Top of the Pops on BBC Four - Thread Three

[non capisco]

that little bloke that comes dancing out with the obscure pipe instrument

Oh, right. It's a clarinet, apparently.

I tried this exotic new edible brown paste made of yeast of all things on my toast yesterday. I doubt you guys will have heard of it. Can't remember the name but I think it begins with an upside down 'W'.

*goes and hits self in the face repeatedly*

[monkfromhavana]

It was all going so well, then "The Railway Children" turned up with their nice white chinos.

[monkfromhavana]

So what was no. 11 then?

[Norton Canes]

Jesus this second episode is really dying on its arse

[monkfromhavana]

Jesus this second episode is really dying on its arse

It was until 'Move Your Body" which I think is going to be the highlight of this episode. I've chatted to Richie (guy in the duffel coat who co-wrote the track) a few times on FB about different stuff and he's a lovely guy.

[Jackson K Pollock]

So what was no. 11 then?

It seems churlish, not to mention totally pointless to complain about a 30 year-old programme, but I'm absolutely livid that they stopped doing the top 40 countdown in full and are now just listing the new entries and climbers outside of the top 10. I'm hoping it's a short-lived change.

Not seen the second episode yet, but In Yer Face still seems as exciting and interesting to me as it did hearing it for the first time as a young ten and a half year old.

Edit: Here Comes The Hammer was every bit as good as Pray was terrible. Only familiar with the LP version, but that 7" mix has a real kick to it - I love it!

[non capisco]

It was all going so well, then "The Railway Children" turned up with their nice white chinos.

How that climbed the charts the following week is unfathomable, it's nothing-y in the extreme. I bet The Railway Children themselves forgot how that went halfway through playing it.

[A Hat Like That]

I've hit DJH ft. Stefy and ... wow.

[A Hat Like That]

No. Wait. Thunder.

[A Hat Like That]

Had a cheeky google based on MC Hammer.

How was 2 Legit 2 Quit such a flop here?

[daf]

14 February 1991: Presenter: Gary Davies

( 3 ) | NOMAD feat. M.C. MIKEE FREEDOM – (I Wanna Give You) Devotion
( 6 ) | KYLIE MINOGUE – What Do I Have To Do (video)



(12) | THE SOURCE feat. CANDI STATON – You Got The Love (video)
(16) | 808 STATE – In Yer Face
(17) | FREE – All Right Now (Live video)
(28) | THE RAILWAY CHILDREN – Every Beat Of The Heart
(21) | CHRIS ISAAK – Blue Hotel
( 4 ) | PRAISE – Only You
( 1 ) | THE SIMPSONS – Do The Bartman (video)
(24) | JIMMY BARNES & INXS – Good Times (video and credits)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[non capisco]

I've hit DJH ft. Stefy and ... wow.

The repeated "yeeee..c'mon" in that reminded me of Speak The Hungarian Rapper . Was hoping for a "business".

[Chicory]

Nice to see 808 State have jettisoned MC Sorted or whatever he was called.  Still bobbins though.  There's potential thread material in 'bands who arguably peaked with their debut hit'.

[monkfromhavana]

I've hit DJH ft. Stefy and ... wow.

I think you can excuse it as I'm sure their style of "perfomance" (including the bit where the guy just stares directly at the camera) was probably the norm on the Italian version of TOTP, but looked a bit weird over here. They didn't speak much English either, so maybe any stage directions were lost in translation.

Was a huge track BITD, but really hasn't survived the passing of time, whereas 'Move Your Body' still sounds fantastic.

Nice to see 808 State have jettisoned MC Sorted or whatever he was called.  Still bobbins though.  There's potential thread material in 'bands who arguably peaked with their debut hit'.

MC Tunes. Come on, 'In Yer Face' is fantastic, exactly the sort of record to hype up 13-year old kids. Not sure about Graham Massey's 360 spin on the keyboards though.

[Jockice]

How that climbed the charts the following week is unfathomable, it's nothing-y in the extreme. I bet The Railway Children themselves forgot how that went halfway through playing it.

I had it in my head they were a late 90s band. Like Travis or something. Only much less memorable.

[cosmic-hearse]

I didn't mind The Railway Children song (& dug the singer's button down shirt / chino combo - dreadful jacket though) but the bombastic drum sound and general production was off putting. I suppose this is what happens when these sort of bands signed to majors, but it would have sounded much better if it had been recorded like a Subway or Sarah Records 7".

[daf]

21 February 1991: Presenter: Mark Goodiebags

(23) | CHRIS REA – Auberge
(13) | KENNY THOMAS – Outstanding
(25) | D.J.H. feat. STEFY – Think About...   
(22) | THUNDER – Love Walked In (video)
- - - - - - - - - - - (Breakers) - - - - - - - - - - - -
(32) | JULIAN COPE – Beautiful Love (video)
(35) | STEVIE B – Because I Love You (The Postman Song) (video)
(33) | ROCKY V feat. JOEY B. ELLIS & TYNETTA HARE– Go For It (Heart And Fire) (video)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -



(28) | XPANSIONS – Move Your Body
(21) | M.C. HAMMER – Here Comes The Hammer (video)
( 4 ) | OLETA ADAMS – Get Here
( 1 ) | THE SIMPSONS – Do The Bartman (video)
(30) | LIVING COLOUR – Love Rears It's Ugly Head (video and credits)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[Better Midlands]

The Postman Song is Stevie B DAF.

[daf]

Oops!

[Norton Canes]

No, that was 808 State and Bjork

[Norton Canes]

Ah fuck, just hit the back button and lost my entire post on these two episodes.

[Norton Canes]

Oh well. In precis:

• In Yer Face is a blinder
• Did we even get close to having MBV in the studio?
• Something vaguely amusing about those Praise dancers
• Always makes me laugh in that video when Bart and his friends do jazz hands
• Kenny Thomas has ditched Skin. Careful KT, you don't want to get on her shit list
• D.J.H. feat. STEFY have probably snatched the accolade of worst TOTP performance ever from J.T. And The Big Family ‎doing Moments In Soul
• I see that Xpansions vocalist was in flop girl band Faith, Hope and Charity with Dani Behr
• The fantastic Love Rears Its Ugly Head was the best song tonight my some considerable distance
• Yep that's about it

[daf]

Appreciate the salvage job, Norton - I've had a few posts disappear - usually due to having five windows open and closing the wrong one!

[Billy]

In about 2011 I requested N-Trance - Set You Free at a trendy NE London club, which was rejected but they played Move Your Body as a compromise which I was happy with. Always odd hearing the original as I grew up with the later 1995(?) remix that charted later in the decade, that strange era when they re-released a load of rave tracks but with the breakbeats replaced with a thudding house beat.

Another thumbs up for 808 State here too, In Yer Face still sounded like the greatest thing ever to the 16 year old me getting into what had then become "old skool" in 2004.

[Better Midlands]

Nice interview with Richie Malone from 2019 about Elevation - the Quadrant Park clip is fantastic.

[monkfromhavana]

Nice interview with Richie Malone from 2019 about Elevation - the Quadrant Park clip is fantastic.

Sadly 'What You Want' wasn't the right choice for follow up.

[Better Midlands]

Sadly 'What You Want' wasn't the right choice for follow up.

I think the riff in What You Want is really strong, but it's a bit more vocally and the production and arrangement isn't quite there.

[Catalogue Trousers]

Forget anything that you've said before. That 14 February 1991 instalment is the most uninspiring and dispiritingly shit that TOTP has ever been.

[Norton Canes]

I dunno... I think that despite featuring Living Colour, the episode of the 21^st was marginally worse. In fact most of the second episodes in these double bills seem to be second best. Not sure if it's coincidence or whether a bit of viewing fatigue usually sets in.

[daf]

28 February 1991: Presenter: Jakki Brambles

(32) | N-JOI – Adrenalin
(18) | STEVIE B – Because I Love You (The Postman Song) (video)
( 8 ) | FREE – All Right Now (video)
(31) | MASSIVE – Unfinished Sympathy   



( 5 ) | THE CLASH – Should I Stay Or Should I Go (video)
- - - - - - - - - - - (Breakers) - - - - - - - - - - - -
(40) | QUARTZ introducing DINA CARROLL – It's Too Late (video)
(39) | MANTRONIX – Don't Go Messin' With My Heart (video)
(35) | THE ALMIGHTY – Free 'N' Easy (video)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
(34) | JESUS JONES – Who? Where? Why?
( 4 ) | THE SOURCE feat. CANDI STATON – You Got The Love (video)
( 2 ) | MADONNA – Crazy For You (video)
( 1 ) | THE SIMPSONS – Do The Bartman (video)
(23) | ROCKY V feat. JOEY B. ELLIS & TYNETTA HARE– Go For It (Heart And Fire) (video and credits)