Close your eyes, draw back the curtain, to see for certain the 27th of June 1991 edition of Top of the Pops!
Spotlights of the Pops
27-6-91: Presenter: Simon Mayo
(22) CUBIC 22 – Night In Motion
Getting the show off to an energatic start and the record peaked at number 15.
(14) PAULA ABDUL – Rush Rush (video) (and charts)
Peaked at number 6.
(3) ERASURE – Chorus
In the studio with a bunch of creepy waxworks to perform the title track from their number one album, but it got no higher.
(25) ALICE COOPER – Hey Stoopid (video)
The title track from his top four album and it peaked at number 21.
(18) OMAR – There’s Nothing Like This
Performing in the studio tonight and the song went up four more places.
(27) CHESNEY HAWKES – I’m A Man Not A Boy (video) (Breakers)
His second and final top 40 hit and it got no higher.
(26) INCOGNITO feat. JOCELYN BROWN – Always There (video) (Breakers)
Peaked at number 6.
(11) LENNY KRAVITZ – It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over
A repeat showing but the song could go no higher.
(8) BRYAN ADAMS – (Everything I Do) I Do It For You (video)
His first top 40 hit in nearly six years, and it was to be quite a biggie...
(12) DIVINYLS – I Touch Myself
In the studio and this saucy song went up two more places.
(1) JASON DONOVAN – Any Dream Will Do
He's here in the studio to celebrate the first of two weeks at number one.
(28) CARTER – THE UNSTOPPABLE SEX MACHINE – Sheriff Fatman (video) (and credits)
Went up five more places.
4th of July is next.
Erasure - weirdly staged karaoke performance.. Not their best, but pleasant enough.
ReplyDeleteAlica Cooper - liked the video. Title track from follow up to Trash. Alice’s heavy metal period. Does the job.
Omar (cubic 22, Paula Abdul)- three of the breakers from last week marked dull, and opinion not changed this week on any of them.
Chesney Hawkes - not bad what we heard..
Incognito - potential…
…oh is that it?
Bryan adams - here we go then, the start of the summer of Robin Hood. I actually quite like this, but just got sick of it that summer
Divinyls - ah, Memories of Wendy James… (nice microphone stand work) [ooh, simon mayo seems to agree :-) ]
…And Carter complete the Breakers from last week, and surprise surprise , I still love it. Pun city…
Chart rundown - two weeks at no.36 for new group PM Dawn which seemed to mean nothing to TOTP, with not even a Breakers slot, this debut single A Watchers Point Of View was one of their finest, and precursor to their next single Set Adrift On Memory Bliss getting to No.3 a couple of months later with that famous sampling of True by Spandau Ballet. So we see PM Dawn only on typo in the chart rundown this week, but the best is yet to come, as their second single will be THE single of their careers.
ReplyDeleteSome tunes peaking outside the Top 40 this week, and missing out on the TOTP stage:
No.41 - Transvision Vamp - If Looks Could Kill
First song of Vamp's that failed to break Top 40, and Charlie's note above regarding The Divinyls and Wendy James could not have been more timely. We said goodbye to Transvision Vamp at their last single, cos this one here missed out on the Top 40 by one place, so we couldn't get to see Wendy James again.
No.57 - The Jam - That's Entertainment (1991)
What was it about 1991 that every week there seemed to be a re-release of a 70's or 80's track, suddenly becoming a new entry just outside the Top 40? Last week it was Meat Loaf's Deadringer For Love as a new entry at No.53, and now The Jam this week coming in as new entry at No.57. Good Lord!
No.61 - The Beach Boys - Do It Again
We are doing it again - in 1991 - ditto for The Jam above.
No.70 - Rick Astley - Never Knew Love
Second single in a row failing to break Top 40, and after this he was to disappear until 1993 where one further single did manage to get to No.33 at best, and then he bowed out for good.
I agree with PM Dawn being robbed. Also on the typo front, Salt'n'Pepa were spelled wrong this week. Poor ol' Rick Still, he has his internet inspired resurrection to come several years hence, which is more than Big Fun, Sonia etc managed.
DeletePM Dawn were ace, looking forward to their Set Adrift performance. The Watchers Point of View was a great track, Todd Terry gave it a great club remix treatment which is on YouTube. RIP Prince Be.
DeleteHere is the video for the debut single A Watchers Point Of View at No.36 for the second week, with no TOTP Breakers or main slot:
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1HfHC9ecNs
Cubic 22: I feel like I should be blowing a whistle listening to this. The dancers reminded me of The Reynolds Girls with their "in front of the bedroom mirror" moves. Eh, it's OK is the best I can say.
ReplyDeletePaula Abdul getting romanced by the nicest man in showbiz Keanu Reeves in her video, not bad going, and he doesn't look that different now, curse him. The song is a gentle little number, wistful and quite pretty, not the worst of these ballads by any means.
Arf, Erasure love a lark so we get choirboy Andys and Vince trying to cunningly conceal himself among his waxworks. As for the song, it's a fast paced, tuneful ditty that's been forgotten though it all came flooding back once it started. Did they have a song called Verse, too?
Alice Cooper with a lively video for a confrontational tune, misspelling "stupid" to show he's joking really. Actually, they seem to have spent more on that video than the track.
Omar with a song that's so laidback it's almost horizontal. I suppose it would be pleasant enough on a summer's day, but isn't it just a teensy bit boring? Nice that his mum knitted him a cardigan for his TOTP debut.
And that's the last we'll see of Chesney (apart from the Christmas show, presumably), relegated to a cough and a spit on the Breakers. How the mighty have fallen.
Lenny we've seen, and then, oh Gawd, this one, better get used to it I suppose. Genuinely never saw what the big deal was about this. Did people really, really like Kevin Costner? It was a big movie, yes, but it's not a classic. Maybe they really, really liked Alan Rickman.
Divinyls in the studio and yes, she is touching herself, well, her upper half anyway. Plus suggestive mic stand fingering. I remember Simon Mayo calling her a tart on his radio show!
Jason Donovan, it looks like a parody but he's sincere, his backing singers really are a gang of little girls. No, don't cross them. Jase here in his Amazing Open-Necked White Shirt, disappointingly.
Always recall Carter being described in a fanzine of the day as Carter the Unstoppable Yawnfest, and it's a description that's stuck in my mind. They weren't as bad as all that, but they were far too wordy.
THX - I had the exact same observation about Cubic 22 and those Reynolds Girl moves. It also has the same tune as Strike U Sure Do, so I assume they used the same sample?
ReplyDeletePaula Abdul - Love, though I took a sharp intake of breath when I noticed in the chart rundown that this is the week *that* begins (of which more later). Also, whilst we're on the new innovations is it a new thing that they've superimposed a few flying numbers in a white font over the credit sequence? It looks ruddy terrible.
Erasure - I love this track and the creepy mannequins was quite a novel studio performance (and probably took time to set up so I'm kind of surprised the show went with it).
Alice Cooper - This is one of the reasons I love these reruns, you rediscover songs and videos you haven't brought to mind at all in the last 30 years. Not that it's a memorable song, but I like the Knightmare-meets-roller coaster video. Very Chart Show.
Omar - Mayo introducing this with "What do you think the summer of 91 will be remembered for?" is absolutely hilarious when the actual answer is right there later in the same show.
Blink and miss Breakers - Incognito with a song that was around a lot, Chez with one that, er, wasn't.
Lenny K - It's fine, probably better than I give it credit for due to overexposure.
Although there's overexposure and there's 'number 8'. It's like wanting to scream at the people of Amity Bay to get out of the water: 'Run away now! You might think it's a perfectly solid movie rock ballad but don't be fooled, it's coming for your soooooouls'. Not that people learned, only repeating the same kind of thing with Whitney and Wet Wet Wet later in the decade. Anyway. We're going to have to think of 16 more things to say about this (or 17 if it's on the next episode). Eeep.
Divinyls - Love it but feel like this has been on a lot? (Though not 17 times etc etc)
Jason Donovan - Ah the fresh feeling of a new number one will soon become a distant memory (OK I'm going to stop flogging the joke cos it's soon to be as tiring as its inspiration).
Carter - I always enjoyed them as a bit of daft fun.
A quick Google reveals Strike did indeed sample Cubic 22, well spotted! They also sampled Donna Allen's Serious, which would be the one I recognise.
DeleteThought there was only going top be one show tonight?
ReplyDeleteNot a bad selection again.
Cubic 22 – Night in Motion – A nice jolly tune to sing a long to for starters…well not quite…a lot of nothing really…FF
Paula Abdul – Rush Rush – I quite like this even though I think of Rush (the band) rather than Ian Rush who surely wasn’t in the video? A modern day warrior mean mean stride, today’s Tom Sawyer mean mean pride…
Erasure – Chorus – Lively lot on stage; they hardly move!!! Nice tune though.
Alice Cooper – He stoopid – Fairground fun from the controversial Alice. We didn’t start the reruns in 1972 (as the shows don’t exist) but I can tell you I felt really uncomfortable watching Alice with black eyes brandishing a sword when it was No1 in August 1972. I was on holiday and Dad’s Aunt had come for tea and we watched it with her…..my word you could have heard a pin drop!!!
Omar – There’s nothing like this – Hypnotic and I love it. Certainly a classy song for just No14.
Breakers – Chesney Hawkes – Didn’t really break much and the title reminds me of Britney’s excellent song ‘I’m not a girl, not yet a woman’. Incognito – Hmmmm…
Lenny Kravitz – It ain’t over til its over – Well worth a repeat and another one that should have broken into the top 10.
Bryan Adams – (Everything I do) I do it for you – Wow! This was good! Some great scenes from an exciting looking action film and Bryan and the Boys have cleverly set themselves in a forestry location. I love seeing the wonderful Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio – whatever happened to her? Not surprised that Sean Connery isn’t in the video!
Divinyls _ I touch myself – OK this has grown on me. Wasn’t too sure on first hearing in the breakers but now I’ve heard it a couple more times it is pretty good, and nice to see them in the studio.
Jason Donovan – Any Dream will do – One of my favourite No1s of 1991. Loved seeing Jason and the kids in the studio. This tune was written many years previously but still sounds good.
Carter – Sheriff Fatman – Weird way to close the show.
That's next week.
DeleteThere will be a 15 minute version of Big Hits 1989 at 8:45pm before 11/7/91 next friday.
DeleteLike with Rad, summer '91 is really special for me, with my first proper job during July and August. Working at a factory where my Dad was a middle manager and where Chiltern Radio played in all places all day. So many of the songs from that summer I have great affection for and a few of them appear here.
ReplyDeleteCubic 22; Not this one though. Standard rave with some elements that call to mind Nightcrawlers 'Push The Feeling On' from a few years later. Nothing else of note other than that one of the keyboard hitters is wearing a Big Fun jacket.
Paula Abdul; Ah this one. It was played pretty much every day during my time at work that summer and I never stopped loving it and bought it as it began slipping down the charts. Sounded magical on the radio that summer and contains one of the most beautiful and eloquent instrumental breaks of any pop single.
Brilliant choice for the chart rundown. It was strangely poignant seeing the hits of the time, some classic, some nondescript, running past to such a sublime single and video. I don't mind saying I was quite emotional watching that. Goodness this programme can just blast the years aside sometimes.
Erasure; Another favourite of that summer and what must be one of the most curious performances ever on the show with the camera close ups of the Andy and Vince mannequins. The cameraman almost bashes in to one of them so keen is he to close in on them. Weird. I also had to look hard at first to see which of them was the real Vince!
Alice Cooper; Not heard this one for years. Powerful sounding and pretty thought provoking with what sounds like an anti drug message.
Omar; The thing we'll remember the summer for Simon? Come back to us on that in a couple of month's time. For me though this single sort of is. On the first or second day at my first job I found myself storing material in a hotbox. For those who haven't had the pleasure, if you spend more than about 25 seconds in one you asphyxiate. After about an hour I finished, slumped in a chair in the canteen feeling like I'd lost about 2 stone and threw 3 or 4 cabs of fizz down my throat. As I was doing it this single came floating dreamily across the room. To this day it's one of my favourite ever summer records with one of the best ever opening lines. What a bassline too.
Breakers; Nanosecond time. Chesney, he's a Man. Pop career over. Incognito, total favourite. And done.
Lenny Kravitz; Great performance seen again. Is the keyboardist pretending to be someone?
Bryan Adams; Oh that was quite nice. I wonder if that will be on again.
Divinyls; 1991's new sex anthem of the week in the studio. Good stuff. The guitarist seems to believe he's possessed by the spirit of Brian Jones circa 1967. That wouldn't be that notable but the bastard looks just like him! Chrissie giving full allure.
Simon didn't seem very impressed by that.
Jason Donovan; From all the randiness to something very chaste. Oddly retro look to that with all the starburst lights. Maybe Michael Hurll is having nostalgia for what he originally came to replace.
Carter; Good fun as always though the references certainly date it. I bet the kids in the audience left the show with their ears ringing. I certainly did when I saw them.
Mic - you're right. Paula Abdul was the surprise ticket on this show for me.
DeleteIt might interest both of you to know that Rush Rush by Paula Abdul was already at No.1 in America on the same week as this TOTP show, and in fact held the No.1 spot for a staggering 5 weeks during June and July 1991, and was the second biggest No.1 of 1991 in America, behind only Bryan Adams who had 7 weeks at the No.1 spot soon after Paula Abdul's reign at No.1.
DeleteI had no idea it was that huge in America. Beautiful record and video. That viola solo gives me tingles to this day. I hope that part gets played when it appears again in two weeks.
DeleteAh, the boy Mayo in charge and hurrah for that.
ReplyDeleteSimon’s early Belgians questions reminded me of classic Rowan Atkinson. Unlike Cubic 22’s FF’d shite.
How many costume changes for Paula Abdul? Ian Rush is hated in non-League football circles as he’s an ‘ambassador’ for a Singaporean property company who evicted a team (Whyteleafe, near Croydon) without warning and caused them to fold. Big Nose has a lot to answer for. Not that he could give a shit.
Ah, Erasure. You can tell Andy due to his different outfit from the clones, but Vince was far more con-Vince-ing. A good upbeat track. I await the follow-up “Bridge Passage”.
Alice’s Bon Jovi meets Grange Hill track did the trick. Good groove, good message, enjoyable video.
Ah, now, Omar. I love this. Classic hammock tune, if I had a hammock. If only this HAD been the summer track of 1991. The lad had some acne which a jazz beard would have enhanced.
Bye, Chesney!
Incognito with a new jazz choon, apparently.
FF Lenny and then that shit shit which will haunt us all summer and fecking autumn. Bastard.
I think Simon meant to say “any harm” instead of “any good “ before the peak of the week, Divinyls’ tune about self exploration. Apparently there was some bloke on stage miming guitar. Eat that, Kylie! The scary guitarist recently tried to reactivate Divinyls without the sadly deceased vocalist and met with such outrage in Oz he cancelled the plans.
Jase at the top with something more memeorable and saccharin than his last few top 20something hits.
Oo! Carter (named after second guitarist Les) say “Shitloads”! They were very good and very loud live.
If you had a hammock, you'd hammock in the morning, you'd hammock in the evening, all over this land...
DeleteBoom boom tish! I did think of that tune when I typed that line. Still trying to get over the cheek of Divinyls' song matched by Chrissy's actions!
Delete
ReplyDeleteCUBIC 22 – Night In Motion
Quality dance tune to kick off the show. Naff dance routine. These tunes do not really translate well to the studio without something memorable.
PAULA ABDUL – Rush Rush
Probably her best tune. Video trying to look like it's from a movie.
ERASURE – Chorus
Amazing tune. One of their finest. Creppy performance. Great stuff. Sorry Vince you blinked!
ALICE COOPER – Hey Stoopid
Interesting concept turning a woman's dress into a rollercoaster. Very rock n roll. Tune is ok, nothing more.
OMAR – There’s Nothing Like This
Classy summer sounds from Omar. A radio favourite. This weeks whatever happend to.
Breakers aka What's the point...
CHESNEY HAWKES – Brief.
INCOGNITO feat. JOCELYN BROWN – Fabulous.
Still loving LENNY then here comes BRYAN.
I'll critique the studio performance next week. I think I've got time.
In short. Nice song. Average video. Shit film.
DIVINYLS – I Touch Myself
Where is that graphic touching itself 🤣
Sultry performance of a cheeky little tune that I loved at the time but I'm honestly a bit bored of now.
JASON DONOVAN and the STAGE SCHOOL BRATS– Any Dream Will Do
Still no sign of the coat. The kids have turned up though. Thank god this wasn't a Rolf number.
CARTER – THE UNSTOPPABLE SEX MACHINE – Sheriff Fatman
You can always rely on Carter to provide a racket and they do so nicely here. Can never remember this when it's finished.
Morgie, I did see the unusual touching graphic for Divinyls but thought it best not to say anything, so well done for your bravery!
DeleteAll I can say is thank goodness Thursday night was my Dad's squash night. Telly would have been off if he'd been at home.
DeleteI discovered Divinyls' first Oz hit, "Boys in Town", the sort of cracking tune Kim Wilde might have covered if she was raunchier....
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnOXYcO4zjg
Excellent track. You have just inspired me to buy Divinyls Greatest Hits.
DeleteShe does look a lot like Chrissie Hynde in that clip
Delete