TOTP 80.34 23/10/80

First broadcast 23/10/80
Not repeated on BBCFour in 2015
Presented by Dave Lee Travis
Full chart here.

It's a pity this one wasn't repeated, if only for the fact that the it's a healthy female (artist) contingent that make it a bit interesting this week.

pic.: PopScene

Status Quo - What You're Proposing
Obviously TOTP people thing this is a good one to get the party started as it's the second time it's been first act on. It does them no harnm though as they're up to 4, and heading even higher.

The Nolans - Gotta Pull Myself Together (video)
Struggling a bit and the 'video' thing evidently does them little good as this is their peak with this one.

Gilbert O'Sullivan - What's in a Kiss (rpt.)
We really are scraping the barrel having Gilbs back on again, also a struggler, although this will help him out a bit with all those legal fees.

Kelly Marie - Loving Just For Fun
She's back! And with her Number-One single still the charts an' all. Go Kels!

Air Supply - Out of Love
One of those tedious classic American MOR/AOR songs, already at no. 20. Their one and only hit, thank goodness.

Kate Bush - Army Dreamers
Poor Kate hasn't had much of a look in with her new material this year what with unacceptable subject matter (Breathing), strikes (Babooshka) and future Yewtree presenters all over the shop. But none of that is going to stop her. It's a bumper year for Kate and there's still more to come.

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Enola Gay (rpt.)
Speaking of odd subject mater here's that funny lot from the Wirral again with their amiable little tune about nuclear bombing. Not able to make it to the studio this as they were probably rehearsing for the tour to promote their new album, Organisation.

Ottawan - D.I.S.C.O.
After what seems like weeks, at last Legs & Co. get to have a go with this one.

Barbara Streisand - Woman in Love
..and a new number one! Much as we liked Don't Stand So.. it was time for a change...and a double-helping of Legs this week to boot! Babs' short-ish run at the top starts here.

Coffee - Casanova
We've already had Ottawan so lets get the other disco number on again for the kids to jig along to, even though it's stallin' at no. 13.

TOTP 80.29 18/09/80

Full chart here

Presented by Simon Bates and Olivia Newton-John (phwoar).

and what's so funny about my nose then?

Well not sure what "small problems" The Pops were (still) having, but it seems to mean that we have Simes and Olivia in a studio with just one cameraman with some repeated footage and promo videos edited in, and no Legs & Co.!. Which all makes for a very dull show and not very 'eighties' at all. Not to mention Bates wearing the worst jacket/suit/tie combo ever worn on the telly. Ever.

Somewhat wearily, we press on...

XTC - Generals and Majors
Fortunately this new single from The Partridge Boys had one of those new-fangled promo-videos (films) to go with it, so at least we get the novelty opener albeit in a new format. Virgin were wont to pumping a lot of funds into XTC, as can be seen from their often extravagant (ie. expensive) singles sleeves (picture sleeves, fold-outs, free games..the lot). As Symes rightly points out there was even a special documentary made about the band making their new album ("Black Sea"). I remember it being particularly interesting seeing how they got that clanging sound in Towers of London. Again a very expensive way to launch a new single, but Branson was paying so who cares. Somewhat undeservedly this failed to make the Top 30. Keep trying guys.

Randy Crawford - One Day I'll Fly Away
Repeat of a previous performance but emotional, nonetheless. Randy had also beat Elvis (Presley) to the no. 2 spot, so extra kudos to her.

Stevie Wonder - Masterblaster (Jammin')
Where did this come from? Wonder has seen his way (ehem) to no. 4 already with his first hit of the 80s and indeed for quite a long time. Nice summer hit, even though it's already September and raining.

Sheena Easton - Modern Girl
Here she is again .. I've lost count of how many times our Sheen's been on but she's now at her peak of no. 8 and we won't be seeing her again for a bit. But credit where credit's due - she's probably about the most 'eighties' thing about the show. I hadn't seen this before but there's a classic Pops moment when Sheens gets camera-bombed by a po-go-ing punk in the audience!

Sheena....

...bombing!

Nick Straker Band - A Walk in the Park
This was stuck at no. 20 (and continued so for another week) but we're a bit short of material so Nick and pals get a re-run before falling into oblivion. Did Simes just say he's "hanging on for grim death"? Pwahahahahaa.

Just to liven things up a bit here's Bill Gates, er no sorry, Jonathan King with a not-so-subtle advert for the Rubrik's cube:

separated at birth

Madness - Baggy Trousers
They're back: the band that kicked off the 80s Pops are with us again with some new material. They haven't lost they're 'nutty' edge (yet) with this one, their response to Another Brick in the Wall, since it's a more light-hearted throwback to school days and (no) edu-cayshun. A taste of their forthcoming album Absoloutely.

..and another guest! It's Wonder Woman! In a Chinese jacket!

Billy Joel - It's Still Rock n Roll To Me
Enough of Camden Town already, let's go Stateside. Another non-mover at no. 14 and it didn't get much higher, although another step towards Joel's Uptown Girl god-like status.

Kelly Marie - Feels Like I'm in Love
Phew, it's no. 1 already and here's Kells to put us all out of our agony, even though Simes seems to have enjoyed all the attention, possibly because that's what being a DJ is all about.

Queen - Another One Bites the Dust
Hasn't this been a playout one before? Queen may have updated their sound (a bit) but obviously still hadn't caught on to the new-fangled video malarkey. These 70s dinosaurs will never last.


Hey ho, another show over. The BBCOne site rather dourly tells us that there are "no upcoming debut broadcasts" ..debut?....as BBCFour makes way for The Posh Proms (c) which is possibly just as well as we all need a break.

See you some time in the future, by which time The Pops will have sorted out its "small problems". We hope.

TOTP 80.28 11/09/80

Another one not repeated this time around, hosted by Saville and Richard Skinner, who was in fact already a R1 DJ, but getting his introduction to the TOTP public Steve Wright style.

You can watch the full programme here on Vimeo (via Manorak)
Full chart here

I have a feeling that good and exciting material was pretty thin on the ground for this edition, since most of the songs were in the lower reaches of the chart and struggling to get anywhere. But anyway these things seem to go in cycles so let's just get on with it:

The Skids - Circus Games
And by way of proof of the above statement here's the second outing for The Skids who had crept up just one place to no. 32 from no. 33, which is where they were two weeks ago when featured on the show. They must have been chuffed to have got a second chance although again the Great British public weren't buying it (literally) and they dropped down to no. 40 the week after.

Black Sabbath - Paranoid (promo)
I can't seem to find any information out there as to why this 1970 song from The Sabbath became an unexpected hit again a decade later, so any gen would be gladly accepted. Over the years Paranoid has turned out to be quite an 'evergreen' as it crops up every now and then on films and stuff. Already at no. 17 this week.

Ian Dury & the Blockheads - I Want to Be Straight
Again? Like the Skids' single this had stalled after its TOTP showing a couple of weeks back, yet somehow was miraculously 'rescued' for this week, and then got nowhere. Next!

Elvis Presley - It's Only Love
Again it's an old one re-marketed, perhaps in the wake of Presley's death, which had happened three years hence. HAd someone from Black Sabbath died too? Legs & Co. give it the once over this week so let's break the monotony a bit and watch it over on One For the Dads.

Shakin' Stevens - Marie Marie
Another 'rescued from obscurity' feature, which again hadn't done very much since being on three weeks ago. Now at the dizzy heights of no. 21 it gained another two places next week. Then nothing. A bientot, Shaky. Next!

Judas Priest - United
More p*ss poor strugglers, I'm afraid. And it's even a repeat of two weeks ago. Next!

Splodgenessabounds - Two Little Boys
Oh something  a bit fun and interesting at last, although one wonders why this lot weren't put in the opening 'novelty band' slot. A not-so-good follow-up to Two Pints of Lager.. which had been a hit during the Wilderness Weeks of The Strike. Not surprisingly this song has its origins in English music-hall and this is more or less what we get 'post-punk' style with The Splodge Ones, albeit on a very cramped and overcrowded stage. God knows what they were on but they certainly gave tonight's lacklustre show a kick up the backside. They also went whizzing up the charts after tonight's showing, my lords, laydees and gennle-meeen, but its success was short-lived.

Split Enz - I Got You
Maybe it was a new TOTP strategy to save the best bits til last, after wading through the drudgery? That would certainly seem the case this week. Colourful Australian cousins Split Enz make their TOTP debut with this number, which is actually a bit creepy, but a well-crafted song nonetheless, somewhat in the style of say, Squeeze. This one had already made it to no. 27 and would deservedly go on to do better.

Kelly Marie - Feels Like I'm in Love
It's a new number one folks, and full marks to Kelly for hangin' on in there and getting to the top after six weeks grafting and sweating (enough of these short lived 'instant hits' already!). It must also have been a big satisfaction to have out-done fellow females Sheena 'I've Got Two Singles Out Actually' Easton and Hazel 'I'm a Film Star Too Actually' O'Connor, and beating both to the top spot (can you imagine the backstage bitchin'!!?). Randy Crawford also hot on her heels, so we'll see what happens next week folks.

Queen - Another One Bites the Dust (playout)
You'd have thought that Queen going all disco would've deserved more pops attention, but there obviously wasn't even a decent promo-video around, so just unleash the kids!

Back next week with a proper Pops showing, at last. T'ra!

TOTP 80.27 04/09/80

Presented by DLT and Kevin Keegan so not repeated. Keegan's perm obviously considered too offensive in this day and age.

But anyway here's the full chart and the list of acts/songs featured:

Secret Affair - Sound of Confusion
Follow up to the rather spiffing My World, at no. 45 but did no better.

Kelly Marie - Feels Like I'm in Love
There's a new no. this week but this isn't it. up to no. 3.

Nick Straker Band - A Walk in the Park
Catchy summer hit at no. 22.

Hazel O'Connor - Eighth Day
Ironically beating Gary Numan to the No. 5 spot.

Billy Joel - It's Still Rock n Roll To Me - (Legs & Co.)
The Leggies are back after their brief summer holidays, in some exotic location, no doubt. Sadly we didn't get to see their routine to Joel's new one, now at no. 20.

Cliff Richard - Dreamin'
More male solo stuff with Sir Cliff at no. 10.

Sheena Easton - Modern Girl
With 9 to 5 already on its way down, Sheens gets to perform her other hit, now at no. 13.

The Beat - Best Friend
As mentioned last week it was probably Stand Down Margaret that was shifting the units on this 7" but here's the more acceptable and uncensored other A side. (promo video).

Randy Crawford - One Day I'll Fly Away
A touch of class is tonight's rather raunchy homegrown line-up. Have a look at the video recording here cos it's a bit of a classic.

The Jam - Start!
A surprising new no. 1 although the fanbase was huge by this time, which may explain its rather short reign. A lot of us heard Taxman for the first time too.

The Clash - Bankrobber
Up to no. 12 although The Clash were still no-show so you just get the the playout spot and loads of kids going mad on stage again, probably.

TOTP 80.25 21/08/80

BBCFour repeat here.
Full chart here.

In true 1970's/early 80's being on holiday and not having a telly therefore missing TOTP on Thursday night style I was again on holiday last week without a telly (in the year 2015 tut!), and so duly missed Thursday's show. So I've called in guest reviewer Gaztronix to give this week's Pops the once over.
Over to you Gaz!....

***********************************************************

Presented by Steve Wright with a youthful looking Sir Clifford of Richard* by his side all Smashy n Nicey

pic: popscene

We kick off with the Nick Straker Band and massive European holiday song A Walk In The Park. The guy in charge of TOTP FX is having a bit of a freeze-frame meltdown. Mr Straker has the most amazing hair - I'm sure it's inspired a Mighty Boosh skit or two.

Back to Steve n Cliff with some repartee on Sheena Easton. Easton, performing Modern Girl, has thankfully dropped the look that made her look like Gary Numan's younger sister and had opted for a style best described as 'Disco Sue Lawley'. Fair do's. There is a synth solo in this song - it's amazingly bad even for 1980 - I had to play it again. It was THAT bad.

Just Steve now - maybe Clifford has gone to check with his portrait in the attic. We get given what we get which is a video of The Jam performing 'Watch You Give Is What You Get.' Proper 80s vid it is too - intense staring at bright lights through Venetian blinds (what was it about the early 80s Venetian blinds phase?) (ed. the song title is actually 'Start!')

Smashy has gone, so we get Nicey Sir Cliff who looks a lot like Mike Read. Not Runaraaaaaaaahnd Mike Read but Frankie-smashing, slightly racist song writing for UKIP Mike Read. And exclusively for TOTP - Cliff has gone all mockney - well, he's drifting towards mockney, innit. That Cliff eh? Any more of this mockney malarkey and he might go the full Danny Baker. I'll keep you updated. And who's Triff introducing? Why it's only Cliff...sorry Shakin' Stevens. I genuinely can't tell you what the song is called, but he keeps shrieking 'Marie' so I'm guessing it's that. Cliff...Shakey is in Teddy Boy Hot Pink and is performing all on his lonesome tonight - a few fifties moves, hair the glistens and love for the mic stand. (ed. the song title is actually 'Marie Marie')

Back to Wright now and whassat Steve? Legs and Co? Ok. Dancing to what!? The Clash!? Yep - it's Legs and Co - dancing to Bankrobber by The Clash. All stripes, leotards and cages. If the English National Ballet did this, it be classed as 'challenging'. But as it's Legs and Co - no one bats an eyelid.

Smashy n Nicey are back together again. A little bit of Mockney from Smashy and only a smattering this time from Nicey. Oh and Elvis impersonations as the next tune is a bit of Rock n Roll from Shak...no hang on - it's Billy Joel and It's Still Rock n Roll To Me. It's a pop video, so I'm ignoring it to let you know that the best version of It's Still Rock n Roll To Me was performed by Laptop sometime in the late 90s. Seriously - dig it out. Joel gets chopped as soon as the sax solo starts to kick in - wise move Mr. BBC editor bloke - cheers!

Right back with Wright now and the countdown 30-11. Up next it's Hazel O'Connor. Ah at last - it's the eighties with Eighth Day. All that Rock N Roll had me worried for a minute. There is better work by O'Connor - honest, there is - but this isn't it. Cartoon new wave synth sounds are just the half of it - I haven't even got started on the lyrics yet. If Queen had been this melodramatic it would've raised eyebrows. Hey ho - the audience lap it up. And fair do's as it does bounce along a fair rate, O'Connor is an engaging performer and they have just been subjected to large amounts of throwbacks to the fifties.

Sir Cliff now - almost back to normal - only 10% on the mockneyometer.

It's The Piranhas and Tom Hark - one of those jaunty faux Caribbean things that you wished you'd never heard but later gets adopted by the terraces. Odd really, as its lyrics are actually an anti-nuclear war song! Yep - it's political! Not that you'd know from the bands appearance and demeanour. Peel used to love them apparently but dropped them like a stone when this came out.

Steve and Cliff again - no mockney this time and Doo-doo! Doo-doo! It's Kelly Marie and Feels Like I'm In Love. Doo-doo! Doo-doo! Kelly is dressed in a black jumpsuit with gold trim for Blakes 7 or an office party - back then it was impossible to tell. But the dancers either side suggest she may even eschew all of the above for dinner with Liberace.

pic: Gaztronix

Up next it's Steve n Cliff introducing - Cliff! Wow, how'd he do that? He's so smooth. That's not The Shadows though...I think...no idea to be honest, but if Hank Marvin isn't there then I'm guessing it's not. This is modern Cliff. It's a bizarre performance - the BBC FX Dept are having fun with this one. The band fade in and out around Cliff and shedloads of dry ice. I think the song is called Dreamin', so Cliff is dreaming of the band! Wow! D'you see wot they did there? Crazy Cliff, crazy band, crazy times! Paul Young would steal this entire sound a few years later. Cliff has a very loose arrangement with his tie and nonchalantly plays with his jacket which he casually slings around his shoulder as he sashays and dreams and pouts his way along. Rocking a look best described as 'Apollo from Battlestar Galactica on his day off heading to a picnic with friends in a park'

Countdown from 10-2. Cliff has woken up, his band have vanished and all he's got is his mate Steve. The number one and it's the godlike genius David Bowie with an absolute classic Ashes To Ashes. It's the video - Dave probably has better things to do, or maybe Cliff asked him to the picnic and Dave doesn't want to go - could be awkward. It's the whole video n all. Wright says 'some people say it's his best yet...' - he could be right. (ed. - first week at no. 1 for this Bowie single which knocked Abba off the top spot)

Back to our cheeky chappies now - cheers Cliff, who's off on tour. And that's it Folks. No idea what the end title song is - some very weak disco about All Over The World. (ed. Electric Light Orchestra!)

*in memory of the late, great Tom Hibbert


Thanks for that Gaz. We'll be back to 'normal' next week folks with more Pops fun before The Posh Proms (c) kick in. Laters!

TOTP 80.23 7/08/80

BBCFour repeat here.
Full chart here.

Introduced by Peter Powell....and Elton John. Elton John? 

Well it's back: after a nine week hiatus The Pops was back on our Thursday night screens and the arrival of a 'guest presenter' with the regular Radio 1 DJ already hinted at the fact this was An All New TOTP, folks. Now let's get on with the chart rundown and see who's number one....

Wha? No chart rundown? Only a preview of "what's coming up" over some old 70s rock music? So how are we supposed to know who's no. 1 and know when the show is over when it comes on at the end? Whaddya mean you're not supposed to know? Oh well..let's see if this new-fangled idea works, shall we? A new broom will only sweep well for a bit.

Powell does indeed duly give us a preview of the main acts which are coming up, albeit out of sync. There does seem to be an awful lot of movement .. .lots of dancing and bright lights. Whatever next!

The Piranhas - Tom Hark
OK let's get this thing started. Lots of new features already but starting off with a 'novelty' band/song is an old trick that obviously hasn't been put to bed. Here's a whacky ska-reggae pub band sort of affair miming badly to their instruments. The highlight seems to be a stand-up drummer, bare and oily chested, 'playing' drums with a pair of...cucumbers? He sort of reminds me of Christian Bale in American Psycho which is a tad disturbing, as is this whole set-up. Now at no. 26, it would reach the Top 10 within a couple of weeks. Oh and since we weren't given The Chart Rundown, behold! There's now a futuristic computer graphic at the end of each song telling you name of the band and chart position! Wow!

Diana Ross - Upside Down
The inter-presenter banter continues as both men admit they can't whistle (pah!) and Elton confesses he tried to kill off disco, now "rearing its ugly head" again with Ms. Ross at No. 2. Well shucks to you for not being able to kill off Nile/Rodgers with your pathetic ballads Reg! Bit of a weird grainy, filmic collage promo for Diana, but no matter; this was already a big summer hit based on its radio play only and a bit of a classic in the making. Kept off the top spot only by the mighty .. oops not allowed to reveal anything!

Roxy Music - Oh Yeah
John gives us a bit of useless (and largely incomprehensible) banter about Chic and then states 'onto better things' .. as some of his pals are in the studio. Roxy Music seem to have timed their single releases to coincide with The Strike, as they were on the last programme before It happened and here they are again bang on schedule in The New Pops. The second single off Flesh + Blood album didn't disappoint. Another classic and this time Bryan Ferry has some decent trousers even though he moves as if his feet were stuck to the floor, but i suppose he can get away with that.

Tom Browne - Funkin' For Jamaica 
Elton seems to have gone for a lie-down after all that strenuous presenting work, so Pete's on his own to introduce Tom Browne and LEGS AND CO!! WHY ARE YOU SHOUTING PETE!? Oh .. I see. Not content to give us the odd glimpse of their pants up to know, the Legs are actually performing....IN THEIR UNDIES! Sexy! Raunchy! Hot! ..oh no sorry I mean NO! this is blatant sexist rubbish and should be banned off the BBC! It's disgusting! However we do get to learn each individual's name thanks to that new-fangled computer graphics machine. Good song too. Was it?

This is Sue. Apparently. pic.: BBC cameraman

Oh wait. Pay attention. It's the Charts! Only from no. 30 to 21 though.

Hot Chocolate - Are You Getting Enough of What Makes You Happy?

Phew! A bit steamy this title too innit? Where's Mary Whitehouse these days? Like Roxy, the Chocs were also on the last Pops, but were less successful with this fairly unmemorable number. Perfectly fine to whiggle to though, just look at al the kids! Dancing!

More chart rundown? Oh I get it...it's the charts a bit at a time. Nice idea. Might even catch on.

Kelly Marie - Feels Like I'm In Love

Let's have something new at last shall we? What's this? A wee Scottish red-haired lassie doing the disco thing with two strapping dark-skinned chappies in tight bodywear? Och, the brazen hussie! But the British public loves this kind of singer of course and this song would have Kelly whizzing up the charts all the way up to no, 1, although I really shouldn't be telling you this of course.

GAP Band - Oops Upside Your Head

More wiggly disco stuff , this time from o'er the water. Oklahoma to be precise. Already at no. 6 although didn't get any further on the strength of this poor 'live' promo-video. And no I won't go into that embarrassing eighties dance craze that this song had started off. You know the one where everyone sits on the floor,one behind the other and.....

Gibson Bros. - Mariana

Oh no! More dancing! Live in the studio! With coloured balloons! Can you cope? The Gibson siblings are back with a 'long-awaited' follow up to the Cuba/Salsa thing earlier in the year. They're obviously well in with Flick Colby too as, and not for the first time, there are assorted Legs dancing along, although sadly not in their knickers anymore. Well they are in their knickers but with other stuff as well. But we digress. Do the Eighties start here? 

Elton John has completely disappeared by the way. Probably trying to 'kill off disco' somewhere. But here's a nice interlude .. the ones we missed "while we were away" (see also my very own blogpost below).  More bottom-wiggling to Odyssey, some nice Olivia Newton-John/ELO, plus the woeful Don McClean...

Sheena Easton - 9 to 5

Second wee Scottish artiste of the night although an all together more modern girl (geddit?) compared to red-head Kelly. Easton had been the subject of an episode of the BBC's The Big Time documentary series, which in her case followed the lassie's career up to recording and launch of Modern Girl, which however failed to make any big impression, and indeed 'the big time' back in April (of which we are reminded via a short clip).  Not so this catchy number which shot her to stardom (dragging 'Modern Girl' along with it) making Sheena one of the first big stars of the Eighties. Totally un-p.c. subject matter now of course: woman sings about her successful man out at work while she waits all day for him to come home so that they can 'make love' and 'take off'. Hmmm. Acceptable in the (early) eighties, just like the green jumpsuit with matching white boots. Cute though.

Bad Manners - Lip Up Fatty

Elton's back, although he's obviously been out because he's now got his mac on, or just getting ready to 'take off'? For some reason he's given the arduous task of presenting Bad Manners and their latest one which had been going around for quite a bit, such that it may even had qualified for the whacky newcomer spot on the last Pops before The Strike, had it not been for Liquid Gold. But anyway here they are being 'nutty' or whatever, although sadly still very much stuck in the late seventies I'm afraid. 'Lip Up Fatty' is in no way Eighties, jumpsuit or not.

Chart countdown from no. 10 to no. 2 with a snippet of a performance of each song, Pops studio or other, which is good because we get to see a few seconds of Kate Bush's splendid Babooshka video. Just a tiny bit, mind. Then, at last, it's... No. 1 time!

Abba - The Winner Takes It All

It's not easy to explain how big Abba were at the time or even why perhaps, but there was something already inherently eighties in their pop stardom, even though most of it happened in the seventies. Which is why it's sort of appropriate we should be seeing them at the top spot in this first TOTP eighties-style proper. Does that make any sense? Possibly not, but even though this is a sloppy ballad about a twenty-something couple divorcing and suffering the consequences, as a spotty 16 year old I could somehow totally relate to it. Plus I wanted to marry Agnetha after this of course, knowing that she had now become single, and they had some great eighties clothes in Sweden. First week at no. 1 after a momentary pause at no. 9, and like the song, the video is also now nigh-legendary.

George Benson - Give Me the Night

Elton John decides to adopt a faux-Irish accent when promoting his new single with Pete. I'm sure there must be a reason for that. Somewhere. he even manages to re-state his dislike of disco music before p****ing off to America and Australia or wherever. I'd much rather have stayed on the stage to jig about with all those pastel shades and jumpsuits. I'd really like to know who that girl with hat at the front is/was. Looks like a budding New Romantic..

That was quite a strenuous re-opening night. Better make a cup of tea.

See ya next week!