[Zimbo78]

Originally Posted by Rich Tea.

even more curious was why the Small Faces were at No9 with Itchycoo Park again, from the 60's.

Possibly something to do with Steve Marriott reuniting with the rest of the band after a gap of 6 years. They did mimed videos to Itchcoo Park and Lazy Sunday Afternoon, before Ronnie Lane left and they did two largely ignored albums before finally splitting for good!

[The Gatherer]

Originally Posted by Servalan

Very good - but quite subtle. And quite hard sci-fi - it's not a soap opera in space or anything. It's not clear quite what is going on before you are some way into the film - so it requires some patience. But the setting does lend a hint of Bowie influence to the whole thing.

Definitely worth watching.

Thanks!

[Rich Tea.]

Originally Posted by Servalan

Right backatcha, Rich ...

Re Showaddywaddy: they were interspersing covers with original material up to 1976, with varying success - but the success of 'Under The Moon Of Love' must have had Bell Records on their case to stick with cover versions ... and that's precisely what they did. 1978 is their last big year as a singles chart force.

Re the retro influence: the charts were full of re-releases between 1972 and 1976. Northern Soul is responsible for a certain amount of them ('There's A Ghost In My House', 'The Night', 'Footsee', 'I've Been Hurt') but, beyond that, a growing awareness of pop's past and - The Gatherer is right - the success of That'll The Day helped drive this trend.1976 is particularly bad because of the Beatles' back catalogue, but 1974 isn't far behind with 'Young Girl', 'Baby Love', 'Da Doo Ron Ron', 'Rock Around The Clock' and 'What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted', to name but a few.

If disco, punk and electronic music blew anything away, it's that.

Right back at ya...again Servalan! I'm always visualising that short haired stunner from Blake's 7 when seeing your name.

Certainly you have picked a few more old tracks that have jogged my memory, and doubtless there are more in that period. Do you recall when the downloads were fully integrated into the mainstream UK singles chart about 6 or 7 years ago now, and it was said by quite a few sources, including some impeccable ones, that this was going to mean that large portions of the UK charts would be taken up with old records, and I even heard somebody mention that an entire Top 10 could end up being. But it has far from worked out like that, except for the Christmas period, but even this past one, none of the old Christmas tunes made the Top 10, and I don't think any of Cliff's got to the Top 100 this time around. So this is one anticipated outcome that never really happened.

Unique events, such as the Olympics and the Kate Bush song, have obviously very briefly shot a song back up there for a quick week or two.

As for Bowie falling No6 to No41, shame on the public! Just knew it would happen though.

In the first chart of 1978 as we saw last Thursday, I think we can fully forgive the two old tunes that showed up in that Top 20 from Elvis & Bing, clearly there due to their 1977 passing.

[johnythefox]

The retro revival of 50's tunes really started around the early 70's and was very prevelant right up to the late 70's.

Some acts took it very seriously and almost 'note for note' like Showaddywaddy and that dreadful Long Tall Ernie who I've just had the unfortunate experience of witnessing on the iplayer . Alvin Stardust also took it to some ridiculous lengths. Others took influence like Wizzard, Mott The Hoople etc..and the suggestion about pop music becoming aware of its own history is an excellent point.

However, as has been said I think the success of That'll Be The Day glavanised all that, I seem to recall everyone had a copy of the soundtrack album at the time, and admittedly it did contain some great songs. Not sure if it started the trend or was merely a part of it as I remember re-released stuff like The Twist, Chris Montez's Let's Dance, Danny & The Junior's At The Hop etc etc all making the charts again in the early-mid 70s. Whilst never being a massive fan of punk, I'm thankful that it seemed to spark the end of all that. Looking to the past for influence is fine if you put a different spin on it, but just copying it note for note seemed pointless.

[Servalan]

Originally Posted by johnythefox

The retro revival of 50's tunes really started around the early 70's and was very prevelant right up to the late 70's.

Some acts took it very seriously and almost 'note for note' like Showaddywaddy and that dreadful Long Tall Ernie who I've just had the unfortunate experience of witnessing on the iplayer . Alvin Stardust also took it to some ridiculous lengths. Others took influence like Wizzard, Mott The Hoople etc..and the suggestion about pop music becoming aware of its own history is an excellent point.

However, as has been said I think the success of That'll Be The Day glavanised all that, I seem to recall everyone had a copy of the soundtrack album at the time, and admittedly it did contain some great songs. Not sure if it started the trend or was merely a part of it as I remember re-released stuff like The Twist, Chris Montez's Let's Dance, Danny & The Junior's At The Hop etc etc all making the charts again in the early-mid 70s. Whilst never being a massive fan of punk, I'm thankful that it seemed to spark the end of all that. Looking to the past for influence is fine if you put a different spin on it, but just copying it note for note seemed pointless.

That'll Be The Day was released in 1973 - by which time the re-issues had already started and some artists had already taken a retro route ('California Man' is a good spot) ... but I'm sure it must have contributed to what was going on in 1974 (the Rubettes and Showaddywaddy especially).

[TUC]

Originally Posted by Rich Tea.

I suspect that Peter Powell, and the others were forbidden from being anything other than enthusiastic about even the worst drivel appearing week in week out on TOTP.

Peter Powell was enthusiastic about everything!

[Rich Tea.]

Originally Posted by TUC

Peter Powell was enthusiastic about everything!

Not meant by me as a criticism either. Always one of my favourites. I'd like to think he is much the same nowadays even though he took a different direction.

Somebody mentioned Bruno Brookes and his voice in an earlier posting, after his popping up near the end last week before the No1 song. Having listened to excerpts of him for the first time in ages, I have to agree, he did not seem to have a good radio voice listening back, in comparison to many of the others. Can't quite place what it is about the voice as such. Was he one of the first of the slightly "shouty" types on reflection? His Top 40 countdowns seem that way listening back.

Another good thing that they were not doing in the late 1970's was having dual hosts on TOTP like began in the early to mid 80's regularly, if not every week. I'm sure someone knows the when and where of all that trivia. Because if these shows had been having dual hosts that could have spelt serious trouble with even more non-showing TOTP episodes if DLT or especially Savile were paired with Noel, Tony, Peter or Kid. I wonder, was the final edition the only one ever to feature both DLT and Savile together? Anyway DLT will soon be back...I'm sure...I hope!

I also hope our fellow regular Highlander is going to rejoin us sometime soon again.

[suesuesue]

Originally Posted by johnythefox

The retro revival of 50's tunes really started around the early 70's and was very prevelant right up to the late 70's.

Some acts took it very seriously and almost 'note for note' like Showaddywaddy and that dreadful Long Tall Ernie who I've just had the unfortunate experience of witnessing on the iplayer . Alvin Stardust also took it to some ridiculous lengths. Others took influence like Wizzard, Mott The Hoople etc..and the suggestion about pop music becoming aware of its own history is an excellent point.

However, as has been said I think the success of That'll Be The Day glavanised all that, I seem to recall everyone had a copy of the soundtrack album at the time, and admittedly it did contain some great songs. Not sure if it started the trend or was merely a part of it as I remember re-released stuff like The Twist, Chris Montez's Let's Dance, Danny & The Junior's At The Hop etc etc all making the charts again in the early-mid 70s. Whilst never being a massive fan of punk, I'm thankful that it seemed to spark the end of all that. Looking to the past for influence is fine if you put a different spin on it, but just copying it note for note seemed pointless.

Interesting to be reminded of the retro 50s influence in the 70s. That'll be the Day and American Grafitti were hugely popular with teens, maybe because it seemed that little cinema was aimed at us. I still have my TBTD vinyl. Let's Dance and At the Hop were great school disco numbers. And the 50s interest was bigger than music; At school we were obsessed with James Dean and Marilyn Munro. Fashion saw capped sleeve t shirts, baseball shirts, ankle socks and full circle skirts. This moved on - or backwards - to a 1940s revival in music, fashion etc. Glen Miller influenced Manhattan Transfer's watered down version for instance. Guess that everything is on a cycle and will eventually be revived.

[UrsulaU]

Originally Posted by Rich Tea.

. I wonder, was the final edition the only one ever to feature both DLT and Savile together? Anyway DLT will soon be back...I'm sure...I hope!

.

It'll be too late by then - we will have missed some of the best DLT episodes and I doubt the BEEB will go backwards to 1978 once they've moved on to 79/80!

[Servalan]

Originally Posted by suesuesue

Interesting to be reminded of the retro 50s influence in the 70s. That'll be the Day and American Grafitti were hugely popular with teens, maybe because it seemed that little cinema was aimed at us. I still have my TBTD vinyl. Let's Dance and At the Hop were great school disco numbers. And the 50s interest was bigger than music; At school we were obsessed with James Dean and Marilyn Munro. Fashion saw capped sleeve t shirts, baseball shirts, ankle socks and full circle skirts. This moved on - or backwards - to a 1940s revival in music, fashion etc. Glen Miller influenced Manhattan Transfer's watered down version for instance. Guess that everything is on a cycle and will eventually be revived.

That thirties/forties revival in 1976 was bizarre - I'm still not sure what the trigger for that was ...

Of course, the biggest retro revival (and arguably the last of that kind) awaits us in this year's TOTP repeats: Grease ...

[Servalan]

Originally Posted by UrsulaU

It'll be too late by then - we will have missed some of the best DLT episodes and I doubt the BEEB will go backwards to 1978 once they've moved on to 79/80!

The only glimmer of hope - if DLT is cleared, that is - is that 1980 strike ... they'd need something to fill the gaps!

[The Gatherer]

Originally Posted by Servalan

That thirties/forties revival in 1976 was bizarre - I'm still not sure what the trigger for that was ...

Of course, the biggest retro revival (and arguably the last of that kind) awaits us in this year's TOTP repeats: Grease ...

There was a club on Canvey Island (Goldmine) that started playing it and it took off from there, but as to why that club started playing it in the first place........

[Phoenix Lazarus]

Originally Posted by Servalan

That thirties/forties revival in 1976 was bizarre - I'm still not sure what the trigger for that was ...

Remember Sailor and Glass of Champagne and Girls Girls Girls? I used to really like them.

[johnythefox]

Originally Posted by Phoenix Lazarus

Remember Sailor and Glass of Champagne and Girls Girls Girls? I used to really like them.

Very true, also Peter Skellern songs were very 30/40's influenced. I also remember stuff like The Sun Has Got His Hat On and all the Glen Miller stuff being re-released, and didn't the Charleston music get a re-issue around that time?

[Servalan]

Originally Posted by johnythefox

Very true, also Peter Skellern songs were very 30/40's influenced. I also remember stuff like The Sun Has Got His Hat On and all the Glen Miller stuff being re-released, and didn't the Charleston music get a re-issue around that time?

'In The Mood' was re-issued with 'Moonlight Serenade' and 'Little Brown Jug' as a single in 1976 - and reached number 13 ...

[Phoenix Lazarus]

Originally Posted by Servalan

That thirties/forties revival in 1976 was bizarre - I'm still not sure what the trigger for that was ...

Of course, the biggest retro revival (and arguably the last of that kind) awaits us in this year's TOTP repeats: Grease ...

Originally Posted by The Gatherer

There was a club on Canvey Island (Goldmine) that started playing it and it took off from there, but as to why that club started playing it in the first place........

Originally Posted by Phoenix Lazarus

Remember Sailor and Glass of Champagne and Girls Girls Girls? I used to really like them.

Originally Posted by johnythefox

Very true, also Peter Skellern songs were very 30/40's influenced. I also remember stuff like The Sun Has Got His Hat On and all the Glen Miller stuff being re-released, and didn't the Charleston music get a re-issue around that time?

Originally Posted by Servalan

'In The Mood' was re-issued with 'Moonlight Serenade' and 'Little Brown Jug' as a single in 1976 - and reached number 13 ...

And Acker Bilk had a hit in 1976, with that clarinet intstrumental that sounded really 1940s.

[chemical2009b]

Originally Posted by Servalan

The only glimmer of hope - if DLT is cleared, that is - is that 1980 strike ... they'd need something to fill the gaps!

They could get round the problem by resting Pops during the Proms so it doesn't need to move to Wednesdays.

[Rich Tea.]

I have just listened to, having downloaded it, the American No1 from this time in January 1978, a song that entirely failed to reach the UK Top 30, Baby Come Back by Player. Did it ever get any play on TOTP does anyone know? An excellent song and a bad UK miss early in '78.

[Mojo Pin]

Originally Posted by Zimbo78

Possibly something to do with Steve Marriott reuniting with the rest of the band after a gap of 6 years. They did mimed videos to Itchcoo Park and Lazy Sunday Afternoon, before Ronnie Lane left and they did two largely ignored albums before finally splitting for good!

According to Marriott's biography 'All too beautiful':

By 1975, former Immediate boss, Andrew Loog Oldham, had quit Britannia but his partner, Tony Calder, remained in London and now worked at NEMS, the company once owned by Beatle manager Brian Epstein. calder persuaded his boss Patrick Meehan to buy up the Immediate Small Faces back catalogue. Calder sanctioned the re-release of 'Itchycoo Park', as a single, sending it out to do battle once more with the other chart hopefuls.
'it's one of my all time favourite records. I still think it's a hit today,' says Calder.

and

Top Of The Pops, the country's biggest TV show, wanted to film the original Small Faces performing both 'Itchycoo Park" and "Lazy Sunday"

None member of The Small Faces had anything to do with re-release 'Itchycoo Park'.
The fact that this song charted so high again caused the band considered reunion.
Steve Marriott was very surprised when he saw this song at the British charts.

[chemical2009b]

Just want to reiterate my relief that Stuart Hall never hosted the show after his latest charges last night.

[Nick G]

Originally Posted by Rich Tea.

I have just listened to, having downloaded it, the American No1 from this time in January 1978, a song that entirely failed to reach the UK Top 30, Baby Come Back by Player. Did it ever get any play on TOTP does anyone know? An excellent song and a bad UK miss early in '78.

I doubt it did. Wonderful record. What TOTP really needed was a feature giving exposure to these big American hits, possibly hosted by the King in New York, Jonathan King. Of course it eventually happened. Trying to remember when - 1981?

[darren1090]

Originally Posted by johnythefox

Very true, also Peter Skellern songs were very 30/40's influenced. I also remember stuff like The Sun Has Got His Hat On and all the Glen Miller stuff being re-released, and didn't the Charleston music get a re-issue around that time?

There was lots of jazz, swing and big band revivals in the late 70s, both done in a reasonably authentic style, and also discofied as well. A lot of it didn't reach the charts, but one that did reach the Top 20, is "Baby Face" by the Wing and a Prayer Fife and Drum Corps. This charted in 1976, and Pan's People danced to it on 29/01/1976, an edition which is sadly wiped.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFwydS6Uir4

From the LP of the same name (which I own), there is also a track called "Charleston", which you mentioned and this reminded me, as well as "Yes! We have no bananas".

[faversham saint]

Originally Posted by Nick G

I doubt it did. Wonderful record. What TOTP really needed was a feature giving exposure to these big American hits, possibly hosted by the King in New York, Jonathan King. Of course it eventually happened. Trying to remember when - 1981?

I think it may have been 1982 - the way things are going it is unlikely any of JK's USA segments for 80s TOTP shows will see the light of day again.

[Servalan]

Originally Posted by Nick G

I doubt it did. Wonderful record. What TOTP really needed was a feature giving exposure to these big American hits, possibly hosted by the King in New York, Jonathan King. Of course it eventually happened. Trying to remember when - 1981?

I love 'Baby Come Back' - which, back then, would have been referred to as 'blue-eyed soul', a genre long-forgotten and, TBH, rather outdated - but I'm 99% sure it never featured on TOTP ... not because TOTP ignored big US hits, but because, as a non-Top 30 single, it would have meant RSO to fly the group over to perform in the studio - and they obviously decided it wasn't worth it.

But TOTP never, ever needed a feature giving exposure to US hits, and it certainly didn't need Jonathan King (who, by this time, was, lest we forget, covering Eurodisco songs in a multi-coloured wig - hardly a convincing qualification for anything ... ).

'Baby Come Back' had no shortage of radio play in 1978 - and, given that Steely Dan made the Top 20 with the same, and without a single TOTP appearance, Player should have been able to achieve the same. Or maybe RSO couldn't be bothered and were more interested in promoting Saturday Night Fever by this point ...?

[Servalan]

Originally Posted by faversham saint

I think it may have been 1982 - the way things are going it is unlikely any of JK's USA segments for 80s TOTP will see the light of day again.

I must confess that it is one edit I realy wouldn't mind being made ...

Those USA segments robbed British artists from getting their chance on TOTP at a time when music was its most exciting - and they rarely featured any non-white faces. Strange, that ...