Here I am once again top of the 18th of April 1996 edition of Top of the Pops!
Gonna Mack You a Star
18-4-96: Presenter: Bear Van Beers
(14) THE WILDHEARTS – Sick Of Drugs
Getting the show underway but the song got no higher.
(11) ALANIS MORISSETTE – Ironic
In the studio with her fourth and perhaps best known single from her number one album, Jagged Little Pill, but it could get no higher.
(8) THE PRESIDENTS OF THE USA – Peaches (via satellite) (and charts)
At its peak.
(6) EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL – Walking Wounded
Here tonight with their third of four top ten hits, but it got no higher.
(NEW) GEORGE MICHAEL – Fastlove (video)
On his way to number one.
(13) THE CRANBERRIES – Salvation
Performing the first single from their number 2 album, To the Faithful Departed, and it was at its peak.
(4) MICHAEL JACKSON – They Don’t Care About Us (video)
At its peak.
(NEW) THE CURE – The 13th
In the studio tonight for the first time in six years with what will become their 20th of 21 top 40 hits when it peaks at number 15.
(1) MARK MORRISON – Return Of The Mack
Finally making it to number one, his first of two weeks.
(NEW) MANCHESTER UNITED FC – Move Move Move (video) (and credits)
Will peak at number 6.
25th of April is next.
22-6-78: Presenter: David Jensen
ReplyDelete(7) GOLDIE – Making Up Again (and charts)
(21) BLACK SABBATH – Never Say Die
(72) SHOWADDYWADDY – A Little Bit Of Soap
(19) MARSHALL HAIN – Dancing In The City (danced to by Legs & Co)
(61) DAVID COVERDALE’S WHITESNAKE – Bloody Mary
(22) HEATWAVE – Mind Blowing Decisions
(15) BROTHERHOOD OF MAN – Beautiful Lover
(43) SAN JOSÉ & RODRIGUEZ ARGENTINA – Argentine Melody
(20) THIN LIZZY – Rosalie
(37) BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS – Satisfy My Soul
(1) JOHN TRAVOLTA & OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN – You’re The One That I Want (video)
(12) DAVID SOUL – It Sure Brings Out The Love In Your Eyes (and credits)
At this point in pop history, I was only just starting to follow the charts in the summer of 1978, because I was completely fascinated by the whole Grease phenomenon, even though the movie was not released in the UK until September, but it was the pop charts domination, and that movie clip at no.1 with the video ending off on the show with Travolta and ONJ walking their way sideways out of the Shake-Shack.
DeleteIt's a pity that the post 2000 BBC4 cannot show the No.1 as it was with a clip from the movie, but instead pasting over it with a Legs & Co performance from the previous month, May 1978 when a new entry at No.23. My whole memory of the summer of 1978 was Travolta & ONJ at number one every week with the video clip from the movie on TOTP to finish off the show, so tonight's rerun didn't have the same flavour about when having BBC4 pasting over it with a Legs & Co clip from a previous show. Good Lord!
BBC Four showed a December 1990 episode in April 2021 which was PWL's The Grease Mega-Mix, which featured two of the videos in which they didn't get rights to back then, in other words it was a official video medley mashup by Stock, Aitken & Waterman.
DeleteThe BBC did show Grease on Boxing Day 2020 for the first time in 24 years (apart from ITV/C4 showings as of now) and 2021, it reverted back to Channel 4 showings like as it has always been since the late 2000s.
The best part of the show was the sexy presenter Bear Van Beers. Never heard of her until now, but apparently her first name is spelled Beertje and she is from Holland, but not sure of the significance of presenting TOTP, as there is nothing about her to read online, so what was her connection to TOTP?
ReplyDeleteChart rundown - The Nightcrawlers were back with a new entry at No.34 and at peak, with no TOTP invite, so we would not get to see their latest single.
Also an even higher new entry for Black Box at No.21 with I Got The Vibration/A Positive Vibration, this was to be their last Top 40 single since they came on to the scene in 1989 with Ride On Time which of course got to No.1, but no invite to TOTP this week with their new single in 1996, despite being as high as No.21.
Michael Jackson - the new video was a throwback to Paul Simon's Graceland video from 1986, bringing in African drummers in an outdoor video setting to help out.
One new entry peaking outside the Top 40 this week at No.51 was The Grace Brothers with Are You Being Served, named after the popular 1970s BBC comedy series featuring Mollie Sugden as Mrs Slocombe if any one remembers it.
Also further down the chart outside the Top 40, several earlier Prodigy singles since 1991 were back in the outer charts as re-entries following the intrigue of the recent No.1 Firestarter.
Bear Van Beers just got lucky in 1996 and presented 5 TOTP and them seemed to disappear.
ReplyDeleteWildhearts - Decent enough. Didn't buy the single or the album.
Alanis - Finally getting a TOTP showing. "Ironic" her best known tune but not her best although she gives a good account of herself here. Video for this is is quite iconic.
PUSA: Fabulous sing along tune and I already had the album at this stage.
EBTG: I had completely forgotten this tune. It's absolutely wonderful. Really enjoyed that one.
George Michael: Great tune and great video.
The Cranberries: Another tune I had forgotten but it's great. Good performance as well.
Michael Jackson: Very Paul Simon with all the drums. Decent tune this one. Not quite out of decent tunes yet.
The Cure: But forgettable this one but good to see them on the show.
Mark Morrison: Probably deserved to be Number One.
Great to see Taylor Hawkins too, soon to be in Foo Fighters, on the Drums for the Alanis Morrisette performance.
ReplyDelete