I just slip away and now I am on the 31st of January 1997 edition of Top of the Pops!
Top of the Britpops
31-1-97: Presenter: Noddy Holder
(4) PLACEBO – Nancy Boy
Getting the show underway but the song got no higher.
(7) GABRIELLE – Walk On By
Here tonight but this cover got no higher.
(9) THE BLUEBOY – Remember Me (video) (and charts)
Went up one more place.
(13) SKUNK ANANSIE – Hedonism
With their biggest hit to date but it got no higher.
(5) NO MERCY – Where Do You Go
Performing their first of two top ten hits and this one peaked at number 2.
(3) GEORGE MICHAEL – Older (video)
At its peak.
(NEW) DEPECHE MODE – Barrel Of A Gun
In the studio for the first time in eleven years with the first single from their number one album, Ultra, and it will peak at number 4.
(1) BLUR – Beetlebum
One week at the top for their second of two number one hits.
(TOTP2) FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD – Two Tribes (clip of TOTP 14-6-84) (and credits)
Number one in 1984.
TOTP2 - 01-02-1997 https://we.tl/t-2cJZY3YQMp
ReplyDeleteThanks Rob!!!
DeleteNice one!
DeleteA few good highlights from this TOTP2 show. Great to see Jean Michel-Jarre back n 1997 with a new single and video in The Video Stir section.
DeleteIn Recorded For Recall June 1984, Frankie goes to Hollywood had just got to No.1 with Two Tribes and looked excited to be performing it in the TOTP studio, and little did they know that they were still coming back in August to the TOTP studio to perform it at 8th or 9th week at No.1 during that long hot summer.
In Stars That Stay, there was a rare Slade performance from Nov 1969 when TOTP was still only filmed in black & white before full transition to colour in 1970, with Noddy Holder with a completely different hairstyle, and violin section, sounding similar to The Move of their time, or Dexys Midnight Runners of the next generation in the 80s.
Then in the Tomorrow's Hits section, The Orb were back with a new single called Toxygene a la Jean Michel-Jarre's Oxygene, and managed to get their first Top 10 single for 5 years with this since Blue room got to No.8 in 1992, and in the process their most successful single getting to No.4 in 1997, with their singles catalogue coming to end shortly as the 90s were drawing to a close.
One of the best ‘new’ shows in a long time. Strange, but I do not remember Beetlebaum being number one at all.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that George Michael and Depeche Mode turned up in the ‘old’ shows as well - that’s longevity for you.
Great edition. Love the 90s ones.
ReplyDeleteChart rundown video - really liked this one by The Blueboy, and has turned out to be a 90's classic.
ReplyDeleteDepeche Mode - hard to believe they still had motivation to perform in the TOTP studio in 1997 for a new single, some 16 years after coming onto the show as a new group in 1981 with their iconic synth sound. It was almost a generation since then, and the group had somehow all stayed together by 1997, and first time on TOTP studio since 1986, when you think of how many similar groups of their generation had split up after a few years at best. Welcome back Depeche Mode, as this still managed to peak at No.4, so they still had lots of appeal to the next generation!
Alan Wilder had left the band in 1995 and Vince Clarke had only been on the first album, so I wouldn't exactly say they were all still together in 1997!
DeleteHi Angelo, interesting that you haven't posted the two 1975 shown last night on BBC4 between 9-10.20pm, with both 40-minute TOTP episodes shown in full with no edits. Worth commenting on, so why not post them up on here?
ReplyDeleteIndeed...Great shows. Tam White anyone?
DeleteA lot of easy listening music which was characteristic of the early to mid-70s. I was expecting Val Doonican to pop up on one of these shows the way they were going!
DeleteNever heard of Tam White. He was......into it. These '75 shows have been very entertaining. It was good to get an Emperor Rosko hosted edition, I think the only one to have surfaced. I was surprised he looked so anonymously dressed. Knowing his voice I half expected him to dress like Doctor Teeth from The Muppets but never mind. That unmistakable voice and style was well applied here though he even he seemed bemused by that Yin and Yang thing (What the &@!# was that all about?. Easily the oddest thing I've ever seen on the show). Enjoyed Peter Shelley with his remarkably well behaved pooch and The Wombles, performed, I think, by members of Steeleye Span. Assuming it was Peter Knight on the outsized harmonica.
DeletePan's People on the 24th July show demonstrating how much you can get out of a small square of plywood and yes Dad I can see why Ruth was your favourite. Also was that Bing Crosby's sole British TV appearance?
Deletesorry Dory, not been very well recently. Will post the 1975 shows now.
(26) TEACH-IN – Ding-A-Dong
Delete(8) PETER SHELLEY – Love Me Love My Dog
(2) THE SWEET – Fox On The Run ®
(40) THE THREE DEGREES – Take Good Care Of Yourself WATCH
(25) YIN & YAN – If (video)
(31) BAD COMPANY – Good Lovin’ Gone Bad (video)
(21) PETER SKELLERN – Hold On To Love
(23) 10cc – Life Is A Minestrone ® WATCH
(7) JIM GILSTRAP – Swing Your Daddy (danced to by Pan’s People)
(4) THE GOODIES – Funky Gibbon ®
(34) SUSAN CADOGAN – Hurt So Good WATCH
(1) BAY CITY ROLLERS – Bye Bye Baby ® WATCH
(28) K.C. & THE SUNSHINE BAND – Get Down Tonight (and credits)
24-7-75: Presenter: Noel Edmonds
Delete(17) THE SWEET – Action
(2) TYPICALLY TROPICAL – Barbados
(NEW) THE WOMBLES – Super Womble
(11) THE BEE GEES – Jive Talkin’ (video)
(46) SPARKS – Get In The Swing
(13) LINDA LEWIS – It’s In His Kiss ®
(16) SMOKEY – If You Think You Know How To Love Me WATCH
(47) ROGER WHITTAKER – The Last Farewell
(30) LINDA CARR & THE LOVE SQUAD – Highwire (video)
(NEW) BING CROSBY – That’s What Life Is All About
(23) HAMILTON BOHANNON – Foot Stompin’ Music (danced to by Pan’s People)
(1) BAY CITY ROLLERS – Give A Little Love (video)
(19) THE RUBETTES – Foe-Dee-O-Dee (and credits)
Hi Angelo, sorry to hear that. Hope you're feeling ok now. Thanks for posting them.
Delete
DeleteThanks for posting Angelo...hope you're feeling better now.
Ironic I have watched this show after recently just listening to the 1975 Pick of the Pops show (with Mark Goodier) which featured the top20 best selling singles of 1975. To enable the tunes to be played in an hour without chopping them short there were five songs omitted….and three of those were on this Top of the Pops show.
(17) THE SWEET – Action
Second of their self-penned hits and a cracking start to the show. No warpaint in evidence now nor Steve Priest’s unique vocal breaks.
(2) TYPICALLY TROPICAL – Barbados
First of those not featured on PotP. Live rendition with some nice breaks from Pans People. This was such an apt song for the summer I felt. One hit wonders however.
(NEW) THE WOMBLES – Super Womble
These guys were just amazing! The B Side has to be my all-time favourite Wombles track however – ‘The Orinoco Kid’.
(11) THE BEE GEES – Jive Talkin’ (video)
More amazing guys. This was quite a departure from ‘Run to Me’ etc. but the right musical path to take given what was to follow.
(46) SPARKS – Get In The Swing
This performance stuck in the mind because of Russell’s shorts and Ron’s amazing facial expressions. I clearly remember my parents watching in aghast between laughter. The song itself did nothing for me compared to their other hits. Fiddly tempo change seemed out of place.
(13) LINDA LEWIS – It’s In His Kiss ®
Toss up between this and Cher’s version. Great song anyway.
(16) SMOKEY – If You Think You Know How To Love Me WATCH
The second single and a radical departure from the debut hit ‘Pass it around’ (which sounded more like the Sweet). Apparently the band only had a couple of acoustic numbers in their act and this was one of them. It worked. I guess you all know the reason for the change from ‘Smokey’ to ‘Smokie’ after the next release (‘Something’s been making me Blue’).
(47) ROGER WHITTAKER – The Last Farewell
Second of those omitted from PotP and a personal disappointment as this was one of my absolute favourites from 1975. Lovely live vocal from Roger who really seems to be enjoying this song which he recorded in 1971 after inviting viewers of his show to submit lyrics which he then set Ron Webster’s to this tune.
(30) LINDA CARR & THE LOVE SQUAD – Highwire (video)
Pretty insistent tune and seems to go down well with the crowd.
(NEW) BING CROSBY – That’s What Life Is All About
This actually reached No41 in the chart. I never realised that before.
(23) HAMILTON BOHANNON – Foot Stompin’ Music (danced to by Pan’s People)
Great routine. How many others are lost on wiped shows I wonder? Non-descript tune but who cares?
(1) BAY CITY ROLLERS – Give A Little Love (video)
Poor Derek hoisted up on that drum stage on wires! He must have felt giddy but he kept grinning anyway. Seemed at the time that every Rollers single would reach the top but then someone goofed by releasing ‘Money Honey’ next which was never going to appeal to the masses like this and ‘Bye bye Baby’ did. The latter was the best-selling single of 1975 btw and this one was the third of those not featured on the PotP show.
(19) THE RUBETTES – Foe-Dee-O-Dee (and credits)
I never knew this was the Rubettes at the time but well recall the nonsense lyrics.
…so what were the other two not played on the PotP show? Jasper Carrott and Telly Savalas.
Dory they were two great editions last night. Nice to see varied lot from 1997, 1988 and 1992 to.
ReplyDeleteAgreed hope you are on the mend
ReplyDelete