Say I'm Your Top of the Pops

Its August 8th 1985, but there's no holiday for Simon and Richard as they host this live edition of Top of the Pops!

Just like that!

08/08/85  (Simon Bates & Richard Skinner)

Amazulu – “Excitable” (25)
Getting this live show underway with their debut hit which peaked at number 12.

Dire Straits – “Money For Nothing” (4) (video)
With a little vocal help from Sting, this second single from their huge number one album Brothers in Arms was now at its peak.

Princess – “Say I’m Your Number One” (31)
Making her debut with what be her only top ten hit when it peaked at number 7.

Maze featuring Frankie Beverly – “Too Many Games” (36) (breaker)
His biggest hit but it got no higher.

Phil Collins – “Take Me Home” (28) (breaker)
The video was shot in 'every capital of the world' apparently ~ and it got to number 19.

UB40 & Chrissie Hynde – “I Got You Babe” (7) (breaker)
On its way to number one.

Go West – “Goodbye Girl” (30)
It seems Go West were no too keen to release this as a single, and I can't say I blame them! But it did plod to number 25.

The Top Ten Videos:
Sister Sledge - "Frankie" (10) (video clip)
Opus - "Live Is Life" (9) (video clip)
Kool & The Gang - "Cherish" (8) (video clip)
UB40 & Chrissie Hynde - "I Got You Babe" (7) (video clip)
Billy Idol - "White Wedding" (6) (video clip)
Madonna - "Holiday" (5) (video clip)
Dire Straits – “Money For Nothing” (4) (video clip)
Tina Turner – “We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)” (3) (video clip)
Eurythmics - "There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)" (2) (video clip)

Madonna – “Into The Groove” (1) (video)
Second of four weeks at number one.

Madonna – “Holiday” (5) (audience dancing/credits)
And Madge gets the rare honour of having a second song played on the same show. It had been her debut hit peaking at number 6 a year earlier, but this time it went up to number 2.


August 15th is next.

In Between Top of the Pops

This edition of Top of the Pops from August 1st 1985 will not be shown on BBC4 because of the ongoing dispute between Mike Smith and the BBC. But have no fear, your Good Friday has just got even better with thanks to Crystal who has made it available here at WeTransfer

There's only one 'F' in Five Star

01/08/85  (Mike Read & Mike Smith)

Five Star – “Let Me Be The One” (18)
In the studio at last but the song got no higher.

Tina Turner – “We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)” (3) (video)
At its peak.

Gary Moore – “Empty Rooms” (29)
Peaked at number 23.

Prince – “Raspberry Beret” (33) (breaker)
Peaked at number 25.

Nik Kershaw – “Don Quixote” (23) (breaker)
His final top ten hit, peaking at number 10.

Bruce Springsteen – “Glory Days” (21) (breaker)
Peaked at number 17.

The Cure – “In Between Days” (20)
Went up five more places.

The Top Ten Videos:
Jaki Graham - "Round & Around" (10) (video clip)
Trans X - "Living On Video" (9) (video clip)
DIre Straits - "Money For Nothing" (8) (video clip)
Kool & The Gang - "Cherish" (7) (Montreux clip)
Opus - "Live Is Life" (6) (video clip)
Harold Faltermeyer - "Axel F" (5) (video clip)
Sister Sledge - "Frankie" (4) (video clip)
Tina Turner – “We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)” (3) (video clip)
Eurythmics - "There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)" (2) (video clip)

Madonna – “Into The Groove” (1) (video)
First of four weeks at number one.

Billy Idol - "White Wedding" (11) (audience dancing/credits)
His first of three top ten hits, this one peaking at number 6.


August 8th is next.

Living on Top of the Pops

It's summertime and the living on Top of the Pops 1985 is easy!

When you forget to bring your semaphore flags

25/07/85  (Gary Davies & Dixie Peach)

Arrow – “Long Time” (36)
After a little edit to snip Gary Davies' suntan joke we get off to a very summery start to tonight's show and Long Time became Arrow's only top 30 hit when it peaked at number 30.

Madonna – “Into The Groove” (4) (video)
Following Live Aid, Madonna's career went into orbit and Into the Groove became her first of 13 number ones.

Feargal Sharkey – “Loving You” (30)
Swished his hair all the way to number 26.

The Cure – “In Between Days” (35) (breaker)
Peaked at number 15.

The Pointer Sisters – “Dare Me” (23) (breaker – Montreux clip)
Their final hit, peaking at number 17.

Dire Straits – “Money For Nothing” (15) (breaker)
Another act who got a huge live Aid boost - this tune peaked at number 4.

Trans X – “Living On Video” (10)
Sounding very European, although they were from Canada, the song went up one more place and was their only hit.

The Top Nine:
Jaki Graham - "Round & Around" (9) (video clip)
Denise LaSalle - "My Toot Toot" (8) (TOTP clip)
Opus - "Live Is Life" (7) (video clip)
Madonna - "Crazy For You" (6) (video clip)
Kool & The Gang - "Cherish" (5) (Montreux clip)
Madonna - "Into The Groove" (4) (video clip)
Harold Faltermeyer - "Axel F" (3) (video clip)
Sister Sledge - "Frankie" (2) (video clip)

Eurythmics – “There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)” (1) (rpt from 11/07/85)
Shame they couldn't make it into the studio for a new performance of what would be their only week ever at number one.

Opus – “Live Is Life” (7) (audience dancing/credits)
Went up one more place.



August 1st is next but its another Mike Smith one.

All Night Top of the Pops

This edition of Top of the Pops from July 18th 1985 will not be shown on BBC4 because Mike Smith did not sign his repeats contract. So a huge thanks goes once again to Neil B for making it available here at We Transfer.

The shirt must go on

18/07/85  (Peter Powell & Mike Smith)

Simply Red – “Money’s Too Tight (To Mention)” (13)
Making their studio debut with a live vocal but the song got no higher.

Steve Arrington – “Dancin’ In The Key Of Life” (23) (video)
Peaked at number 21.

The Cool Notes – “In Your Car” (15)
Peaked at number 13.

Russ Abbot – “All Night Holiday” (25)
Making his debut in the studio as a performer, this song peaked at 20.

The Cult – “She Sells Sanctuary” (19)
Another studio debut, and the song peaked at number 15.

Jaki Graham – “Round & Around” (12)
Peaked at number 9.

Tina Turner – “We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)” (37) (breaker)
Peaked at number 3.

Billy Idol – “White Wedding” (34) (breaker)
Peaked at number 6.

Feargal Sharkey – “Loving You” (31) (breaker)
Peaked at number 26.

Trans X – “Living On Video” (18) (breaker)
Their only hit, peaking at number 9.

The Top Ten Videos:
Marti Webb - "Ben" (10) (video clip)
Fine Young Cannibals - "Johnny Come Home" (9) (video clip)
Opus – “Live Is Life" (8) (video clip)
Bruce Springsteen - "I'm On Fire" (7) (video clip)
Denise LaSalle – “My Toot Toot” (6) (TOTP clip)
Madonna - "Crazy For You" (5) (video clip)
Kool & The Gang - "Cherish" (4) (Montreux clip)
Eurythmics – “There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)” (3) (video clip)
Harold Faltermeyer - "Axel F" (2) (video clip)

Sister Sledge – “Frankie” (1) (video)
Fourth and final week at number one.

Five Star – “Let Me Be The One” (40) (audience dancing/credits)
Peaked at number 18.


July 25th is next.

Live is Top of the Pops

Alright! Alright! Calm down! Calm down! John is back tonight to help Janice host this 11th July 1985 live edition of Top of the Pops!

Eh? Eh? Eh? Dey do do dat dough don't dey dough?

11/07/85  (Janice Long & John Peel)

The Conway Brothers – “Turn It Up” (18)
This one hit boy band get tonight's live show underway, and considering there was four of them they could have done with turning up the vocal volume a notch! The song peaked at number 11.

Eurythmics – “There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)” (10)
Would become the duo's only number one hit in two weeks time.

Opus – “Live Is Life” (15)
With those perms and tashes they looked more like a scouse version of Black Lace than an Austrian one! The song peaked at number 6.

Russ Abbot – “All Night Holiday” (35) (breaker)
This follow up to Atmosphere was Russ's final hit and it peaked at number 20.

Steve Arrington – “Dancin’ In The Key Of Life” (34) (breaker)
His second and final hit, peaking at number 21.

Jaki Graham – “Round & Around” (27) (breaker)
Peaked at number 9.

The Top Ten Videos:
Eurythmics - "There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart" (10) (video clip)
Mai Tai - "History" (9) (video clip)
Fine Young Cannibals - "Johnny Come Home" (8) (video clip)

Denise LaSalle – “My Toot Toot” (7)
Live in the studio, looking like the love child of Tina Turner and Divine, performing her only hit, and it reached number 6.

Marti Webb - "Ben" (6) (video clip)
Bruce Springsteen - "I'm On Fire" (5) (video clip)
Kool & The Gang - "Cherish" (4) (Montreux clip)
Madonna - "Crazy For You" (3) (video clip)
Harold Faltermeyer - "Axel F" (2) (video clip)

Sister Sledge – “Frankie” (1) (rpt)
Third of four weeks at the top.

Animal Nightlife – “Love Is Just The Great Pretender” (37) (audience dancing/credits)
Their second and final top 40 hit, it peaked at number 28. And we are reminded in big letters that Live Aid is happening on Saturday.


July 18th is next, but its a Mike Smith edition.

Top of the Pops Over Heels

It might have been Independence Day in America but on this side of the Pond the 4th July 1985 was Top of the Pops day!

Pete grows a pair

04/07/85  (Simon Bates & Richard Skinner)

Dead Or Alive – “In Too Deep” (19)
This third single from their top ten album Youthquake peaked at number 14.

Tears For Fears – “Head Over Heels” (12) (Montreux clip)
Now at its peak.

The Damned – “The Shadow Of Love” (25)
Performing a kind of gothic cowboy song which did not get any higher up the charts.

Fine Young Cannibals – “Johnny Come Home” (11)
On its way to number 8.

Simply Red – “Money’s Too Tight (To Mention)” (33) (breaker)
The first of 32 top 40 hits for the band.

The Cult – “She Sells Sanctuary” (30) (breaker)
Their first of 12 top 40 hits.

The Style Council – “Come To Milton Keynes” (27) (breaker)
Er....... well it somehow made it to number 23.

Opus - "Live Is Life" (26) (breaker)
Oh my word, BBC4 let a mention of Jonathan King slip through the net! Let's pray the world doesn't come to an end! Anyhow, this was the only hit for Opus, and it peaked at number 6.

The Top Ten Videos:

Marillion - "Kayleigh" (10) (video clip)
Mai Tai - "History" (9) (video clip)
Bruce Springsteen - "I'm On Fire" (8) (video clip)
Billy Ocean - "Suddenly" (7) (video clip)
The Crowd - "You'll Never Walk Alone" (6) (video clip)
Marti Webb - "Ben" (5) (video clip)
Kool & The Gang - "Cherish" (4) (Montreux clip)
Madonna - "Crazy For You" (3) (video clip)
Harold Faltermeyer - "Axel F" (2) (video clip)

Sister Sledge – “Frankie” (1) (rpt)
Second of four weeks at number one.

Glenn Frey – “Smuggler's Blues” (28) (audience dancing/credits)
His second and final solo hit, it peaked at number 22.


11th July is next.

Top of the Pops of Memories

This edition of Top of the Pops from 27th June 1985 will not be shown on BBC4 unfortunately because Mike Smith refused to sign a repeats contract. So a huge thanks once again goes to Neil B for making it available here at WeTransfer.

n-n-n-nice sweater

27/06/85  (Peter Powell & Mike Smith)

Paul Young – “Tomb Of Memories” (17)
Went up one more place.

Kool & The Gang – “Cherish” (5) (Montreux clip)
Also went up one more place.

The Commentators – “N-N-Nineteen (Not Out)” (23)
The perfect chart peak for this Rory Bremner spoof would have been number 19 of course, but alas it was not to be, and the pesky thing made it to number 13 instead!

Bruce Springsteen – “I’m On Fire” (11) (video)
On its way to number 5.

Marti Webb – “Ben” (9)
Also on its way to number 5.

Elton John & Millie Jackson – “Act Of War” (32) (breaker)
Got no higher.

The Damned – “The Shadow Of Love” (29) (breaker)
Went up four more places.

Howard Jones – “Life In One Day” (22) (breaker)
Peaked at number 14.

Sister Sledge – “Frankie” (1)
We appear to be one sister short for this first of four weeks at number one.

The Conway Brothers – “Turn It Up” (30) (audience dancing/credits)
Their only hit and it peaked at number 11.

July 4th is next.