I'll give you my heart and my soul if you give me the 29th of April 1993 edition of Top of the Pops!
Stars in their eyes
29-4-93: Presenter: Mark Franklin
(19) D:REAM – U R The Best Thing
Featuring Professor Brian Cox on keyboards and getting the show underway with a song that peaked at number 72 last year, will peak at number 4 next year, but this year number 19 was as high as it got.
(9) REM – Everybody Hurts (video) (and charts)
Went up two more places.
(21) SWV – I’m So Into You
Here tonight with what became their first of nine top 40 hits when it peaked at number 17.
(25) DANCE 2 TRANCE – Power Of American Natives
In the studio tonight but the song got no higher.
(20) INNER CIRCLE – Sweat (A La La La La Long)
Performing what became their only top ten hit when it peaked at number 3.
(29) BIG COUNTRY – Ships (Where Were You) (video) (Breakers)
Their fifteenth and final top 40 hit but it got no higher.
(28) BLUR – For Tomorrow (video) (Breakers)
Got no higher.
(27) P.J. HARVEY – 50ft Queenie (video) (Breakers)
Got no higher.
(NEW) ROBERT PLANT – 29 Palms
From his number 6 album Fate of Nations, this single peaked at number 21.
(22) SONIA – Better The Devil You Know
She came second in Eurovision and the song, her eleventh and final top 40 hit, peaked at number 15.
(1) GEORGE MICHAEL & QUEEN – Somebody To Love (video)
First of three weeks at number one.
6th of May is next.
Thanks Angelo, I wonder why D-Ream released their debut single three times before moving on to their second single. Good Lord!
ReplyDeleteDance 2 Trance - I believe in the power of the hot lead singer. Best totty, I mean tune on the show, and would have liked to see this song doing much better than its peak position this week of No.25, even just to see her come back to the TOTP studio to see her next outfit.
Big Country - last ever Top 40 hit, but not a great one. they did a release a further three singles until 1999, but all flopped outside the Top 40. I always thought their best hit was Fields Of Fire when they burst onto the scene a decade earlier in 1983, and also another hit soon after in that year called Wonderland. If you say Big Country, I would say 1983 please, not 1993!
George Michael & Queen - it's actually the Five Live EP Angelo, but I know what you mean - for the purposes of this week's show, it's Somebody To Love. It's great that we will get three different songs from the EP for the three weeks that it is at No.1, so lots to look forward to. Just a bit curious to know why this EP was released a whole year after the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert that this footage came from, as it was performed on stage in April 1992, which is where the video comes from. Good Lord!
Away we go with D:Ream re-issue mark one. Ever smiling Brian Cox X flicking his long locks heavy metal style, the singer in teddy boy business suit vogue and a chic rave pop song I’d forgotten and quite liked. Mind you, he’s singing “You’re” and not “UR” there.
ReplyDeleteStipey acting (f)arty again but the rundown blocks the ‘singalong’ lyrics early doors and the video just reminded me of the M25. Why were the Dave Clark Five back in the top 40?
The ‘Canadian tuxedo’ double denim look for SWV, not learning from Jade either in fashion or tune. I wasn’t into this.
Sped up Lil Louis beat with keyboard panpipe mode next and a lyric that might not get past the censors these days. AT keast the vocalist was singing and not squaw-king, Was that DJ TP stage left? See what I did there?
Inner Circle looking a bit heavily dressed there. The track’s not my bag but catchy. We’ll all sweat (a la la) when the heatwave returns next week.
Bye bye Big Country. Shame you left with a midtempo dirge.
Albarn. Wanker. Next.
Ah, more like it. Some feisty if repetitive rock from Polly Harvey.
After Mark mentions him 20 times beforehand, Robert Plant turns up in rock star open shirt mode and an album track not really convincing as a single. I reads this week that Robert produced a punk band’s debut single in 1978 using the pseudonym The Wolverhampton Wanderer. Meanwhile, Def Leppard are spitting spots at not getting their monthly exclusive slot.
Trouper, that Sonia. Good luck with that average stuff, though. Yes, I know we know what happened at the big gig.
Before Adam Lambert pretended to be Freddie Mercury after Freddie Mercury, George Michael pretended to be Freddie Mercury. I’ve got the original of this, and the cover tries hard but is no comparison.
I don't think anyone on this blog would remember The Dave Clark Five when they first released the single in 1963, but it looks like it was rereleased in 1993 to celebrate 30 years of The Dave Clark Five, but yes, it was otherwise odd to have a black & white video or any similar footage of the group in a dance-trance dominated 1993.
DeleteFour singles peaking this week further down the chart, with no TOTP for them this time round:
ReplyDeleteNo.37 The Dave Clark Five - Glad All Over
Discussed this above.
No.38 Lindy Layton - We Got The Love
Back for one last hurrah in 1993, after her last two solo singles in 1991 flopped outside the Top 40, this was now last chance saloon for her, and although it got to No.38 on the chart rundown, no TOTP exposure didn't help, and she would release one more single shortly after this towards the end of the year which only got to No.47, and then there was no more.
No.47 Kenny G - Forever In Love
Perfect choice of wedding song I guess, but this was a fine performer of relaxing love songs concentrating on the saxophone, and most famous for Songbird which got to No.22 in 1987 as his best result in the UK.
No.57 Stephanie Mills - Never Do You Wrong
More 80s overspill, as Mills comes up with her first single since 1987, with no Top 40 single since 1984, and like Lindy Layton she was back for one last hurrah in 1993 with this the first of two singles which both flopped outside the Top 40, and then we would never hear from her again.
I didn't come in till the second song and though I like 'You're The Best Thing' I wasn't fussed about seeing it. Singer I assume the same as always, ie, a slightly cooler, more self satisfied Kenny Thomas. They'll be back.
ReplyDeleteIt would've been a travesty to only show 10 seconds or so of the 'Everybody Hurts' video. There has to be at least one video from 'Automatic For The People' that gets a decent showing and we get it here with the charts. A marvelous video which is cut just as it gets epic. Thanks Stanley. I still get a little choked up when everyone gets out of their cars. Not filmed at Folkestone.
SWV in the studio and I was and always will be so into their Autumn '93 hit, 'Right Here', but this is fairly unmemorable. Not a fan of the double denim. The riding gear was far better.
Dance 2 Trance have escaped from their video to appear in the studio and it's a rave / tribally mix of sounds bigging up the Native American. Fair enough. The singer is very attractive in that long waistcoat and lustrous hair (my first thought was the woman from Scarlet Fantastic) and it's an engaging few minutes.
Inner Circle in the studio and, yes, the same Inner Circle who were on 'Top of the Tops' in March '79 with 'Everything Is Great'. You could argue that they are therefore a little long in the tooth to be singing such lyrics as we have here. Still find the chorus a little ungracious. Good tune though and a nice thing to hear as I sit in the dining room beginning to forget what colour grass used to look like.
Breakers an interesting mix of the old and the new and suggesting that we're now at or very near something of a cultural crossroads. Big Country; will always enjoy hearing Stuart Adamson's voice. Cheerio fellas. Blur; Changes are coming though I m not very keen on this one. Sounds like a deliberately ugly tune and Damon sounds especially smarmy. It does look different to everything else at least.
PJ Harvey; Now this is brilliant! If they could reshow it and with the charts that would be a real moment but they won't. Love how friendly she looks while miming to such a ferocious record.
Robert Plant with a sort of Dance 2 Trance native subject but done on rock instruments. Or a bigger log perhaps. I don't mean that as an insult. This is a pleasantly moody number from a legend which I vaguely remember from the time. Always liked his lower, gentler voice.
Sonia; Grim
New No. 1 and Queen take over again. Fine but it's odd that they waited a whole year to put out an EP from the tribute concert. This was never off Radio 1 at the time and I hear it with a slight groan but George does do a storming version of it during I believe a time of intense sadness for him. The duet with Lisa Stansfield I can happily hear again.
Mark said something interesting during his signoff but I've forgotten what it was.
Things can only get better for Brian Cox's hair but first he needs to busk his way through uni with the pre-remix D:Ream. Both their big hits hugely benefited from their respective polishing and were deservedly bit hits. I think this may be the better of the two to be honest and this is a really great performance.
ReplyDeleteREM get the chart treatment for their wondeful video. Truly iconic. What are Dave Clark Five doing back in the charts?
Sisters With Voices make their first appearance on the Pops. I'm not sure I recall anything other than Right Here so this could be interesting. This tune proves their abilities but I think it's lacking a real hook. Decent enough though. Denim clearly in, and 6 years before Bewitched.
Don't remember this dance 2 trance tune from the time. Would have been the sort of thing I liked as well so very odd I missed this. As for now it's a bit by the numbers dance and not sure about the "power of american natives" line. What's it trying to say?. I'll pass. Maybe 18 year old me made the same judgement.
Summer classic alert! What a tune this is from Inner Circle. A must at any BBQ. Reggae having a bit of a renaissance this year. Classy.
Breakers:
Big Country: where was I? Not listening to this.
Blur: la la la la la ..
PJ Harvey: can't stand anything she does
Robert Plant making my Dad's kind of music. Ok if you like this sort of thing. I will pass thanks. Bet this did well in the US
Swinging Sonia back again. Well done finishing 2nd, now pop off and don't bother us again thanks.
The Five Live EP was a really big thing and this is a fantastic version of Somebody To Love. George had such an amazing voice and Queen were a great live band. This is a very fitting tribute to Freddie.
Morgir, I don't think "29 Palms" was released as a single in the USA. Robert planat had eight Billboard hits, the highest being "Big Log" reaching number 20. The others peaked at 25, 36, 39, 46, 64, 74 and 84.
DeleteThere was always something about Peter Cunnah that annoyed me but UR The Best Thing and Things Can Only Get Better were everywhere in 93-94 so they do remind me very much of that time.
ReplyDeleteREM is a great song and video.
SWV with a song that isn't as catchy as Right Here but is OK.
Did Dance 2 Trance have any 'American Natives' in their group? Seems a bit culturally iffy if not. But as a tune it's alright if nothing spectacular.
Inner Circle - like D:Ream this was everywhere and takes me right back.
Breakers are very NME, not far off the big Britpop explosion now. 50 Ft Queenie isn't my favourite PJH track but it's good to see her here.
Robert plant - boy is this dreary. I don't mind the stuff he'll do with Alison Krauss in a few years though.
Sonia - not a bad Eurovision entry. On that subject, Sam Ryder drew absolutely insane crowds at Tramlines Festival a few weeks ago They mistakenly put him on the second stage and there was a bigger audience than many main stage acts got, with crowds spilling way beyond the field's capacity. Who knew we had it in us to ever have another successful Eurovision act?
George Michael/Queen - It's a solid version, I didn't always like George's post-Wham music but can't deny he was a real talent.
I can just imagine how The Fall's Mark E. Smith would address Peter Cunnah!
Delete