Hush, hush darling, it's the 21st of February 1997 edition of Top of the Pops!
Top Gwen hit
21-2-97: Presenters: Ant & Dec
(9) JAMES – She’s A Star
Getting the evening underway with their first top ten hit for six years but it got no higher.
(8) D.J. KOOL – Let Me Clear My Throat
Here with his only top 40 hit and it got no higher.
(22) THE WONDERS – That Thing You Do (video) (and charts)
At its peak.
(14) SPACE – Dark Clouds
In the studio but the song got no higher.
(2) WARREN G – I Shot The Sheriff
Performing his third and final top ten hit which was now at its peak.
(7) DAFT PUNK – Da Funk (video)
Their first of four top ten hits but this one got no higher.
(4) 911 – The Day We Find Love
Here tonight with their second of ten top ten hits but it got no higher.
(1) NO DOUBT – Don’t Speak
First of three weeks at number one for their only chart topper.
(TOTP2) JAPAN – Quiet Life (clip of TOTP 24-9-81) (and credits)
Number 19 in 1981.
Great opener from James
ReplyDeleteWarren G - rare appearance in the TOTP studio and I think his first, this three years after coming on to the scene in 1994, and second No.2 single in a row at this point. Impressive single this one.
ReplyDeleteDaft Punk - first single by this French duo, and video first shown on TOTP2 a week or so earlier in the Video Stir section. The video was quite creative I thought, especially how the attractive lady is enamoured by the lead man with a dog costume.
A new entry at peak this week at No.46 was Black Box with Native New Yorker, which I guess was a cover of the famous Odyssey track in the late 70s, and here Black Box was now into their 8th and final year in the charts since Ride On Time made it to No.1 in 1989, and turned out to be their last ever single, unusually for them not being able to make Top 40, so it was indeed the curtain coming down in 1997.
TOTP2 23-02-1997 https://we.tl/t-f8QdheO0g9
ReplyDeleteThanks Rob!!!
DeleteThanks Rob.
DeleteBest thing on this TOTP2 show was the first showing of the Wannabe video by TOTP2 in the Brits Abroad section, as Wannabe finally makes to No.1 in America in February 1997, and the previous summer in Aug 1996 when at No.1 in the UK, TOTP2 was still on its summer break, so was not able to feature The Spice Girls on the show for their debut single.
DeleteJames were the highlight of this show for me. 'She's a Star' one of the best singles of that year and a soaring and euphoric start to the show. Nice touch the starry electric guitars which probably hadn't been seen in a Totp studio since Bjorn Ulvaeus paraded his equally silvery one for 'Waterloo'. Gwen's vocal for 'Don't Speak' was a little key challenging at the start. She settled into it by the halfway stage. Maybe some doubt on display there.
ReplyDeleteThe other highlight for me was Space and 'Dark Clouds' which I haven't heard for donkeys and forgotten how beautiful the chorus was. An annoyingly incongruous Mexican style bridge but annoying incongruities was part of the group's charm.
A comment also on 24th January 1980 which was an absolute joy (with a couple of exceptions) and I have a clear memory of seeing both Dollar 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' and 'Brass In Pocket' with Chrissie wearing her Boho neckerchief from when I was 4 years old. I would guess that this was the edition the memories came from. Mike Reid was at his best as presenter as well as Barbara Dickson 'Caravan Song' (another precious early childhood song) and Joe Jackson's timelessly brilliant 'It's Different For Girls'.
Not to mention the brilliant Spacer by Sheila B Devotion on that January 1980 episode which topped a fantastic episode along with Dollar's new single.
DeleteYes, 'Spacer', what a great disco record and love the video. Very cinematic and I wonder if it took its cues from 'Buck Rodgers In The 25th Century' which started on NBC the previous September and started on ITV in August 1980. I got a Buck Rodgers helmet for Christmas '80 or '81! Also Sheila did bear more than a passing resemblance to Gill from Legs & Co. For me the only relatively weak things on the edition were The Boomtown Rats and Suzi Quatro and they were still enjoyable. The Top 30 that week was an incredible chart.
DeleteThe Wonders: reminds me of Weezer's Buddy Holly
ReplyDeleteSpace: didn't know this track, nice surprise
Daft Punk: been ages since I saw this clip. Still amazes me in so many ways. Absolute classic clip by these legends-to-be.
No Doubt: overplayed, ffwd