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Billboard #1 Hits: #384: “Saturday Night”- Bay City Rollers. January 3, 1976. #1 for 1 week in Billboard Hot 100.
- Single: “Saturday Night”- Bay City Rollers
- Record Company- Arista
- Genre: Rock
- Written by Bill Martin and Phil Coulter
- Time: 2:56
- B-side:”Marlena”
- Album-Rollin
- Grade: B
- Peaked at #1 1 week in Billboard Hot 100. #1 in Canada.
There was a lot of hype behind the Scottish – Bay City Rollers in late 1975-76. They were being hyped as ‘the next Beatles”- as we know they fell a little short on that. They had been around releasing records since 1971 before having their first chart hit in the US- go to #1 with “Saturday Night” When all was said and done in 1976-77 they had 6 Top 40 hits- and that was all there would be. I remember Howard Cosell featuring them on his television variety show Saturday Night- and all the hype that went with that. I wasn’t even into music at the time but I was watching. This isn’t a great song by any means but the chanting “S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y Night” sure is catchy.
Glad you’re done with 1975, easily the weakest year for #1’s for me after the British Invasion started and before the 90s.
I am glad too it seemed like I was stuck on 1975 forever- not a very good year- I agree.
I turned 12 the day before this song hit #1 in the charts, and it was one of my favorites. Yes, I had a favorite Roller: lead vocalist Les McKeown.
I couldn’t name a Roller if my life depended on it- I am impressed!
His is the only name I can remember, because I had such a crush. I had forgotten until watching the video that he was also the drummer.
S – A – TUR – DAY NIGHT!
It’s kind of an awful tune. At the same time, I agree with you, it’s weirdly catchy!