TV Cream

A bit of business

Now That’s What I Call The Top of the Top of the Pops

More like Cor!-lin BakerClapped out session musicians aping the efforts of – variously – a US punk outfit’s run-through of the Banana Splits theme, Shaky’s emerald-edged opus to a permanently positioned portal (‘Green Door’), Gary Numan’s post-apocalyptic love-letter to his hatchback (‘Cars’), a Clive Dunn novelty single (‘Granddad’), the most tear-jerking song of all time (‘Bright Eyes’) or even other [Dutch] clapped out session musicians (‘Stars on 45’)… ah yes, the wonderful TOP OF THE POPS albums.

We’re big fans, and so we’ve put together our own  Spotify playlist, unearthing the very best work of the Top of the Poppers from 1968 to 1985. It’s now a link somewhere near the bottom of the right-hand bar, or, you can click here.

It’s an open list, so do add your favourites – and let us know in the comments below what they are.

Oh, and thanks to Who Fix for unearthing that lovely Colin Baker-en-route-to-a-one-night-stand-with-an-ex-girlfriend picture, which we’ve used as a bit of eye candy for the cover of our compilation. Phwoar, eh, ladies?! More like the Sex-th Doctor!

5 Comments

5 Comments

  1. darnall42

    August 30, 2010 at 5:39 pm

    I Love the TOTP albums (i’m about 20 albums away from the full set of 92)some of the tracks are better than the originals in my opinion 🙂

  2. Mark Wright

    September 1, 2010 at 12:28 am

    The Lion Sleeps Tonight (0:09) is that an early interjection from frustrated rock-star Ricky Gervais?

  3. MATTBROAD

    September 1, 2010 at 11:02 pm

    I always avoided these as a kid preferring to buy the originals.However am listening to it now and it’s oddly enough not too bad(did I really just type that)The mighty Ace of Spades sounds like its being covered by The Stranglers(is the vocalist Hugh Cornwell)

  4. Matty

    September 7, 2010 at 4:31 pm

    “You Spin Me Right Round (Like a Record)” actually manages a reasonable facsimile of the opening only for the illusion to shatter when the rather anaemic vocals kick-in, never has someone sounded less convincing singing “I want some, want some!”

  5. Richard Davies

    September 7, 2010 at 6:21 pm

    There were some other series of “current hits” LPs with the songs covered by sessionists. Both David Bowie & Elton John both contributed to them pre-fame. Some of Elton’s have been compiled into an album.

    Back in the 1960s Woolworths also used to sell cheaply covered singles, my Dad was given a few as presents (he was smart enough to know not to buy them) & passed them on to my aunt as soon as possible.

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