Fascinating Facts and Trivia

American crooner Frankie Laine reached the number 1 spot in April 1953 with ‘I Believe’. The song spent 9 consecutive weeks at number 1, then after falling to number 2 for a week, it returned to the top spot for a further 6 weeks before being nudged off the top spot by Mantovani. But Laine’s song refused to go away, returning to the top spot for a third time where it spent a further 3 weeks - making 18 weeks in all.

The first ever UK number 1 single was ‘Here in my Heart’ by Al Martino in November 1952.

Oasis took their name from a Leisure Centre in Swindon, where Inspiral Carpets played on April 28,1991. Noel Gallagher at the time was a roadie for Inspiral Carpets.

In March 1991, R.E.M played a secret gig at London’s Borderline under the pseudonym ‘Bingo Hand Job’

The Smiths song ‘Rubber Ring’ contains a sample of Sir John Gielgud.

More song trivia:

Thomas Dolby had a guest appearance of Dr Magnus Pyke in his video for 'She's Blinding Me With Science' and he utters that on the record.

Tracey Ullman features Neil Kinnock in her video for 'They Don't Know About Us' and for her video for ' I Can't Breakaway' she had her friend taking part.

Another video for Tracey had special guest Paul McCartney.

Madness song 'Michael Caine' featured the man uttering "I am" or "My name is" on the record and tape and CD but only at the end of the song on the CD can you hear Michael Caine at the end say "I think we got it there don't you?"

New boy in 1986 Simon Mayo's first appearance on Top of the Pops was memorable for him not looking to camera when asked to introduce the next act-he always regrets that ricket!

Former Pan's People dancer Dee Dee Wilde turned up on The Greatest Dancer last week with a group of older ladies but unfortunately the mirror didn't open for them.

I am sure there are others but former footballers Kevin Keegan, Paul Gascoine, Glenn Hoddle & Chris Waddle and the England Football Squads of the past all appeared on Top Of The Pops with their hits. We had no taste back then!

Another two Eastenders actors Paul J Medford & Letitia Dean had a minor hit with 'Something Out of Nothing' to follow on the success of Nick Berry(Every Loser Wins) and Anita Dobson(Anyone can fall in Love-Eastenders theme) and of course who could forget the cast of Grange Hill with their anti-drugs tune 'Just Say No' featuring Lee McDonald(Zammo), Erkan Mustafa(Ro-land) and Michelle Gayle amongst others. Incidentally Paul J Medford found his way into the West End much later being in the cast of musical 'Five Guys Named Moe'

You had to go and mention that Anita Dobson song didn’t you...wasn’t Des O Connor on a loop enough..

Well yes because it is part of the Eastenders canon No not Des, I wouldn't inflict that on anyone.
It just seemed back then that soap/drama stars wanted to be pop stars too and so many records were released and I might add Coronation Street got in on the act as well.

When the late DJ John Peel appeared on Top of the Pops with Rod Stewart and the Faces pretending to play the mandolin on ‘Maggie May’ he was the subject of an unofficial BBC ban on him appearing on Top of the Pops as a presenter.

I once met Johnny Pearson who used to conduct the orchestra in the early Top of the Pops-genuinely nice man and he also composed a number of tunes for television programmes including the lovely music used in 'All Creatures Great and Small'