A slice of Christie Allen

Christie Allen (born June Allen) was born in the United Kingdom in 1954 and in 1965, she made her way to Australia with her family to settle in Perth.

Christie and her brothers formed a band called Pendulum and she was made the lead singer of the band.

An accomplished producer and songwriter, Terry Britten (Ex Twilights lead guitarist) was contacted by Christie and he was impressed by both her singing abilities and her personality, so impressed that he began to write songs for her.

Christie was signed by Mushroom Records in 1978 and her first single “You Know That I Love You” was released in September that year peaking at No. 67.

Her second single “Falling in Love with Only You” was released in March 1979 and delivered Christie her first Top 20 hit.

Third single “Goosebumps” was a major hit as it peaked at No. 3 on the charts giving her a second Top 20 hit from her first three singles.

1980 was even more successful than 1979 as “He’s My Number One” peaked at No. 4 just one position below “Goosebumps” peak of No. 3 when it was on the charts.

Christie was also named Most Popular Female Performer at the 1980 TV Week/Countdown Music Awards, “Goosebumps” was nominated for Most Popular Album or Single and Terry Britten won Best Recorded Songwriter for “He’s My Number One”.

The final single from “Magic Rhythm” had the same title as the album and it had peaked at No. 38 ensuring that all five singles from the album charted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBH7Sqv2Slc

“Baby Get Away” was chosen as the lead single from the album “Detour” and it had peaked at No. 38 just like “Magic Rhythm” had done.

Christie was again named Most Popular Female Performer this time at the 1981 TV Week / Countdown Music Awards that was held in March that year.

The Most Popular Female Performer award used to be Best Female Artist (1969-71) followed by Queen of Pop (1972-79) between 1969 and 1979 and Allison Durbin, Colleen Hewett, Debra Byrne and Marcia Hines were all winners of that award before Christie’s back-to-back triumph.

Christie’s next single “Switchboard” did not chart, it was the only Christie Allen single to not make it onto the charts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEJjuf7iQV4

The album “Detour” was released in November 1980 and the album’s third single “Don’t Put Out the Flame” peaked at No. 68 on the charts in 1981.

Illness stopped Christie’s music career in the mid 1980’s after two albums and eight singles, all but one were on the charts showing just how popular she was at the time.

Christie returned to music in the 1990’s and Michael Gudinski in 1998 put out a national appeal to help him find her for his special “Mushroom 25 Live”, Christie was found and on November 14 that year she appeared on stage at the MCG to perform “Goosebumps”.

Christie retired after that performance and in 2000, “Goosebumps” was one of the 100 songs on Australia’s Ultimate Songs.

Michael Gudinski in 2006 offered her the chance to perform on the Countdown Spectacular tour but it had to be declined due to ill health.

It was discovered in March 2008 that Christie had pancreatic cancer and sadly she would pass away in August that year.

On paper it would appear that Christie’s career was brief (1978-81) but with both her albums and seven out of eight singles charting, her music videos being on Countdown and then years later on YouTube plus being on Australia’s Ultimate Songs, it was a career worthy of being remembered in history.