You've got a cute way of talkin'

Continuing my trip back through the 1977 album charts.

10/07/77 : Endless Flight - Leo Sayer

Well, of all the people I'd expect to meet twice in this "year of punk", Leo was pretty low on the list!  Last time I was confused as to what he's was actually trying to do - I've no reason to imagine this will be massively different but I am heartened to see this is his top album as listed on Amazon.

Well, I did at least recognise "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" but I'd completely forgotten it was quite as falsetto as it was.  I also obviously knew "When I Need You" which is a very well done track, but was also surprised to recognise "Reflections" and had to check Wikipedia to realise it was a Supremes cover.  Overall, I thought this album was less confusing than our previous visit with there being more of a constant style to it ("You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" is an outlier) - I wouldn't say it's exactly great but it's at least a well done "that sort of thing"

This week we're all the way down at #18 (are we going to be in the twenties soon?) on his - wait for it - 26th week of a 56 week run with it having peaked at #4 in its sixth and seventh weeks.  And this was its second run, with it having had an initial seven week effort before coming back as a result of "When I Need You" (his only UK #1 - he's had four tracks get stuck at #2).  The top five this week were the Johnny Mathis best of (just starting a FOUR week run at the top), A Star Is Born, The Muppets and live albums from Neil Diamond and The Beatles and the highest new entry is a Rod Stewart best-of (#28 - one of MANY over the years).

Wikipedia came up with a beauty which I'd never noticed - the main chorus of "When I Need You" uses the same melody as Leonard Cohen's "Dirty Blue Raincoat".  And it really does!  But that's about it for items of interest except for the commercial performance - #1 in Canada and #10 in the US.  Wow!

"Customers also listened to" Captain & Tenille, Debby Boone, David Essex and Gilbert O'Sullivan - surely David, Gilbert and Leo are the Holy Trinity of slightly peculiar solo male singers from the 70s?  I didn't love this but I didn't mind it - it was (another) dated curio, but an interesting one.

03/07/77 - Probably not his finest
17/07/77 - Interestingly forgettable 

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