I think in recent years they've added in songs that weren't actually Christmassy which kinda defeats the purpose of the show. 'Chasing Pavements' is an odd addition. It was a hit in January/February.


I stuck with the Christmas day shows for a while but in reality, for me, they died in the early mid-80's. The recent one's are really poor. I caught parts of that show with Bieber and it really was unwatchable. It's funny because in the days that X Factor was the Christmas No.1, the presenters couldn't actally name it as the show was recorded before the winner had been announced. They would just say "And here's this years Christmas No.1".


I never thought much of it at the time (I was more interested in songs like 'Mirror Man') but I really like it now. Haunting and atmospheric. I must try to find out what it's about. The Gaelic subtitles didn't enlighten me much!

You'd expect the likes of Gold & W to repeat old Totp 2 Xmas Specials, but not Bbc 2!

Apart from this Rolling Stones footage, wont the Bbc 4 show be practically the same as the Totp 2 specials?

It'll get taped still.

TOTP2 Christmas 2013 being shown on Yesterday at the moment.

There's always this version...

Saltwater - Chicane

Completely off topic but I just noticed a clip was uploaded to YouTube today of Chris Spedding performing 'Jump In My Car' (the follow-up single to his summer 1975 hit 'Motor Bikin') on the 3 January 1976 edition of Supersonic. I was disappointed when ITV failed to include it in their 'Pop Gold' series last year as I find it quite amusing.

Although the song failed to chart I remember David Hamilton picked it as his 'Record of the Week'. It was produced by Mickie Most for his RAK label which probably explains why Len Tuckey (who was then married to Suzi Quatro) can be seen in the background on guitar. I also note Brian Bennett is on drums (last seen on TOTP 1980 playing with The Shadows on 'Riders In The Sky').

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZSEeSeik9g

I personally love it.

Excellent additions to Ursula's choice - which was reasonably good.
( Not a PhD fan / nor Stranglers ).
Of your 13 additions I bought 11 of them on vinyl.

Some wonderful choices in there - and my favourite of the year almost included under the guise of 'Friends' LP.

Nice précis, Straker.

7 out of 10 would be a fair assessment - mind you I would give most editions in the latter half of 82 at least 6 out of 10. Easily pleased me.

Anyone know why the late showing this week was scheduled as 5 minutes longer than the earlier one? Maybe it was just a few minutes extra for a longer playout.

Just watched last night's show, great to see Marvin Gaye and Donna Summer on there.

Regarding the MJ & Macca track, I do like the song, but it should probably have just been an album track, or the b-side to the far superior Say Say Say. As I understand it, Say Say Say was on Macca's album, and The Girl Is Mine on Thriller - seems like Macca got the better of that arrangement! I have to say though, even if the collaborations aren't as great as we'd have liked them to be, it is good to see 30-odd years later these pairings of great singers working together, following Macca's much loved on here duet with Stevie Wonder...

The Zoo performance though...really what was going on there? The campest golfer routine they could find, and then bizarrely pictures of old biddies, and a frankly disturbing addition of a panda? If they'd carried on, i guess they'd have had Jocky Wilson up next...

Thanks - I aim to please - & I didn't do badly since I've got a rotten cold at the mo! - Yes I seem to have currently stepped into the Multi Quote department in Rich's absence (maybe he has a rotten cold too)!


"Reasonably good" ?? - Oh well - I can't please everyone I suppose!

Yes it seems we are all thinking the same way about 'The Girl is Mine' - Why on earth Michael & the record company decided to release that first as a taster for the Thriller album is beyond me...like you say - it sounds more like a B side.

Regarding the Zoo performance - to think they got rid of Legs & Co a year earlier - for that!! - Although why shouldn't they put up the pictures of "old biddies" as you call them? Women are still women whatever their age!

BBC2 and BBC4 which both broadcast in HD have a far superior picture quality to Gold and Yesterday, delivered at a far higher bit rate and even though recorded at 720x576 therefore it is good that they are repeated.

I first saw Friday's edition when it turned up on youtube earlier this year and have watched it loads of time since. mainly because I've become slightly obsessed with the Zoo performance. Watching yet again for reviewing purposes I'm giving it an 8 out of 10.

Kicking things of nicely a new performance of Blue Zoo's Cry Boy Cry, although it was a shame Mr Overall couldn't be bothered to dig out a new shirt for the occasion.

I was thinking that Dionne Warwick did a new performance of Heartbreaker on this edition, but I was getting it mixed up with Christmas edition. A shame I was wrong as we won't be seeing that.

Yay, definitely my highlight of this edition! Starting with the song, I do like The Girl Is Mine in a cheesy kind of way but there's no denying that Macca and Jacko's killer duet was Say Say Say. I can only guess this was the first single from Thriller because Stevie Wonder had not long had a UK no. 1 with a Macca duet. As for the Zoo routine, I'm glad they decided to an all male one as at least that gives some point to them binning Legs and Co. It's fun and the bit where the one who looks a bit like Jacko loses his hat and the camera pans away always makes me laugh. I also loved the nod to Legs and Co's routine to Fern Kinney's Together We Are Beautiful with the pictures of various "girls" they could be singing about. Okay, I'll shut up about it now and move on!

While there's no denying that Marvin Gaye's a great singer and I like the "groove" as Kid Jensen put it, I just find the lyrics of Sexual Healing so creepy. The best thing about it is that supposedly the radio 1 DJs had to drop the "Sexual" from the title yet Tommy Vance always said it in full on the top 40.

Move over Vince Clarke, you've just lost out in the worst hairstyle on TOTP 82 award! As amazingly bad as Mike Score's hair is, it's a shame it takes away some credit from what a great song Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You Is.) This was only the Flock Of Seagulls song I knew until fairly recently when I heard I Ran which should also have been a hit.

State Of Independence, though not my fave Donna track, is a quality tune and definitely adds a touch of class to this edition.

Fast Forward time with Clannad. I don't mind the their theme from Robin Hood their Theme From Harry's Game just sends me to sleep which you don't want to do when watching TOTP!

Eddy Grant still not wanting to dance, unlike the TOTP audience who seemed to be enjoying doing it to the music. When Raw Silk performed the other week I found out that the singers used to be in Crown Heights Affair. Not long after that I heard You Gave Me Love on the radio and I couldn't believed I hadn't already linked their vocals to that. Anyway, a nice way to end the show though it did seem to be cut off fairly quickly.

Blimey, you must have led a very sheltered life!

Now Clare, when some birds and bees love each other............

Can said performance be found anywhere online?

Bizarre that it was shown on BBC Four, but has not moved to the Iplayer?

And yet, for Paul McCartney to get involved with "The Girl Is Mine" was possibly the biggest mistake in his career - could Jackson not have selected a more soul-oriented performer to record it with?

On the other hand, Jackson was well-suited to the songs he helped record for Macca's album "Pipes Of Peace" (these being the album track "The Man" and the US No. 1 single "Say Say Say"). Shame about what happened with the Lennon-McCartney song catalogue, though.

I've just been reading up about Mike Score (Flock of Seagulls singer) & apparently it says he was a hairdresser by trade - which could explain his exceptional hairdo!

Last I heard of him, he was living in Florida and repaired boats for a living - and was completely bald!

I doubt he would ever have been able to go back into hairdressing - would you let him touch your hair after seeing what he did to his own??

Theme from Harry's Game by Clannad was used in the Harrison Ford film Patriot Games 10 years later. The single was even re-released but I don't think it charted. I found it odd that Theme from Harry's Game became Theme from Patriot Games or Harry's Game.

Michael Jackson - like Prince, like Midge Ure, like Phil Collins & also like The Bee Gees - is one of those people that you find out, years later, has had his fingers in many musical pies!

- I'm surprised his hair wasn't even more wacky!! - I'm sure there's been more outlandish hairstyles on TOTP - Toyah Wilcox for one!

My Top 5 for 1982, as taken from my laboriously compiled all-time Top 500, not a million miles from Ursula's:

1. Carly Simon - Why. Can't put into words why I love this so much, it just works perfectly
2. Associates- Party Fears Too. Has received high praise here already so say no more.
3. Japan- Ghosts. Still listen to Tim Drum frequently, immaculate tune and album.
4. PHD - I Won't let you down again. Offbeat and slightly grandiose and magnificent like PFT
5. Simple Minds - Hunter and The Hunted. Not a single, album track on New Gold Dream. All the tracks on NGD just have so much space and great production, must be my favourite album of 1982. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbwbXJvTwq4