The Hokey Cokey Top of the Pops

Just a few days before this edition of Top of the Pops was originally shown, Muhammed Ali fought his last ever fight (against Trevor Berbick), and now, by one of those strange quirks of history, he has fought one more last ever fight just a few days before this show was repeated 35 years later.

Is it just me, or is it hot in here?

17/12/81 (hosted by Simon Bates)

(14) Duran Duran – “My Own Way”
Now at its chart peak.

(2) Cliff Richard – “Daddy’s Home” (live clip/audience dancing)
Try as he might, there was no way Cliff could dislodge the Human League from the number one spot. Daddy's Home was stuck at number 2 for four weeks.

(36) Chas & Dave – “Stars Over 45”
Darn, I was looking forward to this one, but it was edited out of the 7.30pm slot.

(8) Godley & Crème – “Wedding Bells”
Its a studio performance this time, and more of a walkabout than a dance routine, with Kevin having major difficulties with his bride, and Lol in the background looking like he might live up to his name at any moment.

(64) Brown Sauce – “I Wanna Be A Winner” (video)
Those squirts at BBC4 have edited this one out of the 7.30 show too!

(23) Rod Stewart – “Young Turks” (video)
Peaked at number 11 for Rod.

(40) The Snowmen – “Hokey Cokey”
Sliding all the way to number 18 in the charts was the silly Xmas party record of the year ~ the identities of the people behind this remain a case for Mulder & Scully to this day.

(26) Jon & Vangelis – “I’ll Find My Way Home”
Here's Sue from Legs & Co being given one final dance routine as a thank you from Flick Colby, since it was deemed that the Birdie Song was not a fitting send off. (Lucky she wasn't given the Hokey Cokey!). It also means that Sue has the distinction of having danced for Pan's People, Ruby Flipper, Legs & Co and now, for one time only, Zoo. The song by the way, made it to number 6.

(12) Status Quo – “Rock ‘N’ Roll”  (rpt from 03/12/81)
This was the final Top of the Pops performance by the original line-up of the Quo, and the song made it to number 8.

(1) The Human League – “Don’t You Want Me” (video)
Second of five weeks at number one.

(29) Altered Images – “I Could Be Happy” (audience dancing/credits)
Here's the very catchy follow-up to the very catchy Happy Birthday, and it peaked at number 7.



Next up then is the edition from Xmas Eve 1981.

It Must Be Top of the Pops

Many thanks once again to Neil B for coming to the rescue and making this quite unmissable edition of Top of the Pops from December 10th 1981 available at 4shared.
The show is hosted by Jimmy Savile so obviously do not click the link if you wish to avoid him.

http://www.4shared.com/video/ty5wSRgxce/TOTP_1981-12-10.html

Neil has also put this show on WeTransfer ~

https://we.tl/mjsNRudU0b

How tattyfilarious to be on Top of the Pops!

10/12/81 (hosted by Jimmy Savile) 

(35) Showaddywaddy – “Footsteps”
The Waddys get the show underway with their penultimate chart hit, which peaked at 31. Was this their last ever time on the show?

(7) Madness – “It Must Be Love” (video)
Rounding off a run of nine consecutive top ten hits when it peaked at number 4.

(26) Dollar – “Mirror Mirror (Mon Amour)”
Became the duo's first top ten hit for two years when it reached number 4. Liking the Cinderella look!

(-) Ken Dodd – “Hold My Hand”
Here to promote his new tv series with what became his final chart hit (to date!) when it made number 44. Well, it was nearly Christmas.

(9) Adam & The Ants – “Ant Rap” (video)
Amazing celebrity packed video from the Ants for what was in fact the final top ten hit for the group before Adam went solo. It made it to number 3.

(24) Bucks Fizz – “The Land Of Make Believe”
What a totally brilliant song and perfectly timed for Christmas ~ and loving those outfits! Made it to number one of course.

(28) The Police – “Spirits In The Material World”
The Police return to the Top of the Pops studio for the first time in over two years to perform the third single in quick succession from their number one album Ghost in the Machine. This song made it to number 12.

(11) Abba – “One Of Us” (video)
Taken from their magnificently dark final studio album, The Visitors, this was, incredibly, Abba's final ever top ten hit peaking at number 3.

(1) The Human League – “Don’t You Want Me” (video)
Phil Oakey didn't think this was good enough to release as a single. Now here it was with its first of four weeks at number one, outselling all other singles released in 1981, and all other singles the band ever released.

(-) Philip Lynott – “Yellow Pearl” (audience dancing/credits)
We play out of this terrific edition with members of Zoo giving it some to the new theme tune, which made it to number 14.


So, tonight on BBC4 then we will see December 17th 1981.

Top of the Pops You Want Me

Well I hope everyone is putting up their Christmas decorations now because we have reached December 3rd 1981!

Phil can hardly contain his joy at finally being on a non-yewtreed show

03/12/81 (hosted by David Jensen)

(34) Bad Manners – “Buona Sera”
Buster goes all Latin here with a typically energetic effort but the song rose no higher.

(4) Soft Cell – “Bedsitter”
Marc goes all leather here for this studio performance of Bedsitter but this song was now also at its chart peak.

(27) Status Quo – “Rock ‘N’ Roll”
Edited out of tonight's 7.30 pm slot.

(26) Duran Duran – “My Own Way”
Duran Duran round off a successful debut year with perhaps one of their least known hits, although it did quite well reaching number 14.

Jonathan King – US chart rundown:
Journey – “Don’t Stop Believing” (live clip)
Rod Stewart – “Young Turks” (video clip)
Olivia Newton-John – “Physical” (video clip)
Not too surprisingly this section was edited out of the 7.30pm showing.

(5) Diana Ross – “Why Do Fools Fall In Love?”
Well, Zoo go all Legs & Co this week for this fun routine which maybe helped Diana Ross go up one place higher in the charts.

(21) Godley & Crème – “Wedding Bells” (video)
But who would have thought that the week's best dance routine would be performed by Godley & Crème! Nice suits too. Wedding Bells though proved to be their second and final top ten hit peaking at number 7.

(20) Fun Boy Three – “The Lunatics (Have Taken Over The Asylum)”
More like the lunatics have taken over the garden centre! The boys seem to have brought along the contents of their greenhouse this week but the song could not grow any further up the charts.

(9) The Human League – “Don’t You Want Me” (video)
At long last the Human League manage to make it onto BBC4 in 1981, after their three previous hits all ended up on yewtreed editions. And just in time for Christmas too.

(1) Julio Iglesias – “Begin The Beguine” (video/credits)
And as David Jensen mentioned it really is 'hasta la vista' from Julio here with his first and final week at number one.


Talking of yewtree, the next edition, December 10th 1981, is hosted by Jimmy Savile. So tomorrow on BBC4 it will be December 17th.

Good Morning Top of the Pops

And as if by magic (or the showing of two editions per week) we find ourselves reaching the end of November 1981, and the first hints of the Christmas season soon to come.

I must put my decorations up at the weekend...

26/11/81 (hosted by Mike Read) (25) The Jets – “Yes Tonight Josephine” The family of Shaking Stevens lookalikes get us off to a rocking start this week, and dancing behind them in the audience is indeed the unmistakable figure of Boy George! This tune by the way was now at its chart peak. (3) Earth, Wind & Fire – “Let’s Groove” (video) The band's final top ten hit, now at its peak. (23) Toyah – “Good Morning Universe” This might make your hair stand on end, but Good Morning Universe was Toyah's final top 20 hit when it peaked at number 14. (15) Cliff Richard – “Daddy’s Home” (video) Who else was wondering if they would show this? Well it is nearly Xmas, so you've got to have a bit of Cliff - and as things got more xmassy over the next month, Daddy's Home climbed up to number 2. (28) Imagination – “Flashback” The one edit from tonight's 7.30pm show. (18) Ultravox – “The Voice” (video) The second single from their top 4 album Rage in Eden, The Voice went up two more places. (24) Kim Wilde – “Cambodia” She seems to have got rid of her band, but Cambodia rounded off a highly successful 1981 for Kim when it peaked at number 12. (14) Kool & The Gang – “Steppin’ Out” Looking a little bit 70's here in their matching outfits, Steppin' Out went up two more places. (1) Queen & David Bowie – “Under Pressure” (audience dancing/credits) Mike Read informs us that Queen and David Bowie hadn't yet made a video so Top of the Pops had to put a few images together themselves of things blowing up and the like. And next week would be too late because there would be a new number one.     The next edition then is from December 3rd 1981 with David Jensen.

The Lunatics (Have Taken Over Top of the Pops)

And so as Steve Wright introduces Top of the Pops from November 19th we find we have just five more broadcastable editions of 1981 left, and a couple of yewtreed ones.

Don't you just love these latest specials effects?

19/11/81 (hosted by Steve Wright)

(17) Modern Romance – “Ay Ay Ay Ay Moosey”
Getting the show underway for a second time with this song which was still conga-ing its way towards its number 10 peak.

(3) Julio Iglesias – “Begin The Beguine” (video)
Julio was there with Steve in the studio talking about his Cambridge days but for some reason we got shown the video again rather than a studio performance!

(12) Pretenders – “I Go To Sleep”
A song of course famously written by Ray Davies but never recorded by the Kinks. It became the third of six top ten hits for the Pretenders when it reached number 7.

(26) ABC – “Tears Are Not Enough”  (rpt from 05/11/81)
Edited out of tonight's 7.30pm showing.

(19) Diana Ross – “Why Do Fools Fall In Love?” (video)
A cover of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers' 1956 number one, Diana dances her way around Las Vegas until this version peaked at number 4.

(30) Fun Boy Three – “The Lunatics (Have Taken Over The Asylum)”
And so four months after leaving the Specials (just enough time for Terry to grow his hair) we have the debut of the Fun Boy Three, though with maybe not quite as big a hit as they were expecting ~ peaking at number 20.

(29) Trevor Walters – “Love Me Tonight”
With a little help from Zoo here, this went up two more places.

(13) Soft Cell – “Bedsitter” (video)
Following up their monster number one Tainted Love with a very messy looking London bedroom that's probably now worth about a million quid! Bedsitter peaked at number 4.

(1) Queen & David Bowie – “Under Pressure”
It had entered the chart at number 8 the previous week, and here were Zoo performing the number one song in a quite random and rag bag manner. What would Legs & Co have thought!

(31) The Jets – “Yes Tonight Josephine” (audience dancing/credits)
Managed to fly into the top 30 but landed at number 25.


Tomorrow on BBC4 we reach November 26th 1981.

When You Were Top of the Pops

Huge thanks to Meer for making this edition of Top of the Pops from November 12th 1981 available on Vimeo. It won't be shown on BBC4 because the host is DLT.

https://vimeo.com/168444154

Er..anyone seen Legs & Co this week??

12/11/81 (hosted by Dave Lee Travis)

Kool & The Gang – “Steppin’ Out” (25)
Became their third top 20 single of the year so far when it peaked at number 12.

OMD – “Joan Of Arc” (5) (rpt from 29/10/81)
Now at its chart peak.

Olivia Newton-John – “Physical” (11) (video)
Olivia has a total 80's makeover for her final top ten hit.

The Fureys with Davey Arthur – “When You Were Sweet Sixteen” (14)
Now at its chart peak.

Haircut 100 – “Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)” (9)
On its way to number 4.

Jonathan King – US chart rundown:
Air Supply – “Just When I Thought I Was Over You” (video clip)
Foreigner – “Waiting For A Girl Like You” (live clip)
Daryl Hall & John Oates – “Private Eyes” (video clip)

Ultravox – “The Voice” (27)
Rounding off an amazing year for Ultravox when it reached number 16. They should have made this into a tv show....

Earth, Wind & Fire – “Let’s Groove” (20)
Two from Zoo are let loose on this final top ten hit for Earth Wind & Fire, which peaked at number 3.

Rod Stewart – “Tonight I’m Yours (Don’t Hurt Me)” (10) (video/audience dancing)
Went up two more places.

The Police – “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” (1) (video)
First and only week at number one.

Altered Images – “Happy Birthday” (2) (audience dancing/credits)
Couldn't quite make it one place higher.


Next up then is November 19th 1981 with Steve Wright.

Ay Ay Ay Ay Top of the Popsey

Remember remember the 5th of November! No mention that its Bonfire Night from host Peter Powell but he is surrounded by a whole zoo of people dropping hints like holding flaming torches and eating fire!

It's getting a bit crowded in here!

05/11/81 (hosted by Peter Powell)

(45) Modern Romance – “Ay Ay Ay Ay Moosey”
With their follow up to Everybody Salsa, this one did two places better and peaked at number 10.

(3) The Police – “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” (video)
Soon to take over the number one spot.

(47) The Dukes – “Mystery Girl”
They wrote Grandma's Party for Mr bowler hat Paul Nicholas and Modern Girl for Sheena Easton but they couldn't break into the top 40 themselves, Mystery Girl got no higher despite the new Zoo mystery girl's best efforts.

(26) Rush – “Tom Sawyer” (live clip)
The band's second and final top 30 hit, peaking at 25. But edited out of the 7.30pm show.

(44) The Jets – “Yes Tonight Josephine”
Became the first of two top 30 hits for the Jets, peaking at 25, but edited out of the 7.30pm slot.

(30) ELO – “Twilight”
And so the post Legs & Co era begins with an energetic and even quite frantic boys and girls routine to ELOs number 30 hit. One Legger did survive the cull ~ new girl Anita was there.

(21) Julio Iglesias – “Begin The Beguine” (video)
Proving there was still a place for old fashioned crooners singing Cole Porter tunes in the charts in 1981, Begin the Beguine would shortly become Julio's only number one hit.

(50) ABC – “Tears Are Not Enough”
They were on the One Show tonight and then here they are straight afterwards travelling 35 years (almost) back in time to their Top of the Pops debut, with a song that peaked at number 19.

(1) Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin – “It’s My Party” (rpt from 24/09/81)
Final week at number one.

(5) The Four Tops – “When She Was My Girl” (video/audience dancing/credits)
Went up two more places.


The next edition is November 12th 1981 but it is hosted by DLT.....
So next Thursday on BBC4 it will be November 19th 1981 with Steve Wright.