Our group declare to be trueAug 9, 2024
"The wizard" gives way to Peter Powell and Sir Simon Bates this week, according to the Radio Times. Which is odd, they look rather like Lord Gary Davies of Whooton.
#TOTP
Show threadOur group declare to be trueAug 9, 2024

New Order start the show this week, performing "True faith" truly live. It's better than "Blue Monday".

An identifiable facsimile of the big hit single, all the beats and moments are there. They've got an awesome video - Siobhan's playing it a lot on "But First This..!" - and it looks like a costume from the vid is sitting at the back of the studio.
#TOTP #NewOrder

Show threadOur group declare to be trueAug 9, 2024

On video, Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram with "Somewhere out there". From the children's animation "Fievel Goes West", an under-appreciated part of Stephen Spielberg's oeuvre. The music was written by James Horner, lyric by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil.

A spine-tingling slowdown as Linda sings the note of hope, we're un-der-neath the saaaame biiiig skiiiiiiiiiiy, before launching into the chorus. Awesome songwriting, and quite rightly awarded the Grammy Song of the Year.
#TOTP #LindaRonstadt

Show threadOur group declare to be true

The video clip is loosely based on Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald's "On my own", but in this clip Linda and James do end up in the same room, singing together. Not in real life, the recording is spliced together from disjoint takes of the song, like "On my own".

A cover version by Liza Minelli from when the song was still hot. Subsequently covered in treacle by the likes of Susan Boyle and Mat & Savanna Shaw.
https://yewtu.be/watch?v=XP4RVSqi1vY
#TOTP #JamesIngram

Aug 9, 2024 at 8:26pmWeb
Show threadOur group declare to be trueAug 9, 2024
Sinitta is back with "Toy boy". She's showing off a lot of leg, even more than the backing boys. The song wants to be "So macho" part two, appealing to the same audience and hitting the same beats.
#TOTP #Sinitta
Show threadOur group declare to be trueAug 9, 2024

On video, Samantha Fox with "I surrender (to the spirit of the night)". "Number one in five countries," claims Gary; the researcher's got confused with Sam's last hit, which is still doing the "business" across Europe.

Anyway, lots of shots of Sam in her nightie, having a few bad dreams, then walking the late-night streets in a mean 'n' moody pose. It's the soft Euro-rock they love on the continent, but struggles to get traction here.
#TOTP #SamanthaFox

Show threadOur group declare to be trueAug 9, 2024

Breakers! Wet Wet Wet have "Sweet little mystery" from a beach in The Gambia. No song more summery this year...

Mötley Crüe perform "Girls girls girls", a song about the attractive young women they fraternise with...

Def Leppard have "Animal", recorded in a circus big top. Lot of hype around their big comeback single, most of it merited.

No sign of a video for this week's highest new entry, "I just can't stop loving you" never appeared on #TOTP at all.

Show threadOur group declare to be trueAug 9, 2024

Frightwigs a-HOY! Spagna with "Call me", a Euro-hit last summer, finally crossing over this side of la manche.

It's not only the white-haired frightwig, Spagna wears a military-style white jacket, and very tight silver trousers.

Having had a year's practice, it's no surprise that she prowls around the stage like she owns it.
#TOTP #Spagna

Show threadOur group declare to be trueAug 9, 2024

"Call me" is a perfect example of the summer holiday hit. Got to cut through when you've had more beer than is good for you, when you're dancing like a loon, and you can be lifted through major keys and upbeat vocals.

And it's got to have a hook you remember when you wake at lunchtime tomorrow with a massive headache.

Most summer holiday hits wear thin after a few hearings. "Call me" still sounded very decent months later.
#TOTP #Spagna #summer

Show threadOur group declare to be trueAug 9, 2024

Jings! Jings! Jings! Jings! Los Lobos are still number one with "La bamba".

Smash Hits gave a very loose translation of the lyric. "To dance the goat you need to have a little gracefulness", and so on.

If you're bored - perhaps stuck indoors with a fractured wrist - you might tweak the scansion of these mistranslated lines to fit the tune.
#TOTP #LosLobos #LaBamba #lyrics #SmashHits

Show threadOur group declare to be trueAug 9, 2024

Anyway, a chap from the BBC Spanish Service wrote to Smash Hits about the translation of the lyric, and suggested that "la bamba" is the name of the dance, and perhaps shouldn't be translated as "the goat". He agreed that the lyric made little sense in Spanish or English.

(Image appears twice to fit the alt text in.)
#TOTP #LosLobos #LaBamba #lyrics #SmashHits #TokenNTeaTowel

Show threadOur group declare to be trueAug 9, 2024

Playout is Stock Aitken and Waterman with "Roadblock".

Released to DJs a few months ago as a white label, just the track name. Only once it became huge in the clubs did they say who made it.

Of course, in the interim, some people claimed to have dug out the 1973 "original" of the track, which was complete bollocks because the track was new.
#TOTP #StockAitkenWaterman

Show threadOur group declare to be trueAug 9, 2024

And that, my friends, is that for another week. TOTP returns next Friday at 7 with two Mystery Years.

Joe Jackson night follows on BBC4, and it's the intriguing "Weather Hits at the BBC" tomorrow on BBC2, hosted by Carol Kirkwood and Tomasz Schafernaker.

Whatever you're doing this weekend, #TOTP hashtag, enjoy dancing the goat! Jings! Jings! Jings! Jings!

Show threadGirl about villageAug 9, 2024
@daweaver Smash Hits was an education
Show threadTracey SAug 9, 2024
@girlabtvillage @daweaver I'm wishing I had kept the issues of Smash Hits I bought back in the day #TOTP
Show threadOur group declare to be trueAug 9, 2024
@Wigwam12 @girlabtvillage So do I, mate.
Show threadOur group declare to be trueAug 9, 2024
@girlabtvillage Aye, Smash Hits was the absolute greatest. I genuinely wouldn't be doing this #TOTP hashtaggery without its influence.
Show threadGirl about villageAug 9, 2024
@daweaver ah, I wondered why Wikipedia didn't list any of them