Een Top 50 met een paar platen, die met kerst te maken hebben (more or less). Silent Night van Percy Sledge komt nieuw binnen op 39. Verder staan Ben Cramer met Vrede op 37 en Corrie en de Rekels zijn deze week de hoogste nieuwe binnenkomer op 12 met Hoog daar aan de Hemel. Tussen de kanskaarten zie je een voorloper van Long Tall Ernie en de Shakers : het Spijkerkwartet met Rel, Del, Del. Een vroege karnavalsplaat.

Deze Top 50 kun je hier beluisteren:

Uur 1 Uur 2 Uur 3

Onder de TOP 50 kun je de herinneringen van Michael Downing lezen uit de tijd dat deze Top 50 werd uitgezonden.

The RNI memories of Michael Downing for this period

One record that I had entirely forgotten about in this Top 50 - Hearts of Soul at number 40.

This was what was happening on RNI over Christmas 1971:

Friday 24 December 1971

Festive arrangements start with the announcement that RNI is going 24 hours a day all the way through to 3.00am on 3 January 1972. Also, all of the hitbacks on the International Service over this period will be from earlier in 1971. As it is Christmas Eve, all the DJs have 3 hour programmes, as follows:

18.00 Rob Eden

21.00 Dave Rogers

24.00 Mike Ross

3.00 - 600 Terry Davis

It would appear that most of the Dutch DJs are on board - certainly Leo, Nico, Tony and Ferry are. Lots of Christmas festivities this evening - at 19.30 there is a special "fun" news bulletin called "News from London" in which Dave Rogers reads out stories about Father Christmas's reindeer going on strike, the Mebo 2 being used as the launchpad for Apollo 16 and Brian McKenzie's kilt. Also, in the new bulletins at 19.00, 20.00 and 21.00, Terry Davis gives the latest report on the whereabouts of Santa Claus and the DJs promise to have an interview with him; they are going to attract him as he passes the Mebo 2. Sure enough, at 21.15, Rob Eden interviews Santa Claus (alias Dave Rogers), following which the DJs cut their Christmas cake. At about 22.40, there is a special news bulletin read by Paul May, supposedly from Washington. For some reason the new DJ hitpicks are introduced today, but not the new Smash Plays or LP of the Week. Rob Eden also reads the news.

Saturday 25 December 1971

No news bulletins today. Dutch programmes are as normal today, but International Service programmes are very different, as follows:

18.00 Terry Davis

20.00 DJ Party (really 20.00 - 21.30 Rob Eden and 23.00 - 24.00 Dave Rogers)

24.00 Mike Ross (Jesus Christ Superstar)

1.15 Mike Ross

3.00 - 7.00 Rob Eden

The DJ party was not scheduled to start until 21.30, but actually started a lot earlier and finished later than expected. The party included singing by Mike Ross and Nico Steenbergen and guitar playing by Terry Davis. All of the DJs do the station ID at 21.30 and sing it at 22.00. New Smash Plays introduced today.

Sunday 26 December 1971

Normal Dutch programmes until 12.00, but the full schedule is:

7.00 Leo van der Goot

9.00 Karel Prior

11.00 Tony Berk

12.00 Super Hit 100 1971 (in three sections 12.00 - 13.00 Tony Berk, 13.00 - 15.00 Ferry Maat and 15.00 - 18.00 Nico Steenbergen

The Super Hit 100 is compiled from all of the Super Hit 50s of 1971. No World Service today, as expected, but also no "Nordsee goes DX" either. International Service programmes are normal except for the addition of a Skyline programme:

18.00 In Concert

19.00 Rob Eden (British Top 20)

21.00 Mike Ross (Hitback Show)

21.00 Terry Davis (LP Show)

24.00 Dave Rogers

3.00 - 6.00 Skyline

Terry Davis and Rob Eden read the news.

Monday 27 December 1971

Leo van der Goot takes over Driemaster from Nico Steenbergen. No special programmes today, the schedule for this evening is:

18.00 Rob Eden

20.00 Mike Ross

22.00 Terry Davis

24.00 Dave Rogers

3.00 - 6.00 Mike Ross

Dave Rogers spotlights the Top 50 of Christmas 1969 on his show tonight. Terry Davis, Dave Rogers and Rob Eden read the news.

Tuesday 28 December 1971

A J Beirens is on board the Mebo 2 today and will be for about a week. International Service programmes are the same as yesterday, except the Skyline programme is hosted by Rob Eden from 3.00 - 6.00 on Wednesday morning. Rob Eden, Terry Davis and Dave Rogers read the news.