March 3, 2026

 

The first of 14 UK hits came on RCA, when

in 59, I Go Ape, made No.9, followed by, Oh Carol at No.3.

In 60, Stairway To Heaven, rose to No.8,

and making No.45 was, You Mean Everything To Me.

 

In 61, Calendar Girl, reached No.8,

and Little Devil, a No. 9 proved to be.

Ending 61, Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen, was a Top 3,

and in 62, King Of Clowns, rose to No.23.

 

Next in 62, came a US No.1 and UK Top 7 – 

being, Breaking Up Is Hard To Do.

And ending 62, Next Door To An Angel, made  No.29.

And in 63, Let’s Go Steady Again, settled at No.42.

 

In 72, on RCA – Maximillion, reaching No.19, was,

Oh Carol/Breaking Up Is Hard To Do/Little Devil.

Also in 72, Beautiful You, peaked at No.43.

And in 73, That’s When The Music Takes Me, hit a No.18 level.

 

Also in 73, Standing On The Inside,

on MGM climbed to No.26.

And, Our Last Song Together, at No.31,

also a MGM mix.

 

In  74, A Little Loving, on Polydor, rose to No.34.

and Laughter In The Rain – a US.No.1 + UK No.15, on Polydor.

And ending this tribute to Neil Sedaka,

In 75, reaching No.35, also on Polydor, was, The Queen Of 64.

 

Thank You for the happy, feel-good music  Neil Sedaka

RIP  1939 – 2026

a fine vocalist, pianist and great songwriter for many.

 

written by

Harriet Blackbury.

 

 

 

February 8, 2026

 

 

Trust your judgment,

don’t let it fail.

or the winds of change

will not prevail.

 

Trust your thoughts

See the master plan.

Stay loyal and truthful

whenever you can.

 

Trust your mind

It won’t let you down.

Stay optimistic

and don’t wear a frown.

 

Trust the guidance

in all honesty given.

Form a good team around you,

hardworking and driven.

 

Trust your eyes,

don’t let them deceive.

Find like-minded friends,

who in you, believe.

 

Trust the moment,

when chances appear.

Quickly thinking them through,

until they are clear.

 

Trust your body.

Rise to the test.

A job well done will see you

in glory, bask.

 

Trust the atmosphere.

Stay positive and calm.

Take a moment to relax,

on an animal farm.

 

Trust your hearing.

Listening is good.

So much can be learned,

more than misunderstood.

 

Trust in a mirror.

Look inside your soul.

No truer guide you will see,

when needing control.

 

Trust in yourself.

Your theory is sound.

To avoid a U turn,

nail your foot to the ground.

 

Trust in your friends.

They’ll always stay true.

If truth be known,

they know you better than you.

 

Trust in the simple things,

that get you through the day.

And be kind to everyone,

you pass along the way.

 

Trust in your vision.

Dreams do come true.

Share your plans with the Lord,

and he will help you through.

 

 

written by

Harriet Blackbury

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 24, 2025

 

Between 78 and 88 Chris Rea  had 13 hits on Magnet,

with Fool (If You Think It’s Over), at No.30, the 1st to arrive.

In 79 came Diamonds, making it to No44.

And in 82, Loving You, was at No. 65.

 

In 83, I Can Hear Your Heartbeat, rose to No. 60

and in 84, at No.65 – I Don’t KnowWhat It Is But I Love It.

And in 85, came Stainsby Girls peaking at No.26,

and seen at No.67, Josephine, another hit.

 

In 86, It’s All Gone, reached No. 69,

and also in 86 was, On The Beach, at No.57.

In 87, Let’s Dance, rose to No.12,

with, Loving You Again, at No.47 , 

and Joys Of Christmas , at No.67.

 

In 88, Que Sera, the last hit on Magnet, made No.73.

Also in 88, On The Beach Summer 88, was at No.12 on Wea.

I Can Hear Your Heartbeat, on Wea, peaked at No.74.

Finally in 88, Driving Home For Christmas (EP), rose to No.53.

 

In 89, Working On It, on Wea, also made No.53,

and last on Wea, a Top 10 – The Road To Hell (part 2).

In 90, Tell Me There’s A Heaven, made No.24, on East West

Also in 90, Texas, still on East West, at No.69, was on view.

 

In 91, Auberge, peaked at No.16, on East West,

followed by Heaven, at No.57.

Also in 91, Looking For The Summer, rose to No.49,

and ending 91, came , Winter Song,  at No.27.

 

In 92, Nothing To Fear, reached No.16, 

and, God’s Great Banana Skin, a No.31, was to be.

In 93, still on East West, 

Soft Top Hard Shoulder, peaked at No.53.

 

Still in 93, Julia, rose to No.18.

and in 94, at No.28, was, You Can Go Your Own Way.

and still on East West, Tell Me There’s A Heaven, made No.70,

and in 96 Disco’ La Passione, at No.41,with Shirley Bassey, was on display.

 

In 97, Let’s Dance, on Magnet, for Middlesbrough FC

ftrg Bob Mortimer and Chris Rea, made No.44.

And for many years, on Warner Brothers, from 07 onwards,

Driving Home For Christmas, was, and still is,

one of the best Christmas songs, for sure.

 

 

Thank you for the music  

God Bless you Chris Rea

RIP      1951 – 2025

written by 

Harriet Blackbury

 

 

November 25, 2025

 

In 69, Wonderful World Beautiful People

for Jimmy Cliff, on Trogan, was a UK Top 6.

And in 70, Vietnam, also on Trogan

entered the charts at No.46.

 

Still in 70, Wild World, on Island, rose to No.8,

and in 94, I Can See Clearly Now, on Columbia, made No.23.

God bless Jimmy Cliff, a much renowned singer,

and one of the undisputed kings of reggae, is he. 

 

Jimmy Cliff  1944 – 2025

 

written by

Harriet Blackbury

 

 

September 23, 2025

 

 

Hold tight the moment,

if you’ve a second to spare.

Before that lovely warm feeling

disappears into thin air.

 

Hang on to the memory

of good times well spent,

when days of pure ecstasy

so swiftly came and went.

 

Precious moments of stillness

are very rare indeed.

Often broken by birdsong

or a plane thundering by at speed.

 

So embrace the stillness,

it really is a must.

To rid oneself of anxiety,

is more essential than catching moondust.

 

 

 

 

 

Keep your head and your feet warm,

and put a smile on your face.

Keep your hands and heart warm,

and life will fall into place.

 

 

 

 

We lost an hour’s

sleep last night.

An hour we will

not get back,

 

until the summer

is at an end,

and the nights draw in

at this chicken shack.

 

 

 

 

Conkers by the dozen.

Conkers by the score.

Conkers in abundance

for our autumn store.

 

Conkers brought inside,

and scattered far and wide.

to rid the house of spiders,

a ritual, well and truly tried.

 

 

 

 

 

You give me light.

You give me strength.

You give me hope

to carry on.

 

You give me courage.

You give me warmth.

You give me peace

when sense has gone.

 

You give me time.

You give me solace.

You give me your all

in times of need.

 

You give me memories.

You give me smiles.

You give me love

on which to feed.

 

You give me guidance.

You give me a way.

You give me rest 

at close of play.

 

You give me faith.

You give me reason.

You give me a push

to start each day. 

 

 

June 13, 2025

 

 

 

With 24 of their hits on Capitol,

in 63 The Beach Boys opened their score,

when Surfin’ USA had a 7 week chart run,

reaching as high as No.34.

 

In 64, I Get Around, was a US No.1,

and peaked in the UK at No.7.

Also In 64, When I Grow Up To Be A Man

rose to No.27.

 

In 65, three more hits followed –

the first being Dance Dance Dance, at No.24,

and Help Me Rhonda, a US No.1 and UK No.27,

with California Girls at No.26, keeping us on the dance floor.

 

In 66, arrived four more hits,

when Barbara Ann made the Top 3,

and next, reaching the Top 2 was

another dance hall favourite – Sloop John B.

 

Also in 66, God Only Knows, rose to the Top 2,

with Good Vibrations a US & UK No.1.

And in 67, Then I Kissed Her reached the Top 4,

and Heroes And Villains at No.8 shone.

 

Ending 67, Wild Honey peaked at No.29,

and opening 68, Darlin’ rose to No.11.

followed by Friends at No.25,

and Do It Again found No.1 heaven.

 

Finally in 68, Bluebirds Over The Mountain made No.33,

and in 69, I Can Hear Music, at No.10 did arrive.

Also in 69, Break Away reached No.6,

and in 70, Cottonfields was a Top 5.

 

In 73, California Saga-California, made No.37 on Reprise,

and in 76, Good Vibrations, on Capitol, rose to No.18.

Also in 76, Rock And Roll Music, on Reprise, made No.36.

In 79, Here Comes The Night on Caribou, at No.37  was seen.

 

Also in 79, Lady Lynda, on Caribou made No.6

and Sumahama, also on Caribou, rose to No.45.

And in 81, Beach Boys Medley, on Capitol, made No.47, and

in 87, Wipeout, on Urban, with 5 Fat Boys, at No.2 did arrive.

 

In 88, Kokomo, on Electra, was a US No.1 & UK No.25,

and in 90, Wouldn’t It Be Nice, on Capitol, made a No.58 score.

And in 91, Do It Again, on Capitol, reached No.61,

and in 96, Fun Fun Fun, on Polygram, with Status Quo, made No.24.

 

Brian Wilson, you were a legend,

and a master of your art.

You were also loved by millions, with the ability,

 through music, to reach every heart.

 

Thank you for the music

R.I.P.  1942 – 2025.

 

written by Harriet Blackbury

 

 

 

 

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