Reviewed by Chris
Arnsby.
Mike Read: “Good evening. Not a window cleaner in
sight. That means it must be Top of the Pops.”
Simon Bates: “Absolutely no milkmen either. We've got the new Terrence Trent D'Arby video, the number one, and also Sinitta on Top of the Pops. Here she is. Right live. And it's GTO.
[20] SINITTA: g.t.o. Thirty seconds into the programme and the to-do list is spiralling out of control. One, what does Mike Read's “window cleaner” comment mean? Initially I thought it might be a reference to Brush Stokes, back for a new series on 9January. Except, Jacko from Brush Strokes was a house painter, hence the name of the show, and, more importantly, series 3 episode 5 aired on 9th January 1989, not 1988 as I misread. I doubt the BBC plans its schedules that far in advance, and shares them with Mike Read. Nothing else springs to mind. Was there a window cleaner/milkman scandal unfolding at the time that I've forgotten? It must have meant something to the audience at home.
Two, is Top
of the Pops really starting 1988 with this song? I'm almost certainly
putting more thought into this than the production team but it feels like the
first song of the year requires a little effort. It's an occasion to set out
your stall and show what the programme can achieve. Isn't it? Apparently not.
I've just looked back to the start of 1987 where the first band of the year was
Status Quo. Ironically Sinitta represents the 1988 status quo, bland, safe,
poppy, nothing political. It's a rotten song.
