What did we do that was wrong?
19/05/88 (Simon Bates & Gary Davies)
Prefab Sprout – “The King Of Rock ‘N’ Roll” (14)
Getting tonight's show underway with what became their biggest hit when it peaked at number 7.
Kylie Minogue – “Got To Be Certain” (4) (video)
Went up two more places.
Derek B – “Bad Young Brother” (16)
Gives it some energy in the studio but the record was at its peak.
Aztec Camera – “Somewhere In My Heart” (17)
Performing their only top ten hit - it was a great tune and it peaked at number 3.
Heart – “What About Love” (19) (breaker)
Peaked at number 14.
Ofra Haza – “Im Nin’Alu” (25) (breaker)
Peaked at number 15.
Hothouse Flowers – “Don’t Go” (22) (breaker)
They got their big break as the interval act on this year's Eurovision, and this song was their biggest hit peaking at number 11.
Debbie Gibson – “Out Of The Blue” (27) (breaker)
Peaked at number 19.
Belinda Carlisle – “Circle In The Sand” (12) (video)
On its way up to number 4.
Billy Bragg with Cara Tivey – “She’s Leaving Home” (1)
Bravely performing totally live in the studio, this was the flip side of the Childline charity single, and was Billy's (and Cara's) only number one.
Wet Wet Wet – “With A Little Help From My Friends” (1) (rpt from 12/05/88)
And here's a snippet of the other side - the first of four weeks at number one.
Liverpool FC – “Anfield Rap (Red Machine In Full Effect)” (3) (video/credits)
The Crazy Gang of Wimbledon had beaten them in the FA Cup final, and thankfully the record got no higher in the charts.
May 26th is next.
It's our penultimate chance to enjoy Master Bates and his verbal diarrhoea, and potentially also his trademark beige suit, depending on what he wears for his last show. He seemed to have real trouble with his cues this time, and was guilty of talking over Gazza (who remained admirably composed and professional) and holding on tightly to female members of the audience. There was a lot of sitting down on the parts of our hosts too - was this a concession to the Headmaster's advancing years? He also managed to get out of doing any of the chart rundown on this occasion.
ReplyDeleteI know Prefab Sprout can do no wrong in the eyes of many people, but I have always found this eccentric ditty deeply irritating - alas, it has been quite popular with DJs over the years and I have ended up hearing it far more often than I would like. A largely unremarkable studio turn to accompany it, though the drummer's face pulling for the camera is almost as annoying as the song. We get to see more of Kylie's video, which is chiefly remarkable for her numerous changes of outfit and the constant 360 degree panning across the evening skyline of Melbourne, presumably chosen for this video as she'd already used Sydney to promote the previous hit.
Derek B returns to the studio with his posse, and to my ears this sounds like a considerably more credible, American-style rap record than his last effort, even if he is evidently still insecure enough to insist in the lyrics that he is the "Real McCoy." Needless to say it does absolutely nothing for me, however authentic it may sound - was there a Prince sample buried in there? Aztec Camera deliver by far and away the best song of the night, a great driving pop tune that still sounds fresh 31 years on. By this point in time the "band" was essentially just Roddy Frame, but he has plenty of sidekicks to join him for this lively performance.
More from the breakers next time, so straight on to Belinda Carlisle and a quality ballad with an atmospheric, sultry production. Belinda adopts a beach babe guise for the video, but wherever this was filmed it doesn't actually look very warm, which detracts from it a bit. The number 1 sees both sides of a double-A get an airing for I think the first time since The Jam with A Town Called Malic/Precious six years earlier, not that we see much of the Wets this week. She's Leaving Home is one of only two songs on Sgt Pepper that I regard as being genuinely great (A Day in the Life being the other), but Billy's flat working man's vocals drain much of the life and emotion out of it. As has already been mentioned, he had stuck the words to the studio floor and had not bargained on dry ice covering them, but he does actually remember the vast majority of them, and credit is due to him for singing live. Never heard of Cara Tivey, but I see that she would collaborate extensively with Mr Bragg for the next few years.
The show finishes on a low with the Anfield Crap, which really is beyond woeful. It makes it all the more pleasurable that the Crazy Gang beat Liverpool at Wembley that year, something that caused my parents and me much amusement at the time. They all look so smug in this video it makes me want to grab Bruce's foam hands and knock those stupid baseball caps off their heads...
I think the sitting down was probably just another of Paul Ciani's odd ideas as the strangest sedentary link of all involved only Gary Davies and audience members.
DeleteYes, I'm sure that was the case - I was being facetious!
DeleteI'm another Prefab Sprout fan but there are other, better songs on 'From Langley Park To Memphis' - 'Nightingales' for instance is a stand out track.
DeleteI can remember Billy Bragg's performance from firsrlt time round and I don't think it's improved with age, much like Master Bates. Apparently a 15ft ladder fell over off camera during this performance - and they didn't do another take despite members of the audience turning round. Maybe it was Bates trying to find another place to sit for the final link...
John I must admit that I also enjoy the sitting down opportunity having turned 50 last year. Now where are those slippers?
DeletePrefab Sprout kick off a sedentary episode (as far as the hosts are concerned) with their big hit, a tribute to Elvis Presley's latter years of which Paddy has a strange fascination. Expertly produced by Thomas Dolby, the From Langley Park to Memphis album was one I bought on the strength of this was there were some fine tunes on there, this included. You can tell it was a hit because of the novelty-sounding lyrics, but the band would trouble the charts afterward too, if not with the same success.
ReplyDeleteKylie Minogue making her cameraman dizzy, with more of the video they truncated last time - they obviously thought it was worth a full outing. Video resembles a fashion supplement spread.
Derek B of course was not Britain's first rapper, that was Captain Sensible, but this was his best single. Ooh, do you think he had been watching Chuck D? He has his own posse and a Terminator X too. But the late Del could at least string his lyrics together, even if they were of the bigging oneself up variety that were growing old in '88.
In a very enjoyable show, it has to be Aztec Camera who take the honours for best song, this is, no word of a lie, a perfect pop tune, expertly crafted - to think he was against releasing it as a single! "From Westwood to Hollywood" references an area of his hometown East Kilbride (though he now lives in England). Just a wonderful example of pop's stars aligning.
Belinda's languorous hit is next, at a time when she was really on a roll as far as the quality went, quite the glamourpuss in her videos as well. They like that "crashing ocean in the pics on the line" effect, don't they? Does anyone look at their photo album on the beach?! Anyway, her LP was full of winners, it seemed.
Billy Bragg singing one of the Fabs' saddest songs, in a spare accompaniment as in the original. It's a decent rendition, but as with most Beatles' covers, it ain't The Beatles. His flub was not as disastrous as I remembered, just almost but not quite getting the words in the wrong order, but I do remember noticing at the time! Then a bit of the other A-side, Marti singularly unconvincing as needing someone to love when he was clearly in love with himself (qv The Undertones).
Then just as the quality is taking a downturn, it proceeds to race off a cliff. "They don't just play but they can rap as well!" Au contraire. Mercifully, the fadeout descends like a guillotine on this one.
Hmm, I appear to be logged into Google, hence my full alias!
DeleteThe Kylie video on this week's show was in fact NOT more of the truncated video from last week's playout. It was now on this week's show a fully outdoor video with none of her painting hobby from last week's show which was the original video, but this week we saw a fully outdoor video with the same sexy Star-Trek Uhura-style dress.
DeleteSct353 also sent the link on last week's blog for another version of the video with indoor scenes from a coffee house with her friends, so there are actually three versions of the video. Personally, I prefer the first and original version with the painting and paintbrushes indoor scenes which was the version cut short on last week's playout at No.15 in the charts.
She certainly keeps commendable composure on the juddery merry-go-round.
DeleteHighlight of this show for me was the opening number by Prefab Sprout as I've always found this tune uplifting, therefore it's no surprise it was the group's biggest hit and their sole top 10 single.
ReplyDeleteMore awful production values this week from Paul Ciani who seems predisposed to side camera views panning away from the performer which creates the impression of a guest leaving a party. Also, use of portable cameras for close-up shots of the singers has only ever worked well on the main stage which is lower to the ground, not to mention long shots mid-performance of crew sitting on unused sets as though the show was still in rehearsal. Constant use of the vision mixer to cut between shots is also irritating and naff.
Contrary to most other contributors on here, I always thought Simon Bates was one of the programme's better hosts although, of late, he does seem prone to bouts of affected giggles.
Prefab Sprout were just edged by Kylie as the highlight of the show for me, but I must admit that the nice backing singer Wendy Smith on Prefab Sprout caught my eye with that stunning minidress on that TOTP stage, complementing her gorgeous curves and tall figure.
DeleteOne of the better editions in recent memory with some real highs, but…..some real lows too.
ReplyDeletePrefab Sprout – King of Rock n’Roll – OK, I was a bit dismissive of this the other week, but it’s really good actually. Love the green dress the female member is wearing too. Produced by none other than Thomas Dolby.
Kylie Minogue – Got to be certain – terribly corny both lyrically and melodically. Goes exactly where you expect, but strangely endearing. Another ‘mix’ of the video shows Kylie on the merry-go-round with the air hostess outfit that she was prancing around the house in last time.
Derek B – Bad young Brother – Please can someone explain the appeal of this guy and his ‘music’?
Aztec Camera – Somewhere in my Heart – Yes Angelo, a great tune indeed. Fabulous sound with nice snatches of instrumentation. Highlight of this show.
Breakers – Heart – deserved hit from their previous 1985 album which by now had been recognised as quality by UK record buyers. Ofra Haza – who?? never heard of this. Hothouse Flowers – sounds intriguing. Debbie Gibson – sorry Debs, with a title ‘Out of the Blue’ only one thing comes to mind and it isn’t you!
Belinda Carlisle – Circle in the Sand – Highlight of the ‘Heaven on Earth’ album for me. Lovely Rick Nowells/Ellen Shipley tune. The 12” ‘Beach Party’ mix was good too.
Billy Bragg / Wet Wet Wet – She’s leaving Home / Little help – No ! No ! No! I gave Billy one line of “Wednesday Morning at 5 O’Clock as the Day begins…” and that is all I could take. How to totally ruin two great songs. Hideous.
Liverpool FC – Anfield Rap – Seriously bottom of division 2.
so sct, what does "out of the blue" bring to mind for you? the roxy music tune featuring the fiddle-playing talents of eddie jobson perhaps?
DeleteJeff Lynne's 1977 masterpiece double album with the ELO.
DeleteI remember that there was a Out Of The Blue video EP which was a mini-movie of the ELO videos from this album, where in between the videos, there were some cartoon/animation pieces of the ELO spaceship, and one with a zoom to the Jet Records building at the beginning of the Mr Blue Sky video which must have been the first single on the video EP:
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQUlA8Hcv4s
Suffice to say that I have never been able to find a full copy of the video EP mini-movie, as I know that there were similar animation spaceship-docking clips in between the other videos on the EP, like Sweet Talking Woman and Wild West Hero to name but a few. I would certainly love to see it, as you can see from the above link that the beginning of it with the zooming in at the Jet Records tower leaves an impression that it must have been very good.
Around the time of the Telstar Records issued Very Best Of compilation, there was also a VHS version issued as well, which I picked up several years later.
DeleteIt had the promos on but whether it matches this video EP, I don't know!
That Very Best Of ELO compilation I have the VHS version, which has most of the promos from Out Of The Blue, but it is not the video EP unfortunately.
DeleteWhat I am looking for is the video compilation (EP) where in between each of the videos there is an animation piece with the spaceship docking, and at the start of the video EP there is an animation zoom-in to the Jet Records Tower at the start of the Mr Blue Sky promo, as per my link above.
I have tried to find this elusive EP over the years, especially since Vintage TV (before they closed down last year) showed the ELO videos with the animation piece at the start and end of each video, but I have never seen the video EP in its completeness, and would pay a premium (within reason) for a copy, so there is a challenge for our regulars on here!
There is a similar video EP for their next album Discovery, which I bought the DVD some years ago, and is out there for general consumption, but the Out Of The Blue one has never been released I think, but must exist somewhere, so if anyone has access to Jeff Lynne, it would be a great release, as he never seems to mention it in his social media pages when he talks about Out Of The Blue, so it is still somewhat of a mystery!
Above average episode, with only one FF (although I did stop it early)
ReplyDeleteGood start with Prefab Sprout. As an aside, the subject matter, a one hit wonder, was also addressed by the Dummies, the splendid ‘didnt you used to be you’. The dummies was actually one James Whild Lea aka Jimmy Lea from Slade. Just thought I would share that with you.
Interesting watching the Kylie video. Obviously filmed in Melbourne where my son lives. A lot has changed, but also a lot hasn’t!
Derek B = dull dull dull FF...
3 Great breakers. Hope we saw more of them... 1 not so great.
Aztec Camera - a song that still gets a lot of airplay. Pleasant enough, but I wouldn’t buy it. Playing the heck out of that guitar to no discernible effect! Another song with ‘Rock n roll’ in the lyric.
Belinda - pleasant enough tune. Reminiscent of a Mike and The Mechanics track...
Billy Bragg - think iI would have noticed the cock up even if I hadn’t been warned. Sounded a bit nervous. I will have to get the single out and listen to it..
And, eject...
Charlie, curious to know which of the beakers was not so great as you say. Hopefully you were referring to Hothouse Flowers or Debbie Gibson!
DeleteI must admit that I just loved the Heart one, as this was one of their very best singles from their career, and right up there with their summer 1987 hit Alone, and the stunning Nancy Wilson gracing all their videos, well that is just amazing, and let's have some more of them please.
I also liked on these breakers the Israeli Ofra Haza of Yemenite ancestry, with her delightful Yemenite tune and video clip from a desert somewhere in the region. It was very sad that she died at the young age of 42 of pneumonia, as we lost a fantastic singer in my opinion, having only come to light in Britain thanks to Eric B & Rakim sampling her in the new house music era of 1987-1988 now in full flow.
Debbie Gibson was the Dusty Bin in the Breakers...
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeletePhew, now that is a relief!
DeleteNo idea Ofra Haza had died so young. It is a fabulous dance record, it just sort of sweeps you up and chills you out...
DeletePoor Ofra died of AIDS, given to her by her husband, I think. One of the earlier celebs to die of it.
DeleteI didn't realise until today that Ofra Haza nearly won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1983, finishing second for Israel with "Hi", six points behind the winner from Luxembourg.
Deletecharlie's reference to debbie gibson being the "dusty bin" is presumably a reference to that show "3-2-1" which was around at the time? despite being saturday night entertainment aimed squarely at the great unwashed (and apparently very popular as a result), on the few occasions i watched it i couldn't work out the riddles or what the hell was going on in general!
DeleteYes, wiberforce, dusty bin reference to 321 and it wasn’t a compliment! The rhymes were incomprehensible. A friend of mine went on the show and won something like a Teasmaid or similar :-)
Deleteprefab sprout: thanks to their silly name (and a lifelong hatred of the vegetables!) i was a bit late getting into them. it happened when someone taped their "from langley park to memphis" album for me, which i discovered was jam-packed with great tracks. sadly though the singles that were released from that album were among the weakest. including this one
ReplyDeleteliverpool fc: the fact that football teams who had previously been bellowing along in unison to "singin' around the old joanna" songs written by the likes of paper lace and chas & dave were now dipping their toes into rap sadly indicated the form was now all-consuming, plus as a result sounding the death knell for pop music as we knew and loved it. apparently the idea and co-creation of player craig johnstone (cue the question that was asked at the time: name two ozzies who played in the f.a. cup final? answer: him and ossie ardiles), i couldn't stop laughing when they showed a brief clip of the video at the end of one edition of "the saint and greavsie show", and afterwards saint askeing greavsie "what do you think of rap then?". to which the latter responded in classic deadpan manner: "well saint, but a "c" in front of it and it says it all really!"
btw as someone else has reported here: the all-conquering liverpool team of the 80's got beaten against the odds by the wimbledon "crazy gang" in the FA cup final that year (did they also release a single?). which reminds of that iconic pic of the thuggish vinnie jones holding gazza's goolies, but whilst the latter is better known these days for his sad and troubled personal life than his footballing talent, mr jones made the most of what he had by taking his take-no-prisoners image to a highly successful level as a hollywood heavy
The Anfield Rap by Liverpool FC I don't recall this one at all, which seems strange, seeing as it got to No.3. We were a little short-changed this week by TOTP to only get a minute-and-a-half of the video on the playout, in the measly realms of last week's same miserly snippet of the Kylie video on playout.
DeleteI'm just wondering wether this was a BBC4 cut, rather than any such cut on the original broadcasts in 1988. We will only know if anyone has the original broadcasts of the last two shows to post up on here, as I must admit I'm quite curious now!
I mostly remember Vinnie Jones on Celebrity Big Brother demanding he be allowed to sue one of the other contestants who took the piss out of him a bit. Certainly this whiny hissy fit put his hardman image into question. Though his wife died recently, so I won't be too tough on him right now.
DeleteIn reply to Dory's comment, the link below isn't definitive proof but I'm inclined to believe BBC4 are taking the path of least resistance and the preverbrial.
Deletehttps://forums.digitalspy.com/discussion/comment/94318140/#Comment_94318140
They seem to be rather confrontational on that site. I think this one is (mostly) more collaborative.
DeleteThe audience screams seemed a bit fake to me, and very similar sounding - could they have been added by the producer to make it sound more lively?
ReplyDeleteI would't be surprised
DeleteThe show made regular use of fake applause, and we had fake crowd noises sometimes during the Hurll era, so it's very likely they would have extended that to screams as well.
DeleteProbably just the floor manager whipping them up into a frenzy.
DeletePrefab Sprout - A great, fun pop song and I liked all the other singles from the album, all of which missed the Top 40 (even radio staple 'Cars And Girls') somehow.
ReplyDeleteKylie - Strange how the video has slightly changed since the previous week, though at least they noticed that the painting bits were naff. As for the tune, I think its one of SAW's better efforts.
Derek B - This is much better than his previous hit even if the bragging is rather silly. That is a Prince sample btw - the 'Oh Yeah' is sampled from 'Sign O' The Times'.
Aztec Camera - Another fine pop song, and Roddy seems to be having a whale of a time!
Belinda Carlisle - This is much better than her chart topper as she sounds less like a sheep and sings it miles better.
Billy Bragg - I've never been able to stand his voice so I didn't even bother with this.
Liverpool FC - I'm not a red but I genuinely think this is one of the most entertaining football club songs that has ever been released.
Thanks for confirming Derek B did use a Prince sample - I thought those were the Purple One's dulcet tones that I could hear!
Deletei'm with you noax in that the appeal of billy bragg escapes me competelely (in my view the guy can't carry a tune in a bucket), and yet he's viewed (even today) as some sort of national treasure!
Deletei also agree that in football songs context, even though i hate the genre i'd rather listen to "the anfield rap" than the bellowing-along-together stuff that was de riguer prior to that. for what it's worth the best football-related record in my view is "funky city" by manchester city fc, although it actually features creme, godley & gouldman as opposed to lee, bell and summerbee!
Hi Anonymous! Have you got the original archive shows of the following, which BBC4 cut bits out of when they showed them? They are 17/03/83, 23/03/83 (Both with JK sections removed), 8/06/83, 22/09/83, 19/01/84 and 17/05/84 (all with links to DLT and Smith removed). Cheers!
ReplyDeleteAnd please 6/03/80 full version if you got,Anonymous
DeleteGia : https://we.tl/t-6hiFsrzwgj
Deletebrie, only have three eps for you, here they are
Deletehttps://we.tl/t-JVG9ngkzN1
Great! Thanks Anonymous!
DeleteMany Thanks again for these, Anonymous! Is there anyone out there with any of the other shows or the missing bits at the ends?
DeleteHi Anonymous As we are looking at 1983 Have you got the original archive Versions of 02/06 ,11/08 ,18/08 , 15/09, 20/10, 03/11 and finally 01/12 also like brie it would be great if anybody has a full copy of 08.06.83 thanks Meer
DeleteMeer, here are 6 episodes
Deletehttps://we.tl/t-Sa1YNZIEQR
Thank you Anonymous
DeleteHi Anonymous, I was away working for a couple of months during the summer and some of my recordings failed (plus Smithed episodes I never downloaded at the time). Would you happen to have 28/1 4/2 11/2 18/2 10/3 & 31/3
DeleteThe penultimate show for Slimes, who gets our first song title wrong at its end. ”The King Of Rock And Roll In Alberquerque” indeed! Still, he made a good solid partnership with Gaz there.
ReplyDeletePrefab Sprout, complete with the Indie Linda McCartney (leader Paddy McAloon’s then girlfriend Wendy Smith) and their only top tenner despite some wondeful releases over the years. Nice to see the single’s video playing behind them. Not so nice to see a bloody ‘hand held’ cameraman blocking the view for the front row. The last time Paddy McAloon was heard so widespread was when he sang the self-penned theme to soft Sunday soap “Where The Heart Is”.
I half expected a wooden horse accompanying Kylie as she kept spinning around (see what I did there?) in the panoramic high rise view. I agree she did well to mime perfectly on that juddery merry go round. Classic candyfloss pop, inconsequential but none the worse for that.
Ten seconds of Derek B was enough for me. Lucky old Norwich.
Why was Heart’s song ideal for tonight, Slimes, you old smoothie?
Sorry (really sorry) to say that Ofra Haza simply reminded me of the Mrs. Patel clip in “Pump Up The Bitter”. What was that unusual box instrment that chap was playing on his shoulder?
Hothouse Flowers. Gee, thanks, Eurovision.
Debbie Gibson gives us a dull song, more beige than blue, and one of those annoying ‘pretending to record the song’ videos.
Aztec Camera finally make it big despite the song not being Roddy’s best (”Oblivious” or possibly anything else off its accompanying album “High Land Hard Rain” beats it) but its radio friendly sound was irresistible for those DJs.
Now, then, Belinda Carisle with one of those plasticky looking yet attractive faces (c.f. Canadian comedienne Katherine Ryan), a sultry mid-tempo winner, and a clever video with hung moving photos followed by our heroine looking at a photo album on the beach.
I gave Billy Bragg five seconds and then FF’d, but fair play for having a crack at it live. He still got five more seconds than the other side of the single and a rap song as bad as those Spice Boy / ice cream man suits Liverpool wore at Wembley before losing a later FA Cup final.
It's no surprise that the Ofra Haza clip reminded you of 'Pump Up The Bitter' Arthur, since the sample of that song included in 'Paid In Full' is what I assume they are parodying!
Deleteyes arthur - one can presume that if wendy smith wasn't paddy mcaloon's girlfriend, then she wouldn't have been in the band. however unlike mrs macca she could actually carry a tune - albeit in a fey and childlike style, but that actually added to their appeal!
Deletejust in case anyone needs any convincing that mrs macca couldn't sing for toffee, take a listen to this (and prepare to hold in your splitting sides accordingly):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoH9zP_n_g0
She is still better than Yoko!
Deletewell i would call it a case of two bald (wo)men fighting over a comb! sadly yoko is still with us, and in very recent times has managed to pursuade manchester council to commission her (presumably using local residents' tax-paying contributions - er, has everyone forgotten that she probably makes more money out of her late husband's estate than the council pulls in?) to do some arty farty shit for something called the "manchester international festival". no i didn't go, and i'm bloody glad that i live just outside their juristriction so i didn't have to involuntarily "support" it!
DeleteI see our old friend Jay Aston is standing as a Brexit Party candidate at the next election. Good to see that she has recovered from her recent serious illness, but has she now entered the land of make-believe? She's not the first person connected with Bucks Fizz to become involved in politics either, as David Van Day recently became a Tory councillor in Thurrock.
ReplyDeleteThere is one hell of a scrap going on over on The Fizz facebook page. Her gay fans abandoning the group in droves and others defending her right to "Make her mind up" and support whoever she likes. FIGHT!!!
DeleteIt is deliciously ironic how a singer who became famous through Europe's premier music competition now wants a "Piece Of The Action" to break away from the EU.
DeleteCue lots of jokes about Jay standing at the extreme right of the stage.
DeleteGawd, politics is just horrible now, it's like a civil war brewing. Mind you, it's rose tinted nostalgia that things were better in the old days when they weren't that's partly to blame... I'll try not to let it spoil my enjoyment of TOTP, the past will always be a mixed bag. And so will the future.
Let's not forget that Jay is standing in Kensington, right in the midst of London Town...
DeleteIf you think about it, politics is a good money earner for those who make it as an MP, with the current salary being £79K per year. That is around 3-4 times the average salary in the UK, and it seems that any tom, dick or harry who keeps their nose clean and does the right things can make it to MP these days.
DeleteTo think that with a huge salary like that, politics is now the next best wage after professional sportspeople who have no ceiling to their earnings it seems. No wonder the likes of Jay Aston are joining the Brexit Party. I mean even Remainers can join any party with MP places going, even Brexit parties, for better salary prospects than not going into politics at all!
Two hosts in good form this week and Ciani has got hold of the technical box of tricks with almost every frame having a white border due to it's need to spin, flip, shrink etc.... you can play with the toys too much Paul...
ReplyDeletePrefab Sprout kick off with one of my all time fave songs. I think the chorus of this is very clever, very poppy, funny lyrics for the kids and a deeper meaning for the adults. They recorded some great tunes throughout the years before Paddy turned into Dumbledore.
Kylie atop the T+G building (Temperence and General Insurance Building to give it it's full title) in Melbourne and strolling around St Kilda for Got To Be Certain. As I said last week this is a much better song that "lucky" and one of her better SAW offerings.
Derek B up next proving that miming to rap is really not a good idea. Maybe he was saving his voice for his gig later that day. Either way not a great performance. I don't mind the song at all and it is a good rap record.
Aztec Camera only manage to squeeze 8 people on stage (sorry Billy still winning this battle) for their crowning glory. Still remember all the words to this one. Beautifully written song. One of the 80s best bands but much underated as they are late 80s and most of the publics perception of "big" 80s bands were from the early years.
Breakers:
Heart - another power by numbers pop song. What about love? What about a new tune?
Ofra Haza. Classy piece of dance music. I found this a fascinating record at the time and I listened to it a lot.
Hothouse Flowers - Don't Go...Don't leave me now now now...nice singalong summer tune. Don't think they trouble us again.
Debbie Gibson finally finds some band mates nearer her age with a proper "Just Seventeen" vibe in the video. Drummer looks a bit scary though. Teenage girls lapped this up. Teenage and 40s me will pass it by thanks. Not up with her best.
Belinda Carlisle. Beautiful song, one of her best. Proper summer record. Video is very clever with all the photos and look glorious however I keep expecting the Home and Away theme to break in at any moment.
Number One gives us WWW murdering "Friends" and then Billy and Cara. Oh dear oh dear oh dear. I always hated this side of the record and I can see why. A slow dreary cover which Billy proceeds to murder with his live vocal in the studio. Nothing at all to redeem this performance or song I'm afraid.
Anfield Crap to play us out....all I will say is the FACup final between Liverpool and the Crazy Gang from Wimbledon was an all time classic. And the right team won....
Am I up to date...I am....I need a lie down...
There you go, I said you could do it!
DeleteBack to one a week now. Hooray..
Delete