Fab 40
Encyclopedia
The "Fab 40" was a weekly playlist
of popular records used by the British "pirate" radio
station "Wonderful" Radio London
(also known as "Big L") which broadcast off the Essex
coast from 1964-7.
in the mid 1960s, associated with the Beatles, who were known as the "Fab Four", and much used by such trend-setters as Cathy McGowan
, who presented the weekly rock music show Ready Steady Go!
on independent television
.
Unlike the charts published in the Melody Maker
, New Musical Express and other music papers (or, for that matter, used by the BBC
or the rival pirate station Radio Caroline
), the Fab 40 was not based on sales of records. Thus, although it mostly contained what was current and popular, it was often ahead of movements in the authentic charts and was subject to more dramatic fluctuations. Whereas, in the sales charts of the 1960s, many records would climb in stages and then drop gradually, a record might suddenly emerge near the top of the Fab 40 one week and disappear from it the next. Equally, there was often room for records to scale the higher echelons of the Fab 40 without entering the sales charts at all (for example, the Settlers
' Nowhere Man in March 1966 ). As a result, a number of records that are well remembered from the mid 1960s were not, in fact, particularly successful in commercial terms.
and Beyond Our Ken
, the BBC had established as a prime time for radio listening. The show, which followed the Colgate-Palmolive
Request Hour, was presented by the station's disc jockeys on a rotational basis. This format largely mirrored that of the BBC's Pick of the Pops
, which Alan Freeman
had presented each Sunday on the Light Programme since 1961.
The final Fab 40 show was introduced by Tommy Vance
on 6 August 1967, the number one record that week being the Beach Boys' Heroes and Villains
, which entered the chart in the top position (whereas, in terms of sales, it entered the British top 20 a month later and reached no higher than number eight ). Radio London closed on 14 August 1967 following enactment of the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act
that, in effect, outlawed such stations. In August 2007 the final "Fab 40" was re-presented by former Radio London disc jockey Dave Cash
as part of a celebration on BBC Radio Essex to mark the fortieth anniversary of the pirates' demise.
When the BBC opened its own "pop" station Radio One
in September 1967, its sales-based top 30 chart was known informally for a time as the "Fun 30", no doubt in imitation of London's "Fab 40".
.
Playlist
In its most general form, a playlist is simply a list of songs. They can be played in sequential or shuffled order. The term has several specialized meanings in the realms of radio broadcasting and personal computers.-In radio:...
of popular records used by the British "pirate" radio
Pirate radio
Pirate radio is illegal or unregulated radio transmission. The term is most commonly used to describe illegal broadcasting for entertainment or political purposes, but is also sometimes used for illegal two-way radio operation...
station "Wonderful" Radio London
Wonderful Radio London
Radio London, also known as Big L and Wonderful Radio London, was a top 40 offshore commercial station that operated from 16 December 1964 to 14 August 1967, from a ship anchored in the North Sea, three and a half miles off Frinton-on-Sea, Essex, England...
(also known as "Big L") which broadcast off the Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
coast from 1964-7.
Basis of the chart
"Fab" (short for "fabulous") was a very fashionable adjectiveAdjective
In grammar, an adjective is a 'describing' word; the main syntactic role of which is to qualify a noun or noun phrase, giving more information about the object signified....
in the mid 1960s, associated with the Beatles, who were known as the "Fab Four", and much used by such trend-setters as Cathy McGowan
Cathy McGowan
Cathy McGowan is a British broadcaster and journalist, presenter from 1964-6 of Rediffusion television’s rock music show, Ready Steady Go!-Ready Steady Go!:...
, who presented the weekly rock music show Ready Steady Go!
Ready Steady Go!
Ready Steady Go! or simply RSG! was one of the UK's first rock/pop music TV programmes. It was conceived by Elkan Allan, head of Rediffusion TV. Allan was assisted by record producer/talent manager Vicki Wickham, who became the producer. It was broadcast from August 1963 until December 1966...
on independent television
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
.
Unlike the charts published in the Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
, New Musical Express and other music papers (or, for that matter, used by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
or the rival pirate station Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline is an English radio station founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the BBC's radio broadcasting monopoly...
), the Fab 40 was not based on sales of records. Thus, although it mostly contained what was current and popular, it was often ahead of movements in the authentic charts and was subject to more dramatic fluctuations. Whereas, in the sales charts of the 1960s, many records would climb in stages and then drop gradually, a record might suddenly emerge near the top of the Fab 40 one week and disappear from it the next. Equally, there was often room for records to scale the higher echelons of the Fab 40 without entering the sales charts at all (for example, the Settlers
The Settlers (band)
The Settlers were a folk-oriented group from the English West Midlands , who formed in the mid 1960s. They started out as a trio comprising Cindy Kent , Mike Jones and John Fyffe , but added a bassist, Mansel Davies.-Formation...
' Nowhere Man in March 1966 ). As a result, a number of records that are well remembered from the mid 1960s were not, in fact, particularly successful in commercial terms.
Fab 40 show
The Fab 40 was unveiled each week during a three hour programme at lunchtime on Sunday (11am to 2pm), which, through such programmes as Family FavouritesFamily Favourites
Successor to the wartime show Forces Favourites, Family Favourites was broadcast at Sunday lunchtimes on the BBC Light Programme, BBC Radio 2 and the British Forces Broadcasting Service until 1980...
and Beyond Our Ken
Beyond Our Ken
Beyond Our Ken was a radio comedy programme, the predecessor to Round the Horne . Both programmes starred Kenneth Horne, Kenneth Williams, Hugh Paddick, Betty Marsden and Bill Pertwee, with announcer Douglas Smith. Musical accompaniment was provided by the BBC Revue Orchestra...
, the BBC had established as a prime time for radio listening. The show, which followed the Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive Company is an American diversified multinational corporation focused on the production, distribution and provision of household, health care and personal products, such as soaps, detergents, and oral hygiene products . Under its "Hill's" brand, it is also a manufacturer of...
Request Hour, was presented by the station's disc jockeys on a rotational basis. This format largely mirrored that of the BBC's Pick of the Pops
Pick of the Pops
Pick of the Pops is a BBC Radio programme, originally based on the Top 20 UK singles chart and first broadcast on the BBC Light Programme in 1955. It transferred to BBC Radio 1 from 1967...
, which Alan Freeman
Alan Freeman
Alan Leslie "Fluff" Freeman, MBE was a British disc jockey and radio personality in the United Kingdom for 40 years.-Career:...
had presented each Sunday on the Light Programme since 1961.
The final Fab 40 show was introduced by Tommy Vance
Tommy Vance
Tommy Vance was a British pop radio broadcaster, born in Eynsham, Oxfordshire. He was one of the few music broadcasters in the United Kingdom to champion hard rock and heavy metal in the early 1980s, providing the only national radio forum for both bands and fans...
on 6 August 1967, the number one record that week being the Beach Boys' Heroes and Villains
Heroes and Villains
"Heroes and Villains" is a song by the American rock band The Beach Boys, co-written by the group's leader Brian Wilson and lyricist Van Dyke Parks. Originally intended by Wilson to be the centerpiece of the ambitious but shelved album Smile, a re-recorded version of the song was released on Smiley...
, which entered the chart in the top position (whereas, in terms of sales, it entered the British top 20 a month later and reached no higher than number eight ). Radio London closed on 14 August 1967 following enactment of the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act
Marine Broadcasting Offences Act
The Marine, &c., Broadcasting Act 1967 c.41, shortened to Marine Broadcasting Offences Act, became law in the United Kingdom at midnight on Monday, August 14, 1967 and was repealed by the...
that, in effect, outlawed such stations. In August 2007 the final "Fab 40" was re-presented by former Radio London disc jockey Dave Cash
Dave Cash (disc jockey)
Dave Cash is a veteran British radio presenter who works for BBC Radio Kent, having had previous spells at Radio London, BBC Radio 1, Capital Radio, Radio West , Country 1035 and PrimeTime Radio.-Radio career:Cash was born in Bushey, Hertfordshire, U.K...
as part of a celebration on BBC Radio Essex to mark the fortieth anniversary of the pirates' demise.
When the BBC opened its own "pop" station Radio One
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
in September 1967, its sales-based top 30 chart was known informally for a time as the "Fun 30", no doubt in imitation of London's "Fab 40".
Reconstructing the Fab 40
Some 30–40 years after they were in use, meticulous attempts were made to reconstruct the Fab 40 charts by Radio London Ltd. These drew on surviving lists prepared between 1965 and 67, at Radio London's offices at 17 Curzon Street in London and informal ones compiled at the time by listeners, although there were sometimes discrepancies between the "official" list and the records that were actually delivered to the ship, the MV Galaxy. Complete charts are available on the Radio London website, from 24 January 1965, five weeks after the station opened, till the final Fab 40, 6 August 1967 and are regularly updated with new information and input from featured artists. The first Fab 40 anticipated the sales chart a week later, when the Moody Blues were at number one with Go NowGo Now (song)
"Go Now" is a 1964 song composed by Larry Banks and Milton Bennett. It was first recorded by Bessie Banks, and most successfully by The Moody Blues.-Bessie Banks:The song was first recorded by Larry Banks' former wife, Bessie Banks...
.