And no, Savile wasn't exactly all over 1973, either. A number of those remaining 1973 Top Of The Pops episodes aren't presented by him. Noel Edmonds and Tony Blackburn are fairly prominant, too. 1973, though, does seem the best year in terms of the show presenting a truly great atmosphere.
I think 1973 was definitely the best year out of all of the early 70s. Things didn't start picking up again until the end of 1975/early 1976!
( Just my opinion - before anyone starts arguing with me! )
No, he didn't. Seeing him always brought a chorus of groans in our household. Did anybody like him?
I only ever met one person who did. He had a signed photo of him up in his shop that he ran. When everything about him came out in the open, the photo was ceremoniously burned and the poor guy was devastated that he could have liked such a monster.
I only ever met one person who did. He had a signed photo of him up in his shop that he ran. When everything about him came out in the open, the photo was ceremoniously burned and the poor guy was devastated that he could have liked such a monster.
One of the 1976 editions had Savile dressed in a pair of shorts, displaying his bare legs.
Remember thinking 'That ain't right for a fifty year old bloke on national tv!'
Three years ago today the reruns all started, never thought they would last this long especially with all the problems concerning a couple of certain hosts.:)
Three years ago today the reruns all started, never thought they would last this long especially with all the problems concerning a couple of certain hosts.:)
Within the past hour I just placed a post on the very first TOTP 1976 thread, the first post on it for over two years, which has bumped it up the list among the 1979 one here, just to illustrate the reality of what people felt about Jimmy Savile at the time he was being shown and when he passed.
Interesting that the person who originally began that thread with such enthusiasm, AmishWanted, did not remain a regular thereafter yet continues to post up until this week elsewhere. Out of all the very regular people on the TOTP thread nowadays, Servalan got in earliest with post #10 on 31st March 2011 before they had even begun!
As a regular BBC4 watcher, even without TOTP, I never recalled much publicity promoting the start of the weekly editions, and that's why I came to it about a month late much to my annoyance. How I remained a lurker, just reading the comments on here for over a year rather than taking part I will never know!
The 1976 editions should not be dismissed too easily however. As has been mentioned, some of the later 1976 ones were fabulous, I liked the August/September 1976 ones especially, and many have been better than some of the early 1979 editions so far. Not something I would have imagined myself saying six months ago.
Three years ago today the reruns all started, never thought they would last this long especially with all the problems concerning a couple of certain hosts.:)
I only ever met one person who did. He had a signed photo of him up in his shop that he ran. When everything about him came out in the open, the photo was ceremoniously burned and the poor guy was devastated that he could have liked such a monster.
Shortly before the scandal broke, a woman appeared on This Morning saying she was his secret daughter. At the time they were still regarding him as some sort of national treasure following his death. She came over as being rather proud that he was her father.
Bet she wished she had kept quiet about that now with hindsight.
As a regular BBC4 watcher, even without TOTP, I never recalled much publicity promoting the start of the weekly editions, and that's why I came to it about a month late much to my annoyance.
.
Yes I missed the very first week I remember! Luckily, my music fanatical friend Fiona told me they were doing reruns on BBC4 the week after it started so I didn't miss too much!
Just as well she did - I might not have found out til 3 months later!
Yes I missed the very first week I remember! Luckily, my music fanatical friend Fiona told me they were doing reruns on BBC4 the week after it started so I didn't miss too much!
Just as well she did - I might not have found out til 3 months later!
Just in time to see Jimmy Savile draping his bare legs across the screen when The Wurzels were on!
Here's a good pub quiz question talking about baring the flesh on TOTP. How many barechested performances have there been on TOTP? Any member of the group from lead to drummer in the studio performance, not video/promo. Dare say Red Hot Chili's did! But Iggy Pop never appeared to my knowledge, even with his biggest hit. For some reason I've just recalled Liquid Gold's drummer too. Now that is weird! At least Savile kept his shirt on, even in the hot summer of 1976 shows. I'll forgive his legs that one time.
Here's a good pub quiz question talking about baring the flesh on TOTP. How many barechested performances have there been on TOTP? Any member of the group from lead to drummer in the studio performance, not video/promo. Dare say Red Hot Chili's did! But Iggy Pop never appeared to my knowledge, even with his biggest hit. For some reason I've just recalled Liquid Gold's drummer too. Now that is weird! At least Savile kept his shirt on, even in the hot summer of 1976 shows. I'll forgive his legs that one time.
I don't know how many there's actually been but here was this rather delightful slice of filth in 2003...
Been scrolling back to try and find an earlier post I meant to respond to at the time re the showing of Eurovision hits, but can't seem to find it.
I believe last year the only time the Eurovision winner A Ba Ni Bi was featured was on a DLT show that, obviously, wasn't aired. I do hope Hallelujah isn't cut from this week's showing. It's just so annoying they can cut things out for money's sake but they can't cut out links from DJ's they don't want to show so we can just see the performances.
The 1976 editions should not be dismissed too easily however. As has been mentioned, some of the later 1976 ones were fabulous, I liked the August/September 1976 ones especially, and many have been better than some of the early 1979 editions so far. Not something I would have imagined myself saying six months ago.
I could not agree with you more, Rich Tea.
I especially like the 1976 episodes which feature Smokie's ' I'll Meet You At Midnight', Kiki Dee's 'Loving And Free', Rick Dees 'Disco Duck', Manfred Mann's Earthband 's 'Blinded By The Light', and not to mention Pussycat's 'Mississippi', etc. Some of those late summer and autumn shows are infinitely preferable in my opinion to some of the 1979 episodes we've seen so far.. Punk without doubt gave the music scene fresh impetus in 1977 and beyond, yet i believe the charts, even before the prominence of punk, had already begun to pull around, somewhat.
Those years that were uninspiring during the seventies (and i'm quite sure 1975 and the early part of 1976 were the worst), if you were to handpick the better songs, they would still add up to a truly impressive package - even those less inspiring years, certainly don't in any way equate to today's pitiful musical scenario. The very best of what was on offer, was still pretty awesome (truly classic songs and all).
1979, overall though, i would say is perhaps the best year since 1973. We have a great deal to look forward to.
I especially like the 1976 episodes which feature Smokie's ' I'll Meet You At Midnight', Kiki Dee's 'Loving And Free', Rick Dees 'Disco Duck', Manfred Mann's Earthband 's 'Blinded By The Light', and not to mention Pussycat's 'Mississippi', etc. Some of those late summer and autumn shows are infinitely preferable in my opinion to some of the 1979 episodes we've seen so far.. Punk without doubt gave the music scene fresh impetus in 1977 and beyond, yet i believe the charts, even before the prominence of punk, had already begun to pull around, somewhat.
Those years that were uninspiring during the seventies (and i'm quite sure 1975 and the early part of 1976 were the worst), if you were to handpick the better songs, they would still add up to a truly impressive package - even those less inspiring years, certainly don't in any way equate to today's pitiful musical scenario. The very best of what was on offer, was still pretty awesome (truly classic songs and all).
1979, overall though, i would say is perhaps the best year since 1973. We have a great deal to look forward to.
You keep saying this, but repeating it over and over doesn't make it true. 1975 was a fantastic year for pop music.
You keep saying this, but repeating it over and over doesn't make it true. 1975 was a fantastic year for pop music.
I think there is a myth - heavily perpetuated in BBC Four's The Story Of … documentaries - that the mid-70s are some kind of musical wasteland. It's not true at all. As has been said previously, there is a difference between the music of the mid-70s in their entirety and how that was filtered through the prism of TOTP.
1979 is arguably, the most musically diverse year of the 70s as far as the charts (and probably TOTP) are concerned - but it also contains some real stinkers, and arguably no more or less than other years. What it has that 1975, say, doesn't have is two major discernible trends - disco and new wave - that characterise the year, in the same way that glam was dominant in 1972-1973. But just because other years lack dominant trends doesn't mean they're uninspiring.
I think there is a myth - heavily perpetuated in BBC Four's The Story Of … documentaries - that the mid-70s are some kind of musical wasteland. It's not true at all. As has been said previously, there is a difference between the music of the mid-70s in their entirety and how that was filtered through the prism of TOTP.
1979 is arguably, the most musically diverse year of the 70s as far as the charts (and probably TOTP) are concerned - but it also contains some real stinkers, and arguably no more or less than other years. What it has that 1975, say, doesn't have is two major discernible trends - disco and new wave - that characterise the year, in the same way that glam was dominant in 1972-1973. But just because other years lack dominant trends doesn't mean they're uninspiring.
What about Gloria Gaynor, Van McCoy, K C And The Sunshine Band, Linda Lewis? Remember 'The Hustle' , 'That's The Way I Like It' and 'It's In His Kiss'?
1975 is heavy on novelty records (and teenybop groups) (not that they are all bad, mind) . Telly Savalas, Don Estelle and Windsor Davies, Laurel And Hardy, Jasper Carrott, Billy Connolly, etc. a number of which made no 1.
That is appalling! More at home in some kind of gay club or strip show for women in a working mans venue somewhere. Not the TOTP studio. Just goes to prove a point about the visuals taking the prominent position over and above the actual music. This case illustrates it wonderfully. It's vile on so many different levels. Who at TOTP at the time would be actually encouraging such performances as that? Beyond belief.
What about Gloria Gaynor, Van McCoy, K C And The Sunshine Band, Linda Lewis? Remember 'The Hustle' , 'That's The Way I Like It' and 'It's In His Kiss'?
1975 is heavy on novelty records (and teenybop groups) (not that they are all bad, mind) . Telly Savalas, Don Estelle and Windsor Davies, Laurel And Hardy, Jasper Carrott, Billy Connolly, etc. a number of which made no 1.
Were there many brilliant disco singles in 1975? Sure - but, despite their success, disco didn't dominate in that year as an identifiable trend in the way it did in 1978/1979, when it crossed over to a mainstream (for which read white) audience post-Saturday Night Fever.
1979's novelty records may not be as overt as 1975's, but they were there nonetheless: 'Day Trip To Bangor', 'Nice Legs, Shame About The Face' and 'Luton Airport' to name but three. And others masqueraded as disco records - 'Ring My Bell', 'YMCA' … And then there's the year's #1 MOR-esque horrors: 'When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman', 'Bright Eyes' and 'One Day At A Time'.
Beyond the Bay City Rollers and also-rans Kenny, 1975 isn't big on teeny bop groups at all - certainly not compared to the Osmonds vs David Cassidy feud from 1972-1974 …
That is appalling! More at home in some kind of gay club or strip show for women in a working mans venue somewhere. Not the TOTP studio. Just goes to prove a point about the visuals taking the prominent position over and above the actual music. This case illustrates it wonderfully. It's vile on so many different levels. Who at TOTP at the time would be actually encouraging such performances as that? Beyond belief.
BIB - could it be new executive producer Andi Peters, perhaps …? ;-):o
Were there many brilliant disco singles in 1975? Sure - but, despite their success, disco didn't dominate in that year as an identifiable trend in the way it did in 1978/1979, when it crossed over to a mainstream (for which read white) audience post-Saturday Night Fever.
1979's novelty records may not be as overt as 1975's, but they were there nonetheless: 'Day Trip To Bangor', 'Nice Legs, Shame About The Face' and 'Luton Airport' to name but three. And others masqueraded as disco records - 'Ring My Bell', 'YMCA' … And then there's the year's #1 MOR-esque horrors: 'When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman', 'Bright Eyes' and 'One Day At A Time'.
Beyond the Bay City Rollers and also-rans Kenny, 1975 isn't big on teeny bop groups at all - certainly not compared to the Osmonds vs David Cassidy feud from 1972-1974 …
Bright Eyes is a beautiful classic ballad. And disco refined itself continually. And Day Trip to Bangor is surely more a fresh simple catchy folk song than a novelty song about the lyrics or image.
Were there many brilliant disco singles in 1975? Sure - but, despite their success, disco didn't dominate in that year as an identifiable trend in the way it did in 1978/1979, when it crossed over to a mainstream (for which read white) audience post-Saturday Night Fever.
1979's novelty records may not be as overt as 1975's, but they were there nonetheless: 'Day Trip To Bangor', 'Nice Legs, Shame About The Face' and 'Luton Airport' to name but three. And others masqueraded as disco records - 'Ring My Bell', 'YMCA' … And then there's the year's #1 MOR-esque horrors: 'When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman', 'Bright Eyes' and 'One Day At A Time'.
Beyond the Bay City Rollers and also-rans Kenny, 1975 isn't big on teeny bop groups at all - certainly not compared to the Osmonds vs David Cassidy feud from 1972-1974 …
The teen groups were less memorable, for sure, because the songs were less memorable, than the Osmonds and David Cassidy.
The truth is, i have come to my conclusion about 1975 after watching all the available Top Of The Pops episodes from the early seventies shows through to 1975, that haven't been wiped (aside from a few of the later early 1976 editions), and right up to the current 1979 shows being televised on BBC 4 (although i do have some of the later shows from 1979 recorded off UK Gold). The dip in quality in those 1975 shows is really very apparent to me, and i believe in that regard the BBC 'Story Of .......' series is spot on. I certainly wouldn't go as far as to say the punk explosion marked the year zero in music, where things were never the same again, which despite being misleading, is a popular analogy. However, punk brought a little more diversity, which prevented the music scene from becoming too stale. However, as i have noted earlier, the music was already on the upturn by the second half of 1976, before punk had even started to make its mark.
Beyond the Bay City Rollers and also-rans Kenny, 1975 isn't big on teeny bop groups at all
After the last chart hit Bill Martin and Phil Coulter wrote for the Bay City Rollers in late 1974 they had four hits with Kenny and then moved straight on to Slik (another teeny bop group fronted by Midge Ure) who released their first single 'Forever and Ever' (as seen on the 22 January 1976 edition uploaded to Vimeo by darnall42 on Sunday) in late 1975.
Slik's first hit 'Forever and Ever' was first recorded by Kenny (appearing on their debut album 'The Sound of Super K') and similarly Kenny's first hit 'The Bump' was first recorded by the Bay City Rollers for the B side of 'All Of Me Loves All Of You' (a case of history repeating itself ).
One of the 1976 editions had Savile dressed in a pair of shorts, displaying his bare legs.
Remember thinking 'That ain't right for a fifty year old bloke on national tv!'
On 1 July 1971 he looked even weirder IMO displaying his knobbly knees in bright orange football strip and baseball cap with his face concealed by a white towel (at 0.35 and 2.15 in the link below):
How many barechested performances have there been on TOTP? Any member of the group from lead to drummer in the studio performance, not video/promo. Dare say Red Hot Chili's did! But Iggy Pop never appeared to my knowledge, even with his biggest hit. For some reason I've just recalled Liquid Gold's drummer too. Now that is weird!
Another example I recall was Martin Kemp when Spandau Ballet performed 'Chant No. 1' on Christmas Day 1981:
Yes - I really wish the Beeb had started 1976 with January - instead of April, as we missed a few gems from the beginning of the year! Although, chances are they didnt have them in the archives!
'Answer Me' as sung by Barbara Dickson on the 22 January 1976 edition was originally a hit in 1953. Two versions of the song were released by David Whitfield (UK) and Frankie Laine (US) and the latter version knocked the former version off the top spot. Four weeks later the two versions were at No. 1 together (the only time this has ever happened in British chart history).
And no, Savile wasn't exactly all over 1973, either. A number of those remaining 1973 Top Of The Pops episodes aren't presented by him. Noel Edmonds and Tony Blackburn are fairly prominant, too. 1973, though, does seem the best year in terms of the show presenting a truly great atmosphere.
If you were not following the TOTP 1978 and TOTP 1977 threads it's possible you may not have seen my previous link(s) to this rare monochrome home recorded clip from a wiped TOTP in July 1973 presented by Noel Edmonds:
Were there many brilliant disco singles in 1975? Sure - but, despite their success, disco didn't dominate in that year as an identifiable trend in the way it did in 1978/1979, when it crossed over to a mainstream (for which read white) audience post-Saturday Night Fever.
1979's novelty records may not be as overt as 1975's, but they were there nonetheless: 'Day Trip To Bangor', 'Nice Legs, Shame About The Face' and 'Luton Airport' to name but three. And others masqueraded as disco records - 'Ring My Bell', 'YMCA' … And then there's the year's #1 MOR-esque horrors: 'When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman', 'Bright Eyes' and 'One Day At A Time'.
Beyond the Bay City Rollers and also-rans Kenny, 1975 isn't big on teeny bop groups at all - certainly not compared to the Osmonds vs David Cassidy feud from 1972-1974 …
I would argue that (on the whole) the disco (or soul as it was better known) of 1975, including acts like Philly, was far, far better than the disco of 1978/9. There were certainly some great disco songs in 78/9, but equally there were a lot of cheap cash ins on the back of SNF.
The teen groups were less memorable, for sure, because the songs were less memorable, than the Osmonds and David Cassidy.
The truth is, i have come to my conclusion about 1975 after watching all the available Top Of The Pops episodes from the early seventies shows through to 1975, that haven't been wiped (aside from a few of the later early 1976 editions), and right up to the current 1979 shows being televised on BBC 4 (although i do have some of the later shows from 1979 recorded off UK Gold). The dip in quality in those 1975 shows is really very apparent to me, and i believe in that regard the BBC 'Story Of .......' series is spot on. I certainly wouldn't go as far as to say the punk explosion marked the year zero in music, where things were never the same again, which despite being misleading, is a popular analogy. However, punk brought a little more diversity, which prevented the music scene from becoming too stale. However, as i have noted earlier, the music was already on the upturn by the second half of 1976, before punk had even started to make its mark.
Bad mistake to base your opinion of a year's music on what is left of that year's TOTP. As was noted only last week, the TOTP shown was not very representative of that week's chart. And TOTP was notorious for showing obscure acts or BBC favourites which never made the charts. And BBC's "Story Of..." is certainly nowhere near being spot on. As I said before, 1975 was a superb year for pop music, easily one of my all time favourite years.
Bright Eyes is a beautiful classic ballad. And disco refined itself continually. And Day Trip to Bangor is surely more a fresh simple catchy folk song than a novelty song about the lyrics or image.
Indeed. Shocked that anyone can classify it with "One Day at a Time".
After the last chart hit Bill Martin and Phil Coulter wrote for the Bay City Rollers in late 1974 they had four hits with Kenny and then moved straight on to Slik (another teeny bop group fronted by Midge Ure) who released their first single 'Forever and Ever' (as seen on the 22 January 1976 edition uploaded to Vimeo by darnall42 on Sunday) in late 1975.
If I remember rightly there were two feuds at the time:-
(i) Donny Osmond vs David Cassidy
(ii) The Osmonds vs The Jackson Five
'One Bad Apple' sounded like a blatant attempt by the Osmonds to copy the style of the Jacksons with Donny mimicking the Michael Jackson "falsetto".
On 1 July 1971 he looked even weirder IMO displaying his knobbly knees in bright orange football strip and baseball cap with his face concealed by a white towel (at 0.35 and 2.15 in the link below):
'Answer Me' as sung by Barbara Dickson on the 22 January 1976 edition was originally a hit in 1953. Two versions of the song were released by David Whitfield (UK) and Frankie Laine (US) and the latter version knocked the former version off the top spot. Four weeks later the two versions were at No. 1 together (the only time this has ever happened in British chart history).
If you were not following the TOTP 1978 and TOTP 1977 threads it's possible you may not have seen my previous link(s) to this rare monochrome home recorded clip from a wiped TOTP in July 1973 presented by Noel Edmonds:
Remember the first, but certainly not the second. By the time The Osmonds came along, the Jackson 5 were well past their peak. And Donny wasn't the lead singer of The Osmonds.
Comments
I think 1973 was definitely the best year out of all of the early 70s. Things didn't start picking up again until the end of 1975/early 1976!
( Just my opinion - before anyone starts arguing with me!
I only ever met one person who did. He had a signed photo of him up in his shop that he ran. When everything about him came out in the open, the photo was ceremoniously burned and the poor guy was devastated that he could have liked such a monster.
One of the 1976 editions had Savile dressed in a pair of shorts, displaying his bare legs.
Remember thinking 'That ain't right for a fifty year old bloke on national tv!'
Interesting that the person who originally began that thread with such enthusiasm, AmishWanted, did not remain a regular thereafter yet continues to post up until this week elsewhere. Out of all the very regular people on the TOTP thread nowadays, Servalan got in earliest with post #10 on 31st March 2011 before they had even begun!
As a regular BBC4 watcher, even without TOTP, I never recalled much publicity promoting the start of the weekly editions, and that's why I came to it about a month late much to my annoyance. How I remained a lurker, just reading the comments on here for over a year rather than taking part I will never know!
The 1976 editions should not be dismissed too easily however. As has been mentioned, some of the later 1976 ones were fabulous, I liked the August/September 1976 ones especially, and many have been better than some of the early 1979 editions so far. Not something I would have imagined myself saying six months ago.
HURRAH!
Shortly before the scandal broke, a woman appeared on This Morning saying she was his secret daughter. At the time they were still regarding him as some sort of national treasure following his death. She came over as being rather proud that he was her father.
Bet she wished she had kept quiet about that now with hindsight.
Yes I missed the very first week I remember! Luckily, my music fanatical friend Fiona told me they were doing reruns on BBC4 the week after it started so I didn't miss too much!
Just as well she did - I might not have found out til 3 months later!
Just in time to see Jimmy Savile draping his bare legs across the screen when The Wurzels were on!
Here's a good pub quiz question talking about baring the flesh on TOTP. How many barechested performances have there been on TOTP? Any member of the group from lead to drummer in the studio performance, not video/promo. Dare say Red Hot Chili's did! But Iggy Pop never appeared to my knowledge, even with his biggest hit. For some reason I've just recalled Liquid Gold's drummer too. Now that is weird! At least Savile kept his shirt on, even in the hot summer of 1976 shows. I'll forgive his legs that one time.
I don't know how many there's actually been but here was this rather delightful slice of filth in 2003...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynDFbZPMUR0
I believe last year the only time the Eurovision winner A Ba Ni Bi was featured was on a DLT show that, obviously, wasn't aired. I do hope Hallelujah isn't cut from this week's showing. It's just so annoying they can cut things out for money's sake but they can't cut out links from DJ's they don't want to show so we can just see the performances.
I could not agree with you more, Rich Tea.
I especially like the 1976 episodes which feature Smokie's ' I'll Meet You At Midnight', Kiki Dee's 'Loving And Free', Rick Dees 'Disco Duck', Manfred Mann's Earthband 's 'Blinded By The Light', and not to mention Pussycat's 'Mississippi', etc. Some of those late summer and autumn shows are infinitely preferable in my opinion to some of the 1979 episodes we've seen so far.. Punk without doubt gave the music scene fresh impetus in 1977 and beyond, yet i believe the charts, even before the prominence of punk, had already begun to pull around, somewhat.
Those years that were uninspiring during the seventies (and i'm quite sure 1975 and the early part of 1976 were the worst), if you were to handpick the better songs, they would still add up to a truly impressive package - even those less inspiring years, certainly don't in any way equate to today's pitiful musical scenario. The very best of what was on offer, was still pretty awesome (truly classic songs and all).
1979, overall though, i would say is perhaps the best year since 1973. We have a great deal to look forward to.
You keep saying this, but repeating it over and over doesn't make it true. 1975 was a fantastic year for pop music.
I think there is a myth - heavily perpetuated in BBC Four's The Story Of … documentaries - that the mid-70s are some kind of musical wasteland. It's not true at all. As has been said previously, there is a difference between the music of the mid-70s in their entirety and how that was filtered through the prism of TOTP.
1979 is arguably, the most musically diverse year of the 70s as far as the charts (and probably TOTP) are concerned - but it also contains some real stinkers, and arguably no more or less than other years. What it has that 1975, say, doesn't have is two major discernible trends - disco and new wave - that characterise the year, in the same way that glam was dominant in 1972-1973. But just because other years lack dominant trends doesn't mean they're uninspiring.
What about Gloria Gaynor, Van McCoy, K C And The Sunshine Band, Linda Lewis? Remember 'The Hustle' , 'That's The Way I Like It' and 'It's In His Kiss'?
1975 is heavy on novelty records (and teenybop groups) (not that they are all bad, mind) . Telly Savalas, Don Estelle and Windsor Davies, Laurel And Hardy, Jasper Carrott, Billy Connolly, etc. a number of which made no 1.
That is appalling! More at home in some kind of gay club or strip show for women in a working mans venue somewhere. Not the TOTP studio. Just goes to prove a point about the visuals taking the prominent position over and above the actual music. This case illustrates it wonderfully. It's vile on so many different levels. Who at TOTP at the time would be actually encouraging such performances as that? Beyond belief.
Were there many brilliant disco singles in 1975? Sure - but, despite their success, disco didn't dominate in that year as an identifiable trend in the way it did in 1978/1979, when it crossed over to a mainstream (for which read white) audience post-Saturday Night Fever.
1979's novelty records may not be as overt as 1975's, but they were there nonetheless: 'Day Trip To Bangor', 'Nice Legs, Shame About The Face' and 'Luton Airport' to name but three. And others masqueraded as disco records - 'Ring My Bell', 'YMCA' … And then there's the year's #1 MOR-esque horrors: 'When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman', 'Bright Eyes' and 'One Day At A Time'.
Beyond the Bay City Rollers and also-rans Kenny, 1975 isn't big on teeny bop groups at all - certainly not compared to the Osmonds vs David Cassidy feud from 1972-1974 …
BIB - could it be new executive producer Andi Peters, perhaps …? ;-):o
Bright Eyes is a beautiful classic ballad. And disco refined itself continually. And Day Trip to Bangor is surely more a fresh simple catchy folk song than a novelty song about the lyrics or image.
The teen groups were less memorable, for sure, because the songs were less memorable, than the Osmonds and David Cassidy.
The truth is, i have come to my conclusion about 1975 after watching all the available Top Of The Pops episodes from the early seventies shows through to 1975, that haven't been wiped (aside from a few of the later early 1976 editions), and right up to the current 1979 shows being televised on BBC 4 (although i do have some of the later shows from 1979 recorded off UK Gold). The dip in quality in those 1975 shows is really very apparent to me, and i believe in that regard the BBC 'Story Of .......' series is spot on. I certainly wouldn't go as far as to say the punk explosion marked the year zero in music, where things were never the same again, which despite being misleading, is a popular analogy. However, punk brought a little more diversity, which prevented the music scene from becoming too stale. However, as i have noted earlier, the music was already on the upturn by the second half of 1976, before punk had even started to make its mark.
After the last chart hit Bill Martin and Phil Coulter wrote for the Bay City Rollers in late 1974 they had four hits with Kenny and then moved straight on to Slik (another teeny bop group fronted by Midge Ure) who released their first single 'Forever and Ever' (as seen on the 22 January 1976 edition uploaded to Vimeo by darnall42 on Sunday) in late 1975.
Slik's first hit 'Forever and Ever' was first recorded by Kenny (appearing on their debut album 'The Sound of Super K') and similarly Kenny's first hit 'The Bump' was first recorded by the Bay City Rollers for the B side of 'All Of Me Loves All Of You' (a case of history repeating itself
If I remember rightly there were two feuds at the time:-
(i) Donny Osmond vs David Cassidy
(ii) The Osmonds vs The Jackson Five
'One Bad Apple' sounded like a blatant attempt by the Osmonds to copy the style of the Jacksons with Donny mimicking the Michael Jackson "falsetto".
On 1 July 1971 he looked even weirder IMO displaying his knobbly knees in bright orange football strip and baseball cap with his face concealed by a white towel (at 0.35 and 2.15 in the link below):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKndIYMm9og
Another example I recall was Martin Kemp when Spandau Ballet performed 'Chant No. 1' on Christmas Day 1981:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf-EzkyccRc
'Answer Me' as sung by Barbara Dickson on the 22 January 1976 edition was originally a hit in 1953. Two versions of the song were released by David Whitfield (UK) and Frankie Laine (US) and the latter version knocked the former version off the top spot. Four weeks later the two versions were at No. 1 together (the only time this has ever happened in British chart history).
If you were not following the TOTP 1978 and TOTP 1977 threads it's possible you may not have seen my previous link(s) to this rare monochrome home recorded clip from a wiped TOTP in July 1973 presented by Noel Edmonds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvQg-OCzQmg
I would argue that (on the whole) the disco (or soul as it was better known) of 1975, including acts like Philly, was far, far better than the disco of 1978/9. There were certainly some great disco songs in 78/9, but equally there were a lot of cheap cash ins on the back of SNF.
Bad mistake to base your opinion of a year's music on what is left of that year's TOTP. As was noted only last week, the TOTP shown was not very representative of that week's chart. And TOTP was notorious for showing obscure acts or BBC favourites which never made the charts. And BBC's "Story Of..." is certainly nowhere near being spot on. As I said before, 1975 was a superb year for pop music, easily one of my all time favourite years.
Indeed. Shocked that anyone can classify it with "One Day at a Time".
Remember the first, but certainly not the second. By the time The Osmonds came along, the Jackson 5 were well past their peak. And Donny wasn't the lead singer of The Osmonds.