TOTP81.47 26/11/81

Repeated on BBCFour 03/06/2016
Presented by: Mike Read
Full chart here


The Jets – “Yes Tonight Josephine” (25)

Earth, Wind & Fire – “Let’s Groove” (3) (video)

Toyah – “Good Morning Universe” (23)

Cliff Richard – “Daddy’s Home” (15) (video)

Imagination – “Flashback” (28)

Ultravox – “The Voice” (18) (video)

Kim Wilde – “Cambodia” (24)

Kool & The Gang – “Steppin’ Out” (14) (rpt from 12/11/81)

Queen & David Bowie – “Under Pressure” (1) (audience dancing/credits)

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)

TOTP81.14 9/04/81

Repeated on BBCFour 25/02/2016
Full chart here
Presented by Mike Read

TOTP debut: Keith Marshall

Welcome back and we're in for a good show with a good balance of hits, mid-way hits, breakers, stuff you can dance to, stuff you can rock to and some stuff which is just plain bonkers. According to Mike we're gonna see some of the best acts of 1981, which is unsurprising as this is 1981. On with the show.

Linx - Intuition
Well after having their video shown twice, they've made it to the studio at alst although basically doing what they do in their video, and even all dressed the same as far as one can tell. Up to no. 7 and pretty much the end of the road for this dynamic debut. They'll be back!

Bucks Fizz - Making Your Mind Up
Well they've just won Eurovision and here they are again doing that routine. Can't work out if this is a repeat or a live in the studio sort of thing but who cares? The Fizz certainly don't as they're at no. 2 and on top of the world. Well, on top of Europe anyway.

Saxon - And The Bands Played On
I keep forgetting that aswell as the year of synth-pop, new romantics and all that 1981 was also a big year (again) for greasy heavy metal type acts such as Saxon. They had a couple of biggish hits and misses last year and now they're back. Not a lot of difference between them and Linx when you think about it. Play on!

Keith Marshall - Only Crying
And here's one to keep your girlfriend happy. Sloshy Keith used to be in 70s glam-pop band Hello (thanks for reminding us of that Mike) and now he's on a solo thing with big hair and big teeth and that way of rolling his head which is just so annoying, as is the rest of this song. Outside the Top 30 and this will be around for a bit longer yet.

David Bowie - Up the Hill Backwards
The fourth single off last year's Scary Monsters album (count 'em) and stuck at no. 32. Legs do a decent enough routine thankfully not involving them going up a hill backwards, instead doing a 'Spanishy' sort of dance when that castanet sound comes in. Wonder what His Bowieness thought of it? Again it's the end of the road for Scary Monstrs period releases but of course he'll back later in the year after having a bit of  a session with Queen.

Quick interlude as it's Rosemary-from-Legs-&-Co.'s 21st birthday! So young! So innocent! Some sub-rate champers (read obviously used to drinking the real thing) to celebrate although make the most of it Rosemary as you'll be out of a job within 6 months.

Graham Bonnet - Night Games
Repeat of studio perf. of two weeks ago. Now at no. 12. Nothing more to add.

Public Image Ltd. - Flowers of Romance
Talk about 'variety' on The Pops! Kiddie choirs, greasy heavy metal types, blokes in girls' blouses, blokes whipping off girls' skirts - you had in all in '81. Plus this lot: a ginger ex Sex Pistol dressed like a vicar (sort of) and his 'friends' miming to a totally weirdo 'tune' which had probably only been played by John Peel on a Tuesday night at 11.40 pm. Involves a gal palying/sawing a cello, some other bloke in a lab coat banging on some drums, a keyboard that nobody uses and quite a few 'special effects'. Whatever next? PiL now at no. 31 and the hits just keep on coming.

Eddy Grant - Can't Get Enough Of You
Better get back to the pop kids. Here's Eddy Grant and a whole bunch of mates with his new one just outside the Top 40. The (predominately white) kids in the studio are loving reggae-ing along to this one and with all this inter-racial bonhomie it's hard to believe that the Brixton Riots are only days away. Eddy lived in Kentish Town anyway.

Gillan - New Orleans
See Graham Bonnet (above). Now at 24.

Charts 30 - 21

The Whispers - It's a Love Thing
More American blandness. A black male vocal group basically doing the same thing as The drifters were probably about seven or eight years ago. Legs danced to it a couple of weeks back but now we see the real thing in a performance video. Those flares.

Charts 20 - 11

Hazel O'Connor - D-Days
Which lead us neatly to Hazel O'Connor at no. 10 this week. repeat performance of two weeks ago of Haze jumping around in her bra and tights.

Top 10 countdown.

Shakin' Stevens - This Ole House
Last of three weeks at no. 1. repeat again. he'll be back, and again and again and...

Ad lib to fade.

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....