The Songs Of The Young Ones
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The Young Ones was seminal ground-breaking "alternative" comedy show, that ran on BBC TV in the UK for 2 series (1982 & 1984), for a total of 12 episodes. The anarchic antics of four students from Scumbag College, was a huge hit among young people, who felt they finally had a TV show aimed at them. The show aired on MTV in the United States in 1985, the first non-music show to do so. To gain extra funding from the BBC to make the shows, the makers added an interlude in the shows. Meaning that the show wasn't classed as sitcom, but as a variety show, for which the BBC allocated greater funds. This cleverly conceived element of the show, gave the opportunity to show case a variety of bands of the period, many who weren't necessarily mainstream chart acts. Maintaining the offbeat vibe of the show. Here we present every musical interlude from the Young Ones. Hope you enjoy!
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Series #1
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Episode: Demolition
Aired: 9th of November 1982 Band: Nine Below Zero Song: Eleven Plus Eleven |
Nine Below Zero were an Pub rock and blues band, formed in South London in 1977, they had great success in the early 80s, appearing on a number of popular TV shows of the period. However the never found great chart success, and the band split in 1983. They reformed in 1990, and exist today with a changed line-up.
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Episode: Oil
Aired: 16th of November 1982 Band: Alexei Sayle with Radical Posture Song: Dr. Martens Boots |
Alexei Sayle was a regular on The Young Ones, playing various members of the Balowski family. Dr. Martins Boots, was one of the most memorable songs from the series. It was taken from Sayle's first live comedy album Cak!, released in 1982. He also performed Stupid Noises on the second episode of series 2, called Cash.
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Episode: Boring
Aired: 23rd November 1982 Band: Madness Song: House Of Fun |
Released in April 1982, House Of Fun was a massive no.1 hit for the ska/pop band Madness. There only no.1 hit in the UK. Madness were formed in Camden Town, London, in 1976. Despite only having one no.1 hit with House Of Fun, Madness were one of the most popular bands of the late 70s and early 80s in the UK.
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Episode: Bomb
Aired: 30th November 1982 Band: Dexys Midnight Runners Song: Jackie Wilson Said |
Jackie Wilson Said was covered by Dexys Midnight Runners (originally by Van Morrison) on their album Too-Rye-Ay and reached no.5 in the UK charts. It was the follow-up single to their massive hit single Come On Eileen. Famously when played on TOTPs, a picture of darts player Jocky Wilson, was used in the background.
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Episode: Interesting
Aired: 7th December 1982 Band: Rip Rig + Panic (with Andrea Oliver) Song: You're My Kind Of Climate |
Rip Rig + Panic were a post-punk band founded in 1981, who broke up in 1983. They featured a long list of artists in their short life, including singer Neneh Cherry. Who went on to have success as a solo artist. For their Young Ones appearance, singer Andrea Oliver sang lead. She went on to become a TV and radio broadcaster.
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Episode: Flood
Aired: 14th December 1982 Band: No band this week Song: No song this week |
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Series #2
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Episode: Bambi
Aired: 8th May 1984 Band: Motörhead Song: Ace Of Spades |
Ace Of Spades was a 1980 hit single for the hard rock / Heavy Metal band Motörhead, quickly becoming the band's anthem. The band formed in 1975, and are considered one of the earliest bands of the new wave of British Heavy Metal in the late 1970s, although Lemmy just simply describes their sound as just "rock 'n' roll".
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Episode: Cash
Aired: 15th May 1984 Band: Ken Bishop's Nice Twelve Song: Subterranean Homesick Blues |
Ken Bishop's Nice Twelve, a one-off conglomerate "super-group" of high-profile rock musicians and theme writers, including Jools Holland, Simon Brint, Stwart Copeland and Chris Difford performing "Subterranean Homesick Blues" by Bob Dylan. The song was cut from the original series DVD release.
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Episode: Nasty
Aired: 29th May 1984 Band: The Damned Song: Nasty |
The song "Nasty" by the punk band The Damned, was recorded especially for the episode about "video nasties". It was released on the b-side of their 1984 single Thanks For The Night, during a period of change for the band, in both members and direction. As in the mid to late-80s they went through a goth rock influenced phase.
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Episode: Time
Aired: 5th June 1984 Band: Amazulu Song: Moonlight Romance |
Amazulu were a British ska/pop band, who had minor success in the early to mid-80s. The consisted of five women and one man, an unusual thing even today for a chart band. Moonlight Romance didn't chart, but the band did reach no.5 in the UK charts with their 1986 single release Too Good To Be Forgotten.
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Episode: Sick
Aired: 12th June 1984 Band: Madness Song: Our House |
From their 1982 album Rise & Fall, Our House reached no.5 in the UK charts, and was their biggest US chart success, reaching no.7 on the Billboard Top 100. Being their only US hit, where they are considered by many as one-hit wonders. "Our House" won Best Song at the May 1983 Ivor Novello awards.
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Episode: Summer Holiday
Aired: 19th June 1984 Band: John Otway Song: Body Talk |
John Otway is a punk/folk singer/songwriter with a dedicated cult following of fans. He regularly performs live, and has had a couple of minor hits, mainly due to the hard-work and dedication of the aforementioned fans. Body Talk is off his 1980 album Way & Bar, which he recorded with Wild Willy Barrett.
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Hype & Hysteria: The Gory Story Of Video Nasties - Early 80s UK, as home video machine became popular, there was moral outcry at the horror titles that were hitting the shelves.
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Charley Says... Don't Do Stupid Shit Kids! - The British public information film series from the 1970s, in which Charley the cat warned kids not to do dumb stuff.
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