Sounds on Sunday: 50 years ago – 1976-8

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.

We hate to be mean, and the internet says J.J. Barrie died less than a month ago, at the age of 92, in a hospice in his native Canada. Nonetheless, we do have to warn our loyal listeners that his recording of No Charge is one of the worst things to come out of Canada. Ever.

The song, his only hit, scored high in that it knocked Abba off the number one spot – but it remained at the top of the UK charge for just one week. The song – spoken, not sung – tells the story of a small child who tried to charge his mother for errands he had undertaken that week. She responds by pointing out all the work she has put in to looking after him, for which she is not charging him. The child realises the error of his ways and writes off his charges against the notional cost of her support for him.

This is a sentimental, schmaltzy piece that reinforces several stereotypes. Children are cute. Boy children see their fathers going out to work and coming back with money and they think they should do the same. Mothers work on looking after their family for no financial reward, which means they have no independent financial means. Yuk.

Many western states rely on a simple model: the nuclear family (husband, wife and children) to keep the economy going. Mothers look after the men, so they can put their energies into work without having to shop, cook and clean for themselves. Mothers raise the next generation. If ever the economy needs extra labour, women will be encouraged to come out of the family and take on some paid work: and as they know they are second class citizens, they will accept lower wages.

The only redeeming feature of this song is that Billy Connolly released a parody, concentrating on country life as it is, not the cleansed and romanticised version. We offer both. Take your pick.

●For J.J. Barrie, go to:
No charge

●For Billy Connolly, go to:
No chance

●For more Sounds on Sunday, go to:
Sounds on Sunday