Early Ellie Hope/ disco heroes on German video

**SandraDee** · November 23rd, 2002, 01:24 PM

I recently got back from a week on the holiday island of Gran Canaria (didnt visit any saunas guyz!)(it looks like I missed some 'lively' debates on the Forum too!) & one night I stumbled across a gay bar (one of the dozens on the island) only to discover a continuous video being played of 70's disco artists such as Silver Convention, Donna Summer, Sylvia Robinson, Eruption & many others who appeared on a German TV music show (the island is very German despite actually being Spanish!). As well as these TV promotional appearances there were actual 'pop videos' by artists whose music I adore but had never actually seen perform in my life! U can imagine I was in heaven & my companions had to drag me from the bar several hours later at about 4 a.m.!
I sat there enthralled as Salsoul Orchestra/Charo performed in Las Vegas(I think), Dan Hartman did 'This is It', Linda Clifford sang 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' on the Brooklyn Bridge (fabulous- I want a copy of this camp classic video!) & Dee D.Jackson sang 'Automatic Lover' with her well-endowed (!)robot!!
There was also a clip from the German TV show of a 3-piece girl band (as many were!) that was fronted by a young Ellie Hope of Liquid Gold fame & it was a really good record. To get to my main subject, has anyone got any info on this group or record? (Typical that I know least about the only UK act on the video!!)
If anyone is going to Gran Canaria soon u simply MUST go to 'Tubos' bar in the Yumbo Centre. Even if the video isnt being played its great for picking up cute men!! (not that I do that sort of thing- I just dust slings of course!)

**markydefad** · November 23rd, 2002, 02:10 PM

Steely Dan,

Enjoyed hearing of your holiday escapades, even if no slings were greased..or "dusted". The great and powerful goddess Boodi is our resident expert on Ellie Hope, I do believe. But Boodi is either bored, busy or semi-retired....cause I rarely see her around here anymore. :cry:

Or maybe she's at some carnival with Salma????

Boodi come back!!!! :D

**Boodikka** · November 23rd, 2002, 02:11 PM

I'm very intrigued by that early Ellie Hope group. Was her sister (the one from Babe Ruth) in it as well?

**Boodikka** · November 23rd, 2002, 02:14 PM

:lol:
Marky Boo, The One True Goddess hasn't gone away. When you saw this Ellie Hope thread, you knew I wouldn't be too far away, eh?

**markydefad** · November 23rd, 2002, 02:21 PM

Wow...oops, unfortunate choice of words!!! :roll:

The Goddess is omniscient!!!!!!

I no sooner type her name and submit my post, and she's already replied!!!!

Good to know you're still watching over us. :D

**Boodikka** · November 23rd, 2002, 02:34 PM

Just Googled Ellie and it appears my Goddess powers were out of whack. Some sites report Ellie as being the one in Babe Ruth (post-"Mexican"), and her brother as being the sound engineer for the Searchers. There is no mention of her sister anywhere (my bad). As it appears to be the consensus, that's the history I'll follow. There is no mention of any girl group that she was in. Could the video be from the period when she went solo after the demise of Liquid Gold?

**SandraDee** · November 25th, 2002, 01:14 PM

Hi Boodi. I'm pretty sure that this TV appearance was before Liquid Gold as everything else on the clips was from '74 to around '78 & the clothes that the girls were wearing (tho' I'm no fashion guru!) looked very mid-70's. Also the song they sang was in that very Silver Convention/ mid-70's euro style. Dont know whether it's helpful but Ellie's hair was alot shorter than when I saw her in Liquid Gold in '79/'80 too. I wish I could remember what the song was called but I'd had quite a few drinks & I only remember faces but not names after alcohol!!

**BrunoRepublic** · November 25th, 2002, 02:16 PM

Originally Written by Steely Dan

Dee D.Jackson sang 'Automatic Lover' with her well-endowed (!)robot!!

Now that I'd love to see and hear... especially right now, since I'm restoring the album, and the 7/12" mixes are a pitched a semitone down from the LP, and I don't know if that was intentional or not... arrrrrgh....

**SandraDee** · November 25th, 2002, 02:24 PM

Yes, that robot has to be seen to be believed. I found myself ignoring the great Dee D. & just watching the robot! Everyone else in the bar suddenly started to watch the video screens when this one was on & there was a fair bit of queenie giggling going on I can tell u! But what a brilliant record; I remember being really into this when I was 13 at school when everyone else liked Pink Floyd or the Clash! (nothing against those groups, just not my cuppa tea, unless u count Rosebud's disco covers of Pink Floyd tracks that is).

**DiscoMuc** · December 10th, 2002, 04:26 PM

Hi Steely Dan,
today my friend tested our brand new dvd recorder for the first time and he burnt one of his old music tapes onto a dvd. Now guess what...it is exactly the show that you saw in the Gran Canarian bar. When I saw those clips I remembered your message at once...

Most of those titles were collected from old German TV shows and aired in one go by our German TV channel NDR. Thank God he taped it.

Ellie Hope. Really a nice song. The chorus ends with 'TIP OF MY TONGUE'. One search in google and a hit! Have a look at this Liquid Gold site. It mentions an early single by the young 'Ellie' called 'Tip of my tongue' from 1974, which is listed in GEMM. http://www.geocities.com/englshkid/liquidgold.htm

The show also included Thelma Houston, Donna Summer, Three Degrees, Amanda Lear, Amii Stewart, Sheila B.Devotion, Baccara, Sister Sledge......

This tape is a dream.....
Karl

**SandraDee** · December 10th, 2002, 05:41 PM

Originally Written by DiscoMuc

Now guess what...it is exactly the show that you saw in the Gran Canarian bar. When I saw those clips I remembered your message at once...

Most of those titles were collected from old German TV shows and aired in one go by our German TV channel NDR. Thank God he taped it.

Ellie Hope. Really a nice song. The chorus ends with 'TIP OF MY TONGUE'. One search in google and a hit! Have a look at this Liquid Gold site. It mentions an early single by the young 'Ellie' called 'Tip of my tongue' from 1974, which is listed in GEMM. http://www.geocities.com/englshkid/liquidgold.htm

The show also included Thelma Houston, Donna Summer, Three Degrees, Amanda Lear, Amii Stewart, Sheila B.Devotion, Baccara, Sister Sledge......

This tape is a dream.....
Karl

Thanks for that Ellie website Karl. Isn't it strange how their biggest US hit 'My Babys Baby' was only a b-side in the UK.
P.S. That tape is brilliant isn't it? A classic!

**Boodikka** · December 11th, 2002, 11:45 AM

That website has great info! I'm still don't understand the history/chronology of "My Baby's Baby" here in the US as opposed to the UK. It was released as a b-side in England in '78, yet it was an instant hit when released more than 6 months later. I remember the glowing reviews in the trades here (Billboard, Record World, etc.). Were the 12" and LP versions released Summer '79 in the UK as well?

**BrunoRepublic** · December 11th, 2002, 11:54 AM

Originally Written by Steely Dan

Thanks for that Ellie website Karl. Isn't it strange how their biggest US hit 'My Babys Baby' was only a b-side in the UK.

Well, here's another example of that -- sort of.

"Situation" by Yazoo (or Yaz as they are known in North America) is *the* song by them here that everyone knows. Specifically, the Francois Kevorkian 1982 mix, which was also released as a 12" that was available for many many years -- very unusual for North America, where most 12"s are available for a few weeks at most. You never stopped hearing this one, and it still gets played at any retro event. Mute unleashed a pile of mixes in the early 90s and even more a couple of years ago, but the Francois K version still rules the nation.

But in the UK, this song only appeared as a b-side, first on "Only You" and then a not-so-limited edition of "Nobodys Diary". The classic Francois K version wasn't even released in the UK until the CD version of "Upstairs At Eric's" came out. The song was eventually done as an a-side of sorts, but remixed beyond all recognition.

**SandraDee** · December 12th, 2002, 03:26 PM

Boodi, 'My Babys Baby' was never a hit in the UK amazingly. As far as I know it only managed b-side & LP track status. Their only 2 substantial pop crossover hits in the UK were 'Dance Yourself Dizzy' which was a huge success here reaching no.2 & staying on the charts for 14 weeks & 'Substitute' which made no.8 (at the time I preferred this to 'Dizzy').

Graham, I was always amazed that Yazoo's 'Situation' was not an a-side success here because it got played so much at clubs. Their only hit in the UK that was danceable was 'Dont Go' which I love.

**NickNack** · December 12th, 2002, 08:08 PM

Originally Written by Steely Dan

Boodi, 'My Babys Baby' was never a hit in the UK amazingly. As far as I know it only managed b-side & LP track status. Their only 2 substantial pop crossover hits in the UK were 'Dance Yourself Dizzy' which was a huge success here reaching no.2 & staying on the charts for 14 weeks

Strange indeed. I don't think I ever played Dance Yourself Dizzy (which didn't bother me because I didn't really care for it) and nobody ever asked. On the other hand, My Baby's Baby was a must. Oh, the great divide... :)

**QUINNY** · December 13th, 2002, 02:52 AM

Dance Yourself Dizzy - Ooh! the cheese of it. I can't tell you how most jocks I knew hated that song and couldn't wait to drop it from their playlists. It had a brilliant intro though.....d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-dizzyyyyyyyy. I only ever bought the 7".
Yazoo - If my memory serves me correct, this was officially flipped over for Situation to be the 'A' side 'cos of the club play, or was at least turned into a double 'A' disc. I certainly never played 'Only You'. One of the few 'new wave' records I could tolerate.
Blancmange were always my fave of the ilk.

**SandraDee** · December 13th, 2002, 04:52 PM

It was always trendy to hate 'Dance yourself Dizzy' but I cant be alone in liking this excellent record if it got to no.2 on the national charts!

Quinnykins, I agree that Blancmange were good. My particular favourite was 'Dont Tell Me' & I also liked their cover version of Abba's 'The Day Before You Came'.