Once is never enough, never never was, so says the 22nd February 1990 edition of Top of the Pops!
Quiff and deliver
22-2-90: Presenter: Mark Goodier
(13) TINA TURNER – Steamy Windows
She ended the last show and begins the new one, but the song got no higher.
(24) CHRIS REA – Tell Me There’s A Heaven (video)
Also got no higher.
(2) BEATS INTERNATIONAL feat. LINDY LAYTON – Dub Be Good To Me
A second studio performance of the song that will be number one next week.
(19) CLIFF RICHARD – Stronger Than That (video)
Went up five more places.
(32) THUNDER – Dirty Love (video) (Breakers)
Their first of sixteen top 40 hits but this one got no higher.
(33) ELECTRIBE 101 – Talking With Myself (video) (Breakers)
Their biggest hit and it went up ten more places.
(36) JAMIE J. MORGAN – Walk On The Wild Side (video) (Breakers)
His only hit and it peaked at number 27.
(38) RENEGADE SOUNDWAVE – Probably A Robbery (video) (Breakers)
Their only top 40 hit and it got no higher.
(27) GURU JOSH – Infinity
In the studio to perform what became his only top ten hit when it peaked at number 5.
(22) ADAM ANT – Room At The Top
Returning to the charts after a five year break with a song that peaked at number 13.
(1) SINEAD O’CONNOR – Nothing Compares 2 U
With a new studio performance of the second biggest selling single of the year to mark her fourth and final week at number one.
(29) AEROSMITH – Dude (Looks Like A Lady) (video) (and credits)
Originally peaking at number 45 back in 1987, this re-issue became their second of thirteen top 40 hits when it peaked at number 20.
March 1st is next.
That nice Mr Goodier makes his belated first appearance of the year, and is his normal affable but bland self. Having closed last week’s show, Tina kicks off this one with a lively studio appearance that gets the crowd going – she is dressed rather more demurely than normal, and it suits her. I remember listening to this Chris Rea song on The Road to Hell album at the time and finding it rather depressing, if well put together. It was no surprise to me later when the NSPCC adopted it for their televised appeals, and the video does nothing to lighten the mood.
ReplyDeleteFatboy, Lindy and co are back for a second go at their imminent chart-topper, though sartorial standards have not improved since last time. Mark’s prediction of a Top 5 hit for Cliff proved some way wide of the mark, but this fairly muscular pop tune isn’t bad at all, and has lingered in my head these last 30 years even though I have hardly ever heard it again in that time – no surprise that it was another collaboration with Alan Tarney. Unfortunately the video has also remained stuck in my mind, due to that image of Cliff doing ruthlessly synchronised dance moves in a sleeveless shirt, at a time when he was fast approaching 50.
On to the breakers, and Thunder and Renegade Soundwave won’t be bothering us again. The former just sound like another interchangeable hair metal band, the latter more distinctive with a very English style of rap that seems to anticipate acts like The Streets. Back in the studio, Guru Josh gives an entertaining performance of a dance record that is a lot more listenable than some of its peers, thanks to some atmospheric production and that haunting sax part, which sounds vaguely familiar. It’s a shame though that the shapely lady dancers were not at the front of the stage, rather than the two blokes in their psychedelic shirts.
Although I remember Adam Ant being interviewed on Going Live around this time, it had completely slipped my memory that he actually managed a chart comeback, albeit a brief one. Sadly, this song is a slight piece of pop-rock, completely lacking the distinctiveness of the hits of his heyday. Adam tries to turn back the clock by dressing as an especially flamboyant matador, but that can’t disguise the weakness of the song. Sinead returns to the studio for her final week at number 1, which at least means we get to hear a bit more of the song, though still no further than the instrumental break. Aerosmith give us an upbeat finale, with a decent rocker but a video that is mainly just an “in performance” affair, and doesn’t have as much fun with the song title as you might have expected.
Yeah, Guru Josh was the pick of the show for me. I was wondering what the sexy girls behind him were doing with those violins before they dropped them to dance disco stylee, as there is no violin sound on the song??
DeleteBack to the tune, and the sax part is so famous now on dance floors in the last 30 years, and I remember the 2008 re-release with some modifications for 18 years following the 1990 original release, with a sexy video to for 2008, but whichever version of the song, it's a fantastic tune nonetheless!
Guru Josh's pals were the worst dancers I've ever seen on TOTP, what a rabble. And that includes football squads and that bloke with the fan from a few years ago.
DeleteThe 2008 release differed by means of the artist being called 'Guru Josh Project' and the single called 'Infinity 2008', and had some modified extra pieces, but I remember the 2008 video as featuring a girl in a sexy minidress and high heels walking in an outdoor field, and by the time she got indoors, she removed the dress and danced in her underwear banging on a brick wall with a sledgehammer and finally smashing a television:
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1AXZW5ti2w
A close friend of mine is mates with a very good musician who was asked to help Thunder out for four weeks' touring back in the 80's, for which he got paid £26,000!
ReplyDeleteMark Goodier well into "embarrassing dad" mode here, and not for the last time. And here's your granny taking to the dancefloor at a wedding, or approximation of same from Tina Turner, with one of those records that sounds like it's a let your hair down rocker, but would barely get a vicar's foot tapping.
ReplyDeleteAnyone got the number of the Samaritans? It's Chris Rea playing out his midlife crisis even further in song, with the sort of imagery of poverty-stricken kids that only this week has been banned from some campaigns. It's... well produced, I guess?
Beats International have left the trousers at home, so to speak, and biding their time to take the top slot.
Cliff likes to move with the music, alas his moves are what Mark Goodier tells us are brilliant, by which he presumably means remarkable he can manage to do a Janet Jackson impersonation at his age. The song is a bit too much like the SAW record he made.
Breakers. Thunder! Thunder! Thunder! Thundercats - HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.... oh, not that, it's more hair metal with an enduring fixture of the scene, mind you staying power is almost a given with these metal acts. Can't recall how this goes now. Renegade Soundwave have stuck in my mind because a guy in college used to sing "Could have been a robbery!" when the title was quite plainly "Probably a robbery!" because that rhymes. Anyway, humorous, lairy, proto-Guy Richie electro-rap.
1990: Time for the Guru, as pops into my head every time someone mentions this year. No wonder, this was an infernally catchy dance tune with ill-placed self-confidence part and package of why it's so amusing. Poor guy died a few years ago, never did properly make it, though he rerecorded Infinity in the 21st Century (without the 1990 bits) and made sure he wasn't a one hit wonder when it was successful all over again.
Adam Ant, how the mighty had fallen with this tepid run-through of Cameo's Word Up, or nearest equivalent. Still, it did not bad, but didn't signal a return to past glories, and personal problems overtook him, though he recently did well on the nostalgia circuit. Doubt he played this one, though.
Sinead is back, and they still think her single's too long. Nice to see her chest without that "must have been agony" tattoo, anyway.
Aerosmith to end on with their gender bending "you can't tell the boys from the girls these days" anthem, which has enough humour to get away with its attitude. It's a stupid song, but it is entertaining.
Good grief, I'd never seen Sinead's "Amy Winehouse" look until you alerted me! Talking of people with the surname O'Connor, the couple whose wedding photo is on the cover of Pulp's album "Different Class" were both called O'Connor, and were introduced to each other by a mate of mine who jokingly said to them at the intro if they ever got married neither would have to change their surname. Sharon and Dom are about to celebrate their silver anniversary!
DeleteYeah, poor old Sinead is not a pretty sight these days. I hope she's getting the help she deserves.
DeletePhew, that was one to endure! A very random collection of stuff that suggests any kind of zeitgeist had momentarily gone AWOL. Even Mark Goodier's limitless capacity for compliments must've been tested. It will get much better very shortly.
ReplyDeleteOn a good note, two days later, three members of The Byrds will reform for a US televised tribute to Roy Orbison. Now that is pop tv. Anyway, let's get through this.
Tina Turner, Steamy Windows
Not a bad start, a raucous grinder with Tina doing that strange backward stepping routine like she's just spotted a fast advancing flood coming from her bathroom. Those expressions to camera!
Chris Rea, Tell Me There's a Heaven
A strange choice of single for sure and the public seemed to agree keeping it at No. 24 the next week then sending it plummeting back down the charts. Very serious video that i don't recall but I do remember the song. I think of it as a 'DLT single' (I don't mean that as a criticism) because he definately raved like mad about this one and played it continually for a time on his Sunday show on Radio 1. 'New York Minute' by Don Henley was another one.
It still occupies its own gently unsettling little space all these years on and is certainly the sort of thing only Chris Rea would've considered as single material at the time.
Beats International, Dub Be Good To Me
To be honest, I don't know why this was given so much attention in the documentary when it really is just a decent cover version. albeit a chart topping one. I do like it but that's because I really love the original (and anything on the 1st Hits album from '84, an epochal listening experience). The ingredients are great and the opening of course is instantly recognisable but to me it's always sounded caught like a stuck lift between silly and moody and consequently doesn't offer much of anything. Good enough.
Cliff Richard, Stronger Than That
Oh Cliff please don't! The video caused me to nearly choke on my chips with that tanktop. Also because the song is so obviously aimed at the mothers and yet comes with a C and C Music Factory video about 10 months early. Alan Tarney had a hand in this?
The guy who gave Cliff 'Dreamin' and 'January February' and 'In The Night' for Barbara Dickson? Age clearly affects us all.
Thunder, Dirty Love
Forgotten it already. Probably lots of hair.
Electribe 101, Talking With Myself
Another forgettable thing from the Cilla Black in a nightmare singer and her barely visible gang.
Jamie J Morgan, Walk On The Wild Side
Just keep the original's bassline and you might come up with something better.
Renegade Soundwave, Probably a Robbery
Always liked their name
Guru Josh, Infinity
Good to hear this again. That sax phrase is obviously very 808 State indebted but still charming. From the time when I still thought of dance as being image over music, I do remember seeing this at the time and distinctly remember thinking the world had gone mad. I liked Mark's comment about them turning up in their pyjamas. In that case about a third of the people I went to college with turned up daily in their pyjamas as well.
Adam Ant, Room At The Top
To compound the hard work of this edition, up pops my childhood hero and if not looks then sounds completely anonymous with a painfully obvious re-write of T Rex's 'Hot Love'. Ah well. You were the best.
Sinead O'Connor, Nothing Compares 2 U
You'd really think she'd be granted a live vocal spot for this by now but no. Still sounds great.
Aerosmith, Dude Looks Like a Lady
I would really love some rappers to come up through the floor and tell them to be quiet.
I remember one of the members of The Boomtown Rats always performed with pyjamas on stage and video with group in the late 70s. I think it was Johnny Fingers.
DeleteDefinitely was. It wasn't until the recent Rats documentary that I realised the name "Pete Briquette" was a pun on peat firelighters in Ireland!
DeleteThe DJ I associate with Don Henley's New York Minute is Roger Scott, he played it every week for weeks on end on his Sunday night R1 show. Didn't make it a hit, mind you.
DeleteIt's strange how that particular single was only picked up by certain djs and was such a commercial flop in Britain. I thought it was a fabulous song totally a part of summer '89 for me. I never heard Roger Scott at the time sadly. I know he was a real broadcasting great.
DeleteOh, a correction to something I said. Not exactly related to 1990. Barbara Dickson wrote 'In The Night', Alan Tarney produced it. You couldn't mistake that trademark reedy organ sound. Great song that one.
DeleteChris Rea - depressing and tuneless ditty
ReplyDeleteCliff - don’t remember this, but (whisper) I quite liked it. (Bit of dad dancing in the video)
Breakers
Thunder - better tunes to come
Electribe 101 - for a dance record this is quite pleasant
Jamie morgan - continues the recent tradition of crucifying covers...
Renegade Soundwave - again, ok - bit like Pop Will Eat Itself...
Guru josh - ah well, it was all too good to last FF
Adam Ant - again don’t remember this. rather bizarre rip off of Ya Ya Twist, with a soupçon of Word Up and You Really Got Me
Aerosmith - play us out with one of their finest moments
The return of Goodiebags, not on top form in this edition, having the cheek to ridicule Guru Josh’s stage wear while wearing what looked like an Adam Ant hand-me-down shirt himself.
ReplyDeleteDirty gran’s back. Stop it, Tina! At least she was more demurely dressed than in the video and she clearly enjoyed herself.
Chris Rea’s single is a song we all really love, Mark? If so, why did it peak at number 24? I bet the harrowing video and painful lyrics (and I don’t mean that in a bad way) put the viewers and record buying public off.
Ah, so this is the Beats International performance where Norman tells Lindy how to act while dressed and miming like a knob. Improperly Clothed Male number 1 on the show, believe it or not.
ICM no. 2 immediately after, as Cliff looks like mutton dressed as lamb while singing about a new kid on the block. At his age. Dear oh dear. Oh, and Mark, the choreography left me cold. I love the way Mark predicts a top 5 placing for this and the black haired girl to our left then gives him a withering look as if to say “What are you talking about?”.
Thunder with what was actually their second single, sounding like a rip-off in parts of “Addicted To Love”. Thunder? Light drizzle, more like.
Electribe 101 with a functional remix. Nothing much to talk about here.
Jamie J. Morgan had obviously listened to The Beloved and thought he’d try and copy them with this utterly dreadful waste of vinyl.
Bit young for a cruise, aren’t you, lad? At least Depeche Mode label mates Renegade Soundwave did something different – comedic synth backed rap – so fair play to them for trying.
It’s ICM number 3, Rogan Josh! I could murder one of thse right now. He looked and acted a complete knob. Mind you we should have entered this hypno racket for “Eurovision” – it would probably have won!
The return of Adam Ant, five years after he decided not to play one of his big hits in “Live Aid” and treated us instead to crap flop “Vive Le Rock”. Shame his last TOTP features a tired sounding bargain basement effort. I was more interested by his jacket having no underarms.
Another brilliantly expressive reading of her chart topper by Sinead, cruelly cut short due to the instrumental break.
We finish with ICM number 4 – put that chest away, Tyler! Only that bride was a woman who looked like a dude to me. What was this called again?
Back to Mr Goodier presenting ‘The Pops’ this time! Didn’t Peter Powell coin that phrase?
ReplyDeleteTina Turner – Steamy Windows – having FF’d at the end of the last show on this I was annoyed to see it pop up again so soon, so FF again!
Chris Rea – Tell me there’s a Heaven – A beautiful song that I have on the ‘Winter Song’ CD single and I didn’t know that it had the message behind it as shown on the video. Doesn’t appear to be a ‘Feed the World’ type release but that was the message it conveyed (Chris of course, did sing on the Band Aid 2’ release a few weeks earlier). Really like this and a shame we barely get into the chorus, but as noted by several people already, the video doesn’t really sell the song, it would have been better to intersperse Chris perhaps.
Beats International and Linda Layton – Dub be good to me – Sounding like a chart topper, oh hang on…
Cliff Richard – Stronger than that – this has SAW written all over it but no, written by the prolific Alan Tarney. Pretty much production line stuff despite the choreography. As noted by Mic1,2,1,2 Alan wrote some memorable hits for Cliff and Barbara Dickson….. and this unreleased track by Karen Carpenter which somehow didn’t get included when her solo album was belatedly released.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ86IgDnBo0
Breakers – Thunder – Pass, Electribe 101 – Pass, Jamie J Morgan – rehash of Lou’s hit presumably with some of the lyrics missed out, but all the atmosphere gone too. Renegade Soundwave – Pass. In summary, won’t mind if any of these fail to break.
Guru Josh – Infinity – It’s rather good actually! Some great keyboard work that Rick Wakeman would be proud of. Plenty to occupy the special effects teams as they whizz and spin images galore!
Adam Ant – Room at the Top – For some reason all I could look at was the girl in the red hot pants! The song itself seems to have borrowed the instrumental track from ‘She drives me crazy’. But I like it!
Sinead O’Connor – Nothing compares 2 U – Great to see another studio performance and I thought we’d see more of this wonderful song, but no, it cuts off in the instrumental break again. I don’t know about anyone else, but I thought the sound changes at the point it cuts out as if she really did record the whole song but the producers cut it short for timing reasons. I’d have rather had more of this than some of those damn breakers!
Aerosmith – Dude (looks like a lady) – The lady we see fleetingly on a few occasions looks OK to me but the song is standard HM fodder with long haired men and their guitars.
Hi Anonymous! Great work last week putting up all those '84 and '85 shows. Thanks for them . This week I'm after original 70's shows again. They are 15/09/77, 15/03/79, 28/06/79, 2/08/79, 20/09/79 and 29/11/79. Also could you upload 28/12/89 again as when I downloaded it, it came up as a compressed file. Cheers!
ReplyDeletebrie here they are https://we.tl/t-7RjdKxGkt4
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff as usual, mate! Unfortunately 28/12/89 has downloaded the same way. Never mind as I've got the BBC4 copy that was transmitted a few months ago. Cheers!
DeleteYou say compressed do ya mean ratio compressed to 16.9? If so its how i got it, i can convert it to 4.3 if required?
DeleteI mean that when the file is downloaded it looks narrower than the other files. When you play it, it shows up as if in a square, while the other files fill the screen. Every other show I've ever downloaded from you has been a 'full screen' file. Every show that Drykid used to upload after he'd restored links in them used to download as a compressed file. I don't know if it is to do with the ratio or not but that's how I can best explain it. Thanks for taking the time to bother with it. Cheers!
Deleteyes it's fine then, i see same narrow thumbnail, but plays in 4:3 in vlc palyer etc etc.
DeleteGreat, thought it might be that. Thanks for looking at it for me, mate!
DeleteJust tried it on VLC and it plays perfect. Thanks again!
DeleteXrayfour has been in touch,it's been converted to 4.3 for you.
DeleteHi Brie! I've been out of action recently after surgery but on the road to recovery now. I was checking out some of the older posts here. Thanks for thinking of me! Thanks also to Anonymous for some brilliant HQ uploads. Here's 28/12/89 in 4:3. Hopefully it will sort things out for you:
Deletehttps://we.tl/t-xOMqtFGb6s
Brilliant, mate! Great to hear from you again. Thought you might have fallen victim to Covid! I knew something was up as you never reacted to some great uploads by Anonymous, including the elusive 25/5/78. Good to hear you're on the mend. Cheers!
DeleteI had a quick look on the net to find Guru Josh's real name (Paul Walden) and Didn't realise that he was one of the rare chart acts from Jersey, Nerina Pallot being another, and that he committed suicide nearly five years ago.
ReplyDeleteConsidering he was only 25 years old on the TOTP studio performance in 1990, he looked about 45 on it, so 25 years later in 2015 when he committed suicide, I shudder to think how he looked then as a 51 year old.
DeleteHi Anonymous! 1984 and 1985 are my favourite TOTP seasons.
DeleteDo you have these rare episodes: -26.07.1984;
-13.09.1984;
-27.09.1984;
-25.10.1984;
-06.12.1984;
-01.08.1985?
Cheers!
Here they are https://we.tl/t-dO4cnPI5pP
DeleteAnonymous, do you have 30/4/81,9/7/81,13/5/82,25/8/83,9/2/84,15/11/84, 11/9/86 and 2/10/86. Cheers.
ReplyDeleteYes here they are https://we.tl/t-T6aETJaS23
DeleteMany thanks Anonymous for uploading the 84/85 episodes that I requested yesterday!!! Fantastic quality!
ReplyDeleteDo you also have these rare Mike Smith TOTP episodes from 1986:
-09.01.1986;
-13.03.1986;
-01.05.1986;
-15.05.1986;
-26.06.1986;
-17.07.1986?
Cheers!
Yep here they are.
Deletehttps://we.tl/t-zRndF9SYnH
Many thanks Anonymous!!!!!
DeleteMaybe you also have these Mike Smith TOTP episodes from 1987:
-29/01/1987;
-26/03/1987;
-09/04/1987;
-07/05/1987;
-03/09/1987;
-24/09/1987?
Cheers!
Here they are:
Deletehttps://we.tl/t-WLgrp7kz3N
Wow! Fantastic quality!!!!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks Anonymous!!!
Maybe you also have these rare Mike Smith episodes:
-01/10/1987
-08/10/1987
-05/11/1987
-10/12/1987
-28/01/1988
-04/02/1988
-10/03/1988?
Cheers!
here they are https://we.tl/t-LreFbCSYdr
ReplyDeleteAmazing quality Anonymous!!!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks!!!
Cheers!
Ana
Tina Turner picks up where we left off last week and still dancing like your Nan at a wedding after a few too many sherries. It's fairly standard American radio rock. Nice whilst it lasts but not brilliant.
ReplyDeleteWell this Chris Rea track is a barrel of laughs isn't it. You can do big emotional songs with a strong subject matter but this is just depressing.
Beats and Lindy have made number 2 but this is a repeat.
Sir Clifford up next still in his SAW phase and not a bad tune. As for the video, well he is way too old for that dancing and that top. 80 this week and back in the Top 3 of the album charts.
Breakers:
Thunder - More rock music and big hair
Electribe 101 - This was only a hit last year and I'm not sure the remix does it any favours.
Jamie J Morgan - No relation - Fairly sure of himself isn't he. Nowhere near as good as he thinks he is. Definitely a different take on this song.
Renegade Soundwave. An Indie/Dance crossover that is easily the best of the breakers this week.
It's 1990 so it's time for a Guru - Guru Josh in fact. And it's nearer 19:15. This is a brilliant dance tune although some drugs may have been taken in the making of this record.
Still looking and sounding great is Adam Ant. A proper pop star and I really like this song. Slightly distracted by the red hot pants...
Sinead is back just so goody bags can make a hash of plugging her new album (whatever it's called). In red tonight but still cut off in her prime - 4 weeks at number one is impressive though.
Getting a strange sense of Aerosmith-De-Ja-Vu....
So it appears the memory cheats me tonight.
ReplyDeleteFirst Cliff was not a SAW tune which I always assumed it was.
Also Electribe had a different hit last year (shows how much attention I was paying).
Another late arrival for a mostly good show after the bandy legged one had disappeared.
ReplyDeleteChris Rea - A strange one this. 9 times out of 10 I find it mawkish and overlong, but the other 1 occasion I really engage with it.
Cliff Richard - As per usual from an Alan Tarney production, the song is pretty good (if not up to their early 80s collaborations) but oh dear, that video...
Breakers - Thunder's song is not great, but I've always loved 'Probably A Robbery' which is humorous and something that only British musicians could make!
Guru Josh - Loved it then, love it still even though he was always a bit of a tool. Those who think his only other hit was the 2008 remix of this have clearly forgotten his follow-up which if we're really unlucky we may hear soon.
Adam Ant - Not as good as his early 80s classics but good enough, and with some very sharp lyrics too.
Aerosmith - Not bad as these kind of songs go.
I had no idea Guru Josh had died til I read these comments. Always liked Infinity but he was always setting himself up for a fall declaring 1990 was time for the guru. Quite a lot of songs in this episode I don't think I've heard since 1990.
ReplyDelete