The More You Live The More You Love Top of the Pops

It's the summer of 1984 again, so get your pineapples out ready for a good push while you jump up and down and to your knees for the 16th August edition of Top of the Pops!

Black Lace won't go hungry at snack time

16/08/84 (Andy Peebles & Steve Wright)

Tears For Fears – “Mothers Talk” (38)
Roland gets his first outing as lead singer with this first single from their number 2 album, Songs From the Big Chair. Mother's Talk peaked at number 14.

Howard Jones – “Like To Get To Know You Well” (10) (video)
Wandering around the streets is Howard getting to know everyone well, and his fourth of six top ten hits peaked at number 4.

Black Lace – “Agadoo” (2)
They've brought their own giant sized fruit with them this week, but not a pineapple in sight! And number 2 was as good as it got.

Iron Maiden – “2 Minutes To Midnight” (27) (video)
Is it Halloween yet? Usual scary sounding song from Iron Maiden and it peaked at number 11.

Jonathan King – US chart rundown: edited out.
The Jacksons – “Human Nature” (live clip + interview)
Bruce Springsteen – “Dancing In The Dark” (video clip)
Dan Hartman – “I Can Dream About You” (video clip)
Ray Parker Jr – “Ghostbusters” (video clip)

A Flock Of Seagulls – “The More You Live The More You Love” (29)
A second studio performance for this song which went up three more places.

Trevor Walters – “Stuck On You” (15)
And a second performance from Trevor on his way to number 9.

George Michael – “Careless Whisper” (1) (video)
After nine weeks, a new number one! The first of three weeks at the top for George.

The Pointer Sisters – “I Need You” (34) (audience dancing/credits)
Reached number 25.

Tonight's vintage #TOTP was first broadcast on 16 August 1984, when your Thursday night entertainment looked like this... pic.twitter.com/JgPETF2CCb

— BBC Four (@BBCFOUR) September 29, 2017

Tonight on BBC1

August 23rd is next.

The Top of the Pops Before You Came

It's August 9th 1984, and sandwiched between Olympic Grandstand at 6.20pm, and Hi De Hi at 8pm, we have a sweltering edition of Top of the Pops!

It's hot in the studio tonight!

09/08/84 (John Peel & Richard Skinner)

Tracey Ullman – “Sunglasses” (26)
Well, Tracey and the girls get the show off to a leggy start here, but Sunglasses was to be her final top 40 hit, peaking at number 18.

Windjammer – “Tossing & Turning” (20)
Went up two more places.

Hazell Dean – “Whatever I Do (Wherever I Go)” (8)
A terrific follow up to Searchin, and it did even better in the charts, reaching number 4.

Jeffrey Osborne – “On The Wings Of Love” (15) (rpt from 26/07/84)
Peaked at number 11, but edited out of tonight's 7.30 showing.

Blancmange – “The Day Before You Came” (22)
It just wouldn't go up any higher for them.

Laura Branigan – “Self Control” (13) (video)
Quite a risque video in parts here but it did the trick because Self Control became her biggest hit, peaking at number 5, though it was also her final top 40 hit.

Frankie Goes To Hollywood – “Two Tribes” (1)
Saving their best performance of this Cold Ward soundtrack for their ninth and final week at number one.

Rod Stewart – “Some Guys Have All The Luck” (25) (audience dancing/credits)
Rod took this song up one place better than Robert Palmer's original from two years earlier, when it peaked at number 15.


August 16th is next.

The Closest Thing to Top of the Pops

Here we are then at August 2nd 1984 already as we begin to get a little closer to synchronizing once again with 2017.

Mike lets his hair down for once

02/08/84 (Simon Bates & Gary Davies)

Black Lace – “Agadoo” (19)
Well come on it is a great way to get a show underway! Their second of three top ten hits, Agadoo was their biggest, peaking at number 2.

Prince – “When Doves Cry” (4) (“Purple Rain” clips)
My oh my, some saucy goings on in this video! But number four was it's chart climax.

The Kane Gang – “The Closest Thing To Heaven” (15)
Went up three more places.

Tina Turner – “What’s Love Got To Do With It?” (5) (video)
Went up a couple more places.

A Flock Of Seagulls – “The More You Live The More You Love” (43)
A change of hair style for what became the band's final top 30 hit, making it to number 26.

Trevor Walters – “Stuck On You” (44)
Covering a Lionel Richie song that was still in the top 40 itself, and then beating it in the charts by reaching number 9, though it was his final top 40 hit.

George Michael – “Careless Whisper” (12) (video)
Going solo here with what was in fact the second single from Wham's forthcoming number one album, Make it Big. It was of course to be the song to replace Two Tribes at number one.

Frankie Goes To Hollywood – “Two Tribes” (1) (rpt from 19/07/84)
Eight weeks now at number one. And still one more to go.

Divine – “You Think You’re A Man” (16) (audience dancing/credits)
At its peak.

Gary with Peri from Dr Ooooooh!

Next up is August 9th.

Hole in my Top of the Pops

This edition of Top of the Pops will not be shown on BBC4 due to one of the hosts being DLT, so a huge thanks once again goes to Neil B for making it available here at WeTransfer

Oh no, the fascist capitalist pigs are making me sing on the telly!

26/07/84 (Janice Long & Dave Lee Travis)

Phil Fearon & Galaxy – “Everybody’s Laughing” (12)
Went up two more places.

Queen – “It’s A Hard Life” (23) (video)
This throwback Play the Game soundalike made it to number 6.

Neil – “Hole In My Shoe” (2)
'This one's for you Freddie!' At is BBC4-less peak.

Windjammer – “Tossing & Turning” (33) (video)
Their only hit, peaking at number 18.

Hazell Dean – “Whatever I Do (Wherever I Go)” (35)
Went all the way to number 4.

Jeffrey Osborne – “On The Wings Of Love” (31)
His biggest hit peaking at number 11.

Shakatak – “Down On The Street” (15)
Went up to number 9.

Frankie Goes To Hollywood – “Two Tribes” (1)
7th of nine weeks at number one!

Echo & The Bunnymen – “Seven Seas” (16) (audience dancing/credits)
At its peak.


Back to BBC4 next for August 2nd.

You Think You're Top of the Pops

It's July 19th, so do your hair up and get your best dress on for another live edition of Top of the Pops that is sure to go with a bang!

It's good to see Agnetha from Abba making a comeback

19/07/84 (Peter Powell & Richard Skinner)

The Mighty Wah! – “Come Back” (28)
A big sound to get this live show underway and Come Back rose to a peak of number 20, but it was to be their final hit.

Prince – “When Doves Cry” (5) (video)
Went up one more place.

Billy Idol – “Eyes Without A Face” (33)
Entering the Top of the Pops gurning contest here is Billy Idol with his solo breakthrough hit which peaked at number 18.

The Kane Gang – “The Closest Thing To Heaven” (30)
Peaked at number 12, but edited out of tonight's 7.30 showing.

Blancmange – “The Day Before You Came” (39)
The fourth and final single from their top ten album, Mange Tout, this eastern flavoured cover peaked
at number 22, ten places higher than Abba's magnificent original managed less than two years earlier.

Divine – “You Think You’re A Man” (26)
This was movie cult figure Divine's biggest hit, peaking at number 16.

Thompson Twins – “Sister Of Mercy” (11) (video)
At its peak.

Frankie Goes To Hollywood – “Two Tribes” (1)
The boys go all gun toting SAS for this week's performance, their sixth week of nine at number one.

Shannon – “Sweet Somebody” (25) (audience dancing/credits)
At its peak.

Watch Ped and Nasher from @FGTH_Official recall this infamous #TOTP performance, when the band brandished (replica) firearms. pic.twitter.com/El55jQJTpd

— BBC Four (@BBCFOUR) September 21, 2017

Ped and Nasher talk guns

Next up should be July 26th but it's a DLT show so BBC4 will skip to August 2nd instead.

Top of the Pops at Heart

It's beating, it's pumping, it's even having an atak! It's Top of the Pops 12th July 1984!

Tope of the Pops!

12/07/84 (John Peel & Tommy Vance)

Shakatak – “Down On The Street” (33)
With what was to be their second and final top ten hit, indeed their final top 40 hit, when it peaked at number 9.

Tina Turner – “What’s Love Got To Do With It?” (10) (video)
Went up seven more places.

Neil – “Hole In My Shoe” (5)
Nigel Planer's character from The Young Ones, with his only solo hit, peaking at number two, just like the original by Traffic in 1967 ~ but why did it have to be cut from the 7.30pm showing!

Alison Moyet – “Love Resurrection” (13) (video)
Going to the holy land of course with this video, and the song duly rose to the occasion, and climaxed at number 10.

Phil Fearon & Galaxy – “Everybody’s Laughing” (28)
In the studio and also on its way to a peak of number 10.

Echo & The Bunnymen – “Seven Seas” (26)
Singer Ian is joined by a penguin on drums and a fish on guitar to perform this third single from their top four album, Ocean Rain, and this shanty sailed to number 16.

The Bluebells – “Young At Heart” (14)
They'd seemingly raided the BBC waistcoat department earlier, with Young at Heart on its way to number 8 this time around.

Frankie Goes To Hollywood – “Two Tribes” (1)
Fifth of nine weeks at number one! And Relax was also at number 2!

The Jacksons – “State Of Shock” (20) (audience dancing/credits)
Together with Mick Jagger, taken from their top 3 album Victory, this single peaked at number 14.

Watch @LoveTinaTurner teach Russell Harty the ‘Pony Step’ in 1984. Do feel free to join in at home. #TOTP pic.twitter.com/oT0c0S1gRl

— BBC Four (@BBCFOUR) September 15, 2017

Tina and Russell do the Pony Step!

Next up is July 19th.

Top of the Pops Loud and Clear

This edition of Top of the Pops features both Mike Smith and Jimmy Savile and so won't be shown on BBC4. So a huge thanks once again to Neil B for making it available here at WeTransfer

Sitting down on the job....

05/07/84 (Jimmy Savile & Mike Smith)

OMD – “Talking Loud & Clear” (11)
At its peak.

Cyndi Lauper – “Time After Time” (4) (Montreux clip)
Went up one more place.

Ultravox – “Lament” (32)
Went up ten more places.

Thompson Twins – “Sister Of Mercy” (28)
Their run of top ten hits had come to an end, but this one almost got there, peaking at number 11.

Shannon – “Sweet Somebody” (36)
Peaked at number 25.

Prince – “When Doves Cry” (21) (video)
His breakthrough hit in the UK, and the first of sixteen top ten hits when it reached number 4.

Frankie Goes To Hollywood – “Two Tribes” (1) (rpt from 21/06/84)
Fourth of nine weeks.

The Pointer Sisters – “Jump (For My Love)” (6) (audience dancing/credits)
At its peak.



Back to BBC4 next for July 12th.