Hits From England's Top Twenty (1971 - 1973 (?))
This series ran to at least 18 volumes and is, so far as we are aware, the first one in the field to be marketed exclusively on tape - both 8-track cartridge and cassette. The tapes were produced by Arrowtabs of London, a company which normally produced photographic accessories and processed 8mm films.
Often, Arrowtabs would purchase recordings from Avenue and so many of the tracks below can be heard on those albums too. For some editions however, we have alternative issues of "World Top 12", which in turn are alternative issues of "Non Stop Hits" (RCA) volumes 7 and 8 - and at least one matches a "Non Stop Hits" on the Aries label - so the source material varied. The series started out as "Hits From England's Top Twenty" but in autumn 1972, became the snappier "Smash Hits".
Thanks to Colin Cannon for help with this series and to Simon McLean for background info.
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Overseas editions CLICK THE ICON |
The 8-track cartridges have the same catalogue numbers as the cassettes, but starting 80- rather than 40-.
Volume 1 – "Hits From England's Top Twenty" (40-109) Oct 1971
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Tap Turns On The Water / Butterfly / You Don't Have To Be In The Army To Fight In The War / Simple Game / I'm Leavin' / Brandy / Spanish Harlem / Mamy Blue / The Witch Queen Of New Orleans / Sultana / For All We Know / The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down Cover star is Suzy Shaw. |
Volume 2 - "Hits From England's Top Twenty" Dec 1971
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Till / Surrender / Coz I Luv You / Banks Of The Ohio / Is This The Way To Amarillo / Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West) / Look Around / Sing A Song Of Freedom / No Matter How I Try / I Will Return / Tokoloshe Man / Jeepster |
Volume 3 – "Hits From England's Top Twenty" (40-114) Jan 1972
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Soley Soley / Save The Children / When You Get Right Down To It / I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing / Kara Kara / Mother Of Mine / Horse With No Name / Theme From Shaft / Maggie / Superstar / Something Tells Me (Something Is Gonna Happen Tonight) / It Must Be Love |
Volume 4 – "Hits From England's Top Twenty" (40-127) Feb 1972
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Diamonds Are Forever / All I Ever Need Is You / Morning Has Broken / Where Did Our Love Go / I Just Can't Help Believing / Have You Seen Her / Brand New Key / Can't Let You Go / Bless You / Baby I'm A Want You / Let's Stay Together / Stay With Me / Telegram Sam / Son Of My Father Comments: contents match the Mike Morton LP, Non Stop Hits volume 4, on the Aries label, although they have been re-sequenced. The cover model is Susy Shaw, and the image is from the same shoot as the prior edition of Non Stop Hits - a rare example of two different series sharing photograohy. |
Volume 5 – "Hits From England's Top Twenty" (cat no TBC) Apr 1972
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Look Wot You Dun / Storm In A Teacup / Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are) / You're Free To Go / My World / If You Really Love Me / Alone Again (Naturally) / Mother And Child Reunion / Poppa Joe / Flirt / Loving You Ain't Easy / Without You / The Spirit Is Willing / Day By Day Comments: contents match the Mike Morton LP, Non Stop Hits volume 5, on the Aries label.
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Volume 6 – "Hits From England's Top Twenty" (cat no TBC) May 1972
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Oh Babe What Would You Say? / Little Piece Of Leather / Rocket Man / Tumbling Dice / Could It Be Forever / A Thing Called Love / Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard / Beautiful Sunday / Leeds United / Amazing Grace / Come What May / Everything I Own / Back Off Boogaloo / Open Up Comments: This album contains 14 tracks rather than the usual 12. The track “Own Up”, given on the cover, is presumed to be “Open Up”, whose vintage is correct and which also features on several budget LPs alongside other tracks on this album.
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Volume 7 – "Hits From England's Top 20" (40-130) June 1972
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Take Me Bak 'Ome / Little Willy / Song Sung Blue / Nut Rocker / What's Your Name / Puppy Love / Ooh-Wakka-Doo-Wakka-Day / Drowning In The Sea Of Love / Mary Had A Little Lamb / Circles / An American Trilogy / Doobedood'Ndoobe Doobedood'Ndoobe / Rockin' Robin / Vincent Comments: Cassette edition located, but not the 8-track as yet. The sub-title, "From England's Top 20" is printed on the insert.
This album contains 14 tracks rather than the usual 12. 13 of them also appear on Mike Morton's Non-Stop Hits vol 1 on the RCA label. We have not confirmed whether they are the same versions. |
Volume 8 – "Hits From England's Top 20" Aug 1972
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School's Out / All The Young Dudes / Hurting Each Other / Seaside Shuffle / Breaking Up Is Hard To Do / Popcorn / Where Is The Love / It's Four In The Morning / You Wear It Well / Too Busy Thinking 'Bout My Baby / The Lion Sleeps Tonight / The Locomotion / Run To Me / Layla Comments: This album contains 14 tracks rather than the usual 12.
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Volume 9 – "Smash Hits" (40-144) Oct 1972
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Burning Love / I Didn't Know I Loved You (Til I Saw You Rock 'N' Roll) / When You Are A King / How Can I Be Sure / All Fall Down / Suzanne Beware Of The Devil / To Be The One You Love / Children Of The Revolution / Wig-Wam Bam / Maybe I Know / Come On Over To My Place / Too Young / Mouldy Old Dough / You're A Lady Comments: Album series has a new title.
This album contains 14 tracks rather than the usual 12. |
Volume 10 – "Smash Hits" (40-158) Jan 1973
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Blockbuster / Hi Hi Hi-C. Moon / Always On My Mind / You're So Vain / Long Haired Lover From Liverpool / If You Don't Know Me By Now / The Jean Genie / Solid Gold Easy Action / Ball Park Incident / Wishing Well / Relay / Can't Keep It In Comments: contents match the Mike Morton LP, Non Stop Hits volume 4, on the RCA label.
The cover model is the same as that on RCA volume 3. |
Volume 11 – "Smash Hits" (40-159) Mar 1973
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Cum On Feel The Noize / Gonna Make You An Offer You Can't Refuse / Doctor My Eyes / Sylvia / 20th Century Boy / Looking Through The Eyes Of Love / Hello Hurray / Feel The Need In Me / Pinball Wizard - See Me Feel Me (medley) / Killing Me Softly With His Song / Nice One Cyril / Cindy Incidentally / Candy Man / Hey Girl Comments: contents match the Mike Morton LP, Non Stop Hits volume 5, on the RCA label, with two extra tracks tagged onto the end.
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Volume 12 – "Smash Hits" (40-160) May 1973
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Hell Raiser / Drive-In Saturday / And I Love You So / Hello Hello I'm Back Again / My Love / Giving It All Away / No More Mr Nice Guy / See My Baby Jive / Amanda / Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree / Brother Louie / All Because Of You Comments: contents match the Mike Morton LP, Non Stop Hits volume 6, on the RCA label.
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Volume 13 – "Smash Hits" (40-185) Jul 1973
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Can The Can / Albatross / Sweet Illusion / Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth) / Rubber Bullets / Live And Let Die / The Groover / Welcome Home / Snoopy Vs The Red Baron / Born To Be With You / Can You Do It / Take Me To The Mardi Gras Comments: This is the same album as "World Top 12" volume 43, and "Non Stop Hits" (RCA) volume 7.
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Volume 14 – "Smash Hits" (40-186) Sep 1973
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You Can Do Magic / I Think Of You / Summer (The First Time) / Say Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose / Bad Bad Boy / All Right Now / Fool / 48 Crash / (Dancing) On A Saturday Night / Like Sister And Brother / Young Love / Rising Sun Comments: This is the same album as "World Top 12" volume 44, and "Non Stop Hits" (RCA) volume 8.
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Volume 15 – "Smash Hits" (40-187) Oct 1973
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My Friend Stan / Nutbush City Limits / Ghetto Child / Goodbye Yellow Brick Road / Higher Ground / Love Me Like A Rock / Knockin On Heaven's Door / Top Of The World / The Ballroom Blitz / That Lady / Shine On Silver Sun / The Laughing Gnome Comments: Nine of the 12 tracks are also featured on "16 Chart Hits volume 9", and it is likely that they are the same recordings. The song "Love Me Like A Rock" does not appear to feature on any other cover albums.
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Volume 16 – "Smash Hits" (40-188)
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Teenage Rampage / Tiger Feet / Living For The City / The Love I Lost / Rebel Rebel / Rockin' Roll Baby / Solitaire / How Come / You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me / All Of My Life / The Man Who Sold The World / Teenage Lament '74 |
Volume 17 – "Smash Hits" (40-189) Apr 1974
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The Most Beautiful Girl / I Get A Little Sentimental Over You / Remember Me This Way / Who Do You Think You Are / Billy Don't Be A Hero / Candle In The Wind / Devil Gate Drive / Jambalaya (On The Bayou) / Long Live Love / Jet / School Love / Jealous Mind Comments: Recordings from unknown sources. 11 of the 12 songs appear on the Avenue albums - they may be the same recordings (the odd one being "The Most Beautiful Girl"). The repertoires of the "12 Tops" / "Parade of Pops" / "World Top 12" series are also heavily duplicated'
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Volume 18 – "Smash Hits" (40-197) Jun 1974
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The Sting / Waterloo / Love's Theme / Theme From Papillon / Benny And The Jets / Behind Closed Doors / Looking For A Love / On A Night Like This / I See A Star / Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me / He's Misstra Know It All / Don't Stay Away Too Long / Guilty / (You Keep Me) Hangin' On / Go / Everyday / Seasons In The Sun / (T.S.O.P.) The Sound Of Philadelphia / My Sweet Lady / I'd Love You To Want Me Comments: contents upped to 20 tracks - 12 of which are probably from the usual sources, the other six being unknown in the covers album format (Love's Theme / Theme From Papillon / Benny And The Jets / Looking For A Love / On A Night Like This / Go / (T.S.O.P.) The Sound Of Philadelphia / My Sweet Lady).
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End-of-year collections
1971: Top Hit Party Vol. 1 (40-123)
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Coz I Luv You / Gypsies Tramps And Thieves / Knock Three Times / Home Lovin' Man / Maggie May / Hey Girl Don't Bother Me / Rose Garden / Hot Love / If Not For You / Cracklin' Rose / Baby Jump / Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep Comments: Not sourced from the main series, which was just starting up as this album appeared. No other series carries all 12 songs. ("Top of the Pops" has 11, as does the Avenue series.) There is also a volume 2 in existence, although the contents are unknown to us at present.
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1973: 20 Smash Hits of 1973 (80-177)
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The Jean Genie / You're So Vain / Doctor My Eyes / (Dancing) on a Saturday Night / Young Love / Feel the Need in Me / Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree / Welcome Home / Live And Let Die / Fool / Killing Me Softly With His Song / And I Love You So / Say Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose / Knockin On Heaven's Door / Goodbye Yellow Brick Road / My Love / Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth) / You Can Do Magic / Ghetto Child / Love Me Like A Rock Comments: compilation from volumes 10 to 15.
A cassette edition probably exists but we have not yet seen it. |