Well, it happened years ago, when you were on the 2nd of June 1994 edition of Top of the Pops!
Top of the panties
2-6-94: Presenter: Simon Mayo
(7) BIG MOUNTAIN – Baby I Love Your Way
Getting this live show underway with this Peter Frampton cover that was to be their only top ten hit and it peaked at number 2.
(15) THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH – Everybody’s Talkin’
Performing this Harry Nilsson cover and it peaked at number 12.
(11) THE GRID – Swamp Thing (video) (and charts)
Became the duo's only top ten hit when it peaked at number 3.
(ALBUM TRACK) ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT – Fountain Of Youth
From their final charting album Zingalamaduni which reached number 16.
(13) SALT-N-PEPA – Shoop (via satellite)
Got no higher.
(19) PULP – Babies
Making their studio debut are the third of Britpop's big four, and this was the third and most successful single from their top ten album His n Hers, and number 19 was its peak.
(23) PINK FLOYD – Take It Back (video)
From their number one album The Division Bell, number 23 was its peak.
(NEW) MARIAH CAREY – Anytime You Need A Friend
Here tonight and this latest lung busting song would peak at number 8.
(1) WET WET WET – Love Is All Around (and credits)
First of fifteen weeks at number one!
9th of June is next.
I'm unsure why BBC 4 cut off the performance of Love is All Around, it actually goes out for around a minute more, and did on original transmission https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UC3cFNe9lQo
ReplyDeleteI think I’ve previously read somewhere that of all the shows produced by Rick Blaxill, one edition was broadcast live, so presumably that was this show, hence why the No.1 record was cut short due to late running.
ReplyDeleteThough as mentioned, more was shown on BBC One on it it's original transmission.
DeleteSo the whole episode (available through various sources) continues up until the Wets finish and then has some time at the end post performance. I must imagine BBC4 knew it wouldn't have been shown to the end with everyone chatting so assumed it ended after the credits?
DeleteBig Mountain - I prefer an earlier version by Will To Power in January 1989, where I remember TOTP showed the video including a very blonde and gorgeous lead singer against a sunny beach/waterside background.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful South - good to see the return of the female co-lead on vocals which gave this a good placing at No15 this week, cos when they removed this idea before to leave Heaton on lead vocals on his own, they struggled to get a top 30 position!
The Grid - love this swamp thing tune, and also noticed on the chart rundown that Tori Amos was at peak position of No.31 with Past The Mission, and was not to get a TOTP invite this time round.
Salt 'n' Pepa - new era for them, and a far cry from their 1988 start with Spinderella at the back spinning the records. It was now a type of En Vogue layout for the trio which seemed to work for them to some extent in the 90s, away from their more disco style in the late 80s.
Pulp - first time I think on TOTP and first single to gain momentum, as their two debut singles before this one, only got a best listing on the chart rundown at a peak of No.33, but now this third single at No.19 this week deserved a TOTP invite, but not sure about the nickers waved on stage by the lead singe in the middle of the song.
Pink Floyd - nice to see them back, but didn't like the message on the video on taking a lovely green field and burning it down. Good Lord! Anyway, TOTP seemed to be breaking with recent tradition to reintroduce videos on the show, when not the chart rundown or exclusive, or at No.1, and this was none of them.
Pulp had been releasing singles since 1983. This was their FOURTEENTH. Previously, only "Do You Remember The First Time" broke the top 40 with the previous single making number 50 and that had been it thus far.
DeleteHave to agree Dory. The Will To Power version is the best,
DeleteBig Mountain - from one of the most 90s films there is, Reality Bites, which I saw far too many times for some reason. I never even owned it so I can only think multiple friends got it out on vhs as well as seeing it at the pictures.
ReplyDeleteTwo covers in a row? I do like both of them though.
The Grid - I did not remember this involving the guy from Soft Cell at all! Alright track though.
Arrested D - it's alright but it's an exclusive so...
Salt n Pepa - perfectly acceptable mid tier SnP.
Pulp - absolutely love. Remember listening to this one a lot at the time, fab stuff.
Pink F - had totally forgotten this. Was alright but wouldn't seek it out.
Mariah Carey - another exclusive? There's Tori Amos and Roxette in the charts we could be having here.
That song - technical difficulties is it? What a shame. Here's to another fourteen weeks of technical difficulties.
The Roxette single oozes class. Crash Boom Bang is a powerful illustration of someone being thwarted the chance to have a stable relationship when all looks well, and the way Marie bellows this out is just superb. It's definitely in my Top 3 Roxette tunes of all time if not my favourite. Cool video too!
DeleteI love the video for it!
DeleteYeah, it goes up the following week from No.37 to No.24, but no slot on TOTP for it, and then it was too late cos it went down after. The video would have been a perfect exclusive, and better than most on the video exclusive slot on TOTP since the 1991 revamp of the show, so I'm really disappointed that we got nothing at all of this single.
DeleteA smug chart topping spoiler alert precedes Rev Mayo with more of his badly aged and unintelligible puns.
ReplyDeleteTwo boring covers to begin with. I much prefer Peter Frampton’s original (surprised Bitty McLean didn’t get his clammy paws on this first) and I preferred Briana Corrigan to Jacqueline Abbott, who I always thought just sounded dull. While I’m at it… Heaton, you slouch! Hands out of pockets, boy!
The Grid with banjo rave. Yeehah! Like this. Makes “Cotton Eye Joe” sound like the chancer it actually was.
Non-Mugshots: First rare solo sighting of Fairground Attraction singer Eddi Reader with a pretty if very repetitive song and… yes! The final top 40 week for boyband also-rans Worlds Apart.
Why Arrested Development didn’t promote their top 40 single is as weird as that staging. Don’t get it, don’t dig it.
Poor decision to have two rap tracks next to each other. Nice ‘94’ tops on the condiment ensemble, though.
Ah. Now. Peak of the week by a mile. Great track. Jarvis was always so individual too. Destined to be a star, eventually. Loved the “I hate Wet Wet Wet” message taped inside his jacket. I second that emotion. What a keyboard angle that was as well! Third Yorkshire placename check on the intro Letraset this year.
I agree with Rad. I would have preferred Tori Amos and Roxette to that dinosaur plod and Car Park Trailer Screechy Thing.
Oo. We don’t get the whole of the chart topper. Can we have less each week, please? Pretty please?
Everybody's Talkin' wasn't a Nilsson original - his verson was a cover. of a Fred Neil original.
ReplyDeleteTwo songs peaking outside the Top 40 this week for previous TOTP regulars, and worth a mention:
ReplyDeleteNo.43 Julio Iglesias - Crazy
I thing his last single was a duet with Stevie Wonder in 1988, so this his first single in 6 years unfortunately just bombed out outside the Top 40, and I would have liked to see it on the show.
No.65 Everything But The Girl - Rollercoaster EP
Third EP in a row since early 1993, and although their would be one more flop in 1994 called Missing, it would be re-released in 1995 and go to No.3, so their best days were still a year or so away.
Don't know if anyone caught 'Andrew Lloyd Webber at the BBC' at the weekend. A eclectic but enthralling compilation which featured a clip of Noel Edmonds on ToTP introducing Andrew and Tim before it went over to Barbara Dickson singing 'Another Suitcase in another Hall' - which we saw as a repeated show a few weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteWet Wet Wet get to introduce the show as they are now at No 1. Just like Stiltskin. With their single week at the top.
ReplyDeleteThey look very pleased and clearly have no idea that their first of, um, a few appearances is a bit of a mess up.
I thought this show was better but long before the end I was looking forward to watching the '86 repeat. That's how dreary these latest ones have been.
Big Mountain; The one good thing about UB40 reggaefying any kind of pop tune is that only UB40 previously did it. They seemed to have caused a mini movement in the last several months. It's cheerful and I love the tune however it's done but let's give this a rest now please. At least some good original reggae songs are around the corner.
The Beautiful South; A very pedestrian way to welcome Jacqui Abbott to the public with a polite cover of Nilsson's cover of 'Everybody's Talkin'. Not sure why Jacqui's dressed as Charlie Chaplin's understudy here but we're used to this band being a bit random. A later single in '94 will feature I think Paul Heaton answering a mobile phone mid way through. Here he's very normal, only briefly fiddling around in his trouser pockets.
The Grid; Yes, like 'Swamp Thing'. Dave Ball was part of this of course and it's a great mix of styles. It might be a novelty but it's not a million miles from Leftfield's 'Afro Left'.
It also reminds me that Rednex aren't far away, oh lawd!
Arrested Development; The old guy went for a wander near the start.
Salt 'n' Pepa; Even they seemed to be going through the motions in this satellite link up. I always expect a mini musical to occur whenever they appear. Not even a shout out to Simon.
Pulp; They've got an easy time of it being surrounded by such dullness but still a fantastic debut appearance. Jarvis immediately owning the stage and Steve Mackey, rip, surely the coolest band member of the era. One of their best singles too. Liked the underwear inspecting. 'Underwear' probably my favourite song of theirs. Good times ahead with them around.
Pink Floyd; A rather crotchety introduction and subsequent link from Simon for them. Very dull few minutes.
Mariah Carey; Back with her candles and her choir. 'Any Time You Need a Friend' I'll be belting out a big emoting anthem. Thanks, that really helped.
Wet Wet Wet; I was going to start this with saying week 1 and nothing else but a few things worth commenting on. I always thought that they started linen dressed and got more and more 1967 eventually going full Dukes of Stratosphere but they actually started this marathon looking look like that. It is a cover of a '67 single but I'm still not sure why they dressed like that. Maybe they were consciously trying to piss the Britpoppers off. That certainly worked for one of them. Anyway a really clumsy performance. Marti forgetting a line , the mic going wrong and a fade out mid way through. Earlier next week hopefully.
A much better week this one, highlight of course being Pulp. Not sure who else has been watching the Britpop series, but Pulp were the scene winners.
ReplyDeleteFirst of fifteen weeks blighted by the Wets at number one though. I spent my summer of 1994 working in London (Teddington) away from my Manchester home, the whole time from June to August with this somehow remaining at number one.
ReplyDeletecover-heavy start. one of the best of recent months but low bar
Big Mountain - not a reggae fan, but the rhythym fitted
Beautiful South - fairly pleasant cover (not harry nillson originally, but Fred Neil)
Grid - again pleasant enough but disn really go anywhere
Arrested development -bored with this very quickly. Everybody in our house said no
Salt n pepa - don’t remember this. Tedious. Not their best.
Pulp - now we are talking! Bought this on its first outing, as i had been following them for several years. I first saw Pulp in the mid 80s supporting New Fast Automatic Daffodils - wonder what happened to them! Took a couple of pauses to read the ‘I hate wet wet wet’ inside his jacket.
Pink Floyd - not seen this video before. Programme is starting to get interesting…
Mariah carey - wow! how to make really dull song worse by screeching half of it.
Crep crep crep faded, thank goodness
Boy Mayo gets the live gig and BIG MOUNTAIN reggae up "Baby I Love Your Way". Another fine summer sound. Enjoyed that.
ReplyDeleteTHE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH effectively a two piece now of Paul and Jacqui and by the end of 94 "Everybody’s Talkin’" about their greatest hits records which will storm the charts. This is a rather fine cover version as well.
Move over Pan Pipes, here come the Banjos. THE GRID with "Swamp Thing" taking over the clubs courtesy of half of Soft Cell.
Always nice to see ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT but didn't they have a single in the rundown last week? So why the album track? Nice tune though and I enjoyed that. Also loving SALT-N-PEPA with "Shoop". They always deliver a great performance.
Finally PULP make it on the the Pops. Jarvis one of life's more unlikely pop-stars but "Babies" is a cracking indie tune. We really do need an injection of Brit Pop about now.
As Simon says nice of PINK FLOYD to turn up in the video. Song is naff as well.
MARIAH and a cast of thousands bring us "Anytime You Need A Friend". Nice Carey/Carey gag Simon. This is a nice inoffensive radio tune.
Finally WET WET WET hit the top, Marti forgets the words and the live show runs out of time so we are saved a week of full "Love Is All Around"
An improvement this week B+