Flip your hair back, you're looking perfect for the 3rd of March 1994 edition of Top of the Pops!
Fall guy
3-3-94: Presenter: Simon Mayo
(6) 2 UNLIMITED – Let The Beat Control Your Body
Getting us underway with a second studio performance but the song was now at its peak.
(22) ELVIS COSTELLO – Sulky Girl
Here tonight but the song got no higher. Wonder if he sulked?
(4) TONI BRAXTON – Breathe Again (via satellite) (and charts)
Had already peaked at number 2, then dropped to 5, now back up to 4!
(26) EYC – The Way You Work It
Performing their second of six top 40 hits and this one peaked at number 14.
(23) BARBARA TUCKER – Beautiful People
Making her debut with her first of four top 40 hits, but this one got no higher.
(36) MÖTLEY CRÜE – Hooligan’s Holiday (video) (Breakers)
Got no higher. Their sixth and final top 40 hit.
(16) BECK – Loser (video) (Breakers)
Went up one more place.
(32) MICHAEL BOLTON – Soul Of My Soul (video) (Breakers)
Got no higher.
(18) INSPIRAL CARPETS feat. MARK E. SMITH – I Want You
Performing the excellent second single from their top ten album Devil Hopping, but it got no higher.
(NEW) MORRISSEY – The More You Ignore Me The Closer I Get
Performing what became his fifth of ten top ten hits when it peaked at number 8.
(1) MARIAH CAREY – Without You (video)
Third of four weeks at number one.
(NEW) CARTER – THE UNSTOPPABLE SEX MACHINE – Glam Rock Cops (studio montage) (and credits)
Peaked at number 24.
10th of March is next.
Enigma still going up at No.3 and absolutely no sign of them on the show, ever since their Breakers clip a few weeks ago. Unusually not even given the chart rundown slot where their video could be shown, but TOTP were not interested in videos any more, in a TOTP that what was returned to a studio show like the 60s and 70s, but even more restricting on videos by 1994. I mean Good Lord, even the Breakers are about to chopped for good by the end of March 1994!
ReplyDeleteElvis Costello – I think this may have been his first time in the TOTP studio, as there were certainly no studio appearances from Olivers Army onwards, and that is going back to 1979 with only videos on TOTP for Costello. Was this also the case for his pre Oliver’s Army singles in 1977 and 1978? I certainly don’t recall him ever performing in the TOTP studio before this 1994 single. Anyone know?
Barbara Tucker – we’re reminded at the beginning of this performance that she has flown in from the States especially to be on the show, so it seems that performers were still flying in from America to be on TOTP, stretching back to the 70s, and possibly the 60s, but when did it stop eventually?
The Breakers – Motley Crue’s last ever Top 40 single, and I recall that their first Top 40 single in the UK in 1987 called Girls Girls Girls was also a Breaker in that year!
Mariah Carey – at this point, Nillson was still going up to No.47 in this week's 1994 chart with his original 1972 version.
Elvis was in the studio quite a lot Dory over the years - Watching the Detectives, Dont' want to go to Chelsea, Radio Radio, Pump it up to name but a few of his appearances.
DeleteMic mentioned below that the last time Costello was in the TOTP studio was 1983, so that would make it eleven years since his last studio performance, and 10 singles in between with no TOTP appearance, mainly because most of them couldn't break the Top 40!
DeleteElvis Costello was on TOTP very early in this re-run with a 'new release' slot for the sublime non-hit "Red Shoes" in September 1977 prior to his first hit. "Sulky Girl" was Elvis's penultimate TOTP appearance - according to the bespoke Popscene website, he made 16.
DeleteShort credits!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dory about Enigma. Surprised they've not been on apart from a breaker, especially as that song was so huge.
Good opening with 2Unlimited and Elvis C. Quite the juxtaposition which is so TOTP.
Toni Braxton has been a bit ignored despite being in the top 10 a while, so fair enough we see it again.
The next two songs I barely remember and the show just finished. Zzzz
Breakers are fine, Beck the highlight but he was just here last episode so not super exciting, nd I'd have given him up for Smashing Pumpkins.
Why did the Inspirals' stage look like a Working Men's Club? Was that Mark E Smith's influence? Great track and whilst I haven't liked everything tonight, I applaud the variety.
Morrissey - I hate that he has so many great song. he wasn't kidding about that bearing grudges thing, was he.
Mariah is still here.
So have they decided now that the credits are for previews? Could have been a chance for Enigma or even Elton and Ru but sure. I still find the clips of the night's performances eerily odd
The Smashing Pumpkins song was banned by the BBC at the time for it's lyrics.
DeleteI hadn't actually realised that, just looked it up. Bit of an overreaction from the beeb especially as the Bulger murder wasn't as fresh by then. But then when didn't the beeb overreact to pop songs in the late 20th century?
DeleteFour songs further down the chart at peak position this week, with not even a sniff at a TOTP slot:
ReplyDeleteNo.31 Jam & Spoon - Right In The Night
This was iconic during the early 90s techno revolution, and a lot better than 2-Unlimited and Capella, and pity we never got even a Breakers slot for this one, but definitely recommend a listen cos it was big on the club dancefloors for the rest of the decade.
No.42 Black - Wonderful Life
Re-issue of the big Top 10 Hit for Black with this one from the summer of 1987, and just missing out on a return Top 40 entry in 1994. I suppose this came out again following a TV ad. Anyone know?
No.43 Eartha Kitt - If I Love Ya
Good Lord, last ever single for the now 67 year old Kitt, in a chart career going back to 1955 when she had her biggest and debut single which got to No.7 called Under The Bridges of Paris. Considering she had nothing in the singles chart between 1955 and 1983, it was not as long a singles career as it looks on paper.
No.50 Billy Joel - No Man's Land
Also, like Kitt, Joel was on his last ever single in the UK with this one, bringing down the curtain on a singles career stretching back to 1978 with his debut hit Just The Way You Are which peaked at No.19, and was covered by Barry White later that year. We'd already seen the last of Joel on TOTP in the summer of 1993 with River Of Dreams, and only on video of course, but this new one for 1994 was last chance saloon to make an impression, but ended up tanking at No.50. Goodbye Billy and thanks!
I do recall an advert that used 'Wonderful Life' - it advertised 'Standard Life'. Thanks 45cat!
Deletehttps://www.45cat.com/record/pol102
Standard Life is still going strong to this day for pensions, investments and savings, and has been around for about 200 years.
Delete'Right In The Night' what a brilliant single! I didn't know it was originally out in early '94. It will be back and go high in the charts the following year and will get a TOTP performance. I'm sure I thought it was a new Madonna single at the time as it sounds so similar to her. That brilliant bit of Bach's Toccata and Fugue for the acoustic guitar hook as well. I've learnt that part on guitar but have to slow it down a lot so when it comes to the rest of the song it has to be sung deathly slowly!
DeleteIt was a shame that the repeat of an '81 edition was dropped last night but fair enough. Really great to see the Burt Bacharach songs compilation in its place. What can you say; rip king of the tunesmiths. Really good to see the clip of 'Do You Know The Way To San Jose' from 6/6/68 with psychedelic donkey images and Davy Jones dancing like a donkey.
ReplyDeleteTwo not very engaging editions last night. A bit treading water in pop terms but a few nice surprises. Simon doing his usual good job.
2 Unlimited; Starting the show. Of course they do. Not very good. 'No Limit' with different lyrics (erase last letter), less fun hook, louder use of tea tray. Backing 'dancers' a little scary.
Elvis Costello; Not in the studio for a while. I think his last appearance was the 2nd one for 'Everyday I Write The Book' around August 1983. Good to see he still has his classic look and mannerisms at this stage. Latterly I think he resembles The Count from 'Sesame Street' when he sings but what a talent. Not familiar with that song but really enjoyed it.
Toni Braxton; A repeat of the satellite clip from several weeks before. A little lacking in ambition there Ric! Still a good song.
EYC; Useless rap heavy Color Me Baddies with something to come on to the ladies with. Put the navel away, guy who's forgotten to do his ponytail.
Barbara Tucker; I watched it but can't remember a thing about it.
Breakers; Motley Crue; Don't wish to pass comment on them. Beck; Good to see a bit of the video. He's mad him. Michael Bolton; Looking hard I spotted some things that could pass for cliche.
Inspiral Carpets feat Mark. E. Smith; Yes good single and great to see Smith on a TOTP stage. He looks reasonably pleased to be there and barks in his own special way behind Tom Hingley's vocals. Their least Inspirals sounding single so far.
Morrissey; Not in the studio for years according to Simon. Well two and a third to be precise but this is a fine return.
Mariah Carey; The concert video so an even bigger audience to put to sleep.
Carter; The playout tune to what increasingly looks like a tacky TOTP magazine feature. Crash. End.
I liked most in the Burt Bacharach tribute the Cliff Richard/Cilla Black 60s duet in black & white, where Cliff had exactly the same animated style as in his duet with Sarah Brightman in the 80s with All I Ask Of You. Watch the two videos and you would hardly notice that Cliff has changed at all!
DeleteGood to see Mark E. Smith finally making it to the Top of the Pops studio. By now he’d released over 30 singles with The Fall and never had an invite, admittedly most of those singles hadn’t dented the Top 40.
ReplyDeleteHe’s not exactly dressed for the part but at least he is able to stand up and deliver his lyrics. A few years later he would be drinking to excess and fighting his band mates on stage.
Elvis Costello - don’t remember this. Wasn't too impressed as it started, but it built beautifully.
ReplyDeleteEYC - sub-standard Take That clones. Absolute rubbish!
Barbara Tucker - not my usual cup of tea, but very smooth 70s style tune
Inspirals - loved this when it came out. Love the way Mark E smith checks his lines. The original sans Mark is on Devil,Hopping, so named after the producer mispronounced ‘developing’…
Morrissey - pleasant enough standard Morrissey tune,
A new hairstyle for Anita but the same old 2 Unlimited as mentioned last time. What were those dancers meant to be?
ReplyDeleteI know exactly where I was when this episode was on. I was suffering one of five separate training weeks at a lifeless conference centre in Bletchley for an absolutely crap job which I left after 17 months. The highlight of that particular week was watching my idol, with his name on the guitar fretboard. A slow burner from Elvis Costello but it oozed class.
A repeat of Toni’s exclusive, under which we notice Funkdoobiest’s second and final ‘one week in the non-mugshots’ single, and the only top 40 mention for FKW with the highest of their four very minor hits.
EYC. New pricks on the block.
That’s a look and a half from Barbara. I pity whoever couldn’t see past her hair from their plane seat. File next to Crystal Waters – nothing staggering but still enjoyable.
Breakers in turn: Bog standard pretend ‘hard’ metal, wonder what happened to all the ‘crusties’ from last time, and ah..”Soul (ahem) Of My Soul” with Micky Bolton bellowing slower this time.
Punk Carpets with the most un-TOTP performer you’ll ever witness, and a refreshing change(uh). That cleared the cobwebs. Bungle appears to be dismantling his bass strings near the end.
I saw Alan Price last week. He’s 80 and he was brilliant. In his set Alan played “Simon Smith And the Amazing Dancing Bear” which Morrissey has apparently performed. I’d have preferred that to this okayish Smiths B-side soundalike.
FF Pariah Carey (yes, I meant that) for a quick burst of “Selhurst Park Life”. Simon not keen on giving us Carter’s full name.
Not a vintage edition of TOTP this week, more of a table wine, but more of 1979 later (Dr Who nod...)
ReplyDelete2 UNLIMITED are back with an identikit performance of "Let The Beat Control Your Body" which is a good show opener and then a huge gear change into Sulky Man ELVIS COSTELLO singing about his "Sulky Girl". To be honest I would be sulky hanging around with EC but the song is actually quite nice and I enjoyed it. Nice of Mayo to make a gag about an ice skater getting knee-capped.
YOYO BRAXTON can "Breathe Again" as she won all the Grammys (which is probably why we get this performance again). Still not hugely fond of this one. I am liking the way the chart listings come up, drop down or spin on their axis depending on their chart move. Nice touch.
Express Yourself Clearly probably the motto for Ealing Young Conservatives following this one. A bit of US Pop nonsense that nobody is likely to ever play again. At least 2 of NKOTB had some talent.
BARBARA TUCKER – Beautiful People
Suddenly it's 1979 and there's a disco queen in the house. Albeit a newcomer in a Disco Wig. Another one blotted from my memory over time but it seems she had quite a bit of US success and this was her biggest hit.
Breakers:
MÖTLEY CRÜE – New Singer, Same Noise
BECK – Triumphant
MICHAEL BOLTON – Soulless
Well I usually like the Inspiral Carpets but that was an annoying racket. Is Mark drunk, stoned or both? Nice "saint" t-shirt but dear oh dear this is poor.
MORRISSEY with the stalker anthem "The More You Ignore Me The Closer I Get" Restraining order in the post. Ironically it's one of his better solo efforts.
Still fond of this DIVA CAREY track and then a snatch of CARTER which sounds quite promising.