There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He's Top of the Pops

It's the start of yet another very busy Top of the Pops 1981 weekend, with four editions to squeeze in over two days! The first of them takes us to June 25th where we get our first sighting of this year's blog title song....

Can't wait for the New Life blog in (not quite) 35 years time!

25/06/81 (hosted by Simon Bates)

(32) Gillan – “No Laughing In Heaven”
Gillan get us underway with a song that would have been perfect for Halloween. As it was in June it went up just one place higher.

(9) Elaine Paige – “Memory” (pre-recorded insert) (rpt from 11/06/81)
Now just a whisker or two away from its number 6 peak.

(40) Kirsty MacColl – “There’s A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He’s Elvis”
Kirsty's Top of the Pops debut as a solo artiste though not, like Simon Bates said, her debut on the show - she was of course last year a member of Jona Lewie's backing group for In the Kitchen at Parties. This song made it to number 14.

(31) The Evasions – “Wikka Wrap”
The group's only hit - I suppose there is only so far you can journey with an Alan Whicker tribute band ~ it peaked at number 20.

(28) Randy Crawford – “You Might Need Somebody” (rpt from 11/06/81)
Climbed all the way to number 11.

(43) Depeche Mode – “New Life”
So our blog song makes its debut on the show, just missing out on the top ten when it peaked at 11. But the band went on to much greater successes throughout the 80's, 90's and 00's charting 14 top ten hits and a further 29 which made the top 30.

(1) Michael Jackson – “One Day In Your Life” (rpt from 04/06/81)
A new routine from Legs & Co this week for One Day in Your Life's first of two weeks at number one.

(26) Quincy Jones - "Razzmatazz"
The credits roll out to what will become Quincy Jones's biggest hit when it reaches number 11.

It's July 2nd next, hosted by DLT so it won't be on BBC4.

Top of the Pops to my Roots

And so after all the thrill and excitement of downloading another yewtreed edition, one that looked like it had escaped us, (the 11th June) we are back on BBC4 with Peter Powell hosting June 18th, at which point we find that we are already at the halfway mark for 1981!

We are going to be big!

18/06/81 (Peter Powell) (rpt UK Gold)

(32) Linx – “Throw Away The Key”
Linx get the show off to a Britfunk start with the follow up to Intuition, though it wasn't as successful, peaking at number 21.

(27) Phil Collins – “If Leaving Me Is Easy” (rpt from 04/06/81)
On its way to number 17.

(6) Odyssey – “Going Back To My Roots”
A lively studio performance of the trio's penultimate top ten hit, now almost at its number 4 peak.

(22) Kool & The Gang – “Take It To The Top” (Legs & Co)
Legs & Co 'are still with us' after their week off, and are sporting a sort of gypsy look for their routine to Take it to the Top, which made it to number 15.

(5) Champaign – “How ‘Bout Us” (video)
At its chart peak now. And edited out of tonight's 7.30pm showing.

(23) Siouxsie & The Banshees – “Spellbound” (rpt from 04/06/81)
Went up just one place more. Also edited out of the 7.30pm slot.

(21) The Specials – “Ghost Town” (video)
Few songs capture their time as successfully as this one ~ the summer of 1981, the riots, the unemployment, the doom, the despair - this record is a time capsule, a reminder of how bleak this period actually was. It would go all the way to number one of course.

(19) Imagination – “Body Talk”
A new and a little more modest studio performance here of Body Talk, still heading towards the top ten.

(1) Smokey Robinson – “Being With You” (video/credits)
Second and final week at number one for Smokey, taken from his top 20 album of the same name.

Next up is the edition from June 25th 1981.

You Might Need Some Top of the Pops

It's June 11th 1981 and here we are with another yewtreed edition that can't be shown on BBC4 ~ the host this time being Jimmy Savile. The very bad news though is that there isn't a copy of this edition in general circulation - not even Neil B has it! All we have is a handful of links to clips from the show, so at least we get a flavour of it ~ obviously do not click if you want to avoid Jimmy Savile:


###Huge thanks to daf, who has now uploaded a copy of this edition to dropbox!###

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/25173419/music/11%20June%201981.mpg

####And huge thanks also to Darnall42 for uploading dafs copy to WeTransfer### ~

  http://we.tl/wwYAiRkWtl

Only a little piece of the action for us tonight I'm afraid!

11/06/81 (hosted by Jimmy Savile)

(25) Bucks Fizz – “Piece Of The Action” YouTube Clip
A quick follow up to Making Your Mind Up, and a fairly successful one too as far as Eurovision winners go, making it to number 12.

(9) Hazel O’Connor – “Will You?” (rpt from 28/05/81)
Her final top ten, indeed her final top 40 hit, almost at its peak of number 8.

(44) Landscape – “Norman Bates”
In the studio to perform the follow up to the hugely successful Einstein A Go Go ~ and the second single from their top 20 album From the Tearooms of Mars to the Hell Holes of Uranus, Norman Bates peaked at number 40.

(34) Elaine Paige – “Memory” (pre-recorded insert) YouTube Clip
From the new Lloyd Webber musical Cats of course, Memory became Elaine's first top ten hit peaking at number 6.

(28) Coast To Coast – “Let’s Jump The Broomstick” rpt from 28/05/81)
Still hanging around the lower reaches of the top 30, but 28 was its peak.

(17) Ultravox – “All Stood Still”  YouTube Clip
The official follow up to Vienna (island records had released the John Foxx fronted Slow Motion which made number 33 in March) - All Stood Still made it to number 8.

(47) Randy Crawford – “You Might Need Somebody”
This follow up to One Day I'll Fly Away made it to number 11.

(11) Enigma – “Ain’t No Stopping”
Now at its chart peak.

(1) Smokey Robinson – “Being With You” (video/credits)
First of two weeks at number one for Smokey.



Next up then and back on BBC4 is the 18th June 1981, with Peter Powell.

One Top of the Pops in your Life

Well the days seem to be getting a wee bit warmer now so winter must be almost over ~ indeed in BBC4 Top of the Pops 1981 land it's June already!

You'd better show my video in full this week ~ or else!

04/06/81 (hosted by Richard Skinner)

(29) Siouxsie & The Banshees – “Spellbound”
What a spellbinding start to the show from Siouxsie ~ how did this fabulous song only get to number 22?

(2) Shakin’ Stevens – “You Drive Me Crazy”
Edited out of tonight's 7.30pm showing.

(13) Kate Robbins & Beyond – “More Than In Love”
Paul McCartney's cousin Kate from Crossroads with her only hit, though it did make it to number 2. But edited out of tonight's 7.30pm slot.

(40) Squeeze – “Is That Love?”
A whole year since they were last on the show, and now post-Jools, here's another terrific song that wasn't as big a hit as it deserved to be, somehow this one stalled at number 35.

(43) Imagination – “Body Talk” 
'Leaving nothing to the imagination' says Richard Skinner referring to the band's outfits! Even Legs & Co would have blushed! But Body Talk was on its way to number 4.

(4) The Jam – “Funeral Pyre” (video)
'Setting the charts on fire' The Jam straight in a number 4 but it rose no higher.

(12) Michael Jackson – “One Day In Your Life”
This week the Leggers have a very dark and dramatic set, a bit of a thriller you could say, on which to perform their routine to this six year old Michael Jackson song that would make it all the way to number one.

(8) Toyah – “I Want To Be Free” (video)
Trying to break out of the confines of her own video I think is Toyah here, with this follow up to Its a Mystery now at its chart peak.

(44) Phil Collins – “If Leaving Me Is Easy”
Phil's back in the studio with his tin of paint to perform the third single from his huge number one album Face Value. If Leaving Me is Easy made it to number 17.

(1) Adam & The Ants – “Stand & Deliver” (video)
'The new full version' of the Ants' video, with the hanging scene replaced by Adam repeatedly smashing through the window, in time for its fifth and final week at number one.

(23) Odyssey – “Going Back To My Roots” (audience dancing/credits)
We play out this week with Odyssey who were going back to the top ten all the way to number 4.

The next edition is the 11th June 1981, but it's a Jimmy Savile so won't be on BBC4. Instead they will show the 18th June 1981 hosted by Peter Powell.

All Those Top of the Pops Ago

It seems no sooner have we reached May 1981 that we are already leaving it behind with this edition from the 28th. This is however a notable show in that we get a brand new member of Legs & Co, Anita, who was chosen to replace Pauline who left two months ago (it just doesn't seem that long does it?). At this point the girls future on the show must not yet have been in doubt, indeed they were busier than ever what with their weekly routine and extra cheerleading duties too.

Thanks for the welcome, ladies

28/05/81 (Simon Bates)

(36) Polecats – “Rockabilly Guy”
Getting the show off to a rockabilly start like they did last time they were on doing John I'm Only Dancing, and just like last time their song peaked at number 35.

(11) Champaign – “How ‘Bout Us” (video)
Looking and sounding like a 1976 raid into 1981! But it proved a successful one with How Bout Us making it to number 5, though it was the group's only hit.

(16) UB40 – “Don’t Let It Pass You By”
The first single the band released that failed to make the top ten, getting no higher than number 16.

(6) Tenpole Tudor – “Swords Of A Thousand Men” (rpt)
At its chart peak and edited out of tonight's 7.30pm slot.

(25) Vangelis – “Chariots Of Fire”  (video)
This fabulous piece of movie music only reached number 12, and was also edited out of tonight's 7.30pm showing.

(17) Enigma – “Ain’t No Stopping”
So this week's Legs & Co routine is the first to feature Anita Chellamah, the troupe's only change of personnel whilst on the show. There's no mention of this from host Simon Bates, but the other girls, adorned in costumes not too far away from Ai No Corrida, give her a line of honour to introduce her. The song by the way, another of 1981's many medleys, reached number 11.

(23) Hazel O’Connor – “Will You?”
A quick follow up to D-Days, Will You was actually the third single taken from her 1980 movie soundtrack, Breaking Glass, but on the back of the success of D-Days it reached number 8.

(30) Coast To Coast – “Let’s Jump The Broomstick”
More rockabilly in the studio tonight, this follow up to Do the Hucklebuck wasn't nearly as successful, and peaked at 28, and was the band's final hit.

(10) Kim Carnes – “Bette Davies Eyes” (video)
Such a new romantic influenced video for this American number one hit, though number 10 was its peak in the UK.

(1) Adam & The Ants – “Stand & Deliver” (video)
The fourth of five weeks at number one, with the hanging scene still edited out!

(13) George Harrison - "All Those Years Ago" (audience dancing/credits)
This tribute to John Lennon was George's first top 20 hit for eight years, and of course featured Paul McCartney on bass and Ringo Starr on drums, and was produced by the late and great George Martin. Number 13 though was as high as it got.


So into June 1981 we go next with the edition from the 4th hosted by Richard Skinner.

You Top of the Pops Me Cwazy

It's May 21st 1981 and another edition of Top of the Pops that won't be shown on BBC4 because the host this time was DLT..

Adam & the Ants drive me cwazy!

21/05/81 (hosted by Dave Lee Travis)

Part One ~ https://youtu.be/sRDigQkNSBM

Part Two ~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv6_XNDdBaw


(21) The Undertones – “It’s Going To Happen”
Now almost at it chart peak of 18.

(2) Shakin’ Stevens – “You Drive Me Crazy”
Held off the number one spot of course by a highway man!

(23) Smokey Robinson – “Being With You” (video)
Soon to become something of a surprise number one hit.

(13) Toyah – “I Want To Be Free”
Following up 'It's a Mystery' with another top tenner, this one making it to number 8.

(5) Tottenham Hotspur FA Cup Final Squad/Chas & Dave – “Ossie’s Dream (Spurs Are On Their Way To Wembley)”  (rpt from 07/05/81) 
Now at its Cup winning peak.

(18) The Teardrop Explodes – “Treason (It’s Just A Story)”  (rpt from 30/04/81)
Now at its peak.

(11) Stray Cats – “Stray Cat Strut” (Legs & Co)
Legs & Co in denim shorts this week strutting around to another record at it peak in the charts.

(15) The Human League – “The Sound Of The Crowd” 
Went up three more places in the chart.

(4) Kim Wilde – “Chequered Love” (video)
Another one now at its peak.

(25) The Beat – “All Out To Get You” (rpt from 30/04/81) 
Number 22 was its final destination.

(37) Duran Duran – “Careless Memories”
The follow up to Planet Earth got no higher than 37.

(1) Adam & The Ants – “Stand & Deliver” (video)
Third of five weeks at number one.

(14) Quincy Jones - "Ai No Corrida" (audience dancing/credits)
Number 14 was as far as it went.

Back on BBC4 then we get the 28th May 1981 with Simon Bates.

Top of the Pops and Deliver

And so we come to the fifth and ultimate instalment of this mammoth Top of the Pops weekend, and most aptly it is the Cup Final edition from May 14th 1981.

Is Ricky Villa there?

14/05/81  (Cup Final Special hosted by Tommy Vance)

Thin Lizzy – “Are You Ready?” (24)
Peaked at 19 to become the band's 11th and final top 30 hit.

Sheena Easton – “When He Shines” (23) (rpt from 30/04/81)
This may well be one of Sheena's least remembered hits but it did manage to get to number 12.

Department S – “Is Vic There?” (22)
22 was the peak for Vic.

Kim Carnes – “Bette Davies Eyes” (20) (video)
This American number one became Kim's only UK top ten hit when it peaked at number 10.

Tenpole Tudor – “Swords Of A Thousand Men” (10)
A second studio performance, helped out by Legs & Co in their pirate gear of course, for this rousing tune about to reach number 6.

Tommy then treats us to quite an extended top ten rundown where we do at least get to see a few of the songs from the shows that BBC4 has skipped this week, including Chas & Dave's cup final song!

Adam & The Ants – “Stand & Deliver” (1) (video/credits)
Second week at number one, and a great video, a shame its first showing on BBC4 was this truncated version that finished in time for kick off at Wembley ~ Ricky Villa just warming up and soon to score THAT goal!


Would you believe that the next edition, the 21st May 1981, is a DLT one! So the next we will see on BBC4 will be the final May show from the 28th May. But that can wait till next week. Because right now, I'm off for a beer!