This week in 1974

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 The Osmonds

Carl Douglas

Donny & Marie Osmond Sylvia

John Denver

Johnny Bristol

The Three Degrees Jimmy Ruffin Alvin Stardust Cozy Powell

Donny Osmond is not the only double-achiever in this top ten from 44 years ago this week. Johnny Bristol, enjoying his only UK top ten hit with his most famous solo recording ‘Hang On In There Baby’, was also the writer of ‘Love Me For A Reason’. Motown songwriter and producer Bristol, who died at the age of 65 in 2004, was the first to record the song, but the Osmonds’ cover version brought it to a global audience. It was the Utah brothers’ last top ten hit in the US and only UK No. 1. Twenty years after The Osmonds took it to the top, ‘Love Me For A Reason’ gave Boyzone their breakthrough in the UK. Their version, which reached number 2 in 1994, was the first of 17 top five hits in the British charts for the Irish band.