Chartbusters - Marble Arch series (1968 - 1971)
Marble Arch was a budget label owned by Pye. The parent company's involvement in covers LPs dates back to 1964, when they acted as distributor for Bill Wellings' Top Twelve albums; in 1965 they released one of their own on Marble Arch, "Number 1's of 1965". This was not followed up for two years, when "Big Hits of 1967" appeared, as a prequel to the lauch of their main series, Chartbusters, in 1968.
Chartbusters were at first being recorded by the Avenue organisation, who were also releasing these recordings on 7-inch EPs. These recordings can therefore be identified as by the Clive Allan Orchestra and Singers. Avenue themselves entered the LP market in late 1968 (initially through their Studio 33 label), and therefore ended up duplicating much of the Marble Arch catalogue! Marble Arch changed their recording suppliers during 1969, leasing tracks recorded by Dyne instead.
Chartbusters was to undergo several major and minor revisions during its lifespan. The cover design was overhauled with installment 7, the mono format then was phased out, while sleevenotes were introduced with album 12. After 18 albums had been released, taking us well into 1970, the series was formally re-launched as "Chartbusters New Series", with volume numbers starting at 1. Thereafter the series was moved to the Pye label, starting once more at volume 1 (see separate page) for yet more re-launches and even a change in title during 1974.
NB: catalogue numbers given below which start MAL are mono; MALS are stereo.
|
Tape editions CLICK THE ICON |
|
Overseas editions CLICK THE ICON |
|
Ballad Of Bonnie And Clyde / Daydream Believer / The Other Man's Grass / Suddenly You Love Me / Everything I Am / Thank U Very Much / Hello Goodbye / Gimme Little Sign / Fire Brigade / Am I That Easy To Forget / Mighty Quinn / Everlasting Love |
2 - "More Chart Busters"
|
Lady Madonna / (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay / Cry Like A Baby / Valleri / Captain Of Your Ship / Jennifer Eccles / Congratulations / If I Only Had Time / Delilah / Step Inside Love / Rosie / Cinderella Rockefella Comments: Cover very similar to previous LP. Labeled “An Avenue recording”. This LP was released on May 1. |
3 - "Today's Chart Busters"
|
Young Girl / Something Here In My Heart (Keeps A-Tellin' Me No) / Lazy Sunday / Helule Helule / I Can't Let Maggie Go / Simon Says / Honey / Sleepy Joe / I Don't Want Our Loving To Die / Hello How Are You / White Horses / A Man Without Love Comments: Labeled “An Avenue recording”. |
4 - "Autumn Chartbusters"
|
Baby Come Back / Joanna / One More Dance / I Pretend / Hush Not A Word To Mary / Son Of Hickory Holler's Tramp / Yummy Yummy Yummy / Days / My Name Is Jack / Mony Mony / Yesterday Has Gone / Jumping Jack Flash Comments: Stereo and mono editions released. Labeled “An Avenue recording”. Cover photo by David Stanford. |
5 - "New Chartbusters"
|
Those Were The Days / Les Bicyclettes De Belsize / This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You) / Ain't Got No - I Got Life / Mexico / Breakin' Down The Walls Of Heartache / With A Little Help From My Friends / Jesamine / Light My Fire / Only One Woman / Elenore / Eloise Comments: Stereo and mono editions released. Cover photo by John Prosser. This LP was released on Feb 6. |
6 - "Chartbusters '69"
|
Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da / Albatross / Son Of A Preacher Man / Race With The Devil / I'm A Tiger / Build Me Up Buttercup / Lily The Pink / I'm The Urban Spaceman / Don't Forget To Catch Me / Something's Happening / A Minute Of Your Time / 1-2-3 O'Leary Comments: Stereo and mono editions released. |
7 - "Spring Chartbusters"
|
Wichita Lineman / Boom Bang-A-Bang / Sorry Suzanne / I'll Pick A Rose For My Rose / Dancing In The Street / Please Don't Go / (If Paradise Is) Half As Nice / Gentle On My Mind / Where Do You Go To My Lovely / Surround Yourself With Sorrow / Games People Play / First Of May Comments: Stereo and mono editions released. First ‘full bleed’ cover image. |
8 - "Chartbusters Now!"
|
Get Back / Goodbye / I Can Hear Music / Cupid / Pinball Wizard / Windmills Of Your Mind / Israelites / Monsieur Dupont / In The Bad Bad Old Days / If I Can Dream / I Heard It Through The Grapevine / Hello World Comments: Stereo and mono editions released. The back cover cites the tracks in the wrong order. The album “Showcase: A Marble Arch Sampler” contained this LP’s version of “Get Back”, credited to The Chartbusters. The mono version of the sampler (MAL 1154) included an image of the "Chartbusters Now!" album cover on the front. The stereo version (MALS 1154) had a different cover which did not depict "Chartbusters Now!" although it was pictured along with "Summer Chartbusters" on the back. |
9 - "Summer Chartbusters"
|
My Sentimental Friend / Ragamuffin Man / The Tracks Of My Tears / Galveston / Behind A Painted Smile / (I'm A) Road Runner / Dizzy / Harlem Shuffle / Love Me Tonight / Man Of The World / Dick-A-Dum-Dum (King's Road) / Snake In The Grass Comments: Stereo and mono editions released. This album exactly matches the Avenue LP, AVE 017. |
10 - "Autumn Chartbusters"
|
Honky Tonk Women / Something In The Air / Conversations / It Miek / Ballad Of John And Yoko / Hello Suzie / Give Peace A Chance / Curly / Goodnight Midnight / Saved By The Bell / That's The Way God Planned It / Baby Make It Soon Comments: Stereo and mono editions released. Labeled “A Dyne Recording”. |
11 - "Chartbusters Movin'"
|
Bad Moon Rising / In The Year 2525 (Exordium And Terminus) / I Can Sing A Rainbow-Love Is Blue / Heather Honey / Too Busy Thinking 'Bout My Baby / Wet Dream / Viva Bobby Joe / Si Tu Dois Partir / My Cherie Amour / Early In The Morning / Natural Born Bugie / Need Your Love So Bad Comments: Stereo and mono editions released. Labeled “A Dyne Recording”. |
12 - "Chartbusters '70"
|
Something / Yester-Me Yester-You Yesterday / Biljo / He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother / Sugar Sugar / Baby I Know / Cold Turkey / I'll Never Fall In Love Again / A Boy Named Sue / Green River / I'm Gonna Make You Mine / Nobody's Child Comments: Labeled “A Dyne Recording”. This album marks the demise of the mono format and is also the first to feature sleevenotes on the back. |
13 - "Chartbusters Boomin'"
|
Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) / Jingle Jangle / Friends / Without Love / All I Have To Do Is Dream / But You Love Me Daddy / Reflections Of My Life / Come And Get It / Leavin' On A Jet Plane / Good Morning / She Sold Me Magic / Hitchin' A Ride Comments: Elton John appears on this record. Labeled “A Dyne Recording”. Labels and sleevenotes give album title as “Boomin’ Chartbusters”. |
14 - "Instant Chartbusters"
|
Let It Be / Venus / Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye / United We Stand / By The Way / Elizabethan Reggae / Instant Karma / Wand'rin' Star / Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head / That Same Old Feeling / Don't Cry Daddy / Let's Work Together Comments: Labeled “A Dyne Recording”. This LP has the same contents as the Avenue label LP, AVE 036. |
15 - "Chartbusters Rising"
|
Spirit In The Sky / Young Gifted And Black / I Can't Tell The Bottom From The Top / All Kinds Of Everything / Gimme Dat Ding / Daughter Of Darkness / Knock Knock Who's There / Something's Burning / Travellin' Band / Back Home / Good Morning Freedom / Melanie Makes Me Smile Comments: Elton John appears on this record. Labeled “A Dyne Recording”. |
16 - "Chartbusters Again"
|
In The Summertime / Cottonfields / It's All In The Game / Yellow River / Goodbye Sam Hello Samantha / Groovin' With Mr Bloe / Bet Yer Life I Do / Question / I Will Survive / My Marie / Down The Dustpipe / Honey Come Back Comments: Elton John appears on this record. Labeled “A Dyne Recording”. This LP has the same contents as the Avenue label LP, AVE 044. |
17 - "Chartbusters Today"
|
The Wonder Of You / Rainbow / Lola / Love Of The Common People / Neanderthal Man / Signed Sealed Delivered I'm Yours / Big Yellow Taxi / (It's Like A) Sad Old Kinda Movie / All Right Now / I'll Say Forever My Love / Natural Sinner / Up Around The Bend Comments: Elton John appears on this record. Labeled “A Dyne Recording”. |
18 - "Chartbusters Now"
|
Patches / Woodstock / San Bernadino / Still Water (Love) / Think About Your Children / Band Of Gold / New World In The Morning / Me And My Life / Lady Barbara / Paranoid / Sweetheart / (Blame It) On The Pony Express Comments: Labeled “A Dyne Recording”. |
Chartbusters New Series
New Series Volume 1
|
When I'm Dead And Gone / I Hear You Knocking / Cracklin' Rosie / Julie Do Ya Love Me / Fire And Rain/ In My Chair / Home Lovin' Man / It's Only Make Believe / You've Got Me Dangling On A String / I'll Be There / Ride A White Swan / My Way Comments: Labeled “A Dyne Recording”. |
New Series Volume 2
|
Another Day / Sweet Caroline / Hot Love / Baby Jump / It's Impossible / (Where Do I Begin) Love Story / Tomorrow Night / Rose Garden / Underneath The Blanket Go / The Pushbike Song / My Sweet Lord / Rupert Comments: Labeled “A Dyne Recording”. |
New Series Volume 3
|
Brown Sugar / Double Barrel / Rosetta / It Don't Come Easy / If Not For You / Power To The People / Knock Three Times / Henry Ford / Sugar Sugar / Jack In The Box / Funny Funny / My Little One Comments: This album was also released on 8-track cartridge. |
New series Volume 4
|
Pied Piper / Monkey Spanner / Don't Let It Die / Black And White / Co-Co / Tom Tom Turnaround / Me And You And A Dog Named Boo / (And The) Pictures In The Sky / Get Down And Get With It / Lady Rose / When You Are A King / Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep Comments: This LP has the same contents as the Deacon label LP, DEA 1065. |
End-of-year collections
1965: Number 1's of 1965 (MAL 585)
|
Help! / Where Are You Now / I Got You Babe / Long Live Love / (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction / Yeh Yeh / I Feel Fine / Little Red Rooster / You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' / Ticket To Ride / It's Not Unusual / The Last Time Comments: Marble Arch's first album of current cover versions. |
1967: Big Hits Of 1967 (MAL 760)
|
Silence Is Golden / San Francisco (Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair) / There Goes My Everything / Alternate Title / Flowers In The Rain / A Whiter Shade Of Pale / A Little Bit Me A Little Bit You / Waterloo Sunset / Itchycoo Park / The Last Waltz Comments: A second UK album, which was issued shortly before the launch of the "Chartbusters" series. |
1968: Top Chartbusters of ’68 (MAL 845)
|
Help Yourself / Everlasting Love / Congratulations / Baby Come Back / Cinderella Rockefella / Young Girl / I've Gotta Get A Message To You / The Mighty Quinn / Lady Madonna / Jumpin' Jack Flash / Mony Mony / Hey Jude Comments: Sub-titled “Twelve No. 1 Hits of 1968”, although “Help Yourself” only got to no. 5 (the others are all no. 1s). Tracks taken from the main series except "Help Yourself ", "I've Gotta Get A Message To You" and "Hey Jude". Cover photo appears to be audience shot from the gig pictured on the front of MAL 776 and MAL 788. |
1969: Top Chartbusters of ’69
|
Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da / Lily The Pink / Albatross / Half As Nice / Where Do You Go To My Lovely / I Heard It Through The Grapevine / Israelites / Get Back / Dizzy / The Ballad Of John & Yoko / Something In The Air / Honky Tonk Women / In The Year 2525 / Bad Moon Rising Comments: All tracks from the main series. Stereo and mono editions released. Labeled “A Dyne Recording”. This album was released on 7 November, 1969. |
1970: Chartbusters of The Year (MALS 1366)
|
In The Summertime / Yellow River / Wand'rin' Star / Let It Be / Back Home / All Kinds Of Everything / The Wonder Of You / Spirit In The Sky / Love Grows / You Can Get It If You Really Want / Lola / Two Little Boys Comments: Labeled “A Dyne Recording”. All tracks form the main series except "You Can Get It If You Really Want" and "Two Little Boys". |
1971: Golden Hour Presents Chartbusters of The Year '71 (GH 519)
|
Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep / My Sweet Lord / Another Day / It's Impossible / If Not For You / Sweet Caroline / Rose Garden / The Pushbike Song / Hot Love / Baby Jump / Hey Girl Don't Bother Me / Co-Co / (Where Do I Begin) Love Story / Lady Rose / Brown Sugar / Knock Three Times / Double Barrel / Ride A White Swan / Don't Let It Die / I Hear You Knocking Comments: Released on Pye’s Golden Hour label, this is a compilation from the ‘New Series’ LPs, so although technically part of the Pye discography, it belongs with the Marble Arch albums. It contains one track from the first “Pye Chartbusters” album, however, "Hey Girl Don't Bother Me". |