Tonight's edition was not presented by Kenny Everitt, rather it featured Kenny as an artist! Presented by Noel Edmonds.

 

And not a bad edition. Good rocky songs from Elvis Costello and Tom Robinson, reasonable soul from Ruby Winters, one of The Bee Gees better ballads danced too by Legs & Co., who looked a girl light to me.

 

Roxy Music as well, with what I assume was a re-issue. Bit of fun from Darts, who were probably a lot more funny than Kenny Everitt, it has to be said, on this occasion.

 

Still, Kenny's record was one more to add to the list of sci-fi tunes!

 

ABBA still at number one with the thoughtful Name Of The Game, and the lead female vocalist of Boney M I am sure did a live vocal to "Belfast", always a brave thing to do in front of watching millions.

 

Santana with a guitar led version of the old Zombies number She's Not There, so enough good things to keep the interest going.

 

On the downside, Tina Charles did look a bit like last year's news somewhat! And the play in and play out tunes by both the Jacksons and Rod Stewart respectively were never amongst the best records by those particular artists.

 

Noel Edmonds innocently messing about with some female members of the audience made me cringe a bit, though. As has been said elsewhere, in the current climate, seeing such things on the old repeats does look a bit more sinister now, after the Savile allegations, than it would once have done.

 

Trivia question? I liked Roxy Music a lot, so as many of their UK hits as possible off the top of one's head.

 

All the best,

 

BC B-)

 

 

Love Is The Drug, Virginia Plain, Jealous Guy (Lennon cover), Dance Away

 

Not seen this week's yet but Tom Robonson, Santana, Elvis Costello and Darts are all something to look forward to.

God, Belfast is an awful, awful song, isn't it?

 

Tom Robinson was good, he mentioned on the radio today that the reason why most of his songs were only 3 chords was because he didn't have a set band, so he needed musicians who could easily learn the songs in the soundcheck.

Roxy Music hits - More Than This, Pyjamarama, avalon. Can't think of any others, other than the three already mentioned.

streetlife, all I want is you, Both Ends Burning, Trash, Oh Yeah, angel eyes, same old scene, take chance on me...among others.

 

i loved roxy...

Thanks for the replies on Roxy Music, excellent outfit, and still officially going. All of their members carved out very successful careers for themselves in their own right. Bryan Ferry had a very successful solo career, Phil Mansanera produced and wrote songs for many top artists, and Andy Mackay played with a variety of top stars.

 

And Brian Eno went on to make some of the most interesting "New Age" music ever recorded.

 

Highly influentiel band.

 

No top of the pops this week, its The Sky At Night time of the month. It is ironic, isn't it - after bemoaning the fact that Sky At Night was taking up, once a month, one of the slots of top of the pops 1977 a few months ago, now we are (in the wake of the Savile allegations) welcoming it as a saviour for these repeats!

 

Coming up to Christmas 1977, I am looking forward to that mega, highly creative and innovative sound, forget punk and disco, the real moving force musically of 1977 is about to come upon us at the end of the year.

 

Yes, The Floral Dance is on its way! :D

Well there is a tenuous link to this thread, in that the Sky At Night does interrupt Top Of The Pops 1977 once a month, and he did have some musical connections. Brian May today described him as "irreplaceable".

 

So all due respect - RIP Sir Patrick.

Thanks for the replies on Roxy Music, excellent outfit, and still officially going. All of their members carved out very successful careers for themselves in their own right. Bryan Ferry had a very successful solo career, Phil Mansanera produced and wrote songs for many top artists, and Andy Mackay played with a variety of top stars.

 

And Brian Eno went on to make some of the most interesting "New Age" music ever recorded.

 

Highly influentiel band.

 

No top of the pops this week, its The Sky At Night time of the month. It is ironic, isn't it - after bemoaning the fact that Sky At Night was taking up, once a month, one of the slots of top of the pops 1977 a few months ago, now we are (in the wake of the Savile allegations) welcoming it as a saviour for these repeats!

 

Coming up to Christmas 1977, I am looking forward to that mega, highly creative and innovative sound, forget punk and disco, the real moving force musically of 1977 is about to come upon us at the end of the year.

 

Yes, The Floral Dance is on its way! :D

 

Well I'm sure it goes without saying your talking about the Terry Wogan version, and not the terrible original.. ;)

Well there is a tenuous link to this thread, in that the Sky At Night does interrupt Top Of The Pops 1977 once a month, and he did have some musical connections. Brian May today described him as "irreplaceable".

 

So all due respect - RIP Sir Patrick.

 

Yes he was a great character and anyone that promotes space/astronomy is wonderful in my book. Brian May & Brian Cox too...

 

I saw Sir Patrick talks twice, I dared my mate to ask a question that would have been well out of order, childish and not remotely amusing to Patrick who insisted on calling the planet "Yawrannuss". I wanted to ask Sir P "has anyone had seen Uranus with binoculars?"

 

good job I didnt...

 

 

Well I'm sure it goes without saying your talking about the Terry Wogan version, and not the terrible original.. ;)

 

 

LOL! I think that it is somewhat ironic that the two biggest hits at the end of the punk year of 1977 were The Mull Of Kintyre and The Floral Dance.

 

Just puts into perspective how fickle the singles charts can be.

Yes he was a great character and anyone that promotes space/astronomy is wonderful in my book. Brian May & Brian Cox too...

 

I saw Sir Patrick talks twice, I dared my mate to ask a question that would have been well out of order, childish and not remotely amusing to Patrick who insisted on calling the planet "Yawrannuss". I wanted to ask Sir P "has anyone had seen Uranus with binoculars?"

 

good job I didnt...

 

Another "LOL"!! I think that he was a great character, as I say, there were some musical connections there as well, with his links with Brian May, and his own musical skill, highlighted elsewhere in this thread.

 

I agree with Brian May that Patrick Moore was irreplaceable, but, nevertheless, they will have to find a new presenter for The Sky At Night eventually, I assume.

 

Unless, out of great respect for Sir Patrick, they stop making the programme, as it was, after all, his baby.

 

And if they did that, where would that leave TOTPS '77, in the light of the Savile controversy................... :unsure:

Bit too MOR tonight's edition, for me. Fairly tame records from Leo Sayer and The Jacksons, some obscure record about skateboarding, the aforementioned Mull Of Kintyre (well written record of course, but not the type of Macca composition I usually go for).

 

Bonnie Tyler had a listenable record out, not one I would ever think of buying though.

 

The Bee Gees How Deep Is Your Love was a great ballad, and Hot Chocolate had an unusual sounding record out at the time. And ABBA continued to reign supreme with the professional Name Of The Game.

 

The novelty sound of the time was Egyptian Reggae by Jonathon Richmond, interesting to listen too, but not a patch on Roadrunner.

 

For the trivia this week, I think that I will build a few questions around Mull Of Kintyre, which was about to become quite a UK phenomenon.

 

So first question - which particular sales barrier did it breach in the UK in 1977/78, and which big selling record from the sixties did it take over from as the UK's all-time number one selling single?

 

 

Next question - which record then succeeded Mull Of Kintyre about seven years later as the UK's best selling single?

 

Also, I have a question about the composition of Mull Of Kintyre. Paul wrote a lot of it, but the original credit carried another writer's name, it was officially written by Paul and another composer.

 

Who was that other writer, and which sixties band was that writer in?

 

(I bet Suedehead/Feista know all the answers) :P

 

Take care, all the best,

 

BC. B-)

Edited December 13, 201212 yr by blackcat

Mull Of Kintyre was the first single to sell two million in the UK. The previosu best selling single was a Beatles one. I think it was She Loves You. Its successor as the best seller was, of course, Do They Know It's Christmas.

 

I'm guessing that Mull Of Kntyre was co-written by Denny Laine who was in the Moody Blues. I still think the other double A-Side - Girls School - was the better song.

Mull Of Kintyre was the first single to sell two million in the UK. The previosu best selling single was a Beatles one. I think it was She Loves You. Its successor as the best seller was, of course, Do They Know It's Christmas.

 

I'm guessing that Mull Of Kntyre was co-written by Denny Laine who was in the Moody Blues. I still think the other double A-Side - Girls School - was the better song.

 

Yes, all correct of course, well done suedehead.

 

American and Canadian discjockeys also thought that Girls School was the better song, and choose to play that one side instead of Mull Of Kintyre, which was why Mull Of Kintyre was not a big hit on the other side of the Atlantic.

 

It remains the biggest selling non-charity record in the UK, so in those terms, you could claim that it is still the biggest selling single.

 

McCartney was featured on the B-side of Do They Know Its Christmas, so you could say that he had a hand in the biggest selling record of the sixties - She Loves You - the biggest seller of the seventies - Mull Of Kintyre - and the eighties - Do They Know Its Christmas.

 

Not so with the 1990's biggest seller and all-time UK best seller, The Candle In The Wind 1997 tribute to Diana, by Elton John.

 

However, it was produced by ex-Beatles producer George Martin...........

Elton John is sopposed to be hosting one edition before the end of the year.. should be interesting if they show it!

Two totps '77 editions on tonight, will comment on them over the weekend. As Fiesta says, one presented by Elton John.

 

Should be good.

Weren't that good, actually! :unsure:

 

Some interesting punky rock sounds from Generation x, Graham Parker, some good soulish disco stuff from Chic, Donna Summer and The Emotions, and my favourite Floral Dance record played out the last programme! :dance:

 

Apart from that, disappointing, I would say. A rather flat version of My Way by Elvis (yes, I know he had just passed away, and I like Elvis as well, but his version was not a patch on Sinatra's)

 

Mull Of Kintyre played twice, and it would be played and sold over and over again in the UK that winter of 1977/1978.

 

MOR well represented by The Dooleys, Bonnie Tyler, and the Bee Gees classic ballad How Deep Is Your Love.

 

John Ottaway playing live was maybe the most interesting aspect of the two shows.

 

But plenty of records there that we have already heard on previous editions, not really two of the more outstanding shows.

 

 

Triva this week centres on Elton John, who presented the latter edition. Quite simply, his real name, his anonymous song writing partner for most of his career, and his first and last UK number ones (not counting collaborations, such as the Don't Go Breaking My Heart dirge with Kiki Dee).

 

All the best, and if I don't get a chance to say it on this thread before the big event, happy Christmas to one and all, and to old top of the pops fans everywhere!

 

BC B-)

There's a good reason why Elvis's version of My Way tends to be forgotten. Frankly, it was terrible.

 

Elton John's real name is Elton Hercules John after he changed it by deed poll! Of course he was born Reginald Dwight. I'll let someone else answer the number ones question as I can't remember!

I thought the first three songs on the first show were fantastic (Gen X, Hot Chocolate and Chic) but I turned off after Mannfred Mann's hippy drivel came on.

Weren't that good, actually! :unsure:

 

Some interesting punky rock sounds from Generation x, Graham Parker, some good soulish disco stuff from Chic, Donna Summer and The Emotions, and my favourite Floral Dance record played out the last programme! :dance:

 

Apart from that, disappointing, I would say. A rather flat version of My Way by Elvis (yes, I know he had just passed away, and I like Elvis as well, but his version was not a patch on Sinatra's)

 

Mull Of Kintyre played twice, and it would be played and sold over and over again in the UK that winter of 1977/1978.

 

MOR well represented by The Dooleys, Bonnie Tyler, and the Bee Gees classic ballad How Deep Is Your Love.

 

John Ottaway playing live was maybe the most interesting aspect of the two shows.

 

But plenty of records there that we have already heard on previous editions, not really two of the more outstanding shows.

Triva this week centres on Elton John, who presented the latter edition. Quite simply, his real name, his anonymous song writing partner for most of his career, and his first and last UK number ones (not counting collaborations, such as the Don't Go Breaking My Heart dirge with Kiki Dee).

 

All the best, and if I don't get a chance to say it on this thread before the big event, happy Christmas to one and all, and to old top of the pops fans everywhere!

 

BC B-)

 

I always loathed Elvis' My way, but was one of the 2 million who bought Mull Of Kintyre. I didnt play Girl's School that much, just like the rest of the world....

 

Bernie Taupin. Chronologically, Elt's first solo was Sacrifice/Healing hands (which i'd also bought as separate singles the year before when they peaked at 1 in my chart) in 1990, and last was either the Diana double A mentioned already from 1997, or Are You Ready For Love (ignoring fat Boy Slim's remix) in 2003. Or last one first (1979 release of older recording prob 1976/7-ish) and Candle 97 last. Or including collaborations, Dont Go Breaking 1976 to I Don't Feel Like Dancin' (uncredited with Scissor Sisters) 2006..

 

or being even more smart-ar*e, albums-wise, including collaborations I'd guess 1973 to 2012...:)

Edited December 22, 201212 yr by popchartfreak