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Top of the Pops on BBC Four - Thread Three

Started by daf, November 05, 2020, 08:25:18 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Icehaven

Quote from: non capisco on November 15, 2020, 11:36:59 PM
The nasal voice that all three members of Big Fun (and, curiously, both members of Yell!) somehow collectively channel their vocals through is some of the most unpleasantly toned singing I think I've ever heard. And that includes the wayward falsetto offering from whatsischops out of New Kids On The Block this week.

I don't remember that NKOTB song at all, and is it me or do they all look younger in that video than they did in earlier ones (particularly the curly haired one who looks about 12 anyway) Was it maybe recorded before?

Sebastian Cobb


non capisco

Quote from: icehaven on November 16, 2020, 05:29:50 PM
I don't remember that NKOTB song at all, and is it me or do they all look younger in that video than they did in earlier ones (particularly the curly haired one who looks about 12 anyway) Was it maybe recorded before?

I thought the same, the curly haired one looked like when one of your mates' mums forced them to take their little brother out with them. Oh, muuuuuuuuuum! It's embarrasing! He's not even twelve yet! What if we want to hang tough?!

I like the New Kid that looks like a cross between Lurch and a dog's dream of John Travolta. The camera seems to be trying its best to avoid him at the moment but wait til we get to 'Step By Step' when he gets his chance to show the world what he can do! You won't be able to understand why their management decided to keep his beautiful voice hidden under a bushel for so long!

buzby

#93
Quote from: daf on November 07, 2020, 07:35:02 PM
8 March 1990: Presenter: Bruno Brookes

( 8 )J.T. & THE BIG FAMILY – Moments In Soul
Do. Not. Want.
Another Italo sample-cobblefest, put together by the BHF Team - Paolo Bisiach, Christian Hornbostel and Mauro Ferrucci (who had previously been behind Don Pablo's Animals cover of Venus in 1989 - Ferrucci would later go on to be part of DB Boulevard, who had a hit with Point Of View in 2001). Both of the names they chose came from a famous Paduan record shop which at the time was owned by Paolo 'Don Pablo' Turiaco and his son Giovanni ''JT'.

They basically looped Moments In Love by The Art Of Noise and slapped the drum loop from Soul II Souls' Back To Life over it (along with some bits of Caron Wheeler's vocals from the acapella on the album) and the bassline from The O Jays' for The Love Of Money (that was currently doing the business on Chad Jackson's Hear The Drummer (Get Wicked) in the clubs - the 'A-haa' vocal sample from Back To Life was also nicked from this track), the girl's vocals from the intro to Milli Vanilli's Girl You Know it's True, the ubiquitous Run DMC 'OH YEAH!' and the EII Pacific Loon for good measure.

It had been picked up in the UK by London-based dance label Champion (good luck clearing that lot), so I presume had been brought back from Ibiza by Paul Oakenfold, who was A&R for them at the time. A follow-up single, Family Affair was released in October 1990 but it peaked at #90, and the BHF Team moved on to another alias, Nikita Warren.
Quote
(20)INNOCENCE – Natural Thing (video)
the first of 6 Top 40 hits for the UK production and writing team of Brian Harris and Steve & Anna Jolley, with session singer Gee Morris (she had provided backing vocals on the PSB's It's Alright in 1988). this track was primarily famous for the second half of the 12" mix basically being a (fully credited) dance remix of Shine On You Crazy Diamond (the 7" mix basically fades out just as 'Shine On' section starts).
Quote
(29)MARC ALMOND – A Lover Spurned
Marc still in prime 'torch singer' mode, this time with one of his own songs rather than a cover, with guest vocals from 'She Devil' Julie T. Wallace. The False Harmonics String Ensemble return for this performance (they played on the album too).
Quote
(15)BROS – Madly In Love
The sound of a boyband entering it's terminal 'diminishing returns' phase

jenna appleseed

#94
Quote from: buzby on November 16, 2020, 10:21:47 PM
this track was primarily famous for the second half of the 12" mix basically being a (fully credited) dance remix of Shine On You Crazy Diamond (the 7" mix basically fades out just as 'Shine On' section starts).

what the fuck /fuck my hat.

eta: good mix too.

non capisco


Quote from: buzby on November 16, 2020, 10:21:47 PM
UK production and writing team of Brian Harris and Steve & Anna Jolley

Around the same time as Innocence they were also behind Circuit - Shelter Me which was a big club hit and went on to have it's beat and vocal sampled to form a large chunk of FSOL - Papua New Guinea.

the

Quote from: Better Midlands on November 17, 2020, 06:38:57 AM... Circuit - Shelter Me which was a big club hit and went on to have it's beat and vocal sampled to form a large chunk of FSOL - Papua New Guinea.

I thought there were only a couple of little vocal yelps from the Shelter Me acapella in PNG. Other people sampled its vocal adlibs at greater length.

Quote from: the on November 17, 2020, 09:02:13 AM
I thought there were only a couple of little vocal yelps from the Shelter Me acapella in PNG. Other people sampled its vocal adlibs at greater length.

It's three bars of adlibs, you're right the track has been sampled to death Bizarre Inc - Playing With Knives and Prodigy - Your Love most famously.

Outside of Innocence and Shelter Me the production team didn't have much commercial success - but they left a big legacy on the UK house/rave scene.

Icehaven

I don't remember this song for Europe at all. It's exactly the kind of shit I'd have liked when I was 10 as well so I don't know how it passed me by. It sounds like I Want To Know What Love Is.

edon

Considering the context it's from I wouldn't be surprised if that was partly inspired by the Berlin Wall's fall and such. Don't know why they thought a Eurovision entry of all things should be that earnest and reflective of the world, but that's the post-Live Aid era for you.

Was half expecting Nicky Campbell to do his "funky soul black man" impression at the end when announcing Queen Latifah + De La Soul, but he held back this time. Who would've thought Anthea Turner would be the only one out of three different TOTP presenters to not mispronounce "Latifah" as well.

matjam13

Quote from: edon on November 20, 2020, 09:23:00 PM
Considering the context it's from I wouldn't be surprised if that was partly inspired by the Berlin Wall's fall and such. Don't know why they thought a Eurovision entry of all things should be that earnest and reflective of the world, but that's the post-Live Aid era for you.

Was half expecting Nicky Campbell to do his "funky soul black man" impression at the end when announcing Queen Latifah + De La Soul, but he held back this time. Who would've thought Anthea Turner would be the only one out of three different TOTP presenters to not mispronounce "Latifah" as well.
But Then Mispronounced Blue Savannah.

buzby

Quote from: daf on November 13, 2020, 11:52:28 PM
15 March 1990: Presenter: Simon Mayo

(27)THE MISSION – Deliverance
Old Potato Face back again so soon. Still doing the Bono shtick, though at least they have gone back to sounding 'goth' again. However, it does sound very like an imitation of The Sisters' Dominion.
Quote
(18)CANDY FLIP – Strawberry Fields Forever
Absolutely rank. A prime example of the 'stick the Funky Drummer/Back To Life loop on it = PROFIT' epidemic that would infest the charts. There was a great discussion of this in a contemporary NME Juke Box Jury panel featuring Mark E Smith, Paul Heaton and Peter Hooton here.
Quote
(24)PRIMAL SCREAM – Loaded
Hilarious. Bobby putting on his best Jagger impression for his one line. For this remix, Weatherall was instructed to 'just fucking destroy it' by Andrew Innes, which he certainly did. almost the entire vocal from I'm Losing More Than I'll Ever Have was discarded, and it was mostly elements from the end of the track that were reused.. The success of the single lead to Weatherall getting the gig to produce Screamadelica and the band finally getting a weekly wage off Alan McGee, the princely sum of £50 each.
Quote
(22)INSPIRAL CARPETS – This Is How It Feels
There weren't many pretty boys in the Madchester/Baggy scene, were there? Nice song with that 60s' vibe from Clint Boon's Farfisa Compact Duo organ (lucky Noel, having to hump that around). My only complaint is lyrically it's too slim and what there is is overly repeated.

Speaking of his Farfisa, it was left in TVC after one of their later TOTP appearances and they were never allowed to get it back. Luckily he had 3 others, one of which was lent to Noel for the last Oasis album.
Quote
( 4 )JIVE BUNNY & THE MASTERMIXERS – That Sounds Good To Me [/color]  (video)
Absolute toilet. Now we finally get to see the faces of the dickheads inflicting this shit on us. Andy Pickles and Ian Morgan, with Andy's dad John putting in a brief appearnace later in the video. George 'Porky' Peckham cut the laquer for this - a waste of the great man's talents.
Quote
( 1 )BEATS INTERNATIONAL feat. LINDY LAYTON – Dub Be Good To Me
The second Prophet 5 has bee replaced with a Minimoog Model D. A classic duo.
Quote
(28)49ers – Don't You Love Me  (video and credits)
Now this is a lot better than their previous Black Box knockoff. A decent stab at more of a New York sound. The backing track was recycled from a previous Bortolotti production - You Make Me Funky by DJ Magic Max, but with some Jody Watley vocal samples to make up the chorus, and verses sung by frontwoman Dawn Mitchell

daf

Quote from: buzby on November 20, 2020, 10:18:25 PM
There was a great discussion of this in a contemporary NME Juke Box Jury panel featuring Mark E Smith, Paul Heaton and Peter Hooton here.

Of course, Paul Heaton would know what the biggest selling single of the year was!

(Come on Paul - stop lurking, and get stuck in!)

daf

#104
29 March 1990: Presenter: Nicky Campbell

(22)BIZZ NIZZ – Don't Miss The Partyline
(23)HEART – All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You (video)
( 3 )CANDY FLIP – Strawberry Fields Forever



(14)INSPIRAL CARPETS – This Is How It Feels
(26)JIMMY SOMERVILLE – Read My Lips (Enough Is Enough)
(24)THE FAMILY STAND – Ghetto Heaven
(21)JAM TRONIK – Another Day In Paradise
( 1 )SNAP – The Power (video)
(18)QUEEN LATIFAH & DE LA SOUL – Mama Gave Birth To The Soul Children (video and credits)

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



jenna appleseed

Mr. Candy Flip on the cover of Smash Hits there looks like he's just failed the audition for replacement Pob.

daf

5 April 1990: Presenter: Anthea Turner

(16)HAPPY MONDAYS – Step On
( 4 )MADONNA – Vogue (video)
( 6 )THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS – Birdhouse In Your Soul
(14)QUEEN LATIFAH & DE LA SOUL – Mama Gave Birth To The Soul Children (video)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
( - )EMMA – Give A Little Love Back To The World (Eurovision)   
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
(11)UB40 – Kingston Town (video)
( 9 )JASON DONOVAN – Hang On To Your Love
( 1 )SNAP – The Power



(17)ALANNAH MYLES – Black Velvet (video and credits)

Catalogue Trousers

Well, apart from Vogue and Birdhouse, that just might be the shittiest Pops line-up that I've ever seen.

QuotePrimal Scream doing Loaded was hilarious, Bobby Gillespie had literally one line to sing so spent 95% of the time waving a maraca looking like he was about to sing but then not. Didn't think that through did they.

Hoo boy. Just wait till we get to I'm Free, which can't be too far down the line. 'I'm free to do what I choose, get my booze!' Whoa, slow down there, Mr Anarchist!

Captain Z

How common was it for charting songs to never feature on TOTP around this time? I noticed that Ben Liebrand remix of Black Betty hanging around the top 20 for several weeks (peaked at #13) but I don't think it ever got played, not even in a breakers or credits section.

daf

With something like that, it was probably down to no act available for a performance, or the video wasn't suitable, or existed - not sure if they made one for Black Betty 1990 - can't find one on youtube anyway.

This, of course, wouldn't have been a problem during the Go's Jo's / Pan's People / Ruby Flipper / Legs & Co / Zoo Wanker era - who's existance was originally to stand in for US acts that couldn't make it into the studio, and hadn't made a promo film to show.

Another factor is that they wouldn't play a song if it was going down the chart, so if something entered at say Number 2, and they didn't happen to play it that week, even if it hung around the Top 10 for the next month, but slipped a few places each week, it would never be shown.

(They changed this rule in the 90's when every song's first week was their highest - due to the 99p first week discount madness)

Norton Canes

On the subject of banned songs, let's acknowledge the best single in the current TOTP top 40: E-Zee Posse & MC Kinky's belter Everything Starts with an 'E', with its Beeb-baiting chorus "Eh, eh, eh, eh, ECSTACY!" - the Posse being Boy George protégé Kinky, Jeremy 'Haysi' Healy and Simon 'scored various episodes of Dalziel and Pascoe' Rogers (George is also credited on the song as 'Angela Dust', nice). Though these days I suspect the song might be more likely to receive a ban for cultural appropriation rather than drugs references.

Anyway

Quote from: daf on November 21, 2020, 09:27:36 AM
29 March 1990: Presenter: Nicky Campbell

I notice that the CYPHER GRAPHICS are no longer being played at the end of each performance/video. They're sadly approaching their end of days.

Quote
(22)NIZZ, BIZZ – Don't Miss The Partyline

Are those dancers small or far away?

Quote
( 3 )FLIP, CANDY – Strawberry Fields Forever



Hang on, wha..? Candy Flip were a duo?! So those lads gooning about in the background are dancers? Mind blown! They bland in so perfectly. I'll leave that typo.

Quote
(14)CARPETS, INSPIRAL – This Is How It Feels
Quote from: buzby on November 20, 2020, 10:18:25 PMMy only complaint is lyrically it's too slim and what there is is overly repeated

Yeah, absolutely. For a song that tells a story it's frustratingly short of a conclusion. It definitely needs a new third verse, or maybe a rap in the middle eight. 

Quote
(26)SOMERVILLE, JIMMY – Read My Lips (Enough Is Enough)

My daughter's comment: "He doesn't have any lips"

Quote
(24)STAND, THE FAMILY – Ghetto Heaven

Nice scarf. Thinking it might have been a late addition to wrest attention from the hareem pants.

Quote
(21)TRONIK, JAM – Another Day In Paradise

Missed the chance to put a paint pot on the D-20


Quote from: daf on November 21, 2020, 10:41:46 PM
5 April 1990: Presenter: Anthea Turner

(16)MONDAYS, HAPPY – Step On

Go, Rowetta. She's brilliant.

Quote
( 4 )MADONNA – Vogue (video)

Know what bugs me about this? The way Madge name-checks 'Harlow, Jean' just so she can get the rhyme with 'queen'. What a lazy cop-out. 'Harlow, Jean' is how she'd be listed in the phone book. No-one called her 'Harlow, Jean'.

Quote
( - )EMMA – Give A Little Love Back To The World (Eurovision)   

Had a guess where it finished. Went for 9th, turned out it ended up
Spoiler alert
9th
[close]
. Ah, the heady Euro-centric days when we could foist shit like this upon them and still finish in the top 10.

Quote
( 9 )DONOVAN, JASON – Hang On To Your Love

This has to be one of the last zero-effort identikit SAW productions to limp onto the show, doesn't it? We've got Kylie's Rhythm Of Love singles up soon, which sees the team go out on something of a high.

Captain Z

Quote from: daf on November 22, 2020, 12:17:18 AM
With something like that, it was probably down to no act available for a performance, or the video wasn't suitable, or existed - not sure if they made one for Black Betty 1990 - can't find one on youtube anyway.

This, of course, wouldn't have been a problem during the Go's Jo's / Pan's People / Ruby Flipper / Legs & Co / Zoo Wanker era - who's existance was originally to stand in for US acts that couldn't make it into the studio, and hadn't made a promo film to show.

Another factor is that they wouldn't play a song if it was going down the chart, so if something entered at say Number 2, and they didn't happen to play it that week, even if it hung around the Top 10 for the next month, but slipped a few places each week, it would never be shown.

(They changed this rule in the 90's when every song's first week was their highest - due to the 99p first week discount madness)

Interesting to know. It's a few years away, and obviously after they changed their rules, but I remember a 1998 episode where Stardust's Music Sounds Better With You gets played for the first time. They just played a load of stock 70s disco footage over it and the presenter introduced it saying 'see if you can spot your mum and dad in here somewhere'.

Norton Canes

Quote from: Norton Canes on November 22, 2020, 11:57:36 AM
Had a guess where it finished. Went for 9th, turned out it ended up
Spoiler alert
9th
[close]
. Ah, the heady Euro-centric days when we could foist shit like this upon them and still finish in the top 10

(That's meant to be
Spoiler alert
6th
[close]
)

edon

Quote from: Captain Z on November 22, 2020, 01:38:40 PM
Interesting to know. It's a few years away, and obviously after they changed their rules, but I remember a 1998 episode where Stardust's Music Sounds Better With You gets played for the first time. They just played a load of stock 70s disco footage over it and the presenter introduced it saying 'see if you can spot your mum and dad in here somewhere'.
Apparently there's a lot of instances in the late 90s where they just didn't put a song on at all if the artist wasn't available for the studio, even if there was a video that could be shown - Ray Of Light by Madonna is definitely one.

phantom_power

Quote from: Catalogue Trousers on November 21, 2020, 11:38:35 PM
Well, apart from Vogue and Birdhouse, that just might be the shittiest Pops line-up that I've ever seen.

Hoo boy. Just wait till we get to I'm Free, which can't be too far down the line. 'I'm free to do what I choose, get my booze!' Whoa, slow down there, Mr Anarchist!

Isn't it "blues"?

As shit as that Candy Flip song is, it does sum up what was great about dance music at the time. That DIY ethic of being able to knock something up in your bedroom and get on TOTP. I am sure someone will tell me that they were just a front for a cynical record company cash-grab but I'M NOT LISTENING.

Ghetto Heaven is an absolute stormer of a record. Sort of a proto Unfinished Sympathy

non capisco

Quote from: phantom_power on November 23, 2020, 01:49:12 PM
Ghetto Heaven is an absolute stormer of a record. Sort of a proto Unfinished Sympathy

The vocal melody reminded me of Faith No More's 'Evidence', enough for me to wonder if it was a direct steal by Patton and co. But, yeah, one of the best things that's been on for a while. Love the Queen Latifah/De La Soul tune as well, as evidently did the producers as it's the only non-chart topping song I can remember being on three weeks in a row.

Quote from: phantom_power on November 23, 2020, 01:49:12 PM
Ghetto Heaven is an absolute stormer of a record. Sort of a proto Unfinished Sympathy

The version we all know and love is the excellent Jazzie B & Nellee Hooper remix and they certainly took it in that direction - the original is a lot more swingbeat.

DrGreggles

Quote from: phantom_power on November 23, 2020, 01:49:12 PM
Ghetto Heaven is an absolute stormer of a record.

Indeed. Directly led to me buying my first Sly Stone album too after a moment of confusion in my local record shop...

Gulftastic

Quote from: non capisco on November 16, 2020, 08:09:51 PM


I like the New Kid that looks like a cross between Lurch and a dog's dream of John Travolta. The camera seems to be trying its best to avoid him at the moment but wait til we get to 'Step By Step' when he gets his chance to show the world what he can do! You won't be able to understand why their management decided to keep his beautiful voice hidden under a bushel for so long!

Aye, everyone should look out for what 'STEP ONE!' means to him.

It's my favourite NKOTB thing. My second favourite is in their Bealtes rip off 'Tonight' when they set the record for the longest pronunciation of the word 'girls' in a boy band song.

crankshaft

Quote from: Gulftastic on November 24, 2020, 05:47:49 PM
Aye, everyone should look out for what 'STEP ONE!' means to him.

It's my favourite NKOTB thing.

And now it's mine too. That's fucking amazing.