The 20th of February 1973
Official U.K. Albums Chart results from Sunday the 18th to Saturday the 24th of February 1973
Cut-off for sales figures was up to the end of Saturday the 17th of February
Results counted from Sunday the 18th,
announced on Tuesday the 20th,
and broadcast on B.B.C. Radio 1 on Sunday the 25th of February 1973.
Rick Wakeman
The Six Wives Of Henry VIII
At No.12, on the “The Top 50 U.K. Albums Chart” on my 1st Birthday, is Rick Wakeman with “The Six Wives Of Henry VIII”.
The Prince of Prog graces the No.12 position this week…
…with his debut album.
Rick, who had up until now, been mainly a session musician in the late 1960’s and very early 1970’s, was gifted the chance to record his own album from A&M, the label he had been part of while a member of the Strawbs.
Since then, he’d moved on and became a member of Yes, who were on the Atlantic label, but the offer still stood.
And so, along with a gift of Clarke Gable’s 1957 Cadillac Limousine, he signed a 5 album deal and began putting down some ideas for his debut.
Nothing solid was forthcoming at first , until that is, he picked up a few books while touring with Yes in North America, one of these being “The Private Life of Henry VIII”.
It was the subject he’d been looking for.
To gain more knowledge, he bought further books on the subject to expand his insight and feel of each of Henry’s wives.
From there, he began to write down pieces for each of them, also one for Henry himself, although due to time restrictions on a vinyl LP, this would be omitted for the time being.
By using keyboards and electronic synthesisers as well as pulling on the help of various friends and collaborators, featuring members of both the Strawbs and Yes, his vision began to come together.
The result was a surrealist musical portrait of the characteristics of each of Henry’s wives interpreted through the magic fingers of Rick himself.
With the album complete,..
…it was now time to play it to his expectant record label, who didn’t get it at all.
In fact, they were so sure that the album would fail, they slashed the budget for the production of the cover in an attempt to recuperate some of the funds back from the ballooned cost of the recording of the album.
The result was a hastily put together front cover which, due to the quick improvisation to have Rick walk among the 6 waxwork wives at London’s Madame Taussauds, someone forgot to close the curtain properly behind them, so Richard Nixon manages a look in on the proceedings.
With the record company not exactly being forthcoming on the promotional side of things either, it would need something a bit special to get the album out there.
Fortunately for Rick, the stars were aligning in a very indirect way.
To promote the album, he was invited on to the B.B.C.’s late night music show, ‘The Old Grey Whistle Test’ to play a selection from the album.
Not that many were predicted to do so, as more ‘interesting’ TV was being listed, clashing with Rick’s TV appearance.
On the opposite ITV channel, the British public were due to tune in to see popular photographer David Bailey discuss the talents of artist Andy Warhol.
However, due to the explicit nature of the programme, it was intercepted by controversial housewife Mary Whitehouse, whose vocal demonstrations brought about the last-minute pulling of the programme from the airwaves.
With the disgruntled public now lost for something different to watch, they switched channels and fell upon Rick and his six wives, and I’m sure, if the beeb had promoted this as such, the public (already put out that some interfering housewife had spoiled their chance of any racy material on the other side) would have leapt across in their droves.
Fortunately, the resulting publicity did just that anyway, and TV viewers tuned in for the keyboard wizard’s glorious solo unveiling.
This week, in the U.K. Album Chart, his debut is a new entry,..
…straight in at No.12, and by next week he will have broken the Top 10 and landed at his highest position of No.7.
Another Top 10 week will follow for week 3, before he’ll take a gradual descent back down the chart.
The album will first fall out after the 19th of May, but then reappear at the end of the month for a week.
Other week long visits will take place mid June, mid-July and early August
before another 3 week run would see out the rest of that month, and the Summer.
Due to Rick’s subsequent album releases, his debut would re-enter in a slightly expanded album chart for two separate weeks in September and October 1975.
And once more, the wives would make one further appearance, due to the album being remastered, when it appears for a week in the (now) Top 100 album chart in 2015 at No.86.
For an album which had such shaky beginnings, it will eventually go on to sell in excess of 15 million units worldwide.
I’ve created my own separate playlists for both Sides 1 and 2 of this album with (I hope) the correct versions and the original track sequencing order for the U.K. release.
Side 1
Side 2
Many thanks go to the following YouTube Channels for providing the chance to hear this music once again.
Please show your appreciation by visiting their channel:
The Top 50 U.K. Singles Chart Playlist for the week of my 1st Birthday:
The Top 50 U.K. Singles Chart Playlist for the day I was born:
Grab Your Binoculars, Come Follow Me
What is it…?
Why am I…?
How do I…?
When am I…?
