Top of the Pops 1983

[Dirty Epic]

On BBC Four tonight is both Top of the Pops The Story of 1983 and 1983 Big Hits.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b087lmbd

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b087lmbg

The 1983 episodes proper will be being shown on BBC Four from next Friday and wonder if they'll double them up again and we'll get to 1984 by the middle of the year. Hope so as Frankie Goes to Hollywood would feature then too - always interesting.

[Del Boy]

I'm still catching up on the last of the 1982 episodes after a busy festive period but have been looking forward to what will be the 
7th installment of The Story Of  documentaries. 

Personally I hope they return to the once per week format that served so well for the first 5 years of these Top Of The Pops Specials.

[Windy Miller]

I hope the BBC take the opportunity to show stuff from Yewtree'd, Smithed, or otherwise episodes that we won't be able to watch when the TOTPs episodes are rolling through 1983.

[Del Boy]

Smithed? Mike Smith ?

I was hoping the cut episodes were far fewer in number in 1983 due to the new faces on the Totp roster.

[Dirty Epic]

Here's this weeks rundown - 13/01/1983. A bit of a mixed bag to say the least!

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0888q6x

[Cartman]

Very mixed. Like Eddy Grant, The Maisonettes and Men at Work. At the opposite end of the scale, sodding Orville.....

Pretty much the end of an era for me, 83.Every so often something new would come along and reinvigorate music, or it would enter a crap phase. Starting with Bill Haley and Elvis in the 50s, The Beatles in the early 60s, Glam Rock in the early 70s, punk/new wave/disco in the late 70s, then a crap phase followed until the mid 90s, when Britpop started, then another crap phase with Cowells Karaoake contest...

[Del Boy]

So it seems we won't see quite a few episodes this year because of the usual suspects and now the Mike Smith presented
programs have been given the elbow.
God knows why though as there's no definitive answer out on the net and the Beeb don't furnish us with such info.
So that's 15 episodes gone up the swanny for 1983 including christmas day 1983 as Mike Smith was on it 
We also don't know if they will double up this year (bloody hope not )  But that will be solved very soon.
This year TOTP 1983 are all presented by co-presenters in yet another year of change under Michael Hurll's leadership.
The only exception seems to be the 1000th edition presented by Richard Skinner.

1983 really was the year that the pop video became king and we see ever more of them this year and the back of Zoo.
I won't really miss Zoo who were pretty much anonymous compared to the previous dance troupes.
And dare i say it the worst of the lot

Ok this friday the 13th 2017 see's us rewinding 34 years to 13/01/1983
The 6/1/83 edition was elbowed due to Mike Smith being a co-presenter alongside Tommy Vance.

Chart rundown courtesy of Popscene
13/01/83 (David Jensen & John Peel)

Incantation – “Cacharpaya (Andes Pumpsa Desi)” (14)
Men At Work –  “Down Under” (7) 
Sharon Redd – “In The Name Of Love” (53)
Keith Harris & Orville – “Orville’s Song” (4) 
The Belle Stars – “Sign Of The Times” (51) 
John Williams – “Theme From E.T.” (17) 
Eddy Grant – “Electric Avenue” (22) 
The Maisonettes – “Heartache Avenue” (15) 
Phil Collins – “You Can’t Hurry Love” (1) 
Donna Summer – “I Feel Love” (21) 

Enjoy 

[Dirty Epic]

Interesting Donna Summer's I Feel Love appears on the end credits of this episode. Did this get a remix/re-release back then? I know the 1996 release got the Sister Bliss (Faithless) treatment.

[Cartman]

I dont remember that being re released then, only its original 1977 issue

[Gene Hunt]

Yep. I Feel Love was remixed in 1978 by Pat Cowley as an extended 15 minute version. It was released commercially in 1982 as a 12" single and as an edited 7" in the same year. It was released in 2003 on an album titled "The Journey - The Very Best Of Donna Summer" as well as on a 12" compilation album called "Grand 12-Inches" (Calm down The Saint).

It's most recent release was on a 2013 double disc titled "I Feel Love - The Collection"

Gene.