Tag Archives: Ruby Flipper

Ruby Flipper – Play That Funky Music

TOTP 14 October 1976: Ruby Flipper dance to Play That Funky Music by Wild Cherry

“Diddy” David Hamilton can give old Tony B and Noel a run for their money, when it comes to the Crap Joke Deejay Cup.

From the old blog: Monday, 26 July 2010

Ruby Flipper – Play That Funky Music
Don’t worry chums, I’m not dead! (crosses fingers to avert hubris) Here’s Ruby Flipper dancing to Wild Cherry’s Play That Funky Music on Top of the Pops.

Another clip from German TV channel Einsfestival.

comments:

Some Guy said…

This was there last apperance On totp, and arguably there best. BBC bigwigs put a stop to there fun. I thought they were pretty cool,even Floyd and phillip were alluring in a strange sort of way. But we got legs and co at the expense of these.

13 November 2010 22:47

Carl said…

The end of an era! But they went out with one of their best dances.
Thank you Floyd, Lulu, Patti, Phil and Sue, Thank you Ruby Flipper.

20 January 2011 19:28

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Ruby Flipper – Dancing with the Captain

Top of the Pops 7 October 1976: Lulu and Sue of Ruby Flipper dance behind Paul Nicholas who sings Dancing with the Captain.

A fairly obvious choice of outfits and moves here, as I remarked in the old blog, but lightweight jokey pop songs like this almost demand a bit of knowing jokiness in their interpretation.

Paul Nicholas at this point was blurring the distinction between pop-star and actor-playing-pop-star. As a snobby music purist teenager, I hated this with righteous rage. Now it just seems like a bit of fun: made more delightful with some apt, light-handed choreography.

From the old blog, Friday, 31 July 2009:

Here are Lulu and Sue on TOTP, in nautical outfits doing a few hornpipe steps, behind Paul Nicholas, who’s singing Dancing with the Captain. Yes, it’s literal references time again.

Although both went on to become members of Legs & Co., Lulu & Sue were members of Ruby Flipper at this point.

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Ruby Flipper – The Best Disco In Town

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

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Ruby Flipper – Disco Duck

TOTP, 23 September 1976: Ruby Flipper dance to Disco Duck by Rick Dees And His Cast Of Idiots.

Silly, very silly: but fun. Floid’s pantomime duck outfit looks to be from the back of dusty cupboard in the BBC wardrobe department. Clearly not designed to be worn on a podium, we get to see just a little to much of the strapping-in undercarriage mechanism of the outfit.

Meanwhile the girls (and Floid, when he’s not in panto mode) are wearing the same charming outfits that they wore for “You Should be Dancing” a few months before.

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Ruby Flipper – You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine

Top of the Pops, 9 September 1976:
Ruby Flipper dance to You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine by Lou Rawls

Back in the Summer of 1976, Flick Colby’s choreography was fizzing with ideas. For this Lou Rawls number, she gives us not one but three routines: Floid’s stately podium solo; Goucho Phil and Cherry’s tango; and a teasing fan dance from Sue, Patti and Lulu.

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Ruby Flipper – Morning Glory

Top of the Pops, 26/08/1976: Ruby Flipper dance to Morning Glory by James and Bobby Purify.

Well of course Sue, Patti and Lulu are looking lovely here: but Cherry, in that fuchsia & gold outfit looks absolutely fabulous. What a fine routine. My favourite moment? Patti’s mock-admonishing wagging finger at 0’38”.

Kudos to Phil for carrying off those silver wellies, too.

Thanks to Andeebee for the YouTube post.

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Ruby Flipper – Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

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

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 – You Should Be Dancing

Top of the Pops, 12 August 1976: Ruby Flipper dance to The Bee Gees’ You Should Be Dancing.

From the old blog, Monday, 24 August 2009:

Ruby Flipper, in extremely cute teeny tiny outfits, dancing to The BeeGees’ You Should Be Dancing on Top of the Pops. Introduced by No Lead Mince. Einsfestival holt uns Freude.

Comments:

Some Guy said…

I’m sure floyd is a decent enough sort of guy, but hes just getting in the way of this superb performance by Patti, Sue & Lulu. Take your sparkly costume and exit stage left. We wanna enjoy the girls working up a sweat to this great song. Maybe it was things like this that prompted the bbc execs to finish Ruby Flipper. Must admit though they did some good routines, full of energy in that glourious summer of ’76.
19 November 2010 19:46

Carl said…

What more can be said. Fantastic dancing all round to a classic sound.
One of the best Ruby Flipper performances.
20 January 2011 19:46

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Ruby Flipper – Shake Shake Shake (Shake Your Booty)

Top Of The Pops, 5 August 1976:
Ruby Flipper dance to Shake Shake Shake (Shake Your Booty) by KC & The Sunshine Band.

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