Where is everyone? Rich Tea - you're normally here..
Sorry I'm late! (God it feels like schooldys of 1976-81 itself )
A great pair of years together today, and just 5 years apart, unusual for POTP. Listening to these hits is reminding me of watching TOTP 1976 two years ago. Shame he missed Chi-Lites, that was a great track I discovered at that time.
Classical Muddley.....I actually thought this was a joke trailer! This really made the top 40, and I never heard it before. How could he play this garbage? :eek:
I know nothing about Hi Gloss, except this is a record that I never tire of listening to and deserved much higher. You'll Never Know is as fresh as ever. :cool:
Classical Muddley.....I actually thought this was a joke trailer! This really made the top 40, and I never heard it before. How could he play this garbage? :eek:
Paul's is on The Wireless. 4 - 6 on a Sunday. John's Non Stop Top 40 is on Replay Radio at 5pm on a Sunday, 6pm on a Thursday and 7pm on a Saturday. Neither have listen again options AFAIK. Both shows play almost all of the records they play. Both play at least the Top 20 in full.
Google the BIB in either case and the station is the first item.
Thanks for the info regarding theses two stations. Never heard of either but Replay Radio is a fantastic listen, ad free as well.
I've just looked up what else was in the lower charts that week. Dollar, 'Hand Held in Black and White', Trevor Horn's first big production after Buggles, considering he'd already referenced him in the 76 segment, that would've been a better choice. Or Teardrop Explodes 'Passionate Friend', and both were on ToTP that week according to TV Pop Diaries.
I'm not sure why Tony's using the 'it was in the charts' argument... somebody - whether it's him or Phil Swern - actually has to choose 14 or 15 from the Top 20 and one climber 21-40. I thought it was a bit self-indulgent to then actively choose a novelty disc which could make some people tune out, it seemed to go on for ever.
No offence Tone, if you're reading this! He's generally doing a great job, and substituting his own version of 'Cider Drinker' was a good comedy stunt.
This really made me smile, and then also feel a bit disappointed because I hope that Tony has also read a few of my other comments too, many of which have been very positive.
Overall the show doing 1976 and 1981 was "sensational".
In my defence, I did have a strong headache coming on at about 2pm on Saturday and hearing the Classical Muddley and all that screeching and clattering just about did it for me, as it was so unexpected as he began 1981. It wasn't a good combination of factors! However we got the smooth and soothing sounds of Hi Gloss, You'll Never Know and Pointer Sisters, Slowhand which were brilliant tracks, plus one I would probably take to my own desert island if I had to, Tainted Love by Soft Cell.
The previous poster, Lazlo St Pierre has made a good point I could have done. I'm not convinced by the "because it was in the charts" argument. So were many other really great tracks in the lower positions, such as that Dollar hit, that also never see the light of day on radio very much anymore. I can fully see and understand why Classical Muddley appealed to Tony's sense of humour, and respect that. I've actually listened voluntarily to the Classical Muddley again, with a clear head, and it made me smile on a second listen.
On a more serious note, regarding this "because it was in the charts" argument that Tony has stated, then surely this comment makes the case for playing a certain Mr Glitter when early 70's charts are aired? A recent 1972 edition in June was played from the week when Rock 'n' Roll (Parts 1 & 2) had been a high climber from 21 to 6, the week Glitter first made the UK Top Ten, yet was predictably left unplayed. Even the Glitter Band are not getting a play when legitimately they could, such as very recently in a 1974 edition. What's Tony's attitude to this kind of historical airbrushing out I wonder?
Ending on a positive note, I've never enjoyed Pick Of The Pops more than I currently do.....but you have done the joke about "the flow" of a river based song a couple of times now!
I've just looked up what else was in the lower charts that week. Dollar, 'Hand Held in Black and White', Trevor Horn's first big production after Buggles, considering he'd already referenced him in the 76 segment, that would've been a better choice. Or Teardrop Explodes 'Passionate Friend', and both were on ToTP that week according to TV Pop Diaries.
I'm not sure why Tony's using the 'it was in the charts' argument... somebody - whether it's him or Phil Swern - actually has to choose 14 or 15 from the Top 20 and one climber 21-40. I thought it was a bit self-indulgent to then actively choose a novelty disc which could make some people tune out, it seemed to go on for ever.
No offence Tone, if you're reading this! He's generally doing a great job, and substituting his own version of 'Cider Drinker' was a good comedy stunt.
Having myself just looked at the lower 21 to 40 positions of that chart it seems even more incredible. The utterly fantastic Under Your Thumb by Godley & Creme was overlooked, a climber to No30. Also the pretty decent Imagination, In And Out Of Love, a climber to No22. Great songs, neither get heard much. If he wanted a novelty hit then Tweets, and the Birdie Song itself had been a new entry at No25 that very week. Considering Tony Blackburn's love of twitter and his tweets, including responding to my comment on here, I'd have thought that would've even been a better choice for him!
Lots of points of interest re which tracks have been played. I have always wished that within the positions 1-20 that every climber and non-mover are played before any that are going down the charts. Like this every track would get a fair hearing and equal play, no matter which week was selected. Therefore to play a track at say no.18 which was previously at no.1, just wouldn't happen. That track would have it's day when a different week was picked.
As for positions 21-40, I would like to hear climbers played that never reached the top 20. Many we never hear. Tony & Phil often pick an overplayed track which ends up in the top 3, do we really want to hear an overplayed song once again. So actually, Classical Muddley fitted the bill for me, albeit an awful track, and yes, Under Your Thumb was a thousand times better, but it too would get it's day when a different week was picked, and it was in the top 20.
I agree that the current POTP format is at it's best now, and i guess that Tony & Phil would say that if this system was adopted then the show would become predictable to us charties! Although the 21-40 climbers ARE predictable, as only the new entries are ever played, and not a track that has gone from say 36 to 32.
But with all the little niggles aside, a great show, with the exception of trailers!!!
But with all the little niggles aside, a great show, with the exception of trailers!!!
Agree, so Tony as you are reading this, get your producer to try and get rid of the overly intrusive trailers that have gradually encroached on POTP that never used to do so. They annoy many listeners to Pick Of The Pops, and spoil "the flow" of this type of show. We know you like something with a nice flow to it after all!
John Donnelly's Non-Stop Top 40 and Paul Burnet's Wireless Chart are my 2 favourite retro shows at the moment - and very different in style!
But there are loads around. POTP, the Double Top 20, Richard Todd's CRC and Richard Green's Vintage Chart Show, amongst others.
Yeah, I think John Donnelly's non stop top 40 is the best at the moment. An hour to cover one chart just isn't enough, as far as I'm concerned. To flag up another retro chart, Magic Am do a top 20 ever weekday 2-3. They cover early 60s up to 1990, although a warning that the charts post 1987 often have errors. I enjoyed it when they did 1978 the other day and played a snippet of the Grandstand theme to illustrate how similar it was to the Motor's Forget About You.
I'm about to catch up on POTP, so will no doubt post again later. Looking forward to that Classical Muddley as I like to hear songs that I am not familar with on these retro charts.
I can't say I enjoyed 1976 as much as I was expecting, especially that dreadful version of I Am A Cider Drinker, but 1981 was fantastic - especially the top 10. It just kept getting better and better. A shame they missed out Everybody Salsa and Mirror Man. I would have preferred either of those to Endless Love. I knew there's no way Tony would have left out Cliff - and he was even in one of the trailers!
I normally just edit my POTP recordings from the start of the intro up to the news, but I'm going to edit that 1980 chart completely down and cut out the jingles/trailers and see how long it actually runs out. Probably not much more than 40 mins, I'd guess.
I can't say I enjoyed 1976 as much as I was expecting, especially that dreadful version of I Am A Cider Drinker, but 1981 was fantastic - especially the top 10. It just kept getting better and better. A shame they missed out Everybody Salsa and Mirror Man. I would have preferred either of those to Endless Love. I knew there's no way Tony would have left out Cliff - and he was even in one of the trailers!
I normally just edit my POTP recordings from the start of the intro up to the news, but I'm going to edit that 1980 chart completely down and cut out the jingles/trailers and see how long it actually runs out. Probably not much more than 40 mins, I'd guess.
Er, Mirror Man? That was a late 1982 Human League hit. I'm presuming you meant Love Action.
1980? 1981 you meant I take it. I was thinking of timing the trailers time length myself throughout the show. The BBC is treating a show like POTP as if it has to have forced ad breaks like in commercial radio at set times. Very annoying when it need not do so. It has developed a very unwelcome pattern of them. Get rid during this show!
What did you think of that Classical Muddley then? Shocked into silence by the look of it, as you never mentioned it!
Yeah, I meant Love Action. I've been reading this thread on another forum reviewing No. 2 records of the 80s, so that one was stuck in my mind!
I've no idea how or why Classic Muddley made it into the charts - I just about managed to listen to it all - but,as I said, this is the reason I listen to retro charts to hear songs like this, good or bad. I'd love to know if the song is in their playout system or was brought it especially.
1980? 1981 you meant I take it. I was thinking of timing the trailers time length myself throughout the show. The BBC is treating a show like POTP as if it has to have forced ad breaks like in commercial radio at set times. Very annoying when it need not do so. It has developed a very unwelcome pattern of them. Get rid during this show!
Yeah, I meant Love Action. I've been reading this thread on another forum reviewing No. 2 records of the 80s, so that one was stuck in my mind!
I've no idea how or why Classic Muddley made it into the charts - I just about managed to listen to it all - but,as I said, this is the reason I listen to retro charts to hear songs like this, good or bad. I'd love to know if the song is in their playout system or was brought it especially.
Bit before my time, but from what I can gather it was the craze of medley records with clapping started by 'Stars on 45'. There was then a genuine classical music medley by some famous orchestra, so presumably it was a spoof of that.
I imagine it's a bit like, say, 'N-N-Nineteen Not Out' by the Commentators a few years later. I remember that, and that it was a spoof of Paul Hardcastle's 'N-N-N-Nineteen' record from a few months earlier about the Vietnam War. But if you played it on its own on a show like POTP years later, anyone unaware of the original track would just think 'what the hell's this?'
I don't know who it was, possibly Billy Connolly, but someone responsible for one was once quoted "comedy records last about as long as a condom... you listen to one, get your few minutes pleasure from it, then throw it away".
Comments
Sorry I'm late! (God it feels like schooldys of 1976-81 itself
A great pair of years together today, and just 5 years apart, unusual for POTP. Listening to these hits is reminding me of watching TOTP 1976 two years ago. Shame he missed Chi-Lites, that was a great track I discovered at that time.
Ruby Flipper sold the Disco Duck to me with that routine two years ago, as I promptly went and downloaded it. Do I need certifying?
Adam and The Ants everyone used to want to paint their noses with a white strip. That was the trend back then.
Thanks for the info regarding theses two stations. Never heard of either but Replay Radio is a fantastic listen, ad free as well.
I've just looked up what else was in the lower charts that week. Dollar, 'Hand Held in Black and White', Trevor Horn's first big production after Buggles, considering he'd already referenced him in the 76 segment, that would've been a better choice. Or Teardrop Explodes 'Passionate Friend', and both were on ToTP that week according to TV Pop Diaries.
I'm not sure why Tony's using the 'it was in the charts' argument... somebody - whether it's him or Phil Swern - actually has to choose 14 or 15 from the Top 20 and one climber 21-40. I thought it was a bit self-indulgent to then actively choose a novelty disc which could make some people tune out, it seemed to go on for ever.
No offence Tone, if you're reading this!
This really made me smile, and then also feel a bit disappointed because I hope that Tony has also read a few of my other comments too, many of which have been very positive.
Overall the show doing 1976 and 1981 was "sensational".
In my defence, I did have a strong headache coming on at about 2pm on Saturday and hearing the Classical Muddley and all that screeching and clattering just about did it for me, as it was so unexpected as he began 1981. It wasn't a good combination of factors! However we got the smooth and soothing sounds of Hi Gloss, You'll Never Know and Pointer Sisters, Slowhand which were brilliant tracks, plus one I would probably take to my own desert island if I had to, Tainted Love by Soft Cell.
The previous poster, Lazlo St Pierre has made a good point I could have done. I'm not convinced by the "because it was in the charts" argument. So were many other really great tracks in the lower positions, such as that Dollar hit, that also never see the light of day on radio very much anymore. I can fully see and understand why Classical Muddley appealed to Tony's sense of humour, and respect that. I've actually listened voluntarily to the Classical Muddley again, with a clear head, and it made me smile on a second listen.
On a more serious note, regarding this "because it was in the charts" argument that Tony has stated, then surely this comment makes the case for playing a certain Mr Glitter when early 70's charts are aired? A recent 1972 edition in June was played from the week when Rock 'n' Roll (Parts 1 & 2) had been a high climber from 21 to 6, the week Glitter first made the UK Top Ten, yet was predictably left unplayed. Even the Glitter Band are not getting a play when legitimately they could, such as very recently in a 1974 edition. What's Tony's attitude to this kind of historical airbrushing out I wonder?
Ending on a positive note, I've never enjoyed Pick Of The Pops more than I currently do.....but you have done the joke about "the flow" of a river based song a couple of times now!
Having myself just looked at the lower 21 to 40 positions of that chart it seems even more incredible. The utterly fantastic Under Your Thumb by Godley & Creme was overlooked, a climber to No30. Also the pretty decent Imagination, In And Out Of Love, a climber to No22. Great songs, neither get heard much. If he wanted a novelty hit then Tweets, and the Birdie Song itself had been a new entry at No25 that very week. Considering Tony Blackburn's love of twitter and his tweets, including responding to my comment on here, I'd have thought that would've even been a better choice for him!
As for positions 21-40, I would like to hear climbers played that never reached the top 20. Many we never hear. Tony & Phil often pick an overplayed track which ends up in the top 3, do we really want to hear an overplayed song once again. So actually, Classical Muddley fitted the bill for me, albeit an awful track, and yes, Under Your Thumb was a thousand times better, but it too would get it's day when a different week was picked, and it was in the top 20.
I agree that the current POTP format is at it's best now, and i guess that Tony & Phil would say that if this system was adopted then the show would become predictable to us charties! Although the 21-40 climbers ARE predictable, as only the new entries are ever played, and not a track that has gone from say 36 to 32.
But with all the little niggles aside, a great show, with the exception of trailers!!!
One of my fave songs of all time.
John Donnelly's Non-Stop Top 40 and Paul Burnet's Wireless Chart are my 2 favourite retro shows at the moment - and very different in style!
But there are loads around. POTP, the Double Top 20, Richard Todd's CRC and Richard Green's Vintage Chart Show, amongst others.
Agree, so Tony as you are reading this, get your producer to try and get rid of the overly intrusive trailers that have gradually encroached on POTP that never used to do so. They annoy many listeners to Pick Of The Pops, and spoil "the flow" of this type of show. We know you like something with a nice flow to it after all!
Yeah, I think John Donnelly's non stop top 40 is the best at the moment. An hour to cover one chart just isn't enough, as far as I'm concerned. To flag up another retro chart, Magic Am do a top 20 ever weekday 2-3. They cover early 60s up to 1990, although a warning that the charts post 1987 often have errors. I enjoyed it when they did 1978 the other day and played a snippet of the Grandstand theme to illustrate how similar it was to the Motor's Forget About You.
I'm about to catch up on POTP, so will no doubt post again later. Looking forward to that Classical Muddley as I like to hear songs that I am not familar with on these retro charts.
I normally just edit my POTP recordings from the start of the intro up to the news, but I'm going to edit that 1980 chart completely down and cut out the jingles/trailers and see how long it actually runs out. Probably not much more than 40 mins, I'd guess.
Er, Mirror Man? That was a late 1982 Human League hit. I'm presuming you meant Love Action.
1980? 1981 you meant I take it. I was thinking of timing the trailers time length myself throughout the show. The BBC is treating a show like POTP as if it has to have forced ad breaks like in commercial radio at set times. Very annoying when it need not do so. It has developed a very unwelcome pattern of them. Get rid during this show!
What did you think of that Classical Muddley then? Shocked into silence by the look of it, as you never mentioned it!
I've no idea how or why Classic Muddley made it into the charts - I just about managed to listen to it all - but,as I said, this is the reason I listen to retro charts to hear songs like this, good or bad. I'd love to know if the song is in their playout system or was brought it especially.
But Tony says "we never take a break!"
Bit before my time, but from what I can gather it was the craze of medley records with clapping started by 'Stars on 45'. There was then a genuine classical music medley by some famous orchestra, so presumably it was a spoof of that.
I imagine it's a bit like, say, 'N-N-Nineteen Not Out' by the Commentators a few years later. I remember that, and that it was a spoof of Paul Hardcastle's 'N-N-N-Nineteen' record from a few months earlier about the Vietnam War. But if you played it on its own on a show like POTP years later, anyone unaware of the original track would just think 'what the hell's this?'
I don't know who it was, possibly Billy Connolly, but someone responsible for one was once quoted "comedy records last about as long as a condom... you listen to one, get your few minutes pleasure from it, then throw it away".