Chart Music #78- February 16th 1978: Paint Along With Nancy Spungen

Chart Music #78- February 16th 1978: Paint Along With Nancy Spungen

Author: Chart Music May 8, 2026 Duration: 5:45:45

The latest episode of the podcast which asks; Emu versus Bernie Clifton’s ostrich – who wins in a fight?


This episode is practically a scientific experiment, Pop-Crazed Youngsters; Al’s been wondering what the optimum age is to reap the full benefit of our Thursday Evening Fizzy Pop treat, and wonders if – like what people say about World Cups – it’s the ones nearest to our 10th birthdays. 


Consequently, because he’s a selfish bastard, this episode is a few months away from his own seventh-life crisis, which rather taints the experiment as it’s in 1978. one of the greatest years for Pop ever; that glorious period where the fallout of Punk is still drifting down, the music biz has no idea what The Kids actually want, and the door has been kicked open for the most glorious mutations to shamble about the charts.


Kid Jensen – waiting to find out if he’ll be elected the Pontiff of Radio One next week – is at the controls, after spending a day being locked out of his own dressing room, and he guides us through a classic episode. Tom Robinson – denied the opportunity to lay some Gay on the youth – opts for some Kink-shaming. Kate Bush makes her debut, as she picks through the moors with the crushing weight of the TOTP Orchestra on her back. Darts refrain from diving into ornate fountains and wringing their socks out on the youth. Legs & Co finally get full ramp access. The Sexy Lions of Disco prowl the wasteland of Hollywood. Elkie Brooks and Billy Joel give us a taste of the Berni Inn, before we get one last suck of The Sweet. Howard Devoto puts the shits up the kiddies, Abba roar back, and we get to see the cameras being put away as Little Rabbit Arse has sex with a head on legs.


Simon Price and David Stubbs join Al Needham for a glorious romp through the murk of ‘78, veering off on such tangents as who has the nicest bum in Europe, local pornography stashes, Simon Bates’ perm, an extract from Steve Priest’s autobiography, the Bradford Gay Liberation Front, and Keith Moon’s spend-up at a Hammersmith grot shop. DON’T GO CHANGING, POP-CRAZED YOUNGSTERS!     


Video Playlist | Facebook | Twitter | Bluesky | The Chart Music Wiki | Patreon




Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Chart Music: the Top Of The Pops Podcast is a deep, often hilarious dive into the archives of the iconic BBC television show. Each episode focuses on a single, random broadcast of Top of the Pops, subjecting it to a forensic and affectionate analysis that only a panel of former Melody Maker critics could provide. Hosted by Al Needham alongside creators Sarah Bee, Neil Kulkarni, Taylor Parkes, Simon Price, and David Stubbs, this podcast dissects the performances, fashion, and cultural moment of each show with a unique blend of expertise and nostalgia. Listeners will hear detailed commentary that treats pop history with both seriousness and irreverence, uncovering the stories behind the hits and the oddities that defined Thursday night viewing for generations. It’s more than a recap; it’s a critical reappraisal of a pop institution, exploring how music, television, and memory intertwine. The conversation is insightful, witty, and packed with the kind of context only insiders can offer, making each episode a time capsule opened with care and a sharp eye. For anyone fascinated by the evolution of pop culture and the specific alchemy of a weekly chart show, this podcast provides an endlessly engaging listen.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Chart Music: the Top Of The Pops Podcast
Podcast Episodes
#76 (Pt 4): 12.8.82 – Humpty Dumpty Is Big Eggy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:25:10
David Stubbs, Taylor Parkes and Al Needham – still far too young, still far too clever – finish off this outstanding episode of The Pops, and are delighted to learn that at this point even Michael Hurll has had enough of…
#76 (Pt 3): 12.8.82 – Humpty Dumpty Is Big Eggy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:10
Taylor Parkes, David Stubbs and Al Needham continue their odyssey through this massively enjoyable TOTP, and we finally get to see the Chocolate Guitar incident. Sheena Easton becomes Gertie Numan, then Haysi Fantayzee p…
#76 (Pt 2): 12.8.82 – Humpty Dumpty Is Big Eggy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:32:47
David Stubbs, Taylor Parkes and Al Needham gleefully ram their fists into a TOTP from the late summer of ‘82. John Peel oversees the well-supervised fun, unaware that a year from now Noel Edmonds is going to try to get h…
#76 (Pt 1): 12.8.82 – Humpty Dumpty Is Big Eggy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:40:15
Taylor Parkes, David Stubbs and Al Needham prepare to tuck into a gloriously succulent episode of Top Of The Pops from the Silver Age - but first, they have a leisurely trawl of that week’s NME, express disgust at the in…
Chart Music #75: August 15th 1974 – Could YOU Be Donny’s Bride? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:21:20
The latest episode of the podcast which asks; The Osmonds – who’s the Sex King?We’re BACK, Pop-Crazed Youngsters, and to commemorate this we’ve only gone and picked out one of the maddest episodes of Top Of The Pops ever…
Chart Music #75 (Pt 4): 15.8.74 – Could YOU Be Donny’s Bride? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:43
Sarah Bee, Taylor Parkes and Al Needham conclude their investigation into this episode of Top Of The Pops, and are left shaking their heads at the success of the Bay City Rollers. The Osmonds take their final stand again…
Chart Music #75 (Pt 3): 15.8.74 – Could YOU Be Donny’s Bride? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:46:00
Sarah Bee, Taylor Parkes and Al Needham continue their odyssey through one of the strangest TOTP episodes ever, with a right bunch of Egg n’ Chippers, a chance to see if you’re marriage material for Donny Osmond, a neces…
Chart Music #75 (Pt 2): 15.8.74 – Could YOU Be Donny’s Bride? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:39:47
Sarah Bee, Taylor Parkes and Al Needham begin their quest through the dungeons of Castle Osmond. It’s August, it’s 1974, and the BBC have given an entire week over to Ken, Ken, Ken, Ken, Donny, Marie and Little Jimmy for…
Chart Music #75 (Pt 1): 15.8.74 – Could YOU Be Donny’s Bride? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:42
We’re BACK, Pop-Crazed Youngsters, and we’ve foolishly decided to tuck into one of the strangest episodes of Top Of The Pops ever. But first, Sarah Bee, Taylor Parkes and Al Needham have a massive catch-up, which means t…
Bonus: Chart Music Live 2022 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:37:03
We’re doing the London Podcast festival on September the 7th at Kings Place, Kings Cross! But Al never got round to mentioning it on Chart Music!So – as a taster for those who have never experienced the thrill of people…