Tony Christie has special memories of one particular location when he recalls how (Is This The Way To) Amarillo finally hit number one in the UK – and it isn’t Texas.
The singer-songwriter had a global hit with the song in 1971 but it took a 2005 duet with Peter Kay in aid of Comic Relief for the tune to reach the summit in Britain.
And when Christie looks back fondly on his time at the top with a smash-hit that outsold the rest of the Top 20 combined, he has Dundee on his mind.
Tony Christie performed in Dundee in 1976
Even without this 21st Century revival, Christie’s CV was an impressive sight.
His resume of international hits in the ’70s included Las Vegas, I Did What I Did For Maria, Don’t Go Down To Reno and (Is This The Way To) Amarillo.
Christie was no stranger to Dundee.
He appeared for a week at the Barracuda in March 1976 with tickets from £3.
More recently, in January 1999, he had a Top 10 hit with All Seeing Eye singing Walk Like a Panther, which was specially written for him by Jarvis Cocker from Pulp.
He disappeared again.
It looked like his best days were behind him until Peter Kay came along.
Kay’s mum was one of Christie’s biggest fans.
It was the use of (Is This The Way To) Amarillo in Kay’s comedy series Phoenix Nights that brought “Sheffield’s answer to Tom Jones” to a new audience of fans.
Kay also started his stand-up show by miming to the classic track.
A whole new generation of fans set about snapping up his back catalogue.
The phone started ringing again.
Christie launched a comeback in 2004.
The 2005 music video made millions laugh
He released a greatest hits album and embarked on a tour of the UK that included a date at the Whitehall Theatre in Dundee on March 20 2005.
The Peter Kay effect also resulted in something of a unique collaboration.
Kay asked him to re-release (Is This The Way To) Amarillo for Comic Relief.
He agreed.
The new video was hilarious.
Kay mimed the song in a purple suit alongside Christie.
They were accompanied by various celebrities – from Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen to Ken and Deirdre Barlow from Coronation Street.
The video was played on Comic Relief night on March 11.
It was released as a single on March 14.
It made an immediate impact.
There was little doubt it would get to number one.
The Top 40 was announced on the evening he performed in Dundee, which was 29 years to the day since his last appearance at the Barracuda.
All 710 seats at the Whitehall Theatre were sold out but the phone didn’t stop ringing and there was even a waiting list for restricted view tickets.
How did he celebrate at Whitehall Theatre?
It seemed everyone wanted to be there.
Even me.
I found myself backstage with Christie when he hit the top spot.
The Sun set the bar high by turning up with Page 3 girls and a cake.
The Courier budget was slightly more modest.
We arrived with some cheap plonk from Oddbins in Reform Street.
It was more Dom DeLuise than Dom Pérignon.
Christie handled the situation like a true professional.
He sprayed the champagne in celebration to give us a front-page photograph.
(Is This The Way To) Amarillo, which originally went to number 18 in 1971, knocked boy band McFly’s own charity single, All About You, down to number two.
Christie took to the stage after the new chart was announced.
The last time something like this had happened in Dundee was in August 1966.
The Troggs played live at the Top Ten Club at the Palais in South Tay Street on a memorable night when they were number one with A Girl Like You.
They were also number one at the same time in the States with Wild Thing.
Peter Kay call was sliding doors moment
Christie proved he was still in fine voice.
Avenues and Alleyways, I Did What I Did for Maria, Las Vegas and Solitaire were among the set highlights as Christie delivered a masterclass.
But the biggest cheer was reserved for (Is This The Way To) Amarillo.
What else?
It would go on to become the most popular Comic Relief single ever.
Christie told me he’d sung the song over 7,000 times but performing the single as a number one for the first time in Dundee was “extra-special”.
“To say it came out a week ago and a week later it’s number one is incredible,” he said.
“We tried to work it out, it was a reporter (who) said: ‘How many times have you sung the song?’
“I said: ‘I don’t know, but it’s 34 years old’, so we worked it out on an average of so many gigs a year and we arrived at about 7,000.
“Peter has really introduced my music to a whole new fan base.
“I am very grateful for that.”
Kay called him up to offer his congratulations.
The comedian revealed the sliding doors moment that changed everything.
“I found out today that it was a toss up whether they (Phoenix Nights) used Amarillo or Green Door by Shakin’ Stevens,” Christie told me.
“He’d (Kay) been brought up with my music because his mum is one of my biggest fans, so he chose Amarillo.
“This is my first UK number one.
“I Did What I Did For Maria made number two.
“I’m planning to make the most of my second chance.
“It’s sweeter second time round.
“I think I’m more able to cope, more sensible and appreciate it, really.”
He returned to Courier country in 2018
Christie continued to sparkle.
He was eventually awarded the freedom of Amarillo in Texas.
Christie continued to entertain audiences around the world with his classics.
He returned to these parts in June 2018.
He performed at the Webster Theatre in Arbroath.
I spoke to Christie before the show.
His eyes lit up at the mention of that night in Dundee.
Christie told me: “When the song was first released, in 1971, it was a hit across the world but it only made the lower reaches of the Top 20 in the UK.
“My record company had no idea why it wasn’t a hit in the UK so the fact that it eventually made it here in 2005 was a nice feeling.
“I’ll always remember being in Dundee when the song reached number one, although what happened that night is a bit of a blur.
“Once the song hit the top spot, it was so manic.
“I was working seven days a week.
“But I’m still enjoying it as much as ever.
“I’ve still got the voice I had when I started.”
And touring this year at the age of 81, he really does.
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