In The 1970s Steeleye Span

This British folk group I tried not to like in the 1970s, but I failed. They were pretty good actually and they are just SO SO British. The group was formed back in 1969 by Ashley Hutchings who had just left Fairport Convention and through his folk contacts managed to pull many members into the group throughout its history. The group was named after a character from a song called Horkstow Grange. Nope I have never heard of it either.

So are you struggling to remember any of their hit songs? Well the first hit single in the 1970s was in 1972 called Gaudette which actually was a Christmas carol from the 16^th century and is found  in Piae Cantonis in 1592. Maybe one of the oldest songs to hit our charts?

Gaudete, gaudete! Christus est natus

Ex Maria virgine, gaudete!

The song was sung in Latin and was still a hit. When did you last hear a Latin hit in the charts? The song had no instruments and was voices only. Despite all this it was a top twenty hit in the UK.

The group released many singles and had a cult fan base, but chart wise they only had one other hit in 1975 called All AroundMy Hat. This song dates back to the 1800s and is about a man saying goodbye to his girl as he has been found guilty of a crime and is being 

In The 1970s Wombles with Mike Batt

The pop charts in the 1970s were full of so many things. So a group dressed up in Womble costume playing instruments and singing is just so natural. The group were just a few guys dressed up and the music of the Wombles came from musician Mike Batt.

Mike Batt was broke when he was asked to write a song for the new TV series The Wombles, which was all bout creatures om Wimbledon Common that cleared rubbish. He was offered in 1973 £200 to make the song.but he decided he would ask them for the musical rights instead. That mad him a wealthy man.

Mike also wrote the No.1 song Bright Eyes by Art Garfunkel in 1979 and had a hand in the hits for Steeleye Span with All Around My Hat and Lilac Wine by Elkie Brooks

Mike also wrote the TV theme to BBC Seaside Special called Summertime City which was a big hit too in the 1970s.

Mike Batt Interview

The Wombles started as a book and then became a very popular TV cartoon before crossing over in the charts. Mike Batt wrote and produced the main theme which he extended to make it a No. 4 single in 1973.

The furry creatures continued to have huge chart success with more singles in the next year. The No. 3 hit was Remember You're A Womble which everybody sang along to. The silly creatures continued to chart with  Banana Rock.

The Wombles had several Gold singles and LPs and even had a small hit in the U.S.. The next UK hit was the French style hit Minuetto Allegretto In November that year we were treated to a classic Christmas song with Wombling Merry Christmas.