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Top of the Pops on Thursdays, bbc 4.

blackcat
in 20th Century Retro

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Let's See Action, 5:15, Join Together You better You Bet and my personal fave the awesome solo orchestral rock Daltrey hit (I'm Free) - which is really a Who track.

 

Lionel was largely on the dull side, though the Commodores had the fab Machine Gun, and lionel's country-esque Easy and Sail On are gorgeous, while solo Running With The Night and All Night Long were good. Best not mention the dirge-like Endless Drivel, I think it was called, and Still Boring, or the hilarious Hello video....

Overall, a pretty good show tonight although there were, naturally, a couple low points.

 

Andy Gibb to open - cue standard comment about how I don’t like the Gibb brothers’ music.

 

Bilbo - this just missed the top 40, perhaps because it really wasn’t very good. The singer attempted to revive his career by appearing on The Voice this year.

 

David Essex with Oh What A Circus from Evita. I saw his last performance in the stage show.

 

Blondie - fabulous as ever. Debbie Harry soon to appear on many a student’s wall in uni accommodation - including mine.

 

And Jilted John is back. What does it say about me that I can still recite all the lyrics to this?

 

Motors - not their best but still decent enough.

 

Hi-Tension with their British Hustle again. I suppose the run of good songs had to come to an end.

 

Legs & Co accompanying Boney M now that we’ve moved on to Brown Girl In The Ring. One of the biggest selling b-sides in history.

 

The Jam with a cover of the Kinks’ David Watts.

 

And then of course The Commodores who seem to have sent even themselves to sleep in the back of a car.

 

The Rezillos play us out with their homage to TOTP.

Overall, a pretty good show tonight although there were, naturally, a couple low points.

 

Andy Gibb to open - cue standard comment about how I don’t like the Gibb brothers’ music.

 

Bilbo - this just missed the top 40, perhaps because it really wasn’t very good. The singer attempted to revive his career by appearing on The Voice this year.

 

David Essex with Oh What A Circus from Evita. I saw his last performance in the stage show.

 

Blondie - fabulous as ever. Debbie Harry soon to appear on many a student’s wall in uni accommodation - including mine.

 

And Jilted John is back. What does it say about me that I can still recite all the lyrics to this?

 

Motors - not their best but still decent enough.

 

Hi-Tension with their British Hustle again. I suppose the run of good songs had to come to an end.

 

Legs & Co accompanying Boney M now that we’ve moved on to Brown Girl In The Ring. One of the biggest selling b-sides in history.

 

The Jam with a cover of the Kinks’ David Watts.

 

And then of course The Commodores who seem to have sent even themselves to sleep in the back of a car.

 

The Rezillos play us out with their homage to TOTP.

 

I can also recite all the words to Jilted John. Bear in mind I was at College and I am named John, I had Debbie Harry posters on my student digs wall, and one of my best friends was named Julie. To the amusement of many of our mutual friends. Ah, great days... B-)

 

I also know all the words to Oh What A Circus, latin bits included (even though I have no idea what they mean).

 

Of course I'll also come back with the standard, "I like Andy, Hi Tension and Bilbo" as well as all the others, type comment. I think I liked almost everything it seems.....

I can also recite all the words to Jilted John. Bear in mind I was at College and I am named John, I had Debbie Harry posters on my student digs wall, and one of my best friends was named Julie. To the amusement of many of our mutual friends. Ah, great days... B-)

 

I also know all the words to Oh What A Circus, latin bits included (even though I have no idea what they mean).

 

Of course I'll also come back with the standard, "I like Andy, Hi Tension and Bilbo" as well as all the others, type comment. I think I liked almost everything it seems.....

:lol:

The Bilbo song wasn't terrible, it just wasn't very good. It was one of those songs that I didn't remember at all.

Yep, I know all the words to Jilted John too - and I was only 1 when it came out.

 

I keep missing these now they've moved to Wednesday - damn!

Yep, I know all the words to Jilted John too - and I was only 1 when it came out.

 

I keep missing these now they've moved to Wednesday - damn!

 

 

Same here, always forget but always seemed to remember Thursdays. Think the Proms are over soon though!!

Some good stuff tonight although, inevitably there was some rubbish as well.

 

Herbie Hancock over the chart. His chart career was fairly modest for a man of his talents.

 

SPeaking of talents, the Dooleys were somewhat lacking in that department but they had rather more hits than Herbie Hancock. The women are dressed like something particularly creative from Great British Bake Off.

 

Siouxsie and the Banshees - that’s more like it. I wonder if Hong Kong Phooey ever went to their Hong Kong Garden.

 

More class with 10CC. Those visual effects were considered to be very clever back in the day. TOTP was the ideal show for the techies to demonstrate their latest gadget.

 

Klark Kent - don’t remember this at all. Still, we’re only two years away from the release of the sublime O Superman. Klark Kent was actually better known as Stewart Copeland of The Police.

 

Andy Gibb - see previous comments.

 

Exile - probably the best place for them. Note to the singer - when you’re nearly 30 and look older, that haircut (or lack of one) does not work.

 

Rezillos yet again but who’s complaining?

 

The obligatory appearance from Darts and a good thing too. The singer grew up to be Armando Iannucci.

 

Tony Blackburn getting excited for the appearance of Cliff Richard. Nobody else did.

 

The Commodores’ soporific dross still at number one.

 

And yet another airing for The British Hustle to play us out. Here endeth another 1978 Top of the Pops.

Exile - probably the best place for them. Note to the singer - when you’re nearly 30 and look older, that haircut (or lack of one) does not work.

 

Aye! :w00t:

Some good stuff tonight although, inevitably there was some rubbish as well.

 

Herbie Hancock over the chart. His chart career was fairly modest for a man of his talents.

 

SPeaking of talents, the Dooleys were somewhat lacking in that department but they had rather more hits than Herbie Hancock. The women are dressed like something particularly creative from Great British Bake Off.

 

Siouxsie and the Banshees - that’s more like it. I wonder if Hong Kong Phooey ever went to their Hong Kong Garden.

 

More class with 10CC. Those visual effects were considered to be very clever back in the day. TOTP was the ideal show for the techies to demonstrate their latest gadget.

 

Klark Kent - don’t remember this at all. Still, we’re only two years away from the release of the sublime O Superman. Klark Kent was actually better known as Stewart Copeland of The Police.

 

Andy Gibb - see previous comments.

 

Exile - probably the best place for them. Note to the singer - when you’re nearly 30 and look older, that haircut (or lack of one) does not work.

 

Rezillos yet again but who’s complaining?

 

The obligatory appearance from Darts and a good thing too. The singer grew up to be Armando Iannucci.

 

Tony Blackburn getting excited for the appearance of Cliff Richard. Nobody else did.

 

The Commodores’ soporific dross still at number one.

 

And yet another airing for The British Hustle to play us out. Here endeth another 1978 Top of the Pops.

amusin as always - that Exile singer surely he was pushing 40 judging by the bags under the eyes! :lol:

Not exactly a classic this week!

 

On the day this show was broadcast the Prime Minister James Callaghan announced that, against all expectations, he would not be calling for an election in October. Many people think he may just have won an election then rather than losing it to Thatcher the following May. Later that same day, The Who drummer Keith Moon died.

 

Frankie Valli over the chart rundown. Yes, more from that film.

 

The Jam again. That, of course, is a good thing.

 

Leo Sayer in a shirt even worse than the song. The song was written - and first recorded - by Billy Nicholls. His son is a touring member of Muse.

 

Bonry M again - tra la la la la. Those outfits must have had millions of people adjusting the contrast.

 

The Motors and Dee D Jackson cut from the early edit.

 

Herbie Hancock at greater length this week. Not really my thang but classy all the same.

 

Sylvester with his camp disco. An inspiration for Jimmy Somerville who even did a cover version of this very song.

 

Manhattan Transfer. Soft Cell did a far better version of Where Did Our Love Go as part of their brilliant version of Tainted Love three years later. The Man Tran version only got to number 40.

 

Hi Tension yet again. They are on even more than Darts. The big difference is that Darts were good. Indeed, if they had done a version of Where Did Our Love Go, it would have been far better than the Man Tran version.

 

Arthur Mullard and Hylda Baker with their Travolta / Newton-John spoof. Words cannot describe just how appalling this was.

 

And the Commodores are still number one. It was their fourth week although it felt more like four months at the time.

 

FInally a blissfully brief snatch of Crown Heights Affair.

 

Nothing from the Stranglers this week - their cover of Walk On By was on its way down the chart - but it is worth mentioning that today is Hugh Cornwell’s 64th birthday. That makes me feel really old. Even worse - David Soul is 70 today!

 

It’s Sky At Night week next week so TOTP is back in two weeks. The Proms will be over by then so it should be back to Thursday.

amusing and informative rundown, of course, though I have to add my twopenne'th pre-decimal bit B-)

 

Poor ol Hi Tension, they were pioneers of Brit funk which took off in the early 80's, I think David Joseph went on to brief solo success, and the older Hot Choc apart it was part of the UK's developing soul/funk/jazz sounds, if you like descendant of which is the current UK Grime scene (albeit rap-drum n bass-ised version). I quite liked 'em a bit anyway B-)

 

The Jam, saw 'em in concert, great band, but David Watts not their finest moment (nor the Kinks).

 

Frankie Valli is a legend, gutted he just cancelled his UK tour date in Bournemouth. Jersey Boys is awesome though.

 

Leo Sayer, thanks for the Muse info, makes up for inflicting this dirge on us.

 

Donnie Elbert & The Supremes did the best versions of WDOLG...IMHO...

 

I think you've been rather kind to Hylda & Arthur. More kind than I would be...

 

Crown Heights Affair came back in 1980 with that fantastic whoops and guitar riff disco banger You Gave Me Love. There has never been a better whooping & electric guitar harmony moment set to a dance rhythm. Or has there...? :lol:

amusing and informative rundown, of course, though I have to add my twopenne'th pre-decimal bit B-)

 

 

I think you've been rather kind to Hylda & Arthur. More kind than I would be...

It's not often that people say that when I've slagged someone off :lol: That was the only "performance" last night that required the mute button. That luxury wasn't available to me in 1978.

Arthur Mullard and Hylda Baker with their Travolta / Newton-John spoof. Words cannot describe just how appalling this was.

 

To be fair, they weren't miming in the studio like everyone else! But, yes, absolutely pointless release...and it made it all the way to #22.

Crown Heights Affair came back in 1980 with that fantastic whoops and guitar riff disco banger You Gave Me Love. There has never been a better whooping & electric guitar harmony moment set to a dance rhythm. Or has there...? :lol:

 

Flip it over and play the B-side, "Use Your Body And Soul" - an excellent disco tune with an early rap. Well worth listening to,

I have to say I way prefer the Utah Saints use of the whoop-whoops from You Gave Me Love as that is otherwise a very dull record.

Amazingly, according to Wiki, it wasnt Mr Arthur Mullard's first time in the recording studio, he had been recording albums since the 1960's destroying such classics as Yesterday and I Only Have Eyes For You!

 

Can you imagine if he was still alive, him auditioning for Simon Cowell on one of his shows :rofl:

Edited by fiesta

I have to say I way prefer the Utah Saints use of the whoop-whoops from You Gave Me Love as that is otherwise a very dull record.

 

 

That about sums up the Utah Saints entire recording career. Which song did they use a sample from "You Gave Me Love" on?

So, back to it’s proper home of Thursday night it’s time for another 30 minute trip down memory lane. Or at least it would be if they weren’t showing endless trailers. That never happened in 1978 apart from in the run-up to Christmas.

 

Paul Burnett presenting - Dave Lee Travis’s partner in crime on Convoy GB.

 

The Motors over the chart followed by The Buzzcocks with the brilliant Ever Fallen In Love (With Someoene You Shouldn’t’ve). The later cover by Fine Young Cannibals was also very good. Time for a new version?

 

Leo Sayer with one of his soporific ballads. Yawn.

 

Abba with one of their lesser hits. Summer Night City “only” reached number five.

 

Stephen Bishop filling this week’s “Don’t remember this one at all” slot. Maybe I just fell asleep whenever it came on the radio. Anyway, it wasn’t the hit Burnett predicted. In fact, it wasn’t a hit at all. Not even a bit.

 

Sylvester again with Legs & Co looking very colourful.

 

David Essex again as Che Guevara. If Ben Whishaw can sing, he could replace him today.

 

Three Degrees - I barely remember this but it reached number 12.

 

10CC at number one. Hurrah! Sadly, not only was this their last number one, it was their last top 40 hit apart from a re-release of I’m Not In Love.

 

Rose Royce to play out with a song later covered by Jimmy Nail.

 

And that’s it for another week.

 

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