Reviewed by Chris Arnsby
Andy Peebles, "Good evening and welcome to another
edition of Top of the Pops and let's straight away have a look at this week's
brand new top thirty."
Chart music: Al Hudson & The Partners, You Can Do It.
The Dooleys: The Chosen Few [16]. Who, what, why,
when? Four questions which need answering. Who liked The Dooleys enough to keep
buying their records? What were they thinking? Why did this keep happening?
When will The Dooleys stop appearing on Top of the Pops. This must be
their last performance... right? RIGHT?
The Headboys: The Shape Of Things To Come [52].
Vision Mixer Angela Wilson is bored, like Ming The Merciless in Flash Gordon.
However instead of tormenting The Dooleys with earthquakes and typhoons and hot
hail she plays with the buttons on her control board. She's found the dial to
alter the colour balance and drains all the blue from The Headboys. They spend
the duration of their performance looking a very sickly yellow.
 | |
| The record company furniture was very unusual |
Michael Jackson:
Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough [4]. No set for Legs & Co. Just a
white void. This must be where Stephen Gallagher got the idea for the Doctor
Who story Warrior's Gate.
Chic: My Forbidden
Lover [51]. *looks at title* Okay Chic, I'm giving you one warning.
Don't try rhyming lover with other. *opening couplet: my forbidden lover/I
don't want no other* That's it. I'm out of here.
Dr. Hook: When
You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman [26]. The song that launched a
thousand innuendos. When you're in love with a beautiful woman, it's hard. Is
it? I thought it was just the cut of those trousers.
Viola Wills: Gonna Get Along Without You Now [47].
Something about Viola Wills' fixed grin and hip swaying dance reminds me of
Raffaella Carra who was on Top of the Pops last year [ie, 1978] with her
song Do It Do It Again. Gonna Get Along Without You Now doesn't compare to the
earlier song, unfortunately.
Charlie Daniels Band: The Devil Went Down To
Georgia [27]. Very sportsman like behaviour from Old Hob when he loses to
Johnny. The Father of Lies hands over the promised golden fiddle rather than
saying something like, "ha ha, the contest was a bluff. You've committed
the sin of vanity and now your soul is mine. Psyche!" The concert crowd in
this promo film roars with approval on the line, "I done told you once,
you son of a bitch, I'm the best that's ever been." They're obviously big
fans of casual swearing.
Errol Dunkley: O.K. Fred [23]. What is a yaga yaga?
Top marks to Errol Dunkley for using the phrase "bully for you." You
can't beat a bit of bully.
Cats UK: Luton Airport [54]. Uh-oh. The camera pulls
back from Errol Dunkley's stage and Andy Peebles is revealed wearing a straw
boater hat at a jaunty angle. Hilarious items of clothing are one of the seven
warning signs of an incoming novelty song. Sure enough the next words out of
Andy Peeble's mouth are, "and now for something very silly." Luton
Airport suffers from the curse of most novelty songs. It's not catchy enough to
be a pop song, and not funny enough to be a comedy song.
Dave Edmunds:
Queen Of Hearts [18]. Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds just seem to be
alternating songs through 1979. Nick Lowe got the last one, Cruel To Be Kind,
so now Dave Edmunds gets this one.
Dana: I Can’t Get Over Getting Over You [NEW]. Dana
does the 1930s, but her audition for Pennies From Heaven is at least a
year too late.
Number 1: The Police, Message In A Bottle. Still at
number one, and still on film.
Closing titles: Fleetwood Mac, Tusk [30]. The follow up single to I Am The Walrus. (John: Reputed to be the most expensive made at that point, the album `Tusk` was the follow up to the hugely successful `Rumours`. This single version of the title track was recorded live at a football stadium with a real marching band on hand as you can see in the promo video Nobody really knows what the song is about but you can all join in and shout "Tusk!" is you want.)
Performance of the week. Errol Dunkley: O.K. Fred
Tusk!
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