One of the more hilarious BBC clips I’ve ever seen, as The Faces thoroughly exploit the fact that TOP OF THE POPS used to insist on canned backing tracks, while ALSO insisting on live vocals (cf. several tracks from The Who’s ca. 2000 BBC cd compilation, which feature live Roger Daltrey vocals atop the familiar Seventies single instrumentals).
Rod’s effortless, slightly more measured vocal is a joy to hear, but the fun really starts when he brandishes his mic stand like a weapon, and both Ronnies (Wood and Lane) briefly abandon the stage, racing back (on camera) with Woody’s first guitar “solo” already in-progress!
And that’s the sainted DJ John Peel himself sitting uncomfortably with mandolin in lap throughout the song, finally being cued by Rod the Mod to feign the famous solo during the fade, as Woody kicks a soccer ball to Rod and Ronnie Lane, the latter of whom kicks it off stage while dancing something faintly resembling a jig!
Finally, the stage setup itself is delightfully absurd, with Kenney Jones’ drum kit and Ian McLagen’s massive Hammond B-3 organ virtually walling the singer and his cohorts off from any presumed audience.
Ahhhh….the good ol’ days!
– Tom Kipp
