Another dip in the past. With Noel Edmonds.

If it’s Thursday, then it must be time for Top of the Pops.

 

LP Hartley once wrote that “the past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.” If that’s the case, then dig out your passport and join me. I’ve got us each a return ticket.

It’s early 1977 and Slade are performing “Gypsy Road Hog” on our weekly trip to the past. They would have three further Top Ten hits in the early 1980s, but it’s clear that their heyday is behind them. This is a shame because “Gypsy Road Hog” is actually a hallf-decent song.

Here's Silver Convention, a scared-looking three-piece performing a dreadful, dreadful disco song, the title of which I missed. This isn’t just disco though. This is Disco, from the land that brought us the Nazis. I think that just about sums it up.

Donna Summer – Winter Melody. By ‘77 Summer was making her name in the world of (non-Nazi) disco music, though this song is a soul ballad. The song speaks of a woman struggling to come to terms with the fact that her relationship has ended. Zzzzzzzzzzz. Bring the ugly Disco Nazis back on!

Up next it’s Jesse Green singing a song called Flip. It’s a little bit of late 70’s pop-reggae. I'm told the live version of this is really lovely. Ditch the shirt though Jesse.

It's time for the weekly appearance of Legs & Co, and this week it's Elvis they are 'dancing' to. Every week I think the same thing: "The choreographer has arranged this dance without a single listen to the song." The song is Suspicion: Legs & Co are prancing around a mock-up of the New York skyline in white dinner jackets. Eh?

Leo Sayer – When I Need You. This was a huge favourite of mine when I was nearly six, and I can see why – he’s a larger version of me in ’77: Big hair, cute little face, flares, the lot.

Thin Lizzy – Don’t Believe a Word. The first real, decent song of the night. And Phil Lynott is the first person not to mime.

And finally the Number 1. This week it's David Soul, again. Another song I loved when I was six, I can see it's faults now. He really should have stuck to knacking his back, jumping onto cars, in the pursuit of 1970's criminals.

See you next week.