Summerlove Sensation
"Summerlove Sensation" is a single released by Scottish band the Bay City Rollers, featured on their debut album Rollin'. In the same year, it was released as a single five months prior. The single peaked at no. 3 on the UK Singles Chart. It also spawned two successful cover versions in the late 1970s, first a French adaption performed by French pop singer Sylvie Vartan, and a cover by American singer Bobby Vinton that was a minor hit in the charts.
Release and promotion
The band debuted the song on national television in the United Kingdom on Lift Off with Ayshea broadcast on Granada Television where they performed the song alongside "Shang-a-Lang" on 29 July 1974. Upon its release, "Summerlove Sensentation" became what was known as a "star breaker" in the United Kingdom, and the band were scheduled to perform the song on Top of the Pops. A dispute between Top of the Pops and the Musicians Union in the United Kingdom over the BBC's decision to have artists appear on the show and mime to backing tracks forced the show to be taken from broadcasting schedules for a number of weeks, ultimately meaning the band did not get the chance to perform the song on the show."Summerlove Sensation" was used as a "play out track" on a Top of the Pops broadcast on 8 August 1974, and as a result the single began to climb the national singles charts in the United Kingdom despite initially missing the top forty of the charts following its release in July. As a result of its increasing chart success, the band travelled to London to record a performance for Top of the Pops which was broadcast on 15 August 1974. At this time, it was considered by the bands manager Tam Paton and their record label that further promotion of the single would be unnecessary as the single was "destined" to be successful regardless, and with the exception of one further performance on Top of the Pops on 22 August 1974, no additional performances for national television of the song occurred.