Hot Hits (1970 - 1973)
When MFP issued an LP called “Hot Hits” in 1970, it appeared to be just another variation on the “Hits” theme, which they had now used on 12 successive LPs. However when “Hot Hits 2” arrived a couple of months later, it was apparent that a new series had started, and with photographed cover models in the now standard manner, MFP were obviously using “Top of the Pops” as a model. As time went on, “Hot Hits” would develop the cover art concept as an additional selling point, using female models shot on location, playing a range of different sports.
“Hot Hits” was a great success and a few volumes entered the UK album charts while eligible in 1971-2. Volume 6 even made number 1. “Hot Hits” came to an end in 1973 when MFP and Bill Wellings fell into dispute. Although it only stretched to 20 installments, the series is justifiably seen as the chief rival to “Top of the Pops”, with which it competed equally for three years.
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Spin-off EPs CLICK THE ICON |
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Overseas editions CLICK THE ICON |
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In The Summertime / Something / Neanderthal Man / Up Around The Bend / Groovin' With Mr Bloe / I Will Survive / Goodbye Sam Hello Samantha / Lady D'Arbanville / Lola / Vehicle / Love Of The Common People / Sally Comments: Not called “Volume 1”. Features Larry Adler on the track “Groovin’ With Mr Bloe”. Cover photo by Clive Coote. This is the only LP in the series to have sleeve notes on the back.
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Hot Hits 2 (MFP 1429) Aug 1970
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Montego Bay / It's So Easy / Paranoid / Band Of Gold / Gasoline Alley Bred / Which Way You Goin' Billy / Wild World / Sweetheart / Long As I Can See The Light / Love Is Life / Don't Play That Song / You Can Get It If You Really Want Comments: Barry Morgan, drummer with Blue Mink and owner of Morgan Studios appears on drums. Cover photo by Brian Ward.
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Hot Hits 3 (MFP 1427) Oct 1970
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Woodstock / Patches / Snowbird / It's Wonderful (To Be Loved By You) / New World In The Morning / Indian Reservation / War / San Bernadino / We've Only Just Begun / The Witch / Think About Your Children / Ruby Tuesday Comments: Cover photo by Terry Beard.
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Hot Hits 4 (MFP 5192) Feb 1971
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My Sweet Lord / The Resurrection Shuffle / Rose Garden / Las Vegas / Stoney End / Who Put The Lights Out / Sweet Caroline / (Where Do I Begin) Love Story / Chestnut Mare / It's Impossible / Right Wheel, Left Hammer, Sham / Why Comments: Barry Morgan, drummer with Blue Mink and owner of Morgan Studios appears on drums. Cover photo by Brian Ward.
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Hot Hits 5 (MFP 5208) Apr 1971
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Knock Three Times / Jig A Jig / Remember Me / Double Barrel / Mozart Symphony No. 40 in G Minor / Malt And Barley Blues / I Am... I Said / Brown Sugar / Something Old Something New / It Don't Come Easy / Rosetta / Joy To The World Comments: Made the UK album charts – peak 48. Cover photo by Brian Ward. This album was recorded at Abbey Road Studios.
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Hot Hits 6 (MFP 5214) Jul 1971
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Zoo De Zoo Zong / River Deep Mountain High / Banner Man / Me And You And A Dog Named Boo / When You Are A King / Pied Piper / Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep / Tom Tom Turnaround / Don't Let It Die / Black And White / Monkey Spanner / Co-Co Comments: Made the official UK album charts, entering at number 1 on August 7, and also made number 12 on the NME album charts. Cover photo by Brian Ward.
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Hot Hits 7 (MFP 5236) Sep 1971
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Freedom Come Freedom Go / Reason To Believe / Did You Ever / Nathan Jones / Cousin Norman / Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum / Tap Turns On The Water / Maggie May / I Believe (In Love) / For All We Know / Back Street Luv / You've Got A Friend Comments: Made the official UK album charts – peak 3, and also made number 12 on the NME album charts. Cover photo by Brian Ward.
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Hot Hits 8 (MFP 5243) Oct 1971
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Surrender / Johnny Reggae / Look Around / Jeepster / Banks Of The Ohio / Tired Of Being Alone / Till / Gypsies Tramps And Thieves / Coz I Luv You / I Will Return / Brandy / Run Baby Run Comments: Made the official UK album charts – peak 2, and also made number 18 on the NME album charts. Album sometimes called “Round 8” due to cover art. Cover photo by Brian Ward.
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Hot Hits 9 (MFP 5250) Dec 1971
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Theme From Shaft / Morning Has Broken / I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing / Sleepy Shores / Brand New Key / Soley Soley / I Just Can't Help Believing / Morning / Theme From The Onedin Line / Mother Of Mine / Softly Whispering I Love You / Kara Kara Comments: Made number 18 on the NME album charts. Cover photo by Jack Wood.
Lead vocals on "Softly Whispering I Love You" are by Brian Keith, who was also lead vocalist on the original hit single by The Congregation (AKA The English Congregation)! |
Hot Hits 10 (MFP 5260) Feb 1972
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Jesus / Day By Day / Storm In A Teacup / Without You / Got To Be There / American Pie / Look Wot You Dun / Mother And Child Reunion / All I Ever Need Is You / Say You Don't Mind / Day After Day / Beg Steal Or Borrow Comments: Made number 17 on the NME album charts. Cover photo by Peter Meech.
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Hot Hits 11 (MFP 5270) Apr 1972
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The Young New Mexican Puppeteer / Sweet Talkin' Guy / A Thing Called Love / Radancer / Come What May / Stir It Up / Crying Laughing Loving Lying / Back Off Boogaloo / Heart Of Gold / I Am What I Am / Amazing Grace / Debora Comments: Made number 19 on the NME album charts. Cover model is Caroline Munroe. Photographs by Jack Wood and Terry Beard.
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Hot Hits 12 (MFP 5281) Jun 1972
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Song Sung Blue / Rockin' Robin / Sister Jane / Take Me Bak 'Ome / An American Trilogy / Little Willy / Vincent / Rock And Roll (Parts 1 And 2) / Circles / Mary Had A Little Lamb / Little Bit Of Love / Ooh-Wakka-Doo-Wakka-Day Comments: Cover photo by Dick Swayne.
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Hot Hits 13 (MFP 50041) Jul 1972
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Automatically Sunshine / Where Is The Love / Popcorn / Silver Machine / My Guy / School's Out / Seaside Shuffle / The Loco-Motion / The Slider / 10538 Overture / Samson And Delilah / You Wear It Well Comments: Cover photo by Jack Wood.
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Hot Hits 14 (MFP 50044) Sep 1972
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Children Of The Revolution / Mouldy Old Dough / Goodbye To Love / Backstabbers / Too Young / Donna / Burning Love / You're A Lady / Wig-Wam Bam / The Guitar Man / I Didn't Know I Loved You (Til I Saw You Rock 'N' Roll) / How Can I Be Sure Comments: Made number 21 on the NME album charts. Cover photo by Peter Meech.
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Hot Hits 15 (MFP 50050) Nov 1972
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Getting A Drag / Rock Me Baby / Crazy Horses / Angel / I'm Stone In Love With You / Gudbuy T'Jane / What Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made A Loser Out Of Me) / Crocodile Rock / Why / I Don't Believe In Miracles / Lookin' Through The Windows / Stay With Me Comments: Cover photo by Peter Meech.
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Hot Hits 16 (MFP 50056) Jan 1973
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Blockbuster / You're So Vain / Always On My Mind / Relay / Dreidel / The Jean Genie / Me And Mrs Jones / C Moon / Papa Was A Rollin' Stone / Ball Park Incident / Roll Over Beethoven / Wishing Well Comments: Cover photo by Brian Ward.
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Hot Hits 17 (MFP 50057) Mar 1973
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Cum On Feel The Noize / Killing Me Softly With His Song / Power To All Our Friends / Feel The Need In Me / Pinball Wizard - See Me Feel Me (medley) / Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree / By The Devil (I Was Tempted) / Gonna Make You An Offer You Can't Refuse / The Twelfth Of Never / 20th Century Boy / Doctor My Eyes / Never Never Never Comments: Made number 28 on the NME album charts. Cover photo by Peter Meech. Features Tina Charles singing “Doctor My Eyes”.
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Hot Hits 18 (MFP 50060) May 1973
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Hell Raiser / Brother Louie / No More Mr Nice Guy / Giving It All Away / See My Baby Jive / Drive-In Saturday / Broken Down Angel / You Want It You Got It / And I Love You So / Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001) / One And One Is One / Could It Be I'm Falling In Love Comments: Cover photo by Jack Wood.
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Hot Hits 19 (MFP 50061) Jun 1973
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Can You Do It / Hallelujah Day / Stuck In The Middle With You / Honaloochie Boogie / Standing On The Inside / The Groover / Snoopy Vs The Red Baron / Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth) / Welcome Home / Sweet Illusion / Take Me To The Mardi Gras / Live And Let Die Comments: Cover model is Jilly Johnson. Photographs by Dick Swayne.
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Hot Hits 20 (MFP 50062) Aug 1973
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Yesterday Once More / (Dancing) On A Saturday Night / Touch Me In The Morning / Say Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose / You Can Do Magic / Smarty Pants / I'm The Leader Of The Gang (I Am) / 48 Crash / Rising Sun / Bad Bad Boy / All Right Now / Alright Alright Alright Comments: Cover photos by Terry Beard and Peter Marriott.
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After “Hot Hits”, MFP only occasionally dabbled in covers albums. However they attempted a new series in 1974-75 called "Chart Choice” . See separate page for details.
End-of-year collections
1971: Smash Hits ’71 (MFP 5229)
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Never Ending Song Of Love / Did You Ever / Mozart Symphony No. 40 in G Minor / Hot Love / Knock Three Times / Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep / I'm Still Waiting / Banner Man / Indiana Wants Me / I Did What I Did For Maria / My Sweet Lord / The Pushbike Song Comments: Six tracks from “Hot Hits” albums, six new to the series.
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1972: Smash Hits ’72 (MFP 50048)
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Popcorn / Could It Be Forever / American Pie / Beg Steal Or Borrow / Amazing Grace / Without You / My Ding-A-Ling / Clair / Mama Weer All Crazee Now / Puppy Love / Metal Guru / Ben Comments: Five tracks from “Hot Hits” albums, seven new to the series. Cover photo by Dick Swayne.
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1973: Smash Hits ’73 (MFP 50097)
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Welcome Home / Touch Me In The Morning / Stay With Me / Killing Me Softly With His Song / Yesterday Once More / You Are The Sunshine Of My Life / Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree / And I Love You So / Live And Let Die / You're So Vain / Get Down / Young Love Comments: Nine tracks from “Hot Hits” albums, three new to the series. Cover model is Susy Shaw. Photograph by Colin Glanfield.
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1975: Smash Hits ’75 (MFP 50232)
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Misty / Stand By Your Man / There Goes My First Love / Feelings / I Only Have Eyes For You / The Last Farewell / Sailing / Whispering Grass / L-L-Lucy / Paloma Blanca / Hold Me Close / Barbados / Tears On My Pillow / Moonlighting / Fattie Bum Bum / I'm On Fire Comments: Title as per pervious annual round-ups, but this is a new LP, not a compilation. Contents supplied by Beatt International. Photograph by Colin Glanfield.
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1976: Smash Hits ’76 (SIT 60073)
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Dancing Queen / Don't Go Breaking My Heart / We Do It / Kiss And Say Goodbye / A Little Bit More / Mississippi / Let 'Em In / Save Your Kisses For Me / Can't Get By Without You / No Charge / I Can't Ask For Anymore Than You / Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To) / Blinded By The Light / Dance Little Lady Dance Comments: Released on the MFP sub-label Fanfare. Title as per pervious annual round-ups, but this is a new LP, not a compilation. Contents supplied by Beatt International.
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Related album
Releases shifted to the MFP-run Fanfare label in 1976 (see album above), and one further LP was released, MFP's last. It was entitled “Vol 1” but no sequel was ever released. Oddly, this album featured eight tracks (from a total of 12) taken from the Hallmark LP “Top of the Pops Volume 57”!
Hits ’77 Vol. 1 (SIT 60087) Jan 1977
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I Wish / Don't Give Up On Us / New Kid In Town / Money Money Money / Daddy Cool / Suspicion / Isn't She Lovely / Don't Cry For Me Argentina / The Things We Do For Love / When A Child Is Born / Under The Moon Of Love / You're More Than A Number In My Little Red Book |