Ashes to Ashes Musical Errors

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,433
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Having just watched the first 2 new episodes of Ashes to Ashes I found some errors.. I gather it's set just before the General Election of May/June 1983 and yet I heard Katrina and the Waves, Walking on Sunshine a No8 hit from May 1985, and Cyndi Lauper's Girl Just Want To Have Fun a No2 hit in January 1984...come on BBC you know better than this...lololol!!

or am I being anal and thinking too much here...:D...:eek:
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  • Phoenix LazarusPhoenix Lazarus Posts: 17,305
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    CheekyTV wrote: »
    Having just watched the first 2 new episodes of Ashes to Ashes I found some errors.. I gather it's set just before the General Election of May/June 1983 and yet I heard Katrina and the Waves, Walking on Sunshine a No8 hit from May 1985......!!

    or am I being anal and thinking too much here...:D...:eek:

    Yes, I noticed that one. They've got it on the tape machine at the party, not just playing it as background music, so that's a definite cock-up-and on you're worrying about being 'anal' and 'thinking too much'-don't worry, you're not the only one. I always pointedly note anachronisms, or plot inconsistencies or improbabilties in things I'm watching, too.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,433
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    Yes, I noticed that one. They've got it on the tape machine at the party, not just playing it as background music, so that's a definite cock-up-and on you're worrying about being 'anal' and 'thinking too much'-don't worry, you're not the only one. I always pointedly note anachronisms, or plot inconsistencies or improbabilties in things I'm watching, too.

    hehehe I'm glad Im not the only one...:D

    Even their take on Billy Joel's Uptown Girl video was later in the year (83)..October/November time...I think Im pushing it now...but it's great to hear some of the classic from the 80's though brilliant era for music!!...:D
  • Misty08Misty08 Posts: 1,113
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    Yes, but are they really in 1983?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,433
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    Misty08 wrote: »
    Yes, but are they really in 1983?

    see this is why I said I don't want to be too anal about it...cos you never know with Ashes to Ashes...;)
  • dodgygeezadodgygeeza Posts: 6,350
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    CheekyTV wrote: »
    Even their take on Billy Joel's Uptown Girl video was later in the year (83)..October/November time...
    Wasn't that in Alex's dream though, and since she is from the present time she would know of music / videos that were released later than the date the episode was actually set?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 826
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    Yeah, up until the series finale when everything is explained, I think its fair to blame any anachronisms on this version of 1983 being the one that Alex has remembered/created in her mind, and therefore not necessarily wholly accurate.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,433
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    dodgygeeza wrote: »
    Wasn't that in Alex's dream though, and since she is from the present time she would know of music / videos that were released later than the date the episode was actually set?

    the dream bit I can understand, but Im sure the song was also on the radio in the station..it wouldn't have been out that early in the UK??..I could be wrong though!
  • rachelgatarachelgata Posts: 835
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    I too am guilty of being a bit anal about the music 'errors'. I basically only watch it for the music as I'm not a fan of the series but my other half is obsessed with it (or with Keeley Hawes, or whatever :rolleyes:)
    I said the exact same thing about Uptown Girl..it was out in around October '83.
    But they can explain away anything they like time-wise can't they, so not much point me being picky!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,433
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    it's very interesting hearing what other posters think about this!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 826
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    CheekyTV wrote: »
    the dream bit I can understand, but Im sure the song was also on the radio in the station..it wouldn't have been out that early in the UK??..I could be wrong though!

    But one idea could be that the 80s world we see is Alex's construction, therefore any song can play on the radio etc.

    In reality, some of the anachronisms aren't important. I read somewhere that Gene Hunt couldn't have had a Quattro as they weren't available in the UK in 1981... the writers said they didn't care as it was such a cool car they wanted it in the series regardless.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,433
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    galentine wrote: »
    But one idea could be that the 80s world we see is Alex's construction, therefore any song can play on the radio etc.

    In reality, some of the anachronisms aren't important. I read somewhere that Gene Hunt couldn't have had a Quattro as they weren't available in the UK in 1981... the writers said they didn't care as it was such a cool car they wanted it in the series regardless.

    dam you are so clever...lol...then again I knew it would have something to do with mixed up memories of Alex...*runs off and hides*..:D

    Just so people know Im not slagging the show off...I just thought the music was jumbled up from different years after 83!
  • Phoenix LazarusPhoenix Lazarus Posts: 17,305
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    Just check the Guiness British Hit Singles book. Uptown Girl by Billy Joel first charted in the UK on 15 October 1983.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,433
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    Just check the Guiness British Hit Singles book. Uptown Girl by Billy Joel first charted in the UK on 15 October 1983.

    I think it got to No1 in early November was it for 5/6 weeks or so...if I remember rightly??

    I have that book somewhere too..it's a great reference book too..lol!!
  • Phoenix LazarusPhoenix Lazarus Posts: 17,305
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    CheekyTV wrote: »
    I think it got to No1 in early November was it for 5/6 weeks or so...if I remember rightly??

    I have that book somewhere too..it's a great reference book too..lol!!

    The single got to number one on 5 November 1983, and stayed there for 5 weeks, GBHS tells us.
  • solenoidsolenoid Posts: 15,495
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    Misty08 wrote: »
    Yes, but are they really in 1983?

    And are we, the viewers, really watching it?
  • AcerBenAcerBen Posts: 21,265
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    "The Final Countdown" being used in the trailers was a bit weird too - that wasn't a hit until November 1986!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,433
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    The single got to number one on 5 November 1983, and stayed there for 5 weeks, GBHS tells us.

    Brilliant...then 16 years later Boyzone came along and did unmentionable things to it...but anyhow I will be keeping my ears open for more of the same on this weeks Ashes to Ashes..:)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,433
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    AcerBen wrote: »
    "The Final Countdown" being used in the trailers was a bit weird too - that wasn't a hit until November 1986!

    yeah it got to No1!
  • James2001James2001 Posts: 73,367
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    The single got to number one on 5 November 1983, and stayed there for 5 weeks, GBHS tells us.

    Actually, it's earlier than the 5th of November, as the Guinness Book of hit singles uses week ending dates- the Saturday after the chart was published. In 1983, the charts were still published on Tuesday, so it would have hit number one on November 1st.
  • James2001James2001 Posts: 73,367
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    CheekyTV wrote: »
    Brilliant...then 16 years later Boyzone came along and did unmentionable things to it

    It was 18 years later, and it was Westlife, not Boyzone ;)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,433
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    James2001 wrote: »
    It was 18 years later, and it was Westlife, not Boyzone ;)

    Oooops hahahah you are right...I was thinking When The Going Gets Tough by Boyzone the awful cover of the Billy Ocean song from 86...I heard this yesterday on Pick of the Pops on Radio 2, they rundown the Top 20 from 1999...and I had that on my mind...I had an Alex moment!...but it is easy to get Boyzone and Westlife mixed up...:D
  • Phoenix LazarusPhoenix Lazarus Posts: 17,305
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    James2001 wrote: »
    Actually, it's earlier than the 5th of November, as the Guinness Book of hit singles uses week ending dates- the Saturday after the chart was published. In 1983, the charts were still published on Tuesday, so it would have hit number one on November 1st.

    I always recalled the new charts as being unveiled on Sunday evenings! :confused:
  • James2001James2001 Posts: 73,367
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    I always recalled the new charts as being unveiled on Sunday evenings! :confused:

    I think the Top 40 was always on Radio 1 on Sunday, it's just that before 1987, the new chart was published on Tuesday, and the Radio 1 show would be reporting that particular chart the following Sunday. It wasn't until 1987 that Radio 1 were revealing the new chart.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,433
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    James2001 wrote: »
    I think the Top 40 was always on Radio 1 on Sunday, it's just that before 1987, the new chart was published on Tuesday, and the Radio 1 show would be reporting that particular chart the following Sunday. It wasn't until 1987 that Radio 1 were revealing the new chart.

    yeah Chart compilation changed on Oct 4th 1987...instead of being released on the Tuesday, it was put back to a Sunday...the first No1 to be on the new Chart was Pump up the Volume by Marrs...it knocked Rick Astley off the top ending a five week run at No1!
  • ClareBClareB Posts: 2,597
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    CheekyTV wrote: »
    Having just watched the first 2 new episodes of Ashes to Ashes I found some errors.. I gather it's set just before the General Election of May/June 1983 and yet I heard Katrina and the Waves, Walking on Sunshine a No8 hit from May 1985, and Cyndi Lauper's Girl Just Want To Have Fun a No2 hit in January 1984...come on BBC you know better than this...lololol!!

    or am I being anal and thinking too much here...:D...:eek:[/QUOTE

    While they're not errors as such - both songs are actually from 1983 - you'd have to be a real fan to know that, as they weren't hits until later. Like you, I think of the songs as being from 1984 and 1985 - like they are on the Now compilations!

    The one that really messed with my head was when they played Billy Idol's Hot In The City in the last series. How many people will remember it from 1982, when it only made no. 58 in the charts, rather than when it was No. 13 in 1987.
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