1971 Middle Of The Road: Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep

There's something quite neat and satisfying in Middle Of The Road deposing Dawn at number one; both songs have managed to transcend their disposable origins by showing that, no matter how much they are despised, a catchy pop hook will always have the power to enter the national consciousness with the irritating persistence of a nursery rhyme. The same applies when it's got 'issues' (like Chumbawamba's 'Tubthumping') or when it's all a bit meaningless.

Because at least 'Knock Three Times' gave you some context to hang your prejudices on - 'Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep' in comparison is fairly impenetrable. A quick scan online reveals that everything here can be taken quite literally and that it's about a baby bird who finds its mother has flown the nest despite being there and chirping the night before. Other interpretations suggest it runs deeper and that vocalist Sally Carr is actually singing "Where's your momma gone, little baby Don" - social commentary and an abandoned baby! Unless the baby bird was called Don. Which seems a tad unlikely. Some even seem to regard it as a comment on Vietnam, but on this I will make my lack of comment my comment.

Whatever tale you plump for, there's no doubt that someone has been left high and dry, making the chirpiness (sorry) of the song a bit out of step; Carr sings like all her Christmases have come at once while the tune rolls behind her with the upbeat force of a football chant directed at a team who've gone six nil up. All very jolly.

And yet you can't deny that wrapped around such lyrical fluff, it's a strong tune wasted; Queen (or any eighties soft rock band) could have made hay with the opening 'Where's your momma gone?' chant (or maybe they did with 'We Will Rock You') while the chorus itself would have been a gift for any pop (or twee indie) band (I would say that The Pastels picked up on this with 'Truck Train Tractor', but that might be getting a wee bit too obscure).

Yes it's repetitive and yes it's banal, but there's nothing about it that suggests it's trying to be anything other, and on that front at least it trumps the Dawn effort, though both have a terrible habit of staying in your head when you're trying to banish them to Room 101. I'll let you decide whether that's a mark of a very good or a very bad pop song.