Repeated on BBCFour: 13.05.2016
Introduced by Simon Bates
Full chart here
TOTP debut: Heaven 17, Japan, Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin
Quite a good show this with lots of new stuff and a few new faces too.
Slade – “Lock Up Your Daughters” (45)
Old 70s pub/glam-rockers are back and we'd already forgotten their Top 10 hit at the beginning of the year.
Alvin Stardust – “Pretend” (5)
Speaking of old glam-rockers, Alvin's doing rather well, probably due to lack of Shakin Stevens material.
Depeche Mode – “Just Can’t Get Enough” (24)
Back in the eighties, follow up to New Life makes its debut having entered the Top 40, and debut album out soon.
Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin – “It’s My Party” (36)
A bit of an odd one, and future no. 1.
Linx – “So This Is Romance” (18) (rpt from 10/09/81)
Slow progress for this one which will only make it to no. 15 next week.
Diana Ross & Lionel Richie – “Endless Love” (7) (danced to by Lulu & Jeremy)
Sloppy stuff from US crooners just showing us how far behind the Yanks were in new musical trends.
Japan – “Quiet Life” (39)
Old record label make the most of the band's increasing new-found success. Sylvian and pals play along. New album for them too soon but this isn't on it.
Heaven 17 – “Play To Win” (52)
Old Human Leaguers and new singer try hard but won't fare as well as their former comrades. New album out already perhaps. (I can never understand why Glenn Gregory looks and acts so aggressive in this)
Imagination – “In & Out Of Love” (21)
Again, it's slow progress for these saucy popsters but they'll just keep on trying until they pull it off (oo-er!)
Madness – “Shut Up” (22) (video)
Second highest new entry of the week and another anticipation of the new album.
Adam & The Ants – “Prince Charming” (1) (video)
Second week at the top and we still get the video.
The Police – “Invisible Sun” (9) (stills/credits)
This week's highest new entry and another new album for the wishlist.
Not repeated on BBCFour in 2016
Introduced by Jimmy Saville
Full chart here
Well after last week's super-duper episode we're bound to have a duff one this week, so here goes.
Linx – “So This Is Romance” (33)
I've really liked Linx's records up to now but i have absolutely no memory of this whatsoever. They seem to be a band which the eighties mostly forgot. In at no. 33 and is going to do quite well too.
Cliff Richard – “Wired For Sound” (4) (video)
We already had this video as song no. 2 two weeks ago, but no matter - here's Cliff again with 'eighties' mode full on.
The Hollies – “Holliedaze” (36)
In which a 60s/70s group attempt to make it in the 80s too, and fail miserably.
Randy Crawford – “Rainy Night In Georgia” (18) (video)
Up a couple of places for RAndy but that's where it ends this time around.
Alvin Stardust – “Pretend” (26) WATCH
Oh dear. Possibly trying to jump on the rock n roll nostalgia à la Shakin' Stevens bandwagon, but this is awful. Of course it will get to no. 4.
Imagination – “In & Out Of Love” (31)
Those saucy Imagination boys are back with a follow to their saucy debut Body Talk. This won't do quite as well but hang (snigger) in there guys.
The Rolling Stones – “Start Me Up” (7) (video)
Another 60s/70s group attempting to carry on into the 80s, but doing it a lot better than The Hollies.
Ottawan – “Hands Up (Give Me Your Heart)” (11) (Legs & Co)
No. No. No.
Adam & The Ants – “Prince Charming” (2) (video)
Adam must have been well miffed that his new one was stopped from going straight to no. 1 by a wimpy synth-pop duo from Leeds. But anyway with the presentation of this new video it seems as if they already are no. 1, and then we all know what happened next.
Soft Cell – “Tainted Love” (1) (rpt from 13/08/81)
More great records to come but this is their last week at the no. 1 spot.
Ultravox – “The Thin Wall” (14) (audience dancing/credits)
Pity we didn't get to see the "audience dancing" to this. Quite why it wasn't featured properly instead of <insert any of the above artists except Linx or Adam & the Ants here> remains a mystery.
Repeated on BBCFour 11/03/2016
Full chart here
Presented by Richard Skinner TOTP debut: Kate Robbins & Beyond, Imagination.
Siouxsie & The Banshees – “Spellbound” (29)
Blimey! Siouxsie and crew are back with a bang! Siouxsie all leather clad and stuff, and cracking the mike lead like a whip. Phew! What i want to know though is what happened to the bloke in the light blue T shirt lurching over Siouxsie at the very start, but then who seems to disappear without a trace, engulfed by Pop Kids who ecstatically dance along to this gorgeous post-punk romp. Plus only Siouxsie can pronounce 'entranced' and 'dance' like that.
Shakin’ Stevens – “You Drive Me Crazy” (2) (rpt)
Pink-jacketed Shakey is up to no. 2, engaged in a duel with a dandy highwayman.
Kate Robbins & Beyond – “More Than In Love” (13)
I have absolutely no recollection of this whatsoever, and probably with good reason. Apparently "actress" and "comedienne" - and indeed songstress - was starring in ITV sitcom Crossroads at the time (Hello, Mum) from whence this totally odious ditty which made it all the way up to no. 2. BAcking band Beyond were still smarting after losing out to Bucks Fizz at A Song for Europe, so horrah for them. Next!
Squeeze – “Is That Love?” (40)
Oh, noooow I get Skinner's little quip about being at a crossroads. Saw what you did there, Rich. Anyway let's move on to something a whole lot better, and ergo way down in the charts. Squeeze band are back, and much like Sioxsie & the Banshees, and UB40 last week and probably loads of others this is new material from upcoming new albums. Note that Jools Holland has already left, replaced by one Paul Carrack, who also left the band after this album. It must be a tough job being Squeeze' keyboard player.
Imagination – “Body Talk” (43)
But now brace yourselves, and lock up your daughters, as a seminal Eighties-TOTP moment is about to happen. I think when we first saw Imagination on The Pops, nobody quite knew what to make of it. Boney M without the girls? Hot Chocolate with hair? Glam-Bowie-esque sexuality re-invented? Outrageous! Whatever it was it was to become one of the decade's most memorable and influential tracks, and indeed one of the most representative groups.
The Jam – “Funeral Pyre” (4) (video)
But now for something completely different. Such was the Kids' thirst for all things Jam that this happily entitled little ditty was straight in at no. 4. Bit of a mystery how this one came about as there was no album around, or even on the horizon. Wikipedia people please correct the release date as if it was already in the charts and on The Pops on 4 June, how could have been released on the 6th? Angry Young Jam power-pop at its best.
Michael Jackson – “One Day In Your Life” (12) (Legs & Co)
Like the man says, it's an oldie that's been re-released, although quite why we shall never know. LEgs go to town with a slow, blue thing performed on a redux cast-off Doctor Who set. Excruciating boredom.
Toyah – “I Want To Be Free” (8) (video)
We missed the studio performance this time around cos of DLT, and this time it's the video. Peak position for this one.
Phil Collins – “If Leaving Me Is Easy” (44)
Very much sleepy time here for Collins' third single release off debut album.
Adam & The Ants – “Stand & Deliver” (1) (video)
Last week at the top for this one.
