Tag Archives: Phil

Ruby Flipper – Love Hangover

By youngmistergrace | Published: May 13, 2017

Top of the Pops May 13 1976: Ruby Flipper dancing to Love Hangover by Diana Ross.

From the old blog, Wednesday, 30 December 2009:

Continuing with German satallite channel Einsfestival’s re-broadcasting of vintage Ruby-Flipper-era TOTP episodes, here’s RF dancing to Diana Ross’s Love Hangover on their second week on the show (13th May 1976): some sensuous, slinky dancing to a very sensual piece of music. The producers seemed keen to use Ruby Flipper far more extensively than their predecessors: after two performances on their first week, there are two full-group routines on this show, plus a third with just Floyd, Sue & Lulu. More details in later posts.

Thanks to Andeebee for the YouTube post.

Comments:

Some Guy said…

Wow what a sexy sort of performance for 1976. Bet the BBC bigwigs were a bit twitchy about this.

13 November 2010 23:09

Carl said…

Love it, Love it, Love it.
Smouldering sultriness and Disco Funk come together. One of my favourite Ruby Flipper routines.

20 January 2011 19:48

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Ruby Flipper – Can’t Help Falling in Love

By youngmistergrace | Published: May 6, 2017

Top of the Pops 6 May 1976: Ruby Flipper dance to Can’t Help Falling in Love by The Stylistics. Ruby Flipper’s Debut performance.

From the old blog, Tuesday, 15 December 2009:

German satallite channel Einsfestival’s repeats of TOTP have reached the middle of 1976 recently, the time of Ruby Flipper. Though I wasn’t a fan at the time, I think their performances have stood up well to the passing years. A mixture of male and female dancers, though not popular, gave Flick a wider range of choreographic possibilities, and indeed pushed them away from various chorus-line dance clichés.

Here’s their very first appearance, dancing to the Stylistics Can’t Help Falling in Love: and there’s a mixture of playfulness with old-style literal interpretation. The routine starts with Sue and Cherry (the two remaining pan’s persons) looking bemused as they dance together. “Where are they others?” they mime. Then, right on the line “Only fools rush in”, the four new dancers, er, rush in.

Lulu’s looking particularly nervous (1:09–1:15) about her national TV debut. But she pulls it of splendidly.

Comments:

Some Guy said…

Top of the pops debut and it shows for lulu. look out at at 2.21 for a nervous glimpse down the line. Still very cute though.
7 November 2010 00:07

carl said…

I think the way they did this was brilliant, with the initial link back to Pan’s People with only Sue and Cherry on the stage for the first few seconds shrugging shoulders and looking perplexed The viewers must have been waiting for the rest of Pan’s People and wondering were they were.Then suddenly all the new brigade come charging in, very cleverly timed for the ‘Only Fools Rush in’ line. The Flipsters’ first routine, like their last one, was a good one.
12 December 2010 16:10

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Ruby Flipper – Rubberband Man

By youngmistergrace | Published: October 7, 2016

TOTP 7 October 1976: Ruby Flipper dance to The Detroit Spinners’ Rubberband Man

A spirited performance, and a great piece of choreography.

Thanks to panspeople.com for the YouTube clip.

From the old blog, Saturday, 20 November 2010:

Ruby Flipper dancing to Rubberband Man by The Spinners (called The Detroit Spinners here in Airstrip One) on Top of the Pops in 1976. Modelling classic mid-seventies knitware.

Introduced by whacky Jummy Saville, and a clump of Sailors.

Labels: Lulu, Patti, Ruby Flipper, Sue

comments:

Some Guy said…

Guys, pause this at 1.02: what a picture. Sheer heaven for me. Also i’m not too sure what Sue’s doing between 2.18 and 2.2: strange hand movements!

20 November 2010 21:06

Carl said…

Surely, Ruby Flipper’s fastest, most complex routine. Great Stuff.
I’m exhausted just watching.

20 January 2011 19:14

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Ruby Flipper – The Best Disco In Town

By youngmistergrace | Published: September 30, 2016

Top of the Pops, 30 September 1976: Ruby Flipper dance to The Best Disco In Town by The Ritchie Family.

Thanks to panspeople.com for the youtube post.

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Ruby Flipper – Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

By youngmistergrace | Published: August 26, 2016

Top of the Pops, 26 August 1976: Ruby Flipper dance to Don’t Go Breaking My Heart by Elton John & Kiki Dee

Thanks to panspeople.com for the youtube post.

From the old blog, Sunday, 30 January 2011

As requested by Carl, here’s Ruby Flipper – Don’t Go Breaking My Heart. Since there’s wearing the same outfits as the previously posted Morning Glory routine, it’s no surprise that this is from the same TOTP episode (26-8-1976). Such fabulous costumes: Cherry should always wear purple and gold.

comments

Carl said…

Thank you YMG; an absolute classic of a song.
This is one of those rare routines that focuses quite a bit on the audience. They are a mixed bunch aren’t they? Some of them are a bit lethargic in their willingness to dance, while others get into the spirit and make much more of an effort. The Flipsters are wearing some of their best costumes on this (erm apart from Philip- can’t stand those wellies, sorry)
It’s really nice towards the end when Ruby Flipper are doing their high kicking and the audience are all joining in. Watching this always makes me feel good.
30 January 2011 17:50

PattiforPM said…

I agree, a real feel-good routine and thank goodness they resisted that awful temptation to grab someone from the audience. It might have been risky for the girls to try this in those costumes anyway! (Philip would have been relatively safe though)
30 January 2011 19:28

Some Guy said…

I always like to look out for Noels desperate attempts to chat up the audience girls during this performance, what a loser.
I also dig the choreography, or should i say lack of it in this routine. I suppose it reflected the easy going nature of that golden summer. Oh and i must not forget to give princess cutie pie a mention, cant make my mind up which RF shoot she looks the cutist in, ive narrowed it down to about 10.
Sue v Lulu in this period of time, what a choice. God am i starting to waver here. No its got to be Sue, i think.
30 January 2011 23:01

jez said…

i like this dance routine but i agree it does lack a bit more choreography but then they had done their main performance with morning glory this end routine was just used as a fill in cos they had showed elton and kiki video for what seemed to be the whole of 76 summer and decided to involve the audience a bit more for this episode
1 February 2011 16:16

74benja81 said…

A feel good song and dance which never fails to make me smile.Natural dancing, which I love to see, with a great atmosphere in the studio where everybody seems to be having a good time. A perfect recipe to cheer any ones day up. A priceless post. Benja 🙂
1 September 2012 00:35

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Ruby Flipper – Let ‘Em In

By youngmistergrace | Published: August 19, 2016

Top of the Pops, 19 August 1976: Ruby Flipper dance to Let ‘Em In by Wings

I think I prefer this performance to the more restrained Legs & Co. version from that year’s Christmas Special.

Thanks to panspeople.com for the youtube post.

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Ruby Flipper – Harvest for the World

By youngmistergrace | Published: July 22, 2016

TOTP 22 July 1976: Ruby Flipper dance to The Isley Brothers’ Harvest for the World.

From the old blog, Sunday, 28 February 2010:

Ruby Flipper dance to The Isley Brothers Harvest for the World on TOTP, 22 July 1976. With a little audience participation, and beardie old DLT.

From Einsfestival’s re-broadcast: thanks.

comments:

PattiforPM said…

The always dodgy practice of grabbing audience members to dance fails again but the girls look ravishing I must say nevertheless.

30 April 2011 02:49

Alex said…

I’ve mentioned this on another site about Lloyd’s choice of dancing partner from the audience. It looks like the group’s manager, Ruth Person herself!

30 November 2011 21:05

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Ruby Flipper – Back in the USSR

By youngmistergrace | Published: July 15, 2016

Top of the Pops, 15 July 1976:
Ruby Flipper dance to The Beatles’ Back in the USSR.

Ruby Flipper go Soviet: the girls in peasant smocks, the guys as furried-up cossacks. EMI re-released (or rather re-promoted) all of their Beatles singles catalogue in 1976, with the result of a smattering of old Beatles numbers in the charts that summer, including this one.

From the old blog, Momnday, 15 February 2010:

Ruby Flipper dancing to the Beatles’ Back in the USSR: their first of two appearances on Top of the Pops, 15 Juy 1976. Introduced by Panurus Biarmicus, with some shockingly bad puns on the theme of Russia.

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Ruby Flipper – Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel

By youngmistergrace | Published: July 15, 2016

Top of the Pops, 15 July 1976: Ruby Flipper dance to Tavares’ Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel.

Some classic literal choreography and costume design here. Lulu, Patti, Sue and Cherry at their absolute cutest in these beautiful angel costumes, complete with wobbly tinsel halos and appliqué golden wings: and Gavin, Phil and Floid get to ham it up big style in their scary devil outfits. Even the dry-ice cloud effect, often problematic (i.e. uncontrollable), is here mostly about right.

Thanks to panspeople.com for the YouTube post.

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Ruby Flipper – Tubular Bells

By youngmistergrace | Published: July 8, 2016

Top of the Pops 8 July 1976:
Ruby Flipper dance to Tubular Bells by The Champs Boys Orchestra.

The glorious summer of 1976: the Full Flipper, including Gavin & Cherry, dance to a condensed, funked-up cover version of Mike Oldfield’s magnum opus. Thanks to panspeople.com for the YouTube post.

From the old blog: Sunday, 7 February 2010:

Ruby Flipper in the Blue Peter Garden, dance to Tubular Bells by The Champ’s Boys Orchestra. Top of the Pops 8 July 1976. Whats the biggest faux pas a disc jockey could possibly make? I reckon mixing up the artist name with the song title sets off my useless showbiz zombie alert. Watch Tony Blandbairn’s introduction and decide for yourself.

comments:

Some Guy said…

Tony Heartburn, you’re an idiot!
22 December 2010 17:05

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