Our group declare to be trueThat second #TOTP episode was a bit good.
Apollo 440 song of the ep, surely.
No, it's Hinda Hicks!
No, it's Solid Harmonie!
No, it's Sash!!
No, Placebo!!!1!! (and *drooling* at that vision mixer work)
Shame it went downhill after Placebo.
Anyway. To the Mystery Years, with (checks notes) Andy Peebles.
This edition of #TOTP was shown in a week when French president Giscard d'Estang was accused of taking diamonds as bribes, the Conservative party was in uproar about its policy on Zimbabwe Rhodesia, and New York was struck by three inches of snow.
"You can do it" - Al Hudson & the Partners (and chart)
"The chosen few" - The Dooleys
Does someone in BBC4 Towers have a crush on one of The Dooleys? This completes a re-showing of all their hit songs in about a year.
"The shape of things to come" - The Headboys
No, this doesn't sound like the 1980s we expect; too much guitar, not enough disco beat.
It's not your set, the vision mixer appears to have fallen asleep at the control desk, and knocked the blues to "off". Leaves the band looking blee-yellow.
"Don't stop till you get enough" - The Jacksons
Legs & Co with one of their more exuberant routines: black dresses against a plain white backdrop.
"My forbidden lover" - Chic
In the top thirty at number 51, the disco backlash is well under way.
A complete error by the record-buying kids, this is a classic they let slip through their fingers.
"When you're in love with a beautiful woman" - Dr. Hook
Hmm. Might like to see a medical doctor about that, Hooky.
"Gonna get along without you now" - Viola Wills
Viola's trousers will become stars in their own right, forming a successful partnership with McHammer.
"The devil went down to Georgia" - Charlie Daniels Band
The devil is a Stalinist. Discuss.
"OK Fred" - Errol Dunkley
Yagga, yagga, bully for you.
"Luton airport" - Cats Uk
Bea Rowley sings, Deena Payne backs (later Viv Hope in "Emmerdale Farm").
As novelty records go, this *is* the worst.
Riffs off the Campari adverts of the time. "Were you truly wafted here from paradise?" "Naah, mate - Luton airport".
Campari & Lemonade 'Luton Airport' 30sec TV commercial
"Queen of hearts" - Dave Edmunds
Lovely song, but she's not dead yet, mate.
"I can't get over getting over you" - Dana Domestic
Around this time, Dana hosted children's religious show "Wake Up Sunday". Didn't sing this dirge on it, didn't want to be done for misleading the viewer.
"Message in a bottle" - The Police
Still number one, still can't be arsed to make it into the studio. Wonder if they'll show up for the next Mystery Year.
Playout dance is "Tusk" by Fleetwood Mac.
The first #TOTP Mystery Year was 1979. Something more recent next.
This edition of #TOTP went out in a week when Heathrow airport said it wanted a direct rail link to central London, and Friends of the Earth said that renewable energy could provide 20% of Britain's energy in 40 years' time.
Twenty percent? We'll settle for nothing less than 50%!
Please remain seated for the other 80s titles.
"Suburbia" - Pet Shop Boys
Two questions arise.
1) Is this the quintessential Pet Shop Boys performance, or is it "So hard" from last week?
B) Is Neil Tennant auditioning to replace Claudia Winkleman on The Traitors, or to star on the next celebrity series?
"All i ask of you" - Cliff Richard and Sarah Brightman
Andrew Lloyd Webber is responsible for many crimes against music: the hits of Timmy Mallett, to name just five.
Few are worse than this seduction number from his forthcoming "Phantom of the Opera", sung by two of the most sexless performers ever.
"You're everything to me"- Boris Gardiner
Hosts for this edition are Sir Simon Bates and Baron Steve Wright.
(leafs through Smash Hits) Lots of new movies out this month - Top Gun, Aliens, Basil the Great Mouse Detective.. er.. Shanghai Surprise.
Oh, the song? There's a song? Like being handed a bouquet of roses by someone you don't really like: looks romantic, but feel the thorns poking through the tissue.
"Always there" - Marti Webb
Don Black wrote the lyric to Simon May's music and it's performed over the end credits of the Sunday night yacht opera "Howard's Way".
Marti Webb is a strong and competent singer, great stage presence and finds the camera, but even she can't elevate this zeebsome number.
Can we have Boris Gardener back?
"Think for a minute" - The Housemartins
To promote this single, The Housemartins played a game of football and a concert at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane ground.
"Don't stand so close to me '86" - The Police
Pointless cover version klaxon!
Gary Kemp doesn't like it - "It's a really self-indulgent thing to do".
What do you think of this re-make of a classic hit, Xander?
"Midas touch" - Midnight Star
Might be a certain theme to this song. Can you tell what it is?
"The wizard" - Paul Hardcastle
TOTP producer Michael Hurll wanted something "quick and dirty", so Paul wrote this song in two days flat.
Paul kept the royalties, and gets a few quid every time they introduce a #TOTP from this era.
He's also written a new theme for The Late Late Breakfast Show, they'll use that for the next few years.
"In the army now" - Status Quo
The group recall their time in the XXVIIth Legion, under Crassus Minimus.
Our second Mystery Year was 1986, a bad year for pop music.
Stay tuned on BBC4 for more country music.
BBC2 tomorrow goes back to 1975 in general, and "Bohemian rhapsody" in particular.
Whatever you're doing this weekend, have a great one!
beemoh
SherBearethNow I seriously want a Campari et Lemonade.
Chris D.