Cher's big comeback hit, "Gypsys, Tramps And Thieves," moves into the #1 spot this week, dropping Rod Stewart and The Osmonds each down a notch. (What IS a surprise, I guess, is that Cher is back on the charts at all. It has been four years since her last Top Ten Hit, "You Better Sit Down Kids" ... and, just like in their golden days of the '60's, she also has a brand new hit on the chart with her husband Sonny, as "All I Ever Need Is You," which climbs from #79 to #54, a leap of 25 places! This is also THEIR first hit since 1967's Top Ten Smash "The Beat Goes On.")
The couple have reinvented themselves since their early chart days.
Back then, they personified the whole "hippie look," Sonny with his bearskin vests and Cher with her Indian dress. The couple have "glammed up" for the '70's, now wearing tuxedos and elegant designer gowns. Soon they'll be playing Vegas and hosting their own TV variety show. It is this second round of stardom that most fans will remember them for.
Two other recent debuts continue to light up the chart as both Isaac Hayes' "Theme from 'Shaft'" and John Lennon's "Imagine" explode into The Top Ten. ("Shaft is up another 16 places in its third week on the chart, landing at #4 ... while "Imagine" climbs from #30 to #6 in only its second chart week.) Also new to The Top Ten this week are "I've Found Someone Of My Own" by The Free Movement (#11 to #8) and "Peace Train by Cat Stevens (#16 to #10.)
The biggest Top 40 movers this week are "Have You Seen Her" by The Chi-Lites (up 64 places from #88 to #24!!!), "Baby I'm-A Want You" by Bread (which climbs 25 spots from #63 to #38) and "Absolutely Right" by The Five Man Electrical Band, their follow-up to "Signs," which climbs fifteen notches from #50 to #35.
Playing Favorites:
I like young Michael Jackson's solo hit "Got To Be There," which premiers this week at #72. (It was always the challenge, while driving around on the weekend with a group of buddies, to try and sing along with this record ... those have got to be some of the highest high notes you're ever going to risk rupturing yourself to try and hit!)
"Brand New Key" by Melanie was a fun record, too, with its risqué, not-so-subtle lyrics ... you knew the first time you heard it that THIS was going to be a #1 Record. It makes its chart debut at #75 this week.
And how about The Who's "Behind Blue Eyes," new at #95? Kind of a brand new sound for them.
This Week in 1971:
October 25th – Actor / Comedian Craig Robinson is born
October 26th – Al Green receives a gold record for his first Top 10 hit single “Tired Of Being Alone.” (He had just performed the song three days earlier on American Bandstand.)
October 29th – Duane Allman, founding member of The Allman Brothers Band, was killed when he lost control of his motorcycle trying to swerve to avoid an on-coming tractor trailer in Macon, Georgia. Allman would have turned 25 three weeks later.
Duane's guitar can be heard on the Derek and the Dominoes classic, "Layla." (When a guitarist like Eric Clapton asks ANOTHER guitarist to play on his record, it has to be the ultimate compliment! George Harrison had done the same for Clapton a few years earlier when Eric "guested" on The Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps.")
The Allman Brothers Band weren't quite household names yet ... that would come about a year later with the release of their "Eat A Peach" album. Their live album "At Fillmore East" WAS climbing the charts this week in 1971, however. It would eventually go platinum ... and peak at #13 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums Chart.
Duane's brother Gregg would go on to marry Cher a few years after that. (Dontcha just love it when all this stuff comes around like that!)
Also on this date … actress (and renown shoplifter) Winona Ryder is born
