I see Dollar and Mirror Mirror was still rising

David Van day and is weirdly echoing mirror doing well.

And 10 in a row after the 2nd Yewtree

Duplicate post
Last edited by Scott_Whitton : 24-06-2016 at 10:58

I notice nobody stayed up for the very slightly longer late night edition, it was on way too late mind.

Only extra was a short in concert clip of Foreigner which was so poor it did no favours to the song, which on record is divine.

The lush keyboard intro of the studio version is played by Thomas Dolby, sadly he's not on stage in this clip.

A pretty poor start to TOTP 82. I'm only scoring this edition a 6 and a quarter out of 10.

Love Yellow Pearl, but not Peter Powell's dancing and the Zoo routine. The only good bit was when they formed a human centipede, to steal a description I saw on the TOTP blog.

Dead Ringer For Love was a rare higlight. I always thought the lyric was "rock and roll it through". It was hilarious when they did this song in the indechiperable lyrics round on Never Mind The Buzzcocks in the early days. Anyway, Peter loses a mark for only guessing the female singer was Cher.

I do like Waiting For A Girl Like You and was so annoyed that first verse was completely cut. It also didn't help that the video was really bad quality.

Looking at Alton Edwards trousers, no wonder he was singing so high! I could only make out what he was singing during the chrous. Well done to the person who tweeted about his Ikea fraud!

Drowning In Berlin definitely sounds like a Toyah song and the singer had obviously modelled herself on Siouxsie. I've always found the fairground music bit at the end really creepy.

I agree that Easier Said Than Done is a good example of a elevator music, and Down On The Street is my fave Shakatak song, but if the group are on the show performing is it too much to ask to see them and not the dancers. They seem to block nearly every shot of the band, and I bet the female singers wondered why they'd bothered turning up at all.

While I enjoyed Sue's solo dance to I'll Find My Way Home, it was nice to see Jon and Vangelis in the studio performing it. It did look like Jon Anderson was struggling to take it seriously, though, and was trying not to laugh. His hand movements were good!

While it was good to see a new performance of Don't You Want Me, and nice to see them not yewtreed again, I'm looking forward to a fresh number one for 1982.

Shame that the vid for It Must Be Love was yewtreed and we only get it being danced to at the end. Yes, we do see plenty more of those bodybuilders in editions to come. Did they escape from Olivia's Physical video?!

How come on the Freeview programme detail it said Rick Springfield was on?

Originally it was a song in its own right.

The TOTP production team were searching for a new theme tune and wanted something "off the shelf" as opposed to something composed especially for the show. When they chose Yellow Pearl, Phil Lynott decided to re-record it using much heavier/bassier drums and have a drumbeat at the start. This is the version that is most well-known.

Two edits were made of that version, one for commercial release (as you hear with Zoo pratting about) and several instrumental mixes especially for use on TOTP as opening titles/background/chart rundown music.

Then a third version made *only* for TOTP was made in 1983/84, and that's a "soft rock" version used up until the relaunch in 1986.

Rick was featured in the US chart countdown, but this was edited out completely.

I think those of us that were up at the time were probably busy witnessing the UK going to hell in a hand cart.

For 35 years I assumed he was singing "rock 'n' rollin' groove".

I thought this edition was actually pretty good, where there is not one song i'd have any difficulty in enjoying numerous times. However, as much as i enjoyed the acts and the music, visually at various times, this episode really did begin to grate.

I made a comment in a previous post about the Christmas Eve episode, where i suspected Michael Hurll had pretty much ordered Kid to dance, because it seemed a little out of character, and now we see Peter Powell giving us his more vigorous interpretation of dancing. Not that he doesn't sway a little on occasions, but he was definitely giving it a little more welly on this occasion, but i would perhaps have preferred it if he had decided to keep still! I notice also the sight of those muscle men which was terribly off putting (with Top Of The Pops possibly beginning to move down market), as well as a Zoo routine, i really had difficulty in relating to. The new set design had also been updated to resemble a little more that of a nightclub. All these changes i don't especially think are for the better.

Jon And Vangelis' ''I'll Find My Way Home'', was good, but it isn't quite so effective seeing them in the flesh, as enjoying seeing the attractive Sue dance to the song. Jon Anderson's feminine tones, possibly work more effectively, without having to catch sight of him in performance. Foreigner's ''Waiting For A Girl Like You'' is possibly my favourite song of theirs. I am really not a huge fan of their AOR type rock, but this song is one i've always enjoyed. Shame that their live performance was cut a little short, though. Shakatak's ''Easier Said Than Done'' may be reminiscent of jazz/funk elevator music a little, but it is probably not the worst of that chilled out type genre. In fact, i found it rather enjoyable, but as i have mentioned previously, the visuals, with those dancers hogging the screen, really isn't something i appreciate.

I enjoyed the Alton Edwards track ''I Just Wanna''. I would need to give it a few more listens to give a more detailed verdict perhaps, but i like his voice and the general vibe. The Mobiles ''Drowning In Berlin'' may just be the highlight, although i do believe had it not been for that strange germanic sounding instrumental section, the song may just be deemed just a little flat. Still pretty good, mind. Meat Loaf's ''Dead Ringer For Love'' is a song i always enjoy hearing, and it's a very good, and rather humorous video. I think Cher, at least in the UK, was going though a lean spell in this period.

7.5/10 i give for the musical content.

The visuals i never think generally of separating, in my marks, but for overall entertainment value, there were moments visually that really did make me cringe.

You can say that again. Bring back the original 1982!!

¥ - See below:-

I always used to get them mixed up in 1982 - then I reminded myself that Shakatak did the better songs!

Just for clarification purposes - My comment you quoted was about the Alton Edwards song, certainly not Yellow Pearl which I think is absolutely brilliant!

Do you know what song that was? I quite like some of Rick's.

1. Ah, not only me then!

2. I'd forgotten about that since last night, but just done a quick google. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...n-1565309.html
What a frankly bizarre story!

3. It really does doesn't it, I could totally imagine Toyah singing/performing it.

4. Me too. I've had quite enough of DYWM for the time being.

5. Well that's depressing news. Once was more than enough. What idiot thought, "right, let's hire a couple of body builders, to 'pose' along to a song the viewers will love it!". In reality they just looked plain stupid.

Michael Hurll is the answer to that question. The same man who also wanted page 3 girls to join Zoo, irrespective of whether they had any dance ability.

Hah! Well, yes, should have known really.

Regarding your second sentence - Well I never knew that. Good grief. That might have been amusing to view though.

Michael Hurll's introduction as producer really is an interesting topic in its own right. In retrospect its certainly questionable as to whether he was a 'good fit' with regard what changes he made to the show and it's interesting how we're all so analytical in hindsight about them. Irrespective of personal age and I'm sure in common with many back then - as a 15 year old I don't think I actually really noticed the changes that occurred at the time. The only thing that ever concerned or interested me was who was on that week. I just wanted to watch artists I liked perform their singles and think I probably just zoned out for all the other bits. Of course, 34/5 years on we all view through a somewhat different set of eyes though.

It's a shame they changed the sets again. I thought the set was looking fantastic in the latter part of 1981.

I thought it was Rock n Rolling Through! Fabulous song.

This thread moves very fast doesn't it!

Yes, it's only with hindsight that I can appreciate what he brought to the TOTP table. At the time I just thought he was an old grump!

I never knew that Chas sung MC. I'd say he had a better voice than Suggs.

BTW Hazel O Connor was on tonight's Sounds of the 80s. I thought of you when she came on!

They are totally different. Still haven't a clue what it's about!

The page three girls would certainly have been an interesting scenario if they were allowed to perform their day jobs on Top Of The Pops, but i think Michael Hurll was thinking those girls had a high celebrity status, and would attract the males viewers!

I was certainly aware of the changes taking place as a viewer back then, and the sudden realisation that the show was no longer such an enjoyable viewing experience, but my views back then were very black and white, in that i just didn't enjoy the show any longer, and that was that. The idea of a new producer enforcing these changes, at the age of 15, perhaps didn't enter my head, but over the longer period, and with increased knowledge, i began to detest Michael Hurll's name.

However, in some ways that is a little unfair, because after a rather difficult start in 1980, where some of the new features, like the pop star interviews didn't really work, i thought Michael Hurll's contribution throughout most of 1981, was very effective. Aside from a few minor quibbles, the changes he made through 1981 were positive, and the more lively crowd, actually enhanced the atmosphere really well. The first big negative for me, was the loss of Legs & Co, towards the end of the year, and the introduction of Zoo, although i can certainly see, and appreciate, the logic of wanting to freshen things up a little. Legs & Co. had certainly had a long run. However, the employment of Zoo, seemed to open the floodgates, to many of the unneccessary changes which i thought over the the longer period only served to cheapen the show. The cheerleaders, like Zoo, i think were a bad idea, and to have to at times pick out your favourite stars through a sea of people wasn't always appreciated. Adding to this the less effective set design and excessive dry ice, and the show could sometimes become rather challenging. Even my favourite presenter in Kid Jensen, had been forced to keep shouting, and in doing so, began to lose his more natural presenting charisma.

Michael Hurll's production credits in light entertainment were impressive, including The Two Ronnies, Noel Edmonds and Cilla Black, but i do wonder whether showcasing contemporary pop in such a flash and ultimately disposable way, perhaps is a sign he didn't truly appreciate the music very much.

He certainly displayed an insensitivity, to put it mildly!

Oh thanks! What song was she singing? It is a shame i missed it!