London Bangla A Force for the community…
FIFTY YEARS AGO we were humming along to the hits of 1976. Some have magnificently stood the test of time; others have not. Join us on Memory Lane as we review them on their golden anniversaries.
The Wurzels were knocked off the top spot on 22nd June 1976 by one of the few genuine pop songs in the 1976 charts: enjoy it while it lasts. It’s You to Me Are Everything by The Real Thing – a band not just from Liverpool, but from Liverpool 8 (iykyk).
The Real Thing had good record sales and a number of their singles charted, but this was The One. It’s annoyingly catchy and the words are easy enough to hear and understand – although many of them are repeated so, like any rote learning, they are easy to remember.
Having said that, it was probably the title – the first line of the chorus – that caught the attention of the listening public. “You to me are everything” is a handy way of praising your Significant Other. On closer listening, if you have time, you find out that the “you” in the singer’s affections does not return his love. He is hopeful – but unrequited. Hmph.
By the time You to Me came along, TRT had been around for over five years. They had released records and even appeared on a TV talent show. Their breakthrough came when they supported David Essex. No, we wouldn’t have guessed either. The association with Essex and relentless release of singles finally won them notice. You To Me came just at the right time – even if their Top of the Pops appearance showed them as anything but relaxed performers. Subsequent singles did well enough, but the trend was downwards.
They were probably the best black rock/soul bands of the 1970s. They charted several times. And, for goodness sake, they backed David Essex. They deserve more than oblivion. Have a listen.
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