If you put me in a ring for a few rounds of boxing

Continuing my trip back in time through the album charts

28/10/73 : I'm A Writer Not A Fighter - Gilbert O'Sullivan


My dad had a Gilbert album on 8 track back in the day - it wasn't this one though because I remember listening to "Clair" in the car and that's not on here.  And that's the only track I remember of his - I remember quite liking his voice but couldn't tell you anything more, so let's see what we've got here.

Hmmm - it's a bit quirky and feels very dated.  I'm tempted to say it's rubbish, but "of its time" feels fairer - it reminded me of Paul McCartney's early solo stuff and it's way, way better than that.  Not that I liked it mind - but I didn't loathe it with a passion.  "Get Down" is an odd track and was apparently the lead single and got to #1 here and #7 in the US - things really were very differently back then!

We're at #7 in the charts this week on its fifth week of a 24 week run, peaking at #2 in its 3rd and 16th weeks (kept off the top by Slade both times - what are the chances of that?).  The top five this week were Bowie and Elton (both new entries), Status Quo, Slade and Bryan (another new entry) and we have another new entry in the top ten at #9 - Motown Chartbusters, Vol 8, which features some very fine tracks indeed.  And yes, Karen is once again the highest woman at #11.

Wikipedia has considerably more on this album than I was expecting (114 milliPeppers) but I'd have to say it's light on content.  The critical reception section is curious because it refers to reviews in the Reading Evening Post (who liked it) and the Buckinghamshire Examiner (who didn't) - I'm not sure either of those publications are particularly known for their musical expertise.  Wikipedia also tells me that (somewhat unsurprisingly) his name isn't really Gilbert (it's Raymond) and he's still plugging away at it, having released a couple of singles this year at the tender age of 75 (neither of which troubled the charts in the slightest).

"Customers also listened to" Leo Sayer, Pilot, Clifford T. Ward and Hurricane Smith - I've heard of Leo, at least.  This was an interesting listen, but only in a "so this is what people listened to back then" kinda way - it all sounds a bit bizarre nowadays (to me, at least!)

21/10/73 - An interesting, if not entirely enjoyable, listen
04/11/73 - A musical curio

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