Thank Your Lucky Stars (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Thank Your Lucky Stars was a British
television pop music
show made by ABC Television
, and broadcast on ITV
from 1961 to 1966. Many of the top bands performed on it, and for millions of British teenagers it was essential viewing. As well as featuring British artists, American guests were frequent visitors.
It would appear from the surviving footage that the bands mimed
their latest 45
. Occasionally a band was allowed to do two numbers (possibly the ‘A’ and ‘B’ sides of the latest single), and if you were pop royalty like The Beatles
or The Rolling Stones
you could do four numbers.
Audience participation was a strong feature of Thank Your Lucky Stars, and the Spin-a-Disc section, where a guest DJ
and three teenagers reviewed three singles, is a very well remembered feature of the show. Generally American singles were reviewed. It was on this section that Janice Nicholls appeared. She was a former office clerk from the English Midlands who became famous for the catchphrase "Oi'll give it foive" which she said with a strong Black Country
accent. After she was dropped from the show she trained as a chiropodist and ran a practice in Hednesford
in Staffordshire. Billy Butler
was another reviewer and dozens of teenagers had their fifteen minutes of fame on the show.
The Beatles second national television performance was on the programme, the first being on Tuesday Rendezvous on December 4, 1962.
The TYLS Merseyside specials are very fondly remembered and gained huge audiences.
It appears that the first theme song was by Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers
and later on "Lunar Walk" by Johnny Hawksworth
was used.
The show bowed out on 25 June 1966, after two thousand artists had appeared on it. One of the main reasons was the power of the Musicians' Union
in the 1960s and being a largely mimed show, TYLS was a prime target.
song "Ready Steady Go!" references this song in its lyric: "I'm not in love with Juke Box Jury
/I'm not in love with Thank Your Lucky Stars".
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
television pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
show made by ABC Television
Associated British Corporation
Associated British Corporation was one of a number of commercial television companies established in the United Kingdom during the 1950s by cinema chain companies in an attempt to safeguard their business by becoming involved with television which was taking away their cinema audiences.In this...
, and broadcast on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
from 1961 to 1966. Many of the top bands performed on it, and for millions of British teenagers it was essential viewing. As well as featuring British artists, American guests were frequent visitors.
It would appear from the surviving footage that the bands mimed
Lip sync
Lip sync, lip-sync, lip-synch is a technical term for matching lip movements with sung or spoken vocals...
their latest 45
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
. Occasionally a band was allowed to do two numbers (possibly the ‘A’ and ‘B’ sides of the latest single), and if you were pop royalty like The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
or The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
you could do four numbers.
Audience participation was a strong feature of Thank Your Lucky Stars, and the Spin-a-Disc section, where a guest DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
and three teenagers reviewed three singles, is a very well remembered feature of the show. Generally American singles were reviewed. It was on this section that Janice Nicholls appeared. She was a former office clerk from the English Midlands who became famous for the catchphrase "Oi'll give it foive" which she said with a strong Black Country
Black Country
The Black Country is a loosely defined area of the English West Midlands conurbation, to the north and west of Birmingham, and to the south and east of Wolverhampton. During the industrial revolution in the 19th century this area had become one of the most intensely industrialised in the nation...
accent. After she was dropped from the show she trained as a chiropodist and ran a practice in Hednesford
Hednesford
Hednesford is a small town and civil parish in Staffordshire, England, within Cannock Chase District. It adjoins Cannock Chase to the north, and the town of Cannock to the south. It had a 2010 mid-year estimated population of 16,928.-History:...
in Staffordshire. Billy Butler
Billy Butler (DJ)
Billy Butler is a radio presenter on BBC Radio Merseyside. In the 1960s he was a DJ at the Cavern Club and has presented TV shows such as FAX and the magazine programme What the Butler Sees...
was another reviewer and dozens of teenagers had their fifteen minutes of fame on the show.
The Beatles second national television performance was on the programme, the first being on Tuesday Rendezvous on December 4, 1962.
The TYLS Merseyside specials are very fondly remembered and gained huge audiences.
It appears that the first theme song was by Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers
Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers
Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers were a British instrumental beat group in the early 1960s. Their biggest hit, "Can Can 62", was produced by Joe Meek and reached the British singles chart in 1962. The group toured with both The Beatles and The Rolling Stones before disbanding in 1966.-Origins and...
and later on "Lunar Walk" by Johnny Hawksworth
Johnny Hawksworth
Johnny Hawksworth is a British musician and composer who has lived and worked in Australia since 1984.Hawksworth initially trained as a pianist, but also played double bass for Britain's leading big band the Ted Heath Orchestra during the early 1950s and through the 1960s...
was used.
The show bowed out on 25 June 1966, after two thousand artists had appeared on it. One of the main reasons was the power of the Musicians' Union
Musicians' Union (UK)
-About the MU:The Musicians' Union is an organisation which represents over 30,000 musicians working in all sectors of the UK music business.-Campaigns:The MU stages regular campaigns in relation to relevant musical and industrial issues...
in the 1960s and being a largely mimed show, TYLS was a prime target.
Cultural References
The Generation XGeneration X (band)
Generation X was a British punk rock band, formed on 21 November 1976 by Billy Idol, Tony James and John Towe.-History:...
song "Ready Steady Go!" references this song in its lyric: "I'm not in love with Juke Box Jury
Juke Box Jury
Juke Box Jury was a musical panel show which originally ran on BBC Television from 1 June 1959 until December 1967. The programme was based on the American show Jukebox Jury, itself an offshoot of a long-running radio series....
/I'm not in love with Thank Your Lucky Stars".
External links
- http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/tyls.htm
- Thank Your Lucky Stars on Nostalgia Central