18 Carat Top of the Pops

August 12th 1982 arrives and a bin bag adorned John Peel is the host of tonight's Top of the Pops! And what are the three most popular programmes on BBC1 this week, I hear you ask? Well (feel free to hum Yellow Pearl here):

in at number three with 9.4 million viewers is Fame
and yes still at number two with 9.55 million viewers it's Top of the Pops!
but straight in at number one, with 9.8 million viewers, is Friday's edition of The Nine O Clock News!

What do you think of the show so far.......?

12-8-82: Presenter: John Peel

(34) TOTO COELO – I Eat Cannibals
And the show begins with Barry Blue's multicoloured bin bag amazons Toto Coelo, who included former replacement Leg and occasional Zoo member Anita in their line up, performing their only top ten hit which peaked at number 8.

(3) YAZOO – Don’t Go
The top four were all non-movers this week, but it's a treat to see Yazoo in the studio.

(21) BOYSTOWN GANG – Can’t Take My Eyes Off You (clip from Top Pop – Dutch T.V.)
Ok, so here we get a former Dutch number one hit, which features a fine lady singer flanked by two male extras from some second rate porn movie! This Frankie Valli cover was the Gang's only top ten hit peaking at number 4.

(25) THE ASSOCIATES – 18 Carat Love Affair
The groups final top 30 hit, somehow reaching number 21.

(38) SHEENA EASTON – Machinery
Sheena goes a bit Hazel O'Connorish here with a quite impressive offering that surely deserved to get higher than number 38.

(22) HAYSI FANTAYZEE – John Wayne Is Big Leggy
First of two top 20 hits. Made it to number 11. Can't believe they edited this one out of the 7.30pm slot ~ what a bummer!

(27) WAVELENGTH – Hurry Home
Only hit, peaking at 17. Also edited out of the 7.30pm showing.

(23) KOOL & THE GANG – Big Fun
Well, the acrobatics here by the Moroccan tumblers are certainly impressive, if somewhat random, I don't quite know what Zoo are doing though. The song reached number 14.

(26) FUN BOY THREE – Summertime
The FB3 go all Gershwin, in their own unique way, with their fourth and final hit of 1982, peaking at 18.

(16) THE FIRM – Arthur Daley (‘E’s Alright) ®
Went up two more places. Would rather have seen the Haysi Fantayzee performance.

(1) DEXY’S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS with THE EMERALD EXPRESS – Come On Eileen (and credits) ®
Second of four weeks at the top.


Next up is August 19th 1982 which will be shown next Friday (Sky at Night on Thursday).

Top of the Pops Pigeon

Tonight it's August 5th 1982 and Kid Jensen hosts another live edition of Top of the Pops, and once again we have a wonderfully kind fan of the show to thank for sending their own VHS copy to the BBC so that the Kid's links could be re-dubbed for broadcast!

'A lovely bunch of coconuts!'

5-8-82: Presenter: David Jensen

(4) MADNESS – Driving In My Car
Madness drive into the studio, sporting the white suits this week (I hope Kevin hasn't got a sour face later on) but this record had come to the end of the road of its chart run.

(25) JUNIOR – Too Late
Mr Live himself is here again tonight, and Too Late went up there more places.

JK's bit here, edited out of course:
(US 12) THE GO GO’S – Vacation (video)
(US 9) THE MOTELS – Only The Lonely (video)
(US 4) FLEETWOOD MAC – Hold Me (video)
(US 1) SURVIVOR – Eye Of The Tiger (video)

(20) THE BRAT – Chalk Dust (The Umpire Strikes Back)
Also edited out of tonight's 7.30pm show ~ good call!

(22) DONNA SUMMER – Love Is In Control (Finger On The Trigger)
Zoo go all Mad Max and strut their stuff while Donna's video plays on the big screen in the background, she still hadn't made it into the studio at this point, and this song became her first top 20 hit for three years, peaking at number 18.

(19) THE BELLE STARS – The Clapping Song
A flashy performance, in more ways than one, of The Clapping Song on its way to number 11.

(8) KID CREOLE & THE COCONUTS – Stool Pigeon
Here's the aptly named August with his exceptionally sparkling coconuts, albeit with some slightly weird dance moves, and this terrific party tune went up one more place.

(21) BAD MANNERS – My Girl Lollipop (My Boy Lollipop)
Keeping the party going, in their own special manner, with what would soon become their final top ten hit when it reached number 9.

(11) THE STRANGLERS – Strange Little Girl
Another studio performance helping this tune up to number 7.

(1) DEXY’S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS with THE EMERALD EXPRESS – Come On Eileen ®
The first of four weeks at number one.

(29) SURVIVOR – Eye Of The Tiger (crowd dancing) (and credits)
And we end the show with Zoo springing back onto the floor to dance to the tune that would eventually replace Eileen at number one.


Next up is August 12th 1982

Me and my Top of the Pops

Well its the end of July 1982 already with this edition of Top of the Pops from the 29th!

'Ere, hold on Terry ~ we're not due on till next year!

29-7-82: Presenter: Mike Read

(2) DEXY’S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS with THE EMERALD EXPRESS – Come On Eileen
This week's show begins with the record that was about to take over the number one spot and become the biggest selling single of 1982.

(3) YAZOO – Don’t Go (video)
A somewhat silly Halloween video here to accompany Yazoo's second top ten hit of 1982 which was now at its chart peak.

(7) HOT CHOCOLATE – It Started With A Kiss
Sorry Kevin but Hot Chocolate got the nod for the white suits this week and It Started with a Kiss went up two more places.

(14) CLIFF RICHARD – The Only Way Out ®
Went up four more places.

(33) ELKIE BROOKS – Nights In White Satin
At its chart peak but edited out of tonight's 7.30 showing.

(28) THE FIRM – Arthur Daley (‘E’s Alright)
Another comedy record that was (perhaps) funnier at the time, featuring the chap who really sang on the Rubettes records, Tony Thorpe. This Chas & Dave soundalike tune peaked at 14 but a much bigger hit was a five year mission away.....

(20) PAUL McCARTNEY – Take It Away (video)
A terrific video from Macca here featuring enough star names to fill Adam Ant with envy. The song made it to number 15.

(15) DAVID ESSEX – Me And My Girl (Night-Clubbing)
A second studio performance from David to help him and his girl up two more places.

(1) IRENE CARA – Fame (video) (and credits)
And we end the show with a third and final week of Fame.


Next up is August 5th 1982.

Strange Little Top of the Pops

July 22nd 1982 was a live edition, but there was a problem recording host Simon Bate's links, and it looked likely that this edition would not be broadcastable, until some kindly person (very recently) sent the BBC their own VHS copy of the show, which has enabled the links to be dubbed onto the master tape!

Hello mother, can you hear me?

22-7-82: Presenter: Simon Bates (Live)

(36) THE BELLE STARS – The Clapping Song
Having lost out to Natasha's version of Iko Iko, the Belle Stars had much more luck with this cover of Shirley Elis's 1965 hit. And like the original it peaked at number 6.

(6) MADNESS – Driving In My Car (video)
Revving up their video are the Nutty Boys, with their follow up to House of Fun, which parked at number 4.

(4) BANANARAMA – Shy Boy
At its chart peak and edited out of the 7.30pm showing.

(30) THE BRAT – Chalk Dust (The Umpire Strikes Back)
I guess this John McEnroe parody was seriously funny at the time, and it certainly made for one of the more bizarre studio performances helping it on its way to number 19 in the charts.

(2) TRIO – Da Da Da (video)
Someone at BBC4 really does not like Trio! Edited out again of the 7.30pm showing.

(28) JUNIOR – Too Late
A live vocal on a live show here from the confident Junior, and Too Late made it to number 20.

(35) THE STRANGLERS – Strange Little Girl
The new mellow Stranglers are back in the studio with their follow up to Golden Brown, although it was actually quite an old unreleased song of theirs, which they had re-recorded. And it worked, landed them a number 7 hit.

(21) DOLLAR – Videotheque
It looks at first like a repeat of the string vest performance, but we soon discover it's the big screen, and the real Dollar are back for a new, more covered up, performance of Videotheque, which went up four more places.

(1) IRENE CARA – Fame (video)
We get a mixture of movie clips and Irene's video this week for Fame's second of three weeks at number one.

(26) KID CREOLE & THE COCONUTS – Stool Pigeon (crowd dancing) (and credits)
Zoo get on the floor and give us a show ending routine to Kid Creole's follow up to Wonder Thing, which flew up the charts before perching at number 7.



Next up is July 29th 1982.

It Started with a Top of the Pops

The summer holidays are here again as Peter Powell presents Top of the Pops from 15th July 1982!

Kevin misses out on the white dinner jacket yet again...

15-7-82: Presenter: Peter Powell

(12) HOT CHOCOLATE – It Started With A Kiss
Getting this week's show underway with what became the band's second top ten hit of 1982 when it peaked at number 5

(30) PAUL McCARTNEY – Take It Away (video)
The second single from his number one album Tug of War, peaking at 15. But BBC4 took it away from the 7.30pm showing.

(35) CLIFF RICHARD – The Only Way Out
A welcome return to the studio to perform what became Cliff's only top ten of 1982, peaking at number 10.

(24) YAZOO – Don’t Go 
This excellent follow up to the excellent Only You, made it to number 3. But edited out of the 7.30pm showing.

(28) DAVID ESSEX – Me And My Girl (Night-Clubbing)
Looks like he's borrowed Bryan Ferry's white dinner jacket to perform his first hit for two years, reaching number 13, but he had a belter of a Christmas tune up his sleeve for later....

(20) JAPAN – I Second That Emotion (video)
Became Japan's second and final top ten hit, peaking at number 9.

(31) DEXY’S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS with THE EMERALD EXPRESS – Come On Eileen
Our first sighting of this 80's mega classic and soon to be the band's second and final number one.

(23) LEO SAYER – Heart (Stop Beating In Time) ®
Went up one more place.

(14) VISAGE – Night Train (video)
Went up two more places.

(1) IRENE CARA – Fame (video)
The Kids from Fame and Irene herself all have messages of thanks to send to 'London, England' before Irene performs the song in what must have been a quickly put together video specially for Top of the Pops. At least there was no fighting in this one! And the first of three weeks at number one.

(26) DOLLAR – Videotheque (crowd dancing) (and credits)
Soon to peak at number 17.


Next up then is July 22nd 1982, a live broadcast which did have mute links, but that problem has been fixed and it will be shown.

Top of the Pops and Lights

The good news is that the word on the Top of the Pops vine is that The Story of 1983 is being put together as we speak, or even as we sit down on our sofas to watch July 8th 1982.....

Bananarama's granny wonders where all her bloomers have gone....

8-7-82: Presenter: David Jensen

(5) IMAGINATION – Music And Lights
I'm starting to get the impression that Imagination were just a little OTT.....
Music And Lights was now at its chart peak.

(4) IRENE CARA – Fame (video)
This charted on the back of the tv series which came to our screens in June 1982, though it is the title song from the original movie which came out two years prior. There seems to be more talking (and fighting) in this video than singing! And after causing all that traffic chaos, it went to number one of course.

(6) SHALAMAR – A Night To Remember
Jeff Daniel returns by popular demand - 'hundreds of letters' no less, and perhaps he must've known that his first routine would be yewtreed so was determined to make sure he finally got on BBC4.
The song went up one more place.

(15) AC/DC – For Those About To Rock (We Salute You) (video)
Edited out of tonight's 7.30pm showing.

(30) TRIO – Da Da Da
Shame ~ Trio's memorable studio performance was also edited out.

(3) ODYSSEY – Inside Out
A studio performance here but the Jesse Rae penned Inside Out got no higher than number 3.

(20) BANANARAMA – Shy Boy
Appearing for the first time Fun Boy Three-less, and with a song that wasn't a cover, but written by producers Steve Jolley and Tony Swain, (who also co-wrote Music and Lights) the girls recorded their third top ten hit of 1982, when Shy Boy peaked at number 4.

(13) BUCKS FIZZ – Now Those Days Are Gone (video)
Going back to the 1940's in this video for their first top ten hit that wasn't also a number one, though it seems to me to have a passing resemblance to The Land of Make Believe, peaking instead at number 8.

(1) CAPTAIN SENSIBLE – Happy Talk
Second and final week at number one for the Captain (or is it Wurzel Gummidge?) and the Bunny Mixtures! And yes, the line in the lyrics officially is 'I'm a lucky cuss' but that's not quite what he sings......   Apt, really, considering he took this to number one!

(2) STEVE MILLER BAND – Abracadabra (crowd dancing/video) (and credits)
We play out with some real live rabbits being pulled from a magician's hat with the aid of his very glamorous assistant.

Fame at last! Grab your legwarmers and leap on a car roof, it's #TOTP tonight at 7.30pm on @BBCFour https://t.co/KJrfnmL05b pic.twitter.com/CN5atW4GMy

— BBC Four (@BBCFOUR) October 27, 2016

Next then is July 15th 1982.

Top of the Pops Talk

Well 1982 is gaining ground pretty rapidly now on 2016, and here we are with the edition from the first of July, slightly shorter than normal, due to imminent World Cup coverage from Spain.

Who's a pretty boy, then?

1-7-82: Presenter: John Peel

(34) VISAGE – Night Train
Here's something of a surprise to kick things off, the first ever studio performance from Visage, which unfortunately for them was also to be their final top 20 hit, peaking at number 12.

 (13) THE JAM – Just Who Is The Five O’Clock Hero (video)
A live clip next of one the The Jam's least known hits, which peaked at number 8.

 (22) QUEEN – Las Palabras De Amor ®
Freddy and his twitching moustache went up five more places.

 (30) DOLLAR – Videotheque
Well David has made an effort to dress up and look smart in his suit and trilby, but miss Bazar on the other hand has turned up in an ill fitting string vest and precious little else ~ still, no one's complaining! And the song isn't half bad either, making it to number 17.

 (21) CHERI – Murphy’s Law
Looks like the ladies from Zoo have been rummaging through their predecessors' old costumes, and to not such a bad effect too, for a routine to the Canadian's duo's only hit, peaking at 13.

 (11) MIDGE URE – No Regrets (video)
With his debut solo single, a synth laden cover of course of the Walker Brothers classic, which peaked at number 9.

 (1) CAPTAIN SENSIBLE – Happy Talk
The Captain is understandably in high kicking spirits as he celebrates the first of two weeks at number one.

 (14) NATASHA – Iko Iko (and credits)
She's seen off the Belle Stars, and seemingly the rest of her band, and certainly most of her clothes, and now took Iko Iko up four more places.


July 8th 1982 is next with David Jensen.

So that’s what happened to @ABCFRY’s parrot. #TOTP pic.twitter.com/cGCv2NJEvs

— BBC Four (@BBCFOUR) October 21, 2016