Take off your coat and pour another glass of wine, it's the 6th of June 1991 edition of Top of the Pops!
Northside story
6-6-91: Presenter: Mark Goodier
(41) NORTHSIDE – Take 5
Getting the show off to a lively start but the song went up just one more place and was to be their final hit.
(17) PET SHOP BOYS – Jealousy (video)
Peaked at number 12.
(42) MARILLION – Cover My Eyes (Pain And Heaven)
In the studio and the song peaked at number 34.
(25) SALT-N-PEPA – Do You Want Me (video)
Became their third of five top ten hits when it peaked at number 5.
(12) MADONNA – Holiday (clip of TOTP 26-1-84)
Had peaked at number 6 in 1984, number 2 in 1985, and this time around it made it to number 5.
(22) KENNY THOMAS – Thinking About Your Love
In the studio with what became his only top ten hit when it peaked at number 4.
(40) LIVING COLOUR – Solace Of You (video) (Breakers)
Peaked at number 33.
(38) GLORIA ESTEFAN – Remember Me With Love (video) (Breakers)
Peaked at number 22.
(35) HARRY CONNICK JNR – It Had To Be You (video) (Breakers)
Peaked at number 32.
(34) DIVINYLS – I Touch Myself (video) (Breakers)
Their only hit and it peaked at number 10.
(30) KIRSTY MacCOLL – Walking Down Madison
In the studio with an impressive entourage and the song peaked at number 23.
(1) COLOR ME BADD – I Wanna Sex You Up (video)
First of three weeks at number one.
(8) REM – Shiny Happy People (video) (and credits)
This fun tune went up two more places.
13th of June is next.
Very interestingly, three tunes outside the Top 40 were played on the show as main slots or Breakers at No.40, 41 & 42, but yet the new entry at No.27 Planet Of Sound by The Pixies seemed to get the Morrissey treatment by being cold-shouldered and ignored completely, and so had no viable chance to go up the charts without a TOTP showing to help the cause.
ReplyDeleteDelving further down at No.46 and No.58 were two peak positions for previous Top 40 regulars trying and failing with their new singles:
No.46 - Definition of Sound - Now Is Tomorrow
Confused? So am I. It's like the confusion of hearing I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That) in 1993 when Meat Loaf had a massive No.1 with a somewhat confusing title.
No.58 Yello - Rubberband Man
Not able to repeat his Top 10 success in 1988 with The Race, this flop was followed by three more flops between 1992-1994 for Yello when the hits finally dried up, with nothing reaching higher than No.55 for all his efforts.
Yello are two people, Dieter Meier and Boris Blank.
Deleteis yello man any relation to yellowman?
DeleteJust seen the video of The Pixies at No.27, and I can see why TOTP shunned it, as it shows a young father with a his cattle escaping his crazed old man chasing them wielding a big stick, with the young father and the cattle falling off a cliff to their death:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAAmYe6Qfd0
Really sick stuff, and no wonder TOTP had to call on some tunes outside the Top 40 to fill the void.
I was wondering what on Earth you were on about, so checked out the video and that is NOT the video for Planet of Sound, in fact I'm not sure it had one.
DeleteWhat you've posted is some YT amateur's placing of the song over the ending of the 1990 film The Field, where Sean Bean meets his ridiculous demise.
Probably the reason TOTP wouldn't have played Planet of Sound was because it featured the line "THIS AIN'T NO FUCKING AROUND!" When it was on the Chart Show, however, Bruno Brookes obviously hadn't noticed and played it unedited. O how I laughed.
Hadn't seen the Sean Bean film, so thanks for clearing this up. OK, so there is no video for The Pixies, and coupled with the fact that this sort of music would not have had the group invited by TOTP to perform in the studio, it all seems to make sense, and hence the show having to dig deeper down the charts to invite No.41 and No.42 positions to perform in the studio, which was most unusual at this stage of the history of the programme, as you would have to go back to the late 1970s where this was more common practice on TOTP.
DeleteI do have a DVD of Pixies stuff, and there's no Planet of Sound video on it, so it's safe to assume they never made one.
DeleteAs an aside, you may recall Teletext had music pages called Planet Sound that were named after this very song. John Earls, where are you now?!
Northside, a vaguely recalled indie stomper, one of a ton of nearly men's records who just missed out on Britpop a few years later. This is OK, as it goes, they look really pleased to be there, even with Alan Davies on guitar.
ReplyDeletePet Shop Boys, didn't recognise this until it got to the chorus, and then it all came flooding back. Really nice melody, one of their regretful songs they were so good at. Tried to identify anyone famous in the video but drew a blank.
It struck me that Marillion's new lead singer looked just like Michael Robbins from On the Buses with long hair. You know, Arthur, Olive's husband. Which was more interesting than this ho-hum ditty.
I have not heard this Salt N Pepa tune since 1991, but I remember it now, mostly for its lyrics, which try to be saucy but also something that would be played on the radio at the time. "You put up with my butt!" Huh?
Madonna, well, we all know this one, not much more to say. Mark Goodier is resembling Max Headroom in these intros.
Kenny Thomas with his crowning achievement... of mid-tempo, unremarkable pop soul. It still gets played today, so I hope he gets a nice royalties cheque on a regular basis.
Little blips of the Breakers again, not sure what the point of that is, but I've wondered about them for years.
On another thread, Rad brought up patronising the homeless in song, but here's Kirsty MacColl to show how it should be done right. This should be a real dog's breakfast, but it all slots together fine, great chorus (she does the actions!), in yer face production, she should have had bigger hits but I'm glad this one did fairly well for her.
Color Me Vomit make it to the top with their one-hit wonder, actually, listening to it again, they're ripping off Groovin' by the Young Rascals, aren't they? With a skeevier version. Cheers.
Then a bit more of REM and Kate to end on, we get more or less the whole video this time, line dancing and all. But a sideways orange baseball cap?!
Some six years or so after the end of On The Buses, Michael Robbins appeared on a 1979 episode of George & Mildred where he played a council estate character called Alf, and was nothing like the character he played on On The Buses:
DeleteIt's at 8 minutes into this episode:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHBBwQt4zB4
Mr Robbins was also a drag queen in a Pink Panther movie! Once seen, never forgotten!
DeleteTHX, Color Me Badd's follow up went top 5 and, thankfully, none of their 5 follow-uo 'hits' made higher than 44.
DeleteMr Robbins also appeared in Doctor Who playing a 1666 ham actor in the style of... a ham actor. Either a stroke of genius or his natural acting style, The jury is still out.
Delete@Arthur: So we have one more Color Me Sadd to go? I don't remember it, so maybe it'll be brilliant (?!).
Deletei wasn't aware of michael robbins dragging up in a pink panther movie, but that his "on the buses" colleague reg varney played the central character of a (not very convincing) drag queen in a film called "the best pair of legs in the business". stephen lewis also got in on the act in one episode of OTB by playing blakey's spinster sister, but when he got his own spin-off series "don't drink the water", (perhaps wisely) pat coombs played the character instead
DeleteI've seen Best Pair of Legs, it's supposed to be a comedy but it's bloody miserable. Where's the DVD of Go for a Take, is what I want to know?
Deletei've got both of those reg varney films on my "to watch" list
DeleteLove that Doctor Who story. Everyone acting for the camera and Robbins arsing around likes on stage at The Globe. Hilarious
DeleteLoads of fine but not that memorable tunes to open courtesy of Northside, Marillion, PSB and S'n'P. The reminder that Madge has only been in the studio twice even by now when she is STILL flogging the Immaculate Collection just makes me feel a bit sad at all the good studio performances we could have had were she not too big/busy for the show.
ReplyDeleteThe Divinyls the best of the breakers.
I love me some Kirsty and I agree with you THX, a better approach to homelessness than most other singles manage.
Color Me Badd made number 1 for 3 weeks?! Still, that's nothing compared to the 5 of Cher and Chezza, and all of the above pale in comparison to what is on its way very soon...
This 6th June episode sadly marks the end of the chart rundown on TOTP that stretches back to the early 80s when the presenter would run down the charts during the show as a separate distinct feature of the show, whereas before that in the 70s, the full top 30 chart was just shown at the beginning of the show with no-one talking over them, and before the opening performance in the TOTP studio.
ReplyDeleteOn the next show 13th June 1991, we will see the TOTP chart running down over one of the videos on the show, and I think Salt & Papa are the lucky recipients of the first chart rundown all over their new video, and blocking our view of the video. This is a major change in the evolution of TOTP in the 42 year history of the show between 1964 and 2006, as the chart rundown was an important feature of the show for 27 years until June 1991.
Wow, that change to the chart happens this soon?! I'll kind of miss it.
ReplyDeleteIt's actually Gloria Estefan who has the honour of being the first to have the TOTP chart rundown pasted across her video. Salt 'n' Pepa get the same treatment the following show, but we will get both shows on BBC4 on Friday.
DeleteCan't say I'm looking forward to this change in format, but the only benefit I can see is that they can get an extra song on the show. I believe The Breakers will still continue until the end of 1991 at least, so we're in for the long haul.
I'm another that will miss the chart rundown but I guess it's been 5 days since Radio 1 announced it and played every song so not as essential as it used to be.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDidn't Spellcheck my stuff properly (i.e. worse than usual, so take 2 (or should that be take 5?!)
ReplyDeleteRight, here we go, last of the three this weekend.
Goodiebags almost looking like a Star Trek crew member, and dissolving into space with some of those weird links.
It’s bingo number time this week. They should’ve started the mugshots (alas, for the very last occasion) at 42 for a laugh. Talking of which, didn’t realise New Model Army were still going!
Northside, more like Backside, sampling the likes of Inspiral Carpets. Carpets, sample, Geddit? Harumph. Watch this tune cut a rug in the charts. Enough already!
Chris looking lke Elton John on piano at the start of the PSB’s mellow and poignant track which I only recognised when we hit the chorus.
Marillion with the sort of tune they do on autopilot, like shooting Fish in a barrel. See what I did there? Nice to see some studio dry ice again.
Very raunchy stuff by Salt ‘n’ Pepa, obviously with their blokey mates Ketchup, Mustard and Mayo (no, not him) in the chorus.
A repeat of an old Madonna clip. At least it wasn’t DJ Sven and that other Dutch gimp.
Kenny Thomas’s best tune, which I remember dancing to at half time during Tranmere Rovers 0 Swindon Town 0 (the best goalless draw I ever saw) while trying to eat a cheeseburger. Ah, memories.
Mark waffles over half the duration of the breakers. Annoying.
Living Colour sound like a reggae Paul Simon, Gloria gives us her monthly minor hit, Harry Connick Jr is simply a Frank Sinatra apeing wanker, and Divinyls give us the solo Aussie Salt ‘n’ Pepa. Vegemite with chilli, I’d guess.
Kirsty McColl gets her second different surname spelling in consecutive weeks. Class act, class track. Listen and weep, Phil Collins. THIS is how you write a proper song about the homeless.
Color me FF, then a very pleasant surprise at we get all of REM’s best song in my opinion. Obviously too happy to fit in with the rest of their catalogue, mind you.
You forgot Spinderalla in the Salt 'n' Pepa line-up, who was their lady DJ making up the full threesome with Salt 'n' Pepa. Well that was the original line-up in their 1988 earlier phase.
DeleteUnfortunately Salt N Pepa have well and truly fallen out with Spinderella in recent years, saying she was never a proper part of their act and they're glad to see the back of her. Spinderella disagrees, and I think may be suing them. Burning bridges all round.
DeleteAt least there won't be a presenter to read the charts while a video is playing. That was a real wrong turn in 1986 and fortunately dumped very quickly though I did enjoy Janice Long reading it with a, "oh I suppose we'd better do this then" delivery.
ReplyDeleteNorthside; A band whose praises were sung by Ross King on 'The 8.15 From Manchester' at least once. Trying to be trendy I suppose. So are they.
ReplyDeletePet Shop Boys; One you never hear. I don't know why this has stayed so obscure, it's such a lovely poignant melody. Released to tie in with 'Discography', Neil Tennant in the sleeve notes says it was actually one of the very first things they ever wrote.
Marillion; Back again with the singer who isn't Fish and a big billowy single. Like so many of these records, not familiar until it reaches the chorus. Good voice but lacks Fish's personality.
Mark starts appearing in superimposed form every so often. A bit disconcerting as he then just appears as normal among the crowd like he's Timothy Claypole or something. Is the newly installed Stanley Appel having nostalgia for an earlier era?
Salt N Pepa; Really like this one. They were so good at this time, music and visuals. A very glossy video that looks and sounds like a section of a TV or film musical. If anyone should've attempted that at the time it was S'n'P. They had an amazing way of sounding sassy and uproariously funny at the same time with so many little subtleties. Look forward to seeing this again even with the charts going across it. Love the way the video stops at the most jarring moment.
Madonna; Mark beams in to inform us that Madonna has only made 2 appearances in the studio. Two? This then was a very pleasant surprise. I missed tons of 1984's editions so have never seen this appearance before. I assumed it was the Hacienda clip shown on 'The Tube' but no. Thank you Stanley!
Kenny Thomas; Mr. Ubiquitous 1991 returns with something even more pedestrian. Naggingly catchy though and this invaded radios everywhere almost immediately. Still, gorgeous co-singer.
Breakers;
Living Colour; Rootsy
Gloria Estefan; Windy
Harry Connick Jnr; Smarmy
Divinyls; Kinky
Kristy MacColl; Should sound like a shallow style exercise but Kirsty just isn't capable of doing that. This is really cool with some thoughtful lyrics and that brilliant grinding guitar part. Inimitable like everything of hers.
Colour Me Badd; No.1. What a frisky society we were back then. I remember there was a Spitting Image sketch around this time which had a spoof top 10 where every single was something like; 'I Want To Sex Your Sex'. Latour and their, er, discussion will be along soon.
Back among the audience, Mark says farewell and like with all the others, I'm starting to count down how many more he's got. A couple more I guess though he will be one of the returnees in '94.
REM; An unashamed favourite of that summer to finish on with the last part of the video included. See, Peter did like it really.
Fish was still lead singer on Marillion the previous year, as he appeared on stage as part of marillion in a January 1990 episode of TOTP, so somewhere between early 1990 and mid-1991 on this new marillion performance without him is when he left.
DeleteWith Colour Me Badd as the new No.1 this week, this will be last No.1 in the chart prior to a very long 16 weeks and 16 TOTP shows at No.1 with Bryan Adams from July to October 1991. Is everyone on here ready for this? Good Lord!
Marillion's first appearance without Fish was on 7/9/89, On the January 11th 1990 Fish made his first and only solo appearance performing Big Wedge.
DeleteMic, this show (as well as the last few) was produced by TOTP 1980 revamp guru Michael Hurll, who was filling in for Paul Ciani until he hopefully came back from illness. Sadly, Paul never returned and died later in the year. Stanley Appel was the producer responsible for the car crash 'Year Zero' in October.
DeleteWasn't Stanley Appel producing the show in the 70s as well?
DeleteThanks Arthur, I didn't know Hurll came back very briefly to cover. Of course a similar thing happened at the start of 1981 when Robin Nash returned for a few shows to cover for an absent Hurll. I think I read that also Johnnie Stewart came back briefly in late '76 to cover for Nash. I wonder how Michael got on with Carter USM who are up soon I think. No presenter rugby tackling on his show!
DeleteI must've been so taken with the videos I didn't notice the credits. That of course was never a problem during the Robin Nash era.
DeleteFunny how Steve Hogarth is still the lead singer of Marillion now (over 30 years) but people still think of Fish.
DeleteYou've got two weeks of Jason Donovan, first, Dory, with Any Dream Will Do.
ReplyDeleteWhich is from 'Joseph'. I'm wondering how many consecutive weeks at the No 1 position that make then for singles that are from movies, musicals and adverts? Would that be something like March to September? Extraordinary.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Color Me Badd with 3 weeks at No.1 was from a movie, musical or advert, so you can only count from Jason Donovan to Bryan Adams from July to October, i.e., 4 months.
DeleteI read on the blog that it was on 'New Jack City'. Never heard of that film I must admit. It may not have been written especially for the film so yeah it probably doesn't count but it's incredible how much TV and film had an influence at this time.
ReplyDeleteYes Color Me Badd were from that hit Wesley Snipes movie New Jack City, which was part of the new black Hollywood movement of the early 90s.
DeleteIt was a cool gangster thriller, no idea how it looks now, but it was a good film in its day (apart from some of the soundtrack, apparently).
Hello all. Long time lurker and occasional poster when I have something to add.
ReplyDeleteThe Northside appearance reminded of one of their previous singles, Shall we take a trip. It never made the Top 40. Probably because of the blatent drug references in the title and the chorus (Sing LSD). However I thought it was a great song. It lived on for a few more years in instrumental form as the theme music for the local lower league football highlights programme Granada soccer night. If you were a football fan who lived in the area during the early 90s you would probably have heard this song.
Incidentally I am sure Northside might have been the last band signed to Factory Records just before the Happy Mondays album recording sessions finally bankrupted them.
Northside may have been the last band Factory signed, but a group called The Adventure Babies released their only single on the label the following year. One of Factory's last singles by The Hapy Mondays had a cover of "Stayin' Alive" as the B-side!
DeleteThe Adventure Babies do ring a bell now you mention it and I stand corrected. I do remember a documentary about the Madchester scene, possibly only shown in the Granada region. North side were interviewed under the Factory's latest signing banner which is where I have got mixed up.
DeleteNorthside - in this period I was attending a lot of gigs in Manchester and seeing new bands on recommendation of other gig goers. Northside were suggested at a Charlatans gig. Now I remember why… :-)
ReplyDeletePSB - a slowie, but still a fine tune.
Marillion - took a while to get going. Ok but not great.
Salt n pepa - don’t remember this, but its no push it
Madonna - rerun of an oldie. Milked the greatest hist didn’t she?…
Kenny Thomas - well I learnt something, always thought he was American. Most interesting thing about this track - Dull.
Breakers;
Living colour - dull
Gloria estefan - dull
Harry Connick - uninteresting
Divinyls - now we are talking. Loved them, and this is theIr best
kirsty McColl - great voice, taken too early. Even the rap didn’t kill it. Didnt known that it was co-written by Johnny Marr
L
ReplyDeleteQuite enjoyed this edition although why the host appears superimposed on backgrounds at time is odd.
ReplyDeleteNorthside – Take 5 – Dave Brubeck Quartet? Nope, a pretty ambling but harmless piece of music to kick off with.
PSB – Jealousy – Another title to spark off thoughts of a different song – Queen’s Mercury penned third track from the ‘Jazz’ album – one of their more relaxed efforts. This however, is really good too and not one you hear much. Co-produced with Harold ‘Axel F’ Faltermeyer, it’s full of gorgeous chords and melody progressions. The B Side was the PSB’s version of the Stephen Sondheim song ‘Losing my Mind’ which they produced for Liza Minelli a couple of years back, and hence makes this a good A Side / B Side coupling – almost worthy of double A status where perhaps some official ones weren’t (“Hi there Jam”). Who is the lovely lady in red? Worth checking out the whole video as after the longing looks things get steamy in the loos…
Marillion – Cover my Eyes (pain and pleasure) – Didn’t realise that this made the show. Nice to see Steve and the boys again with the other Steve treating us to some nice trademark Rothery guitar licks.
Salt n’Pepa – Do you want me – Lacking the novelty and mischief of ‘Push it’. S&P would go on to be one of the six acts who couldn’t dislodge Bryan Adams later in the year (anyone know the other five off the top of their heads? – I didn’t although I got three of them).
Madonna – Holiday – Again??? Hadn’t everyone bought it or the collection? Interestingly on the B Side is my big bugbear for not being on the collection ‘True Blue’.
Kenny Thomas – Thinking about your love – Unremarkable. Just didn’t grab me.
Breakers – Some intriguing songs there.
Kirsty McColl – Walking down Madison – An OK type song which doesn’t surprise me in not being a big hit.
Color me Badd – I wanna sex you up – No comment
REM – Shiney Happy People – A very upbeat and fun song and video ending the show on a musical and visual high.
June has arrived, the sun is shining outside and Goody Bags has a slightly less exciting Top 40 to play with.
ReplyDeleteNORTHSIDE – Take 5
Lucky to get a slot but obviously available. Shame it didn't lead to bigger things but there were so many of these indie bands around they couldn't all be successful. Decent tune though, I enjoyed this one. A very sixties feel
What's with the CSO? Bizarre. Don't like that.
PET SHOP BOYS – Jealousy
Gorgeous tune from PSB. One of the first tunes they wrote I believe. Classy video but maybe would have worked better in black and white?
MARILLION – Cover My Eyes (Pain And Heaven)
Never liked Marillion. This has not changed my mind.
SALT-N-PEPA – Do You Want Me
One of my favourite tunes of 1991. I think this is a wonderful pop tune. Gonna be in my head again for weeks now. Video is decent enough.
MADONNA – Holiday
Third time around. Who was buying this? Get the greatest hits album people. Nice to see a more lively 1984 audience. Decent routine as well.
KENNY THOMAS – Thinking About Your Love
I prefer this to Outstanding. Catchy little pop song. Not sure it needs the dancing dude on the right.
Breakers: Way too fast again but...
LIVING COLOUR – Disappointing
GLORIA ESTEFAN – Remember Me? No.
HARRY CONNICK JNR – No thanks. Hate this kind of music.
DIVINYLS – Classic 90s tune. One hit wonders in the UK. Another sex driven 1991 soon.
KIRSTY MacCOLL – Walking Down Madison
What an awesome tune this js and best of the evening by a mile. Kirsty never had a duff hit. Much missed.
Mark is joining in my game of how many people on stage. I count 12! Impressive.
COLOR ME BADD – I Wanna Sex You Up
Can we have Cher back please….
REM – Shiny Happy People
Probably shown again just to annoy Mr Stipe.
It's quite interesting that this TOTP studio performance by Northside could only lift them up by one place to No.40 the following week in order to scrape though into the TOTP chart for a mugshot, and then it tumbled out of the Top 40 straight after!
DeleteActually no mugshotS, cos the 13th June edition is also the first one with no mugshots, with climbers only in typo along a video being played, and in the case of Northside, just a typo mention over a Gloria Estefan video. Charming!
Delete