Ah, the "Prince Charming" on #TOTP
While researching something else, I found that the song's driving beat makes it difficult to dance normally, so Adam demonstrated a pattern dance to the lolloping rhythm.
Now, has Phil Paintpot shut up yet?
https://weaversweek.tumblr.com/post/763476625098752000/46-prince-charming-adam-and-the-ants
Always thought "Ready or not" was one of the weakest tracks on "The Score", and yet it's still the strongest 1996 track on the show.
Right, the first Mystery Year. I would give you a world news headline, only my archive newspaper was on strike.
Peter Powell is the host.
"On my radio" from The Selecter. Here's a performance from Top Pop, the Dutch equivalent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=074AfC9tw48
"A message to you, Rudy" - The Specials. The two-tone takeover starts here.
"Gonna get along without you" - Viola Wills. The ancient Teresa Brewer / Patience and Prudence number given a bit of a disco makeover. Modern equivalent: Charli XCX turns her attention to a remake of some mid-90s classic like "How bizarre".
"Crazy little thing called love" - Queen. On video. You know this song.
Forty minute show, thirty minute slot, so we lose "Luton Airport" - Cats UK. An early piece of fame for Lorraine Chase.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dldJCeZjcBo
And we lose "The devil went down to Georgia" - The Charlie Daniels Band. Guess Satan is a fan of R.E.M. They played the video.
Legs and Co do their dances to "My forbidden lover" - Chic. This was from the time when & Co did their bit to address the European Spandex Mountain, and the surplus stocks of spangles for their tops.
They don't just throw this show together, you know...
"When you're in love with a beautiful woman" - Dr. Hook.
"He was beautiful" - Iris Williams. Ah, "Cavatina", latterly the theme from Take Hart's "Gallery" section. With an added vocal line, and subject to pumpkinification by The Top of the Pops Orchestra.
"The chosen few" - The Dooleys. Rather good, this; loud and sassy, Looks rather like The Manhattan Transfer, but with a bit of an edge.
Tune reminds me a bit of "Sugar sugar". Quite how they can call four singers and a full "a few" is another question.
"The iron lady" - Janet Brown. The leading lady of impersonations tries to do one of amateur theologian Margaret Thatcher. Fails. Still releases the record.
Can someone hurry up and invent "Breakfast at Tiffany's"?
"O.K. Fred" - Errol Dunkley. Roots reggae was popular in the late 70s. He's wearing the Welsh men's football team top. Probably gave inspiration to one of Lenny Henry's comedy characters.
"One day at a time" - Lena Martell saves us from the pile of unfunny comedy records with one that is (merely) toe-curlingly naff. Glasgow's finest.
"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A man after midnight)" - ABBA play us out.
Blimey, that started well, but became really hard work.
1979 was our first Mystery Year. Another one after the continuity announcer plugs some forthcoming attractions.
Our second Mystery Year comes from when Richard Branson was on litter duty in central London; he cannot take punishment from the prefects without turning it into a publicity stunt.
Lord Gary Davies of Wooton hosts.
"Don't get me wrong" - The Pretenders. Basic rhythm, chugging riff, some pleasant guitar licks, and Chrissie Hynde's lyric comparing love to the weather. She's passionate, controlled, confident. A song played to death by radio in the years since.
On video, Midnight Star with "Midas touch". Three kids paint the walls of the warehouse gold while the band play on.
The song is in that minor-key groove they loved at the time (see also: "Criticise", "Fresh"). Feels like something Five Star might have considered for their new Imperial Phase album.
Covered by Ellie Goulding, of all people.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHzzfvLMu8E
In the studio, The Housemartins "Think for a minute". It's a song asking people to reflect on life as it is now, compare it to what had gone before, and see how things have been improved.
Once heard a station play this out of the 11 November silence, which is a power move.
Billy Idol is on video with "To be a lover". The First Lord of the Sneery is in a boxing ring, with backing singers in the band box behind him.
It's a cover of a 1968 song by William Bell, and the video was all over MTV, Billy trying to get with the dangerous women behind the ring, while he hangs out with the guitarist and the pianist bangs his instrument.
Breakers!.. "Stay with me" chant The Mission, prog-goth-rock with a simple beat and simple message. And remember, kids, a goth is for life, not just Hallowe'en.
Gwen Guthrie's charming cover of "Close to you" is set in a supper club, with one guy seeing a lot of attention. She'll be in the #TOTP studio next week.
"True colors" - Cyndi Lauper. Cyndi commands the stage, rises from the dry ice to her feet and brings the audience into her world.
Originally written about songwriter Billy Steinberg's mother, Cyndi turns the song into a tribute to her friend Gregory Natal, recently claimed by AIDS.
Yep, it's another very queer song, by an act using her platform to cut through the conservative bumfluff.
"Every loser wins" - Nick Berry, Wicksy from The East Enders. The good news: Nick can sing well, he holds the notes and emotes quite decently. And he doesn't star in his own promo clip.
But the song is another by-the-numbers Simon May production, and we're just counting the beats until the drum comes crashing in about halfway through.
Trite lyric, limp orchestration, not cool and not of great merit. Which explains why it sold 200,000 copies this week.
Playout vid: "Walk like an Egyptian" from The Bangles.
For my money, their weakest single, and it's still really great. Here's the perf from two weeks ago.
Our second Mystery Year was 1986.
Beyonce, Diana Ross, and Dusty Springfield follow on BBC4, a lot more Dusty on BBC2 tomorrow night.
I'll not be with you next Friday, a birthday meal will be even more fun than double "Breakfast at Tiffany's".
Whatever you're doing this weekend, #TOTP hashtag, have a great one!
Our group declare to be true
Girl about village
Tracey S