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In 1971, Rod Stewart had a number one hit without a chorus. It’s the one moment he wants to relive again
Rod Stewart says the moment he would most like to relive is hearing “Maggie May” reach number one in Britain in 1971. The song’s success mattered because it established him as a major solo artist, despite his doubts that a track without a conventional chorus could become a hit.
“Maggie May” was initially the B-side to Stewart’s recording of Tim Hardin’s “Reason to Believe”, but radio DJs began favouring it. Stewart recalled hearing the chart news while driving in London, having expected the song might come close to the top. The single and its album, *Every Picture Tells a Story*, simultaneously reached number one in Britain and the United States; Ronnie Wood played guitar and bass, and Ian McLagan played organ on the track.
In short
- Stewart’s standout memory is “Maggie May” reaching number one.
- DJs favoured it over the single’s intended A-side.
- The song and album topped charts in Britain and America.
Explained simply
Rod Stewart was a British singer who had already performed with bands including the Faces before becoming a major solo artist. In 1971, he released “Maggie May” on a single whose A-side was a different song, “Reason to Believe”, written by American songwriter Tim Hardin.
Radio DJs began playing “Maggie May” more often, and it climbed the charts in Britain and the United States. Its success helped establish Stewart’s solo career and showed that a song could become a hit without a conventional chorus. Ronnie Wood played guitar and bass, and Ian McLagan played organ on the recording.