BBCFour repeat here.
Full chart here.
Introduced by Peter Powell (in a Radio 1 jumpsuit).
Before we go any further let me just say that in the unlikely event of me ever getting a tattoo done somewhere on my body, then this date in history would be that tattoo. Now let's get down to business...
Mystic Merlin - Just Can't Give You Up
And since we're well into 1980 and time is fast running out, why don't we start with a bland disco-instrumental just to get the ball rolling? C'mon Powell, you can do better than this. Mind you they have to dig into the far outer reaches of the charts to get anything interesting and "sound of the eighties" this week. In fact it's a rum old chart featuring a lot of bland disco and heavy metal music, possibly due to the fact that last week we had so much bland disco and heavy metal music. Jimmy Ruffin is the highest new entry after his stint on the wobbly, steam filled tower last week although Whitesnake and Motorhead both do well, the latter up to a massive 15 places to no. 8. Sales of patchuli oil were also said to have peaked. Thankfully Dexy's defend the top spot even though incredibly last week's nos. 2-10 all go down!
The Human League - Rock 'n' Roll (Holiday '80 EP)
Ok cut straight from the wobbly captions into...... what's this? Electronic panels and wires and knobs and stuff? We thought Tomorrow's World had just finished! But no! It's a bunch of funny looking blokes doing a cover version of Glitter's 'Rock n Roll Part 1' but with no drums, guitars and only a tape recorder and those new-fangled synthesiser thingys? Where's Gary Numan? Funnily enough Powell doesn't even introduce this band so we'll have to do the honours: "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you THE HUMAN LEAGUE!" For all the 'novelty acts' which tended to be presented first upon the 'Pops (see Rezillos, New Musik, The Bodysnatchers et al) there really never has been anything quite like Sheffield's Human League up to now. They were already well known to the average Sounds/NME reader and were about to release their second electronics only album, and their semi-experimental electronics-only music could hardly have been classed as TOTP/pop fodder. This glam rock cover was a brave attempt to achieve that elusive chart hit, but one which sadly failed. Legend has it that David Bowie had said that 'one day all music would be made this way'. However, the band in this particular formation would split by the end of the year although the bloke with the funny lop-sided haircut had a cunning plan....
(note: this is the first song/act tonight which made my 16-year old jaw drop to the living room carpet with a mighty thud, and my music tastes - and my life - would never be the same again. But I digress...)
Johnny Logan -What's Another Year?
Oh God it's this wimp again. At least this time he's taken the trouble to put his jacket on properly Not content with being voted The Best Song in the Whole of Europe, Logan has got to no. 2 in the charts. Can it get any worse?
Prelude - Platinum Blonde
Much like The Human League, this one had been 'bubbling under' as they used to say for a couple of weeks. I, and most people on twitter, had no recollection of this whatsoever. Unlike The Human league however they're sporting a whole load of guitars in all shapes and sizes and end up looking and sounding like a poor man's Fleetwood Mac. the lady singer wears a purple jumpsuit to give it an 'eighties' look, but other than that it's rubbish. Or am I supposed to be reading between the lines? Amazingly, this lot are still performing.
Michael Jackson - Out of My Life
Or is that 'Outta My Life'? Anyway this is Jackson's fourth single taken from the album Off the Wall, and not even the last one, which at the time was a bit of a, er, record. Despite having already milked the album for what it was worth this would keep Jacko's chart average positioning high. It's also one of his slowest songs ever fact fans. Even slower than Johnny Logan.
Matchbox - Midnite Dynamos
But don't fall asleep just yet! It's those whacky Matchbox guys with another rockabilly choon to get everyone dancing round the living room. This was the follow-up to the cringeworthy Buzz Buzz a Diddle It, and would in fact better it. Amazingly their "best" was still to come.
Average White Band - Let's Go Round Again (Legs & Co.)
In which the Leggettes dance around in their skimpy swimming cossies which are, er, white.
Jona Lewie - You Will Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties
Always loved this one. Someone on twitter said they'd had an 'O' Level flashback and that was definitely the case for me with this song. Always loved the synth sound, although he obviously wasn't aiming to be like The Human League or anything. A bit of a novelty record à la B A Robertson but miles better. Millions also noticed in 2015 that one of the girls on backing vocals was the late Kirsty McColl, although apparently she didn't sing on the record. I'm guessing that Phil Oakey saw these girls though and thought.....guys..what if.....?
Cockney Rejects - Cockney Rip-Off
Yes, here we go again. I think this has been on before but doesn't really do it for me.
Boney M - My Friend Jack
Can't help thinking that Boney M were past their sell by date at this point .. Rivers of Babylon, Rasputin, Hooray Holy-day etc. being very much products of the late seventies. Well I'm glad to say that this was indeed the case and this got nowhere. Obviously a non-TOTP recording as there's too much light in the studio.
Ruts - Staring at the Rude Boys
I do remember this one however although never quite worked out if they were taking the mick out of the 'Two Tone' establishment or what. Never really understood what Babylon's Burning was about either, although it was slightly better than this. At no. 22 and didn't get any higher.
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Messages
Now then...if the opening act hadn't been enough to make me feel like I had seen the future - my future - then this performance got me into even more of a tizz. I think I'd been sort of 'following' OMITD (as we used to call them) for a few months since their early single Electricity, and possibly an OGWT performance around the same time as this. But whatever it was, as with Phil Oakey and pals, nothing in my life would ever be the same again. I would soon become the world's biggest OMD fan (fact) and I still adore this song to this day. Peter Powell announced that it was going to be 'a smash' and he wasn't far wrong, even though it would only struggle its way up to no. 26 by the end of the month, but in June would get to no. 13 - wonder why? Anorak note 1: this was a radical re-recording of the track off their debut album which was a little less powerful production-wise; anorak note 2: the line up here included Dave Hughes on keyboards, roped in for live work and promotion, even though he would be out of the band before their next appearance; anorak note 3 :...I'm an OMITD anorak.
The Undertones - My Perfect Cousin
According to Powell, without this one tonight's show wouldn't have been 'complete'. Ummm shouldn't that be without the no. 1 song, Pete? Or perhaps he was referring to Feargal's not so veiled lyrical reference to The Human League (plays air synth) which brings everything 'full circle'? We shall never know. A surprising inclusion nonetheless as it had crept up just one place to no. 10.
Dexy's Midnight Runners - Geno
Number One again and it's a repeat of last week's where, as legend would have it, they only arrived just in time at the beginning to pick up their instruments and start 'playing'.
Hot Chocolate - No Doubt About It
This was up to no. 6, quite right too.
post scriptum: the Saturday after this show, I went into town and bought these two babes:-
So 'til next week: goodbye!
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