Cheggers Plays Pop

[Simon B Kelly]

Series 1
S01E01. 10 April 1978. The Jarvis Brothers "One Glance", The Pleasers "The Kids Are Alright", Suzi Quatro "If You Can't Give Me Love"
S01E02. 17 April 1978. Slade "Give Us A Goal", Co-Co "Bad Old Days", Showaddywaddy "I Wonder Why"
S01E03. 24 April 1978. Flintlock "Mony Mony", Wales O'Regan "Fools Paradise", Mud "Cut Across Shortie"
S01E04. 8 May 1978. Child "When You Walk in the Room", Richard Myhill "It Takes Two to Tango", Tonight "Money Thats Your Problem"
S01E05. 15 May 1978. Sailor "All I Need is a Girl", Darts "The Boy From New York City", Tina Charles "Fire Down Below"
S01E06. 22 May 1978. Hi-Tension "Hi-Tension", The Wurzels "The Tractor Song (the Pushbike Song)", Bonnie Tyler "Here I am"
S01E07. 5 June 1978. The Dooleys "Don't Take It Lyin' Down", Goldie "Making Up Again", Brotherhood of Man "Beautiful Lover"
S01E08. 12 June 1978. Real Thing "Let's Go Disco", Davy Jones "(Hey Ra Ra Ra) Happy Birthday Mickey Mouse", Mud "Drift Away"
S01E09. 19 June 1978. Sailor "The Runaway", Lindisfarne "Run For Home", Brian and Michael "Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs"

Series 2
S02E01. 2 April 1979. Lindisfarne "Warm Feeling", The Late Show "The Bristol Stomp", The Dooleys "Honey, I'm Lost"
S02E02. 9 April 1979. Bonnie Tyler "My Guns Are Loaded", Racey "Some Girls", Rocky Sharpe and the Replays "Imagination"
S02E03. 16 April 1979. The Dazzlers "Lovely Crash", Goldie "We'll Make The Same Mistake", Real Thing "Can You Feel The Force?"
S02E04. 23 April 1979. Micky Dolenz "Love Light", M "Pop Muzik", Rikki and the Paramounts "Palisades Park"
S02E05. 30 April 1979. Alan Carvell "Tonight", Quint "Never Been In Love Before", Joe Brown "Shine"
S02E06. 7 May 1979. The Monks "Nice Legs (Shame About Her Face)", Child "Only You", Showaddywaddy "Remember Then"
S02E07. 14 May 1979. Bay City Rollers "Turn On Your Radio", Dollar "Who Were You With In The Moonlight", Brotherhood of Man "Poppa Louis"
S02E08. 21 May 1979. The Wurzels "Wurzeling Time In Somerset", Half Brother "Hideaway", Mankind "Chain Reaction"
S02E09. 28 May 1979. The Late Show "Chains", The Grumbleweeds "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick/Do You Think I'm Sexy", Bilbo "America"
S02E10. 4 June 1979. The Krankies "Charlie Brown", Berni Flint "Beautiful Loser", Dave Edmund's Rockpile "Girls Talk"
S02E11. 11 June 1979. The Dooleys "Wanted", Mud "Drop Everything and Run", Roy Wood Rock Brigade "We're On The Road Again"

Series 3
S03E01. 31 March 1980. The Dooleys "Love Patrol", The Buggles "Clean Clean", Shakin' Stevens "Hot Dog"
S03E02. 14 April 1980. Barbara Dickson "January, February", The Lambrettas "Poison Ivy", Pussyfoot "I Want To Be Me"
S03E03. 21 April 1980. Suzi Quatro "I've Never Been In Love", Dexy's Midnight Runners "Geno", Showaddywaddy "Always and Ever"
S03E04. 28 April 1980. Matchbox "Midnight Dynamos", The Undertones "My Perfect Cousin", The Wurzels "I Hate JR"
S03E05. 12 May 1980. Bad Manners "Ne-Ne Na-Na Na-Na Nu-Nu", Smokie "Take Good Care Of My Baby", The New Seekers "Tell Me"
S03E06. 19 May 1980. Martha and the Muffins "Saigon", The Chords "Somethings Missing", Rocky Sharpe and the Replays "Teenager in Love"
S03E07. 2 June 1980. Liquid Gold "Substitute", Regents "See You Later", Dollar "The Girls Are Out To Get Ya"
S03E08. 9 June 1980. Darts "Let's Hang On", Jona Lewie "You'll Always Find Me In The Kitchen At Parties", B.A.Robertson "To Be Or Not To Be"
S03E09. 22 December 1980. Darts "White Christmas", Shakin' Stevens "Shooting Gallery", Showaddywaddy "Blue Moon"

Series 4
S04E01. 6 April 1981. B.A.Robertson "Saint Saens", Bucks Fizz "Making Your Mind Up", Coast to Coast "Do the Hucklebuck"
S04E02. 13 April 1981. Matchbox "Babes in the Wood", Dave Edmunds "Almost Saturday Night", Duran Duran "Planet Earth"
S04E03. 27 April 1981. The Look "Three Steps Away", Shakin' Stevens "You Drive Me Crazy", Bad Manners "Just a Feeling"
S04E04. 11 May 1981. Small Ads "Small Ads", Keith Marshall "Only Crying", The Beat "All Out To Get You"
S04E05. 18 May 1981. The Undertones "It's Going to Happen", Toyah "I Want to be Free", Department S "Is Vic There"
S04E06. 1 June 1981. 999 "Obessed", Paul Shane with Ruth Madoc "Hi-de-Hi (Holiday Rock)", Suzi Quatro "Lipstick"
S04E07. 8 June 1981. Showaddawaddy "Multiplication", The Dooleys "Taken at the Flood", Tenpole Tudor "Swords of a Thousand Men"
S04E08. 15 June 1981. Polecats "Rockabilly Guy", Fassbender and Russell "Stay", Coast to Coast "Lets Jump the Broomstick"
S04E09. 30 December 1981. Bucks Fizz "Land of Make Believe", Modern Romance "Ay Ay Ay Moosey", Shakin' Stevens "Oh Julie"

Series 5
S05E01. 5 April 1982. Bucks Fizz "My Camera Never Lies", Bardo "One Step Further", Altered Images "See Those Eyes"
S05E02. 19 April 1982. A Flock of Seagulls "I Ran", Classix Nouveaux "Is it a Dream", Alvin Stardust "Weekend"
S05E03. 26 April 1982. Bananarama/Fun Boy Three "Really Saying Something", Madness "House of Fun", Haircut 100 "Fantastic Day"
S05E04. 10 May 1982. The Beat "Save it Till Later", Rocky Sharpe and the Replays "Shout Shout", Hot Chocolate "Girl Crazy"
S05E05. 17 May 1982. Bow Wow Wow "See Jungle (Jungle Boy)", Fun Boy Three "The Telephone Always Rings", Tight Fit "Fantasy Island"
S05E06. 24 May 1982. Bad Manners "Got No Brains", Yazoo "Only You", ABC "The Look of Love"
S05E07. 7 June 1982. Coast To Coast "Ring My Bell", Monsoon "Shakti", The Nolans "Crashing Down"
S05E08. 14 June 1982. Dollar "Videotheque", Toyah "Brave New World", Classix Nouveaux "Because You're Young"
S05E09. 26 December 1982. Modern Romance "Best Years of Our Lives", Dexy's Midnight Runners "Let's Get This Straight", Madness "Our House"

Series 6
S06E01. 20 April 1983. Sweet Dreams "I'm Never Giving Up", Tracie "The House That Jack Built"
S06E02. 27 April 1983. Darts "The Mystery of Ragoula", Maisonettes "Where I Stand", Tommy J "Same Time Same Channel"
S06E03. 4 May 1983. The Belle Stars "Sweet Memories", Bad Manners "That'll Do Nicely", Hot Chocolate "What Kind of Boy Are You Looking For Girl"
S06E04. 11 May 1983. Kissing The Pink "The Last Film", Modern Romance "Don't Stop That Crazy Rhythm", Joboxers "Boxerbeat"
S06E05. 18 May 1983. The Beat "Can't Get Used To Losing You", David Van Day "Young Americans Talking", Big Country "In A Big Country"
S06E06. 25 May 1983. Blue Zoo "Forgive & Forget", Yazoo "Nobody's Diary", Rocky Sharpe and the Replays "Stop Please Stop"
S06E07. 1 June 1983. The Police "Every Breath You Take", The Adicts "Bad Boy", David Grant "Stop & Go"
S06E08. 8 June 1983. Nick Heyward "Take That Situation", Bucks Fizz "When We Were Young", Kissing the Pink "Love Lasts Forever"
S06E09. 30 December 1983. David Grant "Rock The Midnight", Thompson Twins "Hold Me Now", Bucks Fizz "Rules Of The Game"

Series 7
S07E01. 17 April 1984. Blancmange "Don't Tell Me", Modern Romance "Just My Imagination", The Bluebells "I'm Falling"
S07E02. 24 April 1984. Captain Sensible "Glad It's All Over", Matt Bianco "Sneaking Out The Backdoor", Belle and the Devotions "Love Games"
S07E03. 1 May 1984. Hazell Dean "Searchin' (I Gotta Find A Man)", Nik Kershaw "Dancing Girls", Kajagoogoo "Turn Your Back On Me"
S07E04. 8 May 1984. Pauline Black "Pirates On The Airwaves", Flying Pickets "When You're Young And In Love", Boomtown Rats "Drag Me Down"
S07E05. 15 May 1984. Musical Youth "She's Trouble", Alvin Stardust "I Feel Like Buddy Holly", Bananarama "Rough Justice"
S07E06. 22 May 1984. Eddy Grant "Romancing The Stone", Peter Schilling "Major Tom (Coming Home)", Nick Heyward "Love All Day"
S07E07. 29 May 1984. Haircut 100 "Too Up, Two Down", Limahl "Too Much Trouble", Spandau Ballet "Only When You Leave"
S07E08. 5 June 1984. Helen Terry "Love Lies Lost", David Austin "Turn To Gold", Scritti Politti "Absolute"

Series 8
S08E01. 12 September 1985. Madness "Yesterday's Men", David Cassidy "Someone", Mike Smith "Medley"
S08E02. 19 September 1985. Blancmange "What's Your Problem?", Jaki Graham "Heaven Knows", Strawberry Switchblade "Jolene"
S08E03. 26 September 1985. Erasure "Who Needs Love Like That?", 7th Heaven "Hot Fun"
S08E04. 3 October 1985. Depeche Mode "It's Called A Heart"
S08E05. 10 October 1985. Level 42 "Something About You"
S08E06. 17 October 1985. Thompson Twins "Sister Of Mercy", Rossi Frost "Jealousy", Matt Bianco "Yeh Yeh"
S08E07. 24 October 1985. Baltimora "Tarzan Boy"
S08E08. 31 October 1985. Dan Hartman "I Can Dream About You", A Flock of Seagulls "Who's That Girl", Hazell Dean "They Say It's Gonna Rain"

Series 9
S09E01. 12 September 1986. Ruby Turner "Bye Baby", The Stranglers "Nice In Nice", Bucks Fizz "Love The One You're With"
S09E02. 19 September 1986. Hollywood Beyond "No More Tears"
S09E03. 26 September 1986. Amazulu "Montego Bay", Curiosity Killed the Cat "Misfit"
S09E04. 3 October 1986. Limahl "Inside to Outside", Owen Paul "Pleased To Meet You"
S09E05. 10 October 1986. Housemartins "Think For A Minute", Wax "In Some Other World"
S09E06. 17 October 1986. Rouen "Hold Me"
S09E07. 24 October 1986. Kim Wilde "You Keep Me Hangin' On", Alvin Stardust "Jailhouse Rock"
S09E08. 31 October 1986. Red Box "For America"
S09E09. 7 November 1986. Doctor and the Medics "Burn"

It's taken me a few hours to compile, but here is the most comprehensive list you're ever going to find for the music featured on Cheggers Play Pop.

Series 1-5 have all been catalogued in detail by the BBC (artist, song, duration). Series 6-9 have little or no detail, occasionally mentioning one or more of the artists but rarely the song. I've therefore had to guess what they would be singing by researching their hits at the time. In most cases you can even see the effect their TV appearance has had on their chart position as singles would enter or jump up the chart the following week.

I've highlighted the six missing shows in red and the show recovered from VHS in green

I've found clips from every season on YouTube and have linked the song titles to their performances where available.

Obviously, if anyone can provide me with more details on who appeared and when, or if you'd like to correct any of the song titles I've chosen, I'll be happy to update this post.

[Ray Langstone (was saintsray)]

www.wilde-life.com/tv/1986/cheggers-plays-pop

Date: October 20, 1986
Channel: BBC (UK)

Kim lipsynchs 'You keep me hangin' on' on the stage in front of a live studio audience, backed by a band consisting of a drummer and two guitarists.

Presumably shown 24th October?

[Simon B Kelly]

That sounds about right, Ray. I read an interview with Keith Chegwin where he mentioned how each show would be recorded "as live" with no more than three breaks and so would take 45 minutes to record... which was about the maximum attention span of the kids in the audience!

Judging by the date you've given me, it was recorded on a Monday and shown on the Friday. It averaged seven million viewers so there's a very good chance that all the missing episodes were videotaped and are out there... somewhere...

[James C]

so everything exists apart from the shows highlighted in red? would kajagoogoo really be singing a song which was a top 10 hit in 1983 and not 1984?

[Rich Cornock]

certainly seems a bit random the ones they erased. did someone at the BBC have a dislike for Kajagoogoo ;D

[Simon B Kelly]

Well spotted, Jason! You're quite right. I've put one of their 1984 "hits" in it's place! 'Turn Your Back on Me' was No. 68 when the show was broadcast and it went up to 54 that weekend, peeking at No. 47 the following week. Can't say I remember that one...

Interesting to see that the master tapes for Series 1-5 appear to have been donated to the BFI:
ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/6229

It's a shame that weren't given Series 6-9 as well...

[Simon B Kelly]

I've found another clip from the missing S06E05, broadcast 18th May 1983. David Van Day performing "Young Americans Talking".

I first came across it on the official Dollar site (dollarsite.co.uk) posted as a tiny 192x144 pixel Real Media file in their Videotheque section. I then found a YouTube link on David's site (davidvanday.co.uk) to the same performance, in slightly better quality, but incorrectly listed as being from Razzmatazz. However, the studio set exactly matches the one used by Blue Zoo the following week so it's definitely from Cheggers Plays Pop!

Both performances must have been recorded as inserts, as no kids are visible at any time during the songs. If you watch the Blue Zoo clip to the end you'll see it simply cuts to the audience cheering before panning across to Cheggers.

David Van Day, 18th May 1983: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CEHkbJkOLs

Blue Zoo, 25th May 1983: www.youtube.com/watch?v=taTKgLcmmBg

I've also re-upped the video with the correct attribution and with the sound redubbed using the remastered CD version from 2010:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=65d5YMpm2O4

[Simon B Kelly]

In a 2007 interview Keith Chegwin boasted how Cheggers Plays Pop used to get all the big names:

Every big name you can think of, from Freddie Mercury to even Paul McCartney…

Does anyone have any idea which shows they appeared on? It would have to be 1985 or 1986 as I've managed to work out the line-up for all the earlier shows. Interestingly, a more recent article also mentions how "even Paul McCartney and Queen made the trip to the Manchester studios". But did they? Can anyone confirm this?

www.beehivecity.com/television/bbc-ready-to-dust-down-cheggers-plays-pop-from-archive546787/

[Ray Langstone (was saintsray)]

I don't remember either being on it. Macca was on Saturday Superstore, but....I don't think so. I will ask Keith Badman who has better knowledge than I on both.

[Ray Langstone (was saintsray)]

Keith says ""neither Queen or Sir Macca appeared in person on Cheggers Plays Pop.""

[Deleted]

Quick heads up to catch BBC4's 'Big In America-British Hits In the USA'. Repeated later tonight at 2am. Great performance of 'I Ran' by A Flock Of Seagulls from Cheggers Plays Pop is aired again.

[Thomas Walsh]

Didn't XTC appear on CPP..?

[andyc]

Feb 11, 2012 2:28:46 GMT Thomas Walsh said:

Didn't XTC appear on CPP..?

My senses have been working overtime trying to find out, but I don't think they did. I can't find any reference to a possible appearance and the list above looks very comprehensive as well.

[Louise Penn]

XTC appeared on something similar round that time. I remember Smash Hits were always promoting them although if memory serves they never troubled the charts so its unlikely to be TOTP that they were on. Razzmatazz? Not The Roxy as that was pretty much light pop. Doubt it was Cheggers either for the same reason.

Our school was on Cheggers with Eddie Kidd as their helpmate, not that long before his devastating accident.

[Sal Mohammed]

Feb 11, 2012 10:02:54 GMT Louise Penn said:

Our school was on Cheggers with Eddie Kidd as their helpmate, not that long before his devastating accident.

Do you mean this? www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCjgEj2iJZg