16/10/2023

Top of the Pops 6 October 1988

 

Words: Chris Arnsby. Simon Mayo: “Hello. Welcome to Top of the Pops. Back in our proper time slot on Radio 1FM and on BBC1. Featuring the return of Radio 1's new night time merchant.”

Richard Skinner: “Yes indeed Simon. Including in today's programme we have Erasure, we have Rick Astley [Simon Mayo plays with Richard Skinner's hair]... mmm, lovely haircut,  and this lot, The Pasadenas...”
Simon Mayo: “Yes.”
Richard Skinner: “...Riding on a Train.”



 

[13] PASADENAS: riding on a train. The Olympics are over. Top of the Pops has returned to its customary time and space. Richard Skinner is also back. Not from outer space, although he is sporting a remarkable space helmet-like hairdo. It's very bouffant. No wonder Simon Mayo keeps trying to touch it. Richard Skinner left Radio 1 in 1986 for Capital Radio. He has returned to present Radio 1FM's prestigious half-past midnight show.

Not back, Paul Ciani. Brian Whitehouse has seized the means of production and the Produced And Directed By credit.

The Pasadenas clearly know they are on to a good thing. This is the second time they've flown across the Atlantic to appear on Top of the Pops. It's also the last time. Riding On A Train will spend one more week sitting at [13] and then slide gracefully out of the chart.

[11] BOBBY McFERRIN: don't worry be happy. On video. Laurie Taylor, credited with Sound, leaves the studio microphones turned up. The lack of music on the video means you can clearly hear Floor Manager Iain McLean geeing up the audience, “okay... ahh, happy people,” and then the sound is turned down to prevent anyone hearing too far behind the curtain.



TOP 40 FROM 40 TO 31

[17] WEE PAPA GIRL RAPPERS: wee rule. This is it. Richard's big moment. His first solo introduction on his return show. Don't mess it up. Don't mess it up. Richard messes it up. He somehow manages to forget the name of the song, getting as far as “Wee...” Richard is not invited back to host until 1989.

Have the Wee Papa Girl rappers been bowdlerised? Towards the middle of the song there's a line “We show you you that it's no good/If you can't take that you can kiss my boot.” Has the word boot been substituted for another word to avoid corrupting the youth of the nation?

Brilliantly the Wee Papa Girl Rappers get away with some actual real swearing a few lines later by using the French phrase Fou le Camp; which means according to Google, “get the hell out/get lost/beat it/go away/clear off/get the fuck out/fuck off/piss off/bugger off.” Ouch. My morals. Oh no, I've gone and ram-raided an off licence. 



BREAKERS: [36 SPEAR OF DESTINY so in love with you]; [35] BEATMASTERS WITH P·P·ARNOLD burn it up]; [32] KIM WILDE never trust a stranger].

[12] ERASURE: a little respect. Erasure have come to the studio with a lot of respect. They've brought along the man-sized letters R E S P E C T from the song's video. (John- What is it with giant letters in 1988?)

TOP 40 FROM 30 TO 11.

[7] RICK ASTLEY: she wants to dance with me. A repeat from the 22/09/1988 edition.

TOP 10.

[1] U2: desire. On video.

[14] DURAN DURAN: i don't want your love. “Bruno and Gary next week, see y'uh,” is Simon Mayo's casual sign off before we head into the video and closing titles.

 PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK: Wee Papa Girl Rappers, Wee Rule.

 The Lonely Sea

Following recent tragic events, teenager Tom Allenby has abandoned the Earthstone which gives him power over the elements. Yet he is soon drawn back into that world by a threat from a three hundred year old menace long thought to be dead. As powers centre around a Bronze Age tomb that is not what it seems Tom is thrown into a spectacular confrontation with powers from both the Earth and the Moon. The Lonely Sea combines epic adventure on land and at sea, ancient mysteries and emotional journeys.

This is the sixth novel in the Heart of the World series set in and around the remote English village of Rooksbourne under which the world’s natural elemental energy lies.

Available on Amazon in print and Kindle ebook format via link below

The Lonely Sea: Amazon.co.uk: Connors, John: 9798859399956: Books

For more stuff on my other books there’s a website www.johnconnorswriter.com

 

 

No comments:

Post a Comment