Wake up it's a beautiful 9th of March 1995 edition of Top of the Pops!
Bootiful
9-3-95: Presenter: Mark Goodier
(9) THE BOO RADLEYS – Wake Up Boo!
Getting tonight's show underway with what was there only top ten hit, and the title track of their number one album, but it got no higher.
(10) CLOCK – Axel F.
Performing their first of four top ten hits, this one went up three more places.
(5) KENNY ‘DOPE’ presents THE BUCKETHEADS – The Bomb! (These Sounds Fall Into My Mind) (video) (and charts)
At its peak.
(17) RADIOHEAD – High And Dry
Here to perform the second single from their number 4 album, The Bends, but it got no higher.
(16) FAITH NO MORE – Digging The Grave
A second studio performance but the song got no higher.
(ALBUM TRACK) STEVIE WONDER – Tomorrow Robins Will Sing
In the studio tonight to perform the second single from his number 8 album, Conversation Peace, but it only peaked at number 71.
(19) DES’REE – You Gotta Be
Had peaked at number 20 last year, this remix made it to number 14.
(NEW) WET WET WET – Julia Says
Here with the second single from their number one album, Picture This, and it peaked at number 3.
(1) CELINE DION – Think Twice
Sixth of seven weeks at number one.
(TOTP2) TUBEWAY ARMY – Are ‘Friends’ Electric (clip of TOTP 24-5-79) (and credits)
Number one in 1979.
Clock - wow what a performance on stage, with some serious dance routines giving a fresh makeover to Axel F's first foray into the charts as a No.2 hit in 1985, but this was way better 1995-style, and not sure why it wasn't the show opener instead of The Boo Radleys. Stand to attention everyone, Clock is in the house, cops and hotpants included!
ReplyDeleteThe Bucketheads - a nice tribute to the 70s disco scene by the next generation in the 90s. I always thought The Bucketheads and The Nightcrawlers in the Top 5 at the same time were synonymous with each other, and like partners in dance.
Stevie Wonder - only a couple of weeks ago Wonder entered the Top 40 with his new single For Your Love which got a full play of the video by TOTP2 as a video exclusive, and pity that Wonder couldn't have come then to perform it, and we got instead a different single from the new album tonight on TOTP, which was nowhere near as good as For You Love. Timing could have been better by Wonder on this occasion, but clearly he was back in full force in 1995 with plenty of new music from a new album.
Boo Radleys - great track, I loved this album and its follow-up. The sound seemed a bit off though.
ReplyDeleteClock - a much better take on Axel F than Crazy Frog will be (did TOTP end before that came out?). Ah the early noughties ringtone craze, seems entirely mad in retrospect. I always hated ringtones, every phone I've had I've used a phone noise... although mostly I am on silent mode.
Bucketheads - can't believe it's only March. All the songs so far would still be heard a lot in the summer. Or maybe that was to do with which Now albums the good folk of Grimsby were listening to then). This is alright but gets a bit dull after a while.
Radiohead - I'd forgotten this was a double a side because when did Planet Telex ever get played? Feels like a long time since Radiohead were on this show but their star is about to explode with this album. The Bends is still amazing, as is OK Computer. I don't mind the albums that came later either but I'm clearly on the side of the 'casual' listener rather than the serious fan where this lot are concerned.
FNM - much better performance than last time. Guess someone found a pack of Strepsils backstage.
And then the show dips a bit with an exclusive non hit. To be fair, Stevie is a legitimately good name, but the 90s were not exactly his prime and this song is super forgettable.
Des'Ree - another song I hated at the time but like a lot more in retrospect. I still hate Life though, except for the parody Twitter account a few years ago that used to comment on the news in its style,that was mildly amusing.
Wet Wet Wet - no thanks.
Celine - ok it's feeling like a long time now.
Two new entries in the Top 40 this week, and also at peak position with no TOTP for them during this chart run:
ReplyDeleteNo.25 Mory Kante - Yeke Yeke
Re-release of the 1988 worldwide No.1 which only got to No.29 in the UK, managed only four places better on this second outing in 1995. A superb tune I remember saying on its 1988 entry, and still like it a lot nearly 40 years on. Kante sadly died of chronic illness three years ago at the age of 70 during the Covid outbeak.
No.36 The Sparks - When I Kiss You (I Hear Charlie Parker Playing)
The Sparks have been going for ages, releasing singles from the early 70s until present day, with a new album and three singles already in 2023. This new entry in 1995 was played on TOTP2 the week before as one of the Chart Predictions, so we got to see some of the video, but not high enough for a main TOTP showing.
TOTP 2
ReplyDeleteOne piece on this show to highlight was The Made In The USA section with TLC's new video called Red Light Special. TLC had two number ones in America in 1995, although not this song, and I don't recall this one at all coming into the chart in the UK, but the coming weeks will determine whether or not it made it into the Top 40.
This year is really enjoyable and the new look has really hit its stride. Helped this time by Mark Goodier's steady hand and back with his nice floppy hair this was a belter of a show.
ReplyDeleteThe Boo Radleys; Starting with a happening British band or closer to the mark some indie alternatives who have decided to go breakfast radio friendly. Wasn't too keen on it at the time thinking it was too, well, Chris Evans, but it comes across very bright and fresh today and I enjoyed the fact that Sice looked so awkward, warily eyeing the camera, unsure whether to smile or look stroppy. When I first started at Uni that September my neighbour in halls insisted on playing me 'Giant Steps' "'cause they were never just pop!" but this is also a brilliant song and hopefully their other 'Wake Up!' singles will get featured.
The vocal seemed oddly muted on the verses but clear as day on the choruses.
Clock; Mid '90s dance makeover No.142. Like this as I did at the time. Introduced by Mark on a motorbike though rock n roll attitude does not ensue nor does any discernible link between the frontman being dressed as a circus barker and the rest dressed like the cast of 'CHiPS'. Confusing but entertaining.
Kenny Dope presents Bucketheads; This is one of my favourite dance singles of the year, just brilliant mix of sounds and a classic hook. I somehow stayed watching that sitting down. Video striking and fun and a reminder that the '70s still had a huge influence on the '90s.
Radiohead; What a return for this group though actually the 2nd single from the new album. 'The Bends' still my favourite '90s album though I came to them very slowly and I don't think I paid much attention to this when it was out still thinking they were Nirvana wannabes with a singer with especially stupid hair but a few listens to this turned me round. Thom looks the perfect angsty rock hero in a Bukowski T-shirt and Children's Film Foundation cardigan and, wow, the memories!
The audience more visible now and on one side a brooding floppy haired dude in a red silk shirt and on the other, a fabulously stylish girl doing some wonderful hippie dancing.
Faith No More; Really enjoyed it this time round. Brilliant riff to that and a fine monotonal scream of a chorus. Mike Patton does his crouched down, mic stuck to the side of his face delivery and a cameraman lurches towards the bass player. Good to see audience at the front going mental again.
Stevie Wonder; Reasonable song and Stevie singing live is always a pleasure. And a brief bit of harmonica playing at the start. Good also to see a bit of imagination in the set design. Stars. Understandable.
Des'ree; Another single that was given a 2nd chance in '95 and a classy, slinky number with some classic plonky '90s piano.
Wet, Wet, Wet; More soberly dressed than we've become used to but Marti still with the long hair that he can swish around. I really enjoyed that one. A very charming song. Noticeably Oasis style guitar solo.
Celine Dion;Aaaaaand!!!!......no it's still there. There's a definite sigh in the voice as Mark introduces that. Amazingly I still really enjoyed it.
Following a No.1 that has been on the show endlessly we finish with 'Our Friends Electric' which has been on a fair few times recently. The drummer takes it all very seriously doesn't he.
Wake Up! It's the THE BOO RADLEYS with one of the sounds of 1995. Always reminds me of the Chris Evans breakfast show as I think he used this as his morning call. Great tune and a real sound of the 90s.
ReplyDeleteWith one-hit wonder written all over them it's CLOCK. Somehow they manage 13 Top 40 hits. This is one of the weaker ones.
We missed THE BUCKETHEADS last week but great to see and hear this again. I remember this video very well indeed. Really funky dance tune.
I find RADIOHEAD a very hit and miss band but "High And Dry" is one of their better tunes. Great performance as well.
I rarely skip a track on these repeats but after last weeks verbal poison FAITH were indeed NO MORE.
Tune of the night from STEVIE WONDER. "Tomorrow Robins Will Sing" sounding very Paul Simon Graceland. I really, really like this.
"You Gotta Be" back less than a year after you were last here with this song DES'REE. Bit greedy. Nice vocal though.
After 15 weeks of WET WET WET previously I just have an urge to smack smirky Marti every time I see him. I'm sure "Julia Says" is a decent enough tune but I'm all outta love for the Wets.
Good show. Solid presenting from Mark G.