Middle of the Road is a Scottish pop group who enjoyed success across Europe and Latin America in the early 1970s. Four of their singles sold over one million copies each, and received a gold disc. The tracks were “Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep” (which went on to sell over 10 million), “Sacramento”, “Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum” and “Soley Soley”. By early 1972 the group had sold over five million records.
Lead singer Sally Carr, drummer Ken Andrew, guitarist Ian McCredie and his bassist brother Eric McCredie, founded the band on 1 April 1970 in Glasgow, Scotland. They already played together under the name Part Four since 1967 and later in Latin American style under the name Los Caracas.
Under the name Los Caracas they won the UK TV talent show Opportunity Knocks. They moved to Italy in 1970 because they had not found success in the United Kingdom. There they met the Italian music producer Giacomo Tosti, who gave the band their distinctive sound and gave them their international break.
The band had their first and biggest hit record in the United Kingdom with debut UK single, “Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep” to reach #1 in the UK Singles Chart in June 1971 and keep it for four more weeks. In all, Middle of the Road had five hit singles in the UK during 1971-1972. The band had especially strong success in Germany, where they achieved eleven Top 40 hits in 1971-1974. As an example of this, Frank Valdor was fast to adapt Sacramento as his “party records”. Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep and Sacramento were played a lot on Scandinavian radio.
In 1974 early Bay City Rollers member Neil Henderson joined the band on guitar. He wrote and co-wrote songs for Middle of the Road (including the singles “Rockin’ Soul” and “Everybody Loves A Winner” and 1974 albums, You Pays Yer Money And You Takes Yer Chance and Postcard, all released in Germany via Ariola like their first German LP, Music Music), but their commercial success could not keep pace with that of earlier songs.
Middle of the Road – Sacramento Lyrics
There’s something about the weather that everybody loves
They call it the Indian spring of Sacramento
And when the sun is up in the sky
The wind is blowing by the riverside, most every day
You’re in Sacramento, a wonderful town
Sing, sing, sing, din-di-din
There’s something about the people that everybody knows
That gives you a tender feeling of confusion
You’re feeling lonely but you don’t know
Until this other feeling here inside you starts to grow
You’re in Sacramento, a wonderful town
Sing, sing, sing, din-di-din
Now that spring is near again
And you’re thinking if only you were not so lonely, boo-hoo
But you can ease your restless mind
(Ease your restless mind)
‘Cos all the people are lovin’ kind in Sacramento
There’s something about the weather that everybody loves
They call it the Indian spring of Sacramento
You’re feeling lonely but you don’t know
Until this other feeling here inside you starts to grow
You’re in Sacramento – a wonderful town
Sing, sing, sing, din-di-din
Sacramento, Sacramento
Sacramento, Sacramento
Sacramento, Sacramento
Sacramento, Sacramento
Sacramento, Sacramento
Sacramento, Sacramento
Sacramento, Sacramento
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