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Post by Earl Purple on Mar 27, 2017 14:46:54 GMT 1
I recall "Julie" by Daniel was the Yugoslav Eurovision entry in 1983. It didn't win but became a big hit around Europe.
Those two episodes had classic songs by David Bowie and Elton John respectively, and you lot are still not satisfied. Elton John spent 7 weeks at #1 in my chart with that song!.
It is however true that its run of 7 weeks was partly helped by nothing particularly great coming out for quite a few weeks. Although there is one quite brilliant one-hit wonder with a strange name about to emerge.
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vya
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Post by vya on Mar 27, 2017 20:04:48 GMT 1
I'd forgotten that H20 single, quite like it, but his vocals remind me of someone else, but cant put my finger on who... Me too, and I've trying to work out who - - - I reckon maybe Bryan Ferry?
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Post by o on Mar 27, 2017 20:21:34 GMT 1
Ah yes, you could be right, and I must just say that Elton John spent EIGHT weeks at #1 in my imaginary chart.
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Post by Earl Purple on Mar 27, 2017 20:57:42 GMT 1
I looked it up in the combi chart archive. That Elton John single only peaked at #16 in your chart..
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SheriffFatman
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Post by SheriffFatman on Mar 27, 2017 22:13:22 GMT 1
If I had a personal chart it would have spent TEN weeks at number one in there. In fact I've just decided I have and it did.
Which Elton John song is it, anyway?
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Post by Earl Purple on Mar 27, 2017 22:18:33 GMT 1
I guess that's why they call it the blues.
And we do 2 retro charts: 1967 and 1985, which combine to combi-charts. I also do a retro chart now in January 1968 and raliverpool is somewhere in 1978 with his now.
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Post by suedehead on Mar 30, 2017 20:01:20 GMT 1
We’re up to the end of June and a programme fronted by Tommy Vance and Richard Skinner. Judgung by the badge, Skinner borrowed his shirt from a hotel employee.
Shalamar are on first, leaving plenty of scope for improvement.
Here would have been that improvement with Heaven 17 but they have been cut.
Nick Heyward, still looking about fourteen here, is next.
Oh dear, a turn for the worse. It’s Irene Cara. Why have we missed Heaven 17 so they can this again? We are even being subjected to an interview by one of the “stars” of the film.
A debut solo appearance for Paul Young, last seen telling us about toast.
On to the first bit of the chart.
Tom Robinson returns to the show after a few years away. A very welcome return it is too.
The next bit of the charts, telling us that the song that was cut is the week’s highest new entry.
Bucks Fizz with a song whose title is a lot more appropriate now. Have they been listening to German pop?
The last bit of the chart and somehow Rod Stewart has got to number one. Yawn.
The Truth (who?) play us out.
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SheriffFatman
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Post by SheriffFatman on Mar 30, 2017 21:26:34 GMT 1
I'm afraid I'm a week behind. Was that lady from Freeze wearing a nappy?
Early 80s Rod Stewart is definitely the period when he looks most like Shirley from Eastenders. I always think Robbie Williams's post Take That career mirrors Rod's - very occasionally excellent, occasionally terrible, but the majority of stuff, like Baby Jane, is just kind of OK. Mostly I just admire their pragmatic approach and ability to do their jobs well, they both know they're not brilliant but they might as well milk it while they've got the chance.
I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues is such a brilliant song, it's great that Elton never seemed to think he was too big to bother going into the studio for Top of the Pops.
Moonlight Shadow is fantastic pop. Very odd that it was just credited to Mike Oldfield - if anything you'd expect it just to be credited to the lady singing it.
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Post by suedehead on Mar 31, 2017 20:02:42 GMT 1
On we go to the beginning of July 1983 and it’s John Peel and David Jensen again trying to look cool.
We begin with Roman Holliday. Spelling doesn’t appear to have been one of their strengths.
On the day Jesus and Mary Chain returned to the albums chart, the Mary Jane Girls should have been next but they have been cut.
So it’s on to some rock from Iron Maiden.
Now we get those vowel lovers from Freeeeeez.
ELO have also been dropped. How did Freeeeeeeeeeez survive the cut?
The Cure are up next. Cue comments about how young Robert Smith looks.
If you thought Henry was the first named vacuum cleaner, think again. Here are Jimmy The Hoover. I was going to say they should clean up with this. Then I heard it. The BBC4 Twitter person has suggested that the singer could be Brett Anderson’s dad.
First bit of the chart rundown from Peelie.
The programme gets some real class at last from Eurythmics.
The next bit of the chart lets us know that we have missed the highest new entry again. It was by Malcolm McLaren.
Next up are Funk Masters. Can’t wait ‘til it’s over.
The final bit of the chart (complete with some band called Heaven One Seven) ends with the sad news that Rod Stewart is still at number one.
Finally, we end with some Mike Oldfield.
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Apr 1, 2017 12:25:32 GMT 1
23 June. Tooop. Oooof the. Pooooops. Bates, and Powell looking like a JoBoxer. We start with Freeez, who sound completely different to the one that did "Southern Freeez". This is dull. Don't like.
Next up, a video shot through a potato, it seems. Rod Stewart. Christ alive, can't he just give up yet? Embarrassing.
Talking of which, Elton John. Well, this isn't so bad. Oddly the title in the chyron is all lower case other than the last word. Bit of a career renaissance for Reg, it's been a while since he's had a run of hits. But this is not that inspiring a programme so far, dreadfully mainstream. Are we going to improve with the next one?
Hm, not quite, the Eurochart with John Peel. Was haben wir herein? Amsterdam. Is that Anne Frank's house in the background? The Dolly Dots to start. Poor man's Toto Coelo. Dutch top 10. The girl doing no. 9 is the hottest. Oooh, the girl doing no. 6 gives a shout-out to Altered Images. And no. 5 to, er, Toto Coelo. Heh. OK, I will have to swap between 9 and 6. Oh, they happen to be no. 1 in Netherlands. Dolly Dots that is, not Altered Images. Oh, they're not, it's The Shorts.
So we see The Shorts. Dutch schlager. I'm not sure there's a more horrific genre possible. Utter, utter, utter gash. No wonder we voted Brexit.
No. 5 in the Eurochart is the Swiss no. 1. Geier Sturzflug. What the actual f*** is this? A poor man's Tenpole Tudor.
And the German no. 1 is Robin Gibb's "Juliet", which never made the chart here. Not entirely sure why, as it's decent enough, "You Win Again" lite. Better than Rod f***ing Stewart. I like the look at these European charts, as it shows just how much better British music is.
No. 3 in the Euro chart is Daniel with "Julie". Oh, I remember this. It was in the Eurovision. Think it came third. Remember thinking it had a chance at being a hit. It's basically, er, "Oh Julie" with yodelling. Daniel is the most Eurotourist looking bloke on the planet. Heh, Peel says it's like Shakin' Stevens. I seem to be prophetic on this week's episode.
We get another squiz at "Let's Dance" while Peel auditions for Wish You Were Here...? Now we have big in Japan. Oh dear sweet f***ing b*st*rd shitehawk God, it's Shakatak. f***. OFF.
Charts with a chequered flag. New entries for Paul Young, Imagination and ELO. And The Truth. Wonder if they will be on? Nick Heyward looking perky at 21. Still going so that surely means we are going to show 19. Dennis Lillee? Stochastic. Reference to Elton's receding hairline. Hahahah. And at 19 indeed is Mike Oldfield with the Dave Angel theme. Comfortably the best song on the show so far. Maggie Reilly looks like she's come from a Japanese schoolgirl-themed hen do. Great climax.
Doubtless we will be going back to the charts. So probably we are Truthless. Marillion at 16. We got Shakatak even though they're a non-mover? That stinks to high heaven of corruption. We go back to 17 because we haven't had enough H2O already. They can f*** off.
Top 10. Stewart is at 2 and Police are at 1. That's a sh*t top 2. It's like the last four years of music never happened. Thought the video was sepia rather than blue. We play out with ELO. There's next to none of the orchestral bit, it is a straightforward retro rock track.
That was a very sh*t show. The highlight was Dennis Lillee. That says it all.
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Post by o on Apr 1, 2017 17:39:48 GMT 1
Cure was excellent, and I love how Peelie and Kid jensen do that silly dancing at the end of the show as they pass you over to the last song!
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Apr 1, 2017 18:13:41 GMT 1
30 June. Tommy Vance dressed as Christmas wrapping and Richard Skinner. We start with Shalamar, presumably because everyone else in the world is dead. This is atrocious. Boring computer-generated dance-by-numbers with no soul, no personality, no interest, no nothing.
Next up on video. Heaven 17 at 16. "Come Live With Me". This almost has a reggae vibe to it despite it being pure electronica. Well, we've gone from the nadir to the zenith. Lovely song. Glenn Gregory seems to be pitching for a film career. More Oriental influence in the visuals; that's Japan, Bowie, Maggie Reilly, Wang Chung. Go east, young man.
Nick Heyward was obviously dischuffed with the lack of success of "Whistle Down The Wind" so he has basically plagiarized himself in putting out a song that sounds exactly like a Haircut 100 song. But not a very good one. Holding the guitar high is very sixties. The brass trio look like they've been dragged out of a working men's club.
Video again next, Irene Cara who is inching her way towards the top of the charts, 4-4-3. Still a great song. We seem to be alternating between rubbish and brilliance.
Hello, they have Jennifer Beals on Ver Pops. Yeah, baby. Rubbish interview, too many stupid closed questions. Hm, she's a Yalie. Oh, we go to Paul Young in the shiniest suit in history. This is a great vocal but it's wasted on this song.
Charts with a very similar backing to last week. Sylvian & Sakamoto. Hello, I called the Oriental influence. Go me. Marillion down, did they get on? Truth up, they should be on. No, we're still going. H2O went down despite being on last week, well, that was a waste. And of course we segue straight into no. 17. Tom Robinson back on Ver Pops. He's not even close to miming on the gee-tar. I remember the song's existence, but I don't remember paying that much attention to it, probably because I got bored stiff with it. History is repeating itself.
Let's get back to the chart. H17 are the highest new entry. ELO's playout did them much more good than H2O's performance. Buck's Fizz are a non-mover at 10 and for some inane reason that gets them on the show. Whereas The Truth going up twice in a row does not. What the actual? Mind you, Jay is looking Pyriphlegethon hot. Helped by her forgetting to put her dress on. Mike is dressed as Action Man. I guess he didn't get the Sebastian Flyte memo.
Top 10. The number 1 is sh*t. Playout is The Truth. That's still not very much pub. Very much like The Mighty Wah!, or even 1981 Jam, was worth something much more than one measly playout. Better show than last week, but then again last week had the serious disadvantage of Shakatak.
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Post by o on Apr 1, 2017 20:43:50 GMT 1
I always watch this with my chart book on my knee, and noticed a lot of songs this week that are going to peak around 11-20, sad fact alert.
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Apr 1, 2017 20:45:32 GMT 1
Settimo julio and I'm bang up to date. Unlike Roman Holliday, who bring us into the programme with something that would have been dated in 1954. Peel and Jensen then pop up dressed like Godfather-themed strippers. "Don't Try To Stop It". I won't. I'll just fast forward instead.
Next up. Debutantes again. Mary Jane Girls. Hellooooo, that's a double entendre of a name. Floella Benjamin starts with the whispering. With a name like Mary Jane Girls they should really be punk, not whatever this sh*t is passing for. There's a male stripper in the cage next to the stage. How come there was so much bother about Man 2 Man Vs Man Parrish a few years later? I don't remember this song, probably because it's total crap. What you get when you ask session musicians to wing it after a very long week.
Iron Maiden at 12. That's a bit of a contrast. Nicko McBrain with his monster drum kit to the fore. The video shows all the imagination and storyboarding of every other metal video hitherto ever, i.e. none whatsoever. The pilot is wearing harlequin leggings for no evidently explored reason. This is as by numbers as the MJ Girls effort, just louder and faster.
Now we have a rarity. Zoo doing a dance routine. To Freeez, they've decided not to repeat their TOTP performance of earlier. Zoo seem to be doing a circus routine. Christ alive, couldn't they have left this to the playout? The girls are not as hot as Legs & Co were. This has zero relation whatsoever to the music.
ELO. On in successive weeks. This time with a video. Some cartoon. At 14? Didn't move up much after a huge leap the week before. Jeff Lynne is actually rather stage shy, he would much rather be in a studio. The non-cartoon bits of the video are them in some sort of palais. Basically it's cut the ground from under Roman Holliday as being a much better 1950s pastiche.
The Cure, as the camera pans from Peel across a girl in a bikini. "The Walk". I remember the synth sting, but had totally forgotten it was by The Cure. It's dull. This is not a good show at all.
More debutants now. Jimmy The Hoover. Part of the select groups that have the word The in their names that is not either at the beginning or after the word "and". OK, this ranks as 7 out of 10, which is more than double the next best. Bit of Caribbean throwaway fun. Lead singer does not look like he ought to, looks like Chesney Hawkes' wimpier brother. (Not Jodie.) Leather jacket doesn't really go with this song. Hawaiian shirt, yes. Woman drummer. Very Honeycombs.
Charts. Any excuse for the gash we've had so far? Shakatak plummeted after last week, trololol. Nothing really standing out. We're going back to "The" Eurythmics, with their least convincing single thus far.
Charts. Sylvian & Sakamoto at 20, they should be on. Malcolm McLaren at 19, wow, ditto. The Funk Masters also up, they ought to be on as well. Lots of acts missed out so we can have f***ing Zoo. OK, it's The Funk Masters. Worth the wait? No. Something has gone grotesquely wrong with black music; it's lost all its energy, its go, its heart and soul. And the answer to that is disco. Stupid anonymous automatic backing and dull as ditchwater production. Nobody cares any more.
Top 10. Police plummeting. Heaven One Seven at seven. Stewart is keeping Cara off the top, but Young is on the charge.
Playout is Oldfield. Seems a bit unfair. There were three repeaters on that show yet no S&S or McLaren. p*ss poor planning.
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Post by Earl Purple on Apr 2, 2017 15:01:26 GMT 1
Marillion was on one of the yewtreed episodes. The Truth were on in full on one too.
The singer with The Funk Masters was Juliet Roberts who would have later solo hits in the 1990s. Sylvian Sakamoto's hit was based on the theme to Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence about a Japanese prisoner of war camp from World War II, in which Sakamoto also acted and so did David Bowie. I remember going to see that film at the time.
Jimmy The Hoover: one of the summer hits of the year! A shame they never had any more hits and that that song isn't on Spotify.
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vya
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Post by vya on Apr 2, 2017 21:02:46 GMT 1
30 June 1983 Skinner n Vance
Shalamar "Dead Giveaway" Generic,rather dull, and a million miles away in quality (or memorability) from, say, two of their big 1982 hits. All acts have ups and downs, maybe they'll come around for the better again. Zoo invading the stage and playing with balloons. Another bad move.
Heaven 17 "Come Live With Me" on video Much better. Moody, Parisian, video, which tells the song's story perfectly. Spine-tingingly good.
Nick Heyward "Take That Situation" Considerably more lively than his first solo single, more instantly appealling too, but quite possibly less attractive following repeated listening. The chorus has jolly Haircut 100 effects. Too straightforward to be brilliant. But you know - syncopation, brass, Nick Heyward, it's not all bad by any means. Zoo's dancing continues to be intrusive.
Irene Cara "Flashdance" on video Oh I kind of like this peppy encouragement, not in excessive measure. But this is alright
Quick interview with Jennifer Beals of "Flashdance", clearly the beeb is all in for its various commercial ties in involving Irene Cara. Surprisingly substantive for a TOTP interview.
Paul Young "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)" Not sure about his shiny black suit. If you're doing that sort of thing, might as well go for gold lamé a la Martin Fry, or not bother. This is quintessential 80s dancing in church hall music is it not. Decent voice. But there are many, many, of his singles I prefer to this one. It takes it's time, too slowly, to get anywhere, I think is in part why.
Charts
Tom Robinson "War Baby" Serious and solemn, and atmospheric. Complex lyrics in the verses accompany a memorable and simple chorus. Very good, yes.
Charts Bucks Fizz "When We Were Young" The Fizz going a bit weird, in both music and dress. Trying to sound older than they are , not convincingly - it's a bit minor key Human League-llke even. Not sure it is entirely a successful reinvention, but I find it quite likeable, still. In an alternate reality Bucks Fizz started out as a critically adored indie electronic group....
Charts No 1 Rod Stewart "Baby Jane" on video Not the most subtle song. Rather this at no 1 than the Police, anyway. Much better without the video.
Dance out to The Truth "Confusion (Hits Us Every Time)" I'd wager this lot were very big fans of the Jam, and thought "Beat Surrender" was a really good thing to be influenced by,...This is alright enough.
At best, a patchy show.
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vya
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Post by vya on Apr 2, 2017 21:49:37 GMT 1
7 July 1983 The Kid n Gramps Peely. in matching outfits with a hint of old school gangster.
ROMAN HOLLIDAY - "Don't Try To Stop It" A bit odd. A bit of a swing thing going on here, the song has some twists and turns and fine assertive leaps. Seems a bit out of time in numerous ways. A not attractive curio. A less irritating Modern Romance, maybe.
MARY JANE GIRLS "All Night Long" Soul music has gone wrong somewhere, as has disco. I knew this song first via a 1990 house cover by Jay Mondi & the Livin Bass (although the fact I had to look up the artist's name and wasn't convinced it was correct should give some clue how long it is since I last heard it.) . This lopes along fairly purposelessly for the most part. Indistinguished. The Jay Mondi cover is way better, with much more life in it.
IRON MAIDEN "The Trooper" (on video) Fairly middling Maiden track about the futility of war.
Zoo + the Hassani Troupe dancing to FREEEZE "IOU" Juggling but the dancing is more for show than a 70s style interpretative thing. Majorettes.and some serious lifting. Clown antics. The song is OK.
ELO "Rock N Roll Is King" (on video) More retro than Roman Holliday. More retro than typical ELO, even. Not earth-shatteringly brilliant but tolerable fun.
The Cure "The Walk" A track that sounds, in places, suprisingly modern in its arrangement and production. Bob Smith doing his Bob Smith thing. No doubt Cure fans love this.
Jimmy The Hoover "Tantalise (Wo Wo Ee Yeh Yeh)" Nice beat, steady rhythm over indie flamenco plus African-style chanting. Ah, some Malcolm McLaren connection. Loads of space in the track. And steel drums. By far the best thing on this show so far. Quite brilliant.
Charts
Eurythmics "Who's That Girl" (on video) Moody electropop, bare and sparse and powerful.
Charts
The Funk Masters "It's Over" Oh - I didn't realise this track was this. A bit better than the Mary Jane Girls and Shalamar tracks in the charts at the same time, mellow R&B. Well paced and sensitively performed. And a chorus that is catchy without irritating. Yeah, that's how to do this sort of thing well. Zoo still hogging attention by dancing on tables. Jeez.
Charts
No 1 Rod Stewart "Baby Jane" on video. Don't ever wear clothes in clashing primary colours, kids.
Dance out to Mike Oldfield/Maggie O'Reilly "Moonlight Shadow"
A pretty mixed show. In places good, in places poor.
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Post by Earl Purple on Apr 3, 2017 9:43:16 GMT 1
30th June episode was actually a very good episode. First track by Shalamar is ok, nothing special. A rift in the band will see them split and Jody Watley will have a solo career in the next few years. Jeffrey Daniels does seem to dominate the group though.
Heaven 17: Come Live With Me. I wonder if this was cut because of "sensitive" lyrics involving a relationship between a man of 37 and a girl of 17.
Nick Heyward: Take That Situation. Oh, back to the kind of brilliance we had with Haircut 100. This got to #3 in my chart.
Irene Cara: Flashdance. Better song than Fame. Giorgio Moroder co-wrote it though so that's not a surprise. Jennifer Beals acts in the film and makes a guest appearance on TOTP. We know now what she will do next - a TV series for children.
Up from #30 to #12 is Paul Young who had a hit in 1978 with "Toast" when really the band wanted "Hold On" to be the A-side and just put a novelty track on the B-side which got picked up in its place. Then he recorded a Joe Tex cover as part of the Q-Tips but that wasn't a hit, and now he's gone solo with a Marvin Gaye cover, slowed down somewhat and finally he has a hit again. And obviously knowing that B-sides sometimes do better than A-sides, this song was the B-side of "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby".
Tom Robinson - War Baby. Since his last hit, he actually worked with Elton John, writing lyrics for the 27 at 33 album, including the hit "Little Jeannie". Well it was a #3 in the USA, only #33 in the UK. Eventually the two of them will sort out which one is gay and which is not.
Bucks Fizz change style with "When We Were Young" and it works really well.
Interesting that the top end of our chart is full of 70s artists. David Bowie at #6, Elton John at #5, Mike Oldfield at #4, The Police at #2 and finally at #1 - Rod Stewart. Only Irene Cara at #3 (within the top 6) had her first hit in the 1980s.
The play-out track by The Truth has more of the feel of 1983 to it, where we got a few bands with only one or two hits. This band did manage one more top 40 hit.
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Post by suedehead on Apr 6, 2017 20:07:43 GMT 1
It’s Bastille Day 1983 and our hosts are Peter Powell and Andy Peebles. Later in the evening the BBC started a repeat run of The Life And Times Of David Lloyd George. Maybe BBC4 would like to add it to their schedule. In another sign of how times have changed, BBC1’s daytime schedule was devoted to the Open Golf while BBC2 showed Test cricket from The Oval.
We start with Elvis Costello back to performing under his usual name.
Malcolm McLaren has been cut again. The advert for t-shirts, however, survives.
Another chance to hear Paul Young. Malcolm McLaren would have been a lot better.
Heaven 17 have survived the cut this time - and a good thing too.
Echo and the Bunnymen next. This is definitely one of the better shows. The woman next to Peter Powell obviously had to leave the house before she had time to finish getting dressed.
The first bit of the chart - starting with that well-known drum machine and ends with a link into Bananarama at 21. In some weeks this would have been a high point. This week it marks a fall in quality.
The next bit of the chart with a distinct lack of mistakes.
David Sylvian and Ryuichi Sakamoto provide this week’s opportunity to bemoan the lack of variety in today’s charts.
I’m not a fan of this Rod Stewart song, but it’s still saying something when it’s the worst song on the show so far.
Donna Summer - long past her best - closes the show.
Expect some repeats tomorrow as we skip another week.
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Post by suedehead on Apr 7, 2017 20:07:44 GMT 1
On to the end of July 1983 and we spend half an hour in the company of Mike Read and Janice Long. Who thought those shorts were a good idea?
KC and the Sunshine Band are on first. If only they’d taken the song’s title literally. The Sunshine Band must ahve gone on strike.
Ah, this is better - Depeche Mode. Plenty more of the Mode to come later tonight on BBC4.
The first repeat from last night comes courtesy of Elvis Costello. At least it’s a fresh performance without those idiots pretending to read books. Twitter is divided on Declan’s sweater.
Right now it’s The Creatures. Siouxsie has gone fully Robert Smith. Hs enyine ever seen them both in the same room?
Some 80s class from the Lotus Eaters.
Yet another set of new graphics for the chart.
Malcolm McLaren has been cut yet again. What is going on?
Robert Plant’s tribute to Norwegian industry has also been chopped.
George Benson up next. This dross has survived at McLaren’s expense. Puts on angry face.
More of the chart leading up to Bananarama with another repeat.
Paul Young is at number one. At least it’s an improvement on Rod Stewart.
Heaven 17 accompany the end credits.
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