Don't stop movin' baby, it's the 30th of March 1995 edition of Top of the Pops!
Holy lady
Thanks to Anonymous for these two editions of TOTP2:
30-3-95: Presenters: Ant & Dec
(6) STRIKE – U Sure Do
Getting the show underway with their only top ten hit and it went up two more places.
(21) BROWNSTONE – If You Love Me
Performing what became their only top ten hit when it peaked at number 8.
(5) BOBBY BROWN – Two Can Play That Game (video) (and charts)
Went up two more places.
(NEW) MENSWEAR – I’ll Manage Somehow
Making their studio debut and this first single made it to number 49.
(19) THE NEW POWER GENERATION feat. TORA TORA – Get Wild
Now at its peak.
(ALBUM TRACK) BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – Murder Incorporated (video)
From his number one album 'Greatest Hits'.
(20) SNAP feat. SUMMER – The First, The Last Eternity (Til The End)
In the studio and the song went up five more places.
(NEW) HOLE – Doll Parts
Performing what became their first of four top 40 hits when it peaked at number 16.
(1) THE OUTHERE BROTHERS – Don’t Stop (Wiggle Wiggle)
Here to perform the first and only week at number one.
Number 7 in 1976.
6th of April is next.
Top 10 singles - Strike and Bobby Brown at No.6 and No.5 respectively were back in charts because Strike had peaked at No.31 initially, and then only got Top 10 here on re-entry in March/April 1995, while Bobby Brown first entered the chart in mid-1994 with this single, and only on re-entry nearly a year later in 1995, made Top 3 on this new run.
ReplyDeleteAlso a new entry in the Top 10 this week at peak position of No.7 and missing out on a TOTP play was The Beatles with Baby Its You, which was also a re-entry, and not sure when it was released the first time, as it was never a top 40 single first time round.
Chart rundown - a couple of songs as new entries inside the Top 40 on the rundown, and at peak position with no TOTP play for them were Reel 2 Real ft The Mad Stuntman at No.27 with Conway, and Van Halen with Can't Stop Loving You. Lowest chart placing for Reel 2 Reel now at their fifth single, and Van Halen were now on their last top 40 single after a long run since the early 80s.
Snap ft Summer - love this tune, and the new line up in Snap since 1993 after Turbo B had left to make way for Summer as the lead on vocals, now left Snap with their last Top 40 single as the hits were starting to dry up going into the late 90s, and new Snap singles released after this one could not make the Top 40, apart from one new single in 2003 getting to No.34 at peak.
Strange, I have no recollection of 'Baby It's You' being out at all. It was many months before the Anthology. I don't think it was out as a single anywhere first time round unless it was an EP. Just an LP track originally I think. A real surprise.
DeleteStill, the Beatles having a Top 10 single in 1995 was quite special, with or without a TOTP play!
DeleteI had a look on Wicki and it looks like it was a tie in with the 'Live At The BBC' album. I had wondered if it was but I thought that was out some time earlier. '94 apparently. It was such a special time when they came fully back with the Anthology series and albums.
DeleteIs this the debut of 'Ant and Dec' as a TV presenting phenomenon? Kind of an important TV moment if so! Interesting how they're captioned as Ant and Dec even though they both call Drc 'Declan' and he's referred to as such on 'Rhumble' as well. I wonder if he prefers that to Dec but the snappier branding won out?
ReplyDeleteBetter episode than the last, Strike is a strong opening.
Good strong singles from Brownstone and Bobby.
Menswear were sooo hyped at the time but never quite fulfilled that potential. Daydreamer was a legitimately great track though and Stardust was a lot of fun. This one is good but not great.
NPG repeat of last time
Bruce - OK there are too many exclusives on this episode.
Snap - decent mid range fare from them.
Hole - Wish it was in the charts rather than exclusive but I really loved them. Great single.
Quite refreshing to have two one and done number ones in a row given how many hits have stuck around at the top forever in the 90s so far.
Three interesting singles at peak position this week outside the Top 40, including bands from the 70s, 80s and 90s:
ReplyDeleteNo.45 Boy George - Funtime
With his final Top 40 single a couple of years ago in 1993, it looks like he released a new album in 1994-1995 which would have spawned this new single for 1995 with a further two singles in the same year also failing to make Top 40, which was then pretty much it for chart singles.
No.51 The Nolans - I'm In The Mood For Dancing
Re-release of their biggest hit when it when to No.3 at the turn of the 80s, but this second time round not making the Top 40.
No.58 Captain Hollywood Project - Flying High
Always liked this group, ever since they first came through as a feature on Twenty 4 Seven in 1990, and now on their own, they were now on their last ever single by 1995, the last two of which having not been able to make the Top 40.
TOTP2
ReplyDeleteA really good TOTP2 this week, and one of the best editions so far, as the Recorded For Recall section was the 1st April 1976 TOTP edition, which was also in 2011 the first TOTP show to be shown in the BBC4 reruns which still runs today having 1995.
Had no idea that John Miles later went on to join Tina Turner's band after his solo hits dried up in the late 70s.
In the World Hit section, there was the new Vangelis video from Conquest of Paradise. Vangelis sadly died last year, and his music compositions still sound so refreshing, especially the soundtracks.
Ant & Dec and it's obvious already where the future lies for them. A brilliant stint full of warmth and wit, enough to make you forget even then that they ever had a pop career (God I have tried). Really enjoyed watching them but the music on this edition is very patchy.
ReplyDeleteIt's preceded by a hillariously sarcastic intro from the members of Hole who speak in unison like petulant schoolkids answering a supply teacher.
My father who for some reason hates Ant & Dec with every fibre of his being is on a short break with Mum at the moment. Whatever he is doing this weekend it won't be watching this.
Strike; Another re-wotking of an '80s hit. Another dance single that stalled on first release and has now gone high in the charts. Another classic. What a golden era this is for Euro dance singles. The main hook a re-working of Donna Allen's 'Serious ' (not done especially seriously) but the main melody is just sublime. When the backing suddenly switches to a
major key it is pure elevation and as good as it gets. The singer looks a dream and sings mostly marvellously though it's not as sonorous as on the record with some ill advised whooping going on. Her fellow strikers on either side both on keyboards purposefully hitting the keys though one of them is spending a good amount of time bouncing about and clapping. Some dancers in white doing some good formation dancing. Another brilliant start.
Brownstone; I'd completely forgotten this one but it came back to me during the chorus. The nation's plastic reserves must've been running low that week. A good tune though jostling for attention with too much superfluous vocalising. Far more of that to come.
Bobby Brown; Another funny link to 'Two Can Play That Game ' with a title related gag. So presenting Saturday evening TV isn't the only thing they share with Noel Edmonds. A masterstroke comeback from Bobby Brown, some soulful vocals and wayward piano chords. Great video with some exciting visuals. He does like that mic appendage.
Best link of the evening where the camera races past them and Dec spins round to follow it. Shame it's for.....
Menswear; Minimum number of copies pressed and nowhere near the charts. Britpop's really got a hold on our Ric. Actually quite a good tune to this and they did have a couple. 'Being Brave' particularly. Angular chords, lots of jumping about. "Love me!" posing etc. Also some adhering to a by now unwritten rule of Britpop camerawork; crash into the band members (ideally the lower half) at every opportunity. Really Johnny, there are countless rock pioneers who have served in order for you to wear that tunic.
NPG; Same clip from last week. Worth a repeat and worth it for the skit with a covered up Ant.
Bruce Springsteen; In a sweaty club in front of a bare brick wall. No ball games please. Real purpose in that performance and a good addition. Also another funny link with a Bruce Forsyth impersonation but done so subtly I had to watch it again to fully get it.
Snap feat Summer; Very underwhelming.
Hole; This would've been a very anticipated appearance and it's a powerful performance of 'Doll Parts'. Recalling some of the edginess of the best punk moments on the show, Courtney with her foot on a monitor calm but looking like she might suddenly explode. Very compelling and great to see 'Live Through This' era Hole get feaured.
The Outhere Brothers; Good personalities and audience interaction but it's still pants.
Goodbye Spuggy and the other one. You should do more of this. Then back we go, right to the start again with the 1st item on the first show in these repeats. I saw it overnight at work. The sound was off. Most of us laughed apart from one staff member who was happily nostalgic. The lead singer of Sailor was formerly in Eclection, close associates of the Fairports.
Ant and Dec show they are absolute naturals at this presenting game. ITV absolutely watching this and getting out the cheque book. SMTV and CD:UK born right here.
ReplyDeleteIt feels like 1992 all over again when a dance track opened the show every week and STRIKE give us a decent live vocal for the rather catchy "U Sure Do".
I had forgotten one of BROWNSTONE was all hat, lips and teeth. "If You Love Me" is a quality tune and this is a really good live performance. Real quality this. Eternal's management frantically re-writing Louise's contract as this goes out.
K-Klass take a shot at BOBBY BROWN's "Two Can Play That Game". Video a remix as well. Poor show. Decent tune though.
Oh I remember all the fuss about Menswear. Next best thing. Music press front covers. They were everywhere for 15 minutes. They managed 5 top thirty hits and then vanished without trace. Maybe only pressing 5000 copies was not a great idea but better tunes would have helped. Kicking the mic stands over as well - Rebels!
Enjoyed NPG better the second time around and could have done without the BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN exclusive which wasn't great.
SNAP sounding like any generic dance group and anything that made them stand out has well and truly left the building by the time of !The First, The Last Eternity". This lacks any real energy. Could have sworn "Eterni-e" had a second T in it though?
Good performance from HOLE but not my sort of music.
The audience have got the memo this week (or have been rehearsed to death) as THE OUTHERE BROTHERS enjoy their week at the top. Much better show than last week but March ends with more of a whimper than a bang.