The Early Radio London Fab Forties
Sunday 13th March 1966

We are pleased to include this rare Dutch pic sleeve, which has kindly been scanned for us by Rob Messander from the Netherlands.

After climbing twenty places in one week, Kiki Dee is down one place, to #19. That's the Fab Forty for you. On March 17th, Record Retailer magazine commenced publication of the Fab Forties. This is somewhat ironic, considering that the Big L charts were never compiled from figures supplied by retailers!

 
Last
This
  
Week
Week
10
1
 Shapes Of Things Yardbirds
15
2
 Dedicated Follower Of Fashion Kinks
8
3
 The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore Walker Brothers
1
4
 I Can't Let Go Hollies
11
5
 Elusive Butterfly Bob Lind / Val Doonican
5
6
 Woman Peter & Gordon
7
7
 Make The World Go Away Eddy Arnold
12
8
 Nowhere Man Settlers / Three Good Reasons
24
9
 What Now My Love Sonny & Cher
2
10
 Lightnin' Strikes Lou Christie
37
11
 Super Girl Graham Bonney
23
12
 Hide And Seek Sheep
3
13
 Backstage Gene Pitney
28
14
 Working My Way Back To You Four Seasons
16
15
 I Met A Girl Shadows
21
16
 Norwegian Wood Frugal Sound
9
17
 Barbara Ann Beach Boys
32
18
 I Got You (I Feel Good) James Brown & the Famous Flames
18
19
 Why Don't I Run Away From You? Kiki Dee
25
20
 Invitation A Band Of Angels
–
21
 That's Nice Neil Christian
27
22
 Pop-Art Goes Mozart Tornados
–
23
 Blue Turns To Grey Cliff Richard & the Shadows
30
24
 The Sound Of Silence Bachelors
34
25
 There'll Be Another Spring Frank Ifield
–
26
 Try Too Hard Dave Clark Five
–
27
 Up And Down McCoys
–
28
 Call My Name Them
6
29
 Jenny Take A Ride Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels
4
30
 Hold Tight Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich
–
31
 Like A Man New Faces
14
32
 Me And You Diane Ferraz & Nicky Scott
29
33
 Homeward Bound Simon & Garfunkel / Quiet Five
–
34
 Ballad Of The Green Berets Staff Sgt Barry Sadler / Alan Moorhouse Orchestra
38
35
 So Much In Love Herd
40
36
 Baby Never Say Goodbye Unit 4 + 2
–
37
 It's Too Late Bobby Goldsboro
–
38
 You Won't Be Leaving Herman's Hermits
–
39
 If You've Got A Minute Baby Freddie & the Dreamers
13
40
 Sha La La La Lee Small Faces



DJ Climbers:
Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) Cher Tony Windsor



Climbers:
It's Up To You Valerie Masters
Long Live Our Love Shangri-Las
We Wanna Stay Home Perpetual Langley
Alfie Cilla Black
He Fought The Law She Trinity
I Fought The Law Bobby Fuller Four
Someday, One Day Seekers
King Of The Whole Wide World Leapy Lee
Somewhere Len Barry
A Legal Matter Who
Walk Away Like A Winner Robert Henry
Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over) Four Tops
The Entertainer News
Just A Minute Or Two Gene Latter
Greig One Second City Sound
Disc of the Week:
Somebody Help Me Spencer Davis Group

Walk Away Like A Winner Robert Henry Philips BF 1476

A mint-condition copy of Walk Away Like A Winner can command a price tag of around £40, but informaton about Robert Henry is scant. He is known to have penned the B-side of the single, That's All I Want, which was published by the Radio London-associated Pall Mall Music. Henry had also released a previous Philips single I Need Someone, under the less-formal name of Bob Henry, in 1965. (Price tag circa £10)

(Click on the picture for a link to information about the Record Collector Rare Record Price Guide)

Night Train James Brown & the Famous Flames

Night Train had been included as a Fab 40 climber ever since Brian Long brought out his book The London Sound, including the first-published Fab Forty charts. The Oldies Project team spotted that this was rather strange, because James Brown was still riding high with I Got You (I Feel Good). This is their investigation:

According to the weekly UK release sheets by Francis Anthony Ltd, Night Train by James Brown was a UK release on December 11th 1964.
On March 13th 1966 the song is listed on the Fab 40 page as a climber, yet there is no trace of it on the FA weekly release sheets for either 1965 or 1966
Even more remarkably, I Got You (I Feel Good) by James Brown was already climbing the Fab 40. It had been released by Pye Records on Feb 18, 1966, entered the Fab 40 on Feb 6th and was #18 a week later, when Night Train suddenly appeared as a climber. According to the FA release sheets, Brown's next single was New Breed issued by Philips on March 25th 1966.

Our own investigations show that the Record Collector Price Guide lists Night Train as released in the UK in 1962 and reissued in 64. There's no mention of a subsequent reissue. With the known anomalies between the Curzon Street listings and what was actually played, it's possible that Pye had planned to reissue Night Train after the success of I Got You, but changed their minds after the list had been typed and sent to the Galaxy. It's also possible that someone at Pye inadvertently gave Radlon Sales the wrong title for the new release and what actually went out to the ship was a copy of New Breed. It's even possible that Radio London was sent a test pressing with the wrong title hand-written on the label. Unless anyone has a recording of this week's Fab 40 from 1966 to prove what was actually played, we may never discover the truth.

On Thursday, March 17th, Dave Cash launched his 'Bring Back the Byrds' campaign on his Breakfast Show.


On Friday, March 18th, at the Target Club in the Co-op Hall, High Wycombe, Earl Richmond (KC member #13) introduced David Bowie who joined the Knees Club as #127, and David Ballantyne (#129). Neither singer was currently in the Fab Forty, but they would both reappear on April 3rd, each with a new climber. Also joining the KC that evening was John 'Ego' Eager (#128). The event is covered in extensive detail here.

Also on March 18th, the KC Founder won a John Purpleknees Edward (#17) competition – along with about 100 other people! The Glittering Prize? A centre from a seven-inch single! Appropriately enough, Knees Club member #17 has his own connection with member #127. 'Purpleknees' had played lead guitar with Bowie (then known as Jones) and the Manish Boys.

Tune in next week for another Big L Fab 40!