The 20th of February 1972

Official U.K. Singles Chart results from Sunday the 20th to Saturday the 26th of February 1972

Cut-off for sales figures was up to the end of Saturday the 19th of February

Results counted from Sunday the 20th,

announced on Tuesday the 22nd,

and broadcast on B.B.C. Radio 1 on Sunday the 27th of February 1972.

Middle Of The Road

Soley Soley

At No.41, on the the U.K. Top 50 Singles Chart the day I am born, is Middle Of The Road with “Soley Soley”.

The last of 12 weeks on the U.K. Singles Chart…

…was just beginning for “Soley Soley”, which, had entered the UK Chart at No.23 on the 5th December 1971 and, after a month of climbing through the chart, eventually achieved, and stayed at, No.5 for two weeks between the 2nd to the 15th of January 1972.

The Scottish outfit (which featured singer Sally Carr, drummer Ken Andrew, and brothers Ian and Eric McCredie on guitar and bass respectively), who under their previous Latin American playing guise of ‘Las Caracus’ had previously won the TV talent show ‘Opportunity Knocks’, were well on their way to getting another million selling single with this release.

The band’s unique sound…

…had won over the U.K. audiences a couple of years previously, since they had moved back from Italy, after success initially eluded them on home soil.

It had been in Italy, that Italian producer Giacomo Tosti gave them the sound that ultimately brought them international success, beginning with their smash hit “Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep”, which they released last summer in 1971. A single which (with the added assistance of Radio 1 DJ Tony Blackburn, who constantly played the song on the national airwaves), eventually sold more than 10 million physical units worldwide. A historic feat which less than 50 of best selling singles can admit to achieving, ever.

This was soon followed in the autumn,..

…with their next release “Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum”, which was was only denied the top spot by some guy called Rod Stewart with his single “Maggie May”.

This current release,..

…had been written by Fernando Arbex, who hailed from Madrid, and was himself a famous drummer in his home country.

He had at one time formed Spain’s answer to the Beatles, ‘Los Brincos’ (which in English translates as ‘The Jumps’), back in the mid 1960’s.

When ‘Los Brincos’ disbanded…

…at the end of that decade, Fernando had helped form another, more progressive, latin-style ‘Santana’-esque band called ‘Alacrán’ (‘Scorpion’).

It was while ‘Middle of the Road’ were in Spain,..

…that they discovered Fernando’s composition in Madrid, and recorded and released it as their latest single.

…and since the middle of January’s high point, the song had spent its last few weeks, falling back through the chart, ultimately settling at this position, before it waves goodbye at the end of this week.

The “A” Side

Middle Of The Road – Soley Soley

The “B” Side

Middle Of The Road – To Remind Me