It's a "Top Of The Pops" Wednesday in The Dungeon tonight!
I'm no authority, but to me "Top Of The Pops" was the British equivalent to "American Bandstand!"
I never have felt like people in America understood how the music scene in Britain was pretty much entirely different than in the U.S. and I think this TV show will kind of show what I mean!
"Top Of The Pops" chose a handful of the top charters of the time in a dance party format!
Distinguished marathon runner and MENSA member, Jimmy Savile was the host of "Top Of The Pops" for 255 episodes from 1964 to 2006!
This episode of "Top Of The Pops" started off with "Back On My Feet Again" by The Foundations, which peaked on the British charts at number 18, and was basically unheard of in the United States. The following year they would hit it big with a number 5 song on the Billboard charts in the U.S. called "Build Me Up Buttercup!
Alan Price had a lot more success with American audiences when he was in The Animals, who he left to form the Alan Price Set. This song, "Don't Stop The Carnival" reached number 13 in the UK, and never saw the light of day in the U.S.
After this, The Move's song "Fire Brigade" moved all the way up to number 3 on the UK charts.
Personally, I like The Move, but they had very limited popularity in the U.S, and I don't think this song was ever played on American radio. I think The Move were just too English for America, and people here didn't even know what a fire brigade was!
"Pictures Of Matchstick Men" was the only hit single that the Status Quo had in America when it reached number 12. After this show, in the British charts it made it all the way to number 7.
I don't remember this song at all, but it supposedly made it to number 22 in the U.S. but Herman and the boys sure had a lot of other big hits!
They've got it here as being number 9, but everything else I've read, says it only made it to number 11 in the UK.
Louisiana born Brenton Wood's "Gimme A Little Sign" hit number 8 in the UK, and number 9 on the U.S. Billboard Charts!
Like American Bandstand, It looks like most of these performers are miming their tunes!
In the truth is stranger than fiction department, the 78 year old Brenton Wood will be performing here in my town as part of an R&B revue show in a couple of weeks!
The Amen Corner's version of "Bend Me, Shape Me," reached number 3 in the UK. I don't think it ever got any airplay, or very little, in the U.S.
"Bend Me, Shape Me" by The American Breed was a big hit in the U.S. where it made it to number 5, but that version only made it to number 24 in the UK.
The original recording of "Bend Me, Shape Me," was recorded by The Outsiders which never charted.
The number one tune for the week was Manfred Mann's "The Mighty Quinn." The album this song came from, also had another hit on it called "Ha! Ha! Said The Clown," but the album itself, which was called "Might Garvey" in the UK, never charted!
"The Might Quinn" only got as far as number 10 in the American Billboard Charts, but it probably played on the radio much longer!
I'll leave you with this shot of Jimmy Savile doing his impression of Yertle the Turtle while Pirate and BBC radio DJ, Dave Cash prattles on!
In 1969, recording as Microbe, Dave Cash had a minor novelty hit himself that reached number 29 on the British charts called
"Groovy Baby!"
Be afraid, be very afraid!
I never have felt like people in America understood how the music scene in Britain was pretty much entirely different than in the U.S. and I think this TV show will kind of show what I mean!
Distinguished marathon runner and MENSA member, Jimmy Savile was the host of "Top Of The Pops" for 255 episodes from 1964 to 2006!
Personally, I like The Move, but they had very limited popularity in the U.S, and I don't think this song was ever played on American radio. I think The Move were just too English for America, and people here didn't even know what a fire brigade was!
They've got it here as being number 9, but everything else I've read, says it only made it to number 11 in the UK.
Like American Bandstand, It looks like most of these performers are miming their tunes!
In the truth is stranger than fiction department, the 78 year old Brenton Wood will be performing here in my town as part of an R&B revue show in a couple of weeks!
"Bend Me, Shape Me" by The American Breed was a big hit in the U.S. where it made it to number 5, but that version only made it to number 24 in the UK.
The original recording of "Bend Me, Shape Me," was recorded by The Outsiders which never charted.
"The Might Quinn" only got as far as number 10 in the American Billboard Charts, but it probably played on the radio much longer!
In 1969, recording as Microbe, Dave Cash had a minor novelty hit himself that reached number 29 on the British charts called
"Groovy Baby!"
Be afraid, be very afraid!
8 comments:
Wow, the only song you mentioned that I remember was "The Mighty Quinn." But I do remember Peter Noone quite well with Herman's Hermits. Of course, part of that is that I ran the copies for his fan club newsletter that was operating out of Albany, Georgia, from time to time.
Loved the cheesecake title page, though. Times have changed, haven't they?
PS: I _hate_ the select the pictures Captcha. Tell them to stop it. LOL
Aw Jeez! Are they doing that now? I hate that too! It never works worth a shit and I have to do it three or four times. I thought just claiming you weren't a robot was bad enough already. I'd tell them if there was an ear to actually listen!! Those "Top of the Pops" album covers were all definitely from another era. If the exploitative covers weren't bad enough, none of the songs were done by the original artists either, and they just kept pumping them out!
Jimmy Savile - DJ, host of Top of the Pops, charity fundraiser and friend of royalty (he was also knighted...) was unmasked after his death as a massively prolific serial sex abuser and paedophile.
The scandal of his hiding in plain sight for decades at the BBC became a huge crisis for the Corporation.
We don't get to see the creepy old freak on TOTP reruns over here, these days...
Wow! Sleazy stuff Andy! I knew the first part but never read about the bad! That's crazy that they won't even play the show anymore. There must be an episode with Gary Glitter on it. Boy would that be a lot of creepiness on one stage!
Captcha, how I despise thee! I've had a couple instances where they had me select pics on as many as 5 or 6 screens. :(
Great stuff!
Regarding CAPTCHA, I hate it too but only because I am a Robot (but I have to prove I'm not).
Re: The cheesecake page...second row from the top, sixth one from the left. That's Samantha Fox, of "Touch Me" fame. Ohh myyyy!
Glad to see you're paying attention KD. I wish I had been. I need to redo that thing. I didn't realize there were so many duplications.
Post a Comment