I'm still on holiday, and this is the 2nd of May 1991 edition of Top of the Pops!
Ancients of Mu-sic
2-5-91: Presenter: Simon Mayo
(3) THE KLF – Last Train To Trancentral
Getting the show underway and the song went up one more place.
(25) CATHY DENNIS – Touch Me (All Night Long)
Became her only top ten hit when it peaked at number 5.
(5) ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK – Sailing On The Seven Seas
Went up two more places.
(NEW) SAMANTHA JANUS – A Message To Your Heart
This year's Eurovision entry - it came 10th and peaked at number 30.
(27) NOMAD – Just A Groove
The duo's second and final top 40 hit and it peaked at number 16.
(7) ZUCCHERO & PAUL YOUNG – Sensa Una Donna (Without A Woman) ®
Went up three more places.
(23) FRANCES NERO – Footsteps Following Me
Her only hit and it peaked at number 17.
(1) CHER – The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss) (video)
First of five weeks at number one.
(29) ROACHFORD – Get Ready (video) (and credits)
Peaked at number 22.
9th of May is next.
KLF majestic in their studied strangeness, glad Anthea wasn't here to pass judgement. They actually reminded me of The Polyphonic Spree, visually (or is it the other way around?). Great single, they had everything worked out to perfection - apart from how to dislodge Cher.
ReplyDeleteCathy Dennis has been to a stylist since last we saw her, surprising she didn't have more Top 10 hits, really, but this "not backward at coming forward" effort was the biggest. Became one of the richest writers in pop, of course. This is fine, but she did seem to leave her best material for others.
OMD return to the studio, still like this one, and then Samantha Janus with the Eurovision entry. On the night, she was totally out of tune - and to think they slagged off Gemini! - but with the painfully right-on lyrics written by Rik from The Young Ones this was never going to succeed anyway. Pretty bad.
Nomad, was distracted from the music by the incredibly horny dancer who was pawing any woman he could reach. Nowadays he would be #MeToo-ed. Tune, from what I could discern, was your basic '91 dance single, nothing more, nothing less.
Keith Lemon and Paul Young we've seen, so onto Frances Nero with a jolly anti-stalker anthem. I don't know much about her, but she looks to be the oldest performer this episode. They've cut the howler lines "Faith, hope and charity/Love is the greatest of the three!" Probably for the best.
Gawd, five more weeks of Cher's 60s karaoke. Mind you, that's nothing compared to what's next.
Roachford, had forgotten this one but it's perfectly acceptable, a decent mid-tempo pop ditty that indicates he should have been around in the charts for longer (or at least not an Alan Partridge punchline).
Agree wholeheartedly about The KLF, and it was impossible to count how many of them were on stage with the the TOTP cameras moving too fast through the single for the viewer to be able to count the number of individuals on stage.
DeleteIt was actually a year-and-a-half since we last saw Cathy Dennis debuting with DMob in October 1989 with Come On And Get My Love, reaching No.15 in the process, but her solo follow-up a few months later in April 1990 only got to No.48, so we never saw it on TOTP, which explains why she was away from the fold for so long since the debut single.
I did some research and discovered that Frances Nero (first name Willie) was 48 at this point. She passed away in 2014. Love the vibe of the song though the lyrics are a bit clunky at times.
DeleteDanny D from D-Mob was responsible for the 7" remix of this Cathy Dennis single as well as the 7" remixes for both of Danni Minogues singles
DeleteOh, yeah - have a nice holiday, Angelo! Hope you didn't go to Germany or Belgium...
ReplyDeleteSome interesting new tunes that peaked just outside the Top 40 from previous Top 40 regulars:
ReplyDeleteNo.41 - Carly Simon - You're So Vain (1991)
A 70s classic re-released for the 90s.
No.42 808 State ft Bjork - Oops
I believe this could have been Bjork's first appearance on a pop single which was the way that some performers got their solo break, by being first 'featured' on established artists singles, as we have seen so many times before. Worth a look at the video, with the single being very un-808 State like, and more like the later Bjork solo career that we got accustomed to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEvWHoqUbYM
No.53 - DeeLite - Good Beat/Riding On Through
Double A-Side release to follow their last single that flopped outside the Top 40, they were really going nowhere it seemed after they burst onto the since a year earlier with Groove Is In The Heart. Worth checking out the video, but not for epileptics:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lP55r5CDjI8
No.57 - Sting - Soul Cages
Much simpler budget video this time round, but second song in a row not to make Top 50, so Sting perhaps needing to look deeper into his talents to resurrect his solo career at this stage.
Bjork was already established, she was the lead singer of The Sugarcubes. They had an indie chart No 1 with the remarkable Birthday and soon will be having a Top 40 hit with, er, Hit.
DeleteKLF - I do like this track. I get the cult thing they were going for but not sure invoking the KKK to be controversial was the smartest move.
ReplyDeleteCathy D - as THX points out, nowhere near as good as the absolute pop classics she'll be writing in about a decade.
OMD - Shakin' DuBeke is still here after what feels like a long run.
Nomad - It's no I Wanna Give You Devotion
Paul Young as Cliff and Zucchero as Keith Lemon's sleazy uncle we covered plenty last time.
Frances N - I do love this and good to see her in the studio. Very chirpy backing dancers although not sure why one of them was wearing her coat.
Cher - Good to have a change from Ches. one film song replacing another. It's weird how much cinema used to influence the charts and how negligible its impact is these days (Let it Go from Frozen is probably the biggest song from a film that hit big in recent times and that was 8 years ago now... Unless I'm forgetting something else big)
Roachford - poor bloke only getting two short clippy appearances rather than a studio turn.
Ooh I forgot Samantha Janus - she definitely makes a better TV star than pop star. It's a shame she hasn't done more TV since leaving EE (I know she's been doing a lot of theatre), I thought she was very good as Ronnie.
DeleteKeala Settle's "This is Me" from Greatest Showman would like to shake it's Top 3, 41 weeks in the Top 40 hit at you... from 2018
Delete"A Message to Your Heart" was written by perennial Eurovision bore Paul Curtis, who once had written or co-written half the entries in the UK "Song For Europe" final one year.
ReplyDeleteSafe pair of hands in charge again this week.
ReplyDelete10 people on stage for the welcome return of KKK – er, KLF’s unicorn rave, complete with vocoder. Majestic and deserved to topple Cher’s anaemic karaoke.
Next it’s Norwich City’s best known popstar supporter along with Doctor Robert of the Blow Monkeys, so surprised Cathy Dennis didn’t wear yellow and green for her workout lite dance and song (spoiler alert – she does wear a NCFC shirt on TOTP another time).
“Sugar Tax”. Apt for what’s been mooted this week. OMD’s return to form isn’t taxing on the ears at the slightest.
Aha, a replacement for the breakers, this year’s Eurovision entry. I’d forgotten how gorgeous Samantha Janus was, but she was way too smiley for the Live Aid lyrics. A deliberate attempt at a young version of Bananarama on backing vocals? Samantha’s only single, apparently.
I see Nomad have brought their own tent along. Shame they left the tune in the car.
Oh God, it’s compulsory Mayo record of the week time. Well done, Keith Lemon.
Ah. Now. A nice mention for Bob Harris’s insomniac shift before my peak of the week, as Frances Nero gives us proper miming, as you’d expect from a former Motown artist, for an underrated floor filler and what you’d call a ’grower’. Good to see the video dancers backing her up. Bad that this is the only time we see this.
Shoop Shoop FF.
We finish with a mock scenic vid for Roachford’s workmanlike pop soul, and neither really takes off.
Frances' hit was written and produced by Ian Levine, Northern Soul promoter and Doctor Who obsessive, I have learned.
DeleteLess Shoop Shoop and more Shurrup Shurrup, then?
...or even "Shoorah Shoorah"!
DeleteBest intro ever our host says? I would question that..
ReplyDeleteKLF – Last train to Transcentral – KLF..EMF…? Give me ELO and OMD any day. Another weird offering from the band I cannot fathom the appeal.
Cathy Dennis – Touch me (all night long) – Enjoyed this. Love the co-ordinated dance routine too.
OMD – Sailing on the Seven Seas – I’ve praised this to the skies already…so just to reiterate – it’s great!!!
Samantha Janus – A Message to your Heart – Decent Eurovison offering actually. Was this before Sam starred in ‘Game On’ I wonder? Certainly before Eastenders. The trio of backing singers appear on the reverse of the picture sleeve.
Nomad – Just a Groove – Next
Zucchero & PY – Sensa Madonna – Repeat showing of an enjoyable duet.
Francis Nero – Footsteps following me – Campbell raved about this last week. Not bad actually. Didn’t realise the Dr Who connection….thanks THX. Ian sadly passed away a few years ago.
Cher – It’s in his kiss – We get a decent length showing of this video and it’s enjoyable apart from Bob Hoskins keep popping up! Good song about to embark on a five week run. Not long to wait eh Nicky!
Roachford – Get Ready – Great song to play out on and ironic that Roachford is charting at the same time as Mike and The Mechanics.
No problem, re: Doctor Who, but Ian Levine is still alive! He made the "news" (not the proper news) when Doctor Who became a woman and he threw his toys out of the pram in indignation.
DeleteThanks THX for the correction - glad I am wrong. Ian did a great service to Dr Who fans by buying tapes directly from the BBC when they were on the scrapheap.
DeleteSamantha Janus's attempt at a singing career, which lasted just the one single and made her worry about her career overall, was three years before "Game On". In between, she played Sandy in a musical version of "Grease".
DeleteThanks Arthur. I did enjoy 'Game On'....it never seems to get repeated. Neil Stuke was also in it....he's been in loads of series since.
DeleteSo was Ben Chaplin. Since gone on to Hollywood stardom of course.
DeleteWho fans are patiently waiting for Ian Levine to die so they can raid his basement and find all the old Dr Who episodes he has hidden
DeleteKlf - excellent start to the show…
ReplyDeleteCathy dennis - didn’t impress me
Samantha Janus - ah the days when we wrote semi decent songs for Eurovision, but she seemed a bit happy for the preachy lyrics. Nice to hear obligatory key change. [pre post look - again I am not the first to make the smiley observation. I don’t recall her actual performance in the competition]
Nomad - no thank you. No tune.
Frances Nero - my first thought was nah, but it came alive with the chorus. I felt there was a really good song that needed prising out.
Roachford - still no
Samantha was really nervous on the big night and hit a few off-key notes.Fair play, though, I've never sung live to millions watching.
DeleteBoy Mayo has bought his Granny.
ReplyDeleteTHE KLF – Last Train To Trancentral
Absolutely barking mad. Still the best dance group ever. This is definelty my fave KLF tune.
Looks like that bird from Fuzzbox at the back...anyone got the horn?
Should have been Number One Simon.
CATHY DENNIS – Touch Me (All Night Long)
Great energy, great pop song, great routine.
O.M.D. – Sailing On The Seven Seas
One my all time favourite pop tunes.
SAMANTHA JANUS – A Message To Your Heart
Hooray it's Eurovision time. Cue one cheesy pop tune with a message. I quite like this. Sorry.
Everybody off to Rome..
NOMAD – Just A Groove
How 1991 does this sound. Nice Star Trek uniform. Cool grooves. Like.
ZUCCHERO & PAUL YOUNG still on the troll for a woman. Should have used Tinder.
FRANCES NERO – Footsteps Following Me
Absolutely belting pop tune and one of my faves of 1991. Glorious one hit wonder
CHER – The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss)
Deserved Number One. Like
Kept KLF off Number One. Dis-Like
ROACHFORD – Get Ready
Lovely to see more of this tune.