Is it just me, or is it hot in here?
17/12/81 (hosted by Simon Bates)
(14) Duran Duran – “My Own Way”
Now at its chart peak.
(2) Cliff Richard – “Daddy’s Home” (live clip/audience dancing)
Try as he might, there was no way Cliff could dislodge the Human League from the number one spot. Daddy's Home was stuck at number 2 for four weeks.
(36) Chas & Dave – “Stars Over 45”
Darn, I was looking forward to this one, but it was edited out of the 7.30pm slot.
(8) Godley & Crème – “Wedding Bells”
Its a studio performance this time, and more of a walkabout than a dance routine, with Kevin having major difficulties with his bride, and Lol in the background looking like he might live up to his name at any moment.
(64) Brown Sauce – “I Wanna Be A Winner” (video)
Those squirts at BBC4 have edited this one out of the 7.30 show too!
(23) Rod Stewart – “Young Turks” (video)
Peaked at number 11 for Rod.
(40) The Snowmen – “Hokey Cokey”
Sliding all the way to number 18 in the charts was the silly Xmas party record of the year ~ the identities of the people behind this remain a case for Mulder & Scully to this day.
(26) Jon & Vangelis – “I’ll Find My Way Home”
Here's Sue from Legs & Co being given one final dance routine as a thank you from Flick Colby, since it was deemed that the Birdie Song was not a fitting send off. (Lucky she wasn't given the Hokey Cokey!). It also means that Sue has the distinction of having danced for Pan's People, Ruby Flipper, Legs & Co and now, for one time only, Zoo. The song by the way, made it to number 6.
(12) Status Quo – “Rock ‘N’ Roll” (rpt from 03/12/81)
This was the final Top of the Pops performance by the original line-up of the Quo, and the song made it to number 8.
(1) The Human League – “Don’t You Want Me” (video)
Second of five weeks at number one.
(29) Altered Images – “I Could Be Happy” (audience dancing/credits)
Here's the very catchy follow-up to the very catchy Happy Birthday, and it peaked at number 7.
Next up then is the edition from Xmas Eve 1981.
It seems the BBC were short of money even then, as Slimey's wardrobe allowance only ran to a bin bag for his jacket.
ReplyDeletehost: slimy ditches his usual attire of stuffy geography teacher jacket for a trendy blouson-style one instead, but it makes not a jot of difference as he will always be terminally uncool no matter what he wears. plus in keeping as an egotist, he tells us more than once it's his birthday (according to wikipedia he was only 35 at the time, although of course he looks considerably older than that)
ReplyDeleteduran duran: is it me, or does this sound speeded up? nick rhodes' hair colour has changed again in the two weeks since their last appearance (i'm surprised he's got any hair left these days given how often he dyed it, but then again his current style does look a trifle suspicious). i think they must have ran out of braid when andy tayler came in for his costume fitting, so he had to make do with a beret in his epaulette instead
chas & dave: you have to give these "fridges" some credit for sending up the medley craze in their own unique style. dave actually gets a chance to sing for once (on "when i'm cleanin' winders"), and i like the barely-audible nod to their own lagomorph-related hit when they do "run rabbit run". and to add to the fun they've brought their own troupe of variety performers with them - is that the woman who played hyacinth bucket among them?
godley & creme: another enjoyable studio performance as the duo expand on the video seen two weeks earlier with an extra black dancer, a saxophonist who's even shorter than the diminutive lol creme, and a bride who's taller than kevin godley! and i like the fact that the audience get roped in (ho ho) to help out with the choreography as well. but that edit after the modulation segment is seriously unsettling - was it really like that on the record?
brown sauce: i thought slimy introduced them as "the refugees", so i was wondering who they could be. but even before i realised who they were, it was obvious that the female "bassist" had previously never played such an instrument in her life before. musically this is dire of course. but whatever i thought of it i had to fast-forward anyway once the identities of those involved became evident, as i just can't stand that beardy twat noel edmunds!
rod: more trying-to-keep-up-with-the-kids stuff from mr stewart. as the video went on i was hoping that he wouldn't actually appear at all, but inevitably he does. and with his band, none of whom could be described as "young turks" (which was a pretty outdated expression even by the early 80's)
snowmen: there sounds like there's something wrong with the mix for this. i think stiff records may have had something to do with it, so i'm wondering if the main vocal was by ian d(r)ury? obviously released as a christmas cash-in, but to my knowledge the hokey cokey isn't particularly associated with yuletide activities. whoever was responsible for this rubbish may also have been aware of that, hence the chucking in of "rudolph the red nosed reindeer" half way through
jon & vangelis: pleasant enough i suppose, but not a patch on "i hear you now". i was wondering who the hell "suzy" was when introduced by slimy, but upon seeing her realised it was our old chum sue menhenick who sort-of makes history by performing as part of more totp dance troupes than anyone else with pan's people, ruby flipper, legs & co and now zoo
yes, edit same as on record, see discussion re show of 2 weeks prior - Blackburn commented on it at the time. It sounds worse than it really is due to Godley's vocal.
DeleteMuhammad Ali mentioned in lyrics of Brown Sauce, then we get Sir Rod, both coinciding with yesterday's funeral and bonours list.
On my copy of 'Wedding Bells' (which I still own), the edit was fine. It would appear that early copies of the single - including Radio 1's copy, as well as the version featured on TOTP - contained a rougher mix of the song that was corrected on later pressings. All the regional stations in my area at the time were issued with copies of the improved take, in which the edit was much smoother. That change of key from D-flat back to C for the final verse is one of the record's most memorable features, but may have been too left-field for boring, staid Blackburn. Here's the official version, as featured on most compilation albums: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tfKe5xHz8w
DeleteP.S. Kevin Godley, though not widely acclaimed as a singer, has a most beautiful light baritone voice.
DeleteMany thanks for clearing that up!
Deletei recently visited my hometown (a small holiday resort on the south coast) where a friend gave me a bunch of flyers to show me what was going on locally entertainment-wise. apart from "the ladyboys of bangkok" (which surprised me a little as the place is still practically a gay-free zone) it was mainly tribute bands. but one of them promoted "an evening with 10cc, featuring a special video message from kevin godley". make of that what you will...
DeleteJulie, I can't say the version on YT is a lot better, the edit still sticks out. I wondered if they had edited the long version from the album but it's exactly the same.
DeleteI've re-listened to this version to make sure it's not even a hemidemisemiquaver out of time, but it still sounds fine to me. I suspect it's that eccentric key change - with no chord on the phrase "I knew I should have..." - that momentarily throws you off kilter. Try listening to some of G & C's album tracks, or even their classic early work with 10cc, in order to understand their approach to composition more fully. Here's one non-chart single of theirs that should have been MASSIVE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pseo6dJGmwY Both the single and the video always have me in stitches!
DeleteAddendum to the above: Godley & Creme's 'An Englishman In New York (Strange Apparatus)' did reach the Top 10 in Benelux, though it failed to chart in Britain.
DeleteYes I remember it well. I recall seeing the video on Swap Shop and I could never understand why it wasn't a hit in the UK.
DeleteI noticed a difference between the Thursday evening Human League video and last night. The unloaded revolver had all most entirely been removed.
ReplyDeleteThe edit was made in 1981, and not now.
DeleteWhat we saw on Thursday night was when the single entered into the chart at No.9 on the 3rd Dec show with Kid Jensen. By the time it got to No.1 on the 10th Dec Jimmy Saville show, the revolver scene was removed and re-edited in time, so what you saw on Friday was already the second week at No.1 on the 17th Dec Simon Bates show.
As mentioned before, it appears that the edit was done by the band/record company, not TOTP, as all the subsequent showings of the video in the 35 years that followed was the edited version, i.e., on DVD releases, Utube, iTunes, etc, so the only copy of the original in circulation now would be the 3rd Dec TOTP show, as nowhere else can it be found now in 2016 as far as I know.
There are actually THREE versions of the video and all are a different sound mix to the single as I explain below.
DeleteThere's the original with the complete revolver footage, the version they showed this and last week which excludes the revolver footage is a longer mix with the one short and one long instrumental break and there a third version with shorter instrumental breaks which has a cold ending showing the video crew in a mirror. This is on YouTube and has appeared on DVD compilations.
I wonder what Simes got for his birthday? No, not a bus pass. Anyway, Duran Duran start us off with their nondescript tune, though whatever it lacks in musicality the band make up for in energy.
ReplyDeleteSomehow appropriate that this rendering of Cliff's tune should be reminscent of the old 60s TOTP where you would see the audience dancing with each other. This genuinely does seem to be live (on tape), and being polite he thanks the lady in the crowd for his present.
Gorblimey, guvnor, Chas and Dave get in on the medley act to non-auspicious effect. The rabbit man was a bit Donnie Darko. Has anyone sung The Laughing Policeman since the original and made the laughter sound authentic? Looks like they were carrying on as the director turned the cameras off, maybe he couldn't take any more?
Godley and Crème with a chaotic realisation of their matrimonial tune, complete with a dancer representing the old ball and chain, or just the chain in this case. Poor old backing dancers weren't given much room to do their routine.
Now, I don't use the word genius lightly, but here was nothing short of a masterpiece, up there with The Bucket of Water Song surely. Is this the only chart hit to mention Ronald Reagan and Frank Bough in the same verse? Could Maggie Philbin have looked any more awkward? You could tell Cheggers was the Bill Oddie of the Swap Shop team, he was determined to be a pop star even if no one else was bothered. Always felt a bit cheated when Noel admitted he didn't play drums on the record, not even sure he sang that deep voice bit either. Maybe they should have recruited John Craven, who definitely couldn't sing, as heard on the All-Star Record Breakers? So many memories with this one. Eric gets a mention in the lyrics!
Enough of that, here's Roderick with his inspirational testament to youth, though more interesting is that the great E.G. Daily is the female half of the couple, 80s movie fixture and later cartoon voice artist extraordinaire.
Don't think The Snowmen were really Ian Dury and company, it sounds like some session singer doing a Dury impression. Remember being taken aback at the "Knees bend arms stretch rah rah rah" part at the end of each chorus, when I was a kid we just sang "That's what it's all about - SEE!" and pointed on the last word. So what the hell was this?! Maybe it was The Tweets inside the snowman costumes?
Then Sue gets her swan song, even if Simes doesn't get her name right. She's a pretty butterfly. Thought this was a great song when I was a kid, real stand on a hill staring out to the horizon tune.
After Status Quo's yawnfest, we get the number one. What a fantastic opening line that is, so good they use it twice.
Altered Images continue their "Happy" theme, only Clare doesn't sound too cheery with those lyrics. Decent way to end the show with the massed rabble getting on down.
i can't say i was familiar with ms daily of rod video fame, although i find it intriguing when female actors use initials rather than given names - any reason for that? one of that ilk i do remember from around that time is pj soles, whose main claims to fame were "halloween" and "rock 'n' roll high school" in which she co-starred with the ramones
DeleteReally liked the Brown Sauce new entry at No.64, with Maggie Philbin looking very nice in red, and making the tune all the more bearable, cos if it was just Noel Edmunds and Keith Chegwin, I may not have taken such a liking to it. I guess they were trying to be contenders for the Xmas No.1 to release this sing in mid-December, but perhaps the timing was too late.
Delete@Wilberforce: E.G. Daily also went by Elizabeth Daily (I think that's how she's credited on IMDB) and she was also a pop star in the USA, though didn't make any impact with her music over here. She was sort of a Pia Zadora with talent, but without the sugar daddy.
Delete@Dory: It's appropriate that Maggie went on to present Tomorrow's World in light of the time slots it and TOTP had, isn't it?!
DeleteIndeed
DeleteClare Grogan isn't supposed to sound cheery, it's a song about an abusive relationship, she wants to get away from them and is dreaming of happiness.
DeleteA slightly iffy edition, the profusion of novelty records pointing to the imminence of Christmas - it did feel a bit strange watching this one on a warm June day. It doesn't help that birthday boy Master Bates, dead-eyed and creepy, is our MC this week. As ever, he makes blunders, strongly implying that Jon Anderson was involved with Chariots of Fire - I did half-wish that he had been garrotted with that chain thing placed round his neck during one of the links...
ReplyDeleteDuran Duran take up their now-familiar role as opening act, though in truth this performance isn't notably different from the previous one. We then get Cliff apparently performing live, with slow dancing both on the clip and in the studio. Although Daddy's Home has been described as a live single, it has always sounded more like a studio recording to me.
I suppose there was some very mild amusement value to be had from Chas and Dave's parody of Starsound, but it ended as soon as they launched into the hoary old chestnuts that made up the meat of the medley - The Laughing Policeman in particular is a song that really gets on my nerves! Kev and Lol brightened my mood with this inventive and funny studio performance, aided by members of Zoo. They certainly were not believers in just doing a straightforward turn on the stage, were they?
So, Noel Edmonds is not only a mega-successful broadcaster, businessman and cancer expert, but clearly a drummer too. I'm actually not quite old enough to remember Swap Shop (my earliest memories are of Saturday Superstore), but I assume B.A. Robertson had a hand in this little ditty. I must admit it does have quite a catchy chorus, but the rhyming of "Reagan" with "Keegan" is unforgiveable! By an appropriate coincidence, given his newly-bestowed knighthood (was it for services to shagging?), Rod is on next. This is probably his best single of the 80s, a nicely melodic story song with a pleasingly cinematic video, though it would have been better if Rod hadn't actually appeared in it!
More festive novelty follows, in the shape of The Snowmen. There's something a little unsettling about the combination of those grinning, frozen visages and the Ian Dury-style vocals, but this was an energetic and enjoyable performance - I did think for a moment that Godley and Creme might have joined their dancers in the crowd behind, but sadly I'm pretty sure they did not! It was nice to see Sue (or seemingly Suzy, if Bates is to be believed) get a lengthy solo send-off from TOTP, and this fine Jon and Vangelis effort was a suitably dignified accompanying song with which to see her out after seven years. It was a nice cloak twirling routine too, though it was a bit of a shame that Sue got "Zooified" for it, with the unflattering big hair and silly costume straight out of the Arabian Nights...
oh dear, yet another rock star being awarded with a knighthood for becoming fantastically rich and living the life of riley! at least bowie had the decency to decline a gong from brenda. but will cliff have to give his back if and when the yewtree squad catch up with him?
DeleteIt is interesting that when you see Rod's video for Tonight I'm Yours, only a couple of weeks ago on BBC4 where he is singing at a pool party ogling over girls in bikinis and clearly as sex objects for his video, that he now get's an a knighthood from the Queen. Good Lord, have they run out of people to give knighthoods to?
DeleteDead eyed and creepy is the best description of Slimey on this blog yet.
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DeleteI checked an Jon Anderson was involved in the Chariots Of Fire project, he sung a vocal version of the theme on the album. Mind you I don't expect Slimes knew that, he's just right by accident.
DeleteThanks for that Bama - I did do a check myself after hearing Bates say that, though my source didn't mention that Anderson was involved.
DeleteIt seems that nobody mentioned the awful edit on the 7.30pm edition when Bates introduced Young Turks by Rod Stewart. If you watch the late night edition you will see Sue Menhenick of Legs & Co standing near Simon Bates introducing Young Turks, but the terrible edit on the early evening showing missed this cutie off our picture.
ReplyDeleteSue was also in the first layer of studio audience behind the Snowmen on Hokey Cokey, dancing between two men, and then of course her own solo dance on the Vangelis track, and how pretty she looked this week in all three parts of the show!
They had to edit her out because Slimey back announces Brown Sauce but the dumb thing is the guy to the left of Slimey is one of the dancers we just saw with Godley and Creme minus his top hat, so it still looks bad. But hey, when the BBC ever do anything well?
DeleteHow to describe Bates' attire this evening? You know when your school has a disco and you all turn up smelling of your dad's Hi Karate and there's a couple of teachers playing chaperone and they are wearing their off-duty clothes? That.
ReplyDeleteAnyway - enough of The Clothes Show nonsense on with the music and first up is Duran Duran who have now gone quasi-military on us although softened by flounces, braids and the occasional red rose. (Music, Shakerson, remember its all about the music) Sorry - think I'm channelling my inner Gok Wan. Still like this song.
And I still like Daddy's Home too and this on stage performance is prefeerable to the Happy Days Diner video from two weeks ago. Amusing to see the couple in the studio suddenly realise the camera is on them as they slow dance along to Cliff Richard and realise their street cred has just plummeted.
Chas & Dave - nice Stars on 45-style intro but then it quickly descends into a pile of unmitigated tosh.
Apparently Wedding Bells has 'stormed the country' according to Sir. Up this week to number 8. More of a stiff breeze than a storm. Crowd involvement in this is, um, erm, well lets just say that there is a reason that 'bell ringing' has never been a dance move.
Brown Sauce. I have no words. Well I do, but nothing good can come of voicing them out loud - which is what somone in charge should have said when this single was first mooted. Oh, and 'hit Geoff Boycott for four'??????
Sir Rodney on video for the quite decent Young Turks. Sounds like Mark Knopfler on guitar, if it isn't then it's a decent imitation.
Pretty sure The Snowmen's sales were largely down to the rumour that this lot were Ian Dury & The Blockheads. There can be no other reason. Not even it being the silly season for records.
Sir introduces the first lot of the charts with a guy in a white suit behind him. More of this guy later. (Three mistakes in quick succession now - a ToTP record. Toyah's single was Four MORE from Toyah, Jon Anderson was never a part of Chariots of Fire, and its Sue not Suzy. Other than that - a flawless minute of presenting.)
Then its repeats of the Quo and The Human League before we play out with Altered Images.
Now, remember the guy in the white suit? There he is again - desparately trying to get some decent screen time. He is lined up between two black guys who are waving inflatable snowmen. Long after the final name in the credits has gone, the camera picks him up again as the guy to his left has the temerity to swing his snowman right in front of white-suit-man who flings it angrily away. Best moment of the entire show.
Sir gets 3. There was just so much wrong with this I'd be veering into two-part territory if I listed them all.
The show. A bit of money being showered on ToTP these days. Lots of crowd involvement, acts that don't just stand and mime, a proper party atmosphere. The music, unfortunately, is not as good. Its a fifty fifty split of decent tunes and absolute garbage. 4
I just noticed The Man In The White Suit - he also has big black boots on and is desperate to be noticed - mainly by himself staring at his own image on the monitors all the way through. He's so image-obsessed that he does get all miffed with the guy waving the snowman in his face. What a twat! We'll have to watch out for him in the future.
DeleteHe looks a bit like Eric (sister of Julia!) Roberts but I have a feeling that he was an actor who appeared in a few long-running series later in the 80s / 90s such as The Bill and Eastenders. Can't think of his name though.
Delete'Brother of Julia' even....!
DeleteHe was featured in the Nov 11th show dancing with a girl to the Jets during the end titles, so although not officially part of Zoo he was one of the dancers bought in to fill out the crowd.
DeleteSluggy Simon introduces the proceedings looking even more smug than usual.
ReplyDeleteOh no Duran get another go two days in a row, too much. I can't stand it. The band look as if even they knew this was shite at the time, they just don't look that happy as if they were going through the motions. Roll on Say A Prayer. They get the ABC Reddy Brek filter treatment this week.
Bizarre second video for Cliff intercut with fake crowd dancers in the studio or is it part of the video, I can't tell anymore. I could be wrong but I don't think that was Cliff's girlfriend/wife/daughter (depending on your interpretation of the lyrics) at the end.
Chas and Dave do the ultimate medley piss take and it works although I thought they were going to include at least one of their own songs, especially with Run Rabbit Run was included I would have expected a bit of Rabbit to creep in. I wonder if they had to pay a royalty to the writer of the Stars On 45 theme which they copied here on the intro, why not write your own intro?
The fake Four Tops become the Five Tops - plus two - one sax player and one other guy who seems to do precisely nothing. I get the impression that they included the extra dancer to stop people thinking they were two couples. But this was as superb performance, exactly the type of thing TOTP should do. I love the audience participation with the bell ringing moves and the over anxious bride. Get the message love he doesn't want to be under your thumb forever! The little sax player here is Bimbo Acock a sessioner who played with a lot of top acts.
Brown Sauce. Oh dear, what a shame, never mind.
Rod Stewart on video. I remember this from the time and I like the song. The video reminds me of an episode of The Kids From Fame where they do an impromptu dance and everyone is happy and joins in. Rod looks a lot cooler here than he did in the last video.
The Snowmen. It certainly isn't Ian Dury singing here although a lot of people think it is. I wonder if one of those guys dressed up is Simon Cowell. I didn't care for this much at the time and I still don't. I certainly couldn't see the point in buying it but a lot of people did. Some of those people chucking the ersatz snowballs about mean it, I'm sure one of them really was aiming to give Slimey a black eye. Good shot sir!
Oh no The Tweets are going back up Top 30 again, I bet The Snowmen were pissed off. "Oi, we do the costumes on this show!". Weirdly it goes back up to number 17 in January but they don't show it again (thank god).
Jon Anderson wasn't singing on the hit version of Chariots Of Fire but apart from that Slimon you were spot on A superb song but I would rather see Jon and Vangelis in the flesh rather than this boring solo dance routine. Kate Bush can do this sort of thing in her sleep.
Status Quo again, the Top 11 and The League at the top spot. That edit before the instrumental break really sticks out now, I suppose I'm so used to hearing the 12 inch version. Play out with Altered Images, another fave of mine from the time.
I would say that Rod Stewart earned his knighthood this weekend from the Queen based on the video of Young Turks, and not on the video for Tonight I'm yours!
DeleteI hope Sir Rod the Rod earned his gong for being in The Faces! Brenda must be a fan.
Deletebrenda probably doesn't even know who rod is. if i were in charge i'd get rid all these nonsense awards like knighthoods and OBE's anyway (we don't even have an empire anymore!)
Deletein fact, can we get rid of brenda and her fellow hangers-on whilst we're on the subject? why can't we have a referendum on that rather than leaving the european union?
DeleteProbably because it's not in the same stratosphere of importance as leaving the E.U.
DeleteSpeak of rod he's coming to my hometown in Carlisle
DeleteWhat a great show this was, I really enjoyed it! Even Simes (it was his birthday you know, not that he mentioned it much...) with the many mistakes already mentioned, plus the fact that he mentioned the name of the previous Altered Images song but not the current one in the rundown, couldn't spoil it.
ReplyDeleteI'm still the only one who likes the Duran Duran song, I see. This performance isn't much different to the other one. Moving past Cliff's dirge to...
Chas & Dave! With what I think is the second best deconstruction of Medley songs after 'Squabs On Forty Fab'. Bama - on the single version they DO sing bits of 'Rabbit' at the appropriate time, sadly absent from this performance. Good fun, I reckon.
Godley & Creme wisely dispense with the dancing for a good performance that is miles better than the video.
I loved Tidybeard's pretend band when I was a kid, and tragically I still do!
I'm pretty sure it was a BA Robertson composition (it would certainly explain the clunky cricket line - not many Scots play cricket!) and my memory is that the last show in the series of Swap Shop would be when they dished out their 'Eric' awards and was a cheap 'Noel in a cupboard' type affair. In the show, he fell asleep dreaming of being in a band, and this was the result! (The name coming from a bottle of HP sauce on his desk I think)
After that, Rod sounds average and I prefer the previous single. I too thought that The Snowmen was basically Ian Dury at the time. Unlike Chas & Dave and Brown Sauce, I wasn't taken by it, even at the time.
I adore 'I'll Find My Way Home' - at weak moments, I have been known to get emotional when I've heard it. And Sue's dance is lovely and reminds us of what we're missing with the awful Zoo.
After a couple of repeats, some more extended dancing with Altered Images - double hooray! I love this tune, and more proof that late 81 into early 82 was full of quality pop.
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ReplyDeleteSome questions/observations about this how:
ReplyDeletePresumably the three black guys dancing with Godley and Creme weren't the ones from the video (+ one other) but were the three members of Zoo credited at the end (Wesley, Pinky and Tony) but then who was the fourth dancer wearing the same dark morning suit as G&C who's with them next to the sax player at the back? He doesn't do an awful lot (or if he does we can't see it behind the others) but he crops up later standing next to Slimon when he introduces Jon and Vangeis. If he was a member of Zoo why didn't he get a credit ant the end, if he wasn't then what the hell was he doing dancing with them?
Chas and Dave's perfomers they bought along to illustrate the songs they are singing are an odd mix, the actor playing the policeman is far too old to be a copper and isn't very good at miming the laughing or dancing. Was he a real old music hall performer?
And the video for Don't You Want Me. Having seen this many times I have only just realised that the version of the song used in the video is different to the single and has some clumsy sound editing in it. On the record it goes - 8 bar intro, verse, bridge, chorus, verse, bridge, chorus, 8 bar break, repeated chorus ending to fade. But on the video it is longer and goes - 8 bar intro, verse, bridge, chorus, verse, bridge, chorus, 4 bar break, chorus, 8 bar break, repeated chorus ending to fade.
This has nothing to do with the visuals of the gun being re-edited (which was done by the BBC as others have noted) but seems to have been done by the video makers to make the film longer, perhaps to give them time to make the story work (the film within a film, based on A star Is Born). The only other version of the video on YouTube seems to be the same, so it must have been made that way. But the re-editing is rather obvious especially where it goes from the added extra chorus into the longer 8 bar break.
Is the first example of a video having a unique mix of a song?
There's an interesting interview with Martin Rushent on the making of the song here:
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul10/articles/classictracks_0710.htm
i noticed some guy pop up at the back of the stage as godley & creme and the others left it, but after that he just seemed to disappear - i wasn't sure if he was part of the act, or some kind of technician who'd inadvertently got on camera!
DeleteNo he was a dancer and we do see glimpses of him during the performance but he seems excess to requirements, perhaps he just came to the studio dressed like that and they thought he was part of the act.
DeleteAny thoughts on the editing on the video for Don't You Want Me anyone?
Anyone actually reading this???
DeleteYeah, me. I thought it was a pity to edit the video way back then by the League or their record company. I didn't like the 2nd and 3rd versions of which the 3rd version (and most edited) is the only version available today, so thank goodness we got to see TOTP of 3rd Dec for the original unedited version, as it is not to be found anywhere else in circulation!
DeleteReasonable show from Mr Bates, but a few forgettable acts on show as we head towards Christmas.
ReplyDeleteDuran Duran – My own way – Excluded from their ‘Greatest’ CD that’s in my collection. Buy the ‘Rio’ album for a better rendition. Very bouncy performance from the boys and yes, it does sound speeded up but that’s probably because I’m so used to the ‘Rio’ version.
Cliff Richard – Daddy’s home – Much better video than the previous one that fits in with the ‘mock live’ feel of the track, complete with Cliff thanking a fan for a bunch of flowers. Some of the smooching couples look slightly embarrassed.
Chas & Dave – Stars over 45 – Oh my this one was played to death on Radio 2 on shows such as David Hamilton for weeks and weeks and finally TOTP gave in and featured it. Looks like the crowd are having lots of fun though. I suppose in retrospect it isn’t too bad.
Godley & Crème – Wedding Bells – Nice over the top performance for the single that just stormed the country….(did it?!). Quick edit onto…
Brown Sauce – I just wanna be a winner – Another serious record on show. I was interested in the cricket clip of Geoff Boycott being hit for 4. I think it’s the Prudential World Cup Final 1979 England vs. West Indies which I attended. The batsmen on strike must be Viv Richards whilst the non-striker is definitely Clive Lloyd. Keith Chegwin of course had appeared on TOTP before with Kenny.
(Sir) Rod Stewart – Young Turks – Am I missing something, but why ‘Young Turks’ and not ‘Young Hearts’? Very similar sound to ‘Tonight I’m yours’ but a much different video theme.
Snowmen – Hokey Cokey – Were they serious?? Did people actually buy this stuff?? Not one you hear in supermarket malls at Christmas thank goodness! The reverse of the picture sleeve shows all the lyrics and ‘moves’.
Jon & Vangelis – I’ll find my way home – Definitely one of my favourite singles of 1981 and Susie’s dance does it more justice than the studio efforts of J&V in a few week’s time. Mr Bates wrongly credits the ‘Chariots of fire’ single to J&V when it’s just V and obviously doesn’t realise that two flop singles preceded this – the title track from ‘The Friends of Mr Cairo’ and ‘State of independence’ (later released as an awful cover by Donna Summer). However, this wonderful song did not originally appear on the aforementioned album, but when re-released and added as an extra track, propelled the album into the top 10.
Status Quo – Rock n’Roll- Worth seeing again and this time I noticed how much chatting and grinning took place between the band members. We unfortunately lose the guitar solo climax this time.
Human League – Don’t you want me – That cut video again…
Altered Images – I could be happy – Clare & co return to torment us with another ‘happy’ song. The audience seem to like dancing to it on the playout but we’re spared the entire track.
Finally Mr Bates has been taking lessons on chart rundowns from another presenter who shall not be named!
Must admit I loved Donna Summer's cover of State of Independence. Jon Anderson's voice can be an acquired taste, so Donna's pure tones really benefited it. Not better, maybe, but different in a good way.
DeleteMy sentiments too regarding the Donna Summer version, which was a lot better than the original, and we'll have to wait till 1983 to see this on the TOTP repeats, and at this rate, it could be around this time next year.
DeleteI keep hearing about Cheggers being in Kenny (he mentioned it himself on Pointless not long ago) - but he wasn't one of the five in the 1975 line up was he? although the record books differentiate between the 73 and 75 line ups (Kenny being the surname of the original lead singer) Kenny was essentially a brand owned by Coulter and Martin (puppet on a string) which used session musicians to record, with frontmen to appear on a non-royalty basis, so the acts can be lumped together. Is there any photographic evidence of Cheggers in Kenny (and doesn't he have a twin brother, as well as sister Janice?)
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know, Cheggers never appeared on TOTP as a member of Kenny. He does indeed have a fraternal twin brother, Jeff, with whom he recorded the soft-rock single 'More To Love' in '81. This was issued on Secret Records, home of The Exploited! Keith also recorded a number of solo singles for Pye during the late 70s, with help from writers/producers such as 'Sad Sweet Dreamer' composer David Parton and Liverpool Express frontman Billy Kinsley, but without reaping any chart rewards. Here's the twins' duet, anyway - with Jeff on lead vocal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36HaQ4lVgFo
ReplyDeleteCheggers in Kenny? I always thought so. Take a look at this:-
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh3KatjXGr4
Chart rundown at no.8. Isn’t that Chegwin on the far left? Then on the performance isn’t he the drummer? Nice trousers!
Maybe it’s not him after all. Certainly my belief (delusion?) that Chegwin was in Kenny came from a review of the CD ‘RAK’s Greatest Hits’ in Q Magazine back in 1991 where it stated “Relive ‘The Bump’ with Kenny featuring Keith Chegwin”.
This Kenny's drummer andy walton
DeleteJust heard the sad news of the death today of Henry McCullough, former Wings guitarist at the age of 72. Anyone know much about him?
ReplyDeleteI read his obit in the paper yesterday. He was Northern Irish, started his own band and built up a very good reputation, so Macca invited him to join Wings where he played on stuff like Live and Let Die. He had a few solo projects too, but nothing on the Wings scale. Much respected in the industry, sounds like a good bloke. Suffered a heart attack a few years ago and never recovered. RIP.
DeleteHe was responsible for the stunning guitar solo in Wings' 'My Love.' Apparently Macca didn't like the other musicians straying from what he'd asked them to play but was so impressed with the solo he kept it in the song.
ReplyDeleteDid Brown Sauce own their instruments or did they get them on HP? Boom boom tish!
ReplyDeleteVery good! My condiments to you for that joke (I'll get my coat)
DeleteJust heard the news today that Sir Cliff has been cleared and no charges will be made. Phew, Daddy's Home, and there'll be no edits on future TOTP editions, cos there's loads more from Sir Cliff to come through the 80s.
ReplyDeleteGood news, and at least some sanity was eventually shown in this case. As far as I could see, the "evidence" against Cliff was extremely shaky, and it should not have taken this long to clear him.
DeleteA ‘fun size’ catch-up due to not really enjoying much of this show.
ReplyDeleteIf only they’d really strangled Birthday Boy with those chains.
Cor, blimey, luvaduck, Chas and Dave’s medley was pony but in a catchy rub-a-dub singalong kinda way.
Brown Sauce, getting the word ‘parson’ in the lyrics and a catchy chorus. That Kevin Keegan goal against Northern Ireland inspired the “Guantanamera” chant you hear a lot these days on the terraces – it all began with “One Kevin Keegan, there’s only one Kevin Keegan”….
Sir Rod Stewart, knighted for his services to shagging and songs involve ng pleasures of the flesh.
The Snowmen. Let’s rock!
Sue was always my least favourite PanFlipLegger, but a fine final turn and, finally, a hairstyle which suited her in my opinion.
Final word goes to Godley and Creme for an excellent off-piste routine with great lyrical acting and Zoo / audience participation. Far and away the best thing on the show.
i always remember the guantanamera" chant as "one peter beardsley" myself. there was a brief moment when a couple of england players with the same name were on the pitch at the same time in the 1986 world cup. the fans' response: "two gary stevens, there's only two gary stevens!"
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