You can add Slim Whitman to that list who was the record holder previous to Bryan Adams.

I have never really got into the song Its Only Make Believe in any version..

Edited July 23, 201311 yr by fiesta

The usual mix of the good, the bad and the ugly tonight...

 

 

And it’s TOTP number 750.

 

Voyage over the chart rundown with some passable French disco (not the Stereolab song).

 

And how could you not have Rezillos’ Top of the Pops on the 750th show?

 

We’ve already had some French disco and now it’s more Foreigners with Cold As Ice. Their chance to join the list of soft rock bands with a long career but just one major UK hit.

 

Hi-Tension with the British Hustle. The original Hustle (Van McCoy) was far better.

 

Only TOTP could have Legs & Co dancing to Bob Dylan! Much excitement at the time as he reached the top 40 for only the third time in the 1970s. His voice has never been his strongest point - but he can be forgiven for that given the quality of some of his songs - but it was a good deal better then than it is now.

 

Raydio again sounding just as bad as last time. And now, having started a bit late because I forgot it was on, I have caught up.

 

Now the quality soars with another appearance for Annie Haslam’s Renaissance. Not the most convincing miming on her part. Of course, the song still sounds fantastic after all these years.

 

And so time for a touch of class in the form of Jilted John by Jilted John. A brilliantly stupid song. Gordon Fellows (Jilted John) now performs as John Shuttleworth. I went to the Last Night Of The Proms that year a week before my 18th birthday. The conductor was Gordon somebody so, naturally, there were a few shouts of Gordon Is A Moron. Apparently - thanks Twitter - the producer was Martin Hannett under an assumed name. He also worked with a band called Joy Division.

 

And it’s still bloody number one - yawn.

 

Playing out with Three Times A Lady - another, longer yawn.

I'm surprised that the lyrics of Jilted John managed to get past the TOTP producers without being censored.

I'm surprised that the lyrics of Jilted John managed to get past the TOTP producers without being censored.

It was the 1970s, Brett. Freedom of free speach ruled. Unlike today's double standard variety, where apparently it's alright to swear (if you are a comic, afte 9pm) except Dave Allen was crucified for saying the "F" word in 1990 at 10.15pm one Sunday evening. Standards? Where are they today & is the Country really full of so many liars?

 

Interesting piece on Jimmy Savile:

 

http://www.annaraccoon.com/

 

And here's a clip of Legs & Co from the skipped DLT show (3rd Aug 78):

 

 

(If I manage to get a link to both 27th July & 3rd August in full, I will of course post them)....

 

Meanwhile, take a trip back to August 1974: (And if you thought Jilted John was dodgy in 78, then compare that too Polly James, blacking up her face, as part of Sweet Dreams in 74!)

 

Part One

 

Part Two

 

Part Three

 

Part Four

 

Part Five

Edited July 25, 201311 yr by davetaylor

Love the Foriegner song, much better than their number one.

 

Just reading, didn't realise that Renaissence was formed by ex Yardbirds Keith Relf & Jim McCarty in 1970, even though by 1978 the line-up had completley changed.

Some strong activity on the thread this week, well done everyone. I am particularly appreciative of Dave Taylor's input, great stuff, Dave.

 

Was a better edition, Jilted John was a great punk novelty record, and Bob Dylan is always quality.

 

Thank you for the duet input, and the long running number ones list. I actually can't remember what replaced Olivia and John at number one - I assume it was The Commodores.

 

Trivia this time - as many Bob Dylan hits as possible, including songs he wrote for, or were recorded by, other artists.

 

That should keep you all busy for a while.

 

All the best,

 

BC B-)

Mr Tamborine Man was probably the biggest success he had on the UK charts as a songwriter. The Byrds charted a few more of his songs but details escape me.

All Along the Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix

Didn't Mannfred Mann have a hit with one of his tunes. Was it The Mighty Quinn?

 

Isn't "Make You Feel My Love" technically his biggest success, thanks to ADELE?

Like A Rolling Stone, Knocking On Heavens Door, Lay Lady Lay, Positively 8th Street and many more

 

covers: Just Like A Woman (Manfred I think), Guns N Roses (Knocking), Peter Paul & Mary (Blowing In The Wind) Bryan Ferry (A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall)...among others!

Isn't "Make You Feel My Love" technically his biggest success, thanks to ADELE?

Not seeing as Tamborine Man got to #1 as did Quinn The Eskimo.

Was just checking out some stuff about Dylan covers and completely forgot Wheel's On Fire.

Some good stuff on the programme tonight. Obviously there was some dross too but such was the (super)nature of TOTP.

 

 

Time to flip the Boney M single and start laying the b-side with Brown Girl In The Ring over the chart.

 

The Stranglers again. They were on rather a lot weren’t they? This time with a cover of Walk On By. File under “different”.

 

Another appearance for Justin Hayward - and why not? Such lovely hair.

 

Cerrone with a tune much used by Kenny Everett and a typically bizarre Legs & Co routine, giant bananas and all.

 

Time for another cover but a weak one this time - Child with It’s Only Make Believe (again).

 

And it’s the long-awaited return of Darts. Must be weeks since they were last on. This became their third number two hit in a row and, unusually for them, an original song. Sadly they never quite made number one. The attempt to get them to re-form - partly initiated on Twitter two weeks ago by yours truly - seems to have stalled. And what a lovely outfit Den is wearing!

 

10CC with Dreadlock Holiday, one of their odder songs. It went on to become their third number one and their last top 40 hit (excluding a re-entry for I’m Not In Love). All together now “I don’t like cricket, I love it”. The thirds Ashes Test starts tomorrow.

 

New Seekers go a capella and get a modest hit out if it, their last hit in a career that included two number ones.

 

The Who missing from this edit. Keith Moon died a few weeks after this programme was on so it might have been better to drop the New Seekers rather than The Who. Ah well, there’s always the late night repeat. Mr Big also cut.

 

Travolta and Newton-John banished from the top (they will be back) to be replaced by The Commodores. Yes, a song far more boring than You’re The One That I Want. Thankfully, Savile and Travis should ensure we miss some of the five weeks this spent at the top.

 

Sylvester appearing but no sign of his song. More on that another week - probably.

 

City Boy were on ages ago with a song that was not a hit but we play out with 5-7-0-5 which was.

Maggies farm by The Specials is a bob dylan cover too.

 

I love Dreadlock Holiday, one of my fave songs by 10cc along with The Dean & I and Silly Love

Maggies farm by The Specials is a bob dylan cover too.

 

I love Dreadlock Holiday, one of my fave songs by 10cc along with The Dean & I and Silly Love

 

10CC one of the most underrated bands of all-time. Clever lyrics, witty, varied musically and artistically inventive. Smart and witty never seem to get the kudos that loud and aggressive do, in rock. I'm thinking of loved bands that go on for 30 years repeating the same basic record (and I'm not talking Quo, who actually have had a fairly varied body of work in amongst the trademark sound). Pity....!

I agree with the last two comments about 10CC. I think their reputation was harmed by the massive success of I'm Not In Love which was far from their best song. Even at the time (I was at school then) people started to dismiss them as dull and forgot about their more original work. My own favourite is I'm Mandy Fly Me.

I agree with the last two comments about 10CC. I think their reputation was harmed by the massive success of I'm Not In Love which was far from their best song. Even at the time (I was at school then) people started to dismiss them as dull and forgot about their more original work. My own favourite is I'm Mandy Fly Me.

 

Yes that's great too, I loved them from day 1 but they never really got over Godley & Creme leaving, bar 3 fab singles in 77/78. G&C went on to 80's success like the utterly brilliant Under Your Thumb, Wedding Bells & Cry, Graham Gouldman with Andrew Gold (the fun Wax had a few good singles) and Eric Stewart co-wrote with Macca (and produced Abba's Agnetha's album) so although the brand had died, really, the 4 of them kept on going. Of course, that's also ignoring their 60's pedigree: Bus Stop & other hit Gouldman songs, Mindbenders, Hotlegs... That BRIT is long overdue!

Yes that's great too, I loved them from day 1 but they never really got over Godley & Creme leaving, bar 3 fab singles in 77/78. G&C went on to 80's success like the utterly brilliant Under Your Thumb, Wedding Bells & Cry, Graham Gouldman with Andrew Gold (the fun Wax had a few good singles) and Eric Stewart co-wrote with Macca (and produced Abba's Agnetha's album) so although the brand had died, really, the 4 of them kept on going. Of course, that's also ignoring their 60's pedigree: Bus Stop & other hit Gouldman songs, Mindbenders, Hotlegs... That BRIT is long overdue!

Under Your Thumb was a great single and Cry was pretty damned good too. Godley and Creme also had a fair amount of success making videos, including a very good one for Cry.

All the Bob Dylan answers appreciated, don't forget that he was an important member of the Traveling Wilburys as well, who enjoyed good singles success in the late eighties.

 

Agree with Suedehead and others, good edition this week, and yes, 10 c.c. were excellent. "Thing We Do For Love" was one of my favourites of theirs, kept me going during the winter of 1976, when I was only fourteen and deeply in love with Esther, a female classmate of mine!

 

We all have our own peculiar little memories.

 

That Justin Hayward song is another bittersweet memory, I usually think of the lyrics of that song when contemplating someone's passing away. The song was from The War Of The Worlds soundtrack, but its words seem to have little to do with martians invading Victorian London, and more to do with loss.

 

Agree that The Commodores were somewhat boring, did you ever like any of Lionel Ritchie's stuff, suedehead? I thought that some of his stuff was (slightly) more intersting to listen too than his Commodores dirges.

 

As stated, The Who were not featured in the shorter version, but will be in the longer late Saturday night edition. So, quite simply, as many Who hits as possible, for the trivia for this week.

 

All the best,

 

BC B-)

Edited August 2, 201311 yr by blackcat

I disliked Lionel Richie's solo work just as much - if not more - than I hated The Commodores :lol:

 

As for The Who, Who Are You" is the song missed in the short version. Their other hits included Pinball Wizard, Won't Get Fooled Again, My Generation, Substitute, I Can See For Miles, Squeeze Box, Happy Jack and I'm A Boy.

 

I was never really a big fan although I did like individual songs including most of the above.