Friday 31 May 2019

Top of the Pops Arrest

I know you're gonna dig this! It's the 31st December 1987 edition of Top of the Pops!

Happy House


31/12/87  (Gary Davies & Peter Powell)

Krush – “House Arrest” (20) 
Became their only top ten hit when it peaked at number 3.

Nat ‘King’ Cole – “When I Fall In Love” (4) (old film clip)
Had peaked at number 2 in 1957, this time around number 4 was as high as it got.

Climie Fisher – “Rise To The Occasion” (31)
Became the duo's first of two top ten hits when it peaked at number 10.

Belinda Carlisle – “Heaven Is A Place On Earth” (5) (video)
Will be number one in two weeks time.

Morris Minor & The Majors – “Stutter Rap (No Sleep Til Bedtime)” (23)
About to become a bigger hit than the Beastie Boys ever had when it peaked at number 4.

Cher – “I Found Someone” (21) (video)
Became her first solo top ten hit since 1971 when it peaked at number 5. And just what isn't she wearing?

Wet Wet Wet – “Angel Eyes (Home & Away)” (10)
Their third top ten hit of 1987 and it peaked at number 5.

Pet Shop Boys – “Always On My Mind” (1) (video)
Third of four weeks at number one.

Mel & Kim – “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” (3) (video/credits)
At it peak.


Next up is 7th January 1988.

99 comments:

  1. At least the BBC have kept the Mel & Kim video as their play-out track and despite they do have a fade after the credits end through editorial scissors, due to a two-second frame of a picture of RH and Mel Smith mentioning him in a lyric of the song and the "Two Little Boys" reference, it does get cut out on every other music channels every year during the Christmas period.

    Having being cut out from last night's repeat, hopefully there are uncut versions of original broadcast and BBC Archive versions through WeTransfer for seven days and the extended play-out track of it from 31/12/87. As with the Nat "King" Cole video, it is the fourth of the oldest videos that TOTP have featured than 1942's 'White Christmas' in a 1977 repeat, as with Laurel & Hardy's 'Trail of the Lonesome Pine' might be the earliest of the clips that TOTP featured before Bing Crosby presumably and it was from the 'Way Out West' movie, also Dooley Wilson's 'As Time Goes By' is from the same era as 'White Christmas' in 1942 and despite both featured in 1977 episodes, despite BBC4 cut these out in 2012 due to they couldn't afford to pay the film rights for these particular clips back then, since 2015's 1980 repeats put a hold with David Essex's 'Silver Dream Machine' from a film and Blondie's 'Call Me', however The Thorn Birds clips in the BBC couldn't pay for with Warner Brothers for actual television clips and so it had to be removed out of the open in the 2017 repeats and we'd had a uninterrupted chart rundown.

    We finally got to see the Belinda Carlisle and PSB videos in these repeats, the last of the TOTP USA clips will be Tiffany's 'I Think We're Alone Now' when we'd see it in four weeks time. There was two TOTP USA clips in a unbroadcasted Christmas 1987 episode that came from U2 and Sting, so the BBC had a decision to show the shortened pre-recorded one instead in their schedules because of having it to make way for promotional trailers and HM The Queen's speech.

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  2. You know how it is, you turn up for your TOTP debut and someone's wearing the same opening sample as you. How embarrassing! Ah, the days when performers mimed their samples! Different times. Anyway, Krush's only hit of note, and I really liked it back then, maybe it's nostalgia talking but this was a lot of fun to see again. Think the singer was called Ruth Joy? No idea where she is now, but she's a perky presence who puts other dance acts we've seen recently to shame.

    Nat King Cole with more of the Istanbul clip than previously, but it's not very exciting otherwise. No Cat Ballou, that's for sure.

    And the award for most cynical remix goes to... Climie Fisher garnered their first hit with this clunky sounding redo of their previous flop, and the record buying public were somehow conned to believe this was cool. It sounds pretty daft now, the unremixed version is preferable. Rob Fisher is no longer with us, no idea where Simon Climie is.

    Ah, here's the Belinda Carlisle video we would soon be all too familiar with, and it still gets played these days. One of the only times a children's choir was acceptable on a hit record?

    Morris Minor and the Majors were Tony Hawks and, erm, the other two. They got their own TV series off the back of this! Although taking the piss out of stutterers wouldn't pass muster these days, they just about get away with this spoof thanks to a few shreds of wit in the lyrics. The follow up This is the Chorus took the mickey out of SAW, and very well, a bit too well as it sounded just like them and wasn't a hit.

    Cher, the joke was that she had had so much removed in cosmetic surgery that the doctors could have made a whole other person. Here she's not backward about showing off the products of the process, and the song was one of her shouty 80s power ballads. Didn't appeal to me at the time, and I'm not won over now, though I admire her chutzpah.

    Hope you all listened out for the burp at the start of Wet Wet Wet's tune. Same as last time, except Marti's more cheery.

    Ah, here's the PSB video, taken from their flop pretentio-thon movie which is still unavailable on DVD, Blu-ray or streaming - doubtless someone's stuck it on YouTube so you can see Gareth Hunt and Barbara Windsor, together at last. Mildly hilarious to hear Joss Ackland's interjections. He notoriously hates every film he's ever been in, so heaven knows what he thinks of this.

    Mel & Kim to end on, or about a minute of them anyway. Happy New Year!

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    1. Ruth Joy indeed.

      From memory, someone bet Tony Hawks he couldn't get a top 20 hit in mainland Europe and, eventually, he hit upon the idea of recording a song with Norman Wisdom and releasing it in Albania where the comic was (and probably still is) seen as a legend. It reached number 19!

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    2. He's fantastic on a skateboard, too.

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    3. Looking up Ruth Joy Oram, apparently she just turned 20 years old, a day before this TOTP show, and she's from Birmingham or Sheffield, and only two months older than me! Very pretty too, and I also liked the caption with her on the chart rundown section in those slinky trousers. She's still only 51 now. When will we see this lovely next on the show?

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    4. We get to see Ruth just once more (I'm guessing on Friday June 14th) and luckily, not on a contraband show.

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  3. Looking at Popscene, I see this was the first time since 1971 that TOTP ended a year with a regular edition rather than a festive special. It's not a bad show, either - despite there being a predictably high number of non-movers in the post-Christmas chart, there is plenty of new stuff to enjoy here, and not as much of the festive hangover effect as we have had in previous years. We started 1987 with Gazza, and we finish with him too, thankfully free of Smitty's influence here and back to his normal affable, informative self. PP's on good form too, though he looks a bit silly in that hoodie, presumably a misfiring attempt to get down wiv da kidz.

    We have an example of the kind of thing the kids were now getting into first up, with this early example of a home-grown house record. This isn't actually a bad example of the genre, as it does have a bit of melody to it, and at least Ruth Joy gives the otherwise anonymous group a nice face, though her "street" gear looks very naff and dated now. Nat "King" Cole's honeyed tones make for quite a contrast after that, though this is not a song I have ever been that keen on - I prefer Unforgettable. Anyway, this SAW-baiting rerelease annoyed Pete Waterman, so it deserves credit for that! I did wonder if this clip came from a film, but I see THX has already answered that question before I asked it.

    Next, the Climie Fisher hit you never hear these days, and it makes for a bizarre listen, the achingly contemporary house mix leading you to expect a very different song to the slightly weedy ballad we end up getting once Simon starts singing. I see that this was a remix, and that would certainly explain the uncomfortable juxtaposition of styles here, while Simon does the song no favours by performing in a vest - put your jacket on, man! PP was presumably delighted when Love Changes (Everything) - now there's a pointless bracketed title if ever there was one - became a big hit when reissued the following year.
    I don't remember the Belinda Carlisle video at all, but watching it now I do wonder what Diane Keaton was smoking! Why is Belinda pinned into a tight corner? Why do the kids all look as if they are auditioning for Batman? Looks more like hell on Earth than heaven to me...

    Give me Morris Minor and the Majors over the Beasties any day. This spoof may be a bit corny, and would probably be frowned on these days as politically incorrect, but it does have some genuinely funny moments and you can tell they are having a great time performing it here. As has already been mentioned, the prime mover here was Tony Hawks, perhaps best known for his guest appearances in Red Dwarf and a book he wrote about playing Moldovans at tennis. On to Cher, making a big chart comeback with a song co-written by Michael Bolton, who was of course soon to find fame (or notoriety, depending on your musical taste) in his own right. This is big power ballad territory, with the obligatory soft-focus, candle-filled video, but Cher has the heavy-duty vocals to really sell this kind of thing and she succeeds admirably here - her choice of outfit, predictably, leaves pretty much nothing to the imagination...

    The Wets offer up an identikit performance to last time, though it occurred to me listening to this again that when Marti sings the "set me on fire, baby" line he comes dangerously close to Paul Shane club singer territory! We get the PSB promo, and as I thought it is predominantly the boys in a car with a madly gurning, overacting Joss Ackland, while some very poor quality film clips are thrown in. Mel & Kim play us out, and I see BBC4 got round the Rolf problem this time by simply cutting the video to shreds and fading it out rapidly.

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    1. The new Cher video was by far the highlight of the show for me, as the song itself gave more power to the video which could have looked very ordinary otherwise. There is no doubt that throughout the 80s, and particularly in 1987, the American videos were far superior in quality and viewing interest than the British ones, and this new Cher video was a perfect example. The year also brought amazing videos by Starship, Heart, Atlantic Starr, Prince......the list goes on. It will be interesting to see if the Americans continue to keep up this quality in 1988, as the house music scene is about to fully embed itself in the charts.

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    2. the best song nat "king" cole brought to prominence in my opinion was "nature boy", and there is an interesting story behind it too:

      its writer was a guy who called himself eden ahbez, who was a sort-of pre-hippy dropout living on fruit and whatever else he could find in the hollywood hills along with some others of that ilk (thus known locally as "the nature boys"). anyway, one day he decided to visit cole backstage at one of his gigs to hand over a song he had written about his lifestyle in person, and cole was sufficiently impressed to record it. with the result that it became a massive hit. but despite that ahbez continued to live in the same eccentric manner for the rest of his long life (he was killed trying to cross the street when he was in his 90's!)

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    3. Funny that Nat should be so impressed with Aben, when Nat was a notoriously conservative Republican. But maybe not so funny - he knew a classic tune when he heard it.

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  4. So we come to the end of another year, and also in effect to the end of the Michael Hurll era, as this was the last show he directed before stepping down, though he would remain nominally in charge for a few more weeks while handing the show over to Paul Ciani. Meanwhile, over on BBC2 that evening the last ever Whistle Test was broadcast, so this was a real "end of an era" New Year's Eve in the world of music programming. Thanks as ever to Angelo for seeing us safely through 1987.

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    1. yes john i also add thanks to angelo for hosting yet another year, and presumably the coming one too? but if so, then it would be appreciated if he could find some way of stopping the completist pests from getting in the way of the reviews, which was the whole point of this blog in the first place as far as i am concerned. my sugggestion would be to give them their own post say once a month or so, where they can go on about this edition or that edition popping up out of the woodwork to their heart's content - without boring those of us who don't give a shit about that kind of thing...

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    2. You really are a vile, pointless little bellend, aren't you? I (clearly mistakenly) thought that we'd had some attempt at unity a few weeks ago, but clearly your ego can't be contained any more and we find you back pompously demanding that any discussion that doesn't fit in with what you want to discuss should be banned. Not content with whining on constantly about the quality of the music, the quality of the hosts, you seemingly can't seem to accept anything WHATSOEVER that doesn't fit into you narrow margin of acceptability. The “We were here first” argument most people left behind in the playground and just reeks of that breed of sad fan of bands who can’t accept anyone else liking them who wasn’t there when the first promo flexi disc was issued - “Your not a proper fan,” they scream, throwing their toys and dummies out of the pram. I see you’ve started picking out individuals now, as well - Wayne B made a perfectly valid comment on the blog for the episode of the 17th December and what do you do? Spend a whole post just to point out a single spelling mistake he made - “Can’t anyone spell anymore?” you whinge, seemingly blissfully unaware that every piece of blustering crap you spout out is utterly devoid of any punctuation. Not that many would notice, mind you as I’m sure most people see the name ‘Wilberforce’ and just gloss right over it to avoid the nasty feeling it leaves behind. Your just a petty keyboard warrior, bullying away from behind his screen because you certainly wouldn’t last long if you were brave enough to treat people like this in real life. Now how about making good on your repeated promises to leave the blogging for others to do - because if anyone is ruining the place, filling it with ‘unwanted crap’ and ‘things we don’t give a shit about’, I would suggest you look somewhat closer to home for the cause. Or alternatively, how about YOU start YOUR own blog. Then you can witter away to your hearts content and not bother the rest of us.

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    3. i really don't give a shit what mr spires and his fellow completist cuckoos-in-the-nest think about my contributions here - if they don't care for them, then they can ignore them in the same manner as i do my best to ignore theirs if they continue to get in the way of what interests me. however i am fairly sure that those who like myself are only interested in reading the reviews of each episode as and when they appear here are more than happy for me to carry on making a contribution should i choose to - even if they may not agree with my point of view. they also have the right to respond if they think i'm talking out of my arse, although in the 10 years i've been here i can't really remember anyone doing so to any noticeable degree (well not regular reviewers, anyway)...

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    4. Can I respectfully suggest that both sides in this dispute just agree to disagree and ignore each other? I have been reading Wilberforce's comments for many years now, and while he can be caustic sometimes it is clear to me that he is not a troll or a keyboard warrior, but someone with a genuine interest in and passion for music who has made many insightful contributions. That said, the name-calling going on at the moment on both sides is unedifying and pointless, so with a new TOTP year about to begin I think it is beyond time that a halt was called to it, and that we got back to focussing on the show.

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    6. 've tried that John but, just like all Bullies, his vastly inflated ego doesn't allow him to see reason or any possibility of agreement - because he's been here an incredible ten years, apparently some sort of extra respect and deference is deserved, as is an ability to pick and choose exactly what he would like to see included on the board any the contributions from other participants. As stated, I do generally skip over his bilge with the same
      enthusiasm that I normally step over a dog turd in the street, but as I'm sure most know from experience, sometimes those turds are just too huge to completely ignore. Perhaps when he realises that he is but one amongst many any that, contrary t what he seems to think, the amount of times he visits this page does not increase at the same rate as how loud and obnoxious he thinks he is allowed to become, then I might have a bit more time for his opinions

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    7. well if angelo doesn't try and sort out the wheat from the chaff as far as the differing nature of contributions go here now, then i can at least take some satisfaction that the above guy's eyes will glaze over what he considers my "bilge" in the same manner as mine do when i encounter the irrelevent and interest-free posts submitted by him and his fellow completists

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    8. This is ‘our site’ as you said in a previous post, Wilber-Force; hear hear I say. Only pure contributions here. Although,I must say, you do need to keep calm and carry on. I do use the services of our completest-in-chief, Anonymous; do you Wilber-Force? What say you to the idea that we set up a new site just for us pure bloods and get rid of all these completest Muggles.
      Yawn………………………………………………

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    9. May I remind you Mr Wilberforce; I is a pronoun and should always be in capital letters.

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    10. Well said Matt Spires, this Wilberforce person is a real buzz kill.

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    11. Matt, well said. I fail to see why Wilberforce cannot simply ignore the posts he doesn't like. I stopped reading his quite some time ago, due to the negativity of them. I actually don't understand why he even watches the episodes because he likes virtually nothing he sees/ hears.
      As I rarely post here, I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who do make the old (and current episodes) available. It has been a real joy to see some of the old episodes that we would never have seen again, so to you I say a huge thank you and I hope that you are able to continue to post them.

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    12. Now now, come come, everyone. Peace and love. I can see where Wilby's coming from, comment over completism if you like (plus Wilby's been here since the very start and he's invaluable) but, on the other hand, it is nice to have a quick delve into editions shown before this re-run. I was desperate to see the 'studio employees stand-in' pilot for the 1980 post-stike TOTP and, some years later, I wasn't disappointed.

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    13. I suppose ten years without a massive fight could be a record on an internet forum. Oh well...

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    14. I don't know, I go on holiday for a week, and find myself returning to the OK Corral!

      There's plenty of room for everyone on this blog - all of your comments and contributions are greatly appreciated by me, and I'd like to send out a big thanks to each and every one of you!

      I completely agree with John G's sentiments above, let's focus on the show because the only way is Top of the Pops!

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    15. Thanks Angelo, your dedication to the blog and support for all of us here is very much appreciated.

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    16. Thanks for the response, Angelo, and here's to 1988! (Apart from that Cher video that's coming up soon, as has been mentioned. Last time I saw it I ended up having to scrub my eyes with bleach …)

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    17. Thanks Angelo - delighted to see that I guessed the new blog title correctly again, for the second year in succession!

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    18. What happened to the Gravity part of your name Angelo?

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    19. It floated away, Dory :-)

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    20. Thanks Angelo for your comments, you have made a great site and there is room for everyone. We shouldn't be giving people titles like 'completists'. We are all fans of a great show, whether a commentator or someone who requests a certain episode; that episode may rekindle good memories or remind them of better times. Anyone who wishes to complain and initiate conflict has the best remedy at their fingertips; a scroll dial or move the cursor over to the right side of the screen and move along.....

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  5. krush: i suppose it was inevitable that punning titles would be used for the new dance craze sooner or later. it's difficult to tell whether this is an authentic attempt or another cash-in a la mirage, but at least there's no obvious (c)rapping going on

    climie fisher: couldn't they think of a half-decent act name for themselves? mr climie's rather hoarse style of singing reminds me of someone else, but i can't think who. i suppose this is a sort of dance attempt, but the plodding bass line and disjointed drum pattern makes sure that it doesn't rise to that particular occasion

    belinda carlisle: although the go-go's meant nothing to most in blighty (as opposed to their native states, where they were massive for several years), i still remember the hoo-hah over her transformation from chubby girl-next-door to svelte solo siren. i haven't heard this one for many years now as i thought it was a bit too american aor for my taste at the time, but a refresher is actually quite a pleasant listen now thanks to its slick production and big booming chorus. plus the instrumental break is very much in the mould of the sound fleetwood mac had on "tango in the night"

    morris minor & the majors: probably like most here i never had much time for novelty records (does "just one more night" by yellow dog count?), but rather this than what it apes any day of the week. and i always thought the "no sleep til bedtime" line was amusing

    cher: another dreadful love theme from some dire 80's movie, that i presume she also appeared in as she went through a phase of doing that sort of thing (and unlike madonna actually got some acclaim for doing so to my recollection)

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    1. Not only was Cher receiving acclaim at this time for her film acting, but she was about to win an Oscar for her performance in Moonstruck. The outfit she wore to that ceremony was hardly subtle, either...

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    2. May I remind you Mr Wilberforce; I is a pronoun and should always be in capital letters.

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  6. It looks like this week we will start 1988 with the usual Story Of....and Big Hits...1988, both coming up on Friday on BBC4. Looking forward to seeing in 1988 with Krush and Cher dominating the January '88 Top 10, plus the long-awaited return of Dollar, first time back in the Top 40 since 1982!
    Roll on 1988....

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    1. I had quite forgotten that Dollar made a brief reappearance in the charts. Something to look forward to! Dollar were actually at no73 this week. In fact a glance at the lower regions shows a few interesting records that didn’t get very high including:-

      No54 – The Tide is turning (after Live Aid) – Roger Waters – classic acidic lyrics, first Floyd related single, and a good one well worth a listen if you haven’t heard it before. Features a Welsh choir at the song’s climax.
      No56 – Family Man – Fleetwood Mac – one of the flops singles from ‘Tango’
      No60 – Sing for ever – St Philips Choir – not as bad as you think. A ‘children in need’ song.
      No61- I was born to be me – Tom Jones – another single from ‘Matador’ nobody has probably heard.
      No64 – On the turning away – Pink Floyd – probably my favourite ‘Gilmour era’ Floyd song and only played live on the ‘Momentary lapse of Reason’ tour where it sounded absolutely awesome.

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  7. Well, certainly warming up for a lot of the rubbish that 1988 is going to serve up (“Hi there S’Express”!). I found that this show had a couple of highs but some real lows. Also, a weird chart with a lot of non-movers and some on their way down unexpectedly going up again. Time of year I guess. In an ideal world of course, the Christians would have been featured before.

    Krush – House Arrest – This made no3?!!

    Nat ‘King’ Cole – When I fall in love – Hard to appraise this objectively as I have heard it so many times, but lose two points for a record company cash in on Rick Astley.

    Climie Fisher – Rise to the occasion – Much prefer their next hit.

    Belinda Carlisle – Heaven is a place on earth – Not seen the video before (not sure how I missed it) and it’s pretty good. Certainly reinforces the ‘earth’ message.

    Morris Minor and the Majors – Stutter Rap – Truly awful. This got to no4?!!

    Cher – I found someone – Marvellous. Love the way the song builds to a chorus climax. As noted above, written by Michael Bolton; the follow up single ‘We all sleep alone’ was not a big hit but was written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Desmond Child. Video? Yes Peter, impressive!

    Wet Wet Wet – Angel Eyes – Last night I was taking a walk along the river…. Sorry Wets, this song is not really my cup of tea.

    Pet Shop Boys – Always on my mind – Never seen the video before. Weird isn’t it with zebras, cows, Lord Charles, a heritage railway and Joss Ackland in back of the car who interjects. Video more interesting than the song.

    Mel and Kim – Rockin’ around the Christmas Tree – Ah so that’s how they did it! Edit out the first bit so as not to offend anyone with Rolf. Very clever. Perhaps they should have done that on 17/12.

    My thanks to Angelo too, and to all the uploaders of Smitty and snipped editions so that we can watch them. Much appreciated.

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  8. Just noticed that the 1987 movie Full Metal Jacket where the big November No.2 in the 1987 TOTP chart appeared, will be shown on TCM this evening (Sunday) at 9pm. I didn't watch the film back then, but out of curiosity from these TOTP reruns, I'm just wondering where and at what point in the movie the big No.2 song came from?? Does anyone know?

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    1. The Drill Instructor tune isn't anywhere in the film, it was created out of samples of the Army drill scenes. The troops do sing the theme for The Mickey Mouse Club at the end, though!

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  9. Thanks indeed to Angelo, the other contributors, and all of you ready to put up with my, erm, insights. '88 here we come!

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  10. Sorry to hear you've been arguing again about the 'completists' asking for old shows. I try to put my requests up when all the regulars have had their say about the show they're reviewing. Anyway, I'm on to ask Anonymous if he's got higher res versions of the three shows that had the Crowd video clipped due to Rolf Harris. They were 6/06/85, 13/06/85 and 20/06/85. Also, could you put up 17/09/87 which you told us you'd got. Sorry if this offends anyone!

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  11. Yes there certainly has been alot of moaning and groaning on here of late brie! It amazes me why all this crap is happening after all we are all totp fans, and without me these last few years there may not have been skipped episodes to comment on!!! The owner of blog namely angelo said o ahead and post away missing episodes to make alot of people happy, shame about the same few whingers eh??
    Anyhow here are two episodes you requested 17/7/87 & 13/6/85 the other 2 are avalible in high res but they are the bbc4 copies which have crowd chopped up, maybe someone can reinstate crowd record from 13/6 into bbc4 versions? i can post bbc4 copies if needed with no dogs on,

    https://we.tl/t-n8fe2KHMH9

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    1. Thanks Anonymous for these. I'll stick with the BBC Archive shows from 6/06 and 20/06 that you posted at an earlier date.

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    2. Well said Anonymous. What would we have done without all of your hard work, consideration and patience. I am sure the person complaining has partook of your work.

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  12. Hi Anonymous, I don't know what all the fuss is about but I certainly object to being called a Pie Thrower, a Cuckoo In the Nest and a Pest. However, this may well be my last request on the blog so hopefully that will keep Mr Wilberforce happy. I was wondering if you have any of the following shows: 06/01/83, 24/02/83, 04/08/83, 29/09/83, 27/10/83, 17/11/83 and 26/01/84. Thank you for all the shows that you have made available to us on this blog.

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    1. HERE are most of them only one i couldnt find was 26/1/84

      https://we.tl/t-vgsMbG3Xe8

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    2. Don't let them get you down, xrayfour! I hope you keep reading the blog as I might want some shows from you in the future!

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    3. I'm in agreement with Brie. The only person having a problem with 'completists' or 'pests' as he calls it, is Wilberforce. I certainly don't think there are any pests on here.

      The 10 or so other regulars don't seem to have a problem with requests for various shows to be posted on here for downloading, so why should this be your last request Xrayfour? You're just as entitled to post on here as Wilberforce, so don't be silly, and just get on with it.

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    4. Thanks guys for the shows and the support and I will definitely be hanging around!

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    5. Sorry to read about the bad vibes guys. We're all fans of the show and that's all that matters. Anonymous, have you got these shows in higher res which you have previously posted? They are 28/01/82, 14/07/83, 10/11/83, 5/07/84 and 6/12/84. Also, is it possible to re-post 6/06/85 and 20/06/85 with the BBC Archive logo removed? Many thanks.

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  13. yep here they are \;

    https://we.tl/t-H0jXqQeLjV

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    1. Hi Anonymous, the copy of 5/7/84 above is only 5 minutes long. Could you upload it again please if you have the full show as it looks like a very good copy. Also can I request some other shows from you please. I'm not sure if any of them have been uploaded before but here goes: 15/3/84, 12/4/84, 21/6/84, 26/7/84, 30/8/84, 13/9/84, 27/9/84, 25/10/84, 1/11/84, 24/1/85, 28/2/85, 14/3/85 and 21/3/85. That's my lot in one go & I would be grateful for any of them that you may have. Thanks.

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    2. HI not sure what happened with 5/7/84? but it's included here again, one or two eps i couldn't find but most of them are here in two download links, including the infamous train episode (30/8/84) which is a new find for me.

      https://we.tl/t-XCIqO1dd5M


      https://we.tl/t-kLVqn2rvNG

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    3. Thanks again, Anonymous!

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    4. Thank you very much from me also.
      I really appreciate all of the shows that you share with us.

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  14. I bet Gary was glad to have PeTER PowELL this week and not Mike Read again after his last effort.

    I dig the opener. Apparently a collective from Rotherham, on the same label as Cameo, with their only single as far as I can see, and (sorry) an arresting take on house music. Some melody, some lyrics (which don’t actually gel) and a combination of ideas and sounds. Great sample miming, plus an OTV shop window display and great colour co-ordination by Ruth. We’ll show those Yanks, what!

    Ah, King Nat. A voice that washes over you like a gentle wave.

    I didn’t dig Climie Fisher’s drivel, sung by a vest-riddled Go West reject, which jarred horribly with our fave sample of the night. Has this song been used yet for a Viagra ad?

    Belinda Carlisle certainly changed looks-wise from her GoGos days. A great song, if a slightly dark and claustrophobic video. I envied those chaps in close quarters.

    I loved Peter’s disdainful voice when announcing Mini Pops in the mugshots. Surprised they weren’t chopped or pixellated in the current climate.

    “Stutter Rap”. B-b-b-b-bollocks. Okay, I did think the silence after the line “nothing comes out” was very clever.

    I’m trying to remember which confectionery had a TV ad with a geek called Norman berating a woman’s dress sense by saying “That’s not a skirt, that’s a belt”. In comparison, Cher was wearing dental floss.

    WWW with even darker clothing than last time and another understated (i.e. miles better) showing from Marti, apart from that rictus grin section near the end.

    Joss Ackland’s moniker was short for his third name of Jocelyn, his first two being Sidney Edmond. His remarkable wife Rosemary broke her back while pregnant when jumping from an upstairs window to escape a fire. The baby survived, and Rosemary walked again two years after the accident. As for The Boys, oo! Neil in an Elvis suit and Chris gets a rare as hen’s teeth speaking part!!!

    In terms of how much was shown, poor Mel and Kim’s Christmas tree didn’t reach my kneecaps.

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    1. To answer my own query, that skirt / belt TV Ad was for Twix.

      Less than a year now until we see Cher modestly clothed and straddling a gun turret. Ahem.

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    2. Peter Powell, Simon Bates and Mike Read were still presenting TOTP at the end of 1987, and for around 10 years at this point, dating back to the late 70s. It's quite incredible that they themselves wished to still present the show, considering all the music and fashion changes from 1977-1987.

      I guess the main reason for this longevity which you would not find nowadays, is that there were still only four terrestrial channels on TV in 1987/88 and no subcription TV yet, and around three years before Sky/Cable TV arrived to bring hundreds of channels, where anyone could then get on TV and present a show.

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  15. Just time then for one last show of 1987 before 1988 begins tomorrow on BBC4. Saved this one for today and it appears I've missed a bit of a scrap.

    Happy TOTP New Year to you all....in 5 hours and 5 minutes..

    First up then...

    Krush. Proper late 80s dance tune. Loved this at the time and very much similar to the stuff The Beatmasters put out. The sign of things to come.. An OK performance. Not really much else they could do with it really.

    NKK. Christmas hangover number 1. Not my cup of tea. Don't really like the musical arrangement on the original.

    Climie Fisher. The first of 2 big hits of which the second "Love changes everything" is by far the superior song. This one is OK but lacking rather in oomph. Nowhere near as good as I remember but it's OK. The samples dont really help the song at all and date it. Could he not have left his jacket in the dressing room? Would have saved him carrying it.

    PP is really waffling tonight.. Shut up and get on with it.

    Belinda on vid. Already professed my love for this tune. The video brings back memories, haven't seen it for years but remember it like it was yesterday.

    Who the hell were the Mini Pops...??? 😁 Why havent we seen Sinitta and GTO.

    Morris Minor taking off the Beastie Boys. God bless Tony Hawks. His books are great. Met him once when he came into whsmith in Reading to sign some books back in about 2000. Nice Neighbours sample and lots of British references. It's actually quite clever.
    No Sleep Til Bedtime. 😀 😀 😀

    Cher is back. I think the last and only time I've seen her on these repeats is with Meatloaf. This is where her musical and film career takes off in a big way. Song is perfect AOR rock and the video must have helped shift a few units. If I Could Turn Back Time is my favourite but this is good as well.
    2 years and counting til Shoop Shoop

    WWW back again. They've clearly got a season ticket and 88 is a big year for them thanks to their Child line single.

    PSB and we get the video. Had their Discography video in the early 90s and tbis is a really odd video from a really odd and deleted film. Love the Joss Ackland bits. What were they thinking 😂😂😂 look there's a Zebra crossing. 😀 😀 😀

    Nicely edited Mel and Kim video.

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    1. Ah, now... Mini Pops was an ill-conceived idea of kids (in some cases toddlers) dressing like adults and singing contemporary pop songs, shown on Channel 4. Its nadir was reached with a young girl aged about 4 singing Sheena Easton's "9 To 5" complete with the line "Night time is the right time, we make love".

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    2. Cheers Arthur. Sounds horrific!

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    3. If I'm correct, I think this was Cher's first single in the UK charts, following her enormous Top 5 success with Meat Loaf on Deadringer For Love, about 6 years earlier at the beginning of 1982. Always liked her music, and this new number called I Found Someone is a real mood lifter, along with sexy video, and was right up there with her best work.

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    4. It seems quite remarkable that the "Mini Pops" tag was still being used at this time, given that the TV show had been axed over four years previously due to the controversy Arthur mentions.

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    5. Dory - I Found Someone was Cher's first UK Top 10 hit since Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves in 1971. She had of course got to number 1 with Sonny Bono as far back as 1965 with I Got You Babe, and had quite a few other big UK hits in the 60s both with Sonny and solo. She did of course look very different back then...

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    6. I gave up watching South Park because it stopped making me laugh, but I do remember their version of Cher on her 1970s Variety Hour TV show was hilarious, if very cruel.

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    7. Erm John G, Cher spent two weeks at No.5 in February 1982 on the Meat Loaf hit Deadringer For Love, although the chart listing only states the record as Meat Loaf, she is still main vocal on it with the great man:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSTIsZULYmY

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    8. technically still not a hit for cher then, even if she did everything else on it as well apart from singing

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    9. Yes, I think Meat unfairly took all the credit, with no mention of Cher on the recording artists. The two weeks at No.5 in the singles chart in early 1982 for Deadringer For Love was just as much her making as Meat Loaf, and I always wished that the credit on the record was shared, but it will not go down in the history books against Cher's name when the historians look up her chart achievements, hence John G gets the nod on this one.

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  16. I know Dory, I meant to say "solo UK Top 10 hit".

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  17. Does anyone know the previous time every song shown on a regular TOTP edition made the top ten like on this occasion?

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  18. Anonymous, Have you got the following shows in higher res or with the logo removed that you have previously uploaded? They are 20/09/84, 17/01/85, 25/07/85 and 8/08/85. Also could you upload 28/01/82 again without the logo please? Many thanks!

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    1. yep here you go

      https://we.tl/t-SPFxW68Jke

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  19. 20/9/84 upgraded from above

    https://we.tl/t-6f9R9pCKyQ

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    1. Brilliant stuff, Anonymous! Thanks again.

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    2. Hello Anonymous, I love the editions of TOTP that you share here on the blog. Have you any of these mostly JK shows from 1982 plus a partially mute one from 1971: 30/12/71, 18/02/82, 04/03/82, 15/04/82, 29/04/82, 17/06/82, 09/09/82, 14/10/82 and 11/11/82. Thanks.

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    3. Here are most of them in 2 packs

      https://we.tl/t-8XUDqrKtkg

      https://we.tl/t-WwXPMAuRi4

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    4. Thank you!

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    5. Hi folks, I'm still around & still collecting. Thanks also from me Anonymous for the above shows. I suspect BK requested 18/02/82 (and 29/04/82) because BBC4 carried out sneaky little edits during the shows. For all you fellow collectors & enthusiasts out there who don't have a copy, here's a VHS rip of 18/2/82 with all 5 of the missing seconds intact! Don't blink too hard or you will miss them.

      https://we.tl/t-vxXEMlBVcB

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    6. You are right xrayfour! Thanks. Can you work on Anonymous's copy of 30/12/71 and put the audio on all tracks like you did with the timecoded copy?

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    7. Well spotted xrayfour! Can't spot the edit on 29/04/82 though. Also I missed your posting of the missing bit on 10/07/86 on drykid's popscene page. Have you still got it please?

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    8. Here's 30/12/71 with audio on all tracks. Ed Stewart remains silent throughout:

      https://we.tl/t-NQAqpADCXW

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    9. Brie, the edit on 29/04/82 is between Bardo & Joan Jett. Here's the missing bit from 10/07/86:

      https://we.tl/t-7VF5FPT1of

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    10. Thanks, xrayfour! I thought it was the link to next week's presenter like it normally is. Thanks again for 10/07/86!

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    11. Where was the edit on 18.02.82?

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    12. It was the link at the end to next week's DLT appearance.

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    13. Thanks xrayfour for the audio on 30/12/71.
      The edit on 18/02/82 is a Jonathan King reference just before Toni Basil.

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    14. Has anyone got a copy of 29/04/82 which was shown on UK Gold? Also has anyone got a full copy of 5/01/84 which was on Glenn Marshall's Vimeo page?

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    15. Yes but the UK Gold copy of 29/4/82 is not the best quality. Anonymous's complete copy is much better. I've cleaned up Glenn's copy of 5/1/84 a little to remove the rough edges:

      https://we.tl/t-wcZLqSOlMd

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    16. Thanks for this xrayfour. Much appreciated!

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    17. I made a mistake there xrayfour, as I hadn't checked which shows that Anonymous had uploaded! I assumed he hadn't put up 29/04/82.

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    18. xrayfour and brie here is a smaller file size of a copy of 5.1.84 with BBC4 edits put back in
      https://we.tl/t-yC5EgevKyc

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    19. Thanks Meer, Great stuff!

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    20. Thanks Meer! Here's a copy of 25/02/71 with Atomic Rooster's 'Tomorrow Night' from 'Prog Rock at the BBC' included, which I think we spoke about before on Vimeo. The DJ links are there as well apart from the first one:

      https://we.tl/t-i7Q128QhSQ


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    21. xrayfour I remember that but believe it or not it was me that edited that show down and got Atomic Rooster to add them in to there original spot (as per info on popscene) I also done 30.02.72 and added in audio for all the tracks that where mute if you don't have this one let me know and I will stick it up that copy has the timecode I will do the copy with no timecode when i get time.

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    22. You did edit the show but the Atomic Rooster footage was widescreen so I used a 4:3 copy of it to match with the rest of the show.There is no 30.02.72. Which one did you add the audio to?

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    23. If you mean 30/12/71, I added the audio as well to Anonymous's copy of the show without the timecode. The link is above.

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    24. xrayfour thats great to get the "upgrades" esp. the copy with no timecode of 30.12.71

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  20. Finally got round to this one before the much better fare (yes, I know hardly anyone agrees with that) of 1988 shows up...

    Krush - The beginning of the house boom, and one of the reasons why I love 88. Famously, NOW 11 had an entire side of dance tunes - a sign of the times. This is barely a house song at all really, practically a pop tune with some samples. But it is very good.

    Nat 'King' Cole - Perfectly fine, but a bit weird in this context!

    Climie Fisher - If you've heard the original exceptionally drippy ballad version then maybe like me you would understand why this 'Hip Hop Mix' is so much better! I happen to think that almost all their singles were pop gems.

    Morris Minor & The Majors - I actually still find this quite funny, and inifinitely preferable to the act they're parodying. SAW said the follow-up mentioned by someone earlier was very authentic but also not funny, and they're correct. Even less funny was the sitcom which mysteriously aired far too late to cash in on the single.

    Cher - Why do people find her sexy? (see also Tina Turner) She just isn't, and this is one of her many crap songs.

    PSB - 'It Couldn't Happen Here' is a very odd and not particularly great film but as a PSB fan I would like to own it and I don't know why it's only ever come out on VHS.

    Bring on 88 then!

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  21. I am always looking for some free kinds of stuff over the internet. There are also some companies which give free samples. But after visiting your blog, I do not visit too many blogs. Thanks. Unfortunately, Facebook has blocked me, so to share on FB, you will have to use the Spotify link

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