Let's all stand up in the name of the 7th of October 1993 edition of Top of the Pops!
Top of the hots
7-10-93: Presenter: Tony Dortie
(6) HADDAWAY – Life
Getting tonight's show underway but the song could get no higher.
(8) MEAT LOAF – I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) (video) (and charts)
On his way to the top.
(14) PAUL YOUNG – Now I Know What Made Otis Blue
Performing his final top 20 hit in the studio but the song got no higher.
(NEW) BILLY JOEL – All About Soul (via satellite)
Became his fourteenth and final top 40 hit when it peaked at number 32.
(16) GO WEST – Tracks Of My Tears
In the studio with their eighth of nine top 40 hits and it got no higher.
(19) CROWDED HOUSE – Distant Sun
Here tonight but the song got no higher.
(NEW) RIGHT SAID FRED – Bumped
Performing their new single and it peaked at number 32.
(1) TAKE THAT & LULU – Relight My Fire
First of two weeks at number one.
14th of October is next.
New double size Totp from this evening then and a real burst of generosity from BBC4 for which I certainly am very grateful. The announcer sounded excited.
ReplyDeleteAnyway '93 is calling and the editions of late have been really enjoyable but the first this evening is mostly very weak.
Haddaway starts us off with no introduction from Tony. Oh, here he is. Giving us a welcome while the single is fully up and running. He'll follow it, with Haddaway having not yet even left the stage, by declaring that he's "completely out to lunch!". Blimey, someone's got self assured.
Great voice, not too bothered about the song but appropriate that in the first week of the repeats of repeats he's backed by a rave version of Pans People.
Meat Loaf; "Check it out!", says Tony in a voice that oddly sounds just like John Lydon. I have Tony, oh so, so many times. Glossy, cinematic, very silly video.
The accompanying charts have something called 'The Two Tone EP' in at No.30. Interesting that that should be in the same evening as a show that starts with a double bill of two tone hits. Also World Party's lovely ELO style single 'All I Gave' only at 37. They were worth so much more than that.
Paul Young was giving it his all for his soul number, at an early stage making a spin so pronounced it almost sends him flying off the stage. He's very committed to the song yet sounds strangely muted, his voice just far quieter than it should be. A chap in white t shirt and glasses who craves some attention jumps in the air grinning like a tool as the camera passes by.
Billy Joel miming (I think) by satellite. Did he not think he could do it live? Doubly disappointing as he's got his 'Tell Her About It' throat tearing shades on.
Totp then seems to rewind a year and a half to the dullest parts of 1992. Go West with a cover of 'Tracks Of My Years' that adds nothing at all to Smokey Robinson"s original. Even the set looks a year old.
Go West vanish immediately as the camera drifts towards Crowded House and their fabulous return. Can never get tired of 'Together Alone' and 'Distant Sun' is a beauty. Love the start; Nick and Paul, God rest his soul, both searching for each other in the dry ice! Fantastic!
Happy times ahead watching them become rock stars.
Right Said Fred in the studio and it wasn't going to be a inconspicuous affair. An entire manor house hallway seems to have been set up for a song that's better than 'Stick It Out' without question but not one that will stay in the memory despite Richard's crowd engaging efforts.
The guitarist clearly doesn't want to do the dressing up thing anymore.
Take That and Lulu at No 1, back in the studio with the flames noticeably higher and streamers noticeably swaying. A girl right at the front having the absolute time of her life, putting out a hand which Mark takes for a moment and she looks like she's going to pass out with joy. What Totp was invented for.
A wondrous balls up follows as Tony whips out Take That's new album, 'Everything Changes', says very clearly, "have it, you're a fan", holds it out and she doesn't take it!
Mr. Catchphrase hurls us a catchphrase; "Increase the peace!". Er yes, goodnight.
Haddaway - great start to the show, not least for the three gorgeous girls as backing dancers. Check out the two blondes with the long legs. Oh and there was Haddaway on vocals.
ReplyDeleteMeat Loaf - disappointed they they didn't play on with this week's chart rundown video to include the female vocals which is what cemented the song in pop history as one of the greatest No.1's of all time, but with 7 weeks at No.1 still to come, we'll certainly be seeing plenty of her over the next few weeks to grace the end of the show.
Billy Joel - as Angelo says, this is the last ever Top 40 single for Joel, and his 20 year chart career since 1973 finishes off right here on this show. Good Lord, you'd hardly think he was a solo act, considering the number of people on stage with him, which reminded me of Kool & The Gang and East Wind & Fire, who brought all their friends and gave them a microphone and/or instrument and dance floor to be part of the group, and for no-one to be left out.
Take That & Lulu - similar collaborations in recent years with 60s & 70s female icons were Pet Shop Boys with Dusty Springfield in 1987, and The KLF and Tammy Wynette in 1991. Take your pick as to which was the best one, but for me they are all pretty much right up there for quality.
Hi Angelo, will you be putting up the other 2 shows on here? I understand if you don't as 4 a week is quite a chore. It looks like 'Radio Times' got 25/10/79 wrong, listing acts from the full length edition when only the 30 min version was repeated. Still have my hopes up that 6/3/69 will get a showing next March.
ReplyDeleteThe 70s and early 80s editions of TOTP were typically 40 minute shows which I don't think BBC4 are going to entertain, so that they can cram two shows into one hour, and so going for quantity ahead of quality.
DeleteWhile it works for shows from 1985 onwards where the shows were 30 minutes anyway, it would cause a difficult scheduling on Friday evenings to show one or two 40-minute shows, but I agree it's a shame not to show these in full, considering that they did in the first repeats since 2011 for the 1976 shows onwards where there was only one TOTP repeat shown per week.
I would rather they show one show in full, rather than two edited shows for the sake of quantity.
Yes, missed the full length edition before so won't see Cats UK on BBC4, with one of those records that I vaguely recall everyone (mums and children) singing (sort of) on the way round to nursery school! Like many people I always assumed it was Lorraine Chase who actually sang it.
DeleteSad that BBC4 won't show the full versions as I missed so many of them before.
I just found Angelo's posting of the blog for this October 1979 TOTP edition. Was posted in October 2014, which you can still find on this blogspot in the 2014 section, and the show is titled Crazy Little Thing Called Top of The Pops. There are 26 comments sitting in there, including from John G, THX and Noax (remember them?), so you can add to it in 2022!
DeleteYou can also find this October 1987 TOTP edition posted by Angelo in May 2019 which you can find in the 2019 section, and the show is called Whenever You Need Top of The Pops. There are 22 comments in there, including from myself!
DeleteAh! Good point! Yes I suppose we can go back and add to it. Does anyone here mind if I make a trip back to the equivalent page and add stuff?
DeleteHi Mic - of course feel free to add to those blogs for 79 and 87. And a house point to Dory for tracking them down!
DeleteHi Angelo, I've done a pt1. Will do a part 2 in a bit. Loved looking at those old posts. Would be good to see some updated comments on these repeats from those who posted originally.
DeleteI was there in 1987 raving over Fleetwood Mac and Scarlet Fantastic. That Charlie Daniels Band track edited out of the 1979 repeat was used by Tony Adams for his dance on 'Strictly' last week. I remarked at the time that the track was an unusual chart hit and I doubt many in the 'Strictly' audience would have heard it before.
DeleteJust had a look at the Strictly clip, and it was a very edited down and slowed watered down cover version of The Charlie Daniels Band.
DeleteI was expecting a speeded up tune to match the Charlie Daniels speed, and a lot faster dancing to match the original tempo of the tune, although I liked Katya's outfit which somewhat saved the slow performance.
The Late Night repeat of 25/10/79 though in a 35 minute slot was still the edited version shown at 8pm.
ReplyDeleteYeah, they edited out Cats UK, and The Charlie Daniels Band's video of The Devil Went Down To Georgia, which is one of the best violin melody sets you will ever hear.
DeleteNext week's 2 shows are 3/11/83 and 6/11/86. The '83 show was originally 40 minutes long so it's certain to be cut to bits by BBC4!
DeleteWhat a shocker. Wonder who are the unlucky performers to get chopped?
DeleteIt might not be as bad as I first thought as there's a Jonathan King US section half way through that they edited out last time they showed it.
DeleteI can see the point of trying to fit 4 repeats in in a prime time slot on BBC4. It makes an exciting 2 hours of pop music but it's a shame that they couldn't find an extra 20 mins or so later in the night to show the uncut editions. If they use it to show the odd pre '76 edition then that really would be good.
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ReplyDeleteWith no Breakers on this show, the chart rundown over the Meat Loaf video had some interesting tunes at peak position inside the Top 40, and would not be shown in any form:
ReplyDeleteNo.26 D-Ream - Star/I Like It
Last of the pre-1994 singles releases which did not raise any eyebrows, but 1994 would bring them a No.1 for a re-released tune, and then another re-release to succeed on the back of their No1 would get to No.4.
No.29 Salt-n-Pepa - Shoop
Although this one peaked at No.29 this week with no Breakers to show a clip of it, the song would return a few months later in 1994 as a re-mix which did much better, getting a Top 20 position.
No.36 En Vogue - Runaway Love
Last of three singles released in 1993, which was not their best year for chart positions, but 1994 would be better for the girls.
Did Father's Day get moved to Autumn this year? cos it's Dad Rock after Dad Rock after Dad Rock with only Haddaway and the Freds showing up for the youth. Even Take That have dragged in Lulu, the token woman of the ep.
ReplyDeleteI liked Crowded House, I guess.
Also, shout out to the disinterested Ace of Base looking woman at the end that gives Laters a disdainful look when he tries to give her a TT CD. Moment of the episode.
DeleteTwo songs peaking this week outside the Top 40, with no TOTP for them:
ReplyDeleteNo.48 Aswad - Dancehall Mood
Not to be confused with Wang Chung's 1984 single Dance Hall Days, Aswad were back solo after brief collaboration with Yazz on their last single in the summer. Although this Autumn follow-up flopped at No.48, Aswad would strike back the following summer in 1994 with a Top 5 single called Shine, which turned out to be their second biggest single since coming onto the chart scene in 1984.
No.52 Mike Oldfield - Moonlight Shadow
Re-release of his 1983 Top 5 hit with Maggie Riley, Oldfield's Top 40 days were already at an end in 1992, and all his post-1992 singles like this Moonlight Shadow re-release were confined to the flops bin.
A drop in form for this week’s TOTP, dad rock and dire pop indeed. Which makes it frustrating to see that the genius of Andrew Weatherall, swinging his Sabres of Paradise, was only peaking at number 55 with, probably my song of the year, Smokebelch II. Although good to see One Dove in the charts (and on TOTP next week) who Mr. Weatherall had done some good work with over the last couple of years.
ReplyDeleteAlso intrigued to see the Two Tone EP at number 30 this week. Released apparently to promote a new Two Tone compilation album. The EP bringing together the first four A-sides of the labels biggest four acts. Released in the distinctive paper sleeve and label that I’d purchased avidly 13/14 years previously. I’ll snap up a copy of this EP from Discogs for a few quid now.
Haddaway with “What is Life” again. I can see what Dory means about his companions.
ReplyDeleteLoaf looking very Phantom of the Halloween there, how appropriate. More Letraset used for the song title this time round.
Paul Young sounding raspier than usual. Must have had a head cold. Get the poor lad a Lemsip.
The Billy Joel Orchestra with a song which, if lyric gender was switched, could easily have been a Tina Turner type track. Never seen an act with monitors / speakers either side and facing them before.
“Aces and Kings”? More like 2’s and 3’s for another pointless Go West cover. Pete looking invisible and blending in with the backdrop on occasions.
Why did Crowded House’s drummer vacate the kit brandishing his sticks at the start? The bassist moves across stage to mime backing vocals just as the song fades out. Very nice chorus and a song as smooth as butter on toast.
Right Said Fred’s unremarkable track only bumped rather low into the top 40 and I can hear why.
The return of the Cheadle Chippendales and someone probably causing Cilla to hiss at the telly with jealousy.
With all the stage presence of a stand-in Geography teacher HADDAWAY opens the show with the tune everyone has christened "What Is Life?"
ReplyDeleteAt "hit sound 8" ((c) Tony Blackburn 1967) it's MEAT LOAF. Is it too soon to be sick of this one yet? I remember the video for this quite clearly and it's very good although Meat sliding away on the chair always makes me laugh. I was too young for Meatloaf the first time around so this was all new to me in 93 and I did buy the record.
Was Laters trying to funny with his intro or just odd?
PAUL YOUNG – Now I Know What Made Otis Blue
A less sloppy "when smokey sings" and Paul gives his usual flawless vocal performance even with the curtains seemingly on fire behind him.
BILLY JOEL – All About Soul
Shame they couldn't have got Billy on the satellite dish for River of Dreams. Another fine tune though and I went out and bought his Greatest Hits III some time after this. One of my favourite singer songwriters.
GO WEST – Tracks Of My Tears
A strong vocal as usual and a decent cover of this track, so much so I think it's probably the definitive version for me. Thirds 80s star of the night so we can play "spot the receding hairline"
CROWDED HOUSE with a newly blond singer. "Distant Sun" sounding very like Brit Poppers Cast in places. Liked that.
RIGHT SAID FRED – Bumped
Annoying good at catchy pop songs and with great stage presence it's the knobs from RSF.
TAKE THAT & LULU – Relight My Fire
Another great performance and girls getting all excited in the crowds. They'll need a helpline in a couple of years. Good Number One tune. The lady doesn't want your crappy Take That CD Laters. "increase the peace" indeed.