Hey now, look up in the sky now, see the 6th of September 1996 edition of Top of the Pops!
Space man
6-9-96: Presenter: Julia Carling
(9) SPACE – Me And You Versus The World
Getting the show underway but this storming tune got no higher.
(13) CLOCK – Oh What A Night
In the studio but the song got no higher.
(2) KULA SHAKER – Hey Dude
A second studio performance but the song was now at its peak.
(4) THE SMURFS – I’ve Got A Little Puppy (video) (and charts)
Back in the charts for the first time in eighteen years with their second of three top ten hits, but this one got no higher.
(NEW) DINA CARROLL – Escaping
Performing what will become her fourth and final top ten hit when it peaks at number 3.
(FLASHBACK) SOFT CELL – Tainted Love (clip of TOTP 3-9-81)
Number one in 1981.
(3) THE CHARLATANS – One To Another
Here with their second of four top ten hits but it could get no higher.
(7) LOS DEL RIO – Macarena
Had already peaked at number 2.
(NEW) ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT – On A Rope
Performing what will become their only top 40 hit when it peaks at number 12.
(1) SPICE GIRLS – Wannabe
Seventh and final week at number one.
(8) OMC – How Bizarre (video) (and credits)
Had already peaked at number 5.
The show now in a new 7.25pm Friday slot, really only made this extra 5 minutes for a new Flashback slot, rather than fitting in an extra performer on the show, so we were hardly getting any extra value out of the new 35-minute format. Good Lord!
ReplyDeleteClock - poor cover of Frankie Valli's original, and Clock preferring to make the song title out of one of the other lines in the song, so that it would not be called December '63, but we're not that thick!
Kula Shaker - I preferred Hey Jude, so what is this Hey Dude now, straight in at No.2?
The Smurfs - long gone are the days of the original Father Abraham & The Smurfs who got stuck at No.2 for six weeks in the summer of 1978, to get this crap in 1996 by just 'The Smurfs". I beg to differ Angelo, but these are not the same Smurfs on the Father Abraham single in 1978!
New entry at peak just outside the Top 40 this week at No.44 was La Bouche with a re-issue of their debut single in 1994 called Sweet Dreams. Turned out do do a little better this time round, but still didn't trouble the Top 40, and this was to be their final single.
The Flashback segment suited to face the advert break of Coronation Street on ITV - the endlessness didn't last long, as it reverted back to half a hour from November 1996 right through to July 2005 - where it remained for nine consecutive years.
ReplyDeleteThe 'Flashback' segment was soon axed at the end of November 1996, whereas Corrie was getting more viewers, as a fourth episode was added on the week The Simpsons premiered on British terrestrial television.
Emmerdale/Corrie would face TOTP a clash again in 2005 - on a Sunday for the next twelve months, but the soaps had already won in the ratings and it'd would remain there until Dancing On Ice took their place in 2008 where it moved to its
new familiar home - right, Sundays?.
The Smurfs cover of Technohead always baffled me, was it genuinely licensed? Such a random thing.
ReplyDeleteThis was a decent episode for the first half, though I'm bored of Macarena and How Bizarre now.
A bitter sweet return for The Charlatans with their highest charting single. Tragically their keyboard player Rob Collins died just 7 weeks earlier in a car accident, thus sadly missing out on this very successful period for the band, with One To Another being the first release from the forthcoming Tellin' Stories album.
ReplyDeleteChris