Repeated on BBCFour from 19/11/2015
Presented by Tommy Vance
Full chart here.
Given the large amounts of heavy metal that are still hanging around they obviously thought it was time to get Vance on again. Sadly for him though (and lucky for us) there isn't very much of it at all on this week's Pops, although Tommy puts on a very brave face despite all this.
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| L to R: Soul boy, Vance, Anna-Marie |
Showaddywaddy - Blue Moon
Vance spends an awful lot of time telling us how many hundred times this song has been done before, then we get The 'Waddy doing it exactly has it has been done a hundred times previously. Their manager/record company must have had a lot of friends in high places as a) their last song was rubbish and failed miserably b) this was only at no. 50 c) this was another rubbish version and failed miserably.
UB40 - Dream a Lie
As Vance so knowingly tells us, this was a double 'A' side with the doom-laden The Earth Dies Screaming, so here's a bit of light relief with the '40 posing as, er, Black and White Minstrels. I'm surprised this one actually got through in these politically and racially correct times, but some of the band were black and made to look white, so that makes it OK.
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| UB40: politically correct |
Surprise visit from Darryl Hall and John Oates all the way from Philedelphia or somewhere, and they evidently have something to plug. Ah yes, Kiss On Your List which actually got nowhere near the Pops studio.
Robert Palmer - Looking For Clues
Looking like somewhere between Bryan Ferry and Gary Numan (with whom he had connections), Palmer is another one of those artists who skilfully and tastefully managed to re-invent themselves and their music to the eighties. That said, his previous single - the very eighties sounding Johnny & Mary - hadn't managed to get onto the Pops but this time he gets some good exposure as a bubbling under, and is all set to spend a record number of weeks at no..........33. And the "You had one job" award this week goes to the xylophone "player".
Yet another 'surprise' guest: Bev Bevan, who, as everyone in 1980 knew, was the drummer in ELO. Actually he's just written a book all about being the drummer in ELO. OK so now you're here Bev you can introduce the next number. By ELO.
ELO - Don't Walk Away (Legs & Co.)
And months after its original release they're still milking the Xanadu - The album cow for all it's worth with yet another single from said opus. More like flogging a dead horse though, as this one failed to get into the Top 20 and Olivia n Cliff were already on their way down just a place behind the 'Orchs with Suddenly. Fairly run of the mill Legs "dance" routine for one of Jeff Lynne's drearier ballads. In fact there's not much dancing at all, but predictably quite a lot of...walking away.
Rundown 30-21
Stray Cats - Runaway Boys
In retrospect, given his abysmal attempt to have a hit earlier in the year, Dave Edmunds probably did right to put his solo "career" on hold for a while to produce this lot. On the face of it, it's the same old repurposed rock 'n' roll stuff which had been rocking all over the world since our Dads were young, but this time with a slightly more credible 'modern' edge to them than, say, Matchbox or Showaddywaddy. Not quite Adam and the Ants or Spandau Ballet, but "eighties" defining nonetheless.
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| Stray Cats: 80s quiffs ahoy |
20-11 rundown.
Spandau Ballet - To Cut a Long Story Short
"..in sound and vision.." says Vance - well yes Tommy that's what telly is supposed to be. Anyway the Spans are obviously already too busy touring or playing London clubs or something to come on again so here's a repeat of the performance form two weeks back. Now at no. 11.
More surprises, and more Americans...Martha and Marty of The Motels telling us what sort of Music The Motels Make. Now on a three week long short tour, making it the longest short tour ever. Just for the record, The Motels had two Top 50 (ie. not Top 40) singles in the UK.
Madness - Embarrassment
Well after that very embarrassing interview, here's some proper English hit music with Madness and their new one now at no. 12 up from 31. Great song, great band, great video and indeed a great year for them. They should be playing on top of Buckingham Palace or something.
Top 10 rundown .. .and it's a new number one!
Abba - Super Trouper
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| Abba Angels |
But it's a full fifteen seconds before Vance can actually announce it cos of Agnetha and Annifried's angelic sung intro. Yup, the nation's favourite Swedes were at the top spot again (for the ninth time, thanks for that Tommy). Sad to think they never made it a tenth time and that it won't be long before they all get "sick and tired of everything" for real. But let's enjoy this for now. And it's their ninth numb.... oh shut up Vance!
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| A man maneuvering a super-trouper |
Nondescript disco number to play us out as we bid adieu to Tommy and all his guests.
See you next week as we race towards December!
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