Top of the Pops Takes it All

I'd just like to give a huge thanks to Stephen Murphy, Alan Fish and the team for all the effort and great work they have invested to recreate all nine strike editions of Top of the Pops from the summer of 1980. We missed out on so much all those years ago but now I feel we have had an ample taste of what those missing shows might have been like.

So this brings us to the final strike edition, from July 31st 1980........

The winner takes it all, Arthur Nibble....

 

 

 

Top of the Pops July 31st 1980

Hosted by Steve Wright and Cliff Richard

 http://www.4shared.com/video/-wKsm6Zlba/TOTP_31_07_80.html

 

The show begins with the Whole Lotta Love menu.....

 

(34) ULTRAVOX - Sleepwalk

Soon to become the band's first top 30 hit.

 

(2) LEO SAYER - More Than I Can Say

A big hit for Leo but it didn't quite make it to the top of the charts.

 

(31) GRACE JONES - Private Life

Soon to become a first top 20 hit for Grace.

 

(28) GENE CHANDLER - Does she have a friend

The first Legs & Co routine of this week's show.

 

Next we have the chart rundown from 30 to 21....

 

 

(21) JOAN ARMATRADING - Me Myself I

Just peaking outside the top 20.

 

And now the rundown from 20 to 11....

 

(22)  GEORGE BENSON - Give Me The Night  

This was to become the first of two top ten hits for George in 1980.

 

(47)  BOW WOW WOW - C30 C60 C90 GO

Looking and sounding not too unlike Adam and the Ants, this was the band's first top 40 hit when it peaked at 34.

 

(9) ABBA - The Winner Takes It All

About to become the new number one just in time for next week's  return of the show after the strike.

 

(11) UNDERTONES - Wednesday Week

At its peak.

 

(5) KATE BUSH – Babooshka

Also at its peak (sadly).

 

(53) ADAM AND THE ANTS - Kings Of The Wild Frontier

Looking and sounding a lot like Adam and the Ants, here they are with their first top 50 hit, although this song would eventually reach number 2 when it re-entered the charts in early 1981.

 

The Top Ten:

 

(10) DETRIOT SPINNERS – Cupid

Had peaked at number 4.

(9) ABBA – Winner Takes It All

Next week's number one.

(8) STACEY LATTISAW – Jump To The Beat

Had peaked at 3.

(7) DEXYS MIDNIGHT RUNNERS – There There My Dear

At its peak now.

(6) BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS – Could You Be Loved

Could get no higher than number 5.

(5) KATE BUSH – Babooshka

Ditto for Babooshka.

(4) OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN & ELO – Xanadu

Former number one.

(3) DIANA ROSS – Upside Down

Made it to number 2.

(2) LEO SAYER – More Than I Can Say

Didn't make it to number one.

(1) ODYSSEY - Use It Up Wear It Out

Danced to by Legs & Co for its final week at the top.

 

(30) ROXY MUSIC – Oh Yeah

And so Roxy Music play us out of this final special edition of Top of the Pops.

 

 

 

Next up, it's back to BBC4 on Thursday 1st October with the edition from the 25th September 1980.

 

 

Oops Upside Your Top of the Pops

As we reach this bumper penultimate edition and Stephen Murphy's 'strike' episodes of Top of the Pops, the charts are beginning to take on a look that we were familiar with when the show returned  to our screens on August 8th....

Only two more weeks to go and then it really is the Big Time!

 

 

 

Top of the Pops 24th July 1980

Hosted by Mike Read and Tommy Vance

http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.4shared.com%2Fvideo%2FPCuU9Gv4ba%2FTOTP_24_07_80.html&h=0AQH8b4Vc&s=1

 

 

(17) YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA - Computer Game

This one hit wonder chart run down tune was now at its peak.

 

(50) BODYSNATCHERS - Easy Life

The follow-up to Lets Do Rock Steady which got no higher than 50.

 

(8) DIANA ROSS - Upside Down

On its way up towards the top two.

 

(9) ROLLING STONES - Emotional Rescue

A big leap up the charts this week but number 9 proved to be its peak.

 

(21) BAD MANNERS - Lip Up Fatty

This is the way to get lots of appearances on the show, have yourself a very slow climber.

 

(23) GIBSON BROTHERS – Mariana

With their final top 20 hit, and a little help from Legs & Co.

 

(14) CHANGE - A Lover's Holiday

The first of two Legs & Co routines on this week's show, with Lover's Holiday now at its peak.

 

(38) JOHN FOXX - Burning Car

His third top 40 single of 1980, all narrowly missing out on a top 30 place, though his album Metamatic did make the top 20.

 

(33) TOM BROWNE - Funkin' For Jamaica

This would become Tom's only UK top ten hit.

 

(22) BLACK SABBATH - Neon Knights

At its peak.

 

(19) THE GAP BAND - Oops Upside Your Head

A big summer hit, and their first of two top tenners, though they would have to wait another six years for the second one!

 

(25) HOT CHOCOLATE - Are You Getting Enough of what Makes you Happy

The follow-up to No Doubt About It, this one reached 17.

 

(12) DEXYS MIDNIGHT RUNNERS - There There My Dear

Still heading towards the top ten.

 

(26)  WHISPERS - My Girl

This 70's style cover of the Temptations song was already at its peak in the charts.

 

(29)  SHEENA EASTON - 9 To 5

Fresh from appearing on the Big Time tv series and straight into the top 30 as a result.

 

(31) NEW MUSIK - sanctuary

This proved to be the band's final hit, and like their previous single it fell just one place short of the top 30.

 

(1) ODYSSEY - Use It Up Wear It Out

The second Legs & Co routine this week as Odyssey knock Olivia and ELO off the top of the chart.

 

(5) BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS - Could You Be Loved

Playing us out is Bob Marley who had just got as high as he could with this song.

 

I'm Not Your Top of the Pops

Although not included in our Game, here's Alan Fish's 'pilot 2' edition for July 17th 1980, the first time the team have put together a 'new style' Michael Hurll episode, which as you can appreciate involves a higher level of complexity than putting together the Robin Nash ones.......

So which one of us is going to be the celebrity presenter?

 

 

Top of the Pops July 17th 1980

Hosted by Mike Read and DLT

 http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.4shared.com%2Fvideo%2FVJftqPF9ba%2FTOTP_17_07.html&h=-AQF1_x6I&s=1

 

We begin with the new style Whole Lotta Love intro to the show.......

 

 

(36) AC/DC ~ Whole Lotta Rosie

Launching the new era with a lot of noise, a post Bon Scott AC/DC.

 

(5) BOB MARLEY ~ Could You Be Loved

Now at its peak.

 

(4) DETROIT SPINNERS ~ Cupid/I've Loved You for a Long Time

The first of this edition's Legs & Co routines.

 

(21) SEX PISTOLS ~ I'm Not Your Stepping Stone

Looking slightly older here than in 1980 :-)

This is followed by the chart rundown from 30 to 11 and of course a guest appearance....

 

(24) SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES ~ Christine

Still climbing its way up to 22.

 

(34) GERARD KENNY ~ Fantasy

This one got no higher than 34 but was his biggest UK hit.

 

(25) BLACK SABBATH ~ Neon Knights

Post Ozzy Osbourne and on its way to 22.

 

(3) STACY LATISAW ~ Jump to the Beat

The second of this edition's Legs & Co routines.

 

(39) GENE CHANDLER ~ Does She Have a Friend?

On its way to a peak of 28.

 

The Top Ten Rundown:

 

(10) LEO SAYER ~ More Than I Can Say

On its way to number 2.

(9) PAUL MCCARTNEY ~ Waterfalls

At its peak.

(8) DON MCLEAN ~ Crying

Former number one.

(7) KATE BUSH ~ Babooshka

Still rising towards the top 5.

(6) UB40 ~ My Way of Thinking/I Think it's Going to Rain

At its peak.

(5) BOB MARLEY ~ Could You Be Loved

Peak position for this one.

(4) DETROIT SPINNERS ~ Cupid/I've Loved You for a Long Time

Also at its peak.

(3) STACY LATISAW ~ Jump to the Beat

Another that jumped no higher.

(2) ODYSSEY ~ Use it Up and Wear it Out

About to become the new number one.

(1) OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN & ELO ~ Xanadu

Second and final week at the top.

 

(7) KATE BUSH ~ Babooshka

Plays us out over the credits.

 

Huge thanks to Alan and the team for this!

 

 

Top of the Pops Rescue

On July 9th 1980 the BBC made a 'new style' Top of the Pops pilot which was of course never broadcast, but this week Stephen Murphy and his team have come up with what an 'old style' edition might have looked like had it gone out on Thursday the 10th of July 1980......

Oh no no no, I can't get no Top of the Pops!

 

 

Top of the Pops 10th July 1980

Hosted by Peter Powell

http://www.4shared.com/video/DShkocWmce/TOTP_10_07_80.html

 

 

(5) DETROIT SPINNERS ~ Cupid

Over the charts this week is the final top ten hit for the Detroit Spinners.

 

(44) THE VAPOURS ~ News at Ten

Their follow-up to Turning Japanese was not so successful, getting no higher than 44.

 

(24) DARTS ~ Let's Hang On

A breath of fresh air when we first saw them towards the end of 1977, but less then three years later they seem tired and old hat with their final hit of note.

 

(14) SAXON - 747 (Strangers In The Night)

This one flew to just one place higher in the charts.

 

(20) ROLLING STONES - Emotional Rescue   

The title track from their number one album, this was to become their penultimate top ten hit.

 

(18) JOY DIVISION - Love Will Tear Us Apart

Their only top 20 hit, peaking at 13 in the charts.

 

(22) LEO SAYER – More Than I Can Say

Almost made it to number one for Leo, this was also his penultimate top ten hit.

 

(7) UB40 – My Way Of Thinking

Peaked at 6.

 

(2) ODYSSEY – Use It Up And Wear It Out

This one just had to be the Legs & Co routine!

 

(16) KATE BUSH – Babooshka

The second of three singles from her number one album, Never Forever. This would also be her last top ten hit for five years.

 

(11) PAUL McCARTNEY – Waterfalls

The second single from his number one album, McCartney 2, peaked at nine in the charts.

 

(30) THE UNDERTONES – Wednesday Week

The follow-up to their biggest hit, My Perfect Cousin, became their second biggest hit when it made number 11.

 

(45) DEXY’S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS – There There My Dear

The follow-up to Geno peaked at number 7.

 

(1) OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN & ELO – Xanadu

The first of two weeks at the top of the charts for Olivia and ELO.

 

(29) CHANGE – A Lover’s Holiday

Playing over the credits is the first of two top 20 hits for Change in 1980.