Dinner-time telly was a catch-up on Richard Osman's House of Games (3).
Absolutely cracking week, with Claire From Steps, Chris from the Glitterball, Adele from Radio 1, and wine expert Olly. Might be worth a look.
Have i successfully missed Boyzone on #TOTP? Result!
Our first #TOTP Mystery Year comes from the week when Doctor Who's Tegan and Nyssa disappeared into caves to, er, examine some paintings.
On other telly shows, Malcolm Muggeridge spent a week with Stalin's daughter, and Blue Peter made an everlasting bouquet of flowers as a very special present for Mothering Sunday.
Host for this live edition is Sir Simon Bates.
(and i must remember to invite people to stand for the national anthem)
"Go wild in the country" - Bow Wow Wow
The newest of New Wave music, and an early contender for Song of the Night.
Annabel cannot find a camera to save her life: she's always looking in just the wrong place. But it looks like the crowd was blocking the best angles, and that's a floor manager problem. And the perils of live television.
"It ain't what you do it's the way that you do it" - Fun Boy Three and Bananarama
The Fun Boy Three drop in to plug their spot on "Round table", Radio 1's singles review show. That's after Newsbeat at 5.45 tomorrow.
Their video shows the things you can do in the London subways...
The groups had been in the studio two weeks earlier, the Nanas had been working on their dance routine.
"See you" - Depeche Mode
Do they seem a bit lost on the large stage? Or are they waiting for Glenn Hoddle to turn up and shoot a goal through the proscenium arch?
Third time we'd seen all three of these songs, they'd risen up the charts like bubbles in custard. Something less-well remembered next...
"Your honour" - Pluto Shervington
Who the hell is Pluto? A reggae to soul singer, who Sir Simon Bates thought would be the biggest thing since sliced bread. (SPOILER! He wasn't.)
Pluto had recorded with famed reggae group Tomorrow Children, and had had a top ten hit in 1976 with "Dat".
Better known in later years as a producer, Pluto retired not long before he died in 2024.
"Quiereme mucho (yours)" - Julio Iglesias
"Julio Iglesias has done it again" [passes the kitchen roll]
"Love plus one" - Haircut 100
Nick Hayward is in his flat hat, there's a glitterfall, and it's all very swish and sophisticated.
If you want sophistipop without the wandering hand-some one, *this* is the pinnacle.
On an evening when there are barely any bad choices, i *think* this is my Song of the Night.
"Party fears two" - The Associates
Billy Mackenzie stands around in a mucky mac while the rest of the band are in evening wear while standing in The Industrial Zone. As one does.
(resists temptation to read out a big long list of credits)
"Classic" - Adrian Gurvitz
Producer Michael Hurll wanted to make this a hit, third time we've seen this performance of a very modest track.
Gurvitz had been something of a pioneer for hard rock, with projects including Three Man Army and The Gun, and lots of work with Ginger Baker from Cream.
But, like Chris de Burgh, his solo hit was an atypical romantic number.
He'll go on to write "Even if my heart would break" for The Bodyguard soundtrack.
Goombay Dance Band at number 8, then "Run to the hills". Well done, everyone!
"The lion sleeps tonight" - Tight Fit
Germany had Boney M. Britain had ... this lot.
Ken Gold played the role of Frank Farian, the sharp-eyed mogul who knew how to market tat to the mass audience.
The performers are model Steve Grant and singers Denise Gyngell and Julie Harris; the real lead singer is Roy Ward from "5705" band City Boy.
Yes! It's former Top of the Pops host Kenny Everett, now with a delectable show on BBC1.
Playout track is "Stars on Stevie" by Stars on 45, a megamixymatosis of Stevie Wonder tunes.
Our first #TOTP Mystery Year was 1982. More in a mo!
Our second #TOTP Mystery Year comes from the week when archaeologists uncovered the remains of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.
Arsenal banned inflatable bananas from Highbury, Desert Orchid won the Gold Cup, and Tyson McVey (daughter of Neneh Cherry) was born.
The hosts are Rev. Simon Mayo, agricultural story editor Sybil Ruscoe, and newsreader Rod McKenzie.
"Round and round" - New Order
"The picture you see is no portrait of me. It's too real to be shown to someone I don't know."
Another all-live performance, and for once it sounds quite decent - computerised drum fills and keyboards are reproduced in the studio environment.
Not a song for the week's sleet showers, wonder if this would have done better in the warm spring and summer of our Mystery Year.
"Can't stay away from you" - Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine
Third time we've seen this first-verse-and-chorus clip, recorded when Glo was in town for the oh-so-successful BPI awards last month.
Mick Fleetwood blamed the cleaners at the Albert Hall. Co-host Samantha Fox blamed the producers who didn't leave enough time for rehearsals. Always useful to see who punches up...
"One man" - Chanelle
"The same sort of irresistable charm that Ten City's 'That's the way love is' had - an effortless and casual sort of rhythm, and one of those stormingly rousing choruses that perk one up no end." - Smash Hits
Warning to my chums: last time i heard this, i was humming it for weeks.
Breakers! "Sleep talk" - Alyson Williams, another welcome slice of New Jill Swing.
"Veronica" - Elvis Costello, co-written with HRH Lord McCartney. Could have heard a lot more of this.
"Love in the natural way" - Kim Wilde, looking moody in London.
"Vagabonds" - New Model Army, somewhere in the void between folk music and prog rock.
This'll be my #TOTP crossover with #JukeboxFridayNight, because #WhenTimesAreTough we might need
"International rescue" - Fuzzbox
"International rescue" - Fuzzbox
Vix, Mags, Jo, and Tina have smoothed their brash punk into bratty pop. Vix is presented as the lead singer.
The song is inspired by ancient puppet show Thunderbirds, and so is the costume - red jackets with gold braid epaulettes.
Shame there are so many long shots of the group - the handheld cameras we saw a week ago would be welcome here.
"Like a prayer" - Madonna
Because the bulk of the video is too racy and blasphemous for family viewing hours, they'll go straight to the gospel choir at the end, and edit out lesbian religious ecstacy, interracial kissing, burning crosses, and bleeding statues.
We get an edit suitable for 7.15 on a school night. Still see Jesus stuck behind bars, and Madonna writhing in sympathy. But shorn of the earlier context this is just Madge being gently provocative.
"Keep on movin'" - Soul II Soul feat Caron Wheeler
This is where "deep house" music had ended up - almost back to the classic Philly soul sound from a decade before, albeit with a more chuntery, chattery rhythm track. Live vocal from Caron.
Cut off in the breakdown: we could have heard a lot more. And that early cut really pissed off Jazzie B: he got quite irate at producer Paul Ciani, and ended up staying away until Ciani had left #TOTP.
"Too many broken hearts" - Jason Donovan
This video might be the best thing ever to come out of Beechwood in Victoria.
Simple singalong tunes are the best. "Too many broken hearts" was written for Jason Donovan's voice, that's why it has a really small range, and that's why it's one of my karaoke favourites. Jason's limited range is further concealed by the backing vocalists, who basically carry the whole chorus.
"Paradise city" - Guns n' Roses
"Lumpy attempt at a singalong crowd-rouser which somehow fails to impress." - Smash Hits
Don't think they originally wrote "the girls are pretty", did they.
That's all from the Breakfast Show crew, join them at 6.30 tomorrow where "She's a mystery to me" by Roy Orbison is the Record of the Week, and "Don't tell me lies" by Breathe will be voted the Chartbuster.
Our second Mystery Year was 1989.
An evening of Irish music follows on BBC4, including a new concert from Other Voices at 10, and Boomtown Rats from 1984 at 1am.
Liza Minelli night on BBC2 tomorrow.
Whatever you're doing this week, have a great one!
Our group declare to be true
Aetherial
Stewart Tolhurst