Top of the Pops (1 Viewer)

[WaveCrest]

The artists on the 15th November, 1979 edition of Top of the Pops (presented by David Jensen):


I Don't Want to Be a Freak (But I Can't Help Myself) - Dynasty (audio; played over the Top 30 music singles chart countdown)

The Eton Rifles - The Jam

Hot Shot - Cliff Richard

No More Tears (Enough is Enough) - Donna Summer & Barbra Streisand (audio)

Sarah - Thin Lizzy

I Only Want to Be with You - The Tourists

Knocked It Off - B.A. Robertson

She's in Love with You - Suzi Quatro

Nights in White Satin - The Moody Blues

Ladies Night - Kool & the Gang (video)

Let Your Heart Dance - Secret Affair

The Sparrow - The Ramblers

A Night at Daddy Gee's - Showaddywaddy

The No.1 single: When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman - Dr. Hook (video) (First week at No.1)

End Credits: It's a Disco Night (Rock Don't Stop) - The Isley Brothers) (audio).


*****


The Tourists' song I Only Want to Be with You is a cover of the Dusty Springfield music track.

 

[WaveCrest]

The edition of Top of the Pops shown on BBC Four last night (from late November, '79) was slightly different in terms of presentation. Most of the music tracks on this edition were presented as promo videos/music videos, rather than a mixture of studio performances and promo videos/music videos (Legs & Co did appear on last night's edition (the same dance performance, dancing to No More Tears (Enough is Enough), also shown on the 15th November, 1979 edition). The presenter, Peter Powell, did a voiceover introduction of the Top 30 music singles chart countdown and each music track on the 29th November, 1979 edition (including the music track played over the end credits), rather than appearing in the studio. Also, the music artists' ident screens on the Top 30 music singles chart countdown were all in black and white.


The artists on the 29th November, 1979 edition of Top of the Pops (presented by Peter Powell):


Off the Wall - Michael Jackson (audio; played over the Top 30 music singles chart countdown)

Que Sera Mi Vida (If You Should Go) - The Gibson Brothers (video)

Walking on the Moon - The Police (video)

I Only Want to Be with You - The Tourists

Living on an Island - Status Quo (video)

Union City Blue - Blondie (video)

Sarah - Thin Lizzy

Is It Love You're After? - Rose Royce (video)

Nights in White Satin - The Moody Blues

Working for the Yankee Dollar - The Skids (video)

No More Tears (Enough is Enough) - Donna Summer & Barbra Streisand (audio)

Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2) - Pink Floyd (video)

The No.1 single: When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman - Dr. Hook (video) (Third and final week at No.1)

End Credits: It's a Disco Night (Rock Don't Stop) - The Isley Brothers (audio).

 

[WaveCrest]

The artists on the 6th December, 1979 edition of Top of the Pops (first edition presented by Simon Bates):


Que Sera Mi Vida (If You Should Go) - The Gibson Brothers (audio; played over the Top 30 music singles chart countdown)

Reet Petite - Darts

I Wanna Hold Your Hand - Dollar

She's Not There (double-A side with Kicks (EP) - The U.K. Subs

My Simple Heart - The Three Degrees (video)

Moonlight and Muzak - M

Don't Bring Harry (EP) - The Stranglers

Off the Wall - Michael Jackson (audio)

Rapper's Delight - Sugarhill Gang (video)

I Just Can't Be Happy Today - The Damned

It's My House - Storm

Bomber - Motorhead

The Ballad of Lucy Jordan - Marianne Faithfull

The No.1 single: Walking on the Moon - The Police (video) (First and only week at No.1)

End Credits: Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2) - Pink Floyd (audio).


*****


There were some cover records on the 6th December, 1979 edition of Top of the Pops - Reet Petite, I Wanna Hold Your Hand (previously recorded by The Beatles) and She's Not There (previously recorded by The Zombies).

 

[WaveCrest]

Some of the artists on the edition of Top of the Pops being shown next Thursday on BBC Four (from 13th December, 1979):Fiddler's Dram, Paul McCartney (Christmas record), The Tourists, ABBA, The Beat, The Inmates, Blondie, The Pretenders and Pink Floyd.

 

[WaveCrest]

The artists on the 13th December, 1979 edition of Top of the Pops (presented by Mike Read):


John I'm Only Dancing (Again) (1975) (double-A side with John I'm Only Dancing (1972) - David Bowie (audio; played over the Top 30 music singles chart countdown)

Day Trip to Bangor (Didn't We Have a Lovely Time?) - Fiddler's Dram

Wonderful Christmastime - Paul McCartney (video)

I Only Want to Be with You - The Tourists

I Have a Dream - ABBA (video)

Tears of a Clown - The Beat (double-A side with Ranking Full Stop)

Living on an Island - Status Quo (audio)


The Walk - The Inmates


Union City Blue - Blondie (video)

Brass in Pocket - The Pretenders

The No.1 single: Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2) - Pink Floyd (video) (First week at No.1)

End Credits: Is It Love You're After? - Rose Royce (audio).


*****


The Beat song Tears of a Clown is a cover version of the Smokey Robinson music track.

 

[WaveCrest]

The following post is a theory/guess regarding the weeks Pink Floyd were at the top spot in the UK music singles chart with Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2), bridging the end of the 70's and the start of the 1980's (they were at No.1 for five weeks - during this time being the UK Christmas No.1 in 1979 - before being knocked off the top spot in mid-January, 1980 by The Pretenders with Brass in Pocket):


First week at No.1 - 13th December, 1979 (this edition was presented by Mike Read)

Second week at No.1 - 20th December, 1979 (this edition of Top of the Pops is skipped by BBC Four)

Third week at No.1 - 27th December, 1979

Fourth week at No.1 - 3rd January, 1980 (this edition was presented by Peter Powell)
Fifth and final week at No.1 - 10th January, 1980 (this edition was presented by David Jensen).

 

[WaveCrest]

The Christmas Day, 1979 edition of Top of the Pops (which, based on the info in the Christmas TV listings, is a compilation of some of the music singles from the past year. Although I'm sure that as the 1980's went on the Christmas edition of Top of the Pops had mainly Christmas songs on it, with a few songs from the past year as well) is being shown on BBC Four on Christmas Eve at 9.30 pm - 10.30 pm.On BBC Four on Friday 2nd January are two programmes about Top of the Pops in 1980:


Top of the Pops: The Story of 1980 documentary - 9 pm - 10 pm
Top of the Pops: 1980 - Big Hits - 10 pm - 11 pm.

The latter programme should be a compilation of some of the songs which were on Top of the Pops in 1980. Some of the artists on the latter programme (mentioned in the Christmas TV listings info) are Madness, Adam Ant, The Piranhas, Hot Chocolate and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (aka OMD).

 

[WaveCrest]

The artists on the Christmas Day, 1979 edition of Top of the Pops (a highlights programme, presented by David Jensen & Peter Powell):


Mary's Boy Child - Oh My Lord - Boney M (UK Christmas No.1 in 1978)

Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick - Ian Dury & The Blockheads (No.1 in January 1979)

Silly Games - Janet Kay

Cars - Gary Numan (No.1 in September 1979)

Dance Away - Roxy Music

Ring My Bell - Anita Ward (audio) (No.1 in June 1979)

Video Killed the Radio Star - Buggles (No.1 in October 1979)

Bang Bang - B.A. Robertson

Sunday Girl - Blondie (No.1 in May-June 1979)

Pop Muzik - M

Tragedy - The Bee Gees (audio) (No.1 in March 1979)

Oliver's Army - Elvis Costello & The Attractions

One Day at a Time - Lena Martell (No.1 in October-November 1979)

Cool for Cats - Squeeze

When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman - Dr. Hook (No.1 in November 1979)

Dreaming - Blondie

Are 'Friends' Electric? - The Tubeway Army (No.1 in June-July 1979)

Some Girls - Racey (part-Legs & Co. dance routine montage)

We Don't Talk Anymore - Cliff Richard (No.1 in August-September 1979)

End Credits: Older version of Top of the Pops theme tune played over end credits.

 

[WaveCrest]

The first regular edition of Top of the Pops shown in 1980 (from 3rd January, 1980, presented by Peter Powell) is being shown on BBC Four on Thursday 8th January, 2015. Some of the artists who are on this edition:



Billy Preston & Syreeta

Curtis Blow

Madness

The Pretenders

Dr. Hook

Paul McCartney

David Bowie

and Pink Floyd.

 

[WaveCrest]

Top of the Pops: 1980


Last Friday, BBC Four showed a documentary called Top of the Pops: The Story of 1980, followed by a programme called Top of the Pops: 1980 - Big Hits, which was a selection of some of the artists who were on Top of the Pops in that year:


My Girl - Madness

Brass in Pocket - The Pretenders (No.1 in January 1980)

Together We Are Beautiful - Fern Kinney (No.1 in March 1980)

Turning Japanese - The Vapors

Turn It On Again - Genesis

Sexy Eyes - Dr. Hook

Geno - Dexy's Midnight Runners (No.1 in May 1980)

No Doubt About It - Hot Chocolate

Mirror in the Bathroom - The Beat

The Bucket of Water Song - Four Bucketeers

You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties - Jona Lewie

Tom Hark - The Piranhas

9 to 5 - Sheena Easton

Lip Up Fatty - Bad Manners

Baby, I Love You - The Ramones

Feels Like I'm in Love - Kelly Marie (No.1 in September 1980)

Enola Gay - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (aka OMD)

Ace of Spades - Motorhead

I Could Be So Good for You - Dennis Waterman (theme song of the TV series Minder)

To Cut a Long Story Short - Spandau Ballet

Antmusic - Adam & The Ants.



Apparently the Sheena Easton music track 9 to 5 is also known as Morning Train in the US. A brief preview of Top of the Pops in 1981 was shown at the end of the Top of the Pops: The Story of 1980 documentary, with clips of Duran Duran and Soft Cell shown in the brief preview.


There were three new regular presenters on Top of the Pops in 1980 - Steve Wright, the late Tommy Vance and Richard Skinner. Steve Wright didn't contribute to the documentary but Richard Skinner was interviewed in the documentary (he debuted on the programme in December 1980). There were also some celebrity guest presenters on the show in that year - Elton John, Roger Daltrey, Cliff Richard, B.A. Robertson, Kevin Keegan, Russ Abbot and Colin Berry (the edition with Kevin Keegan co-presenting is a skipped edition).

 

[WaveCrest]

The artists on the 3rd January, 1980 edition of Top of the Pops (presented by Peter Powell):


London Calling - The Clash (audio; played over the Top 30 music singles chart countdown)

My Girl - Madness

Wonderful Christmastime - Paul McCartney (video)

Brass in Pocket - The Pretenders

John I'm Only Dancing (Again) (1975) (double-A side with John I'm Only Dancing (1972) - David Bowie (video)

I'm Born Again - Boney M

Tears of a Clown - The Beat

Day Trip to Bangor (Didn't We Have a Lovely Time?) - Fiddler's Dram

Christmas Rappin' - Kurtis Blow

With You I'm Born Again - Billy Preston & Syreeta

My Feet Keep Dancing - Chic (audio)

Better Love Next Time - Dr. Hook

The No.1 single: Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2) - Pink Floyd (video) (Fourth week at No.1)

End Credits: Is It Love You're After? - Rose Royce (audio).

 

[WaveCrest]

The next edition of Top of the Pops from 1980 (originally shown on 10th January, 1980) will be shown on BBC Four on Thursday 22nd January. Some of the artists on that edition:


The Nolans, UFO, The Skids, Sheila and B. Devotion, Joe Jackson, Dollar, ABBA and Pink Floyd.

 

[WaveCrest]

The artists on the 10th January, 1980 edition of Top of the Pops (presented by David Jensen):


My Girl - Madness (audio; played over the Top 30 music singles chart countdown)

Young Blood - UFO

I Have a Dream - ABBA (video)

Is It Love You're After? - Rose Royce (video)

It's Different for Girls - Joe Jackson

Spacer - Sheila and B. Devotion (video)

Working for the Yankee Dollar - The Skids

Please Don't Go - KC & the Sunshine Band (audio)

I Wanna Hold Your Hand - Dollar

I'm in the Mood for Dancing - The Nolans (aka The Nolan Sisters)

The No.1 single: Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2) - Pink Floyd (video) (Fifth and final week at No.1)

End Credits: Green Onions - Booker T. & the M.G.s (audio).

 

[WaveCrest]

The artists on the 17th January, 1980 edition of Top of the Pops (presented by Simon Bates):


Spirits (Having Flown) - The Bee Gees (audio; played over the Top 30 music singles chart countdown)

Living by Numbers - New Musik

With You I'm Born Again - Billy Preston & Syreeta

Strange Little Girl - Sad Cafe

Got to Love Somebody - Sister Sledge

My Girl - Madness

We Got the Funk - Positive Force

Dance Stance - Dexy's Midnight Runners

Better Love Next Time - Dr. Hook

Paradise Bird (double-A side with The Letter) - Amii Stewart

Babe - Styx (video)

Green Onions - Booker T. & the M.G.s (audio)

Escape (The Pina Colada Song) - Rupert Holmes

The No.1 single: Brass in Pocket - The Pretenders (First week at No.1)

End Credits: I Hear You Now - Jon & Vangelis (audio).

 

[WaveCrest]

Some of the artists on the edition of Top of the Pops being shown on BBC Four next Thursday (from 24th January, 1980):


The Nolans (aka The Nolan Sisters)
Suzi Quatro
Dollar
Barbara Dickson
Matchbox
The Regents
Joe Jackson
Special A.K.A (aka The Specials)
Sheila and B. Devotion
The Boomtown Rats
and The Pretenders.

 

[WaveCrest]

The artists on the 24th January, 1980 edition of Top of the Pops (presented by Mike Read):


Jazz Carnival - Azymuth (audio; played over the Top 30 music singles chart countdown)

The Plastic Age - Buggles

I'm in the Mood for Dancing - The Nolans (aka The Nolan Sisters)

Someone's Looking at You - The Boomtown Rats

Spirits (Having Flown) - The Bee Gees (audio)

It's Different for Girls - Joe Jackson

Mama's Boy - Suzi Quatro

I Wanna Hold Your Hand - Dollar

Too Much, Too Young (from the Special A.K.A Live! EP) - Special A.K.A (aka The Specials) (video)

Caravan Song - Barbara Dickson

Buzz Buzz a Diddle It - Matchbox

Spacer - Sheila and B. Devotion (video)

7teen - The Regents

The No.1 single: Brass in Pocket - The Pretenders (Second and final week at No.1)

End Credits: Too Hot - Kool & the Gang (audio).



Not totally certain what the first music track was (played over the Top 30 music singles chart countdown), but based on process of elimination I think it was Jazz Carnival by Azymuth.

 

[WaveCrest]

Some of the artists on the edition of Top of the Pops being shown on BBC Four next Thursday (from 31st January, 1980):


The Revillos
Kenny Rogers
Azymuth
John Foxx
Madness
The Shadows
Rupert Holmes
The Ramones
Jon & Vangelis
Billy Ocean
New Musik
Keith Michell
and Special A.K.A (aka The Specials).

 

[WaveCrest]

The artists on the 31st January, 1980 edition of Top of the Pops (presented by David Jensen):


Three Minute Hero - The Selecter (audio; played over the Top 30 music singles chart countdown)

Motorbike Beat - The Revillos (formerly The Rezillos)

Coward of the County - Kenny Rogers (video)

Jazz Carnival - Azymuth (audio)

Underpass - John Foxx

My Girl - Madness

Riders in the Sky - The Shadows

Escape (The Pina Colada Song) - Rupert Holmes

Baby, I Love You - The Ramones

I Hear You Now - Jon & Vangelis (video)

Are You Ready? - Billy Ocean

Living by Numbers - New Musik

Captain Beaky (double-A side with Wilfred the Weasel) - Keith Michell

The No.1 single: Too Much, Too Young (from The Special A.K.A Live! EP) - Special A.K.A (aka The Specials) (video) (First week at No.1)

End Credits: Save Me - Queen (audio).

 

[WaveCrest]

The artists on the 7th February, 1980 edition of Top of the Pops (first edition presented by Steve Wright):


Jane - Jefferson Starship (audio; played over the Top 30 music singles chart countdown)

So Good to Be Back Home Again - The Tourists

Carrie - Cliff Richard (video)

And the Beat Goes On - The Whispers (audio)

Someone's Looking at You - The Boomtown Rats

I'm in the Mood for Dancing - The Nolans (aka The Nolan Sisters)

Maybe Tomorrow - The Chords

7teen - The Regents

Save Me - Queen (video)

Three Minute Hero - The Selecter

Touch Too Much - AC/DC

The Plastic Age - Buggles

The No.1 music single: Too Much, Too Young (from The Special A.K.A. Live! EP) - Special A.K.A. (aka The Specials) (video) (Second and final week at No.1)

End Credits: It's Different for Girls - Joe Jackson (audio).

 

[WaveCrest]

The next two regular editions of Top of the Pops aired on a Friday night, instead of the usual Thursday night (the next Thursday night edition aired on 28th February, 1980 and was presented by David Jensen):



15th February, 1980 (presented by Simon Bates) - being shown on BBC Four on Thursday 5th March

22nd February, 1980 (presented by Peter Powell) - being shown on BBC Four on Thursday 12th March.