Yippee-ippee-ey-ey-ay-yey-yey, it's the 18th of October 1990 edition of Top of the Pops!
Madchester for it
18-10-90: Presenter: Mark Goodier
(19) A-HA – Crying In The Rain
Getting this live show underway with this Everley Brothers cover which became their first hit for two years when peaked at number 13.
(23) AZTEC CAMERA & MICK JONES – Good Morning Britain (video)
This was the Aztec's final top 40 hit and it peaked at number 19.
(33) INNOCENCE – Let’s Push It
In the studio tonight and the tune peaked at number 25.
(16) WHITNEY HOUSTON – I’m Your Baby Tonight (video)
Peaked at number 5.
(20) HAPPY MONDAYS – Kinky Afro
Bez and the boys are back in the studio to perform what became their second and final top ten hit when it peaked at number 5.
(24) RITA MacNEIL – Working Man (video)
Her only hit and it peaked at number 11.
(27) BERLIN – Take My Breath Away (video) (Breakers)
This re-issue peaked at number 3.
(28) TINA TURNER – Be Tender With Me Baby (video) (Breakers)
Got no higher.
(30) PAUL McCARTNEY – Birthday (video) (Breakers)
This live version of his old Beatles song went up one more place.
(15) HI TEK 3 feat. YA KID K – Spin That Wheel (Turtles Get Real) (video)
At its peak.
(1) MARIA McKEE – Show Me Heaven (video)
Fourth and final week at number one.
(26) BELINDA CARLISLE – (We Want) The Same Thing (video) (and credits)
Peaked at number 6.
October 25th is next.
The only thing I could comment on for this week's edition is a new entry at No.18 for Morrissey who either didn't turn up to the studio, or was not invited, as I would be surprised if TOTP did not want to include him, and his absence meant that Innocence in at No.33 got the call up instead as the lowest chart position featured on the show.
ReplyDeleteSuffice to say that Morrissey then tumbled the following week quite badly to No.39, having had no exposure on TOTP when peaking at No.18 this week, and the Morrissey video included the legendary Joan Sims of the Carry On Films, and so we also missed out on that.
Another edition that's all over the place but this time marvellously so. Mark Goodier takes the floor having seemingly beamed down from the Starship Enterprise. Did he assume a dance remix of the 'Star Trek' theme was on its way?
ReplyDeleteA-ha; Very downbeat way to start the show but no complaints. The Everley Brothers and anything associated with them are above criticism for me apart from a blatant mickey take (is that actually possible?). This is a perfectly pleasant cover with a trace of Celtic sweep about it. They sound like they have a genuine love for the song. Fine.
Aztec Camera and Mick Jones; Love this single and good to see the video. The choice of fashion wear must've been at least a little tongue in cheek particularly Roddy's look. Great song.
The Soup Dragons "strrrraight in at No. 37!!". Whoah!!
Innocence; Gently funky stuff though didn't hear much of a melody. The bassist sporting a possibly unique New Agey shirt and track suit bottoms combination. 'Simply Blur' perhaps?
Whitney Houston; Great tune this one with the feel of Donna Summer's imperious disco classics. The video's very entertaining too and seems to be a sort of NYC version of the small town 'Love Shack' video. Whitney relishing the opportunity to dress as The Supremes. Nice to see her being so lighthearted again. Her best single since 'So Emotional' for me.
The Happy Mondays; One of the singles of the year up next. I never tire of hearing this. The guitar riff the best of the (Mark) day that sounds barely bothered yet really powerful. And Shaun Ryder looking every bit the mix of 1990 pop star and the amiable but surly kid you always found yourself hanging around if you arrived at school early enough.
Rita MacNeil; And then a classic Totp gear change very like one of those absolutely screeching ones you got circa 1979. Appropriately it's another Lena Martell moment although this one won't be taking up residence. Was Terry Wogan pushing this on his radio show? I can't see Canadian miners singing that whilst at work.
Berlin; Reissue time with another one whose re-appearance is a mystery to me. Was it for an advert? An advert for an advert? No idea but always good to hear it.
Tina Turner; Video and single unmemorable.
Paul McCartney; No memory of this being out at all but I certainly remember this on the Nordoff Robbins Knebworth show that was shown on TV and Radio. We had it on video for a long time and if memory serves it was Macca's opening number after wishing the crowd a cheery "good morning!" Pleasingly it conveys the same amount of birthday goodwill as The Beatles original. ie, none at all.
Looked on Wickipedia and apparently he released it to coincide with what would've been John Lennon's 50th birthday.
Hi Tek 3; Grown on me just a tiny bit but not enough to comment on. Yak Kid K very watchable, the turtles not.
Maria McKee; Last week at the top and the video again. Great to revisit.
Belinda Carlisle; Belinda just couldn't do any wrong for me at this tine and this is a real gem, one that even leaves 'Leave a Light On' trailing in its wake. This thunderous creation mystifyingly stalled at No.4, proving that there was no competing for the top with a film or advert soundtrack at this time. Eartha Kitt growls that lead into an absolute take off of a bridge topped off with 'ooohs' that have nothing to do with the rest of the song other than that they sound FANTASTIC!!! (you may have guessed at this point that I had a huge crush on a girl in my class at the time this was out), the chorus somehow just as exciting. It says so much about this woman's abilities that even with all this it doesn't sound remotely silly or over the top. I'm sure the video was great but to be honest I can only ever see the view from the school coach in the morning when I hear this.
Berlin was re-released after it's tv premiere which was earlier in October 1990.
DeleteBleh, A-ha get us underway with this episode's mediocre cover, a dirgelike version of the Everly's mournful classic somehow sounding even more suicidal. I remember DLT of all people taking the piss out of this one on his radio show with his own "comedy" rendition.
ReplyDeleteSuperstar (well...) team up with Roddy and Mick, pretty decent little bit of political pop that the lyrics in the video reveal to be about The Troubles. Roddy's skill with a tune much in evidence.
Innocence, quite nice but could have done without the saxophone which spoils it a bit. I don't think that bloke is even really playing it, to be honest.
Whitney's 90s saw her decline begin, but you'd never know it from this, a sunny bit of "you're in there" pop with a video where she gets to raid the dressing up box. Nothing too offensive.
One of the Mondays' best singles, I'd drifted away from them by this point but this has a lazy, slightly menacing psychedelic vibe thanks to that guitar looping around the melody. Bez proving his worth here, demonstrating the correct moves for this.
Then - wait a minute, who the hell was buying that?! Rita may be a legend in Canada, but she meant very little here, and the miner's strike was well over. Was she on a TV show or something? Was it a theme tune?
Breakers, we'll see them next time apart from Tina who gets a cheapo video in contrast to her previous one. Pretty average song, too.
Then the Turtles tune again, which Mr Cheese reveals had nothing to do with the film until they reshot the video.
Bored of Maria now, but we finish on half a belter as we get Belinda's cheapo video - this really deserved something more professional. More next time...
In Mark Lewisohn's book 'The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions it mentions that the fab four recorded 'Birthday' either side of watching a movie on TV ('The Girl Can't Help It') at Paul's flat round the corner from Abbey Road. I noticed that on this edition 'Birthday' appears (separated by 1 song) either side of singles that are movie soundtracks!
ReplyDeleteMeant between movie soundtracks of course but yes weird coincidence!
ReplyDeleteAn enterprising display by Mark. See what I did there?
ReplyDeleteAha! The Norwegian lads have mushroomed to a five-piece. A compassionate and honest cover but I’d have preferred them doing “Cathy’s Clown” myself.
You can actually sing the words of “Donald Where’s Your Troosers” to the verses of “Good Morning Britain”. Nice backwards breakfast clock in the video. For my money, though, Roddy Frame never bettered “Oblivious”.
Wine bar disco by Innocence. Nice gentle ambience but not a patch on Salt ‘N’ Pepa if you get my drift.
Whitney Houston. Bitch died on my 50th birthday. More synthetic soul from her. Nothing supreme about this.
Happy Mondays with a great Manc groove featuring a hypnotic eight-note bass line loop. Shaun Ryder out-pudding-basining Tim Burgess’s hairstyle there.
Next up, the most WTF moment on the show since 1776. Lucky old Canada! What the Hell was this? Obviously championed by Radio 2. Utterly dreadful. Boom boom tish for Mark’s outro joke.
Breakers: Re-issue yawn, then another in the recent sequence of anonymous Tina singles, then some old bloke screeching a chorus. Dear oh dear – or should that be drear oh drear?
Next up, “Spin That Wheel And Cash In On The Movie”. More wooh yeah shit.
Maria followed by a typical pouty / art / live video by a Yank act. The sound for Belinda’s track sounded way louder than for anything else on the show.
Innocence were lucky to get a slot on the show as the lowest chart position given a studio performance, and in place of the new entry by Morrissey at No.18 which was bizarrely not featured at all.
DeleteOK Arthur, so your 60th birthday is coming up next year. Happy 59th for this year!
59 already, sir, but thanks! :-D
DeleteI'm guessing Morrissey's single didn't get played because the lyrics refer to life as a male prostitute, palare being the 'slang' used by men in that trade. Keneneth Williams and Hugh Paddick had a radio show where they spoke to each other in palare or a version of it, probably when homosexuality was still a jialbale offence, and listeners laughed along without fully understanding the implications.
DeleteWell, Moz was on Rough Trade records. Must have been inspired!
DeleteAha - jumping on the cover wagon. The seemingly obligatory slowing down of an already slow song - Lacklustre and not as interesting as any of their other hits.
ReplyDeleteAztec Camera - pleasant enough ditty, but couldn’t help singing ‘donald where’s me troosers’ at one point [pre post look at comments reveals I am once again second up to the mark with Donald remark]
Innocence - ‘best dance track in britain currently’ - really?! Dull.
Whitney - strangely an original song that sounds as if it is a cover! Pleasant enough.
Happy Mondays - I’ve said before that I am not really a fan, but i have enjoyed these reruns more than their original outing. Maybe it’s the dross around them. The guitar solo riff reminded me of another song...
Rita McNeill - do not have the faintest recollection of ever hearing this before. What sparked this? - was it a Terry Wogan favourite?... [again, beaten to the punch with Terry Wogan comment]
Breakers:
Berlin - Always liked that fat bass riff.
Tina turner - very heartfelt singing, but forgotten how it goes already...
Mccartney - ah, one of my faves from the White album. Bit mean to call it a cover I suppose. (Our band segue this after happy birthday if we have a birthday person in.)
Belinda Carlisle - and we go out with a bang. Highlight of the show (though the video was a bit naff) [again, video previously remarked on - I will have to get to these shows earlier]
It came to me. Happy Mondays riff is a lift of Magazine ‘The Light Pours Out Of Me’ - phew, I can sleep tonight...
DeleteThe ITV Chart Show on this week had Status Quo as the new number one, as they didn't see The Righteous Brothers coming:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VekEG2Fc1Kk
I’m so late that I really shouldn’t be bothered, but here goes a brief resume.
ReplyDeleteA-Ha – Crying in the Rain – Lovely cover of an Everleys hit from 1962. Shame they stopped it when the music was about to resume. Love that instrumental break.
Aztec Camera – Good Morning Britain – best ever? Nah… ‘Somewhere in my Heart’.
Breakers – Love that Berlin song!!!! Macca – Love that White Album!!!
Rita McNeil – Working Man – Don’t recall this…quite like it…wonder what made it chart?
Maria McKee -Sho me Heaven – indeed…
Belinda Carlisle – We want the same thing – What a strange sequence of chart hits from ‘Runaway Horses’… Oct 89 – Leave a light on (no4), Dec 89 La Luna (no38), Feb 90 Runaway Horses (no40), May 90 Vision of You (no41), Oct 90 (We want the) same thing (no6), Dec 90 Summer Rain (no23). Weird. My favourite was ‘Vision of You’ btw.
A-HA – Crying In The Rain
ReplyDeleteStill going strong and all mean and moody. A lovely slice of power pop. Never realised it was a cover until now. Very fine record indeed,
AZTEC CAMERA & MICK JONES – Good Morning Britain
Politics with a catchy chorus from Roddy and Mick. Some subtitles and the Breakfast Time clock going backwards in the video. Loved this at the time and still sounds good now. A bit preachy maybe but the quality of the song overcomes it.
INNOCENCE – Let’s Push It
A dance/soul crossover that deserved a much higher chart placing. This is actually rather good.
WHITNEY HOUSTON – I’m Your Baby Tonight
It's 1990 so we can just call her "Whitney" now can't we - she's a superstar. Pay attention Mariah, this is how you do it. Quality.
HAPPY MONDAYS – Kinky Afro
The Mondays in full on stoned mode and despite the catchy chorus this song always bores me rigid!
RITA MacNEIL – Working Man
And the yawn-fest continues with Welsh Working Man (sorry Canadian Singing Woman) Rita MacNeil. Bizarre choice of tune. Sounds like something my Welsh mining Grandad would sing in the Labour club after a few pints of ale.
Breakers:
BERLIN – One of the finest tunes of the 80s back due the video release. More of Tom Cruise later...
TINA TURNER – Great voice. Average tune. If you haven't watched the Sky documentary "Tina" yet it is well worth checking out.
PAUL McCARTNEY – So we can add this to Happy Birthday by Altered Images and Stevie Wonder to the birthday playlist. It's lively and passes the time but not great.
HI TEK 3 feat. YA KID K – Spin That Wheel (Turtles Get Real)
Sick of the turtles now - and this tune tanked the first time for a reason.
MARIA McKEE – Show Me Heaven
Maria asking Mr Cruise to show her heaven for 4 weeks now. Sorry Maria he's off taking Nicoles' breath away.
BELINDA CARLISLE – (We Want) The Same Thing
Absolutely stunning pop song. One of 1990s finest tunes. HUGE love for this one.