Let's Hear It For Top of the Pops

A big round of applause from 8.75 million viewers for our favourite show on its return from a mini summer break!

When that number you've been waiting for at Bingo is finally called out

17/05/84 (Simon Bates & Peter Powell)

Break Machine – “Break Dance Party” (16)
With their mixture of acrobatics and whistling, Break Machine get the show underway with their second and final top ten hit, peaking at number 9.

Deniece Williams – “Let’s Hear It For The Boy” (8)
Featuring some enthusiastic waving, this was Deneice's first hit for six years and was also her fourth and final top ten hit, taken from the movie Footloose, but it didn't quite make it to number one, as Simon so confidently predicted, stalling instead at number 2.

Marillion – “Assassing” (22) (video)
At is peak.

Hazell Dean – “Searchin’ (I Gotta Find A Man)” (28)
The first of three top ten hits for former Song For Europe contestant Hazell, peaking at number 6.

Womack & Womack – “Love Wars” (25)
The first of four top 40 hits for the husband and wife duo, Love Wars reaching number 14.

Ultravox – “Dancing With Tears In My Eyes” (29) (video)
With a nuclear power station about to go into meltdown, Midge decides to direct the video and Simon thinks it should win an award, for a single that became their third and final top ten hit, peaking at number 3.

Duran Duran – “The Reflex” (1) (rpt)
Third of four weeks at number one.

Kenny Loggins – “Footloose” (6) (audience dancing/credits)
At its peak.

Next up should be May 24th but Mike Smith is a host. And a the following week, May 31st has DLT, so BBC4 will now skip two weeks and show June 7th 1984 next.

When You're Young and in Top of the Pops

It's the last day of my holiday today so again I'm posting this blog before getting the chance to watch the show. But at least on May 10th 1984 there were 9.6 million viewers, making it the 9th most popular BBC1 show that week.

The latest Top of the Pops dance troupe might need a slight rethink.....

10/05/84 (David Jensen & John Peel)

Belle & The Devotions – “Love Games” (12)
Went up one more place.

Queen – “I Want To Break Free” (3) (video)
At its peak.

The Flying Pickets – “When You’re Young & In Love” (7)
Also at its peak.

Bob Marley & The Wailers – “One Love-People Get Ready” (6) (video)
Went up one more place.

Terri Wells – “I’ll Be Around” (28)
With her only top 40 hit which peaked at number 17.

The Pointer Sisters – “Automatic” (4) (video/Zoo)
Went up two more places.

Duran Duran – “The Reflex” (1) (video)
Second of four weeks at number one.

Jeffrey Osborne – “Stay With Me Tonight” (24) (audience dancing/credits)
His first of two top 20 hits, this one peaking at number 18.

Today's BBC1 lineup

Next up is May 17th.

Top of the Pops Like Us

I'm not back from holiday just yet so I'm posting the blog for May 3rd 1984 before I've had a chance to watch it myself.

Gillian can barely contain her enthusiasm

03/05/84 (Mike Read & Steve Wright)

OMD – “Locomotion” (6)
Went up one more place.

Blancmange – “Don’t Tell Me” (8) (video)
At it's final top ten hit peak.

New Order – “Thieves Like Us” (18)
Another one at its peak.

Kenny Loggins – “Footloose” (28) (video)
His only top ten hit which peaked at number 6.

Jocelyn Brown – “Somebody Else’s Guy” (25)
With her first of eleven top 40 hits, this one peaking at number 13.

The Human League – “The Lebanon” (19)
Their first single in over a year brought to an end a run of six consecutive top ten hits when it peaked at number 11.

Duran Duran – “The Reflex” (1) (video)
The first of four weeks at number one.

Nik Kershaw – “Dancing Girls” (14) (audience dancing/credits)
Went up one more place.



Next up is May 10th 1984

Top of the Pops in Glove

I'm still on my hols so again I'm posting the blog for the April 26th 1984 edition prior to watching it :-)

Being on Top of the Pops can be more tiring than you might think....

26/04/84 (Simon Bates & Janice Long)

Sandie Shaw & The Smiths – “Hand In Glove” (36)
This became Sandie's first top 30 hit since 1969, when it peaked at number 27, and it was also to be her final top 30 hit too.

Phil Collins – “Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)” (2) (video)
At its peak.

Belle & The Devotions – “Love Games” (39)
It's Eurovision time again ~ and this year's entry finished in 7th place, and the song peaked at number 11.

Bob Marley & The Wailers – “One Love-People Get Ready” (22) (video)
Somehow Bob had yet another posthumous hit up his sleeve, this one reaching number 5.

Duran Duran – “The Reflex” (5)
Soon to say hello to the number one spot.

Julio Iglesias & Willie Nelson – “To All The Girls I’ve Loved Before” (35) (US TV clip)
This was Willie Nelson's only top 30 hit, peaking at number 17.

Echo & The Bunnymen – “Silver” (30)
Went up no higher.

The Flying Pickets – “When You’re Young & In Love” (13)
The follow up to Only You made it to number 7, but it was their final top 40 hit.

Lionel Richie – “Hello” (1) (video)
And after six weeks at number one, it was time to say goodbye.

The Pointer Sisters – “Automatic” (20) (video/audience dancing/credits)
Their first hit for three years and it became their biggest when it peaked at number 2.


Next up is May 3rd.

Don't Tell Top of the Pops

I'm on holiday just now so I'm posting this blog prior to watching this April 19th 1984 edition on BBC4.

Queen clean up their act

19/04/84 (Gary Davies & Peter Powell)

The Special AKA – “Nelson Mandela” (9)
The getting the show underway for a second time, but the song was now at its peak.

Thompson Twins – “You Take Me Up” (2) (video)
Also at its peak.

Blancmange – “Don’t Tell Me” (15)
Became the duo's third and final top ten hit when it peaked at number 8.

Queen – “I Want To Break Free” (5) (video)
The legendary video for this second single from their number 2 album The Works, I Want To Break Free peaked at number 3.

The Bluebells – “I’m Falling” (26)
With their first top 30 hit, peaking at number 11.

Jonathan King – US chart rundown:
Michael Jackson – “Beat It” (video clip)
Weird Al Yankovic – “Eat It” (video clip)
The Pointer Sisters – “Automatic” (video clip)
Phil Collins – “Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)” (video clip)

Nik Kershaw – “Dancing Girls” (25)
Went up to number 13.

OMD – “Locomotion” (19)
Became their first top ten hit for over two years when it reached number 5, but they'd have to wait seven more years for their next one.

Lionel Richie – “Hello” (1) (video)
Now in its fifth of six weeks at number one.

Kool & The Gang – “(When You Say You Love Somebody) In The Heart” (11) (audience dancing/credits)
The follow up to Joanna peaked at number 7.


Next up is April 26th.

Top of the Pops Caterpillar

This mini edition of Top of the Pops from April 12th 1984 will not be shown on BBC4 due to one of the hosts being DLT. So a big thanks goes to David Marlborough for making (most of) it available here at WeTransfer 

And now many thanks to gia for this full version also at WeTransfer

That's the way I comb it

12/04/84 (Richard Skinner & Dave Lee Travis)

Scritti Politti – “Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)” (17)
The first of two top ten hits, peaking at number 10.

Dead Or Alive – “That’s The Way (I Like It)” (25)
Making their debut with this KC & the Sunshine Band cover, that peaked at number 22.

The Cure – “The Caterpillar” (20)
Creepy-crawled its way to number 14.

Then we get a Top Ten Video show.

Lionel Richie – “Hello” (1) (video)
I forgot to count April 5th, so this is actually the fourth of six weeks at number one for Lionel.

Rufus & Chaka Khan – “Ain’t Nobody” (13) (video/audience dancing/credits)
This was Chaka's first hit since I'm Every Woman, over five years earlier! It peaked at number 8.



Back to BBC4 next for April 19th 1984.

Top of the Pops Horses

Sit in your saddle, grab the reins and giddy up, it's time to take Trot of the Pops from March 29th 1984 out for a ride!

The girl in the pink dress throws an impressive hand shadow puppet

29/03/84 (Andy Peebles & Mike Read)

The Special AKA – “Nelson Mandela” (29)
With their first top 30 hit since Ghost Town way back in 1981, albeit with a much changed line-up, this was the Specials 8th and final top ten hit, peaking at number 9.

John Lennon – “Borrowed Time” (33) (video)
The second and final single from the Milk & Honey album, it went up one more place.

Captain Sensible – “Glad It’s All Over” (36)
I always confused this with You Take Me Up at the time, though I preferred this one. It peaked at number 6 and was the Captain's final top 40 hit.

Simple Minds – “Up On The Catwalk” (30)
Peaked at number 27, but edited out of the 7.30 slot tonight.

Siouxsie & The Banshees – “Swimming Horses” (28)
Flying in from France to perform in the studio but this unusual single rose no further.

Madonna – “Lucky Star” (27) (video)
This follow up to Holiday peaked at number 14, and then came an incredible run of 34 consecutive top ten hits that stretched ten years!

Thompson Twins – “You Take Me Up” (13)
All clad in leather jackets to perform the third, and biggest, hit from their number one album Into the Gap, it peaked at number 2, but it was also to be their final top ten hit.

Lionel Richie – “Hello” (1) (video)
Second of five weeks 'outselling all other records'.

Michael Jackson – “PYT (Pretty Young Thing)” (20) (audience dancing/credits)
The sixth and final single from Thriller, it peaked at number 11.

If you want to sing along with Lionel, flick through Smash Hits from 15 March 1984 for the lyrics. #TOTP https://t.co/z6mzlHtIFx

— BBC Four (@BBCFOUR) July 21, 2017

Industrial action meant that there was no April 5th edition, so the next one was April 12th, albeit a very short one, and also one of the hosts was DLT. So the next one we will see on BBC4 will be from April 19th 1984.