Happy New Year!
1995 is still on holiday, but in the meantime Top of the Pops is celebrating its 60th birthday, the party beginning with this edition from December 27th 1971.
27-12-71: Presenter: Tony Blackburn
(-) T-REX – Get It On
Getting the show underway with their second of four number ones.
(-) THE TAMS – Hey Girl Don’t Bother Me
Their only number one hit.
(1) BENNY HILL – Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West) (video)
This year's Christmas number one, and Benny's only number one hit.
(14) SLADE – Coz I Luv You
Performing their first of six number ones.
(-) GEORGE HARRISON – My Sweet Lord (danced to by Pan’s People)
The first solo Beatle number one hit.
(-) THE ROLLING STONES – Brown Sugar
Peaked at number 2.
(-) ASHTON, GARDNER & DYKE – Resurrection Shuffle
Their only hit, it peaked at number 3.
(-) DIANA ROSS – I’m Still Waiting (video)
Her first of two solo number ones.
(-) THE NEW SEEKERS – Never Ending Song Of Love
Their first of six top ten hits, this one peaking at number 2.
(35) ROD STEWART – Maggie May
His first of six solo number ones.
It's been quite a feast of TOTP this evening. Starting with the Big Hits '64 to '75 special which first got shown the night before all of these repeats first began then a couple of vintage shows then some Story Ofs. All great though I would swap them all for a repeat of a few more complete editions including Alan Freeman's one from '69. Ah well thanks BBC4 for this evening.
ReplyDeleteTony Blackburn welcomes us after some anonymous tympani and strings wearing a top that has an air of the medieval about it. Was he digging some folk rock at this point? He's a jovial lone hand on this 2nd review of 1971 which is the only one we have so a shame so much was cut out this evening.
T.Rex; A start that couldn't really be bettered even if it did appear on BBC4 about an hour earlier. A big blue studio adorned with coloured lights with a plugged in Marc and a humorously not plugged in at all Elton John. It's nice to see him there, a delightful touch and what Elton loses in actual piano contribution he makes up for in rock 'n' roll gusto. Marc looks fabulous in glam jacket and pink trousers and switching from rarher coy expressions to serious pouting. Legend and the other Legend looks cool on the drums too. A couple of blokes dance like amiable Dads behind them and a girl who delightfully realises the camera is on her. Seen it so many times but still brilliant.
Slade; No Tams sadly and the classic absent member midway through the song and Benny Hill's milk float isn't serving the White City area this evening so on to Slade and one of a couple of surviving clips of 'Coz I Luv You', the other being in b&w. Noddy sort of midway between skinhead and genial flamboyant master of ceremonies. Dave Hill with the 'Super Yob' guitar. The walk on the spot rhythm of course taken up by all the crowd. Great song.
Pan's People doing an elegant dance to 'My Sweet Lord' and a clip from a lost edition (Jan '71) so a nice bonus. Long long skirts and lots of hippieish reaching out of hands. Flick I think it was doing one of the solo spots.
The Rolling Stones; Another classic clip which gets an early cut but still a fantastic watch. Fully live and full on swagger.
Diana Ross; No Ashton, Gardner and Dyke which is a shame because it's a rollicking live clip, so full of excitement that the singer I think forgets a good amount of the words. What follows instead is an almost perversely austere grain-a-go-go film clip for 'I'm Still Waiting'. Tony famously played a main hand in getting this released as a single so he couldn't have been too enthused about how this No.1 gets presented here. Like the opening to 'Tales Of the Unexpected' mixed with Black Sabbath's debut album cover, it's most odd but at least this classic single gets an appearance.
The New Seekers; Tony chats to a young bloke in a hat with a balloon on it which he pops. Bloke smiles. Really like 'Never Ending Song Of Love' a big jolly stomper that got everyone singing in the house. The dark haired lady is very striking in the claret dress and big boots. Once again I couldn't recognise which was the sole remaining member from the early Seekers. The latest single will be big predicts Tony. Oh yes it will.
Rod Stewart; Ending with one of THE Top of the Pops clips; Peelie on mandolin (Well, holding it), Rod tripping up two of the band members with his mic lead and the little bit of football. You wouldn't have got that with 'Reason To Believe'.
A jolly and humorously under rehearsed dance about which includes Tony and a girl falling off a platform at the same time. Someone skiing in the background, maybe due to a Winter Olympics being round the corner or the fact that the previous year's Christmas was a very snowy one.