When I Knees You
30/06/88 (Gary Davies & Peter Powell)
Hazell Dean – “Maybe (We Should Call It A Day)” (18)
Hazell gets this live show off to a high energy start and the song went up three more places.
Bruce Springsteen – “Tougher Than The Rest” (15) (video)
And The Boss went up two more places.
Tracy Chapman – “Fast Car” (10) (video)
Taken from her eponymous mega number one album, Fast Car peaked at number 5.
Matt Bianco – “Don’t Blame It On That Girl” (14)
Their final top 40 hit and it peaked at number 11.
Salt ‘N’ Pepa – “Push It” (7) (video)
With their debut hit and it went all the way to number two.
T’Pau – “I Will Be With You” (17)
This storming power ballad was the fifth and final single taken from their number one album Bridge of Spies, and it peaked at number 14.
The Fat Boys & Chubby Checker – “The Twist (Yo Twist)” (2) (video)
Now at its peak, this was the second and final top ten hit for the Fat Boys, and the third and final top ten hit for Chubby Checker.
Bros – “I Owe You Nothing” (1) (rpt from 16/06/88)
Second and final week at number one.
Glenn Medeiros – “Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love For You” (11) (video/credits)
It couldn't really fail to get to number one, and it will get there next week.
July 7th is next.
Too many DJs' knees on display this week, but our hosts are both in good, lively form. His TOTP days may have been numbered, but PP's appearance rate certainly wasn't dropping as his departure neared, as this was his third show in June. The irony of the shorts business is that the summer of 1988 - contrary to what the continuity announcer claimed when introducing this show - was anything but hot; indeed, I think that July was one of the coolest of the 20th century.
ReplyDeleteHazell Dean is first up, in a skirt so tight it's a wonder she could move about in it. This sounds like more of a generic SAW track than her previous hit, and it's not as good, but still OK. The Boss seems to be live, but this power ballad is turgid and feels like it goes on for an eternity. It looked as if there might have been one or two gay couples featured in that series of shots of various lovebirds; I might be wrong, but if so it was quite daring for the time.
Tracy Chapman had risen to stardom off the back of her performance at the Mandela 70th birthday concert three weeks earlier. As I've said before, I think she basically ripped off Joan Armatrading's sound but managed to achieve far more commercial success than Joan with it, and her success came at a point when stripped back, acoustic music was starting to enjoy a mini-chart revival, as we shall see as 1988 continues. Fast Car is cut brutally short here, which is not that surprising as it does go on for too long a time, but I suppose it's a pleasant enough listen. The video is very dull, and it's not at all clear what is being filmed in some of the close-up shots - a car interior, by any chance? Matt Bianco are back with another studio performance, and the frenetic spats-wearing dancer is well to the fore once again.
Salt 'N' Pepa are also chopped short, but that that's no great loss as I'm not keen on this. The backing is quite dynamic, but it loses me once the rapping starts, and the video is a pretty basic "in performance" affair, though our heroines do have plenty of energy, and were of course the first female rap act to achieve big success. Carol glams up for this performance of the new T'Pau single, but that could not ward off the onset of diminishing chart returns for the band. This is a bit better than their previous couple of singles, courtesy of a more memorable chorus, but it still lacks the impact of their first two hits.
We end with Glenn Medeiros, who nowadays is perhaps best remembered in Britain, if at all, for a subsequent single to this being ripped apart on the Jools Holland-fronted revival of Juke Box Jury while the hapless Glenn waited in an adjoining room to be unveiled as that week's surprise guest - talk about awkward! That moment of TV gold was certainly more memorable than this drippy ballad and the cheesy, cliched video that accompanies it.
I remember Glenn's "Juke Box Jury" nightmare. He's being remembered right now as the tune's been aired for the last couple of months in a McDonald's advert.
Deletenot that long after this the boss also contributed a song to the "philadelphia" movie that was about gay men dying of AIDS - which was still quite a sensitive and controversial subject at the time. so to give him some credit where it's due: his fan base largely consisted of american blue collar/trailer park trash types that were still mainly homophobic, so he took a big risk with regard to his career by openly affiliating himself with such issues!
DeleteArthur - I haven't seen the McDonald's ad you mention, though this song does not seem an obvious choice for one. I've had a look at what he is up to these days, and he is actually the head of a school in Honolulu, and a university professor to boot!
DeleteThe chorus is played over a load of clips of a lad going through different fashions and hairstyles as he becomes an adult, eating the same type of McDonald's burger in the same pose at an eaterie, implying his undying love for the snack.
DeleteIronically, his undying love will kill him.
DeleteHazell didn't take her own advice as I think she's still gigging, but what would she have thought when SAW presented her with a song with this title? The follow up, "Don't Let the Door Hit You On the Arse On the Way Out", didn't chart, presumably. Anyway, formulaic stuff, but she has learned a few more dance moves - lucky her microskirt is stretchy.
ReplyDeleteAbout a minute of Bruce's most ponderous ballad, with his fancy woman making goo-goo eyes at him throughout, but I liked seeing the couples included, seemingly from a far chirpier song. And yes, John, there were a few same sex pairings there, which hints at The Boss's progressive nature.
Another video, well, a bit of one, poor old Trace gets cut off halfway through her first chorus! Probably heard this too often, but it remains a poignant, melancholy ode to trying to get away from your troubles and not managing it. Her lyrics may be better than the tune, but it all fits.
Matt and the Biancos back for a repeat performance - why didn't they do the other side of the single instead? It's a mystery. At least we saw Mr Bianco's dance moves this time - see, Terence Trent D'Arby, it's easier than it looks.
Back on video for one of the signature sounds of '88, Salt N Pepa arrive with a bang and unlike certain flash in the pan rappers, proved to have staying power, though a lot of that was goodwill for how ideal their whole package had been on this tune. First impressions last! Storming track, a deserved hit, and yes, Spinderella was one attractive lady.
T'Pau, when this started I was prepared for boredom, but once it got to the chorus I thought it wasn't half bad, no worse than their two biggies thanks to a wistful melody. Think Carol wore that blue dress in the video.
The Large Gentlemen get a repeat on video, just noticed the chef looks a lot like Bubba Smith from Police Academy. Beatboxing breakdown remains the best bit.
Wasn't there a video for I Owe You Nothing? Maybe not, so we get the third outing for the Canadian tuxedo'd performance.
Glenn Medeiros inflicting another "heard it on holiday" hit on the British charts, he was a nice enough boy but sounds really pathetic on this. Cliff looks precarious. No, not that Cliff.
hazell dean did a "double header" gig with sonia (remember her?) at a bar in the manchester gay village only last week! no, i wasn't there...
DeleteOh, we'll be seeing Sonia soon! With her oddly menacing stalker's anthem.
DeleteThx THX for confirming my eyes were not deceiving me re the Bruce video. I wonder if it generated any controversy at the time? As Wilberforce notes above, his stance may not have played well with certain elements of his fanbase...
DeleteI done a bit of a Google and apparently this video was only released in Europe, but not because of any gay clips, because it was obvious Bruce was about to leave his wife for his backing singer in it (!). Perhaps the tutting would be heard across the Atlantic.
Deletei think i've said this before, but i remember reading about the boss's inpending marriage to that demure young actress, thinking "is she really going out with him" and that it wouldn't last. in contrast his backing singer was pure rock chick from the other side of the tracks, and a much better match for a guy like that!
DeleteBut who was the new co-singer lass with Springsteen on the video? I remember this video at the time being revealed as a Chart Show Exclusive before TOTP got hold of it, although I didn't like the intro chop by TOTP on this week's show, being so bad that we missed the first couple of words!
DeleteThe "co-singer" is Patti Scialfa, who Bruce would marry after divorcing his then-wife the year after this. It's pretty clear from this video his marriage was on the rocks, but there was a happy ending - Bruce and Patti are still together.
DeleteThat is good to hear, so we can watch this video again and pay closer attention to the lyrics, as this is genuine love to this day, and still together 31 years later. Brilliant stuff!
DeleteHazell's follow up was called 'Turn into love' and yes, you're right, Carol's fetching blue dress does feature in the video which I have never watched until just now!
DeleteI must admit, I did check out the T'Pau video on YT to see if I was right! Wonder why this song didn't make an impression on me at the time? Definitely one of their best.
DeleteAlso, I got the T'Pau question right on Pointless Celebrities tonight (no, Will Young, not Duran Duran!). My sister would be so proud of me!
We could do with July 14th 1988 if anybody has a link? :-)
ReplyDeleteI've posted one on the previous show Angelo
DeleteI remember watching this one at the time. It was Bruno Brookes' first love show and also the end of an era with one final time check from Simon Bates.
DeleteA video-heavy show with no Breakers section this week, it seemed that TOTP were trying to get too many songs in their paltry 30-minute limit before Eastenders. In the days when TOTP was a 40-minute show in the 70s and early 80s you could feature this many songs and play them all in full, but this attempt now in 1988 had caused all the videos apart from Springsteen's one, to be restricted to two minutes.
ReplyDeleteI will need to watch these videos in full on Utube this weekend, especially Glen Madeiros, Salt 'n' Pepa, The Fat Boys Ft Chubby Checker, but definitely not Tracey Chapman, as I would not have cared if they played one minute of it, let alone two as John G mentions.
The highlight of the show for me this week was T'Pau with Carol Decker's nightie, I mean dress, and I couldn't figure out what Gary Davies was saying about her dress at the end of the song, even when rewinding a number of times and trying to hear what he was saying. Does anyone know?
Suffice to say that this is my favourite T'Pau song, not cos of Carol unusually wearing a different colour dress to her customary dreary black ones, but cos the melody is so good, and by means of not being overplayed over the years like their other hits.
Gary said, "Have you noticed that as the nights get longer, so do Carol Decker's dresses? Mind you, you can't have everything."
DeleteIs this the last of Matt Bianco on these re-runs? I would guess so if Angelo says it is their final top 40 hit. Their unique sound seemed to be a precursor Lou Bega's late 90s sound with Mambo No.5 released in 1999 with 'a little bit of Erica on my mind, a little bit of Rita by my side.....'
ReplyDeleteChannel 4 cricket theme!
DeleteNot a jot on the BBC cricket theme in the days before Sky Sports. We're talking about Booker T & The MGs of course which incidentally is my mobile phone ringtone!
DeleteI really enjoyed this show (bar one song) despite Peter’s shorts! (when I knees you indeed!)
ReplyDeleteHazell Dean – Maybe (we should call it a day) – Perfectly respectable SAW fodder and a nice red mini dress too. Hazell really seems to bound about on the stage.
Bruce Springsteen – Tougher than the rest – A cut above average too. Enjoyed this. Not sure who the female backing vocalist is. The B Side of the single is the live version, so presumably this is it. Taken from the album ‘Tunnel of Love’ which conjures up another band for me.
Tracy Chapman – Fast Car – Fast Forward
Matt Bianco – Don’t blame it on the Girl – Produced by Emilio Estefan Jnr and doesn’t It show? Wonderful piece of dance energy with some nice moves by one of the backing vocalists. Is the other one Basia?
Salt n’Pepa – Wow! Totally infectious. For years now every time someone says ‘salt and pepper’ I mentally hum the synth riff from this. I should hate this really, but do you know what, I wouldn’t have begrudged this the extra step from no2 to no1. Miles better than their other no2 (which was one of several singles to be denied the top spot by Bryan Adams). Damn….I am going to be whistling this for the rest of the week!
No breakers on this show….
T’Pau – I will be with you – Track 2 on the ‘Bridge of Spies’ album, this has to follow the magnificent opener ‘Heart and Soul’ but does a stonking good job. Carol looks great in that blue party dress too.
Fat Boys and Chubby Checker – The Twist – Enjoyable and harmless piece of party fodder not to be taken too seriously.
Bros – I owe you nothing – So was there no video for this as they keep showing the same studio outing?
Glenn Medeiros – Nothing’s gonna change my love for you – Now there was a video for this, and what a sumptuous smooch stroll along the beach it is. One of my favourites from 1988 and it still sounds so good. I don’t know where Glenn came from as this was his first UK single release, penned by the prolific Michael Masser and Gerry Goffin who also wrote another favourite of mine; ‘Do you know where you’re going to’ the theme from ‘Mahogany’ (one of those films which never gets shown on TV).
Basia had gone solo by this point. Her almost-hit was Time and Tide, not a bad tune at all, but it didn't take off with the record buying public.
DeleteI've seen Mahogany and it's hilariously bad, the worst of the attempts to turn Miss Ross into a movie star by Berry Gordy. The bit with the speeding car is absolutely sidesplitting.
Sct353, totally agree about Salt n Pepa. I was about two thirds into my University tenure at around this point, and I can tell you it was the most popular dance riff at the college discos, and for the rest of 1988 at least. I'm sure that if they had not changed the pepper spelling to Pepa, they would not have had the same impact!
DeleteI think Glen Madeiros came from South America, and to think he was still only 17 in that beach stroll video, he showed a high level of maturity on that video, which you would expect from someone much older like 37 or 47, say like Julio Iglesias or Smokey Robinson for example.
Glenn's from the United States - he's from Hawaii.
DeleteGlenn Medeiros released this George Benson cover aged 16 on a small label, a DJ on the mainland heard it, loved it and played it relentlessely and through word of mouth It got a bigger label release and made number 12 in the States. Lucky USA. Only number 12, not a four-week number one elsewhere.
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ReplyDeleteSorry, sound issues with my last attempt. Here goes...
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw that knees picture I immediately thought of The Gumbys from “Monty Python”. Please, put them away, PeTER!
Breaker break, good buddy, where are the breakers? Actually not fussed – I’d rather get a whole song played in their place.
“What would you like with your advance, Hazell?” “ A lovely red Mini.” “There you go.” “Not that kind of fecking Mini!” A boomy and unremarkable tune which I wish was shorter than the singer’s ‘belt’.
Bruce SpringSTEEN as introduced by Shorty. Ah, now we understand those longing looks between singers. Bruce years ahead of the political game with those same sex shots in the video.By the way, I saw “Philadelphia” and was disappointed – no mention of soft cheese at all in the film.
I loved that “Fast Car” fast forward remark. I also used fifth gear and FF’d.
Matt Cinzano with his peppy enjoyable tune which knocks Modern Romance into a cocked hat, but you to the right, mime into the mic more. It’s not about you. Did you write or record this track? Indeed.
Ah, now. This track might be a bit saucy if I get the drift. Not about pushing a car with a dead battery, is it? Would’ve preferred to see and hear more than we got, mind you. If only Spinderella was either S or P as I thought she was way more atttractive. Remember, safe breakfast – always use a condiment.
Carol’s dress complimented her hair colour. A decent mid-tempo stadium gig lighter-on ballad there.
Fatties and Chubby – not my bag, but for those who like that sort of thing, it’s the sort of thing they like.
Iou0FF.
I could feel the vom rising with the outro track, though it also made me hungry for a double quarter pounder with cheese -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5dB1nvSGUc
Bit late to the party this week.
ReplyDeleteDisappointing track from Hazell Dean. Don’t recall it at all. Backing a bit disjointed - tune seemed to be trying to pull away from a relatively slow backing. I think the director thought so as well - Whooping a bit over the top....
...followed by a relatively obscure Brucie tune. I remember this being a lot faster - how odd.
Wonder what I was doing around this time, as I also don’t recall the T’Pau track. Probably their best since China. Looked slightly out of sync - was that her miming, or the recording? Nice nightie....
This was one of the most mediocre shows of the year.
ReplyDeleteHazell Dean - Even as the resident SAW lover, I struggle to generate much enthusiasm for this one.
Bruce Springsteen - It's that rarest of things, a Bruce song that I quite like. The video was the typical Boss live performance, until the eye-opener of the gay couples which was unexpected to say the least.
Tracy Chapman - I never understood the fuss over her at the time, and I still find her music very dull.
Salt'n'Pepa - This song also got a boost from the Nelson Mandela concert, as it had stalled at No.41 earlier in the year (with a different double 'A' side as well!) It's a shame that the video is one of those where the song bears little resemblance to the single version - as a result we get one verse!
T'Pau - Oh good, another one of their dreadful songs.
Fat Boys / Chubby Checker - Also awful.
Glenn Medeiros - Another one of those songs that seems to arrive every Summer and mysteriously get to No.1 by the power of housewives anf grannies presumably.
Ooh Gary and PP with their knobbly knees present a fun summery TOTP, very much a blink and you'll miss it show. Almost everything got cut off early
ReplyDeleteHazell Dean – Maybe (We Should Call It A Day). Not on my account Hazell, some odd dance moves but love the funky trainers. Not as good as Who's leaving who but still a decent floor filler,
Bruce Springsteen – Don't recall this one but it actually wasn't too bad. Not a Bruce fan at all but I could listen to this,
Tracy Chapman – As much as I hated it at the time I'm amazed “Fast Car” never got to number one. A massive radio song at the time and a shame it was cut so short as I don't mind it nowadays.
Matt Bianco back with a very lovely performance of a fabulous summer song. Fantastic.
Salt ‘N’ Pepa – another one cut to shreds but another great summer sound. Summer 88 had some really great tunes, probably why I remember is so well.
T’Pau – Forgotten about “I Will Be With You” but it's absolutely brilliant. Easily their best to date. Think its buried on the end of my Now 12 album. Time for a further listen. Highlight of the show.
“The Twist (Yo Twist)” paaaaarty....need a beer or three to enjoy this but harmless fun and well made.
Bros – “I Owe You Nothing” rudely cut short
And here comes the American Rick Astley. Glenn "I'm cute and 18 next week" Medeiros – “Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love For You” Bless him. Isn't this number one forever..?