Just Like That

One of the few 70s stars not implicated in the Jimmy Savile sex abuse scandal (well, so far at least) David ‘Diddy’ Hamilton has become a regular face on TV all over again: he’s one of the few presenters of the 1978 editions of Top Of The Pops that the BBC can still broadcast without fear of giving airtime to a paedophile.

Born in Manchester in 1938, Hamilton began his career as a broadcaster in 1959. He appeared with comedian Ken Dodd in the early 60s TV show Doddy’s Music Box: Dodd gave the height-challenged Hamilton the ‘diddy’ nickname, which has stuck ever since. He was one of the earliest DJs on Radio One, joining the station in November 1967, and he stayed with the BBC until 1986. Since then he has had regular shows on independent radio in the UK.

Like a great number of his colleagues – including Savile – David Hamilton had no shame when it came to flexing his tonsils in the recording studio. In 1973 he released this abomination - Just Like That - on the short-lived Dart label, written and produced by Harold Spiro, who had previously worked with Herman’s Hermits, the Yardbirds, Olivia Newton John, Cliff Richard and many others. He also co-wrote the dreadful football anthem Nice One Cyril.

But back to David. This audio turd seems to have been purpose built to be a bad record, with its dreadful, out of tune kiddy choir, stupid lyrics (which give Hamilton plenty of opportunity to showcase his terrible Tommy Cooper impersonation) and an accompaniment built around a f******g banjo and a euphonium! It’s vile. The B-Side, Have You Heard the News is a stupid anti-nuclear song framed as a news report. And its almost as bad: the kids are still there (damn them!) and Hamilton’s plaintive, off-key vocal makes me want to retch. Just the thing to ruin your weekend.

Enjoy!