Dinner-hour #TOTP: an Electronic song i'd completely forgotten and need to dig out. Suede, they were *always* on GLR around this time.
The Honeyz change the line-up already? Stop ripping off the [SPOILER]s.
Fats and Small bring the classics. TLC with the song of the show.
Mandy from Bluebirds? Here? Blimey!
Our first Mystery Year comes from the week when the longest ever traffic jam locked the A6 near Lyon for 175km.
Pierre Trudeau - Katy Perry's next father-in-law - was elected prime minister of Canada.
Bon Scott from AC/DC died; Regina Spektor was born.
#TOTP was hosted by the Hand-some Peter Powell.
Five of this episode's songs were answers on Simon Mayo's "Identik-hit Quiz", so i may make even less sense than usual.
"Hot dog" - Shakin' Stevens
"Get me two hot dogs ready to go," orders the man in the white suit. Hold the ketchup, easy on the onion, no mustard.
Love to see the string of circles picture-in-picture stuff, the height of television technology and more fun than anything else in years.
"Here, Mr. Jagger, any chance of a shove?"
On video, it's Blondie with "A tow, Mick?".
"Okay. This bag, see this bag? (crinkles) Two years old. And this 'ere crisp packet (rustles) so old it's advertising Mexico '86."
"The plastic age" - The Buggles
"So good to be back home again" - The Tourists
Slightly weird to think of Annie Lennox singing over a basic guitar riff.
She completely dominates the stage, however much the bloke with the guitar tries to be the co-lead singer.
"Together we are beautiful" - Fern Kinney
As played by Terry Wogan in the kitchen, while /me was prepared for school. Seemingly every morning for about half a term.
"Baby, i love you" - The Ramones
With the New Wall of Sound from a producer we don't talk about.
On the right equipment, this sounds absolutely massive and utterly inescapable.
When played by the #TOTP Orchestra, however...
"tick tick tick tick tick" "Stop."
"tick tick tick tick tick" "Enough."
"tick tick tick tick tick" "STOP!!!"
"tick tick tick tick tick"
"The beat goes on" - The Whispers
One of the easier Identik-hit Quiz entries.
"Carrie" - Cliff Richard
Peter says, "We don't talk any more about Cliff not having hits."
Very droll, Peter, very good.
"Running free" - Iron Maiden
With the original lead singer Paul D'Anno, because Bruce Dickinson was still in contention for the fencing team.
All of the riffs and beats are there, but the lyric is far too basic and accessible for Imperial Phase Maiden.
Left ear: "Never trust a man with short legs. His brains are too close to his bottom."
Right ear: "Cumberland. Gwent. Hampshire. Antrim. Clackmannan."
"Coward of the county" - Kenny Rogers
"Who's in for some Ludo? Kirk, Uhura, Bones, Producer In The Red Shirt?"
"Not the second-in-command?"
"Games without front ears" - Peter Gabriel
Our first Mystery Year was 1980.
@daweaver Why do autistic Trekkies have hyperacusis?
They have a left ear, a right ear, and a final front ear.
Our group declare to be true
David Howell