This edition of Top of the Pops from the 9th of July 1992 will sadly not be shown on BBC4, so a big thanks to Anonymous for making it available here at WeTransfer.
9-7-92: Presenters: Adrian Rose & Femi Oke
(3) SMART E’S – Sesame’s Treat
(15) ROY ORBISON – I Drove All Night (video)
(24) DINA CARROLL – Ain’t No Man
(22) JOE COCKER – Unchain My Heart
(10) DIANA ROSS – One Shining Moment (video)
(11) URBAN HYPE – A Trip To Trumpton
(5) JIMMY NAIL – Ain’t No Doubt (video) (Breakers)
(17) SOPHIE B. HAWKINS – Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover (video) (Breakers)
(27) WET WET WET – Lip Service (video) (Breakers)
(28) SINITTA – Shame Shame Shame (video) (Breakers)
(NEW) BRYAN ADAMS – All I Want Is You
(1) ERASURE – Take A Chance On Me (video)
Next up is the 16th of July.
What's with the Tina Turner wig borrowed by Femi Oke this week? It was like something out of the 1984 video for What's Love Got To Do With It. Or was Oke trying to look as blonde as Claudia Simon? Good Lord!
ReplyDeleteThe Smart E's - going straight in as a new entry at No.3 was some achievement, and considering that the children they brought in to TOTP to front the keyboardists, they did a good job of deflecting the attention towards the children. Those kids will be around 40 years old now, and pity for them that this was a show skipped by BBC4, so they could not show it to their kids last night on the channel.
Roy Orbison - four years after his death in 1988, this cover of Cyndi Lauper's song as the presenter mentions was a surprise, as I thought Cyndi covered Orbison, as he would have produced his version in 1988 or before, whereas Lauper came out wth her version in 1989. Whichever was the original, I did like the gorgeous couple on the Orbison video.
Joe Cocker - this song was originally released in 1987, but only got to No.46, so this re-issue which peaked at No.17 on this new chart run was the most successful chart position for Cocker since 1983 with Up Where We Belong with Jennifer Warnes which was Top 10.
Urban Hype - didn't we see this in 1991, or was it Camberwick Green? I'm getting all confused with these 70s children's programmes being given the 90s rave treatment. I must admit that Trumpton and Camberwick Green were must-watch programmes for me growing up as a child in the 70s, and in 1992 as 24-year old I did find it quite odd to see these classic tunes taking on a rave style.
Well, we're in the thick of the 'remix old jingles and theme tunes' era which still has more to come with the likes of Tetris, Casualty and Super Mario Bros all to get the dancefication treatment. Of the two, Smart Es probably edge it because of the adorable kids.
ReplyDeleteRoy O - This and the Lauper version are almost identical, but I like both.
Nice to see Dina Carroll who has a couple of years of hits coming, but then will fizzle out, which us a shame as she was a real talent.
Joe Cocker's a bit dull, but as with Ver Leps, Go Sheffield (please don't kick me out for being unpatriotic, I like the Human League, Pulp, Arctics...)
Diana Ross's song is doing pretty well. Not her best but good for her.
A bunch of breakers we already had as exclusives plus one of Sinitta's least remembered single.
Bry's exclusive isn't going to set the charts on fire, and we sadly end Erasure's run with another video (and still no SOS, which does have a video, I watched it in-between episodes to check!)
You would think that TOTP would have played the Erasure video for SOS considering there were four videos on an EP with five weeks at No.1, so there were no shortages of opportunities, so I can only think that a decision maker at TOTP didn't like the SOS video, or didn't have access to the video at the time.
DeleteFemi in what Smash Hits would have called a frightwig, there.
ReplyDeleteOut of all the Toytown techno, I like Smart E's the best, they seem to have put some thought into it and the sample of Count Von Count is very well used. As for the "live" performance, well, nice try, but those kids are really out of tune. Dunno what the bloke on the right is doing, he has a microphone, but...
Roy Orbison on video of course, so because the thought of an old man in a massive wig climbing into bed with you may not be the most appetising, we got proper stars Jason Priestly and Jennifer Connelly in the video to act out the scenario. Probably wise. The song is as good as it was with Cyndi Lauper, just OK.
Dina Carroll commences her second assault on the pop charts, and it goes very well, because she could sing and had the stage presence to make her a star. No idea why she couldn't sustain it. This is a bit average, mind you.
Joe Cocker, no relation to Jarvis (though apparently they did meet), with a bog standard blues rock effort. Just reminds me of John Belushi, though Joe is reining in the over the top actions this time around.
Urban Hype, ah, this Toytown techno however is... not so good. They have someone speaking the Brian Cant bits, and it sounds sarky. Half Man Half Biscuit's The Trumpton Riots had more genuine attitude than this, and that was even more ridiculous.
Diana Ross again. Shouldn't she have had her makeup done before they shot the video? I don't think a third week at number 10 is quite as exciting as they think.
Breakers all seen apart from Sinitta's covers band blandness, then ah, Bryan again. Before these 90s repeats I was indifferent to him, but over the past year I've taken an active dislike to him. This sounds like a Def Leppard B-side at best.
Erasure's last week at the top - ever! Maybe the SOS video wasn't ready yet? Seems unlikely, though.
Ah, Half Man Half Biscuit, who turned down an appearance on "The Tube" becuase it clashed with a Friday night home game for their beloved Tranmere Rovers. Some years back I bought a replica Dukla Prague away shirt as it came with a free copy of HMHB's "All I Want For Christmas Is Dukla Prague Away Kit". Great band live.
DeleteHMHB have a new album out, I've just been listening to Nigel promoting it on The Freak Zone on BBC 6 Music, what a top bloke.
DeleteStuart Maconie made the point that the band cheered up the internet when the album's song titles were revealed - not even the songs themselves, the titles were enough!
"The Voltarol Years"! An album title up there with "Back In The DHSS", "Voyage To The Bottom Of The Road", "Troble Over Bridgwater" and "Achtung Bono". Not forgetting album track "Paintball's Coming Home".
DeleteEnjoying the new Half Man Half Biscuit album, remembering also the Trumpton themed song “Time Flies By” from the Back in the DHSS album, every song on that LP is a classic. More recent Joy Division Oven Gloves must be their best named and catchiest of tunes.
DeleteI honestly believe HMHB's Bad Losers on Yahoo Chess contains some of the finest lyrics in the English language of the past thirty years.
DeleteThanks for confirming it was the guy from 90210 (see my post below) and we both picked up on the Def Leppard sounding tune as well
DeleteGreat minds think alike! Or is it "fools never differ"?!
DeleteThanks again, Anonymous. Not long now before you get a much needed rest!
ReplyDeleteFemi was probably trying to scare Ponce out of the studio in that wig. Shame he couldn’t do a Carter and be too ‘ill’ to host this. Talking of Carter, was he wearing shorts???
Great. An oh so hilarious confectionery / rave drug name for an ‘act’ killing some of my childhood memories (part 1). Here we have Exhibit A for bringing back miming and burying the memory of “Mini Pops” for good.
I preferred the vocals, rhythm and instrumentation of Cyndi’s earlier hit version, but you can’t fault the emotion in Roy Orbison’s voice, smooth as ever.
Ah, Dina Carroll, silver medal in the widest mouth in pop, only beaten by Edie Brickell. Super live take for supper soul the right side of Brand New Heavies.
Joe Cocker’s Players Navy cut rasp atop some pub rock soul. Nothing wrong with it, just not my packet.
Diana Ross again? And a non-mover to boot. That mic isn’t a pillow, love, wake up.
Next, an ‘act’ killing some of my childhood memories (part 2).
Jimmy Nail with that comic brass section again. My aching sides.
Sophie with a vid that tries to be sultry and smouldering but doesn’t quite pull it off.
Bloody Wets again as well?
Sinitta’s cover sucks all the lifeblood out of Shirley and Company’s number 6 hit, which was sadly three months before this entire re-run started. Go find it and hear how this should really sound.
Bryan, all I want is a proper chart hit instead of your latest yawnfest exclusive.
You know, I really yearn for a one-week chart topper just for a change.
Hello Children. Welcome to Sesame Street. Anyone fancy a smartie? OMG they've made the kids sing live! Please save me..is this the worse thing we've ever seen?
ReplyDeleteFemi has turned into Tina Turner!
One of my all time favourite vocalists Roy Orbison returns..no idea why but I'm delighted. A wonderful song and a wonderful voice.
Is that the guy from 90210 in the video?
And another great vocalist up next. Huge fan of the So Close album and I snapped this up. I think she's hugely under rated and I'm amazed she didn't have a longer career.
And now Joe Cocker..wow we are blessed with great vocalists tonight. Great tune as well.
Diana another power house but unfortunately the tune seriously let's her down here. She looks like Terrence Trent D'Arby in the video.
More TV rave. Pugh Pugh Barney McGrew Cuthburt Dibble Grub indeed. Why does he sound like a Dakek? I do try not to swear on here but this is ******* awful. Can we have the kids from Sesame back?
Breakers:
Jimmy Nail: Heading to the top
Sophie B Hawkins: Wonderful
Wet Wet Wet: I actually quite like this
Sinitta: Shame she's still knocking out these covers.
Bryan Adams is back. Over played and now over here. Was this a hit? Don't remember it at all. Sounding a bit like Def Leppard and I like it.
Erasure Week 5 and back to Take A Chance on video. Well done lads, well deserved Number One
One hump or two?