Dee-dee-da-da-dum, it's the 15th of September 1994 edition of Top of the Pops!
Whig Whig Whig
15-9-94: Presenter: Simon Mayo
(15) SOPHIE B. HAWKINS – Right Beside You
Getting the show underway and the song went up two more places.
(19) THE GRID – Rollercoaster
Performing their follow-up to Swamp Thing, but this one got no higher.
(18) LISA LOEB & NINE STORIES – Stay (I Missed You) (video) (and charts)
Peaked at number 6.
(10) M-BEAT feat. GENERAL LEVY – Incredible
Performing their only top ten hit and it went up two more places.
(9) REM – What’s The Frequency, Kenneth? (video)
Got no higher.
(NEW) SINEAD O’CONNOR – Fire On Babylon
Performing a track from her top 20 album, Universal Lover.
(ALBUM TRACK) ELVIS PRESLEY – Return To Sender (film clip)
From the top 4 album The Essential Collection.
(3) LUTHER VANDROSS & MARIAH CAREY – Endless Love
Performing here tonight but the song was at its peak.
(1) WHIGFIELD – Saturday Night
Making her debut with her first of four weeks at number one.
(TOTP2) SIMPLE MINDS – Glittering Prize (clip of TOTP 16-9-82) (and credits)
A number 16 hit in 1982.
22nd of September is next.
TOTP2 17-09-94 https://wetransfer.com/downloads/4baf6247a1a787b21c44f10135d2c03920230511092041/2cb6c8?fbclid=IwAR0_osbl1T7UUv4mCg3FCPFUOddAgwyfbFbxljUHGx97zJizJpDwcs7Arr4 (These are supposed to be getting posted weekly on Popscene)
ReplyDeleteI have supplied all the 1994 and 1995 eps of TOTP2 to Popscene.
DeleteNice one, thank you :-)
ReplyDeleteJust watched this first ever TOTP2 for the first time (thanks Rob for making it available) as at the time the first TOTP2 I remember watching in 1994 was one with the Leif Garrett video for I Was Made For Dancing as part of their 1979 flashback which was soon after.
DeleteAnyway, this first ever TOTP2 this week in May 1994 featuring Boyz II Men I must say was really special, the way they sing on I'll Make Love To You is on a level with Frank Sinatra as pure music heaven, and was at No.1 in America at the time of this show, and stayed for 14 weeks at the top spot for Boyz II Men.
I did also like Talk Talk's single called Today which I never heard before considering it was a 1982 single, but it is much better than anything they ever did, and was the highlight of the show, along with Boyz II Men.
The Grid - disappointing follow up to their last Top 3 hit Swamp Thing which was their finest hour, although I rate a previous singe Crystal Clear as good as Swamp Thing. Not sure why they didn't let their guest girlie on the single stand up on stage instead of lie back hammock-like to do her part on the single. Maybe the group didn't want to be upstaged by their guest vocalist?
ReplyDeleteChart rundown - three singles on the rundown inside the Top 40 would not get played, as they went down the following week, Roxette at No.30 with Fireworks, M People at No.31 with Elegantly American, and Aswad at No.33 with Warriors, I must say they were very unlucky not to get as slot, as all of them were TOTP regulars performing in the studio.
Whitfield - at last a new No.1 to replace the Wets, the Danish starlet had arrived, and look at the group of people she had on stage with her to dance to it, in what looked like the Macarena, although Whigfield came two years before Macarena, I could swear the two dance phenomenons looked the same, unless there are some small adjustments on the 1996 Macarena that I couldn't notice.
Well, that was a quick ‘watch’.
ReplyDeleteSophie gets on again despite (a) being a non-mover and (b) the song not even at its already reached chart peak. A full-on weird staging, whereby Sophie appears to have cycled to the set and found a use for her expressive hands, plus she thought the mic stand needed tarting up. Still, at least I saw all of her song, a rarity for this edition.
Excellent intro mic quip by Si before some average rave from The Grid. They could at least have given that woman on stage a banjo.
The return of the librarian next. Lisa’s glasses really don’t suit her. Hope that was filmed nine storeys up. See what I did there? By the way, where are the rest of the band?
Non-mugshots: the only top 40 week for Andy Weatherall project Sabres of Paradise.
At least Ric Blaxill was willing to try different types of music but, by heck, that jungle stuff was incredibly bad. Can we have “Jungle Rock” back instead?
Another’ arty’ video from REM, once again detracting from the song.
Sinead gets a new release slot for something which sounds even worse that that jungle thing. Absolute row.
Elvis Presley! Why? Just why?
A ‘comedy’ kidnap moment from last week’s hosts before another namecheck from Brian for “Luther Vandeross” and a very quick FF from me.
Scandinavian line dance pop at its best next, though I can’t stand that pesky duck quack noise loop in the backing.
Dopey outro montage flop replaced by an advert for a new show. Decent song to promote it with.
We could have had Roxette (or, as you note, M People or Aswad - I don't remember either of their singles at all though) and we got an Elvis album track AND a Sinead one? This show. I knew we didn't see Roxette again until their next single Run to You but it's nice to hope Pops history somehow changed over the last three decades! I really love Fireworks but for some reason Per kind of hates it.
ReplyDeleteGood night for the top 20 though. The Grid track isn't my thing but it's fine. I like Lisa Loeb, M Beat (jungle is indeed about to be massive) and REM.
And all hail our saviour Whigfield.
Rad, we got a snippet of Aswad's Marley-style feisty track over a montage a couple of shows back.
DeleteThree singles peaking outside the Top 40 this week for previous chart regulars, but unlucky to miss out this time:
ReplyDeleteNo.48 Anita Baker - Body And Soul
Last ever single for Baker, and who could forget her debut single in 1986 called Sweet Love which was her best achievement peaking at No.13, but all four singles thereafter since 1986 failed to make Top 40.
No.63 Michael Ball - The Lovers We Were
Follow up to his recent No.36 achievement with From Here To Eternity, this new one made no progress.
No.67 Inner Circle - Games People Play
Not sure if this is a cover of the classic Joe South number, but Inner Circle who gave us Sweat (Ala la la la long) which got to No.3 in 1992, were now, like Anita Baker, at their last ever single.
A very smart Simon Mayo overseeing a very good edition. The music getting way better.
ReplyDeleteSophie B Hawkins; Great start with the tall drummer girl back again with the brilliant 'Right Beside You'. Bike and some fish. Fair enough. Maybe a reference to a line from 'Trying To Throw Your Arms Around The World' by U2. Maybe not. She hits the drum with purpose though it seems to go a bit awry at one point which she acknowledges I think with a little laugh.
The Grid; The caption again has to highlight the involvement of Dave Ball despite the group having already had plenty of success (and TOTP exposure) with 'Swamp Thing'. I don't remember this one at all but that was a great few minutes. Spooky and cool and a girl saying a few words on a 22nd Century sofa or psychiatrist couch. A nice contrast to the primitive looking equipment the group are using. Enjoyed that.
Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories; Nana Mouskooky arrives with a sweet if faintly annoying single. Always liked the guitar hook and the loping drums but find it all just a little simpering. Enjoyed the video which looks like a sort of quietly mopey/arty one person version of the video for The Spice Girls' 'Wannabe' .
M-Beat feat. General Levy; Good call from Simon to introduce this as the first Jungle thing on the show. Certainly there was a lot of talk about it that year and I enjoyed this single. A lively little intrusion.
R.E.M; Back again. As teenagers! I recall the big talk being about Mike Mills turning into a rock star but the sound as well is a major change and a good one.
Sinead O'Connor; Ah now what a treat this is! A reminder that almost at the same time came a few powerful UK albums; 'Dog Man Star', 'The Holy Bible' and of course Sinead's 'Universal Mother'. Nothing "will this do?" about this number. Not for a second. I found myself welling up at the sheer force of that like I've always done when I hear this single. Utterly compelling performance and with that awesomely moody bass part. Astonishing that this failed to be a hit in the UK especially after the equally moving 'Thank You For Hearing Me' almost reached the Top 10. The slogan on her T Shirt was, um, intriguing. Anyway a real highlight of the recent repeats.
Elvis Presley; Another non charting item but no complaints. A hell of a contrast but good to see this film clip of 'Return To Sender'.
Luther Vandross & Mariah Carey; Our intro man comes back to do a cover with Mariah Carey who gets some respect for the fact that even at this point in her career she never seemed to turn down a TOTP appearance. An interesting coincidence that when the Royal Wedding in 1981 was featured on the third and final series of 'The Rock 'n' Roll Years', broadcast in 1994, the music over it was 'Endless Love' and here is the song again within a week of King Chas' Coronation! Luther actually sings closer to Diana Ross than Lionel Richie here.
Whigfield; Liked how Simon greeted the change; "Wet Wet Wet not at No.1? You're joking!!!!" This single? For me another very weak chart topper albeit with a good hook (hmmmm). Sorry never been fussed about this one though enjoyed the party goers on stage. Yes it shoved aside the Wets so thanks but not No.1 standard.
TOTP2 has arrived so out with the dodgy montage and in with a pointless flashback that doesn't do anything for the show but nice to be reminded that Jim Kerr once looked a bit strange. A favourite one of theirs but makes virtually no impact here.
Wonderful start to the show for the rather fine looking SOPHIE B. Wouldn't mind being "Right Beside You" Sophie. Quality tune as well.
ReplyDeleteTHE GRID think it's 1990 by the sounds of it. Rollercoaster lacking the hook and originality of Swamp Thing.
Good one-take video from LISA LOEB. She's now lost the only Three Stories she had. They didn't Stay!
Some "Incredible" noise from M-BEAT that passed me by. Not my thing but bags of energy.
A real change in sound for REM and I remember how keenly the Monster album was awaited after the success of AFTP. Good for them doing something completely different. This is a very underrated tune from them and I really like the video as well, very clever.
SINEAD O’CONNOR not someone I was keen to hear an exclusive from but "Fire On Babylon" really surprised me. A great tune. Really got into that one. Maybe I missed it first time around as it didn't chart?
The Original pop-puppet ELVIS has a billion sales so we get to "Return To Sender", then East 17 turn up to introduce MARIAH and LUTHER which is a nice touch. Good vocal performance as you would expect but I think Mariah's voice is a bit too much and kind of drowns Luther out a bit.
And her is the Danish Pop Tart WHIGFIELD with the full on dance moves. "Saturday Night" shifting 500,000 copies in a WEEK! Probably out-selling the rest of the Top 40 combined and yes we were still doing the moves at last years Xmas party so we "iconic" is the best word for this one. Loved it.
Not a bad show at all.