What about this one?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2cat4kykzI

Michael Hurll's policy on whether to allow acts to perform based on their chart performance is really starting to annoy me. We often have 2 or 3 performances from acts which have barely reached the top 20 and only 1 performance from Top 10 hits just because they didn't climb as slowly as the former.

It began to be broadcast in stereo when it began simulcasting on Radio One for the 1000th edition in 1983.

For TV sound, it went into NICAM in 1988/89, although as NICAM was unofficial on the BBC until August 1991, no mention was made of it being in NICAM until August 1991.

I'm quite sure that I missed that one simply from the fact that I never liked OMD. But thanks for the info.

Actually, I do remember "Favourite Shirt" - and it still sounds as good as it did the first time I heard it.

Me too.

Outside of the Top of the Pops repeats on BBC iPlayer/BBC Four I get my '80s fix from Absolute Radio '80s.

Matthew Rudd presents a show on a Sunday evening featuring songs people have predominantly forgotten about (or where greater success eluded them).

Used to like No More I Love You's by Annie Lennox before discovering the original by The Lover Speaks. That and Floy Joy's original of Weak In The Presence of Beauty.

More bizarrely I created a Genius playlist on my iPhone today based on Never Give Up On A Good Thing and I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) appeared on the same list

Regarding Wild in the Country, vaguely remember the lyric ''..snakes in the grass are absolutely free..''
as originally being ''..sex in the grass is absolutely free..''

14 according to the albums Wikipedia page, prompting 'an investigation by Scotland Yard'.

Just caught up on this week's episodes.

I wasn't too familiar with Theatre of Hate but it was interesting to see an early performance from Kirk Brandon. I can forgive Andy McCluskey's dancing as Made of Orleans is such a great track. Very popular in Germany I believe. Say Hello Wave Goodbye is a brilliant pop song and it was good to see another performance of Senses Working Overtime. Not being a rocker I had little interest in Gillan or AC/DC and The Jets were just pap but the lost marks for those are made up by great hosting by John Peel and having Kraftwerk at number one. A surprising display of good taste by the British public. They were the first German act to reach number one in the UK although two more made it over the next three months.

An impressive 8.5/10 for Thurday's show.

The Tommy Vance hosted show wasn't as good for me, although The Jam's Town Called Malice is one of my favourites and is surely one of the greatest number ones of all time. Golden Brown is far from universally loved but I've always liked it. A shame it was released when it was though and it unfortunately missed out on number one. I also enjoyed seeing I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do) and the excellent Centerfold. This edition loses points for Modern Romance (dreadful) and Alton Edwards (dull).

A steady 7/10.

I'm still not quite sure what caused the track to suddenly become a hit four years later.

Having now watched the full edition of Thursday's show, I would say that it is one of the few that is actually better in the edited 30 minute format. Of the three songs that were cut, Gillan's "Restless" was OK for one showing but didn't really bear a second viewing, and AC/DC's track was pretty horrible. As for "Easier Said Than Done", it is just interminable, tedious and repetitive. The singing parts are only there to give a few welcome 30-second breaks from Bill Sharpe plinky-plonking on his piano.

Pity that one of those three wasn't cut from the original broadcast - which would have allowed the longer songs - "Say Hello Wave Goodbye", "Senses Working Overtime" and "Maid Of Orleans" to be heard in full rather than cut off in their prime.

Still catching up after a computer meltdown, so later than billed....

Countdown Capers

Top of the Pops 28th January 1982

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...group=b00704hg

Our head Zoo-keeper for tonight's African adventure is Simon Bates, and with a purse of his lips and a swing of his hips we're on to Item 1 on the agenda.

Thankfully Simes doesn't enter in the 'swing' of things by wearing a loin cloth & leaping on a Jeremy Vine, otherwise we'd see his nips as well as his hips & his lips and the consequences on the audience would be horrendous. Casualty hasn't been thought of yet and there aren't enough emergency blankets or mops to cope with this scenario.

(43) TIGHT FIT – The Lion Sleeps Tonight

We're fortunate to have another addition to the TOTP enclosure in the shape of Renton the spaced-out lion, whose tranquilizer's worn off just in time to be released into a lion's natural habitat, which is of course behind a reincarnation of Tight Fit. You'll never find this fact in any reference book, and even your average tranquilized lion would make a better job of reading the Top 30 than Simes but I digress.

During the performance, the gorilla taunted by DLT the other Week has been integrated into society and now works part-time discussing deforestation on Pebble Mill, but in the meantime he's on the Pops getting cheeky, looking up 'Chopper' Harris' skirt as his primal urges take hold.

In an attempt to repel the animal's ardour, Herr Hurll deploys his recently delivered laser in the gorilla's general direction, but he's persistant & now Renton the lion has his crossed eyes on the future Mrs. Waterman.

Steve Grant's been disarmed at the BBC gate so there's no first line of defence to the amorous advances of the animal kingdom, but thankfully we arrive at 'the clap' with all crew accounted for and with animals & humans dancing in perfect harmony.

I'm a sucker for a bit of camp pop & this is no exception, although I prefer "Fantasy Island" as it's less gimmicky. Their track "Secret Heart" is worth a listen too...

Clickety
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR4GHiUwSNc

Trivia:
Denise Gyngell/Waterman (the brunette) also appeared as one of (Benny) “Hill's Angels” fact fans!

(29) OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN – Landslide (video)

The first day in a new job is always a nervous experience, and when you've just filled the vacancy as office junior at Josef Fritzl Office Solutions with Olivia “Cougar” John as your line manager, if you've any sense you'll get out of there as fast as you can say Stockholm Syndrome.

In another WTF? Video release (plenty more to come on that score in the 80's), Olivia's become so delirious since getting "Physical" she's mistakenly filed children in the cabinet marked Tax Return 1980-1981 & more than likely left a stack of paper in the on-site creche with the Grim Reaper, as you do.

The office junior engages in a fencing duel with the now shape-shifting misfiled children, then he's dragged into Olivia's lair to certain marriage, presumably with the Grim Reaper as Best Man.

This actually did happen....well the marriage bit anyway to the office junior & I'm hoping Olivia doesn't keeps her kids in a filing cabinet. Good track I thought then & now, just not with the video to distract.

We cut back to the studio to a revelation.

The lion's not real!

In a Scooby-Doo style unmasking, it was a member of Zoo all along. He'd have got away with it had it not been for those meddling kids in Olivia's filing cabinet, but the BBC can't afford to fire him as they're down to only 57 varieties of Zoo, much like Heinz Baked Beans. It's a matter for some debate whether beans make better dancers than Zoo, but as we all know Beanz Meanz bad grammar.

(36) HAIRCUT 100 – Love Plus One

As a special treat, Nick Heyward's been allowed out way past his bedtime as long as he keeps his neck warm and his trousers tucked into his boots.

He's also being trusted to make sure the band behave themselves for that nice Mr. Hurll & don't ask for too much jelly. Then the bongo player ruins it by overrunning the track deliberately to annoy Simes. Good work boyo but no jelly & a note sent home to Mum.

Fabulous track, not quite up with Favourite Shirts but unusual guitar scratching intro & the album's a good one to put on in the Summer along with Rio.

(4) THE STRANGLERS – Golden Brown

With the Stranglers' in a semi-cryogenically frozen state from the barrage of dry ice thrown at them, they really did look like they'd rather be anywhere than TOTP in their barely animated repeat performance. Great track though.

(34) STIFF LITTLE FINGERS – Listen

Simes' seemingly left his script misfiled in Olivia's filing cabinet (not a euphemism) in the drawer marked Farnborough Air Show with his intro “It's a Bomber for your ears & your eyes as well”. Simes over-compensates for the error by pursing his lips & pretending to shoot Stiff Little Fingers with his microphone, only succeeding in going off half-cocked as usual (or fully depending on your point of view).

A thumbs up from Simes is destined to be the kiss of death for any artist, and caught between the stools of Punk and Metal, SLF seemed to be trying to appeal to both but ended up sounding like a pale imitation of neither.

A shame as they're earlier stuff had decent licks & a band which promised plenty seemingly became a band out of time in '82. Oddly enough after a second hearing to these old ears there seems to be slight elements of Grunge in the mix, so maybe on reflection they were simultaneously behind & ahead of their time in the same instant?

(30) ELKIE BROOKS – Fool If You Think It’s Over

Being neither a bomber, Airbus A380 or micro-light for eyes ears or any extremity, Simes seems more comfy introducing a horseless Elkie Brooks for a second go, this time in a helpful blouse which also doubles as a parachute should our Elk have to bail out at 10,000 feet. Something has to compensate for the leatherette gr-ousers she's got on, which apart from being a fashion faux-pas would have no wind resistance whatsoever.

Crowd bewildered as before & go all Roger Daltrey “What time's the Clash on” mode. A pleasant & classy performance slightly ruined by wow & flutter in the middle like being played on a C120 in a Bush Tape Recorder.

(20) ALTON EDWARDS – I Just Wanna (Spend Some Time With You)

FLAT PACK'S BACK...ALRIGHT!

Taking no chances with the TOTP Set, Herr Hurll has Alton Towers completely surrounded with his 57 Varieties of Zoo and kept in close quarter by Captain Fairbrass who's really putting his back into it. The Hurll WMD Laser beam is also being utilised as the ultimate kettling device.

With a masterplan shakier than a Swedish wardrobe it's not surprising Alton was caught and he prophetically got his wish, but the time he would spend was of course at 'Her Majesty's Pleasure'.

Decent catchy number with a Quincy Jones feel & a definite grower (reflected in it's stickability in the charts), but one Top 20 hit won't pay the mortgage I'm afraid.

(1) SHAKIN' STEVENS - Oh Julie

Shaky doesn't get much of a look in for this performance as he's subject to some serious videobombing with little mercy. One giddy stage-squatter even seems to have taken up permanent residence on the stage. No respect these young 'uns!

The instrumental break gives an opportunity for Oh Julie Zoo to do a solo jig, egged on by a Fairbrass in camouflage whilst Shaky gets on with his own business with the aid of his Shaky legs. The floor manager eventually twigs the giddy stage-squatter and orders her to schnell, giving Shaky the opportunity to take his rightful place in the spotlight. The guy's a Super Trooper! (R)

(16) THE FOUR TOPS – Don’t Walk Away (credits)

In a testosterone-filled finale, Captain Fairbrass challenges one of Kelly Marie's backing dancers (Zig or Zag?) to a dance-off duel where there's only ever going to be one winner, but it's nothing compared to over-exuberant Zoo male dancer #46 who inflicts self-imposed whiplash for the cause.

Another episode is in the can, we can all sleep soundly in our beds & a 7/10.

Until next time, nos da pop pickers

The end credits named the Zoo girls as Sharon & Heather, the brown sugar being Sharon 'Sid' Heywood _
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haywoode
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_aam3tDci8

So the blonde is Heather! Sorry, not helping but neither is Wiki...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoo_(dance troupe)

I've just caught part of tonight's show ..... what on earth were those people wearing !!??
All those crazy costumes and clothes ....!?

Its called the 80s kiddo - deal with it!

I was around in the 80's and even wore bottle green lune pants for a short while ( why ? ) but I didn't wear any fancy dress outfits

I see Craig Fairbrass popped up a few times in the audience. He looks like an absolute dead ringer for Mr Spooner (Mike Berry) from Are You Being Served! Sorry Craig.

Not sure if this has been shared already but this video shows how the early 80's titles were made. https://youtu.be/Px1FE45hchA at the time as a child it never occurred to me it could have been such a simple technique.

I saw it when they were talking about 1981 earlier on in the year and found it very interesting.

The blonde dancer is Heather Alexander according to a copy of the performance posted onto YouTube.

I've noticed this feature on my itunes, I'm not really sure what it's about, but I haven't really looked into it to be honest. Sounds fun & pretty cool.

Now watched the full edition from Friday. Depeche Mode's "See You" is certainly one of their lesser-played hits - another track that I probably haven't heard since 1982. It's good, though, with a bit of a Beach Boys vibe to the vocals in the middle 8? Also, Tommy Vance has his say on the Depeche/ay pronunciation controversy at the end of it!

Not sure what to make of Centrefold - don't think I was a big fan of it back then, and it's certainly not a video that would be made these days.

As for Queen Of The Rapping Scene - a song of two halves. The first half is the best Modern Romance single to date, with a great chorus, unfortunately the second half is laughably bad.

Tommy announced Mike Read as next week's presenter at the end - I wonder if Mike will follow suit next week?

Friday's edition for me was the better of the two, so I'll give it a 8 and half out of ten.

Nice to see TV, and his jumper, back in charge after such a long time, though I'm sure he'd sooner have been introducing the previous edition with Gillan and ACDC on it.

Great start, though mainly for the debut of Bananarama than the song itself. I look forward to seeing more of them during these repeats. I'm sure the girls cringe at their image when they see old footage like this.

Golden Brown again, though at least it was the video. The question is though, should this actually have been the number one and not the one I'll be getting to later.

I enjoyed Bow Wow Wow more than I expected. A very energenic performance though I'm not that crazy about the song and we've already seen it on the Big Hits show.

I'm not sure if I like Classic in spite or because of the terrible lyrics. Worse to me than the classic/attic rhyme is when he describes the woman he's singing about as his "best toy". Surely his curly mullet was ahead of its time? Anyway, we'll be seeing the England footie team performing one his classics in the near future.

It's a shame we're not seeing the JK segments as now we're finally seeing this promotion of American acts kick off with Hall and Oates. Great song, but shame about the video quality as usual.

Another excellent song to follow in See You - definitely proving there was plenty of life left in the "Depechay" Mode even though Vince had left.

And the good run continues with Centerfold. Fantastic guitar riff and its hard not to sing along to the "na na na" bit. I suppose the lyrics and video would be considered a bit dodgy nowadays, though.

Things took a downturn with Modern Romance, though maybe I should give it more listens as its the only hit of theirs I'm not that familiar with. I think this may be their last single before a they changed lead singers.

Surprised that Elkie was back for another bite of the cherry. This time it is a repeat, though she did wear the same blouse in both of her performances. Maybe that was why the record didn't get any higher!

Onto much better things with a return for Haircut One Hundred and their song that may or may not be about the Falklands War. Nick seems to look younger and cuter with every appearance.

The Jam straight in at number one but, from what I gather, there was some dispute over this because 12" single sales shouldn't have counted. I'm sure someone on here will have more details. I do like Town Called Malice but I think I'd have preferred The Stranglers at No. 1.

I'm not sure the criteria they used for choosing the playout song, but surely they could've chosen something different to I Just Wanna Spend Some Time With You. I've certainly heard enough of it now.

During the countdowns I was wondering why the songs that had been on the previous week's edition had gone down, until I remembered the TOTP effect kicking in a week later. I'm not sure exactly when they changed back the chart collection date.

Well there was the slight problem that that version of tbe Human League didn't exist anymore at that pointm

So you think that snyone even just with allegations agsinst them shouldn't be on air? You're contradicting your own argument.

Thanks very much for your investigations.

Actually I've just discovered that the names of the dancers are given on the YouTube video — Sharon Haywoode, Eddie Kemp and Heather Alexander. I wonder what happened to Heather? She was a nice looking girl, (if that's not too politically incorrect):

http://bit.ly/29wxKnG

Yep, but it could have had a performance from Zoo. Now that would have been interesting with a literal interpretation.