TOTP81.48 3/12/81

Repeated on BBCFour 09/06/2016
Presented by: David Jensen
Full chart here

Bad Manners – “Buona Sera” (34)

Soft Cell – “Bedsitter” (4)

Status Quo – “Rock ‘N’ Roll” (27)

Duran Duran – “My Own Way” (26) WATCH

Jonathan King – US chart rundown:
includes:

• Journey – “Don’t Stop Believing” (live clip)
• Rod Stewart – “Young Turks” (video clip)
• Olivia Newton-John – “Physical” (video clip)

Diana Ross – “Why Do Fools Fall In Love?” (5) (Zoo)

Godley & Creme – “Wedding Bells” (21) (video)

Fun Boy Three – “The Lunatics (Have Taken Over The Asylum)” (20)

The Human League – “Don’t You Want Me” (9) (video)

Julio Iglesias – “Begin The Beguine” (1) (video/credits)

TOTP81.41 15/10/81

Repeated on BBCFour 20/05/2016
Introduced by DLT
Full chart here

TOTP debut: The Exploited, B.A. Robertson & Maggie Bell (as a duo)

..and David looks rather fetching in that 'bomber jacket and tie' outfit...

Gary Glitter – “And Then She Kissed Me” (44)
Removed from the 2016 repeat

Toyah – “Thunder In The Mountains” (5) (video)
So we start off with a video, which will help this one to go one place higher next week. Toyah studied drama don't ya know..

B.A. Robertson & Maggie Bell – “Hold Me” (36)
A modest new entry although will go on to do better, God knows how or why.

Altered Images – “Happy Birthday” (16) (rpt from 01/10/81)
Still doing well but could and will do even better.

The Tweets – “Birdie Song (Birdie Dance)” (2) (Legs & Co)
Bird shite still hanging around unfortunately.

Godley & Creme – “Under Your Thumb” (3) (rpt from 17/09/81)
On the other hand we have musical excellence unjustifiably one place below. That's the Great British public for ya.

The Exploited – “Dead Cities” (41) WATCH
Punk has now officially become self-parody.

Squeeze – “Labelled With Love” (31)
Let's calm thinsg down a bit with a nice little ballad. Probably gets played a lot on Radio 2.

The Creatures – “Mad Eyed Screamer” (25) (rpt from 01/10/81)
Artistically somewhere between The Exploited and Squeeze are Siouxsie & Budgie doing their stuff. Will go one place higher next week.

Dave gives us a little talk about how long he's been away and how much things have changed while Heaven 17's “Play To Win” plays in the background.

Chart rundown 20-10

Bad Manners – “Walking In The Sunshine” (10)
Peak position for these summer time blues.

Chart rundown 9-1

Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin – “It’s My Party” (1) WATCH
Mercifully keeping The Birdy things off the top, and with some style and panache. Best no. 1 since Tainted Love.

This Year’s Blonde – “Platinum Pop” (48) (+ credits)
A nedley of Blondie hits, would you believe. She does the voice very well, though.

TOTP81.39 01/10/81

Repeated on BBCFour 19.05.2016
Presented by Mike Read
Full chart here

TOTP debut: The Creatures, Altered Images.

The Tweets – “Birdie Song (Birdie Dance)” (7)
Bird sh*t.

Godley & Creme – “Under Your Thumb” (6)
Going ahead in leaps and bounds and will do even better.

Sheena Easton – “Just Another Broken Heart” (37)
(rpt from 17/09/81) This one's really struggling and hasn't gone up much since it was last shown two weeks ago. But Sheena obviously had some friends in high places who managed to get this one repeated.

The Teardrop Explodes – “Passionate Friend” (25)
Another one that's struggling a bit but possibly a big fave of Mike Read's so it's good to see Julian Cope tripping again.

The Creatures – “Mad Eyed Screamer” (34)
Siouxsie & Banshees spin-off as 'er and Budgie (no relation to The Tweets) get all hot an bothered to whip this one up.

Ottawan – “Hands Up (Give Me Your Heart)” (3) (Legs & Co)
..and then on to something completely different.

Toyah – “Thunder In The Mountains” (32)
The fiery-haired one is back with a new single. Possibly not about farting.

Bad Manners – “Walking In The Sunshine” (30) (video)
Surprisingly pleasant soft-reggae outing for this obnoxious lot.

Altered Images – “Happy Birthday” (48) WATCH
Debut appearance and indeed chart hit for these erstwhile post-punk John Peel darlings gone pop.

Gidea Park – “Seasons Of Gold” (28)
Rubbish.

Dollar – “Hand Held In Black & White” (19) (rpt from 03/09/81)
The Trevor Horn gloss still working its magic, but go no further with this one Dollar people.

Adam & The Ants – “Prince Charming” (1) (video)
Still there and not even for the last week (yaaawn).

Tight Fit - "Back To The 60's (Part II)" (38) (audience dancing/credits)

TOTP81.28 16/07/81

Repeated on BBCFour: 25/03/2016
Presenter: Peter Powell
Full chart here


Saxon – “Never Surrender” (26)
One of those heavy metal bands which seem to have been around forever already, even though their chart 'career' was relatively short lived. This will get them into the Top 20 next week for the last time. Ever.

Third World – “Dancing On The Floor (Hooked On Love)” (12) (video)
More summer-reggae fun, if you like that sort of thing. They'll make it to the Top 10 next week but that's as far as it goes. Ever (except for 1985 when they'll have a revival with an old one)

Depeche Mode – “New Life” (19)
Hurrah for the brand new sounds of synth-pop! The Dizzy Deps continue their somewhat sluggish climb up the charts and are one small step further towards world domination.

The Jacksons – “Walk Right Now” (30) (Legs & Co)
Speaking of world domination, as l'il Michael does his own thing, big bros also have a crack and making the big time once more. Some nice arse waggling from The Legs too, if I may say so.

Dexys Midnight Runners – “Show Me” (33)
After things went a bit t*ts up following last year's surprise no. 1, Dexy's are back with a good 'un, although "Eileen" is still a year away.

Kate Bush – “Sat In Your Lap” (15) (video)
And she's back! Long awaited and much anticipated follow-up to last year's string of hits and no. 1 album (and a criminally largely-ignored 'Christmas' single), here's Kate with one of her best, going on about "heaven is hell", wanting to be a "lawyer and a "scholar", "going up the ladder" and of course that "knowledge is something that's sat in your lap". How can you not love her?

Bad Manners – “Can Can” (3) (rpt from 02/07/81)
From the sublime to the ridiculous, as is often the case on The Pops. The Manners still desperately hanging on to that prestigious no. 3 spot.

Spandau Ballet – “Chant No.1 (I Don’t Need This Pressure On)” (18 -straight in!)
Another much anticipated comeback after their 'Journeys to Glory' success, and Ver Spans have evidently been going down 'Beat Route' (geddit?) quite a bit and have come up with some funky new dance stuff with the help of Beggar & Co. who you remember from a while back. Spandau will never be as good as this again. Ever.

The Specials – “Ghost Town” (1) (video/credits)
"Do you remeber the good old days before the ghost town?", well possibly youdo even as the nation plunges once more into race riots in the big cities under staunch Conservative rule. Times change eh? Still, cheer up chaps as there's a Royal Wedding coming up soon.

See you!

TOTP81.26 02/07/81

Not repeated on BBCFour in 2016
Full chart here
Presented by DLT

TOTP debut: ?


We start July rather somberly, firstly because this show wasn't repeated again in 2016 and secondly because most songs are rubbish, inclusing the no. 1 which is already about 6 years old. The only spark of 'modernity' and 'cheer' is given by The Specials with Ghost Town, as new social unrest erupts in the Toxteth area of Liverpool among others.
Oh dear...roll on the Royal Wedding.


Bad Manners – “Can Can” (3)
No we can't.

Third World – “Dancing On The Floor (Hooked On Love)” (25) (video)
A bit of cheery reggae

The Specials – “Ghost Town” (2)
This is the highlight of the show. Which says a lot.

Quincy Jones – “Razzamatazz” (16) (Legs & Co)
No idea.

Barry Biggs – “Wide Awake In A Dream” (53)
A nightmare more like.

Linx – “Throw Away The Key” (21)
Good one, and suitably gloomy.

Rainbow – “Can’t Happen Here” (29) (video)
It has.

Michael Jackson – “One Day In Your Life” (1) (Legs & Co) (rpt from 04/06/81 + credits)
Not in my name.

The (cheerless) End.


Further reading: "Too much fighting on the dance floor", The Sound of the Crowd.

TOTP81.15 16/04/81

Repeated on BBCFour 03/03/2016
Full chart here
Presented by Peter Powell

TOTP debut: Department S, Girlschool (without their mates), Ennio Morricone.

Hello and welcome to another Top of the Pops. It's nearly Easter in 1981-land but there's not a creme egg in sight as Pete Powell takes us into The Pops with The Jacksons' Can You Feel It stomping away in the background. Go Pete, go!


Bad Manners - Just a Feeling
They're back again although it does feel like they haven't even been away, but that might be just a feeling. By rights they shoul've been on last week but they were obviously otherwise Fattily engaged. Now at no. 15.

Spandau Ballet - Musclebound (video)
And after all that fat, time for a bit of muscle. Ver Spans themselves are obviously otherwise engaged asit's their grainy video that gets an airing this week. As I've said before it was a kind of 'double A side' with Glow - wish they'd come on to do that one instead. Would've given Bad Manners a run for their money. Now at 18 but there's time to improve.

Girlschool - Hit & Run
After having been given a bit of a leg up (oo-er) by big brother types Motorhead, Girschool after another try at going it alone (after failing last year) with this one. HEavy metal fans obviously still prefer their men rather than women in leather as they don't hals as well as Saxon, the abovementioned Motorhead et al. New at 32 and it won't get much better.

Sugar Minott - Good Thing Going (We’ve Got A Good Thing Going)
Well imagine going into a record shop in 1981 and asking for that. Mind you at this point you probably could've just picked it up off the racks at Woolworths or Boots or somewhere similar, which is what a lot of punters obviously did, as it's up to 7.

Department S - Is Vic There?
About time we had something new and a bit weird, and here indeed are Department S who fit the bill perfectly. They even have a singer who holds the mike like Alvin Stardust used to. This was probably first heard on John Peel's late night weirdo radio programme or some such but somehow theymade their way into the mainstream, and had their one and only hit. Amazingly (according to wiki) they are going to release an album in 2016. Can we wait?

The Beat - Drowning
And here's a combo who did rather well out of 1980 with all those chart singles. this is nice enough although you do get the feeling they are a bit last year's thing warmed up. Not drowning but slowy waving goodbye? Aother double A side with All Out to Get You which was actually a lot better. New at 53.

Whitesnake - Don’t Break My Heart Again
Allegedly caught by BBC cameras (yeah, we believe you Pete) in this faux-live performance, Whitesnake are another one of those macho testosterone-charged heavy metal bands much favoured by fans over girlies in T shirts. Album Come an' Get it (ooo-err!) just out and this is from it. Just made it into the Top 30 at 29.

UK Subs - Keep On Running (Till You Burn)
No strangers to The Pops where they always seem to get the chance to appear and sell a shed load of records afterwards although that never seem to happen. Agian, like Dept. S they are also still going and amazingly have an album out this year and even more amazingly it's their 26th, each one with a title beginning with a consecutive letter of the alphabet.

Ennio Morricone - Chi Mai (Legs & Co.)
Better slow things down a bit after all that post-punk malrkey, and this is where Pete's voice goes all soft and sincere which I really like.... Anyway it's the 'oddity' of the moment with Maestro Ennio Morricone's theme to BBC TV's Lloyd George period-costume drama series thing. You'd be forgiven for thinking that Morricone's pièce sounds a bit dated as it has its origins in one of his film scores from the early 70s, somewaht re-purposed here by Aunt Beeb. Legs rise to the Edwardina occasion by dressing up as Sufragettes putting on thier best BBC drama series serious faces to do a little dance. A nation snoozes off in the armchair.
Coincidentally, thirty five years on, and at the grand old age of 87, Morricone has just been given an Academy Award for his film score for Tarantino's The Hateful Hate. So now you know.

The Cure - Primary
But don't switch off just yet Pop Kids as it's time for a Legendary Post-Punk Moment on Top of the Pops as those weirdos The Cure suddenly appear and 'do' their latest single Primary. Not their first time on the show as Pete would have us believe, as they already had their first pop at chartdom with A Forest a year hence, making it all the way to 31. Primary would fare even worse than that, but no matter - they'll be writing songs about cats and caterpillars and being locked up in wardrobes soon.

The Nolans - Attention to Me
So how do follow up a little known doom and gloom proto-Goth band on The Pops? Why, with the all-singing all-dancing all-smiling Nolans of course! Mind you they have dressed up in their best Gary Numan black jumpsuits for the occasion. Even the Cure had a bit of eighties colour about them. Anyway, like the gals say it's all attention to them as they climb up to no. 14.

Top Ten countdown

Bucks Fizz - Making Your Mind Up
I suppose there were no prizes for guessing that The Fizz would've been this week's new number one, just pipping Shaky and indeed Stevie Wonder to the post. It would've been a laugh if Ennio Morricone had made it instead though eh? Again, they're probably off galavanting over Europe somewhere as this is a repeat showing of oen of their previous jigs.


The Jacksons - Can You Feel It
And we finish as we started with the Jacskon's record on heavy rotation in The Pops studio to see us all out.

So until next week, byeeeeeeeee!

TOTP81.12 26.03.81

Repeated on BBCFour 11/02/2016
Full chart here

Presented by Richard Skinner

TOTP debut: Polecats, Graham Bonnet, Tony Capstick

Last show of March and Spring has sprung and Skinner is slowly abandoning the Geography teacher look in favour of a trendy new shirt, but still keeping the rowdy kids at bay.

Polecats - John, I'm Only Dancing
Now here's a thing - a poignant cover of a David Bowie song. Also quite funny as it had only been a hit just over a year ago, although the original dates back much further of course. (Further reading here). Appropriately the lead singer is thin and white. As indeed they all are. Despite 'rockabilly mania' this would only get one place higher than this week's 36.

Kim Wilde - Kids in America
So much for the new guys, better get a hit on: Kim Wilde now at no. 2 (video)

Graham Bonnet - Night Games
Always thought he was an American although I just discovered he was born in Skegness. He's been around a bit has our Graham and fresh from a successful album  and a couple of hit singles with Rainbow he decided to go it alone. This is his one and only UK solo hit, but he's still going apparently.

Hazel O'Connor - D-Days
Can't quite work out how she released her album Sons and Lovers last year, yet this is only the first single from it. Anyway we're all hungry for a bit of TOTP Hazel action and this is what we get! Haze is in full-on post-punk theatrical mode, perhaps trying to go one up on Lene Lovich? Or on Toyah (the singer) even. (Enjoy the full performance here)  Anyway good to see her back, now at no. 23

Tony Capstick - Capstick Comes Home
Oh no it's one of those Great British Novelty Singles isn't it? We do seem to have to have one now and again. Tony was a folk singer from Yorkshire who spent a lot of time as a radio deejay, cum comedian, cum bit-part actor.  One of the year's highest new entry's so far in a no. 10.

Gillan - New Orleans
OK so after a quick snooze, let's get the party going again with some pretty serious hard rock cover version stuff. From the new album Future Shock. According to wikipedia band member Bernie Tormé "left just before the band were due to fly back to the UK to appear on Top of the Pops". So obviously not here tonight then.

Linx - Intuition (video)
Another showing of the video premièred by Tommy Vance a couple of weeks back. Doing well at no. 13

Lene Lovich - New Toy
We haven't seen Lene on The Pops for almost two years now - last appearance was with Bird Song in November '79, which wasn't even a hit. As this one won't be either. Much like O'Connor it's a late seventies post-punk throwback thing although Lene was obviously too scary to appeal.

Bad Manners - Just a Feeling
Just one place below Ms Lovich are Bad Manners. The 'joke' seems to be wearing a bit thin, although this won't be the last we'll see of them. Fatty wotsit lead singer also very scarey, possibly trying to out-scareHazel and Lene at this point?

The Whispers - It's a Love Thing (Legs & Co.)
Dreary American disco music which still sounds so 'seventies'. And Legs are down to five? It's even too dark in here to tell really

.

Landscape - Einstein a Go-Go (video)
Thnakfully some proto synth-pop to modernise things up a bit. Still going strong at 11 although it's still that video.

Shakin' Stevens - This Ole House
New number one, and Shakey's first of four. A repeat of the studio knees-up from a few weeks back, rather than the rather dour video, and so Legs are back to 6...hurrah!


Bucks Fizz - Making Your Mind Up (over credits)
Extra plug for The Fizz about to go live from Dublin in ten days time with their Song for Europe now at 24.

TOTP 80.3 22/1/81

First broadcast: 22nd January 1981
Repeated on BBCFour from: 15/01/2016
Presented by: Peter Powell
Full chart here

Not a bad show by the looks of things - quite a few lousy repeats but a few classic stonkers to make up for it so let's boogie on down, shall we Pete?

The Look – I Am The Beat
In 2016, they've only just been on although in the actual two weeks between this and the previous appearance they'd gone up to no. 6. Found myself humming this even after the show. Annoying.

Blondie - Rapture (promo)
Well after taking on punk rock, disco, futuristic rock and all kinds of stuff HArry and friends now approach rap which was fast taking a hold Stateside. Thankfully they make a good job of it, although with that voice leading the proceedings they could get away with just about everything. Nice, modern Sesame Street-ish sort of video too.

Spandau Ballet - The Freeze
Back in the studio and those slick London "new romantic" types are back with their daft clothes and floppy hair. Hurrah! Second single and lookin' good at no. 45. Can't wait for the album.

Racey – Runaround Sue
Let's not get too radical though. Repeat from two weeks ago and still unbearable, especially after Spandau Ballet. Up to no. 13

XTC - Sgt Rock Is Going to Help Me
I used to really like XTC and this one in particular. Good quality new wave kind of rock with a touch of English humour added in. They'd done well with Making Plans For Nigel back in '79, although last year's Generals and Majors had failed less well. Similarly themed 'Sgt. Rock would however become one of their greatest and best loved singles.  Quite right, Pete - this was taken from last year's Black Sea album, and rescued just in time from sinking without a trace, me hearties. (cf. Vienna by Ultravox).

Visage - Fade to Grey
Classic eighties track time and quite rightly accompanied by a very (early) eighties video, featuring band "leader" and "singer" Steve Strange, and directed by Godley & Creme, formerly half of 10cc. As their name would suggest, with Visage the 'visuals' were the thing although if you've got a good futuristic sounding backing track with enigmatic lyrics, a French girlie spoken vocal and a breathy uhhhh-uhhhhh catchline, it's got to be a winner. Famously written by half of the new Ultravox (Ure, Currie) and Gary Numan's keyboard and violin player (Chris Payne). They couldn't really go wrong.

Yarbrough and Peoples - Don't Stop the Music (Legs and Co.)
At last we get some disco music which sounds very eighties, as opposedto the rubbish we had last year which didn't. As I have confessed in the past I know very little about the genre, but I do know that this one sounds sort of similar to that SOS Band Just be Good To Me which would be very much in vogue a few years hence. Anyway to mark this momentous sonic occasion showing the way forward in dance music, Legs and Co get their Scottish kilts and all the tartans trimming out to perform a provocative highland routine. I really would like to know why oh why they chose to wear that stuff, och aye.


Adam & the Ants - Antmusic
There have been quite a few famous 'number twos' in chart history (another of which we'll see during the coming months) and this must surely be one of them. Poor old Adam and his Ants in his pants were indirect victims of the Lennon assassination and the record sales that ensued. This week they're wedged in between Lennon's first posthumous single release Woman at no. 3 and this week's no. 1 (again). But anyway they can't complain as they're also at no. 11 with resuscitated early single Young Parisians.

Honey Bane - Turn Me On, Turn Me Off
Here's an interesting one at last - Ms. Bane with her debut solo single now in the nether reaches of the charts. Honey (née Donna Tracy Boylan) had been doing quite a bit of mucking about in the punk years with bands like Fatal Microbes and Crass, plus a short spell with St. Charles Youth Treatment Centre in Essex, before being "rescued" by Jimmy Pursey - he of Sham 69 - who was looking for some new "talent". As pleasing as her tune may be, it didn't get very far, perhaps smacking a little too much of a wannabe Hazel O'Connor. And that was sooooo 1980. (Toyah! Where are you?)

Ok..this week's "best selling" Top 20..well, up to no. 11 anyway.

Bad Manners - Lorraine
Tie for one more and sadly it had to be this. Repeat from two weeks ago.

Top Ten Time..and Queen just won't budge from that all-important no. 10 spot, and Phil Collins has whooshed up a massive 32 places to no. 4 after (not) appearing on the last show.

John Lennon - Imagine
Well this music certainly hadn't lost its flavour  - third out of four weeks at no. 1 and now four singles in the top 10 for Lennon (but not a Beatles record in sight).

The Gap Band - ...(?) (playout)
...er, erm...


It's going to be quite strenuous keeping up with the Pops this year, what with the twice-weekly helping and loads of skipped Yewtree espisodes, but please bear with us and keep on tuning in!

G'night.

TOTP 80.1 8/1/81

First broadcast: 8th January 1981
Repeated on BBCFour from: 14/01/2016
Presented by: Richard Skinner
Full chart here

It's eight-one-eighty-one, and welcome to 'the home of the hits' as an unashamedly buoyant Richard Skinner tries to convince us. So on with the first show proper of 1981...and no 'preview' thing, that's soooo 1980.

Racey – “Runaround Sue”
And racey they are indeed, at least by 1978 standards which is probably where this belong, plus they're doing a cover of a 'retro' rock n roll thing which makes them all the more odious. This is really bad but they had 70s music 'guru' Mickie Most as producer who may possibly have given them a, er helping hand to get in the charts.

Adam & The Ants – “Antmusic”
Now at no. 4 although they were probably still too hung over from the festive festivities to make it to the studio again, so here's a repeat. Either that or they were doing panto - dressed as themselves. Oh no they weren't!

The Look – I Am The Beat
"Finally" in the Top 30 Skinner informs us becuase it's been kicking around nowhere much since last October. Mote jaunty late 70s/throwback pop-blues pub band who struck lucky with this their only hit. Fairly deep metaphysical subject matter, an all singing all musical manifestation of a, er, beat. "..in heaven and hell they know me too..". Wow. Annoyingly catchy.

Barry Manilow – Lonely Together
And they're back although looking rather world-weary and sorry for themselves doing this slow number in their petticoats. Cheer up girls, and make the most of it while you can. There are worst thngs to life than having to 'dance' to an abysmal record which had been hanging round the top 30 for seven weeks and was now at the giddy heights of no. 21. After this, it bombed.

Chart rundown 30-20

The Beat – Too Nice To Talk To 
Oh here's the real Beat, not that rubbishy heaven and hell stuff. This is a repeat of the performance they did afore Xmas and now doing just slightly better than Barry Manilow at no. 20. Unlike Baz, this one would rocket into the Top 10 after this week's show. Hurrah!

Sad Café – I’m In Love Again
Oh no. Not this lot again! After Top 20 success with My Oh My early last year they've since had two flop singles (including one called Nothing Left Toulouse - cringe) although someone has obviously thought it fit to give them another chance even though they're at number 58. And the singer bloke really fancies himself as a kind of Mick Jagger innit.

Matchbox – Over The Rainbow/You Belong To Me
More of last year's left-overs and this tastes very much of one of those mince pies you just found in the pantry, having initially opened the box on Christmas Day. Stale. No. 18 this week, no. 15 next week, and pretty much the end of the road for Matchbox.

Countdown 19-11, where we find....

Chas & Dave – Rabbit
This must have gone down a bomb at Christmas office parties, knees-ups and general "merry" get togethers over the past couple of weeks. As such it's continued to go up a few places although this is the last we'll see of it in Popsland. Don't forget it's 'back to work' week.

The Specials – Do Nothing
Enough of the left-overs already, but this unruly crowd are at no. 15  and somehow will manage to shoot up to no. 4, its highest position, after this repeat performance. Good track.

The Nolans – Who’s Gonna Rock You?
Another repeat from pre-Christmas with the nation's fave siblings struggling a bit with this one at no. 24. That said, much like the Specials, tonight's showing gave them a kick up the collective backside (sorry girls) and got them up to no. 12.

Bad Manners – Lorraine
And speaking of panto, Bad Manners are back in their full fancy-dress gear and featuring a, er, blow up doll front stage. For soem reason the lead singer Buster something has dressed up as Henry VIII although not a bad choice given his stature. Much hilarity and horn-blowing ensues. To be honest I have no recollection whatsoever of this song. Probably still too busy listening to Gary Numan.

Top 10 countdown: Queen, Madness, Abba, Police, Winifred's, John Lennon, Ants, Jona Lewie, Lennon/Yoko, and..


John Lennon – Imagine
..and without further ado here's Lennon again at the top spot with his most iconic song Imagine, in the charts for the second, but not the last, time. Seems amazing that the song hadn't even been released as a single in the UK when it first appeared on the eponymous album in 1971, whereas in other countries it had. 7" buyers had had to wait until 1975 to get a copy of it (when released in conjunction with the Shaved Fish retrospective LP) getting it all the way to no. 6 in November. Like Lennon himself, it disappeared again in early '76. But its message of peace and harmony and all that rang only too deeply after the star's brutal and senseless assassination and so it hit the nation's, and indeed the world's, heart once more in 1981. Lennon himself once described it as Working Class Hero with sugar on it, unknowing that it would somehow become his own epitaph. So here it is: iconic promo film, iconic white living room, iconic white piano.

Anyway ver kidz ain't bovvered about all that world peace stuff, all they want to do is to get on the telly!

Queen – “Flash”
...to fade....

See you next time.