Top of the Pops'll Bring the House Down

The final January edition of Top of the Pops 1981 sees Tommy Vance playing host and insisting that the show must make an immediate start with.....

"It's nineteen eighty o - n - e!"

29/01/81 (Tommy Vance) 

(58) Slade – “We’ll Bring The House Down”
You've got to hand it to Slade, they kept plugging away even when they were completely out of fashion, and every now and again it paid off. This rocker became their first top ten hit for six years.

(2) John Lennon – “Woman” (video)
The first of two appearances on the show this week for John Lennon, a rarity indeed! I'd like to think that this fine song would have made number one anyway, even if John had not been murdered. The footage of John and Yoko in Central Park is from November 1980.

(44) The Stranglers – “Thrown Away”
It was over a year now since their last top 20 hit, and it would be another year yet before their next one. Thrown Away was discarded after reaching number 42. And edited out of the 7.30 showing.

(18) Madness – “The Return Of The Los Palmas 7” (video)
And most obligingly this tune made it to number 7. But also edited out of 7.30pm.

(46) Sheila Hylton – “The Bed’s Too Big Without You”
Her only other chart single was called Breakfast in Bed, which didn't make the top 50. This time out she did a little better and took this Police cover to number 35. Again, edited out of the 7.30 showing.

(6) Ultravox – “Vienna” (rpt from 15/01/81)
Strange, I only the remember the video being shown on Top of the Pops, but no sign of it yet as Vienna heads towards that number 2 peak.

(26) The Gap Band – “Burn Rubber On Me” (video)
Peaked at 22.

(25) Diana Ross – “It’s My Turn”
The first of five singles for Diana Ross in 1981, but most success came towards the end of the year.This one peaked at 16. And we get a classy Legs & Co this week with each of the girls taking their turn in the spotlight.

(3) Phil Collins – “In The Air Tonight” (rpt from 15/01/81)
Went up one place higher.

(29) Susan Fassbender – “Twilight Café”
Deserved to get higher than the 21 it peaked at.

(1) John Lennon – “Imagine” (video)
Final week at the top before being replaced by....... John Lennon!

(19) Heatwave – “Gangsters Of The Groove”(credits)
The band's final top 20 hit, and 19 was its peak.
But no sign anywhere of Bowie's Scary Monsters...


Tomorrow then we move into February 1981 with the edition from the 5th hosted by Simon Bates.

Top of the Pops (is Going to Help Me)

These 1981 editions really are coming thick and fast aren't they? The BBC4 announcer last night did seem to suggest that the shows would continue to be twice weekly in 2016, maybe someone should mention to them that we've got 17 shows too few not 17 too many!

This year seems to be going soooooo fast!

22/01/81 (Peter Powell)

(6) The Look – “I Am The Beat”
And number 6 was as high as it got. Were they perhaps the last of the New Wave acts before the New Romantics completely took over?

(14) Blondie – “Rapture” (video)
It's hard to believe but Rapture would be the band's final top ten hit until their dramatic comeback single Maria in 1999!

(45) Spandau Ballet – “The Freeze”
The follow-up to Cut a Long Story Short was not quite as successful, surprisingly only making number 17 in the charts.

(13) Racey – “Runaround Sue”  (rpt from 08/01/81)
Now at its peak in the chart and then that's it for Racey ~ it was short and sweet - literally :-) But edited out of tonight's 7.30pm show.

(54) XTC – “Sgt Rock (Is Going To Help Me)”
This was the third single taken from their 1980 album Black Sea, and it became the first one to break into the top 30 and then go top 20. And edited out of the 7.30pm show.

(23) Visage – “Fade To Grey” (video)
The first of 1981s quite extraordinary videos, making perhaps as much impact at the time as Bowie's Ashes to Ashes had a few months earlier ~ and yet somehow this song peaked only at number 8.

(8) Yarbrough & Peoples – “Don’t Stop The Music”
This week's Scottish themed Legs & Co highland fling helped lift this song up one place higher in the charts.

(2) Adam & The Ants – “Antmusic” (rpt from 11/12/80)
Now at its peak, would have been a number one of course were it not for the death of John Lennon. But edited out of the 7.30 show.

(64) Honey Bane – “Turn Me On, Turn Me Off”
I did consider this song for the new blog title, but was discouraged by the 'turn me off' bit and also the fact it was a little known song that peaked at 37. Still, an interesting performance though from what can only be described as a prototype Toyah.

(22) Bad Manners – “Lorraine” (rpt from 08/01/81)
One place higher was Lorraine's peak before the axe came down.

(1) John Lennon – “Imagine” (video)
Third of four weeks in the top spot, with Woman already at number 3 waiting to take over.

(30) The Gap Band – “Burn Rubber On Me” (credits)
Peaked at 22. And back to the old style swirly credits.

The next edition then is the 29th January 1981 with Tommy Vance.

Top of the Pops Café

The second show of 1981 and already we come to a skipped edition, this time its January 15th hosted by DLT, and just take a look a the line-up - lots of acts who were currently outside the top 40 but what a show! .....

Massive thanks to Meer for coming to the rescue with this edition at vimeo!

Any sign of that Joe Dolce geezer?

15/01/81 (Dave Lee Travis) ~
https://vimeo.com/151843798


(63) Susan Fassbender – “Twilight Café”
Her only hit, reaching number 21.

(20) Gary Numan – “This Wreckage” (rpt from 18/12/80)
Now at its peak in the charts.

(68) Light Of The World – “I Shot The Sheriff”
This band had a number of singles between 1979 and 1981 but never made the top 30.

(49) Dire Straits – “Romeo & Juliet”
The first of tonight's all time classics just entering the charts, this being the first single released from their stonkingly successful Making Movies album, and on its way towards the top ten.

(17) Stevie Wonder – “I Ain’t Gonna Stand For It”
This week's Legs & Co routine garnishing the first of three top ten hits for Stevie Wonder in 1981.

(36) Phil Collins – “In The Air Tonight”
The second of tonight's all time classics, taken from Phil's first solo album Face Value, which outsold all the Genesis albums that preceded it, and on its way to number 2.

(61) UFO – “Lonely Heart”
A band that never quite made the top 30, though I do believe that this track was the red record spinning through the air in the show's upcoming new title sequence.

(27) Mac Davis – “It’s Hard To Be Humble” (US TV clip)
His only previous top 30 hit had been nine years earlier with Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me, and this one beat it by two places peaking at number 27.

(52) Ultravox – “Vienna”
And so we come to the third of tonight's all time classics. And its not the video but a studio performance. Surprisingly this was the third single taken from the album of the same name, the other two being far less successful than this one was soon to become.

(10) Queen – “Flash” (video)
Another showing for Flash, which had been stuck at number 10 for a couple of weeks.

(1) John Lennon – “Imagine”  (video)
And of course the fourth all time classic on the show.

(19) Yarbrough & Peoples – “Don’t Stop The Music” (credits)
Became the band's only top ten hit, indeed their only top 50 hit.


Next then is the edition from 22nd January 1981 hosted by Peter Powell!

I am the Top of the Pops

The end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016 has seen the deaths of John Bradbury of The Specials, Lemmy and of course most recently David Bowie. We will see all of them featured on Top of the Pops 1981, when they were in their prime and at their very best, performing the songs for which they no doubt wished to be remembered, and so here's to them all, thank you for the wonderful music and memories, and here's to 1981......

So come on then The Beat, do you have a song called I am the Look?

 

08/01/81  presented by Richard Skinner (and no special guests!)

(29) Racey – “Runaround Sue”
Gone now completely is the 'whats on the show' intro and we're straight into the last ever chart hit for Racey, peaking at 13.

(4) Adam & The Ants – “Antmusic” (rpt from 11/12/80)
About to embark on the most amazing year, Antmusic peaked at number 2. And edited out of the 7.30 showing.

(30) The Look – “I Am The Beat”
The band's only top 10 hit when it peaked at 6, and a record famous for its run-out groove which repeated the line 'the beat.....the beat.....' forever!

(21) Barry Manilow – “Lonely Together"
The first Legs & Co routine of their final year for this song that had already reached its chart peak.

(20) The Beat – “Too Nice To Talk To”  (rpt from 18/12/80)
On its way to number 7.

(59) Sad Café – “I’m In Love Again”
This was the band's final chart entry, making it to number 40.

(18) Matchbox – “Over The Rainbow/You Belong To Me”  (rpt from 11/12/80)
Somehow this one got even higher in the charts until it reached number 15. But it was their final top 40 hit.

(11) Chas & Dave – “Rabbit” (repeat?)
About to become their first top ten hit when it made number 8.

(15) The Specials – “Do Nothing”  (rpt from 18/12/80)
Only a year and half after Gangsters and it was nearly the end already for the original line-up of The Specials, this one reaching number 4. Edited out of tonight's 7.30pm slot. Yeah, thoughtful tribute to John Bradbury that was.

(24) The Nolans – “Who’s Gonna Rock You?”  (rpt from 18/12/80)
The third single from their Making Waves album and on its way to number 12. Also edited out from 7.30pm.

(33) Bad Manners – “Lorraine”
Buster Bloodvessel, dressed as Henry VIII, singing to a blow up doll the follow-up to Special Brew, but despite all this it was not as successful, peaking at 21.

(1) John Lennon – “Imagine” (video)
In a year of amazing videos, here's one that was made ten years earlier, and it was simple but quite magnificent. I love the symbolism of the light being let into the room while John asks us to do nothing more than imagine.

(10) Queen – “Flash”  (credits)
From the movie Flash Gordon, this song peaked at number 10. And gone is the crowd dancing at the end, instead we get a new perspective design with lights flashing to the music.


The next edition is the 15th of January 1981, but hosted by DLT it will not be shown on BBC4. Now manorak did have this one ready and waiting for us on vimeo, but sadly his account has been closed down....

Whilst tomorrow on BBC4 its January 22nd 1981!

Just Can't Get Enough ~ The Story of 1981

The annual curtain raiser to a new Top of the Pops year is a story of hair, make-up, synthesisers, silly string in mouths, cheerleaders planted in the audience, the end of Legs & Co's clothes, the end of Legs & Co, the beginning of Zoo, the devil's chord, Brit Funk, New Romantics, amazing videos, multi-coloured flying record opening titles, riots, mass unemployment, Michael Hurll, fire-eaters, mums coming into school to take their kids to be stars on Top of the Pops, a royal wedding, getting on bikes, Mike Read not looking much older, Richard Skinner looking very much older, and horses in Covent Garden. But most of all, some quite brilliant pop songs!

1981 really is going to be a fantastic year to re-live again and as if the Story Of hadn't whetted your appetite for it enough then straight afterwards it was time for some Big Hits ~

Big Hits 1981:

Adam and the Ants ~ KINGS OF THE WILD FRONTIER
The Ants' only appearance in the studio in a phenomenally successful 1981.

Ultravox ~ VIENNA
A song famed for its stunning video, this looks like the studio performance from the Xmas 81 special.

Teardrop Explodes ~ REWARD
Surprisingly, this was the band's only top ten hit

Kim Wilde ~ KIDS IN AMERICA
Apparently Kim was totally in awe of being the same studio as Madness while she performed this amazing song.

Duran Duran ~ PLANET EARTH
The classic hits keep on coming, this time with a bespoke planet earth made for the band by the show.

Sugar Minott ~ GOOD THING GOING
His only top ten hit, indeed his only top 40 hit.

Phil Collins ~ IN THE AIR TONIGHT
Not a very 80's look but it certainly is a very 80's sound for Phil's mega-classic. And some similar camera effects they used for Turn it on Again last year.

Linx ~ INTUITION
The only top ten hit for this 'Brit Funk' band headed by David Grant.

Tenpole Tudor ~ SWORDS OF  A THOUSAND MEN
Still flying the flag for punk! I never realised he's been in Game of Thrones!

Odyssey ~ GOING BACK TO MY ROOTS
Still flying the flag for disco!

The Specials ~ GHOST TOWN
A song that captured an era like very few others ever have, and with Terry's hair almost in place, the birth of the Fun Boy Three!

Shaking Stevens ~ GREEN DOOR
Who could have predicted what an astonishing year 1981 would be for Shaky?

Soft Cell ~ TAINTED LOVE
One of the first 12 inch singles I was ever aware of, and the second biggest seller of 1981.

Spandau Ballet ~ CHANT NO.1(I DON'T NEED THIS PRESSURE ON)
With a little help from their friends Beggar & Co in the horn section.

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark ~ SOUVENIR
Paul Humphreys taking the lead vocal on this ghostly tune.

Depeche Mode ~ JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH
This was the band's final single with Vince Clarke before he left for Yazoo.

Altered Images ~ HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Gregory's Girl actress Clare Grogan couldn't have looked more 80's than this if she tried! And a bit of help from the last days of Legs & Co at the end.

Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin ~ IT'S MY PARTY
The only top 40 hit for the duo, but it did get to number one.

Human League ~ DON'T YOU WANT ME
We'll miss nearly all of their studio performances on BBC4 unfortunately due to yewtree, but here they are with the year's biggest selling song, and some silly string right in the cake hole!


Coming up next then is the edition from January 8th 1981 next Thursday, swiftly followed a day later with January 22nd.

Meaning that we get our first skipped show of the year, the DLT hosted edition from January 15th.
It's going to be a busy time on here!

Feels Like I'm Top of the Pops

Once more a huge thanks to Manorak for uploading this final instalment of Top of the Pops 1980 to vimeo. Again, it won't be shown on BBC4 because one of the hosts is Dave Lee Travis.

Though watching this you wonder if BBC4 could have edited DLT out. Tommy Vance does introduce quite a few of the acts on his own. But there you go.

It feels like 1981

1-1-81: Presenters: Dave Lee Travis & Tommy Vance

https://vimeo.com/128824696


 (-) STATUS QUO – What You’re Proposing ®
We get underway with a repeat showing of the Quo's recent number 2 hit which was also the year's 31st best selling song. But at least we do have a new studio audience for our presenters!

(73) OTTAWAN – D.I.S.C.O. (video)
Still in the top 75 at the time and the 5th biggest selling single of 1980, though it never quite made it to number one.

 (67) MADNESS – Baggy Trousers
Also still in the charts and the 13th biggest selling single of the year, peaking at number 3. And a new studio performance here from a snowy Madness.

 (-) THE JAM – Going Underground
A big fuss was made of this going straight in at number one in the spring, though it was (only) the 16th biggest seller of the year. Another new studio performance here, there's no pinny this time but there is a guitar seemingly predicting the rise of Wham!

 (-) BILLY PRESTON & SYREETA – With You I’m Born Again ®
Had peaked at number 2 at the beginning of the year. A repeat but a tremendous live rendition. One last hurrah from the TOTPs orchestra.

(-) THE DETROIT SPINNERS – Working My Way Back To You – Forgive Me Girl (Medley)  ®
A repeat showing of the Legs & Co routine from earlier in the year. And that's it for the Leggers in these festive specials ~ this time next year they would be but a memory.

(-) UB40 – Food For Thought
1980 was the breakthrough year for UB40, and appropriately enough this was the 40th biggest selling single of the year.

 (-) KELLY MARIE – Feels Like I’m In Love
This may be a much maligned song but it was the 3rd biggest seller of the year, only Barbra Streisand and The Police outsold this. And the final new studio performance of this edition.

 (-) HOT CHOCOLATE – No Doubt About It ®
Another number 2 hit from the spring. It's a shame this can't be shown one more time on BBC4 in the year of Errol's death.

(-) THE BOOMTOWN RATS – Banana Republic (video)
Perhaps something of a surprise inclusion this one. It had recently peaked at 3 but wasn't one of the years top 40 best sellers.

 (-) STEVIE WONDER – Masterblaster (Jammin’) (video)
This number 2 hit was the 25th best selling single of the year.

 (-) ABBA – The Winner Takes It All (video)
The band's penultimate number one from the late summer was the 18th best seller of 1980.

 (-) THE PRETENDERS – Brass In Pocket ®
The first new number one of the 80's was also the years 35th biggest hit.
Then comes a crowd invasion and the return of the swirly camera effects over the credits!


So that's it for 1980, arguably one of pop music's best ever years. On Top of the Pops the transition from the 70's to the 80's was there to see and it left a fair few casualties behind, especially at the end of the bitter Musician's Union strike in the summer, after which the show was revamped. But even bigger changes were on the way in 1981...

On BBC4 over Xmas this year there are repeat showings of the Christmas Day editions from 1978 and 1979, and for the first time, 1975.
And also over on BBC1, proving the old show still isn't totally dead, there's Christmas Day 2015 and New Years Day 2016!

I'd like to thank everyone for all their comments and input this year, including Stephen Murphy and his team for filling in those strike filled nine weeks in the summer with Game of Top of the Pops, and here's wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

See you in 1981!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
As a late Xmas present for you all, here is the 1980 strike Xmas Special from Stephen Murphy and team ~ how many of your suggestions did they include? find out here at 4shared:

http://www.4shared.com/video/ZlY4CW-Tce/TOTP_1980_Strike_Xmas_Special.html

or here at Dropbox;

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ah4jfk65bsznab6/TOTP%201980%20Strike%20Xmas%20Special.mp4?dl=0

Top of the Pops Another Year

Huge thanks goes to Manorak for uploading this Christmas Day 1980 edition of Top of the Pops to vimeo. It won't of course be broadcast on BBC4 because one of the hosts is Jimmy Savile. So obviously do not click on the link if you are going to be offended.

All I want for Xmas is....

Top of the Pops 25-12-80: Presenters: Jimmy Savile O.B.E. & Peter Powell

https://vimeo.com/148174220


 (-) THE NOLANS – I’m In The Mood For Dancing
Kicking the show off with their biggest hit, which made it to number 3 at the beginning of the year. Like last year, there's no studio audience present. And best not to say too much about what happens at the very end...

 (-) DEXY’S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS – Geno
The first of their two number ones. And a new look for the band for this Xmas performance.

 (-) BLONDIE – Atomic (video)
1980 was a great year for Blondie, three singles and three number ones. Nuclear explosions ~ happy Xmas!

 (-) PAUL McCARTNEY – Coming Up (video)
A good year for Paul too, with three top ten hits (if you include Wonderful Christmastime). And what a video this is too!

 (48) BARBRA STREISAND – Woman In Love
The number one hit from her Bee Gees flavoured number one album, Guilty. This can't have been the one Legs & Co had been rehearsing for the other week, because its a repeat showing from earlier in the year.

(-) LIQUID GOLD – Dance Yourself Dizzy
Had peaked at number 2 in the spring. Looking very festive here but the least said about the drummer's ribcage the better!

 (-) DAVID BOWIE – Ashes To Ashes (video)
This great song had become David's second number one of his career back in the late summer, and the video was of course ground breaking and game changing.

 (-) MARTI WEBB – Take That Look Off Your Face
This Lloyd Webber tune from Tell Me on a Sunday got to number 3 earlier in the year.

 (-) THE POLICE – Don’t Stand So Close To Me (video)
The biggest selling single of 1980. Its a video but not the one set in the school. This time they are up on the de doo doo doo ski slopes being chased by Santas!

 (-) FERN KINNEY – Together We Are Beautiful
Perhaps a bit of a surprise number one, from before the summer, performing here surrounded by flashing hat stands.

 (-) JOHNNY LOGAN – What’s Another Year?
1980's Eurovision Song Contest winner.

 (5) ABBA – Super Trouper (video)
Abba's final number one hit, still in the top ten on Christmas Day.

 (-) LIPPS INC – Funky Town
So this is the one Legs & Co had been rehearsing! And it shows, what a gift of a routine surrounded by lots of Xmas toys! Funky Town made it to number 2 during the nine weeks summer strike when Top of the Pops was off the air.

 (-) LEO SAYER – More Than I Can Say
This one reached number 2 during that summer strike. Great to see it performed in the studio at last.

 (-) SHEENA EASTON – 9 To 5
 What a year for Sheena, here she is performing her Big Time breakthrough hit.

 (-) PINK FLOYD – Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2) (video)
Last year's bleak Xmas number one couldn't contrast more to this years, even though both feature a children's choir. But at least it didn't put Legs & Co off their chocolates.

 (1) ST. WINIFRED’S SCHOOL CHOIR – There’s No-One Quite Like Grandma (and credits) ®
In some ways maybe it was better that Starting Over wasn't at number one on Christmas Day to remind us of the sadness of John Lennon's murder.....


Next up then is the final instalment of Top of the Pops 1980 (or is it the first instalment of 1981?) with the edition from New Years Day 1981. Again, it won't be shown on BBC4 due to one of the hosts being Dave Lee Travis.