Solitary brother, is there still a part of you that wants to live, solitary sister, is there still a part of you that wants to watch the 10th of May 1990 edition of Top of the Pops?
Seal of approval
10-5-90: Presenter: Gary Davies
(5) KYLIE MINOGUE – Better The Devil You Know
Getting tonight's show off to a typically energetic start and this latest song peaked at number 2
(20) THE WONDERSTUFF – Circlesquare (video)
Got no higher.
(19) MANTRONIX feat. WONDRESS – Take Your Time
Flying into the studio to perform what became their second of two top ten hits when it peaked at number 10.
(8) NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK – Cover Girl (video)
Peaked at number 4.
(18) BEATS INTERNATIONAL – Won’t Talk About It
Lindy and the gang are back in the studio and this follow up to Dub Be Good To Me became their second and final top 40 hit and it peaked at number 9.
(22) MICHAEL BOLTON – How Can We Be Lovers
He's here tonight and power ballading his way to number 10.
(14) EN VOGUE – Hold On (video)
Became their first of four top ten hits when it peaked at number 5.
(1) ADAMSKI – Killer
A third studio performance to celebrate his/their first of four weeks at number one.
(25) THUNDER – Backstreet Symphony (video) (and credits)
At its peak.
18th of May is next.
How young do Adamski and En Vogue look?! Great to see the Wonder Stuff, and Better the Devil You Know knocking spots off the recent SAW releases.
ReplyDeleteThe Mantronix and Beats International follow ups are both pretty forgettable. I'd forgotten how weird the melody for NKOTB's Cover Girl was, going down when you expect it to go up. Or maybe that's because only Jordan could sing and every one else was a bit flat?!
I've never liked Michael Bolton's voice (or hair) much, but I still have a soft spot for How Can We Be Lovers and Time, Love and Tenderness (which will be summer 91 I think?).
And Thunder to exit, I don't remember this one very well, so no surprise it was only at 25.
Kylie - one of her best. Not quite Legs and Co with her...
ReplyDeleteWonder Stuff - I remember this as being a bit more beefy. Ok, but not one of their best.
Mantronics - bog standard bifty bifty track that went nowhere. Got FFed
NKOTB - bog standard boy band fare.
Beats International - disappointing follow up. Oops, unnecessary rap - almost got FF
Michael Bolton - I was wrong last time. Don’t like it - was that a bad edit, or bad key change near the end?
En Vogue - I was right last time. Don’t like it.
Thunder - don’t remember this one. Their best moment is still to come.
It’s often forgotten that Won’t Talk About It had made the Top 40 the previous year, under the Norman Cook name, with uncredited vocals from a falsetto-singing Billy Bragg.
DeleteYpu beat me to it, David! The original by Billy was recorded in 1984.
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DeleteSo it was a cover after all for Beats Int? I have no memory of that. For Spacious Lies was never on the show, was it? That was Cook's work.
DeleteKylie's possible best record at SAW, odd that it would come so late into their collaboration, but welcome all the same. Not sure about the hardcore aerobics session in the studio, but the title is interesting - was she thinking about moving on and SAW were imploring her to stay?
ReplyDeleteThe Wonderstuff rarely set a foot wrong, and if this is a lesser single its mix of rawk guitars and violin does sound distinctive. Always get this mixed up with Golden Green, and am surprised when I hear it.
Mantronix with their forgotten other hit, so undistinguished it almost sounds like a different band. Wondress not wearing her one dress - was it in the wash?
New Blockheads, with a video that wouldn't fly now, not to mention a tune that's basic at best. What do you know, another concert video, they're worse than Iron Maiden, this lot, do they really crave all that adulation to show off? Guess they did.
Beats Int had another top tenner too, though I actually remember this one. Did everyone get a go at the keyboards in this band, then? At least we hear what they did with an original rather than a cover, and eh, it's fine.
Mike Bolton with How Can I Sing Higher When I'm Already At The Top Of My Register? It's weirdly compelling, like watching the end of a marathon to see if anyone collapses. But histrionic is the word for it.
En Vogue on video, making S-shapes in their LBDs, get this mixed up with their other hits but they were always very well produced, and they could certainly sing. There's something of The Andrews Sisters updated for the nineties about their harmonies.
Hey, Adamski, you made Number 1, your claim to fame assured. And nothing else. Still, King for a day (or 4 weeks) is better than none.
Thunder trying to convince us they need a classical conductor to help them through their riffs. Sort of OK, for what it was, but to my untrained ear indistinguishable from countless others.
Don’t forget that Adamski’s, erm, reimagining of All Shook Up (retitled The Space Jungle) is still to come!
ReplyDeleteOh, I hadn't forgotten - tried to suppress the memory perhaps, but hadn't forgotten.
DeleteIf I admit here (two weeks late and as an aside) that I bought that single will I get a away with it...
DeleteBad luck, Morgie - some of us check back!
DeleteDamn...
DeleteOver on the other side a day after this show went out, The ITV Chart Show top ten video rundown gave us feature plays on two videos that TOTP did not show because of studio appearances, namely Kylie Minogue at No.3 and Adamski at No.1:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTSUT0COH6Y
An assured pair of hands and larynx on hosting duty tonight. Sadly Gaz compered a show that mostly left me cold.
ReplyDeleteA frenetic intro to one of Kylie’s best. Intriguing look for the gal, too.
Horrible grainy stop frame video for one of The Wonderstuff’s middle order good ’uns.
Early mugshots: Emma’s made it at last!
Mantronix looking like a bank clerk and Wondress looking better than in the mugshot (she was missing). Smart looking crew and, though other forumites don’t like this much, I think it’s better than most of its ilk recently on the show.
Oh God, It’s KNOB looking self-obsessed on a stage again. FF.
An annoying stage presence next, with a flat back four of keyboards, a poor drummer encased in dry ice behind them, and Norman and a mate lifting their hands high after almost every note. Totally unremarkable. Won’t talk any more about it. See what I did there?
Dogs run from miles around as the male Mariah Carey takes to the stage for what looks like an out of office hours turn. Cher would have done this better, and Bon Jovi might be asking where some of those chord sequences were lifted from.
A jarring video for En Vogue, with sped up / slowed down male dancers and too much of lead singer Vogue and not enough of her mates. Did they ever do a song called “Madonna” in return?
Adam and Henry take centre stage at the top, with Random Stripey Dancer somewhere in the corner.
With that conductor, were Thunder going Bach to their roots? Ahem. Anonymous third-on-the-bill metal there.
There was a touch of the By Jovi's about Mr Bolton's "Woah, woah!", wasn't there? I guess he thought he'd give it a shot.
DeleteIts just dawned on me that those'Whoah, whoahs' are almost certainly borrowed from the chorus of Brenda Russell's 'Piano In The Dark'. The melody that follows in that part sounds a bit similar as well. It works well though, probably the one reason why I can listen to this single reasonably comfortably.
DeleteNothing much to comment on with regard to presenter and audience for this show. Gary as professional as ever. On to the music...
ReplyDeleteKylie Minogue; An energetic start to this edition. 'Hairband Kylie' (sorry that was the best I could come up with) gives an effervescent performance. When she comes to the front instead of disapearing behind her dancers that is. I must say I've never learned to love this record, I just find it a bit hectoring and graceless with some of the melody sounding quite ugly with that voice. For me she is always best when she swoons; 'Put Yourself In My Place, 'Confide In Me, 'Love At First Sight'. I've noticed actually that the first of those is only shown once on an otherwise awful edition.
The Wonder Stuff; A great single that I missed totally at the time as I only knew about them after 'Size of a Cow' came out. Great sound with that lovely fiddle. Video not up to much but they, I think, were keen to mention that themselves before they got huge.
Mantronix feat Wondress; I was really looking forward to seeing the makers of the majestic 'Got To Have Your Love' on the show. Disappointing then to see them looking like members of any group from 1987 plc. Oh well, always good to hear them even if this is, for me, nowhere near the quality of the previous single.
NKOTB; Ooooh that was not a pleasant watch. Donnie with a word that spells 'Chic' on the back of his jacket. Two letters were right at least.
Beats International; I enjoyed that one. Just nice to hear something that isn't 'Dub Be Good..' A pretty and understated song with some gentle larking about from the band.
Michael Bolton; Better than his last one. Just. You have to admire a songwriter who fills half a bridge with 'whoah whoahs'. Inconsequential but kind of great. But the hair. Whoah no! (He says wishing he could make such a choice).
En Vogue; I'm mystified by the success of this one to be honest. It sounds so much like one of those singles that are massive in the American charts but just don't translate over here. It's pretty catchy, good hook, but nowhere close to the fabulous double of 'Free Your Mind' / 'My Lovin' a couple of years later.
Adamski; It's done it! What a single that is. It still sounds so compelling and spectral, those eerie synth lines a total time capsule of the era but still fresh sounding. And welcome Seal, my pop hero of 1991. I can't wait to relive him kicking pop arse throughout that year but for now what a duo they were and perhaps could've continued to be. Though it's mainly Seal's song Adamski really works wonders with it. By contrast the solo version on Seal's magnificent debut album is for me the weakest track.
I suppose the fantastic video will feature before it makes its descent but great to see them in the studio even without Diss (I think that was his dog's name) Surely the best No. 1 of the year.
Thunder; More listen and weep no nonsense hard rock. I should enjoy it while it lasts which won't be for much longer.
'Whiskey Thunder' I might try one day; the one possibly drinkable cocktail by Fry and Laurie.
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ReplyDeleteNice to see Gary back at the helm. Not too bad a line up on this show.
ReplyDeleteKylie Minogue – Better the devil you know – I’m trying to recall when she hooked up with Hutchence and for some reason this song makes me think it could have been now. Anyway, great routine which takes your mind off a pretty run of the mill number.
Wonderstuff – Circlesquare – Reminded me of Hawkwind’s ‘PSI Power’ single with its unusual title and a fairly good track with strange video.
Mantronix – Take your time – Took no time at all.
New Kids on the Block – Cover Girl – The ‘kid’s continuing popularity astounds me.
Beats International – Won’t talk about it – Wow! Four keyboards on the stage. Is that a record? Lieutenant Pigeon managed two I recall. Just not as good as the big no1 this, but not bad.
Michael Bolton – How can we be lovers – I much prefer this to the other hit he had recently. Nice to see the full Bolton band on stage here. If Michael had recorded ‘The Wanderer’ it could have been an interesting chart rundown!
En Vogue – Hold on – Wow… very sassy indeed! Like it.
Adamski – Killer – A touch of class at no1. Presumably Adamski had to stick his name up to make sure people knew it was him and not the singer who in all honesty defines this track.
Thunder – Backstreet Symphony – Drummer didn’t get the memo about the haircut (or lack of) and neither did the ‘conductor’. What a racket to end up with!
Great show tonight with Gary in charge of proceedings.
ReplyDeleteKicking of with Keep-Fit Kylie and a very energetic performance of one of her best tunes. A real turning point in her career (one of many) and a much more dance/adult sound for her.
Wonder Stuff with an awful fuzzy video that adds absolutely nothing to a dull by the indie numbers tune. Always best when they were doing more fun tunes.
Mantronix proving they had more than one song and one dress (I'm sorry...) and this is more smooth R&B but rather forgettable.
The KNOBs are next with Danny Reagan singing his heart out to a young girly, possibly at the same gig as the "Hangin Tough" video as they are remarkably similar. This is easily their best tune so far.
The Beats are back, still with Lindy in tow. Quite a nice tune this, which I had forgotten all about.
Next up it's pre-recorded "Never Mind The Buzzcocks" fave Michael Bolton. Long before he worked out what a hairdressers was, this is a belter of a tune and I really like it, even if it is about 5 years out of date.
How many were in En Vogue? 3 or 4? Oh well, decent tune this and nice that it's different from the rest of the stuff in the chart.
Hooray, a new number one - Still no Seal credit and Adam looks very chuffed with himself.
"Hey Mona"...well it starts stealing that tune then moves onto a better song with a lot more Thunder. They give this song some serious welly!