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Get the Top of the Pops Party Started
I'd like to take this chance to wish everyone who reads and contributes to this blog a very Merry Christmas!
And now BBC4 takes us even further into the future tonight with the 25th of December 2002 edition of Top of the Pops!
Mega Christmas!
25-12-2002: Presenters: Lisa Snowdon & Richard Blackwood
(-) PINK – Get The Party Started
(-) ATOMIC KITTEN – The Tide Is High (Get The Feeling)
(-) GARETH GATES – Unchained Melody
(-) RONAN KEATING – If Tomorrow Never Comes
(-) NICKELBACK – How You Remind Me
(1) GIRLS ALOUD – Sound Of The Underground
(13) NELLY feat. KELLY ROWLAND – Dilemma
(-) DARIUS – Colourblind
(-) LIBERTY X – Just A Little
(-) HOLLY VALANCE – Kiss Kiss
(-) ELVIS versus JXL – A Little Less Conversation
(-) ENRIQUE IGLESIAS – Hero
(-) WILL YOUNG – Evergreen (and credits)
Mega Christmas!
Merry Christmas one and all and thanks Angelo for keeping this blog going. Haven't watched this edition yet....a few good songs I note.
ReplyDeleteAnyone watch the Channel 5 Top 30 of 1979 last night?
ReplyDeleteHere are my pick of the tunes:
No.27 Peaches & Herb - Reunited
Although this was not the official video, it was essentially similar to the official one shown on TOTP in 1979, where Peaches starts off quite sceptical and moves Herb's hand away from her shoulder, but then likes what he has to say to reunite them and has a kiss during the clip shown here on Channel 5. Interesting info from Paul Gambaccini's comment that there were many different Peaches since the group started in 1969, and that this one on their biggest hit was the 7th one!
No.25 Queen - Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Always found this video quite fresh with those girls in black stockings and suspenders having a clinch with Freddie Mercury in the video, and didn't know they were choreographed by Arlene Philips who was in charge of Hot Gossip, and I think the two girls in the Queen video may have been from Hot Gossip, as by now in late 1979 The Kenny Everett Video Show had two whole series completed on ITV, with two more series to come in 1980 and 1981, so Arlene was well and truly at a peak on TV, and very established in her choreography skills by now.
No.22 Earth Wind & Fire - Boogie Wonderland
One of the greatest, if not THE greatest dance floor tunes of all time, holding prime position on dance floors for another two decades at least. Didn't know that the ladies in the video joining the band were The Emotions. Did The Emotions have their own catalogue of music, as I only know of them on Boogie Wonderland? Still this classic disco single I remember tussled with Peaches & Herb at the No.4 and No.5 slot in the summer of 1979 for several weeks, with both songs not quite cracking the Top 3 unusually, despite being comfortably in the Top 5 for several weeks. What a summer that was!
No.20 Anita Ward - Ring My Bell
This same footage from the American music show Soap Factory is the one that TOTP showed in 1979 when Ward was No.1 with it for two weeks. Soap Factory was also used by TOTP at the end of the year when they showed The Sugarhill Gang doing Rappers Delight, as neither song had a video, and generally in those days TOTP could get some good alternative footage from Soul Train or The Soap Factory.
No.8 Roxy Music - Dance Away
The unique ability of Bryan Ferry to always put on a smart suit with crisp shirt and tie on his videos and rare TV studio performances, was somewhat very refreshing, showing that the gentleman attire was not completely thrown out with the arrival of the Swinging Sixties. I also remember in the 80s that Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet also went for the gentleman look with suit, shirt and tie in videos and on TOTP, but I must admit that instances like these were very rare in pop music in the 70s and 80s where the increasing trend was for men to dress more casually.
The only Emotions track I have ever heard was 'The Best of my Love'. Everyone assumed it was the classic Eagles song...but it wasn't...
DeleteI thought ToTP showed Legs and Co for Anita Ward.
Not watched this 1979 or 1978 show yet but will do in due course.
The Legs & Co showing for Anita Ward was on one the Christmas 1979 TOTP shows, but when Ward was at No.1 in the summer of that year, it was only the Soap Factory performance used by TOTP sent over from the USA.
DeleteI don't think that Ward flew over to the UK to perform it on any of the TV shows there during its chart run, nor on any of the end-of-year shows reviewing the year, as very few US performers came over for TOTP in those days, or it was a very small percentage.
Anybody here is/still taking requests for this page.
ReplyDeletehttp://angelogravity.blogspot.com/2021/10/uploads-of-pops2.html?m=0
Janice Long has died aged 66.
ReplyDeleteVery sad about Janice Long, I used to listen to her 1980s evening show every night when it was on. Always remember her laughing at John Walters, and playing such a great variety of music, it was a real education. And great on TOTP, too. RIP.
DeleteWhat a shock. Only 66. So sad. RIP Janice.
DeleteSad to hear of the passing of poor Janice.
ReplyDeleteOn a happier note...a big thank you to Angelo for keeping this entertaining blog going.
Very sad to hear. So important to the show when I was growing up. Her enthusiasm was so infectious at the time and was once again when seeing these repeats. Rip
DeleteHad no idea she was the older sister of Keith Chegwin until watching the news.
DeleteHope you all enjoyed Christmas. I missed it through Covid and I get released on New Year's Day. Sorry I've not been around for a while. Looking forward to the second TOTP of 1992 as it features a lovely bloke I know as guitarist in a frenetic outfit - I'll say more at the time. Happy New Year and RIP Janice.
ReplyDeleteHope you're feeling better Arthur ~ all the best for the New Year.
DeleteHello, happy new year to all bloggers.
ReplyDeleteI watched the New Year's Eve Top of the Pops this afternoon and thought I'd add some thoughts on it here if that's ok. Sorry if I've jumped the gun and you're doing a separate bit for the show.
Thought it was pretty good this year. A fine mix of in the studio performances and TV music clips (yes they are still about) from throughout the year.
Jordan North is dressed like he's off to play an epic game of 'Yahtzee' around midnight and Clara Amfo in a shiny party dress. Zero chemistry but liked them both.
Enjoyed the clips of festivals that were lucky to go ahead and like the Xmas day edition, a few clips of things from the past. Not sure if 'Queen's Greatest Hits 1' really warranted inclusion on a show that occupies 2 hours in a year. It hasn't left the album charts since about 1850. A nice feature also on the brief lockdown craze for folk acapella to which Clara adds a fast as lightning comment of breezy dismissiveness.
Of the studio performances, I still can't quite get the appeal of Sam Fender. Find a big note and return to it as much as possible was what I heard but his lyrics are good and he belts his stuff out well and it was nice to see him interviewed at some length. Good bloke. I'm sure he'll get better with time. Loved the documentary he did on Alan Hull last month and you could be forgiven for thinking that the great man had returned to the Totp studio as Sam's saxophonist.
Main highlight for me was Rag n Bone Man's performance of 'All You Ever Wanted' from Larch studios ('the Laaaarch!') and shown on 'Later With Jools Holland' in February. Previously I found him a little overwrought but my god that is a good song, brilliantly performed with his band. You're right Jordan, proper pop star shades on that fellow!
Mahalia ft A J Tracey another highlight. Great track I've never heard before and will definitely listen to some more. She looked stunning in her pink outfit with what looked like ferry portals around the middle. Unfortunately slightly ruined by some unnecessary 'i suppose it has to happen' rapping by her white suited accomplice.
Lola Young was moody and very live and another strong moment. Strums a mean acoustic and threw a mean glance at the end. I guess she was happy.
Of the other non Totp clips, Arlo Parks at the Mercury Prize fantastic to see as I missed it at the time. Love her voice and those harmonies in the chorus are glorious. Still haven't got the album but I will.
Billie Eilish another marvellous clip. No over singing with her, spookily understated. True star with the hairstyle and much of the charisma of Deborah Harry. If I had a ticket for Glastonbury next year I would definitely be at her gig.
Other things; Years and Years still sounding anonymous. Arrdee; 'Flowers (Say My Name)'. Hmmm. Let's make the 2 excerpts the title. A bit defeatest? Another fast rap about how good a rapper the rapper is. Heard the same thing so much since I was about 10. Did quite like his delivery which at times bore a curious resemblance to avant blues growler and Peel favourite Duster Bennett though I suspect that wasn't the intention. A bands section swiftly dealt with like they're a museum curio.
I suppose they are. Maybe next year that'll change. You can hope.
To round things off the proficient Nizlopi soundalike.
As always since 2006, great production and looks fantastic and over a Bucks Fizz tomorrow I will ponder why it hasn't been resurrected as a short run series at the very least. Oh well. Till next year. Before then a reunion with a soap avoiding, new age shirt wearing past (more certain classmates than myself but I tried). Best wishes to you all for 2022.
Michael