Top of the Pops

Big Hits 1979

Specials    Episode 107
January 3, 2014    60m
1979 Top of the Pops collection, offering 60 minutes of the year's greatest, cheesiest and oddest performances. 1979 was the year music went portable with the launch of the Sony walkman and another year Top of the Pops, the BBC's flagship music show, managed to still draw over 15 million viewers every Thursday night.

The mod revival and 2 Tone was in full stomp, featured here with the Jam, the Specials, Madness and the Selecter. If new wave was your bag there is Elvis Costello, Squeeze and Gary Numan. In 1979 there was little chance of seeing a show on TV featuring Dame Edna's performance of Waltzing Matilda alongside the Ruts with Babylon's Burning, but the British public's eclectic taste predicted the chart and thus saw them together on TOTP in June.

With singles sales at their peak it was a regular occurrence for groups like Racey and the Nolans to sell over a million copies and their performances may tell us why, or maybe not! Plus new wave pop from Lene Lovich, disco from Chic and a peek at the nation's favourite, Chas & Dave, singing Gertcha.

Playlist:

Elvis Costello & The Attractions – Oliver's Army

Lene Lovich – Lucky Number

Chic – I Want Your Love

Racey – Some Girls

Chas & Dave – Gertcha

Squeeze – Up The Junction

Janet Kay – Silly Games

Dame Edna Everage – Disco Matilda

The Ruts – Babylon's Burning

The Police – Can't Stand Losing You

The Pretenders – Kid

Lena Martell – One Day At A Time

Gary Numan – Cars

Cliff Richard – We Don't Talk Anymore

The Jam – The Eton Rifles

The Nolans – I'm In The Mood For Dancing

The Selecter – On My Radio

Joe Jackson – Is She Really Going Out With Him?

Madness – One Step Beyond

M – Pop Musik

The Boomtown Rats – I Don't Like Mondays (promo)

The Specials featuring Rico – A Message To You, Rudy

Watch on these services

This title is currently not available on any service.
Cast of Big Hits 1979
  • Fearne CottonHost
  • Reggie YatesHost

Take Plex everywhere

Watch free anytime, anywhere, on almost any device.
See the full list of supported devices