6 February 1970
Our final socially-acceptable number one of the ’60s was bubblegum pop by a made-up band, and our first of the ’70s arguably is too. (That now-cancelled chart-topper in between is listed in the ‘By date’ section above if you’re curious.) Apparently ‘Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)’ existed before its makers realised they needed to cobble together a band for TV, promotion and what have you. This is a notable feature of the era’s bubblegum pop hits: session musicians getting their day out as a one-hit wonder – and in the case of vocalist Tony Burrows here, as several different one-hit wonders.
The thing is, while ‘Sugar, Sugar’ by The Archies captured a breezy, youthful innocence, ‘Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)’ at all times sounds like it was made by mature session musicians who have some random TV theme tune or Eurovision entry to knock out after this. Yes, the chorus is pleasantly huge and catchy; I’m not a complete heathen. However, the puppy-love lyrics are corny, the basic riffs and overbearing strings stink of MOR cabaret schmaltz, and the climactic key change is trouser-tighteningly high. I wonder how the Rosemarys of the world feel about being lumped with this all their lives.
US ’60s bubblegum pop, for all its occasional tweeness, is the ambient buzz of sunshine, optimism and frolics at the beach; its ’70s UK counterpart is kitsch artificial birdsong for the high streets, schoolyards and building sites of a dank, parochial Britain that smelled of chip fat and aftershave. ‘Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)’ isn’t the worst offender but it introduces us to one of the signature sounds of the decade to come. Welcome to the ’70s!
