Top Of The Pops 1979 BBC4 (Part 2)

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  • JedikiahJedikiah Posts: 5,396
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    I do have a fair number of those Top Of The Pops UK Gold repeats, which cover some of those shows from the latter half of 1980. Despite the party atmosphere being not nearly as dominant as in those episodes in the years that followed, it really is difficult to relax into those early Michael Hurll shows and truly focus on the music, like those we have been watching more recently from the seventies. While i appreciate that change can prove beneficial to the ongoing success of the show, and Michael Hurll's era, did contribute an important (and rather useful) change in having the Top 40 countdown actually read out by the DJs in sections etc. on the whole i did rather enjoy the Robin Nash (and Johnnie Stewart) eras, a great deal more.

    The lack of studio audience isn't an uncommon feature of a Christmas episode either, as those from the 1974 and 1975 Christmas shows, in large parts also do not feature an audience.

    Rich Tea made a great point with regards to the effectiveness of Kid Jensen as a presenter, and i really do feel, aside from perhaps Noel Edmonds, Kid really did have few Top Of The Pops rivals. Unlike back in the day, when you just had one opportunity to watch each show, i think being able to scrutinise individual episodes through repeated viewings today, does tend to accentuate just how effective Kid truly was in the role (and alongside unfortunately sometimes some of the more general presentation shortcomings, perhaps). However, i did feel both Kid and Peter Powell worked extremely well together, and also very naturally in front of camera. I didn't quite agree with the comment Rich Tea made with regards to Peter's performance. I think his more natural exuberance/excitement alongside Kid's slightly more measured and professional approach created a very good chemistry between the two. I always felt Kid really took more of the control on this occasion, perhaps, between the two, but i rather liked Peter, and don't feel in anyway he was particularly overshadowed. However, the chemistry between Kid and Noel Edmonds back in 1977, for me, during that Christmas edition didn't flow nearly so well. Maybe they were both a little too much alike in terms of their approach to presenting, to actually compliment each other so effectively. Kid Jensen and Noel Edmonds professional relationship goes back a very long way (even for 1977), but they really failed to spark off each other, on that occasion, at least not for me, in a very natural way.
  • ClareBClareB Posts: 2,597
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    I already have copies of the two 1979 Christmas shows from the UK Gold repeats, and always enjoy watching them. This Christmas day show is a lot better than the 27/12/79 show, as it should be, so am glad it was the one that wasn't yewtreed.

    It was great that there was studio performances from Blondie and Buggles and Dr Hook instead of the promos. A bit too much Legs and Co, but the montage during Some Girls was good. I wonder if they would've shown Mary's Boy Child again had the Christmas no. 1 been something festive.
  • 80sfan80sfan Posts: 18,522
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    ClareB wrote: »
    I already have copies of the two 1979 Christmas shows from the UK Gold repeats, and always enjoy watching them. This Christmas day show is a lot better than the 27/12/79 show, as it should be, so am glad it was the one that wasn't yewtreed.

    It was great that there was studio performances from Blondie and Buggles and Dr Hook instead of the promos. A bit too much Legs and Co, but the montage during Some Girls was good. I wonder if they would've shown Mary's Boy Child again had the Christmas no. 1 been something festive.

    I wondered that myself. Without Boney M, there wouldn't have been much about that was festive they could have used.

    Technically though, didn't YMCA knock off Mary's Boy Child on Sunday 31st December 1978? So Boney M never were actually at #1 in 1979!!

    You can never have enough Legs & Co in my opinion :) I thought the montage was fab, recognising the clips and remembering which song it was. It's a real shame they didn't get something like this as a proper tribute when the axe fell in 1981 :(
  • chemical2009bchemical2009b Posts: 5,250
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    In my view I thought the 1979 Xmas Day show was the best one of all for that decade. Love the new circles set-up. :)
  • JedikiahJedikiah Posts: 5,396
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    In my view I thought the 1979 Xmas Day show was the best one of all for that decade. Love the new circles set-up. :)
    The 1972 and 1973 Christmas specials are the only ones that rival it, in my opinion. I like the new set design too, and the look of Top Of The Pops in 1980 is subtely different from the regular episodes from 1979. The follow up 1979 Christmas episode is just as good musically, but includes a great many more previously seen promo films, so by some distance, the Christmas episode we got to see, was the most vital one not to be missed. What i really did enjoy about the second Christmas show, though, was seeing the members of Squeeze swapping around their regular instruments for the (mimed) studio performance of "Up The Junction". The second Christmas show was also shorter, lasting pretty much the length of a standard Top Of The Pops episode.
  • Robbie01Robbie01 Posts: 10,417
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    I've just watched the 27/12/79 second Christmas edition of Top Of The Pops and I forgot that 'YMCA' was danced to by Legs & Co rather than the video by the Village People being shown. The ladies were dressed as the Village People and I had to look to see who Sue was dressed as... it looks like I'm into sailors!

    I also forgot it was the edition where all of Squeeze deliberately played the wrong instruments to 'Up The Junction'.

    I quite enjoyed the edition when I had posted a few pages back that it may not have been that good!
  • tortfeasortortfeasor Posts: 7,000
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    Enjoyed the Christmas 1979 edition. Watched it on Christmas Eve and with the family last night. Still don't know why people bought One Day at a Time, but who am I to judge when people download tripe from POX Factor contestants year on year?

    The Christmas edition showcased some of the best tracks from the year, and it was great to see new performances from Squeeze and Blondie particularly.

    I didn't contribute to this thread as much as I could have this year, though I was a few episodes behind a lot of the time.

    It was a good ole year, though out of the late 70s 1978 is still my favourite year.
    Highlights for me were Annie Lennox's debut with The Tourists, The Jags, Tubeway Army, The Sparks' performances, The Police's debut, Elvis Costello's performances, The Jam and Thin Lizzy.

    Looking forward to 1980.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 12
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    I rarely post on this forum. Have you checked out Yesterday Freeview ch 19.? Currently running TOTP hits of 1977, and to follow at 11.30 the hits of 1976
  • Rich Tea.Rich Tea. Posts: 22,048
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    80sfan wrote: »
    I wondered that myself. Without Boney M, there wouldn't have been much about that was festive they could have used.

    Technically though, didn't YMCA knock off Mary's Boy Child on Sunday 31st December 1978? So Boney M never were actually at #1 in 1979!!


    You can never have enough Legs & Co in my opinion :) I thought the montage was fab, recognising the clips and remembering which song it was. It's a real shame they didn't get something like this as a proper tribute when the axe fell in 1981 :(

    Boney M would have been officially at No1 in 1979 for at least a couple of days. Although I was too young to be listening to lunchtime Top 5 reveals on Radio 1 and didn't really do so until 1983, an educated guess is that the new chart that gave YMCA the first new No1 hit of 1979 would have been unveiled at lunchtime on Wednesday 3rd January 1979. Why not Tuesday? Well after a Bank Holiday the normal Tuesday chart was usually delayed by 24 hours until Wednesday instead. As Monday was New Years Day in '79 then I feel sure this likely applied. Slightly older posters may be able to confirm this as fact.

    Sunday charts only came along in October 1987, 80'sfan. Chart day was Tuesday lunchtime until then.

    Although the reality is that in the sales week up to Saturday 30th December 1978, Boney M were no longer No1 and YMCA became so.


    As far as Boney M starting the Christmas 1979 show, if I'm right didn't Wings begin the Christmas 1978 show, which was the '77 festive chart topper but also No1 for all of January 1978 in contrast to Boney M's couple of days, so had more of a claim. I found it odd to begin a best of 1979 with a year old Christmas hit associated strongly to 1978. How it sold nearly 2 million is beyond me, it's not that sensational. Maybe it needed a couple more Christmas hits in 1978 for competition and it would have sold fewer? The enormous popularity of Boney M from thirty odd years later seems somewhat strange now. The guy in the group was no looker, infact positively strange and the girls were a bit bland too. It can only have been the immediacy of many of their songs, the "singing in the shower" or even "old grey whistle test" factor. I wish it was more so nowadays and maybe we'd have better hit songs on a consistent basis month after month, week in week out.
  • JedikiahJedikiah Posts: 5,396
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    Rich Tea. wrote: »
    As far as Boney M starting the Christmas 1979 show, if I'm right didn't Wings begin the Christmas 1978 show, which was the '77 festive chart topper but also No1 for all of January 1978 in contrast to Boney M's couple of days, so had more of a claim. I found it odd to begin a best of 1979 with a year old Christmas hit associated strongly to 1978. How it sold nearly 2 million is beyond me, it's not that sensational. Maybe it needed a couple more Christmas hits in 1978 for competition and it would have sold fewer? The enormous popularity of Boney M from thirty odd years later seems somewhat strange now. The guy in the group was no looker, infact positively strange and the girls were a bit bland too. It can only have been the immediacy of many of their songs, the "singing in the shower" or even "old grey whistle test" factor. I wish it was more so nowadays and maybe we'd have better hit songs on a consistent basis month after month, week in week out.

    Rich Tea, i think more years than not, throughout the seventies, and especially beginning with the great success of Slade's ''Merry Christmas Everybody'' and Wizzard's ''I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday'' in 1973, a seasonal song, or at the very least some novelty type song, with captures a certain christmas spirit, has featured at the top of the charts (or thereabouts). Unfortunately for Christmas 1979, aside from Wings ''Wonderful Christmastime'' which failed to climb to the top two places in the charts, there wasn't any. Officially Boney M were still no 1 on the first day of 1979, so i think it makes perfect sense to open the show up with them, with that very festively spirited song (probably as families throughout the country are tucking into the turkey!). That, or perhaps it could have been shown at the end, but i think first is probably the most wise, because as you say, the song is most strongly associated with the previous christmas, 1978. I like the way the show does address the clear division, between the song, and the others included on the show, by showing the opening credits to the Christmas 1979 show, after the ''Mary's Boy Child'' clip had been shown. I believe many people come Christmas, do enter into the spirit of the festivities, somewhat, and Boney M's hit perfectly reflects those sentiments. Whether the song is worthy, or not, i believe is another matter, i would say. I have never had a dislike for it, but it perhaps wouldn't be my favourite Christmas song (the Harry Belafonte 1957 version may prove more appealing). Whether the black dancer, Bobby Farrell ever sang a note on any of Boney M's recorded songs, is probably a more interesting debate. I have a strong suspicion he didn't, and was primary used for his visual appearance (remember Boney M's manager Frank Farian also manufactured Milli Vanilli a decade later). Boney M were very much a manufactured band, with only two of the singers who appeared in the promotion of the songs, ever singing a note on record. I like some of their songs admittedly, although the staggering level of their success does leave me a little surprised.
  • Gripper StebsonGripper Stebson Posts: 1,440
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    Enjoyed that Christmas 1979 episode which I watched in full last night. Absolutely fantastic episode. And with the exception of the Lena Martell song, I liked every song that was featured. Which is more than be said for the line-up on the Christmas 2014 episode!

    I thought the Lena Martell song stood out from the rest though, as it felt much more like a song that belonged in 1974 rather than in 1979!

    The episode whilst excellent didn't really have any Christmasy feel to it. Not sure about the Christmas 1980 episode, but the Christmas 1981 episode has a VERY Christmasy and party feel to it. Unfortunately that episode will not be shown again due to it featuring Dave Lee Travis and that vile Saville man.
  • LaVieEnRoseLaVieEnRose Posts: 12,836
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    Jedikiah wrote: »
    Whether the black dancer, Bobby Farrell ever sang a note on any of Boney M's recorded songs, is probably a more interesting debate. I have a strong suspicion he didn't, and was primary used for his visual appearance (remember Boney M's manager Frank Farian also manufactured Milli Vanilli a decade later). Boney M were very much a manufactured band, with only two of the singers who appeared in the promotion of the songs, ever singing a note on record. I like some of their songs admittedly, although the staggering level of their success does leave me a little surprised.

    Frank Farian disclosed some time ago that it was his own voice on the records.
  • 80sfan80sfan Posts: 18,522
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    Bobby Farrell was a mystery.

    He just seems to be doing his own thing, never really fitting in with the three ladies.

    He wasn't spectacularly good looking, didn't really provide more than a few lines to songs and as I say just looks like a spare part!

    Hearing Noel saying how they sold over 4 million singles in 1978 just shows how 'here today, gone tomorrow' Boney M were considering their rapid decline in 1979
  • Tele_addictTele_addict Posts: 1,113
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    Enjoyed that Christmas 1979 episode which I watched in full last night. Absolutely fantastic episode. And with the exception of the Lena Martell song, I liked every song that was featured. Which is more than be said for the line-up on the Christmas 2014 episode!

    I thought the Lena Martell song stood out from the rest though, as it felt much more like a song that belonged in 1974 rather than in 1979!

    The episode whilst excellent didn't really have any Christmasy feel to it. Not sure about the Christmas 1980 episode, but the Christmas 1981 episode has a VERY Christmasy and party feel to it. Unfortunately that episode will not be shown again due to it featuring Dave Lee Travis and that vile Saville man.

    I was watching this episode last night and was working out how they could broadcast this episode. They would have to cut Saville's introduction and go straight into the song. DLT's link would have to be cut, if the ban hasn't been lifted by then. And the closing link by Saville could be cut so it would go from the song into the sing song and credits. Would look a bit shoddy but seems the only way they can broadcast this episode. Its such a good xmas special, bbc four simply cannot not show it just because of a couple of JS links.
  • ClareBClareB Posts: 2,597
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    I don't know if this gets overlooked, but the show on New Years Day 1981 is a review of 1980 also. Not sure why it was shown so late. Sadly, this will not be shown either as it features DLT.
  • Robbie01Robbie01 Posts: 10,417
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    80sfan wrote: »
    Bobby Farrell was a mystery.

    He just seems to be doing his own thing, never really fitting in with the three ladies.

    He wasn't spectacularly good looking, didn't really provide more than a few lines to songs and as I say just looks like a spare part!

    Hearing Noel saying how they sold over 4 million singles in 1978 just shows how 'here today, gone tomorrow' Boney M were considering their rapid decline in 1979
    I always found it quite a spooky co-incidence that Bobby Farrell died on the same day (December 30) and in the same city (St Petersburg) as Rasputin!
  • LittleGirlOf7LittleGirlOf7 Posts: 9,344
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    Robbie01 wrote: »
    I always found it quite a spooky co-incidence that Bobby Farrell died on the same day (December 30) and in the same city (St Petersburg) as Rasputin!

    It'd be even spookier if he was also poisoned, shot, and drowned.
  • highlander1969highlander1969 Posts: 6,832
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    Rich Tea. wrote: »
    As far as Boney M starting the Christmas 1979 show, if I'm right didn't Wings begin the Christmas 1978 show, which was the '77 festive chart topper but also No1 for all of January 1978 in contrast to Boney M's couple of days, so had more of a claim. I found it odd to begin a best of 1979 with a year old Christmas hit associated strongly to 1978. How it sold nearly 2 million is beyond me, it's not that sensational. Maybe it needed a couple more Christmas hits in 1978 for competition and it would have sold fewer? The enormous popularity of Boney M from thirty odd years later seems somewhat strange now.

    The sales of Boney M's 'Mary's Boy Child-Oh My Lord' has always mystified me. Considering it's complete chart run is: -7-1-1-1-1-2-7-32-
    Geez, it must have sold sh*tloads in those 4 weeks at No.1!

    Maybe it's not so strange though. High selling weeks at Christmas...Check.
    Single sales huge during this period in the 70's...Check.
    On the back of the incredible chart run of 'Rivers of Babylon'...Check.

    The UK must have loved Boney M back in '78! :)
  • chemical2009bchemical2009b Posts: 5,250
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    I was watching this episode last night and was working out how they could broadcast this episode. They would have to cut Saville's introduction and go straight into the song. DLT's link would have to be cut, if the ban hasn't been lifted by then. And the closing link by Saville could be cut so it would go from the song into the sing song and credits. Would look a bit shoddy but seems the only way they can broadcast this episode. Its such a good xmas special, bbc four simply cannot not show it just because of a couple of JS links.

    Easily done, fingers crossed we see it in Xmas 2016. :)
  • Westy2Westy2 Posts: 14,355
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    I was watching this episode last night and was working out how they could broadcast this episode. They would have to cut Saville's introduction and go straight into the song. DLT's link would have to be cut, if the ban hasn't been lifted by then. And the closing link by Saville could be cut so it would go from the song into the sing song and credits. Would look a bit shoddy but seems the only way they can broadcast this episode. Its such a good xmas special, bbc four simply cannot not show it just because of a couple of JS links.

    If it's the one I'm thinking of, UK Gold on one showing, edited out all DJ links, just leaving the performances, so they've set a precedence then!
  • Robbie01Robbie01 Posts: 10,417
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    The sales of Boney M's 'Mary's Boy Child-Oh My Lord' has always mystified me. Considering it's complete chart run is: -7-1-1-1-1-2-7-32-
    Geez, it must have sold sh*tloads in those 4 weeks at No.1!

    Maybe it's not so strange though. High selling weeks at Christmas...Check.
    Single sales huge during this period in the 70's...Check.
    On the back of the incredible chart run of 'Rivers of Babylon'...Check.

    The UK must have loved Boney M back in '78! :)
    'Mary's Boy Child' was supposed to have sold about 1.8m copies in total but it's actual over the counter sales are nowhere near. It's actual sales were 1.3m copies in late 1978 / early 1979. The single was either overshipped to record stores by a massive amount or the record label have exaggerated its overall sales.

    Either way, 1.3m in two months is still a massive amount. Its peak sale was 300,000 copies in the week before Christmas. 'YMCA' by the Village People sold 260,000 copies in that same week.
  • highlander1969highlander1969 Posts: 6,832
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    Robbie01 wrote: »
    'Mary's Boy Child' was supposed to have sold about 1.8m copies in total but it's actual over the counter sales are nowhere near. It's actual sales were 1.3m copies in late 1978 / early 1979. The single was either overshipped to record stores by a massive amount or the record label have exaggerated its overall sales.

    Either way, 1.3m in two months is still a massive amount. Its peak sale was 300,000 copies in the week before Christmas. 'YMCA' by the Village People sold 260,000 copies in that same week.

    Wow, that's big sales for 'YMCA'! :o

    Robbie, do you have any stats on the sales difference between John Lennon's '(Just Like) Starting Over' and St. Winifred's 'There's No-one Quite Like Grandma' on the Christmas week of 1980?

    I'd love to know if John and Yoko's 'Happy Xmas (War is Over) might have scraped a week at No.1 on the 'missing' chart of that year! :)
  • ClareBClareB Posts: 2,597
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    I mentioned on the 1980 totp thread that the Haven chart forum has threads covering each top 10 of the 80s (up to 84 so far) with what's claimed to be as accurate as possible sales figures. For that all important Christmas 80 week it has Grandama 252K to Happy Xmas's 122K. The next chart week it has Happy Xmas at 66K and Imagine 72K.
  • highlander1969highlander1969 Posts: 6,832
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    ClareB wrote: »
    I mentioned on the 1980 totp thread that the Haven chart forum has threads covering each top 10 of the 80s (up to 84 so far) with what's claimed to be as accurate as possible sales figures. For that all important Christmas 80 week it has Grandama 252K to Happy Xmas's 122K. The next chart week it has Happy Xmas at 66K and Imagine 72K.

    Thanks for that Clare. That's really interesting. I'm quite shocked that it was so close between Happy Xmas and Imagine!
  • ClareBClareB Posts: 2,597
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    Not as close as the 2K it has between Joe Dolce and Ultravox on Dolce's first week at No. 1!
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