What he said was something like "What can I say about the number one that hasn't been said for the last 7 weeks?", suggesting that it was its 8th week at the top. Mind you it had only been top of seven previous charts since the one announced on 20 December counted for a fortnight, which could explain it - no, he was wrong wasn't he?!
As a chart watcher I was really hoping Wings would make it ten weeks at number one, which would have been the first double-figure run since Slim Whitman - seven years before I was born and therefore prehistory. But yes of course they were foiled by A&D after that rather unimpressive performance of a charming song. Wings were deposed in the chart announced on 31 January. So in the history of the UK chart there's only been one Christmas number 1 that's still been there at the start of the following February - which one? I expect someone will answer that quiz question pretty quickly.
This was the stressful fortnight of my mock O-levels if I remember rightly, all the misery of the exams without the consolation of decent weather (although the World Cup was to provide a serious distraction for the real thing!) Some of the songs on here helped get me through, notably Heartsong which I loved - particularly the little drum fill followed by the keyboard flourish at the end.
While I'm looking at my trusty chart log (in a 1977-issue school maths exercise book) I notice there's a bit of a clearout next week with an unusually high 8 new entries in the 30 - none of which were in this week's Pops.
I always look back fondly on Mull of Kintyre. As I explained in the 1977 thread, 1978 was the year I left primary school and went to high school. For a number of reasons I look on 1978 is the final end of my childish innocence.
So Mull of Kintyre was the last Christmas number 1 of that 'childhood'. And I suppose this picks up on a point you were making in your post in the above link.
That 'rendition' - and I use the term loosely - demonstrates perfectly why the Musicians' Union was so badly out of step with TOTP, and why the show didn't need a full-time orchestra. It's a wonder the single made number one after that broadcast ...
For me, that's worse than the re-recording, which may be bad, but can't quite plumb the depths the BBC studio version managed. I can only assume the reason for the re-recording is that Virgin, who signed Althea and Donna after 'Up Town Top Ranking' became a huge hit, were too mean to pay for the rights to the original.
Yes the TOTP version was much worse than the original 7"!! Mind you - a lot of live performers sounded slightly different to their original song!
When you think of it - the biggest selling acts of this time (ie Wings, Abba, Grease) were shown on TOTP by video only with the original 7" playing - could be a reason why they topped the charts more than others in the studio!!
. For a number of reasons I look on 1978 is the final end of my childish innocence.
So Mull of Kintyre was the last Christmas number 1 of that 'childhood'. .
SNAP!! - I too was at primary school in 1978 and a lot of the music from then remind me of a happy innocent time! - I was pleased to be able to grow up with such a mixture of good tunes!
Yes the TOTP version was much worse than the original 7"!! Mind you - a lot of live performers sounded slightly different to their original song!
When you think of it - the biggest selling acts of this time (ie Wings, Abba, Grease) were shown on TOTP by video only with the original 7" playing - could be a reason why they topped the charts more than others in the studio!!
I think they could have probably ditched the TOTP orchestra if they wanted, i think it just made things easier for them to keep the unions happy. When punk bands come on they don't need it, they play to either a re-recorded backing or the original single if they could get away with it. And i've never understood, how come bands are not allowed to play to the original single but it's okay for Legs and Co to dance to it? What is the difference?
All the episodes that are skipped the BBC should put online so we can choose if we want to watch them. I see they made the mistake of showing an old Tweenies episode on C Beebies which featured one of the characters impersonating Saville. I went on The Sun website and people were going nuts about it. I can see why as its a kids show but the problem is that there must be so many shows where Saville had previously featured which could easily be forgotten until they are re-broadcast. It's like old documentaries which contain him, will they always edit him out? One show we will never see again is the last TOTP where he turns the lights out.
All the episodes that are skipped the BBC should put online so we can choose if we want to watch them. I see they made the mistake of showing an old Tweenies episode on C Beebies which featured one of the characters impersonating Saville. I went on The Sun website and people were going nuts about it. I can see why as its a kids show but the problem is that there must be so many shows where Saville had previously featured which could easily be forgotten until they are re-broadcast. It's like old documentaries which contain him, will they always edit him out? One show we will never see again is the last TOTP where he turns the lights out.
Another one is a railway documentary shown on BBC Four last year which ISTR contained a fair bit of Savile.
Wonder what Dave (& maybe the BBC, but I doubt they would repeat editions that old now!) will do about repeats of Mock The Week that featured Hugh Dennis's Savile impersonation?
All the episodes that are skipped the BBC should put online so we can choose if we want to watch them. I see they made the mistake of showing an old Tweenies episode on C Beebies which featured one of the characters impersonating Saville. I went on The Sun website and people were going nuts about it. I can see why as its a kids show but the problem is that there must be so many shows where Saville had previously featured which could easily be forgotten until they are re-broadcast. It's like old documentaries which contain him, will they always edit him out? One show we will never see again is the last TOTP where he turns the lights out.
I have it on VHS somewhere. I must try and upload it to youtube somehow.
Notice how the bbc think nothing of showing Jimmy Saville in a kids tv programme, but they can't show his top of the pops episodes :rolleyes:
Another one is a railway documentary shown on BBC Four last year which ISTR contained a fair bit of Savile.
Wonder what Dave (& maybe the BBC, but I doubt they would repeat editions that old now!) will do about repeats of Mock The Week that featured Hugh Dennis's Savile impersonation?
Are they easy to edit out?
Thankfully seatbelts were made compulsory 30 years ago, so we will never see him telling us to clunk click, and British Rail doesn't exist any more. The only problem will be a few TOTPs from 1978, but he wasn't a major presenter by then and only appeared occasionally. Also Gary Glitter had evaporated as a star by then, but should they re run TOTPs from 1983 and 1984, when he made a comeback, this could present problems.
Maybe by then, things will have died down enough that they'll be able to show them.
I don't think things will ever die down now, especially as the anti-BBC press will never, ever let this go and are quite happy to resort to fabrication to press their point home.
Another one is a railway documentary shown on BBC Four last year which ISTR contained a fair bit of Savile.
Wonder what Dave (& maybe the BBC, but I doubt they would repeat editions that old now!) will do about repeats of Mock The Week that featured Hugh Dennis's Savile impersonation?
Are they easy to edit out?
That's a documentary, so no reason why it cannot be repeated. Indeed, it didn't show Savile in all that good a light, one of the top people at BR said he couldn't stand him.
All the episodes that are skipped the BBC should put online so we can choose if we want to watch them. I see they made the mistake of showing an old Tweenies episode on C Beebies which featured one of the characters impersonating Saville. I went on The Sun website and people were going nuts about it. I can see why as its a kids show but the problem is that there must be so many shows where Saville had previously featured which could easily be forgotten until they are re-broadcast. It's like old documentaries which contain him, will they always edit him out? One show we will never see again is the last TOTP where he turns the lights out.
Well I can always watch it because its on youtube! Regarding Jimmy's era of hosting im not sure what years he hosted as ive a few 70s episodes on disk but unsure when he hosted.
I know there is a guy on the net who sells copies of TOTPs episodes but the cheeky git charges a tenner a disk. Pretty sure hes on ioffer as TOTP fan.
I knew somebody would have mentioned this one! Guy Marks's 'Loving You Has Made Me Bananas' is something of a family joke. It has been known for my Grandmother to sing 'I asked the waiter for Iodine...' when we've gone out for a meal.
I love that song - so witty
It's coming soon to TOTP (unless it's on a banned week)
That's a documentary, so no reason why it cannot be repeated. Indeed, it didn't show Savile in all that good a light, one of the top people at BR said he couldn't stand him.
The BBC make no distinction between documentaries and light entertainment shows where Savile is concerned. Savile featured heavily in the railway documentary; he also featured in a BBC Four documentary about the history of regional news programmes. I would be very surprised if the BBC broadcast either documentary in future and don't edit Savile out.
Was given a timely reminder by my pod this morning that 1978 was the year when ELO milked the wonderful Out of the Blue for 3 consecutive number 6 hits - all of them belters. What a prolific group ELO were bearing in mind the quality of their output the previous year ( the classic New World Record) and the slightly inferior Discovery 1 year on. I look forward in anticipation... Cannot remember ELO featuring in the story of 1978 programme - though someone may put me right on this.
By the way, what is everyone's opinion of the '100 Hits' range from Spectrum Music?
They seem to be original or 'digitally remastered' recordings.
(I spotted one mistake, where The Wurzels 'Combine Harvester' on one 100 Hits turned out to be the Wurzels with Tony Blackburn version!)
Other than that, I like them.[/QUOTEi have about 20 of those 100 hits sets,and a good few of the 100 essential tracks sets and apart from the TB vocals on combine harvister i cant think of too many errors (maybe the wrong version of god save the queen by the sex pistols on the 100 hits punk and new wave set ).
I got a pleasant surprise when I heard the Gordon Giltrap hit Heartsong on TOTP last Thursday. It was one of those elusive instrumentals that I had often wondered what it was. I also recalled it being the tune to Holiday on Sunday nights despite being very young. They must have been using it into the 80's? Was it a hit because of the Holiday show on BBC, or vice versa? I bought it that very night, so even these 35 year old repeats are selling the records still! :cool:
I firmly agree that it was a minor miracle that Althea & Donna managed to knock Wings off the top after the shocking backing they were given by the TOTP orchestra. I actually played the original version as soon as the show ended just to remind myself how decent it actually was, and how badly that backing was done. Absolute true, bona fide one hit wonders in the purest sense. One hit, one No1, one week on top. Still sounds contemporary today.
The ending of that Yellow Dog song is always highly amusing and it was great to see the way they did it on TOTP. I was anticipating a cut off. Mind you, on the radio at the time it must have worn a bit thin after a while!
Back to the subject of instrumental tracks, and if anyone can identify this theme music that was used for a BBC show in 1989 with Noel in the Concorde cockpit I'd be real pleased as I like the sound of it and want to get hold of it. I have heard it elsewhere before too.
Comments
I always look back fondly on Mull of Kintyre. As I explained in the 1977 thread, 1978 was the year I left primary school and went to high school. For a number of reasons I look on 1978 is the final end of my childish innocence.
So Mull of Kintyre was the last Christmas number 1 of that 'childhood'. And I suppose this picks up on a point you were making in your post in the above link.
Yes the TOTP version was much worse than the original 7"!!
When you think of it - the biggest selling acts of this time (ie Wings, Abba, Grease) were shown on TOTP by video only with the original 7" playing - could be a reason why they topped the charts more than others in the studio!!
SNAP!! - I too was at primary school in 1978 and a lot of the music from then remind me of a happy innocent time!
I think they could have probably ditched the TOTP orchestra if they wanted, i think it just made things easier for them to keep the unions happy. When punk bands come on they don't need it, they play to either a re-recorded backing or the original single if they could get away with it. And i've never understood, how come bands are not allowed to play to the original single but it's okay for Legs and Co to dance to it? What is the difference?
Another one is a railway documentary shown on BBC Four last year which ISTR contained a fair bit of Savile.
Wonder what Dave (& maybe the BBC, but I doubt they would repeat editions that old now!) will do about repeats of Mock The Week that featured Hugh Dennis's Savile impersonation?
Are they easy to edit out?
I have it on VHS somewhere. I must try and upload it to youtube somehow.
Notice how the bbc think nothing of showing Jimmy Saville in a kids tv programme, but they can't show his top of the pops episodes :rolleyes:
Saville wasn't shown on the Tweenies.
Thankfully seatbelts were made compulsory 30 years ago, so we will never see him telling us to clunk click, and British Rail doesn't exist any more. The only problem will be a few TOTPs from 1978, but he wasn't a major presenter by then and only appeared occasionally. Also Gary Glitter had evaporated as a star by then, but should they re run TOTPs from 1983 and 1984, when he made a comeback, this could present problems.
Maybe by then, things will have died down enough that they'll be able to show them.
I don't think things will ever die down now, especially as the anti-BBC press will never, ever let this go and are quite happy to resort to fabrication to press their point home.
So good that people take the time to do this for our collective benefit - and thank you for alerting me to this
That's a documentary, so no reason why it cannot be repeated. Indeed, it didn't show Savile in all that good a light, one of the top people at BR said he couldn't stand him.
As has been pointed out, Savile wasn't shown, and the showing of the programme was a genuine mistake. :rolleyes:
Okay fair enough
Well I can always watch it because its on youtube! Regarding Jimmy's era of hosting im not sure what years he hosted as ive a few 70s episodes on disk but unsure when he hosted.
I know there is a guy on the net who sells copies of TOTPs episodes but the cheeky git charges a tenner a disk. Pretty sure hes on ioffer as TOTP fan.
I love that song - so witty
It's coming soon to TOTP (unless it's on a banned week)
The BBC make no distinction between documentaries and light entertainment shows where Savile is concerned. Savile featured heavily in the railway documentary; he also featured in a BBC Four documentary about the history of regional news programmes. I would be very surprised if the BBC broadcast either documentary in future and don't edit Savile out.
Long time lurker but first time poster
I think he was hosting up to about 1984 - about the same time as the charts started going downhill!
If the BEEB had kept the DLT shows running we would hardly notice the missing episodes! :rolleyes:
1984 was his last year.
I got a pleasant surprise when I heard the Gordon Giltrap hit Heartsong on TOTP last Thursday. It was one of those elusive instrumentals that I had often wondered what it was. I also recalled it being the tune to Holiday on Sunday nights despite being very young. They must have been using it into the 80's? Was it a hit because of the Holiday show on BBC, or vice versa? I bought it that very night, so even these 35 year old repeats are selling the records still! :cool:
I firmly agree that it was a minor miracle that Althea & Donna managed to knock Wings off the top after the shocking backing they were given by the TOTP orchestra. I actually played the original version as soon as the show ended just to remind myself how decent it actually was, and how badly that backing was done. Absolute true, bona fide one hit wonders in the purest sense. One hit, one No1, one week on top. Still sounds contemporary today.
The ending of that Yellow Dog song is always highly amusing and it was great to see the way they did it on TOTP. I was anticipating a cut off. Mind you, on the radio at the time it must have worn a bit thin after a while!
Back to the subject of instrumental tracks, and if anyone can identify this theme music that was used for a BBC show in 1989 with Noel in the Concorde cockpit I'd be real pleased as I like the sound of it and want to get hold of it. I have heard it elsewhere before too.
http://youtu.be/x1GYmenU-Rohttyou
It is in the first minute of the clip after the ident.