Come into these arms again for the 25th of February 1993 edition of Top of the Pops!
Fangtastic
25-2-93: Presenter: Tony Dortie
(22) BIZARRE INC – Took My Love
Getting the show underway and the song went up three more places.
(3) ANNIE LENNOX – Love Song For A Vampire
From the movie Bram Stoker's Dracula - the song was now at its peak.
(6) MICHAEL JACKSON – Give In To Me (video) (and charts)
The seventh single from his Dangerous album and it peaked at number 2.
(29) DINA CARROLL – This Time
Performing live and the song peaked at number 23.
(13) SHAGGY – Oh Carolina
Making his studio deebut and on his way to his first of four number ones.
(18) TASMIN ARCHER – In Your Care
Here tonight and the song went up two more places.
(NEW) BRYAN FERRY – I Put A Spell On You
From his number 2 album Taxi, this single peaked at number 18.
(1) 2 UNLIMITED – No Limit
Performing in the studio to celebrate their third of five weeks at number one.
4th of March is next.
I see Steve Wright's been given the elbow from his Radio 2 afternoon show after a staggering 24 years. Good riddance. Easily the worst TOTP host of the re-runs thus far, happy to talk over records and give his worthless opinions (e.g. his 'hilarious' links on TOTP2) and pioneer of the 'more talk and supposed comedy and less music' approach which idiots like Chris Evans and Chris Moyles copied. Well done to Wright's boss for her decision.
ReplyDeleteDo you know who is replacing him on Steve Wright In The Afternoon?
DeleteScott Mills (Who's also leaving Radio 1) from 2-4 pm and Sara Cox will be extended by 1 hour to be 4-7pm.
DeleteHe's had a good run. Here's hoping Ken Bruce doesn't get a similar elbow.
DeleteI'm glad I'm not the only person who doesn't like Steve Wright. I always switched him off on Radio One and he's one of several R2 hosts I can't bear. I like Scott Mills, so I may listen in from time to time (I'm mainly 6 Music these days but sometimes listen to Jo Whiley's R2 show because of my continued devotion to the Britpop era of R1)
DeleteBizarre Inc - thank goodness this is the last we will see or hear of them in the charts until 1996 when they will return after three years away. I must admit that their first two singles in 1991 were really good, and just before the TOTP studio move from West London to Elstree. Goodbye for now anyway.
ReplyDeleteMichael Jackson - was a surprise to see Slash from Guns 'n' Roses on Jackson's new single and video. I wonder how this alliance came about? Did Jackson need Slash to further his career at this point?
Shaggy - this would have been the first time viewers would have seen or heard of Shaggy, and not bad to achieve No.1 on debut single shortly after 2-Unlimited will vacate the top spot in March. Did anyone see Shaggy last week on BBC Breakfast with Charlie and Naga? He was talking about his current new material in 2022, but there was no mention that he was about to be shown on these BBC4 TOTP reruns!
Bryan Ferry - just love this tune, with Ferry really at his best, some 20 years or so after the launch of Roxy Music in the early 70s. Must say that the video is really good too, and one that I bought a few years ago on iTunes, along with some of his other solo career videos.
1st really good edition of the year for me. Some great songs and performances and Tony presenting perfectly well.
ReplyDeleteNot the best start although it's a recently discovered entirely forgotten Beatles appearance compared to the opener of the next edition. Bizarre Inc with their curious decks / keyboards on swings again but this one is not much of a playground. Well sung but little else.
Annie Lennox with 'Love Song From a Vampire' next. Is it 1993 we've reached? I'm not sure. Ha Ha! Doesn't get more of its time than this performance and it's brilliant. Annie looks absolutely in her element singing this. I loved the full on theatrics of the closing moments. A beautiful single and TOTP '93 at its eccentric best.
Michael Jackson video with a chart rundown guaranteeing an appearance of less than 7 minutes but I like 'Give In To Me'. He did have a damn good voice for hard rock. Slash restrained and wearing a check shirt. Grunge truly had taken over.
Tony can hardly wait to introduce Dina Carroll's next single and it's a fabulous tune with such a great arrangement. Early '90s soul with a dash of '50s Hollywood sparkle. On her previous appearance she seemed a little off in her timing but this time (sorry) she's absolutely spot on. Brilliant performance. When people think of the '90s and just shout Spice Girls I'd want to show them this.
From the sublime... Welcome to Shaggy with his still mad sounding future No 1. Like the '60s fashions on the stage and it's really enjoyable. He doesn't sound remotely in the right key for most of it but I don't think that matters too much.
I've particularly enjoyed this edition because of all the in studio performances and I've always liked live vocal on TV, good or not. Tasmin Archer now in the studio not ready to change anyone's perception of her as being delightful but a bit on the moody side. "Son of a bitch!" she snaps in the chorus. It's not Take That is it? Good song but clearly not chart topping material. Incidentally I have no memory of seeing this at the time but vividly remember watching her perform it on 'The Word' which must've made it one of about half a dozen items over 5 years that was entirely serious.
Some great variety on this edition and up crops Bryan Ferry to teach Brett Anderson a thing or two with one of his periodic singles. Very classy. I'm sure I wasn't the only one on here that didn't think of a car going over the Brooklyn Bridge when Tony mentioned the work 'Taxi'.
Top 10 rundown which Tony does very well then to 2 Unlimited who will remain at No.1 for some time with 'No Limit'. Silly and gauche but I still love it at this point and Anita was one hell of a strong singer. So you can be a fine dance vocalist AND a fashion icon. Yes Black Box. Great end with the camera appearing to smack headlong into a raver which then turns out to be Tony saying goodnight.
Taxi; that thought of a car...damn auto brain
DeleteTo be fair to Tasmin Archer, royalties from "In Your Care" went a charity, and I think it was one related to child cruelty.
DeleteOh, I didn't know that Arthur. Sorry for sounding a bit flippant. Yes it certainly packs a punch knowing it's subject matter. Very admirable of Tasmin Archer to follow up her No.1 debut with such a serious song and for charity.
DeleteTop Ten rundown - Depeche Mode as a new entry at No.8, and first single in three years, had no play on the show, and the fact there there were no Breakers this week, we would miss out on this completely on the show, as the single fell down the charts the following week.
ReplyDeleteI guess they may have released a new album at this point, as there was nothing from them in the singles chart since 1990.
Dear God, Dorky thinks he’s a sexy MF according to that top. Did well to get that past the censors.
ReplyDeleteI thought one of The Wonder Stuff had joined Bizarre Inc. Turned out to be a crap MC instead.
Annie Lennox on again despite not moving for a fortnight. Couldn’t we have had Depeche Mode instead? A Shakespeare’s Sister vamp look and health and safety gone mad with those beacons. Had the BBC not learned from the great Blue Peter camp fire on fire?
Unusual for the 3rd track on the show to be the video rundown song instead of the 2nd. If this was the 7th single from Wacko’s album, sounds like they should have stopped at six.
Dina back again so soon? Must have a car park trailer by now. Not even a five-string bass and decent signing lift this above bland.
I can imagine parents across Britain enjoying Shaggy. Different, I’ll give him that, and it’s without the rude Jamaican words alluded to in “The Story of 1993”.
Now, one of the bravest ever choices to follow a chart topper. A song about child abuse sung from the victim’s perspective, proceeds going to Child Line. Beautifully performed (anyone else notice Tasmin’s fringe had got caught in her eyelashes so it moved when she blinked?) but definitely ‘radio poison’ as it wasn’t a pop-a-doodle-doo type song and, sadly, this may well have done for her career.
A very arty poncey stage setting for Bryan’s failed attempt to replace Nina Simone’s oomph with something smoother. Again, we missed Depeche Mode for this?
Top ten rundown: Dorky sarcastically calls Wacko normal, having stood up for him about some interview or other before his song. Double standards there.
Woh, look at Anita. Best use of Bacofoil ever.
“I’m off to go and blow my nose”? What sort of host comment is that, Dorky? That ruins your, ahem, sexy MF image.
They had probably given up on Depeche Mode ever playing in the studio again, as the last time I remember them in the studio was in the early 80s, despite having lots of hits in the late 80s and early 90s, and wth no Breakers this week to show a clip of the video at No.8, the only full video slot on the show when to Michael Jackson at No.6, as recently there have been less videos on the show in favour of most groups available to come to the studio.
DeleteFunnily enough, Shakespeare's Sister were at a peak position this week at No.61 with their penultimate release called My 16th Apology EP, so they were clearly falling out of favour with record buyers, and came back for only one single in 1996 before calling it a day.
ReplyDeleteFour songs further down the chart at peak position this week for previous 80s regulars, with no TOTP for them this time round in the 90s:
No.34 Wendy James - The Nameless One
Wendy James previously of Transvision Vamp, now going solo with the first of two singles in 1993, and the second one called London's Brilliant shortly after this only getting to No.62, we would never get to see her solo on TOTP in one of the shortest solo careers ever.
No.40 Heaven 17 - (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang
Another remix to follow up on the Tempatation remix recently returning to the Top 10 in the 90s, this follow up barely touched the Top 40, and there was to be one more 80s remix released shortly after, called Penthouse And Pavement that didn't even make the Top 40, so this short-lived rennaissance in 1992-1993 for Heaven 17 would be the last we would ever see of them in the charts.
No.55 Inner City - Till We Meet Again
Seventh single release since their last appearance on TOTP in 1989, and they were still trying with little or no success reaching the Top 40. This latest release was a re-release of the original which got to only No.47 in 1991, so nothing seemed to be working for them in the 90s.
No.56 Madness - Night Boat To Cairo
Still releasing singles from the Greatest Hits album a year after It Must Be Love reached Top 10 in early 1992, Night Boat To Cairo was already the fifth release from this album, and thankfully the last, as the recent ones were not even getting into the Top 40.
The Madness track was originally from an EP called 'Work, rest and play'...perhaps it should have been called 'Night Boat to Mars'?!
DeleteAlso digging deep in the charts this week striking gold with the Cranberries and Linger. Peaking at number 74, charting for one week only, a full year ahead of when this was re-released and got to number 14.
DeleteShaggy! Now I know we're in 1993 for real. Annie and Dina give good performances. Tamsin Archer is good but lordy this song is not. Who on earth advised her to bring that out as a follow-up? Bizarre Inc with a slightly bizarre stage performance (and their weakest single to date?)
ReplyDeleteNice to finally have an act at number one returning for a new performance.
The keyboard swings are back and so is Angie Brown. Bizarre Inc with a rap and a more chilled out dance tune. Took My Love less memorable and obviously the reason I don't recall this at all. Nice enough.
ReplyDeleteAnnie is live with her haunting Vamipre tune. Couldn't take my eyes off that performance. Chilling. What a performer. Her songs really benefit from Annie singing all the backing vocals as well.
MJ and Slash with yet another Dangerous single and it's another fine tune from a great album. There's an interview reference (and a closing nose gag that I assume is related). Then Dina is back which is always a pleasure. Lovely little tune This Time.
Here comes 90s/00s superstar Shaggy! Oh Carolina managing to be a big smash and sounding like nothing else on UK radio at the time. No idea why we all took to this tune but it's rather fine. Stylish performance as well.
Bet Mark is gutted to have missed Tasmin. Of course she had a second hit but it seems to have disappeared from everyone's memory (especially radio DJs probably due to the SOAB line). In Your Care shows off Tasmins vocal talents well it's a shame the tune itself is lacking something. The Director is loving his 60s retro shots tonight.
Bryan Ferry with a very arty performance of I've Put A Spell On You which I rather like. Some proper ballroom dancing up front as well. Rather fine that…
Finally grab your balls for 2 Unlimited and a bit of a sing-a-long. A really decent show tonight with some great performances. Why no Depeche Mode though?