12 Tops (1972 - 1976)
These albums were issued on the Stereo Gold Award label, which began life in (circa) 1969, courtesy of David Leonard ("DL") Miller, along with Monty Presky, formerly a director of Pye. Both are pioneers in the budget records field. The first relevant releases were the two “Chartoppers” LPs of 1970, which act as precursors to "12 Tops".
Eighteen months passed before “12 Tops” was properly unveiled, and it went on to become one of the most prolific covers series ever – with some 30 instalments, usually at monthly intervals. Many of the recordings on “12 Tops” crop up elsewhere – for example, the whole of volume 25 may be heard on “Pye Chartbusters volume 13”.
Early on, the contents of the albums were supplied by Coombe Music, who also supplied several other labels, accounting for the cross-overs. But in due course, Miller and Presky created their own Damont Records, who supplied Stereo Gold Award with recordings for some time, until late on, when tracks were sourced from elsewhere again – this time by Beatt International. In a few cases, Damont Records directly issued albums from the "12 Tops" series on cassette and 8-track cartridge (see below) - although the extent of these tape editions is not really known at present.
In addition to the main LPs, there was a short run of US editions with different songs. Stereo Gold Award was active until the late 1970s and had an exclusive arrangement with Woolworth’s for high-street sales.
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Tape editions CLICK THE ICON |
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Spin-off EPs CLICK THE ICON |
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Overseas editions CLICK THE ICON |
Preliminary releases: Chartoppers 1 and 2
The first albums of this type to be released on Stereo Gold Award appeared over the summer of 1970, and were called "Chartoppers". Elton John appears on the first of these. The second and last one duplicated three tracks from the first, and not all the hits were current - indicating that the label was not too committed to the format at that point.
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All Right Now / Lola / The Wonder Of You / Lady D'Arbanville / In The Summertime / Natural Sinner / Neanderthal Man / Signed Sealed Delivered I'm Yours / Big Yellow Taxi / It's All In The Game / Up Around The Bend / American Woman |
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In The Summertime / The Wonder Of You / Yellow River / Let It Be / Lola / Back Home / Spirit In The Sky / Wand'rin' Star / Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) / You Can Get It If You Really Want / All Kinds Of Everything / Two Little Boys |
Main series
Volume 1 (MER 357) Feb 1972
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Storm In A Teacup / Poppa Joe / American Pie / Day By Day / Son Of My Father / Day After Day / Look Wot You Dun / Telegram Sam / All I Ever Need Is You / Without You / My World / I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing Comments: Cover model is Marilyn Ward, Miss United Kingdom winner in 1971. The image was taken by photographer Paul Chave. This was also released by Damont Records on cassette (ZCDAM 357). |
Volume 2 (MER 358) Apr 1972
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Come What May / Radancer / Could It Be Forever/ Sacramento (A Wonderful Town) / Until It's Time For You To Go / Heart Of Gold / Beg Steal Or Borrow / Run Run Run / The Young New Mexican Puppeteer / Debora / Back Off Boogaloo / Amazing Grace |
Volume 3 (MER 362) Jun 1972
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Song Sung Blue / Little Willy / Rock And Roll (Part 2) / The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face / Puppy Love / Oh Girl / Join Together / Take Me Bak 'Ome / Circles / Vincent / Rockin' Robin / Ooh-Wakka-Doo-Wakka-Day Comments: Sleeve notes state "Your 12 Tops of the month", confirming the start of a regular monthly schedule.
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Volume 4 (MER 100) Jul 1972
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School's Out / Where Is The Love / Too Busy Thinking 'Bout My Baby / Seaside Shuffle / Conquistador / 10538 Overture / Run To Me / My Guy / Lean On Me / Popcorn / You Wear It Well / Theme From "The Godfather" Comments: Stereo Gold Award introduced a new catalogue numbering system specifically for this series, starting here with MER 100.
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Volume 5 (MER 101) Aug 1972
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I Get The Sweetest Feeling / Living In Harmony / Mama Weer All Crazee Now / Sugar Me / It's Four In The Morning / Walk In The Night / Honky Cat / Ain't No Sunshine / Maybe I Know / How Can I Be Sure / Virginia Plain / Standing In The Road |
Volume 6 (MER 102) Sep 1972
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You're A Lady / Mouldy Old Dough / Goodbye To Love / John I'm Only Dancing / In A Broken Dream / Elmo James / The Guitar Man / I Didn't Know I Loved You (Til I Saw You Rock 'N' Roll) / There Are More Questions Than Answers / Burning Love / Outa Space / Donna |
Volume 7 (MER 103) Nov 1972
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Why Can't We Be Lovers / Crocodile Rock / Hallelujah Freedom / Beautiful You / Clair / Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me / Everybody Plays The Fool / Lay Down / I'm Stone In Love With You / Loop Di Love / Hi-Ho Silver Lining / My Ding-A-Ling Comments: Album is mis-titled as volume 6. Cover model is Penny Irving.
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Volume 7 [re-issue] (MER 103X) Nov 1972
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Why Can't We Be Lovers / Crocodile Rock / Hallelujah Freedom / Beautiful You / Clair / Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me / Loop Di Love / Lay Down / I'm Stone In Love With You / Crazy Horses / Hi-Ho Silver Lining / My Ding-A-Ling Comments: Album is mis-titled as volume 6, and is a re-issue of MER 103, with a track change – “Everybody Plays The Fool” is replaced by “Crazy Horses” (which appears top of the list on the revised version of the front cover). The catalogue number has an X added to differentiate it from the first edition. Cover model is Penny Irving.
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Volume 8 (MER 104) Jan 1973
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Ball Park Incident / You're So Vain / Do You Wanna Touch Me? (Oh Yeah) / Papa Was A Rollin' Stone / C Moon / Blockbuster / Daniel / Paper Plane / Me And Mrs Jones / Part Of The Union / Wishing Well / The Jean Genie Comments: This LP was the first in the series not to have a laminated sleeve. No further laminated sleeves would be issued from here on. Note that "Daniel" and "Do You Wanna Touch Me" are printed side-by-side on the cover. This would be corrected on later pressings: 
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Volume 9 (MER 105) Feb 1973
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Tweedle Dee / Cum On Feel The Noize / Pinball Wizard-See Me Feel Me / 20th Century Boy / Hello Hurray / Killing Me Softly With His Song / Doctor My Eyes / The Twelfth Of Never / Cindy Incidentally / Gonna Make You An Offer You Can't Refuse / Baby I Love You / Looking Through The Eyes Of Love Comments: The track listed on the cover as “Tweedle Dum” is of course “Tweedle Dee”!
"Doctor My Eyes" is a different recording to the earlier version on the American edition 1 (see below); this one imitates the Jackson 5, whereas the previous recording imitates Jackson Browne. |
Volume 10 (MER 106) Mar 1973
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The Right Thing To Do / Sweet Dreams / Love Train / Drive-In Saturday / Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree / Why Can't We Live Together / Get Down / I'm A Clown / My Love / Hello Hello I'm Back Again / Power To All Our Friends / Never Never Never |
Volume 11 (MER 107) May 1973
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And I Love You So / Giving It All Away / Broken Down Angel / Brother Louie / Hell Raiser / No More Mr Nice Guy / Could It Be I'm Falling In Love / One And One Is One / Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001) / Wonderful Dream / See My Baby Jive / Wam Bam |
Volume 12 (MER 108) Jun 1973
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Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye) / Rock-A-Doodle-Doo / Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth) / Sweet Illusion / Armed And Extremely Dangerous / You Are The Sunshine Of My Life / Walk On The Wild Side / Rubber Bullets / Live And Let Die / The Groover / Can The Can / Stuck In The Middle With You |
Volume 13 (MER 109) Jul 1973
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Life On Mars / Take Me To The Mardi Gras / Alright Alright Alright / Step By Step / Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting / Randy / Gaye / I'm The Leader Of The Gang (I Am) / Pillow Talk / Bad Bad Boy / Goin' Home / Spanish Eyes |
Volume 14 (MER 110) Aug 1973
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Yesterday Once More / Summer (The First Time) / Smarty Pants / Like Sister And Brother / (Dancing) On A Saturday Night / Clouds / Young Love / You Can Do Magic / I Think Of You / Say Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose / Rising Sun / Fool |
Volume 15 (MER 111) Sep 1973
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For The Good Times / Goodbye Yellow Brick Road / Eye Level / The Laughing Gnome / Oh No Not My Baby / Ooh Baby / All The Way From Memphis / Joybringer / Monster Mash / The Ballroom Blitz / Rock On / Caroline Comments: Cover star is Penny Irving (see also volume 7).
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Volume 16 (MER 112) Oct 1973
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By Your Side / Ghetto Child / Top Of The World / A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall / This Flight Tonight / Knockin On Heaven's Door / Let Me In / Photograph / Won't Somebody Dance With Me / Sorrow / 5.15 / Showdown |
Volume 17 (MER 113) Nov 1973
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When I Fall In Love / You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me / Amoureuse / Lamplight / Helen Wheels / Why Oh Why Oh Why / Deck Of Cards / My Coo-Ca-Choo / Roll Away The Stone / I Love You Love Me Love / Street Life / Paper Roses |
Volume 18 (MER 114) Jan 1974
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Rockin' Roll Baby / How Come / Teenage Rampage / The Man Who Sold The World / Jealous Mind / After The Goldrush / Solitaire / The Love I Lost / Radar Love / Tiger Feet / Teenage Lament '74 / All Of My Life Comments: Cover model is Ingrid Steeger. This was also released as an 8-track cartridge (Y8 DAM 900) on the Damont Records label. It is known to exist in both white and green plastic shells. The album was also released by Damont Records on cassette (ZCDAM 900).
The crowd noises at the start of "Teenage Rampage" are sampled from The Sweet's original hit single! |
Volume 19 (MER 115) Mar 1974
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I Get A Little Sentimental Over You / School Love / Seasons In The Sun / You're Sixteen / Remember Me This Way / Jambalaya (On The Bayou)/ Everlasting Love / Candle In The Wind / Long Live Love / Billy Don't Be A Hero / Everyday / The Most Beautiful Girl Comments: This was also released as an 8-track cartridge (Y8 DAM 901). It is known to exist in both white and green plastic shells.
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Volume 20 (MER 116) Apr 1974
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Don't Stay Away Too Long / Shang-A-Lang / He's Misstra Know It All / A Walkin' Miracle / Rock Around The Clock / Remember You're A Womble / Behind Closed Doors / Homely Girl / The Sting / Rock 'N' Roll Suicide / Red Dress / Waterloo |
Volume 21 (MER 117) Jun 1974
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I'd Love You To Want Me / Judy Teen / (You Keep Me) Hangin' On / The In Crowd / A Touch Too Much / Guilty / Liverpool Lou / Hey Rock And Roll / Can't Get Enough / The Man In Black / Always Yours / One Man Band |
Volume 22 (MER 118) Jul 1974
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She / Tonight / If You Go Away / Be Thankful For What You've Got / Just Don't Want To Be Lonely / (Win Place Or Show) She's A Winner / My Girl Bill / Rocket / Rainbow / Born With A Smile On My Face / Band On The Run / When Will I See You Again Comments: Contents are identical to “Parade of Pops vol 16”.
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Volume 23 (MER 119) Aug 1974
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Love Me For A Reason / Kung Fu Fighting / Y Viva Espana / You You You / Can't Get Enough Of Your Love Babe / Mr Soft / I'm Leaving It (All) Up To You / The Black Eyed Boys / What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted / Honey Honey / Na Na Na / Rock 'N' Roll Lady |
Volume 24 (MER 120) Oct 1974
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Sad Sweet Dreamer / I Can't Leave You Alone / Far Far Away / All Of Me Loves All Of You / Everything I Own / I Get A Kick Out Of You / Gee Baby / Long Tall Glasses / You Little Trust Maker / Farewell / Reggae Tune / (You're) Having My Baby |
Volume 25 (MER 121) Nov 1974
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Where Did All The Good Times Go / Juke Box Jive / You're The First The Last My Everything / Closer / How Long / Tell Me Why / Pepper Box / Magic / You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet / No Honestly / Oh Yes! You're Beautiful / The Wild One Comments: Contents are identical to “Parade of Pops” LP WPP 5019, and “Pye Chartbusters vol 13”.
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Volume 26 (MER 122) Jan 1975
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January / Promised Land / Angie Baby / Sugar Candy Kisses / Boogie On Reggae Woman / Black Superman (Muhammad Ali) / Good Love Can Never Die / Goodbye My Love / Purely By Coincidence / Please Mr Postman / Now I'm Here / Never Can Say Goodbye |
Volume 27 (MER 123) Mar 1975
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If / Bye Bye Baby / Pick Up The Pieces / Mandy / There's A Whole Lot Of Loving / Philadelphia Freedom / What Am I Gonna Do With You / I Can Do It / Fancy Pants / Let Me Be The One / Please Tell Him That I Said Hello / Girls |
Volume 28 (MER 124) Apr 1975
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Oh Boy / Hurt So Good / Ding-A-Dong / The Tears I Cried / The Night / Only Yesterday / Loving You / Take Good Care Of Yourself / Let Me Try Again / Life Is A Minestrone / Hold On To Love / Love Like You And Me |
Volume 29 (MER 125) Jun 1975
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Give A Little Love / Tears On My Pillow / Misty / Make The World Go Away / Foe-Dee-O-Dee / Have You Seen Her / I'm Not In Love / Baby I Love You OK / Doing Alright With The Boys / Moonshine Sally / Whispering Grass / The Hustle |
Volume 30 - "10 Hits" (MER 150) Apr 1976
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Save Your Kisses For Me / All By Myself / Silver Star / Love Me Like I Love You / Jungle Rock / Get Up And Boogie / Can't Help Falling In Love / Hey Jude / More More More / S-S-Single Bed Comments: This 10-track LP was an attempt to sustain the series (albeit with a tweaked title) after a considerable gap, but turned out to be a one-off. It was retailed at 50p, with a coin-shaped price sticker on the front.
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End-of-year Collections
No standard end-of-year round-ups are known from the otherwise prolific "12 Tops" series. However we have discovered that at least one such collection exists on the 8-track cartridge format. It dates to 1973, and although a few other 8-tracks are known from the main series (see above), they are later. This may or may not be a one-off when it comes to annual round-up colllections - we do not know.
1973: "Top 20 1973" (Y8 DAM 400)
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Goodbye Yellow Brick Road / Young Love / Rubber Bullets / Can The Can / Blockbuster / Cum On Feel The Noize / Monster Mash / Yesterday Once More / Get Down / I'm The Leader Of The Gang (I Am) / See My Baby Jive / Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree / Goin' Home / Hello Hello I'm Back Again / The Twelfth Of Never / Tweedle Dee / And I Love You So / Daniel / The Ballroom Blitz / Part Of The Union |
Comments: Released on 8-track cartridge, in both green and white plastic shells. Other formats not known. Contains 20 tracks from volumes 8 to 15. (Although volumes 16 and 17 were 1973, they are not sampled here, suggesting this may have appeared some time before the end of the year.) Label is Damont Records.
The American editions
The following albums were marketed in America. They contain selected material from the UK albums, bulked out with new recordings of songs which were American hits, making a roughly 50/50 split on each album. It will be noted that the sleeve designs are taken from the UK series. The last two are called "12 Hits".
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A Cowboy's Work is Never Done / Back Off Boogaloo / Horse With No Name / Without You / Doctor My Eyes / Telegram Sam / Jungle Fever / American Pie / Me & Julio Down By The Schoolyard / Run Run Run / Vincent / Heart Of Gold
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Rocket Man / The Young New Mexican Puppeteer / Lean On Me / How Can I Be Sure / Tumbling Dice / After Midnight / Day By Day / School's Out / Song Sung Blue / Coconut / Mary Had A Little Lamb / Amazing Grace
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Alone Again (Naturally) / Conquistador / Sealed With A Kiss / Popcorn / Where Is The Love / Join Together / Breaking Up Is Hard To Do / Beautiful Sunday / You Wear It Well / Run To Me / When You Say Love / Rock And Roll (Part 2)
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Witchy Woman / I'm Stone In Love With You / Crazy Horses / Nights In White Satin / You Ought To Be With Me / Sweet Surrender / Goodbye To Love / Ventura Highway / Burning Love / Clair / Freddie's Dead / My Ding-A-Ling
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