Number one in the charts, just turned 18, and getting a kiss from Kim Wilde - am I jealous? Yes.
07/07/88 (Janice Long & Simon Mayo)
The Communards – “There’s More To Love” (20)
Getting the show underway with what was to be their final hit and it got no higher.
The Mac Band featuring the McCampbell Brothers – “Roses Are Red” (16) (video)
Their only top ten hit and it peaked at number 8.
Everything But The Girl – “I Don’t Want To Talk About It” (23)
This sumptuous Crazy Horse cover became the duo's first of four top ten hits when it peaked at number 3.
INXS – “Never Tear Us Apart” (24) (video)
This dramatic song was their biggest so far but somehow it got no higher than number 24.
Eighth Wonder – “Cross My Heart” (22)
The whole band are here this time but this was to be their final top 40 hit and it peaked at number 13.
Glenn Medeiros – “Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love For You” (1)
Performing a live vocal in the studio on his 18th birthday, this was his first of four summer weeks at number one.
Transvision Vamp – “I Want Your Love” (32) (video/credits)
Became their first of two top ten hits when it peaked at number 5.
Next up is July 14th, but it's another one with dodgy sound issues, so it seems BBC4 are skipping it.
The breakers are missing from your show listing, Angelo, for some reason. Anyway, Janice returns from maternity leave for what would prove a brief comeback, her unfortunate departure from Radio 1 meaning she would only host one further TOTP after this. Maybe it was nerves after her lengthy absence, but she was quite shouty, over-excitable and annoying here, in a dreadful dress, and she was rather shown up by Mayo's calm professionalism. Unlike Janice, he was very much in favour at Radio 1 at the time and had just taken over the breakfast show from Smitty; I think by this point he could also lay claim to being the best presenter on the TOTP roster.
ReplyDeleteThe Communards make their final appearance on the show with their last single, and it's a respectable way to bow out, a tuneful affair with lyrics that seek to put gay relationships on an equal footing with straight ones, at a time when Section 28 had just been enacted by Parliament. A typically energetic performance too, though not as memorable as some of their earlier ones. Not sure why the McCampbell Brothers were billed separately from the Mac Band, as they were integral members and had named the band after themselves - perhaps they had big egos! In any case, an agreeably slick piece of late 80s pop-soul, with one of those annoying videos with jerky camera work that were popular around this time.
I think this is the first time we have seen Everything But the Girl on the show, and what a fine cover this is, easily knocking Rod Stewart's chart-topping version into a hat thanks to Tracey's superior vocal. Another sign of the growing popularity at the time of more stripped back, acoustic sounds, this is also the first outing the song ever had on TOTP, as Roderick's interpretation was always ignored during its chart run in favour of the flip side of his Double-A, The First Cut is the Deepest. Not a great choice of breakers this week, as only Debbie Gibson will do well enough to appear again. The Magnum tune sounded dreadful, a sub-Meat Loaf effort that thuddingly repeats the title over and over again - give me the Roxette song any day. Eric B and Rakim had a good poker-themed video, but needless to say their record did nothing for me, and Natalie Cole's offering, which is new to my ears, sounded OK but nothing special.
INXS are another act who had been around a while who finally make it on to the show, and this splendid, moody ballad is probably their finest hour - just a shame Michael Hutchence's kinky demise probably overshadows their music in many people's minds these days. Great video too, shot in Prague in the dying days of the Cold War, which succeeds in enhancing the sombre atmosphere of the song. Patsy Kensit remembers to bring the rest of Eighth Wonder to the studio this time, but while this is a respectable enough bit of dancey pop it's not as good as the previous hit and Patsy's vocal limitations are more apparent too.
Glenn Medeiros turns up to celebrate his new number 1 and his birthday, and he delivers a decent live vocal, but I still don't like the song. Like Johnny Logan before him he gets a birthday cake, but it seemed a bit weird that Kim Wilde presented it to him, given she wasn't actually performing on the show; it also seems demeaning to her in a way, as she was a far more established star than Glenn. We go to Wendy James' bedroom to close as Transvision Vamp achieve their first proper hit, a brattish and punky affair that reminded me quite strongly of Bow Wow Wow, but overcomes Wendy's annoyingly affected vocal with a hooky chorus. I was a bit taken aback in The Story of 1988 at how posh she sounded, but there have of course been many middle class pop rebels...
Popscene Also Lists this episode without the breakers.
DeleteUpdate: Breakers Now Listed On popscene don't know why they weren't before tonight's showing.
DeleteMichael Hutchence's demise wasn't really kinky, it was very probably suicide, it's just that Paula Yates bizarrely insisted to all and sundry that he'd died of auto-erotic asphyxiation, and that version of events stuck in the popular imagination.
DeleteI hadn't realised it was Paula Yates who insisted on that version of events, though it is the type of thing that you might expect from her. I do remember there was plenty of media speculation in the days after his death that it was a sex game gone wrong.
Deleteas an egomaniac, perhaps ms yates couldn't admit to the possibility it was her and her antics that drove hutchence to top himself?
DeleteBreakers - 07/07/88
DeleteDebbie Gibson - "Foolish Beat" (34) (video)
Magnum - "It Must Have Been Love" (33) (video)
Eric B & Rakim - "Follow The Leader" (21) (video)
Natalie Cole - "Everlasting" (28) (video)
Debbie Gibson was the best of the Breakers this week, and in fact the best of her 1988 music catalogue, just love this tune. As for Magnum, I feel like some chocolate ice cream coming on again - yes, It Must Have Been Love. However, I prefer the Roxette same title of song a couple of years later in 1990.
DeleteJohn, your point about Kim Wilde being there with the birthday cake with no performance of her own on the show, I just noticed that in the TOTP show of two weeks later, ie, 21st July 88, she does perform in the studio with her new single at No.16 called 'You Came', so it is likely that TOTP recorded a studio performance two weeks early, ie, on this 7th July show with Maderios being first week at no.1 and in the studio. We will certainly find out this later this week when BBC4 show the 21st July show, and if she is wearing the same dress. Then it will all make sense John!
DeleteYou may well be correct there, Dory - as Kim was on tour with Jacko at the time, she may have pre-recorded a performance as she knew she wouldn't be available once the song got in the charts. As you say, we'll find out on the next show.
DeleteHere's the mp4 of 14/07/88 Angelo. I've also reduced the audio level as well. Thanks to Acer Ben (I think) for the original file. Here's the link:
ReplyDeletehttps://we.tl/t-uBv7Yltglr
That's brilliant, thank you!
DeleteIn another version of events xrayfour, Simon Bates's final TOTP will never be repeated due to "muted link" and audio issues down there same with the 23/06/1988 episode, we'll never see 'Breakfast in Bed' or the Eurythmics performance (only time, see it will be on Big Hits 1988 with on-screen captions still ruining it like TOTP2 has ever done!) and as its a non-narration althoughly without Wrighty or Radcliffe interrupting it.
DeleteLet's hope there will be no "audio issue" episodes in the next three months for 1988 repeats, we'd always hope that 1989 was going to be the full archive year as you'd may check through 'BBC Archive' which episodes have the similar issue and hopefully that 21/7/88 episode has a full MJ video with him in a concert clip with Slash on guitar.
This will be the second time that "Breakfast in Bed" will be lost out of the TOTP repeat re-runs, first time round Shirley Bassey's track of that same song was missing on the 29/04/1971 repeat (both times) on UK Gold and German digital channel Eins Festival over ten years ago and despite only TOTP2 showed it in 1997 also they'd showed UB40's performance as well on a different TOTP2, as it's mainly the "on-screen captions" make an appearance and the narration that ruins it.
Simon and a markedly over-caffeinated Janice are like polar opposites this episode, as far as presenting styles go, I wonder if this palaver was why she was only asked back once more?
ReplyDeleteCommunards bid us farewell with one of their political tunes, though rather than a harsh rabble rouser it's a softer, more gentle plea for equality set to a nice little melody. Don't know what happened to their string quartet.
Not to be confused with The Macc Lads, up next is a slickly-produced slice of plastic soul, sounding like the early nineties more than anything else, not that they stuck around in the charts that long. Not the worst thing ever.
Everything But the Girl, now their Christmas song Come On Home should have been a massive hit, but they had to content themselves with a cover version for their breakthrough, which is inoffensive but very dinner party. Tracey is still releasing material, and pretty decent it is too, but Ben seems to have eschewed the limelight in the past few years.
Breakers, Magnum seemed to have been royally ripped off by Roxette judging by this snippet, the songs are suspiciously similar, right down to the title and soft-rock posturing. Eric B and Rakim are a big improvement on that, but alas this is all we hear of their superbly menacing number, one of the best hip hop tracks of the year. Lastly, Natalie is on perky form, but the song's light as a feather.
INXS suffering a very clunky edit to get to the chorus a bit faster in their video, but this was a respectable debut hit that is better remembered than many records that only made it to the twenties. Still think their best material was on their Welcome to Wherever You Are album, but this was a solid way to start - if only they'd been able to continue further, but it was not to be.
Eighth Wonder team up with SAW - what? Oh, never mind, they were just going for a soundalike production. Next up for Patsy: Lethal Weapon 2! Don't think she sang a song for that soundtrack, though she was guaranteed to make you uncomfortable if you happened to be watching it with your parents.
Good on Glenn for singing live, but that's a horrible backing track, he's more like someone at a karaoke night out. Kim Wilde hoves into view to plug her supporting slot with Wacko, I wonder if Glenn knew who she was? I thought she was going to plant that cake in his face!
Last up, the world's most pretentious woman and her backing band - quick, name one of them! You can't, can you? Anyway, she shrieks her way through her debut hit instead of singing it properly, but despite her affectations she certainly had presence. The song namechecks Marilyn Monroe and Robert De Niro, but doesn't pull off the "cool by association" gambit. Though we did get the whole video.
Janice's departure had more to do with what was effectively her constructive dismissal from R1, after Johnny Beerling refused to give her back her evening show when she returned to work after giving birth.
DeleteYeah, I know - I used to listen to her show! But her showing here was so eccentric it can't have helped her case. Mind you, I suppose they were keen to get some new presenters in there too.
DeleteAfter Janice Long left the show the first time round in 1987, there were no other female presenters to take her place, only more male ones, so this return in July 1988 was hardly surprising, and it was somewhat strange that the BBC could not find other female presenters for the show after she left the first time round.
DeleteIt's interesting to speculate how often Paul Ciani would have used Janice on TOTP if she hadn't left R1 - her performance on this show presumably didn't put him off, as her final appearance came just four weeks later. Once she was gone, however, a lot of new female presenters would make their debuts before year's end.
DeleteRoxette's It Must Have Been Love predates the Magnum one. It was released in 1987 in Sweden and rereleased with slightly new lyrics (it's a hard winter's day replacing the original Christmas day) for Pretty Woman. So the similarities in song are likely a coincidence. And there were a lof of videos in the 80s and early 90s with sweeping fabrics so both acts were copying various people before them.
DeleteThanks for the info, Rad! I remember now hearing Roxette's tune on Sounds of the 80s, and Gary offered the explanation there a few weeks ago. He's, er, never played any Magnum (!).
DeleteChristmassy sounding it might have been (with a reference in the lyrics too!) but 'Come On Home' was mystifyingly released in the Summer, which can't have helped its cause. EBTG's first chart hit was 'Each And Every One', but I don't think it got on TOTP did it?
DeleteI'm making one of my rare appearances this week, as there were some classy tunes in the hit parade during the summer of '88. Eighth Wonder's 'Cross My Heart' is one of them, Patsy Kensit proving to be a highly professional if unspectacular vocalist. The other three members of the band followed suit, though a catalogue of personnel changes had impeded the outfit's commercial progress. Cherry Red - who else? - reissued Eighth Wonder's only British album 'Fearless' not too long ago, and this set is well worth checking out if Eighties dance-pop turns you on. 'I'm Not Scared' and 'Cross My Heart' are both included, along with the Japanese chart-topper 'When The Phone Stops Ringing'.
ReplyDeleteOne album that will never be out of print is Tracy Chapman's dazzling debut, which included 'Fast Car' and 'Baby Can I Hold You'. Like Joan Armatrading - to whom she has often been compared - she has maintained a healthy cult following around the world despite minimal mainstream success. Neil Young, no less, was a guest on Tracy's second album 'Crossroads'.
Although I do not admire The Communards musically, I applauded them at the time for bringing an important social issue to the fore. I know a number of LGBT folk who have become professionals and who make a valued contribution to society.
The standard is remarkably high this week, with the Mac Band's smash easily outshining the fading Five Star, and that classic INXS ballad in the Top 30. Although not a major hit in this country at the time of its release, 'Never Tear Us Apart' has since earned a British Silver Disc as well as going Platinum in Oz. It also reached the Top 10 in the US, Canada and Benelux. Michael Hutchence, who is still greatly missed, was a star in the true sense of the word.
John G rightly makes a comparison between Johnny Logan and his Hawaiian counterpart, Glenn Medeiros. (Michael Hutchence's Canadian father-in-law: "If you can't remember the name, just put 'Irritating' and we'll know exactly who you mean!") Both are competent but unexciting MOR balladeers. I mentioned on this blog some years back that Mr Logan once forced headliners The Barron Knights to shorten their set after celebrating a christening on stage in Southport - a move that irked my dear father on a Bevan family night out.
Nevertheless, this edition is worth 8/10.
It was somewhat surprising that Patsy Kensit brought out some co-band members, considering she had been on TOTP earlier in the year with earlier hits and performed solo on that stage, despite going by a group name, ie, Eighth Wonder. So at last now it felt like a pop group, as the artist name suggested right back to the debut single in early 1988. I liked Patsy's relaxed jeans look, making her more relaxed in performance on that stage, compared to her more nervous look on the earlier hits when dolled up with more dressy outfits and leather trousers in one of them.
DeleteWhile I remember the Glen Madeiros song very well, at No.1 for a whole month of summer in July 1988, I don't remember him in the TOTP studio, as I thought it was the video that we got every time, or it could very well be that I was on holiday that month, and in the years before BBC IPlayer, you would have to ask someone at home to record the show on VHS tape and hope they didn't forget.
Good to see you back, Julie. Please chip in with your classy nuggets more often.
DeleteWelcome back Janice, we’ve missed you!
ReplyDeleteCommunards – There’s more to love – Saw the keyboard playing guy whose now a Revd on ‘Celebrity Masterchef’ the other day doing some judging. As for this, well the high pitched sound has worn a bit thin now. Cheerio guys!
Mac Band – Roses are red – Pretty awful. This title conjures up one thing for me and that is the closing track on Emmylou Harris’s ‘White Shoes’ album called ‘Like an old fashioned Waltz’ where the main lyrical refrain is ‘Roses are Red’. Now that song really is worth checking out.
Everything but the Girl – I don’t want to talk about it – Nice version but personally I do prefer Rod Stewart’s. It struck me (as it did John G above) that we never actually saw Rod’s version on the show when it reached no1 in 1977 as it was a double A Side with ‘The first cut is the deepest’ and the heavily made up Rod singing that song was all we ever saw (good though that was too). Rod only released the song due to the audience reaction he received for it, having recorded it and left it submerged on the ‘Atlantic Crossing’ album.
INXS – Never tear us apart – I have to confess that I thought this band’s name was ‘Inks’! Ho hum, fittingly corrected I didn’t really get what the fuss was all about and this is rather dreary.
Eighth Wonder – Cross my Heart - Missing the PSB written and produced stuff it doesn’t grab as much as the previous single, but Faye is always good value and seems to be enjoying having the rest of the band around her this time.
Glenn Medeiros – Nothing’s gonna change my love for you – Kudos for performing live young man. Not sure why Kim Wilde was wheeled out to present the cake! This was amazingly co-writer Gerry Goffin’s first UK no1.
Transvision Vamp – I want your love – great stuff! Love the way it builds to a climax and then suddenly ends. Nice video too. A good way to end the show.
Poor old Elton is marooned at no30 and doesn’t even get a mention on the breakers!
My guess is that Kim Wilde filmed a studio performance upfront for her new single called You Came, which will be on the 21.7.88 show, ie a couple of shows after this one, so my guess is that she was also on duty on this show with the birthday cake for Madeiros. If she will be wearing the same red outfit on the 21.7.88 show, then there is your answer..
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThat would make sense. I think we have seen evidence of this in the recent past although I can't for the life of me think who it was.
DeleteOK, I know you meant Patsy and not Faye, but I'll be darned if I know which Faye you mistook her for...
DeleteSorry THX, Faye Morton from Holby City; Patsy's longstanding character.
DeleteAh, right, I've never seen Holby City! Gap in my knowledge, there.
DeletePoor Simon. Janice had definitely cleared the cupboard of Top Deck before the show.
ReplyDeleteThis sounded a very boomy, bass-heavy show on the iPlayer.
Funny how The Communards’ hits either went top ten or stalled between 20 and 30. A bit repetitive, this, but still leaving on a high (note) of sorts. Bye, lads.
Okay, which were the Mac Band and who were the Brothers out of that lot? I agree with THX, this is nothing like “Beer and Sex and Chips and Gravy” by Macclesfield’s Macc Lads. Harmless and catchy R&B, I suppose they’d label this.
Next come a couple who met at Hull University, with a furniture shop in said city providing the duo’s moniker. A better take that Old Rod’s version, though Tracey Thorn’s solo mini-album “A Distant Shore” knocks this for six to my ears.
Debbie Gibson with her attempt at a “Careless Whisper” ballad. “Hapless Flake”, maybe?
Magnum with smoke, wind and bombast. Not quite matching Whitesnake in those stakes.
My asthma wouldn’t have stood that cigar-clouded Eric B and Rakim video. My ears couldn’t stand the row.
Natalie Cole with her reverse Robert Palmer band and a song also less memorable.
I never got the apeal of Inxs. An arty video (playing sax in a cemetery – thoughtful, that), but “Vienna“ this certainly ain’t in either context.
Oo, Eighth Wonder are a band, and eighth rate is the track. Never mind Faye, I would have preferred Fay Fife!
A decent live performance by Glenn, with Kim Wilde getting the closest she ever managed to a number one there.
A blonde and some blokes part 2. Pretty sure Wendy James doesn’t sing “funky love” but something a bit spicier. Watch the drummer with those books!
Just for the completist anorak types on here (e.g. me), I did a bit of research and discovered all the breakers in this show were at their peak positions, apart from Debbie Gibson whose single made number 9.
ReplyDeleteThe Communards - Not from their top drawer but nice enough.
ReplyDeleteThe Mac Band - I know lots of otherwise sensible people who mysteriously enjoy this drivel.
EBTG - A nice cover version, though it seems like only recently that we heard Rod's version on the repeats!
Breakers - All rubbish, even Eric B & Rakim coming up with something dull.
INXS - We've only recently come back from Prague where we visited some of the destinations in the video, it's certainly a lot busier since the band were there! Good tune too, though yet another where it's not the single mix for the vid.
Eighth Wonder - Not exactly the best vocals in the world here, though it is a decent pop song so Patsy just about gets away with it.
Glenn Medeiros - Kudos for singing it live, though I've no idea why he felt the need to. There were very few people in the country watching this repeat who didn't want Kim to slap him in the face with the cake though....
Transvision Vamp - Surprising, given the attraction of the lead singer, how long it took for them to get a hit single. It was worth the wait though, as this is great.
Well it was better than the last one I watched, but that was an easy target.
ReplyDeleteNice tune from Communards to start us off...
And first FF of the evening for the MultiMac...
The EBTG cover is rather nice..
No breaker that I am keen to hear again (is the Everlasting video a deliberate rip off of addicted to love?)
Don’t remember the INXS track being so dull (brave
long silence - I thought the recording had a problem :-) )
Eighth Wonder - it’s no I’m Not Scared...
Skip number 1, then the lovely Wendy - and they played it all :-)
Yeah, nice to see the playout video in complete fullness, even to the fadeout, but then when we are talking about Wendy James and such a high energy video, is anyone at all surprised?
DeleteLovely to see Janice back. I swear she had a skinfull in the BBC bar before each of her appearances. Certainly keeps Boy Mayo on his toes.
ReplyDeleteSo it's bye bye to The Communards and so long reverend. “There’s More To Love” is a decent enough tune but nowhere near their best.
The Mac Band featuring the McCampbell Brothers – bit of a mouthful and "roses are red" was played to death on the radio in 88. Video very poor.
Everything But The Girl I Hated This at the time but its grown on me. –“I Don’t Want To Talk About It” or why she has such an odd face.
Is this the first time we've seen INXS? Heavy on the intro to the video so we miss most of what is a cracking song.
Breakers:
Debbie Gibson - "Foolish Beat" one of her weaker numbers.
Magnum - "It Must Have Been Love" Pants.
Eric B & Rakim - "Follow The Leader" Bloody awful.
Natalie Cole has been to Specsavers 2for1 sunglasses deal. - "Everlasting" the song isn't I'm afraid.
Eighth Wonder all turn up this tume but “Cross My Heart” is a piece of pop crap. Turkey time.
Happy Birthday Glenn Medeiros – “Nothing’s Gonna Change My Hate For This Song" What is it with young Americans ruining their records by singing live. First Tiff and now Glenn.
Thankly we get Transvision Vamp in full on payout. – “I Want Your Love” Yes please Wendy. Storming song as well and best of show tonight.