Merry Top of the Pops Everyone

I hope you all have your decorations up by now because it's time for the 12th December 1985 edition of Top of the Pops!

Shaky just doesn't have enough fingers to count all his hits

12/12/85  (Gary Davies & Janice Long)

Bronski Beat – “Hit That Perfect Beat” (26) 
Getting the show off to a brand new lead singer start, this became Bronski Beat's 4th and final top ten hit when it peaked at number 3.

Madonna – “Dress You Up” (5) (video)
At its peak.

Cameo – “She’s Strange” (24)
It's a wonder they didn't give themselves whiplash injuries with that opening dance routine, but the song nevertheless went up two more places.

Iron Maiden – “Run To The Hills (Live)” (33) (breaker – live clip)
Very Christmassy! And it peaked at number 26.

Princess – “After The Love Has Gone” (31) (breaker)
Peaked at number 28.

Starship - "We Built This City" (14) (breaker)
Went up two more places.

Shakin’ Stevens – “Merry Christmas Everyone” (10)
He's got his festive jumper on and he's on his way to being the Christmas number one!

The Top Nine:
Pet Shop Boys - "West End Girls" (9) (video clip)
Lionel Richie - "Say You Say Me" (8) (video clip)
Feargal Sharkey -"A Good Heart" (7) (video clip)
Band Aid – “Do They Know It’s Christmas” (6) (video clip)
Madonna – “Dress You Up” (5) (video clip)
Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin - "Separate Lives" (4) (video clip)
Dee C. Lee - "See The Day" (3) (video clip)
Wham! – “I’m Your Man” (2) (video clip)

Whitney Houston – “Saving All My Love For You” (1) (video)
First of two weeks at number one.

Wham! – “Last Christmas” (32) (audience dancing/credits)
It got to number 2 last year, this time around it peaked at number 6.


Next up is December 19th but it's yet another Mike Smith edition.

Top of the Pops Say Me

This edition of Top of the Pops from December 5th 1985 will not be shown on BBC4 becasue of the contract issue with Mike Smith. So a huge thanks once again goes to Neil B for making it available here at WeTransfer.

The sun goes down on Nik

05/12/85  (Mike Smith & Steve Wright)

Go West – “Don’t Look Down-The Sequel” (13)
At is peak.

Lionel Richie – “Say You Say Me” (9) (video)
Went up one more place.

Nik Kershaw – “When A Heart Beats” (27)
His final top 40 hit, and it got no higher.

Marillion – “Heart Of Lothian” (29) (breaker)
Got no higher.

Band Aid – “Do They Know It’s Christmas” (24) (breaker – 1985 video)
Got to number one last year - will get to number three this time round.

Madonna – “Dress You Up” (12) (breaker – live clip)
Her 7th and final hit of 1985! Peaked at number 5.

Pet Shop Boys – “West End Girls” (23)
Making their debut with a future number one.

The Top Ten:
 
Jennifer Rush - "The Power Of Love" (10) (video clip)
Lionel Richie - "Say You Say Me" (9) (video clip)
Talking Heads - "Road To Nowhere" (8) (video clip)
Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew - "The Show" (7) (TOTP clip)
UB40 - "Don't Break My Heart" (6) (video clip)
Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin - "Separate Lives" (5) (video clip)
Feargal Sharkey -"A Good Heart" (4) (video clip)
Dee C. Lee - "See The Day" (3) (video clip)
Whitney Houston - "Saving All My Love For You" (2) (video clip)

Wham! – “I’m Your Man” (1) (video)
Second and final week at number one.

Amazulu – “Don’t You Just Know It” (33) (audience dancing/credits)
Peaked at number 15.

Next up is December 12th.

I'm Your Top of the Pops

It's almost time to get your Christmas decorations out once more, and it is time to enjoy this 28th November 1985 edition of Top of the Pops!

The prefab two!

28/11/85  (Dixie Peach & Peter Powell)

David Grant & Jaki Graham – “Mated” (22)
David and Jaki get tonight's show underway and the tune, which would be David's final top 40 hit, went up two more places.

Whitney Houston – “Saving All My Love For You” (9) (video)
Will be number one in two weeks time.

Artists United Against Apartheid – “Sun City” (29) (breaker)
Charity single which peaked at number 21.

Paul McCartney – “Spies Like Us” (26) (breaker)
From the movie of the same name, it peaked at number 13.

Go West – “Don’t Look Down-The Sequel” (24) (breaker)
Not from the movie of the same name, or even the sequel, but it did peak at number 13.

Prefab Sprout – “When Love Breaks Down” (25)
Making their debut on the show but this dreamy song got no higher.

Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin – “Separate Lives” (10) (video)
His fifth top 20 hit of the year, this one peaking at number 4.

Wham! – “I’m Your Man” (1) (video)
First of two weeks at number one.

Starship – “We Built This City” (35) (audience dancing/credits)
Peaked at number 12.


Next up is December 5th, but it's a Mike Smith edition.

Uncle Top of the Pops

The players are warming up in the studio, the crowd is buzzing, our referees tonight are Paul and Janice and its time to kick off this 21st November 1985 edition of Top of the Pops!

I'm your girl!

21/11/85  (Paul Jordan & Janice Long)

Madness – “Uncle Sam” (24)
Getting this November 21st show underway is Madness, with their 21st top 30 hit, which peaked of course at number 21!

Wham! – “I’m Your Man” (2) (video)
Straight in at number 2, it will be number one next week.

Dee C. Lee – “See The Day” (18)
Sporting this season's latest autumn fashion, this became the former Wham girl's biggest solo hit when it peaked at number 3.

Whitney Houston – “Saving All My Love For You” (23) (breaker)
Our first sighting of Whitney, with what would become the first of her four number ones.

Dionne Warwick & Friends – “That’s What Friends Are For” (19) (breaker)
With what would be her final top 30 hit when it peaked at number 16.

Lionel Richie – “Say You Say Me” (14) (breaker)
Always reminds me of Easy does this one, and it peaked one place higher, at number 8.

Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew – “The Show” (12)
Performing their only hit, which peaked at number 7. Will Smith was probably watching somewhere.

The Top Ten
Talking Heads – “Road To Nowhere” (10) (video clip)
Eurythmics & Aretha Franklin – “Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves” (9) (video clip)
Level 42 - "Something About You" (8) (video clip)
Queen – “One Vision” (7) (video clip)
Elton John - "Nikita" (6) (video clip)
A-ha - "Take On Me" (5) (video clip)
Jennifer Rush - "The Power Of Love" (4) (video clip)
UB40 - "Don't Break My Heart" (3) (video clip)
Wham! – “I’m Your Man” (2) (video clip)

Feargal Sharkey – “A Good Heart” (1) (video)
Second and final week at the top.

Midge Ure - "That Certain Smile" (28) (audience dancing/credits)
This second single from his number 2 album The Gift, got no higher in the charts.



Next up is November 28th.

Lost Top of the Pops

This edition of Top of the Pops from November 14th 1985 will not be shown on BBC4 because of the contract dispute with Mike Smith. So a huge thanks goes once more to Neil B for making it available here at WeTransfer.

Top of the Pops to Nowhere

14/11/85  (Gary Davies & Mike Smith)

Lloyd Cole & The Commotions – “Lost Weekend” (24) 
Peaked at number 17.

Eurythmics & Aretha Franklin – “Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves” (10) (video)
Went up one more place.

King – “The Taste Of Your Tears” (11)
At its peak.

Talking Heads – “Road To Nowhere” (12) (video)
Peaked at number 6.

Madness – “Uncle Sam” (25) (breaker)
Peaked at number 21.

Dire Straits – “Brothers In Arms” (22) (breaker)
This third single from the number one album of the same name peaked at number 16.

Queen – “One Vision” (9) (breaker)
Went up two more places.

The Top Ten:
Eurythmics & Aretha Franklin – “Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves” (10) (video clip)
Queen – “One Vision” (9) (video clip)
Far Corporation – “Stairway To Heaven” (8) (Rockpop Music Hall clip)
Colonel Abrams - "Trapped" (7) (video clip)
Level 42 - "Something About You" (6) (video clip)
UB40 - "Don't Break My Heart" (5) (video clip)
Elton John - "Nikita" (4) (video clip)
A-ha - "Take On Me" (3) (video clip)
Jennifer Rush - "The Power Of Love" (2) (video clip)

Feargal Sharkey – “A Good Heart” (1)
First of two weeks at number one.

Bryan Adams & Tina Turner – “It’s Only Love” (31) (audience dancing/credits)
Went up two more places.

Next up is November 21st.

Stairway to Top of the Pops

In a tree by the brook there's a songbird who sings ~ maybe he'll be on tonight's 7th November 1985 edition of Top of the Pops!

Top of the tonsils

07/11/85  (Peter Powell & Steve Wright)

A-ha – “Take On Me” (2)
In the studio to get the show underway but number two was as high as it got.

Far Corporation – “Stairway To Heaven” (16) (Rockpop Music Hall clip)
This dad dancing Led Zeppelin cover made it to number 8.

Level 42 – “Something About You” (6)
At its peak.

The Simon May Orchestra – “Howard’s Way Theme” (22) (breaker)
His third and final hit, peaking at number 21.

Eurythmics & Aretha Franklin – “Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves” (18) (breaker)

Talking Heads – “Road To Nowhere” (17) (breaker)
Became their only top ten hit when it peaked at number 6.

UB40 – “Don’t Break My Heart” (7)
Peaked at number 3.

The Top Ten:
Arcadia - "Election Day" (10) (video clip)
John Parr - "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)" (9) (video clip)
Madonna - "Gambler" (8) (video clip)
UB40 – “Don’t Break My Heart” (7) (video clip)
Level 42 – “Something About You” (6) (video clip)
Colonel Abrams - "Trapped" (5) (video clip)
Feargal Sharkey - "A Good Heart" (4) (video clip)
Elton John - "Nikita" (3) (video clip)
A-ha – “Take On Me” (2) (video clip)

Jennifer Rush – “The Power Of Love” (1) (rpt)
Fifth and final week at number one.

Paul Hardcastle – “Just For Money” (31) (audience dancing/credits)
Rather satisfyingly, this song peaked at number n- n- n- nineteen.


Next up is November 14th, but its yet another Mike Smith edition.

The Taste of Your Top of the Pops

There's not so much as a single pumpkin in sight nor is the word 'Halloween' muttered even once by Simon or Janice but nevertheless we are being trick or treated to the October 31st 1985 edition of Top of the Pops!

Happy Tambourine!

31/10/85  (Simon Bates & Janice Long)

Feargal Sharkey – “A Good Heart” (12)
Janice tips Feargal for the top and it will indeed get there in two weeks time.

Elton John – “Nikita” (4) (video)
And her other tip went up one more place.

Matt Bianco – “Yeh Yeh” (17)
A number one for Georgie Fame in 1964, this quite similar new version peaked at number 13.

Siouxsie & The Banshees – “Cities In Dust” (23) (breaker)
At least we get a few dancing skeletons from permanently Halloween Siouxsie, and this song went up two more places.

Kate Bush – “Cloudbusting” (20) (breaker)
This terrific second single from her massive number one album Hounds of Love somehow stalled at number 20.

UB40 – “Don’t Break My Heart” (19) (breaker)
One of their better singles for quite some time, peaking at number 3.

King – “The Taste Of Your Tears” (15)
Paul treats us to some tambourine tricks and the song peaked at number 11.

Jennifer Rush – “The Power Of Love” (1) (rpt from 17/10/85)
Fourth of five weeks at number one.

Shakin’ Stevens – “Lipstick, Powder & Paint” (11) (audience dancing/credits)
At its peak.


November 7th is next.

Bring on the Top of the Pops

This edition of Top of the Pops from October 24th 1985 will not be shown on BBC4 due to the contract dispute with Mike Smith, so a huge thanks goes once again to Neil B for making it available here at WeTransfer.

St Elmo's Hair

24/10/85  (Dixie Peach & Mike Smith)

John Parr – “St Elmo’s Fire (Man In Motion)” (6)
Fulfilling his boyhood dream by appearing on the show but the song got no higher.

Arcadia – “Election Day” (14)
Another short lived Duran Duran offshoot making studio debut here, with their only top ten hit, which peaked at number 7.

Jan Hammer – “Miami Vice Theme” (5)
At its peak.

Matt Bianco – “Yeh Yeh” (24) (breaker)
Peaked at number 13.

Echo & The Bunnymen – “Bring On The Dancing Horses” (23) (breaker)
Went up two more places.

King – “The Taste Of Your Tears” (20) (breaker)
Peaked at number 11.

Level 42 – “Something About You” (13)
Became their biggest hit to date when it reached number 6.

The Top Ten:
Red Box  – “Lean On Me (Ah-Li-Ayo)" (10) (video clip)
Elton John - "Nikita" (9) (video clip)
Midge Ure - "If I Was" (8) (video clip)
Simple Minds - "Alive & Kicking" (7) (video clip)
John Parr - "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)" (6) (video clip)
Jan Hammer - "Miami Vice Theme" (5) (video clip)
Madonna -"Gambler" (4) (video clip)
Colonel Abrams - "Trapped" (3) (video clip)
A-ha - "Take On Me" (2) (video clip)

Jennifer Rush – “The Power Of Love” (1) (rpt)
Third of five weeks at the top.

Thompson Twins - "King For A Day" (29) (audience dancing/credits)
With their tenth and final top 40 hit, peaking at number 22.


October 31st is next.

Top of the Pops, Powder and Paint

I'm still away, and its now 17th October 1985!

Aha! So there you are!

17/10/85 (Peter Powell & Mike Read)

Shakin’ Stevens – “Lipstick, Powder & Paint” (18)
Peaked at number 11.

A-ha – “Take On Me” (5) (video)
Made it to number 2.

Elton John – “Nikita” (19)
His penultimate and biggest top ten hit of the 80's, peaking at number 3.

Level 42 – “Something About You” (21) (breaker)
Peaked at number 6.

Grace Jones – “Slave To The Rhythm” (14) (breaker)
Peaked at number 12.

Jan Hammer – “Miami Vice Theme” (10) (breaker)
Peaked at number 5.

Colonel Abrams – “Trapped” (3)
At its peak.

Jennifer Rush – “The Power Of Love” (1)
Second of five weeks at number one.

Madonna – “Gambler” (7) (audience dancing/credits)
Peaked at number 4.


24th October is next, but its yet another Mike Smith edition.