Tuesday 26 October 2021

UK Number 40s: St John's College & The Band of Grenadier Guards - The Queen's Birthday Song (1986)

 


The first thing I remember about this record was it was the only 80s one hit wonder nobody had answered correctly on a Sporcle quiz. I then tried to listen to it on YouTube, but it wasn't there. Fortunately it is now there.

St Johns College is a school in Cambridge who's choir provided the vocals and The Band of Grenadier Guards is a band from the British Army. It was a charity single raising money for national children's charities, but this seemingly didn't help boost sales.

It was written by Tony Macaulay and Christopher Logue. Although it was the only Christopher Logue penned record to reach the Top 40, Tony Macaulay was no stranger to the charts as a songwriter.

To date he has 34 Top 40 hits as songwriter to his name including 6 number ones including his first two which are "Baby Now That I've Found You" by The Foundations and "Let The Heartaches Begin" by Long John Baldry.

By the time of this record he'd not had a Top 40 single as songwriter since 1978 which was "It Sure Brings Out The Love In Your Eyes" by David Soul. This would be his final original Top 40 hit as songwriter with just a cover of "Baby Now That I've Found You" by Lauren Waterworth to come after this.

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