05 January 1984 (TOTP)

Show[]

This was the first show of the year and also 20th anniversary edition of the program, hosted by David Jensen and John Peel, with a brief appearance from Alan Freeman. This was the week's singles chart.
This was the debut appearance of Frankie Goes To Hollywood with Relax. The song was famously banned shortly afterwards and was not featured again on Top of the Pops until the Christmas 1984 edition. The single stayed at no.1 for five weeks.
Peel conducts a short interview with Alan Freeman "who introduced some of those early Top of the Popses, or whatever the plural is". Freeman answers 'no' to all of Peel's questions including "would you like a cup of tea?" Peel then talks over Freeman when the veteran DJ tries to say "It's great to be back..".
Status Quo are famously unruly in their performance and towards the end of their performance Rick Parfitt knocks over the drum kit. "Oh the show goes on eh?" comments Peel immediately afterwards.
This show was repeated on BBC Four from on 2017-06-08.

Section with a selection of black and white clips of hits of the sixties with Peel voice-over:

The Rolling Stones – Let’s Spend The Night Together (clip from 26/12/67) "your place or mine?"
Procol Harum – A Whiter Shade Of Pale (clip from 26/12/67) "dig those threads man!"
Lulu – Love Loves To Love Love (clip from 26/12/67) "catchy!"
Engelbert Humperdinck – The Last Waltz (clip from 26/12/67) "what a hunk, eh?"
The Alan Price Set – Don’t Stop The Carnival (clip from 15/02/68) "the carnival continues here on Top of the Pops"
Peter Sarstedt – Where Do You Go To My Lovely (clip from 27/02/69) "Easy Peter!"
The Hollies – Sorry Suzanne (clip from 27/02/69)
Brotherhood Of Man – United We Stand (clip from 29/01/70) "a really cute bunch of kids"
Edison Lighthouse – Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) (clip from 29/01/70)
Jonathan King – Let It All Hang Out (clip from 29/01/70) (removed from June 2017 repeat)
Jethro Tull – The Witch’s Promise (clip from 29/01/70)
The Dave Clark Five – Everybody Get Together (clip from 26/02/70) "masters of melody"
Thin Lizzy – Whiskey In The Jar (clip from 01/02/73) "Now here's a good 'un"
The Sweet – Blockbuster (clip from 01/02/73)
The Beatles – All You Need Is Love (‘Our World’ clip) "summing up a decade of music"
Status Quo – Marguerita Time (5)

Peel mentions Alexis Korner "who died recently. He was a good man and will be very much missed"

Sequence of clips in colour with Peel voice-over:

Deep Purple – Black Night (clip) "1970 and one the year's biggies"
Slade – Coz I Luv You (clip from 27/12/71) "now back in the charts"
Ashton, Gardner & Dyke – Resurrection Shuffle (clip from 27/12/71)
Wizzard – Ball Park Incident (clip from 27/12/73)
Alvin Stardust – My Coo Ca Choo (clip from 15/11/73) "another unforgettable haircut"
Gary Glitter – I Love You Love Me Love (clip from 15/11/73) (removed from June 2017 repeat)
Roxy Music – All I Want Is You (clip from 04/10/74)
Bay City Rollers – Bye Bye Baby (clip from 25/12/75) "one of the biggest bands of the 1970s"
Cliff Richard – Devil Woman (clip from 25/12/76)
Ian Dury & The Blockheads – Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick (clip from 25/12/79)
Gary Numan – Cars (clip from 25/12/79) "pouting Gary Numan"

- runs into clips of the eighties, still with Peel voice-over.

Paul McCartney – Coming Up (video) "what a treat eh?"
Soft Cell – Tainted Love (clip from 13/08/81)
Dexys Midnight Runners – Come On Eileen (clip from 15/07/82) "play that banjo, son!"
Peel: "Memories, such memories. We apologise if you're faves weren't there - actually my faves weren't there either". Jensen: "He still misses the Osmonds, especially little Jimmy. Now let's look at our new expanded Top 40".
Frank Kelly – Christmas Countdown (26)
Peel (referring to previous act): "The eight days of Christmas, drastically reduced to clear".
After chart rundown to no.11 Jensen: "And now something the Rhythm Pals did a couple of years ago." Peel: "You're not going to tell them about the trusses are you?" Jensen: "No, no, no. It's the video Top 10".
Video Top 10 up to no.3.
Slade – My Oh My (2)
The Flying Pickets – Only You (1) (video)
Kool & The Gang – Straight Ahead (19) (audience dancing / credits)