It feels good, it's all right, even if it's just the 7th of July 1994 edition of Top of the Pops!
Reg Reg Reg
7-7-94: Presenter: Mark Goodier
(8) GUN – Word Up
Starting tonight's show with a bang, this was the band's only top ten hit and it got no higher.
(11) TWO COWBOYS – Everybody Gonfi-Gon
Performing their only hit and it peaked at number 7.
(5) THE BC52’S – (Meet) The Flintstones (video) (and charts)
Went up two more places.
(9) ASWAD – Shine
A second studio performance and the song went up another four places.
(15) ELTON JOHN – Can You Feel The Love Tonight
Went up one more place.
(25) THE PRETENDERS – Night In My Veins
In the studio but the song got no higher.
(2) ALL-4-ONE – I Swear (via satellite)
At its peak.
(3) TAKE THAT – Love Ain’t Here Anymore
Here tonight but they couldn't budge the Wets from the top and this song got no higher.
(1) WET WET WET – Love Is All Around
Reg Presley watches on as the band perform their sixth of fifteen weeks at number one.
(NEW) ABIGAIL – Smells Like Teen Spirit (studio montage) (and credits)
Became her only hit when it peaked at number 29.
14th of July is next.
Very good first half of the show up until Elton John, as it was party music all the way, with some great dance floor fun, until cooling off with the Lion King.
ReplyDeleteGun - a little surprised that Gun covered this original Cameo Top 3 single from 1986 which was a strange tune also at the time. The Gun instrumental on the middle of the tune came off well enough that Guns 'n' Roses could have had a try.
Two Cowboys - I felt this was playing off the recent success of Doop to spark a trend of reviving old generation dancing experiences. I did like the sexy blonde girl dancer in the white miniskirt on stage with the group, but there seemed to be too many people on the stage, and too much camera movement. We still have Rednexx to come before the year is out. Yeeehaaah!
The BC52's - love this video, especially to see Halle Berry in it. Yabadabadoo!
Aswad - still can't believe that the lead singer on Don't Turn Around, their No.1 hit in 1988, was now moved to the back of the stage on drums on Shine in 1994.
All-4-One - at this point they were already at their 8th week at No.1 in America with this tune with a further three more weeks at the top spot still to come, yet still only at No.2 this week in the UK. The live-by-satellite clip on this week's show looked like the beach in the opening scenes of the Grease movie from 1978.
Agreed with Dory, strong first half, weak ending.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy the Gun version of Word Up quite a bit. Haven't heard Two Cowboys since 1994 and not really my thing but fine as a bit of summer fluff.
BC52s with such a fun video. Notice Youssou N'Dour and Neneh Cherry 7 Seconds looks like it's about to leave the charts without making much of a splash but it's about to turn that around quite spectacularly (and deservedly).
Aswad are great and then it's the Pretenders vs all the the Ballad Boys. And all this schmaltz before Boyzone have even released a record. I can live with Elton and All 4 One when they're on their own, in a run of slush they're a bit much. Take That were hideous and I didn't even make it to the end of the performance.
Was Kurt C still alive at this point in 94 or was he spared the terrible Abigail cover?
He was long dead.
DeleteApparently only a few days dead when this ep went out!
DeleteFour songs from previous 80s regulars at peak position this week, inside and outside the charts, with no TOTP for them:
ReplyDeleteNo.19 The Beastie Boys - Get It Together/Sabotage
Double A-Side and first Top 40 single since 1987 which was their debut year in the British charts. They did release two singles in 1992 but neither made the Top 40, so TOTP could have at least given us the video this week to celebrate their return to the Top 40 after 7 years out.
No42 Stevie Nicks - Maybe Love
First single in three years since 1991, and also her last ever single, as the curtain falls on a Fleetwood Mac soloist in the charts, after the main group had their last two singles as far back as 1990 which both failed to make Top 40.
No.56 Yazz - Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime
Not sure if this is a cover of The Korgi's superb original from 1980 which got to No.5, but Yazz already had her last Top 40 single in 1993, so this was no turnaround in terms of chart positions.
No.57 Robert Palmer - Girl U Want
Surprised that Palmer was still going in 1994 with his chart career, but two more singles in 1994 would just about break through the Top 40, but essentially his best charting days were over well before 1994.
Robert Palmer had been on the show as an exclusive with "Girl U Want". I remember saying his follow-up "Spud U Like" did even worse.
DeleteYazz's flop was indeed a cover of The Korgis track, which will be partly re-conditioned and used for a top 3 hit by Baby D in 1995.
DeleteAfter a very hectic weekend, hence this late post, I looked at this show’s line-up and wondered if it was worth watching the whole thing, seeing as six of the songs had been on before (I know, a far cry from the days of Jesse Green getting on the show five times with the same tune).
ReplyDeleteOh God, we start with Slappable doing the pre-show intro. I think I know how my viewing will go.
Gun, not a patch on Cameo’s original but a brave attempt to be fair. First of effectively four covers in the edition if you include a show’s theme tune, and definitely not the worst.
The Grid lad’s left his banjo behind for… this was gonfi-gone from my screen pronto.
Only watched the BC52’s for the non-mugshots, featuring the only top 40 hit for Lighter Shade of Brown, a group name that would probably be seen as non-PC and sacrilegious these days.
Not in the mood for Aswad’s Lilt reggae-pop before the real teeth rotting stuff kicks in, with a repeat for Elton when we could have had so many other first-time hits instead.
I watched The pretenders in vein, er, vein. Mid-table for them at best and still a highlight on this show.
All-4-One beached in the top 3. I gave this a quick goodbye ‘wave’ with an FF.
Take That’s outfits sponsored by Dulux brilliant white paint. Track nowhere near brilliant.
Reg Presley’s Andover accent the best thing on before WWW FFF.
What the hell was that dreadful shite at the end?
Definitely on the podium, if not gold medal, for worst show of the re-run thus far.
All together now "It's Thursday night, it's 7 O'Clock it must be time for TOTP!"
ReplyDeleteOdd one tonight. 5 acts we've seen already and 2 playout tunes. Must be a light new entry week.
It's probably sacrilege but I think I prefer the GUN version of "Word Up". Great lively opening to the show.
A couple of Cowboys up next. What even does "Gonfi-Gon" mean? Anyone else seeing the genesis of Steps? Not a patch on Rednex but full of energy and the studio has a good atmosphere night with Mark doing a decent presenting turn.
THE BC52’S and ASWAD we've seen before but someone has nicked the top of Mr Aswad's guitar. I suppose it was a bit much to ask ELTON JOHN to turn up twice. I thought this was a much bigger hit than it was. Amazed this didn't go Top Three.
THE PRETENDERS with a quite forgettable number from them. "Night In My Veins" probably the only tune of the night I can't recall after the event. ALL-4-ONE next trying not fall over in the wet sand. Apparently they are still together.
"Love Ain’t Here Anymore "a million times better than Take That's last love song (although I'd avoid that high note again Gary, you'll do yourself an injury). Dressed all angelic tonight as well.
Reg Presley checking his bank balance and introducing the Wets tonight and Marti has finally learnt the song properly.
Some songs shouldn't be covered ABIGAIL!