I don't want nobody else, I love the 16th of July 1992 edition of Top of the Pops!
Hey Big Spender
16-7-92: Presenter: Mark Franklin
(16) WET WET WET – Lip Service
Getting the show underway and the song went up one more place.
(NEW) MADONNA – This Used To Be My Playground (video)
Peaked at number 3.
(22) THE WEDDING PRESENT – Flying Saucer
In the studio but this month's single got no higher.
(26) JASON DONOVAN – Mission Of Love
He's live tonight but this new song got no higher.
(US 4) BILLY RAY CYRUS – Achy Breaky Heart (via satellite)
His only top ten hit and it peaked at number 3.
(9) THE SHAMEN – L.S.I.
Performing what became their second of five top ten hits when it peaked at number 6.
(19) MORRISSEY – You’re The One For Me, Fatty (video) (Breakers)
Got no higher.
(13) WAS (NOT WAS) – Shake Your Head (video) (Breakers)
Became their biggest hit when it peaked at number 4.
(16) SOPHIE B. HAWKINS – Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover
In the studio and the song went up two more places.
(1) JIMMY NAIL – Ain’t No Doubt
Our blog title song celebrates his first of three weeks at number one with a new live performance.
(7) PRINCE – Sexy M.F. (video) (and credits)
Peaked at number 4.
23rd of July is next.
For the first time the show begins with the Top Ten countdown, before any song has been sung. Interesting change in format, and the first time since the 1970s when the chart rundown began the show, although it was voiceless and did the whole Top 30 as the rundown at the start of the show.
ReplyDeleteThe Wedding present - one single every month eh? The reason they could do that is that each single could not have got very far in the charts, otherwise it would take about three months from entering until leaving the Top 75 if the song makes Top 10. Good Lord!
New entries listing - coming across as a flying saucer on the top of the screen during The Wedding Present's studio performance, new entries by Morrissey and Prince with words in their song titles that are no longer PC, and Joey Negro which nowadays would not be allowed as a band name.
The Shamen - highlight of the show for me, but I don't recall this TOTP appearance, as I remember the video was a regular on MTV at the time included in the Sky TV package in what was the early days of satellite TV in Britain when we could finally watch pop video in their entirely, and in the years before the internet and Utube.
Morrissey - I couldn't work out who Morrissey was referring to as Fatty in the song title when watching the video clip. Anyone know?
Was Not Was - I think there was a new album around this time in 1992, as it was two years since their last appearance on TOTP, at least on video with Papa Was A Rolling Stone which got to No.12. I remember liking this new one because the song and video featured Kim Bassinger who was a hottie at the time in the movie business, and who was on guest vocals on this with Ozzy Osbourne.
Sophie B Hawkins - first she was live by satellite, and now three shows later flew over to appear in the TOTP studio, also with the ripped jeans look, and I think he same pair of jeans, and I always thought performers made an effort with their clothing when invited to appear in the TOTP studio.
Opening with the top 10 was a weird choice. I still miss it being just before the number one.
Delete(Also: bring back my charts)
Michael Hurll returning to the pre-1980 chart rundown format (partially).
DeleteMixed bag this one, and I'd put it firmly in the middle of the three offerings we have this week.
ReplyDeleteBoring WWW to start.
Madge - mawkish but it grew on me eventually and I'd rather Madonna exclusives than Jacko ones any day.
Wedding Present with one of the better efforts of their crazy singles run. Followed by JDon's worst yet.
ALSO I am devastated about Neighbours 😭😭😭
Billy Ray Cyrus - out of one slightly irritating acorn a celebrity dynasty was born. I'll take Miley over her pa though.
My second favourite Shamen song, and one I listened to a lot summer 92.
A couple of alright breakers, then a good return performance from SBH.
Jimmy mate at number one - who's the woman guesting? She seems very familiar.
Then we've decided to play a song at the end again, with it cutting out just before the naughty words. A very middling Prince single, this one.
The return of having an extra song after the No.1 by means of a bonus tune on video on the end credits was only for the three shows up until the end of July.
DeleteFrom August 1992 we are back to the end-of-show format that we have been accustomed to since the October 1991 revamp, which looks here to stay until I don't know when.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThree songs at peak position this week for previous chart regulars, and missing out on a TOTP play:
ReplyDeleteNo.21 Iron Maiden - From Here To Eternity
More science fiction from Maiden, and not sure what they were singing about but will need to watch the video to find out.
No.36 Thomas Dolby - I Love You Goodbye
Two Dolby singles in a row to get into the Top 40, and both with no TOTP play or them. Dolby's comeback in 1992 rolled out only one more single in September called Silk Pyjamas which only got to No.62 and was his last single, apart from remix of Hyperactive in 1994.
No.53 Curtis Stigers - Sleeping With The Lights On
Eagerly awaited follow up to his two recent Top 10 singles earlier in the year, this oddly titled song got nowhere near the Top 40 this time for the American.
I take it the Iron Maiden single wasn't a cover of the Giorgio Moroder hit?!
DeleteBreton's best pop show, according to Mark, didn't know it was broadcast there. He's very close to the camera this episode.
ReplyDeleteThe Wets wheech by thanks to the fast forward function, no need to hear that again.
Then future cosmetic surgery addict Madonna with the doleful theme tune to A League of Their Own (not A League of MY Own, Mark), and a tasteful video where she looks bored out of her mind. Song suits that.
The Wedding Present, well, it's no Why Are You Being So Reasonable Now, is it? Predicting the nuclear scare this week, they're dressed in hazmat outfits. This arseing about without being actually funny is a trademark of their TOTP appearances.
Jason Donovan takes fashion tips from Gary Barlow for whatever this is supposed to be. At least it's not a cover version, but it's deeply mediocre otherwise.
Billy Ray Cyrus, between breaking stuff here and his daughter's Wrecking Ball, maybe they should have started a demolition business. Earworm irritant, anyway, take it away, line dancers! No, seriously, take it far away. Does he have "BUM" written on his T-shirt?
The Shamen with a lorra lamé, coming on like a set of stamps. Well, that's what it sounded like to me at the time, I thought they were into first day covers. From their mid-table.
Breakers, isn't it better when we see a bit more than ten seconds? OK, maybe not for Morrissey.
Good grief, Sophie, get a decent pair of breeks! Arse literally hanging out of the back of them. But the performance much as before when she was across the Atlantic, only less crawling around.
Jimmy's made it to the summit, still sounds like a novelty record to me, but it presumably appealed to the nation's dads.
Then, a nice surprise, return of the playout, with Prince needing to wash his mouth out with soap. The Radio 1 version of this had the swearing left out, but added Simon Bates at the start explaining the edit. I think I'd rather have had the swearing. Not Prince's best, came across as trying to get away with something, but amusing for all that.
James Bradford at the summit. He got his nickname, and later on his acting surname, from an accident at work when he unwittingly stood on a six-inch spike sticking out of a broken wooden crate part on the ground and it went right therough his foot. He got the part of Oz in "Auf Wiedersehn Pet" with no previous acting experience when his then girlfriend persuaded him to go for an audition as he had nothing to lose.
ReplyDeleteGeez, health and safety! It's important! I can't watch Home Alone because of the violence, I wonder if Jimmy winces at the thought of it every Christmas?
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteBack to just two episodes on Friday, the two remaining July shows with Jimmy Nail at No.1 on both, and then it will be the whole of August the following week with Snap at No.1 for the whole month, as we slowly come to the point when the extra presenters Claudia, Adrian and Femi are dropped to leave just Dortie and Franklin at the helm presenting their shows on their own, and much like it was at the start of the TOTP revamp in late 1991, so that we will have gone full circle.
ReplyDeleteNot four in a week again! I hope Adrian Ponce's next shit is a cactus.
DeleteActually after this week's (just) two episodes to round off July, next week it will be (just) three episodes to cover off all of August, as there was no TOTP in the first week week of August 1992 because of the Olympic Games!
DeleteWedding Present b side is the Mud hit Rocket
ReplyDeleteBilly Ray Cyrus - well that prediction has proved true with spades! Doesn't this have some sort of line dance associated with it?
The Shamen - a dance track with a bit of a tune
Morrissey - sad footnote for the actress in the video https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morag_Siller
That's a real shame about Morag, only 46. I must admit I didn't recognise her, but she seems to have been quite busy.
DeleteUgh! Cripes, that was scary, seeing Mark up front at the start. Sexy MF attributed to you, Mark? Absolutely no chance.
ReplyDeleteThat lot on again? Piss off, Pellow!
A very bleached out looking Madonna with “This Used To Be Where The Catchy Chorus Was”.
The Wedding Present with a KLF / Altern-8 / Devo attitude for one of the better of their dozen. I think they were miming near the end. Missed a trick there, though (see The Shamen).
Any chance of a top ten hit there, Jase? Nope, “Mission” impossible. That new style of yours isn’t ripper either. Just one more top 30 / 40 hit and Mister Donovan’s chart career goes the way “Neighbours” is about to encounter.
Oh Christ. What a cock Billy Ray Cyrus is. That T-shirt should have read C.R.A.P. to match the track.
Surprised The Shamen’s hit wasn’t called “L.S.D.” Outfits by Bacofoil. They appear to have nicked The Wedding Present’s flying saucer. Decent rave pop apart from MC Prat.
Morrissey sings abut somewhere down south? Blimey. All I can say about this.
Was Not Was, actually pronounced Waz Not Was. Ozzy obviously too ‘busy’ to make the video. Great tune and vocal contrast. Let’s go to bed, Kim? Okay, if you say so.
Sophie appears to have lost three female vocalists at Heathrow. This song’s grown back on me.
Better vocal mix for Jimmy’s return. Interesting to see that (a) he isn’t hogging the stage, same as last time and (b) he acknowledges other stage sharers during the performance.
We finish with that shy retiring Prince and a good smouldering groove.
Overall, a much better structured show fom Michael Hurll. Shame he didn't replace that prick Appel.
Talking of which... "The Story Of 1991” at the weekend!!!!
It looks like Jimmy Nail's co-vocaist Sylvia Mason-James was unlucky to miss out on TOTP a whole 14 years earlier, as she was a vocalist with French disco band Voyage, whose number 13 hit in 1978 received not one second of airplay on the show.
ReplyDeleteTop Of The Pops: The Story Of 1992 and Biggest Hits is now scheduled for Saturday 19th March from 8:45pm on BBC Two.
ReplyDeleteThe Story of 1992:
The early 90s continued to be an interesting musical mix on the long-running pop music show. Still getting used to its new TV home at Elstree, having been relaunched at the end of the previous year, shows were a mix of ravers and indie rockers rubbing shoulders with the popstars of the day, with the emergence of live satellite performances from across the globe upping the star quota on the weekly show.
Dance music was still dominating the charts, The Orb and The Shamen were causing chaos and controversy on the show with their performances and lyrics. New guitar groups were starting to make waves, with Manic Street Preachers debuting with lipstick, scissor kicks and of course bubbles. The Wedding Present releasing a single each month of the year, and Carter USM had a number one album. In a year of only 12 new number ones, the lowest since 1962, one of the biggest sellers was duo Shakespears Sister with their gothic anthem Stay. Throw in Stereo MC's, Wet Wet Wet and Crowded House and you have tales of performing chess on the show, crashing the Eastenders set, the emergence of Take That and the shift to live singing on the show.
Contributors include Nicky Wire and James Dean Bradfield of Manic Street Preachers, Mr C from The Shamen, Rob Birch, Nick Hallam and Cath Coffey of Stereo MC's, Siobhan Fahey and Marcella Detroit, Marti Pellow and Graeme Clark of Wet Wet Wet, David Gedge of The Wedding Present, Alex Patterson of The Orb, Nick Seymour of Crowded House, Jim Bob and Fruitbat of Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine, journalist Sian Pattenden and presenter Tony Dortie.
1992 Biggest Hits:
The Top of the Pops vaults are opened up to relive some of the classic and biggest songs of 1992.
Featuring the hip hop and dance of Kris Kross, SL2, Bizarre Inc and Felix to the rock stylings of Manic Street Preachers and Primal Scream, as well as the emergence of boy band royalty Take That, Miley’s dad Billy Ray getting the line dancing going, divas in the form of Annie Lennox and Mariah Carey - and, of course, Jimmy Nail. Plus many more.
The Shamen laying the groundwork here for the follow up smash hit E’s Are Good. Mr. C. with full on Cheshire Cat cheesiness, an enjoyable performance. Reading interviews with Mr. C. I was surprised that he was proud of the fact that the “C” in Mr. C doesn’t stand for Cheese.
ReplyDeleteOoh a snazzy new introduction and straight into the top ten. The Wets then up first and Marti has developed an American twang for this very poppy number. Like this one.
ReplyDeleteMadonna back with a "brill" but rather understated effort, and all the better for it..she released an album of all her ballad/love songs in the early 90s which was wonderful. This feels like a real 80s throwback.
Oh no.. it's The Wedding Present again, in full PPE this time. The songs aren't getting any better unfortunately.
Why, why, why is Jason still plugging away at this pop career. I really thought he'd given up when he went into Joseph. Seen him perform live on various TV shows over the years and the man can't sing live. This song is seriously lacking a tune.
And here's 1992s earworm tune. Billy Ray inventing Line Dancing in 3 and a half minutes of cheesy country music. Thank goodness his daughter went pop instead. Nice Dad dancing.
Now this is better. The Shamen are back with a great pop dance record and oh my the female vocalist is struggling with the live vocal isn't she.
Greatness and Ebeneezer await.
Breakers:
Morrissey: Charming (not)
Was (Not Was): Absolutely love this.. hi Kim.
Sophie has made it over the pond and into the Top 20. Still a great tune.
And then a fine Number One from Jimmy Nail back in the studio and an (edited) Prince with one of his "hey I'm rude, makes me cool doesn't it" hits…I'll pass thanks.