Yes mate this song and video should be sent on space probes as a message to ETs. It would indicate humans can be extremely creative and have great fun.
Because you need a higher musical intelligence than the average Radiohead fan to appreciate all of the clever stuff in their music. This is why XTC is a musician's band.
First song I ever heard by XTC. I am an American and bought the 45, which came in a blank white paper sleeve in NYC. I loved the sound, and bought all their subsequent 45s at a Manhattan record store. i never saw this video until now in October 2023. A fact which may explain why I always deplored Billy Joel's self righteous screed against New Wave music, "It's Still Rock N Roll to Me" - it wasn't all about image- it was about the sound.
The Hop was a teenage disco at a church hall in Penhill, Swindon and I got into a fight outside of there on my 16th birthday. When I saw TC&I perform this in Swindon a couple of years ago, I was a bit teary eyed at my lost youth. Plus don't fight in platform shoes.
THeir production was always top notch. The most underrated band in music history, along with Killing Joke. The fact that 100x more Americans know about Oasis and a million times more know Ed Sheeran is a travesty.
Just heard this on a radio station that plays 80s songs and have not heard it in about 35 years. What a flashback! And one of their better songs, 1979!!
I grew up with xtc playing on the radio getting ready to go to school...the music of that time was so fucking good... original.. catchy.. always exploring and poking fun.. music was the only sane thing in the world.
That was an incredible time for music (for me). I danced to that song so many times. I love a lot of XTC's songs, and it's hard to choose a favorite, but this Life Begins At The Hop right near the top.
I don't think so. I like XTC, but the police are on a different level. Every Police album was a classic. Lets be honest, XTC can be a little hit or miss. Don't get me wrong, I love great XTC songs. To me, this is not one of them.
@@jeffblack5024 I'm afraid that wasn't the reason Jeff. Andy Partridge had a fear of flying so this was the main reason they stopped touring over here in the US and Canada. I was lucky enough to see them when they did come here. I saw them in Hamilton Ontario Canada. They were great. It's a shame they couldn't come back.
I love XTC. Saw them several times in Sydney and they were unreal. One of the times the bass player 's fingers were bleeding from really playing his butt off. Poor guy. Really really really great band to see live , everyone was getting down (and up again, lol)....love 'em !!
@@rippi37 The Stage Door Tavern Gig was July 22, 1979. They had 4 shows in Sydney around that time. I checked this gig list: www.optimismsflames.com/Gigs%20Text%20Only.htm
@@rippi37 Also, the Marconi Club Concert (July 20) was recorded. I downloaded it, and if you download it in FLAC, it's in great quality. theultimatebootlegexperience7.blogspot.com/2020/03/fm-broadcast-flac-xtc-marconi-club.html
I still have sooo much of their music to discover, after having done a first proper deep-dive into their catalogue a couple of years ago, and *this* song I'd heard for the first time only a few days ago, too! And it's been my earworm ever since 😁 I wonder if the 4 ladies in the clip had been the guys' partners at that time!? 🙂
That in part has everything to do with the fact that Andy's song for the most part were too risqué for radio, and when they were fit for traditional they were just too long for commercial airplay. Colin's sings were great basic songs with a basic song structure usually in 4/4, Andy's were mostly very well structured complex songs with odd signatures and sometimes even more bizarre lyrics and subject matters like singing about a penis in Pink Thing. Two absolutely brilliant song writers indeed, but one of them was a genius, the other was successful with pop songs.
First time I've seen this video, and looked like the lads had a fun time making it. Dave looks especially excited, and not surprising as he'd only just joined the band. Andy, Colin, Dave and Terry was the classic XTC line-up.
Brilliant laugh watching this fab ode to the 60s & Colin's first single & also Dave in the band, The video must have cost about a fiver but that's it's charm!
THAT is perfect pop music! Everything about that track is just brilliant! Love the guitar solo and the fade out. It's awesome to think that the same guy (Colin) wrote Sacrificial Bonfire (another of my favourites). XTC were right up there on my Spotify 2022 top 100 list!
They were wary of saying who they were musically influenced by. They were fans of Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin as well as The Beatles. They did not want to have their Punk/,New wave credentials called into question. GREAT BAND
Colin, and Lads,...our perceptions of "the Hop" are visually different,...yet, I have followed as a fan for years (even drove through Swindon in 1990, and pilgrimaged at the White Horse, chalk hill.
Colin: Manages to yell while looking as if his own song is making him dead inside None of the ladies can grab his attention (though they're obviously trying) *TEEF* He should be wearing anything other than a finely tailored black suit for a song like this, but somehow it's still right for him Andy: Dancing in a way that you have to giggle at Making sure you see his butt Being flirty and generally chaotic as is his way Really nerdy outfit choice Clearly loves miming the background ~Hã-ã-ãp~ vocal Dave: Appears to be having the time of his life Taking the song literally and hopping about which is adorable Has arguably the best outfit out of all 4 of them Terry: Beating the shite out of that poor drumset Looks like he could kill someone How the hell did he get himself turned completely upside down in the last "car" scene???
Ahhh... the fun times of new wave. I was at a perfect age to soak it in. There's no way to convey that period for the under-50s people. These videos will have to do.
I saw them on top of the pops doing this , I think they were first on , and it's such a catchy song I can't believe it didn't do better. Same with Respectable Street.
If this song and video don't remind you of why it's good to be alive, you're dead.
Yes mate this song and video should be sent on space probes as a message to ETs. It would indicate humans can be extremely creative and have great fun.
Why on earth didn’t more people get XTC? Fantastic songs
Because you need a higher musical intelligence than the average Radiohead fan to appreciate all of the clever stuff in their music. This is why XTC is a musician's band.
Didn't Andy once say that he thought they could have been as big as R.E.M. if they kept touring?
Lennon/ McCartney of new wave...
@@Mark95876 "musical intelligence" ... People just like different music no need to be so up yourself about it man
In my top 5 Best bands ever ! .
XTC and girls... it almost seems inconceivable.
Isn't the blonde in the video his ex-wife Marianne?
@@nechesh I think you are correct, damn i luv that redhead!
@@nechesh no.
The girls are even better than the ones in Squeeze's "Cool For Cats".
All bands should take notice. Be like XTC and practice together a lot!
The band that time forgot!
They were a great band that's a fact ☺️
Shame they had to break up
colin molding😍
I love his bushy eyebrows.
I’m from USA and include XTC in my short list of favorite bands
Clearly a person of taste, Greta.
@@davidjones8902 Thank you very kindly good sir! Right back at you🤩
I love this song and video. It brings back great memories. I saw XTC and The Police play at a show together about 40 years ago and it was amazing.
Jeff Thompson lucky duck!
I also saw that tour in Mpls., and remember NONE OF IT!
What a combo I bet that was
I saw XTC opening for the Cars in NYC in ‘80 or ‘81. Amazing. The Cars all came in stage to join in Living Through Another Cuba….it was epic!
So Did I along with Oingo Boingo
First song I ever heard by XTC. I am an American and bought the 45, which came in a blank white paper sleeve in NYC. I loved the sound, and bought all their subsequent 45s at a Manhattan record store. i never saw this video until now in October 2023. A fact which may explain why I always deplored Billy Joel's self righteous screed against New Wave music, "It's Still Rock N Roll to Me" - it wasn't all about image- it was about the sound.
Too smart. Too witty. Too idiosyncratic. Totally fabulous!
I went into Men's Warehouse today and heard this and I was like, I've never heard this fantastic tune on the radio. EVER!
The Hop was a teenage disco at a church hall in Penhill, Swindon and I got into a fight outside of there on my 16th birthday. When I saw TC&I perform this in Swindon a couple of years ago, I was a bit teary eyed at my lost youth. Plus don't fight in platform shoes.
Colin had a pop sense ability,Andy was more of a political and social commentator.And the blending of the two created some very good stuff.
THeir production was always top notch. The most underrated band in music history, along with Killing Joke. The fact that 100x more Americans know about Oasis and a million times more know Ed Sheeran is a travesty.
They were arty and not exactly road warriors. I’m sure they are well fixed.
Killing Joke.....yeah saw them live, they were good. I would also add Split Enz into the mix of underrated bands.
@@slaytronic That's sad because they're forgotten in the USA now.
hey, I like the Oasis AND the XTC
@@foto21 college radio and adult alternative stations are hip to XTC
One of the best bands ever.
Just heard this on a radio station that plays 80s songs and have not heard it in about 35 years. What a flashback! And one of their better songs, 1979!!
I grew up with xtc playing on the radio getting ready to go to school...the music of that time was so fucking good... original.. catchy.. always exploring and poking fun.. music was the only sane thing in the world.
Music was fun, and for that reason I agree with Frank Zappa when he said Music is the Best.
Those guitar solos just solidify the awesomeness of this classic jam.
Amazing song and love the guitar on this
XTC in full effect
Agreed. Best lead ever
A great example of simplicity and even more so, effectiveness. Easy air guitar.
Pure brilliance. Love how it quickly cuts when Andy takes the car away and you see Colin gesture "Wanker"
Well spotted.
The greatest band that nobody's heard of...except for people who know great bands.
My top three bands of all time:
1. X
2. T
3. C
My no 1 is Elastic.
I love Colin's hair.😋
That was an incredible time for music (for me). I danced to that song so many times.
I love a lot of XTC's songs, and it's hard to choose a favorite, but this Life Begins At The Hop right near the top.
I often wondered if XTC toured the states they would have been just a big as the Police. This band has always been a favorite of mine
I don't think so. I like XTC, but the police are on a different level. Every Police album was a classic. Lets be honest, XTC can be a little hit or miss. Don't get me wrong, I love great XTC songs. To me, this is not one of them.
They opened for The Police on an arena tour in 1980-81
They did tour the states and the mind-numbing boredom is why they gave up touring.
i went to a concert that was the Who ..opening for Herman's Hermits..
no lie !!!
@@jeffblack5024 I'm afraid that wasn't the reason Jeff. Andy Partridge had a fear of flying so this was the main reason they stopped touring over here in the US and Canada. I was lucky enough to see them when they did come here. I saw them in Hamilton Ontario Canada. They were great. It's a shame they couldn't come back.
I love XTC. Saw them several times in Sydney and they were unreal. One of the times the bass player 's fingers were bleeding from really playing his butt off. Poor guy. Really really really great band to see live , everyone was getting down (and up again, lol)....love 'em !!
When on Earth was it ? They stopped touring in 1980 (they didn't even finished the tour that year).
@@julosx late 1979-early80 .....Sydney.....Stagedoor Tavern. 3 gigs....went to all 3
@@julosx They Stopped touring in March / early April 1982.
@@rippi37 The Stage Door Tavern Gig was July 22, 1979. They had 4 shows in Sydney around that time. I checked this gig list:
www.optimismsflames.com/Gigs%20Text%20Only.htm
@@rippi37 Also, the Marconi Club Concert (July 20) was recorded. I downloaded it, and if you download it in FLAC, it's in great quality. theultimatebootlegexperience7.blogspot.com/2020/03/fm-broadcast-flac-xtc-marconi-club.html
My college dormmates didn't get it; but XTC 'Singles and B-sides' was one of my favorite albums during my college years.
I deep dived them in the 80s in college....so so good
This song is about four boys from Swinton who spent most of their time sheltered working on the farm going out and seeing the outside world.
I still have sooo much of their music to discover, after having done a first proper deep-dive into their catalogue a couple of years ago, and *this* song I'd heard for the first time only a few days ago, too! And it's been my earworm ever since 😁 I wonder if the 4 ladies in the clip had been the guys' partners at that time!? 🙂
Need, a time machine, and a ticket to England please!
XTC having two great songwriters. Colin did win at writing most of their hits.
That in part has everything to do with the fact that Andy's song for the most part were too risqué for radio, and when they were fit for traditional they were just too long for commercial airplay.
Colin's sings were great basic songs with a basic song structure usually in 4/4, Andy's were mostly very well structured complex songs with odd signatures and sometimes even more bizarre lyrics and subject matters like singing about a penis in Pink Thing.
Two absolutely brilliant song writers indeed, but one of them was a genius, the other was successful with pop songs.
Best band ever... What can you do?
Believe it’s a place called the hop in Swindon where they used to go. Criminally underrated band ever.
BEST BAND EVER!
That voice is like a bell, nothing quite like it.
One day they might get the credit they deserve, I love um' 😊.
Infectious joy-been hopping for 40 years now
I recall buying this precious vinyl in the very early 80's. What a treasure!
Love XTC as a whole. and obviously Partridge is a genius, but let's face it, Moulding probably edged him on pop sensibility. This is such a good song.
First time I've seen this video, and looked like the lads had a fun time making it. Dave looks especially excited, and not surprising as he'd only just joined the band. Andy, Colin, Dave and Terry was the classic XTC line-up.
My senses are working overtime.
Brilliant laugh watching this fab ode to the 60s & Colin's first single & also Dave in the band, The video must have cost about a fiver but that's it's charm!
Sick song always memorable...another winning track by Colin!
THAT is perfect pop music! Everything about that track is just brilliant! Love the guitar solo and the fade out. It's awesome to think that the same guy (Colin) wrote Sacrificial Bonfire (another of my favourites). XTC were right up there on my Spotify 2022 top 100 list!
good band , so underrated
brilliant band!!!!
This was the RnR dance clubs in NYC in the late 70's and early 80's
Pop brilliance!!
What a great band 👏 👌 👍
40 years ago...
Shit
"40 years ago" ain't what it used to be...
A friend of mine got me into xtc in 1989,and I'm so glad he did. One of the best bands ever
OoooH. those rascally xtc boys!
Older brother of a friend intro'd me to Black Sea (on the flip side of a cassette w/ Men at Work on the other)... Life never quite the same since.
The New Wave era of the XTC...always great stuff!
Yesssss! We need more XTCVEVO!!
Great to see a band having fun making a video, on a low budget and not being obsessed with image. The music spoke for them.
I was a DJ on our high school radio station and played this. My student supervisor chewed me out.
Why?
@@enricomuhs7499 he wanted it to be a top 40 radio station
best post 1977 punk new wave band XTC!!
Amazing band
This is the song that saved a wee boy's life . . .
🗣TELL ME WHAT DO YOU SAY 🗣🔥
Amazing brilliant timeless underated extreme talent
Appears Hot Gossip are partying with them.
XTC, the world's most underrated band. (Anyone remember The Dukes Of Straopheier?) sgl
Best Colin song ever!!!
I'm glad I never watched this video before tonight, it adds nothing to the song- one of favorites by the way.
Ok. Two years later I've changed my mind. I also thought Andy sang this.
C-C-C-Coca Cola on tap!
Love XTC 💕
Perfect!♡
Aanstekelijke fun-rock van een m.i. hoog gehalte.
Al jaren oud maar nog altijd de moeite waard om met plezier naar te luisteren.
Blijvend leuk!!!
This is so feelgood!
Love XTC!!!
wonderful
They were wary of saying who they were musically influenced by. They were fans of Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin as well as The Beatles. They did not want to have their Punk/,New wave credentials called into question. GREAT BAND
This stuff is magical.
One of my all time favorite songs and bands....
this video - and xtc - always put me in a good mood. it cheers my soul to see their smiles and having fun 🥰
I wasn’t even born until the 90s and I want god to take me back!!!!
Just bought this on clear vinyl..... 2021
Tune.
Magic.
Colin, and Lads,...our perceptions of "the Hop" are visually different,...yet, I have followed as a fan for years (even drove through Swindon in 1990, and pilgrimaged at the White Horse, chalk hill.
always underrated, always excellent
Awesome Video!
Brilliant
He's enjoying his birthday at the hop. Happy birthday 🎉.
Life Begins with the Top (falling off).
My Favorite Song in 1970’s Rock. 😍🥰
Tune! dx
Nice song and great video !!
2 years before MTV launched ...this video was top 10 on another music video show
Second greatest rock group ever.
Colin:
Manages to yell while looking as if his own song is making him dead inside
None of the ladies can grab his attention (though they're obviously trying)
*TEEF*
He should be wearing anything other than a finely tailored black suit for a song like this, but somehow it's still right for him
Andy:
Dancing in a way that you have to giggle at
Making sure you see his butt
Being flirty and generally chaotic as is his way
Really nerdy outfit choice
Clearly loves miming the background ~Hã-ã-ãp~ vocal
Dave:
Appears to be having the time of his life
Taking the song literally and hopping about which is adorable
Has arguably the best outfit out of all 4 of them
Terry:
Beating the shite out of that poor drumset
Looks like he could kill someone
How the hell did he get himself turned completely upside down in the last "car" scene???
Ahhh... the fun times of new wave. I was at a perfect age to soak it in. There's no way to convey that period for the under-50s people. These videos will have to do.
really just started listening to XTC in 2021 & 2022. literally obsessed and want to find fans, so here I am in UA-cam comments. 🤣
XTC I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO YOU
so 80's great
OK, this is just fun. When Andy gets up and walks off with the car...lol
I want to hear an even harder rock version of this song.
I saw them on top of the pops doing this , I think they were first on , and it's such a catchy song I can't believe it didn't do better. Same with Respectable Street.
Fantastic song. But that video is such a great artifact of the New Wave and the late 70s. That was real style back then.
good stuff from andy partridge and XTC