I know what I want, and I want the 26th of August 1993 edition of Top of the Pops!
Reddy made
26-8-93: Presenter: Tony Dortie
(13) THERAPY? – Opal Mantra
Getting tonight's proceedings underway but the song got no higher.
(7) SWV – Right Here (video) (and charts)
Their only top ten hit and it peaked at number 3.
(19) SISTERS OF MERCY – Under The Gun
In the studio with their seventh and final top 40 hit and it was at its peak.
(21) ACE OF BASE – Wheel Of Fortune
Performing their follow-up to All That She Wants and it went up one more place.
(NEW) MEAT LOAF – I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) (via satellite)
Will become a monster number one later this year.
(34) LENNY KRAVITZ – Heaven Help (video) (Breakers)
Peaked at number 20.
(31) ONYX – Slam (video) (Breakers)
Got no higher.
(27) JOEY LAWRENCE – I Can’t Help Myself (video) (Breakers)
Got no higher.
(24) TERENCE TRENT D’ARBY – She Kissed Me (video) (Breakers)
Peaked at number 16.
(14) TINA TURNER – Disco Inferno (video) (Breakers)
Peaked at number 12.
(10) MARIAH CAREY – Dreamlover
Here tonight and the song went up one more place.
(1) CULTURE BEAT – Mr. Vain
In the studio to celebrate their first of four weeks at number one.
2nd of September is next.
Superb episode this one to round off August 1993, especially by the fact that two performers on the show would become two consecutive US No.1 singles shortly after, that is Mariah Carey with Dreamlover which would be 8 weeks at No.1 in September and October, and then followed by Meat Loaf for 5 weeks as US No.1 in November and early December, and simultaneously at No.1 in the UK at the same time.
ReplyDeleteSWV - liked the different costumes in this outdoor video, and definitely preferred the girls in their jeans shorts than in their showjumping gear.
Sisters Of Mercy - unusual sound for them, as this was not the traditional Sisters Of Mercy music style, so not sure what this was all about, as I'm sure it took many of us by surprise to hear them singing like this.
Ace Of Base - just love this song, and although it didn't do as well as All That She Wants and The Sign, it is still my favourite of theirs by a distance. Not sure about the male rapper who came on for a little stint during the second half of the song.
Meat Loaf - I remember when watching this live by satellite performance at the time just before the August Bank Holiday weekend of 1993, I thought this would be lucky to get a Top 20 position at best, but when seeing the girl singer come on to the stage in the gorgeous white dress, I was just taken aback as to how good this song was. Surely the song and dress of the year on TOTP!
Culture Beat - another sexy dress on the show, a red minidress this time, and came a very close second to the girl singer on the Meat Loaf song with the stunning white dress. We were definitely being spoiled on this TOTP show for glamour.
One of the best episodes for a long time.i don’t remember several of these songs.
ReplyDeleteMeat Loaf sounding, and acting, particularly good in the satellite hook up. Point of order: why do people say what wont he do, he says in the song!!
Joey Lawrence still rubbish!
Tina turner covering disco inferno, but for once, I thought it really stood up.
Somewhat ironic that Meat Loaf making a comeback after his last TOTP appearance in 1984/85 with Modern Girl, should be live by satellite from LA, cos it was LA that gave him his first break in the music business in the 1960's as a 20-year old leaving his childhood home in Texas. Worth watching the BBC documentary In And Out Of Hell if it is still on Iplayer.
DeleteSpoke too soon, as I just seen that BBC4 will be showing this documentary tomorrow night, straight after the two September 1993 TOTP shows!
DeleteGreat episode! Loving the variety of genres.
ReplyDeleteThe captioning of Meat Loaf was funny, using (Not That) instead of the actual wording. (Or possibly But Not That?). Either way not sure I'd call it rock and roll mayhem but before it became a mega number one and we all got bored, it was a great track.
AOB diminishing returns a little but but The Sign is coming early next year. Nice staging if a bit literal.
SWV great, Mariah not my thing but the song is OK, Tina pretty good. Rest of the breakers not amazing but a good mix nonetheless. I always enjoy Therapy? and SOM, Culture Beat is a cracking number one, too
The Breakers - thought it was little strange not to give The Spin Doctors a Breakers slot as a new entry at No.33, considering they gave Lenny Kravitz the first breakers slot a place lower at No.34.
ReplyDeleteFour songs peaking this week further down the charts with no TOTP for them:
No39 Visage - Fade To grey
Well hello to this one again, which was originally a big Top 10 single in 1981. What brought this one back 12 years later in 1993 I wonder? Sadly lead singer Steve Strange died in 2015 of a heart attack in Egypt at the age of only 55.
No.49 The Bassheads - Start A Brand New Life
Positive words indeed, but this was The Bassheads final single after only two years of chart music, although they did re-release their debut hit Is Anybody Out There in 1995 getting to No.24.
No.51 Rod Stewart - Reason To Believe
Re-release of his 1971 single, which got to No.19 first time round, but this re-recording for 1993 couldn't even make the Top 40, despite its great melody which was perfect for the 70s.
No.75 Expose - I'll Never Get Over You
The only Top 75 single for these girls in the UK, but I remember this group being played regularly on Paul Gambaccini's American chart show on Radio 1 at the time, as several of their singles charted in the US, but this was the only single in the UK Top 75.
Finally got to see the Kenny Everett Video Show on Freeview last night. Series 2 from 1979. Fantastic. So original and funny and the music clips were brilliant. Thin Lizzy yester and The Pretenders this evening. I only have the vaguest memory of it from the time (only Captain Kremen really) so to see it is wonderful. Next weekend it's Gerry Rafferty 'Night Owl' which will be great on the TV. I just hope they show the New Year's Eve one with The Greedies which we had on our record player every time we had our primary school Christmas dinner. I think the show is going to be my can't wait to see TV for the time being.
ReplyDeleteI guess you are referring to the channel That's TV. It makes great viewing in the evenings, as it specialises in repeats of classic 70s and 80s comedy shows that are very un-PC in today's world, and that are not suitable for mainstream TV channels present-day, and not repeated at all by the BBC or ITV supplementary channels such as ITV3, and Gold.
DeleteShows like The Goodies, The Benny Hill Show, The Kenny Everett Video Show, and most recently Alf Garnett's Till Death Us Do Part are all on in the weekday evenings this week, and you could sit all evening watching these classic funny shows.
I couldn't get the channel in my flat but currently staying at parents and they've got the channel with a perfect signal now. Great to see Kenny Everett. The music clips are a real time capsule of that period (I'm guessing) and brilliant to see on TV. The music compilations are really addictive too, especially the 60s clips. Tons of stuff I've never seen before.
DeleteA right old bag of Revels in this episode and, thankfully, not many were the coffee or orange ones.
ReplyDeleteTherapy? Sounding more like the Sisters of Mercy than the Sisters of Mercy did. Nice Arabian lilt in the melody. Bassist wearing shorts again.
Tony gives us SWV’s full name prior to their best track. Nice jodhpurs!
Sisters of Mercy go for the Eurovision Roxette sound. What a rude jacket on that programmer at the back!
Ace of Base give us something similar yet slightly different, more midtempo. Follow-ups “Play your Cards Right” and “Bullseye” didn’t do as well. Blonde Acette does all the vocal heavy lifting with her mate Bezette doing next to nowt.
Good turn by The Loaf. Doyley cuffs! Not enough space or Letraset for the full title.
Breakers: mellow ballad from Lenny probably too slow for an ‘Elstree’ / faceless rap / ‘look at me’ slop / please don’t tell us where she kissed you, Tel / that David Brent dance from “The Office”.
Faux Motown from Mariah and actually not all that bad.
A Snappy number at the top, followed by Dorky taking the pee out of our Cilla.
This TOTP show's unveiling of the Meat Loaf comeback single live by satellite, and after being away for 7 years since the Blind Before I Stop album in 1986, would have been the UK's first exposure to the new single.
DeleteIt didn't sound anything special when Meat was singing on his own, but took everyone by surprise when the girl in the white Marilyn Monroe style dress came on, and then the song took on a whole new persona with a more romantic edge typical of a Jim Steinman piece of work, and then I couldn't wait to hear it again when it finally arrived in the charts in October 1993 with its own spectacular video, and a transatlantic No.1 in the process.
A really entertaining edition with a good mix of styles. Enjoyed this one. So does Tony who it has to be said is dressed like a knob and oddly at the end suggests that his shorts were put on him while he was asleep.
ReplyDeleteGreat clattering start with Therapy? and a taste of things to come. Starting with belligerent indie rock as opposed to dance is certainly a nice change.
A great choice to go with the charts, always loved 'Be Right Here' and the video is a charming bit of caring '90sness with the girls alternating between fishing in shorts and in riding gear possibly trying to recreate a Love LP cover. Much more approachable and one of the Sisters has a gorgeous smile. Beautiful use of the Jacko sample which should overwhelm it but somehow doesn't.
Sisters of Mercy a little more easy on the ear than before but still an intense few minutes.
Ace of Base follow up a straight out of the traps chart topper with something not too memorable. The same could be said of ABBA although I've always thought 'So Long' is a stormer of a single! This doesn't storm in, just sort of frowns at the bottom of the stairs but a good chorus there.
NEW!!!! But it will be back. An odd one indeed in that we get an exclusive satellite performance in August then you'll wonder where it went to for the best part of 2 months whereupon it returns to dominate the charts for an age. It won't leave the top 10 till January! Sorry to sound negative but I really don't need to hear this one again good tune though it is. At least this first performance is refreshing with a family friendly change in the lyrics.
Breakers; Lenny Kravitz back to falsetto. Really like this song. Onyx; House of Pain without the fun. Joey Lawrence; Which soap? Terence; Big disappointment after the brilliant previous single. Tina Turner; "Brrrrr".
Mariah Carey in the studio and still very much in her 'awww!' phase. I still think this is a sweet song and she sings it as well as you'd expect her to.
I wasn't expecting much from Culture Beat's studio performance of their No.1 but wow that was impressive. Brilliant vocal from Tania Evans and Jay Supreme living up to his name. Fine end to a really enjoyable show.
Mic, Joey Lawrence was in some comedy soap called "Blossom" shown on American channel NBC at the time. Not sure if it was ever aired over here.
ReplyDeleteOh, as a member of Blossom's target audience believe me it was! I think it was on channel 4. Very frothy but sweet and funny, starred Mayim Bialik. I liked it a lot at the time. I expect it will have aged horribly.
DeleteFinally back from weeks of madness at work, removing the top of my thumb (with subsequent trip to A+E, a trip to Paris and half-term madness with Mini-Morgie. SO...what have I missed...
ReplyDeleteTHERAPY? – Opal Mantra
Great rocking start to the show. Not familiar at all with THERAPY?'s tunes but this is a decent start to the show.
SWV – Right Here
Amazed this was their only top ten hit but what a hit. A perfect use of sampling as well with the MJ part. Great voices. Bit of a naff cheesy video but who cares
SISTERS OF MERCY – Under The Gun
Found myself liking a lot of SOM tracks that have appeared over the last few years but this is poor. No tune in sight unfortunately. I will stick with Temple of Love thanks.
ACE OF BASE – Wheel Of Fortune
Where's Nicky Campbell when you need him? Probably having a spinning time with Carol Smilie on ITV. I liked Ace of Base at the time and I had the album. I also like this tune but they do seriously lack charisma and stage presence don't they.
MEAT LOAF – I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) (via satellite)
Proper "marmite" tune this one but would Meat Loaf eat marmite or would he not do that?
Strong performance here from Meat and his chosen female singer (whoever she is?). Fair play. I can take this tune in small doses but I think my patience with this track may wear out very soon.
Breakers:
LENNY KRAVITZ – Heaven Help this tune, it's a bit average
ONYX – Slammed the volume down on this one.
JOEY LAWRENCE – I Can’t Help Myself, I wish you would.
TERENCE TRENT D’ARBY – She Kissed Me is nicely sung but forgettable
TINA TURNER – Huge fan of this cover of "Disco Inferno"
MARIAH CAREY – Dreamlover
Easily my favourite Mariah tune and best in class tonight for me.
CULTURE BEAT – Mr. Vain
A better live performance this time of a great dance track. Quality Number One.
Dortie glad he's missing Cilla next week.. Laters...