Friday 26 December 2014

I Have a Top of the Pops

A very merry thanks to Steve H for uploading the final edition of Top of the Pops of 1979, and indeed of the 70's. It won't be broadcast on BBC4 because it is co-hosted by DLT, but fingers crossed his shows will be reinstated next year.



Here's to 1980!




Top of the Pops 27-12-79: Presenters: Dave Lee Travis & Mike Read

   THE BOOMTOWN RATS – I Don’t Like Mondays (video)
(2) ABBA – I Have A Dream (video)
(3) THE POLICE – Walking On The Moon (video)
VILLAGE PEOPLE – In The Navy (video)
GLORIA GAYNOR – I Will Survive (danced to by Legs & Co ~ Patti gets her skates on!)
ART GARFUNKEL – Bright Eyes (video)
(26) QUEEN – Crazy Little Thing Called Love (video)
THE POLICE – Message In A Bottle (video)
VILLAGE PEOPLE – Y.M.C.A. (danced to by Legs & Co)
SQUEEZE – Up The Junction
BLONDIE – Heart Of Glass (video)
(1) PINK FLOYD – Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2) (video)

So that completes a whole year of Top of the Pops 1979 blogs ~ a huge thanks from me to everyone who takes time to contribute, your words and observations are always a pleasure to read, and of course a special thank you to Darnall42, Neil B and Steve H for uploading the missing episodes. Looking into 1980 it seems we'll get off to quite a good uninterrupted run until March, but the real problems will start in the summer, though nothing to do with presenters this time!

Best wishes for the rest of Xmas and the New Year and see you back here for the January 3rd 1980 edition hosted by Peter Powell.

Wednesday 24 December 2014

Hark Now Hear it's Top of the Pops

This Christmas Day special from 1979 is where we say goodbye to the 70's on BBC4 (although there is one more special from the 27th December 1979, hosted by Mike Read and DLT, which is almost entirely comprised of videos). But apart from Legs & Co dancing to Anita Ward and (a repeat) the Bee Gees, this show was brimming with studio appearances. But one thing did seem to be missing.......

Do you think anyone will notice there's no audience?


25-12-79: Presenters: David Jensen & Peter Powell

BONEY M – Mary’s Boy Child – Oh My Lord (clip of TOTP 25-12-78)
IAN DURY & THE BLOCKHEADS – Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick
JANET KAY – Silly Games
GARY NUMAN – Cars
ROXY MUSIC – Dance Away
ANITA WARD – Ring My Bell (danced to by Legs & Co)
BUGGLES – Video Killed The Radio Star
B.A. ROBERTSON – Bang Bang
BLONDIE – Sunday Girl
M – Pop Muzik
THE BEE GEES – Tragedy (danced to by Legs & Co) ®
ELVIS COSTELLO & THE ATTRACTIONS – Oliver’s Army
(40) LENA MARTELL – One Day At A Time
SQUEEZE – Cool For Cats
(21) DR. HOOK – When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman
BLONDIE – Dreaming
TUBEWAY ARMY – Are ‘Friends’ Electric?
RACEY – Some Girls
CLIFF RICHARD – We Don’t Talk Anymore


Boney M ~ began the year with this million selling Christmas hit but by the end of 1979 their time as top 20 regulars was over.

Ian Dury & the Blockheads ~ topped the charts for just one week with this, their only number one hit, performed here as road workers.

Janet Kay ~ her only hit, which reached number two in the summer.

Gary Numan ~ another record which topped the charts for just one week, and also his second and final number one, though more top tens were to follow in the 80's.

Roxy Music ~ a number two from the summer, held off the top spot by Sunday Girl. Finally making it into the studio, which they didn't manage to do earlier in the year.

Legs & Co ~ with a very jangly dance to Anita Ward's one hit wonder.

Buggles ~ perform their only number one, which topped the charts for just one week, with the Top of the Pops cameras doing their best to recreate the feel of the video.

BA Robertson ~ another of the number two gang, this time held off the top spot by Cliff. Here he gets a couple of the Legs girls to march up and down banging drums.

Blondie ~ perform the second of two number ones for the band in 1979, with more to follow in 1980.

M ~ with their only major hit which was held off the top spot by Art Garfunkel and some rabbits.

The Bee Gees ~ still no live appearance on the show from the brothers, even at Christmas. So it's a repeat of the Legs & Co routine from the Spring.

Elvis Costello ~ and here's the song that was held off that number one spot by the Bee Gees.

Lena Martell ~ a one hit wonder in the singles chart with the surprise number one of the year.

Squeeze ~ the first of two number twos for the band in 1979, this was also held off the top by Art and his rabbits. Poor old Chris has to do a live vocal again to keep it Christmas friendly.

Dr Hook ~ still in the top 30 this was the band's only number one hit, with two more top ten hits just around the corner in 1980.

Blondie ~ performing for a second time, with Debbie in the same outfit, and yet another number two, this time held off the top by The Police and Message in a Bottle.

Tubeway Army ~ Gary Numan's breakthrough smash, what a year 1979 was for him, with two number one singles and two number one albums.

Racey ~ were a band already on their way out by now, here they are with another song that couldn't quite dislodge Art Garfunkel from the top spot. Here we are also treated to a montage of Legs routines from the year, although they don't actually join the band on stage this time.

Cliff Richard ~ brings the show to a close with his 10th number one, and his only number one of the 70's, though amazingly two more would follow in the 80's and two more in the 90's.

The next edition then should have been from the 27th December 1979 but that one is hosted by DLT and therefore won't be broadcast. So the next show on BBC4 should be the one from January 3rd 1980.

Sunday 14 December 2014

I'm in the Mood for Top of the Pops

It's the 20th December 1979 and the final regular edition of Top of the Pops of the 70's. Sadly, it can't be shown on BBC4 due to the host being Jimmy Savile. But if you click on the link below you'll find that Neil B has once again come to the rescue and uploaded it for us. So thank you very much Neil for this one and all the others this year, and have yourself a very merry jingle Xmas :-)

It's the Thin Pistols



Top of the Pops 20-12-79: Presenter: Jimmy Savile (don't click if you will be offended)

 (29) THE CLASH – London Calling (and charts)
(47) THE GREEDIES – A Merry Jingle
(9) THE THREE DEGREES – My Simple Heart ®
(24) THE SKIDS – Working For The Yankee Dollar
(43) BILLY PRESTON & SYREETA – With You I’m Born Again
(28) K.C. & THE SUNSHINE BAND – Please Don’t Go (video)
(72) THE REGENTS – 7 Teen
(13) DAVID BOWIE – John I’m Only Dancing (Again) (video)
(30) MIKE OLDFIELD – Blue Peter (danced to by Legs & Co)
(17) ROSE ROYCE – Is It Love You’re After (video)
(73) THE NOLANS – I’m In The Mood For Dancing
(1) PINK FLOYD – Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2) (video)
(25) ELVIS PRESLEY – Merry Christmas Baby (and credits)


So that just leaves the two Xmas specials, one of which will be on BBC4 and one of which won't, so here's wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy 1980 :-)

Thursday 11 December 2014

Day Trip to Top of the Pops

December the 13th 1979, the penultimate regular edition of Top of the Pops of the 1970's, and the last one we will get to see on BBC4, but Christmas has come a little bit early nevertheless......

Didn't we have a luverley time..
 
 
13-12-79: Presenter: Mike Read

(23) DAVID BOWIE – John I’m Only Dancing (Again) (and charts)
(26) FIDDLER’S DRAM – Day Trip To Bangor (Didn’t We Have A Lovely Time)
(20) PAUL McCARTNEY – Wonderful Christmastime (video)
(4) THE TOURISTS – I Only Want To Be With You
(21) ABBA – I Have A Dream (video)
(31) THE BEAT – Tears Of A Clown
(18) STATUS QUO – Living On An Island (danced to by Legs & Co)
(60) THE INMATES – The Walk
(13) BLONDIE – Union City Blue (video)
(63) THE BARRON KNIGHTS – Food For Thought
(30) THE PRETENDERS – Brass In Pocket
(1) PINK FLOYD – Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2) (video)
(24) ROSE ROYCE – Is It Love You’re After (and credits)
 
 
David Bowie ~ plays over the credits with a remake of a song that had reached number 12 for him seven years earlier, and this new one would peak in exactly the same position.
 
Fiddler's Dram ~ with a brilliant drinking song for big hair Xmas parties everywhere, this was there one and only hit.
 
Paul McCartney ~ and this year's biggest festive song - and although other members of Wings appeared in the video, it was Paul who played all the instruments on this record, and this ding dong tune marked the beginning of his 80's solo career.
 
The Tourists ~ now at their peak of 4 in the charts with this the first of two top ten hits for the group.
 
Abba ~ with their 5th top 4 hit of 1979, and another song from their Voulez Vous album.
 
The Beat ~ make their debut as a 2-Tone act, though like Madness they would soon sign elsewhere. Their excited leaps at the end show how much this meant to them.
 
Legs & Co ~ dance upon a map of Britain to Status Quo's Living on an Island, dressed up as various female British historical figures. If only all history lessons were like this.....
 
The Inmates ~ do their best Mick Jagger impressions but can't walk into the top 30.
 
Blondie ~ reaching a peak of 13 in the charts with Union City Blue, but their next three singles would all get to number one.
 
The Barron Knights ~ someone had to be cut from the 7.30 repeat and it was this band of comedy Christmas regulars, though this one failed to make the top 40.
 
The Pretenders ~ are back to perform what was to become the first new number one of the 80's.
 
Pink Floyd ~ a surprise number one, and it couldn't be less festive if it tried, but what a fabulously bleak record, and video, with which to bring the 1970's to a close.
 
Rose Royce ~ roll over the credits this week.
 
 
The last regular edition of Top of the Pops of the 70's, the 20th December 1979, is hosted by Jimmy Savile and so of course will not be broadcast on BBC4. So our next show will be the Christmas Day 1979 edition, hosted by David Jensen and Peter Powell, to be shown on BBC4 at 9.30pm on Christmas Eve (so Santa might be late this year, he'll be staying in first to watch it).
Then, on the 2nd January 2015, it's The Story of 1980, followed by Big Hits 1980.

Thursday 4 December 2014

It's My Top of the Pops

It's the 6th December 1979, the strike at the BBC is over at last and Top of the Pops celebrates with a confident new presenter....

They're playing our tunes
 
 
6-12-79: Presenter: Simon Bates

(5) THE GIBSON BROTHERS – Que Sera Mi Vida (If You Should Go) (and charts)
(54) DARTS – Reet Petite
(57) DOLLAR – I Wanna Hold Your Hand
(36) U.K. SUBS – She’s Not There
(26) THE THREE DEGREES – My Simple Heart
(64) M – Moonlight And Muzak
(41) THE STRANGLERS – Don’t Bring Harry
(22) MICHAEL JACKSON – Off The Wall (danced to by Legs & Co)
(12) THE SUGARHILL GANG – Rapper’s Delight (footage from Soap Factory)
(46) THE DAMNED – I Just Can’t Be Happy Today
(50) STORM – It’s My House
(42) MOTÖRHEAD – Bomber
(48) MARIANNE FAITHFULL – The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan
(1) THE POLICE – Walking On The Moon (video)
(2) PINK FLOYD – Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2) (and credits)
 
 
The Gibson Brothers ~ at their peak now of number 5, play over the charts (in colour!)
 
Darts ~ with the first of three golden oldies, but this wasn't such a glistening version and didn't make the top 50.
 
Dollar ~ fare much better with their slightly odd Beatles cover set to become one of the first top ten hits of the 80's
 
UK Subs ~ a punk 60's cover next but it got no higher than 36 after this performance.
 
The Three Degrees ~ looking sophisticated in their white suits, My Simple Heart would be their final top ten hit.
 
M ~ with their overdue follow-up to Pop Muzik, but edited out of the 7.30 show.
 
The Stranglers ~ didn't bring Harry, and it was just as well because they were also edited out.
 
Legs & Co ~ after a two week lay off the girls return with a performance in front of a more enthusiastic audience than usual, especially one chap who seemed to be leaping out of his seat with excitement. The blueprint for the 80's was here.
 
The Sugarhill Gang ~ the fastest climber of the week, in a time when rap music was still a very new thing, but again the 1980's (and beyond) were arriving now.
 
The Damned ~ were cut from the 7.30 show.
 
Storm ~ another sophisticated group in white suits, Its My House was their only chart hit but it didn't enter the top 30, despite knocking on the door.
 
Motorhead ~ in sharp contrast Bomber exploded from the stage, their biggest hit to date but still not a top 30.
 
Marianne Faithfull ~ Simon informs us that Dr Hook tried and failed to have a hit with this song, which was now Marianne's first chart hit for 12 years, but it got no higher than 48 after this Top of the Pops performance.
 
The Police ~ walked to number one for just this week, because Simon's prediction that they could be replaced by Pink Floyd proved to be correct.
 
Pink Floyd ~ who also happened to be the ones to play out over the credits.
 
 
Next week then, the 13th December 1979, is the last regular edition we will see on BBC4 of the 70's, because the edition from the 20th December is a Jimmy Savile.