The Ultimate Averaged Chart - The BBC Chart Re-Imagined

[Graham76man]

Neil Sedaka - Calender Girl has one of those musical video jukebox films for it made by Scopitone for it. But I have been looking at the video for it and the start intro screen says C1966. So he must have made it years later! Seems a bit odd?

I bet Andy Stewart was top in Scotland all the time he was in the chart

[Metalweb]

Anyone remember "January Man", that weird Kevin Kline film from 1989?

It had a serial killer committing murders based on the notes in the chorus of "Calendar Girl"...

[MrTibbs]

Oh please perish the very idea that that horrendous patronising Andy Stewart record was ever top up here, I could never stand it. What an embarrassment it was and is to this nation.

[MrTibbs]

Calendar Girl is one of those tunes I can still actually recall at the time. Perfect pop.

[Robbie]

Neil Sedaka - Calender Girl has one of those musical video jukebox films for it made by Scopitone for it. But I have been looking at the video for it and the start intro screen says C1966. So he must have made it years later! Seems a bit odd?

I bet Andy Stewart was top in Scotland all the time he was in the chart

The wikipedia page for 'Calendar Girl' confirms the clip is from 1966. The corresponding wikipedia page for Scopitone explains that the amount of the machines installed in US bars and nightclubs had increased dramatically by 1966 and that in order to appeal to an adult American audience a number of acts, current and by then faded acts (including Neil Sedaka) were asked to record films. Many of the film clips made that year were made by the production company owned by Debbie Reynolds.

[ACA]

Brian, I can only assume you created this thread for the fun and love of the charts and music. And not for awards and recognition

.

Yes, Robin! I intended to express the same...! Brian, I guess you are nearly the same age as me, I turn 70 this year, and this span of life has taught me to discern between important and not so important things and behavior.
Your site is so important to all of us who have followed the British charts for many decades, and it is important to you, because you have so much joy when you create them.

I can understand your momentary disappointment, but I guess you're not making your site for people who don't understand what you're doing. Maybe they will some day.

As I am busy with my own projects I don't have time to visit your site every day, but I do it as often as I can and have found it very inspirational. So thanks a lot for your work and keep on going!!

Anders

[MrTibbs]

I've moved on. The disappointment was transient once I realised that you guys who follow this thread faithfully and get as much pleasure as I do from it and indeed encourage me onwards are actually more important to me on a day to day basis than strangers opinions who never visit the thread. Anyway, I have charts to compile, post, and engage with u guys here and share views and that's what it's really all about. So let's get to it

[Leo]

I just want to say, as I just saw all the posts above, that the intention of the ukmix awards was never to make anyone feel bad or dissapointed. I really enjoy ukmix, it's a forum that came to my life in a very dificult time when I was going through very intense pain and sadness. And I've grown to enjoy a lot participating in different threads.

I think it was back in 2017 when I had an idea to see which were popular threads across the forum, and thought that Replies and Views were two metrics that would show what was "popular". Popular never means good, although many times it is! So I started weekly charts. I must be honest; there were weeks I posted charts and got like 50 views and 0 comments, but it was something I was enjoying. Other times, many members expressed how they enjoyed the thread and I kept doing in.

Then I decided to prepare some Year end charts, and just as Billboard Awards, to create that spin-off that are the awards. So the awards highlight "popular" and then we can choose the best amongst them. Are those the BEST ones? not sure, maybe yes or maybe not, but they are OUTSTANDING, that's why each category is "outstanding" and not "best".

I was thinking back then to open up for nominations and make awards based on people's interest. But to be honest, there would be no enough participation, that's why I come up with nominations based on mathematical reasons highlighting what's "popular" based on views and replies. It's easier to make memebrs vote for awards than to get involved in all noms and then votes!

That being said, this MrTibbs' thread is verypopular, gets a lot of interaction, and a good number of views and replies, and I love that. I came here time ago because I was doing the ukmix hot100 and found the name and got curious and I was thrilled about this idea. No, I didn't post, I just checked. So, if I was to decide MY personal favourte new thread, I would named this one as a finalist for sure. Showcase a lot of love for music, brings something fresh to the site, generates some discussion. Its a fantastic idea and very well crafted.

That's all I wanted to say cause I feel bad you felt dissapointed because of any idea of mine. The idea of the awards is to celebrate ukmix. I never imagined those rankings and awards would make anyone feel bad.

Hope you (and the rest of members that posted here about that nomination) understand those awards are celebratory but NEVER intend to be naming the best of anything. I hope this thread wins in the category it got nominated but, more than anything, that chart lovers discover this place and come and enjoy as much as many of you are doing.

wish you well, Leo

[Splodj]

Yeah, gotta be a typo. I checked to see if there were recordings or write downs out there of Pick of the Pops this week, couldn't find any.

However there is a recording (below) of a retro-POTP in 1992 revisiting the 1961 chart. At that time POTP was still using the BBC chart. As you can hear on the recording Johnny Tillotson was clearly "back at number two" as Alan Freeman says, and then confirmed as number two in the countdown.

I suppose this is not definitive; it is possible there was a 'clean up' operation (I notice that Rubber Ball is untied at number 10) but highly unlikely.

https://www.mixcloud.com/terry-obrien2/pick-of-the-pops-1992-01-26-alan-freeman-pt1-1961/

[MrTibbs]

Here is the next Ultimate Averaged Chart for Week Ending February 11th 1961.

The Ultimate Averaged Chart - Week Ending February 11th 1961								NME	RM	MM	DISC	RR	Total
Last	This		The Sound Survey				Stores	80	60	110	50	30	Points
Week	Week		The Top 30 Singles Chart				BBC				TOP	30	Scored
1	1	Are You Lonesome Tonight - Elvis Presley					1	1	1	1	1	1	9900
2	2	Sailor - Petula Clark					2	2	2	2	2	2	9570
5	3	Rubber Ball - Bobby Vee					3	3	3	3	3	7	9120
4	4	Pepe - Duane Eddy					4	5	4	5	4	5	8690
7	5	You’re Sixteen - Johnny Burnette					5	4	5	6	5	4	8580
3	6	Poetry In Motion - Johnny Tillotson					6	6	6	4	6	3	8560
6	7	Portrait Of My Love - Matt Monro					7	9	9	7	7	6	7670
10	8	Sailor - Anne Shelton					8	8	7	8	12	10	7390
NEW	9	F.B.I. - The Shadows					9	10	8	11	8	22	6680
12	10	Buona Sera - Mr.Acker Bilk					11	11	11	10	13	9	6670
11	11	Rubber Ball - Marty Wilde					10	7	10	15	10	11	6590
9	12	Counting Teardrops - Emile Ford and The Checkmates					13	18	13	9	11	8	6230
8	13	I Love You / 'D' In Love - Cliff Richard					12	15	17	12	9	12	5880
NEW	14	Walk Right Back / Ebony Eyes - The Everly Brothers					14=	12	12	13	17	25	5520
NEW	15	This Is It / Who Am I - Adam Faith					16=	14	15	19	15	28	4530
14	16	Many Tears Ago - Connie Francis					14=	12		16	14	20	4350
17	17	Pepe - Russ Conway					17	18	18	14		19	4050
13	18	Stay - Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs					18	17		18	19	15	3630
NEW	19	Will You Love Me Tomorrow - The Shirelles						22	14	17			3280
27	20	Calendar Girl - Neil Sedaka					19	16	20	20		29	3130
19	21	Sway - Bobby Rydell						21			20	17	1770
21	22	Piltdown Rides Again - The Piltdown Men						23			18	16	1740
15	23	It's Now Or Never - Elvis Presley					20	24			16	18	1700
30	24	New Orleans - The U. S. Bonds						20				23	1120
26	25	Messing About On The River - Josh McCrae							16				900
20	26	A Thousand Stars - Billy Fury						28				14	750
23	27	North To Alaska - Johnny Horton							19				720
28	28	A Scottish Soldier - Andy Stewart						24				27	680
16	29	Save The Last Dance For Me - The Drifters										13	540
18	30	Perfidia - The Ventures						29				21	460
		Ebony Eyes - The Everly Brothers						29
		Let's Jump The Broomstick - Brenda Lee						26					400
		C'est Si Bon - Conway Twitty						27					320
		Little Girl - Marty Wilde										24	210
		Ginchy - Bert Weedon						29					160
		Doll House - The King Brothers										26	150
		Goodness Gracious Me - Peter Sellers and Sophia Loren										30	30

[RokinRobinOfLocksley]

However there is a recording (below) of a retro-POTP in 1992 revisiting the 1961 chart. At that time POTP was still using the BBC chart. As you can hear on the recording Johnny Tillotson was clearly "back at number two" as Alan Freeman says, and then confirmed as number two in the countdown.

I suppose this is not definitive; it is possible there was a 'clean up' operation (I notice that Rubber Ball is untied at number 10) but highly unlikely.

https://www.mixcloud.com/terry-obrie...eman-pt1-1961/

Great find, Splodj !! I think this answers the question, for 28 Jan 1961 Tillotson was indeed #2, Elvis was sole #1, and the BBC file tie at #1 was a typo error.

This brings up several points.

1. I listened to the full Top 20 recap at the end of the sound file, and Alan Freeman quoted no ties whatsoever, even though the BBC file listed 5 ties. I think what happened was this: Alan (or Derek Chinnery) must have been using a tie breaker, and this BBC chart by Dave/Trevor was not actually found in the BBC library, they must have re-created this chart themselves by averaging the NME, MM, and Disc charts together. And Dave/Trevor must not have used a tie breaker as Alan/Derek had done. As I've mentioned in other threads, I have 4 versions of the D/T BBC file, and each one had occasional chart position tweaks to it. I can only guess, again, that D/T re-created charts they couldn't find at the BBC library, and then revised their info once other info was discovered, either chart write downs by fans or POTP tape recordings.

In looking at the ties for this week, if the BBC did indeed use a tie breaker, then it might have been this, just a guess: if 2 records tied, then the record moving down the chart from last week would be placed at the lower position. If both records moved down from last week, then the higher record last week would get the higher position this week. If both records were moving up, then the higher record last week would get the higher position this week.

2. I'm assuming that this Alan Freeman countdown for 28 Jan 1961 was a live airing in 1992, the BBC were not playing an old tape of the actual countdown. Correct me if I'm wrong, I just can't imagine the BBC saving tapes of old radio shows, but who knows. They threw out all those 60s episodes of Doctor Who...

And I'm also assuming that Alan pulled out the old saved BBC chart for this date, and played the records and quoted the chart positions as they were in 1961. But who knows? Maybe there were ties on the original show, and Alan broke the ties for the 1992 re-do?

3. Splodj, please tell us more about these retro countdowns included along with current shows. I think Alan mentioned he was doing 3 of them for this 1992 broadcast. Was this typical? Is there documentation somewhere of all retro POTP countdowns broadcast with current shows, so we can listen to them, and compare them against the D/T BBC file, and get some kind of verification for old BBC chart positions?

Cheers n chips !!

[Splodj]

It looks to me like Phil Swern (retro-POTP producer) took the original BBC charts and then did his own tiebreaking.

The most reliable source for which years were featured in retro-POTP shows is the BBC Genome site.

There are more easily navigable lists of POTP shows in the threads here:

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/popscene/pick-of-the-pops-episode-guide-f18/

This German site has a selection of BBC chart show recordings:

http://www.rias1.de/bbc.html

Best of all is a Wiki site which has both a list of POTP shows and links to many mixcloud recordings:

https://thechartshows.fandom.com/wiki/Pick_Of_The_Pops_1989_-_1992

(navigate from here to other pages)

[MrTibbs]

Dave and Trevor's BBC chart does make reference from time to time to Alan's chart run down not always referring to ties.

I also have to say that this is where The Ultimate Chart comes into it's own, by refining the criteria for averaging the charts so that we don't get this propensity for messy ties that I think devalued the BBC chart time and time again.

The other disadvantage in Alan's later 90's POTP shows was that on at least one occasion I can personally remember (although Alan still theoretically used the original BBC chart) he changed the number one position on broadcast and rundown from Acker Bilk to Danny Williams which topped only the RR chart. So even then the influence was being exerted to go with 'the official chart'.

[MrTibbs]

Robin I think your assumption about Dave and Trevor correcting the BBC chart was a work in progress was correct actually. Reason for this is Dave himself once told me in one of his emails that, and I can't remember if it was the 2nd or 3rd version of their file, that he and Trevor had come into possession of a weekly listing of the BBC chart as written down by an avid POTP listener each week. This listing according to Dave highlighted errors which they subsequently amended in their later version of the BBC chart.

This would seem to suggest that although Dave and Trevor had some original data on the BBC chart from the BBC files it was not complete and gaps were filled in by re-calculation and further amendment as new info came to light.

So again, The Ultimate Chart to the rescue.

[Splodj]

The other disadvantage in Alan's later 90's POTP shows was that on at least one occasion I can personally remember (although Alan still theoretically used the original BBC chart) he changed the number one position on broadcast and rundown from Acker Bilk to Danny Williams which topped only the RR chart.

Wasn't the whole chart RR for that week? During the period when the BBC chart was supposed to be used there was at least one occasion when the RR chart was used instead. I suspect what happened is that Swern could not find the BBC chart for that week, or didn't have time to retrieve it or whatever.

[MrTibbs]

That is a possibility Splodge. I was listening to it travelling in the car that Sunday and I knew from memory Acker was #1 on the BBC chart that week then Alan played Acker at #2 and Danny at #1. I thought it was just a programming error at the time.

[MrTibbs]

The point I was trying to make there was that the later 90's POTP broadcasts were not apparently that well researched or attention paid to detail and my hero 'Fluff' did make a few errors in his presentation unfortunately in these latter shows.

[RokinRobinOfLocksley]

Does anyone know the date when the BBC retro show countdowns changed from the BBC chart to the RR chart?

[Splodj]

Yes ...

https://www.ukmix.org/forum/chart-discussion/chart-analysis/10418185-the-ultimate-averaged-chart-the-bbc-chart-re-imagined?p=10523894#post10523894

[MrTibbs]

When Dale Winton presented POTP he just voiced his parts and then the music was added in later. That's what the once proud POTP ended up being reduced to.