Volume 92 (SHM 3170) - March 1985

Tracks:

Side 1

• Things Can Only Get Better Originally a hit for Howard Jones (6)
• You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) Originally a hit for Dead Or Alive (1)
• Solid Originally a hit for Ashford And Simpson (3)
• Dancing In The Dark Originally a hit for Big Daddy (21)
• You're The Inspiration Originally a hit for Chicago (14)
• Just Another Night Originally a hit for Mick Jagger (32)

Side 2

• Wide Boy Originally a hit for Nik Kershaw (9)
• I Know Him So Well Originally a hit for Elaine Paige And Barbara Dickson (1)
• Breakin' Up My Heart Originally a hit for Shakin' Stevens (14)
• Nightshift Originally a hit for The Commodores (3)
• The Boys Of Summer Originally a hit for Don Henley (12)
• Let's Go Crazy Originally a hit for Prince (7)

Sleeve notes:

‘85 is coming alive with Sounds of Top Of The Poppers. You have here a selection of what is making pop swing - 12 of the newest, grooviest, top pop hits around. Your favourite sounds from the radio, the best sounds from your T.V. and what you’ve been bopping to at the disco are all contained on TOP OF THE POPS Volume 92.

If you like DANCING IN THE DARK to very SOLID rhythms, then LET’S GO CRAZY listening to WIDE BOY and YOU SPIN ME ROUND (Like A Record). All these great hit sounds and more have been lovingly recreated by The Top Of The Poppers.

Only the finest recording techniques are used to give you that incomparable sound you all want to hear. We have the most talented session musicians and vocalists in the business to record our cover hits. We employ the greatest studio engineers in the country to ensure that technical perfection is obtained. All this, plus lots and lots of hard work and thought is what goes into making a truly fabulous TOP OF THE POPS recording.

Comments: This was the unsuccessful “revival” album, following Best of Top of the Pops 1984. Alas it was never to be followed up. Although published as usual on the Hallmark label, the logo was merged with the Marble Arch logo, recalling an association going back to at least 1971.

Where the tracks come from is a bit of a mystery, but here they are. Chevron were continuing to issue albums sporadically during this period, but none have tracks which correspond with this LP. According to the BBC radio documentary, Even Better Than The Real Thing, this LP was made with "Bruce Baxter back on board", suggesting it was a genuine in-house recording, in the pre-1979 style.

After Samantha Fox had hosted Best of Top of the Pops 1984 her biggest glamour rival, Linda Lussardi, was brought in for this LP cover.

Interestingly, “You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)” is the only regular Top of the Pops track to have charted during the calendar year of 1983!

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