What the What? Telly Savalas Had a #1 Hit Song on This Date in 1975

In a decision we can only assume was made in the latter stages of a multi-day ol'-fashioned 70s cocaine binge, someone greenlighted a Telly Savalas album.  Kojack was on top, baby.

The song, "If", went to #1 in the U.K. on this date in 1975.  Playing off his tough guy TV persona, the song was quite the departure.  I honestly wouldn't have been more surprised if you had told me Mike Tyson had a spoken-word #1 hit love song.  I'd say that's ludaqwis.

At the time, Telly Savalas was king of the TV Ratings Mountain with his hit show, "Kojack", but I don't care.  This is as unexplainable as Germans loving David Hasselhoff.  Savalas is the British Hoff.