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AS a decidedly middle-of-the-road record, a slice of sugary sentimentality that summed up early 1970s chart success, Beautiful Sunday may have had its day.
But in its day, the single was a monumental global smash, earning its Birmingham singer and co-writer Daniel Boone fleeting worldwide fame.
The title may mean nothing to many Sunday Mercury readers, however the opening lines may strike a chord: "Sunday morning, up with the lark, I think I'll take a walk in the park - Hey hey hey, it's a beautiful day..."
Boone's moment of inspiration peaked at No 21 in the UK charts, No 15 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and remains the highest-ever selling single by an international artist on the Japanese Oricon chart, shifting a staggering TWO MILLION copies. Beautiful Sunday stayed at No 1 in Germany from May to late June. It also charted in Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Belgium, France, Italy, Mexico, South Africa, Scandinavia and Holland. That track earned Boone Rolling Stone magazine's Most Likeable Singer award in 1972.
In Brazil, Beautiful Sunday was covered by Angelo Maximo and became a smash. It has also been covered by Daniel O'Donnell and the James Last Orchestra.
And there's one place where Beautiful Sunday still gets a regular airing - Dundee United's football ground. That's because it remains the team's anthem.
The football tribute is fitting. Boone, now aged 74, also cowrote Blue Is The Colour, Chelsea's signature tune and a single that reached No 5 in the UK charts in 1972.
Yet despite Boone's musical success, which also included hits for Kathy Kirby and the Merseybeats, he remains something of a mystery.
The pop star was born Peter Charles Green in Birmingham in 1942. His...