"Things can only get better" - D:Ream
A new dawn has broken, has it not?!
I was in St John's Newfoundland this week, spending a glorious week-and-a-bit with my squeeze. So I've never seen this episode before.
Back this side of the pond, Dr. Brian Cox and Peter Cunnagh re-activate their 1993 hit single. Adopted as an anthem by one party in the recent election. The results are discussed on BBC1 as we speak; here on BBC2, we know how to party.
"Old before I die" - Robbie Williams
A bold, swaggering song, it's like one of those people who walks into the room and totally dominates.
Robbie is one of those people who walks into the room and dominates it, the suit and insolent boastfulness.
For my money, this is Robbie's three-minute thesis: understand this single, and you understand the man's career. The rest is commentary.
"Bodyshakin'" - 911
Second place in the Best Newcomer category at last year's Smash Hits awards (behind the Spice Girls, who haven't been on #TOTP for *ages*), Joey Jeffy and Jamie made some records. "Bodyshakin'" is certainly one of them.
Haven't heard this since 1997, haven't thought about this since 1997. Hey, host Cathy Dennis, can you play No Doubt instead?
"Lovefool" - The Cardigans
Reactivated after it's been used on the soundtrack of Baz Luhrmann's "William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet", the one with the fishtank. A very good date movie.
"Bellissima" from Dave Quicksilver
Repeat from two weeks ago. But we ain't seen it!
Ah, sadly, we have seen the basic plot: lots of dancers come on stage, a string quartet jab each other in the eye, and Dave stands behind his "decks" at the back of the stage. All the better to get a good look at the action.
"You might need somebody" - Shola Ama
According to legend, the young soul singer was spotted while singing at Hammersmith tube station.
This cover of Randy Crawford's other big hit landed in the top ten, and quickly found a place in everyone's hearts - it's now on its third #TOTP in as many weeks.
Album "Much Love" was a massive hit; 1999 follow-up "In Return" was a massive flop, and Shola's since said she was "not ready" for fame.
"Nightlife" - Kenickie
Re-released to promote their forthcoming album "At the Club", swagger and glitter and glamour covering up the pain of rejection. May have taken a copy of this single across to Newfoundland, explain what Brem X Jones and Phil and i were babbling on about.
Second and final appearance for Lauren, Emmy-Kate, Marie, and Johnny. Lauren never hosted #TOTP, she was on Channel 4's "Planet Pop" which morphed into "Popworld".
The Independent wrote, "Blonde and brassy and up for as much fun as it's possible to have in PVC - which, I would imagine, is quite a lot - Kenickie tear through their debut album with the kind of spirit that shames the week's other releases. Smells, in fact, like teen spirit, but with all self-pity swept aside by sheer force of personality."
"Drop dead gorgeous" - Republica
Kenickie *and* Saffron on the same episode? Mark #TOTP, you absolutely spoil us!
Who cares it's a re-release, who cares it's basically the same as "Ready to go" with a scantily-changed lyric. This is drop dead awesome. [continues gushing in this vein for several hours]
Number 1! "Blood on the dancefloor" - Michael Jackson
Title track from Jacko's forthcoming remix album.
"Then Play Long" has recently re-assessed the album, and says it's "one of the best albums Michael Jackson ever released. It might even be his best since Off The Wall. I can’t believe how good the record is, and how sorely, and sourly, it was underrated, sidelined or even damned by a lot of ageing men who truly ought to have known better."
https://nobilliards.blogspot.com/2025/02/michael-jackson-blood-on-dance-floor.html
Playout track is "Love shine a light", Katrina and the Waves perform the BBC's entry at the Eurovision Song Contest. It'll be held tomorrow night in Dublin, televoting so the public help decide the winner, and - be very careful - Ronan Keating hosts.
Katrina: "For Eurovision you need a song with a universal message, lighters in the air, Coca-Cola, heartwarming positive 'all-unite' vibes."
If you don't want to know the result, look away now.
"Love shine a light" - Katrina and the Waves
A new dawn has broken, has it not?!
Kimberley Rew wrote the song for the anniversary of a Samaritans branch in Swindon.
"Love shine a light" scored more Euro-points than anyone before! It would have been a number one single, except they couldn't keep up with demand and literally ran out of copies!
Katrina reprises her winning costume on the TOTP stage, just like ABBA did so many years earlier.
"Love is the law" - The Seahorses
Remember The Stone Roses? John Squire, the creative force behind the Madchester band, has a new group.
And they've made a song that's almost, but not entirely, like what The Stone Roses would make in 1997.
By which we mean vaguely anthemic, full of guitar riffs, and with a nagging chorus we'll never quite be able to forget, so may as well lean in and love it. The "Snap" of late-era britpop.
"Star people '97" - George Michael
The latest single from Yog's album "Older", another pop at commercialism and capitalism and the avarice of certain people in the music industry. Mentioning no names, natch.
Jo Whiley is the TOTP host this week, she was the new lunchtime host on Radio 1 daytimes.
"Taxloss" - Mansun
The radio edit is the least remarkable one; the CD and 12-inch featured various trance remixes by hip-n-happening DJs.
And the music video, filmed a couple of weeks earlier at Liverpool Street station, where stagehands drop £25,000 in marked fivers onto an unsuspecting crowd of commuters.
"Bodyshakin'" - The 911
Joey Jeffy and Jamie are back in the charts, with a song I can't remember hearing since 1997.
Mansun's stunt was made even more controversial as it took place during the IRA's campaign of phoned-in bomb warnings - they'd planted a package beneath the M5 at the start of April, then targeted other roads, railway stations, and the Grand National with warnings that contained nothing more than hot air.
"Alright" - Jamiroquai
Recognising that his own songs are tedious waffle, Jay Kay and his band insert some life into their set with this cover of Supergrass.
Ah, we can wish...
"Don't leave me" - Blackstreet
Another chance to see the group's other signature hit, the one with the funky keyboard riff and crooning harmonies.
Earnest R&B is a tough sell, and it took a group with the talent of Blackstreet to make it big over here.
Blackstreet also took part in the Eurovision Song Contest, performing "Autumn leaves" alongside Daniel Kajmakoski in 2015.
"Love won't wait" - Gary Barlobe
The most disagreeable man in pop has made a record completely all his own work.
He will disagree with anyone who suggests that this sounds like any other song ever made. Especially "Borderline" by Madonna.
Gary is so disagreeable that he gave Madonna and Pat Leonard a royalty because this song sounds nothing like "Borderline".
Another chance to see the "Lovefool" video clip as we play out. The Cardigans never put themselves forward for the SVT Melfest selection show, I believe.
And this looks to be the original 1996 video, loosely based on the RMS Titanic. Apparently the movie is grossly over-budget and won't be finished for summer release, so it'll flop terribly.
David "Kid" Jensen, Esq. is next! Wonder if we can spot a tenuous Eurovision connection into each of the Mystery Years?
"Which way is up" - Stargard with the chart music. They were a three-woman vocal group who continued making tunes for a few more years.
"Don't take no for an answer" - Tom Robinson Band. From the "Rising Free" ep, which also contained "Glad to be gay".
"Wuthering Heights" - Kate Bush
"There was a full moon, the curtains were open and it came quite easily."
Written in the first weekend of March 1977, recorded in the summer, played on Capital Radio last November, released this week.
Kate is all flaring hair, sheer black top, red trews, and black stiletto heels. It’s behind-the-sofa stuff, Kate is as scary and unnerving as a powerful witch. This is "Wuthering Heights".
Blimey. That's good!
"Come back my love" - Darts
Cover of a song by The Wrens, and the first of three consecutive number 2 singles from Darts.
"Wishing on a star" - Rose Royce
By popular demand, Legs & Co bring back the skirts made from net curtains.
Great song, I have a soft spot for Fresh 4's proto-trip-hop cover from 1989.
"Just the way you are" - Billy Joel
These open marriages can be sheer hell, I'm kinda glad your husband takes it well.
Weren't we meant to have some sort of Eurovision connection in this show? Billy's been emulated by many performers, but never appeared himself... yet.
"Lilac wine" - Elkie Brooks
The feeling when you're drunk and completely oblivious to the pains of the world.
Written by James Shelton in 1950, and covered by such stars as Eartha Kitt, Helen Merrill, Nina Simone, and Jeff Buckley. More recent performers include Katie Melua, Susan Boyle, and Dave Gahan (!).
Elkie's is the only hit version, and it's not entirely clear why she's performing it while cosplaying as a toilet roll cover.
"Take a chance on me" - ABBA
A great songwriter can claim inspiration from anywhere. Björn's keep fit regime, for instance. 107 bpm is a good cadence for a serious jogger, and the "tsh-tsh-tsh" of trainers on damp city streets became "take a chance, take a chance".
Like one of those really expensive watches: you can dismantle this song, but it only works if you reassemble it the exact same way.
Playout song is "Hot legs" by Tax Fugitive Rod Stewart.
Our first mystery year was 1978.
The Eurovision connection: Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees was married to Lulu, who sung one-quarter of the 1969 winning songs. Well done if you got that at home.
The Queen of England Janice Long, and Sir Simon Bates are our hosts for the final episode.
"You spin me round (like a record)" - Dead or Alive
All the attention is on Pete Burns, tonight wearing a dark coat and sunglasses. He does the camp waggly-finger thing, he slowly revolves like a musical box, and the whole performance is gloriously joyful.
"Nightshift" - The Commodores
Now without Lionel Richie (some sort of dispute about a clay head, or something); vocals are handled by Walter Orange and JD Nicholas.
It's a tribute song to Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye, who had both died the previous year.
Sadly, their only big hit in the post-Lionel lineup; always bring back memories of sneaking a listen to Robbie Vincent on Sunday nights.
"Thinking of you" - The Colour Field
Performed on a luscious pink stage - it is Valentine's Day, after all. The female co-vocalist is Katrina Phillips, she puts in a more assertive performance, just about stealing the show from Terry Hall.
But it's Terry Hall's song, calm and reflective, and hopeful. And yeah, one for my squeeze over the way...
Snipped for Editorial Reasons, a rundown of Billboard hits hosted by a perv.
REO Speedwagon's "Can't fight this feeling", David Lee Roth's take on "California girls", Daryl Hall & John Oates with "M.E.T.H.O.D. of modern love", and the number one, "Careless whisper", from Wham! featuring George Michael.
A reference to this segment was cut from Janice's opening link.
"Love like blood" - Killing Joke
Five years on from their last appearance, with a song typical of their gloomy rock-industrial sound.
Everyone in the band is dressed in black, lead singer Jaz looks like he's been down the mines, and there's plenty of dry ice around.
Some great shot framing, Jaz is middle of the screen as we slowly zoom in on him, and he makes various action poses - one arm up, then one finger up.
Breakers!
"Change your mind" - Sharpe and Numan. Bill Sharpe of Shakatak made a record that sounded like it needed some steely robotic vocals. By coincidence, the next studio was occupied by Gary Numan. This was the result.
The gang appeared in the studio next week. Female vocals are by Tessa Niles, Gary's regular backing vocalist.
More breakers!
"Misled" - Kool and the Gang. Kool dances with a frost spirit in her forest, while Indiana Jones looks on.
"The boys of summer" - Don Henley. Don on the back of a pick-up truck while a kid plays drums.
He'll also be in the studio next week. 'Scuse the shite quality of this vid.
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"How soon is now" - The Smiths. Charmed.
Mike "One for the straights" Read was on holiday from the Radio 1 Breakfast Show, so - for one week only! - they got Little Noel Edmonds back. You know the rule that you don't want the stand-in to sound better than the regular presenter? Strike that, reverse it.
"1999 bodyguards"? Prince had been at Monday night's BPI awards (now known as the BRITs), and brought his entire security entourage up on stage with him.
Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes to Hollywood were the Best British Group) was unimpressed.
Number 1 "I know him so well" - Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson
Elaine Paige plays Florence, the hero of concept musical "Chess", and The Russian's mistress; Barbara Dickson is Svetlana, the wronged wife.
Florence sets out her position in the first verse, Svetlana echoes the same feelings (note the repetition of "Looking back I could have played it differently"). And report on their differences ("He needs... more security" "He needs his fantasy").
The song is based on "I am an A", a song ABBA performed live on tour but never committed to vinyl; Tim Rice added the lyric. This song has *nothing* to do with Andrew Lloyd-Webber.
Vocals were laid down at Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus's Polar Studios - separately, the vocalists didn't meet until they promoted the song on #TOTP.
Covered by Cissy and Whitney Houston, who *so* didn't understand it; by Steps; by Mel C and Emma Bunton, and many more.
Dance out is to Eugene Wilde's "Personality", a soul track performed by an excellent vocalist, but without any strong crossover hook.
Our second Mystery Year was 1985. The Eurovision connection? Netta performed "You spin me round (like a record)" in the Liverpool Songbook for the 2023 final.
East Enders Sing the BBC next on BBC4, Movie Night on BBC2 tomorrow.
I won't be with you next week, so whatever you're doing this *fortnight*, have a great one!
Our group declare to be true
Tracey S
Ian K Tindale
LadyPeedOffAgain