In late 1978, glam rocker Suzi Quatro, best known in the US–not for her music–but as Leather Tuscadero on “Happy Days,” and Chris Norman, lead singer of a British group called Smokie, scored a “Great Song of the ’70s” with “Stumblin’ In.”

The song as written and produced by Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn, best known in the UK for their work with The Sweet.

Chapman came up with the duet idea, and the opening line, “Our love is alive.” Both Suzi and Chris loved the idea, so off the four of them went into the studio.

By early 1979, “Stumblin’ In” had become a worldwide hit: reaching the Top 5 in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, South Africa… and here in the US, where it reached #4 on both the Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary Charts….selling over a million copies.

Once 1980 arrived however, both Suzi and Chris returned to hitmaking in the UK, and unfortunately, neither one of them ever scored another Top 40 hit in the US, either as a solo act, or as a duet.

But “still…Stumblin’ In” is a “Great Song of 1979, and certainly NOT a stumble!

== Mike Cook