This is my moment, this is my perfect 16th of April 1999 edition of Top of the Pops!
Tiff of the pops
16-4-99: Presenter: Jayne Middlemiss
(6) PHATS & SMALL – Turn Around
Will peak at number 2.
(15) MEAT LOAF & PATTI RUSSO – Is Nothing Sacred
In the studio tonight but got no higher.
(8) TLC – No Scrubs (via satellite)
Will peak at number 3.
(13) THE CRANBERRIES – Promises
Performing their ninth and final top 40 hit and it got no higher.
(10) GLAMMA KID feat. SHOLA AMA – Taboo
With his first of two top ten hits but this Sade cover got no higher.
(9) NEW RADICALS – You Get What You Give
Had already peaked at number 5.
(NEW) GERI HALLIWELL – Look At Me (video)
Introducing what will become her first of eight solo top ten hits when it peaks at number 2.
(1) MARTINE McCUTCHEON – Perfect Moment (and credits)
Making her studio debut with her first of five top ten hits, this being her only number one and it spent two weeks at the top.
Meat Loaf ft Patti Russo - first single for Meat in three years, with this new single coming off the Very Best Of Meat Loaf album released around this time which was a combination of new singles and classic Loaf singles from years gone by. Did anyone notice Meat's blonde daughter Pearl at the back of the stage doing backing vocals? First time both of them were on TOTP together I believe.
ReplyDeleteGlamma Kid ft Shola Ama - another 'featuring' single, but this had no glama for me, as I much preferred the original Sade version from 1985 called Sweetest Taboo. Not sure why this new version by Glama Kid dropped the Sweetest from the song title.
Geri Halliwell - when at The Spice Girls, I didn't think much of her, but this first solo single changed everything, as she was looking just fantastic and sexy, and on this occasion I think the black and white video would have helped her cause, as usually I'm not a fan of b&w videos when colour is available.
Some interesting new entries at peak further down the chart from some old timers with new material, and missing out on a TOTP appearance:
No.22 Ace of Base - Every Time It Rains
No.40 James Brown - Funk On Ah Roll
No.60 Rod Stewart - Faith Of The Heart
Iadd ins which was looking forward to this little period of Totp and it didn't disappoint me. Some very god things on this edition and one of my favourite No.1s to finish (seriously!).
ReplyDeleteJayne Middlemiss' ladette tinged tone still gets on my wick but there are brief moments where a more natural Jayne (like the one who made turn of the decade Glastonbury coverage so enjoyable) comes through. Still doing the walking past murky backstage equipment links. Better sets would be preferable.
Phats and Small; Coming I guess from the same Big Beat scene that produced Stardust's 'Music Sounds Better With You' and it's good to revisit. It's charmingly cheery instead of annoyingly so and the singer is very likeable and has a great voice. I like the oohs that sounded like a charming tip of the hat to The Four Tops, 'Don't Walk Away'. Mr. Phats and Mr. Small (I assume) smile and clap and do clever things with the discs like good anonymous djs.
Meat Loaf; Meat Yawn up next with another big, blousey ballad. Alright as a song but very formulaic. The set makes direct reference to the BIG single's video but it more resembled the infamous 'Spaghetti Harvest' feature on 'Panorama'.
At least some pleasant nostalgia seeing the first candelabra on the set for some time.
TLC; Oh, off she walks, to the VIP section. "What exactly is a scrub anyway?", Jayne asks us, after the trio have just spent the previous few minutes explaining precisely what one is. 'No Scrubs' still sounds fantastic and hasn't aged one bit and a perfect choice for a satellite clip. Beautifully lit and with some fine moves and an air of informality (you can see Tionne sweetly wiping her nose at one point) that was a delightful routine and one of the highlights of the year so far.
The Cranberries; In the posh area (oi, you lot, stop talking at the back!) and a link to The Cranberries with one I'd forgotten and it sounded good with a harmonious chorus and guitar power chrords that sounded like it bore the influence of the Manics, 'She Is Suffering'. Delores very much the rock star here; some moody staring down motionless as the guitar sustained at the end. A friendly smile to finish with. Another good one to revisit.....
Glamma Kid feat. Shola Ama;....while this one wasn't. I'd totally forgotten this, now I've remembered it again. Thanks. Shola Ama like on her bigger hit, nice voice but not much else. 'Aided' by a bloke in a white suit who bounces around and utters 'ironic' ('crap') add ins which , um, detract from the song. Did he do the same thing for any other covers?; 'God Only Knows' perhaps? No, that hasn't aged well. Performed in front of the now de riguer cast of utterly unjudgemental
shufflers, upended very slightly by a fellow on the left who in his big shirt and waistcoat looks like he may have teleported from 1993. Maybe he was there for Meat Loaf.
New Radicals; Gregg Alexander may dress like a dick but he sings an absolute belter of a single. I remember watching this at the time and being very surprised, assuming he would've looked like Karl Wallinger, maybe even thinking that World Party had come back with the record of their career. Still sounds magnificent so I'll forgive the image.
Part 2;
ReplyDeleteGeri Halliwell; I thought 'Look At Me' wasn't much of a single but watching it last night i thought it was absolutely brilliant! Both the record and the video. It was brassy and funny and completely plays on her fun and vivacious personality. The nun look was an absolute masterstroke.
Martine McCutcheon; ..."she's no good at road safety..."; Indeed Jayne! Yes that must be a Totp standalone. An act appearing who played a character on 'Eastenders' and, in 1975, an act appearing who played the character in 'Eastenders' who ran her over!
Her single? I don't really believe in guilty pleasures in pop music as life's too short, and I'm sure everyone else who ever graced this wonderful blog feels the same. 'The Perfect Moment' will always take me back to a very happy, sunny, hopeful time in my life. It is a bit schmaltzy but it almicso has an understated, quiet dignity about it which I always find very affecting. It was lovely to hear it again in its original context. Sorry, there's something in my eye.