World of Chig   

14.3.03

The three versions:

American songwriter Norman Greenbaum’s only UK hit was the 285th #1 single in the UK. It entered the chart at #33 in w/e 28 March 1970, climbing to #15, #6, #5, #2 and eventually #1 for two weeks from w/e 02 May 70. Norman is one of pop history’s most spectacular one hit wonders, never troubling the charts again, not even as a re-release. And yes, as his name and the religious content of the song imply, he was Jewish. Incidentally, his number 1 was sandwiched between Dana’s Eurovision winner ‘All Kinds Of Everything’ and the England World Cup Squad’s ‘Back Home’.

Sixteen years later, Doctor & The Medics claimed the 571st #1 on their fifth week in the charts, w/e 7 Jun 1986. The very tall Clive Jackson and chums were #1 for three weeks, mercifully deposing Spitting Image’s ‘The Chicken Song’ and eventually succumbing to Wham!’s ‘The Edge Of Heaven’. ‘Spirit In The Sky’ thus became the first song to hit number one in the 70s and again in the 80s. It was also the first song to be #1 for two acts with their debut hit.

On Sunday 16 March 2003 ‘Gareth Gates with special guests The Kumars’ (to give them their exact billing) will become the mildly historically significant 950th UK number one single. It’s Gareth’s fifth single and his fourth #1 (including the duet with Will). It puts him back on track after single #4, ‘What My Heart Wants To Say’ could ‘only’ make #5, to widespread record company consternation after his album didn’t make #1 either, although it’s weak and feeble, which may have had something to do with it. (Mind you, it’s been climbing the top 40 again for the last fortnight, since hitting the bargain bins; a massive nine places last Sunday). All this within 12 months too, as it’s exactly 51 weeks since Gareth’s debut deposed Will’s debut at the top of the charts. As mentioned, I make it the tenth Comic Relief Single. See below for more on the others.

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