For the interested, James Masterton has been looking at the top 40 from 1987. He does it well.

Ray Mallon was suspended as chief constable of Cleveland after allegations that he had leaked confidential information. Woy Jenkins was appointed to head a commission to examine alternative voting systems; its report would be completely ignored. The south east ground to a halt after a snowfall of almost 1mm. President Leghari of Pakistan resigned after a power struggle with the prime minister. The sale of beef on the bone was banned over fears about mad cow disease. British farmers blockaded Holyhead and Fishguard in an attempt to stop Irish beef from reaching market. The Oasis Christian Outreach Group turned down a donation offered by an Eastbourne pub, saying that some of the money came from homosexualists.

The chairman of the Royal Opera House resigned after being criticised by MPs. Blue Peter welcomed its new presenter, Konnie Huq. You may have heard her. The Dandy marked its 60th anniversary. The death was announced of jazz musician Stephane Grappelli; of footballer Billy Bremner; and of wrestler Shirley Crabtree, aka Big Daddy. On University Challenge, New Hall Cambridge scored precisely 35 points.

UK Singles Chart for w/c 7 December 1997

Number One	Teletubbies say eh-ho - Teletubbies - 1st week (Number 779 in seq.)
Highest new entry	Teletubbies say eh-ho - Teletubbies - number 1
Fastest climber (within top 40)	5, 6, 7, 8 - Steps - up 6 to 17
Fastest climber (within top 75)	(as above)
Lemming-like fall	Demons - Super Furry Animals - down 38 to 65
Top 40 debuts	Dreem Teem, Five, Teletubbies
Top 40 exits	Dreem Teem, Faith No More, Sparks, USURA
Top 75 debuts	Amira, Dreem Teem, Five, Christopher Just, Teletubbies, Bruce Wayne
Top 75 exits	Sleeper, The Firm

This was the fifth and final time during 1997 that we missed part of the Radio 1 broadcast, joining the survey around number 13.

Is it December? A mere 21 new entries this week, and very little outside the top 40. Christopher Just said I'm a disco dancer; everyone else said you're number 72, tush. Genesis found themselves Shipwrecked at 54, and The Catherine Wheel's comeback failed as The delicious ep landed at 53; the group was part of the shoegazing phenomenon, and had been regulars in the lower reaches of the top 75 during the early 1990s. Their one top 40 hit remains I wanna touch you (35 over Easter 1992). Three releases during 1997-8 failed to penetrate the top 40. Amira sung about My desire at 51, and Bruce Wayne was Ready at 44.

Two acts with proven hit-making credentials fell just shy of the top 40. Enya had had an unexpected number one in 1988 with Orinocco flow, and top 20 hits in the early 90s with Book of days and Caribbean blue; Anywhere is became her third top 10 hit in autumn 1995. By 1997, she was pushing out a box set, mixing up most of her previous four albums into themed collections - water, earth, air - and promoting it with a single. Only if... made 43. Enya would return to the top 40 with her next release, 2000's Only time (number 32), but three singles in the years since haven't been played or ignored by Radio 1.

Earlier in the year, the Lightning Seeds had the top ten hit they'd been threatening for ages, when a cover of You showed me made number 8. What you say was the follow-up, and was tremendously played on radio. The record-buying public didn't like it much, preferring the group's greatest hits album Like You Do, and the song could only make 41. It's the beginning of the end for the Seeds: though Life's too short made 27 in November 1999, the next year's follow-up barely made the top 75, and they've since been living off a diet of Jollification royalties and Three lions residuals.

Ousting these regulars from the 40 was the unlikely combination of Sparks and Faith No More. Two art-rock bands with more humour than sales, their raucous re-make of This town ain't big enough anchored the top 40. Neither act has troubled us in the years since. Beth Orton and Terry Callier combined for the Best bit ep at 36. Dreem Teem had The theme (shurely The theem - Ed) at 34. The Space Brothers were Forgiven (I feel your love) at 27.

From the Follow That! files: Will Smith. Last time, the number one single, and still fourth-biggest seller of the year, Men in black; this time, Just cruisin' splutters to a halt at 23. This won't stop him, Getting jiggy with it will make number 2 in early 1998, and the hits would continue almost without a break until early 2000. A comeback in 2005 was noticeably less successful; Switch made number 4 in April, but was in the bargain bins by the start of May. Also the second single from Mariargh Cantsing's album, and Butterfly can only make 22. It's the first time she's failed to make the top 20 since 1991, and her street team has ensured that every single since has made it much higher. Amazing how a well-planned operation can pull the wool over ROPRA's eyes.

Jamiroquai was still burbling on, High times placed at 20; the next release was Deeper underground, the group's only number 1 single, and we had completely forgotten the album in 2005, or singles collection in 2006. Blackstreet's (Money can't) buy me love came in at 18, last significant hit for the group. Here's the benefit of an appearance on Blue Peter: Steps bounce back up six places, matching their entry position of four weeks ago. Fourth and final hit for the Seahorses, You can talk to me came in at 15. The group is the biggest of 1997's one-year wonders; all four songs topped the seven-inch sales chart. The fourth Bond-related song of the autumn was Sheryl Crow's Tomorrow never dies, in at 12. It's the theme and title song to the 1997 release. Crow's signature song remains 1994's All I wanna do; she'd continue to have hits into 2003.

Out of this week's top 10 went the Verve (7-21), Lutricia McNeal (9-14), Babs and Céline (8-13), and Elton John (10-11). Bryan Adams was the only person in the Network Chart on pre-release airplay.

Straight into the top ten came Five. The pop-slash-groove group had been formed by Bob and Chris Herbert, the men behind the Spice Girls. They'd wowed the crowds on the Smash Hits Show on the Road, and put Slam dunk (da funk) in at 10. The group would release ten singles in total, this was the smallest, eight would go on to make the top 4, and they'd have chart-toppers with Let's dance (2001) and signature tune Keep on moving (1999). Natalie Imbruglia and Steven Houghton moved down four to 9 and 8.

It's make-or-break week for Robbie Williams; much was expected of his fifth single, Angels / Walk this sleigh. The lead song was co-written by Williams and Ray Heffernan, but the Dublin pub crooner sold his rights in the song to Guy Chambers for £7500. There have been cover versions; Beverley Knight made an interesting soul revision, All Angels did their over-processed nonsense, and the less said about Jessica Simpson the better. The AA side remains resolutely uncovered; Walk this sleigh is a simple ditty, all about how Williams believes in Christmas, enough to base a song on an old Muppets theme.

After his last two singles achieved disappointing places, and South of the border failed to make the top 10, the first-week top ten position was promising. We didn't realise that the British public would buy any old rope, and 880,000 sales (the BPI certification of 1.2 million units looks most dubious): this is only half the story. Angels continued to feature in heavy rotation at independent radio until summer 1998, and went on to become the second most-played 1997 release on UK radio. At the end of 2006, Media Control reported that Angels trailed Torn by 310,000 panel spins to 330,000. The Williams / Heffernan composition had closed a gap of 50,000 plays in late 1998; at present rates, the two should be level around 2017.

Boyzone dropped four to 6, and the All Saints moved back up one to 5. New at 4 was Janet Jackson's Together again, the second single off her Velvet Rope album and by far the biggest hit; after this project, she'd have one more big hit, 2000's Doesn't really matter, before making a bit of a tit of herself. Aqua had no move at 3, and Perfect day yielded the top spot to the Teletubbies. More about them next week.

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