FANTASTIC [1973]


There are several people out there in the blogoverse that will tell you Fantastic is their favorite K-Tel album including Lisa Wheeler bka K-Tel Classics girl and this lady, who had the Canadian version but apparently can't count.  Coincidentally for both of those ladies, Fantastic was also their first K-Tel album and you never forget your first do ya?

For HERC, Fantastic was a later pick-up (early 90s maybe) and it currently ranks as one of the oldest K-Tel albums in his collection; it is the 1973 in the title of this blog.  The song selection is one of the most diverse to be found on a single album, featuring Number Ones across three of the four charts: Pop, R&B and Adult Contemporary.  Not one but two Elton John Top 6 hits to boot.

FANTASTIC [1973]
K-tel Scale: 23.77
Top 40 chart peaks
PopR&BCOUAC
Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak TreeDawn feat. Tony Orlando11
Crocodile RockElton John111
Hocus PocusFocus9
Little WillySweet3
Lean On MeBill Withers114
I Wanna Be With YouRaspberries16
The Free Electric BandAlbert Hammond
MisdemeanorFoster Sylvers227
L. A. FreewayJerry Jeff Walker
I’m Doin’ Fine NowNew York City17148
I’m Gonna Love You Just A Little More BabyBarry White3127
The Morning AfterMaureen McGovern16
Twisting The Night AwayRod Stewart
The Night The Lights Went Out In GeorgiaVicki Lawrence1366
The Twelfth Of NeverDonny Osmond87
Armed And Extremely DangerousFirst Choice2811
It Sure Took A Long, Long TimeLobo273
RandyBlue Mink
Back When My Hair Was ShortGunhill Road4037
Rock And Roll Part TwoGary Glitter7
Power To All Our FriendsCliff Richard
Rocket ManElton John639




The Canadian version of Fantastic also features 22 Original Hits by 21 Original Stars as the same two Elton John songs carried over from the US release.

FANTASTIC [1973]
K-tel Scale: 22.36
Top 40 chart peaks
PopR&BCOUAC
Brother LouieStories122
Crocodile RockElton John111
Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak TreeDawn feat. Tony Orlando11
Hocus PocusFocus9
Little WillySweet3
Lean On MeBill Withers114
It Sure Took A Long, Long TimeLobo273
The Night The Lights Went Out In GeorgiaVicki Lawrence1366
Bongo RockIncredible Bongo Band35
I’m Doin’ Fine NowNew York City17148
I’m Gonna Love You Just A Little More BabyBarry White3127
The Morning AfterMaureen McGovern16
Make My Life A Little Bit BrighterChester
Cry Your Eyes OutLes Emmerson
Uneasy RiderCharlie Daniels937
The Free Electric BandAlbert Hammond
MisdemeanorFoster Sylvers227
I'm A Stranger HereFive Man Electrical Band
Minstrel GypsyStampeders
Bondi JunctionPeter Foldy
Swamp WitchJim Stafford3931
Rocket ManElton John639





In 1997, as part of the K-Tel Classic Reissue Series of compact discs (first covered here), Fantastic was issued across two volumes with each disc having just ten songs. Both discs are in high demand with prices to match even though several of the tracks on Volume 2 do not appear on the original 1973 vinyl album or 8-track tape (above).



Per a suggestion from a reader, HERC ran the two CDs through the K-Tel Scale formula.  (Results can be seen below.)  He also ran them through as one 20 track album just to see what kind of score it would get.  HERC didn't submit that full grid for publishing but In case you're wondering, it scored a 24.70.

FANTASTIC Vol 1 [1997]
K-tel Scale: 23.20
Top 40 chart peaks
PopR&BCOUAC
Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak TreeDawn feat. Tony Orlando11
L. A. FreewayJerry Jeff Walker
Lean On MeBill Withers114
I Wanna Be With YouRaspberries16
The Free Electric BandAlbert Hammond
Hocus PocusFocus9
The Night The Lights Went Out In GeorgiaVicki Lawrence1366
Armed And Extremely DangerousFirst Choice2811
Back When My Hair Was ShortGunhill Road4037
Rock And Roll Part TwoGary Glitter7

FANTASTIC Vol 2 [1997]
K-tel Scale: 24.80
Top 40 chart peaks
PopR&BCOUAC
Twisting The Night AwayRod Stewart
I’m Doin’ Fine NowNew York City17148
I’m Gonna Love You Just A Little More BabyBarry White3127
One Toke Over The LineBrewer & Shipley10
Power To All Our FriendsCliff Richard
The Morning AfterMaureen McGovern16
Stay AwhileThe Bells7
8
You Ain't Seen Nothing YetBachman-Turner Overdrive1
MisdemeanorFoster Sylvers227
It Sure Took A Long, Long TimeLobo273

1 comment:

  1. Love this K-tel! I remember mail ordering this from a K-tel flyer/insert!

    ReplyDelete