Presented by Richard Skinner
Full chart here
For some reason BBC Four is racing ahead with the Pops repeats, and they're already one month ahead. But who cares? We're taking our time here on TOTP81 and posting our reviews week by week, as they happened sort of. Richie Skinner's turn this week and he's done very well up to now but will have his work cut out with this mostly hit-less line-up.
Pretenders - Message of Love
First time we've seen this lot since the follow up (Talk of the Town) to their no. 1 (Brass in Pocket), and they're already doing well straight in at no. 28. Success was short lived for this particular single however and sadly we won't be seeing/hearing Chrissie Hynde going "I love ya I love yaI love ya I love yaI love ya I love yaI love ya I love ya..." again.
Ultravox - Vienna
It seems to be the trend to have a really successful single early on in the schedule so let's go straight to no. 1 and see the 'Vox with their new video for Vienna now up to no. 2. Pretty seminal stuff it is too with lots of real (?) fog, horses, decadent palatial building, smart clothes and thin 'tashes - all in grainy black and white-ish. Ah Viennnuuuuh!
Barbara Jones - Just When I Needed You Most
...and whooosh back down the charts again to no. 31 where we find, er, Barbara Jones and another one of those soft reggae songs I have no recollection of whatsoever. Probably because it got nowhere. Sad to report that Babs passed away in 2014. Awww. Next!
Coast to Coast - Do the Hucklebuck
Oh dear. No sooner than having got Matchbox out the back door, then this lot come storming in without so much as a ring on the door knocker. yes, it's another one of those "zany" faux-1950s rockabilly choons which we written especially for embarassing school/college/wedding parties for years to come. In at no. 39 and I fear the damage is going to be even worse.
Gillan - Mutually Assured Destruction
Blimey! Talk about contrasts ...after the poofy rockabillies, better get the greasers in! And quite an odd bunch they are too, and with a very odd song indeed. Has the edge slightly over last year's Trouble although, like Ms. Jones' effort, this didn't get any higher than this week's no. 32 spot.
George Benson - What's On Your Mind? (Legs & Co.)
We do seem to be scraping the barrel a bit this week and now we've got right down to no. 50 where we find Benson's rather poor follow up to last year's hits, accompanied by a duly lacklustre performance from the leggy Legs. Oh dear.
Chart countdown 30-21, with six out of ten records going down and one stable. New entry That's Enetrtainment by The Jam blatantly ignored.
Freeez - Southern Freeez
And something a bit interesting at last. Together with the 'new romantic' and nascent synth-pop scenes, mostly around the London area, Brit-funk was also taking a bit of a hold and here's a prime example right here on the Pops stage t'night! Not to be confused with Spandau Ballet's The Freeze, this one is a pleasant enough funk-fest fronted with the icy (geddit?) Ms. Ingrid Allmann who manages to sing throughout without even pretending to use a microphone (but thereby hangs a tale...). Up at no. 34 but will do deservedly better.
Slade - We'll Bring the House Down
Oh God. For those who thought Slade were just a 'glam' '70s' band, think again. Total rubbish of course, but surprisingly not the worst thing there is around.
Charts 20 - 11: Visage, Straits, Cliff, Spandau, The Look all going down.
Beggar & Co. - Somebody Help Me Out
And back to the Brit-funk thing with this ramshackle bunch who, in true Legs & Co. tradition, have dressed according to the 'theme' of the song - ie. tramps begging for help. They're a lively bunch and on stage seem like a cross between the Specials, Madness, Earth Wind and Fire. We're in the deep and darkest nether regions of the charts again (no. 53) but we've caught a big 'un this time and it's a cracking start for these nutty boys of brass! And a darn better "dance" performance than Legs & Co.
Kelly Marie - Hot Love
Wee Kels did great last year with her no. 1 Feels Like I'm In Love (doo-dooh, doo-dooh), although the follow-up not so great. Now she's back with those dancers. This one too will fail to set the charts alight although it will hang around for like ages.
Top 10 countdown
John Lennon - Woman
Well Skinner's done really well this time, considering he's had a show with only one top ten hit apart from this, and only one other Top 20 song (Slade fer Chrissakes). Anyway here's Lennon again and that video again played over the credits again.
We'll see you next week, hoping there will be a few more Top 20 tunes to be heard. Byeee!
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