New girl on the block
14/04/88 (Bruno Brookes & Steve Wright)
Bananarama – “I Want You Back” (14)
Featuring new member Jacquie O'Sullivan, this song became their ninth of ten top ten hits when it peaked at number 5.
Natalie Cole – “Pink Cadillac” (11) (video)
Driving up the charts to number 5.
Climie Fisher – “Love Changes (Everything)” (3)
Went up one more place.
Def Leppard – “Armageddon It” (20) (breaker)
Got no higher.
S-Express – “Theme From S-Express” (25) (breaker)
Will be number one in two weeks time.
T’Pau – “Sex Talk” (23) (breaker)
Got no higher.
Jermaine Stewart -“Get Lucky” (22) (breaker)
His final top 40 hit and it peaked at number 13.
Jellybean featuring Adele Bertei – “Just A Mirage” (15)
Went up two more places.
Pebbles – “Girlfriend” (13)
Peaked at number 8.
Pet Shop Boys – “Heart” (1) (rpt from 07/04/88)
Second of three weeks at number one.
Bros – “Drop The Boy” (2) (video/credits)
Couldn't get any higher.
Next up is April 21st
I felt a sense of world weariness watching this show. Just a succession of anonymous sounding tunes (some not even having much tune). Nothing with the ‘wow’ factor and certainly nothing I’d particularly go out of my way to hear again. Better things are to come of course…. wouldn’t you agree?
ReplyDeleteBananarama – I want you back – Utterly uninspiring. Just going through the SAW motions. I also noted to my horror another ‘I want you back’ song in the chart rundown which filled me with horror.
Natalie Cole – Pink Cadillac – Unlikely cover with a reasonable video. Can’t see Nat having a crack at ‘Racing in the Streets’ mind you.
Climie Fisher – Love changes everything – Just run of the mill, inoffensive to my ears but not something I’d crank up the volume to in the car.
Breakers – Def Leppard – didn’t realise they were still churning out hits on the back of ‘Hysteia’. S’Express – one of the ‘unholy trio’ of no1’s from this period (along with you-know-what from 1987). Even now I fail to comprehend how this could have possibly reached no1. Insightful lyrics – not! Where on earth did it come from? T’Pau – originally released as the second single off ‘Bridge of Spies’ and entitled ‘Intimate Strangers’ this (‘Sex Talk’) is more an album track, backed with the equally upbeat ‘Monkey House’. Both tracks were live though on this release. I can’t even recall what the fourth breaker was….oh yeah, Jermaine Stewart.
Jellybean and Adele – Just a Mirage – so there’s that PSB PC again!! Reprogrammed. Uninspiring song.
Pebbles – Girlfriend – Also totally uninspiring.
Pet Shop Boys – Heart – The only good song on the whole show.
Bros – Drop the Boy – For sheer persistence at no2 I guess they had to show this again, but it still sounds unmemorable.
Hoping for better things next time.
I didn't realise "Sex Talk" (key line "I don't know when I got so wet" - thanks for that, Carol!) had been previously issued under a different title. Good knock!
DeleteSct - there were two different songs in the same chart this week, with the same title I Want You Back, ie, Michael Jackson at No.31, and Bananarama at No.14. I preferred the Bananarama one much more, even with the loss of Siobhan Fahey from the line-up.
DeleteI have to agree with sct that this was a very unmemorable show, with only the number 1 standing out from a mediocre selection. The presenting duo were at least better than I had feared - Bruno, looking the Man from Del Monte, was considerably improved from last time, and a still yuppified Wrighty came across as semi-competent, though his intro was so rambling he fooled BB into trying to come in a bit too early...
ReplyDeleteThe Nanas must have hoped, with the success of this first post-Siobhan single, that the hits would keep rolling in, but in fact their chart career would hit the skids after this, the Comic Relief single they released the following year only providing a temporary uptick to their fortunes. New member Jacquie seems to slot in seamlessly enough here, but it is Sarah who really catches the eye, as she seems to be following The Primitives' Tracy Tracy in doing a Marilyn Monroe impression. The song is the lightest of lightweight SAW productions, and it seems to drag on for an eternity as well. Pink Cadillac gave Natalie Cole her first Top 40 hit in the UK since 1975, and it's a functional enough Springsteen cover, though nothing special. Quite a lively video, but for me Cadillacs are very chunky, ugly cars.
Climie Fisher return, with Simon taking a leaf out of Dave Bartram's book and singing directly to a member of the audience at the start of an otherwise dull performance. As far as the breakers are concerned, Def Leppard's song sounded indistinguishable from their recent releases, and T'Pau's live effort was leaden and unsexy in the extreme, though I see that in this video Carol was trying to compete with Sinitta for the "shortest skirt of 1988" award. The other two breakers will be on again, but I will note now that Jermaine Stewart is sporting here one of the worst hairstyles I have ever seen...
Jellybean is back in the studio, this time with new sidekick Adele, who looks stylish in her black jacket; the song, however, still sounds like wannabe SAW to me. Pebbles looks anything but stylish in her messy, OTT, purple frock, and her record doesn't do much for me either. It is notable, though, for being co-written and produced by Babyface, who would go on to enjoy huge success with other artists in the 90s. You can also hear in this elements of the modern R&B sound that would emerge fully in the next decade. As Bros are still stuck at number 2, we get to see their video, which seems to have involved use of a trampoline, from what I can see.
Natalie Cole only did well with this one because of her famous father's namesake, but overall I thought she was unattractive when you compare to Adele Bertei, Pebbles and Bananarama on this particular show, but hey, I guess you gotta milk the name as much as possible!
DeleteI thought T'Pau's change of style and tempo for this new track did not suit them at all, considering their earlier successful hits in 1987 and 1988. I wonder why they needed the Sex Talk?
After my last enjoyable viewing another FF fest..
ReplyDeleteBananarama - thinking, “I don’t recognise this” through the rather dull verse, then the chorus cuts it - ahhh, its that one! Song of two halves...
FFs... (I don’t remember T’pau having so many dull follow ups)
Thought I was going to finish the program in 5 minutes, then rescued by Jellybean- really like this one. Thevchorus keyboard riff reminds me of something. Somebody put me out of my misery...
Shame they didn’t show the loopy video for PSB, and then it’s Bros - click!
Jellybean in the TOTP studio, coming over from the US? Good Lord, how did they pull this one off, as this was by no means his first single in Britain? I don't remember this particular TOTP studio appearance, but that Adele Bertei is quite a hottie. Don't you just love the hair? Highlight of the show for me!
DeleteAs if that wasn't enough, we then got another lovely come over from the US ie, Pebbles, with Girlfriend. Gee, she only needs to ask and I would say yes. Definitely girlfriend material, Pebbles could be my Flintstone anytime.
Jellybean had been in the TOTP studio before, so it probably wasn't that much of a hardship.
DeletePerky, poppy little episode this one, and nothing wrong with that. The revamped Bananarama seemingly with a plea to Siobhan in the title, but she was having none of it, so we got Jacquie instead before record buyers were aware of what was happening. I believe she retired from the band to work behind the scenes in the music industry, so she must have some stories. The song, nice without being essential, though the 'nanas synchronised dancing has certainly improved in five years or so.
ReplyDeleteNatalie Cole making a hit out of one of The Boss's upbeat, airheaded numbers, not many of them, and she makes a decent fist of it, though returned to balladry soon enough (and also hard drugs, but that's another sad story). Does she really sing "Oozing down the street"? That's not very nice, is it?
Climie Fisher, Simon really did have a whiny voice, didn't he? And the plaintive look in his eyes gives him a puppy dog demeanour that doesn't appear to have been intentional.
Brief mention of two one and done Breakers, the Def Leppard effort was really wringing the last few drops of profit out of that album, and I know ripped jeans were in but Joe's are positively distressed. T'Pau jazz up one of the least exciting songs to mention sex with a live rendition, but most people had had enough of them by this stage. Both concert videos, I note.
Hello Adele Bertei, who turns out to look like a less statuesque Rosanna Arquette, with maybe a touch of Suzanne Vega too. This is a very serviceable slice of pop from a man who cornered the market in it, though his luck was about to run out. Che Guevara on drums, too.
Pebbles, ah, I liked this one and she's another who moved behind the scenes after her singing career stalled. She was indeed named after The Flintstones character. Catchy little thing, with hooky bits like the "woof!" or the pronunciation of "question" as "ques-chee-on!". Best song on the show.
Bar the number one, maybe, you had to watch The Chart Show for the video so TOTP made the most of the studio appearances.
Then bouncing Bros to end on, gravel voiced Matt (or was it Luke?) and a visit to a nursery for extras.
Your "question" critique of Pebbles reminded me of the "Not The Nine O'Clock News" sketch where Griff Rhys Jones plays a barrister who pronounces key words incorrectly, such as question which becomes 'kest-eee-on' and alibi changes to 'a-lee-bee'!
DeleteTHX, I think the Bananarama track should have been re-titled "I Want Siobhan Back". While this new replacement Jacqui was pleasant enough, she was no Siobhan, and in any case, those jeans shorts with black leggings was a poor combination, and considering that spring had arrived by April 1988, she would have been better just with the shorts and no leggings if she wished to win our hearts!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSeems to be only me and THX enjoying these 88 shows, oh well...
ReplyDeleteBananarama - Another one of SAW's top drawer tunes, and the studio performance is practically a recreation of the video.
Natalie Cole - Never been overly keen on this tune, not really sure why, perhaps it's the knowledge that one of the most over-rated people in music wrote it.
Breakers - Ha ha, Def Leppard, I see what you did there. Shame the song's awful as usual though. Mind you, that's nothing on T'Pau - what the world really needed is a Carol Decker live vocal....
Jellybean - The best female singer he worked with here (and yes, I'm including Madonna in that) on a top pop tune.
Pebbles - Dressed in purple, funny that since this sounds for all the world like a Prince production even though it isn't. It's a good enough song though not the kind of stuff I usually go for.
If you cast your eyes back about ten posts or so, you'll see Morgie is enjoying 88 too! He'll catch up eventually...
DeleteI can't say I'm looking out for his posts 10 episodes late, but bravo to you THX for waiting around.
DeleteHmm, I'm a couple of weeks behind - should I play or pass here?
DeleteI'll keep posting anyway Dory.
DeleteAnd definetly enjoying 88 especially this edition.
Great, another dream team, with Yuppie Boy’s mate almost dressed like a hospital doctor, but our hosts gave a reasonable performance in fairness.
ReplyDeleteStop screeching the intro, Trev! It’s The Nanas, shorn of Siobhan, with the usual three-part same note karaoke flanked by some needless poncey dancers.
“Pink Cadillac” motoring up the charts, Trev? Ho ho. Natalie Cole singng over an oh so 80’s overly beaty mock R&B offering. Third gear at best.
Early mughsots – which one of those six is Michael Jackson, or do we have an “I’m Spartacus” situation here?
Climie Fisher live, Nodding Dog? Really? A black group look for a grey average pop song.
Def Leppard with “Armageddon Outahere”. The Sheffield metal equivalent of Status Quo at this stage.
A horrible video for S-Express’s beaty bompy floor filler. Where’s the Ibuprofen?
You’ll catch your cold in that belt, Carol. I can think of other female singers who I’d prefer ‘intimate’ talk from to be honest.
Jermaine Stewart ties with Martin Sigue Sigue Sputnik for most stupid hairstyle of the re-run. As for the tune, erm...
Ah, now. An unexpected treat as Adele Bertei drips cool and effortlessness with one of the best mic turns of this BBC4 campaign. I hated the tune but watched just to see her give Tracy Tracy a right old run for her money.
Pebbles, just a stone’s throw away from Stev and Trev. Ahem. Nice outfit, but the sub-Prince track was distinctly beige.
A wonderful fene sitting Bros prediction from Yuppie Boy at the end. As for “Drop The Boy Off A Cliff”, I dropped the song after ten seconds. More like Dross than Bros.
That was meant to say 'fence sitting' near the end. Poor show (a bit like the actual show, really).
DeleteThe actual credit for I Want You Back was Michael Jackson and The Jackson Five. Obviously shortened for the chart run down but the other 4 are credited.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOh no, this is what happens when you get too far behind, the recording misses the first link and the iplayer download had gone, oh well.
ReplyDeleteStraight in with the Bananas it is then. Rerecorded with newbie and long time pal Jacquie. This is my favourite Bananarama song and one of my all time favourite pop songs. I knew all the moves to this (much to my little brothers shame and Wifey embarrassment when I told her ). Great start to the show. Jacquie always seemed a little hesitant with the dance routines and it was no surprise when she walked away after only 1 album. Interesting you can hear them jumping up and down on the stage...
Natalie Cole up next. Nice video going from b+w into colour. Great tune as well and 88s car obsession continues. .
CF riding high in the charts. Already said I like the this one so 3/3 on tonights show so far..
Breakers:
Def Leppard. Not one of their best and a standard live rock video. Shame as they can do so much better,
Oh that's bad.NO THAT'S GOOD,Future chart topper s-Express. Quality dance record this one and quite rightly an 80s classic.
Tpau. Don't recall this at all. Very 1985...hmmm
Jermaine Stewart. Remember this video, the mini Jermaine and the hairdo well. Great track as well. A firm favourite.
Jellybean and Adele Bertei. Already said this is an all time favourite. J'adore. Mr Bean has Chris Lowes computer,
So why weren't Eurythmics a breaker then...
Pebbles in a very bright purple dress and wild 80s hair. Always think this song has an air of Prince about it. No idea if he had anything to do with it but just seems his style. Another good song and we are heading for a full house at this rate.
PSB still number one. I want to see the video....Might have to dig out my old VHS...second appearance for the computer tonight. Shall we give it a twitter account of its own...
Bros 4 weeks at number 2 so deservedly get the play out. What did they have to do to get a Number One...
Best show of 88 to date