Pop-Tops

{{Short description|Spanish band}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2019}} {{More citations needed|date=April 2010}} {{Infobox musical artist  | name = Pop-Tops | image = | caption = | image_size = | background = group_or_band | alias = | origin = Madrid, Spain | genre = Pop | years_active = 1967–1974 | label = Barclay Sonoplay (Spain) Explosion (Spain) Bellaphon (Germany) | associated_acts = | website = | current_members = | past_members = Phil Trim Julián Luis Angulo Alberto Vega Enrique Gómez Ignacio Pérez José Lipiani Ray Gómez Francisco Urbano Romero Rafael Guillermo Gertrudis }} '''Pop Tops''' (or '''Los Pop-Tops''') were a vocal/instrumental band, formed in 1967 in Madrid, Spain, with Phil Trim from Trinidad and Tobago as lead singer. Their sound was a blend of baroque pop with the soulful vocals of Trim.

==Members== Original set-up included *Phil Trim (born January 5, 1940, in Trinidad and Tobago) – lead singer *Julián Luis Angulo – guitar, vocals *Alberto Vega – saxophone, clarinet, vocals *Enrique Gómez – bass, trumpet *Ignacio Pérez – organ, piano *José Lipiani – drums *Ray Gómez – guitar

Some changes occurred in members:

*Francisco Urbano Romero – drums (replacing José Lipani) *Rafael Guillermo Gertrudis – keyboards, piano (replacing Ignacio Pérez)

==Hits== Their first release to gain attention was "Oh Lord, Why Lord" (1968), written by Jean Marcel Bouchety and Phil Trim.<ref>[http://repertoire.bmi.com/TitleSearch.asp?querytype=WorkName&page=1&fromrow=1&torow=25&keyname=Oh%20Lord%20Why%20Lord&blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=False&blnAltTitles=False] {{dead link|date=August 2015}}</ref> It was the first pop song to incorporate the melody of Pachelbel's Canon in D. That single's b-side, "The Voice of the Dying Man" (based on a Johann Sebastian Bach composition) was also recorded in Spanish as "La Voz del Hombre Caido".

They are best known for their 1971 hit "Mamy Blue",<ref>{{discogs master|197160|Pop-Tops: Mamy Blue}}</ref> referring to a son's poignant song addressed to his departed mother about his childhood memories and life in general, sometimes spelled "Mommy Blue", "Mammy Blue" or "Mummy Blue", which was a Top 10 hit throughout much of Europe, Japan (#2), and Canada (#42), and a minor ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart hit in the United States (#57). It was covered in the US by the Stories peaking at No. 50 in 1973. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a platinum record.<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs">{{cite book | first= Joseph | last= Murrells | year= 1978 | title= The Book of Golden Discs | edition= 2nd | publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd | location= London | page= [https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/297 297] | isbn= 0-214-20512-6 | url-access= registration | url= https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/297 }}</ref>{{where|date=February 2016}} The composer and lyricist of the French song "Mamy Blue" was Hubert Giraud.<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs"/> English lyrics were written by Phil Trim. The Pop Tops also recorded Italian and Spanish versions, with lyrics by Gefingal.

As follow-up singles they released "Suzanne Suzanne" (early 1972) and "Hideaway" (mid 1972), which were only minor hits in some European countries.

==Discography== ===Albums=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" ! align="center" rowspan="2" width="150"| Title ! align="center" rowspan="2" width="10"| Year ! align="center" colspan="1" width="20"| Peak positions |- ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| GER |- ! scope="row"| ''Canarios'' | 1968 | align="center"| — |- ! scope="row"| ''Mamy Blue'' | 1971 | align="center"| 30 |- ! scope="row"| ''Top Pops of Pop Tops'' | 1976 | align="center"| — |}

===Singles=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" ! align="center" rowspan="2" width="150"| Title ! align="center" rowspan="2" width="10"| Year ! align="center" colspan="7" width="20"| Peak positions ! align="center" rowspan="2" width="120"| Album |- ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| AUS <ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|authorlink=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=236}}</ref> ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| AUT ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| GER ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| ESP ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| SWI ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| UK ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US |- ! scope="row"| "Oh Lord, Why Lord" | 1968 | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | align="center"| 1 | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | align="center"| 78 | ''Canarios'' |- ! scope="row"| "Mamy Blue" <ref name="Billboard 29 January 1972">{{cite book|title=Billboard|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_R0UEAAAAMBAJ|quote=MAMMY BLUE.|date=29 January 1972|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_R0UEAAAAMBAJ/page/n67 68]–|issn=0006-2510}}</ref> | 1971 | align="center"| — | align="center"| 3 | align="center"| 1 | align="center"| 1 | align="center"| 1 | align="center"| 35 | align="center"| 57 | ''Mamy Blue'' |- ! scope="row"| "Suzanne Suzanne" | rowspan=2|1972 | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | align="center"| 16 | align="center"| 23 | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | rowspan=2|''Top Pops of Pop Tops'' |- ! scope="row"| "Hideaway" | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | align="center"| 22 | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | align="center"| — |- ! scope="row"| "My Little Woman" | 1973 | align="center"| 75 | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | |- |}

===Spanish releases=== '''Barclay, Spain'''

*1967: Con su blanca palidez / I Can't Go On *1967: Viento to otoño (Autumn Winds) / Cry *1968: Somewhere / The Voice of the Dying Man (La voz del hombre caido) *1968: Oh Lord, Why Lord / Beyond the Sea (El mar) *1968: Oh Lord, Why Lord (in Spanish) / El mar *1968: Esa mujer (That Woman) / Adagio cardenal *1968: That Woman / The Man I Am Today *1969: Pepa / Junto a ti *1969: Dzim-dzim-dzas (Love and Care) / Young and Foolish *1970: Soñar, bailar y cantar (She's Coming Back) / Anytime

'''Explosion, Spain''' *1971: Dios a todos hizo libres (Road to Freedom) / Movimento de amor *1971: Road to Freedom / Who Will Believe *1971: Mamy Blue (span.) / Love Motion *1971: Mamy Blue / Grief and Torture *1972: Suzanne Suzanne / Happiness Ville *1972: Suzanne Suzanne (in Spanish) / Walk along by the Riverside *1972: Hideaway / What a Place to Live In *1973: My Little Woman / Girl, What's on Your Mind? *1973: Happy, Hippy, Youppy Song / Where Can I Go *1973: Happy, Hippy, Youppy Song (in Spanish) / Angeline *1974: What a Way to Go / Baby I Will Cry

===German releases=== '''Bellaphon, West Germany'''

*1971: Mamy Blue / Road to Freedom *1971: Oh Lord, Why Lord / Walk Along by the Riverside (Remake) *1972: Suzanne Suzanne / Happiness Ville *1972: Hideaway / What a Place to Live In *1973: My Little Woman / Girl, What's on Your Mind? *1973: Happy, Hippy, Youppy Song / Where Can I Go *1973: What a Way to Go / Baby I Will Cry

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pop-Tops}} Category:Spanish musical groups Category:Musical groups established in 1967 Category:1967 establishments in Spain Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1974 Category:1974 disestablishments in Spain Category:Bellaphon Records artists