Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) only just sneaks into 70s music. Performed by one hit wonders Edison Lighthouse, it made it to #1 on the UK singles chart on 31 January 1970.
generic bands / generic music – the chicken or the egg?
Which comes first, a band or a hit song? Usually you’d assume it’s the band. They get together, write some music, play some gigs, put out an album and, hey presto, if they’re lucky they get a hit record. Not always so in the 70s.
Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) was written by a pair of songwriters known as Tony Macaulay and Barry Mason. It was then recorded by Tony Burrows – who is a story in himself, more about him soon – and released as a single.
The song became a hit. That meant appearances on television music shows. That meant a band had to be quickly assembled. Somebody uncovered a little known group called Greenfields who, after a week of rehearsing, appeared on Top of the Pops as Edison Lighthouse where they mimed (Milli Vanilli eat ya heart out!) Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes).
tony burrows
The creation of hit songs in the studio by session musicians was a common phenomenon in the late 60s and early 70s. Songs like Sugar, Sugar by The Archies and Tracy by The Cufflinks were all hits before the bands were put together to promote them.
One singer who shared a number of hits with a number of such bands is Tony Burrows. Now, before you ask, “Who?” consider this; Tony Burrows is credited with singing lead on hit singles for more groups than any other recording artist ever. And that includes both the UK and US Singles’ Charts.
Consider this – Tony sang on:
- Edison Lighthouse’s Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) – February 1970.
- White Plains’ My Baby Loves Lovin’ – March 1970.
- The Pipkins’ Gimme Dat Ding – April 1970.
- The Brotherhood of Man’s United We Stand – June 1970.
In February 1970, Tony became the first and only person to ever appear on BBC Television’s Top of the Pops fronting three different bands in one single episode. He sang for Edison Lighthouse, White Plains, and The Pipkins – that’s pretty amazing but, that’s the 70s for ya!
love grows (where my rosemary goes) fax
- Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) is the fastest climbing number 1 hit record in history.
- Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) peaked at #1 on the UK singles chart on January 31 1970. It stayed there for five weeks. It also reached #5 on the US chart and #3 in Canada
- Anni-Frid Lyngstad – who went on to become the brunette Abba girl – covered Love Goes (Where My Rosemary Goes) in 1970. It was called, Där du går lämnar kärleken spår (Where you go, love leaves traces).
- The piano on Love Grows (Where my Rosemary Goes) is played by session musician, Rick Wakeman.
- Edison Lighthouse did release a follow-up to Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes). It was called, It’s Up to You Petula – it made no impression whatsoever on the charts.
- Edison Lighthouse’s Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) features in the closing scenes of the movie Shallow Hal and is in the movie Little Manhattan where it’s sung by Freedy Johnston. It’s also mentioned in the movie Reservoir Dogs – you hear a DJ talking about it and introducing it in the background as the movie action takes place. The actual song is not played, however.
- Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) features in an episode of television drama, The Sopranos.
- Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) lyrics.
Där du går lämnar kärleken spår by Anni-Frid Lyngstad.
seventies music 