Top Of The Pops

[Thriller]

07-09-95

Nightcrawlers and John Reid back with another MK remix that never made a massive impression on me despite me loving the first two singles.

Whigfield doing a ballad seemed completely off-brand at the time so I’m not surprised it missed the top 10 - bit like when Vengaboys did their farewell ballad. Not a bad song, just too wet for Whiggers.

Donna Summer - shame they didn’t play us the Rollo & Sister Bliss mix, still my favourite mix of I Feel Love.

Bolton again giving us the sex with his arms out, phwoar.

The lovely Celine letting those moody Quebecians have their moment with a bit of French. Inoffensive and a bit forgettable for me.

Janet letting us know about her Asian-persuasion with the subtlety of a brick but Runaway is still by far one of my favourites of hers. Plym getting bopping to this in Japan.

I loved Smokie and Roy at the time - I knew the original from my mum’s old vinyls so when this version came out it was super fun, especially the swears. I also remember the Gompie version came first, something do with the chant originating in a European club?

Not a memorable Erasure song, they’ve done others much better of that ilk.

Why did they play Fairground over random clips of Mick singing other songs? 😅

[Blondini]

Smokie singer Alan Barton (who was most well known for Black Lace and became Smokie's lead vocalist in 1986) had died in a car accident in March but sang on this single - it was their guitarist who sang it on TOTP. Proceeds from the single went to his family. The TOTP Facts X account reminded me of this. This version only existed because of the Gompie version which originated the "who the..." chant (obviously lessened in a "beep" version).

[CZB]

And the second episode tonight:

14-09-95: Presenter: Robbie Williams

(20) D:REAM – Party Up The World
(17) CAPPELLA – Tell Me The Way
(18) FOO FIGHTERS – I’ll Stick Around (video) (and charts 40-11)
(24) LLOYD COLE – Like Lovers Do
(NEW) MARIAH CAREY – Fantasy (via satellite)
(03) THE REMBRANDTS – I’ll Be There For You (repeated performance)
(02) N-TRANCE feat. RICARDO DA FORCE – Stayin’ Alive
(NEW) SIMPLY RED – Fairground
( Top ten )
(01) MICHAEL JACKSON – You Are Not Alone (video)
(TOTP2) THE ROLLING STONES – Let’s Spend The Night Together (clip of TOTP 26-12-67) (and credits)

Nothing I liked here except the Cappella and Michael Jackson tracks.....

By the way, if anyone is wondering what music I was actually enjoying at this time instead of what was doing well in the UK charts, I've just reached exactly this month of 1995 in the retro charts from decades ago that I post in between the current ones in my thread in Personal Charts:

https://www.ukmix.org/forum/chart-discussion/personal-charts/45988-czb-s-chart-february-2024-month-533-and-september-1995-month-193?p=11414844#post11414844

[CZB]

Tonight's first:

07-09-95: Presenters: Jo Brand and Mark Lamarr

(13) NIGHTCRAWLERS feat. JOHN REID – Don’t Let The Feeling Go
(18) WHIGFIELD – Close To You
(08) DONNA SUMMER – I Feel Love (video) (and charts 40-11)
(14) MICHAEL BOLTON – Can I Touch You...There
(11) CELINE DION – Tu M’Aimes Encore (To Love Me Again) (via satellite)
(NEW) JANET JACKSON – Runaway (video)
(20) SMOKIE feat. ROY CHUBBY BROWN – Living Next Door To Alice
(NEW) ERASURE – Stay With Me
( Top ten )
(01) MICHAEL JACKSON – You Are Not Alone (video)
(NEW) SIMPLY RED – Fairground (video) (and credits)

Not one of my favourite Whigfield songs, but still better than most singles that were being released in the UK at this time....

The Donna Summer single had returned to the chart a few times in different remixes, after reaching number one in 1977.

This Celine Dion hit was one of very few French-sung tracks that did well in the UK - I preferred the English version that I discovered a year later:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIBf7lv-FnM

[SholasBoy]

31-08-95: Presenter: Dale Winton



Berri back again, De'Lacy was a song that seemed to be released every other week in the 90s. Live performance here was insane, she SANG it.
(They also spent a week on the albums chart with "Hideaway" in 95, though I can't find an album existing, maybe there was an EP of remixes that was too long for the singles chart.
MJ one of my least favourite songs of his. Great fun to see Rembrandts.

Boyzone is one of their best songs for me. Montell kind of forgettable. Echobelly a highlight here, fun song, though the lead singer gives less Britpop chick and more Geography teacher getting up on karaoke. Michael Bolton, entirely inappropriate. Jarvis told us Lisa I'Anson was presenting this week, so imagine my horror when Dale turned up.

[SholasBoy]

24-08-95: Presenter: Jarvis Cocker


Wow, what an episode for britpop fans, not only the Blur vs Oasis battle, but having Jarvis host and Charlatans appear too. Xpansions is a banger, but another that I think is not suited to a live performance, it kind of fell flat. Clock went off! with a third consecutive top 10, I enjoyed the performance though it did seem like someone in the UK wanted to replicate 2 Unlimited. Was strange how they later completely changed to a sort of disco revival group. Bjork not one of my favourites. Michelle Gayle's may as well have just been "Good Times", because the music was so much louder than the vocals it didn't really matter what she was singing. Diana, awful, trend chasing crap.

[Thriller]

Disgraceful choice from the BBC. It's like Prince Pip all over again.

[Plym]

Just to note that the next 1995 episodes that were due to air tonight have been postponed - replacing
them, there will be four editions from the 1980s, all presented by the recently-deceased Steve Wright.

i don't understand why they couldn't have replaced the 8pm ones, madness

[CZB]

Just to note that the next 1995 episodes that were due to air tonight have been postponed - replacing
them, there will be four editions from the 1980s, all presented by the recently-deceased Steve Wright.

[Thriller]

31-08-95

Awww it’s Dale! Bet he had Cilla waiting in the green room for him with a 20-pack of Silk Cut and a bottle of Gordon’s.

Berri, aka Rebecca Sleight, is back with her Elkie Brooks cover, this was another soundtrack to my school holidays in ‘95! Still sounds great now.

Onto another anthem, Deep Dish mix of De’Lacy’s Hideaway; that percussion loop is irresistible and unmistakeable. Good live vocal from Rainie Lassiter and an echo effect on the mic to match the song.

A massive dip in quality now with one of MJ’s worst songs and that awful video whispering to Lisa Marie in the bathroom with his bony ribs on show.

Rembrandts, just one of those songs that kinda washes over you as it’s been so omnipresent for 30 years. It will be back in two years!

A preview of Boyzone’s next single, which I actually think would’ve made a better Christmas #1 than Earth Song.

Montell Jordan with a forgettable follow-up but I bet Plym had a boogie to it. That line about ‘bring the ugly one anyway’ 😂

Don’t mind a bit of Echobelly, Sonia a rare Asian face in the music scene at that time. Really like her voice.

Michael Bolton getting steamy thanks to a saxophone and some reggae influences, I actually still like this one, a bit more life to it than a lot of his stuff.

Scatman’s World was a banging follow-up.

[Thriller]

24-08-95

Jarvis on presenting duties again!

I bought Everybody by Clock, can remember the red cover still. Not aged that well. Was Lorna’s ‘vocal’ a sample? Do we even know what her voice sounded like? Miranda Cooper dancing behind them again.

The Charlatans peaked in ‘96 and ‘97 for me but this was a decent song.

Madonna’s video again - can you count on one hand the amount of times she appeared on the show in person? I only remember Don’t Tell Me with the hay bales.

Move Your Body is one of the ultimate early 90s club bangers, I think this mix definitely amped it up but the live performance here didn’t do it any justice.

What is this hidden Diana Ross bop?! It was a top 40 hit but I’ve never registered it! Miss Ross the mid-90s dance diva that never was.

Now for a bop that is very much a regular at Chez Thriller. Great use of sample from Michelle, should’ve been a much bigger hit.

Country House is good but it’s not one of Blur’s career highlights; miles better than Rolll With It though. Definitely deserved the #1 that week. Back when chart battles were still a thing that people cared about.

[CZB]

For me, tonight's second was a vast improvement:

31-08-95: Presenter: Dale Winton

(05) BERRI – Sunshine After The Rain
(09) DE’LACY – Hideaway
(03) MICHAEL JACKSON – You Are Not Alone (video) (and charts)
(06) THE REMBRANDTS – I’ll Be There For You
(ALBUM TRACK) BOYZONE – Father And Son
(15) MONTELL JORDAN – Something For Da Honeyz
(13) ECHOBELLY – Great Things
(NEW) MICHAEL BOLTON – Can I Touch You...There
(01) BLUR – Country House (Repeated performance)
(10) SCATMAN JOHN – Scatman’s World (video) (and credits)

I bought the first three tracks featured here - maybe not until they were in the bargain bins - plus the Boyzone song, when that was released as a single. The highlight, however, was the second Scatman John single, which I preferred over the first. Naturally, it did less well in the UK, and everywhere else too!

[Plym]

a few unexpected bangers, i was bopping to clock, diana and michelle Gayle. human nature is great too!

i remember the chart battle, it was all everyone at school was talking about

[CZB]

Tonight's first episode:


24-08-95: Presenter: Jarvis Cocker

(06) CLOCK – Everybody
(12) THE CHARLATANS – Just When You’re Thinking Things Over
(08) MADONNA – Human Nature (video) (and charts 40-11)
(14) XPANSIONS ’95 – Move Your Body
(02) OASIS – Roll With It (repeated performance}
(23) BJÖRK – Isobel
(NEW) DIANA ROSS – Take Me Higher (via satellite)
(15) MICHELLE GAYLE – Happy Just To Be With You
( Top ten )
(01) BLUR – Country House
(NEW) RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS – Warped (video) (and credits)


Another one, I'm afraid, with virtually none of the kind of music I was enjoying back then....

[SholasBoy]

17-08-95: Presenter: Wendy Lloyd


Moist was not familiar to me in the slightest. The Original pushing for the argument of faceless dance acts, as that singer was really a bit much wasn't he? Shiva was not one of the strongest dance songs of this era, Deuce is probably their weakest song so far, though the one I remember the most. Surprised they didn't have a little more success as they were really the only group doing this then, before we were inundated in the years that followed. Guru was a highlight for me, he was a really underrated rapper, his 2000 album, Street Soul is one of my all time faves. Loved Chaka on this, kind of giving me a Jill Scott vibe. JX great, I guess this had to be mimed as I'm sure the vocal is taken from an old song? Oasis were great, giving it the old switcheroo. Take That were diabolical on that episode, it reminded me of those "Britney miming - real vocal caught on microphone" videos.

[SholasBoy]

10-08-95: Presenter: Lisa I'Anson



OK I missed a few weeks that fell off the end, but now it's back, hopefully I can keep up. A highlight for me was Ash. It was a kind of amateur performance in the early stages of their career, but I always liked their music, they seemed to take a bit more influences from some of the bands stateside, even though they were always seen as Britpop (despite being Irish), and their success seemed to last a lot longer than other bands from this period. They seemed to have a real hardcore fanbase as their songs always debuted high and dropped quickly. Suggs seemed pissed, Tina and Mary were both kind of boring, Boyzone was one of their worst songs. One of my favourite Madonna songs, she was so good through the 90s.

[Thriller]

17-08-95

Moist?! One of the worst band names I’ve heard 🤢 not a bad song, don’t remember it at all but likelihood is I’d have heard it on the chart show. Not the sort of music I paid attention to at the time.

The Original! Absolute belter of a tune, I was obsessed with this song during the summer holidays of 1995. It had been a minor hit at the start of the year and given another chance after being big in Ibiza. The singer was a Broadway musician and is currently touring with Bon Jovi apparently!

Freedom by Shiva, seriously one of the most underrated songs of the whole decade with a brilliant vocal. Reminds me of Now 31 so much. Really sad story about the singer Louise Dean, she was killed in a hit and run aged just 24 a two months before this episode aired. Feel like her voice had potential to front so many more dance classics had that not happened.

Deuce single-handedly bringing the church down with their blasphemous On The Bible performance! Another one for Points of View. Love the gospel choir backing.

Chaka Khan?! Random for 1995. Don’t remember this one at all. She looked and sounded great though.

Hearing Björk rhyme her name with New York was cute. Hearing that song was not.

Another banger, Son Of A Gun! I’m sure JX (Jake Williams) was only 18 when this came out. I always thought the lyric was ‘a merry goat spoils the run’. He still releases music now but as Rex The Dog.

Cringing at Robbie introducing his new best mates Oasis. As for Roll With It… one of their worst songs. Wonder how many people realised the Gallaghers had swapped.

[Thriller]

10-08-95

The lesser-spotted Mary Kiani! She’d previously fronted The Time Frequency but never managed to have a memorable solo hit - her best for me is 1997’s 100%.

Love the trivia about Tim Wheeler from Ash waiting for his A Level results - I didn’t appreciate at the time, being just 10 myself, how young a lot of these pop stars were back then. Good band that don’t get enough credit these days.

Waterfalls, one of the most iconic videos of the 90s - they did Lisa dirty here though, editing her section out completely.

Julian Cope again?! Give it a rest.

Always nice to see a bit of Tina Arena but I wasn’t doing backflips over the song - aside from Chains, I always felt she was so much better than most of her material. Sorrento Moon (I Remember) from the following year is a beaut though.

Terrible performance from Suggs, like a dad on karaoke. He needed a band behind him on stage. Decent version of the song though.

I seem to remember this airing of the Human Nature video getting quite a few complaints. Anne Robinson probably read some out on Points of View. A better song than I appreciated at the time *door slam*.

So good to hear an uptempo from Boyzone? Not really. Juvenile lyrics and Backstreet Boys would shortly blow them out of the water with this sort of thing - no wonder they mostly churned out ballads. Also, what was the 90s obsession with men wearing massive polyester suit jackets?

Felix would be back in the charts again in 1996 with the same song thanks to it featuring on a blackcurrant Tango advert.

[Plym]

ok i did NOT see deuce coming with that banger, where did that come from!

i also did not have guru and chaka khan on my 2024 totp appearance scorecard!

[CZB]

Next, the big battle was underway.....


17-08-95: Presenter: Wendy Lloyd

(20) MOIST – Push
(02) THE ORIGINAL – I Luv U Baby
(18) SHIVA – Freedom (video) (and charts 40-11)
(13) DEUCE – On The Bible
(28) GURU feat. CHAKA KHAN – Watch What You Say
(NEW) BJÖRK – Isobel (via satellite)
(06) JX – Son Of A Gun
(NEW) OASIS – Roll With It
( Top ten )
(01) TAKE THAT – Never Forget (via satellite)
(NEW) BLUR – Country House (video) (and credits)


....with both of those number one contenders being featured. I didn't like either of them....nor anything else here!