BBC2 is currently indulging our love of nostalgia with it’s 1970s season, centred around the flagship “The 70s” series and the accompanying aftershow “Sounds of the 70s”. In the space of two days BBC2 focused twice specifically on 1973, although the nostalgia fest “TV 1973 – the Defining Shows” deflected somewhat from the reality of life in that year. Lest we forget, 1973 was a year of abject misery through economic strife experienced globally and nationally here in the UK. But Glam Rock saved the day and the year!!

Over the intervening 40 years, the bad memories of 1973  have faded, glossed over in particular by the colour and flamboyance of the prevalent Glam Rock music, which epitomised fun and frivolity. However this levity in the music scene in 1973 belied great economic suffering as first of all the oil crisis saw fuel prices at the petrol pumps soar, sparking huge food price inflation and the need for petrol coupons; and then the coalminers sensing the Ted Heath Tory Government’s vulnerability, stuck the knife in with an overtime ban in November 1973 which lasted well into the Spring of 1974!! Quickly coal stock piles dimished and the country was cast into literal and metaphorical darkness, as powercuts and a three day working week for industry was introduced in a state of emergency.

How Prime Minister Edward Heath must have wished that a Dr Who storyline “The Green Death” from earlier that year (June 1973 ), which saw giant maggots killing miners in a Welsh pit, was a reality!! The reality of the powercuts for an eleven year old author, was that the initial excitement of candlelit evenings was quickly surpassed by the disappointment of missing favourite TV programmes. I can remember being “Green Death” with envy because a schoolmate’s family had an electricity generator in their cellar and therefore his TV viewing was not impeded in any way!!

However all was not lost as we Brits had access to our battery operated Ferguson and Bush Transistor Radios, so Radio Luxembourg came into it’s own during the era of the 10-30pm powercut curfew, which saw TV broadcasting close down prematurely!! And what a year for music it was – 1973 was the zenith of the Glam Rock movement, with Slade, Sweet, Wizzard, Suzy Quatro and Gary Glitter sharing nine No1’s between them. Meanwhile teenage heart throbs Donny Osmond and David Cassidy chipped in with a No1 each as well. Away from the No1 Elite Club, Glam Rockers David Bowie and Elton John released some highly credible hit songs, which have very much stood the test of time. 1973 may have been a thoroughly miserable year to live in , but as bad as the economic backdrop might have been, it produced some of the greatest hits of all time!! And here to prove it is The Top 20 Best Hit Songs of 1973 –

The Top 20 Best Hit Songs of 1973

1)  Slade – Cum on Feel the Noize

2)  Sweet – Ballroom Blitz

3)  Wings – Live & Let Die

4)  Elton John – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

5)  David Bowie – Life on Mars

6)  Jimmy Helms – Gonna Make You an Offer

7)  Rolling Stones – Angie

8)  Carpenters – Yesterday Once More

9)  David Essex – Rock On

10)  Wizzard – I Wish It Could Be Xmas Everyday

11)  Billy Paul – Me & Mrs Jones

12)  Tony Christie – Avenues & Alleyways

13)  Slade – Merry Xmas Everybody

14)  Carly Simon – You’re So Vain

15)  Temptations – Papa Was A Rolling Stone

16)  Bobby Goldsboro – Summer the First Time

17)  Drifters – Like Sister & Brother

18)  Wizzard – Angel Fingers

19)  Sweet – Hellraiser

20) 10cc – Rubber Bullets

You can immortalise the songs of your Glam Rock heroes, in your own home or workplace / office, by ordering your favourite vinyl record; single, album or album cover; framed and mounted as a picture disc souvenir. ORDER NOW by clicking on…….. http://www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

Alternatively this would make a unique present or original gift for a special celebration  ie a Wedding ( Wedding Song ), an Engagement Party, a House Warming Party, a 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th Birthday, a Silver or Ruby Wedding Anniversary, Father’s or Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day!! THE PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENT!!