A forty minute show three days before Christmas, because that's what they did back then. Why not play Fantasy BBC4 Editing? Again provided by Neil Barker, who taped it onto VHS in the Sky analogue days so quality is less than perfect:
How serious Osibisa's singer seems compared to the rest of the band, and indeed Jimmy, who seems to have worn that unique vest on special occasions for about a decade and a half in total. They're one of three studio performers whose song won't appear again, as with Scott Fitzgerald and Yvonne Keeley plus friends and a debuting... well, it was released as 'Lol Creme & Kevin Godley' but Jimmy's taken the less associative elements, plus the songs by Yannis Markopoulos and Donna Summer, to whom Legs & Co pay tribute by inventing Tetris. Sadly Jimmy doesn't stop to explain who the men in matching jumpers behind him before Gordon Giltrap's Holiday theme are, nor why the one second from left is the spit of Stewpot. And at the last link, before the Muppets' version of Don't Dilly Dally On The Way, the bloke to Jim's right - we've seen him before, haven't we? He's not Irresistible Dennis, I know that.
Showing posts with label the disappeared. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the disappeared. Show all posts
Sunday 23 December 2012
Monday 17 December 2012
The disappeared: 1/12/77
Again, the combined forces of Neil Barker and UK Gold When It Was Good fill in a blank:
Geldof seems to have had a thing about ripping up literature, as we'll hopefully see in more exalted circumstances in late 1978, and note too some swapsies in the band, though the new keyboard player doesn't seem entirely accurate in his miming. "Amazing", Dave? Really? Can man really admire both the Rats and the Dooleys with equal excitement? As with the last DLT show we missed there's no songs bar Legs & Co's routine, which is entirely based around the first line of the song, we don't see in another show. That said, pride of place surely goes to a performance that's gone down in a sort of history, John Otway and Wild Willy Barrett very much taking their chances with an audience who are the very definition of not being able to turn away. Something inevitable about DLT introducing Mull Of Kintyre with a Scottish accent.
Geldof seems to have had a thing about ripping up literature, as we'll hopefully see in more exalted circumstances in late 1978, and note too some swapsies in the band, though the new keyboard player doesn't seem entirely accurate in his miming. "Amazing", Dave? Really? Can man really admire both the Rats and the Dooleys with equal excitement? As with the last DLT show we missed there's no songs bar Legs & Co's routine, which is entirely based around the first line of the song, we don't see in another show. That said, pride of place surely goes to a performance that's gone down in a sort of history, John Otway and Wild Willy Barrett very much taking their chances with an audience who are the very definition of not being able to turn away. Something inevitable about DLT introducing Mull Of Kintyre with a Scottish accent.
Thursday 6 December 2012
The disappeared: 17/11/77
By sheerest coincidence, because the cycle hasn't changed, all the lost/skipped shows this year (so far) have coincided with Thursdays off. Unlike the last two this one was on UK Gold many moons ago though, so (cheers, Neil) we have this, enter at your own risk etc...
Brighouse and Rastrick represent! Imagine if you were watching at the time and previously had no idea what that was. The only songs we won't see anyway are the Boomtown Rats - luckily given that ever-popular 'present climate', one might argue - and Noosha Fox. Note also a different edit of Live In Trouble, this time in "loose heel"/"chip shop in Walthamshow" mode. For the record Fox had gone their seperate ways at the start of 1977, a couple turning up in 1978 as the prime of Yellow Dog, one joining Whitesnake and Noosha inevitably going solo with a song written and produced by Fox majordomo Kenny Young - and before you say it Andrew Sachs' targeted granddaughter is Georgina Baillie, this is Georgina Bailey, wide difference - which seems to be a pastoral companion piece to big recentish hit The Killing Of Georgie (without the murder, admittedly) and a band who seem in a cartoonish way to have taken the French element of the lyric to heart. Noosha meanwhile has gone that oh so common fashionista route, the country headmistress. It made number 31 but that wasn't good enough for the label to persevere and Noosha never got to do an impromptu knee raise again. By the way, I wonder wonder what Legs & Co's theme is supposed to be. Stone Age, you'd guess from song selection and general setting, but if so that's really not much effort on the costumes. Or set. Or set stability.
You'll also notice Jimmy didn't say Showaddywaddy much differently from anybody else. YOU HAVE LIED TO US, HUGH DENNIS.
**THERE NOW FOLLOWS INFORMATION ABOUT CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR SCHEDULING. IF YOU WANT TO KEEP EVERYTHING A SURPRISE UNTIL THE RELEASE OF THE CHRISTMAS RADIO TIMES (OTHER LISTINGS MAGAZINES ARE AVAILABLE) THIS WEEKEND PLEASE STOP READING**
While we're all gathered here, let's get in order the run of things from here until Epiphany. As expected the one remaining DLT-fronted show is being skipped so there's three normal TOTPs left in 1977 - one next week, two in a row from 8pm the week after. Boxing Day, being DLT-heavy, has also gone for a burton so just the one Christmas show is being repeated, 7pm on Christmas Eve, followed by a ten minute filler up to the hour only listed at present as 'Top Of The Pops: A Christmas Cracker'. Your guess is as good as mine. The programme gets a Christmas Day repeat at 10.15pm.
In further BBC archive ransacking there's ...Sings James Bond (BBC4, 14th, 10.30pm), The Christmas No.1 Story (BBC2, 19th, 9pm), Slade At The BBC (BBC4, 21st, 9.50pm), ...Sings Disney (BBC4, 31st, 8pm) and the annual even though you'd imagine they'd have run out by now TOTP2 (BBC2, 22nd, 8pm). They haven't shown Dennis Waterman and George Cole's run through What Are We Gonna Get For Er Indoors? yet. Just dropping that in there. Normal TOTP 2pm Christmas Day as per and a New Year's Eve companion programme complete the set.
And then... Friday 4th January, 9pm, The Story Of 1978! Followed at 9.50pm (don't ask me) by Big Hits 1978! Followed by... oh. I do know that the official line from the channel as recently as Monday just gone was no decision on scheduling 1978 had yet been made but you'd have to imagine they haven't commissioned, made and scheduled these for the hell of it.
Brighouse and Rastrick represent! Imagine if you were watching at the time and previously had no idea what that was. The only songs we won't see anyway are the Boomtown Rats - luckily given that ever-popular 'present climate', one might argue - and Noosha Fox. Note also a different edit of Live In Trouble, this time in "loose heel"/"chip shop in Walthamshow" mode. For the record Fox had gone their seperate ways at the start of 1977, a couple turning up in 1978 as the prime of Yellow Dog, one joining Whitesnake and Noosha inevitably going solo with a song written and produced by Fox majordomo Kenny Young - and before you say it Andrew Sachs' targeted granddaughter is Georgina Baillie, this is Georgina Bailey, wide difference - which seems to be a pastoral companion piece to big recentish hit The Killing Of Georgie (without the murder, admittedly) and a band who seem in a cartoonish way to have taken the French element of the lyric to heart. Noosha meanwhile has gone that oh so common fashionista route, the country headmistress. It made number 31 but that wasn't good enough for the label to persevere and Noosha never got to do an impromptu knee raise again. By the way, I wonder wonder what Legs & Co's theme is supposed to be. Stone Age, you'd guess from song selection and general setting, but if so that's really not much effort on the costumes. Or set. Or set stability.
You'll also notice Jimmy didn't say Showaddywaddy much differently from anybody else. YOU HAVE LIED TO US, HUGH DENNIS.
**THERE NOW FOLLOWS INFORMATION ABOUT CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR SCHEDULING. IF YOU WANT TO KEEP EVERYTHING A SURPRISE UNTIL THE RELEASE OF THE CHRISTMAS RADIO TIMES (OTHER LISTINGS MAGAZINES ARE AVAILABLE) THIS WEEKEND PLEASE STOP READING**
While we're all gathered here, let's get in order the run of things from here until Epiphany. As expected the one remaining DLT-fronted show is being skipped so there's three normal TOTPs left in 1977 - one next week, two in a row from 8pm the week after. Boxing Day, being DLT-heavy, has also gone for a burton so just the one Christmas show is being repeated, 7pm on Christmas Eve, followed by a ten minute filler up to the hour only listed at present as 'Top Of The Pops: A Christmas Cracker'. Your guess is as good as mine. The programme gets a Christmas Day repeat at 10.15pm.
In further BBC archive ransacking there's ...Sings James Bond (BBC4, 14th, 10.30pm), The Christmas No.1 Story (BBC2, 19th, 9pm), Slade At The BBC (BBC4, 21st, 9.50pm), ...Sings Disney (BBC4, 31st, 8pm) and the annual even though you'd imagine they'd have run out by now TOTP2 (BBC2, 22nd, 8pm). They haven't shown Dennis Waterman and George Cole's run through What Are We Gonna Get For Er Indoors? yet. Just dropping that in there. Normal TOTP 2pm Christmas Day as per and a New Year's Eve companion programme complete the set.
And then... Friday 4th January, 9pm, The Story Of 1978! Followed at 9.50pm (don't ask me) by Big Hits 1978! Followed by... oh. I do know that the official line from the channel as recently as Monday just gone was no decision on scheduling 1978 had yet been made but you'd have to imagine they haven't commissioned, made and scheduled these for the hell of it.
Tuesday 13 November 2012
The disappeared: 13/10/77
Rokotto – Boogie On Up
First of three (not counting the dance) we won't see again are Dundee's own contribution to funk - sounds like some comedy concept, but remember Average White Band - grooving up a storm yet a couple of weeks after Rose Royce had taken the opening spot seeming a little undercooked. Does it look to you like there's a couple of ringers here? Also note TOTP2's usual rigorous caption research.
Rod Stewart – You’re In My Heart
The video, obviously, to the first single from Foot Loose & Fancy Free, which we'll see in a couple of weeks.
Brotherhood Of Man – Highwayman
There can't be many bands who sandwiched a complete, top 50-missing flop between number ones, but even at their greatest moment of consistency BoM managed it. This isn't the performance - it's from Top Pops, in fact - but I can't imagine what was shown was too different. The uploader indignantly comments underneath that they can't be an Abba ripoff because they'd been together since 1973. The sound, the look, even the stances must be sheer coincidence, then.
Rose Royce – Do Your Dance
Repeat of their bravura turn from a couple of weeks before.
Mary Mason – Angel Of The Morning/Any Way That You Want Me
To be reshown in a couple of weeks when the first three songs on the show are all technically medleys.
Nazareth – Love Hurts
Pained rock balladeering as seen the other week.
George Benson – The Greatest Love Of All
As always archived by One For The Dads, featuring no Pauline again and rather too much arm waving in big sheets to count as proper dancing as such. Well, how much better would you have done with the source materials?
Ram Jam – Black Betty
Really, what was that bloke's business being there?
John Forde – Stardance
This has already attracted some debate in the comments about where Forde came from and whether Judge Dread was involved somehow. It's another example of something I referred to last week about the rise of space disco, sounding a good few years ahead of its time in places - maybe it got on because someone thought there was a British Space in the offing? - and it's turned up since in the playlists of the likes of 2manyDJs. No sign of the TOTP performance unfortunately, or even a single edit, though there is the extended 12" version.
David Soul – Silver Lady
David stays atop, his dream machine stays running.
First of three (not counting the dance) we won't see again are Dundee's own contribution to funk - sounds like some comedy concept, but remember Average White Band - grooving up a storm yet a couple of weeks after Rose Royce had taken the opening spot seeming a little undercooked. Does it look to you like there's a couple of ringers here? Also note TOTP2's usual rigorous caption research.
Rod Stewart – You’re In My Heart
The video, obviously, to the first single from Foot Loose & Fancy Free, which we'll see in a couple of weeks.
Brotherhood Of Man – Highwayman
There can't be many bands who sandwiched a complete, top 50-missing flop between number ones, but even at their greatest moment of consistency BoM managed it. This isn't the performance - it's from Top Pops, in fact - but I can't imagine what was shown was too different. The uploader indignantly comments underneath that they can't be an Abba ripoff because they'd been together since 1973. The sound, the look, even the stances must be sheer coincidence, then.
Rose Royce – Do Your Dance
Repeat of their bravura turn from a couple of weeks before.
Mary Mason – Angel Of The Morning/Any Way That You Want Me
To be reshown in a couple of weeks when the first three songs on the show are all technically medleys.
Nazareth – Love Hurts
Pained rock balladeering as seen the other week.
George Benson – The Greatest Love Of All
As always archived by One For The Dads, featuring no Pauline again and rather too much arm waving in big sheets to count as proper dancing as such. Well, how much better would you have done with the source materials?
Ram Jam – Black Betty
Really, what was that bloke's business being there?
John Forde – Stardance
This has already attracted some debate in the comments about where Forde came from and whether Judge Dread was involved somehow. It's another example of something I referred to last week about the rise of space disco, sounding a good few years ahead of its time in places - maybe it got on because someone thought there was a British Space in the offing? - and it's turned up since in the playlists of the likes of 2manyDJs. No sign of the TOTP performance unfortunately, or even a single edit, though there is the extended 12" version.
David Soul – Silver Lady
David stays atop, his dream machine stays running.
Monday 15 October 2012
The disappeared: 15/9/77
Well, sort of. You know the circumstances, let's just get to this one and try to ride out the inevitable flamewar together, shall we?
Dr Feelgood – She's A Wind Up
Despite their previous album success we'll have to wait until 1979 before they crack the top 30 but they'll make a good handful of appearances before then. Lee's bought a new, specially patterned jacket for the occasion.
Yvonne Elliman – I Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind
The video again.
The Dooleys – Think I’m Gonna Fall In Love With You
Don't know whether this is a repeat or not, but if the latter I can't imagine it's going to look or sound all that different.
David Soul – Silver Lady
Video, repeated in time.
Donna Summer – Down Deep Inside (Theme From The Deep)
This Legs & Co routine was on YouTube literally days ago but the account has been closed. Hmm. I can tell you it's Sue's turn for a holiday and the standard seems to be "floaty dresses".
Danny Mirror – I Remember Elvis Presley
Philips, the label which put this out, must have put all leave on hold, Elvis died on August 16th and this entered the top 50 for week beginning 11th September. Mirror was actually a Dutchman by the name of Eddy Ouwens and had co-written 1975 Eurovision winner Ding A Dong. Unfortunately this will be on again.
Elkie Brooks – Sunshine After The Rain
Repeat.
Generation X – Your Generation
Another sole appearance for the song, but far from Billy Idol's only visit (or the band's, come to that) Would the lighting effects here clash with modern strobe/epilepsy warnings?
Patsy Gallant – From New York To L.A.
It seems this is pretty much a French-Canadian equivalent of Cliff going disco. It's said Gallant turned up to introduce this herself, which seems sporting to give someone such a lift on their first and only hit the week it entered the top 30, though it's possible she arrived at the studio and only then found her work permit didn't allow her to perform. She can't have made much of an impression as despite peaking at number 6 we don't see it again. I don't think this is the actual video but it's the best YouTube can do.
Elvis Presley – Way Down
Via One For The Dads. For some reason they're wearing their Roadrunner outfits.
Dr Feelgood – She's A Wind Up
Despite their previous album success we'll have to wait until 1979 before they crack the top 30 but they'll make a good handful of appearances before then. Lee's bought a new, specially patterned jacket for the occasion.
Yvonne Elliman – I Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind
The video again.
The Dooleys – Think I’m Gonna Fall In Love With You
Don't know whether this is a repeat or not, but if the latter I can't imagine it's going to look or sound all that different.
David Soul – Silver Lady
Video, repeated in time.
Donna Summer – Down Deep Inside (Theme From The Deep)
This Legs & Co routine was on YouTube literally days ago but the account has been closed. Hmm. I can tell you it's Sue's turn for a holiday and the standard seems to be "floaty dresses".
Danny Mirror – I Remember Elvis Presley
Philips, the label which put this out, must have put all leave on hold, Elvis died on August 16th and this entered the top 50 for week beginning 11th September. Mirror was actually a Dutchman by the name of Eddy Ouwens and had co-written 1975 Eurovision winner Ding A Dong. Unfortunately this will be on again.
Elkie Brooks – Sunshine After The Rain
Repeat.
Generation X – Your Generation
Another sole appearance for the song, but far from Billy Idol's only visit (or the band's, come to that) Would the lighting effects here clash with modern strobe/epilepsy warnings?
Patsy Gallant – From New York To L.A.
It seems this is pretty much a French-Canadian equivalent of Cliff going disco. It's said Gallant turned up to introduce this herself, which seems sporting to give someone such a lift on their first and only hit the week it entered the top 30, though it's possible she arrived at the studio and only then found her work permit didn't allow her to perform. She can't have made much of an impression as despite peaking at number 6 we don't see it again. I don't think this is the actual video but it's the best YouTube can do.
Elvis Presley – Way Down
Via One For The Dads. For some reason they're wearing their Roadrunner outfits.
Thursday 11 October 2012
The disappeared: 8/9/77
So we reach the final actually wiped TOTP of them all, unless there's some been misplaced or not left in good condition since then. There's weeks not represented in the TOTP archive in future, whether through strike action (for more on which, wait til 2015) or sporting action - three in 1978, for instance - but from here on the document of pop music is pretty much complete. For now we lose Kid in a pink pinstriped T-shirt introducing first The Emotions' Best Of My Love over the rundown, and subsequently...
The Motors – Dancing The Night Away
Somewhere between rhythm and rock and the kind of Chris Spedding-influenced earnest drivetime fare we're seeing every so often, this would make its, but not their, only appearance. Kind of imagine it'd be a lot of men looking hard.
Space – Magic Fly
Mummy, make the spooky aliens and their funny wavey lines go away.
Rosetta Stone – Sunshine Of Your Love
Yes, that Sunshine Of Your Love. Rosetta Stone were other charges of Tam 'Rollers' Paton and included Ian Mitchell, who'd been a Roller for seven months of 1977. What they're trying to be (Smokie) and what they are (Dead End Kids) are very different things.
Jean-Michel Jarre – Oxygene Part IV
Legs & Co... what do we reckon? Too early for robot dancing and bodypopping, but lots of stiff limb movements and head turning? Lots of blue flourescent light, surely. EDIT: Actually we don't need to ask, as thanks to One For The Dads' Andee Bee here's just under a minute of it and, of course, it turns out to be not much at all of the above.
Blue – Bring Back The Love
For all its TOTP exposure and chummy looks to camera Gonna Capture Your Heart only reached number 18 and this didn't chart at all, becoming the last we'd see of them. More playing to the gallery, that's what they needed. Also, not this song.
The Boomtown Rats – Lookin' After Number 1
And...punch! And back! And...punch!
Meri Wilson – Telephone Man
Not to be confused with Mari Wilson, as even her Wiki page says. Video for post-Chanson d'Amour/post-My Ding-A-Ling trimphone jingle novelty hit which we'll see soon enough.
Black Gorilla – Gimme Dat Banana
Ah, thanks to newfangled technol we've got this one, its only appearance:
See, not as Black & White Minstrel Show-still-on-telly dubious as it sounds, if still proving unlikely to be covered any time soon. Described as 'krautrock disco' on Discogs.com, which is ambitious. A couple of them went on to become prolific session men.
The Rods – Do Anything You Wanna Do
As you see at the end of that clip, Kid's a bit smug about his rhythm and rock predictive skills. Repeat.
Elvis Presley – Way Down
Crowd dancing next to Toppotron™ stills, it says here. You'd expect little less. Good love!
The Motors – Dancing The Night Away
Somewhere between rhythm and rock and the kind of Chris Spedding-influenced earnest drivetime fare we're seeing every so often, this would make its, but not their, only appearance. Kind of imagine it'd be a lot of men looking hard.
Space – Magic Fly
Mummy, make the spooky aliens and their funny wavey lines go away.
Rosetta Stone – Sunshine Of Your Love
Yes, that Sunshine Of Your Love. Rosetta Stone were other charges of Tam 'Rollers' Paton and included Ian Mitchell, who'd been a Roller for seven months of 1977. What they're trying to be (Smokie) and what they are (Dead End Kids) are very different things.
Jean-Michel Jarre – Oxygene Part IV
Legs & Co... what do we reckon? Too early for robot dancing and bodypopping, but lots of stiff limb movements and head turning? Lots of blue flourescent light, surely. EDIT: Actually we don't need to ask, as thanks to One For The Dads' Andee Bee here's just under a minute of it and, of course, it turns out to be not much at all of the above.
Blue – Bring Back The Love
For all its TOTP exposure and chummy looks to camera Gonna Capture Your Heart only reached number 18 and this didn't chart at all, becoming the last we'd see of them. More playing to the gallery, that's what they needed. Also, not this song.
The Boomtown Rats – Lookin' After Number 1
And...punch! And back! And...punch!
Meri Wilson – Telephone Man
Not to be confused with Mari Wilson, as even her Wiki page says. Video for post-Chanson d'Amour/post-My Ding-A-Ling trimphone jingle novelty hit which we'll see soon enough.
Black Gorilla – Gimme Dat Banana
Ah, thanks to newfangled technol we've got this one, its only appearance:
See, not as Black & White Minstrel Show-still-on-telly dubious as it sounds, if still proving unlikely to be covered any time soon. Described as 'krautrock disco' on Discogs.com, which is ambitious. A couple of them went on to become prolific session men.
The Rods – Do Anything You Wanna Do
As you see at the end of that clip, Kid's a bit smug about his rhythm and rock predictive skills. Repeat.
Elvis Presley – Way Down
Crowd dancing next to Toppotron™ stills, it says here. You'd expect little less. Good love!
Wednesday 5 September 2012
The disappeared: 4/8/77
Funny how it looks like, by the sheerest of coincidences, all four wiped TOTPs from 1977, the last four wiped shows in its history, will all fall on Sky At Night weeks. This is the Savile-helmed penultimate, with...
The Jam – All Around The World
Again, and it'll come back round one further time.
The Rah Band – The Crunch
For the third time. One dreads to think of Jimmy's intro.
Brotherhood Of Man – Angelo
For the fourth time. You'd better grow to like this.
Billy Paul – Your Song
Last time Paul was on he was rewriting a 70s hit for politicised means. Taupin's lyrics remain the same this time and lacking the room to elucidate it seems more Jesse Green-like than the classic big hearted soul man in a hat. The Ladybirds would have ruined it anyway.
Candi Staton – Nights On Broadway
We'll see the video to this Bee Gees-penned light groove a couple more times but this is a Legs & Co spot, and you can probably imagine there'll be back projections and possibly some sort of top-hat-and-tails costume?
The Dooleys – Think I’m Gonna Fall In Love With You
Their debut. You'll see this again, and you'll see them again a lot, another seventeen times down the years.
Television – Prove It
Oh, BBC. The celebrated New York punk-but-more-technically-gifted pioneers had already gone top 30 once this year and this spent three weeks on the chart countdown, the band were in the country and willing to appear on the show, and the Corporation copied over the tape. On such fate do innumerable future BBC4 showings hang. Hardly anybody online even seems to remember it going out. Imagine what a nation would have made of Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd on their screens. Imagine what sort of band name-related link Jimmy would have come up with.
The Stranglers – Straighten Out
The video for half of the double A-side with Something Better Change, though unlike Peaches the show doesn't pretend the other half never existed. Strange that they weren't making themselves available after all the play Go Buddy Go got.
Deneice Williams – That’s What Friends Are For
Another video you'll come to see again.
Smokie – It’s Your Life
Third and last showing for this single by the virtual TOTP house band.
The Floaters – Float On
Scorpio, and his name is Jimmy. Now if you like a song that loves its sweet talk, and like a song that chartwise can hold its own, this fits that description so watch the video.
Donna Summer – I Feel Love
As I say, Flick had to come up with a new routine every week it was at number one. It was already getting a little two weeks in.
The Jam – All Around The World
Again, and it'll come back round one further time.
The Rah Band – The Crunch
For the third time. One dreads to think of Jimmy's intro.
Brotherhood Of Man – Angelo
For the fourth time. You'd better grow to like this.
Billy Paul – Your Song
Last time Paul was on he was rewriting a 70s hit for politicised means. Taupin's lyrics remain the same this time and lacking the room to elucidate it seems more Jesse Green-like than the classic big hearted soul man in a hat. The Ladybirds would have ruined it anyway.
Candi Staton – Nights On Broadway
We'll see the video to this Bee Gees-penned light groove a couple more times but this is a Legs & Co spot, and you can probably imagine there'll be back projections and possibly some sort of top-hat-and-tails costume?
The Dooleys – Think I’m Gonna Fall In Love With You
Their debut. You'll see this again, and you'll see them again a lot, another seventeen times down the years.
Television – Prove It
Oh, BBC. The celebrated New York punk-but-more-technically-gifted pioneers had already gone top 30 once this year and this spent three weeks on the chart countdown, the band were in the country and willing to appear on the show, and the Corporation copied over the tape. On such fate do innumerable future BBC4 showings hang. Hardly anybody online even seems to remember it going out. Imagine what a nation would have made of Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd on their screens. Imagine what sort of band name-related link Jimmy would have come up with.
The Stranglers – Straighten Out
The video for half of the double A-side with Something Better Change, though unlike Peaches the show doesn't pretend the other half never existed. Strange that they weren't making themselves available after all the play Go Buddy Go got.
Deneice Williams – That’s What Friends Are For
Another video you'll come to see again.
Smokie – It’s Your Life
Third and last showing for this single by the virtual TOTP house band.
The Floaters – Float On
Scorpio, and his name is Jimmy. Now if you like a song that loves its sweet talk, and like a song that chartwise can hold its own, this fits that description so watch the video.
Donna Summer – I Feel Love
As I say, Flick had to come up with a new routine every week it was at number one. It was already getting a little two weeks in.
Thursday 8 March 2012
The disappeared: 3/3/77
The start of this year has been about fits and starts on the show, everything coming round plenty of times. That's the case with much of this second, Savile-fronted lost show of 1977.
Showaddywaddy – When
This, for example, is on twice more. No continuity jokes with suits or drums this time, though.
Mr Big – Romeo
And this video with its classily of its time visual effects has been on before.
Maxine Nightingale – Love Hit Me
Once more in the studio, plus once danced to by Legs & Co for the Northern Soul tail-ender from the singer most famous for Right Back Where We Started From.
Boz Scaggs – What Can I Say
SNL, Jeff Porcaro, I think we're across this video clip by now.
Cliff Richard – My Kinda Life
It's Cliff. Of course he's on again.
Manhattan Transfer – Chanson D'Amour
Another video - a lot of them around this point, aren't there? - and it's about to have a number one run so it need not concern us quite yet.
David Bowie – Sound And Vision
So that's one performance in the entire show which isn't replicated and it's the most intriguing of the lot. That's largely because it's a Legs & Co routine, and we know what happened last time Flick was given Bowie to work with.
Abba – Knowing Me Knowing You
...nope, still only on tape, and this is a future number one too.
Bonnie Tyler – More Than A Lover
Yes, she's still to come back as well, starting to become huskier and more AOR anthemic with it.
Leo Sayer – When I Need You
Get your hands out of your pockets, young man. Last week at number one, and he'll have another single on the show's radar before April is out.
Showaddywaddy – When
This, for example, is on twice more. No continuity jokes with suits or drums this time, though.
Mr Big – Romeo
And this video with its classily of its time visual effects has been on before.
Maxine Nightingale – Love Hit Me
Once more in the studio, plus once danced to by Legs & Co for the Northern Soul tail-ender from the singer most famous for Right Back Where We Started From.
Boz Scaggs – What Can I Say
SNL, Jeff Porcaro, I think we're across this video clip by now.
Cliff Richard – My Kinda Life
It's Cliff. Of course he's on again.
Manhattan Transfer – Chanson D'Amour
Another video - a lot of them around this point, aren't there? - and it's about to have a number one run so it need not concern us quite yet.
David Bowie – Sound And Vision
So that's one performance in the entire show which isn't replicated and it's the most intriguing of the lot. That's largely because it's a Legs & Co routine, and we know what happened last time Flick was given Bowie to work with.
Abba – Knowing Me Knowing You
...nope, still only on tape, and this is a future number one too.
Bonnie Tyler – More Than A Lover
Yes, she's still to come back as well, starting to become huskier and more AOR anthemic with it.
Leo Sayer – When I Need You
Get your hands out of your pockets, young man. Last week at number one, and he'll have another single on the show's radar before April is out.
Thursday 16 February 2012
The disappeared: 10/2/77
Just the four shows have been wiped in 1977, though there may be more that are unbroadcastable for whatever reason - UK Gold and Einsfestival didn't show a lot from this year, and at least one programme has had to be reconstructed from off-air clips. This one, DLT's first outing of the year, is definitely AWOL... at least in vision, as it exists as a hissy homemade audio recording and is preserved on YouTube: part one, part two, part three. That still means we have visuals to fill in:
Sailor – One Drink Too Many
Actually this, Sailor's last visit to the show, does exist albeit in quality little better than flickbook. Sailor have claimed they took the title a trifle too literally but you wouldn't necessarily know on this evidence, apart from they seem to have left the Nickelodeon behind and Henry Marsh has moved on from white suit and Benny Hill minor character glasses to anticipating the look of Andy Partridge from XTC. That set with the triangles at the back debuted last week for Gary Glitter and you'll see it a lot more this year. Not especially lunatic seeming, DLT.
The Detroit Spinners – Wake Up Susan
This must have been in the studio as the pace of the intro on the recording is noticeably slower than the recording. Awkwardly this was a 1976 hit in the States and in the meantime it seems they'd changed lead singer. Compare 1976 and 1977 live version versions, see what you reckon.
Kiki Dee – First Thing In The Morning
I've listened to three versions of this and can't work out whether it's meant to be a ballad or not. This seems to be orchestrally backed, which might explain it. Picturing something long, flowing and maybe taffeta. "It could be a top five sound" enthuses DLT. It was a number 32 sound.
Boston – More Than A Feeling
The video, though it'll be on again if you feel you're really missing out.
Brotherhood Of Man – Oh Boy (The Mood I’m In)
As will this, though not for a month or so. You might have reasonably thought we'd seen the last of them at the end of 1976, but their none too subtle shift into an ersatz Abba was instead first signposted here. There's not so much as a twist on the last line.
Bryan Ferry – This Is Tomorrow
"21 today, or to be precise a couple of days ago..." Does he mean the song? Because Ferry was a full decade older than that and his birthday's in September, and nobody would have believed he'd have been 17 when Virginia Plain was a hit. The video, and again we'll get a rerun.
The Racing Cars – They Shoot Horses Don’t They?
Won't be the Rhondda Valley'sslowest finest's last visit either, even though the "top five, I'll be bound" single peaked at 14.
Heatwave – Boogie Nights
"They don't shoot ladies, fortunately" No, I should hope they didn't. Legs & Co at ease. "I've heard of wearing my heart on my sleeve but that is ridiculous" comments DLT and one can only imagine the clothing budget, especially as they've left in the extended intro.
Johnny Nash – Birds Of A Feather
First appearance in eighteen months years for the commercial reggae progenitor with the sort of performance that makes one wonder whether it was with a crack session band Jesse Green-like or whether he had to stand there awkwardly held to the orchestra's whims. There's some definite woodwind there.
Julie Covington – Don’t Cry For Me Argentina
Its only week at number one, meaning 7.30 viewers have missed its entire chart run. It was only the video again, but they've actually dragged Julie in to explain herself, claiming her lack of studio appearances was down to her lack of time - really? - and the need for a symphony orchestra. Johnny Pearson must have been looking daggers at her. Covington plugs Rock Follies "and, erm, that's it" before having to clarify the subject of the song, Evita having been released in 1976 as an album but not becoming a hit until the 1978 stage version. "She made her mark!"
Sailor – One Drink Too Many
Actually this, Sailor's last visit to the show, does exist albeit in quality little better than flickbook. Sailor have claimed they took the title a trifle too literally but you wouldn't necessarily know on this evidence, apart from they seem to have left the Nickelodeon behind and Henry Marsh has moved on from white suit and Benny Hill minor character glasses to anticipating the look of Andy Partridge from XTC. That set with the triangles at the back debuted last week for Gary Glitter and you'll see it a lot more this year. Not especially lunatic seeming, DLT.
The Detroit Spinners – Wake Up Susan
This must have been in the studio as the pace of the intro on the recording is noticeably slower than the recording. Awkwardly this was a 1976 hit in the States and in the meantime it seems they'd changed lead singer. Compare 1976 and 1977 live version versions, see what you reckon.
Kiki Dee – First Thing In The Morning
I've listened to three versions of this and can't work out whether it's meant to be a ballad or not. This seems to be orchestrally backed, which might explain it. Picturing something long, flowing and maybe taffeta. "It could be a top five sound" enthuses DLT. It was a number 32 sound.
Boston – More Than A Feeling
The video, though it'll be on again if you feel you're really missing out.
Brotherhood Of Man – Oh Boy (The Mood I’m In)
As will this, though not for a month or so. You might have reasonably thought we'd seen the last of them at the end of 1976, but their none too subtle shift into an ersatz Abba was instead first signposted here. There's not so much as a twist on the last line.
Bryan Ferry – This Is Tomorrow
"21 today, or to be precise a couple of days ago..." Does he mean the song? Because Ferry was a full decade older than that and his birthday's in September, and nobody would have believed he'd have been 17 when Virginia Plain was a hit. The video, and again we'll get a rerun.
The Racing Cars – They Shoot Horses Don’t They?
Won't be the Rhondda Valley's
Heatwave – Boogie Nights
"They don't shoot ladies, fortunately" No, I should hope they didn't. Legs & Co at ease. "I've heard of wearing my heart on my sleeve but that is ridiculous" comments DLT and one can only imagine the clothing budget, especially as they've left in the extended intro.
Johnny Nash – Birds Of A Feather
First appearance in eighteen months years for the commercial reggae progenitor with the sort of performance that makes one wonder whether it was with a crack session band Jesse Green-like or whether he had to stand there awkwardly held to the orchestra's whims. There's some definite woodwind there.
Julie Covington – Don’t Cry For Me Argentina
Its only week at number one, meaning 7.30 viewers have missed its entire chart run. It was only the video again, but they've actually dragged Julie in to explain herself, claiming her lack of studio appearances was down to her lack of time - really? - and the need for a symphony orchestra. Johnny Pearson must have been looking daggers at her. Covington plugs Rock Follies "and, erm, that's it" before having to clarify the subject of the song, Evita having been released in 1976 as an album but not becoming a hit until the 1978 stage version. "She made her mark!"
Sunday 18 December 2011
The disappeared: 16/12/76
Evidently the last missing show of the year, and with only four to come in 1977 we're slowly reaching a point of kept stock. As the show before the show before the big end of year roundup it's a mix of stuff we're seeing a lot and the odd underdog for filler, all barely capably helmed by DLT.
Smokie – Living Next Door To Alice
Even starts with a song that started the show two weeks earlier. Too many BBC repeats at Christmas!
Tina Charles – Dr Love
Mud – Lean On Me
See what I mean? As you may note, this has missed out on all three showings.
Jesse Green – Flip
Ah, our old friend of too many appearances for a single that peaked at 17. On this one he ditches the flautist and lets his funk rhythm guitar rip. We can but hope for synchronised stepping.
The Stylistics – You'll Never Get To Heaven
Sounds a bit like Walk On By, doesn't it? Actually released everywhere but the UK in 1973, this is Legs & Co's contribution, involving a lot of chiffon, I imagine.
10cc – The Things We Do For Love
They were having some time off the TOTP studio - they'd been in at the start of the year with Art For Art's Sake but wouldn't revisit until Dreadlock Holiday in 1978 - so this was the video, perhaps the same live clip source as when I'm Mandy Fly Me charted. That's not the video in the link, I doubt, but I like the way the secondary director misses all the important close-ups.
Johnny Mathis – When A Child Is Born (Soleado)
He's coming...
Chris Hill – Bionic Santa
Now then. This video I want to see, and also don't. Chris Hill was a popular soul DJ who at Christmas 1975 had a number ten hit with Renta Santa, in the style of the 1950s comedy records where a narrator conversed amusingly with clips of songs with apposite lyrics, kind of one step down from the Barron Knights. This was the follow-up and also reached number ten. Very much in our interests, too, as it features clips of Here I Go Again and Dr Kiss Kiss.
Showaddywaddy – Under The Moon Of Love
Once more with the quick change artistry. There was a new performance taped for the festive show, you may be relieved to know.
Smokie – Living Next Door To Alice
Even starts with a song that started the show two weeks earlier. Too many BBC repeats at Christmas!
Tina Charles – Dr Love
Mud – Lean On Me
See what I mean? As you may note, this has missed out on all three showings.
Jesse Green – Flip
Ah, our old friend of too many appearances for a single that peaked at 17. On this one he ditches the flautist and lets his funk rhythm guitar rip. We can but hope for synchronised stepping.
The Stylistics – You'll Never Get To Heaven
Sounds a bit like Walk On By, doesn't it? Actually released everywhere but the UK in 1973, this is Legs & Co's contribution, involving a lot of chiffon, I imagine.
10cc – The Things We Do For Love
They were having some time off the TOTP studio - they'd been in at the start of the year with Art For Art's Sake but wouldn't revisit until Dreadlock Holiday in 1978 - so this was the video, perhaps the same live clip source as when I'm Mandy Fly Me charted. That's not the video in the link, I doubt, but I like the way the secondary director misses all the important close-ups.
Johnny Mathis – When A Child Is Born (Soleado)
He's coming...
Chris Hill – Bionic Santa
Now then. This video I want to see, and also don't. Chris Hill was a popular soul DJ who at Christmas 1975 had a number ten hit with Renta Santa, in the style of the 1950s comedy records where a narrator conversed amusingly with clips of songs with apposite lyrics, kind of one step down from the Barron Knights. This was the follow-up and also reached number ten. Very much in our interests, too, as it features clips of Here I Go Again and Dr Kiss Kiss.
Showaddywaddy – Under The Moon Of Love
Once more with the quick change artistry. There was a new performance taped for the festive show, you may be relieved to know.
Monday 12 December 2011
The disappeared: 2/12/76
Missing post-April show seven of eight, and there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason why the wiped set were from the first three months and last two of the year. Ed Stewart's in charge, doing so well he won't be invited back for another nine months. Stewart will be part of your Christmas festive entertainment, taking charge of Junior Choice on its annual 9am Christmas Day revival on Radio 2.
Actually, before we start, that reminds me - next Monday, the 19th, at 10pm on Radio 2 is a documentary about TV dance troupes, fronted by Arlene Phillips but her Hot Gossip are the only non-TOTP team mentioned in the station's description. Yes, even ver Flipper get a look-in.
Smokie – Living Next Door To Alice
Yes, alright, there was this notorious cover, but that was itself a cover - apparently it was well known for a cafe in Nijmegen, Holland to play the track, fade it down at the end of the chorus and everyone present to shout that rejoiner back. A record company man visited the cafe one evening, saw this in action and got to work on a version, which Smokie and Chubby themselves reworked. Just to add a further layer of obfustication, the source material is also a cover, a Chinn-Chapman song originally recorded by Australian vocal trio New World. You will all being well see this performed on the show eventually anyway, on the first TOTP of 1977.
Mud – Lean On Me
Les glasses on or Les glasses off, do you reckon?
Tina Charles – Dr Love
As with Smokie this reappears at the start of the new year after falling victim to a good solid wiping. Let's face it, though, this was only ever going to be the second most notable disco Doctorate song of 1976.
Queen – Somebody To Love
Legs & Co continue their rock interpretation sideline with the car insurance shilling choral wonder supposedly intended as the new Bohemian Rhapsody.
Barry White – Don’t Make Me Wait Too Long
Don't know what the promised video version would have entailed, but as usual I see faint images of dry ice, shots from below into the lights and ungainly close-ups of a sweaty brow.
Johnny Mathis – When A Child Is Born (Soleado)
A warning shot across the bows of a future number one.
Yvonne Elliman – Love Me
Electric Light Orchestra – Livin’ Thing
These were both on the last wiped show, also in video form, and in this precise order too. Someone getting lazy at the end of the year? I know the Christmas show production is a big commitment, but...
Showaddywaddy – Under The Moon Of Love
A brand new number one! And they couldn't be bothered to return to the studio and record it all again. Maybe the changeover stuff took too much out of them last time.
Actually, before we start, that reminds me - next Monday, the 19th, at 10pm on Radio 2 is a documentary about TV dance troupes, fronted by Arlene Phillips but her Hot Gossip are the only non-TOTP team mentioned in the station's description. Yes, even ver Flipper get a look-in.
Smokie – Living Next Door To Alice
Yes, alright, there was this notorious cover, but that was itself a cover - apparently it was well known for a cafe in Nijmegen, Holland to play the track, fade it down at the end of the chorus and everyone present to shout that rejoiner back. A record company man visited the cafe one evening, saw this in action and got to work on a version, which Smokie and Chubby themselves reworked. Just to add a further layer of obfustication, the source material is also a cover, a Chinn-Chapman song originally recorded by Australian vocal trio New World. You will all being well see this performed on the show eventually anyway, on the first TOTP of 1977.
Mud – Lean On Me
Les glasses on or Les glasses off, do you reckon?
Tina Charles – Dr Love
As with Smokie this reappears at the start of the new year after falling victim to a good solid wiping. Let's face it, though, this was only ever going to be the second most notable disco Doctorate song of 1976.
Queen – Somebody To Love
Legs & Co continue their rock interpretation sideline with the car insurance shilling choral wonder supposedly intended as the new Bohemian Rhapsody.
Barry White – Don’t Make Me Wait Too Long
Don't know what the promised video version would have entailed, but as usual I see faint images of dry ice, shots from below into the lights and ungainly close-ups of a sweaty brow.
Johnny Mathis – When A Child Is Born (Soleado)
A warning shot across the bows of a future number one.
Yvonne Elliman – Love Me
Electric Light Orchestra – Livin’ Thing
These were both on the last wiped show, also in video form, and in this precise order too. Someone getting lazy at the end of the year? I know the Christmas show production is a big commitment, but...
Showaddywaddy – Under The Moon Of Love
A brand new number one! And they couldn't be bothered to return to the studio and record it all again. Maybe the changeover stuff took too much out of them last time.
Tuesday 29 November 2011
The disappeared: 18/11/76
After the Legs & Co naming ceremony on the 11th another piece of TOTP history this week as David 'Kid' Jensen made the first of 69 appearances as host. While most famous for the sixteen with John Peel in 1983 and 1984 he turned into an entirely useable if not all that initially authoritative host (that'll be down to the nickname, I'll wager - he held onto it until 1980) He only joined Radio 1 in September in the drivetime slot but had made his name in a late night slot on Radio Luxembourg and more importantly had pop TV experience with ITV, firstly 45 alongside Emperor Rosko in 1974-75, so well thought of it got a Christmas Day special in 1974, and then parallel with this stint the Yorkshire TV junior quiz show Pop Quest alongside a pre-Tiswas Sally James - here's the 1976 final. And now he's graduated to the top table and been granted...
Mud – Lean On Me
Here we find the great loss of 1976. Not the song, on which the new kings of disco retreated to a limp Bill Withers cover, but the fact this was on the show three times, reaching number 7... and all three have been wiped. Perhaps out of pity. Don't worry, they'll surely make it up with the next hit sing... oh, there wasn't another.
Bonnie Tyler – Lost In France
As we've just seen.
Showaddywaddy – Under The Moon Of Love
As we've just seen. Though the element of surprise has gone.
Yvonne Elliman – Love Me
As with last week the studio work knocks off early and the rest of the show is videos and dancing. Elliman was a Broadway musical actress who'd have her biggest hit, If I Can't Have You from Saturday Night Fever, in 1977 but for now took another Barry and Robin Gibb song of desperation to number six.
Electric Light Orchestra – Livin' Thing
Jeff Lynne works through more of his Beatles obsession for what would become their biggest hit until 1979.
Dana – Fairytale
We'll see this video later in the year, but suffice to say it's not as balladic as you're probably imagining. Quite Cliff-like, actually.
Peter Frampton – Do You Feel Like We Do
Kind of guessing Legs & Co didn't do all nine minutes... They're on a run of being given rock songs to interpret, there's a cracker next week, but they haven't quite settled in enough yet. Also this is a really awkward pace for getting movement out of.
Chicago – If You Leave Me Now
Three weeks at number one, two of which have been wiped. How's your luck?
Mud – Lean On Me
Here we find the great loss of 1976. Not the song, on which the new kings of disco retreated to a limp Bill Withers cover, but the fact this was on the show three times, reaching number 7... and all three have been wiped. Perhaps out of pity. Don't worry, they'll surely make it up with the next hit sing... oh, there wasn't another.
Bonnie Tyler – Lost In France
As we've just seen.
Showaddywaddy – Under The Moon Of Love
As we've just seen. Though the element of surprise has gone.
Yvonne Elliman – Love Me
As with last week the studio work knocks off early and the rest of the show is videos and dancing. Elliman was a Broadway musical actress who'd have her biggest hit, If I Can't Have You from Saturday Night Fever, in 1977 but for now took another Barry and Robin Gibb song of desperation to number six.
Electric Light Orchestra – Livin' Thing
Jeff Lynne works through more of his Beatles obsession for what would become their biggest hit until 1979.
Dana – Fairytale
We'll see this video later in the year, but suffice to say it's not as balladic as you're probably imagining. Quite Cliff-like, actually.
Peter Frampton – Do You Feel Like We Do
Kind of guessing Legs & Co didn't do all nine minutes... They're on a run of being given rock songs to interpret, there's a cracker next week, but they haven't quite settled in enough yet. Also this is a really awkward pace for getting movement out of.
Chicago – If You Leave Me Now
Three weeks at number one, two of which have been wiped. How's your luck?
Monday 28 November 2011
The disappeared: 11/11/76
We've done quite well for surviving shows recently, seven in a row, but now the meat of the wipings kicks in with four out of six lost perhaps forever. Luckily that's as many as are officially missing in the whole of 1977, but unfortunately this first one... well, we'll see. DLT hosts.
Eddie & The Hotrods – Teenage Depression
Another Hotrods opener! Much the same direct, raw post-pub pre-punk energy unaccustomed to 1976 TOTP, so you can imagine much the same tricks being pulled by the director to try and rein it all in.
Billy Ocean – Stop Me (If You’ve Heard It All Before)
We'll see this before long anyway. What lurid clash of colours can Ocean have envisaged this time?
Guys 'n' Dolls – Stoney Ground
A few recovered shows and fragments have come from Guys 'n' Dolls members, but apparently not on this occasion. Maybe they preferred the scaffolding staging of Supersonic.
Leo Sayer – You Make Me Feel Like Dancing
The video, presumably the one we saw the show before last.
Neil Diamond – Beautiful Noise
The video. Don't know if it's the same as this - the video bit, not the pensioners clapping along - but there's a lot more percussion there then the song suggests.
Dr Hook – If Not You
The video! Studio double booked for the second half? It had quite a while near the top so will be on again.
Hank C Burnette – Spinning Rock Boogie
And now, here's the crux. This is the week when ?????? became Legs & Co... and we'll never see it or what Flick did with this lightning bolt 1971 surf-rock instrumental. (In fact we may never have seen it at all as Burnette was invited to come over instead but refused to re-record, have re-recorded or mime.) But! Glancing through Once For The Dads we found the shot released to the Press Association of the girls, the displayed new name and the winner! Elaine Coombes, 16, of Salisbury, says the accompanying details, and she did indeed appear on this show this week and looks delighted to be there.
Chicago – If You Leave Me Now
And as if to come down from that excitement a new number one, with the video we've already seen shown.
Eddie & The Hotrods – Teenage Depression
Another Hotrods opener! Much the same direct, raw post-pub pre-punk energy unaccustomed to 1976 TOTP, so you can imagine much the same tricks being pulled by the director to try and rein it all in.
Billy Ocean – Stop Me (If You’ve Heard It All Before)
We'll see this before long anyway. What lurid clash of colours can Ocean have envisaged this time?
Guys 'n' Dolls – Stoney Ground
A few recovered shows and fragments have come from Guys 'n' Dolls members, but apparently not on this occasion. Maybe they preferred the scaffolding staging of Supersonic.
Leo Sayer – You Make Me Feel Like Dancing
The video, presumably the one we saw the show before last.
Neil Diamond – Beautiful Noise
The video. Don't know if it's the same as this - the video bit, not the pensioners clapping along - but there's a lot more percussion there then the song suggests.
Dr Hook – If Not You
The video! Studio double booked for the second half? It had quite a while near the top so will be on again.
Hank C Burnette – Spinning Rock Boogie
And now, here's the crux. This is the week when ?????? became Legs & Co... and we'll never see it or what Flick did with this lightning bolt 1971 surf-rock instrumental. (In fact we may never have seen it at all as Burnette was invited to come over instead but refused to re-record, have re-recorded or mime.) But! Glancing through Once For The Dads we found the shot released to the Press Association of the girls, the displayed new name and the winner! Elaine Coombes, 16, of Salisbury, says the accompanying details, and she did indeed appear on this show this week and looks delighted to be there.
Chicago – If You Leave Me Now
And as if to come down from that excitement a new number one, with the video we've already seen shown.
Monday 26 September 2011
The disappeared: 16/9/76
There's a little awkward patch of wiped shows here. From September to before Christmas 1976 six shows out of 17 have been wiped, and while it's not actually as bad as that sounds - there's an unbroken run of seven weeks after this, for starters - here two shows out of three have been lost, meaning in BBC4's timeline there's a lot of repetition between last week and this one coming. One artist ends up on the repeats three weeks in a row, earning them an unfortunate 5000 Volts-like consistency. In better news, we here get to skip a week of Noel's free associating.
Tommy Hunt – Loving On The Losing Side
Hunt had been in the Flamingos of I Only Have Eyes For You fame and a good decade or more on had a shortlived spell as a Wigan Casino favourite, which with its string arrangement can only mean a well meaning visitor to our shores being held to hostage by Johnny Pearson.
Tina Charles – Dance Little Lady Dance
Speaking of which, I believe this is the performance for which she got to her run-through and discovered the orchestra were playing it at twice the speed of the original and she couldn't stop because she feared getting a bad reputation and never being asked back. Which she was, which demonstrates something about grinning and bearing it.
J.A.L.N. Band – Disco Music (I Like It)
Blunt. This slab of British disco was on the TOTP2 repeated special a couple of weeks ago and will be on the show again.
The Real Thing – Can’t Get By Without You
Two appearances for this perennial lover's soul favourite, both wiped. Again, we can only imagine who got the mustard coloured waistcoat this week.
Jesse Green – Nice And Slow
Someone must have really fancied this song's chances, this is its third of four appearances and it still never got above number 17. It's not like he was in the country for ages either, this is a repeat of his one studio visit, as is the next showing.
Pussycat – Mississippi
Losing out to the wiles of the archivers twice in a row! There's always a next time.
Starland Vocal Band – Afternoon Delight
Unlike for the Starlands ("they suck!"), who do a Can't Get By Without You. Shame Afternoon Delight never followed Morning Glory onto the show.
Gheorge Zamfir – Doina De Jale (Light Of Experience)
This is that strange entry denoted in the rundown by a man playing pan pipes, which became a hit after being used by a BBC religious programme called The Light Of Experience, described by the BFI site as "Series in which people relate experiences which have changed their lives". It's Ruby Flipper's turn for the week but the record seems a slight thing, surely far too slow and hesitant a melody to get much more than vague arm waving while crouched in blowsy sheet dresses out of.
ABBA - Dancing Queen
At least for sanity's sake we miss two of the six weeks this spent atop the pile.
Tommy Hunt – Loving On The Losing Side
Hunt had been in the Flamingos of I Only Have Eyes For You fame and a good decade or more on had a shortlived spell as a Wigan Casino favourite, which with its string arrangement can only mean a well meaning visitor to our shores being held to hostage by Johnny Pearson.
Tina Charles – Dance Little Lady Dance
Speaking of which, I believe this is the performance for which she got to her run-through and discovered the orchestra were playing it at twice the speed of the original and she couldn't stop because she feared getting a bad reputation and never being asked back. Which she was, which demonstrates something about grinning and bearing it.
J.A.L.N. Band – Disco Music (I Like It)
Blunt. This slab of British disco was on the TOTP2 repeated special a couple of weeks ago and will be on the show again.
The Real Thing – Can’t Get By Without You
Two appearances for this perennial lover's soul favourite, both wiped. Again, we can only imagine who got the mustard coloured waistcoat this week.
Jesse Green – Nice And Slow
Someone must have really fancied this song's chances, this is its third of four appearances and it still never got above number 17. It's not like he was in the country for ages either, this is a repeat of his one studio visit, as is the next showing.
Pussycat – Mississippi
Losing out to the wiles of the archivers twice in a row! There's always a next time.
Starland Vocal Band – Afternoon Delight
Unlike for the Starlands ("they suck!"), who do a Can't Get By Without You. Shame Afternoon Delight never followed Morning Glory onto the show.
Gheorge Zamfir – Doina De Jale (Light Of Experience)
This is that strange entry denoted in the rundown by a man playing pan pipes, which became a hit after being used by a BBC religious programme called The Light Of Experience, described by the BFI site as "Series in which people relate experiences which have changed their lives". It's Ruby Flipper's turn for the week but the record seems a slight thing, surely far too slow and hesitant a melody to get much more than vague arm waving while crouched in blowsy sheet dresses out of.
ABBA - Dancing Queen
At least for sanity's sake we miss two of the six weeks this spent atop the pile.
Monday 19 September 2011
The disappeared: 2/9/76
Another of the wipeouts comes next, this one with Diddy David Hamilton in charge, which is interesting for reasons I'll get to.
Pussycat – Mississippi
Unusually, at least so far, this is already in the top 30 and, though we haven't seen it yet in repeat run time, features a rundown shot featuring about as disturbing a shot of the three sisters' faces as could be managed. We'll see this anyway in due course.
Hot Chocolate – Heaven Is On The Back Seat Of My Cadillac
And we've already heard this, with Errol brandishing that mike stand as a weapon.
Tina Charles – Dance Little Lady Dance
And this will be on again too. It's that sort of chart season. It's a bit like I Love To Love and may not be given that sympathetic a reading by the orchestra.
The Real Thing – Can’t Get By Without You
This is on agai...oh, wait, only on another wiped show. Introducing lover's soul to the wah pedal of disco, we can only imagine what new mismatch of clothing is on show here. Well, we'll have to.
Barry Biggs – Work All Day
Biggs' next single is on, but this in context of what we've seen so far might have proved an interesting staging, an early lover's rock hit made for gesticulating with arms outstretched to an uncomfortably shifting audience of girls.
Wings - Let 'Em In
The second half of the show being four videos and a repeat. Did someone else need the studio at short notice?
Jesse Green – Nice And Slow
The repeat, not that there was much to really say about it last time.
Bryan Ferry – The Price Of Love
Jerry and all Bryan's other glamorous friends get another turn.
Rod Stewart – The Killing Of Georgie
And here we come to the true crux. Hamilton had the foresight to keep videoed copies of eleven of his twelve appearances on the show (between January 1976 and March 1977), finding some believed wiped in his archive in recent years and returning them to the BBC as part of one of their occasional appeals. The only such show still missing is this one, and if you ask us that more than likely is due to an incident he talks about now where a record company executive spiked his lunchtime drink and he took about twenty takes at this introduction as he kept calling the song The Killing Of Georgie Fame. The show's official tie-in book says he was sacked from the presenting rota after this. According to actual fact he was back six weeks later and another three times after that before moving to Radio 2 and out of youth culture. THE OFFICIAL BOOK, BBC. YOU HAVE FACTS AT YOUR DISPOSAL SO WHY NOT USE THEM. Here's all six minutes plus of the video, surely not all of which can have been shown. It's not exactly a laugh riot, especially when you know it's based on a true story of a friend of Rod's.
ABBA – Dancing Queen
As mentioned last time, when it entered the chart the BBC seemed to have an incomplete copy of the famous video that cuts the first half of the first verse out. Of the two shows currently on YouTube that cover their number one run the first takes a clip from another source, the second reverts to the proper video. This could be anything. Tommy Hunt's Loving On The Losing Side plays us out.
Pussycat – Mississippi
Unusually, at least so far, this is already in the top 30 and, though we haven't seen it yet in repeat run time, features a rundown shot featuring about as disturbing a shot of the three sisters' faces as could be managed. We'll see this anyway in due course.
Hot Chocolate – Heaven Is On The Back Seat Of My Cadillac
And we've already heard this, with Errol brandishing that mike stand as a weapon.
Tina Charles – Dance Little Lady Dance
And this will be on again too. It's that sort of chart season. It's a bit like I Love To Love and may not be given that sympathetic a reading by the orchestra.
The Real Thing – Can’t Get By Without You
This is on agai...oh, wait, only on another wiped show. Introducing lover's soul to the wah pedal of disco, we can only imagine what new mismatch of clothing is on show here. Well, we'll have to.
Barry Biggs – Work All Day
Biggs' next single is on, but this in context of what we've seen so far might have proved an interesting staging, an early lover's rock hit made for gesticulating with arms outstretched to an uncomfortably shifting audience of girls.
Wings - Let 'Em In
The second half of the show being four videos and a repeat. Did someone else need the studio at short notice?
Jesse Green – Nice And Slow
The repeat, not that there was much to really say about it last time.
Bryan Ferry – The Price Of Love
Jerry and all Bryan's other glamorous friends get another turn.
Rod Stewart – The Killing Of Georgie
And here we come to the true crux. Hamilton had the foresight to keep videoed copies of eleven of his twelve appearances on the show (between January 1976 and March 1977), finding some believed wiped in his archive in recent years and returning them to the BBC as part of one of their occasional appeals. The only such show still missing is this one, and if you ask us that more than likely is due to an incident he talks about now where a record company executive spiked his lunchtime drink and he took about twenty takes at this introduction as he kept calling the song The Killing Of Georgie Fame. The show's official tie-in book says he was sacked from the presenting rota after this. According to actual fact he was back six weeks later and another three times after that before moving to Radio 2 and out of youth culture. THE OFFICIAL BOOK, BBC. YOU HAVE FACTS AT YOUR DISPOSAL SO WHY NOT USE THEM. Here's all six minutes plus of the video, surely not all of which can have been shown. It's not exactly a laugh riot, especially when you know it's based on a true story of a friend of Rod's.
ABBA – Dancing Queen
As mentioned last time, when it entered the chart the BBC seemed to have an incomplete copy of the famous video that cuts the first half of the first verse out. Of the two shows currently on YouTube that cover their number one run the first takes a clip from another source, the second reverts to the proper video. This could be anything. Tommy Hunt's Loving On The Losing Side plays us out.
Monday 29 August 2011
The disappeared: 12/8/76
The second of eight missing shows from this run would have gone here, and as well as depriving Tony Blackburn of his repeat fee this is what we're missing out on.
The Equals – Funky Like A Train
But a train isn't funky. (Though this is a title that has left me spending the last five minutes going "there is nothing you can name that isn't funky like a traaaaaaaain..." to myself. Yeah, I know.) It does include a train impression, though. Like the New Seekers in a way, the Equals were very much yesterday's band by this point, Baby Come Back ten years past. I don't even know if that's Eddy Grant leading - he's credited withn production and writing but every other source says he left the group in 1976. No, it didn't chart, but it's great rare groove funk and it would have been great to see how this was presented.
Dr Hook – A Little Bit More
Woodland, multilayered beard, affectionate chest stroking, you know the drill.
Starland Vocal Band – Afternoon Delight
"And here's some people that are certainly an afternoon delight, Ruby Flipper!" Really can't imagine what sort of routine they could all have got out of this soft rock, even if it did come with none too subtle allusions that must have got Flick sweating profusely.
Status Quo – Mystery Song
Rick's chest, Francis' blow-wave, Alan Lancaster's posing, you know the drill.
Guys'n'Dolls – If Only For The Good Times
You know how I said this episode had been wiped?
Maybe it's from one of the band's private collection, there's certainly enough of them. David Van Day and Thereza Bazar, the future Dollar, are in there, as is Bruce Forsyth's daughter. For such an auspicious occasion that wedding cake tier stage has been built right up to almost vertigo inducing levels. Maybe someone gets thrown off it after the edit point.
The Chi-Lites – You Don’t Have To Go
Oddly, that link is to a near future TOTP where a video of 1940s cartoon clips, as was de rigeur around that time, was presented as this song's video, but in this week they were in the studio, it says here.
Jimmy James and the Vagabonds – Now Is The Time
Eye-popping from Jimmy, wide collared red shirts and grey blazers for the Vagabonds, anti-revolutionist zeal, you know the drill.
Tavares – Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel
The video, though you sort of know what the video of a 1970s dancing soul collective would look like by now.
The Bee Gees – You Should Be Dancing
This one exists as well, as it's a Ruby Flipper performance that was repeated two weeks later. Spoiler alert: no TOCG! (A NOCG, perhaps) But loads of Floyd!
James & Bobby Purify – Morning Glory
Ver Flipper do this one too in two weeks' time, TOTP having shown the video this week. Lots of videos this week. As I say, the music industry was on holiday.
Cliff Richard – I Can’t Ask For Anything More Than You
But Cliff never takes a holiday! Having been buoyed by Devil Woman's success he somewhat ill advisedly decides to sing half of this one in falsetto, maybe because his producer suggested it was the way to make him into a new disco star and/or maybe because he's really easily led.
Elton John & Kiki Dee – Don’t Go Breaking My Heart
Pink overalls, smug expressions, awkward dancing together, you know the drill. Credits spotlight on Lou Rawls, y'all, and You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine.
The Equals – Funky Like A Train
But a train isn't funky. (Though this is a title that has left me spending the last five minutes going "there is nothing you can name that isn't funky like a traaaaaaaain..." to myself. Yeah, I know.) It does include a train impression, though. Like the New Seekers in a way, the Equals were very much yesterday's band by this point, Baby Come Back ten years past. I don't even know if that's Eddy Grant leading - he's credited withn production and writing but every other source says he left the group in 1976. No, it didn't chart, but it's great rare groove funk and it would have been great to see how this was presented.
Dr Hook – A Little Bit More
Woodland, multilayered beard, affectionate chest stroking, you know the drill.
Starland Vocal Band – Afternoon Delight
"And here's some people that are certainly an afternoon delight, Ruby Flipper!" Really can't imagine what sort of routine they could all have got out of this soft rock, even if it did come with none too subtle allusions that must have got Flick sweating profusely.
Status Quo – Mystery Song
Rick's chest, Francis' blow-wave, Alan Lancaster's posing, you know the drill.
Guys'n'Dolls – If Only For The Good Times
You know how I said this episode had been wiped?
Maybe it's from one of the band's private collection, there's certainly enough of them. David Van Day and Thereza Bazar, the future Dollar, are in there, as is Bruce Forsyth's daughter. For such an auspicious occasion that wedding cake tier stage has been built right up to almost vertigo inducing levels. Maybe someone gets thrown off it after the edit point.
The Chi-Lites – You Don’t Have To Go
Oddly, that link is to a near future TOTP where a video of 1940s cartoon clips, as was de rigeur around that time, was presented as this song's video, but in this week they were in the studio, it says here.
Jimmy James and the Vagabonds – Now Is The Time
Eye-popping from Jimmy, wide collared red shirts and grey blazers for the Vagabonds, anti-revolutionist zeal, you know the drill.
Tavares – Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel
The video, though you sort of know what the video of a 1970s dancing soul collective would look like by now.
The Bee Gees – You Should Be Dancing
This one exists as well, as it's a Ruby Flipper performance that was repeated two weeks later. Spoiler alert: no TOCG! (A NOCG, perhaps) But loads of Floyd!
James & Bobby Purify – Morning Glory
Ver Flipper do this one too in two weeks' time, TOTP having shown the video this week. Lots of videos this week. As I say, the music industry was on holiday.
Cliff Richard – I Can’t Ask For Anything More Than You
But Cliff never takes a holiday! Having been buoyed by Devil Woman's success he somewhat ill advisedly decides to sing half of this one in falsetto, maybe because his producer suggested it was the way to make him into a new disco star and/or maybe because he's really easily led.
Elton John & Kiki Dee – Don’t Go Breaking My Heart
Pink overalls, smug expressions, awkward dancing together, you know the drill. Credits spotlight on Lou Rawls, y'all, and You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine.
Monday 18 July 2011
The disappeared: 1/7/76
As previously mentioned, eight shows from the second half of 1976 are missing from the BBC archive, which is why we're getting these Sky At Night breaks once a month so we all hit Christmas together. But what was on these shows? Playlists survive, and with those we can all fill in the gaps with linkage and speculation. In this Saville-fronted week, then...
Hello – Love Stealer
Don't you sometimes wish Noel or Diddy would walk on and straight off like that German host does? Another in that thankfully now broken but still bitty run of show openers that never chart, odd given they'd had a top 10 single at the end of 1975, but disturbing stomping glam was on its way out by mid-1976. I mean, look at that stare, slightly brought down by the underwritten and overlong phone break. Hope that involved the borrowing of a trimphone at TV Centre. (EDIT: it was in the public domain all along! See the comments for YouTube link)
Liverpool Express – You Are My Love
Of solarised sub-10cc fame. We hear that after its first showing it made possibly the biggest leap up the download charts of any song so far shown in this re-run. Does that prove anything? Not sure.
Dr Hook – A Little Bit More
The tremendously hairy and homoerotic video will be shown in a future week, but this sappy FM ballad got the Ruby Flipper treatment. We're picturing Lulu, Cherry, Gavin and Philip slow dancing in fake moonlight.
The Manhattans – Kiss And Say Goodbye
Despite reaching number four this is the only TOTP appearance for this big heartbreak ballad by the standard issue singer plus four blokes adept at turning in a circle soul group lineup.
T-Rex – I Love To Boogie
Not the same performance as two weeks earlier but I doubt Marc looked much better.
One Hundred Ton And A Feather – It Only Takes A Minute
A Ruby Flipper moment, a solo Lulu in fact, which is presumably what's overlaid at the start of the later studio appearance. As those who saw the TV Hell video post a couple of weeks ago will know the artist was ostensibly secret (though actually wasn't, as will be discussed come the time) and would turn up to perform in the studio the show after next. What will BBC4 do? Stay tuned.
Bill Oddie & The Superspike Squad With John Cleese – Superspike
Oh, nothing here.
Hot ChoNO, NO, HANG ON! It's Britain's foremost ornithological funkateer! Having been Britain's fourth most successful songwriter in 1975 the Goodies' hits suddenly dried up but Bill still felt a need to get on the one somehow and got the opportunity with an Olympics tie-in fundraiser for the International Athlete's Club, whatever that is. Cleese acted as commentator, Oddie as a running shoe with sentience. It didn't chart. You know what makes this show's loss all the more unfortunate? They showed the video, which apparently featured cameos from the top athletes of the day. Imagine how much of a modern talking point this could have been. Who cares about those Doctor bloody Whos when this has gone missing from the BBC archives?
Sigh.
Hot Chocolate – Man To Man
What a letdown this might have felt. With string interjections and toytown organ there were plenty of opportunities for the BBC orchestra to get the arrangement hideously wrong, and with spoken sections chances for Errol to look overbearing.
Our Kid – You Just Might See Me Cry
Pre-pubescent junior showtime, as seen before.
Don Williams – I Recall A Gypsy Woman
Britain liked its country in mid-1976, didn't it?
The Shangri-Las – Leader Of The Pack
Ruby Flipper, and you can probably see in your mind's eye what this might have been like.
The Real Thing – You To Me Are Everything
The Amoos and friends raid another dressing up box to mark the second of **SPOILER** three weeks at number one.
Hello – Love Stealer
Don't you sometimes wish Noel or Diddy would walk on and straight off like that German host does? Another in that thankfully now broken but still bitty run of show openers that never chart, odd given they'd had a top 10 single at the end of 1975, but disturbing stomping glam was on its way out by mid-1976. I mean, look at that stare, slightly brought down by the underwritten and overlong phone break. Hope that involved the borrowing of a trimphone at TV Centre. (EDIT: it was in the public domain all along! See the comments for YouTube link)
Liverpool Express – You Are My Love
Of solarised sub-10cc fame. We hear that after its first showing it made possibly the biggest leap up the download charts of any song so far shown in this re-run. Does that prove anything? Not sure.
Dr Hook – A Little Bit More
The tremendously hairy and homoerotic video will be shown in a future week, but this sappy FM ballad got the Ruby Flipper treatment. We're picturing Lulu, Cherry, Gavin and Philip slow dancing in fake moonlight.
The Manhattans – Kiss And Say Goodbye
Despite reaching number four this is the only TOTP appearance for this big heartbreak ballad by the standard issue singer plus four blokes adept at turning in a circle soul group lineup.
T-Rex – I Love To Boogie
Not the same performance as two weeks earlier but I doubt Marc looked much better.
One Hundred Ton And A Feather – It Only Takes A Minute
A Ruby Flipper moment, a solo Lulu in fact, which is presumably what's overlaid at the start of the later studio appearance. As those who saw the TV Hell video post a couple of weeks ago will know the artist was ostensibly secret (though actually wasn't, as will be discussed come the time) and would turn up to perform in the studio the show after next. What will BBC4 do? Stay tuned.
Bill Oddie & The Superspike Squad With John Cleese – Superspike
Oh, nothing here.
Hot ChoNO, NO, HANG ON! It's Britain's foremost ornithological funkateer! Having been Britain's fourth most successful songwriter in 1975 the Goodies' hits suddenly dried up but Bill still felt a need to get on the one somehow and got the opportunity with an Olympics tie-in fundraiser for the International Athlete's Club, whatever that is. Cleese acted as commentator, Oddie as a running shoe with sentience. It didn't chart. You know what makes this show's loss all the more unfortunate? They showed the video, which apparently featured cameos from the top athletes of the day. Imagine how much of a modern talking point this could have been. Who cares about those Doctor bloody Whos when this has gone missing from the BBC archives?
Sigh.
Hot Chocolate – Man To Man
What a letdown this might have felt. With string interjections and toytown organ there were plenty of opportunities for the BBC orchestra to get the arrangement hideously wrong, and with spoken sections chances for Errol to look overbearing.
Our Kid – You Just Might See Me Cry
Pre-pubescent junior showtime, as seen before.
Don Williams – I Recall A Gypsy Woman
Britain liked its country in mid-1976, didn't it?
The Shangri-Las – Leader Of The Pack
Ruby Flipper, and you can probably see in your mind's eye what this might have been like.
The Real Thing – You To Me Are Everything
The Amoos and friends raid another dressing up box to mark the second of **SPOILER** three weeks at number one.
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