And the Friday sun shines down on the 13th of December 1996 edition of Top of the Pops!
Top Dogg
13-12-96: Presenter: Ian Broudie
(7) MANIC STREET PREACHERS – Australia
Getting tonight's show underway but the song got no higher.
(6) DAMAGE – Forever
Performing their first of four top ten hits, but this one was at its peak.
(NEW) ELTON JOHN & LUCIANO PAVAROTTI – Live Like Horses (via satellite) (and charts)
Will peak at number 9.
(30) PHIL COLLINS – It’s In Your Eyes
Here tonight but the song got no higher.
(11) THE ARTIST – Betcha By Golly Wow (video)
At its peak.
(8) THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH – Don’t Marry Her
In the studio tonight but the song was at its peak.
(12) SNOOP DOGGY DOGG – Snoop’s Upside Ya Head
Also here tonight but the tune got no higher.
(1) BOYZONE – A Different Beat
First and only week at number one.
(TOTP2) THE CURE – A Forest (clip of TOTP 24-4-80) (and credits)
Number 31 in 1980
20th of December is up next.
TOTP2 - 14-12-1996 https://we.tl/t-mSxL0d72HZ
ReplyDeleteThanks Rob!!!
DeleteMy pick from this TOTP2 show is from the Recorded For Recall section in April 1976 when John Miles performed Music on TOTP in those days when most artists had no videos for their singles, so TOTP was everything. The song is an all time classic, and is for all of us on this blog who have stuck it out......."If music was my first love, then it will be my last.....music of the future, and music of the past......"
DeleteIn the One Hit Wonders section, I remember the Department S single called Is Vic There?, with the standout part being the unique way of holding the microphone.
Excellent show this one, where 80s pop legends stood out.
ReplyDeleteElton John & Pavarotti - live-by-satellite for TOTP, and not the official video which was shown on the 7th Dec TOTP2 show a few days earlier, but the song sounded so much like Elton's Circle Of life released in 1994 for the Lion King soundtrack, this time fine-tuned to make a single called Live Like Horses with Pavarotti thrown in for good measure, I mean greatness measure.
Phil Collins - back in the TOTP studio with new material for 1996, it looks like from here on in, he released only one new single per year for the next few years, but still kept a foot in the UK Charts despite many of his peers from the 80s already having called it a day already.
The Artist - formerly known as Prince with a superb cover of a 1972 chart classic, was back to his brilliant video-making best, with this video right up there with the likes of Raspberry Beret which is probably the most similar in style. There was to be only one more new single in early 1997 which just about made the Top 20, and then no further Top 40 activity until at least after 2004 if at all, but this December 1996 effort was one of the best singles anyone could sign off with.
The Beautiful South - having realised that the absence of a female lead vocalist turned out to be a disaster in terms of chart positions, the group were back to familiar Top 10 territory with this single, now that they returned to the original formula in the band, albeit a new female lead in this single.
Other 80s legends missing out on a TOTP showing for their new single, were Gloria Estefan at peak of No.28 with I'm Not Giving You Up, and Rod Stewart at peak of No.58 with If We Fall In Love Tonight.