#1 at KBBC/Phoenix: “Philadelphia Freedom” by the Elton John Band. Elton (without his Band being credited) also debuts at #37 singing the Who’s “Pinball Wizard” from the Tommy movie soundtrack (#3 album) — yet another huge radio hit despite not being released as a single. A pinball song with a different feel is at #19, “Pinball” by Brian Protheroe, a British singer-songwriter and actor.
Last week’s chart-topper was “Loving You” by Minnie Riperton, who was famous for her five-octave vocal range — decades before Mariah Carey’s showy gyrations. Minnie was also the mother of future Saturday Night Live cast member Maya Rudolph.
A couple of songs that would find long lives on classic hits radio are also near the top: “How Long” (#3) by Ace from the #4 album Five-A-Side, and “Jackie Blue” (#4) by the Ozark Mountain Daredevils.
Ben E. King, who co-wrote and recorded the original version of the classic “Stand By Me” from 1961, enjoyed a late career disco-flavored hit with “Supernatural Thing” (#10). Englishman Leo Sayer had his first U.S. top 10 hit with “Long Tall Glasses” (#13).
Nigel Olsson (backed by the rest of the Elton John Band) climbs to #12 with the old Bee Gees song, “Only One Woman.” Ringo Starr is at #18 with a two-sided single: “Snookeroo,” written especially for Ringo by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, was released as the A-side, but the B-side became the bigger hit — Hoyt Axton’s “No No Song.”
Among other cool songs:
- Kraftwerk , the German electronica pioneers, jump from #16 to #9 with “Autobahn,” title track from the #5 album;
- David Bowie’s quasi-soul classic, “Young Americans” (#17), is the first hit from the album of the same name;
- Queen jumps from #28 to #20 with their first American hit, “Killer Queen,” from the #8 album, Sheer Heart Attack.
- America climbs six spots to #28 with “Sister Golden Hair,” a non-Beatle national #1 produced by George Martin, from the #9 album, Hearts.
Two acts with Arizona roots are on this week’s chart:
- Alice Cooper leaps from #33 to #15 with his first solo hit, a change-of-pace orchestrated song about domestic violence —“Only Women Bleed,” from the #6 album, Welcome To My Nightmare;
- Linda Ronstadt debuts at #34 with “When Will I Be Loved,” a cover of the Everly Brothers’ 1960 hit.
The top album is Physical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin, which spawns the KBBC “New Music” single, “Trampled Under Foot.”
Finally, there’s “Shaving Cream” (#21), a 1946 novelty record brought back to life thanks to the Dr. Demento syndicated radio show. The record is credited to Bennie Bell, who wrote it, but the vocals were actually by Phil Winters under the pseudonym Paul Wynn.