All over the nation there's a brand new 21st of March 1991 edition of Top of the Pops!
Top of the Plonkers
21-3-91: Presenter: Anthea Turner (Live)
(27) JESUS LOVES YOU – Bow Down Mister
Boy George gets this live show underway with his first of two top 40 hits under this name but this one got no higher.
(13) SIMPLE MINDS – Let There Be Love (video)
Peaked at number 6.
(20) BANDERAS – This Is Your Life
In the studio tonigh this was the duo's only top 40 hit and it peaked at number 16.
(8) QUARTZ introducing DINA CARROLL – It’s Too Late
A repeat showing but the song went up no further.
(7) PET SHOP BOYS – Where The Streets Have No Name (video)
This mash-up peaked at number 4.
(29) DEFINITION OF SOUND – Wear Your Love Like Heaven (video) (Breakers)
Peaked at number 17.
(32) SCRITTI POLITTI feat. SHABBA RANKS – She’s A Woman (video) (Breakers)
Peaked at number 20.
(34) JANE’S ADDICTION – Been Caught Stealing (video) (Breakers)
Their first of two top 40 hits but it got no higher.
(23) FEARGAL SHARKEY – I’ve Got News For You
Singing live in the studio this fine song became his fifth and final top 40 hit when it peaked at number 12.
(4) ROXETTE – Joyride
A repeat showing but the song was now at its peak.
(1) HALE & PACE & THE STONKERS – The Stonk
First and only week at number one.
(26) MEGADETH – Hangar 18 (video) (and credits)
Got no higher.
March 28th is next.
Jesus Loves You - A bit of an oddity that looks incredibly cultural appropriation-y through a 2021 lens. I always quite liked it but I can never not hear the Never Mind the Buzzcocks' lyrics round version of this: 'we say radish man'. Also has THE Asha Bhosle on guest vocals, which was a bit of a coup.
ReplyDeleteSimple Minds sounding very U2...
Banderas - I always quite liked them, even if the name does sound like a brand of bubble bath/bath salts.
Quartz - As I only watched last week's today, I can't find enough comments to make on this for a third time!
PSB - Speaking of U2... (I think I prefer this version)
Definition of Sound - 's OK.
Scritti and Shabba - that's some weird combination, right there.
Jane's Addiction - Love love love this song. We're about to hit a rich seam of American alt-rock and I'm here for it.
Feargal - His hair is looking so lustrous, wonder what products he was using.
Roxette - Anthea turns towards the stage, raising my anticipation for a nano second that they might be back in the studio. Ah well.
Hale and Pace - The video comparing er Brucie, George Bush Sr and the Moon Landing as equally culturally important is quite something.
Megadeth - they're always that bit cheesier than you want a band called that to be, but I don't hate it.
Jesus Loves You - opening the show, and no sign of Jesus, but oh it's Boy George in his new guise. As this started I thought What the ...... but as it got about half way through I was kind of liking it for its quirkiness and eclectic mix of pop and Bangra, which in those days was a novelty, so Boy George could probably be credited with a first ever like this.
ReplyDeleteThe Simple Minds - I really never thought they were still around in the charts in 1991, as they were those mid-80s stalwarts who never gave in, and somewhat surprised me when coming in as a new entry in this 1991 chart. Along with Boy George, we seemed to be opening this 1991 show retro-style, and back to the early 80s!
The Pet Shop Boys - more 80s artists digging deep into the 90s, and I must say I quite liked this unusual combo of U2 and The Boystown Gang to give PSB a new 1990s hit for themselves, which seemed to work very well with the new video.
Breakers - Definition Of Sound - the only time we'll get to see this video which seemed to be the inspiration some years later for Cerrone's 2009 video for Souvenir In Paradise, which was a more raunchy version of our current Definition of Sound's Wear Your love Like Heaven:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_L3txRuMX3c
Chart rundown - peaking this week at no.35 and second week in the top 40, but just missing a Breakers slot by one position to Jane's Addiction, I couldn't help but check out the video before it falls out of the Top 40 next week, so enjoy their hottie in the video now, before it leaves the chart next week:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjyZKfdwlng
Oh and by the way, don't you think that this Cherry Pie's Warrant at peak position of No.35 sounds alot like Def Leppard's Pour Some Sugar on Me? I found that both songs seemed to have the same longings for hotties.
DeleteThey do sound similar, I do enjoy them both though, there's a very camp streak to them.
DeleteNah, THIS is the definitive "Cherry PIe" which somehow got one week in the top 40... in 1960!
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWeOddJU_4E
I like the way you were expecting Jesus Christ to show up in the studio, Dory! What a booking that would have been.
DeleteI didn't mind Boy George standing in for him when putting out such a fine tune to open the show this week.
DeleteI always loved Mark Morrison's quote in Melody Maker about the Jarvis Cocker / Michael Jackson / incident at The Brits in 1996. I think his comment was; 'Who's to say Jacko ain't Jesus?'
DeleteHa, ha! Well, Jacko did have his Jesus Juice for his little "friends".
DeleteIt's interesting that Jesus Loves You went down the following week after this studio appearance and show opener at No.27, so it seems not to have made any impact on the show!
DeleteA bit of a drop in quality from the classic one before but still an entertaining mix of styles and some fine singles plus Hale and Pace. Only quibble the abrupt cutting of studio performances. A live one.
ReplyDeleteJesus Loves You; I do like this one still, it's Boy George, who never does anything without being genuinely into it and the enthusiasm is very infectious. It forms a belated trilogy of Hare Krishna related hits along with 'Hare Krishna Mantra' and 'My Sweet Lord'. Just realised that all three then are associated with someone called George!
Simple Minds; More soaring guitar bombast from the Minds which may bore me if I hear it too many times but I've loved hearing that again after so long. Video not much to see.
Banderas; This year so far has had a good amount of warm uplifting numbers and there aren't many as uplifting as this one. Two members of The Communards backing band break away to produce a favourite of the year. Co written with Roger Swallow, best known as the one time drummer with folk rockers the Albion Country Band, proof that at the end of the day there really are no musical styles, only music.
Really special with a sublime melody and the gorgeous voice of Caroline Buckley. How on earth was that girl not a regular presence in the UK charts.
Last term of 5th year, G.C.S.Es around the corner; you can guess how much the words of this one spoke to me at the time and it's an absolute pleasure to see and hear this on the tv again.
Quartz feat Dina Carroll; Another showing for a great cover and a great singer. Spotted that missed cue this time. She won't need to worry about that sort of thing when she next takes the totp stage. Some great songs to come from her. Another performance brutally cut short.
Pet Shop Boys; I seem to remember maybe from a friend that U2 weren't too pleased with this version. It is pretty irreverent and drolly humourous as only PSB can. The 2 songs go so well together.
Definition Of Sound; Moments glimpse of a brilliant, funny video that won't get seen again but at least they'll be in the studio. One of my favourites of the year.
Scritti Pollitti; Another cover. Um,
I thought we'd agreed... But it is another complete makeover, in fact I don't think I knew this was The Beatles until a few years after.
Another one played a heck of a lot at the time. Someone else sings with him.
Jane's Addiction; Great thing to show. Alternative rock begins to show its face.
Feargal Sharkey; Live vocal on a live show. Good on you sir. I can't diss Feargal but the song didn't stay long in the mind.
Roxette; Anthea reverts to the over there routine and gets caught out by the performance not being cued up for ages. Roxette again. Yeah I don't mind them in performance, they are a smiley pair especially, er, Per. Still find the single a bit cheerless.
Hale and Pace; No. 1 which means it raised a lot of money which means it is essentially a good thing. Red Nose Day 3 for me was the best one. I taped pretty much all of it and always curse that I wiped it all within about a year. Therefore seeing this again kind of rubs it in rather than acts as a nice momento.
I can't remember what accents Norman Pace was good at it but obviously American Deep South wasn't one of them. How long did they spend on those lyrics? Mind you this is 'Tower of Song' compared to the next Red Nose Day single.
Megadeth; Hale and Pace to Megadeth! Thrash Metal so no big stage in the video. Like it. Heard a bit of Thin Lizzy in there.
Mic - Bono was quoted as saying, “what have I, what have I, what have I done deserve this”. Don’t know if true, but nice story.
DeleteThanks, yes I thought I'd heard that Bono wasn't too happy about the cover. Strange that he would get all precious about someone else re making one of their songs. He was forever putting bits of other songs into U2 numbers when they played live.
DeleteOh Gawd, George's got religion. This reminds me of being approached in the street by earnest young bald people ordering me to say "Gouranga" and demanding I take a pamphlet. Do they still do that? I guess not during the pandemic. Anyway, musically it's sort of OK until the heavy beat comes in, then the naffness takes over.
ReplyDeleteSimple Minds with a real plodder to come back with, they were never the most subtle of bands, but this is almost self-parody. Video is black studio swooping camera cliches, at least it wasn't in monochrome.
Looking very non-binary, Banderas with a song introduced by the Eammon Andrews Big Red Book in the opening graphics! Well, it made me laugh. But a nice enough, chill effort, oddly that was all we saw of them after it being all over the radio for a couple of months. Presumably they were inspired for their name by watching Antonio in Almodovar movies?
Quartz and Dina we've seen, so onto the PSB mashup, to be honest I'd rather have heard them cover the whole of Can't Take My Eyes Off of You and left off the U2 stuff, but this was a cheeky little experiment.
Breakers, Definition of Sound putting the wacky (rather than the wack) into rap, Green with a collaboration I wonder if he regretted later, and Jane's Addiction with a bit of a 90s rock classic, barky barky woof woof bit left off unfortunately. Also, we get about ten seconds of it, that's disappointing.
Feargal Sharkey live at the keyboard for what sounds like a TV theme tune that Jimmy Nail would have killed to get his hands on. Audience asked to wave their hands in the air, but it's not really helping, 'tis dull.
Roxette on repeat, just as well Simon Mayo wasn't presenting this one last episode because he said they were the worst people he ever interviewed.
Stonk! Sounds a bit like bum! Well, it raised a lot of money for good causes, but there's a reason nobody played it within nanoseconds of it dropping off the top slot.
Appropriately for the week when the US Government announce Air Force pilots might have met aliens in the sky, but, er, probably didn't, we end on Megadeth and Hangar 18 where Dave and friends venture to Area 51. You couldn't get away from this stuff in the 90s, but they were early adopters, I suppose. Video does look like Megadeth meeting Mac from Mac & Me, though.
Had the Gulf War ended by now?
DeleteA quick Google reveals it was over by the end of February, so technically yes. But it was still fresh in the public's minds, I suppose.
Deletei remember hearing "this is your life" frquently on the radio back then, and really getting into it as urban-influenced dance-pop (considering it to be far superior to the massive attack hit that was treading similar ground and gathering press plaudits accordingly). sadly though the duo electing to present themselves as a couple of what were becoming stereotypical "magnuses" at that point (or should i say "were allowed to" by their record company?) was the kiss of death in terms of the track becoming a big hit! what a shame...
DeleteSome singles peaking outside the Top 40 this week were from previous Top 40 regulars that could not get through now by 1991:
ReplyDeleteNo.47 The Grease Dream Mix
Follow-up to the more successful Grease Megamix, the Dream Mix featured only the solo tunes from Grease, i.e. Grease (Frankie Valli), Sandy (John Travolta) and Hopelessly Devoted To You (ONJ). Sadly, this new Dream Mix failed to make any impact on the charts whatsoever.
No.51 - The Beautiful South - Let Love Speak Up Itself
Second single in a row to fail to reach the Top 40, and after their No.1 a few months earlier called A Little Time. By coincidence it was also the second single with Heaton having taken over lead vocals from Hemmingway, with Hemmingway only in the video for this one against Heaton on vocals.
No.53 - Pat & Mick - Gimme Some
Traditional annual single release by the pair, and the first one to flop since their first single in 1988. Video was good, and I thought the tune also, but it seemed like the public had enough by now.
No.57 - Tom Jones - Carrying A Torch
Jones doing a cover of Van Morrison Tune, with Morrison himself appearing and singing on the Jones video, it came out quite well, and would have made Meat Loaf proud, so it's a pity it didn't make Top 40:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LelaOsR6NpQ
Quite possibly the most annoyingly screechy performance Anthea Turnoff has managed so far. So tonight’s show has the emphasis on musical talent? And the number one is?
ReplyDeleteI wonder if this was the only time TOTP had two acts with Jesus in their title next to each other in the running order, albeit in different editions? After Jesus Jones’s outro last time we start with Boy George’s new alias with a party bhangra. “Bow Down Mister” was followed the next week by Drop Down The Charts Boy.
Let there be less of Simple Minds’ song and video. Dull, dull, dull.
It appears Banderas released two further singles, which peaked at 41 and didn’t make the chart respectively. A fine voice but a dull image. Could’ve done with some flags as backdrop, banderas being Spanish for flags.
NO, Anthea - Quartz and Dina aren’t over there!
The first weird combo of the evening. An audacious idea to segue U2 into Boystown Gang but it sort of works and you have to admire Neil and Chris’s chutzpah.
NO, Anthea, Definition of Sound haven’t broken into the top 40 this week. They’ve moved up from last week’s number 40. Sheesh. The video looks like a scaled down indoor version of “Wiggle It”.
The second weird combo of the evening, but Scritti Politti and Shabba Ranks went as well together as vinegar on smoked salmon.
The ever so shy Jane’s Addiction next. They once released a record called “Porno For Pyros”. Ahem.
Good grief. Feargal Sharkey transforms from lead singer of the mighty Undertones to a Celtic Phil Collins peddling Johnny Logan style mush.
FF Roxette and the shit at number one for Megadeth’s probably unintended attempt at a heavy metal spy thriller theme, but it came across as Alumimium Maiden.
If Definition Of Sound was a scaled down version of Wiggle It, then Cerrone's scaled up version of Definition Of Sound 18 years later in 2009 would make the two 1991 singles you mention very lame:
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_L3txRuMX3c
Suffice to say, it's an age-restricted video according to U-tube.
For those who can't wait till Friday, the 28th March show is up on Utube, including the debut of Dannii Minogue on the show with her debut single:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_pYqxJhdn4
Reading up about Banderas, referred to in places as an attempt at a Pet Shop Girls, their follow-up single was an attack on the advertising industry's use of women and ironically it suffered partly through lack of publicity. Singer Caroline Buckley was apparently last seen on telly in "Pop Idol" - where she got rejected!
ReplyDeleteMaybe the organisers of Cropredy festival which I've been to a couple of times should invite them to reform for an appearance there. A lot of the acts come from Fairport Convention's vast family tree and co-writer Roger Swallow was in Matthews Southern Comfort and The Albion Country Band. The former band are (ok, perhaps could be) actually on the line up this year. I stood about five feet from Iain Matthews when he did a short set in front of the Radio Oxford tent in 2017. A really nice bloke.
DeleteMan, that Pop Idol was a cruel show.
DeleteA very enthusiastic hostess at the helm here and she introduces a couple of acts who are clearly long departed from the studio!
ReplyDeleteA few highlights and observations;
Simple Minds – Let there be love – Not that song but quite a decent offering from Jim and the boys.
Dina Carroll and Quartz – It’s too late – I watched this again to spot the missed cue and yep, Dina, you missed a mime!
Pet Shop Boys – Where the streets have no name – I LOVE YOU BABY!!! Who hasn’t belted that out after a few glasses at a party?! Not surprised Bono wasn’t amused.
Breakers – Scritti Politti – ‘She’s a Woman’ is one of the Fab Four’s lesser known classics as it wasn’t put on an original album. B Side of ‘I Feel Fine’ it is a damn fine McCartney song which here is buried somewhat.
Feargal Sharkey – I’ve got news for you – A radical departure from the Undertones but nice performance here and well dealt with the floppy hair sir!
Roxette – Joyride – It’s good to see and hear again but never a classic in the vein of ‘It must have been love’.
Hale and Pace- The Stonk- A travesty at no1….yes I know it was Red Nose Day but honestly how many people actually gave this nonsense repeated spins?
p.s. Pick of the Pops threw up a strange one the other week on the 1970 countdown. ‘Sally’ by Gerry Monroe. Wow… forgotten that one, but won’t forget it now!
If you see the album cover for Gerry Monroe's album "Sally - Pride Of Our Alley" you'll be able to guess his religion and wonder if that's a 'female night worker' behind him!
DeleteBoy George - don’t remember this. Actually quite like it., but sounded a bit like bob geldof song of indifference…
ReplyDeleteBanderas - very strange, I do nit remember the band name, recognised the song. Never quite took off, lacked a strong chorus,
Quartz - didn’t like it as much as when I only heard a snippet on the breakers. Another one that didn’t develop…
Pet Shop Boys - love this. trademark backing track, and seamless segueing. I thought the PSB 11 number plate was because it was their 11th hit, but alas it was number 10…
Breakers
Definition of sound - what we heard was ok
Scritti politti - interesting cover of one of my favourite non-single Beatles tracks
Janes Addition - another ‘sounds like’, similar to one of the recent tracks
Feargal Sharkey - sorry, bit of a dirge…
Megadeth - thrash metal by numbers, sounded like Spinal Tap!…
The start of Banderas' hit reminded me of a track by either Rozalla or Lisa Stansfield for some reason.
ReplyDeleteIt's quite refreshing that the Wimbledon coverage is not being pushed onto BBC4 as in recent years to postpone the TOTP episodes, as this time round they have gone for putting on the live coverage on BBC1, and putting the BBC1 schedule on to BBC2, thereby not meddling with the BBC4 schedule, as Andy Murray on centre court will be played at around the time of the TOTP schedule, so let's hope there are no last-minute surprises to tamper with the BBC4 schedule.
ReplyDeleteSurprised nobody mentioned Duncan "Chase Me" Norvelle was back this episode (I know it's not him, but he is the spit and image).
ReplyDeleteAnthea with another live TOTP.
ReplyDeleteJESUS LOVES YOU – Bow Down Mister
Catchy little number from Boy George going all Beetles on us and heading East for religious inspiration. Very few pop stars could pull off a right turn like this one but George can. And half way through it turns into a dance tune. Fabulous.
SIMPLE MINDS – Let There Be Love
More middle of the road rock from the Minds. Just above average.
BANDERAS – This Is Your Life
Now here's a tune that needs to get itself on Spotify. Big big fan of this at the time and still sounds brilliant today. Shame my copy is long gone with all my other old singles. Hair optional it seems or has Jimmy Sommervile been busy with the clippers?
Jive Bunny alert in the charts!
How did REM stall at Number 19!
It’s Too Late for Dina Carroll to be out so we get a repeat of this rather beautiful chill out tune.
PET SHOP BOYS – Where The Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You).
Double A-Side with How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously. Both fine tunes. This is a clever mashup of songs. A very U2 type video as well. It's worth checking out both videos/songs.
Apparently when U2 were asked what they thought of PSB covering their song they answered What have we done to deserve this?
Breakers:
DEFINITION OF SOUND – Groovy. A*
SCRITTI POLITTI feat. SHABBA RANKS – Pop-tastic. Love this. Might be in the minority here.
JANE’S ADDICTION - Noisy. Nasty.
FEARGAL SHARKEY – I’ve Got News For You
Big big hit for the old shark. I've never been a fan of this one. Don't know why. Just something of nothing. Top marks for the live performance though. Actually didn't mind it all.
ROXETTE – Joyride
6M copies. I had one. Where's Anthea looking?
Fab to see this again. Great pop song.
HALE & PACE & THE STONKERS – The Stonk
It's for charity. Be nice.
MEGADETH – Hangar 18
Ummm..no thanks.
It appears someone has finally put The Banderas album on Spotify. Hooray
ReplyDelete