Orinoco Top of the Pops

From Bissau to Palau, in the shade of Avalon, from Fiji to Tyree and the 27th October 1988 edition of Top of the Pops!

Enya is soft, strong and very very long

27/10/88  (Simon Mayo & Anthea Turner)

Milli Vanilli – “Girl You Know It’s True” (10)
The boys are in fine voice tonight ... ahem .... and this song went on to peak at number 3.

The Art Of Noise & Tom Jones – “Kiss” (19)
This somewhat eccentric offering, with a live vocal from Tom of course, became the third and final top ten hit for Art of Noise when it peaked at number 3.

Royal House – “Can You Party?” (17)
Jetting into the studio from America and the tune went up three more places.

Tanita Tikaram – “Twist In My Sobriety” (29) (breaker)
Her second and final top 40 hit and it peakedd at number 22.

Robert Palmer – “She Makes My Day” (18) (breaker)
Became his third of five top ten hits when it peaked at number 6.

Yazz – “Stand Up For Your Love Rights” (11) (breaker)
On her way to number two.

Deacon Blue – “Real Gone Kid” (21)
A belting studio performance of the song that became their biggest hit up that point when it peaked at number 8.

Enya – “Orinoco Flow” (1) (video)
Her first of three top ten hits and her first of three weeks at number one.

The Beatmasters & PP Arnold – “Burn It Up” (14) (video/credits)
At its peak.


November 3rd is next.

We Call It Top of the Popseeed

You turn on, you tune in and its the 20th Ocotober 1988 edition of Top of the Pops!

Can I have an E please Bob?

20/10/88  (Caron Keating & Steve Wright)

D Mob featuring Gary Haisman – “We Call It Acieed” (3) (video)
We kick off with a video this week and this was the first of three top ten hits for D Mob and it was now at its peak.

The Christians – “Harvest For The World” (9) (video)
Went up one more place.

Enya – “Orinoco Flow” (5)
Making her studio debut here with a song that will sail away to number one next week.

Deacon Blue – “Real Gone Kid” (29) (breaker)
Became their first of three top ten hits when it peaked at number 8.

Milli Vanilli – “Girl You Know It’s True” (20) (breaker)
Became their first of two top ten hits when it peaked at number 3.

Erasure – “A Little Respect” (4) (rpt from 06/10/88)
At its peak.

Kylie Minogue – “Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi” (11)
I don't know why the title of this song is in French, but Kylie is in the studio tongith and the song peaked at numero deux.

Whitney Houston – “One Moment In Time” (1) (video)
Second and final week at the top.

The Wee Papa Girl Rappers – “Wee Rule” (6) (rpt from 06/10/88 + credits)
At its peak.


Next up is October 27th

Secret Top of the Pops

Pssssst! Have you heard? It's the 13th October 1988 edition of Top of the Pops!

Smokin'!

13/10/88  (Bruno Brookes & Gary Davies)

The Beatmasters & PP Arnold – “Burn It Up” (16)
Getting tonight's show underway and the song peaked at number 14.

Sabrina – “All Of Me” (31)
Bouncing into the studio to perfrom what became her final top 40 hit and it peaked at number 25.

T’Pau – “Secret Garden” (19)
Perhaps not their best known song and it went up one more place.

Enya – “Orinico Flow” (29) (breaker)
Will be number one in two weeks time.

The Christians – “Harvest For The World” (21) (breaker)
Peaked at number 8.

D Mob featuring Gary Haisman – “We Call It Acieed” (20) (breaker)
Peaked at number 3.

Kim Wilde – “Never Trust A Stranger” (15)
Kim turns the heat up a notch and this raging tune was on its way to number 7.

Sinitta – “I Don’t Believe In Miracles” (25)
A second studio performance and it went up three more places.

Whitney Houston – “One Moment In Time” (1) (video)
Quite surprising that this song displaced U2, but this was her first of two weeks at number one.

Bananarama – “Love, Truth & Honesty” (23) (rpt from 29/09/88 + credits)
At its peak.


20th October is next.

Don't Worry, Be Top of the Pops

In every life we have some trouble, but when you worry you make it double, don't worry, be the 6th of October 1988 edition of Top of the Pops!

Here's a little song he wrote, and he sings every note

06/10/88  (Simon Mayo & Richard Skinner)

The Pasadenas – “Riding On A Train” (13)
Setting the template for the deluge of boy bands that will follow in their footsteps, but the song got no higher than number 13.

Bobby McFerrin – “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” (11) (video)
Featuring Robin Williams no less in the video, this was Bobby's only top 40 hit and it peaked at number 2.

The Wee Papa Girl Rappers – “Wee Rule” (17)
In the studio to perform what became both their only top ten hit and final top 40 hit when it peaked at number 6.

Spear Of Destiny – “So In Love With You” (36) (breaker)
Their final hit and it got no higher.

The Beatmasters & PP Arnold – “Burn It Up” (35) (breaker)
Peaked at number 14.

Kim Wilde – “Never Trust A Stranger” (32) (breaker)
Peaked at number 7.

Erasure – “A Little Respect” (12)
In the studio to perform this storming third single from their number one album The Innocents, and it peaked at number 4.

Rick Astley – “She Wants To Dance With Me” (7) (rpt from 22/09/88)
Went up one more place.

U2 – “Desire” (1) (video)
Just the one week at number one.

Duran Duran – “I Don’t Want Your Love” (14) (video/credits)
At its peak.


13th October is next.

Love, Truth & Top of the Pops

I didn't trust her one little bit. She'd let me down so many times before. But there was a certain sexy smile on her lips that told me to give her one last chance. So I gazed into her deep, blue eyes, and do you know what I saw?  - It was the 29th September 1988 edition of Top of the Pops!

Head Girls

29/09/88  (Gary Davies & Mark Goodier)

Sinitta – “I Don’t Believe In Miracles” (38)
Getting the show underway with a typically lively dance routine and it peaked at number 22.

U2 – “Desire” (3) (video)
Will soon become their first of seven number one hits.

Hazell Dean – “Turn It Into Love” (29)
In the studio to perform what was to be her final top 40 hit and it peaked at number 21.

Alexander O’Neal – “Fake ‘88” (24) (breaker)
Had peaked at number 33 last year, but this remix made it to number 16.

Duran Duran – “I Don’t Want Your Love” (20) (breaker)
Peaked at number 14.

Erasure – “A Little Respect” (19) (breaker)
Ever try to hit those high notes on Singstar? It peaked at number 4.

Whitney Houston – “One Moment In Time” (8) (video)
This ballad about fast athletes was slowly making its way to number one.

Bananarama – “Love, Truth & Honesty” (28)
Doing their usual thing in the studio and this song peaked at number 23.

The Hollies – “He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother” (1)
You just couldn't keep them away from the studio, but it was their second and final week at number one.

T’Pau – “Secret Garden” (37) (video/credits)
Carol looks to be having an a-mazing time, and the song peaked at number 18.



October 6th is next.

He Ain't Heavy He's Top of the Pops

The road is long with many of winding turns which leads us to the 22nd September 1988 edtion of Top of the Pops!

Allan wishes he hadn't washed his jacket on such a high setting

22/09/88  (Nicky Campbell & Andy Crane)

Pet Shop Boys – “Domino Dancing” (9)
Going all Latin to get tonight's show underway and the song peaked at number 7.

Womack & Womack – “Teardrops (3) (rpt from 01/09/88)
A repeat showing but the song got no higher.

Bill Withers – “Lovely Day (Sunshine Mix)” (4)
The original version had peaked at number 7 ten years earlier, but this time Bill turned up in the studio and this remix peaked at number 4.

Transvision Vamp – “Revolution Baby” (30) (breaker)
Sounding a lot like Blondie but it got no higher.

Whitney Houston – “One Moment In Time” (24) (breaker)
On its way to number one.

Bon Jovi – “Bad Medicine” (18) (breaker)
Went up just one more place.

Rick Astley – “She Wants To Dance With Me” (16)
Rick's in the studio to perform his self-penned song which peaked at number 6

The Hollies – “He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother” (1)
In the studio again to perform their eighteenth top ten hit and their first of two weeks at number one.

The Pasadenas – “Riding On A Train” (20) (video/credits)
Peaked at number 13.

29th September is next.

I'm Gonna Be Top of the Pops

After eleven years the time has come to wave a fond farewell to Peter Powell on this 15th September 1988 edition of Top of the Pops!

That's what friends are for

15/09/88  (Simon Mayo & Peter Powell)

Bros – “I Quit” (4)
Bros fly in from Italy, where they seemed to have multiplied, with this aptly named song for Peter's final show, but it got no higher than number 4.

The Commodores – “Easy” (17) (video)
It had got to number 9 in 1977, this time around it reached number 15, but we did finally get to see some footage, which if I remember rightly, we missed out on eleven years prior.

The Proclaimers – “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” (14)
In the studio to perform this stonking tune and it peaked at number 11.

The Pasadenas – “Riding On A Train” (29) (breaker)
Peaked at number 13.

Coldcut featuring Junior Reid – “Stop This Crazy Thing” (25) (breaker)
Peaked at number 21.

Salt ‘N’ Pepa – “Shake Your Thang (It’s Your Thing)” (22) (breaker)
Got no higher.

Jason Donovan – “Nothing Can Divide Us” (13) (video)
Hot on Kylie's heels with his first of ten top ten hits and it peaked at number 5.

The Hollies – “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” (2)
It had originally peaked at number 3 in 1969, but nineteen years later it made it all the way to number one, where it will be next week, or in a couple of hours if you're watching it tonight.

Phil Collins – “Groovy Kind Of Love” (1) (rpt from 08/09/88)
Second and final week at the top.

Inner City – “Big Fun” (20) (video/credits)
Became the first of four ten ten hits for them when it peaked at number 8.




September 22nd is next.