29 October 1981: Presenter – Simon Bates: Broadcast BBC Four 26/05/2016 (Thanks to POPSCENE for the running order)
(2) Altered Images – “Happy Birthday”
(18) Rod Stewart – “Tonight I’m Yours (Don’t Hurt Me)”
(22) The Fureys with Davey Arthur – “When You Were Sweet Sixteen”
(29) Olivia Newton-John – “Physical”
(38) Trevor Walters – “Love Me Tonight”
(13) B.A. Robertson & Maggie Bell – “Hold Me”
(40) Haircut 100 – “Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)”
(21) OMD – “Joan Of Arc”
(9) Squeeze – “Labelled With Love”
(1) Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin – “It’s My Party”
Last week’s Top Of The Pops was hosted by Jimmy Sovile and featured The Human League – “Open Your Heart”, Elvis Costello & The Attractions – “A Good Year For The Roses”, The Police – “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”, and The Jam – “Absolute Beginners”. What we get tonight is not the most thrilling, but I’ve picked out a couple of things.
There are two 80’s defining videos. The first is Olivia Newton-John singing “Physical”, and, to get the joke in before anyone else – who would not want to get physical with Olivia Newton-John? It’s one of those ear worm catchy tunes that I guarantee you will be singing for days after hearing it. The song was written by Steve Kipner and Terry Shaddick, who originally intended to offer it to Rod Stewart.
And, by coincidence, Rod Stewart’s video is also on the show. “Tonight I’m Yours (Don’t Hurt Me)” is the title track from the “Tonight I’m Yours” album. It marks a change in music direction for the Scottish singer, as he moves into the 80’s pop vibe. A classic 80’s style video, for the classic one-night stand anthem.
"Labelled With Love" was the third single released from Squeeze's fourth album, East Side Story. It was the last Squeeze single to reach the Top 10 in the UK Singles Chart. It is another Glen Tilbrook song with narrative lyrics, heart tinged with a downbeat sentiment, but enhanced with a plaintive delivery. A story about old age, alcoholism, and memories of past love.
The B-Side to “Labelled With Love” is a Starsound type medley of Squeeze hits. Called “Squabs On The Forty Fab”, it includes Take Me I’m Yours, Cool For Cats, Up The Junction, Is That Love, Pulling Mussels (From The Shell), Another Nail In My Heart, Slap & Tickle, and Goodbye Girl, and is a tongue in cheek response to the multitude of other medley records that seem to be dominating the charts.
watch. It all kinda fizzles out for the girls in their final time in Studio 6. They get to dance front of stage but barely in camera shot to Altered Images “Happy Birthday”, and Gill has a brief solo spot to The Fureys “When You Were Sweet Sixteen”. Their final appearance is dancing with the audience to Haircut 100 “Boy Meets Girl”.