Topic: Top of the Pops on BBC Four - Thread Two.

[Norton Canes]

(14) CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT – Name & Number
Pick Up (I Feel Like Checking an) Answering Machine

So this is actually the origin of the "Hey how are ya doin'" line used by De La Soul? I assumed CKTC had lifted it from somewhere.

[Darles Chickens]

(23) GLORIA ESTEFAN – Oye Mi Canto (Hear My Voice)

My 13-year-old self ended up with a major crush on Ms Estefan after seeing this performance.  It didn't even bother me that the keyboard player completely misses his cue when miming the piano glissando.

I think this was one of very few Top 40 songs of the 80s with some non-English lyrics (I can only think of La Bamba, Rock me Amadeus and Joe le Taxi in addition to this... are there more?  Maybe a good pub quiz question)

Oh, and...

Castro GTF

*applause*

[DrGreggles]

1989 was pretty shit overall on the chart front, wasn't it.
Even Betty Boo couldn't save the day.

[the]

We Didn't Start The Fire is such utter gash. Billy Joel thinking he's being clever.

Earlier today I was thinking that the chorus lyrics to Bitch by Meredith Brooks should be


It's a list
It's not lyrics
It's a list
It's not lyrics
It's not lyrics
It's a list
Like We Didn't Start The Fire


(Though you have to do some work to make the last line scan.)

[Captain Z]

Is it just me or did the Loletta Holloway version of Ride On Time persist as the 'known' version until very recent years? I was born in 85, remember hearing it on a tape in my Dad's car as a youngster and then developed my own taste for dance music, so it's always been there through various classics albums and Dave Pearce's Dance Anthems etc. But it was only around 5 years ago I decided to compare both side by side on YouTube, and found that the HS version sounded wrong and the original LH version sounded like the one I'd always heard.

Now it seems the LH version has been eliminated from YouTube entirely.

[buzby]

First ep this week had the Loleatta Holloway samples on 'Ride On Time', second the Heather Small re-recording. It's so obvious once you know. You can hear old Search For The Hero-chops and her plum in the back of the throat tones loud and clear now.

The first episode this week used a repeat of the 31st of August appearance when they were at #2, before the lawsuit kicked in.

Is it just me or did the Loletta Holloway version of Ride On Time persist as the 'known' version until very recent years? I was born in 85, remember hearing it on a tape in my Dad's car as a youngster and then developed my own taste for dance music, so it's always been there through various classics albums and Dave Pearce's Dance Anthems etc. But it was only around 5 years ago I decided to compare both side by side on YouTube, and found that the HS version sounded wrong and the original LH version sounded like the one I'd always heard.

Now it seems the LH version has been eliminated from YouTube entirely.

On the radio at least, the promo copies in each station's library were the pre-lawsuit version (they never bothered sending out copies of the HS version) . It had promo releases in the US in 1989 an in 1990 after the lawsuit, both times using the LH vocals and she and Dan Hartman are credited on the labels,  but it did not take off over there like it did in Europe. It was fully released there in 1991 with the 12" and CD versions featuring mixes that used both vocals (HS on the Massive Mix, LH on the Ascot Mix and the 1990 'Bright On Time' remix). The version used on the Dreamland album released in 1990 also used the LH vocals (initially at least - it was later some time later reissued in the UK with HS vocals), and the LH version also sneaked out as a bonus track on the UK CD single for 'I Don't Know Anybody Else'.

Compilations released the UK in 1989/90 before the settlement also usually feature the HS version, On it's compilation appreances since  the lawsuit was settled, it's pot luck on what version you get (though presumably the HS versions are cheaper to licence).

The lawsuit therefore can't be what is causing the LH version to be blocked on Youtube. I can only assume it's a royalties issue with Sony/BMG not wanting to have to pay out to Salsoul. It can be found on places like Dailymotion who aren't arsed about rights issues. Also, the aforementioned pre-lawsuit 17/08/89 #11 'black bra' and 31/08/89 #2 'white jacket' TOTP performances are on YT, which have the LH vocals.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Am I right in thinking there are 3 ride on time performances - White Jacket, She'll catch her death in that! And the dungarees?

[Huxleys Babkins]

Is it just me or did the Loletta Holloway version of Ride On Time persist as the 'known' version until very recent years? I was born in 85, remember hearing it on a tape in my Dad's car as a youngster and then developed my own taste for dance music, so it's always been there through various classics albums and Dave Pearce's Dance Anthems etc. But it was only around 5 years ago I decided to compare both side by side on YouTube, and found that the HS version sounded wrong and the original LH version sounded like the one I'd always heard.

Now it seems the LH version has been eliminated from YouTube entirely.

I think I'd just always presumed I'd been listening to the Holloway version. Proper Mandela effect. I didn't even know it was a sample (I was 7 when it came out) until Cevin Fisher released the properly credited (You Got Me) Burning Up in 1999 that had bits of Love Sensation that Black Box didn't use.

I know what you mean about the Small version sounding wrong, even though it's the one I've likely heard the most. I wonder if it's because having heard Burning Up and the original Love Sensation more than Ride On Time in the past twenty years, I'm now so used to Holloway's original vocal that I can perceive the difference now.

[buzby]

Am I right in thinking there are 3 ride on time performances - White Jacket, She'll catch her death in that! And the dungarees?

Yes, there were three studio performances duing it's chart run:
17/08/89 #11 'Black Bra' (LH vocals)
31/08/89 #2 'White Jacket' (LH vocals)
14/09/89 #1 'Dungarees' (HS vocals, second week at #1)
The other appearances during it's run at #1 were repeats of those three. I think they may have been in the studio for the Christmas episode as well (I would need to check daf's archive).

[Darles Chickens]

This song is ruined for me ever since that original thread in F*ck My Hat.  The Heather Small vocals (with her weird "Yo-sotchah... yo-sotchah" pronunciation) are so distinctive and obviously inferior to the original sample that it's all I can hear now.

[The Culture Bunker]

I did just find out the other day that 'Love Sensation' by Loretta Holloway was written and produced by Dan Hartman, who also produced Tina Turner's 'The Best', which was shown on a same TotP episode as 'Ride on Time'.

[daf]

I think they may have been in the studio for the Christmas episode as well

Yes - it's a new studio performance & sounds like the

Spoiler alert

HS

[close]

vocal version.

[buzby]

This song is ruined for me ever since that original thread in F*ck My Hat.  The Heather Small vocals (with her weird "Yo-sotchah... yo-sotchah" pronunciation) are so distinctive and obviously inferior to the original sample that it's all I can hear now.

To be fair to Heather, she was apparently only booked for an hour to recreate the lines necessary (like I said earlier, it was done in a rush). Holloway's recording of Love Sensation took 29 takes over 2 days, during which she lost her voice in the process and had to drink coffee mixed with Vick's VapoRub to allow her to carry on <Altern 8 scribbles notes....>

[Icehaven]

Literally just realised Belinda Carlisle and Debbie Gibson aren't the same person.

[Icehaven]

Living in a Box man really needs to look up more.

Edit: Although when he does he looks like he's going to corpse so fair enough.

[buzby]

Living in a Box man really needs to look up more.

Edit: Although when he does he looks like he's going to corpse so fair enough.

Living In A Box weren't really a 'band' - they started off as a duo who were then joined by a solo singer/songwriter (Richard Derbyshire, the singer in question). From their previous appearances it has been observed that he seems to be one of the least enthusiastic lead singers ever and always looks like he would rather be anywhere else but there (possibly because he is singing songs he doesn't really like). It's telling that when the other two members 'reformed' in 2016, he declined to be involved and was replaced by Kenny Thomas.

[Icehaven]

Literally just realised Belinda Carlisle and Debbie Gibson aren't the same person.

And now Cathy Dennis too!

[The Culture Bunker]

Living In A Box weren't really a 'band' - they started off as a duo who were then joined by a solo singer/songwriter (Richard Derbyshire, the singer in question). From their previous appearances it has been observed that he seems to be one of the least enthusiastic lead singers ever and always looks like he would rather be anywhere else but there (possibly because he is singing songs he doesn't really like). It's telling that when the other two members 'reformed' in 2016, he declined to be involved and was replaced by Kenny Thomas.

It seems Darbyshire has a co-write credit on 'Room in Your Heart', as does bootleg favourite Albert Hammond, so maybe there's an element of self-loathing in there too.

To be honest, I was surprised Living in a Box had anymore hits beyond the self-titled one, which at least had a shelf-life in my junior school as a taunt to the unfortunate kids from the really dog rough end of town.

[DrGreggles]

And now Cathy Dennis too!

Didn't she become a successful songwriter?

[Icehaven]

Glad Debbie Harrry got that hat off, it was clearly going.

[Icehaven]

Oh f*****g hell, the bunny's back. I was 10, what sentient adult has any excuse for buying this?

[buzby]

Not done one of these for a while (tbf it's been largely uninspiring fare) , so a bit of a catch-up.

14 September 1989: Presenters: Andy Crane & Simon Mayo
(19) TECHNOTRONIC featuring FELLY – Pump Up The Jam 

Unlike Black Box and Milli Vanilli, this managed to dodge controversy about Felly obviously miming to Ya Kid K's vocals (without her consent too). It's also almost entirely derivative, with the bassline from Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk's The Acid Life welded to Royal House's Can You Party?. It was originally released as Technotronic by The Pro 24s (nice Atari sequencer reference) before being retooled and the addition of Ya Kid K's rap.

(17) SYDNEY YOUNGBLOOD – If Only I Could 

Built around Raze's Break 4 Love break (which had also been used on the B-side 'Break For Love; mix of The KLF's Pure Trance 3AM Eternal, released in May that year) with added 808 cowbell.

21 September 1989: Presenter: Nicky Campbell

Wanker.

(24)  S'EXPRESS – Mantra For A State Of Mind

Absolute banger, with William Orbit co-producing.  It was extremely clever forming the main melody by pitching a single vocal sample.

(30)  GLORIA ESTEFAN – Oye Mi Canto (Hear My Voice)

A wonderful performance, and Ms Estefan looks fantastic

(29)  ARETHA FRANKLIN & WHITNEY HOUSTON – It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna Be

Couldn't  be bothered to make a video, so slapped something together from offcuts and outtakes.

(25)  W.A.S.P. – Forever Free (video)

Absolute toilet, with a beyond-parody video.

5 October 1989: Presenters: Jakki Brambles & Steve 'Ponytail' Wright

Old 'Fat Rail' Wright is inexplicably back, unfortunately

(12) REBEL MC & DOUBLE TROUBLE – Street Tuff

Another banger. Not sure about the choice of shirts though lads.

(18) CHER – If I Could Turn Back Time (video)
Thong Wars

Yeah, I thoughit was strange to make reference to her wearing a thong when they went with the censored version of the video with her wearing jeans and a t-shirt. The thong still appears in long shots (that were presumably too difficult/time consuming to reshoot), but with the brightness turned down so she's almost in silhouette.

It was filmed aboard the WW2 US battleship USS Missouri, the site fo the signing of the Japanese surrender. It had been recommissioned in 1986 (in a pointless feat of US Navy willy-waving, as the era of the battleship was well and truly over by then), and took part in the bombardment of Iraq in the first Gulf war before being retired permanently n 1992.

(11) BILLY JOEL – We Didn't Start The Fire (video)

Joel doing his Jonathan Meades cosplay.

[buzby]

It seems Darbyshire has a co-write credit on 'Room in Your Heart', as does bootleg favourite Albert Hammond, so maybe there's an element of self-loathing in there too.

Yeah, that's what I was implying - he's actively participating in the 'pop machine', but has the look of someone who is hating themselves for doing so.

Didn't she become a successful songwriter?

She certainly did - co-writing I Can't Get You Out Of My Head and Come Into My World for Kylie with Mud's Rob Davis, co-writing Toxic with Bloodshy & Avant for Britney Spears and I Kissed a Girl for Katy Perry with Dr Luke amongst many others. She also co-wrote the Pop Idol theme, so earned a packet from the royalties of it being used on the various versions of  the format around the world.

[daf]

12 October 1989: Presenter: Gary Davies

(26) CHRIS REA – The Road To Hell
Black Top
(4)   JIVE BUNNY & THE MASTERMIXERS – That's What I Like (video)
Twist & Shite
(28) CLIFF RICHARD – Lean On You
Belt Up!
(14) BELINDA CARLISLE – Leave A Light On
The B.O. Bro's
(10) MILLI VANILLI – Girl I'm Gonna Miss You (video)
Lip Sink
(23) SINITTA – Love On A Mountain Top
Pencil Case on a Desk Top
(18) LIVING IN A BOX – Room In Your Heart
I'm-a-Sittin' on a Stool



(1)   BLACK BOX – Ride On Time
Gotta Loleatta Bottle
(22) FRESH 4 featuring LIZZ E – Wishing On A Star (video / credits)
Skating on a Board

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

 
 

[Satchmo Distel]

Dan Hartman also wrote one of Take That's No. 1s.

[kalowski]

Nice to get a glimpse of Kylie's Titchy top 10.

[Better Midlands]

Dan Hartman also wrote one of Take That's No. 1s.

They did a cover version of his Relight My Fire from '79, the original had Loletta Holloway singing some of the vocals (the bits Lulu sings on the TT version).

[daf]

19 October 1989: Presenter: Mark Goodier

(36) D MOB introducing CATHY DENNIS – C'mon & Get My Love
Anyone For Dennis?
(7)   BILLY JOEL – We Didn't Start The Fire (video)
Trouble in the Sewers (probably that Robert Plant with his 'Big Log'!!)
(33) MARTIKA – I Feel The Earth Move
Black Beret Way
- - - - - - - - - - - (breakers) - - - - - - - - - - - -
(28) ADEVA – I Thank You
(26) QUEEN – Scandal
(24) DE LA SOUL – Eye Know
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -



(9)   CHER – If I Could Turn Back Time (video)
Dadisfaction Denied!
(21) DEBORAH HARRY – I Want That Man
Do Bring Harry!
(34) SYBIL – Don't Make Me Over (video)
Bacharach to the Future
(1)   JIVE BUNNY & THE MASTERMIXERS – That's What I Like (video)
It's Pony Time!
(37) OH WELL – Oh Well (video / credits)
I'd Rather Mac!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

[Glitch King]

Happier to help.

[non capisco]

Oh f*****g hell, the bunny's back. I was 10, what sentient adult has any excuse for buying this?

The leporine wanker's upcoming Christmas hit has a big old chunk of Gary Glitter in the middle of it so interesting to see what they do with that. Nice to see him momentarily troubled by an exploding helicopter situation I suppose. Serves him right for laughing at that plane crash.

Is Billy Joel meant to be some kind of spectral timeless presence in the We Didn't Start The Fire video? Cursed to observe but never to interfere. Not even to blow on a thalidomide prescription so it flies out of the window.

In other news I think I'm in love with Cathy Dennis.