This edition of Top of the Pops from December 19th 1991 will not be shown on BBC4. So a huge thanks goes to Anonymous for making it available here at WeTransfer.
Look up to the skies and see
19-12-91: Presenters: Steve Anderson & Adrian Rose
(14) U.K. MIXMASTERS – Bare Necessities Megamix
At its peak.
(6) BRIAN MAY – Driven By You (video)
Also at its peak.
(13) SHAFT – Roobarb And Custard
Peaked at number 7.
(5) GUNS N’ ROSES – Live And Let Die (video)
Got no higher.
(35) LISA STANSFIELD – All Woman
Peaked at number 20.
(32) SIMON & GARFUNKEL – Hazy Shade Of Winter (video) (Breakers)
Went up two more places.
(24) PET SHOP BOYS – Was It Worth It? (video) (Breakers)
Got no higher.
(16) HAMMER – Addams Groove (video) (Breakers)
Peaked at number 4.
(26) HUMAN RESOURCE – The Complete Dominator
Peaked at number 18.
(1) QUEEN – Bohemian Rhapsody (video)
First of five weeks at number one.
December 25th is next.
Thanks for this, er, I think, because it was pretty bad!
ReplyDeleteFirst up, the curse of Jive Bunny lives on in this Disney knock-off which seems to be under the impression Louis Armstrong was singing on the soundtrack to Jungle Book. If Gary Wilmot was in the video, how come he wasn't in the studio? I'd rather see him than this fat bloke in a furry minidress. Awful.
Brian May takes the adman's schilling, for something that sounds more like a washing powder commercial than a car one. Timing seems unfortunate given the death of Freddy, but maybe it had been planned in advance?
Shaft, Toytown techno continues with one of the worst of the lot, perhaps its biggest crime being making people refer to the classic Roobarb cartoon as Roobarb and Custard, when it was only ever called Roobarb. The title is in the opening credits! They couldn't get Richard Briers' voice on the record so got Steve Wright sidekick Richard Easter instead, delivering some not very Briers-y dialogue. Don't think this is him. Shoddy doesn't begin to cover it. The lady singer is tone deaf, too.
Gawd, not Guns N Noses again, this time with the record version, not the live one. Axl stalking the stage sans trousers for some reason. Bloody awful.
Lisa Stansfield tries to class up the joint with a song whose lyrics sound different in the current climate, shall we say. Not picked up as an anthem, yet, however. But it's all a bit boring, no matter how good her live vocal is.
Bit more of the Breakers than usual, probably because there's only three of them. Simon & Garfunkel a classic tune, but we only hear the last four lines or so, PSB go rave but find the cheaper alternatives are doing better, and Hammer with a rap to end a film with, because it was 1991. Must admit I find this one seriously catchy, don't know whether that's good or bad. Preposterous video, what would Charles Addams say?
A bunch of IT engineers next, judging by their name, with... Engelbert Humperdinck fronting them, oddly. Amusingly, he starts getting out of breath halfway through.
Then because Freddy was deady, we had this at No. 1 all Christmas and New Year. I didn't like it before, and I certainly didn't like it afterwards when it had been played a billion times. Not the world's first video, either, not while The Monkees still exist.
Rarely disagree with you THX, but I thought the opening of the show by the UK Mixmasters was just fantastic, and probably the best show opener in years. Two sexy female dancers dressed up as sexy Santas and three as Flintstones ladies/ lovelies was just the icing on the cake, and got us all in the mood for Christmas, except I don't recall watching this show at the time.
DeleteAh, memories of the 70's children's programmes with Roobarb being must-watch TV at the time in those primary school years, as would have also been for Shaft performing it on the show this week, as the group would also have been children in the 70s. The memorable voice of Roobarb narrator Richard Briers makes me remember somehow that Custard always got the better of Roobarb!
The Bangles version of Hazy Shade of Winter in the late 80's was the best, and if Simon & Garfunkel were the original, then it was one of the rare occasions when the cover was so much better than the original. Shame that this Breakers slot was all we would get to see on its full chart run for Simon & Garfunkel.
I suppose the UK Mincemasters would be OK if you were at Butlin's, but TOTP? Nah! But thanks for rarely disagreeing with me!
Deletei had to watch the uk mixmasters purely on the strength of thx's comments! musically it's house on autopilot and as such you can't really say too much about that (other than gary wilmot is coasting here as he is in fact a hugely talented singer). but the presentation reminds me of the good old days on totp when pans people (in one of their last-ever performances) dressed up as animals for hank mizell's "jungle rock, and of course when lions, gorillas and suchlike appeared along with tight fit's tarzan guy and his lady friends for "the lion sleeps tonight!"
DeleteAlso I remember in 1987, Was Not Was opened a TOTP show in the studio to perform Walk The Dinosaur, which included a couple of girls dancing on stage with them in Flintstone outfits:
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHIu4o7giKU
This is from a week ago, but I only caught up with it last night: anyone see the repeat of ABBA in Switzerland on BBC2? It's on iPlayer if you missed it, give it a look, it's an interesting look at how 70s variety treated a major pop act (TOTP's Michael Hurll produced).
ReplyDeleteAlso showing up: Roxy Music and Kate Bush! And David Niven in a balloon (!?). Marvel at how the Swiss don't laugh at ABBA's jokes! See them recreate that Ticket to Ride vibe on the Alpine slopes! From 1979 I think.
This is a first for me.
ReplyDeleteApart from three months in 2017, when I had no time to watch the re-runs when my dad was seriously ill and I was travelling 30 miles from work to the hospital and then 10 miles back home and I was exhausted, I won't be watching this edition. Unlike in 2017, this non-watch is my choice.
Taking the title of one of the edition's tracks, "Was It Worth It?", I looked at the line-up and to me it looks the worst yet in the re-run. Grateful to Anonymous for making it possible, though.
Thanks Anonymous! (Or should that be "thanks". I'm with THX here, the last missed episode was a big blow, losing this one was maybe more of a blessing!)
ReplyDeleteUK Mixmasters - Um, Gary Wilmott has regenerated into a white guy who looks like Better Call Saul but in a loincloth? 'K. Dory, we share a taste in Roxette but not this, it's terrible.
Bryan May getting a lot of coin tonight with his advert tune AND the number one.
Shaft keeping the Year of the Rave going and ushering in a couple of years of novelty rave where numerous theme tunes to TV, games and ads will be danced up. Although it makes for a super weird live take with a really ear piercing vocal. I'm sure the single mix was better than this unless that's just nostalgia talking...
G'n'R I quite like although it's not up there with their 80s stuff.
Lisa Stansfield with the kind of thing I imagine they play on Heart radio all the time. The chorus has always stayed memorable but the verses are a bit boring, sorry Lisa.
Breakers - why were S&G back in the charts? PSB one of their pretty good but not top tier singles, but still one of the best things tonight cos... gestures at the next track as a case in point. No Hammer Don't Hurt Us any more. Please.
Human Resource with another bit of rave and one that's not served super well by this performance with a singer/rapper that looks like Wayne Hussey's straight edge brother, or a male Honey G. I have a lot of trouble believing him to be bigger and bolder and rougher and tougher though could fully believe he wants to kiss himself.
Queen at #1 with a tribute to Freddie and they'll stay there for Chris (though I do find The Show Must Go On to be much more affecting, probably for obvious reasons, and it's a shame that didn't go to the top)
Christmas obviously. Not sure who Chris is. Evans perhaps, was The Big Breakfast 1992?
DeleteI see that this Friday it's going to be the Christmas 1991 TOTP show, in the days when it followed immediately after the Queen's Christmas Day dress to the public on TV.
ReplyDeleteAnyone know if we will have to wait till the New Year for the 1992 TOTP shows on BBC4, as they usually like to start the rerun year in tandem with the current New Year? I mean, are we going to have no TOTP on Friday evenings next month in December?
3rd December-25/12/1984
Delete10th December-1988 Christmas special
17th December-25/12/1989
Hope that helps Dory
Crumbs, so no TOTP 1992 until after the new year then. I guess there will still be the Channel 5 review of the 70s years on Friday nights as our only new stuff to review, as the Christmas TOTP shows coming up in December have already been shown on the reruns, but thanks for the heads up Anonymous.
DeleteAnd those three were also repeated last December between midnight and 1:50am.
DeleteGood Lord, you'd think that BBC4 could have dealt us TOTP fans a better card, but instead for the next five weeks or so until the end of the year, there'll be no 1992 shows to review. We're still owed The Story of 1991 and Big Hits 1991, neither of which have got off the ground yet before we get into 1992.
DeleteThe complete lack of "The Story of 1991" during the TOTP re-run year is shambolic, especially as there were so may changes that year - messing with the mugshots several times, ditching the Radio 1 DJs, the horrendous Year Zero - which would have been compelling viewing. Probably enough there for a two-hour show, frankly.
DeleteMy hunch is that The Story of 1991 would have had to be produced in 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic was in full swing and where there was big-time social distancing in place, and no vaccinations available till December of that year, so it is likely that the project was abandoned.
DeleteThe difficultly now, is that it has been been two years since the Story Of 1990 was produced, and the momentum has been lost, so I doubt that that BBC4 will return to this traditional annual offering for TOTP fans, as they are now out of synch and no point doing a Story Of 1992 when no 1991 equivalent has been produced yet.
Another strange line up with an obsession with TV and Films this week.
ReplyDeleteUK Mixmasters – Bare Necessities Megamix – Off to a serious start. What about all the other ‘Jungle Book’ songs? Great panda costume.
Brian May – Driven by You – First of two appearances of Mr May. I thought I saw Mr Wakeman on stage there, but no close up. Definitely Cozy Powell on drums.
Shaft – Roobarb and Custard – I recall watching the first episode of this shaky cartoon series. All the titles started with ‘when’ as I recall. Not sure what the point of this release is.
Guns n’ Roses – Live and let Die – Much as I like the song…
Lisa Stansfield – All Women – Well that’s settled then…
Breakers – Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘Hazy Shade of Winter’ was coupled with ‘Seven O’ Clock News/Silent Night’ on a four track EP….where the same two tracks appeared on both sides, but in reverse order. Maybe it was meant to be a seasonal release, but like Dory I prefer the Bangles version. Pet Shop Boys – Was it worth it? – frankly no. Hammer – Addams Groove – Horrible.
Human Resource – Complete Dominator – What a racket!
Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody – What can you say that hasn’t been said? I have seen and heard this so many times but once again, watching for the first time in a while I am transported back to November 1975. On ‘Pick of the Pops’ a week ago, Gambo played the chart with it entering at No16 and I can recall the Tom Browne show at the time with Tom enthusing over it (and playing it right through). My Grandpa had just sadly passed away when this hit the top spot (he wouldn’t have liked it) and the memories of show after show with this at No1 are still vivid. Such a simple video really, but soooo effective. We’re getting 1975 this week on ‘Britain’s biggest hits of the 70s’ and I have a funny feeling that this may not be featured due to the crossover of years. I hope I am wrong, but I know what No1 is and it isn’t ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.
btw thanks again anonymous.
Firstly a massive thank you anonymous for furnishing a post x-mas cheese-up!
ReplyDeleteSteve Anderson being almost professional and some school kid with curtains and blinding white teeth. No wonder he doesn't want this shown, I'd be mortified!
Some random stage rejects give us the Bare Necessities Megamix (although megamix for 2 songs is pushing it a bit). From the same school as Bombalurina and that Joseph mega-crap. This would be more fun if the rest of the show was of higher quality. One question? Where's Gary Wilmot?
First appearance tonight for Mr May. Driven By You would be OK if it wasn't a blatant cash-in from an advert. Obviously couldn't make it to the studio so TOTP gave up waiting and showed the video, so that 1 video per show rule is quickly shown he door.
We've been really Shafted with this edition, the studio now seeing a raved up Roobarb And Custard from some very odd guy in a chair. It is very very rarely I FF any of these acts as I like to see the whole show but I gave up with this after a minute. Utter rubbish. One question. Where is Briars!
Never knowingly overdressed it's Guns N’ Roses with their note perfect Live And Let Die cover. A second showing for the video. Still like the song.
All the way down to number 35 to find someone available for the studio this week. Lisa covering "All Woman" and doing an ok job. The hair has some serious "lift" tonight. Nice vocal.
Breakers:
SIMON & GARFUNKEL – some serious work has gone into trying to sync this old video to the song. No idea why it's back.
PET SHOP BOYS – A lesser pop hit from the boys. Definitely worth it.
HAMMER – Surprisingly catchy and not as annoying as it should be.
Call Human Resource, this lot need their P45's and quick. "Dominator" was not the most interesting of dance tunes and "The Complete Dominator" is completely unnecessary. What a noise. The second FF of the evening.
The most overplayed video of all time? The first video? "Bohemian Rhapsody" iconic of course and we get a full showing of their Blake's 7 audition. Shame we don't get to hear the flip-side but hopefully we will in the new year.
Easily ending the year with it's worst edition. Bring on Xmas.
Richard Briers voiceover on Roobarb was completed all in one season in 1974 with 30 episodes rolled out in that one and only year of production of the famous cartoon series, as were many other similar 70s cartoons like Mr Benn, Bod, Mary Mungo & Midge, etc, but their enduring lifespan on children's TV across a further decade or so, made them icons in TV cartoon history.
DeleteBriers was probably best known for his 1974 work on Roobarb, but then moved on to doing a sitcom called The Good Life between 1975-1978, and also another sitcom Ever Decreasing Circles which ran for 5 years between 1984 - 1989. He also appeared on one Dr Who episode in 1987, and also as Bishop in the Spice World movie in 1997, and continued to work in acting until his death in 2013 at the age of 79.