If – Telly Savalas

This track by Telly Savalas spent two weeks at the top of the UK singles chart in 1975.

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If by Telly Savalas replaced Make me smile (come up and see me) by Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel at the top of the UK singles chart this week in 1975. It had entered the top 40 two weeks previously at number 23 and broke into the top 10 a week later.

The song spent two weeks at number 1 and then made way for Bye bye baby by the Bay City Rollers. After falling from the top spot it stayed in the top 10 for another two weeks, both of them in the top 5, and then dropped into the lower top 40 for the final three weeks of its chart life.

If was released on the MCA record label and was the only UK number 1 hit for Telly Savalas. It was taken from the silver-selling album Telly, which peaked at number 12 in the UK albums chart. The single was also certified silver.

The original version of the song was recorded by Bread in 1971 but the single did not enter the UK chart. Two other versions have entered the top 40. In 1975, a parody of Telly Savalas’s spoken word version of the song was released by Yin & Yan and reached number 25. Then, in 1996, John Alford’s cover peaked at number 24.

More music from Telly Savalas

 

More number ones from 1975

 

UK singles chart for the week ending 8 March 1975

1. If – Telly Savalas

2. Make me smile (come up and see me) – Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel

3. The secrets that you keep – Mud

4. Only you can – Fox

5. My eyes adored you – Frankie Valli

6. Please Mr postman – Carpenters

7. Shame, shame, shame – Shirley And Company

8. Bye bye baby – Bay City Rollers

9. Pick up the pieces – Average White Band

10. Footsee – Wigan’s Chosen Few

 

13. Dreamer – Supertramp