Wizzard (August 24, 1973) – "Angel Fingers (A Teen Ballad)" b/w "You Got The Jump On Me" Single: UK
Released on 24 August 1973, Angel Fingers (A Teen Ballad) became Wizzard’s second and final UK number one hit. Written and produced by Roy Wood, the track topped the UK Singles Chart for one week in September 1973 and reached number seven in Ireland.
Artist: Wizzard
Title: Angel Fingers (A Teen Ballad)
Label: Harvest Records
Country: UK
Catalogue: HAR 5076
Date: August 24, 1973
Format: 7" Single
Tracklist (7"):
A — Angel Fingers (A Teen Ballad)
B — You Got The Jump On Me
The song is a nostalgic tribute to 1950s and early 1960s rock ’n’ roll, echoing Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound” approach with dense, layered instrumentation.
Brass, strings, and stacked backing vocals — provided by The Bleach Boys and the Suedettes — give the track its distinctive, maximalist production style.
Issued on Harvest Records in the UK (HAR 5076) and EMI in Germany, the single appeared in several vinyl variants, noted for differing sleeve designs. Over time, Angel Fingers has remained one of Wizzard’s most recognisable hits from their prolific 1973 run.
TRACK‑NOTES
• Angel Fingers (A Teen Ballad) — Written and produced by Roy Wood; a nostalgic, Spector‑influenced tribute to early rock ’n’ roll with layered instrumentation and choral backing.
RELEASE HISTORY
Released 24 August 1973. Issued on Harvest Records (UK) and EMI (Germany). Reached number one in the UK for one week. Peaked at number seven in Ireland. Noted for multiple vinyl sleeve variations.
CHARTS & CERTIFICATIONS
Australia (Kent Music Report) — Peak: 42
Ireland — Peak: 7
United Kingdom (OCC) — Peak: 1
PERSONNEL
Roy Wood — songwriter, producer
The Bleach Boys — backing vocals
The Suedettes — backing vocals
PRODUCTION
Produced by Roy Wood
Label: Harvest Records / EMI Catalogue numbers:
• HAR 5076 (UK)
CONTEMPORARY PRESS ARCHIVE
Far Out Magazine’s Lauren Hunter later described Angel Fingers as a contender for “the worst number one of 1973,” offering a contrasting retrospective view of the track’s chart‑topping success.
Period commentary highlighted the song’s dense, nostalgic production and its deliberate evocation of early rock ’n’ roll aesthetics, noting Roy Wood’s commitment to recreating a Spector‑style sound with brass, strings, and layered vocal arrangements.
International Variants (1973–1974)
Country Variant | Label | Year | Notes |
Australia | Harvest | 1973 | 7" single, Wizzard – Angel Fingers (A Teen Ballad) — Harvest 6 |
Belgium | Harvest | 1973 | 7" single, Wizzard – Angel Fingers (A Teen Ballad) — Harvest 12 |
Finland | Harvest | 1973 | 7" single, Wizzard – Angel Fingers (A Teen Ballad) — Harvest 11 |
France | Harvest | 1973 | 7" single, Wizzard – Angel Fingers (A Teen Ballad) — 1973 22 |
Germany | Harvest | 1973 | 7" single, Wizzard – Angel Fingers (A Teen Ballad) — Odeon edition noted |
Japan | Odeon | 1973 | 7" single, Wizzard – Angel Fingers (A Teen Ballad) — Odeon issue |
Netherlands | Harvest | 1973 | 7" single, Wizzard – You Got The Jump On Me — Harvest 2 |
New Zealand | Harvest | 1973 | 7" single, Wizzard – Angel Fingers (A Teen Ballad) — Harvest 9 |
Norway | Harvest | 1973 | 7" single, Wizzard – You Got The Jump On Me — Harvest 9 |
Portugal | Stateside | 1973 | 7" single, Wizzard – Angel Fingers (A Teen Ballad) — Stateside issue |
South Africa | Harvest | 1973 | Blank record — no printed details supplied |
Sweden | Harvest | 1973 | 7" single, Wizzard – Angel Fingers (A Teen Ballad) — Harvest 13 |
Turkey | Harvest | 1973 | Blank record — no printed details supplied |
SOURCES Discogs, 45 World, Wikipedia, BBC Official Charts.
All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non‑commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.
Comments