You cannot be serious!
21/01/88 (Gary Davies & Steve Wright)
Bros – “When Will I Be Famous?” (16)
Became their first of five top ten hits in 1988 when it peaked at number 2.
AC/DC – “Heatseeker” (12) (video)
They'd been having hits for almost ten years by now, and this one was their biggest, and number 12 was its peak.
Joyce Sims – “Come Into My Life” (8)
Her only top ten hit and it went up one more place.
The Christians – “Ideal World” (15)
Also went up one more place.
Motley Crue – “Wild Side” (23) (breaker)
Already their biggest hit but it got no higher.
Bananarama – “I Can’t Help It” (20) (breaker)
Another that got no higher.
The Beatmasters featuring the Cookie Crew – “Rok Da House” (14) (breaker)
Became their first of three top ten hits whent it peaked at number 5.
Dollar – “O L’Amour” (18)
The duo's first 40 hit in over five years, this Erasure cover became their fifth and final top ten hit when it peaked at number 7.
Belinda Carlisle – “Heaven Is A Place On Earth” (1) (US TOTP clip)
Second and final week at number 1.
The Stranglers – “All Day All Of The Night” (7) (rpt from 07/01/88 + credits)
Their seventh and final top ten hit now at its peak.
January 28th is next, but it is one of the few remaining Mike Smith editions, so BBC4 will skip it.
Great, there's enough editions to get through this week as it is without the early showing of this one getting the chop! Was the nation really that desperate to see Murray in action?
ReplyDeleteCassian Harrison said to Twitter:
Delete"Many apols to #TOTP fans tonight, but we had to make space for the Murray match at the last minute. The missed episode will be shown tonight at midnight and again on Saturday at 23:00."
As they should've put the tennis match on BBC One, they would've been a problem as Fake Britain, the Thursday episode of EE, a nature documentary, and Ambulance all went ahead as planned, the last time EE occurred moving to BBC Two was way back in the summer of 2017 when Murray was playing
last time at Wimbledon (solo), as they'd had to disrupt the 7.30 TOTP this time round on BBC4, at least problems have now been sorted out for the late-night slot.
Well, the Murray match was a first round doubles one, so not prestigious enough for BBC1. Blame Nick Kyrgios, everyone was so desperate to see his literal grudge match against Rafael Nadal that he took the BBC 2 airtime Andy should have had.
DeleteIf it had been any other doubles match, of course, the Beeb would have just confined it to the red button unless and until there was some spare time to kill at the end of the day on BBC2. Let's hope we don't get any further unexpected changes to the schedule this evening...
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DeleteBros - The debut of Bros on TOTP, and the twins now live in California, having turned their back on Britain, rightly or wrongly, but amazing to think that the twins are now 50.
ReplyDeleteACDC - I remember this one, and the video where the lead guitarist is transported in a red rocket which crashes from the sky into the studio set. This was of course pre-9/11 by 13 years, and would probably be outlawed on pop videos these days, but in those days it was considered as part of the pop video creativity.
Joyce Sims - I just love this track with its amazing piano intro, and Joyce's amazing party/evening jacket on this studio performance. The video is still the standout though, but a good run for this track, firmly wedged in the January top 10 by now.
The Beatmasters ft The Cookie Crew - I noticed that some of the black-and-white cartoon footage was the same as that used on ELO's 'Rock 'n' Roll Is King' from 1983 if anyone is familiar with the video. Worth watching both videos to see the duplication of cartoon video material by The Beatmasters, some five years after ELO.
Dollar - at last, the long-awaited return of the pair after 5 years out of the music scene. Theresa Bazaar looking amazing as ever, and the highlight of the show for me, along with the Joyce Sims track.
Bros, and the answer is "1988". I really must watch that documentary, it's supposed to be ridiculous. Anyway, the latest teen dreams, and though this is a decent enough pop record, I could never get along with Matt's (or was it Luke's?) Michael Jackson impersonating vocals. The growl is particularly grating.
ReplyDeleteAC/DC, this video is one a friend of mine finds hilarious, and it is pretty amusing, but I like to think they were in on the joke. Not their most famous song despite being their biggest hit, but perfectly serviceable rock and roll in their inimitable fashion.
Joyce Sims is really determined to show she can play piano, isn't she? There's no piano on the record, Joyce! Anyway, cheery performance from the toothy chanteuse and I didn't mind hearing this again.
The Christians wistful number next, though they seem to be two Christians down in this episode, also they've added a saxophone that isn't on the record. Was the sax played live in the studio, while the rest was mimed? Seems odd. Nice little tune, for all that, not my favourite of theirs but nothing to be ashamed of.
Two Breakers never to be seen again, Motely Crue, all their records sound pretty samey to me, so this was... professionally assembled, I suppose? Actually, I've read their band autobiography The Dirt, and very little about them was professional, so maybe we got them on a good day. Meanwhile Bananarama try the "hide one of the group is pregnant" trick with their video, keeping that camera tight, and like many a SAW act courting the pink pound with the addition of the male models.
Dollar are back, but only briefly, with a fair Erasure cover, though you couldn't say Dave and Thereza were the equivalent of Vince and Andy. Pretty sure Trevor Horn didn't produce this one, it's more bog standard '88 pop stylings than anything inspired.
And Belinda and the Stranglers we've seen before.
The Bros doc is well worth watching - truly cringeworthy and Spinal Tappish in places, but it certainly hasn't done the brothers' comeback ambitions any harm.
DeleteBelinda & The Stranglers? That is a new group I think, heh.
Deletebros: if one had listened to this on the radio without knowing anything about them, one would have concluded it was well-produced dance-pop with the only weak points being the despicable lyrics (perhaps the launchpad of the "me! me! me! generation that has blighted society for the last 20 to 30 years?) and the ill-advised triplet breakdown. even watching them in person, it seems that singer matt and drummer luke (or is it the other way around?) appeared to know what they were doing musically. however having a godlike figure at the front of the stage and a clone at the back created a real problem with the middle ground, which needed someone with a far stronger presence than the ordinary-looking and plainly uncomfortable "ken" to fill
ReplyDeleteac/dc: i remember thinking at the time that this was far superior to their usual output, and that it had a great chorus. that still holds true, although listening now brian's screeching gets tiresome really quickly. also no prizes for originality in the video, with a "stage" performance featuring lots of shots of angus doing his one-trick pony psycho schoolboy routine (quel surprise). of course not that long after this the tory government eradicated the increasing problem of unemployment at a stroke, and as a result i always think of this song as "jobseeker"!
In a novel move, this week's show is hosted by Doctor Who and a yuppie. The Doctor, despite his dubious fashion sense, seems as confident doing links to camera as he is when saving the universe, but sadly the yuppie is like a fish out of water, looking uncomfortable, overdoing the false enthusiasm and sometimes seeming as he if would much rather be back on his City trading floor.
ReplyDeleteThe arrival of Bros means that 1988 is now well and truly underway, and their appearance in these repeats is appositely timed given their ongoing documentary-fuelled career revival - I see the twins are "taking over" BBC4 in a couple of weeks for one evening. I was never keen on them at the time, and Matt's vocal affectations used to get on my nerves as well, though my sister was temporarily smitten as she tried to fill the Wham-shaped hole in her affections. This debut hit has actually stood the test of time surprisingly well, and I think I may like it now more than I did back then, the final post-key change part aside when it starts to sound as if Matt is singing over some kind of fairground backing track. Incidentally, the single was initially banned by the BBC because of allegations of chart hyping.
AC/DC next with the same old same old, which makes it baffling that this became their biggest hit. The video is mildly diverting, if only for the crap rendering of the missile in flight and the spectacularly naff moment when the full-scale version opens up to reveal Angus inside. Joyce Sims turns up in the studio this time, still mystifyingly playing that inaudible piano; still, at least she dressed up for the occasion and looked happy to be there.
The Christians, by contrast, look very serious and sombre as they sing about Utopia. It's a pretty enough record, with some nice harmonies, but it is also hard to get excited about. We won't be hearing the first two breakers again, which is hardly a pity as neither are much cop, Motley Crue with more forgettable hair metal and the Nanas with a slight, standard-issue SAW tune. The latter is solely notable for being the last single released before Siobhan's departure - she will look very different when we next see her on the show.
We then get the unexpected - if brief - return of Dollar to the charts. I didn't realise this was an Erasure song, but that certainly helps to explain why it is quite catchy and likeable. DVD and Thereza had temporarily buried their differences and look as if they are getting on here, with Thereza adopting a more vampish look than she had in their heyday. Alas, the arguments would soon start up again and by the end of the year they had split once more. Oddly, we play out with a repeat of the Stranglers studio performance from two weeks previously - was there no video that could have been shown?
Back in the saddle to tackle the onslaught a show or two at a time.
ReplyDeleteA better than showing than usual by the BAT (Born Again Trendy) who somehow looked better than Gaz in his garb.
It’s Bros and Ken with “We Are All Kings” – ah, hang on. The lyrics included “You suffer for your art” – guess it’s our turn to suffer, then.
Now then. AC/DC with a phallic symbol red rocket and lyrics including “hose me down”. Was this song about gardening, perhaps? Still, the lads are doing all right – Angus has upgraded to a velvet schoolboy outfit.
Joyce would have been better playing / miming a synth as there was at least one of those on the record. Still, better than standing there like a lemon, and didn’t she look spangly?
Motley Crue with sub-Ozzy poodle rock which had been down the parlour and clipped.
Beatmasters and Cookie Crew with the sort of cartoon backing you’d get for album tracks on “The Old Grey Whistle Test”.
The Nanas with (iron-on?) tattoos before they were prevalent and some sub-SAW slop.
Oo! Dollar, with Dave doing the Alvin Stardust sans glove mic stance early doors (and reminding me of that doc where he bunked off and did a solo gig at a Falklands army base while on tour as part of Bucks Fizz) and Thereze looking like a horny peroxide young version of Jan Leeming (No? Just me then) and showing off her incredible vocal range.
No US TOP OF THE POPS™ sign this week for Belinda’s fine effort, and no Stranglers video to see us out. Maybe Jet needed an afternoon nap when they tried to shoot it.
Two more episodes have sprung up like Japanese knotweed between watching this edition and doing the critique. Thank God we get rid of Shitty soon!
Oops! I missed out The Christians. There were three in the mugshot instead of four and, I think, three on stage as keyboard player Henry was very badly (non-)lit. A fine, melodic, worthy song but they were hardly a lighthearted party band, were they?
ReplyDeleteAnd another thing about The Christians... their tune followed an unusual format whereby, instead of the second verse being half the length of the first (to reach the catchy chorus quicker) as happens, "Ideal World" started with a small first chorus which got extended later.
DeleteI find Andy Murray particularly annoying. He came out big for Scottish Independence but was happy to receive the biggest honour the UK could bestow upon him and be flag bearer at the Olympics for the country he wishes to break up...Anyway, this is a music, not politics blog and thankfully we eventually got to see this edition.
ReplyDeleteBros - they played Belfast Botanic Park last week which is very close to my house. I had a little wander around outside and thought it sounded pretty poor. Matt can't sing very well any more (could he ever?).
Dollar - this edition went out 2 days before my 16th birthday and I remember well how beautiful I thought Theresa looked. 31 years on, I haven't changed my mind. Stunning
Tend to agree regarding Theresa Bazaar, and very few ladies in pop music in the 70s & 80s could give out the same appeal. The late 70s Dollar appearances on TOTP were particularly memorable, and she was always the fanciable one on any show she appeared on.
DeleteDespite my panning of the record (see below) I must admit Theresa new look was rather nice.
DeleteBros - The unintentionally hilarious documentary was brilliant at the time but sadly has led to them seemingly managing to develop a comeback for themselves around it. As for the music, they did have some decent pop tunes and this is one of those. I especially like the bit where it briefly goes into waltz time towards the end.
ReplyDeleteAC/DC - This was a favourite at school as I recall. I still quite like it, though the video is pretty tragic.
Joyce Sims - Less dated than her other hits, but still very much not a favourite.
The Christians - Rather a nice tune that seemed to spend absolutely ages in the chart before reaching its top spot.
Breakers - Motley Crue with their usual shite then an under-rated Bananarama song that is I think based on an Italian disco tune.
Dollar - I loved this at the time and still do, the difference back then being that I had barely heard of Erasure so didn't know it was a cover. That would change soon with my purchase of 'The Innocents' first of all, then their back catalogue.
Bros - overhyoed at the time, I like this better now than I did then.
ReplyDeleteAc/dc - pleasant enough ditty. Video must have cost dozens of pounds :-)
On a roll... Joyce Syms better than I remember as well. The dog got very interested by the high notes
Well that didn’t last. Christians as dull as I remember
Unusually, breakers turn out to be poorest part of the show - weakest banarama song so far
Dollar - my first missus used to do a fantastic impersonation of Tereza’s breathless whisper. Must have taken minutes to learn that choreography
Ah the stranglers to finish. One of my favourite bands.
A few manic work weeks and suddenly there are 9 TOTP in the in-tray. And thank goodness for BBC iplayer as I seem to have half an hour of tennis on the planner. Oops.
ReplyDeleteGary has stolen Dr Whos hat and jacket. Here come the young guns of 1988.
Bros (scream). The leather jacket and jeans was the look of the year. You couldn't turn on a kids TV show without them being there. Craig very much a spare part already. Good performance though, great energy. Song is also a great pop song. Well deserved hit. Like.
Try and hit your queue Steve. ACDC on video. Your Dad's version of youngsters heavy metal sound. Next. ...
Joyce Sims. Multi talented. She can even sing without a mic. Quality song though. She should really have been a much bigger star with this much talent, maybe held back by dressing as your older uncool Auntie.
The Christians next with the beautiful Ideal World. You can really hear the Liverpool accent when he sing this one. Gives the song a bit of edge. Very moody performance as well with the smoke and blue lights. Nicely done.
Breeakers:
Motley Crue. What's with the spelling of Crue? Heavy metal by numbers.
Beatmasters and Cookie Crew. Rok Da House. Loved this at 5he time. Not aged that well. There are better dance records this year.
The Bananas in full SAW mode. Probably their worst song and the reason Siobhan quit. So long Bananarama Part One.
Dollar back for one last hurrah with a poptastic version of the Erasure tune. DVD a bit old for this malarkey now and they ruin this song. Go away please. Terrible performance as well, no effort at all. Straight into the Turkeys list. Wifey "I bought this ". I'm getting a divorce. .
Belinda back in the US studio. A repeat from 1987. This song seems to have been around for ages but only 2 weeks at the top. Have dug out her greatest hits and we some real treats coming up. Still love this song. A cracker.
The Stranglers pointless cover plays us out.
A couple of quality performances tonight. A couple of duds. And Wrighty. ..hmmm
Looking at the bottom end of this week's Top 75 we have a couple of new entries from 88s biggest acts.
ReplyDeleteNo 54 Kylie Minogue (some Aussie soap actress)
No 64 Brother Beyond (another kids TV fave )