I believe that somewhere in the darkest night is the Christmas Day 1995 edition of Top of the Pops!
25-12-95: Presenters: Jack Dee & Björk
N-TRANCE – Set You Free
REDNEX – Cotton Eye Joe (clip of TOTP 5-1-95)
BOYZONE – Love Me For A Reason (clip of TOTP 5-1-95)
THE HUMAN LEAGUE – Tell Me When (clip of TOTP 5-1-95)
ANNIE LENNOX – No More I Love You’s
PERFECTO ALLSTARZ – Reach Up (Papa’s Got A Brand New Pig Bag) (clip of TOTP 2-2-95)
MN8 – I’ve Got A Little Something For You (clip of TOTP 2-2-95)
CELINE DION – Think Twice (clip of TOTP 2-2-95)
TAKE THAT – Back For Good
CHER, CHRISSIE HYNDE & NENEH CHERRY with ERIC CLAPTON – Love Can Build A Bridge (video)
ALEX PARTY – Don’t Give Me Your Life (clip of TOTP 16-3-95)
THE OUTHERE BROTHERS – Don't Stop (Wiggle Wiggle) (clip of TOTP 16-3-95)
(79) OASIS – Some Might Say (clip of TOTP 27-4-95)
TINA ARENA – Chains (clip of TOTP 27-4-95)
BRYAN ADAMS – Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman (clip of TOTP 6-4-95)
PEREZ ‘PREZ’ PRADO & HIS ORCHESTRA – Guaglione (video)
SCATMAN JOHN – Scatman (clip of TOTP 11-5-95)
MONTELL JORDAN – This Is How We Do It (clip of TOTP 11-5-95)
U2 – Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me (video)
BABY D – (Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime) I Need Your Loving (video)
MICHAEL JACKSON – Scream (video)
SUPERGRASS – Alright (clip of TOTP 13-7-95)
DIANA KING – Shy Guy (clip of TOTP 20-7-95)
(82) OASIS – Roll With It (clip of TOTP 17-8-95)
THE ORIGINAL – I Luv U Baby (clip of TOTP 17-8-95)
(113) THE REMBRANDTS – I’ll Be There For You (clip of TOTP 31-8-95)
(91) SHAGGY – Boombastic (clip of TOTP 21-9-95)
(6) COOLIO feat. LV – Gangsta’s Paradise (clip of TOTP 26-10-95)
(61) MEAT LOAF – I’d Lie For You (And That’s The Truth) (clip of TOTP 12-10-95)
(9) ROBSON & JEROME – I Believe
(7) OASIS – Wonderwall (clip of TOTP 9-11-95)
(19) MADONNA – You’ll See (clip of TOTP 2-11-95)
(1) MICHAEL JACKSON – Earth Song (and credits) (Got it right this time!)
4th of January 1996 is next.
I thought Bjork made an excellent TOTP presenter, and was pleasantly surprised to see how naturally the role came to her, no nerves, relaxed and very calm, and pity they couldn't find her a better co-presenter than the miserable Dee.
ReplyDeleteOnto the music clips, and the highlights for me were the Human League, Perfecto Allstarz, N-Trance (with Stayin' Alive) and Meat Loaf.
Writing this while watching The Pet Shop Boys At The BBC on BBC4, and couldn't help but highlight their duet with David Bowie in early 1996 with Hallo Spaceboy in the TOTP studio, which will be coming up soon on the current BBC4 TOTP repeats as we shortly embark on 1996.
Last time they shown xmas 1995, didn't it have an alternative number one?
DeleteYes, Mike Flowers Pops.
DeleteTOTP2 31-12-1995 https://we.tl/t-ao3UCW272w (please thank Ben Cook & Robert Thompson from the Popscene facebook group)
ReplyDeleteThanks Rob, Ben and Robert!!!
DeleteCheers Rob, My Saturday night viewing of TOTP2 is now sorted.
DeleteMrs Lurker will be happy too.
Oh and Merry Xmas everybody, here's to 1996.
Looks like the next TOTP repeats are in May due to the World Snooker championship next Friday being moved to BBC4 in the 7-9pm slot usually reserved for TOTP, so then the first two 1996 editions will be shown on 3rd May.
ReplyDeleteI thought the BBC2 60 songs show was a tremendous disappointment. It had some good suprises; Jeff Buckley, Tracey Chapman at the Mandela Concert, Chuck Berry 'In Concert' but some of the omissions were awful; Two clips from the 1960s and NONE from the two year period when BBC2 operated Britain's only regular colour service. One clip from 'Colour Me Pop' would've made a huge difference. And where was 'Rock Goes To College'?? A golden opportunity to show 'Woodstock' from what little survives of 'Disco 2' was passed on in favour of more pressing matters like showing Calvin Harris.
ReplyDeleteFar too much Glastonbury and Later. I'd have given my guitar picking hand to complie that show from one of the most enviable music collections in the world. Those two programmes felt like archival shorthand. I suppose it was always going to be populist and it was overall very watchable but for all the musical diversity I felt like I was watching another channel.
Just guessing here, but the programs you mentioned may not be digitised.
DeleteQuite a lot of programs remain on analogue/digital tapes.
So I assume they just picked from shows which have been digitised, for cost and speed reasons.
Maybe that's the case but it was a terrible shame as there's some pristine colour VT from as early as December 1967 that's in their archives. The 2 clips of The Kinks fro 'Once More With Felix' from Jan '69 is glorious to watch as are all the clips that survive from 'Colour Me Pop'. Just seemed lazy and rather hurriedly done.
DeletePersonally I'd put digitally remastered things from the b&w era making them look like they were made yesterday into room 101!
DeleteIt was good to see the Christmas show on BBC4 again and Jack and Bjork were great hosts. She should've done it a few more times, her breathless excitement, even if maybe not entirely genuine, was really enjoyable. I loved her link to Take That. Just a few thoughts seeing it again;
ReplyDeleteRobson & Jerome 's welcome has an air of "how did this happen?" about it. Indeeeeeeeeeeed.
'Set You Free' a perfect opener even without the piano and rainfall intro missed out. Kelly Llorenna bore a real resemblance to Gill from Legs & Co but with dark hair. The long haired bloke dances about. Of course.
Damon's xmas pud couldn't have tasted very nice. Good on him that he ballsed up at one point but didn't ask for a re-take.
Pulp just classic. Vivre le Kings of the mid '90s.
Jason with Take That possibly trying to nominate himself for the award for most pleased with himself person in London on Christmas Day. He can play guitar clearly.
Good to see the end as it actually was. The ending that I still have on video from original broadcast. Quite a dramatic finale with the credits rolling over the apocalyptic scenes. Jacko would've made a good goalkeeper.
So goodbye '95. I really enjoyed revisiting it being a year of big changes for me. I was surprised by how little Britpop actually featured, far less than I remember although there was a good featuring of happening bands. This will continue on into '96 and looking at some of the upcoming editions it should be a fantastic year. I bought probably more CD singles in '96 than any other year and I see that one of my favourite acts of the year are right around the corner. Maybe it's the last great year for Totp.
Till then, here's my top 20 for 1995;
20. Over My Shoulder, Mike and the Mechanics
19. Your Loving Arms, Billie Rae Martin
18. Just When You're Thinking Things Over, The Charlatans
17. Reverend Black Grape, Black Grape
16. Right In The Night, Jam & Spoon
15. He's On The Phone, St. Etienne
14. Just, Radiohead
13. You'll See, Madonna
12. Mis-Shapes, Pulp
11. Original, Leftfield
10. Miss Sarajevo, Passengers
9. High and Dry, Radiohead
8. Common People, Pulp
7. Independent Love Song, Scarlet
6. Staying Out For The Summer, Dodgy
5. Alright, Supergrass
4. Kelly's Heroes, Black Grape
3. Yes, McCalmont & Butler
2. Set You Free, N Trance
1. Fake Plastic Trees, Radiohead
Just the sound of being 19 for me. Sounded so beautiful and defiant at the time and still does. I guess it inspired some very dull pop but for me the single is perfect '90s. One of the best videos too.