TOTP81.45 12/11/80

Not repeated on BBCFour
Introduced by Dave Lee Travis
Full chart here

Some old some new faces on tonight for a generally very entertaining show, although oddly the highest new entry (at no. 8) is not featured.


Kool & The Gang – “Steppin’ Out” (25)
Slow progress, up from last week's 32, but will do a lot better.

OMD – “Joan Of Arc” (5)
Up from no. 7 to reach its peak. One thinks that if they hadn't just released the album then this might have done even better. I for one certainly didn't buy it for that reason, and regret it to this day.

Olivia Newton-John – “Physical” (11) (video)
Saucy/funny video again will help it reach its no. 7 peak next week.

The Fureys with Davey Arthur – “When You Were Sweet Sixteen” (14)
Like OMD this band of brothers will remain at this peak for one more week. Unlike OMD they will fade into oblivion.

Haircut 100 – “Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)” (9)
Whoop! Heyward and plas storm into the top 10 and go even higher next week.

New feature:
Jonathan King – US chart rundown:

• Air Supply – “Just When I Thought I Was Over You” (video clip)
• Foreigner – “Waiting For A Girl Like You” (live clip)
• Daryl Hall & John Oates – “Private Eyes” (video clip)

Ultravox – “The Voice” (27)
Follow up to last summer's "The Thin Wall" and a bit of an epic stomper as the 'Vox shuffle up with a bovine grace and glide in syncopation. Second highest new entry after Modern Romance.

Earth, Wind & Fire – “Let’s Groove” (20) (Zoo)
Zoo's second appearance with EWF's first and last Top 10-er of the eighties.

Rod Stewart – “Tonight I’m Yours (Don’t Hurt Me)” (10)
Rod hoping for a painless entry into the Top 10.

The Police – “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” (1)
Pretty inevitably they made it to the top after last week's no. 3 debut. Life at the top will be very short lived for this one though.

Altered Images – “Happy Birthday” (2) (audience dancing/credits)
Still hanging in there - third and final week at no. 2.

TOTP81.40 8/10/81

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



Madness – “Shut Up” (7)
The Nutty Boys have made it up the charts in leaps and bounds but this is already at its peak.

Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin – “It’s My Party” (8)
(rpt from 24/09/81)
Still doing very well and the surprises aren't over yet.

Barry Manilow – “Let’s Hang On” (30)
(video)
Brit audiences still being fed with Yankee crap.

Shakin’ Stevens – “It’s Raining” (40)
A disappointing entry point for this one, given Shaky's track record.

Slade – “Lock Up Your Daughters” (29)
(rpt from 24/09/81)
Peak position.

Elvis Costello & The Attractions – “A Good Year For The Roses” (23)
(video)
Surprisingly high entry point for Elvis and destined to go higher.

Japan – “Quiet Life” (19)
(rpt from 24/09/81)
Peak position for this one as it stays there next week too.

Tight Fit – “Back To The Sixties Part 2” (33)
'Medley' craze slowly fizzling out, we hope, as this one gets no higher.

The Human League – “Open Your Heart” (21)
Highly anticipated new single from the Mighty League does not disappoint and their mega-era-defining album Dare is just around the corner. Epic.

Depeche Mode – “Just Can’t Get Enough” (11)
(rpt from 24/09/81)
The 'Peche are heading for the Top 10 although we won't see them again til Christmas.

Adam & The Ants – “Prince Charming” (1)
(video/credits)
The last of its 4-week run at the top.

TOTP81.33 20/08/81

Not repeated on BBCFour in 2016
Presented by Dave Lee Travis
Full chart here


TOTP debut: U2

Once more The mighty Human League, now at their chart peak to date, are deprived of a repeat showing in 2016 so today's Pop Kids may never know how important they were in the magic year of 1981. Likewise future stadium-fillers U2 had their debut banned from our i-players, but unlike the League they struggled up just one place the following week before going 'down the dumper' albeit temporarily. Indeed we won't be seeing them again until after New Year's Day (see what we did there?) in 1983. Siouxsie and her Banshees are back with a new one although sadly this won't do as well as Spellbound. The rest, as they say, is pretty much rubbish, save for UB40 who continue with their unemployment woes and go Top 10 next week.

Chartwse, your faithful blogger's faves Depeche Mode, Kate Bush, Visage,Spandau are all on the way down, but (hurrah!) Duran, ELO and Kim Wilde all going up, and watch out for those Soft Cell Brothers, now climbing a massive 17 places to go into Top 10.

But back to this week's line up (chart placing in brackets)


Enigma – “I Love Music” (25)

The Human League – “Love Action (I Believe In Love)” (3) (rpt from 06/08/81)

U2 – “Fire” (36)

Siouxsie & The Banshees – “Arabian Knights” (32) (video)

UB40 – “One In Ten” (16)

Randy Crawford – “Rainy Night In Georgia” (30) (Legs & Co)

Tenpole Tudor – “Wunderbar” (20) (rpt from 06/08/81)

Lobo – “The Caribbean Disco Show” (10)

Shakin’ Stevens – “Green Door” (1) (rpt from 23/07/81)

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – “Hooked On Classics” (2) (audience dancing/credits)

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.

TOTP81.20 21/5/81

Not repeated on BBCFour in 2016
Full chart here
Presented by Dave Lee Travis

TOTP debut: (all tried and trusted acts this week)

After last week's super-short show due to FA Cup Final replay (won by Spurs) we're back to 'normal' this week although for obvious reasons this show was not repeated this time around. Shame really as it was another bumper show full of Great British (and Irish) talent performing loads of good music.
Setlist shamelessly ripped from Popscene), with thanks:

The Undertones – “It’s Going To Happen” (21)
Second outing for this one, this time sans armband.

Shakin’ Stevens – “You Drive Me Crazy” (2)
Title probably referes to Adam and his Ants in his Pants , as Shakin' ends up doing a bit of a Vienna by being no. 2 for a very long time.

Smokey Robinson – “Being With You” (23)
Sloppy, smoochy, girlie stuff which should never have made it over to this country. I blame Margaret Thatcher.

Toyah – “I Want To Be Free” (13)
Easy to forget how popular Toyah was/were in 1981. The second of four Top-tenners this year.

Tottenham Hotspur FA Cup Final Squad/Chas & Dave – “Ossie’s Dream (Spurs Are On Their Way To Wembley)” (5)
Obviously gone up because they won. Repeat studio performance.

The Teardrop Explodes – “Treason (It’s Just A Story)” (18)
Julian Cope and co. go up a bit more into the Top 20. End of the road for this one but they'll be back.

Stray Cats – “Stray Cat Strut” (11) (Legs & Co)
If you're wondering what legs did to this then see here (warning: contains DLT getting hot under the collar).

The Human League – “The Sound Of The Crowd” (15)
All too brief world domination by former board game faction The Human League really takes off here with the second, even more brash performance of their first hit. Phil Oakey has forgotten to wear a shirt for the occasion. Watch here.

Kim Wilde – “Chequered Love” (4)
Sadly Kim has remembered to put hers on but an enjoyable promo vid nonetheless. Top 5 but she won't reach such giddy heights again until 1986.

The Beat – “All Out To Get You” (25)
Another repeat and attempt to get a Big Hit out of this, but despite thsi one doing a yo-yo in the coming weeks it's the last we'll see of them.

Duran Duran – “Careless Memories” (37)
Now this is interesting: Duran Duran's follow-up to first hit Planet Earth and nearly one that sent them "down the dumper" as someone used to say. The non-success of Careless Mammaries (sic.)  (off the newly released debut album) nearly meant they went off into New Romantic oblivion (hello Classix Nouveaux) although as we all know that just didn't happen. A bit o a rarity this so have a look here (warning: contains DLT picking his nose). This is also the one famously presented by Tony Blackburn on the Top 40 radio show as by Durran Durran ..

Adam & The Ants – “Stand & Deliver” (1) (video)
Third week at numero uno for the dandy highwayman.

play out to:

Quincy Jones - "Ai No Corrida" (audience dancing/credits)
Up to 14 but that's quite enough thankyou.

TOTP81.16 23/04/81

Not repeated on BBC Four in 2016
Full chart here
Presented by Dave Lee Travis

TOTP debut: Level 42, Roger Taylor (as solo artist).

Like we said, this one wasn't repeated in The Future so just a quick rundown of what was on:

Level 42 - Love Games
And indeed one of the 'victims' of Yew Tree policy in 2016 as we don't get to see the debut of these Isle of Wight funk-poppers with their soon-to-be first hit, now bubbling under at no.48. Plenty of chances of seeing them again though (we hope) when 1983 is repeated (which may or may not be sooner than you think).

Matchbox - Babes in the Wood
Enough modernity already, back to rockabilly nostalgia again with The Box's new one just a place below Level 42, ie. 49. A bit of a non-starter though and another lot to which we bid adieu.

Eddy Grant - Can’t Get Enough Of You
Eddy and pals are doing rather well on the other hand up to no. 22, and counting.

Roger Taylor – Future Management
Another new one, but from an old face. Why it's Queen's drummer Roger Taylor who obviously thought "Well if Phil Collins can do it, so can I" and has made a solo album / single. Rodge hardly manages to pull off the same trick however: in at no. 55 and destined to do not a lot better.

Gillan - New Orleans
Repeat of the hairy one (not the cornflake) and hairy friends at a hairy no. 18.

Barry Manilow - Bermuda Triangle 
An speaking of yacht rock, it seems amazing that Barry Manilow was still popular in 1981. What happened to Adam & the Ants? Where are The Human League? Stay tuned for answers to all of these questions... Meanwhile Legs & Co. dance away to this one from Baz, and believe it or not it's perhaps one of their best of the year as they splash about a bit in their bikinis, so what bad luck chaps that it doesn't get a repeat in the 21st century. But then again, there's always this...


Saxon - And The Bands Played On 
Repeat from 09/04/81. Enough said.

Keith Marshall  - Only Crying
Ditto

Freeez - Flying High

Back to the new Brit-funk with Freez's follow-up to Southern Freeez, but with a new vocalist. Flying High didn't quite live up to its name though and only got to no. 35. But again, stick around for '83 and a brand new Freeez sound.

Bucks Fizz - Making Your Mind Up

Second week at no. 1. But for the record....

Ennio Morricone is up to no. 2, Sugar Minott up to no. 4, The Jackson Sisters are at 7, at The Nolan Brothers at 10.

..and speaking of records, we play out with Starsound - Stars on 45. 

Night!

TOTP81.7 19/2/81

First shown Thursday 19 February 1981
Presented by DLT
Full chart here

TOTP debut*: The Teardrop Explodes, Girlschool (with Motorhead), Toyah, Talking Heads.

* a new feature as there were quite a lot of new and important acts who appeared on TOTP for the first time in 81 so I thought it would be worth noting.

This one not repeated in 2016 so we can get through it pretty quickly, although I've added some record sleeves instead of video still to make it a bit more interesting (ta discogs).

The Teardrop Explodes - Reward
Indeed their first time on the Pops and not quite in the Top 40 but things will get better for these erstwhile "underground" scousers.

Rainbow - I Surrender
Promo film repeat  - now at no. 4

Fred Wedlock - The Oldest Swinger in Town (with Legs & Co.)
Not sure if I'm relieved or sorry we didn't get to see Legs doing their thing to this one, but given their pretty performances up to no, perhaps it's just as well. Poor old Fred now at no. 6.

Motorhead/Girlschool - Please Don't Touch
AKA 'Headgirl' as this collaborative effort was also known. The St Valentine's Day Massacre EP was straight in at 15.

Toyah - It's a Mystery
Another debut and another EP 'Four From Toyah', of which this was the lead track. Pity we didn't get to see this band* on their first TOTP but they'll be back.
* subtle eighties anorak comment.

Stray Cats - Rock This Town
Second and final time for this one, now in the Top Ten. Someelse described them as the link between rock and roll and the New Romantics so I won't use that one again.

Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetime
First time for this one and perhaps one of Legs' better performances which we don't get to witness first hand but which by a strange quirk of fate we'll get to see again. Once in a Lifetime just outside the Top 40 at 35 but will get higher n higher.

Visage - Fade to Grey
Odd in more ways than one - it went down last week but then back up again so given a second chance -  and it's that video again. Not complaining mind.

Adam & The Ants - Kings of the Wild Frontier
Perhaps it's because I never was an 'antperson' that it's surprising for me now just to see how big they were in late 80/early 81, and indeed beyond. This one (originally released last year) in at no. 39 and said 'antpeople' really couldn't get enough of it with old single Car Trouble one place behind, another two singles still in the Top 20 and yet another one Zerox at 59. that's more than Sheena Easton ever achieved.

Joe Dolce - Shaddapa Your Face
The Hateful One now at the top, the first non-Lennon related no. 1of the year and keeping Ultravox and indeed Rainbow off the top. No comment-o.

Madness - Return of the Los Palmas 7
Credits play-out.

TOTP 80.2 15/1/81

What with BBC Four repeating two different shows per week (on consecutive nights to boot) and Yewtree giving the axe to so many shows, it might be a tough job for TOTP81 to keep up, so please bear with me if I get too far behind.

Here's the rundown of the first 'not repeated' show proper of '81, which is a pity as we missed three of four classic songs/performances, the likes of which we may never see again.

Presented by: DLT
Full chart here.

Susan Fassbender - Twilight Café
I have no recollection of this track whatsoever, and with good reason, I believe, having since checked it out on Spot-i-fy over here in the 21st century. No Pops footage available of it on youtube, sadly. This was a 'newie' at no. 63 but would do better. Maybe we'll see her again.

Gary Numan - This Wreckage
Repeat of the studio performance from before Christmas. This rather dour single had dragged itself up to no. 20 in the meantime. Time for Gary to get back to the studio with something more exciting, methinks.

Light of the World - I Shot the Sheriff
Another one from the nether reaches of the charts, and being at no. 68, probably meant it had sold about 156 copies to get on this week's show. Made it to no. 40 the following week, but that will be all thank you

Dire Straits - Romeo and Juliet (promo)
The eternally out of fashion Dire Straits get their first chart success since '79's Sultans of Swing. Not a bad song and the soft focus video certainly brought them neatly into the eighties.

Stevie Wonder - I Ain't Gonna Stand For It (Legs & Co.)
Wonder doing well at no. 17 although what Legs actually did with this we shall never know.
2020 edit: we have footage!

Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight
Gross injustice that this wasn't shown again (was it on the 1981 Big Hits show?) as it really is/was one of those jaw-dropping Top of the Pops moments, at least as far as I'm concerned, and certainly a milestone in Collins' career. One man in a tank top, with a keyboard, a drum machine and a paint-pot. I'd really liked the 1980 Genesis Duke album and so this was a sort of logical progression from that. Should be repeated in a couple of weeks (in 1981), or maybe even next week (in the year 2016).

UFO - Lonely Heart
Someone must have thought this would be the week to give a leg-up to those in the lower reaches of the charts as this is the the third track 60-70 bracket to be featured. Rubbish, naturally, although the red vinyl 7" would be a key 1981 artefact.

Mac Davis - It's Hard to be Humble
Another one I have no recollection of. Probably more rubbish.

Ultravox - Vienna
Classic TOTP appearance no. 2 of the night, and again it's very sad we didn't get to see this studio performance of another "eighties" classic, but anyway it should be on again unless they've made the video in the meantime. This single had been taken from their eponymous 1980 album which was already quite a few months old and had already spawned two not so successful singles (although readers may recall their classic performance of Sleepwalk on TOTP in the summer of 1980 - I certainly do). But what with the New Romantic/Blitz Kids scene now fast going mainstream, this one had a new lease of life and become an unlikely hit. Anyway you can see this particular performance here, as featured in the wonderful BBC Synth Britannia docu/special of a few years ago.

Queen - Flash (promo)
This feels like this has been around forever already. Stuck at no. 10 but the 'soundtrack in the making' promo film gets an airing.

John Lennon - Imagine
Second of four weeks at the top, as a nation continues to mourn.

Yarbrough & Peoples - Don't Stop the Music (playout)
More about this and them next time.

TOTP 81.0 1/1/81

Welcome to 1981, in Top of the Pops land.

The first Pops of '81 was actually shown on 1st January but was basically still a review of 1980, carrying on from the Christmas day show. The programme was co-hosted by Dave Lee Travis and Tommy Vance so needless to say it wasn't repeated in 2016, but just for the record here are the songs and acts that were featured.

STATUS QUO – What You’re Proposing
Quo's comeback single got to No. 2 in November. The follow-up Lies was in the charts at the time but didn't go Top 10.

OTTAWAN – D.I.S.C.O. (promoclip)
Feels like this was on forever in 1980, I don't even want to count the times... But here's that clip again to keep the party rolling and keep the disco crowd happy. 10 weeks in the Top 30, peaking at no. 2

MADNESS – Baggy Trousers 
The Nutty boys were the first act on TOTP '80 and here they are again in '81 after a very good year with four singles in the year's charts, and another one about to be released. Recorded festive performance of Trahziz sans audience. Watch it here.

THE JAM – Going Underground 
Went straight into no. 1 back in March and stayed there for 3 weeks. In this studio performance Paul Weller is sans pinny but with a rather fetching Whaaam guitar he obviously bought with the proceedings.

BILLY PRESTON & SYREETA – With You I’m Born Again 

Calming things down a bit, here's Bill and Sy giving us more of what they gave us early '80. The pair have never been seen again since.

THE DETROIT SPINNERS – Working My Way Back To You / Forgive Me Girl (Medley) ( Legs & Co.) 

More four on the floor with Legs & Co. showing us how to do it best.

UB40 – Food For Thought 

A surprise debut hit for the Brum multi-ethnic band or were a kind of mellow response to the neighbouring Specials. Two more hits followed during the year and there'll be new stuff an' ting in '81.

KELLY MARIE - Feels Like I’m In Love 

This wee lass's debut got to no. 1 in September although sadly she failed to come up with a decent follow-up. Dooh-dooh dooh-dooh dooh-dooh.

HOT CHOCOLATE – No Doubt About It 

Speaking of the Midlands, here's the late Errol and his mates with their cooool no. 2 hit from May. Like Status Quo they'd been around for years.

THE BOOMTOWN RATS – Banana Republic (promo)

These post-punkers were quite successful in updating their sound to match new styles although this recent hit was about as far as they got success-wise. But lead singer Bob Geldof has a cunning plan.... 

STEVIE WONDER – Masterblaster (Jammin')

Another no. 2-er (kept off the top by The mighty Police) although that wouldn't have bothered Stevie much. Possibly one of his last great tunes though. We'll see him again in '81.

ABBA – The Winner Takes It All (promo video)
We couldn't go through a Pops review without this tear-jerker which had been a hit in the summer, and predecessor to the Super Trouper album, and a story of break-uos and heartaches was to become very much the name of the game (geddit?)

THE PRETENDERS – Brass In Pocket 

The first, and perhaps the best, no. 1 of 1980 wraps up the annual review rather nicely. 

My thanks as always to Popscene for providing the rundown info.