I thought love was only true in the 22nd of June 1995 edition of Top of the Pops!
Singing stars
22-6-95: Presenter: Simon Mayo
(20) HADDAWAY – Fly Away
Getting the show haddaway but the song got no higher.
(33) MIKE & THE MECHANICS – A Beggar On A Beach Of Gold
Performing the title track from their number 9 album, but it go no higher.
(3) BABY D – (Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime) I Need Your Loving (video) (and charts)
At its peak.
(NEW) D:REAM – Shoot Me With Your Love
Performing what will become their third and final top ten hit when it peaks at number 7. Reminds me a bit of Let Me Entertain You.
(9) M-PEOPLE – Search For The Hero
In the studio tonight but this famous song got no higher.
(29) AMY GRANT – Big Yellow Taxi (video)
Her third and final top 40 hit and it peaked at number 20.
(ALBUM TRACK) BON JOVI – These Days
Here tonight with the title track from their number one album, and the song will peak at number 7 next year.
(NEW) E.M.F. with REEVES & MORTIMER – I’m A Believer
In the studio with a lively performance of this Monkees cover and it will peak at number 3.
(1) ROBSON & JEROME – Unchained Melody
In the studio again for their sixth of seven weeks at number one.
(NEW) MENSWEAR – Daydreamer (video) (and credits)
Will become their first of five top 40 hits when it peaks at number 14.
29th of June is next.
24-11-77: Presenter: David Jensen
ReplyDelete(17) BONEY M – Belfast (and charts)
(47) THE CARVELLS – The L.A. Run
(5) WINGS – Mull Of Kintyre (video)
(NEW) BONNIE TYLER – It’s A Heartache
(7) DARTS – Daddy Cool/The Girl Can’t Help It ®
(NEW) LEO SAYER – There Isn’t Anything
(18) JONATHAN RICHMAN & THE MODERN LOVERS – Egyptian Reggae (danced to by Legs & Co)
(49) HOT CHOCOLATE – Put Your Love In Me
(6) THE BEE GEES – How Deep Is Your Love (video)
(41) SANTA ESMERALDA & LEROY GOMEZ – Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood
(1) ABBA – The Name Of The Game (video)
(26) THE JACKSONS – Goin’ Places (and credits)
Good Lord, nothing edited out this week, so does this mean that the show on original airing in 1977 was still only 30 minutes long?
DeleteThe Carvells - opening the show, and I just love the dip into video clips between the TOTP studio performance, so you could say they maxed out their visit this week at No.47, in the days where TOTP would start the show with a new release before reaching the Top 40.
Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers - pity that two of the Legs & Co girls had to play the horse, and so we could not see their lovely bodies, and I think it was Sue and Lulu missing out, as the other four girls were looking great in those Egyptian costumes!
Some musical treats on offer here with a very genial host in Mr Jensen.
Delete(17) BONEY M – Belfast (and charts)
As mentioned before, not one of their best by any stretch.
(47) THE CARVELLS – The L.A. Run
One of those acts that used to open up the show and you’d think “ who the hell are they? Not heard this before…”. Riding high on the skateboard craze of the time popularised by the likes of Lief Garrett, this effort actually reached No31 and was one of those singles that specified the intro on label with the song timings (intro 0:10). Nigel (from ‘Nigel’s Golden Days’) had this to say about it -“I don’t remember this one. I have a feeling that I may like it, but I also have a feeling that it may have sounded like the Beach Boys, in which case I probably wouldn't have liked it. So, I don't know whether I'm pleased that it only made number 31” Well quite Nigel…it did sound like the Beach Boys. and h(Alan Carvell) had no further hits.
(5) WINGS – Mull Of Kintyre (video)
No matter how many times I watch this video I will never get tired of the tranquil simplicity of it. Just Paul, Linda and Denny strolling along the beautiful Scottish coast and spotting the guards band far away on the beach. I love the way the leader simply tosses his staff spinning into the air at the end of the bagpipes section. Shame its cruelly cut short. Incidentally this was a double A Side with ‘Girls School’ which you never ever heard on the radio let alone ToTP.
(NEW) BONNIE TYLER – It’s A Heartache
Beautiful. Listen to the way the production builds up the sound around Bonnie’s voice. A great guitar solo (not sure who it is playing) and then some subtle but sympathetic backing vocals and wonderful orchestration. You don’t realise just how good this is without listening on headphones. Bonnie gives a suitably good performance here.
(7) DARTS – Daddy Cool/The Girl Can’t Help It
Darts made no impression on me then or now. Just didn’t get the appeal, take it or leave it, so I ff’d here because I could.
(NEW) LEO SAYER – There Isn’t Anything
Now then, a Leo single I don’t remember. It’s not on any of his greatest hits packages, probably because it wasn’t a hit. Some single pressings titled it ‘There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do’ but that obviously made no difference as the record buying public didn’t take a fancy to this song in a similar waltz time signature to ‘When I need you’. Leo sings with one hand in his pocket for some of the song.
(18) JONATHAN RICHMAN & THE MODERN LOVERS – Egyptian Reggae (danced to by Legs & Co)
Hilarious! I couldn’t stop laughing at that dancing camel. Tailor made track for Legs & Co.
(49) HOT CHOCOLATE – Put Your Love In Me
Wow… a long mysterious sounding intro here (more than Carvell’s 10 seconds) before we finally see Errol singing in that inimitable style he had. Great special effects add to the enigmatic nature of the song. What a band Hot Chocolate were in the 70s.
(6) THE BEE GEES – How Deep Is Your Love (video)
Speaking of great 70s bands, were the Bee Gees ever bettered in this era? Such talent.
(41) SANTA ESMERALDA & LEROY GOMEZ – Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood
No41 this reached and I don’t recall it. In the US this ‘Spanish flavoured Disco band featuring Leroy Gomez’ reached No15 with this Animals cover. We didn’t see much of Leroy and co here did we?
(1) ABBA – The Name Of The Game (video)
Yet again cut after the first chorus! This was the best selling single of the time so why did ToTP blow the whistle so early?
(26) THE JACKSONS – Goin’ Places (and credits)
Going nowhere so a quick exit for me as I’d no wish to hear this again.
As we go past 12 months into these re-repeats can I say thank you BBC4 for doing this. Some great things we've been treated to and the wondering what year will come next has been very enjoyable.
DeleteKid Jensen as always great value and dressed more for an evening of top value liqueur tasting than Top of the Pops this week. The lighting crew have a good time on this show as do the set designers. Er, yes.
A quiet week in TV land? Well not exactly. Two days after this edition was broadcast there was a truly legendary happening when a voice purporting to be Vrillon of the Ashtar Galactic Command interrupted Southern Television's transmission of the early evening news. Maybe he was a Carpenters fan. I would love to know if anyone on here actually saw that happening at the time.
'Belfast' a great soundtrack to the charts. Wings' picture doesn't sell the new single very well not that that would've mattered.
The Carvells; I've never heard this single before and a decent bit of Beach Boys (with a dash of 10cc) styled pop celebrating the joys of skateboarding. Was this a new thing in the UK in '77? Not much goes on among the white trousered group so we get a montage of skateboarders doing their not very ambitious thing in various outdoor locations., one by Tower Bridge. Oi you lot!! Don't you know there's a space for you a mile down the road?? Or not.
A girl near the stage briefly holds up a skateboard which being a 1970s one is probably best not one to wave about in a crowded space. Fortunately the song isn't exciting enough for her to do anything potentially hazardous with it and she puts it down after a few seconds. Far more listenable than 'Heaven Is a Halfpipe '.
Wings; It's genuinely strange to see 'Mull of Kintyre' as a new arrival in the charts. Just a marvellous folk styled song. The electric's a bit quiet Denny. Kid predicts it could be the Christmas No.1. Yes. It could.
Bonnie Tyler; Back to the studio and a now gravelly voiced Bonnie Tyler with a great tune if not quite the giant singalong of 'Lost In France'. Wonderful performance with lots of impassioned stares down the camera and hair swishing. Does Kid say something about her being one of his tips for success in 1978? Well yes I suppose she could do well like some others who've had top 10 smashes in the previous year and a half.
Darts; We're getting a lot of Darts in these repeats and fair enough but this was on only a few weeks ago.
Leo Sayer; Not a very memorable single from Leo but I could happily listen to anything this man sings. I've said before, I'd love to hear him do some Tim Buckley songs. The ones that sound like actual songs that is.
A giant red square sits waiting for him to step into it, maybe suggesting the Merry Pranksters 'Frame of Reference ' or a very low budget version of 'Celebrity Squares'. Either way I laughed out loud watching it.
Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers; I wonder if 'Hi De Hi' ever based some of their evening entertainment ideas on Legs & Co routines. A deeply silly but nicely thought out interpretation of 'Egyptian Reggae' which I missed on first repeat. The ladies do their roles with aplomb, particularly Rosie of course. The snake rose to attention out of its basket very sharply. Ahem. Credit to Sue and Lulu for putting their dignity to one side and pirouetting around as a pantomime camel. Hope they didn't get the hump with Flick.
Pt, 2;
DeleteHot Chocolate; Highlight of the show for me. Some marvellously atmospheric neon graphics framing Errol Brown and other band members which combined with Errol's impassive gaze makes for a gripping few minutes. Good song, surprisingly ominous sounding after their No.1 success so no surprise that they went extrovert disco for the next single.
The Bee Gees; Think I prefer Patti dressed in barrowboy costume for this single but it's still great to see the video for 'How Deep Is Your Love'. What a beautiful love song. They weren't always touching but goodness they are on this one.
Santa Esmeralda & Leroy Gomez; Another late '70s cruise ship version of a '60s classic. Entertaining few minutes. Lulu and Sue may've looked at those female dancers with a bit of frustration.
Abba; 'The Name Of The Game' still at the top. The board game at least still without a result. I do think this has one of the best opening two lines of any pop song.
Some female audience members gather around Kid in varying degrees of style. One wearing a suit and tie. Together they contribute to maybe the most useless presenter/audience exchange in the show's history. No more than five of them answer Kid's question and I think only two of them do more than grunt. While they're failing to hear his question The Jacksons play us out. Oh look, some lights.
The ep was cut short on playout.
DeleteThis was better than the previous episode but still not up there with the rest of the year. Whyyyyyy are the singing squaddies still numbers one?
ReplyDeleteHaddaway is ok, Mike and the Mechanics has to be one of the weirdest song titles ever. Bit dull though. Baby D is a good track but a shame we have the video again.
How on earth did Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers not get sued by D:Ream? Let Me Entertain you has the exact same sounding chorus!
I really like Search for the Hero and Big Yellow Taxi might be an unnecessary cover but I still really like it. I remember the video used to be highly thought of. Ah, the computer graphics of the 90s.
Too many exclusives but at least Bon Jovi, EMF/Vic and Bob will become big hits and I don't hate them. Menswear likewise.
Haddaway at first didn't sound that good, but I must admit the song grew on me with my patience to listen to it and not fast-forward.
DeleteI preferred Amy grant in her duet days with Peter Cetera, with her/their greatest single being The Next Time I Fall In Love, as one of America's finest singles ever.
I thought EMF could easily have done that single on their own without Reeves and Mortimer. I mean the camera rarely focused on EMF, and it was all Reeves and Mortimer!
One those big in the US, nowhere in UK was the superb Pete and Amy duet. Starship and 'Sara' anyone?
DeleteJust had a look at Peter Cetera's singles catalogue, and the duet with Amy Grant was back in 1986 and reached No.78 at peak in the UK, despite being a No.1 in the US, so it was already 9 years on for Amy Grant's new entry on her own this week. Cetera at this stage in 1995 was still releasing singles in the US and charting there up until 2005, but outside of the US between 1995 to 2005, pretty much nothing at all.
DeletePeter Cetera also dueted with Karen Carpenter on her 1979 solo album which didn't get released until 1996.
DeleteGood Lord, I'm completely bamboozled to see six oasis singles just outside the Top 40 this week:
ReplyDeleteNo.44 Supersonic (re-entry)
No.47 Some Might Say (climber)
No.48 Whatever (re-entry)
No.50 Live Forever (re-entry)
No.52 Shakermaker (re-entry)
No.53 Cigarettes And Alcohol (re-entry)
How was this possible, and what was Oasis trying to achieve? Singles were by now only available as CD-singles since January 1995 when the last vinyl singles came out, so did they offer buy-one-get-five free?? Good Lord!
Also, a new entry at No.31 on the chart rundown was the return of Black Box with Not Anyone, which was their first single in two years. Also a new entry peaking at No.66 this week was Deep Purple with Black Night, and also worth a mention.
Deep Purple's 'Black Night' release was a special 25th Anniversary limited edition CD single. It was a Roger Glover remix. Great stuff, only missed out on the top spot in 1970 due to Freda Payne's 'Band of Gold'.
DeleteI remember seeing all these singles from Oasis in Virgin Megastore at the time. My memory does not allow to remember if they were CD or Vinyl. Was a marketing thing in the late 90s they quite often used to re-release artists in bulk for collectors.
Delete
ReplyDeleteHaddaway - enjoyed the tune very much. Other half was very vocal about their lack of shirts.
Mike and mechanics - don’t remember this at all. Pleasant, but it was much like their other tunes.
Baby d - dreadful cover of the korgis song (PS the: korgis have recently released an orchestral version of this which appeared on Heritage Chart Show - almost as bad as this version)
Dream - don’t remember this either. Chorus sounds like Let Me Entertain You
M People a classic. Very tiny sax. The singing was top notch - I couldn't work out if she was miming or truly live.
Amy Grant - pleasant enough cover. Amused by the $25 inflation to visit the tree museum.
Bon Jovi - sounds like a Bryan Adams track (that’s not a compliment)
Vic Reeves - dreadful pub singer rendition.
Robson and Jerome - and yet another cover. At least it was pleasant.
Menswear - ah yes, their 15 minutes of fame (or in this case 15 seconds).
HADDAWAY coming to the end of his short career with a proper EuroPop tune. "Fly Away" absolutely got the feet tapping here for me and Mrs Morgie.
ReplyDeleteDon't remember this MIKE & THE MECHANICS tune. "A Beggar On A Beach Of Gold" not one of their best.
D:REAM with Let Me Entertain You - ooops, sorry "Shoot Me With Your Love". Robbie has absolutely stolen the hook from this. (see I'm not the only one who thought this). Quite enjoyed the song but Peter is not the best singer is he!
Mike's PEOPLE are multiplying for "Search For The Hero" one of their best tunes. Always enjoys hearing Heather sing.
I thought his "Big Yellow Taxi" cover was Sheryl Crow rather than Amy Grant. Either way it's a bit naff. Rubbish video as well.
I had the BON JOVI album "These Days" is from and i liked this. Shame it wasn't a live vocal.
E.M.F. with REEVES & MORTIMER – I’m A Believer - Annoyingly this is quite good.
MENSWEAR. I enjoyed the clip of this.