It's unforgiveable they cut Buzzcocks for Barron Knights, yes absolutely, one of the candidates for most worthless 3 minutes committed to vinyl ever. Not funny, not even on first hearing, and no musical merit whatsoever. It's not often I loathe a record, but....

 

still, I rather like sweet, well-produced soul myself, so Heatwave and Bee Gees a plus for me, Chic a must - all 3 writers went on to success in the 80's, 90's, 00's and 10's as writers if not artists.. Rod Temperton, Brit from Oop North I think, Thriller and all that Jacko stuff B-) Kerching every halloween I think...

 

Darts, yes never quite the same without mad Den, though this one has aged well.

 

I have never found Rod sexy either, Kenny was hilarious, but the synth riffs in the record and the chorus are delicious. I hope the Everett spoof is on youtube.... :lol:

Seek and ye shall find...

 

Ok Barron Knights was terrible, but it did kinda make me laugh!

 

When you're working

The boredom's lurking

There must be something new to do

The dentist's kengo, and have a little Aggro

'Cause he can take it out on you..

Aahhhhh....

(Open wider please)

Aahhhhhhhhh....

(A little wider)

Aaaaahhhhhhhhhhh....

(This won't hurt)

AAAHHHarghhhhhh...

(Much)

(To the tune of "Rivers of Babylon":)

There's a dentist in Birmingham, he fixed my crown

And as I slept, he filled my mouth with iron

He said "Rinse out your mouth, with the medication spit it out

In the receptacle by your side, on the right"

(Gurgle, spit)

NO! The RIGHT!

(Gurgle, spit, CLANG)

(Original song:)

No-one would listen to the Smurfs in prison

So they jumped over the wall

A policemen saw them, he chased and caught them,

this is what he asked them all:

(To the tune of "The Smurf Song":)

"Where are you all coming from?"

We're from Dartmoor, on the run

"How did you work out your route?"

We followed the arrows on our suit

"What were you in Dartmoor for?"

We borrowed a safe from the bank next door

"And why do you all talk this way?"

Cause we're from Catford, ain't we, eh?

Laaalaaalalalalalalalaalaa (etc...)

(To the tune of "Matchstalk men":)

With big rosettes and coloured scarves

They go to cheer their favourite stars

They all look forward to their Saturdays

There's one young lad walks down our street

With Bovver Boots upon his feet

And an aerosol can of paint he freely sprays

And he painted Grandad's Bike and next door's cats and dogs

He sprayed a couple on the corner of the street that were having a snog

He fell down on his can, and his aerosol went 'bang'

And all they found was a flat cap and his clogs

(To the tune of "The Smurf Song":)

Lala lalalalaaaa Lala lalalalaaaaa etc....

 

:lol:

Edited November 15, 201311 yr by fiesta

My fave Rod record and I'd have dropped the awful Buzzcocks for Barron Knights too, as it was a good comedy record.

Edited November 21, 201311 yr by Common Sense

Earth Wind & Fire over the chart. Standard 70s disco.

 

And we open proceedings with Rocky Sharpe & The Replays. Another doo wop revial band. Sharpe worked with Den Hegarty and Rita Ray before they helped to form Darts.

 

Hot Chocolate with their attempt to prove that they can leave their comfort zone occasionally. I’ll Put You Together Again is a bit different from their normal fare. There’s even an X Factor type choir.

 

Buzzcocks survive the edit this week. Hurrah!

 

Another Elkie Brooks ballad. Not her finest hour but still passable.

 

And it’s the disco Dr Who again to serve as a reminder that An Adventure In Space And Time is on later followed, back on BBC4 by the very first Dr Who adventure.

 

Darts and the Barron Nights cut from this edit. Buzzcocks get their revenge! However, that’s no excuse for also cutting Ian Dury.

 

Barbra Streisand with an excruciatingly dull ballad with Neil Diamond.

 

Chic again. There’s rather a lot of stuff we heard last week.

 

Elton John with a mostly instrumental piece. Just him and the piano until he finally remembers the words at the end. Not that there were many words to remember.

 

So on to Boney M at number one. There was a cotton wool shortage after their costumes had been made.

 

And, on this cold November night we finish with Heatwave. Oh my lord.

 

That was the 14 December edition. Due to strike action there was no TOTP on 21 December so next week there is a 1977 compilation followed, presumably by The Sky At Night. It may be that this was the last until next year when we reach 1979.

Hi all, I have been off the internet for ages and ages, and what with work commitments being so heavy this time of year, I had very limited access to public computers as well, so could not post on this thread until now.

 

Not that this thread has missed me at all! Been chubbing along nicely, thanks to sharp contributions from suedehead and popcharkfreak and others.

 

Please continue your analyses suedehead - some of us can't do it, some of us are working sixty hours a week!!!! Yikes!!!!! :wacko:

 

Have been following the programmes, up to the end of 1978 now. Amazing how times change, and music with it. What is also amazing is that these programmes are still going out, in spite of all the adverse publicity about jimmy Savile and DLT and other celebrities. Good that they are.

 

This is the most posted on thread in the retro section, so clearly there is still great interest in these old top of the pops fossils.

 

Take care,

 

BC

Thanks for your comments BC. It looks like I'll be getting a break from this until the beginning of next year unless I do the Christmas show which I assume will be on at some point. All the omitted DLT and Savile shows mean we have reached the end of the year already.

Thanks for your comments BC. It looks like I'll be getting a break from this until the beginning of next year unless I do the Christmas show which I assume will be on at some point. All the omitted DLT and Savile shows mean we have reached the end of the year already.

 

ditto, condolences on the 60 hours you must be knacked! :(

ditto, condolences on the 60 hours you must be knacked! :(

 

yes! But anything to pay the bills!

 

Ain't nothing going on but the rent.................... : :w00t:

7th December 1978 (Jimmy)

 

http://vimeo.com/79591445

Thanks again to davetaylor for his link, will be "best of" top of the pops editions from the late 1970's over Christmas, mostly presented by Noel Edmonds, according to my tv guide. Let's hope that HE is not accused of anything in the next few days!

 

1978 was an excellent year for music in my view, good mix of music, talented artists emerging, good strong record sales. Vintage year.

The story of 1979 is on, on this Friday 9pm BBC4

And so, after a gap of a few weeks the Top of the Pops re-runs (at least the ones they are able to show) are back with an episode fronted by Mike Read.

 

We start with the 15th anniversary programme with a death record from Paul Evans.

 

Some Generation X to give us a chance to witness Billy Idol sneering his way through a song, the wonderful King Rocker.

 

Elton John still taking a long time to remember the words of Song For Guy and wearing a cap to cover most of his real hair.

 

Earth Wind and Fire with their usual disco drivel.

 

A true classic from Ian Dury and the Blockheads. His rhythm stick served him very well!

 

Then we have to put up with Olivia Newton-John and her dramatic head shakes.

 

The decline continues as we get Racey.

 

Barry White with a predictably awful version of Billy Joel’s Just The Way You Are. Joel himself was in the top 40 with My Life, a far better song. Is this the price we had to pay for getting Ian Dury?

 

And the price gets even higher with Brotherhood Of Man - always terrible but this is particularly dire. Thankfully we heard their last top 40 hit early last year in the 1978 repeats. This didn’t even make the top 75. What a shame.

 

And Village People at number one. Who would have guessed at the time how long this campery would endure? And no sign of those actions we all know and love. When did they start?

 

We end with Hot Chocolate with a song that managed to be different from their usual output.

 

By the way, will the Mike Read shows have to be dropped in the European election period because of his public support for UKIP?

Full Top 40 from the week featured.

 

Sunday Chart Presenter: Andy Peebles

 

Week Ending 06 January 1979

 

1 ( 2 ) Village People - YMCA ( 7 Wks )

2 ( 1 ) Boney M - MARY'S BOY CHILD ( 6 Wks )

3 ( 6 ) Racey - LAY YOUR LOVE ON ME ( 7 Wks )

4 ( 3 ) Barron Knights - A TASTE OF AGGRO ( 6 Wks )

5 ( 10 ) Elton John - SONG FOR GUY ( 4 Wks )

6 ( 13 ) Ian Dury And The Blockheads - HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK ( 5 Wks )

7 ( 5 ) Barbra Streisand And Neil Diamond - YOU DON'T BRING ME FLOWERS ( 7 Wks )

8 ( 4 ) Bee Gees - TOO MUCH HEAVEN ( 7 Wks )

9 ( 7 ) Sarah Brightman And Hot Gossip - I LOST MY HEART TO A STARSHIP TROOPER ( 9 Wks )

10 ( 9 ) Chic - LE FREAK ( 8 Wks )

11 ( 8 ) Rod Stewart - DA YA THINK I'M SEXY? ( 8 Wks )

12 ( 12 ) Heatwave - ALWAYS AND FOREVER / MIND BLOWING DECISIONS ( 10 Wks )

13 ( 11 ) John Travolta - GREASED LIGHTNING ( 6 Wks )

14 ( 18 ) Dollar - SHOOTING STAR ( 9 Wks )

15 ( 14 ) Chaka Khan - I'M EVERY WOMAN ( 6 Wks )

16 ( 23 ) Hot Chocolate - I'LL PUT YOU TOGETHER AGAIN ( 6 Wks )

17 ( 16 ) Musique - IN THE BUSH ( 8 Wks )

18 ( 24 ) Earth Wind And Fire - SEPTEMBER ( 5 Wks )

19 ( 20 ) Clash - TOMMY GUN ( 6 Wks )

20 ( 26 ) Buzzcocks - PROMISES ( 7 Wks )

21 ( 32 ) Olivia Newton John - A LITTLE MORE LOVE ( 4 Wks )

22 ( 17 ) Blondie - HANGING ON THE TELEPHONE ( 9 Wks )

23 ( 21 ) Leo Sayer - RAINING IN MY HEART ( 7 Wks )

24 ( 35 ) Paul Evans - HELLO THIS IS JOANNE ( 4 Wks )

25 ( 22 ) Darts - DON'T LET IT FADE AWAY ( 9 Wks )

26 ( 25 ) Mankind - DOCTOR WHO ( 7 Wks )

27 ( 19 ) Father Abraham And The Smurfs - CHRISTMAS IN SMURFLAND ( 6 Wks )

28 ( 27 ) Funkadelic - ONE NATION UNDER A GROOVE ( 5 Wks )

29 ( 38 ) Barry White - JUST THE WAY YOU ARE ( 4 Wks )

30 ( 15 ) Elkie Brooks - DON'T CRY OUT LOUD ( 9 Wks )

31 ( 33 ) Sylvester - DANCE (DISCO HEAT) ( 8 Wks )

32 ( 37 ) Sally Oldfield - MIRRORS ( 5 Wks )

33 ( 42 ) Anne Murray - YOU NEEDED ME ( 5 Wks )

34 ( 34 ) Electric Light Orchestra - ELO EP ( 5 Wks )

35 ( 40 ) Rachel Sweet - BABY ( 5 Wks )

36 ( 31 ) Dan Hartman - INSTANT REPLAY ( 12 Wks )

37 ( 28 ) Boomtown Rats - RAT TRAP ( 13 Wks )

38 ( 36 ) Billy Joel - MY LIFE ( 6 Wks )

39 ( 29 ) Showaddywaddy - PRETTY LITTLE ANGEL EYES ( 10 Wks )

40 ( 67 ) Driver 67 - CAR 67 ( 3 Wks )

 

Edited January 9, 201411 yr by smiffj

And so, after a gap of a few weeks the Top of the Pops re-runs (at least the ones they are able to show) are back with an episode fronted by Mike Read.

 

We start with the 15th anniversary programme with a death record from Paul Evans.

 

Some Generation X to give us a chance to witness Billy Idol sneering his way through a song, the wonderful King Rocker.

 

Elton John still taking a long time to remember the words of Song For Guy and wearing a cap to cover most of his real hair.

 

Earth Wind and Fire with their usual disco drivel.

 

A true classic from Ian Dury and the Blockheads. His rhythm stick served him very well!

 

Then we have to put up with Olivia Newton-John and her dramatic head shakes.

 

The decline continues as we get Racey.

 

Barry White with a predictably awful version of Billy Joel’s Just The Way You Are. Joel himself was in the top 40 with My Life, a far better song. Is this the price we had to pay for getting Ian Dury?

 

And the price gets even higher with Brotherhood Of Man - always terrible but this is particularly dire. Thankfully we heard their last top 40 hit early last year in the 1978 repeats. This didn’t even make the top 75. What a shame.

 

And Village People at number one. Who would have guessed at the time how long this campery would endure? And no sign of those actions we all know and love. When did they start?

 

We end with Hot Chocolate with a song that managed to be different from their usual output.

 

By the way, will the Mike Read shows have to be dropped in the European election period because of his public support for UKIP?

 

 

amusing as ever, though I'm plugging my January charts for an alternative view of 1979 pop! :lol:

 

YMCA actions were years later - about the time I got sick of hearing it, beloved of the masses though it still is (Number one in my charts too of course in 1979).

 

Hot Choc were of course fab and ever-changing stylistically, so nothing much "usual" about it. Love Is Life hippy pop is different from Brother Louie soul and Emma deathballad and You Sexy Thing discofunk and Every 1's A Winner throbbing guitar rockfunk and I'll Put You Together gentle showtune and No Doubt About It synthUFO pop and So You Win Again a proper Russ Ballard Argent-ballad-cum-soul winner. Just saying..... B-) (OK I'm a huge fan...!)

 

Didn't Billy Idol get banned for appearing later in the year in a skimpy outfit..(or at least trying to appear in it)...?

 

amusing as ever, though I'm plugging my January charts for an alternative view of 1979 pop! :lol:

 

YMCA actions were years later - about the time I got sick of hearing it, beloved of the masses though it still is (Number one in my charts too of course in 1979).

 

Hot Choc were of course fab and ever-changing stylistically, so nothing much "usual" about it. Love Is Life hippy pop is different from Brother Louie soul and Emma deathballad and You Sexy Thing discofunk and Every 1's A Winner throbbing guitar rockfunk and I'll Put You Together gentle showtune and No Doubt About It synthUFO pop and So You Win Again a proper Russ Ballard Argent-ballad-cum-soul winner. Just saying..... B-) (OK I'm a huge fan...!)

 

Didn't Billy Idol get banned for appearing later in the year in a skimpy outfit..(or at least trying to appear in it)...?

To my ears You Sexy Thing, So You Win Again and Every 1's A Winner all sound very similar I'm afraid. I'm sure you can tell I am not a fan :P

To my ears You Sexy Thing, So You Win Again and Every 1's A Winner all sound very similar I'm afraid. I'm sure you can tell I am not a fan :P

 

 

I'm a fan but not a huge one. I can never understand why So You Win Again reached No.1. Not a patch on You Sexy Thing but that did have Bo Rap in it's way! :(

Bo Rap: stopped You Sexy Thing (3 weeks), Trail Of The Lonesome Pine (2 weeks), I Believe In father Christmas (2 weeks), Glass Of Champagne (2 weeks), When You Tell Me That You Love Me (1 week and thank goodness for that), Justified And Ancient (2 weeks) and Everybody In The Place (1 week) all getting to number one. Covering records that originated/charted in the 30's, 70's, 80's, 90's, 00's.

 

Personally I'd have preferred a shorter run at the top, just covering 2 of Hot Chocs weeks, Laurel & hardy's 2, Diana Ross & The Prodigy's run....

 

I'd much rather listen to Greg lake, Sailor, KLF any day.... B-)

According to Wikipedia, the YMCA dance originated on 6th January 1979 whilst they were performing on the Dick Clark Tv show in US, the Audience began diong it and it has stuck ever since.

Not commenting specifically on any one programme (mainly because I probably won't be around to do a weekly commentary most of the time this year!) although I did enjoy the top of the pops 1979 documentary over Christmas - nice to see Jah Wobble being interviewed, for a change.

B-)

1979 will go down as a good year for singles sales in the UK, but I thought that the year was a bit flat compared to the years just before it. 1977 saw punk, 1978 an explosion of really good disco stuff.

Punk had been watered down a bit by '79, and although disco was still going well, classics like 1977's I Feel Love would not be repeated later in the decade (Chic were cool, of course, but their records were not as innovative as Donna Summer's early successes were).

Historically most years before the beginning of the next decade seem a bit flat in terms of pop music innovations. For example, by 1959 the early rawness of commercial rock and roll had lost its power, and indeed it had also lost some of its exponents, such as Buddy Holly, for instance.

The Beatles had all but broken up by the end of 1969, and bubblegum records by the Archies were topping the charts.

 

I see 1979 in the same light, some good music, some variety, but not as vintage as previous years.

 

But keep up the good work on this thread, people - great to see views put forward by some really knowledgeable pop fans.

 

BC B-)

Not commenting specifically on any one programme (mainly because I probably won't be around to do a weekly commentary most of the time this year!) although I did enjoy the top of the pops 1979 documentary over Christmas - nice to see Jah Wobble being interviewed, for a change.

B-)

1979 will go down as a good year for singles sales in the UK, but I thought that the year was a bit flat compared to the years just before it. 1977 saw punk, 1978 an explosion of really good disco stuff.

Punk had been watered down a bit by '79, and although disco was still going well, classics like 1977's I Feel Love would not be repeated later in the decade (Chic were cool, of course, but their records were not as innovative as Donna Summer's early successes were).

Historically most years before the beginning of the next decade seem a bit flat in terms of pop music innovations. For example, by 1959 the early rawness of commercial rock and roll had lost its power, and indeed it had also lost some of its exponents, such as Buddy Holly, for instance.

The Beatles had all but broken up by the end of 1969, and bubblegum records by the Archies were topping the charts.

 

I see 1979 in the same light, some good music, some variety, but not as vintage as previous years.

 

But keep up the good work on this thread, people - great to see views put forward by some really knowledgeable pop fans.

 

BC B-)

 

start of the year, yes more of a continuation, but by years end we had Gary Numan and birth of futurist/new romantic pop acts (with Bowie's/Kraftwerk & co's earlier pioneering, admittedly), 2-tone ska revival, and rap with Sugarhill gang, not to mention Police and big new pop acts emerging from New Wave, which sowed the seeds for 1980/81 and the ultimate Brit invasion of the very lethargic USA music scene. B-)