I am the one and holy Christmas Day 1991 edition of Top of the Pops!
The snow must go on
25-12-91: Presenters: Tony Dortie, Claudia Simon & Mark Franklin
IRON MAIDEN – Bring Your Daughter… To The Slaughter (video)
ENIGMA – Sadness Part 1 (video)
QUEEN – Innuendo (video)
VANILLA ICE – Ice Ice Baby (video)
CLIFF RICHARD – Saviour’s Day (video)
JOHN TRAVOLTA & OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN – The Grease Megamix (video)
C & C MUSIC FACTORY feat. FREEDOM WILLIAMS – Gonna Make You Sweat (video)
THE KLF – 3 a.m. Eternal (video)
THE SIMPSONS – Do The Bartman (video)
MADONNA – Crazy For You (video)
2 IN A ROOM – Wiggle It (video)
PRAISE – Only You (video)
OLETA ADAMS – Get Here (video)
THE SOURCE feat. CANDI STATON – You Got The Love (video)
THE CLASH – Should I Stay Or Should I Go (video)
HALE & PACE & THE STONKERS – The Stonk (video)
ROD STEWART – Rhythm Of My Heart (video)
ROXETTE – Joyride (video)
PET SHOP BOYS – Where The Streets Have No Name (video)
CHER – The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss) (video)
THE WATERBOYS – The Whole Of The Moon (video)
THE KLF – Last Train To Trancentral (video)
CRYSTAL WATERS – Gypsy Woman (video)
BEVERLEY CRAVEN – Promise Me (video)
ZUCCHERO & PAUL YOUNG – Sensa Una Donna (Without A Woman) (video)
COLOR ME BADD – I Wanna Sex You Up (video)
AMY GRANT – Baby Baby (video)
JASON DONOVAN – Any Dream Will Do (video)
HEAVY D. & THE BOYZ – Now That We Found Love (video)
EXTREME – More Than Words (video)
GUNS N’ ROSES – You Could Be Mine (video)
C & C MUSIC FACTORY – Things That Make You Go Hmmm (video)
THE SHAMEN – Move Any Mountain (video)
SALT-N-PEPA – Let’s Talk About Sex (video)
PRINCE – Gett Off (video)
ZOË– Sunshine On A Rainy Day (video)
ERASURE – Love To Hate You (video)
U2 – The Fly (video)
MONTY PYTHON – Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life (video)
KIRI TE KANAWA – World In Union (video)
(11) MICHAEL JACKSON – Black Or White (video)
(22) VIC REEVES & THE WONDERSTUFF – Dizzy (video)
(53) K-KLASS – Rhythm Is A Mystery (video)
(26) ALTERN-8 – Activ-8 (Come With Me) (video)
KYLIE MINOGUE & KEITH WASHINGTON – If You Were With Me Now (video)
(42) BIZARRE INC – Playing With Knives (video)
(3) GEORGE MICHAEL & ELTON JOHN – Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me (video)
(2) DIANA ROSS – When You Tell Me That You Love Me (video)
(16) EAST SIDE BEAT – Ride Like The Wind (video)
(4) THE K.L.F. feat. TAMMY WYNETTE – Justified And Ancient (video)
Iiiiiit's Chriiiiiistmaaaaas!
ReplyDeleteAnd as usual the TOTP Christmas special resigns all the best songs of the year and almost all the number ones to tiny clips and gives time to who could get to the studio.
Which means Kenny Thomas, Seal and OMD are here, naturally, cos they seemed to be on every other ruddy week anyway.
It's also weird how some months get lots of clips and others get two. Anyway, the year of sex, the year of rave, the year of sunny pop and the year of MOR are all represented but the year of baggy is less so (probably because they all charted lower), and the year of old re-released stuff from adverts is only briefly hinted at. Which is fine by me. (Also no Nirvana which in hindsight is crazy but I guess they didn't know then how significant Teen Spirit would become)
Bryan Adams still couldn't turn up to the studio despite everything? Dude. *Shakes head*.
Claudia Simon is definitely the best of the presenting trio, though does well to get this gig after only just joining.
So, 1991. Whilst the post-revamp episodes have been much weaker than those before and the charts got a bit ropy from November onwards, overall it was such a joy to revisit this year. As I said at the start, some of my all time faves come from this year and the summer was especially strong for me.
I will really miss it, as 92 and 93 were much patchier years before 94 and 95 bring some amazing stuff.
Highlights of the year? Roxette obviously, all those summer bangers, the crazy dancing in the studio, and just so many pop, dance and indie classics.
Low points? Almost everything about the revamp, but especially the loss of the chart and the stupid album track and preview things, the worst being the full Black and White video and Tin Machine; Having to think of 17 things to say about Bry; Adrian Rose (booooo), and the lack of Big Hits, but most especially the lack of The Story of 1991.
And the comments have always been a highlight! So, onto the year of a bit more rave, a bit more indie and a couple of new boy bands who might just dominate the next three or four years...
As this show only focused on the Top Three for each month Nirvana could not be featured as it peaked at number 7.
DeleteAh, hadn't picked that up!
DeleteThe highlight of this Christmas 1991 edition was definitely presenter Claudia Simon ahead of the pop groups on the show. She's so cool and brilliant on the microphone as well lovely dress style, what more could anyone wish for?
ReplyDeleteIn terms of the format of the show, the video clips were shorter than the Breakers clips, I mean about 5 or 10 seconds is all we got per clip on video. I would have liked to see more footage of these clips that were featured on the show:
Enigma - Sadeness Part 1
C&C Music Factory - Gonna Make You Sweat
The KLF - 3am Eternal
2 In A Room - Wiggle It
Rod Stewart - Rhythm Of My Heart
The KLF - Last Train To Trancentral
Beverley Craven - Promise Me
Zucchero & Paul Young - Senza Una Donna
The Shamen - Move Any Mountain
Prince - Gett Off
Altern-8 - Activate
The KLF ft Tammy Wynette - Justified And Ancient
'91 bows out with a decent Christmas show that more or less befits a very fine pop year. This is actually one of two shows I still have on video (the '95 Christmas edition being the other) so I didn't have to watch this one too closely but I enjoyed it once more. Highlights; some strong live appearances, a wholly chronological retrospective as opposed to the curiously ordered one from the previous year, good selection of clips, Claudia Simon (certainly) and Mark Franklin (just about). Low points were, I'm afraid, a mostly hopelessly over excited Tony Dortie (it was Christmas I guess but still) and too many video clips that seemed to be assembled by someone randomly pressing the play button then counting to seven. At least play a full chorus. Overall though a really good show. I'll do it in 2 parts if that's ok.
ReplyDeleteClaudia gets the honour of introducing the first act and what a great way to start. Seal 'Crazy', one of the defining singles of the year (even though it was from Dec '90) and for me it just wouldn't be right to have a show looking back at 1991 and not include this. Gus has grown his mustache more prominently since the last appearance and does some fine insouciant grooving. Brilliant those wah wah lines. Pity he couldn't do it live in the studio. Drum part in the middle eight too brief. Main man doesn't lose the jacket but does lose the shades. A marvellous start.
1st video selection and you're reminded what an insanely eclectic mix the top end of the charts were in January. Iron Maiden and Grease, Cliff and Enigma. I'm not sure why Vanilla Ice had to appear, his single seemed entirely 1990. Must've been top 3 in the first week of the year.
I Wanna Give You something dated and Mikee ('new man' parody from a sketch show) and big voiced lady oblige. It doesn't look more late '91 than this though the tune and sombre sax I still like.
February videos; Very good to see the '3am Eternal' vid at last, a real time capsule of that moment. Something old, something shite, something bandwagon jumping, something and something else marvelous. I'll leave you to guess which is which.
Tony follows with, "the bass line on that is so wicked it gives me goosebumps".
Oh dear.
Oh dear.
Back in the studio for Chesney Hawkes. Lots of black being worn on this show so far. He hits the notes well and it's a shame he had no more songs to perform in the new format. Like the triumphant "come on!" or similar that he yelps at the start.
Claudia links March's selection and with a cheeky smile mentions something about The Clash helping men lose their trousers! Hale and Pace can only be enjoyed in conjunction with Comic Relief. Some other good clips but March was way better than that.
James in the studio for 'April' and another defining single. Extravagant trousers Tim. Another great vocal. Saul looking most forbidding in flowing jacket and Heathcliff hair and does humourously distracted scraping actions on the neck of his Rickenbacker.
April videos. Oh obviously nothing out that month apart from something originally recorded in 1968 and something actually recorded in 1985.
I'm still not that bothered about 'Sailing On The Seven Seas' and it's DC5 subtle drum part but it's always good to see Andy McCluskey dancing and as always in good voice.
A storming start to May's selection with several seconds of 'Last Train..' with Wanda D who I believe made some fuss about being sampled then insisted on being in their video then on being regarded as central to the KLF. She is quite an arresting sight in this brief clip but nothing tops Jimmy going rock star mental with a sitar. Absolutely classic. Some other nice selections too.
Kenny Thomas; Too much to comment on to discuss him. Nice enough tune but we all know what this looks and sounds like.
Color Me Badd's No.1 follows on and is thankfully brief. Amy Grant follows that and makes me wish it was on a little longer.
Correction; Wanda Dee was the name of the sampled singer on 'Trancentral' and 'What Time Is Love' and looking on Wicki it seems that her appearance in the Trancentral video was part of an agreement with the group re the use of the sample. Her vocal in 'What Time Is Love' is certainly one of the best bits of that single.
DeletePt.2
ReplyDeleteErasure in the studio heralded by blue lights recalling the police light at the start of Sweet's classic performance of Blockbuster from Jan '73 (the clip they can show) and it's a few minutes of euphoric pop, one of the singles of the summer. Vince in full drag and fixed frown and Andy dressed as he did in 1986. Brilliant tune. Andy illustrates the last chorus by frantically rubbing his stomach. Nutter.
Another eclectic bunch of videos for my favourite ever summer. Lovely to see the 'Move Any Mountain' video with Colin and the late Will Sinnott together.
Mark introduces Right Said Fred with the best line of the evening. He is capable of humour. More in 1992 please. Richard being as camp as it gets in red leather and his brother playing a guitar with a £15 (I think it was) sign on it. Good fun.
I suppose it had to be but it's very frustrating that we only get several seconds of some brilliant not previously seen videos then the whole of a video that we've just seen 874 times. It won't be on again at least.
September gets some slow and fast dance selections then on to Oceanic. Tony calm down please. Just a little and your intros would be perfect. Into Oceanic. Dancer on the right just gorgeous, dancer on the left still making me laugh my head off with his moves.
Two sex records appearing in the next video selection. '91 therefore fully represented.
Tony mentions the release of John McCarthy and Terry Waite as if Ricky and Bianca have just announced their engagement on 'EastEnders'. Mark jumps in to offer some gravitas in the link to The Scorpions. No that mic stand is not going on the floor.
October's video selection suggesting that the charts were completely off it's head that month which isn't far from the truth.
Tony makes one funny link about U2 (a reference to the advert for 'Achtung Baby') then says something utterly random. Still he does have a good way of pointing to the next act in this case 2 Unlimited. Still a yeah! yeah! for this. Like the incongruous close up on a snowman at one crucial moment. Two real style casualties doing the dancing on stage.
A video selection that seems to mix November and December so quite a few. As cosy and warm as Jan's selection was icy and good to see a snippet of the 'Justified and Ancient' video though dreadfully cut off in mid line.
Goodbye from the merry three and to the Xmas No 1 and we've returned to the first Christmas show of the repeats, 'Bohemian Rhapsody' closing the one from 1976. The gong bangs and it's goodbye from a year that means everything to me. An utter joy to see these shows again.
Alongside this Xmas 1991 recap of the year show, there was still a new chart for the week, despite no dedicated TOTP show for the week's new positions, so here are some peak position highlights for some tunes that didn't make the TOTP stage:
ReplyDeleteNo.34 - Shakin' Stevens - I'll Be Home This Christmas
The only record released by Stevens in 1991 was this one at Christmas, as 1990 was his last regular year of singles releases in a year where he flopped with three singles failing outside the Top 40, and this new one in 1991 just for the Christmas market did not come out in time for a TOTP showing, so there was to be no TOTP at all for Stevens in 1991.
No.54 - Snap - Colour Of Love
Boy this one passed me by somehow, and their only chart failure in the five-year period in 1990 - 1994 where every Snap song made Top 10. This new single at the end of 1991 Colour Of Love was the first from their new album which also had on it Rhythm Is A Dancer which went on to be a huge No.1 the following summer in 1992:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xltLLH7rdEU
No.59 Mel Smith - Another Bloomin' Christmas
Looking to emulate his Top 10 Christmas 1987 duet with Kim Wilde, this was an interesting new release for Christmas 1991 along with a Father Christmas cartoon video, and use of the word bloomin' wherever Smith found possible:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG0I0l-RPF8
No.67 Army Of Lovers - Obsession
New entry this week, and second single released in 1991 from this new group, both songs of which stalled outside the Top 40, but nevertheless this new single deserves a mention for this European group, and also if you like sexy nurse fancy dress:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNmO233OztQ
I can recall watching this episode, Christmas Day round my mum and dad’s best friends, a few Baileys already consumed, hungover from the night before, arguing with my “uncle” about how good this new dance music is compared to the stagnated rock music on offer.
ReplyDeleteToo much reliance on the top three for each month in place of the quality of the TOTP performance for my mind.
This was my Top Ten for 1991. I don’t think this has changed since my initial decision making. A fair few have appeared on TOTP.
The Prodigy - Your Love
Liquid - Sweet Harmony
Brothers in Rhythm - Such a Good Feeling
K-Klass - Rhythm is a Mystery
Bizarre Inc - Such a Feeling
One Dove - Fallen
Paris Angels - Perfume
The Future Sound of London - Papua New Guinea
Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy
Orbital - Belfast
FSOL, absolute classic! Was it originally out in '91. Didn't know that. It will get an appearance in May '92 on the show. Not an Adrian Rose one thankfully. One Dove as well. Great choice.
DeleteHere's my Top 20 for the year. So many singles I could choose. In order of preference, more or less;
ReplyDelete20. K Klass, Rhythm Is a Mystery
19. Chesney Hawkes, The One and Only
18. Massive Attack, Safe From Harm
17. The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu, It's Grim Up North
16. Lenny Kravitz, It Ain't Over Till It's Over
15. Ride, Unfamiliar
14. Definition of Sound, Wear Your Love Like Heaven
13. James, Sit Down
12. Source feat. Candi Station, You Got The Love
11. Kate Bush, Rocket Man
10. The KLF, Last Train To Trancentral
9. Living Colour, Love Rears It's Ugly Head
8. Massive Attack, Unfinished Sympathy
7. Incognito feat Jocelyn Brown, Always There
6. Banderas, This Is Your Life
5. Enigma, Sadness Pt. 1
4. Nirvana, Smells Like Teen Spirit
3. The KLF, 3am Eternal
2. Seal, Crazy
1. The KLF feat Tammy Wynette, Justified and Ancient
Just outside;
Paula Abdul, Rush Rush
Erasure, Chorus
Madonna, Rescue Me
Favourite performance has to be The KLF, 'Last Train To Trancentral'
Favourite edition; 14th March
A great selection. Great to see Banderas and Living Colour in there.
DeleteGreat selection Mic. I was a massive KLF fan also, grunged to Nevermind and chilled with Enigma. I still have my Definition of Sound., incognito and The Source singles.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sidders. Yes KLF were the act of the year then and now. Definition of Sound always makes me smile, same with Incognito. 'Sadness', I'll never forget the impact that one had. It just sounded so strange and new at the start of 1991 and so chimed with the snowy winter. One single I should have included but just forgot all about was 'There's Nothing Like This' by Omar. For me THE song of that summer. Something will have to go to make room. K Klass I suppose. Also I tried to make room for 'Mysterious Ways' and 'Where Love Lives' but couldn't lose the other choices.
DeleteTurkeys of the year;
10. Simple Minds, Stand By Love
9. Color Me Badd, I Wanna Sex You Up
8. PJB feat Hannah and Her Sisters, Bridge Over Troubled Water
7.Vanilla Ice, Rolling In My 5.0
6. Praise, Only You
5. Hale and Pace, The Stonk
4. Jive Bunny, Over To You John
3. The Simpsons, Do The Bartman
2. UK Mixmasters, Bare Necessities Megamix
1. The Simpsons, Deep Deep Trouble (because it's rubbish and spoiled an otherwise brilliant top 20 from my last week in 5th year)
Anyone watched the 70s series on Channel 5 on Friday, cos this week it was the Top 30 of 1975, and I picked these crackers:
ReplyDeleteNo.30 Roxy Music - Love Is The Drug
The 'video' as such that all the music video channels have always used is the Razzmataz studio performance, Razzmatazz being a popular ITV music rival to TOTP in the 70s. It could be that any TOTP studio performance was on a wiped show if they did ever perform on it, hence only having the Razzmatazz clip to hand.
No.28 The Carpenters - Please Mr Postman
Remember seeing this video at the time a lot on TV, as I was only 7, and a favourite among the only 3 TV channels available at the time, on children's programmes obviously, and probably also on other programmes, but can't be sure.
No.27 Guys & Dolls - There's A Whole Lot Of Loving
One of the very best intros and exits on a song that I can ever recall, and my favourite song of the year. Would have thought it would have got a higher year-end position than No.27!
No.26 - Labelle - Voulez Vous Couchez
Only realised later that Labelle was Patti Labelle who had a big solo No.2 hit in the summer of 1986 with Michael McDonald called On My Own. Also Nona Hendryx went solo in the 80s and appeared on many made-for-TV performances, which seemed to be on late-night ITV in the 80s with her wearing very risqué outfits.
No.19 - Jasper Carrott - Funky Moped
Didn't know until now that Jeff Lynne of ELO produced this single for Carrott, but considering they were fellow Brummies, it kind of figures. Apparently Lynne was at school in Birmingham with Paul Henry who played Benny in Crossroads, so Birmingham was really on the map in the 70s!
No.17 David Bowie - Space Oddity
Strange that it took 6 years to re-release this record in 1975, but resulting in a No.1 for Bowie, it was kind of worth it. I always remember when Bowie teamed up with The Pet Shop Boys in early 1996 to re-hash Space Oddity into a new song title called Hallo Spaceboy, and perform it in a 1996 TOTP studio, it was just brilliant the way the song was produced by PSB, with them singing on stage with Bowie their own Major Tom verses on the record.
No.13 Telly Savalas - If
Never seen this video clip with scantily clad girls in underwear/bikinis latching on to Savalas in a hareem setting. There is a different video used by the current 70s music video channels, but certainly not the one featured on this show!
No.4 Windsor Davies & Don Estelle - Whispering Grass
You could never get two more contrasting characters in these two from the BBC TV series It Ain's Half Hot Mum. Davies had recently completed filming of Carry On Behind in the spring of 1975 as lead male role taking over from Sid James whose last Carry On Film was in 1974, and then had this No.1 in June, so you could say that the spring/summer of 1975 was a memorable one for Davies.
The flipside of the Jasper Carrott single was "Magic Roundabout" - a very rude version of the popular children's TV show, which obviously couldn't be played on the radio or TOTP
DeleteI remember getting Roxy's single for Christmas that year, from my sister, along with Darlin', from David Cassidy, which I got a lot of stick over! I've still got both in my collection now.
ReplyDeleteAt present these are the episodes of Top Of The Pops that BBC Four will be airing over December
ReplyDeleteConfirmed by the BBC:
4th - Christmas Day 1984
11th - Christmas Day 1988
17th - Christmas Day 1989
From Digiguide:
20th - Christmas Day 1990
21st -Christmas Day 1986
22nd - Christmas Day 1978
23rd - Christmas Day 1998
24th - Christmas Day 2002
Final schedules for the 18th -31st December will be published today.
DeleteWill the 1978 Christmas Day edition have the original format? In recent years, repeat showings have pasted over the Grease and Saturday Night Fever original movie footage with alternative Legs & Co routines cos the BBC had issues with the film companies around 10 years ago that inhibited showing of movie clips, so I hope that is all resolved now so that we can see the original show exactly how it was broadcast in 1978.
Deletei have to admit that i only half-follow this blog these days thanks to the vast amount of (mostly dance-related) tripe that was popular at this point in time. but there were still enough diamonds amongst the dross for me to put together a top 10 for 1991:
ReplyDeletexpansions - move your body
banderas - this is your life
electronic - get the message
blur - there's no other way
rem - shiny happy people
driza bone - real love
incognito - always there
metallica - enter sandman
rozalla - everybody's free
crowded house - fall at your feet
Top Of The Pops December Schedule:
ReplyDeleteFriday 4th: Christmas Day 1984 - 8pm BBC Four
Friday 10th: Christmas Day 1988 - 8pm BBC Four
Saturday 11th: TOTP2: Police Special - 8:25pm BBC Two
Friday 17th: Christmas Day 1989 - 8pm BBC Four
Monday 20th: Christmas Day 1990 - 7pm BBC Four
Tuesday 21st: Christmas Day 1986 - 7pm BBC Four
Wednesday 22nd: Christmas Day 1978 - 7pm BBC Four
Thursday 23rd:
BBC Four: Christmas Day 1998 -7pm
BBC Two: Big Hits 1984 at 10:35pm
Christmas Eve: Christmas Day 2002 - 7pm and TOTP: Christmas Hits 8pm on BBC Four
Christmas Day: Christmas Special 2021 - 12pm on BBC One
New Year's Eve:
BBC One: New Year Special 2021/2022 - 4:15pm
BBC Four: New Year's Eve 2014 at 7pm then TOTP2: Party Special 8pm
For Christmas Day 1984 Friday the 4th should be the 3rd.
DeleteInteresting that this year there will be a new 2021 Christmas Special and 2021 New Year Special, so I think this is the first new TOTP show since Xmas 2017 when we had the last TOTP2 new show.
DeleteFinally got around to this because I was watching the Beatles Get Back documentary last week.
ReplyDeleteNot much to say that I haven't already, agree that Claudia is the most professional of the new presenters, Erasure made me laugh, and I hope Tony Dortie gets over his Terry Waite obsession in 1992. Whenever we get that. A better year than I remembered, or at least not as mediocre.
So here we go then with a chronological trip through the Top 3 hits of 1991 with Laters, Pretty Boy and Claude.
ReplyDeleteSeal kicks us off with a great live vocal as usual. Still a great tune cut very short unfortunately.
January was like watching the end of 1990 all over again. Sod off Cliff. Great Queen track there though.
NOMAD having to do this live does detract a little from how great a dance tune this is. Luckily Sharon's vocals are more than up to the task. This seems so much longer ago than 10 months seeing as how we've now all gone rave!
February and Bart is back! Most fun was easily "Wiggle It". Best tune "You Got The Love" and of course The KLF start their year of stunning success.
It's Cheeeeesy Hawkes! Thought we'd lost him. His twin still on drums. This is the BBCs hairspray budget for tonight episode gone in one song. Thankfully Ches can sing and it's a great pop song. Like!
March brings my introduction to The Clash and the rather fabulous STONK! One of Rod's best tunes and the best album of the year from Roxette (in my opinion anyway).
Brits Best British Group James with their signature June. I have liked all their singles this year and they were very consistent. Their 1999 album "Millionaires" is still one of my favourite albums. A decent new album from them in 2021 as well. Seems like a well deserved Brit Award to me.
So let's Shoop Shoop into April with some sixties vibes and The Waterboys immense tune "Whole of the Moon".
Andy's OMD up next with "Sailing On The Seven Seas" My favourite albums pop song of 1991 from the wonderful "Sugar Tax" album. This is a storming pop tune. Absolutely love it. Shame the follow up singles weren't as big or they would have been able to afford some Head and Shoulders.
More KLF in May and the infectious Gypsy Woman. I'll pass on Sickero and PY.
Kenny Thomas is the pop star that just keeps on turning up in 1991. I think all the BBC TV producers must have been fans. It's decent radio fodder I suppose.
June brings Sick Bucket Me Up and the rather fine Amy Grant.
Erasure up next with "Chorus" Really like this one. Vince getting in some practice for their 1992 ABBA phase. One of our all time great pop bands.
Now are they going to show a different bit of "Everything I Do" in July, August, September and October? If not - missed opportunity.
...James with their signature tune...
Delete...
Sailing On The Seven Seas" My favourite pop song of 1991...
July next (although Dortie says August - plank) Heavy D and The Shamen best of the bunch here. Jason and Extreme can get lost.
ReplyDeleteChief Anti-Vaxers and Covid-Catchers RSF bring their sexy muscles to the studio with possibly the most basic, annoying and catchy tune of the year. They've even dug out the tinsel for Xmas. And not a Cribbins in sight. The second biggest selling single of the year! Sheesh!
Here's Bryan then...I think I remember this one?
August bring us RAVE and the wonderful PM Dawn.
Oceanic I will agree probably the best dance record of the year - this was like a breath of fresh air at the time. Many imitators will follow. She's come as Kill Bill as well. Nice. Amazingly for a dance tune she sings live and doesn't murder it. Respect.
September goes all sexy again with S+P. Prince I prefer "Cream". The wonderful Zoe (could we not of had her live again?).
The Scorpions finally get to perform "Wind of Change" in the studio. Fair play it's a decent tune (if not a particular favourite of mine). I'm just playing "spot the red dots on the camera" that appeared during Oceanic and appear to have taken root.
Can someone swat that October "Fly" please. Hooray for Monty Phython and Dame Kiri.
Dance ahoy - it's 2 Unlimited. I must admit I do like this one. Great fun. Wonder what all the Mums and Dads made of this after Xmas lunch. Was Queenie boogying before reading her Xmas message?
November grants us the mighty return of MJ, the glorious "Dizzy", and the annoyingly good Altern-8.
December was a good month. Like the George/Elton duet and the Diana ballad. The KLF triumph of course!
So onto the Xmas Number One, for the second time it's Bohemian Rhapsody and not a sausage roll in sight. Merry Christmas All.
Shame The KLF couldn't make it but otherwise a fun look back at 1991. I enjoyed a lot of 1991 but some of the rave stuff was a bit tedious. And the less said about Bryan Adams the better.
Overall a better year musically than 1990 (which wasn't hard). Bring on 1992.......
So I will share my Top 25 for the year as well...best I could whittle it down to.
ReplyDeleteAll 3 KLF singles are the Top 3, with an honourable mention for Freddie/Queen as I also liked all their tunes this year.
Jesus Jones - International Bright Young Thing
Chris Rea - Auberge
Living Colour - Love Rears It's Ugly Head
REM - Losing My Religion
Banderas - This Is Your Life
Scritti Politti / Shabba Ranks - She's a Woman
The Waterboys - The Whole Of The Moon
The Wonder Stuff - The Size Of A Cow
OMD - Sailing On The Seven Seas
Frances Nero - Footsteps Following Me
Roxette - Fading Like A Flower
Amy Grant - Baby, Baby
Salt-n-Pepa - Do You Want Me
Kirsty McColl - Walking Down Madison
Heavy D & The Boyz - Now That We Found Love
Voice Of The Beehive - Monsters and Angels
Bomb The Bass - Winter In July
PM Dawn - Set Adrift On Memory Bliss
Zoe - Sunshine On A Rainy Day
Oceanic - Insanity
Sabrina Johnson - Peace (In The Valley)
Rozalla - Everybody's Free
Marc Almond - Jacky
Vic Reeves and The Wonder Stuff - Dizzy
Digital Orgasm - Running Out Of Time
And just for fun, the biggest selling singles of 1991.
ReplyDeleteI think there's only about 10 of these I didn't buy..
40. Rozalla - Everybody's Free (To Feel Good)
39. The Shamen - Progen (Move Any Mountain)
38. Seal - Crazy
37. Enigma - Sadeness (Part One)
36. Erasure - Love To Hate You
35. PM Dawn - Set Adrift On Memory Bliss
34. Rod Stewart - Rhythm Of My Heart
33. Kenny Thomas - Thinking About Your Love
32. Crystal Waters - Gypsy Woman (La Da Dee)
31. Source / Candi Staton - You Got The Love
30. KLF - Last Train To Trancentral
29. Beverley Craven - Promise Me
28. Kiri Te Kanawa - World In Union 🏉
27. KLF / Tammy Wynette - Justified And Ancient
26. The Prodigy - Charly
25. Amy Grant - Baby, Baby
24. Heavy D and the Boyz - Now That We Found Love.
23. Nomad / MC Mikee Freedom - (I Wanna Give You) Devotion
22. Hale and Pace and The Stonkers - The Stonk!
21. The Scorpions - Wind Of Change.
20. James - Sit Down
19. The Clash - Should I Stay Or Should I Go?
18. Zoe - Sunshine On A Rainy Day
17. Diana Ross - When You Tell Me That You Love Me
16. Extreme - More Than Words
15. George Michael / Elton John - Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
14. Salt N Pepa - Let's Talk About Sex
13. Michael Jackson - Black Or White
12. The KLF - 3 A.M. Eternal (Live at the S.S.L.)
11. 2 Unlimited - Get Ready
10. Color Me Badd - I Wanna Sex You Up
09. Oceanic - Insanity
08. Vic Reeves / The Wonder Stuff - Dizzy
07. Chesney Hawkes - The One And Only
06. Jason Donovan - Any Dream Will Do
05. The Simpsons - Do The Bartman
04. Right Said Fred - I'm Too Sexy
03. Cher - The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)
02. Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are The Days Of Our Lives
Number One - Bryan Adams - (Everything I Do) I Do It For You