I'm staying in for the 8th of June 1995 edition of Top of the Pops!
Dodgy hair
8-6-95: Presenter: Nicky Campbell
(22) LOVELAND feat. RACHEL McFARLANE – Don’t Make Me Wait
Getting the show underway with their fourth of five top 40 hits, and this one was at its peak.
(19) DODGY – Staying Out For The Summer ‘95
This song had previously reached number 38 last year, this time around number 19 was the peak.
(7) BON JOVI – This Ain’t A Love Song (video) (and charts)
Went up one more place.
Performing what became their only top ten hit when it peaked at number 10.
(NEW) MICHAEL JACKSON – Scream (video)
Will peak at number 3.
(12) WHIGFIELD – Think Of You
In the studio with what became her third and final top ten hit when it peaked at number 7.
(16) ANNIE LENNOX – A Whiter Shade Of Pale
Performing the second single from her number one album, Medusa, but this Procol Harum cover got no higher.
(NEW) U2 – Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me (video)
From the Batman Forever movie, it will peak at number 2.
(1) ROBSON & JEROME – Unchained Melody
Fourth of seven weeks at number one.
(NEW) THE BLUETONES – Are You Blue Or Are You Blind (video) (and credits)
Will Become their first of thirteen top 40 hits when it peaks at number 31.
15th of June is next.
Chart rundown - Marrilion were in as a new entry at No.29, but not high enough to get on the show, and the following they fell out of the Top 30, so no invite to TOTP alas.
ReplyDeleteJam & Spoon - I think this was their first time on TOTP but J&S were releasing singles since 1992, and this was a re-issue of the same single in 1994 which peaked at No.31, and this time round with the addition of Plavka (not sure if she was on the original release), and didn't she look great in the TOTP studio!
Whigfield - hotties is an understatement for the three girls including Whitfield on stage. Wonder if they were all Danish like Whitfield? Certainly those outfits made this show very watchable!
U2- at last the new video for a song title originally founded by Gloria Estefan, with U2 adding a couple of extra words at the end of the song title. It was already six years since Prince got the call up for the first Batman movies which generated a number of chart singles for the purple one, but now five years on in 1995, it was U2 with the soundtrack honours, and the new video came off well to enter the chart at No.2 next week, and great to see the video played in full, even before charting.
Decent enough opener, and several gems here from Dodgy, Jam and Spoon and Annie Lennox. Glad to see the Bluetones over the credits too. Whigfield also puts in a good performance even if the song isn't her best.
ReplyDeleteWhat is with the video for Scream being used in this ep? hadn't they released that really expensive one with Janet in it yet? That was a really striking video unlike whatever this clip show mess is. Speaking of mess, film dialogue in U2's video was very distracting.
The official video for Scream wasn't yet ready, hence this hastily cobbled together effort instead.
DeleteI noticed a couple of new entries peaking outside the Top 40 this week from pop legends, and worth a mention:
ReplyDeleteNo. 65 Van Morrison - Days Like This
First new single in two years since Gloria made it to No.31 in 1993 which also missed out on a TOTP showing. Morrison had indifferent success in the charts, with most of his singles not making Top 40 apart from the occasional one.
No.69 Big Country - I'm Not Ashamed
Also first new single in two years since Ships made No.29 in 1993, this group were now 12 years into their charting career, and I remember when they popped up as a new band in 1983 with the brilliant Fields Of Fire (400 Miles), but not sure if lead singer Stuart Adamson was still fronting the band in 1995.
16-11-78: Presenter: David Jensen
ReplyDelete(12) THE THREE DEGREES – Giving Up, Giving In (and charts)
(NEW) BUZZCOCKS – Promises
(24) ELTON JOHN – Part Time Love (video)
(7) SHOWADDYWADDY – Pretty Little Angel Eyes ®
(29) ELVIS COSTELLO & THE ATTRACTIONS – Radio Radio ®
(23) HEATWAVE – Always And Forever
(18) BLONDIE – Hanging On The Telephone (video)
(70) DEAN FRIEDMAN – Lydia
(25) STREETBAND – Toast ®
(13) QUEEN – Fat Bottomed Girls (video)
(NEW) CHILD – Still The One
(1) THE BOOMTOWN RATS – Rat Trap
(14) ROD STEWART – Da Ya Think I’m Sexy? (and credits)
Good Lord how I remember this show when it went out the first time in 1978, when Bob Geldof as the new No.1 with The Boomtown Rats ripped up the picture of John Travolta at the start of the song. I was only 10 at the time, and I remember being slightly shocked by this gesture, particularly as it was the Grease phenomenon that first got me interested in watching TOTP every week since the summer of 1978.
DeleteElton John - I always wondered which TV studio this 'video' comes from, as it looks like an ITV one, but has always been the official video for Part Time Love, so any info on this would be great. The video also features Cathy McGowan in a gold dress sitting by the piano and just as much a feature of the video.
Three songs in a row were edited out to fit this show into a 30-minute slot, including Showaddywaddy in what was their last Top 10 hit before a gradual falling out of favour with record buyers from 1979 onwards as music genres were changing rapidly towards the turn of the decade.
This was a really good pop edition, the only quibble being the absence of Legs & Co. Odd that they were cut from the shortened version. Also I wasn't fussed about having Child on my TV again but even they were pretty good here. Kid Jensen sporting a sweatshirt displaying the new wavelength for Radio 1, starting that month. His collars out look unfortunately made him look about 50 but he was his usual charming self. His presenting style switched from initially being with female audience members to being completely on his own giving the show the feel of a gentle end of year review.
DeleteThe set now resembling a crystally shelf ornament or bits of a broken puzzle.
Marvellous choice for the rundown. I've got 'Giving Up, Giving In' on the 1980 'Three Degrees, Gold' LP, easily the most tacky album cover in my LP collection. Best one would have to be 'It's All About' by Spooky Tooth.
Total respect to X Ray Spex but their picture at No.30 looked dreadful.
Buzzcocks; Pretty lame song but always good to see them in the TOTP studio. Some shaky camerawork at first. Some equally shaky miming from the drummer in places.
Elton John; Following on from Dory's point, yes I think this clip of 'Part Time Love' actually was from an ITV broadcast but I can't recall where I saw that fact. A lively and very affectionate pastiche of 'Ready Steady Go '. You'll notice that among all the different fashions from over the years, there's no sign of Glam. Elton it has to be said looks pretty scary up there, pale faced, yobbish circus barker not an image to warm to. Good fun though.
Blondie; Three singles removed but no matter as Elton crashes into Debbie and Co. Success is when every second of your latest single gets an airing, from first ringtone to last crashing chord. Thrilling from start to finish, video using the, even then, iconic 'Parallel Lines' cover, how was 'Hanging On The Telephone' not a No.1?
Dean Friedman; Kid seems to love this chap (I've never known him to have a single moment of sarcasm) and you know what, I have a soft spot for that voice too. He is after all the squawky voiced man who sang about twinkly stars with the
nice lady.
'Lydia' didnt get through to my 3 year old self and instead is a ponderous Laurel Canyon singer songwriter hangover with lots of comic over emoting and a chorus that actually sounds like him going; 'Lllllady!, oh Lady!, oh Lady!!!'...and is unintentionally hilarious. Its all for the women of course so Dean probably wouldn't be concerned by a stroppy young Denny Laine lookalike right beside the piano who stares up at him with a puzzled expression.
Streetband; No 'Lucky Stars' but we do get 'Toast' which must've had a lot of plays on Ray Moore's show as well as Kenny Everett because this is another very early memory. Paul Young's wide boy delivery is brilliantly, almost hypnotically downbeat and that hook is just perfect. Just no other year like this one.
Pr.2
DeleteQueen; Classic stomping silliness from Queen. Even though he doesn't go very high, how on earth did Freddie not do serious damage to his throat with that vocal. Ferocious sounding.
Child; Not quite as annoying as before, mainly because they haven't smeared a '60s classic in treacle this time. Quite a nice song. The lead singer's hair still suggesting they're essentially a '60s bubblegum tribute act.
The Boomtown Rats; Good to see 'Rat Trap' with the John and Olivia tearing performance from the actual edition it was originally on. Always love hearing this.
Kid back with the girls who've come to inform him that he isn't sexy. No big arse visible for the classic play out but a lights dance which for reasons best known to Robin Nash assumes the pattern of frogspawn.
I appreciate the authenticity and transparency in your content.
ReplyDeleteRobson and Jerome clearly have a sense of humour with their "it's your fault" intro.
ReplyDeleteBit of early 90's house music from LOVELAND. No complaints form me. Liked that.
Tune of the summer from DODGY. "Staying Out For The Summer ‘95" still on my Summer playlist. Great 60's vibe to this one. Really stood the test of time.
The inflatable juke box and BON JOVI get a second outing then MARMALADE & FORK with a smooth guitar dancey number that was likeable enough.
Nicky gets his second dig in at MICHAEL JACKSON in the space of 10 minutes. The 6 million pound video not ready for "Scream", someone probably got he boot for this. Apparently Janet is on this tune but she looks and sounds so much like Michael she shouldn't have bothered. Sounds like a cast off from Dangerous and with good reason. Weakest MJ tune for a long time.
I must apologise to all but I quite like this WHIGFIELD number. Enjoyed the "Whig-A-Likes" in the back as well.
"A Whiter Shade Of Pale" is my Mum's all time favourite tune and I can't say she's wrong as it's wonderful. This is a very fine version and performance from Mickey's Mum. ANNIE LENNOX made one of the better cover albums.
Bloody love this tune from U2. No idea how great the film is but the video is rather good as well. "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" a monster tune.
Time for a sing-a-long with ROBSON & JEROME then THE BLUETONES play us out. Ended up buying their greatest hits album.