Anyway for all the things you know tell me it's the 15th of February 1996 edition of Top of the Pops!
Water music
15-2-96: Presenter: Justine Frischman
(15) OCEAN COLOUR SCENE – The Riverboat Song
Making their studio debut with the first of seventeen top 40 hits, but this one got no higher.
(12) ALCATRAZ – Give Me Luv
With their only hit and it got no higher.
(3) LUNIZ – I Got 5 On It (via satellite) (and charts)
Their only top ten hit and it was at its peak.
(14) DIANA ROSS – I Will Survive
In the studio tonight but this disco cover got no higher.
(11) RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS – Aeroplane (via satellite)
At its peak altitude.
(NEW) SUPERGRASS – Going Out
Performing a song that will peak at number 5.
(4) MARIAH CAREY – Open Arms
Here tonight but the song got no higher.
(NEW) STING – Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot
In the studio with a song that will peak at number 15.
(1) BABYLON ZOO – Spaceman
Fourth of five weeks at number one.
(TOTP2) TAKE THAT – Pray (clip of TOTP 1-7-93) (and credits)
Number one in 1993.
It's TFI Friday ..
ReplyDeleteOh no sorry it's TOTP in full Brit Pop mode with Justine and OCS. Iconic tune of the 90s. Proper MOD look and feel to this one. I think Weller would approve.
Storming dance tune next from Alcatraz. Love this tune. Shame no live vocal.
Oh my word. Luniz. I had this one. This tune was everywhere. Not normally my type of tune but it's done so well with a great hook. I didn't enjoy it so much 28 years later.
Pointless cover alert. Fair play to Diana for showing up and putting in a live vocal but not a patch on Gloria luv. Strong performance though.
Peppers goes Pop. Reverse of Diana. Good song, poor performance. Copious amount of drugs just out of shot.
Full on Beatles vibes from Supergrass. Think this is tune of the night for me. Such a fun band.
Ross and now Carey. All the stars are out tonight. Not one of her numbers I recall. Nice but not spectacular.
Sting getting lots of exclusives but not a huge amount of chart success. His choir is bigger than Take That’s though. Like this one. Saw a Sting tribute act at the Wokingham Music Festival a couple of years ago and he was absolutely amazing.
People did really love this Spaceman tune didn't they.
Not much ‘bleeping’ of the Luniz lyrics either (compared to on radio over the years)! I suspect the beeb hadn’t realised what the song was about.
DeleteBest parts:
DeleteJustine Frischman, Justine Frischman & Justine Frischman.
Ocean Colour Scene & Take That
Worst Parts:
Everything Else
TOTP2 17-02-1996 https://we.tl/t-RYu8CfFtXV
ReplyDelete(please thank Ben Cook & Robert Thompson from the Popscene facebook group)
Audio codec: MP3
Thanks Rob, Ben and Robert!!!
DeleteCheers Rob,
DeleteMuch appreciated as ever
Not getting any sound again. Any chance of enabling the sound for me Lurker?
DeleteHere you go Dory:
Deletehttps://we.tl/t-5t8KNeasLy
Brilliant stuff Lurker. Keep Lurking on here!
DeleteThe show was pretty much a Take That filled show from start to finish, as at this point in 1996, the group had confirmed their split following speculation, and everyone now waiting to see what will come out of the ashes, according to Johnnie Walker.
A couple of new entries in the Top 40 this week and at peak, missing out on TOTP:
ReplyDeleteNo. 27 Mike And The Mechanics - All I Need Is A Miracle '96
Remix of their 1986 original which only got to No.53 at the time, and now 10 years later doubled their score, but both times didn't get played on TOTP.
No.40 Michael Ball - Something Inside So Strong
Cover of Labi Siffre's 1987 single which got to No.4, and was also to be Ball's final single, bringing down the curtain on a solo career spanning 7 years since 1989 when his debut single Love Changes Everything managed to get to No.2.
Another pop star presenter and Justine Frischman is very welcome despite the Britpop drawl in her voice. She just always comes over as likeable and introduces the acts without any noticeable put downs.
ReplyDeleteThe set; Some lights.
Ocean Colour Scene; Enough time has passed for me to sort of like this now but God I was sick of this at the time and not just because of Chris Evans talking loudly before and after it. Just not a very good riff squawking round and round and takes itself too seriously. Steve Craddock wearing medals on his shirt; yes we get it.
As a big fan of Manfred Mann I definitely give credit to Simon Fowler for both sounding a lot like Paul Jones and looking a lot like Mike D'Abo. '100 Mile High City' was a good one but I'll just say that I went to Hyde Park during the London Olympics and when they appeared in the afternoon I went and watched Handball on a big screen instead.
Alcatraz; Not the best name for the latest blast of jolly dance pop on the show but this isn't jolly pop dance for a change. Instead it's an intriguingly dark sounding thing with a Beltram-like hypnotic clatter to it. 'Give Me Luv' was pretty much all I could hear throughout but that was fine. The performance of it wasn't much to talk about.
Luniz; Yes, I liked this one a lot at the time and good to hear again. Catchy and a bit mad and direct from Hollywood.
Diana Ross; A very lame dance update of 'I Will Survive'. Did she need to do that? Interesting gloves. Hearing Gladys Knight cover that last night on TV really put that version in the shade. Happy 80th Gladys! I've got a ticket to see her in July. So excited!
Red Hot Chilli Peppers; Good link from Justine referencing the socks photograph. Another satellite link and you didn't need to watch it to know what it would look like. Gloves, bare chests, sweatiness. Great song though with one of the catchiest choruses of the year.
Supergrass; Another brilliant tune from them. "A song about going out called 'Going Out'". Um, thanks. Swirling and fun and as always looking like the coolest mates in college. Love Gaz's coat and Mickey's hair. The woodwind trio at the side look like people they've picked up off the street and as a result it's dated far less than when Blur had similar people adressed in tweed and deerstalkers. Gaz goes and has a friendly chat about upcoming recording sessions or something with the organist while they're playing. Yeah!
Mariah Carey; 'I Will Always Love You' style fluttery intro followed by more of the same but with a backing.
Sting; Big and meaningful. 'Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot'. If the experience is as dull as that I'll leave it in the hangar, thanks.
Babylon Zoo; A less than enthusiastic link from Justine but I could understand why this stayed at No.1 for so long. At very least a song from an advert that is original and actually has some substance if you extend it beyond 20 seconds. Repeat of the very striking clip with all the headache inducing / 15 pints succeeding visual effects. Jas Mann I won't miss particularly with all his "you fancy me!" expressions to the camera but he was a unique pop star for that moment. Everyone was singing the speeded up part at Uni upon returning after Christmas. As I remember I really liked the main song and didn't care for that part and just about everyone else I knew thought the opposite.
Play out to Take That from 1993. The set looks imaginative. Just thought I'd mention that.
Apology; the woozy Spaceman repeat is the next edition. This was another fantastic performance though with the android call centre staff now wearing party hats.
Delete