You fall in love, zing boom, it's oh so the 23rd of November 1995 edition of Top of the Pops!
Lions & Co
23-11-95: Presenter: Nicky Campbell
(11) M-PEOPLE – Itchycoo Park
Getting the show underway but this Small Faces cover got no higher.
(10) BON JOVI – Lie To Me
In the studio tonight but the song got no higher.
(5) BLUR – The Universal (video) (and charts)
At its peak.
(3) EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL – Missing
Now at its peak.
(8) BOYZONE – Father And Son
This Cat Stevens cover went up six more places.
(NEW) PASSENGERS – Miss Sarajevo (video)
Became the supergroup's only hit when it peaked at number 6.
(9) BJÖRK – It’s Oh So Quiet
Performing her second of three top ten hits, and this became her biggest peaking at number 4.
(15) WHALE – Hobo Humpin’ Slobo Babe
A second studio performance but the song could scream no higher.
(1) ROBSON & JEROME – I Believe
Third of four weeks at number one.
(NEW) THE BEATLES – Free As A Bird (video) (and credits)
Their first 'new' song for 25 years, and it will peak at number 2. How many Beatles references did you spot in the video? There are between 80 to 100 of them!
30th of November is next.
30-3-78: Presenter: David Jensen
ReplyDelete(3) GERRY RAFFERTY – Baker Street (and charts)
(NEW) MUD – Cut Across Shorty
(28) TINA CHARLES – I’ll Go Where Your Music Takes Me
(17) ELVIS COSTELLO & THE ATTRACTIONS – (I Don’t Want To Go To) Chelsea ®
(49) RICHARD MYHILL – It Takes Two To Tango
(29) TAVARES – The Ghost Of Love (danced to by Legs & Co)
(26) DAN HILL – Sometimes When We Touch ®
(10) SUZI QUATRO – If You Can’t Give Me Love
(6) ANDY CAMERON – Ally’s Tartan Army ®
(NEW) DON WILLIAMS – I’ve Got A Winner In You
(1) KATE BUSH – Wuthering Heights ®
(9) BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS – Is This Love (and credits)
What, nothing edited out? How was this so for a 1978 episode, as I though the episodes were 40 minutes long in those days.
DeleteMud - interesting that in those times you could sing about a short person as Shorty, and the single didn't even make Top 75, as Mud's last chart listing was a top 10 single in late 1976, so I was surprised to see them on TOTP as late as 1978, but in those days TOTP would play new singles before they had a chance to chart if it was from a famous group.
Tina Charles - also at the end of her chart run, with this her final Top 40 single in a two-year chart career from early 1976.
Elvis Costello - in contrast, Costello was just starting out on his chart career with this his second consecutive Top 20 single.
Richard Myhill - never heard of him, but this was just brilliant, and so characteristic of the 70s melody that sort of lulls you in.
Taveres/Legs & Co - Good Lord, Legs & Co dressed as ghosts and still managing to look sexy. Only Legs & Co of course!
Dan Hill - an all time classic, and love the cardigan, which these days would be a non-starter for anyone thinking of being invited onto TOTP to perform, but back to the song, and whoever wrote it for Dan Hill if not himself was truly gifted in terms of songwriting.
Richard Myhill was apparently from Chorleywood very near where I grew up. Check out the extraordinary LP cover for his 1975 album '21 Nights In Soho'.
Delete'21 Days In Soho' I should say. Yes. Very striking.
DeleteThe ever well dressed Kid Jensen does the honours for a generally beige edition of Top of the Pops. All over the place musically but still entertaining and at least did have one of my favourite songs of the period.
DeleteMud; 'Baker Street' with the charts leads into...eh? I didn't expect to see them make a return in '78 but that was a fun few minutes. Odd to see a resolutely mid '70s act doing their mid '70s thing with lots of freeze frame graphics that you saw in the early '80s. Rob Davis' hair looks bigger even than in '74 and Les Gray struts and runs on the spot while singing. Liked the moment where he takes off the shades, looks for a moment like he's not sure where to put them then just chucks them presumably to someone off camera. Really good song.
Tina Charles; Rather pedestrian UK disco from lovely Tina. I noticed that the backing (from the studio orchestra?) stops very abruptly and she continues singing on her own for a moment. Acapella disco anyone? There were odder things that year.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions; Moodily lit and with what sounded to me like a different mix to the single version with more organ. Maybe not but that was really effective and Elvis grimaces and glares the viewer into submission. Brilliant tune and lyrics. Ohhhhh, yes! to that.
Richard Myhill; Cabaret time with all that term conjures. I thought this was the outer limits of smarminess when it was last repeated but i enjoyed it this time. Ersatz to an almost heroic level he even has a dummy next to him which he serenades when not raising his eyebrow and furtively engaging the lucky viewer. The hook of 'It Takes Two To Tango' stayed in my head for most of the next day, unfortunately. No one is visible aside from someone who peeks awkwardly from behind a part of the set. Right at the end a bunch of people shuffle towards the stage and even then there weren't many.
Tavares; It's appropriate that the Legs routines this week takes place in a set comprised of cobwebs. Tavares had a thing for the mysterious didn't they? 'Whodunnit?' and all. Not so keen on this one but I do think their lead singer had one of the greatest voices in '70s pop. The routine was a bit of mess of solos and time filling role plays although with Patti getting alot of the out front work this time I can't complain. Not much else of interest takes place although at one point the camera, looking for something to do, drifts towards Lulu and Pauline appearing to do Tommy Cooper impressions at each other.
Dan Hill; Definitely recall 'Sometimes When We Touch' from childhood so obviously a Wogan/Moore morning favourite on Radio 2. Big eyes he's got. Sounded live and a good job done by the orchestra. Did I hear something fall over in the background early on in that?
Suzi Quatro; It's a little beige this week and here's Suzi all in beige but there's nothing beige about this tune for me. Absolutely love this single. Perfect feel good country rock with some perfect '70s hooks to it. Also one that exists in that misty, just before period in my memories. And what a star. Who else could make the simple act of going and getting a bass and strapping it on be something you can't take your eyes off of. She seemed to give a 'now, now!' expression towards someone off camera with a smile then the Suzi yell and hair shake in the choruses. Perfect pop star. Another thank you to BBC4 for repeating this.
Andy Cameron; Not keen on football songs although I did like the triumphant England baiting line. However isn't this rather early in the year for a World Cup number?
Pt 2;
DeleteDon Williams; When I told my Dad, who used to be in a bluegrass band, that Don Williams had been on, he replied; "Was he awake?". Decent song and he has a great voice but another one that rather slows the show down. The camera pulls right away from the stage during the guitar solo for some reason and as we go back towards them it looks like his guitar fingers are barely moving. Wow! Those sideboards.
Kate Bush; 1978 which for much of this show passes in out of view like a less murky cloud fully emerges with another showing for 'Wuthering Heights '. Not the flora one but the National Grid troubling one. I think I spotted one part of the stage that wasn't made of lights. Yes it's rather shaky and awkward and the twinkly section sounds like it was on time delay but it's still strangely compelling. I love the moment when for no apparent reason she points furiously at the camera. I think that's actually the first time I've seen that clip in its show context rather than on a compilation programme.
Play out to classic Marley and a more sedate studio swirl than usual, the graphics an eye catching mix of '70s glitz and plug removed from a foam bath.
TOTP2 25-11-1995 https://we.tl/t-EdSdxNRCHg
ReplyDeleteThanks Rob!!!
DeleteHighlight of this TOTP2 show for me was The Video Stir with a tune I never head of but thoroughly recommended is Technocat featuring Tom Wilson, with a superb techno melody that is just so uplifting.
DeleteThanks Robb
DeleteIf you're wondering why rob never replies its because he lifts TOTP2 links from popscene facebook, and takes credit for other peoples work.
ReplyDelete"takes credit". Back during the Yewtree & Smith skips, Neil used to tell us to share them far and wide. They used to be all over Digital Spy and the various forums.
DeleteHope this now closes all the bickering, as it only serves to dampen a great blog served up by Angelo every week, so let's stick to discussing the music and not individuals.
DeleteI hope it is all water under the bridge between us Dory :) - if Ben & RobT (anon) want credit each time I don't mind doing that. Or if they don't want me to post it and post it themselves that's fine too.
DeleteThanks Rob
ReplyDeleteThese are my files, again great to share far and wide. But making out they are yours not the way. Neils vhs copies were fab in the day, but then i discovered archive copies, just because i dont post here dont mean i stop reading.
ReplyDeleteI used to say 'from Ben from the popscene facebook page' but I stopped doing that after one of the long breaks. I don't mind typing that again though.
DeleteI supply ben
DeleteM-People - similar to Robson & Jerome covering a No.3 track from April 1964 by The Bachelors, in the same 1995 chart we have M-People also covering a No.3 track from September 1967 by The Small Faces. Good Lord, what was it about No.3 tracks of the 60s in late 1995?
ReplyDeleteChart rundown - three new entries on this week's Top 40 rundown at peak positions with no TOTP appearance to show for it were Jam & Spoon featuring Plavka again with Angel (Ladadi O-Heyo), Roxette at No.28 with The Look '95 which I presume was a re-release of the original their 1989 debut single rather than a remix , and Diana Ross at No.36 with I'm Gone. Also noticed just outside the Top 40 another new entry at peak of No.42 for Nomad with a remix of (I Wanna Give You) Devotion, which first charted for them in 1991 and got to No.2.
The Passengers - this new single was featured last week on TOTP2 with the new video in full, but this TOTP feature was a mix of the video plus a new on-stage performance somewhere other than TOTP, so if anyone knows where in the world this was performed with Bono's northern cap, I would love to know. I wonder if they went to Pavarotti's Italy to perform it with him?
The Look 95 was indeed a remix Dory to give the track a bit more oomph. Not a huge difference to be honest but there to plug the "Don't bore us get to the chorus" Greatest Hits CD
DeleteExcept it wasn't even on that album so it was a baffling choice by EMI. The four new songs on that album were great.
DeleteReally enjoyed this edition. After a slow start it was strong and on two occasions bonkers. The chart topper was an excitement void but hey ho. Nicky Campbell back again after only a shirt time away. He'll be on quite a lot more as '95 struts into '96 and in fact will be the last of the pre Appel revamp presenters by the time he finally says goodbye in Jan '97. He was on great form on this edition I thought. Witty bur also serious when necessary. It's been good that he's been the presenter when singles relating to the war in former Yugoslavia have been featured. His link to 'Lucky' from the 'Warchild' album was very well done and he does just as good a job for the Passengers single. His first link has him pull a face that only Kenny Everett would've done previously. Must've been at least a little sarcastic.
ReplyDeleteM People; Awful start. 'Itchycoo Park' given a blank dance makeover. Dig! Not.
Bon Jovi; Rather ponderous single. The only thing of note was that Richie Sambora with his hair and pullover looked a lot like Jerry Garcia c.1966.
Blur; I loved 'The Universal' at the time it came out and it still sounds very fresh. The video maybe a little dated with lots of figures staring motionless but Damon and the rest of the band looked pretty charismatic here.
Everything But The Girl; The studio performance of 'Missing'. Still very powerful.
Boyzone; It's hard to ruin a gold plated song like 'Father and Son' but Boyzone do a pretty good job. The backing is OK and Ronan's voice is distinctive but he does some annoying to humorous over emoting throughout. I hope he had something fun planned for 'tomorrowah'.
Passengers; One of the singles of the year for me. 'Miss Sarajevo' still sounds so atmospheric. Proof of just how significant The Edge was to everything they did the guitar here sounds incredible and Bono sings beautifully. Pavarotti really adds to it though on my cd single he comes in straight after Bono stops singing. The video a mix of deeply affecting images and footage of the group in the concert in Modena. Another video features just that performance and hopefully Totp will show that next week as well.
Bjork; Beating The Flaming Lips to the dancing animals routine by 8 years I don't remember this performance only the equally mad video. Bjork does it live and is as spontaneous as the show would allow. She screams when you don't expect her to and growls and chatters and whatever else is and it's just brilliant to watch and and listen to. Maybe my favourite performance of the year. Nicky's mention of Betty Hutton at the start, punctuated by a who? gesture to the kids nearest to him was priceless.
Whale; This bunch were I'm sure played a lot on the 'Evening Session'. Certainly they were popular with 'Melody Maker' and 'Hobo Humping Slobo Babe' was one of their singles of the year. Henrik Schyffert was one of the contributors to the end of year review in the MM christmas edition. Good fun with him and his bandmate singing into stupidly placed microphones. Enjoyed that.
Robson & Jerome; Will a shrug do as a review?
The Beatles; I had a close look for the clues Angelo having not really looked closely before. Saw the Penny Lane ones and not noticed until now, the flying Kite (Mr) and the reference to Piggies. A whole crowd of us sat in our communal room at uni and watched it and also an ITV show that night with celebs talking about them which I've never seen since. I remember Jarvis Cocker was on it and I think also Bruce Forsyth. 'Free As a Bird' sounds lovely but not particularly Beatlely whereas 'Now and Then' really had their spirit. I still have Anthology on vhs from its showing on LWT.
Yes, Penny Lane, Mr Kite and Piggies are there, along with Strawberry Fields, Helter Skelter, I am the Walrus, Birthday, Here Comes the Sun, and When I'm 64. The bird Flying around is never seen, but it could be a Blackbird, and also perhaps referencing And Your Bird Can Sing? Plenty more in there besides. Great video.
DeleteRegarding Miss Sarajevo, TOTP2 showed just the video in full, then TOTP1 showed a mix of the video with the Modena concert footage, so now we wait for no video but only the Modena concert footage. Here's hoping Mic 1,2,1,2.
DeleteBjork
ReplyDeleteRobson & Jerome
Sean Maguire
Enya
Plenty to suffer in these two episodes.
Great cover choice from M People. Clocks have gone forward. Sun is shining through the window for a classy summer dance tune (what do you mean it's November).
ReplyDeleteHere's one we filmed earlier and it's Bon Jovi Ballad Alert. Not a power ballad though and it's not bad. Something a bit different. Not sure I had the “These Days” album but I was really into Bon Jovi at the time
The Universal is one of my favourite Blur songs. Any lip readers in the house? Rather odd video.
Keeps on climbing this EBTG tune. A should have been Number One tune if ever there was one. Classic.
Nearly Xmas. Get out that cute Irish Boyband and give them a sickly cheesy tune that Mum and Nan will buy. Not the best live vocal Ronan will ever do.
I did wonder what was happening this week in Nov 95 that Nicky was referring to. Turns out it was Princess Diana's interview with Martin Bashir.
Not a fan of this Pasenger tune. Not sure why I don't like it really. Just doesn't do anything for me
Totp2 is on early this week.
Utterly bonkers tune from Bjork and I loved it. Great record and the video is very good as well. Highlight of the evening for me.
I completely wrote this Whale tune off a couple of shows ago but for some reason this week I quite enjoyed it. Maybe Bjork put me in the mood. Not sure why she is cosplaying Captain Kirk?
I remember all the fuss about The Beetles anthology and new music. It was quite a moment. Helped by the fact it's a good tune. Very clever video as well.
I like this M people cover even though I prefer the original.
ReplyDeleteJon Bon Jovi is looking fine this episode. Shame the song is so yawnsome.
Blur - great video and track.
Passengers - I like it conceptually but it's a bit of a dull listen.
Björk, EBTG and Whale all excellent. Boyzone and the number one less so.
Ah Free as a Bird which I always thought was boring. The best version of that song was Mike Flowers Pops and he was a very one-note joke.