Number 1 in the Melody Maker singles chart w/e 21 February 1970 was Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) by Edison Lighthouse. The song was a massive hit in the UK and in the US and is still guaranteed to get oldies up to dance at family weddings in the UK. Lead vocalist was Tony Burrows who had 4 UK hits in 1970 with 4 different bands: Edison Lighthouse, The Pipkins (Gimme Dat Ting), White Plains (My Baby Loves Lovin’) and Brotherhood of Man (United We Stand). The latter was a new entry at 24 in this same week. A prolific session singer, Burrows also hit the top in 1968 with The Flowerpot Men (Let’s Go to San Francisco) and again in 1974 with the First Class (Beach Baby).
Other new entries that week were Lennon/Ono and the Plastic Ono Band at 17 with Instant Karma, demonstrating why John was better in the Beatles; Steam (another session group) at 28 with Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye; Herman’s Hermits at 21 with Years May come, Years May Go; and Creedence Clearwater Revival with Down On the Corner.
Creedence will appear later in these posts, but I wanted to mention Down On The Corner now as an example of how it should be done. Creedence were a very efficient rock band with sharp, tight songs by John Fogerty, with great hooks, very well played. And rarely more than 2 1/2 minutes long. My biases may be showing, but this is how I like my pop music.
Here’s John in 1989 with a nifty pick up band.
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