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Post by smokeyb on Mar 9, 2017 22:59:03 GMT 1
The 1000 show had lots of clips from earlier programs,and all the presenters were on this show including JS, DLT & JK.
05/05/83 (1000th edition) (Radio 1 DJs) Richard Skinner interviews David Jacobs Thompson Twins – “We Are Detective” (7) Steve Strange, Roger Taylor, John Deacon – brief interview The Human League – “(Keep Feeling) Fascination” (3) The Beat – “Can’t Get Used To Losing You” (29) The Dave Clark Five – “Bits & Pieces” (clip from 19/02/64) Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas – “Little Children” (clip from 26/02/64) The Supremes – “Baby Love” (clip from 07/10/64) Sonny & Cher – “I Got You Babe” (clip from 12/08/65) The Rolling Stones – “Get Off Of My Cloud” (clip from 04/11/65) The Bee Gees – “Massachusetts” (clip from 26/12/67) The Rolling Stones – “Let’s Spend The Night Together” (clip from 26/12/67) The Beatles – “All You Need Is Love” (‘Our World’ clip) Cliff Richard – “All My Love” (clip from 26/12/67) Manfred Mann – “Mighty Quinn” (clip from 15/2/68) Joe Cocker – “With A Little Help From My Friends” (unknown clip) Status Quo – “Pictures Of Matchstick Men” (clip from 15/02/68) The Move – “Fire Brigade” (clip from 15/02/68) Cilla Black – “Surround Yourself With Sorrow” (clip from 27/02/69) The Beatles – “All You Need Is Love” (‘Our World’ clip) Cilla Black – brief interview Noel Edmonds - clip from 01/02/73 Heaven 17 – “Temptation” (8) Chas & Dave – brief interview Gary Glitter – brief interview The Rolling Stones – “Brown Sugar” (clip from 15/04/71) Rod Stewart – “Maggie May” (clip from 27/12/71) Elton John – “Your Song” (clip from 14/01/71) T. Rex – “Get It On” (clip from 27/12/71) David Bowie – “Starman” (clip) Gary Glitter – “I’m The Leader Of The Gang (I Am)” (clip from 25/12/73) Abba – “Waterloo” (clip from 02/05/74) Queen – “Killer Queen” (clip) 10cc – “I’m Not In Love” (clip ) The Boomtown Rats – “Looking After Number One” (clip) Blondie – “Picture This” (clip) The Police – “Spirits In The Material World” (clip) Adam Ant – “Goody Two Shoes” (clip) Duran Duran – “Is There Something I Should Know?” (clip from 23/03/83) Bill Wyman – brief interview Gary Numan – brief interview New Edition – “Candy Girl” (30) (Zoo) Jeffrey Daniel – brief interview Clare Grogan – brief interview Jonathan King in New York Messages from Sting, Charlene, Lionel Richie, Meat Loaf and Rod Stewart Blancmange – “Blind Vision” (28) Sandie Shaw and Kim Wilde – brief interviews The Fun Boy Three – “Our Lips Are Sealed” (16) Bucks Fizz – brief interview Spandau Ballet – “True” (1) WATCH Men At Work – “Overkill” (24) (audience dancing/credits)
List from popscene's totp guide
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Post by o on Mar 10, 2017 10:38:31 GMT 1
Wow, that would have been a great ep. to see, assume I saw it at the time, but don't remember it.
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Post by thehitparade on Mar 10, 2017 14:05:22 GMT 1
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Post by suedehead on Mar 10, 2017 21:05:57 GMT 1
On we go to edition number 1,001 with our hosts Mike Read and Tommy Vance. Ooh, we’ve got some new opening titles.
We start in things can only get better mode with Modern Romance. Good grief, there’s a tap dancer. Not a very good one.
I suppose Hall & Oates represent an improvement but not by much.
The Belle Stars and Pink Floyd have been cut.
On to Hot Chocolate with one of their lesser-known hits although it did make the top ten.
Phil Fearon and Galaxy are back. That’s not good news.
The chart rundown starts with the two songs cut from the early evening version, complete with The Pink Floyd over a decade after they dropped the definite article. There’s a remix of Yellow Pearl in the background. Sounds like the BBC Radiophonic Workshop in Dr Who mode.
Another chance to see The Creatures. That is good news at last.
Back to the charts.
Men At Work fill this week’s “Oh, did they have another song?” slot. Interesting use of a baseball bat.
The chart rundown features Heaven 17 and the Human League in adjacent positions but Spandau Ballet are still number one.
We end with another airing for the splendid Kissing The Pink. I assume Mike Read vetoed the European chart slot this week.
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Post by raliverpool on Mar 10, 2017 21:15:56 GMT 1
"Why do I find it hard to write the next line...?" Sounds to me like he found it quite hard to write all of them I'd say it was quite easy to see why Gary Kemp found it hard to write the next line ....
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vya
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Post by vya on Mar 11, 2017 20:41:01 GMT 1
28 April 1983
Peel and Kid, the 999th edition.
Galaxy - "Dancing Tight" As smooth as the chocolate, I am surprised to find this was Galaxy's first hit. It's kind of generic 1983 R&B/late-disco, but does the job reasonably well. Some athletic dance moves on show here. "We could be the greatest dancers around". Perhaps. They get the audience dancing in rhythm at least,
Sweet Dreams "I'm Never Giving Up" Now confirmed as having been placed six at Eurovision, and still a cracking bit of tacky Eurovision pop. Deserved much higher than no 23 (or indeed its peak of 21) The choreographed dance moves are, in retrospect, hilarious. Trying to imitate and exceed the "dress ripping off" moves of Bucks Fizz in 1981 no doubt.
Evidence of that "mid-life identity crisis" thing that TOTP was said to be having in the overview of TOTP 1983 broadcast this Jan. Video section with Kid Jensen in Singapore presenting "highlights of the Far East charts" Starts out outside the Raffles hotel. No singles for sale out there! Paula Tsui "Fantasia" in Cantonese, at anti-drugs show in Hong Kong Well this is very middle of the road variety show stuff. "pop music not so important to Asians is it is to us in the UK" China Doll "Chasing The Dragon" (hmm presumably not from an anti-drugs show) sounds a bit Tears for Fearsy/ 1981 electro-pop melancholy, video with bloke being clambered over by a monkey, I think in Hong Kong. Chinese movie star and hearthrob Lam "Mirages" described as "Singapore's best selling record" red jacket guy with questionable moustache. The track not instantly memorable. A weird interlude.
The Creatures "Miss The Girl" Great xylophone action here. Mysterious Banshees offshoot, an attention-grabbing chorus accompanies much minimalism. Powerful and haunting.
Now Peel does the European chart - nice view of Peel on a Sealink ferry on the channel, hoping we'll have French songs about consumption-ridden basement dwellers. If only. Popular in France is a Liverpudlian group Cook Da Books "Your Eyes - La Boum". Vid of people waving cigarette lighters like we used to, sentmental, not terribly appealing drivel? If first impressions count, then yes.... Peel in Boulogne Hoffman & Hoffman "Rucksicht", the German Eurovision entry. It s very variety show. Counts down the "European top 10" while eating chips like you do and no 7 Mirielle Matthieu & Patrick Duffy "Together We're Strong". A bit Christopher Crossy, seems a bit outdated by 1983 really. Not good. Nena "99 Luftballons" at no 2 is very much more like it. Punk energy transmuted into pop gem. Europe's no 1 David Bowie "Let's Dance". Peel ironic as ever, but hmm I'm not sure this is a valuable new feature to include in TOTP...
Charts The Kid bearing aloft a little Eiffel Tower to give off that international sophistication vibe yeah
Tears For Fears "Pale Shelter" This is very fine. Electro-pop with an edge. Classy. Certainly the first "essential" track of the night
Charts Kissing The Pink "Last Film" Quite mad and quite brilliant. Powerful, haunting.
Charts Many acts in the top 10 described as "multi-talented". Some of them might warrant it. FR David? Probably not so much
no 1 Spandau Ballet "True" on video Polished and carefully manufactured, the video is a bit too slick, but the song is strong enough to cope with bad mid-80s fashion.
Very sharp edit indicating that something has been cut out (ah - presumably a reference to next week's very special but very unrepeatable edition). Dance out briefly to a crap track by the Kids From Fame - "Friday Night". Not good.
Bizarre edition.. Three very good tracks performed in the studio, but the excursions...a bad idea's a bad idea.
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vya
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Post by vya on Mar 11, 2017 21:17:36 GMT 1
12 May 1983 A slightly new theme tune and graphics, Wooh modern times.
Tommy Vance and Mike Read doing the annoying thing of letting the song start before introducing it, like Gary Davies had done a few episodes back.
But it's only Modern Romance "Don't Stop That Crazy Rhythm" which is really not very good. Maybe not their worst record, although maybe it is, but it has a fair bit of competition. (Gosh, I'm thinking Coldcut & Junior Reid plagiarised a bit of this, or came close to doing so, in "Stop This Crazy Thing" - which is vastly superior to this). Music for garden parties full of w*nkers. Dear God they have a stage dancer - Will Gaines it turns out- out front in a backwards baseball cap. Capital punishment seems more appealing for crimes against music after enduring this.
Hall & Oates "Family Man" on video This has quite a bit more bite (and bark) than many of their tracks. Video intertwines scenes of H&O and their supposed families with very early 80s primitive computer graphics. The song is superior to the video *(which actually isn't so bad). Some great chord sequences as well as bite and anger.
Belle Stars "Sweet Memory" Not a patch on "Sign Of The Times", but with similar ingredients. Energy, attitude, a bit of a 60s feel, horns. Plus a short chanted chorus and screams. Fun, but a bit incidental.
Pink Floyd "Not Now John" on video Loads of images of Japan in the video. vaguely anti-war lyrics. Anything but a classic.
Hot Chocolate "What Kinda Boy You Looking For (Girl)" "one of our most consistent groups over the past 13 years" is true enough - a great, somewhat underrrated singles act, for years n years. Though this a relatively minor addition to their catalogue. But Their talent and charm is still evident, Errol Brown a great frontman. I can deal with this.
Galaxy "Dancing Tight" Which hasn't notably improved since the last edition it was on. it's alright. The song doesn't develop very much. And oh - key change alert. Wallpaper to dance to.
Charts
The Creatures "Miss The Girl" Vance clarifies it's marimbas, not xylophones, we're dealing with here. Still quality minimalism. Some avant garde camera work of faces in the audience during one of the prolonged instrumental sections.
Charts Men At Work "Overkill" So not one hit wonders then (4 top 40s in fact). Though compared with their big one this feels like a B-side. Quite the opposite of overkill. Pre-empting Climie Fisher in creating boring middle-of-the-road pop.
Charts Big climbs by Blancmance (just outside the top 10) and the Beat (just inside it) being ignored... Agneta from ABBA says hello, briefly.
No 1 on video Spandau Ballet "True". As before. i do see the point about it being rather lengthy.
Dance out to Kissing The Pink "Last Film", although no-one in dancing as jerkily as the band have done in their performances.
Not an overwhelming show, not least as all the good tracks have been on before. And the presentation was very Smashy and Nicey.
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Mar 12, 2017 10:05:26 GMT 1
28 April. Pensen. Well, Hot Chocolate were successful, so why not Galaxy? Wonder how long it will be before someone calls themselves Mars. Nice choral hook, but an over-produced fake synth mess.
Peel asks what we thought of the Eurovision winner. "Oh, U2?" Did they win it? We came 6th so here are Sweet Dreams. Still really like this, it's fittingly sweet. Blonde cannot mime. She looks f***ed off that they didn't win. I love the line "best of strangers". There is someone doing dad dancing in a side stage. Is that Mike Read? Breaking off for a moment to see what did win it. Oh my God, that is complete, total and utter sh*t. No wonder we voted Brexit.
Pensen are wearing similar tops. We are now off to Singapore for the Far East Charts. Say what now? Jensen has been to Singapore. No singles. Weird. We now see Paula Choi at an anti-drug abuse rally. That's a sentence I never thought I'd ever type. Oh, they're using Wade-Giles transcription. She is dressed as a toilet roll holder. I do recall them showing some South American chart with three Brazilian number ones, that must be another week.
Now China Doll's "Chasing The Dragon". Bloody hell, that's a bit overt. This is actually quite good. Sparse synthpop with an atonal twist. Like Japan produced by Martin Rushent.
We come back down to earth with Lam's "Mirages", which is like something that would go down a storm in Magaluf. In 1974.
Jensen bought Peel a Mao hat. I've got a Mao watch. $2. And a Castro hat. $5. Go capitalism. Now The Creatures. Siouxsie and Budgie. Even more minimalist than Japan. Wisely there is no party atmosphere. No onscreen graphic for this. Is it not in the charts? What an era it was when this could get on mainstream television. Should we treat the lyrics literally? Ah, it is a chart-bound sound.
Right. Peel is in northern France doing the Eurocharts. Can't help but feel Jensen got the better deal. At no. 20 are Cook Da Books. From Liverpool. This is MOR sh*t. Oh God, they're holding up lighters. Germany's Eurovision entry is at no. 16. Hoffman & Hoffman. One of them looks like MC Miker G and the other like the Gumboot Dance Band bloke. Six seconds of that is enough.
At 7 is Mireille Mathieu and Patrick Duffy. My God, that's random. And also sh*t. And also stupid as they look like the Krankies together. Peter Schilling at 5, no idea why that didn't break through. Police car siren (nena nena nena) at no. 2. Bouncy. Amid a load of German there's suddenly "Captain Kirk". Bowie is the Euro no. 1.
Our charts now. For some reason there is 9 9 9 flashing in the background. Bauhaus are Northampton's finest. KTP at 24 and going up. Sweet Dreams entering too late. TFF at 22, so they're on now. "Pale Shelter". Not much to say about this other than it is brilliant. Doesn't get played as much as their other stuff of this era. Perhaps it should, it is miles better than "Change".
Back to the rundown. Peel mentions the brackets in Twisted Sister's hit. We are going back to KTP. I think they were struggling for songs this week as the chart is full of plungers. Four drummers. Not sure why they wanted a mike for the girl if she's going to stand that far back.
Top 10. Everyone is multi-talented to Peel. Other than Human League. What a sh*t top 3.
Playout is Kids From Fame with a barrel-scraper "sung" by the trainee stand-up. Interesting show.
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Mar 12, 2017 13:30:40 GMT 1
Love 'Overkill' it's not as overplayed as 'Down Under' don't get the Climie Fisher comparison I always had them as the Australian Police
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Post by raliverpool on Mar 12, 2017 16:19:53 GMT 1
Love 'Overkill' it's not as overplayed as 'Down Under' don't get the Climie Fisher comparison I always had them as the Australian Police Overkill is also my favourite track by Colin Hay's group. I always had Men At Work down as the Australian Huey Lewis & The News.
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Post by suedehead on Mar 16, 2017 21:04:22 GMT 1
Simon Bates and Gary Davies host this edition from May 1983. On a beach somewhere they are missing a deck chair.
D-Train get things started. This may have been before some idiot decided that detrain was a verb.
New Edition and David Grant have been dropped. Smart move.
Time for Blancmange. This isn’t as good as Waves, but it’s still pretty damned good.
The Beat - also not with their best song, but still decent enough. At least someone has made an effort in dressing for the occasion. No deck chairs here.
On to George Michael and his old school pal on video. Not one of George’s favourites.
It’s Cup Final day on Saturday so we get some players from the mighty Brighton & Hove Albion. The match against Man Utd ended 2-2. I can’t remember what happened in the replay.
Jo Boxers show that they had more than one song.
Another guest now. It’s Sting and Stewart Copeland with one of the least enlightening interviews ever. Then the first bit of the chart.
Another brilliant song from Yazoo is up next. Great haircut Vince.
The middle bit of the chart and a little bit more.
Fun Boy Three next. This programme started badly but has definitely improved now.
We end with the top six countdown and Spandau Ballet enjoying yet another week at number one. By this stage it’s beginning to get rather annoying that True has done so much better than their superior earlier songs. Besides, would you really want to listn to Marvin all night long? “The first ten million years were the worst. The next ten million years, they were the worst too. After that I went into a bit of a decline.”
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Post by suedehead on Mar 16, 2017 21:06:47 GMT 1
Simon Bates and Gary Davies host this edition from May 1983. On a beach somewhere they are missing a deck chair.
D-Train get things started. This may have been before some idiot decided that detrain was a verb.
New Edition and David Grant have been dropped. Smart move.
Time for Blancmange. This isn’t as good as Waves, but it’s still pretty damned good.
The Beat - also not with their best song, but still decent enough. At least someone has made an effort in dressing for the occasion. No deck chairs here.
On to George Michael and his old school pal on video. Not one of George’s favourites.
It’s Cup Final day on Saturday so we get some players from the mighty Brighton & Hove Albion. The match against Man Utd ended 2-2. I can’t remember what happened in the replay.
Jo Boxers show that they had more than one song.
Another guest now. It’s Sting and Stewart Copeland with one of the least enlightening interviews ever. Then the first bit of the chart.
Another brilliant song from Yazoo is up next. Great haircut Vince.
The middle bit of the chart and a little bit more.
Fun Boy Three next. This programme started badly but has definitely improved now.
We end with the top six countdown and Spandau Ballet enjoying yet another week at number one. By this stage it’s beginning to get rather annoying that True has done so much better than their superior earlier songs. Besides, would you really want to listn to Marvin all night long? “The first ten million years were the worst. The next ten million years, they were the worst too. After that I went into a bit of a decline.”
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Post by Earl Purple on Mar 16, 2017 23:14:48 GMT 1
Marvin Gaye never did a song called "All Night Long". But soon we'll have the Mary Jane Girls and later on Lionel Richie.
He could have sung "Listening to Rainbow, All Night Long" as that was 3 years earlier.
Not sure he's referring to Marvin Gaye though. Maybe he's referring to Marvin, the Paranoid Android... or Lee Marvin..
Still a night full of Meat Loaf (Marvin Lee Aday) might go down well.
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vya
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Post by vya on Mar 19, 2017 18:30:38 GMT 1
19 May 1983 Bates and Davies presenting a live edition
D Train - "Music" "You're The One For Me", their minor (no 30) hit from 1982 (although a bigger hit on later rerelease) is to my ears a timeless classic, very superior soul-R&B with determination and drive - the first 12" I really fell in love with ."Music" contains some of the same elements, and is identifiably a D-Train track, and also identifiably a watered-down retread of that classic. It's not that this is bad, it's not that at all, just that it references something so very much better.
Bates wearing a garland of flowers around his neck
New Edition "Candy Girl" on video Overdoing the cute kids with near falsetto voices thing. The sound could be sickly sweet, and well I suppose it was time for Jackson Five revival. Fabulous manufactured and confected pop.
David Grant "Stop And Go" Similar soul-R&B sound as D Train, but very much less accomplished (and built on the backing of session musicians, preusmably) . Grant looks surprisingly young, and the outfits worn by him and and the dancers couldn't be more tastelessly 1983 if they tried. "Bound to get to no 1" says Batesy. Yeah right.
Blancmange "Blind Vision" on video Spacious bit of synth-led late new romanticism with impassioned vocals. Really an underrated act. Really pretty good.
The Beat "Can't Get Used To Losing You" Dub reggaeish with a geezer in black tie. Sublime cover version. As good a way to announce that a group is splitting up as can be. The best tonight by far so far.
Wham! "Bad Boys" on video Fun video with beuniformed primary schoolboys being, well, moderately bad, before the band appear. Surely the single that confirmed earlier suspicions that Wham! were something really special, a phenomenon, even.
Football bit, Bates says they'd been hoping for Man Utd to turn up, but they need to rest for a big game, so here are (not second best or anything) several players from Brighton & Hove Albion bearing aloft "The Seagulls" albums, showing their sponsorship by British Caledonian Airways. (I wish they all could be...)
JoBoxers "Just Got Lucky" FANTASTIC RECORD. Pub rock with a New Wave edge? Maybe. As aggressive and as foot-stompingly driven as "Boxer Beat", but a bit more melodious and a bit more complex. Best new act of 1983 so far?
Sting in , announcing his new single "Every Breath You Take"
Charts Yazoo "Nobody's Diary" Actually quite possibly the best thing they ever did. Vince and Alf - the perfect combination. And the song too is a fine combination of restraint and emotional depth. Moyet - so much better than Adele.
Charts 19 to 8, logically enough then no 7 Fun Boy Three "Our Lips Are Sealed" More West Midlands shenanigans of some brilliance and depth to follow on from that of the Beat earlier, but with added deadpannery, especially from Terry Hall. As with the Beat, it seems like this sound is on the way out - but what a way to go out.
Charts 6 to 1 No 1, fourth week Spandau Ballet "True" to end the show I read a piece in the Times Literary Supplement that pointed out that the reference to "your seaside arms" was an allusion to "Lolita". I had no idea what he was going on about before.
A few really good songs this week.
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vya
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Post by vya on Mar 19, 2017 18:55:00 GMT 1
26 May 1983
Ultra-short 21 minute edition before a replayed FA Cup Final, Peter Powell & Pat Sharp.
Big Country "In A Big Country" Bagpipe-guitars are go, again. Catchy chorus, but overall not quite as attention-catching as "Fields of Fire", but attitude still in abundance. Definitely a band to watch.
Charts already 30-14, logically enough
At no 13 Man Utd "Glory Glory Man United". with "some ace goals" on video The record is as good as you'd expect it to be. At least they cut it off after a minute or so.
Video chart 12 Style Council "Money Go Round". A bit of a limp second single really 11 Bob Marley & The Wailers "Buffalo Soldier" A genuine undisputed classic
then 10 in the studio Hot Chocolate "What Kinda Boy You Lookin' For (Girl)" These guys are just so masterful. I fear this sound is on its way out now too, too variety show to endure in the brave new world of the mid-80s, but let's enjoy it while it lasts...
Charts 9-7 (the video thing having seemingly been abandoned no sooner than it had begun)
The Police "Every Breath You Take" The (appropriately enough) inescapable stalkers' song. Change your name and contact details and move to another planet, frankly.
Charts 6-2 (again without videos, although this is a decent selection of songs)
No1 New Edition "Candy Girl" on video I'd quite forgotten this was a no 1 in the UK. Well it is what it is. It could get irritating on repeated listening, but without that it's fun, and danceable
dance out to Forrest "Feel The Need In Me" I'd quite forgotten he'd had a second hit, another cover. Maybe or maybe not worse that Shakin' Stevens later version, but as I can't bring myself to listen to that, Forrest gets the benefit of the doubt. But his version is not filled with soul.
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Post by Earl Purple on Mar 20, 2017 18:24:50 GMT 1
Awful Style Council song. Is that really why he broke up the Jam? To make music like that? I liked Speak Like A Child and was hoping for more like that.
And who is that female singing along with him? Why has he ditched Tracie? Or maybe she ditched him refusing to sing on such a bad song.
A rare occasion (especially back then) of an NM #1 being followed up with a song that failed to reach my chart at all.
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Post by Earl Purple on Mar 20, 2017 18:28:29 GMT 1
Bobby Brown's vocal is just too screechy on "Candy Girl". Otherwise it's a passable song, albeit a rip-off of "ABC" by the Jackson Five.
"Every Breath You Take" was written in a time when people didn't already make their life public on facebook and twitter. So it didn't mean subscribing to someone's tweets and following their profile.
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Mar 21, 2017 23:37:43 GMT 1
12 May. They've revamped the theme, for no evident reason. The extra thumpy bits add nothing. Vance & Reid introduce what they say is a great party record to start. Modern Romance. Just remember Read's idea of a great party is the Conservative Party. This is sh*t piled on sh*t raised to the power of sh*t.
And now we go to Hall & Oates. Fast forward. Again.
Segue into The Belle Stars, dressed as a Slik tribute act. Don't remember this record at all. It's neither one thing nor another. SJ looking well hot. But this sound does not suit them. Like powerpop but the brass section is out of sympathy.
Pink Floyd on video. Another one I totally don't remember. This sound doesn't suit them either.
Segue into someone playing an airkey thing. Hot Chocolate. A bit of class amidst a mess of an episode. Not their best, but it does stand out well.
We go to no. 5. Galaxy. No ta. Then the charts. "The" Pink Floyd - TV showing his age. They should have looked outside the 40 for this week's episode.
The Creatures again. See comments above. Other than the spooky zooming on faces during the marimba solo. With one particularly hot girl.
Top 20. It's not very interesting. Only the presence of Blancmange stands out. Men At Work have apparently flown in from Japan to peddle their latest. Which is better than "Down Under" by a large degree. Again though I totally, totally don't remember. Was I ill when this episode was on? Three songs I've not knowingly ever heard before. But even though it's better than DU it's still not very good. Could do with a chorus.
Top 10. Oh, it improves. Beat at 10, FB3 at 9. Gets worse at 7. H17 at 3. Human League at 2. Agneta is in the studio to pimp something or the other. Spans are at 1.
God almighty, that was a really, really sh*t show. Is this the moment when pop falls off a cliff? KTP on the playout, which is by a long chalk the best thing on the ep.
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Post by thehitparade on Mar 22, 2017 0:05:23 GMT 1
For good or ill, Paul Weller obviously made a point of making the four Style Council singles that came out in 1983 as different as possible from each other.
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Mar 22, 2017 0:12:44 GMT 1
They say if you have a car crash, you should get right back behind the wheel. So after that grotesque episode let's get straight into 19 May.
Bates and Davies. Starting with D-Train. The most interesting thing in the song was the bit the two berks were talking over. Hm, I thought D-Train was a bloke. Not a duo. Anyway, this is R&B by numbers, awful tinny artificial instrumentation backing, some genuine talent buried under a horrid production.
New Edition. This is complete, total and utter crap. Words cannot express how appalling this piece of sh*t is. Obnoxious cash-in.
David Grant. Oh dear. D-Train redivivus. If you've got someone who can sing, why hide the voice? It's a shame because there is an interesting song in here, but unfortunately it was produced by a potato. Bates says it is bound to get to number 1. Oookaayyy.
Blancmange with a cheap-ass video. Interesting song though. Some odd instrumentation going on. Odd that such a discordant song made it so big.
The Beat who have flown in from Birmingham. Heh. Ska take on an Andy Williams classic. Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger can't be bothered to mime. This is actually rather brilliant. Fine Young Cannibals as the rhythm section.
Wham! Another video. Is that Celia Imrie playing Mrs Michael? Lyrically more interesting and pointed than his later social conscience bit.
FA Cup Final on Saturday. Brighton & Hove Albion are there presenting their album. I remember Steve Foster was suspended for the first game. They brought him back for the replay and got dismantled. Foster was gash.
JoBoxers. Another really good single. There's something of a Northern Soul vibe to this; it wouldn't be out of place in the oeuvre of an early Stevie Wonder. Better than the overplayed "Boxerbeat".
The Police pimping a single that is not even out. What a surprise that a band with the brother of someone who owns a label can get such free pub. Their song is in the background. It's sh*te.
Charts. Dull. Vince and Alf are at 20. The magnificent "Nobody's Diary". Best song of the year? Pretty close if it isn't. Should have been the second single, would have been a surefire no. 1.
Back to the charts. KTP are at 19 for a third week. Unusual. Modern Romance are at 14? Those are the first people against the wall when the revolution comes. We go straight into the top 10. Ooh, rad. Stopping at 7. For what?
Fun Boy 3. With another candidate for song of the year. Written by Terry Hall and Jane Wiedlin when they had a fling on a Stiff tour. Both this and the Go-Go original are stunning. I like the way FB3 subvert the usual thing by having a female backing band. Pipettes in reverse. Some nice camera work too. Nice cellist. Terry still can't mime.
Human League drop to 6. Bad sign. Spans are still at no. 1, thus preventing Heaven 17. Who for some reason ARE NOT ON. They are entitled to be. Will they be the playout? Has that cost them a number 1 position? Oh, no, there is no playout.
So the BBC screw Heaven 17 to show New f***ing Edition. Racists.
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