It's a number one
02/07/87 (Simon Bates)
ABC – “When Smokey Sings” (11)
Making their first appearance in the studio for three years according to our host - he must not have been watching two weeks ago - but this song was now at its peak.
Atlantic Starr – “Always” (16) (video)
Became their biggest hit when it peaked at number 3.
Curiosity Killed The Cat – “Misfit” (7) (Montreux clip)
At its peak.
Black – “Sweetest Smile” (26) (breaker)
Became his first of two top ten hits when it peaked at number 8.
Billy Idol – “Sweet Sixteen” (23) (breaker)
Peaked at number 17.
A-ha – “The Living Daylights” (17) (breaker)
Peaked at number 5.
Broken English – “Comin’ On Strong” (18)
Simon tipped them as 'a band for the 90's' but their only top 40 hit was now at its peak.
Pet Shop Boys – “It’s A Sin” (1)
First of three weeks at number one. Simon then interviewed the three remaining members of Genesis, and we discovered that Mike Rutherford was pregnant (again).
Simple Minds – “Promised You A Miracle” (19) (live video/credits)
At its peak.
July 9th is next.
We are into the last quarter of the 80s, and for the third week out of four Master Bates is at the mic - what had viewers in 1987 done to deserve this? Bates is at his most avuncular, i.e. fake, and he came out with some bizarre stuff this time, even by his standards. Broken English a band for the 90s - seriously? Surely in any case it's a bit foolhardy to make such predictions so far in advance of the new decade? The Genesis interview was also cringey, the Headmaster at his most patronising while asking some truly crass and banal questions, not just about Mike's "pregnancy" - I think we can assume the band did agree with charity given they were throwing these benefit concerts!
ReplyDeleteMusic-wise there isn't much new to chew on here. If Martin hadn't been wearing that white suit I might have thought the ABC performance was a repeat, so on to Atlantic Starr, with a pleasant enough ballad that just about avoids becoming too sugary. I was curious about the rather ropey-looking clips of loving couples in the video, and whether that was deliberate so that they would look like home movies or archive footage of love through the years.
Curiosity are this week's Montreux turn, but sadly Ben Beret fails to follow John Farnham's example and sing live. The only breaker we won't see again is Billy Idol, which is a shame as this is a nice, moody rockabilly ballad, even if Mr Broad's lusting after "sweet sixteen" would probably have him labelled as a pervert or a paedophile these days!
Broken English turn up in the studio looking much more like employees who had just clocked off from the local sewage works than a band of the 90s, while PSB do an ABC and give a performance practically identical to the one before, though Neil's coat did look even bigger this time, almost as if he was hiding someone inside it. Simple Minds to close, pointlessly recycling a five-year-old hit. This live version did not sound that great, with Jim's voice strained and monotonous - needless to say, his hair was horrible too...
About the only thing Bates got right was reading out 'I want your sex' in full during the rundown. I wasn't paying attention at the start, but he apparently claimed that ABC were making their first studio appearance in three years.
DeleteI missed that ABC comment as well. I think my attention was fixed on the poor girl who had Bates' arm draped over her shoulder during that opening link - she didn't look comfortable! As you say, at least Bates did give the George Michael title in full, not that you particularly want to hear the word "sex" pass his lips...
DeleteI'd imagine that girl wouldn't want to hear that either. And it must've written into Bates' contract that every chart rundown has to be introduced with 'TOTP is of course about the charts...'
DeleteDull, with a lot of repetition
ReplyDeleteBefore I read the previous comment, i thought ABC was just a repeat...
Atlantic Starr track reminded me of an old Motown track, but couldn’t put my finger on the specific track...
Don’t remember the Billy Idol track - not his best!
Highlight of the evening was Aha with one of the better James Bond themes.
Weren’t there only 3 people in the video for Coming On Strong?... interesting note - wiki lists Zak Starkey as a drummer with the band.
Cutting edge interview of Genesis...
Jeez, you think of all the new records in the chart and we see mostly repeats. Not the best of episodes seen in context.
ReplyDeleteABC with an almost identical performance of their Motown tribute, though I didn't know Chanel made guitars. After seeing Alan Partridge this week, was that an example of product placement on the BBC?!
Atlantic Starr, well, here's something new at least, though its a mediocre ballad with treacly lyrics designed for "first dance at the wedding" playlisting. I bet they didn't record a follow up about divorce a few years later.
Showaddywa- er, I mean, Curiosity Killed the Cat next, and of course they were at Montreux, so naturally we had to see them perform there. They must have been shifting shedloads of magazines at this point.
Breakers will be back apart from Lord Billiam Idol with one of his better tracks, never revived now probably thanks to its title and the unwelcome imagery it conjures up. But if they'd have called it something else, it might be better regarded, it's a surprisingly delicate and tuneful ditty from the rocker. Video cliché alert: black and white photography.
Ah, the patented Bates kiss of death, planted with an open mouth right on the faux Mick Jagger's lips. Absolutely textbook! Apart from that hilarity, it's not such a bad tune, just very derivative, not much in the 90s sounded like this.
Pet Shop Boys with a well-deserved Number One, though Neil seems to be channelling Demis Roussos with that big top overcoat. And that's without mentioning Chris's breeks.
Simple Minds, my what a huge turnout to see this live performance, there must be, er, absolutely nobody in the crowd at all. Were the band in a hurry? They were positively racing through this. Bet Jim wishes he had that hair now, despite the style.
Apart from Atlantic Starr, the only other track I liked on this week's show was Broken English, and was surprised it only peaked at no.18, getting no higher after this TOTP studio performance. It has a really good buzz about it, despite not recalling this tune at the time in 1987.
DeleteAs soon as Bates predicted big things for Broken English, they were doomed...
DeleteIn regards to ABC & PSB performance simularities, did TOTP ever double up on performances with a dress change for different weeks? There was the pre-recorded Tom Jones It's Not Unusual performance a few weeks back for the Election night edition that may have been done the same night he was in for Boy From Nowhere.
ReplyDeleteoh dear - apart from the mediocre mush served up by atlantic starr, there's nothing here to comment on that hasn't been on already or will be seen in full at a later date. as such i felt compelled to look at the charts from this date to see if there was actually anything worth mentioning - which only turns out to be crowded house managing to get in the lower reaches of the top 30 before disappearing again for several years, and that the best track in these charts by a country mile ("motortown" by the kane gang) was probably already stalling in the mid-50's...
ReplyDeleteMr Bates again. Very unusual. We seem to have gone a few shows without Smitty which has certainly helped me keep up!
ReplyDeleteABC – When Smokey sings – Oh! Oh! Let’s all chant…. Smart Mr Fry in maybe his last ever ToTP outing? Funny all I can think of now when I hear ABC is those dull old murders.
Atlantic Starr – Always – This certainly got played at my wedding! Delightfully slushy and unashamedly romantic I love it. Nice duet from the Starrs.
Curiosity killed the Cat – Misfit – Another band whose other hits aside from ‘Down to Earth’ I don’t even recall. This still sounds good though.
Breakers – Black – nice, but the best was yet to come. Billy Idol – sounds better than usual…watch out, that cover is on the way next (sigh!). A-Ha – Timothy Dalton the best Bond? Oh really. I even prefer George Lazenby’s outing to Dalton’s two films. This is the one with a versatile cello I recall. The song’s rubbish too.
Broken English – Coming on strong – There was a lot of comment on this here a week ago but I am really not a fan. Strictly in the ‘ok’ league.
Pet Shop Boys – It’s a Sin – Will we get to see the impressive ‘seven deadly sins’ video? If you haven’t heard the 12” ‘Disco’ mix of this then treat yourself on YT. It is one the best 12” mixes I have heard.
Genesis interview – Tony is the quiet one eh? Not if you scratch below the surface. Tony had a huge influence on the band’s song writing and direction. He was also dead narked that his solo stuff didn’t sell in huge quantities (despite the high quality of some of it). Anyway, I digress. I was proud to be at Wembley Stadium for one of the massive gigs and what a set it was too. Starting off with the dry ice climax of ‘Mama’ it led right into the extended version of ‘Abacab’. As for this single ‘Throwing all away’, it was in the set with an extended “dee – day –ooo” intro which certainly featured (live) as the A Side cut on the 12” but I am not sure whether the 7” version was not simply the studio cut. You can just hear it playing in the background to this insightful and thought provoking interview.
Simple Minds – Promised you a miracle – This certainly was live but otherwise not very inspiring.
I'm not sure if you are being sarcastic or not about the quality of that Genesis interview, sct!
DeletePure sarcasm John! It did remind me to dig out a knitting book 'Knitting Wildlife' published in 1989 that my wife has kept. It features well known celebrities modelling sweaters etc. with wildlife designs. Amongst the various celebrities featured are none other than the Rutherford family! Mike, Angie, Kate, Tom and baby Harry!
DeleteChalk me up as another fan of the Atlantic Starr slushy love song. Good Lord, this had everything American about it, meaning the more romantic of song and video than us Brits could muster, apart from Whitesnake of course, still in the top 20 of this week's chart which I would say is equally as good.
Deletesct353, we get ABC once more with their critically acclaimed but not overly successful follow-up.
DeleteI think I got through this edition in less than 10 minutes...
ReplyDeleteAtlantic Starr - 'Let's go make a family...'. No thanks. Bleurgh in every respect.
Shame about not seeing the Billy Idol song in full, it's a very good one and no worse lyrically than the Stray Cats' She's Sexy And 17 surely!
How on earth did Broken English get on AGAIN with Crowded House continously ignored and Living In A Box also rather surprisingly not invited in to do their follow-up (admittedly 'Scales Of Justice' is not a world-beating song)
Simple Minds - For those who wanted to hear a great song from their most interesting and creative period ruined by being performed in a lumpen mid-80s stadium rock style, fill your boots. I'll pass thanks.
ABC. Nice lively start to the show. Always first on a party playlist for me. Top of the Pops!!!
ReplyDeleteBallad alert form Slimes.. And this is a lovely song. Atlantic Starr doing a fine job. Seem to remember this being played a bit in our house, must have been one of my Dads records. I like the video telling their life story.
Curiosity back with Misfit. Where was this filmed? 😁 Amazed that Pepsi logo got past the BBC bosses.
Breakers:
The lesser known Black song. In fact I'd never heard of it. Not surprised really, can't imagine this getting much daytime airplay.
Billy Idol. Odd seeing him with a slow song. Just doesn't feel right.
Aha get a Bond theme. And it's a very good theme too with a cracking video. . From an OK Bond film. Gonna stick my neck out and say that Timothy Dalton was a great Bond and that Licence To Kill is one of the best in the whole series.
A band for the 90s? Where? All I can see is Broken English peddling a bit of Oz Rock that sounds dated in 1987.
PSB. Where they should be. Top of the Pops. It was always very exiting as a kid when your favourite song got to number one. Neil could use the money he makes from this to buy himself a coat that fits.
Genesis with their least in depth interview ever. 😀 😀 😀
Simple Minds promise us a miracle (can I wish for bbc4 to show the Mike Smith shows)
Good show. 😀
CCTC should have had a Shirlie logo too for equality!
DeleteShort memory re ABC, Slimes! A different turn from the duo, er, group, keeping the cyan motif but a dapper new suit for Martin (you never saw him in a polo shirt or hoodie, did you?), glitterless shoulderpads for the guitarist who still can’t spell “Channel”, and one of the sax players has gone to chess club.
ReplyDeleteAtlantic Starr, sponsored by Tate and Lyle Syrup and FF. As far as my wedding reception went, the first two dances were “Stranger On The Shore” (just the two of us) and “Moon River” (all together now). Showing my age there.
TOTP is about the charts, Slimes? Not always so. Remember the halcyon days of album tracks and sponsored ‘the record’s out tomorrow’ flops?
American supergroup Heart, Slimes? For Christ’s sake, they’re a band fronted by two Canadian sisters. Sheesh!
Woah! Look at that lioness’s hair in the next intro! Take four bottles into the shower? Are you chewing?
CKTC FF. Next!
The underrated Black with an admittedly black lightbulb and Wilkinson Sword song, but achingly sung. I love this.
Billy Idol unfortunately looking like Jake The Peg with the shadow on the chestbox looking like he’s got an extra leg. Diddle iddle iddle um!
A-Ha View To A Kill! An 0-0-3½ of a song with a crap video.
Mein Host with a tip for the 90’s which knocks Noel Edmonds’ hopes for John Christie into a cocked hat. Broken Record there with a song which made me pine for The Cult and almost Sigue Sigue Sputnik. I said almost.
Neil Tennant wearing a tent without poles leant from Demis Roussos. Lovely lashes while I’m at it.
Saucy yet funny stuff there from Sperminator Rutherford and we get Stereo Banks to boot. What a superb interview.
Simple Minds with a live version of a hit I enjoy, but never trust a drummer with cymbals suspended from a horizontal pole.
much as i find the idea of defending slimey unpalatable, he is technically right that heart were american. well the two sisters that were always the heart of the band (ho ho) were, anyway. the reason they relocated to canada was because one of their boyfriends had illegally skipped over the border from seattle to vancouver in order to avoid the vietnam war draft, and so the (already active) band decided to follow him and base themselves there!
DeleteGood Lord, what I would give to be Nancy's boyfriend at the time, ie, the prettier of the two Heart sisters. Just seeing her amazing looks on the video for Alone, is enough to send anyone into a spin. However, like with many people through the ravages of time, I have no clue what she looks like now, and I may not hold my breath!
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