I'll tell you what I know so well - it's the 15th of February 1990 edition of Top of the Pops!
Mr Charisma
15-2-90: Presenter: Anthea Turner
(5) BLACK BOX – I Don’t Know Anybody Else
Getting the show underway tonight with their second of three top ten hits and it peaked at number 4.
(15) CHER – Just Like Jesse James (video)
Went up four more places.
(25) ERIC CLAPTON – Bad Love (video)
Got no higher.
(24) THE WEDDING PRESENT – Brassneck
Despite putting everything in to this performance, the song got no higher.
(21) ROD STEWART – Downtown Train (video)
Peaked at number 10.
(6) SYBIL – Walk On By
Her first of three top ten hits was now at its peak.
(17) DEPECHE MODE – Enjoy The Silence (video)
Became their first top ten hit in six years when it reached number 6.
(22) MICHAEL BOLTON – How Am I Supposed To Live Without You (video)
Became his first of four top ten hits when it peaked at number 3.
(31) THE STRANGLERS – 96 Tears
In the studio to perform their final top 20 hit and it peaked at number 17.
(1) SINEAD O’CONNOR – Nothing Compares 2 U
Third of four weeks at number one.
(27) TINA TURNER – Steamy Windows (video) (and credits)
Playing us out and on her was to number 13.
February 22nd is next.
The new Mrs Peter Powell gets her first fully solo turn, and she actually does pretty well, winding in the histrionics and just getting on with it – I could have done without the constant previews of what was coming up that dotted her links, though. A ridiculously overstuffed show this week, with far too many songs getting cut off in their prime, though in a couple of cases this was a mercy…
ReplyDeleteBlack Box first, now down to just one keyboardist but sounding pretty much exactly the same as on Ride On Time. The formula doesn’t sound so effective this time around, though there were a few more sizeable hits still to come. Martha Wash, one of the Weather Girls, is the real vocalist here - she was not happy about her lack of a credit on this and other dance releases around this time, and was instrumental in pushing for legislation which would make vocal credits compulsory on records. After another sadly truncated slice of Cher, we get some plodding dadrock from Slowhand, with Phil Collins returning the favour shown him on his own recent hit by getting behind the drumkit.
Have we ever seen a more engaged, dynamic singer on TOTP than David Gedge of The Wedding Present? He comes across as a complete knob, and the less said about his vocal prowess, the better; a shame really, as there is some decent musicianship on the song, but the overall sound is of a poor man’s Joy Division. Rod Stewart released a number of overplayed and undistinguished singles in the early 90s; this Tom Waits cover is superior to most of them, but there is still something oddly unengaging about it, and they couldn’t resist cramming the video with shots of a downtown train, could they? Also on video, Depeche Mode deliver the best song of the night, indeed of their whole career, with this enduring synthpop classic, as King Dave looks out over what appears to be the Lake District. They would now become superstars, not that this would do them much good over the next few years, especially in Dave’s case.
Oh no, it’s the ghastly voice and hair of Michael Bolton! How his overly strained emotings became so huge I will never know, though in fairness this song might have been more tolerable with somebody else singing it, and the promo might have been better if he had appeared in it considerably less, or preferably not at all. It’s The Stranglers next up, now seemingly reduced to a covers band in a desperate attempt to score another hit. This version of ? and the Mysterians’ US chart topper from the 60s sounds little different from the original and inherently pointless, and you wonder if Hugh Cornwell thought so too as he stood there on the stage; he quit the band six months later and I don’t think they ever appeared on the show again. Tina plays us out with one of her better hits, an enjoyable bluesy rocker penned by Tony Joe White of Polk Salad Annie fame. I can’t say the video manages to be particularly steamy…
I remember watching this episode at the time in 1990, and thinking that Depeche Mode had lost the plot since their early 80s star status of synth pop which everyone knows them for, but in the weeks and months that followed this episode and hearing it more and more on the radio, it seemed to be quite enjoyable as a tune in its own right, having to block out of my mind their 1981 debut with synthesisers galorend. 30 years later, I can only agree with you John that it was the best song on the show!
DeleteAlthough Rod Stewart was not far behind!
DeleteIt turns out King Dave was roaming around the Scottish Highlands, The Algarve and The Swiss Alps in that video.
DeleteDory - yes, Enjoy the Silence isn't a song I particularly liked the first time I heard it, but it was a real grower and I now consider it to be one of the best songs of 1990.
DeleteArthur - thanks for that. They evidently had a sizeable location budget!
For some reason, I've wanted to hear Michael Bolton do a full pelt power ballad of John Shuttleworth's "I Can't Go Back To Savoury Now".
ReplyDeleteI can certainly hear Mike doing Pigeons in Flight.
DeleteYes, brilliant. A truly wracked masterpiece! Certainly hearing John do 'How Am I supposed To Live Without You' would leave me an emotional wreck.
DeleteNot Ride On Time again! We must have heard it umpteen times and - oh, my mistake, they didn't just release their previous hit, this is actually slightly different: there's only two people on stage instead of three.
ReplyDeleteLots of records cut off in their prime this episode, and Cher is no exception. Didn't we see Joyce Sims in that dress a few years ago?
Lee Van Cleef next - oops, it's Eric Clapton, with a 'tache he ditched soon after, and a song that makes up for weak verses with a not bad chorus. Boring monochrome video, though - that was already a cliche.
Jeez, David Gedge, if you didn't want to be there, why bother showing up? Almost comically uninterested performance from him despite his reputation as one of indie's nice guys. I suppose we all have our bad days. Anyway, this is one of their many soundalike minor hits that you still hear every so often, and it jangles away merrily/dourly with Dave's sarky, gargly vocals as distinctive as usual.
Rod Stewart blands out one of Tom Waits' more commercial efforts, I suppose they both have gravel voices but there's nothing to indicate why Rod thought it would suit him. It kind of does, but trying to rival Waits is going on a hiding to nothing.
Judy Finnegan makes a repeat return to the studio, then Depeche Mode on video, apparently trying to recreate classic weirdo Play for Today Penda's Fen. A doleful ditty, but it has some atmosphere to it and is well produced, you can see why it caught on in the charts.
Michael Bolton has recently revealed himself to be a decent chap with a good sense of humour - see the Teen Titans Are Go! movie for a hilarious skit he features in - but that doesn't make his earlier hits any more acceptable. As Mark Kermode likes to point out, he starts at 100% and has nowhere to go.
The Stranglers reasoning that ? (pronounced "Huh?") and the Mysterians' garage rock classic really needed some cheesy light entertainment TV on a Saturday night brass to liven it up. Oh, it actually doesn't need that. You can see why they picked it with the famous keyboard riff, mind you.
Sinead O-dear we've cut her off again, then the video for Eddie Large's Steamy Windows, featuring zero steamed up windows, just the odd rainy one. Invoke the Trades Descriptions Act!
Overall an above average show.
ReplyDeleteBlack Box - didn’t know they had a follow up. Much the same as Ride on Time, but as I liked that... (singer’s hand work was very stimulating...)
Eric Clapton - another I don’t remember, reminiscent of a slow version of Layla, but as I liked that...
Wedding Present - always liked their tunes, but vocals always so low in the mix and deadpan, and this is no exception (They released twelve singles one year - a side original, b side a cover and I collected those)
Rod Stewart - ah, back to the covers, but as i liked the original...
Depeche Mode - a pleasant ditty with a weird video...
Michael Bolton - very heart rending, but left me cold...
Stranglers - work a day cover (check out Eddie and the Hot Rods cover version, or that by the Purple Helmets who were a JJ and Greenfield side project)
Tina Turner - pleasant song, rounding off a very pleasant episode
Newly wed Anthea showing off her ring a few times. Quite a restrained performance from her really.
ReplyDeleteBlack Box – I don’t know anybody else – U-oh, old screamer is back, but I didn’t wait to hang around. Absolutely no idea that this lot released any more singles as I thought that they were OHWs.
Cher – Just like Jesse James – Anyone see the Abba documentary? It was a pleasant way to spend an hour even if I didn’t learn anything that I didn’t already know about Abba and why they split up and how they carried on doing Mamma Mia and the sequel. Anyway, only thought of that here because they showed a snippet of ‘Fernando’ (but not ‘One of us’ dammit!!).
Eric Clapton – Bad Love – Nice of Phil to turn up here even though Eric couldn’t be bothered to do so for Phil’s hit. Don’t recall this at all.
Wedding Present – Brassneck – Someone’s been taking lessons off Marti Webb, but this is a dreadful racket and if I’m not mistaken I’d rather listen to Marti.
Rod Stewart – Downtown Train - Highlight of this show for me and one of Rod’s very best in my opinion. A song written by Tom Waits whose ‘Ol ‘55’ is one of my favourite lesser known Eagles tracks (from the ‘On the Border’ album). Great video here with Rod interspersed with, well, ‘Girl on the Train’!
Sybil – Walk on by- Insipid cover still going up the charts somehow.
Depeche Mode – Enjoy the silence – A long career in the charts for the Basildon boys without ever topping it, but this song is one of their best, cemented by a remix 14 years later also going top10. Strange surreal video though.
Michael Bolton – How am I supposed to live without you – Absolutely loathe this song!
Stranglers – 96 Tears – The group ? and the Mysterians topped the US charts with this in 1966 but in the UK in it managed no37. Excellent track to showcase Dave Greenfield’s keyboards – sad to think Dave died of covid earlier this year. RIP
Sinead O’Connor – Nothing compares 2 U – Still holding off that Technotronic nonsense!
Tina Turner – Steamy Windows – Rapid end to show for me!
This new Rod Stewart number Downtown Train was a return to his early-70s melodic style of music, which I found very heartwarming, as I thought this was Rod at his best.
DeleteThe 80s saw him get too disco-stylee which I thought was not his best style compared to the likes of Sailing, First Cut Is The Deepest, and the gorgeous song Tonight's The Night with that memorable seductive video.
I assume that wasn't Britt in the video as you never see her face? Unlike the 'film' they always showed for 'Sailing'?
Delete'Film' it was in those days. I always wondered who the girl was in the 'film' for Tonight's The Night.
DeletePete’s wife on duty tonight, still shouty but more palatable than usual.
ReplyDeleteBlack Box are back with “I Don’t Know Anybody Who Likes This” complete with some of that awful 49'ers track included. Katrin still pretending to sing but looking alluring in that chain G-string. Ahem.
A predictable pistol intro graphic for Cher’s strange mix of videos, and maybe the only UK chart hit with the word “pretty” replaced by the colloquial American version “purdy”.
Oh, it’s this Eric Clapton one! I can tolerate this. I couldn’t get used to an unbearded Slowhand, and I thought it would have been a good wheeze to get his body double from Phil Collins’s recent hit to pretend to be Eric in this video.
Early mugshots: Once again they’ve got Faith No More and their song title “Epic” the wrong way round in the captions.
David Gedge was a right old brassneck to perform like this. I loved The Wedding Present’s earlier album, “George Best”, a 100 mph collection of songs mainly about unrequited love and relationships on the turn. Guitarist Grapper (Peter Solowka) showing his ancestry there with some Ukrainian writing on his T-shirt.
Rod Stewart showing how not to ruin a Tom Waits cover. Maybe it was his similar but less gravelly voice which helped. As for Tom Waits, “In The Neighbourhood” is the national anthem the USA never had.
Sybil: FF on by.
Song of the year so far for me next. Majestic, befitting Dave’s clobber. How “Enjoy The Silence” didn’t make the top three escapes me. An admittedly surreal video, and we get to see Fletch with and sans glasses in the monochrome bits.
Even at volume 2 on my PC, Michael Bolton was still yelling. Nothing sweet about this, very much savoury Marmite – and, unlike said yeast extract, I hated it.
The Stranglers, back with a vengeance? Oh dear, Mrs Powell, this turned out to be their last ever TOTP, sadly way past their best here with a bland ‘will this do?’ cover and Jet scarier than usual on drums. “96 Tears”? Sounded like 96 in the charts if you ask me.
Late mugshots: Hasn’t someone been able to find a picture of Mantronix yet? Really?
Another week at the top for Sinead, and we finish with a granny in a large string vest singing about ‘bumping uglies’ in a car. Urrrggghhh!
I thought Steamy Windows was about double glazing. Might have been more exciting.
DeleteAnyway, that's a point: were Peter Powell and Anthea Turner the only husband and wife duo to present TOTP? Albeit separately? Unless Peters and Lee or Richard and Judy had a go?
Another new start with female presenters now able to present the show solo and back with us for the 1st time this year is Anthea 'wheeee-heeeww!!!!' Turner ready to go it alone. Actually she is much improved, far more restrained and has shed the giddy excitedness to come across like a particularly friendly head of personnel meeting a young interviewee.
ReplyDeleteI was impressed with the leather top as well which early on, changed colour so dramatically under the lights I honestly thought for a moment she'd changed into a different one.
Black Box, I Don't Know Anybody Else
I've never minded this one. I guess it's the same box of tricks but fun to hear again. Catherine looks stunning here.
Cher, Just Like Jesse James
Looking at it again, I'm not sure there were bits of the 'I Found Someone' video in there. Nice song.
Eric Clapton, Bad Love
A certain royalty element creeps into this edition. Shortly we will see a bloke mimmicking King Canute. For now here's Alfred The Great in flashy designer wear. A shame that the video stopped before the demented guitar solo that sounds like what you hear when you ring a fax number. It is dated in sound and look now though and sounds very much like highlights package music for 'Match of the Day' which I think for a time it actually was.
The Wedding Present, Brassneck
David Gedge's utter disinterest is doubly humourous under some of the most dramatic lighting of the whole show. He actually starts to wander off the stage at the end while the vocals are still going on!
The can't be arsedness is certainly a totp act. I finally saw the Weddoes at Summer Sundae festival in 2006, in a rammed De Monfort Hall during the afternoon and a more fiercely 'into it' band I didn't see all weekend. Not as immediately memorable as 'Kennedy' but still good to see on the show.
Rod Stewart, Downtown Train
Good stuff. Even if a forlorn Rod waiting in vain at the station shouldn't seem very believable he just has a way of making you go with it doesn't he. Charming Tom Waits song. No, just can't be critical of this. Loved it for no particular reason when I was 14 which is exactly why I still love it now.
Sybil, Walk On By
Oh, ok. 'When I'm Good and Ready' is a corker though.
Depeche Mode, Enjoy The Silence
Classic! Easily one of the singles of the year. Dark, stormy ambience with that unforgettable, brooding guitar figure, this really struck a chord, emerging on radio I think virtually simultaneously with the battering from the Burns Day Storm. Still sounds truly compelling today.
A shame the video wasn't the 2nd half with Dave's restless monarchial wanderings ending by the shore under moonlight. Sadly this is the only appearance of the single on the show despite the fact that it stayed lodged at No.6 for a few weeks. Shame on you Ciani!
Michael Bolton, How Am I Supposed To Live Without You?
Oh the fun we had at school impersonating this fellow. I think both my fist finnally stopped aching around the following January. One of two apocalyptic question songs the second is a little better, ie I didn't run to turn the radio off quite so fast
The Stranglers, 96 Tears
Not bad but one of the great thrills of circa '66 teenage garage music is that it's SUNG BY TEENAGERS!
Arrangement too extrovert here where with the original the organ leaps out from the collective sullenness. Still the love for it sounds sincere. And genuinely, thanks Dave Greenfield for what you brought to pop.
Sinead O'Connor, Nothing Compares 2U
Once again the black sweater appearance which is featured on the 40th anniversary of totp dvd. Once again cut brutally short.
Tina Turner, Steamy Windows
Bit naughty for around 8pm some of that wasn't it? Good to see again though and almost all of it as well.
Obviously Depeche Mode were not in as much favour as the FPI Project!
DeleteThat's it! Thanks, Mic. That's what I meant by the mix of videos for the Cher song - some wild west footage without our heroine, interspersed with her "I Found Someone" video.
DeleteI think it was that video that Cher sticks into 'Jesse James' Arthur. The confrontation in a bar thing is the end part of 'I Found Someone' I think. Wonder why she chose that? Maybe her looking through a saloon window at a tv performance of 'Gypsies, Tramps and Theives' was thought a little too sentimental!
DeleteSct353, yes they have been having some strange choices of songs to repeat recently.
Okay, highlight time
ReplyDeleteBlack Box - They were in trouble again, this time it may have sounded like a Aretha sample and as the Italo outfit dance group were back, as it was the follow-up to 'Ride on Time'.
Cher - Again the Jesse James clips mixed in with her 'I Found Someone' video, she didn't bother to make a music video for the song at the time when it was released.
Eric Clapton - First hit of the 90s, a great inspired guitar track on video.
The Wedding Present - They're in the studio and it is definitely their first hit of the 90s, they made their TOTP debut.
Rod Stewart - Great rendition of a Tom Waits cover and his first hit of the 90s, was to be taken from his upcoming Very Best Of compilation.
Sybil - Her cover of the Dionne Warwick classic was superb, it became Sybil's first UK Top 10 hit as well, she did a Warwick cover the previous year, her next couple of hits will be "original" alright, 1993 was her best year with 'When I'm Good & Ready' and a Harold Melvin & Bluenotes cover.
Depeche Mode - Classic! We do have a monochrome shot of the band, could've performed this in the studio, but well they didn't as they was already in the recording studio making new tracks for their upcoming album, and on YouTube, there is a clip of the band performing this song on Spanish television. The dressed up king makes his appearance in a music video.
Michael Bolton - Having already been the first U.S. number one of the 90s and keeping off Technotronic's 'Pump Up the Jam', it was a cover of the 1983 Laura Branigan classic, as it was the first of his tracks to be taken from the 'Soul Provider' album.
The Stranglers - First hit of the 90s and their last UK Top 20 hit, as they're in the studio to perform their Question Mark & The Mysterian's 1966 cover of '96 Tears', to me they sounded like a garage rock band from the 60s, sadly The Stranglers couldn't continue into the new decade, however they were successful during the 80s and their 'Golden Brown' sadly held off by The Jam in 1982, which was their highest-charting song.
Sinead O'Connor - Repeat performance of her Prince cover, as she just remained her third of four consecutive weeks at number one. The same black sweater performance from weeks ago.
Tina Turner - Play-out time, as she's about to perform this song live in the studio, but we do get a white background-themed music video, as its already her third track taken from the 'Foreign Affair' album and her first hit of the 90s.
Anthea turn off presents a fast and furious edition of the show which has the attention span of a goldfish. Nothing stays around for long.
ReplyDeleteStill pretending she can sing is Katrin from Black Box. Never has a follow up single disappointed so much. Martha Wash missing out on the limelight this time although that's probably a blessing. Ripping off the 49ers is never a good start.
Cher we've seen before so onto Eric Clapton with a decent tune. Phil Collins returning the favour from last week.
Faith No More caption still the wrong way around.
The Wedding Present somehow had such a loyal following they managed 12 hits in 12 months in 1992 but frankly I wouldn't invite them back after this performance. Does the singer look cool. No he looks like an ungrateful prat.
NYC gets a good showing in the Rod Stewart video. Downtown Train is a really good song.
Another chance to see Sybil's tit...sorry hit.
Quality next from Depeche Mode and King Dave. Great tune from a great album.
Poodle hair himself, has a stab at an 80s ballad several years too late. He was very funny on Never Mind The Buzzcocks.
Love this tune from The Stranglers although the drummer is well scary.
Sinead still at the top followed by a filthy Tina Turner and her steamy windows.
Even later than usual, so I'll be brief.
ReplyDeleteBlack Box - I don't think this is that similar to 'Ride On Time' given that it's a different singer and apart from a bit of vocal gymnastics there's not much that sounds the same. Oh, and I love it!
Eric Clapton - One of his better songs, I reckon.
The Wedding Present - Possibly the worst band ever. Awful noise with dreadful vocals, I don't like anything they did.
Rod Stewart - Probably his last decent single, helped greatly by a Trevor Horn production.
Depeche Mode - A really great song, from their finest album.
Michael Bolton - He's the male Mariah Carey unfortunately: mostly dreary songs with unnecessary vocal gymnastics.
The Stranglers - While they seem to have run out of ideas at this point, at least they chose a good song to cover.
Tina Turner - Not as hideous as 'The Best' but not as good as her previous single either.
The male Mariah Carey is Jeff Buckley, surely? Apart from the dying young bit.
DeleteYou may be right there. I remember Sony pushing him to our student radio station relentlessly and I listened to this supposed genius and just didn't get it. Still don't. His Dad isn't much better.
DeleteHis dad was the last person ever seen on The Monkees' TV show! I don't mind him, but Jeff was such a show-off singer I can't listen to his stuff.
Delete