Allan wishes he hadn't washed his jacket on such a high setting
22/09/88 (Nicky Campbell & Andy Crane)
Pet Shop Boys – “Domino Dancing” (9)
Going all Latin to get tonight's show underway and the song peaked at number 7.
Womack & Womack – “Teardrops (3) (rpt from 01/09/88)
A repeat showing but the song got no higher.
Bill Withers – “Lovely Day (Sunshine Mix)” (4)
The original version had peaked at number 7 ten years earlier, but this time Bill turned up in the studio and this remix peaked at number 4.
Transvision Vamp – “Revolution Baby” (30) (breaker)
Sounding a lot like Blondie but it got no higher.
Whitney Houston – “One Moment In Time” (24) (breaker)
On its way to number one.
Bon Jovi – “Bad Medicine” (18) (breaker)
Went up just one more place.
Rick Astley – “She Wants To Dance With Me” (16)
Rick's in the studio to perform his self-penned song which peaked at number 6
The Hollies – “He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother” (1)
In the studio again to perform their eighteenth top ten hit and their first of two weeks at number one.
The Pasadenas – “Riding On A Train” (20) (video/credits)
Peaked at number 13.
29th September is next.
Missing Bit:https://up.metropol247.co.uk/112019/1572648234_1811592615.mp4
ReplyDeleteThanks for that - while I disapprove of the BBC's continued rewriting of history, I suspect BBC4 viewers might be grateful to be spared Campbell's impersonation of the Jangly One!
DeleteNicky Campbell, with his annoyingly big hair, is at his most insufferable this week, barely allowing poor old Andy to get a word in edgeways as he basks in his own cleverness and verbal diarrhoea. PSB first, with the lead single from the Introspective album. Their golden period was drawing to a close by this point, though one last genuinely great single was just around the corner. By contrast, this is a pleasant but somewhat average effort by their standards, though I appreciate their attempts to ring the changes in this studio performance a bit by bringing along some supporting players in coordinated branded t-shirts.
ReplyDeleteIt’s a surprise that Bill Withers turned up in the studio to promote this remix, especially as he had stopped releasing new music by this point. Still, he seems to be enjoying himself, and even mimes the infamous long notes at the end. Lovely Day was never in the same league as the likes of Lean On Me and Ain’t No Sunshine, but the original version is a darn sight preferable to this clunky, percussion-heavy vandalisation. This snippet of a very punky but tuneful Transvision Vamp is all we will see of it, and the same goes for Bad Medicine, which I suppose is almost heavy metal by Bon Jovi’s standards and one of their more memorable tracks, if derivative.
Campbell’s praise of Rick Astley’s musical talents didn’t sound too sincere, did it? Rick and his band look like a group of accountants at their office Christmas party, and the song, alas, is nothing special, forgettable pop-dance fodder. The Hollies turn up in the studio again to celebrate only the second number 1 of their illustrious career, the first being the far superior I’m Alive in 1965. Unfortunately, we get that nasty re-recording once more, and the band deliver a more or less identical performance to last time. Andy was right that they had appeared on the very first TOTP, just a shame he got the year wrong! A very long playout this week, which in this case is unfortunate as The Pasadenas' track is very dull. Watching the video, I am one again struck by how utterly desperate they were to emulate the great soul groups of yore, but they continue to fall well short – nice steam engine, though…
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DeleteThis Bill Withers remix was a shocker, even at the time. There seemed to be a trend for these rehashes in 88/89, I think we get equally pointless rehashes of M's Pop Musik and Chaka Khan's I'm Every Woman in the coming months.
DeleteIt did feel that the main riff on Domino Dancing was very similar to the one on Bomb The Bass's Don't Make Me Wait, currently going down in the charts, although I did not spot the resemblance between the two tunes at the time, cos there was so much going on as I was a student then, but that is the wonder of having reruns, all these years later, when you can think about each tune with an older and wiser head that is 31 years older than in 1988.
DeleteI guess you mean that PSB's last genuinely great single still to come was Left To My Own Devices? With lyrics like "I get out of bed at half past 10, and pick up the phone to the party animal".......that would make it a genuinely great single of course.
It was Dutch DJ Ben Liebrand who insisted on subjecting perfectly decent tracks to his wholly uninvited remix treatment. He had a hit on his own with the War of the Worlds theme - that was a horrible remix too, where he slowed down Richard Burton's dialogue.
DeleteI seem to recall Neil Tennant saying that the PSB's knew their 'imperial' period was over when Domino Dancing didn't get to number one, but I'd argue that they still had some great songs to come, particularly on their 1990 album Behaviour.
DeleteI didn't mind the War Of The Worlds remix at the time but time hasn't been kind to it.
steve i agree with you regarding the "behaviour" album as it contained several tracks that were just as good if not better than their earlier stuff in my view. unfortunately the first single pulled off it ("so hard") was such a duffer that i believe it impacted on the lack of success of the excellent follow-up "being boring" (that itself probably didn't benefit from having such a title). but the best track on it in my opinion is "my october symphony"
DeleteI thought PSB's cover of Village People's 'Go West' was pretty good.
DeleteWe're going to have to wait ages for that one, as it is a 1993 issue by PSB, and hopefully BBC4 will still be doing the TOTP reruns to 1993.
DeleteDory - yes, Left to My Own Devices is the song I am thinking about, and we shall see it very soon now.
DeleteAgree with you re 'So Hard' wilby - it sounded bad at the time and it's dated horribly. Probably my least favourite PSB single.
DeleteCount me as one who still likes So Hard, it does sound like self-parody, but the melody is decent and I like the lyrics, especially the bit about the matches. It's not Championship League PSB, but very good lower division.
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ReplyDeletePSB with what was a so-so, Latin-tinged debut single off the new album, there's nothing very wrong with it, but it's not very catchy and the acerbic lyrics we've come to expect are rather blunt. Also, Chris looks a proper lemon in that outfit.
ReplyDeleteThe Womacks on repeat, then urgh, the horrible remix of Lovely Day, surprisingly with Bill Withers resurrected in the studio and looking about a hundred years old, though he is still alive now (!). Nice enough tune, and that impressive long note distinguishes it, but I was distracted by the bloke in the background wearing a Big Black T-shirt! What was he here for?! I can guarantee that if Big Black had made it onto TOTP, they would have never mentioned the title of their album...
Breakers, and Transvision Vamp continue much as before, minus the chart success. Their best single is still to come. Ted Bovis, sorry, Bon Jovi with another of their hundred hits nobody remembers, no loss we never heard this in full.
OK, Nicky, I admit you made me laugh out loud by describing Rick Astley as a "musical genius". As for evidence of this genius, thin on the ground and Rick was not exactly famous for his dancing, was he? Well, not good dancing, anyway. Keeps building to mini-crescendos to very little effect.
The Hollies with the slowest top ten hit of the 1960s, not very electrifying in its original version and even worse here. It's a pity one of their more fun singles wasn't a hit instead.
Hey, it's The Pasadenas to wake us up! Are you a singing group or a dance troupe, boys? Can't make up your mind? Anyway, this is their best single, actually some way to recreating their beloved 60s soul and very enjoyable for it. Choo-choo train, though?
i may have mentioned this at the time of the original chart showing of "lovely day", but i recall that song used to be in "the guinness book of records" for repeating the same words most often - the irony of it being revived at this point was that thanks to the arrival of samplers, that record was probably now already obliterated!
DeleteWasn't it the "I know" bit of Ain't No Sunshine that had the record for the most repeated phrase in a song? Though Bill sings "A lovely day" quite a bit too.
DeleteThis was a vintage year for classy R&B, with both The Pasadenas and Womack & Womack deservedly scoring major hits. The latter act's 'Teardrops' would subsequently be covered by numerous big names, from Sir Elton John to Joss Stone. Did you spot Chris Frantz, on loan from Talking Heads, drumming away tirelessly at the back of the Womacks' band?
ReplyDeleteBill Withers, hauled out of retirement for one night only, looked totally disillusioned throughout his lip-syncing performance - but at least he didn't have to hold that 18-second note for real. He held the European record for the longest note held by a vocalist on a Top 40 hit until 2000, when A-Ha frontman Morten Harket sustained a note for 20 seconds in 'Summer Moved On'.
Bill had actually left the business in 1986 following the release of his final album for Columbia, 'Watching You Watching Me'. This set yielded three singles, including this US R&B hit and VERY minor British chart entry, which appears to owe more than a passing nod to 'I Wanna Stay With You' (even being in the same key - A-flat major):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CJdCr3kshE
Talking of soundalikes, Rick Astley is hardly a "genius", despite what Nicky Campbell would have had us believe. 'She Wants To Dance With Me' is a blatant answer song to Whitney Houston's 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody', in the same key (G-flat major) to boot. Not content with stealing songwriting ideas, the Max Bygraves lookalike had also managed to swipe backing dancer/singer Lauren from Bros! The latter's 'I Quit', mentioned in the countdown, surprisingly moved down the chart this week - probably because it was musically and lyrically darker, and less instant, than its three predecessors, though just as accomplished.
I remember seeing The Hollies in concert in Southport in 2013; it was a joy from start to finish. Their line-up that night, as on this week's TOTP repeat, included founder members Tony Hicks and Bobby Elliott as well as former Mud bassist Ray Stiles. Tony rightly reprimanded a couple near the front for chattering and checking their iPhone during the introduction of a song in Southport!
As I mentioned in my comments above, I don't think Nicky was being entirely sincere with the praise he was lavishing on Rick...
DeleteTo be fair to Newton-le-Willows' only notable musical export, he has improved considerably as a songwriter since his comeback. I'm prepared to overlook his vapid composition 'Shakespeare's (Way With) Words', a middling hit for reality TV flopstars One True Voice, as indeed I did when celebrating my belated success in GCSE English Literature two years ago. Instead, I sang BA Robertson's smash 'To Be Or Not To Be' with the local ukulele band at a well-known micropub in my home town.
DeleteMax Bygraves Lookalike! Hahahaha! I was dragged along to see Max Bygraves at a gig at Richmond Theatre when I was 10. My 18-year-old sister and I brought the crowd's average age down to about 70!
DeleteThere was a nice piece on the BBC news website last week about Rick Astley selling 300,000 copies of a recent album which got him gigging again. The BBC video link showed Rick with, would you believe, his extensive collection of guitars!
As for Southport, I need to hop Haig Avenue, as I've been to all the Football League teams who failed re-election in the 1970's apart from Southport. Okay, I had to see Bradford Park Avenue at a different ground to their league days, but it still counts as a groundhop!
Rick recently played with The Foo Fighters, bizarrely, at Reading. He does seem like a decent guy.
Deletei went to see max bygraves at the victoria palace theatre on what was probably the same tour. my family could only afford the cheap seats though, so we were watching from "the gods" which meant he was little more than a matchstick (thus preparing me for the genesis wembley stadium gig 15 years later ha ha). i do remember finding him quite amusing though - even though in later years i thought he was utterly dire as bob monkhouse's replacement on "family fortunes" (thus echoing the without-a-clue larry grayson taking over from bruce forsythe for "the generation game")
Deletetalking of max: does anyone else remember the report from about 15 years ago where a charity shop refused to take in any more of his albums as they were considered unsaleable? max was still around at the time, but when interviewed about it took the view that they had given a load of pleasure to the now-deceased ex-owners so wasn't offended. and might also have intimated that he was loaded as a result of selling millions of them in the first place!
I agree that the legendary Larry Grayson was sometimes ill at ease when he first took over 'The Generation Game' - but Isla St Clair (or "Izzla Sinclair" as Janette Tough, aka Jimmy Krankie, once called her) gradually brought him out of his shell as the series went on. By the time THIS episode aired - his 9th - he had made the show his own. Watch out here for 'Grayson's Groovers', an ad hoc disco troupe including 4 members of Legs & Co:
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbMhcdaHQAA
P.S. Here's the catastrophic climax to the episode that effectively ended Max's TV career:
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHiGT_odU2Y
Thanks for the Larry Grayson 'Night Fever' clip Julie. It certainly made my evening! I must have watched that at the time of broadcast but have not seen it since.
DeleteI saw Larry live in Summer 1973 at the Winter Gardens Margate and he was hilarious. 'Grayson's Scandals' the show was called, and starring with him were Rod Hull and Emu and Christine Holmes (used to be in 'Crackerjack'. Happy memories.
The Winter Gardens in Margate. Blimey! My family holidayed at Herne Bay for two years in the mid 60's (I researched and discovered one night there turned out to be the night ITV first went on strike after the franchise changes) and we went to Margate several times - on one occasion to go on a hovercraft and another to see Ronnie Corbett (possibly with Danny La Rue im support!) at the Winter Gardens.
DeleteBack to Max... there was a band once signed to EMI called A Raincoat and their album front cover had a picture of them all in raincoats standing in a cemetery. They wanted to call the album "Macs By Graves" but Max's agent got wind and nixed it. The album was eventualy named as a mickey-take of a Max TV show and called "Digalongamacs"!
I saw Rod Hull and Emu in panto (it was Jack and the Beanstalk) at Bromley's Churchill Theatre in 1985. My main memory is of a little boy who had been invited up on stage crying when Rod tried to give him an Emu t-shirt! I also saw Danny La Rue in panto at the same theatre a couple of years later, not that I really knew who he was at the time...
Deletesct353 - there's a lot more to Christine Holmes' career than 'Crackerjack', as you'll discover when you read this article:
Deletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Family_Dogg
Thanks Julie. Never realised that it was Christine in the Family Dogg. Now this no6 hit from 1969 really is one you never hear on the radio, and more's the pity.
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CTklVhu8g8
Pity we don't get to see Transvision Vamp following this week's breakers slot, as I must admit that I quite like Wendy's all year round tan which looks like a sunbed tan, but hey, who's complaining with such a fine body to go with it?
ReplyDeleteGood Lord, I see that TOTP are going to show another three episodes next week, after just having three episodes rammed down our throats this week. I don't know if I can handle the barrage again.
I didn't know till recently that Wendy James had Norwegian parents and was adopted very young. Probably explains her sultry looks.
DeleteSo what happened in ‘Eastenders’ that was so great? Wait, I know, someone discovered something terrible that someone else had done that the viewers had known all about for months and then all hell broke loose? Like Max and Stacey one Christmas….
ReplyDeleteThe worst edition for a while in my book…
Pet Shop Boys – Domino Dancing – Quite trite compared to their past epics. Lots of Pet Shop Band members in evidence joining in the mime.
Womack and Womack – Teardrops – As with Phil last week, why not show the video? It’s a good one too with a real feelgood feeling. Surprised it was still going up but one of the better acts on tonight’s show.
Bill Withers – Lovely Dayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy – I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know zzzzzzzzzzz
Breakers – be very afraid for the second one. Otherwise no comment.
Rick Astley – She wants to dance we me – Prefer ‘all she wants to do is dance’ by Don Henley. Not one of Rick’s best.
Hollies – He ain’t heavy – he’s my brother – It would have been nice to have heard the original version rather than what I now know to be a rerecorded version. Having said that, looking at the next two no1s, I’m grateful to Phil and Allan and co. for giving us a couple of decent tunes!
Pasadenas – Riding on a Train – Don’t get the appeal of this lot at all. FF.
Thanks for the missing snippet. I think the right decision was made to cut it out.
PSB were very dreary in that studio performance to open the show this week, unlike the excellent video for Domino dancing, where I remember in the days before we had UTube, that there was a PSB 1987-1988 video compilation on VHS, where the excellent 8-minute uncut video of Domino Dancing was on it, and it is the story of two young teenage boys fighting over the same older mature woman, resulting in a fight on the beach with no winner:
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xeSg_ORzEs
Neil and Chris believe the DD video was what scuppered their careers in the US, because the Americans found the boys too pretty, and therefore thought the song was totally "gay", which a majority of the nation disapproved of.
DeleteThis episode and the next one were broadcast at 8.30 after Eastenders due to the Olympics which is why it's mentioned in the opening link.
DeleteNow then now then, it’s Campbell at possibly his most annoying (I’m also glad for that impersonation guillotine) and Crane with a new slicked back Bros hairstyle.
ReplyDeleteI’m on my own here as “Domino Dancing” is my fave PSB track. The staging of this was weird, though. So used to just the duo on stage but here we get an ensemble complete with backing vocalists, one of whom should have worn a T-shirt with Neil’s face for equality. Keytar Chris looks like he’s just flown back from a miserable holiday in Magaluf.
W&W, F&F – hang on, that’s the name of Tesco’s fashion range.
A horrible clunky Art Of Noise “hey hey” reworking of a song I don’t like anyway. I’d have preferred Googie Withers to Bill Withers.
Lucky bloke in that video being snogged by Norwegian vamp Wendy. The song wasn't up to much, mind.
Oh Christ, the plastic soul wailer’s back with a song as bad as Campbell’s intro joke. To think our Olympics team got “Superspike” years before.
What was it with all the camcorder stage invaders at Bon Jovi’s gig? A half decent track, and certainly medicine for the previous anomaly.
So, Smuggy Campbell, ever written and/or sung a hit single yourself? Admittedly not Rick’s best hit but the sales would have earned him (cue Max impersonation) big money!
A nice fact followed by fake news from Andy followed by that inferior Hollies re-run.
Seeing that train in the outro video got me thinking - when did The Pasadenas finally run out of steam? The answer, I know, is not quick enough.
Just had a full watch of the Transvision Vamp video following your observation, and yes, isn't she a hottie? The song itself was more of a Billy Idol sort of sound which probably explains why it didn't do very well, and nothing more than a Breakers slot for them, but lucky for us, there will be more hits to come from them, and looking forward to seeing more of Wendy on future TOTP shows. Lovelyyyyyy!
DeleteHi xrayfour! I'm on to ask if you've got the following shows that Anonymous hasn't got. They are 11/04/74, 20/01/83, 13/12/84, 20/12/84, 24/01/85 and 30/05/85. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteSorry brie, been under the weather lately but will be back soon with the shows....I hope.
DeleteDon't worry, mate, plenty of time, so get well soon!
DeleteMusic is the best therapy so here you go brie. Still some audio problems with 24/01/85 & Janice's link out of Animotion on 30/05/85 is incomplete as you probably know:
Deletehttps://we.tl/t-qd6GjORkeJ
https://we.tl/t-j6oMACtrpE
https://we.tl/t-9YzvTOi8Q1
Wow, I didn't think you'd get them to me that quick! Thanks for these, mate. I hope that you and Anonymous don't mind me keep asking for these shows as I seem to be the only one asking for them nowadays! I had a lot of them up to a while ago until my computer was stolen and I hadn't got them backed up. I got a lot of them off Manorak when he was on Vimeo. Do you know if he's still around on other forums as I never see him on here anymore?
DeleteAsk away brie, I've no problem at all. I know who Manorak is. We swap & share stuff via email & WeTransfer!
DeleteYes feel free to ask away.
DeleteThanks to you both. It's good to know you're not fed up with me! Also good to know Manorak's still around!
DeletePSB - the boys slow it down, but still a good toon..
ReplyDeleteLovely day not improved by the bubbity bup bassline...
Ah the Vamp... I had a short lived but torrid affair with a young lady many years ago mostly down to the young lady’s resemblance to Wendy...
Very patriotic go get em track from Whitney, and a bouncy Bon Jovi to finish
Didn’t remember the Rick Astley track... and still don’t.
Andy Crane proved how professional he is on this edition by managing to build some rapport with Nicky Campbell even though he was barely being allowed to get a word in edgeways...
ReplyDeletePet Shop Boys - You're not alone Arthur, while this isn't my favourite one of theirs it's certainly knocking on the door. I love the Latin stylings although I'm not sure Chris arriving in his holiday gear was a good idea.
Bill Withers - For those who think this is heinous, give Ben Liebrand's remix of 'White Lines' (yes, really!) a listen. Bill looks like he can't be bothered despite the royalty cheque and you can't really blame him.
Breakers - Apparently there was a tune going on while Wendy James strutted around pouting. Oh yes, I remember, this one's the T Rex knock-off isn't it? The Bon Jovi track is the only one of their singles I ever liked so naturally it doesn't get a full play.
I didn't care much for Nicky Campbell's sarcastic intro to what is a perfectly decent pop song, and Rick looked suitably pissed off throughout his performance.
The Pasadenas - Probably their best single, not that there were many songs they did after this that weren't covers anyhow.
Show 2 of the day.
ReplyDeleteNick and Andy this week.
PSB with one of their camper moments and this is fabulous. One of my favourite PSB songs. Such a great summer vibe and Neil's in a suit! 😜
Love the Chris Lowe tshirts. Where can u get one of those. More importantly why isnt Chris wearing one, at least he dressed for summer. The 12" version of this is amazing.
Womacks back again and STILL at number 3! John Nathan-Turner taking a day off from producing Dr Who to play the drums.
Bill Withers gets a sunshine mix of his 70s hit and its a cracker. He even shows up as well, even though he doesn't look best pleased about it.
Really like this remix.
Hold that note Bill.... 😀 😀 😀
Is he nailed to the floor. My goodness he needs some smarties.. Get that man some e numbers.
Breakers:
The Vamp with a song that goes nowhere. Always nice to see Wendy though.
Whitney with her Olympic masterpiece. Get ready for a month of this.. New discus...very good Nicky.
Bon Jovi go a bit heavier and this is great stuff. Bad Medicine rocks. Shit video though.
Rick proving anyone can write a SAW pop song. One of his more forgotten numbers. Easy to see why.
Glad he's finally on stage with a band. He looks so much more comfortable.
Why is this song growing on me as it plays. Bloody hell.
Were Nicky and Andy taking the piss.
So Andy the first TOTP was in 1963 was it. Hmmm. Hollies probably can't remember the date either. Thank god he didn't mention Mr Fix It.
Are they miming to a different version this week?
Choo Choo. Riding on a train.. A fun end to a top show! 😜