born
Jan 15 1977: Don’t Give Up on Us, by David Soul
Jan 22 1977: Don’t Give Up on Us
Jan 29 1977: Don’t Give Up on Us
Feb 05 1977: Don’t Give Up on Us
Feb 12 1977: Don’t Cry for Me Argentina, by Julie Covington
Feb 19 1977: When I Need You, by Leo Sayer
Feb 26 1977: When I Need You
Mar 05 1977: When I Need You
Mar 12 1977: Chanson d’Amour, by Manhattan Transfer
Mar 19 1977: Chanson d’Amour
Mar 26 1977: Chanson d’Amour
Apr 02 1977: Knowing Me, Knowing You, by Abba
Apr 09 1977: Knowing Me, Knowing You
Apr 16 1977: Knowing Me, Knowing You
Apr 23 1977: Knowing Me, Knowing You
Apr 30 1977: Knowing Me, Knowing You
May 07 1977: Free, by Deniece Williams
May 14 1977: Free
May 21 1977: I Don’t Want to Talk About It/ The First Cut is the Deepest double A-side, by Rod Stewart
Jun 04 1977: I Don’t Want to Talk About It/ The First Cut is the Deepest
Jun 11 1977: I Don’t Want to Talk About It/ The First Cut is the Deepest
Jun 18 1977: Lucille, by Kenny Rogers
Jun 25 1977: Show You the Way to Go, by The Jacksons
Jul 02 1977: So You Win Again, by Hot Chocolate
Jul 09 1977: So You Win Again
Jul 16 1977: So You Win Again
Jul 23 1977: I Feel Love, by Donna Summer
Jul 30 1977: I Feel Love
Aug 04 1977: I Feel Love
Aug 13 1977: I Feel Love
Aug 20 1977: Angelo, by The Brotherhood of Man
Aug 27 1977: Float On, by The Floaters
Sep 03 1977: Way Down, by Elvis Presley
Sep 10 1977: Way Down
Sep 17 1977: Way Down
Sep 24 1977: Way Down
Oct 01 1977: Way Down
Oct 08 1977: Silver Lady, by David Soul
Oct 15 1977: Silver Lady
Oct 22 1977: Silver Lady
Oct 29 1977: Yes Sir, I Can Boogie, by Baccara
Nov 05 1977: The Name of the Game, by Abba
Nov 12 1977: The Name of the Game
Nov 19 1977: The Name of the Game
Nov 26 1977: The Name of the Game
Dec 03 1977: Mull of Kintyre/ Girl’s School, by Wings
Dec 10 1977: Mull of Kintyre/ Girl’s School
Dec 17 1977: Mull of Kintyre/ Girl’s School
Dec 24 1977: Mull of Kintyre/ Girl’s School
Dec 31 1977: Mull of Kintyre/ Girl’s School
____________________________________________________
Jan 07 1978: Mull of Kintyre/ Girl’s School
Jan 14 1978: Mull of Kintyre/ Girl’s School
Jan 21 1978: Mull of Kintyre/ Girl’s School
Jan 28 1978: Mull of Kintyre/ Girl’s School
Feb 04 1978: Up Town Top Ranking, by Althia and Donna
Feb 11 1978: Figaro, by The Brotherhood of Man
Feb 18 1978: Take a Chance on Me, by Abba
Feb 25 1978: Take a Chance on Me
Mar 04 1978: Take a Chance on Me
Mar 11 1978: Wuthering Heights, by Kate Bush
Mar 18 1978: Wuthering Heights
Mar 25 1978: Wuthering Heights
Apr 01 1978: Wuthering Heights
Apr 08 1978: Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs, by Brian & Michael
Apr 15 1978: Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs
Apr 22 1978: Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs
Apr 29 1978: Night Fever, by The Bee Gees
May 06 1978: Night Fever
May 13 1978: Rivers of Babylon/ Brown Girl in the Ring, by Boney M
May 20 1978: Rivers of Babylon/ Brown Girl in the Ring
May 27 1978: Rivers of Babylon/ Brown Girl in the Ring
Jun 03 1978: Rivers of Babylon/ Brown Girl in the Ring
Jun 10 1978: Rivers of Babylon/ Brown Girl in the Ring
Jun 17 1978: You’re the One That I Want, by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John
Jun 24 1978: You’re the One That I Want
Jul 01 1978: You’re the One That I Want
Jul 08 1978: You’re the One That I Want
Jul 15 1978: You’re the One That I Want
Jul 22 1978: You’re the One That I Want
Jul 29 1978: You’re the One That I Want
Aug 05 1978: You’re the One That I Want
Aug 12 1978: You’re the One That I Want
Aug 19 1978: Three Times a Lady, by The Commodores
Aug 26 1978: Three Times a Lady
Sep 02 1978: Three Times a Lady
Sep 09 1978: Three Times a Lady
Sep 16 1978: Three Times a Lady
Sep 23 1978: Dreadlock Holiday, by 10cc
Sep 30 1978: Summer Nights, by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John
Oct 07 1978: Summer Nights
Oct 14 1978: Summer Nights
Oct 21 1978: Summer Nights
Oct 28 1978: Summer Nights
Nov 04 1978: Summer Nights
Nov 11 1978: Summer Nights
Nov 18 1978: Rat Trap, by The Boomtown Rats
Nov 25 1978: Rat Trap
Dec 02 1978: Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?, by Rod Stewart
Dec 09 1978: Mary’s Boy Child – Oh My Lord, by Boney M
Dec 16 1978: Mary’s Boy Child – Oh My Lord
Dec 23 1978: Mary’s Boy Child – Oh My Lord
Dec 30 1978: Mary’s Boy Child – Oh My Lord