TOTP81.11 19/3/81

Repeated on BBCFour  2016
Full chart here

Presented by Peter Powell

TOTP debut: Sharon Redd, Bucks Fizz

Much to our shame here at TOTP81 Central we didn't actually get to watch this show, nor record it on the ye olde VCR either so we're just going on a couple of videos kindly uploaded to youtube and a lot of guesswork for this week's comments. Pity 'cos Pete Powell tells us at the start that "we've got a great show lined up", but then again don't they always say that? Here goes..

Sharon Redd - Can You Handle It?
Don't know much about this foxy lady other than she's a bit foxy, has very long arms and cuts a mean figure in a slinky black cat-suit thing. The song is perhaps a bit too 1979-disco though and unsurprisingly didn't go very far.It's a full-on TOTP studio job though with the Sharon up on her own mini-stage, Legs and Co. rear of stage, plus the kid-audience, who have to sit down and hand-jive, lest their dancing proved to be better than that of Shaz and Legs put together.

Shakin' Stevens - This Ole House
Video and big-hit time with Shaky the Pelvis who is up to no. 2. Promo-video duly shot in an ol' house. To be fair he makes a good job of this, even though me Dad used to say he still preferred Rosemary Clooney's version. As do I.

Dave Stewart & Colin Blunstone - What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?
And speaking of cover versions, here's a modernist take on an ol' song originally a hit for Jimmy Ruffin in 1966 ('twould be interesting to know whether it was featured on The Pops back then). This eighties version is synth-heavy and the stage set-up is very Gary Numan / John Foxx-esque although Blunstone's voice, and the organ solo, still manages to make it sound like it was made sometime in the last decade. Dave Stewart isn't the one who was in The Tourists and then broke away with Annie Lennox to form Eurythmics in the future, but is actually the former prog-rock keyboardist who liked to mess around with newer versions of older classics, as indeed he will do again in the near future, but still before The Eurythmics are invented, but with somebody else. Got all that? This Ole Dave and Colin (and colourful pals) now at no. 30. Extra points for the PiL T-shirt.

The Who - You Better You Bet
Repeat from a couple of weeks ago. Now Top 10 at no. 9, but it's their last hit single. Ever.


Stevie Wonder - Lately (Legs & co.)
Snooze time with this uber-slow smoochy track from Stevie, now at no. 18. Sadly sonic proceedings
are not aided one jot by this Legs routine which might as well have been done in 1972. Costumes likewise.

Phil Collins - I Missed Again
Another studio repeat from a couple of weeks ago. Phil and his horns now up to 14. Album knocked off the top spot by those scoundrels Adam & the Ants but still going strong at no. 2.


Bucks Fizz - Making Your Mind Up
Yes, it's that time again - Eurovision! And here's our entry for this year - a kind of all singing-all-dancing Abba but without the instruments and Scandinavian accents (more's the pity). Again, sorry we missed this one as it was a debut and a very important one in some ways. Not in the charts (yet), but expectations for Eurovision success - and beyond - are high. Those swift of mouse may see the performance here, but (parental warning) there is much bottom wiggling and ripping-off of skirts.

Visage - Mind of a Toy
Follow up to the now seminal Fade to Grey for these New (fangled) Romantics and already flying relatively high at 24. A sign of the times perhaps that they were a new "group" who didn't need to bother to get thir backsides outside the recording studio (if indeed they ever did), or the nightclub, to go on Top of the Pops. But no matter - it's another cracking video by Godley & Creme and an excellent song often wrongly ignored in favour of  'Grey'. Debut album also out now, kids!

Duran Duran - Planet Earth
And keeping the New Romantic theme going, here are  the meisters of frilly shirts and crimped hair now in the Top 20. They join the ranks of The Who and Phil Collins with another studio repeat. Bah-bah-bah b-bah-bah-bah-baaah.

Toyah - It's a Mystery
This one seems to have been going around for ages, yet it's a mere four weeks since they debuted. Fairly new romantic-y too and up to a thurpwithing no. 8, and it ain't over yet!


(Top 10 countdown probably happened here)


Roxy Music - Jealous Guy (over credits)
Second and final week at no. 1, as the nation starts to get fed up with moping about John Lennon and prefers to get up and have a good knees-up.


See y'all next week when we should be 'right' again.

TOTP81.9 5/3/81

Presented by Mike Read
Full chart here

TOTP debut: Duran Duran

Mike Read doesn't seem to have been on for a long time - he's probably been writing a book about British Hit Singles or something, while still keeping his daytime job as Radio One DJ of course.

Anyway Mike's off to a cracking new start with an important debut...

Duran Duran - Planet Earth
Yes - here they are, a band which basically now have 'eighties' written all over them even though that's a bit unfair as they have continued to write, record and perform throughout the decades and right up to this day. But it wasn't an easy start for these Brummies in (literally) girls' blouses: this their first single proper, was released just over a month ago and was even now just a 'breaker' at no. 47. This opening spot for Planet Earth complete with, er, planet earth, made quite an impact though and these "new romantics looking for the TV sound" never looked back. Well, almost never.

Talking Heads  - Once in a Lifetime (video)
What's this? More art-rock? After faffing about a bit on the (American) noo wave fringes, these native Noo Yorkers (I think) were enjoying a hit with this rather odd track made all the more appealing by a very odd video. Leaping up from 24 to 14 this week.

Toyah - It's a Mystery
We're on an "eighties" role here with Toyah (the band) with lead singer Toyah (Wilcox, the singer) likewise leaping up to no. 16. Unlike the heads however Toyah (the band or the singer) would go on to enjoy a string of Top 20/30 hits for a few years to come, although not as many as Duran Duran.

Shakin' Stevens - This Ole House
A bit too much of this new romantic/avant-garde/art college stuff going on, we'd better get back to some 1950s nostalgic dressed in denim and trying to look a bit like Elvis. Totally catchy stuff, which the Great British public adore so look out world here comes Shakey again. I must admit it never occurred to me at the time that Stevens had a lot of that 'sex appeal' stuff which may also explain his overwhelming success in the face of (literally) girls blouses.

Headgirl (Motorhead & Girlschool) – Please Don’t Touch
Ok let's add a bit of leather to that denim shall we? Plus a healthy dose of patchuli oil (mostly in the hair) and it's those heavy metal boys 'n' girls giving it their all at getting hot and sweaty (but treading water) at no. 54. Don't touch? Wouldn't go anywhere near!

Phil Collins - I Missed Again
No point in hiding to the world that Phil's debut album Face Value remains one of my guilty pleasures and features a number of excellent tracks, although this isn't one of them. A disappointing follow up to the minimalist In the Air Tonight, Phil preferring to show off his horns and his funkier side. Nice Ronnie Scott sax solo, but Phil still not playing the drums. New at 45, although abovementioned album already at no. 1.


Kool & the Gang - Jones vs. Jones (Leg & Co.)
Kool & the Gang seem to be one of those bands that crop up just occasionally, issue a single and get a hit every time. That may not necessarily be the case as I don't have a detailed knowledge of their discography but anyway here they are again with a woeful tale of divorce set to a dance beat. Legs take it all literally of course and hals are Mr Jones and the other half Mrs, but notwithstanding the sexy stockings and saucy cross-dressing, legs really don't seem to be cutting the mustard this year. trouble afoot?

The Teardrop Explodes - Reward
Sadly we don't get to see a repeat of their studio debut from a couple of weeks back (yewtreed out in 2016) but instead get this rather gritty amateurish film/video with the Teardrops arseing about in a jeep in Liverpool docklands or some such place no doubt. Luckily all this does not deter from this being a totally brilliant song. Struggling a bit at no. 25 but hang in there - all is not lost.


The Who - You Better You Bet
The Who? They're still around? Some of you may remember Daltrey's guest "presenter" appearance in a revamped post-strike Pops format last year, but now he's back on stage wiv 'his maytes and wiv a new record, and some trendy haircuts and posh clobber too. Not half bad this song though and if I'm not mistaken Daltrey is also singing live. I wonder if they met Duran Duran in the dressing rooms? Anyway, new at 35 and glad to see that Pete Townsend is still doing this:

What? Top Ten countdown already? All in all we've enjoyed a really good show tonight. Plenty to talk about at school in the morning.

Joe Dolce Music Theatre - Shaddapa You Face
Third and final week at no. 1.

Coast to Coast - Do the Hucklebuck (credits & crowds dancing)
Hucklebuckin' up to no. 7 this week.



See y'all next time with a bit of a surprise....