Top of the Pops on BBC Four - Thread Three

[Jockice]

I have a soft spot foe that Jason Donovan track. As I've previously mentioned I and a guy from work had this thing going where we'd send messages to each other with whatever song we had in our head at that time (they're not earworms. We both objected strongly to that word) It lasted until he died about five years ago - carrying on even after I'd been made redundant and when he was being treated in hospital in his final days.

And it must have started in 1990 because the second song in my head I sent him was I'm Doing Fine. The first was  Judas Priest's Take On The World.

New page SAW point

[The Culture Bunker]

I actually think I remember Top Gun being on TV for the first time, it was a huge deal at the time.

Yeah, I'd have been nine years old at the time, and sure I can remember a big advert campaign promoting it. My initial view of it was that there was too much soppy stuff and not enough explosions. I'm not sure if I've watched it again since.

What I did like at the time, and still do, is the Aztec Camera/Mick Jones song. A friend of mine saw Aztec Camera on the tour for that album in Liverpool, and Jones joined the band onstage for this song.

[non capisco]

Did he get Mick Jones in because it sounds a lot like Rudi Can't Fail by The Clash?

Forgot to mention that PiL song, bit of an odd one. Lydon's vocal somewhat awkwardly crowbarred in against a bouncy pop chorus, doesn't really work. It's no 'Rise', is it?

[Chicory]

Yeah, I'd have been nine years old at the time, and sure I can remember a big advert campaign promoting it.

I didn't realise the unnecessary resurrection of 'Take My Breath Away' was just because bastard 'Top Gun' was on the telly. Simpler days. I thought it was due to that 'burning fields' Peugeot advert that was on heavy rotation around this time. This was after all a climate where having your song on an advert meant instant top 10 hit.

[daf]

25 October 1990: Presenter: Jakki Brambles

(14) | BELINDA CARLISLE – (We Want) The Same Thing
( 3 ) | THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS – Unchained Melody (video)
(22) | PUBLIC IMAGE LTD – Don't Ask Me (video)
( 8 ) | BERLIN – Take My Breath Away (video)
(26) | THE SOUP DRAGONS – Mother Universe (video)
(35) | JASON DONOVAN – I'm Doing Fine
(23) | PAUL SIMON – The Obvious Child (video)
- - - - - - - - - - - (Breakers) - - - - - - - - - - - -
(32) | GEORGE MICHAEL – Waiting For That Day (video)
(33) | ELTON JOHN – You Gotta Love Someone (video)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -



(29) | PAUL McCARTNEY – Birthday (video)
( 1 ) | THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH – A Little Time
(31) | ROXETTE – Dressed For Success (video and credits)

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


 

[Norton Canes]

18 October 1990: Presenter: Mark Goodier (Live)

First of all, I've got to say, isn't The Wizard holding up well on feem toon duties. Four and a half or so years in by now - though in pop terms 1986 seemed more like a decade away - and it sounds pretty fresh. I still do a vigorous head-bang to the first couple of bars each time it kicks in. Mts Canes says I'll do myself a mischief.   

(19) | A-HA – Crying In The Rain

No way to make a comeback. Flaccid.

(23) | AZTEC CAMERA & MICK JONES – Good Morning Britain  (video)

SHOULD'VE STUCK WITH THE QUIFF RODDY, LAD *** YOU'RE NOT IN RIDE AND YOUR HAIR LOOKS BAD

(33) | INNOCENCE – Let's Push It

One thing that's amazed me about these Pops repeats, right through from the late 70's ones, is that you're never more then a couple of episodes away from some really nice soul or funk tune, usually from a UK band, that you'd completely forgotten. Last one was The Chimes, now this.

(20) | HAPPY MONDAYS – Kinky Afro 

Yeah they got absolutely everything right with this one didn't they, from the best opening couplet ever, to the insouciant groove, the out-Marring guitar howl, Ryder's no-holds-barred confessional, Bez like a loping spectre... some records have poetry, some have soul... this has both in abundance 

(24) | RITA MacNEIL – Working Man  (video)

Nice how the choir saunters very hesitantly onto the stage, like the director has said to them, look, you're dressed as miners, so try to act like you're not supposed to be here

25 October 1990: Presenter: Jakki Brambles

Eurgh, stop eyeing Jakki up while she's doing her intro, seedy Ben Chaplain lookalike guy

Anyway, I see this episode features a horrendous Beatles parody from a bloke already at the arse end of his career... and Jason Donovan, aaah

(14) | BELINDA CARLISLE – (We Want) The Same Thing

So good. So well produced - brilliant intro, timpani is always a nice touch - and gloriously delivered by Belinda with a brazen growl

(22) | PUBLIC IMAGE LTD – Don't Ask Me (video)

Don't know if this is going to offend Lydon/PiL fans but I really like this. I mean it's shameless pop, but so what? Plenty of pop artists who can't make decent pop records to save their lives so seems only reasonable to let someone better have a go.

(26) | THE SOUP DRAGONS – Mother Universe (video)

Aargh, They got rid of the twiddly bit. The one in the chorus, on the original version - just a tiny thing but it totally made the song, and this version substitutes it with a horribly brassy parp. Ruined!

(35) | JASON DONOVAN – I'm Doing Fine

This thing is, I don't think this even sounds especially like The Beatles. To me it's more some jazzy 60's thing like Yeh Yeh. Stop getting getting the Beatles wrong wrong!

(29) | PAUL McCARTNEY – Birthday (video)

The Anniversary Waltz Part 2

( 1 ) | THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH – A Little Time

Oof, who lit this? Dave's casting a massive shadow over Briana, who's being swamped by an orange light that's not at all flattering.

Anyway. Remember, before the charts turned to utter shite, when it felt really good that a decent song had got to number one? Like your favourite team had topped the table, or the Tories had got a kicking in the latest by-election? Something that properly put a spring in your step. Times, eh.


Coming up next on Four: Some Really Nice Soul or Funk Tune, Usually from a UK Band, that you'd Completely Forgotten... at the BBC

[matjam13]

While checking out a discussion page on TOTP i saw a regular on the page who posts whenever Whitney Houston are 50% of the time just this

Whitney Houston. Bitch died on my 50th birthday.

[edon]

Forgot to mention, loved the gleeful abandon emanating from MC Tunes doing the singles page in the Smash Hits that was posted in here (and to a lesser extent, Robert Smith, who's quite honest about his own crap remix single whilst still telling people to go out and buy it). A shame that was likely his last appearance with 808 on TOTP last week though, wouldn't of minded seeing him one or two other times.

SHOULD'VE STUCK WITH THE QUIFF RODDY, LAD *** YOU'RE NOT IN RIDE AND YOUR HAIR LOOKS BAD

Roddy looks terrible, Jones looks just as bad as well. Never liked the painfully "clever" sixth formy lyrics in it - it's so "just a good song by a great songwriter" it hurts.

Also the amount of fat-shaming going around at this time on the show is something. Nicky Campbell calling Steve Miller a porker and now Mark Goodier introducing that miners country record saying "literally a huge star", chrissake. Not surprising for the times but still not great either.

[Egyptian Feast]

Don't know if this is going to offend Lydon/PiL fans but I really like this. I mean it's shameless pop, but so what?

The video for this appearing on The Chart Show was my first encounter with Lydon, so I have a soft spot for it. The way he sings 'toilet paper' makes the whole endeavour worthwhile.

[Better Midlands]

Jones looks just as B.A.D. as well.

[Johnboy]

I'm feeling old now , Happy Mondays are finally looking like young lads.

[non capisco]

Rowetta still looks exactly the same now, to be fair.

Top marks to Norton Canes for describing Bez as a "loping spectre", btw. That's perfect!

[Chicory]

I'm feeling old now , Happy Mondays are finally looking like young lads.

Yeah it's odd, that. As a youngster I thought Shaun Ryder looked absolutely dreadful - clearly a 40-something man singing about being 30 but shockingly only actually 27/28. His 1990 face looks positively cherubic now.

[kalowski]

Step Back In Time is a great track and, oh my, Kylie looks gorgeous!

[Icehaven]

Bloody hell I'd forgotten how much I loved 'Don't Worry' by Kim Appleby when I was 11. I'd forgotten the song even existed but I had the 7" which had the instrumental on the B side and I used to just play each side one after the other for ages. Bizarre.

[buzby]

It's not called CubikOlympic, Gary! It's a double A side!!! Olympic was commissioned to soundtrack Manchester's bid for the 2000 Olympics. It was later reworked to become the theme music for The Word (with a pitch-shifted sample of Darren Partington saying the title).

[monkfromhavana]

Bloody hell I'd forgotten how much I loved 'Don't Worry' by Kim Appleby when I was 11. I'd forgotten the song even existed but I had the 7" which had the instrumental on the B side and I used to just play each side one after the other for ages. Bizarre.

Was the highlight of that episode.

[Icehaven]

Was the highlight of that episode.

It was! So weird hearing it about 29 years after the last time I probably played it. Going to dig the vinyl out tomorrow.

[matjam13]

It's not called CubikOlympic, Gary! It's a double A side!!! Olympic was commissioned to soundtrack Manchester's bid for the 2000 Olympics. It was later reworked to become the theme music for The Word (with a pitch-shifted sample of Darren Partington saying the title).

And Mayo it's Close To Me not You.

[DrGreggles]

Bloody hell I'd forgotten how much I loved 'Don't Worry' by Kim Appleby when I was 11. I'd forgotten the song even existed but I had the 7" which had the instrumental on the B side and I used to just play each side one after the other for ages. Bizarre.

Great pop song. I've got the 12" somewhere.

[daf]

1 November 1990: Presenter: Simon Mayo

(16) | KIM APPLEBY – Don't Worry
(19) | ROBERT PALMER & UB40 – I'll Be Your Baby Tonight  (video)
(21) | BLACK BOX – Fantasy
( 5 ) | WHITNEY HOUSTON – I'm Your Baby Tonight  (video)
(22) | ROXETTE – Dressed For Success
(11) | RITA MacNEIL – Working Man  (video)
(15) | THE CURE – Close To Me  (video)
( 9 ) | KYLIE MINOGUE – Step Back In Time



( 1 ) | THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS – Unchained Melody  (video)
(25) | GEORGE MICHAEL – Waiting For That Day  (video and credits)

[non capisco]

Bob Stanley raised this point on Twitter this evening....does anyone actually remember Rita MacNeil from the time or is she something BBC4 have inserted as a gag just to fuck with us? We're now at the point where I remember the entirety of the chart and the contents of these episodes as clear as day EXCEPT FOR RITA MACNEIL. She directly followed Happy Mondays last week and I would surely have had something unkind to say about it at the time. But no, no memories. I can remember ridiculously minor details like the bass player from the Steve Miller Band leaning into frame and lolling his tongue out but Rita MacNeil and her army of miners are an utter blank. BBC4 have made her up as a joke to test us.

[daf]

Taking this theory seriously, if they did make it up, they'd also have had to go to the bother of deep-faking Simon Mayo's comments about the Miners/Village People in the outro link, so . . .

Spoiler alert

. . . it's REAL, Stanley, you crackpot!

[close]

[A Hat Like That]

First of two Gazza efforts this year in the second episode.

Enjoyed both thoroughly. Kim Appleby song a forgotten treat.

Dug through my vinyl to find I have the 7" of Unchained Melody from 1990.

Not TOTP but also loved the Glam Rock on the BBC played later

[dr beat]

I remember that Rita MacNeil track at the time, thinking it seemed such a curio.

[daf]

I'm betting Wogan was behind this - seems prime Radio 2 territory.

[Chicory]

Sign me up to the 'Don't Worry' fan club. Stonker of a tune. I was surprised to find it isn't a SAW creation and that's not necessarily throwing shade in this household. I sense Appleby and Ken Craig Logan knew what they were doing.

EMF were just half a dozen Fruitbats, pretty much. 'Unbelievable' might be a big dumb pointy foam hand of a record but I'm still very fond of it.

I react very badly to Lee Mavers. The way he stands, his facial expressions, even the way he strums his guitar. I'm kind of glad he disappeared.

[Egyptian Feast]

Bob Stanley raised this point on Twitter this evening....does anyone actually remember Rita MacNeil from the time or is she something BBC4 have inserted as a gag just to fuck with us? We're now at the point where I remember the entirety of the chart and the contents of these episodes as clear as day EXCEPT FOR RITA MACNEIL. She directly followed Happy Mondays last week and I would surely have had something unkind to say about it at the time. But no, no memories.

I'm afraid I do remember Rita MacNeil from the time, though I had completely forgotten about her until she cropped up again. I even remembered a good chunk of the words. Amazing what kind of shite you can have lying dormant in some dusty corner of the brain for decades.

I'm pretty sure I had my own puerile version of the chorus lyrics at the time, but haven't retained that data, sadly. Easy enough to imagine what they might've been though.

[daf]

8 November 1990: Presenter: Gary Davies

(22) | JASON DONOVAN – I'm Doing Fine
(15) | PAUL SIMON – The Obvious Child  (video)
(25) | EMF – Unbelievable
(30) | DEL AMITRI – Spit In The Rain  (video)
- - - - - - - - - - (Album Chart) - - - - - - - - - - -
( 5 ) | THE CHARLATANS – Then (video)
( 4 ) | GEORGE MICHAEL – Waiting For That Day (video)
( 3 ) | STATUS QUO – The Anniversary Waltz Part 1 (video)
( 2 ) | PAVAROTTI, DOMINGO & CARRERAS – O Sole Mio (live clip)
( 1 ) | ELTON JOHN – Sacrifice (video)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
(20) | THE LA'S – There She Goes
(11) | GAZZA & LINDISFARNE – Fog On The Tyne (Revisited)  (video)



(28) | JIMMY SOMERVILLE – To Love Somebody
( 1 ) | THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS – Unchained Melody  (video)
(29) | 808 STATE – Cubik/Olympic  (video and credits)

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

 

[Gulftastic]

'New Power Generation'from Prince & The NPG enters the chart. Don't think I've listened to it in 3 decades but I own at least 3 different vinyl versions.

And Nightmares On Wax! I went to school with George Evelyn. He once showed me a speaker he'd built.