You'll get Albert Square eyes!
14/08/86 (Simon Bates)
It Bites – “Calling All The Heroes” (10)
Getting the show off to a snappy start and the song went up to number 6.
Lionel Richie – “Dancing On The Ceiling” (18) (video)
On his way to the dizzy heights of number 7.
Anita Dobson – “Anyone Can Fall In Love” (4)
Looking far too glamourous for the Queen Vic, Anita makes her studio debut and the theme tune for Eastenders proved to be no duff duff, peaking at number 4.
Doctor & The Medics – “Burn” (29) (breaker)
Thier final top 40 hit and it got no higher.
Bruce Hornsby & The Range – “The Way It Is” (28) (breaker)
His only top 40 hit and it peaked at number 15.
Prince – “Girls & Boys” (27) (breaker)
Peaked at number 11.
Phil Fearon – “I Can Prove It” (17)
In the studio to perform his final top 40 hit, and it peaked at number 8.
Chris De Burgh – “The Lady In Red” (1)
His third week at number one, not his fourth like Simon said, and another live rendition, this time at the piano, and at the end in the lady in red herself appears with a bouquet of flowers for him!
Jaki Graham – “Breaking Away” (22) (video/credits)
Peaked at number 16.
August 21st is next.
It’s Simon Bates – he and Smithy seem popular at this time. Patchy show this one.
ReplyDeleteIt Bites – Calling all the Heroes – It has one of those false endings like ‘(Come up and see me) Make me Smile’ by Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, only I like that song a whole lot more, not that this is too bad.
Lionel Richie – Dancing on the Ceiling – Clever video but song rather trite. We did see a lot of this video didn’t here we?
Mrs May – Anyone can fall in love – She did…with Brian. Can’t believe people bought this however (no4!!!)…the tune just meanders along going nowhere. Dum-dum-dum. Is that Brian playing guitar on this btw or weren’t they an item then?
Pete C – terra? No38 and no1 in the States at this point in time. Certainly one of my favourite themes although I watched the (average) film through and only the middle 8 features. Surprise Spandau Ballet going down? Not really.
Breakers – Dr and the Medics – Burn – Give me Deep Purple and ‘Burn’. Bruce Hornsby – The way it is – Never keen on this one for some reason….it topped the US Charts in December. Prince – Girls and Boys – Nope, no recollection.
Phil Fearon – I can prove it – From the man who managed more top 10 hits that Chris De Burgh another totally forgettable piece of music. FF after a minute or so.
Chris De Burgh – The Lady in Red – Well the critics can sneer at the man but as Simon points out, a completely stripped down live rendition of this song and loads of talent. No gimmicks here. As noted by Angelo, it was the third (and final) week at no1 but the fourth appearance on ToTP (three out of four performances being live).
Jacki Graham – Breaking away – hard act to follow was Chris. FF
Brian and Anita actually met for the first time in 1986, though they didn't marry until 2000. According to Wikipedia, she was the inspiration for Queen's I Want it All, which I never knew. I didn't know either that Don Black wrote the lyrics for Anyone Can Fall in Love - not the finest moment of his career...
DeleteI actually enjoyed the singing science master's cover of 'I Can Prove it', which had originally been a minor Top 30 hit on GTO in '77 for its writer, Tony Etoria.
DeleteThroughout his hitmaking years, Phil Fearon knew how to make a decent pop-soul single. While the disbanded Galaxy could have done the job just as well, the three male backing singers in this performance nevertheless provide the required level of vocal sympathy. The scat section is handled superbly.
Anita Dobson's horror show reminds me of when I got taken out to lunch by work colleagues on the opening day of a new Chinese restaurant near our office. Due to some malfunction with the CD system, we were treated to continuous re-runs of the instrumental version of the "EastEnders" theme!
ReplyDeleteit bites: i haven't heard this one for eons, but i did quite enjoy listening to it again now. yes, there's more than a hint of "reelin in the years" about it, but that's no bad thing. is that kevin bacon on keyboards?
ReplyDeletelional richie: oh no, not another mini-film-type video with dramatised intro. his uptempo solo stuff is just as awful as the ballads really. i remember going through a record shop bargain bin about 15 years ago, and seeing at least a couple of his 80's albums marked up "free". but for me it was literally a case that they couldn't give them away
anita dobson: all i can really say about this was i had a girlfriend around this time who bore a striking resemblance to ms dobson when she tarted herself up. i'm not so sure that was a good thing to be honest though, as i didn't think the anita herself was overly attractive
dr & medics: presumably this was an original tune, but it still reminds me of the lightweight pop that was churned out in the late 60's
phil fearon: other than utilising some modern production techniques this is pretty much a note-for-note cover of the original pleasant-enough tony etoria minor hit. sadly helen shapiro and lady di are no more, presumably due to the male backing vocals. the only reason i watched this all the way through on yt was in the hope of seeing phil doing another backflip, but they've been put to bed too sadly
jaki graham: like her other hits this is better than how i remember from the time, although the modulation is a bit clunky to put it mildly
I liked the fact that the new Dr & The Medics offering on the Breakers this week, actually had the two girls (sisters?) contributing their own vocals, which was an interesting shift from the huge No.1 Spirit In The Sky, where they only contributed dance moves, including a Laurel & Hardy dance move from Way Out West (1937).
DeleteI though even the good Dr sounded different on this record. Did he even sing on Spirit In The Sky? Stranger things have happened.
DeleteMaster Bates hosts a solo TOTP for the first time since 1982, but behind the veneer of professional competence lurk, as usual, a number of gaffes. Angelo's already mentioned the Chris De Burgh one, but he also claims that Stanley Donen was famous for his work with Fred Astaire (it was actually Gene Kelly) and gives poor old Bruce Hornsby the Owen Paul treatment by forecasting megastardom for him in six months. As for "Pete Ceeteera" - was Bates trying to make out that they were mates?
ReplyDeleteIt Bites get us underway with their first and last studio appearance. They are quite a motley crew, and the singer appears to be paying tribute to Billy Idol with his hairstyle and attire - there is also a very enthusiastic male dancer striking poses behind the band. Only Lionel Richie could make a notion as exciting as dancing on the ceiling sound so bland and ordinary, but that tends to be the result when he tries to go upbeat. The video is certainly inventive, doubtless helped by Donen's expertise, but the technical gimmickry wears a bit thin after a while. Donen is actually still alive, now aged 94.
Oh look, here comes Brian May - sorry, it's actually his other half, with big hair, a terrifying rictus grin and an annoyingly simpering, reedy voice. Simon May repeats his Howard's Way trick of releasing a vocal version of the theme tune, and the results are truly terrible - this has to be one of the biggest stinkers of the year, its high chart placing doubtless due to EastEnders' huge popularity at the time rather than any musical merit. Still, you have to hand it to May, he did manage to incorporate the "duff duffs" and the whistly bit into this, so no stone was left unturned. This also acts as an unwelcome reminder that Nick Berry's big hit is just around the corner now...
This is all that we will see of the other Doctor and the Medics hit, which on this hearing did not sound particularly memorable, though the production was quite nice. There seem to be multiple spooky girls in the video, and contrary to Bates I didn't think Clive's hair was that different. Back in the studio Phil Fearon makes what seems like his umpteenth appearance, once again proving that modest talent can still take you a surprisingly long way. Like his earlier hits this is professional enough but lacks that vital spark, though it is quite a good, slick performance with Phil commanding the stage while his backing singers go through their moves - their vocals help to lift the record a bit. CDB certainly made the most of his big hit, with yet another studio appearance here accompanied by another fine live vocal and some equally live piano playing on this occasion. I wonder who that lady in red at the end was? Jaki Graham heads off to somewhere scenic for this nautical video, which clearly owes something to Duran Duran's Rio promo - she also dons that tight skirt again for a few shots. Definitely a case where the video is more memorable than the decidedly formulaic song.
You've summed up Anita's hit pretty well John! Ironic that it was co-written by Simon MAY! I quite like Nick Berry's effort however.
DeleteStanley Donen was famous for collaborating with Gene Kelly, but as I say below the Dancing on the Ceiling trick was lifted from his Fred Astaire movie Royal Wedding.
DeleteDonen had directed his final feature film a couple of years before (he did a couple of TV projects afterwards, but his big screen work was over), and that was a film you can guarantee nobody will remake, as if they did it would be career suicide. The film was Blame It On Rio - there's an interesting bit in Michael Caine's autobiography where he is baffled that he was ever involved without stopping and thinking, "Wait a minute! What the hell am I doing?!" but he did get a nice holiday out of it (see also: Jaws The Revenge).
Perhaps I was a bit hard on Bates there, though I do think Donen's collaborations with Gene Kelly are better known than his work with Astaire. However, Bates was probably thinking of Royal Wedding in his intro.
DeleteDoubtless Blame It On Rio was another of those films that helped to buy Michael Caine a very nice house...
by chance i have just read through michael caine's quotes on imdb, and he is almost shameless in his admission that his bad movies benefit him in other ways i.e. nice holidays, nice houses, etc. but even he admitted that filming the steven seagal vehicle "on deadly ground" was a major error on his part, as not only did he think it was utter rubbish but much of it was filmed in alaska plus similarly harsh and unwelcoming environments!
Deletere jaki graham's pink rubber skirt: maybe she got it custom made at great expense, so decided to get as much use out of it as possible? that reminds me of a band called ca va ca va that started on my local music scene and unlike the rest of us managed to get themselves a major record deal thanks to the recommendation of peter powell after they supported him at a local event. as part of the hype it was decided to commission a custom-made shirt from the trendy designer katherine hamnett that cost hundreds if not thousands of pounds (left in pic), that they probably ended up paying for themselves thanks to their records flopping!:
Deletehttp://www.fade2grey.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/1-front1.jpg
I remember reading in "Record Mirror" that the shirt worn by Ca Va Ca Va 'singer' Stephen Parris cost £1,000. He had one of the most irritating voices I've ever heard.
DeleteIt Bites with another example of the audience, who surely should have been familiar with a hit song, breaking out into applause as if the performance was over when in fact there's a brief hiatus in the recording which resumes swiftly. Did none of these people listen to the radio? Anyway, nice to see them enjoying their fifteen minutes of fame, not so nice to see Mr Bites' distressed denims.
ReplyDeleteLionel Richie dances on the ceiling, but was he inspired by the Fred Astaire/Stanley Donen musical Royal Wedding with its famous upside down routine or was it watching Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo that had set him thinking up ideas for a new song? Or even A Nightmare on Elm Street, which used the same tricks (OK, that wasn't dancing!). Anyway, the song is something I listened to on headphones back in '86 and left me amazed at the stereo effects - it sounded like the cheering crowd was in the room with me. Well, I was impressed anyway.
Ah, Anita Dobson, I don't use the word masterpiece lightly... and I'm not going to use it here. Naffer than naff cash-in from a music career that was misguided at best (check out her Brian May collaboration Talking of Love on YT: deservedly awarded worst video of the year by The Chart Show). Her voice would just about get away with cabaret in a pub, but not for mass media. Talking of mass media, about this time I read a copy of The Daily Mirror for the first and only time (my dad bought it on holiday) and there was a topless photo of Anita in it. I thought, well there's something I'm not sure I needed to see. Anyway, it's no Something Outta Nothing.
The Doctor and the Medics follow-up I liked was Drive, He Said, possibly the only song named after a film directed by Jack Nicholson (and referenced in the lyrics). Burn was OK, but there was no way it was going to sustain their success. Still, not one-hit wonders, eh, guys?
Phil Fearon with a SAW-produced cover... yes, their tentacles were getting everywhere. Respectable enough version I suppose, but it had been done before without much of a difference in sound, so the chart success apart, it is a bit pointless.
Chris, Chris, Chris, is it donce and romonce, or is it dahnce and romahnce? You can't go for donce and romahnce, it doesn't rhyme like that! His facial resemblance to Rita Tushingham is quite striking here.
Jaki Graham with one of her forgotten hits, it's not bad but kind of derivative no matter how she sells it. Some really unfortunate angles in that video, Mr Director.
my family used to get the daily mirror delivered for as long as i can remember up until my early teens. then they decided they had become middle class, so started getting the daily mail delivered instead!
DeleteThere's a crunching ideological gear change! We always got The Herald (Scottish newspaper), didn't bother with a tabloid.
DeleteWilberforce's story reminds me a bit of The Good Life Christmas episode where Margo is horrified to find a hat made out of a Mirror in her home-made cracker and Tom obligingly gives her one made out of a Telegraph instead.
DeleteAlthough the merits of The Lady In Red are questionable, the album it came from isn't that bad a listen. The follow up single Fatal Hesitation is a great song (in my opinion) and deserved to do better in the charts.
ReplyDeleteI do think the quality of TOTP has dropped in recent weeks and this show in particular was a stinker, not just because Bates was hosting...
Steve - you are sooo right! The 'Into the Light' album is really strong, full of diverse songs. The first single 'Fire on the Water' is also a great song. Chris is touring next year playing the entire album and I can't wait!
DeleteMy dad used to have Man On The Line which I think was the predecessor to Into The Light. High On Emotion from it is a quality tune.
DeleteAnother show containing a load of tosh, the second half of 86 really is mostly terrible.
ReplyDeleteIt Bites - The only decent song on the entire show, and even then it's not totally top drawer.
Lionel Richie - Plodding up the chart until everyone started playing the 'exciting' video which gave it an undeserved boost.
Anita Dobson - Dreadfully sung, twee rubbish.
Breakers - 1 tune I don't mind (Bruce Hornsby) and 2 forgettable efforts. NOW 8 included Dr & The Medics & Roy Wood's cover of 'Waterloo' on the assumption that it would be a big hit. It wasn't.
Phil Fearon - Average stuff, which actually made me yearn for the (better) year of 77 when we saw Tony Etoria do the original version on the repeat run.
Jaki Graham - Actually, to be fair, this is better than I remembered. But still nothing to get overly excited about...
Thanks Noax. I has memories of Medics doing Waterloo and was surprised to see Burn in the charts. Now 8 must be where I heard it,
DeleteWe start with Egremont’s finest, It Bites, providing some top notch prog pop containing admittedly depressing lyrics. I loved follow-up “Whole New World” which only made 54. Good solo close-up of the rhythmic kicking keyboard player.
ReplyDeleteNice pre-vid facts by Slimes followed by an innovative video for Lionel’s no more than functional midtempo disco effort.
From the ceiling to the depths with Anita Dobson. I can feel the vom rising.
Nice matching scarf and gloves on Jermaine Stewart in his mugshot.
Some brilliant forecasts by Slimes prior to the breakers, especially for Doctor and the Medics’ weak tea follow-up.
Fluffy haired Brice Hornsby and the lads with an AOR classic, then we go from black and white clothes to a black and white video for a nondescript tune which, if it were an actual Prince, would be Edward.
Phil Fearon with no Galaxy? I prefer Fruit and Nut anyway. A great song with fine juxtaposition supplied by the backing lyrics, but the production was too synthetic and clean, and the audience too bored, for this to be a Soul Train facsimile.
Fair play to Chris De Burgh, he turned up as often as required in the studio and sang live more times for one song than most long term acts did in a career on the show.
Jaki Graham in trousers! I thought her legs better than the song, which was good but not up to the level of her recent hits.
It's Slime time (big with the kids nowadays)
ReplyDeleteHere comes It Bites 15 minutes of fame. Is he trying to be Billy Idol? More importantly does his mum know he's out this late.
Like the song though, was a fave at the time. nice to hear it again.
Why is Slimes dressed in my old Infant School uniform?
So now we get the full Lionel. Clever video although nowadays we know how it's done. Great song as well. This is a lot of fun. Can see how it was a big hit.
Why, why, why did they turn the EastEnders theme into a song - and why about love. This is EastEnders, surely it should be about death, drugs and fighting? Either way it's a crap song, terrible records and Anita is a terrible singer.
Dross. Bottom ten here we come.
Next week Ken Barlow sings "Up my Street" to the Corrie theme tune....
Breakers:
Dr and The Medics - Don't recall this one, not as catchy and with extra spooky ladies.
Bruce Hornsby - a megastar? Not here slimes... this is MOR at it's worse. Just so so bland.. overplayed to death.
Prince - Not familiar with one although the music sounds like it's been sampled once or twice maybe? Not bad. Video is a bit different from him.
Phil Fearon - A lesser known number, takes me back a few years in sound. very early 80s and a pleasant change of pace. I like this.
Can play my favourite TOTP game as well with this one "spot the hand-held cameraman". He gets about a bit on this one.
LIVE Piano and Vocal. Why you are spoiling us Mr De Burgh. Fair play he has really made the most of this hit and given us some great performances.
Jaki Graham: Wow - that is way too much pink.. glad she's enjoying her holiday, not sure about the song though.
Phil and It Bites steal the show tonight.