Gimme All Your Top of the Pops

This edition of Top of the Pops from October 25th 1984 features DLT and so will not be shown on BBC4, despite them having no problem showing him last night on Christmas 1977 With the Sex Pistols! So a huge thanks goes to Neil B for making it available here at WeTransfer

Will the real Limahl please stand up

25/10/84 (Peter Powell & (for the final time) Dave Lee Travis)

Feargal Sharkey (with Madness) – “Listen To Your Father” (30)
His first solo hit, peaking at number 23.

Lionel Richie – “Penny Lover” (22) (video)
Went up four more places.

Alison Moyet – “All Cried Out” (8)
At its peak.

ZZ Top – “Gimme All Your Lovin’” (34) (video)
The first of two top ten hits for ZZ Top, both peaking at number 10.

Limahl – “Never Ending Story” (40)
His only solo top ten hit was also his final hit, peaking at number 4.

Billy Ocean – “Caribbean Queen” (25) (video)
Seven long years after his last top ten hit (Red Light Spells Danger) this one made it to number 6.

Eugene Wilde – “Gotta Get You Home Tonight” (32)
His only top 30 hit, peaking at number 18.

Status Quo – “The Wanderer” (23)
Became their 18th top ten hit when it wandered to number 7.

Wham! – “Freedom” (1) (rpt)
Second of three weeks at number one.

Kim Wilde - "The Second Time" (29) (audience dancing/credits)
At its peak.


Next up is November 1st.

Top of the Pop's Great Adventure

Once upon a time, on the night when BBC1 finally, after eleven long years of planning and deep thought, launched its successor to Top of the Pops, lots of time travelling people had to wait a whole extra hour on BBC4 to join the 9.95 million who watched the real thing from October 18th 1984.

Glove out of hell!

18/10/84 (Gary Davies & Janice Long)

Spandau Ballet – “Highly Strung” (25)
Almost four years after their debut on the show, Spandau Ballet get us underway with Highly Strung, which peaked at number 15.

Paul McCartney – “No More Lonely Nights” (4) (video)
Went up two more places. And edited out again from the 7.30 showing!

Julian Lennon – “Too Late For Goodbyes” (30)
His first of two top ten hits, and featuring his invisible harmonica, Too Late For Goodbyes peaked at number 6.

Chaka Khan – “I Feel For You” (22) (video)
This Prince cover, featuring Stevie Wonder on harmonica and rapping by Melle Mel, would become Chaka's only number one hit.

Jonathan King – US chart rundown: Edited out of course.
The Pointer Sisters – “I’m So Excited” (video clip)
Chicago – “Hard Habit To Break” (video clip)
Billy Ocean – “Caribbean Queen” (video clip)

John Waite – “Missing You” (10) (video)
Went up one more place.

Meat Loaf – “Modern Girl” (26)
Making his Top of the Pops studio debut, and Modern Girl went up to number 17.

Ultravox – “Love’s Great Adventure” (23)
Their final top 20 hit, re-issues aside, and it peaked at number 12.

Wham! – “Freedom” (1) (rpt from 11/10/84)
First of three weeks at number one.

Giorgio Moroder & Philip Oakey – “Together In Electric Dreams” (5) (audience dancing/credits)
Went up two more places.

Tonight on BBC1

Two banned shows coming up next, the first from October 25th featuring DLT, and the second from November 1st featuring Mike Smith.

Shout To the Top of the Pops

HELLO HELLO HELLO EVERYBODY! I HOPE YOU ARE ALL HAVING A HAPPY EVENING. WELL HERE WE ARE THEN WITH THIS EDITION OF TOP OF THE POPS FROM OCTOBER 11TH 1984! CAN YOU HEAR ME?

Kim suddenly remembers what she's wearing

11/10/84 (Mike Read & Tommy Vance)

Kim Wilde – “The Second Time” (52)
Getting the show underway, despite not even being in the top 50, but she was wearing a rather tight outfit, and the song did get up to number 29.

Sade – “Smooth Operator” (22) (video)
Went up three more places.

Wham! – “Freedom” (3)
Stevie Wonder had replaced George Micheal at number one five weeks prior, and now George was about to return the favour. But edited out of the 7.30 showing.

Stephanie Mills – “The Medicine Song” (29) (video)
At its peak. And also edited out.

Paul Young – “I’m Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down” (20)
He'd been quiet all year so far, but this would become the first of two number nines for him in 1984. But where were the Fabulously Wealthy Tarts?

Alison Moyet – “All Cried Out” (35)
Became her second top ten hit of the year, reaching number 8. Any more naughty references in this one?

The Style Council – “Shout To The Top” (13)
Became their third top ten hit of the year, reaching number 7.

Stevie Wonder – “I Just Called To Say I Love You” (1) (video)
With his sixth and final week at number one.

Bruce Springsteen – “Cover Me” (38) (audience dancing/credits)
He'd been around for a long time already but just couldn't quite make a breakthrough in the singles chart. This one got no higher for now, but in 1985 it would reach number 16.

TV📺11/10/84 BBC1 6.55:Tomorrow's World 7.20:TOTP 8.0:The Magnificent Evans 8.30:Checkpoint 9.0News 9.25:Morgan's Boy pic.twitter.com/6QN2APBw6g

— Graeme Wood (@woodg31) October 11, 2017

Next is October 18th.

Together in Top of the Pops

And so we reach the point where October 2017 reaches out and takes the hand of Top of the Pops from October 1984.

Boy George shows off the ear rings he borrowed from Sade

04/10/84 (Simon Bates & Richard Skinner)

Bronski Beat – “Why?” (6)
Bronski Beat get the show underway with Why for a second time but it got no higher than number 6.

The Cars – “Drive” (15) (video)
Speeding into the charts with their first top 30 hit for five and a half years, Drive would initially park at number 5, but a year later it would emotively re-enter and peak at number 4.

John Waite – “Missing You” (38)
Last seen on show with The Babys over six years earlier, this American number one hit peaked at number 9 over here, and was his only solo hit. Edited out of the 7.30 showing.

Giorgio Moroder & Philip Oakey – “Together In Electric Dreams” (21) (video)
From the movie Electric Dreams, it peaked at number 3 and was Phil's only top 40 hit away from the Human League. Also edited out of the 7.30 showing.

Culture Club – “The War Song” (3)
This first single from their number 2 album, Waking Up With the House on Fire, went up one more place to also peak at number 2.

Paul McCartney – “No More Lonely Nights” (28) (video)
Taken from his movie and number one album, Give My Regards to Broad Street, this single famously featured Dave Gilmour on guitar and peaked at number 2. Another victim of the 7.30 chop.

The Stranglers – “Skin Deep” (32)
They were just about the last punks standing by now, and Skin Deep made it to number 15.

Adam Ant – “Apollo 9” (13)
Despite giving it full throttle, he couldn't get this one any higher in the charts.

Stevie Wonder – “I Just Called To Say I Love You” (1) (video)
Fifth of six weeks now at number one.

Freddie Mercury – “Love Kills” (10) (audience dancing/credits)
Just as Bronski Beat began the show for the second time and got no higher, now Freddie ends the show for a second time and got no higher.

Tonight’s #TOTP was first broadcast at 7.20pm on 4 October 1984, when BBC1’s line-up included Ronnie Barker and horses jumping fences. 🐎 pic.twitter.com/tIvZRkBfZ7

— BBC Four (@BBCFOUR) October 19, 2017

Thursday night on BBC1

October 11th is next.

If Top of the Pops Happens Again

This edition of Top of the Pops from September 27th 1984 will not be shown on BBC4 because it features Mike Smith. So many thanks to Gia, and here it is on WeTransfer

Sade shows off what she won in last year's Christmas cracker

27/09/84 (Peter Powell & Mike Smith)

UB40 – “If It Happens Again” (17)
Their only top ten hit of the year, it peaked at number 9.

Shakin’ Stevens – “A Letter To You” (10) (video)
At its peak.

Sade – “Smooth Operator” (29)
The third single from her number 2 album, Diamond Life, and it reached number 19.

U2 – “Pride (In The Name Of Love)” (3) (different video)
At its peak.

Animal Nightlife – “Mr Solitaire” (32)
Their biggest hit, peaking at number 25.

Stephanie Mills – “The Medicine Song” (33) (video)
Her final top 30 hit, reaching number 29.

Big Country – “East Of Eden” (27)
From their number one album, Steel Town, this single reached number 17.

Prince – “Purple Rain” (16) (video)
The follow up to When Doves Cry reached number 8.

Stevie Wonder – “I Just Called To Say I Love You” (1) (video + brief interview)
Fourth of six weeks at number one.

Ray Parker Jr – “Ghostbusters” (2) (audience dancing/credits)
Couldn't quite make it to the top.


Back to BBC4 next for October 4th.

Apollo Top of the Pops

Ten ... nine ... eight ... seven twenty ... and we have lift off for Top of the Pops 20th September 1984!

One small step for Adam Ant

20/09/84 (Andy Peebles (doing his final show) & Steve Wright)

Bronski Beat – “Why?” (22)
Not risking a live vocal this time but the song became their second top ten hit peaking at number 6.

David Bowie – “Blue Jean” (17) (video)
Perhaps not one of his better known hits, but it came from his number one album Tonight, and it reached number 6. And the video features Andrew Ridgeley's brother, Paul, on drums, and Richard Fairbrass from Right Said Fred on bass!

Sister Sledge – “Lost In Music” (7)
A second studio performance for this re-mix , obviously making up for not coming in the first time around in 1979! It went up four more places.

Queen – “Hammer To Fall” (19) (video)
A run of the mill concert video for this banging fourth single from their number two album, The Works, it made it to number 13.

Nik Kershaw – “Human Racing” (20)
Performing the title track of his number five album, the single crossed the line at number 19.

Jonathan King – US chart rundown: edited out of course.
Scandal – “The Warrior” (video clip)
The Cars – “Drive” (video clip)
John Waite – “Missing You” (video clip)

Adam Ant – “Apollo 9” (28)
Just three years earlier he was the biggest act in the charts, but now he was crashing back to earth, but he was doing it with a great tune! It peaked at number 13.

Level 42 – “Hot Water” (18)
A second performance but the song got no higher.

Stevie Wonder – “I Just Called To Say I Love You” (1) (video)
Third of six weeks for Stevie's only solo number one. Spot the toast in the video!

Freddie Mercury – “Love Kills” (27) (audience dancing/credits)
It's Freddy again, this time with his first solo hit, which peaked at number 10.

Watch Noel Edmonds solve the mystery of that floating piece of toast in the video for I Just Called To Say I Love You. #TOTP 2/2 pic.twitter.com/RDmM6D1gao

— BBC Four (@BBCFOUR) October 13, 2017

The mystery of Stevie Wonder's toast......

Next up should be September 27th, but Mike Smith presents, so BBC4 will skip to October 4th.

All I Need is Top of the Pops

This edition of Top of the Pops from September 13th 1984 features Dave Lee Travis and so will not be shown on BBC4. So a huge thanks goes once again to Neil B for making it available here at WeTransfer

Looks like Dave's used the wrong wash setting again

13/09/84 (Bruno Brookes & Dave Lee Travis)

OMD – “Tesla Girls” (33)
The third single from their top ten album, Junk Culture, and it peaked at number 21.

Ray Parker Jr – “Ghostbusters” (3) (video)
Went up one more place.

Aztec Camera – “All I Need Is Everything” (34)
Got no higher.

U2 – “Pride (In The Name Of Love)” (8) (video)
The first single from their mega number 1 album, The Unforgettable Fire, it became their biggest hit up to this point, peaking at number 3.

Shakin’ Stevens – “A Letter To You” (23)
Became Shaky's 12th top ten hit in less than four years when it peaked at number 10.

Depeche Mode – “Master & Servant” (11)
Went up two more places.

Stevie Wonder – “I Just Called To Say I Love You” (1) (video)
Second of six weeks at number one.

Miami Sound Machine – “Dr. Beat” (7) (audience dancing/credits)
Went up one more place.



Back to BBC4 next for September 20th.