Friday 27 March 2020

Top of the Pops For Whoever

Oh Shirley, oh Deborah, oh Julie, oh Jane - it's the 8th June 1989 edition of Top of the Pops!

Perfect two


08/06/89 (Nicky Campbell)

Transvision Vamp – “The Only One” (25)
Getting tonight's show off to a glistening start and the song peaked at number 15.


Cliff Richard – “The Best Of Me” (2) (video)
The fans were all buying his 100th single but it couldn't quite make it to number one.

Guns N’ Roses – “Sweet Child O’ Mine” (8) (video)
Went up two more places.

The Beautiful South – “Song For Whoever” (23)
Singing what sounds like a live vocal, they went on to be one of the biggest bands of the 90's, and this clever debut single peaked at number 2.

Vixen - "Love Made Me" (36) (breaker)
Got no higher.

Donna Allen - "Joy & Pain" (38) (breaker)
Peaked at number 10.

New Model Army - "Green & Grey" (37) (breaker)
Got no higher.

Paula Abdul – “Forever Your Girl” (26) (video)
Went up two more places.

D Mob featuring LRS – “It Is Time To Get Funky” (19)
Making their studio debuuuuut and it peaked at number 9.

Soul II Soul – “Back To Life (However Do You Want Me)” (12) (video)
The first outing for this year's blog title track, and it will get to number one in three weeks time.

Jason Donovan – “Sealed With A Kiss” (1)
But Jason's going to be there for the next two weeks, and here he is in the studio.

Bananarama – “Cruel Summer ‘89” (33) (video/credits)
It had made number 8 in 1983, this time around it peaked at number 19.



15th June is next.

Top of the Pops Sunshine

When it's good it's wicked at the same time, cruising all over the 1st June 1989 edition of Top of the Pops!

Howdy pardner!


01/06/89 (Gary Davies & Anthea Turner)

Sinitta – “Right Back Where We Started From” (19)
Yeeeharrr! It's cowgirl Sinitta getting tonight's live show underway with what became her fourth and final top ten hit when it peaked at number 4.

Natalie Cole – “Miss You Like Crazy” (2) (video)
At its peak.

Madonna – “Express Yourself” (10) (video)
This was already Madonna's nineteenth top ten hit, and it went up five more places.

Double Trouble & Rebel MC – “Just Keep Rockin’” (20)
Making their studio debut with what became their first of three top 30 hits when it peaked at number 11.

WASP – “The Real Me” (23) (video)
Got no higher.

Neneh Cherry – “Manchild” (5)
Oh my that's a tight sweater! Her second time in the studio to perform this but the song was now at its peak.

Cyndi Lauper – “I Drove All Night” (22) (video)
Became her third of four top ten hits when it parked at number 7.

Fuzzbox – “Pink Sunshine” (24)
Another eyepopping costume on show tonight and this second single from their top 5 album Big Bang peaked at number 14.

 Gerry Marsden, The Christians, Paul McCartney, Holly Johnson, and Stock Aitken Waterman – “Ferry Cross The Mersey” (1) (video)
Third and final week at number one.

Guns N’ Roses – “Sweet Child O’ Mine” (14) (video/credits)
It had peaked at number 24 last year, but this time around it made it to number 6.


8th June is next.

Friday 20 March 2020

Top of the Pops On the Inside

Last night I dreamed we were together, sharing the 25th May 1989 edition of Top of the Pops!

Top of the Dogs


25/05/89  (Simon Mayo)

Edelweiss – “Bring Me Edelweiss” (5)
The quite fabulous SOS had peaked at number 6 for Abba in 1975, but Edelweiss beat them by one place peaking at number 5.


Tone Loc – “Funky Cold Medina” (26) (video)
His biggest hit and it peaked at number 13.

Sam Brown – “Can I Get A Witness?” (21) (video)
Peaked at number 15.

Robert Palmer – “Change His Ways” (31)
Yodeling his way to number 28.

Lynne Hamilton – “On The Inside” (13)
Let out on day release to perform the theme tune from Prisoner Cell Block H, this was Lynne's only hit and it peaked at number 3.


Cappella – “Helyom Halib” (12) (video)
Went up one more place.

Donna Summer – “I Don’t Wanna Get Hurt” (19)
You can't keep her out of the studio these days! This one peaked at number 7.


Gerry Marsden, The Christians, Paul McCartney, Holly Johnson, and Stock Aitken Waterman – “Ferry Cross The Mersey” (1) (video)
Second of three weeks at number one.

WASP – “The Real Me” (27) (video/credits)
Peaked at number 23.



1st June is next.

Top of the Pops Sings the Blues

What wouldn't you give for it to really be 1989 once again right now? I hope everyone is keeping safe and well at this surreal and disturbing time. At least we can still enjoy this 18th May edition of Top of the Pops!

With a cherry on top of the pops


18/05/89  (Mark Goodier & Anthea Turner)

Shakin’ Stevens – “Love Attack” (28)
Getting tonight's show underway but the song got no higher.

Bobby Brown – “Every Little Step” (20) (video)
Peaked at number 6.

Roxette – “The Look” (10) (rpt from 04/05/89)
Went up three more places.

Alyson Williams - "My Love Is So Raw" (34) (Breaker)
Got no higher.

Sam Brown - "Can I Get A Witness" (31) (Breaker)
Peaked at number 15.

Diana Ross - "Workin' Overtime" (32) (Breaker)
Got no higher.

Paul McCartney – “My Brave Face” (22) (video)
From his number one album Flowers In The Dirt, this first single peaked at number 18.

Neneh Cherry – “Manchild” (26)
Back in the studio minus the bump and the song peaked at number 5.

Stefan Dennis – “Don’t It Make You Feel Good” (17) (video)
Went up one more place.

Deacon Blue – “Fergus Sings The Blues” (25)
Live in the studio and the song peaked at number 14.

Gerry Marsden, The Christians, Paul McCartney, Holly Johnson, and Stock Aitken Waterman – “Ferry Cross The Mersey” (1) (video)
The charity record for the Hillsborough Disaster Fund. First of three weeks at number one.

Cappella – “Helyom Halib” (23) (video/credits)
Peaked at number 11.


25th May is next

Friday 13 March 2020

Top of the Pops on Fire

Everytime that you walk in the room, well there is magic all around you - it's the 11th May 1989 edition of Top of the Pops!

Are you watching Reynolds Girls?


11/05/89  (Bruno Brookes) 

Swing Out Sister – “You On My Mind” (28)
Getting this live show underway with a 1960's vibe but the song got no higher.

Chaka Khan – “I’m Every Woman” (remix) (8) (video)
At its peak.

Yazz – “Where Has All The Love Gone?” (16)
A second studio performance (or was this a repeat?) but the song was at its peak.

Queen – “I Want It All” (3) (video)
Going straight in at number three but this frist single from their number one album The Miracle got no higher.

Hue & Cry – “Violently” (29)
Also in th studio tonight and the song peaked at number 21.

Natalie Cole – “Miss You Like Crazy” (5) (video)
On her way to number 2.

Stevie Nicks – “Rooms On Fire” (21)
Was this her studio debut? Taken from her top three album, The Other Side of the Mirror, this became her biggest, and only to 40 hit, when it peaked at number 16.

London Boys – “Requiem” (4)
Leaping all over the stage for a second time but the song was now at is peak.

Kylie Minogue – “Hand On Your Heart” (1) (video)
Just the one week at number one.

Stefan Dennis – “Don’t It Make You Feel Good” (22) (video/credits)
Another one of the Neighbours, but this was Stefan's only top 40 hit and it peaked at number 16.


18th May is next.

Bring Me Top of the Pops

May the fourth be with you Top of the Pops!

Bum notes


04/05/89 (Andy Crane & Jenny Powell)

Edelweiss – “Bring Me Edelweiss” (28)
Getting the show underway tonight with their only hit and it peaked at number 5.

Midnight Oil – “Beds Are Burning” (9) (video)
Went up three more places.

Debbie Gibson – “Electric Youth” (21)
In the studio with the title track from her top ten album, it peaked at number 14.

Bon Jovi – “I’ll Be There For You” (18) (video)
Got no higher.

Roxette – “The Look” (26)
Making their studio debut with became the duo's first of six top ten hits when it peaked at number 7.

Kylie Minogue – “Hand On Your Heart” (2)
In the studio performing the song that will be number one next week.

Poison - “Your Mama Don’t Dance” (16) (video)
Went up three more places.

Live Report – “Why Do I Always Get It Wrong?” (not in chart)
It's Eurovision time again - and this year's UK entry did pretty well and came second, but it only reached number 73 in the charts.

Bangles – “Eternal Flame” (1) (video)
Fourth and final week at number one.

Chaka Khan – “I’m Every Woman” (remix) (23) (video/credits)
It had peaked at number 11 in 1979, ten years on and it made it to number 8.

11th May is next.

Friday 6 March 2020

Me Myself & Top of the Pops

Mirror mirror on the wall it's the 27th April 1989 edition of Top of the Pops!

Hat's the way to do it



27/04/89  (Gary Davies)

London Boys – “Requiem” (11)
Britain's answer to Milli Vanilli get us underway tonight and the song became the duo's first of two ten ten hits when it peaked at number 4.

Natalie Cole – “Miss You Like Crazy” (24) (video)
Became her biggest hit when it peaked at number 2.

De La Soul – “Me, Myself & I” (23)
Making their studio debut and the song went up one more place.

Fine Young Cannibals – “Good Thing” (7) (rpt from 13/04/89)
At its peak.

Morrissey – “Interesting Drug” (9) (video)
As high as it got.

The Beatmasters with Merlin – “Who’s In The House?” (8)
In the studio but the song was at its peak.

Yazz – “Where Has All The Love Gone?” (27)
She'd got her hair done and the song went up to number 16.

Bangles – “Eternal Flame” (1) (video)
Third of four weeks at number one.

Poison  - “Your Mama Don’t Dance” (26) (video/credits)
Became their joint biggest hit when it peaked at number 13.

Next up is 4th May

Top of the Pops Nobody Better

I tried hard to let you go, I tried hard to say goodbye, but each time I tried I just cried out 'it's the April 20th 1989 edition of Top of the Pops!'

Don't have nightmares kids


20/04/89  (Nicky Campbell & Sybil Ruscoe)

Transvision Vamp – “Baby I Don’t Care” (3)
Getting the show off to a skimpily adorned start but the song was now at its peak.

Inner City – “Ain’t Nobody Better” (20)
Flying into the studio from Detroit to perform what became their thrid of four top ten hits when it peaked at number 10.

De La Soul - "Me Myself & I" (26) (breaker)
Peaked at number 22.

London boys - "Requiem" (24) (breaker)
Peaked at number 4.

Holly Johnson – “Americanos” (4) (rpt from 06/04/89)
At its peak.

Metallica – “One” (18) (video)
Peaked at number 13.

Midnight Oil – “Beds Are Burning” (21) (video)
Their only top ten hit and it peaked at nuber 6.

The Cure – “Lullaby” (12)
Looking less like love cats and more like a dog's dinner but Lullaby became their biggest hit when it peaked at number 5.

Simple Minds – “This Is Your Land” (13) (video)
Got no higher.

Bangles – “Eternal Flame” (1) (video)
Second of four weeks at number one.

The Beatmasters with Merlin – “Who’s In The House?” (23) (video/credits)
Became their second of three top ten hits when it peaked at number 8.


Next up is April 27th.