My Perfect Top of the Pops

You don't need a degree in economics, maths, physics and bionics to work out that a quarter of 1980 has already been and gone as we arrive at the 10th of April.

Don't beat me a subbuteo ~ you wouldn't like me if you beat me at subbuteo....

Top of the Pops 10-4-80: Presenter: Simon Bates

(2) LIQUID GOLD – Dance Yourself Dizzy (and charts)
Stuck at number two, they couldn't quite make it to the dizzy heights of number one.

 (43) THE UNDERTONES – My Perfect Cousin
Getting the show off to an energetic and light hearted start, My Perfect Cousin would become the Undertones' only top ten hit.

 (19) DAVID ESSEX – Silver Dream Machine (Part 1) (video)
Presenter Simon Bates tipped this single from the film starring singer David Essex, Silver Dream Racer, as a future number one but it fell just short of the line at number 4.

 (4)  Legs & Co ~ find a perfect song for a particularly skimpily clad dance routine this week in Sexy Eyes by Dr Hook.

 (37) SAXON – Wheels Of Steel
'The first of two heavy metal groups on tonights show' this became the first of two top 20 hits for Saxon in 1980.

 (46) SKY – Toccata
It's not often a 300 year old Bach tune makes the top ten but this one did for Sky, a group that included John Williams on guitar and Herbie Flowers, who wrote Grandad, on bass. Toccata was the groups only hit single but they had four top ten albums, including a huge number one in 1980 with Sky 2.

 (12) JUDAS PRIEST – Living After Midnight ®
A repeat showing for their biggest hit to date, now at its chart peak.

 (17) SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES – Happy House ®
This repeat showing, also now at its chart peak, was unhappily edited out of the 7.30pm edition.

 (24) SAD CAFÉ – My Oh My ®
Were also sadly edited out of the 7.30pm show.

 (22) THE BODYSNATCHERS – Let’s Do Rock Steady
A second studio appearance here for the proto-Belle Stars, now at their peak in the charts.

 (45) BUGGLES – Clean Clean
Here's a song I especially liked back in 1980, and it persuaded me to go and get its parent album, The Age of Plastic. But this single didn't make the top 30 and effectively marked the end of the Buggles.

 (1) THE DETROIT SPINNERS – Working My Way Back To You – Forgive Me Girl (Medley)
 (video)
Quite surprisingly replacing the Jam at number one, and Simon Bates then incorrectly predicted a new number one next week. He probably had Call Me by Blondie in mind.

 (16) SECRET AFFAIR – My World (and credits)
Playing us out this week are Secret Affair, with their final top 30 hit My World at its peak in the charts.


Next week should be the 17th April, but here we find the first JS edition of 1980, so it will be skipped and instead we will get the 24th April hosted by Steve Wright.

Top of the Pops to Cairo

The news breaking this week is that the return of a revamped Top of the Pops on Friday nights hosted by Dermot O'Leary and Fearne Cotton is imminent. Let's hope they are both watching the 1980 repeats to see how it's done.......

And you too can watch the whole feztastic edition right here on youtube...

Top of the Pops 3-4-80: Presenter: David Jensen

(15) JUDAS PRIEST – Living After Midnight (and charts)
Almost at its chart peak of number 12 now.

 (14) MADNESS – Night Boat To Cairo
Getting the show underway, full of eastend promise. Night Boat to Cairo was actually a track from their e.p. Work, Rest and Play.

 (12) BARBARA DICKSON – January February ®
Now just one place away from its chart peak of 11.

 (37) DEXY’S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS – Geno 
The first stomping appearance on the show for this future number one, which was a tribute to American singer Geno Washington.

 (26) THE PRETENDERS – Talk Of The Town (video)
Kid Jensen introduces this as possibly 'their best one yet' but it didn't become quite as big a hit as their previous single.

 (19)  Legs & Co ~ return to more conventional disco this week for a routine to Don’t Push It, Don’t Force It by Leon Haywood

 (10) UB40 – Food For Thought
This performance was edited out of the 7.30 showing on BBC4 tonight.

 (34) THE SELECTER – Missing Words
Not only were the words missing, but so was the rest of the song, from the 7.30 showing.

 (25) B.A. ROBERTSON – Kool In The Kaftan ®
But this repeat performance was left in, edging its way towards a peak of 17 in the charts.

 (7) THE LAMBRETTAS – Poison Ivy
A colourful and energetic performance from the Lambrettas here for this ditty to VD.

 (NEW) PRIMA DONNA – Love Enough For Two
This was of course the UK's entry for the 1980 Eurovision Song Contest, which the Kid informed us would be held on the 19th April. It came third, but the record failed to make the top 40 in the charts.

 (1) THE JAM – Going Underground ®
A third and final week at number one for the Jam. The apron that Paul Weller has on is in homage to The Who's album, The Who Sell Out, which features Roger Daltrey in a bath of Heinz baked beans.

 (9) DR. HOOK – Sexy Eyes (and credits)
The Kid reminds us that on Easter Monday there's a Dr Hook special on BBC1, and then Sexy Eyes plays over the credits, the group's final top ten hit.


Next week we reach the 10th April 1980 with Simon Bates.

Going Top of the Pops

March the 27th 1980 brings us another jam packed edition of Top of the Pops.......

Cooking up a storm

27-3-80: Presenter: Peter Powell

(3) THE VAPORS – Turning Japanese (and charts)
Now at its peak in the charts.

(4) LIQUID GOLD – Dance Yourself Dizzy
A third performance from Liquid Gold, and the drummer seems to have run out of places to put the keyboard!

(23) GENESIS – Turn It On Again ®
A repeat of their debut performance, but the 'Turn it on Again' part was left in this time.

(11)  Legs & Co – Stomp around in black dresses to the Brothers Johnson, with a song co-written by Rod Temperton, no doubt giving it a leg up into the top ten.

(38) DR. HOOK – Sexy Eyes
Sexy Eyes became the group's sixth and final top ten hit.

(25) JUDAS PRIEST – Living After Midnight
Lead singer Rob Halford has gone all long haired and blond since the last time we saw him, and this song was the first of three top 30 hits in 1980.

(21) SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES – Happy House ®
Another repeat showing here with Happy House on its way to a peak of 17.

(27) SECRET AFFAIR – My World
Was edited out of the 7.30pm showing.

(29) THE DOOLEYS – Love Patrol ®
Were also edited out, though this was a repeat.

(32) JOHN FOXX – No One Driving
On the show for a second time in 1980 each time with a song that just missed out on a top 30 place, No One Driving stalled at 32.

(5) THE DETROIT SPINNERS – Working My Way Back To You – Forgive Me Girl (Medley) (video)
The only video on the show tonight and the first time we've seen the Detroit Spinners in action.

(1) THE JAM – Going Underground
With Paul Weller sporting a back to front (advertising!) Heinz Tomato Soup apron as a nod to The Who, this was the second of three weeks at number one for Going Underground.

(30) LEON HAYWOOD – Don’t Push It, Don’t Force It (and credits)
Playing over the credits is Leon Haywood with his only UK chart hit.


Next week is a Sky at Night week so we have to wait a fortnight until we get to see the edition from April 3rd 1980

Top of the Pops for Thought

It's March 20th 1980 and UB40 are making their debut on this week's edition of Top of the Pops.....

Do you think they'll notice this is a Christmas song?

20-3-80: Presenter: Mike Read

(8) THE DETROIT SPINNERS – Working My Way Back To You – Forgive Me Girl (Medley) (and charts)
Play over the charts this week working their way towards number one

 (31) THE BODYSNATCHERS – Let’s Do Rock Steady
This was the only top 30 hit for two toners The Bodysnatchers, although most of the band would eventually return to the charts as the Belle Stars.

 (26) SQUEEZE – Another Nail In My Heart ®
How did this fabulous song only get to 17?

 (16)  Legs & Co  – with a special effects laden routine to Spirit Of Radio by Rush, and joined it would seem by the silhouette lady from Tales of the Unexpected.

 (43) SAD CAFÉ – My Oh My
With a more raucous sound here, My Oh My became the band's second and final top 20 hit.

 (27) THE LAMBRETTAS – Poison Ivy
This Leiber and Stoller song was the band's only top ten hit, and they performed it with some gusto.

 (29) BARBARA DICKSON – January February
This follow-up to the non-top 40 Caravan Song fared much better in the charts, narrowly missing out on the top ten. It was written by Alan Tarney, who'd had a massive success in 1979 with We Don't Talk Anymore.

 (24) SHAKIN’ STEVENS – Hot Dog ®
A third time on the show for the former Cardiff milkman with Hot Dog now in its peak position.
Then just before the next act, who should pop in to the studio but David Soul, about three years too late, to tell Mike Read about his new single, which didn't make the charts.

(40) UB40 – Food For Thought
Making their debut on the show, Food for Thought was the first of three top ten hits in 1980 for UB40.

 (15) MARTHA & THE MUFFINS – Echo Beach (video)
The official video here, though I'd rather have seen their Top of the Pops performance again.

 (45) B.A. ROBERTSON – Kool In The Kaftan
Another cracking tune but not as successful in the charts as his first two singles. Maybe that's why they edited him out of the 7.30 showing.

 (1) THE JAM – Going Underground (video)
Straight into the charts at number one. The first time that had happened for 7 years, since Slade did it with Merry Xmas Everybody.
.
 (4) THE VAPORS – Turning Japanese (and credits)
Now just one place below its chart peak


Next week it's the 27th March 1980 with Peter Powell.

Turn it on Again!

So we reach the 13th March 1980 where we are treated to the Top of the Pops studio debut of Genesis and the song that gives this blog its title....

Can't wait until I get to the Turn it on Again part.....

13-3-80: Presenter: Steve Wright

(23) RUSH – Spirit Of Radio (and charts)
The Canadian rockers play over the chart rundown on their way to a first top 20 hit.

(39) THE DOOLEYS – Love Patrol
Not quite able to reach the same heights as they did a year earlier, Love Patrol was their final top 30 hit.

(6) THE POLICE – So Lonely (video)
Sting and the boys go walkie-talkie about on the Tokyo underground with their unintentional tribute to Sue Lawley now at its peak in the charts

(20)  Legs & Co – this week become construction workers for their routine to Working My Way Back To You – Forgive Me Girl by the Detroit Spinners

(25) BROTHERS JOHNSON – Stomp (video)
Was edited out of the 7.30 pm show

(40) SECRET AFFAIR – My World
Performing in the scaffolding built earlier by Legs & Co, My World became the band's second and final top 20 hit.

(14) LIQUID GOLD – Dance Yourself Dizzy
Edited out of the 7.30pm show.

(5) RAINBOW – All Night Long (video)
Also edited out of the 7.30pm show, and at it's chart peak too.

(8) THE VAPORS – Turning Japanese
Host Steve Wright of course takes this opportunity to do his most embarrassing Japanese accent to introduce the Vapors, and a song that is not about what many people believe it to be about....

(36) SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES – Happy House
One of this week's highlights has to be this darkly ironic song which was to become a top 20 hit for the band.

(18) THE GIBSON BROTHERS – Cuba
Another studio performance of Cuba but no Legs & Co this time.

(4) PETER GABRIEL – Games Without Frontiers (video)
A somewhat curtailed version of the video shown here with Games Without Frontiers (can definitely make out the Kate Bush vocals now) at its chart peak.

(3) MARTI WEBB – Take That Look Off Your Face ®
Also at its chart peak but edited out of the 7.30pm show.

(35) GENESIS – Turn It On Again
Genesis had been a highly successful albums band in the 1970s but had only had one previous top ten single (Follow You Follow Me in 1978) and this was their flowery shirted debut in the Top of the Pops studio - the first of many in the 80's for Phil Collins and the boys.

(1) FERN KINNEY – Together We Are Beautiful ®
That bit of fairy dust Legs & Co sprinkled over this song the previous week obviously did the trick for Fern Kinney as she replaces Blondie at number one ~ but there's even more magic to come next week from a song not yet even in the charts.....

(7) CAPTAIN & TENILLE – Do That To Me One More Time (and credits)
At their peak in the charts and playing over the credits its Daryl Dragon and Cathryn Antoinette.


Next week its the 20th March 1980

Another Nail in my Top of the Pops

Thanks to Neil B for the upload of the 6th March 1980 hosted by DLT, but it doesn't seem so easy to view this file as previous ones ~ if you want to give it a try the link is here

And a new alternative link from Neil B is here at We Transfer

I've not been able to get it to work for me unfortunately, so can't really comment too much on the show other than to say it seems a fairly short edition and some obvious standouts are Squeeze, Martha and the Muffins and the Lambrettas. Anyhow, here's how it lined up (with a few links to youtube clips):

Play me that song....

6-3-80: Presenter: Dave Lee Travis

(19) THE GIBSON BROTHERS – Cuba (and charts)
(44) THE LAMBRETTAS – Poison Ivy
(25) CAPTAIN & TENILLE – Do That To Me One More Time (video)
(42) U.K. SUBS – Warhead WATCH (though not sure if this is right clip?)
 (16) THE BEAT – Hands Off She’s Mine
(39) MARTHA & THE MUFFINS – Echo Beach WATCH
 (30) SHAKIN’ STEVENS – Hot Dog WATCH
 (40) SQUEEZE – Another Nail In My Heart WATCH
(2) FERN KINNEY – Together We Are Beautiful (danced to by Legs & Co) WATCH
(41) TONY RALLO & THE MIDNIGHT BAND – Holdin’ On
(1) BLONDIE – Atomic (video)
(23) LIQUID GOLD – Dance Yourself Dizzy (and credits)

Top of the Pops Yourself Dizzy

So the Lake Placid Winter Olympics are over and Top of the Pops can return to its regular Thursday slot once more, but maybe there is still one final gold medal to hand out.....

Has he put his clothes back on yet?

Top of the Pops 28-2-80: Presenter: David Jensen

(21) JEFFERSON STARSHIP – Jane (and charts)
A second outing on the chart rundown for Jane, now at its chart peak

 (5) ELVIS COSTELLO & THE ATTRACTIONS – I Can’t Stand Up For Falling Down
Elvis literally takes off in the studio for the second of his three top ten hits.

 (6) MARTI WEBB – Take That Look Off Your Face ®
A repeat showing of Marti's debut performance here ~ I hope they are not going to leave in lots of things we've seen before and edit out stuff we haven't yet seen....

(34) THE VAPORS – Turning Japanese
Looks like Keith Michell has been busy with his drawings again! Turning Japanese became the band's only top ten hit.

 (7) MICHAEL JACKSON – Rock With You (video)
The third of four top ten hits from his album Off the Wall. And edited out of the 7.30 showing.

 (47) LIQUID GOLD – Dance Yourself Dizzy
A quick sip of champagne for singer Ellie Hope before performing Liquid Gold's big breakthrough single and first of two top ten hits in 1980. And I think the drummer really wanted to be noticed!

 (40) THE GIBSON BROTHERS – Cuba
With a catchy song that just failed to make the top 40 for them a year earlier, but this time, and with a little help from a carnival of Legs & Co, it made the top 20.

 (17) PETER GABRIEL – Games Without Frontiers (video)
So is it Kate Bush singing the 'Jeux sans frontieres' part? Well we'll have to wait for the later showing because astonishingly it was edited out of the 7.30 slot.

 (25) STIFF LITTLE FINGERS – At The Edge
Also edited out of the 7.30 showing.

 (28) DAVE EDMUNDS – Singing The Blues ®
A repeat of the Rockpile boys from a couple of weeks back, with Singing the Blues now at its chart peak for them.

(19)  Legs & Co – dance to So Lonely by The Police, a third single from their 1978 debut album Outlandos d'Amour, despite having recently released their second album, Regatta de Blanc.

 (22) RAINBOW – All Night Long (video)
The second of Rainbow's three top ten hits. And another one edited out of tonight's 7.30 show.

 (12) THE SHADOWS – Riders In The Sky
Hank and the gang smile their way through this cover of the Ramrods top ten 1961 hit, though number 12 was a high as it got for the Shadows, and it was also their final top 30 hit.

 (1) BLONDIE – Atomic (video)
Blondie blow Kenny Rogers out the number one spot. Was this the single mix - it seems to have quite an extended instrumental break?

 (23) DAVID BOWIE – Alabama Song (and credits)
Bowie plays us out this week with his cover of Alabama Song, made famous by the Doors, at its chart peak.


Next week then should be the 6th March 1980, but here we meet our first obstacle of the year, as this is a DLT edition and it would seem he's still off limits as far as BBC4 goes, so instead we skip to the 13th March hosted by Steve Wright.

DLT hosted six editions in 1980, seven if you include the New Years Day special on January 1st 1981. Jimmy Savile hosted four editions which includes the Christmas Day special.