Original subtitles

Now, ABC, back in 1974, had the guts

to mount a show like Countdown,

and probably they were the only ones that could do it.

I've had some fantastic times.

Some great teams I've worked with down at the ABC.

And that side does sadden me, you know?

♪ Countdown

♪ Countdown. ♪

ANNOUNCER: Welcome to Classic Countdown, 1987.

PAUL: 1987 was a year of firsts and lasts.

The new system will allow users

to make telephone calls from just about anywhere.

And that's a proposition that's proving very attractive

to Australian businessmen.

It was the year the first mobile phone call

was made in Australia.

And the last time Queensland Premier

Joh Bjelke-Petersen would run for PM.

We believe, and we know, and I'm sure that we'll have

a massive win at the elections on Saturday night.

It was the first time Bon Jovi toured Australia.

(SCREAMING)

They are so unreal! They're the best band in the world!

And the last time mullets were officially fashionable.

It was the first year MTV

broadcast into Australian households.

Big Australian bands here in the US?

Well, I guess, of course, Midnight Oil and INXS.

But one that's pretty new, and we're really starting to hear

a lot about is Hunters and Collectors.

So there you go.

And sadly, the last year Countdown

would be beamed out of ABC Studio 31.

Even the very best programs like Countdown

won't last forever.

It means big disappointment

because Countdown, like, we do it every Sunday.

We watch Countdown,

and, you know, we enjoy ourselves watching it.

It's part of our Sunday night entertainment.

The producers tried a makeover with edgy Cold War graphics

and a rebrand as CDPTV,

the P standing for pirate.

But the reign of Countdown would come to an end.

563 episodes and hundreds of interviews and performances.

It was time to kick back and enjoy the end of the ride.

♪ It's the final Countdown. ♪

♪ The principal thinks he's a hero

♪ He thinks he's all man and more

♪ He ain't seen Jimmy Wilson

♪ And he's only in form four

♪ The sign says geography lesson,

♪ Map of Australia on the wall

♪ I only look at Tasmania

♪ The one place I adore

♪ Ah-hah Ah-hah

♪ Ah-hah Ah-hah

♪ Ah-hah Ah-hah

♪ Oh!

♪ We're all going to nude school

♪ A nude school, that's for me

♪ We're all happy at nude school

♪ A nude school is where I'll be

♪ Ah-hah Ah-hah

♪ Ah-hah Ah-hah

♪ Ah-hah Ah-hah

♪ Oh!

♪ Jenny thinks she's Madonna

♪ But Penthouse changed all that

♪ She ain't that hairy

♪ Her legs aren't that fat

♪ And Julie's got a tattoo

♪ She keeps it really well hid

♪ She says she'll show me

♪ I'd die if she did

♪ Ah-hah Ah-hah

♪ Ah-hah Ah-hah

♪ Ah-hah Ah-hah

♪ Oh!

♪ We're all going to nude school

♪ A nude school, that's for me

♪ We're all happy at nude school

♪ A nude school is where I'll be

♪ Ah-hah Ah-hah

♪ Ah-hah Ah-hah

♪ Ah-hah Ah-hah

♪ Oh!

♪ We're all going to nude school

♪ A nude school, that's for me

♪ We're all happy at nude school

♪ A nude school is where I'll be

♪ We're all going to nude school

♪ A nude school, that's for me

♪ We're all happy at nude school

♪ A nude school is where I'll be

♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, we're all going to nude school

♪ We're all going to nude school

♪ We're all going to nude school

♪ A nude school's where I'll be. ♪

Hi, this is Patsy Kensit from Eighth Wonder in London.

Hello to all the viewers of Countdown.

PAUL: In 1987, the new post-apocalyptic Countdown set

was designed to get the audience on their feet.

♪ Put your arms in the air and let them hear you say. ♪

♪ You've got power

It was also the perfect stage

for some of Australia's brightest new dance pop acts.

♪ But we got more important things for now

♪ Like you should be here rolling with me

♪ Turn it on

♪ Turn it on because I'm lonely. ♪

♪ When you're lonely in the field

♪ And you place down your shield

♪ I can make you feel better with a shake of my hand

♪ I'm the burning bush

♪ On the burning, burning mountain

♪ And I'll wait for you there with a hand in the air. ♪

The all-singing, all-dancing Chantoozies

were definitely the new queens of the night clubs.

♪ Voodoo veau

♪ Do-do, do-do-do

♪ Marie, Marie, da voodoo veau

♪ Do-do, do-do-do

♪ Marie, Marie, da voodoo veau

♪ I'm going to tell you a story

♪ Strange as it might seem

♪ Of zombie and voodoo dreaming

♪ And the Witch Queen of New Orleans

♪ She lived in a world of magic

♪ Possessed by the devil's school

♪ From a shack near the swamplands of mud and brick

♪ Marie stirred her witches' brew

♪ Marie, Marie, da voodoo veau

♪ She put a spell on you

♪ Marie, Marie, da voodoo veau

♪ She put a spell on you

♪ Marie, Marie, da voodoo veau

♪ She's the Witch Queen

♪ Of New Orleans

♪ Dime or a nickel anyone could buy

♪ Voodoo of any kind

♪ She had potions and lotions, herbs and tanna leaves

♪ Guaranteed to blow your mind

♪ Early one morning into murky swamp dew

♪ Vanished Marie with hate in her eyes

♪ Though she'll never return, all the Cajuns knew

♪ A Witch Queen never dies

♪ Marie, Marie, da voodoo veau

♪ She put a spell on you

♪ Marie, Marie, da voodoo veau

♪ She put a spell on you

♪ Marie, Marie, da voodoo veau

♪ She's the Witch Queen

♪ Of New Orleans

♪ Marie, Marie, da voodoo veau

♪ She put a spell on you

♪ Marie, Marie, da voodoo veau

♪ She put a spell on you

♪ Marie, Marie, da voodoo veau

♪ She's the Witch Queen

♪ Of New Orleans

♪ I'm gonna tell you a story

♪ Strange as it might seem

♪ A zombie and voodoo dreaming

♪ And the Witch Queen of New Orleans

♪ Marie, Marie, da voodoo veau

♪ She put a spell on you

♪ Marie, Marie, da voodoo veau

♪ She put a spell on you

♪ Marie, Marie, da voodoo veau

♪ She's the Witch Queen

♪ Of New Orleans

♪ Marie, Marie, da voodoo veau

♪ She put a spell on you

♪ Marie, Marie, da voodoo veau

♪ She put a spell on you. ♪

PAUL: With Countdown winding up, some our great Oz rockers

were taking their last lap of the studio.

♪ You just don't seem to know what you do to me

♪ And I can't think of something to say

♪ No, it don't seem right just to hold you tight

♪ When I move, you just dart away

♪ Things aren't the way they used to be

♪ Somebody stole my right to be free. ♪

♪ I hope this is not happening

♪ To me

♪ I wake up and find that I'm dreaming

♪ Seeing is believing

♪ Nightmares, they'll come true

♪ And I'll wake up and find that I'm dreaming

♪ Seeing is believing

♪ Nightmares they'll come true. ♪

♪ Dreary old home and city cracks

♪ It's the bottom of the world

♪ And that's that

♪ There's a table hard as the day is long

♪ It's on. ♪

But the lads most likely to take Oz rock into the '90s,

Noiseworks.

♪ Oh-woh-woh-oh

♪ Oh-oh-oh

♪ You never expect it to be

♪ In your wildest dreams

♪ So take a step backwards for a little while

♪ You'll find it there

♪ It's something that I can't explain

♪ So I remain

♪ Trapped this size

♪ Still holding strong

♪ Still holding on to you

♪ To you

♪ Take me back to you

♪ It's been a long time

♪ Although every night

♪ I think of you

♪ It's such a lonely life

♪ I watched you wave goodbye

♪ As you drove away

♪ I didn't know that it would be

♪ Your last time with me

♪ You said life ain't worth living

♪ If nobody cared

♪ You said that all the time

♪ Oh, I take a step back

♪ And see your staring eyes

♪ I see you on the day you die

♪ Take me back to you

♪ It's been a long time

♪ Although every night

♪ I think of you

♪ It's such a lonely life

♪ Yeah

♪ And take me back to you

♪ Take me back to you

♪ Oh-woh-woh-oh-oh

♪ Take me back to you

♪ It's been a long time

♪ Although every night

♪ I think of you

♪ It's such a lonely life

♪ Oh-oh-oh-oh

♪ Take me back to you

♪ Take me back to you. ♪

(CHEERING)

ELECTRONIC VOICE: This is CDPTV.

Next, we have a great band from Sydney live in the studio.

They're called Lime Spiders with My Favourite Room.

Take it away, boys.

PAUL: In the late '80s, a punk attitude

had become melded with the '60s revival.

♪ Just come on up to my favourite room

♪ Just climb the stairs, get away from the gloom

♪ You'll see things you've never seen before

♪ All you got to do is knock upon my door

♪ When I think about her, and I think about me, yeah

Bands like The Stems were bringing back

black jeans and guitars.

♪ Sad, sad girl, such a sad, sad girl

♪ Sad, sad girl

♪ You sure don't want to go out with me

♪ No, she don't want to be my girl. ♪

And no-one did it better than the Hoodoo Gurus.

♪ And another thing I been wondering lately

♪ Oh, baby, tell me where have you been?

♪ Now the stage is set, where's my Juliet, baby?

♪ Or it is maybe my midsummer night's dream?

♪ What's my scene?

♪ What's my scene?

♪ What's my scene?

♪ Tell me, what's my scene?

♪ Like a talent scout always checking out new blood

♪ Oh, I'd do good if you tell me your game

♪ Playing solitaire doesn't get me where you would

♪ And, honey, you could

♪ Play any rules that you name

♪ What's my scene?

♪ What's my scene?

♪ What's my scene?

♪ Tell me, I got to know

♪ What's my, what's my

♪ What's my, what's my scene?

♪ What's my, what's my

♪ What's my, what's my scene?

♪ They say, they say

♪ Making love, you can make it pay

♪ They say, yeah, they say

♪ But we know there's a better way

♪ Any day

♪ And another thing

♪ I've been wondering lately

♪ Am I crazy

♪ To believe in ideals?

♪ I'm a betting man

♪ But it's getting damn lonely

♪ Oh, honey, if only

♪ I was sure what I feel

♪ What's my scene?

♪ What's my scene?

♪ What's my scene?

♪ Tell me, I got to know

♪ What's my, what's my

♪ What's my, what's my scene?

♪ What's my, what's my

♪ What's my, what's my

♪ What's my scene?

♪ I want to know

♪ I can't see

♪ I'm caught in someone somewhere else's scene

♪ Oh, where, oh, where, oh, where can my scene be? ♪

PAUL: It may have been the final year of the show,

but Molly kept supporting new talent.

♪ This love affair

♪ This love affair

♪ I used to care

♪ Was once so good

♪ So good

♪ Now I wish you would

♪ Do you want to leave me? ♪

♪ Well, I'm a little tired hanging on to anything

♪ All the strange things are happening

♪ What am I supposed to do?

♪ Just stop the whole wide world from turning blue, yeah

♪ Bad

♪ Gin

♪ Bad

♪ Gin. ♪

Our clubs and bars spawned eclectic, talented new artists,

and the quality of many was hard to miss.

♪ Last night, or the night before

♪ 25 fathers at my door

♪ And I got up and let them in

♪ But I missed them all with a rolling pin

♪ Alright

♪ Get down

♪ Like I came down from his throne

♪ I can't let it get me down

♪ Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey

♪ Change my smile into a frown

♪ Whoa

♪ I can't let it take me down

♪ Take you down

♪ Change my smile into a frown

♪ A frown

♪ I can't let it take me down

♪ Turn me upside down

♪ Change my smile into a frown

♪ Things that I want to say are so sad

♪ And being bad like I know you ought to

♪ Now it's time to love again

♪ I'm playing the part of a family man

♪ Hey, hey, hey, hey

♪ They took everything I own back

♪ Like I came down on this only

♪ I can't let it get me down

♪ Yeah, yeah, hey, hey, hey, hey

♪ Change my smile into a frown

♪ Whoa

♪ I can't let it get me down

♪ Let it get me down

♪ Change that smile into a frown

♪ Oh, oh

♪ I can't let it get me down

♪ Let it get me down

♪ Change my smile into a frown

♪ Whoo-ooo

♪ Na-na-na, oh-oh

♪ Na-na-na, oh-oh

♪ Na-na-na

♪ Oh, yeah

♪ Oh, I-I-I-I-I-I

♪ All is fair in love and war

♪ What do you think we're here for?

♪ So come out the righteous one

♪ And there's no problem there at all

♪ Hey, hey, hey

♪ It'll happen again

♪ But you bust your way in again

♪ I can't let it get me down

♪ I can't let it get me down

♪ Change my smile into a frown

♪ That smile can turn around

♪ Can't let it get me down

♪ Let me get it down

♪ Change my smile into a frown

♪ Oh!

♪ I can't let it get me down

♪ Cannot let it get me down

♪ Change that smile into a frown

♪ Oh, hah

♪ Those robbers will never ever get it again

♪ Change my smile

♪ I can't let it get me down

♪ Stop it now, just stop it now. ♪

♪ Hello. ♪

1987, what a wonderful year so far. This is Paul.

Hi, everybody. What do you think of my new threads?

♪ There she comes

PAUL: Countdown bore witness to the blooming

of some of our finest songwriters.

Mick Thomas and Dave Steel from Weddings, Parties, Anything

stepped up to the plate.

♪ Shotgun wedding

♪ Shotgun town

♪ A shotgun wedding

♪ A shotgun town. ♪

♪ You've got a river of rainbows, the sun in your eyes

♪ Burning through

Iva Davies just kept getting better.

♪ Could be I'm losing my head

♪ Over you

♪ Well, you've got to be crazy, baby

♪ To want a guy like me

♪ Yeah, you've got to be out of your mind

♪ Crazy. ♪

And, of course, there was our national treasure, Paul Kelly.

♪ High on the hill looking over the bridge

♪ To the MCG

♪ A way up on high

♪ The clock on the silo says 11 degrees

♪ I remember

♪ I remember

♪ I'm breathing today, the month of May

♪ All the burning leaves

♪ I'm not hearing a sound

♪ My feet don't even

♪ Touch the ground

♪ I remember

♪ I remember

♪ I go leaps and bounds

♪ I go leaps and bounds

♪ Down past the river

♪ And across the playing fields

♪ See the big fish

♪ The fields all empty

♪ Only for the burning leaves

♪ I remember

♪ I remember

♪ I go leaps and bounds

♪ I go leaps and bounds

♪ I'm high on the hill

♪ Looking over the bridge

♪ To the MCG

♪ I'm stumbling

♪ My feet don't even

♪ Touch the ground

♪ I remember

♪ I remember

♪ I remember

♪ I remember

♪ I go leaps and bounds

♪ I go leaps and bounds

♪ I go leaps and bounds

♪ I go leaps and bounds

♪ I remember

♪ I remember

♪ I remember

♪ The way the camera follows us in slo-mo. ♪

This is CDPTV.

Hi. This is Frank Beard.

This is Billy Gibbons.

And that's Dusty Hill of ZZ Top.

And we'll be seeing you in a couple of weeks Down Under.

PAUL: We're celebrating the Australians,

but it can't be forgotten that Countdown staged

some great international acts over the years.

♪ Down the charge of dusty roads

The good old US of A gave us rock'n'roll.

♪ The fear inside daily grows

♪ From my head down to my shoes

♪ I got the shotgun blues. ♪

♪ You got me tied down with battleship chains

♪ 50 foot long and a two ton anchor

♪ Tied down with battleship chains

♪ 50-foot-long and a two-ton anchor. ♪

♪ Because if I can't give you a good reason

And the Brits sent us their finest pop stars,

from household names like Paul Young...

♪ But I'd cry if I stood for treason

♪ So why does this man have to be strong?

♪ But I think that there's

♪ A fame we share

♪ It's so real, why does a man have to be strong? ♪

To an exciting new talent with quite literally a breakout hit.

♪ Breakout

♪ When explanations make no sense

♪ When every answer's wrong

♪ You're fighting with lost confidence

♪ All expectations gone

♪ The time has come

♪ To make or break

♪ Move on, don't hesitate

♪ Breakout

♪ Don't stop to ask

♪ Now you've found a break to make it last

♪ You've got to find a way

♪ Say what you want to say, breakout

♪ When situations never change

♪ Tomorrow looks unsure

♪ Don't leave your destiny to chance

♪ What are you waiting for?

♪ The time has come to make or break

♪ Breakout

♪ Don't stop to ask

♪ Now you've found a break to make it last

♪ You've got to find a way

♪ Say what you want to say

♪ Breakout

♪ Don't stop to ask

♪ Now you've found a break to make it last

♪ You've got to find a way

♪ Say what you want to say

♪ Breakout

♪ Some people

♪ Stop at nothing

♪ If you're

♪ Searching

♪ For something

♪ Lay down the law, shout out for more

♪ Breakout and shout day in and day out

♪ Breakout

♪ Breakout

♪ Don't stop to ask

♪ Now you've found a break to make it last

♪ You've got to find a way

♪ Say what you want to say, breakout

♪ Don't stop to ask

♪ Now you've found a break to make it last

♪ You've got to find a way, say what you want to say

♪ Breakout

♪ Don't stop to ask

♪ Now you've found a break to make it last

♪ You've got to find a way

♪ To say breakout. ♪

(CHEERS)

Hello, this is Johnny Marr from The Smiths.

You're watching Countdown.

PAUL: Countdown never hid from the issues of the day.

And in 1987, the AIDS virus was an issue

many artists spoke out about.

If you are weak, physically,

you've got more chance of catching it, you know?

And there are, you know, a lot of people who take drugs

that have caught it from using, you know,

needles and things like that.

So, you know, the whole sort of decadence thing is a risk.

And you just have to be careful.

(CHEERS)

One Aussie band, Redgum, wrote what could be described

as a community service announcement in song,

promoting safe sex.

♪ Remember that prevention is better than a cure

♪ You want to get around, want to stay up late

♪ You want to make love, you just can't wait

♪ You want to get it on like the birds and the bees

♪ Here's a little secret stop you catching a disease

♪ It's a shower and a raincoat my bald-headed friend

♪ It's putting on the breaks before you hit the bend

♪ It's taking time to think when your blood's running hot

♪ Because if you're looking down a barrel

♪ You're going to get shot

♪ Shoot, shoot

♪ Oh, roll it on, Robby

♪ Oh, slip it on, Sam

♪ You want to play it safe, play it all for sure

♪ Remember that prevention is better than a cure

♪ The coloured lights flashing on a disco floor

♪ Girl of my dreams waltzes through the door

♪ I walked up to her, asked her for a dance

♪ The way she moved her body, I knew I had a chance

♪ She's alright

♪ I had to play it safe so I went to the machine

♪ But I drank all my money and my pockets are clean

♪ I explained the situation, asked her for a loan,

♪ She said, "Don't worry, baby, I always bring my own."

♪ Girls just want to have fun

♪ Oh, roll it on, Robby

♪ Oh, slip it on, Sam

♪ You want to play it safe, play it up for sure

♪ Remember that prevention is better than a cure

♪ Me and Suzy at the party, fooling around

♪ Getting kind of heavy, then the lights went down

♪ Said, "Suzy can you feel it?"

♪ She said, "I feel it too."

♪ "But if you haven't got protection

♪ "You know what you can do."

♪ Back off

♪ Oh, roll it on, Robby

♪ Oh, slip it on, Sam

♪ You want to play it safe, you want to be secure

♪ Remember that prevention is better than a cure

♪ Oh, roll it on, Robby

♪ Oh, slip it on, Sam

♪ You want to play it safe, you want to be sure

♪ Remember that, your bit

AUDIENCE: Is better than a cure!

♪ One size fits all. ♪

I read a review in RAM -

they try sometimes to be the Rambo of rock'n'roll, I think -

of a Wa Wa Nee album, and I just feel that...

It's a self-titled album, and it's a shocking review.

It's very, very negative.

I don't see the point that they cannot see

that every album in Australia doesn't have to be like

a Jimmy Barnes, or Hoodoo Guru, or Midnight Oil.

It's a very negative thing.

Like Countdown, I guess you can turn Countdown off sometimes.

And with this particular issue, and particularly this review,

you can always turn this into something like,

well, expensive toilet paper.

OK. For all you people who tuned into Countdown last week,

and were a little perturbed, especially the anti-litter people,

about me actually ripping up a RAM and spreading it all over the place,

believe me, after the shoot, I picked up every piece of RAM.

And I also picked up a couple of lolly papers as well.

So do not worry about it.

Well, let's have a look

at a couple of our favourite superstars

who appear to be having problems over the last week or so.

The first is Boy George.

Apparently, here in Australia,

it would appear that radio are completely ignoring this song,

Everything I Earn, the old Bread song.

Well, I'll tell you what.

The Culture Club fans and Boy George fans are angry.

And they're about to put their anger into action.

I believe around the country over the next week or so,

they're going to take on the radio stations.

Well, for starters, we're protesting against the fact

that they're not playing George's single on the radio,

which is very hypocritical for starters.

EON FM is playing it, 8:00 each night,

because it's top eight, number one in the top eight.

Now if they're prepared to play it at 8:00, right,

why not play it during the day as well?

Sgt Pepper's not only musically changed the face of the world,

but it also socially changed the face of the world.

Well, of course, it's the '80s today.

It's out, as I say, tomorrow. There's a special copy here.

You get the cut-outs. You can make yourself into a Sgt Pepper.

And you also get a very limited version.

And I say limited, of a red vinyl.

So all those Beatle freaks, I'm sure they'll be out tomorrow.

Alright. Now, listen, Kylie.

Congratulations on the single. This is the 12-inch.

And it's a graded 12-inch, I might add.

Were you very nervous about going into the recording arena?

I did it months and months ago.

But it's different, but I had a good time.

Yeah? Did you have any help from your sister, who is...

I had a bit of help. Yeah?

♪ Come on, take in the sunshine

♪ I want to be free

PAUL: Countdown was always for the people,

and the entire country felt part of the show.

♪ We want a kick that we're used to. ♪

♪ Eyes on the target

Countdown '87 regulars, The Cockroaches,

had an energy that was infectious.

♪ Just hear the crowd sigh

Four years later, two of them would have even greater success

in one of Australia's biggest ever exports, The Wiggles.

♪ Hey, let's go, let's go, let's go

♪ Hey, let's go, let's go, let's go

♪ Hey, let's go, let's go

♪ Because she's the one, she's the one, she's the one

♪ She's the one, she's the one, she's the one

♪ She's the... ♪

♪ Don't you get the feeling

♪ That you've done this kind of thing before?

Then you had the Mentals,

who kept on delivering one catchy tune after the next.

♪ And now you're going back for more

♪ Come with me

♪ Get out of the mess you're in

♪ You take your life in your hand

♪ Every time you fool around with him

♪ He's just no good for you

♪ Why are you going back?

♪ You deserve

♪ A whole lot better than that

♪ Your memory must be short

♪ Or you find it very easy to forgive

♪ You must be a little bit crazy

♪ If you think that's how you ought to live

♪ He's just no good for you

♪ Why are you going back?

♪ You deserve

♪ A whole lot better than that

♪ Stop and think

♪ While you've got the chance

♪ Stop and think

♪ Or you'll be over your head

♪ In a doomed romance

♪ He's just no good for you

♪ Why are you going back?

♪ You deserve

♪ A whole lot better than that

♪ Don't you get the feeling that

♪ You've done this kind of thing before?

♪ You've been kicked in the teeth

♪ And now you're going back for more, and more, and more

♪ He's just no good for you

♪ Why are you going back?

♪ You deserve

♪ A whole lot better than that

♪ Oh, he's just no good for you

♪ He's just no good

♪ Why are you going back?

♪ He's just no good

♪ You deserve a whole lot better than that

♪ Oh, he's just no good for you

♪ He's just no good

♪ Why are you going back?

♪ He's just no good

♪ You deserve

♪ A whole lot better than that. ♪

MOLLY: What do you think of Red Symon's new song?

It's very sobering.

I thought it was very arresting.

PAUL: Red Symons, who performed with Skyhooks

in the first song on the first colour show in 1975,

was still getting on camera in 1987.

It's an absolute disgrace, an absolute disgrace!

This shouldn't be on. What was it?

It was you, Red.

Many other Aussie favourite musicians from the early days

had continued to perform on the show.

It was brilliant that the final year

saw performances by Ross Wilson...

♪ Boom, baby, boom

♪ Ah, boom, baby, boom

♪ Boom, baby, boom

♪ Ah, boom, baby, boom. ♪

♪ Down, down, down in my heart

James Ford and the Models...

♪ And when the morning comes

♪ I'll be around

♪ But if you say the word

♪ I would always stay

♪ And you hold on to what you got. ♪

And Joe Camilleri, whose new band, The Black Sorrows,

was about to enjoy a wave of success.

♪ Backwater bride

♪ White leather hide

♪ Head soaked in mud and gin

♪ Cold rusted moon

♪ Hellfire lagoon

♪ Set for a masterpiece of sin

♪ Daughters of glory

♪ Outlaw lands

♪ Sweet surrender with a rifle in your hands

♪ Sons of sorrow

♪ Weep and wail

♪ Six ways from Sunday with the devil on your trail

♪ Freight whistle blows

♪ Red diamond rose

♪ Sapphire and altar stone

♪ Snake poison eyes

♪ Low vermin lies

♪ All down on flesh and bone

♪ Daughters of glory

♪ Outlaw lands

♪ Sweet surrender with a rifle in your hands

♪ Sons of sorrow

♪ Weep and wail

♪ Six ways from Sunday with the devil on your trail

♪ Really want to rock, boy

♪ Backwater bride

♪ White leather hide

♪ Head soaked in mud and gin

♪ Snake poison eyes

♪ Low vermin lies

♪ Set for a masterpiece of sin

♪ Daughters of glory

♪ Outlaw lands

♪ Sweet surrender with a rifle in your hands

♪ Sons of sorrow

♪ Weep and wail

♪ Six ways from Sunday with the devil on your trail

♪ Daughters of glory

♪ Outlaw lands

♪ Sweet surrender with a rifle in your hands

♪ Sons of sorrow

♪ Weep and wail

♪ Six ways from Sunday with the devil

♪ On your trail

♪ On your trail

♪ Ready to rock, boys

♪ Let them rock, boys

♪ Let them rock, boys

♪ Get it right, boys

♪ Ooh. ♪

Countdown!

♪ Take, take, take, take

♪ Ta-ta-ta-ta-take

♪ Taking chances, bold advances

PAUL: Whenever we were short of a video clip

or live performance,

Countdown let its dancers fill in.

They were unleashed when Mel and Kim made it to number one.

♪ Get out of here, we just don't have the time

♪ Take, take, take, take

♪ Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-take. ♪

♪ Boom, boom, boom, let's go back to my room

♪ So we can do it all night, and you can make me feel right

But before they had a chance to sit down,

Paul Lekakis also reached number one with Boom Boom.

♪ And you can make me feel right. ♪

(ALL SINGING)

Dave Dobbyn, from the Footrot Flats movie,

was a big local favourite.

♪ Howdy, angel

♪ Where did you hide your wings?

♪ Her love shines over my horizon

♪ She's a slice of heaven

♪ Slice of heaven. ♪

And a cover of the old song He's Going to Step on You Again

made it all the way to the top.

♪ You can change your desire. ♪

No, not that one, although it did make the top 40.

♪ Going to stamp out your fire

♪ He can change your desire

Yes, The Party Boys.

♪ Make you forget you're a man

♪ You're a man

♪ You're the man. ♪

So, 1987. This was the final Countdown.

And as Molly would often do

when a song had been at number one for a long stint,

we're going to go out with a song

that didn't technically top the charts,

but it is a number one song in the hearts of many music fans.

♪ There is freedom within

♪ There is freedom without

♪ Try to catch the deluge in a paper cup

♪ There's a battle ahead

♪ Many battles are lost

♪ But you'll never see the end of the road

♪ While you're traveling with me

♪ Hey now, hey now

♪ Don't dream it's over

♪ Hey now, hey now

♪ When the world comes in

♪ They come, they come

♪ To build a wall between us

♪ We know they won't win

♪ Now I'm towing my car

♪ There's a hole in the roof

♪ My possessions are causing me suspicion, but there's no proof

♪ In the paper today

♪ Tales of war and of waste

♪ But you turn right over to the TV page

♪ Hey now, hey now

♪ Don't dream it's over

♪ Hey now, hey now

♪ When the world comes in

♪ They come, they come

♪ To build a wall between us

♪ We know they won't win

♪ Now I'm walking again

♪ To the beat of a drum

♪ And I'm counting the steps to the door of your heart

♪ Only shadows ahead

♪ Barely clearing the roof

♪ Get to know the feeling of liberation and release

♪ Hey now, hey now

♪ Don't dream it's over

♪ Hey now, hey now

♪ When the world comes in

♪ They come, they come

♪ To build a wall between us

♪ We know they won't win, yeah

♪ Don't let them win, no

♪ Hey now, hey now

♪ Hey, no, no

♪ Hey now, hey now

♪ Don't ever let them win

♪ No, no

♪ Don't let them win

♪ Don't let them win

♪ Hey now, hey now. ♪

(CHEERS)

I have three complaints to make in my life.

And this is a statement.

The first was a favourite rock'n'roll group of mine

and for the right and wrong reasons,

never appeared on our show.

It was Midnight Oil.

And I think they're terrific. (CHEERING)

Thank you.

And the second was that the press and the public

kept saying about, "Will you take your hat off?"

(CHEERING)

The third was my mate here wants the hat, right?

MAN: Yeah! So thanks to...

this shaver...

and thanks to my hairdresser,

and I never ever thought I'd give a credit to a hairdresser,

for taking this off.

John, you can have the hat.

Peter, I hope you don't mind me doing an impersonation of you.

Thank you, Australia, good night!

PAUL: Visit the Classic Countdown website

for more pictures, interviews

and behind the scenes information.