osmonds uk tour 1973

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From the archive, 22 October 1973: Osmond brothers land at Heathrow to chaotic scenes

Several young female pop fans are taken to hospital with slight injuries after a wall collapses following a crowd surge

Talks were going on last night between representatives of the British Airports Authority, police, and record companies which may lead to a ban on certain pop groups entering Britain through Heathrow Airport.

“We have always maintained that Heathrow was an unsuitable place for this sort of arrival,” a spokesman for the authority said. “We are now re-examining the whole question of how to handle the problem. Certainly the Osmonds will not be passing through Heathrow again this week. They will travel from other airports, although, of course, we are not prepared to say which.”

The emergency discussion began yesterday afternoon after 10,000 teenage girls packed the roof gardens at the Queen’s Building, Heathrow, to watch the arrival of the Osmond brothers. Part of the balcony railing and wall collapsed under the weight of fans, slightly injuring 18 girls. Four fans were later treated in hospital, although of these two went to hospital of their own volition and one was crushed in a separate incident.

When the girls had been cleared from the site it became clear that a 15-foot section of railing and wall, weighing perhaps a ton, had collapsed 12 feet from an upper to lower balcony. It seemed that there might have been more casualties had the girls not at that moment been pressing forward against an outer rail to catch sight of the Osmonds.

“The worst problem was hysteria,” said a helper at the Queen’s Building medical centre, where first aid was provided. “It was difficult at first to distinguish between girls who had been hurt and girls who were screaming and weeping from fright or from disappointment at missing a sight of the group.”

One 11-year-old girl was said to have been detained at Hillingdon Hospital for observation. The others were allowed to go home.

Trouble began to build up on Saturday, when girls, some as young as 9 or 10, started to arrive to secure front row places on the roof garden. Admission costs 6p, and the balcony areas are open to the public at all times. Leave for the airport’s regular staff of 400 police was cancelled, and an extra 60 men were drafted in to help.

Yesterday the roof garden’s public-address system broadcast Osmond brothers’ records at the fans, whose numbers swelled to 10,000, according to a BAA estimate. “We did our best to keep them calm,” said Mr Martin Weston, who gives a running commentary to tourists in the Queen’s Building over the system. “When the crash happened we tried to help police control the crowd. There was so much noise going on from the kids we didn’t realise at first what was happening.”

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On Tour With The Osmonds – 1973 Documentary

Documentary capturing Osmondmania in the UK during their 1973 tour.

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On Tour With The Osmond’s – Documentary

December 1, 1973 London

A documentary capturing Osmondmania in the UK during their 1973 tour.

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The Osmonds’ album, Live , fell to #112 on Billboard’s Top Selling Albums Chart. 

Donny’s album, Too Young remained at #51 on Billboard’s Top Selling Albums Chart.

The Osmonds’ album, Crazy Horses, rose to #21 on Billboard’s Top Selling LP’s Chart.

The Osmonds’ single, Crazy Horses, rose to #19 on Billboard’s Top 100 Singles Chart.

Donny’s single, Too Young, rose to #28 on Britain’s chart.

The Osmonds’ single, Crazy Horses , rose to #7 in Britain.

Donny’s single, Why, rose to #6 on Britain’s chart.

Donny’s single, Too Young , was at #27 in Belgium.

The Osmonds’ album, Live , fell to #125 on Billboard’s Top Selling Albums Chart. 

Donny’s album, Too Young fell to #60 on Billboard’s Top Selling Albums Chart.

The Osmonds’ album, Crazy Horses , rose to #18 on Billboard’s Top Selling LP’s Chart.

The Osmonds’ single, Crazy Horses , rose to #15 on Billboard’s Top 100 Singles Chart.

Jimmy’s album, Killer Joe , made its debut at #176 on Billboard’s Top Selling LP’s Chart.

Donny’s single, Too Young, fell to #37 on Britain’s chart.

The Osmonds’ single, Crazy Horses , rose to #2 in Britain.

Donny’s single, Why , rose to #4 on Britain’s chart.

Donny’s single, Too Young , was at #25 in Belgium.

Donny’s single, Why , was at #7 in Hong Kong.

Jimmy’s single, Long Haired Lover From Liverpool , debuted at #49 on Britain’s chart.

The Osmonds’ album, Live , fell to #140 on Billboard’s Top Selling Albums Chart. 

Donny’s album, Too Young fell to #68 on Billboard’s Top Selling Albums Chart.

The Osmonds’ album, Crazy Horses, rose to #17 on Billboard’s Top Selling LP’s Chart.

The Osmonds’ single, Crazy Horses , rose to #14 on Billboard’s top 100 Singles Chart.

Jimmy’s album, Killer Joe , made its debut at #159 on Billboard’s Top Selling LP’s Chart.

Donny’s single, Too Young , fell to #46 on Britain’s chart.  After 12 weeks, this was its last appearance on the chart.  It reached its highest position at #5 on October 7, 1972 where it stayed for three weeks.

The Osmonds’ single, Crazy Horses, remained at #2 in Britain.

Donny’s single, Why , rose to #3 on Britain’s chart.

Donny’s single, Why , was at #12 in Hong Kong.

Donny finishes his recordings for Alone Together.

The Osmonds’ album, Live , fell to #174 on Billboard’s Top Selling Albums Chart. 

Donny’s album, Too Young fell to #72 on Billboard’s Top Selling Albums Chart.

The Osmonds’ album, Crazy Horses , rose to #15 on Billboard’s Top Selling LP’s Chart.

The Osmonds’ single, Crazy Horses , remained at #14 on Billboard’s Top 100 Singles Chart.

Jimmy’s album, Killer Joe , made its debut at #127 on Billboard’s Top Selling LP’s Chart.

The Osmonds’ single, Crazy Horses , remained at #2 in Britain for the third week.

Donny’s single, Why , fell to #6 on Britain’s chart.

Jimmy’s single, Long Haired Lover From Liverpool, jumped to #9 on Britain’s chart.

Donny’s album, My Best To You , debuted at #132 on Billboard’s Top Selling LP’s Chart.

The Osmonds’ album, Live , fell to #179 on Billboard’s Top Selling Albums Chart. 

Donny’s album, Too Young fell to #77 on Billboard’s Top Selling Albums Chart.

The Osmonds’ album, Crazy Horses , rose to #14 on Billboard’s Top Selling LP’s Chart.

The Osmonds’ single, Crazy Horses, fell to #23 on Billboard’s Top 100 Singles Chart.

Jimmy’s album, Killer Joe , made its debut at #123 on Billboard’s Top Selling LP’s Chart.

Donny’s album, My Best To You, rose to #79 on Billboard’s Top Selling LP’s Chart.

The Osmonds’ single, Crazy Horses , fell to #3 in Britain.

Donny’s single, Why, remained at #6 on Britain’s chart.

Jimmy’s single, Long Haired Lover From Liverpool , rose to #5 on Britain’s chart.

The Osmonds’ album, Crazy Horses was at #8 in Belgium.

Donny’s single, Why , was at #4 in Malaysia.

Donny’s single, Why , was at #5 in Singapore.

The Osmonds’ album, Live , fell to #185 on Billboard’s Top Selling Albums Chart.  After 29 weeks, this was its last appearance on the chart.  It reached its highest position at #13 on July 29, 1972 where it stayed for two weeks.

Donny’s album, Too Young fell to #85 on Billboard’s Top Selling Albums Chart.

The Osmonds’ album, Crazy Horses, fell to #17 on Billboard’s Top Selling LP’s Chart.

The Osmonds’ single, Crazy Horses , fell to #39 on Billboard’s Top 100 Singles Chart.

Jimmy’s album, Killer Joe , remained at #123 on Billboard’s Top Selling LP’s Chart.

Donny’s album, My Best To You , rose to #51 on Billboard’s Top Selling LP’s Chart.

The Osmonds’ single, Crazy Horses , remained at #3 in Britain.

Jimmy’s single, Long Haired Lover From Liverpool , rose to #1 on Britain’s chart.

Donny’s single, Why , was at #8 in Malaysia.

Donny’s single, Why , was at #7 in Singapore.

The Osmonds’ single, Down By The Lazy River was #14 in France.

Billboard Magazine named their Trendsetter Awards for 1972 .  The following is a list of the categories, artists, and positions:

If you would like to receive updates on the Osmonds, put your e-mail in the box below.

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Wide angle reviews, interviews and opinion on music, travel and the arts by writer Graham Reid

The osmonds: the plan, considered (1973): one way ticket to nowhere in particular.

Graham Reid  |  Feb 21, 2022  |  4 min read

Even those who couldn't abide the idea of the Osmonds, let alone their music, had to concede their '72 single Crazy Horses was a pretty terrific slice of hard rock.

And that the album of the same name -- if they heard it -- was much better than anyone might have expected from this family band which, flashing their teeth like grilles, took their brand of soft rock and teeny-bop pop into mainstream acceptance in the late Sixties and early Seventies.

They were cute, well-groomed and young teen Donny was very good looking. They were non-threatening by being Mormons and had been anointed by none other than appearances at Disneyland and by Mr Nice Guy himself Andy Williams on his US television show.

Songs like Puppy Love were like an epidemic which swept the globe.

But with the more rocking albums Phase III in '72 and especially Crazy Horses (Donny didn't sing on the single), they shifted their ground to something harder and guitar-driven.

If they were transitioning into something more than just the anodyne group which teens had embraced, the album following Crazy Horses set matters on a slightly strange path.

As with Crazy Horses, the songs for it were written by brothers Alan (who also produced), Merrill and Wayne, and again Donny – now 15 – took a lesser role.

The Plan -- pulled from the shelves at randon for consideration -- was released in mid '73 and was a loose concept album based on . . . the principles of their Mormon faith.

It opened in fine dramatic style with the left-field funk-rock of Traffic in Heaven with a strange dreamy, almost softly-delic coda.

Later there was also a highly serviceable mainstream single Let Me In with dramatic and lush strings (with lyrics can be heard as both secular and religious), the radio-friendly pop-rock of One Way Ticket to Anywhere which wouldn't have sounded out of place on a glam rock compilation alongside Sweet, and It's Alright is a piano-driven glam-soul party-down dance number.

Darlin' is an exceptionally pleasant and utterly inoffensive pop ballad with inane Fifties lyrics (“like an angel sent from up above,  you came and touched my life with love”), The Last Days could have been a more grim and apocalyptic downer (as it seems intent on being) if it was even heavier and Goin' Home – although not up to much and a bare two and half minutes – is almost like someone stole a page from a Taupin-Elton playbook.

The orchestrated Before the Beginning was part way between a pop ballad and a Broadway showtune (until the wah-wah coda) and Movie Man was a strange McCartneyesque Thirties vaudeville thing with weird sound effects (“why did you do it, why did you make your mother cry” and it seems to suggest the Devil comes in the guise of a Hollywood producer).

Are You Up There opens with what sounds like the triumphal ending of a sci-fi blockbuster before it gets into being a po-faced ballad . . .

Mirror Mirror is a perfunctory piece only made interesting by harmonica and jaw harp.

Of course these white-bread and anodyne ersatz Jackson Five – who also spawned Little Jimmy's execrable Long Haired Lover from Liverpool at the start of this year – were considered the spawn of Satan by serious rock listeners in this period of Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and Ziggy Stardust.

It was an ambitious album from a band which was actually pushing itself, but then after it they reverted to MOR type.

Donny continued with his parallel solo career and teen idol status (alongside the likes of David Cassidy) and with toothy sister Marie he hosted their own enormously successful variety television show.

If Crazy Horses was their breakthrough into a more viable rock persona (and despite the flaws it remains their best album), then The Plan – – the Book of Mormon it isn't – was a more ambitious stretch beyond genres and maybe, if it had been more successful, an exit strategy for Alan.

It's an album not without interest for that.

Unfortunately by being so earnest in many places – the exciting Crazy Horses sounded as if they'd been let off the leash – The Plan failed to be executed.

You can hear The Plan on Spotify here  and Crazy Horses here . And Donny's take on it is below, from his autobiography.

Elsewhere occasionally revisits albums -- classics sometimes, but more often oddities or overlooked albums by major artists -- and you can find a number of them starting  here

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• 1974  ( 2 )
• 1973  ( 16 )
• 1972  ( 16 )
• 1971  ( 3 )
• 1969  ( 1 )
• 1964  ( 3 )

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• The Legendary Osmond Brothers On Tour 2018  ( 3 )
• Up Close & Personal Tour  ( 1 )
• Up Close and Personal  ( 1 )
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Songs played by year: 1973

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The Osmonds are an American family music group formed in Ogden, Utah, who reached the height of their fame in the early-to-mid seventies, and who consisted of singing siblings Donny (born December 9, 1957), Wayne (born August 28, 1951), Alan (born June 22, 1949), Jay (born March 2, 1955) and Merrill (born April 30, 1953). The Osmonds have sold over 77 million records worldwide, thanks to their pin-up qualities and wholesome ways, with songs such as Crazy Horses, The Proud One, Let Me In and their 1974 Official UK Singles Chart Number 1 Love Me For A Reason. The Osmonds’ success lead to other members of the family gaining fame with songs of their own, such as younger brother Little Jimmy Osmond and sister Marie, as well as launching Donny as a solo star in his own right.

OSMONDS Songs stats

Osmonds albums stats, official singles chart.

DOWN BY THE LAZY RIVER THE OSMONDS

CRAZY HORSES THE OSMONDS

GOING HOME THE OSMONDS

LET ME IN THE OSMONDS

I CAN'T STOP THE OSMONDS

LOVE ME FOR A REASON THE OSMONDS

• Weeks No. 1: 3

HAVING A PARTY THE OSMONDS

THE PROUD ONE THE OSMONDS

I'M STILL GONNA NEED YOU THE OSMONDS

I CAN'T LIVE A DREAM THE OSMONDS

ONE BAD APPLE THE OSMONDS

CRAZY HORSES OSMONDS

Official Albums Chart

OSMONDS LIVE THE OSMONDS

THE PLAN THE OSMONDS

OUR BEST TO YOU THE OSMONDS

AROUND THE WORLD-LIVE IN CONCERT THE OSMONDS

THE VERY BEST OF OSMONDS

ULTIMATE COLLECTION OSMONDS

CAN'T GET THERE WITHOUT YOU OSMONDS

Official Physical Singles Chart

Official albums chart update.

MERRY CHRISTMAS OSMONDS

Please note, the data displayed for this chart reflects the title's midweek position only, peak positions on this chart also relate to midweek chart positions. Official Albums Chart Update data available on officialcharts.com goes back to October 2014.

Official Scottish Albums Chart

Official physical albums chart, end of year albums chart, official independent albums chart.

LOVE ME FOR A REASON/I'M STILL GONNA OSMONDS

CRAZY HORSES/THE PLAN OSMONDS

50TH ANNIVERSARY - REUNITED LIVE IN LAS OSMONDS

The data displayed for this chart goes back to 1997, however we hope to be able to offer deeper historic information at a future point

Official DVD Chart

Official video chart.

The data displayed for this chart goes back to 1994, however we hope to be able to offer deeper historic information at a future point

Official Music Video Chart

LIVE IN CONCERT - LONDON 2006 OSMONDS

• Weeks: 14 ,
• Weeks No. 1: 1

UP CLOSE & PERSONAL OSMONDS

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Pop Music: Osmonds at the Garden

They oohed and squealed aver Donny, they ached and screeched over Little Jimmy. all 4 feet of him, belting his falsettoed way through “Blue Suede Shoes.” And so it went on at Madison Square Garden on Friday, when the Osmonds, all brothers in a family that obviously doesn't believe in zero population growth—there are six of them—came back to New York.

The Osmonds present a kind of theater‐in‐rock ‘n’ roll. With tight choreography, taken perhaps from black soul groups, they wheel and strut around the stage, regimented and disciplined, programed to draw that last squeal out of an ecstatic weeny bopper. They work on the principle that a moving target is hardest to hit: love objects are continuously hurled at them, although it is hard to find the affection in a burned‐out flash cube, a favorite of the audience.

Keeping abreast of vogues and trends, they include a karate demonstration with wooden‐block breaking by Donny, and they turn into the Sha‐naNosmonds for a golden‐oldies medley. Despite the fact that most of the audience could barely remember the mid‐sixties, there was no lessening in the decibel count of the applause. An Osmond concert is that rare occasion when audience noise beats down group amplification.

Miller's Blues‐Rock Guitar Heard at Felt Forum

Ever since he ehierged in 1967, Steve Miller has been regarded as one of the potential superstars of rock. But even with such successes as his current “The Joker,” Mr. Miller has never quite fused all his manifest talents, most of which were on display Friday night at the Felt Forum.

He can play one of the best blues‐rock guitars in the business. He sings pretty well. His three‐piece accompanying band is a tight one, and his songs and arrangements are inventive and solid.

Stylistically. Mr. Miller's music sounds split between his more overt obeisances to his adopted blues roots, which tend to come out a bit collegiate, and his more free‐form songwriting and jamming, in which occasional sparks of real originality emerge from a prevailing ordinariness and pretension.

The Marshall Tucker Band, which opened the Taj Mahal show here only last weekend, was the middle act; Buddy Guy and Junior Wells, veteran bluesmen from Chicago, led off the proceedings and also joined Mr. Miller briefly during his set.

JOHN ROCKWELL

Genesis Gets Together A Musical Spectacle

Genesis's program at the Felt Forum on Wednesday opened with the singer Peter Gabriel, menacing in black cloak with bat wings sprouting from his shoulders, intoning a lyric about “Watchers of the Skies.” It ended with a bang as Mr. Gabriel loosed a magnesium flare after two hours of music and theater.

On previous trips to New York, the British group was bedeviled by lighting and sound problems. Now, on its third visit here, Genesis runs the full spectrum, employing back projection, mime, costume changes and a little spectacle. Not that Genesis's music needs window dresing to disguise any inadequacies. It is not rock perhaps, but stories and ideas, decked out in costume and gesture, tied together strongly by the music.

Genesis appears to be poised on the brink of a real American career.