Full chart here
Back to some kind of normality this week after all that faffing about with Winter Olympics and Steve Wright is back in charge.
Rush - Spirit of Radio (chart rundown)
Let's face it, any song with 'radio' in the title isn't going to played and played by all witless DJ's, especially of the Radio 1 variety, and sure enough this one proved an improbable hit for American dinosaur band Rush, and was already at no. 23, one of several new entries which also included The Labrettas and Martha & The Muffins who were on last week (apparently).
The Dooleys - Love Patrol
Well after having got rid of The Nolans we're stuck with another Brit family-run group who'd been having hits since 1977, amazingly a whole decade after they'd originally formed. This one was not their best, despite attempting to go 'eighties' with all the colourful lycra, and would indeed be their last Top 30 hit and TOTP appearance.
The Police - So Lonely
This one was getting rather huge so Sting & pals obviously had the pressure on them to get a promo video/film made up, which they duly did so by mucking around on metro trains in Oriental cities, singing down walkie-talkies. Somebody recently wrote that Police promo-videos were mostly them just mucking around in front of a camera, but it worked.
The Detroit Spinners - Working My Way Back to You
Speaking of mucking around, here's Legs &Co.'s weekly contribution where Flick has taken the 'working' metaphor from the title and transformed her girls into, well, workmen complete with striped tent and scaffolding. Only one of them is wearing a hard hat though, which wouldn't get past Health & Safety these days. Highest new entry at no. 20.
The Brothers Johnson - Stomp
Promo-film of what looks like something that came from about 1977. There are loads of 'em too . .are they really all brothers? Who knows.
Secret Affair - My World Today
Who are are actually located underneath Legs' scaffolding/work in progress set-up, and pretty much to their chagrin I can well imagine as it's all dark and dingy and doesn't do any justice to the band or song at all - poorly lit and mostly, er, behind bars. Is this really their world? perhaps they wouldn't want it any other way..
Liquid Gold - Dance Yourself Dizzy
But from the sublime to the ridiculous. What are they on?
The Vapors - Turning Japanese
A fresh studio performance of this excellent number, and no random 'Japanese' pics this time. And we still don't know what it's about.
Rainbow - All Night Long
Another promo-film repeat but this had already gone huge, so justified.
Siouxsie & The Banshees - Happy House
Show highlight: possibly not their first TOTP after Hong Kong Garden a
couple of years back although I doubt they'd been on with intervening Top 30
singles The Staircase Mystery and Playground Twist (correct me if I'm wrong). Siouxsie and pals
on fine form looking anything but happy but then that's post-punk irony for ya.
This then was the start of their household name popularity proper and one which
would last chart-wise for a few years to come. Legends in the making.
Gibson Brothers - Cuba
Well after the euphoria of Happy House even this seems a lot easier to
digest, and in fact seems like an appropriate segue. Much better placed last
week and already up to no. 16. Steve Wright shows off all his DJ knowledge by
repeatedly letting us know it was a re-release but quite frankly Stevie who
gives a f..
Peter Gabriel - Games Without Frontiers
It's the promo film again sadly, but you have to be grateful for small
mercies. Like The Police and Rainbow this had become huge, even more so in fact as it was
already at no. 4, and so the Pops people could hardly ignore it.
..and likewise this one which was now stable at no. 3 although 'twas the
end of the road chartwise. Perhaps Marti could've done with freshening it up a bit - this was the third showing for the same performance
Genesis - Turn It On Again
More cathartic TOTP moments as we have a rather new look and new
sounding Genesis in the studio (albeit recorded earlier?) to present their new
single just prior to the new album Duke. It's all new! JAzzy 80s coloured gear and they're almost dancing even! Cracking song with about five different time signatures - prog goes pop.
Fern Kinney - Together We Are Beautiful
It's a new number one but how the hell that happened I shall never know. Dull repeat performance of a couple of weeks ago in that tangerine-esque dress. I suppose it's a testament to the variety of the British charts that this kind of thing could outsell Blondie who in turn outsold Kenny Rogers who in turn..etc. It might be nice to have something British at no. 1 though.
Captain & Tennille - Do That To Me One More Time (playout)
More dross to play us out, after it had been featured proper last week.
That's all folks. Not long before next Pops!
