You Think You're Top of the Pops

It's July 19th, so do your hair up and get your best dress on for another live edition of Top of the Pops that is sure to go with a bang!

It's good to see Agnetha from Abba making a comeback

19/07/84 (Peter Powell & Richard Skinner)

The Mighty Wah! – “Come Back” (28)
A big sound to get this live show underway and Come Back rose to a peak of number 20, but it was to be their final hit.

Prince – “When Doves Cry” (5) (video)
Went up one more place.

Billy Idol – “Eyes Without A Face” (33)
Entering the Top of the Pops gurning contest here is Billy Idol with his solo breakthrough hit which peaked at number 18.

The Kane Gang – “The Closest Thing To Heaven” (30)
Peaked at number 12, but edited out of tonight's 7.30 showing.

Blancmange – “The Day Before You Came” (39)
The fourth and final single from their top ten album, Mange Tout, this eastern flavoured cover peaked
at number 22, ten places higher than Abba's magnificent original managed less than two years earlier.

Divine – “You Think You’re A Man” (26)
This was movie cult figure Divine's biggest hit, peaking at number 16.

Thompson Twins – “Sister Of Mercy” (11) (video)
At its peak.

Frankie Goes To Hollywood – “Two Tribes” (1)
The boys go all gun toting SAS for this week's performance, their sixth week of nine at number one.

Shannon – “Sweet Somebody” (25) (audience dancing/credits)
At its peak.

Watch Ped and Nasher from @FGTH_Official recall this infamous #TOTP performance, when the band brandished (replica) firearms. pic.twitter.com/El55jQJTpd

— BBC Four (@BBCFOUR) September 21, 2017

Ped and Nasher talk guns

Next up should be July 26th but it's a DLT show so BBC4 will skip to August 2nd instead.

Top of the Pops at Heart

It's beating, it's pumping, it's even having an atak! It's Top of the Pops 12th July 1984!

Tope of the Pops!

12/07/84 (John Peel & Tommy Vance)

Shakatak – “Down On The Street” (33)
With what was to be their second and final top ten hit, indeed their final top 40 hit, when it peaked at number 9.

Tina Turner – “What’s Love Got To Do With It?” (10) (video)
Went up seven more places.

Neil – “Hole In My Shoe” (5)
Nigel Planer's character from The Young Ones, with his only solo hit, peaking at number two, just like the original by Traffic in 1967 ~ but why did it have to be cut from the 7.30pm showing!

Alison Moyet – “Love Resurrection” (13) (video)
Going to the holy land of course with this video, and the song duly rose to the occasion, and climaxed at number 10.

Phil Fearon & Galaxy – “Everybody’s Laughing” (28)
In the studio and also on its way to a peak of number 10.

Echo & The Bunnymen – “Seven Seas” (26)
Singer Ian is joined by a penguin on drums and a fish on guitar to perform this third single from their top four album, Ocean Rain, and this shanty sailed to number 16.

The Bluebells – “Young At Heart” (14)
They'd seemingly raided the BBC waistcoat department earlier, with Young at Heart on its way to number 8 this time around.

Frankie Goes To Hollywood – “Two Tribes” (1)
Fifth of nine weeks at number one! And Relax was also at number 2!

The Jacksons – “State Of Shock” (20) (audience dancing/credits)
Together with Mick Jagger, taken from their top 3 album Victory, this single peaked at number 14.

Watch @LoveTinaTurner teach Russell Harty the ‘Pony Step’ in 1984. Do feel free to join in at home. #TOTP pic.twitter.com/oT0c0S1gRl

— BBC Four (@BBCFOUR) September 15, 2017

Tina and Russell do the Pony Step!

Next up is July 19th.

Top of the Pops Loud and Clear

This edition of Top of the Pops features both Mike Smith and Jimmy Savile and so won't be shown on BBC4. So a huge thanks once again to Neil B for making it available here at WeTransfer

Sitting down on the job....

05/07/84 (Jimmy Savile & Mike Smith)

OMD – “Talking Loud & Clear” (11)
At its peak.

Cyndi Lauper – “Time After Time” (4) (Montreux clip)
Went up one more place.

Ultravox – “Lament” (32)
Went up ten more places.

Thompson Twins – “Sister Of Mercy” (28)
Their run of top ten hits had come to an end, but this one almost got there, peaking at number 11.

Shannon – “Sweet Somebody” (36)
Peaked at number 25.

Prince – “When Doves Cry” (21) (video)
His breakthrough hit in the UK, and the first of sixteen top ten hits when it reached number 4.

Frankie Goes To Hollywood – “Two Tribes” (1) (rpt from 21/06/84)
Fourth of nine weeks.

The Pointer Sisters – “Jump (For My Love)” (6) (audience dancing/credits)
At its peak.



Back to BBC4 next for July 12th.

Top of the Pops Resurrection

It's 28th June 1984, the lights are bright, there's a warm feeling all around, a sense of energy fills the air, and is that the sound of angels singing......?

Despite Billy's best efforts, Steve still can't get the hang of rock, paper, scissors...

28/06/84 (Andy Peebles & Steve Wright)

The Bluebells – “Young At Heart” (36)
Getting us underway this week is a song that will get to number one nine years later! But for now they had to settle for a number 8 peak.

Nik Kershaw – “I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” (2) (video)
At its peak, but edited out of tonight's 7.30pm showing.

The Human League – “Life On Your Own” (29)
Phil has gone all stubbly faced for this second single from their top 3 album, Hysteria, which made it to number 16.

Bob Marley & The Wailers – “Waiting In Vain” (33) (video)
This song originally peaked at number 27 in 1977, this time around it got to number 31. Re-released to promote his huge number one greatest hits album, Legend.

Jonathan King - US chart rundown: Edited out of course.
Billy Idol - "Eyes Without A Face" (video clip)
Laura Branigan - "Self Control" (video clip)
Prince - "When Doves Cry" (video clip)
Ronnie and Mike Biggs - brief interview
Mike Biggs & The Magic Balloon Gang - "Superfantastico" (video clip)
Cyndi Lauper - "Time After Time" (video clip)

Billy Idol - turns up now to tell Steve Wright that he is looking for 'somewhere to rock and roll.'

Tina Turner – “What’s Love Got To Do With It?” (40) (video)
With perhaps her most celebrated song, which was also her joint biggest hit, peaking at number 3.

Alison Moyet – “Love Resurrection” (28)
Making her solo debut following the demise of Yazoo, this was the first of six top ten hits for Alison, this one peaking at number 10, and taken from her number one album, Alf.

Scritti Politti – “Absolute” (19)
Went up two more places.

Frankie Goes To Hollywood – “Two Tribes” (1) (rpt)
Third of nine weeks at number one.

Michael Jackson – “Farewell My Summer Love” (7) (audience dancing/credits)
At its peak.

July 5th should be next, but with Jimmy Savile and Mike Smith hosting, BBC4 will skip along to the 12th instead.

Top of the Pops After Time

BBC4 will not be showing the edition of Top of the Pops from June 21st 1984, presumably because the opening act is Gary Glitter, though why they couldn't edit him out is a mystery, so a huge thanks once again goes to Neil B for making it available here at 4shared

Time for walkies....

21/06/84 (Simon Bates & Gary Davies)

Gary Glitter – “Dance Me Up” (48)
One of his many come backs, this one quite successful compared to many others, peaking at number 25.

OMD – “Talking Loud & Clear” (23) (video)
Despite the minor video malfunction this made it to number 11.

Bronski Beat – “Smalltown Boy” (3) (rpt from 07/06/84)
At its peak.

Cyndi Lauper – “Time After Time” (36) (video)
Our blog title song makes its debut, and it looks like we won't ever get to see it on BBC4, the only other show its on is fronted by Jimmy Savile and Mike Smith!

Associates – “Those First Impressions” (44)
No hit for two years, and this one went up just one more place.

Ollie & Jerry – “Breakin’…There’s No Stopping Us” (35) (video)
With their only top 50 hit, which peaked at number 5.

Lloyd Cole & The Commotions – “Perfect Skin” (40)
The first of six top 40 hits, this debut peaking at number 26.

Elvis Costello & The Attractions – “I Wanna Be Loved” (29)
Peaked at number 25.

The Pointer Sisters – “Jump (For My Love)” (24) (video)
Hugh Grant would be dancing to this nearly twenty years later, but for now it peaked at number 6, and was the sisters' final top ten hit.

Frankie Goes To Hollywood – “Two Tribes” (1)
Second of nine weeks at the top.

Change – “Change Of Heart” (19) (audience dancing/credits)
Their first hit for four years was also their final top 30 peaking at number 17.


June 28th is next.

Heaven Knows I'm Top of the Pops Now

Well praise be, it's June 1984 already, and it's paradise for 8.5 million viewers and another edition of Top of the Pops!

Gizza tune!

14/06/84 (Peter Powell & Mike Read)

The Art Company – “Susanna” (20)
Yosser Hughes gets the show underway this week it would seem, with the Art Company's only hit, which peaked at number 12.

Elton John – “Sad Songs (Say So Much)” (8) (video)
Went up one more place, but edited out of tonight's 7.30pm showing.

The Smiths – “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now” (10)
Hearing aid in, blouse on and bush in back pocket, but this song just would not go any higher in the charts no matter how silly Morrissey dressed.

Rod Stewart – “Infatuation” (27) (video)
At its peak, and also edited out of the 7.30pm slot.

Scritti Politti – “Absolute” (33)
This follow up to Wood Beez peaked at number 17.

Ozzy Osbourne – “So Tired” (21) (video)
Looking like the disturbed lovechild of Barry Manilow and Kim Wilde in this crazy Phantom of the Opera video, Ozzy took So Tired up one more place.

Nick Heyward – “Love All Day” (31)
'The best song of the summer' got no higher in the charts.

Nik Kershaw – “I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” (18)
Became Nik's biggest hit when it just failed to make it to number one.

Frankie Goes To Hollywood – “Two Tribes” (1)
And here's the song that stopped it, introduced of course by Mike Read, straight in at number one for the first of an incredible nine weeks.

Michael Jackson – “Farewell My Summer Love” (15) (audience dancing/credits)
Cashing in on his success, this 'long lost' recording of his peaked at number 7.

It should be June 21st next, but that show is being skipped, possibly because the opening act is Gary Glitter, so BBC4 will show June 28th next.

Top of the Pops Before You Go Go

Wakey wakey, rise and shine, it's Top of the Pops 1984 time, and 8.15 million alarm clocks are chiming for June 6th and the last ever show to be presented by the Rhythm Pals.

Have I Got Tonsils For You

07/06/84 (David Jensen & John Peel)

Spandau Ballet – “Only When You Leave” (5)
Getting the show underway with the first single from their number 2 album, Parade, and it peaked at number 3.

Howard Jones – “Pearl In The Shell” (8)
With Jed mark 2 on the saxophone, Pearl in the Shell went up one more place.

Evelyn Thomas – “High Energy” (9)
Performing the sound of the clubs and peaking at number 5.

Bananarama – “Rough Justice” (29)
Perhaps not one of their best known hits, though it had quite a catchy chorus, but it peaked at number 23.

Bronski Beat – “Smalltown Boy” (13)
Making their studio debut with an impressive live vocal from Jimmy Somerville, Smalltown Boy was their first of four top ten hits and peaked at number 3.

Wham! – “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” (1)
Clearly enjoying their first number one, but this was its second and final week.

Sister Sledge – “Thinking Of You” (19) (audience dancing/credits)
This was their first top 30 hit since they were Lost in Music in 1979 and it peaked at number 11.

The best songs always end far too soon....

Next up is June 14th.