The Early Radio London Fab Forties
Sunday 16th January 1966

Otis Redding climbs to #4 in the Fab 40, with 'My Girl' – a '65 chart-topper in the States for the Temptations.

By March '67, Radio London was promoting the 'Hit the Road Stax' tour. (See Fab Forty 26/03/67) Visitors to Soulsville USA – the superb Stax museum in Memphis – can spot a shot of a Radio London tour poster in the museum's introductory film!

In the UK, Otis reached #11 in the Nationals with 'My Girl' and graced the chart again in February 1968, when it was reissued following his tragic death in December '67.

Photos of the Otis Redding Memorial Statue unveiled in Macon, Georgia, in 2002, are here.

(Right) NME feature shows Otis promoting his appearance at the Upper Cut club.

Last
This
 
Week
Week
2
1
Mirror Mirror Pinkerton's Assorted Colours
14
2
Spanish Flea Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass
11
3
Michelle David & Jonathan / Overlanders
10
4
My Girl Otis Redding
1
5
Till The End Of The Day Kinks
25
6
Take Me For A Little While Stevie Lewis / Koobas
16
7
A Sweet Woman Like You Joe Tex
4
8
The Water Is Over My Head Rockin' Berries
9
9
Keep On Running Spencer Davis Group
6
10
A Must To Avoid Herman's Hermits
8
11
England Swings Roger Miller
3
12
The Little Girl I Once Knew Beach Boys
5
13
We Can Work It Out / Day Tripper Beatles
19
14
Hello Dolly Bachelors
12
15
Midnight To Six Man Pretty Things
15
16
May The Bird Of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose Little Jimmy Dickens
24
17
Like A Baby Len Barry
21
18
Apple Of My Eye Roy Head & the Traits
29
19
Love's Just A Broken Heart Cilla Black
34
20
Second Hand Rose Barbra Streisand
13
21
The Long Cigarette Roulettes
33
22
Wait Frankie Vaughan
7
23
Don't Push Me Hedgehoppers Anonymous
22
24
It Was Easier To Hurt Her Wayne Fontana
35
25
The Hard Way Nashville Teens
20
26
Tchaikovsky One Second City Sound
36
27
I Can't Express It David Ballantyne
27
The Duck Jackie Lee
40
28
Lies Knickerbockers
31
29
Recovery Fontella Bass
30
Breakin' Up Is Breakin' My Heart Roy Orbison
31
Attack Toys
32
Don't Make Me Over Swinging Blue Jeans
33
Uptight (Everything's Alright) Stevie Wonder
34
You Didn't Have To Be So Nice Lovin' Spoonful
35
Crying Time Ray Charles
36
Have Pity On The Boy Paul & Barry Ryan
37
Beyond The Hill Matt Monro
38
Can't Help Thinking About Me David Bowie & the Lower Third
39
Girl St Louis Union / Truth
40
Over The Rainbow Patti LaBelle & her Belles

DJ Climbers:  
Sha La La La Lee Small Faces Dave Dennis
This Man's Got No Luck Gary Benson Duncan Johnson
When You Move You Lose Keith Powell & Billie Davis Paul Kaye
A Good Idea Uglys Mike Lennox
Remember You Zombies Mark Roman
Tomorrow Sandie Shaw Ed Stewart
A Walk In The Black Forest (Our Walk Of Love) Salena Jones Tony Windsor
Disc of the week:
Little By Little Dusty Springfield


Dateline, Saturday, January 22nd, 1966 – The Radio London Club Afternoon

January 22nd 1966 was the date of my first visit (with friend and Knees Club Official #4, Lynn Belcher) to London's Marquee Club in Wardour Street, for the Radio London Club Afternoon. The main reasons I had not been before were that I had been too young and had nobody to accompany me. In January 66 I had just turned sixteen and was still at school. Not having any income beyond my pocket money, it was hard to find the train fare and the entry fee, even though I got reduced-price admission to the Marquee! Radio London Club cardholders were admitted for 3 shillings and six pence (current equivalent, 17.5 pence); non-members had to pay 1 shilling (5 pence) extra.

A portion of the show, which featured the week's number one Fab Forty act, Pinkerton's Assorted Colours, was sponsored by Inecto hair products. I believe the band mimed to the single, rather than performing live. My diary does not record why I failed to take the opportunity to enrol the Pinkertons in the Knees Club, but as Flavour of the Month, they may well have had to rush off to another gig. The Inecto Show was recorded for broadcast on Radio London one week later, on January 29th.

The afternoon was enhanced by meeting the Patron Saint of Knees and our Club President, Tony Windsor (member #11), who unfortunately, was too bashful to show us his patellae.

Lynn and I got a lift back home to Wycombe with local duo Des & Dave. Dave Collier (#49), is left of the picture, Des Cox (#48), right. Is that a wheelbarrow between them? We have no idea. They were at the Marquee to promote their single Tumblin' Down. An undated recording exists of Tumblin' Down being announced as a Big L climber, but for which week and for how many weeks, is unknown. Des's Website.

The PURPLE additions to the climbers indicate information kindly provided by Roy Taylor

The Caroline 'Countdown Sixty' chart (south ship) for this week is here

The MV Mi Amigo went aground at Walton on the Naze around 0200 on Thursday, 20th January.

Tune in next week for another Big L Fab 40!


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