20 Giant Hits
| 20 Giant Hits | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 6 July 1978 | |||
| Genre | Pop, MOR | |||
| Label | Target Records | |||
| Producer | Roger Greenaway | |||
| The Nolan Sisters chronology | ||||
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| Singles from 20 Giant Hits | ||||
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20 Giant Hits is a 1978 album by The Nolan Sisters, their first album as a mainstream release. It was also their first chart success, peaking at No.3 in the UK albums chart. The album was produced by Roger Greenaway.
Background
The Nolan Sisters had been regularly appearing on television since 1974 singing mostly cover versions of popular songs. They had also released two studio albums, but neither with any mainstream distribution. They secured a recording contract with Target Records in 1975, releasing six singles over the next two years, but all without chart success.
In 1978, the label decided to give the group one last major push by recording an album of cover versions that would be TV advertised. Preceded by the single release "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue", the album was released in July 1978 and quickly entered the charts at No.27.[1] The label's three year investment in the group paid off as the album rose the charts rapidly, peaking at No.3 for three consecutive weeks.[2] It remained on the charts for 12 weeks and was certified gold for sales of over 100,000 in the UK on 10 August 1978.[3] This was the only chart success with the group experienced by sister Denise, who left soon after to embark on a solo career.[4]
Following this, the group went on to greater success over the next few years by releasing a string of hit singles and albums worldwide, most notably in the UK and Japan, where this album also charted at No.38.[5]
This album was released on compact disc in January 2010 by Cherry Red Records as 20 Giant Hits Plus.... It included a bonus disc containing all their earlier singles and B-sides, totalling 13 extra tracks.[6]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original Artist, Year | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Sailing" | The Sutherland Brothers | Rod Stewart, 1975 | 4:06 |
| 2. | "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" | Richard Leigh | Crystal Gayle, 1977 | 2:30 |
| 3. | "Mull of Kintyre" | Paul McCartney / Denny Laine | Wings, 1977 | 4:16 |
| 4. | "Don't Give Up on Us" | Tony Macaulay | David Soul, 1976 | 3:35 |
| 5. | "The Way We Were" | Alan and Marilyn Bergman / Marvin Hamlisch | Barbra Streisand, 1973 | 2:46 |
| 6. | "Isn't She Lovely" | Stevie Wonder | Stevie Wonder, 1976 | 3:29 |
| 7. | "You Make Me Feel Brand New" | Thom Bell / Linda Creed | The Stylistics, 1974 | 4:34 |
| 8. | "Chanson D'Amour" | Wayne Shanklin | The Manhattan Transfer, 1977 | 2:35 |
| 9. | "God Only Knows" | Brian Wilson / Tony Asher | The Beach Boys, 1966 | 2:38 |
| 10. | "Money, Money, Money" | Benny Andersson / Björn Ulvaeus | ABBA, 1976 | 3:15 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original Artist, Year | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Bridge over Troubled Water" | Paul Simon | Simon and Garfunkel, 1970 | 4:36 |
| 2. | "Without You" | Pete Ham / Tom Evans | Harry Nilsson, 1971 | 3:03 |
| 3. | "Song Sung Blue" | Neil Diamond | Neil Diamond, 1972 | 3:05 |
| 4. | "Your Song" | Elton John / Bernie Taupin | Elton John, 1970 | 4:27 |
| 5. | "He" | Charles Aznavour / Herbert Kretzmer | Charles Aznavour, 1974 | 2:31 |
| 6. | "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" | Roger Cook / Roger Greenaway / Bill Backer / Billy Davis | The New Seekers, 1971 | 2:47 |
| 7. | "When a Child Is Born" | Ciro Dammicco / Fred Jay | Johnny Mathis, 1976 | 3:26 |
| 8. | "Save Your Kisses for Me" | Tony Hiller / Lee Sheriden / Martin Lee | Brotherhood of Man, 1976 | 2:54 |
| 9. | "(I Wanna) Make It with You" | David Gates | Bread, 1970 | 3:14 |
| 10. | "Reach Out I'll Be There" | Holland–Dozier–Holland | Four Tops, 1966 | 2:58 |
Personnel
- The Nolan Sisters - Vocals
- Roger Greenaway - Producer
- Gerry Butler - Arranger, Conductor, Synths
- Len Hunter - Arranger, Conductor
- Bill Price - Engineer
- Gary Edwards - Engineer
- Brian Odgers - Bass
- Brian Morgan - Drums
- Paul Keogh - Guitar
- Ritchie Hitchcock - Guitar
- Mike Moran - Keyboards
- Frank Ricotti - Percussion
- Tony Carr - Percussion
Charts
| Chart (1978/1981) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums (OCC)[2] | 3 |
| Japan[5] | 38 |
References
- ^ "Official Albums Chart on 23/7/1978". Official Charts. Retrieved 2026-03-02.
- ^ a b "20 GIANT HITS". Official Charts. 1978-07-29. Retrieved 2026-03-02.
- ^ "BRIT Certified Awards". BPI Membership Community. Retrieved 2026-03-02.
- ^ Gotto, Connor (2021-08-29). "Denise Nolan rejoins The Nolans for first time in 43 years for TV performance". RETROPOP. Retrieved 2026-03-03.
- ^ a b Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
- ^ 20 Giant Hits Plus... by The Nolan Sisters on Apple Music, 2010-01-18, retrieved 2026-03-03