Retro Video of the Week: "Save Your Love" by Renée and Renato

Forty years ago this week, the UK singles chart began to be tabulated by The Gallup Organization, modernizing and expanding the chart.  The first #1 song after the transition was also the last #1 song before the transition:  Renée and Renato's "Save Your Love."  Renée and Renato were a male/female duo, comprised of Italian-born Renato Pagliari and British singer Hilary Lester, brought together by British songwriter Johnny Edward, who wrote "Save Your Love."

The song is a schmaltzy pop love song, mixing English and Italian lyrics  It sounds like it should be from the pre-rock and roll era of the late '40s or early '50s, and presumably it captured the hearts of elderly Britons who were not so much into New Wave or metal.  Interestingly, the song -- which was released by Edward's Hollywood Records label -- was the first true indie song to top the UK pop chart.  It held the #1 spot for four consecutive weeks.

The video is just as schmaltzy as the song.  The woman in the video is actually a model, and not Lester, who had already left to join another group before the song got big.  She soon after returned to private life, while Pagliari continued singing.  He died in 2009.