Just who do you think you are, take it like the 23rd of September 1993 edition of Top of the Pops!
The only way is up
23-9-93: Presenter: Tony Dortie
(10) THE WONDERSTUFF – On The Ropes
Getting tonight's show underway with their fourth and final top ten hit but it got no higher.
(9) DEPECHE MODE – Condemnation (video) (and charts)
At its peak.
(4) M-PEOPLE – Moving On Up
In the studio to perform this year's blog title and it moved on up two more places.
(21) SHARA NELSON – One Goodbye In Ten
She's here tonight but the song got no higher.
(8) HADDAWAY – Life
Performing his second of four top ten hits and it went up two more places.
(26) WORLDS APART – Everlasting Love (video) (Breakers)
Peaked at number 20.
(18) BELINDA CARLISLE – Big Scary Animal (video) (Breakers)
Peaked at number 12.
(19) STAKKA BO – Here We Go
From Sweden with their only top 40 hit and it peaked at number 13.
(NEW) TAKE THAT & LULU – Relight My Fire
Here tonight to perform their new collaboration which was heading straight for the top spot.
(1) D.J. JAZZY JEFF & THE FRESH PRINCE – Boom! Shake The Room (video)
First of two weeks at number one.
30th of September is next.
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ReplyDeleteHaddaway - back for his first follow-up to his hugely successful Top 3 hit recently called What Is Life. Just love the hot girls costumes on stage with him, which was a throwback to the 60s and early 70s flares and obsession with colours. Quite liked the song as well, as this one was not overplayed over the years like What Is Life.
ReplyDeleteStakka Bo - another Swedish group to follow Abba, Roxette, and more recently Ace Of Base. The studio set and costumes reminded me of the famous TOTP footage of the 1975 No.1 Whispering Grass from Windsor Davies and Don Estelle from It Ain't Half Hot Mum. Davies also appeared in a leading part in Carry On Behind in the same year.
Take That & Lulu - wonder what made Take That add a female part towards the end of the song? Did they get the idea from Meat Loaf's live by satellite performance in August, which was to follow them in the No.1 spot in October? If it was, then it worked. Also not sure why the boys chose Lulu, when there were so many other potential candidates who would have jumped at the opportunity to team up with them? Did they not have a choice in the matter when pop groups by this time were controlled by managers?
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - I remember this, but I don't remember it getting to No.1. Looked up their previous chart entries, and the pair go back to 1986 for their first single in the UK charts, and then nothing until 1991 with Summertime, but now despite their first UK No.1 single in 1993, still no effort (or no invitation?) to fly in from America for a TOTP studio performance. Good Lord!
Will Smith was probably unavailable at the time due to filming The Fresh Prince of Bel Air
DeleteThe BBC4 announcement of this edition made excitable mention of a "twist" to the repeats. Checking the Totp page and yes from next Friday, 2 shows from equivalent weeks will also get shown. I hope that that may include editions before the April '76 run. Probably not and maybe this will only be for a short time but it makes sense, with the BBC centenary upon us. So 4 shows a week for the time being!
ReplyDeleteBut staying with '93 and Tony is in ebullient mood, edging into a touch of defiance at the end while dressed in a style that owes a little to the era of a previous King Charles. He really puts in a good stint this week.
I'm not familiar with The Wonder Stuff's single despite it doing well in the charts. I'd moved on from them by the time of 'Construction For The Modern Idiot' to which lyrics and T shirt refer, but that was a great start to the show; snotty and exciting with the camera racing around trying to catch up with Myles.
Depeche Mode with an inscrutable video that may be referencing the film for Joy Division's 'Atmosphere'. Visually stunning though whatever it's trying to say, and I really was too busy noting how well Dave looks.
M People with this year's blog name. A song I've never really cared for to be honest and for me the start of their sport soundtrack dance thing but I'm glad to see it here in a pop context after what it's been recently used for. Strange to see Shovel on full drums. I thought he was just percussion.
Shara Nelson I was really looking forward to seeing on the TV, particularly singing live and she does a good enough job with some classic Totp ignoring of the audience and instead singing straight to us as she and camera swirl around. Good performance though, to me, she sounds a little restricted by the song and arrangement. A disappointment after 'Down That Road'. The next single 'Uptight' though is a really strong one, and that thankfully will give her another studio turn.
Oh, Haddaway again. Don't remember this one. I thought he came back with 'I Miss You'. Good of Tony to mention that he's not just a one hit wonder and again this one did very well. Triangles whirl indecisively in the background, some female dancers a bit more so to the side. Groovy trousers like those were pretty common in my college refectory at the time.
Breakers; World's Apart. The lead singer of The Love Affair was at least 3 years younger than any one of them and look at the magic he created.
Belinda Carlisle; Not her best or anywhere near but a fun video. Like 'Live Your Live Be Free' a good deal of unrealistic racing about, a concept that I've dreamed about for well over a month.
Was racking my brain to think what Stakka Bo's single was and amazing that I could've forgotten as 'Here We Go' has a title hook that is so addictive. I don't usually like hectoring, three words a second rapping but that was really enjoyable. Ugly fellow but the singers were definitely a distraction.
You've got to hand it to Lulu. She just didn't know how to be unfashionable. Bursting on to a stage alarmingly flame ridden through big lush curtains (of course) and taking over from more curtains (well, Robbie). This actually is the first point I thought that the That were worth listening to and already there's a bit of a change. Howard with a trace of a ponytail which will become full traveller look by this time next year. Gary's voice still far too bland at this point though.
Really enjoyed this edition though a big downer with the two loveable lads from 'The Fresh Prince of Bell Air' being not very lovable at all. No, can't get into this.
Still an achievement as Tony says, as the first rap no.1 for a long while ('Ice Ice Baby'?) and Tony outros with a sudden bit of attitude, strutting through the crowd towards the camera to tell us how good the show is. I didn't hear any catchphrase this week.
The 2 extra TOTP's next Friday are 25/10/79 and 29/10/87. Why they've picked these two is a bit of a mystery!
DeleteThe '79 repeat isn't what I'd call a classic chart topper but it's a good bonus having a lucky dip of extra editions. I hope they pick a '78 edition before the year is out.
DeleteDoes anyone know what is the current position on showing the DLT presented shows, as some the best 1978 shows have him presenting them, especially the 29th June '78 show which is among the best of the year.
DeleteYes I was wondering that myself Dory. It would be great if BBC4 took this new phase as an opportunity to show some DLT editions. 29th June '78. Is that Lindisfarne? Yes would love to see that. If it carries into next year which I presume it will, I hope they show some early '78 and '79 ones. Maybe even 5th Feb '70 with Tony Blackburn.
DeleteFour songs at peak position this week further down the charts with no TOTP for them at all, and worth a mention:
ReplyDeleteNo.32 Def Leppard - Two Steps Behind
Good Lord, they're really churning out the hits in 1992 and 1993, but seemingly not getting very far. There will be one more single at the turn of 1994 which did quite well to get to No.15, but then nothing from them for nearly two years until late 1995 with the release of a Greatest Hits album.
No.41 A-HA - Angel
Penultimate single in the 90s, and just before one final one after this one, that got to No.27, and then it's goodbye till the new millennium for a fresh start.
No.59 Darryl Hall - I'm In A Philly Mood
First solo single for 7 years since Dreamtime in 1986, and Hall could not get through the Top 40 now in 1993, but there will a further four new singles for Hall in 1994 and 1995 with mixed results, before calling time on his chart career.
No.60 Lord Rockingham's XI - Hoots Mon
Re-release of the big No.1 for this fun group at the end of 1958, with four weeks at the top spot, being just pipped at the post for the 1958 Christmas No.1. I wonder what brought this tune back to the Top 75 so many years later in 1993?
Dory, "Hoots Mon" was re-released after being used in an advert for Mmaynards Wine Gums...
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqCZe3WA-zE
Wonder stuff - they look bored, probably cos they had to listen to this more than once…
ReplyDeleteDepeche mode - immemorable
Shara nelson - a bit out of tune… cowritten by st etienne. I would have preferred to hear a version by them
Haddaway - maybe not a one hit wonder, but a one tune wonder on this evidence…
Stakker bo - rapping by numbers
Take that - never liked this, but it is the outstanding track of the show so far…
An unusual static then manic start by The Wonder Stuff with a song all about their disillusionment with their record company, as shown by the lyric ”Commerciality over art can’t win out”. Love this.
ReplyDeleteDorky seems to think the ‘word’ mega is actually two. Dear God.
Dave Gahan to the rest of the Modes – “Take the day off, lads. I’ll pretend to be a Flashmobbed Jesus Christ walking through middle America for the video.”
The only showing in the top 40 rundown there for Portsmouth shoegaze band Cranes. This was the first of just two weeks they spent in the top 75, a follow-up spending one week at number 57.
Sorry, I know “Moving On Up” is this year’s blog title, but I can’t stand it. FF.
Shara gives us a better vocal performance this time, and I bet the audience were hacked off by that cameraman getting in the way and Shara singing to him rather than them.
Haddaway with “What Is Life”.
Worlds Apart From Talent next. Posey and appalling.
The title of Belinda’s hit is the only part of the vocals we hear properly due to Dorky’s waffle.
Has Rob from Stereo MCs changed nationality? And is that bloke with the silly hat the Swedish Shamen?
Oh no, not this lot again. Too soon. Lulu gives us an “Eat that, Cilla” moment while previous partner Bobby Womack is probably watching at home, sulking and eating crisps.
Boom shake the FF before Tony wishes us a forceful but actual proper “Goodnight”!
I'd never heard "Jewel" by Cranes so I YouTubed it. The singer's voice makes Claire Grogan sound like she'd had 20 players Navy Cut beforehand!
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8QE4k0T980
I was away last weekend so very late to the party. A solid if unexceptional episode this one. Worlds Apart and Bad Boys Inc have to be the two most lacklustre boy bands ever though. I don't like Take That or Lulu but Relight My Fire is a genius cover and I have to hand it to them, they show up those pretenders for what they are.
ReplyDeleteI love Depeche Mode and the Wonderstuff but neither of their tracks this week are standouts for me.
Having not heard Big Scary Animal since 93, it's become a proper earworm the last few weeks.
M People a standout, they're going to be everywhere for the next couple of years or so.
Of Shara N's solo hits, I much prefer Down that Road. This one gets a bit annoying.
Boom! Shake the room may be annoying but it's clearly a bop even if I was too cool for it back then.
More guitar and slightly less fun from the THE WONDERSTUFF. "On The Ropes" is a decent tune and a great start to the show.
ReplyDeleteDEPECHE MODE present us a condemned man in their video. Quite surprised this went Top 10 as it's a nice but not hugely memorable number. I did enjoy the track though.
M-PEOPLE – Moving On Up
Awesome dance tune and loved by Liz Truss who used it to predict her own future a few weeks ago. Party favourite and radio friendly, I think occasionally it can outstay its' welcome but great here with the live vocal
SHARA NELSON – One Goodbye In Ten
I really like this record and now I know it was written by Saint Etienne I can really hear their voice. Not sure what it is about Shara singing live but this is the second performance where I thought her vocal wasn't great.
HADDAWAY up next with "What Is Life". I guess if it works don't change it. At all. Loving the female dancers trousers. Very sixties!
Breakers:
WORLDS APART – Now working as holiday reps in Morocco
BELINDA CARLISLE – Scary? Nah.
It's the Swedish Stereo MCs, STAKKA BO with "Here We Go". Some seriously dodgy dance moves at the end. The chorus is quite catchy but buried far too deep in the mix here to have an impact. Good performance of a decent tune.
TAKE THAT & LULU – Relight My Fire
The song that really defined the early Take That years. Nice to see Lulu attempting some of the dance moves, although they were slightly less energetic once she appeared. Cue several million teenagers at home asking "who's Lulu Mum?" Deserved Number One for me. Really great version of a quality song.
D.J. JAZZY JEFF & THE FRESH PRINCE – Boom! Shake The Room
Bored of this already.