SWEET MARIA!

When RCA were plotting their bungled Elvisathon, attempting to stake out the top of the charts for 18 weeks with Elvis re-releases, they probably never thought that The Stereophonics would have caused them problems, as last week. But what they certainly wouldn't have counted on would have been Tony Christie confounding them, too. Not only has Christie taken this week's number one slot (thanks to the Peter Kay video and Comic Relief), but he's outsold every other single this year, and most of last year's as well. In a single week. Is This The Way To Amarillo - much, much more popular than Elvis.

Now we're hoping the British draught sherry Amarillo - which used the song on its 1970s TV ads - rides the crest of the comeback wave. We'd like to swagger down the grocers with an empty bottle.

The Independent ran a nice piece on Saturday where they asked the good people of Amarillo about the song.

music peter kay tony christie elvis charts